0p0 Chapter 263 Quiet White
Chapter 263 Quiet White
After resting, the concubines prepared to return to the Forbidden City.
At this time, all the nuns in Ganlu Temple knelt on the ground to see everyone off respectfully.
"Thank you, Master!" The Queen said calmly, holding Jianqiu's hand.
Nun Jing'an clasped her hands together, a faint smile on her face as she said, "Amitabha, the Empress is kind and compassionate. The Buddha will surely bless you with peace and health, and may all your wishes come true."
The queen slightly raised her foot and was about to take a step forward when suddenly a voice came: "Your Majesty the Queen!"
She turned around when she heard the voice and saw An Lingrong. She couldn't help but frown slightly and asked, "What's wrong?"
An Lingrong bowed slightly and said, "I have something to report!"
The queen was a little impatient and replied indifferently: "If you have anything to say, go back to the palace and talk about it!" After that, she turned around and was about to leave.
However, An Lingrong had no intention of giving up. She raised her voice and said, "This is the only place where I can talk about my affairs!"
On the other side, Shen Meizhuang and Feng Ruozhao looked at each other and saw doubt in each other's eyes, but as long as it was something An Lingrong wanted to do, they had to cooperate!
Shen Meizhuang wanted to step forward but was stopped by Feng Ruozhao. If she came forward, it would be too obvious that she was biased!
Feng Ruozhao shook his head slightly at her, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it's still early, why don't you listen to Sister Wen's story!"
The queen had no choice but to stop and say, "Go ahead!"
An Lingrong's eyes sparkled as she slowly said, "I have lost something. Please, Your Majesty, give me your orders to find it."
The Queen listened and said nonchalantly, "This is a trivial matter. Let's go back to the palace first and leave a few servants to help you find it."
"Your Majesty, this jewelry is extraordinary. I will not be at ease until I see them find it with my own eyes."
"Oh? What exactly is it?" asked the queen with raised eyebrows.
An Lingrong answered word by word, "This is the hairpin that the Empress gave me when I first slept with her!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Shen Meizhuang's face changed.
After hearing this, the queen's dark eyes gleamed with brilliance. After a moment's silence, she slowly said, "If you like it, I'll find you something nice. It's getting late now, so please don't delay the sisters from returning to the palace to rest!"
"Your Majesty, that hairpin is a gift of love and care from the Empress to me. I love it so much. If I can't find it for no apparent reason, I will feel uneasy. I hope the Empress will give an order to help me find it." An Lingrong continued to plead relentlessly.
After saying this, she added meaningfully, "Your Majesty, if that hairpin falls into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, I'm afraid it will cause a lot of trouble. What if it damages the reputation of the Empress who favors the six concubines?"
The Queen held Jianqiu's hand tightly and thought quickly. It seemed that she already knew that there was musk in the hairpin, but she chose to bring it up at this time and place. It must be related to Zhen Huan.
That hairpin couldn't possibly be lost. I'm afraid An Lingrong is just trying to make a fuss about it! The Queen speculated secretly in her heart, her eyes becoming increasingly gloomy.
If she doesn't agree to look for her, judging by An Lingrong's attitude, she probably won't let it go!
If she agreed to look for him, what was An Lingrong's purpose?
But since things had come to this, she had no choice but to agree: "Forget it, just send someone to look for it!"
"Your Majesty, I only have my personal attendants with me, and I need to borrow your guards!"
"it is good!"
An Lingrong gave a wink, and Xiao Luzi followed the guards into the temple.
Jing'an and Jingbai looked at each other in panic.
In another room, Zhen Huan stared at what was happening over there.
Two quarters of an hour later, Xiao Luzi came quickly with the hairpin in his hand and respectfully held it before the Queen, "Your Majesty, I found it!"
The Queen waved her hand with a cold expression. Seeing this, Xiao Luzi came up to An Lingrong, holding the hairpin.
An Lingrong asked, "Where did you find it?"
"To answer your Majesty, it was found in the room of Abbot Jingbai, the abbot!"
Jingbai was watching the fun with his hands in his pockets, but he didn't expect to eat the melon on his head.
She knelt on the ground in a panic, her voice trembling as she said, "I have never seen this hairpin before. I don't know why it is in my room."
"Your Majesty, this item is at the bottom of Master Jingbai's box. It was personally found by the Queen's guards." Xiao Luzi added.
An Lingrong's eyes were sharp and her tone was icy: "Master Jingbai? It was you who stole my hairpin?"
"I am innocent, please see clearly, Your Majesty!" Jingbai kowtowed repeatedly, and her forehead hit the ground with a "bang bang" sound.
An Lingrong sneered, "With all the evidence and witnesses, you still dare to cry foul? Could it be that the Empress is trying to frame you?"
Jingbai was so frightened that her face turned pale. She could only kowtow and beg for mercy: "I dare not, please forgive me, Your Majesty. I have never seen this thing before. I hope Your Majesty will give me justice!"
An Lingrong ignored her and turned to look at the Queen: "Your Majesty, how do you think this matter should be handled?"
The queen frowned, thought for a moment, and called out, "Concubine Hui, Concubine Jing."
"My concubine is here."
"You guys take care of it!"
Feng Ruozhao stepped forward and replied respectfully, "I dare not. This hairpin was given to Concubine Wen by Your Majesty. Her stealing it is disrespectful to Your Majesty. It is Your Majesty's responsibility to decide her fate. I dare not say anything more."
Shen Meizhuang echoed from the side, "Sister Jingfei is right."
The queen could no longer maintain her dignity on her face, and at this moment she had already understood that An Lingrong had done so many things just to get rid of Jingbai and establish her authority in Ganlu Temple.
Thinking of this, the Queen's face was instantly covered with a layer of frost, and her eyes were as cold as a knife, piercing straight at An Lingrong.
An Lingrong showed no fear at all. She raised her chin slightly, her eyes shining with a stern light, and looked at the Queen calmly.
Your Majesty, I dare to confront you, and I am afraid of you!
The silent confrontation between the two seemed to sparkle in the air. After a long moment, the Empress was the first to look away. She knew it was unwise to completely break off relations with An Lingrong at this moment. She was no longer as easy to manipulate as she once was. Her favor with the Emperor was growing day by day, and her mind was becoming more meticulous and her tactics more sophisticated. Her actions today were clearly a demonstration to her, a declaration of her protection for Zhen Huan.
"Hmph!" The Queen snorted coldly, flicked her sleeves, and asked Jianqiu beside her: "According to palace rules, what is the punishment for stealing palace property and committing a crime of insubordination?"
Jianqiu looked at the queen's expression and said cautiously, "According to palace rules, she should be caned eighty times."
"Ok!"
As soon as the Queen finished speaking, a powerful guard stepped forward and grabbed Jingbai like an eagle grabbing a chick, dragging her away. Not far away, a young eunuch had deftly set up a bench, and the two eunuchs carrying out the execution had also prepared their stout clubs, waiting only for the order to begin the execution.
Meanwhile, the Queen raised her eyes to An Lingrong, her gaze cold and her tone tinged with suppressed anger: "Is Concubine Wen satisfied?"