Su Wanwan looked at the bedside table: "Put it there for now."
He Ying had no choice but to put down the medicine bowl and complain softly.
"His Majesty is truly heartless. The Empress hasn't come to Kunning Palace since her miscarriage, and it's been over a month now, yet he hasn't even bothered to inquire about her."
“I used to live here in Kunning Palace every day, but now things have changed so suddenly.”
She had seen the Empress's distress and sorrow over the past month.
Su Wanwan didn't want to hear any of this, and asked, "Has anything been sent to Steward Li?"
Steward Li died a violent death, and the murderer has not been found to this day. From the first seven days to the last seven days, Su Wanwan asked Heying to go on her behalf to express her condolences.
He Ying nodded, "I went there and ran into Zhang Zhong and He Jin."
She snorted coldly, feeling indignant.
"Now, both the internal and external affairs offices are under the control of Minister Liu. These two opportunists act as if they don't see me at all. Where is the enthusiasm they used to have when they called me 'sister' all the time?"
Su Wanwan remained silent.
In just over a month, all her fledgling wings were severed.
If she hadn't decisively taken the medication to "abort," she would have been the next one to collapse.
The enemy's attack was ruthless and swift.
Su Wanwan sighed softly and asked, "How is things going with Minister Liu's family?"
A smile finally appeared on He Ying's face.
"Minister Liu has been reassigned as Minister of Personnel."
Su Wanwan's eyes dimmed slightly.
Now Liu Jin is truly in high spirits and holds unparalleled power.
He Ying said, "Your Majesty may not know yet, but Grand Secretary Yang has been promoted to Junior Guardian and Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince."
Su Wanwan's eyes flickered.
Ever since the Empress Dowager Wang used "Guihu Qu" to smear her and Yang Zhen, the Yang family has been completely out of the public eye, keeping a low profile as if they didn't exist.
Su Wanwan asked, "How has Madam Yu been lately?"
He Ying glanced at Su Wanwan cautiously:
"Madam Yu has taken Young Master Yang back to her hometown to get engaged, saying she will return to the capital after the wedding."
Su Wanwan, on the contrary, was frank: "Do you know which family's daughter is being betrothed to?"
"It seems she is the daughter of one of the officials in the Six Ministries. Her father died early, and she is from the same hometown. Her family background is much lower than that of the Yang family. There are many people in the capital talking about her."
The son of a high-ranking official was married to the daughter of a deceased official.
Such a disparity in family background must have been intentional on the part of the Yang family, as a way of making a statement regarding the painting incident.
Only by trampling the proud son of heaven, Yang Zhen, into the mud can the hatred of the imperial family be eliminated.
The returns are also great.
In return, Yang Tinghe received an official promotion and a higher rank.
Su Wanwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
On the other hand, because of that painting incident, the Yang family had become enemies with her, but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as she would not be feared by eunuchs like Liu Jin.
She nodded: "Grand Secretary Yang is young and promising, and he will surely become a pillar of the court no less than my grandfather in the future."
He Ying avoided eye contact and dared not say anything more.
Su Wanwan was puzzled. "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
He Ying's eyes reddened.
"A while ago, Chief Minister Li submitted a memorial to the throne because the investigation into the border troops' food supplies was too extensive and harsh, and he mentioned Grand Secretary Su in one of his remarks."
"As a result, Minister Liu flew into a rage, placing all the blame on Grand Secretary Su, wishing he could get rid of him as soon as possible. This was utter nonsense."
Su Wanwan pursed her lips.
Nearly two years after his grandfather retired, Liu Jin shifted the blame onto his grandfather, for no other reason than to take the opportunity to strike back at the Su family.
She warned those Su family protégés and former associates who wanted to attach themselves to her, the Empress Su.
Because there were just too many of them.
My grandfather served as an official for many years, and was the examiner for the imperial examinations five times, with three hundred candidates each year.
After these candidates became officials, they all considered themselves to be the students of their grandfathers.
Even more so, those upright officials who admired their grandfather's virtues and character, you can't find them even if you investigate.
Su Wanwan didn't care about any of that, but instead asked curiously, "How did you know all this information?"
He Ying said, "The little eunuch who delivers the red charcoal nags a few words every day, so I've written them down."
At this point, she suddenly realized something.
Someone deliberately leaked this information to her so that she could tell the Empress.
However, seeing that the Empress was troubled, she did not dare to bother her with these matters.
Su Wanwan smiled instead and took He Ying's hand.
Raising an eyebrow meaningfully, she asked, "Are you still angry that He Jin is ignoring you?"
He Ying quickly shook her head: "Don't be angry. He must have deliberately sent these messages to Your Majesty."
Su Wanwan simply said, "Those who add flowers to brocade are forgotten, but those who offer charcoal in the snow are deeply appreciated."
"He Jin is now under the jurisdiction of Liu Neixiang, so he can't openly associate with us, but he hasn't forgotten his former master."
Su Wanwan knew, however, that He Jin and Zhang Zhong were both Lu Xingjian's men.
He Jin was able to pass messages to her, probably with Lu Xingjian's tacit approval.
...
Lu Xingjian closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, listening to Meng Yue read the memorial:
“We request that 1,100 officers and soldiers be rewarded for their service in the Dushi Camp of Xuanfu.”
Meng Yue cautiously glanced at Lu Xingjian.
Among those who received the reward was Ma Ji's brother, Ma Ang.
Lu Xingjian sat up abruptly, took the memorial, and wrote with a flourish: "Approved."
After finishing writing, he forcefully threw the cinnabar pen away.
Meng Yue didn't dare to breathe.
With the death of Chief Eunuch Li and the Empress's miscarriage, the Emperor became a different person and never smiled again.
Now he simply lives in Xiaoyuan and doesn't even go to the palace anymore.
I'm afraid the Empress over there will be completely heartbroken.
A woman who has suffered a miscarriage and is bedridden needs her husband's comfort even more.
The Emperor, on the other hand, not only offered words of comfort but also refused to ask a single question.
Was all his previous kindness towards the Empress just an act?
Judging from the Emperor's expression, is he still hung up on Ma Ji?
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