Gu Qiang's worries were justified. After all, Shen Qiangwei was still Shen Zhongbai's concubine. If Shen Zhongbai found out that she was with Gusu Liangzi, he would definitely bury her alive.
After all, no one wants to wear a cuckold on their head.
At night, when it was dark and windy, beside a wall of the palace, a black figure flew into the palace with a rope.
Dodging the patrolling guards and recalling the previous way to Shen Qiangwei's palace, Gusu Liang sneaked in quietly.
After entering, he found that there were many more secret guards in Shen Qiangwei's palace. He had not seen these people before coming here. It can be seen that these were added by Shen Zhongbai later.
"It seems that she is really imprisoned."
Gu Suliang was thinking and saw brightly lit candles in a side hall next to the main hall where Shen Qiangwei was.
Only concubines with lower status than the concubines in the main palace would live in the side palace. It seemed that there was someone watching her.
"Empress, why do you think the emperor wants you to monitor Concubine Shen? The emperor's love for you is not enough to give you a palace of your own, but you still agreed to let the emperor live in a side palace."
Concubine Meng and Hongxing walked in from the outside. Hongxing was very concerned about Concubine Meng living in the side hall. After all, living in the side hall was inferior to others, so what if she was favored
"You don't understand. The Emperor asked me to watch Shen Qiangwei. If I find out that she is meeting someone else's man secretly, I will soon be able to take her place in the main hall."
"Besides, the emperor is very tired of her now. It's not that easy for her to be favored again. How can I be afraid of a useless person?"
Concubine Meng's confidence in saying these words is because she has a brother who is a general. As long as the emperor still values her brother, her favor will not be cut off. Even if Shen Qiangwei is not charged, she will be assigned to another job. A palace sits on its throne.
"Your Majesty is still smart." Hongxing boasted.
Concubine Meng glanced at her, which was very helpful.
Gu Suliang listened to everything they said, and he also understood that Shen Qiangwei's life in the palace was not easy at all.
"Diancui, where do you want to go?" Hongxing, who was just about to enter the palace, saw Diancui hurriedly going out. Diancui didn't expect that she had tried very hard to avoid Concubine Meng, but she was still discovered.
Concubine Meng also turned to look at Diancui because of Hongxing's call.
"Slave, please see Concubine Meng." Dian Cui saluted.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to my wife, my wife felt a slight abdominal pain after eating today. I am about to go to the imperial doctor."
"Feeling a slight abdominal pain?" Concubine Meng repeated her words and said softly.
"If you want to answer the question, yes."
Concubine Meng was confused. Shen Qiangwei had never sent Dian Cui to do anything since that time. But she clearly put something in her ointment. Why did she ask for a doctor these days? Why did she ask for a doctor this time? Or because of abdominal pain.
She clearly remembered that the medicine she had given was to make the wound fester, not for abdominal pain. Wasn't it useless to her
After hesitating for a while, Concubine Meng walked towards Diancui and said softly: "Diancui, did you use the ointment your mother-in-law asked you to get last time?"
Concubine Meng's words made Diancui wonder what she was going to do. She shook her head warily, "I still have some ointment from the empress."
This is what Shen Qiangwei taught her to say. She told her that if Concubine Meng asked, she would tell the truth.
Now, it was Concubine Meng's turn to wonder why Shen Qiangwei had to get the ointment when she had not used it up. Could it be that she asked Dian Cui to report the news
Thinking about it, she looked at Dian Cui who was kneeling on the ground. Thinking that she still had to go to the imperial hospital now, she said: "Hongxing, go and ask the imperial doctor to treat the imperial concubine. After all, Dian Cui is also serving the imperial concubine, so you can Let’s go for her.”
Hongxing did not expect that Concubine Meng would ask her to go. In surprise, she looked at Diancui with a bit of viciousness in her eyes, but she still left.
Seeing her leaving, Concubine Meng brought Diancui into her palace.
Gusu Liang listened to the words of several people and glanced at Hongxing who was leaving. He knew that Concubine Meng was afraid that Diancui would find someone to report the news, so she changed the person.
Seeing Shen Qiangwei's closed palace gate, Gu Su Liang didn't know how to get close to the palace for a moment, so he could only turn around and leave, going to report the situation to Gu Qiang first.
"Come here, please give me a seat. This palace is small and not as spacious as your mother-in-law's palace."
Diancui knelt down in fear, "My queen, what are you talking about? Your palace is much more beautiful than my queen's palace, and there are not as many things in my queen's palace as yours."
Concubine Meng smiled, did not answer her words, picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and said to her: "I heard that you complained about your mother-in-law in the Imperial Hospital a few days ago."
"Reply to your Majesty, I haven't heard from you. Others must have heard wrongly." Dian Cui said, but her eyes were wandering, and her hands were holding onto her clothes tightly.
Anyone with eyesight could tell she was lying.
Concubine Meng was not stupid, so she naturally saw her little move. Her eyes flashed, and she glanced at her and said, "Don't be nervous, I will not tell the emperor about this."
After hearing what she said, Diancui not only did not breathe a sigh of relief, but also became even more nervous.
She knew that there must be a reason for Concubine Meng to do this, and if she didn't tell her, she would have to pay the price.
She has been in the palace for so long, and she still understands this.
"Slave, thank you, Your Majesty." Dian Cui had a slight smile on his face, looking like he was surviving the disaster.
"but… "
Concubine Meng glanced at her, put down the teacup in her hand, and under Dian Cui's nervous gaze, said softly: "You have to tell me all the movements of your mother-in-law, and you will do whatever I ask you to do."
As soon as she finished speaking, Dian Cui's face suddenly turned pale, with a look of embarrassment all over her face.
Looking at her appearance, Concubine Meng's lips curved into a sarcastic smile.
She obviously dared to scold her own master, but now she was pretending to be embarrassed. The people around Shen Qiangwei were really like her, no one was good.
"You don't have to agree to me so quickly. It's the same thing if you think about it clearly before you answer me."
Without waiting for Dian Cui to respond, she took off a hairpin from her head and said to Dian Cui: "This is a reward for you, but you have to think clearly. Your master has fallen out of favor now. If you want to wait until she is thrown into the cold palace, When the time comes, it will be too late.”
Diancui looked at the hairpin and hesitated whether to get it, feeling panicked in her heart.
"Take it." Seeing that she didn't take it, Concubine Meng threw the hairpin on the ground.
"Thank you, empress." Diancui took the hairpin and put it in her sleeve.
"Go down."
Seeing her taking it, Concubine Meng's eyes flashed with ridicule, and her words could not help but be filled with disgust.
After she left, another maid beside Concubine Meng, Zhuan Zhu, asked doubtfully: "My Lady, why do you want to win over such a little maid?"
"She is Shen Qiangwei's most trusted person. If it were you, would you not tell those things to the person you trust most?" Concubine Meng glanced at her and explained.
Chuan Zhu immediately understood that Concubine Meng wanted to use Dian Cui to deal with Shen Qiangwei. Even if Shen Qiangwei was not guilty, as long as Dian Cui testified, she would never have a chance to stand up again.
only…
"Empress, will she agree to us?" Zhuan Zhu asked worriedly.
"Yes." Concubine Meng's eyes were full of confidence. Just what she said in the Tai Hospital before could prove that she was not as sincere as her master as she just saw.
This kind of person can be bribed easily. Even if she pretended to be like him just now, she could still see her greedy look when she looked at the hairpin.
"Empress." Hongxing walked in from outside.
"Have you invited the imperial doctor?" Concubine Meng looked at Hongxing who came in and asked.
"Go back to your Majesty, I've already invited you. I'm still checking my pulse over there." Hongxing answered truthfully.
"What?" Concubine Meng was furious, "The imperial doctor is still over there and you came back on your own?"
Concubine Meng looked at Hongxing with anger in her eyes. Why did she bring such an idiot by her side
Hongxing looked at her appearance and wondered what she had done wrong.
"Empress?" Hongxing looked at Concubine Meng in confusion.
"Hurry up and follow me to the main hall to see Shen Qiangwei." Concubine Meng greeted the beads beside her.
Immediately, Concubine Meng led everyone out of the side hall in a mighty manner, leaving Hongxing standing there, neither walking nor staying.
Hongxing looked at the person leaving, stamped her feet angrily on the spot, turned around and followed him.
"Sister, I heard that you are sick. I wonder how your sister is feeling now?" As soon as Concubine Meng walked in, she finished her words before she saw anyone.
When she came, the imperial doctor was just preparing things and was about to leave. As soon as he saw her, he saluted and said, "I pay my respects to Concubine Meng."
"It turns out to be Dr. Liu. Dr. Liu doesn't need to be polite. Please tell my sister what disease you have." Concubine Meng looked worried. Those who didn't know it thought she was really familiar with Shen Qiangwei.
"Let me tell you, the concubine's abdominal pain is caused by her poor diet in the past few days. I have already prescribed the medicine. I will come back to check for your pulse in a few days."
"If that's the case, it's really troublesome for Dr. Liu."
"This is what I should do."
Liu Chengji didn't want to have too much communication with her, so he left first, and Hongxing was arranged to send Liu Chengji back.
"Sister, the servants around you were really careless and made you hungry. You should drag them all out and beat them up."
Shen Qiangwei looked at the hypocritical person in front of her, tried her best to suppress the discomfort in her heart, and said with a smile: "It's okay, it's just me who didn't pay attention. I don't care about their affairs, so I don't want to punish them. They will pay attention next time. "
"This is not okay." Concubine Meng immediately became unhappy, "If we don't punish them, how will they know they are wrong?"
After saying that, Concubine Meng said to the outside of the palace: "Here comes someone."
Shen Qiangwei stopped her as soon as she spoke, "Sister, let's forget it. There's no need to make such a big noise. It won't be good if the emperor is alerted."
Seeing this, Concubine Meng said no more, "Then just listen to sister."