pjbooks Chapter 450 Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhou Talk About Xiao Siyue
Chapter 450 Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhou Talk About Xiao Siyue
Chapter 450 Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhou Talk About Xiao Siyue
"Yes." Of course, Consort De didn't want to. What kind of place was the Cold Palace? It was remote and desolate. How could someone who had enjoyed such comforts for so many years endure it? But now she was a convict and couldn't ask for anything more. Besides, the Empress Dowager had been giving her signals, telling her not to speak.
"Alright, now that the matter is settled, take Consort De to the Cold Palace." Emperor Zhou had a headache. He had been busy all morning and then encountered such a distressing situation. He felt utterly exhausted.
Consort De was taken away, and the Second Princess also bid farewell and left the palace.
Only the Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhou remained in the hall.
"Your Majesty, I heard that Qing'er made a mistake and you gave her ten lashes?" After dealing with Consort De's matter, the Empress Dowager also thought of her granddaughter.
"Alas! This Qing'er is becoming increasingly outrageous! As a princess of a nation, she possesses absolutely none of the dignity expected of a princess. Her usual willful, arrogant, and domineering behavior is one thing, but now, to satisfy her own selfish desires, she has completely disregarded shame and morality, attempting to use such despicable and vile means to ruin the reputation of others! I truly don't know what she's thinking; does she have no regard for the royal family's honor or her own status?"
Emperor Zhou was truly troubled by his daughter, and even began to doubt himself, wondering if he was really unsuitable for raising children. Why did they all keep causing him trouble?
"Qing'er is being rather outrageous. What are the Emperor's plans for the future?" The Empress Dowager frowned, deeply disappointed in her granddaughter. As a woman herself, how could she not know that a woman's chastity is more important than her life? Qing'er is trying to kill her.
"I'm thinking that once she recovers, I'll find her a husband as soon as possible, so she won't be thinking about that Lu family boy anymore." Emperor Zhou didn't hold a grudge against Lu Zhijin. The boy's excellence was something he himself longed for, wishing he were his own son.
"It is time to find a consort for him or her, but the Emperor has no intention of making the Lu family boy his consort?" The Empress Dowager was a little curious. Although Lu Zhijin was indeed good, was the royal princess not good enough for him?
"Qing'er is not good enough for Zhi Jin, and Zhi Jin doesn't like Qing'er either. Zhi Jin is a pillar of the Great Zhou, and I don't want to lose a promising talent because of this." She could still see what was more important. Although she was more inclined to favor her daughter, she was also self-aware. If someone like Qing'er really married into the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, it would probably cause chaos and unrest in the household.
"Oh, does the Emperor think Princess Zhaoning is a good match for her?" The Empress Dowager was curious now. She had been unwilling to bestow a marriage upon Qing'er before, firstly because she knew that Lu Zhijin and Xiao Siyue were already married and she did not want to ruin this marriage, and secondly because she was, after all, just a grandmother and should not do anything that would overstep her bounds. Although she was the Emperor's birth mother, the Emperor was not an ordinary son, but the master of this world.
"Yes, Zhao Ning is an exceptionally outstanding girl, unmatched by any other woman in the Great Zhou. She is a perfect match for Zhi Jin, and only that girl is worthy of him."
"I never expected the Emperor to speak so highly of that girl. This makes me quite curious. Just how outstanding is she?" The Empress Dowager became interested; it was the first time she had ever heard the Emperor praise a woman so highly.
Speaking of this, Emperor Zhou couldn't help but smile: "Your Majesty, you don't know, that girl is very capable. Not to mention, all the fresh fruits and vegetables we've eaten these past two years were grown by her. She also opened a hot spring resort in the suburbs, and I heard that business is booming. Even the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital have to make reservations in advance if they want to go. If I weren't the emperor, I would want to go and see it myself. I heard that it's like a fairyland."
"Is this true? Did that girl open it all by herself?" The Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised. She also liked those fruits very much, but she had never inquired about where they came from. She thought they were presented by some small country.
Emperor Zhou smiled and continued, "Yes, that's not all. Has Your Majesty heard of the Jiaoyan Pavilion and Songyue Study in the capital?"
The Empress Dowager's eyes widened: "What? Could this also be that girl's?"
"Your Majesty guessed correctly. These are all run by that girl Zhao Ning. She makes a fortune every day. I heard she has even opened branches in various prefectures and counties of the Great Zhou." The Zhou Emperor couldn't help but feel a little envious when he spoke. Zhao Ning's wealth was probably greater than his own. Although the national treasury was full, it didn't all belong to him alone.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't be lying to me. How old is that girl? How could she have acquired such a large business?" The Empress Dowager was somewhat incredulous. Of course, she knew about Jiaoyan Pavilion. She had used their beauty and skin-nourishing cream before, and felt much younger after using it. She loved it.
As for Songyue Study, it was a name that resonated far and wide. When she first learned about it, she was shocked. Such a grand scale! Not to mention how precious the Xuan paper inside was, probably everyone in the Great Zhou Dynasty was using it now. The most important thing was the books there. Not only were they vast, but they were also free to browse. That was unprecedented in history.
In the past, which book collector didn't carefully hide their precious books, fearing that others might peek at them, and only allow their own family members to browse and admire them? They cherished these books as rare treasures and would never easily show them to others. However, Songyue Study is completely different! It opens its doors to the world without reservation, allowing people to freely enter and exit and read to their heart's content.
Who would have thought that the person behind this was a girl who was only a teenager! Once this news gets out, it will surely shock and disbelieve the world.
Looking at the surprised Empress Dowager, Emperor Zhou chuckled inwardly, recalling how he himself had almost been shocked when he first found out.
"The Emperor is right. No woman can compare to this girl's excellence. In fact, many men cannot. If it were anyone else, they would probably not be willing to give away so many books, let alone let people read them for free. She is an admirable girl." The Empress Dowager finally understood why the Emperor praised Zhao Ning so highly. She was truly outstanding.
"Yes, I've benefited from that girl's influence. Since the establishment of Songyue Study, there have been more and more talented people in the court." Emperor Zhou was proud of this.
"Moreover, I also heard that that girl previously cooperated with the Sheng family and made a lot of money. She's a shrewd girl who knows how to do business. I'm so envious. If it weren't for the fact that she already has someone she likes, I would have wanted her to be the Crown Prince's consort. What a pity," Emperor Zhou said regretfully.
"It is a bit of a pity, but that girl is so capable, isn't the Emperor worried?"