Chapter 77 - The backstage manipulator

“Qi Jiulu has stayed in Lai Cui Building for a few days.” Gongxiang Xiao didn’t look at Yun Fenghuang. He touched his nose and said awkwardly, “My father is very busy in handling the issue about Mr. Lingshan and does not have time to arrange for him… I, I haven’t been busy recently, so I get closer to him. Last time, I came close to the bottom in the guessing game. I knew that Qi Jiulu is good at it, so he was brought to the palace today to help me to win… I did not expect that Yuan Songlai was also here.”

Then he quickly glanced in the direction of Yun Fenghuang and said, “I also didn’t expect that Pin Yun would come here at that moment.”

Emperor Chunjia said lightly, “So, everything is a coincidence?”

“I do not think so.” Gongxiang Xiao heard the words and then shook his head. He said, “I think Yuan Songlai is been used. Although Yuan Songlai is not very smart, he would not embarrass you in public.”

Wang’s Family spread to the public about Xie Fenghuan’s affair. The behavior of Yuan Ke just now was similar to that. It was not a smart approach. After all, it was not a good idea to offend someone openly before they defeated the one. After all, once they failed, the one they targeted would seek opportunities to take revenge on them. If Yuan Ke succeeded to defeat Yun Fenghuang, Emperor Chunjia would lose face.

Wang’s Family was just a local family, and their visions were limited. It was not surprising that they acted stupidly.

However, Yuan Ke’s background was much stronger than that of Wang’s Family. What’s more, as a reading partner of the Emperor, he had been in and out of the palace for eight years. It was unreasonable that he would make such a mistake.

Gongxiang Xiao suspected, “Perhaps he did it voluntarily. Some people may have promised him some benefits. Yuan Ke is young. His parents have died. Although Earl Xingning takes care of him very much, he cannot pay all his attention on Yuan Ke because he is so busy. It is inevitable for some villains to take advantage of it.”

Emperor Chunjia didn’t answer this. He just asked Gongxiang Xiao, “Are you not aware of any of this before you enter the palace today?”

“You do know my situation, brother. Although I am a Shizi, now it is Step Princess Lu who manages affairs in the mansion.” Gongxiang Xiao looked sad. He said, “What Prince Regent’s Mansion knows does not mean that I’m also aware of the information. If Yuan Songlai had not said that, I would have not known it at all.”

The Emperor smirked, not showing whether he believed what Gongxiang Xiao said or not, took a sip of tea and said lightly, “What’s your plan?”

Gongxiang Xiao tentatively said, “I will never bring Qi Jiulu into the palace again.”

“And?” The Emperor was dissatisfied.

Yun Fenghuang couldn’t help frowning. Gongxiang Xiao said in a begging tone, “Brother, everyone knows my situation in Prince Regent’s Mansion. My younger brother has my father, Step Princess Lu and his grandfather Marquess Qingping to support him. What’s more, he even has Mr. Lingshan as his teacher. I… I have no other intentions. It is merely that I have failed to figure out Step Princess Lu’s thoughts upon me in the last two years…”

“I’m not forcing you to do anything to Mr. Qi.” The Emperor said indifferently, “I mean that Pin Yun was cordially invited by Empress Dowager’s imperial decree. Yuan Songlai does not need to explain to the Empress Dowager, but we have to visit her, so that she wouldn’t be confused and worry about us after hearing the words of others about what happened today.”

Gongxiang Xiao was relieved and said, “I am thoughtless. Please forgive me. Please tell me the proper time to go to Qing Ci Palace.”

The Emperor looked at the sky outside the hall and said, “If you are free, we can go there now.”

Then he saw Yun Fenghuang and said, “Pin Yun, you come with us.”

Although the Empress Dowager did not need to avoid unfamiliar males for her identity and age, Emperor Chunjia still did not take Qi Jiulu this time. He asked Gongxiang Xiao to send Qi Jiulu away and ordered servants to lift the imperial carriage and head for Qing Ci Palace.

“I thought Pin Yun would emulate the virtue of the former concubines who rejected to take the imperial carriage with the emperor.” After the servants got the imperial carriage ready, of course, Emperor Chunjia took the lead, and then waved towards Yun Fenghuang. Yun Fenghuang, supported by a eunuch, didn’t even hesitate and happily took the imperial carriage.

The Emperor was wearing a spurious smile. When they sat on the imperial carriage for a while, he teased her slowly, “I didn’t expect that Pin Yun would get in the imperial carriage directly. You didn’t even pretend to reject.”

“I’ve said it a long time ago. I like you the most, My Majesty. If I can get closer to you, I will not care about my reputation.” Yun Fenghuang boasted without shame. “Moreover, I am not even a consort now. I do not need to be so virtuous. It is more important to serve you, My Majesty. If I am not with you, I cannot even get you the staff you want. How can I serve you?”

Were you kidding?

Tai Chu Palace was so far away from Qing Ci Palace. Now that she could take the imperial carriage, she would definitely not walk to Qing Ci Palace.

More importantly…

The Emperor was just a figurehead now. Were there any benefits for her to pretend to be virtuous?

If there were no benefits, why should she wrong herself?

The Emperor looked at her like she just said something funny, “Pin Yun, you are really articulate.”

It seemed that he was praising her.

Yun Fenghuang pretended to believe that he was praising her. She pretended to be pleased with herself and said, “Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would not choose me to join the harem.”

Then, after a while, they arrived at Qing Ci Palace. They paid respects to the Empress Dowager. Before the Emperor Chunjia could even speak, the Empress Dowager sitting in front of them glanced at them lovely, lifted her jaw towards Yun Fenghuang, and said, “This must be Lianniang. I have not met her for a long time. She looks better and looks like a 15-year-old girl…”

Yun Fenghuang was speechless.

Yun Fenghuang said to herself, “Calm down… Calm down… Think about the advantages. When I came to the palace and paid respects to the Empress Dowager, I was sure that she did not remember my appearance. At this time, she even mistakenly thought that I was Yuan Lianniang. What does that mean? It means that the Empress Dowager does not remember what Jie Yu Yue looks like, the one who used to be a consort before and has been in the palace for eight years!

Therefore, actually she was treated as a consort by the Empress Dowager, which was really gratifying… No, it was not gratifying at all.

Why should I have to compare with Yuan Lianniang who is easily discouraged?”

Yun Fenghuang was expressionless and deeply felt that she did not work hard enough. She seemed to have been arrogant during this period of time. She could not keep being like this, or she would not continue to live in the Imperial Harem… This damn palace!

Emperor Chunjia coughed up and smiled, “Grandmother, she is Pin Yun, living in Lianniang’s palace. She received the title of Bao Lin when she firstly joined Imperial Harem, and she is indeed 15 years old this year.”

“… I’m too old to see her clearly.” The Empress Dowager was also a little embarrassed, and immediately asked, “Why do you take her to my palace suddenly? Is there anything wrong?”

She implied that why Emperor Chunjia brought Yun Fenghuang who had received Bao Lin when firstly joining the Imperial Harem and now was Pin to Qing Ci Palace?

Emperor Chunjia said, “If I do not have something to tell you, I dare not disturb you, Grandma. Here is the thing.”

He said about Yun Fenghuang’s birth and her past stories, but he did not tell the Empress Dowager that Duke Yi and Yun Qingman acted first and reported afterwards by adding Yun Fenghuang to the list. He said that Yun Ju and his wife felt sorry for their niece, took the initiative to accept her as their adopted daughter and informed Duke Yi. Therefore, her name was formally written in the pedigree of Yun tribe.

Yun Fenghuang had a deep relationship with Yun Qingman in the past three years in Dijing City, and could not bear to be separated from her. Duke Yi felt distressed for the two children and recommended them to Noble Concubine Shu, and then Noble Concubine Shu recommended them to the Empress Dowager…

The Empress Dowager listened, sighed, and said sadly, “I’m too old to manage these. I did not know it at all. If you did not come today and tell me, I’m afraid I would not know it until it is spread all over the city.”

“You are in the prime of your life, Grandma, and I need you to help me in many aspects.” Emperor Chunjia comforted her softly, “Please do not say that. Originally these are trivial things. Otherwise Her Highness and Noble Consort Shu would have reported you. If Yuan Ke does not mention it today, I will not disturb you. I am just worried that someone will add highly colored details to it intentionally and damage the royal family’s reputation. I planned…”

“You are right to do so.” The Empress Dowager interrupted him and said kindly, “Yuan Songlai is also around 20 years old. How can he be so muddled? It is involved to the royal family and a concubine, but he is an outsider. How dare he mention it casually! I know that you are always gentle, but you should not indulge people around you.”

Emperor Chunjia bowed his head and listened to what the Empress Dowager said. “Grandmother, you are right. I will rebuke Yuan Songlai later.” Emperor Chunjia said.

He explained, “Yuan Songlai is the brother of Lianniang. Lianniang is now pregnant, and I am worried…”

“… In that case, you should handle it by yourself.” The Empress Dowager frowned. She was not satisfied with his attitude, but Yuan Lianniang’s pregnancy was indeed a very important bargaining chip. After all, the daughters of Ji’s Family controlled the Imperial Harem. Emperor Chunjia was 23 years old and had not taken over the reins of government yet. There had been much gossips outside. The Emperor had no heirs. Some people believed Ji’s Family was vicious to forbid other concubines who were not from Ji’s Family to deliver babies for the royal family.

At the beginning of the year, the Empress Dowager personally launched an imperial decree to cordially invite and hold auditions for girls. In addition to the fact that she was worried that the royal family would have no heirs, she also wanted to show it to people in the dynasty that Ji’s Family did not occupy the Imperial Harem.

At this time, Emperor Chunjia stopped the Empress Dowager from punishing Yuan Songlai under the guise of Jie Yu Yue’s pregnancy. So, even if the Empress Dowager thought that Yuan Songlai should be punished, she had to take a step back, but she was unhappy in her heart. Therefore, she looked at Yun Fenghuang and said, “As a concubine of His Majesty, you are supposed to be quiet and submissive. How dare you always involve in the Imperial Court?”

Before Yun Fenghuang explained, the Empress Dowager said to Emperor Chunjia, “Pin Yun has been loved by you in these days, and I will not punish her. Just forbid her to go to the Imperial Court… It is a place where a concubine is not allowed to enter!”

“Grandmother, Pin Yun did not mean to go to Tai Chu Palace. She was invited by Minghui and Jinyun.” Emperor Chunjia said hurriedly, “Perhaps because they almost share the same age, my sisters prefer to play with Pin Yun… Today, Jinyun also gave Pin Yun the pastry made by the cook in my mother’s palace.”

When the Empress Dowager heard her granddaughters, she was relaxed and said, “Is that so? It is pitiful for Minghui and Jinyun who have been trapped in the palace all the time. Alas, if so, then let them go.”

She glanced at Yun Fenghuang again and said lightly, “Since my granddaughters want you to accompany them, go ahead and join them, but bear your identity in your mind!”

Yun Fenghuang lowered her head, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Finally, this matter was settled. At least it was settled in front of the Empress Dowager. Then the Empress Dowager ignored Yun Fenghuang and Emperor Chunjia, beckoned to ask Gongxiang Xiao to get near her, and asked the current situation of Prince Regent’s Mansion.

The Emperor and Yun Fenghuang had waited for quite a long time, and then the cordial conversation between the Empress Dowager and Gongxiang Xiao came to an end. The Empress Dowager showed that it was the time that they should leave.

They went out of Qing Ci Palace. Accompanied by maids, Gongxiang Xiao left the palace. The Emperor went to Yan Fu Palace with Yun Fenghuang.

After all, this matter involved the Imperial Harem. After telling the Empress Dowager, they should also tell the Empress about it.

Yun Fenghuang sat in the imperial carriage, thinking about countermeasures hurriedly. After all, the truth of her joining the Imperial Harem was originally a chip that the Empress planned to use it to control Duke Yi’s Mansion in the future and an important factor that Yun Fenghuang promised to help the Empress. Today, Yuan Songlai made such a fuss, and the Emperor took advantage of the situation to explain it to the Empress Dowager. How could Empress Ji and others charge Duke Yi and his daughter of the crime for deceiving the Emperor?!

Seeing the Emperor sitting beside her with his eyes closed, she could not help grinding her teeth secretly, “If I cannot see through who directed Yuan Songlai at this time, I should not stay in the Imperial Harem anymore!”

How lucky Yuan Lianniang was for she was pregnant. Even if the Empress Dowager had seen through the truth and wanted to punish Yuan Songlai to vent her anger, the Emperor stopped her under the guise of the imperial heir!

Was Gongxiang Xiao a fool?!

It was okay to take Qi Jiulu privately to the palace. But he led Qi Jiulu to meet the Emperor in a fair manner. Even if Yuan Songlai did not appear today, how could he be so sure that everything would be OK?!

Wait. Perhaps Gongxiang Xiao was stupid, but Yun Fenghuang did not believe that Qi Jiulu was so naive.

What had happened?