Xue Zhiyi had no idea what Gu Shichong was so happy about, so he just lowered his eyes and greeted him respectfully, "Your Highness, the Queen Mother is waiting for you in the main hall, and His Royal Highness Prince Cheng has also arrived."
Gu Shichong said: "I understand."
Then he lowered his voice and said, "I will have something to tell you later."
After saying that, he went in.
After glancing at his back, Xue Zhiyi turned around and went to the tea room.
In the tea room, Jingchun and Lanying were on duty. Lanying was absent-mindedly packing the gold-painted tea cups to be presented to Prince Gong.
Xue Zhiyi said, "Put it down, I'll do it."
Lan Ying was stunned, then asked: "Why?"
Xue Zhiyi smiled slightly: "As I am the Master Attendant, my position is higher than yours, so I can order you around."
As he spoke, Xue Zhiyi brought the teacup in front of him, ready to pour tea and water.
Lan Ying hated her to the core and had endured for several days without causing trouble for her. Yet, she actually dared to come forward and show off her power, thinking who she was!
"Xue Zhiyi! You're relying on the goodwill shown to you by the Marquis of Lin'an, yet you're still not satisfied and are running off to fawn over Prince Gong? Don't you think that even though your property has been confiscated, you can still be as noble as before and marry into a wealthy family? You're not even worthy of being a concubine!"
Seeing this, Jingchun hurriedly tried to stop the quarrel: "Can you please stop arguing..."
Xue Zhiyi wrapped the handle of the teapot with cloth. The teapot was filled with snow water from the plum blossoms last winter, which was already boiling.
Xue Zhiyi held the teapot, said nothing, and just looked at Lan Ying.
Lan Ying was stared at with confusion: "Why are you looking at me? Am I wrong?"
Xue Zhiyi suddenly smiled: "Say it again."
"Even if I say it ten times..." Suddenly, she shut up.
For some reason, Lan Ying felt a little scared when she saw Xue Zhiyi looking at her with a pot of boiling water in his hand: "What do you want to do..."
But Xue Zhiyi suddenly turned around and faced her, making her panic: "Don't mess around!"
She instinctively raised her hand to block it, but Xue Zhiyi's hand holding the teapot trembled, causing the pot of boiling water to shake.
Xue Zhiyi hissed, quickly put down the teapot and covered his hands.
Lan Ying was stunned: She didn’t seem to meet Xue Zhiyi?
Seeing this, Jingchun grabbed Xue Zhiyi's hand and said, "Sister Zhiyi, you're all burned!"
I saw that the back of Xue Zhiyi's left hand was scalded red by the splashing boiling water.
Xue Zhiyi's face was filled with pain: "Lan Ying, are you crazy? How can I do my job like this?"
Lan Ying had been wronged enough recently. Seeing Xue Zhiyi like this, she became even more furious: "I didn't push you!"
Xue Zhiyi just said: "I didn't do anything to you."
Xue Zhiyi did not touch Lan Ying at all, but Lan Ying was not sure that she had not accidentally touched Xue Zhiyi, so she was speechless at the moment.
Jingchun continued to try to mediate, saying, "Stop arguing..."
She took Xue Zhiyi's hand and said, "Sister Zhiyi, go and apply the medicine quickly, okay?"
As if afraid that they would start arguing again, she half-pushed Xue Zhiyi out of the tea room.
Lan Ying cursed a few more times towards the door, then picked up the teapot and poured water into the teacup in a bad mood.
This was a good thing. While serving tea, she had the opportunity to talk to Prince Gong, and asked him to stay and listen to what she wanted to say before leaving the palace.
…
main hall.
The Queen Mother leaned back, still wearing a headband, and smiled lovingly, "I wasn't feeling well yesterday, but I'm much better today. It's a pity that you came to visit me.
Gu Shichong and Gu Shimin, two people who disliked each other, were sitting on the left and right at this moment.
Upon hearing this, Gu Shimin simply replied, "This is all the filial duty that grandchildren should fulfill. I present the tonic medicine I brought from Yuzhou to your Majesty, and I hope that your Majesty will be in good health."
Gu Shichong smiled. "Yuzhou is remote, and the Empress Dowager is of noble health. I wonder if the imperial physician has examined this tonic. Is it safe for the Empress Dowager?"
Accustomed to tit-for-tat, Gu Shimin was already familiar with this situation. "Your Majesty, I'm worried too much. It's only after the Imperial Physician has reviewed it that I dare to present it to the Empress Dowager. I'm naturally concerned about the Empress Dowager's affairs. Today, I heard that the Empress Dowager's health has improved, so I went to the palace early to visit her so that I can rest assured. I dare not delay for even a moment."
He arrived earlier than Gu Shichong today, so in terms of filial piety, he is naturally more filial than Gu Shichong.
Gu Shichong only said lightly, "I am also concerned about the Royal Grandmother, so I asked someone to bring the snow lotus from the extremely cold land as a gift to her."
As he was speaking, a young eunuch presented a snow lotus.
I saw that the snow lotus was not dried as usual, but a flower with dew, just like a snow lotus that had just bloomed, and the broken part was wet.
The Queen Mother couldn't help but wonder: "Chong'er, why does this snow lotus look like it was just picked?"
Gu Shichong said, "Grandmother, you have a good eye. I had this snow lotus dug up from a very cold place when it was just about to bloom, and it was quickly sent to Huajing. To let it bloom naturally, I kept it in ice every day after the spring."
He smiled faintly as he spoke, "It's quite a coincidence. Today is the day when the snow lotus is in full bloom. I've been waiting for it to bloom since last night. As soon as the flower opened, I quickly picked one and sent it to you, Grandmother. That's why I'm a little delayed. I hope you'll forgive me, Grandmother."
The Queen Mother looked at it and smiled, "You really put a lot of thought into it. This is the first time I've ever seen such fresh snow lotus."
Gu Shichong said obediently, "I heard that fresh snow lotus is more effective than dried flowers. If I can help the Empress Dowager, it's no big deal to spend some time and effort on her."
As he spoke, he glanced at Gu Shimin: "Right, Sixth Brother?"
Faced with his flattery, Gu Shimin could not help but secretly despise him, and then said with a pleasant face: "I am not as knowledgeable as my royal brother. I only know how to give the Royal Grandmother what I think is the best. I am sorry that you have made me laugh."
What he meant was that his biological mother was of humble origin and not favored by the emperor. Before she gradually became prominent and was valued by the emperor, she was certainly not like Gu Shichong, who had been the center of attention since childhood and could easily get whatever good things he wanted.
The Queen Mother knew that he had suffered injustice, and Gu Shimin's words were meant to make the Queen Mother feel pity for him.
The Queen Mother simply smiled and said, "I will always remember your filial piety towards me. You are all my good grandchildren."
The two of them gave up.
As they were talking, Lan Ying came in with tea.
Gu Shimin arrived early, so there was already tea on the table. This cup could only be offered to Gu Shichong.
Lan Ying lowered her head and placed the tea on the table in front of Gu Shichong. She moved her mouth and called quietly, "Your Highness..."
At this moment, Gu Shichong was still glaring at Gu Shimin. When he looked away, he saw Lan Ying who had called him several times.
Lan Ying wanted to say something, but she heard the Queen Mother say, "Step back."
She wanted to say something but hesitated, but she couldn't talk to Gu Shichong in public, so she could only retreat with the tray.
Gu Shichong only said: "Thank you, Grandmother, for the tea."
As he spoke, he picked up the teacup, scraped off the foam, and prepared to put it into his mouth.
At this moment, someone rushed in: "Your Highness Prince Gong!"
Everyone looked over and saw Xue Zhiyi with a frightened look on his face.
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