Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

Madam Lin calmed down after hearing this, a complex emotion in her eyes. She slowly said, "Feng'er, did you know that the old lady of the Zhen family was the late emperor's wet nurse? Back then, she was given the title of Madam Fengxian."

Xifeng nodded, indicating that she knew about this, but she still had some doubts in her heart. So, she asked curiously, "Mother, is there any other reason behind this?"

Madam Lin nodded slightly and continued, "You only know the surface. Back then, the late Emperor favored the then-Noble Consort Dong, even hailing the Fourth Prince, born to Dong, as 'My First Son,' while ignoring the other princes and princesses. At the time, the Emperor and the Fourth Prince were of similar age, yet while the Fourth Prince was doted on, the Emperor was left as helpless as a lonely cabbage. If it weren't for Madam Zhen's bravery and protective care, the Emperor would have struggled to remain safe in the Imperial City."

After hearing this, Xifeng finally understood why the late emperor was so gracious to the Zhen family. It turned out that the Zhen family was favored not only because of their strong family background, but also because they had once saved the late emperor's life.

Mrs. Lin's words plunged Xifeng into deep thought. She began to re-examine the relationship between the Zhen family and the late emperor. At this moment, her mind gradually became clear, and she understood the deeper meaning behind this history.

Madam Lin frowned, her eyes filled with deep thought as she slowly spoke, "It's said among the upper-class families that the late emperor's fourth prince was killed because the late emperor and Madam Zhen conspired to drug the prince and his concubine with a beauty intoxicant, which led to their death."

"What?" Xifeng asked in surprise.

Madam Lin nodded and continued, "Yes, this is not groundless. The wet nurse who served the Fourth Prince was Madam Zhen's sister. Her sister's husband died early, and she only had one son raised in the Zhen family. This son is now Zhen Youdao, Concubine Zhen's eldest brother. And Madam Zhen's sister is now living in the Zhen family's villa! It is truly sad that such a beloved concubine has passed away in such a way."

Lin Chaoge fell into deep thought, secretly lamenting the cruelty and ruthlessness of the palace struggle. Although there was no solid evidence for such rumors, they were enough to make people speculate and question the events of that year.

After a moment's reflection, Xifeng raised her head and said, "Mother, even if this is true, it's too late to dwell on the past. Besides, the Emperor has always been very caring towards the Zhen family, perhaps because he's thinking of the kindness we once showed him."

Madam Lin sighed, "Well, you have a point. But who can truly explain the affairs of the palace? Now we just need to do our own part and not get involved in unnecessary disputes."

Xifeng nodded and replied, "I understand. Don't worry, mother. I will be careful with my words and actions."

The mother and daughter chatted for a while, the topic gradually turning to trivial matters. However, Xifeng's heart could not calm down. She secretly vowed to be more cautious when interacting with people in the palace in the future to avoid causing trouble for herself and her family.

As the night deepened, and Lin Ruhai still hadn't returned, Xifeng lay alone in bed, unable to fall asleep, her mind replaying the events of the daytime conversation with Old Lady Lin. Finally, she made up her mind, quickly changed into her nightgown, activated her martial arts skills, and sped off like a bird towards the Zhen family compound.

Inside the Zhen family's courtyard, in a tranquil Buddhist temple, a plump, kind-faced old lady knelt devoutly before a Buddha statue, muttering to herself. Xifeng quietly entered, finding no one else inside except the old lady, and so she leaped down. The old lady seemed to have sensed Xifeng's arrival, but she showed no surprise or fear. She simply said, "Good and evil will eventually be rewarded. It's not that there won't be retribution, it's just that the time hasn't come yet."

Xifeng's heart tightened, fearing something might happen. She immediately used the Niehun technique and asked the old lady, "Did you harm the late emperor's concubine and the fourth prince?" The old lady's eyes were dull as she slowly replied, "I only did what I had to do..."

During the late emperor's reign, the Fourth Prince was known for his exceptional intelligence and was greatly favored by the late emperor, who even considered making him the crown prince. However, the imperial concubine at the time repeatedly obstructed him, citing the prince's youth, causing the late emperor to hesitate. Later, the imperial concubine and the fourth prince died simultaneously, leaving the late emperor depressed and ultimately passing away.

Xifeng asked again, "Then why did you do this?" The old lady replied, "I was originally a maidservant to the Imperial Concubine, and was deeply trusted by her, so I was sent to the Fourth Prince's mansion to take care of him. The Fourth Prince treated me very well, like his own mother, and I am deeply grateful to him. However, in the late Emperor's later years, his health was gradually weakening, and the Empress took the opportunity to seize power and extend her murderous hand to the Fourth Prince. To protect the Fourth Prince, the late Emperor decided to make him the Crown Prince, but was opposed by the Empress and others. Ultimately, the Empress threatened me and ordered me to poison the Imperial Concubine and the Fourth Prince. The Empress learned from her sister that I had a son, so they detained my son in the Zhen family. When the late Emperor learned of this, he was filled with grief and anger, his condition worsened, and he soon passed away. Before his death, the late Emperor had always wanted to investigate the truth, but the palace was already under the control of the Empress, and the late Emperor never closed his eyes until his death.

The old woman continued obediently, "When I was serving the Fourth Prince, my sister always liked to compete with others, so she found ways to get to the Third Prince's side. Since the Third Prince was not favored by the Emperor, my sister went to the Third Prince's biological mother, the Queen, and told her that she had a sister serving the Fourth Prince and could help them get rid of this thorn in their side. The Queen thought this was a good idea and promised that if this plan succeeded, she would definitely let the Zhen family's daughter enter the palace as a concubine to ensure the prosperity of the Zhen family."

When Xifeng heard this, she understood. She felt sad for the power struggles in the palace, and at the same time, she felt pity for the old woman before her.

It turns out that all this is a conspiracy. For their own benefit, the Zhen family is willing to sell out their family ties and participate in the palace struggle. The third prince's biological mother, on the other hand, takes advantage of the Zhen family's greed and tries to eliminate her rivals.

However, this conspiracy eventually led to the death of the late emperor and also brought a huge shock to the royal family.