Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Concubine Chen's Ninth Day
The queen could no longer recall the last time she sat quietly with Shen Qing.
When was the last time she was like this?
There are too many things going on between them. Concubine Li and her are at war to the death, and Concubine Zhang obeys her every word. But the relationship between her and Shen Qing is hard to explain.
Obviously, everyone knew at the beginning that Shen Qing was the queen's man, but since some time, Shen Qing has been drifting away from Kunning Palace, with Concubine Lan and Concubine Chen gathering behind him.
Her attitude towards Shen Qing was not pure from the beginning, but she gradually numbed herself and created the illusion that they were very close. In fact, when the emperor began to favor Shen Qing, she felt jealous.
But in the harem, after much thought, the only person she could trust was Shen Qing.
It's not that they are too open with each other, but she understands Shen Qing and knows that Shen Qing has a bottom line and is kind-hearted.
For example, this time, the only one who came to Kunning Palace to take care of the sick was Shen Qing. In the final analysis, it was Shen Qing who was reminiscing about the old times.
The Queen was overwhelmed with emotions. She didn't want to look at her tears. She finally turned the conversation back to Li Bin and said through gritted teeth, "The dancer at the banquet was Li Bin's person. She deliberately made me lose my concentration, so I didn't notice the assassin in time."
Shen Qing said in a low voice: "Maybe..."
"You should rest now instead of having wild thoughts. Concubine Li is already unable to recover and will die soon. Why do you still hold her back?"
The queen closed her eyes and said, "I am worried. Li Concubine is not simple. She must have a backup plan. Now she is desperate to kill me. Of course, she has made all the preparations. Even if she fails, she will not let me off easily."
Shen Qing did not want to tell the Queen about how Concubine Li later accused the Queen despite her illness, as this would not be conducive to the Queen's recovery.
Concubine Li was indeed a tough person. She didn't know when she discovered that the Queen had drugged her, but she didn't make a fuss immediately. Instead, she set a trap for the Queen with her own body.
Shen Qing even suspected that Concubine Li had drugged him with the help of the Queen, otherwise the Queen would not have kept Concubine Li alive for so long.
The average person's body is not capable of living for two years on one breath.
If the Queen gave Concubine Li medicine, it would only cause her to die of illness, but would not provide obvious evidence that there was poison in her body. However, even a three-year-old child could tell that something was wrong with the blood that Concubine Li just vomited.
Killing the mother of a country was indeed a bold move for Concubine Li, but the reason behind her shocking behavior was that she was forced into a desperate situation by the Queen, and others would gossip about the Queen.
In addition, the queen's reputation was well maintained before, and the contrast between the past and the present...
Shen Qing wanted the palace maid to bring some soup, but She He, who had been dismissed by her, did not leave the hall. Upon hearing what she said, she suddenly knelt down, looked at the Queen with red eyes and pity.
The queen was immediately attracted by her.
The queen frowned and said, "If you have anything to say, please tell me now. Don't hide it from me!"
Shen Qing said at the same time: "Pull her away!"
Shen Qing's disapproving eyes swept over She He inch by inch. She He was Wang Ding and Wang Jigui's person, and Wang Ding wanted to help her, but she was already Concubine Chen, the head of all concubines, and there was only one queen above her, so it was not difficult to guess what Wang Ding instructed She He to do.
Shehe wanted to speak just to provoke the Queen. Shen Qing thought that what she said when the Queen woke up had already calmed her down.
The queen's heart was damaged, and she could not tolerate anything more than stimulation.
She He lowered her head under Shen Qing's gradually gloomy gaze, her body trembling.
The Queen turned to look at Shen Qing: "Noble Concubine Chen, what exactly did you hide from me?"
Shen Qing said nothing, but still asked someone to bring the soup, and scooped a spoonful and handed it to the queen.
The queen originally wanted to wave away the drink, but remembering that the person in front of her was no longer the same as before, she turned her face away and did not drink it.
Shen Qing said slowly, "Li Concubine wanted to harm the eldest prince, but the emperor took the eldest prince to the Palace of Heavenly Purity in advance. The eldest prince was guarding your bed just now. It was me who told him not to disturb the queen. He felt sorry for you and didn't make any sound. He just held your hand silently."
The queen took a sip of soup and motioned Shen Qing to continue.
Shen Qing: "The eldest prince is so well-behaved and sensible, and he respects his mother. He must be thinking that the queen will get better soon. Your Majesty, do you understand?"
"Of course I understand." The queen thought carefully and still insisted, "But I want to know what happened more."
A queen naturally cannot be ignorant of what happens in the harem.
But she also knew that if she got more seriously injured due to excitement, it would probably be what Concubine Li wanted.
Shen Qing was naturally upset when she heard this, and she was worried about the queen, but she no longer avoided the question: "After you were sent back to Kunning Palace, Li Fei came and publicly admitted that it was she who ordered people to assassinate you, but at the same time she expressed her pain."
"What suffering has she endured?" the Queen raised her voice angrily.
Shen Qing glanced at her and saw that she didn't feel any pain in her heart. He realized that she had underestimated the queen's ability to bear it.
Explained: "Her bony body is the best kind of suffering."
The queen's clenched fists suddenly loosened, her body went limp and she couldn't exert any strength, and sweat broke out on her forehead.
She has realized the urgency of the matter.
Otherwise, why didn't Concubine Zhang come to Kunning Palace to take care of the patient?
She originally thought that Shen Qing told the other concubines not to come, but it was more likely that the other concubines had already avoided her because of Concubine Li's accusations.
"Concubine Li is a cunning person. How can we trust what she says? Can I be blamed for her poor health?" The Queen's tone became much more guilty.
Shen Qing stayed with her in silence, then persuaded her to finish the soup, helped her lie down, tucked in the quilt, and when he saw that the queen was sleeping uneasily, he left the hall.
She was followed by Shehe.
Shen Qing looked at Cai He: "I will find a way to transfer you out of Kunning Palace."
Shehe said, "Thank you, Madam."
Shehe is deeply trusted by the Queen, so it is not easy for her to leave Kunning Palace. But if she is allowed to stay, the Queen may realize it or become suspicious of her, and the outcome for her will not be good.
Shehe's behavior tonight was too reckless, unlike her usual self.
Shen Qing thought a lot. Shehe followed the Queen whether she was the Queen or the Concubine Xian. Then, Li Bin's original Yongshou Palace might have also had some hidden chess pieces planted by Wang Jigui, but Li Bin was able to keep it secret, so she must have removed the person from her side early on.
If this is true, it is no wonder that Ji Chen chose to suppress Concubine De and chose a queen who was not so well-rounded.
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The affairs of the harem were handled by Concubine Xian and Concubine Lan. Shen Qing only needed to go to Kunning Palace to serve the sick every day, and occasionally return to Chengqian Palace to visit Qinggu.
The queen has the eldest prince, and for the sake of the eldest prince she has to recover from her illness.
On the third day after the queen was assassinated, Concubine Li died of exhaustion, and people in the palace were talking about the queen.
The Queen and Qinggu's health was getting better, and Shen Qing transferred Shehe out of Kunning Palace on the pretext of not being loyal enough. The Queen thought Shen Qing was still angry about what happened that night, so she let her do what she wanted.
Anyway, when Shehe passed the news to her, she was either too loyal and worried about her, or she just wanted her to be more stimulated.
In any case, the queen dared not use shepherd's purse again.
Hearing the rumors in the harem, the queen said angrily in front of Shen Qing: "It is obvious that Li Fei's people are leading this. If Xian Fei and Lan Fei don't stop it, they are eager to take away all the power in the palace from me."
The Queen no longer wanted to be hypocritical in front of Shen Qing. After all, they both knew who the other was.
Shen Qing reminded: "Princess Li is dead."
"She was plotting against me until her death!"
The Queen paused, then remembered something: "Li Concubine has committed a heinous crime. She deserves death and her bones should be pulverized and her ashes scattered. Has the Emperor said anything now?"
Shen Qing said: "The Emperor considered that Li Fei had a close relationship with the Third Prince, so he allowed her to be buried simply."
The queen said with deep hatred: "She got it for free."
"Queen, please be careful with your words. The eldest prince should come to see you at this hour."
The Queen then stopped talking.
Shen Qing half-closed his eyes tiredly.
After staying in Kunning Palace for a few days, she felt like she was half dead, as if all her emotions and strength had been drained away. Obviously, the queen was not like this before.
As for the eldest prince, he was a ray of warm sunshine in the suffocating Kunning Palace.
When seeing the eldest prince, even the most resentful queen would smile.
The eldest prince was late today, and the Queen and Shen Qing couldn't help but look worried.
Ji Can walked in steadily, and the two of them noticed that he was in a bad mood. Usually when he came to see the queen, he would walk forward quickly.
The queen said calmly, "Can'er, your mother has prepared your favorite cakes for you, come and try them."
Ji Can did not move his feet and said politely: "Mother, I have already used it. Thank you for your kindness."
The queen's face turned ugly for a moment, and Can'er's alienation hurt her heart even more.
Shen Qing asked directly: "But did anyone say anything to Can'er?"
Ji Can pursed his lips and looked at Shen Qing: "They say that the Queen Mother is a vicious person."
The Queen clasped her hands.
Shen Qing said solemnly: "What they said is wrong."
Ji Can's eyes wavered.
Shen Qing hugged Ji Can into his arms: "Can'er believes in Madam Shen. If the Queen is a bad person, why would Madam Shen come to Kunning Palace? Isn't Madam Shen afraid of causing trouble?"
The queen is evil, but also very stupid, and her reputation was completely ruined by Concubine Li’s scheme.
She was more inclined to believe that the Queen had given Concubine Li a fatal drug, and that Concubine Li had replaced it with a poison that caused milder symptoms, leaving evidence. However, this was originally done by the Queen, and Concubine Li used this point. Even if it was nine parts true and one part false, it still came true.
Moreover, if this matter is to "clear the Queen's name", Qinggu will inevitably be implicated.
Shen Qing was unwilling to do so and had not mentioned his suspicions to the Queen.
This was not the first time that Concubine Li had used this method. It was the same thing with Concubine Du. Concubine Du ordered people to teach two palace maids a lesson instead of killing them, but Concubine Li intervened and the two palace maids died. The eunuch who received the order misunderstood the meaning and made Concubine Du guilty.
This time, it was even the Queen who ordered Li Fei to die of illness, so the "truth" now does not wrong the Queen.
But facing Ji Can, Shen Qing had to make some excuses for the Queen.
"Li Bincheng is like that, your mother is wrong."
"However, the Queen and Li Concubine have a grudge against each other, and it has reached the point of life and death. The Queen was assassinated that day because of Li Concubine, and Li Concubine also wanted to hurt Can'er to make the Queen suffer."
"You shouldn't be soft-hearted in this situation. Your mother was just one step behind in chess and ended up being talked about by everyone. Your mother had too many reasons to be in the harem fighting. If she was a completely kind person, she would have miscarried when she first became pregnant."
"Can'er, you are a prince, and you grew up in the palace. It's different from ordinary families. There are many power struggles and calculations here."
"You have been feared by many people since you were born. It was your father and mother who protected you and allowed you to grow up safely. If you alienate yourself from your mother because of this, she will be sad."
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