Chapter 591: Conferment (2)
Mu Yangling was about to leave when she heard this and stopped in her tracks. She turned around and said with a smile, “Third Sister-in-law, we’re just sisters-in-law while Third Master and the Emperor are biological brothers. Why won’t he ask His Majesty himself?”
A cold glint flashed across Mu Yangling’s eyes. “Why don’t I mention it to His Majesty when I enter the palace later and ask him to talk to Second Master and Third Master?”
Little Madam Wu’s face turned pale as she looked at Mu Yangling sinisterly.
Mu Yangling snorted and turned back to Mama Wang. “Keep a close eye on the door. Don’t let people think that we’re pushovers who allow all sorts of dirty and smelly things to enter our place.”
“Yes, Fourth Madam.” Mama Wang lowered her head and agreed. After Mu Yangling and the others left, she turned around and said with a smile to Little Madam Wu, “Third Madam, you want to tour the garden? Then take your time. I’ll go back first.”
After saying that, she got someone to lock up the Zhaohua Courtyard. All the servant girls and maidservants were locked up in the courtyard. So angry that her chest heaved up and down, Little Madam Wu speechlessly pointed at the door of the Zhaohua Courtyard.
She had thought that the usually-quiet Mu Yangling would be easy to manipulate. Who knew that a biting dog did not bark? She had underestimated her.
After she returned, she immediately reported this matter to Madam Xu. Madam Xu leaned back in her chair with a worried expression.
“Second Madam, Fourth Madam’s words are too impolite. Considering we’re all family, we’ll meet often in the future…”
Madam Xu said in frustration, “Now that she’s the Princess Consort and they’ve been assigned the Prince’s Residence, how can we, who are of no rank, have the chance to meet her often?”
There wasn’t such a thing as splitting up of family assets within the Qi family anymore. Everything now depended on Qi Xiuyuan. If he conferred a title to Qi Shaosheng and Qi Shaotai, the country would give them a house, stipend land, and so on. Compared to the noble titles, the Qi family’s assets were considered nothing.
However, judging from Mu Yangling’s attitude, Madam Xu knew that things were not looking optimistic and couldn’t help feeling a little frustrated. Her mother-in-law, Second Master and Third Master seemed to have offended Qi Xiuyuan and Qi Haoran too much back then. It would be a joke if they couldn’t even get the title of a duke in the end.
Considering Qi Shaosheng and Qi Shaotai were Qi Xiuyuan’s biological brothers, they and Madam Wu felt that they should at least be conferred the title of a Prince. Qi Haoran was a Prince, so they felt that as Qi Haoran’s brothers too, they shouldn’t receive too shabby treatment. The difference would be that Qi Haoran held real power, but they didn’t.
However, they felt that they could slowly fight for real power. But first, they had to establish their status.
Seeing that Qi Xiuyuan did not confer them any title for a long time, they could not help but feel anxious.
On the other hand, Madam Xu felt that considering their relationship, getting conferred a Duke was already the best outcome they could expect.
Madam Wu had the same desire as her two sons, but deep down, like Madam Xu, she felt that it was more likely they would be conferred a Duke.
However, the imperial edict never came. Ever since Qi Xiuyuan ascended the throne in June, all the meritorious ministers had been conferred titles before July. Even now that the edict to confer Mu Yangling a title had been issued, there was still no mention of Qi Shaosheng and Qi Shaotai.
Mu Yangling’s conferment edict was issued alongside Qi Haoran’s. From this, it could be seen how much the royal family valued Mu Yangling. Usually, emperors would only confer the title of the “Lady of the Imperial Command” two to three years after ascending the throne. Not only was Mu Yangling the first to be conferred Lady of the Imperial Command since the Great Qi was established, but her conferment even came before the founding Empress’s.
Qi Haoran led Mu Yangling to receive the decree in the atrium. After that, he got someone to attend to the emissary who had issued the decree.
However, not daring to appear arrogant, the emissary bent down and said with a smile, “Congratulations, Prince and Princess Consort. Since I’ve finished announcing the decree, I have to return to report it to the Emperor, so I don’t dare to stay for long.”
Qi Haoran tipped him a pouch as one typically did when receiving an edict, then said with a smile, “Go back and tell Big Brother that I’ll bring the Princess Consort to the palace tomorrow to thank him.”
The emissary agreed with a smile and took three steps back before turning around to leave.
Qi Haoran held the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand and showed it to Mu Yangling. He said with a smile, “Later, we’ll frame it up. This is the first imperial edict you’ve earned. Just wait. In a few years, we’ll change to another one.”
Then, he turned around and saw Madam Wu standing at the second door.
Madam Wu stared at the imperial edict in their hands and looked up at Qi Haoran for a while before turning to leave.
With a darkened expression, Qi Haoran snorted and pulled Mu Yangling back.
Mu Yangling calmed him down and said, “It’s a joyous occasion today and we should be happy. Why are you angry with them?”
“Who are they putting on that dejected face for?” Qi Haoran said angrily, “You said it yourself. This is a joyous occasion. What’s the meaning of her specially coming to me at this time to put on a dejected face?”
“That’s because they’re anxious. The imperial edicts have been issued one after another. Big Brother has even handed the clan matters over to the elders in the clan to manage. It’s obvious he simply doesn’t care about Madam Wu and the rest. They’re uneasy, so they want to make you unhappy. If you really get mad, won’t that be exactly what they want? We should just be happy and anger them to death.” As she spoke, Mu Yangling instructed Spring, “Today is a joyous occasion. Everyone in our courtyard will be paid four times their salary, and everyone in the residence will be paid twice. Pass down the news. Tonight, ask the main kitchen to prepare more delicious food. Mm, also send some to the East Manor. Tell them that Fourth Master invited them to share in the joy.”
Spring agreed with a smile.
Mu Yangling turned her head and said, “How is it? You’re not angry anymore, are you?”
Qi Haoran snorted and his anger dissipated.
However, the people from the East Manor were so angry that their bodies were trembling. Madam Wu simply swept all the food on the table to the ground. She glanced at the servants below and said coldly, “Why? Are you planning to find another master and climb up the social ladder?”
The servants dropped down to their knees in the room. Madam Xu quickly dismissed them and said, “Madam, it’s better for us to keep a low profile at this time. There’s nothing to be gained for us to go against Fourth Master.”
“What do you know?” Madam Wu roared, “When have I ever suffered such grievances? Even when Madam Zhu was around, she didn’t dare to do anything to me. I’m their stepmother now. They’re being unfilial! In the past, I gave in on account of Second Master and Third Master. Do they think I’m afraid of them? I’m their stepmother!”
Madam Wu roared. That was what she told herself in her heart. As though, by saying that, she truly was Qi Xiuyuan’s stepmother.
Madam Xu lowered her head. Aware that Madam Wu had already lost her rationality from the agitation, she knew she would agitate the other party no matter what she said.
This was because the conferment had been verbally mentioned in the Imperial Court last month. Now, they were just waiting for the official edict to move them into the Duke’s Mansion that had been conferred. Since the emissary in the palace frequently left the palace, in just two days, he had finished announcing the edicts according to grade.
Therefore, at this moment, the conferment of Madam Wu and the others would definitely be brought up because not everyone was willing to see things go smoothly for the Emperor.
First, an old minister proposed to welcome the Empress Dowager into the palace. Then, someone immediately raised the question of Qi Shaosheng and Qi Shaotai’s title.
Qi Xiuyuan looked down at them and said with a smile, “If you didn’t mention it, I would have forgotten that my mother’s family hasn’t been conferred yet.”
The minister who gave his opinion was shocked. The Emperor sighed and said, “I was only five or six years old when the Empress Dowager passed away. Now that 20 years have passed, I don’t even remember what she looked like.”
The old minister who stood out wanted to say that he was not referring to this Empress Dowager, and that he was referring to Madam Wu. However, he did not dare to interrupt the Emperor at this moment.
Not only did the old minister who stood up for Madam Wu not dare to, but all the ministers below were silent. The Emperor’s silence during this period of time already made clear his attitude towards Madam Wu and her sons. Who would dare to interrupt him when he was reminiscing about his biological mother and instead mention Madam Wu and her sons?
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