On the night of the Winter Solstice Festival, Lu Yuan accompanied Yu Lin to dine in the Chunyuan Palace, after the meal, he talked for a while before returning to Yurun Hall. When he arrived at the steps of Yurun Hall, Lu Yuan got off the rope and ordered the little eunuchs to carry the empty back with it.

As soon as Lu Yuan stepped on the steps with Chunhua's hand, he heard the bamboo bushes next to him squirming, the bamboo poles swaying, and he vaguely saw a black shadow squatting there. She was taken aback and shouted, "Who is hiding there?" Come out! ”

Xiao Yunzi and Xiao Lianzi ran out when they heard the sound and went into the bamboo bush to check. Xiao Yunzi has some kung fu on his body, and after a while, he grabbed a person and escorted him to Yurun Hall.

When Lu Yuan looked at it, it was a little eunuch with a raw face, she took a sip of hot tea, and said solemnly: "What are you doing sneakily hiding in my Yurun Hall?"

Lu Yuan thought that the little eunuch was here to steal, but who knew that his face was fearless, he kowtowed calmly, and said: "The slave has been hiding here and waiting for the noble little master for a night, and I have something important to report to the little master." ”

Lu Yuan was surprised: "What's the matter with you?" Come on! The little eunuch hesitated for a moment, and looked in both directions. Lu Yuan understood and said, "Biluo stays, and everyone else retreats." ”

Seeing that the idle people had gone out, the little eunuch Fang raised his head and said: "The slave's name is Xiaokangzi, who works as an errand in the imperial dining room, and the slave's younger brother is called Xiaoshunzi, who served tea to the emperor in the Chengming Palace before." ”

Hearing the name "Xiao Shunzi", Lu Yuan's expression shook suddenly, and he looked at Biluo for a while, and said, "Go on!" ”

Xiaokangzi continued: "A few months ago, the slave's younger brother was bribed, and in the middle of the night in the Chengming Palace, he was caught by the guards stealing the secret of the court, and confessed that he was instructed by Yi Guiren, in fact, Yi Xiaozhu was wronged, and the person who really instructed behind the scenes was Concubine Rongniang!" ”

Lu Yuan was surprised and delighted: "How did you know?" ”

Xiaokangzi 1510 said: "Half a month before the incident, it happened that the old lady of the slaves committed an old illness and was bedridden, waiting for the silver to ask Lang Zhong to see a doctor and catch medicine, the slave was shy in his pocket, and when he was in a hurry, Xiao Shunzi brought a bag of silver, saying that Concubine Rong bribed him to steal the government secrets from the Chengming Palace, originally to help General Zheng in secret. Concubine Rong warned him that if the matter was revealed and he was arrested, he would rely on Xiao Master Yi. Because he urgently needed money to treat his mother, Xiao Shunzi agreed to the errand. You already know everything that happened later, the noble little master. ”

Lu Yuan asked, "Then why did you come to tell me now?" ”

Xiaokangzi kowtowed again, and said with a crying voice: "Originally, Concubine Rong promised Xiao Shunzi that after the limelight passed, she would definitely try her best to save him from prison." A few days ago, Xiao Shunzi died suddenly in prison, and the jailer said that he had a violent illness and died. But the slave felt strange, Xiao Shunzi has always been in good health, and the slave guessed that it must be Concubine Rong who bought off the jailer and killed him in order to kill him. The slave knew that the little master had always been good friends with the little master Yi, so he came to expose Concubine Rong and avenge his younger brother. As he spoke, tears fell.

Lu Yuan grabbed the handle of the armchair tightly with both hands, his expression was solemn, and he groaned slightly, and said, "You go back, don't make a noise, this matter is very important, and you need to think about it in the long run, let me think about it." ”

Xiaokangzi kowtowed again, wiped his tears and quietly walked out of Yuruntang, and disappeared into the night.

Biluo said: "Little master, is Xiaokangzi's words credible?" ”

Lu Yuan thought slowly and said, "Nine times out of ten." That incident was already strange, but now after listening to Xiaokangzi's words, it can be explained. ”

Biluo said again: "What are you going to do about the little master?" ”

Lu Yuan picked up the small silver scissors and cut the candle flowers, the originally dim candlelight suddenly brightened, and said slowly: "I need to discuss it with Sister Xian and Sister Shun." ”

Biluo said: "Then the slave maid will go and invite Concubine Xian Niangniang and Shun Concubine Niangniang to come over." ”

Lu Yuan hurriedly said: "No, it's getting late at this time, don't raise the teachers and startle the people, let's wait for tomorrow." ”

The next day, Concubine Xian and Concubine Shun got the news and gathered together in Yurun Hall, and Lu Yuan repeated the words of Xiaokangzi last night from beginning to end.

Concubine Xian said cautiously: "Although Xiaokangzi's words are credible, there is no basis for his words, and the case cannot be reversed only by his confession." ”

Concubine Shun also said: "What Concubine Xian said is reasonable, now that Xiao Shunzi is dead, there is no proof of death, and Concubine Rong cannot be moved by the words of Xiaokangzi alone." Since Concubine Rong dares to do it, she must have already laid the groundwork and will not easily show her feet. ”

Lu Yuan said: "I don't know. It's just that Xin'er's sister has been under house arrest for more than three months, and now things have taken a turn for the better, if she doesn't take advantage of this to clear her up, I'm afraid that there will be no chance in the future. ”

Everyone was silent for a while, only thinking secretly in their hearts.

Lu Yuan suddenly smiled and said, "My sister has come up with a plan, maybe she can deal with Concubine Rong, and she also asked the two sisters to accompany Yuanyuan to play a scene." As he spoke, he carefully explained the strategy.

Shun Concubine said: "You can give it a try, even if it doesn't work, there is no harm." Concubine Xian also nodded yes. The three of them discussed again before they dispersed.

After several days of hazy weather, the day finally cleared, the blue sky was as clear as washing, and the wind became much softer, such a sunny day is rare in winter.

Concubine Rong held the tassel's hand and walked on the sheep intestine path in Qiongyuan, the unmelted snow under her feet creaking. In the past few months, everything that happened to Li in the harem has made her unhappy, although the emperor did not snub her, but it is far worse than when she was favored in the past.

Walking to the back of a rockery, the strap of the white fox velvet cloak on her body suddenly loosened, and the tassel stood up to re-fasten it for her.

At this time, the voices of two women came from the front of the rockery. One said: "I heard a strange thing, the day before yesterday, the emperor accompanied the queen to dinner in Kunyi Palace, and after drinking, he was happy for a while, and said that as long as the queen gave birth to a son-in-law, she would be established as the prince immediately." ”

Another said: "What's strange about this, the queen is the middle palace, and the eldest son in the womb is the eldest son, especially noble, and it is not surprising that she is the prince." ”

The woman said, "Since the founding of the country, there has never been a matter of the infant canonization of the prince. ”

A woman said: "The rules are all set by people, and seeing that the emperor attaches so much importance to the queen's child, it is possible to break the rules." ”

Concubine Rong heard these words behind her back, and suddenly felt chills, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, since the queen was pregnant, she was suspicious every day, and now her worst worries came out of other people's mouths, like a thunderbolt from the sky.

Concubine Rong couldn't bear it anymore, and rushed out from behind the rockery, and saw that the two people who spoke just now were Concubine Xian and Concubine Shun, she said sharply: "The two of you are too bold, you dare to talk about the matter of the prince in broad daylight!" ”

Concubine Xian and Concubine Shun were startled when they saw Concubine Rong suddenly appear, and hurriedly said: "It is the concubines who have been born, and they will be cautious in their words and deeds in the future." ”

Concubine Rong stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Is what you said true?" ”

Concubine Shun smiled slightly, and said: "True and false, false and true, believe is true, do not believe in false, true or false, Concubine Rong is smart and resolute, and has her own conclusion in her heart, how to ask the concubines?" ”

Concubine Rong said angrily: "Concubine Shun, don't think that the emperor will favor you again, you can act arbitrarily, be careful of falling out of favor again!" ”

Concubine Shun said slowly: "Thank you for mentioning the concubine, whether you are favored or not, it is not something that Niangniang can speculate." ”

"You! Dare to talk back to this palace! Concubine Rong was furious and raised her right hand high.

"Stop!" There was a shout from afar, and when everyone looked, it was the queen's guard of honor, and when they arrived in front of them, everyone bent their knees to say goodbye.

The queen sat high on the dragon and phoenix step, dressed in the big coat of the ink fox, with a thin blanket on her bulging belly, and said with a gloomy face: "Concubine Rong, do you like to slap people again?" This palace has said many times that sisters are in the same harem and want to live in harmony, do you take all the words of this palace as a deaf ear? ”

Concubine Rong had to bow her head and say, "The concubine doesn't dare." ”

The queen's expression was a little pale, and she said: "This palace is about to go to Qingyin Pavilion to listen to the play, you can go together." ”

Concubine Rong thanked her on the grounds that she was unwell, and Concubine Xian and Concubine Shun followed the queen's footsteps to Qingyin Pavilion.

Seeing everyone walking away, Concubine Rong turned to the tassel and said hurriedly: "Quickly let Jinxi sneak out of the palace and tell my father the news of Lichu, so that he can be prepared." Tassel hurriedly agreed.