The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

That’s what they say, but anyone with a little common sense should know that the royal family’s opinion is the emperor’s opinion.

The emperor refused to let the empress dowager return to the palace. What else could others say?

If it were when the emperor first ascended the throne, there might still be ministers in the previous dynasty who had conflicting opinions.

But now the emperor has received news of victory from the front line one after another, leaving the Xia Dynasty without any chance of fighting back.

Seeing that the unification of the country is imminent, who would want to make the emperor angry for such a trivial matter?

So the Empress Dowager stayed in Baohua Temple year after year.

Now that the emperor has returned, he wants to enthrone the empress, so he must first bring the empress dowager back to the palace.

The emperor knew his mother's temper.

If he didn't go to Baohua Temple in person to bring the empress dowager back, the empress dowager would definitely not come back.

Before setting off, Xie Run talked to the emperor about the seventh and eighth princes.

"No matter who the biological mother is, the adoptive mother is the same person after all."

"But one of the two children is named and the other is not, which has already created a rift."

"We are still young now, and we are just fighting over small things and quarreling. You can also say that we have a deep brotherly love."

"But if such differences still exist when they grow up, it will not be a good thing for both princes."

The emperor frowned when he heard this: "Did Concubine Jing Shu tell you this?"

Xie Run shook his head: "I will bring it up myself."

"If the Emperor has time to go and see the Seventh and Eighth Princes, he'll know what's going on."

"Two good children shouldn't be separated by such a trivial matter."

The emperor pondered for a moment and did not agree immediately.

"Suisui, you should know that it is not a good thing for Concubine Jingshu to raise two sons."

Xie Run was slightly surprised.

She didn't expect that the emperor didn't allow the eighth prince to be registered under the name of Concubine Jing Shu because of her.

Think about it too.

Although Concubine Jingshu's appearance was ruined and she had no chance of becoming queen, the son she raised could still compete with Taotao in the future.

Xie Run lowered his eyes: "Your Majesty, I believe in you, love you, and respect you."

"Your Majesty is so considerate of me, so I must also consider your Majesty."

"Taotao is the emperor's son, and so are Lian'er and Hu'er."

There was surprise in the emperor's eyes, but it disappeared in a moment.

He pulled Xie Run into his arms and was silent for a long time.

Without getting an accurate answer from the emperor, Xie Run felt a little unsure.

But the emperor obviously had his own ideas, and Xie Run didn't dare to ask any more questions.

On the second day, the emperor and the six concubines set out for Baohua Temple to invite the empress dowager.

This time, the emperor gave face to the empress dowager.

But when he arrived at Baohua Temple, he was refused entry.

The emperor was so angry that he almost laughed.

His mother is still his mother. Even if she is locked up for another three to five years, she will still not change her nature.

Xie Run comforted the emperor: "Your Majesty, my mother is wholeheartedly praying for the Emperor and Empress Xiaohui, and I'm afraid she doesn't want to be involved in worldly affairs for the time being."

The emperor glanced at Xie Run, and his eyes seemed to say, "You are really good at making up stories."

How could he not know what his mother's temper was like?

The emperor just glanced at Eunuch Shi'an, and Eunuch Shi'an immediately went down to make arrangements.

Everyone just waited at the door for a while, and then the gate of Baohua Temple opened.

The old maidservant beside the Empress Dowager came to receive her personally, "This servant greets the Emperor, the Imperial Concubine, and all the ladies."

"The Empress Dowager was so absorbed in praying for blessings the past two days that she accidentally caught a cold, which is why she was unable to come and greet the Emperor in person."

"If the Empress Dowager knew that the Emperor had come to Baohua Temple, she would be so happy."

The emperor smiled and said, "I was able to return safely this time, thanks to my mother's daily prayers at Baohua Temple."

"I'm heartbroken to hear that my mother is unwell. Why don't you lead the way?"

The old nanny immediately led the way.

The emperor was acting all the way, so Xie Run, the imperial concubine, naturally had to follow suit.

There was worry on his face, and the handkerchief in his hand had already been wiped across the corners of his eyes.

When we arrived at the Ciningyuan where the Empress Dowager lived, the door was still closed.

The old nanny was also a little surprised, with a bitter look on her face.

"Your Majesty, this..."

The emperor waved his hand and said, "My mother is not feeling well today. Please wait outside."

Having said that, Xie Run had no choice but to lead everyone out of Ciningyuan and wait in the main hall of Baohua Temple.

After everyone left, the emperor ordered his men to break in.

The Queen Mother, who was lying in bed pretending to be sick, sat up in shock. "How outrageous! How outrageous!"

"Xiao Chengyuan, are you really this filial to your mother?!"

The emperor raised his hand and the door closed.

Only the mother and son were left in the room. The emperor strode forward and said, "Mother, are you really ill? I see you are in good health."

Although the Empress Dowager had enough food and clothing during her years in Baohua Temple, life was extremely poor for someone like her.

She also lost some weight.

Older people cannot lose weight easily. If they do, their skin will become loose, their forehead bones will become prominent, and they will look a bit mean.

The Queen Mother glared at the Emperor: "Emperor, what are you doing in Baohua Temple?!"

"I've been here for almost four years. You might as well let me stay here forever."

"Just let me die here, and you can just pretend you don't have a mother!"

In recent years, the Queen Mother has been holding a lot of resentment in her heart.

Especially after the emperor returned to the court, he did not immediately invite her back to the palace, which made the empress dowager furious.

Now that the emperor is about to crown a queen, he's thinking of her as the empress dowager?!

The emperor said calmly, "If your mother truly wishes to pray for your father and Empress Xiaohui, why would I refuse?"

"As long as your Majesty Queen responds, I will return to the palace immediately. In gratitude for your kindness and righteousness, I also wish to grant amnesty to the entire world."

The Queen Mother's eyes widened, the blood rushing to her head because of the Emperor's words: "You, you..."

"How could I have given birth to a heartless and ungrateful beast like you?!"

The emperor looked at her coldly and said, "Mother, you have been wanting to say this for a long time, right?"

"But I'm afraid you don't know that everything your son does is learned from you."

"Among the three of us, my elder brother, my younger sister, and I, my elder brother is the most like our father. I, on the other hand, feel that I am the most like our mother."

The Queen Mother angrily retorted, "You are talking nonsense! I don't have a son as cold-hearted as you!"

She had been holding this anger in for almost four years.

The emperor now deliberately made things difficult for her and prevented her from sending it out, so she simply ignored it.

After all, she is the emperor's biological mother. Even if the emperor is angry, can he really take her life?!

The Queen Mother pointed at the Emperor and cursed, "You are my own child. I believe I have never been mean to you since you were a child."

"Perhaps I have been partial to you, but your elder brother and your nephew have been imprisoned for years. Some have died, some have been scattered in the Su Palace. Are you still not satisfied?"

"I really can't understand where all this resentment comes from."

The emperor stared at the empress dowager expressionlessly, his eyes cold and snake-like.

"These past few years, my son has been waiting for the Queen Mother to speak."

The Queen Mother looked surprised: "What?"

"Wait for your mother to plead for your brother's children." The emperor approached step by step. "Your brother and Jin'er were imprisoned by your father himself. It's understandable that your mother dared not plead for them."

"But the other two children, Queen Mother has never cared about them in all these years."

The Emperor said: "My son and my elder brother are but victors and losers, so where is the grudge or hatred?"

"As my son ascends the throne, releasing my elder brother and Jin'er and conferring titles upon them is just a matter of a word."

"But the Queen Mother never spoke, not even once."