Do You Know?: Rule the World

Empress Cao's eyes flashed with admiration. "Very good. Reading can make people wise and understand the changes of the past and present."

"What's needed in a woman is both moral integrity and talent. Your grandmother, with her upbringing, must have understood this well."

Hua Lan wore a proper smile and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty is right. My grandmother always taught me that a woman should live a life of integrity, with virtue like the pine and cypress trees, and talent like the orchid. Only then can she live a life that is worthy of her time."

After these words were spoken, Empress Cao's eyes changed again when she looked at Hualan.

"If I remember correctly, your grandfather is the old Grand Tutor Wang You?" Zhao Zhen asked casually, but a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Hua Lan immediately straightened her body and tightened her fingers slightly under her Xiangfei-colored sleeves.

"Going back to your Highness, Old Master Wang is my wife's grandfather."

Zhao Zhen looked far away and nodded, saying, "When Old Grand Tutor Wang was lecturing at the Imperial Lecture, I still remember his discussion of the importance of virtuous character, saying that the virtue of a ruler is like the heaven, encompassing all things. Thinking about it now still makes me feel deeply moved."

Hua Lan said calmly, "It's a pity that I am so stupid and dull that I haven't been able to learn even a little bit from my grandfather."

"Don't be modest. It's already great for a woman to be like you."

"When I was your age, I was probably not as good as you."

Empress Cao had curved eyebrows and eyes, and wore a lake blue woven flowered jacket with wide sleeves. The pearls hanging from the phoenix crown swayed gently with her movements.

Hearing this, Hua Lan hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, please be humble to me. I only know a few words, how dare I be compared to you."

"Sit down quickly. No need to be so polite."

Seeing that the three of them were chatting happily, Zhao Han suddenly felt that he seemed a little redundant.

He coughed twice and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am still here."

"Oh my! If you hadn't said anything, we would have almost forgotten about you."

Empress Cao set her eyes on Zhao Han and couldn't help but teasing him.

Zhao Zhen chuckled twice, "Hui Rou has been pestering me recently. I want to give you a thank you gift."

Zhao Han quickly bowed and said, "It's just a few words. Your Highness is very polite."

"Just a few words from you made me change my mind." Zhao Zhen sighed softly.

She had already handed Huirou's marriage over to the Queen, to prevent the future prince consort she chose from not being to her liking.

Then, he instructed Zhao Han to go to the plum garden to pick red plums.

Empress Cao took Hualan into the side hall, kneading the dough while whispering to herself.

At three quarters past noon, a wave of hot air with a sweet fragrance filled the hall. The pastry crust was golden, and the bright red plum blossom pastry inside could be vaguely seen freshly baked.

Zhao Zhen couldn't wait to take a bite. The sweetness of the plum blossoms mixed with the mellowness of honey melted in his mouth.

He immediately narrowed his eyes and said, "The Queen's craftsmanship is really getting better and better."

Queen Cao smiled slightly, her eyes moving.

After everyone had finished tasting the food, she ordered the palace maid to bring a pair of jade bracelets that were the color of fat and shone with a warm and lustrous glow.

"This was my dowry from my wedding."

After saying this, Empress Cao took Hualan's slender wrist, gently put the jade bracelet on it, and said in a gentle voice: "This jade is very nourishing. It feels warm to the touch in winter and cool and pleasant in summer."

"Your Majesty... This is too precious. I feel unworthy to accept it..."

Hua Lan knew at a glance that this item was worth a lot of money.

After all, she had been with the old lady for many years and had never seen a jade bracelet of such quality.

"No problem. I get along very well with you today. If you have time in the future, please come to the palace more often and talk to me."

Seeing Hualan was about to refuse, Empress Cao feigned displeasure and pursed her lips: "If you refuse, it means you despise my feelings."

"This...I dare not." Hua Lan frowned and had to accept it with embarrassment.

On the carriage back home.

Looking at the jade bracelet on her wrist that made clear sounds from time to time, Hua Lan felt a little dazed for a moment.

"What's wrong with Hua'er?" Zhao Han asked in a gentle voice.

Hua Lan shook her head and smiled, "It's just that the Empress is very different from what I imagined. I never thought she would be so kind and without any royal dignity at all."

"And I can actually receive the Queen's reward."

Zhao Han smiled gently and nodded on her head.

"Hua'er is intelligent, well-mannered, and well-mannered. It's only natural that she has won the favor of the Empress today."

Hua Lan leaned her head into his arms and muttered, "It's because of you, my lord, that I have the opportunity to show off in front of the Empress."

"When we get home later, I'll ask Mother Wei to tell my mother so she can be happy too."

Chapter 81 Jinmingchi Polo Club

The emperor's feet were the most informed, and the news that Zhao Han brought his family into the palace and was rewarded by the empress spread quickly.

At the foot of the imperial city, the atmosphere in Prince Yan’s Mansion was solemn and murderous.

After hearing this news, Prince Yan, who had been worried for many days, could no longer contain himself.

Even if a foreign official has some talents, the government's emphasis on him is a bit too much.

He trained his troops when he wanted, and even allocated funds from the treasury...

The more Prince Yan thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong, and his uneasiness grew stronger.

He immediately called over several of his subordinates in tight uniforms and said in a deep voice, "Hurry and head to Yangzhou!"

"We must thoroughly investigate Zhao Han's background, from his three generations of ancestors to the servants in his mansion."

"Don't leave any one behind!"

After receiving the order, the subordinates quickly disappeared from Prince Yan's Mansion.

Prince Yan looked towards the Imperial City, clenched his fists, and said to himself, "Zhao Han... I want to see who you are..."

As for Prince Yong, he has been summoned to the palace frequently by the emperor in recent days, either to discuss government affairs in the Chuigong Hall or to drink tea and discuss philosophy in the Funing Hall.

He would always leave in a hurry when the palace gates were about to close.

Prince Yong thought that the position of crown prince was already in his pocket.

In his eyes, Zhao Han was just a minister who would have to bow down to him in the future.

Today, in Shengfu, Shou'an Hall.

Sheng Hong was in high spirits, and the corners of his mouth could not help but rise, as his son-in-law was only slightly in power.

Many colleagues smelled the scent and gathered around him, saying whatever he wanted to say, which was very different from their behavior a few days ago.

Moreover, the training of the Cavalry Battalion is in full swing now, and even the Duke of England is confident that this will be successful.

Sheng Hong was so happy about this change.

Wang Ruofu naturally had the same smile on her face.

She looked at the old lady and saw that the atmosphere was just right. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Mother, Hua'er told me a few days ago that she wanted to find a concubine for Han'er to live in."

It has been nearly half a year since Hualan and Zhao Han got married, but there is still no concubine or maid in the harem.

Those gossipers might make up stories behind your back.

As Zhao Han gets promoted in the future, not only will he take a concubine, but his colleagues will also find ways to get people into his house.

Rather than letting outsiders take advantage of the situation, it would be better for her, the mother-in-law, to choose an honest person and send him over.

It can preserve Hualan's reputation without shaking the position of the main wife.

Then Wang Ruofu said, "My sister's family has a concubine's daughter named Kang Huier, who is very good-looking and has a very good temperament."

"I know Mother has never been fond of my sister, but this time she really means well."

"When she heard that Hua'er was going to take care of this, she immediately called several concubines who had reached marriageable age to come to me."

After these words were spoken, Sheng Hong and the old lady looked at each other, and the smiles on their faces disappeared.

Minglan, who was learning needlework from Fang Mama on the side, smelled that something was wrong with the atmosphere in the hall and left without a trace.

Wang Ruofu was not good at observing people's expressions. Seeing that the old lady and Sheng Hong were silent, she just assumed that they were considering the matter.

Then he added impatiently, "My sister said that her concubine's daughter would never dare to go past Hua'er even if she had ten courages."

"Even if I can just be a maidservant without any official title, that's fine."

Hearing the word Kang family, Sheng Hong frowned unhappily.

However, it was inconvenient for him to get involved too much in such matters in the rear house, so he could only look sideways at the old lady.

The old lady placed the Buddhist beads in her hand on the table with a clang, and said in a deep voice: "You can take a concubine, but not a girl from the Kang family."

"Why is that? After all, our family is related to the Kang family and we know each other well."

Wang Ruofu was so anxious that she kept rubbing her handkerchief. After all, she had already promised her sister.

The old lady's mind was as clear as a mirror, how could she not know what Wang Ruo was thinking?

It's just that he was jealous of the Sheng family's son-in-law and wanted to get a piece of the pie.

In the past four or five years, Wang Ruoyu has caused deaths in the back house more than once.

If the Wang family had not stepped up to clean up the mess, the Kang family would have been despised and avoided by everyone in Bian Jing.

Once the concubine's daughter of the Kang family is allowed into the mansion, given Wang Ruoyu's personality, he will definitely instigate things behind the scenes, and who knows how much trouble will be caused in the future.

What's more, Zhao Han's identity is extraordinary. If it is really as he thinks, then the Kang family must not be allowed to have anything to do with him.

Sheng Hong's eyes rolled around, and he spoke at the right moment, "We all know what the Kang family's inner quarters look like."

"The girls in her family have been influenced by it since they were young. I'm afraid it's not suitable."

"What's inappropriate about it... It's not like I haven't seen Hui'er before..." Wang Ruofu muttered softly with resentment in her eyes.

I just feel that in this Sheng family, no one is on the same page with me.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.

The old lady half closed her eyes, pondered for a moment, and then said softly, "Shu'er from Wei'er's family will be coming of age this year, right?"