As Qian Shengyan approached the imperial carriage with the letter from home, she saw an unfamiliar palace maid wiping away tears as she left.
She raised an eyebrow slightly, but before she could say anything, Su Peisheng, with his sharp eyes, had already come over: "Greetings to Your Highness, that's Mi'er from Consort Ru's side. She says Consort Ru is ill and insists on seeing the Emperor..."
"Oh? I didn't even know Consort Ru was ill. It seems I haven't done a good job as an Imperial Noble Consort." Qian Shengyan sighed with a smile, then turned to look at Qingxue. "Go and see her, and take Imperial Physician Liu with you."
"Yes." Qingxue accepted the order and left. Su Peisheng immediately flattered her, "Your Highness is so kind as to send Aunt Qingxue personally."
"It's been many years since the palace has welcomed any new concubines. Is there a new younger sister that I also like?" Qian Shengyan said with a smile, then took Green Willow's hand and boarded the imperial carriage.
When Yinzhen saw her, he put down his pen and said, "You've come at the right time."
"Has Your Majesty also received Hongli's message?" Qian Shengyan asked with a smile.
Yinzhen nodded: "I have suggested a few names for her. Take a look and see what you think."
Qian Shengyan: ...
In an instant, the fear of being dominated by the names of the little cow and the little horse flashed back, and Qian Shengyan's lips stiffened: "Your Majesty, this, this, perhaps we should leave it to Hongli to handle?"
"It was Hongli who wrote a letter, asking me to bestow a childhood name upon her." Yinzhen was somewhat pleased with himself. He pointed to the paper on the table, gesturing for Qian Shengyan to look at it.
Qian Shengyan was prepared to see some strange names, but thankfully, they were all girls' names with good meanings. After looking at them for a moment, she couldn't help but point to Yaliqi: "This one is good. I also want a little sweet fruit."
"You want it?" Yinzhen's gaze paused, then he subconsciously looked at her lower abdomen. "Then save it for our daughter..."
Qian Shengyan: ! !
What daughter? I don't have one anymore! I don't have a daughter!
She quickly said, "Give it to your granddaughter. Your Majesty, please reply to Hongli now."
Yinzhen seemed to regretfully withdraw his gaze, then reluctantly circled Yaliqi's name, before adding after a moment, "Actually, Shushu is not bad either..."
Qian Shengyan: "...This concubine does not wish to give birth."
These words were so blunt as to be somewhat disrespectful, but Yinzhen only gave her a deep look and said nothing more. He then picked up his pen and wrote a reply to Hongli, naming his granddaughter Yaliqi, a lovely name.
Qian Shengyan sat to one side, flipping through her private treasury list, thinking about what to give the two Fucha ladies as a reward when she returned. There were also two children. The eldest prince's third-day celebration and full-month celebration had already passed, and he might not even be able to celebrate his hundredth day. Qian Shengyan wanted to make up for it, but the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children made it quite troublesome to divide the gifts between the two children.
She had only been watching for a short while when there was a noise outside. A moment later, the carriage curtain peeked out slightly, and Qian Shengyan looked over and saw Qingxue nodding slightly at her.
"What's wrong?" Noticing her expression, Yinzhen looked over curiously. Qian Shengyan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I sent Qingxue to visit Consort Ru. She seems to have returned now."
Yinzhen raised an eyebrow slightly and snorted, "Why are you looking at her? If she were really sick, wouldn't she know to call the imperial physician?"
“She is, after all, a noblewoman from Mongolia,” Qian Shengyan sighed. “It wouldn’t be right to just leave her like this. I will order the Imperial Hospital to treat her properly.”
Yinzhen patted the back of her hand. He naturally understood the reasoning, but he really didn't like Aruhan.
If Aruhan, or her father, were to openly approach him and ask to enter the harem, he would likely agree, out of respect for Borjigit.
But she insisted on causing so much trouble, even poisoning Qian Shengyan and plotting against Fuerguochun. Yinzhen disliked her for her constant antics.
He hated medication the most, and Aruhan could be said to have completely embodied his aversion to it from the moment she arrived. If it weren't for the fact that he still had to be on good terms with Borjigit, he wouldn't care if she died.
As for Qiqige, to avoid any unforeseen complications, Yinzhen had already issued an edict before his departure to bestow upon Prince Guo the title of secondary consort, and upon returning to the capital, she would be directly sent to Prince Guo's residence.
Because a courtier was requesting an audience, Qian Shengyan alighted from the imperial carriage. Qingxue supported her arm and whispered as they walked toward the Imperial Noble Consort's carriage, "Imperial Physician Liu examined Consort Ru. She just has some indigestion, nothing serious."
“Indigestion is no small matter. Let the imperial physician prescribe some medicine and treat it properly,” Qian Shengyan said with a smile.
Qingxue was taken aback, then smiled and nodded, replying, "This servant understands. This servant will urge the Imperial Hospital to take action."
Drink a few more doses of bitter medicine and learn the consequences of faking illness and making a scene.
The journey thereafter was uneventful. Upon returning to the capital, Yinzhen did not go directly to the Forbidden City but instead stayed at the Yuanmingyuan Garden. Prince Yi and Hongli, who had received prior notice, had been waiting there for a long time.
However, after not seeing him for two months, Qian Shengyan felt that Hongli had grown up a lot. She didn't even know if it was her imagination, but he seemed to have grown taller and darker.
"Your subject greets Father Emperor and Mother!" Hongli bowed and then happily stood beside Qian Shengyan. Meanwhile, Thirteenth Prince and Yinzhen were already chatting as they walked. Qian Shengyan then asked softly, "Have you received your Father Emperor's letter?"
"Yes, Yaliqi is very good. Your Majesty and I both like him very much." Hongli said with a smile, "It's a pity that Yaliqi is still too young to be brought out for Mother to see."
"I'll be back in the palace in a couple of days. I'll go see him then." Qian Shengyan smiled and asked the First Prince a few more questions, as well as about the health of the two Fucha women, and finally inquired about the situation in the palace.
"Mother, rest assured, Consort Guo is here. I see everything is fine in the harem." Hongli had just finished speaking when he saw Aruhan dressed in a qipao. Judging from her position, he guessed what was going on. His smile slowly faded. "Mother, this is..."
"It's the Emperor's newly appointed Consort Ru." Qian Shengyan only said this one sentence. Hongli was slightly taken aback, then nodded: "Your son understands."
This was not the time to speak, and Hongli was not in a hurry; he would find out the truth sooner or later.
After passing the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Yinzhen and the Thirteenth Prince went to the Hall of Diligent Governance. As soon as he left, Fuerguochun and Hongshan swarmed around him, bombarding Hongli with questions, chattering away as if they had been holding back for a long time.
Even after entering the Jiuzhou Qingyan Palace, Foerguochun burst into tears, grabbing Hongli's sleeve and grumbling, "I really thought she had given up on Erong'an and was willing to be friends with me, sob sob sob..."
Qian Shengyan: ...
Hongli had a headache after listening to his sister talk all the way. He knew that Foerguchun was too naive, but he thought that no matter what, with his father and him protecting him, nothing would happen.
But there is a difference between being pure and being stupid. Listening to what Foergochun was muttering, Hongli could no longer hold back. He unleashed his sharp tongue and launched into a full-blown tirade, scolding Foergochun for a quarter of an hour until he was crying and unable to breathe.
Qian Shengyan felt both sorry for him and amused at the same time. However, she had been looking for an opportunity to talk about Ferguchun, and since her eldest son was doing it for her, she was happy to be idle.
After Fuerguochun cried and promised to write a three-thousand-word self-criticism immediately, Hongli let him go. Hongshan, on the other hand, had run away when Hongli started scolding people and was nowhere to be seen now.
With fewer people around, Hongli's expression turned serious, and he addressed Qian Shengyan about serious matters: "Something strange has been happening at Changchun Palace lately."
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