The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

Xie Run thought that she was the same as Concubine Shen, and came to ask about the emperor and Bai Fu.

Unexpectedly, she was asking about Taotao.

"When I came here, I saw the Fifth Prince. He looked healthy and energetic. No wonder the Emperor favors him the most."

Xie Run looked at Concubine Jing Shu warily: "Why are you mentioning the Fifth Prince when everything is fine? The Seventh Prince you raised is also doing well, isn't he very healthy now?"

Concubine Jing Shu smiled and said, "The Fifth Prince will be six next year. Isn't it time for him to go to the Prince's Residence?"

Xie Run couldn't help but roll his eyes.

It seems that this is to urge her to take charge of the six palaces.

Even after the Chinese New Year, Taotao is only four years old.

Concubine Jingshu, on the other hand, learned to calculate according to the lunar age and simply added two years to his age.

It sounds like we have no choice but to go to the Prince's Residence.

Xie Run: "I have discussed with the Emperor that I will go to the Prince's Residence after my birthday next year."

Concubine Jing Shu pondered: "Next year's birthday? I'm afraid it will take some time."

Xie Run glanced at her and said, "Sister Jing Shu, have you finished your affairs today? How come you have so much free time that you even come to me?"

Concubine Jing Shu: "I suddenly heard that the Emperor was going to lead the army in person. I was terrified and uneasy."

"But my younger sister is too embarrassed to ask in front of the emperor, so she came here to inquire about the news from her elder sister."

"Sister is well-informed. I guess she knows something."

These days, Concubine Jingshu has gradually returned to her original nature.

Every time they say something, there is always some sarcasm in the words.

Xie Run was used to it, but sometimes he couldn't help but scold her.

Xie Run smiled and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, sister. I don't know anything."

How could she know something that no one inside or outside the court could find out?

Seeing that she couldn't get any information, Concubine Jing Shu brought up another matter, "Sister Xie should have known about Bai Cainu's attempt to win favor in the Imperial Garden."

Xie Run didn't show any strange expression on his face. He just said calmly: "It's just a request for favor. It's not something that crosses the line."

Concubine Jing Shu said meaningfully, "Sister, have you forgotten that we are still in mourning for the Emperor?"

"Bai Cainu has just been released from confinement and she's already trying to seduce the Emperor. As a noble concubine, I'm afraid you'll have to teach her the rules of the palace."

Xie Run: "...I look so stupid that I would be provoked by a few words from you?"

The emperor did not say publicly that he would observe three years of mourning.

It has been more than half a year since the emperor passed away, and the emperor has also been guarding his position for more than half a year.

Among emperors of all dynasties, more than half a year of mourning was enough.

Even if the emperor didn't want to be a filial son and was ready to visit the harem, the ministers of the previous dynasty would only praise the emperor for thinking of them. Who would dare to scold him?!

How overbearing must Xie Run be to even interfere with the emperor's mourning?

Concubine Jing Shu leaned back lazily and said, "Sister, you have misunderstood me. I am only thinking about you."

"Since you care so much about me, why don't you think more about me and teach Bai Cainu yourself?"

Concubine Jing Shu sighed, "My sister does have this intention, but I'm afraid that I'm just being happy with it, but I'm reluctant to do it in my heart."

"After all, my younger sister is no match for my older sister. She's not going to hold back when she strikes. If I implicate my older sister, I'll be doing something bad with good intentions."

After bickering for so long, Xie Run finally suffered a rare defeat at the hands of Concubine Jing Shu.

She really didn't dare let Concubine Jing Shu deal with Bai Fu.

As Concubine Jing Shu said, she was too harsh. If she and herself killed Bai Fu, she would have to bear the responsibility.

At night, the emperor did not summon anyone to sleep with him, but stayed alone in the Purple Palace to rest.

Bai Fu was finally not as confident as before and acted more cautiously and prudently.

Three days later, Fang Baolin met the emperor while practicing the piano at Huixin Pavilion.

After hearing this, Xie Run breathed a sigh of relief.

The palace fighting mode finally returned to normal.

In the evening, the emperor went to see Fang Baolin.

Since there was no official announcement, as long as there was no pregnancy in the harem, no one would talk about where the emperor slept.

Everyone thought that the emperor was going to favor Fang Baolin, and they were waiting to see which way the wind would blow the next day.

Unexpectedly, early in the morning, Fang Baolin came to Xie Run wiping his tears... to apologize.

"I have been taught by the Emperor not to be coquettish and frivolous, and not to perform lascivious music to gain favor during the Emperor's mourning period."

"I have done something wrong, please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Xie Run held a scroll of account books, his face full of confusion. "Stop kneeling on the ground, stand up and talk first."

Fang Baolin quickly shook her head, crying like a tearful person, "I dare not. I am full of sins, I only beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

"Only when I am punished can I feel less tormented by the guilt I feel."

"The Emperor has personally punished me, and my guilt is unbearable. I beg Your Majesty to reduce my punishment!"

Xie Run realized that the emperor was not behaving like a human being again.

Could it be that he was so angry that he couldn't sleep with people during the Xiao period that he turned to find an excuse to teach people a lesson?

Xie Run sighed, "You are seeking favor during the period of mourning for the Emperor Emeritus. This is indeed against palace rules. You will be confined to your residence for a month and required to copy twenty volumes of the Tranquility Sutra."

Fang Baolin nodded repeatedly: "I will go back and copy and reflect on my mistakes. I will never dare to overstep the line again."

Xie Run: “…”

In fact, Fang Baolin was just asking for favor, which was not a big crime.

When Xie Run punished her, he felt it was too severe.

But seeing her expression of gratitude...what did the emperor do?

Fang Baolin was punished, and the news spread throughout the six palaces in the afternoon.

No one dared to go to Showa Palace to inquire about the news, so they all went to Fang Baolin's residence to "visit".

After a round of conversation, everything that happened last night was revealed.

It turned out that the emperor went to see Fang Baolin last night not to show his favor to him, but to teach Fang Baolin a lesson for an entire hour.

Fang Baolin was scolded by the emperor for an hour. He was so scared that he couldn't sleep the whole night.

It was the emperor who asked her to come to Showa Palace to apologize.

When she cried and pleaded guilty in the morning, she was afraid that Xie Run would not punish her, and the emperor would punish her personally.

After hearing this... Xie Run was speechless.

But she also understood one thing.

"I'm afraid the Emperor will really have to observe three years of mourning for the Emperor Emeritus."

This behavior is also intended to discourage those who are trying to curry favor with him.

In Fanghua Palace, Bai Fu was also too quiet.

Caiyue asked softly, "Master, seeing Fang Baolin's condition, are you still ready to dance?"

Bai Fu is good at dancing. She has been practicing hard since she was young and has developed a graceful figure.

In her previous life, when she was in great favor, she often danced for the king and received countless praises, saying that her dance was better than that of Concubine Yang.

She is proud of it too.

During the past six months of house arrest, Bai Fu suffered hardships that she had never experienced in her previous life.

Once you fall into the quagmire, everyone will come to step on you.