After the sixth day of the first lunar month, officials from the upper and lower levels of the court began to impeach the Su family. Some even brought up the small matter of the Su family's servants buying vegetables for the common people without paying the bill. However, as soon as this incident came out, the Su family had another way to indulge in slave crimes. , the reputation of being lax in imperial duties.

As the saying goes, when a wall falls, everyone pushes it. Moreover, there are some people who want to curry favor with the Zhuang family. For a while, the Su family seemed to be extremely evil and unforgivable. At this time, in order to avoid suspicion, the Zhuang family avoided talking about this matter in the court. If someone asked about this matter, they would just say that the emperor would make his own decision. In the end, they closed the door to the mansion and refused to receive outside guests.

Zhuang Yuyan also heard some news in the palace. She thought of the once high and mighty Concubine Shu Gui, who was even more favored than the other concubines in the palace, and how she could even be insulted by someone like Concubine Yan Gui. She had to believe that fate was unpredictable and the emperor was ruthless. This world was unfair to women. Women were tied to one man for their whole lives, but men could have countless women to play with.

Some men hold a condescending attitude. In their eyes, virtuous women are old-fashioned and tasteless, women in the secular world are not chaste enough, beautiful women are brainless, ugly women are polluted by their eyes, rich women are willful, poor women are petty, literary women are hypocritical, and rude women are rude. They always hope that women will love them wholeheartedly, and they stand on that commanding height to comment on every woman.

This type of man is probably the most disgusting type. They are very picky about women, even though there may not be any woman around him who likes him.

Pushing away the bowl in front of her expressionlessly, Zhuang Yuyan listened to Fu Bao's report and said in a deep voice, "Pass the order down. If anyone in our palace discusses the master's affairs, they will all be severely punished."

Seeing that his master looked unhappy, Fubao thought that his master was hurting his own kind, so he quickly responded with a yes, carefully stepped aside, glanced at the bowl of fish soup that he had not drunk much of, and winked at Yunxi.

Yun Xi shook her head slightly at him, stepped forward to open the fish soup, handed it to the little palace maid beside her, and signaled those who had nothing to do with it to leave. Then she spoke worriedly: "Madam, you seem to be in a bad mood recently. What's wrong?"

Zhuang Luyan sighed: "If Concubine Shu Gui gets into trouble this time, who will be the most proud?"

Yun Xi frowned slightly: "Is it... Xian Guifei?"

"Yes, she will benefit the most." Zhuang Luoyan twirled a dried prune into his mouth, "The queen has no children. It doesn't matter who is favored as long as she sits firmly in the back seat. But the Concubine Xian is different. Although she She does not have a holy pet, but she does support the eldest prince. Once Concubine Shu falls, she will become the second most noble person in the palace. "

After hearing this, Yun Xi looked at Zhuang Yuyan and said with a gloomy face: "If she wants to deal with you in the future..." At this point, she gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for being brave, it is better to strike first."

Zhuang Yuyan was silent for a long while, and suddenly laughed: "Don't worry, the emperor is a wise ruler, and he has a clear distinction between love and hate. Even if someone from the Su family commits a crime, it has nothing to do with Concubine Shugui." At this time, all she needs to do is wait, instead of doing meaningless things.

If she was not mistaken, with the emperor's character, even if the Su family was gone, he would let Su Ruizi stay in the position of noble concubine. Even if he did not treat Shu noble concubine as well as before, she would still keep the title of noble concubine.

I wonder how embarrassing it must be for Su Ruizi to have lost everything and be left with only the empty shell of a noble concubine?

On the morning of the twelfth day of the first lunar month, the heavy snow had just stopped, and the glazed tiles of the imperial palace were still shining with golden light. This was also the first time that Zhuang Yuyan saw Concubine Shugui after the New Year, because she was kneeling at the door of Xihe Palace, and Zhuang Yuyan herself was seeing the emperor out of her palace.

Concubine Shugui was dressed very simply, without any makeup on her face. Her former charming beauty had turned into silent haggardness. Su Xiuyi, who used to love to follow her, was nowhere to be seen. The one kneeling with her was Lingsha, who had always followed her.

"Your Majesty!" When Concubine Shu Gui saw Feng Jin coming out, she didn't even look at Zhuang Yuyan, but just looked at the emperor, the only man in her life, in silence, "Your Majesty, please give my brother a light sentence!"

Zhuang Yuyan silently stepped back a few steps and stood aside, looking at the emperor in silence. She only saw his tall back and his unstoppable steps.

Seeing Feng Jin getting on the imperial sedan chair, Zhuang Yuyan bowed slightly and said, "Farewell, Your Majesty."

The bright yellow imperial support slowly disappeared, and Concubine Shugui was still kneeling there, as if she was a puppet that had lost its vitality, neither angry nor sad. Even Zhuang Yuyan, who was standing not far from her, could not move her emotions at all.

Zhuang Yuyan moved her lips, but finally turned around silently, helped Yunxi's hand, and returned to the house. She admired, felt sorry for, and disliked Su Ruizi. But this dislike was not enough to make her watch such a cold joke.

Since the man is ruthless, why should he make things difficult for the woman in the end? She and Concubine Shugui were on guard against each other, but neither of them crossed the line. If she had such a woman in her previous life, then this woman should have been happy.

An hour later, all the concubines who were ranked as the seventh rank in the harem came to Jingyang Palace to pay their respects. Zhuang Yuyan sat below Concubine Xian Gui, and the first seat opposite her was Concubine Shu Gui, and the second was Concubine Rou. They were the only four concubines in the harem.

Concubine Xian Gui looked at Concubine Shu Gui with a smile: "Concubine Shu Gui has lost a lot of weight in the past few days."

Concubine Shu Guifei looked at Concubine Xian Guifei with a sarcastic smile: "Concubine Xian Guifei has become more plump in the past two days. What good news has happened to make her look so rosy?"

Concubine Shu Gui usually likes to hide her ulterior motives when she speaks, but now she suddenly becomes so sharp that Concubine Xian Gui is stunned. After a long while, she said, "I didn't expect that Concubine Shu Gui has become more and more powerful after resting in Anqing Palace for a few days."

"Just like you're getting more and more plump," Concubine Shu narrowed her eyes and looked at Concubine Xian. "I haven't seen Concubine Xian for a few days, but you seem to be more and more interested in joining in the fun."

Zhuang Yuyan and Concubine Rou laughed when they heard this. They really loved to join in the fun, just like a plucked hen laying eggs, which was really annoying.

The noble concubine suddenly changed. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Zhuang Yuyan asked, "Her Majesty, has something good happened to you recently? Are you so happy?"

Concubine Xian swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth, and said with a fake smile: "Sister Zhao Fei, you are joking. I am just concerned about Concubine Shu Fei."

"Xian Guifei is indeed virtuous," Concubine Rou raised her eyebrows and looked at Xian Guifei, "You care so much about us sisters." After saying that, she also glanced at the empress. I thought that I could really be called virtuous just because I have the title of Xian. How can you, a concubine, be called virtuous? How can you compare to the empress?

The Queen glanced at Consort Xian Gui indifferently, put down her teacup gently, and said slowly, "If Consort Xian Gui has nothing to do, you can go to Yu Garden for a stroll. If a woman relaxes more, her mind will be broadened."

Concubine Xian Gui nodded with a stiff face and did not speak again.

After the group of people paid their respects and walked out of the gate, they saw a eunuch running towards them with a panicked look on his face. Zhuang Yuyan felt that he looked familiar, as if he was someone close to Concubine Shugui.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. The Emperor has sentenced Lord Su to be beheaded in seven days. Lord Su has also been thrown into prison and will never be released." The blue-robed eunuch knelt in front of Concubine Shugui.

"What?!" Concubine Shu Gui's body swayed, and she barely stood up with the help of Lingsha, "Then the others, are the others guilty?"

The eunuch glanced at Su Xiuyi who was mixed in the crowd, and then he said, "The people in other rooms are fine, only the two adults suffered."

Concubine Shugui was stunned at first, then she said with a strange smile: "Okay, okay!" As soon as she said these two words, she fainted. The other concubines took two steps back at this time, as if they would be questioned if they came closer.

Zhuang Yuyan glanced at Su Xiuyi who had hurriedly dodged away, and calmly watched Shu Guifei being carried away by the palace maids and eunuchs. She sneered, "Su Xiuyi, why don't you go with us to check on her? You and Shu Guifei have a deep sisterly relationship. How can you feel at ease if you don't watch the imperial physician's diagnosis?"

Suddenly everyone's eyes fell on Su Xiuyi, looking at the pale face of Su Xiuyi, everyone showed a sarcastic look.

Zhuang Yuyan sneered, got on the sedan chair, and left the gate of Jingyang Palace amid a round of farewells.

"Your Majesty, Concubine Shugui's family has suffered such an incident. I'm afraid she will never have the glory she once had," He Yu said, seeming to sigh and gloat over the misfortune. "But today Concubine Xiangui's face is a little ugly."

"Naturally, Consort Xian is happier than anyone else, but it's a pity that she forgot that the eldest prince is only raised in her presence, not registered under her name," the queen sighed, and said with some regret, "Today we have Consort Shu, I wonder if I will be the same tomorrow."

"Your Majesty," He Yu said hurriedly, "You and the Emperor have been blessed for many years. The Emperor will not be so cruel."

The Queen laughed at herself and said, "Has the Emperor shown less favor to Consort Shugui?" Stroking the teacup in her hand, she whispered, "I'm afraid the little affection I had for the Emperor has almost been worn out."

She walked to the door, looked at the glazed tiles outside reflecting the light, and couldn't help squinting her sour eyes.

Just after noon, Feng Jin had just finished his lunch when he heard Gao Dezhong come to report that Concubine Shu Gui wanted to see him. He frowned and said calmly, "No!"

Gao Dezhong followed his instructions and left. When he reached the palace gate, he looked at Concubine Shu Gui who was kneeling on the ground and said to her, "My Lady Concubine Gui, the Emperor is busy right now. You should go back."

Concubine Shugui glanced at him, then kowtowed heavily on the reflective golden brick: "Your Majesty, please see me!" After saying that, she kowtowed again.

Hearing the heavy kowtow sounds, Gao Dezhong could not bear to watch it anymore, so he retreated into the hall. He could still hear the kowtow sounds until he entered the room.

Walking before the emperor again, Gao Dezhong stood aside in silence.

Then, the whole house fell into silence, and the only thing that could be heard was Concubine Shugui's request outside.

Each sound is softer and softer, each one is more desperate than the last.