Snow has fallen, and the glazed tiles are covered with a layer of white.
The queen got up early and sent people to tell the concubines in each palace that the road was slippery in the snow and there was no need to go over to say hello.
After Concubine Fu had breakfast, Wei Zhong came in and reported, "Your Majesty, the fifth prince has come to the palace to pay his respects."
Concubine Fu was a little surprised when she heard this, and said, "Today is not the day for him to come to the palace to pay his respects, not to mention it is so cold."
With that said, he ordered people to invite the fifth prince in quickly.
After the fifth prince came in, he stood outside first, and then came in after the coldness on his body subsided.
"It's very cold today, come here and warm yourself by the fire." Concubine Fu called her son affectionately, "How are Lan Ning these days? Yesterday I asked someone to send her her favorite snacks."
"Concubine, don't worry about it. Everything is fine with her. She asked the imperial doctor to check her pulse and said that the fetus is stable." The fifth prince said with a smile, "I just eat well. The snacks sent by the palace yesterday will be waiting for me." She had already finished half of it when she got home.”
"That's good, that's good. The mouth will be stronger and the baby will be strong when she is born." Concubine Fu said with a happy smile, "I think it will only last for half a month at most. At this time, you have to be more careful. "
When she said this, a trace of hesitation flashed in the fifth prince's eyes.
Concubine Fu glanced at her son and asked, "Why did you come into the palace today? What's the matter?"
The fifth prince said with some difficulty: "Mother, concubine, son, I came to the palace today to say goodbye to you."
"Farewell? Where are you going?" Concubine Fu's tone couldn't help but become anxious.
"There is a white disaster in Longxi. My father sent me to provide relief. I will leave after noon today." The fifth prince said.
After hearing this, Concubine Fu was silent for a long time, and then she said: "The people who have suffered disasters should be given timely relief. As a prince, it is your duty to share His Majesty's worries above and to solve the problems for the people below.
I'm just worried that Lan Ning is about to give birth and I can't leave the palace. well……"
"There is no need to worry, mother-in-law. My mother and sister-in-law, named Lan Ning, will be with her." The fifth prince quickly comforted his mother, "Lan Ning also said that the people around her are reliable people, so be careful in everything. I think it will always be safe.”
"That's all we have to do," Concubine Fu sighed softly, "I will ask two honest nuns to come out of the palace to serve her later. There must be a few elderly people around to hold the position."
After the mother and son talked for a while, the fifth prince stood up and left.
Concubine Fu was reluctant to leave and said, "Let's go after dinner."
"I was supposed to accompany my mother and concubine Yong Shan, but I was afraid of not being able to make it in time. I still have to leave the palace to collect money and cotton-padded clothes from the Ministry of Household Affairs. If I go late, I'm afraid it will delay my departure from the capital."
Concubine Fu knew that the emperor's order could not be violated, and besides, this was a state matter and could not be delayed.
After the fifth prince left, Xue Hengzhao came in to order tea.
Concubine Fu said: "I'm a little confused. Why did I send Lao Wu to the capital when I knew Lan Ning was about to give birth?"
"Someone must have said something to the emperor," Xue Hengzhao said while cleaning the tea cup. "This slave also feels abnormal."
"Wei Zhong," Concubine Fu called Wei Zhong to her side, "Go and find out who suggested that the Fifth Prince go to the disaster relief."
Wei Zhong went away for a long time before coming back and said: "Your Majesty, I have inquired clearly. This matter was agreed upon earlier in the morning, and several officials from the Ministry of Husbandry and the Ministry of Personnel jointly submitted a recommendation for our fifth prince to go as the governor. Longxi."
"Needless to say, the Household Department and the Staff Department are mainly controlled by the Ma family." Concubine Fu shook her head gently and said, "That's what I'm afraid of."
"The second prince's miscarriage must be blamed on us." Wei Zhong said, "Removing the fifth prince from the capital is like removing a tiger from the mountain!"
"What should we do?" Concubine Fu was of course anxious, "Are they going to attack Lan Ning?"
"I think it's more than that." Xue Hengzhao said, "Not only must we prevent them from attacking the fifth prince's concubine, but we must also prevent them from attacking the fifth prince."
This sentence reminded Concubine Fu, and she became even more anxious: "Attacking Lao Wu? Could they be thinking halfway..."
"Don't worry, Madam, I don't expect them to be so bold as to openly assassinate the prince." Xue Hengzhao further pointed out, "But since the fifth prince is asked to go to the disaster relief, he will inevitably do something about it.
When the time comes, I will read a book, either saying that they are pretending to be public benefiting for personal gain, embezzling official money, or saying that they do not care about the people and disregard human lives..."
Before Xue Hengzhao finished speaking, Concubine Fu's face had turned pale: "This... what should I do?"
Although everything is calm at the moment, Concubine Fu knows that disaster is not far away.
In such a snowy day, Ma Feiyan still entered the palace.
She rested for two months and her body had basically recovered, but the wounds in her heart refused to heal.
"Master, look at how beautifully these cranes dance in the snow!" Linghua said, pointing to the group of cranes dancing not far away.
Ma only glanced at it, showing no interest.
"Master doesn't like cranes, why don't we go over there and see the peacocks." Xiaocao said hurriedly, "Those white peacocks must have grown up, and they look very unique when they open their wings."
"Then what's there to see? The white snow and the white peacock are not the same color." Ma Feiyan went to the Queen's Palace first, chatted with her for a while and then came out.
Being in front of the queen is a bit reserved, not to mention that she can't be interested in anything right now, and talking with her is quite draining.
Woof woof woof...
A pug like a furball turned out from behind the rockery, followed by several people running behind it. They were the seventh princess and her two maids.
The seventh princess looks very similar to her mother Li Fei. She is a delicate little beauty.
It was snowing today. She was wearing a gorilla felt and ferret ear protection. Her cheeks were rosy due to the cold weather and running, which made her look even more beautiful.
When Mrs. Ma saw her, she couldn't help but think, no wonder the emperor loved this daughter the most, and he was born to be picky.
The two maids came to greet me in the morning, and the seventh princess said with a smile: "Second sister-in-law is very interested in watching the crane dance here."
Regardless of the relationship between the concubines, the prince and princesses are still brothers and sisters.
Ma Feiyan is her sister-in-law. Even if she is not close to her, there has never been any conflict.
"You are already a big girl, but you are still so naughty." Ma Feiyan said.
"I'm only thirteen after the New Year," the seventh princess stuck out her tongue, "I don't have a few more years to play, so I have to hurry up."
Ma Feiyan was amused by her and smiled, thinking that at her age, she was naive and didn't understand anything.
"Second sister-in-law, are you feeling well?" The seventh princess knew how to care about people.
Mentioning this, Ma Feiyan couldn't help but look even more gloomy.
She felt that the Seventh Princess was really a little bit off-putting, but she couldn't get angry with her because of this.
"Second sister-in-law, if you still want a nephew, why don't you ask for a birth talisman?" The seventh princess said bluntly, "They said the talisman drawn by Taoist Qingque is effective."
