Remarrying Chun Yuan

Chapter 205 Banning

"This is what they call being too clever for one's own good. When the benefits are big enough, they will find reasons to make all the unreasonable things seem reasonable. And they become overly arrogant," Yuan Cuo remarked earnestly.

"The key is that the rumor you made up is something most people wouldn't think of." Liu Yuechu was puzzled. How could he casually say that "Yuwen Chan wants to marry Princess Fuyao"?

Yuan Cuo touched his nose. Of course he wanted the rumor to come true. What man would want his wife to be constantly coveted by others? But even if it didn't, he wouldn't suffer any loss.

Liu Yuechu didn't care much about what others thought. In any case, the Liu family had gained a foothold through this incident. Now, the Imperial Household Department knew that the Liu family was tied to the Mongol Kingdom, and no one else could replace them.

Before leaving, Yuwen Chan left behind two Mongolian grooms to help train the Liu family's horse farm.

The premise was that Yuan Cuo secretly provided him with goods from the states of Yan and Chu, something the Qi royal family was unaware of.

Liu Yuechu was overjoyed, thinking she could earn more money at home. She had been busy for quite some time and just wanted to take a break.

"Your Majesty, news has arrived from the palace. The Empress has summoned you to the palace tomorrow. She didn't say what it was about, but the messenger said it was good news." Huajiao entered from outside and handed her the invitation sent by the palace servants.

Liu Yuechu was quite surprised. The Empress?

The person who usually sought her out was Fang Ziqing, but she never expected that even the Empress would be alarmed.

Thinking back to the Empress's previous attitude, her excitement subsided. "Are we going or not?" she asked Yuan Cuo.

Yuan Cuo, however, insisted that she agree, saying, "Why not go for something good? Go."

"I'm afraid..."

"There's nothing to be afraid of. As long as it's beneficial, we'll accept it without hesitation."

Hearing Yuan Cuo say this, Liu Yuechu stopped thinking about refusing.

She had Huajiao find Granny Fang. Of course, one cannot go to the palace to see the Empress empty-handed; one should at least prepare something presentable from the Liu family's business.

“You know her preferences, so just prepare accordingly. You don’t need to worry about the budget. Anyway, everyone in the capital says I’m a nouveau riche who has nothing but money.” She was very self-aware.

Granny Fang smiled broadly. "Her Majesty the Empress knows your mother and has praised her many times. If she intends to win her over, she will naturally bring it up. Why don't you recall your past with Madam, so you won't be clueless when asked tomorrow?"

Liu Yuechu was stunned. She thought about it carefully, but she really couldn't recall many moments with her mother.

That was so long ago...

"I'd better just scold my father for never coming back and pretend to be aggrieved. As for my mother, apart from the things she left behind, I really know nothing."

"Why don't you tell me about it when you're done, Granny?"

Granny Fang was speechless, then felt a pang of heartache.

Liu Yuechu had indeed lost her mother at a young age and had to work hard to support her family. She could only nod in agreement. After finishing her work, she returned to Yuanchu Pavilion and recounted in detail the past of Liu Yuechu's mother, Qiao Yan.

The next morning, Liu Yuechu dressed up carefully and went to the palace with Granny Fang.

This time, she was summoned directly by the Empress. As soon as she arrived at the palace gate, someone came to greet her. She didn't have to wait long before being taken directly to the Empress's Fukang Palace.

At this time, the concubines were still there paying their respects and had not yet left.

Consort Gui, Consort De, Consort Xian, and others, including Consort Wan, did not leave.

When an announcement was made outside that "Liu Yuechu has come to see me," the concubines inside the palace were immediately taken aback. None of them knew that the Empress had summoned Liu Yuechu today. Some were happy, some were worried, and some, like Consort Wan, who had grudges against her in the past, felt a surge of resentment and dissatisfaction.

The Empress nodded slightly. "Since you're here, please come in. You're not an outsider."

"Ziqing is familiar with her, go and greet her."

She specifically requested Fang Ziqing, who, though surprised, immediately accepted the order and went to do so.

The Empress's attitude puzzled everyone. Liu Yuechu was just a sixth-rank official's wife at most. Why should the Crown Prince's concubine personally go to greet her?

Consort Yu was scolded by Emperor Qi Xiao and complained about by her son because of Princess Fuyao. When she saw the Empress praising Liu Yuechu, she felt even more that it was like stabbing a thorn into her heart.

"Her Majesty the Empress's grace is boundless; now even the Liu family is being elevated." Consort Yu said in a delicate and weak tone, her words sarcastic.

The Empress simply smiled calmly, “She has rendered meritorious service to His Majesty, so I should reward her. What’s wrong with that? A delicate woman can not only support a family, but also repair the broken relationship between the Qi and Meng countries. Even I admire her.”

Consort Yu's hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, but she could still manage a smile. "Your Majesty the Empress is right. The leader of the Meng Kingdom originally intended to marry her, but unfortunately, Liu Yuechu married someone else first, which was a waste of a good match."

"So, for women, regardless of birth, intelligence is paramount. Otherwise, no matter how high a position one holds, one will still be despised for being immoral and incompetent. Don't you agree, Consort Yu?" The Empress had been in the palace for many years, and when it came to being sarcastic and eccentric, no one could compare to her.

Consort Yu was so angry that her face turned green.

Who could fail to hear that the Empress was criticizing Princess Fuyao for being immoral, incompetent, and disliked?

But she couldn't afford to be criticized for this, as it had indeed been a disgraceful affair. If her son and daughter hadn't successively lost favor, Consort Yu wouldn't have bothered to come out in public; she would have preferred to be imprisoned in the palace by Emperor Qi Xiao to reflect on her actions!

The two principal wives of the harem were clashing, while the other concubines could only pretend to be deaf and dumb.

At this moment, Fang Ziqing had already seen Liu Yuechu and welcomed her into the inner hall.

Unfortunately, there were too many eyes watching, so Fang Ziqing couldn't give Liu Yuechu a few words of advice first.

Liu Yuechu entered the inner hall and immediately began to kowtow.

She hadn't expected all the concubines and empresses to be there, and could only marvel at how well Fang Mama had prepared, bringing just the right amount of gifts.

The Empress smiled and told her to get up, "Get up quickly and let me see this beautiful lady. She has actually done such a great thing for the Great Qi."

Liu Yuechu hadn't expected to be praised like this. But she wasn't modest at all. She smiled, looked up, and immediately offered her gift.

"...These are all little trinkets from the Liu family; I hope the ladies won't find them offensive."

She didn't hit the person who gave her the gift; she refused to believe that these things couldn't shut up the mouths of such filthy people.

The Empress did not expect that she would bring four boxes of gifts from the Liu family upon her arrival.

After all, the concubines were all there, so the Empress naturally let them divide it up.

"You may thank Lady Liu later. I am here on behalf of His Majesty to grant Lady Liu a reward."

The moment the word "reward" was uttered, everyone was stunned.

The Empress hadn't said this before; it was actually Emperor Qi Xiao's idea?

Liu Yuechu hadn't expected that Emperor Qi Xiao had always looked down on her because of her humble origins.

The Empress summoned the eunuch and issued an imperial edict.

Liu Yuechu and all the concubines knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

After rambling on and on, he bestowed upon Liu Yuechu the title of "Yiren" (meaning "pleasant and agreeable").

This title was supposed to be reserved for the wife of a fifth-rank official, but it was given to Liu Yuechu.