Chapter 47
Emperor and Empress went to Jinren Palace.
Li Hao's recovery was obviously not as good as that of the Second Prince, and his walking was not very smooth.
As soon as he came, Li Hao suffered more serious injuries. Second, Dean Zhou Yuan was a surgeon who is best at treating trauma. In comparison, Imperial Physician Wu was much inferior.
More importantly, the Second Prince closed the palace to recuperate and saw no outsiders. Queen Qiao only went there once every three days.
Su Zhaorong came to Jinren Palace every day, crying and wiping tears in her son's ears every day, and rambling all the time. Li Hao is gloomy and depressed, where can he still recover from his wounds?
When Emperor Yongjia met Li Hao, who was dark and thin, his face suddenly sank: "What's going on? Your second brother's injury is almost healed, why are you so sluggish? Where is the imperial doctor who saw you? I want to punish him for his sins!"
Li Hao cheered up and interceded for Doctor Wu: "Please calm down your anger. Tai-Doctor Wu has done his best to treat Erchen. It's Erchen's fault as I am overthinking and am in a bad mood.
"Please don't blame Imperial Physician Wu."
Su Zhaorong, who was beside him, begged with red eyes: "Your Majesty, the one who is best at treating trauma in the imperial hospital is Dean Zhou. Now that the Second Prince's injury has healed, the concubine asks the emperor to have Dean Zhou come to see A Hao. Please grant this request!"
Queen Qiao: "..."
Li Hao: "..."
Queen Qiao was secretly angry. Su Zhaorong said this in front of Emperor Yongjia, which was no different from accusing her, the queen, of favouring her own son.
Of course, this is also true.
The fact is that everyone has selfishness. What's wrong with her favouring her own son?
Li Hao was anxious and angry when he heard his mother cry and apply eye drops to the queen. (1)
Queen Qiao came to visit her concubine-born son in person, so she should be grateful to her. With a single mouthful, Su Zhaorong completely offended Queen Qiao.
Even Emperor Yongjia was not happy when he heard these words, and his face sank.
Su Zhaorong ignored everything and looked at Emperor Yongjia with tears in his eyes: "I ask the emperor's approval."
Queen Qiao's heart pounded, and her anger swelled.
Li Hao hurriedly opened his mouth to smooth things out: "Erchen thinks that Imperial Physician Wu is very good. There is no need to trouble Dean Zhou again."
Su Zhaorong was startled, and suddenly turned her head: "A Hao..."
Li Hao gave Su Zhaorong a fixed look.
Su Zhaorong swallowed the rest of her words aggrievedly.
As soon as Su Zhaorong shut up, Queen Qiao's face softened a lot, and she said to Li Hao in a warm voice, "Although Su Zhaorong is a little disrespectful, she has a heart for you. It's the same as a mother. Ben Gong won't keep this in mind."
Li Hao showed gratitude on his face: "The mother's magnanimity is unparalleled inside and outside the palace."
Queen Qiao twitched the corners of her mouth. I thought to myself that if Ben Gong was magnanimous, how could it be able to suppress the concubines of the harem? Among them, none are fuel-efficient lamps.
When Emperor Yongjia saw his son was so polite and sensible, the trace of unhappiness disappeared: "Since you trust Imperial Doctor Wu so much, then let Imperial Doctor Wu continue to see you. I will give him another five days. If you haven't recovered, I will not forgive him."
He paused, then said: "I came to see you today, and I want to ask you, you have been thinking by yourself for so many days, do you know why you were wrong?"
Li Hao's attitude toward admitting his mistake was even more sincere than the Second Prince: "Father, Erchen knows his mistake. No matter what the second brother says, as a younger brother, I shouldn't do anything with the second brother."
"I was so angry that day, I was blinded by anger for a while. These days, I closed my door and introspected. The more I thought about it, the more ashamed I became."
"Please rest assured, Royal Father, this is the first and last time. In the future, Erchen will never do anything with the brothers again."
This sounds pretty good.
Emperor Yongjia was quite satisfied: "You can think clearly and understand."
Su Zhaorong finally got the chance to interject: "Your Majesty, since Ahao's health is better, why don't you let him go to court!"
Li Hao: "..."
If you can't keep quiet, can you say a few words less?
Emperor Yongjia's face sank slightly, and he glanced at Su Zhaorong: "You don't know anything about the government, why do you suddenly talk about this? Could it be that A Hao complained in front of you?"
Su Zhaorong was not stupid after all and repeatedly denied: "Nothing. These days, A Hao didn't even say a word, let alone complain."
"My concubine is thinking that there are many government affairs in the country, and the emperor often leads troops to fight outside. A Hao should share his father's worries."
This time she must be right!
Su Zhaorong thought happily in her heart, but seeing her son Li Hao's helpless expression, he kept winking over and motioning her to shut up.
Su Zhaorong was startled.
What did she say wrong again?
The hard-working Li Hao had to rescue his mother again: "Mother is simple-minded, she can say whatever she thinks. In fact, there is no malicious intent. Please don't take offence to this father and mother."
Queen Qiao couldn't bear it anymore and said in a light and serious way: "The emperor leads the army and entrusts the government affairs of the court to the civil servants such as Qiao Ge. In the past six months, Qiao Ge worked hard, devoted himself to the affairs of the court, and fell ill for two years."
"If the emperor can't trust Qiao Ge and other civil servants, and goes out to lead in a war in the future, it's enough to keep the Second Prince in the court."
Li Hao, who was born out of a concubine, could never get around.
Su Zhaorong realized that she had lost her words again, and smiled shyly: "What the Empress said. The concubine has not read any books, and her knowledge is shallow. The Empress should not have the same knowledge as the concubine."
Queen Qiao smiled lightly: "How can Ben gong be such a narrow-minded person?"
She didn't care about Su Zhaorong at all.
Speaking of which, Li Hao is also pitiful. He was so calm, intelligent, shrewd and capable, but he had such a narrow-minded and short-sighted mother.
His mother was simply dragging his legs. (2)
…
Two days later.
The Palace exam results were declared, and the new scholars came riding horses and were felicitated on the street, this is the most lively event for the people of the capital.
Lu Mingfang deliberately hired a private room on the second floor of the teahouse. The brothers and sisters sat together in the private room, eating melon and fruit snacks, drinking fragrant hot tea, and waiting to see a group of new scholars.
The only regret is that Lu Mingyu was not able to come today.
"It's really strange, it's so nice, what did the Empress mean when she called the fourth sister into the palace?" Lu Minghua was a little puzzled and muttered in a low voice.
Only now did Lu Mingfang know that Lu Mingyu was called into the palace by Queen Qiao, and she thought about it and said, "Perhaps the Queen wanted to ask the fourth sister in person if she really wants to invite a son-in-law to enter the house."
Lu Mingyue murmured softly, "The Empress is really worried about eating radishes."(3)
Isn't it?
Does Lu Mingyu want to recruit a son-in-law? What does it have to do with Queen Qiao?
However, apart from this, everyone really can't think of a second possibility.
Lu Xuan shook his head arrogantly: "With Fourth Sister's skill and temper, no one can dare to eat her. Even if she enters the palace, no one dares to provoke her."
This makes sense.
Lu Minghua and Lu Mingyue nodded together.
T/N notes
1. It means she is trying to provoke the emperor against the empress.
2. It means his mother was holding his progress back.
3. She wants to still arrange a marriage between Mingyu and her sons.