Drunk Bamboo

The emperor had lunch in the Queen's Changle Palace.

"Your Majesty has looked tired recently, so I specially prepared this astragalus ginseng chicken soup for your health. Your Majesty, please have a bowl."

The queen personally served a bowl of chicken soup, which the palace maid took and placed next to the emperor's table.

"When it comes to cooking skills, no one in the palace can compare to the Queen." The Emperor's frowning brows slowly relaxed and he took a sip of the hot soup.

The soup base is clear, fresh, fragrant and light, with a hint of Chinese herbal medicine.

"I cannot share your worries, Your Majesty. I can only do my best to take care of you and prevent you from getting any more troubles." The Queen saw the Emperor taking another sip of soup with a slight smile in her eyes.

"The Queen is in charge of everything in the harem, so I have nothing to worry about. The Crown Prince is very capable in the court and is deeply loved by the old ministers and the people. My job as the Emperor is very easy, and I can retire early and enjoy my old age."

The warmth in the queen's eyes disappeared and she looked up at the emperor.

"Your Majesty is in his prime and will surely live a long life. The Crown Prince is only here to share your worries. He is loyal and has no second thoughts."

"I was just chatting casually, why does the Queen take it so seriously? The Grand Tutor was seriously ill, and the Queen issued an imperial decree on my behalf. The Imperial Physician Qi arrived in time, and the Grand Tutor was safe and sound. The Queen is smart and decisive, and I should reward her well." He smiled lightly, his tone neither light nor heavy.

The queen put down her bowl and chopsticks and sat upright.

Having been married for many years, the two have always respected each other. They don't seem like husband and wife, but more like a king and his subject.

"I dare not take credit for it. The Grand Tutor is highly respected. Your Majesty, the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince have all been deeply influenced by the Grand Tutor. Prince Feng and Princess Feng came to the palace to ask the Imperial Physician Qi to treat the Grand Tutor. I dare not delay even a moment. Your Majesty is busy with many affairs and is discussing state affairs. Prince Feng dare not disturb him, so he asked for the Changle Palace from me."

The emperor put down the spoon, his tone remained unchanged.

"Feng'er was once taken care of by the Queen in Changle Palace, so it's inevitable that he would be closer to the Queen."

The Queen explained, "Although Feng'er is a little impatient, he has always been simple-minded, cheerful, harmonious with his brothers, and respects His Majesty. This time when the Grand Tutor was seriously ill, Feng'er risked his life to save him, which shows that he is a person who respects teachers and respects morality."

The air stagnated for a moment.

Seeing that the situation was not right, Eunuch Dong quietly withdrew all the palace servants and retreated far away to a place where the emperor could see him, ready to receive orders at any time.

The emperor suddenly chuckled, "Simple-minded? Cheerful? What I don't understand the most is him. He doesn't seem to care whether I praise or criticize him. He just does his own thing. He doesn't listen to me, but seems to listen to the queen. I heard that when he entered the palace this time, he had a peony jade tablet in his hand?"

The queen's eyes trembled slightly, and she said cautiously: "The peony jade pendant is given to Yuzhu by me. I like this child. Please let her come to the palace to talk to me when she is free."

He looked at the Queen with sharp eyes: "The East Palace is not far from Changle Palace. Isn't it enough for the Queen to have the Crown Princess accompany her?"

The queen's heart felt as if it was hit by something heavy and it hurt terribly.

No matter when, where or whoever she was with, she was always dignified and virtuous, and could not get angry, complain or lose her manners, because she was the queen of Rao.

But the man in front of her was her husband, and she was full of suspicion and caution.

The queen lowered her brows slightly and the smile disappeared from her face.

"The Crown Prince left Zhongdu to repair the dikes on both sides of the Yangtze River and has not returned to the palace for more than a year. The Crown Princess has worked hard to take care of Lin'er, so I will exempt the Crown Princess from visiting him every morning and evening. Your Majesty, please ask a palace maid to ask if what I said is true."

"The Queen seems unhappy?"

"I don't dare."

The emperor lost interest in eating, so he put down his bowl and chopsticks and looked at the queen with a cold face.

He sneered, "The prince is famous and loved by the people, all thanks to the queen. I know that the queen is tired of managing the harem. If Ji'er was not weak, the queen would not have to work so hard."

The word "Jier" completely pushed the queen into the dark abyss.

Does the emperor remember her maiden name? Does he remember that the prince is his son?

"The prince is not only my son, but also your Majesty's son. Your Majesty, don't you remember? Yu'er started learning at the age of three. No matter how cold or hot it was, he would always pay his respects to your Majesty before going to school. No matter it was windy or rainy, or if he was sick or unwell, he would persist and never miss a day."

"Yu'er's calligraphy was taught by Your Majesty, and Yu'er's poems were recited by Your Majesty. Yu'er's intelligence is inherited from Your Majesty, and Yu'er's virtue is taught by Your Majesty. Yu'er is loved by the people, and Your Majesty is also loved by the people!"

"Your Majesty may not remember to come and see me, but you must remember that Yu'er is your proudest and most beloved child."

The queen's voice was neither high nor low, her speech speed was neither fast nor slow, and every word she spoke was powerful.

The emperor was slightly stunned. He did not expect the queen to say this. Over the years, she has always been respectful, polite, gentle and modest. No matter what disputes there were with Prime Minister Wang and the prince in the court, she never participated in the harem, never mentioned it, and always served attentively.

Are you going to do the same as Prime Minister Wang and the Crown Prince now, opposing him in every word and disobeying him in everything?

"The Queen is really the Queen. I said one thing, and the Queen had countless words waiting for me. Wang is so bold. There is a Prime Minister Wang in the court and a Queen Wang in the harem!"

The queen stared in amazement and immediately knelt down, her eyes filled with sincerity, fear and disappointment.

"Your Majesty, the Wang family is loyal to you and will never waver!"

The emperor roared: "What is the queen doing? Help her up!"

The eunuch Dong, who was closest to the emperor, reached out and supported the queen the second after the emperor gave the order.

The emperor realized that he had spoken out of turn, and his attitude softened immediately. He said earnestly, "How could I not know how loyal Wang was to me?"

The queen sat quietly, her eyes lowered so that no emotion could be seen.

Then he comforted the queen: "In the final analysis, it was my negligence. I had no idea when the Grand Tutor had suffered from the heart disease. When I was young, the Grand Tutor was kind to me. If it weren't for the Grand Tutor's careful teaching and generous teaching, I would not have been favored by my father and sat on the position of crown prince."

"The Queen knows that my mother is only the daughter of a remote county magistrate, born in an ordinary family. She is not as noble as my brothers. The Imperial Tutor treats us all equally and never discriminates. When someone splashed ink on my homework, no one in the palace dared to say anything. Only the Imperial Tutor was furious and found the brothers who played the prank and punished them severely."

"How could I forget those who have done me a favor? When the queen married me, I was just an insignificant Prince Heng. If it weren't for the strong support of the Wang family, it would have been difficult for me to sit on this supreme position."

The emperor said this, holding the queen's cold hand.

"Yuzhu is a kind and polite child. I like her, too."

"Your Majesty, I am impolite." The queen finally looked up with tears in her eyes.

Shaking his head, the emperor turned into the amiable emperor again in the blink of an eye: "The timely treatment of the Grand Tutor this time was all thanks to her proper use of the Peony Jade Plate. I will reward her with a box of calligraphy and paintings as a reward."

The Queen nodded slightly.

Eunuch Dong: "I obey your order."

The emperor stood up and said, "I still have some official business to attend to. The queen can continue to eat. There is no need to bow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The smile on the queen's face gradually disappeared as the emperor left.

"Your Majesty, do you even want to be wary of temptations from me?"