The White-haired Queen

Wen Lanyue was in a good mood when the little emperor called her "Sister Yue'er". Such a small wish could make the little emperor so happy, so why not do it?

After a while, the little emperor continued, "Sister Yue'er, can I still sleep with you tonight?"

Wen Lanyue refused righteously, "No, you are the emperor, how can you still..."

The little emperor said coquettishly, "I don't care, I don't care. Father was already so old before, but he still slept with mother. I am only ten years old, still a child. What's wrong with sleeping with my sister?"

Wen Lanyue swallowed silently and said, "Didn't you sleep alone before? Or did you ask a palace maid to accompany you?"

The little emperor said, "When Sister Yue'er was a court lady, you were the one who coaxed me to sleep and accompanied me to sleep. Now I have become the emperor, but I am still me. Sister Yue'er won't accompany me anymore?"

Wen Lanyue blinked twice speechlessly and said, "You all know that you have become the emperor and I have become the queen mother, so I can't accompany you."

The little emperor pouted and said, "That's not right. It was my mother, the Empress Dowager, who coaxed me and slept with me yesterday."

Wen Lanyue was immediately overwhelmed. There are many cute baby routines in the short plays of the 21st century, and this cute baby has many routines too. It really is true that cute babies in every era have thousands of routines!

If you argue with them, you will lose; if you don’t argue with them and just follow them, you will also lose.

Wen Lanyue said with a stiff face: "Do you have your own palace now? Do I have my own palace too?"

The little emperor hummed softly.

Wen Lanyue continued, "Did you have your own palace before? Didn't I have my own palace?"

The little emperor hummed softly again.

Wen Lanyue continued: "So should you sleep in your own palace? Should I also sleep in my own palace?"

The little emperor unconsciously uttered "hmm" again softly.

Wen Lanyue looked at him with a slight smile, and her smiling eyes seemed to be saying "I am serious."

Then the little emperor realized that he had been tricked. He said angrily, "Okay, Sister Yue'er, I'll leave first."

Wen Lanyue waved to the little emperor happily.

The next morning, Concubine Pang led everyone to pay their respects to Wen Lanyue.

Bilian stopped her and said, "The Queen Mother hasn't gotten up yet."

Concubine Pang said, "Sister Bilian, don't worry, we will wait in the front hall."

Bilian had no choice but to ask Yunshu and Yunhua to make tea for everyone, and she went in to invite the empress dowager. Seeing that the empress dowager was sleeping soundly, she stood respectfully beside her.

The sunlight shone through the window onto the ground, bright and dazzling. Today was a sunny day with a mild autumn breeze. Wen Lanyue rubbed her sleepy eyes, sat up, stretched, and yawned.

I felt a little tired after the trip and slept until noon without realizing it.

Looking at Bilian standing beside her, Wen Lanyue thought: She must be here to urge me to eat. I couldn't help but think of my favorite line in the text, "Sleep until the meal is ready", and I felt so happy and smiled sweetly.

When Bilian saw the Queen Mother sitting up, she said, "Your Majesty, Concubine Pang has been waiting with everyone in the front hall since early morning."

Wen Lanyue said: "Then why don't you call me this palace?"

Bilian said, "I saw that the Queen Mother was sleeping soundly, and Concubine Pang said that she was not in a hurry, so I asked Yunshu and Yunhua to make tea and serve in the front hall."

Wen Lanyue said: "In that case, I will eat first."

Two quarters of an hour later, Wen Lanyue walked to the front hall. After everyone had greeted each other, Concubine Pang said, "Your Majesty, I have been looking for Xiao Xizi and Taohua for two days, but I can't find them. They are both gone."

Wen Lanyue rolled her eyes and said, "Go to the palace gate and ask to see if she has gone out to buy things."

Concubine Pang said, "I have already asked, and the gatekeeper said he had not seen anything."

Wen Lanyue asked: "Are you sure you have searched the entire harem?"

Concubine Pang said, "I am sure. I have even searched the Empress Dowager's palace."

Wen Lanyue then asked, "Have you searched here and at the place where Concubine Zhang is?"

Concubine Pang said, "The Queen Mother has it here, but Yunqin said it doesn't have it. Concubine Zhang said she doesn't have it either."

Wen Lanyue then asked: "So you mean that the two people disappeared out of thin air?"

Concubine Pang said pointedly: "I dare not say this, but the two people have indeed not been found for two days."

Wen Lanyue asked everyone sternly: "Has anyone here seen them?"

Everyone shook their heads and said no.

Wen Lanyue then asked: "Did anyone see them two days ago?"

Concubine Pang said, "Concubine Zhang, the Queen Mother is asking you."

Imperial Concubine Zhang sat there playing with her handkerchief. She snorted and said in a low voice, "You are using a chicken feather as a token of authority." Then she ignored him.

Concubine Pang was about to speak.

At this time, a maidservant beside Concubine Zhang came out and said, "Two days ago, I met Xiao Xizi. He came to borrow money from me, and I gave him all my pocket money."

Wen Lanyue asked coldly: "Then do you know what he borrowed the money for?"

The maid replied timidly, "I was on duty that day, and I didn't ask in detail, so I don't know."

Wen Lanyue then asked: "How much money did you borrow from him?"

The maid replied in a low voice: "Five taels of silver."

Wen Lanyue said, "You can leave now." She then asked coldly, "Who else has seen them? Tell the truth. If you have concealed anything, you will be severely punished if you find out."

The maid of Consort Wang Taixian stepped forward cautiously and said timidly, "Two days ago, Xiao Xizi also borrowed money from me. I lent him three taels of silver."

Concubine Li Taide's maid also stood up and said, "Two days ago, Xiao Xizi also borrowed money from me, and I also lent him three taels of silver."

……

Wen Lanyue said: "I remember that Xiao Xizi is an orphan, all alone. What did he borrow money for?"

The front hall was silent. Wen Lanyue looked around and saw that the eyes of Concubine Zhang's maid were a little erratic. She pointed at her and said, "You speak first."

The maid was frightened and stammered, "He, he, he not only asked us for money, but also said he wanted to sell all his things. He looked like he needed money urgently."

Wen Lanyue turned around and asked Concubine Pang: "Have you checked where they live?"

Concubine Pang Taishu replied, "I have checked. The clothes and other things are still there, but no small change or valuables are found."

……

At this time, Hong He's voice came: "Empress Dowager, Lin..." As soon as she stepped into the front hall and saw so many people, Hong He immediately changed the subject and asked: "What are you doing?"

Concubine Pang said, "Sister Honghe, it's Xiaoxizi and Taohua who are missing."

Hong He wondered, "Why are they gone? I just saw them."

Wen Lanyue looked at Consort Pang, then turned to Hong He and said, "Then go and call them in."

After a while, Honghe led Xiaoxizi and Taohua in. Seeing that they were surrounded by concubines, the two of them knelt down and kowtowed without knowing the situation, saying aggrievedly: "Empress Dowager, I know I was wrong."

Wen Lanyue asked: "Then tell me what went wrong?"

Xiao Xizi said: "A slave shouldn't borrow money."

Wen Lanyue said: "What else?"

Xiao Xizi said: "I will definitely pay back the money I borrowed."

Wen Lanyue then yelled at him, "I'm asking you, what else is wrong?"

Seeing such a big show, and hearing Wen Lanyue's stern tone, Taohua began to sob quietly beside her. Xiao Xizi said helplessly, "Your Majesty, I don't know what I did wrong."