Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2512 Reconciliation 54.0

Mian Bai looked at Shen Cha for a long while before he gave a bitter smile.

"General, this matter was settled back then. Regardless of whether or not there was really an affair between me and the Concubine Dowager, we have both been punished. The Concubine Dowager was imprisoned in the cold palace and eventually hanged herself, while I was castrated and driven out of the palace. Although I am still alive, this life is no longer my own. If I hadn't wanted to repay the Empress Dowager for saving my life, I would have followed the Concubine Dowager long ago. So..." He paused for a moment before continuing, "There's no need to mention it again, right?"

Shen Cha waved to Ying Er and Ying Wu, asking them to wait outside the court, and asked Meilin to help Mian Bai up and sit him aside.

"Don't worry. This general is not one to bring up the past. As for why I mentioned this matter, it is naturally related to the current situation."

"What is the current situation? What does the general mean?"

"Although Concubine Hui was imprisoned, even if she hanged herself later, such a big thing did not implicate Prince Su and Princess Changle. They are still royal children, still living in their own fiefdoms, and enjoying the support of the people." Shen Cha looked at Mian Bai, "But throughout history, what is the fate of those who defile the palace? Mian Bai's troupe owner is often in the palace and is used to listening to operas. He should know very well that there is only one way left for them, that is, to die silently in the palace without any wind. And if one party in this scandal is a concubine, then their children will also be implicated. But the strange thing is that these things did not happen to Concubine Hui. Although she was imprisoned in the cold palace, the so-called cold palace is just her original palace, and all expenses are still provided according to the rank of the concubine. And the other person in this scandal, that is, you, the troupe owner, although you have been castrated, you easily left the palace and lived a free life outside." She picked up the teacup and took two sips, saying, "I'm afraid this is unreasonable."

"There must be something wrong when things are out of the ordinary." Jin Miaomiao raised her eyebrows. "When I heard this story, I felt something was wrong. Although your majesty is a benevolent monarch, lenient to others and strict with himself, this kind of thing challenges the majesty of the royal family and tarnishes the reputation of the late emperor. Your majesty is a filial son and will never allow such a thing to happen. So."

"There must be something hidden." Shen Cha and Jin Miaomiao looked at each other, then at the same time, they fixed their gazes on Mian Bai and said, "Isn't that right?"

Mian Bai looked at Shen Cha, then at Jin Miaomiao, sighed helplessly, and nodded at them.

"There is indeed a hidden story behind this matter, but if it is revealed, we will not be punished, but many people will be implicated. We took this into consideration and decided to do so."

"So, what is your relationship?"

"Hui Fei is my cousin, the daughter of my great uncle and aunt." Mian Bai looked at Shen Cha, "I said before that when my grandmother was seriously ill, my grandfather was troubled by the thugs sent by the Qinglian Sect because he had shaken his faith in the Qinglian Sect. At that time, my cousin was already four years old. When she went out with my great aunt, she was also stopped and bullied. But those thugs knew that they could not hurt people or kill people, so they just threatened them verbally. My cousin got sick because of this, with a high fever that wouldn't go away. She was in a coma for many days. My great uncle and aunt didn't care about anything else, so they took her away from home and went out to seek medical treatment. Since then, there has been no trace of her."

"Then how can you be sure that Concubine Hui is your cousin?" Jin Miaomiao touched her chin. "According to what you said just now, after your grandmother passed away, your father sold himself to the Jiangnan Music Bureau to pay off his debts. You were born a few years later, right?"

"Yes!" Mian Bai nodded. "My father told me before he passed away that if I saw a woman wearing a Qilin jade pendant, she would be my cousin. The Qilin jade pendant was polished by my father himself and was a full-moon gift for my cousin. I also asked my father at the time what to do if my uncle and aunt sold the jade pendant to treat my cousin. My father said that the material of the jade pendant was not valuable and could not be exchanged for a few copper coins, so there was no need to worry about it." He sighed, "After my father passed away, I also paid attention to the so-called Qilin jade pendant, but did not find anything. This world is so big, it is too difficult to find someone, and I am not a free person. In the end, I decided to let fate take its course. If we are destined to be together, we can find each other." "What happened next? How did you recognize each other?"

"I was sent to the Jiaofang Division by the Jiangnan Music Bureau, where I taught the art of playing the zither for more than half a year. Later, I entered the palace and joined the Imperial Music Garden. I have just talked about my experience when I first entered the palace, so I will not repeat it. When I was almost recovered in the palace of the Grand Empress Dowager, I thought about repaying her, so as long as the Grand Empress Dowager was willing, I would play the zither for her. One day, the concubines all came to pay their respects, and I accidentally saw that Concubine Hui, who came to pay her respects, had a unicorn jade plaque hanging around her waist. No matter the size, style, quality, or the carving method of the unicorn, it was almost the same as my father's description. Even so, I didn't dare to recognize her. I could only secretly observe Concubine Hui, but I had never seen her. After I was born, she left her hometown for many years. I had no idea what she looked like. I watched for several days but couldn't tell."

"You've been watching for several days? Concubines don't often go to the Empress Dowager's place."

"That's right, but it's strange. Concubine Hui went there very frequently during those few days. Later I found out that although I didn't dare to recognize her, she recognized me."

"She recognized you first?"

"Yes!" Mian Bai nodded towards Jin Miaomiao. "Although we have never met each other, Concubine Hui has met my father. She said that I look very similar to my father, and my father and my uncle also look very similar. Although we three cannot be said to be cast from the same mold, the differences are not that big."

"In order to confirm that you are the cousin she has never met, Concubine Hui went to see the Grand Empress Dowager again and again." Jin Miaomiao nodded, "Didn't the Grand Empress Dowager notice?"

"Maybe she noticed Concubine Hui's abnormality, so she asked her why she came to her place every few days. Concubine Hui said that she liked my piano skills and the musicians in her palace couldn't play to my taste." Mian Bai smiled, "She asked the Grand Empress Dowager if she could lend me to her for two days so that I could give some guidance to her musicians."

"Such a request is not excessive. The Empress Dowager will agree to it."

"General, yes, the Empress Dowager agreed." Mianbai nodded. "During that time, I don't know what went wrong outside. The Empress Dowager didn't have time to listen to me playing the piano. She thought I must be bored, so she asked me to go to Concubine Hui to instruct her musicians." He sighed softly. "I didn't expect that as soon as I entered her palace, she asked everyone to leave and left me alone."

"Are you afraid?"

"Indeed, a little." Mian Bai nodded, "But she just walked up to me with the jade token in her hand, her face full of tears."