"You know a lot." Ning Chen snorted.
Yuan Jiu lowered his head quickly, "I dare not, I just feel that way."
Ning Chen stopped talking and turned to go to the inner room, but the lingering figure at the banquet was in his mind.
This time we have to stay in Yuzhou for three full days and set off on the morning of the fourth day. The next stop will be Zasak, and we will have to live in a tent the whole time.
Therefore, when there is a rare moment of peace and quiet, most of the women in the family go out for a walk.
This house can almost be called a temporary palace. At least it has the scale of a royal residence. It is spacious, has a lake and a garden, and the scenery is nice too.
Concubine Jing met Concubine Lin in a pavilion.
Both of them had been serving in the palace since the beginning. Concubine Jing was among the first group of people to follow Ning Chen, and Lin was among the second group to enter the palace. However, it was only a year between them, so the two could be considered old acquaintances.
Their experiences were similar. Concubine Jing had a miscarriage when she was six months pregnant, and Concubine Lin had a miscarriage when she was more than four months pregnant.
And without exception, the foundation has been damaged, making it basically impossible to get pregnant again.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Concubine Lin stood up.
Concubine Jing waved her hand, "No need to be polite. How are you feeling lately?"
Perhaps it was because they shared the same suffering. Neither of them was the type to scheme or compete with each other. Although they had some frictions in the past, they could now sit down and talk.
"It's still the same, but I can just take a breath." Concubine Lin lowered her eyes, her voice was light but concealed a hint of hatred.
Concubine Jing sat down in front of her and said, "Let the past be the past. After all these years, it's time for you to move on. The emperor is willing to take you out of the palace, which shows that he still values you. Why bother holding on to that matter?"
She and Lin got pregnant one after the other, and died at almost the same time, so it was probably the same person who did it.
I couldn't find out who that person was at the time, but now after careful consideration, I already have the answer in my mind.
"But I hate it. That's my own flesh and blood. How could I possibly forget it?"
With her hands on her lower abdomen, Concubine Lin's eyes were full of pain.
Concubine Jing looked at her deeply and finally understood why she was able to become a concubine even though they were both pregnant, while Concubine Lin only had the position of a concubine.
No one wants to deal with a resentful person all day long, especially when that person is the emperor.
Lin not only blamed the empress for her miscarriage, but also blamed the emperor.
At that time, the emperor was young and inexperienced, and the empress dowager did not pay attention to his backyard. However, the queen had an experienced maid named Ding by her side to give her advice, which led to their losing their children one after another.
Later, the emperor offered compensation, but Lin refused to accept it. She was still full of hatred and would not let others or herself go. Naturally, the emperor became indifferent.
But Concubine Jing was different. She remained rational and sober after the pain and did not keep blaming others. That was why she preserved the friendship of her youth and got her current position.
"Revenge must be taken, but how can you take revenge if you don't have the ability? Concubine Lin, please think about it carefully. I won't say any more." Concubine Jing finally gave a reminder.
Of course, it's not just out of sympathy.
At this moment, another figure was seen outside, it was Ye Jun.
The residence was arranged according to status. After Concubine Jing and Concubine Lin, she was the next in line, so they lived close to each other and it was not surprising to meet each other.
"I pay my respects to Concubine Jing and Concubine Lin." Ye Jun bowed.
Naturally she couldn't turn a blind eye to people in high positions, mainly because she had no grudges against these two people.
"No thanks." Concubine Jing said with a smile, "It's rare to meet Lady Ming in private, come in and have a seat."
Ye Jun nodded and walked into the pavilion.
"The scenery of Yuzhou is different from that of Kyoto. The farthest place I've ever been to is Bianzhou. I just feel very novel along the way here." Ye Jun said with a smile.
Concubine Jing responded, "Yes, the local environment shapes the local people, and the local customs and practices are always changing. I came here once when I was young. At that time, I had just entered the Qiandi Palace and the emperor was still a prince. It has been many years since then."
At that time, Ning Chen was accompanying the late emperor on his northern tour, and he brought two people with him, one was her and the other was Concubine Shu.
It is really sad that she can still follow him today, but Concubine Shu followed him and was sent back to the palace.
"I've noticed that the further north we go, the more unrestrained the people here are, and they seem to be able to drink more. I saw those ministers drinking quite a lot yesterday."
Since it was just a casual chat, Ye Jun pretended to be a little girl who knew nothing.
I've never been here before, so it's normal to be curious.
Concubine Jing really didn't care. She smiled and explained, "That Ming Meiren hasn't reached Zasak yet. People on the grassland, both men and women, can drink a little. That's what real boldness means. They don't pay much attention to rules."
"Really?" Ye Jun also smiled, "I don't like red tape. I wonder if I can make some friends on the grassland."
There were three people in the pavilion, but only Concubine Jing and Ye Jun were chatting and laughing, while Concubine Lin just drank tea but didn't say anything.
Ye Jun secretly looked at her several times.
I just felt that Lin had a bit of a yandere vibe to her, but not entirely, it was just that kind of obvious weakness yet stubborn and melancholy vibe.
"What are you talking about? You look so happy?"
Suddenly, Ning Chen's voice was heard, and several people immediately stood up and saw a man striding towards them from outside the pavilion.
He was wearing a black robe with a nine-clawed golden dragon and a belt with a golden cloud pattern around his waist, which made his tall figure look even more handsome.
After the few people exchanged greetings, Ning Chen's gaze lingered on Ye Jun for several times.
He was indeed planning to look for Ye Jun, but he unexpectedly ran into her when he passed by here.
This action was seen by Concubine Jing. Although she felt bitter in her heart, she was not vague.
She took the initiative to say, "I have been out for a while. It is windy outside and I dare not sit for long. Lady Ming is young and I think she can bear it. I will take my leave first. Your Majesty, please ask Lady Ming to accompany you."
Ning Chen nodded, "Okay, you should also take care of yourself. You will inevitably be tired on the road. If you feel unwell, you should seek medical treatment from the imperial physician in time."
Finally, he saw Lin behind him and thought for a moment before speaking, "Jieyu Lin is weak, and the tonics she takes every day cannot be interrupted on the road. If you need anything, just ask Yuanjiu. The medicinal materials are all prepared."
"I understand. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Concubine Lin bowed and left without saying much, along with Concubine Jing.
After the two walked away a little, Ye Jun spoke softly.
"The Emperor has finally come to see me. I thought he would never come again."
Ning Chen lowered his eyes and suddenly took her hand, "I can't persuade you anymore, and I don't want to ask you to change anything. I hope you are true to me and you won't lie to me. You will always do this."
Ye Jun looked at him with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
She really didn't expect that Ning Chen could accept it so quickly, and she was unable to recover for a while.
Lin Jieyu, who was in the distance, happened to look back and saw Ning Chen and Ye Jun holding hands and looking at each other. She had never seen Ning Chen like this before, and her heart was even more painful.
Concubine Jing’s words are still ringing in my ears. Perhaps she really needs to change.