thenovelthief Chapter 34 Do you miss me?
Chapter 34 Do you miss me?
In Fengyi Palace, the Empress was still complaining to Granny Qu about what happened last night; she was truly uneasy.
"It's all because the Emperor kept staring at that dancer. If he's unhappy, fine, but why embarrass me like that! Now even Consort Qing has embarrassed me. I wonder what others are thinking!"
She was the eldest daughter of the Pei family and was raised to be an empress from a young age. She was knowledgeable and had a good temperament. No matter how difficult things were, she was very resilient.
Normally, she shouldn't lose her judgment at a time like this.
However, Li Yuanke was the kind of person who could be remembered for a lifetime at first glance.
She had always thought that Li Yuanke would not consummate their marriage, but Li Yuanke treated her with respect and even did not mind giving her a child. How could she not be moved?
Granny Qu sighed, "It's already like this, Your Majesty, so don't think too much about it. Just don't do such things again. After all, you are the Empress, and the Emperor's anger will naturally subside after a while."
The Empress touched her belly, wishing she could get pregnant.
Her periods have always been irregular, and there's no use in worrying about it now.
The palace maid brought over the medicine, which tasted terrible, but she drank it down without even blinking.
"Your Majesty!" The chief eunuch, Quan Degui, entered, and his words nearly gave her a stroke. "Someone from the previous court impeached you and Consort Shen, saying that Consort Shen's words and actions did not conform to etiquette, and that you... failed to manage the harem effectively. They demanded that the Emperor severely punish you and Consort Shen!"
The Empress, enraged, smashed the medicine bowl on the ground. "Who dares to impeach me?"
Doesn't she want to care about Shen Shixi?
Can she control it?
"The two censors from the Censorate, one surnamed Niu and the other surnamed Ma, I have already found out that both of them have dealings with the Song family, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."
The Song family was Hui Xiurong's maternal family.
The Empress was furious. "So, Song Zhiyi, she's trying to drag me down so she can take this position? Doesn't she even know if she's worthy?"
Granny Qu said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. This is a matter of the previous dynasty, and His Majesty will handle it properly. His Majesty knows how well you manage the harem; it's not up to others to decide."
Over the years, she has done her best, always trying to understand the Emperor's wishes, and she considers herself impeccable.
"What did His Majesty say?"
Quan Degui said, "The Emperor severely punished the two censors, saying that the inner palace is the Emperor's family matter and the court officials should not make any comments."
The Empress finally breathed a sigh of relief, mainly because she had angered the Emperor yesterday and had become so anxious today that she lost her composure.
Shen Shixi naturally received the news in Zhaoyang Palace as well; it was Chaoyu who brought it back.
"These two, Niu and Ma, are protégés of Vice Minister Song. Here's what I'll do, Chaoyu, can you pass on a message to the Shen family and tell them to go out and find some children, give them some copper coins, and have them sing a song: 'Oxen and horses are not human, but are driven to be Song's dogs. They are not hunted by the emperor, but are willing to die as ministers.'"
The censors are officials appointed by the imperial court, which, to put it bluntly, are national resources. They should be used by the emperor and not driven by the Song family. The Song family's actions are treasonous.
It's just splashing dirty water, who's afraid of who!
"I'm not afraid of spending money. I want this song to be sung all over the streets and alleys of the capital within a single day!" Shen Shixi said.
This was a simple matter, and Chao Yu remembered it well and quickly went to do it.
Shen Shixi was also somewhat angry. Consort Hui was simply going too far. She actually dared to make a scene in the imperial court over matters of the inner palace.
If she doesn't retaliate, Li Yuanke could suppress her with his imperial power, but it would ultimately harm her reputation.
Some people say that the emperor favored a vixen.
Before dinner, Li Defu hurriedly entered Qianyuan Palace, holding a piece of paper with this doggerel written on it.
"Your Majesty, this song has spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital, and everyone is singing it." Li Fude handed over the paper.
Li Yuanke found it quite amusing. He was familiar with this tactic; he had waged a similar propaganda war when he and his brothers were vying for the throne.
That idea, of course, came from Shen Shixi.
"Where did this ballad originate?" Li Yuanke flicked the paper with his finger. "Did the Song family do anything about it?"
Li Fude said, "This... I don't know who spread it. I only heard that someone taught it at first, and the children who could sing it received a copper coin. Many children spread the song, and as it was sung, the whole city started singing it."
At this moment, Song Shilang was furious when he saw his son Song Zhiheng kneeling on the ground.
"Who gave you permission to have someone impeach Lady Shen and the Empress? Is this something you should be doing?"
Song Zhiheng didn't think she had done anything wrong. "Shen and the Empress bullied my sister in the palace. She herself was behaving improperly, and my sister was just advising her. What did she do wrong? One seduced the Emperor to support her, and the other used her status to disregard my sister."
The Empress is just someone who relies on her birth; what right does she have to be Empress!
Vice Minister Song slapped Song Zhiheng across the face. Madam Song rushed over to protect her son, "My lord, Heng'er was only thinking of his sister. What did he do wrong?"
Minister Song angrily retorted, "You fool! Go out and see what everyone's singing in the streets and alleys! If you're going to help your sister, you should at least do it cleanly. If you don't have the ability, then don't even try!"
Song Zhiheng naturally knew what was being spread outside. "This is all slander!"
"What slander?" said Vice Minister Song. "This is an open conspiracy! Niu and Ma are my students. They are interfering in the affairs of the inner palace. Do we need to tell them whose side they are on?"
What are the duties of an imperial censor? To investigate and impeach the faults of officials and to uphold the discipline of the court. What have you asked them to do? Do you even want to live? You're going to implicate your entire family!
Song Zhiheng did not think he was wrong. "The Emperor now only has two sons and one daughter. The eldest prince is poisoned and is already a useless person. This is the Empress's fault. She is not worthy to be the Empress at all."
Minister Song was furious. "If she is not worthy to be Empress, then who do you think is? Your sister? Your sister was a concubine of the Emperor when he was still a prince. She has no children. If it weren't for my advocacy for the Emperor back then, she would never have reached the position of the Ninth Consort."
"You want to make her empress? That's wishful thinking!"
Song Shilang was one of the first to side with the emperor, but he also carefully considered the situation.
Madam Song retorted angrily, "My lord, how can you say that about Yi'er? Is it wrong for her to follow the rules? Is she advising others only for her own benefit?"
Master Song felt that the mother and her two children could drive him crazy, and that saying anything more would be like casting pearls before swine. He waved his hand, got up, and went to his concubine's room.
Madam Song wiped away her tears and said to her son, "Don't worry about what your father says. I support you. You value sibling affection and respect rules and etiquette. You have done nothing wrong. I have done my best to teach you."
If we don't respect etiquette and rules, are we just going to let those concubines trample on the head of the principal wife?
Master Song lay in his concubine's arms, feeling extremely agitated.
The aunt stroked Master Song's arm and said, "It's a pity that our Huan'er is still too young to make it happen. If she were to enter the palace, her beauty and talent would surely win the emperor's favor."
"When she's a little older, we'll find a way to send her to the palace."
This eldest daughter is now useless.
That evening, Li Yuanke arrived at Zhaoyang Palace.
The palace lanterns illuminated the front courtyard, where Shen Shixi, dressed in a pale yellow, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), squatted in front of the nursery. The soft light shone on her, making her look like a butterfly resting in the courtyard, fluttering gracefully and incredibly cute.
Li Yuanke stopped and looked at her.
Hearing the noise, she turned her head, saw Li Yuanke, jumped up, ran towards him, and rushed into his arms.
Li Yuanke smiled and caught her, picking her up in his arms. "What are you looking at? These seedlings have grown so tall in just a few days!"
Shen Shixi said, "Yes, we can thin out the seedlings now. Would Your Majesty like to plant some as well?"
Li Yuanke then called to Li Fude, "Move all the seedlings in front of and behind the Qianyuan Palace courtyard, and move some seedlings from Zhaoyang Palace to plant. Make sure they survive."
"yes!"
Li Fude thought to himself, "The Emperor has gone mad. Just imagine the scene of Qian Yuan Palace being surrounded by vegetable gardens. It's hard to imagine!"
Once inside the bedchamber, Li Yuanke couldn't stop himself. He lowered his head and bit her lip, asking, "Did you miss me?"
Shen Shixi didn't say anything, but put her arms around his shoulders and kissed him.
Everyone inside the hall left.