Chen Palace

Chapter 212 Painted Skin
After the empress was deposed, a censor made a report, impeaching her father, Duke Jing'an, for twelve major crimes. Three days later, Duke Jing'an's mansion was confiscated and banned. The last breath.

In the next few days, several cabinet ministers jointly played a concert, begging to choose a good family Shuyuan to enrich the harem, and also said that the position of the middle palace should not be held for a long time.

However, Qi Rong knew it well, after a secret book was given, the emperor still didn't say a word, but rewarded him greatly, so Qi Rong was courageous, gave some pointers to a few disciples, and there was a snowflake-like memorial flying Entering the emperor's palace, everyone praised the concubine Chen for being gentle and virtuous, and she can be promoted to the middle palace.

After a few days like this, the emperor finally issued an edict, regardless of the objections of some senior ministers, to make Concubine Chen the empress.

"Your Majesty is overjoyed..."

The Yunqing Palace was full of joy, and the palace people approached one by one to congratulate the master, excited and proud on every face.

"Great joy...?"

Chen Lu repeated it softly, but there was no sign of joy.

The maidservants surrounded her, fiddling with the heavily dyed skirt with their skillful hands.

Chen Lu stared at herself in the mirror—clouds in a bun with double rings, eyebrows sculpted and beautiful, the black weft was re-dyed with gold silk patterns, and the sleeves were exquisitely embroidered with clouds and dragons.

Such a grand and splendid attire was prepared for the Queen's Sealing Ceremony. Although the beauty in the mirror was dressed in colorful clothes, there was a solemn and solemn look between her brows.

"Looking like Luoshen Lingbo..."

The emperor came behind him quietly, and he praised sincerely.

Chen Lu's thick black and slender eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she said with a soft smile, "I have such a beauty, I can only compare it to Wuyan..."

Seeing her dim smile, the emperor couldn't help feeling pain in his heart, and said softly: "It's been a long time, so you can relax and don't think about it—this time, I wanted to surprise you, but I never thought about it, my daughter." It's hard to get you to smile - I really should learn from King Zhou You!"

"What nonsense is your Majesty talking about...you want to be King Zhou You, but I don't want to be Bao Si!"

Chen Lu said angrily, the haze between her brows dissipated a bit.

The palace people around were covering their sleeves and laughing lowly, moved and envious of the emperor's affection and humor.

Seeing her smile, the emperor couldn't help but feel agitated. The two chatted and laughed for a while before he left.

Back at Qianqing Palace, Qin Xi reported that Mr. Pei from the Ministry of War asked to see him.

"Pei Zhen...what is he here for?"

The emperor had a good impression of this infatuated and witty young official, so he made an exception and made an announcement.

After Pei Zhen came in and kowtowed, he was a little hesitant. It was the cold autumn night, but he broke out in a cold sweat.

The wind blew in through the window, and a row of candles flickered, casting thousands of shadows, Pei Zhen couldn't help shivering.

"Pei Qing, just say what you have to say."

Looking at him, the emperor felt more and more that something was wrong, so he urged.

"Long live……"

Thousands of thoughts raced through Pei Zhen's mind, but they disappeared without a trace at this moment. He gritted his teeth secretly and said in a low voice: "There is one thing, it is really shocking to say it. It is my duty, so I have to report it to the emperor..."

"What?!"

Pei Zhen was still hesitating, but the emperor felt more and more strange, and in a hurry, he kowtowed again: "Long live, pardon me for the crime of ten thousand deaths, so I can say it."

The emperor thought for a while, and then said slowly in a quiet voice: "You say, I forgive you for your innocence."

****
The sky gradually darkened, but there were no lights in the Qianqing Palace, and the palace was completely dark.

Qin Xi felt inexplicable uneasiness in his heart, he lightly knocked on the palace door, and called softly: "Your Majesty...?"

No one in the hall answered.

Qin Xi was startled and anxious, and with heavy hands, he pushed the door open with a creak - it turned out to be ajar.

"Don't come in..."

The emperor's voice was light and low, as if he had pulled away from the weakness of his whole body, and his whole body was hidden in the darkness.

Qin Xi stood by the black iron threshold and tried his best to look in, but when he met the emperor's eyes, he was so shocked that he almost ran away——

In the eyes that were always deep and wise, there was unprecedented frenzy, confusion, and anger.

"Impossible! She is definitely not this kind of person!!"

The emperor suddenly growled.

He got up like a whirlwind and rushed out of the bedroom, Qin Xi couldn't catch up, so he had to stay where he was inexplicably terrified.

The tens of thousands of palaces flew before his eyes, and the emperor rushed on the white marble palace road, his heart pounding like a drum.

No, it's not possible...

he said to himself.

The familiar outline of Yunqing Palace gradually appeared in front of the eyes, a round of pale crescent moon hung low on the wall, reflecting the slanted plum branches on the window, revealing the ancient atmosphere in the simple elegance.

He stood in front of the screen wall and hesitated, but he could no longer move his position. Seeing that Yi Ren was in the front hall, he couldn't bear to go forward to question her.

"emperor……"

A soft female voice suddenly appeared behind him, and Yuan Qi turned around, only to see the familiar maid from last time standing in the shadow beside the colonnade.

"You are...Rong'er, right..."

The emperor finally remembered her name this time, he said casually: "It's already late at night, why don't you rest?"

"..."

The maid hung her head in the shadows and did not answer. Under the dim moonlight, her figure was like a ghost.emperor

Daqi was about to take a closer look when she covered her face and let out a very stern cry, "I dare not sleep..."

"why?"

"because……"

Rong'er bit her lip, her whole body was trembling like chaff, her voice was inflected with fear——

"Chen Concubine, she... is not a human... but a ghost."

She was trembling, as if she couldn't even speak clearly, "She...is not the original Chenlu."

"What nonsense are you talking about?!"

The emperor said angrily.

"It's true, Your Majesty!"

Rong'er couldn't bear the horror any longer, and cried in a low voice: "Chen Lu is the most shy and timid, not like she is now!"

"What am I supposed to be, it turned out to be this matter!"

The emperor couldn't help laughing and said: "Commander Qu told me long ago that Chen Lu sneaked into the palace because he deliberately kept a low profile."

"Your Majesty, this is impossible!"

Rong'er gritted her teeth and said, "Although Chen Lu and I come from different hometowns, we are distant cousins. We happened to meet in the palace by chance, so we took care of her - when she was born, it was my mother who walked the mountain road all night to deliver the baby. The little one's parents both died, and he grew up eating a lot of food, how could he be a Jianghu girl?!"

The emperor was stunned.

"Your Majesty, that's definitely not Chenlu...I dare to say that!"

Rong'er wept softly and said: "Chen Lu has been weak since she was a child. Although she recovered, she suffered from a strange disease with an odorless nose - it was because she didn't smell the scent of the concubine Qi passing by that day that she splashed the paint on the ground. On her skirt, she was beaten with forty sticks, and almost died - but she said a while ago that the scent of evening lotus is sweet and fresh, and it is her favorite..."

"The real morning dew has no fragrance at all. The one in front of me...maybe it's just a ghost in her skin..."

Rong'er was completely immersed in fear, and the more she talked, the more frightened she became. Thinking of the story "Painted Skin" from Liaozhai that she had heard when she was young, she couldn't help but tremble all over her body, and ran away with a scream.

The emperor did not go after him, but just stood there, silent.

(To be continued, if you want to know what happens next, please visit www.CMFU.COM, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)
(End of this chapter)