An Lingrong's Rebirth: The Lock of Qingqiu

The emperor was dissatisfied and said, "Mother, you are old, and you still feel lonely with so many people around you. I can't accept that. How about this? I will pick an auspicious day to arrange a blind date for you and find you a companion. But your companion cannot be a powerful person in the court. It is inevitable that another powerful person like Longkodo will appear, and I can't guard against it!"

The Emperor's words were half ridicule and half sarcasm, which made the Empress Dowager feel extremely uncomfortable.

The Queen Mother was dissatisfied and said, "Your Majesty's words really make me blush. You are making fun of me! Your own son actually wants to arrange a blind date for me. If you say this to others, it will be a big joke. Do you still have me in your eyes?"

So the empress dowager kicked the emperor out of Shoukang Palace. Afterwards, the empress dowager looked at the dozen boxes of sauerkraut left by Longkodo, and her heart became sad again.

After being rebuked by the Queen Mother, the Emperor also felt somewhat embarrassed and helpless. When Concubine Shu, who rarely responded, heard the Emperor mention this matter unintentionally, she nodded and said, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother is angry with you! You see, the Prince of Qinghe is not as close to you as the Queen Mother, but the Emperor is concerned about the Prince of Qinghe's marriage and ignores that the Queen Mother also needs someone to accompany her. The Queen Mother must be feeling uncomfortable. Usually, she often sees servants to accompany her, but she dare not tell them what she really thinks. The Queen Mother just lacks a few people to talk to!"

The emperor suddenly realized at this moment that what the empress dowager wanted was not just an ordinary person to accompany her, but someone who understood her confidant. However, how could it be so easy to find such a confidant who knew her inside out?

The emperor looked at the Concubine Shu and Concubine Chen in front of him, and they also lived alone until the end of their lives. The emperor instigated: "Mother has nothing to do in the palace, so she always finds things to vent her anger. Mother feels bored, but isn't Concubine Shu, the mother of Prince Qinghe, also a person? Isn't Prince Guo's mother also a person?!"

The emperor said this in a loud voice, deliberately wanting the empress dowager to hear it. The empress dowager was angry when she heard it and said, "Concubine Chen, Concubine Shu, Your Majesty, don't you see that it takes four people to play a game of mahjong, and these three people are even short of one person. How come you have no consideration at all now that you are the emperor?"

The emperor said awkwardly, "Mother, you just said that we are short of one person to play mahjong. That's easy. Mother, please try and see if you like the Prince Heng who never brings gifts to banquets or the cabinet minister Zhang Tingyu. I want them to take turns to play mahjong with you."

Concubine Shu smiled and said, "When it comes to playing mahjong, that Prince Heng is really good at it. He has never lost a game of mahjong. If the Queen Mother loses to Prince Heng, it will be embarrassing. In my opinion, the cabinet minister Zhang Tingyu is better."

Concubine Shu said this on purpose. Everyone knew that Zhang Tingyu had not come to the palace for several years, and every time he came, he saved the empress dowager. He also praised the empress dowager in front of outsiders how well she had maintained her figure and how delicate her face was, etc. There were rumors everywhere that Zhang Tingyu liked the empress dowager.

The Queen Mother was furious when she heard this. The matter between her and Zhang Tingyu was all groundless. They had no relationship at all. However, when the Queen Mother and Longkodo went to the hot spring bath, they were accidentally seen by Prince Heng. Prince Heng told the matter to Zhang Tingyu, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, who was suspected of being a mistress. The Queen Mother was already furious about this matter. She lost her temper in Jingren Palace and said, "From now on, no one should mention this Grand Secretary Zhang Tingyu in front of me. I don't know such a person."

Concubine Shu was still feeling strange. Didn't Zhang Tingyu save the empress dowager? How come the empress dowager forgot about this matter and this person? Or did she want to clear herself from suspicion and not want to have anything to do with him? In short, it was strange and something was wrong. They just didn't dare to mention Zhang Tingyu in front of the empress dowager anymore.

The emperor said bluntly, "Mother, what should we do? We are still missing a player to play leaf cards. Zhang Tingyu is not good enough, and Prince Heng is not good enough. Then mother, Concubine Chen, and Concubine Shu, three people play. I don't have time to play. Speaking of leaf cards, I think of someone."

The person the emperor thought of was Chun'er. Chun'er was the youngest when she entered the palace and she was also not fully grown. She envied other concubines who had slept with the emperor, so she also wanted to sleep with him. However, she was ignorant and did not know what it meant to sleep with the emperor. The emperor did not have the heart to do anything to her, so he repeatedly called Chun'er to the Yangxin Palace to play mahjong, using cakes as stakes. What a happy time they had!

The emperor had a great time, and Chun'er also enjoyed her cakes.

The emperor said, "Then let's settle it. If mother wants to play mahjong, ask Concubine Chun from the palace to play with her. That way there will be enough people for four of us."

But the Queen Mother was not happy again. She said, "That Concubine Chun you mentioned is so scary. She turns her face and doesn't recognize anyone. It's all because the Emperor spoils her so much that she has no law. I heard that she would take off the pipa from her back and play it without asking any questions. That would kill people. No, no, I want to live a few more years. If you don't have enough people, I won't play this card game."

The emperor had been waiting for a long time just to hear this sentence. As soon as the empress dowager said this, the emperor immediately thanked her and left.

No matter what people say or do, even An Lingrong is optimistic about Prince Heng. Although Prince Heng is not good at socializing, he is a master in playing mahjong. The Queen Mother does not like many entertainment activities, and mahjong is one of them. Although the Queen Mother is not very happy to see Prince Heng, at the strong request of the Emperor, the idle Prince Heng has a new task, which is to come to the palace to play mahjong with the Queen Mother.

With Prince Heng's company, the Queen Mother caused less and less trouble.

An Lingrong took advantage of her rest time to go back to the small courtyard of Xiuzhuang. After breakfast, she took Qin Sanyule back in a carriage. When she returned to Xiuzhuang, her mother Lin Xiu heard the news and hurriedly bought After eating chicken, duck and fish, An Lingrong and others were waiting at Xiuzhuang's home.

An Lingrong packed a large bag with many good things from the palace. He opened the door of Xiuzhuang and was greeted by Lin Xiu. He took the gift with both hands, put on an apron with a smile, and cooked for An Lingrong himself. Lingrong prepared a delicious treat for her.

An Lingrong wandered around the courtyard for a long time, but did not see Anbihuai. Only two children were left playing hide-and-seek with the landlord's old teacher, who was the late emperor's tutor, under the tree. An Lingrong couldn't help but ask his mother: " Mom, why haven’t you seen my father for a long time? He doesn’t take care of his children and is not at home to take a good rest. Where has he been wandering around? "