Mountains and rivers pray for peace

Chapter 150
When Huo Qi followed Huang Dongying into the Kunning Palace, Empress Zhou was wearing a casual dress with yuan cyan peony pattern and gold forging, and was sitting on the couch and knitting her net.

Compared with Changle Palace, which is full of brilliance and decorated with pearls, Kunning Palace is not extravagant, but the layout inside is exquisite everywhere, such as the bergamot plate placed on the desk, and the incense burner in the shape of lotus hanging high. .

The queen is really a caring person, this is Huo Qifu's first feeling when he entered Kunning Palace.

Empress Zhou had heard from the maids who had informed her earlier that Huang Dongying hurried over and said that she had something important to report. Her first reaction was that something went wrong with the maids who entered the palace.

Seeing that Huang Dongying was still following Huo Qi behind him, he was slightly surprised, but he only put down the nets he was working on on his face, his expression was flat, and his voice did not fluctuate: "Huang Dongying, all the girls who enter the palace will be arranged. alright?"

"I have welcomed all the young ladies into the Yupeng Palace according to my mother's order. It's just that something happened today, and after thinking about it, I still have to ask my mother for an idea." Huang Dongying said respectfully.

"Oh, what's the matter?" Queen Zhou looked at him.

Huang Dongying immediately took two steps back and hurriedly pushed Huo Qi out behind him: "Empress, Miss Huo was here at the time and knows the whole story better than the slave. It's better to let her report back and forth to save the slave from being clumsy and unable to explain clearly. "

Empress Zhou's gaze moved back slightly, and she fell on Huo Qi impartially, seeing her bowing her knees in a salute, her phoenix eyes drooping, she was respectful but not humble.

She has seen this little girl many times.

The first time was at the Qiuju Banquet, where she drew a line with Zhenyuan Hou Shizi. The second time she was brilliant at the sacrificial ceremony, and she caught the people who were scattered by the Buddha step by step. The third time was Baotan Temple sacrificed her life to save him. Got Empress Dowager Pei's blue eyes.

She is the mother of a country, and she has seen eight hundred women from aristocratic families, but she is the only one who is deeply impressed by Huo Qi, because this little girl is too special and too brilliant.

But she didn't appreciate Huo Qi that much.

The root cause is that this little girl is always on the cusp of the storm, but she can always escape smoothly. She is careful at the beginning and respects the end, so that people can't find fault at all. Her mind and strategy have far surpassed ordinary people of this age.

To put it nicely, he is precocious; to put it harshly, he is just another smart hollow person.There are as many people like this in the palace as crucian carp crossing a river, and there is nothing unusual about one more Huo Qi.

While her thoughts were turning, Empress Zhou rolled up her arms and gave a gentle smile: "Miss Huo, then let you tell the story."

Huo Qi went straight in, and said in a deep voice, "I report to the Empress, someone died in the palace."

"What?" Queen Zhou's body suddenly stiffened, apparently she had just learned about this.

"Back to the Empress, my daughter and other chosen girls discovered a female corpse in the Octagonal Well near the Royal Garden. The matter is still unclear, but two things are certain. First, according to the clothes and description of the deceased, It is not difficult to judge that the deceased should be a third-class palace maid, estimated to be eleven or twelve years old. Secondly, the deceased should not have slipped and fallen into the well, but was strangled to death and then thrown into the well. The pinch marks on the neck can be traced. To prove this. As for the others, we may have to ask someone to do an autopsy before we can find out clearly. Now the body of the deceased has been placed in the morgue by Eunuch Huang." Huo Qi said without being humble or overbearing.

Empress Zhou seemed to have thought of something, her face turned livid.She suddenly looked at Aunt Peng, the female officer beside her: "Did Concubine Zhen say that a third-class maid was lost in the palace the day before yesterday?"

After being reminded, Aunt Peng hurriedly said: "My Lady, this is indeed true. The maid in the palace of the Concubine Zhen seems to be named Leyun, and she is very popular with the Concubine Zhen."

Although it is not yet confirmed whether the dead maid and Le Yun are the same person, Empress Zhou already has a faint feeling in her heart.After all, the concubine Zhen just said that she had lost a third-class court lady, and then found the body of a third-class court lady in the well. How can there be such a coincidence in the world?
She held the armrest of the couch tightly and told Aunt Peng: "Xiuyu, go to Shuchunxuan in person, ask the people in the Zhen concubine palace to go to the morgue to identify the person, and then find a widow for an autopsy to see what happened. matter. As soon as there is a result, report back immediately."

Aunt Peng knew the seriousness of this matter, she went out immediately without hesitation.

Huang Dongying was secretly glad at this time.

Everyone knows that the concubine Zhen conceived a dragon heir shortly after she entered the palace, and it was time to be favored.In addition, there were many events in the previous year, firstly, many people died in the Daizhou flood, and then the Baotan Temple incident involved Hongtong Guifang and the second prince.Emperor Xiaowen was not very kind and gentle, and now he is even more uncertain.Thanks to Concubine Zhen being pregnant with this child, Emperor Xiaowen had a smile on his face recently, and these slaves can breathe a little more.

It's also fortunate that he didn't press this matter privately, otherwise he would have offended the concubine Zhen.Now making the concubine Zhen unhappy, wouldn't that mean making Emperor Xiaowen unhappy?

After Aunt Peng left the palace, Empress Zhou looked at Huo Qi again: "You're a smart kid."

This was said from the bottom of her heart. No matter how much Empress Zhou thought Huo Qi was sleek and sophisticated, she had to admit that it was much easier to deal with such a person.With just a few simple words, the whole story and the doubts behind it are all inseparable.

Huo Qi shook his head and said: "My Majesty's words are really embarrassing."

"There is still one thing I don't know about this palace." Empress Zhou stared at her thoughtfully, "Just let Huang Dongying report this matter, why are you willing to come to this muddy water? After all, the girl who just entered the palace All of them are sincere and fearful, lest they cause trouble."

Huang Dongying was about to grab the words, but was blocked by Queen Zhou's seemingly gentle but sharp eyes. He could only silently pray in his heart that Huo Qi was sensible, and not to say anything that shouldn't be said.

Huo Qi smiled slightly: "Queen, it was Eunuch Huang who invited my daughter here."

Huang Dongying's eyes froze.

"However, Eunuch Huang didn't make it difficult for me. The reason why my daughter came here is because of her heart." Huo Qi continued.

"Congxin?" Queen Zhou touched the net in her hand, "What kind of heart is Congxin?"

"Although the palace maids are slaves in name, they are all born by their parents. If they really make mistakes, they should be dealt with impartially according to the palace laws. No matter what, they will not be lynched like that little palace maid. Wen Niangniang is generous and kind, if she can really tell the whole story in front of her, it will be considered a meritorious deed if she does not injustice the maid's life." Huo Qi lowered his eyebrows and said word by word.

When Empress Zhou heard this, she looked at Huo Qi with much gentler eyes than when she just entered the palace.She lived in the deep palace for a long time, only then did she realize that smart people are not rare, but what is rare is that they are smart and at the same time have a pure heart.

She believed Huo Qi's words.

If Huo Qi didn't think so, such a person who knows how to balance the weight would not come to Kunning Palace rashly.

She beckoned to Huo Qi: "Come to Ben Gong."

Huo Qi stepped forward according to the words, and knelt at the feet of Empress Zhou according to the ceremony. Empress Zhou pulled out the golden silk inlaid treasure crab hairpin from her head, and put the hairpin on her head.She hurriedly lowered her head: "Empress Empress, how did this happen?"

"Since I rewarded you with this hairpin, it means you can afford it. This hairpin is actually not worth a lot of silver, but I can't put it down these years. Now that I reward you, it's a commemoration, reminding you not to worry about it in the future. No matter what situation you are in, don't forget your original intention today. Do you understand?"

(End of this chapter)