Chapter 46: Closeness
Empress Dowager Zhang naturally knew about Zhu Yuhuan's tricks to shift the blame, but as Zhu Yuhuan had expected, she didn't care about this little thing at all.
For the Zhu family, Concubine Sun's pregnancy was like a blessing after a long drought. When the late emperor was Zhu Zhanji's age, he already had six sons, but Zhu Zhanji didn't even have one. The vacant throne would inevitably cause trouble, and Empress Dowager Zhang was naturally not happy to see such a scene.
For the sake of her unborn grandson, Empress Dowager Zhang no longer cared about her headache and personally took care of Concubine Sun's food and daily life.
It’s not that she doesn’t trust her daughter-in-law, but she really doesn’t want any more twists and turns in her and Ming Dynasty’s future. It would be safer to take over personally.
"Princess?"
Zhu Yuhuan was writing at his desk. Upon hearing this, he turned around and looked at Xu Wangzhi. Seeing her cautious look, he asked with a bit of amusement, "What's wrong?"
Xu Wangzhi has always been a straightforward person, and Zhu Yuhuan has never seen Xu Wangzhi show any hesitation.
Xu Wangzhi first looked around to make sure no one else was around, then closed the window in Zhu Yuhuan's study. Then he whispered, "It was me who diagnosed the imperial concubine as pregnant that day..."
Zhu Yuhuan said with a look of confusion: "Isn't the diagnosis normal? You're a doctor, what else can you do if not treat patients? Why do you look so sorry for me?"
Xu Wangzhi looked ashamed and muttered softly, "But...actually, I can't explain why, I just feel so sorry for you."
Zhu Yuhuan suppressed his smile and asked, "If the person you diagnosed as pregnant that day was my mother, would you not feel sorry for me?"
Xu Wangzhi nodded repeatedly after hearing this, and then whispered, "Sometimes I think it would be better if I were a man. When I diagnosed the imperial concubine's pregnancy pulse, I thought the same thing about you."
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "So what if he's a man or not? Haven't there been deposed princes since ancient times? How can you always be sure of victory in this world?"
Just as Empress Dowager Zhang said, if the person who came to Zhu Zhanji first was Hu Shanxiang, Zhu Zhanji might have been moved. Unfortunately, there is no if in all this. Anyway, Zhu Yuhuan has made preparations for both situations, and no matter what the final result is, Zhu Yuhuan can accept it.
Seeing her so calm, Xu Wangzhi asked nervously in a low voice, "What... do you need me to do?"
Zhu Yuhuan was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding what Xu Wangzhi meant. Seeing Xu Wangzhi's expression as if she was about to be beheaded, he finally understood. He quickly covered her mouth with his hands and whispered, "Your family will soon be moving to Beijing to live a good life. You can't talk nonsense! Besides, do you think my grandmother is blind?"
Xu Wangzhi was almost suffocated by her and nodded vigorously to show that he understood. When Zhu Yuhuan put down his hand, Xu Wangzhi breathed a sigh of relief and panted, "You are worthy of being an archer. I almost died in the palace..."
Zhu Yuhuan said helplessly: "I was almost scared to death by you. Didn't you say before that you were afraid of death? How dare you..."
Xu Wangzhi scratched his head and said, "Isn't that how it's played out in many storybooks? I was just worried that you might be thinking that..."
"Do I look like such a petty person?" Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but sigh, then teased Xu Wangzhi: "I never thought that even the most fearful of death, Xu Madam, would have the courage to 'sacrifice her life'."
Xu Wangzhi was somewhat confused and asked curiously, "Willing to sacrifice one's life? What does that mean?"
I am willing to sacrifice my life to bring down the emperor.
Although Zhu Qizhen was not yet born, Xu Wangzhi actually dared to consider a shady plan. How could this not be considered as "daring to dethrone the emperor"?
Zhu Yuhuan didn't explain to her, but said solemnly: "Don't worry, I'm not a fool, I won't do stupid things, I'm just like you, I still want to live a few more years."
Xu Wangzhi nodded solemnly, then felt something was wrong and asked, "Are you saying I'm stupid?"
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "What's wrong with being stupid? Stupid people have their own luck."
Xu Wangzhi was not angry at all, and said seriously: "Princess, you will be healthy and live a long life."
Zhu Yuhuan originally wanted to joke with her, but when he thought that she was a doctor and these two sentences were the best blessings for her, he smiled and responded.
Xu Wangzhi then looked at the cut cardboard and the words written on it on Zhu Yuhuan's desk, and asked with some confusion: "Speaking of which... what is this?"
Zhu Yuhuan took out a needle and thread from the sewing kit beside him and sorted out the papers scattered on the table. Then he smiled and said, "It's just a gift for the imperial concubine. After all, the imperial concubine's child is also my brother."
Concubine Sun was pregnant, and Empress Dowager Zhang and Zhu Zhanji were overjoyed. Naturally, everyone in the palace sensed the change in the wind direction, and the threshold of Concubine Sun's palace was almost broken down by people coming and going to congratulate her. Fortunately, in order to take good care of Concubine Sun, Empress Dowager Zhang specially added many people to her palace, and the welcoming and seeing off of people were in order.
As soon as Zhu Yuhuan arrived at the door, she saw Zhu Zhanji's carriage and people coming and going in the imperial concubine's palace. She thought for a moment and simply asked someone around her to deliver the box containing the book to her. After that, she went home directly.
Ever since Concubine Sun became pregnant, Zhu Zhanji often went to the Concubine's palace to accompany her, looking like a loving father.
The eunuch had originally served the Third Princess, but since Wang Zhen had been transferred here and had please the Imperial Concubine and the Princess, they had dismissed him. His salary had been reduced, and his daily rewards had also been reduced. He was already upset, and when he saw the palace attendant, dressed simply and holding an inconspicuous box, he sneered, "Which palace are you from? His Majesty is talking to the Imperial Concubine. Wait outside."
The maid Qiuying frowned slightly and said, "I am a servant of Princess Shunde. The princess ordered me to present this box to the Imperial Concubine and the Third Princess. Thank you, eunuch, for letting me pass."
"Princess Shunde?" The eunuch suddenly came to his senses and looked Qiuying up and down, saying, "The servants around the princess are dressed so poorly? Who are you trying to fool? Don't let them be people with bad intentions who use the princess's name to scheme..." After that, he snatched the box from Qiuying's hand and looked her up and down again. The meaning in his eyes was self-evident.
Zhu Zhanji stayed in Concubine Sun's palace. All the concubines in the six palaces were no longer favored by the emperor, so they had to meet Zhu Zhanji under the pretext of visiting Concubine Sun, hoping to have a child like Concubine Sun.
They didn't ask for themselves to be as favored as Concubine Sun, but if they had a child, they would be able to breathe a sigh of relief from then on, as if they had saved their lives!
Qiu Ying was startled, her cheeks flushing crimson. She immediately retorted, "What do you mean by shabby? The Empress is a thrifty woman, and everyone in the palace follows suit. It's only natural for a palace maid to dress simply! But you, on the other hand, are decked out in gold and jade. After entering the palace and having your body purified, you've even thrown away your heart and your two ounces of flesh. Don't you know the country is at war and the people are toiling?"
"You—you slut! Are you looking for a beating?"
Seeing the eunuch raise his hand, Zhu Yuhuan snorted and laughed, walked out of the shade of the flowers and said, "We are all palace servants. How can you show off your power by taking it out on her? This slap on my face is really satisfying!"
The eunuch was surprised to find Zhu Yuhuan here. He saluted tremblingly and said, "How dare I... I didn't know she was the princess's concubine..."
"Can other palace maids fight?" Zhu Yuhuan asked in response, "Then what's the point of having a palace maid? You're such a deceitful scoundrel! Are you embarrassing His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, or are you embarrassing Empress Sun?"
Her words were so harsh that the eunuch could not utter a word: "Your servant... Your servant..."
During the standoff, the female official next to Concubine Sun came out. Seeing that it was Zhu Yuhuan, she hurriedly said, "Princess, why are you standing outside? Please follow me in."
Zhu Yuhuan said to Qiuying, "Why don't you bring back the gifts I gave to Madam Sun and my third sister?"
"yes."
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