RPAGF Chapter 206: Even the dead want to be slandered
Chapter 206: Even the dead want to be slandered
Before everyone could react, Shen Zhiyao took the initiative to explain: "Your Majesty, the sisters were just remembering Lu Wanyi, but Concubine Zhao said that she heard that Lu Wanyi suspected suicide..."
Shen Zhiyao's expression changed quickly, and her reaction was even faster. She suggested with concern, "I think that Concubine Zhao's concerns are very reasonable. Since it is suspected to be suicide, should we follow your guess and order people to go to Qingyuexuan for a detailed investigation, so as to dispel your doubts?"
Shen Zhiyao's words sounded like she was defending Concubine Zhao, which made Concubine Zhao, who had personally led people to administer the medicine, feel guilty. If she really sent someone to investigate, what would happen?
Bo Muxi looked at Shen Zhiyao deeply, then looked at Concubine Zhao with disgust. The contrast between his expressions was obvious, but he did not express his opinion for the time being.
What to do now all depends on the emperor's decision, and Concubine Zhao is very anxious.
Concubine Zhao explained with a pale face: "Your Majesty, I just heard it by chance, and I don't mean anything else. I am used to being straightforward, so..."
"I guess Concubine Zhao didn't mean anything else..." Shen Zhiyao nodded in agreement, but then changed the subject: "But I'm curious, who said that? I really should find out and interrogate them in detail."
"..." Concubine Zhao was forced into a corner by her words. She was the one who said this, so how could it be someone else?
Everyone looked at Concubine Zhao at this time, only to see her standing there smiling awkwardly from time to time but not saying a single word.
Concubine Zhao looked at the emperor, but saw that he was just looking at her coldly, with no intention of helping her out.
She gritted her teeth and smiled, "Your Majesty, I have thought about it for a long time and I really forgot who said it... But, I think that although Lu Wanyi has suffered misfortunes, she is still optimistic. So... a well-behaved and honest person... I guess she is not likely to commit suicide..."
Concubine Zhao felt her face burning, as if she had been slapped twice. She originally wanted to disgust the Lu family and test the waters for an opportunity, but she ended up shooting herself in the foot!
No one present was willing to respond.
Shen Zhiyao said hypocritically, "Ah... that person who spread rumors out of thin air is so wicked! He even implicated Concubine Zhao. This kind of evil will sooner or later be punished! Don't you agree? Concubine Zhao?"
"Hehe...ah...yes..." Concubine Zhao almost hated Shen Zhiyao to death, but she still had to grit her teeth and pretend to agree.
Shen Zhiyao knew that if she kept holding on to Concubine Zhao now, she would not gain anything. It would be better to take a long-term view and first allow Lu Wanyi to be buried decently without involving the Lu family. This would be the best strategy.
Shen Zhiyao thought to herself that this account would be settled one by one in the future!
Bo Muxi, who was watching all this from the corner of his eye, sneered in his heart. This little concubine is really...
"Alright..." Bo Muxi had seen enough, and then he slowly spoke: "Since there is no objection, Lin En, pass on my order..."
"After Lu Wanyi had a miscarriage, her health deteriorated and she became overly worried, which eventually led to her death. In consideration of her virtue, I have posthumously conferred her the title of Concubine, and have arranged for her to be buried in the imperial mausoleum according to the funeral rites of a fourth-rank concubine."
"Yes, I will order the Ministry of Eunuchs to do it right away..." Lin En bowed and replied.
"Your Majesty is kind and merciful. I will arrange Lu Wanyi's funeral according to the ceremonial schedule." The Queen replied.
"Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, which is a blessing for us." Everyone hurriedly responded.
"Well, just because I am concerned about Concubine Lu, I specially dismissed the court early today and came to the Queen to deal with this matter." Bo Muxi turned around and said, "I still have a lot of memorials to review, so I will leave first..."
After saying that, he turned and walked out of the hall.
"Your Majesty, your concubine respectfully farewell..." The Queen hurriedly led all the concubines to see him off.
The emperor came and went in a hurry, just to say these few polite words, which sealed the death of Concubine Lu.
"I will urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs to expedite the process, and we can go to Qingyue Pavilion to express our condolences later..." the Queen sighed, with a hint of sadness in her tone.
Everyone responded quickly, saying that they would try their best to go, of course, except for Concubine Zhao who looked unwilling.
Shen Zhiyao thought that even if she was posthumously conferred the title of Jieyushi, she would only be a fourth-rank concubine, and her body would only be kept in Qingyuexuan for one day before being sent out.
Shen Zhiyao sighed secretly. It was a pity that a woman of Sister Lu's character wasted away in the harem like this...
"Okay, there's nothing else to do, you can go back." The queen waved her hand.
Everyone agreed and left.
Concubine Zhuang originally wanted to stay, but when she saw Shen Zhiyao still standing there and refusing to leave, she knew that she also wanted to find the queen.
If it were any other day, Concubine Zhuang would definitely not give in, but she knew that Shen Zhiyao was usually on good terms with Concubine Lu, and now she was probably hit hard. Her defense just now was considered as her being loyal and righteous, so she sighed and left.
After everyone left, Shen Zhiyao finally revealed her true nature. She looked at the queen with her moist peach blossom eyes: "Your Majesty the Queen..."
Even her voice was trembling and tears were about to flow out.
"Alas... come with me to the inner room..." The Queen knew that she was sad, but the front hall was not the place to talk after all.
Shen Zhiyao nodded, rubbing her eyes and walking into the inner room with the queen. She cried for a long time last night and her eyes were swollen. If she hadn't applied eye masks and put on eye makeup overnight, she would have been teased by then.
She followed the queen, walking very slowly, but unexpectedly, the hand she had just rubbed her eyes was tightly held by a soft and warm hand.
This was the first time that the Queen took the initiative to hold her hand, and she didn't force it.
Shijin was walking at the back, she looked at the queen's actions in surprise. She had served the queen for more than ten years, and this was the first time she saw her master behave like this.
When the Queen led Shen Zhiyao to the inner room and turned to look at her, she was trying hard to put on a smiling face. Apart from the slightly red eyes, there was no sign of whether she was sad or happy.
"Do you still need to pretend in front of me?" the queen said calmly.
"No..." Shen Zhiyao smiled faintly, but this smile gradually distorted under the Queen's gaze.
Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer and she leaned on the queen's thin shoulders and cried silently.
The queen remained silent and did not say a word of comfort. She just held her head in her arms in a not very gentle manner.
Although no crying sound could be heard, the queen felt that Shen Zhiyao's silent roar made her heart tremble.
After a long time, Shen Zhiyao finally choked up and asked, "Empress, what on earth is going on? In one day, a living person just passed away..."
Her voice was hoarse, and the queen felt very sad when she heard it. She whispered, "Last night, the emperor came to my place and said something..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhiyao looked at the queen with hope in her eyes: "Can your Majesty tell me the inside story? I promise I will never reveal a single thing to anyone else..."