After leaving the palace and getting into the carriage, Lin Qinghe lowered her eyes slightly, a smile curving the corners of her lips.
What she had said to Concubine Xiao earlier was, of course, based on the information provided by the system.
Concubine Xiao probably hadn't slept soundly for a long time.
However, the slap mark on Concubine Xiao's face… In this palace, the only ones who dared to hit Concubine Xiao were either the Empress Dowager or the Emperor. She had just come from Cining Palace, so it couldn't have been the Empress Dowager who hit Concubine Xiao. That meant it could only have been the Emperor.
Why had the Emperor laid hands on Concubine Xiao? Was the Emperor not as indifferent to You Rong as he appeared?
Lin Qinghe was perplexed.
While lost in thought, You Rong shook Lin Qinghe's arm and asked her with expectant eyes, "Wang Fei, I did everything you told me to do in the palace today. Did I do well?"
Lin Qinghe snapped back to reality from her deep thoughts, smiled slightly, pinched You Rong's cheek, and said, "You did very well! My Prince is so good."
"Then… you promised to give me meat when we returned to the manor. You can't go back on your word!"
"I naturally won't go back on my word." Lin Qinghe opened the pastries that the Empress Dowager had someone bring back to the manor for her from the carriage and popped a plum blossom cake into You Rong's mouth. "Eat some pastries to fill your stomach first. When we get back to the manor, I'll cook for you myself and let you taste delicious food you've never had before!"
You Rong happily ate the pastry Lin Qinghe fed him, mumbling indistinctly, "Mmm… Okay! From now on… I will definitely listen to Wang Fei, and I will do whatever Wang Fei asks me to do!"
Lin Qinghe's eyes were full of smiles. "Yes, my Prince is so good…"
The carriage stopped in front of the manor. As Lin Qinghe and You Rong alighted, they saw Nanny Li and a group of servants being dragged out by soldiers.
Nanny Li, seeing Lin Qinghe and You Rong, cried and kowtowed to them. "Wang Fei, Wang Ye… This servant knows her mistake. I beg Wang Fei and Wang Ye to spare my life. I will never dare to do so again. Please spare this servant's life. I will serve the Wang Ye and Wang Fei wholeheartedly from now on…"
Lin Qinghe remained unmoved. You Rong seemed a little scared and hid behind her. The eunuch leading the soldiers was sent by the Empress Dowager. He frowned and ordered with disgust, "Guards! Drag this wicked servant away. Don't let her continue to offend the Wang Ye and Wang Fei."
"Yes, Eunuch Li."
Nanny Li, crying rivers of tears, was forcibly dragged away by the soldiers. The other servants attending to the manor, their faces ashen, were also taken away.
Eunuch Li walked up to Lin Qinghe and You Rong, bowed, and said, "This servant greets Prince Rong and Princess Rong. This servant is here today on the Empress Dowager's decree to deal with these wicked servants, and also to deliver a new batch of servants."
Lin Qinghe nodded. "Thank you, Eunuch Li. Eunuch Li, please come into the manor and rest for a moment, have a cup of tea, and then return to report back?"
"You are too kind, Wang Fei. It is just that this servant is in a hurry to return to the palace to report to the Empress Dowager. I'm afraid… I can only do so another day."
"Very well, then I, Wang Fei, will have someone see Eunuch Li off."
After seeing Eunuch Li off, Lin Qinghe brought You Rong back to the front hall to sit. A row of servants stood in the front hall. The man in the lead, around fifty years old, cupped his hands and bowed. "This servant, Fu Sheng, greets Wang Fei and Wang Ye. This servant has been ordered by the Empress Dowager to take over the position of steward of the manor."
Lin Qinghe nodded. Fu Sheng turned to introduce the other servants to Lin Qinghe. "Wang Fei, this is Nanny Xu. She previously served the Empress Dowager. From now on, she and the other servants will attend to Wang Fei and Wang Ye together."
Fu Sheng was from the Empress Dowager's maternal family, and these servants were all trusted individuals around the Empress Dowager. Lin Qinghe could see that the Empress Dowager's words in Cining Palace were not false; the Empress Dowager truly doted on You Rong.
Lin Qinghe smiled slightly. "Yes, I understand. You are all trusted individuals of the Empress Dowager, so I naturally trust you all as well. I will rely on you all for many matters in the manor from now on."
Fu Sheng and the servants bowed and said in unison, "Please rest assured, Wang Ye and Wang Fei. We will serve Wang Ye and Wang Fei wholeheartedly, with no divided loyalties."
"Yes, very good. Then you may all attend to your duties."
"Yes, Wang Fei."
Fu Sheng led the servants away. You Rong tugged at Lin Qinghe's sleeve. She turned to look at him, raised her eyebrows slightly, and asked, "Does Wang Ye have something to say?"
You Rong said, "Those soldiers took Nanny Li and the others away. From now on, in the manor… will no one hit me anymore?"
"Yes, that's right. From now on, in this manor, no one will dare to bully Wang Ye again. Wang Ye will no longer have to go hungry. In the manor, Wang Ye can do whatever he wants! But…" A mischievous glint flashed in Lin Qinghe's eyes, "If Wang Ye doesn't listen to me, I won't give you food, and you'll go hungry. So, you have to listen to me obediently, do you understand?"
You Rong listened and nodded seriously and heavily. "Wang Fei, don't worry, I will definitely listen to you!"
"Mm." Lin Qinghe smiled with satisfaction.
With one move, she had dealt with Nanny Li and the other wicked servants. Life in the manor would be much more peaceful and comfortable from now on. Next, she had to figure out how to find the divine doctor Feng Jing Tian to cure You Rong…
Before Lin Qinghe could come up with a plan, You Rong excitedly pulled Lin Qinghe towards the kitchen, muttering, "Wang Fei said she would cook delicious food for me when we got back to the manor. I want to eat delicious food! Let's go make delicious food now!"
Lin Qinghe was helpless and shook her head with a sigh. "Yes, yes, yes… I'll go make delicious food for Wang Ye right now. You little silly thing, always thinking about delicious food…"
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The Palace, Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager was meditating with her eyes closed on a soft couch. The attendant beside her walked in and whispered, "Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager… The Emperor is here."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and said lightly, "Let the Emperor in."
"Yes, Empress Dowager."
After the attendant withdrew, the Emperor soon entered and stood before the Empress Dowager. "Mother, your son has arrived."
The Empress Dowager slowly sat up, her face stern. "Regarding today's events, should His Majesty provide an explanation? I do not believe you were unaware of who instigated those wicked servants to bully You Rong!"
The Emperor's expression changed slightly. "Mother, let this matter rest. If we truly investigate, I fear it will damage the reputation of our royal family, and also affect Jing'er…"
Before the Emperor could finish speaking, the Empress Dowager interrupted him furiously. "Damage the reputation of the royal family? Damage the Crown Prince's reputation? You only consider these things? Then have you ever considered You Rong? He is also your flesh and blood. Two years ago, Concubine Xiao ordered someone to assassinate You Rong, causing him to fall off a cliff and be on the brink of death. He barely managed to survive, but his brain was injured, and his mind became like that of a child of a few years. You shielded Concubine Xiao and made You Jing the Crown Prince. You are still thinking of that mother and son… Have you ever considered that you are also You Rong's father? Have you ever felt any remorse towards You Rong?!"