Changsheng: Peak at the Beginning

Chapter 154: Legend of Zhen Huan 26

Even someone as shallow-minded as Concubine Yue could see that something was wrong with Concubine Qi today, especially the pastries that Concubine Qi had repeatedly emphasized. There must be something harmful to people added to them. Concubine Yue had been helping Yi Xin take care of Hong Sheng until now, and she treated Hong Sheng as her own child.

Concubine Yue took a few deep breaths, reached out and picked up the plate of cakes and handed it to Zhang Deshun behind Yi Xin, "Zhang Deshun, go and deliver this plate of cakes to the emperor. Ask the emperor to let the imperial doctors take a look. Don't hide the fact that this thing was sent by Concubine Qi."

Concubine Qi panicked when she heard this and stood up to grab it, but Concubine Yue would not give her this opportunity and started fighting with Concubine Qi. Yi Xin picked up Hong Sheng and pulled Concubine Yue back with a clever move. She said to Concubine Qi, "Concubine Qi, you should quickly think of a way to get away with this. The Third Prince has no future with a mother like you who has harmed the prince. Even your family will have to pay a heavy price for this!"

When Zhang Deshun went there, the emperor had just asked Concubine Wan to accompany him.

Not only was Wanpin well-read, she was also beautiful, intellectual and interesting. The way the two of them got along was almost like a love affair.

Zhang Deshun smiled bitterly when he saw Su Peisheng, "This plate of snacks was just brought over by Concubine Qi and insisted that our Majesty and the Sixth Prince eat it, but the servants around her saw that Concubine Qi's expression was not right. Noble Lady Yue had a quarrel with Concubine Qi because Concubine Qi secretly pinched the Sixth Prince yesterday, so she lied that there was something unclean in the cakes..."

Su Peisheng knew something was seriously wrong when he heard it. He was so frightened that his voice choked, "How could this be?!"

The emperor also heard that Su Peisheng's reaction was not right, and asked loudly: "Su Peisheng, who is outside?"

Su Peisheng could only take Zhang Deshun with him to answer, "It was Zhang Deshun who served Concubine Jin. Just now, Concubine Qi brought a plate of cakes to talk to Concubine Jin and the Sixth Prince, but she had an argument with Concubine Yue because of the fact that she secretly pinched the Sixth Prince the day before. Then Concubine Yue found that the cakes that Concubine Qi brought out were not right, so she ordered Zhang Deshun to be brought to the imperial court for a thorough inspection."

The emperor lost all his good mood when he heard this. He could only force a smile and said to Wanpin: "I have other things to do today. Wanwan, please go back first."

Wanpin also knew that she was not suitable to participate in what was going to happen next, but now that the two princes were involved, Wanpin comforted the emperor with a distressed look on her face before leaving: "The third prince has a pure heart. He probably has never thought about hurting his brothers. If..., then it should be Concubine Qi's own selfishness. Your Majesty should take care of himself, and don't let me worry about you..."

Wanpin thought a lot. She thought she had some insight into people. She felt that if Concubine Qi really wanted to poison Concubine Jin and the Sixth Prince, she was probably instigated by others. Concubine Qi had always been very close to the Queen. If anyone could instigate Concubine Qi to deal with Concubine Jin and the Sixth Prince without being known by others, only Concubine Hua could do it...

It is not known whether Su Peisheng did it on purpose, but the imperial doctors he called over happened to be the ones who recognized oleander in the Old Summer Palace. Once they started working on the pastry, they quickly determined that oleander juice was added to the pastry, which was highly poisonous. If a child ate it, he would almost die instantly.

The emperor calmed down when he was extremely angry. He believed that Concubine Qi did not have the connections to obtain oleander juice, otherwise she would not have poisoned Concubine Jin and the Sixth Prince in public. However, the fact that the plate of pastries was poisonous had been revealed in public, and even if he wanted to cover up for Concubine Qi for Hongshi's sake, it was impossible.

Besides, a Concubine Qi was not worth it for him to make Fu Cha alienate him.

In the next few days, Yi Xin no longer took Hong Sheng to play in the Imperial Garden, but went to wait by the Queen Mother every day. She was waiting for the Queen Mother to give an explanation to them and their son.

The queen was used to poisoning this person and burying musk in that person in the palace, and she never thought that the palace was not the residence. When she was in the residence, the appearance of poison could only mean that she was suspected of murdering the prince. This matter was a big one, but if someone was unwilling to pursue it, the matter could pass safely.

But poisoning in the palace is tantamount to murdering the emperor. Even if the emperor himself does not pursue the matter, the previous dynasty and the royal family will not let it go easily!

Yi Xin felt sorry that the harmful things that the Queen had sent to the Yanxi Palace had been dealt with. Now, apart from the oleander juice, the musk buried under the crabapple tree in Suiyuxuan was the Queen's means. Although the oleander juice was poisonous, the Queen was only suspected of instigating it. At most, the Queen would be scolded once or twice.

Even though Wanpin benefited greatly from the musk, she was, after all, just the concubine that was mistakenly chosen by the Queen. It was the Queen who placed Wanpin in Chengqian Palace at the beginning, and Concubine Hua "exiled" Wanpin to Suiyuxuan.

So the empress became seriously ill again and cancelled her visit to the palace. Yi Xin and Concubine Hua divided the palace power equally. Concubine Fang, who had been sent to the cold palace, was promoted to Concubine Fang and was taken out by the emperor and placed in Gyeongbokgung Palace. Even Concubine Wan took the opportunity to leave Suiyuxuan and move to Yongshou Palace. Concubine Chun, who originally lived with Concubine Wan in Suiyuxuan, was not able to live with Concubine Wan in Yongshou Palace, but was arranged by the emperor to live in Xianfu Palace.

As for Concubine Qi, the emperor originally ordered to demote her to a commoner and imprison her, but when Su Peisheng arrived with the imperial edict, he happened to see what she had drunk, and she lost her temper in the time it took Su Peisheng to run over a few steps.

After the imperial doctors examined her afterwards, they found out that she had drunk the remaining few drops of oleander juice.

The Empress Dowager did not make any comment, but sent Concubine Jin and the Sixth Prince a lot of practical things under the pretext that they were frightened.

These things could not satisfy Yi Xin, and Yi Xin felt that the power in the palace was too hot to handle, so she quickly reported the corruption in the Imperial Household Department to the emperor.

Yi Xin did not intend to put herself and her child in danger, so after she found out that the accounts were wrong, she waited until the emperor himself came to visit Hong Sheng before she pointed out the discrepancies to the emperor.

At the same time, she also begged the emperor not to expose her because she wanted to protect Hong Sheng.

"The Imperial Household Department has existed for more than a hundred years. Many families have run the business in the Imperial Household Department for generations. The degree of their deep roots is far beyond what I, a concubine, can imagine. It's okay for me, but Hongsheng is still young. If there is any disturbance around him, it will be fatal!"

The emperor liked Hong Sheng, so of course he had to consider Hong Sheng. Moreover, he saw that Yi Xin had always been calm and composed, but at this moment, she looked so frightened that she couldn't hide it no matter what. Not only did he find it strange, but he also felt that Yi Xin was more real.

The emperor pulled Yi Xin over with a gentle look, letting her lean against his chest, and comforted her softly, "You are my concubine, and Hong Sheng is also my son. I am watching over the safety of you and your son. Who dares to do anything to you?"

Yi Xin kept rolling her eyes in her heart, but she had to put on a grateful look on her face, "I feel very relieved when the emperor is here. But before, the emperor asked me and Concubine Hua to jointly manage the palace affairs. There were some things I didn't dare to mention, but now I feel that the emperor will definitely agree."

The emperor's mind raced, and he was no longer happy, but he still smiled and asked, "Oh? Is there such a thing?"

Yi Xin pretended not to notice the emperor's displeasure, "I want to ask the emperor for a few housekeepers. Although I have learned how to be a housekeeper at home, after all, no family has as many affairs as the palace. I am a little inferior to them. Now I have discovered the tricks of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so I thought of asking you for a few skilled housekeepers. I will only be in charge of the overall work, and I would also like to thank you for taking care of Hong Sheng."

The emperor could tell that Yi Xin was speaking from the heart, and he was happy, but he still waited for Yi Xin to act coquettishly a few times before he reluctantly agreed.