12dz Chapter 294 Yongshou Palace
Chapter 294 Yongshou Palace
In Jingren Palace, only the Queen, Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong were left.
The Queen's eyes slowly swept over Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong, who stood quietly with their hands hanging down. A gleam of brilliance flashed in the depths of her eyes for a moment, but in the blink of an eye, she returned to her gentle and kind appearance and said softly, "This time, Wanpin has returned to the palace, and we are meeting old friends. You must be very happy, right?"
Shen Meizhuang seemed oblivious to the sarcasm hidden in the Queen's words. A faint smile played on her lips as she calmly replied, "Your Majesty is right! Wanpin has always been respectful to Your Majesty. If she returns to the palace, You'll have another person to talk to. I'm sure Your Majesty will be happy, right?"
"Of course I am happy. Wanpin has returned to the palace pregnant. When the child is born, the emperor will definitely love him very much. I'm afraid the child will not be inferior to the Sixth Prince!" The queen raised her chin slightly, with an elusive light in her eyes. There seemed to be a sharp thorn hidden in her seemingly relieved words.
Shen Meizhuang's mind was clear, but she still wore a gentle smile. She said calmly, "The Emperor is a benevolent ruler and a loving father. The Third Prince is the Emperor's eldest son and was personally raised by the Empress. I believe he is even more valued by the Emperor."
Speaking of the Third Prince, a trace of worry crept into the Empress's face again. The Third Prince was kind and filial by nature, obedient to her, and diligent in his studies. However, he seemed to have inherited his mother's dull nature. Despite her painstaking efforts to supervise his studies and carefully invite many learned scholars to teach him, his achievements were minimal.
In recent days, the Emperor, through several conversations with the Third Prince, has gradually perceived his shortcomings and slowness in academic comprehension and response, and his expectations of him have naturally become less fervent and heavy than before. In the past, the Emperor would often inquire about the Third Prince's academic progress and occasionally check on his academic achievements, but now such instances have become increasingly rare.
Thinking of this, the queen no longer wanted to play Tai Chi with the two of them, and said lightly: "Alright, you can leave now!"
"Yes, I'll take my leave!"
After returning to Yonghe Palace, Shen Meizhuang finally asked, "Rong'er, why didn't you let me take on the task of renovating Yongshou Palace? Wouldn't it be more appropriate and thoughtful if I were the one to arrange it?"
"Sister, renovating the Yongshou Palace may seem simple, but it's a thankless task. If it's well-designed, the court will accuse the Emperor of wasting state funds on a concubine. If it's not well-designed, the Emperor will be unhappy. So let the Empress take care of this matter!"
"You have a point, but given the Queen's personality, she will certainly build the Yongshou Palace into something extremely magnificent. On the one hand, this will earn her a reputation of being virtuous and generous in front of the Emperor, and on the other hand, it will also give Huan'er something to criticize."
An Lingrong smiled softly and said disapprovingly, "Even if they give him cause for accusation, what good does it do? Although the Emperor has ordered Lord Zhen to return to the capital, he hasn't pardoned his crimes. He's still a criminal. Furthermore, he's endured three years in the bitter cold of Ningguta, and his health is no longer what it used to be. Even if Sister Zhen becomes the most favored of the six harems, it's still uncertain whether he can continue to serve as an official. Even if the ministers of the previous dynasty are dissatisfied, they can't find a suitable excuse to act, so they can only watch helplessly."
At this point, a hint of tenderness flashed in An Lingrong's eyes. "Besides, Yongshou Palace is beautifully decorated, and Sister Zhen will feel more comfortable living there. She endured so much suffering in Ganlu Temple, and now that she has finally returned to the palace, it is natural to compensate her well. Also, the Emperor has taken away your authority to assist in the management of the six palaces for no reason. Unless he visits you three times, you really can't accept this palace power so easily."
Shen Meizhuang said with a smile: "You mischievous ghost!"
An Lingrong smiled mischievously, thought for a moment, then called Xiao Yunzi over and said, "Sister Zhen will be back soon. The Emperor has given her the Yongshou Palace to live in. It's being renovated and decorated these days. You know her preferences, so go and take care of it!"
This means returning Xiao Yunzi to Zhen Huan!
Little Yunzi was so clever that he instantly grasped the deep meaning of her words. He immediately knelt on the ground with a plop and kowtowed heavily. His eyes were red and his voice was choked with sobs: "Thank you both ladies for your care over the past few years. I will always remember your great kindness and will never forget it."
"Alright, alright, get up quickly. Fortunately, Yongshou Palace and Yonghe Palace are not far away. If you miss us in the future, just come and pay your respects often!"
"I obey your order!" Xiao Yunzi slowly stood up, bowed respectfully, and then turned around and left.
After Xiao Yunzi left, An Lingrong called Xiao Luzi over and instructed him, "Go to the Imperial Household Department to find Zhao Yingjiu and tell him that everything the Empress requested must be carefully arranged without any mistakes. Every detail must be checked repeatedly to ensure perfection. Also, any rare and interesting things the Imperial Household Department has should be sent to Yongshou Palace!"
Xiao Luzi bowed his head in agreement and hurried away.
Shen Meizhuang listened to her instructions, a little confused: "Funny stuff? Isn't this what you like? Why send it to Yongshou Palace?"
"Oh my goodness, sister, sending it to Yongshou Palace is the same as sending it to me, isn't it?"
"You..." Shen Meizhuang rolled her eyes helplessly, "If you want it, why not just ask Zhao Yingjiu to send it to you? Why go through so much trouble!"
An Lingrong said seriously, "Sister, I am a pure-hearted and upright person. How could I be so shameless as to ask for something from the Imperial Household Department?"
"That's quite cheeky of you!"
Yongshou Palace is one of the six western palaces of the inner court, located south of Yikun Palace. It is the closest palace in the harem to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The main hall in the front courtyard, Yongshou Palace, is five bays wide and features a yellow glazed tile hip roof. The main hall has three side halls on each side, three on the east and three on the west. The rear courtyard has a five-bay main hall with east and west side rooms, and three side halls on each side, three on the east and west, in front of the main hall.
The day before Zhen Huan returned to the palace, An Lingrong took Su Ye and Wei Lin to carefully check every place in the palace before she felt relieved.
Everything is ready, just waiting for Concubine Xi to return to the palace.