Chapter 133: Lure Sun into the Vine
Sun Miaoqing felt like there was a knife in her back. There were many people here tonight, and her position was not high. If she hid in this corner, no one should notice her.
When the Fourth Prince went to release river lanterns, she looked back - no one was looking at her.
Am I just being too suspicious?
When the third watch drum sounded, everyone returned to their own palace.
The emperor returned to Jiuzhou Qingyan and called Xia Qian from the stick-sticking office to ask which people had seen the Fourth Prince during their visit to the Old Summer Palace.
"Your Majesty, ever since Your Majesty met the Fourth Prince, the Fourth Prince has often gone to pay his respects to the Empress and Consort Huagui."
"Oh? How long have you been there?"
"Leave as soon as you enter the door." Xia Jian paused and complained, "The Royal Concubine doesn't seem to like the Fourth Prince very much, and she always makes fun of and talks about his biological mother."
Are you laughing at yourself?
Concubine Hua Gui had used Li Jingui to mock him in person more than once. The emperor had heard it all and no longer cared about it.
He continued, "Is there anyone else?"
Xia Jian replied: "After Sun Daying was released from house arrest, he seemed to often run into the Fourth Prince, and the two of them would take walks by the lake."
It’s Sun Miaoqing again.
"emperor."
When Xia Qie came over, Xiao Shaozi didn't dare to go in directly, so he knelt at the door and spoke loudly.
The emperor said to Xia Qian, "You go down first."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Xia Jian left, and Xiao Shaozi came in, "Your Majesty, Yu Changzai is here, and said that she specially made ginseng soup for Your Majesty."
"Yu Ying'er?"
"In reply to the emperor, it is Concubine Yu."
What is the essential difference between Yu Ying'er...who had died at this time in the previous life, and Sun Miaoqing who should not have entered the palace?
With her intelligence, she is not even capable of competing for favor, let alone handling state affairs.
Sidan also looked down on her.
What the hell, the emperor was so angry that he was confused.
Seeing that the emperor was frowning and undecided, the servant asked cautiously, "If the emperor does not wish to see you, I will let you go back."
The emperor looked up, "What a fool! Let her in!"
The moon is carved and the clouds are opened.
The Queen was sitting under the window, not yet ready to go to bed, when Jianqiu came in.
"how?"
"Everything is as your majesty wishes. I will stay in Kyushu tonight."
Sun Miaoqing’s last value is gone.
When Nian Shilan mentioned Yu Ying'er and Lipin, the Queen thought of the next step. Lipin had a high position and it was difficult to make arrangements, while Yu Ying'er had an easy position.
The favor I received through a poem was renewed through a bowl of ginseng soup.
Yu Ying'er is also a blessed person.
The queen was relieved and stood up and said, "Help me settle down."
Jianqiu took off the hairpin for the empress and said unhappily, "Today is the fifteenth day of the lunar month. According to the rules, the emperor should come to the empress's place."
"Are you here to serve me?"
Jian Qiu immediately knelt down and said, "I am terrified. The world can see my feelings for you. I definitely don't have such thoughts."
"I was wrong..."
"I dare not."
In fact, the queen regretted her words as soon as she said them:
I have been in contact with Concubine Hua Gui too much recently. After I made things clear with her, she became more unrestrained in her words and was often too lazy to speak. But when I said a word, she spoke like bubbles from a fish, one after another.
I was influenced by her and became a bad person.
It would be better to see her less often in the future, so that she doesn't say anything she shouldn't in front of the emperor.
The queen helped Jianqiu up and said, "I know what you mean. Please don't take what I said just now to heart."
Jianqiu shook her head repeatedly.
"The Emperor did not come tonight, but he will definitely come for breakfast tomorrow. Give him the order, and you should also go to bed quickly."
"Yes, madam."
The next day, the Emperor came for breakfast as the Empress had expected. After he left, the Empress sent for Sun Miaoqing.
"Your Majesty, the Empress, is here to see you."
The Queen leaned slightly to the side and sat on the upper seat. She placed the teacup in her hand heavily on the table and said in a low voice:
"Don't kneel down yet!"
Under the pressure, Sun Miaoqing had no time to react and fell to her knees. She then bowed forward.
"I am so frightened, I don't know what I have done wrong. Please tell me clearly, Your Majesty."
The Queen said in a deep voice: "You know clearly what you have done."
Sun Miaoqing's eyes were filled with fear, and she whispered in a mosquito-like voice: "I don't know..."
The queen glanced sideways at the people sitting below her, "Don't you know that the emperor hates concubines interfering in state affairs the most?"
Did the Empress know that I went to the Qinzheng Palace to plead for the An family?
Even if you knew, you shouldn't be angry. Didn't you praise her for being kind?
Sun Miaoqing couldn't believe it, "I, your concubine, have never interfered in government affairs..."
"How dare you make excuses!"
The Queen slammed the table and asked, "Have you been in frequent contact with the Fourth Prince recently?"
Sun Miaoqing tightened her grip on the handkerchief, but before she could refute, the Queen spoke first:
"I thought you were such a smart person, and I begged the emperor to release you. You were about to be reinstated, but how could you be so foolish?"
Sun Miaoqing hurriedly explained, "I just felt sorry for the Fourth Prince, so I talked to him a little more when I met him. It shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
"Don't you know that the Emperor has always disliked the Fourth Prince?"
Sun Miaoqing wanted to tell the empress that the fourth prince was the future emperor, but she was afraid that if the empress knew, she would have no chance, so she said:
"I heard that the Fourth Prince also attended the Qixi Festival banquet, so I thought that the Emperor also had sympathy for the Fourth Prince."
"You are so confused! The more this is the case, the more you should stay away from the prince." The queen was very disappointed. "Have you forgotten that Concubine Hua Gui's eyes are always on you?"
Sun Miaoqing understood, "Did Concubine Hua Gui say something to the Emperor?"
The queen smoothed her handkerchief and didn't look at her. "It doesn't matter what she said to the emperor. What matters is how the emperor thinks of you now."
Sun Miaoqing said timidly: "I don't know what the emperor thinks of me now?"
"All the princes have the possibility of becoming crown princes. What do you think of you?"
Sun Miaoqing took a deep breath, knelt down and stepped forward, begging:
"Your Majesty, I really have no other thoughts. Please save me, Your Majesty."
"It's not that I don't want to save you."
The queen looked down at her, "It's just that there are frequent disturbances in the harem now, and I'm not in good health. I'm really exhausted from dealing with it."
She glanced at Jianqiu, who picked up the incense burner. She sighed and repeated the words that had been rekindled.
Sun Miaoqing instantly understood what the Queen meant. She stood up immediately, poured the tea into the incense burner, and imitated what Zhen Huan said when she sided with the Queen, making her own attitude clear.
The queen was very satisfied and asked Jianqiu to help her up.
"In fact, there is a way to solve your current problem."
Sun Miaoqing was frightened by the empress when she entered the room. She bowed again and said, "Please explain clearly to me, Your Majesty."
The queen looked at Sun Miaoqing who was kowtowing on the ground, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.