Before entering the palace, Consort Chun had already anticipated that the Empress Dowager would be angry and reprimand her for what had happened before.
So he went along with her wishes and explained, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I did not intend to provoke conflict between the two countries. It is because the Prince of Qin is fortunate to be trusted by His Majesty. It would be inappropriate for the Prince of Qin's residence to be the mistress of a princess from an enemy country."
He paused, then continued, "I've heard that Princess Yongle has been greatly favored by the Empress Dowager of Dongning since childhood, and that Qi Hui is genuinely offering her daughter for the sake of good relations between our two nations. The Empress Dowager of Dongning is ambitious and will stop at nothing to ensure her son ascends the throne. If she were to steal our Western Qin's secrets, the Qin Prince's Mansion would be a sinner for all time. Therefore, it would be best to be cautious in choosing the Qin Prince's consort."
Upon hearing what Consort Chun said, the Empress Dowager gave a cold laugh and questioned her, "Sister, are you blaming me and the Emperor for not being careful enough in choosing a consort for Prince Qin? Using the Western Qin kingdom as bait, are you deliberately trying to frame Prince Qin's residence and harm him?"
Consort Chun smiled faintly and said calmly, "Your Majesty knows that this was not my intention."
Listening to the conversation between the two, the Empress looked at one and then at the other, anxiously trying to ease the tense atmosphere, but unsure how to interject.
Consort Chun, however, remained calm and continued, "How could I possibly doubt the Empress Dowager and His Majesty? In the many years that have passed since I was away from my son, if the Empress Dowager had been determined to kill Prince Qin, how could he have survived to this day unharmed? As a mother, I am eternally grateful to the Empress Dowager. I thank the Empress Dowager for disregarding past grievances and for her long-standing favor towards Prince Qin!"
"Hmph..." Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager finally calmed down a bit, glared at Consort Chun, and turned her head away.
After a while, Consort Chun took a deep breath and said, "Now, I see that Prince Qin is already over twenty years old, but he still has no one to care for him. How can a mother be at ease? So today I came to the palace to discuss Prince Qin's marriage with the Empress Dowager."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager showed no reaction whatsoever, seemingly engrossed in admiring the painting "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains."
At this moment, the Empress finally couldn't hold back any longer and smiled as she spoke: "Your Majesty, since the matter of Princess Yongle has come to this, it's fortunate that the Empress Dowager of Dongning was suppressed by your grandson-in-law, and Yue'er has lived up to everyone's expectations, and in the end, things have calmed down. Your Majesty, please don't be angry anymore. This marriage of the Prince of Qin really should be discussed properly."
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager still ignored the two of them.
At this moment, Consort Chun followed his gaze and looked at the painting "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains".
She then lowered her stance again, saying, "Your Majesty, I know that it was all my fault in the past. I did not keep to my duty. I did not know that what should not belong to me would not last long, even if I obtained it."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager finally spoke again: "It's good that you understand this principle. In this world, those who want to compete with me should also consider whether they are worthy."
Consort Chun lowered her head slightly, swallowing her anger, and said, "Yes."
The Empress Dowager exhaled a sigh of relief, put down her teacup, and asked, "I wonder which family's daughter in the court has taken a fancy to, sister?"
Consort Chun replied, "Your Majesty, I dare not aspire to high office or nobility; I only ask to be a woman from a respectable family."
The Empress Dowager seemed to understand something and said, "It seems that you, sister, have already made up your mind about who will be the Princess Consort of Qin. Then don't keep it to yourself. No matter what, the Prince of Qin is still a member of our royal family, and the selection of a consort cannot be too shabby or hasty. Which family's daughter is so fortunate as to have won the favor of the Prince of Qin, who is second only to the emperor?"
Consort Chun thought for a moment and said, "She is the legitimate daughter of a humble family in the west of the city, from a pharmacist's household! Prince Qin is fighting on the battlefield all day long. If there is someone with some medical knowledge to take care of him, I will feel more at ease."
"Pharmacist..." The Empress Dowager listened, and was pondering.
“West of the city…” The empress, who was sitting quietly to the side, repeated silently, as if she had suddenly remembered something.
"What? Could it be that this family is someone the Empress knows?" the Empress Dowager asked, noticing the Empress's unusual reaction.
The Empress suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, having lived in the deep palace for so long, how could I possibly know women from humble families? I don't know them, I don't know them..."
Since the person Consort Chun was asking for was not a serious matter, the Empress Dowager relented and said, "Very well, if I do not agree to this marriage today, it would seem that I am unreasonable, cold-hearted, and mistreating you and your son. So I agree."
Upon hearing this, Consort Chun felt an immediate sense of relief and said with a sigh of relief, "Thank you for your kindness, Empress Dowager!"
Having achieved her goal, Consort Chun naturally did not want to stay there any longer. After exchanging a few hurried pleasantries, she got up and left Yong'an Palace.
"Why did the Empress Dowager agree to Consort Chun's request so readily today?" The old nanny beside the Empress Dowager asked in confusion as Consort Chun had already left everyone's sight.
"Seeing how humble she was just now, I feel really relieved. The marriage to the Prince of Qin must be arranged eventually, and since the person she asked for is not a big deal, I will grant her request. It will save us from any unforeseen complications later," the Empress Dowager said.
Then he shifted his gaze to the Empress and asked, "Don't you think so? The Empress... the Empress..."
However, after calling out several times, the Empress remained seated, motionless, without any response, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
It wasn't until the maid standing behind her noticed her unusual behavior that she hurriedly bent down, shook her arm, and whispered in her ear, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is asking you a question."
The Empress suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly asked, "What does Mother ask me?"
The Empress Dowager glared at the Empress, her face darkening instantly. She asked, "What's wrong with the Empress? Why have you been so absent-minded so many times today?"
The Empress hurriedly tried to cover it up, saying, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Qin's marriage has finally been settled. I am overjoyed and have lost my composure. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
The Empress Dowager, clearly somewhat angry, said, "As the mother of the nation, you should always maintain your composure and never lose your composure."
The Empress said, "Your Majesty's teachings are correct; I will remember them."
The Empress Dowager sighed, took a sip of the hot tea handed to her by the old nanny, and slowly instructed, "Now that this matter has been settled, you should go and discuss with the Emperor to expedite the preparations! While the Prince of Qin is currently confined to his residence, it would be best to get this matter resolved as soon as possible!"
"I will obey Your Majesty's decree. Your son will immediately go and order someone to draft an edict to arrange the King of Qin's wedding." With that, he stood up and said, "Your son takes his leave."
The Empress Dowager nodded, and the Empress quickly withdrew.
After leaving Yong'an Palace, Zhang Mama helped Consort Chun walk towards the exit of the palace. Seeing that no one was around, she couldn't help but speak up in anger.
"Your Majesty has been so humble and subservient before the Empress Dowager today. You even gave the Empress Dowager your favorite painting, 'A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains,' which was painted by the late Emperor himself. This painting has been with Your Majesty for most of your life and is the only thing Your Majesty has left to cherish about the late Emperor."
Consort Chun was certainly not feeling good, but if she didn't lower her stance and show some sincerity, how could the Empress Dowager easily give in?
Now that things have come to this, Consort Chun said sadly, "The person is no longer here. What's the point of keeping this thought? Every time I see the letter, it's like seeing the person in person. It only adds to my grief."
"That may be true, but Your Majesty need not be so humble and subservient. Look at the Empress Dowager's arrogant and disdainful face, it's simply..."
Just as Granny Zhang was about to say something more, a voice called out from behind: "Mother, please wait."
In an instant, the Empress caught up from behind, taking three steps at a time.
Upon hearing this, Consort Chun stopped and asked in confusion, "Why did the Empress come out so quickly? Why didn't she stay with the Empress Dowager at Yong'an Palace a little longer?"
The Empress first sincerely congratulated him: "Your son congratulates your mother."
If there is any sincerity left in this vast palace, Consort Chun knows that the Empress's blessing at this moment is truly from the heart.
Then, a slight smile appeared on her face.
The Empress smiled knowingly at him and continued walking slowly with him, saying, "The Prince of Qin's wedding is imminent, and Your Majesty attaches great importance to it. There has been no happy event in this palace for a long time. Therefore, Your Majesty has specially ordered your son to go down and speed up the preparations immediately, so as not to let the Prince of Qin's residence lose face for the royal family."
"In that case, I'll trouble Your Majesty to take care of it," Consort Chun said politely.
The Empress said, "This is all my duty."
Consort Chun then inquired, "By the way, I haven't had a chance to ask you yet, is Yue'er doing well in the Dongning Palace?"
Mentioning Xuan Yuan Yue, who had tormented her day and night, the Empress's face darkened immediately: "Yue'er has lived up to everyone's expectations and has given birth to a son named Hai'er, who is very lovable. Within the high walls of the palace, the long nights are finally over, and her days have finally found some solace."
Seeing her deep longing for her daughter, Consort Chun comforted her with empathy, saying, "Parents all over the world feel the same way. Everyone says it's hard to be a woman, and it's even harder to be a royal woman. You have no choice in what you do. Once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea. There's nothing you can do about it. Your Majesty should try to be more open-minded."
The Empress said, "Thank you for your comfort, Mother."
The two walked together for a while longer. After much deliberation, the Empress finally mustered the courage to tentatively ask Consort Chun, "May I ask if Mother Consort knows anything about the legitimate daughter of the Yi family in the west of the city?"
Consort Chun paused for a moment upon hearing this, and said in a soft voice, "The eldest daughter of the Yi family in the west of the city is named... Yi Shangyun. She used to be a useless and ugly girl, but now her appearance has been restored. I heard that she has also inherited her father's true skills and is now quite proficient in medicine. I think she will definitely be able to take good care of Prince Qin in the future."
This was clearly a bluff, and the Empress smiled knowingly at him, thinking to herself, "After all this time, it really is her in the end."
As they spoke, they arrived at the palace gate, and the Empress bid them farewell, saying, "Your subject respectfully sees off Mother Consort."
Consort Chun turned around and said, "Take care, Your Majesty!"
Watching Consort Chun's figure gradually disappear, the Empress felt a mix of emotions...
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