newbobooks Chapter 617: Concubine Hua "Punished"
Chapter 617: Concubine Hua "Punished"
Zhen Huan gently pushed her mother away and sat up straight.
"Jinxi, go on."
She wanted to see how heartless the emperor could be.
Not only were Empress Chunyuan and the deposed empress sisters, but Empress Chunyuan also had an affair with her brother-in-law under the pretext of taking care of her sister.
The emperor himself behaved improperly, so how could he have the face to blame Yu Rao?
Cui Jinxi noticed that her master's eyes were red, as if burning with anger, and she looked at Madam Zhen for help.
People are extremely difficult to understand. Yesterday, she threatened to die to force her master to give up the idea of asking for forgiveness barefoot, and today she brought a lot of bad news.
If I say too much at once, I'm afraid Zhen Huan will hold a grudge against me.
Over the years, she has become accustomed to seeing unreasonable people who take their anger out on others because of bad news.
Cui Jinxi felt that Zhen Huan seemed to be about to lose her mind.
I have important things to do and I absolutely cannot become the target of her venting.
Mrs. Zhen didn't understand the twists and turns in Cui Jinxi's mind, so she explained while crying.
"Huan'er, if Yurao doesn't marry within a month, she will be sent to a nunnery to become a nun."
It takes an ordinary family several months or even several years to prepare for marrying off their daughter, but the emperor only gave them a deadline of one month. How can they find a good family?
The emperor clearly wants to kill his little daughter!
Mrs. Zhen, who had witnessed the emperor's methods, did not dare to say these words and could only watch her eldest daughter cry silently.
Zhen Huan knew that the situation had reached a point of no return, so she comforted him softly.
"Mother, Yurao will be back after daybreak. You should go and rest first, and then you can comfort her who is frightened."
"Father's leg injury hasn't healed yet, and he needs your care. You must not fall down."
"My daughter is unfilial, and there's only so much I can do. Please take care of yourself, mother."
Madam Zhen looked at Zhen Huan with tears in her eyes.
"Huan'er, the one whom mother feels most sorry for is you."
She felt deeply that they were holding her daughter back.
"Mother, I still say the same thing. It would be great if you could gain favor in the palace, but if not, you must protect yourself. The family can't give you any help, so you will have to rely on yourself from now on."
"Mother, I understand. I am fortunate to have given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, for Your Majesty. No matter what Your Majesty does, he will not mistreat his children."
Zhen Huan winked at Bai Zhi and whispered in her mother's ear, whose eyes were red and swollen, to make a promise.
"Don't worry, I will definitely let my parents and sister return to the capital as soon as possible."
"Mother, please go back with Bai Zhi and rest first. I still have some things to take care of."
"Okay, mother won't keep you any longer."
When Mrs. Zhen stood up, she did not forget to turn around and give instructions.
"Huan'er, don't overwork yourself. As soon as it's daybreak, call Doctor Wen to check on you."
"Mother, I've made note of this."
Zhen Huan agreed obediently and watched her mother leave the bedroom leaning on Bai Zhi.
She was silent for a long moment before she asked sharply.
"Jinxi, the Zhen family's return to their homeland is a foregone conclusion. How much personal money and gold, silver, and jade do I have left that I can use?"
Cui Jinxi thought for a moment and reported truthfully.
"Master, after you returned to the palace, most of your salary until the end of the year, the Emperor's reward, and the silver sent by the masters of the various palaces were sent back home. The rest was used for rewards, and there was almost nothing left."
"After the New Year, you gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The Ministry of Internal Affairs sent you six hundred taels of silver, and the Imperial Concubine also issued you an annual salary of three hundred taels. However, there have been many happy events in our palace, and various rewards have used up a small part of the money."
"Today's gifts from the masters and clan members are still in the warehouse, and I haven't had time to count them yet."
After hearing this, Zhen Huan frowned.
"Okay, pick out all the gold, silver, and unmarked jade jewelry."
As far as she could remember, her whole family had lived in the capital.
Zhen Huan had never heard her parents mention their hometown, so she must have lost contact with it long ago.
Whether she is poor at home or rich on the road, she always has to make sure everything is prepared for her home before she feels at ease.
My sister’s dowry must also not be less.
But she really didn't save any money after entering the palace, which made her feel a little troubled.
After Cui Jinxi left, Zhen Huan took out a purse from the corner of the box, and inside it was the silver note of one hundred taels given by Huanbi.
She was slightly stunned when she accidentally saw a small box next to her.
That was a box that Yunli had put in during the chaos when he sent her back to the palace.
Originally, there were banknotes inside, but Zhen Huan felt guilty towards him at the time, so she asked Cui Jinxi to return the stack of banknotes.
She stroked the inconspicuous little box with nostalgia, tears falling silently.
Zhen Huan had something on her mind and couldn't sleep peacefully.
She walked around the bedroom several times and stuffed the ginseng nourishing pills specially made by Wen Shichu into her mouth.
Then lie down on the bed and close your eyes to rest.
After an unknown amount of time, she was suddenly awakened by a burst of crying.
Zhen Huan quickly sat up and asked.
"Jinxi, is Yurao back?"
"Yes, Master, the Second Young Miss... please go and take a look."
Cui Jinxi was also shocked when she saw Zhen Yurao.
The girl who was as delicate as a flower yesterday seemed to wither in an instant after entering the Ministry of Punishment.
Zhen Huan was so anxious that she didn't even put on her shoes and trotted out barefoot.
"Yu Rao..."
"Sister, I know I was wrong and I won't do it again."
Zhen Yurao knelt on the ground and kowtowed continuously, her voice filled with tears and trembling.
"Eldest sister, this palace is too scary. I want to go home."
Zhen Huan helped the person up with a distressed look and comforted him softly.
"Okay, my eldest sister will arrange for you to leave the palace later."
Her hand touched something and Zhen Yurao suddenly let out a hiss.
"Yu Rao, have you been tortured?"
"Elder sister... wuwuwu..."
Zhen Yurao cried and threw herself into her arms, knocking her off balance.
"They tied me to a bench, first put a stamp on me, then stabbed me with needles..."
Every time she spoke, she trembled with fear.
Zhen Huan felt her sister's fear, but she didn't dare touch her, for fear of accidentally hurting her.
She was shaking with anger and gave orders with trembling lips.
"Jinxi, go ask Dr. Wen to come over and bring a female doctor with her. Tell her that I'm not feeling well."
"Yes, slave, go right away."
Cui Jinxi felt that it was a great fortune for Zhen Yurao to be able to save her life from the Ministry of Punishment, but she would not tell this to the three mother and daughter who were hugging each other and crying.
Only when Zhen Huan is completely in desperate situation will she be motivated to fight.
Such a person is worthy of supporting her little master.
While the Zhongcui Palace was in chaos, An Lingrong was sitting in front of the mirror, carefully examining her makeup.
Baoque reported in a low voice.
"Master, the eunuch guarding the gate said that Concubine Zhen vomited blood and fainted outside Yongshou Palace last night. Su Peisheng sent someone to carry her back to Zhongcui Palace. The clever eunuch overheard it and heard that the Emperor asked the Zhen family..."
"Before leaving, Eunuch Su asked me to tell you that last night, Concubine Hua beat Concubine Zhen and her attendants on the palace road, so you can be prepared."
"It happened!"
An Lingrong paused with her hand holding the armor, and surprise and anxiety flashed in her eyes.
She ordered hurriedly.
"Bao Que, you must immediately go to Yikun Palace and convey my order: Concubine Hua has been confined to her residence for three months and fined two years' salary for misconduct."
"Remember to make a big announcement and make sure it spreads throughout the harem before breakfast."
"If she objects, she will be punished by copying the 'Rules for Women' ten more times."
No matter how bad Zhen Huan was, she was still the emperor's woman and a concubine of a certain rank. How could Concubine Hua be so impulsive and beat her again and again?
If anything happens to the Zhen family in the future, won’t it be blamed on her?