The news from the previous court spread to the hougong. Yong Le Palace was filled with jubilation. A group of palace maids and taijian knelt in unison in front of the hall. Yin Shu Fei, wrapped in a crimson fox fur coat, sat on a large red sandalwood Ten Thousand Fortune Treasure Chair, smiling as she listened to them report the good news.
"Congratulations, niangniang. His Highness Ning Wang has been ordered to supervise the country and will soon enter the Eastern Palace."
Yin Shu Fei's face was radiant. She pretended to be stern as she said: "Imperial son has taken on such a great responsibility because of the Holy One's trust and to share the ruler's burden. What Eastern Palace? You cannot spread rumors. If ben gong hears anyone with a loose tongue, ben gong will not forgive them easily. All right, go back and do your work. "
After beating down a group of proud palace maids, Yin Shu Fei summoned the steward of the front hall, Tong Palace Maid, and ordered: "Send someone to Phoenix Perching Palace and Zhong Cui Palace to scout."
Palace Attendant Tong sent someone. A short while later, she came back to report. "The empress went to Peaceful Peace Hall early in the morning and hasn't returned yet. The people of Perching Tree Palace seem to be mute. They are so quiet that there isn't even one person speaking loudly."
Yin Shu Fei curled her lips and asked her: "How is Imperial Consort Xue?"
"Imperial Consort Xue doesn't seem to be feeling well so she summoned a taiyi to take her pulse. Nubi found out that it was because Imperial Consort Xue forced her way into Peaceful Peace Hall yesterday and was sent back by the Empress. So the baby was affected."
Emperor Zhao Qing was going to move to Hua Zhen Garden to recuperate and would depart tomorrow. Rui Empress had chosen Hui Pin and Sun Guiren to accompany him. She didn't know when he would return. Rui Empress controlled the hougong and used the excuse that no one was allowed to disturb Emperor Zhao Qing's recuperation to block all the feipin outside the gates of Peaceful Peace Hall. From beginning to end, she didn't let them see the Emperor. Only Imperial Consort Xue relied on the fact that no one dared to stop her because she was pregnant and forced her way in.
Yin Shu Fei snorted coldly and said: "She isn't obedient even when she's pregnant. The Holy One is so sick that he can't get up, he doesn't have time to care about her. She relied on the child in her stomach and caused trouble for so many people. The wheel of fortune turns. If it's not the east wind that crushes the west wind, then it's the west wind that crushes the east wind. it's time for ben gong to rise. "
As she said that, she leaned back on the cotton pillow and pinched the space between her eyebrows with her slender fingers. She said slowly, "My son has done well. I also want to stand up and not be a burden to him. Tell me, is there anything that this empress can help with right now? "
Palace Attendant Tong had been prepared and made a suggestion. "Since Your Highness has taken on the responsibility of regent, you have to stay in the palace all day to manage state affairs, and it is inconvenient for you to stay in Ning Wang Fu. If the Eastern Palace can be vacated for Your Highness to live in, then it is the best of both worlds."
If Ning Wang could live in the Eastern Palace, he would be one step closer to the position of Crown Prince.
Yin Shu Fei's eyes lit up and clapped: "That's great."
"I'm afraid that the Empress won't agree." Palace Attendant Tong carefully reminded her. The empress held the phoenix seal and needed her approval to enter the Eastern Palace.
"It's just a hen that can't lay eggs. What's there to be afraid of? Tomorrow, when His Majesty leaves the capital, ben gong will go and mention it to her." Yin Shu Fei had a determined look.
.....
Imperial Consort Xue had been pregnant for almost six months. She wasn't young anymore. Her belly was getting bigger by the day and the days were becoming harder to endure. Yesterday, she had been angered in Tai An Hall and when she came back at night, her belly was in pain. Luckily, Tao momo was experienced. She sent someone to find Empress Rui for a taiyi and had a palace attendant boil an egg with thick red date water. She peeled the skin and fed it to Imperial Consort Xue until the taiyi came.
The night passed in chaos. On the second day, she heard the news that Ning Wang was regent. Bad things happened one after another.
Imperial Consort Xue weakly lay on the square bed surrounded by begonia flowers. The Chief Palace Attendant of Zhong Cui Palace, Song Lan, rolled up the curtains and squatted by the bed to listen to her speak.
"Who would have thought that His Majesty would be so ill. Don't you think it's strange? Even the Imperial Hospital couldn't diagnose what illness it was. But at this critical moment, Ning Wang jumped out. It really makes one uneasy. Ben gong had originally wanted to follow His Majesty to Hua Zhen Garden to recuperate but the Empress had deliberately arranged for Hui Pin and Sun Gui Ren. One of them is old and yellow, the other is her trusted aide. The Empress has calculated well. If His Majesty recovers, it wouldn't be a problem to have them fight for favor. If His Majesty isn't good, then this is a hidden pawn. "
"Niangniang, don't think so much. It's most important to recover first." Song Lan comforted in a gentle voice.
Imperial Consort Xue shook her head lightly. After resting for a while, she ordered: "Send someone to the Celestial Commissioner and invite Yu Nu Yu to come here."
"Niangniang," Song Lan wanted to say, at this point, even the Emperor couldn't do anything. What could a mere Imperial Official do?
"Go," Imperial Consort Xue didn't explain to her. She closed her eyes and didn't speak.
Song Lan left helplessly.
***
In the impromptu court conference, they only announced the major matter of Ning Wang regaining control of the country. After the court was dismissed, Yu Shu followed Xue Rui out of the palace. The two of them fell behind the rest of the procession and discussed in low voices:
"The official that was crying in the Great Hall and wanted to be removed, wasn't it arranged by Prime Minister Xue?"
He really had guts. He dared to act shamelessly in front of everyone's eyes. If it wasn't for the people at the side blocking him, not just his official robe, he would have taken off his pants.
"Of course not." Xue Rui lowered his voice to tell her: "Do you think that only the Rui Family and our Xue family don't want Ning Wang to ascend? There are a number of Imperial Princes in Jing, but other than Jing Wang and Ning Wang, there's still the Eighth Prince, the Twelfth Prince, and the Fifteenth Prince. There's also Liu Yi. Even if the Imperial Princes are young and useless, which one of them doesn't have any support? You can think of the rest yourself. "
Yu Shu thought: Fighting is useless. Who knows how the [Book of Xuan Nu Liu Ren] will choose the next Emperor. Maybe that brat Liu Yi will be chosen.
"If I were to say, the most anxious person right now should be the Empress," She said with some schadenfreude: "I see that Shu fei's temper is not one that can endure. After today, who knows how the Inner Palace will be in chaos."
She didn't like the Empress. On one hand, she was the Tenth Princess who wanted to harm Xue Rui even before her death. She hated the house and its crow. On the other hand, she herself was prejudiced against the fu of the Count of Zhong Yong. Not to mention that Rui Zi Zhu had once discussed marriage with Xue Rui, Rui Lin's behavior after Xue Rui's disappearance made her extremely disappointed. Otherwise, why is it said that time reveals a person's heart. It wasn't hard to add flowers to a brocade, but it was rare to send charcoal in snowy weather.
Xue Rui sighed lightly and said: "I am only worried about Gu Mu's health. She won't be able to withstand the successive incidents."
Yu Shu thought: When something happened to you, I didn't see Noble Consort Xue being so worried.
She didn't say the truth to hurt him, but comforted him: "Don't you have me? Don't worry, I will go back and do a divination for her safety. If she is in any danger, I will inform you immediately."
Thinking back to a few months ago, she and Xue Rui had privately discussed using the pregnancy of Noble Consort Xue to plot against the plots in the Inner Palace. They didn't want to wait for them to act before things changed.
They hid in the back and whispered, not noticing that not far in front of them, Jing Chen frequently turned his head back and looked at them with a puzzled gaze.
.....
Not long after Yu Shu returned to the Office of the Celestial Commissioner, someone from the Palace came to summon her. When she heard that it was Noble Consort Xue who invited her, she muttered in her heart. Why was she looking for her at this time?
With doubts in her mind, she tidied up her clothes and followed the person into the Palace. It had to be said that going to the Imperial Palace twice a day was really a torture for someone who didn't have the privilege of riding a horse or sitting in a sedan chair.
When she arrived at Zhongcui Palace, the palace maid Song Lan, who had received her the last two times, greeted her with a smile at the door. Seeing Yu Shu sweating and lifting her robe to step over the threshold, she quickly reached out to help her up and kept saying good things.
"Official Yu, thank you for making this trip. Her Highness is not feeling well and has just taken some medicine to sleep. Please wait in the side hall for a while."
Yu Shu said politely and followed her to the side hall to drink tea and rest. After waiting for about an hour, Noble Consort Xue woke up and asked someone to invite her over.
Yu Shu had been to Zhongcui Palace several times. This was the first time she stepped into Noble Consort Xue's bedchamber. She had a good nose and smelled a faint medicinal fragrance as soon as she entered. Putting aside how magnificent the bedroom was, the first thing she saw was Noble Consort Xue, who was bedridden. She was really shocked.
It hadn't been long since they last saw each other, but the beauty of the past had turned into yesterday's yellow flowers. Her yellowish face, swollen eyes, and gloomy complexion had turned Noble Consort Xue into a different woman.
"This subject greets Your Highness." Yu Shu didn't show any abnormalities and lowered her head to greet her.
"Dispense with the formalities. Come to me and talk." Noble Consort Xue raised her hand to let Yu Shu come over. She also signaled for everyone else in the room to leave, leaving only Nanny Tao to serve by the side.
Looking at Noble Consort Xue like this, Yu Shu felt pity in her heart. She obediently walked to her bedside and sat down on the embroidered stool that Nanny Tao had brought over.
Noble Consort Xue looked at her with gentle eyes and asked softly —
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