In people's minds, the peacock is not as noble and beautiful as the phoenix, but it is still beautiful, so although the concubines in the harem dare not use the phoenix pattern as decorations or the uppers of their clothes and shoes, they can use peacocks instead.
The color of the peacock tail presented is very bright. Although the brushwork is weird, it gives people a strange sense of surprise. The clear edges and exaggerated lines are very different from the way other concubines in the palace paint. Only Zhao Xianrong of Xihe Palace painted this kind of weird technique.
"Your Majesty, this paper kite and peacock's tail is painted with the best brocade in Shu, and it was promoted after October last year. The concubine has already checked and there are only eight concubines in these brocade harems, except for Concubine Rou, Xu Zhaorong, and Concubine Ning. The inside is still left, and the other palaces are damaged." The queen calmly watched the peacock's tail appear in front of Concubine Ning, "I can't find anything from the fabric alone."
Everyone reacted a little at this moment. The queen wanted to take advantage of today's situation to investigate this matter, and their concubines and concubines were all present, and no one could escape.
The emperor frowned, "Since I can't find anything from the fabric, let's start elsewhere." After speaking, he looked at Concubine Ning, "Concubine Ning, look at this painting."
"Your Majesty..." Concubine Ning hesitantly picked up the painting and looked at it carefully for a long time, frowning slightly: "I really don't know who made this painting, but in terms of brushwork, it is the same as Zhao Xianrong. ."
Concubine Shu Gui looked at the peacock's tail with a half-smile, "Concubine Ning, do you know what Zhao Xianrong's style of painting looks like?"
"Zhao Xianrong painted a palace lantern with his own hands during the Shangyuan Festival. His concubines were present that day, so he took a second look." Concubine Ning put down her peacock tail and looked at Concubine Shu Gui, "Is it possible that Concubine Shu Gui's maiden forget?"
Concubine Shu smiled and stopped talking.
"My lady's eyesight and memory are very good, concubines are not as good as concubines," Zhuang Luoyan stretched out his hand and took the peacock's tail, "The paint used for this peacock's tail, the fabrics used are all the same as the concubine's, if the paper kite was not painted by the concubine, I'm afraid The concubines themselves cannot tell the truth from the false."
"Your Majesty, the person who framed the concubine this time has ulterior motives. It not only killed Ye Guiren's life, but also made the concubine unjust. Please ask the emperor to get justice for the concubine." I'm afraid that the emperor will believe the schemes of people with vicious minds. If this is the case, if this is the case..." At this point, he was so choked up that he could not speak.
The emperor stepped forward and held her slightly cold hand, "I know you, I have been investigating this matter for several days, and I will not let you bear this grievance in vain."
Concubine Shu looked at this scene, looked away, the smile on the corner of her mouth faded a little, and said in her mouth: "I only know that Concubine Ning's painting skills are not bad, but today I know that Concubine Ning's eyesight is also very good. It is really rare that you can see Zhao Xianrong's painting style clearly from a few steps away from the palace lantern."
Concubine Ning's expression did not change, "I don't know what the concubine's concubine means."
"Bengong doesn't mean anything," Concubine Shugui didn't look at Concubine Ning, but only blessed the emperor, "Your Majesty, the concubine has just disappeared."
"It's okay," Feng Jin held Zhuang Luoyan's hand and glanced at Concubine Shu, "You are just unintentional words, and there is nothing wrong."
"Concubine Shu Gui is just too careful. In the past, Concubine Rou and Concubine Lin had a few arguments because of some unintentional words. Now, aren't they good sisters?" The queen suddenly mentioned Concubine Rou and Concubine Concubine Concubine's concubine, Concubine Lin. "Concubine Rou, do you think this is the truth?"
Concubine Rou stepped forward and saluted, and replied with a slight smile: "Back to the empress, concubine and concubine Lin are both harem sisters, so why would they feel jealous because of their words? What do you think, concubine Lin?"
Lin Concubine smiled and said, "Concubine Rou is right."
However, Feng Jin seemed to remember something, glanced at Lin Concubine, then turned to Ning Concubine: "I remember that Lin Concubine used to drink tea and play chess with you often."
"The emperor still remembers the little things about the concubines," Concubine Ning said with a smile: "Concubine Lin used to live in the Ruan Ming Palace where the concubine liked begonia flowers, so she went there to sit more in her spare time. Concubine Lin's chess skills are good. , the concubine played chess with her, and nine out of ten games were lost."
"Indeed, Lin Concubine's chess skills are not as good as mine." Feng Jin took Zhuang Luoyan and sat down, but his attention was on Concubine Ning and Lin Concubine, "Speaking of which, I haven't been with Lin for a long time. The concubine has played chess."
Concubine Ning smiled, "Recently, the concubine helped the Empress in the palace affairs, and I haven't played chess with Sister Lin Concubine for a few days."
Listening to Concubine Ning and the emperor reminiscing about the past, Zhuang Luoyan lowered his head and looked at the hand that was held by the emperor, and then controlled the hand to tremble slightly, and the emperor tightened his grip on her.
The turning point of the matter became a little strange. It was obvious that the peacock tail had become a memory of the past.
Concubine Shu watched this scene with cold eyes. Concubine Ning always looked so understanding in front of the emperor, so the emperor also liked to talk to Concubine Ning. As for whether Concubine Ning was really as considerate and indifferent as she appeared, she was the only one. understood.
Since Lin Concubine was downgraded, the emperor has never turned over her sign again. Now the emperor suddenly pays attention to her, and there is a hint of joy on her face, but when she sees the person being held by the emperor, the joy on her face will disappear. No concubine would like an opponent related to his demotion.
Zhuang Luoyan noticed Concubine Lin's gaze, bent her mouth and smiled slightly at Concubine Lin, then retracted her gaze, as if she did not see the gloom in Concubine Lin's eyes.
"Talking to Concubine Ning is always relaxing," Feng Jin smiled and patted Zhuang Luoyan's hand, as if he meant to stop talking to Concubine Ning, "I also like to talk to you more on weekdays."
"It is a concubine's luck to make the emperor feel relaxed and happy." Ning Fei smiled.
"I think so too, that's why I told you a lot of things, such as some tricks I watched when I was young, such as... using phosphor powder to light a blue fire, and for example, I told you that the flying paper kite was drawn by Zhao Xianrong himself. The picture." Feng Jin calmly released Zhuang Luoyan's hand, took a sip of the tea on the table, "Now, I don't think it's easy to talk to you."
"Your Majesty," Concubine Ning's expression changed, "Are you suspicious of your concubine?"
Feng Jin didn't look at Concubine Ning, put down the tea cup and said, "Someone, bring Lu Yi up."
After Lu Yi was dragged and dragged, Feng Jin said expressionlessly: "I remember Concubine Ning once interceding for a palace maid who bumped into me, but this person?"
"Your Majesty, it's too long ago that the concubine really can't remember it." Concubine Ning looked at the emperor calmly, "If the emperor suspects the concubine, the concubine has nothing to say, but please don't give it to the concubine because of a palace maid that the concubine can't remember. conviction."
"Concubine Ning is good at painting. The paint brushes in your palace are all the best. Even the paints in your palace are specially reserved for you by the province in the palace." Feng Jin raised his eyebrows and looked at Concubine Ning. "If it wasn't for all the concubines painting together today, I still don't remember this matter. Since you are innocent, you could have someone check it out, and you might as well be innocent." After speaking, she did not wait for Concubine Ning to refute, and let them pass the information. the artist to identify.
The paint in Concubine Ning's Palace was taken and placed with the peacock's tail. The painter soon came to the conclusion that the paint of the peacock's tail was the same as that in Concubine Ning's Palace.
Concubine Ning opened her eyes in disbelief, "Your Majesty, the concubine doesn't know about this, the paint concubine in the palace did not deliberately pick it up, someone must have deliberately stole the concubine's paint to do this..."
"Even you don't know that these paints were specially prepared for you, so how do others know?" Feng Jin said coldly, "You and Concubine Lin are better, Concubine Lin and Concubine Rou have always had a feud, Concubine Lin There is an old grudge with Zhao Xianrong, so that day Rixi and the maid in the lotus pond outside the palace will be the people in the Concubine Rou's palace!"
Concubine Ning's feet softened, knocking over the paint in front of her, and the colorful paint poured over her, but she looked at the emperor as if she didn't know, "Did the emperor convict the concubine's guilt just based on this kind of guess?"
"Whether you did it, you must know better than me," the emperor looked at Concubine Ning's embarrassed appearance without any extra expression on her face, "Concubine Shu Gui said it well, who else can surpass you in the imitation methods in the harem? ?"
Hearing the emperor's words, Concubine Ning actually laughed. She raised her head, with embarrassed tears on her face, "Yes, who else in this harem has better paintings than me? But even so, the emperor still keeps Zhao Xianrong's palace lantern that cannot stand on the table!"
Zhuang Luoyan seemed to be frightened by Concubine Ning's roar, her hand trembled again, Feng Jin reached out and held her hand again, "There are quite a few palace lanterns left in my place, and Zhao Xianrong is not the only one. of."
"There are naturally not only Zhao Xianrong's palace lanterns, but also Concubine Shu, Concubine Rou, and many, many concubines," Concubine Ning laughed while crying, "The emperor also mentioned many people in front of his concubine, Concubine Shugui, Concubine Rou, Su Xiuyi, Yangui Concubine, Zhao Xianrong and even Qian nobles, each of them is younger and fresher, the concubine looks at the emperor, you dote on one woman after another, and looks forward to your emperor day after day. Come, but you are here, and you are talking about other women."
When Zhuang Luoyan heard these words, she sighed in her heart. Concubine Ning chose to take the path of her confidant sister. Maybe she really had feelings for the emperor, so she would be jealous and angry, and eventually hated, so she framed herself. , framed Concubine Rou, and even plotted against the queen.
A woman who was originally fresh and elegant will also be jealous because of her feelings, after all, no one is a saint.
When Lu Yi recognized Concubine Lin, Zhuang Luoyan felt a little puzzled. Although Concubine Lin used to be a noble concubine, she is now just a small concubine. In a place like the harem, how many people are there in a concubine position? Willing to work for her
It was no secret that Lin Concubine and Concubine Rou had a bad relationship back then, so it was reasonable that the person in the lotus pond was from Concubine Rou's palace, but she couldn't just rely on Lu Yi to throw a corpse into the lotus pond without being killed. people found. So even if this matter is related to Concubine Lin, she will not do it alone, at least the person who does it has a high status in the harem.
As for the later paper kite incident, it is even more suspicious. No ordinary concubine can send someone to look for Ye Guiren. Even if Ye Guiren is rejected by the emperor, there is still an empress dowager on top of him. Others haven't heard the slightest bit of news. Therefore, the only people who can do this are those who manage the palace affairs.
The Empress would not shoot herself in the foot. Concubine Xian Gui is of the same faction as Concubine Xian Gui for the time being. It is unlikely that Concubine Ning and Concubine Shu Gui are the rest. It's just that if Concubine Shu Gui did it, she would naturally restrain Su Xiuyi, and wouldn't let her humiliate the people in Xihe Palace to cause suspicion in the future. So in the end, it was Concubine Ning, who An Ning used to get along with. In addition, Concubine Ning was good at painting, so she had more doubts in her heart.
Originally, she would not easily doubt Concubine Ning, until she passed Ruan Ming Palace a few days ago and found that there were many blooming begonias there, and she remembered that Concubine Ning once said at the flower viewing banquet that she liked begonias, so her doubts grew even more. obvious.
Now that Concubine Ning and Concubine Lin conspired, Zhuang Luoyan didn't think there was anything to be happy about. In this harem, you are plotting against me, and I will plot against you. It will never be easy until you reach the highest position. When Concubine Ning did such a thing, she couldn't escape a word of love. She seemed to be a transparent person, but she did the most irrational things.
Concubine Ning looked at Zhuang Luoyan and Concubine Shu Gui, and suddenly smiled: "You don't have to be complacent, even if you are favored today, there will be more favored people in your place tomorrow, a frustrated person like me should have been reconciled long ago. I was wrong, wrong..."
Originally, Feng Jin was still listening calmly, but at this time, he suddenly had a sudden attack: "Someone, take Ning Concubine down and take good care of it, and I will deal with it in the future."