Back In Time (The Reincarnation of the Cruel Concubine)
The Punishment of Ho Xin Xin
"That's .. aaawaaa ... "
The little prince gave a toy made of wood to Wu Li Mei, every morning for him was a schedule of playing with the grand concubine. Feeling comfortable and affectionate, the baby boy no longer even remembers the mother.
Wu Li Mei accepted it, "Thank you, baby." she replied.
"Bu .. bububu ... "
"You call me mom?" wu Li Mei asked the little boy who was new to the word. "God, I didn't expect to be called a mother by a child for the first time. Yes, baby, call me mother."
"Rubbububu ... "
"Mother." correct Wu Li Mei patiently.
"Babbuu ... "
Parenting this child made Wu Li Mei happy and forgot all about her worries about the drug store and the palace, a momentary item indeed, but it was enough to get her brain to rest. Not to mention that this little baby was really treating his longing for Zhou Xie Ling. There were some features on his face that were similar to the late little princess and it managed to become medicinal.
Tired of playing in the courtyard of the pavilion, Zhou Jiang Wu now stretched out his hands as a sign asking to be carried. The little boy was always adorable, so was this baby who started to contain his body after being cared for for for just a few days by Wu Li Mei. Many of the maids talked about it and compared it to the parenting pattern of Ho Xin Xin.
Wu Li Mei also happily grabbed the tiny body for him to bring into his arms while walking down the lotus pond with many koi fish swimming freely in it.
"Where are Xiao Ming and Xiao Yin?" ask the grand concubine.
Dayang Yi bowed respectfully, "They are studying with Commander Hao because Master Zhang went to the western country for a few days, Your Majesty. Perhaps later in the day the crown prince and Princess Fang Yin will come to visit."
"Are you going to the drugstore again, Your Majesty?" lu Yan asked slightly to keep his voice from being heard by the other lady.
"No, going too often to leave the palace would make the emperor suspicious later. I don't want him to know who I really am."
The two maidservants nodded in understanding, they knew that the empress and concubine should not be able to manage the shop and else because it was feared that it would create problems by taking advantage of the people. Wu Li Mei did not take advantage at all because all the results were only to be bought medicinal ingredients again, but still not allowed.
Unless it gets permission directly from the emperor.
Wu Li Mei smiled as the baby in her carrier fell asleep by itself, a peaceful face and a pair of small arms tightly hugging her neck made her feel at peace.
"Let's just bring the prince in, Your Majesty" Lu Yan said.
The little baby was taken over by the little girl and taken to a more comfortable place to sleep. Zhou Jiang Wu even made a special bed next to Wu Li Mei's bed to make it easier to keep an eye on. There was actually a nanny lady-in-waiting brought over from Concubine Ho's pavilion, and she was a great help to Wu Li Mei in taking care of it as well.
After Lu Yan left, only Wu Li Mei and Dayang Yi remained near the lotus pond, they enjoyed the morning breeze that was blowing coolly against their faces. "How is Ho Xin Xin's case going, Dayang Yi?"
"Concubine Ho is found guilty, he will be imprisoned and exiled for half a year in a remote village because his actions are so unjustified" replied the lady-in-waiting.
"How can you?!"
"I-i-iya, Your Majesty."
The lady-in-waiting shook her head stiffly with a pias facial expression, she had already answered the question Wu Li Mei asked with an actual answer. "That's the judge's decision, Your Honor. Prosecutors had already detained Consort Ho and the emperor also agreed because there was no defense from Consort Ho himself. The Ho clan just accepted this decision."
"How could this be, it wasn't Ho Xin who was at fault, and it was definitely not. Who else would be behind the mess if not Yang Zuo, and with his determination to slander an innocent person, it is outrageous!"
Wu Li Mei clenched her palms together in annoyance, again she had to see the reality of living in such a sinister palace. All who want to live quietly must be ready to fight and always be on the winning side. Yang Jia Li and her father were truly troublemakers, even the empress was not around but she still made others suffer. Wu Li Mei had to do something.
"I have to go see the emperor!"
"Okay, Your Majesty."
***
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Eunuch Hao lowered his head respectfully welcoming the arrival of the grand concubine in the emperor's palace.
"Rise!"
"I came to see the emperor!" wu Li Mei said directly conveying her meaning.
The eunuch nodded, "Please enter, Your Majesty. Emperor Zhou is inside."
The two guards of the entrance immediately opened the door for Wu Li Mei, only the concubine was allowed to enter because the emperor actually did not want to be disturbed by anyone. But of course the arrival of Wu Li Mei did not make the emperor angry at all, precisely that peaceful face that was firmly smiling gently looked at his love. "Come in, Mei'er."
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Wu Li Mei lowered her head respectfully, "I came to ask one thing about Concubine Ho Xin Xin."
"It's not him who's at fault, and I can confirm that because Yang Zuo is behind all this. I can vouch for him, he's the one at fault and not Ho Xin Xin."
"I know Mei'er."
The Emperor knew the truth from Commander Hao, the five young men were the man from Yang Zuo instead of Ho Xin Xin. Unfortunately, Consort Ho did not defend himself at all, and publicly admitted that the mistake was his doing. From the sound of the bird, the Ho Clan was now under the control of the Yang Clan because they had lost to something that the emperor had not yet known the cause.
Wu Li Mei's forehead was clearly wrinkled deeply, "You know what? Then why did you let him bear the mistake he didn't make, Your Majesty?!"
"Because Consort Ho himself pleaded guilty."
"Confessing guilt?"
"It seemed like Yang Zuo was carrying such a great influence over the Ho Clan that they let Ho Xin become a scapegoat. There was absolutely no defense and Consort Ho himself admitted that this was his doing, we could do nothing to help people who really wanted to jump to the bottom of the abyss."
"But why does it have to be this way?"
"There is no other choice, according to the law in force in the palace it is. In prison and seclusion this is the lightest Mei'er, you don't have to worry about that."
Wu Li Mei exhaled, "I do not understand this palace life." he lamented. "Then what about Jiang Wu?"
"While you take care of him first, he will definitely be safe and comfortable with you."
