Chapter 304 Who Is Raising the Child?
After the commotion in Concubine Li's house, the Queen Mother was not sensitive to such things.
The eldest princess thought that the Gu family didn't seem to be happy for their daughter to enter the palace to bring good fortune. After hearing this, she said: "Since the queen mother doesn't believe it, she won't bring good babies into the palace. Then you have to promise me one thing, too. No one is allowed to recruit her into the palace."
If the eldest princess continued to persuade her, the queen mother might not take this matter to heart. Now that the eldest princess was blocking her, the queen mother couldn't help but ask a few more questions.
"Why do you keep the Ai family confused by you? Do you want to help the child enter the palace to improve his identity, or do you not want the child to enter the palace?"
Listening to the Queen Mother's words, the eldest princess explained: "I hope that she will come to the palace to prosper my brother and have a nephew, but I also don't want her to come to the palace. This child grew up in the countryside, so I'm afraid she won't be used to the life in the palace." He follows the rules and is afraid that she will get into trouble in the palace."
"Earlier, Changfeng left Beijing and almost couldn't come back. Thanks to this child for saving her, the little girl has a well-behaved personality. I also love her very much. If she is raised by her mother, I have nothing to worry about, but now there is a rumor in the capital. She has a good reputation, if she is brought into the palace by someone else, I'm afraid..."
The eldest princess did not say everything, but the queen mother understood clearly. She was on the verge of taking precautions, but the person she was guarding against was actually Concubine Li.
The Queen Mother worships Buddha and prays for blessings all the year round, and does not care about the affairs of the harem. Concubine Li has been with her for many years and is in charge of the affairs of the Sixth Palace. She can be said to have a single hand in the harem.
Concubine Li has not persecuted the emperor's heirs in these years. After all, none of the concubines in the harem are really happy. However, the Queen Mother has heard about the persecution of some low-ranking concubines.
"You, you are thinking too much. Didn't someone mention the little girl's fortune just today? How could the news spread so fast?" The Queen Mother teased her daughter with a smile.
But as soon as he finished speaking, an old nanny came in to report.
"The Queen Mother, Concubine Li would like to see you."
The Queen Mother was surprised: "What is she here for? Is there something important?"
The old grandma shook her head and said, "Nothing big seems to have happened in the harem today."
Although the Queen Mother does not care about things, her eyes and ears are still all over the harem, and no matter big or small can be hidden from her.
"Let her come in." The Queen Mother ordered casually.
Not long after, a beautiful woman who looked to be less than thirty years old, dressed plainly and without much jewelry on her head, slowly walked in. After being greeted, she said apologetically:
"Forgive me, the Queen Mother. I have just received news and am anxious to see you."
The Queen Mother pays homage to Buddha all the year round, and usually wears plain clothes. When the concubines have an audience, she will also put on simpler clothes, for fear of being too showy and causing the Queen Mother's displeasure.
The Queen Mother glanced at her and said, "If your concubine has something to say, you might as well say it directly."
Concubine Li then smiled and said, "My dear, I heard that there is a lucky doll in the capital. As long as she opens her mouth, she can make a woman conceive a child."
The eldest princess immediately looked at the Queen Mother.
The Queen Mother stared at Concubine Li with a scrutinizing gaze, and then said casually:
"The imperial concubine is well-informed."
Concubine Li naturally knew that the Queen Mother was taboo about collusion between the former dynasty and the harem, so she immediately explained: "I'll forgive you, my concubine's mother attended the banquet at the Xianguo Palace today. She is impatient, so she handed the sign to the entrance after leaving the Xianguo Palace. Please see me in the palace.”
"My mother is worried about this matter. She knows that my knees are desolate. Whenever there is a little hope, she always wants to give it a try."
The Queen Mother thought about how the women in the harem had been begging for children like crazy over the years, burning incense and worshiping Buddha were common things, and they were trying all kinds of random folk remedies.
Even Concubine Li, who looked noble and elegant in front of her, poured worm soup into her stomach in order to beg for a child.
The Queen Mother felt pity in her heart and said, "It's a coincidence that you and the eldest princess want to go to the same place."
Although Concubine Li is now sure that Gu Mingda is the person she knows, compared to suppressing the Gu family, the most important thing is for her to give birth to a child.
No matter whether this lucky baby is real or fake, she must not let other people in the palace get it. She must be the first to ask the person to come to her palace in front of the Queen Mother.
The eldest princess said as if unintentionally: "I heard someone say the day before yesterday that the imperial concubine is very fond of Xiao Shiqi from Prince Qi's palace. If she really wants to bring a child into the palace to bring good luck, she can definitely raise Xiao Qi under her knees. "
The Queen Mother's eyes fell heavily on Concubine Li.
The emperor has no children, and the concubines in the harem are constantly involved with the King of Qi. The purpose of this move is naturally obvious at this time.
The imperial concubine hurriedly said: "I am unlucky. I was not able to give birth to a son and a half daughters for Your Majesty. Your Majesty likes Xiao Qi, so I will inevitably take care of you a little more."
The implication was that she was just following the emperor's steps.
Although the Imperial Master asserted that Concubine Li knew that the throne would most likely fall to a side branch, and she had contacted several princes in advance, she still hoped in her heart that her child would ascend the throne.
"Empress Dowager, please have mercy on me for asking for a child, and allow me to keep the Fuwa by my side." The imperial concubine begged directly.
The Queen Mother looked troubled. If the eldest princess hadn't asked, she would definitely have agreed, even if she didn't think it was useful to raise a Fuwa.
But the eldest princess spoke first: "Mother, I have heard someone say that children with great blessings can only maintain their good fortune and help others by staying with people who have deep blessings."
"The blessings in this palace are profound. No one can compare with the queen. If we really want this child to enter the palace, I'm afraid the queen will be tired."
Of course, the eldest princess made up this statement casually, and she said it just to remind the Queen Mother.
The Imperial Concubine swallowed what she was about to say and said, "Your Highness is thoughtful, but the Queen Mother has not taken care of the young child for a long time. I am afraid that the child will make noise and disturb the Queen Mother's meditation."
The Princess smiled and said, "Your Highness is worrying too much. There is no need for the Queen Mother to take care of the child herself. It would be enough to assign a few servants. Besides, the child is well-behaved and does not make noise."
Seeing the two arguing back and forth, the Queen Mother stepped in to mediate and said, "Although everyone knows why we recruited people into the palace, we have to cover up a little. I will discuss this matter with the Emperor. Imperial Concubine, please leave first."
The Imperial Concubine was forced to leave.
The eldest princess snuggled into the Queen Mother's arms and said, "Mother, you promised me that you would take good care of the baby."
The Queen Mother had no choice but to ask, "She's just a little girl, why do you like her so much?"
The eldest princess said, "You'll know once you see her, she's very lovable."
"You're not without a daughter. Seeing how you love her, it feels like you're almost surpassing Ling'er." The Queen Mother joked.
The eldest princess said, "Ling'er is grown up and has her own little thoughts. How can she be as lively and cute as a few-year-old baby?"
The Queen Mother shook her head helplessly and said, "Since it's a child, the Imperial Concubine will definitely treat the child well. Why do you have to stop her?"
The eldest princess said seriously, "The Imperial Concubine is powerful. The Li family has been very unruly in recent years. If the child is really adopted by her, I'm afraid it will be a repeat of the disaster of the foreign relatives."