12dz Chapter 237 Substitute
Chapter 237 Substitute
In Yonghe Palace.
An Lingrong sat quietly beside the stove. The charcoal fire in the stove was burning brightly. The jumping flames reflected her delicate face. A warm breath lingered around her, but the warmth seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier and could not warm her heart.
Shen Meizhuang paced back and forth, her steps hurried and messy.
"Sister, you should take a break!" An Lingrong advised softly, "Being anxious now won't solve any problems."
Shen Meizhuang sat helplessly beside An Lingrong, but her eyes were still fixed on the door, "I wonder what's going on at Suiyuxuan!"
An Lingrong handed her a cup of tea and said, "Zhao Yingjiu is our man. He won't neglect Sister Zhen!"
"I'm always a little worried!" Shen Meizhuang stood up suddenly, "I have to find a way to see her!"
"Don't act rashly." An Lingrong quickly held her back. "The Emperor is furious now. It's useless to plead for mercy. It will only make things worse!"
Shen Meizhuang thought for a moment, her eyes brightening slightly: "Then I will go find the Queen Mother."
"Empress Dowager is of no use!" An Lingrong's words were like a basin of cold water, ruthlessly extinguishing the hope that Shen Meizhuang had just ignited.
"why?"
“Sister, Liang Duorui is the Queen Mother’s man.”
"what do you mean……"
"We got rid of the Queen's men, but the Empress Dowager's men took advantage of the opportunity. The clothes appeared in Sui Yuxuan for no reason. How could there be no involvement of the Empress Dowager?" An Lingrong frowned, her eyes deep, analyzing the interests involved.
Shen Meizhuang thought for a moment and said, "But why? Could it be because Huan'er's meddling in government has displeased the Queen Mother?"
"If it was just because of interfering in government affairs, the Queen Mother wouldn't be like this." An Lingrong fell into deep thought.
"Xiao Luzi, go find Su Peisheng and find out if there's anything wrong with Sister Zhen these past few days!"
"Yes!"
After saying this, Shen Meizhuang gradually calmed down: "Rong'er, I just wore the wrong piece of clothing. Why is the emperor so angry?"
"Sister, the moment the Emperor saw Sister Zhen in that familiar dress, the shadow of Chun Yuan completely disappeared from Sister Zhen. His fantasy was shattered, leaving only anger and sadness.
In addition, Sister Zhen's excessive interference in state affairs aroused the emperor's vigilance, so he took advantage of the situation and punished Sister Zhen."
Shen Meizhuang murmured, "Does the Emperor really love Queen Chunyuan that much?"
An Lingrong snorted coldly, "Our emperor is the most cold-hearted person. He probably doesn't even know whether he loves Chunyuan or his affectionate self."
Shen Meizhuang was a little anxious: "Then there is no room for maneuver?"
"Of course there is room for maneuver!"
"what?"
"But this leeway doesn't lie with the emperor, it lies with Sister Zhen!"
"What do you mean?"
An Lingrong stood up and watched the snow fall heavier in the corridor. Her voice was cold. "Even if Sister Zhen can escape this incident, she can't escape the betrayal of the people. The Empress Dowager's move isn't to poison her body, but her heart, just like when we told Concubine Hua the secret of Huan Yi Xiang. Once Sister Zhen knows that her years of favor were just a substitute, will she still have any affection for the Emperor? As long as Sister Zhen is willing to be Queen Chun Yuan's shadow, the Emperor will release her soon, and she will continue to be a favorite concubine."
After saying this, she turned her gaze to Shen Meizhuang: "Do you think Sister Zhen can do it?"
"She won't!"
"So, there's no way!"
"In that case, we must go see her. She must be heartbroken right now. We can't let her follow the same path as Concubine Hua." Without waiting for An Lingrong to speak, Shen Meizhuang stood up with a resolute aura. "I'll go and beg the Emperor!"
"Sister!" An Lingrong quickly stretched out her hand, trying to stop her, but she only touched the fluttering corner of Shen Meizhuang's robe.
Looking at her back, An Lingrong sighed. Shen Meizhuang's sisterly love for Zhen Huan was extremely deep. Even if there was only a glimmer of hope, she would definitely do her best.
Snowflakes gently blanketed the golden glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, adding a touch of elegant silver to the already dazzling roof. The red walls, against the backdrop of white snow, appeared even more vibrant and eye-catching, yet shone with an indescribable poignancy.
"Xiao Luzi, go to the Imperial Hospital to find Wei Linlai."
"Yes!"
Not long after, Wei Lin trotted to Yonghe Palace, knelt on the ground and saluted, saying, "Greetings to Miss Wen!"
An Lingrong sat on the couch, looking at the person on the ground, her eyes sharp and deep, as if she could see through Wei Lin's heart.
Although there was a charcoal fire burning in the room, Wei Lin was lying on the ground and felt like sweating. He kept wondering if he had done something wrong.
After a while, a voice finally came, but the voice revealed a hint of coldness: "You want to marry Su Ye?"
It was because of this incident. That young lady, Wen, would definitely come to call for justice! Wei Lin's body began to tremble uncontrollably, countless thoughts racing through his mind. What should he do? Should he admit it? Would he be beaten to death if he admitted it? Would it be too cowardly to deny it?
Finally, he stammered out two words: "Your humble servant..."
An Lingrong said nothing, just looked at him quietly.
Forget it, just die!
"I sincerely ask for your hand in marriage. I hope you will give me a chance!" Wei Lin gritted his teeth and said courageously.
An Lingrong softened her tone: "Why?"
"I have made up my mind in my early years to marry a like-minded woman. Miss Su Ye has superb medical skills and a straightforward personality, unlike other women who are so pretentious. I admire her very much. If I can marry her, I will cherish her for the rest of my life." Wei Lin's voice gradually became steady, and his eyes revealed sincerity.
"Wei Lin, I'm not here to listen to your determination today. I'm just telling you one thing: if you want to gain my and Concubine Hui's trust by marrying Su Ye, that's impossible. We only judge our subordinates by their loyalty and ability! If one day Su Ye marries you, it will be because she's attracted to you, not because I want to win you over. Do you understand?"
Hearing An Lingrong's words, Wei Lin's heart was filled with joy, and his voice trembled with excitement: "Your humble servant understands. Your humble servant will be loyal and will not let you down."
"I've heard a lot of sweet talk, so I never look at what others say, I only look at what they do!" An Lingrong's tone was serious and sharp, and her eyes stared at Wei Lin like a knife.
"Yes!" Wei Lin responded quickly, lowering his head even more.
"Come with me to the Yangxin Palace. When we get there, don't say anything except nod your head." An Lingrong stood up, straightened her clothes, and looked solemn.
"Yes!" Wei Lin answered again in a loud and crisp voice, then stood up and followed An Lingrong.