The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 536

Chapter 536: 268 Mother and Son (First Round)

"Your auntie? Is your auntie in the palace?" Qin Chuyu asked.

Xiao Jingkong nodded, "Yes! I just saw her! They said she lives in the Imperial Palace!"

Qin Chuyu was puzzled.

Living in the Imperial Palace? The ones who truly live in the palace are the royal family, like the Empress Dowager, the empresses, concubines, and their royal children. However, there are many palace maids in the Imperial Palace. Perhaps, one of them is his little friend’s auntie?

"What is your auntie’s name?" Qin Chuyu asked.

"My auntie’s name is... is..." It took Xiao Jingkong a while to remember that he didn’t know his auntie’s name, "I don’t know!"

"This..." Qin Chuyu sighed, "It will be very difficult to find her if you don’t know her name. There are more people in the Imperial Palace than students in the Guozijian."

Xiao Jingkong pondered for a moment, a sudden flash of light in his mind, "They call her the Empress Dowager!"

"Choke!" Qin Chuyu choked, "Empress Dowager? Your auntie is the Empress Dowager? Are you part of the Zhuang family?"

Xiao Jingkong thought for a moment and answered seriously: "I am a farmer in the countryside, but now we have moved to the Capital City and no longer farm, so I guess I can’t be considered a farmer anymore."

Qin Chuyu: What does this have to do with farming? Why are you not a member of the Zhuang family once you moved to the Capital City? Can you just change that?

The two children chatted at cross purposes for a while and Qin Chuyu still couldn’t figure out whether Xiao Jingkong was a member of the Zhuang family or not.

He was only eight years old. He was knowledgeable yet ignorant. But he did know that his mother and Concubine Zhuang were on bad terms.

Qin Chuyu said seriously, "If you are part of the Zhuang family, then I cannot play with you in the future."

Xiao Jingkong widened his eyes and said, "But I am not a farmer anymore! You can play with me!"

"Um, okay then," He was quite reluctant to part with his little friend, "But I can’t take you into the palace today. My sister-in-law has been ill recently, and my brother is not in a good mood. If I bring a friend into the palace, it would upset him. So, wait for a couple of days, and I will definitely take you into the palace."

Xiao Jingkong: ... I have no other choice then.

Empress Dowager Zhuang returned to the Renshou Palace after an absence of more than a year.

Everything in the Renshou Palace remained the same, even the palace maids were still the same ones when she left.

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s high-profile return to the palace without notifying the emperor beforehand was indeed a "surprise" to him!

Empress Dowager Zhuang sat on the Phoenix throne at the top of the main hall’s steps, dressed in a dark red robe embroidered with golden phoenix patterns. She wore a golden phoenix crown and looked dignified and elegant, yet commanding and forceful.

The emperor stood on the marble floor in front of her, his face filled with respect and filial piety: "The Empress Dowager’s health is indeed the country’s blessing."

A lukewarm look on Empress Dowager Zhuang’s face gave the emperor a once-over, saying indifferently: "As long as the emperor understands."

The emperor’s eyes flickered as he smiled at Empress Dowager Zhuang and said: "The journey from the villa is long, and the Empress Dowager must have been exhausted. I have brought Imperial Physician Liang to take your pulse. Imperial Physician Liang!"

"At your service!" The fifty-year-old Imperial Physician Liang walked forward with his medical kit, bowed, and kowtowed to Empress Dowager Zhuang, "Long live the Empress Dowager, long live, long live!"

Empress Dowager Zhuang scoffed, extended her hand, and said nonchalantly: "The emperor is thoughtful, so let me accept his good intentions."

The emperor signaled to Imperial Physician Liang to take Empress Dowager Zhuang’s pulse.

Imperial Physician Liang crawled up to Empress Dowager Zhuang’s feet, placed his medical kit on the ground, opened it, took out a clean silk cloth and put it on the Empress Dowager’s wrist. Then he took her pulse over the cloth.

Empress Dowager Zhuang smiled faintly at him: "Imperial Physician Liang, how is my pulse?"

Imperial Physician Liang withdrew his hand, folded the silk cloth neatly, and replied respectfully: "The Empress Dowager’s pulse is steady, and seems to be healthier than before by at least a third."

The corners of the emperor’s eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s lips curled up slightly: "Is the emperor disappointed?"

The emperor quickly replied: "How could that be? I’ve always hoped that the Empress Dowager will recover soon, stay safe and live a long life."

Empress Dowager Zhuang sneered: "With the emperor’s blessings, I will surely live a long life. I still want to see Zhan Country grow stronger, ensure that the people are well-fed and clothed, and bring peace and prosperity to the world."

The emperor’s hand hidden under his wide sleeve clenched into a fist.

Empress Dowager Zhuang laughed: "The Empress Dowager already understands the emperor’s filial piety. If there is nothing else, the emperor can leave now. He must be very busy without me."

These words contain a profound meaning. What was the emperor busy with? Was he busy handling state affairs or trying to cut off the Empress Dowager’s supporters? No one knew.

The emperor replied: "I will take my leave now. The Empress Dowager should take care of herself. I will come to visit another day."

"No need," Empress Dowager Zhuang said.

Impossible, only Yan Country could cure leprosy. _{ƒreewebηoveℓ.com}