PFC Chapter 307: Lifting People
Chapter 307: Lifting People
The Queen Mother smiled and said, "You have done a great service by raising the fifth prince. If you can give the emperor one or two more princes, I will reward you, and your position will rise even higher."
As the Queen Mother spoke, she glanced at the Queen.
Xie Run knew that the Queen Mother was deliberately giving her face and promoting her to suppress the Queen's momentum and compete with her.
Xie Run absolutely did not dare to interfere in the affairs of the Empress Dowager and the Queen. She accepted the hairpin and responded respectfully, "I am fortunate to have the love of the Emperor and the Queen, and was able to give birth to Cong'er."
"I dare not take credit for this matter, and I would like to ask for some credit for the Empress. If it weren't for the Empress's protection back in the palace, how could Cong'er be so lively and lovely today?"
The smile on the Queen Mother's face suddenly disappeared.
She wanted to promote Xie Run, the favorite concubine, to compete with the queen, but who knew that Xie Run was actually the queen's man. Now she has shot herself in the foot.
The Queen Mother immediately felt somewhat disgusted with her.
The Queen Mother said in a light tone: "You are very protective of the Queen."
Xie Run smiled shyly, just like before: "How can I protect the Queen? I am just telling the truth, I am afraid that the Queen Mother will look down on me for being stupid."
Queen Mother: "..."
The Queen Mother disliked Xie Run for being boring, so she teased Tao Tao for a few times and then handed the child over to Aunt Xu.
Her eyes swept down and landed on Xian Zhaoyuan who was standing behind Concubine Sun.
She waved at Xian Zhaoyuan, "You are Xian Zhaoyuan, right?"
Xian Zhaoyuan stepped forward slowly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Queen Mother. I am Xian Zhaoyuan."
The Queen Mother looked at her for a while and couldn't help but praise her: "What a smart person, she looks really good."
"You contributed a great deal to the Emperor by offering him a prescription for the epidemic and saving him. Now that you are favored by the Emperor, you must give birth to a child for him as soon as possible."
Xian Zhaoyuan was still a young girl after all. When she heard about giving birth, she lowered her head shyly. "I only hope to bring a little blessing to the Empress Dowager and share the worries of the Emperor and Empress."
The Queen Mother couldn't help but pull her hand and patted it, "You are a good child."
What she said was much nicer than what Concubine Zhao Shu said.
She was also more perceptive than Concubine Zhao Shu, and knew not to just stand by the emperor and empress.
The Empress Dowager was delighted and said to Nanny Liu, "Go and bring over the enamel pomegranate bonsai that the Grand Emperor gave me last year and give it to Xian Zhaoyuan."
"I only hope that you can be as fruitful and blessed as that pomegranate."
After hearing what the Queen Mother said, half of Xian Zhaoyuan's face turned red, and her elegant and gentle temperament became even more shy.
The emperor saw through all his mother's little thoughts.
Seeing that the time was almost up, he said, "My son still has to attend the morning court. I dare not disturb your mother's rest, so I will take my leave from the Queen first."
The Queen Mother originally wanted to say that you can just leave, why do you have to take the Queen with you?
But when he saw the emperor's stern face, he didn't dare to say that anymore.
"Go ahead, don't delay the important matter."
The Emperor, Empress, and other concubines all bowed to the Empress Dowager at the same time: "My son, I will take my leave."
Seeing everyone about to leave, the Queen Mother was still unwilling to leave. She said to Xian Zhaoyuan, "Xian Zhaoyuan, I'm so happy to see you. Would you like to stay and talk to me?"
Xian Zhaoyuan was stunned for a moment, and the Queen Mother was already smiling: "I knew you were such a good child. I'm so happy that I can't speak."
She waved towards Xian Zhaoyuan, "Come here and sit next to me."
Just now, the Emperor and Empress paid their respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager only let the Emperor sit next to her and completely ignored the Empress.
This time he directly pulled Xian Zhaoyuan to sit next to her.
Xian Zhaoyuan was at a loss and was about to ask the emperor for help, but she saw that the emperor and the empress had already walked out of the gate of Cining Palace.
After leaving the Cining Palace, the Queen glanced at the concubines behind her and said, "You have all worked hard today. Go back and rest."
"Thank you, Her Majesty, for your consideration."
Xie Run had the highest position, so he walked in front.
Only after seeing her move did the others dare to move.
Lady Lu was arranged to live in Luoyue Pavilion next to Showa Palace, on the same street as Xie Run.
When there were many people around, she didn't dare to approach and make connections. She only caught up with Xie Run after walking for a distance.
Lady Lu: "Thank you, sister, for staying."
Xie Run also slowed down his pace to wait for her, and said softly: "Everyone in the harem knows about your relationship with me, so there is no need to be so shy."
Lady Lu smiled and said, "I'm not avoiding the people in the harem, I'm avoiding the emperor."
The requirements for addressing others in the Dayu Dynasty were not overly strict. Sisters could address each other as "concubine" or "minister" in formal occasions, and "you" and "I" would be used between sisters at other times.
Lady Lu explained, "I had a bad reputation in the palace, and the Emperor disliked seeing me. If I were to stand with you and be seen by the Emperor, I'm afraid I'd implicate you."
Concubine Lu knew that she was not liked by the emperor, and now she was extremely cautious even when meeting the emperor.
It was because the emperor only saw her occasionally that he couldn't remember who she was. When he finally remembered her, he frowned when he thought of the charcoal theft.
After being frightened twice, Concubine Lu learned her lesson and decided not to go up and provoke the emperor.
She said it so bluntly that Xie Run couldn't say anything against his will to give her advice.
Who says the emperor is a person who looks at people based on stereotypes?
He felt that Xie Run was virtuous and gentle. As long as Xie Run did not do anything bad and was exposed, the emperor would speak to her in a gentler tone because of her virtue and gentleness.
At the same time, he felt that the fact that Lady Lu could steal and betray her master showed that her character was questionable and her personality was low.
If Concubine Lu is unable to get rid of these stereotypes, every time the emperor sees her in the future he will think of her stealing and betrayal, and he will feel even more displeased with her.
Xie Run handed her a handkerchief and said, "Hurry up and wipe the sweat off your head, or you'll get a headache if the wind blows on you."
Lady Lu took her handkerchief and said with a smile, "I am becoming increasingly useless. When I was a servant, I could fetch water all day without even taking a breath."
"Today, I just walked a few steps faster and I started sweating."
She has never been shy about talking about her background.
Wiping the sweat off her face, Lady Lu couldn't suppress her excitement. "Sister Xie, what do you think the Queen Mother meant by this?"
"She had the Queen take us to wait outside the palace gate early in the morning, and she wouldn't open the gate until the Emperor arrived."
"Later, in the Cining Palace, he found fault with the Empress in every possible way..."