Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 182 Bodhisattva in the Side Hall of Zhaoqing Palace

Several people crowded together and reluctantly bowed to Tanchun, then found excuses to leave.

Baochai looked at Daiyu indifferently, and her eyes could no longer hide a complex mixture of jealousy and envy. Then she lowered her eyes, followed behind Princess Shouchang, and quietly left the house.

Only Princess Hongchang sat very steadily, looking at Daiyu curiously, and asked Cheng Qian quietly: "Then how should I address Princess Zhaoqing?"

Cheng Qian was also in a dilemma. She glanced at the Queen Mother and whispered, "Let me ask."

After the empress dowager heard what she said in her ear, she laughed and patted Princess Hongchang lovingly, "Your mother asked me in front of me, and I said that she is of the same generation as your mother.

"From now on, remember that Zhaoqing and Yimin are of the same generation. Where Yimin lives, there must be Zhaoqing."

Princess Hongchang smiled and saluted Daiyu gracefully: "Greetings, Aunt Zhaoqing, my title is Hongchang, and my nickname is Xiaoyang.

"My father is Prince Kejin. I happened to be ill and didn't come to the last birthday celebration of His Majesty. Otherwise, we would have met last time."

So this is the daughter of Princess Kejin who praised me that day?

Daiyu stood up quickly and smiled: "In fact, you are older than me. Although etiquette cannot be abolished, can we call each other by our titles from now on?"

As she spoke, she raised her hand and plucked a small phoenix-shaped hairpin with red gold, kingfisher feathers and pearls from her head, and handed it to Princess Hongchang, "Just consider it a gift for meeting you."

The Queen Mother watched, clapped her hands and said to Princess Hongchang, "You should shout more and get more things from her! She is a rich woman! Her Lin family is a famous family in Gusu, with generations of scholars and four generations of marquises.

"Her father is the only son of that branch, and all his wealth was given to this one girl. I heard people gossiping to me that her dowry is at least enough to buy a prince's mansion!"

Princess Hongchang was about to refuse, but after hearing this, she took it in surprise and said with joy: "If that's the case, then Aunt Zhaoqing must be good at eating and playing!

"Good aunt, can I come to your house someday? You don't have to give me anything, just give me some of your Gusu local specialties to try!

"My father and his friends followed the Supreme Lord on his southern tour and said that Jiangnan cuisine is both beautiful and delicious, but I have never eaten it. They also said that the food cooked by the chef at home is not authentic!"

Hongchang moved to Daiyu's side affectionately and pulled her sleeve in a coquettish manner.

Uh?

So, it’s for stuttering?

Thinking of the way Emperor Zhaoming ate at home, Daiyu wondered if all the descendants of the Situ family were like this!

"Okay. There are only me, Yimin and a nun in my house. If you come, we will welcome you. But you can't bring male guests." Daiyu smiled and said, "I don't have anyone to entertain you at home."

Hongchang nodded desperately: "I'll go alone! I won't even take my mother with me!"

The Queen Mother laughed so hard that she fell backwards. "Zhaoqing, be careful! Hongchang has a big appetite!"

"Really? She is so thin?" Daiyu also became curious.

The Queen Mother was in high spirits and hurriedly ordered Cheng Qian, "Tell her to prepare the meal and let them know that Hongchang will have dinner with me today, along with Zhaoqing and Yimin.

"Let them cook a few of their specialties. I won't agree if I lose face in front of the three of them."

Cheng Qian smiled and agreed repeatedly.

When the meal started, Daiyu watched Princess Hongchang eat half a plate of cherry meat, half a plate of boiled chicken, half a plate of roast beef and mutton, half a fish, some vegetarian dishes, a bowl of clear soup noodles, and half a bowl of rice.

This amount of food is equivalent to the combined amount of the Empress Dowager, Tanchun and Daiyu, and doubled.

Daiyu took a deep breath, then suddenly became very happy. She pulled Hongchang aside and asked quietly, "Is there any curfew when you go out?"

Hongchang had a great meal today, and he felt that he had benefited from Daiyu and Tanchun's help. He was also very happy, and he went over to her and said something to her: "No! My father and mother don't care much about me. Only my brother likes to nag, but he has gone to the south of the Yangtze River now."

"Yi Min and I have always wanted to go out to eat at a restaurant in the capital. But firstly, it is very troublesome for a woman to go out, and secondly, there are only two of us, and we will be full after eating two or three dishes.

"If you don't have a curfew, come with us! We eat at two or three of his famous restaurants every day.

"Let's order a large table of dishes. Yimin and I can try a bite or two of each. You can eat as much as you want! It won't be wasteful, and you won't feel full.

"How about I pay for it?" Daiyu said with sparkling eyes.

Princess Hongchang smiled so much that her eyes curved into two crescents, and clapped her hands, saying, "My mother had this plan earlier, but my father wouldn't let her.

"Firstly, my mother and I can both eat it, but we really can't afford it. Secondly, if we go out and eat like this, people will laugh at us!"

"Who cares!" Daiyu didn't care. "That kind of restaurant has private rooms. We can eat in a private room and come out after we're done. Who would know it was you and I who ate?!"

The two of them were talking animatedly as they met each other. Suddenly, when they looked up, they saw the Empress Dowager and Tanchun looking at them with a smile.

"Hongchang, have you finally found someone who is willing to eat with you?" the Queen Mother joked.

Tanchun laughed along, "Sister Zhaoqing, have you finally found someone who can go out and have fun with you?"

The four of them finished their meal happily, and Hongchang and Tanchun took the empress dowager out for a walk and some food, so much so that Daiyu, who was reluctant to go out for fear of getting into trouble, had to go with them.

The Queen Mother then took them to see the Jinshui River.

The clear water flows slowly, and under the autumn afternoon sunlight, the sparkling waves really have some meaning of the sun shining on dragon scales and making them golden.

"The Zhaoqing Palace is on the other side." The Queen Mother looked at Daiyu and smiled, "How about it? Do you want to go and take a look?"

"Not going?" Daiyu smiled embarrassedly.

The more she acted like this, the more others wanted to go.

Hongchang pulled her and said, "Go ahead! Go and have a look! Tomorrow someone will ask you about your title, but you don't even know what this palace looks like. What if you are laughed at?"

The Queen Mother laughed heartily, and led them over slowly, walking as if they were in a carriage.

Cheng Qian hurriedly ordered someone to take a look: "Tell the gatekeeper. If there is too much dust inside, open the doors and windows to let it out."

The Queen Mother smiled and turned back: "That's fine. We can just stand outside and take a look. There is a statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva brought back from Tibet in the side hall of Zhaoqing Palace. I'll take them to take a look at that."

A few people walked by chatting and laughing.

As soon as they arrived at the gate of Zhaoqing Palace, they saw the two young eunuchs guarding the gate, the palace maid that Cheng Qian had just sent to check, and another older palace maid who was bowing her head deeply, all kneeling on the ground with pale faces, and even shaking all over!

The Queen Mother's smile gradually faded, and the majesty of a person who had been in power for many years was released. She asked in a deep voice, "What's going on?"

The maidservant of Yanjia Palace stepped out from the crowd and reported in a trembling voice: "I wanted to check the side hall, but was stopped by these two gatekeepers.

"I fended them off and went into the side hall, where I saw the man praying before the Bodhisattva. That was fine.

"I said the Queen Mother wanted to see the Bodhisattva and asked her to leave. She left quickly. Only then did I realize that there was something stuffed behind the Bodhisattva!"

The little maid raised her hands high.