frightfiction Chapter 85 As the Empress in charge of palace affairs, do I need to consider anyone's feelings
Chapter 85 As the Empress in charge of palace affairs, do I need to consider anyone's feelings
Outside Shou'an Palace, a woman dressed in plain clothes blocked Li An's way.
"Eunuch Li!"
Li An stopped and looked at the woman in green who had suddenly appeared beside him.
"Eunuch Li doesn't recognize me? I am His Majesty's Consort Wu!"
No beauties?
Li An subtly glanced at her a few times. Hmm, skinny and frail, indeed not beautiful!
"I was ordered by His Majesty to go to Buddha Mountain to serve the Empress Dowager on His Majesty's behalf, and I am returning today."
Serving the Empress Dowager?
Li An remembered, this was the granddaughter of the Heyi Township Prince, the one who forced the Crown Prince into marriage!
I'd almost forgotten about her. But looking at her thin, stick-like figure, her slightly frizzy clothes, and the few plain hairpins she wore, she must have suffered terribly during those months on Buddha Mountain.
But after all, she was a concubine whose status had been officially granted by imperial decree, so Li An, as a servant, was still very respectful.
"Oh, it was my rudeness. So it is Consort Wu. This servant greets Consort Wu."
Wu Shuangwan naturally knew that although this person was a servant, he was not someone she could afford to offend. Therefore, after Li An led the eunuchs behind him to bow, she did not dare to make things difficult for him.
"You may rise, sir!"
Li An promptly withdrew his hands and stood properly. "May I ask what business my beautiful mistress has with this servant?"
Wu Shuangwan forced herself to remain calm. "I have something to ask you, Eunuch. Where are the palace, maids, and eunuchs that His Majesty prepared for me?"
Oh dear, who remembers such a person?
But she went to serve the Empress Dowager, so there's no problem with her returning with the Empress Dowager now.
Li An's thoughts raced, then he cupped his hands in a smile.
"Your Highness, His Majesty has assigned you to serve the Empress Dowager, so all these matters have been placed under her jurisdiction. Therefore... things haven't been clarified regarding Mount Buddha. I suppose it's intended for Your Highness to continue serving the Empress Dowager?"
That's a way of saying something that offends no one.
Wu Shuangwan gritted her teeth. She couldn't marry the Crown Prince, but she became one of the Emperor's concubines. But she couldn't give up and remain a nominal concubine trapped in the Empress Dowager's quarters. She had to compete for the Emperor's favor and find a way to become his favorite concubine.
Seeing that His Majesty is in good health and has many years to live, if she could get pregnant... Hmph, who knows what the future holds!
"But I am, after all, His Majesty's concubine. It would be inappropriate for me to live with the imperial concubines."
That wasn't just inappropriate; it was that no place was left for her at all. For reasons unknown, everyone, whether genuinely or feigning, ignored this beautiful woman, Wu.
“What you say makes sense, Your Highness. However, I cannot make this decision myself. I can only go back and ask the people in the Imperial Household Department before reporting back to Your Highness.”
It's obvious they're just making empty promises to appease people.
Wu Meiren naturally understood, but she didn't mind at all.
"Then I will trouble you, Eunuch. I am not willing to go to such trouble, but I am here on His Majesty's orders to serve the Empress Dowager. It is somewhat tiring, and I hope you will understand."
She never intended for Li An to agree to anything. She simply wanted to use this method to remind His Majesty of her existence, and also to subtly criticize the Crown Princess, who was in charge of the harem, for her negligence.
Thinking of the information she had spent a lot of money to find out, Wu Shuangwan was filled with rage.
Why is it that Lin Shiming marries into the Eastern Palace in such a glorious way, and can take charge of palace affairs and the Phoenix Seal, while I can only live a hard life in that poor and remote place of Buddha Mountain, and even bring trouble to my grandmother and family.
Just wait and see, one day I'll make them kneel and beg for mercy!
A glint of jealousy and ambition flashed in Wu Shuangwan's lowered eyes, unseen by anyone.
But Li An never relied on this to discern people's hearts. Having witnessed the power struggles in the harems of two dynasties, he naturally understood Consort Wu's intentions.
"Then this servant thanks Your Highness for your understanding. This servant will take his leave."
Wu Shuangwan smiled gently and said, "Take care, Father-in-law."
*
Xuanzheng Hall.
Emperor Longyun leaned back on the couch, leisurely sipping tea and playing chess with Bai Qiongzhu. At the two tables next to him, Lu Yuxi and Lin Shiming were writing memorials with great enthusiasm.
When Bai Qiongzhu looked up, he saw that one of the two people who had been assigned to work was calm and used to it, while the other was gritting his teeth and had a distorted face. The way he was racking his brains was laughable.
Emperor Longyun, who had just placed a piece, became instantly displeased when he saw Bai Qiongzhu's attention turn to those two little brats again.
"Zitong, make your move quickly, what are you looking at?"
They look so bitter and resentful, how can they compare to me?
Bai Qiongzhu glared at him, then raised his hand to place a piece.
Suddenly, the sound of a door being pushed open interrupted the warm scene inside the hall.
Li An came in from outside.
"This servant greets Your Majesty, Your Highness, and Your Highnesses."
Emperor Longyun raised his chin, gesturing for Li An to stand up, and tossed aside the chess piece in his hand with great interest. "So, did that old woman vomit blood from anger?"
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager did not summon the imperial physician, but she does appear to be unwell."
"Heh, they're quite patient."
Lin Shiming, who had been eavesdropping nearby, rolled his eyes, dropped his chewed-up pen, and ran over. "Father, when can I go and meet her?"
The child can't wait to go crazy!
Emperor Longyun tapped the table, deep in thought. Seeing this, Li An quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager invites the Empress and the two princes to visit the An Ding Province before dinner."
The sound of Emperor Longyun banging on the table stopped.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "Never mind, we'll have to meet sooner or later. The only reason I detained you was because she had the most fanfare when she first returned to the palace, and I was afraid that you would be burdened by your reputation and filial piety in public and would have to back down."
"But now that she has gone to Shou'an Palace, you, as the Crown Princess in charge of the harem, are in charge of the palace. I have nothing to worry about. You may go."
Lin Shiming nodded excitedly, "Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm!"
"And one more thing!" Emperor Longyun raised his hand and pointed at Lin Shiming, who was standing next to Bai Qiongzhu, "Protect your mother well, and don't let her be bullied."
"of course!"
"Today is her first day back, so let's not spread rumors that the Empress Dowager fell ill from anger as soon as she returned to the palace. It would be bad for your reputation."
"Sure, sure." I'll just stop them from spreading it!
Lin Shiming spoke earnestly and sincerely.
Emperor Longyun paused for a moment, carefully observing Lin Shiming's barely concealed excitement at the impending trouble, then sighed helplessly, "Crown Prince, keep a close eye on your wife. A little anger is enough; don't make me so angry I die. What's the point of all my schemes then?"
Bai Qiongzhu chuckled lightly, turned her head away, and refused to look at this seemingly "true" fool.
Lu Yuxi nodded seriously, and Lin Shiming's expression immediately changed. "Why doesn't Father trust me, just like my brother?"
Emperor Longyun was too lazy to argue with him, and turned to look at Li An, "I am hungry, prepare a meal."
*
At the hour of You (5-7 PM), everyone gathered in front of the main hall of Shou'an Palace.
The Empress Dowager's head maid, Huanpei, stood arrogantly on the corridor, raising her chin as she looked at the people arriving in the courtyard.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is tired from her journey and has not yet risen. Please wait in the courtyard, Your Highnesses and Princes."
Inside the palace, Empress Dowager Qin leaned leisurely against the couch, closing her eyes to rest. Although the weather had been nice lately, she had heard that Bai Qiongzhu was unwell, so letting her stand a little longer and perhaps fall ill was a good idea.
Just as the sound of jade pendants faded, Empress Dowager Qin vaguely heard a clear male voice outside.
Lin Shiming started to go crazy.
He made up a random excuse, "They're all people close to the Empress Dowager, yet they're still so careless in their work! Be clear, how long is 'later'?"
"Naturally, we will wait until Her Majesty the Empress Dowager rises."
Lin Shiming waved his hand, "Then the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince, and I will not wait any longer; attending to the ailing Emperor is of utmost importance."
With that, Lin Shiming prepared to leave with his men.
The surrounding concubines and imperial children were all dumbfounded.
Huanpei had been a senior palace maid by the Empress Dowager's side for seven years, and had witnessed the Empress Dowager's treatment of the Empress and Crown Prince Huamin, so she had always looked down on everyone. Now, seeing Lin Shiming daring to show such disrespect to the Empress Dowager, she immediately rebuked him.
"How dare you! How dare you be so arrogant in front of the Empress Dowager's gate!"
Lin Shiming, instead of getting angry, laughed and asked, "Who are you?"
Huanpei arrogantly raised her head, "I am the Empress Dowager's chief palace maid! And the most capable one at that!"
"A palace maid by the Empress Dowager's side," Lin Shiming chuckled. "She's nothing more than a servant."
"You, a mere servant, address your master as 'I,' call him 'you,' and even reprimand him at will. You clearly have no sense of hierarchy. How can Your Majesty allow such an ill-mannered servant to tarnish Your Majesty's reputation?"
Lin Shiming turned to the side, "Zhao Lei!"
"The slave is here."
“Send this insolent lackey to the Department of Cautious Punishment.”
"The slave obeys."
Zhao Lei immediately led several eunuchs forward and tried to drag Huanpei away.
Huanpei was terrified and struggled desperately, "How dare you! I am the Empress Dowager's head maid!"
"Whether you're a maid or not, you're essentially just a servant. I'm in charge of palace affairs. Do I need to consider anyone's feelings when dealing with a disrespectful servant? Take her away!"
Huanpei was no match for the eunuchs and was quickly dragged into the courtyard.
In a panic and fear, she cried out, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, save me! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
The main hall door suddenly opened, and the Empress Dowager, dressed in full regalia, appeared in the doorway, shouting:
"presumptuous!"