kvmb Chapter 253 Reporting
Chapter 253 Reporting
Under normal circumstances, it would be a fantasy for a concubine to want to raise the prince of a noble concubine, but the positions of imperial concubine and even queen above the noble concubine are still vacant.
Concubine Lan comes from a prominent family and has the Empress Dowager as her backer. If the previous dynasty and the Empress Dowager jointly put pressure on the emperor, the emperor is likely to compromise.
An Lingrong stroked the small piece of paper in her hand, closed her eyes slightly, and fell into deep thought.
Shen Meizhuang came to tell her this news, not only to repay her for her help in the past, but also must have considered this interest.
Among the three people in charge of the palace power, only Concubine Hua has a princess. If Concubine Lan adopts another prince, Shen Meizhuang, who has never been able to get pregnant, will be in an unfavorable situation.
In this complicated harem, who can be a true fool when it comes to interests?
An Lingrong tapped her knees lightly with her fingers, thinking about how to deal with the combined forces of the Queen Mother and Concubine Lan.
The Queen Mother was always accompanied by a large number of guards when she traveled, and the people she sent were never able to get close, but one night they found traces of a carriage entering the Erlang Temple.
After some investigation, it was found that the carriage was coming from the direction of the imperial mausoleum.
In other words, the Queen Mother left the palace this time in the name of praying for a child for the Emperor to secretly meet with the Fourteenth Prince and his mother.
Did the silver that the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented to the Empress Dowager secretly flow into the pocket of her most beloved son, the Fourteenth Prince?
If the Queen Mother really had the ambition to let the Fourteenth Prince or his descendants succeed to the throne, then the many mysteries she encountered since entering the palace would have reasonable explanations.
"The Queen Mother is really well hidden!"
An Lingrong sighed inwardly.
She felt that everyone in the harem, even Zhen Huan who was practicing in Ganlu Temple, were pawns in her hands.
The only way to break this situation this time is to start with the Queen Mother, who is playing chess.
An Lingrong's thoughts were racing, and she directly put herself in Concubine Hua's shoes: if anyone wanted to attack her child, she would never let him go.
After An Lingrong calmed down, she felt cautious and decided to verify the authenticity of the news first.
"Send someone to closely monitor the movements in Taiji Hall. If there is any disturbance, report it to me immediately."
"I must be fully aware of every change there."
"I understand, this is what I'm going to do."
An Lingrong hid nothing from her, and she was furious when she knew what Concubine Lan was planning.
"Your Majesty, why don't you report Concubine Lan's plan to the Emperor?"
"The Emperor has his own difficulties, and I would like to handle this matter myself."
An Lingrong replied unusually calmly.
"Bao Que, you all have to work harder. I won't let anyone take Hong Zhan and the others away."
She would never allow the emperor's tragedy to happen to her sons.
An Lingrong was not idle during the three days she taught Hongzhan to read in Yonghe Palace. Chang Xi from the flower and plant room took advantage of the transition from autumn to winter to send a batch of flowers and plants to the harem.
In order to make their master happy, the palace servants in Taiji Hall placed fragrant flowers in the main hall, bedroom and study.
"Master, the servants from the flower and plant room have delivered a batch of flowers and plants. I've picked out a few pots of your favorite orchids and placed them in the room. Would you like to take a look?"
Nanny Liu, who felt sorry for her master, racked her brains to persuade her.
"Ever since Concubine Ying passed away, you've hardly slept well at night. I asked the imperial physician, and he said the fresh and elegant orchids are helpful in soothing the mind."
"Madam Liu, I will listen to you."
Ulanara Sulan responded softly.
She did not have Wanying's decisiveness. For the sake of her mother and family, she could only drag her broken body to survive in this cruel harem.
Sulan strolled around the Taiji Hall, her eyes falling on the fallen leaves dancing in the air, staring blankly at them as they fell to the roots of the trees.
"Mammy, I heard that the previous owner of Taiji Hall was Consort Cao, who gave birth to Princess Wen Yi. She died of illness here after being confined."
"Master, which of these talkative slaves is gossiping about you? Tell me. I'll tear her mouth apart right now."
Nanny Liu thought that someone with ill intentions was deliberately trying to disgust her master, and she was so angry that she rolled up her sleeves.
Sulan inadvertently glanced at Nanny Lu who was busy in the east wing hall, and a hint of darkness flashed in her eyes.
"Madam Liu, the palace is a place where dragon energy gathers and is immune to all evil. How could I be frightened by a dead person?"
The living are often more terrifying than the dead.
These short ten days felt like a year to her.
"Madam, I heard that your daughter-in-law is pregnant. I have discussed with my mother and asked her to let you leave the palace to enjoy family happiness. How about that?"
"Master, I am incompetent and cannot help you with your worries. I can only stay by your side."
"My descendants are taken care of by my wife. There is nothing for me to worry about."
Nanny Liu slept soundly until dawn the night before Concubine Ying's accident. Although she didn't know how Concubine Ying had met with the accident, she understood that Concubine Ying's death had caused great harm to her master.
Her master has always been sentimental, and she cannot leave the palace when her master is at his most vulnerable.
"Your Majesty, Madam Lu is cleaning the East Wing Hall. I see that the Queen Mother has no objection to you adopting a prince."
"But I don't understand why you have to wait another three months."
Nanny Liu really didn't know what the Queen Mother was worried about.
As long as my master has a prince, the position of imperial concubine will be within my reach.
Sulan blinked hard, trying to suppress the heat in her eyes.
"Mammy, the Queen Mother is kind. I guess she wants Yonghe Palace to have a good New Year."
The two people who were preoccupied with their own thoughts did not notice that a young eunuch holding a flower pot walked quietly past them and was chatting idly.
After dark, Baoge trotted into the main hall.
"Your Majesty, our people have reported that Concubine Lan mentioned in person that the Queen Mother will send one of our princes to her in three months."
"The Empress Dowager sent Madam Lu to the Taiji Palace, and she led people to clean up the East Side Palace during the day."
"Why three months later?"
An Lingrong frowned in confusion. She didn't think the Queen Mother was as kind as Concubine Lan boasted.
Whatever the reason the Queen Mother delayed the adoption, it left her with room to maneuver.
Just as she was lost in thought, Baoli appeared silently at the door.
"Master, the flowers and plants sent from the flower and plant room have been registered. Please take a look."
"Come in and talk."
An Lingrong raised her hand and called the person in.
"The day after the Empress Dowager returned to the palace, Concubine Lan rushed to Shoukang Palace and had a heated argument with that person."
"It seems to involve the matter of Concubine Ying. Concubine Lan was so excited that she even shouted out loud."
"I don't know what Concubine Lan said before she left, but the Queen Mother was furious. She threw her Buddhist beads and called her an 'evil spirit.'"
Baoli reported the news her brother had passed on word for word.
"Okay, I understand. Your brother is a good person, and I will remember that in my heart."
An Lingrong gave affirmation at the right time.
Shoukang Palace is the empress dowager's territory, so Baoli's brother must have gone through a lot of trouble to spread this news.
An Lingrong drank two pots of tea in the main hall before she made up her mind.
Since the Queen Mother wanted to dig out her heart, she couldn't let her off easily.
She wanted to report that the Fourteenth Prince, who was guarding the imperial mausoleum, disobeyed the emperor's orders and went to the Erlang Temple to visit the empress dowager late at night.
The next day, An Lingrong got up early in the morning and took Hongzhan to the study to teach him how to write.
Hongzhan was young and had no strength in his hands, so he could only draw ink balls on rice paper.
As soon as the ink dried, An Lingrong couldn't wait to ask Baoque to send it to the Yangxin Palace for the emperor's comments.