newbobooks Chapter 597 First Production
Chapter 597 First Production
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! It was Concubine Zhen who wanted to fall backwards. I have nothing to do with it!"
Concubine Qi suddenly rushed into the hall and interrupted the young eunuch's report.
She knelt on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly, and cried out that she was wronged.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen has set up a trap to frame me. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter!"
The emperor's gaze passed over Concubine Qi and fell on Zhen Huan, who was holding her stomach in pain at the palace door, and he scolded her harshly.
"Enough! Guaerjia, you dared to murder the heir to the throne? You will be stripped of your title immediately, demoted to the rank of concubine, and confined to the Yanxi Palace. You are not allowed to leave without permission."
The royal heir is his bottom line, and no one can touch it.
The emperor did not demote Guaerjia Wenyuan to the lowest position or even banish her to the cold palace for Emin's sake.
The women in his harem can be dull, but they must not be as vicious as snakes and scorpions.
"Royal Consort, the next palace banquet will be hosted by you. I will send Concubine Zhen back to the palace first."
An Lingrong responded gently.
"Yes, Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen's health is of paramount importance. Please go quickly. Concubine Jing is always considerate. Why not let her go with you?"
"Alright, Imperial Concubine Jing will go with me."
After the emperor left, she saw Guaerjia Wenyuan slumped on the ground and gave majestic orders.
"Come here! Send the Guarjia promise back to the Yanxi Palace and keep her under strict guard!"
Then she looked down with a smile.
"The New Year's Eve palace banquet continues, everyone please feel free."
An Lingrong waved her hand gently, and the music started again. Everyone raised their glasses again, but the atmosphere was not as warm as before, and most people behaved more cautiously.
An Lingrong sat in the hall for about two quarters of an hour, then left with her four children, using the excuse of worrying about Concubine Zhen.
It is customary for high-ranking officials to leave the palace banquet early on New Year's Eve.
Just as she stepped through the auspicious gate, she heard Concubine Hua's voice behind her.
"Sister Imperial Concubine... Sister, are you going to Zhongcui Palace later?"
Concubine Hua remembered that Concubine Lan was following her, and quickly changed her words.
An Lingrong nodded gently.
"Concubine Zhen is already advanced in pregnancy and has suffered such an accident. As sisters in the harem, it is only natural that we should go and visit her."
Zhen Huan was willing to risk her own life to frame Guaerjia Wenyuan, it must be because the child in her belly could not wait any longer.
If she wanted to win the emperor's sympathy, she might join forces with Wen Shichu to create the illusion that she was hurt.
Concubine Zhen had a difficult delivery, and An Lingrong, as the imperial concubine in charge of the palace power, had to be present no matter what.
"Then I'll go with you. Since the Seventh Prince is going to Yongshou Palace, I'll put Longyue there as well."
Concubine Hua actually didn't want to visit Zhen Huan, but since the emperor was there, she nervously sent her back to the palace herself.
Lingrong once said that even if you hate someone to the core, you still have to keep a smile on your face.
She had been thinking about it for several years, and it was finally time to put it into practice.
Princess Shuhe was much older than her younger siblings, and Concubine Lan had no intention of placing the child in Yongshou Palace.
After saying hello, An Lingrong sent the child back and rushed to Zhongcui Palace with Concubine Hua.
An Lingrong stopped the eunuch's report and went straight to the main hall.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you! How is your sister Zhenfei?"
The emperor looked unhappy, but he still spoke.
"You should get up first."
"The imperial physician said that Concubine Zhen was frightened and her fetus was disturbed, and she might give birth prematurely."
An Lingrong asked doubtfully, "When I came in through the palace gate, I didn't see any delivery room in the side hall. Where is this Concubine Zhen now?"
She didn't see Concubine Jing in the main hall either.
"Concubine Zhen went into labor too suddenly. The side hall in the backyard of Zhongcui Palace that had been cleared out was used as a delivery room. Concubine Jing was currently leading people to clean up the mess in the backyard."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for clearing up my confusion. I will go and take a look right away."
The side halls of Zhongcui Palace were only cleaned up after Zhen's mother and daughter came to the palace to visit relatives.
Zhen Huan insisted on giving birth there, but what was so special about it?
An Lingrong came to the backyard with questions.
The cold wind was howling, and the lanterns were swaying gracefully in the wind. The young eunuchs guarding the courtyard had changed into thick winter clothes.
There was a faint sound coming from the west side hall, but it was not clear.
An Lingrong and Concubine Hua walked directly to the main hall. When they opened the curtain, they saw Concubine Jing sitting on a chair beside them.
She heard movement at the door and quickly stood up.
"Your Majesty..."
An Lingrong extended her hands to help the person standing before her. "No need to be so polite."
"How's Concubine Zhen doing?"
"Reporting to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine, Concubine Zhen fainted from the pain on the way back to Zhongcui Palace. Fortunately, Imperial Doctor Wen arrived in time and revived her with acupuncture."
"Then Imperial Physician Wen said that Concubine Zhen had a miscarriage and was going to give birth prematurely, so he sent her to the west side hall in the backyard, which had been cleaned up in advance."
"Thank you for your hard work. I have taken the Seventh Prince back to Yongshou Palace and left him in Hongzhan's care."
Concubine Jing always mentioned Wen Shichu, which was a reminder that there might be something fishy about Zhen Huan's premature birth.
"Bao Que, Concubine Zhen's move was too sudden. Please ask Su Peisheng to arrange for a eunuch to assist and go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to collect the additional allowance."
"Remember to bring back two baskets of coal, so the masters don't get cold."
When Zhen Huan gave birth, the entire Zhongcui Palace was in a bustle. At that time, there was only a small charcoal basin in the main hall where she was, which was filled with debris.
very good!
The child hadn't been born yet, but she was already being flattered in front of the emperor.
An Lingrong doesn't indulge her.
"This room is as cold as an ice cellar. Imperial Concubine Jing and Imperial Concubine Hua, please follow me to the main hall in front."
As she passed by the charcoal brazier, she found that the charcoal fire inside was almost going out.
As soon as An Lingrong entered the main hall, she respectfully bowed to the person sitting at the top.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen has always been kind and lenient, but this servant in Zhongcui Palace has dared to use charcoal slag on her master. Concubine Zhen's sister is currently in the delivery room and is inconvenienced. I, your Majesty, would like to ask you to thoroughly investigate this matter."
After hearing what An Lingrong said, the emperor's unpleasant expression finally eased.
"Your Highness is right. Such acts of deceiving the master will never be tolerated in the palace."
"Su Peisheng, take people to investigate!"
"Yes, slave, go right away."
Su Peisheng had been serving by the side, so he naturally saw the pot of broken charcoal fire.
The master also saw it at that time. Although he didn't say anything, he still returned to the main hall in the front yard.
Su Peisheng had served the emperor for many years, so he knew that he might have misunderstood the Imperial Noble Concubine's harshness towards Concubine Zhen.
Now that the Imperial Noble Consort has taken the initiative to ask the Emperor to investigate, it means that there is a problem inside Zhongcui Palace.
He is happy to serve the Empress.
Xiao Linzi followed Su Peisheng without An Lingrong's instructions.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Su Peisheng reappeared in the main hall.
"Your Majesty, I have ascertained that Concubine Zhen, out of sympathy for the palace servants, has distributed most of her daily allotment of 40 kilograms of black charcoal."
"Today, Empress Zhenfei is going to the Qianqing Palace to attend the New Year's Eve palace banquet. In addition to ten pounds of red charcoal, not a single pound of black charcoal has been left."
The emperor suddenly came back with Concubine Zhen. The little red charcoal left was used for the emperor and the delivery room, so the main hall in the backyard had to use some charcoal slag.
This seems normal, but it does not stand up to scrutiny.
An Lingrong had been observing the emperor's expression and saw that he was slightly surprised at first, but quickly returned to normal.
She knew that Concubine Zhen was about to give birth and the emperor did not want to pursue the matter.
However, Concubine Hua couldn't bear to watch it anymore, and she spoke worriedly.
"Your Majesty, I understand that Sister Zhenfei has suffered greatly at Lingyun Peak, and that's why I sympathize with the difficulties faced by the palace servants. But if she continues to behave like this, how will the other sisters treat the palace servants?"
"It's impossible for all the sisters to pay for the charcoal for the servants themselves, right?"
"If this gets out, I wonder if people will think Your Majesty..."
An Lingrong noticed that Concubine Hua was speaking sharply and was afraid that she might say something inappropriate, so she interrupted her quickly.
"The Emperor is so kind that there are ground dragons everywhere in the palace. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has already distributed thick clothes in advance, and the palace people are all grateful for the Emperor's grace."
"I have instructed Baoque to fetch charcoal and will ensure the supply of charcoal in the delivery room and the main hall."
"Just make the arrangements as you see fit."
The emperor picked up the teacup and took a sip.
Concubine Hua snorted in her heart and obediently found a chair to sit down.
She looked around and found that the layout of Zhen Huan's palace was far inferior to the former Sui Yuxuan, and she felt much better.
The emperor doesn't care that much about Zhen Huan.
Baoque was efficient and came to the front yard to invite people after half an hour.
The emperor then took a group of people to the warmer main hall in the backyard.
The west side hall was brightly lit and people were moving around, but no news came out.
An Lingrong has her own people helping her in the delivery room, so she will know what happened there sooner or later.
She was in no hurry at all.
After waiting for more than an hour, the curtain of the main hall was lifted.
When An Lingrong looked up, she found that the person coming was Qiu Shuang, another first-class palace maid beside Zhen Huan.
"But is there good news from Concubine Zhen?"
Qiu Shuang replied respectfully.
"Your Majesty, and Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine, there is no major movement in the delivery room for the time being. My master had the kitchen stew some soup and has specially sent this servant to deliver a portion to each of you."
The master is considerate of his servants, and everyone in the palace has a share of this.
"Your Majesty, let's not let down Concubine Zhen's kindness. I'll serve you a bowl first."
"Okay, then I'll have to trouble the Imperial Concubine."
As soon as the emperor took the white porcelain bowl, Concubine Jing asked with a smile.
"Qiushuang, have you sent some to the delivery room? Sister Zhenfei and the midwife will be busy for who knows how long, so they need to eat something to replenish their energy."
"Reporting to Her Majesty, my master has always been considerate and has ordered the small kitchen to stew a lot of soup. The soup in the west side hall has never stopped."
"Okay, Sister Zhenfei is always kind."
Concubine Jing picked up the spoon and stirred the bowl twice before tasting it carefully.
The people in Zhongcui Palace are very particular about how they stew soup, and they even put medicinal herbs in it.
After drinking a bowl of soup, my body feels warm.
About two hours later, a loud crying sound was heard from the west side hall.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen has given birth. The sound has reached the main hall, so she may have given birth to a prince."
As soon as An Lingrong finished speaking, Cui Jinxi came over with a happy face to report the good news.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhen has safely given birth to twins, a boy and a girl."
"Good!" The emperor was overjoyed and stood up. "Su Peisheng, Concubine Zhen gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, on the first day of the Lunar New Year. This is a very auspicious sign. You go to the Imperial Household Department in person to prepare the reward!"