Chapter 246
**Chapter 244: Charity**
Lan Pin was still basking in her own satisfaction. The Taihu stone she had gifted was both unique and expensive, a perfect embodiment of a junior's respect for her elders. Lan Pin believed that the Empress Dowager would surely look upon her with newfound admiration.
With the Taihu stone as her support, Lan Pin thought she would have the Empress Dowager as her backing in the palace, ensuring that she would not have to worry about winning the Emperor's favor.
At the ladies' table, Lu Yun's lips curled downwards, a glimmer of schadenfreude flickering in her eyes. "What a fool. Can you believe there are such dimwitted concubines in the palace?" Lu Yun shook her head in disbelief.
With the southern floods still unresolved, the Empress Dowager had taken the lead in promoting frugality, sending the saved funds to the disaster-stricken areas to aid the suffering populace, showcasing the compassion of the Da Qing royal family.
The likes of Shu Fei and Chen Fei had all sent practical and affordable gifts for the birthday celebration. Yet, only Lan Pin from the Xie family, in her eagerness to please the Empress Dowager, had sent a hundred Taihu stones, a gift that was both extravagant and wasteful.
What a foolish woman.
Lu Yun twirled her embroidered fan, thinking to herself, no wonder Lu Xuan was thriving in the palace; many concubines were as brainless as Lan Pin.
At the banquet, Lan Pin eagerly gazed at the Empress Dowager, yearning for her praise.
Behind the luxurious beaded curtain, the Empress Dowager's voice was icy: "The Taihu stone is too expensive; I cannot accept it. Return it to the Xie family and let your father appreciate it properly."
Lan Pin stood frozen in place, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, sending chills through her body.
The Empress Dowager took a sip of warm spring tea, her gaze flickering to the Emperor seated at the head of the table. Li Yuanjing's dark eyes were deep and contemplative.
The Empress Dowager silently shook her head. The Xie family was truly digging their own grave. Li Yuanjing had just dealt a heavy blow to the Dantai family, and now the Xie family was foolishly walking into a trap.
The internal news from the Xie family was not wrong; the Empress Dowager indeed had a fondness for Taihu stones. Years ago, when the late Emperor had just ascended the throne, a minister had presented two Taihu stones to the Emperor and Empress. The stones, with their unique shapes and aesthetic appeal, captivated both, and they placed them in the imperial garden as ornamental rocks, often admiring them in their leisure.
The Emperor and Empress's fondness for Taihu stones set off a trend among the nobility and literati, leading to a cultural wave of "stone appreciation" in Da Qing.
However, as the value of Taihu stones skyrocketed, the Emperor and Empress soon realized the significant negative impact they brought. First, the local farmers near Taihu stopped cultivating rice and turned to stone mining for a living, leading to abandoned fields and a shortage of grain supply from Taihu. Second, a good Taihu stone could weigh several tons, and transporting them involved breaking down doors and bridges, with journeys stretching over a thousand miles. Some counties even broke down city gates just to ensure the stones arrived intact in Yanjing, causing immense suffering and financial strain on the people.
The late Emperor keenly sensed the dangers posed by Taihu stones. Following the death of the Empress Dowager, he deemed "Taihu stone" an ill omen, believing it had contributed to her demise. He ordered the stones to be smashed and thrown out of the city gates, and from that point on, the imperial couple ceased their stone appreciation, leading to the gradual disappearance of the trend in the court.
Now, thirty years later, Taihu stones had vanished from Yanjing. Who would have thought that today, Lan Pin would present a hundred Taihu stones at court? This indirectly indicated that the Xie family was now wealthy and had connections with officials along the waterways, allowing them to transport the stones to Yanjing smoothly.
If the Empress Dowager accepted a hundred Taihu stones, Yanjing would likely see a resurgence of the "stone appreciation" trend, causing further suffering and financial strain.
As the Emperor, how could Li Yuanjing not be vigilant?
Lan Pin was still young and unaware of the royal family's far-reaching vision. Still in shock, she stammered, "Empress Dowager, I meant it with all my heart..."
The Empress Dowager slammed her teacup down, her tone frigid: "For my birthday, you send a pile of worthless stones? It's simply infuriating."
Her disdain for the Taihu stones was unmistakable.
Feeling wronged, Lan Pin could only silently return to her seat. It seemed the news from her family had been mistaken; the Empress Dowager no longer liked Taihu stones. What a blunder.
Once Lan Pin settled down, other concubines and noblewomen began to present their gifts in turn.
When it was Lu Yun's turn, she respectfully bowed to the Empress Dowager and said loudly, "Long live the Empress Dowager! Today, I have not brought any precious gifts. My cousin, who runs a grain shop in the flood-stricken area, received my letter where I appealed to him with reason and emotion. He has opened a porridge shop in the disaster area, providing free porridge to the starving victims for a month."
"On the occasion of the Empress Dowager's birthday, I perform this act of charity to accumulate virtue for you, wishing you blessings that last as long as the Southern mountains."
After speaking, Lu Yun bowed again to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager's face lit up with delight, and she clapped her hands in praise: "Truly, you are the daughter of the Duke of Lu. At such a young age, your thoughts are so clear and insightful; it is indeed rare."
Lu Yun's lips curled into a smile, her head slightly bowed to hide the pride in her eyes.
Even Shu Fei, sitting high above, could not conceal her surprise. The once naive little sister had turned out to be so clever.
Could it be that she had received guidance from the Duke of Lu?
The Empress Dowager was very pleased with Lu Yun's gift and rewarded her with a precious plum blossom hairpin inlaid with emeralds. This hairpin had once been part of the Empress Dowager's dowry when she married.
Lu Yun joyfully held the hairpin. Though it appeared slightly worn, its value was extraordinary.
Suppressing her excitement, Lu Yun maintained her decorum and respectfully thanked the Empress Dowager once more.
She thought to herself that today she had caught the Empress Dowager's eye, and in the future, if she entered the palace as a concubine, the Empress Dowager would surely become her support.
Meanwhile, Shen Wei, who was sipping tea, cast a glance at the old hairpin, marveling inwardly at the Empress Dowager's cunning.
Coming from a prestigious family, the Empress Dowager had over five hundred hairpins in her dowry. Over time, many had been damaged and lost their value.
As the noblewomen continued to present their gifts, the old lady from the Dantai family gifted the Empress Dowager a cold jade pillow, beneficial for sleep and health, which the Empress Dowager praised profusely.
Finally, it was time for Ye Qiushuang, who sat in the corner, to make her appearance. In a gathering filled with beautiful women, Ye Qiushuang, dressed simply, did not stand out, and her background was the least distinguished.
No one knew why the Empress Dowager had allowed a merchant's daughter to enter the palace for the banquet.
As the lanterns were lit, the fragrance of wine wafted through the Qinghua Hall. Ye Qiushuang lowered her head and walked to the center, respectfully greeting the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
A look of maternal affection appeared in the Empress Dowager's eyes as she said kindly, "No need to kneel; the ground is cold."
Her gentle demeanor caused the noblewomen present to frown in disapproval.
Lan Pin clenched her embroidered handkerchief, warily sizing up Ye Qiushuang. This merchant's daughter was quite pretty, and despite her lowly background, she had caught the Empress Dowager's attention.
Could it be—Lan Pin's eyes widened in alarm—was the Empress Dowager considering bringing Ye Qiushuang into the palace as a concubine?
Lan Pin gritted her teeth in secret.
With Shu Fei and Chen Fei as towering trees in the harem, Lan Pin's life was already difficult. Now, with a newcomer as beautiful as a flower, there would be even less favor left for her from the Emperor.
Ye Qiushuang, entering the palace for the first time, was not intimidated by the presence of the most esteemed Emperor and Empress Dowager. She respectfully spoke, "On the occasion of the Empress Dowager's birthday, I, Ye Qiushuang, wish you longevity and blessings that last as long as the Southern mountains. Regarding the southern floods, as I hail from the south, I am deeply concerned. I wish to donate twenty thousand taels of silver, one thousand bolts of cotton fabric, and ten boxes of medicinal herbs to the disaster-stricken areas."
"Additionally, I will open an inn and set up a cotton-picking and weaving workshop in the southern counties to provide a means of livelihood for the homeless victims."
Ye Qiushuang had come to the palace today to "do charity."
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