Yuan Qingling reached out and gently pulled Eunuch Mu Ru's sleeve, and said softly: "Eunuch, is it related to Chu Mingcui's case?"
Mu Rugong said: "Princess, don't worry, no matter what it is, the emperor will always ask you what you mean first. If you really object strongly, the emperor will know the appropriateness."
These words made Yuan Qing Ling even more uneasy.
What matters do I need to ask her about? It's not necessary for official matters, unless it's a matter in the government.
As for the affairs in the palace, the only thing that she had to ask her about and that she might strongly object to was the concubine.
Yuan Qingling couldn't laugh or cry, how long has it lasted? Chu Mingyang just got married, and he took a breath, and now there's another one?
I'm afraid I won't be able to finish this meal.
After entering the palace, Eunuch Mu Ru took him to Yunlong Pavilion.
Yunlong Pavilion is located in the east of the Imperial City, at the junction of the East Palace.
Next to Yunlong Pavilion is Yunlong Hall, the emperor's winter dormitory.
Yunlong Pavilion is three stories high and not very big. There are stairs spiraling up from the outside. Dining is on the second floor.
Man'er and Ah Si were waiting below, while Yuan Qingling followed Eunuch Mu Ru up.
Emperor Ming Yuan has not arrived yet, but the table has been set and two palace ladies are waiting on him.
This place is divided into an outer hall and an inner hall. You eat in the outer hall. The layout is very simple. On the east wall hangs a picture with the words "Five Grains and a Good Harvest", which actually represents the best wishes of Emperor Ming Yuan.
There is a screen on the west side, which leads directly to the inner hall.
There is a staircase on the south side, and a desk is placed on the north side. There are several books on the desk, as well as some four treasures of the study. The most eye-catching thing on the desk is a jade lion, which is exquisitely carved and lifelike.
There was a stove in the house and it was very warm. Once the south door was closed, no cold wind came in, but the whistling wind outside could be heard.
"Princess, please sit down first. Your Majesty will be here shortly," Eunuch Mu Ru said.
Yuan Qingling sat down, and the palace maid brought her hot water to wash her hands, and then served her a cup of wolfberry and chrysanthemum tea.
Yuan Qingling took a sip. The chrysanthemum flavor was very strong and a bit bitter. The sweetness of the wolfberry could not dispel the bitter taste.
After entering the mouth, it smells very good.
After finishing a cup of tea, I heard footsteps.
Yuan Qingling stood up and stepped aside, waiting to see Emperor Ming Yuan.
The footsteps stopped outside, the door opened, and the cold wind rushed in, causing the tablecloth in the hall to lift up. Yuan Qingling also felt the cold air suddenly coming, and shivered violently.
With a flash of bright yellow clothes, Yuan Qingling knelt down and said, "My daughter-in-law is here to see my father."
A gentle and slightly majestic voice came, "Get up!"
Yuan Qing Ling Xie'en stood up and stood aside cautiously.
Emperor Ming Yuan strode over first, raised his robe and sat down. He looked at Yuan Qing Ling and said, "Come and sit!"
Yuan Qing murmured, walked over and sat in the seat just now.
Eunuch Mu Ru stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, do you want to pass on the meal?"
"Pass it on!" Emperor Ming Yuan said.
This place is far from the imperial dining room, but the dishes arrived quickly. Yuan Qingling guessed that there was a small kitchen here.
When the dishes are displayed, they are all home-cooked side dishes. They are not as majestic as the imperial dishes and appear delicate and small.
Five dishes and one soup, steaming hot.
Emperor Ming Yuan didn't say anything, and Yuan Qing Ling naturally didn't say anything either. Looking at the palace maid serving dishes nearby, Emperor Ming Yuan said to pick up her chopsticks, and she started eating.
After all, I felt uneasy, so I didn’t eat much.
Although it was not the first time to have dinner with Emperor Ming Yuan, Yuan Qingling was still quite cautious and did not dare to eat more. On the contrary, last time, she was much more casual.
She smiled bitterly in her heart, she was indeed fearless.
Emperor Ming Yuan was accustomed to not talking while eating. Naturally, this was partly because he always ate alone and had no one to talk to.
Almost all the five dishes were finished. This was not because the two of them were good eaters, but because each dish only cost a few pieces and was particularly exquisite.
There was some soup left, so Emperor Ming Yuan gave it to Eunuch Mu Ru.
Eunuch Mu Ru thanked him for his kindness, picked it up and put it aside, and then asked others to take away the leftovers and dishes.
After they were removed, another cup of tea was served to each of them. Yuan Qingling took a sip. It was hawthorn malt tea, which was used for digestion and stagnation.
After drinking the hawthorn water, Eunuch Mu Ru cleared the place and asked all the maids to go down, while he stood in front of the south door.
Yuan Qingling put her hands on her knees. This action was actually a bit difficult because her belly bulged relatively large, which made it look like she was rubbing her legs.
Emperor Ming Yuan looked at her and asked, "What does Lao Wu do in the mansion every day?"
Yuan Qing Ling cleared her throat and said: "Returning to my father, I practice swordsmanship and calligraphy in the mansion every day, so my days are quite fulfilling."
"Didn't you scold me?"
Yuan Qing Ling was startled and said honestly and honestly: "This is absolutely impossible. Your Majesty has the utmost respect for your father."
Emperor Ming Yuan sneered, "Respect? That boy scolded me all the time. I just want to deal with him and weaken his spirit."
Yuan Qingling's eyes moved slightly and said: "Father, he really doesn't have any spirit anymore. You have carefully beaten it down and smoothed all the edges and corners. That is not good. People are like stones. If they are all
Once the edges and corners are smoothed and rounded, people can only sit on them."
Emperor Ming Yuan hummed: "You are quite good at protecting him."
"Go back to your father and protect your husband. This is a wife's duty." Yuan Qingling thought to herself that this opening statement was really ordinary. It was just a chat about family matters.
Emperor Ming Yuan hummed, and glanced at her lightly, "Well, I heard that you entered the palace today because I want to ask you something. Do you know how Chu Mingcui died?"
Yuan Qingling's brows twitched, "I've heard about this. It's said that he committed suicide in prison."
Emperor Ming Yuan snorted, "It would be dereliction of duty to allow prisoners to commit suicide in prison."
"It's a dereliction of duty!" Yuan Qingling said quickly, "Didn't my father suspend him for investigation now?"
Emperor Ming Yuan looked at her, his eyes were like a deep pool with no bottom, "If he neglects his duty, it would be easy to remove him from the post of Jingzhao Palace Governor, but yesterday someone was taken advantage of, and someone saw him killed with his own eyes.
Chu Mingcui, although Chu Mingcui is a suspect, there has been no trial. If she is not convicted, she is not guilty. Moreover, she and Lao Qi have not yet reconciled. So, do you know that Lao Wu committed murder? And the person killed was a relative of the court.
princess."
Yuan Qingling turned pale and looked at Emperor Ming Yuan blankly.
Emperor Ming Yuan said in a deep voice: "According to the laws of the dynasty, the emperor breaks the law and is guilty of the same crime as the common people. He killed the princess and he deserves to be punished!"
Yuan Qingling was shocked in her heart, but she remained calm on her face and said clearly: "Father, the person who reported this said that someone saw it with his own eyes. This witness who saw it with his own eyes may also be a false accusation. Please be careful."
Emperor Ming Yuan said with a serious face: "I will naturally be aware of it, so won't you be sent to the palace for questioning?"
Yuan Qingling took a slow breath, her heart was in her throat, and her throat was on fire. She said: "My wife only knows that Chu Mingcui committed suicide in prison, and no one killed her."