I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 155 Entering the Palace
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the old lady of the Duke of Wei opened her eyes, instructed people to wash and change her clothes, and then sat back on the soft pillows to rest.

At Chenshi (7-9 AM), Madam An brought her son to Shou'an Hall to pay her respects. The old lady of the Duke of Wei took off the Buddhist prayer beads from her wrist, took her chubby grandson from the wet nurse, and held him in her arms with a loving smile.

"I heard from the old nanny that the old lady woke up before dawn. Is she feeling unwell?" Madam An asked with concern. "Should I send someone to invite a doctor to the mansion?"

The old lady of the Duke of Wei shook her head as she played with her grandson, "It's just that she's old and can't sleep, there's no need to make a fuss about it."

Madam An agreed, spent some time playing with her son with the old lady, and then served her breakfast.

"Why don't you sit down and have something to eat?"

"Yes," Madam An placed a bowl of lotus seed and lily porridge in front of the old lady, then picked up a few freshly pickled side dishes before sitting down to eat.

Before the meal was even finished, Granny An came in to report, "Madam, someone from the palace has arrived."

"Please come in quickly!" The old lady of the Duke of Wei took the handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and personally went to the door to greet her.

The eunuch who came to deliver the message didn't exchange pleasantries; he simply conveyed the Empress Dowager's decree, gave the pass to enter the palace, and left.

Madam An personally helped the old lady put on her official robes, arranged for a carriage to be prepared, and personally escorted the old lady of the Duke of Wei to the gate before returning to her own courtyard to handle household affairs.

The Duke's carriage stopped in front of the palace gate. The old lady of the Duke of Wei, with the help of her nanny, got off the carriage and sat in the sedan chair that was already waiting there. They went to Cining Palace. After entering the palace, she knelt on the shiny gold bricks and respectfully kowtowed, "Your subject, An, greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

"No need for formalities," the Empress Dowager said kindly. "Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Queen Mother."

A palace maid brought over a brocade stool and helped the old lady of the Duke of Wei to sit down.

"How has the old lady of the Duke of Wei been doing?" the Empress Dowager asked with a smile, chatting casually.

The old lady of the Duke of Wei said respectfully, "Thanks to the Empress Dowager's good fortune, I am still in good health. Now all the affairs of the household are handled by the old lady of the Duke of Wei, and I am able to enjoy my old age in peace."

The Empress Dowager twirled her prayer beads. “Like you, I have the Empress managing all the affairs of the palace. My only worry is about my grandchildren.”

Lady Wei's heart skipped a beat, and sure enough, the Empress Dowager continued, "Speaking of grandchildren, I remember that Lady Wei also has grandchildren who are not yet married, right?"

"Your Majesty has a good memory," said the old lady of the Duke of Wei, carefully considering her words. "My granddaughter and eldest grandson are not yet married."

"It doesn't matter when a man gets married, but a woman's marriage cannot be delayed. I wonder if the youngest granddaughter of the Duke of Wei's wife is married?"

"Not yet married."

"Perfect timing, I have someone in mind," the Empress Dowager said, lowering her eyes. "What does the old lady of the Duke of Wei think of the Prince of Wei?"

"King of Wei?"

Granny Zhu explained, "His Majesty conferred the title of Prince of Wei upon the Second Prince this morning."

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" The old lady of the Duke of Wei knelt down tremblingly. "What virtue or ability does Tang Wan possess to marry His Highness the Prince of Wei?"

"Tang Wan grew up by her mother's side and has picked up many of her mother's bad habits. I have not been able to completely correct them even now," the old lady of the Duke of Wei said bluntly. "Marriage between two families is to form a good alliance. I would never dare to marry a Tang woman with such bad character into the royal family."

After hearing the old lady of the Duke of Wei's merciless condemnation of Tang Wan, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a long time before saying, "It's alright, she's just a concubine."

"I will send a ceremonial maid to attend to him and discipline his words and deeds, so as not to damage the face of the royal family."

"But the late Emperor..." The Empress Dowager interrupted the old lady of the Duke of Wei, "The late Emperor was worried that Tang Wan would be led astray by her birth mother, so he asked the old lady of the Duke of Wei to teach her. I have thought about it and decided to register Tang Wan under the name of the old lady of the Duke of Wei."

"August 23rd is an auspicious day. I have already issued an edict to the Prince of Wei to prepare to take Consort Tang into his residence."

Knowing that the Empress Dowager's mind was made up and there was no room for negotiation, the old lady of the Duke of Wei could only kowtow and obey the decree.

Granny Zhu personally saw the old lady of the Duke of Wei off, saying, "Old lady, you are so blessed. All three of your granddaughters have married into the royal family. The Duke of Wei's mansion is truly blessed by the emperor!"

The old lady of the Duke of Wei forced a smile, "The Emperor's grace is boundless, and my family is overjoyed and moved to tears."

Granny Zhu nodded in satisfaction and only returned to report after the old lady of the Duke of Wei had boarded the sedan chair.

"This old servant observes that the Dowager Lady of the Duke of Wei is not very willing."

"Whether or not one is willing is not up to a mere subject to decide."

An anger rose in the Empress Dowager's heart. Did she want her grandson to take such a woman as a concubine? It was only because of the political situation that she had no choice but to do so.

Granny Zhu sighed. The old lady of the Duke of Wei was also ungrateful. Look how angry she made the Empress Dowager. She directly demoted her from a concubine to a secondary concubine.

This one word difference can make all the difference in status!
After putting her son to sleep, Madam An met with the head maid who was in charge of the Buddhist hall. "Are those two wretched mother and daughter behaving themselves?"

"Behave yourself," the head maid said with a fawning smile. "Every day at dawn, I get up to copy Buddhist scriptures in the morning and the Four Books and Five Classics in the afternoon, and then go to bed at 9 p.m. I have been doing this every day since I entered the Buddhist hall, without ever stopping."

Madam An heard the head maid say the same thing every day, yet she never seemed to tire of it, and continued to ask, "Is it possible to have private dealings with others or to pass things between them?"

As usual, the head maid answered daily, "This old servant has led the guards to keep a tight watch on the entire Buddhist hall, not even a fly can get in or out."

"Keep a close eye on those two sluts for me," Madam An exhaled and smiled with satisfaction. "I won't treat you badly."

The head maid took the silver pouch handed over by Zhao Mama with great joy, and seeing that Zhao Mama had something to say, she tactfully took her leave.

"Madam, the Old Madam has returned to the manor and sent someone to summon you for a meeting!"

Upon hearing this, Madam An hurriedly went to Shouning Hall.

Lady Wei changed out of her heavy official robes and into light everyday clothes. She drank a bowl of red date and ginseng chicken soup to fill her stomach, and leaned against the soft pillows for a long time before feeling her discomfort gradually subside.

"Mother," Madam An said as she entered and sat down at the bottom of the table. "What brings you here to discuss with your daughter-in-law?"

“Bring Tang Wan out of the Buddhist hall,” the old lady said in a hoarse voice. “Send someone to the clan to ask the elders to revise the family genealogy and register Tang Wan under your name.”

Madam An was taken aback. Before she could ask anything, the old lady continued, "Prepare a dowry and send Tang Wan to the Prince of Wei's residence on the 23rd of August."

Before Lady An could even protest, she instinctively asked, "Who is the King of Wei?"

"Second prince."

Like a thunderclap exploding in her ears, An Shi was stunned and dizzy. She no longer cared about the old lady wanting to register Tang Wan under her name; all she wanted was to avenge her daughter's injustice.

"Mother, Ming'er is the Crown Prince's concubine! How can Ming'er maintain her position in the Crown Prince's residence if you do this?!"

Because of the Duke's expedition to the southwest, Ming'er has only regained the Crown Prince's favor! Once the Duke of Wei's mansion sends his daughter to the Prince of Wei's mansion, Madam An simply cannot imagine what kind of situation her daughter will end up in!