Chapter 270 Demoted to Concubine
Queen Song said with a cold look in her eyes, "Oh, she is loyal, but I don't know if her master will protect her. Someone, call Concubine Xian to me."
"Yes." Zi Su replied and turned to leave.
Chu Jinyan lazily leaned back in the chair, legs crossed, with an overbearing and cold demeanor: "As the victim, Concubine Zhen should also come to hear the result. Eunuch Hu, go and invite Concubine Zhen to come."
The little girl will definitely wait until the final outcome comes out before leaving the palace. In that case, what's the point of staying in the Yanx Palace and listening to second-hand news?
Hu Qian had no idea what Chu Jinyan was thinking, and was surprised that the Eighth Prince actually spoke for Concubine Zhen.
But no matter what he thought, he hurriedly replied and went to the Yanx Palace to ask for help.
Emperor Chengde didn't think too much about it. He thought whatever his son said was right.
Queen Song knew what Chu Jinyan was thinking and rolled her eyes in her heart.
On the one hand, she helped Chu Jinyan consolidate his position so that Lu Xiang would be able to live in a superior position and not be wronged after marrying him. On the other hand, she extremely despised Chu Jinyan for being about to kidnap Lu Xiang, whom she regarded as her daughter. She was really conflicted and entangled.
Concubine Zhen arrived at Jingren Palace almost at the same time as Concubine Xian.
Compared to the morning, Zhenpin's complexion had eased a lot, while Xianfei, on the contrary, looked much more haggard.
At the gate of Jingren Palace, Concubine Zhen and Lu Xiang bowed to Concubine Xian and said, "Good luck to Concubine Xian."
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Zhenpin's voice. No one could be friendly when facing someone who was plotting against them.
The virtuous concubine's pretty face froze slightly: "Sister, do you not trust me and resent me?"
Concubine Zhen looked at Concubine Xian and replied expressionlessly, "I dare not."
It’s about not daring, not resentment.
After saying that, Concubine Zhen brought Lu Xiang into Jingren Palace, bowed to the emperor and empress, and then sat down.
The virtuous concubine bowed, but Queen Song was slow to ask her to stand up and just left her half-kneeling in the center of the main hall.
Why should she give face to a concubine who was deliberately plotting against her?
Everyone was sitting, and Concubine Xian was the only one kneeling. It felt really uncomfortable. Concubine Xian felt like she was being slapped in the face by the Queen, and she felt ashamed and angry, but she didn't dare to say anything.
"Xian Fei, your maid said that all this was her own idea. She wanted to avenge you because she couldn't bear to see you being bullied by me. Now she is on her last breath. What do you think?" Queen Song asked in a cold voice.
Upon hearing this, Concubine Xian heaved a barely perceptible sigh of relief. When she looked up again, her face was filled with regret but not panic at all.
"Your Majesty, I never thought she would be so bold. She actually took advantage of my trust in her and falsely passed on my orders, conspiring with Doctor Xu to frame the Queen and Concubine Zhen. Her evil intentions are unforgivable."
These words were spoken with righteous indignation, showing that he was definitely a victim.
Queen Song squeezed the teacup in her hand tightly and resisted the urge to throw it at Concubine Xian's face.
"I am truly wronged. I hope Your Majesty will understand." Concubine Xian's eyes suddenly turned red, and she looked at Emperor Chengde as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Emperor Chengde pursed his lips and nodded gently: "The palace maid's audacity is indeed nothing to do with you."
Empress Song suddenly turned her head and looked at Emperor Chengde, and said angrily, "Your Majesty, Xiangying is from Concubine Xian's palace. How can you say it has nothing to do with her? As a concubine, Concubine Xian can't even control her own maids. How can she be the master of a palace? In the future, if anyone wants to harm me or the concubines, can she just push her maids out to take the blame and get away with it? Then are there any laws and rules in the harem? If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked. Xiangying's viciousness is the result of Concubine Xian's indulgence. If the harem discipline is not corrected today, such things will only happen in an endless stream in the future. The harem will be unstable, the previous dynasty will be uncertain, and the emperor will be restless day and night."
"What mother said is absolutely right. The harem and the court are closely related. We can't let the families of the ladies live in fear all day long. If they do that, how can they concentrate on going to court and helping father solve his problems?" Chu Jinyan said casually.
The virtuous concubine almost broke her teeth when she heard the quarrel between Queen Song and Chu Jinyan.
"What does the Queen mean?" Emperor Chengde turned to look at the Queen and asked.
She is the mistress of the harem. From concubines to servants, no matter who makes a mistake, the queen has the right to punish them.
"Xiangying is Xianfei's servant. Xianfei is at fault for not disciplining her properly. Xiangying deserves death, and Xianfei cannot escape the blame either. She is not worthy of being the head of a palace. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Queen Song glanced at Concubine Xian with a cold gaze, and then looked at Emperor Chengde seriously.
Did Concubine Xian think she could get away with it by letting Xiangying take the blame?
She was able to escape, but Queen Song would never let Concubine Xian have an easy time.
Emperor Chengde thought about it seriously, and nodded under the fear of Concubine Xian: "The Queen is right, there is no order without rules. Although Concubine Xian did not instigate this matter, it is because of her incompetence. From today on, Concubine Xian will be demoted to a concubine, fined one year's salary and confined to her house for three months. You must copy the palace rules carefully."
The virtuous concubine was so shocked that she shook slightly, her face pale: "Your Majesty..."
"No need to say more. I will give you a light punishment and a severe warning, so that everyone in the harem can take it as a warning and stop having ill intentions." Emperor Chengde said dignifiedly.
The virtuous concubine moved her lips, but in the end she did not open her mouth to plead for mercy. She kowtowed and thanked the emperor: "I obey your order."
"Princess Zhen has been wronged today. Hu Qian, go to the storehouse and get the complete set of red coral head ornaments as a reward to Concubine Zhen." After punishing Concubine Xian, Emperor Chengde rewarded Concubine Zhen again.
"I thank the emperor for his grace." Concubine Zhen stood up and saluted, saying, "I was able to clear my name thanks to the queen who saw through the conspiracy of the imperial physician Xu."
"Well, this matter almost caused the Queen to suffer injustice, and I know it very well." The reward to the Queen cannot be careless. He has to think about what good things to give to appease the Queen's heart.
Queen Song pursed her lips and didn't care what the emperor was thinking.
Doctor Xu's mistress had been quietly sent out of the palace before the emperor entered Jingren Palace, so no one knew about it except her and a few of Concubine Zhen's confidants. The first person to discover that something was wrong was Lu Xiang.
She just kept this favor in her heart. There was no need to let others know, otherwise it would put Xiangxiang in danger.
The virtuous concubine was punished today, and I wonder how resentful she must be.
Before Concubine Xian left, Queen Song suddenly ordered Hu Qian: "Eunuch Hu, go to Shen Sixing and tell Xiangying what Concubine Xian just said truthfully, so that she can hear for herself what her loyal master has to say, and be a good person in her next life."
Hu Qian glanced at Emperor Chengde and saw that the emperor had no objection, so he agreed.
The Queen Mother meant for him to provoke Xiangying again and see if she would regret it after learning that the master she was loyal to took the opportunity to push all the blame onto her.
Hu Qian was not sure whether the Emperor had any suspicion about Concubine Xian, but the Empress was clearly certain that it was Concubine Xian who did it.
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