Hall of Mental Cultivation
As usual, Sun Miaoqing came over to serve Da Pangju in reviewing memorials. Looking at the three, five, seven, eight, or nine baskets of memorials in front of her, she felt her mouth dry and her throat started to hurt!
“Your Majesty makes me come here to read these things every day. If one day I believe those hen-like words, wouldn’t I be wronged?”
The chubby orange cat said, "You've heard about it?"
Sun Miaoqing replied, "It's not just one person saying this, inside or outside the palace; how could I not have heard of it?"
"If I really turn a deaf ear to what's going on outside, I won't even know why the Emperor sends me a white silk ribbon."
The chubby orange cat laughed and said, "White silk is too expensive, I can't bear to part with it."
[At least you still have some conscience. Zhang Tingyu has a terrible conscience; if we don't teach him a lesson, he'll think I'm made of clay.]
Sun Miaoqing said, "There is something I would like to ask Your Majesty to grant."
The chubby orange cat said, "Want to teach Zhang Tingyu a lesson?"
Sun Miaoqing said, "No, Your Majesty, I wish to bestow a favor upon him. Hongzhou is still lacking a study companion, and Zhang Tingyu's youngest son would be just right. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Big Fat Orange glanced sideways. Had the fairy changed her nature, or was she trying to manipulate Zhang Tingyu's son so that he would bow down?
"Benevolence, how can I not believe you when you say that?"
No matter how hard you try, you'll never imagine how I'll scare him. From now on, Zhang Tingyu won't have a good time at home.
[Get rid of this habit of being bored out of his mind. He talks about being selfless and devoted to public service; nobody believes that.]
[If Hongli were to ascend the throne, he would then be trapped in a marriage of convenience with Daru. A bunch of crazy people, turning a perfectly good emperor into a live-in son-in-law, constantly wary of this and that.]
Even the powerful bondservant forces behind Granny Tian were wary of her; several princes and princesses had been murdered or maimed as a result.
[Thanks to Ling Rong's excellent teaching, otherwise he wouldn't be the outstanding young man he is today.]
Sun Miaoqing retorted reproachfully, "How can Your Majesty not trust me? When it comes to important matters, have I ever made a mistake?"
"Although Zhang Tingyu's words are unpleasant to hear, as a Noble Consort, I should have the demeanor of one. Let everyone see what it means to win people over with virtue and reason."
Big Fat Orange was so angry he was practically grinding his teeth to dust, completely oblivious to Sun Miaoqing's nonsense about winning people over with virtue.
He knew exactly what kind of good son Li Jingui could have! The foundation he had worked so hard to build must not be squandered by unfilial descendants!
Fortunately, he never considered letting Hongli inherit the throne...
No! Regardless of whether this vixen exists or not, the prince he dislikes most is Hongli. If there were any other possibility, why would he pass the throne to him!
Big Fat Orange suddenly thought of the first half of his life. For the sake of the throne, his brothers had disregarded all kinship, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness.
Putting himself in others' shoes, Hongli truly lived up to his reputation as his son...
No, I can't get angry, it will shorten my lifespan...
Big Fatty felt dizzy and his ears were ringing. He couldn't make out what Sun Miaoqing was saying to him.
Forget it, it's just causing Zhang Tingyu some trouble, let her be. His body can't withstand this vixen's torment any longer.
Although Zhang Tingyu is not a likable person, he is capable, and he doesn't get along with the demons.
There can't be only one voice in the court and the harem. Keeping him in the court is a good move.
"You may go back now. I agree, but don't go too far. After all, you are an important official of the court."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Sun Miaoqing smiled and walked out, but just as she was about to step out of the Yangxin Hall, she turned back and reminded him,
"You heard what I and the Emperor said just now, Eunuch Su."
"I would like to ask Eunuch Su to send someone over so that I can give them two days to properly teach them the rules of the palace."
Su Peisheng nodded and bowed, saying, "Yes, this servant will send someone to Lord Zhang's house to convey the imperial decree, so that the nanny can have a good talk with Young Master Zhang about the principles of the palace."
Sun Miaoqing said with satisfaction, "Thank you for your trouble."
When Zhang Tingyu returned home after a long day's work, he heard this devastating news and collapsed into a chair, utterly grief-stricken.
“I told you long ago that you are already the Minister of Revenue. Any higher you go will just be a nominal title, only good for show. You will serve the same job no matter who the emperor is, so why bother making things difficult for him?”
"Which of the high-ranking officials in the palace is easy to deal with? Wasn't the last lesson enough? You're determined to offend people to the core before you're satisfied."
"Now look what's happened! Our perfectly healthy son, still a minor, is going to be buried alive with the emperor!"
"If anything happens to Ruogu, I... I won't live anymore!"
Madam Zhang covered her face and wept bitterly. It was a complete disaster. That old geezer didn't even consider that the Fifth Prince was raised by Consort Cheng.
The emperor actually believed the nonsense about killing the mother to establish the son as emperor. Now that the Fifth Prince has become emperor, will he let go of his mother's killer?
Even if the Fifth Prince doesn't inherit the throne, and Consort Qi and Consort Yu become the Empress Dowager, they still won't let him have an easy time.
Every time she entered the palace to pay her respects, she was always careful and subservient, trying to please the emperor, for fear of offending someone in the harem who might whisper in the emperor's ear.
Now look what's happened. This one sentence that dragged her down has not only wasted all her years of hard work, but also cost her a son.
Looking at Zhang Tingyu's old face, Madam Zhang's anger surged like boiling oil poured over her.
Driven by malice, he lunged forward and unleashed a flurry of attacks on Zhang Tingyu's face, employing the Nine Yin White Bone Claw technique.
Zhang Tingyu cried out in pain and hurriedly subdued the lady. Then, taking advantage of his large feet, he quickly created some distance between them.
With his neck severely injured, Zhang Tingyu clutched his wound and roared, "I think you've gone mad!"
Madam Zhang said, "That was because you forced me to do it. My perfectly healthy son was almost killed by you. What use are you!"
Zhang Tingyu never expected Sun Miaoqing to pull this trick on him, and said dejectedly, "I did all this for the Qing Dynasty!"
"You're talking nonsense! You might fool others, but you can't fool me!"
Madam Zhang wasn't buying it. The servants in the courtyard had long been sent away, and guards were stationed at the main gate.
The couple argued until midnight, and the next morning, Zhang Tingyu asked for three days off to recuperate in his study.
Big Fat Orange was taking his medicine when he heard Xia Yi's report. He choked and coughed several times.
He always said that if he ever did anything to displease this vixen, she would make a scene until he gave in before she would stop.
Not to mention Zhang Tingyu, if he wasn't punished here, he would find a way to make amends elsewhere. But despite the commotion, he still knew his limits.
"After all these years, she still has the temper of a child. Let her be."
Xia Yi said, "No wonder the Imperial Concubine is angry; Zhang Tingyu has really been meddling too much."
"How to handle matters in the inner palace is up to the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor and Empress have not yet spoken, so how can a Han official like him presume to speak out?"
"No matter how willful the Consort was, she loved the princes and princesses very much, and she got along well with the other concubines in the harem."
This is also why Big Fatty Orange is satisfied with Sun Miaoqing; after he passes away, he will treat his other children well.
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