Chapter 314

"Master." Seeing Zhen Zhen's figure, Wu'er, who had been waiting in the bushes for a long time, hurried forward.

"I can only send you this far." Not knowing when the Imperial Guards would patrol, Qingfeng didn't say more, handed the small bamboo basket containing the child to Wu'er, and urged: "Go quickly."

Zhen Zhen walked two steps and suddenly stopped, "You, be careful."

Qingfeng was stunned and smiled: "I will."

Her eyes lingering on Qingfeng's protruding belly, Zhen Zhen lowered her head and pondered for a while. Just as Qingfeng was about to ask if there was anything else, Zhen Zhen said again: "Beware of Shui Xin!" After saying this, she didn't linger and left in a hurry, supported by Wu'er.

Beware of Shui Xin? Qingfeng and Fuling were both stunned. This warning came strangely. It wasn't to beware of the Empress or the Empress Dowager, but to beware of... Shui Xin?

For some reason, the smiling eyes of Shui Xin when she left in the afternoon flashed through her mind, and Qingfeng's body trembled for no reason. Originally, she had planned to go to the banquet as if nothing had happened after sending Zhen Zhen back, but now she had no desire to attend the banquet at all.

"Return to the palace." Leaving these two words, Qingfeng sat in the sedan chair.

"Yes." Fuling shouted to the sedan bearers in the distance: "The Consort is unwell, return to the palace."

The sedan bearers were confused but didn't dare to say anything, carrying the sedan back. This time, Fuling still let them carry the sedan to the door, and after helping Qingfeng out, she let them take the sedan away.

Most of the servants in Qingfeng Palace had been driven away for most of the day, and now they had basically all returned. After the events of the afternoon, everyone tacitly stayed in their rooms, not daring to walk around, leaving only one palace maid standing far below the steps waiting for orders.

Qingfeng entered the room. The candles were burning brightly, and the room was cleaned up, showing no signs of the mess and blood from the afternoon. A breeze blew through the half-open window, bringing in the elegant scent of begonias. A cup of hot tea was placed on the low table next to the recliner. Qingfeng walked over, sat on the recliner, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. The tea was fragrant and the water temperature was just right. Qingfeng was very satisfied. Glancing at Ruyi, who was standing quietly by the door, Qingfeng raised a smile, but was not in a hurry to praise her.

"Fuling, winter is coming soon. Prepare some daily necessities and send them to the Cold Palace."

"Yes." Thinking of the situation in the Cold Palace she saw this morning, Fuling calculated the things to prepare. Qingfeng suddenly said again: "Also, from now on, announce to the outside world that I have been affected by fetal movement and am bedridden." Before figuring out who Shui Xin was, it was better to be prepared for all changes by remaining unchanged. If she didn't go out, others would naturally have no chance to spy.

Fuling nodded. Qingfeng held the tea in her hand, neither drinking nor speaking. Fuling glanced at Ruyi beside her, understood, and turned to go outside.

Fuling went out, and Ruyi's heart jumped to her throat. Even though she kept her head down, she could feel a deep gaze on her.

"Ruyi."

The soft, low call was gentle and pleasant, but Ruyi's heart tightened.

"Consort..." Opening her mouth, Ruyi realized her voice was shaking uncontrollably. She secretly swallowed, not daring to speak.

"What are you afraid of?" The soft voice carried a smile. Ruyi was terrified. She was truly afraid. Over the past few days, she had constantly warned herself to be careful and cautious, but she was still young and had only dealt with nannies, eunuchs, and noble ladies before. Being sweet-tongued could get her rewards, and being clumsy at most meant getting a scolding or a beating. She had never served a master who could take her life with a flick of a finger. She had also gotten involved in the trouble of Consort Hui giving birth. After today, either she would become Qingfeng's confidante, or... she would die!

Looking at Ruyi, who was huddled in the corner like a little mouse, Qingfeng frowned slightly. It was right to be afraid, but being scared like this was not what she wanted. Coughing lightly, Qingfeng said in a low voice: "You did very well today."

Qingfeng's praise made her tense heart relax slightly, but the next sentence left her hanging in mid-air.

"Do you know why it was you?"

Ruyi thought for a while, not daring to answer, and just shook her head very slightly.

"Your brother's illness is not serious. Take good care of him, and he will live a long life." As soon as she finished speaking, Qingfeng watched with satisfaction as Ruyi, who had been keeping her head down in fear, suddenly raised her head, her bright eyes filled with horror and confusion as she stared at her.

She knew she had chosen the right bargaining chip. Hadn't Yan Hongtian also used her sister's life to threaten her before? She knew the feeling of having one's weak spot held by someone else. She couldn't afford any mistakes around her, and she didn't have enough trust to give to others, so she could only control them.

And she also believed in her own judgment. Sure enough, the next moment, as if Ruyi understood something, she knelt on both knees and said firmly and eagerly: "Ruyi will definitely be loyal to the Consort and will do my best!"

The effect she wanted had been achieved. Qingfeng smiled gently: "Alright, get up and talk."

Ruyi got up submissively.

"Come here."

Qingfeng said one sentence, and Ruyi moved, slowly shuffling to Qingfeng's side.

Looking at her cautious appearance, Qingfeng shook her head and said in a low voice: "I don't have many people around me. As long as you are loyal and dedicated, I will naturally not treat you badly."

"Thank you, Consort." She had finally fulfilled her wish to become Qingfeng's confidante. Originally, the status and money she had imagined should have arrived as scheduled, but for some reason, while her heart was leaping, it was also mixed with deep fear.

Yilan Palace

After the palace banquet, there were song and dance performances and fireworks. On the first day of the celebration, she was exhausted. Xin Yuening sat in front of the bronze mirror, rubbing her slightly sore neck, and let Shui Xin help her remove her gorgeous and heavy hair accessories. Thinking that Shui Xin had disappeared for several hours during the day, she asked somewhat dissatisfied: "Where did you go today?"

Carefully tidying the tangled hair, Shui Xin did not hide it from her and told Xin Yuening everything she saw today.

"What?" After hearing Shui Xin's words, her phoenix eyes, which were so tired they were about to close, suddenly opened, and she urged: "There is such a thing? How could there be blood for no reason?"

"The servant checked the sedan chair used by Consort Qing today and found no bloodstains, but I also checked the medicine dregs of the medicine Imperial Physician Lin decocted for Consort Qing. It is a prescription for replenishing blood and nourishing Qi after childbirth."

Xin Yuening frowned slightly and murmured: "She hasn't given birth yet, why is she drinking medicine for replenishing blood and nourishing Qi after childbirth?"

Wait, after childbirth?! And... bloodstains?! Xin Yuening's face changed. Whether it was because of too many thoughts in her heart or because she was too excited, her voice actually changed: "Could it be... could it be that she has already miscarried?!" No wonder Qingfeng wouldn't let Imperial Physician Wang diagnose her and insisted on finding Lin Feng. And she drove everyone in Qingfeng Palace away. The more she thought about it, the more she felt her guess was correct. Xin Yuening patted the table and hummed somewhat indignantly and triumphantly: "It must be so! What a Qingfeng, does she still want to continue pretending to be pregnant and then swap the baby? Simply delusional!"

Xin Yuening was overjoyed. Shui Xin was as calm as water as usual, and her clear, moist voice continued faintly: "But at 7:00 PM, Consort Qing took a sedan chair to attend the banquet. Halfway there, she suddenly said she was unwell and turned back to Qingfeng Palace." She guessed that Qingfeng must be plotting something secretly. Whether it was a miscarriage could not be determined yet. Was what Qingfeng did today a rush due to lack of preparation, or was it intentional to lure people into a trap? She couldn't see through it for the time being.

"She must have done this to cover people's eyes and ears. In the end, she didn't dare to attend the banquet." Xin Yuening suddenly stood up, pushed away Shui Xin's hand that was trying to help her undress, and said eagerly: "No, I will go and report to the Empress Dowager now to see how long she can pretend!"

Shui Xin held down Xin Yuening's shoulders, "Master, don't be impatient. There is no solid evidence for this matter, and it is still during the celebration period, so it is not appropriate to disturb the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. If her child is still there, it would give her an opportunity to make trouble, and if the Emperor gets angry, it won't be good for you either."

"This..." Thinking of Yan Hongtian's gloomy eyes, Xin Yuening felt a little scared, but she was unwilling to let Qingfeng go just like that. Biting her cherry lips, she said in a low voice: "Then you find a way to verify it!"

Verify? Shui Xin pursed her lips, a flash of light in her eyes, and then replied softly: "Yes."

It really should be tested...

The night of early winter came especially early. The bright moon had not yet climbed to the treetops, but the sun had already been swallowed by the twilight clouds. The gray sky covered the originally magnificent and delicate Jiuqu Bridge with a dark veil. A black shadow sat halfway on the bridge railing, holding a white steamed bun in his hand, carelessly breaking it and throwing it into the pond bit by bit. Many koi gathered at his feet, fighting for food. In the night, the jumping red shadows were very beautiful, but the person seemed not to be in the mood to enjoy the fish. His cold eyes stared at the calm water in the distance, turning a blind eye to the beautiful scenery in front of him.

"Ming Ze." A slightly happy male voice came from behind. The hand holding the bun paused, a trace of faint helplessness flashed in Ming Ze's eyes. He scattered all the bun crumbs he had crushed into fine dust into the pond. The koi, which were already crowded together, stirred up splashes of water to fight for food, splashing the man's hem.

"Not on duty today?"

Ming Jian just asked casually, and Ming Ze replied coldly: "Just about to go."

After speaking, Ming Ze turned around and wanted to bypass the person behind him to leave. Ming Jian seemed to have guessed that he would do this, raised his hand, and stopped the person who was in a hurry to leave.

Ming Jian felt quite unwilling and aggrieved. He had really put his heart into this younger brother, but he had never received a good look from him. Perhaps it was the tacit understanding of many years, Ming Jian knew the key to talking to Ming Ze, so he stopped talking nonsense and said directly: "The palace guards are strict and orderly during this celebration, and the Emperor is very satisfied. There will definitely be rewards for merit later. I plan to transfer you to the Ganyang Palace to protect the Emperor closely. Although your official position will not change, your future will naturally be much better than it is now. If you don't want to be restrained, you can also be transferred to the city gate guard to manage the palace gates. There is already a candidate for the East Gate, and you can choose the other gates yourself..."

"No need." The icy voice interrupted Ming Jian's words. Before Ming Ze could lift his feet to leave again, another female voice, obviously hurried and anxious, called out urgently: "Jian'er, don't listen to his nonsense!"

Accompanied by this low cry was a woman in her forties. Her slightly raised eyebrows and the deep dimples on her well-maintained cheeks made her look like she was always smiling. A peach-red Confucian skirt that was not suitable for her age did not look abrupt on her. The person ran hurriedly from the other end of the Jiuqu Bridge, her steps light and her demeanor graceful. The woman came to the two of them and raised a big smile at Ming Jian. Ming Jian took a step back and called out in a low voice: "Aunt Shi."

(End of chapter)