Because Emperor Ming Yan himself wore glasses, they quickly became popular in the court.
Even though the empress dowager was trapped in the deep palace, she had heard more than once how magical the glasses made by the prime minister were. Even an octogenarian could instantly see clearly when he put them on, and could read and write again.
Emperor Ming Yan once came to pay respects, always wearing glasses, and asked with a smile: "Is your mother wearing them? Is it very magical?"
The Queen Mother forced a smile and said, "I don't read books or write articles, so why should I be so clear about it? It hurts my nose, so I asked someone to put it away long ago."
If I had known this would happen, I would never have destroyed it!
The Queen Mother was secretly annoyed, and was afraid that something might happen, so she quickly arranged for someone to leave the palace and asked her to secretly buy a pair of glasses.
Shou Ma said, "Empress Dowager, today is the seventh day after the death of the Crown Prince. I am willing to escort the Crown Prince on behalf of the Empress Dowager. I will also buy him some glasses while I am here."
Aunt Fu looked at her in surprise, totally not understanding why she would bring up such a thing.
The Queen Mother was moved and said, "You are very thoughtful. Why don't you go by and send the child off on my behalf?"
Shou Mama bowed and said, "Yes."
...
...
Aunt Fu looked at her back and felt as if she had been enlightened.
No wonder her attitude suddenly changed after the glass incident at Nansuibo Mansion. No wonder she was obviously upset after the news of the death of the Crown Prince… No wonder the Queen Mother was always so concerned about her nephew. The younger brother who inherited the title also had two nephews, one big and one small, so why didn’t the Queen Mother seem to be so concerned about them?
Unless someone keeps mentioning it in your ear and says nice things about it secretly.
The Prince of Nansui is lustful and fond of wine, but he is extraordinarily handsome. The three people including Nanny Shou are all just over fifty years old, only three or five years older than the prince. Could it be that there was some connection between the two of them back then?
Nanny Fu was shocked but tried to pretend nothing happened.
Nanny Shou informed the Queen and quietly left the palace.
Naturally, the queen would send someone to follow secretly.
Nanny Shou first went to the Nansui Marquis's mansion and presented the silk and money awarded by the Empress Dowager.
Although they are the Empress Dowager's maternal family, they have fallen into decline after all, so not many people come to pay tribute to them. Now that it's only the seventh day, there are even fewer people.
As soon as Nanny Shou arrived, the Earl's wife and the Crown Prince's wife were crying their hearts out. Nanny Shou also had a sad look on her face. She knelt down in front of the coffin and was about to perform a great ceremony.
Mrs. Bo was so shocked that she stood up on the spot: "Mammy, you can't do that!"
Shou Ma's eyes were red, and she said, "We are all family, Madam, don't worry too much. I have already fulfilled the courtesy on behalf of the Empress Dowager. When I first entered the palace, the prince saved me, and now he... I am doing an extra courtesy for myself, as a way of thanking the prince for his kindness."
After she said that, it was difficult for Lady Bo to stop her. Although she didn't know what kind of favor she had received, it was not a good idea to ask her about it now.
So he let her bow four times.
Nanny Shou was about to cry, but she held it back. She stood up and comforted the lady before leaving and returning home.
Many old maids and eunuchs in the palace like to adopt an orphan as their son and find a wife for him so that when he gets old and leaves the palace, there will be someone to support him. After he dies, there will also be someone to help him break the pot.
Nanny Shou called her son over and told him to go to Yuefang to buy a pair of glasses.
The son came back after a while and said, "The people at Yuefang said that the glasses are not for sale now. They are only given to senior officials for trial use. Moreover, the degrees of the two glasses... are different. Anyway, everyone's eyes are different. They have to be matched one by one. You can't just buy them casually."
Nanny Shou was stunned.
Then she asked anxiously: "Do you know who bought it?"
Her son shook his head: "I don't know."
Nanny Shou was very helpless.
The adopted son she adopted was very honest, and she felt at ease because of this. However, it was inconvenient to send him out to do things, and she didn't know how to adapt.
Nanny Shou had no choice but to go back and report.
The empress dowager pondered for a long time, then summoned the wife of the Marquis of Nan'an, the sister-in-law of the empress dowager's inherited brother.
Two days later, the wife of the Marquis of Nan'an quietly brought in the glasses.
The Queen Mother tried putting it on and indeed felt that her vision was much clearer. But after wearing it for a while, she began to feel her eye sockets bulging and her head dizzy.
But she still forced herself to wear it for two days. When she paid her respects to the queen, she still praised the queen: "Is that a new embroidered pattern you are wearing? It's really bright and shiny."
The queen smiled and thanked him.
The Queen Mother chatted with the Empress for a few words, then turned around and saw Concubine Shu, and frowned again: "What do you mean, Concubine Shu? I'm not dead yet! You're wearing plain clothes?"
Concubine Shu could only kneel down and apologize.
She wore a peach-colored dress yesterday. The Queen Mother said, "I didn't see clearly at first and thought she was a new girl in the palace. A concubine should be more dignified!"
The day before yesterday, she wore a yellow dress. The Queen Mother said, "The dress of Concubine Shu is the same color as the food I ate yesterday."
In short, the Queen Mother made it clear that she disliked her and was even too lazy to find another excuse.
Concubine Shu had no choice but to kneel with her head down.
The queen and the concubines chatted for a few words, then stood up and no one spoke to her.
After they had been gone for a long time, the Queen Mother asked, "Why is Concubine Shu still kneeling? I forgot. Get up quickly!"
Concubine Shu thanked him respectfully, gritted her teeth and stood up. She knelt for a full hour and couldn't help but sway when she stood up.
The Queen Mother shook her head repeatedly and took off her glasses: "Shu Fei, are you dissatisfied with me? Or do you mean you can't kneel to me?"
Concubine Shu could only kneel down again: "I dare not!"
The Queen Mother looked at her coldly.
Shu Fei had not suffered such hardships for many years. She gritted her teeth and suddenly said, "The Empress Dowager's glasses, could it be that someone under her made a mistake? I heard that only court officials' glasses would have the word 'loyalty' engraved on them, so why is the Empress Dowager's glasses also engraved with the word 'loyalty'?"
The Queen Mother's expression suddenly changed.
The next moment, she said coldly: "Shu Fei's eyes are really sharp!"
Concubine Shu lowered her head, and the Queen Mother said coldly: "Back off!"
Concubine Shu thanked him, stood up, and limped out.
The Queen Mother snatched up the glasses and took a closer look.
With today's technology, screws that are too small cannot be mass-produced, so the front end of the glasses legs are not thin, and some hollow words and patterns are engraved on them, such as "loyalty" for court officials, "kindness" for the empress dowager, "Ming" and "Sheng" for Emperor Yan of the Ming Dynasty, and so on.
But the Queen Mother was terrified of this before, so how could she take a closer look?
She had no idea the frames were different!
Even Concubine Shu saw it, did the Empress see it? Did Emperor Ming Yan see it? She had seen Emperor Ming Yan wearing glasses!
He wanted to call people from the Ministry of Commerce and put the blame on them, but when that thing was used, it was Emperor Ming Yan who brought it personally!
The Queen Mother's forehead was covered with sweat.
As soon as Concubine Shu left the Cining Palace, she put her hand on the palace maid's shoulder, and her expression suddenly changed.
She guessed that the Queen Mother must have found out about the substitution and the Crown Prince died, so the Queen Mother held a grudge against her and tortured her.
But she would not say this, and neither would the Queen Mother.
As for the glasses, she had already spotted them, for, after all, when she knelt, she could just see the Queen Mother's knees, and when she dropped her hands, she could see them clearly.
She didn't say it before because she felt there was something fishy going on and didn't want to get into trouble, but now...if she doesn't say anything, she'll be tortured to death!
As for whether the Queen Mother would retaliate, haha, why should I be afraid of an old lady who is locked up in the room and has nothing left except her noble status!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
