Chapter 29 The Empress Dowager Arrives
A moment of silence fell over the imperial study as the emperor pondered how to deal with the Marquis of Qingshan's family. At that moment, a woman's voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, I am guilty; please punish me."
The Emperor recognized Consort Su's voice immediately. He disliked the harem interfering in court affairs, so he frowned.
He glanced at Zhao Fuquan, who immediately went out to look. He saw Consort Su kneeling in the corridor, dressed in plain clothes with her hair disheveled and without any jewelry.
Zhao Fuquan hurriedly entered the imperial study, walked to the emperor's side, and whispered, "Consort Su has removed her hairpins and is kneeling outside in plain clothes."
The Emperor's expression darkened further, but he still said, "Let the Imperial Concubine in."
Zhao Fuquan strode out, and Uncle Qingshan breathed a sigh of relief. His greatest reliance was Consort Su.
A short while later, Consort Su followed Zhao Fuquan in, then knelt down before the emperor's desk, prostrated herself, and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have neglected to discipline my family members, causing them to commit illegal acts. I beg your forgiveness."
She was dressed in plain clothes and had no makeup on her face, looking pitiful, which softened the Emperor's heart. But at this moment, the Duke of Chu began to cough violently, his whole body trembling, as if he were about to die.
In comparison, what does Consort Su's haggard appearance amount to?
Zhao Fuquan hurried over and gently patted the Duke of Chu's back, saying, "Duke of Chu, how are you? Should we call the imperial physician?"
"Cough cough cough..." The Duke of Chu coughed for a while, then waved his hand and said, "I'm fine, it's just an old ailment. I just suddenly remembered my little granddaughter who I had lost and then found again. She's gone home after her divorce, and with my health like this, I might pass away any day. If I'm gone, what will happen to my little granddaughter!"
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face again. Seeing him like this, Zhao Fuquan's eyes welled up with tears as well. He said, "Duke of Chu, don't think too much. Take good care of yourself. That's more important than anything else."
“Minister Jiang,” the emperor said at this moment, “your granddaughter has been wronged, and I will certainly stand up for her.”
The Duke of Chu stood up shakily. "Thank you, Your Majesty. This old minister is old and has many things on his mind, and many tears. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
The emperor recalled the Duke of Chu's youthful vigor and looked at him now, feeling a mix of emotions. He too was in his fifties or sixties, and his health was not what it used to be; perhaps one day he would end up like the Duke of Chu.
"My dear minister, please sit down," the Emperor said, having Zhao Fuquan help the Duke of Chu to sit down. Then, looking down at Consort Su kneeling on the ground, he said, "Do you know that your proud son-in-law, the top scholar, is the husband of the Duke of Chu's long-lost granddaughter?"
Consort Su was shocked. She turned her head to look at the sickly Duke of Chu and realized that kneeling down would probably not solve the problem this time.
She resented Qingshan Bo for being incompetent, but at this moment she had to resolve this crisis for them. She kowtowed again, "It's all my fault. I neglected to educate my family. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
The Emperor looked at her silently, weighing the pros and cons. How could he resolve this matter in a way that would appease the Duke of Chu, punish the Marquis of Qingshan's family, but not severely damage them? The Marquis of Qingshan's family was still useful, and he also had to consider the Eighth Prince's feelings.
Just then, a eunuch's voice came from outside: "The Empress Dowager has arrived."
Upon hearing this, the emperor quickly got up and went to the door. He then helped the seventy- or eighty-year-old empress dowager into the room, saying, "Why have you come? If there's anything you need, just call your son over."
Although the Empress Dowager was over seventy years old, she was in very good health. She pushed away the Emperor's hand that was supporting her and said, "I can walk and move around, and I can go wherever I want."
The Emperor quickly agreed, then watched as the Empress Dowager sat down. After she sat down, the Duke of Chu rose to greet her, but the Empress Dowager sighed and waved her hand, saying, "Please sit down. You're not even as old as I am, how come your health is like this?"
The Duke of Chu gave a wry smile and said, "This old minister is not as fortunate as the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand again, "I came here because of your lost granddaughter. I heard she's been found?"
"Yes," said the Duke of Chu, "Thank God, we have finally found the child."
The Empress Dowager wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said, "When that little girl was two or three years old, Jingrong brought her to the palace. I saw her then; she was very pretty and clever."
The Duchess of Chu, named Tang Jingrong, was a close friend of the Empress Dowager.
When the Duke of Chu heard the Empress Dowager mention his deceased wife, his face was even more moved. He said, "The child has been found. Jingrong can rest in peace in the afterlife."
"Yes," the Empress Dowager said again, "I have heard about the child's situation. It is both a blessing and a misfortune."
She was lucky not to end up in a brothel. But being forced to divorce by her husband was unfortunate.
"Your Majesty," the Empress Dowager said, looking at the Emperor, "how do you intend to handle this matter?"
The emperor was having a headache from the questions. The Duchess of Chu was a close friend of the Empress Dowager, who had always disliked Consort Su. It was clear that the Empress Dowager was on the side of the Duke of Chu.
The emperor remained silent, then sighed and said, "How about this, let's summon all the parties involved. I also want to see the top scholar who abandoned his wife and the noblewoman of the Su family who committed arson and murder."
"I am guilty."
"Your Majesty, I am guilty."
Lord Qingshan and Consort Su hurriedly kowtowed again, this matter absolutely could not be left to pass so easily.
After the Empress Dowager gave the order, the head eunuch beside her hurriedly went out and told the junior eunuchs to leave the palace and call for someone.
......
Chu State Duke's Mansion
Jiang Yu was telling Cheng Yunxiu and Jiang Mingchang about the house she had asked someone to look at. "This house isn't big, just two courtyards, but it's close to the Duke of Chu's mansion, only separated by a street. The house is spacious and the scenery inside is beautiful, but it's a bit far from the Duke's mansion."
Jiang Mingchang chuckled after hearing this, "Yunxiu, you can choose."
Cheng Yunxiu rolled her eyes at him and pointed to the small two-courtyard house, saying, "This one is the best, it's close to our daughter. Besides, it's just the two of us living here, a big house wouldn't be comfortable."
Jiang Yu nodded, "I also think this house is more suitable."
“Daughter,” Cheng Yunxiu said to Jiang Yu, “Your father and I are young, we can’t just do nothing. We want to open a shop.”
Her eyes held a pleading look, and Jiang Yu felt a pang of sadness. If she were still just an ordinary citizen of Nanshi Town, why would her mother need to beg her to open a shop? It was simply because she was afraid that their status as small merchants would embarrass her.
"Why not?" Jiang Yu took Cheng Yunxiu's arm and asked, "What kind of shop does Mother want to open?"
“Let’s stick with the general store. I’m familiar with your father.” Cheng Yunxiu said with a smile, “My daughter is capable of making money. We don’t care how much money she makes, we just want her to have something to do.”
“Okay, I’ll have someone take you to choose a shop later,” Jiang Yu said.
Cheng Yunxiu and Jiang Mingchang were even happier when they heard that they could choose their own shops; they had been so bored these past two days that they felt like they were going to grow mushrooms from being idle.
“Miss,” Xia He walked in, her face showing some panic, “Steward Li said… said that a eunuch from the palace has arrived and that you should go to the palace immediately.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
