Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 238

The next day.

After paying his respects in the morning, Xie Jiu hurriedly returned to Jingming Palace.

Today is the day my sister-in-law, Madam Fan, is bringing her child to the palace. Xie Jiu has already ordered Qingfang to guard and welcome them.

Fortunately, it didn't take long before Qingfang's voice came from the courtyard.

"Your Highness, the Madam, Miss, and Young Master have arrived!"

"Quick, please come in!" Xie Jiu immediately stood up and walked quickly to the door. "It must be terribly hot outside."

Outside the door, Madam Fan, leading her son and daughter, was also smiling as she walked in. Upon seeing Xie Jiu, she immediately pulled her children to bow.

"This humble woman greets Consort Jin."

"Sister-in-law, don't be so polite." Xie Jiu waved her hand, then bent down and looked tenderly at her two nephews, "You've both grown so big, come here and let your aunt take a good look at you!"

After speaking, she reached out her hand. Her younger niece was a bit shy, but her younger nephew was bold and daring. Seeing that his aunt was as beautiful as a fairy, he eagerly went over and took Xie Jiu's hand, saying sweetly.

"Auntie, Auntie is so beautiful!"

"Little guy, you really know how to make people happy." Xie Jiu reached out and gently pinched the tip of his nose. "Xu'er, have you been studying yet?"

Xie Yuanxu shook his little head, looking proud. "I've read it! I know so many words now, and I can even recite poems: 'The courtyard is white, the trees are perched with crows, the cold dew silently wets the osmanthus blossoms, tonight the moon is bright, everyone gazes at it, but I wonder whose heart is filled with autumn thoughts!'"

It happens to be a poem describing the Mid-Autumn Festival moon, but it is inevitably somewhat lonely and melancholic.

Fearing that her son might unintentionally stir up Xie Jiu's sorrow, Madam Fan immediately stepped forward and said, "You rascal, so you've been memorizing a few lines of poetry these past two days just to impress your aunt today?"

Xie Yuanxu chuckled, blushed, scratched his head, and hid behind his sister in embarrassment.

"It's a good thing that the child is smart." Xie Jiu wasn't so sentimental; now that they had seen their family, they were happy.

As she spoke, she took a few steps closer, took her niece's little hand, and said, "Min'er has grown into a beautiful young woman. Do you like the jewelry and fabric that your aunt picked out for you earlier?"

"I like it." Xie Yuanmin's cheeks flushed slightly. She looked up and carefully examined Xie Jiu for a while, then suddenly whispered, "Some people in the manor said that my aunt and I look a bit alike. But after seeing you today, I think we don't look alike at all. My aunt is prettier."

The child was young. Xie Jiu had met him before she got married, but they hadn't seen each other for several years and she didn't remember him at all.

However, it is true that he bears some resemblance to Xie Jiu.

Chunrong and Qingfang, who were standing nearby, came over to take a look and nodded in agreement.

“It really is! These eyes look just like the Empress’s, and the ears and chin are also somewhat similar!” Chunrong said.

Madam Fan smiled and said, "Your Majesty's eyes are just like your husband's, they both resemble their mother-in-law. This child's eyes are the same, so it's natural that they look alike. There's a saying that a nephew resembles his uncle and a niece resembles her aunt, so it's true."

Blood ties are so subtle. Just by listening to these words and looking into Xie Yuanmin's eyes, which were just like his own, Xie Jiu felt a sense of closeness.

It was as if her niece was also her own daughter. "What about me? Do I look like my aunt?" Xie Yuanxu poked her little head out and asked, her eyes round and bright. "I'm pretty too, right?"

Xie Jiu had just felt a little sad when her nephew completely ruined it, so she immediately laughed and reached out to rub his little head.

"Yes, Xu'er is beautiful too, we are all beautiful!"

The little boy puffed out his chest with satisfaction after receiving the praise, looking incredibly proud.

After saying these few words, the children couldn't stay in the main hall any longer. It just so happened that Princess Wenxi wasn't going to school today; she only had needlework lessons in the morning and would be back soon. So Xie Jiu asked Qingfang to take the two Xie family children to the side hall to play with Princess Wenxi.

Xie Jiu and Madam Fan then sat down and had a proper conversation.

"How has your work been lately, brother? The Emperor hasn't mentioned him much in front of me. The autumn imperial examinations are just around the corner after the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's the first time the Emperor has held these examinations to select talent, so we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes," Xie Jiu asked worriedly.

Madam Fan's expression became slightly more serious. "Your Majesty, rest assured, he is very cautious in these matters and will not make any mistakes. As Your Majesty is still favored in the palace, no one in the court dares to make things difficult for him. However, since the matter that my father-in-law committed was not minor, there will still be some people who occasionally say a few sarcastic remarks, but there is no need to care."

Xie Mingshen had initially raised a private army on his estate in the suburbs of Beijing, intending to help his grandson seize the throne after Xie Jiu gave birth to a prince. He thought he could slowly accumulate the army and hold an elite force hidden in the suburbs of Beijing, which would be a powerful weapon in a critical moment. However, he did not expect that the plan would fail so soon.

However, his confession of this idea was quite surprising. His ambitions were truly far-reaching and reckless. The emperor was still so young, yet he wanted to support his grandson, who was not yet alive, to ascend the throne.

Keeping him around would only bring immense trouble.

Furthermore, the secret room in Xie Mingshen's study that Yang told Xie Jiu about before she died was actually a secret passage leading directly from his study to the outside of the city. It took an unknown amount of effort to dig it out, for the purpose of escaping.

Now, this secret passage has been destroyed.

However, as Fan said, there will still be some people who cricket.

“There’s really no need to pay them any attention. These kinds of people are either resentful or jealous. Brother and sister-in-law can just ignore them. As long as you act uprightly and prudently, there will be no problem. I will also handle things in the palace,” Xie Jiu said in a deep voice.

Lady Fan sighed, "Your Majesty is thinking of us. When I came here, my husband repeatedly told me to remind Your Majesty to be careful in the palace and to prioritize your own safety in everything you do!"

Hearing this, Xie Jiu felt a lump in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears.

Few people would say such things to her sincerely anymore.

"Your Majesty," Madam Fan said, her voice softening as she saw her distress. "When I married into the Xie family, Your Majesty was so bright and cheerful. Now I hope Your Majesty can feel a little lighter. Your Majesty doesn't need to worry so much about the household. In the past, my husband and I couldn't make decisions at home, which made things difficult for you. Now that we have a voice, we can be more generous and naturally treat Your Majesty like a little sister."

As she spoke, Xie Jiu's tears fell in a few drops. She hurriedly wiped them away, and then choked back tears as she grasped Fan Shi's hand.

"Sister-in-law, now you are my only family in this world."

Madam Fan remained silent, but her eyes were slightly reddened, and she gently grasped Madam Fan's hand in return.

In contrast to the relaxed and warm atmosphere here, Wei Jieyu was not in such a relaxed mood after seeing her mother, Madam Feng, in the Hidden Plum Pavilion of Zhongcui Palace.

“It’s not that I want to criticize you, Yingyi, but you entered the palace as a Jieyu, and even now, after all this time, you’re still just a Jieyu. Xie, who entered the palace later than you, is already a Pin. And look at those from the same batch: Consort Sun gave birth to the Fifth Prince, Consort Chen is pregnant and about to give birth, and Liu, who lived with you, has also been promoted and has some favor. But what about you? You have nothing!”

Madam Feng held Wei Jieyu's hand anxiously and worriedly, her brows furrowed.