Chapter 834 Green Card
Luo Qinghan didn't have to wait long before he received a piece of news -
The imperial concubine was under house arrest.
The one who came to deliver the message was Qingsong.
He knelt on the ground and spoke respectfully.
"The Empress Dowager was very angry because the Imperial Concubine left the palace without permission. Not only did she reprimand the Imperial Concubine in person, she also punished her to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors for a month. Therefore, the Imperial Concubine will not be able to dine with you for the next month."
Luo Qinghan was unhappy about the Empress Dowager interfering in his private affairs.
But he never showed his emotions on his face. Even if he was unhappy, he didn't show it on his face and just replied calmly.
"I understand. You can go down now."
"Yes."
Qingsong retreated silently.
Eunuch Chang carefully observed the emperor's expression and asked tentatively.
"Do you want someone to comfort the Imperial Concubine?"
Luo Qinghan said calmly: "No need."
If any other concubine was punished with house arrest, she would definitely be sad and upset, but with Xixi's personality, she would probably not only not be sad, but even be very happy.
She didn't like going out in the first place, and now that she was punished to be grounded, couldn't she just stay in Yunxiu Palace openly and not go out? !
Eunuch Chang asked again, "Lunch is ready. Shall we eat it now?"
The thought of dining alone seems boring.
Luo Qinghan responded with a lack of interest: "Let's talk about it later."
Eunuch Chang had no choice but to step aside and continue to quietly serve as a backdrop.
Luo Qinghan continued to review memorials.
The pile of memorials on hand was getting smaller and smaller, and the time was getting later and later.
Seeing that the emperor had no intention of stopping, Eunuch Chang could not help but remind him.
"Your Majesty, don't you want lunch yet?"
Luo Qinghan did not answer.
He carefully read the memorial in his hand and wrote comments at the end. Then he looked up at Eunuch Chang and asked expressionlessly.
"What time is it?"
Eunuch Chang said hurriedly, "It's almost the afternoon."
Luo Qinghan put down the red brush, raised his hand to rub his forehead, frowned and said, "Set the table."
Eunuch Chang immediately had the meals brought in and placed on the table one by one.
Luo Qinghan sat down beside the food table.
The dishes were still the same ones he usually ate, and the taste was still the same as usual.
But when he ate it, he always felt that something was missing.
He ate his meal with an expressionless face, his eyes always involuntarily falling on the other side of the table.
Usually, Xiao Xixi would sit opposite him, chattering to him while eating, and put some food into his bowl from time to time.
She managed to create a lively atmosphere with the whole table eating by herself.
Now that she is suddenly missing, the liveliness is gone and the atmosphere at the dining table has suddenly become deserted.
Luo Qinghan took a few bites of the food in a hurry and put down his chopsticks before finishing his bowl of rice.
Seeing this, Eunuch Chang asked hurriedly, "Why do you eat so little? Is it because today's lunch is not to your liking? I will ask the imperial kitchen to redo it right away."
Luo Qinghan said calmly: "It has nothing to do with the meal. I just don't have much appetite. Remove all these dishes."
Eunuch Chang had no choice but to respond, "Yes."
Continue to handle government affairs in the afternoon.
Time passed quickly, the sun set, and the sky gradually darkened.
Cao Nuo walked in with a red lacquer tray and whispered a few words into Eunuch Chang's ear.
Eunuch Chang glanced at the tray in the other person's hand and his expression became a little strange.
Luo Qinghan had just finished reviewing the last memorial and was about to take a break for a cup of tea when he happened to see this scene.
He asked, "What's wrong?"
Eunuch Chang stepped forward and said respectfully.
"Your Majesty, someone from the Palace Department has sent me a green card. I would like to ask whose card Your Majesty would like to turn over tonight?"
In fact, when Luo Qinghan first ascended the throne, Eunuch Chang once asked him if he wanted to turn over the green card? Luo Qinghan refused without even thinking about it.
After being rejected three times in a row, Eunuch Chang tactfully stopped asking.
Since then, those green-headed cards have been kept in the Palace Province gathering dust. Now, thanks to the Empress Dowager, they finally have a chance to see the light of day again.
Luo Qinghan originally wanted to have someone take those green cards back, but after thinking about it he changed his mind.
He said, "Bring it here and let me see it."
Cao Nuo walked forward with the tray in both hands and respectfully raised it in front of the emperor.
More than a dozen green cards are quietly placed on the red lacquer tray.
They are arranged in order of rank.
Logically, the name of the Imperial Concubine should be placed first, but when Luo Qinghan glanced over, he saw the name of the Concubine of Tuberculosis in the first place, followed by Concubine Li, then Chen Wanyi, and below them were Concubine Min, Concubine Yao, Concubine Yan, Concubine Yuan, and so on.
Luo Qinghan looked through all the green cards, but couldn't see the word "Guifei".
He raised his head and looked at Cao Nuo and asked unhappily.
"What is the Palace Department doing? How come they even forgot the Imperial Concubine's badge?"
Cao Nuo hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. The Palace Department would not dare to forget the Imperial Concubine. The reason why there is no nameplate for the Imperial Concubine is because the Empress Dowager has said that the Imperial Concubine must reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors for a month and cannot serve the emperor in bed."
Luo Qinghan didn't expect this to happen.
He originally thought that he would just be confined to reflect on his mistakes for a month, but unexpectedly even his qualification to sleep with the emperor was temporarily revoked.
Luo Qinghan was originally only a little dissatisfied, but now he suddenly became very dissatisfied.
Not being able to have lunch with Xixi already made him very annoyed, and now he couldn't even sleep with her.
How can we live like this?!
Is the Empress Dowager punishing Xixi? Or is she punishing him?!
Luo Qinghan's principles of conduct have always been simple.
If he himself is unhappy, he doesn't want to make others happy.
Luo Qinghan took out a memorial from the pile of approved memorials nearby.
This memorial was written by the censors to impeach the Lu family for relying on the Empress Dowager's support to oppress the common people.
After Duke Hong died, the Lu family became commoners, but their relationship with the Empress Dowager was not severed. The Empress Dowager also secretly sent them a lot of silver.
That money was enough for the Lu family to buy another house to settle down.
But the Lu family was used to spending lavishly, so after buying the house, they also wanted to buy servants, all kinds of clothes, jewelry, fine wine and delicious food.
The silver given by the Empress Dowager was soon spent.
They ran out of money, so they started buying things on credit.
Those merchants did not dare to offend the Empress Dowager's family, so they could only agree to give them credit.
The Lu family had no self-control and their credit accounts kept increasing, but they never showed any intention of paying back the money.
Those merchants also have to support their families. They tried to ask the Lu family for money, but instead of getting the money, they were beaten out.
Those merchants were so angry that they went to Jingzhao Prefecture to file a complaint.
Jingzhao Prefecture is still hearing the case.
After hearing about this, the censor submitted a memorial to impeach the Lu family.
This was just a small matter, and if it had not involved the reputation of the Empress Dowager, the Cabinet would never have brought it to the Emperor.
After reading it, Luo Qinghan didn't take it seriously at first.
But then he changed his mind.
(End of this chapter)
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