Just after the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the servants in the prince's quarters began their new day's work. Shu knocked on the door of the Fourth Prince's courtyard. Su Peisheng, having heard from Xiao Sula that Shu had arrived, quickly went out to greet her.
"Aunt Shu, does Her Majesty have something to discuss with you?" Su Peisheng asked the head maid of Chenggan Palace with utmost respect.
"Where is Sulan?" Shu had received the Empress's order that all the princes and their wives should gather at Chenggan Palace today.
"Auntie!" Sulan quickly came out.
"Sulan, after Fourth Princess Consort has breakfast, hurry to Chenggan Palace. Remember to dress simply!" Shu recalled that Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong hadn't slept all night, and both were in a bad mood. "His Majesty and the Consort are in a bad mood, so be careful what you say!"
Su Lan quickly agreed. Not long after they returned, the Crown Princess and the Third Prince's Consort were sent back to Yuqing Palace and the Prince's Residence.
A trial is about to begin?!
Su Peisheng and Su Lan exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting a shared confusion.
As soon as Shu left, Yin got up. While Su Peisheng was serving him, he whispered about Shu's visit.
Yin pondered for a moment, then turned and walked back to the bedside.
"My little darling!" Yin pulled Qingyan out of the covers, held her on his lap, and pinched her little face. "Wake up first!"
Qingyan was still asleep when Yin shook her violently, making her wrinkle her little face. What did Sisi want? She waved her little paws and slapped Sisi's cheeks.
"Your mother sent someone to tell you to come over!" Yin kissed her little face and continued to tease her.
Qingyan frowned slightly, her eyes opening a crack.
The inner chamber was lit with dragon and phoenix candles, making the hall as bright as day. In the past, Yin would always lower the heavy curtains when he got up, but today, in order to help her stay awake, he ordered that the curtains not be closed.
"Hmph!" Qingyan snorted coldly.
Su Lan prepared a cool handkerchief and wiped Qing Yan's face, which instantly sobered her up.
Brilliant!
Qingyan opened her eyes and saw that Yin had already put on the prince's court robes.
"So early!" Qingyan was displeased.
"Wake up quickly, have breakfast and go to Mother's place as soon as possible!" Yin has to go to court and definitely won't be able to stay with Xiao Guai. "Once you get there, don't say much, just stand aside and watch!"
Upon hearing Shu's instructions, Yin realized that Guarjia had definitely crossed the Emperor's bottom line.
Confined to Yuqing Palace!
"Si Si, has something happened?" Qing Yan realized something was wrong after she regained consciousness.
Consort Tong rarely summoned the wives to pay their respects so early, and she looked up at him in confusion.
Yin nodded, "It would be best to go and see Qingyan if we could."
"Little darling, no matter what you see, you mustn't cry." Yin roughly guessed Consort Tong's intention in sending Little darling over. In order to let Little darling adapt to the position of the Fujin as soon as possible, Yin could only let his mother waste Little darling's time.
"What?!" Qingyan was puzzled. "I absolutely will not cry!"
She rolled her eyes at him twice. Si Si really underestimated him!
Yin shook his head. The punishments in the palace were not just some minor tricks.
The people around the Crown Princess were sent to the Trial and Judgment Bureau, and the people behind the Third Prince Consort also got involved. In just one night, they will definitely be able to get a lot of information out of them.
"My darling, you have to promise me!"
"Okay!" Little Guai turned her head proudly, expressing her determination.
Yin shook his head. The little guy could talk a good game, but when faced with the reality, he'd definitely burst into tears.
"Don't underestimate me!" Xiao Guai bristled. After changing her clothes, she helped Su Lan walk outside to have breakfast.
After breakfast, Yin sent Xiao Guai to Chenggan Palace and then left.
At the entrance of Chenggan Palace, Qingyan became nervous, gripped Sulan's hand tightly, and took two deep breaths.
She had just stepped into the entrance of Chenggan Palace when Shu came to greet her.
"This servant greets Fourth Princess Consort. Is Your Highness inside the palace?" Shu walked in with a smile, noticing Qingyan's slightly pale face and feeling a little worried.
The servants interrogated by the Criminal Division confessed to many things, and with Emperor Kangxi's tacit approval, Consort Tong will likely punish those unruly servants personally.
Qingyan came over dressed in a light lotus-colored palace gown, with two amethyst hairpins adorning her hair. Shu looked at Xiaoguai's outfit and finally felt relieved. This outfit was much better than the Third Princess's.
Just now, when the Third Princess Consort came over, her bright red palace dress made Shu look down on her. It was as if no one else could wear it; even though Consort Tong had reached the rank assigned by the Emperor, she still couldn't wear a bright red palace dress.
These past few days, the Third Prince's wife has been asking An Zong to wear a bright red palace dress. Consort Tong felt uncomfortable seeing this, but there was nothing she could do about it.
"Eldest sister-in-law, third sister-in-law, you've come too?" Qingyan curtsied to them and then sat down next to Yingenjueluo.
The Third Prince's wife noticed that the First Prince's wife and the Fourth Prince's wife were still standing side by side, while the Crown Princess was confined to Yuqing Palace and could not come out.
Her servants were also replaced; those she brought from home were mostly sent to the criminal trial department.
"Third sister-in-law, your festive clothes..." Qingyan felt uncomfortable. When she came to pay her respects to Consort Tong, she would never wear anything stained with red.
Some time ago, we were observing mourning for the Empress Dowager, so we didn't know how to use it. Later, after the nanny reminded us, they started wearing this color regularly.
"Hehe, bright red is the color of the principal wife. Is it wrong for me to wear it?" Dong E felt uncomfortable, as Consort Tong's status was higher than Consort Rong's.
Consort Rong and her mother-in-law finally had a chance to put Consort Tong in a difficult position, so how could she possibly give it up?
"Yes, the color of the principal wife!" Consort Tong's eyes turned cold as she walked out from the inner chamber.
"Greetings to Mother!" Qingyan quickly turned around and bowed.
A smile appeared on Consort Tong's lips, but her eyes were filled with icy coldness.
"Rise and kowtow!" The First Princess and her entourage quickly bowed. "His Majesty also wished for the three of you sisters-in-law to come here today."
The maids served hot tea and placed it on the high tables next to the wives. Qingyan looked around and noticed that the Third Wife's expression was getting increasingly strange. Her eyes were fixed on the doorway, where more than a dozen servants were kneeling in the open space. They had all changed into palace attire, but their faces were completely bloodless.
Granny...
Qingyan noticed that Dong Eshi's mouth moved slightly, and he was very surprised. She was just a nanny, so why would the Third Princess Consort care so much?
She couldn't say she understood the wet nurse culture. From a young age, she was raised by Fei Yanggu, whose wet nurse was involved with the Jue Luo family and was directly thrown out of the mansion by Fei Yanggu.
"Your Highness, I beg you to spare the wet nurse's life!" Dong'e looked at her wet nurse kneeling on the ground, her eyes filled with tears, and pleaded with Consort Tong, "The wet nurse has been with me for more than ten years. In her final moments, I hope Your Highness can grant her a quick death!"
Qingyan blinked, watching the scene before her, feeling a little strange. Would she really treat her own mother with such care? (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
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