Emperor Yugan looked at the situation in the hall and saw that Prince Rui was determined to obtain this imperial edict, while the Xiahou clan was probably extremely unwilling to do so, otherwise the Xiahou clan leader would not have refused directly!
Looking at Xiahou An'er again at this time, she is truly a beauty. Compared with Rong Rong, who is as cold and pure as an orchid in a deep valley, she has a different style. The vitality and brilliance with an alien touch are something that the ladies in Kyoto do not have. No wonder King Rui fell in love with Xiahou An'er at first sight!
But looking at Xiahou An'er's expression at the moment, she was staring straight ahead with cold eyes. I'm afraid that the princess of the Xiahou clan would be extremely unwilling to see King Rui act on his own!
As for King Chu and Chu Feiyang, although they did not express their opinions, Yun Qianmeng's words just now had already expressed what they were thinking!
With a smile, he turned his gaze towards Yun Qianmeng, who was still standing at the table. Emperor Yugan raised his hand and motioned for her to sit down. "Madam Chu, please sit down and talk! What Fourth Brother is asking for is a happy event, so there's no need to be so nervous! Since ancient times, marriages have been predestined. If Fourth Brother and the Princess are destined to be together, it wouldn't be my turn to arrange a marriage for them! It's just that my Fourth Brother has always been very picky. To this day, there hasn't been a decent concubine or principal wife in the Rui Palace, yet now he's fallen in love with the Princess at first sight. This shows how sincere he is!"
Emperor Yugan's words were winding and although he spoke for a long time, after listening to the whole thing, one could understand that this cunning man had been talking for a long time but had not mentioned the main point at all, yet he had not offended any party. It seemed that he was considering the interests of both parties, but in fact he wanted to provoke conflict between the two parties!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yun Qianmeng bowed to Emperor Yugan and then sat down gracefully. Listening to his words, a faint smile remained on her lips. Following Emperor Yugan's words, she slowly spoke again, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! Prince Rui is a rare talent, and his vision is naturally higher than that of ordinary people! Our An'er is fortunate to have the prince's favor, and it is naturally her good fortune! But An'er is still a princess of the Xiahou clan. Not only is she the apple of her grandfather's eye, but even her grandfather loves her as if she were his own granddaughter. Her marriage is naturally not to be taken lightly, and the choice of a prince consort cannot be decided so hastily! Besides, everyone loves beauty. Please put this matter on hold, Your Majesty, and don't make the wrong decision based on a momentary admiration!"
Seeing that King Rui was about to kneel down and not get up, Yun Qianmeng began to tell the story of Xiahou An'er's backers. Not only did she drag the Xiahou clan into it, but even King Chu became a shield at this moment!
With these two backers, he suddenly changed the subject and secretly accused King Rui of being so rash as to decide his lifelong fate based on just one incident, just like when he left with 30,000 soldiers because he was angry with Hai Chenxi. In the end, not only did he cause the lives of 30,000 soldiers to die, but he himself was also taken prisoner. Such recklessness now appeared in the matter of marriage. I believe that none of the ministers with daughters here would be willing to marry their daughters to such a person who does things without considering the consequences!
Yun Qianmeng's voice was clear and light, like a stream flowing slowly through a stream, making people feel relaxed and comfortable. However, it made King Rui's eyes darken, and a nameless anger surged in his heart. However, he also knew that Yun Qianmeng's status was now noble and he could no longer touch her. So he could only grit his teeth and kneel in the hall under the accusatory gazes of the crowd, waiting for Emperor Yugan's decision with the last glimmer of hope in his heart!
It was not until she heard Yun Qianmeng's words that Xiahou An'er's expression changed. She turned her head slightly and looked at Yun Qianmeng with surprise. She had never expected that her cousin-in-law would offend even King Rui for her!
Noticing the worry in Xiahou An'er's eyes, Yun Qianmeng looked at her and smiled, telling her with her eyes that her cousin would have to face all the consequences. At this time, King Chu and Chu Feiyang did not stand up to deny her words, which already made their positions clear!
If the refusal came from a woman like me, even if King Rui suffered a loss, he would never embarrass me in the hall or in front of all the officials. But if King Chu or Chu Feiyang spoke up, it might involve a fight between several political factions, which would be difficult to resolve!
"A beautiful lady is a gentleman's dream! Does Madam Chu think that I am not qualified?" King Rui did not give up!
Although he did not hold as much power as Prince Chen, Hai Chenxi and the others, he had been pampered since childhood, so even a cold question from him still carried a chilling chill, causing many of the ladies present to put away their eager eyes to watch the show, lest they offend the prince!
"Your Highness, you are joking! Your Highness is deeply trusted and relied upon by the Emperor, and is naturally a pillar of the country! We just hope that An'er can marry a husband who loves her, otherwise there will just be one more pair of resentful couples in the world! Wouldn't that be a disappointment to Your Highness's sincerity and expectations? Your Highness, don't you think so?" Yun Qianmeng turned around and met Prince Rui's cold eyes directly, and spoke with a faint smile!
"Fourth brother, please stand up first! Since she is a beautiful lady, you will have to spend some time to help her!" After listening to Yun Qianmeng's analysis, Emperor Yugan turned his eyes to look at Prince Rui and nodded to Eunuch Yu. Eunuch Yu immediately stepped forward and helped Prince Rui stand up with both hands!
Emperor Yugan's words also gave Prince Rui a way out, and Emperor Yugan himself acted like a good guy for a while!
Prince Rui understood the meaning of Emperor Yugan's words. Although he was unwilling in his heart, he was still helped up by Eunuch Yu. His eyes instantly shot towards Xiahou An'er opposite him, and his pupils were filled with the determination to win!
However, Xiahou An'er was extremely disgusted by the burning gaze that was now glued to her. She immediately turned her face away with a frosty expression, raised her wine glass to cover her red lips and said to Yun Qianmeng, "Cousin, thank you so much for what you did just now!"
Yun Qianmeng naturally noticed the plundering look in Prince Rui's eyes as he looked at Xiahou An'er. He picked up his wine glass and gently clinked it with Xiahou An'er's, whispering, "It's just a small favor!"
However, this time I avoided King Rui’s request for permission, but I’m afraid I won’t have such a good excuse to avoid it next time!
Besides, everyone now knows that Prince Rui has set his eyes on Xiahou An'er. Although Emperor Yugan's reply to Prince Rui was ambiguous, he did not directly reject him. I'm afraid that after the palace banquet, the first thing these adults will do when they return to their homes is to warn their children to stay away from Xiahou An'er!
Even if Xiahou An'er returns to Luocheng in the future, the whole world belongs to the king, and an imperial decree can still summon her back to Kyoto. By then, even the Prince of Chu's Palace will not be able to disobey the decree openly!
After drinking the wine in the glass, Yun Qianmeng looked at Xiahou An'er's dazzling face, and her delicate eyebrows wrinkled slightly without leaving any trace!
"Your Highness has failed in the battlefield, and now he is also disappointed in love. He really needs to go and worship the Buddha and burn some incense, otherwise who knows what bad luck will follow!" At the same time, the atmosphere in the male guest seats was also surging!
Hai Chenxi was naturally a person who held grudges. Although he did not lose to Prince Rui's provocation just now, as the Prince of Hai, he had never been treated so unreasonably. Seeing Prince Rui being rejected by the woman, he naturally wanted to ridicule him!
Unbeknownst to him, his words had aroused the vigilance of Prince Rui. Prince Rui instantly turned his head, his eyes filled with hatred as he glared at Hai Chenxi, sneering, "What are you saying, Prince Hai? Didn't you just say that I had the late emperor's blessing? Now why are you suggesting that I go to the temple to burn incense? Your words are so inconsistent. How can you lead the army and go to war in the future?"
Hai Chenxi, however, turned the wine glass in his hand nonchalantly, his evil eyes fixed on the glittering cup, revealing a faint smile of satisfaction. He then lazily said, "The Emperor just said that marriage is predestined by heaven. How can Your Highness force what has already been decided by heaven?"
Hai Chenxi's words immediately made Prince Rui's eyes full of hostility, especially when he saw Hai Chenxi talking about himself and Xiahou An'er. Prince Rui subconsciously thought that this person intended to snatch it from him. He was about to open his mouth to refute, but he heard the sound of the Queen Mother leaving to return to the palace. He suppressed his anger, stood up with everyone else, and respectfully saw the Queen Mother off!
But before leaving, the Queen Mother called Concubine Qu and asked her to take her back to Fengxiang Palace!
Less than a quarter of an hour after the Empress Dowager left, Emperor Yu Gan also ordered the banquet to be dismissed. However, when he left the hall, he left Eunuch Yu alone to take charge of the next steps!
When Prince Rui saw Xiahou An'er and Yun Qianmeng walking together, he hurriedly wanted to go up and talk to them, but was unexpectedly stopped by Eunuch Yu!
"Your Highness, the Emperor wants you to go to the study!" Eunuch Yu swung the whisk in his hand and immediately stood in front of Prince Rui. He spoke with a flattering smile on his face, and his voice revealed the sophistication unique to palace servants!
"I will be there soon. Please move aside. I just want to talk to Miss Xiahou!" But King Rui brushed Eunuch Yu away with one hand. He saw that Xiahou An'er was about to disappear at the door of the hall, and he was anxious to chase after her!
"Please stop now, Your Highness! How could my cousin be the kind of lady who would casually talk to a man in public?" Just when Eunuch Yu was unable to stop Prince Rui, Chu Feiyang came over with a sneer on his face!
Although they were not in the court, Chu Feiyang's terrifying aura immediately suppressed the still somewhat immature Prince Rui. In addition, Prince Rui knew that if he wanted to marry Xiahou An'er, he naturally could not offend the Chu family at this time. So he could only suppress his desire, stood where he was, and replied with a gentle smile, "Prime Minister Chu is reminding me that I was not thoughtful enough! Eunuch Yu, let's go!"
Having said that, Prince Rui turned around and followed Eunuch Yu towards the study!
At this time, Chu Pei and Wen Xie passed by Chu Feiyang together. The father and son looked at each other, but did not exchange a word throughout the whole process. They passed each other without feeling the bond of blood!
Han Yu watched everyone disperse, then stood up and walked to Han Che's side. Seeing him put down the wine glass in his hand, he smiled and said, "Brother, let's go home!"
Han Che heard his sister's voice and pulled his gaze back from Prince Rui's back. He looked into his sister's eyes, which were as dark as the night. He felt that the dancing candlelight in them was as bright as the stars in the sky. He remembered that when he entered the hall just now and saw his sister pretending to sleep, he immediately shook his head and smiled dotingly, "You, you are so naughty!"
Han Yu stuck out her tongue playfully, reached out and pulled Han Che up, gave him a mischievous smile, and then whispered, "We don't have any intention of climbing up the social ladder, so why should we sit there and let people criticize and pick on us? Look at Princess Xiahou, she's so ethereal and beautiful, but she brought upon herself such an unexpected disaster!"
"Yu'er!" Although Han Yu's voice was very soft and only she and she could hear it, this was the palace after all, and there were many secret guards among them. They were all top-notch martial artists, so it was no problem for them to hear. If they accidentally heard it, wouldn't it be considered contempt for the majesty of the royal family? Then, I'm afraid even my parents far away in the countryside would be deeply implicated!
Han Yu knew that he had said something wrong, so he immediately shut his mouth. His eyes were filled with intelligence and he followed Han Che closely, walking out of the hall with him!
After the song ended, the crowd dispersed, and the women from each family boarded their own carriages and left the inner palace!
Old Lady Gu and the others chatted with Yun Qianmeng for a while before turning around and getting into the carriage. However, the carriage did not move at all, but just waited at the door of the inner palace for Qu Feiqing who had not yet come out of the Empress Dowager's palace!
At this time, Aunt Lan came out from the shadows and stood outside the carriage. She spoke respectfully and in a low voice, "This servant greets the old lady. The Queen Mother has ordered that Miss Qu rest in Fengxiang Palace today! The Queen Mother asks that the old lady not wait here, so as not to hurt herself!"
"Thank you, Aunt Lan, for delivering the message. It's late today, and it's really inconvenient for a young lady like me to go in and out of the harem. I'd better ask Aunt Lan to make an extra trip and let me go back to the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion with me!" The voice of Old Lady Gu suddenly rang out in the carriage. The majestic voice was full of firmness that could not be refused, which made Aunt Lan's heart tighten!
However, this was the Queen Mother's order. Since she was the Queen Mother's person, she could only work for the Queen Mother!
Aunt Lan outside the carriage smiled gently, then said respectfully, "To answer the old lady, this is the Queen Mother's decree. Please don't make it difficult for me!"
But when Old Lady Gu in the car heard the "Empress Dowager's Decree", she smiled coldly!
Everything the Queen Mother has done during this period has revealed her intentions. It is almost late at night, and how can he let his granddaughter stay alone in the harem where people are so treacherous? If something happens, it will be too late to regret it!
"In that case, I can only stay with my concubine in Fengxiang Palace!" As she spoke, Aunt Lan heard the sound of someone getting up from inside the carriage!
"How can I trouble you, old lady? The Queen Mother just wants to have a good chat with the young lady. Tomorrow morning, she will ask Eunuch Qu to personally send the young lady back to the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion. Please give me a favor, old lady. Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to report to the Queen Mother!" Seeing that Old Lady Gu walked out of the carriage again with the support of Ji Shuyu, Aunt Lan spoke in embarrassment!
"Is there anything you couldn't say at the banquet just now? It's late at night and everyone is asleep. If we offend the masters in the palace, wouldn't it be the fault of the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion? Take me to see the Queen Mother immediately. I will take all the blame!" Old Madam Gu is not someone who can be manipulated and played with easily. Since she was able to teach the Queen Mother, her methods and scheming are naturally no less than hers. Now that the Queen Mother has touched her bottom line again and again, the anger in Old Madam Gu's heart can no longer be controlled by suppression!
Just now, the Empress Dowager openly asked Concubine Qu to send her to Fengxiang Palace at the palace banquet. Old Lady Gu was unwilling to do so in the first place, but she was afraid that something like this would happen!
But at that time, all the officials and their families were present, and Emperor Yugan was looking at the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion. If he did not agree to the Empress Dowager's request, I am afraid that Emperor Yugan would look down on the Empress Dowager in his heart!
But I didn't want my soft-heartedness to let the Queen Mother succeed. Now she refused to release the concubine. I was afraid that something bad would really happen!
"Your servant greets the old lady!" At this time, Eunuch Qu walked over quickly, holding the empress dowager's imperial edict in his hand. However, he did not read it out. Instead, he respectfully held it in front of the old lady Gu and whispered, "Old lady, this is the imperial edict just issued by the empress dowager. No one is allowed to enter the palace tonight!"
Old Lady Gu didn't even look at the imperial edict. She stared at the two people in front of her who were trying to stop her in every possible way with her sharp eyes, sneering in her heart!
Ji Shuyu was even more anxious. She never expected that the Queen Mother would resort to force this time. She tricked the concubine into going to Fengxiang Palace and now she would not let herself and her mother enter the palace. In addition, the Queen Mother had wanted to ask Yun Qianmeng for help some time ago, which made Ji Shuyu extremely anxious. She frequently looked towards the exit of the inner palace, hoping to see her husband and son!
"Grandma, since the Queen Mother has good intentions, why don't we go back first! Besides, with the Queen Mother here, no one can bully my cousin!" At this time, the carriage from Prime Minister Chu's mansion drove over. It was late at night and the place was quiet, so Yun Qianmeng naturally listened to what the few people said just now!
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yun Qianmeng slowly stepping out of the carriage with the help of her maid. She looked at Old Lady Gu with a faint smile and said calmly, "The Queen Mother loves you so much, she will definitely not let you suffer any injustice. Let's leave the palace quickly so as not to delay Eunuch Qu and Aunt Lan!"
Old Lady Gu and Ji Shuyu looked at each other, and at the same time looked at Yun Qianmeng who was smiling gently. They didn't understand why Yun Qianmeng, who usually protected Qu Feiqing the most, would speak like this at this time!
"Mother, the frost and dew are too heavy outside. Let your daughter-in-law help you back to the carriage! I'm afraid my daughter has rested by now, so why should we bother her anymore!" But the two of them trusted Yun Qianmeng very much. When they heard her say this, they knew that Yun Qianmeng must have thought of a more effective way than forcing her way into Fengxiang Palace. So they retreated to advance, and Ji Shuyu helped Old Lady Gu get back into the carriage!
However, facing Yun Qianmeng's sudden change, Eunuch Qu and Aunt Lan were confused. After all, Madam Chu had rejected the Queen Mother's request last time, so why would she speak for the Queen Mother this time?
"Go back to the Prime Minister's Residence!" Yun Qianmeng took in the two people's puzzled expressions, then turned around and got into the carriage, lightly instructing the coachman to drive the carriage out of the palace!
"Sister Lan, let's go back too!" Seeing that the two carriages in front of them had already driven out of the inner palace, Eunuch Qu spoke with relief!
Aunt Lan watched worriedly as the two carriages completely left the palace gate, then she nodded and turned to walk towards Fengxiang Palace!
Little did they know that their conversation was accidentally overheard by the brother and sister who were the last to step out of the inner palace!
Han Che narrowed his eyes slightly and pondered the riddle that the others had just exchanged. His expression was solemn and dignified, with a hint of murderous intent!
Han Yu glanced at her brother, and understood what was going on. She pulled out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Han Che, whispering, "My parents asked me to bring this!"
Han Che looked up at his sister in confusion. He didn't understand why his parents couldn't let his sister tell them orally, but actually wrote a sealed letter and asked Yu'er to bring it to him!
However, although Han Che was puzzled, he still took the letter from his sister's hand and put it into his sleeve. The two of them then got on the carriage and rushed back to the Han Mansion in Kyoto, which had just been renovated not long ago!
The moonlight was hazy, and the night frost and dew fluttered between the branches and leaves. The cold wind blew across everything, but did not leave a trace!
Han Che, however, was standing in the courtyard of the study in a long robe, holding a thick stack of letter papers in his hands behind his back. He raised his head slightly, staring at the misty moon in the sky with cold eyes, his lips tightly pursed, his thick brows furrowed, and the silent aura around him faintly exuded a strange and unpredictable murderous aura!
Han Yu came over to take a look out of concern, and sure enough, he saw Han Che standing outside in a single layer of clothing. He sighed slightly in his heart, opened the cloak in his hand, and carefully put it on him. Then he accompanied him in the yard to admire the moon and the scenery!
"Yu'er, have you known this a long time ago?" A low yet slightly clear voice sounded slowly, which made Han Yu's worries slightly relieved. At least on the surface, his brother's emotions were normal!
Nodding gently, Han Yu had lost the lazy and carefree demeanor she had at the palace banquet. She now radiated wisdom. "Mother told me before we went to the capital! Big brother, Dad and Mom told you everything because they didn't want to hide it from you. As for what happens next, they will never interfere with you!"
Hearing his sister's slightly anxious voice, Han Che suddenly smiled. He reached out and rubbed Han Yu's long hair, saying with a smile, "I know, it's just a little sudden! You should go and rest. It's windy outside, be careful not to catch a cold!"
"Then..." Han Yu wanted to speak, but seeing a hint of stubbornness in Han Che's clear eyes, she closed her mouth. Finally, she nodded, told Han Che to rest early, and walked out of the yard!
Little did she know that Han Che's expression turned icy cold after she left, and he immediately walked out of the courtyard...
The next morning, Emperor Yugan did not attend the court!
After all the officials had waited for a full hour, Eunuch Yu stepped into the Golden Palace with a heavy face and announced the adjournment of court!
"Eunuch Yu, what's wrong with the emperor? Is he feeling unwell?" Seeing Eunuch Yu about to leave after announcing the dismissal of the court, Yun Xuanzhi immediately grabbed him and asked!
Eunuch Yu glanced at the ministers gradually approaching him, a trace of annoyance flashing through his heart, but a faint smile remained on his face. "I'm sorry to have caused you all to worry. The Emperor drank a few more glasses of wine with Prince Rui after the palace banquet yesterday, and he has caught a cold. The imperial physician is already checking the Emperor's pulse, and I believe the Emperor will be well soon!"
Faced with such words, the cunning ministers did not believe it at all and continued to surround Eunuch Yu to inquire about the affairs of the harem!
"I don't know which lady was in the emperor's bed yesterday. She caused the emperor's body to catch a cold. She was really derelict in her duty!" A military officer spoke before the others could think of their words. His rude words immediately made the surrounding civil servants leave his side, for fear of being implicated by his outspokenness!
"The general is such a joker!" Eunuch Yu was a seasoned veteran in the palace, and there was no situation he couldn't handle. He quickly brushed off the awkward moment, then bowed to everyone and said, "My lords, I have to hurry to attend to the Emperor, so I won't be able to stay with you for long. I beg your forgiveness!"
After saying this, Eunuch Yu walked out of the Golden Palace after everyone spontaneously made way!
At this time, there was already a sound of crying in Ganlu Palace. The Queen Mother was trembling all over as she looked at Prince Rui and the palace maid who were kneeling in front of her with disheveled clothes and messy hair. She was so angry that she couldn't speak for a moment!
Aunt Lan frowned and looked at the little palace maid, but she didn't understand why it was someone from the Queen's palace, and why it was Prince Rui instead of the Emperor who appeared in Ganlu Palace!
What made the Queen Mother and Aunt Lan even more anxious was where did Concubine Qu go? Why was she nowhere to be seen in Ganlu Palace?
"Empress Dowager, please calm down and have some tea to calm down!" But no matter what happened last night, now is not a good time for the Empress Dowager to punish the two of them. The Emperor has not spoken yet. If the Empress Dowager speaks, it will probably cause the Emperor's groundless suspicion!
"The Queen has arrived!" At this moment, the Queen who received the news hurried over, only to see that the Ganlu Palace had already been surrounded by the Royal Guards, and was guarded by Lord Wu himself. The Queen's heart sank a little, and her face became even more anxious. She could only bite the bullet and walk into the palace!
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, the Queen Mother!" Looking at the two people sitting beside her, the Queen immediately saluted, but she secretly glanced at the two people sitting on the upper seats. She saw that Emperor Yugan's face was ashen, his lips were tightly pursed and he said nothing, but his eyes revealed ferocity and murderous intent. The Queen Mother was full of anger, her whole body was trembling slightly, but she turned away when she saw her!
"Empress, this is a maid in your palace!" Although it was a question, Emperor Yugan's voice was affirmative!
The Queen looked in the direction of Emperor Yugan's finger and saw that it was indeed one of her dowry maids. Her face suddenly turned pale and she didn't understand why this girl appeared in Ganlu Palace at this time!
But under the fierce gaze of Emperor Yugan, the Queen could only nod helplessly and admit, "Your Majesty, this girl is indeed from my palace! I wonder what mistake she made to anger the Emperor and the Queen Mother so much!"
"Lan'er, lead everyone else out. No one is allowed to step into Ganlu Palace without my order!" As soon as the Queen spoke, the Queen Mother suddenly spoke in a stern voice, scaring Aunt Lan so much that she immediately led all the young palace maids and eunuchs out of Ganlu Palace, leaving only a few of the master's confidants to accompany them!
"Mother, what are you doing?" Looking at this scene, the Queen immediately understood in her heart that it was probably the maid in her palace who had done something shameful. The Queen Mother and the Emperor wanted to conduct a strict investigation, but at the same time they had to preserve the dignity of the royal family, so they dismissed the unnecessary people!
"Your Majesty, what you did is absolutely right! Queen, you should first ask your maid what good things she has done!" Emperor Yugan slammed his hand on the table, then pointed at her nose and growled without giving the queen any face!
But before the Queen could ask, the sobbing little girl kowtowed to Emperor Yugan and the Queen Mother and said, "Your Majesty and the Queen Mother are very perceptive. I really don't know anything. It's just that last night, a sister came to tell me to light the lamps in Ganlu Palace. After I arrived here, I regained consciousness. After waking up, I discovered..."
As she spoke, the little palace maid began to sob again. Her trembling shoulders made her look very innocent, which made Emperor Yugan and the other two look unhappy!
"You are my people. When is it your turn to light the lamps in Ganlu Palace? Is this what you should do? What kind of sister is this? Your words are more effective than mine?" The queen was furious. Her people were being used as a stick. She was afraid that this was all a conspiracy. But now she still didn't understand who the person behind the scenes was really targeting!
"Yes... yes..." The little palace maid hesitated and didn't dare to answer, but her red eyes unexpectedly glanced at the empress dowager!
Following the maid's gaze, Emperor Yugan's expression suddenly darkened, and the Queen's eyes were filled with hatred. She immediately pulled the maid over and asked anxiously, "You hesitate when I ask you questions. Are you really tired of living?"
The young maid was shaken by the Queen, and she felt extremely wronged. The calmness she usually showed when giving advice to the Queen was gone, and only the shame of being defiled remained. She tremblingly said, "It's... It's a sister from Fengxiang Palace!"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager's expression changed instantly, but she had experienced so much in the palace that in the blink of an eye, her face regained its composure. She sneered at Emperor Yugan and said in a cold voice, "Your Majesty, although I am not your biological mother, I have loved you as my own flesh and blood since you were a child! Look at how these people in your harem have assigned me! Now, your own palace maids are not loyal to their husbands and are not self-disciplined. They are putting all the blame on me. It really makes me feel disheartened!"
Emperor Yugan's expression suddenly changed after hearing the maid's answer, but then he thought about the Queen Mother's words, and looked at the maid with murderous intent, saying in a dangerous tone, "You are lying! When has the Queen Mother ever taken care of the affairs of the harem? Besides, why should the Queen Mother bother with such a trivial matter? This person who is causing chaos in the harem actually slandered the Queen Mother. His crime is even more serious! Come, drag her out and beat her to death!"
When the maid heard this, the blood drained from her face. She hugged the queen's legs tightly and cried, "Your Majesty, I really didn't lie. It was really the maid from Fengxiang Palace who came to inform me. Your Majesty, you must believe me! Your Majesty, if you don't believe me, I will point out that sister. I was really wronged! I didn't commit adultery in the harem, let alone seduce the prince..."
"Hmph, you still say there's no incest in the harem? Look at yourself now. Is this how a palace maid dresses? Are you mocking my blindness?" Seeing the palace maid's bellyband exposed due to the pulling, and the red marks on her skin left by love, Emperor Yugan was furious. He waved his hand at Eunuch Yu in frustration, asking him to order his men to drag the dirty thing away...
The Queen watched as her men were dragged away and beaten to death, but she opened her mouth but didn't know how to plead for mercy. After all, the facts were right in front of her. The eye-catching red plum blossom on the dragon bed reminded everyone of what happened last night, leaving the Queen speechless!
If I rashly plead for my palace maid at this time, I am afraid that my reputation will be ruined, and the Empress Dowager will even suspect that I deliberately framed the palace maid of Fengxiang Palace. By then, the two palaces will have a falling out, and I am afraid that the emperor will alienate me!
Thinking of all this, the queen was secretly resentful, but she was helpless and could only kneel obediently in front of Emperor Yugan and wait for his punishment!
"You are a fool!" But Emperor Yugan didn't care about the queen at this time. Such a thing happened in his harem. His dignity as the king had been completely humiliated by the blood on the dragon bed!
Seeing Prince Rui kneeling in front of her without saying a word, she was furious. Without saying a word, she raised her foot and kicked Prince Rui on the shoulder, cursing in frustration, "I have gone to great lengths to protect you, but how have you repaid me? Well, you've raped my harem. If the palace maids hadn't discovered it early, wouldn't my entire harem be yours?"
Prince Rui was kicked with all his might by Emperor Yugan, and his body suddenly fell back, but he immediately knelt up straight, gritted his teeth and swallowed the severe pain in his shoulder, and said with a gloomy face, "Brother, please calm down. How could I covet your things! Yesterday, I just accompanied you to discuss things and planned to leave the palace and return to Prince Rui's Mansion. But halfway, the eunuch leading the way turned to Ganlu Palace. I felt something was wrong and wanted to turn around and leave, but I didn't expect that my whole body was exhausted. When I woke up, I saw you standing by the bed! Brother, please calm down and think about it carefully. Even if you give me ten times the courage, I would not dare to do such a treasonous thing! What's more, the whole matter is full of doubts. Please don't wrongly accuse me!"
Although Prince Rui lost the battle with Northern Qi, he was not a brainless man. When Emperor Yugan was interrogating the young palace maid, he had already grasped the key point of the matter, and then he raised his questions in an orderly manner!
"Hmph, it is also true that the prince and that palace maid made love on the dragon bed! This time they even dragged them to my Fengxiang Palace. How do you explain this, prince?" The empress dowager glanced coldly at the queen and spoke in a icy tone!
Who would have thought that the queen, who is usually gentle and elegant, would have such a scheme. She let her own maid commit adultery in the harem and even dragged herself into it as a scapegoat. What a good plan!
The Queen had not expected that the Queen Mother would be so cruel. Not only did she get rid of her confidants, she also used the four words "upside down dragons and upside down phoenixes" to substantiate the accusation that her maid had committed adultery in the harem. Such deep scheming and cruel means are really chilling!
"Mother, please calm down. That palace maid is dead and there is no evidence against her. Why should you bother about a dog slave like that?" But Emperor Yugan did not give the empress dowager a chance to clear her name. With the phrase 'there is no evidence against her', the empress dowager was accused of framing the queen. The empress dowager clenched her hands in her sleeves suddenly, and her eyes with murderous intent shot towards the queen!
"How can Your Majesty calm me down? This kind of thing happened right under our noses. Those who know will naturally understand that I was wronged, and those who don't will definitely criticize the Queen for mismanaging the six palaces. If this goes on, how will Your Majesty save face?" The Queen Mother said angrily, pointing at the two people kneeling in front of her with a proud look on her face!
Emperor Yugan also frowned at the words "where is your face?", and shot a sinister look at Prince Rui. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Fourth brother, you have really wasted my cultivation of you!"
When Prince Rui heard Emperor Yugan's tone, his heart trembled, and he immediately kowtowed to Emperor Yugan to express his feelings. "Your Majesty, I am loyal to you and have no intention of usurping power. If you think I am guilty, you must kill me. Although I feel wronged, I have no choice but to die!"
Seeing that Prince Rui was still claiming to be wronged, Emperor Yugan's eyes flashed with anger, but his mind suddenly changed direction. He called out to Lord Wu at the door, "Come here, take Prince Rui back to the Rui Palace. Without my imperial decree, you are not allowed to set foot outside the Rui Palace in your lifetime!"
"I obey your order!" After hearing Emperor Yugan's verdict on Prince Rui, Lord Wu escorted Prince Rui out of Ganlu Palace with an expressionless face!
"It is said that the Queen Mother let my cousin Qu stay overnight at Fengxiang Palace last night. I wonder if this happened and if my cousin was frightened!" After Prince Rui was taken away, the Queen Mother thought that Emperor Yugan would punish the Queen, but she didn't expect that he would actually mention the fact that he had let Concubine Qu stay overnight!
The Empress Dowager felt a tightness in her heart. If Concubine Qu was involved in such a scandal, let alone letting her become a palace concubine, even ordinary officials would find it difficult to accept such a daughter-in-law!
After this analysis, the Queen Mother suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Emperor Yugan, but found that he had long since regained his usual calmness and the profoundness that was unique to an emperor. She said lightly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern! My concubine did not stay in the palace yesterday. I felt that it was inappropriate, so I ordered someone to send her back to the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion overnight!"
The hands under her sleeves kept tightening. The empress dowager's eyes seemed calm, but she was searching around in Ganlu Palace. She found that there was no one else except them at this time. Her brows frowned slightly with disappointment in her eyes, but her face still maintained her calmness, and no one could detect any anxiety!
"In that case, I am relieved! If what happened today gets out, it will definitely damage my cousin's reputation. It is indeed my mother who has foresight!" Upon hearing the Queen Mother say this, Emperor Yugan did not say anything more. He just asked the palace maid to help the Queen up and took her out of Ganlu Palace!
"Lan'er, go to the Fuguo Mansion and see if the concubine is in the mansion. You must see her with your own eyes before coming back!" The Queen Mother always felt that Emperor Yugan's words had a deep meaning. Seeing that only her confidants were left in Ganlu Palace, she immediately whispered to Aunt Lan!
"Yes, I will leave the palace now!" Aunt Lan also
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com