After all, she didn't like the Grand Dowager very much either. What could she do about it?
"Fengqie pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy good health." Mu Fengqie bowed gracefully to Yuan Yuchuan.
"Alright, rise. There's no need for such formal etiquette. You can skip it in the future. I believe you're well aware of the reason I summoned you today, right? I don't need to repeat myself, do I?" Yuan Yuchuan squinted at Mu Fengqie below, as if he was completely certain that she would know.
"Of course, Fengqie knows." Mu Fengqie took a sip of the tea served by the maid and replied unhurriedly.
"Then I'd like to know what the Grand Dowager said to you." Yuan Yuchuan fixed his sharp eyes on Mu Fengqie, as if he could tell immediately if she lied.
"She didn't say much. She was just worried about Your Majesty's harem. Come to think of it, the Grand Dowager is really worrying for nothing. There are so many beautiful concubines in Your Majesty's harem, each one as beautiful as a flower and devoted to Your Majesty. There's really no need for her to set her sights on me, a woman about to become a mother." Mu Fengqie smiled and directly pointed out the Grand Dowager's intention. She was satisfied to see Yuan Yuchuan's face darken.
How could Yuan Yuchuan not be angry? Who was Mu Fengqie? She was already a married woman and about to be a mother. How could she be worthy of him? Was the Grand Dowager trying to insult him with a woman?
"Also," Mu Fengqie glanced at Yuan Yuchuan's expression and continued, "the Grand Dowager asked me to help Your Majesty manage the concubines in the harem, but I refused. I only agreed to give the concubines some lessons and teach them how to treat their husbands."
If Mu Fengqie weren't still here and he couldn't lose face in front of an outsider, he would have already smashed the teacup in his hand. This Grand Dowager was really going too far!
"I understand. You may go back first." Yuan Yuchuan rubbed his temples wearily.
Mu Fengqie looked at Yuan Yuchuan with a smile and said, "Your Majesty, Fengqie would like to ask a favor."
"Hmm?" Yuan Yuchuan was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood just now, but as soon as he heard Mu Fengqie say this, he immediately became interested and wanted to hear what favor she could ask of him.
"Your Majesty, you just heard that I refused the Grand Dowager's request. I'm really afraid that the Grand Dowager will send someone to assassinate me. Think about it. If something happens to me and my child in the palace, what will the Marquis of our family do?" Mu Fengqie looked at Yuan Yuchuan pitifully.
Yuan Yuchuan looked at Mu Fengqie speechlessly. Orphan and widow? Don't think he didn't know that the maid beside her knew martial arts.
"Alright, I understand. I'll send someone there." Yuan Yuchuan waved Mu Fengqie away impatiently.
After Mu Fengqie left, Yuan Yuchuan sent someone to inform the people in the Regent's Mansion. He couldn't be the only one feeling annoyed, could he?
When Yuan Yuhan heard the news, he was in the room with A Ru, teasing the baby. Before Yuan Yuhan could say anything, A Ru exploded.
"This old hag is really shameless. Does she really think that everyone is as money - grubbing as she is?" If Yuan Yuhan hadn't stopped her, she would have already gone into the palace to settle the score with the Grand Dowager.
"A Ru, don't be in such a hurry. Let's first ask Fengqie what we should do about this." Yuan Yuhan looked at A Ru with a headache. Didn't they say that a mother becomes gentle? Why was it different in their family? A Ru's temper was getting more and more irritable.
Fortunately, he was quite tolerant. Otherwise, how could he handle A Ru?
A Ru thought it made sense. Although she wanted to go into the palace herself, she was still in confinement and couldn't go out. So she could only send someone else.
Thankfully, the news brought back by the person she sent was good. Mu Fengqie told them not to worry and just wait to watch a good show tomorrow.
Sure enough, early the next morning, Mu Fengqie woke up all the concubines in the palaces and gathered them in a palace. The order was given by the Grand Dowager, the venue was arranged by the Grand Dowager, and she only needed to teach. It would be one hour every day, and they could disperse after the lesson.
When Mu Fengqie arrived, there was no one in the palace. Mu Fengqie smiled indifferently and sat on the chair, waiting for the arrival of the ladies. However, when it was time for lunch at noon, no one had come yet.
"Zhu Fei, go and report to the Grand Dowager that Fengqie is incompetent. Please ask the Grand Dowager to find someone else." Mu Fengqie put down the teacup in her hand.
"Yes, I'll go right away." After sending Mu Fengqie back, Zhu Fei went to the Grand Dowager's palace and exaggeratedly described what had happened that morning. She left contentedly after seeing the Grand Dowager's face turn ashen.
"Nanny, go and call all the concubines in the palace to me. I'd like to see how big their faces are! How dare they not take my words to heart!" The Grand Dowager gritted her teeth and said.
In an instant, all the concubines who were enjoying themselves in their own palaces were summoned by the Grand Dowager. Everyone stood in the main hall with different expressions, but they all kept a distance from Mu Xingrou and Concubine Hua.
When the Grand Dowager came and saw that everyone had arrived, she nodded in satisfaction. However, when she saw their lazy looks, her expression turned dissatisfied.
"The Grand Dowager is here—"
The Grand Dowager made a grand entrance, wearing the imperial robe and walking in seriously.
"We pay respects to the Grand Dowager and wish the Grand Dowager good health." The concubines bowed lazily, and the bolder ones stood up on their own.
The Grand Dowager was immediately enraged when she saw their attitudes. "How dare you! Is this the upbringing of the daughters of noble families? It hasn't been long since I stopped managing the harem, and you've become such a mess! What a disgrace!"
"Grand Dowager, it's not that I don't want to respect you. I really can't help it. I'm pregnant with the emperor's child. It's already hard enough, and I still have to take care of the emperor at night. I finally got a little time to rest, and you summoned me here to torture me." Mu Xingrou looked at the Grand Dowager impatiently.
"How dare you! I'm the emperor's grandmother! So what if you're pregnant? There are plenty of women in the palace who can get pregnant. Do you think you're so special?" The Grand Dowager never thought that someone would dare to talk back to her in her lifetime.
"Grand Dowager, you misunderstood me. I just want to sit down for a while. After all, all the sisters here have it hard too, right?" Mu Xingrou wasn't afraid of the Grand Dowager at all.