Chapter 209 Mother and Son Confronted

Therefore, at the beginning, no one cared except Xu Lanshan who was interested.

But after checking half of them, no one stayed, and even the most careless people would have noticed it.

When another group of concubines were sent away, the Queen Mother finally lost her patience and asked softly after a light cough, "Your Majesty, are these concubines not to your liking?"

Emperor Yuan Yong smiled nonchalantly: "I don't think there's anything special about it, it's just so-so."

The Queen Mother frowned, "But Your Majesty, the previous dynasty and the harem are inextricably linked. This selection is not only to fill the harem, but also a grace to the ministers. Your Majesty must choose a few."

Emperor Yuan Yong immediately rebelled. "I don't agree with what my mother said. If a court official is capable, fulfills his duties diligently, and makes achievements, I will naturally see it and reward him according to his merits. Those who deserve promotions will be promoted, and those who deserve rewards will be rewarded. What does this have to do with the harem? Do they not fulfill their duties just because their daughters are not in my harem? Or do they not have to do anything and enjoy wealth and glory just because their daughters are in the harem? That's ridiculous!"

"You!" The Queen Mother was surprised that the Emperor would be so disrespectful to her. She said angrily, "You know that's not what I meant!"

"But that's what I think."

The Queen Mother was furious: "Is the Emperor deliberately going against me?"

Emperor Yuan Yong said calmly, "Mother, you overthink it. I just think so, and I have no intention of opposing anyone! I never thought that nepotism was necessary to maintain harmony between the emperor and his subjects! Wouldn't that be ridiculous? I wouldn't trust my kingdom to be governed by mediocre people who only rely on nepotism to get to office."

The Queen Mother glared: "......"

Seeing this, the Queen quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile: "Your Majesty, the harem is now empty, and there are not many willing servants around you. It is time to fill the harem. Your Majesty, please at least select a few to stay. With someone to serve you, I and others can rest assured..."

The Queen Mother snorted and sneered, her face stern.

Emperor Yuan Yong said: "What the Queen said makes sense, but none of these beauties catch my eye. I don't want to keep them! Even if I did, I wouldn't even glance at them. Why bother?"

Queen: “…”

Now, the queen had nothing to say.

She could only force a smile to save face: "...I failed to choose someone that suits His Majesty's wishes. This is my fault."

Concubine Shu suddenly smiled and said, "Wouldn't Concubine Chen try to persuade the Emperor?"

You are so favored, maybe the emperor will listen to you!

When she said this, the empress dowager and the queen's eyes fell on Xu Lanshan, with obvious hostility.

Yes, with Concubine Chen around, how could the emperor look down on anyone else?

I have to say, Concubine Chen’s face is really beautiful!

The Queen Mother couldn't help herself and said, "Noble Lady Chen, tell me, should the Emperor fill his harem?"

Xu Lanshan: "Replying to the Queen Mother, it's due."

The Queen Mother was satisfied: "In that case, you should persuade the Emperor! You are the most beloved person in the Emperor's heart. I am afraid that the Emperor will listen to you at least a little."

This hatred was so strong that it completely disregarded her face.

Xu Lanshan lowered her eyes and smiled shyly, "Your Majesty, your words are truly humiliating to me. Your Majesty naturally values ​​Your Majesty and Empress Shunzhi the most. How could I possibly understand anything? I am not worthy of Your Majesty's attention. I only know how to serve Your Majesty and listen to His Majesty. If Your Majesty likes me, then I like them too!"

The Queen Mother choked: "......"

This is also a worry!

He spoke in a humble and submissive manner, but was actually full of evil intentions.

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Just based on these words, you don't know nothing."

Xu Lanshan: "This is because the Queen Mother values ​​me, but I dare not overstep my bounds."

"snort!"

Emperor Yuan Yong: "Alright, tell the next wave to come in quickly!"

The sooner you see it, the sooner you’ll finish it.

The queen glanced at the queen mother, and then ordered a group of eight beautiful girls to enter the palace.

Emperor Yuan Yong still glanced at it hastily, and no one took it seriously.

He was about to order everyone to leave when the Queen Mother suddenly pointed at a beautiful young lady in a light yellow dress, with a slender figure and beautiful features, and said with a smile, "This girl is quite good, Your Majesty, please keep her!"

The beautiful girl suddenly felt dizzy, quickly raised her eyes to glance at Emperor Yuan Yong, and then lowered her head shyly.

Emperor Yuan Yong said calmly, "No need. I don't like it."

The concubine's face turned pale in an instant and her body swayed slightly.

The Queen Mother, however, seemed to be arguing with the Emperor, and insisted with a smile: "Your Majesty, I think this girl is well-behaved and lovely. She looks like she will be blessed. You should keep her!"

Emperor Yuan Yong said: "Let's wait and see, there are many good things to come."

"Your Majesty, what if I must keep her?"

"If the Queen Mother likes her, then take her back to the Cining Palace to serve her!"

The fragile heart of the young lady could no longer bear it, and her knees softened and she fell to her knees with a plop.

Emperor Yuan Yong's eyes flashed with disgust. "You are so cowardly. There is no point in keeping you in the palace. Take you away! All of you, leave!"

Immediately, two young eunuchs came forward and pulled the yellow-dressed beauty away on the left and right. The other beauty ladies were frightened by the confrontation between the emperor and the empress dowager, and they retreated in a hurry, fearing that they would be called out.

I used to envy the beautiful lady in yellow, but now I'm just glad I'm not her...

The air in the hall almost froze for a moment.

The Queen Mother trembled with anger. "Fine, fine, Your Majesty, are you deliberately trying to go against me? I don't even have the slightest bit of dignity left in front of Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuan Yong was very puzzled: "Mother, when I choose concubines, I only ask that they please me and please my eyes. Is this too much to ask? Mother, you must cram people I don't like into my harem. Why do you do that?"

These words touched the Empress Dowager's sore spot, and tears welled up in her eyes: "I know, and you're still blaming me! The Fu family has fallen to such a state, and you still can't let it go, and you're still blaming me!"

"I don't blame my mother, I just want to make my own decision for once."

"Okay, okay, in that case, there's no point in me staying here, so I'll just leave it alone! Your Majesty... do whatever you want!"

The Queen Mother stood up and left angrily.

Emperor Yuan Yong's eyes darkened slightly, but he didn't give in. Didn't he know what his mother was up to by appearing today? She simply wanted to show her favor to the concubines, selecting a few to keep in the palace and train them as her own.

Even now, she still had such thoughts in her mind, and he didn't know what to say.

There was no way he would back down.

Does the former dynasty and the harem have to be implicated? He doesn't want to!

I don't think it's necessary either.

Since we don’t want to connect, then we might as well not connect with anyone.

As soon as the Empress Dowager left, the Empress and Consort Shu felt embarrassed, and Xu Lanshan was also secretly sweating.