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This chapter was translated for only. And only for those people who don’t mind reading unprofessional translation that was being translated FREELY at the translator’s and editor’s own free times.
Chapter 148
Conclusion (Part 1)
“Murong Shu Qing pays respect to the Empress.” First thing in the morning, the Empress arranged someone to Xiang Rui palace to invite her to come over. Even if she did not understand what the Empress was planing for, she still came.
Bi Xin Sui had a smile on her face, it appeared that her mood was very joyful, she even welcomed her, and pulled Murong Shu Qing’s hand to support her to stand up. She smilingly said: “Shu Qing, you are here, no need to be polite.”
Murong Shu Qing was somewhat uneasy, and softly pulled her hand back, she felt strange when Bi Xin Sui rushed out to come enthusiastically. But her face still had a smile, and she followed her to sit down in front of the palace hall.
“Bengong asked you to come here, wanting to thank you for the silk gift.” Bi Xin Sui was talking while she said to the palace maid who was behind her: “Someone comes, prepare the tea!”
Murong Shu Qing always felt that there was something fishy about Bi Xin Sui today, for a moment, she did not know what was wrong, so she did not have any choice but to faintly answer: “The Empress does not need to be too polite.”
A few moment later, the maid served two cups of hot tea, so Bi Xin Sui smilingly said: “I heard that Miss Murong also likes tea, loves tea, and understands tea. Bengong has a first-rate chen tea that was from a tribute from foreign country, please Miss have a taste.”
“Thank you, the Empress!” Murong Shu Qing softly lifted the cover up, a rich wine fragrant directly rushed out, the only smell that could actually make people to feel tipsy. The tea was dark red, but it was clear and bright, it was really a first-rate old chen tea. Tasting a mouthful, the tea had a sweet taste, the aftertaste was lingering and leaving the fragrance inside the mouth. Murong Shu Qing smilingly said: “It is really a good tea.” She drank chen tea very rarely, so it appeared today, there was indeed a distinctive flavor.
The two people exchanged several conventional greetings again, one palace maid slowly entered inside the palace hall, after she kneeled to the Empress, she said in a whisper: “Reporting to the Empress.”
Bi Xin Sui was somewhat impatient, but her face still showed a majestic presence when she asked: “What is it?”
“Princess Chu Yun’s maid came with a message to invite Miss Murong to go to Sheng (to ascend) Yun (cloud) palace.”
Inviting her? Murong Shu Qing softly hooked the corners of her mouth, when did it start that she received this kind of ‘welcome’.
Bi Xin Sui looked at Murong Shu Qing, and mockingly said: “I do not know what this girl wants to do, it is surely because of Xuanyuan Yi’s matter, so she wants to play tricks on you.”
Murong Shu Qing faintly smiled and did not say anything, it was surely because of Imperial concubine Fei’s words that hurt Chu Yun’s heart, so she was afraid that the young girl wanted to find her to vent her anger. But she did not have any mood to be in a tangle in jealousy with Chu Yun, so she did not say anything at all and just continued drinking the tea. She was at the Empress’ palace so everything would naturally be handled by her (the Empress).
Bi Xin Sui looked that Murong Shu Qing did not reply at all, so she lazily waved her hand, and said: “Just return, tell her that Miss Murong is drinking tea with Bengong here, and does not have any time to go.”
The palace maid’s face was awkward and she did not dare to raise her head, she carefully said: “But Princess said that if Miss does not go, she will wait until Miss returns to Xiang Rui palace.”
It seemed that this Princess would not leave the matter at that, forget it, she did not plan to play with any trick either, at most, she would only indulge in a quick dispute. Murong Shu Qing reluctantly put down the teacup that was on her hand, she got up and smilingly said: “Princess’ invitation, Shu Qing will still go.”
Bi Xin Sui showed a helpless appearance on her face and smilingly said: “Alright, go now!”
Once Murong Shu Qing went out of Fei Feng palace, Bi Xin Sui’s elegant and smiling expression, immediately disappeared. Lightly leaning against the back of the chair, Bi Xin Sui sighed and closed her eyes.
‘Murong Shu Qing, you do not blame Bengong, all of this is because your existence already hurts the fate of the nation, as the mother of the country, Bengong naturally can not spare you. But very quickly, it will be quickly ended, and you will not be suffering.’
Following behind Chu Yun’s maid, Murong Shu Qing did not walk urgently at all, it was practically, she walked one step and stopped to hang around. The maid was somewhat impatience, but did not dare to urge her either. When the two people walked pa.s.sed the Imperial garden, a slim and graceful figure walked windingly ahead.
When the person approached, Murong Shu Qing slightly narrowed her eyes, and bowed to salute: “Murong Shu Qing pays respect to Imperial concubine Liu (pin rank)!” The palace maid who was behind (them) immediately half-kneeled and saluted: “This servant pays respect to Imperial concubine Liu!”
Liu Li Shuang looked one glance at the servant who was kneeling, and slightly lifted her hand, she said to Murong Shu Qing: “You may get up, where is Miss going?”
Murong Shu Qing answered with a shallow smile: “Sheng Yun palace.”
Liu Li Shuang softly nodded her head, and answered: “Then, I will not disturb Miss.”
Just when Liu Li Shuang was just about to brush past Murong Shu Qing, suddenly, she stepped on her own dangling ta.s.sel, and cried out: “Ah….”
Murong Shu Qing promptly caught Liu Li Shuang towards her bosom, and anxiously asked: “Are you alright?!”
Liu Li Shuang supported herself on Murong Shu Qing’s hand, and finally stood properly with some difficulty, but when she wanted to lift her foot, she was unable to stand and fall towards Murong Shu Qing again. After trying for several times, Liu Li Shuang wrinkled her eyebrows painfully, and said with difficulty: “Bengong’s foot was sprained.”
Murong Shu Qing’s one hand was supporting her hand, while her other hand was softly embracing her waist, and she said: “Shu Qing will send Imperial concubine to return to the palace.”
Liu Li Shuang had not replied yet, but Chu Yun’s young maid immediately said: “Miss Murong, my family’s princess is waiting!” If Miss Murong did not arrive (soon), the Princess would pluck her skin.
But Murong Shu Qing did not pay any attention at all, supporting Liu Li Shuang, she faintly answered: “I have to trouble you to speak with your family’s Princess, that Shu Qing will send Imperial concubine to return to her palace, then I will go over there.”
“But….”
The maid still wanted to say something again, but Liu Li Shuang coldly said: “What, you want to make Bengong to return to the palace on her own with a sprain leg?!”
“This servant does not dare!” The maid immediately kneeled down, inside the palace, who would dare to commit an offense casually. Even more so that these past two years, Imperial Liu received the Emperor’s deep love. If she never showed any (scheme), it was impossible for her to receive four promotions.
“Let’s go!”
The maid was looking at the two people whose backs were gradually getting further apart, she anxiously and immediately ran to return to Sheng Yun palace to report to the Princess.
When they were just barely entering Zang (to conceal) Shuang (frost) palace hall, Liu Li Shuang immediately stood her body up from Murong Shu Qing’s embrace, she grabbed her hand, and emotionally called out: “Master.”
Murong Shu Qing sighed, and said: “I have said many times, do not call me Master.” How could the people in this era, were so stubborn.
Liu Li Shuang lowered her head, and did not reply at all, in her heart, Murong Shu Qing was the benefactor of her whole family, so she was her Master. During that time, her dad who was an a.s.sistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was wrongly accused to sell the treasury"s grains secretly. In Dong Yu, that was a serious crime, and their whole family would be executed until the third generations. At that time, she was already chosen to enter the palace, mother spent a lot of money to bribe the official inside the palace. When the Emperor had not put down the Imperial decree, she secretly ran away.
During her running away, she could not let go her parents who were already old, but she did not know how to save them either, so she escaped to Hua Du district. She wanted to ask for help to her father"s close friend, but the result, not only she could not help her parents, but she also almost lost her life. But when she was running frenetically, she b.u.mped into a simple black carriage….
It was Murong Shu Qing who spent countless of money and efforts to help her parents with their grievances. And since she also felt guilty to the Liu"s family because of the Emperor, she entered the palace, and was granted a jie yu rank (second lowest Concubine rank). If Master did not arrange for some people inside the palace to take care of her, she did not know whether or not she could survive until today, and could not say that she would become a pin rank (second highest Concubine rank) even more.
Murong Shu Qing looked at her who stubbornly lowered her head, she could see clearly that she did not listen to what she just said.
At that time, she only felt the woman was tenacious and intelligent, and her parents were really upright and plain-spoken. She also needed someone inside the Imperial court so she just helped them, who would have thought that this woman really had a good heart.
Still helping to support her hand, Murong Shu Qing anxiously asked: "Is your foot alright?!" She heard the sound of a bone displacement a moment ago.
Liu Li Shuang shook her head and answered: "It is alright, Master must definitely not go to Chu Yun"s place!"
Shu Qing supported her to sit down on the chair, and puzzlingly asked: "Why?" This was the reason why she deliberately sprained her foot?
"Yesterday…."
When Liu Li Shuang departed from Fei Feng palace yesterday, she saw Chu Yun"s sorry figure that was running in. She thought that it was strange so she secretly followed in, and hid within the trees and shrubs, then she saw a group of palace maids who came out in a hurry. She was even more curious on the subject that they were actually discussing, so she waited until all of the palace maids were guarding outside, then she walked to the window. But it made her able to hear what the Empress and Chu Yun were discussing.
Finished listening to what Liu Li Shuang"s explanation, Murong Shu Qing did not speak for a long time, after a long time, she just softly said: "You are saying that the Empress wants my life!"
"Yes!"
As it turned out, there was poison in that cup of chen tea, if taking it alone, there was no affect, but if she ate the cakes at Sheng Yun palace, then it would become a mortal poison. Furthermore, it was still slow to take effect and hard to detect! Murong Shu Qing sneered, she did not expect that she would have the opportunity to experience the indirect but ruthless scheme inside the harem!
She was indeed a mother of the country, was a good Empress, because of her so-called benefit for her country, the Imperial family"s dignity, she would want an innocent woman"s life! Inside her mind, she might feel that was her greatest contribution, but as far as for Murong Shu Qing"s concern, she actually planned to kill another human being. Extremely angry, she was actually smiling, so Murong Shu Qing softly and smilingly said: "Hehe, good, good, really lively!" They actually had one mind as a married couple, one wanted her life, and the other one wanted her heart!
Murong Shu Qing with a sharp expression, was looking outside the palace hall, and she faintly said: "Since they want my life, they surely arrange someone to follow my whereabouts, so I will leave first."
Liu Li Shuang pulled Murong Shu Qing"s hand, and anxiously asked: "Master, do you still want to go?!"
"Of course not." Murong Shu Qing softly shook her head, and quietly answered: "Because I will faint on the road." Since the game had started, they would not stop playing.
Walking to the side of the gate, Murong Shu Qing suddenly turned around, and said: "There is another matter that I want to ask for your help."
"What is it that you want to command me." She would certainly exhausted her abilities.
Murong Shu Qing thought for a moment, and said: "Let the Empress know that the Emperor wants to make me take meng xin cao (gra.s.s), and send me out of the palace." If Bi Xin Sui dropped (her scheme) at this point, and would not make things difficult for her, but if she still wanted her to die, then, she would not be softhearted either.
"Yes!"
Murong Shu Qing took a deep breath, and said: "You also need to b careful. If the Empress has any abnormal move, you let me know again." She suddenly felt very tired!
Sian’s notes:
So one of MSQ’s allies inside the palace is an imperial concubine. Even though her rank is only a pin which is lower than a fei, but it’s high enough. No wonder why she doesn’t want to be one of XTC’s concubines, otherwise the two of them have to fight for his so-called “favor”. Make me want to puke just thinking about XTC… Humph!!!
So this Liu Li Shuang was the one who was outside the Empress" palace when the evil Empress was scheming with Chu Yun.
Poor MSQ… Jia you, MSQ…