Chapter 468 - The Pattern of the King Couldn't Be Seen

Chapter 468 The Pattern of the King Couldn’t Be Seen

“Your Majesty, how can you deal with this matter in this way!” the Empress said urgently as she shook her body.

As soon as she finished speaking, she knew that something was wrong.

The Emperor threw the booklet in his hand on the table and it made a loud noise. It was silent in the imperial study. The eunuchs and palace maids all shrunk their necks nervously.

“What do you mean, Empress? What do you think we should do? What’s your plan?” The Emperor raised his head and set his cold eyes on the Empress’s face.

The Empress was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground with a plop, and her back seemed to be covered with coldness.

“Your Majesty, I’ve made an indiscreet remark. I’m afraid that we will dampen the morale of all officials.”

“Empress, there are so many things you have to think about. You think about almost everything on my behalf. You rejected the Empress Dowager’s will, and then refuted me. You even can be the Empress Dowager and the Emperor!”

The Emperor’s eyes were sharp and he looked at the Empress with scrutiny.

The Empress cried out sorrowfully and her eyes turned red. “Your Majesty, I don’t dare to criticize you and the Empress Dowager. Only God can testify to my feelings for you and the Empress Dowager. How… how can you say this!”

The Emperor did not speak, but only fixed his eyes on the Empress’s face. The Empress did not dare to move. She only trembled slightly and felt her heart in her mouth.

After a long while, she heard the Emperor’s calm voice, “Get up. Don’t gossip about my mother anymore.”

The servants by the side, who were trembling with fear, stood up and helped the Empress up.

“Your Majesty, I made an indiscreet remark today!” The Empress stood up and lowered her head, without caring about her legs.

“Get out of here and hold another banquet. You don’t need to pick the right person. We’ll check it out after a time. If you like someone, you can observe her in private. Then report it to me the next time we pick!”

The Emperor returned to his work on the booklets and waved his hand.

“I’ll take my leave!” The Empress retreated step by step. She didn’t turn around and walk out until she reached the door. When she got out of the door, she suddenly felt weak. Fortunately, a palace maid was quick to hold her up so that she could stand firmly.

Taking a deep breath, the Empress suppressed the fear in her heart. Just now, she really crossed the line. She crumpled the handkerchief in her hand and finally loosened it slowly. She couldn’t do anything for the time being…

“Queen…” Her personal maid saw that her face was still pale, so she hurriedly whispered with concern.

The Empress dragged her legs, which were a little weak, then went forward slowly. She was so hasty just now that she acted out of her normal behavior. The selection of consort could be made after two or three years! She could secretly contact those who she preferred. Even if she couldn’t choose one’s position to marry into Prince Zhou’s Mansion, she could still arrange for concubines to marry her son in another position.

Of course, some of them would be a little older at that time. She could choose some of the younger ones in their manor.

After thinking about this, she felt that it was not irredeemable. So she went to her palace with several palace maids and eunuchs. She had to discuss some details with her son.

The last banquet should be more wide-ranging. Girls from 11 to 15 years old could be checked, with the focus being on those who were about 11 years old.

Shao Wanru seemed to have left without making a sound, but it caught many people’s attention.

The news that Duke Xing’s Mansion had taken back their granddaughter, who was the daughter of the former Heir of Duke Xing and Princess Qinhua, spread in the aristocratic family. Many people were waiting for the newly recognized Miss Shao to show up in public for the first time. However, they were told that she was filial and was going to visit the Yuhui Nunnery for her deceased father and mother for three years.

For a moment, all the aristocratic families in the capital praised Miss Shao the Fifth.

However, there was another piece of news that caused many aristocratic families to be caught off guard and disrupted many people’s plans. As a result, many people no longer cared about the other families’ matters.

The Empress and Empress Dowager were going to hold the biggest banquet, which was said to be for selecting imperial consorts for the princes. However, someone said secretly that it was just a formality and all of them might not be able to get selected. They said that the Emperor’s children were too young and it was not appropriate for them to get married at this time.

After hearing this rumor, many young ladies of the same age, as well as their parents, were extremely anxious. Many of them set their sights on Prince Yue’s and Prince Zhou’s mansions.

The two of them were most likely to be the leaders. As for Prince Chen’s Mansion, everyone felt that they should avoid him as far as they could. Originally, his identity was embarrassing and he would definitely not get benefits. In addition, he was so sickly that he couldn’t live long, so no one was willing to send their daughter into a fire pit.

And the last, Prince Xin, completely had a child’s temperament. It seemed that he might not have any thoughts about the throne even if he grew up. Or even though he had thoughts, it was impossible for him to get the throne. However, it could not be wrong to be an idle king for a lifetime. At least there were some better things, like steadiness.

This was the last chance for many young ladies of aristocratic families who were at the age of marriage. Since it was their last chance, they had to seize it. For a time, the clothes and ornaments that were related to women’s decoration in the capital city were all scarce at once, making many shops in this area thrive.

The Butterfly Clothing Shop had also started a brand through this wave of business.

When the news reached the mountain, Shao Wanru was wearing a black robe with Mingqiu Nun. She was sitting and listening to scriptures, with her eyes and palms closed, looking very peaceful.

Yujie came in and gently pulled her sleeves. Shao Wanru opened her eyes slightly. Seeing that Yujie winked at her, she stood up slowly, walked out of the Buddha Hall, and then stood in a corner.

Yujie turned her head to the east and said, “Miss, they’re going down the mountain!”

That direction was Shao Yanru’s. It was in the opposite direction of Shao Wanru’s house to the west. There was a long distance between the two courtyards. However, this did not hinder Shao Wanru from meeting the maid sent by Miss Shao on her first day here. She said that Miss Shao was thinking of a painting and had been staying in the quiet room for the past few days. However, Miss Shao would meet up with Shao Wanru when she left the room.

Her words were extremely polite, and she also brought gifts. She said that in the next period, the two sisters would help each other in the nunnery.

But until now, the two sisters hadn’t seen each other, and now they hurried down the mountain.

Since they were destined to confront each other, Shao Wanru previously sent Yujie to keep an eye on Shao Yanru.

“What’s the emergency?” Shao Wanru asked calmly. She was not surprised by the result!

Shao Yanru was never an easy person to deal with!

Shao Wanru’s present dress was extremely simple. From the outside, she looked like a nun who was cultivating with hair. Her long hair was tied up with an ordinary white jade hairpin. Her eyes blinked as she looked to the east.

“It is said that the Old Madam in the mansion is seriously ill. She is called to go down the hill!” Yujie reported in a low voice.

The Old Madam in the mansion was ill, and seriously ill? If that was the case, she would not be the only one to be summoned.

“Have you asked when she will come back?” Shao Wanru asked softly.

“Maybe she won’t come back. I heard that she had moved everything away, including the painting in the quiet room. She said that she would take care of Old Madam and was not sure of the returning time. Maybe she would not come back. So she took everything she needed with her!”

Yujie had secretly inquired about it from several nuns who were helping to deal with the miscellaneous things.

Shao Wanru smiled gently. As soon as she went up the mountain, Shao Yanru’s departure was inevitable. Both of them were daughters of Duke Xing’s Mansion. She went to the nunnery to keep her filial duty for three years. As for Shao Yanru, she came here to learn painting. It seemed that she would stay in the nunnery for at most half a year.

In order to say that she was devoted to learning painting on the mountain, she deliberately built a quiet room in the yard on the mountain and spread it out that she would not go down the mountain until she had learned something.

However, there was a big gap between the fame of learning to paint and filial piety.

If Miss Shao continued to stay, others would think that she was at a disadvantage and even talk behind her back. After all, Shao Wanru’s parents were her aunts and uncles.

Her younger cousin was in mourning, she was still in a good frame of mind to sit here and paint leisurely.

Sure enough, she couldn’t insist on more days and find a reason to go down the mountain!

Shao Yanru hadn’t left the mountain until summer in her last life, so she didn’t leave in a hurry at this time. Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion was sick, but if she was nursed well, she couldn’t get ill suddenly and had to wait for Shao Yanru to take the medicine to her bed.

Shao Yanru chose to avoid the crisis temporarily, and Wanru happened to have the same idea. It was not the best time for them to meet each other. The capital city was in chaos now. Shao Yanru would not be able to stay peaceful after she left the Yuhui Nunnery.

It was impossible for her to maintain her image as an outstanding talented woman like that in her last life. In the end, even though she became a favored concubine in the palace, she still gave others a feeling of pride and unparalleled beauty.

Shao Wanru reached out to tug at her gown as she narrowed her eyes. She smiled lightly and said, “I heard that her room was built very well. Go ask if I can use her empty room.”

Shao Yanru’s courtyard was the best courtyard in the entire Yuhui Nunnery. It had been rebuilt and remodeled after the original foundation of the nunnery had been repaired.

Just like the one she lived in, it was Rui’an Great Elder Princess who helped refurbish and design it for her, so that she could live in it. It was different from other ordinary rooms, and far away from other pilgrims’ temporary rooms.

Because Rui’an Great Elder Princess was in a hurry, she only remodeled it a little. As for Shao Yanru’s yard and the quiet room inside, it was said that they took a full month or two to build.

It was said that this Miss Shao suddenly decided to learn painting because of admiring Pushan Nun’s painting skills. However, it was actually well-prepared before Miss Shao went up the mountain.

Her courtyard and her quiet room were the best ones in the entire Yuhui Nunnery.

Yujie was in a dilemma for a while and said, “I’m afraid that Pushan Nun will not agree.”

“What are you doing here? Since Fifth Miss went up to the mountain to practice filial piety, how can you ignore it? If you came here only for an empty title and didn’t really have filial piety, you had better go down the mountain!” Before Shao Wanru spoke, a cold snort suddenly came from the corner. A nun in gray stood in front of them with sarcasm on her face.