Lv Feiyue thought more and more, she became nervous and couldn't help but snap at the nearby Cuìwēi. "Go, find someone for me and keep an eye on Lu Xǐ's side. If there are any changes, immediately report them. This matter must not be connected to me."
"Also, you go and secretly tell Xiao Qingzi, to make him alert. Don't give away any clues."
Cuìwēi hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, the servant will arrange it immediately."
Later, she reverently withdrew to take care of matters.
Night as clean as rinse, moon bright, stars sparse.
After Xiao Qingzi returned from the Cold Palace, he slipped back into the Xinghua Palace quietly.
He came to Yu Yaoyao's bedroom outside and whispered, "Madam, the servant has completed the task according to your orders."
Yu Yaoyao was lying in bed and not asleep, hearing the voice outside the door, slightly opened her eyes, "do well, you should go down and rest first, these days be careful."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Xiao Qingzi quietly retreated.
The flickering candles inside the room swayed, casting intermittent shadows.
Yu Yao shifted her gaze to the Liuli standing by, and ordered, "Liuli, send someone around the Fengyi Palace. If there's any sign of trouble, report to me immediately."
"Madam, are you suspecting that the Queen Mother is also involved?"
Liuli's eyes widened in shock as she inquired.
"The Palace is merely expressing suspicion. It can't be wrong to keep an eye on things."
She looked at Liuli and frowned as she spoke.
"Alright, the maid will make sure to keep an eye on things secretly."
Liuli nodded slightly, respectfully received the order, and then retreated.
Yu Yao lay in bed, closed her eyes to sleep, but her mind was racing non-stop.
The Queen had no children, but she was barely twenty years old. Under these circumstances, how could she tolerate other concubines giving birth to the first-born son?
Although the first son is not as prestigious as the legitimate son, in certain situations, he does have a qualification to compete for the throne.
For example, if there are no legitimate sons, or the legitimate son is not that excellent or outstanding.
Didn't see the early years of Kangxi, when the first empress Heshilish was still alive, most of the children in the harem never survived.
The only surviving elder prince, Yintai, was sent away to be raised outside the palace by Consort Hui when he was young and only returned to the palace when he was about to attend the study hall.
It can be imagined how terrifying the power struggle in the harem was at that time.
She doesn't believe that the Queen will be so generous to tolerate other concubines giving birth to the first-born son.
"Everyone, is there any shadow of the Queen behind this matter?"
She turned over and slept, asking the system in her heart.
The system didn't hide, "your suspicions are correct, although the Queen hasn't personally acted, but also pushed the wave behind the scenes."
"Indeed."
Yu Yao understood in her heart, and a few cold lights flashed in her eyes.
She didn't say anything more, told someone to blow out the candles, closed her eyes, and soon fell asleep.
At the same time, Lu Xi was leading several young eunuchs to investigate the palace.
They came to the Cold Palace area, where a young eunuch noticed something unusual by the edge of the dry well, "Your servant, look over there."
Lu Xi frowned and walked over, the dry well was deep and dark, he couldn't see clearly at night.
He instructed one of the eunuchs by his side to take a look.
After a while.
The young eunuch who had descended into the dry well discovered the body that had been disguised.
The body was quickly pulled out.
Lu Xi approached and saw the wounds on the body and objects from Yingyue Palace, he understood at once, "Humph, it indeed has something to do with Yingyue Palace."
He had already guessed that this matter was not related to Rufei, and had been investigating in this direction, but didn't expect it to be true.
As night deepened, within the Fengyi Palace, the candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the Queen's unpredictable face.
It was said that Yu Yao had not only survived the pregnancy but had even been promoted, and the Queen's teacup, which she held tightly, made a loud clatter on the table, breaking the tranquility of the room.
"It's a waste. This Lv Feiyue is really useless and does more harm than good."
The Queen muttered under her breath, her face looking extremely unpleasant, "I thought this matter would be handled perfectly, that I could get rid of that slut's belly with it. But I didn't expect..."
She turned her head and ordered the maidservant beside her, "Qin Shomo, you go take care of it. Make sure that the Emperor does not suspect that there is any involvement behind this."
As for what Lu Feiyue will do next, what does that matter to her?
"Yes, Your Majesty, the old slave will go and take care of it at once."
Qin Shomo bowed and accepted the command, then quietly withdrew.
The Emperor did not call for a concubine tonight. After handling official affairs, he went to the Xinghua Palace to see Yu Yao.
He originally wanted to go directly there, but thinking that she had been promoted and her status was very prominent today, he changed into a night robe, and went to the Xinghua Palace secretly.
The Xinghua Palace was enveloped in deep night.
Yu Yao was asleep at this moment, but she was not actually asleep; she was drowsy and confused.
The Emperor saw that the room was dark, so he knew that she had already fallen asleep.
He did not disturb anyone, quietly entered the room, took off his outer garment, and lay beside her with light hands and feet.
With a gentle expression.
With the coolness of the night and the faint, delightful fragrance of dragon scales.
Yu Yao smelled the dragon scale scent and knew it was the Emperor.
She didn't open her eyes, just huddled into his arms, murmured a sound, and then closed her eyes to continue sleeping.
The Emperor chuckled and said, "She sleeps quite soundly."
He reached out and held her closer, turned to look at her, his eyes soft and full of gentle affection.
At this moment, a few beams of moonlight shone into the room, sprinkling over her delicate and beautiful face, casting a gentle and peaceful glow on it.
The long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, the delicate skin was as delicate as jade, but also a little pale.
Seeing her slightly pale complexion, the Emperor's heart ached with pain.
Even though he had tried his best to protect her, she still encountered danger, even almost losing her child.
He dared not imagine what it would be like if her child was lost, how she would be heartbroken, and how he himself would feel sad.
He tightened his grip, his head resting on top of her head, and whispered, "Yao'er, I'm sorry. I didn't protect you well enough and let you suffer this kind of hurt."
He regretted and blamed himself, why hadn't he arranged for more guards to protect her.
Yu Yao wasn't completely asleep, and she could hear the low murmurs of the dog emperor, which came from above her head. Although the voice was small, each word was clear and audible to her.
The Emperor suddenly became so sentimental, and she was a bit uncomfortable with it.
We had agreed to just have fun without any heart involvement, but now he's suddenly playing with sincerity. Is he preparing to reform his playboy ways?
Is it one true love and the other continuing to be a playboy?
She felt confused inside, so she didn't listen to the Emperor's chatter. She dozed off quickly.
The night grew deeper, and the Emperor was also somewhat tired. Seeing the woman in his arms sleeping soundly, he smiled slightly, gently pressing a kiss to her lips before leaving quickly.
Later, he hugged her and slept soundly.
Until dawn, the Emperor slightly opened his eyes and looked at the woman still sleeping soundly in his arms.
He then left very quietly, undetected by anyone except the palace guards hidden in the shadows.
After attending the morning court, the Emperor returned to the study hall to handle official affairs.
Lu Xi hurriedly approached, holding a night-time investigation result, kneeling on the ground and respectfully said, "The servant has something urgent to report."
The Emperor did not look up, still reading the documents in his hand, and said coldly, "Speak."
Lu Xi dare not delay, quickly said, "After the servant has investigated thoroughly, it was found that something was suspicious about the accident of Princess Qin Zhao. Someone had spread oil on the road where the princess passed by, and even on the key parts of the princess's carriage, which caused her to fall off the carriage."
"Bold, can it be found out who did it?"
The Emperor's face turned somber, and he slammed the document on the desk with force, standing up and looking at Lu Xi with a cold expression, asking.
The Emperor's face darkened, and he threw the document in his hand hard onto the desk, stood up, and looked at Lu Xi with an ice-cold expression. He asked, "What did she do?" Lu Xi knew that the emperor was angry and could not hide anything, so he quickly said: "It was Lu Feiyue who bribed a palace maid named Cui Wei from her side. She let that small eunuch make a mess with the key parts of Qin Zhao's carriage. She also had someone spread oil on the road where Qin Zhao passed by. When the servant found out about the two small eunuchs, they had already been silenced. Their bodies were thrown into a dry well in the Cold Palace, and they also had items from Yingyue Palace on them."
After finishing, he bowed his head low, trembling with fear, as if predicting that a storm was about to come.
"Lu Fei, really a Lu Fei. It's her after all."
The Emperor laughed in anger and his voice was as cold as ice, "Send the imperial edict. Lu Feiyue is to be demoted to a commoner, thrown into the Cold Palace, and beaten to death with sticks. Her palace maid Cui Wei is also to be beaten to death with sticks as a warning."
Lu Xi looked up in shock and astonishment. He had thought that Lu Feiyue would be thrown into the Cold Palace, and he had also thought that the Emperor might order her death, but he hadn't thought she would be beaten to death with sticks.
Generally speaking, even if concubines in the palace committed the biggest mistakes, the Emperor would still show them some face. The ways of death were usually either a white silk rope, poisonous wine, or a knife.
Beaten to death with sticks was the way of death for servants and was also very undignified.
Lu Xi's heart sighed in sorrow. Lu Feiyue had once been very favored and her popularity reached its peak, but she didn't expect to end up in such a pitiful and tragic situation.
The saying that emperors are heartless is indeed true.
Lu Xi dared not think any more and quickly received the order to withdraw.
Just as he was about to leave the study hall, he saw the Queen enter, dressed in a magnificent phoenix robe, and looked very majestic.
When the Queen entered, she sensed that the atmosphere in the study hall was unusual, and the Emperor's face was also very unpleasant, dark and gloomy.
She drummed her heart, thinking to herself whether she had come at the wrong time.
But since she had come, there was no way to turn back.
"The humble servant greets the Emperor. The Emperor's health is the utmost happiness."
The Queen put away her thoughts and performed a graceful bow.
The Emperor looked at the Queen with a cold expression and asked, "What business do you have, Your Majesty?"
When the Queen came into contact with the Emperor's cold eyes, her heart tightened and she respectfully said, "The Emperor ordered Your Majesty to handle the affairs of Shu Jiaoyu and Yugui yesterday. The humble servant is here to report the results."
The Emperor furrowed his brows. His mood was already poor, and seeing such a trivial matter requiring a report, he reluctantly scolded her, doing so without sparing his feelings.
"Reporting such a trivial matter to the emperor, what use are you as a queen? If you can't do your job well, don't hesitate to hand it over to someone else."
The Queen had been caught in a crossfire, and if it were not for today's circumstances, the Emperor might have been displeased but would not have spoken to her in such a way.
