On this side, the Empress Dowager's bedroom was becoming more and more lively. The Empress Dowager had lost her appetite, which even alarmed the Emperor. Naturally, the Empress had to come to visit and serve her.
Not long after she arrived, Concubine Wu came with her daughter.
When the two met, they were all smiling, but no one knew what they were thinking.
"Grandmother, how do you feel?" After paying her respects to the Empress Dowager, Concubine Wu motioned for Xiao Liyu to come forward. Xiao Liyu immediately asked the Empress Dowager with concern.
"Who are you?" The Queen Mother did not recognize Xiao Liyu. In her memory, Xiao Liyu was a little girl of twelve or thirteen years old, which did not match the person in front of her.
Xiao Liyu's face froze, "Grandmother, I am Liyu!"
"Liyu, you are Liyu?" The Queen Mother seemed to be unable to believe it and looked at Xiao Liyu carefully. Then she held her head with her hands, looking very troubled.
"Tenth Princess, why don't you leave?" The Queen spoke at this time, her voice slightly cold. Then she said to Concubine Wu, "Concubine, you should know what the Queen Mother is like. Aren't you deliberately making things difficult for her?"
This is a big hat. Concubine Wu said immediately, "The imperial physician said that it would be good for mother to see the old people and things in the past. Liyu grew up in the palace since she was a child, and she is very filial to mother. Isn't it right to let her serve mother?"
"Why didn't she come to serve my mother before?" the queen retorted indifferently. Does that mean that she would come when the emperor came
"How did the Queen know..."
"Enough." Emperor Qinglong said in a low voice. There was quarrel in the court and the quarrel in the harem was endless.
The Queen and Concubine Wu bowed their heads and pleaded guilty, and Xiao Liyu also stepped aside.
Just then, the palace maid reported that Shen Fengming wanted to see her.
"Let him in." Emperor Qinglong said. He thought Shen Fengming had heard that the Empress Dowager had lost her appetite and came to visit her, so he didn't think much about it.
Princess Danyang next to her was shocked. Her son was here. Was he here to visit the Empress Dowager
Shen Fengming entered the room and bowed.
When he saluted the Queen Mother, she pulled him up and motioned for him to sit next to her.
"How come you have time to come to the palace today?" she asked.
"I heard that the Empress Dowager didn't eat breakfast." Shen Fengming asked.
"It's not a big deal, it's not worth your trip. I just feel like I forgot something and I have no appetite for the moment." The Queen Mother smiled, "Have you eaten yet? If not, stay for dinner."
Then she said to Emperor Qinglong and others, "I'm sorry to have disturbed so many of you." That meant she was going to send the guests away.
But she still held Shen Fengming's hand, which showed her preference for him.
Concubine Wu was angry in her heart, but her face was full of smiles. She said jokingly, "When Fengming came, mother wanted to have dinner. It turns out that mother still loves him the most."
The queen glanced at her and said nothing.
Concubine Wu turned to Emperor Qinglong and said, "Your Majesty, it's time for lunch soon. I have made your favorite stewed ham with fish maw in my small kitchen. Would you like to try it
Let Liyu stay and serve the Queen Mother, and let her do her best."
Concubine Wu said this with a good plan. First, she invited the emperor to her palace. Second, if Xiao Liyu stayed, wouldn’t she have the opportunity to get close to Shen Fengming
It seems that she has not given up on marrying Xiao Liyu into the Shen family. Of course, once she gets the support of the Shen family, she will be even more powerful. The queen gritted her teeth secretly. It was a pity that she had no daughter to marry, otherwise it would not be her turn.
But soon, she smiled again. Her idea was good, but would Shen Fengming marry her? It was just self-humiliation.
Emperor Qinglong stood up, and the Empress took her leave. Concubine Wu also left, leaving the Empress Dowager, Princess Danyang, Shen Fengming and Xiao Liyu.
Xiao Liyu looked at Shen Fengming, wondering how to go over and talk to him.
Just then, the palace servant brought in tea. She immediately stood up, took it and handed it to Shen Fengming, "Cousin, have some tea."
“Thank you.” Shen Fengming took the tea, but did not drink it and put it aside.
Xiao Liyu looked at the cup of tea and asked tentatively, "Cousin, I recently got a good horse from the Western Regions. When you are free, please help me take a look at it."
"I am busy with official duties and I am afraid I don't have time. The Sixth Prince is a good expert, so Princess, please ask him for help." Shen Fengming said.
Xiao Liyu bit her lips tightly, her face full of grievance. What on earth did he want? She had already lowered herself so much.
Princess Danyang was drinking tea on the side. She knew what Concubine Wu and Xiao Liyu were thinking. They wanted to emulate her when she was young, but was the current situation the same as it was back then
She also didn't want Shen Fengming to marry Xiao Liyu, so she just watched and said nothing.
The Empress Dowager was talking to Shen Fengming, Princess Danyang was enjoying herself on the side, and only Xiao Liyu seemed redundant.
She had never experienced this before. She stood up suddenly.
Princess Danyang looked at her.
“Grandmother, Aunt, I…” Xiao Liyu’s face turned pale.
"If you are not feeling well, just go back and rest. I'm here for you, mother." Princess Danyang said considerately.
Xiao Liyu left with gritted teeth.
At this time, Jiang Yunzhu had already prepared the meal, and Nanny Qi came in and asked the Empress Dowager if she wanted to eat.
"Serve the meal," the Queen Mother ordered. She was hungry. Then she said to Princess Danyang and Shen Fengming, "It's rare that you are all here. Please eat with me."
"yes."
Soon, the meal was served, with Taibai duck in the middle, and lotus leaf porridge and a few side dishes on the rest, just perfect for the Empress Dowager.
"I just want to eat this Taibai duck. Is Song Guang cured?" The Empress Dowager saw the Taibai duck and said happily as if she remembered something.
"Mother, this Taibai duck was not made by Song Guang, but by a chef named Jiang." Unlike yesterday, today Princess Danyang decided to give a good explanation to the Empress Dowager.
"Isn't it made by Song Guang?" The Queen Mother tasted the duck and said, "It seems to be better than the one made by Song Guang."
"Let Miss Jiang come over." Princess Danyang ordered.
After a while, Jiang Yunzhu entered the hall and bowed to everyone.
"It's actually a girl." The Queen Mother waved at Jiang Yunzhu, motioning her to come over, and looked her up and down.
Jiang Yunzhu responded to the Empress Dowager's words politely.
"The food is delicious and she is a nice person," the Queen Mother said finally.
Jiang Yunzhu retreated with a look of respect.
As soon as Jiang Yunzhu came in, Princess Danyang began to observe Shen Fengming's expression, but he usually had a cold face, and it was very difficult to read anything from his face.
After Jiang Yunzhu left, Princess Danyang was still suspicious.
After dinner, the Queen Mother wanted to rest, and Princess Danyang and Shen Fengming left.
Under the long palace wall, Princess Danyang finally couldn't help asking Shen Fengming, "What do you think of Miss Jiang? I think she has a good appearance and character. How about taking her as your concubine?" Yes, concubine. She felt that with the status of the Shen family, it would not be an injustice to her to take Jiang Yunzhu as a concubine.
After hearing this, Shen Fengming looked straight at Princess Danyang and said, "Don't worry, mother. If I like someone, I will definitely marry her."
He spoke in a loud voice, and without caring about Princess Danyang's reaction, he turned and left.
Princess Danyang stood there, annoyed for a moment. Could it be that Shen Fengming was going to marry a cook? Wouldn't their Shen family become a laughing stock? At the same time, she thought that Shen Fengming might not mean that.
Here, Jiang Yunzhu was sitting in a carriage out of the palace. Suddenly, there was the sound of horse hooves from behind, and then Zhan Changchuan said, "Greetings, Governor Shen."
He's here? Jiang Yunzhu lifted the carriage curtain, and the person sitting outside was not Shen Fengming.
Today, Governor Shen is still handsome and elegant.
"How about I ask the Empress Dowager to issue an edict to grant us a marriage?" Shen Fengming suddenly said.
Jiang Yunzhu had a lot to say to him, but was held back by his words. Was he serious
Shen Fengming was naturally serious and had thought it over carefully.
"Will the Empress Dowager agree?" Jiang Yunzhu's heart was pounding.
"Have you agreed?" Shen Fengming only asked her this. As long as she agreed, he would convince the Empress Dowager.
Jiang Yunzhu choked up. Should she agree? She didn't seem ready yet. Besides, she seemed to prefer life in the Time Restaurant.
"Let's go. I'll take you back." Shen Fengming said.
Jiang Yunzhu looked at him, and there was no unhappy expression on his face.
"Yeah." she said.
After they left, three people came from the street next to them. They were Lin Tingan, Lin Qing and Jiang Yunxiu.
The prefect of Jingzhao was demoted, and Princess Danyang was not the only one who noticed the Time Restaurant. After Lin Ting'an came to Beijing, he had actually been secretly looking for Jiang Yunzhu, but for some reason, he had never found her.
After inquiring about the situation at the Shiguang Restaurant, he was almost certain that Jiang Yunzhu must be there.
One of the things he did when he came out today was to go to the Shiguang Restaurant to meet Jiang Yunzhu. Unfortunately, Jiang Yunzhu had entered the palace and he made a wasted trip.
However, he met her and Shen Fengming here, and the two seemed to be talking very intimately.
Lin Ting'an's eyes were deep.
Jiang Yunxiu also saw Jiang Yunzhu and Shen Fengming, and was surprised and terrified. She was surprised that Jiang Yunzhu had come to the capital, and she was terrified. She had been following Lin Ting'an these days and found that after he came to the capital from Luzhou, there was a painting in his study. The painting was of Jiang Yunzhu, standing under the fireworks, looking stunningly beautiful.
"Master, Governor Shen has been investigating our people recently." Lin Qing noticed Lin Ting'an's expression and reminded him. In his opinion, it was not worth going against Shen Fengming for a woman.
Lin Ting'an's voice turned cold, "Go back and accept the punishment yourself."
"Yes." Lin Qing knelt down quickly.
Jiang Yunxiu was dumbfounded. General Shen, she had been following Lin Tingan these days and had learned a lot of things she didn't know before. The only person in the Xia Dynasty who could be called General Shen was Shen Fengming, the General of Qilin Guard.
Based on what Lin Ting'an and Lin Qing had just said, it was not difficult for her to guess that the person just now might be Shen Fengming.
He and Jiang Yunzhu... She knew about it. They had been having an unclear relationship when they were in Wuling County.
She was furious. Since Jiang Yunzhu had already climbed up the social ladder, why did she still want to provoke the eldest son
It was said that Shen Fengming was cruel and violent, and had killed people like crazy. She must have had a hard life, which was why... After making such malicious guesses, she finally felt a little more balanced.
At this time, Lin Ting'an went to the palace. He wanted to go into the palace to meet the Sixth Prince.