clothing incense

Chapter 198 Entering the Palace (3)

The fifth girl, Xue Dongrong, is the second daughter of the second room. When she was about to get married, Ji Ji married into the Xiao family as a concubine wife.Although rumors praised her for emphasizing affection and righteousness, everyone knew that as the prostitute of the Hou family, she made the Xue family lose face.In the end, Xiao's family made compensation, but it couldn't make up for Xue's loss.

Since she was exiled with Xiao Xuanqin, the fifth son of the Xiao family, the Xue family seldom mentioned her.

Dong Yuan didn't even know why the Empress Empress would mention it at this moment, and she affectionately called her "Fifth Sister".

She was a little wary.

The queen empress took the initiative to mention the fifth girl, Xue Dongrong, but none of the others said anything.Everyone knew that they didn't know what the empress wanted, so they didn't dare to make trouble.

"...When His Majesty recovers, I will definitely ask His Majesty to let the Fifth Sister return to the capital. Although we have many sisters, our own sisters don't support each other. Who will take care of us?" The Empress sighed.

Concubine Xue Shu's heart skipped a beat, she thought of something, she lowered her head slightly and remained silent.

Mrs. Shan Guogong has always been cautious.Although the queen was the elder sister who loved her dearly when she was young, the courtesy of the monarch and his ministers cannot be discarded.She didn't dare to come forward to get close and say something personal.

Dong Yuan was even more puzzled, so naturally he would not answer.

"I don't know how Fifth Sister is doing recently, do you have any news about her?" The empress asked Mrs. Shan Guogong and Dong Yuan.

Mrs. Shan Guogong thought for a while, and said: "My fifth sister and my fifth brother-in-law are not far away. They are in the countryside of Jinan Prefecture. Grandma said that the fifth sister should not give the Zhuangzi of Jinan Prefecture to my fifth sister. Last time I went back, I heard what my mother said. , They rented some fields, and the fifth brother-in-law worked in the fields by himself. The fifth brother-in-law didn’t want the relief sent by the family, and it was difficult to give it away later. The fifth brother-in-law is strong and strong, but the fifth sister-in-law is not hungry.”

The empress was slightly stunned when she heard this.

Then, she sighed and said: "It is said that the fifth son of the Xiao family is an extremely dandy. Now it seems that he has a tough bone."

As he said that, there was some relief in his tone.

Dong Yuan had heard some of these words from Sheng Xiuyi earlier.

For Xiao Xuanqin's behavior, the Xue family praised and criticized.

The old Hou Ye and the old lady admired Xiao Xuanqin's toughness; others laughed at his ignorance of current affairs.The second wife couldn't bear it, she secretly wiped her tears several times, and asked the third young master to send some gold and silver money to Xue Dongrong from time to time.Xiao Xuanqin still refused to accept it.

Xue Dongrong listened to her husband in everything, and the angry second wife wiped her tears all night.

Both Dong Yuan and Sheng Xiuyi felt that Xiao Xuanqin was good, and it was the Xiao family who made him suffer.

"It's not easy to speak now." The empress said, "When I find a good time, I will tell His Majesty what I said, and let the fifth brother-in-law and fifth sister return to Beijing. They are just side branches, and they have never followed Xiao Yanfei to do evil. Can Your Majesty forgive those vassal officials, but can't you forgive the bastards who are side branches?"

"Your Majesty, His Majesty is not in good health and has a bad temper..." Concubine Xue Shu reminded in a low voice.

Does the Queen not know about His Majesty's condition?But Concubine Xue Shu still told the queen, which shows that she has always been the queen's intelligence agent by the emperor's side.

Dong Yuan looked at Concubine Xue Shu and understood why she was favored by the queen.

The empress laughed: "I know this, so I won't argue with His Majesty. But there will always be great joy. When the prince is married and happy, shouldn't the world be pardoned?"

Prince newly married?

Dong Yuan was shocked.

She felt that the main purpose of announcing her entry into the palace this time, the Empress finally talked about it.

Mrs. Shan Guogong didn't hear that the crown prince chose a concubine, but when she heard the queen's words, she was slightly surprised, and asked, "Ma'am, is the crown prince going to get married?"

The Empress smiled, glanced at Dong Yuan, and then said: "Your Majesty is not in good health, and wants to choose a concubine for the Prince when the Prince is ten years old. The Prince will be ten years old next year..."

That is to say, the crown prince will get married next year.

"Congratulations, empress, congratulations to the crown prince." Mrs. Shan Guogong was sincerely happy. The son of the empress empress is getting married, which is naturally a great event. She asked again, "Which family is the crown prince?"

"It's not decided yet..." said the Empress.

Dong Yuan raised his eyes and saw the Empress looking at him.

She vaguely guessed seven or eight points in her heart.

It made her so nervous that she thought it was Emperor Yuanchang who announced her into the palace, but it wasn't!Her heart finally returned to its place.

The candidate for the crown prince has not yet been decided, so the empress said that when the crown prince was overjoyed, she pardoned the fifth girl, Xue Dongrong, to return to Beijing.

On the surface, these words were the benefits promised to the Xue family, but Dong Yuan could hear the deep meaning at this moment.

Just as she was thinking, she heard Mrs. Shan Guogong ask again: "Has anyone chosen?"

The empress smiled gently: "I heard from the attendant next to your majesty, it seems that several ladies have been appointed. The first one is the eldest granddaughter of Princess Wen Jing. Princess Wen Jing is the aunt of your majesty. It is best to be close; the second is the eldest granddaughter of Bo Yongning. Bo Yongning is the queen mother's cousin and relative, and the granddaughter of Bo Yongning's mansion is young, but she has a good reputation. She is extremely intelligent, whether it is reading and writing or needlework, she is outstanding in everything; there is another one, our sister Rui..."

Sister Rui is Xue Fengrui, the eldest daughter of Dong Yuan's elder brother Xue Huajing.

When the emperor wanted to choose a concubine for the prince, he first chose the granddaughter of his aunt;

The emperor probably meant that he did not want the daughter of the Xue family to be selected, lest the future queen mother and queen's natal family should be Xue's family.

The relatives of the Xue family are too powerful to suppress the emperor!

Using the former descendants to check and balance the new descendants is probably what the emperor wanted.

And if the empress wants to be respected and powerful in the harem forever, she needs a queen who is in the same heart as herself.Who is more secure than his own niece?

Even if the Empress Dowager and Empress will have differences in the future, the backing they want to protect their rights is the Xue family, and they don't need to fight about this.

Once a person has had a taste of power, he doesn't want to let go.

The Empress entered the Prince's Mansion in her teens. At that time, she and Concubine Sheng were both a few years older than the Crown Prince. Seeing that the Crown Prince fell in love with the Crown Prince's concubine of the same age.They are always on the sidelines.

Then the princess's personality changed day by day, and she gradually lost the prince's favor.But Xue Liangdi is getting older day by day.At that time, the crown prince's love for women would only be transferred to younger women, not her, Liang Di, who was older than the crown prince.

She probably never enjoyed her husband's love in her life.

She survived from Liangdi until the crown prince ascended the throne and became an imperial concubine.She was suppressed by the queen mother and the queen again, until the queen's natal family rebelled, the queen died suddenly, and the queen mother fell ill, she could come forward.

Judging from the shadows left by the youngest years, no matter whether the current Empress Xue is a kind person or not, at least she is a person who values ​​rights very much.

Dong Yuan understood that the only reason why the empress could help the seriously ill Emperor Yuanchang meet Dong Yuan privately was because of the problem of the crown princess.

And now, the empress probably hasn't had a showdown with the emperor yet.

"Although I am the mother of the prince, the selection of the prince's concubine is a major matter for the country. How can I intervene?" The empress smiled a little helplessly, "Your Majesty now values ​​grandfather. Besides, it is probably Guanwen. Lord Chai, a scholar of the Palace University, and Lord Qin, Minister of the Ministry of War. Your Majesty will definitely ask them when the crown prince chooses a concubine. However, I have heard His Majesty praise the young master Sheng Xiuyi several times, and the prince always mentions the goodness of young master Sheng in front of this palace... . . . "

Dong Yuan was already quite sure that the Empress announced her purpose of entering the palace.

She needs Sheng Xiuyi to stand in line and stand by the Xue family.

Both the emperor and the prince valued Sheng Xiuyi's opinions, and Sheng Xiuyi's attitude was very important.

With the weight of Zhen Xianhou and Prince Shaoshi, Xue Fengrui will probably be able to add a lot of bargaining chips.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty and the Crown Prince are overwhelmed." Dong Yuan said modestly, "My husband's knowledge is shallow, but he can contribute to the Crown Prince only because of his grandfather's recommendation..."

"Jiumei don't need to be overly modest." The empress interrupted Dong Yuan, "I know the skills of my brother-in-law Jiu. I only have you sisters in my palace. These brothers-in-law will be relied on by me and the crown prince in the future."

Dong Yuan smiled wryly in his heart.

It turns out that this is politics.

Dong Yuan had no choice but to express his position: "My husband will be loyal to Your Majesty, Your Majesty, and the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is both my master and my student. Only when the Prince's everything goes well can I rest assured..."

Only then did the empress nod in satisfaction.

Then she talked for a long time, before leaving, she also praised Dong Yuan for being smart, Sheng Xiuyi has such a good wife, and his future is boundless.

Dong Yuan and Mrs. Shan Guogong came out of Kunning Palace, and after walking a few steps, Concubine Xue Shu chased after them.

"Ninth Sister, have you ever paid homage to Tenth Sister?" Concubine Xue Shu had tears in her eyes.

Mrs. Shan Guogong couldn't stay aside, so she had to leave first.

When Mrs. Shan Guogong walked a little farther, Concubine Xue Shu suddenly sprained her foot and almost slipped. Dong Yuan and a female official hurriedly helped her up.

She pushed the female officer's hand away, only letting Dong Yuan support her.

The two were very close, and she whispered to Dong Yuan: "Ninth Sister, don't disobey the Empress. His Highness the Crown Prince is a well-known filial son. Your Majesty is not in good health, and won't last until next spring."

What she meant was: Your Majesty is not in good health, and will die next spring at the latest; and after the crown prince takes power, he will naturally be filial to his mother in everything.The queen empress doesn't like others to disobey her.If she doesn't get what she wants this time, she will probably take revenge on Sheng Xiuyi and Dong Yuan in the future.

Concubine Xue Shu also heard what the Empress Empress meant.

Then, she stood up straight, and then formally bid farewell to Dong Yuan.

"Your Majesty, don't worry, this concubine knows well." Dong Yuan bowed to Concubine Xue Shu, "My Majesty, live a long and healthy life, and the little princess will live a thousand years."

Concubine Xue Shu's vision became somewhat blurred.Dong Yuan was escorted by the empress's maid, but in the end she said nothing, turned around and walked back to her palace slowly.

Dong Yuan looked back.In the heavy snow, she was wearing a blue-gray windbreaker, with a slender and graceful back, but with a sense of tranquility.

Dong Yuan felt a little sad when he thought of the reluctance she showed at that moment.The empress can still see her mother and sisters all the time, but she can only stay alone in the lonely palace.

Seeing that she knew the Queen's character so well, and was liked by the Queen, Dong Yuan felt better when she finally had someone to rely on.

Walking out of Kunning Palace slowly, the female officer helped Dong Yuan into the carriage, and then turned back to the main hall.

The empress has been waiting for the female officer's reply.

(End of this chapter)