Chapter 16 Palace Proposal

Shookang Palace.

The queen mother sat in a soft chair facing east, leaning on the dragon-headed crutch in her hand, her eyes were slightly red and her expression was a little gloomy. Not far away in front of her, a woman dressed as a concubine was kneeling, with tears on her face, and she was crying while talking intermittently.

"Empress Dowager, I'm not saying this for some rewards... Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo

The Empress Dowager sighed and said softly: "Concubine Jing, the women in our harem should pay more attention to their words and deeds. The first thing is to do is to do their duty, not to discuss the government affairs, nor to discuss the ministers of the court..." After hearing this, Concubine Jing opened her mouth and waved her hand to stop her, and continued: "The Ai family knows that you have suffered a lot of grievances over the years. You have entered the palace earlier than most of them. You have been committed to giving birth to two sons for the emperor, but now you are not even a concubine, and you can't help feeling wronged."

When Concubine Jing heard this, she was shocked: "Empress Dowager, I must not have such thoughts."

The Empress Dowager smiled when she heard this: "The Ai family is also a woman. They all came from when they were young, so they can understand all these. To be honest, you have done a good job, and you have never caused trouble, nor did you do anything out of order because of the two princes. It's great... it's good..."

"But... you have to know that you are the emperor's woman, and this minister is also the emperor's minister. What the emperor arranges for the minister to do? There is a reason for the emperor. Fang Yishan is your uncle. His death is also very sad. But if he sends troops to fight... it... how can there be no one who is immortal? The Ai family is not ruthless when they say this. Think about it, is it so true? The Ai family knows that you are a little depressed on weekdays. Today, you are at the Ai family. It's okay to say anything you have. Bump the bitter water and let it go!"

"I thank the Queen Mother for the grace! But I don't have much bitterness. Being able to serve the Queen Mother and the Emperor is a blessing I have cultivated for three lives. Queen Mother, I never dare to discuss the right and wrong of the court on weekdays, but my uncle is really unfair to die!" Princess Jing wiped his face with a veil and said whimpering: "The Queen Mother doesn't know. I heard that the army northwards were divided into four groups. My uncle led his army to guard Yongchang. At that time, he was attacked by a prince of Beirong and the prince of the Khan. For several days and nights, no one went to rescue... My uncle led his subordinates to fight to the death. Not only did he defend, he also fought bravely, defeating the prince in a panic and killing more than ten thousand enemies... But later unfortunately... Wuwuwu... My uncle killed him back to Yongchang, but when he arrived at the gate of the city, the guard refused to open the door. Uncle... Uncle... was killed under his own guard city... Wuwuwu..."

"What?!" The Empress Dowager stood up from the soft chair when she heard this and asked with panting, "Concubine Jing, are you true?"

"Reply to the Queen Mother, it's absolutely true! I... I dare not tell lies in such a thing... Woo woo woo woo woo..."

Dong! The dragon head crutch beat the ground hard, and the queen mother said, "It's so outrageous! What a pitiful person... ended up like this... he did not die in the hands of those hungry wolves outside the frontier, he was clearly in the hands of his own people!"

Concubine Jing secretly glanced at the empress dowager and continued, "I have heard that Yongchang had fought fiercely for several days and nights, but Guo Xiao insisted on staying in the door with several other generals and did not send troops to rescue him. That's it... I sat and watched Yongchang soldiers flow into a river of blood... Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo

Dong! When the Empress Dowager heard this, she beat the dragon head crutch in her hand again!

"Stop talking!" The Empress Dowager shouted sternly, and Concubine Jing quickly lowered her head and lay down on the ground, not daring to speak. After a while of silence, the Empress Dowager said slowly: "Concubine Jing, you go back first... All the Ai family knows what you said. What we said today will end here. Our women's family must do their duty, otherwise... it will inevitably cause trouble..."

"The Queen Mother..." Concubine Jing looked up at the Queen Mother in surprise.

"Okay!" The empress dowager waved her hand and said, "Go back! The Ai family will mention the matter of General Pingbei. Since it is to work for the court and die on the battlefield, the emperor will distinguish right from wrong. He will never be rewarded without any punishment. Retreat!"

"Ah... I... I thank the Empress Dowager!" Jing Fei hurriedly kowtowed a few times when she heard this, then wiped the tears on her face, and walked out in a few steps.

In the Shoukang Palace, it was silent for a long time. The Empress Dowager sighed long and shouted outside: "Come here! Let's tell the emperor that the Ai family invites him to come and sit down!"

West Warm Pavilion.

Emperor Qiyuan leaned on the warm mattress, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Suddenly, someone knocked on the inner door outside, and Qian Hai's voice sounded: "Your Majesty, Eunuch Zhang came to pass the message and said that the Empress Dowager asked the Emperor to come over and sit down."

Emperor Qi Yuan frowned slightly, then slowly opened his eyes, and a look of anger flashed in an instant. After taking a deep breath, Emperor Qi Yuan got up from the warm mattress and shouted outside: "Come in!" Qian Hai opened the inner door and came in to dress up for the waiter Emperor Qi Yuan, and then went out to greet the warm sedan chair.

"Qian Hai, Eunuch Zhang said he didn't say anything... The Empress Dowager was in a hurry to see me...why?"

"Uh..." Qian Hai lowered his eyelids when he heard this, licked his lips, looked up at Emperor Qiyuan and said, "Eunuch Zhang didn't say that. Not bad... I see, 80%... it's for the matter there..." As he said that, he pointed to the north.

"Oh..." Emperor Qi Yuan nodded without comment, then looked at Qian Hai and asked, "How did you know it was for that?"

"Uh..." Qian Hai lowered his head and said carefully: "I guessed... I guess..."

"Hmph!" Emperor Qi Yuan snorted coldly and put down the curtain. Qian Hai quietly stroked his chest with his hands, breathing a sigh of relief.

It was not long since I had arrived outside the Shoukang Palace. Emperor Qiyuan got out of the warm sedan chair, waved his hand at Qian Hai who was about to recite, stepped up the steps, and entered the house.

"My son is pleased to my mother!"

"Well... come and sit!" The empress dowager looked at Emperor Qiyuan, and a look of care flashed in her eyes. She pointed to the soft chair on the left side of her body and said, "It's a cold day, don't say you wear more clothes! How do people around you serve..."

"Hey——Mother, no wonder they are. The son minister felt a little hot and took off himself." Emperor Qi Yuan sat on the soft chair and looked at the empress dowager and said, "Mother's complexion today... seems to be worse than yesterday. Could it be that he feels a little uncomfortable?"

"Huh? Is that?" the queen mother stroked her cheek and said, "There is no feeling in the Ai family. She stays in this palace all day long, with food and accommodation, and what else can she feel uncomfortable? Someone remembered it and came to see the old lady of the Ai family. I can't remember it, the Ai family has only made do with it. This person... can't be too greedy, and you can be content with everything!"

Emperor Qiyuan's eyes flashed when he heard this and said, "My mother isn't there any stranger to visit me? Haha, my son apologizes to my mother. I've been busy with the court these days, my son--"

"Busy, yes, it's busy enough!" The empress dowager rubbed the dragon head with her hands and looked out the window: "Forget it, since the court has a lot of things, the emperor should put state affairs first. Don't waste time on the old lady of the Ai family..."

Emperor Qi Yuan stood up quickly, with a look of panic on his face, leaning over and saying, "What is the Queen Mother saying? My son... I'm doing something wrong. Please give me advice. Don't be alone in my heart. My son's heart... Isn't it good to be in my heart!"

"Is this the truth of the emperor?"

"Yes, every sentence of the son is sincere."

"That's good..." The Empress Dowager glanced at Emperor Qiyuan and said, "Sit down, sit down and say." After a moment of stopping, the Empress Dowager spoke, "I heard that the war in the northern border is a bit tight, and the situation is... okay?"

Emperor Qiyuan lowered his eyes and said with a smile: "My mother was worried about this, haha, the war is very urgent, but my soldiers in Jiangong are brave and good at fighting, loyal to the court, and can still defend the northern border..."

"If I can really defend it, it will be a blessing for me to build the court and the people of the whole country. At this time, everyone must do their own things and the whole country will be united in one rope so that they can fight a good war against the outside world!" The empress dowager said again: "Soldiers must be loyal, generals must use their lives, and the emperor... must see all this clearly. Who is really using their lives, who is shouting loudly, but he is confident..."

"Yes, my son... I've recorded it..."

"I remember it? I think the emperor can't remember it!" The empress dowager pinched the head of the stick and spoke louder: "The emperor just mentioned loyalty, so the Ai family has to ask. The emperor thinks that Fang Yishan, the general of Pingbei... is he loyal to the court?"

"Uh...hehe, Fang Yishan has been an official for decades and has fought countless wars for the court. My sons think... he is indeed loyal."

"Well--Ai family thinks that this loyal minister is, no matter when, the more, the better. The emperor thinks so, right?" The empress dowager turned his head and looked at Emperor Qiyuan and continued, "The Ai family heard that Fang Yishan was fighting well in the north, and beat the Prince of Beirong to only a few soldiers. But God is not good at seeing such a good general, who is surrounded and sacrificed his life for the country... Emperor, should we reward such a loyal minister?"

Emperor Qiyuan stood up after hearing this: "My mother clearly understands that if you only look at the merits made by Fang Yishan, the general of Pingbei, you should be rewarded. However, when he was in the battle, he did not obey my will, sent troops without authorization, and accidentally caught a siege, resulting in the entire army of 10,000 cavalry led by him, which indirectly led to more than half of the soldiers in Yongchang! The temporary balanced situation was broken from then on! If calculated in this way, the excessiveness was far greater than the merit..."
Chapter completed!