Empress Jinghua: The eunuch is nine thousand years old

Chapter 31
"Caomin and her daughter are lonely. Caomin just wants to support her well. She thinks that if she can climb up to Princess Pearl, she will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life. Caomin was deceived by lard and her head was caught in a clam shell. Caomin Convicted of the crime, I beg the emperor to spare the lives of the grassroots!"

"Hmph, you told a big lie in front of me and all the officials, how dare you beg me to spare your life?" Ming Shengdi stared at his round eyes, completely ignoring Qi Jun's pleading.

"Come here, drag this daring and shameless person to me, and choose a day to parade in the streets and kill him!"

When Ming Shengdi gave an order, the armored guards outside the hall strode in, one of them grabbed Qi Jun's arm, and dragged him down forcefully.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty! Forgive me!"

Qi Jun's miserable screams echoed above the main hall, and his infant baby also rolled to the ground because Qi Jun was pulled by the guards, crying loudly, the baby's crying and Qi Jun's Crying and shouting intertwined in the hall, making people sigh and sigh.

Perhaps feeling the departure of their loved ones, the baby's cries became more and more sharp. On this winter palace, amidst the waves where everyone is wise and safe, everyone is in danger, so penetrating and humble.

Xia Zijin stepped forward lightly, hugged the baby on the ground into his arms, gently shook his arms, and comforted him carefully one by one.

Perhaps feeling the unprecedented softness and warmth, the baby's crying slowly stopped, and a pair of bright eyes with tearful eyes looked straight at Xia Zijin, and he giggled with his fingers in his mouth.

"Good boy." Xia Zijin reached out to touch the baby's soft, cotton-like cheeks, and his heart softened.

"Father, my son has a merciless request." She said slowly.

Ming Shengdi nodded, Xia Zijin was indeed greatly wronged today, even if there is any request, there is nothing wrong with it.

"Let's talk about it, Zijin."

Xia Zijin looked tenderly at the little baby in her arms who was sucking her fingers while looking at her, and said, "I want to ask the emperor to give this child to my son. Although her father committed a capital crime, the child is innocent." Yes, it is a sin for her to lose her father because of Erchen. The cook girl in Erchen's garden is old, without a son and a daughter, and is a widow. , it should also be a little blessing for my son and minister."

Ming Shengdi looked at the baby in swaddling clothes, he looked very cute, not to mention that he couldn't punish a child, so he agreed.

"Forget it, I'll hand it over to you."

In the main hall of Moshengyuan, Xiaokui leaned down and reached out to tease Xia Zijin's bun-like face in his arms.She puffed her cheeks and made an exaggerated expression, which made the little guy giggle.

"Xiaokui, look at you, you look even more childish than her." Xia Zijin scolded.

"Princess, why do you want to bring this little doll back to our Mosheng Garden? I want the slave to tell me to send her back to Jiangnan directly, which will save trouble." Xiao Huanzi stood aside. He was outside the door just now. Hearing it clearly, although these slaves couldn't intervene, they were still anxious, that Mr. Qi was really not a good person, the princess actually kindly brought his daughter back.

"You can't say that, what does her father's mistakes have to do with her?" Xia Zijin gently touched the baby's dimple with her index finger, feeling that the baby is really the purest creature in this filthy world.

Xia Shengqing had been standing beside Xia Zijin, seeing her happy, and she was also happy.

Xia Zijin raised his head and smiled slightly at Xia Shengqing, but felt a little emotional in his heart. Xia Shengqing probably would never have children in his life, and it would be the same if he married him.

The child is probably also a kind of pain in his heart, right?
"Shengqing, this child doesn't have a name yet, how about we choose one for her?" Xia Zijin looked at him and said suddenly.

Xia Shengqing held the baby's soft tofu-like hands with some rough fingertips, and said with a smile: "The princess seems to like this doll. She is so small, so she is well-bred now, and she will be a lovely child in the future."

Xiao Kui leaned closer and said, "It's better to call her Baozi. Look at her, princess, she's round and round, she doesn't look like a soft and sticky little bun!"

Xia Zijin tapped Xiaokui's nose and scolded with a smile: "This princess is more suitable for you. You eat so much every day, you must eat a big bun."

"Yo Yo Luming, the apple of the wild food. I only hope that she can be as leisurely as a white deer in the future. How about calling her Ming'er, the princess?" Xia Shengqing thought for a while, looking at Xia Zijin with gentle and tender eyes .

"Ming'er, it sounds good and it's easy to remember. It's a good name, so you can call it Ming'er!" Xia Zijin held the baby's soft hand and beckoned to Xia Shengqing.

The four of them romped with the children, and the Mosheng Garden rang out from time to time with laughter, and even the winter house became extraordinarily lively.

It's just that Xia Zijin thought of Qi Jun who was locked in the sky prison waiting to die at this time.

Such a man would definitely not slander her out of thin air. If she could pry out the mastermind behind the scenes from him, she would not have suffered the crime of the Golden Temple in vain.

"Shengqing, accompany me to a place." She raised her eyes suddenly and said, the two looked at each other, and they both knew each other clearly.

In the sky prison in Dalai, the square rooms separated by dark wood are full of prisoners in prison uniforms. They lie on the railings all day long, reaching for the railings with their withered, blue and black hands. Outside, the expressionless face opened and closed, begging the passers-by to let them out.

Xia Zijin and Xia Shengqing walked through the long corridor of resentment, greed, and hatred. The dying prisoners grabbed the fence and stretched out their hands weakly. In the dark and humid sky prison all year round, their faces had already been sallow and sunken, like a pair of withered bones His hands are like skeletons unwilling to perish in purgatory.

Qi Jun was locked in the last cell. He lay on his back on the hard and simple stone bed, looked up at the ceiling, and his worn-out yellow prison uniform couldn't conceal the demeanor in his bones. He just curled up with arms folded. A posture, you can see the coquettishness from it.

"Young Master Qi, are you still used to being in the sky prison?"

Xia Zijin said leisurely, looking at him with a very calm look, as if it was just a simple greeting, without the slightest resentment.

Hearing Xia Zijin's voice, Jun Qi was taken aback for a moment, then with his pale and cracked lips trembling, he staggered to the door of the cell, threw himself on his knees in front of Xia Zijin through the thick fence.

"Princess Pearl! The villain knows his mistake. The villain still doesn't want to die. I beg the princess to let the villain go and spare his life!"

Xia Zijin raised the corners of her lips, and said with a light smile, "Young Master Qi is probably mistaken. The person who wants to kill you now is the father, not the princess. What's more, you can turn right and wrong with empty teeth." Your sharp mouth almost ruined this princess, now, why should I beg this princess to spare you?"

Qi Jun's face was as pale as paper, and his outstretched hand slumped down. He had calculated for half his life, but he miscalculated this deal. If he hadn't accepted the job that made him lose his head, even if he is still in Jiangnan Drenched in makeup, it is better than waiting to die in a dark prison.

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar babbling sound came into Qi Jun's ears. He raised his head in astonishment, and looked at Xia Shengqing's arms behind Xia Zijin. Babbling and gesticulating.

"My child... my child!"

He straightened up suddenly and wanted to lean out, but the heavy prison door separated the two of them, the distance between them was so close that it was hard to bear.

"Your child is very well-behaved, but he doesn't follow you." Xia Zijin raised her hand to tease Ming'er, which made her giggle again.

"Actually, it's not difficult for you to survive. As long as you are willing to report the mastermind behind this incident to the princess and the emperor, the princess will naturally see you for the sake of your crime and meritorious service, and beg the emperor to spare you your death. You can take your daughter back, isn't it a cheap deal?"

Qi Jun smiled bitterly, and the corners of his eyes slid down and burned. He didn't want to, but he couldn't help it. If he really confessed the mastermind behind the scenes, he and his daughter would have been decapitated before they left the suburbs of Shangjing.

"Qi Jun, you should think about it carefully. This princess only gives you this last chance. Survival is not just for nothing, do you understand?" Xia Zijin said slowly, looking at the woman who fell to the ground and burst into tears. Mr. Qi felt ironic and desolate.

"No... no, I can't say it!"

Qi Jun shook his head, with despair and coldness in his eyes, saying that he is the mastermind behind the scenes is a dead end, and if he does not tell the mastermind behind the scenes, he is also a dead end, now that his humble body is bound to die, why bother to sacrifice his daughter's life ?

"Princess, I can see that you are kind-hearted." Qi Jun lowered his body and prostrated himself on the ground with an extremely humble attitude.

Ming'er's soft and innocent face is still close at hand, but he can't touch it with all his strength. Maybe it's a mistake for him to step into Shangjing.

"The villain can't tell the mastermind behind the scenes, otherwise even if he escapes from this prison, he won't be able to escape from her grasp." He smiled desperately, tears were streaming down his face, and his thin body was trembling in the dark prison.

"I beg the princess to take care of the villain's daughter. The only thing the villain cares about now is her! The princess's great kindness, Mr. Qi will never forget it. Now that he is a disabled body, he will be a cow and a horse in the next life, and then he will repay the princess' great kindness." !"

Before the end of his last sentence disappeared, he got up in vain and slammed into a corner of the stone bed with all his strength.

There was a loud bang, and Qi Jun's body collapsed heavily on the ground like a butterfly with broken wings.

A blood-colored lotus flower bloomed on his forehead, like a spring, the bright red liquid flowed along the cracks in the ground, and dried up on the ground in a short time in this extremely cold winter day, scarlet and eye-catching.

Both Xia Zijin and Xia Shengqing were stunned. Who would have thought that Qi Jun, who had begged Xia Zijin for mercy just now, would commit suicide at this moment.

……

The sticky and sweet smell spread throughout the cell. Xia Zijin was closest to the door of the cell. Bloodstains were splashed on the hem of her silky white skirt, just like the blossoming red plums in the corner of Mosheng Garden.

"Don't look."

She was still standing there in a daze, but a gust of warm wind swept in behind her, wrapping her back around Xia Zijin, enveloping her in her arms.

Xia Shengqing's body had a faint scent of wood sandalwood, and Xia Zijin was buried in his arms, and was lingered by this scent, as if at that moment, the sweetness of blood and the mildew of the cell disappeared completely, and his broad arms were cut off. The filth and corruption in front of him separated the lamentation of the prison and Qi Jun's frail body in a pool of blood.

She never knew that Xia Shengqing's embrace was so warm in this midwinter.

Because of Qi Jun's death, the case of the royal family scandal had to come to an end.

Although Xia Zijin wanted to use him to catch the mastermind behind the scenes, but now that everyone is buried in the loess, no matter how unwilling she is, she has no other choice.

Just think about it carefully, but it is not difficult to guess the person behind the scenes who instigated Qi Jun. The purpose of this person is to make Xia Zijin charged with obscenity and frivolity through the stories that Qi Jun made up, so that she can start from pacifying the Jiangnan plague. The reputation accumulated in the hearts of the people was completely ruined.

In this way, Xia Zijin had two candidates in mind, but these two people often went in and out recently, which deepened Xia Zijin's suspicion of her two.

On top of the warm brazier, Xia Zijin slowly rubbed her hands, the firelight illuminated her delicate Shengxue skin more transparent and flawless, the lip balm on her lips was a faint cherry pink, which gradually became red with breathing .

"What is the princess thinking?"

Xia Shengqing was fiddling with the silver charcoal in the brazier at the side. The red hot charcoal fire was sizzling with sparks, and the whole hall was very warm.

Xia Zijin stretched out his hands and rubbed his palms that were slightly cool all the year round, staring at the red seedlings shaking in the brazier in a daze, when he was asked this way, he came back to his senses, and smiled slightly: "It's not a big deal, it's just for Mr. Qi There is still some confusion about that matter.”

"Are you still speculating about the person behind the scenes?" Xia Shengqing fiddled with the silver carbon in the middle, and asked, "Now that Mr. Qi is dead, if we want people to confess, there will be no proof."

Xia Zijin nodded, and said: "The people behind the scenes, this princess already knows it well, I am afraid that only a woman with a vicious mind can do such a low-level method of ruining her reputation, and this princess has a woman who has a festive season. It's just those two."

She withdrew her hands mockingly, and put her warm hands on her lap.

It is heard that in the days before Qi Jun appeared, Bai Pingting had entered the palace many times, and she always appeared in the Qi Luo Garden.Xia Zijin had a feud with four princesses, Xia Ziqi and Bai Pingting, and it happened that the two of them got mixed together. It would be too far-fetched to say it was a coincidence.

In this way, it is reasonable for Mr. Qi not to dare to report on the two of them. Xia Ziqi has always been ruthless, and Bai Pingting is not a fuel-efficient lamp. If Mr. Qi confesses, the two of them will definitely He and Ming'er will not be let go.

"Now the princess is thinking about nothing else, but thinking about the role of the crown prince in this case."

Xia Zijin was holding a brocade handbag in her arms, and Xiaokui came from outside the door with a tray, and poured a cup of freshly brewed ginger tea for Xia Zijin and Xia Shengqing each. On his face, there was a burst of warmth flowing all over his body.

Holding the porcelain cup in her hand, she took a sip, a hint of spicy and sweet spread on her tongue.

"Prince?"

Xia Zijin nodded and said: "The princess sent Xiao Huanzi out of the palace to inquire. That day in Jingzhao Mansion, the crown prince appeared in the court and brought Qi Jun, who was supposed to be arranged by Master Jingzhao to live in the posthouse, back to the palace. It is also Qi Jun's face saint who he arranged alone."

It is self-evident that the meaning of the prince is self-evident, but if it is said that the prince conspired with Bai Pingting and Xia Ziqi, it is somewhat unreasonable. If he is the majestic master of the East Palace, if he wants to deal with her, he can use other methods. What's more, she and the prince seem to have no grudges.

"The princess can't figure out what role the prince will play in this. If he doesn't bring Jun Qi into the palace, I'm afraid he won't be able to make trouble in front of the emperor. Obviously he did it deliberately, but in the dialogue in the hall later, He never said a word."

Xia Zijin sipped hot ginger tea, her long and narrow eyelashes fluttering a little from the heat.

Xia Shengqing was holding the cup, thoughts flowing in his eyes, he thought for a moment, and asked: "Princess, do you still remember the canonization above the hall when you came back from Jiangnan?"

"Naturally I remember that my father gave me many things that day, and said..."

Speaking of this, Xia Zijin suddenly remembered the reason why the crown prince got involved in this matter. In order to test whether she wanted to use the credit for quelling the plague that day, the Holy Emperor had inappropriate thoughts about government affairs, and deliberately Threatened that she would be the crown princess.I'm afraid it was this sentence that caused the prince to have a grudge against her.

Seeing her, Xia Shengqing understood, and said frankly: "That's right, the prince is a narrow-minded person. Even if you don't pose much threat to him now, princess, I'm afraid he doesn't mind doing anything that can damage the princess' reputation." Help me out."

Xia Zijin bit her lips and remained silent. With her current status, although she didn't have to be afraid of a dirty woman like Xia Ziqi and Bai Pingting, she had to be afraid of Xia Qin, a high-ranking prince. If he wanted to deal with her, she would be afraid. Is there is no strength to fight back now...

Xia Shengqing brushed the broken hair scattered on her forehead behind her ears, and comforted her softly: "Princess, don't worry too much. The prince is just worried that the princess will threaten him. If the princess wants to be wise and safe, she will intervene less in the future." There is no serious problem with the affairs of the court."

Xia Zijin nodded, that's all she has now, but fortunately she is not interested in the political affairs of the court.

It's just that the prince's role can be ignored for the time being. Bai Pingting and Xia Ziqi have framed her generously this time, but she must get it back!

Xia Zijin looked at the burning silver charcoal in the stove, fiddled with the sharp edges of her nails, and began to plan in her heart. She wanted to get back everything from the previous life and this life.

In the last month of the year, a grand wedding event was held in the capital.

Huang Chenyan from General Jingwu's residence and Bai Pingting from Shangshu's residence, both married into Prince Lin's residence.

Although Prince Lin's son Lin Runyu is now an idle son with no rights and no positions, his name is still there after all, and with King Lin's deliberate publicity, the wedding where the main concubine and the concubine married into the palace together was very popular.

On Bai Pingting's side, even though she was a side concubine, she was determined to overwhelm the main concubine. Box after box of dowry was carried into Prince Lin's mansion. The gold and silver jewelry were all the best items from Nanshizhai, but she If you can't wear bright red and get married, you will never be willing to wear pink all over your body.

The wedding sedan chair turned and turned on the busiest street in Shangjing, for fear that others would not know about the wedding of Prince Lin and his second concubine. The sound of suona and firecrackers could be heard endlessly, and flower petals were scattered on the stone road as the sedan chair passed.

Xia Zijin was sitting in a restaurant on the second floor beside the street, and a hundred meters away was Prince Lin's Mansion.

Holding the flagon, she poured it lightly and poured a full glass.The wine that has been scalded with hot water is particularly mellow. Xia Zijin held the cup in his hand and raised his hand to drink it lightly, and a burst of warmth flowed into his throat.

"Princess, we want to see Lin Shizi's wedding, why don't you accept the invitation and go generously?" Xiaokui sat opposite Xia Zijin, both of them were dressed in men's clothes, Xiaokui helped the slightly oversized one on her head Hat, asked suspiciously.

Lin Runyu got married, no matter how he is considered a member of the royal family, such a personal event naturally invited countless guests and friends, and not one prince or princess in the palace was left behind. Everyone received invitations, even Xia Zijin not excluded.It's just that she casually threw the invitation into the charcoal basin, and it was instantly reduced to ashes.

"Xiaokui, I've said it too many times. When I leave the palace, I will call my young master. Do you remember?"

"Yes...princess...no, my lord!" Xiaokui said numbly.

Xia Zijin stared at the gate of Prince Lin's mansion. The sedan chairs of the two families had already arrived in front of the gate. At this moment, his son Lin Runyu was also wearing a red and red gold auspicious cloud and crane weaving wedding dress, standing gracefully in front of the sedan chair.

Lin Runyu's clothes were the same as those in her previous life, and even the corners of her clothes fluttering in the wind seemed to have remained the same.Suddenly, she was in a trance for a moment, as if the person sitting in the sedan chair at this moment was still herself in the previous life, as if the little things that happened after stepping into this Prince Lin's mansion flowed in front of her eyes like a drama, piercing pain, hysterical Hatred, all slipped before her eyes.

"Young master? Young master? What's wrong with you?"

Seeing that she was suddenly stunned, Xiaokui raised her hand and waved it in front of Xia Zijin's eyes, and then she came back to her senses, and shook her head with the corners of her mouth pulled.

"It's nothing."

In fact, she didn't understand why she came here. Perhaps, she just wanted to see more clearly, to see the place where she died in the previous life, and also to see such a completely different fate in this life.

The sound of the suona in front of Lin Wang's mansion was endless, and Lin Runyu had a smile on his face. After the etiquette of kicking the sedan door three times, Xi Niang helped Huang Chenyan, who was in a fiery red wedding dress, down the sedan door. There were cheers and applause, but Bai Pingting's pink color couldn't conceal Zhenghong's nobility and status.

"Let's just look at the good fortune. The battles in Prince Lin's mansion are simmering, and this son has just begun."

Xia Zijin secretly twitched the corners of her lips. In this life, she would never let Bai Pingting have a good chance.

"Let's go back to the palace."

Xiaokui nodded, followed Xia Zijin's steps and left the restaurant. The wine on the table was still warm and fragrant, steaming, but the two of them had already walked away, leaving only a piece of silver on the table.

(End of this chapter)