nycdaug Chapter 238 After All She is a Stepmother
Chapter 238 After All She is a Stepmother
The play was almost over, and the Empress Dowager Tang didn't want to listen to the two children crying anymore, so she asked the family of four to kneel down and pay their respects.
Emperor Xuanhe also said that he was busy with government affairs and stood up and left.
Before leaving, he also called Jiang Jin, and the father and son went to the imperial study together.
Mu Jiaojiao left the main hall with her two children. Empress Dowager Tang looked at the backs of the mother and her two children and said to Madam Qian who was massaging her shoulders:
"Huizhu, do you think this Mu is just a country woman with beautiful looks?"
Nanny Qian kept pinching Mu Jiaojiao's shoulders and looked at her, who was dressed in gorgeous brocade clothes but walked with her head down and cautiously. Then she spoke calmly.
"Your Highness, let me tell you this: regardless of whether or not this Mu is truly worthless, she has done a great job in teaching the two young princes."
"I remember Ming Zhao was once exceptionally intelligent. Although he is no longer a voracious reader, he still enjoys cultivating the land."
"The Empress Dowager is right. Prince Mingxiao is also very attached to the Mu family."
When Empress Dowager Tang heard this, a kind smile flashed across her face. Then she turned the Buddhist beads in her hand, and her face was filled with sadness and compromise again.
"After all, even a royal heir should be a bit timid."
"However, I see that the Emperor is pleased to see this happen, so I'll let Old Six go."
If outsiders heard the Queen Mother's worried words, who would not admire her kindness and benevolence?
After hearing the Empress Dowager's sigh, Madam Qian's kind eyes flashed with shrewdness. She then observed the Empress Dowager Tang's expression as if nothing had happened, and then said:
"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should say it or not."
"Huizhu, you've been with me in this deep palace for over thirty years. Is there anything you can't tell me?"
After hearing what Nanny Qian said, the Queen Mother raised her hand wearing gold armor inlaid with purple gems and gently patted Nanny Qian's hand on her shoulder.
Nanny Qian looked at the empress dowager's graceful and elegant profile, and her mind flashed over the days she had spent with the empress dowager. A touch of emotion appeared on her face, and she spoke with gratitude.
"Thank you, Her Majesty, for your kindness in allowing this old slave to accompany you!"
Then he seemed to see through Mu Jiaojiao, and looked as if he was considering Mu Jiaojiao and Jiang Jin.
"If I were to say this old servant, Mu is, after all, a stepmother. She and the prince will definitely have their own children in the future. If we let her teach the two young princes now, she will be able to teach them better when she has children with the prince in the future."
After hearing this, the Queen Mother paused turning the Buddhist beads in her hand, a flash of pity appeared in her eyes, and a look of regret appeared on her face.
"Yes, Mu is a stepmother after all, but Ming Zhao and Ming Xiao will suffer in the future!"
"Don't worry, Empress Dowager. This old servant has to say that Your Majesty has not pursued the issue of the parents of these two young princes. This is already a great blessing."
"Now that I have the blessing of King Jin, I will have a life of luxury and wealth in the future. My life will not be hard at all."
Nanny Qian looked at the worry in the Empress Dowager's brows and comforted her with both emotional appeal and rational explanation.
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Tang seemed to be comforted by Nanny Qian's words. A look of relief flashed in her eyes, and a kind and benevolent smile appeared on her face again.
"Huizhu, you've thought it through. I'm the one who's being too picky!"
When Nanny Qian heard this, the smile on her face became even more pronounced, and she spoke to Empress Dowager Tang in a calm manner.
"It's not that I've thought it through. The Queen Mother is just too worried about the two young princes. That's why she's so anxious about everything."
****
Let’s talk about Mu Jiaojiao and her mother and son.
As soon as the mother and her two daughters left the Cining Palace, they saw a little palace maid waiting at the door of the palace. When she saw Mu Jiaojiao coming out, she came forward and saluted Mu Jiaojiao.
"Your servant Qiao'er greets Madam Mu!"
"Madam Mu, the virtuous concubine invites you!"
Yunyu was afraid that her master would get tired from holding Jiang Mingxiao, so she took the child as soon as she left the main hall of Cining Palace.
Mu Jiaojiao was holding Jiang Mingzhao's hand at this time. Upon hearing this, Jiang Mingzhao tightened his hand, which was held by Mu Jiaojiao, and then looked at his mother, with worry flashing in his eyes.
Mu Jiaojiao looked at her eldest son who had spread rumors about her before, the worry in her eyes obvious. She squeezed his little hand silently to comfort him.
"Let's go!"
"Please, Miss Qiao'er, lead the way."
After Mu Jiaojiao comforted her son, she gestured to Huaizhu beside her. Seeing this, Huaizhu slowed down a little. After Mu Jiaojiao took Jiang Mingzhao and Yunyu who was holding Jiang Mingxiao and followed Qiaoer away, he turned around and went to the road that had to be taken to leave the imperial study to wait for Jiang Jin.
Mu Jiaojiao, who was walking with Qiao'er, looked at Qiao'er who was leading the way respectfully in front of her and spoke to her calmly.
"I wonder if Miss Qiao'er knows why the virtuous concubine sent me, a country woman, to do this?"
The imperial palace has not yet issued an edict to confer the title of princess on Mu Jiaojiao, and Mu Jiaojiao is not the kind of person who cares about false reputation, so she jokingly calls herself a country woman.
Hey!
Imperial power! Empty reputation!
"Madam Mu, you're joking. Madam Mu will have a noble status in the future. She won't be just a country girl."
"But Madam Mu also knows that I am a servant serving the Madam, so how could I know the affairs of my masters?"
After hearing Mu Jiaojiao's question, Qiao'er's lowered eyes flashed with contempt, but there was no sound of inappropriateness in the tone of her reply.
Mu Jiaojiao walked behind Qiao'er, looking at her back and the disdain in her eyes when she turned sideways to answer, she already had a plan in mind.
This so-called virtuous concubine's behavior today is most likely up to some ulterior motive. I'm afraid she has no good intentions!
***
After that, Mu Jiaojiao stopped talking to Qiao'er and just leisurely admired the beautiful scenery in every corner of the palace.
This is a panoramic tour service that can be experienced without buying a ticket. Even AR may not be able to reproduce it in such detail and in such an immersive way.
It probably took a cup of tea before they walked through the Imperial Garden and Mu Jiaojiao took the child to slowly appreciate the various exotic flowers and plants in the Imperial Garden.
After walking for about another quarter of an hour, we finally arrived at Yonghe Palace, the residence of our second protagonist today, Empress Xianfei.
When she arrived at Yonghe Palace and handed Mu Jiaojiao, her mother and son over to the head palace maid Bishui, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mainly because of the leisurely look of Mu behind her, she didn't dare to walk fast. She urged her gently, but Yun Yuye beside Mu blocked her indifferently.
It really annoys her!
If she wasn't afraid of ruining the virtuous concubine's plan and being blamed, she wouldn't have looked down on the Mu family at all.
Bishui had received instructions from the virtuous concubine before, so she took Mu Jiaojiao and her son into the main hall of Yonghe Palace, and also asked people to prepare snacks that the children liked.