Everyone present was stunned by these words.
Because Qian Shengyan is now in charge of the harem, and because there have been cases of palace maids climbing into the bedchamber in the Southern Three Palaces, she is particularly strict with them.
When Dong Eshi entered the palace, she brought a wet nurse and a personal maid. Qian Shengyan then assigned her three maids to serve her according to regulations. As for the other two princesses, they did not bring anything into the palace, and according to regulations, each of them was only served by two personal maids.
Qian Shengyan made a point of recognizing the seven palace maids. She had sensed something was amiss when she first saw the maid being held by Hongshi. Now, hearing Hongli's words, she couldn't help but take a closer look at the maid. However, after seeing her clearly, she was startled and even began to doubt whether she had seen things correctly...
This palace maid bears a striking resemblance to Consort Qi...
Hongshi had already shaken off Dong Eshi's hand and raised his head, saying, "This was truly a gift from Mother to me! I didn't want it!"
Yinzhen finally came to his senses, but he was already amused by his anger: "Fine, fine, someone come here and summon Consort Qi. I want to ask her if she has too many maids to use, so that she doesn't have to give them away so generously!"
Seeing that Dong Eshi was so frightened that tears were streaming down her face and she dared not make a sound, Qian Shengyan had a feeling that something was wrong. She wanted to stop Yinzhen, but Hongli quietly pulled her aside.
In an instant, Qian Shengyan understood some things again.
Judging from Hongshi's playful antics and the mess on the ground, the music had probably been going on for quite some time. Hongli hadn't been away from the South Third Palace to find Yinzhen for long, so it's likely that Hongshi was already playing when Hongli left.
So, just now, when Yinzhen mentioned bestowing a title upon Hongli, Hongli refused, but then subtly mentioned "Third Brother." It was precisely because of this "Third Brother" that Yinzhen thought of Hongshi and wanted to come and see him.
Then I saw this scene.
Qian Shengyan couldn't help but click her tongue inwardly.
Such a seemingly innocent yet cunning person is definitely not the result of her upbringing. She is a good young person born in the new China and raised under the red flag. She has no other flaws, except that she is too kind and too naive.
If you want to be cunning and ruthless, you have to look at the princes educated by the Qing Dynasty.
While she was still thinking, Lady Li rushed over. As soon as she entered the door and saw the scene in the courtyard, she understood. She knelt down on the ground with a thud: "Your Majesty, please forgive the Third Prince! It's all my fault, it's all my fault!"
"Of course I blame you!" Yinzhen said angrily. "Where did this palace maid come from?"
"What palace..." Li was initially bewildered, but her gaze subconsciously swept towards Hongshi's side, then she shuddered, her voice becoming sharp, "Li Wenhuan? Didn't you go home?"
The "palace maid" moved her lips but couldn't speak. Her face was terribly pale, and she instinctively tried to hide behind Hongshi.
Hongshi himself wished he could find someone to shield him, so how could he tolerate her? He immediately pushed the person forward and shouted, "Mother, she seduced me first!"
Qian Shengyan: ? ? ?
What the hell? What does this mean? Who is this?
Unexpectedly, Qingxue let out a soft "Eh," leaned closer to Qian Shengyan, and said, "Master, Li Wenhuan... seems to be Consort Qi's younger sister from her maternal family..."
Qian Shengyan: ? ? ? ? ?
This generational ranking isn't right, is it?
Holy crap, does Hongshi really dare to do that?
A huge thunderclap boomed overhead, accompanied by Li's shrill questioning and Hongshi's pleas, causing chaos in the courtyard.
Those people didn't hear Qingxue's words, but Yinzhen and Hongli, who were standing close to Qian Shengyan, heard them clearly. Hongli immediately gasped, and Yinzhen was so angry that he almost fainted. He grabbed a weapon and started beating Hongshi.
"You beast who knows nothing of human morality! I'll beat you to death today!" Yinzhen was so angry that he picked up the flute that the musician had just put down and started hitting Hongshi with it. "Are you even human? Are you even human?"
"Your Majesty!" Lady Li shrieked, leaping forward to grab Yinzhen's arm and shielding Hongshi. "Your Majesty, it must be that vile woman Li Wenhuan who seduced him! Hongshi is still young; he couldn't resist..."
"Get out of my sight!" Yinzhen kicked Li Shi away and continued to whip Hongshi, who rolled on the ground screaming in pain. Dong E Shi, who was standing nearby, couldn't bear to watch any longer and cried, begging Yinzhen to stop.
Lady Li scrambled back, desperately trying to stop Yinzhen again: "Your Majesty, if you're angry, hit me, but don't hit the children, they're already hurt..."
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Let's find out what really happened first," Qian Shengyan said, stepping forward to persuade him, seeing that he had indeed drunk enough.
Lady Li gave her a complicated look, then pleaded, "Your Majesty..."
The group finally moved inside. Dong Eshi personally served tea to Yinzhen and Qian Shengyan, then stood aside and secretly wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.
The scene was too intense just now, and Qian Shengyan felt that it wouldn't look good for Hongli to be there, so she had already sent him back. Right now, Hongshi and Li Wenhuan are kneeling below, while Li Shi and Dong E Shi are standing. The two musicians have already been sent to the Shenxing Division by Yinzhen to be interrogated first.
Hongshi's clothes were disheveled, and the blood from the extraction site had seeped out. His hair was a mess, and his face was covered in dust and blood. He looked particularly pitiful, which made Li Shi stand beside him and cry incessantly.
"Who can tell me who this is? What's going on?" Yinzhen banged his teacup on the table, making Hongshi shrink back in fright. Li Shi wanted to speak, but Yinzhen stopped her just as she was about to open her mouth, "Shut up!"
"Father, let me speak." Dong Eshi knelt on the ground with swollen eyes, kowtowed to Yinzhen, and then said, "This girl... actually, I don't know her identity. I only know that a few days ago, the Third Prince went to pay his respects to Mother, and when he came back, he brought a girl with him. I noticed that the girl's clothes were not of the palace style, so I asked the Third Prince a few questions."
"The Third Prince said that she was his maternal cousin who came to the palace to pay her respects to Mother, and he was seeing her off when he left the palace. I really thought she was my cousin and didn't ask any questions. But when I saw that girl the next day, I found out that she... she actually stayed in the Third Prince's room..." Dong Eshi wiped her eyes and explained the matter clearly.
But Li refused to acknowledge it: "What cousin! This is his aunt!" After saying that, she realized something was wrong and angrily said, "Li Wenhuan, how can you be so shameless as to do such a despicable thing to my son!"
"No, that's not how it is," Li Wenhuan finally calmed down. Realizing she'd be blamed if she didn't say something, she cried, "My sister knows perfectly well who she intended to send me to the palace. I didn't even get to see the Emperor before the Third Prince dragged me into his room! Who can I complain to?"
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