lcionline Chapter 184 Only She Can Control the Emperor's Heart
Chapter 184 Only She Can Control the Emperor's Heart
There was a glimmer of admiration in Nanny Xiao's eyes.
It is not easy for a woman from a noble family to thrive in the backyard, let alone the palace.
But the young lady not only has a seductive temperament, but also bold means. Perhaps only she can control the emperor's heart.
Handan seemed to understand something.
The power of heaven is unpredictable. Can my lady really accurately grasp His Majesty's thoughts?
Not to mention her, even Yuanbao, who had served in the imperial court, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
If a concubine loses the favor of His Majesty, she will be nothing. Your behavior is tantamount to walking on the edge of a cliff.
He really had never seen a woman braver than the young lady... Even the usually domineering imperial concubine might not dare to treat His Majesty like this.
Just when they were feeling uneasy, the eunuch's shrill voice suddenly came from outside: "Your Majesty has granted Concubine Rou a box of cordyceps sinensis, a pair of deer antlers, a box of donkey-hide gelatin, a hundred-year-old ganoderma lucidum, a thousand-year-old ginseng, and a Suzhou embroidery screen..."
After the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs left, the rewards from the various palaces were also sent to Tingyu Pavilion. After all, Shen Zhinian was now pregnant with the heir to the throne, so even if they were unhappy, they had to pretend to congratulate her so that the emperor would think they were virtuous.
Fortunately, everyone knew that Shen Zhinian was not in good health, so she didn't have to deal with those people in person. Nanny Xiao took care of everything without any mistakes.
Shen Zhinian ordered: "Madam Xiao, give the reward sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to Doctor Tang for inspection, and then send half to Lanyue Pavilion. Tell Sister Sun that when I am better, I will invite her to come as a guest."
Things succeed when kept secret, and fail when leaked. Shen Zhinian and Concubine Kang did not tell anyone a word of their plan.
At the New Year's Eve palace banquet, she was framed by Liu Ruyan for murdering the heir to the throne, and no one dared to stand up and speak for her. Only Sun Changzai, despite her lowly position, bravely stood up and pleaded for her.
Originally, Shen Zhinian and she were just using each other, but after this incident, they actually developed a bit of an alliance relationship.
Madam Xiao nodded and said, "I obey your command."
Shen Zhinian added, "Fuqiu, go to the storeroom and pick out a few valuable gifts and send them to the Yanxi Palace. Tell them that I am grateful to Concubine Xue for protecting me at that time."
Although Concubine Xue did not openly plead for her last night, she did speak for her when the concubines from Queen Jiang's party asked the emperor to sentence her to death.
She remembered this favor.
"Slave, let's do it now."
Not long after, the two came back to report.
"My lady, Consort Sun said that you should rest more since you are pregnant with the heir to the throne, and she cannot come to disturb you. When you are better, she will come to thank you in person."
Fuqiu said, "My lady, I didn't see Concubine Xue, but her sister Yu Mei from the palace accepted the gift on behalf of Concubine Xue. She said that Concubine Xue was not biased towards you that night, but just spoke from her heart, so you don't have to take it to heart."
Concubine Xue has always been aloof and doesn't like to interact with the concubines in the harem. Shen Zhinian has gotten used to it.
After lunch, a young eunuch who served in front of the emperor quietly handed over a mother-of-pearl box: "This headpiece with squirrel and grape patterns inlaid with kingfisher feather beads is specially given by His Majesty to Concubine Rou!"
Hearing this name, Shen Zhinian raised his eyes.
Although the other items were also rare treasures, she had a deep impression of the head flower with kingfisher feather inlaid beads and squirrel and grape patterns.
Because in her previous life, when Shen Zhinian entered the palace to attend a palace banquet as a first-rank lady, she learned from people's gossip that the emperor had given it to Concubine Liang.
At that time, the position of Empress was vacant, and the head flower with squirrel and grape patterns inlaid with kingfisher feathers and beads was a relic of the Empress Dowager. When Concubine Xian and Concubine Liu were fighting each other, the emperor made this decision, which made it hard not to suspect what he was hinting at.
It was also from that time that Concubine Liang, who had always had a low presence, became very popular, and the ladies in the capital vied to make friends with her.
It’s a pity that Shen Zhinian died too early. I wonder if the ultimate winner in the previous life was Concubine Liang.
And in this life, the Empress Dowager's headpiece with kingfisher feather and beads and squirrel and grape patterns fell into her hands. How could it not be considered a good omen?
Perhaps Nangong Xuanyu also understood that if this matter spread, it would cause a big disturbance in the harem. In order to let her rest assured and take care of the baby, she had it sent over in a low-key manner.
Humph! That man must know how to make her happy.
However... this is far from enough for Shen Zhinian.
She had been setting up this plan for so long, not just for this reward.
But based on the emperor's attitude towards her, how should he proceed with the next plan to achieve his goal!
Fuqiu had already put all the rewards into the storehouse, and only brought the mother-of-pearl box to Shen Zhinian, smiling and saying, "My lady, this is another treasure from His Majesty's private storehouse. You are the only one in the palace who has such a blessing."
"Open it quickly and let us open our eyes!"
Shen Zhinian tapped her forehead and said, "You're the only one who talks nonsense!"
Although she had seen Concubine Liang wearing this hairpin at a palace banquet in her previous life, it was only when she looked at it up close that she realized how exquisite and gorgeous it was!
It turns out that treasures only look good when they are in your own hands!
Madam Xiao said respectfully, "Look, young lady, on the hairpin, grapes made of gemstones are stacked densely, symbolizing a good harvest. The two squirrels carved out of beeswax on the left and right are vivid. The rat is the 'son' in the twelve hours, which means happiness and perfection. This is a very good omen! His Majesty is really attentive to you. 1"
Handan patted her chest and said, "My young master, you don't know. When I asked His Majesty to go back just now, I was almost scared to death! I was afraid that His Majesty would be furious and have someone chop off my head."
"Seeing that Your Majesty cares so much about me, I am finally relieved..."
Shen Zhinian admired the squirrel and grape pattern head flower inlaid with kingfisher feathers and beads, and asked slowly: "Where did your majesty go after leaving Tingyu Pavilion?"
Xiao Mingzi said respectfully, "My lady, your majesty first went to Yongshou Palace to visit the eldest princess who had caught a cold. Then he went to Cining Palace to have lunch with the Empress Dowager. Then he returned to Yangxin Palace and wrote the word 'Fu' to give to the ministers in the court."
Nanny Xiao was surprised and said, "Every year on the evening of the first day of the first lunar month, His Majesty holds a state banquet in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to entertain ministers from the previous dynasty. So lunch is always eaten in Kunning Palace to show respect for the Empress."
"Why on the first day of the new year... Your Majesty didn't even step into the gate of Kunning Palace?"
No one knows the reason better than Shen Zhinian.
It seems that the seed she planted in the emperor's heart has a better effect than she imagined!
I guess Queen Jiang must be furious in Kunning Palace?
No, in order to maintain her virtuous image, she would keep her anger to herself. But I wonder if Queen Jiang can handle it?
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Note: 1 Quoted from the Qing Dynasty cultural relic [Head Flower with Kingfisher Feathers and Beads and Squirrel and Grape Pattern], now in the collection of the Palace Museum.