Xiao Lianzi and Jin Xi had already been waiting at the turning point of the ferry. When they saw Xuan Qing standing on the ferry coming back with me, they were shocked for a moment. After all, Jin Xi was alert and silently bowed before helping me to Tangli Palace.
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I whispered: "You two didn't see anyone but me just now."
Jin Xi said softly: "Yes. This slave is just taking the young master back to the palace from Feng Shuyi."
Xiao Lianzi followed closely behind and entered Tangli Palace together.
Everyone was sent to the Drinking Green Pavilion by Xiao Yunzi. I quietly returned to the inner hall and changed into sleeping clothes. I felt unbearably thirsty. Just before I could speak, Xiao Yunzi had already poured a cup of tea. I drank.
After taking a sip, he pushed it away, thought for a moment and said, "Go and get something else."
Xiao Yunzi smiled and said: "There are bird's nests prepared in the small kitchen. Don't you want to use some?"
I nodded and said, "Tell Huanbi to bring it in."
Little Yunzi was stunned and hesitated for a moment. Finally, she didn't dare to ask any more questions, so she asked Huanbi to bring the bird's nest.
Huanbi came in with the bird's nest, and when she saw me sitting upright, her face changed slightly, and she said with concern: "Is your trip going well, young lady? Coming back so late makes this servant very worried."
I felt disgusted and stared at her for a moment. Huanbi lowered her head slightly as if she felt guilty and dared not look at me. I chuckled and said, "It's not just smooth, it's really fun."
Huanbi raised her head and said in slight shock: "Has the Emperor let the young master of Meizhuang out?"
"No." My eyes swept across her face and I said word by word: "The emperor reprimanded Concubine Hua, and even Emperor Wen Yi did not allow her to see her." I sighed leisurely: "Originally, the emperor wanted to retaliate.
She is co-administering the power of the Sixth Palace, and now—I’m afraid she won’t be able to protect herself.”
"The Emperor reprimanded Concubine Hua?"
I said leisurely: "Yes. Who told her to offend the emperor? Concubine Hua is too high-spirited, Huanbi, don't you think so?"
Huanbi was embarrassed for a moment and forced a smile: "I don't know whether Concubine Hua's heart is high or not, but the emperor's holy will is unmistakable."
I looked sideways slightly, and Jin Xi, Xiao Yunzi, and Xiao Lianzi all left together. Huanbi and I were the only ones left in the room. Her voice was the same as before, and she said softly: "Miss." She lowered her hands and stood aside. I was cold.
Staring at her coldly, Huanbi moved slightly unconsciously and asked: "Why is the lady looking at this slave like this?"
He suddenly withdrew his gaze and smiled: "I let them go out just to save your face. Huanbi, you have worked hard and endured a lot these days. It's really hard for you."
Huanbi stared at the ground and whispered: "Why did the young lady say this? This servant cannot bear it."
I stood up, slowly walked around her twice, and suddenly stood in front of her, stretched out my hand to slowly touch her cheek, and sighed: "Actually, if you look closely, you and I look a bit alike." After a pause, I said: "
It's just that some people don't get along with each other on some matters, and even people who have grown up together can know others but not others. It really chills me."
Huanbi's face turned serious, and she forced a smile and said, "Miss, I don't understand what you said."
There was a sudden condensation in his voice, "That's great! I've already had such things happen to me, and I didn't expect it to be you this time."
I have always treated her in a friendly and friendly manner, and I have never spoken so harshly. Huanbi was so frightened that she knelt down in a hurry and shouted: "Miss!"
I ignored it and continued: "That day at Shuilv Nanxun Hall, Cao Jieyu used the emperor's name to meet me and provoke me in the name of the Six Kings. At that time, I suspected that someone close to me had leaked the news. But it wasn't revealed yet.
I thought it was you. Liu Zhu was the one who went with me that day. She knew the most about everything. Her temperament was not as calm as yours. Sometimes she was more outspoken and outspoken. I thought maybe she let it slip when she was joking with the palace maid.
.Who would have thought that I just left Tangli Palace today and someone was there to report the news. I don’t believe it. How could Concubine Hua know that I was going to Cunju Hall? It can be seen that the people around me deliberately leaked the news."
Huanbi's expression gradually calmed down, she looked up at me and said, "It's not just the servant who knows that the young master is going to visit the young master of Meizhuang. How can the young lady see that it is Huanbi? Or has the young lady already had a prejudice against Huanbi?"
I smiled slightly and said, "You are indeed careful to cover up your traces. It's a pity that you neglected one thing -"
"What?"
"Do you remember that the emperor gave me a box of honey incense from Nanzhao a few days ago. This fragrance is faint and tasteless, but it will last for a long time when it is stained on clothes. It is an unusual spice. Therefore it is very precious. The emperor got it all.
This box was all given to me. But I gave it all to Cao Jieyu, and saw her placed in the inner room with my own eyes." I glanced at Huanbi's face, which was gradually turning white, and gently rubbed it with the glossy surface of my armor.
There were beads of sweat on her forehead, "I remember that before I went out, I asked you to stay in the inner hall and not go out." I paused for a moment, then slowly said: "What if you don't have any objection to me, as you said?
You know how to go in and out of her inner room, how come you are smelling like honey?"
Huanbi looked at me with her mouth open and said weakly: "This slave doesn't -"
"I deliberately asked Liu Zhu to guard the outer hall because I knew you would go out through the side door of the back hall. Don't you think it's suspicious? I actually let you stay alone in the hall." I said, "If you still refuse to admit it.
You can smell the scent of honey on yourself."
An expression of panic appeared on Huanbi's face. He hesitantly pulled up his sleeves and smelled carefully again and again, and his face gradually turned white.
I said with a smile: "Once you get this fragrance, it will last for days, and the fragrance is subtle and difficult to detect." I stopped smiling and said coldly: "Aren't you telling the truth?"
When Huanbi heard this, there was no trace of blood on her face. She looked up to the sky and said, "That's it. That's all. Who told me that I fell into your trap!"
I said: "I'm just suspicious. Jinxi knows the things around me best, you and Liu Zhu. Although Jinxi has been with me for only a year, Liu Zhu can be impatient at times, but he is always loyal to me.
Only you and I are a little worried. But I'm not sure whether it's you, so I have to give it a try." I smiled softly: "Who knew you didn't calm down, and wasted all my years of training you?
Already."
Huanbi was speechless and just smiled bitterly: "It's true that my fate is not good. It's up to you to do whatever you want."
"But I still want to thank you. If you hadn't reported the news, how could I have defeated Concubine Hua so easily today? Without her, I can live in peace for a while."
Huanbi's voice was almost confused, and she trembled: "You..."
I smiled, "Of course it's all thanks to you. I'm afraid Concubine Hua hates you so much now that she thinks it's our master and servant who have joined forces." I looked at her and said, "You are really capable."
Huanbi stared at me blankly for a long time and said, "You are so scheming that I am ashamed of myself."
I looked at her for a long time, my voice was soft and soft, and I sighed, "I have always praised you for being calm, but in the current situation, it seems that you are still a little behind after all. You are determined to achieve your goals, but you are not generous in your actions.
How can I safely marry you into an official family? When you become the first wife in the future, how can you suppress those restless concubines?"
Huanbi couldn't react for a moment and said in a daze: "You...you want to marry me into an official family as your main wife?" Then he shook his head: "You just want me to be by your side and help you for the rest of your life. Why have you ever made any plans for me?
?Why bother to use words to ridicule me again?"
I said: "I have plans for you a long time ago. Don't tell me, even dad has made plans for you. But if we don't tell you, do you think I haven't planned for you? Even if you can help me again,
She also wants to get married and have children. Even if she is Liu Zhu, if she wants to get married in the future, I will find a good match for her, let alone you. You may not underestimate me too much."
She was almost stunned and asked doubtfully: "Is it true?"
I looked surprised and asked her, "How else will you treat me? Are you going to be a concubine and marry a commoner? Before entering the palace, my father carefully told me that I must find a good family for you, and I solemnly agreed.
Yes. This is why I brought you into the palace. If you stay in the Zhen Mansion, you will at most marry a young servant in the future. Wouldn’t you be wronged for the rest of your life?” I couldn’t help but feel sad, “What you did is not what you asked for.
Is it just a title?”
Huanbi seemed unable to completely believe it, and seemed to be moved, so she called out: "Miss."
I bent down to help her stand up, and sighed in a low voice: "There is no one here, why do you still call me 'Miss'? You should call me 'Elder Sister' instead."
Tears welled up in Huanbi's eyes, and I said: "Aren't you willing to scream? In fact, you have been very clear about how I have treated you for a long time. The heart problems between you and me are not the heart problems between you and me, they are just the last time.
It's a generational matter." I pulled her to sit down, "I know you have been wronged for many years. Although you are your father's biological child, your name is not in the family tree, and the name cannot be named "Jade", or even your mother's tablet.
You can't enter the ancestral hall to offer incense. But Huanbi, don't daddy love you? Although you are my maid in name, I have always treated you like a sister."
Huanbi pondered for a moment, bit her lip and said, "But I... whenever I think of my mother and myself... no! As long as I become a concubine like you, my father can recognize me openly, and my mother's spiritual status will be
It’s the Zhen’s Ancestral Hall.” She raised her head proudly and said, “You can let your temper disdain the word ‘yu’ in the name as tacky and throw it away, but you don’t know that this word ‘yu’ is what I have been dreaming of all my life.
.”
"Do you think everything is that simple? Once you become a concubine and compete for favor in the harem, it is revealed that your mother is the daughter of the guilty minister. Do you know the consequences? Not only will the Zhen family be implicated by you, but your father will also take the blame for the guilty minister.
The crime of being a woman is enough to send him into exile three thousand miles away. How can dad withstand such torture at his old age? How can you bear it?" I paused and said: "Not to mention others, you think you have taken refuge with Cao Cao.
Jieyu, do you have someone to help you and sit back and relax? After all, you are the one who went out from here. In fact, Cao Jieyu is basically using you, otherwise she would not have mentioned the contents of your report in front of me at Shuilv Nanxun Palace.
Don’t believe it, just look at Concubine Li and you will know that once you have no use value, your end will be worse than concubine Li Gui! What’s more, after today’s incident, do you think Concubine Hua and Cao Jieyu will still believe you?
"
Huanbi's sweat dropped and her lips trembled slightly. I continued: "That's not all. What if you and my sisters have to face competition for favor one day? Are you going to call daddy and feel sad when he sees the sisters fighting? Not to mention you.
How can you compete with me now with these little efforts? They are just making wedding clothes for others! How could you be so confused?"
Huanbi lowered her eyebrows in shame and murmured: "I don't want to argue with you." Her voice was sad: "Miss, I didn't mean to frame you. The emperor likes you so much even if he knew you were going to see the young master of Meizhuang.
I am deeply responsible for you, and will confine you for ten and a half months at most...I...the emperor only has you in his eyes. As long as you disappear for a while, the emperor will definitely find that I love me..." She hesitated for a moment, "Wouldn't it be better for us to serve the emperor together?
This is a matter of honoring our ancestors and our lintel."
"You are my sister, so there is nothing wrong with serving the Emperor together." I glanced at her and asked, "Huanbi, tell me, do you like the Emperor?"
Huanbi thought for a moment and shook her head vigorously.
I said sadly: "Do you think that you will have a status after marrying the emperor? In the final analysis, you are just a concubine." I picked up the silk and wiped my tears and said: "Your mother couldn't even have the status of a concubine during her lifetime. Could it be that
As a daughter, you want to tell the dead mother that you can only be a concubine? What's more, you don't like the emperor. You spend your whole life living with a man you don't love, and endure his censure and neglect of you because of other women.
Are you willing to fight with other women because of him and give birth to children for him, even if he can give you glory and wealth, but the next moment you will be in the cold palace? You betrayed me and gained honor and favor, even if you have a beautiful concubine.
Hu, will the people in the harem think highly of you? Will the emperor think highly of you?"
Huanbi's face grew darker and darker, and she was speechless. The red candle flickered, and her shadow flickered on the wall. When she looked over, she seemed to be trembling.
I added: "This is one of them. And can you guarantee that the emperor will like you? It seems that the emperor does not have a special liking for you. It seems that it will be very hard for you to win favor."
I looked at the bright night outside the window with determination, bent down to help her get up, and said softly: "Actually, I have already made plans for you. If I am always favored by the emperor, I will definitely find a good marriage for you in the future, and you can do the same.
Choose the person you like and grow old together. The popular person next to the emperor's favorite concubine will naturally marry a good family. When the time comes, I will let you recognize your father as your adoptive father. When you marry from the Zhen Mansion, your mother's memorial tablet will naturally be included.
Zhen's ancestral hall, your name will also be included in the family tree. Your wish will be fulfilled. Isn't this the best ending?" I lowered my eyes and sighed, "It's also my fault. If I had told you my plan earlier, it would have been wrong.
There will be no mistakes like today."
Huanbi looked up at me, with sadness in her eyes and a mist of guilt. Snow-white tears gradually appeared, and a drop of tear suddenly fell on my arm, with a warm touch. Huanbi cried and called me: "eldest sister."
I also shed tears and said, "You know how many years I have been looking forward to hearing this 'eldest sister' from you."
Huanbi threw herself in my arms and said, "I really didn't know that my eldest sister was treating me like this and that's why she made such a big mistake." Then she sobbed and shed tears: "It's really my sister who has been confused these days, which has troubled my eldest sister. I know my mistake.
From now on, I will definitely be of the same mind as my eldest sister."
I took a breath and said, "Yu Yao is cowardly, Yu Rao is young, and my brother is on the battlefield. The only ones we can rely on at home are our sisters. If you and I are provoked by traitors and become heartbroken, then the Zhen family will have no hope."
Huanbi burst into tears and said, "Huanbi has let down my eldest sister's years of teachings. Please forgive me for my ignorance and shallow views."
I helped her up with my own hands and said, "You have never mentioned your mother's affairs to Concubine Hua and the others. If they had known about it, I'm afraid there would be more troubles in the future and the Zhenmen would be troubled endlessly."
Huanbi shook her head and said: "I never mentioned it to them. On my mother's birthday a few months ago, Cao Jieyu saw me crying alone in the corner of Shanglin Garden, thinking that you had wronged me by beating me, so she got close to me on an excuse. I just wanted to use her.
He and Concubine Hua attracted the emperor's attention, not with the intention of framed my eldest sister. Besides, my mother's matter is of great importance, and I dare not talk to them about it."
I nodded, "It's lucky that you didn't tell me." Then he said, "They may not be able to give you what you want, but I am your eldest sister, so I will definitely do it."
Xunxun asked some more questions about Concubine Hua and Cao Jieyu's dealings with her, and then Jinxi came into the room to accompany her for the night.