Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace: Fawning

Hongli looked at Xiangjian with deep affection, but Xiangjian thought he was threatening her with the lives of the Han people, so she didn't give him a good look.

But Hongli didn't care at all.

He knew that it was impossible for an icy beauty like Xiang Jian to fall in love with him. But even if he couldn't keep her heart, keeping her in his body was also a good thing.

Xiangjian turned her face away.

Hongli smiled and faced the Han tribe members, assuring them, "Don't worry, I will treat your Princess Xiangjian well. I will also make her a noble lady, and I hope everyone in the harem will be able to accommodate her."

The titles bestowed by Hongli were still so casual.

For the sake of Hanbu, Xiangjian had to accept her fate, but for the sake of Hanqi, she didn't want to accept her fate.

Looking at Hongli, Xiangjian's deep eyes were like dead water without a single ripple.

Most of the concubines left the scene due to jealousy, claiming to be unwell. Only Yuyan spoke up to congratulate Hongli on winning the beauty.

On the day Xiang Jian was canonized as a noble lady, Hongli could not wait to summon her to sleep with him.

Xiangjian was wrapped in a quilt and carried into the Yangxin Palace by two young eunuchs. Hongli changed into his pajamas, walked calmly to the bedside, and sat cross-legged.

He reached out and lifted a corner of the quilt. He saw her skin as white as cream, her lips rosy, and a red mole beside her eye, which added a touch of allure to her. However, her peach-shaped eyes were slightly downcast, with a sense of world-weariness, charming yet not vulgar. Hongli couldn't help but reach out and touch her face.

But Xiangjian didn't seem to want to contact him and turned her head slightly.

Hongli was not annoyed by Xiangjian's dislike. Instead, he curled his lips into a smile and pounced on her. He believed that even if Xiangjian didn't like him now, she would fall in love with Hongli because of his kindness over time.

After his first imperial concubine's sleep, Hongli was like possessed, staying in Baoyue Tower for several days.

Perhaps it was because the women in the harem were too submissive to Hongli that he felt Xiangjian's stubbornness was unique. When Xiangjian was asleep, her long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyelids, her red lips slightly pursed. Even when Xiangjian was awake and cold to him, Hongli was content with it.

He always felt that as long as he continued to treat her well, one day this piece of ice would melt.

After several days, Lujun's illness did not improve and she was bedridden. She ate vegetarian food and chanted Buddhist scriptures every day. She always thought that it was because she had overestimated her abilities and tried to compete for the position of queen that Hongli hated her so much, and thus implicated Yongzhang.

Because of Lujun's illness, Yongzhang had no intention of serving as a clerk, so he simply moved back to Zhongcui Palace and showed more filial piety to Lujun by her bedside.

When Lujun fell ill, the power to rule the six palaces finally fell into Yuyan's hands.

In order to consolidate her position, she tried her best to win over the hearts of the people and rewarded them with rare jewels. For a time, everyone in the harem praised her endlessly.

In the Cining Palace, Zeng Huan looked at the gift list with a frown on her face.

"Noble Lady Rong has just entered the palace and is already so favored. I'm worried that the Han tribe will use this to cause trouble."

Fujia bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty the Queen Mother is wise. This is exactly what I am worried about."

Zeng Huan: "If Concubine Rong gives birth to another child, I'm afraid she will become the next Ruyi."

Fujia frowned and asked, "What ingenious plan does the Empress Dowager have?"

Zeng Huan thought for a moment and said, "Deprive her of her right to be a mother."

Although Zeng Huan felt that this was cruel, she had no choice but to resort to this measure for the sake of the Qing Dynasty. "But this matter must be kept secret, and the Cining Palace must not be polluted."

Fujia was stunned for a moment, then understood: "I understand."

That day, Yuyan sent someone to deliver a bowl of bird's nest, saying that it was a nourishing holy product that was very beneficial to the human body.

Every palace has one.

Xiang Jian didn't want to accept it, but the palace maid said that it was Concubine Jia's good intention and it would be disrespectful to refuse it.

Unable to refuse such a kind invitation, Xiang Jian had no choice but to drink it.

Unexpectedly, after just a moment, she began to feel severe abdominal pain and broke out in a cold sweat.

Seeing this, Xipo and Aji immediately sent someone to call the imperial physician.

The imperial physician rushed over and looked solemn after a diagnosis.

"Imperial Physician, how is Concubine Rong?" Xipo asked anxiously.

The imperial physician sighed, not daring to look Xiang Jian in the eye: "My dear... I'm afraid... it will be difficult for you to get pregnant in the future."

Xipo and Aji felt a black screen before their eyes and almost fainted.

"Impossible," Ah Ji cried out, "Our noble has always been in good health. How could this happen?"

The imperial physician hesitated and dared not say more.

Xiangjian smiled sadly, tears sliding down silently.

She had never wanted to bear a child for Hongli. To her, a child was the natural product of the union of two people in love.

The important thing is that she will never be able to have her own children again, and even if she wants to leave the palace in the future, she will have no ties.

Chengqian Palace was filled with a strong smell of medicine, but it could not cover up the atmosphere of despair.

Hongli rushed over after hearing the news, and felt heartbroken when he saw Xiangjian's pale face.

He held Xiang Jian's hand and asked, "Xiang Jian, how are you?"

Xiangjian pulled her hand away, turned her face away, and didn't want to look at him.

"Who is it? Who hurt you like this?" Hongli roared.

Xiang Jian closed her eyes and said calmly, "I asked someone to get the sterilization medicine. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

She knew who it was, but didn't want to say.

Seeing their young mistress being victimized by a traitor, Xipo and Aji refused to let it go. They both knelt before Hongli and sobbed, "Your Majesty, our young mistress is as pure as a chrysanthemum. She disdains to compete for favor with other concubines and refuses to tell you the truth. But we grew up together, and she has long since treated us as family. So we cannot bear to see her framed."

Xipo wiped her tears and knelt down to beg Hongli to help Xiangjian. Ah Ji took Xiangjian's freshly finished soup from the nearby table, gritted his teeth, and suppressed the hatred surging in his heart. He met Hongli's gaze with a resentful expression and choked out a sob, "Your Majesty, it was after drinking this bowl of soup that the young lady suffered from the abdominal pain. Please, Your Majesty, help the young lady..."

Hongli pondered for a few moments, then moved his fingertips slightly, alerting Qi Ru to check. Qi Ru, who had taken the order, took the bowl from Aji's hand, dipped his index finger in some of the remaining residue, and tasted it lightly.

After a moment, Qi Ru said, "Your Majesty, this is the Nine Cold Soup."

Hongli frowned and muttered, "Nine Cold Soup?"

My thoughts go back to the distant past.

Many years ago, when he was still a prince, his father had a lowly concubine. She was so favored that even though she never treated his father well, he would still visit the palace every day to accompany her. Hongshi's mother, Concubine Qi, was afraid that Concubine Ning might give birth to a prince and threaten Hongshi's position, so she had her maids deliver the Nine Cold Soup, thus eliminating Concubine Ning's chances of conceiving an heir.

He never thought that decades later, someone would still dare to use such despicable tactics in his harem. In anger, Hongli overturned the bowl, and everyone present knelt down and shouted: "Your Majesty, calm down."

Hongli's face darkened as he asked, "Who sent this soup?"

Xipo: "Your Majesty, it's Concubine Jia."