Chapter 1172 Any Nun Coming to the Palace of Benevolent Peace?
“Did Shao Yanru die because of an acute disease?”
The moment Shao Wanru heard the news, she doubted it. How could she believe it? Who was Shao Yanru? How could a person like her die of an emergency?
Whether others believed it or not, she didn’t.
In Shao Wanru’s previous life, Shao Yanru had also entered the Palace as a favorite consort. Compared with the current situation, she had to face more enemies who were more brutal. Even so, she had enjoyed a comfortable and privileged life.
“Is it because of me that her fate changed?” Anyway, Shao Wanru did not believe this news.
“My Lady, His Highness asked if you were ready?” Yujie came in and reported. They were going to the Palace.
With a nod, Shao Wanru stood up. She had dressed up and waited for Chu Liuchen from the outer court.
Together, they entered the Palace through the side door, heading straight for Empress Dowager’s Palace of Benevolent Peace.
Ever since the Empress Dowager fell ill, she had been in low spirits and didn’t feel like accepting visitors usually.
They went in and bowed to the Empress Dowager. Today, the Empress Dowager seemed to be in good spirits. She sat in the main hall, twirling the Buddhist prayer beads in her hands in a calm state of mind.
After they finished saluting, the Empress Dowager told them to sit down and asked, “What happened that day? Why did Infanta Yuan’an get so seriously injured? It was just a banquet, wasn’t it?”
Ruiping Great Elder Princess came to complain tearfully several times. Her sobs gave the Empress Dowager a headache. Since she didn’t want to ask others about it, she specially called her grandson and granddaughter-in-law over to ask about it.
“Imperial Grandmother, Yuan’an harbored hostile intentions. With Princess Yuyan from the Xu State, she schemed against Prime Minister Zhang’s daughter and my wife. Later, she and Princess Yuyan fell out and became enemies. She suffered the consequences of her misdeeds!” Chu Liuchen casually explained, “Uncle the Emperor also knows about it, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
Although she was the Emperor’s biological mother, the Empress Dowager’s power was mainly confined to the imperial harem. Since the Emperor had taken over this matter, the Empress Dowager should no longer intervene in it to avoid any conflicts with the Emperor.
The Empress Dowager also understood this point. Regarding this point, she thought she had done an excellent job. Even when she saw anything dissatisfactory, she would, at most, give some suggestions to her son in private. She was very clear about her son’s character: he stubbornly adhered to his opinions and always went his way.
“I got it. So, that’s the end of the matter!” The Empress Dowager didn’t want to get involved in this matter. At the thought of it, she felt a headache and had an extremely low opinion of Princess Yuyan from the Xu State. “I heard Princess Yuyan from the Xu State is not a decent woman. It was a pity that Commandery Prince Qing started an intimate relationship with her early. Otherwise, it would be better for him to marry Princess Yutao!”
Although Infanta Yuan’an was not virtuous, she was well-behaved at least. The Empress Dowager felt she was damned unlucky to see the mess happen.
“I feel listless recently, and the Empress is in such a helpless situation… Only Consort of Virtue and Consort Ming assist me with affairs in the Palace. It isn’t a long-term policy, after all. As for Consort Lan…” At this point, the Empress Dowager glanced at Chu Liuchen and held back the words that sprang to her lips.
“Imperial Grandmother, you don’t like Consort Lan, do you?” Chu Liuchen asked bluntly without scruples.
Again, the Empress Dowager watched Chu Liuchen closely. Seeing his face as calm as usual, she sighed and said, “She is a wretched woman!”
“The pathetic people certainly have something to be despised.”
“Chen’er, don’t say that… At least you can’t say that…” The Empress Dowager rebuked him in a low voice and reached out to press the space between her eyebrows for relaxation. Then, she said with a trace of tiredness, “I feel sorry for her. Because of me, she ended up like this… In this case, you shouldn’t look down on her. She is always sincere with you. After all, she is your biological aunt!”
Shao Wanru’s eyes fell on a stone brick in front of her. Her eyes became inexplicably deep. She sat aside in silence. Only her clenched hands showed that she was extremely uneasy.
Chu Liuchen disliked Consort Lan, not on the surface, but from the bottom of his heart.
“Consort Lan’s business… It is the last dark secret in his heart and the last thing he wants to mention, right?”
She gently bit her cherry lips. Since she lowered her head slightly, she could not see his face. But when her eyes landed on the lower hem of his clothes, she felt pain as if a knife were piercing her heart.
Like her, Chu Liuchen was weakly linked with his parents by fate ties.
“Imperial Grandmother, let’s not talk about her. I happen to have something to do in the front. Uncle the Emperor wanted to see me today. I’ll go to the Imperial Study first and come back to accompany you later!” Chu Liuchen said. Obviously, he still kept an attitude of avoiding.
“Okay, go ahead!” The Empress Dowager sighed and nodded kindly.
She was his aunt connected by blood, but they were not in constant contact. Therefore, letting him care about Consort Lan quickly was not so easy.
The Empress Dowager asked Shao Wanru to send Chu Liuchen to the palace gate.
“Uncle the Emperor may have something to do with me today. You can go back first. Don’t wait for me. You can also walk around and enjoy the scenery in the Palace. Don’t get tired!” At the palace gate, Chu Liuchen turned to tell Shao Wanru with concern.
Shao Wanru reached out, grabbed his sleeve, and gently shook it with a charming look. Then, she put it down. “I know. Take good care of yourself.”
Recently, the Imperial Study had not been peaceful. It was said that there had been disputes about the few princes occasionally.
“I know!” Chu Liuchen took the chance and grabbed Shao Wanru’s hand, his handsome face all smiles. Softly, he pinched her small hand and put it down.
At this moment, they felt deeply connected by hearts, though neither expressed their feelings. In silence, Chu Liuchen had already understood what she wanted to say. Looking at her enchanting smile, his heart softened. He had felt gloomy when recalling past events, but now he felt much better.
When Chu Liuchen strode away and was out of her sight, Shao Wanru turned around. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure and frowned slightly, thinking of the prayer beads on the Empress Dowager’s wrist.
She re-entered the hall where the Empress Dowager was reading the scripture. Seeing Shao Wanru coming over, she put down the scripture, and Nanny Wei gently put it aside.
“I’m sorry for what happened that day!” The Empress Dowager gently apologized after telling Shao Wanru to sit down.
They had punished a few people for the incident in the foreign princesses’ mansion. However, considering the relationship between the two countries, they hadn’t punished Princess Yuyan severely and duly.
Princess Yuyan was the chief plotter. Since she could stay alive and get married, it was unreasonable to harshly punish Infanta Yuan’an, an accomplice. Besides, her life was uncertain. No one knew if she could be saved.
“Her Majesty, I’m not aggrieved. Prince Chen is protecting me!” Shao Wanru said softly with a smile, her eyes crystal clear.
The Empress Dowager looked at her and found no resentment in her eyes. She liked Shao Wanru from the bottom of her heart. Patting her hand affectionately, she said, “Nanny Wei, bring me what I have prepared!”
“Yes, Her Majesty. I am quite ready!” Nanny Wei smiled and said. Then, she asked someone to fetch a brocade box from the side hall.
When four palace maids came forward, Nanny Wei stepped forward and opened the brocade boxes. Each was full of glittering jewelry.
“These… These are…” Shao Wanru said in great surprise. Her keen eyes had a good taste for treasures. Each piece of jewelry in these boxes was top-grade, and it was incredible that there were so many of them.
“Good kid, this is the reward for you. Ask someone to take them back later!” The Empress Dowager smiled with satisfaction. The more she looked at Shao Wanru, the more satisfied she was. In her eyes, she was worthy of her grandson. She was shocked and surprised when she saw so many precious jewels, but she did not look greedy. It could be seen that she was pure-hearted.
She was good by nature!
“Imperial Grandmother, there… there are too many…” Shao Wanru said, wondering why the Empress Dowager suddenly gave her several boxes of superb jewels. The Empress Dowager had given her a handsome reward in the past, but it was the first time she had received so many treasures.
“Prime Minister Zhang only has one daughter. She is as dearly as jewelry for her family and receives a large dowry. It is the same with Infanta Yuan’an. Ruiping Great Elder Princess has almost given her all her private property. Prince Yue is the biological son of Consort of Virtue, and Prince Zhou is the biological son of the Empress. But Chen’er only has me. Since I dote on you, I can’t let others outshine you.”
The Empress Dowager sighed softly and patted Shao Wanru again, “This is my love for you. Take my gift!”
“Thank you, Imperial Grandmother!” Shao Wanru felt warm in her heart, and her eyes turned slightly red. At this time, in her eyes, the Empress Dowager looked much like Old Madam Qin. This kind of sincere love didn’t need many words to express.
The Empress Dowager took pity on her because her dowry was not as much as the other two’s. Prince Chen’s Mansion had a weaker foundation, so she especially sent these things to her. She had got back many things, and her grandmother wanted to add a lot to her dowry. However, she refused to take most of these items and asked her grandmother to leave them to Hao’er. She believed she could live a good life by herself.
The Empress Dowager’s reward was her kindness to Chu Liuchen and her. At this moment, she was more like an old lady who cared about her grandson.
“Well, you can go back now. I’m tired. Before leaving the palace, go to see Consort of Virtue. She has something to talk to you about!” The Empress Dowager yawned and gave an order in a low voice, looking tired out.
“Yes. Are you feeling unwell?” Shao Wanru stood up and observed the Empress Dowager’s face. “She looks fine, but after sitting for a while, she is in low spirits. Is it because she becomes much weaker after recovering from her illness?”
“I’m okay. I just feel a little fatigue.” The Empress Dowager said, pinching the prayer beads in her hands and twirling them.
“Imperial Grandmother, I’m leaving now!” Seeing the Empress Dowager yawn again, Shao Wanru said. Maybe she was worn out. Shao Wanru had wanted to tell her many things, but it seemed she could only do it next time.
Nanny Wei sent Shao Wanru to the palace gate and stopped there with a beaming face. Since what had happened, Nanny Wei had been smiling gently at Shao Wanru as if there was no grudge between them at all.
“Nanny Wei, did Her Majesty let the nun come from the Buddha Hall to the Palace of Benevolent Peace?” Shao Wanru stood still and asked calmly. Just now, she saw a woman in the nun’s gray clothes but didn’t see her face. Thus, she had no idea if the woman was one of the nuns she was familiar with.
“That’s right. The Empress Dowager invited one of them to come over and talk about the Buddha scriptures for a while. She was here when you came with His Highness.” Nanny Wei nodded and said with a smile, secretly suppressing the panic in her heart. Princess Chen’s eyes were too sharp. Nevertheless, this kind of thing couldn’t be hidden from others, and there was no need to hide it.
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