"The one who is pregnant with the emperor's heir...... Lady-in-waiting? Lin Ruo muttered in disbelief, "Born...... Dead babies? ”

Steward Tao nodded: "Yes, the palace is regarded as ominous, the palace maid who gave birth to a dead baby, and the midwife who waited for the delivery were all wiped out." At that time, soon after the rumors spread in the palace, the news of the death of the old prince came, and the government and the opposition were shocked. In fact, it is also for the dead baby to overdo it and resolve grievances. The dead baby is what the princess said, the four princes who died young. ”

Lin Ruo frowned and whispered to himself: "That's not right...... How can it be a palace maid? ”

If it was an ordinary palace maid, how could the emperor give away such a jade pendant as a reward? Gui is the emperor, and the pattern drawn by himself is taken from the best Xiuyu from southern Xinjiang, and carved by famous craftsmen. For example, the piece he gave to Lin Kite - because Lin Kite is the white moonlight in his heart!

It's not that Lin Ruo looks down on the palace maid, but if the other party is really the emperor's sweetheart, how can he be just a palace maid with no position? With Emperor Mingzong's temperament, he will definitely give the other party a name, not to mention that he is still pregnant with a dragon heir!

"Princess, you ...... What's wrong? ”

"Old butler, think about it again," Lin Ruo looked at Steward Tao with blazing eyes, "Is it really a palace maid?" ”

Steward Tao didn't know why Lin Ruo was entangled in this matter, so he simply said everything he knew: "Back to the princess, the old slave accompanied the first princess into the palace to take care of the first princess and the unborn prince. At that time, I also heard people talk about it in private, and the power was just a rumor in the palace, and I didn't study it in detail. Later, the old prince died on the battlefield, and the first princess was shocked by the fetal gas, resulting in premature birth and blood collapse, and followed the old prince. In order to commend the merits of the old prince, the emperor gave a special decree and named the prince as the fourth prince. The old slave felt unlucky at the time, such a reward seemed to be as if our prince had overridden the blessed fourth prince and then replaced him. But the emperor's Chrysostom has been opened, how can there be a reason to take back his fate? The old slave paid a little more attention and inquired a little in the palace. ”

Lin Ruo tugged at his heart and asked, "What did you hear?" ”

"That palace maid is from Qinmei Palace, the female official next to Concubine Xian, who was fortunate to be sent by the emperor, so she has this blessing. Concubine Xian Niangniang was kind, afraid that people would leak the news and attract people with hearts to frame the emperor's heir, so she didn't leak the news, and wanted to wait for the child to be born safely, and then ask the emperor to give the title. But I didn't expect ......"

"Concubine Xian Niangniang?"

"Yes, princess, you are young, and you naturally don't know about the pickled old things in the palace. King Ye, the crown prince, and King Ning all came one after another soon after the emperor ascended the throne, but after these few, only three princesses were added to the palace. ”

Steward Tao didn't say it too clearly - after all, it was a secret matter of the palace, how could it be allowed to let people put their beaks at will?

Lin Ruo is so smart, after Steward Tao mentioned this, he figured out the other party's unfinished words: The intrigue in the palace has existed since ancient times. King Ye was born in the year when the emperor ascended the throne, the prince is three years younger than King Ye, and he is a descendant of the main palace, and King Ning is half a year younger than the prince. But further on, the fifth prince was eleven years younger than the three royal brothers on the top.

The age gap is intriguing.

When the older prince is full-fledged, the younger prince can grow up.

In particular, in the past eleven years, only three princesses have been born, the eldest princess is twenty-five years old this year, the second princess died young, and the next is the third princess Chunyi, who was born by the queen.

Therefore, Concubine Xian Niangniang's intention to hide this palace maid who was pregnant with a dragon heir is not difficult to explain.

If this is the case, it can explain why the other party has the piece of Xiuyu jade pendant given by the emperor in his hand - he is really a sweetheart, so he protected it, and it can barely be explained.

This also explains why the traces of another jade pendant were erased from the books of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

It's just that what was born at that time was not necessarily a stillborn baby, but some ulterior hidden disease. Lin Ruo thought about Bai Que's slightly feminine words and deeds, and felt that his guess was still very well-founded.

This can also explain the fact that Concubine Xian Niangniang never gave birth, but she was trusted by Emperor Mingzong.

But Lin Ruo always felt that something was strange, but he couldn't say it.

"Old butler, it's not early, you go and rest first."

"Princess, this ......"

Tete asked about the "Four Princes", but there was no result, and Steward Tao was really a little puzzled.

"I'll think about it again. However," Lin Ruo said solemnly, "If someone else asks, remember not to reveal a word!" ”

Steward Tao frowned, but finally responded: "The old slave understands." The princess also rested earlier, and the prince used to have urgent matters, and occasionally forgot to send news when he returned late or did not return. Tomorrow, if the matter is not resolved, someone will definitely send someone back with news. ”

Lin Ruo reluctantly pulled out a smile, nodded, and continued to sit in place without moving.

Bai Que, is it credible?

I don't know how long it took, but it wasn't until the voice of the grass brought back her divergent thoughts that she came back to her senses, and when she moved slightly, she found herself numb.

Youcao's eyes were full of worry and distress: "Miss......"

Lin Ruo quickly grabbed her hand: "Is the prince back?" ”

Yucao shook her head.

"Ah, what about them?"

"I haven't come back yet," Youcao helped Lin Ruo slowly rub her numb limbs, "Miss, why don't you rest first, it's almost time." ”

"How can I sleep ......?"

"Miss, didn't Steward Tao say that the prince used to occasionally return late and forget to send news back to the house. Tomorrow morning, maybe the prince will ......"

"Youcao," Lin Ruo interrupted Youcao's words, his eyes were deep, and his tone was solemn, "The old housekeeper doesn't know that Brother Li is in danger today, and he doesn't know what Bai Que told me, let alone ...... What happened in the palace. ”

"Miss......"

"Brother Li's skills are not as good as killers like Ah Shu and Wu Xu, but he is not mediocre. But you also saw the wound on his hand today, a dose of poison will make him powerless to fight back, and he will be slaughtered by others," Lin Ruo's voice sounded flat, she tried her best to suppress the anger and uneasiness in her heart, forcing herself to calm down and not let herself lose her temper, "The same method, they can also be used on the prince to kidnap people." The prince is injured, and there is no shadow guard around to protect him, if he ......"

"Perhaps...... Maybe the prince is angry with the young lady? ”

Youcao cautiously helped Murong Chong "justify", if it was normal, Youcao would certainly not use such a suffocating excuse, but at this time, even if Murong Chong was angry because he had a conflict with Lin Ruo and deliberately made Lin Ruo worry, it was much better than being taken away.

"He's not that kind of person."

Otherwise, she would not have returned to the palace after hearing that she had gone to the palace before the dispersal of the dynasty. Obviously, under the pretext of avoiding suspicion, she refused the prince's invitation to go to the East Palace to discuss, why did she enter the palace again, with her exquisite heart, how could she not understand?

"Princess, the cold guard is back."

Without a trace, he knocked on the door of the study and returned neatly.