CH 101

Seeing Empress Dowager Zhao's face full of anger, Madam Fan, who had been serving Empress Dowager Zhao for several years, whispered, "The Empress Dowager wants to lift up His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, just give more things. Why do you need to go through the Empress?"

As the Empress Dowager, she could do whatever she wanted without having to consider anyone else's opinions or feelings.

This Madam Fan was the dowry maid of Empress Dowager Zhao back then. She never married and has been serving Queen Mother Zhao, and she was loyal only to Queen Mother Zhao.

Empress Dowager Zhao trusts Madam Fan very much, and she had no worries about speaking in private. She snorted softly and said, "The Empress acts like this, it is clear that she is trying to suppress Aijia on purpose. Haven't you seen it yet? She has resentment towards the Aijia in her heart!"

Mother Fan stood completely on the side of the Queen Mother and immediately said: "As a daughter-in-law, you should be filial in everything and listen to your mother-in-law. There is no reason for a daughter-in-law to compete with her mother-in-law."

"From this old slave's point of view, the Empress Dowager is too benevolent. How dare the Empress show temper! The Empress Dowager should knock a few words from time to time to let the Empress know her duty as a daughter-in-law."

Empress Dowager Zhao snorted again, the anger in her eyes did not fade away.

At this moment, Concubine Qin came to see her.

Concubine Qin came to Shouning Palace very diligently and was always with Queen Mother Zhao. In Empress Dowager Zhao's heart, Concubine Qin was ten times more caring and filial than Empress Qiao.

"The concubine has seen the Empress Dowager," Qin Fei bowed with a smile, and then asked with concern: "The lady's face doesn't seem very good-looking, is there someone who is making the lady unhappy?"

Empress Dowager Zhao was cold and indifferent to Empress Qiao, but she had a different face for Concubine Qin. She took Qin Fei's hand and said with a smile: "There is no one else here, why are you being so formal with me."

Concubine Qin pursed her lips and smiled, then changed her voice and called out "Auntie".

No wonder Empress Dowager Zhao was partial to Concubine Qin. Concubine Qin's biological mother, Zhao shi, was the younger sister of Queen Mother Zhao from the same mother. In terms of blood relationship, Concubine Qin was even closer than the Marquis of Puyang.

The mother died young, the two sisters grew up together, and they had a very good relationship.

Later, Empress Dowager Zhao married the Li family to fill in the house, and Zhao shi married the Qin family far away. Zhao's life was short-lived, and she died early. Qin was brought up in her maternal family.

Empress Dowager Zhao took care of her from time to time, and when the Qin family reached marriageable age, she let her son Li Yuan marry the Qin shi as a concubine.

Although Qin shi was a concubine, the clothing and food were the best. With the support of her aunt, she lived a leisurely life.

When Emperor Yongjia sat on the dragon chair, Qin shi was made a Noble Consort, and her son became the Fourth Prince from being an illegitimate son of the Li family.

Concubine Qin's heart also became active day by day.

Empress Dowager Zhao took Concubine Qin's hand and sat down. She first talked about her dissatisfaction with Empress Qiao: "...this Qiao shi, she kept on talking about the difference between the descendants. She didn't give any importance to what Aijia said at all."

Concubine Qin did not feel angry at all but comforted Empress Dowager Zhao softly: "Auntie calm down. The Empress said so, and it makes sense. Ah Xian is a Prince born from a concubine, how dare he hope to be the same as the prince."

She paused, then sighed softly: "Speaking of which, I'm the one who implicated my son. I was willing to marry my cousin as a concubine so that I can accompany my aunt every day. I only have pity for Ah Xian, who was born to a concubine, inferior to others."

Where was this comforting, it was clearly stroking the fire!

Empress Dowager Zhao's expression sank slightly: "Regardless of whether he is legitimate or illegitimate, they are all descendants of the Li family, and they are all princes. Don't worry, with the Ai family here, no one can ever wrong Ah Xian."

Concubine Qin's face was moved, and her eyes were slightly red: "Fortunately, there is an aunt who takes care of our mother and son. Otherwise, we really don't know how to live in this palace."

Empress Dowager Zhao had made up her mind, and patted the back of Concubine Qin's hand: "Aijia has something in mind, just wait and see."

…

Ten days later.

The palace sent marriage proposals to the residences of the Prince of Xingyang, Marquis of Guangping, and Marquis of Puyang.

The marriage of the three princes has long been a major event in the capital. Sending betrothal items was so lively, there were many pairs of eyes are staring at it. Judging from the team that sent the betrothed, it was obvious that most people went to the Xingyang Palace, and of course, they also carried the most betrothal gifts.

The betrothal gifts sent to the Marquis of Guangping and the Marquis of Puyang were obviously less.

This was also inevitable.

There was always a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children.

No one expected that the palace soon sent a team of gift-bearers to the Puyang Marquis Mansion in a lively manner. The betrothal gifts sent later were not too many, but, adding up to the previous ones, it was actually more than the betrothal gifts sent to the Xingyang Palace.

Everyone soon knew that this was specially sent by the Empress Dowager of the palace to Lady Zhao of the Marquis of Puyang. This was dazzling support for the Fourth Prince!

The Fourth Prince's face was saved. But what about the faces of Empress Qiao and the Second Prince?

Xingyang King Lu Lin, who soon learned of this, his face suddenly sank.

He didn't care how much the betrothal gifts were.

However, these actions of disregarding the dignity of the Second Prince and the face of the Lu family were really annoying.

"This Empress Dowager Zhao is really annoying!" Lu Lin slapped the table hard, and the solid table was shaken: "How can you act like this!"

Lu Mingyu was not at all annoyed.

In the past life, Empress Dowager Zhao did just that. This little thing was really not worth being angry with.

Lu Mingyu calmly comforted Lu Lin: "Dad, don't be angry. It is well known that Empress Dowager and the Empress do not get along. She did this to shame the Empress on purpose and has nothing to do with our Lu family."

Lu Lin patted the table again, and the table shook violently again: "It doesn't matter. She embarrassed the Empress, and she is embarrassing the Second Prince, which is embarrassing you, and embarrassing the Lu family!"

Lu Mingyu: "..."

All right!

Probably because of the "paying off the debt with her own body" reason that she had not yet reached the point of treating Li Jing and his mother as her own family, so she naturally did not have such a strong sense of empathy. It was like watching a fire from the other side of the river, with a feeling of detachment and indifference.

Lu Lin, who loved his daughter, had already included his son-in-law Li Jing in his family. Lu Lin was the most protective of his family, and so when he encountered such a thing, he was extremely annoyed.

Lu Lin suddenly stood up and was about to go out.

Lu Mingyu was shocked: "Dad, where are you going?"

Lu Lin raised his eyebrows: "I'll go to the palace to see the emperor now. I want to see if the Emperor knows how to react to this matter, and how should he explain to the Lu family."

Lu Mingyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she hurriedly stopped her father: "Father, don't be impulsive, calm down first."

"The Emperor has always been filial to the Empress Dowager. Even if he knew it, he will not do anything to Empress Dowager. Even if the father goes to the Palace to meet the Emperor, what could he do?"

"Furthermore, I haven't married yet. For the time being, I don't need to get involved. When I become a relative in the future, the name is right and my words are right, and it's not too late to fight with the others in the palace."

Now she and Li Jing were not married yet! How could he so eagerly intervene in the affairs of the palace?

After a few words of persuasion, Lu Lin finally calmed down: "You are right. I can't question the Emperor in this regard. Well, it's better to go to the palace to thank him."

Lu Mingyu: "..."