The Empress of Zhen Huan Reborn

The emperor nodded, looked at Zhen Huan and asked, "I heard that you came to Changle Palace to see the queen today?"

Zhen Huan nodded without saying anything. The emperor spoke again, "Don't be sad. I will investigate Liu Zhu's matter thoroughly. I will never allow such a dirty thing to happen in the harem."

Zhen Huan looked at the emperor with tears in her eyes, "I thank the emperor on behalf of Liu Zhu."

The emperor looked at Zhen Huan, pondered for a while and asked: "Do you remember when you came to Changle Palace today and when you left Changle Palace?"

After thinking carefully for a moment, Zhen Huan replied, "I came to Changle Palace at 3:30 pm. When I arrived, the Queen was still taking a nap, so I sat in the palace the whole time. When I left, it was probably 3:30 pm."

The emperor nodded, and then asked, "Did you see Song Zhi when you were in Changle Palace today?"

Zhen Huan nodded with certainty, "Of course I have seen it. Song Zhi has been with me waiting for the Queen to wake up."

The emperor nodded, and then confirmed: "Songzhi has never left?"

Zhen Huan nodded immediately, and then asked in confusion: "But what happened?"

The emperor did not answer Zhen Huan's words, but looked at Qi Yuebin and said, "Concubine Duan, did you hear clearly? Song Zhi has never left Changle Palace."

Qi Yuebin didn't hesitate at all when she heard this. She knelt straight on the ground and said, "I listened to the slander of others and wronged the queen. I plead guilty. Please punish me, Your Majesty and the Queen."

The emperor was looking at Concubine Duan kneeling on the ground at this time. He thought of her relationship with Nian Shilan, and the fact that she could no longer get pregnant. He still felt a little guilty about her in his heart. Just when the emperor was hesitating and didn't know how to punish her, Nian Shilan spoke.

"Oh! Concubine Duan has made a good plan. Now that your concubine Jixiang has died, everyone is guessing that it was me who did it. If I really punish you now, wouldn't I be convicted of a crime? I don't want to do what you want. Not only can I not punish you, I will also reward you, a big reward! Otherwise, everyone in the harem will think that I, as the queen, can't even tolerate you, the unfavored concubines."

Nian Shilan said this with such gritted teeth and in such an arrogant manner that even Zhen Huan couldn't help but chuckle.

Nian Shilan glanced at Zhen Huan, and Zhen Huan was so scared that she quickly stood still and dared not make a sound.

When the emperor heard what Nian Shilan said, he nodded. He was naturally very satisfied with Nian Shilan's handling of the matter. No matter what Nian Shilan said, as long as she didn't really punish Concubine Duan, it was fine.

This is also the reason why Nian Shilan went to find Concubine Duan. Nian Shilan understood the emperor's guilt towards Concubine Duan, so Concubine Duan was the one who made a fuss about these things. Even if she made a big fuss, the emperor would not really punish her. After all, the title "Duan" has been reminding the emperor what Qi Yuebin has lost and what she has gained.

Up to now, the emperor has roughly understood the twists and turns involved. He has always been annoyed by the intrigues in the harem. What's more, this matter involves Shilan. It is a rule passed down from ancestors that the harem is not allowed to interfere in politics, and the emperor cannot tolerate it.

The emperor looked at Xiaoquanzi and the young eunuch kneeling on the ground, and said in a cold voice: "Su Peisheng, that young eunuch falsely accuses the maidservant beside the queen of causing chaos in the palace. Drag him down and beat him to death. As for Xiaoquanzi, go back."

The young eunuch knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, spare me, I really did not do it. It was all him, it was Xiaoquanzi who harmed me!"

The emperor was too lazy to listen to the eunuch's excuses. He waved his hand, and Su Peisheng and his apprentice Xiao Xiazi dragged the eunuch out.

After the eunuch and Xiaoquanzi left, Zhen Huan glanced at the emperor, Nian Shilan, and Qi Yuebin in the palace. She felt that they might have something else to say, so she said tactfully, "Your Majesty, if everything is fine, I will take Huanbi back first."

The emperor nodded, "Okay, you should go back and rest early."

Nian Shilan thought about the recent events in the palace, glanced at the emperor who was still in the palace, and said in a bad tone: "Zhou Ninghai, please send Concubine Xi back, lest anything else happens and it be blamed on me again."

Zhen Huan of course understood that Nian Shilan was concerned about her, and did not refuse, "I thank the Queen."

Then he turned around and took Huanbi and followed Zhou Ninghai back to Shuiyuxuan.

When only the emperor, Nian Shilan, Qi Yuebin and Songzhi were left in the palace, the emperor looked at Qi Yuebin and said symbolically, "Concubine Duan, you were indeed a little impulsive today."

Qi Yuebin knelt firmly on the ground and said, "I know I am wrong, please punish me, Your Majesty."

The emperor glanced at Nian Shilan and said, "Since the queen has said that she will not punish you, I will not be too harsh on you. The queen has not been in good health recently, so I will give the power of assisting the six palaces to you and Concubine Xi. However, you must be careful in what you say and do in the future, and don't let something like what happened today happen again."

Qi Yuebin nodded and said, "I obey your order."

Nian Shilan glanced at Qi Yuebin, and then said coquettishly to the emperor: "Your Majesty, since the maidservant beside Concubine Duan is gone, it is not convenient to have no capable person around. Why don't you reward a senior maidservant to serve Concubine Duan."

The emperor thought about it for a moment and felt that what Nian Shilan said made sense, so he said, "Okay, then let's pick a smart one to serve Concubine Duan." After that, he looked at Su Peisheng and said, "I'll leave this matter to you."

Su Peisheng responded and accepted the order. Qi Yuebin saw this and said quickly, "Then I would like to thank the Emperor and the Empress first."

The emperor looked at Qi Yuebin and said, "You should get up as well. If you have any problems in the future, just come to me or the queen directly."

After expressing his gratitude, Qi Yuebin slowly stood up and sat down on a chair beside him.

At this time, the emperor turned to look at Nian Shilan and asked softly: "Shilan, do you have anything else to say?"

Nian Shilan yawned and shook her head. Seeing this, the emperor looked at Qi Yuebin and said, "Okay, you can go back first."

After the emperor finished speaking, he took Nian Shilan in his arms and walked towards the bedroom. When Nian Shilan lay on the couch, he said in a somewhat listless tone: "Your Majesty, Concubine Duan just accused me so confidently. Did Your Majesty ever doubt me at all?"

The emperor hugged Nian Shilan and said with a smile: "What are you thinking about in your little head? How could I doubt you?"

Nian Shilan nestled contentedly in the emperor's arms and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty is so kind. I love you the most."

The emperor listened to Nian Shilan's words and said with a smile: "Why? If I doubt you, you will not love me anymore?"

Nian Shilan said with a smile: "Yes, yes, the emperor is suspicious of me, so I will be angry and lose my temper!"