After everyone left, only Shen Qingwan stayed in Jinrong Palace to comfort Concubine Qi.
"Ruotong." Shen Qingwan called softly, "This result is not bad. Ye Feng is alive, and you are alive too, right?"
Concubine Qi looked at Shen Qingwan blankly and shook her head.
"What's the point of living?"
Qiu Shui fell to the ground and kowtowed, "Madam, it is Qiu Shui who has let you down. I was just being rude and that's why..."
Concubine Qi sighed and helped Qiu Shui up. "Get up, it's none of your business. Besides, you have made contributions, how could I blame you?"
"Sister." Concubine Qi asked seriously: "The Queen..."
Finally I asked the question.
"Ruotong, actually, it was only at the last banquet that I understood why you didn't hate me. Everyone in the palace said that I stole your position, but you repeatedly helped me out, which puzzled me. But last time, I saw you and Ye Feng..." Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes and her voice became lower. "I know that you are different from other women, but I didn't expect that you could be so bold for love. You know, once this matter is exposed, you will die without a burial place."
Shen Qingwan knew that Concubine Qi had no family, which was why she dared to do this, and it was also the reason why the emperor doted on her.
"I don't like this palace, nor do I like the emperor." Concubine Qi said, "I oppose Concubine Liu everywhere just because I can't stand her. I am arrogant and domineering because the emperor dotes on me. And all I want is to be with Ye Feng forever..."
Shen Qingwan thought for a while, and then said with a heavy voice: "I know what you are thinking, but if you die, what will happen to Ye Feng? So for him, you have to live well."
Concubine Qi narrowed her eyes, but her heart felt heavy.
"Queen..." Shen Qingwan was stunned for a moment, "I was just gambling and asked Lianyun to go and tell her, but if the queen doesn't come, I have other ways to deal with it. I won't let you die like this."
"Sister, I'm sorry." Concubine Qi lowered her head and cried sadly: "It was my own negligence. I knew that the queen was not a good person, but because I wanted you to work with her, I..."
"It doesn't matter, just do it, as long as it's not something that will harm anyone."
"Sister, my only advice is, don't be sentimental to the Emperor." Concubine Qi suddenly said, "Don't ask why, you just need to remember it."
After a while, Shen Qingwan poked Concubine Qi's forehead and raised a smile at the corner of her lips, "Ruotong, although I don't have a loved one, I don't like this harem either. So, you don't have to worry."
"Sister..." Concubine Qi was still a little worried, but Shen Qingwan said, "Qiu Shui, take good care of your master. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
"Goodbye, sister." Looking at Shen Qingwan's leaving back, Concubine Qi couldn't help but feel a bit of respect. This woman was different from others after all. She was the number one woman in the capital, and she didn't get the title for nothing.
Shen Qingwan left Jinrong Palace and went directly to Kunning Palace.
As she expected, the queen was sitting in the main hall waiting for her.
She walked over slowly, and when she heard the door behind her close tightly, she walked even more calmly.
"Your servant pays respects to the Empress. May the Empress live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years." She knelt down, kowtowed, and performed a great ceremony to express her gratitude for the help she had just received.
The queen didn't say anything, and Shen Qingwan just knelt there.
After half an incense stick of time, the Queen finally put down the teacup in her hand and said leisurely, "Xian Fei, you are finally here. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Shen Qingwan slowly raised her head and said, "Your Highness, please wait for a long time. I..."
With a "pop" sound.
Then she heard the teacup fall to the ground, and in front of Shen Qingwan there were broken cups all over the floor.
There was no trace of emotion on Shen Qingwan's face, but she lowered her head.
"Xian Fei, you are so bold that you actually asked me to bear false witness for you! If the emperor had even the slightest suspicion, I'm afraid both you and I would lose our heads!"
Shen Qingwan suddenly raised her head and her eyes moved slightly.
Xiao Shushen looked at her calm appearance, which was a little gloomy, and couldn't help but be a little surprised. Even in a situation like just now, she could remain calm as water.
"Does your Majesty want to punish me?" Shen Qingwan pursed her lips gently.
For the first time, her voice had some strength.
Just a few words made Xiao Shushen more alert. She was almost immediately certain that the woman in front of her was not simple!
"Why did you come to me? Do you know that if I am unwilling to help you, or even report you to the emperor, I will be able to get rid of a person who poses a threat to me, killing two birds with one stone." Xiao Shushen stood up and walked slowly to Shen Qingwan.
Shen Qingwan raised her head and said word by word, "Because I am very important to the Empress, isn't it? Moreover, the Emperor and I have not consummated our marriage. The Emperor is only for my father's face. And the Empress, you, without the protection of your family, even though you are the head of the harem, have a hard time. Only if I take refuge with the Empress and have the protection of the Shen family, the Empress will have an easier time."
Xiao Shushen frowned, lowered her eyes and looked down at Shen Qingwan and said, "Shen Qingwan, you are right, but if it is a crime of adultery among concubines in the harem, it is probably too serious, and the emperor will not allow such a thing to happen. How can you be sure?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Qingwan was a little angry. She said calmly, "Your Majesty, you are asking knowingly. Concubine Qi is an orphan. The emperor favors her just to control the various forces in the harem. Your Majesty knows who the emperor is better than me. It can only be said that Concubine Qi is still useful. So he pushed the boat with the current and gave your Majesty a way out."
Xiao Shushen suddenly laughed.
"I didn't expect that a woman who has only been in the palace for a month could see things more clearly than me, who has been with the emperor for many years."
"Don't tell me that you saved Concubine Qi just because she helped you out a few times before?"
Shen Qingwan suddenly raised her head and said seriously: "Your Majesty is right. I, Shen Qingwan, am a person who will repay a drop of kindness with a spring of gratitude. Your Majesty helped me because you liked this about me, didn't you?"
"You're smart!" Xiao Shushen said coldly, "But you'd better not play any tricks on me!"
Shen Qingwan kowtowed and said, "I dare not."
When we returned to Changle Palace, it was already evening and the sky was very dark.
She lowered her head, thinking about what happened today. Shen Qingwan thought that if one step went wrong, she would probably die without a burial place.
When he looked up again, he found that the bedroom was brightly lit.
Thinking of the meaningful look in Fu Yuheng's eyes when he left Jinrong Palace today, he suddenly understood and walked into the house calmly.
"Your Majesty, I have seen you."