PFC Chapter 186 Suspicion
Chapter 186 Suspicion
The empress dowager's coffin stayed in the palace for twenty-one days before it was carried out and placed in the imperial mausoleum to be buried together with the late emperor.
After attending the funeral ceremony and crying as the empress dowager's coffin left the palace, the concubines had to return to the palace first.
After returning to the palace, the concubines did not go back to their respective palaces directly, but gathered in the nearest Pepper Room and sat for a while.
Shen Ningyue excused herself as feeling a little unwell and did not sit in the main seat. As soon as she entered the Pepper Room, she called for the female doctor and went straight to the bedroom.
In the main hall of the Jiaofang Palace, Pujie represented the Queen in entertaining the concubines who were sitting down to rest.
Concubine Yu Yu Sheyue and Concubine Shu Bai Liangyu secretly looked at Concubine Zhen Lu Xiyin, the emperor's cousin, whom they had only heard of but never seen since they officially entered the palace.
"I am the newly-arrived Shupin, the granddaughter of Anlu Marquis Bai Liangyu. I would like to meet Empress Zhenfei. To be honest, this is the first time I have met Empress Zhenfei."
Bai Liangyu said respectfully.
"Hello, sister." Lu Xinyin replied with a smile.
"Your Highness, you are too polite. I am a humble concubine and I am young. I dare not accept your courtesy."
Bai Liangyu showed a hint of panic on his face and bowed again hurriedly.
The Empress Dowager's niece and Your Majesty's cousin was driven out of Hanzhang Palace and hastily imprisoned in Chongde Palace because of "improper conduct in front of the emperor". She did not even appear during the New Year or other festivals. When she gave birth to a child, she did not invite her mother to the palace to accompany her. It was too strange.
I wonder if Concubine Zhen came out to see off the Empress Dowager this time as an extra favor, or if His Majesty has already released her from confinement?
Her annoying cousin Li Xihua and the weird Jiang Lanzhi were both confined to their homes on the same day as Concubine Zhen, Lu Xinyin.
Although Li Xihua and Jiang Lanzhi of Yilan Palace were demoted, their house arrest had a clear time limit and they would be able to come and go freely soon.
Moreover, during the confinement period, His Majesty and the Queen did not prevent other concubines from visiting Li Xihua in Yueshi Palace and Jiang Lanzhi in Yilan Palace.
But Concubine Zhen, Lu Xinyin, was different.
Although Lu Xinyin was not demoted, she never showed up even once on the days of mourning for the Empress Dowager, and no servant came to replace her. Was it just because she was in confinement after giving birth?
You should know that Lu Xinyin is not only your Majesty's concubine, but also the blood niece of the Queen Mother.
Thinking back to last year's Empress Dowager and His Majesty's holy days and New Year's Day, Concubine Zhen never stepped out of Chongde Hall.
Bai Liangyu understood a little. Chongde Palace is now the cold palace. Since she has been locked up in the cold palace, it really doesn't matter whether Zhenfei's rank is downgraded or not.
Li Xihua and the others were demoted and confined to their homes for three months because they were involved in the poisoning case of Concubine Hui Meng Xinghe and the Fourth Prince.
Bai Liangyu boldly guessed: "Perhaps Concubine Zhen, Lv Xinyin, is the real culprit behind this?"
Write it down, maybe you can use it in some way.
I wonder if her stupid cousin knows that the person who framed her was Concubine Zhen, Lu Xinyin?
I want to think of a way to let Li Xihua know and make Li Xihua hate Lu Xinyin. I wonder if it is feasible?
Lu Xinyin's methods and vicious mind should not be underestimated, and she has also given birth to a prince, so who knows if she will be able to turn the tables one day.
Who knows, maybe one day she will have the chance to borrow Lu Xinyin's power to deal with Li Xihua?
Bai Liangyu pondered in his heart.
Although she entered the palace to seek revenge on Li Xihua, she didn't want to get herself involved at all. She originally wanted to enter the palace and become a superior person.
Of course it would be the best if there was a chance to kill someone with a borrowed knife, but her hands would not be stained with blood if possible.
Bai Liangyu fiddled with his pair of slender hands, which were as white as jade.
She couldn't help but think of her hands when she was a child, which were red and swollen from the cold wind, but she still had to work for the family.
First, she and His Majesty had an encounter outside the palace, and then there was the portrait of the beauty painted by His Majesty himself.
Not long after entering the palace, she was promoted from the position of a good man to a talented woman, and was quickly promoted to a beauty. She was also given the title "Shu".
Li Xihua had given birth to the third prince, but she had not been granted a title so far and was even demoted to a consort. She had returned to her original starting point by taking advantage of the status of a beauty who had given birth to the prince Jincheng.
Bai Liangyu had an obscure background, no children, and no significant achievements.
Not long after she ascended to the position of Beauty, she skipped over the position of Honored Lady and was promoted by His Majesty to Shupin, on par with Yupin, who came from a prominent family. However, she did not attract any attention or envy because the rumor directed all the hatred towards Yu Sheyue.
How could she, a low-ranking concubine who had just entered the palace, have the ability to spread such news?
Yu Sheyue would not be so kind as to sacrifice herself to help her attract the attention of other sisters in the palace.
Apart from His Majesty, who else in this palace would protect her like this?
Bai Liangyu couldn't help but wonder if His Majesty had already taken a fancy to her a long time ago.
Your Majesty must have her in your heart!
Thinking of the sincerity of the majestic and handsome monarch, Bai Liangyu couldn't help feeling a little smug.
Bai Liangyu asked the couple to kneel down and kowtow in front of her, and regret from the bottom of their hearts that they had abandoned her.
"My concubine Yu is Yu Sheyue, nice to meet you, sister Zhenfei. I have met you at the annual banquets in previous years."
Yu Sheyue only had a superficial impression of Concubine Zhen, Lu Xinyin, from the few times her grandmother brought her into the palace during New Year banquets.
She was extremely curious about Lu Xinyin. They were both his majesty's concubines. Lu Xinyin was his majesty's cousin, and she was his majesty's niece. Both were related to his majesty by blood.
What's more, the Hanzhang Palace where she lives now is the former residence of Lu Xinyin.
But she didn't know why Lu Xinyin moved to Chongde Hall. The Queen Mother said during her lifetime on Your Majesty's Holy Day that Lu Xinyin was pregnant in Chongde Hall, but she didn't believe it.
Although Yu Sheyue had never been inside the Chongde Hall, the overall conditions of the Hanzhang Hall were definitely much better than those of the Chongde Hall located in a remote corner.
"Hello, sister Yupin, I have already reached the age of marriage and got married.
I still remember the first time I saw my younger sister, Concubine Yu, she was leaning on the side of Her Royal Highness the Grand Princess of Jin, looking so childish and adorable.
I remember that day when Her Royal Highness Princess Qi spoke rudely to the Grand Princess Jin and her sister, and Her Royal Highness Princess Zheng scolded her. "
Your Majesty's aunt, the Grand Princess of Jin, is the granddaughter of the Grand Princess of Jin. She was always brought to the palace banquets every year, so it is hard for her to forget her.
Besides the reprimanded Princess Qi, who else could have imagined that the Grand Princess Jin, who held an exalted position, actually wanted to let her granddaughter enter the palace.
No wonder the grandfather and grandson turned a deaf ear to the rude sarcasm of the Princess of Qi. It turned out that it was because they felt guilty and it was difficult for them to refute when their thoughts were pointed out in public.
Yu Sheyue felt a little angry when Lu Xinyin mentioned the embarrassing situation when all the ladies from both the inner and outer courts gathered together at the Empress Dowager's Festival that year.
"Sister Zhenfei, are you going back to Chongde Hall?"
"I am now living in the Hanzhang Palace where Sister Zhenfei used to live. Would you like to go back and sit for a while? I am very curious about you."