Chapter 625: Dog bites dog, close friends
Princess Huan was really frightened by the Queen Mother's words. She didn't care about her exquisite dress and just knelt on the ground and kowtowed. The hairpins in her bun almost fell to the ground.
Seeing that the empress dowager had no reaction after kowtowing for a long time, her face was still full of anger.
Princess Huan could only turn her head and point at Fu Jinrou who was kneeling over there.
"Your Highness, I know I was offensive just now, but Rong Yue and I were sisters-in-law in the past. Even if we did say something offensive, it was just a casual argument. I wouldn't lose my composure like this. Yet, she, a junior and of low status, insulted me directly from Prince Huan's Mansion."
"Rong Yue and I are of equal status, so a few words are harmless. But what about her? She insulted Prince Huan's mansion like this. If I don't teach her a lesson, how will Prince Huan and I survive in the capital? How will others view me?"
"Moreover, this bitch had already disrespected me in the side hall just now, and now she is insulting me like this. I..."
Princess Huan wiped away her tears in grievance before she finished speaking, and she looked like she wanted to put all the blame on Fu Jinrou.
Fu Jinrou suddenly panicked.
She didn't expect Princess Huan to be so shameless. After being scolded by the Queen Mother, she actually used her as a shield. Seeing the Queen Mother's eyes on her, she quickly fell to the ground and wanted to say that it was not her who spoke just now, and she did not insult Princess Huan.
Before she could say anything, Qian Qiyue protected her again as before.
"Princess Huan, please speak with some conscience!"
"Everyone saw it with their own eyes in the side hall before, that it was you who embarrassed Jinrou. It was you who abused her for her lowly status and accused her of clinging to the nobles in the palace. You even nearly assaulted her. Now you're turning around and accusing Jinrou of disrespecting you. Do you think everyone is blind?"
Qian Qiyue was young and lively. She knelt on the ground and burst into tears of grievance.
Compared to Princess Huan's wailing appearance, her stubborn face and red eyes were even more heartbreaking.
"Empress Dowager, Jinrou and I both heard that you were seriously ill. Even though the palace hasn't summoned us, we wanted to come to the palace to show our filial piety and attend to you. We hope you can recover soon. However, Princess Huan has been constantly abusing and making things difficult for us. Please make a decision for Jinrou and me."
When the other people looked at Qian Qiyue, they only felt that she was really good to Fu Jinrou, protecting her everywhere and standing in front of her for everything.
The two young girls next to her looked at Fu Jinrou with some envy. It was really rare to have such a good close friend.
Fu Jinrou's body lying on the ground froze. She pinched her palms hard, and all the words she wanted to say to complain about her grievances and show her weakness were snatched away. But Qian Qiyue was full of sincerity and cared about her wholeheartedly. She held her tightly in her hands and protected her. In order to advance and retreat with her, she was even willing to say that she had entered the palace without an imperial edict.
Fu Jinrou was a little annoyed that Qian Qiyue's thoughtless words had implicated her, but she had no choice but to accept her kindness. She could only kneel beside Qian Qiyue and sob with a feeling of grievance.
Tang Ning pursed her lips, her face looking extremely bad.
"Empress Dowager, you've probably heard of Sister Qian's personality. She loves the hustle and bustle. But ever since she learned you were ill and heard Marquis Wenxin and his men were leading their troops south to quell the rebellion, she declined all invitations and stayed secluded. She stayed in her mansion for the better part of a month, praying to the Buddha and chanting sutras daily, hoping only for your speedy recovery and for Marquis Wenxin and his men to return victorious."
"The palace summoned you today to attend to your illness. I know Sister Qian cares about you, so I specially sent someone to the Qian family to pick her up and bring her to the palace. Even if she's not here to attend to your illness, she can still bring this message to Shoukang Palace. As for Sister Fu, although she's not here like Sister Qian, she's also here to visit you on behalf of Old Madam Fu."
Tang Ning felt a little aggrieved, but continued:
"Although the palace is strictly guarded, Sister Qian and I are willing to accept punishment if it means the Queen Mother's recovery. However, this punishment can only be bestowed by the Queen Mother herself. It is not the Princess Huan's turn to humiliate us."
"Don't even mention Sister Qian, who is devoted to the Empress Dowager. Even if she's Sister Fu, she's a member of the Fu family and is now being raised by Old Madam Fu. Princess Huan calls her a lowly bitch. Where does she put the Fu family? And where does she put Old Master Fu in the Imperial Ancestral Temple?!"
Princess Huan became anxious after hearing Tang Ning's words: "Empress Dowager, I am not..."
"Shut up!"
The Queen Mother scolded, and although her voice was not loud, it made Princess Huan afraid to speak.
The Queen Mother then looked at Qian Qiyue: "I know you have a fiery temper. Did you recite sutras for me?"
Qian Qiyue: “…”
She did recite the sutras and worship Buddha, but she was reciting the Turtle Sutra and worshipping the wrathful Vajra Buddha. She even broke several wooden fishes...
Qian Qiyue glanced at Tang Ning and felt that Xiao Haitang was indeed better at making up stories than she was. However, her eyes were red as she lowered her head. "I dare not lie to the Empress Dowager. My mother said that my father was very anxious about the food and fodder for the army heading south, and the Empress Dowager has been in poor health. I don't want to go out and socialize, so I just stay at home and recite scriptures to calm my mind."
The Queen Mother's brows softened.
If Qian Qiyue had directly said that she was chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures for her, the empress dowager would not have believed it. However, Qian Qiyue denied the credit and said that she was meditating in the mansion, which made people believe what Tang Ning said just now.
The Qian family was also a wealthy and powerful family, with many people watching them in the mansion. The daughter of the Qian family was hot-tempered and had always had good relations with the daughters of many families in the capital. She was almost indispensable to all the banquets and polo games in the capital. Whether she had left the mansion or what she was doing in the mansion could be known by asking.
The empress dowager felt comforted, and even her tone softened as she looked at the little girl with fiery eyes and eyebrows.
"Good boy, you are thoughtful. The ground is cold, get up quickly."
Qian Qiyue didn't stand up: "But Jinrou..."
The Queen Mother's gaze then fell on Fu Jinrou.
She had some impression of this girl. Earlier, the old lady of the Fu family had come to the palace and mentioned Fu Jinrou to her, saying that she was sent from the old house of the Fu family. She was the granddaughter of Mr. Fu's cousin. For some reasons, she would stay in the capital in the future. The old lady Fu was also very caring towards her.
The last time the old lady came to the palace, she not only spoke affectionately about this girl, but also came to ask for an imperial decree to allow this girl to enter the palace for a banquet.
The Queen Mother looked at Fu Jinrou with a gentle gaze: "You are Fu Jinrou, lift your head and let me see."
Fu Jinrou looked up obediently.
"Your great-aunt has mentioned you to me several times, saying you're handsome and kind. It's true..."
The empress dowager habitually spoke compliments, originally to save Madam Fu's face, but who knew that when her eyes fell on Fu Jinrou's face, which she had only had time to quickly tidy up, the color of her eyes, cheeks and mouth was completely uneven.
She stuttered.
The words "It really looks great" were stuck in my mouth.
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