After handing the blueprints to Chu Chun and asking her to deliver them to Fei Peng, Zhao Shu and Sun Yun were surrounded by a group of people who dressed them up. Because the Crown Prince was still recovering from his serious injuries, they remained very simple and elegant, choosing light and plain clothes.
After paying her respects to the Empress Dowager, Zhao Shu arrived at Fengxin Palace. Jin Xi had already prepared breakfast. For some reason, the Empress Dowager hadn't gotten up early as usual today and was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard. Zhang Chu and others were also with her. Upon seeing so many people seriously practicing Tai Chi, Zhao Shu suddenly felt like she had returned to modern times.
In modern times, during the summer, the warm-up for physical education classes for younger students is usually Tai Chi, and only after Tai Chi are they engaged in other sports.
When Zhao Shu entered, the Empress Dowager ignored her and only glanced at her.
Zhao Shu and Sun Yun exchanged a glance and obediently joined in the fight. Sun Yun was now fighting quite well.
After following the Empress Dowager through the process, and waiting for her to do her hair and wash up, they sat down at the table. The two younger relatives sat to the left, while Jin Xi and the others busied themselves setting out the dishes, with a glass of milk placed beside each of the three of them.
Zhao Shu thought that the Empress Dowager would remain silent as usual, since Sun Yun was present. However, the Empress Dowager said, "I heard that you are all very enthusiastic about opening a shop?"
"Mm." Zhao Shu nodded hurriedly, with a mouthful of porridge still in her mouth. Sun Yun didn't react at all. Not speaking while eating or sleeping was her consistent family rule, especially when visiting other people's homes. Of course, when family members are eating together, they will still say a few words.
The Empress Dowager took a sip of milk, glanced at the two of them, and said, "I will have Du Bai take charge of your affairs."
Zhao Shu: ...pouting reluctantly.
Sun Yun: ...turned to look at Zhao Shu, and desperately tried to wink at her, meaning to refuse quickly.
Zhao Shu continued to pout, her reluctance becoming more and more obvious, but the Empress Dowager seemed not to notice and continued to drink the remaining milk in her cup.
Pouting in dissatisfaction didn't work, so Zhao Shu changed to speaking, "Grandmother, Du Bai is someone you're used to using. If she's gone, A-Jun won't feel at ease with you. Besides, who is Du Bai? She's the head maid of our Cining Palace. It's such a waste of her talent to be a manager in a small shop. Du Bai has been with you for decades. You can't just abandon her like that, right, Grandmother..." After saying that, she reached out and tugged at the Empress Dowager's sleeve, acting coquettishly.
The Empress Dowager glanced at her again, having already finished her milk and porridge, but left the other dishes and pastries on the table untouched.
"I'm afraid you, Gan Luo, will tear the sky down. Has the Crown Prince's meal been sent over?" As she spoke, she turned to look at Jin Xi.
Jin Xi quickly curtsied and said, "It has been sent over. This servant prepared the medicinal meal according to the imperial physician's instructions, so please rest assured, Your Majesty."
"It's good that it's been sent. I'll go see him." With that, Zhao Shu stood up, quickly drank the milk in her glass, and followed her.
Sun Yun: ...She could only follow behind with her cup in hand. This grandmother and granddaughter were incredibly fast. Poor her, she was eating slowly and couldn't keep up at all.
Fortunately, there wasn't much milk in the cup, and after a few sips, it was finished. He quickly handed the cup to Banshu to hold.
Her action caught the Empress Dowager's eye, and she sighed slightly. She had originally intended to teach her audacious granddaughter a lesson, but she had failed. However, Sun Yun's quick wit made her nod in approval. She was not coy or pretentious, no wonder she was associated with her beloved granddaughter. The two were essentially the same.
On the way, Zhao Shu still tried to persuade the Empress Dowager to retract her order. She didn't want anyone interfering in her business dealings. After organizing her thoughts, she said, "Grandmother, you were being sarcastic just now. How could you do that? You are the Empress Dowager." She raised her head and pouted accusingly to express her dissatisfaction.
The Empress Dowager looked down at her, "You also know that I am the Empress Dowager? I thought you only knew me as an old woman."
As they spoke, they arrived at the left side hall. Zhao Shu wanted to make one last effort, but it was too late.
Upon arriving at the left-hand hall, the Crown Prince had just finished his breakfast, and the old imperial physician Peng was performing for the Crown Prince with a pair of parrots, mimicking their speech and singing.
Physician Peng said, "Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince."
"This beauty is so pretty." The parrot's shrill voice, if lowered any further, would be almost the same as Xiao Guozi and the others, sounding like a eunuch reincarnated.
The old imperial physician Peng glared and puffed out his beard, "What beauty? I am clearly the dashing and handsome Physician Peng!" At this moment, he could not see the Empress Dowager and Zhao Shu. In order to make the Crown Prince smile, he didn't care about his old face.
"How beautiful!" The parrot flapped its wings at it, as if it were angry.
The other parrot was much quieter. Just when Zhao Shu thought it was quiet, it lifted a foot, closed the cage door, and said, "Bring me some melon seeds, sir!"
Upon hearing this, Physician Peng's eyes widened even more. He glared at the two parrots, stroked his beard with one hand, and picked up some melon seeds from the side with the other, throwing them at the parrots. "I'll make you eat until you're stuffed!"
The young eunuch shouted, "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Upon hearing the young eunuch's voice, he quickly stopped his inappropriate behavior, his old face flushed red with embarrassment, but he still remembered to stand properly in front of the Crown Prince's bed and bow to the Empress Dowager, "Your humble servant greets the Empress Dowager."
The Crown Prince was now sitting on the bed, leaning against a large pillow. His complexion had improved considerably. When the Empress Dowager approached, he tried to bow to her, but she quickly stepped forward and told him not to move, saying, "Don't move, don't move."
"Grandson greets His Majesty the Empress Dowager." The Crown Prince's lips curled slightly, forcing a smile as he tried to suppress the negative emotions churning within him.
Zhao Shu watched with great heartache. "Crown Prince," she said, sitting down on the high stool by the bed, and said mysteriously, "Crown Prince, A-Jun wants to give you a gift, but Crown Prince must give A-Jun a gift first, okay?"
After bowing to the Crown Prince, Sun Yunfu stood next to Zhao Shu. The old physician Peng kept giving her meaningful glances, but she didn't understand. It was understandable that she had a tacit understanding with Zhao Shu, but what tacit understanding did she have with the old physician Peng?
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
