Chapter 175: Gap

Empress Dowager Yuan is indeed unhappy at the moment, even if the "sick" Empress Ji showed up on purpose today and led all the concubines to the Spring Palace to congratulate her, she was still indifferent, and said a few words to send away the large troops, Yun Fenghuang and Wei Hengyan stayed behind, and asked straight to the point why the emperor didn't go to the Huzhu Palace in the end?

The two concubines looked at each other, Wei Hengyan lowered his eyes, and said cautiously: "Last night, the concubine had already rested, and I heard from the palace people that His Majesty is coming, so I hurried out to greet you, and I saw... I saw His Majesty's expression... ...The concubine didn't dare to ask any more questions, so she congratulated His Majesty and mentioned the little prince, but His Majesty didn't answer, and the concubine...the concubine served His Majesty to arrange for her."

The Empress Dowager's face froze when she heard the words, and she asked Yun Fenghuang: "I heard that the Emperor went to the Xuanqing Palace first last night, what's going on?"

Yun Fenghuang immediately knelt down, her voice choked up: "I don't know how I have offended His Majesty, yesterday I was going to be settled, but Your Majesty left as soon as I said."

"..." Empress Dowager Yuan had a sullen face, and she still had some doubts in her heart that the two concubines joined forces to give eye drops to the Huzhu Palace under the pretense of helping Yuan Niang's mother and son, but it was hard to say anything.

After all, everyone knows that the emperor has loved the real concubine quite a lot these days.

The concubine Zhen was thrown away by the emperor at night in order to make admonishment, and changed to Linxing Wei Zhaorong, isn't that not enough effort?

I can't let the real concubine go to Yijia Palace to continue persuading the emperor. How is that different from forcing the emperor to see Yuan Niangniang?

The Empress Dowager Yuan is not good at doing this herself, let alone the real concubine?

"During these days, things have been going on in the front court and the harem. I think the emperor is also in a bad mood, and I have wronged you." After all, the Queen Mother Yuan is not Yuan Niangniang. Seeing that the second concubine failed to relieve Yuan Niangniang's cheeks, although she was angry, she was silent for a while. But still put on a pleasant face, Wen Yan said, "It's also the Ai family's fault, knowing that you often serve the emperor and it's very hard, but you still..."

"What did the Empress Dowager say?" Yun Fenghuang hurriedly interrupted her, and said sincerely, "Sharing the concerns of the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty is what concubines should do. Besides, the empress is willing to entrust my concubine's affairs, It is the blessing of the concubines."

Of course Wei Hengyan seconded the proposal.

The two sang together and flattered the Queen Mother Yuan for a while, and then the Queen Mother sighed and let them leave in a dispirited mood.

But after leaving the Spring Palace, Yun Fenghuang invited Wei Hengyan to go to the Huzhu Palace together.

Although it was said that Empress Ji came out today, but Empress Dowager Yuan didn't mention that Yun Fenghuang didn't need to act as empress to let the empress concentrate on recuperating, how could she take the initiative to hand over power herself?

That must be to continue to visit Yuan Niangniang and fulfill the responsibility of the Lord of the Six Palaces!

Wei Hengyan also went, in addition to appreciating the current situation of the former senior of the Sixth Court of the Three Palaces, it also gave the Queen Mother Yuan the impression that she still cared about Yuan Niangniang's mother and child.

As for whether the queen mother believes it or not, there is no other way, anyway, the attitude is done.

It's just that the second concubine arrived at the Huzhu Palace chatting and laughing happily, but was shut out at the gate of the palace.

The palace maid who guarded the gate trembled: "Mother...my lady... my mother said that I am still tired at the moment, no...don't bother...don't bother the harem to worry about it, please...please go back!"

"How is Yue Xiuyuan now?" Hearing this, Yun Fenghuang lifted the curtain from the chariot and asked, "Where is the First Prince? Is it okay?"

Seeing her appear, the court lady fell to her knees with a "plop" like a mouse seeing a cat, not daring to lift her head: "Hui, Hui Zhenfei, my empress has already woken up."

As for the eldest prince, he didn't say anything.

It must have been bad.

Yun Fenghuang spoke softly, and cross-examined again carefully, but the court lady didn't know whether she dared to say it or she really didn't know, she just knew that Yuan Niangniang was awake, and she personally ordered not to accept visits from the harem—everything else : "Please forgive me, my maidservant, I don't know."

In the end Yun Fenghuang sighed: "It's good to serve Xiu Yuan and the First Prince."

Put down the curtain, and ordered the guard of honor to turn back to the Spring Palace.

"Empress Dowager, Xiuyuan suffered such a serious crime yesterday, and now she has personally ordered not to be disturbed, so naturally I dare not enter by force." A moment later, she and Wei Hengyan frowned one by one, and stood Complain to Empress Dowager Yuan in the hall, "But if you just go back to the palace like this, the concubines will feel worried! After thinking about it, I can only come here and beg you to make the decision!"

Empress Dowager Yuan didn't say a word, but the hand on her knee trembled slightly.

She closed her eyes, and after a while, she squeezed out a voice from between her teeth: "Aijia... Got it! You guys go back!"

Wei Hengyan was about to say something, but was bumped by Yun Fenghuang calmly, and then quickly shut up.

"Then..." Yun Fenghuang's face was worried and sincere, just like Yuan Lianniang was her half-sister, he hesitated to bless her, "I will resign, please take care of the empress dowager." .”

Empress Dowager Yuan pressed the armrest of the seat, and when the two concubines had gone far away, she said "heh" and said to herself, "Take care? The Ai family wants to take care of themselves, but... can you take care of yourself?!"

"Don't blame Your Majesty." Zhan Liu sighed, held her hand, and said in a low voice, "Over the years, Your Majesty has learned to do too many things, and actually doesn't get along with Yue Xiuyuan much. Xiuyuan's temper ...Every time His Majesty goes back to see her, he either needs to comfort her, or he has to listen to her endless complaints... Coupled with Xiuyuan's temper when she was a child, Your Majesty... His Majesty is willing to tolerate her for so long, and has protected her from pregnancy until now , mainly because I feel sorry for you!"

These words could not comfort Empress Dowager Yuan, she stared blankly at the palace brick not far away, and murmured: "It's just a trip to Huzhu Palace, I feel sorry for Aijia...why are you unwilling to do such a small thing?"

Before Zhan Liu could answer, she smiled bitterly, and said, "Yes, this is Aijia's fault. When they were still young, Aijia loved the emperor and hated Niangniang, but they had to pick up Niangniang from time to time. Raising by my side. In order to keep the emperor from being bullied, I have been intentionally not letting them get along with each other, and coaxing the emperor to be patient with the nephew, so that I will not be easily angry when I meet people who are not easy to get along with, and thus lose calm;"

"Privately, in the name of the emperor, I always send this and that to Neemiang, and spread all kinds of nice words..."

So as she grew older, Chunjia patiently and forbearably waited for the opportunity to be the master of the family and no longer be subject to any restraints. As for Yuan Niangniang, she was in this busy but "thinking about herself from time to time" in each life of her cousin. In this kind of tenderness and consideration, she sinks deeper and deeper.

At that time, Queen Mother Yuan did not expect that she would be soft-hearted, so she knew that Chunjia didn't really care about Yuan Niangniang, but she didn't care at all.

Now that I think about it, this might be retribution—she has nothing to do, she can only raise her concubine as her own son, and her niece and future daughter-in-law, Yuan Lianniang, is related to her anyway. Over the years, when she used Chunjia's name to give her all kinds of surprises and considerations, she really put her heart into understanding, caring, and coaxing this child... For nearly 20 years of being together day and night, why does she think that she can just let it go? !

Both Chunjia and Yuan Niangniang were young and innocent back then, and she was the one who started it.

Now... Now Chunjia let go easily, but Queen Mother Yuan is a bit unable to get out.

Yuan Niangniang was confused in the past, and the queen mother sighed, but she thought coldly in her heart that such unsatisfied fuss would one day teach her to know the consequences.

It wasn't until this moment that the queen mother realized that she really loved this niece.

She couldn't bear Yuan Niangniang to be annihilated in Chunjia's harem like this.

Even in the past few years, Chunjia couldn't remember how the concubine named "Yue" had ever been envied by the former court and the harem.

Empress Dowager Yuan asked Zhanliu sadly: "Is the Ai family not cruel enough, or the emperor's son is too cold-hearted?"

Zhan Liu lowered his head, pondered for a while, and then whispered: "Mother, these are things that can't be helped... If you want to blame, you can only blame Yue Xiuyuan. It's too late to regret. You know, although your Majesty I have a lot of dissatisfaction with Empress Xiuyuan, but I have never lost face to Empress Xiuyuan like this before. If the eldest son of the emperor had not been born prematurely, His Majesty would never treat Huzhu Palace badly in the future."

Although Chunjia may not have much sincerity towards Yuan Niangniang, but he is the son of heaven and rich in the world. For the sake of Empress Dowager Yuan, he is rich and honorable to raise Yuan Niangniang for a lifetime, and then settle their children. This kind of tolerance is always there .

"..." Empress Dowager Yuan was disappointed for a long time, and said, "You are right."

However, she still went to Taichu Palace in person that day, and persuaded Chunjia to go to Huzhu Palace to meet her eldest son.

Chunjia agreed very calmly, and didn't even need the queen mother to repeat, just went out, he stopped on the corridor of the hall, turned his head, and looked at the queen mother Yuan: "Mother queen, in fact, the child doesn't care about seeing the child, after all these In the past few years, many children have lost their children, and it was a little sad once or twice. The number of times is too many, and the children have already gotten used to it."

When he said this, he was so calm that he was almost cold.

Empress Dowager Yuan was in a trance for a while, before she came to her senses, it was Yuan Niangniang who Chunjia really didn't want to see.

Did Niangniang completely lose the "Ji Lang" she was thinking of?

The queen mother laughed at herself: "Just be a poor mother, okay?"

"Why does the queen mother do this?" Chunjia stared at her for a moment, sighed, reached out to hold the arm of the queen mother Yuan, and said softly, "The child is just annoyed that she doesn't know the mother's care and love for her, and the queen is tired of running around...Since The queen mother still takes pity on her, and the boy... Just like before, it's okay to take time to coax her. In short, as long as the mother is happy, the boy is willing to do anything. "

What he said in these words is more than twenty-four filial piety, and there are more twenty-four filial piety. Empress Dowager Yuan was moved for a moment, but felt like falling into an ice cellar.

She watched the imperial chariot leave for the direction of Huzhu Palace, and after a long time, with the support of Zhanliu, she returned to Chunwan Palace.

"My lady, what's the matter?" On the way to Zhanliu, I noticed that the Empress Dowager Yuan was sweating densely on her forehead, and she was very worried. She was about to order someone to prepare hot soup for a bath, and then call the imperial doctor—but she was stopped by the Empress Dowager Yuan. He ordered the scene to be cleared, then took her hand, and asked Zhan Liu something that made Zhan Liu tremble unconsciously: "Zhan Liu, tell me, the emperor's kindness to Lianniang these years is... is it to comfort Aijia, or, To appease Aijia?!"

The difference between comfort and appeasement is only one child, but the meaning inside is very different.

Especially at this moment, there was an uproar in Zhanliu's heart, and she was speechless for a moment. She pinched her palm hard, and the pain calmed her down. Then she hoarse her voice and asked instead of answering: "Mother, who is this with you?" Rumors about going forward?! You single-handedly raised His Majesty. You don’t know what kind of person he is?! Your Majesty sincerely respects you as his mother, not to mention the Ji family. His Majesty always treats them with precautions. Disgusted, not the slightest closeness; it is the one from Jiashan Palace, Your Majesty, over the years, if you didn't mention it, why did he take the initiative to greet him once? There is also the Shengshou Festival, if you didn't remind me, His Majesty has done so many times in the past two years, I almost forgot the birthday of Empress Dowager Qu... You must not let that screwdriver take advantage of it!"

"Your Majesty is now in charge, and his position is not stable. He needs you to help him stabilize the rear. If you have doubts about him, isn't this playing into the hands of the people behind the scenes?!"

Be sober, ma'am, Chunjia is already in charge, even if he has been pretending in front of you before, the connivance and favoritism towards Yuan Niangniang is to show you your sincerity towards this niece, so that you don't have to deal with Yuan Shi I couldn't help but give up under pressure and even cheated him with a backhand... But all of this is over!

Is it worthwhile for you to turn against him at this time? !

The current situation is that the entire Yuan family needs Chunjia, but Chunjia doesn't necessarily need the Yuan family!

Even in this harem, he has his own mother, the Empress Dowager Qu, and the concubine Zhenzhen, who was supported by the Empress Dowager herself... At this time, let alone doubts in his heart, the evidence is solid. You can pretend to be confused, can't you? !

"..." Empress Dowager Yuan heard the meaning of Zhanliu's words, smiled miserably, and said, "You are right."

This is the second time she said this sentence today.

How helpless I was when I said the previous sentence, but how lonely I was when I said this sentence.