Chapter 213 Changed her temperament and whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

"I will also let Awu try the tea."

Emperor Wusu poured himself another cup of tea.

Ji Qingwu was forced to use his own teacup and was personally fed a cup of tea by the emperor.

The sight of the woman swallowing with her cheeks puffed out aroused Emperor Wusu's interest in feeding her, and he fed her four or five more pieces of pastry and three cups of tea.

Ji Qingwu dared not refuse and could only go along with his wishes.

But seeing that Emperor Wusu was about to feed her the whole plate of food, Ji Qingwu patted her round belly.

He said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, I can't eat anymore."

Emperor Wusu also reached out to confirm, and the soft flesh under his palm began to tighten, showing that she was indeed full.

He praised with satisfaction, "Being able to eat is a blessing. Ah Wu has a good appetite; he is a lucky person."

Seeing the smile on his lips, Ji Qingwu felt that even if she was stuffed, it was all worth it.

She didn't ask why Emperor Wusu had demoted Wei Ting; whatever the reason, he must have had his reasons.

If she were to inquire, the emperor might use this as an excuse to say that she was concerned about Wei Ting's affairs.

In the end, Ji Qingwu returned home feeling completely stuffed.

As soon as she entered the entrance of Wutong Garden, she asked Lanzhi to find two honey hawthorn pills to aid digestion.

Emperor Wusu, on the other hand, went to review the memorials with great satisfaction.

He had just opened a memorial to the throne when he said, "Li Yuzong, go and convey the news from the Hall of Diligent Governance to the Empress Dowager."

Li Yuzong bowed and was about to leave when he heard Emperor Wusu's cold and deep voice coming from the hall.

"Also, send the message that her niece is disguised and staying in the Hall of Diligent Governance for a long time."

Li Yuzong looked up in surprise, only to see Emperor Wusu picking up his imperial brush, dipping it in ink, his expression calm and composed.

He said worriedly, "Your Majesty, if the Empress Dowager finds out that Miss Ji has been staying in the palace for so long, I'm afraid she will..."

Emperor Wusu chuckled and said, "That's exactly how it should be."

*

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager had just received news that Prince Yong had only been fined half a year's salary by the Emperor and had not been punished with a beating. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She sighed, "If Minghong is severely punished by the Emperor, he will probably be heartbroken again."

Shi Xi was squatting on the ground massaging the Empress Dowager's legs. She said, "His Majesty, considering our brotherly affection, after all, we are still brothers. He won't let the Prince suffer any loss."

The Empress Dowager slowly closed her eyes and said, "I know my son very well. I think Minghong values ​​this elder brother more than I do."

With her eyes closed, she recalled the past, as if scenes from the past were replaying before her eyes.

“When he was a child, Minghong would always provoke the emperor in order to get his attention and care. Every time he would come back with a bruised and swollen face, but he would do it again and again.”

At this moment, Fanghua entered from outside and placed the tonic soup on the table, interrupting the Empress Dowager's reminiscence.

"Your Majesty, this soup is freshly made. Please drink it while it's hot."

The Empress Dowager picked up the soup, took a sip, and sighed, "His Majesty has really changed his ways these days. Last time in this palace, he told me that we were family."

The thought of that scene made her restless, and the soup in her hands rippled.

"Back then, I was the second wife of the Marquis's family. Hua Chang and the Emperor have never been close to me since childhood, and I was unwilling to put on a show for them or do anything that would annoy them." Therefore, their relationship has always been cold.

The Empress Dowager couldn't understand why the Emperor had changed so drastically.

This time, Emperor Wusu not only showed leniency to Prince Yong and punished him lightly, but also severely punished Wei Ting, demoting him two ranks.

With Consort Wei's support no longer secure, the Empress Dowager's influence in the harem will be unmatched.

This act of "favoritism" made even the Empress Dowager feel flattered.

Fanghua took the soup bowl and handed a handkerchief to the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty, when I went to the Imperial Kitchen to fetch the stew pot, I overheard the servants talking about something."

Knowing that Fanghua wasn't one to pry into gossip, the Empress Dowager asked, "What did you hear?"

"This afternoon, a woman stayed in the Hall of Diligent Governance for about two hours before leaving. She was disguised as a palace maid and managed to sneak in."

The Empress Dowager sat up straight. She recalled that when she pleaded for Prince Yong, she had been to the Hall of Diligent Governance, but since this was where the Emperor handled state affairs, it would be against ancestral rules if she stayed too long.

That woman was incredibly bold.

She frowned and asked, "I remember His Majesty was in the Hall of Diligent Governance all afternoon. Have you found out who that woman is?"

Fanghua hesitated for a moment before saying, "It is indeed the fifth young lady of the family."

The Empress Dowager's furrowed brows relaxed, and she exclaimed in surprise, "It's Qingwu?!"

After a moment, she looked at him with understanding: "No wonder the Emperor has been behaving strangely lately. It turns out that the Emperor's words have been whispered in his ear."

That day, Emperor Wusu said that everyone present was one family, but it's hard to say whether he was referring to Qingwu.

The Empress Dowager pounded her palms and said regretfully, "When exactly did this happen? My mother never mentioned it to me. She even wanted to marry Qingwu off to the third son of the Li family. She must be blind."

Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager anxiously instructed, "Fanghua, tomorrow morning you should send someone to tell the old lady not to arrange any more unreliable marriages for Qingwu."

After Qingwu enters the palace, her and the Ji family's positions will be more secure. Now all that's needed is to wait for the right opportunity so she can give them a push from behind.

The Empress Dowager said, "No, I don't trust anyone else to go. Fanghua, you go yourself."

Fanghua replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

The next day.

Ji Qingwu didn't wake up naturally; instead, he was shaken awake by Lanzhi.

"Fifth Miss! Fifth Miss!"

The noise around him was deafening. Ji Qingwu, her eyes tightly shut, asked groggily, "What's going on?"

Lanzhi said anxiously, "Fifth Miss, the old lady is waiting for you."

Ji Qingwu opened her eyes a crack and said in a sleepy voice, "Lanzhi, you're mistaken. I don't need to pay my respects to you every morning and evening like my fourth sister."

Lanzhi said, "The old lady has arrived at Wutong Garden."

Ji Qingwu: "Grandmother is here?"

Just as she was about to struggle, the voice of Granny Feng, who was beside Madam Ji, came from outside.

"Lanzhi, don't disturb the Fifth Miss. The Old Madam said she's waiting for her in the hall."

Ji Qingwu was no longer sleepy at all, and she stared intently at the window.

"Lanzhi, open the window screen."

Lanzhi walked to the window and pulled back the gauze curtains, letting in the morning sunlight.

Ji Qingwu asked, "Can you tell me which way the sun rises today?"

Lanzhi said, "Is Fifth Miss still half asleep? Of course, it's the east."

No matter what, she couldn't let her grandmother wait for her, a junior.

Ji Qingwu quickly finished washing and dressing and appeared in the main hall.

As soon as Madam Ji saw her, she smiled kindly and said, "Young lady, sleeping a little longer will help you maintain your complexion. Look at your face, it's like a flower bud."

Ji Qingwu stood at the door, unsure whether or not to go in.

Madam Ji called out, "Qingwu, come sit next to your grandmother."

Ji Qingwu pinched Lanzhi, who was standing next to him.