Chapter 174 Human Skin Lantern
During the time Yunshan was in a coma, Zhao was secretly executed.
Xiao Jingheng originally wanted her to commit suicide.
But I heard that she didn't want to die, so she smashed the poisoned wine, threw away the dagger, and tore the white silk, making a big fuss.
Later, the executioner lost patience and wasted time.
He grabbed her head and slammed it against the palace wall, crushing her to death.
This matter was reported to the emperor, but Xiao Jingheng did not ask anything.
They simply had Zhao's body burned, leaving a handful of ashes in a jar, which was then sent to Manpuku-ji Temple near Kyoto for worship.
They said they were performing a ritual to pray for Zhao's soul to be reborn, but in reality they were suppressing her ghost so that the living could have peace of mind.
And on the second day after Zhao's death, Yunshan, who had been in a coma for several days, finally woke up.
She was still weak, but she had regained consciousness.
The imperial physician said that she had safely passed the critical period and was blessed with a long life.
At that time, Xiao Fuzi was crying with tears and snot all over her face, and Song Zhao was holding Yunshan's hand tightly, with his eyes red.
Yunshan smiled weakly and said, "Thank you, Madam..."
Song Zhao was puzzled and held her hand tighter, "Silly girl, why are you thanking me? You risked your life to protect me, I should be the one thanking you."
"I saved the queen, but the queen also saved me." Yunshan coughed twice, took a breath and continued:
"During the time I was asleep, although I couldn't speak or move, I was conscious. At that time, I seemed to be shrouded in a black fog, and I could only see a tiny bit of light in the distance.
I felt so tired that I wanted to sleep in the black fog several times. But every time I wanted to give up, I could hear two voices talking to me and calling me back.
She raised her hand with difficulty and wiped away the tears on Song Zhao's cheek. "I could tell that one of the voices was the young lady's. I couldn't bear to leave the young lady, so I ran desperately towards the light."
Song Zhao gently stroked Yunshan's forehead hair.
There were still tears in her eyes, but she smiled lovingly, "What about the other voice?"
Yunshan glanced at the crying little Fuzi and said with a pout, "The voice was so sobbing and unclear. I couldn't hear what he said. I just felt that he was a loser."
Hearing this, Xiao Fuzi immediately wiped away her tears, raised her chin towards Yunshan, and started to chatter again.
"Who is crying? You and I serve the queen together. If anything happens to you, won't I be responsible for all the work in Changle Palace in the future? Don't try to be lazy! That's why I kept shouting at you, telling you to get up quickly and serve the queen quickly. Don't try to hide away like this!"
Yunshan said to him, "I am very happy to serve the queen. If you are not happy, you can give me all your monthly salary. I will do all your work and send you back to Xinzheku to serve~"
Song Zhao watched them bickering with a smile.
I caught a glimpse of the scenery outside the window out of the corner of my eye.
The weather today is unusually fine, and the sun is shining brightly, covering the green courtyard with a layer of golden color, which is very bright.
Just like Song Zhao's mood.
*
May 23rd is the Queen's Thousand Years' Celebration Day.
It should have been a big event.
But because the queen was about to give birth, she kept everything simple. She did not hold a birthday banquet, but only invited all the concubines to come to her palace to sit, give gifts, pay respects, and chat.
On this day, the Concubine Chen was not as arrogant as before for the first time, but came very early.
After the concubines had presented the gifts they had carefully prepared to the Queen,
She also showed her own thoughts.
She gave the queen a leather lantern.
The leather is thin and translucent, and looks very rare.
Concubine Yun asked curiously, "What kind of leather is this made of? It doesn't look like sheepskin. It looks thinner and more transparent."
The Concubine Chen glanced at her and said with a wry smile, "You are a young girl who has never seen the world. What I give to the Queen is naturally the best. How can you have the nerve to give her ordinary things?"
Then he held up the lantern and started to introduce.
"This is the lambskin of the Black Mountain Antelope. It is tough and thin, and is the best thing to use as a light when walking at night. I present this to the Queen, and I wish the Queen a bright and brilliant future."
The queen smiled and said, "You are thoughtful. I like it very much."
"As long as the queen likes it. Liuyue, why don't you present the gift?"
The Concubine Chen was ordering the maid beside her. Song Zhaocai looked over and realized that after not seeing her for a few days, the Concubine Chen's personal maid had been replaced by someone else, and Qiulan was no longer seen.
The maid named Liu Yue just took the lantern and heard Concubine Chen introduce to everyone:
"I forgot to inform the Empress. This is Liu Yue. She served me together with Ying Xiang when I was at my mother's house. My brother sent her to the palace a few days ago, saying that he was afraid that the servants in the Ministry of Internal Affairs would not be able to understand my temperament and serve me well, so the Emperor allowed her to take care of me. Will the Empress have any objection?"
The Queen said, "Of course it's the people who have served you for a long time who know your thoughts better. Your family cares about you, and the Emperor may have agreed. What can I have any objection to?"
Concubine Chen smiled without saying anything, and winked at Liuyue, asking her to present the lantern.
After Shuang Ruo took the lantern, she originally intended to hand it to the Queen for her appreciation.
But at this moment, she suddenly saw a purple pattern shaped like an orchid on the side of the lantern.
"ah!"
She screamed at an inopportune moment and threw the lantern to the ground in response.
The Concubine Chen was unhappy when she saw this. "What do you mean? How can you waste the gift I gave to the Empress like this?"
Shuang Ruo immediately knelt down and said in a trembling voice:
"I know I was wrong. Please forgive me, Queen, and Concubine Chen, please forgive me!"
The queen also reprimanded: "Why are you so impatient?"
Although Shuangruo was reprimanded, Shuangruo had served the queen for more than ten years. The queen knew that Shuangruo was calm and would never make such a low-level mistake.
So she lowered her eyes and looked at the lantern that had fallen to the ground.
After seeing the orchid pattern, the queen was also surprised.
This pattern looks very much like the birthmark on Qiulan's back. It was because of this birthmark that she was given the slave name Qiulan.
so......
The lantern that the Concubine Chen sent was not a sheepskin lantern at all.
Instead, he plucked Qiulan's skin and made a human skin lantern!
Thinking of that bloody scene in her mind, the queen felt nauseous. Her stomach immediately churned and she held her chest and vomited repeatedly.
The concubine sneered:
"The Queen's pregnancy has had a lot of reactions. It just so happens that the oil in this lantern is lit, and I deliberately added some tranquilizing incense into it. It is best used to calm the nerves and stop vomiting."
As he spoke, his eyes turned fierce, and he glared at Shuang Ruo and scolded:
"Are you still standing there? Why don't you pick up the lantern and light it for the Queen?"
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