Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 102 Instigated
Zhou Baolin, kneeling on the ground, shivered and pulled his outer robe tighter.

Xitao knelt down after her and was now prostrating herself on the ground, not daring to raise her head.

"Your Majesty, I simply wish to win the Emperor's favor. That's why I went to the Imperial Garden to perform. I thought that since Concubine Xie was favored as a married woman, she must be very humble in bed. So I thought the Emperor might enjoy this kind of romance."

"Stupid thing!"

When the queen listened to Zhou Baolin's explanation, she felt her temples throbbing with anger, as if the top of her head was about to burst.

"Where's Aunt Xing? Didn't I ask her to look after this idiot? Where is she?!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I have already sent someone to invite them." Tingyun replied hurriedly.

The queen raised her hand to her forehead and glanced at Zhou Baolin who was kneeling on the ground crying, and felt even more upset.

"You are the emperor's concubine, not some prostitute. You are dancing in the imperial garden dressed like this. Are you doing it for the emperor alone, or for everyone else in the palace? My Zhou family is a well-off family after all. How do you expect others to view you and me if you act like this?"

"You said Xie was favored. But you also know that when she first entered the palace and had no official status, the emperor found an excuse to keep her in the palace, saying she was the princess's enlightenment. Even if it was just to cover up the truth, everyone knew it, and there was nothing wrong with it on the surface. Why is it so complicated? Because even if the emperor wanted to have an affair with Xie, he had to save face!"

After hearing these words, Zhou Baolin finally came to his senses. His tears stopped and he looked at a loss.

"Your Majesty, what should I do now? The Emperor must be disgusted with me. How can I ever gain favor from now on?"

"I was just about to ask you something!" the Queen roared. "We originally allowed you to enter the palace as a talented woman because we believed a well-behaved, docile, and well-educated woman would never make a mistake. As long as you waited patiently and sat on the bench, the Emperor would eventually show some favor. Now you're being made to jump around, and all that's ruined!"

Zhou Baolin shrank his shoulders when he was yelled at, feeling both afraid and regretful.

The queen took two deep breaths to calm herself down, then gave orders in a cold voice.

"From now on, you will reflect on your mistakes in Xiefang Palace. Without the permission of this palace and the emperor, you are not allowed to leave. If those around you fail to dissuade the master from his reckless behavior in time, I will punish you with twenty strokes of the cane as a warning to others!"

This is grounding.

Zhou Baolin's face turned pale immediately, and he suddenly thought of something and spoke quickly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me this time. I was blinded by greed and lost my mind. But I didn't think of this before. It was Concubine Chen who told me that the Emperor would like women who are open-minded. She told me that when I have the chance to see the Emperor again, I can throw away some of my shame and airs and behave in the opposite way to the ladies of high families. The Emperor has seen too many of those noble ladies' reserve, so he will definitely like other styles. Concubine Xie may have gained favor for this reason, and I can learn from her!"

When she said this, Xitao quickly joined in.

"Yes, Madam. That day, when Concubine Chen was talking to Baolin, she deliberately sent me and the others away. I think it was to seduce Baolin later. Today, when Baolin and I were leaving, Nanny Xing asked about it. It was Concubine Chen who suddenly came and said she wanted Nanny Xing to help her check the incense she had mixed to see if there was any missing spices. Only after she sent Nanny Xing away could Baolin leave."

Hearing what the master and servant said, the queen frowned and her face became a little gloomy.

Chen Cairen is much smarter than Zhou Baolin, so it is not impossible that she deliberately instigated it.

Just as he was thinking about this, Nanny Xing arrived.

When he saw the queen, he immediately knelt down in fear and apologized repeatedly.

"I asked you to keep an eye on her, and this is how you do things? Now that she's caused such a disaster in front of the Emperor, you can't escape the blame!" The Queen scolded her angrily, then asked directly, "Has Concubine Chen behaved in any unusual way recently?"

Nanny Xing pondered for a moment, then shook her head, "I haven't noticed anything wrong. Concubine Chen is the same as before."

"Everything is the same as before?" The Queen snorted coldly, "If it was really the same as before, why would you play tricks and instigate Zhou Baolin to do such a stupid thing today!" Upon hearing this, Nanny Xing was stunned at first, and then she quickly begged for mercy.

But the Queen no longer wanted to hear her speak, so she interrupted immediately, "Alright, from today onwards Zhou Baolin is under house arrest. You will stay in Xiefang Palace and keep an eye on her. If she commits any more evil, you will bring your head before me!"

After he finished speaking, he ordered his men to coax all the masters and servants out of the Weiyang Palace and drive them back to Xiefang Palace.

Zhou Baolin was in a daze, feeling as if the sky had fallen. He returned to his residence and threw himself on the bed, crying bitterly. While crying, he hated Chen Cairen with all his heart.

She felt that it was Chen Cairen who deliberately guided her, which was why she lost her mind for a moment and did what she did today.

At this time, the even more pitiful person was Xitao, who had been pinned down in the yard and beaten with twenty boards.

The clothes she wore were thin, and the Queen was angry and wanted to punish someone. Zhou Baolin only cared about himself and did not arrange for the servants to carry out the execution for Xi Tao, or say a few words for her, so every time Xi Tao was beaten with the board, it was real.

After the twenty strokes of the board, Xitao's eyes were swollen from crying, and she was in so much pain below her waist that she couldn't move. Nanny Xing watched the execution and ordered other palace maids to come forward to help, and only then did they barely move her down from the execution bench.

Chen Cairen listened to the noise here, with a dark look in her eyes.

After Xi Tao finished being beaten with the stick, she hurried over anxiously, ready to comfort Zhou Baolin. However, she was stopped by Hong Mei, the maid sent by the Queen, as soon as she showed her face.

"Talented lady, please come with me. The Empress invites you to speak to her in Weiyang Palace."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cairen's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly regained her composure and agreed.

I had thought about this happening earlier, and now I am mentally prepared, so I am not too scared.

Soon he followed Hongmei to Weiyang Palace.

In Ninghua Palace, Xie Jiu was drinking tea and reading a storybook to pass the time.

Today's plan was disrupted by Zhou Baolin, so I have nothing to do now.

Chunrong came in from outside, and the sound of her footsteps drew Xie Jiu's attention away from the storybook.

"How is it?" Xie Jiu asked with a playful smile on his face.

"The Empress has confined him to his room, and he's not allowed to leave without permission. The servants around Zhou Baolin have also been beaten with sticks." Chunrong replied, pausing, "Just now, Concubine Chen was summoned to the Weiyang Palace. They said the Empress wants to question her."

Xie Jiu narrowed his eyes, "Chen Cairen? The questioning now is most likely related to Zhou Baolin. It seems that Zhou Baolin was instigated to do this outrageous thing today."

"You can't blame others entirely. You should have your own brain." Qingfang said rudely.

Chunrong laughed when she heard it.

Xie Jiu also curled the corners of his lips, and then said, "I just don't know how Concubine Chen will deal with this. Zhou Baolin might be useless in the future. The Queen wants to get another girl from the Zhou family into the palace, but it might not be easy. If she can seize this opportunity, Concubine Chen might be able to be used in a more important position."

She said this as if she was joking, but in fact, Chen Cairen really had this in mind.

At that time in Weiyang Palace, he had already prepared an argument to face the Queen.