Long Live the Empress

Chapter 129 The Plot is Over

Concubine Shu quickly apologized, "Your Majesty, that's not what I meant. Hua'er is my niece after all, and I would be too embarrassed to tell others that she is my concubine! But I don't dare to dream of becoming the Crown Princess, so how about...making her a concubine?"

The old emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Concubine Shu, who had lost her usual arrogance. But the old emperor was not soft-hearted. He waved his hand and said, "Concubine Shu, please don't say anything more. This matter is settled! Since it is a concubine entering the palace, there is no need to announce it to the world or hold a banquet for all the ministers!"

In ancient times, when concubines entered the palace, they were carried in a sedan chair and entered through the side door. And they were not allowed to wear bright red on the day of entering the palace, but only pink outer clothes, and no phoenix crown and bridal robe. If this happened to the daughter of a poor family, it would be because of the good deeds of her ancestors that the daughter became a concubine of a nobleman! But for a young lady from a noble family, this is simply a great shame!

At this point, for Fan Ronghua, becoming the prince's concubine was the best outcome. Fan Ronghua had no choice but to kowtow and thank him.

Letting Fan Ronghua become a concubine was just the prince's way of fooling Yue Jinghong. Originally, the prince thought that with Fan Ronghua's family background, she would at least be made a concubine. He didn't expect that she would be just a concubine. He only hoped that Fan Changyue would not give up Fan Ronghua, his granddaughter!

After the three of them left, the old emperor looked at Yan Liyuan and said, "Prince, you are so foolish in this matter!"

Yan Liyuan looked at the old emperor with gray hair and said, "The prince is of noble status, so he is bound to be schemed against. After this incident, I believe the prince will be wary of others. This can be considered a kind of training for the prince."

The old emperor nodded and sighed, "After all, the prince is young, so it's worth it to let him suffer a little. You should give him more guidance in the future!"

Yan Liyuan nodded and said nothing.

Fan Ronghua did not go back to the Second Prince's Mansion, but went directly back to the Fan Mansion. Fan Changyue was sitting in the mansion hall waiting for Fan Ronghua to come back.

When Fan Ronghua reached the door, her steps paused slightly, but she bit her lip and entered the hall. "Granddaughter greets grandfather."

"Why did the emperor summon you to the palace today?" Fan Changyue asked.

Fan Ronghua lowered her head, and her face, which used to be as bright as a flower, now showed a little shame. "The emperor has granted his granddaughter to be the prince's...concubine."

"What? Concubine?" Fan Changyue couldn't believe that the granddaughter he had carefully nurtured was actually granted a concubine by the emperor! Although she was the prince's concubine, she was still a servant. "Didn't your aunt... Concubine Shu plead for you?"

After this incident, Fan Ronghua also knew that the only one who treated her sincerely was Consort Shu, her aunt, so she quickly explained: "My aunt asked the emperor to grant her granddaughter as a concubine, but... the emperor... refused."

Fan Changyue's heart suddenly sank. Concubine Shu proposed it but was rejected by the emperor... This means that the emperor already knew about the embarrassing incident between Fan Ronghua and the prince in the second prince's mansion! At this time, he was still able to let Fan Ronghua enter the prince's mansion as a concubine. It was already a great favor from the emperor!

Fan Changyue didn't say anything else, just waved his hand and asked Fan Ronghua to leave. But Fan Ronghua was reluctant to leave.

"What else do you have to say?" Fan Changyue was extremely depressed. He really didn't know what else Fan Ronghua had to say.

"The granddaughter's dowry..."

Fan Changyue and Concubine Shu had started preparing a dowry for Fan Ronghua when she was young. Those were accumulated by the two of them over the years, so the dowry was truly priceless.

But now when Fan Changyue thought about the dowry that would follow Fan Ronghua into the Prince's Mansion as a concubine, he was furious. He slammed the table and said, "What do you want a concubine to have in terms of dowry? Just ask your mother to carry two boxes of clothes for you!"

Fan Ronghua was unhappy. "Grandfather, the dowry is the foundation for a woman to gain a foothold in her husband's family! If my granddaughter doesn't have the dowry, the prince will look down on her..."

Fan Changyue laughed loudly, but then his expression turned cold again. "Being looked down upon by the prince? Don't you know how you got into the prince's mansion? Can your dowry stop the gossips of the world? Can your dowry erase that scandal?"

Fan Changyue had never been so angry with Fan Ronghua before. Fan Ronghua was so scared that he dared not say anything and timidly bowed and left.

Fan Changyue closed his eyes in grief. The plot he and Concubine Shu had been planning for more than a decade was over...