Empress, she is rising step by step

Chapter 32 Family Letter
  Later, she gave Jingyue the ointment mixed with seven-star powder and asked her to apply it on the wound. The poison of Seven Star Powder is colorless and odorless, and is extremely difficult to distinguish. It will slowly penetrate into the skin when touched, causing the illusion of sudden death due to a high fever, and it is difficult to find out the cause of the disease.

Then she asked Zhuying to let out the news about Jingyue's beating. Even if anything happened to Jingyue, others would only think it was because Lu Zheng was too harsh and would not suspect her.

As for Bai Xinrui, even if she suspected that it was her fault, there was nothing she could do. As long as she still needed herself, she would not attack her easily. She would just continue to pretend that she didn't know anything and act stupid.

"Do you know why I don't do anything to you? It's because you are a smart person and can assess the situation."

Zhu Ci stretched out her hand to lift Hongxiu up from the ground, "Get up, it's very cold sitting on the ground. If you get frozen, who will take care of me in the future?"

Zhu Ci obviously spoke softly and had a gentle smile on her face, but Hong Xiu couldn't stop the chills on her back.

In the past, when she served the imperial concubine, she thought she had a very bad temper, but the imperial concubine had everything written on her face, and she was quite thoughtful.

But the master is different. She always smiles and smiles gently, and she never blushes, even if she says a harsh word.

She never guessed her temper, so she didn't dare to act rashly. Although it was a pity that Jingyue died, she also asked for it.

"Aren't you afraid that I will tell the imperial concubine? The imperial concubine has always suspected that you killed Jingyue."

"If I were afraid, I would not let you have the opportunity to enter Yongfu Palace tonight. You have no conclusive evidence to prove that I killed Jingyue. As long as the imperial concubine can use me, she will not be able to use her for one day." They will take action against me."

Zhu Ci smiled and said with a pair of astonishingly bright eyes, "But you are different. The most indispensable thing in the palace is slaves. If I find out that you are the one who tipped off the news, even if I have to die tomorrow, I will not be able to do it today." I’ll let you go underground to accompany me.”

She saw that Hongxiu's face was pale and her forehead was covered with dense beads of sweat. She took out the handkerchief from her arms and gently wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

"You only have one life. You know how to cherish your life. I believe you won't do that."

Hong Xiu indeed thought so. If she told the truth of the matter to the imperial concubine, the imperial concubine would not protect her and the master would never tolerate her. It would be too easy to kill her.

If she dies, no one will avenge her, let alone remember that there was a person like her in this world. She could still tell which one was light and which was serious.

"This slave has wanted to tell the master the truth for a long time, but she has never found the right opportunity."

Hongxiu suddenly knelt at Zhu Ci's feet, "Thank you so much, Master, for sparing me my life. I will swear to be loyal to you to the death in the future."

"'It's harder to paint a tiger's skin than to paint its bones. You know a person's face but not his heart.' I have worked with you before, and I still understand your character."

Zhu Ci paused and played with the rice bead ring on her left index finger.

"It's just that people's hearts are evil and things in the world are unpredictable. If your life is threatened in the future and you have no choice but to betray me. What should I do?"

"I understand the principle of one servant serving two masters. If you are willing to spare my life, I will be very grateful. Even if I become a cow or a horse in the next life, I will not be able to repay your kindness to my empress."

Hongxiu knew that she was riding a tiger and it was hard to get off, and she didn't believe that she deserved it. No one would trust a slave who once had a different intention.

She raised three fingers to the sky and swore: "I can swear this, if I betray my master one day in the future, I will be struck by five thunderbolts from the sky, and I will not die a good death."

"If the oath works, there will be no treachery in this world. This life is not over yet, so what about the afterlife? Who knows what he will be reincarnated into in the next life."

Zhu Ci turned around and sat down in front of the armchair. He was obviously smiling, but there was a faint coolness between his eyebrows. "If I remember correctly, you have a younger brother in your family who is studying at Qingyun Academy on Jiu'an Mountain in Chang'an City, right?"

Hong Xiu trembled all over, and a flash of panic flashed in his eyes. How did she know she had a brother? She rarely mentioned it to anyone.

"I was afraid that you would be homesick, so I asked your brother to write you a letter home to relieve your pain of missing your family."

Zhu Ci took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Zhuying. Zhuying walked over and handed it to Hongxiu.

Hong Xiu tore open the envelope with slightly trembling hands, opened the letter, and scribbled through the contents, with more and more tears in her eyes.

She knelt down to Zhu Ci, pulled the hem of Zhu Ci's skirt and begged: "My brother is innocent. If you are really worried, I can commit suicide to show my loyalty. My brother is just a child, so please let me go." Let’s kill him.”

"It's just silly. Your brother is still at home waiting for you to reunite. If you die, he will be so sad."

Zhu Ci Youyou sighed, "I'm not the kind of ruthless person. I just see that your brother is all alone and has no one to take care of him. It's really pitiful. I have sent someone to take your brother home to take care of him. I will never let him go. He is missing a hair so that you can concentrate on serving me."

Hongxiu sat paralyzed on the ground. After her parents died, her brother was her only relative in the world. She is willing to do anything for her brother, otherwise she would not enter the palace and become a slave and let others abuse her.

"With you entrusting someone to take care of my younger brother, I will feel at ease and don't have to worry about my diary all day long."

They are all smart people, and they all understand each other's meaning after saying a few words.

Zhu Ci asked Zhuying to help Hongxiu up, "What did the imperial concubine say to you?"

"First, I asked about the cause of Jingyue's death. I replied that Jingyue's internal organs were damaged because the Lucai people struck too hard, and that's why she died."

Hongxiu didn't dare to hide it, so she could only reply truthfully: "Later, the imperial concubine asked me to serve you well during this period. If anything happens, I will send a message to you, and then the emperor will come."

"Then you should follow the imperial concubine's instructions and stay by my side."

Zhu Ci glanced at Hongxiu and condensed her eyes, "My dear concubine is pregnant with Liujia, and she still asks you to take good care of me. It's really hard work."

Hongxiu didn't dare to look directly into Zhu Ci's eyes, so she could only lower her head and look at her toes.

Zhu Ci had said all she wanted to say. As long as Hongxiu's brother was in her hands, Hongxiu would not dare to betray her. If she didn't have this weakness, it would be really troublesome.

After saying a few more words to tell Hongxiu to rest early, Zhu Ci waited for Zhuying to leave.

A few more days passed like this. Shen Que had been busy dealing with government affairs and had not set foot in the harem these days.

Although he didn't come, Shen Que kept Zhu Ci in mind and sent Li Quan to bring her some fresh gadgets.

"Master, I heard that Concubine Shu didn't know what she ate, and she broke out in red rash all over her body. She was very frightened and lost her temper." Zhuying held Zhu Ci's hair in a bun.

(End of this chapter)