Although the rumor was very close to the truth, who would suddenly spread the truth for no reason?
Emperor Mu narrowed his eyes and thought deeply: "There should be something fishy about this matter. I will ask someone to ask, but in the end it may not be settled."
The Queen Mother frowned: "Why?"
"Prince Rong's Mansion went to the Xie family to hire someone yesterday. I guess someone in the community must have taken advantage of the excitement of hiring someone to make random guesses, and then they were taken advantage of by some thoughtful people."
"A caring person?" The Queen Mother looked indifferent, "Who is the caring person the emperor is talking about? The Xie family, or someone who has a conflict of interest with the Qin family?"
"The Queen Mother is too worried. The Xie family will not do such a thing." Emperor Mu waved his hand and vouched for the Xie family without hesitation, "I would rather believe that the Qin family deliberately ruined their reputation. I believe it was done by Xie’s family.”
The Queen Mother looked gloomy: "The Emperor actually trusts the Xie family so much?"
Emperor Mu said firmly: "The Xie family is worthy of trust."
The Queen Mother was unhappy and did not want to continue this topic.
She invited him here today not for this matter, but because she had something more important to say.
"The Crown Prince has been appointed. Has Your Majesty ever thought of choosing two concubines for the Crown Prince?" The Queen Mother closed her eyes and gently scratched the tea cup. The exquisite armor reflected the cold light, just like the coldness in her tone. , "There are several juniors in the Ai family's maternal family. They are gentle and beautiful in appearance, and have well-educated and sensible temperaments. They are all ladies who have been carefully cultivated since childhood. If the prince is given as a concubine, the Ai family will also have a relative to accompany them in the future. Your Majesty wishes. How about the next one?"
Emperor Mu was silent for a moment, wanting to say that the Queen Mother's relatives were not only the Chen family, but that the emperor sitting in front of her was her real relative and her dearest son in the world.
Several princes and princesses in the royal family are her grandsons and granddaughters. Which one is not more closely related by blood than the Chen family?
But Emperor Mu was a filial son.
He knew how sad the Queen Mother was after Concubine Hui passed away.
Thinking that she had been in seclusion for more than twenty years and had almost lost contact with her mother clan, Emperor Mu could not bear it. He did not refute her words, but said: "Rong Cang is stubborn. He was not very close to women before, but now he just After entering the East Palace, I asked him to focus more on government affairs and not think about those messy things all day long."
"Your Majesty is confused." The Queen Mother pretended to be the emperor's mother and reprimanded unhappily, "Rong Cang must be in his early twenties this year. The Crown Princess is only pregnant with her first child, so the heirs are too thin. The Crown Prince's responsibilities are not only To assist the government and supervise the country, he also needs to spread his branches and branches. What ordinary adult man of his age doesn't have three wives and four concubines, with children running around all over the place?"
"The Queen Mother is right. However, Rong Cang has been staying at the border all year round. He got married a few years later than other princes, and the heir naturally came later." Emperor Mu sighed softly, "And the Crown Princess has been raising a baby recently. This matter Slow down a little."
"The Ai family issued a decree and ordered Mrs. Chen to send the two girls first." The queen mother made her own decision, obviously not intending to pay attention to the emperor's thoughts, "The princess's family background is not available, the emperor should choose some for the prince. The daughter of an aristocratic family who can do this can make their family more loyal to the royal family. This is a trade-off, and the emperor should know it."
Emperor Mu's expression was subtle and he didn't want to talk.
He had no intention of getting involved in Rong Cang's matter.
What's more, the child in Yun Fei's belly is getting older day by day. Rong Cang is now at the stage of getting familiar with government affairs. The young people in the East Palace also need to practice with Rong Cang. How can they put so much energy into the love of their children?
Even if you really want to take a concubine, you must at least wait until Yun Fei's child is safely born.
However, the Queen Mother was his mother, and it was not good to refute him again and again. The matter of establishing a prince had gone against her will, so it was enough to accept the small matter of accepting a concubine for the prince.
Anyway, Rong Cang's bad temper probably wouldn't agree.
Emperor Mu put down the tea cup: "Since the Queen Mother has made this decision, it is natural to listen to the Queen Mother. When the people come, let Rong Cang have a look. If he is satisfied, he will stay. If he is not satisfied, he will stay with the Queen Mother for a while and see when the time comes. Which man in the capital is suitable and can find a satisfactory marriage for them."
The Queen Mother's expression darkened.
She wants to grant Rong Cang a marriage, how can she not agree to it?
The Chen girls entered the palace to be concubines. Which ordinary man would be worthy of them?
The emperor is really getting more and more alive.
But she was too lazy to argue with him. When they came, Rong Cang would have to take it if he wanted it, or if he didn't want it.
…
The rumors fermented for several days, and Qin Zhilan's reputation was almost completely ruined.
When Taifu Qin learned about this, he sent people out to find out who was spreading the rumors, but there were so many rumors outside that he couldn't find the source at all. Even if he spent money, the people he asked were all the same, and there was no definite result.
Mrs. Qin had no choice but to go to the palace to see the queen and beg the queen to make the decision for her daughter.
"There are rumors outside?" The Queen frowned, "Who spread it?"
"I really don't know." Mrs. Qin looked worried. "I beg the Queen to make the decision. I really have no choice. Yesterday, there was a huge recruitment battle in Prince Rong's palace. People were discussing this matter in the streets and alleys. When they talked about this Regarding the marriage, Zhi Lan was mentioned for some reason, insisting that Zhi Lan had pushed Dan Shu into the water in order to break off the engagement, and begging the Queen to see clearly, Zhi Lan would never do such a thing."
The queen looked at her expressionlessly: "Mrs. Qin, did your daughter tell you after she returned that on the day the engagement was terminated, she personally told me that she wanted to marry the prince as a concubine?"
What?
Mrs. Qin was startled, and the color in her face gradually faded: "What the Queen means is..."
"I have no other intentions." The queen held the tea cup and sipped the tea with her eyes closed. "It's just that the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have a deep love for each other and cannot tolerate other women for the time being, so I rejected her. As for the rumors outside. Who started it...I believe that Dan Shu will not stir up trouble."
Mrs. Qin's heart sank, and she quickly said: "My wife has absolutely no doubts about Miss Danshu's intentions. It's just that I don't know who deliberately wants to sow discord between the Xie family and the Qin family. It's so cruel."
"This palace will send someone to investigate this matter, you can rest assured." The queen put down the tea cup and looked at Mrs. Qin calmly and majestically, "But the Qin family girl is not too young, so she should still worry about her marriage. Get up, don’t waste your time.”
Mrs. Qin heard what she meant, her face paled, and she lowered her head and replied, "Yes, I will take it to heart. Thank you, Queen, for your concern."
"Kneel down."
"My wife, please retire."
Stepping out of the Shuhuang Palace gate with weak steps, Mrs. Qin's heart was heavy and she couldn't help but guess what the queen meant - could this matter really be related to Zhilan?
no, I can not.
It is impossible for Zhi Lan to do such a thing.
Even if...
Mrs. Qin gritted her teeth. Even if she really did this, it would be the best of all three, right?
If Xie Danshu is unwilling to marry Rong Huaishu, no one will force her to marry.
It was of her own free will.
But Zhilan, she...
"Mrs. Qin." An elderly nun came with two palace maids, "The Queen Mother learned that Mrs. Qin entered the palace and summoned you to Shou'an Palace to talk."
Mrs. Qin was a little surprised, wondering why the Queen Mother summoned her.
The Empress Dowager summoned her and obviously did not allow her to ask any more questions. Mrs. Qin said politely: "Please lead the way."
Eunuch Baoyuan watched Mrs. Qin leave with Nun Shou'an Palace, then turned around and ran into the palace: "Madam, Mrs. Qin has been invited by the Queen Mother."
The queen was about to lie down and rest for a while. She was stunned when she heard this, then slowly frowned and said thoughtfully: "The queen mother is really well-informed. Mrs. Qin just left the palace, and the people she sent were outside to check her. Please come over."
Baoyuan respectfully asked for instructions: "Shall I go and inquire?"
