Chapter 73 A Mistake of Thought "Your Majesty does not need to explain to anyone."...
Qingzan looked at the words "Cheng" on the letter and felt a sense of irony. The emperor had once helped her find her mother's Jiangnan family, but it turned out that her mother's family hadn't given her a name, simply calling her Wu Niang based on her birth order. That's why her mother named herself Shuyun.
He found out everything, but he would only tell her the truth that he was willing to tell her.
No wonder my mother died innocently. It wasn't just because the Zhu family couldn't tolerate concubines, but also because the Duan family wanted to profit from it. My mother didn't know the Crown Prince at the time, but Duan Ruoxu and the main family knew him...
No wonder Zhu had made up such a lie that day. She must have been very proud of herself. A hairpin easily betrayed her mother's whereabouts, bringing their family more than a decade of wealth and prosperity.
"Master!" Doukou was waiting ten steps away. Seeing Qingzan's body shaking, she hurried forward to help him.
Qingzan felt a chill run down her spine. "Doukou, tell the Queen Mother and His Majesty that I'm not feeling well. It's New Year's Day, and I don't want to spoil everyone's fun. I won't be there today."
She looked back at the Linde Hall behind her. The hall was so lively. The ministers in the front hall and the concubines in the back hall were drinking and chatting happily, and the sounds echoed in the air.
I almost came this far, but still couldn't make it to the banquet.
Thinking of how the emperor had told her again and again that the late emperor could not have been wrong and that the Duan family's kindness to the late emperor could not have been wrong, she felt even more disgusted.
"Master, are you feeling unwell?" Doukou asked anxiously.
Qingzan shook his head slowly.
Although Doukou was worried about her, she still obeyed the order and said, "Then I will go now."
As soon as she let go of her hand, Qingzan dragged her steps, passed through the long corridor in front of the hall where palace lanterns and red silk ribbons were hung, and walked away step by step in a direction completely opposite to the overwhelming joy and bustle.
*
In the palace, the younger generation came one after another to kowtow and wish the emperor and the empress dowager a happy new year. The concubines also received the silver rewards personally bestowed by the empress dowager. The empress dowager said: "I treat you all as my own children. I also know that it was not easy for you to leave home and enter the palace. The stability of the country is invariably due to your contribution."
As the years passed, the Empress Dowager lost her edge, and her kind smile gradually became different from the beautiful and domineering Princess Yuan of the past.
She no longer needed to intimidate with a scowl.
Hearing that Qingzan was ill, he just frowned lazily: "This child, why did she get sick on the first day of the first lunar month? So many people are looking forward to seeing her, wouldn't it be nice for her to come and show her face?"
Lian Ma said, "Although it's lively and bustling, there are many people and eyes. Your Highness is pregnant, so it's better for her to be cautious."
These words seemed to be meant to comfort the empress dowager, but in fact they were spoken to the ladies from other courts who were curious about who Concubine Ying was.
The people around the Queen Mother had been replaced, and all the wives of the dukes and marquises agreed, "That's right. There's no need to rush until today. When the prince is born, won't we be able to see him at the full moon banquet?"
Envoys from Tibet, Persia, and Silla were all present today. The emperor had just spoken with his female relatives before retiring to the front hall. The animal trainer who had been assigned to Songtsen was also at the banquet. Upon seeing the emperor arrive, he, relying on their close relationship, brought the envoy from his home country to the emperor's table and introduced him to him.
Doukou entered the hall and wanted to ask Xu Delu to help her ask for leave, but after looking around, she couldn't find anyone, so she had to find a young eunuch to convey the message.
When the young eunuch came to report to the emperor, he didn't keep his voice down. The animal trainer, upon hearing this, said in a strange voice in Persian, "I saw her when I came in just now!"
The emperor's expression faltered slightly. Did everyone arrive and then leave?
His heart sank, but he couldn't get away, so he just kept drinking. His fingers, gripping the golden cup, turned pale from the effort. He ordered, "Send the imperial physician to see her. I'll go see her after the banquet."
*
"Master, it's snowing!"
Before the ceremonial procession entered Chengluan Palace, auspicious snow fell down in large quantities, as powerful as thousands of troops, trampling over the magnificent buildings and all the filth of the world.
The sky, which had just been dark, seemed to be bright again.
The sedan bearers didn't dare to walk too fast, so the entire procession slowed down. Doukou excitedly reached out to catch a snowflake, and held her fingertips in front of Qingzan: "Master, look."
When I looked up, I saw Qingzan leaning against the sedan chair, with the sleeves of her crimson fur coat flowing over the armrests, like a blood-stained sunset, emitting a tragically bright color.
The person hugging the fox fur coat looked listless and his eyes were hazy.
Doukou didn't know what had happened. When she went there, her master was still in high spirits. She was not annoyed that the journey was slowed down by the palace servants. She also said superstitiously that servants should not be scolded on New Year's Day. Even if they needed to be disciplined, they should be disciplined until tomorrow, otherwise they would be prone to bad luck for the whole year.
Noticing Doukou looking at her worriedly, Qingzan forced a smile and spoke softly, trying to sound calm, "Seeing the heaven and earth looking forward to this snow, are you really looking forward to it?"
Doukou had long lost the desire to play in the snow and admire it: "Master, are you feeling unwell? Do you want to wait and let Sister Chanyi take a look, or should I go and get a doctor?"
Qingzan simply said she was fine. She was fine, healthy, alert, her skin plump and plump, her skin nourished and nourished. Feeling unwell was just an excuse, but now she resented the comfort that had almost made her let down her guard.
The sedan chair arrived in front of Chengluan Palace. The sudden snow had covered the entire palace road in white. As Qingzan just got off the sedan chair, she stumbled and fell to the ground in the snow.
The hem of the fox fur coat spread out, absorbing her fall, so she didn't feel any real pain. However, the people around her were still frightened and rushed over.
"Master, let me help you go back and rest."
"We're not going back." Qingzan said in a deep voice, "Let's go to Taiji Hall."
*
Although New Year's Day is the beginning of the new year, this year's New Year's Day happened to fall on the coldest day of the nine cold days, and winter is far from over.
From outside, there were few palace servants left in Taiji Hall. The girls were all gathered in the backyard playing backgammon. The occasional eunuch who didn't displease them was allowed to join in. The young eunuch on duty, unable to leave his post without permission, was feeling bored and anxious. When he saw Qingzan, he swiftly ran over to her. "What are you doing here? His Majesty is in Linde Hall!"
Qing Zan had already thought of what to say. She pursed her lips and smiled slightly, saying, "Your Majesty has asked me to come and get something."
The young eunuch rubbed his hands together, not suspicious, but still not letting him go: "Just tell me what you want, and I'll send someone to get it for you."
Qingzan just glanced sideways.
This look was awe-inspiring and so beautiful that it made people tremble with fear.
The young eunuch suddenly remembered that the Taiji Hall was filled with things that servants like him couldn't touch. As he was still hesitating, his companions rushed over, pushing him aside and taking over the conversation, whispering back, "Are you blinded by greed? This is Concubine Ying! Could her words be false?"
Then he smiled flatteringly and said, "Please come in, my dear lady. It's so cold outside. Don't catch a cold!"
Qingzan entered the main hall without much hassle. The eunuch who let her in, though extremely flattering, was not one to take it lightly. He stayed near the door, watching Qingzan's movements, presumably to find out where she touched and what she took.
Qingzan let him look at her calmly and walked to the antique display cabinet.
Due to the partitions and shelves, the eunuchs could not see her exact movements, but they could see that Concubine Ying was wandering around the antique display cases on both sides, touching this and that.
It seems that I can't find what I want.
After half an hour, the young eunuch finally began to mutter to himself. When he turned around, he was shocked to see the emperor standing behind him with a grim expression.
It was still far from the end of the banquet.
It turned out that his companion who had been guarding the gate with him was afraid of taking responsibility, so he immediately found someone to take his place, and he ran to the Linde Hall to report to Xu Dajian.
Today, Xu Delu went to ask for Qingzan but failed. He had just taken a breath when he was caught off guard by the news again and hurried to ask the emperor for instructions.
As the news was passed up through the ranks, it was finally confirmed that Concubine Ying had actually forged the imperial edict?!
"How dare she?" Although the emperor was angry, he could not allow anyone to prosecute the matter. He just left the table early on the pretext of being drunk.
But when Xiao Fang saw Qingzan standing in front of the antique display cabinet, what rushed to his mind was a trace of fear rather than anger.
The emperor was a natural born politician, always adept at disguise. However, forcing himself to appear calm required him to take a deep breath and gather his composure before he could speak steadily, "What are you looking for, qingqing?"
Qingzan had also noticed him. She walked to the aisle between the two antique display cabinets, bowed gracefully and saluted the emperor.
She didn't feel guilty about being discovered, nor did she feel the panic of having falsely conveyed the Holy Order. She said expressionlessly, "I'm looking for the secret compartment."
But when he said this, he still looked up with the last bit of hope, hoping that the emperor would only be confused when he heard this.
Hopefully... the facts established today can be overturned again.
If that were the case, she could forgive herself for her hesitation during this period, and forgive herself for being willing to bear children for him for no other reason.
But obviously, she did not blame him wrongly, nor did she blame herself wrongly.
At that moment, a complex expression flashed across the emperor's face, but it quickly faded. He feigned composure and a frank smile, saying, "You couldn't find the secret compartment because the Taiji Hall was robbed some time ago. I had these areas redesigned."
"What do you want to see?" He walked over and opened it for her. All the secret compartments were empty; he had burned the contents long ago.
But even the emperor himself found this move a bit ridiculous.
"Your Majesty, do you still want to hide it from me? Unfortunately... I already know everything." Qingzan tilted her head to look at him. The golden tassels and flower ornaments of her hairpin were entangled together, hanging on her thin shoulders. The sparkling luster made her smile look bright and cold, and her smile was full of ridicule and disappointment.
The emperor was shocked.
He calmed down again and said, "Know what?"
Qing Zan didn't play Tai Chi with him. She stared at him straight and said bluntly, "I know that the Marquis of Yongning shouldn't be the Marquis of Yongning."
The emperor's throat suddenly became stiff and his breathing became difficult.
...Who leaked the news?
In just a moment, he remembered Yun Rong who was sent to the palace.
Spying into the secrets of the Heavenly Family was not a cause for regret, but out of a moment of kindness, he didn't kill the person completely. He had considered silencing her that day, but that was also the day she confirmed her pregnancy, and he didn't want to commit the sin of killing her that day. He wanted to accumulate merit for their unborn child.
A thought of kindness may lead to a thought of negligence.
"You don't believe me?" Even the question seemed pale at this moment.
The emperor then emphasized his tone: "You are doubting me."
Qingzan paused for a moment, then smiled with a pale face, not denying it. It was more than just a suspicion! His reaction confirmed the matter.
She didn't want to argue any further, so she forced out a few words from her throat: "Princess, I bow and leave."
The emperor finally realized that even without seeing the secret case, she was already completely certain of the truth of what happened that year.
As she was about to pass by, he hurriedly grabbed her wrist. It was clearly still a thin strip, but the emperor had to pinch it until it turned red before he could barely hold her for a moment.
His face was tense, as if he was trying to give in. "Qingzan, I can explain."
As the Son of Heaven, the supreme emperor of mankind, humbly seeking forgiveness from one person is already the ultimate.
Qing Zan also laughed: "Your Majesty is a wise emperor, and there is no need to explain to anyone. It was I who falsely conveyed the imperial edict and acted recklessly. My virtue is unworthy of the position... I am not worthy of serving by your side."
Hearing her accusing him of all sorts of crimes, until she said he was unworthy of serving by his side, the emperor felt as if his heart was being torn apart.
Qingzan took the opportunity to pry his fingers off her wrist one by one. A circle of bruises had appeared on her snow-white skin, but she didn't care.
But they were so close that she could not help but see snowflakes on the emperor's hair and shoulders, which had melted and were dripping coldly.
Cold and silent.
Qingzan finally stopped looking at her. The layered skirt was as light as smoke and was about to disappear from the emperor's sight.
Before the figure had completely left, the emperor said loudly, "I have thought about it."
"I have thought about this. If your mother were still alive, I would never wrong her. I would clear her name, allow her to enjoy a salary from the Heavenly Family, be worshipped by thousands, and live out her days in honor and glory."
Qingzan paused for a moment in front of the threshold of the palace, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but she said nothing.
Everything is out of place now, so it’s better not to say anything.
She believed he had thought about it. Perhaps she was not unimportant, but compared to his kingdom and the reputation of the royal family, she seemed less important.
She had been so ridiculous in the hunting palace, even mocking Ying Cairen for expecting fairness without giving anything. But it turned out she was the one who had been overestimating her own abilities from the beginning to the end, relying on the emperor's favor to become complacent. How could a commoner, whose life was worthless, dare to ask for justice?
*
After a while, the young eunuch handed a red fox fur coat to the pale and trembling Xu Delu.
Xu Delu really didn't want to do this job anymore.
She walked to the emperor's side, not knowing how to start, but finally said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Ying left this behind."
Now that the person has returned, Your Majesty, please hold on to this fur coat as a little consolation!
Xiao Fang turned his eyes sideways and put his hand on the fox fur. The charcoal fire in the Taiji Hall had never been extinguished, but the vivid warmth on the smooth fur had long since disappeared.
"Don't you want anything I gave her? You're so resolute. Are you really not afraid that I will slaughter everyone in her palace?"
He stroked it gently and then quickly withdrew his hand.
Xu Delu broke into a cold sweat for the palace servants, and said with a flattering smile, "Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler, how could he do such a thing!"
Xiao Fang said coldly, "Stop flattering me."
Not far away, the grand banquet of the Heavenly Family was still in full swing. Fireworks to add to the fun continued to rise into the sky, vibrating the eardrums of the people in the hall.
Although the emperor was standing by the window, he had no interest in the magnificent scenery at all. He just felt that it was ignorant and stupid and could not bear it.
When he raised his head, his eyes were as cold as ashes.
After a while, he asked, "Has the imperial physician come yet?"
Without waiting for anyone to reply, he flicked his sleeves, almost swung open the curtain with one force, turned around and strode out.
Xu Delu nervously caught up with him and asked, "Where are you going, Your Majesty?"
The emperor remained silent.
What your heart desires is within your reach. Who would want to be alone and feel sad when looking at a piece of clothing?
-----------------------
Author's words: Gouzi: Chasing my wife is urgent [sunglasses]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
