The Empress Arrives: Rebirth of Concubine Hua

Chapter 204: Dedicated to the Lord

Cao Changzai lowered his head and spoke softly.

"Your Highness, please forgive me for my recklessness. It was not my intention to spy on your whereabouts, but it was Zhile, a young maid in Yonghe Palace, who accidentally revealed it."

Nian Shilan turned around and went back to the house, and Cao Changzai followed closely. Only after Nian Shilan sat down did she look up at Cao Changzai.

"What does the maid of Yonghe Palace have to do with me? How can you be so sure that Zhile is my person?"

Cao Changzai lowered his head and said in a pleasing manner.

"To be honest with you, Madam, I had nothing to do at night, so I was digesting my food in the Imperial Garden. I overheard someone talking behind the rockery. I listened in and found out that it was a little palace maid who was talking to herself while burning paper money behind the rockery. From what I heard, it must be her father who had passed away, but she could not go back to fulfill her filial duties.

Your Majesty knows that burning paper money privately in the palace is a big taboo. I am also afraid of getting into trouble. If the patrolling guards see me, I can't explain it. When I was about to leave, I heard the little palace maid mention you, Your Majesty. "

Nian Shilan smiled.

"so what?"

"That little maid mentioned that you were kind and generous, and had given her a sum of money. Although her father was not saved, her mother was saved with the money you gave her. And I heard that her mother is doing well now. The maid praised you for your kindness, so I naturally thought she was someone in your palace.

I wanted to stop her and remind her, as a sign of my loyalty to the Empress. But the light from the burning paper was too conspicuous. Before I could even turn to the back of the rockery, I heard the patrolling guards coming over. I and my maidservants were so scared that I dared not speak.

Later, the guards heard that the maid was from Empress Dowager De's place, and they showed favoritism to her. They only asked her to clean the place and then let her go. I then learned that she was a maid from Yonghe Palace, named Zhile. "

While saying these words, Cao Chang kept his head down, looking very submissive.

Nian Shilan recalled that in her previous life, it was also Cao Qinmo who discovered the maidservant beside Zhen Huan in the imperial garden, named Huanbi. But Cao Qinmo at that time was far more cunning than now, and she seized the excuse of Huanbi burning paper and forced Huanbi to serve her.

However, at that time, her mind was filled with only her love for Yinzhen, without any plan at all. She was just blindly led by Cao Qinmo's advice and fell into Zhen Huan's trap.

Not only did he fail to find any evidence of Zhen Huan's secret meeting with Shen Meiyu, but he also got himself into trouble and was disliked by Yinzhen, who watched Zhen Huan being smug for a long time.

Nian Shilan came back to her senses and looked at Cao Qinmo with a smile.

"Just because I casually did you a small favor, you think Zhile is my servant. That's a bit far-fetched. If that's the case, almost all the servants who assist me in managing the six palaces and work for me wholeheartedly have received rewards and favors from me. Could it be that all the servants in this palace are my spies?"

Cao Qinmo raised her head, bowed slightly, and spoke with a hint of certainty.

"Her Majesty Hua Fei has misunderstood me. If it were just this, I would never dare to speculate like this. It was because later, when I was strolling in the palace, I accidentally saw Eunuch Lin beside Her Majesty interacting with the palace maids of Yonghe Palace. After Eunuch Lin left, I inquired and found out that the palace maid was Zhile whom I heard the night before.

I pieced these two points together and boldly speculated that Zhile was the queen's spy in Yonghe Palace. As for the spies in the whole palace mentioned by the queen, I dare not speculate rashly.

But if Your Majesty really wants to, I believe that with Your Majesty's ability, it will be easy to do. What's more, Your Majesty's mother's family has outstanding military achievements. As long as Your Majesty puts a little effort, there is nothing you can't do. "Nian Shilan looked at Cao Qinmo with interest, until Cao Qinmo's heart began to beat, she smiled and said.

"You are very smart. All the women in the palace combined are not half as smart as you. You are also very ambitious. Your desires are written in your eyes. I like smart people like you, but when smart people betray, it is terrible. How can I believe that you really want to work for me?"

Cao Qinmo blinked, feeling relieved in her heart.

"Since I have made up my mind to follow you, I will naturally obey you. You just said that my ambition is written in my eyes. I know that you are reminding me that I must not let others see my cleverness, otherwise, my cleverness will backfire.

I will definitely be more self-disciplined and help you, Your Majesty, instead of making you worry."

Nian Shilan called Songzhi in, gave Cao Qinmo a string of colorful glass necklaces on the dressing table, sent her away, and then called Xiao Linzi in.

"I am not calling you today to punish you. I am asking you to reflect on yourself. The person who saw you and Zhile was Cao Changzai. Fortunately, she knew the situation and came to me in time.

If others see you associating with the maids of Yonghe Palace, it would be a small matter if you were implicated in the Japanese Imperial Palace. After all, I am the emperor's concubine and I have my mother's family to protect me, so my life won't be too difficult. But you, Xiao Linzi, I'm afraid you will even lose your life.

You are still so young. I know you have been looking for your family in private. Are you willing to be beaten to death like this?"

Xiao Linzi knelt on the ground with his head on the ground and said in a muffled voice.

"Thank you for your advice, Master. I will be more careful in the future!"

Nian Shilan sighed, watching Xiao Linzi grow a lot taller in the six months since he entered the palace. Fortunately, Xiao Linzi was already the chief eunuch of Yiku Palace, so his clothes fit him well now, unlike when he was in the palace before, where his clothes would become too short every two months.

"Get up. I don't mean to reprimand you. I just thought that since you haven't found your family yet, you'd better be alert. If you are lucky enough to find your family one day, I will ask the emperor to let you leave the palace to reunite with your family.

Although you cannot have children, you can still live a peaceful life. You have been with me for the past two years, and I have treated you as my younger brother. Don't blame me for forcing you to learn literature and martial arts. I look luxurious now, but the wealth of the Forbidden City is like flowers in the fog or the moon in the water, which can easily disappear.

If you have the ability, you will be able to survive wherever you go in the future."

Xiao Linzi was shocked and looked up at Nian Shilan.

It turns out that the master knew everything, even that he was secretly looking for his family. It was all his fault that he was careless and was seen by Cao Changzai, which made the master worried.

But the master also said that he treated me as his younger brother, which is something I would never dare to think about even if I were reborn several times!
Xiao Linzi did not stand up. Instead, he kowtowed to the ground and said heavily.

"Master, I have no way to repay your kindness. I will go through fire and water for you, even if I die! Even if I find my family, I will never leave you! Master is my second parent, and I will serve you wholeheartedly for the rest of my life!"

Bao Bao, please give me a monthly ticket.