Chapter 115
That day, Emperor Cheng went to the Empress's palace. The Empress cried and begged Emperor Cheng to confine her to the palace. Seeing that the Empress was so thin that only bones were left, and thinking that the Empress' health had been poor since her son's death, Emperor Cheng felt a little guilty for a moment, but he held his breath and said in a deep voice, "What's going on?"
Emperor Cheng did not think that it was the Empress who did it, because he had no idea about the rumors in the harem. When the Empress Dowager, the Empress and even Concubine Lan wanted to hide the truth from Emperor Cheng, his spies in the harem could not find out the news. Li Fu knew about it, but he had already secretly approached the Empress, so he would never tell Emperor Cheng.
Li Fu is now the personal eunuch of Emperor Cheng. He enjoys a glorious life outside, but Li Fu himself knows that Emperor Cheng is suspicious and irritable. Life with Emperor Cheng is not easy. What's more, Emperor Cheng is already old. Although he takes care of his health, he can't give up women. Li Fu doesn't want to be liquidated by the new emperor in the end, so naturally he has to give it a try.
"It's really..." The Queen seemed to find it difficult to speak, still kneeling on the ground. It was the first time she knew that the ground in the Central Palace gave people a bone-chilling feeling, but it also made her heart firm. She lowered her eyes slightly and said, "It's really Concubine Lu's own carelessness. Since the last confinement, Concubine Lu has been... I don't know how many palace maids and eunuchs have been carried out from Ganlu Palace during this period of time. But because Concubine Lu is pregnant, I only sent a nanny to persuade her."
Emperor Cheng frowned. Could it be that Concubine Lu was resenting him? Thinking of this, Emperor Cheng felt a little unhappy. Concubine Lu really didn't know what was good for her. Although she was confined to her house, she was still protected.
The Queen said, "I have personally reviewed Concubine Lu's allotment during this period, for fear that some people would be blind and neglect Concubine Lu. Even if Concubine Lu wants something that is not within her allotment, I will give it to her from my own pocket." As she spoke, she asked the nanny to get the palace's special registration book, found the one for Ganlu Palace and gave it to Emperor Cheng.
Emperor Cheng took it and started to look through it. Seeing that it was indeed the case, Concubine Lu used it even better than him. His face became even uglier, but he said nothing.
The queen had been kneeling the whole time, and she spoke, "I thought that after asking the nanny to persuade her, she would feel better, but who would have thought... today she... she took her anger out on the maid and beat her... the maid pushed her and hit her stomach. When the imperial physician went, the baby couldn't be saved."
"Where is the palace maid?" Emperor Cheng asked sternly.
"The maid knew she was in bad shape, so she bumped into the pillar," said the queen.
"Li Fu, bring up the body." Emperor Cheng said in a deep voice.
Li Fu responded respectfully and arranged for someone to carry the body away. The queen then asked someone to bring a book, "This is the list of people serving in Ganlu Palace. Those who have been beaten to death or disabled by Concubine Lu during this period are crossed out."
Emperor Cheng took it and flipped through it, then pursed his lips and said, "Queen, get up."
"Yes." The queen then stood up with the help of the nanny's hand, and she swayed for a while before she stood steadily.
Emperor Cheng walked to his seat and sat down, "Queen, please sit down too."
The Queen then sat down beside Emperor Cheng. Soon Li Fu brought a few people to carry up the body of the palace maid, which had been covered with a white cloth. Emperor Cheng said, "Uncover it."
Li Fu lifted the white cloth without saying a word. The empress turned her head away with some reluctance, obviously having seen it before. Emperor Cheng was also shocked when he saw it. The palace maid was covered in blood and her clothes were torn in many places. Li Fu looked at Emperor Cheng's eyes and pulled up the maid's sleeves. He saw that the maid's arms were covered with scars, some of which even Emperor Cheng didn't know how they were caused.
"Carry it away." Emperor Cheng waved his hand, and Li Fu quickly ordered people to carry the body away.
The Queen then spoke, "Your Majesty, Concubine Lu..."
Emperor Cheng asked, "Is it the same for others?"
The Queen glanced at the maid beside her, and Emperor Cheng also looked over. The maid bowed and said, "Some of them are more seriously injured than her."
Emperor Cheng frowned, "How did they get hurt?" He still wondered how could Concubine Lu, who was so fragile, be beaten to death.
Mammy said, "Mostly they are scissors, hairpins, hot water, etc."
Emperor Cheng said nothing more, and the Queen asked, "Your Majesty, Concubine Lu..."
"Don't worry about it." Emperor Cheng said in a deep voice.
As expected, the Queen didn't care anymore. After Emperor Cheng knew what Concubine Lu had done, he also stopped caring about the matter.
In Concubine Lan's palace, Concubine Chang said, "I didn't expect the Queen..."
Everything that happened during this period was arranged by the Queen. Both Concubine Lan and Concubine Chang thought that the Queen would intervene when Concubine Lu killed someone for the first time. Who would have thought that the Queen never took any action. Concubine Lu was terrified at first, but later she became bolder and bolder. However, when someone died, new people had to be sent in. The Queen only sent in a few people who had just been selected into the palace. Such people had not yet been smoothed over by the palace, and the final result was what they are now.
Lan Fei said, "Let's stay away from it recently."
Concubine Chang was very satisfied with what Concubine Lan called "we". She nodded and said nothing more.
Although Emperor Cheng sent people to pick up Shen Jin, it would take time to go back and forth. In addition, the Empress Dowager's people were involved there, so Emperor Cheng could do nothing no matter how anxious he was.
However, she didn't know that the Queen Mother was also anxious. The people she left behind at the ceremonial guard had already sent a message, telling her about Emperor Cheng. She sneaked out when the people sent by Emperor Cheng arrived on the first day. "I'm afraid it can't be concealed anymore."
The Queen Mother knew that she could no longer conceal it, but it was still shorter than she expected. "Why would Emperor Cheng suddenly send someone..."
"I'm afraid something happened in the capital." The man didn't know either, and said in a low voice.
The Queen Mother understood that there was no way out at this point. "Go and send a message to Shen Jin. Leave before dawn tomorrow."
"yes."
The Queen Mother let out a breath slowly. All she could do now was to delay time. As long as they arrived at the place she had arranged, Emperor Cheng would be too busy to look for them by then, and he would have to do everything he could to conceal the news of their disappearance.
Because Shen Jin had already fallen asleep, the person sent by the Queen Mother told the maids around Shen Jin about the matter. The two maids nodded repeatedly with fear on their faces.
Before dawn, Shen Jin was helped into the carriage. The nanny beside the Queen Mother saw Shen Jin enter the carriage and asked, "Why are there two people missing?"
An Yi said respectfully, "An Lan is ill, and Madam has asked An Ning to take care of her, and asked her to come back after she recovers."
The nanny beside the Queen Mother's eyes flickered and said, "Okay, serve the princess well."
"Yes." An Yi said respectfully.
Because it was still dark, the carriage was not moving fast. Who knew that not long after, the house they had just left suddenly caught fire. Then they heard Shen Jin's panicked voice. The Queen Mother also sent the nanny beside her, fearing that Shen Jin would panic and something would happen again. Shen Jin's face looked ugly. The nanny took a look and didn't think it was strange. It would be strange if his face didn't look ugly at this time. "Princess, I'm afraid someone wants to deal with us. The Queen Mother said it might be the Prince of England's people. Let the princess sit tight, and we have to hurry up on the road below."
"My maid is still inside." Shen Jin said in a panic.
The nanny lowered her head and said, "There's nothing we can do about it." If it weren't for those two maids, especially An Ning, the empress dowager would not have let anyone do this. Killing everyone around Shen Jin was what the empress dowager had in mind.
Shen Jin said, "Send someone to take a look!"
Mammy said, "There are not enough people."
Shen Jin pursed her lips and said, "An Yi, go and give An Yi some silver and a horse." There were only a few maids left by her side.
An Yi responded respectfully, "I'll be back soon, Madam, please be careful."
"If it's An Ning and the others... settle them down before coming back." Shen Jin leaned on the cushion listlessly, bit her lip, and said while gently stroking her belly with both hands.
Of course, the nanny would not stop her. She personally sent An Yi away, narrowed her eyes, and went back to report to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother thought for a moment, "Is Shen Jin okay?"
"You look a little unwell." The nanny said respectfully.
The Queen Mother sneered and said nothing more.
At this time, Shen Jin and An Ning had already left the yard. After the empress dowager sent someone to deliver the message last night, Shen Jin and the others arranged everything. It was An Lan who got on the car while it was still dark. Yue Wen followed from a distance because he was afraid of being discovered by the empress dowager's guards. After picking up Shen Jin, he took Shen Jin to an alley. He had already arranged the yard and prepared all the clothes and everything inside.
In fact, the reason why An Ning was kept was to lure the Queen Mother to take action against An Ning, because Shen Jin deliberately let An Ning show her skills in front of the Queen Mother's people. The Queen Mother would not miss any opportunity to get rid of a personal maid with martial arts skills, because what she wanted to do was to completely control Shen Jin.
Shen Jin didn't look well at this moment. After all, she was pregnant, and she hadn't really rested since then. At this moment, only Yue Wen and another guard were left in the courtyard. One of them went out to get information, and the remaining two secretly followed the Queen Mother and the others to see if there was any chance to rescue An Lan and the others, or...
An Ning was worried, and Yue Wen hurried to ask for a doctor. Shen Jin looked a little pale, but in good spirits. He smiled and said, "I feel a little more relaxed."
"Madam, please drink some warm water first. I'll go make some porridge." An Ning got water for Shen Jin to wash her face. An Yuan not only put makeup on An Lan, but also re-dressed Shen Jin to make Shen Jin look more like An Lan. So when the nanny beside the empress dowager sent people to knock, An Ning deliberately shook the candle to fool her and spoke.
Shen Jin shook her head and said, "I don't have much of an appetite." In fact, she was also afraid. What would happen if the Queen Mother found out that An Lan was fake?
An Ning advised, "Madam, you have a baby in your belly, you can't not eat."
Shen Jin thought for a moment and said, "Okay, just do whatever you want."
"Yes." An Ning finally said, "Then I will help Madam change her clothes first."
"I'll do it myself." Shen Jin looked at **'s clothes, "You go change too."
An Ning agreed without further persuasion. Shen Jin slowly changed his clothes, and An Ning also changed quickly. She took everything she was wearing and Shen Jin's clothes to the kitchen and burned them. She slowly exhaled and began to check the kitchen, then made note of what was missing. They would have to stay here for a few more days, and she had to find a way to take good care of Shen Jin.
An Lan, An Tao, An Yuan and the others... An Ning closed her eyes and stopped thinking about them.
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