bayedsolid Chapter 138 Palace Rules
Chapter 138 Palace Rules
Of course Rong Pei dared to do it, because now she has nothing to lose.
The worst that could happen is that you lose your life.
It was just a question whether Hongli still had Ruyi in his heart. And he still wanted to leave Yikun Palace? She was dreaming.
Rong Pei clapped her hands, took a deep breath, and said coldly, "You are the Queen, but I am also a human being. I was just teaching my disappointing husband a lesson. I didn't expect you to come here. If I have said anything wrong, please forgive me. Don't hold it against me. Also, although I am in the palace, I am also a human being. I am not a pet that you can beat or scold whenever you want. If you behave yourself, I can naturally get along with you peacefully. If not, don't blame me for being rude. If you are fine, I will go back to work first."
Rong Pei stopped pretending, straightened her sleeves and retreated.
Ruyi wanted to get angry but didn't dare to. After all, she only had two people at her disposal. If Rong Pei left again, she would have to do all the dirty work in the yard.
She's not stupid.
The night was deep, the sky filled with stars. Insects chirped beneath the corridors, and a cool breeze caressed my face, though it didn't feel like wind. Looking out into the distance, palace lanterns hung from every pillar in the courtyard. Their pale yellow light illuminated the Cining Palace, casting a shadow on the jade-like trees and branches, making them look like mist.
"Why did the emperor think of coming to my Cining Palace today?" Zeng Huan sat upright on the couch, reached out to pick up the teacup that Fujia placed on the table, and took a sip.
Hongli bowed his head and said thoughtfully, "What the Empress Dowager is saying is that I, her son, have been too remiss in my duty and have failed to show my filial piety to her. I beg your forgiveness, Empress Dowager."
Zeng Huan raised her eyes, the wrinkles on her forehead clearly visible. She snorted coldly and put down her teacup. What happened today? Has Hongli changed his personality?
Never mind. Zeng Huan didn't want to dwell on it. Ever since the Heng'er incident, her relationship with Hongli had been strained. Although they maintained a peaceful relationship on the surface, neither of them was willing to give in secretly. Now that Hongli was willing to come to the Cining Palace to see her, it showed that he still cared about Zeng Huan. Since it could repair the relationship between them, Zeng Huan naturally accepted it with pleasure.
"Fujia, go get a stool for the emperor to sit on."
"Yes."
"Thank you, Queen Mother."
Hongli sat down. Zeng Huan saw that Hongli looked haggard and was worried. She asked, "What happened to the emperor?"
Hongli took the tea offered by Fujia, took a sip, and said slowly: "My son is fine, I just miss my mother."
Zeng Huan paused. Ever since Hongli ascended the throne, he no longer called her "mother". Instead, he called her "Empress Mother".
Zeng Huan: "But the new Mongolian concubines who came into the palace are not comfortable with the service?"
Zeng Huan had heard something about Yingpin's affairs.
When the concubines came to the Cining Palace to pay their respects, she had met Meiruo several times, but she did not have a deep impression of her. She only remembered that she was a pretty and charming woman. Rather than saying that she was a Mongolian princess, in Zeng Huan's eyes, Meiruo was more like a girl from the Jiangnan water town.
Hongli gave a bitter laugh and said, "Yingpin has just entered the palace and has not yet learned many rules. I do regret not letting her stay in the Old Summer Palace for a while longer and let the maids there teach her well."
Zeng Huan instantly understood what Hongli meant.
Meiruo was a Mongolian concubine, and a hasty punishment would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among the Mongolian tribe. However, Zeng Huan was different. She was both the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty and Meiruo's mother-in-law, making her the most appropriate person to intervene. Zeng Huan summoned Fujia and whispered a few words in Fujia's ear.
"Yes, Queen Mother."
Fuga leaned forward and retreated.
Zeng Huan said, "I know something about Concubine Jia and Concubine Ying. Concubine Ying is arrogant and looks down on the concubines in Yongshou Palace. She offended Concubine Ling and Concubine Cheng, and almost killed Concubine Ling's unborn child. She deserves to be punished. Don't worry, I have already told Fujia to go to Xianfu Palace early tomorrow morning to teach Concubine Ying the palace rules."
Hongli: "It is naturally an honor for Yingpin to be cared for by Aunt Fujia. Your son would like to thank your mother on Yingpin's behalf."
Zeng Huan smiled. "I heard that Concubine Ying likes to use her family background to suppress the other concubines? Your Majesty, this is not a good habit. Although the Forty-Nine Mongolian tribes are important to the Qing Dynasty, they are ultimately its vassal states. If the ministers of the previous dynasty knew that Concubine Ying kept mentioning Mongolia, they would probably think that Mongolia was disloyal, which would lead to unnecessary war, and the people would suffer."
Hongli lowered his head and said, "Mother is right, son understands."
If he had not heard Mei Ruo's words in Xianfu Palace today, he would never have believed that the woman he had doted on for so long actually treated him, the king of a country, as a son-in-law behind his back.
How can this be tolerated?
Hongli decided to let Meiruo stay out in the sun for a while so that she wouldn't be so arrogant.
The next day, after Meiruo had dressed herself up, she was about to go out when she ran into Fuga, who was coming towards her with an elderly nanny following behind her.
Meiruo was stopped in her tracks, and although she felt a little unhappy, she suppressed her anger because Fujia was close to the Queen Mother. However, her tone was calm, with a hint of impatience, as she said, "Aunt Fujia, what brings you all the way to my little Xianfu Palace today?"
Fujia led Nanny Gui to pay her respects. Although she disliked the Mongolian princess in front of her, she still maintained her proper manners. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she spoke softly, "Empress Yingpin, this is Nanny Guiying from the Cining Palace. She has been ordered by the Empress Dowager to teach you the palace rules."
Mei Ruo angrily asked, "Teach me? I learned the palace rules long ago in the Old Summer Palace. The Empress Dowager sent you here? Who complained to the Empress Dowager?"
Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head, and she said, "Oh, I know. It was Concubine Cheng or Concubine Ling, right?" Meiruo sneered, "I've heard for a long time that Concubine Cheng is the Empress Dowager's great-niece. That concubine had a verbal dispute with Concubine Jia, and in a fit of anger, she accidentally pushed the maid next to Concubine Cheng. But I didn't target Concubine Ling. It was her own meanness that forced her to go get the wedding dress, and that's why she fell. What does this have to do with me? The Empress Dowager can't just believe Concubine Cheng's one-sided story and turn against me."
Fu Jia: "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. Concubine Cheng has never come to the Cining Palace to see the Empress Dowager. But you, the one who said "despicable"? The Empress Dowager asked me to find someone to teach you the palace rules for your own good. Don't you like the Emperor to be tactful and considerate when he sees you in the future?"
Meiruo bit her lip, she knew she couldn't escape.
Since this was the Empress Dowager's order, she had no choice but to accept it. However, learning the rules meant that she would not be able to see Hongli often, which she did not want. So, she asked Abao to go to the Yangxin Palace with a fluke mentality, hoping that Hongli would feel sorry for her and let him ask Zeng Huan for mercy.