第十章 恩威并施

郭宁妃虽说受宠，但比起皇后娘娘来说终究是要矮上三分。
Miaoyun witnessed the whole battle between light and dark, secretly applauding the queen's clever tactics of "changing flowers and trees" through the crown prince, but also admiring her with awe. She also felt sorry for Guo Ningfei's failed attempt to hide her brilliance.
Glancing stealthily once more, one stood tall and aloof, while the other sat slumped on a piece of blue stone, eyes filled with deep hatred. Miao Yun sighed quietly in her heart, "The palace is a complex place, and my father's caution is the key to survival."
Grandpa Li stood respectfully next to the empress, with an air of arrogance that seemed to suggest he had already anticipated the fate of Duchess Guo Ning.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has retired to the palace, while all the other imperial concubines and princes are still watching us. How should we proceed with the selection of the crown princess? Please give us your guidance."
At this moment, the palace was quiet, and the youngest three princes, Zhu Zi of the Tanyue, Zhu Qi of the Zhaoyue, and Zhu Tan of the Luyue, were peacefully lying in the arms of their wet nurses or palace maids.
Their slightly upturned lips were as light as the crescent moon, and the gently snoring sounds could even alleviate the hostility in people's hearts, making them feel relaxed and happy.
皇后一转身，身上的威仪莫名其妙的消失不见。她走到郭宁妃跟前，亲自将其扶起，那种暧昧的动作和场景，宛如感情至深的亲姐妹。
"Sister, isn't it just choosing a companion and a lady in waiting? Look, it's causing a rift between us sisters."
"I think that the wet nurse who was just taken away had a point. Prince Zhu Tan of Lu is young and the youngest of the ten princes. We, as the mothers, should take more care of him, shouldn't we?"
现在皇上回了宫，不如这样，本宫就代皇上替鲁王择选一个，妹妹，你觉得怎样？”
一口一个妹妹，一口一个妹妹地叫着，郭宁妃望着皇后“笑里藏刀”的模样，心里更是紧张的不行，眼里的眸光也瞬间暗淡下来。嘴中勉强恭敬地答道：“皇后既已费心，臣妾……臣妾悉听便是。”
On both sides of the hall, some concubines were secretly laughing, and Hu Chongfei leaned in to whisper to Da Dingfei, "Guo Ningfei really shot herself in the foot this time. I wonder what kind of role the Empress will choose for Prince Lu later. It wouldn't be some official's daughter, would it? Guo Ningfei's face would be completely disgraced."
Princess Dading replied: "Although the Empress usually looks kind and merciful to us concubines, she will not go easy on Concubine Guo for touching on her sensitive spot. No matter what decision is made, the Empress will not forgive her easily."
Everyone is suspicious, even Princess Guo Ning herself is disappointed. She hangs her head and allows the Queen's following humiliation.
The Queen, however, is unconcerned, stretches out her left hand behind her back, like a shaman, and even sets up a "heavenly earth plate" in front of everyone, chanting "heavenly stems and earthly branches, nine stars of the dragon, eight doors of escape." Finally, her eyes suddenly light up, and she pulls Princess Guo Ning's hand in surprise, saying:
"Ningfei, I think that the second daughter of General Tanghe, who was just born, is a perfect match for our King Lu Zhu Tan. Not only would she make a great companion for our daughter, but also, in a few years, I will personally arrange for them to be married and create a long-lasting union. What do you think?"
“啊！这……”
"Huh?"
郭宁妃先是吃了一惊，紧接着众嫔妃也张大嘴巴，满脸错愕。
脑子已乱成浆糊的郭宁妃，不知皇后耍的是什么鬼把戏，只能用两个大大的眼睛直勾勾地望着皇后，整洁雪白的门牙咬着没有血丝的嘴唇，像一个石头雕刻的美人，跪也不是，谢也不是。
就在这猜测的当口，众人皆能瞧见皇后的面色却渐渐由晴转阴，随后，周围陷入一片死寂，就像是瞬间又回到了冰点，吓得众人接连低头。
It seemed that Guo Ningfei had realized something. Her face turned pale and her lips turned purple as she shivered and knelt down on the ground, begging, "How dare I go against the Emperor's original intention? Let's follow the rules and choose from the candidates in the palace."
皇后的眼睛里闪烁着凶光，脸上浮出刻薄的狞笑，最终吐露出最尖酸刻薄的话语：
“哼！相鼠有皮，人而无仪，人而无仪，不死何为？宁妃，你还敢说是皇上的初意？难道不是你郭宁妃心中的小九九？”
```html“Your Majesty, I...”
Just as the startled Lady Guo Ning was about to speak up, the Empress raised her right hand to silence her, then sighed and said, “Enough, perhaps you too were bewitched by that wet nurse. Now that she's dead, let's consider this matter settled.”```
Just...
The queen paused briefly, and Guo Ningfei didn't dare to get up, still kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath.
"Just in the future, there's no need to hide anything about the affairs of the harem. If you have any thoughts, let me know in advance. Whatever I can do, I will make the decision for you. Whatever I cannot do, you better dismiss the idea, don't even think about it."
皇后言已至此，索性把目光又扫向了众人，开口道：“好歹我也是这后宫之主，平常咱们姊妹相待也就罢了，可谁要是私底下再驳了我这皇后的威仪，有损我坤宁宫的体面，我定当让她生不如死。”
The Queen's resounding words echoed throughout the Huagai Hall, and every concubine understood. This speech was not just addressed to Guo Ningfei alone, but was a message to everyone present that she was the main consort of this harem and the only one worthy of being the mother of the world.
"Alright, everyone calm down. This palace is not made of stone, and I am not a heartless person. It's just a companion daughter. Why make it so indecent? Li Jingzhong, go and bring in the daughter of General Xuan Tanghe. Also, our selection is about to begin."
On the side, Miaoyun knelt quietly, her thumb slightly raised, secretly admiring and worshiping in her heart.
"Is this the story of Korean stick and jujube? No, in the official language of the Ming Palace, it is called showing grace and might. It not only satisfies the emperor's original intention, but also gives Guo Ningfei a way out. Most importantly, the empress has established her own prestige through this matter, and has also given everyone a big wake-up call."
```htmlBetween the fleeting moments, the gloom has passed, and a few more "clouds" appeared on the queen's face.
"What are you all staring at? Girls, which prince do you like? Go ahead? Don't tell me you all want this palace to decide for you?"```
Sure, here's the translation while preserving the original HTML tags:```htmlIn the Huagai Palace, which was permeated with a cold atmosphere, as the queen uttered these words, it immediately became bustling. The attendants of the eldest princess whispered to each other, some eager to try, and even some had already stood by the favored prince, hoping to leave a good impression.```