Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Just as Sister Feng was enjoying her leisure time on the veranda, Qingwen skipped and hopped out of the west wing.

Upon seeing Sister Feng, she stepped forward and said with a smile, "Second Mistress, why are you standing here? Has Second Master returned?"

Feng Jie glanced at her and saw that the first half of her greeting was obviously perfunctory, while the second half, which was about Jia Lian, was the real question. She was too lazy to argue with her.

This girl only looks smart; in reality, she has no cunning whatsoever, and she can't even pretend to be smart.

It looks like a spiked object, but it poses no threat whatsoever.

"Your second uncle is eating something delicious inside. You should hurry over; you might be able to get a bite."

Hearing Sister Feng say this, Qingwen had no suspicions and happily went into the house.

After a while, she came out with a flushed face, looking at Sister Feng with annoyance.

"What's wrong? Sharing some good food?" Sister Feng asked with a sly smile.

Qingwen sighed helplessly, thinking to herself, "How come Second Mistress Lian has become so magnanimous? Knowing that Second Master is bullying Xiangling inside, she's not angry at all, and she's even helping to stand guard here!"

While the master and servant were each lost in their own thoughts, a maid from Lady Wang's quarters came to report:

"Guests have arrived at the house, and Madam asked Second Madam to go out and greet them."

Upon hearing this, Sister Feng immediately abandoned Qingwen and asked with delight, "Has my brother arrived in the capital?"

"Not only that, several other relatives have come to visit, and it's quite a coincidence that they all arrived at the same time. Second Madam Lian, please hurry, Madam is leading people to the Old Madam's room."

"Oh, who are your relatives?"

As Feng Jie listened, she subconsciously tried to go inside.

Suddenly remembering that Jia Lian didn't seem to like his older brother Wang Ren, she abandoned the idea of ​​having Jia Lian go along. Anyway, Jia Lian was in a high position and very busy; he could easily find an excuse not to go out and receive guests, and no one could say anything about it.

"There were the eldest wife's brother and sister-in-law, the eldest mistress's aunt and two sisters, and Aunt Xue's nephew and niece..."

Watching Feng Jie and the old woman leave laughing and talking, Qingwen thought that the commotion in the room might not end anytime soon, so she decided to go and see what was going on. So she happily followed them.

……

Not to mention how lively the Rongguo Mansion was with so many rare guests.

Outside Chonghua Palace and Chonghua Hall, the atmosphere was heavy.

Emperor Ningkang knelt here, dressed in proper attire, and no one could discern anything from his face.

After an unknown period of time, the palace doors slowly opened, and two eunuchs pushed the retired emperor's four-wheeled wheelchair out.

Emperor Ningkang quickly straightened his sleeves and solemnly kowtowed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Your subject has come regarding your mother's affairs."

"Since you've come regarding your mother's matter, do you know what she has done wrong?"

"Your subject is unaware of what crime your mother has committed, and why your father has ordered people to guard Changchun Palace."

As far as I know, something happened in the Imperial Garden today. It was only because Zhaoyang acted willfully and recklessly, falsely claiming to be acting on the Empress Dowager's decree, that she summoned Marquis Zhenyuan, Jia Lian, to the inner palace for a private meeting.

Although this action is improper, considering the past relationship between the two, I believe a minor punishment is sufficient as a warning, and there is no need to be too harsh.

Before Emperor Ningkang could finish speaking, the retired emperor roared, "Nonsense!"

When the emperor is angry, he is sure to terrify people. But perhaps the retired emperor has really grown old, because Emperor Ningkang always felt that this angry outburst was far less powerful than when he was a prince.

"This is merely a pretext devised by the Empress Dowager to appease the world and maintain the face of the imperial family."

If others believe it, fine, but as the emperor, how can you be so blind and unable to distinguish right from wrong?

I've heard that you defied my decree and forced your way into Changchun Palace. Have you been on this throne for too long and come to think you're all powerful enough that you no longer respect your father, the Emperor?

"Your subject dares not. But since Your Majesty said that the remarks just now were the Empress Dowager's idea, and Your Majesty admitted that they could protect the face of our imperial family, then your subject thinks that Your Majesty should respect the Empress Dowager's wishes and remove the guards from Changchun Palace, so as to avoid suspicion and criticism from the world."

The retired emperor sneered, "According to you, the Empress Dowager is magnanimous and understands the bigger picture, so she should be unjustly slandered and framed."

"I, the retired emperor, can't even uphold justice for her?"

"That's not what I meant. What I meant was that even if there were other suspicious circumstances, Father should not make a big fuss before finding out the truth, lest it arouse suspicion."

"If Your Majesty trusts me, I can immediately order a thorough investigation into today's events and then report back to Your Majesty for your decision."

"Did I send you to investigate?"

The retired emperor gave a cold laugh, "No need."

As they were speaking, the retired emperor waved his hand, and guards, guided by eunuchs, brought over more than a dozen palace maids and eunuchs covered in blood and with their skin torn open, and threw them in front of Emperor Ningkang.

"These are all people from Changchun Palace. They were caught after the incident because they didn't have time to escape from the Imperial Garden."

You can ask them whether I wronged your mother, or whether she was simply audacious and deserved her punishment.

Why should Emperor Ningkang bother with these people?

Although Consort Li did not admit anything when questioned, as her biological son, Emperor Ningkang could not possibly be unaware, based on the information he had received, that this matter was most likely orchestrated by his mother.

Judging from the Emperor Emeritus's attitude at this point, it's clear that he had thoroughly interrogated these people.

He had no chance of escaping.

After all, although the retired emperor had never liked his mother, he wouldn't have gone so far as to insult her in such a way.

Seeing the palace servants begging for mercy to survive, Emperor Ningkang remained silent for a long time before saying, "If Mother Consort stays in the palace, it will only anger Father Emperor. Fortunately, I own a villa that is in decent condition."

"Your Majesty, I wish to move Mother to your residence so that my fourteenth brother can serve her in her later years."

Prince Chungshun and Emperor Ningkang were born of the same mother and were ranked fourteenth.

Upon hearing this, the retired emperor paused briefly.

Emperor Ningkang continued to plead, "Father, my mother is already over seventy years old. Even if she has many faults, please allow me to take her out of the palace, considering that she has served you for over fifty years."

Once she leaves the palace, any lingering resentment she may have will be a thing of the past, posing no further threat to the Empress Dowager.

"I beg Your Majesty for mercy."

"I'm afraid it's too late," the retired emperor said calmly.

A strong sense of unease suddenly arose in Emperor Ningkang's heart.

Sure enough, a eunuch hurriedly walked up to the retired emperor and whispered a few words in his ear. Then the retired emperor said, "Your mother knew that she had committed a grave sin and just committed suicide by drinking poison in Changchun Palace."

Considering her merit in raising you, and since it is inconvenient to expose her crimes, let's say she passed away due to illness.

Emperor Ningkang swayed violently, staring at the retired emperor in disbelief and pain, finally uttering in a hoarse voice, "Father, you...you are so cruel...!"

"snort!"

Seeing Emperor Ningkang like this, the retired emperor felt even colder.

In fact, although he had already reached the limit of his tolerance for Consort Li and wished he could execute her immediately, he was not in a hurry.

Who knew that just as he was hearing the specific results of the interrogation from his subordinates, he turned around and heard about Emperor Ningkang disobeying his orders and forcibly breaking into Changchun Palace.

Enraged, Ningkang Emperor ordered the poisoned wine to be delivered almost immediately after leaving Changchun Palace.

"For her own personal grudge, she did not hesitate to rebel against her superiors and frame the Empress Dowager for having an affair with a court official. If such a wicked, poisonous, and stupid woman is not killed, should she be allowed to continue to harm the country and the nation left by our ancestors?"

I only blame myself for not being ruthless enough, for not seeing your mother's true colors sooner and ordering her to die sooner, which is why I have tolerated her evil to this extent.

But you, as the ruler of a country, bearing the legacy of your ancestors and the weight of the people, only care about personal feelings and cannot distinguish right from wrong!

Let me ask you this: if today's events were to become known, and the world were to discover how incompetent you are in handling matters, how would you govern your civil and military officials? How would you rule over the people of the nine provinces?

"I see you can't even manage this small harem properly!"

Hearing the Emperor Emeritus's merciless words, Emperor Ningkang merely gave him a cold glance, then stood up and left without looking back.

This scene startled the Emperor Emeritus, who then became so angry that his chest heaved. Seeing that the Emperor Emeritus was about to lose his breath, the old eunuchs, including Feng Cheng, were terrified and immediately summoned the imperial physician.

……()