Everyone followed behind Prince Chu and Qu Lingao, and they arrived at the Ruilin Courtyard of the old lady from the front yard without even using a sedan chair. However, when Qu Lingao was about to lead Prince Chu into the main house, Prince Chu suddenly slowed down his pace. His back, which had been straight just now, suddenly became a little hunched. He even coughed loudly a few times towards the warm room, and said to Qu Lingao in a slightly weak voice, "I'm old and useless. I'm out of breath after just a few steps. I'm not as good as you young people!"
Seeing the King of Chu like this, Qu Lingao felt amused, but he remained respectful. He continued, "Your Highness is still strong and vigorous in his old age! Back then, you and your ancestors fought on the battlefield, and your reputation spread far and wide. Even now, you young men still admire you immensely! Without your bravery, how could you have such a peaceful life?"
Seeing Qu Lingao's sincere words, the King of Chu nodded in satisfaction, but his frail appearance remained unchanged. He coughed a few times and pointed at the main room, saying, "Let's go in quickly. Don't keep the Emperor and His Majesty waiting for too long!"
Qu Lingao immediately nodded and personally helped the King of Chu into the main house. Although the others entered the main house, they did not enter the warm room because they had not been summoned for the time being, so they waited outside!
The cough of the King of Chu had already been heard in the warm room. Everyone inside was waiting for his arrival. Emperor Yugan had even had soft seats prepared for him!
"Your old minister... cough cough... Your old minister pays his respects to the emperor... cough cough..." As soon as he entered the warm room, the King of Chu knelt down and paid homage to the Emperor Yu... Gan. However, his cough was even more severe than before. He had to speak several complete sentences, and his breathing was very heavy, as if he was out of breath!
Seeing the King of Chu trembling and about to salute him, Emperor Yugan immediately stepped down from the first throne and personally helped the half-crouching King of Chu to his feet. He said sincerely, "King of Chu, there's no need for this! When our ancestors were still alive, we allowed you not to kneel and kowtow. How could I ask you to salute here? Besides, seeing that the King of Chu is coughing so violently, is he feeling unwell? Do you need me to send for the imperial physician to treat him?"
The King of Chu was held back by Emperor Yugan and couldn't perform the ceremony. However, since the bond between the monarch and his subjects could not be broken, he shook his head and knelt down resolutely, completing the ceremony in full. Only then was he helped to stand up again by Qu Lingao. He spoke with a heart full of emotion, "How humble, Your Majesty cares! This old minister...this old minister is old...and was injured on the battlefield before...Although it is spring now...it is still a bit chilly. These stubborn illnesses are brought over from winter, they are all old ailments...Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty!"
As he spoke, the King of Chu began to cough again. He took out a piece of smoky gray silk from his right sleeve with his left hand trembling. He looked at everyone apologetically, then covered his lips and began to cough violently...
"Is the prince really all right? I think we should call the imperial physician to take his pulse, so that the emperor and I can rest assured! After all, the King of Chu has made great contributions to Western Chu, how can we let this meritorious minister remain untreated?" The Queen Mother saw that the King of Chu's face was red from coughing, and immediately said worriedly!
It would have been better if she hadn't said that. As soon as she did, the King of Chu stood up from his soft seat again, bowed with trembling hands, and said with a trembling white beard, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness... However, these are just stubborn illnesses... They are not serious... It is better not to trouble the palace physician!"
As he spoke, the King of Chu looked at the birthday girl, Old Lady Gu, and congratulated her heartily, "Old sister, it's been ages since we last met... Today is your lucky day... As your elder brother, I wanted to come and ask for a glass of wedding wine from you... Please don't mind, old sister!"
How could the old lady be used to it? Although she met some people she didn't like at the birthday banquet today, the appearance of Old Lady Chen and the King of Chu made Old Lady Gu extremely happy!
Thinking about it, the Duke of Fuguo also followed the late emperor when he was building his empire, and he also had some friendship with the King of Chu!
However, ever since that incident, the King of Chu has no longer been interested in state affairs. Instead, he has concentrated on being an idle prince, staying at home all day and not seeing guests. He has also gradually become estranged from the major families in Kyoto!
The old lady was very happy that he could come to celebrate her birthday today!
Seeing that the King of Chu is now suffering from his old illness, the old lady feels a little sad. Thinking of the brothers and sisters who shared the joys and sorrows with her in the past, they are now gradually becoming fewer and fewer. How can she not be moved by the scene?
"Old brother, you are in such a poor health, yet you still come to celebrate my birthday today. I am so happy! We haven't seen each other for so many years, but you still remember my birthday. You are really affectionate and loyal! But you also have to take care of yourself. Don't be stubborn and delay your treatment!" The old lady spoke out of emotion. Just listening to her voice, her concern for the King of Chu was real!
The old lady Jiang who was present also nodded and advised, "Old lady, you are right. Your Highness should quickly ask the doctor to treat you properly! You are the God of War of our Western Chu. Your presence will be a deterrent to those ambitious foreigners and will also allow our emperor to rest assured!"
What Old Lady Jiang said makes a lot of sense!
Even though he pointed out the King of Chu's contribution to Western Chu, he also made the King of Chu understand that Emperor Yugan trusted him, and at the same time reminded the King of Chu not to have any second thoughts!
But her words only made the King of Chu cough even more severely. He was now pounding his chest with his right hand, looking extremely uncomfortable!
Upon seeing this, Qu Lingao immediately took the teacup handed to him by the maid and personally brought it to the King of Chu's mouth, while with his other hand he gently stroked the King of Chu's back to help him calm down!
The King of Chu took a few sips of tea with difficulty, then waved his hand to Qu Lingao, indicating that he should take it away. After taking a breath, he spoke again, "Your Majesty has seen it too. With my old minister's broken body, I'm afraid I have no chance to serve the country anymore! Now I only have a reputation left, which is really embarrassing for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager!"
Seeing his modesty, Emperor Yugan immediately summoned Eunuch Liu beside him and said in a loud voice, "Take out the two wild ginsengs from Changbai Mountain that were just delivered as tribute last year from the end of the year, and send them to the Prince of Chu's mansion so that Prince Chu can take good care of himself!"
Upon hearing this, the King of Chu was immediately moved and stood up to bow despite the Emperor and the Empress Dowager's attempts to stop him!
Seeing the King of Chu being so formal and seeing that he was indeed coughing quite a bit, the Queen Mother changed the subject to give him a break. She then looked at Qu Lingao and asked, "Second brother, didn't I ask you to bring Meng'er in? Is she here?"
Qu Lingao had just been serving the Prince of Chu and had momentarily neglected Yun Qianmeng. Hearing the Queen Mother mention this, he smiled faintly and said, "Prince Chen, Prime Minister Chu, Prime Minister Yun, and Meng'er are all waiting outside! Are the Emperor and the Queen Mother going to summon them all at once?"
Emperor Yugan glanced at the Queen Mother and saw her smile towards him. He then said in a relaxed tone, "Please come in. Today is a family dinner. There aren't so many taboos. Let everyone relax a little. Don't take the usual etiquette between the monarch and his subjects too seriously!"
When Qu Lingao heard Emperor Yugan speak, he bent down respectfully and pushed the people out. In less than a moment, several people followed him into the warm room!
However, although Emperor Yugan said he was more relaxed, who would dare to really relax?
What if this happens to be seen by someone and is used to make trouble later? Wouldn't that be digging one's own grave?
I saw several people step forward respectfully and salute, and then stand next to their relatives according to the family banquet format!
Prince Chen came to the side of Old Lady Lin, and Yun Qianmeng was naturally pulled by Old Lady Gu to sit together. Yun Xuanzhi stood alone quietly aside, and Chu Feiyang stood next to Prince Chu!
When Emperor Yugan saw Chu Feiyang coming, he couldn't help but nag, "Lord Chu, you must take good care of the King of Chu. I'm really worried about the King of Chu's health!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Feiyang lowered his head to look at the coughing King Chu. A hint of helplessness flashed across his half-closed eyes. He then stretched out his big hand and patted King Chu's back vigorously, saying with concern, "Grandpa probably caught a cold recently! If you're not feeling well, it's better not to leave the palace in the future!"
The King of Chu's face was originally flushed, and now that Chu Feiyang was slapping him so hard, his old face was afraid that blood would drip out. Seeing that his beloved grandson was actually restraining his feet, he immediately raised his head and looked at Chu Feiyang. In the corner where no one could see him, he stared at Chu Feiyang, but his mouth was full of relief, "Grandson, don't worry about grandpa's health! As long as you share the emperor's worries and serve him loyally, it will be grandpa's blessing! As for grandpa, although I am old and my body is naturally not as good as before, it is better to walk around and breathe fresh air. This is the way to longevity!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Nanshan felt the force on his back getting heavier and heavier, almost making him fall forward. He couldn't help but curse Chu Feiyang in his heart for not knowing how to respect the elderly!
Qu Lingao, who was standing by, saw all of this. Although he found the way the grandfather and grandson interacted somewhat amusing, he couldn't bear to see Chu Nanshan being bullied by Chu Feiyang. He stepped forward and said softly, "Let the girl serve the prince! Prime Minister Chu, please take a seat!"
Chu Feiyang looked at the King of Chu with satisfaction. He was coughing so hard that he couldn't speak, so he let go of his hand and sat down on the stool next to Chu Nanshan!
Only then did the Empress Dowager have time to ask Yun Qianmeng, "What happened in the front yard just now? I heard from Eunuch Huo that a young lady from an official family fell into the water? And the Minister of Justice actually suspected you of being the culprit, and he even had witnesses and evidence! Meng'er, you grew up under my watch, so I naturally trust you. But if it was you who did it, I will not tolerate it! If anyone wrongly accuses you, the Emperor and I will stand up for you!"
When Yun Qianmeng heard the Empress Dowager mention this, she immediately stood up, walked to the center, and knelt down in front of the people seated at the top. She said with grievance but stubbornness, "Your Majesty, please understand! I have just explained the whole story to Lord Su, but Lord Su and his wife have wronged me! What's worse, they even let the Minister of Justice's Gan Jin speak rudely and insult my mother! Your Majesty, I can't even swallow being wronged, let alone my own mother being insulted in public! I beg the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to handle this impartially and give me and my mother an explanation!"
As he spoke, Yun Qianmeng solemnly kowtowed three times to the Queen Mother and Emperor Yugan!
When the people in the inner room heard this, they all looked at Yun Qianmeng. They saw that her eyes were slightly red at this time, and the tears in her eyes refused to fall stubbornly, and just kept rolling around in her eye sockets. At this time, her lips were trembling, which showed that she had suffered a great injustice. It was so distressing to see!
After hearing Yun Qianmeng's report, Old Lady Gu and Qu Lingao's expressions became even more stern, and their eyes shot coldly towards Yun Xuanzhi who was standing beside them!
"Miss Yun, you should show mercy! Just now in the front yard, Lord Su walked up to you and clarified that this was all a misunderstanding. Why is Miss Yun still so aggressive?" But at this time, Jiang Muchen, who had been silent all the time, spoke for Su Yuan. While he was speaking, he looked at Chu Feiyang who was sitting opposite him, and his extremely cold eyes were full of provocation!
Chu Feiyang received the other party's declaration of war, but he was not in a hurry to fight. Instead, he focused his attention on Yun Qianmeng, his smiling eyes full of anticipation!
At this time, Hai Tian, who was also sitting in the inner room, saw Jiang Muchen making things difficult for Yun Qianmeng. Her originally relaxed brows wrinkled slightly. Then, she saw Chu Feiyang looking at Yun Qianmeng seriously, and she felt even more uncomfortable. The eyes that shot towards Yun Qianmeng were like the gleam of swords and knives, which was very scary!
Yun Qianmeng naturally felt several different gazes waiting to see her make a fool of herself, and King Chen's constant pressure filled her heart with anger, and she felt even more indignant for Yun Qianmeng's unjust death!
The tears in her eyes instantly vanished. Her gaze met Prince Chen Rushuang's with a cold expression. Her voice was icy as she spoke, "Your Highness was there just now. Didn't you see how the Su couple pressed on me? Your Highness knows I'm a coward and wouldn't initiate trouble! But this is my bottom line: you can't joke with my family! Although my mother passed away after giving birth to me, in my heart, you hold such a high position. Without your life in exchange for mine, how could I have survived? How could I tolerate others publicly humiliating my deceased mother? Even if it meant risking my own life, I wouldn't let my mother's reputation be damaged! Your Highness has always been a respected figure in Western Chu, so why is he so unfair in this matter? If my mother were still alive today, she would have protected and cared for me. Why would I be hurt by others' words, or be ridiculed and insulted?"
Yun Qianmeng's words were a bit bold, not to mention that the old lady Lin from the Duke of Korea's Mansion was present today. She was almost pointing at Prince Chen's nose and questioning him, which made the old lady Lin's eyes suddenly gloomy. At this moment, her face was full of gloom, and the pair of eyes that always flashed with brilliance shot towards Yun Qianmeng with a sharp look!
But Yun Qianmeng was not afraid. Even if this word got out, others would only say that she was too eager to protect her mother. Who would have the heart to blame a child who lost his mother at a young age but still cared about her?
Actually, this matter was Prince Chen's fault. Even Old Lady Chen from the Rong Mansion couldn't help but say, "It's pitiful how filial this child is! It's just a pity that the Second Miss of the Qu family didn't get to see Miss Yun grow up, otherwise she would have been so relieved!"
Old Madam Chen is an extremely intelligent person. She knows very clearly what to say, what not to say, and when to say it!
Her sigh at this moment immediately made the Queen Mother, Old Lady Gu, Qu Lingao and Yun Xuanzhi change their expressions!
You know, in her words just now, when she mentioned Qu Ruoli, she used... the second lady of the Qu family, not... Madam Yun!
It can be seen that he was intentionally reminding the Qu family members present at the time that it was the descendants of the Qu family, not the daughter-in-law of the Yun family, who were bullied and insulted in the Fuguo Mansion today. Those people dared to be so arrogant and domineering while standing on the territory of the Fuguo Mansion. They simply did not take the Queen Mother, the Old Lady and others into consideration. This can be regarded as contempt and disrespect, and it is even more blatantly contrary to the filial piety that Emperor Yugan has always advocated. It is also a provocation to the imperial power. If such naughty people are not punished severely, I am afraid they will really betray their loyalty and defect to foreign races in the future!
Of course, this is a bit serious, but the royal family has always taken the imperial power extremely seriously, and naturally will not tolerate anyone blatantly challenging the imperial power!
As expected, as soon as Old Lady Chen said this, the eyes of the rest of the people in the inner room turned to the people sitting upstairs. They saw that Emperor Yugan was also looking at the Queen Mother's bad face and comforting her with a smile, "Mother, Miss Yun is already sad about this matter. You must not worry about it anymore, otherwise it will be Lian's fault!"
Seeing Emperor Yugan's evident filial piety, the Empress Dowager softened her expression slightly. She patted his hand and said with some emotion, "Your Majesty, your biological mother, Concubine Ruan Shu, also died in childbirth, similar to Meng'er's fate. How could this not grieve your mother? Yet, you are both truly filial and kind, repaying those who have done you a favor with gratitude. Naturally, your mother is extremely pleased! However, I wonder why Gan Jin, the Assistant Minister of Justice, who grew up with both parents, could be so vicious. Even at such a young age, he wouldn't spare the deceased! If such an immoral woman isn't punished, wouldn't other young ladies and even the common people follow her example? Then, how could Western Chu still claim to be a nation of propriety? Wouldn't that make those barbarians laugh at us?"
The Queen Mother's voice rose slightly as she spoke, a hint of excitement in it. However, the majesty she exuded was so great that even Emperor Yugan was in awe. He glanced coldly at Yun Xuanzhi, then shouted loudly, "Call the Minister of Justice, the Vice Minister of Justice, and Miss Xing!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone knew that these three people were about to fall. When the eunuch outside the door heard Emperor Yu Gan's unhappy voice, he immediately turned around and left to pass on his order!
Yun Xuanzhi, who was standing by, was so taken aback by the look from Emperor Yugan that he lost all hope of saying anything good for Su Yuan. He only thought about how to protect himself and avoid getting involved! Thinking of this, Yun Xuanzhi couldn't help but blame Yun Qianmeng for making a fuss.
Qu Ruoli had been dead for many years, so what was the harm in a few words? She was making a fuss and blowing a small matter out of proportion, especially now that the Empress Dowager and Emperor Yugan were both furious. I was afraid this matter wouldn't end well!
Yun Xuanzhi was filled with rage but had no place to vent it, so his eyes, which were filled with anger, glared fiercely at Yun Qianmeng, as if to remind her not to be so aggressive!
But Yun Qianmeng actually turned her gaze towards him at this moment. Her stubborn and unyielding eyes contained tears that refused to fall. It seemed that she was disappointed in herself, and seemed to be accusing herself of being cruel. Yun Xuanzhi's heart trembled, and he dared not look at Yun Qianmeng again!
The inner room was silent for a moment, so quiet that even the sound of an embroidery needle falling to the ground could be heard. However, the calm expressions on everyone's faces made the silence in the room seem a little weird!
In less than a cup of tea, the eunuch outside the door came in and announced that the three people had arrived!
Yu Gan Di's expression darkened, and he said in a cold voice, "Then let them in! Do you think I have to invite them in myself?"
This rhetorical question explained the emperor's mood to everyone, and made some people understand the deep love between the emperor and the empress dowager. It made those who looked down on the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion open their eyes and take a good look, lest their eyes suddenly go blind one day and start barking at random!
A moment later, the three of them walked respectfully into the inner room. Seeing that everyone looked solemn, and seeing Yun Qianmeng kneeling upright in front of Emperor Yugan and the Queen Mother, the three of them secretly thought that something was not right, fearing that this evil Yun Qianmeng would file a complaint first and sue them!
Su Yuan even secretly looked up at Yun Xuanzhi who didn't say a word and Jiang Muchen who was silent. Yun Xuanzhi glanced at him with a reproachful look and then looked away. Prince Chen didn't even glance at him, but sat aside to guard Old Lady Lin who was the Duke of Korea's Mansion!
At this moment, Su Yuan was immediately at a loss, and he and the other two immediately knelt beside Yun Qianmeng and paid their respects to Emperor Yugan!
"Minister of Justice, have you wronged Miss Yun today?" Emperor Yugan asked as soon as he saw the man arrive!
However, at this time, Emperor Yugan did not ask about what happened, but asked this question directly. It seems that in Emperor Yugan's heart, he had already determined that Su Yuan had framed Yun Qianmeng!
Su Yuan had been in the officialdom for a long time, so how could he not understand the meaning behind Emperor Yugan's words? He was trembling in his heart, but he kowtowed to Emperor Yugan again respectfully, his whole body prostrating on the ground, his voice full of heartache, "Your Majesty, it was my negligence that wrongly blamed Miss Yun! However, please, Your Majesty, consider my deep love for you and forgive me this time!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng sneered inwardly! What a phrase... a mother's love for her child... This Su Yuan was quite cunning! He blamed all his faults on this innocuous remark, thus mitigating the charge of slandering the daughter of a court official!
But how could I let him have his wish?
Yun Qianmeng also kowtowed to Emperor Yugan before straightening up and looking at Su Yuan coldly, "Just now, Lord Su was so arrogant that he even wanted to order me to be taken to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation in front of all those ladies! But now, Lord Su has admitted his negligence? With such inconsistency, how can anyone trust Lord Su's character and credibility?"
As soon as Yun Qianmeng opened her mouth, she made the matter more serious and did not allow Su Yuan to find excuses to exonerate himself!
"Miss Yun said that she was not aggressive! Lord Su obviously knows his mistake, but it seems that Miss Yun is holding on to this matter!" But at this time, Jiang Muchen spoke again, and he glanced at Chu Feiyang vaguely, and then looked at Emperor Yugan and finished speaking!
"Cough cough... cough cough..." At this time, the King of Chu started coughing again. Seeing this, Chu Feiyang reached out to pat his back, but saw that the King of Chu dodged without a trace. Then he realized something and said, "Your Majesty and Queen Mother, this motherless child is so pitiful! Our Feiyang also lost his mother when he was young. His father was busy with official duties, so this child has been raised by an old man like me. He still hasn't married! In the future, when I am a hundred years old, how can I face the ancestors of the Chu family?"
No one expected that the King of Chu would speak at this time, but there was a sense of incongruity in his ordinary words. They just found it interesting for a moment, and everyone was leisurely watching how the case would be resolved!
Chu Feiyang frowned slightly because of what King Chu said, and couldn't help cursing his grandfather in his heart. He always brought up the fact that he was not married. If he really thought that the palace was not popular enough, why did he always keep an eye on his grandson? He might as well save his energy and make plans for him!
But the King of Chu seemed to have sensed Chu Feiyang's thoughts, and at this moment, his calloused hands pressed on Chu Feiyang's. He looked at Chu Feiyang with loving eyes, and wanted to speak but he kept coughing violently!
However, the words of King Chu, like what Old Lady Chen had said just now, caused ripples in everyone's hearts, especially in the hearts of the Qu family. They had already determined that Su Yuan was bullying Qian Meng because she did not have her mother's protection, so he blatantly bullied Zhu Zhuang!
However, among everyone, the one with the ugliest expression belonged to Hai Tian!
Not to mention that Chu Feiyang didn't even look at her just now, just looking at the attitude of King Chu at this moment, one can guess that the Chu family seems to be very preferential to Yun Qianmeng!
This preferential treatment made Hai Tian feel as if her heart was being torn apart, as if she was in a sea of fire. Her eyes, which had always been calm, slowly turned bloodshot, and there was more hatred when she looked at Yun Qianmeng!
It seems that Yun Qianmeng has used me today! Perhaps the incident with Fugui Hall last time was also planned by Yun Qianmeng!
Knowing that the old lady’s birthday banquet was held today, Yun Qianmeng created a coincidence of meeting her by chance in... Fugui Hall and then letting herself thank her in front of everyone. All this was just to attract Chu Feiyang’s attention!
Judging from the care that Prince Chu showed to Yun Qianmeng at this moment, everything he had speculated was probably a conspiracy. He was afraid that Yun Qianmeng had planned to break off the engagement long ago, just to climb up the big tree of Prince Chu's Mansion!
Or is it that all this is the intention of the Queen Mother and Emperor Yugan?
After all, it would be more practical to win over the King of Chu, who has always been neutral but holds military power, than to win over Concubine Yuan De and her son, who have always been at odds with the Queen Mother's party!
The marriage between Yun Qianmeng and Prince Chen was arranged by the late Emperor. If they wanted him to break off the engagement, they would first have to publicize Yun Qianmeng's cowardly character, causing Prince Chen to consider breaking off the engagement. The Emperor then had no choice but to agree!
If someone were to make a big fuss about this matter in the future, all the blame would be directed at Jiang Muchen, who abandoned him after having an affair with him. This would not have the slightest effect on Emperor Yugan's imperial power!
Then, Yun Qianmeng was asked to firmly grasp Chu Feiyang's heart, in order to strengthen the power of the Queen Mother's family...
Even Hai Tian, who is always good at scheming, had to applaud such careful planning step by step!
However, the man Yun Qianmeng chose this time was the one Hai Tian liked, and she would never let another woman snatch the man she liked away from her!
Hai Tian slowly stood up from her seat, bowed gracefully to Emperor Yugan, and then spoke slowly: "Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not!"
When Emperor Yugan saw that it was her, his expression softened a little, and he nodded, "Go ahead!"
Hai Tian received the nod, and her beautiful eyes immediately turned to Yun Qianmeng. She said calmly, "As far as I know, the imperial harem will soon be selecting concubines! The name of the Minister of Justice's daughter has already been submitted! However, after such a disrespectful act before the emperor, Miss Su will definitely not be allowed to enter the palace! However, Miss Yun, who caused all this, cannot be said to be innocent! I am stupid and don't know how to resolve this case. I beg for your guidance, Your Majesty!"
As soon as Hai Tian said this, Su Yuan's whole body tilted and he suddenly became lifeless, but his eyes were staring at Yun Qianmeng with red eyes, as if he wanted to pounce on her and kill her right now!
Their Su family had endured so many years under Yun Xuanzhi's control and finally raised a daughter with both talent and beauty. But today, Yun Qianmeng framed Yue'er because of a verbal dispute between the young ladies, and made their Su family's efforts of more than ten years go to waste. How could Su Yuan not grit his teeth at this grudge?
Yun Qianmeng turned to look at Hai Tian, only to see that the stunning Princess Tian had a dignified demeanor, but her mind was extremely vicious. A few words that seemed unrelated to the case had easily aroused Su Yuan's deeper hatred towards her. She had offended the young lady who was about to enter the palace for selection, and she was afraid that she would also be punished!
"What? When did the Prince of the Sea's Mansion start to interfere in the affairs of the harem? Isn't this the Queen's responsibility?" At this time, Old Lady Chen closed her eyes and spoke. The sarcasm in her words was so strong that the smile on Hai Tian's face froze slightly. Her eyes, which were slightly proud, slowly drooped, allowing her long and thick eyelashes to block the light emanating from her eyes!
The Empress naturally sensed something in this, especially since she saw that Hai Tian was not only a stunning beauty with unparalleled beauty, but also a resolute and decisive person in the Sea Prince's Palace. She couldn't help but grow wary of Hai Tian. She smiled gently, looked at Emperor Yugan, and said, "Your Majesty, today is the old lady's day! We must not spoil her joy! In my opinion, Miss Yun has indeed been wronged in this case! Your Majesty, reward those who deserve it, but punish those who deserve it, to avoid gossip!"
The Queen's words were neither light nor heavy, but they were like a soft thorn stuck in Hai Tian's throat, which made her unable to move up or down. For a moment, Hai Tian was extremely angry. She couldn't help but tighten her hands holding the handkerchief, and sat down with a frosty look on her face, not saying a word!
Emperor Yugan didn't want to waste too much time on this matter, so he nodded to the Empress. He cast a sharp look at the people kneeling below and said in a deep voice, "The Minister of Justice failed to discipline her properly, causing his daughter to wrongly accuse Miss Yun. He should have been severely punished, but today is the old lady's good day. I will be lenient and punish her with six months of salary. At the same time, I will punish Miss Xing by making her copy the "Female Code" a hundred times! As for the Minister of Justice, you, as a minister, do not set an example. You wrongly accuse others without getting to the bottom of the matter. You will be fined one year of salary, and the name card that Miss Su brought into the palace will be revoked. You will not be allowed to participate in the selection of concubines for the rest of your life!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Xie Jindie and her father darkened, while Su Yuan's face was full of regret!
If he had known that his daughter would not be able to enter the palace, he would not have deliberately picked a fight with Yun Qianmeng in order to vent his anger for his daughter and Su Qing!
But who could have known that these people present had such sharp eyes that they even picked up the fact that Yue'er was about to participate in the selection of concubines, thus ruining the Su family's more than ten years of hard work!
Compared to the one-year physical punishment, Su Yuan was even more heartbroken by the blow that Su Qianyue could not become a palace concubine!
But the three punished people could only hide the pain in their hearts, respectfully thanked the Lord for his grace, and then left the inner room with unsteady steps!
Yun Qianmeng was the only one kneeling in the arena. The Empress, feeling sorry for her, personally came down and helped her up. She took her hand and turned to Emperor Yugan and said, "Your Majesty, Miss Yun is only a dozen years older than our little princess, but by comparison, our little princess is more fortunate. She is loved by the mistresses of the various palaces and protected by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor! Please, Your Majesty, consider Miss Yun's pitiful life and be lenient with her!"
While speaking, the Queen couldn't help but glance at Hai Tian from the corner of her eye, letting Hai Tian know that she had overstepped her bounds today, and also warning her not to do things she shouldn't do, and not to say things she shouldn't say!
Hai Tian had received the Queen's warning, and seeing her treat Yun Qianmeng with such courtesy, she was even more furious. However, she could not lose her composure in front of the Emperor, so she could only endure it. However, the anger between her eyebrows lingered for a long time!
When the old lady saw that the queen, who had always been kind and mindful of other people's affairs, pleaded for Yun Qianmeng, her heart was finally at ease. There was a hint of kindness in her eyes as she looked at Yun Qianmeng!
The emperor hadn't intended to punish Yun Qianmeng in the first place, but after hearing what Hai Tian had just said, he couldn't be too partial. Seeing that the empress was giving him a way out, he smiled and said to Yun Qianmeng, "I guess Miss Yun hasn't had time to pay her birthday greetings to the old lady yet! If the birthday gift Miss Yun sends today pleases us all, then that will make up for it!"
Yun Qianmeng raised her head slightly to look at Emperor Yugan. Although the emperor was young, his domineering and majestic aura made people afraid. She recalled that she had asked for permission to cancel the engagement in the hall before. She had just traveled through time and had not yet understood the situation before she did such a bold thing. For a moment, a layer of cold sweat oozed out of Yun Qianmeng's back. She immediately lowered her head and replied, "Your Majesty!"
Until then, the Qu family members finally felt relieved. However, the King of Chu glanced at Old Lady Chen at this moment, and saw that she happened to be looking at him. There was a hidden current in the eyes exchanged between the two in mid-air, but it was hard to figure out what they meant!
"Since the emperor has spoken, Meng'er should go down and prepare!" The empress dowager saw that some people were unwilling to miss any opportunity to attack the Qu family, and Yun Qianmeng was the one with the lowest status among them, so she asked her to withdraw temporarily to avoid being used as a target again!
Yun Qianmeng understood, bowed to everyone, and left the warm room!
As soon as she stepped out of Ruilin Courtyard, she was hugged by someone. A fresh and natural fragrance came from behind. Yun Qianmeng smiled slightly and said softly, "Cousin, you are teasing me again!"
Even after being guessed who it was, Qu Feiqing was still in high spirits. She held Yun Qianmeng's hand and walked slowly, but the smile in the corner of her eyes became more and more genuine. "I just heard it outside. That Minister of Justice really deserves it! He dared to send a daughter like that into the palace. I'm afraid she won't survive more than three days!"
As she spoke, Qu Feiqing couldn't help but wrinkle her pretty little nose, and her expression was so adorable!
Seeing her childish nature, Yun Qianmeng's mood couldn't help but brighten up. However, she pulled Qu Feiqing closer and said carefully, "Today is Grandmother's birthday banquet, and there are many guests coming and going! Cousin, please be careful with your words and actions, and don't let people find fault with you like Meng'er did! The Emperor didn't punish Meng'er today for the sake of Grandmother and the Empress Dowager! But if you make a mistake again, how can the Emperor protect you again?"
Upon hearing this, Qu Feiqing stuck out her tongue a little embarrassedly, then held up a handkerchief to cover her lips. She looked around and spoke cautiously, "Meng'er is really thoughtful! But, do you have any grudges against Princess Haitian? Why is she targeting you in every way? I just heard the eunuchs inside discussing this matter, and I was so scared that I broke out in a sweat!"
Yun Qianmeng heard her words and didn't want the kindhearted Qu Feiqing to be frightened by these calculations, so she just smiled calmly and said in relief, "My princess is right. It was my negligence! Cousin, you must never mention this matter in public again! The more you know, the more you should pretend not to know, so as not to bring disaster upon yourself!"
Seeing that Yun Qianmeng's situation was far worse than hers, yet she was actually concerned about her, Qu Feiqing felt warm in her heart. She pulled Yun Qianmeng along and ran straight towards Tingyu Pavilion..."
However, when passing by the Nine-Curved Corridor, they saw Rong Yunhe with white hair sitting on a wooden bench beside the corridor. Although he did not say a word, his white hair was very eye-catching in the sunlight, and Yun Qianmeng and Qu Feiqing saw him at a glance!
At this time, Rong Yunhe obviously saw the two of them and had no choice but to step forward and greet them!
"Yun Qianmeng from the Prime Minister's Mansion greets Master Rong!" "Qu Feiqing from the Prince of the State's Mansion greets Master Rong!"
Rong Yunhe said nothing, but his eyes relaxed a little when he saw Yun Qianmeng standing in front of him unharmed. He then nodded and left without waiting for the two to leave!
"What a weird guy!" Qu Feiqing muttered softly as she looked at Rong Yunhe's receding back!
Yun Qianmeng just smiled and said nothing. After a long while, she slowly said, "Some people look like beautiful women, but they are beasts at heart! But some people, though born with regrets, are kind-hearted! Cousin, don't judge people by their appearance! Just now in my grandmother's warm room, Old Lady Chen from the Rong family also spoke up for Meng'er!"
Upon hearing this, Qu Feiqing was surprised and immediately grabbed Yun Qianmeng to ask about the situation in detail. "Is it really like this? But I heard that the old lady of the Rong family is very lonely! This young master Rong has been raised by the old lady since he was a child, and his personality is quite similar to that of the old lady.
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