An Lingrong's Rebirth: Red

The account book was turned over page after page, and the Queen would ask a question from time to time. Lingrong and Concubine Jing were both trying their best to respond, but Concubine Tian just sat there quietly and didn't say a word.

After finally finishing reading one account book, Lingrong felt a little tired, but the Queen picked up the account book of the imperial kitchen and began to read it very carefully.

As soon as Concubine Tian saw the account book, her expression suddenly became nervous. She stared at the account book without moving, which made everyone notice something was wrong.

But the Queen acted as if she hadn't noticed anything and kept flipping through the pages. Soon, she noticed something strange: in the month when the Queen Mother passed away, the food and drink sent to Shoukang Palace was different from that sent to other palaces.

"The Queen Mother doesn't like almonds, so why is almond tea sent to her so often?"

"This……"

Concubine Tian spoke hurriedly, interrupting Concubine Jing's reply, "The meals of each palace are served by the palace maids. The Empress Dowager is in poor health and often does not eat the same as everyone else.

If the Empress Dowager has any questions, she might as well call the palace maid who serves the Empress Dowager food and drink in Shoukang Palace to ask.

It’s hard to get the answers you want if you ask a few of us here.”

There are so many loopholes in Concubine Tian's appearance that anyone who is not a fool would be able to find out her abnormality.

But she was so confident and domineering that Lingrong felt angry and wanted to laugh at the same time.

The queen had seen many people like this. She didn't expect that after Concubine Hua left, Concubine Tian came. Both of them were very arrogant and unwilling to hand over the account books.

"It seems that Concubine Tian is very experienced in handling palace affairs." The queen began to look at the food and drink in Shoukang Palace every month. After comparison, she found that a lot was consumed only in that month.

The queen herself once used peach kernels instead of almonds to harm Rouze. After all, as long as it was handled properly, a single word difference in the account book would be difficult to be discovered.

However, the Queen Mother was not a concubine competing for favor in the harem, so even if she used the peach kernels that harm the fetus, it would not have any effect. It was just that the Queen Mother really didn't like almond tea, so the Queen just concluded that there was definitely something wrong with the almonds.

only……

"Then let's ask the people in Shoukang Palace today. After all, people's tastes are hard to change. I'm afraid some servants are taking advantage of the Queen Mother's illness to deliberately slack off and take advantage of it."

When Concubine Tian heard this, her expression became even stranger, and Lingrong's eyes couldn't help but drift over.

"If Her Majesty wants to investigate, then she can, but you need us to bring everyone here so that Her Majesty can question them one by one."

This attitude and tone are completely similar to those of Concubine Hua. It seems that she is also a fool who covets the position of Queen. She only knows how to use a few tricks and can only escape punishment because of the Emperor's favor.

But this time it was different. The Queen closed the account book. The Emperor would not let her off lightly if it involved the Queen Mother. I'm afraid the Emperor had to let himself go because he realized that there was something wrong with the Queen Mother's death.

Forget it, as long as the house arrest is lifted, why should I care about why the emperor does it?

"Since Concubine Tian is willing, then let's do it this way." The Queen put the account book down and had no intention of looking at other account books. "The Emperor means that these matters will still be handled by the sisters, but I will supervise you regularly as before.

Concubine Sheng, please stay for a moment. I have something to talk to you about."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lingrong said goodbye to Concubine Jing and the other two, and sat alone in the main hall of Jingren Palace facing the Queen.

After everyone had left for a while, the Queen finally spoke quietly, "You have now secured your position as a concubine, and you are no longer like when you first entered the palace."

"I just entered the palace, that was many years ago. Fortunately, with the help of the Queen, I am not isolated and helpless in the palace."

Lingrong's words were full of innuendo and indeed contained some resentment. The Queen just pretended not to hear it and even called Lingrong over to wear the flower in her hair again.

In the previous life, this method was used on Zhen Huan, but in this life, I don't know why it was used on me. Ling Rong took off her armor, but she carefully selected flowers as she did in the past, and picked a peony that was in full bloom and pinned it in the hair for the queen.

After the Queen nodded with satisfaction, Lingrong put on her armor again and held up the mirror for the Queen.

"You are still so careful. Few people can be like you." The queen looked at herself in the mirror. Her wrinkles were deeper than before, and there were two annoying white hairs on her temples. The queen lost interest in an instant, "...let it go."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Ling Rong was naturally unwilling to hold such a heavy bronze mirror. Her arms would become sore after a long time. It was purely a torment by the Queen.

She relaxed her arms imperceptibly, then sat down again, waiting for the queen to reveal her true purpose.

"You are not immune to the affairs of the noble lady Wan."

As soon as Lingrong sat down, the Queen Mother said something shocking. Lingrong's heart tightened and she hesitated for a moment when she raised her eyes.

"There are indeed a lot of things happening to Lady Wan. What is the matter that the Queen is talking about?"

The queen smiled without saying anything, with a profound look on her face that showed I already knew everything.

"Empress?" Ling Rong pretended not to know. She imitated Xia Dongchun's expression and asked, "Have you not made up your mind yet?"

"Concubine Sheng, you are a smart person. You should know what I am talking about." The Queen didn't want to play dumb with Ling Rong anymore. "If we keep hiding things, we will never be able to open our hearts, right?"

"Then..." Ling Rong did not answer, and even asked back, "The Zhen family fell, the whole mansion was exiled, and Zhen Yuandao and his wife died of plague. These things must have something to do with the Queen."

"Concubine Sheng knew a lot, but unfortunately I was still recuperating at that time and was not clear about these things."

"Yes, I am also busy taking care of the two children, and I am not clear about the affairs of Lady Wan."

The two of them were talking like this, and they really couldn't continue the conversation. "Since I'm talking, I must have some evidence. Then Bai Zhi and the other female doctors are all your people, right?"

"Of course I have a female doctor by my side, but Zhaoshui's medical skills are not good enough to compare with the Queen."

"Sister Shengfei, what did you just say?"

Ling Rong hurriedly stood up and saluted. She pretended to look innocent and said, "Your Majesty, I didn't mean to compare you with Zhao Shui. It's really because I am amazed by your medical skills that I used you as a role model."

Playing dumb really worked. As expected, Lingrong saw the Queen's eyes filled with disgust and speechlessness. She could even clearly feel that the Queen's breathing had become heavier.

"I am not an imperial physician, so how can I know medical skills?" The Queen said in a gentle tone, "I am angry not because you compared me to Zhao Shui, but because you are making a fuss out of nothing and talking nonsense about things that don't exist."

"But," Lingrong still looked so pitiful, "The Emperor often mentioned the Empress to me, and the Emperor said that the Empress knew medical skills."

Everyone in the harem knew that the Queen knew medicine and had replaced almonds with peach kernels, which were harmful to fetuses, thus harming her own sister.

"All the sisters in the harem know about it. Could it be that the emperor misunderstood and made such a big joke?"

When faced with problems, they pretend to be stupid and use Tai Chi. The concubines around Lingrong are not capable of harming others, but they always have strengths that can be learned in other aspects.

"You've changed the subject so many times. Can I conclude that you, Concubine Sheng, have something to hide and are afraid to speak out?"

"Empress," Ling Rong stood up and put away her fake expression, "I have just said that there is only one female doctor, Zhaoshui, and as for the others, the emperor ordered them to be sent to the Imperial Hospital.

If you really count them, they are all disciples of the emperor, how could they be bribed by me at will?

Moreover, there are quite a lot of female doctors, and I have no family support. I am afraid I am unable to support so many people.

If the Queen really has any evidence, please bring it out. I will listen carefully and not miss a single detail."

"You really won't give up until you reach the Yellow River."

"Empress, what do you mean? If you really have evidence, you can report it to the Emperor. Don't let me, the culprit, go unpunished.

If you slander me like this without any evidence, I'm sorry I'm not respectful enough."

Seeing An Lingrong so confident, the Queen was certain that what happened to Concubine Wan was related to her.

She drank her tea slowly, hoping to scare Lingrong with such an all-seeing attitude, so that she would reveal her true colors.

But Ling Rong just looked at him, not showing any panic, "Empress, can you show me the evidence?"

The Queen took out a piece of letter as she was told. Lingrong unfolded it and saw that it was Baizhi's confession. The rest of the content was fine except for a sentence in the letter saying that the addictive drug was given by Concubine Sheng, which could be considered as so-called evidence.

Lingrong looked at her for a while, and the queen thought she would be scared, but she didn't expect Lingrong to say something shocking, "This is related to Concubine Wan and Concubine Chun. Now Concubine Wan has been exiled to Ningguta, and only Concubine Chun is involved.

Now that the Queen has evidence, why not bring Concubine Chun and Bai Zhi here to investigate the matter of this medicine?"

Lingrong is not afraid, so the Queen is naturally not afraid either. Now that she is back in power, the Queen needs to deal with a major matter concerning the concubines in the harem to win the hearts of the people.

He originally wanted to use this opportunity to win over An Lingrong and make her work for him, but looking at her appearance, he knew that she was well prepared and was not afraid of the investigation.

It seems that this incident is the only way to recruit Concubine Chun back into the fold, the Empress pondered.

"Then listen to Concubine Sheng. If it really isn't you, I can clear your name.

It is better to do it today than to wait for a day, so let’s do it tonight when we greet each other.”

Lingrong folded the letter and returned it to the Empress. She knelt down and saluted, then left Jingren Palace with a normal expression.

It was not until they returned to Chengqian Palace that Lingrong smiled. "It's true. The Queen has planted a lot of people in the palace. They didn't clean them up during the Yuanmingyuan period."

"Yes," Zhaoshui echoed, "If I didn't know that Baizhi would not betray the young lady, I would be worried about her right now."

"Whether she will betray you is still unknown." Lingrong was not so optimistic, but after Baizhi did something for her, her family had already asked Aunt Xiao outside the palace to take care of her.

He is currently helping out at home and there is nothing unusual.

"Your Majesty is worried that Bai Zhi doesn't care about her parents' lives at all. Did she say everything on the letter today?"

“It is possible, but even if she said so, we don’t need to worry.

After all, those medicines need to be well preserved. If they are taken out at this moment, they will be nothing more than powder with no medicinal effect.

If a female doctor doesn't even understand this matter, how can she be sure that the medicine is the one put into the fruit drink?

What's more, taking and using the medicine all happened in the Old Summer Palace, and the empress had just been released from house arrest, so there was no time to find witnesses.

I guess she just wanted to find something to hold against me and make me do something for her.

If she fails, she can let Concubine Chun know, and the Queen can help her find the real murderer and avenge the Seventh Prince.

If Concubine Chun is successfully persuaded by the Queen's words, she might even turn her anger on us and secretly trip me up."

"It will even make other concubines doubt the female doctor's loyalty to them, and the nails we put next to them will be useless."

Zhaoshui also understood it clearly, and a trace of worry appeared on her face again, "Your Majesty, it's no wonder that the Queen wants to do something like this that will achieve multiple goals at once."

"Of course she has to do it. After being under house arrest for so long, she needs to suppress someone to establish her authority.

But I didn’t expect that the Queen would choose me instead of Concubine Tian.”

The Queen wanted so much, just like herself when she was sent back from the Palace of Tranquil Longevity.

It’s a pity that the more you want, the smaller the probability of success. This time, the queen is destined to fail to harm herself.

"My lady, do you want to contact Bai Zhi first and ask whether the letter is authentic?"

"No need. If she really has surrendered to the Queen, sending the letter now would be like handing the Queen a handle, which would be extremely disadvantageous to us.

There is no need to contact other female doctors, just inform Concubine Tian and Noble Lady Xia about this matter.

Afterwards, we will ask the Emperor to accompany Youning and Hongyu for lunch, and then quietly wait for the evening greetings."

"Yes, your majesty." Zhaoshui never asked why she did this. She just gave orders step by step.

The emperor was very considerate and came over during lunch. Youning was still as clingy as ever, sitting next to the emperor and talking nonstop.

The emperor doted on her, so he patiently accompanied her until the little girl had eaten her fill and her ears were quiet, and then he talked to Lingrong about the queen.

"Today, I have handed over the palace affairs on hand to Her Majesty the Queen. However, Her Majesty the Queen wants me to help handle them from now on and report to her every day."

Lingrong briefly explained what happened today, and took the opportunity to tell the Emperor that the Queen Mother suspected her.

"What the Queen meant was that I asked Bai Zhi to interfere and put a drug that would make the Seventh Prince addicted into the fruit drink, and then put the blame on Concubine Wan.

I think this matter has far-reaching implications, so I still need to inform His Majesty."

"Why are you bringing up the past again?" The emperor did not even suspect Ling Rong at first, but was worried about the harem that had just been settled. "If I remember correctly, the imperial physician cannot confirm whether the fruit drink was the culprit that caused the death of the seventh prince."

"I don't know why, but I think the Queen has found out something and wants to clear the name of Wan Guiren."

The emperor hesitated for a moment and said, "I will go with you."