Thinking of this, before Physician Peng could react, she asked, "Are Physician Peng and Mr. Ouyang very familiar with each other?"
"We've met a few times. Each time we meet, the doctor gives me guidance, which I greatly benefit from. We have a relationship that is both teacher and friend." Old Doctor Peng had not yet recovered from his grief and answered Zhao Shu instinctively, without lying.
Ouyang Ping was the most famous person in the Jiangnan region, while Peng Lao had been in Beijing for many years. Presumably, even if they knew each other, it was only a few times. Moreover, Dayong was not like modern times, with its developed transportation and numerous communication tools.
Even if it's just a message sent by carrier pigeon, it would still take several days to arrive.
Speak of the devil, and he appears. Just as Zhao Shu was thinking of pigeons, Xiao Zhuzi came over with a pigeon in his arms. "Princess, a letter from the capital."
Zhao Shuyi stiffened and said to Physician Peng, "Physician Peng, please take good care of the Crown Prince's affairs."
The old physician, Peng, was still overwhelmed with grief and didn't pay attention to Zhao Shu. Zhao Shu didn't wait for him either and followed Xiao Zhu out of the courtyard filled with the fragrance of medicine.
On the way, Zhao Shu asked, "Where's Xiao Guozi?"
"Lady Zhang is scolding him right now, and I've been scolded for quite a while too. That's why I was able to get away and come to tell you when news came from the capital." Little Zhu was extremely honest.
As they spoke, the two arrived at the small study in Jinlan Palace. Once inside, Zhao Shu asked again, "How many people are there, Chuchun and Wandong?"
"Granny Zhong is teaching them manners. Even Sister Bi Qiao and Granny Zhuang have been called over," Xiao Zhu Zi answered truthfully as always.
Zhao Shu was stunned for a moment after hearing this. "Quickly, show me the letter."
Xiao Zhu handed over the bamboo tube, about the size of a thumb, inside which was rolled up a very small piece of paper. Unfolding the paper, it contained only a few short sentences: 'The Fourth Prince marries a woman from the Sun family; Consort Ning is promoted to Imperial Concubine Ning; the Empress is imprisoned in Fengqi Palace; Consort Hao is pregnant and, together with Imperial Concubine Ning, is undermining the Empress's authority.'
Zhao Shu looked at it and muttered to herself, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is. Consort Ning has finally become Imperial Concubine Ning. Imperial Concubine Hao? Who is Imperial Concubine Hao?" There was no such person in my previous life. The Hao family?
She's pregnant again. Ha, how fast! The Crown Prince hasn't even been found yet, and she's already looking for another way out. How could the Empress be so foolish as to let the Hao family father and son get close to the Crown Prince? No, the Empress isn't that kind of foolish person. She's been sidelined.
Ah, so that's how it is. Back in the capital, the Empress and Emperor Mingde had already developed a rift. The Empress even said, "You shouldn't have married me in the first place." She didn't remember the exact words, but when she heard the Empress say that, she thought the Empress had a problem with her intelligence. Emperor Mingde was currently busy fighting for power with the powerful families and nobles, and he was diligent in his duties every day. He didn't have time to play the game of "I'm angry, you have to coax me" with her about their love affairs.
If it were truly the case that someone would seize the opportunity to attack, it wouldn't be impossible. But Consort Hao truly surprised her. Did the Hao family's daughter have such a heavenly appearance? She was immediately bestowed the title of Consort upon arrival. The Marquis of Zhongyong's family was merely a noble family, not even a proper aristocratic family. Of course, noble families also pride themselves on being scholarly families.
The society of Dayong is now sick. The aristocratic families look down on all the commoners, including the noble families, while the noble families also consider themselves to be scholarly families and look down on the imperial family. Ha! Military power is enough to feed them! They have forgotten who their benefactors are!
If the royal family hadn't bestowed titles and ranks upon them, what would they be!
The preparations made by the emperors of Dayong for generations were no joke. Those who held military power in successive dynasties all met with bad ends. Just wait and see; one should never forget who one's ancestors were!
"Let them investigate! Investigate this Consort Hao! I refuse to believe she's some kind of reincarnated nine-tailed fox. Getting pregnant and being directly made a consort? Who gave her such a big face? We've only been out of the capital for a few months, and we already have a Consort Hao." She said coldly, "Furthermore, why is Consort Hao helping Consort Ning? She's pregnant herself, and there's already an Empress in the palace. Why would she help Consort Ning, whose son is a grown prince?"
Xiao Zhu Zi didn't know the specifics either. She knew as much as Zhao Shu, but they didn't have the Empress Dowager's intelligence network, so how could they be informed about everything?
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will send a message to the capital by carrier pigeon and have them investigate the matter as soon as possible."
Zhao Shu thought for a moment and said, "It's not necessarily that our people can't find out. It's possible that they missed some information. Have them make a timeline of all the events that have happened in the capital recently and send it to me."
"Yes," Xiao Zhuzi quickly replied.
Just then, Jiyun came over and said, "Princess, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be under house arrest?"
"Grandmother said I could only be released if I admitted my mistake, and I admit my mistake," Zhao Shu said with great confidence. Then she gestured for Xiao Zhu to go and do his errand. "Does Aunt Jiyun need anything?"
"Of course there's something I need. The young master of the Huo family has arrived, and the Empress Dowager requests your presence," Ji Yun said helplessly.
Huo Guxian is here? Zhao Shuyuan was thinking of going to find Sun Yun, but now it was a good time to call Sun Yun to see Huo Guxian. "Let's go see Xian'er and call A-Yun along."
Ji Yun had no objection. Sun Yun was the eldest daughter of the Sun family and Zhao Shu's study companion. Her status was higher than Zhao Shu's, and the Empress Dowager had not said that Sun Yun was not allowed to go.
When she found Sun Yun, she was still listless. "Ah Jun, Xian'er is here. She's in Fengxin Palace. Would you like to go and see her?"
Sun Yun's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up. "It's been so long since I've seen Xian'er. I wonder if he's grown taller."
“Xian’er isn’t a seedling; she won’t grow several inches taller in just a few days,” Zhao Shu replied. After saying that, the two of them went to Fengxin Palace together.
Upon arriving at Fengxin Palace, Huo Guxian heard her soft voice speaking to the Empress Dowager in a serious tone, "Your Majesty, your words are absurd. Aunt knows she is wrong, so she knows she is wrong. How could she lie so easily? I can guarantee that Aunt is not lying. She truly knows she is wrong."
"He's young but incredibly clever." The Empress Dowager doted on Huo Guxian, showing him far more affection than any of her other grandsons of the same age.
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