Professional Ethics of a Concubine

The emperor immediately summoned Prince Jing to the palace, and when he saw him he asked directly,

"Was it you who set up the plot for Chen Guangyao to stab Xie Yongsheng?"

"Your Majesty, it is I who am your son." King Jing also admitted it generously and frankly, and explained in detail,

"The Chen family is the family of the prince's father-in-law, and Minister Chen is the father's relative. He is also in a high position and has great power, so it is not easy to move.

If you want to make him suffer, and make him get into trouble that cannot be easily resolved, you have to find another new way.

So, after much deliberation, I decided to move against his beloved youngest son, Chen Guangyao.

Chen Guangyao is favored and a dandy boy. He is stupid and arrogant, easy to approach and deceive, and he acts impulsively. He is a perfect candidate for getting into trouble.

The only ones who can confront the Chen family head-on are us, the royal family.

There are many royal relatives, and many of them rely on their royal status to commit crimes. Xie Yongsheng is the best candidate.

Although Xie Yongsheng's lineage had no real power in the court, they had a close relationship with Taizu. Xie Yongsheng's grandfather even blocked an arrow for Taizu, which was a great merit that could make him bear the blame.

Out of old friendship, the emperor gave them face and gave them many rewards. He also let them hold positions in the clan affairs office and control some clan members.

Although they had status and Xie Yongsheng's grandfather and father had enjoyed great wealth for many years, they were still ruffians and punks at heart.

Making Xie Yongsheng a eunuch but sparing his life made them feel pain, but not completely pain. They were reminded of this shame by Xie Yongsheng all the time.

Therefore, their hatred for the Chen family is enough to drive them crazy, and they will definitely stand on the opposite side of the prince, because only by defeating the prince can the Chen family be brought down.

As long as I show a little goodwill at this time, I can gain the support of Xie Yongsheng's lineage and some of the royal relatives who are on good terms with them.

This method can quickly make up for my lack of royal family kinship and enable me to compete with the Crown Prince."

The emperor listened to his analysis with a sullen face and remained silent, but he became more and more satisfied with Prince Jing.

This ability to understand people's hearts and use other people's strengths to their advantage, fully demonstrated the art of game, which made him very satisfied.

Prince Jing has the talent to be an emperor.

"You have calculated clearly, and you have ruined a good year!" The emperor snorted angrily.

"I still have to clean up your mess. It's New Year's Day and I have to listen to those people wailing non-stop!"

It gives me a headache just thinking about it, why are they so annoying one by one.

"Father, please calm down! I know you must be upset about this, so I have a suggestion." King Jing said calmly.

"You say." The emperor wanted to see what else he could say.

"Father, you may as well pretend to be ill and leave all these messes to the Crown Prince. You can take advantage of the New Year holiday to move to the royal hot spring resort, soak in the hot springs, and have a good rest and relax for a few days."

King Jing spoke.

The emperor was slightly moved by what he said, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was a good idea.

After a tiring year, he wanted to have some quiet time, not only to quiet his ears but also to refresh his eyes. He would not see the people he did not want to see and only see the people he wanted to see.

"Father, you can let the prince preside over the year-end sacrifices, palace banquets, and other matters. This will make him feel pain and then get something good, which he will have nothing to refuse."

The emperor nodded when he heard this. If he didn't give any benefits, the prince would definitely cry and refuse, and the queen would also make trouble.

Entrusting them with matters such as sacrifices and palace banquets that represented the face of the imperial power simply made them ecstatic, and they even wondered if his health was really not good and he had to give up power.

Haha, the Queen and the Crown Prince are probably hoping for his early death.

It seems that King Jing is filial and he even asked him to go to the hot spring resort to soak in the hot springs and rest.

When the emperor thought of this, his eyes towards Prince Jing softened, and the anger in his heart had long since disappeared.

"Well, this is a good idea." The emperor nodded.

Prince Jing noticed that the emperor's attitude had softened, and his tense body relaxed as well. He answered more calmly, and even had a slightly attentive smile on his face.

“Father, in this matter, the Crown Prince will undoubtedly side with the Chen family and try to protect Chen Guangyao.

Even if Chen Guangyao is imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, he will definitely be well served.

At that time, as long as someone reveals this news to Xie Yongsheng, Xie Yongsheng, who has already become a mad dog, will definitely bite the Ministry of Justice.

With a little guidance, Lin Youcai, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, would become the target of Xie Yongsheng's revenge. Lin Youcai would have to deal with Xie Yongsheng and would have no energy to care about the victims of past unjust cases.

After the New Year, they would choose a day in the first lunar month to expose the matter of the victim, and together with the story of Dou E's injustice, arouse the indignation of the students. Some officials of the Ministry of Justice, such as Lin Youcai, would surely be brought down.

When the time comes, Father will place his own people in the Ministry of Justice, use this opportunity to reorganize the Ministry, and then take the Ministry back."

The emperor looked at Prince Jing steadily, and the admiration and smile in his eyes could not be suppressed. He smiled and said hello three times, and said,

"Prince Jing's mansion has been prepared. You can move in in the next two days. Stay away from this mess."

"Yes, father. I would like to thank you for your love and care." King Jing did not forget to flatter him at the end.

The emperor felt that Prince Jing was more and more considerate.

-

Ye Qingzhi had already heard King Jing talk in detail about his various calculations on the Chen Guangyao matter. It could be said that he had killed many birds with one stone and had played a big chess game.

After listening to it, in addition to lamenting the leader's deep scheming, Ye Qingzhi was also very grateful.

She chose to be honest and sincere to him at the beginning, and it turned out to be a way out.

If you try to play tricks on him and think you are clever, not only will you not gain his love now, but you will probably be squeezed dry and discarded by him.

The ups and downs caused by this incident had nothing to do with her directly, so Ye Qingzhi didn't take the news to heart.

They were going to move to Prince Jing's Mansion, and Prince Jing meant that before leaving, they should have another family dinner with the people from the Xie Mansion.

This banquet naturally also includes the Pingnan Marquis Mansion in Dongyuan.

On the day of the family dinner, Ye Qingzhi got up in the morning and followed Prince Jing and the princess to Fushou Garden to pay their respects to the old lady.

Maybe she felt relieved after the big secret that had been weighing on her mind was revealed. In addition, Prince Jing successfully traced his ancestral roots back to his roots and did not bring any bad influence to the Xie family. Therefore, the old lady was in good spirits and seemed to be in better condition than the last time she came.

"You are all good children, hurry up and get up. You are now members of the royal family, and your status is noble. Don't kowtow to me anymore."

When the old lady saw the three of them kneeling down, she smiled with relief and kindness on her face, and stood up tremblingly to help them up.

"No matter how your grandchild's status changes, you are always his grandmother."

Prince Jing immediately stood up and went to help the old lady, saying sincerely, "The Xie family is also my grandson's home."

This is the promise made by King Jing. He will never forget the protection and upbringing of the Xie family, and he will also protect and support the Xie family.

"After the spring examination next year, when Mingqing passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, the title of nobility from the eldest wife's side will be inherited by him."

King Jing said,

"Mingqing is a good kid and can be a help to me. My grandson will train him well."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness." The old lady's eyes were a little moist with emotion, and she sighed when she heard the words.

"Mingqing is growing up and can support the West Garden, but over in the East Garden, ah, Mingli, that fool...

He was a smart kid in studying, and he married such a good girl like Qingwan. His life could have gotten better and better, but it was ruined by Zhao Xinlan!

And as for Xiu Han, I thought he was Mingli's child, but I didn't expect... Mingli was ultimately responsible for his own mistakes.

Mingli's only descendants now are a son and a daughter from a concubine's family. Judging from his appearance, it is impossible for him to remarry, and the children of the second branch of Dongyuan are of average talent.

Alas, if Qingwan’s child was fine, there wouldn’t have been so many problems…”

Although we comfort ourselves by telling our children and grandchildren that they will have their own blessings, how can we not worry about their future?

The old lady is neither blind nor deaf. Although she doesn't care about some trivial matters in the mansion, she knows very well how capable each person is when it comes to such a big matter as offspring.

Therefore, she was worried about Dongyuan and that there would be no successor to the Pingnan Marquisate. The title might only be inherited for another one or two years before being demoted, and eventually being stripped of the title and completely declining.

“Grandmother, not to mention that Xie Xiuhan is not a well-mannered child, even if he is, given the evil things his mother has done, no matter how talented he is, he will never be allowed to inherit the title!

Now we can give him a place to live in the Marquis' Mansion for the sake of the Zhao family. After all, his uncle has made great military achievements and is a general under Prince Su. We can't be too ruthless, and family disgrace should not be made public."

King Jing spoke.

After hearing this, Ye Qingzhi glanced at King Jing. Haha, he didn't understand what he had planned.

The old lady sighed deeply and said, "You are right."

"Don't worry, Grandmother. Dongyuan doesn't have a talented heir. Just pick someone from the clan who is talented and good at studying, and put him in Lin Qingwan's name. In the future, she will have descendants who will continue to worship her and burn incense for her."

King Jing said again.

"That's all I can do. Go back and ask Mingli what he thinks. Choose a good kid and let him take care of him and teach him. Let him find something serious to do. Don't let him wallow in the regrets of the past. Otherwise, he will be ruined."

The old lady also agreed to King Jing's proposal.

As long as a clan temple is built and the adoption is recorded in the family tree, it is legitimate. Whether there is direct bloodline is secondary. What is more important is to ensure that the mansion is rich and prosperous and continues to prosper.

After saying these serious things, the old lady spoke to the princess again, and praised her with a smile, praising her for her rapid growth and the dignity of a princess.

Zhang Jingyi felt embarrassed by the compliments, but she was satisfied in her heart. She did not take credit for it, but smiled at Ye Qingzhi and praised her sincerely.

"Grandma, you probably don't know that it's all thanks to Qingzhi's advice. Without her, I wouldn't have grown so fast and done so well!

Qingzhi not only helps me manage the harem and handle the chores, but also helps Your Highness make friends with powerful officials and provides support to Your Highness. She is the one who has made the greatest contribution. If there is a chance, Grandmother should praise her more in front of the Emperor."

King Jing cast her a satisfied glance. The princess was more talkative than before.

When Ye Qingzhi heard the princess praising her like this, she immediately said a few humble words and praised her back.

"I am not as good as the princess praises me to be. What I did was just my duty. It is also thanks to the princess's tolerance and generosity that she tolerates my various irregularities and transgressions.

There are few mistresses in this world who are as kind as the princess, and I am always grateful and fortunate for her."

The old lady looked at their harmonious coexistence and couldn't help but smile. She said to King Jing,

"You are blessed to have a harmonious relationship with your wife and concubine! You should cherish your blessings and don't let them feel disappointed in the future."

In this world, how can a wife and concubine truly live in peace? We can only say that Zhang Jingyi and Ye Qingzhi are both wonderful people.

The princess is tolerant and generous. She can maintain her status, manage household affairs meticulously, and raise children. The concubine is extremely intelligent, but she is also law-abiding and has no desire to fight for power. This is even more rare.

Therefore, the old lady taught Prince Jing to treat his wife and concubine well, because they can accompany him for a long time and are indispensable and virtuous wives and helpers. The other women are just a matter of interests and trade-offs.

Prince Jing was impressed and nodded.

-

At the family dinner in the evening, the masters of the two mansions had warm yet reserved smiles on their faces, and they all toasted Prince Jing and the Princess, and of course, did not leave out the concubine Ye Qingzhi.

Suddenly, the relationship between family members turned into that of king and subject, which was very awkward.

Ye Qingzhi glanced at Xie Mingli and saw that he had lost weight since they met last month. Even in the brocade clothes he wore, he looked like a skinny guy.

Moreover, he had very heavy dark circles under his eyes, sunken eye sockets, a sallow complexion, and an ugly look. His whole aura was gloomy and depressed, and he looked a bit like a drug addict in later generations.

Ye Qingzhi recalled the first time she saw Xie Mingli, that elegant and handsome man. She was still somewhat surprised, but she did not sympathize with him at all.

He who commits evil will suffer the consequences. He was so stupid and murdered his wife. He deserved to be ruined by a woman.

As for Xie Xiuhan, with his current status, he was no longer worthy of attending such a family dinner, so Ye Qingzhi did not see him.

However, she knew to some extent that his life was not easy now. Not only had he lost the aura of a child prodigy, but he was also bullied by the children in the mansion and neglected and despised by the servants.

I heard that he didn't even want to go to school and no one cared about him. After Xie Mingli found out that he was indeed not his child, he stopped caring about him.

As for Zhao Xinlan, she was still gasping for breath on the bed. She drank a bowl of chronic poison every day, which prevented her from dying easily. Her body was still weak and she was in great pain.

She attempted suicide once and was rescued. Xie Mingli told her that if she dared to commit suicide again, he would kill Xie Xiuhan right after that.

Zhao Xinlan cried day and night, and cursed Xie Mingli for being heartless, but she no longer dared to commit suicide. She just endured her days in pain, regretting her decision.

-

Perhaps because she had heard a lot about Lin Qingwan and Pingnan Marquis Mansion during the day, Ye Qingzhi was stimulated and dreamed about Lin Qingwan again tonight.

Not a good dream.

The scene is that Lin Qingwan is having a difficult childbirth, and she has dreamed about this plot before.

Lin Qingwan finally gave birth to the child after much effort, but the baby had no breath and was said to be dead.

Lin Qingwan, who had just given birth to a child and fainted from exhaustion, didn't even get to see her child before the child was taken away and buried. Xie Mingli even mercilessly said that dead babies could not be buried in the family tomb.

Because she had dreamt about it before, Ye Qingzhi felt very uncomfortable with this plot and she wanted to fast forward and skip this part.

However, she did not have the right to fast forward and was forced to watch it again.

Looking at the basins of blood being carried out of the delivery room, Ye Qingzhi was terrified and couldn't help but worry about her beautiful mother. She just hoped to quickly find a fellow villager who could perform a caesarean section to add an extra layer of insurance for her beautiful mother's delivery.

Ye Qingzhi endured the discomfort and tried her best to put aside her emotions, just treating it as watching a movie.

When the child was finally born, Ye Qingzhi breathed a sigh of relief even though she knew it was a stillbirth, thinking that Lin Qingwan would finally not be tortured anymore.

However, when she glanced over, she found that although the baby was not crying, its blood-stained little chest seemed to be rising and falling.

The child is not dead?!

Before Ye Qingzhi could finish being shocked, something even more shocking happened.

Lin Qingwan's face, which had been blurry in her dream, became clear, and she saw a somewhat familiar face.

Her own face in her previous life!

To be precise, it was her face that was taken with a beauty camera.

Ye Qingzhi was not in the mood to complain about this.

Because a deep chill rose in her heart, and a guess that made her worried appeared in her mind.

Could it be that she is Lin Qingwan, and Lin Qingwan is her previous life? ! !

She thought these bad things were the remaining memories of Lin Qingwan, but they were actually her memories from her previous life, but she had forgotten them?

Ye Qingzhi woke up immediately and couldn't help but gasp. Her expression was indescribably wonderful, reflecting her crazy heart.

"Qingqing, are you having a nightmare again?" King Jing, who was sleeping beside her, was awakened by her gasps and asked with concern as he looked at her.

"Lin Qingwan appeared in your dream again?"

-

The two chapters are updated together, and I will try to update another one after twelve o'clock.

I originally named the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice Guo Youcai, but then I found out that it had the same name as a celebrity on the internet. After all, he is a bad character, so I changed it to Lin Youcai to avoid his fans scolding me.