Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 351: Arranged in this way

Royal study room.

Tao Xingjian brought in a bowl of bird's nest porridge and offered it to Emperor Zhaoming with a smile:

"The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prince Zhongshun's Palace have just left Taiji Palace.

“I heard that he came early in the morning and trapped the Queen Mother, the Princess and the County Princess in their beds.

"The Queen Mother and her two daughters had no choice but to hide in the bedroom and secretly prepare a bowl of bird's nest porridge before coming out to entertain them."

Emperor Zhaoming laughed when he heard this and asked Tao Xingjian to explain in detail.

While serving him porridge, Tao Xingjian told him everything in detail, pointed outside and said with a smile:

"Zhao Qing asked Xiao Hong to ask the old slave: A clouded leopard skin mattress is probably not warm enough, otherwise she should put out all the new things in the store?

"It's just that during the New Year, if someone goes to the Yanjia Palace and takes a fancy to her and wants to leave, Your Majesty must provide for her! Is that okay?"

Emperor Zhaoming finished the bowl of porridge in just three or five mouthfuls and laughed loudly upon hearing this: "Otherwise, how can we say that Zhaoqing is indeed the smartest woman in the world!

"I only asked you to pass on half a sentence, but she understood it all at once!

"Look, the Queen Mother clearly wanted to give Mrs. Xue a good beating today, but she just kept talking back to herself!"

Tao Xingjian smiled and nodded repeatedly, but then he sighed and said, "However, Zhaoqing did this probably because the emperor is too old...

"How about you think about it again? The country is so big, and these people have committed crimes for decades. There are so many things to do. Let's not always think about achieving success in one fell swoop..."

"Shut up." Emperor Zhaoming didn't like this and glared at him first, "If I didn't have patience, how could I have waited until now?

"Besides, do you know what I'm going to do?

"Humph!"

Tao Xingjian took two steps back, holding his whisk in his arms, feeling wronged. He pouted and muttered, "How can an old eunuch like me know about your majesty's plans for governing the country?

"As soon as Master Cao came back, he stayed in the imperial study with you for a full hour and a half of secret talk!

“That old slave didn’t hear a word!

"Humph!"

Emperor Zhaoming smiled and glared at him again, put the empty bowl back on the tray, wiped his mouth, stood up, pulled himself together, and said in a low voice:

"Let's go! Into the harem!"

Tao Xingjian agreed, took the black bear skin cloak from the young eunuch, put it on the emperor, and asked cheerfully: "Are you going to Kunning Palace or Fengzao Palace?"

"Of course, we will go to Fengzao Palace first." Emperor Zhaoming sneered, "The whole capital is waiting to see what my attitude is towards the four kings and eight dukes.

"I have to give them a reason to deceive themselves."

Tao Xingjian replied, "Let's have lunch at Kunning Palace and then take a nap.

"At 3 p.m., go to the Imperial Garden and pick two plum blossoms, one for Ganlu Hall and one for Yanjia Hall. Then go back to Xuanzheng Hall.

"Invite a few relatives to the palace to accompany you for dinner, and ask about the happy events of the Zhongshun family..."

Emperor Zhaoming laughed as he listened, and when he sat on the imperial chariot, he knocked on Tao Xingjian's hat and scolded him:

"Old fellow! You are the only one who knows clearly! All right! Let's arrange it as you say!"

Tao Xingjian straightened his hat with a smile and shouted, "Lift the sedan chair!"

It was not until the sedan chair passed Kunning Gate that Emperor Zhaoming seemed to have just remembered something and turned around to instruct Tao Xingjian who was walking below him:

"Oh, by the way. This year, we should give Yanjia Palace more toys for little girls.

"There are many guests over there, and Zhaoqing and the others have high status, so they will have to give out rewards."

Tao Xingjian raised his head in embarrassment and complained: "Why didn't you tell me earlier? We don't have this kind of stuff in our own warehouse!

"The ladies in the harem are not young anymore. Even if there are a few talented beauties who are younger, they can't even show off their toys of that quality!"

Emperor Zhaoming frowned tightly.

After a long while, the imperial carriage stopped at the gate of Fengzao Palace. Emperor Zhaoming sighed and said, "Then I will go to the store with you to pick out some. We have to pick out a few pieces."

Tao Xingjian replied with a "yes", then stood at the gate of Fengzao Palace and shouted loudly: "The emperor has arrived!"

These three or four long sentences of dialogue spread throughout the harem in just half a moment.

Kunning Palace in particular received the "complete" information immediately.

Queen Wan sat on the couch with a sullen face, not moving for a long time.

Su Hong glanced at her expression, lowered her head, and did not dare to speak easily.

Zhu Ying, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and stepped forward with a smile, adding fuel to the fire in a low voice: "Your Majesty was right before!

"That old eunuch named Tao is not a good guy!

"The emperor has been busy with all sorts of things in the past few years and has never had time to spare. Finally, the floods have passed and the chaos has been quelled.

"Listen to what he said, he must be planning to persuade Your Majesty to select a new person to enter the palace next year!"

Queen Wan glanced at her coldly, biting her back teeth gently, and after a while she said in a low voice:

"Next year? Your Majesty, next year, we don't know what will happen! By then, even if Your Majesty pretends, it will take three years, and there will be no selection!"

This is actually saying that the emperor will die next year? !

If it gets out, it will be a curse! It is extremely unfilial!

Su Hong was horrified: "My queen, please be careful with your words!"

"Aunt, why are you so pretentious? What did the queen say wrong?"

Zhu Ying refuted Su Hong first, and then continued Queen Wan's words in a low voice:

"I'm afraid that the emperor will get tired of the old and fall in love with the new, so he can't select the concubines, so he will accept the acquaintances he likes..."

Su Hong was almost angry to death, and she shouted in a low voice: "Shut up! If you don't want your head, jump into the well yourself and stop causing trouble for the queen!"

Then he patiently persuaded the queen earnestly, "That girl is indeed the queen mother's sweetheart, and she is also a stunning beauty.

"But she is the daughter of your Majesty's good friend, there is a huge generation difference between them!

"Besides, she even calls the eunuch surnamed Tao "uncle"! With such a low status, how could Your Majesty even think of taking her into the harem?

"It's just that His Majesty treats her as his own junior. There is no princess in the palace now, so he favors her more.

"My queen, don't listen to Zhu Ying's gossip! You're just getting angry for nothing!"

Queen Wan's expression gradually eased as she spoke, and her shoulders softened a little. She leaned back on the couch, leaning against the big soft pillow, and complained in a low voice:

"He finally finished his work, why did he go to Fengzao Palace first? Why didn't he come to my place?"

"Your Majesty, please also think about His Majesty."

Su Hong first pushed the unhappy Zhu Ying aside, brought a bowl of hot tea to Queen Wan, and explained in a low voice:

"Beijing Wang Gang made such a mess last year. How sad the Queen Mother must have been!

"For this reason, His Majesty would issue an order to invite the four princes to the palace to accompany him at the New Year's Eve banquet.

"No matter how great the Jia woman is, she is the only woman in the palace among the four princes and eight dukes.

"Your Majesty, this is not giving her respect, this is clearly giving the four princes and eight dukes a peace of mind!

"You are the queen! You are the wife, and you are also the subject. The emperor is handling state affairs, and you have to help him!"

Queen Wan listened to these words, a smile appeared on her lips, she gently kicked off her shoes, lay diagonally on the couch, and said lazily:

"I got up early today and I'm a little sleepy, so I'll take a nap.

"Call me for lunch."