Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 199: Empress Dowager Li's Punishment
After listening to what Wei Qing said, Zhang Yunxiu slammed the table and was about to curse, "Women are so short-sighted," but when he saw Wei Qing's face, he swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

He changed the subject and asked, "What does the emperor think?"

"What else can I think?" Wei Qing laughed at himself and replied, "You also know that the emperor respects the queen mother. Now that the queen mother has spoken, I'm afraid there will be little room for maneuver on this matter."

"What if someone insists on going forward?"

Zhang Yunxiu asked with narrowed eyes.

Wei Qing's expression froze, then he gave a dry laugh and answered in a controlled tone: "Anyway, we have conveyed this message, and the emperor's decree will arrive immediately. As for the rest of the matter, it is not our business."

Although he didn't point it out directly, Zhang Yunxiu still sensed danger in these words. If someone offended the empress dowager, given her influence on the emperor, they would not have a good life in the future.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yunxiu became cautious and smiled at Wei Qing, "Thank you, Eunuch Wei, for taking the trouble to come all the way here."

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu like this, Wei Qing leaned forward and advised with good intentions: "We are friends, and friends should help each other. Zhang Sicheng, I advise you not to interfere in this matter. Let Hai Rui, the stubborn ass, do it."

"I understand, I understand." Zhang Yunxiu laughed and ordered someone to take two silver dollars, and then personally escorted Wei Qing to the gate of the mansion.

After seeing Wei Qing off, Zhang Yunxiu returned to the small hall and sat down.

He leaned back, closed his eyes slightly, and deduced the direction of events in his mind.

He originally thought that the emperor supported this matter. Although it could not be said that "everything was accomplished in one fell swoop", it was still a big victory.

Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Li suddenly fired a broadsword.

If it was someone else, the emperor would still be able to be a bit tough. But in this case, Emperor Wanli was like a sheep seeing a tiger or a mouse seeing a cat, and he wanted to find a hole in the ground to hide himself in.

He would be dissatisfied if he only caught two minions.

If he continued down this path to the end, he was worried that he would offend the master in the palace.

For a moment, Zhang Yunxiu was riding on the wall, unable to move forward or backward.

Unconsciously, a feeling of fatigue came over Zhang Yunxiu, who was half asleep and half awake. Suddenly, a eunuch came to announce the decree: the Empress Dowager wanted to summon Xu Ruoxi to the palace to relieve her boredom.

Zhang Yunxiu woke up, and he guessed that this matter must be related to the Kong family.

"Don't worry, my husband. The Empress Dowager is very easy to talk to." After receiving the order, Xu Ruoxi walked from the women's hall to the front hall, and said while holding her husband's hand.

Zhang Yunxiu nodded, took a sip of the wine on her cheek, and then personally escorted her to the palace gate.

Cining Palace.

Flower Hall.

Empress Dowager Li was seen wearing a snow-white velvet dress, sitting on an embroidered couch against the wall, with a maid standing on her left and right.

Xu Ruoxi leaned on the embroidered couch to the right of Empress Dowager Li.

In front of the two men, there were more than ten pretty palace maids, all wearing moon-white lotus-frilled skirts.

Holding the musical instrument, he sang softly.

When it is high, it is like a mountain torrent rushing out of the ground; when it is low and graceful, it is like a lone goose flying south, a crane calling in the sky, or rain hitting frosty branches in an ancient temple deep in the mountains.

Listening to it makes people fascinated and immersed in it.

Just one song.

Empress Dowager Li waved her hand, and the musicians in front of her bowed and respectfully withdrew. The two palace maids beside her also knew what to do, and prepared cakes and tea for the Empress Dowager and Xu Ruoxi, and quietly left.

Looking at the flower hall with only two people left, Empress Dowager Li smiled and picked up a piece of peach cake with her slender jade fingers and brought it to Xu Ruoxi's mouth: "Try it. I specially asked the imperial chef in the palace to make it according to the taste of Jiangnan."

Xu Ruoxi quickly stood up, reached out to take the peach pastry, and then took a light bite.

She let the softness and sweetness ferment on her tongue, and finally hummed with enjoyment: "Well, the imperial chef in this palace is amazing. It tastes better than what I ate in Songjiang Prefecture." Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Li's plump and fair face was filled with smiles. She motioned Xu Ruoxi to sit next to her, looked at her cheek and joked: "You, this little mouth is more adorable than your face."

"What I said is the truth."

"Alright, we are not strangers, why are you being so polite to us?" Empress Dowager Li waved her hand to interrupt Xu Ruoxi, then she looked at her bulging belly and asked, "How many months?"

"Almost five months." Xu Ruoxi answered respectfully.

After she answered, a blush of happiness suddenly appeared on her pretty face.

"You have to be careful then." Empress Dowager Li warned with a serious look, "The most important thing in a woman's life is to give birth to a son for her husband, so your first child is especially important."

"I understand."

"As long as you know."

Empress Dowager Li smiled faintly and suddenly turned the topic back to the Kong family: "The capital has been very unstable recently. The emperor has countless impeachment memorials piled on his desk."

Xu Ruoxi knew about this, but she pretended to be confused and asked, "Queen Mother, who are you impeaching?"

"Who else could it be? Impeaching your husband's subordinate, Han San!" Queen Mother Li bit her cheek and said angrily, "Does he think that he is impeaching Han San? It's still targeting him."

"Ah?!" Xu Ruoxi exclaimed, and the mist immediately soaked her eyelashes.

Seeing Xu Ruoxi's pitiful appearance, Empress Dowager Li hurriedly held Xu Ruoxi's jade hand and comforted her: "If you ask me, he is asking for trouble. You go back and persuade him to behave himself."

"Empress Dowager, you have to help my husband." Xu Ruoxi pouts and pleads in a crying voice.

"Okay, okay, I promise you."

"Thank you, Queen Mother."

"Look, they say women are made of water, but you start crying and make us feel helpless."

"Queen Mother!"

After some banter, the two were no longer restrained.

Because they had met several times before, Xu Ruoxi now treated Empress Dowager Li as an elder and no longer felt the awkwardness of a first meeting.

Empress Dowager Li had a smiling face and patiently explained to Xu Ruoxi how to preserve the fetus.

Xu Ruoxi listened very carefully, wishing she could engrave every word into her mind.

Before I knew it, two hours had passed.

Empress Dowager Li suddenly felt tired. She stretched lazily and yawned, saying, "I am useless at my age. I am not like you young people who get tired after sitting for a short while."

"Who said the Queen Mother is old? I think the Queen Mother and my sister-in-law are about the same age." Xu Ruoxi smiled faintly.

"Okay, stop saying nice things to me here. If you want to say something, go talk to your husband." Empress Dowager Li replied with a smile.

After saying that, he ordered someone to send Xu Ruoxi back.

By the time she got home, it was already dark.

At the dining table, the whole family sat together, enjoying dinner.

During the meal, Zhang Fu suddenly walked over quickly and whispered something in Zhang Yunxiu's ear.

Zhang Yunxiu immediately stood up and left.

Xu Ruoxi and the others were stunned by what they saw.

(End of this chapter)