Ronghua Palace!
The sun shines brightly in the garden of Ronghua Palace. The palace servants stand quietly in every corner of the garden, carefully serving the three masters sitting in the garden!
At this time, the Queen, who was watching Princess Yao playing near the flower garden, smiled and said, "Yao'er, please return to your mother and don't disturb Concubine Rong!"
Hearing the Queen's gentle call, Princess Yao simply turned slightly to the side, with an extremely cute smile on her pink face, and replied sweetly to the Queen, "Mother, the flowers here are really beautiful, even better than those in the Queen Mother's palace!"
As she spoke, Princess Yao turned around, stretched out her hands and touched the extremely gorgeous Wei Zi peony in front of her!
Little did she know that after the queen heard her childish and innocent words, the smile in her eyes froze instantly. The hands holding the handkerchief shrank slightly, and slowly relaxed after a while. Her beautiful eyes took in everything in the Ronghua Palace, and she felt that it was as beautiful as a fairyland, making people linger!
Although the Ronghua Palace had been renovated and adorned with splendor by the Emperor before Concubine Rong moved in, who in the palace at the time could have known that the eldest daughter of the Rong family was truly a beauty? Furthermore, the Rong family had been merchants for generations, and although they were imperial merchants, their status remained low. The Emperor's actions were meant to remind Rong Rong to always be mindful of her status!
But now, with the top-quality peonies planted all over the garden, I'm afraid the emperor no longer has the same idea in his mind as before!
The eight most precious peonies, including the Wei purple, Yao yellow, and Zhao pink, bloomed in Ronghua Palace, demonstrating not just the Rong family's wealth but the emperor's fondness for Concubine Rong! Otherwise, why would Emperor Yugan, who was never known for his extravagance, have craftsmen renovating the flower gardens in Ronghua Palace in March to cultivate these most precious and valuable flowers?
"Yao'er, come back soon!" But the queen suddenly changed her voice, and spoke in a slightly deep voice, then winked at little Lu Zi beside her!
Little Luzi immediately stepped forward, squatted down, and inconspicuously grasped Princess Yao's hand that was about to touch Wei Zi Mudan. He said with a shy smile, "Oh, little princess, you were clamoring to come to the Royal Concubine Rong's palace to eat emerald green bean cakes today. Why are you just thinking about playing now? Look, the Royal Concubine prepared it for you early in the morning. If you don't go to eat it, the Royal Concubine will be sad!"
As he was speaking, little Lu Zi gently took Princess Yao's hand and walked back to the queen!
The Queen smiled faintly and pulled Princess Yao over, drawing her closer to her side. She then turned her gaze to Concubine Rong, who had been sitting silently beside her, and spoke slowly, "Don't be angry, sister! Yao'er is a naughty child, very active! When she sees something new, she always wants to touch it!"
"What are you saying, Her Majesty? This palace is the Princess's home. Is there anything the Princess can't touch? Besides, if these flowers can even make the Princess smile, it's their good fortune!" How could Concubine Rong not understand the Empress's meaning? She had also noticed the subtle change in the Empress's expression just now, so she naturally knew what the Empress was thinking!
In March, Emperor Yugan ordered craftsmen to renovate the garden of Ronghua Palace and transplant many precious peony varieties. This has long become the focus of discussion among everyone in the palace!
If it weren't for her high rank and good family background, those jealous concubines would have come to her house to make trouble!
Even the Empress, the mother of a nation, must be feeling bad right now! However, due to Emperor Yugan's favor, even the Empress dared not arbitrarily exercise the power in her hands! Therefore, when the Empress saw Princess Yao trying to touch Wei Zi, she was afraid of angering her, so she spoke harshly!
However, these were not what she wanted. Looking at the colorful peonies in the garden, Rong Rong felt a heavy weight on her heart. Although peonies were precious to her, they were still not as deeply loved as the fragrant winter plums! The image of that arrogant handsome face flashed through her mind, and Concubine Rong's heart went cold. The feeling of being unable to breathe made her feel even colder!
After hearing Rong Rong's words, the Queen simply smiled elegantly, picked up the teacup she had used, fed Princess Yao a sip, and then spoke, "What nonsense are you talking about, Concubine Rong! In this harem, the only one who can match the peonies in this garden is Concubine Rong! Look at the Wei Zi peony, it's called the 'Queen of Flowers'! I believe the Emperor also thinks so, which is why he planted these peonies exclusively in Ronghua Palace!"
Concubine Rong half closed her eyes, gently lifted the lid of the bowl with her bare hands, and slowly hung the edge of the bowl. The emerald green tea reflected her clear yet frozen eyes. But after listening to the Queen's words, a strange look flashed across her frozen eyes, but she never spoke again, just focused on the teacup in her hand, as if no one or anything could compare to the cup of clear tea in her hand!
"The Queen is right!" Little did they know that while Concubine Rong did not speak, Emperor Yugan, who was walking quickly towards them, spoke with a big laugh. He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, and the five-clawed dragon on his chest looked even more noble under the golden sunlight. The pendant around his waist and the rings on his hands were all incomparably gorgeous, making people dare not look directly at him at first sight!
"Long live the emperor!" Everyone in the garden was surprised when they saw Emperor Yugan coming suddenly. Led by the queen, they all knelt down and saluted!
However, while Emperor Yugan was praising the empress, his eyes were fixed on Concubine Rong from the moment she entered the garden. She was not as panicked as the others. There was no pride on her face in the face of the empress's praise. She was also very calm in the face of his arrival. She put down the teacup in her hand slowly and bowed slowly as the empress saluted. The beauty of her every move was as poetic and picturesque as a painting, which made people intoxicated!
I couldn't help but want to step over the Queen and help up Concubine Rong behind her...
"Father!" At this time, Princess Yao spoke in a baby voice. She couldn't wait any longer and raised her little head that was lowered by the Queen, without waiting for Emperor Yugan to speak, and looked up at Emperor Yugan with longing eyes!
"My little princess, get up quickly! Everyone get up!" Emperor Yugan had to retract his steps, bent down and picked up Princess Yao, then spoke in a deep voice!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone thanked Wan En and stood up in unison. The Queen walked over to Emperor Yugan with a gentle smile and reached out to touch Princess Yao's nose. "Yao'er, are you being naughty again? Your father has worked hard all day. How can you let him hold you again? Your mother will let little Luzi hold you, okay?"
"No!" Little did she know that Princess Yao stubbornly hugged Emperor Yugan's neck, her little face puffed up slightly, and she glared at Xiao Luzi who wanted to come forward to carry her away, and she just didn't want to get down from Emperor Yugan!
"Queen, forget it! I haven't seen Yao'er for a long time! Yao'er, do you miss your father?" Noticing Princess Yao's cute reaction, Emperor Yugan carried her to the stone table in the garden. There were many cakes and pastries that Princess Yao loved on it. Among them, a plate of emerald green bean cakes was very eye-catching, but it made Emperor Yugan's eyes dim slightly. He then sat down in the seat that Concubine Rong had just taken, letting Princess Yao sit on his lap. He smiled and teased his little daughter in his arms, "Yao'er is really good at speaking. There are so many cakes and pastries. What's your favorite?"
"This!" The chubby little hand immediately pointed to the emerald mung bean cake placed in the middle!
However, after seeing the interaction between the father and daughter, Concubine Rong raised her eyes slightly, and then stood silently aside!
"Queen and Rong'er, please sit down too! We are all family, why be so reserved?" Seeing that after he sat down, the others were standing, Emperor Yugan softened the expression on his face and spoke with a smile!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The Queen and Concubine Rong bowed slightly, then chose the nearest seat and sat down!
"See how much Yao'er likes to eat this mung bean cake, is it made by the imperial chef in the palace?" His eyes passed over Concubine Rong in the distance without a trace, and Emperor Yugan picked up a piece of emerald mung bean cake and fed it to the little princess, speaking in a light tone!
The Queen saw that Emperor Yugan always focused his attention on Concubine Rong. Even when feeding Yao'er, he always picked the Rong family. In addition, the difference in how Emperor Yugan addressed the two of them just now made her heart sour for a moment. The smile on her face was a little forced. She wiped the corner of Princess Yao's mouth to hide the bitterness in her heart and slowly said, "The imperial chef in the palace can't make the food that your family likes! You heard that Yao'er likes this mung bean cake, so you specially sent someone to bring it in from outside the palace!"
"Oh?" The extremely light tone made the Queen and Concubine Rong feel nervous at the same time. The Queen immediately shut her mouth and concentrated on wiping the corners of the little princess' mouth!
Concubine Rong sat quietly on the side, without saying a word, but her hands on her knees slowly clenched!
"I'm sure Rong Yunhe brought this into the palace! Rong'er, your brother and sister's bond is truly profound, something I deeply envy! Unfortunately, I was born in this imperial family, and even the simplest form of kinship is incredibly difficult. It's lonely at the top, and I'm afraid that's exactly what's happening to me!" With a hint of regret, Emperor Yugan stared intently at Concubine Rong in the distance. Why did this woman, no matter what he did, always keep him at a distance? Could it be that even this garden full of peonies couldn't elicit a smile from her lips?
"Your Majesty, this was just something I ordered my maid to bring into the palace! Yunhe has been very busy recently and hasn't been to the palace for a long time!" Concubine Rong answered very carefully, while trying to figure out the meaning behind Emperor Yugan's words!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Yugan simply nodded calmly and said in a very calm tone, "He is indeed a useful talent! If Yuxiao is half as capable as Rong Yunhe..."
Emperor Yugan didn't say the next words, but because he only said this half sentence, the Queen's face turned pale instantly. She was slightly startled by the action of wiping the corner of Princess Yao's mouth, and her hands could not help but slowly drop down. She naturally understood the meaning of Emperor Yugan's words! It seemed like an exclamation, but in fact it was full of blame!
After hearing what Emperor Yugan said, Concubine Rong also became nervous, but she was always cold, so compared to the sudden change in the Queen's expression, no one noticed the change in Concubine Rong's mood!
"Yao'er, come to your mother!" The Queen did her best to hide the bitterness in her heart. She opened her arms and embraced Princess Yao. She forced a dignified smile on her face and spoke gently to Emperor Yugan, "Your Majesty, Yao'er is now five years old. I have found a few teachers for her and I would like to take her to their apprenticeship soon! Yao'er is a princess after all. Her every move represents the royal family. She cannot be careless in learning etiquette and knowledge, and she must not bring shame to the royal family! Your Majesty, what do you think?"
After hearing the Queen's words, Emperor Yugan's expression immediately became serious. His gaze turned to the little princess sitting quietly in the Queen's arms. He felt that the child had truly grown up and it was time for her to learn court etiquette. He nodded and graciously approved the Queen's request. "Music, chess, and painting must not be neglected! Since she is a princess of our royal family, she naturally cannot be worse than those daughters of court officials! Since you want to become a disciple, you should take Yao'er with you first. Don't delay!"
Seeing that Emperor Yugan agreed to her proposal, the Queen breathed a sigh of relief. She immediately took Princess Yao's hand and stood up. After paying her respects to Emperor Yugan, the group left Ronghua Palace in an instant!
Seeing that half of the people in Ronghua Palace had suddenly disappeared, Emperor Yugan turned his attention back to Concubine Rong. He stood up, bent slightly, took Concubine Rong's right hand, which was resting on her knee, and led her slowly to the flowerbed. He held up a purple peony in his right hand and asked in a calm voice, "Do you like these peonies, my beloved concubine?"
Concubine Rong clenched her right fist slightly, holding a handkerchief in her palm, which was already soaked with cold sweat. Hearing Emperor Yugan's question, she tried her best to focus her eyes on the purple Wei Zi peony. She opened her red lips and slowly said, "The 'Queen' among flowers is naturally extraordinary! Your Majesty has always had a unique vision. How could I not like it?"
"Really?" Emperor Yugan was staring at Concubine Rong's expression. Seeing that she would rather stare at the flowers in his hand than look at him, the faint smile on the corner of his mouth gradually lost its warmth. He immediately let go of her right hand and instead put his arm around her slender waist, instantly pulling Concubine Rong, who had been trying hard to stay away from him, into his arms. With his right hand, he lifted her chin, his eyes blazing as he stared at the stunning face before him. He sneered, "My beloved concubine always seems to be so unwelcome to my arrival!"
Emperor Yugan hit the nail on the head, and Concubine Rong's heart trembled. She forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, you are joking! How could I not welcome Your Majesty?" As she spoke, she tried to distance herself from the two of them...
Unexpectedly, the strength in Emperor Yugan's hands suddenly increased, causing Concubine Rong to fall into his arms. The hand that was originally supporting her chin gradually changed to pinching, and the strong finger marks left red marks on Concubine Rong's delicate skin, forcing her to raise her eyes and look into his. Suddenly, Emperor Yugan's cold command was heard in the garden, "Xiao Yuzi, go tell the Jingshifang that I will be staying in Ronghua Palace tonight!"
"Your Majesty, you can't..." Before Eunuch Yu turned around and left, he heard Concubine Rong exclaim. Her face was pale, and her originally rosy lips looked even paler. There was a rejection hidden in her watery eyes!
"Is there anything in this world that I cannot do?" The dangerous question made Concubine Rong's heart sink bit by bit. She wanted to refuse, but she could not find a reason to refuse!
"Rong Rong, I pamper you because you are worthy! Don't overestimate yourself. It's not good for you or the Rong family if you always reject me! What's more, don't forget your status. You are already my concubine, and you can only have me as your husband in this life. Do you have other ideas in your mind?" Her jaw ached, and Concubine Rong was forced to look into Emperor Yugan's eyes that were filled with anger. The despair in her heart grew little by little. Her hands hung at her sides and clenched into fists, but she was powerless!
"Your Majesty!" At this moment, Eunuch Yu spoke in a low voice with embarrassment...
"What are you doing? Why are you still staying here? Are you trying to disobey the emperor's order?" Emperor Yugan was reluctant to vent his anger on Concubine Rong, so he yelled at Eunuch Yu!
Being scolded for no reason, Eunuch Yu felt extremely aggrieved. He just looked at the person standing outside the door and could only bite the bullet and say, "Your Majesty, the Rong family has sent someone!"
"The Rong family? Imperial Concubine Rong is doing fine in the palace, so why do they keep sending people in? Are they afraid that I'll mistreat their eldest daughter? Am I not good enough to their eldest daughter? Looking throughout the entire palace, who has a palace planted with top-quality peonies? Get out of here! Whoever dares to disturb me today, I'll chop off his head!" As he spoke, Emperor Yugan continued to increase the strength in his hands, forcing Imperial Concubine Rong's entire body to press against his chest. Feeling the soft and tender body in his arms, Emperor Yugan's eyes gradually showed a color, which made Imperial Concubine Rong blush. She could only try her best to avoid too much contact with Emperor Yugan...
"This..." Eunuch Yu was also filled with anxiety. Judging from the current situation, the Emperor would not let Concubine Rong go. However, the situation outside was also urgent. He could only speak again, "Your Majesty, the Rong family's steward said that Old Madam Chen does not seem to be well. They want to ask Concubine Rong to return to the Rong Mansion!"
After saying that, Eunuch Yu didn't dare to speak again. He could only lower his head and retreat behind Emperor Yugan, waiting for Emperor Yugan's judgment!
"What? What happened to grandma?" The first one to be startled was Concubine Rong. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes and she looked at Eunuch Yu with a miserable and anxious expression. Even being hugged by Emperor Yugan was no longer something she cared about at this moment!
Seeing her expression filled with genuine worry, Emperor Yugan frowned suddenly, and his doubts were slightly dispelled. He then released Concubine Rong and ordered Eunuch Yu, "Let that person in!"
Seeing that Emperor Yugan had changed his mind, Eunuch Yu nodded and walked out of the garden. A moment later, he led the steward of the Rong Mansion in. The steward kowtowed and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, the old lady has not been in good health recently. I'm afraid... I'm afraid..."
As he spoke, the steward's eyes turned red...
Concubine Rong's face turned pale as paper, and she couldn't help but stand up from her seat. However, because Emperor Yugan was present, she didn't dare to ask rashly even though she was anxious!
"The old lady was fine, how could something happen to her suddenly?" Emperor Yugan looked calm, and took a sip of tea from the teacup that Concubine Rong had just drunk from!
"In reply to the emperor, the old lady has been in poor health since last year! In order not to worry the imperial concubine, we did not let the servants go to the palace to report! She suddenly fainted yesterday, and has not had a drop of water until now!" As he spoke, the steward sobbed again, and the imperial concubine Rong's eyes were already red, but she was stubborn and did not shed tears!
"Your Majesty! I have been taught by my grandmother personally since I was young. The affection between us is so deep that I cannot repay her enough! I beg Your Majesty to let me return to Rong Mansion for a few days to serve her! It will not be in vain for us to be grandparents and grandchildren!" Concubine Rong suddenly knelt down in front of Emperor Yugan and said earnestly!
【230】
It can touch people's nerves!
What's more, Concubine Rong usually always had a cold expression, and she had never had such a drastic change in her expression, which made Emperor Yu Gan amazed. Staring at her charming face, Emperor Yu Gan gently turned the teacup on the stone table with one hand, and in his heart he was estimating the truthfulness of the words of the two people in front of him!
"It is no small matter for the Imperial Concubine to leave the palace!" A faint reply came out of Emperor Yugan's mouth. Imperial Concubine Rong looked up immediately after hearing it, but saw that the Emperor had a dull expression at this time, and it was impossible to glimpse any emotion from him. His handsome eyes, which were staring at the teacup, were filled with a cold light, which made Imperial Concubine Rong's heart tremble. She couldn't help but bite her pink lower lip with her pearly teeth, and her eyebrows had already been twisted together. Imperial Concubine Rong's thoughts were churning in her mind, hoping to find a reason for Emperor Yugan to nod in agreement!
"Your Majesty, my grandmother is old, and I rarely see her. If there is no real danger today, I am afraid the Rong family will never send anyone into the palace! Although I have entered the palace as a concubine, I am still the daughter sent by the Rong family. How can I forget my roots? Your Majesty, please allow me to leave the palace in consideration of the Rong family's unchanging loyalty to the court for so many years!" Unlike the coldness of the past, Concubine Rong now had tears in her eyes. She kowtowed to Emperor Ya and Emperor Gan and begged with court etiquette, but her voice was sonorous and powerful, with a hint of There was a hint of determination in Emperor Yugan's eyes. However, when he heard Concubine Rong's word "loyalty", a strange look flashed across his eyes, which had been staring at the teacup quietly. He then slowly turned to Concubine Rong and saw that her originally flawless forehead was now covered with a faint red mark. Emperor Yugan immediately bent down and lifted up Concubine Rong's arms. When her eyes turned to him, he said with a little anger, "What are you doing? Why did I say that you are not allowed to leave the palace? Look at how you torture yourself! If you are disfigured, I will be heartbroken! Get up quickly!"
As he spoke, Emperor Yugan suddenly increased the strength in his hands, determined to pull Concubine Rong up!
But Rong Rong was also a stubborn woman. Although she looked weak on the outside, she had a strong heart. She knelt motionless before Emperor Yugan, her eyes filled with determination. "Your Majesty, please allow me to leave the palace to visit my grandmother! Your Majesty, the deep love between you and the Queen Mother is a model for the people of the world. I should learn from you! Moreover, on the sixtieth birthday of the old lady Gu from the Fuguo Mansion, the Emperor, the Queen Mother, and the Empress personally went to the Fuguo Mansion to celebrate for her. This touching gesture has long been a legend among the people! Please, Your Majesty, fulfill my filial piety!"
After hearing what Concubine Rong said, Emperor Yu Gan slowly loosened his hands that were originally holding her arms, and his gaze towards Concubine Rong gradually changed. He felt a little understanding and a little happy. He originally thought that Rong Rong was a cold and wooden beauty, but he didn't expect that this woman who seldom spoke, once she opened her mouth, all she said was words that made people feel convinced. This was enough to show how delicate and agile Rong Rong's mind was!
"Xiao Yuzi, pass on my decree. Have the head of the Imperial Hospital go to the Rong Residence to see Old Lady Chen! If the condition is truly urgent, I will then graciously allow my beloved concubine to leave the palace! However…" Suddenly changing the subject, Emperor Yugan glared at the Rong family steward kneeling behind Noble Concubine Rong, and demanded in a cold voice, "There's also Noble Concubine Rong Xian in the palace. Why are you only here to disturb Noble Concubine Rong?"
The steward lowered his head as much as possible, but the cold sweat on his forehead still slid down his collar. After listening to Emperor Yugan's questioning, he took a deep breath and said with utmost composure, "Your Majesty, the Concubine Dowager has always loved quietness and is a Buddhist. I dare not disturb her quiet meditation!"
"Really? You really know how to pick the time. I finally took some time off from my busy schedule to come visit Concubine Rong, and you're here!" The extremely indifferent tone revealed Emperor Yugan's dissatisfaction with being disturbed just now!
His stern eyes moved back and forth between Concubine Rong and the steward of the Rong Mansion. He saw that Concubine Rong was bowing her head in deep thought, while the steward was still kneeling!
"My beloved, please get up first! Be careful not to hurt your knees!" Seeing that Concubine Rong's face turned slightly pale, Emperor Yu Gan lifted her arm with one hand and pulled her to sit on the stone bench beside him!
Concubine Rong was unable to break free from his tightly grasped hand for a moment, and she was thinking of Old Madam Chen, so she didn't pay much attention to it. However, when Emperor Yu Gan touched Concubine Rong's soft and boneless hands, a look of satisfaction suddenly came to his heart. He held her hands tightly and stroked her arms with his fingertips, feeling extremely enjoyable!
However, Eunuch Yu was gone for two hours, and when he returned to Ronghua Palace, it was already dark!
"Your Majesty!" He walked quietly into the hall and saw Emperor Yugan leading Concubine Rong to have dinner, while Eunuch Yu was standing in front of the dining table and spoke in a low voice!
Seeing him come back, Concubine Rong immediately put down the dishes in her hands, raised her beautiful eyes with hidden anxiety and looked at him, waiting for his reply!
"How is Old Madam Chen? What did the imperial physician say after diagnosis?" His eyes swept towards a dish in the distance, and he saw the young eunuch serving on the side immediately picked it up for Emperor Yu Gan with quick eyes and hands. Emperor Yu Gan took a look at the dish before picking it up and putting it into his mouth!
"In reply to the emperor, the imperial physician diagnosed that Old Lady Chen is old and her old illness has relapsed. I'm afraid it's dangerous! The Rong family has already begun preparations..." At this point, Eunuch Yu quickly raised his eyes and glanced at Emperor Yugan. Seeing that his master was in the middle of a meal, he swallowed the next words in his stomach!
"What are you preparing?" Emperor Yugan spoke slowly while chewing the delicacies in his mouth, without stopping to mention it because of the taboos during meals!
Concubine Rong had already seen Eunuch Yu's embarrassed expression and hesitant words, and her heart was already in her throat. Her already cold expression now looked even colder and more anxious!
Glancing at Concubine Rong from the corner of his eye, Eunuch Yu frowned slightly, but could only report truthfully, "The Rong family has already begun preparations for the funeral!"
"Pah", the chopsticks in the hand were thrown forcefully onto the table by Emperor Yugan. The palace maids of Donghou immediately knelt down and dared not say a word. Even Concubine Rong, whose heart was trembling, stood up and half-crouched. In front of Emperor Yugan, even though her heart was in pain, Concubine Rong always maintained the dignity of a concubine and did not show any disrespect!
"I asked them to take good care of Old Lady Chen, but they just treated me perfunctorily? What do you mean by preparing for the funeral? Why was there no sign at all before?" Emperor Yugan suddenly cursed angrily. The whole Ronghua Palace was filled with his angry shouts. The palace servants all lowered their bodies desperately, not daring to offend the emperor at this time!
Eunuch Yu was also frightened by Emperor Yugan's rage and fell to his knees. However, he was not an imperial physician after all, so even if he was asked to repeat the specific pulse diagnosis, he could not explain it clearly. He could only frown and say, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty, please calm down..."
"Your Majesty!" A very soft cry sounded in the suppressed atmosphere. Emperor Yugan's gaze immediately turned from Eunuch Yu to Concubine Rong. He saw that Concubine Rong's face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were full of sorrow. She had changed from a half-squatting position to a kneeling position. "Your Majesty, please allow me to leave the palace and see my grandmother!
After she finished speaking, Concubine Rong stopped talking, but her posture while kneeling on the ground was as straight as a pine tree. She was afraid that she would not get up unless Emperor Yu and Emperor Gan nodded in agreement!
Seeing her determined expression, Emperor Yugan couldn't help but look up at the sky and sternly ordered Eunuch Yu, "Tell Commander Wu to escort the imperial concubine out of the palace!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Seeing that Emperor Yugan allowed her to leave the palace, Concubine Rong felt relieved!
Make sure there won’t be any mistakes on the road!
"Get up!" He waved his hand for all the palace servants to stand up. Emperor Yugan personally helped Concubine Rong to her feet, gently caressing her delicate cheek with his right hand, and said calmly with a warning. "I will let Commander Wu protect the Rong Mansion. My beloved concubine, please stay with the old lady for a while!"
Being gently cared for by Emperor Yugan, Concubine Rong felt a chill run down her spine. She felt that there was something else behind Emperor Yugan's words. However, her mind was preoccupied with her grandmother's affairs. For a moment, she was so confused that she had lost her usual composure. She could only nod slightly in agreement with Emperor Yugan's words and then bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern!"
"Okay, get up! Little Yuzi has prepared everything, you can go!" Reluctantly letting go of the beautiful woman in his arms, Emperor Yugan winked at Eunuch Yu, and then he took the lead to step out of Ronghua Palace and headed towards his study!
"Your Majesty, please!" Eunuch Yu stopped the palace maids in Ronghua Palace and only left Yuan'er, the maid who served Concubine Rong closely, to follow. The rest were all people arranged by Emperor Yugan. Although Concubine Rong was going to Rong Mansion!
When Concubine Rong saw that Emperor Yugan had sent people to follow her so closely, she felt a little unhappy, but she never showed it. She nodded slightly to Eunuch Yu, then led Yuan'er into the sedan chair and headed towards the palace gate!
After leaving the inner palace, they changed carriages and, under the escort of a column of imperial guards, led by the commander of the imperial guards, Lord Wu, they rushed towards Rong Mansion!
By this time, it was already dark, and the people who had set up stalls and played on the long street had already gone home. Apart from the patrolling city guards, there were few people on the street. The long street returned to silence, with only the sounds of galloping horses and rolling wheels!
After a period of rapid galloping, the carriage gradually slowed down and finally came to a stop, but Concubine Rong did not step out of the carriage immediately!
Eunuch Yu, who was originally sitting outside the carriage, immediately jumped off the carriage, took out a badge from his waist, held it in his hand, walked up the steps, and handed over the badge at the half-open corner door. After a while, the door of Rong Mansion, which had been tightly closed, was suddenly opened, and an extremely gorgeous sedan chair was carried out. Under the protection of Lord Wu, Yuan'er helped Concubine Rong get off the carriage and get into the sedan chair. Four strong eunuchs immediately replaced the servants of Rong Mansion. Under the double protection of Eunuch Yu and Lord Niao, they carried the sedan chair into Rong Mansion!
The home of the richest man in Western Chu is filled with exquisite elegance and nobility! Although it may not be extravagant, the exquisiteness of the details is beyond the reach of others!
Even Eunuch Yu, who was used to seeing the extravagance in the palace, couldn't help but show a hint of admiration in his eyes. I'm afraid only a family that strives for perfection like this can raise a woman as beautiful as Concubine Rong!
After a period of silent walking, the sedan chair stopped at Jingxin Residence, where Old Lady Chen lived. Yuan'er lifted the curtain and carefully helped Concubine Rong step out of the sedan chair. The room was filled with dim candlelight. Many members of the Rong family were pouring out of the main house, which was crowded with people. Seeing that it was indeed Concubine Rong herself, Concubine Rong's father led his wife, concubines, and others out to pay their respects. "Your humble servant pays homage to the Concubine!"
"Everyone get up!" A faint and distant voice sounded in the silent courtyard. Looking at the familiar courtyard in front of her, Concubine Rong had mixed feelings in her heart. She saw that the position where her mother should have stood behind her father was replaced by Concubine Zhou, and her mother was standing on the other side. Concubine Rong's expression became even colder. She just walked forward to help her biological mother up, and then led Yuan'er into the main house!
"How is Grandmother now?" She walked into the inner room without stopping. In the room filled with the smell of medicine, she saw Old Lady Chen lying quietly on the bed. Her face was slightly pale, which made Concubine Rong's heart tremble. She immediately brushed aside Yuan'er's support and walked forward quickly. She sat on the bedside, took Old Lady Chen's hand, and whispered softly, "Grandmother, I am Rong'er, your granddaughter is here to see you!"
"Your Majesty, you've been traveling so long, you should take a rest first! I've just had someone feed my mother some medicine, please don't worry!" Seeing that Concubine Rong cared so much about her grandmother, Master Rong immediately spoke to comfort her!
"Yes, Madam, the old lady has taken the medicine, and she won't wake up for a while!" But at this time, Aunt Zhou, who should not have appeared in the inner room, actually interrupted!
She even glanced around the inner room, then muttered in a voice that everyone could hear, "The old lady usually loves the eldest young master the most, but now even the queen has left the palace to visit the sick, but there is no sign of the eldest young master. She is truly filial!"
A cold light suddenly shot towards Concubine Zhou. Imperial Concubine Rong tightly grasped Old Lady Chen's hand with one hand, then turned around, staring at Concubine Zhou who had spoken carelessly with a cold face and icy eyes. Seeing that Eunuch Yu had also followed into the inner room, and because of Concubine Zhou's words, he was looking around for Rong Yunhe's figure, Imperial Concubine Rong immediately shouted angrily, "Who are you? How can a concubine like you enter the old lady's room? Is this how your Zhou family raises their daughters? I haven't said anything yet, but you speak first! The Rong family is rich and powerful. Do you think the eldest young master is like you, who only knows how to stir up trouble all day long? Your food, clothing, housing and transportation, which one was not earned by the eldest young master? Do you want him to stay in this Rong Mansion all day long and do girlish things like you?"
When Concubine Rong got angry, everyone was frightened and knelt down!
But Concubine Rong just helped her mother up, her eyes still staring coldly at the people kneeling on the ground, the anger in her heart never subsided!
"Your Majesty, you have finally returned home, how can you be angry? Besides, this is only Madam Zhou's fault, you should let others get up!" When Madam Rong saw that Eunuch Yu was present, she immediately spoke gently to comfort Concubine Rong. When Concubine Rong looked at her, she gave her a look at the right time, reminding her not to forget Eunuch Yu!
Concubine Rong took a deep breath, glanced at Concubine Zhou with disgust in her eyes, and then turned coldly.
Go away! Don't come to the old lady's quiet residence anymore!"
"Yes!" Aunt Zhou originally thought that Concubine Rong was still the eldest lady who stayed in the deep house and didn't care about worldly affairs. What's more, her husband also let her stand in the position of the main wife when welcoming the emperor today, which made Aunt Zhou feel a little proud. She wanted to provoke Concubine Rong, but she didn't expect that the eldest lady of the Rong family had such a bad temper. Especially, there were many guards with swords guarding outside Jingxin Residence. Aunt Zhou was so scared that she trembled all over, and without saying a word, she led her maid away from Jingxin Residence!
Mr. Rong was displeased to see Concubine Rong treating his beloved woman like this, but because of Concubine Rong's status, he could only endure it!
"Eunuch Yu!" At this time, Concubine Rong was not in a hurry to deal with the affairs of the family, but called over Eunuch Yu who was standing by the side!
"Empress!" Hearing Concubine Rong's call, Eunuch Yu immediately stepped forward respectfully, and his attitude represented the attitude of Emperor Yugan. Seeing that he was so cautious with Concubine Rong, everyone knew that Concubine Rong must be extremely favored in the palace. For a moment, the anger in Master Rong's heart gradually subsided, and his eyes could not help but glance at his wife, and then lowered his head!
"You should go back to the palace first! You have also seen the old lady's illness, and Lord Wu is guarding her, so I need to stay in Rong Mansion for a few more days!" Her eyes were cold and her face was solemn, making Concubine Rong more fierce and less indifferent than before!
"Yes, I can save you the trouble, don't worry, Your Majesty! Before leaving the palace, the Emperor has already told me that I will come to pick you up in three days! Your Majesty, please rest assured, the old lady will surely be blessed by heaven!" Eunuch Yu half-hid his brows and respectfully answered Concubine Rong's words. His smooth attitude makes people admire him. Only such a person can stay by Emperor Yugan's side for a long time.
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