Chapter 54 Chapter Fifty-Four

Qingchuan shivered in fright, and immediately knelt down.Kangxi's sharp and gloomy eyes fell on her, and he looked at her silently for a moment, then asked coldly: "Could it be that you are related to the prince's witchcraft?" As soon as this remark came out, everyone in the hall was shocked. The elder brother is the eldest son of the emperor, Kangxi's own son, who was deposed and imprisoned for witchcraft. If others get involved in this, there must be only one dead. word.Everyone fell silent, Qing Chuan was so frightened that his face was pale as paper, he knelt down on the ground and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, I am wronged! This servant does not know any witchcraft!"

Kangxi did not speak, but only looked at Qingchuan coldly. Although the eighth elder brother has been silent, his mind is turning extremely fast.The last time I checked the technique of witchcraft, my eldest brother who had always supported me was imprisoned. This time, it fell on Qingchuan again. On the bright side, she was just a little maid, but she was connected to the most favored Chu Xiu in the harem at both ends. Concubine Gong, and him, the most favored eighth elder brother. Kill two birds with one stone!The fourth child played really brilliantly! Seeing Qingchuan kneeling there with a terrified expression, his thin body was already trembling with fright, something in Brother Ba's heart softened suddenly, although he always thought that he was only curious and interested in this court lady, but he didn't know where to start. Since when, her figure has quietly occupied a certain place in his heart.

The eighth elder brother raised his eyes and looked at the fourth elder brother who was sitting silently opposite.Seemingly aware of the eighth elder brother's gaze, the fourth elder brother also looked over. When the eyes met, the eighth elder brother suddenly smiled provocatively, then left the seat, went to Kangxi and knelt down , and said in a clear voice: "Huang Ama, I am very familiar with this maid, but she is just an ordinary little maid. I can assure you that she has absolutely nothing to do with the matter of the second brother." Qingchuan didn't expect that it would be him who stood up for her, so she was a little dazed for a moment.

However, the prince had already reacted, and hurriedly knelt down beside him, and said: "Your servant can also guarantee that Qingchuan has nothing to do with the matter of witchcraft." Kangxi's gaze became complicated after hearing this, and he moved from the crown prince to the eighth elder brother, and finally landed on Qingchuan, and said coldly: "A little court lady is actually involved with my two elder brothers. It's not easy. Li Dequan, take her to the side hall, and I will personally try this matter." Li Dequan responded with "嗻", and escorted Qingchuan to the side hall.

Kangxi glanced at Xi Concubine, and then ordered: "You also come here together." Concubine Xi didn't dare to say more, so she followed Kangxi cautiously to the side hall.Such a thing happened at such a good dinner party, everyone in the hall was talking about it for a while, several elder brothers went to help the prince and the eighth elder brother up, and the ninth elder brother couldn't help complaining: "Myna, why are you so reckless?" , Others can't hide from this matter, so why do you just join in by yourself!" The eighth elder brother didn't explain, just walked back to the table in silence, looked at the calm fourth elder brother opposite, raised his glass, and said with a smile: "fourth elder brother, the old eighth toasts you."

The fourth elder brother didn't speak, just smiled, raised his glass and drank it down. In the side hall, Xi Concubine and Qing Chuan both knelt in front of Kangxi, Kangxi glanced at them coldly, and asked, "Say, what's going on?" Concubine Xi is obedient, knowing that this matter has been talked about too much, and one mistake will lead to death. It is better not to know anything. Hearing Kangxi's question, she lowered her head very aggrieved, and said: "The concubine is also confused. Shui, I don’t know anything, let Qingchuan tell me.” Qing Chuan had calmed down a lot at this time, and calmly replied: "Returning to the emperor, the slave girl worked in the residence of His Highness the Prince before entering the palace, and was fortunate to help the Prince with a few things, which really have nothing to do with witchcraft."

Only then did Xi Concubine chime in from the side: "Yes, yes, if she really had the art of witchcraft, she would have transformed herself away long ago, why would she stay here for interrogation by the emperor?" Kangxi looked at Qingchuan suspiciously, and asked, "Is that really the case?" Qing Chuan hurriedly kowtowed heavily, and replied in a deep voice: "This servant dare not expire the emperor." Kangxi was very thoughtful, and he still had doubts in his heart, so he asked again: "What about the eighth elder brother? How could he stand up and intercede for you?"

Qingchuan didn't dare to tell the whole story about the entanglement between her and the eighth elder brother. After thinking for a while, she replied: "When we were in Nanyuan, the eighth elder brother killed a lot of prey and asked the slaves to help with the barbecue. The emperor was there at the time. Does the emperor not remember?" Kangxi remembered this, so he couldn't help but nodded, "I remember." Qing Chuan then said: "Perhaps the eighth elder brother felt that the servant is honest and reliable, and couldn't bear to see the servant being wronged, so he interceded for the servant."

Kangxi nodded slowly, and said in a cold voice, "You can tell the truth." Just as he was talking, the little eunuch sent to Chuxiu Palace came back, handed a painting to Kangxi, and replied: "Your Majesty, I have searched the entire Chuxiu Palace, but found nothing, only this—" There was only a forest in the painting, and there was a big tree with a hole in its trunk, which looked very strange. It was Qing Chuan's painting for Concubine Xi when he first entered the palace, and it was exactly the same as the painting that was left in the Prince's Garden.Kangxi only took one look, then frowned, "This...isn't this the same as the picture drawn in the Prince's Mansion?"

Concubine Xi was startled, heard the words and hurriedly explained herself, "This is a painting she gave to my concubine, saying it was her hometown, I asked my concubine to help her find this place, the other concubines don't know about it." Kangxi looked at Qingchuan coldly and asked, "Where is your hometown?" This question caught Qing Chuan at once, how should she answer it?It's impossible to talk about a place indiscriminately. Kangxi only needs to send someone to check to know the truth, but if he tells Kangxi that she traveled from three hundred years later, he will be burned to death by Kangxi as a monster!

Qing Chuan concluded for a while: "I..." Seeing this, Kangxi snorted coldly, "The eyes flickered, and the words were not correct. If you are not guilty, why did you do this? If you refuse to say it, then you have come from a wrong way. If you are abnormal, you are a demon. Come here!" Kangxi suddenly raised his voice and said, " Take her out and serve her at the stake tomorrow at noon." Qingchuan didn't expect that Kangxi would sentence her to death like this without asking any questions about injustice. She panicked and shouted loudly: "I am wronged, I am wronged..." But no one here listened to her cry, Li Dequan even reprimanded the little eunuch who came up to drag her, saying: "Don't hurry up and stop her mouth, and you want her to disturb Shengjia!" The two little eunuchs hurriedly stuffed Qingchuan's mouth with a cloth, and dragged her out of the palace regardless of her struggle. In the main hall, everyone faintly heard Qingchuan's shout, and after a while, news spread that the emperor had executed Qingchuan at the stake, and the execution would be carried out at noon tomorrow.The eighth elder brother's heart tightened, and he was about to get up from the table, but was firmly held down by the ninth elder brother and the tenth elder brother beside him. Elder Brother Ten persuaded in a low voice: "Brother! That's just a servant girl. If she dies, she will die. Are you going to make Huang Ama angry again because of her?" Brother Jiu also said in a low voice: "Calm down, this must be another trick of the fourth brother, mynah, you must not fall for his tricks!" The prince couldn't sit still anymore, and he pointed to Qingchuan, a fairy, to help him secure the position of prince. He didn't want her to die like this. He got up and went to the side hall, just thinking of begging Kangxi to forgive Qing Chuan's life.Before he walked out of the hall, he was stopped by Concubine De, who advised: "Prince, don't be impulsive, you will kill Qingchuan like this." The prince said anxiously: "Empress Defei, I can't watch Xiangu die!" Concubine De didn't want any more conflicts between Kangxi and the crown prince, so she hurriedly advised: "You think you are just a mere person, how many guards are there in the palace? Do you think you can save Qingchuan with your own strength? When the time comes The emperor sees that you don't even care about the relationship between father and son for Qingchuan, do you think the emperor will keep her?" The prince hesitated after hearing this, and at the same time felt even more distressed, and said anxiously: "Then what should I do? What should I do?" The eighth elder brother also broke free from the ninth elder brother's oppression, walked over from the side, bowed solemnly in front of the concubine De, and begged: "I also ask the empress of the concubine De to save Qingchuan, she is indeed not a wicked person, but She's just a little court lady with a pure character and a kind heart." Concubine De smiled gently when she heard this, and said: "I have met Qingchuan a few times, and I know a thing or two about her personality, and I know that she is a good child." The prince said anxiously at the side: "Please help Defei, please save her!" Concubine De looked at the eighth elder brother, pondered for a while, and said to the prince: "Well, you all go back and leave this place to me. I can't guarantee whether she can keep her, but it's better than waiting here. It's good to make the emperor angry." Right now it seems that's all there is to it, Eighth Prince and the Prince paused, and thanked Concubine De in unison. Concubine De smiled, waved at the two of them to signal them to leave first, then turned around and walked towards the side hall, when she reached the door, her footsteps stopped again, took a deep breath, and then stepped into the side hall. Xi Concubine was still kneeling in front of Kangxi, Kangxi sat on the seat, but didn't look at her, just tapped the table lightly with his fingers, wondering what he was thinking.Hearing De Fei's footsteps, Kangxi raised his head and looked over. Concubine De smiled softly, knelt down and saluted Kangxi: "The concubine sees the emperor." Kangxi's face was still gloomy, and he asked in a bad tone: "You were entrusted by the prince and Lao Ba to intercede for that evildoer?" Concubine De slowly shook her head when she heard this, and replied softly: "The concubine is worried about the emperor's health, so I came here to see." She said, glanced at the concubine on the ground, stepped forward and gently lifted him up. Leaving her behind, he said to Kangxi with a smile: "Sister Xi Concubine has been kneeling for quite a while too, can this concubine beg the emperor for her to let her go back to the palace?" Kangxi didn't speak, but waved his hand. Concubine De winked at Xi Concubine, signaling her to leave quickly.Although Concubine Xi was unwilling, she also knew that Kangxi already had doubts about her, and it was useless to say anything more at this moment, so why not retreat first, and make amends after Kangxi's anger subsides.Thinking of this, Xi Concubine bowed to Kangxi and retreated silently. Concubine De saw that Concubine Xi was gone, she walked forward slowly, and persuaded Kangxi, "It's getting late, my concubine should wait on the emperor and take a rest." Kangxi looked tired, but said: "I can't sleep." Concubine De wondered: "The matter has been settled, why can't the emperor fall asleep?" Kangxi didn't answer, just sat silently. Concubine De thought for a while and said softly: "Let the concubine guess. First, the concubine can see that the court lady is very important to His Highness the Crown Prince. If she is executed rashly regardless of His Highness the Crown Prince's feelings, the Emperor and the Crown Prince The father-son relationship that was finally repaired will face another test. Second, the emperor's house is kind and never kills innocent people indiscriminately. This time, the emperor feels uneasy if he concludes that she is a monster with only one painting. Third, the little girl The little court lady was able to ask the eighth elder brother to come forward to intercede for her, so it can be seen that she is also a likable person, so it would be a pity to kill him like this." Kangxi was silent for a moment, then asked Concubine De: "Is Concubine Ai always like to see people's hearts so thoroughly?" Concubine De smiled when she heard this, and replied calmly: "If you really want to figure out people's hearts, you are a master if you can not let people notice. The concubine only cares about the emperor." Kangxi sighed softly, and said: "But Yinfeng has been calling her a fairy girl, and Lao Ba came forward to intercede for her, which is very unusual. If she is really a monster, there will be endless troubles if she stays in the palace." Concubine De stretched out her hand to gently massage Kangxi's scalp, and said with a smile: "If it's really an evildoer with profound morals, she cast a spell and ran away just now. If the morals are not deep, the emperor is a true dragon emperor, so why would he be afraid of her? From my concubine's point of view, she is just a clever little girl, definitely not as serious as the emperor thinks." Although Kangxi didn't speak, Concubine De felt that his body was slowly relaxing. She continued to massage him, but there was a faint smile on the corner of her mouth.After waiting for Kangxi to rest, Concubine De just came out from Qianqing Palace. The maid Fei Cui beside her has been waiting outside, hurriedly greeted her, and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, has the Emperor changed his mind?" Concubine De shook her head lightly, and while walking towards Yonghe Palace, said in a low voice: "No, the emperor didn't say anything." Fei Cui frightened: "Are you really going to burn that Qing Chuan to death?" Concubine De didn't speak, she was silent for a moment thoughtfully, then suddenly asked Fei Cui softly: "Do you think the crown prince is the most threatening, or the eighth prince is the most threatening?" Fei Cui was taken aback by her question, and after thinking for a while, she replied: "Brother Fourteen has been leading the army and is not allowed to return to the court. It is good that the crown prince has been steady during this time, so that the position of crown prince can always be given to you." Our fourteenth brother will keep it." "That's right," Concubine De smiled softly when she heard this, and after contemplating for a moment, she ordered Fei Cui in a low voice: "Go to elder brother's office and send a letter to eighth elder brother, just say... I have tried my best , but the emperor refuses to take back his will, and has already decided to execute Qingchuan, if Qingchuan wants to survive, he can only rely on Eighth Brother himself." Fei Cui responded and left, but was stopped by Concubine De later, Concubine De pondered for a moment, and explained: "Tell Eighth Brother, tell him not to blame the Emperor, and right now we should try to save Qingchuan's life as much as possible." Yes. The emperor was also furious for a while, after staying for these two days, he knew that Qingchuan was wrong." Fei Cui didn't understand what Concubine De meant by this, she endured the doubts in her heart, and turned to send a letter to Elder Brother. After hearing the news from Fei Cui, Brother Ba did not speak for a long time and just sat silently. Brother Nine was anxious to see this, and couldn't help but said: "Brother, Concubine De is the mother-in-law of the fourth child, can she face us? She wished that the fourth brother and the crown prince would be rejected by Huang Ama, so that the fourth brother would be in charge. ! I think she has bad intentions in asking someone to spread the word!" The eighth elder brother smiled lightly, but said: "I don't think so, if the concubine de concubine had this intention, she would not stop the prince and me outside the Qianqing palace, but would let us go to the emperor Ma begged for mercy, and then it got into trouble." Elder Brother Ten scratched his forehead in confusion, and wondered, "Then what does she mean?" The eighth elder brother thought for a while, and replied: "I guess she also doesn't want to ask the fourth brother to take over." Brother Nine was skeptical after hearing this, "Although people have rumored that Concubine De is partial to the fourteenth child and disagrees with the fourth child, but they are mother and son after all, will she really be kind to us?" The eighth elder brother remained silent, he was interested in the rumors about Qingchuan in the palace, and now that Qingchuan was punished, although the emperor did not continue to investigate, those things could not be hidden from him, if he let Qingchuan be executed and stood idly by, On the contrary, the emperor became more suspicious, doubting his relationship with Xi Concubine.In this way, the good things Xi Concubine said for him in front of the emperor before will become the evidence of the two of them colluding... Rather than that, it is better to let the emperor think that his eldest son is a love interest! More importantly, he didn't want Qingchuan to die!I don't want that stupid person who is loyal to everyone, but Qingchuan who dares to cross his nose and stare at him, just die like this! The eighth elder brother looked up at the ninth elder brother, and asked in a deep voice: "Old Jiu, do you have the token of the Shenji Camp with you?" Brother Nine was stunned for a moment, and said in astonishment: "Brother! Are you going to rob the court?" Brother Eight nodded, "Not bad." Elder Brother Ten was stunned and shouted: "Myna! How can you not kill yourself for a woman? I won't let you go." The eighth elder brother ignored the old ten, only looked at the ninth elder brother, and said in a deep voice: "The left and right have aroused the suspicion of Huang Ama, why don't we go all out, I want to die and live." Brother Nine's heart brightened, and he vaguely understood Brother Eight's plan. After thinking about it, he took out a token from his body, handed it to Brother Eight, and said with a smile, "Go and adjust the manpower of Shenji Camp." Come on, but I won't admit it afterwards, just say that you stole the token from me." The eighth elder brother smiled, took the token and went over, and replied: "Don't worry, I will prepare overnight." This night is destined to be a sleepless night. In the cell of the Zongren Mansion, Qingchuan wanted to cry but had no tears. Since she crossed, she has been working hard to live. No matter how bad the environment is, no matter how the people around her treat her, she has never complained or given up. To live strong and find a way home. However, in the end, she was going to be burned alive as a monster.God, what kind of monster is she? If she is really a monster, is she worthy of being a servant girl in this palace? At daybreak, Qingchuan was dragged out of the cell in the Clan Mansion.A high firewood pile had been set up in the yard, and someone stepped forward to stuff her mouth with a cloth and tied her to the firewood pile.Waiting like this until noon, Li Dequan brought several young eunuchs to prison.He looked at the time, then looked at Xiao Shunzi beside him, and asked casually, "In a quarter of an hour, the one on the pyre will ascend to heaven. Have you learned anything from her?" With a loyal and honest look on Xiao Shunzi's face, he thought for a long time before answering: "Don't get too close to the masters, lest the emperor will be unhappy." "Wrong!" Li Dequan shook his head, then looked at Qingchuan who was tied to the woodpile, and said, "Anyone who is too smart and clever must know how to hide his strength and bide his time, and be ready to go. If you show your sharpness, you will be envied and even suspected by others. I don't think this girl looks like a monster, but if she is not a monster, how can a little palace lady make the prince and the eighth elder brother intercede for her at the same time? It doesn't make sense. , master, the best way to deal with things that don't make sense is to cut the mess with a sharp knife." Xiao Shunzi hurriedly said respectfully, "My son understands." Li Dequan sneered, "Come on, it's useless to teach you this. You are not a clever person by nature, no matter how sharp you are, you won't be able to show it anywhere. The time has come, let's light it."