noffsinger Chapter 808: Praying for avert disaster
Chapter 808: Praying for avert disaster
Here, Concubine Gao and Concubine Song invited each other to come to Kunning Palace together.
The two of them bowed respectfully at first, "Your servant pays respects to the Queen, may Your Majesty live long and healthy."
Jiang Fenghua had a sore throat and didn't want to talk. She raised her hand to signal them to excuse themselves, stood up, asked them to sit down, and asked someone to serve them tea.
Concubine Song Shu asked with concern: "I heard that the Majesty was ill. Has the imperial physician examined her? Is she feeling better?"
Jiang Fenghua nodded, "Much better."
Gao Qingtong said with concern: "Your Majesty, if your throat is uncomfortable, please speak less and take care of yourself. I have loquat paste in my palace that is specially used to treat sore throats. It is very effective in treating throat pain. I will have someone bring it to your Majesty later."
Jiang Fenghua nodded, "Thank you very much. I hope you were not scared by the assassins who came to Kunning Palace the night before last!"
Concubine Song Shu patted her chest and said, "I am terrified just thinking about it. I don't know who wanted to assassinate Your Majesty. Fortunately, Your Majesty is safe. Concubine Gao and I were worried to death. May Your Majesty be blessed by the Bodhisattva."
Gao Qingtong rarely gossiped, and said softly: "There is one thing that everyone is confused about. I have the guts to ask your Majesty, is Princess Yi really the emperor's daughter?"
Jiang Fenghua said calmly: "Why are there any rumors in the harem?"
Gao Qingtong quickly stood up and apologized, "I am not here to gossip on purpose. This is related to the emperor's reputation. I did hear some bad rumors. I feel that even if this matter has been exposed and cleared up on the surface, in fact, the ladies and the people do not believe that the emperor and the fourth princess are innocent. After all, the fourth princess's firm words have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Everyone regards it as a joke. The emperor's reputation has not actually been improved, and the impact is also great. I want to know if your majesty can think of a way to restore the emperor's reputation. If Princess Yi is really not a princess, the emperor can't really bear such a reputation."
Jiang Fenghua knew that Gao Qingtong was not a person who liked to gossip. She took the initiative to bring it up, which meant that she must have really heard some remarks that were detrimental to the emperor.
At that time, Xie Shang was the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture and personally tried the case. He also invited many famous scholars. Even the Fourth Prince admitted in court that he had accidentally killed someone. However, the remarks of the Fourth Prince's wife made people gossip more than the truth uncovered by Xie Shang. The emperor's romantic affairs attracted more attention than the open and secret struggles in the court.
The concubines in the harem did not know about Concubine Chang's affairs.
On the night of the family dinner, although there were rumors that the Fourth Prince was rebelling, causing panic among the people in the palace, Xie Shang eventually suppressed some of the truth.
However, there was an assassination in the palace. Everyone speculated that it might be the Fourth Prince who wanted to assassinate the Queen, but the Queen and the Fourth Prince had no grudge against each other!
Then he thought about how the Fourth Princess came to the court to accuse the Emperor of having an affair with her, and also admitted to having killed Shu Xue. The series of events seemed strange. The strangest thing was that the Fourth Prince came out to clarify that he had accidentally killed Shu Xue, clearing the Fourth Princess of the charges, and explained in front of everyone that Princess Yi was the Fourth Prince's daughter.
The Fourth Prince stepped forward to smooth things over, but I'm afraid he was just trying to cover up the scandal between the Emperor and the Fourth Princess. Everyone must be thinking that Xie Ruoyi is actually the Emperor's illegitimate daughter, and the Queen would definitely not be happy if she knew that the Emperor and the Fourth Princess were having an affair.
However, if the Fourth Prince wanted to kill someone, he would kill the Emperor to vent his anger, so how could he assassinate the Queen?
Even Song Jing and Gao Qingtong believed that the emperor and the fourth princess might really be having an affair. Just look at the way the fourth princess usually looks at the emperor.
Jiang Fenghua also knew that this matter would not be so easy to let go, she said: "The emperor and the fourth princess are indeed innocent, as for what the fourth princess has in mind, the emperor can't influence it."
Although the incident has passed, and Zhang Yurou and Xie Yang have come out to explain it clearly, everyone would rather believe that the emperor and the fourth princess had an affair, and maybe it would be compiled into royal family unofficial history and circulated.
Jiang Fenghua did not explain much, nor did she know what Zhang Yurou was thinking. Xie Yang asked her to say that, but what about her?
Gao Qingtong said: "I understand."
There is a huge difference between Xie Ruoyi being a county princess or a princess.
Song Jing asked, "Why did Shu Ronghua suddenly disappear?"
"I heard that she was imprisoned in the clan residence by the emperor. Did she do something wrong? Did an assassin rescue her and Concubine Chang? How did Concubine Chang get involved? Did the Fourth Prince and Concubine Chang really rebel? It is said that the Fourth Prince is the most honest. How could he rebel?"
Generally, concubines in the harem were imprisoned in the clan house mostly because they committed unforgivable mistakes, such as adultery. Could it be that Shu Ronghua had an affair? Who was her adulterer?
Jiang Fenghua knew everything and said, "Shu Ronghua did commit an unforgivable mistake. She has already left the palace, so don't mention her anymore. As for Concubine Chang, she is the mother of the Fourth Prince. If the Fourth Prince wants to rebel, his mother must be involved. The harem is not allowed to interfere in politics, and I don't know the details."
She didn't want to talk about what happened between Concubine Chang and Prince Kang.
Song Jing covered her mouth and said, "Oh, the Fourth Prince is really going to rebel. How can he be so worthy of such a rebellion?"
Jiang Fenghua saw that Song Jing was so eager to find out, but it was no wonder. As long as there was a little movement in the harem, everyone would be concerned. Even if Xie Shang suppressed the matter, there was no wall that was impenetrable.
"People who want to rebel, do they write 'I want to rebel' on their faces?" Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "The emperor has seen through the Fourth Prince's mind and has placed him under house arrest in the Fourth Prince's Mansion. Concubines in the harem should not ask about the affairs of the court. The emperor is very angry about this matter. If anyone dares to discuss it in private, I am afraid that I will not be able to save her if the emperor finds out."
Song Jing also stood up quickly, "Yes, I understand."
"This year may be a bad year, with accidents happening one after another." Song Jing suggested: "There is a saying in my hometown that if it is a bad year, you should pray for blessings to resolve the disaster. I suggest that we organize a blessing ceremony and ask the gods to protect the Great Zhou Dynasty and prosper."
Jiang Fenghua said nothing. It was indeed a country full of disasters. The idea of praying for the protection of gods had existed since ancient times, and the people believed in it and were very awed by it.
Jiang Fenghua also knew that the series of incidents in the harem could not be resolved by praying to the gods. If people did not act like evil, so many incidents would not have happened. But everyone did not think so. So many people died and everyone was afraid. She was the mistress of the harem, and it would be difficult for her to explain to everyone if she did not do something.
Song Jing and Gao Qingtong assisted in managing the harem. She asked Gao Qingtong for his opinion, "What about Concubine Gao's opinion?"
Gao Qingtong said: "There is indeed such a saying among the people. Concubines in the palace have been in trouble one after another. In order to appease people's hearts, this is also a way."
"The emperor needs to be informed of this matter..." Jiang Fenghua said.
At this moment, Xie Shang walked in from outside, "What do I want to know?"