Concubine Mei had been shocked by her son's alienation and indifference these days, and she had long felt regret in her heart. When Qin Se came back, the last string in Mei's heart was loosened, and she finally lowered her head.
Early the next morning, the emperor and empress came with A Luo to say hello.
"Mother, are you feeling better today?" Sheng Hong's voice was gentle, but it lacked the intimacy of the past.
There is a gap between mother and son.
Concubine Mei felt a throbbing pain in her heart. She looked at Sheng Hong blankly for a moment and then responded in a low voice: "It's better."
After a moment of pause, Mrs. Mei continued: "Qin Se has been serving me for more than twenty years, and I can't live without her for a moment. As soon as she comes back, my illness will be half cured."
Xie Mingxi answered the question with a smile: "Qin Se has been ill for more than a month. It is not advisable for the palace maids to stay close to serve the master during the illness, so as not to get over the illness. This is also an old rule in the palace. Fortunately, Qin Se has recovered from the illness, and she will be allowed to stay in the future.
Mother and concubine are well served."
Concubine Mei glanced at Xie Mingxi subconsciously.
Having been in the harem for decades, Concubine Mei asked herself that she was used to the fighting and strife in the harem.
Xie Mingxi's cold threats more than a month ago are still ringing in her ears, making people shudder. Now she is smiling and smiling, as if nothing happened.
Changing faces faster than turning the pages of a book!
Concubine Mei no longer had any thoughts of resisting or struggling, so she could only bow her head and admit defeat.
"That's what the Queen said." Tai Fei Mei managed to squeeze out a few words.
Now that Concubine Mei has bowed her head, Xie Mingxi no longer stares closely, and her attitude is respectful and gentle: "Everything in the harem is going smoothly, and the wars in Jin Dynasty are also successful. Mother and concubine don't have to worry, just rest in peace and recuperate."
What else can she do if she doesn't recover?
Concubine Mei wanted to sneer or say something sarcastic, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Sheng Hong's expression of indifference between joy and anger, and changed her words again: "Yes, Ai Jia is thinking too much. At this age,
Why are you worrying? Just wait for your son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter to be filial to you."
Sheng Hong's expression was gentle: "I will see my mother and concubine again in the evening."
A Luo also smiled and said: "Grandma, I'm going to the academy. After school is over, I'll come and talk to grandma to relieve her boredom."
For more than a month, the Empress and Concubine Mei have been competing with each other, and Ah Luo has never shown up. Although Concubine Mei is more patriarchal and wants a grandson, she also loves her only granddaughter. After hearing this, she finally smiled.
:"good."
There is a gap in each other's hearts, and the scene of a loving mother, a filial son, and a harmonious family always seems a bit deliberate.
The emperor did not stay long and quickly left with A Luo.
Concubine Mei looked gloomy. She barely ate half a bowl of porridge and fell asleep while being served by Qin Se.
…
After burning the incense, Ah Luo and Sister Rong's son, Sister Fu, took a carriage to the Lotus Pond Academy together. Mr. Gu Shanzhang had classes today, so he also took the carriage to the academy together.
Sister Rong asked softly: "Cousin Ah Luo, is Mrs. Mei's health feeling better?"
A Luo nodded and responded: "It's getting better."
"The Imperial Concubine is old and weak. She has been ill for a while and needs to be recuperated for a while." Sister Fu took over the words: "When the Imperial Concubine's condition improves, Cousin Rong and I will go to Hanxiang Palace to visit her.
.”
A Luo smiled and hummed.
A'luo is thirteen years old this year. Sister Fu is one year older than A'luo, and has grown into a slim girl. Sister Rong is another year older, and has already grown hair this year.
The three cousins grew up together and had a very good relationship. Now they were sitting together and talking softly, and they were quite harmonious.
The Empress and Concubine Mei had a dispute over the matter of the palace concubine, and had a cold war for more than a month. Sister Rong and Sister Fu were in the palace, so they naturally knew about it. However, it was not their turn to intervene in such matters.
. Just pretend that you don’t know what to do.
A'luo is still young and has not yet cultivated to the point where she cannot express her emotions or anger. She has been in a bad mood recently and talks much less than before. After chatting for a few words, she stopped talking.
Sister Rong and Sister Fu looked at each other and stopped talking at the same time with a tacit understanding, without asking any more questions.
Although the cousins have a close relationship, there are some things that are difficult to ask.
For example, your father refuses to accept concubines, your mother is still infertile and has no children, and your grandmother keeps making troubles about it. How do you feel in your heart?
For another example, what are your father, the emperor's and your mother's plans? Do you really want to adopt your nephew and establish a nest egg in the future?
Don't ask a single word, etc.
Only Gu Shanchang, who knew everything, could have a slight glimpse of A Luo's true mood, and he couldn't help but sigh secretly in his heart.
In the past six months, the courtiers have presented memorials one after another, and Concubine Mei in the harem has not stopped. The emperor and empress are determined and the city is deep, so they can deal with it easily.
And Ah Luo has obviously felt the invisible but omnipresent pressure from secular conventions.
This is undoubtedly a huge test for a thirteen-year-old girl.
Ah Luo's mood was indeed a little confusing, but more importantly, she felt unfair.
The courtiers were submitting memorials all day long, asking their father to open up the harem. Concubine Mei was also making a fuss to ask her father to accept concubines. The second aunt in the palace was very active and had already thought of adoption. Concubine Jing was also interested.
Even Princess Duan is dreaming of stuffing her brother into the Jiaofang Palace...
No one ever thought that she was the only bloodline of her father, the emperor, and her mother, and everyone ignored her existence. In other words, even if she was the emperor's only beloved daughter, no one supported her being established.
For the crown prince.
She finally deeply understood what her mother had said.
Her real opponent is not a few cousins or cousins, but the secular conventions recognized by the world.
This unspeakable irritation and unwillingness accumulated day after day, burning slowly in my chest.
However, no matter how young and energetic she is, she still knows that haste makes waste. She has to suppress this anger and injustice. This is what her mother has taught her. Those who achieve great things need to be broad-minded and endure what ordinary people cannot tolerate.
…
Ah Luo's self-control is far better than her peers.
After entering the school building, Ah Luo put all her worries behind her mind and concentrated on listening to the class.
When school was over in the afternoon, A Luo came out of the academy. A young boy with delicate features walked forward diligently and handed the food box in his hand to the female officer Yun Cuiwei: "Mr. Yun, I am here on the order of the young master.
Wait. The snacks in this food box are the ones that the chef of the Lu family is best at. Please give them a try, Your Highness."
This boy is Brother You's long-term follower.
There were differences between men and women, so it was inconvenient for Brother You to wait outside the academy, so he often sent a boy to bring some food and entertainment to Ah Luo.
Ah Luo's dull mood was instantly swept away, with a smile on her face and eyes: "Miss Yun, just accept it."
Yun Cuiwei responded respectfully and took the food box.
After eating half a box of snacks along the way, Ah Luo's mood improved. After returning to the palace, the first thing she did was to visit Hanxiang Palace to visit Princess Mei.
Concubine Mei's spirit was better than that in the morning. She took A'luo's hand and told everyone around her: "You all should step aside. Ai Jia and A'luo want to talk alone for a while."
