Chapter 448 Meeting the Saint
Madam Min Qiao understood Madam Zheng's concerns, but the real root of the problem was Min Ji!
What will become of her and the Xuanping Marquis's family depends entirely on Emperor Xiaozhao's decision.
However, one thing she was certain of was that Emperor Xiaozhao would not kill her for the time being!
She has that kind of confidence!
"Don't worry. His Majesty summoned me, probably to discuss matters related to the peace treaty after the marriage alliance," Madam Min Qiao reassured Lady Zheng.
"Yes, how could I have forgotten about that?" Madam Zheng smiled in realization.
Without saying anything more, Min Qiao got into the carriage and followed the main group into the city, then headed straight for the palace.
Upon entering the palace, Liu Xin, the chief eunuch serving Emperor Xiaozhao, was already waiting to the side.
"This old servant greets His Highness Prince Chu, the Seventh Princess, and Lady Qinghe."
Liu Xin stepped forward with a humble smile to greet him.
"Eunuch Liu, why are you here to pick them up in person?" Li Sanqi was somewhat shocked.
The King of Chu was also somewhat surprised.
Liu Xin explained with a smile, "Your Highnesses have been away from the palace for half a year, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress miss them very much."
"Therefore, His Majesty sent this old servant to tell His Highnesses that after returning to the palace, His Highnesses should first go to see the Empress Dowager and the Empress."
"Thank you for making this trip, Eunuch Liu. Actually, sending a junior eunuch to deliver the message would have been just as good."
Li Sanqi casually remarked, then asked, "But didn't the eunuch who delivered the decree say that Father Emperor urgently summoned us to the palace? Why aren't you in a hurry to see us now?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Madam Min Qiao and then asked, "What about Madam Qinghe?"
Liu Xin replied with a smile, "Lady Qinghe will be going to the Imperial Study with this old servant immediately. Your Highnesses, please go to the inner palace to meet the Empress Dowager and the Empress before you are summoned to the Emperor."
"This..." Li Sanqi wanted to say something more, but the King of Chu smiled and pulled her aside, teasingly saying, "It's been so long since you've seen your grandmother and mother, doesn't Seventh Sister miss them?"
"What are you dawdling for? Come with me now."
After saying this to Liu Xin, he pulled Li Sanqi away.
Once they were some distance away, the King of Chu explained, "Seventh Sister, haven't you realized yet? Father wants to summon Lady Qinghe alone!"
Li Sanqi, with a sullen face, said in a muffled voice, "I know."
"I know, yet you're still arguing with Steward Liu?"
Li Sanqi glanced at the King of Chu and said in a muffled voice, "We've been away for so long, especially me, and I almost died in Da'e."
"But when we returned, Father wouldn't even see us. Don't you feel sad?"
Actually, what Li Sanqi really wanted to say was that he was heartbroken.
Of course, what she really wanted to ask was why Emperor Xiaozhao had summoned Lady Min Qiao alone.
What could be more important than cleaning up the mess left by this marriage alliance?
How could they bypass her and the King of Chu, and have Emperor Xiaozhao summon Min Qiaoshi first?
The King of Chu, of course, had no idea what Li Sanqi was thinking. After hearing Li Sanqi's words, he couldn't help but tease her, "So, Seventh Sister, you've been wronged?"
"Don't worry, Father loves you the most. The reason he didn't summon us first is probably because, as Eunuch Liu said, Grandmother and Mother miss us. That's why Father sent us back to the inner palace first."
Li Sanqi glanced at the King of Chu and gave him a perfunctory smile.
On the other side, Liu Xin led Madam Min to the Imperial Study.
Whether Liu Xin didn't want to keep Emperor Xiaozhao waiting or was deliberately trying to make things difficult for her, he led the way at a rather fast pace, making it quite difficult for Lady Min to keep up.
If the occasion weren't inappropriate, she would throw a tantrum and start swearing.
When she finally reached the outside of the Imperial Study, she was drenched in sweat, as if she had been pulled out of the water. She was exhausted and thirsty, and her legs were trembling from exhaustion.
He had thought that Emperor Xiaozhao's urgent summons would allow him to meet the emperor in the imperial study.
However, she stood outside the imperial study for half an hour but did not receive an audience with Emperor Xiaozhao.
No one led her to sit in the side hall; they just left her standing outside the hall.
If Min Qiaoshi still didn't realize that Emperor Xiaozhao was deliberately causing trouble by this point, then she would have lived such a long life in vain.
So, after standing for another quarter of an hour, she deliberately let out her pent-up anger and sat down on the ground without any regard for her image.
Then, to the astonishment of the guards and eunuchs, his eyes rolled back, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.
"Lady Qinghe has fainted!" someone shouted.
Soon a young eunuch went in to report.
Another eunuch came to check on her condition.
Min Qiao was pretending to faint, but unexpectedly, when she closed her eyes, her pretense turned into a real faint.
There was nothing she could do; she was truly exhausted. The weather was hot, she was hungry, and all these factors combined caused her to faint.
When she woke up, she was already back at the Xuanping Marquis's residence.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Wu sitting by her bedside, crying. Little Wu was also beside her, wiping away her tears.
Even Min Rong, that wicked son, sat silently not far away.
Anyone who didn't know better would think she was terminally ill and these people were waiting to collect her corpse.
Upon seeing her open her eyes, Madam Wu instinctively cried out in surprise, "Mother! You're finally awake! Waaah... Mother, are you alright?"
Madam Min rubbed her ears and snapped, "Shut up!"
As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Wu again, "Water."
Wu quickly poured a glass of warm water. Not being completely stupid, Wu wiped away her tears and helped Min Qiao sit up.
After drinking a cup of water, Madam Min felt a little better and then instructed, "I'm hungry, bring me some easily digestible food."
"Yes," Madam Wu replied, went out to give the instructions, and then quickly returned.
Aunt He was meticulous and had the meal prepared well in advance.
Before long, the meal that had been kept warm on the stove was brought over.
Madam Min didn't care about anything else, and had someone bring over a low table, so she started eating right there on the bed...
Min Qiao glanced at the dark sky outside the window; it was undoubtedly dinner time.
During her meal, Wu tried to say something several times, but was stopped by her younger sister, Wu.
Only after she finished her meal and tidied up did Madam Wu stop stopping Madam Wu from speaking.
"Mother, what exactly happened when you went to the palace yesterday? Why were you carried out?"
As soon as Madam Wu spoke, her voice trembled with tears, “They’re saying outside that you’ve been punished by the Emperor.”
Madam Min Qiao nodded. "I was indeed punished by His Majesty." Otherwise, she wouldn't have collapsed in the palace because her body couldn't take it.
Upon hearing this, Madam Wu burst into tears, wailing, "Waaah... What are we going to do! Even Mother has been punished by the Emperor, what will become of our Xuanping Marquis's mansion!"
"What will happen to my poor Seele?"
"I was hoping that my mother's return would help the Marquis's mansion and Xi'er..."
"But now, but now..."
"Waaaaah..."
Wu cried so hard that tears streamed down her face, and she spoke so loudly that Min Qiao frowned.
Yesterday at the city gate, she noticed that Madam Wu seemed to have turned into a crybaby. This moment further confirmed her suspicions.
No, yesterday...
She suddenly looked up at Madam Wu, "I was unconscious for a whole day and night?"
“Yes, Grandmother.” Madam Wu nodded affirmatively. “You were sent back to the manor at 4:30 pm yesterday.”
Ms. Wu paused for a moment before continuing, "It is now 7:45 a.m. (the third quarter of the hour of You).
"It's been this long?" Madam Min murmured, lost in thought.
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