"Mrs. Guotai's call."
The waiters rushed out of the south hall and went to each lady's residence separately.
When they heard that they were going to take their children with them, the concubines had mixed reactions.
Some people were uneasy, some were surprised and doubtful, and some people were relieved because they had no children by their side. They ordered their maids to prepare the gold and jade for Lin Heng and quickly set off for the South Hall.
"Young Master Heng is in the South Hall."
"I whipped the young master to his original height and made Li Ji unconscious. This young master is really..."
"Be careful what you say."
The allied clans share weal and woe, and there is a tacit understanding when a girl from the family enters the palace. Even if we can't help each other, we won't treat them as enemies. On the premise of not harming their respective interests, they can get along fairly harmoniously.
Mrs. Xuan and Mrs. Yan were walking together. The former was raising an eight-year-old daughter, while the latter had nothing to do.
Madam Yan's eyes lit up when she saw the beautiful Lin Le, and she immediately took her hand and pinned a delicate golden cicada to her temple.
"Mrs. Xie Yan."
Lin Le stroked the golden cicada and thanked her obediently.
Mrs. Yan was moved by what she saw and wished she could snatch the little girl away to raise. However, things cannot be accomplished, so we can only look at the ocean and sigh.
Behind each of them is a eunuch, and behind them are several maids.
The eunuch held a wooden box in his hand, which contained beautiful jade and colorful treasures worth thousands of gold. The maidservant holds silk silk in her hands, which is bright in color and exquisite in pattern, which is also rare to see.
As the group of people walked through the palace passage, they met several other concubines, some carrying heavy gifts, and some empty-handed. They obviously had their own agenda.
Before a few people could exchange greetings, another group of people came from the opposite side of the palace road.
The leader is dressed in green clothes, wearing a cloth crown on his head, leather shoes on his feet, and a gold seal hanging on his waist. Behind him were four sturdy maids and seven or eight waiters.
"I have met you ladies."
"Mu Nei Shi."
Miao Liang was deeply trusted by Guotai's wife, and his concubines did not dare to be rude, and their attitude was quite polite.
"Where are you going, Mu Neishi?" a concubine asked curiously. She is only twenty years old and in her prime. She has fair complexion and beautiful appearance. She entered the palace not long ago and is favored by the Marquis of Jin.
"Mrs. Guotai issued a summons, but Qionglan Palace refused to comply. Madam Guotai was unhappy and ordered me to go there in person." Miao Liang explained the reason in a few words, then said goodbye to several concubines and walked quickly to Qionglan Palace.
Watching his back and savoring Cai Cai's words, the concubines had different expressions.
After a brief silence, Mrs. Lan covered her mouth and chuckled: "She has her day too!"
The others didn't answer, but they felt happy in their hearts.
On the contrary, Mrs. Zhen, who often competed with Mrs. Li, remained silent and seemed unusually silent. She looked completely different from her usual self.
In a good mood, the steps of the concubines became brisk.
Passing through the palace corridors carved with animal patterns, and approaching the gorgeous palaces, everyone subconsciously lowered their voices, looked solemn, and their nerves gradually began to tense.
Two waiters were guarding His Majesty Dan. When they saw the group of people dancing in red and green, they quickly stepped down the steps to greet him. After bowing and saluting, he said: "Madam Guotai has something to discuss with Young Master Heng. Madams, please enter the palace first."
The concubines were well prepared and climbed the steps with their usual expressions. On the way, he did not forget to tell his children to say hello to Mrs. Guotai and to respect Young Master Heng.
"Remember, Young Master Heng is noble and should not be offended."
The eunuchs and maidservants followed the team, holding exquisite wooden boxes and colorful cloths. When the sun shines, the pattern on the box shines with golden light, exuding a faint fragrance.
As they approached the palace gate, everyone slowed down in unison.
Afterwards, the waiters guided them in two by two and took their seats at the prepared seats.
The concubine who was born in the old clan is on the left, and the concubine who is from the new clan is on the right. They are distinct from each other, just like in the court hall.
Headed by Mrs. Xuan on the left, followed by Mrs. Yan and Mrs. Lan. Then there are the old ladies from each family. The young master and the female master sat beside their mother, watching her nose and heart without making any random sound.
The first seat on the right is vacant, needless to say, it is reserved for Mrs. Li.
Gongziyuan's biological mother is under her, and then there are families attached to the Hu family and the Lu family, and the relationship between them is clear at a glance.
After everyone was seated, the eunuchs and maidservants stood outside the palace and could only enter after getting permission.
The waiter in the south hall moved the low table, and the maid brought freshly brewed tea soup and various refreshments, with obvious Yue characteristics.
Mrs. Guotai and Young Master Heng did not show up for a long time. The concubines were not in a hurry and concentrated on enjoying tea and snacks, occasionally whispering. His eyes rolled, he smiled softly, and focused on the vacant position, guessing how embarrassed Mrs. Li would be.
"I have been so illustrious for more than ten years, but I have an ordinary status like mine. I really think I can stand shoulder to shoulder with the main lady."
"My son-in-law returns home, I'm afraid it will be difficult for him."
"You may not be willing to have the Fox family."
"No matter how unwilling you are, as long as the legitimate son is here, the concubine will never want to become the heir, and he will not agree to go to the capital."
"Keep your voice down."
"Anyway, you and I have no children, so let's watch the show."
The whispers were very low, with a few chuckles coming from time to time.
Mrs. Li, who was one of the subjects, knew nothing about it. She was lying in Qionglan Palace, her head was wrapped with medicine, and her knees were also covered with medicine, making it very difficult to move.
She fainted in the main hall, and after being treated by a doctor, she was sent back to the dormitory in the middle of the night. The waiter from the South Palace came to announce the summons. She was suffering from pain and had difficulty moving, so she could only plead guilty.
Unexpectedly, Qionglan Palace had done too many things to offend people. After the waiter returned, he added fuel to the fire and sued her severely.
Miao Liang knew that the servant was exaggerating, but he had no intention of getting to the bottom of it. Instead, he was happy to follow the trend and teach this arrogant concubine a lesson.
"She dominates the Jade Hall and is good at using the Madam's seal. She is worthy of it!"
After what happened last night, the number of servants and maids in Qionglan Palace has changed from ten to seventy-eight, and the remaining ones are very cautious, speaking and doing things cautiously, almost as if they are soldiers.
Mu Liang led the people straight into the inner hall, and the maidservants did not dare to stop him.
"Mrs. Guotai summoned her, but Mrs. Li dared not to obey?"
"Muneishi, Madam, it is true that she has difficulty moving." A maid said in fear.
"Having difficulty moving?" Miu Liang had his hands in his sleeves and smiled. "How do I remember that Mrs. Li personally said that when a nobleman summons you, as long as you still have breath, you have to crawl over?"
The maidservant was speechless, and when she thought of the origin of these words, she couldn't help but turn pale.
"Feng Shui is changing, and it's best not to think about things you shouldn't. Nine years ago, I said this to your wife." Miu Liang looked around, his eyes swept over the frightened maids, and said each word.
He did not lower his voice, deliberately letting Mrs. Li hear clearly.
There was a noise from the back hall, and Mu Liang sneered, walked around the carved screen, found Madam Li lying on the couch, and said sarcastically: "Madam Li, Madam Guotai has summoned you, the other ladies have arrived in the South Hall, and are waiting for you. .”
Mrs. Li was filled with anger and glared at Mu Liang.
"Miao Liang, you bullied me today. Aren't you afraid of offending the king? Do you want to make enemies of the eldest son and the Youhu family?!"
"Mrs. Li, I'm afraid you still don't know that the Xian family's collusion with the Quan Rong was exposed. The young master interceded for the Xian family and angered the monarch. He was also involved by the ministers because of his transgression. Sooner or later, he will be severely punished. If the Hu family is implicated, I am afraid that it will be his own. It's hard to guarantee." Miu Liang leaned over and lowered his voice and said in Madam Li's ear, "You know very well whether your Majesty really loves you. Instead of bluffing with me, you might as well think about how to save your life. After all, you have offended the person. There are quite a few, I can’t even count them with two slaps in this palace alone.”
"You are so presumptuous!" Mrs. Li's expression suddenly changed, and she raised her hand to slap Mu Liang.
Miu Liang had already expected it, so he took a step back to avoid it easily, put away the smile on his face, and ordered the servant: "Drag him away."
"promise."
The sun shines through the screen on the servant woman.
Mrs. Li was grabbed by both arms and forcibly dragged off the bed. Seeing two familiar faces, the scene from last night came back to her mind. She opened her mouth to call for help, but no one answered.
"Walk."
Mu Liang turned around and left the dormitory. No one dared to stop him along the way.
The maid showed no mercy and dragged Mrs. Li forward from left to right, causing her more injuries. It didn't take long before she ran out of strength and couldn't scream even if she wanted to.
The group of people walked through the palace passage and encountered various eyes along the way. Mrs. Li was in such a state of embarrassment that she almost fainted when she was dragged to the South Hall.
With a bang, she was carried through the palace door and thrown to the ground.
The room suddenly became silent, and the sounds of orioles and swallows disappeared without a trace.
The concubines looked at the woman on the ground and saw that she was covered in scars and no longer had any of her former glory. Their thoughts of ridicule disappeared and their hearts sank.
Overnight, Mrs. Li's dignity was shattered.
The mountain they could not climb was so vulnerable to Gongzi Heng.
Everyone had different thoughts, and there was an eerie silence in the palace.
Miu Liang winked to the left and right, and a maid immediately stepped forward to help Mrs. Li and placed her in the vacant position.
The maidservant from Qionglan Palace arrived late and was standing outside the palace, not daring to peek her head. At this moment, they were frightened and wanted to save their own lives more than being a loyal servant.
In the hall next door, Lin Heng listened to the report, turned to look at Mrs. Guotai, and asked: "Aren't you worried about your father?"
"What happened in the previous dynasty is enough to make him worried. Li Ji is just a chess piece. If you don't throw it away today, it will be thrown aside sooner or later." Mrs. Guotai snorted coldly, stood up and said, "Everyone is here, let's go and see him. .”
"promise."
Lin Heng followed Mrs. Guota respectfully, always half a step behind her.
The two of them walked through the corridor and appeared in front of the palace door.
The concubines heard the sound and turned their heads to look over. His gaze crossed Mrs. Kota's and landed on the young man in black robe standing with his backlit.
Pale and thin, handsome and sickly.
Her black hair was tied behind her head, with a jade hairpin in her hair.
The lips were bloodless, and the eyes became increasingly dark, thicker than ink.
Compared with nine years ago, the young man's stature has grown taller, and his facial features have lost their childishness, but there are still some shadows of his childhood.
When the ring is tapped, the sound is clear and sweet.
Mrs. Guotai took the seat first, and Lin Heng's position was right next to her.
This scene fell into the eyes of everyone, and the concubines did not dare to hesitate any longer and stood up to salute one after another. The young masters and young ladies beside him also followed the instructions and folded their hands and bent down.
The eunuchs and maidservants were leaning on the ground, and they didn't dare to raise their heads when they thought of Young Master Heng's evil reputation.
Mrs. Li was dragged all the way and her knee was injured even more severely. Unable to move, she could only endure the severe pain and bend down, her nondescript posture looking out of place.
"sit."
Mrs. Guotai ignored Mrs. Li and asked everyone to sit down.
"Aheng has returned to the country, and the date for the sacrifice has been decided. I have called you here today to meet him in advance so that we can get along easily in the future."
Mrs. Guotai got straight to the point and made it clear in one sentence that the concubines were superior and inferior.
The concubines did not dare to have any objections and agreed unanimously. Several people who were born in Xunjiu were smiling, spoke very politely, and presented gold, jade and silk one after another.
"Congratulations to the young master on his return to the country, and please accept it."
Mrs. Xuan's words were humble and her position was very upright. She is not crazy like Mrs. Li. She dares to call herself a concubine in front of Young Master Heng. She is simply bringing humiliation to herself.
"My maid also wishes to send it to you."
Mrs. Xuan was the first, followed by Mrs. Yan and others.
In the blink of an eye, wooden boxes containing gold and jade piled up into a hill, and the colorful silks dazzled the eyes.
The concubine's wife from Zuo Ban had a smile as bright as a flower, and she chatted happily with Lin Heng. The people on the right seemed silent. Not counting Madam Li, there was no one from Madam Zizhen down to prepare a greeting.
"I also have gifts for you ladies."
Lin Heng clapped his hands, and Zi Su and Poria led people into the palace and presented them with jade ornaments prepared in advance as a return gift to Mrs. Xuan and others.
Waiters shuttled through the hall, holding exquisite brocade boxes.
The maid then entered the palace and brought new tea soup.
A maid walked up to Lin Heng with her head lowered, put down her cup and turned around to leave.
Lin Heng picked up the tea soup and sniffed it, catching a hint of medicinal smell mixed in it, and said in a deep voice: "Perilla, Poria, take it."
When the maid saw what had happened, she rushed towards the palace gate.
As fast as lightning, Zisu Poria rushed towards the maid, and struck out the copper thorns from their sleeves, piercing the maid's shoulders and knees on the spot.
Blood splashed and the maid fell to the ground.
Zisu quickly stepped forward to clasp her cheeks and remove her chin neatly. He pulled out the copper thorn stuck in her shoulder with his backhand, and cut off her wrists and hamstrings, all in one swift movement.
The accident happened so quickly that the concubines did not care to panic and hurriedly protected their children in their arms.
Mrs. Guotai looked at Lin Heng, her eyes falling on the tea soup in his hand.
"Is there something different?"
"Mom, this tea soup doesn't taste right."
Lin Heng nodded towards the maid, and Zi Su and Fu Ling immediately understood and dragged her to Lin Heng.
The maid always lowered her head and made up her mind to keep silent.
Lin Heng had no intention of interrogating her. He clamped her jaw with one hand, brought the tea soup to her lips, and pretended to drink it.
"You'll know what's in the tea soup by trying it."
The maid was horrified and desperately wanted to turn around.
But it was all in vain.
The hot tea soup was poured into the mouth, slid down the throat, and flowed into the stomach.
"Take further away."
After Lin Heng finished speaking, Zi Su and Fu Ling dragged the maid some distance away and released their hands at the same time.
The maid fell to the ground and moved her body with difficulty. She suddenly retched and burst into tears. All the vomited out was bright red blood, like red plum blossoms splashing on the ground.
"It seems to be poison."
Lin Heng picked up the silk handkerchief and wiped his hands. He swept his eyes across the hall, observing the expressions of the concubines one by one. He paused at a moment, then moved away as if nothing had happened, and said with a smile: "I'm sorry for disturbing you ladies."
The young master smiled gently and coughed slightly, looking very harmless.
The hands and feet of the concubines were as cold as ice and snow. At this moment, they finally had a real sense of Gongzi Heng's cruelty.
