Harem: Biography of Concubine Qin

Chapter 123 Liu Lan's Confession
Liu Lan and the others were escorted to the cell of the Yangzhou government office, but Chen Wenyi kept an eye on them and detained them separately.

A square cell with straw beds on the floor and wooden barrels in the corner.

Other than that, there is nothing superfluous.

The steel fence is tight and strong, and a big brass lock is hung on it.

Through the fence, a man in prison uniform could be vaguely seen sitting on the straw.

That person is Liu Lan.

Since he was escorted into the government prison last night, he maintained this posture and sat for a whole night.

Two guards who passed by the door glanced at him, "Is this rebel crazy? He has been sitting all night. I have patrolled three times, and he always looks like this every time he comes."

The other followed his gaze and said disdainfully: "These rebellious people have some brain problems. How many years has it been since the Qing Dynasty was established, and they are still turning against the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty?"

Liu Lan in the iron fence heard the words and smiled almost inaudibly.

There was a long knife scar on his arm, and the blood stained the prison uniform.

He didn't seem to feel any pain at all, and there was a bleak smile in his always cold eyes.

When he was young, he had heard of Yangzhou Dream once every ten years.

Yangzhou is a prosperous place full of flowers and traffic.

The more prosperous a place is, the more filth it contains.

What official conspiracy, what struggle for power.

So he chose to bring his biological sister and a group of brothers to Yangzhou to hide.

Three years, how much blood was stained on his hands in these three years, and how many times he escaped from death.

He thought that the days to come would continue like this, licking blood with the tip of a knife.

Unexpectedly, Kangxi came to Yangzhou during his southern tour. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Once Kangxi was assassinated, the Manchu and Qing courts would inevitably be in chaos.

Then the assassination failed, and he took Chen Wenxin away.

He thought she was Kangxi's valet, and wanted to throw her into the river on the spot, and let her fend for herself.

But Hongliu told him that she was a daughter, and she might be the Qin concubine praised by the people of Suqian.

She is not familiar with water, and has fainted in the water.

If they left her in the river to fend for herself, she would undoubtedly die.

As a Han Chinese, this woman even gave her life to save Kangxi.If it weren't for her love for the Han people, how could Liu Lan tolerate her?
Then he gradually fell into her stubbornness, helplessness, and innocence. Her every frown and smile had touched his heart at some point.

He made up his mind to give up the assassination and take her back to Nanming.

He thought that she had really given up on leaving and intended to go with him.

It turned out that all this was just a cover-up for her to confuse herself.

Overnight, he lost almost everything.

His brother, his three years of careful planning in Yangzhou, his sister, and his own life.

Blood flowed in the Qinhuai River, the lives of his thirteen brothers.

During the day, they happily packed their luggage, talking about what to eat and what to play when they returned to Nanming.

They worked in Yangzhou, licking blood with the tip of their knives, and finally survived to this day.

Another day, another day.

They can leave Yangzhou and return to Nanming.

There are their own relatives and familiar accents.

Now, all those brothers who talked and laughed have been buried in the Qinhuai River.

Even if he dies with his own body, he can't make up for his mistakes.

It's all his fault, his obsession with sex, mistrusting Chen Wenxin...

He thought of the woman with a pale face but a delicate smile.

I thought it was innocent and kind, it turns out.

It's just the scheming that women in the harem are best at.

He snorted softly, looking at him from outside the door.

"I have an important matter to explain, and I must ask your emperor to come, otherwise I will never say it."

Those two guards looked at each other. This person is the leader of the Nanming rebels, and maybe there is really something important to explain.

Although the emperor may not necessarily meet with him, they should still inform the magistrate of this matter.

……

The emperor heard that Liu Lan had something important to meet him, he frowned slightly and thought about it.

The magistrate of Yangzhou cupped his hands and said: "The emperor's body of ten thousand gold is what the traitor wants to see. If the emperor doesn't want to see him, I will definitely find out what he said on behalf of the emperor."

Perhaps, those words were not allowed to be heard by anyone other than the emperor, so I specified that I wanted to tell him...

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his eyes dim and unclear.

"No, I'll go myself."

A sound of steady footsteps came from the corridor.

Liu Lan's stiff body turned around, only to see the emperor in casual clothes, followed by a few servants.

Those guards put down an armchair behind him, then exited here, and stood guard at the end of the corridor.

The corners of Liu Lan's mouth curled up slightly.

"It's a great honor for the grassroots to drive His Majesty Lao to such a filthy place as a prison cell."

There was irony in his words, the emperor sat on the chair, just looking at him.

This man looked very strong and brave, full of heroic spirit.I think he was the killer who was at the front that night.

The emperor said: "If you want to see me, I have already come, so go ahead."

He asked back: "Why does the emperor back away from the left and right? Is it because he is afraid that I will say something that is disdainful to the world?"

The words "disgraceful to the world" made the emperor narrow his eyes.

"What are you hinting at me?"

He smiled, "It's not a hint, since the emperor has come here, I will naturally explain what I have said."

"I know that once I enter this prison cell, I will never be able to get out again. Peony flowers will die, and being a ghost is also romantic. With the concubine Qin by my side for days and nights, it can be regarded as having no regrets in this life."

The emperor sneered and said: "If it is as you said, you should thank her. Why do you want to tell me this again and make me embarrass her?"

Liu Lan pretended to be surprised and said: "Why, didn't the concubine Qin tell the emperor? I thought the emperor knew about it, and I just wanted to confess it myself, so as not to die without a whole body."

The emperor said: "I'm afraid she designed you to make pearl clothes, which exposed your whereabouts. You blamed her for killing all of your subordinates, as well as you. So you deliberately framed her innocence in front of me."

Liu Lan asked back: "Why does the emperor think I made a pearl dress for her? If it wasn't for my skin-to-skin relationship, how could I treat her so well..."

The emperor sternly said: "With Concubine Qin's beauty, which man would not be tempted? If it is because of your wishful thinking that you can conclude that she is not innocent, then there are many people who are crazy about her!"

The emperor's words sounded like he didn't believe Liu Lan's words at all, but his stern words revealed some thoughts in his heart.

If he really has no doubts at all, why get angry?
Thinking of this, Liu Lan started to laugh, "Your Majesty is really the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. She lives in my house, and I look at her day and night, how can I resist touching her... "

"shut up!"

The emperor said coldly: "Based on what you say as a traitor, do you think that I will be manipulated by you to suspect Concubine Qin? From your mouth, you are not worthy to speak of her!"

"Come on!"

The guards came quickly and listened to the orders respectfully.

"Stop his mouth and call him a traitor, and don't confuse people with your gossip."

Regardless of whether what he said was true or not, once the rumor spread, it would hurt the face of the emperor or Chen Wenxin.

Liu Lan looked at him with a smile, without any fear.

In his eyes, there is a kind of determination to die, and he is calm and without regret.

The emperor thought of his sentence again, if you die under the peony flower, you can be a ghost.There are concubines and concubines to accompany you for days and nights...

He flicked his sleeves and strode out.

Li Dequan didn't know what the traitor said to the emperor, and the emperor's face was ashen when he walked out of the prison.

What made the emperor so angry?
When the emperor was angry, only the concubine Qin could persuade her.

He said: "Your Majesty, the concubine Qin has just woken up, are you going to visit her?"

The emperor glared at him angrily, and Li Dequan lowered his head in fright.

Did he say something wrong?

Could it be that the reason why the emperor is angry is related to the concubine Qin?
This thought made Li Dequan very panicked. He was about to say something to remedy it, but the emperor sighed.

"Go to Concubine Qin."

He lives in the main house of the government office, and Chen Wenxin lives in the east wing.

Turning around and going in from the east wing, she was lying on the bed, holding a copy of "River Harnessing Classics".

"I'm still sick, how do you look at this?"

Sitting by the bed, the emperor took her book over to have a look, and it was indeed his own.

She smiled and said, "I took Xuan Ye's book secretly, are you angry?"

When she smiled, a face as white as snow seemed to be shining.

She is so charming when she is sick, let alone in normal times?

He forced a smile and said, "How could it be. It is a blessing for the common people that you have such a heart."

He said to the back again: "You all go out, I have something to say with Concubine Qin."

Apart from the two of them in the room, they were Bai Lu and Li Dequan.

Bai Lu is her confidant, and Li Dequan is the emperor's confidant.What is there that even they can't listen to?
Chen Wenxin said suspiciously: "Xuan Ye..."

The emperor said seriously: "I want to ask you something, as long as you answer truthfully, I will not pursue it."

She nodded, and asked back, "When did I hide something from you?"

This is true, she has always said everything to herself, and she has nothing to say.

But this is different.

She may be afraid of being rejected for her innocence, so she never mentions it.

He frowned deeply, as if he had made a big determination, "Tell me the truth, that Liu Lan, why did he specially make a pearl dress for you before leaving?"

She stared blankly at the emperor and understood what he meant.

Last night, when he saw the clothes on her body, he felt uncomfortable.

If he believed in himself, he would be very happy to see that dress, and would praise her for being smart.

His reaction like this can only show that he is doubting his innocence.

(End of this chapter)