Chapter 21 If Everyone Can't Be Convinced, Everyone Should Be Awed
Chapter 21 If you can’t convince everyone, then everyone must be in awe
Bai Rui, who was sitting opposite Xiao Tao, laughed when she heard this.
"I think you are just daydreaming. Prince Wu'an is a prince and a highly respected minister. Even if he is a fairy-like figure, what does it have to do with you and me?"
Xiao Tao was unconvinced: "I'm just thinking about it. What's the point of thinking about it?"
"At that time, when you think about these things, you might as well think about how to do more work and increase your wages."
…
When the two little girls were bickering, Qiangwei came in from outside.
"The Queen Mother, Concubine Rong of Shuyue Palace has been sent to Jiming Temple to chant sutras and chant Buddhism for Nanming."
Mu Qingchao picked up another piece of window paper and cut flowers. When Qiangwei said this, his hand movements were as usual, and he didn't look surprised at all.
Qiangwei was surprised: "Has the Queen Mother heard about this earlier?"
"No." Mu Qing said.
"You don't have to hear about this kind of thing, you can just guess it. I guess this was suggested by the Minister of Rites?"
Qiangwei was overjoyed when she heard this and sighed: "The Queen Mother is really amazing!"
Mu Qingchao also laughed: "Where is the God of the Ai family? Think about it, now that Concubine Yu is banned, how can Zhong Ming watch helplessly as Concubine Rong becomes pregnant with the dragon heir?
The Zhong family and Princess Zhenguo are in tit-for-tat. From the outside, Princess Zhenguo always seems to be stronger, but if the Zhong family doesn't have some means, they can secure the position of prime minister.
In addition, His Majesty is naturally happy to be behind this, adding fuel to the flames, so Concubine Rong has to go whether she wants to go or not."
Mu Qingchao could remember that the history books recorded that the downfall of the Zhong family involved a large number of people, including the Minister of Rites.
Qiangwei didn't know much about this, so she just blew a rainbow fart: "The Queen Mother is wise."
After that, he talked about another thing: "I heard that the governor of Jingzhao severely punished those children, and even their family members were sent to the army."
As Qiangwei said this, there was a hint of sadness between her eyebrows.
"Your Majesty, is this too cruel?"
Mu Qingchao looked up at her: "What? Are you soft-hearted?"
"It's not that I'm soft-hearted, it's just that... they are just a few children. Even if they lost their words for a moment, they are just young and ignorant. This..."
"Where is it just about children?"
Mu Qingchao responded: "The Ai family has never killed anyone or set fire to anything. Rumors about the evil concubine have spread in the streets and are known to all women and children. There must be someone behind it who deliberately keeps it unknown.
If the Ai family cannot guard against the subtle changes and kill the chicken to scare the monkey, I am afraid that others will think that I am easy to bully.
Now, if you kill one person as a warning to others, you can make the world look at you and shut your mouth."
Mu Qingchao said this without any hesitation.
This world is inherently cruel, either you die or I live.
"But I'm just worried...worried that the people will be more wary of you because of this. Although I don't say it with my mouth, I actually confirm their suspicion in my heart." Qiangwei said.
"Who cares what they think?" Mu Qingchao laughed.
What did she do wrong in the previous life? The rumors were like a flood, swallowing her up until even her bones were left.
It's hard to control people's hearts, so she can just control her words.
"If you can't convince everyone, then Aijia will have to be feared by everyone," she said.
**
The New Year is coming soon, and everything has been organized in Chaoyun Palace. Those who come to report messages and deliver things, including the eunuchs, have all sealed red envelopes.
Right now, money is getting tighter and tighter.
Fortunately, Lu Li kept his word and entered Mu Qingchao's palace after the third watch on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
His skills were really amazing, his lightness kung fu was so perfect that no one even noticed him in Chaoyun Palace.
Mu Qingchao was sleeping soundly, and he shook her behind with one hand.
"who?"
Mu Qingchao woke up suddenly, and a dagger was placed on the opponent's neck.
Lu Li pulled down the mask on his face and said, "The Queen Mother, I am a subordinate."
"It is you."
Mu Qingchao breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, fortunately, this man has a good character. If he could be a gentleman, he would probably make the government worried.
Mu Qingchao gave Jianli the valuables that had been packed long ago and asked him to take them out of the palace to sell them.
After doing this, he fell down and fell asleep.
In a daze, she heard someone calling her: "Queen Mother, Queen Mother..."
It's the voice of Chunya.
"Your Majesty wants you to go to Fulin Palace."
Your Majesty...why are you looking for her at this time?
Chun Ya smiled and pushed her: "Queen Mother, the sun is already rising, so don't keep your Majesty waiting for too long."
Chun Ya looked at the bruises under her eyes: "What's wrong with the Queen Mother? Did she not sleep well last night?"
Mu Qingchao was helpless and just said: "Let the Ai family dress up."
Today happened to be the New Year, and while Mu Qingchao was dressing up, Chunya served her a bowl of Laba porridge.
"There are plenty of sweet dates and rock sugar in this porridge. Please drink it quickly, Your Majesty, it will be very sweet."
Chunya knew that the Queen Mother loved sweets.
Seeing Mu Qingchao take a sip, he smiled and said, "It's so sweet."
Thinking that Jianli had already asked Jianli to take out the things and use them as money, and when he bought the mountain, he would no longer have to worry about money. He could drink as much of the sweet porridge as he wanted, and he felt inexplicably better.
So she ordered: "Let's also take a bowl and send it to His Majesty."
For public purposes, she is the Queen Mother of Nanming and His Majesty's concubine. It is understandable that she cares about her "son". For private purposes, it is natural for her to work for Shen Muchi to please her boss.
All the clothes were pawned, and there were not many pieces left. Mu Qingchao chose an apricot-colored short jacket with pipa sleeves and a cloak on the outside.
There was a foot of snow outside, but the empress dowager didn't even move forward. Chunya held an umbrella for her behind her, and she walked towards Fulin Hall step by step, holding the bowl of eight-treasure porridge.
When approaching Fulin Palace, Mu Qingchao saw an acquaintance.
Little Princess Wan'an.
Why did she come here?
She remembered that little Princess Wan'an had always lived in seclusion and was the most insignificant person in the entire harem.
Since the palace coup, many princes and princesses have died, but this fourteen-year-old princess has survived.
Shen Muchi did not have a completely lost conscience. Perhaps he felt that Princess Wan'an's cowardice did not pose a threat, or perhaps he was grateful that her birth was as humble as his own, so he spared her life and placed her in the palace.
She is just a fourteen-year-old girl. Without her parents, her situation in this palace will not be much better than that of Mu Qingchao.
Mu Qingchao saw that Princess Wan'an was wearing a half-worn peach red satin floral short coat. She was standing alone in the snow, looking dreamily into the distance, with snow falling on her shoulders.
Didn't even move.
Even during the late emperor's time, Princess Wan'an was not favored, so the clothes she wore were not as bright as Mu Qingchao's.
Mu Qingchao remembered that Princess Wan'an in history finally embarked on the road of marriage.
When I was sixteen years old, I got on a sedan chair and left my hometown and traveled through thousands of mountains and rivers. From then on, with the snow-capped mountains on my back, I looked at my hometown in the distance, and never came back even once until my death.
Thinking of such an ending, Mu Qingchao felt sad.
Thinking like this, she raised a smile and walked towards her.
"Princess Wan'an, what are you doing here?"
When Princess Wan'an saw Mu Qingchao, a look of fright flashed in her eyes.
"Mother...Queen Mother..."
She saluted obediently: "I've met... I've met the Queen Mother..."
Looking at the entire harem, Princess Wan'an was probably the only one who could bow down to Mu Qing in such a formal manner.
They were both poor people, which made Mu Qingchao feel a sense of sympathy for each other.
"What is a person doing standing here alone in the dead of winter?"
Mu Qingchao asked. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a man walking past them.