readytorunbook Chapter 657: Zhen Shi is Really Cold and Indifferent (1 chapter)
Chapter 657: Zhen Shi is Really Cold and Indifferent (1 chapter)
It had been raining outside, and a slight chill seeped into the open hall. The sleepy man seemed to feel the chill and unconsciously shrank his body.
The emperor's gaze gently swept across her jade-white face, and a hint of darkness and emotion that was difficult to conceal flashed in his eyes.
His Rong'er has remained the same in the past ten years, but the years have left too many marks on him.
The emperor gently covered An Lingrong with a blanket, bent down and picked her up, and under the light of lanterns, he carefully walked through the corridor and sent her back to the bedroom.
As the footsteps beside her ears became lighter and lighter, An Lingrong naturally turned over, buried her head in the quilt, and opened her bright eyes.
The emperor held her in his arms from the Qinzheng Palace to the bedroom at the back. His breathing gradually became heavy along the way, like an old man on his last legs.
An Lingrong stared at the bright yellow brocade quilt, with countless complex emotions flashing in her eyes.
After a moment, everything returned to calm.
At this time, the emperor, who was walking on the road, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, took out a small porcelain bottle from the pouch on his waist, and put a dark pill into his mouth without hesitation.
An indescribable taste spread in his mouth, and he forced himself to swallow it.
As soon as he entered the hall, he hurriedly gave orders.
"Su Peisheng, bring me a pot of honey water."
"Yes, slave, go right away."
After drinking two cups of sweet honey water, the emperor finally suppressed the bad taste in his mouth.
There was a pile of unfinished memorials on his left hand, and he picked up the top one and started to review it.
The letter from the humble official was filled with flowery words and lots of nonsense. He endured his annoyance and read through it, leaving only the two words "I am well".
After reading about ten volumes of memorials, he picked up the next one.
This is a letter of greeting from the seventeenth brother, and the emperor read it with great interest.
My seventeenth brother was still concerned about me during the period of mourning and wanted to send someone to serve me.
The emperor felt warm in his heart and decided to give him a gentle and quiet concubine after he was out of mourning.
"Su Peisheng, which girl do you think would be a good match for Prince Guo?"
"Your Majesty, there are many ladies from noble families in the capital, and all those you choose will be good matches."
Su Peisheng himself is a rootless person, and he once had poor eyesight and fell in love with that bitch Cui Jinxi.
To be honest, he has no thoughts about women at the moment.
However, he has served his master for many years and understands his master's thoughts best.
Most people in the royal family are restless, so Prince Guo must bestow a trustworthy woman upon him.
The emperor chuckled and continued to deal with the memorials.
After an unknown amount of time, he looked up inadvertently and noticed something strange at the curtain.
The emperor coughed heavily and said, "Su Peisheng, there's no need to serve here. You go guard outside."
Su Peisheng didn't even dare to raise his head and quickly backed out the door.
A few breaths later, a masked man quietly appeared beside the table and knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, the three young eunuchs who set the East Fourth Prison on fire were very stubborn, but I have still found some clues. My subordinates found poison hidden in their teeth. After identification, they found that if the pill was crushed, it would kill someone in a few breaths."
"According to the old man who interrogated me, this special poison is used by large families to train secret guards."
"I suspect someone in the capital is plotting against the Sixth Prince."
The emperor thought of Hongzhan's fall into the water in the garden that year and asked in a deep voice.
"Do those three look like the men left behind by the late Empress Dowager?"
"Your Majesty, the cost of training secret guards is enormous. All the money given to the late Empress Dowager was sent there. Neither the Uya nor the Ulanara clans have yet produced a clan leader with such foresight."
Xia Qi secretly thought that the son favored by the late empress dowager did not have this ability.
Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has been taking action against his political enemies. Even if that gentleman had secret guards under his command, they had long since become a group of rabble and were of no use.
He even suspected that someone had deliberately let the late Empress Dowager take the blame for the Sixth Prince falling into the water.
As a person in the dark, Xia Qia knows the emperor best. He can have his own thoughts about the late empress dowager, but he does not allow others to say a word.
Xia Qi's thoughts changed and he started talking about another matter.
"Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince's personal eunuch revealed something extremely strange. He said that after the Sixth Prince moved into the East Fourth Residence, several young palace maids began to approach him."
The emperor's eyes darkened. In the past, he had also been surrounded by women by his political enemies.
Especially since his brothers took advantage of his drunkenness and gave him a fourth child with an ignoble background, he became extremely sensitive to the matter.
"Where are the little maids?"
"Your Majesty, since the Sixth Prince was busy with his studies, he asked the young palace maids who gradually gathered around him to accompany the Seventh Prince in the garden to take pictures. Those young palace maids couldn't stand the hardship of traveling, so they were transferred to a quieter place to serve."
After hearing Xia Qie's words, the flames in the emperor's heart suddenly ignited.
His Hongzhan was only nine years old, why would someone target him and attack him?
"Was there any torture?"
"Your Majesty, those young palace maids were selected from the Han army bannermen who entered the palace. They confessed that when they were selected, their families gave them a chance to stand out, and they set their sights on the Sixth Prince."
Xia Qi paused and added.
"I feel that this matter is suspicious, so I have the audacity to release these people and secretly send someone to keep an eye on them."
"You did a good job. We must catch the person behind this."
Hongzhan placed these people next to Hongxia, perhaps with the intention of saving their lives.
If we can catch the person who did this, it's not impossible to spare them.
The emperor recalled the successive conspiracies against Hongzhan and analyzed them quickly in his mind.
The ones who wanted to get rid of Xiaoliu as soon as possible were either the harem or the previous dynasty.
Just as Xia Qie said just now, the women in his harem had been screened by the late empress dowager, and those remaining now were not enough to train secret guards.
But it is not impossible that there is a connection with ministers of the previous dynasty.
If something unfortunate happened to Xiaoliu, the imperial concubine who loved him would be devastated.
Hongyao is a talented child in martial arts, but he is not so good at studying.
Concubine Hua has a daughter and never harms her own child.
Concubine Jing's Seventh Prince is not very smart, so she has no reason to take action.
The ninth and tenth princes' biological mothers were of low status and had no capable maternal family to help them.
After all the calculations, it seems that only Concubine Zhen of Zhongcui Palace can benefit the most from it.
"Xia Yi, has Zhongcui Palace been peaceful lately?"
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen sent her personal maid, Bai Zhi, to Ganlu Temple to visit Miss Zhen Er. Miss Zhen Er cried profusely and then moved to Lingyun Peak alone. I heard from the abbot that Miss Zhen Er is devoted to worshipping Buddha and no longer cares about worldly affairs."
This is the news that was brought by the people below.
After arriving at the garden, the emperor learned that Zhen Yuandao had been robbed and killed by bandits.
Zhen Yurao is closely related to the death of the Zhen couple, so it is normal for her to do this.
"Did Concubine Zhen send anyone out of the capital to collect the remains of my parents?"
"Your Majesty, the remains of Zhen Yuandao and his wife have been placed in Ganlu Temple, but no one under your command has seen Concubine Zhen send anyone out of the capital."
This is exactly what makes Xia Qi confused.
"You continue to investigate this matter."
The emperor heaved a deep sigh. Who was secretly helping Concubine Zhen?
What kind of connections did Zhen Yuandao leave for his daughter?
"Did Concubine Zhen send anyone to contain Wen Shichu and his family of three?"
Xia Qi replied truthfully.
"Your Majesty, the three members of the Wen family are still lying in a mass grave."
Wen Shichu's apprentice had only been with him for a short time, but he knew some things.
Before entering the Ministry of Punishment, he revealed everything he knew word for word.
His master devoted his life to the Zhen family, but now he cannot be buried.
The Zhen family is so cold-hearted!
These six words suddenly popped up in the emperor's mind.
Apart from having some similarities in facial features with Rouze, Zhen Huan's temperament is completely different from Rouze's.
The emperor now allows such a woman to occupy the position of concubine, entirely for the sake of the child.
Since Concubine Hui passed away, Longyue moved out of Yonghe Palace and became more and more silent.
If the biological mother is demoted again, it would be like rubbing salt into the child's wounds.
The emperor shook his head, put these thoughts behind him, and continued to deal with the memorials.
The sky was turning pale, and Zhen Huan, who was missed by the emperor, stood up with the help of Bai Zhi.
She saw that there was no sound of rain outside the window, and her depressed mood improved slightly.
"Has the rain stopped outside?"
Bai Zhi knew that her master had plans to deal with Jingren Palace, but the plan was postponed because of the rain.
She reported in a low voice.
"My Lord, the rain has weakened somewhat, but Aunt Jinxi said it might continue for a few days."
"You can find a chance to go to the Imperial Observatory to test the waters... That's all. Going there will only alert the Emperor."
After all, Concubine Li is the sister of Queen Chunyuan. She cannot let the emperor find any evidence against her, and there is no rush to act.
After Zhen Huan finished washing up, she went to visit Hongyang and Lingxi as usual.
"Jinxi, why does it seem to me that the Eleventh Prince has lost some weight?"
She lifted up the child's tender white hand and found that the dimples on the back of the hand had become smaller.
Cui Jinxi walked forward, tucked the quilt for Hongyang, and explained in a low voice.
"Master, the Eleventh Prince has grown taller."
The young master looks stronger than Princess Lingxi and has a big appetite.
Cui Jinxi was afraid of arousing suspicion, so she gave the wet nurse cold meals.
The little master has a bad stomach and keeps vomiting milk, so how can he not lose weight?
Zhen Huan gently put Hongyang's little hand back into the quilt and gave him a stern warning.
"Have the wet nurse take good care of the Eleventh Prince. If he is unwell, please call the imperial physician to take his pulse immediately."
"The servant understands."
Cui Jinxi breathed a sigh of relief silently. Ever since the young master entered Zhongcui Palace, Concubine Zhen had been consciously ignoring the child.
She only put on a little show when the emperor or outsiders were present.
It's rare that he cares about the young master today. He must have figured it out and wants to rely on this child in the future.
Cui Jinxi thought to herself that she should continue to be given the nourishing medicinal food.
But Zhen Huan didn't know Cui Jinxi's good intentions, and she refused the milk and bird's nest that was presented to her.
"I have no appetite, please leave."
In order to please her, the emperor once had people stewing milk and bird's nest all day long.
Now, whenever I see this thing, I think of my parents whose bodies are mutilated and my sister who lives in seclusion.
The emperor treated her as a substitute for Queen Chunyuan and gave her remarkable favor, but was unwilling to protect her and allowed the deposed queen and the Guwalgiya clan to slander and bully her family.
Wen Shichu and his family of three were also unfortunately implicated.
Due to the emperor's suspicion, she could only let their bodies be left to rot in the wilderness.
Zhen Huan looked up at the falling rain.
It was raining in her heart as well.
"Jinxi, how are the preparations going?"
"Master, everything is ready, just waiting for the weather to clear up."
Cui Jinxi hoped that the rain would last for a few more days. Concubine Zhen was crazy and wanted to take action against the deposed queen. She had sent someone to send a message three days ago, hoping that the person would come in time to stop her master's impulsive behavior.
"Master, you are weak and it is very damp outside. Please go back to the house and rest for a while."
"I'm fine. There's some cold-repelling soup in the kitchen. You can have a bowl later."
Zhen Huan stretched out her hand into the rain, letting the raindrops slide through her fingers.
"I want to be quiet for a while, please all leave."
Even though the rootless water comes from the sky, it cannot wash away the sorrows in my heart.
When she was at home, the capital was dry, and what she looked forward to most was a rain so that she could enjoy the scenery with her family in Tingyuxuan.
While her father and mother played chess, she and her sister gathered around the stove, brewing tea and enjoying snacks...
When I recall those scenes, my sister’s laughter still seems to echo in my ears.
Dense pain spread from her heart, and Zhen Huan found it difficult to breathe.
"My Lady, I have brought you an oil-paper umbrella. Would you like to take a walk in the rain?"
The familiar voice made her turn around suddenly, "You..."
Zhen Huan quickly glanced at the oil-paper umbrella in his hand and said, "Please hold it for me."
"Yes, I obey."
Prince Guo responded with a smile.
A slightly shrill voice reached her ears, and Zhen Huan felt a little distressed.
In order to enter the palace to see her, Yunli even lowered himself to learn how to speak like the eunuchs.
This kind of heart is really rare.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that the Fubi Pavilion built on the floating bridge has a unique rain view. Would you like to go and see it?"
Zhen Huan was silent for a moment, then slowly uttered "OK".
Cui Jinxi led his men to prepare fruits, snacks and a small clay stove, then tactfully led his men to retreat.
Zhen Huan looked at Prince Guo with disapproval.
"Your Majesty, you shouldn't have come."
"The prince is still in mourning. The man who came today is just a man who can't let go of his beloved."
Prince Guo poured the water from the jar into the copper pot and looked at Zhen Huan affectionately.
"The broken promise I once made has caused me a lifetime of pain. I came here just to enjoy the rain with an old friend."
Zhen Huan laughed bitterly, "People change, I..."
"Huan'er, I know the pain in your heart. The fire at Anqi Temple was not an accident. I suspect arson. But after sending people to investigate for a long time, they still haven't found the culprit."
Prince Guo met her slightly red eyes.
"But I sent people to investigate the place where my uncle and aunt were killed, and we made some discoveries."
Zhen Huan lost her composure and held his hand, asking anxiously.
"Yunli, what did you find? Is it the trace of the enemy?"
She dreamed of killing her enemies with her own hands.
"Huan'er, your business is my business. Just take good care of the child..."
Zhen Huan interrupted him excitedly.
"Yunli, as a child, letting your parents die in vain is already a great act of filial piety. How can you let others do this revenge?"