Chapter 11

A line of people walked out of the Palace gate1 and soon disappeared.

The Mo-Mo besides the Empress Dowager saw that her face was very ill, stepped forward, and said in a lowered voice, “Why did the Empress Dowager not hold on to Lady Su? If you insist on keeping her, Huang-shang2 perhaps would not be able to find a way to go against you.”

“In front of that little girl, I have become an unreasonable person? How could I insist?” The Empress Dowager told off.

“Lady Su is too badly behaved!” The Mo-Mo said.

The Empress Dowager was angry. “I didn’t expect the daughter of the Grand Secretariat’s Manor can teach her own daughter into some mountain girl. The meeting today, really disappoints me. How can she be worthy to be paired with Yun Chu?”

The Mo-Mo also believe so, “This Lady Su really is rowdy. She dare to in the Palace, in front of the Empress Dowager, tear her skirt, fight like that, not even a hint of being cultured, indeed not worthy of the Xiao Guo-jiu 3. But, is the Empress Dowager just going to stop at that? And let Huang-shang marry her to Ye Shi-zi?4”

The Empress Dowager grunted, “What Huang-shang is calculating on? Don’t think that I don’t know. He wants reinstate Commander General Su so he can rely on military power as his backing, and using marriage alliance with the Imperial Clan to support the honor of the Royal Family and Imperial Clan with intentions to weaken the influence of the Guo-jiang Manor.

“But Rong-an Wang-fu’s5 Ye Shi-zi is really unspeakable, him like that, can he really be supported? ” The Mo-Mo said.

“What do you know? This time the Huang-shang is really bent on it. The honor of the Imperial Clan, among the young princes and grandsons, only Ye Xiang’s age is appropriate with Su Feng Nuan. The rest of the if not already married, are too young. Moreover, Ye Xiang is the Shi-zi6 of Rong’an Wang-fu7, so status wise is compatible with the daughter of the General’s Manor. And to add, with the benevolence of the Duke and Duchess of Rong-an still lasting, the Imperial Clan although they frown upon the ridiculousness of Ye Xiang, but in remembrance of the Duke and Duchess of Rong-an, would still look out for him. Prince Jin for example, although rebukes Ye Xiang, but in reality, he still allows his grandson to follow Ye Xiang. The Rongan Wang-fu8 is the centripetal factor of the Imperial Clan, Ye Xiang is the centripetal character. So no matter how unspeakable he is, his identity will be there, and the Imperial think of the past.”

“The Empress Dowager’s meaning is that Huang-shang chose Ye Xiang, to use him as the centripetal force to combine the power of the Imperial Clan to counter with the Guo-jiang Manor?” The Mo-Mo suddenly became wary, “Empress Dowager, than you…”

The Empress Dowager gave a cold laugh, “Ye Xiang that rascal, is naturally not something to be afraid of, and the Imperial Clan, not one can be lifted. Huang-shang’s plan, I have known for a long time, wanting to suppress the Guo-jiang Manor, has not been something of just one or two days. Su Feng Nuan is so wild, no etiquettes, no female customs, truly unbearable. But if able to understand her temper, naturally is easy to control, just then, didn’t Huang-shang get her happy? These all are not to be feared, I’m only afraid that I don’t know what Commander General Su is thinking.”

The Mo-Mo quickly said, “The meaning of the Empress Dowager Mother is that there is something wrong with Commander General Su?”

Empress Dowager’s expression got colder, “Not just something wrong, it’s very wrong! Su Che this person, is very loyal to the Imperial Power, and has disdain for Imperial In-laws. Before he resigned he had always contempt the Guo-jiang Manor. Now that he is back to position and also with big victory and accomplishments from the Northern Zhou battle. He will become a hero of the Southern Qi and will claim credit. Huang-shang wanted to bestow him the title of Wu-hou9 but he also is well deserving. In the court, naturally there were no objections among the civil and military officials. If he returned to the Imperial City and he knew of the Huang-shang’s plan, to rely on his military merits to alliance with the Imperial Clan, than the Guo-jiang Manor , I’m afraid will be at a real crisis. ”

“The Guo-jiang Manor is the support of the Empress Dowager and the Queen, it must not fall.” The Mo-Mo said immediately.

“It is.” The Empress Dowager sighed. “Otherwise, for so many years, I would not so painstaking support the Guo-jiang Manor. Only the Queen is disappointing, only given birth to three Princesses, not even able to give birth to one Prince. Not a chicken that knows how to lay eggs.”

The Mo-Mo also sighed.

The Empress Dowager said again, “It was a big mistake to choose her to enter the Palace. I thought she was a Di Daughter10 and should have the customs and aura of a Di Daughter. Most suitable for the Queen position, only to find out later that she was a easily jealous one, a person of extreme pettiness, following after the temper of her mother, unable to accept the consorts in the harem. In these years, gotten Huang-shang disgusted with her, not to mention making a mess in the Palace. All the Princes either died, became disabled, or sickly, not a good one left.”

Mo-Mo whispered, “I heard that the Crown Prince is sick again.”

The Empress Dowager snorted, “Imperial Consort Yue protects him too well, afraid of the wind, afraid of the rain, even afraid that the roof tiles on in the Palace would sudden fall and kill him, so he’s become disabled from the care, sick every three or five days, too weak. Like this, how can inherit the throne in the future? “

Mo-Mo was also worried, “The Crown Prince is even weaker than the Emperor during his age.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Huang-shang is my son, but the Crown Prince is not the son of the Queen. Although the Queen is a jealous person, but these years have been very respectful to me, so I am also can not bear her future to be a no good end. If the Crown Prince ascends the throne,” she snorts, “Imperial Consort Yue will go up with her son, nothing can be said of the future. ”

Mo-Mo heard this and look to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager looked at the entrance of the Palace. “Why hasn’t Xu Yun Chu enter the Palace yet?”

Mo-Mo tested for her reaction, “Perhaps there was some hold up? Would you like to send someone to hurry him?”

“Whatever, he probably also heard that Su Feng Nuan is a wild girl and don’t want to marry her. Everyone says that he is perfect, but he grew up in front of me, so I am understanding. He heart is very proud, his coldness and frost is more so than the plum blossoms. I don’t think it is a holdup, probably just not willing to enter the Palace to see the Su Feng Nuan, and delayed it. ”

Mo-Mo heard that and said, “Than…will you still have Yun Chu Gong-zi marry Lady Su?”

“To marry or not, is not to be decided in a short time. Seeing Su Feng Nuan today, the nonsense really is giving me a headache, I really need to go back to the Palace11 and think hard about it. Besides, didn’t Ye Xiang also not come? Although he is ridiculous, but the noble blood in his bones sets him to like beautiful woman that are gentle as water. He always runs off to the red powder floor isn’t that the case?” The Empress Dowager waved her hand, “Like this than, you send to deliver a message, tell Yun Chu that since there is something holding up today, than no need to enter the Palace today.”

” Yes.” The old Mo-Mo nodded.

The Empress Dowager’s Phoenix Carriage was back into the Ci’an Palace.

Out of the Palace, the Emperor took a glance, and saw that Su Feng Nuan’s face was relaxed and filled with a bright smile, he laughed, saying, “Little girl, today you offended the Empress Dowager, aren’t you afraid that the Empress Dowager would punish you?”

Su Feng Nuan blinked her eyes innocently. “Huang-shang12, when the Empress Dowager is unreasonable, can she still blame, push, and bully in the status of the Empress Dowager?”

The Emperor laughed.

Madam Su blinked. “Su Feng Nuan, you are too beyond description today.”

Su Feng Nuan turned her head and stuck out her tongue at Madam Su, saying nothing.

The Emperor laughed and sighed. “These ladies in the Southern Qi Imperial City are all as if carved out of a mold. No matter how beautiful, talented. After a long time, they are also tasteless. Back then, when Imperial Consort Yue entered the Palace, she too had a little temperament, I was happy with her temperament. Later, the Palace gradually grinded her temperament to almost nothing.” After a brief pause, he said to Madam Su, “This little girl of yours is excellent. Madam Su does not have to change her.”

Madam Su immediately said, “But the Imperial City is not like the outside, Feng Nuan this child, really cause people to worry. Today, offended the Empress Dowager, what if in the future she cause a major disaster, I only have such a daughter who I love dearly at the palm of my heart, what to do?”

The Emperor smiled at her, “Since you love her at the palm of your heart, naturally can’t bear her grievances. You can rest assured, for each day I am here13 I will protect that this little girl of your’s. I should be able to live for a few more years hopefully, after I’m gone she would be grown up already, married, her husband will naturally protect her.”

Madam Su was overjoyed, but also flattered and quickly knelt on the floor. “The Emperor’s great grace, your steward’s wife…”

The Emperor smiled and waved his hand, interrupting her words. “What are you doing? Get up. Back then, when you swore not to enter the Palace, I did not find trouble for you, and now I definitely would also not find trouble for your daughter. Protecting her, is not just for you, but because she is the Commander General’s daughter. The Commander General protects the family and defends the kingdom, and now reinstated, even though the Northern Zhou has retreat, I made up my mind this time I will no longer let him go. I need him, I will entrust him with important duties. ”

Madam Su slightly blushed, understanding the meaning of the Emperor’s words, and slowly stood up.

Su Feng Nuan glanced at the Emperor, and then glanced at Madam Su, thinking of her father in the border. Her smile widen until her eyebrows curved.