Chapter 1890 - 1828: Expressing Gratitude and Bidding Farewell
Chapter 1890: Chapter 1828: Expressing Gratitude and Bidding Farewell
The news of Empress Dowager Mo falling ill reached Prince Jin’s Mansion, and both Ah Jiu and Wufu were worried, just about to enter the palace when both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager sent word that there was no need to enter the palace.
The Emperor’s command was for Ah Jiu to reflect and not enter the palace to disturb the Empress Dowager during her recuperation. The Empress Dowager’s message was to assure him not to worry and to stay home and accompany Wufu well. It was just a minor illness due to age and a cold, nothing to make a fuss about.
However, the secret lines from the palace revealed that after the Emperor went to Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager suddenly fainted and urgently summoned the imperial doctors, and that a little eunuch at Cining Palace was beaten to death by the Emperor.
How great must his anger have been to issue such an order? And what happened inside Cining Palace that caused the Emperor to be so furious?
Ah Jiu’s face turned as dark as a pot’s bottom, worried about Empress Dowager Mo’s condition, yet couldn’t help but speculate what happened at Cining Palace that caused the Royal Mother to faint. What did that bastard do!
"Don’t worry. They only said you shouldn’t enter the palace, they didn’t say I couldn’t. The Royal Mother is ill, and I, as the daughter-in-law, should attend to her. Tomorrow, I’ll send a card requesting to enter the palace to attend to her," Wufu said.
Ah Jiu nodded with a stern face, that was the only thing to do. Forcing his way through would be regarded as defying imperial power, even as a prince he couldn’t do that.
"Princess Consort, Second Miss He requests to see Her Royal Highness the Princess Consort," reported Hongyu as she entered.
Ah Jiu said, "I’ll go to the study. Although Royal Mother forbade us from interfering with that matter, we can’t just ignore it; I’ll see if there’s anything we missed."
"Go ahead, I’ll send someone to bring over a couple more braziers, and I’ll come over to accompany you in a while," Wufu replied.
Ah Jiu went out, and Wufu instructed Hongyu to arrange for someone to attend to Ah Jiu, then she looked at Purple Jade: "Second Miss He hasn’t left yet?"
This He family’s case has been resolved, and the He family’s innocence has been restored, why haven’t they left?
"I’ve heard she’s been at the temple conducting prayer rituals for her family," responded Purple Jade.
Wufu pondered for a while: "Let her speak at the East Warm Pavilion."
Purple Jade acknowledged.
...
Wufu sat in the East Warm Pavilion holding a cup of hot tea, contemplating the troubling palace matters. In less than half a cup of tea’s time, He Mingya was brought before her.
"Mingya greets Her Royal Highness the Princess Consort," He Mingya paid her respects.
"Rise, please, sit," Wufu collected her thoughts and noticed the plain gray robe, with hair tied in a small bun secured with a peach wood hairpin.
This attire was just like a Taoist nun’s ensemble, exceptionally plain.
"It’s been a while since we last met, is everything well?" Wufu asked with a smile.
"Thanks to Her Royal Highness, all is well," He Mingya sat at the edge of the embroidered stool and smilingly said, "My purpose in coming is firstly to thank Her Royal Highness and His Highness for their grace, and secondly to bid farewell to Her Royal Highness."
As she said this, she stood up and solemnly performed a deep bow to Wufu: "Thank you, Princess Consort, and His Highness for exonerating my He family, allowing my father’s name to be cleared."
"No need for such courtesy, loyal subjects are always respected. Your father is a good official, deserving of it," Wufu helped her up.
He Mingya’s eyes reddened as she nodded: "This is also my luck, to have encountered the Princess Consort and His Highness."
Wufu didn’t want her to get too emotional, so she changed the subject: "I originally thought you left, but you waited until today. I’ve been so busy lately; I hope there’s nothing you needed help with. It’s my negligence otherwise."
"Your Royal Highness must not say so, you’ve already had people take care of me, which is more than enough. These days, I’ve been holding prayer rituals at the temple for my family and didn’t encounter any difficulties," He Mingya quickly said, "Now that the forty-nine days of rituals are complete, I thought to come bid farewell to Her Royal Highness."