This palace comes back in this life, only to be Nian Shilan

Chapter 120: Regret for Mother’s Absence

"As expected of Concubine Hua, you are really smart." When Shen Meizhuang heard these eight words, her brows relaxed.

"Empress Hua has been very thoughtful. The current emperor governs the country with benevolence and filial piety. No matter how much you resent Lord An, no matter how Lord An treats Madam An badly, you, as a child, must show your appreciation when it is your turn."

"Otherwise, people will say that you are ungrateful. If the emperor hears this, it will probably leave a bad impression," Zhen Huan added.

"What Empress Hua and my sister reminded me of was that Lingrong almost forgot."

Today, An Lingrong finally understood clearly what real help was.

"Then you three won't stay here any longer today. I'll go talk to the two sisters after the storm has died down." An Lingrong planned to send Shen Meiyu and Zhen Huan away, so she asked Baoque to change her clothes and kneel down at the gate of the Qinzheng Hall.

"I heard that when the palace maids are punished to kneel, they will use that thing to make kneeling easier. You should wear it when you go, but don't hurt yourself." Shen Meizhuang stood up and touched her belly. She felt the small cotton layer in her bellyband and reminded.

"Xiao Yunzi has that thing. I'll ask Xiao Yunzi to bring it to you later." Zhen Huan also suggested, "But it's summer now, so using that thing will inevitably cause heat. It would be great if it could be used in winter."

"What's wrong with being hot? I'm still wearing a small cotton-padded jacket to pretend I'm pregnant. Well, compared to the pain, what's the big deal about the heat? At most, I can ask Baojuan and Baoque to fan Lingrong to cool her down. Anyway, it's just for show. We can go again when the sun goes down a bit."

An Lingrong couldn't help laughing out loud. It was clearly a very heroic act of sacrifice, but how come it became so ridiculous in the mouths of the two of them?

Songzhi, who was standing by, listened to Concubine Shen's childish words and smiled slightly. Concubine Shen was going to be a mother, yet she was so straightforward. The child she would give birth to in the future would surely be cute.

Fortunately, the haze in An Lingrong's heart has been blown away. The next step is to perform the whole trick.

Having been in the palace for two years, An Lingrong was well aware of the intrigues and deceptions within the palace.

The people in the harem seem harmonious, but in fact they are all acting and maintaining superficial calm. She just wants to ignore the turbulent waves beneath the water.

In this palace, only Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan get along better and better with me, and become more sincere to me.

Even though Concubine Hua treated her well, An Lingrong knew very well that Concubine Hua just wanted to compete with the Queen.

Hua Fei and I are master and servant, not friends, but so what? At least Hua Fei treats me as a human being.

Seeing Xia Dongchun being beaten to death, Yu Ying'er being sent to the cold palace, and Noble Lady Fucha losing her child, An Lingrong wanted to develop a spice recipe to earn money to pay for her mother's eyesight and live a peaceful life, but the Queen would not let her.

Even though she knew that the Queen had used musk on her, An Lingrong never thought of doing anything to the Queen. She just tried her best to avoid getting pregnant in order to protect herself in the palace.

But how can we decide our own life these days?

Since the Queen insists on dragging me into this mess, then Your Majesty, I will not be polite.

There is still a long way to go, so let’s just wait and see.

After seeing off Shen Meiyu, Zhen Huan and Song Zhi, An Lingrong asked Baoque and herself to take off their hairpins and hairpins, let their long hair down, and changed into a simple cheongsam, but of course she didn't wear it because she was kneeling easily.

This kneeling can be regarded as An Lingrong's way of repaying An Bihuai for giving birth to her.

Father, I am useless and can only kneel down and beg the emperor to spare your life.

After all, my daughter is of low status and power, so this is all she can do.

When this matter is settled, there will be no more gratitude between you and me, father and daughter.

From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with me, An Lingrong.

An Lingrong, supported by Baoque, walked step by step towards the Qinzheng Hall. When she reached the entrance of the hall, she knelt down upright.

An Lingrong thought she would have to kneel for a long time, after all, she had not served the emperor in bed for a long time.

Unexpectedly, the good deeds done in the past still borne good fruit.

When Xiao Xiazi saw An Lingrong taking off her hairpin and kneeling outside the Qinzheng Hall awaiting punishment, he immediately went in and reported the matter to the Emperor.

Although the emperor was extremely angry about An Bihuai's corruption, he still felt a lot of reluctance when he thought of An Lingrong, her gentleness and thoughtfulness, and the Jiangnan folk song that An Lingrong sang to him when he first slept with her.

"Xiao Xiazi, go out and tell An Changzai that her father is her father and she is she. I won't blame her. It's very hot outside, let her go back."

Yongzheng wanted to pick up the red pen to continue reviewing memorials, but he always felt reluctant.

An Lingrong's gentleness has always occupied a place in Yongzheng's heart. Perhaps her quietness, restraint and gentleness filled the regret of Yongzheng for the absence of his mother in his childhood.

"It is not appropriate for me to see her now. Go and explain it to her and let her go back."

"Your Majesty, An Changzai said that the son should pay for the father's debt. Now that Lord An has committed a crime, she, as a child, is not here to ask Your Majesty to pardon Lord An, but only to redeem some of Lord An's sins. An Changzai is willing to demote herself to a concubine and be fined for three years to serve as a warning to the harem."

Xiao Xiazi was willing to convey this to An Changzai. After all, when An Changzai was in favor, he had received a lot of rewards from An Lingrong.

Hearing this, Yongzheng's heart paused and put the red pen back on the pen holder. An Bihuai was greedy, but the daughter she gave birth to was well-mannered and sensible.

"There's no need to demote her to a concubine. The salary of a maid is not much anyway. Just deduct half a year's salary to show your filial piety. Go out and tell her to go back."

The 100,000 taels of silver that An Bihuai had embezzled had already been recovered and paid into the national treasury.

Now An was kneeling on the mat waiting for punishment, and she did not plead for mercy for her father. Instead, she asked for punishment herself, which saved the face of Yongzheng as an emperor and set an example for the harem. It was enough.

"Yes, this slave knows."

Xiao Xiazi withdrew respectfully and announced the emperor's will to An Lingrong.

There was a glimmer of hope in An Lingrong's eyes. She didn't have to be demoted, nor did she have to stop receiving salary for three years. Sister Zhen's tactic of retreating to advance really worked.

Just now when Zhen Huan was leaving, she gave herself this idea. She thought it was useless, but she didn't expect it would actually win the Emperor's sympathy.

In this way, even if her father was imprisoned or convicted, the people in the harem would not dare to look down on her because they would see that she was treated well by the emperor.

The loss is just half a year's salary. It doesn't matter. Once the Jixi Pills are sold, this little money will not be enough.

An Lingrong's eyes were filled with tears. She clenched her hands tightly, trying to control herself from laughing out loud.

She has to look sad now and can't be happy anymore.

"Your Majesty, I, An, thank you for your mercy!"