nashuaworldcup Chapter 143 Remembering the Past
Chapter 143 Remembering the Past
royal palace.
Eunuch Wu bowed before the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine requests an audience with you regarding tomorrow's New Year's Eve banquet."
The emperor pressed his brow and said impatiently, "Tell her to proceed as usual."
Before Concubine Yu and the Queen entered the palace, they were good friends. After the Queen locked herself in the Buddhist temple, she also gave up her power in charge of the harem.
At that time, the imperial concubine was just an ordinary concubine, but because she was close to the queen, she caught the emperor's eye.
Seeing that she was neither competitive nor quarrelsome, but respectful and docile, and did everything in a thorough and proper manner, and that the empress never left the Buddhist temple, the emperor handed over the power of assisting in the management of the six palaces to her and promoted her to the rank of noble concubine.
At that time, the emperor was quite angry with the empress, but Concubine Yu had indeed made very few mistakes in recent years.
The emperor was very satisfied with this and trusted her more and more in matters of the harem, which saved him a lot of worries.
The New Year's Eve banquet is held every year. The emperor is worried about the affairs of Cao Ying and Qiao Chengwang. He doesn't think there is anything worth his concern about this year's New Year's Eve banquet.
But not long after, Eunuch Wu came again, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine wants to ask, since the Second Prince has returned to the palace this year, will the Empress arrange for a memorial service?"
According to etiquette, every New Year's Eve, around dusk, the living must first worship the deceased before starting the banquet.
Ever since the accident of the former crown prince five years ago, the emperor has not allowed the palace to worship the queen.
The zelkova coffins are all empty. I don't know where the queen has gone to have fun. What is there to worship?
But outsiders did not know the real situation and thought that the late prince had killed his father, causing the emperor to vent his anger on the late queen.
Naturally, the second prince, who had just returned to the palace, would not know the real reason why the emperor canceled the worship of the queen.
After the emperor understood the key point, he said thoughtfully, "Let her in."
Fortunately, the imperial concubine reminded him, otherwise he would have been too busy to think about this matter.
By then, Su Heting will enter the palace and will not be able to worship the Queen on New Year's Eve. I'm afraid she will hate her father to death.
The emperor didn't want to see the chess piece become alienated from him before it even played its role.
Imperial Concubine Yu walked in behind Eunuch Wu and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, I greet you."
Her appearance was not outstanding in the harem, and could even be considered mediocre, but her gentle features always gave people a sense of calmness.
Now that I am older, this calmness seems particularly steady and peaceful, making people feel at peace when they look at it.
The emperor's irritability calmed down a bit. He waved his hand, motioning her to sit down. "As for the queen, proceed as before."
This is the plan to worship the Queen this year.
Concubine Yu understood the emperor's intention and said respectfully, "I will make the arrangements."
After saying that, she covered her lips with a handkerchief and coughed twice.
The emperor stood up and walked to her side. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"My concubine is fine."
Imperial Concubine Yu shook her head. "Perhaps I haven't slept well these past few nights. After New Year's Eve, when there's nothing to do in the first month of the year, I'll have a good rest for a few days and I'll be fine."
Cao Ying had been in the palace for more than ten years, and was not only involved with the previous dynasty, but also had many connections with the harem.
Because of her affairs these days, there has been quite a stir in the harem. Since Concubine Yu is in charge of the harem, she naturally has to cooperate from the side.
In addition, the end of the year is full of things to do, so it is much busier than usual.
Not to mention her, even the emperor has been extremely busy these days and has not had a good rest.
Without waiting for the emperor to speak, she looked at him with concern, "Your Majesty, you are very busy with state affairs. I hope you will take care of yourself."
When the emperor heard this, another voice suddenly came to his mind.
"Liu Lang, the government affairs are always busy, you have to take care of yourself. Yu Er and I are counting on you for our future."
That year, there was a flood in the south of the Yangtze River. For several days in a row, he could not sleep for an hour at night and had to get up to attend the early morning court.
She opened her sleepy eyes and insisted on getting up to change his clothes, fastening his crown and jade belt. Finally, she held his collar and looked up to give him these instructions.
He was still thinking about how to control the flood and prevent more people from suffering, when he felt a pain in his waist.
It turned out that when she saw him silent, she pinched the soft flesh on his waist and said fiercely, "Liu Lang, did you hear that?"
In this world, there was no one else except Zhou Huiyue who dared to attack the emperor. But at that time, instead of being angry, he was very happy in his heart.
Because she has always been dignified and virtuous in public, only those who truly win her heart will be able to make such small moves from her.
He concluded that after several years of marriage, she had finally forgotten that man and her heart was filled with only him.
But in the end he was just being wishful thinking.
He had never been in her heart.
Otherwise, why would she abandon him and run away with that man?
The so-called wanting to live a good life with him and to accompany him all his life were all lies. Yes, they were all lies to deceive him.
There was a hint of anger in the emperor's eyes.
"I understand. If there is nothing else, you can go back."
Thinking of Concubine Yu's loyalty and her long-lasting presence with him, the emperor added, "If there are many things to do, just give them the instructions. Don't tire yourself out."
Concubine Yu left.
But more than an hour later, she appeared again.
"Your Majesty, I heard that you haven't had a good rest these past few days. I made you some of your favorite soup. Would you like some?"
Making soup is the most time-consuming process. It takes at least an hour to make the soup.
In other words, she started doing it after she returned from the emperor.
The emperor saw that she had brought the food box in front of him and nodded.
The thick white soup was brought in front of him. The emperor took a sip and found that it tasted good.
He also remembered that the queen could not cook, but she was reluctant to let him go to court on an empty stomach, so she always took him to eat a few cakes after changing his clothes.
Those cakes were too sweet and he never liked them. But when he met her concerned eyes, he had to pretend to like them, and in the end he really got used to sweets.
Compared to the imperial concubine who was willing to spend more than an hour making soup for him, she would only give him some desserts made by the palace maids to deal with him.
Unfortunately, he was stupid at that time and believed her sincerity. He also felt guilty for scheming against her marriage in the first place, and he made a vow to her to be a good emperor, a good husband, and a good father.
She lied to him first, so why should he fulfill his promise to her?
He could not be a good emperor, nor a good husband, and was even less willing to be a good father.
"Your Majesty, don't you like it? I will make it for you again."
Concubine Yu's voice brought the emperor back to his senses.
It turned out that he was so absorbed in thinking about the past that he forgot to take a second sip.
"No need to redo it, I was just thinking about Cao Ying."
The emperor scooped up another spoonful and put it into his mouth.
After finishing her bowl of soup, Concubine Yu did not respond. The Emperor looked up at her and asked, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Concubine Yu bowed her head and said, "The harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. I don't understand the affairs of the previous dynasty, so I dare not speak nonsense."
The emperor suddenly said, "The rumor is true, Cao Ying is indeed a woman, and I once had a child with her.
But after she entered the palace, I never touched her."
He stared at Concubine Yu, but seemed to be looking at someone else through her.
Concubine Yu knelt down hurriedly, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. It is her honor to be your woman..."
"I don't want to hear lies."
The emperor interrupted her, "Don't you mind?"
"I do mind, and I envy her for being able to stay with Your Majesty for more than ten years."
Concubine Yu raised her head and said, "But from the day I entered the palace, I understood that Your Majesty is not just my Majesty.
I will be sad, but I will cherish every moment with Your Majesty."