The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

Chapter 320 The Queen Mother wants to adopt Taotao?

Before Xie Run left Fengyi Palace, Concubine Jing said with a half-smile, "Xian Zhaoyuan has become even more assertive with the Empress Dowager's support."

Xie Run smiled and said, "Concubine Jing is now very different from when she was in the mansion. It shows that people always change."

When Concubine Jing heard Xie Run's laughter, it was quite meaningful.

"I'm not like Sister Shufei, who has a son, a favorite, and a beautiful face. Her life is so easy..."

Although Concubine Jing was praising Xie Run, Xie Run clearly caught the fleeting glint of gloating in her eyes.

Xie Run frowned, feeling confused.

"Has anything happened recently?"

She asked Dan Tao beside her.

Dan Tao thought for a moment and said, "Although there were some minor conflicts among the concubines, nothing major happened."

Xie Run was a cautious person. Hearing the ill intention in Concubine Jing's words, he couldn't help but think more about it.

"Empress Jing says she envy me my good life, but in reality, she's hoping for bad luck for me."

"She praised me for having a son and being favored... Since it's not the time for the selection yet, the emperor shouldn't ignore me. So it's not a question of favor."

The servants around him were all confused when they heard this.

"Your Majesty is now favored by the emperor and has the fifth prince by her side. Why would you worry about being ignored by the emperor because of the selection?"

Dan Tao and Xiao Shu are both real ancient people and cannot understand Xie Run's thoughts at all.

No favored concubine would be afraid of the emperor's newly selected concubine, right?

In particular, the emperor is very sentimental. As long as his empress does not make any mistakes, she does not have to worry about being neglected.

Xie Run knew the two people's confusion, but it was difficult to explain. He just smiled and vaguely passed it off, and continued: "If it's not because of favor, then it's because of offspring."

Xie Run frowned even more, "Taotao?"

Looking at Concubine Jing's appearance, it didn't seem like anyone would harm her child. Instead, she seemed to be gloating over Xie Run's misfortune.

Xie Run couldn't figure it out by himself, so he simply asked someone to invite Miss Lu over.

Concubine Lu's mind raced. "Now, besides the Empress, Sister Xie is the most powerful person in the palace. Who else could possibly make Sister Xie unhappy?"

Xie Run's face darkened. "You forgot that the most honorable woman in this palace, besides the Queen, is the Queen Mother."

But this queen mother has never been content with her lot.

Concubine Lu was shocked: "Sister Xie, do you think the Queen Mother wants to adopt the Fifth Prince?!"

Xie Run's mind went blank for a moment, but he reacted in an instant, and after a while he spoke: "What you said...is not impossible."

Especially what Concubine Jing said!

The more Xie Run thought about it, the more he felt that Lady Lu might have guessed right.

If the Queen Mother wants to compete with the Queen, she must have something to rely on.

Now the emperor appears filial on the surface, but secretly favors the queen.

The Queen Mother was also aware of the crisis and did not want to engage in any more meaningless fights, so she began to change her tactics.

It's true, if she really took a child to raise in her own palace, she would probably rely on the child and support the child to ascend to the throne in the future.

But this is not a good thing for the fifth prince.

Firstly, Xie Run was already a concubine and was quite favored by the emperor. The fifth prince benefited from this and his status was not low at all. He did not need the queen mother to support him and add to his glory.

Secondly, the emperor disliked the empress dowager. This dislike was deeply rooted and could even be said to be disgust.

If the child was really raised by the empress dowager, the emperor would probably feel alienated from the child and might even dislike the child being raised by the empress dowager.

Xie Run: "No matter what, I will not give Taotao to the Queen Mother to raise!"

Lady Lu was also a little anxious: "Sister Xie, if the Queen Mother really has this plan, we must prepare as soon as possible!"

ready?

How to prepare?

Xie Run thought about his situation and soon came up with an idea.

She asked Dan Tao, "Whose card did the emperor turn over today?"

The rules of the harem became increasingly strict, and the rules for sleeping with the emperor gradually became more comprehensive. Now, the emperor would first flip a card to choose which palace he wanted to go to.

Dan Tao: "The Emperor has turned over Hui Xiuyi's name card today, so I'm afraid dinner will be served in Yongming Palace."

Xie Run: "It's better to do it sooner rather than later. I can only offend Hui Xiuyi."

"Now I have to think about myself first."

"Xiao Shu, please go to the Imperial Study and ask the Emperor to come and tell him that Tao Tao and I are both very uneasy and panicked."

After hearing the instructions, Xiao Shu immediately went to the imperial study.

Lady Lu stood up and said, "Sister, I'll take my leave now."

"Since it was Concubine Jing who passed the message to you, I'm sure some news has leaked from the Empress Dowager's palace. Let me see if I can find out anything."

Xie Run held her hand and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

Lady Lu: "It's not hard. Taotao is lively and cute, and she was raised by her sister. If she were really taken away by the Queen Mother, I don't know what her future would be like."

When Xie Run thought of this possibility, he suddenly felt a sense of discomfort in his heart.

Xiao Shu did not invite the emperor when she went there.

It’s not that the emperor didn’t want to come, but that he was discussing important matters with someone in the imperial study and didn’t see Xiao Shu.

When Hui Xiuyi heard the news, she immediately asked someone to wait at the door of the imperial study with prepared soup, for she was afraid that Xie Run would send someone to abduct the emperor again.

No matter how cold and arrogant Hui Xiuyi is, she wouldn't really not care about being loved at all.

She had not been particularly favored in the two years since she entered the palace, but the emperor would visit her once or twice a month.

Although it is not obvious, it can be seen that the emperor does remember her.

Once or twice a month is a favor for an unfavored concubine, and it is also very good for Hui Xiuyi.

She also supports the third princess and looks forward to these one or two days every month.

Originally, she was happy when the emperor turned over her card, and asked people to prepare it early in the morning.

Unexpectedly, when the sun was about to set, they suddenly heard that someone from Concubine Zhao Shu's palace had gone to the imperial study.

Hui Xiuyi was a little annoyed: "She's too greedy!"

"The Emperor spends half the month in her palace, and yet she's trying to snatch it from me, someone who only sees the Emperor once or twice a month. Is she afraid that everyone won't know how favored she is?"

"I have no grudge against her, why would she go against me?!"

Hui Xiuyi was angry, but also a little scared.

I was afraid that the emperor would really be seduced away by Concubine Zhao Shu and would no longer come to her Yongming Palace.

If I can't see the emperor this time, I don't know when I will be able to see him next time.

Hui Xiuyi was somewhat aloof. Although she was angry that Xie Run had taken away her chance to sleep with him, she had never thought of using other means to fight for it.

But today the third princess suddenly started crying and kept muttering about her father.

Hui Xiuyi loved this daughter the most. After all, the third princess was her only blood relative in this world.

When Hui Xiuyi heard the third princess crying and calling for her father, she no longer cared about her arrogance and immediately sent someone to the imperial kitchen to bring soup to the emperor.

"The Emperor hasn't met with Concubine Zhao Shu, so he must be really busy. Don't be so tactless as to disturb him. Just wait at the door with the soup."

"When the Emperor finishes his political meeting and leaves the Imperial Study, you go up and mention it again, so that the Emperor knows that the card he flipped tonight was mine."

The previous Hui Xiuyi would never use such means to win favor.

Now he was really angry, and couldn't bear to see his daughter sad, so he sent someone.

The news that people from the two palaces were going back and forth in the imperial study to ask to see the emperor soon spread throughout the six palaces, causing a lot of discussion.

Everyone thought that Hui Xiuyi was preparing to challenge Concubine Zhao Shufei.

It’s all for the child, how could Xie Run give up easily?

After returning empty-handed the first time, Xie Run sent someone to the Imperial Study to find out when the Emperor would be free.

As for the people from the Huixiuyi sect, she was not worried at all.

This is probably also the confidence of Xie Run as a favorite concubine.

Even if the emperor was really invited to Yongming Palace by Hui Xiuyi, she could still invite him to her own palace.

If we just do that, it will inevitably lead to an ugly situation.

Fortunately, the emperor really doted on her.

When the emperor was free, he learned that someone had come to Concubine Zhao Shu's palace, and asked curiously, "Did you say what it was about?"

Eunuch Shi'an whispered, "It is said that both the Empress and the Fifth Prince are feeling uneasy. I don't know why they suddenly panicked."

When the emperor heard this, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Eunuch Shi'an: "It's all my fault. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

In fact, the emperor had already said that he wanted to discuss matters with Prime Minister Shen and would not see anyone who came.

However, at this time, Eunuch Shi'an, a servant, could not confront the emperor and could only admit his mistake.

Fortunately, the emperor was not an unreasonable person. "You forgot that it was me who told you not to let anyone come."

"There's no need for punishment. Have someone prepare. I'll go to Showa Palace."

The emperor originally wanted to take a sedan chair, but he was a little worried and disliked the slow speed of the sedan chair, so he immediately changed his mind and said, "Okay, no need to prepare it."

After saying this, he walked out of the imperial study.

As soon as I reached the door, I saw a palace maid waiting there with a food box.

"Which palace are you from?"

"I am a servant of Hui Xiuyi Palace. Hui Xiuyi, mindful of the increasingly hot weather, was worried that the Emperor would be so absorbed in state affairs that he would forget about his own health, so she specially sent me some cooling soup to relieve the heat."

"Hui Xiuyi?" After the palace maid reminded him, the emperor remembered that he had turned over Hui Xiuyi's nameplate today.

The emperor glanced at the maid and said calmly, "No need for soup. Go back and tell your master that I will not go to her palace today. I will visit her another day."

After saying that, he strode away.

The palace maid looked at the emperor's back as he left, filled with regret and fear.

If she went back like this, she would probably be punished.

I'm afraid the queen will be sad too.

Hui Xiuyi was disappointed for a moment when she heard that the palace maid failed to invite the emperor and the emperor went to Showa Palace anyway.

But after the disappointment, I became calmer.

"I am the one who is anxious."

"Concubine Zhao Shu rarely seeks favor, but today she suddenly went to the Imperial Study to ask for someone. I'm afraid she has something to ask of the Emperor. How could the Emperor not come to see her?"

Although she said this, she still felt a little embarrassed.

She knew that her status in the emperor's heart could not compare to Concubine Zhao Shu's, but the third princess was also the emperor's biological child after all, but now it was difficult for her to even see the emperor.

Hui Xiuyi felt uncomfortable for most of the night and only fell into a light sleep in the second half.

The person Xie Run arranged to gather information in the Imperial Study returned before the Emperor. "Your Majesty, the Emperor came straight to our palace as soon as he left the Imperial Study."

Xie Run was a little surprised. After all, it was the first time for her to enjoy the honor of being a favorite concubine.

She glanced at the ear room.

Several palace maids and Aunt Xu were playing with Taotao.

Taotao laughed very happily, her laughter was as clear as a silver bell and very lively.

Xie Run was a little worried.

After all, the reason she invited the emperor to Showa Palace was because she and Taotao were both panicking.

Xie Run stared at his son for a while and sighed.

Taotao was only a little over one year old, and Xie Run had no way of teaching him to look sad.

Especially this silly boy, he became even happier when he saw his mother looking at him.

Xie Run: “…”

As soon as the emperor came in, he saw this scene.

Xie Run was dressed simply and elegantly, with his chin propped up and staring at Taotao with a worried look on his face.

His fat son had an innocent look on his face, his gums showing when he was laughing, and you could even see a few newly emerging teeth.

"It's rare to see you look so sad, but what happened?"

The emperor's words brought Xie Run back to his senses.

Xie Run suddenly stood up, stretched out his hand and ran towards the emperor, rushing into the emperor's arms in two steps.

Her clothes fluttered in the wind, she didn't care about shame, and her soft and aggrieved voice made people's hearts soften.

"emperor!"

The emperor's coldness melted away instantly, and he raised his hand to hold the waist of the person in his arms.

"Who made my beloved concubine suffer such a great injustice?"

Xie Run felt a little aggrieved when he saw the emperor.

When she came to her senses, she felt a little embarrassed for rushing into the emperor's arms in front of everyone.

She raised her head from the emperor's arms and asked softly, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager wants to adopt Taotao?"

The emperor's originally smiling face suddenly changed, and he shouted in a low voice: "Nonsense!"

After he finished speaking, he realized that his tone was a bit harsh, and lowered his voice again: "Where did you hear these rumors?"

Xie Run raised his eyes and stared at the emperor, his voice full of joy: "The Empress Dowager is determined to share the emperor's worries, so it may not be impossible."

The emperor choked and immediately realized... this is really possible.

The emperor knew best what kind of person his mother was.

Since there is no one above her to suppress her, she can act like a troublemaker and make everyone restless.

"You suddenly sent someone to the Imperial Study to look for me. Perhaps it's because of this matter?"

Xie Run nodded obediently, "I'm very worried. Seeing Tao Tao so innocent and happy by herself... I'm even more worried."

Xie Runguang felt extremely sad when he thought about his son being taken away by the empress dowager.

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. His eyes suddenly turned red and he looked extremely aggrieved.

"Your Majesty, I have never asked you for anything except this one thing!"

"Tao Tao has been raised by my side since he was a child. I am reluctant and unwilling to give him to someone else to raise..."

The emperor held Xie Run's hand and sat on the reclining chair. "Don't worry, you raised the child so well, no one can take him away."

Xie Run thought that since he had already been unrestrained, he might as well be even more unrestrained and leaned directly into the emperor's arms.

"Your Majesty, you must keep your word!" she said in a muffled voice.

Since she couldn't see the people around her, she felt more comfortable acting coquettishly.

"If someone takes Taotao away from me, I'm afraid I'll cry in His Majesty's ears every day, and it will give His Majesty a headache."

The emperor smiled and said, "I rarely see you cry. If you wish, it's not impossible..."

The emperor leaned over and whispered a few words in Xie Run's ear.

Xie Run's cheeks flushed instantly, and he pushed the emperor's chest away, "Your Majesty is becoming more and more indecent."