When Ruyi arrived, Ling Yunche had already been whipped all over his body, his clothes were so torn that even the stone bricks under the pillars of the chamber where he was tied were stained with blood. However, the eunuch who was executing still did not stop, and whipped down one whip after another, fast and fiercely, until the blood droplets splashed and the flesh and skin opened. Ling Yun was also stubborn, and he endured it stubbornly, refusing to let out a single moan.

Ruyi's footsteps were sluggish, and she wanted to take a closer look, but she still felt that it was inappropriate. She raised her face, Rong Pei understood, waved her hand at the eunuch who was executing, and said in a low voice: "The queen mother wants to go in and talk to the emperor, stop first." ”

Entering the dormitory, the watery luster flowed under the candle flame, and the cherry red tassels rippled, shaking and dragging out the slender and long shadows of the emperor and Yuyan. The emperor put on a lake blue ink coat over his bedclothes, and his face was pale. Yuyan was half-sitting on the edge of the couch, scattering a handful of green silk, wearing a bright plum-colored silk eight-group spring flower and autumn moon shirt, and a few gilt chisel flower buttons were sparsely opened, revealing a snow-white neck, and she was lying on the emperor's arm crying pear blossoms and rain.

Ruyi saw that she was dressed up so brightly, she frowned unconsciously, and only saluted the emperor.

The emperor's face was full of displeasure, and he didn't have the intention of greeting Ruyi, so he said, "Get up." Late at night, why did the queen come? ”

Ruyi and Wan said: "The concubine was about to sleep, but when she heard that the emperor's bedroom was in trouble, she rushed over to take a look." She was a little humble and self-reproachful, "The harem is restless, it is because of the incompetence of the concubines, and I ask the emperor to condemn it." ”

The emperor waved his hand and said angrily: "If you don't do your business, the people around me are not clean and do such unsightly things." He asked Li Yu: "People are outside, how are you fighting?" ”

Li Yu looked out and said, "The fight is silent, and the hands of the eunuchs who are executing are sore." ”

Yuyan shook the emperor's arm and said hatefully: "Your Majesty! You must beat him to death in order to vent the hatred in the heart of the concubine! ”

Ruyi said softly: "Li Yu, it is said that Concubine Jiagui's belly pocket is missing, show it to the palace, what is it?" ”

Li Yu hurriedly agreed to hold it up, Ruyi glanced at it, but it was a Qian Xiangluo belly pocket wrapped in a flower plate with golden mandarin ducks playing in the water, with the pattern of mandarin ducks playing lotus, red lotus and green leaves, five-color mandarin ducks, rolling around continuous dark gold and rose lace patterns, and pressing green silk embroidered gold beads around the edge, which was very fragrant.

Ruyi deliberately frowned and said, "Is this what Concubine Jia is doing?" How can you look at a few Xiao Chang when they are in their teens, they don't need such glamorous things. ”

Yuyan snorted lightly, pursed her lips, and turned her face to the emperor with a smile: "The emperor said that the concubines have white skin and look good in such colors, isn't it?" ”

It was originally a boudoir whisper, but when he suddenly said it in front of Ruyi, the emperor was also a little embarrassed, covered up his cough, and said, "What age, I haven't spoken lightly or severely." ”

Yuyan said coquettishly: "In the eyes of the concubines, the emperor has always been a young man, and the concubines are by the emperor's side, so naturally they will never care about their age." ”

Ruyi couldn't listen to it, so she turned her face and asked, "Li Yu, how did this thing fall into the hands of Ling Guard?" ”

Li Yu said: "Go back to the queen's words." The concubines and concubines were all wrapped in brocade in the surrounding room and sent to the emperor's bedroom, even if they were in the palace, the rules did not change. Jia Guifei Niangniang entered the dormitory, and the palace maid in the surrounding room began to pack up the clothes that had been changed. ”

Ruyi's eyes lit up: "Then how can it be related to Ling Guard?" ”

"The Ling guards stayed outside the enclosure tonight, and after Concubine Jia entered the palace, the guards took a shift. Lord Ling went back to the room to drink tea, and then changed to the guard in front of the emperor's palace. After that, Jin Zhong led people to search the room where the guards were resting, and found Jiaguifei Niangniang's things in the Ling guards' change of clothes. ”

Ruyi picked up the belly pocket with two fingers and shook it against the lamp, and said with a smile: "Li Yu, you tell this palace, who will steal the belly pocket?" ”

Li Yu's face flushed: "This ...... This ......"

Yuyan rolled her eyes and said, "It must be the next thing that the prodigal did to do it!" ”

Ruyi glanced at Yuyan and smiled: "yes! Concubine Jia is well-maintained, young and young, not to mention that the emperor likes it, she is also tempted by a man. The one who can do such a thing must be the talent of Simujia Guifei, right? ”

Yuyan raised her silk in disgust, leaned closer to the emperor, and said pitifully: "Your Majesty, the concubines don't know anything." ”

Yuyan's face is low, and she is wearing a bright plum-colored eight-cluster folded passionflower-like gauze dress, which is more dazzling under the light, but it is more charming and chic than usual. Ruyi frowned and said, "It's really strange." If Baba steals this invisible thing, he should hide it close to him. How do you put it in a place like the guard's room? Are you not afraid that people will turn it out casually, or do you deliberately wait for someone to turn it out? ”

The emperor said: "What does the queen mean, is there something strange about this matter?" ”

The hall was so quiet that I could hear the faint chirping of unknown insects in the distance. The red candles on the gilded candlestick were still burning, and the wisps of red tears that flowed down were like blood dripping from Ling Yunche's body, quietly dripping down. Ruyi bowed, and her expression was clear: "When something like this happens, it is reasonable for Concubine Jia to be angry." It's just that the concubines are thinking that Ling Guards has been loyal since serving the emperor, and when Empress Xiaoxian fell into the water, he didn't care about his life to save him, and he has won the emperor's trust for many years. And Concubine Jia has slept many times, why did she have an accident in the palace? If Ling Guards really coveted Concubine Jia, wouldn't it be more concealed to steal Concubine Jia's belly pocket in the palace? If someone deliberately framed this matter, it didn't matter if the emperor killed Ling Guards in anger, but there was one less loyal and capable person around him. ”

The emperor glanced at Ruyi and said lightly, "Are you interceding for Ling Yunche?" ”

Ruyi lowered her eyes deeply, took a deep breath in a humble and respectful manner, and said, "Yes." Although this matter is strange, but everyone has stolen goods, it is not too much for the emperor to punish Ling Guards, if he can get out of Jia Guifei's bad breath, it will be even more worthwhile! There is only one incident, which is now in the palace, not as good as in the palace. There are a lot of idlers here, and the news of the death of the guards for this matter tonight is not good. According to the meaning of the concubine, it is inevitable that Ling Guards will be unjustly killed, or the capital crime should be exempted, and the living crime should be punished! ”

The Emperor was slightly contemplative, but also felt sleepy. He patted Yuyanxiang on the shoulder as if soothing: "It's okay." Then he sent Ling Yunche to the Mulan paddock to do a hard labor of cleaning, and he was not allowed to return to Beijing in the future. ”

Yuyan wanted to say anything more, but Ruyi interrupted her in time: "Even the belly pocket will be targeted, to put it bluntly, it's just that Concubine Jiagui's words and deeds are not enough to be checked." It should be an age of dignity and respect, but he is still full of little girl's things. If it really spreads, it will also be Concubine Jia's own reputation. Your Majesty, since there is such a big incident tonight, it is not appropriate for Concubine Jia to sleep again, lest the emperor think of this troublesome matter again. Ruyi solemnized her face, and she was dignified in the middle palace, "Concubine Jia should also reflect and meditate in the harem, so as not to cause such trouble in the future." ”

The emperor waved his hand impatiently and said, "Concubine Jia, you kneel down." Enter the insurance and go to pick up Concubine Ling. ”

Jinbao agreed and stepped back. Ruyi also retired. When she arrived at the door, Ruyi saw that Li Yu personally sent it out, so she said in a low voice: "Thank you for passing the word." ”

Li Yu hurriedly said: "Guard Ling has a life-saving grace for the queen's mother, and the slave knows." And the slave is one of the eyes of the queen mother in the palace, and Ling Guard is the other. The slave doesn't want to watch the others rip out the mother's eyes, lest they rip off this one, and then they will come to rip off the slave. ”

Ruyi nodded and said, "You are a good person." Give Ling Guards some medicine and send them to the Mulan paddock one day. It's up to you to take care of everything. ”

Li Yu replied "yes" and respectfully sent Ruyi out.

The faint moonlight, which broke through the thick clouds, floated in the misty darkness of the palace alley, like a thin veil swaying, falling misty wetness. The night breeze was slightly cool, but Ruyi's heart was not relaxed, but she only kept her face calm and moved forward silently.

Rong Pei helped Ruyi and said in a low voice: "Niangniang, does someone think that tonight's incident is someone scheming Niangniang behind her back?" ”

Ruyi shook her head: "It came too suddenly, and this palace recommended Ling Yunche, but he didn't help this palace openly and secretly, so he can't be regarded as a henchman of this palace, who wants to calculate?" ”

Rong Pei said suspiciously: "Isn't it Concubine Jia......"

"Concubine Jia and Ling Yunche have no grievances, they won't drag themselves into the water to harm him, and they pulled into such a fragrant and private thing as their belly pocket, isn't she afraid of losing her face?"

Rong Pei thought carefully: "If you want to calculate Concubine Jia, if you count those who are not on good terms with Concubine Jia, Concubine Chun is one, and Concubine Ling is also one, that is, Concubine Wan, and she is not very compatible with Concubine Jia." ”

Ruyi condensed and said: "There are not many people who are in harmony with Concubine Jia, but from the perspective of this palace, that person's purpose is not only to pull Concubine Jia into the water and steal the concubine's belly pocket, but also to eradicate Ling Yun's roots." Therefore, whoever is most afraid of Ling Yunche in the palace is whoever is. ”

Rong Pei thought for a long time, and said in a low voice: "The slave maid heard Aunt Xinxin say that in the past, Lord Ling and Concubine Ling were ......."

Ruyi turned her face and whispered: "Shut up!" This matter is not to be mentioned again. ”

Rong Pei said: "Yes." Slaves and maids may not be mentioned. But the only person in this palace who can get a little taboo with Lord Ling is Concubine Ling. This ......"

Ruyi sighed: "No matter what, first send some good gold sore medicine to Ling Yunche to treat his injury, otherwise the weather will be hot, and it will be fatal for his injury to suppurate, and then quietly send Ling Yunche to the Mulan paddock to settle down, and then I have time to ask him if he has offended anyone." ”

Rong Pei saw that Ruyi was so solemn, so she hurriedly agreed and didn't dare to mention it again.