All the concubines had arrived, and the Queen had also arrived. Ning Yuxi had no choice but to bite the bullet and go in.
She respectfully greeted the Empress: "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you. I am late in paying my respects, please forgive me, Your Highness."
The Queen, however, looked concerned and asked, "But what happened?"
"The Empress Dowager asked me to take Cheng Zhao back yesterday. I haven't seen Cheng Zhao for a long time, so it's inevitable that I stayed up late the moment we met. Therefore, I'm late in paying my respects. I hope Your Majesty will not blame me."
The Queen also heard about this yesterday. Knowing that the mother and son had not seen each other for a long time, she could understand it, but she could understand it, but others could not.
Jingpin said with disdain, "Empress Yi is late, and she's blaming the child for it."
"Could it be that because Concubine Yi recently gave birth to a child, was promoted to a higher position, and her family was granted a title, she no longer takes the Empress seriously?"
Although she knew that her words were provocative, Concubine Yi had indeed been quite proud recently. Not only had she given birth to the first prince since the emperor ascended the throne, but now she had also given birth to the royal family's first pair of twins, a boy and a girl. The queen couldn't help but feel unhappy.
Her expression suddenly darkened.
Just then, Concubine Rong interrupted again, "Who said it wasn't true? At the banquet yesterday, Concubine Yi really embarrassed me. I apologized, but Concubine Yi still held on to it. Sigh."
Ning Yuxi frowned. She really hated the fighting in the harem.
"I cannot bear the consequences of what Jingpin said. Whether it is a promotion or a title, it is all the grace of the emperor. I can only be grateful for the grace of the royal family. The queen is the emperor's first wife.
As one with the Emperor and his wife, I naturally treat you with the same respect as I do the Emperor, and I have absolutely no intention of neglecting you. I hope the Empress will understand this."
This flattery really touched the heart of the Empress, but Ning Yuxi's expression was serious, and there was no trace of flattery in her words, as if this was her true thought.
The Empress was indeed very satisfied. She smiled slightly and said, "Of course I know what you mean, Concubine Yi. Okay, everyone, please sit down."
Ning Yuxi knelt down and saluted: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding."
Catching sight of Rong Fei's unyielding expression from the corner of her eye, Ning Yuxi continued, "As for what Rong Fei said, all the sisters were here yesterday. Whether I am really as you said, you all know it in your hearts. I have a clear conscience about what I said yesterday.
If Rong Fei really wants to argue, then we will tell the Empress everything that happened yesterday. The Empress has always been fair and will definitely be able to judge right from wrong. What do you think, Rong Fei?"
Concubine Rong still had a decent smile on her face, but she was already burning with anger in her heart. This damn Concubine Yi really underestimated her.
Seeing the Empress's majestic gaze sweeping over, Concubine Rong immediately calmed down and said with a smile, "It's my ignorance that I failed to grasp the deeper meaning of Concubine Yi's words. This matter has passed, so why should I trouble the Empress again?"
Ning Yuxi said calmly, "Since Concubine Rong has said so, then the matter is over. If I hear Concubine Rong bringing this up again in the future, I will have the Emperor personally come and make the final decision."
The handkerchief in Rong Fei's hand was nearly torn apart by her, but her expression showed no sign of abnormality: "Sister Yi Fei is right."
The greetings were passed amidst the undercurrent of the crowd.
After the meeting, Concubine Xie invited Ning Yuxi to return to the palace and asked about Cheng Zhao's affairs.
The two palaces were not close to each other, but they could still walk together for a while. When they reached the fork in the road ahead, suddenly a little palace maid came running over crying. She probably didn't look at the road carefully and bumped into Concubine Xie who was talking to Ning Yuxi.
The maid was so frightened when she saw that she had bumped into someone that she immediately knelt down and apologized: "Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Excellency, thank you for your forgiveness, this servant did not mean to do anything."
Lady Xie saw the maid's red eyes and the traces of tears she hadn't wiped away, so she didn't blame her. She just asked, "What's wrong with you that makes you so flustered?"
When the maid heard Noble Lady Xie's question, tears began to fall uncontrollably. "In reply to your question, my mistress has just passed away. I was in a hurry to report to the Empress, so I didn't look carefully and bumped into you. Please forgive me."
As she spoke, she kowtowed to Concubine Xie.
Xie Guiren said, "Well, since it happened for a reason, I don't blame you. But who is your master?"
"Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. My master is Feng Changzai from Biluoxuan."
Feng Changzai? The Third Princess's biological mother?
Ning Yuxi and Concubine Xie exchanged a glance, and Concubine Xie asked again, "Concubine Feng died of illness? What illness? Wasn't the smallpox healed before?"
Feng Chang was originally a servant of Concubine Qin. After giving birth to the third princess, Concubine Qin disliked that the child was not a prince. Her plan to take the child away to raise was ruined, so she ignored the mother and child and treated them harshly in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation.
Later, the third princess got smallpox. Feng Changzai, who had had smallpox herself, took care of her personally, but because she did not take good care of herself during the confinement period, she got infected again. Concubine Qin thought it was bad luck and was afraid of infecting others, so she reported it to the emperor and asked them to move out.
Feng Changzai was timid and cowardly, and as a result, the Third Princess was not favored by the Emperor. I heard that the smallpox was cured before, so why did Feng Changzai still die of the illness?
The palace maid wiped her tears and said, "My master and the third princess were moved to Biluoxuan due to smallpox. No one cares about them. My master was already weak, and although the smallpox has healed, her body is completely broken. She has been just enduring these days."
Ning Yuxi didn't know what to say for a moment. Concubine Xie asked the palace maid to report to the Empress, and they both fell silent for a moment.
Ning Yuxi still remembered that Feng Changzai was the first one among their group of newlyweds to become pregnant. She went to see her after she gave birth to Cheng Zhao. At that time, she had just given birth to the third princess not long ago. She was mistreated by Qinpin and did not raise the child well. She had no anger at that time.
Only two years after entering the palace, this beautiful woman lost her life. Ning Yuxi still remembered that Feng Changzai seemed to be one year younger than her. She was only 18 years old now and died at the most beautiful age.
They looked at each other in silence, and then they tacitly decided to go to Biluoxuan to see Feng Changzai.
As soon as she entered Biluoxuan, Ning Yuxi was shocked by the scene before her. How could such a dilapidated place exist in the imperial palace? The mottled and peeling walls, the weed-covered ground, and the dilapidated houses all revealed the desolation of this place.
Before she could continue looking, she heard a little baby's heart-wrenching cry coming from inside the house.
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