Chapter 647: Give a peach, return a Qiong Yao
Cao Dejiang never thought that there was anything wrong with calculating for power, but that also depends on the timing. Doing such petty tricks at this time is really despicable.
Cao Dejiang said, "Minister Qian is right. I don't know what the Shoukang Palace banquet is about. We should be cautious."
Xiao Yan said in a cold voice, "I'll have people keep an eye on Shoukang Palace. I hope their decision to confer the title of Princess Tangning was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. They'll calm down after Tangning refuses. If they dare to do anything tomorrow, don't blame me for being rude to them."
He cared about the people and the lives of the soldiers, and was unwilling to get what he wanted at the cost of shaking the country, starting a war, and harming people's livelihood. But this did not mean that he would really let Emperor An and others do whatever they wanted and leave them alone.
After all, Xiao Yan is not a saint.
If Emperor An and the others really dare to cross the line, don't blame him for being rude.
Cao Dejiang and Qian Baokun both heard the murderous intent in Xiao Yan's words, but neither of them tried to dissuade him.
Cao Dejiang simply said, "Shi Chang'an followed the Xiao family southward. I heard he has gained the trust of Marquis Wenxin and his men."
Xiao Yan nodded. "Given Mr. Shi's abilities, Marquis Wenxin wouldn't abandon him. Furthermore, my uncle and eldest brother have already joined the central army. General Yin not only didn't make things difficult for them, but also allowed them to lead the troops, which is quite valuable."
"That's good."
Cao Dejiang breathed a sigh of relief. He was a little worried when Xiao Yan handed over the tiger talisman.
He never doubted the character of Marquis Wenxin and General Yin, but the two of them were too cold towards Xiao Yan. Marquis Wenxin was fine, but General Yin was a veteran minister of the royal family and would never betray Emperor An easily.
Before Xiao Yan's identity was clear, he gave the tiger talisman to them. If they defected to Emperor An, Xiao Yan would be sending himself into danger. However, Xiao Yan gave it to them without hesitation and did not ask for any reward.
Now that I think about it, people in the military like Marquis Wenxin and General Yin are straightforward and clear about gratitude and resentment.
Xiao Yan gave them a peach, and they gave them a jade in return.
Even if they didn't say anything, they allowed the Xiao father and son to return to the army and touch the military power with justification, and they didn't even care whether the two would control the military power for Xiao Yan. This was the greatest reward they gave to Xiao Yan.
…
Everyone knew that Shoukang Palace was going to hold a banquet to entertain everyone the next day after nightfall.
Knowing that the Empress Dowager was in good health, everyone was very happy that those who had entered the palace to attend to her could leave and return home after the banquet. When Fu Jinrou returned from Shoukang Palace after being summoned by the Empress Dowager alone, she couldn't suppress the joy on her face.
In the side hall of Xiaoan Hall, Fu Jinrou was choosing clothes to wear to tomorrow's banquet, her face full of joy as the corners of her mouth turned up.
Madam Fu stood at the door and asked, "What did the Empress Dowager want to see you for?"
Fu Jinrou held the clothes and said softly, "Nothing, I just chatted with the Empress Dowager for a while. The Empress Dowager said that I have worked hard to take care of her these past few days, so she rewarded me with a pearl hairpin and some beautiful dresses."
Mrs. Fu's eyes fell on the box. The clothes inside were not brought from outside the palace. When the people from Shoukang Palace brought them in at night, she thought it was a reward from the Queen Mother to the Fu family, but she didn't expect that it was for Fu Jinrou alone.
Seeing Fu Jinrou gesturing towards her hair with the extremely gorgeous peony pearl hairpin inlaid with gold thread and red jade gemstones, Madam Fu's eyes suddenly showed some displeasure: "The Empress Dowager really likes you. So many people came to the palace to attend to her illness, but she only rewarded you."
Fu Jinrou's smile widened upon hearing this: "Yes, I never thought I would catch the Empress Dowager's eye."
On the first day she entered the palace, she suffered humiliation in Shoukang Palace and thought that the empress dowager was dissatisfied with her, but she didn't expect that the empress dowager actually liked her so much. It turned out that she was right to please that fool Xuan Qiwen before. Although Xuan Qiwen's temper was annoying, if it weren't for her, she would have found it difficult to catch the empress dowager's eye.
She remembered what the Queen Mother had said to her while holding her hand in Shoukang Palace just now, saying that the prince would come tomorrow and asked her to dress up well.
Thinking back to the way the prince had looked at her, and what he had said when they were alone...
Fu Jinrou touched the phoenix hairpin in her hand and her cheeks blushed.
Turning her head to look at Madam Fu, who was standing in front of the door and could barely conceal her jealousy, Fu Jinrou's eyes paused, and the next moment she stood up and pulled her: "Aunt, the Empress Dowager also gave me a lot of things, you can pick out something you like and give it to Second Sister."
Madam Fu curled her lips: "It's not like I don't have these..."
She said this, but her body was honest and her hand wanted to touch the pearl hairpin directly.
Fu Jinrou took it and dodged it: "This pearl hairpin is not good. If the Empress Dowager knew that I gave it to someone else, she would probably blame me."
Madam Fu curled her lips and said something stingy, then went to pick something else with a bit of disdain. Fu Jinrou stood aside and suddenly held up a silver ball sachet with a hollowed-out magnolia carving and said, "Aunt, what do you think of this sachet?"
Madam Fu took a look and said, "Not bad."
Fu Jinrou smiled and said, "This was also a gift from the Empress Dowager. I heard that it contains Yihexiang, the favorite of the nobles in the palace. Not only does the Concubine Xian like it, but even His Majesty and the Crown Prince use it."
She gestured towards her waist and said, "What do you think of me wearing this sachet tomorrow?"
When Madam Fu heard that the contents of the silver ball sachet were actually favored by the nobles in the palace, even the emperor and the crown prince, she reached out and snatched it away. "You have enough jewelry on you, too much would be amiss. I liked this sachet, so I picked it."
"But aunt, this sachet..."
"What's this? Didn't you just ask me to pick one for your second sister? Why are you reluctant to give it to her again?"
Fu Jinrou's eyes were a little hesitant, obviously what she said hit the nail on the head, but facing Madam Fu's expression, she still said, "No, since aunt likes it, take it. Just think of it as a gift from me to my second sister."
"That's more like it!"
Mrs. Fu put the sachet away and turned her attention to other things.
He picked and chose several pieces, and then left somewhat dissatisfied.
After everyone left, the palace maid who was guarding the outer room hurried in: "Miss Fu, those things were given to you by the Empress Dowager. How could Madam Fu take them away..."
Fu Jinrou lowered her eyes: "She is my aunt, an elder, how can I refuse her what she wants."
Her eyes were a little sad, but after a moment she forced a smile:
"It's okay, it's just a sachet. I'm used to living under someone else's roof. My great aunt is very kind to me, and my brother loves me too."
The palace maid frowned. She had heard that Miss Fu was well taken care of by the Fu family while she stayed in the Fu family, and that Old Madam Fu doted on her very much. But now, seeing how domineering Madam Fu was, Miss Fu was afraid that she would not have an easy time in the Fu family.
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