After hearing the eunuch's message, Chu Jinyao's mood sank, she immediately got up and asked Linglong to change her clothes.
The news of Lian Concubine's miscarriage spread quickly throughout the palace. When Chu Jinyao arrived at Lian Concubine's Palace, there were already many people standing in the courtyard.
Queen Qi has already arrived, she is sitting on the armchair in the main hall, and she is confessing to a few imperial doctors: "This concubine, this baby is not easy to come by, the emperor and this palace attach great importance to it, you must keep the dragon baby no matter what. If there is anything wrong with the emperor's heir, this palace will never forgive you lightly!"
Several imperial physicians responded with sweat, but the manpower eventually fell short. Even if the imperial physician was highly skilled, he was still a human being. How could he be brought back to life? The atmosphere in the yard was solemn, and no one dared to speak at this time. With a heavy heart, Chu Jinyao walked gently to the middle hall and greeted the queen: "Queen Empress."
Xiao Qi looked at Chu Jinyao coldly: "Prince Concubine is here too."
Chu Jinyao nodded in response, and after Chu Jinyao stood up, Zhao Lanhui and several other concubines stepped forward to salute Chu Jinyao: "Prince Concubine Wanfu."
At this time, no one has the heart to pay attention to these details. Chu Jinyao nodded casually and asked Zhao Lanhui to stand up, and then asked, "How is your concubine?"
Xiao Qihou did not speak with a gloomy face, and Concubine Shu, who had the highest status and the most seniority, answered: "Several imperial doctors from the imperial hospital have been called, and they are now resuscitating them inside. "
"How could Empress Lianbi suddenly have a miscarriage?" Chu Jinyao asked. "When I met Lianbi in the garden a few days ago, her face was ruddy and her fetus was stable. It didn't look like a sign of miscarriage."
No one could answer these words, and Concubine Shu also agreed with a frowning face, as if she was quite distressed by the accidental slippage of the concubine. Li Fei stood and listened, and when everyone was not paying attention, she secretly lowered her head and smiled.
These concubines seem to have a heartache, but in fact, which one is not bursting with laughter. The harem has never been allowed to stand alone, so many concubines and beauties can't conceive an emperor's heir, and a concubine can only be a palace maid, why
Xiao Qi didn't seem to be able to see it anymore, and he said with a solemn face: "Everything is quiet for this palace! The concubine is still lying in it, if you are really heartbroken, go in and tell her later, don't delay the imperial doctor's rescue now. people."
"Yes." The concubines bowed their heads and agreed. Chu Jinyao didn't ask any more, but focused her eyes on the hanging curtain.
The fate in the world is really embarrassing. Chu Jinyao was happily sewing small clothes for Chu Jinxian's children a moment ago, but now she has to face the passing of another small life. There is a saying in the folks that seven lives and eight do not survive, which means that once premature, a seven-month-old child can survive, but eight months is not easy to survive. The concubine is now exactly eight months.
Chu Jinyao regretted very much in her heart. She and Concubine Lian had very little acquaintance, but they were both women, and Chu Jinyao hoped that Concubine Lian could protect her child and that her mother and child would be safe. The last time she met Lian Concubine in the garden, Lian Concubine still had a strong sense of panic and caution, but when she mentioned the child in her belly, her eyes suddenly softened, and the smile on her lips also carried a sincere expression. inner tenderness. At that time, they also talked about Chu Jinxian. Unexpectedly, in less than half a month, Chu Jinxian gave birth to a little boy safely, while the concubine was lying inside, not knowing whether she was alive or dead.
The atmosphere in the palace was very solemn, and suddenly the curtain of the inner room moved, and an imperial doctor came out. When the imperial physician saw Xiao Qi, he immediately knelt down, and did not dare to lift his head to report: "Reporting to the empress, the ministers are incompetent and failed to save the little prince."
All the female relatives in the room let out a low exclamation. Concubine Li covered her mouth with her hand and asked, "Is this concubine a boy?"
"Yes, I tried my best to induce the little prince to give birth early, but when the little prince came out, his face was blue and he was out of breath."
Chu Jinyao couldn't bear to hear the expression on her face, and sighed heavily. After Xiao Qi recited the Buddha and reprimanded the imperial doctor, he said: "It seems that this child has no relationship with the emperor, and we can't force it. Lan Yu, go and spread the news to the emperor."
Sapphire took the lead. No one dared to notify the emperor after the accident happened to the concubine. Now the dust has settled and the child is completely gone. Only after Xiao Qi did someone tell the emperor the news. The concubine inside seemed to have also heard the palace maid reporting that she was a prince, and the voice inside paused, and immediately burst into a heart-wrenching cry. After the cry of the concubine spread outside, everyone bowed their heads and lowered their eyes, and no one spoke.
After sitting for a while, Xiao Qi slapped the armrest angrily: "The emperor has few heirs, so far there are only three princes under his knees. Seeing that the fourth prince is already eight months old, he will be able to come out safely soon, and there will be a miscarriage at this joint. Physician, this palace asks you, how could the concubine have a miscarriage?"
Several imperial doctors knelt down in awe, their voices trembling: "Reporting to Empress Empress, Empress Lianbi is pregnant for eight months, and the fetus was stable before, and there is no sign of premature birth. Now the sudden miscarriage may be caused by external forces."
Caused by external forces
The people present were all the elites in the court, and they didn't understand what these four words represented. In fact, the miscarriage in eight months is very strange. In such a big month, the tire slips, and the person who does it is going to let the child and the adult die together.
Chu Jinyao understood, but she was very cautious on such occasions and was reluctant to talk much. After Xiao Qi heard the imperial doctor's words, she became even more angry. She waved her sleeves and swept all the cups and plates by the table to the ground. The porcelain fell to the ground and made a harsh sound. Chu Jinyao stood still, and the maid immediately knelt down. Hold your breath.
Queen Qi's face was gloomy and her eyes were like torches: "To dare to murder the emperor's heir is simply daring. No matter who made the move, if this palace finds out, this palace will never forgive me."
After Xiao Qi gave an order, he immediately sent people to search for suspicious things. Lian Concubine was born as a palace maid. She came from a humble background and knew that her child was dangerous, so she was very careful on weekdays. Things like incense that are prone to problems stopped early, and the anti-abortion pills must be brought back to the palace for frying, and the food and drink that you usually eat and drink, but everything you enter in the mouth is checked again and again, and there is really no omission.
Lian Concubine was already careful enough that Xiao Qi later asked people to investigate in the palace, but no clues were found. Chu Jinyao stood aside and watched, she couldn't bear it any longer.
"Empress, the concubine has just had a miscarriage, and now is the time when the body is weak and needs to rest. If we conduct a search with such a big fanfare, will it disturb the concubine to rest and do something wrong with good intentions, but it will harm her instead?"
Lian Concubine had a miscarriage in such a high month, and now she must have suffered a serious injury. After Xiao Qi, she was flipping through things and arraigned. Do you want to help Lian Concubine or want her to die? Chu Jinyao didn't have a deep friendship with Lian Concubine, but her sister had just given birth, no matter what the angle was, Chu Jinyao couldn't see Xiao Qi's behavior like this.
After Xiao Qi glanced at Chu Jinyao, she smiled but said, "This palace is here to avenge the little prince who died young. As the biological mother of the little prince, Lian Concubine must also want to know who harmed him. The crown prince is uncharacteristically blocking. This Palace finds out the truth, what does this mean?"
"Of course I want to find out the real culprit. The child is so innocent. Someone even tried to kill the child and kill the concubine at the same time. This kind of person should have been punished long ago. If he can catch this person, he will It is a great joy, and the six palaces celebrate together. However, the deceased has passed away, and the concubine has lost her child. We should always think about her body. With such a big fanfare, I am afraid that the real culprit has not yet been found, and the concubine will be arrested first. I can't stand the shock."
Chu Jinyao's remarks carried a lot. When Xiao Qi heard the word "retribution", her eyes changed slightly, but all this happened in an instant, and before anyone found out, Xiao Qi covered it up again. . But Chu Jinyao has been paying attention to Xiao Qi, and she noticed the changes after Xiao Qi with her sharp eyes. Chu Jinyao immediately confirmed that this time, Xiao Qi's handwriting was indispensable.
In fact, Chu Jinyao has been suspicious for a long time. Queen Qi is very abnormal today. She usually pays attention to her demeanor and reputation. The most probable explanation is that Empress Qi took advantage of the concubine's affair and had another move.
Sure enough, not long after, a palace goddess walked in dodgingly, and Xiao Qi immediately reprimanded when he saw it: "Bold! What are you doing, sneaky."
The palace maid knelt down and said falteringly, "The Empress forgive me, the slave did not intend to do so. It's just that the slave saw a few footprints in the flowerbed at the back of the palace, and... a strand of burnt hair."
hair? Chu Jinyao frowned, her body and skin depended on her parents, and hair was especially important and could not be handled casually. Moreover, the action of burning the head is very meaningful in itself.
After Xiao Qi asked people to follow the palace maid to find it, a eunuch returned and whispered to the queen's ear: "Niang Niang, there is indeed a broken hair at the back, and most of it has been burnt. In addition, there are a few scattered around the hair. A purple petal, like someone stuck to the sole of a shoe and accidentally dropped it."
The eunuch said and let people present this kind of petals. Although everyone in the hall could not hear what the eunuch and Xiao Qi said, but looking at the things on the plate, they could probably guess something.
Chu Jinyao frowned when she saw the purple debris on the plate. After Xiao Qi listened to the eunuch's report, her eyes slowly swept over the people in the hall, and said, "Lian Concubine, this fetus is strange, and the backyard also found it. There is a scorched broken hair. Ben Gong is in the phoenix position and will never allow this kind of thing to happen in the harem. Therefore, Ben Gong will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly. Come and check, where is this in the palace? plant petals."
After the eunuch took the order, the concubines looked at the things on the plate, and they talked a lot. You and I added news one by one. Zhao Lanhui glanced at Chu Jinyao silently, Zhao Lanhui thought that he was doing something covert, but Chu Jinyao had already noticed it. Chu Jinyao just pretended not to know, but still stood calmly and dignifiedly.
Finally, a message came from the servants: "This kind of flower is called Zicui, and it is not easy to cultivate. It is only grown in the Imperial Palace and Chengqian Palace. In addition, it is the Qide Palace."
Purple flowers should not be planted indiscriminately. The Imperial Palace and Chengqian Palace are the palaces where the emperor discussed the dynasty and lived, while the Qide Palace was the palace of Chu Jinyao and Qin Yi.
Chu Jinyao has determined that this time it is for her. Everyone looked at Chu Jinyao implicitly or obviously, and Xiao Qi took a sip of tea and asked, "Prince Concubine, do you have something to say?"
Chu Jinyao did not dodge or avoid, even with a slight smile, she looked at Xiao Qi in a generous manner: "What is the meaning of the Empress, I don't understand."
"There are very few places to plant this kind of flower. The Imperial Palace and Chengqian Palace are the places of the emperor. Naturally, there is nothing wrong, and the other place is the Qide Palace."
"Yes, the concubine knows." Chu Jinyao responded with a smile, "So what?"
After Xiao Qi was too lazy to go around in circles with Chu Jinyao, he slapped his face and said, "It's all clear that those who are clear are clear, and this palace believes in the character of the crown princess, so it will never tolerate someone playing tricks and slandering the reputation of the crown prince. It's just right. The concubine needs to rest, so let her rest well first, and I will go to Qide Hall to see what is going on with this kind of petal."
Chu Jinyao responded with a smile. After Xiao Qi was going to the East Palace, the other concubines dared to go back, so a group of people walked mightily towards the Qi De Hall.
After Xiao Qi, she followed Chu Jinyao vaguely all the way, and did not let her send someone back to report the news. When he arrived at the Qi De Hall, Xiao Qi ignored the palace eunuch who was kneeling on the ground, and went straight to the flower garden.
"Miss, look!"
After Xiao Qi nodded: "It turned out to be this, so it seems that the petals are indeed the same." Xiao Qi said and looked at Chu Jinyao: "Prince Concubine, this palace knows that you love to care for flowers and plants, but this involves the rules of the harem, prince. Your life is always more important than other things. This palace wants people to check these flowers, the Crown Princess should not mind, right?"
"The queen can dig if she wants to." Chu Jinyao thought Queen Qi was ridiculous. She had already reached this stage, so why bother.
Xiao Qi also sneered, and then ordered: "Come on, dig up these flowers."
The neat and beautiful flowerbed was immediately messed up, Linglong looked angrily, while Chu Jinyao watched calmly, not even moving her eyebrows.
The eunuch holding the hoe suddenly screamed, he hurriedly bent over, and dug out a wooden box from the soil: "Niangniang, there is something in the soil!"
There was a high and low gasping sound behind him. Xiao Qi looked at the box and looked at Chu Jinyao suspiciously: "Prince Concubine, what's going on?"