Chapter 184 An Lingrong 125
"Royal Consort, Imperial Consort, Seventh Prince, who else does the Queen want to poison? After she poisons them all, will I be the next one?"
The emperor placed his hands on the table in front of him, his deep gaze fixed on Jianqiu, who was kneeling below him. Jianqiu snorted coldly and said loudly, "These things are all my own doing. They have nothing to do with the Empress!"
After saying this, she raised her finger, and Zhen Huan beside her immediately stood up: "Quickly stop her, she wants to commit suicide out of fear of punishment!"
The guards rushed forward and pried her hands apart with such force that they almost broke her index finger.
The emperor didn't even bother to look at her shabby appearance. He just ordered Su Peisheng: "Go and take the people around the queen to the Ministry of Punishment. Make sure to find out how these dirty things were brought in."
Seeing that there was no hope for suicide, Jianqiu could not help but curse at the Imperial Noble Consort and the Imperial Concubine in despair: "Hahaha, good for you to die. The Imperial Noble Concubine is dead, and you will not have a good ending either. I will open my eyes and look at that day, hahahaha——"
The heart-wrenching laughter frightened many people in the hall, and their eyes unconsciously glanced up at the expressionless imperial concubine.
"Your humble servant pays respect to His Majesty."
The tense atmosphere in the hall was finally broken by Wen Shichu's voice. He looked as if he had been pulled out of the water, but his expression remained calm.
When the emperor saw him, he also hurriedly asked, "How is the Imperial Noble Consort?"
"Fortunately, the Imperial Concubine didn't take much, and her condition has stabilized now, but she still needs to rest."
"I entrust the Imperial Concubine's body to you. You must heal her."
………
In Jingren Palace, the Empress hadn't yet realized that Jiang Fuhai and Jianqiu had been taken to the Ministry of Punishment. When she was summoned again, she was confronted by the Emperor about Chunyuan's death.
No one knew what the inside story was. All everyone knew was that the harem issued an order the next day to depose the empress. Ulanara Yixiu was demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in Jingren Palace for the rest of her life, never to see the emperor again.
No one expected that Yixiu, the niece of the Empress Dowager and the younger sister of Empress Yuan, who had always been firmly seated in the imperial palace, would be deposed so easily and fall under the feet of the people, never to be the same again.
What was even more unexpected was that the emperor ordered the concubines in the six palaces to pay their respects to the imperial concubine in Chengqian Palace morning and evening.
The implications of this were so great that no one in the harem dared to think too much about it, but they all tacitly treated her as the queen and showed respect to her.
Three years passed so quickly that the harem had long been accustomed to operating under Ling Rong's control. The young concubines who had just entered the palace only knew the Imperial Noble Consort but not the deposed Empress. Jingren Palace had long since become a forgotten cold palace.
"I pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine—"
In the main hall of Chengqian Palace, a row of concubines came to pay their respects and saluted respectfully. Ling Rong sat upright on the throne, smiled, and raised her hand: "Everyone, stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Imperial Concubine."
Everyone sat down one by one, and it was Concubine Rou who spoke first: "The weather will be hot in a few days. I wonder what the emperor's plans are for this year?"
"The Emperor still wants to go to the Old Summer Palace. As for the entourage, he should naturally bring those with children. In addition, he should also bring Concubine Ning and Concubine Liu."
After Lingrong finished speaking, the lowly concubines standing behind the main lady naturally mixed with joy and sorrow. Liu Da Ying, who was standing behind Concubine Jing, couldn't stop smiling, and she was even more dismissive of the glares hurled at her by others.
Zhen Huan was a little worried when she heard this: "Why not leave a palace mistress to temporarily manage the harem?"
"Concubine Duan has been in poor health. The Emperor has exempted her from accompanying him on this summer vacation at the Old Summer Palace."
After a while, Concubine Hui, who had been feeling somewhat depressed, suddenly spoke up: "Having said that, I'm afraid Concubine Duan is ill and can't stand it anymore. I don't like going out, so why not leave me in the palace so that I can keep Concubine Duan company?"
Lingrong glanced at her. Concubine Hui kept her head down. After saying this, she fell silent like a shadow.
"That's fine, but what about the two princesses?"
"They will go to the Old Summer Palace to play with their sisters. I will ask the Imperial Concubine to take care of them."
Ling Rong then nodded: "In that case, then it's up to you."
After Lingrong's group left, Concubine Hui was the first to stand up and walk out. She looked as if she regarded Chengqian Palace as some kind of monster.
Zhen Huan watched Mei Zhuang leave with worry, then she looked away and looked at Ling Rong with some embarrassment: "Sister Mei, she's not blaming you."
"Of course she shouldn't blame me. If it weren't for me, I'm afraid she and Jinghe would have become lonely ghosts in the Forbidden City." Ling Rong was completely puzzled. Did she look like the kind of good person who would take on responsibilities that didn't belong to her?
"Besides, I just called her here so she can see for herself how your beloved Chun'er is planning to separate you two and sell you to me for a small sum as a token of her loyalty."
Ling Rong was rather gloating: "Besides, do you think she left so quickly just to avoid me? She might not be afraid of you, the Imperial Concubine Rou, who took action personally."
"I can't argue with you. Anyway, please arrange a bigger place for me tomorrow, Royal Noble Consort." Zhen Huan rubbed her temples in feigned distress. "I have a family to support, and I'm relying on Royal Noble Consort for a subsidy."
"It's still the old place, Bitong Academy. You can arrange it as you like. It's cool and spacious, and it's close to us, so we can visit each other on weekdays."
Only then did Zhen Huan leave contentedly with a bunch of palace affairs.
Half a month later, a huge procession of carriages set out from the Forbidden City and went all the way to the Old Summer Palace.
Not long after, Ling Rong, who lived in Changchun Xianguan, heard that the new Khan of the Junggar tribe was going to pay a visit to the Qing Dynasty.
On the day of the banquet, Lingrong sat aside and watched a slightly thin figure walk in and bow to the emperor.
This person was not the Mog Khan in the previous life, but Mog’s eldest son, Tsewang Dorji Darza.
Compared with his brave and warlike father, Darza looked more peaceful and steady, and did not use the so-called national treasures to provoke the Qing Dynasty like his father did.
Over the years, following Mog's unexpected death, his brothers and sons have been locked in a fierce struggle for the Khan's throne. Since the old Khan's death from illness, the turmoil has persisted to this day. Only with the help of his uncle has Darza secured his position as Khan. But his situation is not optimistic.
Darza, a lama since childhood, is not loved by his tribe, nor are other tribesmen who are necessarily obedient to him. Furthermore, his younger brother, Namjar, who is the popular choice and of noble birth, is under his command. Originally, after becoming Khan, he should have proven himself with a brilliant battle, but his men were struck down by an ominous disease.
If he were to become enemies with the Qing at this time, his brothers would certainly take the opportunity to attack him. So, no matter what, Darza had to find a way to bring back a prescription to cure the epidemic.
The calm appearance he pretended to be after practicing Buddhism for a long time even attracted the goodwill of some officials, and the emperor sitting at the top was also very satisfied with his neither humble nor arrogant attitude.
Darza looked around while bowing, his eyes swept over the ladies beside the emperor, and then glanced at the princes who were sitting there, and he instantly had a plan in his mind.
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