My Lady is well

Chapter 150 Filial Piety

The Queen Mother leaned on the couch, watching them enter the hall, and sighed in her heart.

The emperor took Shen Yueyao to the couch and bowed.

"My son, I send my regards to my mother."

The empress dowager coughed a few times with a hoarse voice, and the palace maid serving her brought a medicine cup. The emperor took the cup, walked to the bed, and said in a deep voice.

"Why are you sick again? Mother, please take care of yourself."

The Queen Mother sighed, "It's all the same old problem. The weather has been bad lately, and it's been unpredictable. Forget about me, has the Yong'an Palace been properly arranged?"

The emperor nodded and said, "Well, don't worry, mother. Just take care of him."

The Queen Mother looked up at Shen Yueyao who was standing beside the Emperor, and seeing that her clothes were wet, she spoke softly.

"Why are you here? Your clothes are wet. Why don't you change quickly? You are pregnant now. What will happen if you catch a cold?"

Seeing that the Queen Mother's kindness was hard to refuse, Shen Yueyao nodded in agreement.

She was led to a side hall by a palace maid, and Dongxue and Jin'er helped her change into plain clothes again. Jin'er glanced at Dongxue, then approached Shen Yueyao and said in a mysterious tone.

"Master, I think I saw Li Shun just now."

Shen Yueyao subconsciously glanced at Dongxue out of the corner of her eye. She was slightly stunned, thinking that Jin'er was teasing her, and rolled her eyes at her.

Shen Yueyao asked: "In Shou'an Palace?"

Jin Er nodded and said, "Yes, he was in the corner. When he saw us coming, he stretched his neck to look in our direction. I don't know who he was looking at."

When she said this, she deliberately glanced at Dongxue out of the corner of her eye, only to see her little face flushed and she said angrily.

"You wicked bastard, why are you looking at me? You have never been in a good mood all day."

After saying that, he raised his sleeves and turned around proudly.

Jin Er said aggrievedly, "I haven't said anything yet. Why are you angry? You are too angry."

Shen Yueyao coughed twice lightly, shook her head slightly at Jin'er, and smiled.

"This Li Shun is quite capable. He has even been appointed to the Shou'an Palace. But Dongxue, you should really thank him. If he hadn't come to inform Concubine Shen's people when they took you away last time, the consequences would have been disastrous."

Dongxue lowered her head, turned around and whispered.

"Thank you already."

Pian Jin'er is a person who likes to get to the bottom of things.

"How do you thank me?"

Without a doubt, Dongxue rolled her eyes at her again and turned her head away angrily.

Shen Yueyao gave Jin'er a look and said.

"Thank you now."

She moved out of the side hall and walked to Yun's window. She heard the Empress Dowager and the Emperor discussing her, so she stopped and listened for a while.

The Queen Mother said: "Yueyao is different from the people in the palace. She has wild and unrestrained ideas."

Jing Ruzhang lowered his eyes slightly, suppressing the flickering light in his eyes, and said in a calm voice.

"She...looks well-behaved, but doesn't really like to follow the rules."

"That's why you like her, right? If she is really a well-behaved, gentle and virtuous woman, what's the difference between her and other people? But... you are the emperor. I don't object to you liking her. I like her too. But you have always been the only favorite. What should the other concubines in the harem think? And you have few children. If this goes on for a long time, I'm afraid that the memorials to criticize her will drown you out."

In fact, recently some memorials concerning Concubine Shen's special favor have been submitted to him, but he rejected them all.

Jing Ruzhang lowered his eyebrows and said silently.

"My son, I know."

The Queen Mother sighed.

"I hope you really know that as an emperor, it is right for all the concubines in the harem to be treated equally. Besides, Yueyao is pregnant now, so it is not suitable for her to serve you. You left her in Zelu Palace only because you were worried about the shady tactics in the harem. If you put her in Aijia Palace, no one would dare to harm her."

His brows were furrowed, and the look in his eyes changed several times. He stroked the embroidery on the cuffs with his fingertips and said hesitantly.

"Let me consider this matter."

"After the Queen passed away, the one who was most worried was Cheng'an. I only have this one grandson now, so I naturally love him dearly. You should also spend more time with him. It's pitiful that this child lost his mother at such a young age."

"Don't worry, mother. The people who take care of Cheng'an are all selected by me personally."

The Queen Mother nodded and said, "I will be at ease with you doing the work. But now that the Queen is gone, the Central Palace will be vacant. Do you have anyone in mind?"

The emperor's brows sank slightly. He did not answer and just listened quietly to the empress dowager.

"The country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the harem cannot be without a master for a day. In fact, among those who are qualified to be selected as the queen, Concubine Li should be the first choice. General Li has been loyal to the country, so it is understandable that she should be given the position of the queen. Concubine Wen Shu's family background is also good... She is also a good child, but... Putting aside selfishness, Concubine Li is more suitable."

When the Queen Mother saw him lowering his head and keeping silent, her heart skipped a beat. She knew her son and knew his thoughts might not be that simple.

Feeling worried, I reached out and grabbed his wrist, looked at him and spoke seriously.

"Emperor, tell me honestly, do you have other thoughts?"

The emperor struggled with his thoughts for several times, and just for a moment he had an idea to make that heartless person the queen regardless of the consequences, but finally reason prevailed.

She is - not suitable.

His eyes regained clarity in an instant and he spoke in a calm voice.

"You worry too much, mother. Let's just... Concubine Li."

"If I am really worrying too much, you must not be confused. You must put the country first in everything you do, and never be like the late emperor."

"My sons, please remember your mother's teachings."

Shen Yueyao came in at just the right time, allowing them to finish discussing the important matter.

The Queen Mother waved at her and said, "Are you ready? Come to me."

Shen Yueyao walked over obediently. The empress dowager took her hand, looked at her belly, and asked slowly.

"Are you still vomiting?"

"Much better, thank you for your concern, Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother coughed a few more times, and the Emperor frowned.

"I remember summoning the envoys from southern Xinjiang a few days ago. They offered a medicinal herb as tribute, saying it has the effect of relieving cough. I remember it is still in the imperial study. Luo Zhong, go get it."

"Minion obeys..."

"I'll go." Shen Yueyao's eyes were bright and she volunteered.

Jing Ruzhang raised his eyes to look at her, his gaze slightly scrutinizing.

"What are you going to do in such heavy rain?"

"......The Queen passed away, and I was unable to stay by her coffin. Now the Queen Mother is ill again. I am stupid and cannot do anything else. Please leave this errand job to me. I will also show my filial piety. I hope the Emperor will grant this."