There are endless storms.
After Wei Li lost his title, he never went to court or showed up in the capital, as if he had disappeared from the world. Some people speculated that he simply left Beijing because he lost face. Some people also speculated that he was worried that he had too many enemies and did not dare to stay in the capital to wait for death, so he ran away.
The stories become more and more false as they spread, but some people take them more seriously the more they hear them.
Queen Xilan had been thinking about it since she met Wei Li that day. She wanted to find out whether there was an affair between them...
Wei Li looked at her with unclear eyes, something must be wrong.
Naturally, Xilan would not question Xu Zhihuai face to face. She had seen her arrogance and the emperor's love for her, so she kept silent and only inquired secretly.
Still, she made a mistake.
She could underestimate Xu Zhihuai, but she couldn't underestimate Wei Li.
Half of Wei Li's contacts in the palace were now in Xu Zhihuai's hands. They were scattered throughout the palace, waiting for the imperial concubine's orders at any time.
Xilan inquired about the news everywhere, even outside the palace, and even Huang Jiwei got wind of it.
Xu Zhihuai would not let her waste her efforts and be disappointed.
Anyway, those rumors about Wei Li have been flying all over the world for a long time, and there is not less than one person who knows about it.
Queen Xilan never expected that the story of this pair of adulterers and adulterers would be so twisted and bizarre. She secretly sighed in her heart: Xu Zhihuai looked weak, but she didn't expect to be so courageous and have such a dark heart! She dominates the prince and seduces the Marquis of Qingyi, which is so shameless.
Xu Shi knew too many secrets, and she became eager to try.
When she mentioned Wei Li intentionally or unintentionally in front of Zhu Weizhen, Zhu Weizhen's expression suddenly changed. She looked at her with a very complicated look and said: "The queen should not waste her time on such rumors and trivial matters, it is useless. If you don’t tell me, it will bore the Emperor.”
This sincere advice, somehow, in Xi Lan's ears, became a grievance about a family scandal that should not be publicized.
She became more convinced of her thoughts, but unfortunately she had no evidence.
On the fifteenth day of the month, Xu Zhihuai took An'er to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager as usual.
The Queen Mother was always happy when she saw An'er and grabbed a handful of candy canes for her: "The Ai family ordered someone to buy them from outside the palace early in the morning for our little tiger to eat."
"Thank you, Grandma Huang."
Xilan was standing by, looking at the happy scene of their grandparents and grandchildren. She didn't feel warm at all, but more suspicious.
She kept looking at Xu Zhihuai with burning eyes.
Look at her gorgeous dress, look at her slender waist...
Huh, what a good skin.
Zhu Qingruo made the Empress Dowager smile, but also earned a cold look from Xi Lan.
He is capable of flattery at a young age, and Xu Zhihuai naturally taught him well.
Xilan looked at Zhu Qingruo, her alert thoughts rising again.
She doesn't seem to look much like the emperor.
After another sudden burst, Xi Lan thought of something.
Xu Zhihuai looked at her twinkling eyes, feeling vaguely expectant.
It's time for the Queen to come on stage and sing.
Xi Lanhua bribed several old ladies in the palace and came to Zhu Xingxing with full suspicion, wanting to reveal all her guesses.
Zhu Xuxing was taking a bath in the Hot Spring Palace, soaking his whole body in the hot water, trying to slowly relieve his fatigue.
There have been too many things going on recently, Wei Li has disappeared again, and there is still an endless shortage of military pay that can never be collected.
The Queen's appearance made him frown slightly in displeasure.
Zhu Xuxing did not invite her to enter the pool with him. Instead, he put on his robe and came to see her outside.
When the names of Wei Li and Xu Zhihuai came out of Xi Lan's mouth at the same time, Zhu Xuxing's face was like a dark cloud that condensed into a piece and rolled strangely, dark, and wanted to swallow everything in the world.
"Your Majesty, I suspect that Concubine Rong and Wei Li are having an affair!"
"Queen!"
Zhu Xuxing's face was gloomy, and his voice was also heavy: "Concubine Rong is my beloved concubine, and Wei Li is my loyal minister who has assisted me for many years. What is the benefit of framing them like this?"
Xi Lan was shocked and surprised: "Your Majesty, I did not frame them! That day in the paddock, Wei Li looked at Concubine Rong, and it was clearly wrong. Concubine Rong had been waiting to give birth in Fengdu for several months, and Wei Li was the only one beside her..."
"Somebody come!"
Zhu Xuxing suddenly spoke loudly, interrupting her and frightening her.
The eunuch bowed and entered: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
"Mr. Xuan, the Queen is unconscious and talking nonsense. She needs to return to the palace immediately to rest!"
As soon as these words came out, Xilan was stunned.
She looked at Zhu Xuxing in disbelief, with tears in her eyes and a trembling tone: "I am not talking nonsense, I am speaking from the bottom of my heart! The emperor only has Xu Zhihuai in his eyes, but she is clearly a bitch!"
Zhu Xuxing's phoenix eyes were condensed and he said sternly: "Send the queen back to the palace. The queen is seriously ill. You must not leave the palace even a step without my instructions."
She was placed under house arrest.
Xi Lan refused to accept it, but it was in vain.
An hour later, when Xu Zhihuai heard the news, he just looked at the candlestick on the table and said calmly: "No need to wait, the emperor will not come tonight."
Zhu Xuxing did this not for her, but for his own precarious dignity.
Xilan started a hunger strike when she returned to the palace, determined to die to express her wish.
She couldn't figure it out and was even more angry. Who knew that after being hungry for two days, it was Xu Zhihuai who was waiting for her.
Xi Lan was so hungry that she was upset, and when she saw her, she was even more sarcastic.
Even though he has no strength, he still pretends to be powerful and threatens: "Don't be too proud, I will definitely find the evidence."
Xu Zhihuai smiled faintly: "My dear, don't be excited, I don't come here empty-handed."
She brought a food box with several porridge and side dishes in it.
Xu Zhihuai brought the hot porridge to her mouth, and no one of the palace maids dared to step forward to stop him.
"Get out!"
Xilan looked away: "Stop touching me with your dirty hands!"
Xu Zhihuai lowered his eyes and took a ladle of steaming white rice porridge: "Why do you torture yourself? If you want to curse, you have to eat well to have the strength."
"Concubine Rong, you are so shameless. Everyone in this palace knows your details, and neither you nor the princess can escape!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Zhihuai raised his hand and poured the hot porridge in the bowl on her body, which made her squeak.
Xilan's chin and neck were covered in hot porridge, making it sticky and embarrassing.
Xu Zhihuai threw away the empty bowl and slowly stood up and said: "It's hard enough for the empress to deal with me alone, but also to bring disaster to the princess? It seems that the empress is indeed very ill and confused. If this continues, she will be grounded. If it’s not enough, it’s safer to ban him.”
Xilan wiped the rice porridge on her face indiscriminately, and angrily shouted at the palace maids: "Why are you so embarrassed! Beat me, beat me back!"
But who dares to move?
Her dowry servants and nuns were all taken away by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. These were all smart people who used money to do things, and no one would offend Concubine Rong for her.
