"In June, the lake is filled with the fragrance of lotus flowers, and red clothes and green fans reflect the clear waves."
Empress Li's poem brought Luo Lan back to his senses.
"It seems that Madam Li is quite familiar with ancient poetry."
Empress Li glanced at her with a resentful look, then said to the maid beside her:
"Everyone, please step back. Princess Yu and I have a few words to say."
After hearing this, the maids around her retreated one after another. Luo Lan knew that although Empress Li looked innocent and simple in appearance, she must be very meticulous in her mind, otherwise she would not have been able to climb to the position of imperial concubine in such a short time.
After everyone left, Luo Lan pointed to a white lotus in the lake and murmured:
"Untainted by the mud, yet bathed in the clear waters, yet not coquettish, the lotus blossoms are gorgeous, their fragrance emanating far and wide, their leaves emerald green, symbolizing freedom and an independent life unfettered by worldly constraints. Does Empress Li yearn for such a life?"
Empress Li stopped and looked at her. After a while, she suddenly laughed bitterly.
"I no longer have the right to yearn for life. The only thing I can do is think about how to survive."
"What does Lady Li want to tell me?"
Luo Lan knew that she had sent the servants away because she must have something to say to her. If she guessed correctly, what she wanted to say must be related to Concubine Li.
Seeing that she took the initiative to ask, Empress Li slowly stepped forward again, muttering with resentment in her eyes:
"I know why those concubines died in the past, so I live cautiously, feeling like I'm walking on thin ice every day. This kind of life makes me feel like I can't breathe, so I want to fight back..."
When she said this, she looked up at Luo Lan and continued with a serious expression:
"I know that Concubine Li has always regarded you and Prince Yu as thorns in her side, which is why I dare to say these words to you. The reason I want to speak to you alone for a few words is to ask you to give me some advice. How can I kill her with one blow?"
A fatal move?
Luo Lan raised his crystal eyes and looked at her, then suddenly smiled.
"Noble Concubine Li's position in the palace is already deeply entrenched. You want to strike her a fatal blow? That seems difficult, extremely difficult. If she hadn't done something that angered the Emperor, no one would have been able to change her position. Besides, in less than a month, she will become Empress. Then, the entire harem will be hers."
"I don't want her to be queen."
When mentioning this, Empress Li became anxious. "If she becomes the Empress, the first person she will deal with will definitely be me. So, within these twenty days, I must make the Emperor withdraw his order, no matter what means are used."
Although Luo Lan had no intention of harming anyone, she, like Concubine Li, really did not want Concubine Li to take the position of queen. This was also what she had been thinking about recently.
Now hearing what Empress Li said, she suddenly felt that this was a good opportunity. She, a princess outside the palace, had no chance to take action, and it might be easier for the pregnant Empress Li in front of her to stop her, so why not take advantage of it.
To be more precise, this is not exploitation, it's just giving her some advice.
Thinking of this, she lowered her head and pondered for a while, then frowned, thinking about the plots in those ancient palace fighting dramas, and muttered:
"If you want the Emperor to postpone appointing her as Empress, then he must see her evil heart, and everyone must see it. Otherwise, considering her and Leng Xi's importance to the Emperor, it will be very difficult to overthrow her."
Luo Lan did not directly tell Empress Li what to do, but instead gave her some subtle guidance. She believed that with her intelligence, she would be able to understand.
Empress Li was stunned for a moment, then she grinned. She stopped talking about the matter and changed the subject:
"Look, the lotus flowers over there are so beautiful. Let's go over there and take a look."
From her expression, Luo Lan realized that she probably knew what to do.
At this moment, a shout came from the other side, "Someone fell into the water, someone fell into the water, help quickly..."
Luo Lanton felt something was wrong and hurriedly said to Ah Cai and Ah Hong:
"Quick, go over there and take a look."
That direction was exactly the direction Huaiyu and An'an had just left. Xiaobao and Yu Qiaoqiao also went in that direction.
Luo Lan's face was gloomy as he prayed silently in his heart, hoping that nothing would happen to these three children.
While thinking about this, she took big strides and rushed over there impatiently.
Because the shouting was so loud and the noise was so great, everyone heard the cry for help. The emperor, who was playing chess with Lele, and Leng Yu, Leng Xi, and Leng Ming also hurried over with a group of ministers.
When everyone saw Xiaobao, who had just been pulled out of the river, lying wet in Yu Qiaoqiao's arms, Leng Xi's face suddenly darkened. He pointed at Yu Qiaoqiao, who was constantly comforting Xiaobao, and asked loudly:
"What's going on?"
Yu Qiaoqiao blushed and shook her head timidly.
"I don't know either. I just went to sit in the pavilion over there for a while, and then I turned around and saw Xiaobao fell into the river."
At this time, Xiaobao, with a red face, pointed at An An who was standing not far away, coughed twice and shouted:
"Ahem! Ahem! It was her, that damned girl, who pushed me into the river. Dad, you have to take charge of Xiaobao."
Seeing Xiaobao pointing at him, Anan immediately put his hands on his hips and looked at Xiaobao angrily.
"Don't talk nonsense. You fell into the river by accident. What does it have to do with me? I said you tried to push me into the river, but you slipped and fell into the pond yourself."
"presumptuous."
Concubine Li took two steps forward with a dark face, staring at An An and scolding him harshly:
"Little girl, how dare you lie? How could Xiaobao fall into the pond by himself? It must be you two undisciplined children teamed up to bully Xiaobao. Your Majesty, you must stand up for Xiaobao. They have bullied Xiaobao more than once or twice. Every time they meet, Xiaobao is hurt by them."
Leng Xi looked at An An with his hands behind his back. The moment Concubine Li finished speaking, he asked with a sullen face:
"Why did you push Xiaobao into the water? Who ordered you to do this?"
Seeing the mother and son team up to question An An, Luo Lan was instantly furious. She looked at Leng Xi coldly and retorted with a glare of anger:
"Lord Xi, as an adult, how can you interrogate a child without asking any questions? Besides Xiaobao saying that An An pushed him into the water, who else can prove this? If no one can prove it, you have no reason to frame her."
Seeing that his mother spoke for him, An An straightened his neck and replied loudly in a high-pitched voice:
"No one ordered me to do that, and I didn't push him into the water. He just approached the edge of the pond and accidentally slipped in. We're so far away from him, even if I had eight legs, there's no way I could fly to him in such a short time."
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