Chapter 28 After drinking half a cup of tea, Xiaozhuang asked Su Moer again...
After drinking half a cup of tea, Xiaozhuang asked Su Moer again: "Do you think she is blessed?"
Su Moer smiled and said, "It is a blessing to be able to sit on the throne of the Empress. But..."
"Just what?" Empress Xiaozhuang looked at Su Moer. "You won't speak directly to me about what's really on your mind? What's the point of hiding it?"
"The princess is right." Su Moer also felt that her "hesitation" just now was somewhat unreasonable. The relationship between her and her princess had long surpassed the level of sharing honor and disgrace. It could probably be described as "you are in me and I am in you."
"I think that if she can let it go, the word 'Fu' will come to her. But if she can't let it go, her face won't look blessed." Su Moer said as she picked up a piece of dessert and handed it to Xiaozhuang.
Empress Xiaozhuang sighed, "You say that things in this world are really destined. Well, I really don't want to worry about it anymore."
Su Moer smiled and said, "You, your heart is with the Emperor. If you weren't so devoted to him, you wouldn't have persuaded him more just now."
"Isn't what I just said to Yanlan straightforward enough?" Xiaozhuang disagreed. "A concubine who is about to take the throne needs such advice from me. I, as an old ancestor, have done a lot."
"You've done quite a bit." Su Moer lowered her eyelids, knowing that Empress Xiaozhuang probably didn't want to spend any more time on this matter, so she asked, "What do you think of my dessert?"
Xiaozhuang glanced at Su Moer with a smile, took a bite of the pastry, and shook her head. "If I tell you the truth, I'm afraid you'll be unhappy. Your pastry is really not as delicious as that made by Yu Gege."
"So the Royal Madam still likes Yu'er." Just as he was saying this, Xuanye strode into the room and bowed, saying, "Grandson greets the Royal Madam. May Madam be blessed."
Just as Nianhulu Yanlan left, Xuanye arrived. He was really smart, very smart. Xiaozhuang and Su Moer looked at each other, and Xiaozhuang smiled and said, "It seems that the emperor is not busy with government affairs today?"
"My grandson has done everything he should do today." Xuanye sat down opposite Xiaozhuang, took the tea that Su Moer personally brought to him, and said with a smile, "Thank you, aunt."
Seeing that Xuanye looked a little haggard, but in good spirits, Xiaozhuang simply said, "Yanlan came to pay her respects to me just now. Did you know?"
Xuanye picked up the teacup and put it down again: "Just before my grandson came in, he saw a figure from behind. It looked like her."
"You've got Mama into trouble again, and now she's cleaning up your mess. Do you think you're still a teenager?" Xiaozhuang glared at Xuanye, her eyes revealing the doting love a grandmother has for her grandson. "Since you're staying in Chengqian Palace, why don't you do your best?"
Xuanye said, "It's my fault for letting her bother Mama. But I've actually done a pretty good job. I just told her last night that I'd choose her as my queen in a few days. I thought she'd be content with this long-awaited good news."
"Contentment?" Xiaozhuang lowered her eyelids and shook her head. "You're still a little young. People in this world always want four points after getting two points, and eight points after getting four points. How can they ever be content? 'Human greed is like a snake swallowing an elephant.' Haven't you read about this in books since you were a child?"
"Ma'am is right." Xuanye also felt helpless. He simply picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. "But let me tell you the truth, grandson, I really can't do the four words 'hypocrisy and flattery'. I couldn't do it in the former court, and I can't do it in the harem either. I was born this way, and I'm afraid I really can't change it."
"Look at him!" Empress Xiaozhuang pointed at Xuanye and said to Su Moer, "You really raised him. He's gifted with the ability to act according to circumstances, yet he disdains to act according to circumstances. What are you going to do with all those beautiful concubines in your harem?"
Xuanye muttered quietly, "It's not all 'as pretty as a flower'." Of course, he still gave Xiaozhuang a smile and said, "Grandson knows that Mama is on his side. I will also try to make sure they don't disturb you as much as possible and ruin your good mood tending to the flowers and plants..." After hesitating for a moment, he continued, "Just before I came in, I heard Mama praising Yu'er's delicious snacks. Will you ask her to make some more for me later?"
Empress Xiaozhuang said sternly, "You can do it, but if you want to give it to her, you should give it to her yourself. Since you have hidden her, please hide her well. When she gets a title, you can..."
"Grandson understands what Mama means." Xuanye knew that since Xiaozhuang said this, she had already accepted Xiu Yu from the bottom of her heart. He stood up and said, "Mama, I'm here to ask you to go to the southern suburbs with me in a few days. It's early spring, and the scenery there is quite beautiful. Mama, you should go for a walk."
Xiaozhuang looked into Xuanye's eyes and said, "You're planning to take the princess from the Guoluo family with you, right? Stop hiding your little thoughts."
"She is the daughter of a military commander, and my grandson is thinking..."
"If you want to bring her, then bring her." Xiaozhuang glanced at Xuanye. "No need to find so many high-sounding excuses. I've seen clearly that your Yu'er, even if she doesn't cause trouble herself, will cause trouble for her. There's no point in hiding! She was born with a face as beautiful as a flower and a heart as rare and delicate as a pearl. She's destined to be both the dazzling and envied one in this harem."
Xuanye couldn't help but sigh, "My grandson thinks the same. Sometimes I feel conflicted. I wish she wasn't so outstanding, but I also feel that if she isn't outstanding, she won't be herself anymore."
Xiaozhuang nodded and reminded her, "You should think of a way to protect your precious baby. After all, she has just entered the palace. Even if she is a delicate and exquisite girl, she will need time to adapt to life here."
"Ma'am is right." Xuanye's smile faded slightly. He knew Xiu Yu was a formidable presence in the harem. He was a master of balance, but the harem was ultimately different from the previous dynasty. Even if he concealed his affection for Xiu Yu, there would still be ulterior motives aimed at this sun-like figure. So, he might as well dote on her openly, telling the world: if anyone dared to touch his Yu'er, he would do more than just kill them.
It was early spring, the chill of winter still lingering. Xuanye rode a majestic horse amidst the ranks, resembling a true warrior. Xiuyu, wearing the same general's uniform Xuanye had worn as a teenager, followed beside him, the purple-furred steed naturally becoming her mount.
The entourage was very long, and the Empress Dowager was sitting in the car, so the pace was naturally slower.
"I have said that I was going to give this purple-fur horse to you. From now on, it is yours." Xuanye said to Xiu Yu as he rode forward.
Xiu Yu gently stroked the horse's mane, his eyes filled with joy: "I thought the emperor had forgotten about this matter."
"My memory is excellent!" Xuanye had never allowed anyone to challenge his ability to remember things since he was a child. No matter how thick a book was, he could remember the general idea after reading it once. After reading it two or three times, he could express what was written in the book with great emotion. During his many years as emperor, no matter how many reports came in from the provinces every day, he could easily sort them out. "Yu'er, don't believe me, without a good memory, I really can't be a good emperor of the Qing Dynasty."
Xiu Yu raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "I was just saying it casually. Why do you sound a little angry when you say that?"
"I'm not angry." Xuanye changed his left hand to hold the reins, stretched out his right hand, and handed it to Xiuyu: "You think too much."
Xiu Yu knew Xuanye wanted to shake her hand as a gesture of reconciliation. However, the surrounding area was full of soldiers from the Bordered Yellow Banner, and she was disguised as a man. Even though everyone knew she was the emperor's woman, she couldn't afford to be embarrassed in such a public place. "You should ride your horse and I'll ride mine. When we get to the southern suburbs, what's wrong with that?"
Xuanye laughed out loud and said, "Yu'er, do you know that sometimes I really have no way to deal with you?"
In the carriage not far from Xuanye, Su Moer lowered the curtain and said with a smile, "Princess, I see that Princess Yu is really good. Your Majesty has a good eye."
"You, please don't say that to Xuanye's face." Xiaozhuang twirled her Buddhist beads with her right hand, squinting her eyes as she rested. "He's young and full of energy, full of passion. It's rare for him to meet someone he likes. If he gets our support, who knows what he might do."
Su Moer poured half a cup of tea for Xiaozhuang, and then said, "Princess, the emperor grew up under your lap. Others may not understand his character, but you know it very well. Our emperor is truly dedicated to the well-being of the Qing Dynasty. He would definitely not do anything too out of the ordinary."
Xiaozhuang opened her eyes and looked at Su Moer, saying, "You still trust him quite a bit."
"I believe it!" Su Moer said bluntly, "The emperor's good nature is really inherited from you, a generation apart. I believe in you, and naturally I also believe in the emperor."
"You keep going around in circles and still end up getting me involved." Xiaozhuang took a sip of tea in her hand and said, "I also know that this Yu Gege is not a troublemaker. She is a sensible person. I just..."
"You're just 'bitten by a snake once' and you're really a little scared." Su Moer held Xiaozhuang's hand: "Our princess's eyes are the most powerful. In fact, you can see through everyone very accurately. In fact, you also saw through the two people in the past very accurately. But, they didn't..."
"You said it all, they're all 'in the past.'" Xiaozhuang smiled and sighed, "As for me, all I want now is a peaceful life, and for Xuanye to be a wise ruler. In the afterlife, I hope I can live up to the ancestors of the Qing Dynasty."
Su Moer said, "Of course you have done justice to our ancestors! Without you, there would be no Qing Dynasty today."
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