Chapter 439: A common cause of trouble 4
Facing Concubine Yun's urgent questioning, Ru Ge did not panic at all.
"My mother's family was favored and supported by the Emperor, and they were able to rise from poverty to glory. Therefore, when I was at home, I often heard my father mention the good things about the Emperor.
I don’t often see men from other countries in my inner chambers, but the portrait of the Emperor is displayed at home, and he is the most common man from other countries that I have seen.”
There was a faint smile on her lips, and her eyes were filled with childish, shy, yet burning and touching emotions.
"At that time, I often stared at the emperor's portrait in a trance, and often wondered what kind of person the emperor was.
Later one day, my mother saw me and told me that I was the daughter of an official and would sooner or later enter the palace to be selected for a concubine.
If I am chosen, I can become the emperor's concubine. Although I am young at that time, I know that if I become the emperor's concubine, then the emperor will be my husband..."
As she spoke, she suddenly raised her eyes, and her eyes, sparkling with tears, were like a lake filled with spring water, which was very moving.
"So I have regarded the emperor as my husband since a very early time. When I first learned needlework, the first thing I knitted was this pair of love knots. I wanted to give my first love to my future husband, and I don't think there is anything wrong with this."
Ru Ge looked at Xiao Jingheng's bright eyes as they met hers, and her expression gradually softened, knowing that she had completely gained face in front of the emperor today.
Although she didn't want to attract attention, she still had to recite a sentence,
"Eight hundred clouds return to Gushan Temple, inch by inch, inch by inch..."
Hearing this poem, Xiao Jingheng was slightly surprised and said, "This is the poem I wrote to commemorate Queen Jiarui after she passed away. It has not been preserved in the world, but you know it?"
Ru Ge nodded calmly, "I admire your majesty's talent. Whenever I hear your poems, I will secretly memorize them and study them repeatedly in private. In addition, there are many more..."
Xiao Jingheng was silent for a short while, but his heart gradually became clear.
It turns out that Ruge has been deeply in love with her for a long time.
It was no wonder that she had willingly married Prince An and stayed in Prince An's mansion to be his spy.
During the selection, when she heard that she had been chosen to stay in the palace, she was so excited that she kowtowed with tears in her eyes. She was much more excited than the other selected people.
At this moment, he said to Ruge and Yan Wen:
"Get up, I understand your intention."
When she stood up, Zhao Hua took the heart knot that Xiao Jingheng had placed next to him and threw it to Ru Ge.
Ru Ge took the knot and held it in her arms, then whispered:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I..."
"This thing is a pair you made for the emperor. Now one of them has been burned. I allow you to use this thing as a model and make another one exactly the same. When it is finished, you can personally present it to the emperor to fulfill your wish."
Hearing Zhao Hua say this was beyond Xiao Jingheng's expectations.
He looked at Zhao Hua with a little surprise, and as his eyes moved, there was a hint of joy.
Ru Ge's eyes widened in confusion, "What is the Queen doing..."
Zhao Hua smiled, "Your love for the emperor is much better than the many villains in the palace who are calculating for their own selfish desires. I am not such a stingy person. If you treat the emperor sincerely, I will fulfill your wishes. But..."
She paused, then looked at Xiao Jingheng shyly and said, "I think this idea of yours is a great one. I will also make a purse for Xiao Lang with my own hands, with Xiao Lang embroidered on it and my name sewn on it. Xiao Lang can wear it every day, okay?"
Xiao Jingheng smiled and nodded, "Of course."
After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Cai Jie, who was kneeling in the hall and had already lost all color, and said:
"This maid is full of nonsense, little Yinzi, drag her away, twist her tongue, and beat her to death."
Cai Jie was horrified and banged his head on the ground, begging for mercy, making the floor bang loudly.
Just as the person was about to be dragged out, Zhao Hua said loudly, "Wait."
She stopped the people in front of the emperor, and then said to Xiao Jingheng: "Xiao Lang, let me handle these trivial matters in the harem."
Xiao Jingheng nodded silently, his face full of impatience.
Zhao Hua fixed his gaze on Concubine Yun and said meaningfully:
"Don't twist this slave's tongue. Only if she keeps it can she tell who taught her these nonsense words."
Hearing this, Concubine Yun's already red and blue face became even uglier.
After receiving the order from Zhaohua, Yunshan quickly stepped forward, stood beside Caijie and whispered,
"Are you going to confess on your own, or do you want some 'reward' from the Queen Mother before you learn your lesson?"
Cai Jie's trembling lips and teeth opened and closed slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
However, after he glanced at Concubine Yun with a guilty conscience, he gritted his teeth and said while trembling:
"No, no! What this servant said is true!"
Zhao Hua looked at her steadily and said solemnly, "In front of the emperor and me, you don't have to be afraid of anyone. I'll give you one last chance. If you are willing to tell the truth, I will not only spare your life, but also allow you to leave the palace. But if you refuse to repent, don't blame me for showing mercy to you."
Then he added in a low and fierce voice,
"And your family will also be implicated and buried with you because of your mistake."
Zhaohua's words seemed to give Caijie a golden ticket to avoid death. She would not cover for Concubine Yun anymore if she wanted to survive.
Once a thread of a densely woven sack is torn, what happens next can no longer be hidden.
I heard her trembling and saying, "Her Majesty, please have mercy! These words were forced upon me by Concubine Yun! My orphaned brother was held hostage by Concubine Yun. Since Concubine Shun entered the palace, Concubine Yun arranged for me to follow her and watch her every move."
She kept kowtowed to the platform, and did not dare to stop until her forehead was covered with blood.
"Your Majesty, please understand! I have never seen a man from outside the family do anything shameful with Concubine Shun. I was confused for a moment. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
After hearing this, Xiao Jingheng slowly raised his eyebrows and looked at Concubine Yun.
His eyes were frighteningly cold, as if he was going to eat Concubine Yun alive in the next moment.
Seeing Concubine Yun slightly opened her red lips, as if she was about to argue,
But Zhao Hua did not give her a chance to say another word, and hurriedly told Xiao Fuzi before her:
"Go and take Cai Jie away."
Xiao Fuzi helped Cai Jie up. Cai Jie, whose face was covered in blood, thought he was alive. He was so excited that tears flowed down his face and he repeatedly thanked the queen for her kindness.
However, before she could feel the joy, she heard Zhao Hua say in a voice that was cold to the core:
"No need to talk nonsense, give her a cup of poisoned wine and let her go gracefully and quickly."
When Cai Jie heard this, he froze for a moment.
By the time she reacted and wanted to shout, Xiao Fuzi had already blocked her mouth and dragged her out.
The palace returned to silence.
After a while, Xiao Jingheng said to Zhao Hua, "It was done neatly."
Zhao Hua smiled and nodded at him, "If such a person is allowed to leave the palace alive, if she says anything nonsense, it will damage the reputation of the royal family. Xiao Lang and I are of one mind, so we naturally understand the key points and will never be soft-hearted in such a matter."
As he spoke, he looked towards Concubine Yun and said in a very calm tone:
"As for Concubine Yun...I don't understand why she did this, nor do I know what she is thinking. But she is Xiao Lang's concubine after all, so how to deal with her is up to Xiao Lang to decide."
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