20demayo Chapter 335: A house as a reward?
Chapter 335: A house as a reward?
"I have always known that she has a kind heart." Because the emperor wanted to confer the title of Ruren on An Qiao at that time, he still investigated many of her past affairs in the palace.
At that time, if anyone in the palace was pregnant or unwell and specifically asked to eat lighter food, she would do it.
But she never asked for credit or reward, and never delivered food herself. Any rewards were brought back to her by the palace maids who delivered the food. If anyone coveted her rewards, she would pretend not to know.
The only time I worked hard to accomplish something was to leave the palace. I don't know how much salary and rewards I had saved over the years gave away to be able to leave the palace.
Apart from that, only a few words were said to describe her, and almost all the people who had been friends with her had reached old age and were released from the palace.
Therefore, the emperor actually knew very little, and many things were just rumors spread by the palace people.
……
"Young lady, please come in." Eunuch Wei's voice came from outside.
After so many twists and turns, An Qiao finally returned to the palace. Everything has really changed.
An Qiao followed Eunuch Wei all the way into the hall. This was not her first time walking on this road, so she did not feel nervous.
Just looking at those flowers and plants, I feel as if a lot of things have changed, yet as if nothing has changed.
This was the first time An Qiao saw the emperor's face. He looked quite young, not like the old men in those Qing palace dramas.
"See the Emperor."
An Qiao bowed, and seeing An Yonghou standing beside her, she roughly knew what was going on.
Last night, Marquis An Yong had already told her about the Empress Dowager. Perhaps he summoned her in today just to let her meet the Empress Dowager.
"Please stand up." The emperor said with a smile. In any case, she was his niece, he just had never met her before.
An Qiao stood up and listened to the emperor's instructions.
"It's been eighteen years. I never thought I could find you. Come with me and your father to see the Queen Mother. She has been missing your mother and you for many years."
The emperor's voice was very calm. Generally speaking, for people in high positions like them, a girl or several girls would not pose a threat, so he was still friendly to An Qiao.
Since the Queen Mother likes and misses him, she will spend time and energy looking for him. It will be a good thing if she finds him.
The emperor never felt that these nieces and great-nieces were a threat. After all, he loved his own daughter, and he loved the empress dowager. It was just one more girl, and he could love her as well.
The group walked through the palace. The emperor was about to introduce the Imperial Garden to An Qiao, but after thinking for a moment, he said, "When you were in the Imperial Kitchen, you walked this road every day. I wanted to introduce you to the Imperial Garden, but suddenly I remembered it, so there's no need to introduce it."
Seeing that the emperor was not going to embarrass her, An Qiao could not help but feel relieved. "Your Majesty, please introduce some flowers and plants to me. There are many flowers and plants here, and I don't know what they are."
The emperor was very satisfied and expressed his approval of this behavior that was very good at giving people a way out.
Everyone chatted and laughed all the way until they reached the Queen Mother's bedroom.
When Nanny Hong, who was beside the Empress Dowager, saw this, she wondered what was going on. Why were there so many people coming so early in the morning? Marquis An Yong had also entered the palace.
"Your Highness." Nanny Hong bowed and put away her curiosity.
"I have something important to report to the Empress Dowager. Tell her quickly." The emperor said as he walked slowly inside. Nanny Hong then walked quickly in front and went in to pass on the message.
The emperor suddenly seemed to remember something and turned around to look at An Qiao.
I don’t know if it’s because An Qiao is too well-behaved and good at hiding herself, so no one noticed it.
Or maybe because she was quite pretty, she didn't look inappropriate with just a jade hairpin on her head.
The Emperor turned back just now and originally wanted to reward An Qiao with some jewelry, but he had already arrived at the Empress Dowager's door and it was too late. He simply took a look and did not think it was inappropriate, so they went into the bedroom together.
I was originally thinking about how to introduce her to the Queen Mother, but who knew that the moment the Queen Mother saw An Qiao looking up, she excitedly said, "Oh, my Yun'er."
Everyone was stunned, and the Queen Mother said vaguely, "This is too much like Yun'er."
Yun'er is the nickname of that little uncle.
An Qiao then stepped forward and bowed again, "Your servant An Qiao greets the Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother was startled for a moment, then she said happily, "Get up, get up, why do you kneel down when you see me, good boy, come here."
Before the Empress Dowager finished her words, she asked several maids to come forward and help An Qiao to stand up.
When the Queen Mother saw An Qiao coming towards her, she felt dazed. She didn't look like her niece, but she looked 90% like her nephew. "Why is her name An Qiao?"
An Qiao looked at the Queen Mother and felt that she was more intimate than seeing her own father and brother. She couldn't help but said mischievously, "My father and brother both recognized that it was me, but I was too young at the time, and the guard father who took me away had passed away for many years. I am not sure that I am my father and mother's child. If I am not, what if a real daughter comes back one day, what should I do?"
The Queen Mother scolded, "Who dares to say you're not? I like you and feel close to you the moment I see you. And you look so much like Xiao Yun'er, how could you not be our child?"
An Qiao smiled and said, "So from now on, my name will be Qi Ning'an."
"Okay, hahaha, okay, An An okay, An An sounds good." The Queen Mother happily pulled An Qiao to sit next to her.
Qi Ning'an sat obediently beside the empress dowager. His feeling was indeed correct. The empress dowager, whom he had met once in the palace, was just as he had imagined. Her face looked sincere, her eyes were kind, and she was very amiable.
The emperor looked at the two people having so much fun together and couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief, finally putting the empress dowager's worry to rest.
"Marquis An Yong, it is a happy event that you have found your daughter this time. I congratulate you. Tell me what reward you want."
An Yonghou's eyes turned quickly, this was like a pillow being delivered to him when he was sleepy.
"Your Majesty, my daughter loves cooking. She opened a restaurant, a milk tea shop, a grocery store, and a charity house in Kyoto Prefecture. It is a place for young ladies to do handicrafts. My daughter likes these things, and I don't want to deprive her of the right to like these things. But although my mansion is not far away, it is not very close either. That...I saw it last night. It is just opposite the back door of Kyoto Restaurant. There is a mansion that is neither big nor small. I remember that location...it seems that I confiscated it that year. Otherwise...Your Majesty, will you give that house to me?"