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It was impossible for such a major incident, such as the murder of the imperial heir and concubines, to go unnoticed inside and outside the palace. Xiao Liu's family was convicted and exiled.
When Yu Jin found out, she rushed into the palace in a rage to support the Empress of Yonghe Palace.
Whether she was originally crowned Princess Pingyang or now, thanks to her father's rise to power, she has never been one to bully or flaunt herself. But this time, she was clearly genuinely pissed.
In the past, Yu Jin had arrived at the palace in a low-key carriage accompanied by a few servants, but today, the princess's guards were all out—a twelve-person sedan chair embroidered with pearls and phoenixes, adorned with clouds, made a striking appearance along the palace path. Ten palace maids and eunuchs, each holding fans and umbrellas, led the way, and on either side, sweeping soldiers and the princess's guards waited. Wherever they went, everyone gave way, fearing they would collide with the princess's guards.
Yu Jin sat in the sedan chair, and on the palace road she had an undisguised conversation with the palace maid.
"Our Empress of Yonghe Palace is usually the most peaceful and kindhearted person. I never thought that there would be someone who would be so ungrateful as to frame her."
"Princess, please don't cry. When Her Majesty sees you later, she will be heartbroken."
"I feel sorry for the Empress. The person who is accused of murdering the concubines and the heir to the throne has a very vicious heart. It seems that we are usually too kind, which is why people are throwing dirty water on the Empress. If I knew who has such evil intentions, I would never forgive her!"
Yu Jin's grand gesture alarmed most of the palace, but neither the Qianqing Palace nor the Kunning Palace raised any objections to Princess Mingjing's actions. Furthermore, the two elders of the Cining Palace didn't intervene, let alone the others.
The young concubines below had never seen such a scene before.
Especially those who entered the palace in recent years, many of them are not even as old as Yu Jin. Before entering the palace, they were all spoiled girls raised in seclusion and had never seen the majesty of the eldest princess.
All of a sudden, the concubines and their confidants in their respective palaces looked at each other and touched their chests as if to comfort each other.
"If it involves Yonghe Palace in the future, we really have to think carefully about whether we can afford to offend her. Concubine Ding has a lot of people protecting her. Now she is just Princess Mingjing. Princess Longan will also be getting married next year, and in a few years, they will be the fifth and ninth princes." Everyone was muttering in their hearts.
In Jingren Palace, Rongpin also said to the nanny she trusted, "It's a good thing I didn't make a scene when the Ninth Prince was ill and Dingpin was upset. Otherwise, it would be me that the eldest princess would come to the palace to look for today!"
Rongpin wasn't afraid of Yujin as a person, but rather of her status. The status of the emperor's eldest daughter was truly special. Unless she'd committed an unforgivable offense, Princess Mingjing Yujin was essentially a death-proof shield. Any concubine in the palace who crossed her would suffer.
The young concubines were still frightened, and those in the palace all sighed that the princess was becoming more and more like Emperor Yongping.
Yonghe Palace.
A sedan chair embroidered with pearls and colorful patterns, including a phoenix and cloud, landed steadily in front of the Yonghe Palace. A palace maid gently lifted the curtain, and Yu Jin descended on a footstool, clutching a small hand warmer. Her skirt stirred a gust of wind as it swept across the ground. She walked straight in without waiting for notice. The maids and eunuchs standing in the corridor saluted and greeted the princess, knowing she was in a bad mood today. They didn't even dare to breathe.
In the main hall of Yonghe Palace, Li Qingping sat by the window, flipping through a book, while Yuxi was beside him, studying the account books. Hearing footsteps, Li Qingping looked up and saw Yuxi. He put down his book and said with a smile, "Our Princess Mingjing is so majestic today! The entire palace knew about it the moment the ceremonial guards arrived at the palace gate."
Yu Jin quickly stepped forward, shook her hand, and said angrily, "You can still smile?" Then she put her hands on her hips and walked around the palace a few times, waving her handkerchief as if she wanted to hit someone in the face. "I was almost furious when I heard the news yesterday. If it weren't for the prince consort and Cheng Yi stopping me, and if it weren't for the palace gates being locked and it was not easy to enter with fanfare, I would have come here yesterday!"
Yuxi looked at the constantly moving light and shadow on the account book and cried out, "Ouch, ouch!" "Big sister, big sister! I'm already dizzy from looking at this. Please, please stop shaking. If I don't finish reading this today, my mother will scold me!"
Yu Jin stopped and looked, but still sat down on the chair next to her as Yu Xi said. Li Qingping quickly signaled Yun Su to give the young lady chrysanthemum tea to reduce her internal heat.
Li Qingping said gently, "Alright, alright. Nothing's wrong with me. Although the official Yun has gone, the Imperial Household Department has also given me a clever maid. But you, don't get too angry."
Yu Jin glanced at the tea with flower petals floating in it, and drank it because she felt thirsty.
After putting down the teacup, he said, "Noble Lady Qi and Noble Lady Wan are both troublesome. They should have stayed in the palace to take care of their pregnancies, but they just kept coming out to cause trouble. Also, I knew that little Liu had bad intentions. She even tried to bribe a servant to harm you. Fortunately, the palace maid was clear-headed and knew the pros and cons and didn't take action. But that's how they got hold of the evidence. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been linked to Yonghe Palace."
Li Qingping smiled and said, "It's all good now. Yonghe Palace can finally be quiet again."
Yu Jin snorted and laughed, "How could it be such a coincidence? All those chefs came and went to make those dishes and dim sum that Concubine Qi loved, how come those two were the ones that Xiao Liu found?"
"In my opinion, this is clearly a scheme set up by the person behind the scenes."
Li Qingping's expression paused.
She hadn't thought of this. But who was it? The perfect plan to kill three birds with one stone was hidden behind it.
In Yongshou Palace, Concubine Yi had just gently waved her hand, allowing the Seventh Princess, Yujun, to go play with Prince Gong's eldest son. Watching the two children playing, Concubine Yi smiled as she listened to the palace attendants discuss Princess Mingjing's entry into the palace. She picked up her teacup and blew on the tea.
"Our eldest princess, like her father, cannot tolerate any grain of sand in her eyes."
Concubine Yi took a sip of tea, looked at the patterns on the tea bowl and snorted coldly, "Speaking of which, that little Liu is also useless. She could have made things miserable for both Bai and Xu, but because of her jealousy, she had to involve Yonghe Palace. She also saved Bai and Xu's pregnancies."
Concubine Yi wasn't someone who couldn't tell right from wrong. When Prince Gong was young, he was nearly murdered by a treacherous person. It was Li Qingping who promptly discovered the situation and punished the palace servants, allowing her and Yan Ping'an to grow up, marry, and have children. Concubine Yi always remembered this favor, and as long as Yonghe Palace remained undisturbed, she wouldn't attack it.
The nanny reminded: "My lady, be careful, there are ears on the other side of the wall."
Concubine Yi sneered, "Madam, don't worry. Yujun has been ill for a while, and I was worried about her day and night. How could I pay attention to other things? No one outside would think of me getting involved."
Besides, it seemed that Concubine Yi had no reason to attack the two noble ladies. But who knew that Concubine Wan had once inadvertently angered Concubine Yi when she was spoiled and arrogant.
Concubine Yi had originally taken a fancy to a glazed screen depicting a scene of drinking in a peach forest and had circled it with a brochure. Later, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department came to complain, saying that Concubine Wan, from the East Side Hall of Zhongcui Palace, had also taken a fancy to the screen and had coaxed Emperor Yongping into granting her consent when she accompanied him. While the screen exceeded Concubine Wan's allotment, Emperor Yongping's dictate was irresistible. Between a favored concubine with a verbal order and a long-established consort with three children, the Imperial Household Department couldn't afford to offend either, so they apologized to Concubine Yi and presented her with another superior glazed screen.
Concubine Yi didn't embarrass the Imperial Household Department at the time. Emperor Yongping had already agreed to Concubine Wan's request. If she didn't agree, wouldn't that be a slap in the face of the Emperor? Concubine Yi wasn't that stupid. She accepted the new screen and told everyone not to spread any rumors.
But that doesn't mean Concubine Yi doesn't care. Patience is what Concubine Yi excels at. When Concubine Jin arrived at the Qiandi Palace, she was made a concubine, occupying the position Concubine Yi had long coveted. Concubine Yi endured it. Now Concubine Jin is in her grave. It's also said that when they were both favored concubines, Concubine Ke always outshined Concubine Yi, but Concubine Yi endured it. And now, isn't she still a concubine alongside Li? The thing Concubine Yi fears least is waiting.
The reason she didn't deal with Concubine Wan at that time was simply because the timing was wrong. As soon as she had the chance, Concubine Yi began to lay the groundwork.
Xiao Liu had been out of favor for so long that the palace servants who once clung to her had long since scattered. It was no coincidence that she'd found a young eunuch capable of tampering with Concubine Qi's meals, and had the money to pay off his debts. It was simply Concubine Yi who was behind the scenes, fanning the flames. But Concubine Yi was far more clever than Xiao Liu, leaving no trace. However, the eunuch Xiao Liu had found was indeed somewhat unexpected by Concubine Yi; he happened to have a somewhat unsavory relationship with the Yonghe Palace.
Concubine Yi sighed, "What a pity! If it doesn't work out this time, there won't be such a good opportunity next time."
She put down the teacup, and gently stroked the pattern on the rim with her fingertips. Her eyes were as deep as a bottomless lake.
"Forget it. If it doesn't work this time, I'll wait for another opportunity." Concubine Yi's tone was flat, as if she was just talking about an insignificant matter. "Life in the palace is long. There will always be a time to teach those ignorant people the ropes."
She's not even a proper concubine, yet she's taking advantage of the Emperor's favor to use the title of Consort. She doesn't even know what kind of person she is. If the Emperor investigates her, she won't even have to do anything to be killed, she'll be mutilated.
How can those who don’t follow the rules have the last laugh?
Yu Jin did not stay in Yonghe Palace for dinner.
She had just sent someone to the Qianqing Palace to inform the Emperor that if he was free, she would dine with him. The eunuch who had gone to deliver the message had just returned to say that the Emperor had prepared the Princess's favorite meal.
Yu Jin said goodbye to Li Qingping.
Arriving at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Yu Jin first apologized to Emperor Yongping. To be honest, the pomp and circumstance of entering the palace today was indeed a bit exaggerated. Even if Emperor Yongping did not pursue Yu Jin, he would still have to take the initiative to apologize.
Emperor Yongping reluctantly helped her up, looking at his daughter with a sigh of emotion: "You, you, you caused quite a stir today. Your protective nature is exactly like your aunts, but thankfully your aunt's love for you was not in vain."
Seeing that he wasn't angry, Yu Jin snorted coldly, "Someone has committed a crime that has come to the Yonghe Palace. I can't stand it."
"I know your temper. However," Emperor Yongping warned, "you are now the mother of two children. You must never act on impulse like this in the future. Do you understand?"
Yu Jin agreed obediently: "My daughter knows."
Emperor Yongping sighed, "Don't worry, the Empress, Concubine Ke, and Concubine Ding are the first women to serve me besides the palace maids. As long as they do their duty well, I will never treat them unfairly."
This was the promise Yu Jin wanted, and she smiled and said, "Of course I believe in my father."
The father and daughter smiled at each other and had a warm lunch.
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