At dinner time, I heard that His Majesty went to Shoukang Palace to accompany the concubine to have a meal, and did not make any stops.

And Qiao'er, who is newly promoted to promise, since she was favored last time, seems to have been forgotten by the emperor, everyone speculates that it is because of the queen's affairs, the emperor is angry with her, and even she herself thinks that it is because of the queen. On this day, she was removing her makeup in front of the bronze mirror, and saw her maid Xia Mei come in with a basin of muddy water, covering the door and window and lightly sprinkled it, she wondered in her heart and said, "Xia Mei, what are you doing here?" ”

Xia Mei put down the things in her hand and said: "The little master doesn't know, there are some unclean things in the palace recently, this is a charm for the slave maid to secretly find someone to ask for in the temple outside the palace, the slave and maid burned the talisman water and sprinkled it in the palace, saving some unclean things from coming in." ”

Qiao'er couldn't help but be afraid for a while, she had heard some rumors recently, and she couldn't help asking, "How is the queen mother doing?" ”

Xia Mei finished the work in her hand, put down the silver basin in her hand, and said: "The slave maid inquired, but she just said that the queen mother needs to recuperate, and the people in the palace should not bother, and Concubine Hui is also sick, in short, the palace is now panicking, but there is one thing, the slave and maid look a little strange." ”

Qiao'er sat up straight and said, "What's the matter?" ”

Xia Mei said mysteriously: "The slave maid looked at the fact that although the mother said that she needed to recuperate, but this Weiyang Palace did not stop, she could often see people coming and going, looking at the clothes, there were many people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and even some people were foreign ministers, so they entered and exited the palace of the queen mother with a big grin, and no one stopped them." ”

Qiao'er felt more and more strange, she said: "Forget about the internal affairs office, how can Your Majesty let the foreign ministers enter and leave the queen's bedroom at will?" ”

Although Xia Mei was also puzzled, she thought for a moment and said: "Little master, according to the slave's opinion, you should leave this matter alone, now that you have left the queen's palace, you don't have to put the queen's mother first in everything, you always have to run for your own future, although your current position is low, but if you are lucky enough to give birth to the prince, wouldn't it——"

Qiao'er touched her abdomen indefinitely, and said, "Yes, if I can give birth to a prince, I will have something to rely on for the rest of my life, but Xia Mei, look at this Jiaxi Palace, it is deserted, and even the tree at the door is sick, without a trace of life." ”

Xia Mei saw her so disheartened, and hurriedly persuaded: "Little master, don't say that, now there is an accident in the palace, Your Majesty has no intention of the harem, and the slaves and maids have found out clearly, Your Majesty, not only did you not come to our palace, but also did not go to the palace of the little master next to you, you have time and opportunity, you have been with the queen for so many years, you know the most about Your Majesty's preferences and habits, and the little master next to you does not have the ability to do so." ”

Xia Mei's words seemed to be a small fire, and the flame in Qiao'er's eyes was lit suddenly, yes, since it has come to this point, it won't be too bad, right.

On the other side, Tuoba Chen came back from Shoukang Palace, and he has been sullen, Fuqing followed lightly, and did not dare to speak, just hung his head, muffled, Tuoba Chen's footsteps rubbed heavily on the road of the bluestone slab, stepped on the fallen leaves in early autumn, and made a squeaky sound.

After a while, he still sighed, Fuqing saw that his expression had eased a little, and knew that his anger had disappeared a lot, so he asked tentatively: "Your Majesty came out of Concubine De's palace sullen, but what did the concubine say?" ”

Tuoba Chen shook his head and said: "What can the concubine say, for so many years, the concubine has only been in front of her concubine safely, and has never interfered in the decision between me and the queen, the only time I got involved was because of Lin'er, but Lin'er is also my child after all, and the concubine cares about the imperial heir, in the final analysis, it is understandable." But it's because of this that I can't refuse—"

Fuqing nodded in agreement and said: "Yes, the concubine has a noble status, but she has been living a stable life in the Shoukang Palace all these years, but the slave doesn't understand, what does the concubine say, so that Your Majesty can't refuse?" ”

Tuoba Chen rubbed the corners of his forehead and said, "What can be the matter, what can be the biggest thing in the harem now?" It's not the things that happened in the queen's palace - the concubine said that the queen rules the six palaces in the east and west, although I am investigating the case, but I can't ignore the queen's face and the child in the queen's womb. ”

Fuqing nodded and said, "What the concubine said is reasonable, and there have been some discussions in the palace recently." ”

Tuoba Chen's gaze was distant and deep, he didn't know what he was thinking, and said lightly: "But, I have to check, after all——"

He suddenly felt a burst of boredom in his heart, and when he turned his head, he saw the palace gate of Lingxiu Palace appear in his sight, I don't know when, he actually walked to Lingxiu Palace, he took a deep breath and said: "Follow me to see the Xi nobles." ”

Fuqing obediently followed behind Tuoba Chen, stepped inside, and happened to see He Xi sitting under the window with a book in his hand, the night breeze slightly lifted her sideburns, she moved slightly, and saw a bright yellow dress from the front of the palace gate, flashing.

She stood up and saluted, and Tuoba Chen helped her up and said, "I just came back from the concubine and passed by to see you." ”

He Xi smiled slightly: "Your Majesty has seen Lin'er?" But well-behaved? ”

Tuoba Chen said a little dotingly: "Well-behaved, I always say, even the concubine said, Lin'er was raised very well by you, how can there be no such thing as not being well-behaved, but Lin'er is getting older, and I have a lot less time with you." ”

He Xi pretended to be shy, lowered his face, and his eyes gently swayed on Ruyi's face by turning his head.

He Xi breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, sat down and said to Tuoba Chen: "Your Majesty said that you are laughing, you always come to the palace of the concubines, even if it is for Lin'er, you come much more often." ”

Tuoba Chen sat opposite her and took the tea He Xi poured for him: "But I'm annoyed?" ”

He Xi covered his lips and smiled: "Where did Your Majesty say this, how can the concubine dislike Your Majesty?" It's just that the concubine doesn't dislike you, you seem to have something to worry about-"

Tuoba Chen's hand paused slightly: "Oh? You can see all this? ”

He Xi said softly: "But what did the concubine say?" ”

Seeing He Xi guessed the reason at once, Tuoba Chen was still a little surprised at first, but then, he came to his senses, dropped the cup heavily on the table and said, "What? The concubine also told you? ”

He Xi couldn't figure out where Tuoba Chen's temper came from for a while, so he replied cautiously: "Back to Your Majesty's words, the concubine just said her worries, by talking to the concubine, but where can the concubine solve the concubine's sorrow?" ”

Tuoba Chen's doubts gradually relaxed, and his expression softened a lot, although he is now very fond of He Xi, but this does not mean that He Xi can overstep his responsibilities and meddle in the affairs of the palace, pampering is not a right, if he relies on his own favor, he will have any other thoughts, even if he loves her again, even if she is now the adoptive mother of the eldest prince, he will not show mercy.

But hearing He Xi say this, the suspicion in his heart was dispelled, he took a deep breath and said: "You can't solve it, I can't solve it, the case has to be investigated, but the place where the incident happened is in the apse of the queen's palace, how can I not know that this is a grievance to the queen, but if it is because of this matter, let the queen move the palace, how can it not be a grievance for her?" ”

He Xi's smile gradually cooled down, aggrieved? When she was doing those things, why didn't she feel wronged? When she betrayed those who were good to her for her own selfish desires, for the sake of power and glory, did she also feel wronged?

She took a deep breath and used a lot of strength to swallow those blurted out questions, she said: "It is true that moving the palace will not work, but the concubine has also heard about it, and there has been a lot of discussion in the palace recently, and the concubine has a way to get the best of both worlds." ”

Tuoba Chen hurriedly said: "What way?" Tell me about it? ”

He Xi said with a smile: "Although the queen mother can't move the palace, this case, Your Majesty can't help but investigate, then there is only one way, and that is to let the queen mother out of the palace——"

"Out of the palace?" Tuoba Chen looked at He Xi in puzzlement.

He Xi knew that Tuoba Chen didn't understand what he meant, so he said: "The concubine has listened to the little eunuch next to her in recent days, this palace has planted a lot of red maples, and when autumn comes, the red maples all over the mountains are very beautiful——"

Tuoba Chen suddenly realized, he happily patted the table and said: "Yes, why didn't I think of this, I can continue to enjoy the scenery in the palace and send you all out of the palace, so that even if Dali Temple investigates, it will not be afraid." ”

He Xi slowly lowered his head, and the disdain in his eyes became more and more unable to hide, and only by lowering his eyes could he hide it.

There is another reason why he is so excited, that is, in this way, he also has enough opportunities to do his hand and foot on that palace maid, whether it is to defend the queen or to deceive everyone in the world, but Tuoba Chen, you may not have thought that we have made enough preparations, and this time you will not be allowed to tell everyone about the world.

When she raised her eyes again, it was already clear.

At night, Tuoba Chen stayed in the palace of He Xi, and the next day, the emperor decreed, because there were many pregnant concubines in the palace recently, and there were evil things in the palace.

As soon as this holy decree was issued, the various palaces were filled with joy and sorrow.