Chapter 463 Changle Weiyang
The virtuous Concubine Dowager was a straightforward person, and there was no need to hide such matters anyway.
"There's no need to bother, Virtuous Mother. I've already taken out the secret letter. Please take a look. Do you understand what it means?"
The queen stood up and handed the small sheepskin scroll in her sleeve to her sister, then gave her sister a look.
"Second brother, you go guard the door and don't let anyone in."
"Okay!"
Listening to his sister had almost become an instinct. Jiang Han rushed out extremely quickly, and Concubine Xian looked at him again, which made her feel jealous.
"This little ancestor, I coax her and pamper her every day, but she has never been so obedient. Only you, the eldest sister, can control this little monkey!"
"That's because you love her."
The queen flattered with a smile.
"My Jiang Han is a bit naive, but he's kind and well-behaved. I hope my virtuous mother can bear with him in the future."
"Stop trying to talk to me like that! Even your mother isn't as protective as you are!"
Concubine Xian put down the jade pendant in her hand, inserted the hairpin back into her bun, took the small sheepskin scroll handed to her by the other party, and gently unfolded it bit by bit.
Those eight words jumped into my eyes.
"The Gu family will live forever, and Changle will last forever?"
"Yes, we now know that this was probably written by the Great Qi Qing Emperor. According to records, his pen name is Qianqiu. Then, Concubine Xian, what do you think Changle Weiyang means?"
Sitting down in the chair next to Concubine Xian, the Queen attentively poured her a cup of tea, which earned her a helpless look.
"You should have found out by now, right? Otherwise, how could you have found me?"
"Hey, isn't this an incomplete understanding? Please, Her Majesty, please help me clear up my confusion."
There was a smile in the Queen's voice, but there was also a hint of obvious shock.
"This world has been destitute ever since the last emperor inherited it. Even after it came into the hands of Your Majesty and me, it hasn't improved much.
We have tried our best to make sure that the people of Dayu can live a few days of peace and stability.
Life is not easy in this world.
I always remember that my father and mother taught me this time and again when they were alive.
I would rather be a dog in peacetime than a man in chaos.
Virtuous Mother, what do you say?"
The virtuous concubine's eyes moved slightly and her voice was very soft.
"Now, the world is at peace."
“Not necessarily.”
There was helplessness mixed in with the sigh, but what he said was the obvious dilemma before him.
"What exactly are the envoys from various countries trying to accomplish? Once the people from Linyue arrive, we'll know immediately.
If they want to maintain good diplomatic relations, everything will be fine. But if they want to take advantage of the emperor's unstable foundation to rob him, then there will definitely be a war for the establishment of the country waiting for us.
Before the troops move, the food and supplies must be sent first.
Without sufficient financial support, how can we provide the basic supplies for a major war?
Xian Fei Taifei, the imperial court now really needs this batch of treasures to support itself. Otherwise, once we go to war with other countries, we will be immediately dragged into the quagmire and unable to get out.
There's another one."
The Queen's voice was lower, and her words sounded both clear and vague.
"Preparing for war just in case is only one aspect. I also want to lead the women out of the attic embroidery workshop and let the women of Dayu live a better life."
"Live better?"
There was a hint of bewilderment in Concubine Xian's eyes, and she muttered to herself in confusion.
"What does it mean to live a better life?"
"You know it in your heart."
The queen's eyes were bright, and they contained an ambition that allowed her to see into the other person's heart and arouse empathy.
"Just like He Fang who was so outstanding back then, who clearly possessed the most outstanding talent in studying things and could surpass all his brothers.
Simply because she was born a woman, she was ineligible to inherit the family business, nor was she given the opportunity to fully develop her talents. In a world dominated by men, women were not allowed to shine.
So He Fang became the virtuous concubine.
But Concubine Xian, do you still love the He Fang you once knew? Don’t you want to pull such an outstanding person like you out of the harem and put you in the position you should be in?
"Was He Fang excellent back then?"
"certainly!"
Perhaps the other party's answer was too confident, which finally made the virtuous concubine who had been wronged for nearly twenty years cry and hug He Fang, who had struggled desperately but had to accept her fate in the end.
“I have been smart since I was young.
The He family has a tradition of passing down literature. My father was quite open-minded. He not only taught me how to write, but also taught me how to study things.
I worked so hard, I was even better at school than my three brothers! I improved farm tools and crossbows, I developed the fastest arithmetic to help my family run the household, and yet, in the end, I became a concubine of the Li family..."
All the grievances I suffered back then finally found an outlet today, many years later.
The virtuous concubine cried for a long time, and the queen sat beside her quietly.
After venting all the resentment in her heart, she picked up the teacup at hand, drank two cups in succession to soothe her throat, and then pointed at the four words "Changle Weiyang".
"Gu Qianqiu, your explanation is probably correct. This Changle Weiyang probably refers to the noble person from the He family."
"Imperial Noble Consort Yimin?"
"Have you heard about it?"
"It's just some superficial knowledge. Please enlighten me, my virtuous mother."
The queen poured her another cup of tea.
“I heard that although the Imperial Noble Consort was from the He clan of Kuaiji, her hometown was originally Changle Prefecture.
Hearing that the imperial concubine had left a last wish to be buried in her hometown, Emperor Qing built a cenotaph for her in Changle Prefecture.
So we speculated whether the valuables were hidden in it."
"No."
Concubine Xian did not ask who the "we" in our guess were. She just recalled some records in her ancestral home.
"The Imperial Concubine isn't actually close to her maternal family, the He clan that raised her. She wasn't wandering around; she was stolen away when she was little.
It was after she became the Imperial Concubine that the He Family whitewashed the situation to save face, so the Imperial Concubine wasn't close to that side. How could she have left a will to be buried back in her hometown?
"Is that so?"
The clue that was finally found was broken again, and the queen frowned deeply.
"This Changle doesn't refer to Changle Mansion, but Changle Palace!"
He Fang raised her eyes and looked at the queen, enunciating every word clearly.
"The He family has an ancestral precept that direct descendants must leave a branch of the family to guard the ancestral home and protect Changle Palace for the ancestors, so as to bless the He family's descendants to be healthy for generations to come."
"What Changle Palace?"
"A family temple is where the He family worships their ancestors. I went there when I was a child. The main hall of Changle Palace has the word 'Weiyang' on the plaque."
"Why do I sound a little confused?"
The queen couldn't make any sense of what was going on.
"Is this Changle Weiyang someone that aristocratic families can use?"
"Why not?"
Concubine Xian blinked her eyes, with a strange sarcasm in her tone.
"After all, it's a preference acknowledged in history books, so what if it's a little out of the ordinary?"
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