Chapter 109 Chapter 109
[Chapter 109]
Ruan Jun's eyes were reddened by the emperor's words, "That's not me."
Yan Shiyu sneered, but did not expose Ruan Jun. He held her hand and looked at the fireworks not far away.
…
The concubines in the palace naturally saw that the empress was sitting quietly in Fengyi Palace looking at the book in her hand. Ran Xia and Qi Yue looked at the empress's indifferent look and couldn't help but have some strange feelings in their hearts.
Suddenly, there was a huge explosion of fireworks outside. The palace maid holding the support was frightened and her hands trembled. Some tea stains accidentally spilled on the carpet with ruyi pattern at the foot of the couch.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!" The palace maid put down the support and trembled all over.
The Queen looked over because of her action, and felt a little sorry for the carpet. She frowned and said, "Get up."
The maidservant hurried out of the inner hall. Qiyue sighed as she looked at the carpet. "This was the tribute from Qin. The emperor knew there was only one, so he gave it directly to the queen. Even Concubine Meng didn't get one."
This carpet is precious. What the empress cares about is not the carpet but the fact that it was a gift from the emperor, and certainly not because the emperor gave this carpet to her alone.
"Send it to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to see if there is any way to save it?"
Qiyue nodded, walked out of the inner hall and gave the carpet to the palace maid outside.
The fireworks in the sky had just stopped, and the sky that was as bright as day was no longer dark. Ran Xia said, "The emperor loves Ying Chongrong very much."
The Queen picked up her book and said, "Today is the New Year and the palace has to keep vigil. Remind the palace ladies to watch the candles carefully and not make any mistakes. Shen Chongyi and Meng Xuanshi are under house arrest, but they should also be told to be more careful."
Ran Xia glanced outside and said, "Don't worry, Madam. It has always been like this."
"It's just that... Concubine Meng has been under house arrest for so long, she..."
The Queen said indifferently, "Meng Xuanshi has a good father, who has ordered the eunuchs to serve her well."
Ran Xia swallowed the words she was about to say. She felt uneasy as if something was going to happen.
The palace is in vigil tonight. The Empress Dowager knows that according to ancestral customs, the Emperor will go to Fengyi Palace, so she ordered people to bring Concubine Xian over.
Even though Concubine Xian was happy at first in Chaoxi Palace, she later felt disappointed when she realized that the Emperor didn't care about her at all.
Even the extremely luxurious Chaoxi Palace did not warm Concubine Xian's heart.
Concubine Xian personally brought the medicine to the Queen Mother, who drank it from Concubine Xian's hand and said softly, "I am very happy that you have this intention. Why should I do it myself and tire you out?"
"How can I be tired of serving the Queen Mother?" Concubine Xian smiled and handed the white porcelain spoon to the Queen Mother's lips again, and asked casually: "The last time the Emperor left Chaoxi Palace, he did not pay his respects to the Queen Mother for a long time. It was all Song Shuang's fault. She caused a rift between the Queen Mother and the Emperor."
The Empress Dowager patted her hand and said, "It has nothing to do with you. It's all the Emperor's fault."
Looking at Concubine Xian, the Queen Mother saw that she was depressed and hurriedly coaxed her to sit down.
Aunt Jingqiao also took the medicine cup from Concubine Xian's hand and looked at her with concern.
The Queen Mother touched Concubine Xian's face and said, "What's wrong? Today is a happy day, why are you so unhappy?"
Hearing the Queen Mother's soothing words, Concubine Xian's tears suddenly fell, but she wiped them away in a hurry:
"I'm fine, I just... I just thought that this is the first year that I and the Queen Mother have spent in the palace, and I feel a little happy."
The Queen Mother also sighed, "You have worked hard to accompany me. It is hard for you to become the emperor's concubine and stay in Putuo Mountain with me."
Concubine Xian shook her head desperately, "If possible, I would rather stay in Putuo Mountain with the Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother frowned, "What are you talking about, kid?"
After asking, the Queen Mother sensed something was wrong and looked at Aunt Jingqiao who was standing beside her. Jingqiao also nodded at the Queen Mother and blinked her eyes slightly.
"Tell me, what happened?"
When Concubine Xian heard what the Queen Mother said, she was stunned at first, then she kept shaking her head, "No... I am fine in the palace, nothing has happened."
But no matter who heard Concubine Xian's words, they all felt that something was wrong. The Queen Mother took a deep breath, looked at Yinli who was serving Concubine Xian, and said sternly, "You tell me!"
Yinli was originally placed by the Queen Mother next to Concubine Xian, so when asked about this, she didn't know whether to say it or not.
The Queen Mother saw through her hesitation and slammed the table, shouting, "You idiot! How dare you disobey my words?"
Concubine Xian suddenly knelt down in front of the Queen Mother and kept saying, "It's really nothing, Queen Mother, please don't ask."
Seeing this, Yinli had no choice but to support Concubine Xian and gently advised: "Now that the Queen Mother is here, please tell her."
Concubine Xian sobbed even louder, but she was still trying to stop Yinli.
Yinli kowtowed to her own queen and said through gritted teeth: "Queen Mother, I have always served Queen Consort Xian. When I entered the palace, Queen Consort Xian was forced into a corner, but..."
She felt a little embarrassed when she said this. Concubine Xian knew that she couldn't stop Yinli from speaking out, so she was filled with sadness and even covered her face with a handkerchief.
"The Emperor never touched the Empress from beginning to end!"
Yinli said this with a determined heart, and kowtowed to beg for mercy, saying, "I know I am guilty, and I should have told the Queen Mother about this matter from the beginning, but the Concubine Xian did not want to cause trouble, so this matter has been kept secret from the Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother was stunned at first, and then she slapped her legs in anger, "You...how could you not tell me!"
When she looked at Concubine Xian again, the Queen Mother didn't know what to say.
She quickly pulled Concubine Xian into her arms and kept stroking her black hair. "Good child, it's my fault. I have wronged you."
However, Concubine Xian shook her head desperately, "No... For so many years, if it weren't for the Queen Mother by my side, I... I..."
As she spoke, Concubine Xian cried even louder.
At this moment, the fireworks outside fell into the eyes of the Queen Mother and Concubine Xian. Concubine Xian's voice was choked with sobs, with a hint of tears, "It's Song Shuang's fault. If it weren't for Song Shuang, the emperor wouldn't have had a rift with the Queen Mother, and there wouldn't be any awkwardness because of Song Shuang's plan to enter the palace. All these things are what Song Shuang deserves. When the second prince grows up a little, let him be in the Queen Mother's arms. I..."
Concubine Xian struggled to break free from the Queen Mother's arms and said, "I'd rather have my hair tied up and become a nun in a temple."
The Queen Mother was extremely shocked when she heard about this today, and after hearing what Concubine Xian said, she fainted without even being able to catch her breath.
Shoukang Palace was in chaos for a while. Concubine Xian was even more panicked. She caught the empress dowager's body, her voice trembling, "Quick! Go to the Imperial Hospital to invite the imperial physician, and ask the emperor and the empress to come together!"
When the empress heard the news, she ignored everything and rushed to Shoukang Palace.
Today is the New Year's Eve vigil, and the concubines have not yet gone to bed. When they heard what the Queen Mother said, they were all filled with doubts.
When they arrived at Shoukang Palace, they saw palace maids of all kinds. The empress had already gone into the inner hall to take care of the emperor, but there was no sign of the emperor.
Consort Zhou looked at the scene and was not too worried. She could not help but say, "The Queen Mother was fine at the banquet last night. How could she suddenly faint just now? In my opinion, she must have seen the fireworks and got so angry that she fainted."
Concubine Su had originally ignored Concubine Zhou, but today she suddenly spoke up, saying, "My sister's words in the past were not very reliable, but today she told the truth. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager was fine and had always been in good health, so how could she suddenly fall ill?"
"Besides, the Emperor hasn't come yet. Although Ying Chongrong is pregnant, she should come to see the Empress Dowager after hearing the news that she is ill."
After saying this, Su Mei lowered her head and covered her lips with a handkerchief, as if this could conceal the fact that what she had just said was not what she said.
When the Empress arrived, the Emperor did not come with her. Considering the fireworks being set off in the palace tonight, who wouldn't know why?
Ji Zhaoyi was late because he was taking care of the little princess Shanshan, so he only listened to half of what Concubine Su said.
Just as he was about to speak, someone spoke up first, interrupting Ji Zhaoyi:
"Your Majesty may be delayed by something. It's better not to say anything without evidence. The Empress has not said anything, so why are we making blind guesses?"
When Lady Su saw someone refute her words, she could not help but turn her head and glance at Li Cairen. She could not stop laughing and said, "I didn't know when Li Cairen became so close to Ying Chongrong that she would even speak up for Ying Chongrong."
Both of them were old acquaintances of Qiandi. Although Lady Su didn't know much about Li Cairen, she was somewhat familiar with her. She found it a bit strange that Li Cairen would speak for Ruan Yun.
Before Li Cairen could answer, Ji Zhaoyi came up from behind and said in a cold voice, "Li Cairen is right. There is no basis for this. What are you sisters guessing about?"
Ji Zhaoyi held a high position, and all the concubines present, except Concubine De, had to pay their respects to her.
Lady Su said reluctantly: "It was my fault for speaking without restraint, Ji Zhaoyi, please don't blame me."
Ji Zhaoyi glanced at Concubine Su and said, "Concubine Su has been in the palace for quite some time, yet she still says such things. Has Concubine Su forgotten the palace rules?"
Lady Su bowed, gritted her teeth and said, "I dare not."
The other concubines did not dare to say a word, and Concubine Zhou was even more thankful that she did not respond after Concubine Su finished speaking.
In their impression, Ji Zhaoyi was still that weak person, but they didn't know when she became so arrogant and domineering, and her status was above everyone else.
Concubine De coughed lightly and said in a gentle voice, "Alright, the sisters are just talking to each other. They are just guessing and speaking casually. Sister Ji, don't argue with them."
Ji Zhaoyi bowed to Concubine De, "I am only reminding you with good intentions."
Defei was rejected by Ji Zhaoyi, but Concubine Su was extremely grateful to Defei for her protection.
At this time, the emperor's imperial procession arrived.
Hearing the palace maid's message, everyone knelt down. When they looked up again, they found that the emperor came with Ying Chongrong.
The concubines were all watching. The Emperor was supposed to go to the Empress' palace today, but now he was accompanying Ying Chongrong. The Empress didn't say anything. Could they possibly speak up for the Empress?
Having not seen Ruan Yun for a long time, the concubines first looked at Ruan Yun's lower abdomen. When they saw the bulging belly, they couldn't help but say that Ying Chongrong had a good life.
Not only was she pregnant with a dragon, but the emperor also took extra care of her.
Ruan Yun pushed the emperor and said softly, "Your Majesty, please go in quickly."
When the emperor first received the news, the worry in his eyes seemed genuine, and he hurried to Shoukang Palace.
Wei Maoyuan had some stools brought in for the high-ranking concubines to sit on.
Who would have thought that when the emperor entered, the curtains were opened, and a bitter smell of medicine came from the inner hall, which made Li Cairen vomit after smelling it.
A groaning sound was heard, and the concubines all looked at Li Cairen, with their sights more or less fixed on Li Cairen's lower abdomen.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
