Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 443: Palm

Leaving Xia Shouzhong to defend the palace, Daiyu first ordered people to inform Prince Duncheng, Prince Dongping, Feng Tang and Master Zhitong of her upcoming move, and made it clear:

"Although the Queen is under house arrest, outsiders don't know about it. If I stay in Taiji Palace, you will have to come here when you have something to do, which will look unbecoming to outsiders.

“Before leaving Beijing, Your Majesty gave me the gold medal, which also meant that I should help Kou Zhaorong to protect the Daming Palace and the three princes.

"I have to go there so that I can act accordingly. Please don't blame the Queen wrongly."

Everyone understood that although Daiyu was being forced by the Queen, she had no intention of turning against her for the time being, so she tried to smooth things over for the Queen.

Prince Dongping and Master Zhitong both nodded in approval.

Prince Duncheng expressed it more clearly - he directly sent his capable deputy with two teams of guards to "take over" the Yanjia Palace, and also said in front of Xia Shouzhong:

“Although the Queen Mother is the most magnanimous, since I have been entrusted by His Majesty the Supreme to manage the defense of Taiji Palace, the private vaults of the Queen Mother, Princess Zhaoqing, and Princess Yimin are my responsibility.

"Since Princess Zhaoqing is staying at Daming Palace temporarily, then the Yanjia Palace should be locked up! I should send fewer people to guard it."

To put it bluntly, there are only two words to describe it: keep out thieves.

In front of the people sent by the Queen, who was this "thief" implying - everyone knew it, and everyone was looking at Eunuch Xia, the chief steward of the six palaces, but no one said anything.

Xia Shouzhong's nose was almost crooked from anger.

But he was just a eunuch and couldn't really challenge the favored prince of the royal family, so he could only pout and sulk.

Daiyu ate her breakfast leisurely, then called Yuanyang over and asked about the condition of Lang'er and Qiaojie. She then told her that Grandmother Jia was just ill and taking medicine, and was in good spirits. Finally, she heard that Feng Tang had sent someone to reply, so she dismissed the people around her and left Qingwen and Xueyan alone to stand by.

"Our general wants to know where the princess plans to live when she goes to Daming Palace. If you don't have a palace you like, our general has a recommendation."

The one who answered the question was not a palace guard, but a household servant of the Feng family, who had been Feng Tang's servant since childhood. Therefore, he was straightforward in speaking to Daiyu without any formalities.

Daiyu also liked this kind of communication better, and she laughed: "Don't tell me yet, I'll tell you where I want to go first, how about that?"

The family general smiled and bowed: "Princess, please speak."

Daiyu whispered five words, and the general smiled even more: "That's exactly what our general thought!"

Seeing Daiyu nodding with a satisfied smile, the household guard relaxed even more and lowered his voice, saying, "The general has ordered a team of guards to escort the princess to Daming Palace.

"The leader of the team is Prince Chungshun."

Daiyu's eyes lit up, and she looked at the general with a smile: "Your general is really thoughtful. Why did he send this treasure to me?"

The general listened to her teasing words, and his heart, which had been tense due to the situation, unconsciously relaxed, and his reply became more thoughtful:

"The King of the East has spoken, and our general is currently on duty outside, so he may not be able to return to the palace for a while.

"This person cannot leave the palace no matter what. But now that everyone is not in the palace, if we try to stop him, it will only make him suspicious.

“Besides, the princess has now been summoned to Daming Palace, which clearly shows that the Queen is looking for trouble.

"Tao Han, Chu Ke and others said that Potian was also a servant and could fight against Xia Shouzhong; but if the queen ignored the imperial edict and rushed out of Kunning Palace, they would be powerless.

"But this Prince Zhongshun is different. Although he is not of high rank, given the relationship between the Wan family and Prince Zhongshun's mansion, the Queen will not do anything to the Prince no matter what.

"With him by her side, the princess can go wherever she wants in Daming Palace, and no one will dare to stop her.

"So the general thought about it and decided that this assignment was the most appropriate for him."

Daiyu chuckled: "Your general is very considerate. He used a man like this thoroughly."

He paused, smiled slightly, and asked in a low voice, "Prince Zhongshun has been ordered to return home to reflect on his actions, and the palace has been surrounded. Does the prince know about this?"

The family general blinked and said, "Our general hasn't had time to tell the prince yet. He is in the palace, and I'm afraid no one has told him about these things. Our general is just about to ask the princess to tell the prince about this and explain it to him."

Daiyu covered her lips with a handkerchief and burst out laughing: "Oh my! I told you so! General Feng has a plan that is perfect. He won't let me take advantage of you without doing anything!"

The servant smiled, lowered his head, stepped back half a step, and bowed.

"Forget it. I was just about to ask him about the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion." Daiyu said one more sentence, and asked Xueyan to give her a reward, and then let her leave.

When he was about to leave the house, he laughed at Qingwen and said mockingly, "Did you see that? Ginger is still spicy when it is old! When your county lady gets married, she will have to learn from her father-in-law and mother-in-law!"

The man's legs trembled, and he hurriedly stepped out. He turned back and closed the door carefully and respectfully, then wiped the sweat that had suddenly seeped out of his forehead.

No wonder the general ordered that no tricks should be played in front of this princess!

Great!

The vision is great, and the mouth is even more powerful!

At the end of the noon hour, Lin Daiyu, accompanied by Jia Lan, Qiaojie, Yuanyang, Qingwen, Xueyan and others, followed by Tao Han and Chu Kai, five carriages, two horses, and more than a dozen palace maids and eunuchs, escorted by the Prince Zhongshun and thirty guards, entered the Daming Palace in a grand manner.

Xia Shouzhong, with a few people he brought with him, followed proudly behind, also riding on a tall horse, and entered the palace gate with a swaying sound.

However, after walking a few steps, Xia Shouzhong suddenly found something wrong!

Didn’t you say we were going to the side hall of Kunning Palace?

Why did this convoy turn?!

He hurriedly rode forward and stopped in front of Daiyu's carriage: "Princess Zhaoqing! You are not allowed to barge into the Daming Palace! Kunning Palace is still ahead, please continue forward!"

To give him face, Daiyu answered from inside: "What did you say? I can't hear you clearly."

Xia Shouzhong frowned and dismounted, slightly panting. He came to Daiyu's carriage and reluctantly crossed his arms, "Princess, Kunning Palace is in this direction. You're going the wrong way."

"Tao Han." Daiyu called out lazily and said nothing more.

Tao Han had also dismounted from his horse, and when he got forward, he looked at Xia Shouzhong with a half-smile: "Kunning Palace and other places are where the imperial concubines are.

"Firstly, our princess has no kinship with the concubines in the palace, and secondly, she serves the current Empress Dowager, so it is really not appropriate for her to live in the palaces of the harem.

"I have already discussed this with General Feng Tang, the Imperial Guards General, Prince Duncheng, the Regent, and Cao Tianguan, the Minister of Personnel.

"Princess Zhaoqing, while in Daming Palace, will temporarily live in the side hall of Shoukang Palace."

Xia Shouzhong's face changed: "Shoukang Palace has been in disrepair for a long time..."

"Eunuch Xia, please don't lie. The Cining Palace has been in disrepair for a long time, but the Shoukang Palace is not."

Tao Han looked at him with a smile.

Xia Shouzhong snorted coldly, and finally revealed his ferocious face: "The Queen Mother has ordered that Princess Zhaoqing move into the side hall of Kunning Palace! Lin's daughter, you dare to disobey the order!?"

With a swish, Daiyu opened the carriage curtain with her own hands.

"Chu-Kai."

"My subordinate is here."

"Xia Shouzhong is disrespectful to his superiors, slap him in the face."

"Yes."

Chu Kui stepped forward, met Xia Shouzhong's frightened eyes and his expression as if he wanted to argue, and raised his hand coldly.

"Pia!"