Chapter 184 A Coquettish Woman (Part 1)
Imperial Palace, Yongning Hall.
A cough mixed with agarwood spread throughout the empty hall. Liang Yixin walked outside the screen and heard the palace servants inside comforting her:
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. The ladies of honor are waiting to see you at the Lantern Festival banquet."
After coughing lightly for a while, the Queen Mother slowly said, "My health is getting worse every year. When I get old, my body is useless, and I can't rely on the people around me. I feel more and more hopeless as I grow older."
"Don't say that, Queen Mother. You are the Queen Mother, and everyone in the world is looking forward to your well-being."
"Humph! Everyone in the world?" The Queen Mother sneered, "They are just waiting for me to die."
"Ah..." The Queen Mother leaned back, and the palace maid hurriedly put a soft pillow under her. "Having lived to this age, I have experienced the fickleness of the world. In this world, no one can be relied on except myself. What kind of blood relationship is this? In their eyes, it is nothing but a means of exploitation... cough cough cough..."
At this time, a palace maid came into the hall, and Liang Yixin immediately lowered her head and went in obediently.
"Aunt." She walked up to the Queen Mother, bowed, and handed her a teacup.
The Queen Mother opened her eyes.
She looked at him for a moment, then slowly smiled. "Ever since I was little, I've felt that Xin'er looks like me, so I've doted on you and planned your future wholeheartedly. Now, it's finally over. The Emperor has agreed to your marriage, and I've finally fulfilled my wish."
"Xin'er is grateful for your aunt's love."
"Are you really grateful?"
Liang Yixin suddenly became nervous.
"Look at you..." The Queen Mother patted her hand. "I was just joking with you. How could I not know that you are the most filial child? From now on, I will be both your aunt and your mother-in-law. We are one family."
"Isn't it? The Queen Mother's words really hit the nail on the head." The old maid at the side said, "There's a folk saying that a daughter who's married off is like spilled water. It might sound unpleasant, but it's true. Women, once married, have to rely on their husband's family for their livelihood. They can't rely on their own family, their parents, or their brothers. A smart woman will be on the same page with her husband's family, and live a comfortable life. Those who are still thinking about their parents after marriage, well... to put it bluntly, they're asking for trouble by being disloyal."
The Queen Mother scolded her, "You old thing, why are you saying these things in front of a little girl? Xin'er is a smart child, how could she not understand?"
"Yes, yes, I am a talkative old slave. I deserve to be beaten! I deserve to be beaten!" As she said this, the old nanny pretended to slap someone on the face.
Liang Yixin lowered her head and said nothing.
"Oh, it's time to prepare medicine for the Empress Dowager. I'll go get someone..."
"Mammy, let me go. I'll go make medicine for my aunt."
The old nanny looked at the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother smiled: "Xin'er is filial, so it's hard for Xin'er."
"Serving my aunt is what Xin'er should do, how can I complain about it? Aunt..." Liang Yixin bowed: "Xin'er will take my leave first."
"Okay, go ahead."
When Liang Yixin left, the Queen Mother's smile faded: "I hope she can really figure it out."
The old nanny said, "When Miss Yixin enters the palace, she will ultimately have to rely on you, the Empress Dowager. The Emperor is in charge of the former court, and no matter what, he cannot override you in the harem. Anyone who is smart will know what to choose."
The Queen Mother nodded with satisfaction.
.
At the Mansion of Duke Xin, the staff members sat together in the study, all with worried expressions on their faces.
"What does the Queen Mother mean? Miss Yixin has been in the palace tending to the sick for many days and has not returned."
The Empress Dowager had previously invited Duke Xin to the palace, but he had refused, claiming illness. In fact, he had been staying home on the pretext of illness since the Hezhou Incident broke out years ago. But she hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to summon Liang Yixin to the palace, and he would be away for several days.
Now that Duke Xin has resolutely given up on the Queen Mother, Liang Yixin, who may become the Queen in the future, has once again become Duke Xin's biggest chess piece, but this chess piece is in the hands of the Queen Mother, and everyone is nervous.
After a moment, someone said, "It seems the Queen Mother has noticed and started to be cautious."
Duke Xin was silent.
Another person said, "If that's the case, things are not going well for us. No one in the palace has leaked any information yet, so we don't know what the situation is with Miss Yixin. Duke..."
He pondered and asked Duke Xin, "Should we find another way? Otherwise, if we really fall out with the Queen Mother, we won't be able to get anything from the Emperor either..."
"Once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back," someone interrupted. "From the moment we took the first step, there's no turning back. The Queen Mother is already estranged. It's difficult to mend fences if we stop now. We might as well go all the way."
"Meng Ze is right," Duke Xin said. "I have no way out. The court will be convened soon. Someone must step forward to calm the anger of the people in Hezhou. There is no better choice than the Queen Mother."
Upon hearing this, the staff looked at each other and understood each other tacitly.
"But Miss Yixin..."
"No matter how big the matter is, it is not as important as the word filial piety. Send someone to the palace in two days and say... her mother is seriously ill and asks her to come back to visit."
"What if the Queen Mother sends a royal physician to check?"
"Then make her mother really sick."
After these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
.
Pei Xingju had few relatives in the capital, so he had no social obligations during the New Year. After a busy few days, he finally had some free time and simply spent his days reading at home.
Zhuang Wan, on the other hand, was so busy with the business of running the shop that she was like a spinning top.
A new shop had been found. It wasn't Su Zhiyan's, but someone she knew. Coincidentally, that person owned two shops on Xifeng Street, but due to poor management and year-round losses, they were planning to sell this year. She had visited them before, and the location was excellent, so she immediately decided on it.
That day, after having breakfast with Pei Xingju, I was about to take Lixia out. I turned around and saw Pei Xingju leisurely drinking tea and reading, and I felt very jealous.
After thinking for a while, she asked, "Yuzhi, aren't you busy today?"
"Nothing." Pei Xingju said.
"In that case, then you can accompany me." Zhuang Wan walked over with a smile.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"You don't have to do anything, just stay with me." Zhuang Wan leaned close to his ear and said, "I haven't seen you much these days, but I miss you. Can you stay with me?"
She blew a breath into his ear in a mean manner, which made Pei Xingju feel numb all over.
These days, Pei Xingju has really gotten used to her boldness, and sometimes he finds it incredible why she is so brave.
Zhuang Wan's behavior was different from that of ordinary women, even considered unconventional in that era. However, deep down, he loved her unconventionality.
Her intimacy made him feel good and addicted.
Seeing him pretending to be hesitant, Zhuang Wan raised her voice and shook his arm, "Okay? I want you to accompany me."
Although Pei Xingju appeared calm on his face, the slight curve at the corner of his lips fully demonstrated that he was secretly happy at the moment.
Zhuang Wan chuckled, tilted her head and looked at him, then continued to increase her firepower: "Yuzhi~~"
The sound of "Yuzhi" was three parts gentle and seven parts delicate, with the ending tone so long and sweet that it almost took Pei Xingju's life.
Immediately, he lost his composure, put down the book and stood up: "Forget it, I'll just accompany you."
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