si-mexico Chapter 111 Control
Chapter 111 Control
Upon hearing this, Lu Mingzhu was taken aback.
Thinking of what Madam Lu had said to her a few days ago, Lu Zhiheng had made it clear that he would not help her position in the palace. If she wanted to gain the emperor's favor and a prestigious status, she would have to fight for it herself.
Now, her fastest chance to gain favor is to give birth to an imperial heir for His Majesty.
If she can successfully give birth to a prince, her status will rise with his, and it won't matter if she's not favored by the emperor. Moreover, Lu Zhiheng would surely bring the entire Lu family to support her.
However, since His Majesty has not summoned her, how could she possibly conceive a royal heir?
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Qin Rong'er assumed that she was hesitating and decided to take another drastic step: "If she really gives birth to a prince for His Majesty, given that you have opposed her time and time again, do you think she will give you a way out in the future?"
As she spoke, she sighed, her tone tinged with sympathy: "Poor little sister, so young, yet she will become a widow in the deep palace, living a life of loneliness for the rest of her life."
Her words struck Lu Mingzhu's heart. Her expression turned cold, and for the first time, she became firm in her attitude towards Qin Rong'er: "Sister Qin Fei, you don't need to sow discord. No matter how down on my luck I am, I am still better off than you."
"You!" Qin Rong'er was so angry that she choked.
Although her status was not as high as theirs, she was still an old servant from the Prince's residence. Even when Consort Chu was alive, she had never given her a hard time.
How dare Lu Mingzhu be so arrogant towards her?
But thinking of the purpose of her visit today, she couldn't suppress her anger and said with a wronged expression, "Sister, you have really misunderstood my meaning. I came here today specifically to offer you some good advice."
A good strategy?
Lu Mingzhu looked at her with suspicion, her eyes still wary.
She didn't believe Qin Rong'er would be so kind.
Qin Rong'er looked around before leaning forward and whispering a few words in Lu Mingzhu's ear.
Lu Mingzhu's previously calm face suddenly showed an expression of disbelief and shock. She stared blankly at Qin Rong'er, momentarily forgetting to react.
"Does my sister agree?" Qin Rong'er asked, staring at her.
"I... this matter is... inappropriate, isn't it?" Lu Mingzhu's face was full of shame and indignation, and she even stammered.
Qinglan watched from the side. She hadn't heard Qin Fei's words clearly because they were ambiguous. But judging from Lu Mingzhu's expression, it probably wasn't a good idea either.
She immediately pretended her legs went weak, and the teacup she was holding fell to the ground.
With a loud crash, the sound of shattering pieces startled the two people inside.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!" Qinglan quickly knelt on the ground to apologize.
Lu Mingzhu glanced at the people on the ground, instantly snapping out of her daze. She feigned anger: "Is this how I usually teach you manners? How dare you be so disrespectful in front of Consort Qin? Hurry up and apologize."
"Your Highness, please forgive me!" Qinglan immediately knelt before Qin Rong'er.
Qin Rong'er watched the master and servant working together and understood what Lu Mingzhu meant.
She waved her hand dismissively: "It's alright."
As she spoke, she looked at Lu Mingzhu, a smile playing on her lips: "I won't hide it from you, sister. This matter was ordered by the Empress. Please consider it carefully."
Having said that, she didn't linger any longer and gracefully departed.
Watching the departing pink figure, Lu Mingzhu fell into deep thought.
"Your Majesty, just now, Consort Qin..." Qinglan asked tentatively.
Lu Mingzhu glanced at her, her eyes icy: "You servant, don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."
"……Yes."
Qinglan lowered her head in response, but in the instant she lowered her eyes, she concealed the coldness in them.
She had a feeling that this matter was not simple. Qin Fei said that she came on the orders of Empress Wang, but was that true? After all, in her memory, the two of them had never had any interaction.
Could there be some conspiracy behind this?
In any case, she still had to convey this matter to her master as soon as possible, otherwise she didn't know what kind of trouble Lu Mingzhu would cause.
-
That very night, Qinglan's message was placed on Lu Zhiheng's desk.
After reading the contents of the letter, Lu Zhiheng's expression grew even colder.
Although he didn't really want to interfere with Lu Mingzhu, she was, after all, a member of the Lu family. She had brought this upon herself, but if someone was openly trying to drag her down with them, he had to intervene for the sake of Old Master Lu.
Thinking of this, he calmly instructed, "Arrange for Chen Xun to investigate."
"Yes," Ling Xiao replied, bowing.
Meanwhile, inside the Cui residence.
Kang Luhai led his sister and brother-in-law to kneel before Cui Minghao in public and perform a deep bow to express their gratitude.
Knowing that he was a trusted confidant of his cousin Qiao Qingyin, Cui Minghao didn't dare to offend Qiao. He raised his hand and said, "I am only trying to give your sister's family justice according to the law. It is my duty. There is no need for you to be so polite, Eunuch Kang."
"It was just a small favor for you, but it was a life-saving grace for my whole family. These courtesy are only due."
As Kang Luhai spoke, he hurriedly instructed his sister and brother-in-law to bring up the prepared gifts: "Lord Cui, this is just a small token of our respect."
"No."
Cui Minghao refused outright, but Kang Luhai stopped him, saying, "Lord Cui, this is a token of my sincerity, I hope you will accept it. Besides, this matter was ordered by Her Majesty."
As Kang Luhai spoke, he stepped forward, leaned closer to him, and lowered his voice, saying, "Her Majesty also instructed me to give this matter to you, sir, in private."
Hearing that it was his cousin who gave the order, Cui Minghao pursed his lips and still led Kang Luhai to the study.
"You're saying this letter was written by Consort Qiao herself?" Cui Minghao asked habitually as he took the letter from Kang Luhai's hand.
"I dare not falsify anything."
Cui Minghao said no more, opened the letter, and read it carefully.
The letter essentially said, "Cousin Cui, I have a matter of life and death to entrust to you. I hope you will agree. If you agree, then continue reading. If you do not agree, then consider this matter closed. Burn this letter, and it will be as if the wind has passed without a trace, and all this will be forgotten."
Cui Minghao stared at the letter in his hand, his fingers trembling involuntarily. He seemed to have already anticipated what she was referring to.
Kang Luhai, who was watching from the side, noticed that Cui looked strange and asked with concern, "Lord Cui, are you alright?"
"It's alright."
Cui Minghao shook his head, recalling his cousin's bright and beautiful face, took a deep breath, and then removed the first sheet of paper and turned to the second.
"I learned about Consort Chu by chance in the palace, and I felt sorry for her tragic life. So I thought I would ask my cousin to look after General Chu in the Ministry of Justice. If you have the ability, I hope you can lend a helping hand to find out the truth and clear the name of the wronged."
That's really the case.
Cui Minghao's handsome face was solemn. He sighed deeply, as if he had resigned himself to his fate, and folded the letter in his hand back into place.
-
Inside the Xingyue Palace.
Chu Qingyin looked at Kang Luhai, a hint of doubt on her bright face: "Cousin Cui really didn't ask anything?"
"This servant dares not conceal anything. After reading the letter, Lord Cui only asked this servant to convey a message to Your Majesty, saying that he will do his utmost to fulfill your request."
Is that all? Chu Qingyin asked in disbelief.
She did have an element of self-interest in this matter, but she didn't want to force the Cui family into getting involved.
But my cousin still agreed, without even asking any questions, and simply gave his consent.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but lower her eyelids, and a feeling of indescribable guilt arose in her heart.
Cousin Cui, how am I supposed to repay this kindness in the future?
In a side hall east of the West Garden, Qin Rong'er leaned lazily against a soft couch, propping her head up with her elbow, her eyes closed, as if deep in thought.
The palace maid Yunshan, who was serving beside you, hurried in from outside and reported: "Your Highness, Consort Lu sent someone to say that she has agreed to the matter you mentioned last time."
Qin Rong'er opened her eyes abruptly, somewhat taken aback: "She really agreed?"
"Your Majesty, this is what Qinglan, the head maid of Consort Lu, said."
Qin Rong'er paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face: "I thought I would have to provoke her again, but I didn't expect her to agree so easily."
"Your Majesty, why don't you agree to this yourself? After all, all the ladies in the palace are hoping to gain the Emperor's favor and conceive a child."
"Ha, you think I don't want to?"
Qin Rong'er scoffed, her tone icy: "Do you think the Wang family would allow anyone other than Empress Wang to conceive His Majesty's first imperial heir? If they could, Chu Qingyin's child would have been born safely back then, instead of dying so young?"
When it came to matters forbidden within the palace, Yunshan immediately lowered her head, not daring to utter another word.
Qin Rong'er glanced at her indifferently: "That fool Lu Mingzhu is just a pebble I'm using to test the waters. She has Lu Zhiheng as her backer. If she succeeds, she will break the Empress Wang's monopoly. If she fails, we will suffer no loss."
Yun Shan suddenly realized that this was what her master had in mind.
But, whether it's the Empress or Consort Lu, are they really so easily manipulated by her?