NOVEL WEB Chapter 111: Using tea instead of melon
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—After coming out of Meng Qingqian’s place, Li Gongqin planned to go and see the Empress Dowager.
After all, he was a relative, and when he came to the palace, he could not just visit his cousin’s palace and ignore the aunt.
Li Gongqin said to his colleagues, “Brother Huang, Brother Yang, Brother Lu, I have to go to Fenghua Palace, so you may leave the palace first.”
Yang Xingguang meant to brush up on his presence for Yang Zhe, so he said, “Brother Li is being insensitive. The late emperor died long ago, so it is our duty to support the Empress Dowager. I will go with you.”
Lu Liang had been instructed by Jiang Wuyou to watch Meng’s movements, so this was a good opportunity to do so.
Huang Qinghe didn’t want to go. There was no point in going to the Empress Dowager’s place. It would be nothing but pleasantries, just a big stare. But now that everyone was going, he couldn’t make an exception, so he said, “Let’s go together.”
Several people slipped up to the Feng Hua Palace and waited outside the door for a while before being invited in by the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was surprised to see them all together.
Among them, except for her nephew Li Gongqin, who was a frequent visitor, the rest of them rarely visited the palace, especially after the delegation of power to Meng Qingqian, so it was rare to see them a few times.
However, the most surprising one is Lu Liang.
When the Empress Dowager was in power, Lu Liang was a member of the Prime Minister’s inner circle, so why is he now mixing with the Meng officials?
After a few days of sitting down, the Empress Dowager asked anxiously, “Lu Liang, why are you so close to Gongqin and the others? Aren’t you afraid that Han Wenxin will suspect you?”
Lv Liang: ……
Li Gongqin and the others: ……
That was the same thought in everyone’s mind: the Empress Dowager was worthy of being the Empress Dowager. She hadn’t changed at all over the years.
Lu Liang said stiffly, “In reply to the Empress Dowager, I have abandoned the darkness and turned to the light, and I am determined to serve the imperial family and the Great Qi.”
The Empress Dowager was astonished, “Really? You and Han Wenxin swore your loyalty in the beginning. You said that my relative meddling in the government’ and ‘I’m a female chicken’.”
Lv Liang: ……
Everyone: ……
Lu Liang said awkwardly, “At that time, being young, I was blinded and deceived by the Han surname, and failed to see through Han Wenxin’s wicked intentions of stealing Qi. Now I have come to understand that the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess are the ones who are really thinking about the future of our country.”
The Empress Dowager frowned and said, “Although Prime Minister Han is always against my palace, I don’t think he has the heart to steal Qi.”
Everyone: ……
Asking questions in public and making the relationship clear, questioning in public the motives of the surrendering minister, excusing her old rival directly in public ……
The Empress Dowager often acts on instinct, and Lu Liang was secretly glad that she was not leading Meng now, otherwise he would not have been able to “abandon Han for Meng”.
Lu Liang was rendered speechless by the Empress Dowager and had no alternative option but to say, “The Empress Dowager’s words are as unique as ever ……”
Lu Liang is indeed a great help. The Empress Dowager should not exasperate him like this. As he saw that the situation was not going well, Li Gongqin changed the subject. “Her Highness will soon be twenty years old, and it is only right to celebrate her with a banquet, but she is not an ordinary princess. I would like to ask the Empress Dowager for her opinion.”
The Empress Dowager naturally said, “Just follow the rules of last year’s birthday banquet and reduce the regulations.”
Li Gongqin arched his hand and said, “I understand.”
They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and decided that it was almost time. Then they planned to get up and leave.
At this moment, a palace maid hurried in from outside the door and whispered something in the Empress Dowager’s ear, and she was surprised to hear her say, “The Marquis is here? Quickly invite him in.”
Everyone watching the scene below had lifted their hips to leave, but once they heard that He Yuanhao had arrived, they all did not intend on leaving.
Except for Lu Liang.
Ever since he came to the Empress Dowager’s side, Lu Liang had been embarrassed from the beginning to the end. Now that He Yuanhao had arrived, it was even more awkward. After all, Lu Liang used to have frequent contact with Marquis, but now that he has changed sides, he can’t even say anything. They could only look at each other without saying anything, but they had a thousand lines of tears.
He Yuanhao was a celebrity.
Not only was he a famous general in Qi, but his son, He Yunxiao, was also a big dude who was well-known to everyone in Yinjing.
Huang Qinghe, the Minister of rites, had never given him a good look since he came in.
You know, Huang Buren’s whole mental state had not been quite right since that time when he was beaten by He Yunxiao.
He was not doing well, but at least he had a lot of expression and looked smart. Now he was not doing bad things, but he always looked like a paralyzed, with a dull gaze, like a fool.
When He Yuanhao entered the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber, he first paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, and then saw so many of his colleagues that he didn’t care that he was on the Prime Minister’s side. he greeted them one by one by adding “Lord” to their surnames.
“Lord Huang.”
Huang Qinghe didn’t give him a good look and grunted, “Is Lord He here today to ‘give up the dark and join the light’?”
He Yuanhao laughed and said, “We are all officials of the Great Qi and we all work together for the sovereign and the people, so what is ‘dark and light’?”
Huang Qinghe said, “You know what you are asking.”
He Yuanhao said, “Please speak plainly, Lord Huang.”
The feud between He Yuanhao and Huang Qinghe was known to most of the court and the public. When Li Gongqin saw the two men dislike each other again, he once again acted as a mediator and said, “The general is dressed in such a meticulous manner today, is there something important to see the Empress Dowager?”
He Yuanhao said, “It is Lord Li who is more attentive. Yes, I do have something important to do. Empress Dowager, I have a request for you.”
The Empress Dowager said, “Speak.”
“I would like to ask the Empress Dowager to grant the marriage of the Princess of Nanzhu to my son, He Yunxiao, as his first wife.”
The Empress Dowager intended and was just about to say yes when she heard Huang Qinghe rise and say, “Think twice, Empress Dowager! He Yunxiao’s name is well known in Yinjing. He is lawless, arrogant, ignorant and lustful ……”
Yang Xingguang tucked his hands in and watched the drama. He Yuanhao is notorious for not caring about his personal affairs, and has never had a scene where he disliked anyone. He wanted to marry someone other than Meng Qingqian to his son, and as long as it wasn’t Meng Qingqian and didn’t make a move on her, he could marry whoever he liked.
He Yuanhao did not intend to retort in the face of Huang Qinghe’s accusations. He also felt that Huang Qinghe was right. That bastard, He Yunxiao, was indeed just like that. Although he had exaggerated a bit in some areas, it was not too far off.
It was just that He Yuanhao had not expected that if he didn’t refute it, the Empress Dowager would do so for him.
The Empress Dowager got up and pointed at Huang Qinghe and scolded him, “How dare you! I have seen Xiao’er with my own eyes! He is handsome, well-mannered and polite. He is not as bad as you say he is!”
Everyone didn’t understand, even He Yuanhao wasn’t agitated, but instead, why are you so angry?
Huang Qinghe said with a stiff face, “Your Majesty, think twice! The eldest princess’ marriage is a matter that needs to be carefully considered and planned for the long term!”
The Empress Dowager said with hatred, “What do you mean, I have to think twice–……”
He Yuanhao took a look, the situation was not good, the Empress Dowager had originally agreed with Zhang Jingxian, now if she broke the agreement, she would lose her face.
He immediately took out the red folders and presented them with both hands: “I have been planning this for a long time, and I have already prepared a list of gifts for the marriage, so I would like the Empress Dowager to look at it!
When the Empress Dowager saw the gift list, she stopped talking for the moment and said, “Bring it up to my palace.”
The palace maid took the gift list and handed it to the Empress Dowager.
When the Empress Dowager looked at the gift list, no one spoke in the room.
He Yuanhao’s face was as deep as water.
Lu Liang was very embarrassed.
Li Gongqin wiped his sweat.
Huang Qinghe was furious and resentful.
Yang Xingguang was having a good time reading the list with tea instead of melons.
The Empress Dowager finished reading the gift list and said, “It’s too little.”
Huang Qinghe would not let go of the opportunity to give the He family a hard time, and immediately said, “Lord He, the bride price is not even ready, is this the attitude of those who want to marry the Princess? If this is to be promised to you, where do you put the face of my Great Qi royal family?”
He Yuanhao was puzzled.
He and Zhang Jingxian had repeatedly checked the gift list, and if he wanted to marry Nanzhu, the bridal price was more than enough.
The Empress Dowager handed the gift list to the palace maid, and sat herself on the upper seat of the bedchamber, looking down at the ministers below.
“He Yuanhao, this bride-price is too little for you. You add money and I will give you the Xiaoyue(Meng Qingqian).”
He Yuanhao:?
Lu Liang:?
Huang Qinghe:?
Li Gongqin:?
Yang Xingguang’s hand shivered as he heard this and served tea.
“Huh?”