Chapter 72 Summation
"Since the young lady understands, that's the best." Madam Liu waved her hand, and the palace maid behind her placed ten thick books on the table.
Bai Su's eyes widened when he saw the pile of books. One book given by the Empress Dowager was equivalent to two ordinary books, and there were ten books neatly arranged.
Aunt Liu had been observing Wen Wanyu's expression. She didn't frown the entire time, nor did she betray a single trace of dissatisfaction. She was also very polite and sensible.
Aunt Liu smiled faintly.
"I will return to Shoukang Palace to report."
"Take care, Madam Liu."
After watching Aunt Liu leave Chang Lixuan, Bai Su finally couldn't help complaining: "My lady, this book is worth two ordinary books. The Queen Mother asked you to copy every one of them. This..."
"Alright. Since it's the Queen Mother's order, we'll just accept it."
Wen Wanyu walked over, flipped through the book, and glanced at it casually. It was indeed some obscure scriptures that were difficult to understand.
The Queen Mother did not specify how many times it should be copied, which meant that she deliberately let her make the choice.
Wen Wanyu sat at the desk, holding a brush, copying scriptures with his hands, but his mind was thinking about other things.
Could it be that the Queen Mother had been provoked? Or perhaps someone had deliberately slandered her in front of the Queen Mother? However, this didn't make sense. The Queen Mother's ill will towards her was obvious from the moment she returned to the palace.
There were only a few concubines in the harem who had a good relationship with the Empress Dowager: the Empress, Consort Hui, and Consort Jin. It was unlikely for the Empress and Consort Hui, but Consort Jin had been chatting with her recently. That was also unlikely. She could sense that Consort Jin's hostility towards her was gradually fading.
Just now in Shoukang Palace, the Queen Mother seemed to look down on her status.
Wen Wanyu sighed and looked carefully. He found that he had written three out of ten words wrong. It turned out that he couldn't do two things at once.
What a waste of paper.
She rolled the scrap of paper into a ball and threw it on the table. "I'm going to confine myself to Chang Li Xuan. Tell them to close the door. Pass the word on, be more careful with what you say and do in the future, and don't give anyone an advantage."
Bai Su said with a bitter face: "My lady, what if the emperor comes?"
The Emperor must have known the reason for her self-imposed confinement. Even for the sake of his relationship with the Empress Dowager, he wouldn't come to Changlixuan. If he really wanted to come, the Emperor would have his own way.
Wen Wanyu smiled and said, "The emperor knows his limits."
————
Shoukang Palace
Just after Madam Liu returned to Shoukang Palace and reported to the Empress Dowager, she received the news that Concubine Ling had requested to be confined to Changlixuan. Madam Liu added a private word: "Empress Dowager, I think Concubine Ling knows when to advance and when to retreat, and knows the gains and losses. She has a broad perspective."
The Queen Mother glanced at Madam Liu, her expression calm: "This is not like you."
She gently picked up a cup of tea from the table, skimmed off the foam, blew on it, and then took a sip. "It's true that she urged the emperor to take her out of the palace and back home, and it's true that she wandered around the streets. If the emperor did something outside the palace, would she be able to bear the consequences? The emperor didn't hesitate to contradict me for her. Now, no matter how well she behaves, I feel annoyed."
"The Queen Mother is right." Nanny Liu knew the Queen Mother's temper very well. If she continued, she would get angry.
The Queen Mother gently lifted her eyelids and said with worry in her tone, "I see that Yu'er has been unhappy. Please ask the imperial kitchen to prepare more of Yu'er's favorite foods."
Aunt Liu said, "I understand."
The palace maid came in and reported: "Empress Dowager, Concubine Zheng requests an audience."
"Noble Concubine Zheng?" The Empress Dowager's expression did not change at all as she put down the teacup.
"Let her in."
Although Concubine Zheng was the emperor's original wife, she really despised her petty thoughts. She always occupied the emperor's favor and used the original wife as an excuse. She had a bad temper and got angry at the slightest thing. She was really unworthy of the position of the Empress.
The queen is gentle, magnanimous, and more importantly, easy to control.
Therefore, she liked the Queen and disliked Concubine Zheng.
Concubine Zheng bowed and said, "I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager leaned against the couch and refused to let her get up. She said, "What's the wind that brought Concubine Zheng here today?"
Facing the Empress Dowager's sarcastic remarks, Concubine Zheng remained composed, bowed her head respectfully, and said with a faint smile, "Your Majesty, that's not true. It was my fault before. I have come here specifically to apologize, and I hope the Empress Dowager will forgive me."
The Queen Mother laughed and said, "Noble Concubine Zheng, what are you doing today?"
Concubine Zheng raised her eyes and said calmly, "Seek peace."
Unexpectedly, she was so direct. The Queen Mother's expression changed slightly. "Ask for peace?"
"I contradicted the Empress Dowager in the past, and it was all my fault. But now that Yu'er is staying in Shoukang Palace, I feel very relieved. I am Yu'er's mother, and you are Yu'er's grandmother. Yu'er probably doesn't want her mother and grandmother to be separated by hatred."
Concubine Zheng said with a smile, her eyes bright and surprising.
The Empress Dowager remained silent. Concubine Zheng's logic was clear, indicating that she had been prepared. She seemed quite certain that she would agree to the peace proposal.
Concubine Zheng was full of confidence. She believed that no one would give up their own interests.
However, she heard the Queen Mother's indifferent tone: "Why do you think that I will agree to your request for peace?"
The smile that had just broken out on her face slowly faded away, and her expression quickly turned cold.
The Queen Mother twirled the jade bracelet on her wrist. "In the past, you prevented Yu'er from entering Shoukang Palace, causing the relationship between me and the Emperor to cool again and again. I won't go into more details."
Her eyes turned cold: "Don't use Yu'er anymore. Yu'er has you as her mother, which is like a disaster."
Concubine Zheng froze, her voice tense, "Empress Dowager..."
She swallowed her pride and went to negotiate, only to be humiliated. She gritted her teeth, wishing the old woman before her would die instantly.
The Queen Mother calmly picked up the teacup, clearly smiling, yet with a cold expression. "Why? Do you think I just returned to the palace and don't know what's going on there?"
"You are no longer the Concubine Zheng you once were. What qualifications do you have to negotiate with me?"
Concubine Zheng forced herself to smile, "Empress Dowager, you..."
The Queen Mother, however, did not want to listen to her anymore. She propped her head up with her wrist and said, "Go back."
Concubine Zheng suppressed her anger and bowed as she left. Her eyes turned cold.
The Queen Mother's lips twitched slightly, as if she was sneering. How could she not understand Concubine Zheng's little tricks? She simply felt the competition and came to negotiate peace.
"Empress Dowager, I see Concubine Zheng heading towards Chengqian Palace..."
The Queen Mother disagreed: "Let her go."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
