Both the Crown Prince and King Jing were reprimanded, and the news spread silently.
But even though it happened silently, many well-informed people have already learned that sometimes the palace is not well guarded, especially these two who went in excitedly and came out with red faces and lowered heads, they did not look well.
Afterwards, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prince Jing left the palace separately. They looked normal when they left, as if nothing had happened. However, there were many people in the palace asking about it, and looking at the situation, couldn't one guess that both of them had been scolded
When the two prime ministers came out later, their faces looked very heavy, which became a new topic of discussion. Everyone was speculating whether something big had just happened in the imperial study, otherwise why did the two prime ministers look so unhappy.
The two prime ministers always looked very kind in the past, and they had never looked so ugly together.
For a while, there were more speculations in the palace.
Of course, this is all private. It concerns the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness Prince Jing. Who would dare to talk about it outside
Qu Moying didn't know what happened in the palace, nor did he know that Pei Luoan and Pei Yusheng had secretly complained to the emperor, causing the emperor to become angry.
Concubine Qu summoned her into the palace again.
After returning from outside the city with Yudong and Nanny Yan, he went straight to the palace.
After the routine inspection at the palace gate, they were allowed to pass. When they walked out of the palace, there was a palace sedan waiting for them. Qu Moying got on the sedan, accompanied by Yu Dong and Nanny Yan. Together they walked towards Concubine Qu's palace.
We walked along the main roads all the way and did not meet any other concubines or the ladies and girls who came to the palace from time to time to pay homage to the Empress.
When they arrived at the palace gate of Concubine Qu, Qu Moying got off the sedan chair and followed the palace maids around the Concubine Qu inside.
The Queen Dowager seemed to be in a good mood and in good spirits. When she saw Qu Moying bowing, she waved at her with a smile, indicating that she didn't need to bow, and asked Qu Moying to sit down next to her.
"I heard that you have gone to a farm outside the city. How is the scenery there?" Concubine Qu chatted with a hint of melancholy in her eyes. Once she entered the palace, it was as deep as the sea. She has never gone out since then, as if everything she had was buried in the palace.
I didn’t feel that way before, but now I suddenly want to go out and take a look.
"The farm outside the city is very nice. It's spring now, and the peach and pear trees planted in the farm are in bloom. In addition, there are many beautiful wild flowers that are also in bloom." Qu Moying said with a smile.
Some of the wild flowers in the village are no worse than those that are carefully cared for, and they appear to have stronger vitality.
"How does it compare to... the palace?" Concubine Qu became more and more melancholy. The life outside the palace had almost faded from her memory. All she saw was a high wall. Many things were blurry, especially now that her memory was getting worse and worse.
"Of course it can't be compared with the palace. The scenery in the palace is definitely the most beautiful. Zhuangzi is a bit casual. The flowers are planted casually, and the wild flowers and weeds on the roadside grow more casually. However, it is this casualness that makes people like it. Besides, it is spring now. No matter how they grow, they are beautiful."
Qu Moying thought for a moment and answered.
"Yes, being casual is indeed the best." After tasting it, Concubine Qu let out a long sigh. Growing casually, or living casually, is indeed the most beautiful and the most vital.
"Have you heard about the King of England?" After talking about trivial matters, it was time to talk about serious matters, said Concubine Qu. She was responsible for such an important matter today.
"I heard about it." Qu Moying lowered his head and added, "I heard about Miss Liu.
Said. "
"How did Miss Liu know?" Concubine Qu was stunned. She thought that Pei Yuanjun had told Qu Moying when he came to the manor, but now it sounded like he didn't say anything
"Grandma, I don't know how Miss Liu knew about this. Maybe... someone told her!" Qu Moying explained softly.
Concubine Qu's face darkened. Qu Moying, who was most closely related to Pei Yuanjun, actually heard about this matter from Liu Lanxin. Liu Lanxin also left the city that day, even earlier than Qu Moying. The Emperor had investigated everything clearly. Prince Jing's hands were really too long.
No, or rather, it was not Prince Jing, but Concubine He.
"The King of England said nothing?" Concubine Qu asked again. She was just an old concubine. The most she could do was to help the emperor call people in to ask questions. As for other things, she was only responsible for speaking. As for what the emperor thought, it was none of her business.
"When the King of England came that day, he looked very bad. He came in and said a few words, then rested for a while and left." Qu Moying said. Pei Yuanjun came that day and it could not be hidden from anyone.
Everyone else knows it, so there's no reason why the emperor wouldn't know it.
"Why does he look so unhappy?" Concubine Qu continued to inquire.
"He just looked very sad... as if he was very sad. Or maybe I was seeing things. Anyway, His Highness was different at that time. He seemed to have suffered a great blow. There was another thing..." Qu Moying hesitated when he said this.
"What's the matter? Tell me." Concubine Qu said anxiously.
"There is blood on His Royal Highness's ear, and it looks like... it was torn off." Qu Moying said hesitantly.
"Then... the earrings?" Concubine Qu said fearfully. Everyone in the palace knew that these were put on the King of England by the Emperor when he was a child, with the intention of protecting him.
"It looked like... I didn't dare to think too much at the time. His Highness's face looked very bad, and he looked different from usual." Qu Moying said again.
"This... What happened? How did the earring break?" Concubine Qu said to herself.
Qu Moying didn't answer and bit her cherry lips.
"Didn't you say anything else?" Concubine Qu paused for a moment and said.
"He didn't say anything else. I felt something was wrong at the time, but seeing the prince's look, I didn't dare ask more questions." Qu Moying shook his head.
Afterwards, Concubine Qu asked some other questions, and the answer she got in the end was that after the King of England left the palace that day, he was angry and sad. She didn't know whether the earring was pulled off by the tiger or he tore it off himself, which showed that he was sad, but that was all he said, and he didn't say anything else.
I didn't say anything bad about anyone, nor did I blame anyone. I just seemed to be hard on myself.
Qu Moying “didn’t know”, so her words were the result of her observation at the time. She expressed her feelings at the time based on what she saw as a bystander.
As for whether it is accurate or credible, that is not what she wants to do.
Concubine Qu still believed what Qu Moying said. After asking a few more times, she said she was tired and wanted to take a rest for a while, and let Qu Moying go for a walk in the garden by herself.
After Qu Moying left the hall, Concubine Qu took her people to hurriedly meet the emperor.
The emperor was not in the imperial study today. He was waiting with his men in an empty palace nearby. When he heard that Concubine Qu was coming, he hurriedly summoned her in.
When Concubine Qu came in to pay her respects, the Emperor had already waved his hand and said, "You are too polite, please take a seat!"
A palace maid came over and helped Concubine Qu sit down on a chair beside her.
The emperor asked anxiously
"Toffee, how is the question?"
"His Royal Highness the King of England didn't say anything. The news was obtained from the daughter of the General Auxiliary to the State. They are both recuperating in a farm outside the city now." Concubine Qu first pointed out the channel through which this matter was spread.
"The daughter of the auxiliary general?" The emperor snorted coldly. He originally had a good impression of Liu Lanxin, but now he suddenly felt that Liu Lanxin was just so-so and no different from other women in the palace.
Since Liu Lanxin arrived in the capital, she seldom went out unless summoned by the palace. The emperor admired her attitude very much, and felt that Liu Lanxin was worthy of being the daughter of a military general. She knew that military generals should avoid colluding with other civil officials and court officials, and avoid suspicion as much as possible. Before becoming the Princess of Jing, she was just the daughter of a general.
As for civil officials and military generals, the emperor is most averse to the idea that they have a very close relationship.
As for after she became Princess Jing, the Emperor did not want her to have too many friends. The fact that she could be so low-key was enough to show that the General Fuguo had taught his daughter very well.
But this time, he actually knew it earlier than Qu Moying, the person involved, and knew it more clearly. Of course, it was related to his son, but he was his son after all. The emperor was so angry that he took out all his anger on Liu Lanxin.
Liu Lanxin didn't know that because she had meddled in other people's affairs that day, the emperor had lost all favor towards her. If she had known this earlier, she would not have been so rash as to reach out her hand.
"She is the daughter of the General of the State. I heard that His Royal Highness King Jing also went there that day. King Ying was very sad and upset that day. It seemed that he suffered a great blow and could not accept it for a while. He only said a few ordinary words to Ying girl, then rested for a while and returned to the city."
Concubine Qu repeated the rest of the story. No matter how much, Prince Jing was still the emperor's biological son, and as a childless concubine, she should not say anything more.
"He was very sad at that time, as if he couldn't accept it?" The emperor's face became increasingly uglier. He covered his chest with his hand, and his expression turned bad.
"That's what she said, and... the earring is broken." Concubine Qu said again.
The emperor's hands trembled: "The earring is broken? What should I do?"
This was done by a master at the time, and it is said to be able to ensure Pei Yuanjun's safety throughout his life.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. The King of England has grown up now, so it won't be a big problem." Concubine Qu knew about this past event. She knew that the King of England was weak at that time and it seemed like he would not survive. The Emperor was desperate and tried every possible means to cure his illness.
After all, the King of England today is no longer the King of England he was when he was young.
"But I put it on him." The emperor's voice trembled a little.
"Your Majesty, don't be anxious. These earrings will eventually be taken off. Now that the King of England has grown up and is about to get married, even if the earrings are not taken off now, they will be taken off in a few days." Concubine Qu comforted the emperor.
Pei Yuanjun is getting married soon, and according to etiquette, he will have to take off the earrings he is wearing.
"I know!" The emperor was silent for a moment, sighed, and said in a sad voice, "I know he has grown up and it is time to take it off, but now... at this moment... he is sad."
There are some things that the emperor would not make clear even to the old concubine.
Did he really hate himself? Judging from the tone of Concubine Qu, he didn't! He just couldn't accept it for the time being and digested it silently.
Thinking that Pei Yuanjun might be alone and sad in the Prince of Ying's mansion at this time, the emperor felt very uncomfortable. He didn't want to say anything more. He waved his hand and signaled Concubine Qu to leave. He wanted to be alone and quiet...