coobybook Chapter 516 Suzhou Palace
Chapter 516 Suzhou Palace
Shen Sui'an brought the Empress Dowager back to Suzhou safely.
The Empress Dowager was a Buddhist practitioner. When she learned what had happened in Salt Lake City, she felt heavy-hearted and chanted sutras all the way, hoping that the innocent lives that had been killed would be reborn with a good life soon.
Suzhou is a place of vast territory and abundant resources. It has always been known as the Little Jiangnan. The land here is fertile, with fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles. There is the dangerous Yaoguan Pass in the north, rich agricultural products in the south, vast grasslands in the east, and the Su River in the west that connects to all directions. As long as the river is opened up, all kinds of materials can be transported conveniently and can be directly transported by sea.
Suzhou is the best place in the entire Southern Dynasty, as it can both defend against enemies and develop.
No wonder when the capital was first chosen, it was almost located in Suzhou.
"If it weren't for the opposition of the ministers, our ancestors would have moved the capital to Suzhou." The Empress Dowager sighed.
“This is a really great place.”
Fu Jinyuan was able to obtain the fiefdom of Suzhou because of the strong efforts of the Empress Dowager, who directly appointed Suzhou to be given to him.
Shen Sui'an was very grateful to the Empress Dowager.
From childhood to adulthood, Fu Jinyuan had never received any favoritism, but from the Empress Dowager, he was finally favored.
"After grandma has had a good rest, your granddaughter-in-law will accompany you to visit places." Shen Sui'an said with a smile.
She knew that the Grand Empress Dowager was depressed because of what happened in Salt Lake City, so she had been saying light-hearted things to comfort her these days.
"Okay." The Empress Dowager nodded.
The chief secretary of the palace was already guarding outside the city gate. When he saw their carriage, he immediately came over to greet them.
The Chief Secretary came to Suzhou in advance because he had to keep an eye on the craftsmen when building the royal palace. From the courtyard and pavilions to every blade of grass and tree in the garden, no mistakes could be made.
The red lacquered gate of the Regent's Palace has five rooms and is more than three meters high. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles. In front of the gate, there is a male and female stone lion on each side, which look majestic and add a bit of imposingness to the palace.
"Well, this palace is pretty good, worthy of the status of Regent." The Empress Dowager sat in the green-glazed sedan chair and was quite satisfied with the palace.
Shen Sui'an followed her, but was stunned by the grandeur and luxury of the palace.
She knew that the Regent's Palace would be bigger and more magnificent than the palace in the capital, but she didn't expect the difference to be so great.
The screen wall she saw when she entered the room just now startled her.
I don’t know where they found so many brightly colored corals.
After passing the nine-turn corridor, you will see the palace's garden. At first glance, you can see pavilions and towers with exquisite shapes, flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted buildings. The lake in the garden is crystal clear, and there are all kinds of exotic flowers and plants that bloom all year round.
To be frank, this garden is in no way inferior to the imperial garden in the palace.
"It's still acceptable." said the Empress Dowager.
Shen Sui'an: "..."
Is this still a stretch? It’s not a stretch at all.
The chief secretary said respectfully, "Grand Empress Dowager, your courtyard is over here."
In a secluded corner of the garden is a courtyard surrounded by green bamboos. The slender bamboo branches sway gently in the wind. In the courtyard, there are various Taoist scriptures collected, and sandalwood incense is rising from the incense burner.
The six points of satisfaction in the Empress Dowager's eyes turned into ten points.
"Grandma, isn't this yard too secluded?" Shen Suian asked with a frown.
"I like quiet places, and this place is very much to my liking," said the Empress Dowager.
"Sui Sui, you don't have to take me into consideration for everything. You are the head of the palace. I am used to living a simple life in Wudao Mountain."
Shen Sui'an smiled and said, "Yes, if you feel uncomfortable, you must tell your granddaughter-in-law. I am stupid and I am afraid that I may not be considerate of you."
The Empress Dowager said: "You have been chatting and joking with me these few days, and you haven't rested all the way. Go back and have a good rest."
Shen Suian agreed and gave the servants a few instructions before returning to her upper room.
She wanted to take a closer look at the palace, but she was so exhausted that she just wanted to lie down and sleep for three days and three nights.
"Sister-in-law, Brother Chao has fallen asleep." Shen Suian had just sat down and drank a sip of tea when Ruan Zhaoxia came in.
"You can go back and rest too. The chief secretary has prepared a yard for you. It's in the east corner of the garden." Shen Sui'an said softly.
Ruan Zhaoxia asked cautiously, "Sister-in-law, has my mother... written to you?"
Shen Sui'an raised his eyes to look at her and saw through her little thoughts.
"Why, are you afraid that I will send you back to the capital?"
Ruan Zhaoxia stepped forward and hugged Shen Sui'an's arm, "Sister-in-law, I don't want to go back yet. Please let me play here for a few more days."
Shen Sui'an was naturally willing, but he was worried that Ruan Zhaoxia and Zhao Jiuling would be unable to control their feelings.
She didn't want to be blamed by her aunt.
"Xia Jie'er, even if I want to keep you, my aunt will send someone to take you back. You should first think about how to explain how you ran away from your maternal grandparents' home to Suzhou."
Ruan Zhaoxia let out a painful sigh, "Save me, sister-in-law."
Shen Sui'an was amused by the rich expressions on her face.
"Tell me, how dare you sneak to such a far place and do such a dangerous thing in Salt Lake City? If the prince is not in Salt Lake City this time, can you and Zhao Jiuling get away safely?"
"You've also seen how cruel those people are. Even if they knew you were the daughter of the Ruan family, who would know your whereabouts if they killed you?"
Ruan Zhaoxia's face turned pale. "Sister-in-law, please stop scolding me. I already know I was wrong."
Shen Sui'an comforted her softly, "I will write a letter to my aunt first, and you can go home and apologize for your mistakes when the time comes."
"Then can you..." Ruan Zhaoxia opened her mouth, "Persuade my mother not to arrange a marriage for me. I don't want to get married."
"Sister Xia, do you have someone in your heart?" Shen Suian asked.
Ruan Zhaoxia looked away, "I like Zhao Jiuling."
"..." Shen Sui'an didn't expect that she would say it so frankly.
She really didn't know how to react for a moment.
Ruan Zhaoxia said to herself, "I know what my sister-in-law is going to say. Zhao Jiuling is indeed not from a noble family, but he is many times better than those young masters from noble families."
"I feel happy and comfortable with him. If I can't marry him, then I don't plan to marry anyone in my life."
"I have a headache. You go back and rest first. I need to have a good rest." Shen Sui'an felt overwhelmed when he heard Ruan Zhaoxia's words.
What she worried about most happened.
I didn't want to expose it before because I thought Ruan Zhaoxia must know everything about her marriage, and the Ruan family would never agree to her marrying Zhao Jiuling, so she should keep her youthful feelings to herself.
Why did she confess it just as soon as she arrived in Suzhou?
What can Shen Sui'an do?
Ruan Zhaoxia stood up and said, "I won't embarrass my sister-in-law."
After saying that, she stood up and ran out.
"Go and follow her quickly, don't let her leave the palace." Shen Suian said to Ningshuang quickly.
Calculating the date, the Ruan family should have received the news by now and knew that Ruan Zhaoxia was in Suzhou, and someone would come to pick her up soon.