The most beautiful lady in the harem

Chapter 237 Trigger

The concubines waiting in the courtyard of the Cining Palace were already curious when they saw Emperor Yongjia push the door open, and now they were even more excited than before.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Yongjia came out and left with Zhu Wanxi without saying anything.

After paying their respects and seeing off Emperor Yongjia, everyone rushed in to see what was going on inside and to hear what the Empress Dowager Dong had to say, but they were blocked by her people.

"The Empress Dowager is tired, everyone please go back." said the old aunt standing at the door.

"What happened to the Queen Mother?"

"Why are you feeling unwell?"

Everyone was chattering, but the old aunt's mouth was as thick and tight as a city wall. She smiled with her face but not her heart, but kept saying that she wanted to send them away.

Even though everyone was extremely curious, they didn't want to force their way in. They wondered why this matter had no end and ended like this.

For a moment, everyone walked out of the Cining Palace with questions in mind.

Qin Huaijin didn't follow the others, but wanted to go in directly. Unexpectedly, the old aunt raised her hand to stop her, "Lady Qin, please go back too."

Qin Huaijin looked incredulous, as if asking how could she be the same as them?

She can't even go in?

The old aunt shook her head, but her eyes showed that she would not tolerate any discussion. "The Queen Mother will not see anyone."

Although she respected these concubines, she only took orders from Empress Dowager Yudong.

But there was no explanation for today's matter. Qin Huaijin was unwilling to give up until she saw the Queen Mother Dong, so she stood at the door and shouted, "Queen Mother, what's wrong with you? Let me take a look before you leave, okay?"

The old aunt understood it very well, and thought that Lady Qin clearly wanted to see the Queen Mother to get things sorted out, but she had to go there under the pretext of visiting her.

The old aunt wanted to speak again, but she heard a voice from inside, "Come in."

Qin Huaijin glanced at his old aunt with pride. His old aunt curled her lips, not liking the arrogance of Lady Qin.

But since the Queen Mother had spoken, there was nothing they could do, so they let her in.

Qin Huaijin hurried in. He didn't ask her what was wrong. The first thing he said was, "Empress Dowager, is this the end?"

It’s not that Qin Huaijin didn’t know etiquette, but the Empress Dowager Dong was fine just now. How could she become unwell just after talking to the Emperor?

It was clearly an excuse for not wanting to see anyone, so she came in without giving up, and she was not asked if she was feeling unwell.

Queen Mother Dong held her temple, clearly still not recovered, "What else do you want?"

Such a private and shameful matter was actually known by her own son. This was the first time in all her life that Empress Dowager Dong knew what shame was.

Qin Huaijin was somewhat reluctant to hear that the Empress Dowager Dong wanted to settle the matter peacefully. "Such a good opportunity, she dared to go after others in her hometown, how could she let it go? Who knows what will happen in the future!"

The Empress Dowager Dong felt a tightness in her chest and a headache when she heard the words "beginning and end". "You have no evidence, no witnesses and no physical evidence. How can you prove it? I haven't asked you yet. How can you take back the news without any second-hand preparation?"

The Empress Dowager Dong blamed Qin Huaijin for all the shame she had suffered in front of Emperor Yongjia, and began to hold him accountable.

Qin Huaijin didn't know why Empress Dowager Dong suddenly got angry with him, and felt a little aggrieved.

Clearly, it was she who instructed me to find out if Qin Liuse had done anything wrong.

Qin Huaijin came up with the idea a few months ago after he learned that Qin Liuse was communicating with people in his hometown. After telling the Empress Dowager Dong, he sent someone to his hometown in Suzhou and Hangzhou to inquire.

Why now, it seems like it's all her business?

However, she was the empress dowager, so Qin Huaijin couldn't say much to complain. He could only bear it, and couldn't ask her back. He just acted a little aggrieved.

Blinking her eyes, she said, "Empress Dowager, I never thought that the Emperor would protect her."

Thinking of the conversation she had just had with Emperor Yongjia, Empress Dowager Dong was almost embarrassed.

"Okay, okay, you can go back. Don't mention this matter again." The Empress Dowager Dong waved her hand and ordered Qin Huaijin to leave.

Qin Huaijin also couldn't understand what Emperor Yongjia had said to her that caused her to react like that.

Then he tried to show concern, "Empress Dowager, did the Emperor say something to upset you?"

Unexpectedly, she received a loud rebuke from the Queen Mother Dong, "I told you to go back, why don't you leave quickly?"

Qin Huaijin was frightened by the harsh words of Empress Dowager Dong, and was at a loss for a moment. He could only bow under the gaze of his old aunt and retreat in shame.

--

On the other side, Qin Liuse, after Emperor Yongjia came out, followed everyone to see him off and watched him leave from afar.

Then I saw the concubines coming forward, but they couldn't get in and were blocked by their old aunt.

She immediately slipped out of the Cining Palace. Although she didn't know what Emperor Yongjia and Empress Dowager Dong had said, her intuition told her not to stay in the Cining Palace.

Firstly, she felt that nothing good was going to happen, and secondly, she was the fuse, so it would be difficult for her to go back and rush back.

Small snowflakes were falling from the sky. Qin Liuse left the Cining Palace and did not go directly back to the Zhaoyang Palace. Instead, she led the maid to the imperial study.

"Eunuch Zhu, is the emperor free now?" Qin Liuse met Zhu Wanxi at the door and asked politely.

Zhu Wanxi bowed and said with a smile, "The Emperor has just returned to the Imperial Study. Zhaoyi, please go in."

After getting permission, Qin Liuse pushed the door and walked in.

Zhu Wanxi followed Qin Liuse and shouted as soon as he entered, "Your Majesty, Qin Zhaoyi is here."

After saying that and reporting, he stepped out and let Qin Liuse go in by herself.

It was still the imperial study room without floor heating, but Qin Liuse had just walked over and was dressed warmly, so she didn't feel cold.

Qin Liuse walked to the main hall and saw Emperor Yongjia standing behind the desk reading memorials. He saluted him first and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yongjia pointed at the memorial with his fingertips and looked up at her, "Why are you here?"

Qin Liuse bowed and stood up, then walked over to Emperor Yongjia and said, "I am here to thank the emperor."

"no need thank me?"

"Of course I would like to thank His Majesty for rushing to Cining Palace to save me. Otherwise, I would not know how to deal with it by myself."

Qin Liuse had a speech in mind all the way here. She did not want to say anything bad about the Queen Mother Dong, but simply acted as if she had come here specially to express her gratitude.

It's so hard to get such an opportunity, so naturally we have to take advantage of it.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongjia looked up at Qin Liuse who was walking towards him, and curled the corners of his lips, "The Queen Mother is old and a little confused."

"I know." Qin Liuse was not stupid enough to say bad things about the Queen Mother Dong.

No matter how the Empress Dowager Dong was no longer his mother, and no matter how on earth she appeared to be on good terms with Emperor Yongjia, she was still his mother in name only.

Even the surface work has to be done well.

Hearing what Emperor Yongjia said, and knowing that he had just had a secret conversation with Empress Dowager Dong but had driven everyone out, it was clear that Emperor Yongjia did not want to cause trouble.

Now seeing his reaction, Qin Liuse knew that he had made the right move.

Qin Liuse walked over and placed her slender hands on Emperor Yongjia's shoulders, patting and pinching them.

Emperor Yongjia enjoyed it very much and sat down cooperatively, as if he was willing to be served by her.

For a moment, the room was silent, with only the sound of Emperor Yongjia flipping through memorials.

After a while, Qin Liuse smiled and stretched her head to look into Emperor Yongjia's eyes, and said, "In fact, I came here to thank the emperor for his trust in me."

As she spoke, her voice became gentler, and she added, "Your Majesty, I need your trust. It is more valuable than any jewelry, and it will make me happy."

Qin Liuse's flattery obviously tickled Emperor Yongjia's heart.

He raised one hand, patted Qin Liuse's hand on his shoulder, and touched her cheek to express his comfort to her and his appreciation for his words.

--

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the day when Emperor Yongjia hosted a banquet for the royal family.

This year, Concubine Xiao De and Qin Liuse are in charge. Working together, they are much more adept than before when they followed Concubine Li Xian.

Because Concubine Xiao De just did her job, she was always impartial and had no selfish motives.

She would not be like Concubine Li, who wanted to take all the good things and all the credit for herself, which naturally led to a lot of unnecessary grudges.

But this time, Qin Liuse noticed that Concubine Xiao De was a little distracted.

When royal relatives entered the palace to attend banquets, they all wore formal palace robes to pay homage to the emperor.

Male relatives were not allowed to enter the harem, so they could only speak in the front.

However, female members of the family could visit the harem if they were invited, and could also take the opportunity to meet relatives and concubines in the harem.

The children of these royal relatives and royal nobles were married off one after another, so there were many nobles in the capital who, after going around in circles, could be more or less related to them.

Now that there is no queen, these female relatives and ladies of honor do not have to perform grand formalities to the concubines. When they meet the concubines, they only need to bow and greet them.

Qin Liuse and Concubine Xiao De also wore formal clothes today. Although there was no Queen and they did not have to receive gifts, the job of greeting people was still on them.

As soon as Qin Liuse walked into the hall for the ladies who arrived early to rest, she saw several ladies sitting on rose chairs standing up, bowing to her and Concubine Xiao De, and greeting them with a smile.

Qin Liuse nodded and walked beside Concubine Xiao De. As she walked, she listened to the old aunt beside her with a smile, listening to her reminding these people which royal relative's wife this was.

"We are all relatives, please sit down, there is no need to be so polite."