Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 74 Anyway, she doesn't want to be a living target
The news that Zhou Mingyu was conferred the title of the seventh-rank Baolin spread throughout the harem half an hour later.

In Ninghua Palace, Xie Jiu was eating ice watermelon while fanning himself.

Although the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, the heat has not subsided and it is still as hot at noon.

Hearing that there was a new person in the palace, Xie Jiu just curled the corners of his lips.

"After all, the Queen finally got what she wanted."

Chunrong followed with a faint smile, "I just don't know what the emperor is thinking. In order to squeeze in the newcomer, the empress has done a lot of things with the young third princess this time."

To be frank, taking advantage of children is never a good thing.

Xie Jiu held the delicate silver fork, picked up a piece of cut watermelon, took a small bite, and seemed to be enjoying the coolness.

"If the Emperor truly loves the princes and princesses, he would naturally not like the concubines to use the children as bargaining chips."

If you don't care about these children, that's another matter.

"The Emperor has now gone to Weiyang Palace with Princess Lingyi. I guess he won't blame the Empress?" Qingfang reported another piece of news.

"Then I don't know." Xie Jiu raised his eyebrows, with a hint of teasing on his face, "Who do you think will be the one sleeping with me tonight?"

Chunrong said, "A new Baolin was appointed today. I guess it's the new person who will serve as the emperor in the bedroom."

She said this, but Xie Jiu shook his head.

"I don't think so. Do you remember last night at the palace banquet, when Concubine Chen danced and quite pleased the Emperor?"

"Is Concubine Yu saying that Concubine Chen might be your servant tonight?" Chunrong continued, a thoughtful look on her face. "But the Emperor has already given the Empress face, and now he doesn't summon Zhou Baolin. Isn't that a bit inconsistent and embarrassing for the Empress?"

Logically speaking, Zhou Baolin should be summoned.

Xie Jiu didn't answer the question directly. Instead, he smacked his lips and said, "I was playing the pipa in Chengming Palace this morning, and the emperor even joked that he wanted me to sleep with him tonight. What do you think would happen if the emperor really asked me to go to bed with him tonight?"

"The Empress and Zhou Baolin must hate you to death," Qingfang replied quickly.

When she said that, Xie Jiu nodded.

"Yeah, then I'll be a sitting duck again."

"No matter who goes, as long as it's not Zhou Baolin who sleeps with the queen, the queen will probably feel uncomfortable." Chunrong said.

This is very true.

Xie Jiu smiled, put down what he was holding, and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.

"Anyway, I don't want to be a sitting duck. Now Concubine Chen is following the Queen. If she cuts off Zhou Baolin's beard, what do you think the Queen will do?"

Qingfang looked excited, like she was watching a play. "The Queen is definitely more inclined towards Zhou Baolin, but Concubine Chen might not give up if she gets the chance. After all, Concubine Zhuang just humiliated her severely, and now it seems she's trying her best to gain favor and climb up the social ladder."

"Yes, the Queen must have known something about the rumors that night, but she didn't send anyone to rescue Concubine Chen. I guess the Queen didn't care about others because the Emperor stayed in Weiyang Palace that night. This must have made those who followed her feel disheartened." Chunrong also thought of this and sighed.

After hearing what they said, Xie Jiu's beautiful eyes curved and she clapped her hands.

"How about this, I'll give you two taels of silver, and we'll have a bet on who will sleep with you tonight. Whoever guesses correctly gets the two taels of silver."

"I'm betting on Chen Cairen!"

The two maids almost blurted out.

Xie Jiu laughed when he heard this.

I thought to myself that people are so pessimistic about Zhou Baolin.

I just don't know if the Queen is aware of what the two maids can see.

"It doesn't matter who it is, it's not me." Xie Jiu leaned on the pillow beside him, "Go ask a doctor to take my pulse."

Qingfang was puzzled, "Jieyu, what's wrong?" "Hmm," Xie Jiu glanced at the ice watermelon beside him, "I ate too much cold food, and my stomach feels uncomfortable."

But seeing how calmly she spoke, she didn't look uncomfortable at all.

So Qingfang quickly realized that Xie Jiu was pretending to be sick.

Why pretend to be sick? Because you don’t want to be a sitting duck.

If Xie Jiu was fine today, and the emperor didn't choose between Zhou Baolin and Chen Cairen, but chose Xie Jiu instead, then she would be dragged into muddy water again.

Xie Jiu did this for a reason.
Zhao Xingjin had just warned her not to plot against the queen, but if the queen plotted against her first, she would definitely retaliate.

So in order to avoid this situation, it is best not to get involved with the queen.

Therefore, I pretended to be sick today just in case. It was not because I was afraid of the Queen, but because I didn't want to get involved and cause unnecessary trouble.

Soon, the imperial physician came to Ninghua Palace.

When Concubine Yi heard that Xie Jiu had asked for a royal physician, she sent someone to inquire about it.

I was relieved to learn that Xie Jiu had eaten too much cold watermelon, which caused abdominal pain and discomfort, and it was not a serious matter.

She was quite afraid that Xie Jiu would cause some trouble in her palace and make her suffer.

After all, Concubine Chen, who had lived in Ninghua Palace before, moved out of Ninghua Palace by pretending to be sick. Concubine Yi was also afraid that Xie Jiu would follow Concubine Chen's example in order to move out.

It seemed as if it was unlucky for her. She herself was sick, and the new brides were all sick. She couldn't let the emperor think she was unlucky.

Speaking of bad luck, Concubine Yi thought of Ziqiao whose face was beaten and who is now dead.

The wound became ulcerated and inflamed and could not heal at all. His mouth was also rotten and he could not eat. However, he had to work hard and was as thin as a skeleton.

Originally, Yipin had said that she would heal the wound on her face and then come back to work, but ever since Yipin saw Ziqiao's festering face, she felt uncomfortable. Not to mention letting her come back to continue being a head maid, even if she stayed in Ninghua Palace as a maid, Yipin felt it was unlucky.

Look, he has been sent out. I heard that he was assigned to work in the greenhouse.

The incident with Ziqiao was done by Concubine Zhuang. Concubine Yi was angry but she dared not vent it. She just silently blamed Xie Jiu for the hatred.

In her opinion, nothing has gone smoothly for her since Xie Jiu entered Ninghua Palace.

But Xie Jiu didn't care what Yipin thought. She was "sick" anyway and couldn't serve the emperor in the bed. It all depended on who would be the winner tonight.

As it turned out, Xie Jiu's illness was indeed a prescient and correct move.

In the evening, Yang Zhian asked about who would sleep with him tonight. Zhao Xingjin didn't think much about it and said directly, "Thank you, Concubine Yu."

Yang Zhian looked embarrassed. "Your Majesty, Concubine Xie said she was feeling unwell this afternoon. She asked the imperial physician to see her, and he said she had a cold and abdominal pain. She is very ill now, so I'm afraid she is not fit to sleep with you."

"Suddenly fell ill?" Zhao Xingjin raised his eyes.

"Yes." Yang Zhian said immediately, "Jieyu likes coldness and ate too much iced fruit, which damaged her spleen and stomach."

Hearing this, a hint of annoyance flashed across Zhao Xingjin's face, and he raised his hand to rub his temple.

After a long silence, he ordered, "Then, let Chen Cairen come over."

Yang Zhian immediately responded and retreated.

Soon, the Queen got the news and summoned Chen Cairen from Chengming Palace to sleep with her in the evening.

"But Your Majesty, shouldn't the Emperor summon me to sleep with him today?" Zhou Baolin was anxious.

The Queen was also annoyed and glared at her, "Why are you so anxious? I want to ask you, did you do something wrong today that displeased the Emperor, so he didn't summon you?"

(End of this chapter)