After writing, Xuanrao put down the pen and paper, picked up the rice paper and shook it to let the ink on it dry, and then presented his hands to Jiang Huaiyang.
Ruan Yuyi leaned slightly and leaned over to take a look. The paper was slightly tilted accordingly.
She glanced at the content above and pursed her lips.
"Send the message for Bai's daughter." He handed the paper to the palace attendant and said in a deep voice.
Wen Zhi responded.
.
When Bai Zhiqi was brought, several people had already moved to the side hall. There was a stove burning in the hall, and some incense was mixed in the stove. This refreshing fragrance naturally dissipated with the heat.
There is a set of celadon ice-patterned bowls on the table, which are filled with dried flowers made in previous years. The gold-woven cloak on the shelf and the small sleeve stove casually placed on the round stool are all traces of women's life.
Even though a charcoal fire had been prepared here, when Bai Zhiqi came in, he still couldn't get over it for a while, and his upper and lower teeth were chattering from the cold.
When she caught a glimpse of Xuanrao standing to one side, she secretly thought something was wrong, her face still looked delicate and innocent as before.
She bowed gracefully and said in a soft voice, "I've met your Majesty, I've met your empress."
She raised her eyes, her eyes were slightly moist, and she seemed to be crying but not crying, "I wonder why your Majesty brought the daughter of the people here?" As long as she doesn't admit it, her aunt will protect her, so nothing will happen.
Jiang Huaiyang was drinking tea by himself, not looking at her and not bothering to answer the conversation.
"Did you say it yourself, or did I say it for you?" Ruan Yuyi was feeling depressed because of Ah Lian, and she became even more angry when she saw that she was wearing that hypocritical front and refused to take it off.
Because Xuan Rao often came to her palace, she almost regarded him as one of her own. They usually had similar interests and there was no reason not to seek justice for him.
As for who Bai Zhiqi is in love with, that's not what she cares about.
He quietly squeezed her soft palm, indicating that she could handle it as she wished.
Bai Zhiqi's heart sank, "What is sister talking about?"
Ruan Yuyi looked at her deeply, and sneered as she spoke, "Where were you just now?"
Now that things have come to this, there are still people who deny it.
"Just now, I was taking a walk by the pavilion in the middle of the lake in the West Palace. I felt cold, so I went back to the palace." Bai Zhiqi was not sure that no one noticed her on the way back, so it was most true to say this as a half-truth.
The Pavilion in the Heart of the Lake in the West Palace—exactly where Xuanrao mentioned.
She was brave enough to say it like this.
"That's it?"
"That's just it." She denied.
The way Ruan Yuyi asked questions made her vaguely feel that she was somewhat similar to the new emperor. Although her expression did not change at this moment, there was already a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
She silently comforted herself that nothing would happen, as her aunt was still here. The country of Wu was filial, so I guess your majesty also had to show some respect to my aunt.
At this time, Wen Pheasant brought another person.
This man was dressed as a guard and had broad shoulders. As soon as he came in, he stared at Bai Zhiqi and chuckled, as if some plan had succeeded.
Bai Zhiqi caught a glimpse of him in the corner of her eye, and a cold feeling gradually climbed up her spine.
Wen Zhi kicked the guard's knee neither gently nor hard. The guard was caught off guard and his legs went weak. Then he lowered his gaze and saluted, "A small crime deserves death. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
"A few days ago, I happened to be on duty outside the Yangxin Hall. This girl Bai suddenly came out and started to touch..." The guard leaned down again, "The boy was confused for a moment, so he killed Miss Bai.
He colluded with her to have several trysts."
He originally wanted to drag her down and make her fall into the same situation as him.
But when the words come to my mouth, I still have to defend myself to some extent and clear up the relationship. In fact, a slap in the face can't make a difference.
Jiang Huaiyang said, "Did you hear that?" His voice was lazy and low.
"My daughter is unjustly accused." Bai Zhiqi was actually able to keep his composure and didn't feel any panic at the moment.
Ruan Yuyi asked someone to bring the piece of paper that Xuanrao had just written in front of her.
The servant who happened to be the one responsible for raising Ah Lian in the Chang'an Palace was feeling uncomfortable at the moment. She was slightly moved in her heart, but she didn't hand it over properly, causing the rice paper to flutter and get stuck on Bai Zhiqi's face.
Bai Zhiqi's face twisted, as if the mask was about to shatter.
She took the rice paper, glanced at it, laughed suddenly, raised her eyes and said to Ruan Yuyi, "Isn't it true that the empress will decide that I am guilty based on two servants? Who knows whether they have conspired in advance."
Jiang Huaiyang said lightly, "Have you forgotten how you entered the Nourishing Heart Hall? There was more than one person on duty that day."
She thought of something and her body stiffened slightly.
"If everyone in the palace came to identify them, then that means they had colluded in advance?"
"You have a lot of face, but everyone wants to harm you."
She couldn't keep her knees steady and fell to one side, with the cold floor tiles beneath her.
She glanced at her maid aside in panic, and when she saw the maid nodding imperceptibly, she felt relieved.
At the first place, Jiang Huaiyang asked slowly, "Lingling, what do you think I should be punished for?"
He knew that she cared about the rabbit, so he deliberately left a chance for her to vent her anger.
Ruan Yuyi's eyes turned slightly, and she whispered a few words in his ear. She didn't know what she was talking about, which made him a little funny, "It's up to you."
"Pass on my will, the Bai family's daughter Bai..."
"Bai Zhiqi." Wen Zhi reminded, the voice was just right for Bai Zhiqi to hear.
Her expression changed again and again. She had thought that all men had the same temperament, and the new emperor was still new to that man. She still had a chance, but didn't you expect that he didn't take her seriously at all?
The fantasies about the future flooded into her mind, making her face turn red with embarrassment.
So what does what she did before count?
Those colorful chrysanthemums she sent were obviously accepted by others.
No, everything only changed after this person entered the palace. Originally, everything should develop according to the trajectory she expected. She raised a pair of dark eyes and stared at Ruan Yuyi.
But what she didn't know was that except for the first pot of colorful chrysanthemums, which Jiang Huaiyang managed to take a look at, the others had only passed through Wen Zhi's hands and were piled up in the backyard of Linglong Pavilion.
After being reminded, Jiang Huaiyang hummed and continued, "My heart is vicious, my methods are cruel, and I violate propriety and licentiousness. From now on, I don't have to be filial to the Queen Mother."
The guard grinned uncontrollably and lowered his head in a disguised manner.
Although he did not participate in these twists and turns, after all, he had been guarding the door in front of the Yangxin Hall and had heard a little bit about these things. He knew that this decree sounded innocuous, but even if she went back, she would not be able to get anything compared to before.
alright.
What's more, the news of having an affair with someone spreads out.
He couldn't help feeling excited - dragging a high mountain flower into the mud.
"What's going on?"
The door of the side hall was pushed open, and the Queen Mother walked in with her dark red skirt in hand. The deep and cold wrinkles on her face were still there, as if they would not be loosened by anyone.
"Aunt." Bai Zhiqi's eyes brightened and she called in a low voice.
The Queen Mother ignored her and walked straight up to the right, where Ruan Yuyi was sitting. She used her cane to tap on the floor tiles, making a slow and rhythmic sound.
Boom, boom, boom——
No one urged her until she stood still in front of Ruan Yuyi.