At this time, the eunuchs of the Cining Palace came in to report that the Empress Dowager had invited Mrs. Chu and Miss Chu to the Cining Palace to accompany her. Miss Chu was gentle and kind, and the Empress Dowager liked her very much. She would let Miss Chu stay in the Cining Palace for two days and recite Buddhist scriptures for her.
The Empress Dowager also said that Miss Chu really pleased her, and she asked the Emperor for a favor on Miss Chu's behalf, asking the Emperor to give Miss Chu a reward.
The Queen Mother was alarmed and asked to stop her Buddhist activities. The Emperor knew that she must have gone to complain to the Prince. He laughed and said, "Miss Chu really pleased the Queen Mother, and she was able to make her open her mouth. Okay, I will give Miss Chu something." He pretended to think for a moment, and then said, "This is the first time she asked me for something. She is too poor to give it to me. I will confer the title of Huitao County Princess to Miss Chu, and give her two boxes of Dongzhu."
There are not many people in this dynasty who are not daughters of the royal family but are given the title of county princess. This title not only lets people know the favor of the emperor and the empress dowager to Chu Hanyan, but also makes ordinary noble ladies dare not offend her lightly. Chu Guangche and Chu Lingxuan were so happy that they quickly knelt down and kowtowed, singing loudly, "Thank you Lord for your grace."
The other ministers in the hall also knelt down and kowtowed, saying loudly, "Your Majesty, please be merciful." After standing up, they clasped their fists and congratulated the Chu father and son.
The good news that the emperor had appointed Chu Hanyan as the county lord reached the Cining Palace, and Chen Afu and Xiao Shiyi were overjoyed.
Concubine Yang had a happy smile on her face and kept saying "Congratulations", but she felt even more frightened in her heart.
Yesterday, Yang Wenfang went back to the Yang family. She didn't dare to tell her parents that she scolded Chu Hanyan and was driven out of the palace by the prince. She just crawled on the bed and cried. The servants were a little scared, so they went to tell Madam Yang quietly.
Madam Yang was horrified when she heard her daughter say such terrible things. She instinctively felt that it would bring trouble to Concubine Yang Shu. Yang Wenfang was Madam Yang's daughter who came later in life and she doted on her very much. Seeing that she had caused such a big trouble, she did not dare to hide it for her, so she sent someone to invite Lord Yang.
Lord Yang was at the concubine's place. When he returned to the main courtyard and heard what happened from his wife, he was also furious. However, the palace had been locked up by then and he could not enter. This morning, Madam Yang came to Ma Shufei and told her what happened. Before Ma Shufei went to apologize to the emperor and the empress dowager, the eunuchs of the Cining Palace came to convey the empress dowager's oral order, asking Ma Shufei to go to the Cining Palace immediately.
In front of the empress and other concubines, the queen mother first reprimanded Concubine Yang Shu for not knowing etiquette and often letting her sister stay in the palace. There were many princes and nephews studying in the imperial study, and Miss Yang did not know how to avoid suspicion, which had a bad influence. She also said that Miss Yang was shameless and actually spoke rudely to the future princess, etc.
The Empress Dowager had always been kind and gentle, and she never lost her temper. This was the first time she acted like an Empress Dowager or a mother-in-law. Not only did Concubine Yang Shu fall to her knees in fear, but even the Empress and several other concubines knelt to listen to her lecture...
After having lunch in the Cining Palace, Chen Afu was about to leave the palace alone.
Although the little girl's speech was not very eloquent, she could recite some Buddhist scriptures very fluently because she had often accompanied Le Chen. Besides, the Queen Mother was a truly philanthropic person. This was a favor to her, so she would definitely not embarrass the little girl. However, since the little girl was old enough to understand, she rarely left Chen Afu. Even if she occasionally left Chen Afu, Xiao Shiyi would accompany her. Therefore, Chen Afu was still a little worried about the little girl.
Seeing the fear in the little girl's eyes, Xiao Shiyi wanted to stay in Zining Palace. But he was older now and knew that he had to avoid suspicion in some matters and could not give others an excuse to attack Chu Hanyan.
He winked at Rong Jing, and Rong Jing walked over, took Chu Hanyan's hand, and said to the Queen Mother coquettishly, "Mother, I want to recite scriptures for you with Miss Chu."
The Queen Mother knew that Chu Hanyan was timid, and she also saw that her son was worried about her, so she smiled and said, "Rong Jing should live with Miss Chu in the side hall for the next two days. Little Eleven can't delay his studies, so come here to eat after school."
Xiao Eleven smiled with curved eyebrows and nodded.
After hearing this, the fear in Chu Hanyan's eyes lessened.
Chen Ahfu knew that she was still a little scared, but there was nothing he could do. Besides, the little girl was growing up and she had to face many things alone.
That afternoon, the Empress Dowager and the Queen's imperial edict reprimanding Yang Wenfang arrived at Yang's residence. They confined Yang Wenfang for half a year and sent a nanny to teach her for a year.
The next day, Nanny Wei came to the Chu Mansion again and whispered to Chen Afu that the emperor had severely reprimanded Concubine Yang last night.
On the afternoon of the third day, Chu Hanyan returned to the Chu Mansion. Not only did she bring back the Emperor's rewards, she also brought back many rewards from the Empress Dowager and the Queen. Then, the Emperor's imperial edict to confer Chu Hanyan the title of Huitao County Princess arrived. Then, the Empress Dowager and the Queen's imperial edict to reward Chu Hanyan arrived again.
For a time, Chu Hanyan, the eldest daughter of Marquis Yong'an, was the talk of the town and became the most envied person by the noble ladies in the capital.
The elders of the Chu family were all happy. The child who worried them the most and was the one who was hurt the most would have an easier path in the future.
Chen Ahfu was also very happy. This emperor was much better than the previous emperor. He was not only kind-hearted but also wise. And the queen mother was really kind-hearted. The people of the royal family turned against each other at any time. It was rare that they could remember the kindness of the Chu family.
Especially the Queen Mother, although she now holds the most honorable position, she is a pitiful woman, and has suffered even more than Lechen. Lechen at least received the love of her husband, and her ex-husband still misses her. But the Queen Mother, she has absolutely no life of her own, and is just a tool used by the late emperor to give birth and forgive sins.
Perhaps because of this, Liaochen still couldn't let go of worldly thoughts even after becoming a monk for more than ten years. As for the Queen Mother, she really saw through the worldly world, but she couldn't become a monk as she wished.
Because the Queen Mother spent most of her time on Buddhism, she also made it clear that for Xiao Shiyi's happier growth, the relationship between Chen Ahfu and Xiao Shiyi was basically restored to the previous level, except that Xiao Shiyi blatantly called Chen Ahfu "mother". But the shrewd Xiao Shiyi would never call Chen Ahfu "mother", but only "mother-in-law".
In mid-May, the old Marquis and the old lady Chu were going back to the countryside. A few days ago, Chen Ahfu sent Song He's family to pack up Fuyuan, move her belongings from the upper room to Tangyuan, and then redecorate the house. From now on, the old Marquis will live in the west room of the upper room, and the old lady will live in the east room of the upper room.
The girl from Song He's family was actually Hong Fei, who married the steward Song He last year. She was five months pregnant, but because she was familiar with Fuyuan, she was the only one who could be sent to do this job.
The old marquis also suggested that Yu Ge'er and Ming Ge'er take turns to go to Fuyuan to show their filial piety. In fact, the old marquis wanted Xiao Yu'er to go, but he knew it was impossible, so he did not make this unreasonable request.
Although Chen Ahfu was extremely reluctant, she had to let him go. She knew that the child was not only there to show filial piety, but also to please Lu Chen's heart.
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