Chapter 38 Jin Ling 38
"Okay! I think you know the truth." Li Yi supported Jin Ling and looked at Concubine Xian with disgust. He was too lazy to listen to her explanation.
"Since you entered the palace, you have caused so much trouble. I have always treated you well, considering your father is a loyal minister of the country. I didn't expect you to become even more outrageous."
The Queen Mother also sided with Jin Ling without hesitation: "On the first day after entering the palace, you attacked Concubine Zhao outside of my Cining Palace. Instead of being grateful to Concubine Zhao for covering up for you, you were disrespectful to her."
"These past few days, everyone in the palace has witnessed how you treated Concubine Zhao, and how Concubine Zhao treated you. If you say you bullied Concubine Zhao, I might believe it; but if you say Concubine Zhao bullied you, I absolutely don't believe it!"
The most noble mother and son in the world had convicted her and confined her to the Xianju Palace without any room for argument.
"Your Majesty, this punishment is unfair." Sun Jiabi protected her daughter, who was already dazed after the repeated blows, and skillfully used her husband and cousin as an excuse. "Even if the virtuous concubine was wrong, it was only a minor matter. Your Majesty's harsh punishment will chill the hearts of my husband and cousin."
Li Yi was not one to be threatened by her and was about to strip her of her title of Consort Xian and confine her to the Xianju Palace, but Jin Ling stopped her and said, "Your Majesty, Madam Wan's words make sense."
Seeing Li Yi looking at her with disapproval, Jin Ling continued, "After all, these are just petty matters of jealousy. Revoking the title is indeed a bit too harsh."
Are you kidding? Just because of this kind of thing, the title of Concubine Xian was stripped away. It goes without saying that Ma Yuanying would dare to sow discord between the Emperor and Wan Jianfeng later, and might even put pressure on the Emperor to give Concubine Xian a higher position.
This kind of punishment that can't kill with one blow is worse than no punishment at all.
After leaving Cining Palace, Jin Ling went directly to the Shanggong Bureau to visit Zhong Sizhi and told Ruan Shanggong what had happened. As expected, she saw anger and worry in Ruan Shanggong's eyes.
She was angry that Concubine Yuxian treated Shang Gongju as a servant who could be beaten and scolded at will, but she was also worried because she was Wan Jianfeng's only daughter and didn't know what to do.
And... two days ago, Eunuch Bu came to tell her the news, which also made her upset.
"I've seen how difficult life is in the Shanggong Bureau." Jin Ling held Ruan Cuiyun's hand, pretending to empathize with her. "When I was a female historian, I thought life in the palace was hard, but I simply attributed it to my humble status. Now that I'm a concubine, I realize that no one in the deep palace can do as they please."
"I miss the white flowers in my hometown, but I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to return home in my lifetime..."
Jin Ling's sincere words deeply touched Ruan Cuiyun's heart. She couldn't help but hold her hands and whispered comfortingly, "In fact, His Majesty is sincere to Your Majesty, and the Queen Mother is kind and loving. Your Majesty is noble and favored. Who can predict the future?"
"Consort Ruan is right. I've made a mistake." Jin Ling smiled gently. "In fact, I'm already very content to be able to enjoy a harmonious relationship with Your Majesty. If in the future... our family can live together in harmony, I won't have any regrets."
"Oh, right. My concubine Qiuju has been sent to the torture chamber. Now Chenghuan Palace is short of a maid. I want to ask Zhong Sizhi for one."
"Which lady has your heart set on?"
"That's Qian Feiyan from the Zhongsi workshop."
"Qian Feiyan?" Ruan Shanggong didn't expect to hear this candidate and exclaimed.
Jin Ling: "But what's wrong with that? If it's not possible, then forget it."
"Of course not. It's just that Qian Feiyan was so rude in the past. I didn't expect Her Majesty to send her to Cheng Huan Palace."
"That was all many years ago. I never had a grudge against her before, let alone now. This time, she simply came to me begging for mercy. After all, we grew up together, so it's not right for me to just stand by and watch her die."
"Just watch someone die and not help?"
"What trouble has she gotten herself into?"
Ruan Cuiyun and Jin Ling turned around at the same time and saw Zhong Xuexia had arrived outside the door at some point, also looking at Jin Ling in shock.
This "又" is very spiritual.
"It's not a big deal. She just tried to curry favor with Wanru, who was by Consort Xian's side, and then came to my palace to recommend herself. This angered Consort Xian. Today, she saw Consort Xian rushing towards Zhong Sizhi... so she was afraid that Consort Xian would retaliate against her."
"You're as stupid as a pig!"
Zhong Xuexia was proud and arrogant, and could not tolerate her subordinates being so indecisive. She was so angry that she wanted to teach Qian Feiyan a lesson.
Jin Ling hurriedly stopped her, "After all, the unprovoked disaster that the Shanggong Bureau suffered this time was also caused by me. Zhong Sizhi also knows that Feiyan has always been like this. After all, it won't be a big deal to put her in my palace and give her a sinecure."
"Your Majesty, why do you have to do this? This is clearly the intention of the virtuous concubine. What does it have to do with you? I would like to thank Your Majesty for saving my life."
Zhong Xuexia has always been clear about what she loves and hates. Jin Ling's behavior of breaking into the palace to protect her this time completely impressed her. Thinking of how Jin Ling had explained for her in front of General Wan before, she couldn't help but feel even more grateful and hurriedly stood up to pay her respects.
"That's not necessary. Since I'm following the Queen Mother's orders, it's my natural duty. Besides, I came from the Shang Gong Bureau. I believe Shang Gong Ruan and Zhong Sizhi understand the principle of shared success and shared failure better than I do."
Jin Ling held Zhong Xuexia's hands, her eyes full of intimate smiles.
Coming out of the Shanggong Bureau, Jin Ling was followed by Qian Feiyan, who looked very happy. The usually arrogant Qian Feiyan was now half a step behind Jin Ling, feeling both excited and terrified.
Yes, she was afraid of Jin Ling.
As a token of her loyalty, she did two things according to Jin Ling's instructions after coming out of Chenghuan Palace.
First, he borrowed a high-interest loan of fifty taels from eunuch Zhang, a subordinate of Ma Yuanying.
Second, using this as an excuse, they found Wanru, another personal maidservant of Concubine Xian, who was unwilling to be inferior to Wanhua, and made her a pawn planted by Xianju Palace in Chenghuan Palace.
That’s right, she is Qian Feiyan, now the virtuous concubine, or in other words, the spy planted by Wanru next to Jin Ling.
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