C1

That night, Bei Feng had caused the dark green glazed roof tiles to be covered in a layer of frost. It was truly a beautiful scene to behold. From the outside, the huge manor looked like the thick walls of the northern courtyard. However, inside the manor, it was a pavilion and flower pavilion filled with the style of Jiangnan.

"Patchouli, has Concubine He woken up?" A well-dressed woman asked a maid in front of the corridor.

Siniang Xu hesitated to speak, then smiled: "Nothing important, I am just here to pay my respects to your esteemed lady."

Siniang Xu was the concubine of Concubine Zhou. After attending to the prince a few times, he could be considered half a master. Moreover, now that Zhou Fei was at home, half of the major events in the Zhou Mansion had been handled by Siniang Xu. It was truly a thirty year river that flowed east and west.

At that time, Madame Zhou was diagnosed with suspected tuberculosis. To make matters worse, Madame Zhou's parents were in trouble at court, and even the prince was helpless to help. A few times, Zhou Fei wanted to put the well to the end, but was pulled back by his concubine.

His concubine was a Miss who came from a family of medicine and knew a lot about medicine. She said that Madame Zhou was suffering from an ordinary larynx, and that careful treatment would help her recover. The servant was unwilling to serve Zhou Fei medicine, so the concubine sent the medicine over by herself. However, with the excuse of "afraid of getting sick and giving it to your highness", Princess Xie kept Zhou and He Pingyuan in a hermitage for a few months.

Princess Xie had always been unpopular within the estate. Someone who had a relationship with her had reported the matter to the madame. The Countess was the Prince's wet nurse and a good Lord who was fasting and chanting. Upon hearing of this, she was going to let him go. However, the princess stopped him, saying that there was something wrong with the garden, so he decided to set it on fire. A commotion had alarmed the prince. He treated the madame with the utmost respect and immediately ordered her to be released.

In less than the time it took to boil a cup of tea, Zhou Fei and He Consort had been brought to the main hall. Everyone was startled by what they saw. What was even more surprising was that the two of them were locked up in a desolate garden, lacking food and clothes. However, they looked clean and clean. Their makeup was clean and they did not look thin at all.

After the madame asked a few questions, she found out from Zhou Fei that she had to rely on her concubine's daily care to fully recover her throat. Zhou said with tears in her eyes that not only had he left her all the food the servants brought her every day, but he had also painstakingly filled the garden with herbs that had cured her of her illness. An awkward expression appeared on her face as she scolded the servants, who could even deduct the food from their masters' mouths. [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter]

The madame praised the concubine and asked her if it was a difficult thing for her to cultivate medicine. In fact, he replied, it was thanks to Princess Zhou's tranquillity that the patient recovered so quickly. Moreover, the servants served the patient well, and because they didn't have to worry about food or clothing, they planted some flowers and plants.

Not only did this make Princess Xie's face look much better, but even her highness couldn't help but take a few more glances at her. Within the crowd of beautiful concubines, He Consort was like a lotus flower that had walked over from the river. She was so beautiful that she seemed soundless, and within her silence was a faint medicinal fragrance. From then on, not only had he gained the madame's appreciation, he had also received the favour of the prince. His kindness was the only one in the household. At the same time, there was news in the court that the Zhou family had been reinstated as a member of the Zhou family after it was confirmed that there had been no interference in the plot against the Zhou family.

Half a year ago, Princess Xie had forced the death of a maidservant. Later on, someone discovered that the maidservant had the blood of the prince, and he was furious. He ordered her to close her eyes and think deeply about how to pass the master key to her. Zhou Fei was also very grateful. Even now, when the old story of the past was brought up, she would wipe away her tears while thinking of her concubine. Ever since she had taken charge of the household, the most meticulous and meticulous matter was what happened here. She frequently sent her most trusted and trusted Siniang Xu over to pay her respects and send her gifts.

"Is that Sister Xu outside? The Empress allowed her elder sister to come in and speak. " The servant girl in the room raised her voice and shouted. Siniang Xu pushed the door open and entered, only to see a person sitting in front of a water luster mirror. Because it was in the opposite light, he could only see a slim silhouette. Siniang Xu knelt down and smiled: "Is the Empress well today?"

The lady in front of the mirror smiled at the copper mirror: "It's already much more enjoyable than this, I'll have to trouble Big Sister Zhou Fei to think about it. Siniang, please take a seat." She was the prince's concubine, so how could she be his concubine?

When Siniang Xu sat down, he noticed that Winter Grass was combing his hair for his wife. After putting on a reverse bun, winter grass asked with a smile, "Which hairpin does the Empress wear today?" He Concubine shook her head, "It's quite heavy. Since I'm not going out, I might as well save myself the trouble." Siniang Xu laughed: "I was just passing by the East Flower Garden, and saw the crabapple blossoms blooming extremely well, why didn't the Empress send someone to pick a few flowers to replace them, and clear the fragrance to calm the mind." He Consort smiled and said, "Winter Grass, hurry and pick it." "Okay." Wintergrass nodded.

He Concubine looked at Siniang Xu: "Sister Zhou Fei, do you have something to tell me?"

Siniang Xu nodded and replied, "That's right. A few days ago, when our Empress found out that there was a mistake in the payment of the silver taels, she gave it to the Old Mistress when she was still alive … Mu Yuan Tang. "

He Consort asked with a frown, "How much is the difference?"

Siniang Xu looked around, then lowered his voice and said, "Two thousand."

He Concubine was silent for a moment before sighing, "I know the gist of it, but the madame is confused. It's not like I can't make up for everything with a single two thousand taels of silver. But once the Prince knows about it, we'll be in deep trouble, won't we?"

Siniang Xu quickly comforted her, "Empress, don't worry. Fortunately, our Empress found out about it early and made the account again, so she isn't afraid of others coming to investigate."

He Consort nodded. "That's good."

"But our Empress heard that Princess Xie has also set her eyes on this case, and might even go to the Prince to sell her tongue, so we hope that you can take responsibility for this matter and let the Old Mistress go, so that you can leave a clean name for the Old Mistress behind her." She was afraid that the concubine would not agree, so she added, "Now that the account has been cleared, we will agree that three hundred taels of silver was set aside by you for the benefit of the victims."

"I know that the madame has been blessed with good karma throughout her life. Only this matter had aroused her selfish desire. In the past, I did not understand her thoughts and had tried to dissuade her from doing so a few times. Now that I have become a mother, I know how a mother feels towards her own child …" She stood up after a long while, and then smiled at Siniang Xu, "Sister Yan'er, it's time to feed her mother. Come, let's go take a look at her." Siniang Xu understood that this matter could be considered as having been agreed upon, and heaved a sigh of relief secretly.

Mo'er was a premature baby. She would only open her eyes when she was two months old, and most of the time she looked weak and rarely cried. He Concubine's heart ached for her daughter, so she didn't want to ask for a wet nurse to nurse her child. She herself didn't care about the postpartum weakness and personally brought her daughter along. All kinds of nourishing medicinal herbs were given to Big Sister Yan by doctors. What kind of concubine would drink a big bowl of milk first before feeding it to her daughter?

"You really care for Big Sister Duanzhou like her eyes," Siniang Xu clicked his tongue and said, "Let alone our Duke's Palace, even the most wealthy families would not be able to see your own children. Who wouldn't want a bunch of wet nurses serving them? When I was a little girl, I heard people say, "Milk." "Water is essence blood essence, so it can't be damaged that easily. You don't have to be afraid of that."

Looking at his daughter's silent sleeping appearance, He Consort smiled gently. "I heard when I was young that if I ate a mouthful of my mother's milk, I would grow up to become smart. So …" At this point, two lonely shadows appeared under her eyelashes.

Siniang Xu immediately laughed: "That's why the Empress is so intelligent, that's why!"

The two of them were chatting casually when they suddenly heard the ruckus outside the courtyard. Master He put his daughter back in the cradle and looked out with a frown. Siniang Xu was also very angry, berating loudly, "What kind of person is this unruly, running all the way to the Lady He's door to be presumptuous!"

Just as he finished speaking, a person walked over from afar. Instantly, Siniang Xu's face turned pale as he knelt down, "This humble concubine has spoken so arrogantly, please forgive me, your highness!"

Wearing a red and gold hairpin and a blue robe, he walked quickly around Siniang Xu in a few steps and headed straight for the main hall without looking at anyone. Siniang Xu did not dare to stand up, and looked towards his concubine for help. He Concubine smiled soothingly and said, "Go make a pot of incense for your highness!" Siniang Xu quickly retreated.

When He Consort walked into the main hall, she saw that the prince's face was ashen, and his brown eyes were like a bottomless pit. Yang, who was staring at her, couldn't help but be shocked as well. Fang Ziqiang laughed, "What's the matter? You don't have a nose, face, or face the moment you enter. Which one stroked your tiger beard?"

The Prince's hands were clenched into fists. He said nothing, only stared at her face. At this moment, a large group of people dragged in from outside the door. Other than the princesses of Xie Wangfei, Zhou Wangfei, Princess Wanshuang, Gu Consort, and a group of stewards and maidservants, there were also a few burly men in coarse hemp clothing.

He Concubine looked at the crowd in astonishment, and then looked at the Prince, full of doubt. "Who can tell me what has happened?"

Wearing a long skirt that fluttered from birds to phoenixes, Princess Xie sat beside the prince with a radiant smile on her face. "The He clan has witnesses and evidence. Do you know your crime?"

"Esteemed wangfei, how do you expect me to plead guilty to something I have never done before?" He Concubine bowed respectfully towards the person on the seat of honor.

Princess Xie's almond-shaped eyes widened. "Let's see how long your mouth will last. Supervisor Zhou, show the accounts to the prince." The Prince tossed a blue book to the table, but the Princess didn't seem to care. She continued, "Madam He, the old mistress liked you most when she was alive, so you opened the Mu Yuan Hall to help her save the victims, right?"

He Concubine raised her eyebrows, "I have indeed handled Mu Yuantang's stock and accounts. Mu Yuantang has given medicine and saved countless lives, what's wrong with that?"

"There's nothing wrong with saving someone," Zhou Fei, who was standing at the side, said in a surprising tone. "But stealing someone is a serious crime."

He Consort turned pale with fright. She glared at Zhou Fei's face and asked, "Elder sister, what did you say?"

All of a sudden, Zhou Fei burst into tears. The ten thousand concubines and the ancient concubines by her side handed over the handkerchief one by one, persuading her in unison. "Don't be sad, for such a person, it's really not worth it." "It is precisely this principle that makes it so that the little girl who came with me was unable to show her face on the stage and betrayed my sister's efforts in vain." Just look at her mother and you will know what kind of mother taught her daughter …. "Pei pei pei, it should be said that a mother should not have a mother. I heard that she was raised on a farm in the countryside. She has seen too many filthy things, so naturally, she learned from me …"

Upon hearing these words, He Consort, who was originally kneeling on the ground, suddenly stood up and walked over to the ancient concubine who had just said these words. She raised her hand and slapped her face.

"Esteemed wangfei, see, she dared to hit people in front of the prince and you. What can't she do behind your back?"

Xie Wangfei was infuriated as she hollered, "Slut, you've engaged in adultery with a man. Use your official's money to cover up your adultery with your adulterer, and you still have the face to hit others!"

He Concubine stopped kneeling and stood right in the middle of the crowd. She said coldly, "I didn't do anything to let you down, nor did I covet even half a tael of silver. "Just now, she was teaching her concubine on behalf of the prince. As his concubine, her mouth is a bit dirty. She's really embarrassing the prince."

Gu Concubine ran over in tears, wanting to fight back with her teeth. Zhou Fei quickly stopped her and begged, "Don't be like this, we're all sisters. Please don't be angry with me …"

The scene turned chaotic. The prince, who was sitting in the hall, could no longer hold it in and roared, "All of you, shut up!" Instantly, those who were crying, making a ruckus, and whispering all quieted down, looking at the Prince in unison. "This concubine cared about face and wanted her to plead guilty, but you saw her attitude. She won't shed tears until she sees the coffin!" Your Highness, so many pairs of eyes are watching us, how do you think we should settle this matter? "

The prince said with a dark expression, "I'll do whatever I have to do."

This was exactly what Princess Xie was waiting for. She hastened to shout, "Someone, bring Lady Xu in." Someone immediately led Siniang Xu in. "Please forgive me, your highness," he cried, "but I have no guts to reveal even half a word to you. I shall unjustly accuse you of stealing from me, and throw you into the water prison with my tongue cut off. This servant didn't dare to help her hide the truth, so I told Madame Zhou … Big Sister Duo'er is not the prince's daughter! "

Princess Xie sneered. "Even if you hadn't said so, I would have guessed already. It was all a front to say that he was born prematurely and that his daughter wanted him to take her daughter! "He's just a bastard!"

The ancient concubine turned her head in disgust. "Pah! What kind of mother taught a daughter."

He Concubine's face was pale as she cursed with a hoarse voice, "What nonsense are you all spouting!? Big Sister Duanzhou and I are pure and innocent. We lift our heads three feet high in the air as if we were gods, and you guys aren't afraid of being struck by lightning! "

Xie Wangfei flew into a rage and pointed at the door, shouting, "All the servants are dead! "Hurry up and give this lowly bastard a hard time!" A human's mouth, slap it hard for me! " A few of the wives immediately came over to hold her down. Grandma Wang, who was as big as a woman, did her best to slap her several dozen times. In the blink of an eye, his wife's snow-white cheeks had swelled up, and blood was flowing out from her nose and mouth. Princess Xie glanced sideways at the motionless prince, a victorious smile on her face.

He Consort's eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at her husband, the man who was as handsome as an immortal. She bitterly smiled and said, "Zhu Quan, even you don't trust me? Do you think I'm that kind of woman? "

The Prince lowered his eyes as he studied his jade thumb ring. He slightly pursed his lips, "In the past, I didn't believe you, but now I can't not."

Zhou Fei took a few steps forward and knelt in front of He Xiao, using her brocade sleeve to stop the bleeding. She cried loudly. Seeing you like this, big sister's heart is also bleeding, little sister, you're so silly! "

The man called Rongsi knelt by the door and said, "The little ones are porters and live outside the north city. Until a year ago, a maid dressed up as Green Bottle came to us and said she wanted to hire us to carry a palanquin. After that, we were told to wait at the entrance of Qi Pi alley every night, and every now and then, the green bottle would bring a man in a cloak and hood to ride in the palanquin. If he didn't come to San Guo, he would let us leave on our own. "

The hall was packed with people, but it was eerily quiet. Suddenly, Old Lady Lü came in from outside and ran to Zhou Fei's side, whispering in her ear. Zhou Fei frowned and turned her head to the prince. "Master, this morning I had Mother Lü match up the green bottle. I didn't expect that the girl would suddenly feel guilty and accidentally run into a wall to die."

The prince kept silent, but Xie Wangfei gave a cold laugh, "One dead, how many are there? Bring those girls by the slut's side over! " For a while, the Patchouli was brought into the hall. Princess Xie asked, "Tell me, how much do you know about the disgraceful matters of Madam He? Calling from the truth! "

Patchouli cried as she laid prone on the ground. She shook her head and said, "Madam He did indeed go out at night, but this servant is completely unaware. I beg the Empress to be merciful and spare this servant's life!"

Zhou Fei gave Rong Si a look, and Rong Si immediately continued, "Last month, I carried a palanquin into an inn. Because I was drunk, I got lost when I tried to find the east toilet. Yinyi, curious heart stick to the window to watch, see a man and a woman in the window flowers in the most good. "Because I was so close, not only was I able to clearly see the girl's face, I also saw three small red moles on her chest and her navel was pasted with white pearls …"

"Enough! Enough!" The prince's expression suddenly changed. He grabbed the teacup by his side and fiercely threw it at the ground, roaring, "Scram, Scram! All of you, scram!"

Seeing that the situation wasn't good, the servants retreated first. Then, Zhou Fei, Wan Fei and the others also left with all sorts of expressions. In the blink of an eye, only the Duke, He Concubine, and Xie Wangfei were left in the room, along with their two trusted aides and wives. The Prince looked at his haggard face, his heart filled with a severe and forceful feeling, "He Danggui, have you admitted your wrongs?"

He Concubine's heart felt like it had died. She laughed shrilly, "Such a vicious method. Good, good! Haha, that's great! Zhu Quan, if you're afraid that I'll reveal your secret, then give me three feet of white silk! I have nothing to say. But you even had the heart to splash sewage on your own daughter! Such disgrace to us, mother and daughter, your conscience is so good! Good! "Alright!"

When Princess Xie heard this, her face showed confusion. Her face changed drastically as she rushed forward to kick his concubine in the chest.

The king's eyes were bloodshot as he clenched his teeth and said, "Use hot charcoal to burn your throat and throw it into the water prison!"

"And that bastard she was born with?"

"Throw them in together!" The prince indifferently turned around.

Grand Concubine Xie immediately turned to look at her wife, who was standing behind her. The two of them hurriedly dragged He Concubine down.

There was neither joy nor sadness on his face as he whispered, "The words you heard just now, you must completely forget about them. You can't even remember them until you die."

Grand Concubine Xie lowered her head in fear. "I understand."