The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

Chapter 360: Concubine Xi's affair

The people in the hall were at a stalemate, and the atmosphere was extremely tense. Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the hall: "The Emperor has arrived!"

An Lingrong suppressed her fierce edge and knelt with everyone else in salute: "May Your Majesty be blessed with good health!"

Yongzheng clasped his hands tightly behind his back, each step steady and powerful, yet within his composure was a faint simmer of suppressed anger. He stepped into the hall, his gaze piercing, and after scanning the surroundings, he spoke coldly, "How can I ever find peace if the harem never finds a single day of peace?"

The Queen immediately reacted and pleaded guilty with deep fear: "I have disturbed the Emperor's peace. Please forgive me."

Yongzheng ignored her apology and said impatiently with a frown, "Tell me, what happened? Why is there such a commotion?"

When Concubine Qi heard the Emperor ask this question, she was delighted, thinking her chance had come. She hurried to the Emperor's side, her face still etched with grievance and resentment, and repeated her earth-shattering accusation: "I want to accuse Concubine Xi of adultery and defilement in the harem."

Any man couldn't stand this, especially in front of so many people.

Yongzheng looked up at the concubines in the hall and saw that their eyes were all focused on him. He instantly became angry and raised his hand to slap Concubine Qi in the face, "Bitch, nonsense!"

Concubine Qi covered her face with her hands, and after a moment she said, "I guarantee with my life that every word I said is the truth."

The Queen consoled him, saying, "Noble Concubine Qi swore a solemn oath in front of everyone. I see he's so serious, perhaps there's something hidden. If there really is a misunderstanding, it's best to clear it up immediately. Otherwise, if it gets out, it will damage Noble Concubine Xi's reputation."

Yongzheng's expression improved a little, and he sat at the head of the table: "Okay, I will listen to you. If you lie, I will not forgive you."

"Your Majesty, today I was praying for the Empress Dowager. A nun from Ganlu Temple came to me and said that Concubine Xi was having an affair with a man. To protect the reputation of the royal family, she reported this to me. She is now outside the palace!"

Yongzheng said coldly: "Send it!"

After a while, Jingbai, dressed in a nun's robe, walked into the hall.

"I am a humble nun from Ganlu Temple, and I greet the Emperor, the Empress, and all the masters. My Lady Xi, it's been a long time since we last met. How are you?"

Without waiting for Zhen Huan to answer, An Lingrong stood up first, looking down at Jingbai, with a hint of coldness in her voice:

"Master Jingbai, long time no see. I didn't expect to meet you in this palace. It's really fate. Master, are you feeling better now?"

Jingbai knelt on the ground with her hands clasped together, and bowed calmly: "This poor nun pays homage to the Empress Wen. Thank you for your concern, I am fine!"

"You made a mistake that day and were punished by the Empress. I didn't expect you to be fine and even appear in the palace. It seems that the Empress is too kind."

"I was indeed wronged in what happened that day. The Buddha could not bear to see me suffer such an injustice, so he allowed me to escape death."

An Lingrong narrowed her eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing in them as she pressed the issue, "Then, Master, are you here today to seek redress for your wrongdoing?"

Jing Bai quickly lowered her head and said respectfully, "I dare not. Today is the Queen Mother's birthday. I came to the palace to pray for her."

"Since we are praying for the Queen Mother, why don't we return to Ganlu Temple after the prayer is over?"

Jing Bai paused and said slowly, "I met some old friends in the palace. I thought something was wrong, so I told Lady Qi about it!"

Her answer seemed reasonable, yet there was a hint of weirdness in it.

How could An Lingrong easily let this flaw go? She immediately interjected, "With the Empress here, why would you tell Concubine Qi about this? Could it be that you two have known each other for a long time?"

"Your Highness, you're joking. Lady Qi is a young lady in the palace. How could I possibly know her? I often heard from pilgrims outside the palace that the Censor E Min was just, honest, and upright. I thought the daughter he raised would surely be fearless of power. That's why I asked the maid about it and told her the story."

An Lingrong's lips curled up into a meaningful smile, and she softly replied, "Oh, I see." Then she changed the subject, her tone adding a hint of warning, "But I must remind you, it was the Empress who punished you. If you feel dissatisfied, you can always explain yourself to the Empress. As the saying goes, every wrong has its perpetrator, so please don't involve others."

After hearing her words, the queen sitting at the top was almost furious. Why did she put all the blame on me?

Jing Bai quickly responded, "Your Majesty, you're joking. What happened back then is a long time ago. Whether I'm guilty or not is up to the Buddha to decide. I dare not bring up the past again, let alone waste the time of the Emperor, the Empress, and the ladies."

"Have you guys exchanged enough pleasantries?" Concubine Qi frowned. "Master, the Emperor didn't summon you in to hear you and Concubine Wen reminisce about the past. If you have anything to say, respond quickly so as not to interrupt your meditation."

"Yes, when the Empress Noble Consort Xi first came to Ganlu Temple, she ignored everyone, so we could only keep our distance. There was only one young man who often came to visit. I passed by the Empress Noble Consort's residence a few times and saw that her door was closed during the day, and several maids were guarding outside. As the abbess, I felt that this was not right and wanted to persuade her, but she scolded me back instead. I couldn't say anything more.

Later, after I resigned, Mo Yan took over the chores of Ganlu Temple. From then on, their interactions became more frequent. I reported this to the abbot several times, but was always reprimanded. One day, while on night watch, I heard noises coming from Concubine Xi's courtyard. Leaning in closer, I heard obscene language that was unbearable to the ears. Hiding in the shadows, I observed carefully. The man emerged disheveled at dawn. Concubine Xi escorted him to the door, his hair disheveled and his breasts half exposed. They agreed to meet again that evening.

Jingbai's description is vivid, with every detail outlined clearly, making people feel as if they are there.

"So when did you discover the affair?"

"It was a few days after the Lantern Festival this year. I observed carefully and found that they met almost every night."

A smug sneer appeared on Concubine Qi's face, and she couldn't wait to ask, "Then do you know who that man is?"