Professional Ethics of a Concubine

After listening to the Crown Princess's lecture, Yao Yinyin couldn't wait to find her sister and tell her the good news.

"What?! The prince really wants to disband you?" Concubine Li frowned in surprise.

"That's right! It must be Su Ranran's matter that annoyed the prince. If Ye Qingzhi keeps whispering in his ear, the prince will kick us out."

Yao Yinyin said excitedly, "This time I have to thank Su Ranran and Ye Qingzhi. Without them, I wouldn't be able to leave the palace and get married again."

Li Zhaoyi's brows were still furrowed. "Your situation is completely different from those concubines. They were born in humble families and were driven away at will. But you are the daughter of a minister, and your father will not agree."

"What's the use of father's disagreement? This is the prince's order." Yao Yinyin snorted coldly, "Father only wants to sell his daughter for wealth and glory, and doesn't care whether I am happy or not."

"It was you who insisted on becoming the prince's concubine." Concubine Li glared at her.

Yao Yinyin shut up, but still looked unconvinced.

"You obviously can't stand loneliness. If I force you to stay in this deep palace, I'm afraid you'll be driven crazy or make mistakes. I'll feel relieved if you leave."

Li Zhaoyi sighed slightly and felt that this was a good idea.

Yao Yinyin nodded repeatedly with a guilty conscience, "Yes, yes."

"When are we leaving?" Li Zhaoyi asked again.

"I won't leave the palace until after the Lantern Festival." Yao Yinyin said with a smile, she was extremely happy.

"Then you should calm down for a while and spend the last year with your sister in this deep palace." Seeing how happy she was, Li Zhaoyi also said with a smile.

Yao Yinyin nodded vigorously.

-

After leaving Xiuli Palace, Yao Yinyin thought for a moment and decided to take a detour to the Cold Palace. She was about to leave the palace, so she had to say her final goodbye.

However, Yao Yinyin never expected that when she arrived at the cold palace and just started talking to Guard Huang, two figures suddenly fell from the sky.

One of them covered her mouth, held her hands behind her back, and grabbed her.

Yao Yinyin widened her eyes in horror!

She watched helplessly as another person took Guard Huang away. Guard Huang's face turned pale and he did not dare to resist at all.

Yao Yinyin tried desperately to pry away the big hand that was covering her mouth, and wanted to tell Guard Huang that she would never admit it.

They weren't caught in bed, they were just talking!

As long as they don't admit it, there is no evidence to prove they had an affair.

However, she didn't have this chance. Not only was she unable to break free from the grip, but she was also knocked unconscious the next moment.

When Yao Yinyin fainted, there was only one thought in her mind:

It’s over, it’s over, sister, save me! Father, save me!

-

At Xiuli Palace, Concubine Li looked at Eunuch Yan who had come to visit with surprise. Her heart skipped a beat and she was filled with panic.

Eunuch Yan is the eunuch in charge of the Ministry of Punishment. His coming to see me is definitely not a good thing.

"Empress Zhaoyi, please follow me to the Ministry of Punishment. There is a case involving Yao Fengyi of the Eastern Palace, and we need you to come forward and listen to the testimony."

Eunuch Yan spoke politely without smiling.

When Li Zhaoyi heard this, she knew it was over. She felt dizzy and swayed before she regained her balance. She asked in a trembling voice,

"May I ask, sir, what is this about?"

"The Empress will know when she arrives. It is not appropriate to make it public." Eunuch Yan said.

Concubine Li became increasingly flustered, her legs becoming weak, and she asked someone to prepare a sedan chair and carry her to the Ministry of Punishment.

Eunuch Yan invited her here to listen to the confessions of Guard Huang and Yao Yinyin's personal maid.

"The younger one is Yao Fengyi, whom I met in March last year... At that time, she said she was a senior palace maid, serving Empress Li Zhaoyi, and had a lot of face.

She also said that she would be released from the palace in two years, so I met her secretly, thinking that I could marry her after she was released from the palace.

If I knew she was Yao Fengyi from the Eastern Palace, I wouldn't dare to meet her in private even if I had a hundred guts!"

"My master met Guard Huang last year... Most of them just talk, but they also avoid me..."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Li collapsed completely in her chair. Her lips trembled as she asked Eunuch Yan, "Where is she? Where is Yao Yinyin?"

"In another room." Eunuch Yan said without any emotion.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that Yao Fengyi's life must not be spared, and considering their past relationship, he will not vent his anger on the Empress and Minister Yao.

But if you insist on doing something to save her life, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't mind making the matter public, and we'll handle it in a fair and just manner..."

Li Zhaoyi immediately shook her head in fear, "No, no, don't make it public!"

If such a thing were made public, it would certainly bring shame to the family. The other sisters would not be able to marry into a good family, and their father would also be affected. Similarly, she and her daughter would be implicated.

However, Yao Yinyin's life was still not saved. It was a capital crime for a concubine to have an affair with a guard.

"Your Majesty has made your choice, so please leave. Please inform Minister Yao."

Eunuch Yan made a gesture of invitation and asked her to leave.

"Can I see Yao Yinyin?" Li Zhaoyi asked. Seeing that he was unmoved, she almost pleaded,

"Please, Eunuch Yan, at least let me see her off for the last time."

"Your Majesty, please excuse me." Eunuch Yan took a step back and let her go see Yao Yinyin.

-

When Yao Yinyin woke up, she found her mouth was blocked and her hands and feet were tied. When she heard that she was in the Ministry of Punishment, she was immediately filled with despair.

At this moment, she regretted it so much that her intestines turned green and tears were streaming.

If she had known this earlier, she would not have said goodbye at all. She would obviously be able to leave the palace soon and embrace a new life.

But now she stepped on empty air and fell into the abyss of despair.

In just one day, Yao Yinyin experienced what it felt like to go from heaven to hell. It was such a painful feeling. She was so miserable and regretful.

When she saw her sister coming, hope immediately flashed in Yao Yinyin's eyes, and she looked at her expectantly.

Her sister must be here to save her!

After this incident, she really became obedient and she never dared to do anything wrong again!

Li Zhaoyi came up to her, stared at her for a long while, and said to her in a hoarse voice,

"Yinyin, you have done something wrong. This time, your sister and father can't save you."

Yao Yinyin shook her head and cried even harder.

She kept raising her chin, signaling Li Zhaoyi to help her pull the cloth out of her mouth, she wanted to speak!

"I'm tired. I don't want to hear your pleas, regrets or scoldings. Nothing you say can change the result."

Li Zhaoyi raised her hand, touched her head, and spoke softly,

"Sister is here just to tell you, go and have peace of mind. Next time you are reborn as a human, don't be so willful. Think more before you act."

Wuuuuu... Wuuuuu... Yao Yinyin shook her head desperately and looked at her sister pleadingly, asking her to find another way to save her.

How could there be no solution?

Sister, you are the Zhaoyi and your father is the Shilang. As long as you give up some power and give some things, the prince will definitely spare her life.

Li Zhaoyi stopped looking at her, closed her eyes, wiped away her tears, and turned away cruelly.

Yao Yinyin looked at the door that closed again, and the light in her eyes dimmed completely.

Wuuuuu...Sister, don’t go, she really knows she is wrong, please save her!

-

As soon as Li Zhaoyi came out of the Ministry of Punishment, she sent someone to deliver a message to her parents' home. After receiving the letter, Madam Yao immediately entered the palace.

She came in a hurry, and after hearing what Li Zhaoyi said, Mrs. Yao's eyes turned red from crying again, and she left in panic.

After Li Zhaoyi sent her mother away, she also fell ill and did not attend the palace banquet on New Year's Eve. When she appeared in public again, she looked much thinner and haggard.

After that, she never mentioned Yao Yinyin in front of anyone again, just pretending that she didn't have this sister.

-

After hearing his wife's retelling, Minister Yao was so angry that he smashed the cup beside him and yelled,

"This evil creature! She, she is here for revenge! Our family really owes her, we owe her!"

"Wuuuu... Master, Yinyin is already dead, please stop scolding her." Mrs. Yao said with concern.

"I should have killed her three years ago!" Minister Yao did not stop cursing, but instead shouted at her with regret.

"This evil creature, she did such a treasonous thing, she deserves to die! It has come to this, and you are still protecting her, and you won't let me scold her!

Are you going to wait until she kills the whole family before you say she is wrong? It is because of your pampering that she has come this far!"

Madam Yao was scolded bitterly, and Minister Yao put all the blame on Madam Yao.

"Master, you only blame me, aren't you at fault? It's the father's fault for not educating his daughter. If your daughter is like this, you have a greater responsibility..."

Mrs. Yao was not someone who would just accept things passively. She immediately retorted and cursed back.

A family war broke out...

-

However, apart from Yao Yinyin's family, no one else cared about her sudden disappearance.

Even if the women in the backyard knew that she had disappeared, they would not ask publicly, but would only discuss and speculate in private.

Yao Yinyin's life or death has nothing to do with them.

After the Lantern Festival, they will go their separate ways. They have been spending this year in uncertainty, with expectations but also confusion about the future.

Of course, I still expect more. Who wants to be a bird in a cage?

Although I know that I will face storms if I fly out, I still yearn for the sky and freedom.

For Ye Qingzhi, this year was nothing new. After returning from the palace banquet on New Year's Eve, she stayed up all night with the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.

On the first day of the new year, she followed the prince to pay New Year's greetings to the emperor and the eldest princess, and unexpectedly received a big red envelope from the emperor and the eldest princess.

When she returned to the East Palace, the children came to wish her a happy new year, and she gave them big red envelopes.

Because she had many children, she was still short of money.

The Crown Princess smiled and said that once you have a baby, you will be able to earn New Year’s money.

Ye Qingzhi laughed on the surface, but in her heart she thought how stupid she had to be to think of having a baby to earn New Year's money. In the end, she would definitely lose everything.

In previous years, after paying New Year's greetings in the morning, Ye Qingzhi had nothing to do in the afternoon, so she liked to lie in bed and sleep all afternoon. After all, she was very sleepy after staying up late and getting up early.

However, this year, because Ye Qingzhi was thinking about going to Xiangguo Temple to meet Master Yin and listen to him recite the Sutra of Rebirth, she didn't feel sleepy anymore. After lunch, she got on the carriage and set off.

The prince was also taking a break during the New Year, and even a workaholic would not work at this time, so he accompanied her to the temple.

On the first day of the new year, many people came to the temple to burn incense and worship Buddha. The prince and Ye Qingzhi kept a low profile when they traveled, and they didn't ask anyone to clear the area.

However, there are still many guards hiding in the dark.

Master Liao Yin saw the prince and Ye Qingzhi, smiled and saluted them, and said,

"This morning, I felt a strange feeling in my heart, and my mind was in turmoil. It seemed like a premonition, and as expected, a distinguished guest came to visit."

"Master is indeed a master, he can foresee the future." Ye Qingzhi immediately said with a smile, "Master, guess again, why are we here?"