The Marquise: I Earn My Own Worship

Duan Chongming used to have the best relationship with Huiwen, but he and Duan Chongming never had any topics to talk about.

Both of them are evil-minded. Their similar personalities make it easy for them to get along, but they just don't like each other, so they don't have much in common.

"Time flies! Lord Duan is in good health. He wasn't even fifty when he passed away, right?"

Queen Zhu felt a little disappointed. How many of the people she used to know are still here?

The King of Chu thought about it and realized that it had been more than ten years since Duan Chongming passed away.

"That year, during the palace banquet, bandits rebelled. While protecting me, he was hit by a stray arrow and died a few days later."

The King of Chu then remembered why Duan Chongming was gone. That man was probably loyal to him only for a moment when he was protecting him.

He always knew that Duan Chongming was loyal to only one person in his life, and that was his thirteenth brother, Prince Huiwen.

When he ascended the throne, he clearly had the merit of following the emperor, but he was only a deputy leader.

It’s not that he didn’t give it, but that he didn’t want it.

Empress Zhu looked at the expression on the face of the Emperor of Chu. Some of the words she said just now were just simple memories of the past, but if she said them too late, it would mean she had ulterior motives.

"So that's it."

Empress Zhu suddenly realized and continued to ask, "How is the Duan family doing now? If I remember correctly, he only has one son, who has been raised in the family before. I heard that he is not doing well."

Seeing the Queen's curiosity, the Emperor of Chu told her many things about the current situation in Duan Bo's Mansion. He was not a man who liked to reminisce about the past, but when he saw his wife again after a long absence, he suddenly fell in love with the feeling of chatting about family matters.

"He has another illegitimate son, who was the runner-up in the imperial examination in the seventeenth year of Mingde. He is currently serving in the imperial court and has both good character and abilities. However, their family is a little smaller. Currently, there are only two children, the younger one is less than a year old. The older one is about the same age as Xiaoliu, a few months older, and they have a good relationship."

As he was speaking, the sound of Concubine Ning and the Sixth Prince paying a visit came from outside.

"Look, what do you call this? Speak of the devil and he will appear."

Seeing his most beloved son coming, the smile on Emperor Chu's face became a little wider.

"Empress, you will definitely like Xiaoliu after seeing him. Among all my sons, he is the one who pleases me the most."

The emperor and the empress were talking privately, and there were no palace maids present, so there was no need to worry about a third party knowing.

The Emperor of Chu said this in front of the Queen because he wanted to speak his mind and tell her his hobbies and preferences.

Empress Zhu looked at the Emperor of Chu, and the emperor's suspicion seemed to have never been directed towards his wife.

But at the same time, she also understood that she was a queen without any power background and would not threaten the interests of the people in front of her.

With good and bad times interdependent, she became the person closest to him.

"Your Majesty's love is the same as my love."

Concubine Ning came in with Chu Qinling and was about to pay her respects when she was stopped by the Queen.

"No need to formalize. We are just a family reminiscing about the past. There is no need for so much formality."

Concubine Ning bowed slightly and stood aside.

It was the first time that Chu Qinling met the Empress, his mother.

"My son diligently pays homage to the Queen Mother. May the Queen Mother be in good health and may her blessings last for generations to come."

He knelt down and bowed, knocking his head against the ground with a crisp sound.

The Emperor of Chu felt that this scene was somewhat familiar, and he tried hard to recall it.

The queen on the side had already stood up and walked forward, personally helping Chu Qinling up.

"Good boy, I told you not to bow. How's your head? Does it hurt?"

Queen Zhu looked carefully at his forehead, which was slightly red.

Chu Qinling looked at the queen, who looked much older than any other concubine in the harem. Her temples were gray, and the skin around her eyes and cheekbones had become loose.

At this moment, she was looking at him with concern. Although her face was intimidating at first glance, he didn't think it was that scary. Instead, he felt extremely friendly.

"If my son doesn't feel pain, I'm unfilial. I've never been at the Empress's knees to show my respect. Now that I've seen her, I finally feel her warmth. Now I'm just bowing to her. From now on, I'll come to pay my respects to her every day."

The King of Chu felt that the taste was getting better and better, and he just couldn't think of it for a while.

Chu Qinling's words were sincere, but some people thought that Concubine Ning had taught him these words. When Concubine De and the others learned about this, they secretly cursed Concubine Ning for being so cunning and using the child to compete for favors in front of His Majesty and the Empress.

Queen Zhu looked at the child with clear eyes and a sickly look on his face, which made him look a little pitiful.

"What a good child! I appreciate your kindness. Come, sit next to me."

Queen Zhu had seen the portrait of the Sixth Prince before, which was brought by her secret guard.

She liked children. The eldest prince, the second prince and the third prince were all raised by her for a period of time, but their stay was very short. After Prince Ping was made the crown prince, he had too little energy to deal with various things, so she sent the children back to their biological mother to be raised.

Concubine Ning looked at Ling'er's forehead with some heartache. She felt relieved when she heard that the Queen had asked someone to get the ointment and apply it to him personally.

Seeing the Queen treating Ling'er like this, she was also happy. She knew the Queen's methods, and whether it was out of sincerity or for profit, she hoped that Ling'er could gain the Queen's favor.

She had no special abilities, and without the Emperor of Chu, she had no way of protecting Ling'er.

And the queen, to her, is a ship drowning in the sea, who can carry the ship to face the waves of the future.

Chu Qinling felt somewhat flattered as he watched his mother personally apply medicine to him.

On the way here, my mother quietly told me that I should respect her more than my father.

He didn't understand why his mother said that, but as a son, he should respect his mother.

My forehead felt cool, and the slight burning sensation just now dissipated.

"When you were born, after hearing the news from the capital, your mother placed a jade amulet of peace before the Buddha. Wear it, and the evil spirits will be driven away. You will be safe and sound in the future."

Queen Zhu put the jade pendant that she had prepared long ago on him.

Chu Qinling touched the jade token on his chest, which had a faint scent of Zen.

"Thank you, mother. I have also prepared something for you, Xiyu."

A palace maid came forward with a tray in her hand.

"Oh?"

Both Empress Zhu and Emperor Chu were a little curious, and they stretched their necks to look at the tray.

Empress Zhu reached out and lifted the yellow cloth, revealing a complete volume of the Classic of Filial Piety. She flipped through it, finding the handwriting neat and beautiful, and even smelling the fragrance of ink.

"My mother was not in the palace before, so I had no way to show my filial piety to her. Therefore, when I heard that she had returned to the capital, I copied a copy of the Filial Piety Classic and presented it to her."

"Xiaoliu, you're so thoughtful. You must have spent quite a while copying this Book of Filial Piety. You're so busy with schoolwork that it's hard for you to find time."

Queen Zhu flipped through the book and found not a single mistake in it, which showed her care.

"Don't worry, mother. My son copied the scriptures only after finishing his lessons. He hasn't delayed his studies."

"Mother knows, but you are weak, so don't tire yourself out."

Chu Qinling smiled and shook his head, saying that he was not tired.

Concubine Ning replied at the right moment, "I heard that Ling'er copied and discarded several copies before finally getting this best one."