Having finalized the marriage between Mo Qin and Bi Qiao, Zhao Shu felt much better. She then summoned everyone in the household and granted permission to anyone who wished to marry, providing them with dowries and freeing them from their slave status.
However, the Prince Yong's residence offered good benefits, so most people were unwilling to leave.
Everyone else had left, and Zhang Liu hesitated, unsure whether to leave with them or stay and talk to Zhao Shu about his feelings. After all, they had promised to marry him to a woman surnamed Fan, but the marriage hadn't happened yet, and he was getting anxious and worried.
Zhao Shu noticed his hesitation, shook her head and smiled, and took the initiative to beckon him to her side, "Don't worry, when Lord Wang returns to the capital, I will go and propose marriage for you, and I guarantee I will help you marry her. If you are not at ease, you can often go and talk to Madam Fan, or if you are worried that your position is not high enough to be worthy of her, you can go to Chu to make a name for yourself."
Zhang Liu was overjoyed. The war in the Northeast had long ended, and there would be no merit in going there. If he could go to Chu through the back door and defeat King Jing, it would definitely be a great achievement. He immediately bowed to Zhao Shu to express his gratitude.
Zhao Shu waved her hand, dismissing him.
After arranging the marriages of everyone in the household, she thought for a moment and realized that there was nothing left to arrange. She felt a little lost and went to check on Huo Baichuan, but he still hadn't woken up.
However, the very next day, the court had an important event that required her attendance. The new emperor had ascended the throne, and foreign countries had come to offer their congratulations. Now that he was returning to the country, Dayong was holding a wedding banquet to thank the guests, and she had to attend. She had received gifts from them when she came of age.
Before entering the palace, Wei Tingsi took him to meet Augustus and his cousins.
Augustus was a pure Westerner, with a high nose, blue eyes, blond hair, and a tall, imposing figure. When he met Zhao Shu, he spoke fluent Arabic, which seemed to be a dialect, and Zhao Shu couldn't understand a word.
I wonder what kind of country Augustus's kingdom was. The language seemed rather peculiar. If we convert the geographical locations, Augustus's kingdom should be ancient Egypt. Some sources suggest that the people of ancient Egypt were not purely Western...
This description seems somewhat inaccurate, but Zhao Shu found it a bit strange that Augustus spoke Arabic.
However, Augustus's cousin spoke English, but due to the times, it differed from what is learned today, and Zhao Shu could understand a few sentences.
Although he understood, he dared not show that he truly understood.
It's worth mentioning that Lin Dongxue was the translator this time. When Zhao Shu saw him speaking fluent foreign language, her eyes widened. She was quite surprised that this guy knew foreign languages.
Lin Dongxue was surprised to see Zhao Shu. He scratched his head sheepishly, but he was no longer as shy as before. He even carefully introduced Zhao Shu to the foreign prince who had come from afar to Dayong.
Having met the people, Zhao Shu entered the palace first to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, and then went to see Qiu Tong. Qiu Tong was very busy these days, constantly handling matters. She had to make decisions on all things in the palace, and there was also a new concubine who wanted to replace her.
She was extremely busy. Most importantly, the new emperor had ascended the throne, and the first round of imperial concubine selections was about to begin. Although she was in charge of the harem and Zhao Yi respected her, Zhao Shu still noticed the melancholy between her brows.
"I don't have time to entertain you if you come." She forced a smile, not treating Zhao Shu as an outsider. In this respect, she followed Zhao Yi, knowing that Zhao Shu meant something different to Zhao Yi.
In addition, he had previously thought Zhao Shu was a good person and was willing to get to know her better.
Zhao Shu naturally did not intend to get too close to any of the concubines. She did not want to get involved in the struggles of the harem. If she was on good terms with the Empress, no one could say anything wrong.
Zhao Shu smiled slightly and shook her head, "It's alright, I'll wait for you to finish your work, then we'll go find the Empress Dowager together, and then go to Ganlu Palace."
A short while later, a palace maid from the imperial kitchen brought over the medicinal meal. "Your Highness, your medicinal meal has arrived. Please eat first," the maid said.
Qiu Tong said apologetically to Zhao Shu, "I didn't prepare it for you, so you really can't eat it." She said with a smile, her smile filled with more affection.
Zhao Shu's eyes lit up, and she asked incredulously, "Could it be?"
She nodded, looking down shyly, "The imperial physician said it's been more than two months."
"Congratulations! Now I can be an aunt!" Zhao Shu was overjoyed. In this life, Zhao Yi not only ascended the throne, but also had his own direct descendants. Nothing could make her happier than this.
Qiu Tong was moved. Apart from her parents, Zhao Shu was the first person to be genuinely happy. After becoming a mother, she had also become more sensitive, and she knew who truly loved her child.
"We don't know yet whether it's a boy or a girl," she said with some worry.
Zhao Shu shook her head and comforted her, "Whether it's a boy or a girl, the Emperor will definitely like them. The girl is the eldest princess, and the boy is the eldest son. How can those illegitimate children surpass him? You forgot, the Emperor is born of the legitimate line."
This comfort made Qiu Tong feel much better. Although there weren't as many concubines in the palace as the current three thousand beauties and seventy-two concubines, the number would only increase. If she couldn't give birth to a son in one go, she was worried about her status.
"Ah Jun, thank you." She said sincerely, holding Zhao Shu's hand.
"Do my brother the emperor and my grandmother know?" Zhao Shu asked.
Qiu Tong shook her head, lovingly stroking her belly, and said shyly, "Not yet. I'll tell the Empress Dowager and the Emperor after three months. It will be you. I won't tell anyone else."
Her words "Grand Empress Dowager" made Zhao Shu realize that her grandmother was already the Grand Empress Dowager. However, because Emperor Mingde had not yet passed away, many people, like Zhao Shu, still habitually called her "Empress Dowager" instead of "Grand Empress Dowager".
After talking for a while and having her medicinal meal, she returned to Cining Palace with Zhao Shu. When they arrived at Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was also there. Upon seeing Zhao Shu, she said cheerfully, "I heard you met Prince Augustus? He sent a woman to the Emperor, but I returned her."
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