frightfiction Chapter 1395: Concubine Kang is no longer the leisurely one she once was (184 million rewards)
Chapter 1395: Concubine Kang is no longer the leisurely one she once was (184 million rewards)
Master Huichen bowed again and said earnestly: "Amitabha!"
"Your Majesty, resentment must be resolved through good deeds, and good fortune must be nurtured through benevolence."
"I would like to suggest that during a palace festival or auspicious occasion, Your Majesty could issue a decree to pardon a few concubines in the cold palace whose crimes are less serious, who are old, or whose mind is no longer clear."
"Firstly, this action can demonstrate your majesty's benevolence, benefit the harem, and dispel resentment. Secondly, by using this act of auspiciousness, it can also pray for the blessing of the royal heir and increase his blessings."
"Perhaps it can help the Fifth Prince survive this disaster, and also benefit the other young princes."
Master Huichen paused and added, "This action does not condone guilt, but rather Your Majesty, mindful of our past relationship, bestows divine grace upon us. With boundless compassion, we are dissolving invisible resentment."
"Boundless merits and blessings will come naturally!"
This statement is reasonable and points out the problem while providing a solution.
Moreover, this plan sounds like it demonstrates the emperor's kindness and can also pray for the royal heir, making it almost impossible to refuse.
Concubine Kang had already bent forward, choking with sobs and pleading, "Your Majesty, if this method can truly bring peace to Sui'an and the safety of the other princes and princesses in the palace, I implore Your Majesty... to consider Master Huichen's words!"
Most of the palace servants around also looked expectant, and it was obvious that they had been convinced by Master Huichen.
After all, if the princes and princesses in the palace are in trouble, how can those serving in the palace expect to have a good life?
Shen Zhinian watched this scene quietly, his gaze moving from Master Huichen's compassionate face, to Concubine Kang's slightly trembling shoulders, and then to Nangong Xuanyu's pensive profile.
She has experienced rebirth and witnessed the treacherous and impermanent nature of fate. She has far more awe for gods and Buddhas than ordinary people.
It can even be said that it is better to believe it exists than to believe it does not.
Ah Xu is still so young, less than two years old, which is exactly the age when Master Huichen said that the soul is not strong and is easily invaded by external evil.
If there is any truth to the resentment in the cold palace, how could Shen Zhinian allow even the slightest risk to fall upon the Fourth Prince?
For a mother, whenever it comes to her child, even the smallest possibility will be magnified into a huge storm.
But Shen Zhinian is Shen Zhinian after all.
The hardships of her previous life and the planning of this life have already tempered her to the point where she is not easily swayed by emotions.
After a brief moment of worry, deeper calmness and rationality began to prevail.
Shen Zhinian needs to sort out the possible clues behind this seemingly compassionate prayer.
First of all, there is Master Huichen.
She tried hard to search through the complex and complicated fragments of her past life memories.
Fatu Temple...high monk...
A vague memory gradually became clear.
In his previous life, Master Xingchen was torn apart by five horses by the enraged Nangong Xuanyu, resulting in a horrific death. Subsequently, many of Fatu Temple's shady dealings were exposed.
When Shen Zhinian and Gu Jinxiao were fighting fiercely in the court, they seemed to have vaguely heard that there was a highly respected monk in the temple, but he was actually extremely greedy for money. As long as he was given enough money, he would even turn right into wrong and "eliminate disasters and solve problems" for others.
At that time, Shen Zhinian was in a difficult situation himself, and all his energy was used to deal with Gu Jinxiao's relentless pressure. He did not delve into the details of these otherworldly matters, and had no idea who the greedy monk was.
What if... what if that person is Master Huichen who pointed out the source of resentment today?
Once this assumption emerged, many seemingly reasonable things were instantly shrouded in a layer of ulterior motives...
What is the most likely thing to drive a monk who is greedy for money?
Naturally it is gold and silver.
So who was it and for what purpose did he need to bribe Master Huichen to stage a drama of resentment against the royal heir in front of the emperor?
The answer is ready to come out.
Master Huichen's goal was to get the emperor to pardon the guilty woman in the cold palace.
And the person most likely to stir up trouble in the cold palace right now is Baharguli!
If Master Huichen was really bribed with a large sum of money, then the possibility that the mastermind behind the scenes was Prince Jin is very high!
Prince Jin seems to be content now, but with his character, he will never be willing to be a prince forever.
His sending Baharguli to the palace was a chess move. Now that this move has reached a dead end, it is reasonable for him to try to rescue her.
However, there is a key link here -
The person who gave Master Huichen the opportunity to enter the palace and say these words in front of the emperor was Concubine Kang.
Not only did she take the initiative to invite the monks from Fatu Temple to the palace to pray for the fifth prince, she also responded in time when Master Huichen noticed something unusual, and it was she who cried and begged the emperor to consider Master Huichen's words.
What role does Concubine Kang play in this game?
Shen Zhinian carefully recalled Concubine Kang's performance today.
She looked worried, haggard, and crying, but she looked flawless, a mother who was completely worried about her son.
Was it because she truly believed in Buddhism and was desperate to seek help from anyone, that she happened to be used by the King of Jin's people?
Or... does Concubine Kang know something herself?
Or even, she is a part of the conspiracy?
Shen Zhinian's eyes darkened slightly.
Concubine Kang was an old member of the Qiandi Palace, gentle and even a little timid. Having lost a child before and following Concubine Hao's dying wishes, she valued the Fifth Prince as dearly as the apple of her eye.
What reason does she have to help Prince Jin?
Is it in exchange for better protection for the Fifth Prince?
Or is there some evidence in the hands of King Jin?
Or... is she simply another chess piece planted in the palace by Prince Jin?
There was too little information for Shen Zhinian to make a conclusion.
But she knew that people's hearts were fickle.
Concubine Kang is no longer the leisurely woman she once was...
The chanting in the Chuxiu Palace courtyard had ceased, and the sandalwood on the incense table was about to burn out, leaving only a few wisps of smoke that stubbornly lingered in the deepening dusk.
The palace maids stood with their heads bowed, not daring to make a sound.
Nangong Xuanyu was silent for a moment, his eyes sweeping over Concubine Kang who was full of expectation, and the palace maids around her who were obviously convinced.
Finally, his eyes met Shen Zhinian's: "What does the Imperial Concubine think?"
Concubine Kang was still kneeling on the mat, maintaining a pious posture, but her fingers under her sleeves were quietly tightening, revealing a tension that was difficult to conceal.
She was not sure how much His Majesty believed in Master Huichen, and she was even less sure how the Imperial Concubine would express her opinion.
This favorite concubine's thoughts often influence His Majesty's decisions...
Seeing Nangong Xuanyu's expression, Shen Zhinian understood.
Baharguli was not only the Prince of Jin's subordinate, but also the key to the Emperor's countermeasures against the Prince of Jin. If she was imprisoned in the cold palace for a long time, this chess piece would be useless.
What the emperor needed was a reason that would not arouse suspicion to move Baharguli back to the chessboard.
At this moment, Master Huichen's words were like someone trying to fall asleep and finding a pillow.
Regardless of whether Nangong Xuanyu really believed in these ghost stories or not, this was an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
His silence just now was not hesitation, but weighing the pros and cons.