Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 328 Those Spoilers

That afternoon, the Emperor was going to take the Empress Dowager and the concubines to watch a play, and also invited the young girls from the royal family to have fun together. The news spread throughout the Daming Palace.

Queen Wan found out about this but didn't take it seriously.

On the contrary, Jia Yuanchun was stunned for a long time when she heard it, and sighed. It happened that someone from Yanjia Palace came to inform her: "Your grandmother's condition has improved, please don't worry."

Jia Yuanchun thanked him hurriedly, and then smiled and said, "I heard that the Empress Dowager is going to hold a grand gathering tomorrow. I want to join in the fun. Is that okay?"

The other party refused with a fake smile: "The Second Saint did not invite outsiders, so the imperial concubine should pray for your grandmother and rest more!"

Yuanchun blushed, nodded her head in agreement, knelt down to salute, and sent the visitor away.

The Seventh Prince hid at the door of the inner room and listened. He looked up and asked his nurse in confusion, "I heard that the Queen didn't plan to go to the Taiji Palace to get involved, so why did the Imperial Concubine want to go there?"

The nurse quietly pulled him back to her desk, motioned him to take the book to cover it, and then said softly:

"The emperor has abdicated for many years, but this is the first time he has gone to listen to an opera regardless of the season. The imperial concubine is close to the Taiji Palace, so naturally she wants to find out the truth."

"Then why doesn't the Queen want to?" The Seventh Prince didn't understand.

The nurse lowered her eyes and said after a while, "Your Majesty, don't worry about it."

Xuanzheng Hall.

Emperor Zhaoming held the letter from the Queen Mother of Prince Beijing in his hand as if he was disgusted by it, and sneered, "I knew it!"

Tao Xingjian held the whisk and frowned, saying, "This killer didn't kill people to silence them, but kidnapped them?"

"He came to the capital with a crime on his shoulders, and the Supreme Lord witnessed his rebellion with his own eyes. Could he escape disgrace and imprisonment?

"The only way to fake my own death and flee far away is to secretly contact his other forces, and then pin the crime of killing the meritorious officials on me, and force me to abdicate and commit treason!"

Emperor Zhaoming loosened his grip with two fingers, and the memorial fell limply on the imperial desk, like a pile of dead leaves in late autumn.

"Transmit wisdom."

Tao Xingjian was cheered up and bowed and agreed: "Yes!"

As dusk was approaching, Aunt Meng came back from the Jia Mansion after receiving acupuncture and brought Daiyu a letter from Shi Xiangyun.

Daiyu was stunned: "Yun girl went back to Rong Mansion?"

"No. It was Miss Yuanyang who was ordered to visit the Shi family, and Miss Shi asked her to bring it to the princess."

Aunt Meng looked at the letter curiously. "I looked carefully and found that the seal had not been touched. I guess Madam Shihou didn't know there was such a letter."

Daiyu saw that the envelope was light and smiled. As she opened it, she said, "I guess she is being held at home by her aunt and cannot leave, so she is looking for me for help."

When I unfolded it, it was true.

Daiyu couldn't help laughing, turned around and went to the Empress Dowager to beg for mercy, and then sent someone to pass on the message to Marquis Shi's mansion: Let's go to Taiji Palace to watch a play tomorrow, and let Xiangyun come as well.

The next morning, Emperor Zhaoming came to pay his respects as usual.

The Queen Mother smiled very lovingly: "We will go to Ganlu Palace to listen to the opera in a while. But today, the girls are all young ladies, so I won't invite you."

Emperor Zhaoming smiled and nodded: "In that case, I will pay for the wine for the two emperors' dinner. Xinjiang happened to have sent some excellent wine, I will ask Tao Xingjian to bring ten jars over later."

The Queen Mother nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "This is good, I love to eat this!"

Emperor Zhaoming gave a few more reminders such as "keep warm" and "don't get tired", then stood up and said goodbye.

The Queen Mother was delighted and pointed to Daiyu, saying, "Go and see him off for me."

Daiyu agreed frankly and stood up.

Walking out of the hall, there was no one on either side. Daiyu knelt with a smile and said softly, "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Zhaoming looked at her and understood clearly what she meant. However, since he was in Taiji Palace, it was not easy for him to respond clearly, so he smiled and nodded:

"Okay. You've always been considerate, so spend more time chatting with the Queen Mother.

"If you want to take care of the Rong Mansion's affairs, you don't have to worry about it yourself. Just find Lao Tao."

As he was talking, he walked to the gate of the courtyard, thought for a moment, turned back and said, "I don't know who will come today.

"If there are those who are blind, don't get angry with them. Tell Lao Tao their names and I will settle accounts with their fathers and brothers."

Lin Daiyu smiled sweetly: "Your Majesty, don't worry. The Queen Mother is here. No one dares to mess with me!"

Emperor Zhaoming smiled, nodded and left.

Tao Xingjian was behind them and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, what you said is the truth. You must remember it!"

Hurriedly chased after him.

The king and his minister walked away.

Daiyu went back with a smile on her face, and as soon as she entered the room she repeated to the Empress Dowager what Emperor Zhaoming had said:

"His Majesty said that if there are those who deliberately spoil the fun and don't want to listen to the opera, let me write down their names and tell Supervisor Tao. Tomorrow, His Majesty will personally settle accounts with their fathers and brothers!"

The Queen Mother laughed: "Good, good! This is good!"

After a while, word came from Ganlu Palace that the actors had already dressed up, and the concubines, princesses and county ladies had also arrived, and were just waiting for the empress dowager to come over and start the ceremony.

The Queen Mother then lazily stood up, sat in the sedan chair, and slowly walked away with Daiyu and Tanchun.

In the past, people would go to the Taiji Palace to listen to operas at the Jingfu Terrace behind the Zhaoqing Hall.

As there were few people this time, the Supreme Lord ordered a stage to be built on the open space behind Ganlu Palace. Everyone sat under the eaves of the rear hall of Ganlu Palace, which was just the right location.

Concubine Xiao, Concubine Lai, and three or five concubines came early and surrounded the Emperor, chatting and laughing.

Princess Hongchang and the others also kept to the time and arrived at Ganlu Palace within a quarter of an hour. They paid their respects and started chatting and laughing.

Only Shi Xiangyun was told not to go to Yanjia Palace and could go directly to Ganlu Palace. As soon as she arrived, she was mocked by Princess Shouchang:

"If I had known you could come, I would have brought my study partner, Sister Xue, with me."

Shi Xiangyun smiled but did not say anything back.

When the emperor heard this, he frowned and looked at Shouchang and said, "For a study companion, you and your mother refused to listen to the emperor's words, and you are so proud of yourself!

"You are such a fool, I wonder who would dare to marry you!"

In front of all the concubines, imperial concubines, and cousins, Princess Shouchang's face turned red from the scolding and she couldn't help but lower her head and cry.

"I asked you to come here to listen to the opera for fun. If you keep crying like this, get out of here!" Tai Shang frowned.

Concubine Xiao leaned over and stretched out her hand to help the emperor to breathe in. She advised tenderly: "The child is ignorant. Don't bother with her."

After a pause, he turned to Concubine Lai with a smile and said, "I heard that Sister Lai's nephew has not yet married.

"With Shouchang's personality, he needs a courtesy guest who is knowledgeable and sensible, and who can be humble and coax him into living a good life.

"I think, Sister Lai has a family background in learning, and she will definitely be able to serve Shouchang well.

"How about I be the matchmaker?"

Concubine Lai’s face turned pale.

But before she could open her mouth, Shouchang started crying and shouting, "Her family is born of slaves, and they only have a future by currying favor with the Jia family. I don't want to marry a slave!"

The Supreme was furious and slammed his palm on the table: "How dare you!"