"To answer your Majesty, Changning lives in a deep house and has no idea what's going on outside." Jiang Changning knew about the reward, but she had never thought of showing up.
The empress dowager didn't need to use this method to find her. When Zhuang Jiwen was alive, she was quite famous in the capital. If the empress dowager really wanted to find her as her savior, she could find her with just a little inquiry. There was no need to make such a big fuss.
Offering a reward is just a means for the Queen Mother to show that she is a grateful person.
Knowing that the Queen Mother was not sincere, Jiang Changning did not take the reward seriously.
This time, he had no choice but to take out the golden lock.
If there was a way, she would never do the helpless thing of rejecting the wolf at the front door and welcoming the tiger at the back door.
"Yes, yes, you are a little girl who has been raised in seclusion. How could you know what is happening outside? I am old and confused. I didn't expect it." The Queen Mother patted her head lightly. "I heard from Songlian that you live in the Zhuang family. Is this Zhuang family related to you?"
"To answer your question, Madam Zhuang is Changning's great-aunt," Jiang Changning replied.
"Oh, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhuang Shenmao, is yours?"
"To answer your Majesty, Minister Zhuang Zuo is Changning's cousin."
"Is Xiao Ning'er comfortable living in the Zhuang family?"
"To answer your question, my great aunt treats Changning like her granddaughter, and my cousin and sisters also take good care of Changning." It was impossible for Jiang Changning to say anything bad about the Zhuang family.
"What do you usually do at home?" The Queen Mother started chatting with Jiang Changning.
"To answer your Majesty, Changning is at home reading, practicing calligraphy, and painting."
"Why are things always so quiet? You are so young, you can't be so quiet. Yanyun, bring the jade token here." The Queen Mother raised her voice.
Gao Yanyun brought out a jade plaque engraved with the word "longevity" and handed it to the empress dowager.
The Queen Mother of Prince Runan's eyes widened. With the longevity jade tablet in hand, she could enter and leave the palace at will. The Queen Mother was too kind to this girl!
"When you have time in the future, bring the jade token to the palace and chat with me." The Queen Mother handed the jade token to Jiang Changning.
Jiang Changning stood up, knelt down and said, "Thank you, Madam."
With this jade token, she could enter the palace at any time. The Zhuang family became wary and could no longer interfere in her marriage, which solved a difficult problem for her.
At this time, a palace maid came over and said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Song is outside the palace asking for an audience."
The Queen Mother frowned slightly, "Let her in."
"Your Majesty has something to do, I'll take my leave first." The Queen Mother of Prince Runan stood up and said.
"Xiao Ning'er, come to the palace when you have time." The Queen Mother instructed and asked Gao Yanyun to lead them out.
Halfway through the journey, he met a beautiful young woman who was wearing a purple palace dress, a high bun, and a seven-winged phoenix-head hairpin inlaid with gems.
"Greetings, Her Majesty." Jiang Changning and the other two knelt slightly in greeting.
Imperial Concubine Song was the daughter of the General of the Cavalry.
The current emperor has been on the throne for more than five years and has more than ten concubines in his harem.
Apart from the Queen, the highest ranking official is the Imperial Concubine.
The General of Cavalry commands a large army and is also a member of the royalist party that supports the current emperor.
Song, who enjoyed the protection of her father, was able to surpass Liu, the virtuous concubine who had a son, and took the first place among the four concubines even though she had never given birth to any children.
The father of Concubine Xian Liu was only a fifth-rank official, the Left Councillor of the Ministry of Public Security, which was not a high rank, but she was lucky and gave birth to a son, and was successfully promoted to a concubine.
Although she is the last of the four concubines, she is already the mistress of the palace.
If luckily, the queen did not give birth to a legitimate son, then this eldest son from a concubine might still have a chance to compete for that position.
By then, Concubine Liu, because of her son's status as a mother, could become the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.
The imperial concubine nodded haughtily, walked past the three people, and suddenly stopped, staring at Jiang Changning.
"I don't know." replied the maid.
"Useless thing." The imperial concubine cursed.
Entering the inner hall, the imperial concubine bowed and said, "Greetings to the Queen Mother."
"Good boy, no need to be so polite." The Queen Mother smiled and raised her hand to support him.
The imperial concubine sat down and said, "Mother, my cousin came of age last month, and my family is worried about her marriage."
"Which family has been chosen? Let the Queen issue an imperial decree to grant the marriage." The Queen Mother thought that she just wanted to ask for a decent marriage for her cousin.
"Last year, my cousin went to Fayuan Temple to pay homage. Halfway through the journey, the shaft of the carriage broke. Fortunately, Prince Jin passed by and gave the carriage to my cousin." The imperial concubine said with a smile.
The Queen Mother picked up the teacup on the table beside her and took a sip. "I remember that Princess Jin has been dead for two years, right?"
"Yes." What the imperial concubine sought for her cousin was the position of Prince Jin's successor.
"Speaking of which, many of the royal family's sons have reached the marriageable age, and it's time to arrange marriages for them. I've made a note of this." The Queen Mother did not agree immediately.
The imperial concubine flattered the queen mother for a few more words before she got up and left. She returned to her Chengxi Palace and summoned her confidant, "Go and check who the girl that the Runan King's concubine brought in is?"
Not long after Jiang Changning returned to the Zhuang family, the reward from the palace arrived.
Although Wu was envious, she did not dare to move and ordered people to send all the things to the courtyard where Jiang Changning lived.
Gold, silver, jade, jewels, these valuables were registered and stored in the warehouse.
There are three wing rooms in the east wing, which serve as warehouses.
However, there were not many things in it. Jiang Changning didn't want to make the Zhuang family jealous, so she didn't send most of the good things to the Zhuang family.
There are three rooms, and only one of them contains something, and they are not rare items.
The Queen Mother’s rewards filled another room.
Palace flowers, round fans, embroidered handkerchiefs, etc. can be distributed to the Zhuang family.
"Give each girl and the second lady two palace flowers, two round fans, and four embroidered handkerchiefs. For the first lady, there is no need to give palace flowers. The round fans and embroidered handkerchiefs can be plain."
"Why should we give it to them? Can't the girls keep it for themselves?" Fu Cui said reluctantly.
"How long will it take for me to wear all these big boxes of palace flowers by myself?" Jiang Changning took out a palace flower and raised Fu Cui's chin. "Besides, happiness is better shared than happiness alone."
"Girls are generous. When they get good things, they never think of sharing them with girls." Shu Fei said.
"I don't want their things." Jiang Changning smiled, "Send two copies to each of the two ladies."
She didn't like the Zhuang family either, but when you are under someone's roof, in order to live a more comfortable life, it is necessary to give up some money.
"Do you want to send it to the Madam too?" Fu Cui frowned even more tightly.
"The two ladies have nieces and nephews. Since we are doing a favor, we must be thorough." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
Xiulan pursed her lips and smiled, "Girl, why not let the two mothers take it to the two ladies' place?"
"Good idea." Jiang Changning agreed.
Now Mrs. Zhuang no longer had any excuses to blame her, and she no longer needed two maids.
After receiving the gifts sent by Jiang Changning, the four girls and two grandmothers politely asked the maids to convey their gratitude.
Mrs. Wu and Mrs. Zou were also very satisfied with Jiang Changning's tact.
(End of this chapter)