Hongli stepped down from the south setee, walked quickly to Hong Xiao, with a complicated look in his eyes, he asked disappointedly: “Hong Xiao, why did the Great Qing Dynasty have to share the meat, do you remember?”
Hong Xiao, with a puzzled look on his face, replied: “This lowly servant dared not forget, when the great ancestor split his family as a boy, he took his brothers into the mountains to collect ginseng and hunt and lived on the meat cooked in white water, he kept the habit afterwards. After the Great Qing Dynasty's entry into China, the Kunning Palace held two rituals every morning and two rituals every evening and one ritual every other month, so that future generations would remember the hardships of their ancestors, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy to establish.”
Hongli cut him off patiently: “If you know all this, why did you add salt to the meat!”
The others in the hall heard this, they did not dare to exchange words in the heat of the Emperor's anger but their eyes met, they all exchanged glances.
Hong Xiao was confused for a moment and said: “Add salt? This lowly servant doesn't have any!” Hongli reached out and points to the meat on the plate and commands: “Taste it yourself!”
Hong Xiao had to cut off a piece of meat and take a bite, the moment he bit into it, he stopped. All eyes were on him, Hongli's anger was at its peak, he lifted his hand and overturned the tray in front of Hong Xiao, he said: “Even the ancestors could stand it, you can't! Adding salt to the meat of a sacrifice to the gods, this is defiance of the ancestors and disrespect for the gods, you have the audacity!”
Hong Xiao's royal garment was splattered with gravy, he fell to his knees with a thud and in a panic he said: “Your Majesty, this lowly servant does not know why this meat is salty, this lowly servant really does not know! This is a deliberate setup, it must be a setup!”
Hongli asked in a deep voice: “The meat was cooked in the same pot, who could have set you up?”
Hong Xiao's gaze darted around the hall, everyone avoided his gaze, only one person, calmly met his gaze, calmly admired his wretchedness, Hong Xiao suddenly awoke, reached out and pointed to Wei Yingluo and said: “She, it must be her! The knife she just brought, it must have had salt on it!”
Wei Yingluo stepped back timidly, as meek as a willow in the wind and the Empress said in an angry voice: “Prince Yi of First Rank, you yourself have dishonoured your ancestors and you want to accuse others to get away with it! Am I as the member of the Changchun Palace, so easy accuse and depose?”
Hongli looked at Wei Yingluo, with displeasure in his eyes and said: “If you have been wronged, just check the knife, Wu Shulai, check!” Wu Shulai moved in response, picked up the silver knife that had fallen to the ground and examined it, shook his head at Hongli and said: “Your Majesty, there are no grains of salt on the knife.”
Hong Xiao was stunned and seeing the cotton in the tray was like a lifeline, he immediately said: “Where is the cotton paper, it must be on the paper!”
Wu Shulai examined the cotton paper and shook his head again.
Everyone looked at Hong Xiao, with sympathy or gloating in their eyes.
Hong Xiao panicked: “Your Majesty, this lowly servant really did not bring salt into the palace, this is disrespectful to the ancestors, it is forgetfulness, how could this lowly servant have done such a thing, that bitch must have framed this lowly servant!”
The Empress' face was furious, raising is voice: “Prince Yi of First Rank, watch your language!”
Hongli, utterly disappointed with Hong Xiao, closed his eyes and said: “Zhen had heard that some ministers disliked the meat, or carried salt up their sleeves, or bribed the eunuchs to do something aboutadding the salt, I thought it was a rumour but it was done by none other than the Aisingioro’s own descendants! Hong Xiao, it's not that Zhen hasn't given you a chance but you've repeatedly let Zhen down! Someone come, Prince Yi of First Rank has disrespected his ancestors, defiled the flesh of the sacrificial offering, take away the post of Chief of the Qianqing Gate and send him to the Yanxin Palace!”
Guards enter, hold Hong Xiao down and pull him out of the hall, Hong Xiao struggles and cries out: “Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This lowly servant was wronged, this lowly servant was really wronged! Your Majesty!”
Wei Yingluo gently bit her lower lip, she was afraid she would burst out laughing.
Hongli swept her eyes coldly over the crowd and said with a fierce fury: “The Kunning Palace offers sacrifices every day and night, the distribution of meat, this is the blessing of the ancestors, the protection of the spirits! But with Prince Yi of First Rank at the head, the formerly brave and warlike sons of the Eight Banners, have turned into moths relying on their ancestors' merits, they spend their days walking birds and dogs around, not doing their jobs! Not to mention killing the enemy, even eating the meat of a sacrificial lamb is considered a chore! Zhen warns you, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy for our ancestors to build, Zhen will not allow our great empire to be ruined by a bunch of losers who are greedy for pleasure and disrespectful to our ancestors! Investigate and the guards outside are to be investigated too, Zhen wants to see who else dares to do this!”
Wu Shulai was ordered to go and after some confusion, Wu Shulai hurried back. Hongli sat on the bed and asked grimly: “Have you caught the man?” Wei Yingluo stood beside the Empress, happily waiting for Wu Shulai's answer.
Wu Shulai smiled and said: “Your Majesty, the imperial guards and the guards at the Qianqing Gate have all been checked, no one has done anything.”
Wei Yingluo was stunned, looked incredulously at Wu Shulai, the Empress gave her a look, seemed to notice.
Hongli looked a little more relaxed, waved his hand and said: “At last there is someone who understands what is going on, go on with the meat!”
The great festival continues, no more fuss. After the ceremony, everyone dispersed and went about their business.
Wei Yingluo followed the phoenix sedan to the Changchun Palace with uncertainty, upon entering the main hall, the Empress snapped her face and ordered the crowd to “Go out, cover the doors and windows, Yingluo stay behind.”
Wei Yingluo had been a favourite of the Empress since she entered the Changchun Palace but this time the Empress was so stern, that the crowd was anxious. Mingyu glances smugly at Wei Yingluo, Erqing looks worried and they exit with the crowd.
The main hall is empty, Wei Yingluo and the Empress stand opposite each other. It was the first time she had ever seen the Empress angry, he had the impression that she was beautiful and high in the clouds but when she was angry, she had an aura similar to that of his Majesty.
It was the majesty of a superior being.
The Empress said coldly: “Kneel.” Wei Yingluo kneels as she is told, without a word.
The Empress looks down on her and asked: “Wei Yingluo, do you know what wrong you did?”
Wei Yingluo looked calmly and said: “This lowly servant works for Niangniang's, Niangniang's words are right, Yingluo is wrong, please Niangniang punish me.”
The Empress laughed at her anger and said: “So, it is this Palace Mistress who said you are wrong and you are wrong? Wei Yingluo, Wei Yingluo, you are a bully, you are a court lady of the Changchun Palace, you are the closest person to this Palace Mistress, you played a clever trick to set up Prince Yi of First Rank, if it is revealed, can this Palace Mistress escape the charge of poor discipline?”
Wei Yingluo looked up sharply, although she had vaguely suspected that the Empress might have found out about this, she was still surprised when it was revealed.
The Empress said unhappily: “Speak up!”
Wei Yingluo took a deep breath and bowed down: “This is the work of this lowly servant alone, if it ever came to pass, this lowly servant will take the blame, even if she has to die, she will not dare to implicate Niangniang. Niangniang.”
There was a moment of silence in the hall, Wei Yingluo's forehead rested on the cold, smooth floor, she heard the Empress sigh softly, she seemed to have no choice but to say: “You, you, what can this Palace Mistress say, have you eaten bear's liver or phoenix's gall? How come you haven't gained weight?”
Wei Yingluo was stunned, then she was pulled by the shoulder, the Empress said: “A young girl, so heavy minded, all day long, how old are you?” There was a hint of pity in her tone.
Wei Yingluo was pulled up by the Empress and asked cautiously: “Are you not angry with me anymore?”
Hongli stepped down from the south setee, walked quickly to Hong Xiao, with a complicated look in his eyes, he asked disappointedly: “Hong Xiao, why did the Great Qing Dynasty have to share the meat, do you remember?”
Hong Xiao, with a puzzled look on his face, replied: “This lowly servant dared not forget, when the great ancestor split his family as a boy, he took his brothers into the mountains to collect ginseng and hunt and lived on the meat cooked in white water, he kept the habit afterwards. After the Great Qing Dynasty's entry into China, the Kunning Palace held two rituals every morning and two rituals every evening and one ritual every other month, so that future generations would remember the hardships of their ancestors, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy to establish.”
Hongli cut him off patiently: “If you know all this, why did you add salt to the meat!”
The others in the hall heard this, they did not dare to exchange words in the heat of the Emperor's anger but their eyes met, they all exchanged glances.
Hong Xiao was confused for a moment and said: “Add salt? This lowly servant doesn't have any!” Hongli reached out and points to the meat on the plate and commands: “Taste it yourself!”
Hong Xiao had to cut off a piece of meat and take a bite, the moment he bit into it, he stopped. All eyes were on him, Hongli's anger was at its peak, he lifted his hand and overturned the tray in front of Hong Xiao, he said: “Even the ancestors could stand it, you can't! Adding salt to the meat of a sacrifice to the gods, this is defiance of the ancestors and disrespect for the gods, you have the audacity!”
Hong Xiao's royal garment was splattered with gravy, he fell to his knees with a thud and in a panic he said: “Your Majesty, this lowly servant does not know why this meat is salty, this lowly servant really does not know! This is a deliberate setup, it must be a setup!”
Hongli asked in a deep voice: “The meat was cooked in the same pot, who could have set you up?”
Hong Xiao's gaze darted around the hall, everyone avoided his gaze, only one person, calmly met his gaze, calmly admired his wretchedness, Hong Xiao suddenly awoke, reached out and pointed to Wei Yingluo and said: “She, it must be her! The knife she just brought, it must have had salt on it!”
Wei Yingluo stepped back timidly, as meek as a willow in the wind and the Empress said in an angry voice: “Prince Yi of First Rank, you yourself have dishonoured your ancestors and you want to accuse others to get away with it! Am I as the member of the Changchun Palace, so easy accuse and depose?”
Hongli looked at Wei Yingluo, with displeasure in his eyes and said: “If you have been wronged, just check the knife, Wu Shulai, check!” Wu Shulai moved in response, picked up the silver knife that had fallen to the ground and examined it, shook his head at Hongli and said: “Your Majesty, there are no grains of salt on the knife.”
Hong Xiao was stunned and seeing the cotton in the tray was like a lifeline, he immediately said: “Where is the cotton paper, it must be on the paper!”
Wu Shulai examined the cotton paper and shook his head again.
Everyone looked at Hong Xiao, with sympathy or gloating in their eyes.
Hong Xiao panicked: “Your Majesty, this lowly servant really did not bring salt into the palace, this is disrespectful to the ancestors, it is forgetfulness, how could this lowly servant have done such a thing, that bitch must have framed this lowly servant!”
The Empress' face was furious, raising is voice: “Prince Yi of First Rank, watch your language!”
Hongli, utterly disappointed with Hong Xiao, closed his eyes and said: “Zhen had heard that some ministers disliked the meat, or carried salt up their sleeves, or bribed the eunuchs to do something aboutadding the salt, I thought it was a rumour but it was done by none other than the Aisingioro’s own descendants! Hong Xiao, it's not that Zhen hasn't given you a chance but you've repeatedly let Zhen down! Someone come, Prince Yi of First Rank has disrespected his ancestors, defiled the flesh of the sacrificial offering, take away the post of Chief of the Qianqing Gate and send him to the Yanxin Palace!”
Guards enter, hold Hong Xiao down and pull him out of the hall, Hong Xiao struggles and cries out: “Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This lowly servant was wronged, this lowly servant was really wronged! Your Majesty!”
Wei Yingluo gently bit her lower lip, she was afraid she would burst out laughing.
Hongli swept her eyes coldly over the crowd and said with a fierce fury: “The Kunning Palace offers sacrifices every day and night, the distribution of meat, this is the blessing of the ancestors, the protection of the spirits! But with Prince Yi of First Rank at the head, the formerly brave and warlike sons of the Eight Banners, have turned into moths relying on their ancestors' merits, they spend their days walking birds and dogs around, not doing their jobs! Not to mention killing the enemy, even eating the meat of a sacrificial lamb is considered a chore! Zhen warns you, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy for our ancestors to build, Zhen will not allow our great empire to be ruined by a bunch of losers who are greedy for pleasure and disrespectful to our ancestors! Investigate and the guards outside are to be investigated too, Zhen wants to see who else dares to do this!”
Wu Shulai was ordered to go and after some confusion, Wu Shulai hurried back. Hongli sat on the bed and asked grimly: “Have you caught the man?” Wei Yingluo stood beside the Empress, happily waiting for Wu Shulai's answer.
Wu Shulai smiled and said: “Your Majesty, the imperial guards and the guards at the Qianqing Gate have all been checked, no one has done anything.”
Wei Yingluo was stunned, looked incredulously at Wu Shulai, the Empress gave her a look, seemed to notice.
Hongli looked a little more relaxed, waved his hand and said: “At last there is someone who understands what is going on, go on with the meat!”
The great festival continues, no more fuss. After the ceremony, everyone dispersed and went about their business.
Wei Yingluo followed the phoenix sedan to the Changchun Palace with uncertainty, upon entering the main hall, the Empress snapped her face and ordered the crowd to “Go out, cover the doors and windows, Yingluo stay behind.”
Wei Yingluo had been a favourite of the Empress since she entered the Changchun Palace but this time the Empress was so stern, that the crowd was anxious. Mingyu glances smugly at Wei Yingluo, Erqing looks worried and they exit with the crowd.
The main hall is empty, Wei Yingluo and the Empress stand opposite each other. It was the first time she had ever seen the Empress angry, he had the impression that she was beautiful and high in the clouds but when she was angry, she had an aura similar to that of his Majesty.
It was the majesty of a superior being.
The Empress said coldly: “Kneel.” Wei Yingluo kneels as she is told, without a word.
The Empress looks down on her and asked: “Wei Yingluo, do you know what wrong you did?”
Wei Yingluo looked calmly and said: “This lowly servant works for Niangniang's, Niangniang's words are right, Yingluo is wrong, please Niangniang punish me.”
The Empress laughed at her anger and said: “So, it is this Palace Mistress who said you are wrong and you are wrong? Wei Yingluo, Wei Yingluo, you are a bully, you are a court lady of the Changchun Palace, you are the closest person to this Palace Mistress, you played a clever trick to set up Prince Yi of First Rank, if it is revealed, can this Palace Mistress escape the charge of poor discipline?”
Wei Yingluo looked up sharply, although she had vaguely suspected that the Empress might have found out about this, she was still surprised when it was revealed.
The Empress said unhappily: “Speak up!”
Wei Yingluo took a deep breath and bowed down: “This is the work of this lowly servant alone, if it ever came to pass, this lowly servant will take the blame, even if she has to die, she will not dare to implicate Niangniang. Niangniang.”
There was a moment of silence in the hall, Wei Yingluo's forehead rested on the cold, smooth floor, she heard the Empress sigh softly, she seemed to have no choice but to say: “You, you, what can this Palace Mistress say, have you eaten bear's liver or phoenix's gall? How come you haven't gained weight?”
Wei Yingluo was stunned, then she was pulled by the shoulder, the Empress said: “A young girl, so heavy minded, all day long, how old are you?” There was a hint of pity in her tone.
Wei Yingluo was pulled up by the Empress and asked cautiously: “Are you not angry with me anymore?”
