Chapter 623 The Empress Dowager Hosts a Banquet

After much deliberation, Song Qing and Gao Qingtong decided not to go to the Empress Dowager's palace for tea first. They found an excuse to let the nanny go back first, and then took the Second Prince and the Second Princess to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager after they finished school. Only then did the nanny return home.

After seeing the old woman off, Song Qing and Gao Qingtong went straight to the Imperial Study. They had inquired about the details before coming.

When Jiang Fenghua saw the two, she had a gentle smile on her face. Before she could speak, the Second Prince and the Second Princess ran towards them, calling out, "Mother, Mother."

Song Qing scooped up her son in her arms; his chubby little body was so round that she almost dropped him. "Second Prince, have you been studying diligently with the Grand Tutor?"

The second prince nodded repeatedly, "Mother, Rui Rui is hungry."

Song Qing took a meat pie from the palace maid and fed it to the Second Prince. She already knew her son's habit of eating after school.

Gao Qingtong lovingly picked up her daughter and kissed her affectionately, saying, "Second Princess, next time you come out with your wet nurse, don't run and fall."

The second princess smiled sweetly, "Huan'er misses her mother and wants to see her as soon as possible."

Jiang Fenghua watched silently. Before her were the other concubines in Xie Shang's harem. The Second Princess's mother was Consort Gao, who was treated differently by Xie Shang. She was a well-educated and beautiful woman. Consort Song looked honest and simple. Her son also looked simple. But you can know a person's face but not their heart.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects to the Empress." The two bowed to Jiang Fenghua at the same time.

Jiang Fenghua said gently, "No need for formalities!"

The two smiled slightly, and Consort Gao said, "Your Majesty and His Majesty have been away from the palace for more than half a year. After returning to the palace, His Majesty did not allow us to disturb Your Majesty. Did Your Majesty enjoy yourself while you were away from the palace?"

Song Qing said, "When Her Majesty and His Majesty returned from their incognito visit outside the palace, they held a new wedding ceremony for Her Majesty. Only Her Majesty could receive such favor from Her Majesty! Their relationship is getting better and better, so naturally they are happy."

"However, His Majesty said that the Empress had some accidents while out of the palace and injured herself, but she is well now," Song Qing asked with concern.

Did Xie Shang tell them that he was taking her out of the palace incognito for a private visit?

"I'm fine." She said calmly, then added, "The school is over. You may take the Second Prince and the Second Princess back home!"

Gao Qingtong asked softly, "The Empress Dowager is hosting a banquet for all the concubines at Shou Kang Palace. Has Her Majesty the Empress received the Empress Dowager's invitation?"

Jiang Fenghua remained calm. Yesterday, when she and Xie Shang performed the grand ceremony, both the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager were present. However, she didn't know why Xie Shang only gave her a slight bow and left without even letting her offer him a cup of tea. When the Empress Dowager saw her, a hint of anger seemed to flash in her eyes.

It was Xie Shang who detained her grandchildren, yet she blamed her anger on an outsider like Xie Shang. What an unreasonable old woman.

The Empress Dowager sent invitations to all the concubines but not to the Empress. She said calmly, "As the head of the harem, I should naturally go to Kangshou Palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. There is no reason for her to send an invitation first before I go to pay my respects."

She then said, "You all go ahead. I will take the children to visit their great-grandmother another day."

The two were stunned, thinking that the Empress would go to Shou Kang Palace. The Empress of the past would never have done such a disrespectful thing. She would have taken the initiative to order the Imperial Kitchen to add more dishes and wine to Shou Kang Palace. No one could find fault with her.

At this moment, she couldn't get along with Song Jing and Gao Qingtong, and took the three children back to Kunning Palace.

-

At this moment, the Empress Dowager was hosting a banquet for the concubines in the harem. Gao Qingtong and Song Qing arrived late and hurriedly knelt down to pay their respects. "Your Majesty, we are late. Your Majesty, we pay our respects. Rui'er and Huan'er, please pay your respects to your great-grandmother."

The Empress Dowager glanced back unconsciously, staring at the little prince and princess beside them, and said gently, "My dear great-grandson, come here quickly, I have candy for you."

Upon seeing the candy in the Empress Dowager's hand, the Second Prince quickly scrambled to his feet, walked over to her, grabbed it, and swallowed it.

The second princess was also attracted by the candy, but was stopped by Consort Gao.

Gao Qingtong not only saw Zhang Jingjing and Pan Nianru in Shou Kang Palace, but even the crazy Zhu Zhenzhen was brought there. For some reason, she felt a little worried.

What is the Empress Dowager trying to do?

The Empress Dowager then said, "Everyone, please get up and sit down! The palace should be lively and bustling."

Just then, Empress Dowager Cheng, dressed in her finest attire, appeared in Shou Kang Palace and greeted the Empress Dowager.

"The Empress Dowager has arrived as well, please have a seat!"

"Yes." Empress Dowager Cheng found a seat. She had only come to Shou Kang Palace to join in the fun because she was too bored. She didn't know why this old woman, who was neither alive nor dead, was making such a big fuss.

Upon seeing the Empress Dowager, all the concubines respectfully bowed to her.

"My palace is getting more and more lively. I've gotten used to a quiet life, and I'm very pleased to see the harem so bustling after returning. The harem is so well-organized and everyone is so harmonious, all thanks to the Empress Dowager!" The Empress Dowager said in a kind and amiable manner.

What does this have to do with the Empress Dowager? She has no power or influence, and even the Emperor doesn't listen to her. It should all be attributed to Jiang Fenghua. It's a pity she's not here and can't hear these insincere flattering words from the Empress Dowager.

The mention of managing the harem only fueled Empress Dowager Cheng's anger. The harem should have been under her control, but she had no power or influence. When Jiang Fenghua was not in the palace, the emperor entrusted the harem to Gao Qingtong, but as soon as Jiang Fenghua returned to the palace, it was back in her hands. She even held such a high-profile coronation ceremony.

She, the emperor's birth mother, had become a mere figurehead, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was having a heart attack.

The Empress Dowager knew that she had no real power, so she deliberately said those things to provoke her. Jiang Fenghua was in charge of the inner palace, while Xie Shang was in charge of the court.

"I still feel that the inner palace is a bit too quiet. Now that the Empress Dowager has returned, she should advise the Emperor on the matter of selecting concubines!" Empress Dowager Cheng seemed to have something difficult to say.

The Empress Dowager was puzzled. "Selecting concubines for the Emperor is the business of the Empress Dowager and the Empress. How can I make such a decision? Aren't there so many concubines? I only see two of them who are pregnant."

"Even the Empress Dowager can't make the decision, and I am powerless to do so. The Empress Dowager can also ask the concubines present. They have been in the palace for several years, and there are still many who have never served the emperor. If this gets back to their families, won't they say that our royal family is bullying their daughters?"

The Empress Dowager continued, "The Emperor is completely controlled by the Empress. She decides who will serve him in bed. Even in ordinary households, a jealous wife can cause trouble. How much more so in our royal family? The Emperor is not just her emperor, but the emperor of the whole world."

This is awkward to say. Why blame the Empress for the Emperor's lack of favor towards his concubines? This is a cliché that has been said many times before.

Discussing this topic again would be an insult to the concubines, because the Empress had given each of them a chance, but the Emperor was unwilling to choose them.