Chapter 267 Entering the Palace
Ling Jingxuan, "It's not impossible. The Crown Prince lives in the Eastern Palace. No one in the palace can match his power. What's more, he has a mother who is the Queen!"
Ling Jingxuan's words made Qin Qingyao feel a chill on her back. Even if the prince didn't know that Ling Jingxuan was investigating him, would the queen know?
Or even, could it be that she had already known about the affair between Concubine Yao and the Crown Prince, and had been covering for them?
She is the queen, the most powerful woman in the entire harem. She has held this position for more than twenty years, and she relies on her strength!
If she doesn't even know that her son is having an affair with one of her concubines, and if she doesn't even know that someone wants to use the lewd affairs in the palace to harass her son, then she is too naive.
How could such a stupid woman be the queen for more than 20 years?
The more Qin Qingyao thought about it, the more frightened she became. She seemed to have always overlooked the fact that there was such a powerful BOSS behind the prince!
"You..." Ling Jingxuan looked at Qin Qingyao, feeling a little embarrassed and apologetic, and said, "You'd better be mentally prepared. This matter may implicate Concubine Qin Shu."
Concubine Qin Shu is Qin Qingyao's biological aunt. Although their relationship is not very close, they are of the same blood and are connected by blood!
If this crime is pinned on Concubine Qin Shufei, will the Qin family still be able to survive?
Concubine Qin Shufei has a son who just turned twenty this year and was canonized as Prince of Ning by the Emperor. Like his mother, he is a very honest person who does not fight for anything.
But no matter how honest he is, he is still a prince, and his family relatives are powerful. Since the mother and son behave so honestly, the Queen must believe them!
Even if Prince Ning never gets involved in anyone's fights, once the Crown Prince thinks that the Qin family has helped Prince Duan, will they think that Concubine Qin Shu and Prince Ning are also on Prince Duan's side?
Qin Qingyao returned home and searched through the boxes and cabinets for a long time. Dugu Yu asked, "What are you looking for?"
"Hubby, do you remember where I threw the badge that the emperor gave me last time to enter the palace?"
"Know."
"Where?"
"It's with me."
Qin Qingyao, "..."
"What are you going to do in the palace?"
It’s not that Dugu Yu wants to control where she goes, it’s just that the time is sensitive now, everyone in the palace is in danger, and everyone wants to clear themselves. But she wants to enter the palace at this time?
"Prince Duan said that the death of the Nineteenth Prince would most likely be blamed on Concubine Qin Shufei. I want to meet her."
"Meet her? What can you do when you meet her? The affairs of the harem are not something we can control!"
Since you already know that it is very likely that the blame will be put on Concubine Qin Shufei, why are you still moving closer? What's the train of thought behind this?
Even Minister Qin could not bear the charge of murdering the royal heir. Even if the Qin family was only implicated by Concubine Qin, they would still face a catastrophe. The only thing Dugu Yu could do now was to do his utmost to protect Qin Qingyao and prevent her from being implicated.
But if she went into the palace to see Concubine Qin Shufei this time, wouldn't she be handing the handle over to the other party, allowing them to kill her?
Qin Qingyao said, "I know I can't control the affairs of the harem, but since Prince Duan can expose her, then Concubine Qin Shu is definitely no longer able to gain a foothold in the harem. I can accept the punishment, but the Qin family will never admit to the crime of murdering the royal heir!"
Seeing Qin Qingyao's resolute attitude, Dugu Yu handed her the token and sent her to the palace gate. "I will wait for you here for an hour. If you don't come out within an hour, I will go in!"
Qin Qingyao knew that Dugu Yu was worried that she would be troubled, or even detained as an accomplice of Concubine Qin Shu, so he was always ready to go in and rescue her. She was so moved that her nose was sore.
"Don't worry, I will come out as soon as possible."
Concubine Qin Shu lived in the main hall of Yonghe Palace. Qin Qingyao had already found out clearly when she entered the palace last time. It just so happened that the emperor gave her a sign allowing her to go to the harem to see the flowers, so after she entered the palace, she had a smooth journey.
I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect, but Qin Qingyao always feels that the harem is so depressing that it makes people breathless.
From what she had seen on TV and in novels, shouldn't places like gardens, paths, and pavilions here be filled with random encounters and quarrels all the time? But today, she walked all the way inside and didn't run into a single lady.
In Yonghe Palace, Concubine Qin Shu was chanting scriptures.
"Your Majesty, Princess Wu Ling requests an audience."
"Princess Wu Ling? Where is she?"
"We're already outside the palace."
"Then please invite someone in."
"yes!"
"Wait!" Before the little palace maid turned around, Concubine Qin Shu shook her head again, "Forget it, tell Princess Wu Ling that I'm not feeling well today and can't see guests. Let her go first."
"yes!"
The little palace maid relayed Concubine Qin Shu's message to Qin Qingyao. Before she could finish, Qin Qingyao rushed in and said, "Hey, Your Majesty, you must not do this... Your Majesty, please stay..."
When Concubine Qin Shu heard the helpless cries coming from far away, she knew that Qin Qingyao had rushed in by herself.
I've heard about her arrogant and willful temper before. Now that she's married, how come she still doesn't act steady at all and dares to act recklessly in the palace!
When Qin Qingyao entered, Concubine Qin Shu had already left the Buddhist temple and was heading towards the main hall. Qin Qingyao quickly bowed and saluted, "Greetings, Concubine Qin Shu!"
"Alright, stand up. All of you, leave. I'm going to have a few private words with the princess!"
After the palace maids and eunuchs left, Concubine Qin Shu immediately put on a stern face, "Do you know what you're doing? The Qin family can't even cut ties with me right now, and yet you're barging into the palace?"
Qin Qingyao said, "Aunt, don't you know my father's temper? If the crime of murdering the prince were really pinned on you, do you think he would know the situation and try his best to deny it, or would he desperately fight to defend you?"
"You've been in the palace for so many years, but Daddy has basically never contacted you. It's not because he doesn't value brotherly love, but to avoid suspicion. He's afraid that you and your cousin, Prince Ning, will be suspected by the Emperor of having ulterior motives by colluding with his relatives. He's afraid that you will be seen as a thorn in the side of other princes and nobles who are interested in the throne!"
After hearing what Qin Qingyao said, Concubine Qin Shu's face lost its seriousness and she smiled bitterly, "You know it too."
"Yes, His Royal Highness Prince Duan said so."
After Qin Qingyao said this, Concubine Qin Shu knew that she was finished. The fact that Prince Duan told Qin Qingyao meant that the matter was a done deal and there was no room for easing. She was afraid that the emperor would pronounce a verdict on her at the latest at tomorrow morning's court.
She suddenly shrugged her shoulders and laughed, and as she laughed, tears began to stream down her face.
"Twenty-two years! I've been in the palace for twenty-two years. From the day I entered, I never set foot outside the palace! Two years of favor from that man and the title of Consort Shu are everything to me."
"I used to think I was special, but in the end, I was just one in three thousand. Whether I was slandered or simply used by him to vent his anger, life and death depended on his words."
"A day of marriage brings a hundred days of grace. This saying does not exist in this harem. There are no husband and wife here, only ruler and subject."
"It's a pity that I've been in the palace for so many years, always cautious and hesitant, never daring to seek any benefits for my family. In the end, I was framed by a villain, and I have to implicate you. Yao'er, please apologize to your father on your aunt's behalf!"
Qin Qingyao, "Aunt, are you giving up now? You also said that the emperor will not pronounce your sentence until tomorrow morning, right? We still have time."
"Haha, you have no idea what's going on, nor do you know what kind of place this harem is, where people are eaten without leaving any bones. I don't have time anymore. From the moment the Nineteenth Prince died, I no longer have time."
The other party must have planned all the steps long ago, instead of taking one step at a time and then plotting against Concubine Qin Shufei.
She and Prince Ning's mother and son were one of the targets of the person behind the scenes to kill two birds with one stone.
"I simply don't have any illusions about that man anymore. I've had enough of all the wealth and glory I've had these years. There's really nothing worth clinging to in this world."
Qin Qingyao, "Is there really nothing worth your nostalgia? You could surrender and die bravely, but what about Prince Ning? And what about the pregnant Princess Ning?"
Concubine Qin Shu covered her face with a handkerchief, and even her crying looked so dignified and restrained.
"Aunt, now that you've had enough of this wealth and splendor, you shouldn't be afraid of the green lamps and ancient Buddhas for the rest of your life, right? Prince Ning has no intention of fighting for the throne. If he continues to stay in Yulin City, even if he can escape this time, what about the next time? And the next time after that?"
Concubine Qin Shu raised her head and looked at Qin Qingyao in shock, "Yao'er, what do you mean?"
Qin Qingyao, "First of all, no matter what method you use, you must see the emperor today!"
…
Qin Qingyao's purpose is very simple, that is, to put life and death aside and accept any punishment from the emperor. However, no matter how perfect the evidence others prepare and throw it in her face, Concubine Qin would rather die than admit the crime of murdering the prince.
The reason why Concubine Qin Shu was asked to see the emperor at any cost today was to let her play the emotional card with the emperor and strive to make the emperor give her a decision under the control of his emotional consciousness.
Once the emperor announces the so-called evidence tomorrow morning, there will be no room for easing the situation.
Concubine Qin Shu did not hide from the public eye, nor did she keep a low profile. Instead, she went to ask for an audience openly. Chen Xi told her that the emperor was busy with government affairs and asked her to return to the palace first. She did not say anything nonsense and knelt down directly.
He knelt for two hours.
The emperor let her in just before going to bed. He thought she would cry and beg for mercy, but she didn't.
She was just like usual, looking cold and indifferent, and there was no excitement in her words.
Such gentleness and good behavior brought back all the emperor's memories of her.
She said that there was no such thing as a one-day-old love between husband and wife in the royal family. In fact, it was not entirely true. At least, the emperor still remembered why he liked her.
She did not plead for mercy or admit her guilt, but discussed with the emperor in a negotiating tone what the future of Prince Ning would be.
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