Chapter 9 Jin Ling 9
Before she knew it, another month had passed. Jin Ling hadn't been looking for him on purpose these days, but she often met King Guang.
She didn't believe in coincidences without reason, and silently changed her route, but still ran into Li Yi halfway. Jin Ling looked at him, sweating profusely, and smiled softly.
From then on, she returned to the original route, and the two of them met in front of the sunflower's grave every time. Although they did not say anything to each other, there was a silent atmosphere lingering around them.
That night when she returned to the dormitory, she found that Zhan Xiaomo's expression was a little strange.
[System, open the memo.] Seeing her evasive and distracted, Jin Ling felt something was amiss.
The system silently opens its own recording function and has become accustomed to using it as a memo and USB drive.
[Hmm... Found it! So that's how it is, it's time for the loan incident.] Jin Ling saw the suicide note she had recorded and looked at the smiling face of the bed. Sure enough, a piece of white silk was faintly visible under her sheets.
In the dim candlelight, a palace maid in pink holding a three-foot white silk scarf looked like the opening of a horror movie.
Even the smile that was full of desire for death was suddenly startled. He looked closely and found that it was Jin Ling.
"Jin...Sister Jin Ling, it's so late, what's wrong with you standing by my bed..."
"I should be the one asking you this. Why are you hiding a white silk scarf on your bed? What are you planning to do?"
Jin Ling pulled Zhan Xiaoxiao into the house, walked to the door to make sure no one was around, and then closed it. With a serious face, she walked up to Zhan Xiaoxiao and said, "A palace maid committed suicide. Was it because the Shanggong Bureau treated you harshly, or was it because I bullied you?"
"No, Sister Jinling, everyone in the Shanggong Bureau is very kind to me, and Sister Jinling has always taken good care of me..."
"Then you're going to commit suicide in the house!"
Jin Ling knew that a big part of the reason she hanged herself at this time was that she couldn't repay the loan sharks, but she couldn't explain the reason she knew, and she didn't want to come forward and attract Ma Yuanying's attention now, so she could only pretend to be ignorant and induce a smile to confess:
"I know you're sad that your mother is gone, but she's gone. The living can remember her, but we must ultimately move on. If your mother is still alive, she'd be so sad to see you hurting yourself like this..."
Zhan Xiaoxi was already in tears, and when he heard Jin Ling mention her poor mother, he couldn't hold it anymore and collapsed on the ground crying uncontrollably: "I also want to live well, but...but my mother is dead——"
"I only have this one mother. For so many years, I have borrowed money from all over the Shang Palace Bureau to treat her illness, but it is still not enough. I go to the doctor and ask for medicine every day, but no amount of money is enough to pay for it."
"I really have no other choice... I heard from the other ladies in the kitchen that you can borrow money from Wen Fangzheng, and the interest rate is not high, so... so... I can't pay it back now, and my mother has passed away from illness. What's the point of me living in this world?"
“Snap—”
Jin Ling stopped her crying with a slap, and her always cheerful and generous smile became more cold than ever before. The captivating gaze even frightened her to the spot, and she dared not make another sound.
A dull atmosphere filled the small bedroom, with only the occasional crackling of a burning candle as the light shone.
I smiled for a moment, but my heart was beating like a drum, and I couldn't speak.
Jin Ling's voice was soft but it pierced her eardrums like thunder: "In this palace, you actually dared to trust others and borrow money from loan sharks without telling anyone."
"Do you think that Eunuch Wen, who has no relationship with you, is more trustworthy than me or the Shang Gong Bureau?"
Her eyes were so stern and heartbroken, her tone so heavy with disappointment. It was just like when she was a child, when she was so hungry that she stole a mouthful of porridge from someone else's house. Her mother was so heartbroken and beat her up, then hugged her and blamed herself...
Seeing the little girl's dazed look, Jin Ling suspected that she had spoken too harshly. Thinking of her mother's recent death, she cursed herself for being useless, but she still hugged her honestly.
"It's okay, it will all pass. Every failure is a learning experience. If you encounter any problems in the future, you must tell me or Sanhao immediately, or go to Ruan Sizhen or Cai Shanggong. Don't be silly and take everything on yourself..."
Zhan Xiaorong could no longer hear anything. She just felt that the embrace was so warm. The other person's thoughts were like those of a mother, and just listening to them made her feel at ease.
She suddenly hugged Jin Ling tightly, crying like a cuckoo crying blood, so miserably and sadly, her heart breaking, wanting to cry out all the pain from childhood to adulthood.
"...Cry. After you're done crying, tomorrow is a new day." Jin Ling patted her back gently. The female historians who came rushing over after hearing the noise stood quietly outside the door. They didn't know what had happened, but deep in the palace, who didn't have a wound in their heart?
No matter what happens, wait for the smile...
It was already late at night, and according to custom, the palace would have been under curfew by then, but the hall was still brightly lit.
"You said that Xiao Wei borrowed money from Lian Fangzheng to pay for his mother's medical treatment?" Cai Shanggong looked at the two people kneeling on the ground, with a solemnity that had never been seen on her face.
Several other female officials from various departments and rooms were also called over. Under the strict interrogation of Cai Shanggong, female officials from the Food Department and the Equipment Department admitted to the loan, and their contact person was undoubtedly the eunuch Lian Fangzheng.
After everyone else had left, Jin Ling returned and called out to Consort Cai, who was about to leave for the Imperial Household Department that night:
"Lord Shang Gong, stay!"
"Jinling, do you have anything else to say?" Cai Shanggong's attitude towards her was very gentle. This time she saved Zhan Xiaomo in time, and comforted the flustered Zhan Xiaomo from the side, asking her to tell the loan matter from the beginning in detail. She was calm, decisive and able to take the overall situation into consideration, which really made her very satisfied.
"Does Lady Shang Gong intend to inform General Ma about the loan now?"
When Lady Cai heard her ask this, she knew she had other ideas and quickly asked, "This incident involves our two families. Do you think I shouldn't tell General Ma?"
"Of course, this matter cannot be hidden from the Eunuchs. However, we should not harbor any intention to harm others, but we must be on guard against them. How could a small eunuch have such great power to lend money throughout the palace? I am afraid that he has someone behind him."
"I know what you mean. Lian Fang is Ma Yuanying's subordinate and has always been loyal to him. I'm afraid someone may have embezzled the funds.
"But his position is special. If we make a big fuss, not only will we not be able to investigate the matter, but we will also cause trouble. It's better for both sides to take a step back and make the matter smaller."
Jin Ling understood that Lady Cai had good intentions, but she was worried that she would be impulsive and insist on seeking justice in the palace. However...
"Ms. Shang Gong is wise, and Jin Ling also understands that when water is too clear, there are no fish. What I mean is that we must be on guard against them throwing dirty water on our Shang Gong Bureau in order to protect themselves."
Having lived in this deep palace for decades, Concubine Cai immediately understood the deeper meaning behind her words. Thinking about Ma Yuanying's behavior...it was indeed necessary to be on guard...
"So, what do you think should be done?"
"Tonight we will meet General Ma, and we can... In the next few days, each palace will also..."
Under the gloomy night, a silent conspiracy has gradually unfolded, but this time, no one knows who will have the upper hand.
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