Chapter 17 Why didn't you send me pastries?
Chapter Seventeen: Why Didn't They Send Me Pastries?
After the court session, Prince An, Li Yuanqi, came out of the main hall and saw Lanxiang standing outside the hall with a solemn expression.
I couldn't help but feel doubtful.
When Lanxiang saw Prince An come out, she immediately went up to him respectfully and said in a low voice, "Your Highness Prince An, the Empress invites you."
"What happened?"
"The eldest princess came to see Her Majesty today."
Li Yuanqi was somewhat disdainful that they had come looking for him so quickly. She was just a princess who had married out of the country and had no real power; he wasn't afraid of her.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is not far from the Palace of Enlightenment; it only takes about fifteen minutes to get there.
Consort Zhao was somewhat unusually calm today.
Before Li Yuanqi could even greet her, she anxiously asked, "What did you do to Meng Huaiyan?"
She wasn't deceiving the princess; she genuinely didn't know.
Her son has always been very opinionated and doesn't usually talk to her about many things.
Li Yuanqi sat leisurely on the stool, took a sip of tea, and said, "Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry?"
How could she not be anxious? The eldest princess held such a huge handle on her; if she were to report this to the emperor, she would be executed, let alone be implicated.
I'm afraid even Li Yuanqi will be implicated, and the Zhao family will be finished.
Consort Zhao said anxiously, "Speak quickly."
Li Yuanqi said calmly, "It was nothing more than sending someone to assassinate Meng Huaiyan."
"What!" Consort Zhao exclaimed in surprise, standing up abruptly.
"Are you crazy? You even dare to touch Meng Huaiyan!"
Li Yuanqi seemed completely unconcerned: "What's there to be afraid of? Now that Father Emperor relies on me, even the Crown Prince doesn't dare to do anything to me."
"He's just Meng Huaiyan, what's there to be afraid of?"
Consort Zhao's eyebrows furrowed, her face turned ashen, and she slammed her hand on the table in anger: "Kneel down!"
Li Yuanqi's expression instantly turned ugly, but he still knelt on the ground as instructed.
"You're being far too arrogant. Do you think you can mess with the Meng family?"
Li Yuanqi was somewhat unconvinced: "What's wrong with not being able to move him? With him dead, the Crown Prince will lose an ally. Isn't that more advantageous for us?"
"Besides, I am the Emperor's own son. Do you think the Emperor would kill me for the sake of a nephew? He can just find some excuse like bandits or assassins to cover it up."
"I doubt that the Meng family and the court officials would dare to say anything more."
Consort Zhao was completely stunned and almost speechless with anger.
How could he be so stupid!
"His Majesty relies on you only because he is wary of the Crown Prince's faction, which has the support of the Meng family and is too powerful."
"Supporting you and the Zhao family is merely a political maneuver by the emperor. If Meng Huaiyan really dies, and the Meng family joins forces with court officials to petition for an explanation, are you so certain that the emperor will disregard the stability of the court and protect you?"
Li Yuanqi said weakly, "After all, I am my father's own son, and besides, my father trusts me very much now."
Consort Zhao retorted angrily, "What His Majesty has no shortage of is sons. Trust? The mind of an emperor is the most unpredictable. If His Majesty can trust and rely on you today, he can trust and rely on other princes tomorrow."
“Our Zhao family was promoted entirely by the Emperor himself; we have no real power base in the court.”
"If His Majesty wants to reclaim power, it will only take a moment. Instead of biding your time, you actually went and provoked the Meng family!"
Consort Zhao paced back and forth in anger, saying with exasperation, "Your good brothers are just waiting for you to make a mistake so they can find something to hold against you and rise to power!"
Li Yuanqi's face darkened as he thought of his restless younger brothers.
But Meng Huaiyan is really hateful. Even though he was warned, he still insists on sticking to him.
If he uncovers the salt smuggling case, he's finished.
It would be better to just kill him outright and eliminate any future trouble.
It's just a pity that he was lucky enough to survive!
Now, instead, he's gotten himself into a mess.
Only after being reminded by Consort Zhao did Li Yuanqi begin to feel fear.
Consort Zhao said coldly, "Close Minglou. Keep a low profile these days."
If Minglou is closed, the private salt trade in the capital will inevitably be disrupted, and the losses will be incalculable.
Li Yunqi felt heartache and resentment at this thought, but he was still somewhat wary of the Meng family.
I had no choice but to agree.
*
Inside the Rongshou Hall.
The old lady was eating pastries in her chair.
Then a servant announced that Meng Huaiyan had arrived.
Among the younger generation, Meng Huaiyan is the most successful and is her favorite grandson.
He was so happy that he immediately had someone invite him in.
Meng Huaiyan entered the room and bowed to the old lady, saying, "Grandson greets Grandmother."
The old lady chuckled and said, "Get up, get up quickly."
"Are you feeling any better?"
Meng Huaiyan replied respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. I am much better now."
The old lady beckoned to him and said kindly, "Come, let me take a look at you."
Meng Huaiyan stepped forward and sat down in the seat below the Old Madam.
The old lady held Meng Huaiyan's hand and looked him over carefully. Seeing that he had a rosy complexion and was full of energy, she finally felt relieved.
Reaching out, she picked up a pastry from the plate next to her and handed it to Meng Huaiyan: "Try it, Miss Shen made it herself, it's not greasy."
Meng Huaiyan has never liked these pastries and usually doesn't eat them.
But upon hearing that it was made by Shen Tang himself, he inexplicably reached out and took it.
The pastry was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and it wasn't too sweet, which suited his taste.
After having lunch with his grandmother, Meng Huaiyan sat for a while longer before getting up to take his leave.
Knowing he was busy with official duties, the old lady didn't keep him any longer.
Meng Huaiyan returned to Qingyun Courtyard and asked Tingsong, "Where are the pastries Miss Chen sent?"
Tingsong looked puzzled: "Pastries? Miss Shen didn't send anyone to deliver them today."
Besides, the young master had previously ordered the pastries Miss Shen sent to be thrown away, so why did he ask about them this time?
Meng Huaiyan didn't think much of it, assuming it hadn't been delivered yet.
He said to Tingsong, "If Miss Chen brings pastries later, put them in my study."
Tingsong couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise; this was the first time she had heard the young master say he wanted to keep the pastries that Miss Shen had sent.
He tried his best to suppress his surprise and respectfully replied, "Yes."
However, until late afternoon, no one from Miss Shen came to the courtyard. Meng Huaiyan looked at the gradually setting sun and frowned slightly.
Watching from the side, Tingsong couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, should I go and ask?"
Why are you asking this? It's like he cares a lot.
Meng Huaiyan lowered his head and continued dealing with the matters at hand.
When Song heard that the prince did not answer, he did not dare to ask him on his own initiative, but he couldn't help but mutter to himself.
What's wrong with Miss Shen? She's usually so eager to deliver pastries, why is she so slow this time?
"Could she have forgotten?" he thought, then shook his head. "Miss Shen cares so much about their young master; she couldn't possibly have forgotten him."
Tingsong kept looking towards the courtyard gate, but even after it was completely dark, he still didn't see Miss Chen or Ayun.
Ting Song was almost afraid to look at the prince's expression.
Meng Huaiyan felt slightly uncomfortable. They sent the gifts to all the other courtyards, but not to his.
What's the meaning?
Observing his expression, Ting Song cautiously asked again, "Should I go and ask?"
Meng Huaiyan was somewhat irritable and had no interest in his official duties.
He put down his pen and said coldly, "No need."
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