Chapter 309: Reading Companion
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The incident in the palace, which had occurred unexpectedly, had already been consciously magnified. Now all the officials knew about it. Previously, some had thought there might be some exaggeration, but seeing Ying Wang’s current demeanor, they couldn’t help but believe it a bit more.
Because he had enjoyed too many delicious late-night snacks from Mingzhu, many sincerely expressed their concern and even offered some home remedies. Yuwen Chu also sincerely thanked them, accepted the remedies, and then smoothly transitioned to the main topic: “How did Min handle the matter with Min Shiwang?”
A person specifically responsible for this matter presented the latest information gathered from the palace. After some discussion among the officials, Jing Song arrived but did not join the discussion; instead, he stood quietly to the side, listening. Seeing this, Yuwen Chu dismissed the officials with a few words and called Jing Song forward, asking, “What’s the situation?”
Jing Song whispered softly, “According to the latest news from the palace, the Great Empress Dowager is indeed ill. She has been experiencing dizziness and occasional fainting spells. This morning, several palace maids were punished in Changxin Palace… The attending physician is Hu Jingzhou, who remains tight-lipped, and nothing is found in the medical records. Min likely got wind of something, so this morning, she went to trick the Wangfei in the Zhaoyang Palace, only to be scolded by her instead.”
If it were just a common dizziness, there would be no need to cover it up so much, and even dispose of the palace maids who accidentally saw the symptoms without mercy. Moreover, Mingzhu’s reaction this morning clearly showed her unwillingness to mention this matter. After pondering for a moment, Yuwen Chu whispered, “In my opinion, the Great Empress Dowager’s illness must be severe, and it’s not a common ailment. Most likely, it’s incurable.”
Among the women in the harem, the Great Empress Dowager was actually a gentle person. When Consort Zhou oppressed her so much in the past, she only got rid of Consort Zhou by pretending to be ill, and that was because she had a soft spot for Mingzhu and spared Yuwen You, who was a troublemaker. Most of the sons left by Emperor Wen survived, not to mention how much power they had, at least they were well-fed and clothed. Among the concubines from her era, regardless of the previous grievances with her, very few were killed because of offending her.
Even with regard to dealing with rivals and illegitimate children, not to mention the palace maids under her, she didn’t usually pay much attention to minor mistakes. It was the first time she had used such harsh measures, leaving no room for mercy.
Too many unusual things happened, which inevitably led to more speculation.
After thinking for a while with a frown, Yuwen Chu instructed Jing Song, “Keep an eye on the Fu family, see if they’re secretly looking for famous doctors. Be careful and discreet, don’t let them find out.” The Great Empress Dowager might deceive others, but she wouldn’t hide anything from Fu Cong. Just by observing whether the Fu family secretly consulted famous doctors and what kind of doctors they found, one could guess roughly what was going on.
Not letting Fu Cong discover that they were paying attention to this matter didn’t mean they had to openly compete with the Fu family. It was about grasping the overall situation to remain unbeatable. Therefore, Yuwen Chu didn’t blame Mingzhu for concealing the truth and not telling him. He preferred Mingzhu to continue being straightforward. If she started telling lies, he would have to deal with intrigues outside and suspicions at home, which would be exhausting.
After Jing Song left, Wei Tiande came to report again, “Madam Fu and several aunts have come to visit Wangfei.”
It was the first time the mother-in-law visited, and Yuwen Chu had to attend it. He quickly got up to greet them and instructed Wei Tiande, “Tell Li Quanxin to prepare a good banquet immediately.”
Mingzhu was still dreaming when she heard Su Lan calling her from outside the tent, “Wake up, Your Highness, Madam and several aunts have come to see you.”
Mingzhu immediately sat up, “Hurry!” Opening the curtain, she saw Su Lan and the others blushing slightly, looking at her with a teasing smile. She knew they all knew what had happened before, so she became angry and embarrassed, “Why are you laughing? I forbid you all from having lunch!”
Su Lan and the others suppressed their laughter, helped her dress neatly, and Yuwen Chu led Madam Cui and the others in. After exchanging pleasantries, Mingzhu hurriedly urged Yuwen Chu to leave, “Your Highness still has matters to attend to, you don’t need to bother about us. Go and do your work. I’ll take care of my mother and sisters-in-law.”
Yuwen Chu said, “The banquet is already being prepared. Remember to make sure my mother and sisters-in-law have lunch.”
Mingzhu noticed that Madam Cui and the others were smiling, feeling embarrassed that they were teasing her and Yuwen Chu. She hurriedly said, “Got it, got it, I’ll take care of such trivial matters for Your Highness.”
Yuwen Chu politely took his leave.
Madam Cui poked Mingzhu’s forehead forcefully, “Others are giving you face, but you’re being difficult and pretending to be upset.”
Mingzhu immediately held her head, “Ouch, my head hurts, my heart is beating so fast, I can’t take it.”
Madam Cui wanted to slap her, but Lady Qian stopped her with a smile and said, “We’re just here to visit sister. Since Wangfei is lively and energetic, Mother can rest assured.”
Mingzhu looked at Madam Cui cunningly, making her feel both annoyed and amused. In the end, she sighed softly, “What a busy autumn.”
Mingzhu felt that something was different about these words and hurriedly asked, “What’s going on?”
Lady Qian suppressed her smile and whispered, “The Great Empress Dowager told your father and brothers that she wants to bestow the title of Sien County Prince on the second prince and have your eldest nephew enter the palace as his study companion.”
At that time, Yuwen Bai was still a child who hadn’t even grown his hair, so of course, he didn’t have any children. The princes of his generation, such as Yuwen Fu, had not yet been formally appointed. Therefore, everyone still used the titles given by Emperor Zhengqian during his reign, calling them “princes” according to their rank. This second prince referred to Yuwen Fu. Mingzhu remembered that in her previous life, he had never received any rewards and had been trapped in the deep palace all his life.
Now, unexpectedly, the Great Empress Dowager wanted to bestow a title on him. Although it was only a county prince, he was still very young. As he grew older and achieved more merits, he would definitely be promoted to a higher rank.
As for the eldest nephew, Fu Lin, he had always been studying in the National Academy. Although he was also taught to manage household affairs and socialize occasionally, he rarely appeared in public. The purpose was to wait for him to grow up and become mature before entering the political arena. He was supposed to become Fu Cong’s successor as the helm of the Fu family.
Fu Lin had never disappointed everyone’s expectations, excelling in both academics and versatility, being proficient in household affairs, filial and magnanimous. However, such a good child had to be tragically killed in the palace when Fu’s family suddenly changed. He was accused of crimes associated with the corrupt court.
Now things were not going according to the original plan. The Great Empress Dowager supported Yuwen Fu and brought Fu Lin closer to him, clearly preparing to push Yuwen Bai down. Even though it was very intimidating, it was very dangerous for Fu Lin. Mingzhu frowned, “Can’t it be declined?”
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