THE FLOWER PALACE'S SECRET

Chapter 38: The Consorts

The peak spring festival starts two days earlier than the schedule. The series was in the form of a banquet party, a race, a fireworks party, and a series of other activities that invited many people and crowds. For the dancers, the peak spring festival is a fertile field to make money. They could pocket up to two hundred taels of gold in just a few nights.

In the palace, the peak spring festival this year was slightly different from previous years. The banquet which is usually held large and magnificent, is now only held simply without inviting many people. Only the main officials and their families, the guest envoys from other kingdoms and outside the city, as well as the royal family were invited to come. This was done as a form of condolence for the fall of the greatness of the Emperor who was sick some time ago.

Although the regnal milestones were temporarily held by the Crown Prince, his power was still small and not very strong. If not for the help and guidance from the Queen Mother, Crown Prince Lin Yang would have been overwhelmed by the stubbornness of the palace officials in the court. In fact, even in the matter of procuring the spring banquet, the officials still insist on wanting the excitement and grandeur no matter what the circumstances are.

As a Crown Prince, prioritizing the dignity of the kingdom is very important. However, Lin Yang was not someone who was crazy about honor and turned a blind eye to the various difficulties that this kingdom was going through, especially with regard to the problems within the palace itself.

How could he have feasted while the Emperor lay ill and his younger brother was struggling between life and death on the border with hundreds of thousands of soldiers?

Lin Yang sipped a cup of freshly brewed longjing tea. He sat on a throne that was almost the same height as the Queen Mother's throne. Meanwhile, the Emperor's throne was left empty just like that. Lin Yang was unwilling to occupy that grand seat even though he was a future Emperor. For him, he did not deserve to sit on that precious chair.

Lin Yang then looked at Prince Mu who was in the lap of his aunt, Shen Yanzhia. The man grimaced slightly as he looked at the smiling face of his sister-in-law to his son. Lin Yang was feeling pity because at this peak spring festival, the woman had to pass by herself in the absence of her husband. He was sure that the woman was trying to endure the sadness and resentment that Lin Zian had never returned home.

“Aibi, when will wangshu go home?”

Lin Yang faintly heard his son's question to his aunt. The little boy seemed to miss his uncle a lot because the boy had not seen Lin Zian since his last visit a few weeks ago.

“Mu’er miss uncle very much, yes?” Shen Yanzhia pinched Prince Mu's pinched cheek.

“Daddy says uncle is being a hero, is that true?”

Shen Yanzhia pinched back Prince Mu's cheeks in a fit of anxiety.

“Your uncle will be home soon. Mu’er must be patient, yes?”

Little Prince Mu nodded. He then took a piece of green bean cake and fed it to his own mouth. Some officials and invited guests who witnessed Prince Mu's playful behavior laughed, along with feeling anxious at the little boy.

After finishing a piece of green bean cake, Prince Mu then descended from Shen Yanzhia's lap and ran into the Empress Dowager's lap.

The simple banquet to celebrate the peak spring festival was over after the sun was almost setting. Shen Yanzhia, in her royal long dress walked slowly out of the banquet hall.

Outside, Tan’er had been waiting for him since earlier. The waiter bowed respectfully and immediately helped his employer walk.

“Help me change clothes,” pinta Shen Yanzhia on Tan’er. The waiter nodded.

The two then walked towards the palace gate which was located quite far from the banquet hall. Shen Yanzhia deliberately did not want to linger in this large place. He also missed the casual conversation he always had with the Queen Mother. Tonight, Shen Yanzhia was about to leave alone, immersing herself into the hustle and bustle of Rouwu city and watching the fireworks from the top of the Lingxiang Pavilion building.

Before his feet stepped on the ground outside the palace gate, a eunuch ran in a hurry towards him while shouting his name. Shen Yanzhia instantly turned around. Her long dress was dragged to the side. The eunuch arrived before him with a breath of breath.

“Gongzhu.. Taihou... Taihou niang...”.

“Breathe first!”

The eunuch straightened his body and took a deep breath.

“He asked you to meet him for a while,” continued the eunuch.

Shen Yanzhia paused her intention to get out of the palace. He turned towards Guanling Palace. Shen Yanzhia had no power to refuse the Empress Dowager's request. The messenger eunuch walked first. Shen Yanzhia tailed her while slightly lifting her dress. The rest of the dress that she could not reach fell unravelling sweeping the path that her legs tracked.

“Your Majesty,” Shen Yanzhia said as soon as the woman arrived before the Queen Mother.

“Sit for a moment.”

Shen Yanzhia according.

“How about the three concubines Consort Duan sent to your residence?”

Uh! Shen Yanzhia really did not remember that there were three other women in her husband's residence. The autumn peak festival banquet at the palace attracted too much attention and excited him beyond anything until he forgot three women who had just entered the Qin household a few days ago. The Queen Mother looked at him with anxiety. This woman really doesn't understand anything.

“I forgot their whereabouts,” replied Shen Yanzhia while showing her white teeth.

“Your Majesty, why did that female fox do it?”

The Queen Mother put her fan on the table. The woman then looked at Shen Yanzhia with a seriur.

“After all, Consort Duan is a great concubine. She was still a mother in her status to Lin Zian. After Queen Shi Honglan died, the Emperor did not raise the queen again. Concubine Duan was the only woman who was by the Emperor's side long ago.”

“Then what does this have to do with my household affairs?”

“Consort Duan's position is so strong here. Lin Zian was only a Second Prince who could not carelessly make a choice. Lin Yang's position was also still weak. If we don't rely on Consort Duan to support Lin Yang, I'm afraid your brother-in-law will fall even before he is crowned.”

Concubine Duan did indeed have great strength. The people behind Consort Duan were loyal servants of the powerful and positioned Emperor. Moreover, his father was the Prime Minister. After the Emperor fell ill, Consort Duan had many opportunities to take power. But, the female fox did not seem to be too interested in the throne.

Consort Duan agreed to help pacify the officials provided that the Emperor and the Crown Prince as well as the Queen Mother were willing to fulfill her request. Consort Duan chose to send three women as concubines to Prince Qin, because it was only by strengthening the marriage ties with the palace family that support could be formed.

“So, Your Majesty agreed?”

The Queen Mother nodded.

“No discussing it with me?”

The Empress Dowager felt that Shen Yanzhia was starting to board the apoplexy.

“Why should I be with my husband? Aren't there many princes in this palace?”

The Queen Mother sat on the edge of Shen Yanzhia. The old woman held tightly onto the hand of her beloved daughter.

“I have no other choice.”

Shen Yanzhia turned her face away, avoiding the possibility of a face-to-face clash with the Queen Mother. For Shen Yanzhia, the arrival of the three women was not merely to become ordinary concubines. They were more suitable to be referred to as spies that Consort Duan deliberately sent to monitor the movements and activities in the residence of Prince Qin. If the three women found anything suspicious, they could directly report it to Consort Duan.

“They are the daughters of the officials. How could they be willing to humble themselves to be the concubine of a little prince like Lin Zian?”

“Let's think of a way to get rid of them.”

Shen Yanzhia sighed. Business in his residence let him govern himself. No need for other people's intervention. Moreover, this was a matter of Lin Zian's harem that was extremely unbearable and unknown to others.

“No need, Your Grace. I'll take care of this myself and hand it to Lin Zian if he's back.”

The Queen Mother let go of her hand and hugged Shen Yanzhia. This girl was now able to think maturely and act unhurriedly. He's very happy. If there was no one here to notice, the Queen Mother could have cried. The old woman was really happy because Shen Yanzhia had already grown up, so she could let go without worrying someday.

“They are the eyes and ears of Consort Duan. I have to blindly and care for it so that Consort Duan cannot see and hear anything.”

“What's your next plan?”

“I want to enjoy the fireworks party at the peak of spring tonight.”

The Queen Mother was glued. Can this girl focus on just one thing?

“Ah, I mean, I will think about it later,” Shen Yanzhia continued her words. The Queen Mother breathed a sigh of relief.

“Concubine Duan really wants to mess with my life!”

The Queen Mother hugged Shen Yanzhia again. It was not only Shen Yanzhia who was upset at the grand concubine, but herself as well. In the past, when the Emperor passed down the marriage order to Shen Yanzhia, the Queen Mother had very much hoped that there would be no other woman between the two.

It seemed, that hope was dashed just like that when he realized that Lin Zian was still a prince who could not act and take decisions at will. His favorite grandson is still bound by the rules and regulations that have been arranged in such a way in the palace. His actions are always monitored and monitored.

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