newbobooks Chapter 609: Concubine Hua is really going too far
Chapter 609: Concubine Hua is really going too far
As soon as she appeared, Ye Lanyi and Yu Ying'er stopped talking and hurried forward to greet her.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to Her Majesty the Concubine Zhen."
Zhen Huan responded gently.
"Everyone, please stand up. Everyone, please stand up. Are you Concubine Yu from Yong'an Prince's Mansion and Concubine Ye from Guojunwang Mansion?"
"Your Majesty, I am Ye (Yu)."
The two had never dealt with Zhen Huan at close range, and although Yu Ying'er had seen Zhen Huan many years ago when she was monitoring the Fourth Prince, the other party had no idea of her existence.
Yong Hu, who didn't hear anyone talking, patted Ye Lanyi's body and shouted to Yu Ying'er.
"Mother, hug me!"
Zhen Huan's attention was attracted by the chubby Yonghu.
"This child is truly a delicate and beautiful child. Concubine Yu has a good way of raising children. It is truly enviable."
Yu Ying'er loved it most when people praised her children, and she couldn't help but reply with a smile.
"Thank you for the compliment, Empress Zhenfei. Your Eleventh Prince and Princess Lingxi are so fair and tender, they are truly well-cared for."
"Especially the Eleventh Prince, he's even stronger than Yong Hu, who was over four months old."
"This is all thanks to Mammy."
Zhen Huan coughed lightly and immediately covered her mouth with a handkerchief.
"I'm not feeling well, so I'll go back to Baohe Hall first. Yonghu is still young and can't be exposed to the wind for a long time. Concubine Yu should also go back early."
Zhen Huan nodded slightly to Ye Lan'yi, then turned and stepped onto the jade steps leading to Baohe Hall. Her steps were light, but revealed a subtle heaviness.
Yu Ying'er poked Ye Lanyi curiously, "Concubine Zhen keeps talking to me, but she doesn't seem to be very friendly towards you."
Ye Lanyi, who was thinking, was touched by her, and the familiar feeling that flashed through her mind suddenly disappeared.
She frowned slightly and replied in a low voice.
"The Empress Dowager has just left, and the Prince is in mourning, yet I'm entering the palace to attend a banquet. I guess the Empress Zhen doesn't want to be tainted by bad luck."
"Ye Lanyi, you must never say such things again. I often bring Yonghu to visit you, and everything is normal."
"Those who believe this are just pedantic people. Don't take it to heart."
Yu Ying'er is the head of the Yong'an Prince's Mansion. She no longer has to be a servant in the underworld, so she speaks without much scruples.
Ye Lanyi gently tugged at her sleeve, "Ying'er, this is the palace, you must be careful with your words."
"I see that Yonghu's nose is a little red. Let's go back to the palace."
"Okay, it's up to you."
Before training horses, Ye Lanyi trained wild beasts, and her intuition is far superior to that of ordinary people.
Sitting on the chair, she always felt that someone was looking at her, but when she looked up, she couldn't find anyone because there were so many people in the hall.
After doing this three or four times, she whispered a few words to her personal servant.
About a quarter of an hour later, the maid who was observing behind the curtain told her that Concubine Zhen had looked in this direction many times.
In one episode, he even raised his glass to Concubine Yu.
She had never had any interaction with Concubine Zhen. Why did this person deliberately ignore her before and then secretly observe her?
Ye Lanyi silently kept this anomaly in mind.
Her intuition was very accurate, and she had survived the jaws of wild beasts many times thanks to it.
There is something wrong with this Concubine Zhen!
As the night deepened, An Lingrong, who had already put down her wine glass, spoke gently.
"I'm a little drunk and dizzy, so I'll leave first. Please do as you please."
After a series of farewell calls, the two imperial concubines left one after another.
Zhen Huan, who had been unable to sit still for a long time, also found the right time to take her mother away.
As soon as she returned to Zhongcui Palace, she suppressed her irritability and asked questions.
"The Second Miss is feeling unwell, but is she resting? Did Doctor Wen say anything?"
The palace maid was a little at a loss after being asked this series of questions. She looked up and back, but did not see Zhen Yurao.
Her four years of experience in the palace told her that there must be something wrong, and she fell to her knees with a plop.
"Reporting to Her Majesty, not long after Sister Baizhi left, the Second Young Miss said she was fine and would be heading to Baohe Hall to continue attending the banquet."
"I wanted to send someone to accompany you, but the Second Young Lady said she knew the way..."
When Mrs. Zhen heard this, her mind buzzed.
Could it be that Yu Rao hasn't given up on the emperor yet?
But how could she tell her eldest daughter in public?
When the palace maid finished speaking, Zhen Huan turned her attention to her mother.
Mrs. Zhen's body swayed, and she quickly supported the person with her quick eyes and hands.
"Mother, don't worry. I promise I will find my sister back."
"Doctor Wen said that you are weak and cannot withstand stimulation. Don't think too much about it."
Although Zhen Huan was trying to comfort her mother, the miserable plight of the palace maid Fu Zi could not help but come to her mind.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she instantly remembered Concubine Hua's harsh words at the banquet.
My sister is missing, will she...
Zhen Huan pinched her palm hard.
"Mother, let's go back to the main hall and discuss where Yu Rao might have gone."
"Good good."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhen pulled Zhen Huan inside.
First, Bai Zhi recounted what happened from the time she and Zhen Yurao came out of Baohe Hall to the time she left Zhongcui Palace, and then she talked about the palace maid just now.
"Master, this servant... this servant remembered something."
Cui Jinxi urged hurriedly.
"The Second Young Lady has disappeared, why are you still hesitating?"
The palace maid reported it cautiously when she thought of Cui Jinxi's strictness.
"When the Second Young Lady left, she had a faint scent of peach blossoms on her body, and... her lip balm turned the same royal color as her clothes."
"A dress of imperial color?"
Zhen Huan had never seen her sister wear it.
She turned to look at Madam Zhen, "Mother, did Yu Rao bring any imperial concubine's clothes with her when she entered the palace this time?"
When Mrs. Zhen was in a dilemma, Bai Zhi interrupted anxiously.
"Master, the Second Young Miss insisted on wearing a pastel pink, so I dug out the imperial concubine's dress you'd kept in the bottom of your closet years ago. She...she's wearing your dress, and the pink pearl flower you gave her last time is on her head."
"This servant... This servant... It's all this servant's fault. I didn't take good care of the Second Young Lady."
She knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly.
An upset Zhen Huan spoke in a bad tone.
"Now is not the time to pursue blame. We need to find out the whereabouts of the Second Young Lady as soon as possible."
"Baizhi, go get the eunuch guarding the gate. I have something to ask you."
The young eunuch only knew that Zhen Yurao turned left, and knew nothing else.
Zhen Huan took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
"Jinxi, Baizhi, immediately lead your men to search along the long street and the Imperial Garden. At the same time, inquire whether any suspicious persons appeared around that time."
"The slaves obey."
Seeing that her eldest daughter was extremely anxious, Mrs. Zhen did not dare to express her guess. She could only shed tears silently and pray in her heart that her youngest daughter would not be so confused.
"Mother, it's my fault for not taking good care of my sister. Don't worry, even if it means sacrificing my wedding dress, I will definitely find my sister."
About a quarter of an hour later, Cui Jinxi came hurriedly to report.
"Master, I have searched all along the way but have not seen any trace of the Second Young Lady. However, the eunuchs at Jingyang Palace said that Zhou Ninghai, who serves Concubine Hua, came to borrow a book today, saying that Concubine Hua wanted to read it."
Zhen Huan slapped the small table hard, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Noble Concubine Hua is really going too far!"