The fourth group, the concubines favored by the Empress Dowager, were picked out by Emperor Xuanzhi as follows: "The eyes are large but lifeless, like fish eyes."
The fifth group, the two beauties selected by the Empress Dowager, were beautiful, but Emperor Xuanzhi still disliked them, saying, "The corners of their eyes drooped and their faces looked sad."
"The eyes are too wide apart, so you can run horses."
Group 6: This time Emperor Xuanzhi did not talk about the person's eyes, but his mouth, "A big mouth eats the poor family."
"Thin-tongued and sarcastic."
Emperor Xuanzhi was always finding fault with everything. After looking at ten groups of people, he still didn't like any of them.
The Queen Mother's face had turned ashen. Jiang Changning stopped eating the dried fruits and looked at the mother and son with bright eyes. To be honest, she didn't expect Emperor Xuanzhi to do such a bold move.
"Is it true that none of these people can catch the emperor's eye?" the empress dowager asked, gritting her teeth.
"Mother, I am the emperor and I have high standards. It is normal that I look down on these ugly people." Emperor Xuanzhi answered seriously.
"Emperor, you agreed to the selection. No matter what, you have to choose someone to stay in the palace." The Queen Mother was straightforward and firm.
"Today is the first day of the palace selection, and we have only looked at a few people. Don't be anxious, mother. Your son will make a careful selection. It is already noon, so why don't you go back to the palace to have lunch and continue in the afternoon." Emperor Xuanzhi said softly.
Chang Youzhong added promptly: "Your Majesty ate little breakfast today."
What this meant was that Emperor Xuanzhi was hungry after being busy all morning.
The Queen Mother was reluctant to let her son starve, "Go back to the palace and have dinner."
Jiang Changning accompanied the mother and son to Ciren Palace for lunch for the second time. After the meal, Emperor Xuanzhi took Jiang Changning back to Qiyuan Palace on the grounds of fatigue.
"Is your Majesty enjoying the play?" Emperor Xuanzhi asked with a smile, holding her in his arms.
Jiang Changning turned around, faced him, and said with a smile: "I'm happy."
"I will take care of the talent show. Don't get angry. Anger can hurt your body." Emperor Xuanzhi said gently.
Hearing this, Jiang Changning knew why she got angry that morning. He knew, "I wasn't angry about the talent show, but she reminded me of what happened at the banker's house, and I couldn't help but smash the teacup."
Emperor Xuanzhi seemed to be thinking about something. "When the imperial physician checked your pulse, did he say anything?"
"You don't mean to say that I'm pregnant again?" Jiang Changning suddenly remembered that the amount of menstrual fluid in the past two months was not large and the duration was short.
"Doctor Xuan." Emperor Xuanzhi said loudly.
If you are not sure, let the imperial physician confirm it.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations, Your Majesty, the Queen is two and a half months pregnant." When Imperial Doctor Xue examined Jiang Changning's pulse last time, he vaguely felt that it was a pregnancy pulse.
But the joy was so superficial that he didn't dare to say it out loud.
He originally wanted to wait until the next time he checked Ping'an's pulse before making a detailed examination, but he didn't expect the emperor to summon him today.
Jiang Changning was pregnant again, and Emperor Xuanzhi was very happy, "Ningning, please help me give birth to a little princess this time!"
"It's not up to me to decide whether to have a boy or a girl." Jiang Changning was interrupted by his words and stopped thinking about how the safe period was not safe.
In the afternoon palace selection, Emperor Xuanzhi did not comment on the appearance of the concubines, but tested their walking posture, "Come here, spread the powder."
"What kind of powder do you want to apply?" The Queen Mother was puzzled.
"Perfume powder." Emperor Xuanzhi said with a smile.
Two young eunuchs each carried two buckets of white scented powder and poured them on the ground, forming a path about five feet long and five feet wide.
"Okay, let him in." Emperor Xuanzhi said.
The eleventh group still consisted of five beauties. Coincidentally, three of them had their hair in a horse-like bun, making them look weak and charming.
Is this an attempt to attract the favor of Emperor Xuanzhi
Emperor Xuanzhi asked five concubines to walk through the area covered with perfumed powder, turn around, and then walk back.
"Mother, look."
"What are you looking at?" The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes, and her face was covered with messy footsteps.
"Women's actions and behaviors should be regulated. They should sway gracefully and walk like lotus flowers. But look at them, tut tut, they are not good enough." Emperor Xuanzhi said with disdain.
This reason seemed reasonable, and the Queen Mother pursed her lips and said nothing.
In the 16th group, a brave lady raised a question, "Your Majesty, is there really anyone who can walk on the lotus?"
"certainly."
"Can I ask who it is?"
Emperor Xuanzhi said proudly, "My queen."
Jiang Changning was slightly stunned. How come she didn't know how to walk gracefully and with the steps of a lotus
But she couldn't expose Emperor Xuanzhi's mistake, so she could only keep smiling reservedly.
The concubine lowered her head unwillingly. No matter what she did, she dared not ask the Empress to come out for a walk so that everyone could see and confirm that what the Emperor said was true.
Of the ten groups of beauties in the afternoon, none caught the eye of Emperor Xuanzhi.
The Queen Mother was furious. "A son is no longer under the control of his mother. The Emperor has turned a deaf ear to what I said. He doesn't listen to anything at all, right?"
As she said this, she glared at Jiang Changning fiercely. As the saying goes, when you marry a wife, you forget your mother. It is really true.
Jiang Changning, who was angered, had no patience to coax the menopausal old lady, "Your Majesty, I am tired and want to go back to Qiyuan Palace to rest first."
You should comfort your own mother yourself, don't count on her.
"Serve the Empress well." Emperor Xuanzhi admonished, and helped the Empress Dowager onto the Phoenix Seal. "Don't be angry, Mother. Return to the palace, and I will explain it to you slowly."
"Well, I want to hear what you have to say." The Queen Mother said angrily.
Emperor Xuanzhi didn't say anything, he just said, "The former dynasty and the harem are in collusion, the court will be in chaos."
The Queen Mother then remembered that neither the Yan family nor the Jiang family had anyone in high positions in the court, so it was rare that they did not have to worry about external relatives.
"Forget it. You are right in this matter. I think those beautiful ladies from the common people don't have such fears. You have to keep them." said the Queen Mother.
"My son will." Emperor Xuanzhi agreed.
After appeasing the empress dowager, Emperor Xuanzhi returned to Qiyuan Palace. Before he entered the hall, he heard Xiao Qianer's voice.
He was reciting the Thousand Character Classic, ".Xinzou Leiqian, Qi Xie Huanzhao, Qu He's history, father emperor!"
The prince and Xiaobai stood up and saluted, "Father."
Emperor Xuanzhi nodded slightly to his two sons, walked over to sit next to Jiang Changning, and said, "You will have a sister soon. You can come and accompany your mother more often when you have nothing to do."
The three sons gathered around happily, "Mother, we are going to have a sister!"
"It's not certain yet. We'll know whether it's a boy or a girl after the baby is born." Jiang Changning blushed slightly.
"It must be a younger sister. I want a younger sister, but I already have a younger brother." Xiaobai said.
"I don't have a younger brother." Xiao Qian said loudly.
Xiaobai frowned, "You want a brother?"
"Brother or sister is fine." Xiao Qian expressed his opinion bravely.
"No, you want a younger sister, not a younger brother. I'm your second brother, you have to listen to me." Xiaobai said firmly.
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Xiao Qian said with a pout.
Seeing that the second and third sons had reached a consensus, Jiang Changning asked the eldest son with a smile, "What about Xiao Ming, do you want a younger brother or a younger sister?"
The prince replied, "Whether you are my younger brother or younger sister, I will always be a good elder brother."
Emperor Xuanzhi was quite satisfied with his son's answer, but the prince added, "However, mother, it is better to give birth to a sister. The brothers are too noisy."
Jiang Changning chuckled, "Okay, I hope it's a girl."
I went to get my teeth fixed tomorrow, and the pain was so severe that I couldn't eat or do anything. I felt completely listless.
Dental implants are very expensive. I will bleed heavily tomorrow. I am so heartbroken.
(End of this chapter)