Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace: Fawning

Li Yu went to Qixiang Palace by order.

Qixiang Palace was bustling with activity, overflowing with gifts and gifts of tonics and jewelry. The harem was always eager to curry favor with the powerful, and now Ruyi was under house arrest due to rumors, Su Lujun was out of favor, and Hongli had disliked her for the events during the funeral. Therefore, if Ruyi was deposed, the power to manage the six harems would undoubtedly fall to Yuyan. To curry favor with Yuyan, the harem concubines and the Imperial Household Department were practically breaking down the threshold of Qixiang Palace.

After everyone finally dispersed, Yuyan touched her round belly, suppressed the smile on her lips, glanced at the palace door, and complained, "What a bunch of people who forget their principles when they see profit. When the Imperial Noble Consort was favored, Qixiang Palace was never this lively."

Zhenshu stepped forward and helped Yuyan up. "My lady, don't pay any attention to them. These people are not even worthy of carrying your shoes. Now that the Imperial Noble Consort has finally fallen, you must seize this opportunity to persuade the Emperor to change his mind and make you the Empress. This way, the Prince will have the greatest support in the Yu Clan in the future."

The thought of the prince made Yuyan's mouth curl up uncontrollably. She gently stroked the baby in her belly, imagining that it was her and the prince's flesh and blood. She smiled and said, "This queen position is inevitable. What belongs to me is mine. Even if it's not mine, I will find a way to grab it. Zhenshu, I'm tired. Please help me go to the room to rest."

As soon as Yuyan stepped into the inner hall, Li Yu and his men rushed in.

Li Yu was a popular figure around Hongli, so Yuyan had to give him some face. She turned and stepped forward, suppressing her dissatisfaction. She smiled at Li Yu and said, "Oh, isn't this Eunuch Li? How did you find time to come to my place today?"

Yuyan felt that her plan was perfect and thought that Li Yu was here to curry favor with her like everyone else, so she didn't think about it in any other way.

"Hello, Imperial Concubine Jia." Li Yu came forward, holding the jade hairpin box he had received from the Imperial Household Department. He spoke with a relaxed smile, "The Emperor recently received a pair of hairpins. He said that the Empress loves bright colors and looks especially beautiful in red. So he ordered me to bring this pair of hairpins to the Empress. I hope she likes them."

Yuyan thanked her, and Zhenshu stepped forward to take the box. When they opened it, they looked at each other and their expressions changed instantly.

Because Li Yu was there, Yuyan tried her best to hide her panic and said with a smile, "Looking at the material of this hairpin, it should be red chalcedony. If you don't look closely, it looks very similar to agate."

Li Yu replied, "Your Majesty is right. This is indeed carnelian."

Yuyan asked in confusion, "Was this hairpin offered as tribute by local officials? Why would they offer such a cheap item? They really don't take the royal family seriously." She paused and probed Li Yu, "Why did the emperor suddenly think of giving me a red chalcedony hairpin?"

Li Yu deliberately said in embarrassment: "This... I don't know. Perhaps the emperor is thinking of you, the noble concubine, who is pregnant, and wants to give you a suitable toy to please you so that you can give birth to a little prince for the emperor in the future."

Yuyan pursed her lips and chuckled, "No wonder Eunuch Li has become such a popular figure around the Emperor."

Li Yu lowered his head modestly. "Your Majesty, thank you for your kind words. However, I have another matter to attend to in Qixiang Palace today. Your Majesty, you are aware that the Emperor has been unable to sleep or eat well because of the Imperial Noble Consort's matter, and he has become quite haggard. He will be in low spirits until this matter is resolved. The Imperial Noble Consort and Master Anji's token of love is a seven-treasure bracelet. The Emperor has ordered the harem to write down the seven-treasure items that are commonly used. Your Majesty, I have already taken people there. Jinzhong has also taken people to Guanju Palace and Yongshou Palace. If it is convenient for you, Your Majesty..."

After saying this, Li Yu looked up at Yuyan with a smile, trying to find a clue from her face. Yuyan's smile froze. She pondered for a moment, then finally fixed her gaze on Zhenshu's face. She smiled lightly but frowned deeply as she said, "Since it is the emperor's will, I will not refuse. Besides, I also hope that the imperial concubine will be vindicated soon."

With Yuyan's instruction, Li Yucai had Zhenshu and the palace maids of Qixiang Palace taken to a side hall. Yuyan was very uneasy, fearing that Zhenshu would reveal her true identity.

Inside the side hall, Li Yu paced back and forth, his gaze fixed on Zhenshu's paper. He deliberately circled around the others, but found no one whose handwriting resembled Ruyi's. When he stopped beside Zhenshu, he saw that her handwriting was all crooked and twisted. Knowing this was a breakthrough, Li Yu immediately became alert and snatched the paper from Zhenshu's hand.

Zhenshu was startled and rushed to grab it, "What do you mean, Eunuch Li?"

Li Yu held the letter behind him and said calmly, "Of course it's the Emperor's wish. Oh, I forgot to tell Concubine Jia that those with handwriting that looks like the Imperial Concubine's should be taken to the Yangxin Palace. Those with particularly ugly handwriting should also be brought to the Emperor to see." He turned and said to the guards behind him, "Take it away."

The guard immediately stepped forward, held Zhenshu's arm, and led her out of the side hall.

Yuyan heard the noise outside and, regardless of her pregnancy, rushed from the main hall to the courtyard. Seeing that they had captured Zhenshu, she anxiously shouted, "Li Yu, what are you doing? You dare to capture someone close to me? How many heads do you have?"

Li Yu was not afraid at all, "Empress Jia, this is the emperor's order. You should go back first, so as not to hurt the dragon child in your belly."

Yuyan wanted to argue, but Zhenshu frowned and asked Lixin to take Yuyan back and take good care of her. Before leaving, Zhenshu told Yuyan to wait for her to come back without worry.

Zhenshu was brought to the Yangxin Palace and knelt in the hall. She lowered her head tremblingly. Hongli held up the letter presented by Li Yu, his face ashen.

He took into consideration that Zhenshu was Yuyan's dowry from the Yu family, so he didn't say anything harsh. Hongli put the letter down gently, looked up and asked, "Zhenshu, you are a maid serving Concubine Jia, why is your handwriting so ugly?"

Zhenshu said, "Your Majesty, I have just learned to write, so I am inevitably not very good at it."

Hongli responded with a tacit agreement. Li Yu, on the side, grew anxious and took out the family letters that the guards had found in Zhenshu's room and handed them to Hongli. He then sternly shouted at Zhenshu, "Zhenshu, these are letters that were found in your room and not returned in time. Yu's handwriting is not as difficult as Manchu or Chinese, but it's not as ugly as the one you just wrote."

This is惢心's only chance to get out. Li Yu has to try her best to exonerate Ruyi. Even if Zhenshu is really innocent, she will have to take the blame.

Li Yu was a little out of control, not noticing that Hongli was looking at him with a strange look. Zhenshu hesitated and didn't know how to explain.

Hongli rolled his eyes, put the letter aside, and called Jinbao.

Jinbao walked in immediately, holding two blood-red beads in his hands.

Hongli raised his hand and said with a smile, "Don't worry. I am just sympathetic to the fact that Concubine Jia is pregnant with the Dragon Offspring, and you are her most favored maid. I am very pleased. These two beads are made of fine agate. You can choose one to make into a piece of jewelry and wear it on your body. Consider it a small token of my gratitude for your years of dedicated service to Concubine Jia."

Zhenshu was a little apprehensive. She didn't understand Hongli's intentions. She hesitated for a long time between the two beads with trembling hands. Finally, she chose one at random. She held the blood-colored agate in her hand and bowed her head in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, my lord, for your grace."

Hongli smiled and said nonchalantly, "Li Yu, does Concubine Jia like the hairpin you just gave her?"

Li Yu continued, "Empress Jia said that she likes this pair of red chalcedony hairpins very much." He glanced at Zhenshu and deliberately emphasized the three words "red chalcedony".

Hongli suppressed his smile and said calmly, "Hmm? Imperial Concubine Jia can tell the difference clearly."

He looked up at Zhenshu and said seriously, "I was wrong. The beads I just gave you were not agate but carnelian. But judging from your behavior just now, it seems that you can't tell the difference. Zhenshu, you are so brave."