Eunuch Zhou bowed respectfully and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty flatters this old servant. His Majesty only said that Your Majesty should stay in the palace, and the whereabouts of these palace maids are entirely up to Your Majesty to arrange."
"That's good!"
Linghu Lan turned around, glanced at the crowd, and said loudly, "Some of you with sharp eyes may have already heard why I was punished for my mistake. The Prince of Qinyang's mansion was impeached by the censor for seizing fertile land. This is because I failed to manage it properly and deserve this punishment. However, you have come to the palace and worked hard all day long. What you seek is to follow a good master and gain favor. I don't know when I will be released from this punishment, and I don't want to delay your future. If you want to stay in the palace, then stay. If you don't want to stay, I will not force you. Take twenty taels of silver and go to the Shanggong Bureau to find a place."
Lin Mama waved her hand, and immediately two palace maids brought out a tray of silver. Lin Mama shouted coldly, "Those who want to leave, step forward now. Don't stay on purpose if you don't want to. If you can't endure the hardship later and want to beg the Empress to release you, the Empress may spare you, but I won't. You'd better be honest, take the silver obediently, and go for a better future!"
The crowd below began to whisper among themselves.
"Can the Prince of Qinyang's mansion turn the tide this time?"
"It's hard to say. I heard that she was reported to the Censorate and the Jingzhao Prefecture. This matter has caused a great uproar. Historically, those who seize farmland and are impeached usually face death. I think Her Majesty is in a precarious situation. If she follows her, will she starve to death in this palace?"
"Pah! The Prince of Qinyang's mansion is so corrupt. I don't want to serve such a master."
Where can we go if we go out?
"Since we came from the Empress's palace, which concubine wouldn't be eager to have us? Don't be foolish."
Zhou Anyuan coldly observed the crowd, understanding that the Empress was using this opportunity to purge people. He then loudly proclaimed, "Make a swift decision! I will close the palace gates. Anyone who tries to leave after the palace is closed will be executed without mercy!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was startled. Immediately, someone stepped forward timidly, bowed respectfully, and explained, "Your Majesty, I have an elderly mother to care for at home. I cannot serve Your Majesty any longer. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy and let me go."
Linghu Lan nodded, and Lin Mama took out two silver ingots and gave them to the palace maid. The palace maid was overjoyed and left with many thanks. With someone taking the lead, several people immediately came forward, bowed to Linghu Lan, and took the silver before leaving.
Chaos erupted, and Granny Lin sternly ordered everyone to line up.
Feeling weary, Linghu Lan turned and went inside, putting the imperial edict aside and taking out the thin handkerchief that Zhou Anyuan had secretly slipped into her hand to read.
On the elegant silk, a poem is written in vermilion ink: "When the gardenias bloom, a phoenix crown welcomes my wife home."
Linghu Lan was overjoyed: Jun Zhe wanted to remove the people of the former Empress Dowager, and she wanted to remove the people in the harem who were an eyesore. They were going through thick and thin together, and it felt so good!
Not long after.
The noise outside quieted down. Two-thirds of the people in the Suning Palace had left, and the rest stood quietly outside, listening to Granny Lin redistribute the tasks.
Zhou Anyuan entered the hall, glanced around to make sure no one was there, and whispered, "Your Majesty, His Majesty read the note you wrote yesterday. His Majesty said to rest assured that he asked me to tell you: He will share life and death with you and will never betray you."
We will share life and death, and never betray each other!
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