Chapter 423 Are you afraid that he won’t listen to you?
Bai Wutong was slapped in public by Zhang Chengyan in the Yangxin Palace and lost all face.
Afterwards, the reward that should have been given to her was sent to Su Zhaoyi instead.
These two things spread in the harem, and rumors spread everywhere for a while.
Many people were gossiping behind her back, saying that Bai Wutong was just a useless queen in name only.
However, most of those who dared to talk so recklessly were the seven young ladies who had just entered the palace.
They had just arrived and did not understand the depths of the harem, nor did they know Bai Wutong's background in the palace.
And those old concubines who had been in the palace for a long time were all very shrewd, and no one dared to speak easily.
People like Concubine De and Concubine Hui were even more tight-lipped and never mentioned a word about the Queen, for fear of getting into trouble by accident.
The Queen Mother soon found out about Bai Wutong's deliberate action, and she couldn't help but feel worried.
She is now very afraid that Bai Wutong will fall out of favor. If it really comes to that, once other concubines gain power, Yunyang in her arms might be snatched away.
She loved her little grandson so much that she couldn't bear to see such a thing happen.
After much deliberation, the empress dowager finally made up her mind and sent someone to tell Zhang Chengyan to come to Yongshou Palace.
She had been imprisoned for many years, and this was the first time she took the initiative to find Zhang Chengyan. No matter how difficult the days were before, she never bowed her head.
Zhang Chengyan thought that the Queen Mother was his biological mother after all, so in order to stop people from gossiping and avoid being accused of being unfilial, he came anyway.
When he entered Yongshou Palace, his face was particularly ugly and his tone was full of impatience, "What does the Queen Mother want to see me for?"
"Emperor, you don't even want to call me mother?" The empress dowager looked at her son in front of her, her heart full of bitterness.
Zhang Chengyan frowned, becoming more and more impatient. "Just say it. I am busy with government affairs and don't have time to waste."
"Okay, I'll be frank. Emperor, you'd better be nice to the Queen. You helped her to the throne, and she gave birth to four children for you. You should not forget this kindness."
Zhang Chengyan was already in a bad mood. Hearing this, he stood up abruptly and said angrily, "It has come to this, and you still want to meddle in my affairs? What I want to do is my own business, and it is not your turn to interfere!"
After that, he sneered, "Don't you forget how you looked down on the queen in the beginning? Now you come to speak for her!"
"You..." The Queen Mother was so angry that her face turned red. She pointed at Zhang Chengyan tremblingly, "Is that how you talk to me?"
Zhang Chengyan stared at her straightly, and said word by word, "I will handle my own affairs myself, and there is no need for you to say more."
After saying that, he turned and left without any reluctance.
In the past, the empress dowager forced him to choose plump and beautiful girls whom she did not like for the sake of so-called offspring. She also interfered in his harem affairs time and time again, arranging for concubines to sleep with him.
As an emperor, he was unable to make his own decisions on these private matters, and felt extremely ashamed, but he just endured it all the time.
It was not until the Duke of Zhenguo got into trouble and the Queen Mother lost her greatest supporter that he no longer had to endure.
Now, whenever the Queen Mother spoke in this commanding tone, he would involuntarily think of the humiliation he had suffered in the past, and his body and mind would instinctively resist and hate it.
The Queen Mother looked at Zhang Chengyan's departing back and trembled with anger.
She believed that everything she did was for her son's good, but why did he hate her so much?
That was flesh that fell from my own body, how could I possibly harm him?
The Queen Mother became angrier and angrier, and ordered the maid beside her, "Come here, go get the Queen and tell her that Yunyang is crying and making a fuss, and wants to see her."
"Yes, I will go right away."
About half an hour later, Bai Wutong arrived.
Fengyi Palace was not far from Yongshou Palace, so she arrived quickly.
Bai Wutong had a bright smile on his face. He looked at the empress dowager who looked unhappy and asked with concern, "Empress Dowager, how is Yunyang?"
"He was crying so hard before, but now he's quiet. Come on, I'll take you to see him."
As the Queen Mother spoke, she led Bai Wutong into the inner room.
Then she sent away all the palace servants, and after making sure that no one was around, she lowered her voice and said, "I remember the oath you made to me before."
"Well, I will keep my word."
"Okay, I have completely given up on the emperor. It's okay to tell you that Wang Decai, who is beside him, is my man."
"Wang Decai?" Bai Wutong was surprised and could hardly believe his ears.
She had always thought that the confidant that the Queen Mother had placed next to Zhang Chengyan would be a palace maid, but she never imagined that it would be the eunuch Wang Decai!
"That's impossible." Bai Wutong retorted subconsciously, "How could he be your man?"
"He is indeed not completely my man. Let's put it this way. He will pass on some information to me, but he won't tell me too much detail because he owed me a favor before. But I know one thing. As long as you grasp this matter, Wang Decai will be at your service!"
Before this, the Queen Mother had never used this matter to threaten Wang Decai. One reason was that she felt that the information he occasionally conveyed was enough and there was no need to take it too far. The second reason is that Zhang Chengyan is her son, and even if she has resentment in her heart, she doesn't want to harm her son.
But as time went by, the empress dowager was imprisoned in Yongshou Palace, and her treatment was much worse than before. She had wild thoughts all day long, and her resentment grew day by day.
At first she still held on to a glimmer of hope, hoping that her son would soften his heart and let her go, restoring her former glory.
But more than a year has passed, and not only has Zhang Chengyan no intention of lifting the ban on her, his attitude towards her has become even worse.
Now the incident involving Bai Wutong was like a fire, which completely ignited the resentment in the Queen Mother's heart and made her finally make up her mind!
Bai Wutong took a deep breath and suppressed the waves in his heart. "Empress Dowager, what exactly is that thing you mentioned?"
The Queen Mother leaned on the couch, her eyes calm, and she spoke slowly, "Wang Decai, he has a daughter... He entered the palace at the age of seventeen. Although he was unmarried, he had physical contact with a woman. I didn't know about it at first, until the woman came to me and I found out by chance. Considering many reasons, I helped him conceal the matter and brought the woman and her child into the palace. In this way, Wang Decai, as the chief eunuch, can secretly take care of the mother and daughter."
A hint of surprise flashed across Bai Wutong's eyes. In her understanding, most of the eunuchs in the palace had cut off their worldly ties and at most adopted some godsons to maintain family ties. She never imagined that Wang Decai would hide such a secret.
"Who are they then? Where are they now?"
"The woman is now in the flower room, as a housekeeper." The Queen Mother continued, "The flower room usually has simple affairs, nothing more than arranging some flowers and plants, and most of the people who work there are eunuchs. It has always been peaceful here, and there is no right or wrong. As a housekeeper, she lives a leisurely life. Her daughter is also in the flower room, a first-class maid, and has never served other masters. She has always stayed there. At first, Wang Decai wanted to find an opportunity to send his daughter out of the palace, let her get married and have children, and live an ordinary life. But the housekeeper was reluctant to let her daughter go, and was worried that her daughter would encounter an accident outside the palace, so she kept dragging it out. She planned to wait for another two years, when she reached the age to leave the palace, and then take her daughter with her. With her care, she would not have so many concerns."
The Queen Mother paused for a moment and continued, "This maid's name is Ke Xin. I am the only one who knows about this matter. Now you are the second one. This is a key bargaining chip. As long as you use it properly, are you afraid that Wang Decai will not listen to you?"
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