novelaction Chapter 693 The Empress Dotes on Her Grandson!
Chapter 693 The Empress Dotes on Her Grandson!
"Your Majesty, please come inside and talk."
The Empress then remembered that they were all at the palace gate.
Duanmu Chuze laughed and said, "Mother, I just saw you from afar and thought you missed me. But when I got closer, I realized that you just wanted to see your grandson. It really makes me sad."
The Empress chuckled and carried little Zonghua inside. "What do you have to think about? I've raised you for so long, I'm already tired of looking at you. Right now, all I can think about is our little Zonghua. Look, even the name is so fitting. It truly lives up to the name your royal grandfather gave you."
The group chatted and laughed as they entered the main hall.
The Empress was getting on in years, and she was already a little tired when she arrived at the palace. Mu Xin Nuan quickly went over and took the child from her. "This child has been eating a lot lately and has gained quite a bit of weight."
The Empress took a few deep breaths and reached out to pinch Duanmu Zonghua's little face. "This child looks exactly like Aze when he was little."
"Mother, was Aze as cute as Zonghua when he was little?"
Mu Xin Nuan's words made the Empress chuckle repeatedly, and the female official beside her was also happy to see it. The Empress had not laughed so happily in a long time.
"Anuan, are you looking down on me? If you look down on me, then you are looking down on Mother."
The Empress was taken aback. "What does this have to do with me? Don't give me that!"
Duanmu Chuze helped the Empress inside, saying as they walked, "I was born of the Empress Dowager. If Anuan thinks I'm ugly, it's naturally because of the Empress Dowager! Isn't that right?"
The Empress glared at him with a smile, then reached out and lightly poked his forehead. "You rascal, all you do is try to make me happy."
"Mother, when I returned to the capital this time, I brought some trinkets for you to enjoy. I know that as the mother of the nation, you naturally have nothing to lack, but there are some novel things that I thought I would show to you."
"Oh? You're quite thoughtful."
Duanmu Chuze waved his hand, and Mu Hua brought over a box about two feet long and placed it on a table.
Duanmu Chuze opened it, and inside lay a row of tiny figures.
"Mother, look, this is a kind of mineral from Qishan. Although it is not as precious as jadeite, it is still very bright when crafted."
The Empress came over and took a closer look. There were six little figures in total, each one sculpted to be lifelike.
"This, this is?" The Empress was almost speechless with astonishment.
"Your Majesty, we brothers cannot often be by your side. This smaller one is my younger sister, and these four are the four of us brothers. I carved this myself. Do you think it looks like the real thing? I carved it based on my memory from two years ago. If it doesn't look like the real thing, please don't mind. I can just carve another one later."
The Empress was overwhelmed with emotion, and her eyes welled up with tears.
She had several children, but only this son truly understood her heart.
Even his youngest daughter doesn't know how to care for others like he does.
"Aze, thank you for your hard work."
"Mother, there's not much I can do, but don't you have your eldest brother and younger sister by your side? Although your younger sister is married, she hasn't left the capital. If anything happens, you can just summon her to the palace. Besides, there's also your elder sister, isn't there?"
"Good children, you are all good children!"
The Empress's eyes welled up with tears. Although she knew she shouldn't act this way in front of her juniors, she couldn't help but be moved when she saw the gift her son had carefully prepared for her.
"Mother, you are already so moved by the gift I gave you. If you saw what A-Nuan gave you, wouldn't you be shouting at the top of your lungs?"
The Empress turned her head and looked at Mu Xin Nuan, who seemed a little embarrassed. "What? You've also prepared a gift for me?"
"Your Majesty, I am afraid that your painting is not good and I am afraid that you will laugh at me. I originally thought of repainting it, but Aze said that it was good as it was, so in the end I just colored it and had it framed."
The Empress watched as the palace servants helped to slowly unfurl the scroll in the box.
What came into view was Duanmu Chuze sitting on the ground, playing with Xiao Zonghua.
"Because Xiao Zonghua kept moving around, my daughter-in-law's drawing is a little worse."
The Empress looked at the two people laughing happily above and gently covered them with her hand. "Anuan, you should have someone else paint it. It should depict your family of three together in harmony."
"Your Majesty, I have noted it down. I will definitely paint one that you would like to see next time and send it to the palace."
"I always knew that Anuan had beautiful handwriting, but I never imagined that her drawing skills were so amazing. It seems that our Aze has found a treasure."
"Your Majesty flatters me. In truth, compared to him, my humble servants are but child's play. How could I possibly be even a tenth of his level?"
"Your Majesty, the Crown Princess is waiting outside the palace gates, ready to come in and pay her respects."
"Ask her to come in."
With a wave of her hand, the Empress immediately had palace servants collect all the items. Moreover, Mu Xin Nuan noticed that the Empress's expression seemed to have undergone a subtle change, as if she was somewhat dissatisfied with this Crown Princess.
Mu Xin Nuan thought of what Duanmu Chu Ze had told her on the way here: the Empress knew everything the Crown Princess had done in secret. How could she possibly like such a ruthless daughter-in-law?
However, she was, after all, Duanmu Chen's birth mother, and Duanmu Chen was someone the Emperor valued highly. At this point, it's unlikely that the Emperor would depose the Crown Princess.
Mu Xin Nuan lowered her head and sat up straight, holding Xiao Zong Hua in her arms and letting him play with his fingers.
"Greetings to the Queen Mother."
"No need, get up."
"Thank you, mother."
"I've met the Crown Princess."
Duanmu Chuze simply stood up and bowed slightly, while Mu Xinnuan, holding the child, curtsied and offered her greetings.
"Fourth sister-in-law, please rise. This must be Xiao Zonghua, right? I heard that Father recently issued an edict bestowing upon him the title of heir apparent. He is the youngest heir apparent in our Great Yong Dynasty, isn't he?"
Mu Xin Nuan smiled faintly, "Perhaps."
"Fourth sister-in-law has given birth, but she hasn't gained weight at all; on the contrary, she's become even slimmer. When you have some free time, come to the East Palace and tell me how you maintain such a good figure."
Mu Xin Nuan smiled somewhat shyly, "You flatter me, Your Highness. Actually, A Ze often complains that I'm too thin."
The Crown Princess's smile froze slightly. Hearing her call Duanmu Chuze "Aze," the Crown Princess felt somewhat displeased.
"You two are such a loving couple."