"Back to the words of the imperial concubine." Dark Xiang paused and continued, "The old general has found that in recent days, someone has secretly investigated the rebellion of the Ye clan back then. ”

"Can you find out who is secretly investigating the events of the year?" The imperial concubine then asked, "The old general also returned to Beijing not long ago to report on his work, how can he know the affairs in the emperor's capital, it must be ......?"

"Niangniang guessed well, it is true that someone secretly went to the south to inquire about the Ye family's participation in the rebellion of the Marquis of Changyuan." Dark Xiang followed and said, "The old general felt that something was wrong, so he specially sent Dark Xiang into the palace to give you a wake-up call." ”

"Have you found out the details of the person who is secretly spying?"

"The person who is secretly investigating is very cunning, and there are people in the southern army who are secretly colluding with him, and our people have not yet found out the true identity of that person."

"That man was able to send people to the Southern Army?" The imperial concubine was obviously taken aback when she heard the news, and then asked, "Is there anyone suspicious in the old general's heart?" ”

Dark Xiang replied: "The old general said that the Xiao family is now favored by Mu Huang, Niangniang, you are firmly sitting in the high position of the harem, waiting to see the old general and Niangniang, there will be many people who climb high and fall heavy." Dark Xiang glanced up at the imperial concubine, and after seeing a flash of clarity in the latter's eyes, she said: "The Ye family's rebellion case back then was already a lot of unwarranted suspicion, but if it weren't for the people related to the Ye family, others would definitely not want to wade into the muddy waters." ”

At that time, the Ye family was beheaded by Emperor Qi because they were involved in the rebellion case of the Marquis of Changyuan, except for Ning Zhixuan, who had the queen to intercede, and the Ye family was executed by Emperor Qi, because it was involved in the rebellion case, which was the deepest taboo in Emperor Qi's heart.

"Does the old general suspect that the person who infiltrated the southern army to investigate is Ning Zhixuan, the orphan left by the Ye family?" As soon as the imperial concubine spoke, she immediately denied her thoughts and said, "It was several years ago that the Nian Ye family was raided and destroyed, and at that time, Ning Zhiwen was just a milk doll a few years old, how could she know the inside story of the events of that year." ”

Dark incense followed and reminded the imperial concubine: "Niangniang, the old general said that he was afraid that he would cut the grass and not remove the roots, so it would be born again in the spring breeze." ”

The imperial concubine was already startled, and then she took a deep breath before calming down and said: "The old general suspects that there are remnants of the Ye family that survived, and now that remnants are secretly colluding with Ning Zhixuan to avenge the Ye family?" ”

"Niangniang, the old general wants to tell Niangniang in secret." Dark Xiang followed and knelt down in the tunnel, "The old general wants Dark Xiang to tell Niangniang that the Xiao family is a century-old family, and the ancestral foundation is not easy to come by, and Niangniang must be cautious when acting." ”

"The old general means that this palace would rather believe that it exists, not that it does not." The imperial concubine's eyes were followed by a flash of cold murderous intent, "It's better to kill by mistake than to let go." ”

"The old general means that he wants Niangniang to act with extra caution." Dark Xiang suddenly raised her head and looked at the imperial concubine and said, "The old general's focus is on the word 'prudence', sometimes as long as you are cautious and plan properly, why do you need to kill." ”

The imperial concubine asked again: "The old general still has something to ask you to bring to the palace." ”

"The old general also said that since the second lady of the Zuo Prime Minister's Mansion took the initiative to find you, you don't have to save the face of the second lady." Dark Xiang followed and said, "The old general means that instead of putting the second lady out of sight, it is better to take her under his nose, as for the Bai clan, as long as you give them what they want most, now the old general's body is still quite tough, and the Bai clan will not be able to make any waves for a while." ”

"Mother, the old lady is about to wake up." Aunt Sun looked at the old lady Xiao who was lying on the low table with her fingers slightly bent and said, "The old lady has always been a bodhisattva who eats fasting and recites Buddha, and I am afraid that I will not be able to see the dark incense to find you." ”

The imperial concubine's eyes were already sharp, and she looked at the dark incense who was kneeling on the ground and said: "Why don't you put on the mask made of human skin, and speak carefully to the palace after a while, if you say the wrong thing and startle the old lady, the palace will definitely not spare you." ”

After receiving the order, Dark Fragrance hurriedly put on a mask made of human skin, and then got up quickly and came to the old lady's side.

Aunt Sun also hurriedly helped the imperial concubine to sit on the soft ground beside Old Madam Xiao.

"Mother...... Mother ......" The imperial concubine tried to whisper to the old lady Xiao, who had already woken up faintly, "Mother is probably too tired, just happened to be talking, and my mother came up sleepy and actually took a nap on the low table." ”

"Did the courtiers fall asleep just now?" Old Madam Xiao rubbed her temples and sat up as she spoke, "The courtiers have lost their manners in front of Niangniang, and they still look at Niangniang Haihan." ”

"What did the mother say, the mother entered the palace early in the morning to visit her daughter, and she was so tired that she fell asleep in her daughter's palace." The imperial concubine had already stepped forward to knead her shoulders for Old Madam Xiao and said, "It's the daughter who is tired and the mother is hard, and the daughter really can't bear it." ”

"Mother, this is not in order." Old Madam Xiao saw the imperial concubine rubbing her shoulders for herself, and was about to get up and kneel to excuse herself, but she was pressed down by the imperial concubine and said, "Mother, now there are only daughters and mothers left in the inner hall, and Aunt Sun and Mama Chen are their own people again." There was a rare begging in the imperial concubine's tone: "Mother, you will fulfill your daughter's filial piety." ”

Old Madam Xiao saw that the imperial concubine insisted on kneading her shoulders for herself, and saw that there were no outsiders in the inner hall, so she finally obeyed the imperial concubine's wishes and did not object.

"Yuan'er, you have been busy celebrating the birthday of the eldest princess recently, and you are busy in the New Year." Old Madam Xiao patted the imperial concubine's hand with a kind smile and said, "After the New Year, you will be even more busy, and your mother will no longer come to the palace to visit you these days." ”

"Mother, you ......" The imperial concubine was about to stop Old Madam Xiao's idea of not entering the palace, but she was held by Old Madam Xiao and said, "Mother knows that you are the most filial, but you are now the imperial concubine who commands the six palaces, the burden on your body is heavy, and the things at hand are even more complicated, my mother does not expect to see you all the time, but she is looking forward to my baby daughter being safe in the harem every day." ”

"Mother...... Mother's painstaking daughter understands. The imperial concubine held Mrs. Xiao's hand with her backhand and said, "The daughter will definitely live up to her mother's expectations, she doesn't want to bring much honor and favor to the Xiao family, she just wants to be able to protect herself, and she just wants to be able to see her mother every once in a while." ”

The imperial concubine knew in her heart that since the day she entered the palace against Old Madam Xiao's wishes, she was no longer able to fulfill her filial piety in front of Old Madam Xiao, she had already disappointed Old Madam Xiao once, and she would definitely protect her position in the palace in the future without affecting the family.

"Niangniang, the slave has already sent the old lady out of the palace." Aunt Sun came back after sending Mrs. Xiao out of the palace and said, "The old lady was in a very good mood when she saw her mother, and when she left, she also sent Mama Chen to reward the people in the palace with a silver ingot." ”

"My mother always tries her best to take care of me, but I can't do my filial piety in front of her old man because I am trapped in this deep palace." The imperial concubine followed with red eyes and said, "Mother didn't suspect anything, right?" ”

"No, the old lady probably really thinks that she is old and sleepy easily."

"Yes! When the mother is old, she naturally looks forward to her children and grandchildren wrapping around her knees and teasing her grandchildren. The imperial concubine said as she spoke, her eyes darkened, and she said, "Auntie, you said that if I hadn't insisted on entering the palace back then, my mother wouldn't have to come to the palace to visit, let alone even want to see my grandson." ”

"Niangniang, according to the foolish opinion of the slave maid, there is no inevitable causal connection between whether or not to enter the palace and whether Niangniang can fulfill her filial piety in front of the old lady." Aunt Sun then comforted the imperial concubine softly and said, "Niangniang, you only need to look at the Ye family who was as famous as Niangniang back then, you can know, the Ye family and Niangniang were the most outstanding girls in the imperial capital city, Niangniang, you entered Ziyun City as a concubine, and the Ye family entered the Zuo Xiangfu as a wife, but now the Ye family has been a fragrance for many years, and even the Ye family cannot escape the doom, but Niangniang is now firmly sitting in the position of deputy queen." ”

"Auntie is right." The imperial concubine listened to Aunt Sun's words, and she was relieved in her heart, "I entered Ziyun City first, and then Ye Lanshuang married into Zuo Xiangfu as his wife. ”

"Mother, if only you could figure this out." Aunt Sun followed and stepped forward to hang her legs for the imperial concubine and said, "A woman's marriage is to fight with the sky, the key is still in the word 'fight', the so-called struggle is to manage it as hard as Niangniang, it is precisely because the Ye family does not understand this truth that it will end up with a family that will be affected." ”

"Fight against the sky...... Fight for your life with the sky......" The imperial concubine muttered and repeated Aunt Sun's words, and then said, "At the beginning, my mother didn't want me to enter the palace because she didn't want me to fight with the sky, but I, Xiao Wenyuan, have never believed in fate, and that person's words are all for the sake of family interests, but there is a sentence that is right." ”

Aunt Sun knew that the "person" in the imperial concubine's mouth referred to General Xiao, and then said obediently: "Niangniang is high, the slave and maid have listened to it." ”

"In this world, cowardly people can only passively accept the trick of fate, as long as the strong will believe that fate is to rely on their own to fight, the glory of the Xiao family for a hundred years is not born out of thin air, but the result of the perseverance and hard work of the ancestors."

"The mother is right, the slave has been taught." Aunt Sun then knelt down in front of the imperial concubine and said.