Chapter 68: Like
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How could the Fu family produce such a foolish girl! Old Eight might agree to marry her for the sake of the Fu family, Old Six, such an intelligent person, probably wouldn’t genuinely be interested in her! Although Old Six hadn’t explicitly stated that he wanted to marry her, he had indicated his intention by expressing his desire to annul his engagement with Jiang Shanshan. Many people had already figured it out, yet the party involved seemed oblivious!
The Great Empress Dowager rubbed her forehead in pain, but she felt that Mingzhu didn’t seem to be lying, so she gave up: “His matters are none of your concern. In any case, you pack up and go home immediately! After returning home, let your father and brothers teach you properly. Don’t just grow tall without growing wise, causing trouble all the time!”
Mingzhu immediately put aside Yuwen Chu and cried out tearfully, “I won’t go! I won’t leave! If Aunt drives me away, I’ll never show my face again!”
The Great Empress Dowager turned a deaf ear to her pleas, feeling both angry and powerless, and instructed Mu Gugu, “Quickly send her away. I can’t stand this jinx anymore.”
Mingzhu was escorted back to her room by a group of palace attendants, crying loudly. However, she felt joyous inside. Her words cursing the palace attendants as “flatterers” would surely reach Empress Dowager Min’s ears. She was curious to see how Empress Dowager Min would react.
Empress Dowager Min was narrow-minded, and Aunt was firm in her ways. Neither would give in, and the palace would surely be in chaos. Although Aunt and her father would be troubled for a while, in the long run, it would be worth it. Many people and many things would come to light.
In the main hall, Mu Gugu leaned close to the Great Empress Dowager and whispered, “After the incident at Yihe Palace spread, that person caused a scene, crying and wailing about the late emperor, saying how difficult life was as an orphan with a widowed mother. Because of that phrase from the girl, he kept complaining about how hard he was working without any appreciation, feeling like he was treated as less than human inside and out. He even fell ill from anger and demanded the imperial physician.”
Upon hearing this, the Great Empress Dowager couldn’t help but become furious. She scolded, “This lowborn person! How could they be so ignorant? Why bother arguing with an immature child? I haven’t even settled the score with her for helping Old Nine cause trouble before, and now she dares to throw a tantrum? I want to see if she dares to prevent those children from coming to greet me tomorrow! With such a wicked heart, she’s truly unworthy of being the Empress Dowager. I was blind back then to have chosen her as a daughter-in-law.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Your Majesty. It was the late emperor who noticed her first. People’s hearts are cultivated over time. Besides, she used to pretend to be virtuous.” Mu Gugu asked in a low voice, “Should we still send miss out of the palace?”
“Of course we should. It’s not that I’m afraid of her, but I want to prevent future gossips among the royal relatives and court officials. Since the child doesn’t understand, I’ve already reprimanded her. If she still insists on making trouble, then who’s ignorant and unreasonable?” The Great Empress Dowager sneered, “However, our children are precious. On such a hot day, and with her recovering from a serious illness, instead of letting her walk out herself, send a soft sedan chair to take her away. Also, pack up all the good things I gave her. Don’t let her lose face.”
Mu Gugu agreed and, with some hesitation, said, “Imperial Consort Min sent someone to ask what wrongdoing Ying Wang committed. She also said that if Ying Wang did something wrong, you shouldn’t show mercy and should discipline him well.”
The Great Empress Dowager’s face darkened. “Let Old Six go back first. Relay my message to him: let him think carefully when he returns home, whether he wants to retract his words today and whether he wants to be disobedient!”
Mu Gugu walked to the outside of Changxin Palace and saw Yuwen Chu back straight under the scorching sun, his eyes half-closed, his face calm and composed, sighing involuntarily.
She conveyed the words of the Empress Dowager and personally helped Yuwen Chu up, whispering softly, “The Changxing Marquis’s Mansion is one of the top families in the capital, and Lady Jiang is a rare virtuous and virtuous woman. What’s wrong with this marriage? Although major marital matters rely on the gret empress dowager’s decision, Niang Niang has always treated the imperial consort like a sister and cannot ignore the imperial consort’s thoughts. Instead of coming to ask the great empress dowager, why not ask the imperial consort?”
Ying Wang could be considered as having her watch him grow up. This child is considerate, thoughtful, generous, and kind-hearted. She really couldn’t bear to see him provoke the great Empress Dowager’s displeasure like this.
“The Changxing Marquis’s Mansion is not lacking in any way, Lady Jiang is not at fault, and Royal Mother is sincerely thinking for my good. But, Gugu, in this world, some people like peonies, some like orchids. How can you force someone who likes peonies to appreciate orchids? Thank you.”
Yuwen Chu smiled faintly, carefully smoothing his robe hem, deeply bowing towards the main seat of Changxin Palace, and then calmly leaving.
Mu Gugu sighed and turned to see Rong, the eunuch, coming over. She asked, “What do you think?”
Eunuch Rong squinted at Yuwen Chu’s tall and straight figure and said lightly, “Our Ying Wang’s thoughts run deep. He’s been thinking about this matter for a long time. Before, he just felt there was no opportunity, so he hid it. Now that he finally sees an opportunity, but sees it slipping away, he’s anxious. Otherwise, with his temperament, how could he deliberately provoke the anger of the great empress dowager when he knows the opportunity isn’t right?”
Mu Gugu said, “The Jiang family and Imperial Consort Min have pushed too hard. Our Ying Wang is outwardly gentle and inwardly strong.”
Eunuch Rong smiled, “Let’s not worry about it. As the saying goes, whether it works out or not, it depends on the matchmaker. Some people, even if they like it, can only yearn for it for a lifetime.”
Mu Gugu’s thoughts stirred slightly. She looked at Eunuch Rong and wanted to say something, but Eunuch Rong had already walked away. His stout figure couldn’t make people feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, he felt reliable and steady.
Yuwen Chu walked not far away and was stopped by a trusted palace maid in front of Imperial Consort Min: “Your Highness, the imperial consort invites you to come over.”
Yuwen Chu replied expressionlessly, “You go and inform Niang Niang, I have other matters and cannot stay long. I will come another day to pay respects.”
The palace maid panicked, “But, Your Highness…”
However, Yuwen Chu had already passed by them and walked away on his own.
The palace servant was frantic but didn’t dare to pull him. Although this prince usually treats people with kindness and thoughtfulness and doesn’t treat them as mere palace servants, he is actually not easy to get along with. The palace servant had no choice but to go back and report the situation to the Imperial Consort.
Imperial Consort Min sighed helplessly and said to Xia Yan Gugu, “Children will act without consulting their mothers. He’s annoyed with me for not discussing this marriage with him beforehand and rushing to ask the Great Empress Dowager to intervene and pressure him to marry Jiang’s daughter sooner.”
The daughters of the Fu family were not easy to marry off. Arrogance and stubbornness could be tolerated, but what was fatal was that it would arouse the Great Empress Dowager’s vigilance and Min’s hostility. How could it compare to marrying Jiang Shanshan safely and smoothly?
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