Chapter 192 is urgent

When Shangguan Jin arrived at the front yard, she waited at the door for a while.

Fortunately, Shen Qingyue quickly walked over in less than half an incense stick's time.

Neither of them spoke, both on tenterhooks.

They were afraid that something big had happened in the palace again.

As soon as you enter the front yard, you can see Eunuch Hu pacing back and forth in the hall. He looks quite anxious.

Shangguan Jin breathed a sigh of relief and greeted them with a polite, smiling face.

"Eunuch Hu, what important matter brings you here at this hour?"

It's nothing serious, the eunuchs can handle it themselves, why bother you with all this trouble!

"Is your leg still hurting lately?" Shangguan Jin asked with a smile.

When Eunuch Hu saw Shangguan Jin arrive, he quickly bowed and greeted her.

"May Madam Shen be well! May Princess Pingning be well."

Shen Qingyue hurriedly gave a half-bow.

Shangguan Jin smiled and quickly invited Eunuch Hu to sit down, and also asked the maid to bring up a fresh cup of tea.

Once they were alone in the hall, Shangguan Jin asked, "Eunuch Hu, is something important happening?"

Eunuch Hu, not even bothering to drink his tea, nodded solemnly.

"Madam Shen, don't panic. This is not about the Seventh Prince. He is doing well in the palace."

These past few days, His Majesty has brought the Seventh Prince along not only to court sessions but also to handle state affairs.

"I've come this time on other matters."

When Shangguan Jin and Shen Qingyue heard that it wasn't about the Seventh Prince, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

If something were to happen to the Seventh Prince while he's in the palace, they would be truly powerless to help...

"Please speak, Eunuch Hu," Shangguan Jin said hurriedly.

Eunuch Hu glanced outside the door and saw that no one was there. He knew that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion had very strict rules. Whenever someone came to visit, whether it was a maid or a servant, they had to avoid them and could only stand at a distance.

"Madam Shen, please don't be alarmed by this matter. I only learned about it by chance."

The day before yesterday, the Empress Dowager summoned the wife of the Duke of Anguo, and one of my spies leaked the information to me.

It is said that the Empress Dowager has decided on something: she wants to betroth Zheng Mengdie, the second granddaughter of the Duke of Anguo, to the heir of the household.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is just ten days away.

This year, because the King of Qin won a victory in the south, His Majesty was pleased and said that a palace banquet would be held for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Your family was also among those invited.

The Empress Dowager planned to arrange the marriage on that day.

With so many nobles present, His Majesty couldn't say much even if he wanted to refute them.

Madam Shen, please think of a solution quickly. If all else fails, you could even arrange a temporary marriage for the heir apparent.

"That second young lady of the Zheng family is really... unsuitable for the household!" Eunuch Hu said anxiously.

Shangguan Jin and Shen Qingyue both felt a tightness in their chests.

Unexpectedly, after Shangguan Jin and Madam Shen made a scene in the Zichen Palace, no one dared to mess with Chen Qingyue anymore.

But someone set their sights on Shen Qingjun.

Yes, the title of the heir apparent to the Duke of Dingguo is quite prestigious!

He could inherit the title as soon as he turned eighteen, becoming the youngest duke in the capital.

Empress Dowager Zheng wanted to marry her grandniece to the Shen family, partly to annoy the Shen family.

Secondly, he probably wanted to cause some trouble for the Crown Prince's faction!

Everyone knows that Shen Qingjun will definitely take up a post after inheriting the title, and the direction he will most likely go is the Weiyuan Army.

Both Emperor Xiao Jing and Marquis Changsheng were potential allies.

The Empress Dowager's move, though seemingly simple, managed to involve everyone.

Even if Zheng Mengdie, who married into the family, and Shen Qingjun were not on good terms, in the eyes of others, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and the Duke of Anguo's mansion were still related by marriage...

Shangguan Jin thought for a while, and seeing that Eunuch Hu was still waiting for her reply with an anxious look, she felt a little warm inside.

Fortunately, there was still Eunuch Hu in the palace to help them.

"Eunuch Hu, I thank you very much!"

If you don't pass this message on to our household, I'm afraid I'll be caught off guard again, just like when Sister Yue was betrothed back then."

Shangguan Jin stood up and respectfully bowed to Eunuch Hu.

Upon seeing this, Eunuch Hu quickly stepped aside.

"Madam Shen, at a time like this, please don't stand on ceremony."

You are a good person, kind-hearted, as are the Duke and the young ladies and gentlemen of the manor.

These eclectic thoughts were all kept in mind.

People like us have no one to rely on, and nobody respects us. It's only because of your presence that we're even given the time of day.

"If we can help, we will. I don't want your household to be overwhelmed by these matters any longer," sighed Eunuch Hu.

In fact, at the beginning, he mostly did things for money.

The medicinal wine sent by the Duke of Dingguo's mansion really saved him a lot of suffering.

But later, he gradually discovered that the people in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion were really different from other people.

Other noble families would respectfully address him as "Eunuch Hu" to his face.

What don't they curse behind your back? Eunuchs, castrated bastards, rootless scum...

Lady Dingguo, the wife of the Duke of Dingguo, did not visit the palace many times, but her attitude each time made people feel comfortable.

It wasn't just Eunuch Hu who felt this way; other eunuchs also believed that the Duchess of Dingguo would never mistreat them...

The time that Eunuch Hu remembered most clearly was when the Crown Prince went to the Empress's palace and broke something for some reason.

The palace maids and eunuchs inside and outside the palace knelt on the ground.

He also knelt at the palace gate.

Eunuch Hu, having spent many years in the palace, knew a thing or two. He knew that if the master saw someone kneeling in the palace, he could simply wave them up and tell them to get up.

Those who kneel at the palace gates are in for a rough time.

We can only get up when our master comes out.

It happened to be raining those few days, and Grandpa Hu's legs were a little uncomfortable.

If I keep kneeling like this, I probably won't be able to walk at night.

Just then, the Seventh Prince arrived. Seeing the eunuchs kneeling at the door, he paused for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Since you're all here, go and move those few foxtail pines I keep in my palace."

I moved it to the Hall of Diligent Governance and told Eunuch Wu that I had delivered it there.

"Be careful, Father is handling state affairs. Don't disturb him. Just wait outside."

After saying this, she tossed a small purse to Eunuch Hu, then waved to Eunuch Hu and the others before entering the Empress's palace.

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Hu quickly led several eunuchs from the doorway to the Seventh Prince's bedroom.

Four small bristlecone pines, the kind that one person could easily carry two of them...

Eunuch Hu had each of the young eunuchs carry a basin, and he personally led them to deliver it to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Everyone didn't return until evening.

......

Shangguan Jin's mind started working.

This old woman is making trouble now; it seems she's been holding back her money lately and can't hold it in any longer!

"Eunuch Hu, do you have a way to leak this matter to Her Majesty the Empress?"

To be honest, the Crown Prince is still in mourning, so a temporary engagement is definitely not an option.

The Empress Dowager's actions were not only aimed at the Shen family, but also, within the palace, at the Empress.

If the Empress knew, she would also feel uneasy.

After the Empress found out, she had her own thoughts and would most likely send you to tell me.

"Then I can legitimately enter the palace to discuss it with the Empress," Shangguan Jin said.

Grandpa Hu understood.

If Lady Shen were to enter the palace rashly, the Empress would surely have reservations.

She, who was in charge of the harem, was unaware of this secret, but Lady Shen, who was far away outside the palace, knew about it...

Ultimately, they'll most likely start to suspect themselves...

"Don't worry, Madam Shen, I will definitely inform Her Majesty the Empress," Eunuch Hu immediately assured her.