Chapter 103
Emperor Yongjia was angry and walked away.
This short confrontation exhausted Empress Qiao's courage and strength.
Emperor Yongjia left in a rage, and Empress Qiao sat down slowly, looking bitter and exhausted.
Cailan was frightened and served a cup of tea, and whispered uncomfortably, "Niangniang, the Emperor was so angry just now..."
"Yeah, I can't bear to get angry at the Queen Mother, but why don't I take out my anger on the Queen?" Empress Qiao's eyes became more bitter: "Bengong endured year after year even after my daughter got married, still I endured it. Now my son is getting married. I can't stand it anymore."
Cailan's eyes turned red instantly.
She has been serving the Empress for ten years. No one knows better than her how much grievances and slack she has suffered.
Niangniang was the original wife of the Emperor and the Empress of the inner palace. But in this harem, she was neither as favored as Concubine Meng Gui, nor as leisurely as Concubine Qin. No matter how hard she worked, she never got any recognition for it nor was her reputation good.
The matter of the betrothal gift was clearly the fault of the Empress Dowager, but the Emperor kept blaming the Empress!
Empress Qiao looked at Cailan with red eyes, her nose was slightly sour, and she said, "Don't spread the word about today's matter. Even if the Second Prince asks, don't talk nonsense."
Cailan whispered yes.
Before she finished speaking, Li Jing came.
Li Jing's face was slightly sullen, and before Empress Qiao opened her mouth to cover it, he said in a deep voice: "Did Royal Father come to accuse Mother?"
Without waiting for Empress Qiao to deny it, he added: "What the grandmother did today, she supported the fourth brother and give him a face. But it made me and Royal Mother lose face and also made the Lu family unhappy. With the temper of King Xingyang, when entering the palace to express gratitude, it is necessary to say a few words. The father is reluctant to blame grandmother, and he has to vent his anger on Mother."
Empress Qiao: "..."
Empress Qiao was embarrassed and sad, and almost burst into tears on the spot.
Li Jing took a step forward, held Empress Qiao's hand, and said with three-point strength: "The mother is wronged, and the son knows it in his heart. One day, the son will seek all justice for the mother."
The grievances in Empress Qiao's heart were mostly scattered when her son said so.
She whispered: "Ah Jing, for so many years, I have not been favored by your father and grandmother, and I have long been used to the grievances. But they can't treat you like this."
"You are the only legitimate son of your father, and no one can underestimate you. I don't care who your grandmother wants to lift. But she can't smear your face like this, making the Lu family ugly."
"No matter how angry your father is, I won't back down."
Women were weak, but mothers were strong.
Empress Qiao, who has always been gentle and virtuous and almost weak, finally straightened up this time and clashed head-on with Emperor Yongjia.
Li Jing's heart was hot, and he said in a low voice and firmness: "It's better that the mother can think like this." After a pause, he said softly: "In the future, the mother will no longer have to rely on the father, and the son will be filial to the mother."
The most intractable disease in the world was eccentricity.
Empress Dowager Zhao favored Concubine Qin and her son, and Emperor Yongjia favored Concubine Meng and the eldest prince. Although Empress Qiao was the head of the harem, her situation was not very good.
Empress Qiao's nose was sour, and she nodded with a sob: "Okay."
…
Emperor Yongjia was choked with anger by Empress Qiao, so he went to Shouning Palace without thinking.
As soon as he stepped into the palace, he heard a burst of laughter.
Emperor Yongjia was burning with anger, and this laughter, when it entered his ears, was like adding fuel to a fire.
The maid at the door was about to go forward to salute but was so frightened by the anger on Emperor Yongjia's face that she didn't dare to move. Emperor Yongjia didn't even look at the silent palace servant and stepped into the house.
Empress Dowager Zhao sat on the phoenix chair and talked to Concubine Qin cheerfully. The Fourth Prince was sitting on the other side of Queen Mother Zhao, and everyone's faces were full of smiles.
Three generations of grandparents and grandchildren sat together, talking and laughing, the atmosphere was so harmonious and pleasant.
The Fourth Prince had sharp eyes and was the first to catch a glimpse of Emperor Yongjia, and hurriedly got up with a smile: "Father..."
As soon as the words came out, he realized that something was wrong.
Emperor Yongjia's face was as heavy as the bottom of a pot, and there was unmistakable anger in his eyes: "Li Xian, you are in a good mood today!"
When his father called him by his full name, it meant only one thing.
If you don’t deal with it well, you will have to deal with it at home.
The Fourth Prince reflexively bowed his head and admitted his mistake: "Please, Father, please calm down."
Concubine Qin couldn't laugh anymore, and stood up cautiously: "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Yongjia sneered, and the flame sprayed towards Concubine Qin again: "I see that you are in a good mood, why is this?"
Concubine Qin was swept away by Emperor Yongjia's angry eyes, her heart suddenly became cold, and she hurriedly bowed her head to plead guilty: "I don't know what the concubine did, which made the emperor so angry. I beg the emperor to tell me so that the concubine will definitely change."
Emperor Yongjia said coldly: "You come to Shouning Palace every day to serve your mother-in-law and make her happy. It's too late to reward you, so don't panic."
This was accusing Concubine Qin of deceiving Empress Dowager Zhao with her rhetoric.
Emperor Yongjia was so angry but he couldn't direct his anger at his own mother, but couldn't he go at Concubine Qin?
Concubine Qin couldn't stand still, so she knelt down directly. The Fourth Prince also knelt down together.
Empress Dowager Zhao, who was originally cheerful, was also annoyed when she saw this battle and slapped the table hard: "The matter was done by the Ai family, and the dowry gift was the idea of the Ai family from beginning to end. Concubine Qin and The Fourth Prince didn't even know about it before."
"If the Emperor wants to lose his temper, he will come to Aijia."
If you meet an old lady who is messing around, even if you are the emperor, you will have a headache.
Emperor Yongjia frowned and looked at Queen Mother Zhao: "Why did the Queen Mother suddenly come up with this bad idea?"
Empress Dowager Zhao was also annoyed and stood up: "What a ridiculous idea! Is this what a son says to his birth mother! I asked Qiao about the betrothal gifts before, and she told me about legitimate and illegitimate status. I know, she is the legitimate daughter of the Qiao family and she looks down on me, her mother-in-law who is concubine-born!"
"What's wrong if a grandmother, uses her private house to give some dowry gifts for her grandson? You'd better tell me!"
Emperor Yongjia's brows were even tighter: "The Queen mother is going to add a betrothal gift, so she should tell the Empress. If you split it up like this, wouldn't it be obvious to everyone that the two palaces are not in harmony?"
Empress Dowager Zhao snorted: "If you don't get along, you won't get along. Who would dare to go into the palace and make irresponsible remarks!"
Emperor Yongjia's head hurt even more: "Then why didn't the mother add three more copies so that the Emperors and grandchildren would all read the mother's goodness?"
Empress Dowager Zhao raised her head even higher: "I'm a grandmother, not a grandson. I can give it to anyone I want, and I don't care what they all think of me! I'm not good, will they dare to disobey and be unfilial. Nope."
Emperor Yongjia: "..."
It is completely unreasonable to reason with the arrogant and domineering Empress Dowager Zhao!
In anger, Emperor Yongjia glanced at Concubine Qin's mother and son: "This bad idea of instigating the Queen Mother must be conceived by Concubine Qin. If you dare to provoke the Queen mother and Empress to discord, I can't spare you."
"Go back to your palace immediately, you are not allowed to leave the palace without my permission."
Qin Fei almost fainted from crying.
The Fourth Prince wanted to intercede for his mother, and Emperor Yongjia said angrily: "Li Xian, you also get out of Shouning Palace for me, and go back to the palace to reflect."