Lan Miao blushed inexplicably. Fortunately, it was pitch - black all around, and no one could see her expression at this moment.
Why did she always feel that Princess Kaiyun was hinting at something?
"His Majesty has the company of all the concubines in the harem. How could he lack someone considerate? Your Highness is over - thinking."
"Fine, just consider it as my over - thinking."
Princess Kaiyun didn't press the matter further. Lan Miao was truly an exceptional woman. Maybe the Emperor had other feelings for her.
The two continued chatting as they walked.
Finally, they arrived at the Cining Palace.
Xue'er and YuJia had been tired all day. After the two children were bathed and tidied up by the palace maids, they fell asleep peacefully.
The Heir of the Li Marquis also rested in the Cining Palace after being comforted by Princess Kaiyun.
The palace maids held candles. The Empress Dowager and Princess Kaiyun were having a night talk, and they also invited Lan Miao.
The candle shadows flickered uneasily.
The green lamps beside the screen cast a dim light.
Listening to the casual chats between the Empress Dowager and the princess, Lan Miao could sense their underlying meaning. They mentioned Concubine You during the conversation.
This was also the most puzzling point for Lan Miao.
How much benefit did the Noble Consort offer to Concubine You to make her work whole - heartedly for the Noble Consort and not expose her at the last moment?
"Could it be that Concubine You did this for the interests of the You family in the court? But couldn't Concubine You think that after she hurt the prince, the You family would surely be implicated? I really can't figure this out."
Princess Kaiyun sighed and looked up at the Empress Dowager on the throne.
The Empress Dowager was holding a cup of hot tea, but her eyes were fixed on Lan Miao.
Her hoarse voice carried a touch of helplessness.
"Last time, Mrs. You from the Marquis's Mansion tried to harm Miss Lan. In the end, wasn't she sent away and locked up in the countryside?"
Lan Miao was slightly taken aback when the Empress Dowager mentioned Mrs. You, then she nodded in agreement.
"Miss Lan, do you know that Mrs. You is dead?"
The Empress Dowager's tone was extremely calm.
But Lan Miao was greatly shocked. Mrs. You was dead? She hadn't heard a single word about it. Since she entered the palace, the connection with the Marquis's Mansion had been cut off.
"May I ask Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, when did Mrs. You die?"
Actually, Lan Miao wanted to ask who killed her.
The Empress Dowager looked at Lan Miao calmly, with a kind smile on her lips. "It was not long after you entered the palace. It is said that Mrs. You died in great pain, bleeding from all seven orifices."
Bleeding from all seven orifices?
Poisoned?
No one had investigated, and no news had spread. Moreover, the Empress Dowager knew so clearly.
Lan Miao's mind raced, and a clearer thought lingered in her mind.
Did His Majesty order her execution?
It seemed that only this could explain everything.
Then she understood why Concubine You had done this.
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, for telling me." Lan Miao forced a bitter smile. "When I was in the Marquis's Mansion, I once heard that Concubine You had a very good relationship with Mrs. You. Now it seems that it's true."
Her tone was faint and ethereal, as if covered by the mountain mist, tinged with sadness.
Princess Kaiyun was confused.
"A good relationship? Then what on earth is going on?"
"It's normal that you don't understand. Last time, the second son of the You family made a mistake. Concubine You pleaded for him, but instead, she was punished more severely by the Emperor. The You family blamed Concubine You for this..."
The Empress Dowager spoke slowly, and her eyes flashed with a faint light.
Hearing this, Princess Kaiyun understood.
Suddenly, Princess Kaiyun sighed. "The You family is completely finished."
"Yes..."
Lan Miao nodded in agreement.
The You family had always favored sons over daughters. After Concubine You learned of Mrs. You's death, she couldn't take revenge. There must have been many twists and turns in between, which made her hate her own family and perhaps even the Emperor.
Concubine You was willing to be driven by the Noble Consort, which could be regarded as revenge on her whole family.
Lan Miao felt a lump in her throat.
Was she the root cause of all this?
Hearing that conversation by chance today seemed to be the will of fate.
Mrs. You was dead, but the Marquis's Mansion didn't announce her death. I'm afraid that it would take some time before the news of her death would spread, claiming that she died of a sudden illness or some other reason.
She didn't know how Qingzhi was doing. If there was a way in the future, she must meet Qingzhi and ensure that she grew up safely in the Marquis's Mansion.
While Lan Miao was deep in thought, time passed quickly.
The group stopped talking about Concubine You and the You family. The Empress Dowager and Princess Kaiyun, mother and daughter, chatted for a few more words. The previous gloom faded away, and a few more smiles appeared on the Empress Dowager's face.
At some point, Princess Kaiyun looked deeply at Lan Miao. "Miss Lan, please stay in the palace for a few more days before leaving. Xue'er saved my son yesterday. I want to hold a banquet to thank you. Please stay in the palace for a while."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but this matter is related to the grassland fire. Now that the storm has passed, it's not appropriate to make a big deal out of it. Please forgive me."
Lan Miao was politely declining.
"Miss Lan, you've misunderstood. I'm not going to invite everyone. I'm only inviting you and Xue'er. Naturally, I won't let the news spread. Will you agree then?"
Princess Kaiyun's eyes were smiling, full of expectation.
Unable to refuse such kindness, Lan Miao could only nod in agreement. After she agreed, Princess Kaiyun and the Empress Dowager exchanged a smile, which made Lan Miao feel embarrassed.
It was late at night and all was quiet.
Lan Miao stayed in the Cining Palace and slept with Xue'er for the night.
The next day, after bidding farewell to the Empress Dowager and Princess Kaiyun, she returned to the Lovesickness Pavilion.
The storm of yesterday had passed.
Lan Miao wanted to continue carving the birthday gift for Princess Kaiyun, but when she picked up the tools, she couldn't bring herself to start.
She was distracted.
She knew that after the Rare Stone Banquet, she should give the Emperor an answer.
In the past, she had witnessed the power struggles in the palace, but it was like watching a fire from the other side of the river, with no real feeling.
Now, this storm had drawn her in. She was caught in the ripples of fate and pulled into the water. She was completely soaked. Even after getting out of the water, the bone - chilling cold still enveloped her.
She was just glad that the affairs in the previous court had kept the Emperor busy. Otherwise, she really didn't know what to say to him.
Outside the window, the wind howled.
This winter was very cold.
Lan Miao continued carving the jade, but she had only been working for half a day when Han Bi and Yan Hong suddenly knocked on the door and came in, looking anxious.
Yesterday, Han Bi had felt extremely guilty for leaving Lan Miao alone. Lan Miao had comforted her for a long time after she came back.
Now, the two of them almost never left the Lovesickness Pavilion, afraid that something might go wrong.
"What's the matter?"
Lan Miao looked up at them, puzzled.
"Your mother, Mrs. Qin, suddenly sent a plaque to the palace, saying that she wanted to see you. The Empress Dowager has agreed, and she is now outside the hall."
Han Bi said.
Lan Miao frowned. Mrs. Qin?
Why did Mrs. Qin suddenly want to enter the palace to see her?
It was really strange.
"Then please invite her in quickly."
"Yes."
Lan Miao stood up respectfully and watched as Mrs. Qin entered the Lovesickness Pavilion in a hurry. Lan Miao was about to ask them to serve tea, but Mrs. Qin frowned and glanced at Han Bi and Yan Hong. Lan Miao understood. "You may leave first. There's no need to serve tea."
After Han Bi and the others left and closed the door.
Mrs. Qin lost her previous dignity. Her look at Lan Miao was very complicated, with an inexplicable hatred and coldness. Her voice was as sharp as a thorn. "Xin'er was locked up in the palace for a day and two nights. Did you do this?"
Her eyes were wide open like copper bells as she stared at Lan Miao. Her hair was neatly coiled, and today she was wearing a deep dark - green dress. The whole person was like a taut string, ready to strike.
Lan Miao squinted her eyes slightly.
A hint of anger welled up in her heart.
"Mother, what are you talking nonsense about? What do you mean 'I did this'? I know nothing about it. How could you put such a big blame on me?"
"You...?"
Mrs. Qin's face turned deathly pale, and she managed to hold back the unpleasant words. Lan Miao's anger didn't seem to be feigned. It seemed that she really knew nothing about it.
"Miao'er, please, mother is begging you. Tell mother the truth. Did you meet your younger sister at the banquet the other day? What did you two talk about?"
Mrs. Qin was usually very composed, but today she seemed extremely flustered.
"The other day, Xin'er didn't come back all night. Your father and I were so worried that we didn't know what to do. We spent half the night finding out that she had somehow offended His Majesty and was locked up in the palace. How could she have offended His Majesty for no reason?"
"So mother suspects that I deliberately said something to Sister Xin, which made her offend His Majesty?"
Lan Miao retorted, her tone tinged with sarcasm.
She had always respected Mrs. Qin, but today she was angered by Mrs. Qin's unfounded suspicion, and her tone lost its usual gentleness.
Mrs. Qin was at a loss for words, and her face turned green and white.
In the past, Lan Miao would never have dared to talk to her like this. Now that she had entered the palace and hadn't even become a concubine yet, she was so arrogant that she didn't know her place.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Qin ordered.
"I won't say anything else. Mother only asks you one thing. Will you save your younger sister?"