NCCnovel Chapter 580 A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Chapter 580 A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Songyi carefully recalled the scene of that day. The late emperor was still alive at that time. Daqian had won a victory and the enemy country came to negotiate. Therefore, the palace banquet was extremely grand and the scene was lively.
Concubine Rou was an excellent pianist, so the late emperor specially ordered her to show her skill at the palace banquet in order to dampen the enemy's morale.
But Concubine Rou was covered in wounds, yet she managed to show up. Marquis Zhaowu also wanted his daughter to be in the spotlight, but how could such a weak person hold on?
"What happened next?" Shen Shuyi asked.
Song Yi continued, "Later, the young lady planned to take the place of Concubine Rou. After all, although the young lady's piano skills may not be as good as Concubine Rou's, few people can match the young lady's sword dance."
But sword dance has very high requirements on clothing. After all, if the clothing is too complicated and verbose, it will inevitably be restricted and will only make the sword dance soft and powerless. But at the same time, if the clothing is too neat and dashing, it will not be in line with the word "dance".
So the young lady sent her personal maid back to the mansion to get the clothes, and she asked the Second Prince to borrow a room for her so that she could dress up and wait for the clothes to be delivered.
But later... I don’t know how... they were all sent away.
When she returned, the palace banquet had ended. Concubine Rou played a song with all her might, and then fainted after the performance. She was unconscious for three whole days and had no idea what had happened to the young lady.
"So, Your Majesty was really together with Senior Yin that day?" Shen Shuyi asked.
Madam Songyi nodded: "That's right. If not, given the lady's personality, she would never agree to marry His Majesty even if she was beaten to death."
In other words, the young lady agreed not only because of this matter, but more because of Xiao Huaijin's repeated refusals.
"The young lady once went to see the Second Prince and asked him directly whether he was willing to marry her. Unfortunately, the answer given by the Second Prince still disappointed her."
Xiao Huaijin looked at the girl in front of him who was as dazzling as a flame, and just smiled gently: "Ninth brother is very good, he will not treat you unfairly."
At this point, our relationship is over.
Yin Qiling was disheartened, so she followed her family's arrangements and married into the Ninth Prince's household as a concubine.
"You just said that Concubine Rou was in a coma for three whole days that day?" Shen Shuyi asked.
"That's right. The queen waited for our young lady but failed. Finally, she had no choice but to go on stage herself. After she forced herself to finish playing, she vomited blood and fainted." Song Yi nodded. She obviously realized something when Shen Shuyi questioned her like this.
Shen Shuyi said nothing.
What a coincidence.
In other words, an alibi that is too perfect.
No one would doubt this poor girl who is unable to protect herself and is at the end of her strength.
Neither Yin Qiling nor Emperor Qianwu would do that.
Perhaps, from the very beginning, this Concubine Rou was not a harmless little white rabbit, but a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Shen Shuyi looked at Concubine Xiang and continued to ask, "Then Madam slept on the same bed with the late Second Prince in the Ninth Prince's Mansion that day. Did you investigate the truth afterwards?"
Concubine Xiang smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty has always been a domineering person. How could he tolerate such a thing? Although he has feelings for me, he cannot tolerate any sand in his eyes."
Shen Shuyi understood, which meant that Emperor Qianwu had also dealt with those who had witnessed these events that day.
Therefore, even if Xiang Fei wanted to investigate afterwards, it would be difficult to find anything.
Shen Shuyi calculated carefully and found out that Concubine Xiang arrived a little late that day. Although Concubine Rou had no hand in the whole incident, Concubine Rou had already married into the Ninth Prince's Mansion and became the principal wife at that time, which meant that she had most of the control over the entire Ninth Prince's Mansion.
Similarly, she knew the routes in the palace, where Xiang Fei lived, and her personality, and she had the manpower and time.
That’s right, Shen Shuyi still suspected Concubine Rou Lu Qing.
Yuan Shulei saw through her thoughts and shook her head, "It can't be her. She had a difficult childhood and couldn't bear to hurt even insects. She is also very naive. There is no reason for her to do this..."
Shen Shuyi did not refute, but just chuckled: "My queen, you can know a person's face but not his heart."
Just like her, wasn't she also moved by Xiao Tingshan's pity for a rabbit?
Some people are born with the ability to disguise, and every move they make is calculated.
Xiang Fei was a little dazed, and seemed to still not believe it. She muttered to herself: "But why would she do this? What benefit can she get from scheming against His Majesty and Sister Qiling?"
Shen Shuyi repeated softly: "Yes, what benefit can she get?"
There are too many grudges and interests involved, especially many people that Shen Shu has never met.
She wrote out everyone's names in her mind, her thoughts racing.
Emperor Qianwu and Yin Qiling are together, what can Concubine Rou get?
After a while, Shen Shuyi looked at Concubine Xiang and asked in a deep voice, "Back then, before His Majesty married Concubine Rou as his principal wife, he had a very deep relationship with you, which could be regarded as a good story. But after the news of His Majesty and Senior Yin came out, your relationship with His Majesty..."
Xiang Fei was stunned for a moment and recalled.
"If you hadn't mentioned these things, I would have forgotten them. Now that so many years have passed, those trivial matters are really not worth mentioning."
But Shen Shuyi's guess was correct. After learning that His Majesty and Sister Qiling were framed, she felt hatred and anger, but had no place to vent.
It was also during that period that many rifts developed between her and His Majesty. She hated how such a smart man could be framed, and she hated him for destroying the relationship between Sister Qiling and Xiao Huaijin.
She looked at Sister Qi Ling, who was such an open-minded and free-spirited person, trapped in the mansion. Seeing her depressed and having no appetite, she felt choked up and indescribably uncomfortable.
Of course, it was even more difficult for her to accept that Xiao Chengzhang was hanging out with her good friend and even married her.
She had a hard time during that period.
She didn't know how to face her trusted husband, or her trusted friends.
For a moment, because of this relationship, they seemed to have become the most familiar strangers overnight.
Lu Qing saw the clue and helped them understand a lot.
Later on, time diluted everything. Sister Qiling became pregnant because of that night, but she herself was unable to get pregnant.
She and Sister Qiling started to hang out more often. His Majesty would occasionally talk to them and visit Sister Qiling, but he never stayed overnight at her place again.
She watched her belly grow bigger day by day, and it seemed as if she was pregnant with a child. They were looking forward to the arrival of this child together, and she shared her joy, as if that was also her child.
Later, when His Majesty ascended the throne and she was given a title, Yin Qiling refused His Majesty.
She just wanted to give birth to the child in the palace, otherwise, given her personality, she would definitely leave.
But she didn't expect that not long after the child was born, news of Xiao Huaijin's death came.
Yin Qiling was like a rapidly withering rose, and soon became dim. It was as if all the vitality had been sucked out of her, and she was no longer lively and wild.
Finally, after two years of illness, she passed away.
Until her death, all she asked her to do was to help take care of the children, and as for her body, it did not have to be buried in the imperial mausoleum.
"Shulei, just find me a place with beautiful scenery and picturesque landscapes to bury me. If I can see Huaijin's grave there, it would be even better."