When He Heng entered the room, he smiled and gave a bow to Jing Fei. After Jing Fei called him up, he walked to sit next to Qu Qing Ju. He took a sip of tea before asking: "Mufei, what good things do you say to them?"
Jing Fei looked at the brocade and gold lined qinwang robe He Heng was wearing and said pleasantly: "What can us women talk about? It's just idle chatter. Why are you so thirsty? Didn't the people in the fu serve you well?"
"The matters of the court are too troublesome, it has nothing to do with the fu," Knowing that mufei was purposefully pushing the matter onto Qu Qing Ju, He Heng smiled and said, "These past few days, the court has been in a mess because of some minor matters. Even us brothers have been asked a lot by fuhuang."
When it came to matters of the court, Jing Fei cleverly didn't continue the topic. She only said: "No matter how busy you are, you have to take care of your health. Now that you are married, you can't act like you did in the past." Speaking of this, she looked at the submissive Qu Qing Ju, "Your wife is virtuous, just like mufei. I hope that you can make the wang fu flourish. Don't wait for your other brothers to have children, and you still want to live leisurely."
Qu Qing Ju's eyebrows moved slightly. Was Jing Fei accusing her of being jealous and not letting He Heng go to other women? This man's legs were on her body. He had the freedom to go wherever he wanted. What equal treatment was a joke. If it really was equal treatment, why did Da Long Dynasty still have the rule that husbands had to go to the wife's room on the first and fifteenth day of each month?
She didn't have any feelings for He Heng but she didn't want to be a widow. She also didn't want to give the things she often used to another woman's hands. Did she think she was an idiot or a saint?
He Heng smiled slightly and didn't respond to Jing Fei's words. He turned and his gaze swept across Feng Zi Jin's body: "Does mufei like the trinkets that Qing Ju sent over? Er chen and your erxi have been collecting them for a long time."
"I know you are filial," Jing Fei saw that he didn't want to continue the conversation and suppressed the words. She started to talk about daily life and asked about what He Heng usually ate and what he wore.
Qu Qing Ju silently listened at the side. She had to admit that even though Jing Fei wasn't a good popo, she was definitely a good mother. She was also very observant. Whenever she found that He Heng didn't want to continue, she would proactively change the topic, and not be like other women who kept on persuading until the other accepted her words.
She was a smart woman. Otherwise, she would not be the only concubine who could compete with Honored Consort Shu. Now, although there was an Empress in the harem, this Empress was ignorant and had no daughter. Her maternal family was not prominent, and she did not have much real power in the harem. She could only put on a high and empty air and watch others fight.
He Heng didn't purposefully say good things about Qu Qing Ju in front of Jing fei, but his words and actions showed even more concern for Jing fei than usual. The smile on Jing fei's face never faded.
When it was time for the noon meal, Jing Fei asked He Heng to stay to eat. As for Feng Zi Jin and Jiang Yong Yu, they stood to one side waiting to serve. Qu Qing Ju, who had just recovered, was especially "loved" by her popo. She didn't have to serve her popo and sat down next to He Heng.
There were more than ten dishes that were presented. Each dish was exquisite. It was possible to see the skill of the chefs of Zhong Jing Palace, and also the status of Jing fei in the palace.
"Step back and serve wang fei. Ben wang doesn't need you to serve," Waving at Feng shi who had moved forward, He Heng calmly beckoned Ming He. He pointed at the milk gravy fish in front of him, "Mufei likes this dish. Bring some over."
Even though it was something she liked and it wasn't rare to eat it often. But He Heng's attitude made Jing fei feel good. She looked at Qu Qing Ju a few more times. At least, after her son had gotten closer to her, he was more concerned about his mother. In the past, she hadn't seen him so attentive.
After the meal, Qu Qing Ju found that her tastes were very similar to Jing fei's. After rinsing her mouth and washing her hands, she sat quietly at the side and continued to watch the heartwarming drama about a loving mother and filial son.
"Since you've entered the palace, go to Kui Yuan Palace and kowtow to Empress," Jing fei lazily waved her hand, "Empress's health hasn't been good these days. Even though she doesn't lack for anything, it's a bit cold." Finishing, she raised her eyelids to look at the two ce fei standing at the side, "You two go wait outside the palace. Ben gong is tired, leave." Even though she wanted to use the two ce fei to suppress Qu Qing Ju, but it wasn't to the point where she would give them face to kowtow to the Empress. No matter how much she looked down on Qu Qing Ju as an erxifu, she was still a noble daughter of a noble family. She also had the powerful Tian Clan standing behind her. Just that was enough to look down on the other two.
Feng Zi Jin unwillingly bowed. When she walked out of Zhong Jing Palace with Jiang Yong Yu, her face darkened.
Jiang Yong Yu glanced at her. In the end, she only smiled faintly and silently walked out of the circle of the inner palace with her head down. After getting on the carriage, she looked at Feng Zi Jin who was still walking slowly. She sneered and said in a low voice: "Idiot."
The yahuan beside her didn't seem to hear it and poured her a cup of tea: "Mistress, use the strong tea to ease your tiredness. Wang ye and wang fei will probably take a while to catch up."
Jiang Yong Yu took the teacup. Seeing Feng Zi Jin walk closer, her expression slowly returned to normal.
Qu Qing Ju walked behind He Heng. The original owner didn't have much of an impression of this Empress. She only knew that the Empress' maternal family wasn't prominent and wasn't favored by the Emperor. The Emperor had made her empress because he saw that she was honest.
Because the Empress didn't have any children and the Emperor didn't often go to her place, Kui Yuan Palace had always been obedient and couldn't compare to Shu Fei's Zhao Xiang Palace.
Once they entered Kui Yuan Palace, Qu Qing Ju felt it was too quiet. The palace maids and taijian were all submissive as though they were statues.
The taijian that had reported quickly came out with a smile on his face as he ushered the two into the inner hall. Qu Qing Ju saw the Empress dressed plainly with her hair in a cloud bun. The Empress looked to be around forty years old and looked much older than Jing fei. Buddhist beads hung on her wrist. There was a slight smile on her face, but it was slightly dull. It wasn't clear if it was a real smile or just politeness.
"Er chen, er xi greets muhou." He Heng and Qu Qing Ju respectfully bowed, not perfunctory because the Empress wasn't in power.
"You two don't have to be so courteous, sit," The Empress motioned for the two to sit. After the palace maids served tea, she asked, "Why did Heng'er come today?"
"I heard muhou is sick and can be treated?" He Heng's tone was concerned, "Er chen was eating at mufei's place today and just heard of the matter. Muhou, please take care of your phoenix body."
"It's just an old ailment. I've already taken medicine, Heng'er doesn't have to worry," The Empress smiled as she used a handkerchief to suppress the cough at her mouth. She turned to look at Qu Qing Ju, "Er erxi is becoming more and more beautiful."
"Muhou is teasing erxi," Qu Qing Ju saw that the Empress' face was pale and there wasn't much life in her eyes. She sighed inside, "It might be that she has recovered from her illness and is more energetic. In the future, muhou, if you have nothing else to do, you can bask in the sun. Erxi heard from the taiyi that this is good for the body. "
"Muhou will remember your intentions," The Empress nodded, "San erxi, who just married last month, sent over a lot of ginseng and deer antler a few days ago. Ben gong's body is weak and can't use them. Basking in the sun is fine."
San erxi … … wasn't it the zheng fei that Rui Wang He Yuan had married last month? Qu Qing Ju couldn't help but look at the Empress and He Heng. The conversation between the two was casual and normal but she felt something wasn't right. The Empress had casually brought up the matter of San wang fei coming to Kui Yuan Palace a few days ago and specifically said that she couldn't use those things. What was she trying to tell He Heng?
She swept her eyes across the servants in the hall. There were only two taijian and two palace maids. They all stood with their heads bowed. It seemed that they were people that the Empress was used to.
Hearing that the two had started to talk about Buddhist scriptures, Qu Qing Ju stared at the prayer beads on the Empress' wrist. She found that the Empress' wrist was very thin. There was only a layer of white skin wrapped around the wrist bone and it seemed slightly shriveled.
"The scriptures say, to control the heart as a precept, through precepts one becomes determined, through determination one becomes intelligent," The Empress coughed, "But it says that only when one's heart is able to endure, would one not be affected by the environment?"
He Heng smiled warmly. He raised the teacup to take a sip: "Er chen can't match muhou's understanding."
"I just ate a few more bowls of rice than you," The Empress' gaze passed the two and looked outside the door, "In reality, what ben gong sees, is just a place as big as the hougong."
Qu Qing Ju followed her gaze. There wasn't any sunlight outside, only light coming in through the door so the inside of the hall wasn't particularly bright.
A woman who had nothing, no power, no imperial favour, but was able to become the Empress. This kind of woman, a woman who could see the hougong, how could she be simple?
"It's getting late, you two should go back," The Empress reached out to caress the brocade box on her knees. Inside were the things that the husband and wife had given from outside the palace, "Ben gong hasn't seen these things for many years. Ben gong likes them very much. Zhang momo, take out the few bolts of cloud brocade from ben gong's stores for the young couple to take back. These things look better on the young. "
Hearing this, Qu Qing Ju hurriedly stood to refuse.
"Seeing you two dressed so beautifully, ben gong is happy and cannot refuse. Kui Yuan Palace might not be as wealthy as Zhao Xiang Palace, but these things can still be given to you juniors."
At this point, Qu Qing Ju didn't refuse.
He Heng saw that the Empress wasn't in good spirits and didn't linger. He stood to bow with Qu Qing Ju and left. Zhang momo personally saw the two out. After Qian Chang Xin and Ming He, who had been waiting outside, took the cloud brocade, she bowed to the two: "Wang ye, wang fei, take care. This old servant won't see you off."
"Zhang momo doesn't have to be so courteous," Qu Qing Ju smiled and slowly followed behind He Heng out of the palace.
Zhang momo called them wang ye and wang fei without adding titles. This was similar to the servants in Zhong Jing Palace. Was it like this for all wang ye or … …
When they reached the palace gates, He Heng turned his head. Seeing Qu Qing Ju silently walking with a lowered brow, he suddenly smiled and reached out: "Wang fei, get on the carriage."
Qu Qing Ju raised her head and saw the wang fu carriage was just ten steps away. She looked at the palm in front of her and reached out. Then she heard a flurry of footsteps behind her.
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