Red Mansion Rebirth: Ghost Phoenix

When Concubine Xu heard that Wang Xifeng had returned to the palace to pay her respects, she immediately invited Li Xuanyi over as well. She also neatly packed up the only half of the account book in her hand and placed it on the table waiting for her.

Wang Xifeng came in, paid her respects, was called up and asked to sit down.

Then Concubine Xu smiled and said, "I heard that the noble concubine is going to be promoted to Imperial Noble Concubine? It seems that what we said earlier has come true now!"

"Oh, what did the Concubine Dowager say? I have forgotten it!" Wang Xifeng teased her deliberately.

Concubine Xu rolled her eyes and snorted, "During the national mourning period, no joking! Imperial Concubine, please be solemn!"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Yes! I will obey the order of the Concubine Dowager!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

When Li Xuanyi arrived, Wang Xifeng turned her head and told An'er:

"…Tell the Imperial Chef Cai that the concubines have different tastes, and ask her not to fool around, but to personally greet them all and ask them what they like and don't like.

“I think the Imperial Food Bureau must have left some information earlier, but it’s been so long, who knows if the tastes of the concubines and imperial concubines have changed?

"Don't wait until someone points at you and accuses you of slacking off before you try to make amends. Think ahead about what you're doing. Do you remember that?"

An'er listened to them one by one and said he would take note of them: "I'll talk to you later."

Li Xuanyi walked in gracefully and respectfully paid her respects to Concubine Xu and Wang Xifeng, then asked them if they had any instructions.

Concubine Xu immediately waved her hand to let them go: "I have never taken care of so many things in my life. I am so tired. The imperial concubine is finally back. You two should take the accounts and leave me now!"

Wang Xifeng and Li Xuanyi both chuckled.

"I am busy with work, so I won't bother to be polite to the Queen Mother. After the big thing is done, we women can sit together again!"

Wang Xifeng stood up and said goodbye immediately.

After leaving the Dowager Concubine's palace, Li Xuanyi was very obedient: "Are we going to Yinyu Palace?"

"There are too many people at my place, so I'd better go to your place. It will be the same in the future." Wang Xifeng shook her head.

Li Xuanyi blinked: "Ah? In the future?"

"Stop making trouble for me! I told the emperor yesterday that I will let you help me with my affairs from now on.

"The Emperor's decree has also been passed on. While I have been promoted to Imperial Noble Consort, you will also be promoted to Consort, and you will assist in managing the six palaces in the future."

Wang Xifeng took her hand, dragged her to her own sedan chair, and ordered the carriage to start. As the wheels churned, she whispered to her,

“The Emperor loves children.

"Now He Ke and Prince Duan are both with me.

"There have been many funerals in the palace, and I'm afraid we won't allow either of the two children to live in a separate room in the palace.

"In the next year or so, I will have to trouble you to take care of all the affairs in the palace.

"We'll discuss this when you have good news."

Li Xuanyi nodded repeatedly and said yes.

Wang Xifeng had not expected her to be so forthcoming, without even a word of refusal. Suddenly she remembered something and could not help laughing in a low voice:

"What? You're so busy taking over palace duties, are you afraid that the emperor will ask you to help raise Brother Tao?"

Li Xuanyi smiled embarrassedly, nodded again, and replied softly:

“The late emperor and the late empress both valued Prince Duan, and Your Majesty has also asked the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the enthronement of the Crown Prince.

"Pian Ge'er is still young, so he must have a kind-hearted concubine as his foster mother.

"Originally you are the most suitable, but you have Princess He Ke.

"I am a worthless person and I don't have the courage to raise a prince..."

This is a sober person.

Wang Xifeng gave her a meaningful look and said, "Well, I understand. I'll report this to His Majesty for you when I have the chance."

Li Xuanyi's face was filled with gratitude.

This way, everything went smoothly.

As expected, Emperor Chongzhao severely reprimanded all the princes, nobles and important ministers of the royal family. It was not until noon that he sent someone to deliver the national mourning regulations to Wang Xifeng.

As soon as the visitor entered the room, Wang Xifeng was stunned, surprised and delighted: "My Eunuch Qing, when did you come back? Quick, come, find a seat, and bring the best tea and snacks!"

It was Qinghai.

After visiting the imperial mausoleum, Qinghai became more stable than before. Although he was still smiling happily this time, he no longer had his previous frivolity.

He then bowed and solemnly presented the outline of the regulations to Wang Xifeng, then conveyed Emperor Chongzhao's oral order, and finally sat down to reminisce with her.

He smiled and said, "Because the Grand Lord had promoted your father to be the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Rites before, and he is now in charge of this matter, Your Majesty also invited him to come.

“Just now, while we were talking, the Emperor said that he originally wanted to promote the late Queen’s uncle Liang to be the Minister of Justice, but the late Queen was virtuous and resolutely declined the position.

"Your father actually interrupted the emperor and said that no one is wiser than the emperor, and that the most important task for the Ministry of Justice now is to investigate the illegal activities of the four kings and eight dukes.

"This case involves too many people, and the reputation of the former deposed crown prince and the late emperor is involved. Outsiders dare not handle it, and the clan members cannot bear to do it because of their kinship.

"The uncle of the late queen, Liang, is the uncle of the future crown prince. He is the first to claim the title of royal relative, and he happens to be in charge of both state and family affairs!

"Because of the late queen, Liang was cautious and prudent, and never got involved in the chaos of the early years. He was the most self-disciplined and clean, and he was more upright than anyone else when it came to reviewing past events.

"So, this position of the Minister of Justice must belong to him. Who else but him?"

This person is really suitable!

For the sake of the prince's future and prospects, this Liang must be unjust and ruthless and eradicate all evil!

Moreover, he is an enemy of these factions, so he won’t feel sorry for killing anyone!

My father acted decisively and did a good job in stopping it!

Wang Xifeng pretended to be stunned: "And then, the emperor listened?"

"Yes! The emperor was overjoyed. He said that he had only a vague idea about this matter, but Lord Wang was the only one who saw it clearly and was the most appropriate!

"The imperial edict was passed on immediately. I think now, Doctor Liang is already Minister Liang, and he will go to the Ministry of Justice to work tomorrow!"

Qinghai drank a sip of tea happily, praised Wang Zifu for his "deep understanding of the emperor's intention", and then bowed and took his leave.

Wang Xifeng hurriedly ordered An'er to seal a red envelope, and then ordered Jingli to deliver it. Finally, she tentatively asked, "How is Dai Xiang?"

"Mr. Dai requested to go to the imperial mausoleum to guard the emperor. His Majesty approved it and asked Qian Gang to serve the old minister."

Qinghai looked at Wang Xifeng with a smile, "Your Majesty is still good at disciplining people. His Majesty said a few words to Qian Gang and almost didn't want to let him go.

"I also told him to come back to work as soon as possible after serving Lord Dai for a hundred years."

Wang Xifeng relaxed her shoulders slightly, and said with a half-smile: "Eunuch Qing, I don't deserve your kindness."

"Don't be so modest. Look at Lao Xia now, he is the head of Penglai Palace; Fuguier is the prince's confidant; even Xiao Chunhe is about to become the youngest inner temple master!"

Qinghai knows them all.

Wang Xifeng smiled even more: "Look at what you said! Aren't they all your disciples?"

“I dare not, I dare not!” Qing Hai waved his hands and immediately distanced himself from the matter, “I am a clumsy person. I told Your Majesty the other day when I came back from the imperial mausoleum.

"After these major events, the court will be more peaceful, and it is time to repair your majesty's imperial mausoleum.

"I have been to the Emperor's Mausoleum and have gained some experience. I will accept the task of repairing the Mausoleum for the Emperor in the future. Isn't that better than others?"

Wang Xifeng was surprised: "What did your Majesty say?"

"In reply to the Imperial Concubine, the Emperor has approved it." Qing Hai said with a broad smile.

Wang Xifeng glared at him angrily: "The palace is very busy, and you are trying to avoid the idle time!"

He paused, then laughed, "Never mind. It's not bad over there, quiet and peaceful. I don't have to fight coughs with those little devils in Beijing every day!"

"When you are about to leave, tell me and I will help you."

Qinghai agreed with a smile, then walked out slowly.

Wang Xifeng stared at his back in a daze.

Li Xuanyi called her carefully: "What's wrong, Madam?"

"Oh." Wang Xifeng came back to her senses and sighed softly, "I was just thinking that, apart from Geng Ronghua, there are not many old people left in the East Palace."

The world is like a chess game, and time is like water.

Time flies, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Emperor Chongzhao, who had completed his mourning period, was urged by his court officials to hold a beauty pageant.

Concubine Xu thought about it and also asked Emperor Chongzhao to persuade her: “Yesterday, Concubine Jin was found to be pregnant, and Concubine Jing is helping to take care of the prince.

"There are only a few people left in the palace, all of them are dumbfounded and don't understand the spring breeze.

"Now that the trouble left by the four kings and eight dukes has been cleared, there are no major wars in the four borders and nine barbarians, and the world is at peace. The emperor should also choose a few trustworthy people to accompany him in the palace and expand the royal family."

Because Concubine Xu was kind and wise in the past few years, she had been in charge of the harem for him and had suppressed the elders of the royal family, which helped him a lot.

Therefore, Emperor Chongzhao also respected her. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "But this matter still needs to be discussed with the Imperial Concubine.

"Last month, the imperial physician told me that the Imperial Concubine had suffered from poor health in the past few years, but now she has finally recovered.

"I want to give her something to do again, but I'm afraid she won't agree..."

Concubine Xu burst out laughing: "Oh, I forgot, since she entered the palace, there have been many big events one after another. Has the emperor not yet consummated his marriage with the Imperial Concubine?"

Emperor Chongzhao was speechless. He touched his nose, turned his face away, coughed, and said nothing.

Changying was laughing secretly beside him.

"Yesterday on the fifteenth day, Ling Fei came to burn incense and chant Buddha with me. Before leaving, she mentioned this matter and asked me:

"Does the Emperor intend to wait until the Crown Prince gets married before he's willing to get close to the Imperial Concubine?" Concubine Dowager Xu laughed.

Emperor Chongzhao was embarrassed: "Not really..."

"Then what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for the Imperial Concubine to decorate her bridal chamber?" Concubine Xu teased him and laughed, "I guess the Emperor doesn't know how to deal with the bridal chamber either.

"How about this, you treat me to a meal and I'll host this event for you and the Imperial Concubine, how about that?"

Emperor Chong Zhao blushed slightly, stood up, and bowed deeply to Concubine Xu: "Then I'll leave everything to Concubine Xu!"

"Okay! I'll call the Imperial Observatory to pick a date!" Concubine Xu made the decision.

Emperor Chongzhao fled in panic.

When he returned to the Xuan Zheng Hall and sat down with a blushing face and a pounding heart, he suddenly realized: So Concubine Xu was not urging the selection for her own sake at all, she was actually urging the wedding night for Wang Xifeng!

He immediately sat there sulking:

You are so good, Wang Xifeng, you are plotting against me again!

The prince Tao Ge'er, who had grown into a young boy and whose voice had even begun to change and become slightly hoarse and low, saw that he was unhappy but did not get angry. He could not help but be surprised and came over to stare at him and asked:

"Father, didn't you go to the harem? Why do you look like you're angry?

"Did you quarrel with the Imperial Concubine again?

"Or has Empress Lingfei climbed onto the roof again?

"Empress Jing was retching during dinner last night. Aunt Tian said she might be pregnant. Didn't the imperial physician check it out?"

Emperor Chongzhao was stunned: "Is Concubine Jing pregnant?"

"Yes!" Tao Ge'er, who had moved to Concubine Jing's palace two and a half years ago and took her as his adoptive mother, said as if it was natural, "Concubine Jing has been sleepy, ate a lot, and cried a lot for more than half a month.

"Auntie Tian said that it must be true.

"Father, do you think Madam Jing can give me a younger brother?

"She has such a gentle and quiet personality. My brother must be a calm person too. He can be a great helper to me in the future..."

Emperor Chongzhao looked at his son steadily, and suddenly felt that those old faces with bared fangs and claws, those chaotic and tragic stories from many years ago, had finally been blown away like a gust of wind.

After a long while, he asked softly to his eldest son whom he loved the most: "Brother Tao, tell me, if your queen gave birth to a younger brother, would you be happy?"

The prince gently closed his mouth, slowly raised his eyes to look at him, without saying a word.