Drunk Bamboo

"Your Majesty, I came to the palace this time to visit Mother. I have prepared the finest sandalwood, Buddhist beads blessed by Daci Temple, and a few rare and precious orchids. I wonder if Mother would like them?"

Hua Qinming brought his principal wife Luo Qi and concubine Xiao Bingxin to the palace to visit the Imperial Noble Consort.

On the second day after the wedding, according to the palace custom, several people came to pay their respects, but time was tight that day, and after meeting the emperor and empress, the imperial concubine was the last one to be met.

He didn't stay too long, so he went to the palace before Hua Qinming's rest was over.

Hua Qinming said to Luo Qi gently, "You are very thoughtful. Mother has never liked jewelry. What you prepared is to her liking. She will definitely like it."

Luo Qi nodded slightly: "I feel relieved when Your Majesty says this."

Xiao Bingxin on the other side smiled brightly and charmingly: "The princess is virtuous, but I am not very capable. I can't manage the affairs of the mansion, and I don't even know what my mother likes. I only know how to serve the prince."

Luo Qi remained calm and said with a normal tone, "It is most important that Sister Bingxin serves the prince attentively. I can manage the palace because of the prince's favor and trust. Sister Bingxin is the prince's interpreter of the language of flowers."

In the ten days since they entered the mansion, Hua Qinming was present at every meeting. On the surface, the two of them were polite and harmonious, but in private they were extremely tacit. They did not cause trouble for each other, nor did they deliberately curry favor with each other.

Xiao Bingxin would occasionally say a few sour words, but Luo Qi would always just laugh it off.

Hua Qinming saw all of this, but pretended not to know it.

Hua Qinming smiled happily: "Well, you two are good. The princess is in charge of the household, so I don't have to worry about anything. Bingxin understands my feelings and is the most considerate. You are in harmony in the mansion, and I am very satisfied."

Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin said in unison: "We are all here to help the prince."

To outsiders, King Wen was a big winner in life.

"Meet the mother."

Several people paid their respects to the Imperial Concubine.

The Imperial Concubine smiled and said, "Everyone, get up. Last time, according to the rules, you paid your respects to His Majesty and the Empress before going to Fu'an Palace. It was late, and you left the palace in a hurry without chatting for a few words. Today, you three children came to see me specially. The palace has prepared meals early, and you must have lunch in Fu'an Palace."

"Thank you for your concern, mother."

After everyone took their seats, Hua Qinming ordered his men to present the gifts Luo Qi had prepared: "Mother, look, these are the gifts the princess prepared for you. I hope they will please you."

The Imperial Concubine glanced at Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin with satisfaction, and said to the palace maid Xuan'er beside her: "Good, good, it's good to have such filial piety. Xuan'er, accept it well."

"Yes."

The maid brought the tea, and the imperial concubine smiled as she looked at the couple:

"Qier, Bingxin, you two are both good kids. Now that Ming'er has a family, I feel relieved. What I'm looking forward to is a grandson. You should make preparations early so that I can hold my grandson sooner. For many years, there has only been one child in the palace, the Crown Prince. I'm sure His Majesty has been looking forward to it for a long time."

Luo Qi lowered her eyes slightly.

Xiao Bingxin raised the corner of his mouth: "I will remember this."

Hua Qinming said calmly: "Mother, this matter depends on fate and destiny."

The Imperial Concubine smiled as she said to Luo Qi and Xiao Bingxin:

"The flowers in the back garden are in full bloom. Qi'er and Bingxin, go and have a look. Ming'er and I have something to talk about."

The two men put down their teacups and immediately left with their maids.

"Yes, I will retire."

When only the Imperial Concubine and Hua Qinming were left in the hall, the Imperial Concubine's expression immediately turned cold.

"Now that you are married, it is only right for you to have children and continue your family line. His Majesty has given you two beautiful wives, but you sleep in the study every day. If someone knows about this, do you want to let His Majesty know that you are not happy with your marriage?"

The atmosphere in the hall changed from laughter and joy at the beginning to cold and tense.

Hua Qinming knelt in front of her and said, "Don't be angry, mother. I just want to spend some time with the princess. She is timid and I don't want to scare her."

There are also spies of my mother in the mansion, and his every move is under my mother's control.

Sometimes, he just felt that he was just a puppet in his mother's hands.

The Imperial Concubine said in a cold tone: "What about Xiao Bingxin? Do you think that if she marries you, the Xiao family army will belong to you? Without a child to tie her down, will she still follow you if she knows the truth in the future?"

Hua Qinming's face was shocked.

The Imperial Concubine suddenly changed her tone, helped Hua Qinming up, and said gently: "Ming'er, everything your mother does is for you, for the future of us mother and son. When you sit on that supreme position in the future, what do you want? No woman can do it. Only when you stand at the highest point can you get what you want."

Hua Qinming stood up and said, "I know I was wrong."

"Don't kneel down at every turn."

"Thank you, concubine."

In just a moment, the relationship between mother and son seemed to have returned to the loving mother-son relationship of the past.

The Imperial Concubine stroked the Buddhist beads in her hand and raised her eyebrows slightly: "What is Dajiang Zhongdao's plan?"

Hua Qinming's long eyelashes trembled: "Everything is as planned, don't worry, mother."

"very good."

The back garden of Fu'an Palace.

While admiring the flowers, Xiao Bingxin said, "Everything is fine in the palace. Even the flowers in the courtyard are more beautiful than those outside the palace. Princess, what do you think?"

Luo Qi echoed: "Your Majesty is the ruler of a country. All the good things should be sent to the palace. Naturally, they are the best."

Xiao Bingxin signaled Chun'er not to follow.

"Doesn't the princess hate me?"

Luo Qi looked puzzled: "Why did Sister Bing Xin say that?"

Xiao Bingxin said directly: "At that time in the palace, I used drugs to knock you unconscious, and almost ruined your reputation. Now you appear to be amiable, kind and generous, which I don't understand. Since we entered the palace together, we will see each other often in the future. There are some things I don't want to hide."

With a faint smile, Luo Qi said: "Sister Bingxin truly loves the prince, and sister also knows what I am thinking. Although it was by mistake, I still entered the palace. Now that I have become a princess, I must fulfill my duties as a princess. All the past events will be written off."

"I have leverage over my sister, and she also knows the secrets in my heart. So, won't we both be safe in the palace? My sister is favored by the prince, and I just need to be a princess in public and manage the palace for the prince, and I won't compete with my sister for the prince. We can live in peace and pass on like this."

After hearing this, Xiao Bingxin was a little surprised, but also felt that it was understandable.

Speaking of which, Luo Qi is also a victim and her own destiny is not in her own hands.

Since it does no harm to her, why create another enemy in the palace?

There is still life to live.

It is better to have a queen who is not worthy of her status than to have someone competing for her favor.

Xiao Bingxin raised her red lips: "Since the princess has spoken out, I will also open my heart today and say something to you. I don't want anything, I just want the prince's sincerity. And the princess and I have no conflict, from now on, we will keep our distance and live in peace in the palace."

"Everyone be well."