Chapter Thirteen Suspicious Neighbor Stealing the Ax

"Concubine Yuan Xian?!" Gu Zhen said in unison with his confidantes, "How could it be Concubine Yuan Xian?!"

The maid in charge of running errands reported according to Yun Fenghuang's explanation: "The imperial concubine said that only Concubine Yuan Xian is the most suspect!"

"But how is it possible?" A close servant frowned and said to Gu Zhen, "Your Majesty, let alone whether Yuan Zhiniang has this ability or not, just as the imperial concubine said, it depends on who can benefit the most. , what is the benefit of Concubine Xian harming our Highness King Chu?"

This is also Gu Zhen's doubts, but she held back and didn't ask, she just asked: "Your concubine, why is Concubine Yuan Xian the most suspicious?"

"The imperial concubine said, because firstly, although Concubine Yuan Xian is not good at herself, there is the empress dowager standing behind her. With the method of the empress dowager, if she wants to murder His Highness the king of Chu, we may not be able to detect it. Moreover, even if your majesty finds out , also..." The maid hesitated to say anything, but Gu Zhen's complexion sank, and she and the left and right believed it a little bit: before, when Chun Jia asked the Imperial City Secretary to find the traces and not to speak out, Gu Zhen suspected him I know something but want to cover up.

Even if he didn't know anything, at least he was aware of the real culprit.

In short, I just want to cover up.

At that time, she was more suspicious of Yun Fenghuang.

Because among the concubines, Chunjia favored Concubine Min the most.

But when she was reminded suddenly at this moment, she realized that it was not only the concubines who were favored by Chunjia without principle in the harem.

There is also the loving mother Empress Dowager who is not Chunjia's mother but is better than her own mother!

The palace maid paused, and when Gu Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, she continued: "Secondly, Concubine Yuan Xian is pregnant now, and counting the days, she may already know whether the offspring in her womb will be male or female!"

After all, Gu Zhen is not good at the city government, but he has not reacted here, and said in confusion: "But even if she can get a man in one fell swoop, she is only the seventh prince! No matter how much your majesty respects the loving mother, the empress dowager, you can let the seventh prince surpass the eldest prince to take the throne ?!"

"Your Majesty." The palace maid said with a look of impatience, "The Concubine said that the Empress Dowager, the loving mother, must not be able to let the seven princes under Concubine Yuan Xian's knees pass over the other princes and enter the East Palace. Even the Empress Dowager, the loving mother, dare not mention it." Putting it this way, otherwise the officials of the previous court would not agree, and would instead annoy the Uncle Xingning Mansion because of it! But, what if, because of His Royal Highness King Chu’s accident, the Seventh Prince was adopted to the empress and became the first son? Isn't it a matter of course to be the master of the East Palace? Not only will the ministers not object, they will even support it!"

"..." There was silence in the hall for a while.

Gu Zhen only felt that the veins on her forehead were exposed, and she was twitching. She gritted her teeth and said, "But the birth mother of the Seventh Prince is one of the four concubines. According to the rules of the palace, he...he...he should be born with his own birth mother." Concubine Yuan Xian, the mother, raised her personally!"

"The imperial concubine said that the fifth prince was born by the concubine of Yijia Palace. According to the rules, he should be raised by the concubine De. But didn't he still give it to you? So for this kind of thing, as long as the prince's mother concubine agrees, you Agree, then there is no problem. And..." The maid hesitated for a while, and said in a low voice, "The imperial concubine also said that the loving mother, the empress dowager, arranged a total of three daughters of the Yuan family to serve her majesty in the palace, among which Yuan Guiren is a concubine daughter. , the status of entering the palace is neither high nor favored. A few days ago, didn’t they say that they were gone? It can be seen that the loving mother, the Empress Dowager, actually doesn’t particularly value her nieces other than Concubine An.”

"After all, Concubine An was brought up by her loving mother, the Empress Dowager. She puts as much effort into raising His Majesty, so she naturally has a deep affection."

"But Yuan Guiren and Concubine Yuan Xian, although they are also the nieces and daughters of the loving mother Empress Dowager, they don't get along with the loving mother Empress Dowager very much, so the loving mother Empress Dowager does not love them as much as she does Anfei."

"If His Royal Highness King Chu is not well, the empress will definitely have to raise the prince again, and he will be a famous prince."

"Then as long as Concubine Yuan Xian follows in the footsteps of the Liang family and the Chen family, the Seventh Prince will no longer be raised by his mother and concubine, and the loving mother Empress Dowager will arrange him for you, your empress. High palace rules?"

"In this way, Yuan's only sacrificed one daughter, and he can help his grandson get the position of the East Palace without any effort."

"When the Seventh Prince grows up and is related by blood, how can he treat Uncle Xingning's mansion badly?"

"Even if the empress knows the joints here, she can't refuse to say nothing. On the scene, she owes a favor to the loving mother, the empress dowager, and the Xingning uncle's mansion!"

The more the palace maid spoke, the more angry she became, and she couldn't help saying, "Your Majesty, the servant girl thinks what the Concubine Concubine said is right! Because the Xingning House has not had any outstanding talents in the past two years, even if they have the face of a loving mother, the Empress Dowager, the children of the Yuan family are no more It’s all just to take up some idle work. Otherwise, the loving mother empress dowager will not arrange for her niece to enter the palace again and again! Before our summer vacation this time, in order to fight for the position of a virtuous concubine, the loving mother empress dowager once had a quarrel with the noble concubine! It can be seen that the loving mother empress dowager is in the heart Thinking about Yuan Shi, how can you not target us, His Royal Highness King Chu?"

"Your Majesty has her own judgment, so shut up!" The waiter standing beside Gu Zhen frowned slightly, and scolded in a low voice, "Have you forgotten who the imperial concubine is? Her words may not all be true .Besides, the relationship between the loving mother empress dowager and the noble concubine has never been very good. Before leaving this time, the two sides fought again, how could it be that the noble concubine held a grudge against the loving mother empress dowager, so she borrowed a knife to kill someone?"

The maid said: "At first, the imperial concubine was unwilling to speak out about this speculation, saying that she was afraid of being misunderstood by us. Moreover, the imperial concubine's speculation is reasonable, except for the loving mother, the empress dowager and Yuan Xianfei, who has the ability and who can profit from it? "

"..." The waiter gave her a hard look, turned to Gu Zhen, and persuaded, "Your Majesty, this matter is too important to listen to the concubine's one-sided words. Besides, even if the concubine's conjecture is correct, what kind of mother is the empress dowager?" Status? The imperial concubine is so favored by His Majesty, so she dare not make a mistake, let alone us? Fortunately, His Royal Highness Chu's fever has receded a bit, and maybe everything will be fine in the future. We have to think about it in the long run!"

Gu Zhen's complexion was pale, and he remained silent for a long time before saying: "What you said is all reasonable, there is nothing wrong with your concubine's conjecture, and your concubine will not help me purely... I also know that if you are really a loving mother Empress Dowager, I have no ability to seek justice for the King of Chu! In this way, let’s take good care of the King of Chu for the time being. As for the truth... If it’s really the Empress Dowager, the kind concubine, there will definitely be some movement in a few months .”

While speaking, she fiercely pinched her nails into her palms, "At that time, if the imperial concubine teases us, I will never give up with the imperial concubine! If the empress dowager is a loving mother... I will win His Majesty's favor even though I am not as good as the imperial concubine. In this palace, however, it is not without strength to fight back!!!"

All the servants of Woxia Building were gnashing their teeth, and when they were holding back for the time being, Yun Fenghuang was thinking about how to make this round a success: "It's a pity that Yuan Cistanniang was dealt with by the loving mother Empress Dowager, otherwise, let her give advice to Concubine Xian , is a ready-made candidate.”

After all, sisters of the same clan watch and help each other, and if one prospers and the other suffers, it is only right and proper, isn't it?

"But ma'am, we haven't found out that Concubine Yuan Xian's birth is a male heir?" Chen Jing couldn't help but reminded, "If Concubine Xian is born a royal daughter, then...?"

"That's the imperial doctor's mistake." Yun Fenghuang said calmly, "It's not guaranteed every time that men and women are separated, and there are also possible omissions, right? And, there is another possibility, that Xianfei hates Concubine An In order to win the attention of the family and the empress dowager from Concubine An, she took the initiative to lie and say it was a boy."

The corner of Chen Jing's mouth twitched slightly, and said, "This kind of lie...can lie for ten months at most, Concubine Xian...What about it?"

"Why not?" Yun Fenghuang asked in amazement, "Have you forgotten how she came to be the virtuous concubine? It was the kind mother Empress Dowager who worked so hard to win her! As we all know, the loving mother Empress Dowager always favors Ann. Concubine, that’s the case for the noble concubine who is gone! You said that when the sixth palace was promoted, the loving mother, the empress dowager, only won the concubine position for Concubine An, but she won the position of virtuous concubine for her. Why? Just because Concubine Xian is pregnant? Then Concubine An was pregnant before, why didn't the loving mother Empress Dowager help her beloved Concubine An to be the fourth concubine?"

"Furthermore, based on the importance that the loving mother Empress Dowager attaches to Concubine An and Concubine Xian, do you think that if Concubine Xian is not pregnant with a male child, but also a healthy male fetus, the Empress Dowager will let Concubine Xian pass over Concubine An?"

"How can I say that Concubine An was also raised like a daughter by the loving mother Empress Dowager? "

"This..." Chen Jing opened her mouth, suddenly a little suspicious, her master must have hit the right spot by mistake, right?

It sounds so reasonable...

If he was a virtuous concubine, he would do the same, anyway, he would first deceive the position of virtuous concubine!

Even if she was born an imperial daughter after the fruit is ripe, she was found to be lying, but what does that matter?

Even if the loving mother, the empress dowager, doesn't like the concubine Xian very much, she is her own niece, and at least she has given birth to a royal heir.

When the time comes, go to the Spring Palace to plead guilty.

Can the loving mother empress dowager kill her to make the position of virtuous concubine vacant, at the expense of others?

"So let's just arrange it according to the concubine Xian will give birth to a boy." Yun Fenghuang concluded, "If she gives birth to a daughter, it's nothing more than a different way to deal with the aftermath. Anyway, I told the queen's maid just now, It's just speculation, there is no proof, and it's all up to the empress herself to believe it or not."

In short, she does not take the blame.

From now on, whether the queen has an affair with Queen Mother Yuan or if the queen is cowardly, it has nothing to do with her!

"The servant girl has an idea." Chen Jing thought for a while and said, "This is a big matter, so why bother to remind Yuan's daughter through Yuan's daughter? The servant thinks that the one who is most concerned about the future of the Xingning uncle's mansion is not The virtuous concubine Anfei or the loving empress dowager in the palace are the descendants of the Yuan family! After all, if the slaves say something bad, as far as our majesty is concerned, it is certain that the loving empress dowager will enjoy the honor of the rest of her life. Concubine Xian, Concubine An, as long as she doesn't do those rebellious things, for the sake of the empress dowager's face, His Majesty will not treat them badly! These three, I have my own guarantee, no matter how much I think about it for the Xingning uncle's mansion, It's also watching from the other side. But the whole Xingningbo mansion, apart from the title, has not had any serious real power in their hands so far."

"That's the first-hand feeling that the future is bleak!"

"As long as someone points out a clear way for them, can they think of ways to do it?"

He smiled, "As long as they do this, even if they are rejected by the empress dowager, the empress dowager's natal family is not vegetarian, can they not be found out? At that time..."

That is ironclad evidence.

No matter how much he denied it, Gu Zhen also identified Yuan as the real murderer!

Although this empress is not favored and her wrists are not very good, she is an empress after all, she is Uncle Zhaowu's prostitute.

On the way to deal with Queen Mother Yuan, it is one to have a helper, isn't it?

Yun Fenghuang looked at Chen Jing appreciatively: "I will leave this matter to you!"

What a talent!

...Two days later in the evening, two news came out from Woxialou: the good news is that the king of Chu has finally lost his fever; the bad news is that although the king of Chu has lost his fever, it may be because the fever lasted too long So much so that the whole person is a little numb, as if a little... burnt out his brain?

This is fatal, if it is an ordinary prince, everyone will feel sorry for it.

Anyway, there is a third prince under the queen's lap, right?

But this is the only legitimate son on the jade plate!

The default future East Palace!

To put it bluntly, even if the king of Chu has a broken leg and missing fingers, he can still be saved. After all, these incompleteness does not necessarily affect the governance of the country. As long as the king of Chu is talented and intelligent, and shows enough excellence in the future, the identity of the son of the concubine will still suppress all the bullets.

The only thing that can't do is a bad brain. Chunjia endured for eight years before taking charge of the government. How could he hand over the country he had so hard to get to a fool's son to prodigal?

Even the courtiers will definitely object.

This result for the queen, in a political sense, is actually almost the same as the death of the king of Chu.

I don't know if it was too much stimulation, or because he took care of the king of Chu with his clothes all day long and his mind was too exhausted. Gu Zhen fell ill that day, and it is said that he was still very sick.

So the concubines of course have to go to visit and even serve the sick.

Gu Zhen asked the female officials around him to come out, and sent most of them away, leaving only the noble concubine Shu Concubine De Concubine among the four concubines to go in and talk.

The female officer looked at Concubine Yuan Xian who had a displeased expression on her face, and said politely: "Concubine Xian, it's not that the empress doesn't see you on purpose, but because you are pregnant now, and you are afraid that you will be ill and treat the emperor's heir badly. It's the concubine and the others. , After entering, I just talked through the screen, and when I go back later, I have to take a bath and change clothes with soup, and then I will go to see the emperor's heirs."

He then told in a low voice, "The empress has been very sad about His Highness the King of Chu these two days. That's it. Just now I heard that all the concubines have come, and she ordered in a hoarse voice to arrange warm drinks for you and the empress Shao. Don't give herbal tea."

"So that's the case, it's because I misunderstood the empress." Yuan Zhiniang was indeed very upset at first, but she felt relieved after being explained in this way. Because of her beauty, even though she was a concubine, she was treated as a concubine. Yang Yang is also very arrogant at home. After entering the palace, although her status is high, her life is not satisfactory. Either she is overwhelmed by one or the other.

Even with the backing of her aunt, the Empress Dowager Yuan, in the eyes of the Empress Dowager Yuan, she and Yuan Cistanniang, nieces who were not raised by the Empress Dowager herself, seemed to never be as good as Yuan Niuniang.

Being pregnant with the emperor's heir was the most proud thing for her.

Even the Empress Dowager Yuan, who had always favored Yuan Niangniang, made an exception and personally ended the fight, and insisted on winning the title of virtuous concubine for her.

So Yuan Zhiniang liked to be treated specially because of her pregnancy.

Seeing that the queen really paid extra attention to me now, she smiled subconsciously, reached out and touched her belly, which was not very obvious because of the loose dress, and said softly, "The empress is always gentle and virtuous. She's sick, and I'm really worried about..."

She said something about Queen Gu and the King of Chu, and asked the female officer to help tell the queen, and Shi Shiran left.

Yuan Zhiniang never expected that such a simple cutscene, in the eyes of Gu Zhen's close attendant, was interpreted as: "The imperial concubine is such a favorite. When the empress asked someone to ask her, she also said, "It's a matter of course for the middle palace to order." , Concubine Xian is good! What do you mean by 'this palace misunderstood the empress empress'? Why is the empress sick, and whoever she wants to see and who she doesn't want to see, can't you give her an explanation?!"

"What's more, sister, did you notice just now? When she was talking to us, she touched her belly! What does this mean? Can't wait for mother to be more expensive than child?!"

"Besides, the inside and outside of the words either mentioned that the empress is sick, or mentioned His Royal Highness the King of Chu... No matter how you look at it, how can you hide evil intentions!"