Shu Chengfeng merely glanced at the Empress Dowager: "She happens to be in Zhaochun Palace."
He no longer likes to argue with the Empress Dowager, but he simply doesn't listen to what she says.
"I heard that Consort Duanyi has ordered the harem to prepare for my birthday? I am old, so there is no need for extravagance," the Empress Dowager said.
"How could Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration not be properly held? Of course, it must be a grand affair. As for my trouble, it's only because I offended Her Majesty the other day. I feel extremely guilty, so naturally I have to put in ten times the effort," Yan Nangui said.
It would have been better if we hadn't brought this up, because it only made the Empress Dowager angrier.
"You, Yan Shi, you certainly know how to talk in front of the emperor. Are you deliberately pretending to be virtuous?"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I say this whether His Majesty is in front of him or not. Even if Your Majesty hadn't summoned me today, I would have come a day or two later. After all, you are my elder and I am his junior. You may not care about me, but you are His Majesty's biological mother. I cannot be unfilial."
Shu Chengfeng wanted to laugh; this woman was never one to suffer a loss.
However, he was still quite satisfied, at least Yan Nangui wouldn't cause trouble for the Empress Dowager when he came to see him.
"If Mother has any dissatisfaction with her birthday, please just say so. Over the years, since returning south to manage the inner palace, there has been no oversight. She will certainly do a good job," Shu Chengfeng said.
"The Emperor trusts her, after all. This time, she might have had a hand in it. Otherwise, why wasn't someone else's name written on that thing?" the Empress Dowager scoffed.
"Mother, let's not bring this up again. That's just how things are in the harem. My going to Zhaochun Palace to express my gratitude is exactly that." Shu Chengfeng frowned.
Yan Nanguixin said, "You slander me to my face, and I flatter you in front of the emperor. That's really something."
"Well, since the Emperor has said so, what can I say? However, the harem was managed by Consort Xiangxian and her together, and it remains the same now. Let's not put that capable Consort Xiangxian aside." The Empress Dowager was doing this on purpose.
I have no objection to the geese returning south.
Seeing how calm she was, Shu Chengfeng didn't say anything.
The Empress Dowager probably had more to say, but she couldn't say it in front of His Majesty, so she just said a few meaningless words and told them to go back.
Upon returning to Zhaochun Palace, Shu Chengfeng ordered that Consort Duanyi be rewarded.
Yan Nangui looked at those things and smiled subtly.
Well, is the emperor rewarding her for not causing trouble in front of the Empress Dowager?
But isn't this the proper thing to do? His Majesty, however, felt it wasn't the proper thing to do.
All I can say is that over the years, Yan Nangui's "Don't mess with me" rhetoric has been incredibly successful in brainwashing His Majesty.
The next morning, Shuanzi called out "Your Majesty" through the window.
Yan Nangui was still asleep, but His Majesty was awake. There was no morning court session today; I had originally planned to get a good night's sleep.
"What's up?"
Shuanzi hesitated for a moment: "Your Majesty, a message came from the estate outside, saying that... Princess Rongning is in trouble."
"Does such a small matter need to alarm your Majesty?" Shu Chengfeng frowned.
"What's wrong?" Yan Nan asked, still confused.
"...They said Rong Ning is no longer capable." Only after saying that did Shu Chengfeng realize that this must be her intention.
"Is it not working?" Yan Nangui opened his eyes: "Who's outside? Come in and tell me."
Shuanzi came in and, through the screen in front of the bed, said, "Zhuangzi sent word that it's already hopeless; it'll be over in a day or two."
"Just tell the Imperial Household Department," Shu Chengfeng said.
"Your Majesty, why tell the Imperial Household Department? Even if she is the late Emperor's sister, she has only caught a cold. She is a criminal; just send the imperial physician to take a look," Yan Nangui suddenly said.
“You…” Shu Chengfeng frowned.
"Your Majesty, I want to go and take a look."
"What's so interesting about it?" Shu Chengfeng was speechless.
“I want to go,” Yan Nangui said, looking at him.
"Alright, we have nothing else to do today, so I'll go with you. There's no need for a big fuss. Tell Yunji to make some preparations. We'll go after breakfast."
Shuanzi quickly agreed and went out.
His Majesty and Consort Duanyi's outings are naturally not to be taken lightly. Even if they are traveling incognito, many people will still follow them, both openly and secretly.
The group hurried to Changkang Manor. There, the guards had arrived even earlier than His Majesty and his entourage, and the entire manor was already surrounded.
People rushed to pay their respects, but when they saw His Majesty, most of them didn't recognize him. However, who else could be with the Empress? Looking at the procession, they knew who it was.
The crowd cheered "Long live the Emperor!"
“Your Majesty, the estate has its own scenic beauty. Although it is the Yan family’s estate, it is still worth a look. Why don’t you take a stroll?” Yan Nangui said.
"I cannot enter?"
"Does Your Majesty wish to see her?" Yan Nangui asked.
...
Well, there's really nothing worth seeing.
But His Majesty disagreed: "Can't I listen to what you have to say?"
"No, because I'd definitely say something really nasty, something that would make anyone uncomfortable. If you heard that, you wouldn't like me anymore," Yan Nangui said bluntly.
"I don't like you now! You're really good at flattering yourself." Shu Chengfeng frowned.
“Oh, then I definitely can’t let you hear it. If you do, you’ll dislike it even more,” Yan Nangui said.
"...Fine, go ahead. I'll just take a walk outside. Hmph, you've never dared to make me wait outside. You really have a lot of face," Shu Chengfeng said.
"Ah, Your Majesty, then please consider the Seventh Princess's feelings. Since you don't like me," Yan Nangui said slowly.
Shu Chengfeng snorted again and turned to look.
What's so interesting about a run-down village?
Yan Nangui entered the main courtyard.
Liu, the old woman who served Rong Ning, had a head full of white hair. Xu, on the other hand, was quite spry. After all, she considered herself the Empress's person.
"Your Highness, you've arrived!" Granny Xu exclaimed excitedly.
Yan Nangui helped her up: "You've suffered here these past few years. Go back to Shuiyun Manor today, at least you'll know people there. You can stay here if you want, or go to the capital if you want."
"How could I dare? This servant is not suffering at all. I will go to Shuiyun Manor to manage the manor and farmland for Your Highness," said Granny Xu.
Yan Nangui smiled, took her hand, and led her inside.
After thinking for a moment, Liu's mother got up and followed.
Rong Ning had heard it long ago; although she was no longer able to function, she was still conscious.
"Your Highness? What kind of Your Highness are you now? You are truly very powerful. I have been the eldest princess for so many years, and I have never been as powerful as you."
"I heard the princess is going to die? What should we do? I thought you would live a long time. How can you die so soon?" Yan Nangui did not answer, but only asked with a smile.
He sat down in the chair that Shuanzi had brought over, and looked relaxedly at the person on the bed.
Rong Ning has aged, and she looks frighteningly old.
He was thin and bony, with gray hair.
"It's only been a few years, and you can't hold on anymore? I thought you could manage. You've really disappointed me."
"Yan Nan Gui! You think you can live a carefree life just because you killed me? You're nothing but an infertile woman. What will you do when you're old and out of favor? What will you do when the emperor dies and a new one ascends the throne?"
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