Chapter 144 Chapter 144
【Chapter 144】
Wen Baolin opened her lips slightly, and the words she wanted to ask were suppressed by herself.
She hesitated for only a moment, then stood up straight, with a firm look on her face, and said, "I am willing."
Ruan Yun said with a half-smile: "You are not afraid at all, you agreed so readily."
Wen Baolin smiled, but it faded away quickly. "I did it. I still have a chance to work hard."
Ruan Jun glanced at Ying Ning, and Ying Ning helped Wen Baolin up from the ground.
Until she sat in front of Ruan Yun, Wen Baolin was still reluctant to believe that she had actually won half of the Royal Concubine's trust. As for the rest, she would surely be able to do it if she showed it to the Royal Concubine.
Ruan Yun looked at the pearl string on her wrist and continued, "Shufei passed away, but I discovered something and had to ask for clarification. It just so happened that Defei and I had the same idea. I knew who to look for, and Defei also understood."
Wen Baolin said uncertainly, "Your Highness, are you talking about the two palace maids who used to serve Concubine Shu personally?"
Ruan Yun nodded. Although she was not surprised that Wen Baolin could guess it, she felt that Wen Baolin was indeed smart to think of this so quickly:
"You are right. It is indeed the two of them."
Ruan Yun paused and continued, "I just want to get the truth out of them, but it's not as simple as just finding them. Everyone has weaknesses, and they are no exception. I heard that Liu Jin and Liu Yu are both illegitimate children of the Meng family, so this matter is very difficult to deal with."
Wen Baolin bit his lower lip and looked slightly away at Ji Zhaoyi. Seeing that she was not surprised at all, he knew that Ji Zhaoyi also knew this matter very clearly.
Standing up, Tao Chu hurriedly stepped forward to support Wen Baolin. Wen Baolin bowed softly and responded to Ruan Yun's words, "I am willing to give it a try and will do my best."
Tingxu placed a few banknotes in front of Wen Baolin and said, "I don't need you to threaten them. Just tell them clearly that if they can be used by me, I will do my best to satisfy their wishes. As long as Liujin and Liuyu know that their parents are now taken care of by me, that will be enough."
Seeing the large banknotes from Ruan Yun, Wen Baolin hesitated for a moment before accepting them. "I understand."
The matter had been discussed, so Wen Baolin naturally left Linxuan Palace.
Ruan Jun waited for Wen Baolin to leave, then glanced at Ji Zhaoyi, "Do you think this is possible?"
Ji Zhaoyi sighed softly and said, "De Fei is very thoughtful. She has been in the palace for many years. Back then, she was able to come up with an almost perfect way to make the Empress have a miscarriage. Now, I am afraid... De Fei has already thought of it."
Ruan Jun frowned as she heard this. "It seems that we can only pray to God to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Ji Zhaoyi suddenly brought up something else, "Last time, Master Ji sent a note in, did he want to see my sister? I saw that my sister did not leave the palace banquet for the New Year."
When Ji Juebai was mentioned, Ruan Jun also felt very distressed, "Yes, he probably thought that I didn't receive the note."
Ji Zhaoyi said angrily, "He is really hateful. I am afraid that he will not keep his mouth shut and let something slip one day."
Ruan Yun raised a sarcastic smile at the corner of her lips, "I will not let him drag me down with him. He has sinned deeply and should have been haunted by evil spirits long ago."
Although that is what she said, Ji Chebai is also an official appointed by the imperial court. How could she make Ji Chebai completely leave this world?
Closing her eyes with a headache, Ruan Jun felt that things would not be peaceful from now on.
…
Purple Palace
When Ruan Yun came with the action, Wei Maoyuan hurried down the stone steps, his eyes rolling, and said, "My queen, why don't you go to the side hall and wait?"
Looking towards the main hall, Ruan Yun asked with a smile, "Is the emperor meeting with the ministers?"
Wei Maoyuan said with a smile: "Yes, the emperor is meeting with Lord Ji from the Ministry of Rites right now, so I don't think he will have time to see the empress." Hearing such a familiar person, Ruan Yun tightened the handkerchief hidden in her sleeve.
"In that case, I will go to the side hall."
She buried her face in her cloak, and the fur collar with rabbit fur edging moved slightly with her breathing. Ruan Jun personally carried her into the side hall.
The charcoal fire was burning brightly, and Ruan Jun took off Dongdong's hoodie for fear that he would catch a cold if he went out. She gently touched Dongdong's nose and watched Dongdong sitting obediently in her arms.
It's just that at this moment, Yan Shiyu's voice in the main hall was so cold and loud that Dongdong twisted his body nervously.
Ruan Yun held Dongdong and coaxed him gently, saying in a soft voice: "Don't be afraid, the emperor is discussing matters."
But then, Yan Shiyu's stern voice came over, and there seemed to be the sound of a memorial falling to the ground:
"When you were taking the imperial examination, you wrote a good article on water control, taking officials and people's livelihood into consideration. How come you can't say a word now?"
Ji Juebai was hit on the shoulder by the memorial. The emperor's force was so strong that his shoulder began to feel numb. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just think that it is winter now, the Yellow River is frozen, and the people cannot work. Instead of wasting time and money now, it is better to wait until spring to implement it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Rebai felt the emperor's icy gaze falling on him, causing Ji Rebai to quickly lower his head and swallow his saliva.
Yan Shiyu looked at Ji Lubai with a cold look in his eyes. The Yellow River flooded every year, but the people in the upper reaches were fine. But when the flood became serious, the people in the lower reaches lived in fear every day.
Ji Juebai had mentioned in his test paper that he wanted to build dams and clear the silt, but now, he could not answer anything. He was completely different from what he had written on the test paper.
With a hint of suspicion in his dark eyes, Yan Shiyu said in a deep voice: "Go down!"
Ji Yubai was just about to stand up when a child crying suddenly came from the side hall.
Wei Maoyuan just came in to serve tea. When he heard the noise, he almost knocked over the teacup in a panic. He knelt in front of the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, it was Concubine Ying who brought the third prince to the side hall."
Yan Shiyu frowned slightly, looking more serious, and could still hear the woman's gentle and coaxing voice.
Ji Jubai's whole body suddenly became stiff and he stood there, not knowing what to do.
The crying sound in the side hall did not stop for a long time. Yan Shiyu knocked on the table, without even looking at Ji Lubai, and went straight into the side hall.
Wei Maoyuan opened the curtain to let the emperor in. He turned around and saw Ji Juebai still standing there. He said respectfully, "Master Ji, I will send someone to escort you out of the palace."
Wei Maoyuan made a move, but Ji Libai's feet felt as if they were filled with lead and he couldn't move at all.
He knew who was in the side hall, and he seemed to vaguely hear the woman's voice coaxing the third prince.
He clenched his fists involuntarily. Ji Juebai did not leave, but asked, "Excuse me, sir, who is in the side hall?"
"Oh." Wei Maoyuan waved his hands in embarrassment, "Sir, please don't ask. They are all the emperor's concubines. If the emperor hears what you said, will you save your life and the lives of your entire family?"
Perhaps Ji Juebai felt the pain, and his clenched fist loosened and then suddenly tightened, and he nodded and said, "Thank you, eunuch."
Wei Maoyuan bowed and said, "I don't deserve it. Should I ask someone to escort you out of the palace?"
Ji Juebai took another deep look towards the side hall, but he didn't expect that this look would make him see the corner of Ruan Yun's clothes.
The palace maid opened the curtains for the emperor, and the emperor even embraced the third prince without regard for the rules. Ruan Yunjiao's face was full of helplessness. Looking at the movements in Yan Shiyu's arms, she said, "The emperor is about to spoil him."
But just as she said this, Ruan Jun looked towards the outer hall and saw Ji Juebai standing in the hall, his body slightly tilted, looking at her with burning eyes.
Ruan Yun was frightened and hurriedly stopped. She subconsciously lowered her head and tried to be calm. "The emperor is still meeting with the court officials. How can he let me come with him? I'd better go to the side hall and wait first."
Yan Shiyu grabbed Ruan Yun's arm, but Ruan Yun immediately tightened her grip and didn't dare to raise her head.
Just now she clearly heard the emperor asking Ji Juebai to leave, but why didn't he leave and was still standing here?
His eyes gradually became filled with anger and hatred. This Ji Rebai was truly a disaster.
Yan Shiyu withdrew his dark eyes from Ruan Yun and glanced at Wei Maoyuan. Wei Maoyuan's knees softened and he knelt down, "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
After asking for forgiveness, Wei Maoyuan helped his own Qiao Shiguan to get up from the ground and said to Ji Juebai, "Sir, please go this way."
He was in a very difficult situation. Lord Ji didn't want to leave, and he couldn't force Lord Ji to leave.
Ji Juebai quickly withdrew his gaze from Ruan Jun, and his hands at his side trembled slightly. Thinking about Jun's appearance, he knew that she must want to see him as well.
She used to be lively and lovely, not like the cautious and timid girl she was just now in front of the emperor.
It was just that she met him by accident, and he was not an ordinary person, but that made Ayun so scared. Ayun must have come here today because she heard that he was in Zichen Palace.
Ji Juebai felt more certain in his heart. He took a deep breath and followed the eunuchs out of the palace.
Wei Maoyuan was crying in his heart. What was going on? It looked like Concubine Ying Gui recognized Lord Ji. He only hoped that Concubine Ying Gui could talk to the Emperor herself, at least to calm the Emperor's anger a little.
Just at that moment in the inner hall, Ruan Jun's palms were covered with sweat.
Yan Shiyu held Dongdong in one hand and held Ruan Yun in the other. He frowned for a moment: "How come your hands are so cold and you are sweating so much?"
Ruan Yun quickly put aside her previous wrong emotions, raised her head and said coquettishly: "The dragon in the emperor's palace is burning brightly, but I am cold, so this happened."
"Really?" Yan Shiyu said nonchalantly, "I think it's just right."
Ruan Jun lowered her head and hurriedly shook the emperor's sleeve, looking at the movements of the person sitting in the emperor's arms.
"Dongdong may be too familiar with the emperor's voice. The way the emperor spoke just now must have scared Dongdong."
Dongdong was placed on the dragon chair. Yan Shiyu did not restrain him and let him crawl by himself. He looked at Ruan Jun in shock.
Wei Maoyuan's cold sweat, which had just faded away, broke out again. If the officials of the previous dynasty knew about this, he didn't know how they would speak harshly about what the emperor had done.
No matter how incompetent the late emperor was, he never allowed the prince to sit on the throne openly.
Ruan Yun was still in a daze. Yan Shiyu pulled Ruan Yun into his arms and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Grabbing the emperor's sleeve, Ruan Yun finally calmed down and said, "Why did the emperor lose his temper just now? The imperial physician said that frequent anger is harmful to the body."
Yan Shiyu paused, then laughed and hugged Ruan Yun tighter, "Are you worried about me?"
Ruan Yun took the opportunity to mutter, "Your Majesty is so much older than me, you must take good care of your body."
Realizing that what she said was inappropriate, Ruan Jun quickly changed her words with a slightly flattering smile, "My concubine and I are still waiting for the emperor's blessing."
"Long live the emperor! He will rule for thousands of years!"
Yan Shiyu burst out laughing and pinched Ruan Yun's little face. There was a hint of smile in his black eyes, but there was a sinister look inside.
Ruan Jun looked towards the movement on the dragon throne. Being young, he did not understand what his father and mother were doing, so he grinned and began to laugh.
"The Ministry of Rites hasn't come up with a name for Dongdong yet?"
Logically, there should be a conclusion by now, but why has the emperor never mentioned this to her?
Yan Shiyu pinched his brows and suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, "It's always better to take time to name the prince."
Ruan Yun responded in a neutral tone, without any doubt about what the emperor said.
This time, sitting on the emperor's lap, I even forgot what I came here for.
Yan Shiyu pinched her little face. Ruan Jun glared at the emperor in pain, but this look really had no intimidating power. Yan Shiyu said with a dark face: "How dare you be distracted in front of me!"
Ruan Yun lay on the emperor's chest, her watery eyes showing grievance, her jade arms hung around the emperor's neck, and the fragrance from her sleeves fell on Yan Shiyu's nose as she swayed. Ruan Yun was very depressed, "The Empress Dowager has been staying in the palace for a long time and has not left the house. Shoukang Palace has also invited imperial doctors several times. Your Majesty... why don't you go see the Empress Dowager?"
"As winter turns to spring, the Second Prince has become weak and I heard he has caught a cold. Concubine Xian has to take care of the Second Prince and is also worried about the Queen Mother. I am really afraid that Concubine Xian will fall ill."
She didn't really want the Emperor to go, but the Empress was ill now, and she had heard that Concubine De loved to do this kind of thing the most. Rather than letting Concubine De take this good man away, who knows, she might even use this matter to make some fuss. She might as well persuade the Emperor first.
If the Empress Dowager knew that she had persuaded the Emperor to go to Shoukang Palace, she would probably be happy.
Yan Shiyu rubbed his brows. He knew what Ruan Jun was planning at a glance.
"Don't worry about your mother. Is Concubine Xian here to look for you?"
Ruan Yun immediately said, "No."
Then she sighed and said, "I have been helping the Empress to manage the six palaces, and I have learned that there are many things to do in the harem. I just don't want the Empress's efforts to go to waste."
Yan Shiyu lowered his brows, listening to Ruan Yun's unpleasant words, which were particularly harsh.
"The Queen Mother hasn't seen Dongdong for a long time. Please come with me and take Dongdong to pay respects to the Queen Mother."
Ruan Yun didn't know what happened between the emperor and the queen mother, but when she heard this, she stood up and kissed the emperor on the lips, "I obey your order!"
Holding Ruan Jun's waist, Yan Shiyu was afraid that she would fall down. However, as long as he raised his eyes slightly, he seemed to still see Ji Lubai standing in the main hall, looking at Ruan Jun with burning eyes.
Yan Shiyu closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he saw Ruan Jun's red lips swaying in front of him. After touching them with his rough fingertips, he kissed her directly.
The clothes beside him were pulled by someone, but Yan Shiyu seemed not to feel it and kissed Ruan Jun even more deeply.
She caught a glimpse of Dongdong crawling to the two of them. Ruan Yun sobbed and wanted to move away, but she was caught up in the passion brought by the emperor.
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