Ling Ruo nodded, then asked a few more questions about the situation in the Imperial Garden, and then said to Haitang who was kneeling on the ground: "Haitang, I remember that you have been by Qian's side since she entered the palace.
Right?"
Haitang didn't know what Ling Ruo meant by asking, so she raised her head and whispered, "Yes, I have been with you since the second year of Yongzheng's reign."
"It is now the sixth year of Yongzheng's reign. In other words, you have been with Concubine Qian for at least four years. Four years is not a short time, and you are Concubine Qian's close person. You should be more sensible. Why did you secretly take Concubine Qian with you?
My brother ran out to play, I am really curious about this?"
Hearing such a question, Haitang felt relieved and said: "I have watched Brother Six grow up. These days, I have seen him reading and practicing calligraphy all the time. When he is not playing, I feel very distressed, so I took advantage of the master's absence.
I took him for a walk in the garden and caught a few summer cicadas to play with. Who would have thought that he would encounter something like this? This slave deserves to die!"
"It's not as serious as death. After all, no one can predict what will happen. But you always listen to Concubine Qian and be cautious in your words and deeds. Why are you so bold this time? Aren't you afraid that Concubine Qian will blame you?"
Haitang lowered her head and muttered: "I originally planned to play with you for a while and then quietly bring Brother Six back, so that the Queen will not find out."
"Really?" Ling Ruo whispered and looked up at Mrs. Liu, "Where did Concubine Qian go at that time?"
"Returning to your Majesty, I was worshiping the Buddha in the Buddhist hall at that time. I didn't know anything had happened until Haitang came back with Hongzhan in her arms." Before Ling Ruo could say anything, she added, "If there is anything else you want to know, please ask me."
Come on, you don’t have to keep interrogating the concubines and others as if they were prisoners."
Ling Ruo didn't say anything, but Mrs. Xu on the side said: "Concubine Qian, please don't get angry. The concubine asked me again and again, and after thinking about it, she didn't want to wrong others." Anyway, she blamed herself and said: "It's also my fault that I didn't do it at that time.
See clearly, otherwise there would be no need to ask again and again."
Her words reminded Ling Ruo, "Xu promised to be in the imperial garden at that time, didn't he see it at all?"
Mrs. Xu quickly said: "Returning to your Majesty, I was far away from you at the time. In addition, I didn't pay any attention and didn't see what happened."
Ling Ruo stroked Hong Zhan's small shoulder and sighed softly: "What a pity."
While they were talking, the rain outside gradually became heavier, rustling on the leaves. Seeing the rain getting heavier, an imperceptible sneer appeared on Mrs. Liu's lips.
After waiting for a while, Cai Die rushed back in the rain. After entering the palace, he did not bother to wipe off the rainwater on his body and saluted: "Master, I walked around the northeast corner of the imperial garden and did not find any summer flowers."
Traces of cicadas.”
Before Ling Ruo could speak, Mrs. Liu already said: "It would be really strange if the cicadas kept chirping on such a rainy day." After Ling Ruo asked Cai Die to retreat, Mrs. Liu said again:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for talking too much. How long do you want to ask before you are willing to deal with the Qi Jia family?"
Ling Ruo seemed to have not heard what she said. After lowering her head and thinking for a moment, she said to Hongzhan again: "Brother Six, apart from feeling like you were pushed down, did you have any other feelings at that time, such as pain?
?”
Zhou Minghua said that based on common sense, the injury on Hongzhan's forehead was not enough to make him unconscious. There were probably other reasons, such as incense. However, Hongzhan said that he had not eaten anything or smelled any unusual aroma. So, then
There is only one possibility left, which is to enter the blood directly, but in this way, Hongzhan will definitely feel it.
"It hurts?" Hongzhan frowned, trying to recall the situation at that time. At this time, Liu's face had become ugly again, and he was paying attention to Hongzhan nervously, with his hands on his knees.
The sleeves were used to cover up, and they were twisted so hard that the knuckles turned white.
At this time, Hongzhan put his hand behind his back and touched it, and said uncertainly: "It seems... it hurt a little..."
Ling Ruo perked up and said quickly: "Then if you think about it carefully, what kind of pain does it feel like?"
This time, before Hongzhan could speak, Mrs. Liu stood up and said, "My dear, you might as well just say what you want to ask, so that we don't have to guess one by one." After that, she waved to Hongzhan and said, "Come here.
, come to E Niang."
Hongzhan wanted to go down, but was hugged tightly by Ling Ruo, "Brother Six, tell me what kind of pain it is. Can I ask the people in the kitchen to blow a sugar man for you?"
Hong Zhan is a child after all. When he heard this novel thing, he was immediately attracted. He looked at Ling Ruo curiously and said, "Candy Man? What is that?"
"People are made of sugar. Not only people, they can also be made into various animals, such as tigers and monkeys. They are lifelike and just like real ones. They can also be used as birdcages!"
Hearing this, Hongzhan couldn't hold back, and quickly shook Ling Ruo's arm and said: "Your Highness, I want it, I want a candy man, I want a tiger."
Ling Ruoxiao stroked his head and said, "Okay, as long as you tell me the matter, I will ask the kitchen to make tigers for you, and two more, okay?"
Hongzhan nodded hurriedly, fearing that he would lose the sweetheart if he was slower, "It hurts a little, but not very painful, like being bitten by a mosquito."
Mrs. Liu had been forcing herself to endure it, trying not to lose her composure too much, but when she heard this, the fear that kept rising made her unable to bear it any longer. She lowered her eyebrows and said, "Hongzhan, didn't you hear that I asked you to come here?"
?You’re such a grown-up person, and you’re still thinking about how to have fun all day long!”
When Mrs. Liu shouted like this, Hong Zhan lowered his head in fear, quickly slipped out of Ling Ruo's arms, ran to Mrs. Liu in small steps, grabbed her hand and said, "Don't be angry, mother, I won't play with you."
Seeing that Mr. Liu was silent, he seemed to have made some serious determination and said, "I don't want to be a sweetheart anymore. I go back to practice calligraphy and memorize the Three Character Classic!"
Hearing this, Ms. Liu's face brightened slightly and she said to Jin Gu: "Take Brother Six back to Yongshou Palace and watch him practice calligraphy carefully. Don't let him wander around."
"Yes." Jin Gu picked up Hongzhan and was about to leave when Ling Ruo said, "I have something else to ask Brother Six, please don't leave yet!"
Mrs. Liu said: "Your Majesty, you said that everything must be verified carefully and that no one should be wronged. I can understand this, but I have been sitting here for so long and watching for so long. All I have seen is my concubine.
People around her were interrogating her endlessly, but Qi Jia, the person who should be interrogated the most, ignored her and even let her sit here in a dignified manner. May I ask the empress, what does this mean? "
Ling Ruo stared at Mrs. Liu who looked angry and said, "Is Concubine Qian questioning me? I said that I will get to the bottom of this matter, so you should believe me."