The Apo Master dressed up as Concubine Ling and killed the Ruyi sisters

The eldest prince Yonghuang has been depressed ever since he was publicly reprimanded by the Emperor at the funeral of Empress Xiaoxian, and now there are signs of his death.

The emperor, Ruyi and Yihuan had lunch together. Ruyi said, "Yonghuang is ill and his health is getting worse day by day. Would the emperor like to go and see him?"

"Yonghuang's illness is all mentally ill. As long as he can let it go, he will naturally get better. I have ordered the imperial physician to go and treat him. If you are really worried, you can go with Concubine Chun to visit Yonghuang and reassure him." said the emperor.

But by the next day, Yonghuang was already on his deathbed, and Ruyi and the Imperial Noble Consort hurried to visit him.

The eldest prince's wife cried and said, "The eldest prince dreamed of my mother a few days ago. He was so sad that he vomited blood when he woke up! He also thought about how he was misled by Concubine Jia and behaved disrespectfully at the funeral of Empress Xiaoxian. He felt regretful and angry, and his illness became even worse!"

The imperial physician brought a bowl of stimulating medicine for the eldest prince to take. The eldest prince came to his senses and forced himself to speak to Ruyi and Concubine Chun.

"I am so sorry to both of you, mothers. I have failed you in your upbringing! I, who consider myself the eldest son, have become so arrogant that I covet the position of crown prince. Not only have I been competing with my third brother, I have also been plotting against Empress Xian."

"And with a few words from Concubine Jia, I was provoked to hate Empress Xiaoxian, which ended up hurting myself, Concubine Chun, and my third brother! I really regret it!"

Ruyi felt from the bottom of her heart that the death of Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin was closely related to Empress Xiaoxian, so she said, "Don't say that. It was Concubine Jia who shouldn't have told you these things. She deliberately let you be punished by the Emperor at Empress Xiaoxian's funeral so that she could pave the way for the Fourth Prince!"

Concubine Chun had long lost her ambition to become the empress, and only wished to be with her child. Yonghuang was already terminally ill, so why bother to provoke him with these words?

What's more, the Emperor has already said that the death of Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin had nothing to do with Empress Xiaoxian, so why should the Imperial Noble Consort keep holding on to those groundless rumors?

Concubine Chun hurriedly comforted Yonghuang, "How can you believe what Concubine Jia says when she has such a wicked ambition? You are my child, and I naturally love you. Stop saying those sorry words."

"Good boy, don't think about anything. Just take care of yourself and we will live a peaceful life from now on!"

Yonghuang still passed away. When the emperor heard the news, he still didn't dare to believe it.

The mourning period for Empress Xiaoxian has passed, and the Emperor has lifted the confinement of Concubine Yu and intends to make Ruyi the Empress.

When the news of her coronation spread, everyone treated Ruyi with great respect.

Concubine Chun was in charge of the funeral of the eldest prince. Yanwan Yihuan and Concubine Chun went to the Buddhist temple to burn incense for the eldest prince. While walking on the road, they saw a group of palace maids transferred from the Old Summer Palace, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs was assigning them places.

There was nothing surprising in fact. There was just a palace maid in her thirties or forties with a dignified look, who was arguing loudly with Eunuch Zhao from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The maid scolded, "Eunuch Zhao is too snobbish. When someone gives money to honor him, he assigns them to a good place and some easy work. For people like us who can't pay, he assigns us to do hard work!"

"Eunuch Zhao is so obsessed with money, does he even know how to write the word palace rules?!"

The scolded eunuch Zhao said angrily, "I have always enforced the law impartially. You slandered me with empty words. Come, catch her. I will teach her a lesson!"

Concubine Chun and the other two were standing in a shady place and happened to see this scene. When they were about to speak up for the palace maid who spoke up for justice, they saw Ruyi, who was riding in the sedan chair, also see this scene and shouted.

"Stop it! How can you hit someone so casually in this palace! Lingzhi, bring that maid over here."

Lingzhi brought them all over, and Ruyi asked, "What's going on?"

Eunuch Zhao wanted to put all the blame on the palace maid and was about to speak, but Ruyi asked the palace maid instead.

The maid said, "My name is Rong Pei. We are all maids from the Old Summer Palace. Eunuch Zhao is our manager. Eunuch Zhao said that if you have money, you can work in the six palaces."

"I and some of my sisters have no savings and cannot raise money, so Eunuch Zhao wants to send us to work in the laundry department! I think Eunuch Zhao is unfair, and I want to fight for justice for my sisters, so I quarreled with Eunuch Zhao. I hope Your Majesty will make the decision for us!"

Seeing Rong Pei's integrity and her courage to speak out against injustice, Ruyi admired her character. She smiled and said, "I see. Eunuch Zhao did something wrong. I will punish him. Are you willing to work in Yikun Palace?"

Yikun Palace? Although Rong Pei came from the Old Summer Palace, she knew that Yikun Palace was the bedroom of the Imperial Noble Consort. She didn't expect that she was so lucky to be appreciated by the Imperial Noble Consort!

Rong Pei said happily: "I am willing! Thank you very much, Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine, for your kindness!"

Ruyi took Rong Pei back to Yikun Palace. Yanwan and the other two came out. Yihuan said, "This maid named Rong Pei is honest and outspoken. The Imperial Noble Consort took her to Yikun Palace because she valued her talent."

Yan Wan disagreed with this view and chuckled, "Eunuch Zhao is certainly wrong, but the woman called Rong Pei may not really be as she said."

"Why do you say that, Concubine Ling?" Concubine Chun asked puzzled.

"Rong Pei keeps saying that she can't stand Eunuch Zhao's money-consciousness and wants justice for herself and her sisters who don't have the money to bribe Eunuch Zhao. She is lucky enough to be appreciated by the Imperial Noble Consort and it's time for her to find a good future for her sisters, so why didn't she say a word in front of the Imperial Noble Consort? It's obvious that she didn't really mean it!" Yan Wan said.

Concubine Chun and Yihuan felt that Yanwan's words made sense and they no longer admired Rong Pei as much as before.

Ruyi is about to be crowned queen, and the palace is in a state of chaos. Ruyi summons惢心, who is already married, to come to Yikun Palace to help.

On this day, Qin Li, the general manager of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, came to deliver colorful satin to the Yikun Palace. When Rong Pei saw it, she stopped Qin Li and did not let him in without saying a word.

Qin Li said angrily, "I am here to deliver the colored forging for the imperial concubine. What do you mean by stopping me? Get out of the way!"

The noise here alarmed Ruyi, so she brought惢心 and others out to check.

Rong Pei immediately accused Qin Lidao, "The Imperial Concubine has always disliked luxury, and it has only been a hundred days since the eldest prince passed away. I wonder if Chief Steward Qin sent a colorful satin at this time, whether it was intentional or unintentional!"

"If the Imperial Concubine uses the colorful satin you sent her to make new clothes, the ladies in the harem will inevitably think that the Imperial Concubine is not sad about the death of the eldest prince. If the Imperial Concubine is criticized, can Chief Steward Qin bear the consequences?!"

"I delivered the fabrics for the queen's coronation as per the custom, to congratulate the Imperial Noble Consort in advance on her coronation. How could I be trying to make things difficult for you on purpose? Your Majesty understands!" Qin Li hurriedly explained.

Ruyi thought Rong Pei's words made sense, so she asked Qin Li to take the things back. She also asked惢心 to announce in front of the people in Yikun Palace that Rong Pei would be the head aunt of Yikun Palace from now on!

It doesn’t matter to惢心. She’s already married anyway, so it’s none of her business who becomes the head aunt.

But Lingzhi felt it was very unfair. She served the Imperial Concubine wholeheartedly and was the most experienced person in Yikun Palace besides惢心. Why was it that Rong Pei, who had only been there for a few days, was able to take advantage of her so easily?

Ruyi didn't notice Lingzhi's dissatisfaction. While sorting her clothes, she said to惢心: "Rongpei is right. Yonghuang just passed away. I don't want to be dazzling."

Upon hearing this,惢心 couldn't help but glance at the luxurious jewelry on Ruyi's headdress, the big red velvet flower beside her hair, and the goose yellow clothes on her body.

As Ruyi lowered her head to tidy up her clothes, she complained in her heart, "The master's dress doesn't look low-key at all."