"Hmph, it's not certain whether the Empress Dowager will approve it or not, sister, you shouldn't be too happy yet," Consort Yang said sarcastically from the side.
"Your Highness, please don't be angry. Actually, visiting your family is the most troublesome thing. There are many younger relatives in the family, so there are many gifts to prepare. Not only are there many, but they are also complicated. You can't overstep the bounds of etiquette, but you can't lose your sense of propriety either. It's not easy to grasp this balance. So, it's more comfortable to pray for blessings in the Sanqing Temple."
After saying this, Zhao Shu walked to Consort Xie's side, took her hand, and said, "Let Consort Xie handle this troublesome matter."
"Zhihai, did you convey what you just said to the princess?" Consort Yang asked Zhihai angrily.
Zhihai was the Empress Dowager's man, and the concubines usually treated him kindly. But today, the concubines felt very unbalanced and spoke to him in a much more domineering tone. Especially since Zhihai had been sent to Biyou Palace again, their initial fear of him had faded by about 50-60%.
Before Zhihai could speak, Zhao Shu interrupted, "Consort Yang, please calm down. I have already made myself very clear. Eunuch Hai has already conveyed the message, so after I return to the palace, I will inform my grandmother that the consorts have long admired Taoism and wish to pray for themselves in the Sanqing Hall every day. They do not seek immortality, but only to live to a ripe old age. I think an imperial decree will be issued soon."
"You!" Consort Yang and several other consorts glared at Zhao Shu. "Do you think that without us, how many people would believe Sister Xie on her own?"
"And who is this Imperial Concubine?" Zhao Shu asked in a good-natured manner.
"My surname is Sun."
"Your Highness, Lord Sun seems to be a good official. However, we should wait and see how he performs. Whether he can go on a family visit depends on what he does. However, Your Highness's actions today will directly affect whether Lord Sun is a good official. Your Highness must not miss this opportunity."
Historically, it was not uncommon for imperial concubines to return home to visit their families. However, they could not stay overnight and had to return before dark. Moreover, they needed an imperial decree from the Empress Dowager before they could return to their residences to visit their families.
However, regardless of the circumstances, the late emperor has passed away, and it is ultimately inappropriate for the imperial concubines to make public appearances.
As soon as the words were spoken, the imperial concubines understood that a good official was one who obeyed their orders.
Zhihai looked at Zhao Shu in surprise. He hadn't expected that just a few words could break the alliance between the imperial concubines. He was ashamed that he had lived most of his life and hadn't seen the simple truth behind it.
On Dongmen Street, the Wang and Yang families watched the woman slowly approaching, a sense of doubt creeping into their hearts. "Who is this person?"
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