eurekapd Chapter 524 Summoned into the Palace
Chapter 524 Summoned into the Palace
Jiang breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad you're okay. Now that I see you're fine, I can finally feel at ease."
Song Yuntang smiled.
"The Song family's grandparents will return to Rongshu Village when Haoting turns one year old. By then, the courtyard will be quiet. Haoting's birthday is still some time away, so please be patient."
"Why are you saying all this? The yard is so big, no one can disturb each other, it won't matter if they stay a few more days." He yawned and said, "Hao Ting has already fallen asleep. I've asked the nanny in the kitchen to heat up some water for you. After you wash up, go to bed early."
Song Yuntang nodded quickly.
"Mom and Dad, go to bed. It's getting late."
The two responded and returned to the yard.
Although the elders of the Song family did not leave the yard, they were always paying attention to the movements outside. After hearing Xu Yongwang and his wife return to their room, they all went to sleep peacefully.
Song Yuntang returned to the main courtyard and went to the west wing to see his son first.
My son was still asleep before I left in the morning, and he was already asleep when I came back in the evening, which meant I hadn't seen him the whole day.
My son, who is almost ten months old, can already walk a distance with support. In another month or two, he should be able to walk without support.
Looking at her son's sleeping face, Song Yuntang felt quite emotional. In a blink of an eye, she had been a mother for ten months.
Looking back, the day I gave birth seems like it was just yesterday.
Jinshu lowered her voice outside and said, "Madam, the water is ready. Do you want to wash up now?"
Song Yuntang didn't say anything. He gathered the corners of the quilt for his son and tiptoed out of the house.
"Let's go."
……
The next day, the news that Madam Xu was the Princess of Le'an County spread like wildfire in the capital.
Many people said they had made a mistake.
I thought the first wife of the top scholar was an illiterate and vulgar country woman, but it turned out to be the female physician who cured the plague in Anyang County, the Princess of Le'an who was personally appointed by His Majesty!
Song Yuntang's several businesses in the capital were already doing well, and because of this incident, they became even more prosperous.
After her identity was revealed, more people came to visit her, and more families in Beijing invited her to major and minor events.
Out of curiosity, some people squatted outside Xu's house, wanting to see what the female doctor looked like.
There were also many ladies who came to see her for medical consultation.
After watching Song Yuntang cure the hidden illnesses of several ladies in succession, an uninvited guest arrived at his home.
The eunuch beside the emperor, Fan Chihai.
After entering, Eunuch Fan first bowed respectfully to Song Yuntang, then said in a shrill voice, "County Lady, His Majesty has summoned me to the palace. I beg you to accompany me."
Song Yuntang winked at Jinshu.
Then Jinshu took out a purse from his bosom and handed it towards Eunuch Fan.
"Eunuch Fan, I wonder why His Majesty summoned me?"
Fan Chihai took the opportunity to stuff the heavy purse in his hand into his sleeve, smiling happily.
He leaned closer to Song Yuntang and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear, "The late Queen passed away six months after giving birth to the prince. Your Majesty loved her son so much that, despite the objections of the Empress Dowager and the concubines, he personally raised the sickly eldest prince in the Yangxin Palace after taking time off from government affairs. Today, the County Lady was summoned to the palace for the eldest prince."
Song Yuntang understood.
Although the emperor has many concubines in his harem, he treats the former empress differently.
Otherwise, with so many palace maids and eunuchs, he wouldn't have to educate them personally.
"Please wait a moment, sir. I'll come right after I change my clothes."
On weekdays at home, she is either holding her children, fiddling with medicinal herbs, or planting flowers, growing herbs, and feeding fish. She is mostly relaxed and comfortable.
Since I'm going to the palace now, my clothes are too casual.
Fan Chihai nodded.
"Please come back soon, my lady. We are waiting for you in the front yard."
Song Yuntang nodded and led Jinshu back to the main courtyard first.
Seeing this, Jiang and Xu Yongwang, who were standing by, hurriedly invited Fan Chihai to sit in the main hall and asked someone to serve tea.
Although they were a little scared when it was their first time to come into contact with people from the palace, they did not show any fear at the critical moment.
When the elders of the Song family learned that someone had come from the palace, they did not dare to act as casually as before. They were worried that their mistakes would cause trouble for their children, so they stayed in the house and did not go out.
Song Yuntang changed his clothes as quickly as possible, asked Xia Ning to pick up the medicine box, and got on the palace carriage, following Fan Chihai to the palace.
After everyone left, Liu poked her head out of the yard holding the child, her face showing both curiosity and excitement.
"Mom, I never thought I would have the chance to meet such an important figure in the palace in my lifetime."
After her family knew that her sister-in-law was conferred the title of county lady, they had always wanted her to find a job for her brother.
Considering that Song Jinyuan and Song Yuntang had an average relationship, she discussed it with Song Jinyuan and felt that it was not feasible, so she did not bring it up, and only occasionally provided him with rice, flour, fish and meat.
Now that his brother-in-law has won the top spot in the imperial examination and is an official in Beijing, he has invited his family to stay with him for a while.
If I go back, my family will probably come looking for me again.
She couldn't help but think that it would be great if her family could buy a small courtyard in the capital to live in.
They can do some small business, or do odd jobs in Tang'er's shop. With her and her brother-in-law's support, their lives should not be too difficult.
Furthermore, my brother-in-law used to be a teacher.
When my son grows up a little, I can let him show up in front of my brother-in-law more often and learn more from him.
But she is not in charge of the family’s money.
It may not be easy to convince my family to buy a yard in Beijing.
Maybe after Tang'er comes back, I can talk to her first to find out.
If she was unwilling to be separated from her family for a long time, she might help her persuade her parents and two brothers.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Liu's face.
She gently pinched her son's face, hugged him happily, turned around and went back to the room.
……
Generally speaking, carriages are not allowed into the palace.
The carriage that Song Yuntang was riding in was no exception.
She got off the carriage at the palace gate and led Xia Ning, Jin Shu and Fan Chihai to the Yangxin Palace.
Fan Chihai was not only the chief eunuch, but also a favorite of the emperor. When the palace maids and eunuchs saw him, they had to salute him respectfully, and the concubines also had to give him some face.
So the journey was extremely smooth.
When everyone saw Fan Chihai leading the Princess of Le'an to the Yangxin Palace, they knew why without much thought.
The late Queen and His Majesty were deeply in love with each other. The eldest prince was the only thought the late Queen left him. Although he was weak and sickly since childhood, he was also a kind and intelligent child.
If it weren't for my poor health, I would have been appointed Crown Prince by Your Majesty long ago.
At this moment, Princess Le'an has entered the palace.
It must be someone invited by His Majesty to treat the eldest prince.
But the eldest prince's illness was acquired from his mother's womb. Even with so many doctors working together in the Imperial Medical Bureau, they were helpless against his illness. How could a girl in her teens cure it alone?
But this action was tantamount to sounding a wake-up call to the concubines in the palace.
Originally, the eldest prince was ill and the position of crown prince was vacant. Everyone had a chance. If the eldest prince was really cured, the other princes would face crisis.
……