mtl008 Chapter 298 Visiting the Queen Mother and Rewarding Nanxi
Chapter 298 Visiting the Queen Mother and Rewarding Nanxi
After a long while, the Queen Mother whispered:
"Whether the Emperor agrees or not, I will give it a try. I know this will be unfair to Concubine Xian, but I can't bear to see the Crown Prince's wedding day lose face. Even if Hesheli Shuren really comes out of the cold palace, she will at most agree. I will never let her hurt Concubine Xian again, and I will compensate her."
Madam Hu felt something was wrong, but seeing her master's determined expression, she opened her mouth and asked:
"What if the emperor disagrees?"
This time the Queen Mother remained silent for even longer, and finally said in a vague tone:
"If the emperor disagrees, I have tried my best. I cannot really force the emperor. I can only say that this is Hesheli's fate."
Madam Hu sighed deeply. At this moment, someone came in and reported:
"Empress Dowager, the Emperor has returned and is coming to visit you with the ladies."
The Queen Mother's eyes quickly showed a hint of surprise when she heard this, and she quickly said:
"The emperor is back, please come in quickly."
Soon, Kangxi came in with his concubines and other high-ranking concubines. Kangxi took the lead, lifted his skirt, and knelt neatly in front of the bed to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.
"Your son is here to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. She is ill and I am late. This is really unfilial. Please punish me, Empress Dowager."
Shi Nanxi and others behind him knelt down silently.
The Empress Dowager felt comforted when she saw the Emperor in front of her.
Now it was winter and it had rained for six or seven days in a row, making it inconvenient to travel. However, the emperor and his entourage returned a few days earlier than the original schedule, which showed that they had traveled in a hurry. Now they had returned to the Forbidden City and came to see her without even going back to their bedroom. How could she blame them?
"Emperor, please get up quickly. All of you, you have been traveling a long way and it is raining outside. Are you wet? You should go back to your bedroom and wash up first. Otherwise, what will you do if you catch a cold?"
Kangxi stood up obediently and sat on the chair that had been brought over. He looked at the Empress Dowager on the bed with concern and said,
"I am fine. I am sitting in the carriage and will not get wet. But the Empress Dowager looks very bad. What is the doctor doing?"
The last sentence was obviously full of anger. Outside the door, Liu Yuanpan, who was hurriedly called in, quickly stepped forward and knelt down to apologize.
"I am guilty, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Shi Nanxi glanced at Liu Yuanpan. He had helped her many times, but she did not speak for him because someone had her own words.
Sure enough, the next moment the Queen Mother began to explain:
"Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with Judge Liu. The medicine he prescribed is effective. It's my own health that is not doing well."
Kangxi narrowed his eyes when he heard this, slowly stroked the jade ring, and looked at Liu Yuanpan.
"Since the Queen Mother has spoken for you, I will spare you for now. What's wrong with the Queen Mother? Why hasn't she recovered from the cold for so long?"
Liu Yuanpan raised his head slightly.
Pursed his lips and said:
"Your Majesty, it's the transition from autumn to winter recently, and the weather is unpredictable. The Queen Mother is getting older, and her body is not as healthy as before. In addition, she is depressed, so this cold has not healed for a long time. I am incompetent."
Feeling depressed, Kangxi looked at the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager sighed and shook her head, which meant that she didn't want to talk about it now.
Kangxi's mind turned several times and he figured it out. He didn't ask any more questions. He asked Liu Yuanpan to cure the Empress Dowager as soon as possible and let him leave.
After Liu Yuanpan left, the Empress Dowager looked at the concubines standing there and took one more look at Shi Nanxi.
Shi Nanxi was very perceptive and noticed when the empress dowager withdrew her gaze. Her face remained expressionless, but her hand on her abdomen curled up slightly.
What did the Queen Mother's look just now mean? Was it concern? Before she left the palace, she had a good relationship with the Queen Mother. They were not close friends, but they could still talk to each other.
But her intuition was not right, and she couldn't guess the reason for a moment, so she became alert. But after the Empress Dowager took a look, she turned around and talked to Kangxi.
After hearing the Emperor briefly talk about the trip to Mulan Paddock, the Empress Dowager was still somewhat frightened and helpless, even though she had received the news in advance.
"Longkodo is so confused. Has the concubine named Li Si'er been dealt with?"
As the wife of the former emperor, even if she was the empress, she was still the principal wife. Naturally, she disliked concubines. She had never heard of a concubine turning the principal wife into a human pig. The thought of it made her shocked and angry, and her impression of the Tongjia clan became even worse.
I couldn't help but hold the Buddhist beads and recite "Amitabha".
Kangxi comforted the Empress Dowager:
"Don't worry, Empress Dowager. Li Si'er is now reaping the fruits of her own actions. She has been made into a human pig in front of Longkodo, just like Lady Hesheli was placed in the royal chamber. She will experience Lady Hesheli's life every day and repent for her actions."
When the Queen Mother heard this, she closed her eyes and chanted a Buddhist prayer again. Then she looked at Shi Nanxi among the concubines and said with concern:
"This time, Empress Xian has been wronged. I have a set of green jade hairpins here, which were given to me by my ancestors when they were alive. I am old now and cannot wear them. It is more suitable for young people like Empress Xian to wear them."
After she finished speaking, Madam Hu turned around, took out a red lacquered wooden treasure box from the treasure rack, walked over, and opened the treasure box in front of Shi Nanxi.
It was a complete set of kingfisher feather jewelry, consisting of a hairpin + a knot + a kingfisher feather strip + a pair of earrings + a necklace + a bracelet + a ring. It was dazzling, exquisite and luxurious.
Everyone present could not help but clench their handkerchiefs and stare at the treasure box. Such a set of kingfisher feather headwear with exquisite craftsmanship was truly rare.
Not to mention that it was once bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager to the Empress Dowager, which had greater significance. Everyone couldn't help but envy and jealousy towards Concubine Xian.
The expressions of Concubine Nianhulu and the remaining three concubines also changed slightly. That was the headgear that the Grand Empress Dowager had once bestowed upon the Empress Dowager. They did not have it, but now Concubine Xian had it.
However, as the envied person, Shi Nanxi did not feel honored. As the saying goes, "If someone shows kindness for no reason, he is either a traitor or a thief." She did not believe that it was just simple compensation. Thinking of the second glance the Empress Dowager gave her just now, she became even more alert.
But no matter what he was thinking in his heart, his face looked stunned.
After reacting, he said anxiously and ashamedly:
"Empress Dowager, this is a beloved item given to you by the Grand Empress Dowager when she was alive. How could I, a concubine, take away your beloved item? Moreover, the Emperor has cleared my name, and I do not feel wronged at all."
The Queen Mother looked kind:
"The emperor has cleared your name, but you have been wronged. I cannot turn a blind eye to it. Besides, this set of kingfisher feather headdress was given to me by my ancestors. It belongs to me. I want to give it to you, so you should keep it well."
At this time, Kangxi glanced at the Empress Dowager, then at the perplexed little girl, and suddenly interrupted:
"Empress Xian, since the Empress Dowager has given it to you, you should accept it. The Empress Dowager has many good things, and she doesn't lack a set of headgear."
The joking words made the Empress Dowager laugh. Shi Nanxi could not refuse any more. She bowed solemnly to the Empress Dowager, took the jade box in person, and thanked her:
"I dare not refuse the gift from my elders. I thank the Empress Dowager for her grace and wish her a speedy recovery."
The Empress Dowager nodded lovingly, and then showed a hint of fatigue at the right time. The concubines were tactful and left after saying that they would take turns to take care of the patient tomorrow.
But Kangxi stayed.