Chapter 67: Visiting "The number one scholar I personally selected has become your...
Qingzan didn't understand the purpose of these two steps at first, but when she saw that the emperor didn't say or do anything else, she realized that he was putting her words into practice.
What his heart desires is right before his eyes.
Therefore, these two steps were even more shocking than the sound of joy between the pillows and the bed.
The light from the tile ridges on the corridor roof reflected back the light, as if shining a divine light in the emperor's deep eyes.
Qingzan's heart, which she thought would gradually calm down, trembled again.
The alarm bells in her head rang with a warning. She turned away, and said rather unpleasantly, "Your Majesty, please go see Concubine Yang. I just said that to the Queen Mother because I don't want to be a wise and generous concubine in these matters in the future. But Concubine Yang..."
There were still palace maids in the courtyard and corridors. The Empress Dowager's territory was full of ears and eyes. This needed to be said in secret, and the voice gradually became softer, until it finally became a helpless and unbearable silence.
What I just said to the Queen Mother, that she was the one who could best understand Concubine Yang's feelings, was not entirely nonsense.
The emperor knew what she was going to say and said unkindly, "Let the imperial physician take good care of her."
"If we meet, telling the truth will make her sad, but lying will make me feel guilty. Besides, as you said, if I leave now, what will happen to me in the future?"
Despite this, the emperor later visited Concubine Yang. Although Yang's condition improved immediately, she couldn't help but feel the urge to compare herself to others, putting herself in a difficult position. Even though she could have freed herself, she couldn't help but feel grief for her unborn child. In such moments, her innate maternal instinct became a natural shackle for a woman.
Madam Yang often came to the palace to keep Concubine Yang company, and Concubine Xue also moved to Guanju Palace for a short stay. Concubine Ming Zhaoyi had the final say in Guanju Palace. Zhaoyi simply gave the palace across from Huying Pavilion to Concubine Xue, and no one dared to say a word against the rules.
On the other hand, the former palace servants of Fengzao Palace were originally going to be detained in the Palace Administration Office for a while. At least they had to wait until the case was closed and their innocence was proven to be cleared before they could be sent back to the Ye Ting for reallocation.
However, because Concubine Ying advised His Majesty that he did not want to harm innocent people, His Majesty pardoned the law and sent these palace people to various palaces.
Fu Cui was arranged to go to the imperial court, just in time to replace the young palace maid Yun Rong.
Qingzan also went to the palace personally. There were many people willing to serve the noble concubine, and a steward with curved eyebrows and narrow eyes came out to greet them.
Qingzan had already made up her mind when she came. She would give someone a sum of money as a hire fee, and let Suoying or Pingting visit Yunrong every five days to ensure that the hired person took good care of her.
It was a perfect solution, but unexpectedly, the eunuch raised his hands in embarrassment and said, "Yunrong? There is no such person in the palace anymore."
Doukou's heart sank. "What do you mean by 'this person no longer exists'? Please explain it more clearly. Could it be that the person has 'passed away'?"
In the past, it was a euphemistic way of saying someone had died.
The eunuch waved his hands, "How could that be? She was moved out. Even with more servants, it's hard to say. Anyway, it was someone from the Imperial Court who handled the matter. Yunrong is very lucky. I think someone will take care of her when she gets there."
This made Doukou look like a white man. Even though his hands were broken and his throat was mute, he still had to say that he was blessed.
But the person is nowhere to be seen, and is hidden in such a mysterious way that I don’t know what serious matter it involves.
Turning around, she saw Qingzan frowning, as if lost in thought. Doukou then said, "Master, shall we go back first? I think the people in the Ye Ting Bureau wouldn't dare to lie to us. Perhaps that young lady really has someone to serve her."
Qing Zan said sadly, "It can only be like this."
Before leaving, Doukou gave the eunuch a bag of silver melon seeds and asked him to report to Chengluan Palace if there was any news about Yunrong. The eunuch's expression relaxed a lot after receiving the favor, and he agreed.
After taking two steps, Qingzan turned around and saw that the eunuch, whose hunched figure due to his habit of bending over, had already disappeared into the dark and compact palace complex.
Many years ago, the Yiting was also known as the Yongxiang. It had the deepest courtyard and the heaviest labor, and many criminal slaves and palace maids who could no longer work were thrown here to fend for themselves.
I have never heard that the palace maids who entered Yongxiang can move to other places.
If Yunrong was a special case, then why did Yunrong become this special case after she found the emperor? Qingzan gathered her cloak, hoping that she had not overestimated it.
*
Saying that he wanted to visit Concubine Yang was not just an excuse to the Empress Dowager. In October, the roads were finally no longer muddy and slippery. There were several sunny days in a row, and the weather was dry and cold. The coming and extremely fierce winter had its first glimpse.
Before Qingzan left the house, she had already braided a new sword tassel for the emperor. Not only that, but she also had to make a pair of boots. Since autumn boots were already too late, she simply added some fleece to make a pair to keep warm in the winter. The cold starts in the feet, so winter shoes are the most important thing to be careful about.
Doukou has recently shown the lively spirit that a girl of her age should possess. While others become more stable as they serve, the people of Chengluan Palace truly seem to be carefree, as if they were in a celestial palace, serving the most favored master in the palace. The master never beats or kills a servant, and their popularity has since returned.
She danced around and around, jumping for joy, saying, "Your Majesty gave the master an old one, and the master gave him a new one in return. I was confused when I first saw it. So this is what Your Majesty meant?"
Qingzan leaned on the sedan chair and calmly rolled down her sleeves, hiding her fingertips under the sleeves, leaving a circle of marks left by the thimble when she was working as a maid.
He said calmly, "How would I know what he meant? He just did what I wanted."
But I still can't help but think that the most embroidery I did in the past was for the old lady. How grateful I was for her care at that time, but how ridiculous and ironic it seemed when I learned about her life story later.
It turned out that I was also her granddaughter, and that the occasional kindness I showed her was just a small gesture of friendship that I could only show her when it didn't conflict with her real granddaughter.
She had considered making some small personal items for the Emperor, just as she had done in the Marquis's residence—feeling that all her other possessions were gifts from the master, and that this was her only way to repay the old lady's protection. But she always put this strange idea aside, as if even the last stitch would become a curse.
But everyone could see how good the emperor was to her, so perhaps this was just a groundless worry.
Doukou saw that her eyes were distant and she seemed to be worried. She thought that her master was afraid of the awkward situation when they met Yangpin. "Don't be afraid, my master. Isn't Master Xuepin here? If Master Yangpin doesn't like us, we can just leave."
She raised her head again and said mysteriously to the person in the sedan chair, "This morning, I heard something about the Yongning Marquis' Mansion. Does the master want to know?"
Without waiting for Qingzan to nod, Doukou continued, "I heard that on the day the Empress was moved from Fengzao Palace to Changming Palace, a group of people from the gambling house stormed into the Marquis's residence and nearly smashed it up. They were utterly humiliated."
Changming Palace is the cold palace. Although it is called Changming, it is the most secluded place in the Liang Palace. There is no light all year round. Now, only the queen is imprisoned there.
Being sent to the cold palace was equivalent to being deposed, and all that was missing was an imperial edict.
The eldest son of the Marquisate had developed a gambling addiction a few months earlier, reportedly brought in by his lover at a brothel. Initially, he won nine out of ten times, boasting about his prowess to everyone he met. But then his luck suddenly turned sour, and not only did he squander his cash, he even stole the contracts for the family shop and farm in an attempt to gain control. Ultimately, he lost everything and was left with a mountain of debt.
On the day the queen was sent to the cold palace, the people from the gambling house had no scruples anymore and actually came to the Yongning Marquis's mansion and smashed all the plaques.
Doukou said this at this time naturally to please Qingzan, but she never thought that this was also the plan of her master.
It was noisy all the way and we arrived at Huying Pavilion in a blink of an eye.
The sedan chair landed on the ground and touched the ground directly. It came down in one step. There was no need for servants to kneel beside it as a human cushion. However, the eunuch in charge of welcoming people at the door of Huying Pavilion still hurried over and offered his arm to Qingzan.
His fawning attitude was obvious: "I am the little Hezi in Yangpin's palace. Why is your Highness here today?"
Doukou pushed the person aside upon hearing this and said, "My queen has plenty of people to serve her. Why don't you use your diligence on your own mistress? That's the right thing to do!"
Qingzan quickened her pace to go see Concubine Yang. The servant's introduction of his family seemed like he was plotting a way out; Concubine Yang's condition probably wasn't improving much.
As soon as she heard the announcement, Concubine Yang's face was no longer happy. Concubine Xue showed her a few pattern boards, which were used to make tiger-head shoes for children.
"I don't know if it's a prince or a princess. If it's a little princess, it would have to be more elaborate. Sister, take a look, isn't the one on the left better?"
Yangpin didn't choose and said sullenly, "Why bother with this? No matter what he wears, his father won't be able to see it."
Concubine Xue put down her fancy clothes and said gently, "Why should His Majesty see this? This is a gift from you as a mother. What matters is that he wears it comfortably. In the past, you always coaxed me by calling me Sister Xue, and when have I ever failed to give you face? Now it's my turn to coax you, but you don't want to pay attention to me. You won't even bother to choose a style?"
As soon as Qingzan came in, she saw Concubine Xue coaxing Concubine Yang like a child.
Hearing the noise of someone entering the room, the two of them raised their heads at the same time. Concubine Xue stood up and bowed to Qingzan: "You two can chat for a while. It's just right. I need to go to Zhaoyi's place to see Huaixuan."
Yangpin hurriedly reached out to hold Xuepin, her eyes already red and watery: "Sister... please don't leave, I don't want to talk to her."
Qingzan didn't care that Yangpin hated her in front of her. To be honest, this was considered as insubordination.
She sat down in front of Concubine Yang and said to herself, "My legs are terribly swollen. Sister, do you mind if I sit for a while? I used to wonder why you rarely went out, but now that I'm getting sicker, I understand how much you've suffered."
Concubine Yang's expression suddenly relaxed a little.
...In truth, her recent frustration wasn't entirely due to the Emperor. As the child grew in her belly, the mother's body was experiencing a series of painful reactions. Bearing an offspring was such a self-defeating endeavor. To receive nothing more than a boost to her family's fortune, without even a shred of affection from her husband, seemed a cold, worthless bargain. She felt like nothing more than a tool.
She sniffed and wiped away her tears. She raised her head and asked, "How many months has your baby been pregnant?"
Concubine Yang's cheeks had actually regained some of the plumpness they had when she first entered the palace. Although she was still glum, she was much better than she had been last month. Back then, because she couldn't eat, she was so thin that she looked unrecognizable, not at all like a pregnant woman. Now, at least she was a little plumper.
Qing Zan estimated, "It's been more than two months, almost three months."
Yangpin asked suspiciously, "Your legs are swollen so early? My legs have only recently started swelling, too. I've been pregnant for six or seven months now. The imperial physician said it's the right time for this month. But Guipin's pregnancy is still so early... It doesn't seem right. I should have asked the imperial physician to take a look sooner rather than later."
This opened up the conversation, and thinking that she would have to go through the same suffering in the future, Yang Pin finally felt a little relieved.
I started talking to people about the hardships of pregnancy, and it seemed like I was sharing my experience as a person who had been through it.
Although there are still grudges from the past standing between us, it is different after all compared to the concern of others who can never empathize with us and are therefore like scratching an itch through a shoe.
Qingzan listened to her patiently, humbly accepting her advice. As Yangpin spoke, she couldn't help but complain, "Actually, I know that His Majesty came to see me because he didn't want the Queen Mother to embarrass you anymore."
Seeing the man's awkward expression due to revealing his true feelings, Qing Zan said firmly, "He won't."
The reason was simple: "The Queen Mother has never made things difficult for me. Think about it, even if the child in my belly is not as precious as yours in the eyes of the Queen Mother, it is still the blood of the royal family. Even if the Queen Mother loves you, how could she make things difficult for me?"
Yang Concubine was skeptical, but finally smiled and said, "That does make some sense."
Doukou felt relieved when she left, and breathed a sigh of relief. No one wanted to build their own luck on the misfortune of others. Although she heard that the master's last words were clearly a bluff to Yangpin.
She sighed, "Master Yangpin doesn't seem to be that disgusted with the Master. Doesn't this mean our trip was worthwhile?"
As they were talking, Qingzan was nearly bumped head-on by a maid. Fortunately, Doukou stepped forward nimbly and blocked the person away.
Judging from her attire, this rather impetuous woman must be the midwife who would deliver Yang Concubine in the future, and had been arranged here in advance. However, the midwife almost bumped into the pregnant Concubine, and she showed no remorse or pain. She only glanced at Qing Zan and hurried away.
Doukou was quick to grab her and said, "Are there any more rules? The aisle is so wide. Even if you want to be reincarnated, you should never contradict my queen!"
The old woman was brought in front of Qingzan. After realizing the situation, she kowtowed and begged for mercy.
She knelt on the ground with her hands placed on the ground in worship, revealing an inch-long golden bracelet of extremely fine quality, which appeared and disappeared under her sleeve, flashing with a shimmering light.
The old woman heard the noble concubine, who was always known for her gentleness in the palace, say something unusual: "Doukou, hit her hands five times on each hand."
He couldn't help but mutter to himself, and reluctantly reached out his hand - thinking that at least he wouldn't lose his head, and ten slaps in total was a light punishment, so he gritted his teeth and took it, not wailing out loud to alarm more people.
After a few crackling sounds, Qingzan saw the bracelet clearly. She had seen it in the queen's storeroom before.
Now that the Queen is in the cold palace, she naturally cannot produce such a thing, but this thing should not appear in the hands of the midwife in Huying Pavilion, unless the Queen gave it to someone as a reward a few months ago.
For the sake of caution, after letting the person go, Qingzan ordered: "Send someone to tell Zhaoyi that the midwife beside Yangpin seems unreliable."
The palace maid agreed, turned and went to the main hall not far away.
She was really exhausted during her pregnancy. Today, in order to comfort Concubine Yang, she had to talk and it was tiring. In addition to the commotion, Qingzan fell asleep while sitting on the sedan chair.
So when the sedan chair stopped again, he held up his head for a long time without opening his eyes, until he realized that there was a shadow on his face, which was even scorching hotter than the autumn sun.
When she opened her eyes, she had indeed arrived at Chengluan Palace, but she didn't expect that the emperor was standing in front of her, and she didn't know how long he had been standing there.
He asked, "I was originally thinking of taking you out of the palace. Are you tired today?"
As soon as Qingzan sat up straight, the emperor reached out and lifted her up. Everyone in the palace lowered their heads in shame. Qingzan seemed used to it. She put her arms around the emperor, not thinking too much about it, and rubbed her face against the light dark blue collar. "What are you doing out of the palace for?"
The emperor thought of her surprise reaction later, and leisurely kissed her, spun her around in his arms for a while, and then put her down. He then asked instead of answering, "Marquis Yongning's Mansion, are you going or not?"
*
The floor of the carriage was padded with goose down, and the walls and ceiling were covered with a layer of soft material that was three inches thick. Even if a person rolled twice in the carriage, he would not be hurt at all.
When Qingzan sat in the car, she felt a little regretful. If she wasn't pregnant, they could ride two light horses and cross the mortal world in the blink of an eye, wouldn't it be much faster?
Hearing her impatience, the emperor smiled and held her tighter, "Why are you so anxious? Their lives are in your hands."
In the early autumn, even though he was wrapped in his cloak like a dumpling in the emperor's arms, he didn't feel hot.
Even when the road was bumpy, it was like dumplings in lukewarm water, not floating at all. Since she couldn't make a splash, Qingzan leaned against the emperor's collar and played with the jade buckle on his waist: "How could I have that ability?"
The emperor remained silent, watching the tangle of her skirt's straps and the tassel of his jade pendant, a thought dawning on him. He also admired the way her fingertips, like peeled spring bamboo shoots, moved haphazardly and without rhythm on his body.
Suddenly, he pressed her hand, lowered his head and moved closer, his breath gently blowing on her eyelashes: "So the number one scholar I personally selected has become your subordinate?"
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