In the Queen Mother's Palace.
Shanshan held a piece of snack in his hands, his cheeks bulging as he ate. There were bits of snacks on her white and tender face, and she found them carefully and ate them.
I had eaten a lot at the palace banquet just now, but now my appetite has not diminished at all, and I still have a huge appetite for the snacks made by the imperial chef.
The Queen Mother looked at the little girl sitting next to her with a smile.
She was obviously in a very good mood. The two little buds on her head swayed with her movements, and the jade-lined stamens in the beaded flower also trembled.
The Queen Mother picked up a piece of snack and asked, "Do you want more?"
Shanshan touched her round belly and felt that every burp tasted sweet. She said regretfully: "I can't eat any more."
The Queen Mother regretted letting go.
"The Queen Mother, do you have anything to do with me?" After eating the snacks, Shanshan couldn't sit still and looked out frequently: "I've been here for a long time, and my mother will definitely be worried if she can't see me. of."
The child was not at all shy in front of her. The Queen Mother smiled and said, "You child, are you not afraid of the Aijia at all?"
"Why should I be afraid of you?"
Before entering the palace, her mother personally warned her that she must pay attention to etiquette and not be presumptuous. He remembered all these good deeds and was careful after entering the palace. But all these cautions disappeared after seeing the emperor.
Shanshan raised his head and looked at her, his round eyes full of innocence and sincerity, and said: "Mother Queen, I have met the emperor before. Last time, when school was over, the family carriage left first, so I had to go by myself. Go back, it was the emperor who picked me up on the road and sent me home. If it hadn't been for the emperor, I might have been captured by the flower photographers. You are not cruel, and you gave me delicious snacks, which are better than those of my grandmother. All is well, you must be as good a person as the emperor."
As well as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Wen Jiahe, they all treated her very well, much better than her second cousin and fourth cousin in the Zhongyong residence. Just like everyone said how scary the emperor was, but in Shanshan's heart, the emperor was the kind uncle who sent her home and invited her into the palace.
The Queen Mother was also kind and kind to her, and unlike the people in Zhongyong's Mansion who told her about this and that rule, Shanshan felt very at ease sitting next to her and didn't feel flustered at all.
She even wanted to get close to the Queen Mother, so she took the initiative and said, "Jiahe also told me about you."
Jiahe is her granddaughter. The Queen Mother asked with a smile: "You and Jiahe also know each other?"
Shanshan said happily: "Sister Jiahe is my good friend. We are both studying at Qingsong Academy. Sister Jiahe is very smart. She can listen to what the Master said in class. She also teaches me my homework and takes me to play in the village. , she’s doing well.”
Shanshan remembered again: it was with the emperor's consent that she could study in the school.
The emperor is such a good man!
The Queen Mother smiled.
Although she didn't know what was going on with the emperor, she could tell at a glance that the child's facial features were similar to those of the royal family. The other half probably followed her mother, whom she had just seen from a distance, and she was a gentle and elegant girl.
This is the emperor's child and her little granddaughter.
Her grandchildren are only the prince and Jiahe. The prince is getting older and involved in worldly affairs, while Jiahe often lives outside the palace and is deserted around him. If this child could be his daughter, she would be a lot more lively around him.
"Good boy." The Queen Mother said lovingly, "How have you and your mother been these past few years?"
"that's great."
"Your father is not around, but what kind of injustice have you suffered?"
"My mother is very kind to me." Shanshan thought for a while and said, "It's just that my mother works hard. She has to do business and support me, and there are always people who want to bully her. I always think, if I It would be nice if dad is still here."
The Queen Mother's eyes moved slightly: "Has your mother told you about your father?"
"No, my mother never mentioned it." She said, "Mother Queen Mother, you don't know that when I came to the palace to attend your birthday banquet, I actually wanted to find my father. My father seems to be in the capital."
Shanshan was extremely disappointed when it came to his father.
Although the snacks in the palace were delicious, she had not forgotten the purpose of entering the palace. She had already secretly seen everyone at today's banquet. Although she didn't know her father's name or his appearance, she always felt that she would be able to recognize him at a glance as long as he appeared in front of her.
Her father must be wise, mighty and mighty, the most powerful of them all. But the people at the palace banquet today were either elderly, bearded, or already had families. From what she saw, the rest of them were not as good-looking as Mr. He. There's no way he's her father.
"But I didn't find it." Shanshan said sadly, "Maybe the Bodhisattva has too many things to do and didn't hear my wish."
The Queen Mother remained silent. She spoke cautiously, knowing that a person's resurrection from death was already bizarre, and she didn't know if there was more to the story. She didn't dare to respond decisively in front of the children at this time.
She reached out and stroked the little girl's head, as if to soothe her sadness, "Tell Aijia about your mother again."
Shanshan was shaken up and immediately sat up straight, his eyes shining brightly. Then she would have a lot to say!
Her mother was the best in the world. As long as she could remember, Shanshan had countless good things to say, and she could talk endlessly. The Queen Mother listened with a smile and did not interrupt.
After a long time, the palace servants came in and summoned: "The Queen Mother, Madam Wen is here to look for her child."
"Let her in."
Shanshan was talking with great interest. When she heard it now, she missed her mother even more. She couldn't wait to stretch her head and look outside, and saw Wen Yiqing walking in with his head lowered and bowing to the Queen Mother in a proper manner. She stood up with a calm face, except for the bright red around the corners of her eyes, which showed traces of crying.
"mother?!"
Not caring about anything else, Shanshan immediately climbed down from his seat, ran over and threw himself into his mother's arms.
She stood on tiptoes and reached out to touch her mother's face. Wen Yiqing bent down and held her in his arms, and a pair of soft and sweet little hands came to the corners of her red eyes.
Shanshan touched it, her tears had been wiped away in advance, and her cheeks were dry. Shanshan asked worriedly: "Mom, have you cried? Has anyone bullied you?"
"No." Wen Yiqing whispered, "No one bullied me."
"Mom, the emperor is the kind-hearted uncle I told you before. He is a kind man. If someone bullies you, he will definitely help."
Wen Yiqing couldn't help but close her eyes. She swallowed her emotions hard and said calmly: "...Mom won't lie to you."
Shanshan looked left and right, but couldn't see anything, so he took his mother's hand and introduced her happily: "Mom, this is the Queen Mother. She just gave me a lot of delicious snacks."
Wen Yiqing quickly grabbed the child and said sternly: "Son, please don't be rude to the Queen Mother."
Shanshan was silent for a moment, looking up at her blankly, scared into a little quail by his mother's sudden ferocity. The Queen Mother came to the rescue with a gentle voice: "No problem, the Ai family thinks this child is destined to be with the Ai family."
Her eyes fell on Wen Yiqing. She was not a five-year-old child, how could she not see that something was wrong with Wen Yiqing? There was no joy in his expression, only sadness. It seemed that the conversation with the emperor would not have a good result.
She suppressed the confusion in her heart and saw that the child's eyes were still lingering on the snacks on the table. The queen mother told the palace servants: "Go and ask the kitchen to put more snacks in the kitchen and let the child take it with him when he leaves the palace."
Shanshan's eyes lit up and he said sweetly: "Empress Dowager, you are such a good person!"
The Queen Mother smiled broadly.
Regardless of whether the emperor said it or not, this is her little granddaughter. She smiled and said, "If you still want to eat the palace's snacks, ask Jiahe to take you into the palace next time. The Ai family has them prepared every day."
"The Queen Mother, thank you!"
Wen Yiqing's emotions were complicated. He wanted to say rejection several times, but when he lowered his eyes to look at the child's cheerful appearance, and then looked at the kind-hearted Queen Mother, the words rolled around in his throat, and finally he swallowed them back in his stomach.
She thanked her hurriedly and couldn't wait to lead the child away. Shanshan only had time to wave her little hand goodbye to the Queen Mother before she was pulled out by her mother.
Shanshan is confused.
Even though she was usually very conceited, she could still tell that her mother was in a bad mood at this time. She wanted to speak several times, but as soon as she called "Mother", she was stopped.
Wen Yiqing held her hand and strode into the deep palace in the cold night, as if there were monsters and ghosts chasing her, and Shanshan had to trot to keep up. She looked back and saw that only a palace maid was following them with a food box. Inside was a snack sent by the Queen Mother, and the fragrant smell came out from the cracks in the food box.
Shanshan raised his head to look at his mother.
In the dark night, only the lanterns held by the palace servants illuminated the road ahead for them. She couldn't see her mother's face clearly, but she could only feel her mother holding her hand so hard that it hurt.
When they went to the Queen Mother's Palace, the lively palace banquet was about to end, and the two of them left the palace directly.
People have been coming out of the palace gate one after another. Shan Shanfang showed his face once at the banquet. Now he has attracted a lot of attention as soon as he stepped out of the palace gate.
Qi Wenyue was talking to Mrs. Zheng when he saw the figures of the mother and daughter from a distance, but they were still as before. They were not as embarrassed or frustrated as they had imagined. There was actually a palace maid carrying a food box following behind them.
Then Wen Shan offended the emperor at the banquet, so why didn't he seem to be punished at all?
With a thought in mind, Qi Wenyue spoke to Mrs. Zheng and came over with a smile on her face: "Qing Niang..."
Wen Yiqing's face turned ugly: "Get out of the way."
Qi Wenyue was stunned for a moment, then became furious: "Qing Niang, I also care about you with good intentions, what is your attitude?"
Wen Yiqing held the child and looked at her indifferently.
She was holding a huge fire in her heart, but she could not vent it to the emperor, the most noble person in the world, let alone her child. She usually never loses her temper with others. She always thinks that she has tried her best enough, but not everything can go as she wishes.
"Mrs. Xuanpinghou." Her voice was gentle: "A commoner's woman is just a commoner, and her status is not as noble as yours. If you really want to quarrel with me, there are many people here. It just so happens that I also have a lot to say to them. .”
Qi Wenyue's face turned pale and he took a step back: "You...what do you mean by this?"
"You know what it means." Wen Yiqing said coldly: "Get out of the way."
Qi Wenyue didn't dare to pester her anymore, as all the dignitaries present were afraid that she would reveal her identity in public. She took a step back and watched Wen Yiqing get into the carriage.
That’s all.
What is she arguing with Wen Yiqing? A person who offended the emperor might have bad news about her tomorrow. With this time, she might as well have a few more words with Mrs. Zheng. Today at the palace banquet, Lord Zheng was summoned by the emperor, which shows his great honor!
…
More late at night.
Zheng Rong knelt outside the royal study, his brocade clothes soaked with cold sweat. He had no feeling in his feet.
The great eunuch walked out softly and said, "Master Zheng, your Majesty, please come in."
"Eunuch Liang." Zheng Rong stood up, his feet suddenly felt pain, and he couldn't even stand steady, but at this time he could no longer care and said hurriedly: "Eunuch Liang, does the emperor have anything to say?"
Tonight, there was a banquet in the Queen Mother's palace, and everyone was celebrating. He was drinking with his colleagues, but he was summoned by the emperor. He didn't even see the emperor's face, so he knelt outside until now.
He was worried, and even half of his drunkenness was blown away by the night wind. He recalled all the errands he had done during the day, but he never thought of anything wrong.
Liang Yong sighed: "Master Zheng, go ahead."
Zheng Rong was even more uneasy.
He walked into the palace, knelt down in front of the emperor again, saluted and said hello, but waited for a long time without hearing the emperor's voice.
Bian Chen sat behind the desk.
He tapped his fingers on the table. In just a moment, the movements of the Wen family's mother and daughter after they arrived in Beijing were presented to him.
Wen Yiqing suddenly came to Beijing. He originally lived in Zhongyong Bo's Mansion. He moved out the day after his child's accident and bought a house shop. Now he is running a makeup business. He is innocent and simple, and can be summarized in just a few sentences. He looked over it over and over again.
As for the Jiangnan side, he had sent manpower to investigate the whole story of the embezzlement of disaster relief funds and the Wen family's movements over the years. However, the sky was high and the road was far away, and there was no news for a while.
"Zheng Rong."
Zheng Rong lowered his head lower: "I'm here."
The emperor's eyes were cold as he looked at his capable subordinate kneeling underneath.
He slowly said: "When I first ascended the throne, the court was in turmoil, and there were internal and external troubles. You were young at that time. Because your father had the ability to protect you, I took you with me. For more than ten years, I trusted you You, regard you as a sibling with a different surname, and think that I have never treated you badly."
Zheng Rong said hurriedly: "I am so honored by the emperor. I am very grateful."
"Six years ago, I paid a private visit incognito, and only asked you to accompany me. Many matters were also left to you to handle." Bian Chen said: "When I returned from quelling the turmoil, it was you who told me with your jade pendant that it was the remnants of the party who counterattacked. The fire burned Ah Qing to death, and his body was sent back to the Wen family for early burial. Later, an urgent report came from the capital, and I will leave you in Yuncheng to take care of my future affairs."
"..." Zheng Rong fell to the ground, sweating profusely.
Many years have passed since the incident, and he never expected that the emperor would bring up the old matter again.
He gritted his teeth and replied: "...Yes."
He said: "Back then, Wei Chen fell into the trap of luring the tiger away from the mountain and went back when he realized something was wrong. Miss Wen was already buried in the sea of fire. Miss Wen's parents lost their only daughter. When Wei Chen returned to the capital, he also ordered the local magistrate to take more care of her."
"Yeah?"
Zheng Rong: "I dare not deceive Your Majesty."
Wow!
Everything on the table was brushed down by the emperor in anger. He strode down the steps and grabbed Zheng Rong's clothes, forcing him to raise his head in fear. The emperor's stern brows were stained red with rage: "Zheng Rong, I trust you, so I leave everything to you, and I have never doubted your words. Tell me, if Ah Qing is already dead, why am I here today?" Saw her at the palace banquet?!"
"What?!" Zheng Rong was shocked.
Back then, he had made a good deal with that Miss Wen family, but Miss Wen family was clearly disheartened and said that she would never pester the emperor again and actively cooperated with the fake death. Yuncheng is far away, and the emperor cannot bear to revisit his old place due to grief. How did Wen Yiqing sneak into the palace banquet and be seen by the emperor? !
But the matter has reached this point and can no longer be concealed.
His mind turned quickly and he said earnestly: "That Miss Wen is just a common merchant, but His Majesty wants to make her his queen. She has a low status, how can she be matched?"
Bian Chen let go of his hand, stood up slowly, and looked at him condescendingly.
"Your Majesty, I will serve your Majesty with all my heart." Zheng Rong knelt at his feet, knocked his head on the cold stone bricks, closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth and said, "That's all."
Of course it's more than that.
The Zheng family has the merit of following the dragon. Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has always been reused and trusted by the emperor. His sister is the only woman in the harem. She is in charge of the affairs of the middle palace and is the most glorious.
Even though he knew that Concubine Zheng was in name only, he didn't take it seriously. He is a close minister of the emperor, and he understands the emperor's intentions best.
The late emperor was dissolute and immoral, doting on his concubines and destroying his wives. Even the current queen mother was almost killed in a palace fight. The princes even fought for the throne to the death. The emperor therefore hated the harem. It was just that when the young emperor ascended the throne for the first time, the political power was unstable, and the ministers repeatedly petitioned for inclusion in the harem. The Zheng family took the initiative to send their daughter into the palace, firstly to relieve the emperor's worries, and secondly to consolidate his power.
Nothing has gone wrong over the years. No matter whether the prince ascends the throne or Concubine Zheng gives birth to a prince, when the emperor grows old, the glory of their Zheng family can still last for hundreds of years.
The emperor, who had always been cold-hearted and had not been moved by his sister in the harem for more than ten years, fell in love with a folk girl alone in a small town in the south of the Yangtze River. He wanted to take her back to the capital and make her his queen.
He was also in a dilemma between the monarch he served and the future of his family.
I thought it was perfectly concealed. Over the years, I have covered up everything, and Miss Wen has been staying in Yuncheng without any movement. After so many years, he thought that this matter should have been over long ago, and even he himself had forgotten the face of the girl named Wen.
How come...she just entered the palace? !
Bian Chen looked at the courtier kneeling on the ground with cold eyes.
The sound of needle drops could be heard in the imperial study room, and even Zheng Rong's heavy breathing and breathing, which he deliberately suppressed, were particularly clear. Although he managed to maintain his composure, cold sweat was covering his forehead.
After a long while, the emperor smiled sarcastically.
"I remember that when you first came to me, you didn't even dare to kill a bird."
Bian Chen turned around and walked back to the high seat. The footsteps were dull, step by step, as if they were stepping on his heart. Zheng Rong was trembling all over, sweating profusely, and even kneeling unsteadily.
"You have become much bolder over the years."
…
On the second day, he didn't have to go to school. He was called three times by the maid, and Shanshan lazily opened his eyes.
Yesterday, she went to the palace to attend a palace banquet. She came home late, well past her usual bedtime, so she fell asleep in the carriage, and she doesn't know anything about what happened next.
She stretched out her hand, coquettishly asked the maid to pick her up, put on her clothes, combed her hair, and then happily ran to find her mother to have breakfast with her.
Today, the cook at home is also showing off his talents. A pot of fresh porridge was simmered with sea cucumbers and scallops, accompanied by steamed soft and waxy chicken feet, crystal clear shrimp dumplings, golden spring rolls, salty squab, and a few side dishes. Shanshan eats without raising his head.
Early in the morning, the wet nurse was mumbling: "...I heard that Mr. Zheng was whipped last night. His skin and flesh were bruised and bloody. When he was sent out of the palace, the family could hardly recognize him."
Wen Yiqing said coldly: "Why are you asking about this?"
"It's not just the servants asking about it, it's spread all over the world." The capital city is at the foot of the emperor. Whenever there is any disturbance, the people of Li will hear about it. What's more, there are dignitaries living near them, and they are the best informed. The wet nurse babbled: "It is said that the Zheng family is the mother clan of noble concubines. They are so famous and glorious that even Uncle Zhongyong's house cannot compare with them. A few days ago, they even called me the uncle of the country. In the blink of an eye, even dogs can't Dare to pass in front of Zheng’s house.”
"..."
"By the way, I heard that Mr. Zheng was transferred to Yuezhou." The nanny said, gasping: "Yuezhou is so desolate that ordinary people are unwilling to go. How is it different from being exiled?"
"Miss, what do you think Mr. Zheng has done? To make the emperor so angry?"
Wen Yiqing put a shrimp dumpling into her little daughter's bowl without raising her eyelids: "It has nothing to do with me anyway, so what does it matter what he does?"
The wet nurse sighed for a while, but didn't mention it again.
Before the breakfast was finished, the servant guarding the door hurried in.
"Master, someone is coming from outside, bringing a load of things!"
Shanshan raised his head from his rice bowl and asked subconsciously: "Is it Uncle Shen again?"
"It's not Mr. Shen, but...it seems like someone from the palace..."
Shan Shan turned his head and looked at each other with his mother.
At the entrance of Wen's house, a palace servant was waiting with a carriage. The carriage was loaded with things, including silks, silks, antiques and treasures. There was even a Western clock as tall as a person.
As soon as he saw Shanshan come out, he smiled and said: "Miss Wen, we are here to give you something on the orders of the Queen Mother!"
