Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 136: Searching for Him in the Crowd

Qingning Palace.

When Queen Mother Zhou finished worshiping Buddha and came out, Chen Gui and the eunuch Wei Tai from the Imperial Household Department had been waiting for a long time.

"Ancestor."

Wei Tai hurried over and said with a smile, "Your Majesty urged us to speed up the selection process... When I came in, I saw the Crown Prince waiting outside... Since everything is ready, why not start earlier?"

Queen Mother Zhou looked displeased and scolded, "Even the Crown Prince knew to wait outside, but you, Wei Tai, were so impatient that you had to come in and nag me about this? Is it that the Emperor is ignorant, or that the people in the Imperial Household Department don't follow the rules?"

Wei Tai said respectfully: "The ancestor is making things difficult for us runners... It's not because your majesty is urging us, it's all because of the fact that Wan Guiren of Anxi Palace... her illness has recurred today..."

When Queen Mother Zhou heard this, her displeasure was immediately swept away, and she immediately asked with full of doubts: "Didn't we agree on this before?"

"oops."

Wei Tai said helplessly, "That's what the people at the Imperial Hospital said yesterday, but that Immortal Li went back to divine, and today he hurried to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to report to His Majesty, saying that Lady Wan's illness was extremely serious. His Majesty immediately summoned the people at the Imperial Hospital to ask them in detail, and only then did he know... Yesterday's rumor was wrong. In fact, Lady Wan's illness has not been cured, but has improved slightly or is just..."

Queen Mother Zhou was overjoyed, her face was full of smiles, and she didn't seem to hide her joy at all. She smiled and said, "Maybe it's just a last burst of energy?"

Wei Tai looked quite embarrassed, but he didn't dare to explain more.

After all, the more you say at this time, the more mistakes you will make. If those unpleasant words were to reach the emperor's ears, he would be in big trouble. So he acquiesced in what Empress Dowager Zhou said.

"Alas! I am not a cruel person. The emperor wants to use the happy event in the Eastern Palace to cheer up his beloved concubine. As a mother, can I just stand by and watch? Just today, I repeatedly sent people to the Eastern Palace to urge the prince to come. Chen Gui told you all this, right?"

"Yes."

How could Wei Tai not know the rules?
Although she knew very well that Empress Dowager Zhou wished that Concubine Wan would die sooner, for the sake of face, both sides still had to play it safe and pretend to be a loving mother and a filial son, caring deeply for Concubine Wan.

You pretend to be your loving mother and I pretend to be my grandson, and we both have a bright future.

"Where is the prince?"

Queen Mother Zhou asked.

Chen Gui said hurriedly, "The prince has been waiting outside for a long time. When he heard that the ancestor asked him to wait outside, he didn't even step into the palace gate."

"Tsk, what kind of explanation is this? How could I treat you badly? Please invite my little grandson in. It's freezing cold out here. What if he gets frozen?
"Hey, do you guys have problems with your ears or your brains? I asked the prince to wait outside so that he would not enter the temple and disturb me. How can I let him sit outside the temple and blow the cold wind?"

Queen Mother Zhou was probably really angry, and she slapped the armrests of the chair, making them make loud noises.

But Chen Gui was familiar with Empress Dowager Zhou after all, and he was sure that the old lady felt that she had her grandson in her control, and was trying hard to hide her excitement.

It's like saying, you little devil, do you think this old woman can't grasp your lifeblood?

I want to see how you can escape from the palm of my hand!
……

……

When Zhu Youtang entered the main hall of Qingning Palace, he had no complaints in his heart.

Anyway, he was used to being abused since he was a child, so standing in the cold wind for a while wearing thick clothes was not a problem for him at all, especially when his heart was still burning with passion.

"Greetings to the Royal Grandmother."

Zhu Youtang bowed respectfully.

Queen Mother Zhou smiled and said hello: "Come here quickly, the chair has been prepared for you in advance, let me take a good look at my darling grandson... Is he not frozen outside?"

Zhu Youtang was humble and calm, and said with a smile: "Grandma, you are smiling. I am standing outside, knowing that you are healthy and well, and my heart is filled with joy and warmth. How can I feel cold?"

Queen Mother Zhou rolled her eyes at her grandson and joked, "You are not happy because you are going to see the Imperial Grandmother, but because you are about to meet your future daughter-in-law. You are so excited that you are pretending to be a filial child in front of the Imperial Grandmother, right?" "No...nothing..."

Originally, Queen Mother Zhou was just joking, but Zhu Youtang became visibly nervous, and hesitantly denied it, with sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Obviously, in his eyes, the rank of Queen Mother Zhou was too high. The person in front of him was a person that even his father, whom he had always feared, was very wary of. Normally, he could only look up to Queen Mother Zhou.

His timid character couldn't stand being joked.

Seeing Zhu Youtang showing his fear, Empress Dowager Zhou quickly waved her hands and said, "Alright, don't explain to me. Now it's time to get down to business... Are all the people ready?"

Chen Gui replied respectfully, "The three nobles are all in the inner hall. Screens and gauze curtains have been prepared, and there is a curtain in the middle. The old ancestor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can come in and meet the three nobles at any time."

"Okay, all of you go out and wait... I want to take the prince inside to take a look. It will be a little inconvenient for you to be around."

Empress Dowager Zhou seemed to be very disgusted with others disrupting her plans. Not to mention Wei Tai, the supervisor sent by the emperor, she didn't even plan to bring in Chen Gui, who had served her for a long time.

……

……

Qingning Palace, inner hall.

Zhang Yu and the other two candidates were arranged to take their seats early. Each of them had a table in front of them and a screen in front of the table. There was a curtain in front of the three screens, and a thin gauze curtain in front of them. Although they could vaguely see the scenery outside, they could only see an outline and a general outline.

So when Empress Dowager Zhou brought Zhu Youtang in, Zhang Yu thought that it was just a busy palace maid coming in and out as before, so she didn't take it too seriously.

"Prince, how are your studies going recently? I heard from Qin Ji that you have been studying very hard recently, often staying up late at night and refusing to go to bed. Young people should still take care of their bodies. Although it is a good thing that you are diligent and studious, if you damage your body, how can you help your father manage the government in the future?"

Empress Dowager Zhou's words cheered up Zhang Yu, Wang Shi and Song Shi, who heard it clearly.

After all, the real boss is here. All the hard work and efforts recently are for the purpose of performing well today and striving to become the Crown Princess and bring honor to the family.

But then a slightly childish male voice was heard.

"My grandson has broadened his horizons and gained more knowledge through reading. He has also been able to maintain a relatively peaceful state of mind for a long time. Sometimes he has neglected his sleep and food. I am sorry that you are worried about me, Grandmother."

Then came the voice of Queen Mother Zhou.

"You usually come here to pay your respects, and you look so haggard, so thin that you seem like you could be blown down by the wind. You can't go on like this... After you get married, and have someone by your side to supervise you, maybe you can go to bed earlier at night."

"Yes."

Zhu Youtang hesitated for a moment, and as if he had no better answer, he simply agreed.

Outside the gauze curtain.

Queen Mother Zhou looked around and asked, "Is everyone inside?"

A female official came forward and said respectfully, "Yes, ancestor, the three nobles are inside, and everything is ready!"

"That's good. First, take down the screen, then draw open the curtain... Prince, take a closer look at the three I have chosen for you. Are you satisfied?
"If you like all of them, I will tell your father to keep all three of them, one as the principal wife and the other two as concubines, to serve you together."

Queen Mother Zhou said this and waved her hand.

Then a palace maid came over and removed the screen in front of Zhang Yu, and then pulled open the curtain.

In this way, there was only a very thin veil between Zhang Yu and Zhu Youtang, and their faces were almost clearly visible.

Because Empress Dowager Zhou did not give any further instructions, neither Zhu Youtang nor the female officials serving beside him could easily remove or lift the gauze curtain.

(End of this chapter)