Chapter 178: A Melee Between the Enemy and Us
The wailing in the temple was fake.
Nian Shilan was not surprised by the pregnancy, everything was planned by her.
I have to say that this plot was very much in the style of Nian Shilan, just like the previous life where she framed Zhen Huan for drugging Wen Yi. The motives were incomplete, the witnesses were all her own people, and there were loopholes everywhere.
When the Queen first entered the inner hall and saw Nian Shilan lying on the bed with a rosy face, occasionally drinking water and calling her, she was shocked: She is so bold!
He actually got himself into the game and blatantly became the scapegoat!
But this cannot be blamed on her. With such ability, she is not only straightforward but also impatient.
In her previous life, Shen Meizhuang was confined to her house because of a fake pregnancy. She learned from Cao Qinmo that Zhen Huan had secretly visited Shen Meizhuang without even asking for confirmation, so she rushed over and brought herself a big loss.
This life he knew that the Niuhulu clan would become a serious problem, and he happened to have a way to deal with it.
How can I wait?
Nian Shilan had told the Empress that no one else could bear the responsibility of being the Empress of the Qing Dynasty except her, and she would definitely keep her word.
Of course, in addition to helping the Empress eliminate the threat of the Niuhulu clan, Nian Shilan also had some selfish motives.
Giving birth is like standing with one foot at the gate of hell. No matter how sharp-eyed the people in the Yikun Palace are, they cannot withstand the cunning women in the harem, especially the old one in Shoukang Palace.
People came and went in the palace, and anyone with evil intentions could tamper with the medicine, tools, or hot water when she was at her most vulnerable time during childbirth and the palace was in chaos.
After two lifetimes, she... also wants to see her own children.
The brothers can't come in, Nian Shilan needs someone to protect herself, and the emperor is unreliable.
The one with the strongest combination of status, wisdom, and medical skills in the harem is the empress.
This is her way of winning over the empress.
Before this, she rewarded and criticized in secret, guiding everyone, especially the emperor, to focus their attention on Gualiu. In this way, when something happened, in the eyes of the emperor, she was also the one who was "extremely surprised".
Plus everyone knows that they value this baby.
No one would suspect that they had framed Concubine Xi.
Nian Shilan was pregnant and wanted to do good deeds for her child so as not to harm Xipin. But who made her the emperor's pawn?
There are some things that cannot be helped. If I don't target her, she will definitely target me for the sake of the family in the future.
Under the imperial power, these women in the harem sometimes have no choice.
The reason why Concubine Xi was able to come today was actually thanks to the Emperor's painstaking planning for Concubine Xi. If he had not used Gualiu to pave the way for Concubine Xi, this matter might not have been so smooth.
Of course, more importantly, it is Cao Qinmo's hard work behind the scenes.
Being in the same palace, it was convenient for them to talk. Cao Qinmo held the hand of Noble Lady Qi and said earnestly, "We are both from the same family of the Manchu army, so why are some people concubines, while my sister is only a concubine after entering the palace?"
Lady Qi was a person with a high mind. It would have been fine if she was one level lower than others, but she was two levels lower. She was favored and promoted to the throne for many days, so she intentionally or unintentionally showed off in front of Concubine Xi.
Concubine Xi is indeed a person who can accomplish great things. She became friendly with everyone in the palace right after entering it. When faced with the provocation from Concubine Qi, she just smiled and ignored it.
But rumors never care about truth or falsehood. Cao Qinmo was chatting with Xin Guiren and she said that Xipin seemed calm and indifferent on the surface, but when no one was around, she would smash things and curse in her own palace.
Most young ladies from wealthy families are proud and arrogant. How could they tolerate such humiliation?
Word of this spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred. No matter whether people believed it or not, it became a topic of conversation after dinner and spread easily.
It was at this time that the kind-hearted nanny who had been bullied a few days ago and had been helped by Xipin told Xipin that the emperor had originally wanted to favor her the night before, but changed his mind after visiting the Imperial Concubine.
The Royal Concubine is the most stingy person.
Concubine Xi was beautiful, dignified, and talented. She was favored by the emperor before she even entered the palace, which annoyed the royal concubine.
On the first day of the audience, although Xipin was of a higher rank, the Imperial Concubine gave greater rewards to Guaerjia, who was still a concubine at the time. This was enough to explain everything.
The legitimate daughter of a family must also bear the responsibilities of the family. Concubine Xi is a typical lady from a wealthy family and has lived for her family since she was a child.
She had no love for the emperor, and even understood that she was just a pawn. Even if she had to take action for the emperor in the future, she would not refuse.
But not now.
So, under the guidance of the kind-hearted nanny, she came to find the Imperial Concubine.
In the pavilion, Concubine Xi spoke as humbly as possible, but who knew that the Imperial Concubine suddenly said she had a stomachache. The palace maids hurriedly carried the Imperial Concubine back, and not long after, the news came that the Imperial Concubine was pregnant.
She knew that she would be speechless today, and she was extremely panicked and at a loss as to what to do. It was that nanny who made her mind up and asked her to take off her hairpins and wait for punishment in order to calm the emperor down first.
As long as the emperor is willing to trust her and help her, she will be fine.
Concubine Xi was still new, too young, and inexperienced. She regarded the nanny as her life-saving straw and did not even consider carefully how this nanny came to Yongshou Palace by such a coincidence.
Just like that, she came to Yikun Palace in plain clothes.
In the inner hall, the imperial doctors were kneeling outside the screen, and Songzhi was standing at the door listening carefully to what was happening outside for the empress. Just when the situation seemed to be settled, Concubine Duan suddenly appeared.
This vicious woman! She is against me everywhere. I am afraid it will cause trouble!
Nian Shilan lay on the bed and glared at Songzhi: Who told you to let her into Yikun Palace?
The Queen only found out about it today, and hasn't yet learned the whole story in detail. She was totally unprepared beforehand, and can't help at all now.
Cao Qinmo thought this was impossible, so she cooperated with the Empress to lure people over, and naturally hid in the dark to observe, just in case.
There is no one along the lake. Is Concubine Duan trying to bear false witness?
She smiled and said with concern, "Empress Duan has always been in poor health and rarely leaves the palace. It's windy today, and the lakeside is wet and cold. I'm afraid she won't be able to stand for too long, right?"
She couldn't stand standing for too long, and with her physical condition, the most she could do was pass by.
What Cao Qinmo meant was: How could you see clearly if you were just passing by?
Once these words were spoken, the credibility of Concubine Duan's testimony was greatly reduced.
"Not to mention that the lakeshore is far from the lakeside pavilion, whether Concubine Duan can see clearly or not, everyone knows that Concubine Duan and the Royal Concubine don't get along."
Concubine Li couldn't understand the situation, but she was very clear about the feud between Concubine Huang Gui and Concubine Duan.
Her eyes were like two sharp arrows shooting at Concubine Duan, "You have come forward at this time, clearly intending to confuse right and wrong and oppose the Imperial Concubine."
"presumptuous!"
The Queen Mother shouted, "I and the Emperor are still here, who dares to act wildly?"
Concubine Li was just a little reckless, but not bold enough, so she kept her mouth shut.
“Ahem…”
Concubine Duan squatted weakly and stated her attitude, "The Empress Dowager and the Emperor know my character best. Yes means yes and no means no. I will never say a single false word."
"I know. Sit down! Why do you have to kneel down like that? Just sit down and talk."
The emperor raised his hands holding the Buddhist beads repeatedly, trying to support Concubine Duan.
"Your Majesty the Queen Mother knows best that I love children the most."
Concubine Duan said angrily, "The palace maids reported that the Royal Concubine was in a state of emergency and may have difficulty giving birth. I am worried, but could it be that she is deliberately hurting someone at this time because of some old misunderstanding?"
What an old misunderstanding!
Because of a "mature misunderstanding", she had been hiding for several years in her previous life, ignoring the fact that she had killed Shilan's unborn child, and colluded with others to take revenge and kill Shilan.
At this moment he pretended to be sincere.
The Queen looked at Concubine Duan with an increasingly wary look: I have always underestimated her.
The Queen Mother was quite sympathetic: using a child to dilute the enmity with the Imperial Consort and to enhance the credibility of her own words was a very wise move.
Xin Guiren went ahead and asked, "Since Concubine Duan saw it, why didn't she say anything at the beginning, but waited until now to tell us?"
“Ahem…”
Concubine Duan said calmly, "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, Zhou Ninghai and Xipin just explained their feelings. Is it too late for me to come out immediately?"
The emperor knew that Xin Guiren had previously suffered a miscarriage, and now he felt somewhat empathetic towards her. However, no matter how much he felt, he could not lose his manners.
He looked at the nobleman with warning in his eyes.
Xin Guiren was fearless and wanted to say more, but Zhen Huan, who was standing next to her, felt something was wrong, so she secretly grabbed Xin Guiren.
The emperor raised his chin slightly and said, "It's okay, you can say whatever you want."
He said to Concubine Duan.