OBS Chapter 119 Disappointment
Chapter 119 Disappointment
"Master, what are you thinking about? Why do you look so unhappy? Is the emperor angry again?" Seeing that Li Yu's face was not very good, Jinzhong leaned his head out from the side and asked with concern.
Seeing that he was nosy, Li Yu rarely refrained from scolding him. He simply replied calmly, "It's nothing. The Emperor has been busy with government affairs lately and hasn't turned over the plaques for several days. Go back and keep a close eye on Yongshou Palace. Once Concubine Ling recovers from her illness, quickly have the Imperial Household Department put up the plaques. Why, you ask, does the Emperor have to keep thinking about Concubine Ling?"
"This... I'm a eunuch and I don't understand. How about I go and ask someone else?" Jinzhong felt relieved after hearing this and replied while pretending to be confused.
It's not that he didn't understand. He was even more obsessed with it than the emperor. He thought about it every day and wished he could take root and live in Yongshou Palace.
Why is the Emperor thinking about Concubine Ling? Wouldn't it be better to ask Concubine Ling herself?
"Forget it, just do your current job first."
Li Yu was just saying it casually. If he really let someone inquire about such things, what kind of person would he be?
"Yes."
He thought he could find a chance to go to Yongshou Palace, but he didn't expect that Li Yu just said it casually, and Jinzhong's spirit, which had just been lifted, fell again.
A hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but only for a brief moment, and then he gathered his thoughts and returned to his seat.
What a pity. I can only look for another opportunity to visit Master Ling.
During the time she was recuperating, Yan Wan was very well-behaved. Although she stayed in Yongshou Palace obediently, she did not miss any news from outside.
Especially the two Mongolian concubines of noble birth.
Ruiji seemed to find pleasure in this and was always finding faults intentionally or unintentionally.
Either one of the thirty copies of the palace rules was missing, or the handwriting was illegible, or the copying was not neat enough, so they were asked to take it back and re-copy it. In just half a month, these thirty copies of the palace rules had been rejected four or five times.
No matter how bad the tempers of those two were, they should have been worn off by now.
"Your Majesty, I heard that the one in Yonghe Palace has been making things difficult for those two masters. She has been copying palace rules non-stop for the past half month, but for some reason, she is not satisfied with anything I sent her." Rong Pei looked at Ruyi who was dressing up with a worried look on her face.
She had just stood up and was still a little confused. When she heard the news, she started to have a headache again.
Ruyi sighed deeply, looking at her swollen and somewhat haggard face in the mirror. She said, "They offended Concubine Mei, and it's not convenient for me to intervene if Concubine Mei punishes them. If I intervene, I wonder if she will continue to find ways to make things difficult for them..."
"So what should we do?"
"Let's find a chance to talk to the Emperor. He is the most understanding of justice. As long as the Emperor speaks, Concubine Mei will not dare to argue with them."
Concubine Mei's clever words blocked her speech, but Ruyi couldn't do anything to her, so she could only ask the emperor for help.
Since she asked for it, the emperor would probably intervene in this matter out of consideration for her reputation.
It so happened that the emperor came to have lunch today and also came to see the twelfth prince and the fifth princess.
While the Emperor was having his meal, Ruyi pretended to casually mention it to Rong Pei: "Rong Pei, how is Concubine Ying from Chuxiu Palace doing in her study of etiquette lately?"
"In reply to the Empress, she said she has almost finished learning and will be finished in a few days. However, Concubine Mei punished her by making her copy the palace rules thirty times. She has copied them back and forth several times in the past half month, and Concubine Mei is still not satisfied..."
"Lady Ying?"
Upon hearing this, the emperor put down his chopsticks and looked up in confusion, then he remembered that there was such a person in the harem.
Ruyi nodded and gently advised, "Noble Lady Ying has been learning the rules and regulations with Nanny for two months. She should know her mistakes now. Your Majesty, why don't you forgive her this time? I heard that she studies the rules and regulations during the day and has to copy them at night. It's very tiring."
Hearing this, the emperor was even more confused: "Why does Concubine Mei want to punish her too? Did she offend Concubine Mei?"
Seeing this, Ruyi glanced at Rong Pei beside her. Rong Pei understood and quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I heard that the two of them bumped into Concubine Mei while walking on the road. They were walking in front of them, and Concubine Ling and Concubine Mei are good friends, so they are in trouble."
It would be fine if Concubine Ling was not mentioned, but the emperor would get angry as soon as she was mentioned.
Thinking about it this way, Concubine Ling's illness was most likely caused by their anger. She said she was fine, but her words were so harsh that it must have been hard on her heart.
The emperor became angry when he thought of the boring days of the past half month. If only Concubine Ling were here, all his boredom would disappear as long as he heard her singing Kunqu Opera.
No one in this palace can compare to her in terms of understanding.
The Emperor thought about this and finally said angrily, "I remember they came back a month early to learn the rules, how come they are still so unruly? They haven't made any progress at all. Since Concubine Mei wants to punish them, then they should accept it. Concubine Mei is straightforward and always speaks her mind. It's just copying some palace rules. Let her do it. It will temper their tempers and prevent them from making bigger mistakes in the future."
Ruyi started the conversation, but he ignored her for a long time. In the end, she could only accept this and agreed awkwardly.
"Yes, I will obey the emperor." She opened her red lips slightly, but her brows were full of disappointment.
After serving the Emperor lunch and sending him off, Rong Pei asked the two men who were diligently copying books with a worried look on her face, "Empress, now that the Emperor is ignoring this matter, how are we going to rescue these two masters? Are we going to watch Concubine Mei continue to make things difficult for them?"
"The Emperor has spoken, and there's nothing I can do. Let's wait a few days until Concubine Mei has calmed down. It's better to just give them some copying and calligraphy as punishment. They won't be seriously injured, so let them bear it for a while."
"This is all we can do now. I hope you two can understand the Queen's painstaking efforts..."
It was not easy for her to interfere when Concubine Mei wanted to discipline them. Now that the emperor had spoken, she could only sit back and wait for the opportunity.
Ruyi's mind was now filled with the emperor's absent-minded look while he was having dinner just now, so she had no time to save the two people who were being bullied.
She had always believed that the Emperor was only interested in Wei Yanwan for a temporary novelty, but she had never expected her endless tricks to keep the Emperor obsessed with her. Just now, it was clear that the Emperor had acquiesced to Concubine Mei's harassment of Concubine Ying and Concubine Ke because of Concubine Ling.
She has been with the emperor for more than twenty years and understands the thoughts of this man best.
If this continues, the emperor will probably favor her more and more.
Although Ruyi was unwilling to see her husband obsessed with other women, she prided herself on being noble and was unwilling to compete with the concubines below her, let alone take the initiative to suppress the favored concubines.