If not abolished

"Have you heard? The one in Yikun Palace said that he had a sudden illness and was moved to the West Garden by the Imperial Concubine to recuperate..."

"I've heard about it, too. What do you think is going on? Hasn't she always been favored by the Imperial Concubine and the Eastern Palace? Moreover, when His Royal Highness was in a coma, Sun prayed to the gods and Buddhas every day to bless His Royal Highness to wake up. Now that His Royal Highness has finally woken up, how could he suddenly fall ill without any signs?"

"Who said it wasn't? Originally, the one with the best chance among the girls selected this time was Sun, but she gave up halfway. What a pity."

The news that Sun Ruoji was driven out of Yiku Palace soon spread throughout the entire imperial palace like a flying bird.

In Chuxiu Palace.

"Sister, what do you think is going on? That Sun was suddenly kicked out. It's so strange. I really want to know what happened. It's so curious." Chu Xuanying was also very surprised when she first heard the news, but she couldn't figure it out, so she had to ask Cao Wanyi.

Cao Wanyi tapped her head and said cautiously, "Please keep your voice down. If someone with ulterior motives hears this, who knows what will happen."

"Sister, you are being too cautious. There are only you and me in this room. Why do you need to be so careful?" Chu Xuanying said disapprovingly.

Seeing that she was still joking, Cao Wanyi said seriously, "Have you forgotten that a few days ago, someone watched us sleep at night?"

After being reminded of this, Chu Xuanying also remembered what happened a few days ago. If Cao Wanyi hadn't helped her, she would probably have been sent home as well. Another young lady who originally lived in the room with them woke up in the middle of the night and screamed in fright when she saw a dark shadow outside the room. She was sent home early the next morning.

She was also startled at the time, and Cao Wanyi quickly covered her mouth. Later they learned that there was someone watching them sleep at night to see if they slept properly and quietly. Imagine if someone snored or moved around while sleeping, it would be terrible.

"I understand." Chu Xuanying knew that if it weren't for Cao Wanyi, she would have...

Cao Wanyi grew up with her, so how could she not know her temper? She consoled her, "I know you don't like Sun very much and want to gloat over her misfortune, but the situation in the palace is unclear right now. If you think about it, even Sun Ruoji has suddenly... it seems that the situation is even more grim."

"Sister, what I mean is..."

"It's just my hunch. Anyway, during this period of time, we should talk less and don't go out of our way to find out the news. It's better not to know some things."

"I'll listen to my sister." Chu Xuanying knew that she didn't have the brain to scheme against others. Her family also told her before she entered the palace not to make her own decisions. Her parents knew her personality and thought that she was lucky to survive in the palace without getting involved in the family. The Chu family didn't have any other ideas of climbing up the social ladder. If there were no other girls of the right age in the family, they would never send her in.

Cao Wanyi was relieved to see Chu Xuanying figured it out, but there were some things she didn't tell Chu Xuanying. The matter of Sun Ruoji was very strange. If she really had a serious illness, she should have been sent out of the palace directly. Besides, given her relationship with the Eastern Palace, it was not impossible for her to recuperate in the palace. But she was sent to the Western Garden, where there were usually not many people. The people below were all looking at people for their favors. If Sun was really sick, she might die suddenly in the Western Garden. Sending someone there without any warning seemed like a deliberate arrangement... She didn't understand it for a moment.

"By the way, sister, do you think we can have a chance to go to Xiyuan to see the excitement during the Dragon Boat Festival?" Chu Xuanying immediately thought of something else and told her about it.

Cao Wanyi was still thinking about Sun's matter, so she didn't hear clearly and asked, "Huh? What did you say? I was distracted just now and didn't hear clearly?"

"Sister actually also has times when she is distracted. I say, will we have a chance to go to Xiyuan to join in the fun during the Dragon Boat Festival?" Chu Xuanying repeated what she had just said.

Cao Wanyi was puzzled: "Why go to Xiyuan on Dragon Boat Festival?"

Chu Xuanying held her forehead with her hand and said, "How could I forget that my sister never cares about the affairs in the palace. You, on the other hand, have become stupid by reading books and embroidering in your room all day long. My dear sister, don't you know that His Majesty Duanwu will meet with envoys from a certain country in the West Garden? Originally, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had prepared a polo match, but now that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has just recovered from a serious illness, I'm afraid he can't participate. What a pity." Chu Xuanying shook her head regretfully.

"Will it be arranged in Xiyuan?" Cao Wanyi confirmed again.

"Yes," Chu Xuanying was fiddling with the embroidery on the table.

"We are just concubines without rank, so I'm afraid we don't have the chance to go." Cao Wanyi guessed.

When Chu Xuanying heard this, she immediately became dejected and said, "Ah, I just wanted to go and take a look. It's the Dragon Boat Festival. The palace is really boring, and I can't go out. I can't even go for a festival. It's such a boring life. Why would anyone desperately want to come in and stay in a place like this for the rest of their lives? I really don't understand." Chu Xuanying complained.

"Maybe some people like to live this kind of life. You don't like it, but some people do. They like the extravagance of the palace and are willing to stay in these four corners of the palace for the sake of this overwhelming wealth."

"For example, Sun, she wants to come in just like this." Chu Xuanying said immediately.

"Psst, why do you always pick on her?" Cao Wanyi sometimes felt strange. Seriously speaking, Sun Ruoji had done nothing wrong to them, so why did Chu Xuanying hold such a grudge against her?

"I don't know. Maybe it's because she and I have a conflict. Anyway, I can't stand her. There's nothing I can do about it." Chu Xuanying thought about Sun Ruoji's delicate and weak appearance, pretending to be pitiful, and she disliked her very much.

Cao Wanyi continued what she hadn't finished saying just now, "There are also some people who don't covet the wealth and honor in this palace, but for the sake of their family, they were sent in and were locked up here for the rest of their lives."

"Fortunately, my family didn't have such thoughts. When my parents heard that my family was chosen to send someone to the palace, they didn't sleep all night. The next day, they called me over and said that they didn't want me to be a queen, but just wanted me to live in peace."

"Uncle Chu, Aunt Chu really loves you. I guess, if everything goes well, we should be able to leave the palace soon."

"Ah, why?"

"Remember the Imperial Concubine's flower-viewing banquet last time? That banquet was originally for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to select a concubine, but after that, His Royal Highness suddenly fell ill and couldn't get up. Later, we heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not suitable for selecting a concubine in the past two years, so everyone who went there later received a reward from the palace, and the matter was dropped. Now that more than a year has passed, His Majesty and the Eastern Palace have started to bring up the matter of selecting a concubine again. Unexpectedly, His Royal Highness's condition was even more serious this time, and he almost..."

"I knew about the last selection of concubines, but I didn't know there was this reason. So will this selection also end early?" Chu Xuanying's eyes sparkled when she heard that there was a chance to go home early.

Cao Wanyi broke her fantasy again, "Not necessarily. Last time, everything hadn't started yet, and it wasn't explicitly said that it was a selection of concubines for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It was understandable that we could refuse in the end, but this time it's a serious selection. It's probably not that easy to send all the concubines out of the palace at once. Besides, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has failed in the selection of concubines again and again. It might not sound good if the news gets out... So for the time being, the palace won't let us leave so soon, but we probably won't be able to choose this time either."

"It's okay if I don't get selected. At least I can go home safely." Chu Xuanying said thankfully.

"So, we have to be more cautious recently." Cao Wanyi reminded again.

"Okay, I'll be good." Chu Xuanying nodded.

Cao Wanyi wondered whether all this was a coincidence or someone did it on purpose, and why all the events were concentrated in Xiyuan.

In a secluded room in the West Garden, the nanny sent the person there as instructed, put the things aside, and said to Sun Ruoji: "Miss Sun, you should stay here well from now on. The imperial concubine said that you can leave when you have figured it out. If you still can't figure it out, it's easy for someone to disappear quietly in this palace."

These words were spoken into Sun Ruoji's ear. Sun Ruoji was indeed ill now. He had just been carried in. However, it was not a serious illness, just a cold and fever. Sun Ruoji was lying on the bed, groggy, but he still heard the nanny's words clearly.

"Mammy, please help me say something good in front of the Imperial Concubine. I have really been wronged. Someone must have framed me. Cough cough cough..." Sun Ruoji pulled the nanny's sleeve hard.

The nanny gently pulled back her sleeves and said, "It seems that the girl's illness has become more serious. Don't worry, wait for her to stay here for a few days and take good care of herself, and you will understand." After the nanny said this, she left with her people without looking back.

After everyone left, Sun Ruoji's expression immediately changed and his eyes became fierce.

Everyone in the palace must be laughing at her now, probably thinking that she will never be able to get up again this time. Humph, if you want to laugh at her, it's impossible. She will make a comeback and must hold on until the Dragon Boat Festival, then she will still have a chance. But as for the matter of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who is framing her? She must be careful during this period of time. The person behind the scenes probably doesn't want her to live. She is in danger at any time. But as long as she doesn't speak, the Royal Concubine and the Crown Princess will not let her die. It has to be said that this is her life-saving talisman.

Side hall of the East Palace.

"How is it? Have you found out clearly? Was Sun really expelled to the West Garden?" Concubine Guo asked anxiously.

The maid looked around and made sure that no one was around. She replied, "Don't worry, madam. I have found out everything. Madam Sun was indeed sent to the West Garden by the Imperial Concubine."

"Sun won't say anything, right?"

"Your Highness, please relax. Sun doesn't know anything about us. What can she say? The Imperial Concubine has no evidence and can do nothing. If Sun really said something, the Imperial Concubine would have come here. She would not have just put the person in the West Garden."

"You're right." Although Concubine Guo said this, she was still a little worried and could only pretend to be calm.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

The two people in the room were startled by the announcement.