The scent of sandalwood wafts through the quiet room.
As the most honorable woman in the Daqing Dynasty, the empress dowager was dressed too plainly, with no jewelry on her body except for a jade bracelet that could no longer be removed.
She did not recite any scriptures at this time. She leaned against the cushion with her eyes closed and rested, occasionally covering her mouth and coughing lightly.
"My lady, Yuxiang is back."
The Queen Mother opened her eyes and said, "Come in."
Yuxiang brushed off the cold air at the door, and then warmed herself by the brazier before pushing the door open and entering the quiet room, "Madam, I am back."
"You saw it?"
"Yes, I saw it." Yuxiang knelt down at the Queen Mother's feet, gently laid her feet flat, pressed them with appropriate pressure, and said, "I think she is a good girl, soft and hard, and quite courageous. She looks very impressive."
"Why did Wan Niang wait for her to come back before she let go of that anger? I think she should be good. I was worried that she couldn't control her elders, but now it seems that I underestimated her. Where is Hua Jing?"
"She is still in that shed. When I went there, she cried miserably to me. When I left, I looked around and saw that the brazier in the shed was burning brightly and the blankets were piled thickly. I guess she was not neglected."
The Queen Mother chuckled, "How could you not know what's going on here? It's hard for that kid to think of everything so well. I want to see how she's going to deal with Hua Jing in the end. If she doesn't do anything, I'll have to take action."
The Queen Mother still had her smile on her face, but it made people feel cold no matter how they looked at her. Having lived in the palace for most of her life, she didn't learn anything else, but she had mastered those methods of taking people's lives without any instruction.
"I think you don't stand a chance. That girl is not one to back off. But Hua Jing is her aunt after all. If she doesn't want to be defeated, she has to think of some tricks."
"They eat the same rice and drink the same water, but the people they raise are so different." The Queen Mother thought of her second son and felt even more empathetic towards Wan Niang. "Did Yan Xi come to the palace today?"
"The emperor has summoned the prince to the palace these days." Looking up at her master, Yuxiang whispered, "I overheard that the prince went to the Hua family to pay his respects, and the emperor was a little unhappy."
"Yan Xi went to pay respects to Wan Niang?" The Queen Mother didn't know about this. She was worshipped as an ancestor in the palace and had been out of touch with the affairs for many years. She didn't know when Yan Xi had any relationship with the Hua family. "Who did he go to?"
Yuxiang lowered her head and said, "I dare not ask more. I only heard this vaguely."
The Queen Mother frowned slightly, "You go there and tell her that I miss him and ask him to come and have dinner with me."
"yes."
Inside the imperial study, Gu Yanxi, whose face had no scars and looked only 30% the same as usual, was holding the emperor down and asking the imperial physician to remove the silver needle from the emperor's head.
As soon as his strength eased, the emperor pushed him away and stood up. He shook his head back and forth and felt much more relaxed. He glanced at his nephew and scolded him with a smile: "I think you are so bold that you dare to attack me. If you can do this yourself, are you going to use it on me?"
"yes."
The emperor raised his hand and gave him a slap in the face, but he felt very satisfied in his heart. If Yan Xi had not had a purpose, there would be no need for him to do such a rebellious act. His sons respected him very much, and they shouted "Long live him" and expressed their concern for him, but compared with what Yan Xi had done, these words were nothing.
"Okay, don't be angry with me. If you had told me earlier that Hua Yizheng was indebted to you, I might have given him a lighter sentence. Just go, it's not a big deal."
Compared to those families who were eager to cut off their relationship with the Hua family, Yan Xi's move made him look more upright. "Go back and take a look when you have time. I see that you almost don't know which way the gate of the Prince's Mansion opens."
"If you forgot, then forget it. I have somewhere to go." Gu Yanxi said indifferently, "If you don't have any other instructions, I will leave the palace first."
"No hurry, stay and have dinner with me before leaving."
Just as Gu Yanxi was about to refuse, she heard the voice of Eunuch Lai Fu, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has sent someone to invite His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"It seems I'll have to wait until next time. Go ahead. My mother is in a bad mood right now. You should stay with her and talk to her more."
"Yes, I will take my leave."
Gu Yanxi strode away. His every word and action showed neither the fear rather than respect that an ordinary minister would show towards the emperor, nor the attempt to curry favor with the emperor that a prince would show. He strolled leisurely in the garden as if he was in his own home.
Isn't it in my own home? The emperor raised his lips coldly. His sons had forgotten that he was both a king and a father. The palace was a place to discuss world affairs, but it was also their home.
He liked Yan Xi's straightforward nature of speaking his mind and not coming to him for no reason. Although he could not hear any flattery from him, there was no need to guess which of his words were sincere and which were false. He would just take action directly, just like today, he was held down and had a needle stuck in his head just because he said he had a headache. Only Gu Yanxi in the world had the courage to do this.
The emperor looked at Lai Fu, "Has the person sent by the Queen Mother to the Hua family returned?"
"Yes, the Queen Mother sent some funeral items, and she returned after burning some incense."
"This is really interesting. I have sent the Hua family to exile, but my mother has a history with the old lady of the Hua family, and Yan Xi has also received love from Hua Yizheng, which makes me seem heartless."
Lai Fu was secretly shocked, but he didn't show it on his face. He spoke without hesitation, "No matter how great the affection is, it can't compare to yours, Your Majesty. Didn't the Empress Dowager save the women of the Hua family only after you dealt with the men of the Hua family? If the prince hadn't gone to pay his respects to the old lady this time, you wouldn't have known that the prince had received the kindness of Mr. Hua. It shows that the Empress Dowager and the prince both put you first. No one can compare to this."
The emperor was so amused by these words that he nodded at Lai Fu and said, "What good has Yan Xi done to you that makes you speak for him like this?"
"I am innocent. Given the temper of the Crown Prince, you are showing mercy by not punishing me for my poor service and causing you a headache today."
The emperor laughed loudly, obviously very proud. This was his nephew who grew up by his side. To be honest, his affection for him was no less than that for his sons.
Lai Fu breathed a sigh of relief, his back was soaked in the cold weather.
"How long has Hua Yizheng been in the North?"
Lai Fu quickly calculated in his mind, "Almost four months."
The emperor paced back and forth for a while with his hands behind his back. "Send a loyal and tight-lipped man to Yinshan Pass to see how the Hua family behaves there."
Lai Fu bowed and responded, secretly looking up at the emperor's figure which was obviously no longer as tall as before. He moved his mouth but still did not remind the emperor that it was not only the Hua family who were exiled there. Compared with the Hua family, who were of literary status, those military generals were obviously more dangerous.
But he didn't dare to mention it. The emperor had become more moody this year. Seven palace maids had died this month, and there was no need for him to make up the number.
The emperor suddenly clapped his hands, raised them and walked out, "I haven't dined with my mother for some time, I can't let that kid get away with it."