FID – Chapter 547

 Chapter 547: Miss Xinghua Village

  ”Sister Xuan, where did you go just now? I turned around to change my clothes, and then you disappeared in a flash.”

  Over on the other side not far from the rockery, a figure ran towards the left, panting, and with worried eyes.

  ”I was just walking around casually. Aren’t you going to the Qiande Palace to intercede with the Emperor? Let’s go.” Zuo Xuan smiled at the girl, and immediately led her back to the Qiande Palace.

  The girl following her tightly clutched the hem of her clothes with both hands and bit her lips. “Sister Xuan, is it really useful for me to intercede? His Majesty must be furious after the clan tried to deceive him.”

  Zuo Xuan replied off handedly, “Begging for mercy is the next best thing. What you should focus on is how to get ahead in the harem. The Liu clan has already collapsed. Without your family’s backing, Consort Liu’s influence in the palace must be much less powerful than before. It’s even more difficult for you two to climb to a high position without her protection. What’s more, after the Liu clan committed a capital crime of deceiving His Majesty, I’m afraid he already hates you sisters.”

  ”That’s not what’s worrying me now. I just wish to go to His Majesty and plead for the members of the clan. The Patriarch and some elders and their children committed such a huge mistake, but the others are innocent and should not be punished so severely. Our family has provided conveniences to many high-ranking officials over the years, but none of them is willing to lend a hand in the face of this disaster. They’re too despicable and bone-chilling. Although I lack the ability, I still can’t stand by and watch the destruction of my clan,” Liu Ningfei spoke emotionally and burst into tears.

  Zuo Xuan curled her lips and smiled coldly. However, her tone remained gentle, “You’re pouring all your heart out for your clansmen. You are truly kindhearted and profoundly pure. Maybe this will just change His Majesty’s view of you. It’s highly likely that his heart will soften and he will agree with your request. Besides, as long as you catch His Majesty’s fancy, you will gain power in the harem, and if you want to save your clan in the future, there won’t be a need for you to rely on others, right?”

  Liu Ningfei wiped away tears and exhaled. “Sister Xuan, you are right. I should cheer up so that I can think of more ways to save my clansmen. Now that the clan has suffered a disaster, everyone has been avoiding me. It’s only you who comes to visit me as usual and gives me some advice. If I can succeed in the future, I will never forget your great kindness, Sister Xuan!”

  ”Then I will remember your promise.”

  ”Of course!”

  The two, one in front and one behind, approached the Qiande Palace, each with strange gleams flickering in their eyes, each harboring their own wicked thoughts.

  The door of His Majesty’s bedchamber was heavily guarded and concubines generally were unable to approach.

  Thanks to Zuo Xuan’s presence and thanks to Prime Minister Zuo’s favor, she was able to walk to the front of the palace.

  ”I can only send you here. What to do next is up to you.” After sending her, Zuo Xuan didn’t stay any longer. She turned and left.

  The grateful thank you from the girl behind her made the corners of her lips curl up coldly.

  What kind of person was Liu Ningfei? Liu Ningfang failed to see through her, but could she hide from her eyes?

  When she approached her this time, it was for mutual benefits. Both knew this deep down.

  On the surface, they both acted as if nothing had happened.

  Someone like Liu Ningfei who was full of schemes was not easy to control. However, compared to the clumsy and slow Liu Ningfang, she would rather choose Liu Ningfei. At least she was a smart person.

  As for the other concubines in the harem, with Consort Liu around, those people better not think about getting close to the Emperor’s bedchamber. For the time being, they were restrained.

  His Majesty was still young, and his temperament was uncertain, but no matter how much he hated the Liu clan, there was a young budding beauty who often dangled in front of his eyes, always attracting his attention.

  The most effective way to sow discord between two people was nothing more than a bed partner.

  Feng Qingbai has caused her so much misery, and she would never let him enjoy his days.

  She wanted him to go through all the pain she had gone through, and let him end up forsaken by his friends and allies!

  She wanted him to come to her in person and confess!

  Feng Mohan toured Grandpa Liu, Grandma Liu, and the several elders around the Qiande Palace. When they returned, he ordered the imperial chef to prepare meals.

  ”Great-grandpa, great-grandma, grandpa, grandma, you all stayed in the Xinliu Manor and never came to see me in the palace. I miss you every day. Imperial Uncle is so bad. He always keeps me from leaving the palace!” While walking back, he complained in front of the elders. His Imperial Uncle wasn’t in front of him, so he didn’t feel any pressure at all.

  ”We missed you too, you know? However, this is the imperial palace. How can you leave at will? If you miss us, tell your Imperial Uncle and we’ll ask him to bring you over for dinner often.” Grandpa Liu patted his small head with a smile.

  Grandma Liu sighed. “We’d better gather frequently. Once Yuzheng gives birth to her baby, we also have to go back to Xinghua Village. We had been away for several months, nearly half a year. I don’t know how the house is. It feels strange after staying away for a long time.”

  Liu Dalin and Chen Xiulan nodded together.

  Indeed, they missed the village very much.

  The capital was vast and prosperous, but it didn’t have the taste of the countryside.

  Despite staying here for a long time, they didn’t feel a sense of belongingness.

  Compared to the capital city, they still liked Xinghua Village.

  They liked the peace and tranquility in the village, their freedom to go out for a visit whenever they had nothing to do, as well as chatting with the men and women in the village by sitting under the ancient acacia tree.

  In the capital, they were unfamiliar with the place. They were confined in the manor and they didn’t even have the drive to go out, so why should they go out?

  They knew nobody here.

  Moreover, even if they did, they had no way to get acquainted with people and engage with chitchats. The people here were different from their villagers. Their hearts were not simple.

  Those who refused to get acquainted with them looked down upon them and disliked them for being peasants.

  Those who were willing to get close to them might not necessarily like them. Most of them were harboring other purposes.

  Thus, in the past few months in the capital, except for the one time during Zhixia and Yuzheng’s wedding, they never went out again.

  Feng Mohan captured the nostalgia in the elders’ eyes one by one, rolled his eyes a few times, and was about to speak when he saw a eunuch running in.

  ”Your Majesty, Concubine Ning is kneeling outside the palace begging to see you.”

  Feng Mohan frowned and said impatiently, “I’m not seeing her! Send her away!”

  Originally, he wanted to tell her to get lost immediately, but he couldn’t destroy his cute image in front of his grandpa and grandma.

  Hold it.

  ”Concubine Ning? Xiao Feng’er, is that your new concubine? Does she have something important matter to discuss with you?” Grandma Liu asked.

  Otherwise, she should not have come to kneel and beg for an audience, right?

  Feng Mohan waved his hand, “It’s nothing important. I guess she’s here to plead for the Liu clan.”

  ”The Liu clan?”

  ”The Liu clan in the capital. She’s the noble lady their family sent to the palace. She’s scheming so be careful.”

  ”If you don’t want to see her, then don’t see her. It’s unsightly to let her kneel outside. Send her away,” Grandpa Liu said immediately.

  The Liu clan?

  They’d better not see her then.

  In case the Liu clan comes back to life and continues to plot against their family.

  ”Grandpa is right. Kneeling is too unsightly. Drive her away.”

  The court eunuch listened to the conversation ahead but didn’t dare to lift his head. He just bowed and backed away.

  His Majesty was not generally tolerant towards the members of the Little Liu family. You could call it indulgent.

  With His Highness and His Highness taking care of them together, the future of the Little Liu family might be even more prosperous than that of the Liu clan.