The next morning, in the imperial city and in the harem.
In the Zhaoyang Palace, there were seven or eight palace maids.
A woman is dressing up in front of the mirror and describing her makeup.
Viewed from the back, the snow-capped neck and willow waist, the arc constricting at the waist, creates a rounded beauty, and then suddenly expands into a roundness that makes people want to move.
This is enough to make people's hearts move. In front of the back, in the bronze mirror, there is an equally beautiful face.
Compared with the ultimate elegance and dignity of Concubine De, this face gives people the feeling of charm, the kind of coquettish one who can't help but feel dizzy after just one look.
Needless to say, this is Concubine De's biggest rival in the harem, Concubine Shu, Lu Muzhen, who is also a first-class imperial concubine.
"Your Majesty, the British Lord wishes to see you."
A palace maid stood at the door and announced in a crisp voice.
Concubine Shu, who was bored in front of the mirror and dressing up, had a bit of surprise in her eyes, "Father is here? Please come quickly!"
The customs of Great Xia were not considered conservative. The closest relatives of concubines and concubines, even if they were of ordinary origin, were not prohibited from visiting the palace. Not to mention the status of the British Duke, they could almost come whenever they wanted, so there were some restrictions on time. Can't stay long.
Soon, the British male Lu Rusong strode in.
"I pay my respects to the empress!"
"Father is free of charge!" Concubine Shu happily helped her father sit down. "Father hasn't been here for a while. It's rare to come this time. I have to have lunch before leaving."
The British father said with a cold face, "No need, I'm here this time to see you on business."
The most beloved concubine in the harem is not a good at observing words and emotions. Concubine Shu knew that the matter was serious as soon as she saw her father's face, so she waved her hand and asked the other maids to go down, leaving only one confidant maid beside her.
"Father, what happened?"
"Let me ask you, what did you do in Surabaya?"
After the British Duke finished asking, he looked at Concubine Shu, and sure enough he saw a flash of panic subconsciously flashing in his daughter's eyes.
"What haven't you done? Sishui Prefecture is so far away, what can I do?"
"Bastard!" The British father slapped the table, "I know everything, and you still want to hide it? Do you think His Majesty doesn't know?"
Concubine Shu trembled, "Father, please don't be angry. I really didn't do anything. I just ordered my subordinates to push the boat along and cheat Concubine De once."
She hurriedly said: "As long as this is successful and that bitch De Fei makes such a big mistake, she will no longer be able to compete with me for the post, and Shaoer's chances of succeeding to the throne will be much greater."
Confirming the news, the British public servant closed his eyes, took a long breath, then opened his eyes, and said helplessly: "You want to compete in the harem, you have plenty of means, why do you act like this!"
He roared with hatred, "That's a rebellion! You're killing the nine tribes! How dare you get involved! Your mother and I have really spoiled you. You are so bold, lawless, and do all kinds of things." !”
"Dad! Don't worry, nothing will happen." Concubine Shu said anxiously: "I have arrangements. Song Renxia can hardly stay in Wudang Army any longer. Even if he is exposed, just let him be treated as an outcast. I I will take good care of his family. And I have never left any letters to contact him. As for Adi, he just opened a city, and the other party was disguised as an officer. In the future, breaking the sky will be the responsibility of oversight, and there is no Rebellious. We are nobles and one body with the country, how can we rebel!"
"You also know that we are nobles!" the British Duke angrily said: "Who told you that if you don't take action directly, it will not be considered a rebellion? You never thought that Concubine De and the others could survive, quell the rebellion, and let your What you did was exposed?"
Concubine Shu shook her head quickly, "Impossible! With such a careful plan, how could Concubine De escape?"
The British duke looked at his stupid daughter and for the first time began to think about whether sending her to the palace was the right decision.
"Last night, news came from Sishui Prefecture. The rebellion of Jianning Prefect Zheng Yuanwang and his son was suppressed by Jiang Yuhu. Zheng Yuanwang and his son confessed in front of the battle that they had an appointment with Sanlang to earn the state capital. Sanlang had also been captured by the Wudang Army and detained in In the prison of Sishui Prefecture City."
"What?" Concubine Shu was really panicking now and grabbed her father's hand, "Father, what should we do now? We won't die, right?"
"Now, the first thing is to hope that Saburo is not too stupid to do something really rebellious. As long as he is not, and does not admit guilt, and enters the capital, we will have a way to exonerate him. As for the second thing."
The British duke looked at his beautiful stupid daughter and sighed, "Tell me, who is secretly contacting you about this and letting you use it as a knife. With your brain, you can't come up with such a plan. of."
Concubine Shu subconsciously turned her head to look at her personal female officer.
The British Duke turned to look, then his expression changed, and he immediately reached out to grab him, but he was no match for the female officer who had been prepared as soon as the British Duke arrived.
Dressed in palace attire, with a decisive attitude, he suddenly hit his head on the pillar of the hall.
"ah!!!"
Concubine Shu screamed in shock, and the maid outside the room quickly opened the door and came in.
I saw the British male holding a piece of clothes in his hand, while the concubine Shu's personal maid had a bloody head and fell limply next to the pillar.
Seeing this scene, a group of palace maids immediately imagined a drama in their minds about a powerful man doing evil and willing to die rather than obey, and looked at the British Duke in surprise.
"How brave! How dare you harm your master? Even if you commit suicide, I will dig out the person behind you!"
The British prince is indeed an old fox. He reacted instantly from the horror, gritted his teeth, and revealed the truth of the matter.
"Carry her body down! Clean this place!"
After a group of maids finished their busy work, the father and daughter sat in the quiet room again, still feeling a little cold.
It was already obvious that there was another hand behind this.
It's been a long time since they, in such high positions, felt like they were being manipulated like dolls.
"She was the one who went out to help me with something, and asked her to visit my relatives. After she came back, she gave me suggestions. Then she said that a cousin of hers was in Surabaya, and she knew that the Zheng family had objections, so she could go along with it."
Concubine Shu explained timidly, "At that time, it was just decided that the bitch De Concubine would return to Sishui Prefecture. I was a little scared and didn't want her to succeed, so I thought about it and fell into the opponent's trap step by step."
The British Duke pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows, thinking for a while, "The most urgent task is to take us out first, and I will go to see His Majesty right away."
He looked at his daughter, "You have to be prepared."
"Daddy!" Concubine Shu was instantly frightened and knelt on the ground, holding her father's clothes.
"Don't worry, we are Xungui's leading figures after all."
The British duke gently stroked his daughter's head and said with some uncertainty, "Your Majesty, you should still miss the old relationship."
"Your Majesty, Lu Rusong, pays homage to your Majesty!"
In the imperial study, Lu Rusong respectfully saluted Emperor Chongning and greeted him.
As a veteran of two dynasties, he has been to this study countless times. This may be the first time that he has been so tormented and anxious.
"Get flat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Then, Lu Rusong's heart skipped a beat, and he was not offered a seat.
Could it be that His Majesty already knows?
His knees that were about to stand up were lowered again, and then he knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice: "I did not teach my children properly, which caused them to make a big mistake. I am here to complain and ask your Majesty to forgive me!"
"Where did Lu Qing start talking about this?"
There was no emotion or anger in Emperor Chongning's voice, which made Lu Rusong feel even more uneasy.
"My daughter Lu Muzhen, who lives deep in the palace, should have quietly cultivated her virtues, inherited the emperor's favor, and raised the prince. However, she was jealous and deceived by others. When she learned that there was a rebellious party in Sishui Prefecture, she did not want to immediately Reporting to Your Majesty, in order to stabilize the country, he secretly contacted his brother Lu Fengyuan to add fuel to the flames and tried to put Concubine De in danger. His own selfish desires overrided the country. Such behavior horrified the old minister, so I came here to report it and beg your Majesty to severely punish me. The entire clan also committed suicide to bear the responsibility of living up to the emperor's kindness."
After finishing his words, Lu Rusong, who had planned to retreat in order to advance, did not wait for Emperor Chongning's response, but he did not dare to look up, so he kowtowed and said: "Everything that I said is true, and my heart can be judged by the sun and the moon." Zhao, if you have failed the emperor's favor, you will never be able to atone for your sins even if you die!"
Boom, boom, boom.
His forehead hit the thick green brick, making a muffled sound.
When the young British prince was about to faint from the impact, he finally heard the voice of Emperor Chongning that sounded like the sound of nature.
"Keep your head up."
The British Duke held his head up. He had bled out because of his deliberate exertion, which made him look even more miserable.
"Does Lu Qing know that this is rebellion?"
"I know this, please forgive me! I have been loyal to the country since my ancestor Guangming Gong. When my ancestor passed away, he had more than 70 scars all over his body. He can be called loyal and brave. My whole family admires his character and teaches him every day. Unexpectedly, with the presence of such a scum, the entire clan is ashamed of Your Majesty and our ancestors!"
"The concubine Shu, Lu Muzhen, and her brother, the governor of Sishui, Lu Fengyuan, colluded with the rebels, intended to rebel, and assassinated the imperial concubine. They deprived the concubine Shu of her title and sent her to the cold palace. The prince was raised by the queen mother. Lu Fengyuan was granted death, and he was demoted to the common people in the British lineage. , was driven out of the capital to guard the mausoleum of Taizu."
Lu Rusong's whole body was shaken, and he looked at Emperor Chongning in disbelief. After a moment, he lay on the ground as if he were mourning for his concubine, "My lord, thank you for not killing him."
"This was originally my initial decision." Emperor Chongning suddenly spoke again: "However, the night before, Jiang Jiayuhu executed Lu Fengyuan on the spot in Sishui Prefecture City, and also killed the captain who was loyal to Concubine Shu. I’ve done you a big favor.”
He said slowly: "Concubine Shu shut herself up for half a year, during which time she was not allowed to leave Zhaoyang Palace. Lu Fengyuan was expelled from the Lu family tree. Lu Qing resigned from the post of Zhonglang General, picked up half of the family property, and put it into the national treasury. Let's forget about it That’s it. Lord British, you are an honorable leader and you have to share the worries of the country and the dynasty!”
On the one hand, Lu Rusong was overjoyed to be pardoned, but then he couldn't help but feel distressed, and said bitterly: "My lord, thank you for your kindness. I will do my best to be loyal to your majesty and the country!"
"Don't just thank me."
Lu Rusong slumped and closed his eyes, "I know this. I will go to the bamboo forest to express my gratitude when I leave the palace."
"Prepare a thank you gift for me as well. Come on down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"
After Lu Rusong left, Emperor Chongning said calmly: "Go and find out who the palace maid who died in Zhaoyang Palace has been in contact with in the past six months, and report them in detail."
From the darkness, a respectful shrill voice echoed in agreement.
(End of chapter)
