jdhmnovel Chapter 18 The Emperor was invited away by Consort De
Chapter 18 The Emperor was invited away by Consort De
"Your Majesty, Eunuch Xiao Yuanzi, who serves the Emperor, has arrived." Chen Honghai, the chief eunuch of Anning Palace, hurried in and respectfully reported to the Empress.
"Please come in." The Empress nodded slightly, her voice gentle yet dignified.
A moment later, a short, fair-skinned eunuch walked in with small steps. He came before the Empress and the Crown Prince, bowed and said, "Little Yuanzi greets Your Majesty the Empress and Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Rise," the Empress gently waved her hand, signaling Xiao Yuanzi to stand up and reply.
After expressing her gratitude, Xiao Yuanzi cautiously said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor sent me to inform you that he will not be having dinner at Anning Palace tonight." As she said this, Xiao Yuanzi felt uneasy, fearing that the Empress would be angry and take it out on her.
The Empress, still wearing a faint smile, asked softly after hearing Xiao Yuanzi's words, "Oh? Did His Majesty mention which palace he would be dining in?"
Xiao Yuanzi hesitated for a moment, but finally braced herself and answered, "Just now, Consort De from Qixiang Palace sent someone to Qinzheng Hall to invite the Emperor, saying that Qixiang Palace had prepared the Emperor's favorite dish and invited the Emperor to taste it. The Emperor... the Emperor agreed." After saying this, Xiao Yuanzi secretly raised her head and stole a glance at the Empress's face. Seeing that the Empress's expression was calm and did not show any displeasure, Xiao Yuanzi breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still dared not let her guard down. If the Empress suddenly changed her expression, she would have to kneel down and beg for mercy to save her life.
However, the Empress simply smiled and said calmly, "Alright, I understand. Thank you for making this trip, Eunuch Yuan."
Xiao Yuanzi: Is that all?
Little Yuanzi left Anning Palace with small, hesitant steps, full of doubt.
As he finally stepped out of Anning Palace, he couldn't help but turn back, his gaze fixed on the palace gates.
Xiao Yuanzi frowned slightly, thinking to herself, "This Empress is indeed as kind as the rumors say!"
Then, he took a deep breath, turned around, and slowly walked away along the path he had come from.
Empress: It's not that I'm kind, but he's just a man. I've already used him up, so it doesn't matter anymore. As long as my son isn't harmed, everything is fine.
Cuiwei Palace
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has been invited away by Consort De." Yaoqin carefully carried a bowl of fragrant peanut pudding into the room and said softly.
Sitting on the couch, Su Nuannuan slightly raised her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips: "No need to worry about it, as long as the Emperor doesn't come to our palace. It seems that the Empress doesn't care much about the Emperor, while Consort De treats him like a treasure." As she spoke, she gently scooped up a spoonful of peanut pudding and put it in her mouth, savoring it carefully.
"Your Majesty~" Upon hearing her mistress's words, Yaoqin couldn't help but show a helpless expression and called out coquettishly.
She thought to herself, ever since the Empress gave birth to the Fifth Prince, she's become increasingly outspoken. When Sister Jinse returns, she must have a serious talk with her about this and discuss how to handle it. Otherwise, with the Empress's unbridled self-indulgence, she might bring disaster upon herself sooner or later.
Noticing Yaoqin's worry, Su Nuannuan quickly reassured her, "Alright, alright! I know I was wrong, and I will definitely be more careful with my words in the future. By the way, Jinse should be back soon, right?" After saying that, she lowered her head and took a bite of peanut pudding, but her mind was elsewhere.
"Your Majesty, I'm back." Just as the devil spoke, Jinse hurried into the room and respectfully bowed to Su Nuannuan.
"How is it?" Upon seeing this, Su Nuannuan quickly put down the spoon in her hand and asked anxiously.
Jinse first glanced at Yaoqin standing to the side. Yaoqin understood immediately, turned around and quickly walked to the door without saying a word, and quietly stood guard there to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on their conversation.
After Yaoqin left, Jinse stepped forward with relief and whispered to Su Nuannuan, "Your Majesty, the poison that General suffered from has been cured. However, in order not to arouse the Emperor's suspicion and disrupt the plan, the physician beside General gave him a special medicine. This medicine can perfectly mimic the signs of poisoning and will not cause any damage to General's body."
Upon hearing this news, Su Nuannuan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. She sighed softly and said with a sense of relief, "That's good. In this way, my brother can stay in the capital safely, and my sister-in-law will no longer have to live in fear and anxiety every day."
Thinking of this, Su Nuannuan's mood grew heavier. The Su family had made outstanding contributions for generations and held considerable military power, making them a force to be reckoned with.
And the fact that she herself had given birth to a prince undoubtedly made the Su family's position in the court even more sensitive and delicate.
If the men of the Su family do not know when to advance and retreat, and continue to crave power, they will likely bring about their own demise sooner or later. Therefore, only by retiring gracefully can the Su family ensure its lifelong peace.
Su Nuannuan knew that if the Su family wanted to stand firm in the treacherous court, the military merits accumulated by their ancestors would not be enough.
Now, Father has handed over his coveted military power to the imperial court, and Elder Brother can no longer personally lead troops into battle.
As for himself, he had never had the intention or desire to participate in court intrigues or vie for the right to inherit the throne. In this way, the Su family might truly be able to avoid those open and covert attacks and intrigues, and be able to peacefully enjoy this prosperous era, continuing the family's glory for a hundred years.
Inside the Zhenguo General's Mansion, the atmosphere was solemn yet filled with a touch of warmth.
“Madam, look, my left leg is now crippled. From now on, I’m afraid I will never be able to walk as nimbly as before. I wonder if you will despise me because of this?” Su Heng asked softly, looking at his wife who was already crying her eyes out.
Gu Sangye suddenly raised her head, tears blurring her vision, but her eyes were filled with determination: "Husband, how could I despise you! As long as you are alive and well, I am content." As she spoke, her delicate body trembled slightly, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Su Heng was deeply moved. He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his wife's eyes, saying slowly, "Sang Yan, I'll have to trouble you to take care of me from now on."
Gu Sangyan quickly shook her head, a gentle smile blooming on her face: "Serving my husband is my duty, how can it be considered hard work?"
However, apart from her father and younger sister, who knew the inside story about Su Heng's poisoning, the rest of the family was kept in the dark.
The reason for choosing to tell the younger sister the truth was simply because she was worried that hearing the news of her brother's injury while she was deep in the palace would cause her to overthink things. If she fell ill from excessive worry, given the current state of the Su family, it would be difficult to take good care of her.