Chapter 71.4 â Infected with Gu (4)
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Zhong Mei Qing and Madam Chen headed to the Empress Dowagerâs palace together. The Empress Dowager had
finished tidying up and was just planning on heading to the banquet. Before even stepping out, she already saw her
own younger sister and Madam Chen urgently walking over.
âEmpress Dowager, Empress Dowager, help!â Zhong Mei Qing knelt down and grabbed the Empress Dowagerâs
âWhat is this?â The Empress Dowager was startled, asking in surprise.
âElder sister, elder sister, save Xinâer, please save Xinâer.â Zhong Mei Qing instantly started crying.
âXinâer? What happened to Xinâer?â The Empress Dowager asked, wanting to pull up her younger sister, yet the
other party was unwilling to get up.
âElder sister, in the afternoon, Xinâer said she wanted to go outside for a stroll with Chen Yue, thus headed out with
some servant girls. But seeing as the banquet is about to start, yet still didnât see them come back, so I sent someone
to go find them, only to find their servant girls. Soon after, we had all the palace that can be searched all searched,
but still didnât find them. Afterwards, the servant girls finally said, theyâd gone to the forbidden palace. Trespassing
into the forbidden palace, that is a crime punishable by beheading! Elder sister, I beg of you, please save Xinâer.â
Zhong Mei Qing cried her eyes out, as she explained.
âThe forbidden palace!? Why did they run to the forbidden palace?! That place, aside from the Emperor, no one else
can enter without permission. Even this grieving one doesnât have that power! They actually dared to go there, they
donât want their little lives anymore?!â The Empress Dowager heard Zhong Mei Qingâs words and immediately
âElder sister, I donât know what to do right now either. Right now, in the entire imperial palace, aside from the
Grand Empress Dowager, only your position is the highest. I beg of you, please save Xinâer! If anything happens to
Xinâer, how can I live!?â Zhong Mei Qing tearfully lamented.
âAlright, you all get up first. Crying like this in front of this many people!â The Empress Dowager said, âSince itâs
like this, we can only go look for the Emperor now. Right now, the banquet is about to start, the Emperor should on
the way to the banquet. Xi mama, go and have the Emperor invited over, just say this grieving one is looking for
him. Have to move quick, if the Emperor has already reached the banquet, then weâll be too late.â
âYes.â An old mama by the Empress Dowagerâs side, after hearing the order, quickly left. It was obvious she also
âAlright, help the two madams inside to redo their make up. This appearance right now really is ugly to death!â
âYes, Empress Dowager.â The two servant girls walked out from behind, coming before Zhong Mei Qing and
Madam Chen, âMadam, please.â
âThank you, elder sister.â Zhong Mei Qing gratefully said as she got up, using her handkerchief to wipe her tears.
âXinâer, I watched grow up. How can I bear to watch her go die. Alright, go in first. Later, if you lose your bearings
in front the Emperor, then it wonât be good.â The Empress Dowager said.
âYes.â Zhong Mei Qing and Madam Chen curtsied, before finally following the servant girls inside.
A moment later, Zhong Mei Qing and them already finished reapplying their make up. Coming out to the main hall,
they heard the Emperorâs voice, âImperial mother, you urgently called this emperor here, did something happen?â
âYes, this grieving one has something to ask of the Emperor.â The Empress Dowager said.
âImperial mother please speak.â
âItâs like thisâŚâŚâ The Empress Dowager had Du Ke Xinâs matter explained, and in the end, requested, âThatâs why,
this grieving one wants to ask the Emperor to spare those two girlsâ lives, asking the Grand Empress Dowager for
âWhy did they go to the forbidden palace?â The Emperor said with a frown, âIf they get discovered by grandmother,
then even this emperor canât save them. Besides, are you certain they entered the forbidden palace?â
Zhong Mei Qing and them were brought into the main hall by the servant girls. After bowing to the Empress
Dowager and Emperor, she said, âAt the time, the servant girls they brought were guarding at the entrance the whole
time, from when they entered to until now, they havenât come out.â
âThis emperor knows that imperial mother has always liked Ke Xin. Since thatâs the case, then this emperor will
help imperial mother.â The Emperor said, âXiao Danzi, go inform the front, tonightâs banquet will start a little
âYes, this servant will go right away.â Eunuch Dan received the order and left.
âRight now, letâs quickly head over then.â The Emperor said as he stood up and headed outside. The Empress
Dowager and Zhong Mei Qingâs group quickly followed after.
Arriving at the osmanthus flower forest, the Emperor saw the servant girl guarding at the entrance and asked, âAre
âGreetings Emperor, Empress Dowager!â That servant girl instantly knelt to the ground, her body trembling
uncontrollably, âReply-replying to your Majesty, miss is still insides, and hasnât come out yet.â
âThen this emperor will go in first for a look.â Han Ming Ze said and entered from the Plum Blossom Entrance.
Standing in place, he closed his eyes and sensed the surrounding for a moment, before directly heading towards the
hundred year old osmanthus flower tree. As expected, in front of the osmanthus flower tree, he found Du Ke Xin
and them, just their appearances made him somewhat want to laugh.
ââBecause the two of them already werenât sitting on the ground anymore, but rather, hanging from the tree tree
âYour Majesty.â Meng Gu suddenly appeared before the Emperor.
âMeng Gu, Is imperial grandmotherâs body still well?â Seeing Meng Gu appear here, the Emperor thus knew that
the Grand Empress Dowager already knew about this matter. And now, things will be different.
âMore or less the same as before.â Meng Gu coldly replied. âMaster has ordered, tonight is the mid-autumn festival,
Prime Minister Du is our Feng Mingâs meritorious official, this time, sheâll spare their lives, hanging them on the
tree as punishment. However, need for everyone to all come before letting them down.â
âEveryone?â Han Ming Ze still havenât asked who everyone was referring, when he saw the Empress Dowager and
Zhong Mei Qingâs group entering.
âThe Grand Empress Dowager has ordered, next time, if anyone dares trespass the forbidden palace again, killed
without question!â Meng Gu finished saying, and then quickly disappeared before everyone.
âSuch quick qinggong!â The Emperor watched Meng Gu seemingly leave in a blink of an eye, exclaiming in
admiration. Soon after, he said to the others, âImperial grandmother said, today is the mid-autumn festival, thus will
spare their lives, having only hung them on the tree as punishment. Right now, go and have them let down.â
âThanking Grand Empress Dowagerâs grace for not killing.â Zhong Mei Qing said, and then turned to the servant
girl behind her, âStill not quickly going to let your miss down?â
âYes, madam.â Du Ke Xin and Chen Yueâs personal servant girl walked forward, wanting to have their own miss let
down, but before their hands even touched them, Du Ke Xin and Chen Yue woke up.
As soon as they woke up, they saw that they were suspended in a high place and instantly panicked. Their bodies
instinctively moved a few times as they shouted, âHelp!â
The branch that they were hanging was already very thin, and having been hung for that long, it already had signs of
breaking. Now, getting jolted by the two of them, the branch sounded with a âkachaâ and snapped. The two directly
fell to the ground from the tree.