RPAGF Chapter 231 Undercurrent surging
Chapter 231 Undercurrent surging
Queen Mother Zhao was also impressed by her niece, who always managed to play a good hand badly. She was guarding the eldest prince but could not seize the opportunity.
Who is Queen Dowager Zhao?
Even though she was hated by the late emperor and her son was not well-liked, she was still able to turn the tide and turn the tide.
Looking at Concubine Zhao again, she really... doesn't catch her eye.
"Aunt, I am the most senior imperial concubine and have helped the queen manage the harem. Now it is my turn to take charge of the affairs of the harem. How can it be the turn of the newly promoted imperial concubine Zhuang? The assistant is also Jin Shuyi. Isn't this a slap in my face?"
Queen Mother Zhao twisted her Buddhist beads and said unhappily, "It's just such a small matter, and you can't bear it or figure it out?"
"The Queen doesn't take me seriously at all. She only shares the good things with others..." Concubine Zhao muttered unconvinced.
"You really are... The situation in the harem is complicated right now. Do you think it's a good job to be the acting harem concubine? Wouldn't it be good for you to take good care of the eldest prince and sit back and relax?"
"If you manage the affairs of the harem well, it will be the Queen's unique vision. If you fail, it will be all your fault. Are you sure?" The Queen Mother glared at Concubine Zhao coldly.
"I know this, but this is a rare opportunity. If you do well, you might be able to get promoted! Who knows, you might even be able to take away the Queen's power in the palace!" Concubine Zhao said with a burning gaze.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Who says you can't defeat the enemy if you strike last? Once they make a mistake, you will be taking action at a critical moment." Queen Mother Zhao said meaningfully.
"Aunt, what do you mean?" Concubine Zhao's eyes suddenly lit up.
Queen Mother Zhao knew that she had misunderstood her intentions, and hurriedly stopped her, saying, "Don't make any rash moves. There are so many people in the harem, and naturally some will lose their patience and cause trouble. You can just watch from the other side of the river, and take action when it's time."
"Then if I act secretly, wouldn't I have a better chance of success?" Concubine Zhao was unwilling.
"Don't act rashly. The eldest prince is already four years old. It's time for you to be more mature." Queen Mother Zhao waved her hand and said, "When you lose your temper, think more about the eldest prince."
"Aunt..." Concubine Zhao was still reluctant to leave.
"Go, I will make plans for you. The eldest prince is the most important. Even if you sit still, you have an advantage over them." After Queen Mother Zhao said this, she closed her eyes and ignored her.
Concubine Zhao had no choice but to grit her teeth and leave Renshou Palace obediently.
She secretly made up her mind that if she couldn't win the power of acting as the harem concubine, it would be fine, but if she threatened the eldest prince, she would never tolerate it. At that time, even if she hid it from the queen mother, she would have to take action...
At Prince Rui's mansion, the atmosphere was a little tense. Prince Rui's plans had failed several times and he was very angry.
Prince Rui smashed a teacup and said angrily, "We can't wait for the fourth brother to become powerful! In the past few years, Bo Muxi's hand has become more and more rigid. In the next two years, let alone arm wrestling, I can't even breathe in front of him!"
"Small fights won't get us anywhere. In my opinion, we can't just rely on the people in the harem to handle things. We still have to hit the vital points directly." said the Prince of Xiang.
"I think this matter cannot be rushed. It is better to be steady." Prime Minister Hu said calmly.
"What are you talking about?" Prince Rui paced back and forth and said, "Prime Minister Hu, if you keep calm, the Queen's child will be born! I have also heard that Hu Xiaoyi has offended many people, and the Queen doesn't like her. It's such a dangerous place, but..."
Prince Rui looked at Prime Minister Hu and smiled sinisterly.
Prime Minister Hu stared at the triangular eyes of Prince Rui with a bad temper, thinking: Isn't it all because of you? If it weren't for some of your tasks, how could Qing'er, such a delicate girl, have such a bad relationship? What a troublemaker!
"Your Highness, you said at the beginning that if we cannot seize power, you can accept more benefits. Let's not forget our original intention." Prime Minister Hu said.
Prince Rui rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "Let's compromise. Since ancient times, the emperor has cared most about a legitimate reputation. Father liked the third brother the most back then, and the third brother also died in a strange way. It must be the work of mother and son!"
"The second person father favors is me! The fourth one is so shameless and his succession to the throne is not legitimate! I will let everyone in the world know!" Prince Rui said hatefully.
"Some things, once done, can completely tear the relationship apart..." Prime Minister Hu tried to dissuade him earnestly.
"Hmph, there are many people who can do it, not just me, so what are you afraid of?" Prince Rui glared with a fierce look in his eyes.
Prime Minister Hu had no choice but to keep silent.
“Haha, it will naturally spread in the harem... If it succeeds this time, Hu Xiaoyi will also be promoted.” Prince Rui laughed sinisterly.
When Concubine Zhuang and Shen Zhiyao first took over the affairs of the harem, they were very busy.
Shen Zhiyao had never expected that there were so many miscellaneous trivial matters to deal with in the harem, and she didn't know how the queen usually lived.
The two of them worked on it for more than a week before they finally got the hang of it.
That morning, everyone went to Fengyi Palace to pay their respects as usual. The Queen had been suffering from severe morning sickness recently, and coupled with the hot weather, her complexion did not look very good.
"Now that I'm in charge of the harem affairs, I finally understand how hard the Empress works! These past few days, Jin Shuyi and I have been very busy, and we only have a clue now." Concubine Zhuang said with a smile.
Shen Zhiyao didn't complain, but just smiled and nodded to show her agreement.
"I am very tired now, so you two should work harder, and the others should cooperate. When I give birth to a child, I will not only ask for rewards from Concubine Zhuang and Jin Shuyi, but also from the sisters who took the initiative to share the burden and behaved well."
"Of course, the positions should be moved, and those who deserve to be promoted should be promoted." The queen was still so magnanimous.
After all, he was born in a legitimate marquisate, so he is extraordinary.
"Well, the Queen's health is more important, so you'd better not meddle in trivial matters. Concubine Zhuang and Jin Shuyi are capable and can handle things properly. However, if there are any difficult decisions, you still have to consult the Queen. If it is an ordinary matter, just handle it yourself." Concubine Zhao said sarcastically.
Concubine Zhao was obviously mocking Concubine Zhuang and Shen Zhiyao, who were just housekeepers who did chores for the Queen.
Shen Zhiyao smiled and said, "What Concubine Zhao said is absolutely right. Since this is the result of a discussion between the Empress and the Emperor, even if it is just a trivial matter, Concubine Zhuang and I will do our best to help the Empress."
She changed the subject and said with a smile: "However, I do feel it is a pity. Lady Zhao Guifei is much more capable than the two of us. If the emperor gave you the power of the palace, I would not have to assist you... But..."
But I just won’t share it with you…
Although Shen Zhiyao didn't say the rest of the sentence, everyone understood it immediately, and some people even laughed out loud accidentally.
Upon hearing this, Concubine Zhao's face turned pale and she almost broke down and cursed.
This Shen Zhiyao was poking at her lungs...
"I have the eldest prince to look after, so naturally I can't spare any time." Concubine Zhao sneered, "However, Jin Shuyi, I have to kindly remind you that the Queen's pregnancy is a top priority. You must manage the harem well, otherwise..."
Concubine Zhao thought that when something went wrong, she would pester the Queen Mother to interrogate them and take back her power in the palace and her dignity!