newbobooks Chapter 146 Turmoil
Chapter 146 Turmoil
Side Hall of Penglai Island
Fubao came into the room carrying a pot of tea and looked at Huanbi worriedly.
"My lady, we're out of Lu'an tea. Please forgive me for having to drink scented tea for a few days."
When the Empress learned that the Emperor was furious in the Qinzheng Palace and had expelled Concubine Wan, she felt something was wrong.
She was ordered to persuade the young lady to go to Bitong Academy to inquire about the news, but unexpectedly, she was taken to Penglai Island by Concubine Wan.
After staying here for a few days, Wanpin read books and drank tea every day, without any fear of being neglected by the emperor.
Fubao felt that there must be some unspeakable secret behind this.
Only by provoking Huanbi can we get a glimpse of the truth.
"Don't you think Concubine Chun of Xinghua Village has a monthly supply of seven taels of Lu'an tea? Why hasn't she sent it over?"
This was snatched from the Imperial Household Department by Huanbi under the guise of being the eldest sister.
Of course she also got a lot of good things from the kitchen.
In the entire garden, Concubine Chun is the only one who is sickly and not valued by the emperor and is the easiest to bully.
"My lady, the news of Concubine Wan's exile to Penglai Island has spread. The people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are very good at changing their stance according to the situation. I suspect that this month's supply of Lu'an tea should have been delivered to Xinghua Village."
"This is really unreasonable!"
"Let's go! Let's go meet Sister Wan."
The emperor had put the eldest sister under house arrest. Didn't she go to Bitong Academy to inquire about the situation? Why did she come to Penglai Island in a daze?
Huanbi still hasn't figured out why she listened to her elder sister's advice.
Unable to stay on the isolated island, Huanbi waved Cui Jinxi, who was about to report, aside.
"I have something to tell Sister Wan, you all go down."
Cui Jinxi was about to retort when Liu Zhu gently pulled her sleeve.
"Aunt Jinxi, I apologize to you on behalf of the young master."
Huanbi has been impatient since she was a child. She could have enjoyed herself in Xianyue Pavilion this time, but unexpectedly, she was brought to Penglai Island by her master.
Her impatience was understandable.
"Liu Zhu, I know you value love, but she is now He Changzai."
"Hey! You go guard the door and don't let He Changzai hurt the master."
Cui Jinxi sighed and returned to the small room.
She always felt that Huanbi would ruin her master's plans.
Huanbi ran into the house and saw her elder sister practicing calligraphy. She didn't dare to say a word and stood obediently beside her.
Even the emperor praised the eldest sister's handwriting. Although she hated studying, she had a natural awe for people who wrote well.
After waiting for about half an hour, Zhen Huan, who had finished practicing calligraphy, looked at Huanbi with admiration.
"You seem to be very patient this time. Do you want to practice calligraphy with me?"
Huanbi quickly shook her head like a rattle, and her whole body exuded resistance.
Seeing this, Zhen Huan no longer insisted.
She followed her father's instructions and decided to teach Huanbi a lesson.
But after trying all the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, Huanbi was not interested in any of them.
"It's rare for you to come to me on your own initiative. Is there something wrong?"
"Sister Wan, those servile servants in the Imperial Household Department have been skimping on your allowance. This month, they've only given you one or two ounces of coarse, aged tea."
Although there are no clear regulations on the monthly tea supply, you can't fool people with crude tea.
"Huanbi, I still have some tea leaves. Take some back with you."
"You're quite good at embroidery. Do you have time to teach me some new patterns?"
Huanbi is a person who responds to soft words but not to hard ones. If you want her to stay in Penglai Island obediently, you can only divert her attention by making her feel comfortable.
Sure enough, when Huanbi heard that her elder sister wanted to ask her for help, she happily agreed.
"My lady, Concubine Wan treats you so well that she even gave you some of the Longjing tea the emperor gave her as a reward."
Huanbi replied proudly.
"Sister Wan has always been kind to me, but our relationship is different after all."
"I've always said that you are blessed. After Lady Wan leaves, your good days are still to come."
Fubao poured cold water on her at the right time, but quietly hid a handful of tea leaves in his hand.
This handful of tea leaves appeared in Taohuawu the next morning.
"My Lady, this is the tea our people sent from Penglai Island."
The queen took it to her nose and sniffed it, and her face changed drastically.
"Is this Mingqian Longjing?"
The Emperor rewarded her and Concubine Hua with Longjing tea before the rain, but there is a saying among the people that "the Longjing before the rain is the best quality, and the Longjing before the Qingming Festival is the treasure."
"Jianqiu, please make two cups of tea for me."
She still had some Yulongjing tea here, which could be used to compare with the tea she sent out.
Jianqiu tasted two cups of tea himself and pointed to one of them.
"My lady, this tea has a stronger flavor."
That cup was the pre-rain Longjing, and the other cup was obviously the even rarer Mingqian Longjing.
"Your Majesty is truly..."
"Jianqiu, activate the nails planted in the Qinzheng Hall."
The Queen confirmed that the Emperor was protecting Zhen Huan, who was somewhat similar to Rouze Jianren, which meant that something big was going to happen in the garden.
As long as she seizes the initiative, she will be able to clear the obstacles for Honghui.
The queen's gloomy gaze was directed towards the sky.
An Lingrong, who was far away in the morning light, was busy making clothes for Hongzhan. He had been crawling and running a lot recently, so he had to change several sets of clothes a day.
The twins in my belly were getting bigger and bigger, and I had to stay in bed for two months after giving birth. During that time, I couldn't touch needles or thread at all.
An Lingrong, feeling she owed Hongzhan, wanted to make up for it by giving him some larger clothes.
Baoque and the other two came over to help out of fear of tiring their master.
The three were busy when Xiao Linzi, who had been patrolling outside, quietly entered the room.
"Your Majesty, I have something important to report."
Baoli and Baoge consciously went out to guard the door.
"Xiao Linzi, did you find anything?"
"Your Majesty, while I was inspecting, I noticed a few unfamiliar faces among the palace maids sweeping the streets outside the upper and lower palaces."
"According to our observations, those unfamiliar faces only hang around the skylights above and below us."
After Xiao Linzi personally checked the situation, he felt that the situation was serious.
An Lingrong put down the soft cloth in her hand and whispered instructions.
"Whoever is snooping around out there definitely has no good intentions towards us."
"Xiao Linzi, tell this to the people sent by the higher-ups."
"I believe they will find a way to solve it."
She also ordered that if any commotion occurred outside, everyone should retreat to Hanyue Tower.
That day, Mammy Haba and Mammy Koudai took the Sixth Prince to live on the second floor of Hanyue Tower.
The emperor, who was listening to Rouying singing a song in the Qinzheng Hall, received a report from his subordinates and summoned Xia Qie in the dead of night.
"Arrange a group of people to guard outside the upper and lower Tianguang. If anything happens to Concubine Shu and the Sixth Prince, they will be beheaded."
"The minister obeys the order."
The Queen and Concubine Hua both have their own staff, so he doesn't need to worry about them.
One day in the middle of the night, An Lingrong was awakened by the noise outside.
"Bao Que, there's a noise outside, hurry up and help me get dressed."
When they went out, Xiao Linzi had already brought people to guard the gate of Hanyue Tower.
"Your Majesty, all the doors and windows of Hanyue Tower have been closed tightly. I have servants and others guarding them. Please rest assured."
An Lingrong glanced at the young eunuchs holding benches, kitchen knives, hoes and sticks, and spoke in a deep voice.
"I know your loyalty. Once this matter is over, I will definitely reward you according to your merits."
The palace servants, their hearts beating fast, murmured their thanks.
"Xiao Linzi, what's going on outside?"
"My Lady, there's a fight between two groups of people. It shouldn't affect us for now."
Although An Lingrong knew that the emperor's men were guarding outside the palace, she still stayed in the main room.
The commotion outside died down in less than half an hour, but the people in Hanyue Tower did not let their guard down.