Chapter 200 The Queen returns to the palace to spread good news
Prince Zhu Chong arrived at Jiaolan Palace without even wearing a hat.
Concubine Xian saw that there was no one around him and her ears were red from the cold. She quickly pulled him over and rubbed his ears with her hands while asking: "Where did the prince come from? Where have all the people who followed him gone?"
The prince smiled and his eyes were brighter than usual: "I came from the east and got rid of them all. Those fools all seemed like stupid geese."
"Those attendants must be very anxious," Concubine Xian ordered the people around her, "go out and look for him, tell them that the prince is here with me, don't let them look for him.
If they have already arrived, ask them to wait. The prince will have lunch with me today."
The queen has followed the emperor to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices in the past few days, and it takes about five days to go back and forth.
The prince was free and no longer had to do heavy schoolwork every day.
"There must be hot soup for lunch, something that will make you sweat. The prince didn't wear a hat during the walk, so it would be bad if he got windy." Concubine Xian looked at the prince lovingly and said, "The Queen specially warned her before setting off.
I will definitely take good care of the prince."
The prince usually likes to come to her, and the concubine is always so gentle and considerate, unlike when she is around the queen, where she always has to be tense.
"Xian Niang, I wanted to eat the fish dumplings in sour soup last time at your place." The prince said with a smile, "Just don't add onions."
"Sour soup is astringent, so don't eat it for lunch. Make it for dinner. It goes well with sesame rolls." Concubine Xian coaxed him and said, "There is such a dish of Crispy Bean Cloud Legs in August. I
Remember when you ate it, you agreed to ask them to make this to make it better?"
"Xian Niang, you always remember what I like." The prince himself had forgotten this dish, "Then eat this."
At this time, the palace maid brought over a plate with chopped pears and radishes.
"What is this?" The prince is young and is curious about everything he sees. He is usually restrained too tightly. He is not allowed to look at this or listen to that. Therefore, once he is let go, it is like a trapped animal emerging from its cage and a wild horse.
Out of control.
"Your sixth brother went hunting in the mountains a few days ago and brought me back a little hare. It was so pitiful. I kept it in a cage to feed it." Concubine Xian said and asked someone to bring it in.
Bring me the rabbit cage.
The prince saw it and was very interested.
He doesn't have anything he wants on weekdays. The queen doesn't allow it, and neither do the tutors or the young guards.
It's said that playthings lose one's ambition, even if you catch a cricket, you will be punished.
But the more forbidden it is, the more he wants it.
What's more, children already like birds, rabbits, cats, and dogs.
The prince took a piece of radish and fed it to the little rabbit. The little rabbit stood up on its hind feet and ate it with its furry little paws.
"It's so funny. Why are its eyes so round? Look at its mouth, it eats so fast." The prince said while stroking the little hare's fur through the cage.
"This little thing is also spiritual," Xian Fei said with a smile. "If you take away the food, he will still bow to you."
Sure enough, the prince took his hand away, and the little rabbit immediately moved its two front paws as if it were begging.
"Haha, it's so interesting!" The prince smiled happily, "I also want to go up to the mountains to hunt like Sixth Brother and the others, but my mother always doesn't allow it. I am already thirteen years old, and I am not a child."
"The queen is worried about the safety of the prince. You are the prince of a country, how important it is!" Concubine Xian persuaded him with a smile, "Listen to the queen, you are right."
"Even if you give me such a little rabbit, it will be enough! I am tired of reading, and if I tease it, it will be a rest."
Then he begged Concubine Xian: "Concubine Xian, please give me this rabbit!"
Concubine Xian was very embarrassed and said: "Prince, why should I be willing to give you anything valuable as long as I have it, let alone such a little rabbit!
But I don’t want you to be scolded by the Queen because of this thing. If you like it, come to my place to tease it occasionally, that’s enough.”
The prince listened and lowered his head silently. He knew that Concubine Xian was right. The queen mother would never allow herself to raise a rabbit.
Seeing that he was sad, Concubine Xian quickly coaxed him to make him happy.
After all, the prince has a child's mind, and many things will fade away after a while.
A few days later, the emperor and the queen returned to the palace.
All the concubines went to pick him up. The emperor and the queen were inevitably a little tired, so they left after going through the formalities.
The next day, the concubines went to pay their respects to the queen. After talking about the cold and warmth, the queen dispersed, leaving only the concubine Xian alone.
"It's been hard on you these days. You have to take care of the harem and the prince at the same time." The queen said, "Originally, Concubine Ying was with you, but now she has been ordered to be grounded by the emperor, so you have to work hard alone."
Concubine Ying was affected by her mother's family, and the Ma family tried to commit suicide again and again, so it was difficult for her to survive alone.
"I would also like to express my gratitude to the Queen for trusting me. If I have done anything inappropriate, please forgive me." Concubine Xian said hurriedly.
"If I don't trust you, I won't leave it to you." The Queen smiled and said, "These days when I'm not at home, are you peaceful?"
"Thanks to the Empress, everything is in order." Concubine Xian never speaks ill of anyone and only takes care of things without stirring up trouble.
"That's good. Are all the things for the New Year in the palace ready?" the queen asked again.
"Everything was prepared before the queen came out of the palace. I didn't do anything. I just looked at it carefully from beginning to end. Sure enough, everything was in perfect condition," Xianfei said.
In fact, it’s not that she didn’t buy anything, she just didn’t say it.
The queen knew it well, so she paid special attention to her. She took a sip of tea and said, "Actually, that's not what I want to tell you today. On the way to the ancestral temple, I discussed with the emperor that so many positions in the Ministry of Household Affairs were suddenly vacant.
Make it up as soon as possible before or after the new year.
After all, it is the foundation for the operation of the six departments, and the top one is important.
I then advised Your Majesty that your brother Liu Mizhang is qualified for the position of Minister of Household Affairs and you should ask him to give it a try."
Concubine Xian was surprised at first when she heard this, and then became very frightened. She stood up and said, "Thank you very much for the promotion, but the matter is serious, so I'd better choose someone more capable!"
"Do you not trust your brother, or do you not trust me?" The Queen smiled, "The Emperor has already agreed and will issue the decree after the New Year.
Let him be the Minister of Household Affairs and act as the Minister. Although Ma Zhong has done a good job in the position of Minister, he can't be reinstated for a while even if he just wants to silence everyone."
"I would like to thank you, the Queen, for your kindness in promoting me. My brother has only recently returned to the capital, and I am really afraid that he will live up to his grace by having him take on such an important task." Concubine Xian was obviously in a panic.
"I understand what you mean, but your family members are all cautious and steady people. When you first take office, you just need to ask for more instructions and learn more.
Your brother is a second-ranked Jinshi, and he has a strong political reputation in local offices. Your worries are somewhat unnecessary."