Chapter 258: Concubine Jinggui
The main hall was dead silent, with only the clear sound of water dripping through stone being heard.
Xiao Jingheng was silent for a long time, then he frowned and looked at Prince Rui.
"Are there any untrue parts in these evidences?"
Prince Rui bowed even more deeply and said solemnly, "The families of the generals involved have been controlled by me. With them around, these generals dare not say a word. If you don't believe me, you can summon them to question them one by one."
"You are my brother, and you are devoted to Qichao, so I trust you."
Xiao Jingheng stroked the ring on his thumb and murmured in a cold tone,
“The Ning family… is great!”
'Squeak'
While they were chatting, the tightly closed door of the main hall was gently pushed open.
Jiang Deshun bowed and walked in, stood at the bottom of the hall, bowed to Xiao Jingheng, and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, Concubine Yi has sent some cakes and is waiting outside the door now."
Xiao Jingheng was not in a good mood at the moment, so he said, "Let her go back first and tell her that I will visit her in her palace after dinner."
"I understand." Jiang Deshun responded. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Xiao Jingheng calling him again.
"Wait a minute. Go and call the Grand Tutor, the Minister of War, the Nine Gates Commander, and the Imperial Executioner to come to me."
After a pause, he added, "Secret announcement."
Hearing this, Jiang Deshun's face suddenly darkened.
The ministers mentioned by Xiao Jingheng were all important figures in the court.
They were all summoned here this time, there must be something important to discuss.
Jiang Deshun did not dare to neglect him and bowed and left.
He responded to Song Zhao's words outside the door.
"Empress Yi, the Emperor is talking to his ministers in the inner room right now, so he can't see you for the moment. The Emperor told you to go back to the palace and rest first, and he will go to your palace tonight to have dinner with you."
"Thank you, eunuch." Song Zhao ordered Yunshan to hand the food box to Jiang Deshun, and then left Chaoyang Palace without staying for long.
On the way back to the palace, seeing that the white clouds were rolling and the sun was bright, Song Zhao wanted to take a walk in the Imperial Garden. He could also pick some fresh flowers to add to Chengyu's complementary food.
Xiao Fuzi said, "I heard that the peonies at Qingyu Terrace are blooming very well recently. Why don't we go there for a walk?"
Yunshan also said: "Peony can nourish the liver and improve eyesight, and it can also nourish qi and blood. It is also very good for the eldest prince and the queen."
It just so happened that Qingyu Terrace was near Shoukang Palace where the concubines lived, and not too far from Chaoyang Palace, so the master and servants walked and chatted, and soon arrived.
The peony flowers here are in full bloom, very eye-catching.
But in the sea of red, there was a green figure standing alone, which seemed very abrupt.
Song Zhao watched from afar. The woman in green was about forty years old, with no makeup on her face, and she looked slightly tired.
She was accompanied by an elderly palace maid, and the master and servant were bending over and looking for something in the flower garden.
Thinking that this place was close to Shoukang Palace, the concubines should often walk around, so Song Zhao asked Xiao Fuzi,
"Who is that? Why haven't I seen him in the palace?"
Xiao Fuzi stood on tiptoe and looked around. After seeing the concubine's appearance clearly, he hurriedly said:
"Your Highness, that is Concubine Jing Gui. As her title suggests, Concubine Jing Gui likes quietness very much, so she rarely walks around the palace. In the past, she always asked for leave to stay alone during the palace banquets, so Your Highness has never seen her since entering the palace."
"Queen Jing?" Song Zhao paused and asked, "Is she Prince An's biological mother?"
Xiao Fuzi nodded in agreement, "That's right."
Because Prince An had threatened Song Zhao in the past, and because of the unclear matters between him and Rong Yue, Song Zhao disliked him from the bottom of his heart.
People say that if you love a house, you will love everything about it, but the same goes for if you hate the house, you will love everything about it.
Song Zhao originally had no intention of paying any attention to Concubine Jinggui, but as luck would have it, Concubine Jinggui, who had been bending down to look for something, suddenly straightened up and met Song Zhao's eyes.
If Song Zhao pretended to ignore it, it would be somewhat impolite.
So she had no choice but to walk forward with a smile, bow to Concubine Jing Gui, and said:
"I pay my respects to the noble concubine. Best wishes to the noble concubine."
Concubine Jinggui glanced at her and said calmly, "Get up."
After saying this perfunctorily, she lowered her head again and fiddled with the flowers and plants, looking for something in the flowerbed.
Song Zhao said: "Did your concubine lose something? Could you please tell me so that I can help you find it?"
Concubine Jing Gui ignored her and let the maid beside her reply: "My lady, Concubine Gui left a sachet in the flower garden."
Hearing this, Song Zhao turned around and gave Xiao Fuzi a look, "Hurry up and help the noble concubine look for it."
Xiao Fuzi is clever and efficient in his work.
Soon, he fished out a bright yellow sachet from the flowerbed.
"Is your Majesty the Concubine looking for this?"
Concubine Jinggui took the sachet handed to her by Xiao Fuzi and patted the dust off it as if she had found a treasure. Her solemn expression finally relaxed a little and a faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips.
Song Zhao looked at the sachet embroidered with mandarin ducks and dragon patterns, and guessed that it should have been a gift from the late emperor to Concubine Jinggui. No wonder Concubine Jinggui treasured it so much.
Now that the sachet was recovered, Concubine Jinggui's attitude towards Song Zhao softened a bit.
"Your people are quite clever."
As she was talking, she tried to walk out of the flower garden, but she stepped into the mud and her body tilted sideways, about to fall.
Fortunately, Song Zhao was beside her and hurriedly helped her up, "Your Highness, be careful."
After Concubine Jinggui was supported by Song Zhao and stood up, she looked at her for the first time.
"I have never seen you before. Are you the emperor's new favorite?"
Song Zhao said respectfully, "I am Concubine Yi, Song."
"Song?" Concubine Jinggui's eyes trembled, and she was obviously startled, and the joy on her face disappeared in an instant.
She pulled her hand out of Song Zhao's palm very stiffly. The sharp armor cut the tender flesh of Song Zhao's palm, and blood immediately oozed out.
"Madam!" Yunshan stepped forward quickly to protect Song Zhao, took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off her palm, "Madam, are you okay?"
Song Zhao shook his head and did not answer, but looked at Concubine Jing Gui in confusion.
She saw that Concubine Jinggui's eyes were cloudy and dim, with a hint of hatred flowing in them.
"Your Majesty, I, your humble concubine..."
Before Song Zhao could finish his words, Concubine Jinggui suddenly turned around and left, leaving her standing there stiffly, with a look of confusion on her face.
Xiao Fuzi advised in a low voice: "Your Highness, don't take it to heart. Your Highness's temper is just so strange that even the Queen Mother rarely interacts with her."
Song Zhao clenched the bloodstained handkerchief in his hand, stared at the slightly hunched back of Concubine Jing Gui with a calm look, and said with a hint of annoyance:
"They are both mother and son, and they are really annoying. Forget it, let's go back to the palace."
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