Inevitably, what Zhao Xifang said at the annual banquet was reported to Emperor Xuanzhi and Jiang Changning.
Emperor Xuanzhi sneered, "It's a pity that the Zhao family always regards themselves as a family of scholars, but they teach their daughter to be so uneducated."
"I heard that Prince Yu and Princess Yu don't get along well, and Prince Yu now favors the concubine and the wife in the mansion more." Chang Youzhong said.
Emperor Xuanzhi pondered for a moment and said, "The Princess of Yu is so unvirtuous, and I don't think she will serve the Prince of Yu wholeheartedly. I can't bear to see this, so I specially rewarded a few palace maids to serve the Prince of Yu's mansion."
Although there was no beauty pageant, a new batch of palace maids entered at the beginning of last year, all of whom were women from the common people.
Emperor Xuanzhi asked Chang Youzhong to select a few beauties with good looks and send them to Prince Yu's Palace.
In Prince Yu's mansion, Prince Yu and Zhao Xifang were arguing. The eldest son was unwell, so Fang Youting asked Zhao Xifang to take a sign to invite the imperial physician into the mansion.
Zhao Xifang refused her request on the grounds that it was unlucky to invite an imperial physician into the house during the New Year.
The eldest son had diarrhea for three days in a row and was exhausted. Fang Youting reported the matter to Prince Yu.
Prince Yu was furious and ordered someone to invite the imperial physician. He watched the imperial physician prescribe medicine for the eldest son.
After the eldest son took the medicine, he came to Zhao Xifang to settle the score, "Poisonous woman, do you want to kill my son?"
"Your Highness, I am innocent." Zhao Xifang refused to admit that she had deliberately refused to hire an imperial physician for the eldest son.
She explained confidently, "First, I was concerned that it was the New Year, and calling a doctor or taking medicine would bring bad luck and ruin the palace's feng shui. Second, Concubine Fang was vague, so I thought the eldest son was fine."
Prince Yu was about to reprimand her when the chief steward of the palace came outside and said, "Your Highness, someone is coming from the palace."
The couple hurried out to meet the guests. The eunuch who came to send the maid away said, "Princess Yu cannot serve Prince Yu wholeheartedly, so His Majesty specially rewarded four maids to serve Prince Yu."
Zhao Xifang's eyes widened. What did she mean by not serving the prince wholeheartedly? When had she not been wholeheartedly serving him
Prince Yu thanked him and said, "Zheng Sangui, take the people in."
"Yes, Your Highness." The chief steward Zheng Sangui took the four palace maids away.
Prince Yu looked at Zhao Xifang and sneered, "Now you should know what it means to speak out of turn."
Zhao Xifang was stunned, "What does your Highness mean by this?"
"You are such an idiot." Prince Yu turned away.
Looking at Prince Yu's back, Zhao Xifang's eyes were filled with resentment and hatred. Emperor Xuanzhi suddenly awarded a palace maid to Prince Yu. She guessed that it was because of what she said at the New Year's banquet that caused the trouble.
It was true that she got into trouble, but her husband, Prince Yu, did not protect her at all, which really disappointed her.
The more Zhao Xifang thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, so she went back to her parents' home.
"You are already a married woman. It is ridiculous to go back to your parents' home all day long. Go back quickly." Zhao Wangshi advised.
"What's wrong with that? I'm getting married, not being sold to Prince Yu." Zhao Xifang said angrily.
Zhao Wang frowned, "Who are you angry with today?"
"I'm not in a bad mood, I'm just holding my breath and getting anxious." Zhao Xifang said gloomily, "The palace awarded four maids to the prince."
"You are the Princess of Yu. No matter how many people the prince has around him, it will not affect your status. Why bother with a few palace maids of low status?" Lady Zhao thought her daughter was jealous.
"I didn't bother with them. Forget it, mother. I'm hungry. Please serve me some food." Zhao Xifang said dejectedly.
Zhao Wangshi asked the maid to serve the meal, and she continued to persuade her daughter, "Fang'er, you always go back to your parents' home like this, which is bad for your reputation."
"Mother, you used to hope that I would come back home more often, but now you want to send Miaoyun to the palace to win the emperor's favor. You don't want me anymore, right?" Zhao Xifang asked with a sneer.
Zhao Wangshi remained silent, and Zhao Xifang continued, "Not to mention that His Majesty will not allow anyone to enter the palace, even if he does, the Queen will not allow Miaoyun to enter."
"Why not?" asked Zhao Wangshi.
Hearing this question, Zhao Xifang became more and more certain that her family had given up on her. She felt sad, "Because I have offended the Queen, the Queen will never let my cousin enter the palace."
"When have you ever offended the Queen?"
"I don't remember." Zhao Xifang stood up, "I went back to the palace."
Zhao Xifang shook her hand away, "I can't eat it."
As soon as she returned to the palace, someone reported to Prince Yu, "Your Majesty, the princess is back."
Upon hearing this, Prince Yu sneered sarcastically, "She came back quite early today."
Usually when Zhao Xifang goes back to her parents' home, she stays there for the whole day.
Prince Yu was not angry when she returned to her parents' home. What made him angry was that this woman never remembered her daughter and was extremely cruel.
The love that Prince Yu had for Zhao Xifang, which was as thin as morning dew, became even weaker.
He took four palace maids as his wives. One of them served him well, so he gave her the title of lady. The other three were concubines without any title.
When Jiang Changning knew that Emperor Xuanzhi had rewarded Prince Yu with a palace maid, he just smiled and continued reading The Romance of Emperor Guangwu of Han.
This is an unofficial history, mainly telling the emotional entanglement between Emperor Guangwu and his two queens.
When Emperor Guangwu was young, he made a vow that he would become the Prefect of the Guards if he was to become an official and marry Yin Lihua.
Although he later successfully married Yin Lihua, he married Guo Shengtong again for the sake of the alliance.
In order to stabilize his regime, he even had to force Yin Lihua, his original wife, to be a noble lady under Guo Shengtong.
She was so absorbed in watching it when Emperor Xuanzhi came and asked, "What are you watching?"
"Your Majesty." Jiang Changning showed him the cover of the book.
Emperor Xuanzhi took the book out of her hand, threw it aside, and said seriously: "Ningning, I am not Emperor Guangwu, and you are not Guo Shengtong."
Jiang Changning smiled, "I was just reading to kill time, I didn't replace myself with it."
Even if she is Guo Shengtong, the dead Park cannot be Yin Lihua.
The seventh day of the second lunar month is the Wanshou Festival, which is the first Wanshou Festival after Emperor Xuanzhi ascended the throne.
After the Lantern Festival, Jiang Changning started to get busy with the preparations for the Longevity Festival.
The emperor's birthday is a very solemn occasion.
The dishes on the banquet, which imperial chef will be in charge, which wine will be used, which utensils will be used, and which opera troupe or famous actor should be summoned to the palace, all these can cause heated discussions in the city.
That day, Xiulan handed a list to Jiang Changning, "Madam, this is the troupe and famous actors that the Imperial Palace selected from the public. Do you think they are okay?"
After reading it, Jiang Changning said, "I have to discuss this with the Queen Mother."
After changing clothes, he took Xiaobai and Xiaoqian to Ciren Palace.
Emperor Xuanzhi was determined not to hold a beauty contest and refused to allow the empress dowager to summon the ladies in the city to stay in the palace. The empress dowager began to dislike Jiang Changning.
Taking Xiaobai and Xiaoqian with her was to prevent the Queen Mother from getting angry.
Although Jiang Changning was not afraid of the Queen Mother, there was no need to always quarrel with the old lady.
Arriving at Ciren Palace, Jiang Changning handed the list to the Queen Mother honestly, "Mother, please take a look at it and summon these opera troupes and these famous actors to perform in the palace. Is it okay?"
The Queen Mother read it carefully and said, "Okay, follow this list and summon the people to the palace."
"I'd like to trouble you, mother, to look after these two boys. I'm going to go and do something."
"I'm looking after my grandson. If there's anything I can do, just go and do your thing."
"My daughter-in-law, take your leave." Jiang Changning left quickly and brought his two sons with him. It was indeed a brilliant move.
(End of this chapter)