The Virtuous Concubine

When facing Jingyi, Malu almost blurted out, "I have plenty of men, there's no need for you to fight for them. Kangxi will give him to you."

But she still held back and said it in a more tactful way: "You are also the emperor's concubine. If you consider Thirteen's future, or if you think about it, it is normal for you to have thoughts about grace. But I think...

"The Jingyi I know is determined and has great character. So I don't think there is any need to doubt you. Let's send the emperor away."

After saying that, Malu was so tired that she lay down directly. She moved a little further inside and patted the bed, motioning Jingyi to lie down with her and talk.

After hearing Malu's frank remarks, Jingyi couldn't help but feel guilty for her previous thoughts.

The queen has always been so good to her! Even if the Fourteenth Prince is indeed not the emperor's child, she will not betray the queen.

Jingyi risked coming here today not to compete for favor, but to confirm whether Kangxi looked similar to the Fourteenth Prince.

When she met Kangxi, she was still not sure. After all, the nine sons of the dragon were all different, and the fourteenth was a very favored prince. It was normal for him to have Kangxi's demeanor in his every move, which made him even more confusing.

Jingyi relied on her attentiveness and sensitivity to repeatedly compare and identify many subtle details. The contours of the eyebrows, the shape of the bridge of the nose, the curvature of the corners of the mouth, the overall contour proportions of the face... She finally came to the conclusion with certainty: There is indeed no similarity between the Fourteenth Prince and Kangxi that is like that of a biological father and son.

After Jingyi came to this conclusion, her half-hanging heart finally died, but Malu's words made her half come back to life.

Of course she would not betray Malu, but she could see that everyone who could survive in the Forbidden City was very meticulous. How could she be sure that others would not notice?

And who was that person? The imperial physician? The imperial guard?

Jingyi thought about it and decided to remind Malu. She looked normal, as if it was just an ordinary afternoon, and she arranged the ordinary things in Yonghe Palace as usual.

She covered Malu with a blanket, then turned to Bai Xia Baifu and said, "Your Highness, I will take care of you here. I will help you go to sleep first. You can come in and serve me when the medicine on the stove is ready."

After the others left, she did not lie down beside Malu. She was just a concubine, and it was impossible for her to sleep in the bed of a noble concubine. There was a difference between the high and the low, and even if the friendship between the two was deep, she would not overstep the line.

She leaned forward slightly and knelt on the footstool beside the bed, and whispered to Malu: "Madam, I dare to make a suggestion. If there is a chance, I suggest you send the Fourteenth Prince as far away as possible. The farther the better."

Malu was half asleep and half awake, and was startled by these sudden words. He trembled all over and instantly lost all his sleepiness.

"what happened?"

Jingyi has always been calm and composed. If there was no reason, no one would say this to her in such a serious manner.

Jingyi continued in a low voice, "Fourteenth Prince is getting older and older. A man should have ambitions to go far and wide. He must not be trapped in this palace. If he were to go out and gain experience like Yinzuo, it would definitely be of great benefit to him."

Malu was not convinced at all. She looked straight into Jingyi's eyes and asked, "What's the reason?"

Jingyi said nothing. She didn't want to say it out loud, but she believed that the queen would understand.

Malu had a vague guess in his heart - could it be that Jingyi knew? But Jingyi had never interacted with Nalan before, so how could she know the hidden truth? Could it be that she was deceiving him?

In fact, Jingyi never needed to know who it was, she just needed to know that it was not him.

Seeing that the queen was still unwilling to give in, Jingyi had to remind her again: "The older the prince gets, the more he looks like his father."

She knows!

Malu was struck by lightning, and a strong fear surged in her heart. She unconsciously grabbed Jingyi's arm tightly, her eyes full of fear and panic, and asked anxiously: "When did you find out?"

As soon as the words fell, Malu suddenly realized something. A trace of clarity flashed in her eyes, and her tone was a bit firm and bitter: "You came here today specifically to confirm this matter, right?"

Jingyi comforted Malu: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have never said a word to anyone from beginning to end. This matter is of great importance, how could I not know the pros and cons. But I also hope that Your Majesty can be more careful. After all, there are too many smart people in the palace. The most urgent thing is to send the Fourteenth Prince away first, and then make a long-term plan for the future."

Malu looked at Jingyi with gratitude, his eyes slightly red: "You helped me a lot! I... I was really confused and so careless. But what can I do about this matter in the future?"

Malu felt that it would be difficult to get the Fourteenth Prince to disguise himself! With his straightforward personality, he would definitely notice something was wrong. Without the Fourteenth Prince's cooperation, the subsequent arrangements would be even more difficult.

Seeing that they had made things clear, Jingyi stopped hesitating and asked Malu directly, "I dare to ask, what kind of appearance does he have? A scholar or a warrior?"

He, I am talking about Fourteen’s biological father.

Malu thought about it, and finally just used the word "Confucianism" to pass it over, and was no longer willing to spend any more time describing it in detail.

Jingyi couldn't help but laugh: "Your Majesty has a good eye. The word 'will' first excludes Imperial Physician Rong. Your Majesty will surely be able to come up with a proper plan for sending Fourteenth Prince away. But I don't know if Your Majesty will be willing to do so in the future."

Malu was a little embarrassed by Jingyi's smile. After all, being caught by your best friend in such a secret, even though she still stands on your side, it must still be a little embarrassing.

She blushed and asked Jingyi: "I can even bear to send my child away, what else can I bear to send away?"

Jingyi's face, which was originally slightly smiling, instantly faded, replaced by a solemn expression. She looked straight into Malu's eyes and uttered four words in a heavy voice: "Death, no, evidence."

Just at this moment, a gust of cold wind whistled outside and rushed into the magnificent palace through the half-open ventilation windows, dispersing the warmth that had been accumulated with great difficulty, leaving the room cold and lonely.

Malu did not respond to Jingyi immediately. He just leaned slowly against the head of the bed, staring helplessly at the drooping bright yellow bed curtains.

She knew that just like when she lost her child, she might have no choice in this matter.