Chapter 249 The Thoughts of the Two Concubines
After the concubines left.
Pei Tingyue sat on the couch, drank the pregnancy-maintaining medicine, and rested for a while before saying to Yunshu, "I am pregnant, so I deserve a reward. Everyone in Chengning Palace should be rewarded with three months' worth of monthly allowance."
Over the past few years, she has had more and more money in her hands.
In the past, he had saved 20,000 taels for promotion and pregnancy, and Concubine Song gave him another 30,000 taels, which made up 50,000 taels of silver.
She never touched the money and even saved some of it.
In recent years, on her birthdays, in addition to gold, jade and jewelry, the emperor also gave her two imperial farms.
The two imperial farms are located in the suburbs of Beijing, both of which have thousands of acres of fertile land. Accounts are paid once at the end of the year, and the total annual income is 5,000 taels.
In addition to these, the monthly allowance of a First-Rank Imperial Concubine was also considerable, 500 taels of silver per month, which was 6,000 taels per year. Pei Tingyue also saved this monthly allowance and did not spend it.
There is really no expenditure in the palace. Originally, she was of a low position and had to spend money everywhere. Now she is the head of the concubines, and the people below are busy trying to curry favor with her, so who would dare to withhold money?
However, Pei Tingyue was not stingy. At the end of the year, she distributed money everywhere so that others would sincerely work for her.
She gave the prominent palace maids and eunuchs gold melon seeds or small gold ingots, while the rest of the palace servants were only given a few hundred taels of silver, at most a thousand taels. The gold melon seeds and small gold ingots were all distributed to her by the emperor, so the actual amount she spent was about a thousand taels of silver.
As for those outside the palace, she would give rewards to Prince Xuan's Mansion and the Pei family during festivals, but the amount was very little in silver and money, mostly silks, gold and silver head ornaments, tea and porcelain.
So her annual expenses are really very little.
On her birthday at the end of the year, she carefully counted the silver and money she had and found that she had more than 80,000 taels. She had someone put the 80,000 taels away and only kept a few thousand taels in a secret compartment for daily expenses.
Since he had money, Pei Tingyue was not stingy and generously gave him three months' monthly allowance.
Everyone in Chengning Palace was naturally happy. They had just received the year-end bonus and the bonus for the Empress' birthday. Now that the first month of the year had just passed, there was another bonus. Who wouldn't be happy?
Therefore, they all came to express their gratitude with beaming faces.
Afterwards, Yun Shu said, "Your Majesty is pregnant, so you must be more careful in your care. I will go and give them a beating tonight."
Pei Tingyue smiled and nodded.
Yunshu is becoming more and more stable, and she feels relieved.
But she had a headache again.
Over the past few years, Yunshu had been introduced to many handsome men, many of whom were quite good. One of them, surnamed Li, was originally a captain stationed on the border. After returning to the capital, he was appointed a sixth-rank lieutenant. He was a very nice man, but he had no parents. He had an uncle and an aunt, but they had separated.
Pei Tingyue was very optimistic about this man after hearing the conditions. This way, without the pressure of the mother-in-law, the couple could live the life they wanted.
Thinking it was okay, Pei Tingyue met Captain Li, who was tall and strong, and quite handsome. However, Yun Shu was not willing to go after seeing him.
Pei Tingyue would not force her, and looked for a new husband for her, but Yun Shu didn't like any of them and insisted on staying with her.
Thinking of this, Pei Tingyue sighed.
After a while, when she is done with her work, she will look for a good man, and she only hopes to find one that Yunshu likes.
*
Yichun Palace.
"Your Majesty, please have some food." The palace maid Lan Hui advised.
Xie Xiuyi had a gloomy face and said nothing, just waved her hand slightly annoyedly.
Seeing her like this, Lan Hui stopped trying to persuade her and sent away all the palace maids.
"For the past three years, the Emperor has favored Concubine Chen alone. But after giving birth to the Fourth Prince, Concubine Chen's belly stopped moving, and everyone thought she was infertile. Who could have known that she was actually pregnant this very day?"
Xie Xiuyi rubbed his brows and whispered, "This child is really bad for us, and the risk is too high. We have no way to deal with Concubine Chen's child."
Lan Hui comforted her, "Even if you don't take action, Concubine Chen may not be able to give birth successfully. Wasn't Concubine Chen's last delivery difficult? It would be best if this time there were two deaths, one for each mother and child!"
Xie Xiuyi sneered, raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm afraid that fate will favor Concubine Chen and allow her to give birth to this baby safely."
Lan Hui paused and said, "I've inquired at the Imperial Hospital, and the doctors are all saying that Noble Concubine Chen is likely pregnant with a girl. In fact, it's not a big deal if she gives birth to a princess, so your Majesty doesn't need to worry too much."
"What do you know?!" Xie Xiuyi scolded, "It's the princess who's bad!"
Lan Hui's eyes were filled with doubt: "Why did the Queen say that giving birth to a princess is not a good thing?"
Xie Xiuyi explained, "If Concubine Chen gives birth to a princess, and later arranges for her to marry into a clan in the capital, it will surely bolster the Fourth Prince's power. It's better to give birth to a prince. There's only one throne, and isn't there always a lot of strife between brothers fighting for fame and fortune?"
Lan Hui nodded in understanding: "I see."
Xie Xiuyi snorted coldly: "Whether it's a princess or a prince, I'm afraid that after Concubine Chen gives birth to this child, she will become the true master of the harem."
"But... Concubine Chen's mother's family is not prominent..."
Xie Xiuyi interrupted her impatiently, "So what if she's not prominent?! Didn't Concubine Chen still take the position of Concubine? Even if her mother's family isn't prominent, she can easily become Empress one day."
Lan Hui remained silent.
Xie Xiuyi said with a headache, "I'm afraid that what we're most worried about is about to happen. Once the Fourth Prince becomes the legitimate son, Yuchuan will lose all his advantages."
Lan Hui asked cautiously, "What do we do then?"
"I can't let Concubine Chen become the empress!" Xie Xiuyi's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Since it's difficult to take action in the harem, then I'll start with the front court!"
*
Bixiao Palace.
In the warm room.
Sang Zhu leaned over and asked, "What did Xie Xiuyi mean by that just now at the gate of Chengning Palace? Does she want to temporarily make peace and join forces with the Empress to deal with Concubine Chen?"
Li Xiuyuan teased the bird in the golden cage and said quietly, "No, she won't do anything. She's just trying to make me jealous so I can do something."
Sang Zhu said bitterly, "So she wanted to kill two birds with one stone. She wanted to use the Empress to get rid of Concubine Chen and then get rid of the Empress. What a good plan."
Li Xiuyuan sneered, "Having come to this point, who wouldn't have a good plan? If you don't have a plan, you're just waiting for death."
Sang Zhu pondered this for a moment, then asked, "What is your Majesty's plan?"
Li Xiuyuan said coldly, "Chengning Palace is like an iron barrel right now. Not even a mosquito can fly in. Moreover, during the past few years that Concubine Chen has been in power, I don't know how many spies she has planted in the palace. Even if I have an idea, I can't act rashly."
Sang Zhu saw the birds fluttering their wings, and after putting the food in, they really quieted down. She sighed, "But... the mistress... is threatening the queen with the lady. We don't have much time."
Li Xiuyuan closed her eyes: "She didn't dare to push too hard. After all, she still had to rely on Yu Shi in the future. However, if she didn't get rid of one of the princes, her mother would suffer."
Sang Zhu asked softly, "Does the Queen have an idea?"
Li Xiuyuan sighed and slowly raised her eyelids, "I have an idea."
———————————
Night falls.
After Yun Shu scolded the palace maid, she helped Pei Tingyue to the back hall to take a bath.
"Go slowly, my lady, be careful of the slippery ground."
Pei Tingyue went into the water, leaned against the pool wall and closed his eyes to rest.
"Is there any movement in the six palaces today?"
"No." Yun Shu shook his head. "Even the Yuzhao Palace, Yichun Palace, and Bixiao Palace, which we should pay close attention to, are still silent."
Pei Tingyue's heart slowly calmed down.
As she expected, even though the concubines were restless, they did not dare to poison or frame her as they did before.
This time, she should be able to give birth safely.
"Even so, we can't let our guard down. We need to be careful around us, and we need to be even more careful around Zhou Zhou."
Yun Shu agreed, "Yes, I will pass the message to Sister Yun Zheng later."
Pei Tingyue nodded with satisfaction, suppressed his thoughts, and enjoyed the bath.
Yun Shu first massaged her, then went to the side and fetched some perfume. She smiled and said, "This is something Sister Yun Zheng has just blended. Your Majesty, please give it a sniff and see if you like it."
She leaned over and handed the fragrant dew to Pei Tingyue.
Pei Tingyue sniffed it and found it had a light orchid scent, which was very soothing. "This smells good."
Yun Shu agreed and applied the fragrance evenly on her body.
Pei Tingyue was about to close his eyes and rest, but suddenly he caught a glimpse of the tassel hairpin inserted diagonally in Yun Shu's black hair when she bent over.
She was suddenly startled and her mind went blank.
Pei Tingyue stared at the ruby and gold begonia tassel hairpin, his hands clenched into fists.
She was not dazzled, she recognized this hairpin, and she had seen it in Chengming Palace last night.
This was clearly given to Liang Yao and to bring joy to Liang An, so how come it fell on Yun Shu tonight?
Could it be that...
Was it given to Yun Shu by Liang An?
Pei Tingyue suppressed the turmoil in his heart and finished the bath while enduring the palpitations.
After putting on her clothes, she sent away the servants in the palace and left Yunshu alone in the warm room.
"What are you wearing on your head?"
Hearing this, Yun Shu lowered his eyes and knelt on the ground.
She wore it on purpose and intended for the Empress to find out, so she was not surprised when the Empress asked this question.
Pei Tingyue's eyes flushed red, and she slammed the table. "I'm asking you, where did you get that hairpin you're wearing?"
Yun Shu said in a trembling voice, "Liang An gave it to me."
"Bang!"
Pei Tingyue was so angry that she threw the Ru kiln cup and bowl, which was worth thousands of gold, on the small table.
She pointed at Yun Shu, her chest heaving violently, unable to utter a single word, "..."
Yun Shu's tears fell from her eyes and she said bluntly, "I don't want to get married because of Liang An. I...I like Liang An."
The guess was confirmed, and Pei Tingyue felt a blockage in his throat.
"Although Liang An looks good and has a good personality, he...he is not a normal man after all! How could you fall for him?"
Yun Shu said in a trembling voice, "He treats me very well."
Pei Tingyue's heart ached with anger, and he scolded softly: "Yun Shu!"
Yun Shu's beautiful face was already covered with tears: "My Lady, I just like him. No matter how good others are, I can't take it seriously."
Pei Tingyue closed her eyes and tried her best to suppress her emotions.
Her voice softened a little: "You are still young, and maybe you mistakenly think that a momentary kindness is love. Can you take a break for a while? Take this opportunity to think carefully about whether you like Liang An or are grateful to him."
Yun Shu slowly shook her head, her eyes firm. "Your Majesty, I used to have only a vague understanding of the word 'love,' but I've served you for many years and often witnessed the sweetness between you and your Majesty. No matter what, I can still distinguish between liking and being grateful. I just like him, not feel grateful to him."
Pei Tingyue's entire body drained of strength. She sat there in a daze for a long time, her eyes red as she said, "Your parents are still waiting for you outside the palace. How can you explain this to them?"
Yun Shu was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Next time I go to the palace, I will tell them. Whether they agree or not, I will remain firm in my choice."
Pei Tingyue had a headache and her thoughts were in a mess. Seeing Yun Shu kneeling on the ground, she felt distressed. She waved her hand, "I understand. You should go and rest first."
Yun Shu stood up and slowly left the hall.
*
Corridor.
Liang An was listening to the noise inside and waiting anxiously.
Seeing Yun Shu coming out in a daze, he hurried over to greet her, "There's a crackling noise in the hall, what's wrong with the queen?"
Yun Shu walked along the corridor and sat on the stone bench at the corner pavilion.
Liang An was puzzled: "Why don't you say..."
It was dark, and he did not see Yun Shu's red and swollen eyes, but he saw the light passing by the golden Begonia hairpin.
"You..." Liang An swallowed his saliva, "Why did you wear this? So, the Queen..."
Yun Shu took off the tassel hairpin and hummed softly.
Liang An's voice was hoarse: "I like you, but I never asked you to like me. There are such good guys out there..."
“Bang!”
Yun Shu slapped Liang An, "Are you going to say something like this to me again?"
Liang An covered his face and looked at her in surprise.
Yun Shu said in a trembling voice, "You're good to me, I know. But I don't want to go on like this. I also want to be good to you. Don't think I don't know. Every time I go to see you, you're always drunk in your room. Why, I have the courage to confess to the queen, but you can't tell me the truth?"
Liang An looked at her steadily.
Yun Shu suddenly stood up and put the hairpin back in his hand. "If you only want to silently guard me, then let's do this."
She turned to leave.
But someone suddenly grabbed his wrist tightly. Liang An's eyes were filled with darkness. "Want to hear my true feelings?"
Yun Shu turned to look at her.
Liang An used force to pull her in front of him and said word by word: "Do you know that every time you see me, I am jealous to death? I hate myself for being such a flawed man. I hate myself even more for my thoughts on you becoming more and more obscene day by day. So, do you still want to continue listening?"
Liang An's eyes seemed to say, you will regret it.
Yun Shu didn't run away, but looked at him straight.
Liang An blurted out all the words he had suppressed in his heart. "When I came to the Empress' side that year, besides my reluctance to admit defeat and my refusal to admit that I had made a mistake, there was another reason, and that was because I liked you. I wanted to be closer to you, and when I was close to you, I couldn't help but be nice to you. Later, I wanted to be even closer to you. I wanted you to belong to me alone, to smile only at me, to hold your hand, to hug you, to kiss you, and to be with you forever."
These words had been weighing on his mind for many years, and he had never thought that one day he would tell them to her.
Liang An was nervous, but also a little expectant.
Could he really ask for more?
The next moment, Yun Shu lowered his brows and said softly, "Then let's stay together forever."
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