Chapter 101: Engagement! By Ji Jin

  Wash the small stick with blood, Xia Qiuli went back to find a bedroom, fell down and wrapped herself in a quilt to sleep. But originally thought she was sleepy, only to discover that it wasn't easy to fall asleep after lying down.

  The more things one thinks about in their mind, the farther away they are from Lord Gao (a reference to a wise and virtuous person).

  Apart from feeling a bit unwell with her period coming, she was worried about what would happen next.

  Unexpectedly, a Zhonghe Festival, seemed to have not only disrupted the rhythm of all things, but also ruined her original plan. The fool was found, but the prince was dead. She was no longer the good doctor of the Jinwang Fu, nor was she the husband of the princess, but had become the Jingyi Princess of Chengguo Gongfu, and was about to be betrothed to the King of Jin as his official wife.

  These things change too quickly.

  She thought it was going too fast and still needed some time to digest.

  And now that she has lied to Zhao Zhu, how will she face him and Dongfang Qingyun in the future? If she follows Zhao Zhu to Beiping Prefecture, how will she clear the name of the people of the Wei State Duke's residence? In fact, strictly speaking, Xia Chu's affairs have nothing to do with her. But probably because she has been occupying this body for too long, and also due to some memories left by Xia Chu that occasionally troubled her, she increasingly feels that Xia Chu's affairs are her own affairs.

  She scratched her head, thinking about "national affairs", but soon she was distracted again, and her thoughts were unknowingly pulled back. She thought of the feeling when Zhao Zhuo forcibly hugged her and flew away on a large bird, thought of the shattered emotions in his eyes when she told him that she had already lost her virginity to Dongfang Qingxuan, and also thought of the few words he said after struggling - He said he didn't mind.

  Can Zhen really not mind? Men of later generations all mind, but a feudal king doesn't mind?

  It's chaotic! My mind is totally messed up!

  She didn't know when she fell asleep, and the next day when it was dawn, she woke up once, feeling Zhao Zhu's footsteps approaching the bed. But he came in, yet didn't disturb her, only bent down to look at her for a while, tucked her quilt in, and then quietly left.

  The old emperor was too diligent in governance, almost every day he had to attend court.

  The sky has not yet dawned, and the Emperor is about to ascend to the throne, the inner attendant strikes the whip.

  "Bang Bang——"

  The whip crack, in the empty and desolate palace, can be heard from very far away!

  The princes, dukes, and high officials of the civil and military services, all wearing their court dress, proceeded from outside the Fengtian Gate in order to enter.

  Civil officials stand in the east and military officials in the west, each standing according to their rank.

  The person on the golden throne in the Temple of Heaven was majestic, under the vermilion steps, two embroidered uniform guards stood one on each side, waiting for the official from the Ministry of Rites to announce the entrance, then all civil and military officials would kneel down and kowtow, shouting "Long live, long live, long long live".

  This is the majesty of an emperor.

  A country, whether it is prosperous or plagued by disasters in the eyes of its people, never has small matters in the imperial court. Nowadays, with the great prosperity of the Daxia Dynasty, vassal states from all directions come to pay tribute. Someone comes to ask for an edict to establish a crown prince today, and someone comes to ask for an edict to confer a king tomorrow. Such trivial matters are becoming more and more frequent. Especially in recent days, the entire imperial court has been stirred up by the matter of "establishing a crown prince".

  Since the death of the crown prince, memorials to the throne regarding the establishment of a new heir have piled up like mountains. The dead are at peace, but the living will continue to fight endlessly for power and profit. For their own interests, princes and ministers each stick to their own words, with everyone having their own camp and stance.

  A sentence to describe: Undercurrents surge, turbulent waves crash, rumbling incessantly.

  No sooner had he shouted "Report!" than Wei Guogong Xia Tiande came out.

  "I memorialize to Your Majesty, since the founding of our great nation, Your Majesty has inherited the heavenly mandate, pacified powerful enemies abroad, protected the people at home, appointed the virtuous and capable, chosen the good and brave, and established a foundation that will last for ten thousand generations. This has allowed the people of the world to witness an era of eternal peace, truly a manifestation of heaven's will and our ruler's great virtue. However, now that Crown Prince Yi-de has passed away, there is no heir apparent, which will surely bring disaster. I humbly request that Your Majesty promptly establish a crown prince for our great nation, in order to calm the hearts of the people."

  Those who engage in politics often drag the people of the world into their affairs, this is normal.

  Listening to his sighs, however, no one on the Feng Tian Temple showed even a hint of emotion.

  Hong Tai Emperor stroked the dragon chair's armrest, his hand sliding slightly.

  "Xia Aiqing thought, which prince is worthy of the great responsibility?"

  Xia Tingde was Zhao Mianze's father-in-law and also a trusted confidant of Emperor Hongtai, so he naturally understood the subtleties involved. As soon as he saw the old emperor ask questions, he "honestly fearful" knelt down and began to report, his expression on that face almost brought tears to his eyes.

  "Your Majesty, now that the country is stable and the people are at peace, it is a time when the nation needs to nurture and cultivate its strength. It requires a ruler with great benevolence and virtue. In my humble opinion, the Crown Prince is magnanimous and has a strong sense of justice, reminiscent of the late Emperor's virtues. Moreover, he never does evil to others, making him an excellent choice for ensuring the continuation of our imperial lineage..."

  Hong Taiyi nodded slightly and was about to speak when another voice sounded in the imperial court.

  "Your Majesty—"

  The person who spoke loudly was Xu Wenlong, the Duke of Liangguo.

  This old Xu family was originally the imperial clan of the old emperor, and Xu Wenyi's mother was the old emperor's own sister. His father had followed the old emperor to fight for the country and was granted the title of Duke of Liang, but he died on the battlefield without enjoying his good fortune. Xu Wenyi also inherited his father's legacy, being brave and skilled in battle, and had achieved great merit in the early years when fighting against the Northern Di and Western Rong. In addition to inheriting the title of Duke of Liang, the old emperor also granted him the title of Taizi Taishi. Xu Wenyi was a straightforward and decisive person who naturally couldn't stand seeing Zhao Mianze, that soft and weak imperial grandson, as the crown prince. Therefore, he had always been Zhao Zun's most powerful supporter.

  After a loud roar, he probably found himself losing face, looked around, and then awkwardly knelt down.

  "Your Majesty, the Duke of Wei is speaking nonsense. He says that since the country is now stable, it needs to be governed by a benevolent and kind-hearted ruler who will nurture and care for it? Isn't he implying that Your Majesty is not magnanimous enough, not compassionate enough? Furthermore, when the Duke of Wei mentions the 'Imperial Grandson', I don't know which one he is referring to?"

  Xia Tingde was suddenly rebuked by him in court, his old face turned red with anger.

  "Duke Liang, how dare you insult His Majesty's intention? Don't spit blood at people."

  Xu Wenlong ignored him and continued to look at Hong Tai, "Moreover, from ancient times to the present, I have never heard of a case where power was passed down through generations. There is no precedent or ancestral teachings to follow..."

  Xia Tingde had not finished speaking when Lv Huaming, the Minister of the Board of Officials, stood up.

  "I memorialize to Your Majesty, I humbly think that Your Majesty is an emperor of a thousand ages, without precedent and without rules. Can't Your Majesty set the rules yourself? Does the Duke of Liang mean to say that Your Majesty cannot compete with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?"

  Xu Wenlong was furious, taking big strides forward. "Is this reasonable?! Lyu Huaming, are you singing a different tune?! Are you disregarding the warning signs of heaven and earth?! Are you disregarding the emotions of the common people?! The emperor's grandson is still young, without any achievements or contributions, how can he bear the weight of this great responsibility?! Therefore, Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the King of Jin has both virtue and prestige, with unmatched talent, the people praise him, and the officials bow to him..."

  "Prince Liang!" Before he could finish, Xia Tingde cut him off and retorted, "Prince Liang, you just said that passing the throne to a grandson has no precedent and is not an established tradition. Then please tell me, is it orthodox to establish the eldest son as heir or is it orthodox to establish a younger son as heir? Doesn't a younger son inheriting the throne also have no precedent?"

  "You..."

  Xia Tingde continued, "Besides, many things in the world are distorted and exaggerated when passed on. Are rumors and gossip spread by malicious people or is there really something to it? Hmph, only you, Prince Liang, would believe such a thing! Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, wouldn't possibly disregard the rules of succession because of rumors, would he?"

  "That's enough!"

  Several high-ranking officials were arguing in court, which was really not decent. Especially such a quarrel, almost every day there will be a performance, sometimes it will be from dawn till dusk, showing a more and more intense trend, this made the face of Hong Tai Emperor, who was sitting on the dragon chair, very unsightly.

  "Am I about to die immediately? Why are you arguing like this?"

  "Your humble servant dare not..."

  "I dare not..."

  Seeing several people kneeling down to apologize, Emperor Hong Tai coldly snorted, "Alright, the matter of establishing a crown prince is for me to decide. I will certainly consider the advice of all my ministers. Our great Jiangshan dynasty did not come easily, while absorbing the lessons of previous dynasties, when it's time to be flexible, we must also be flexible. This matter, let's discuss later!"

  Having said that, without waiting for the opposition of the people in the palace, he suddenly turned his words and said, "The matter of establishing a successor can be done slowly, but now I have something that needs to be solved as soon as possible. In my opinion, it is still necessary to divide my princes among different regions and make them vassal kings. Does anyone have any objections?"

  This idea had been in the mind of the old emperor for a long time.

  It's just that it hasn't been implemented before, but since Zhao Kui went to Beiping Prefecture, the construction of the Jinwang Mansion in Beiping began, and all the princes started to stir. The old emperor had more than a dozen sons, not everyone could continue the throne, so being able to go to their fiefdoms and become a vassal king was actually a very good choice for most of the princes. In their fiefdoms, the vassal kings were in charge, without having to endure so many restrictions, why wouldn't they be happy?

  The old emperor made a proposal, and someone immediately objected in the imperial court.

  "Your Majesty, think thrice, dividing and granting fiefs to vassal kings is not a good strategy. Once the vassal kings become too powerful, the consequences will be unbearable..."

  Before that person could finish speaking, Hong Tai Emperor's eyes already had a hint of annoyance. "According to your meaning, all of my sons have ulterior motives? They will all form cliques and pursue private interests, they will each govern for themselves, and they will lead troops to the capital to usurp my throne?"

  Emperor Hongtai has always been good at balancing the imperial court and driving his officials.

  One soft and one hard, one hard and one soft, he grasped it just right.

  As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

  The princes and high officials all slightly lowered their heads, not daring to look at the person in the hall again.

  Of course, those who can meet the emperor in the imperial court are not fools. Emperor Hongtai only said that he would divide his sons to various places as vassal kings, but did not say how his grandsons would be arranged. His tone was easy to hear, and the position of Crown Prince still belonged to Zhao Mianze.

  But at this point, even if he were an emperor, with many opposing him, it would be difficult for him to directly appoint a successor.

  Have to say, Zhao Xie's previous setup was still very impressive.

  If Zhao Mianhuan hadn't appeared, Emperor Hongtai would have had a basis in the ancestral system to make Zhao Mianze the crown prince, and many people would have supported it. But now, out of nowhere, a Zhao Mianhuan has popped up, and he is the true and legitimate imperial grandson, but unfortunately, he's an idiot.

  So the situation was stuck there.

  Emperor Hongtai had to consider the opinions of the princes and ministers, but they also knew that the old emperor was not a hesitant person. Once he made up his mind, it would be difficult to change it. However, the establishment of the crown prince was a major national event, which not only affected the fate of the country but also the future life and death of the ministers and their families. As long as the old emperor had not yet issued an edict, they would all want to resist.

  The people below were sweating, secretly speculating, but Emperor Hong Tai's tone became more gentle. "All of you officials work day and night for the prosperity of our dynasty, offering loyal advice, which brings me great comfort. However, I have already made up my mind about this matter, so there is no need to bring it up again. As for the matter of establishing a crown prince, I think I won't be dying anytime soon, and now that I have Grandson Prince Mian Ze to share my worries, I can still hold on for another ten or twenty years, let's discuss this later."

  "Retire from court—"

  The emperor has the majesty of an emperor, and Hong Tai Emperor is also an emperor who is difficult to fathom, with a very deep mind. His words have reached this point, and the matter can be concluded. The matter of establishing a crown prince will be discussed later, and for people from various camps, there is actually no win or loss, and everyone still has hope.

  The more it is so, the more ferocious the undercurrents are.

  Before Emperor Huizong of Song left the Fengtian Hall, he specially ordered the palace eunuchs to summon several sons and grandsons to wait in the Jian Shen Hall. Finally, he summoned Cui Yingdai and sent someone to invite Zhao Gou, the King of Qin, who was "not feeling well and unable to attend court", to come to the Jian Shen Hall together.

  ……

  ……

  Jing Shen Hall

  Choi Yeong-da handed a cup of ginseng tea over to Hong Tae-ui's hands.

  "Your Majesty..."

  "Hmm." With his eyes slightly closed, Emperor Hong Tai lifted the tea lid, blew on the hot water, and took a light sip before raising his eyelids to look at the several princes and grandsons who had been summoned before him. Suddenly, he put down his teacup and let out a deep sigh.

  "What do you think about what happened in the hall this morning?"

  Zhao Mianze first knelt down, "Your Majesty is in the prime of life, and my father King has just passed away. I think that the matter of establishing a crown prince is not something to be rushed into at this moment. Moreover, I believe that my abilities are not as good as those of my nineteenth uncle, and my status is also inferior to that of my second uncle... it's really difficult for me to take on such an important responsibility..."

  He finished speaking quietly, with a sincere expression on his face, and the hall fell silent in an instant.

  For quite a while, no one else said anything.

  Hong Tai's furrowed brow relaxed, and he waved his hand to let Zhao Mianze get up first. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly turned his head to look at Zhao Zun, "Old Nineteen, what do you think?"

  Zhuo Yu stepped forward and saluted, saying lightly: "As a martial artist, I really shouldn't get involved in politics!"

  "We're all family here, let's discuss our views."

  "I don't have an opinion."

  He has always been like this, gentle and calm, neither arrogant nor humble.

  Emperor Hongtai's eyes flashed slightly, staring at him for a moment before nodding and furrowing his brow to continue, "Today, the Minister of War Xie Changjin submitted a memorial. I originally intended to discuss it in court, but after some consideration, I decided to ask for your opinion privately first. Xie Changjin's memorial stated that you will soon be heading to Beiping Prefecture, and since the war with the Northern Di is ongoing, in order to facilitate the Ministry of War's troop deployments, your military authority should be recalled..."

  He paused, no longer speaking, and instead gazed calmly at Zhao Zhu.

  He slightly raised the corner of his lips, Zhao Zun's face remained unchanged, "It's all up to the Emperor's decision."

  He let out a sigh, and the Emperor Hongtai's face sank slightly. "This Xie Changjin is indeed impulsive. At present, the south has a drought, the north has heavy snow, and the surrounding small countries have repeatedly invaded. I think that with Old Nineteen in the army, it would be best to stabilize the military morale and suppress the enemy. However, Xie Changjin joined forces with many old ministers to present their case, carefully explaining its importance. For a moment, I couldn't reject him... especially since this concerns the Ministry of War's affairs. When I use people, I must not doubt them. They have petitioned multiple times, and I can no longer pretend to be deaf..."

  Zhao Zun nodded inwardly and looked at Emperor Hong Tai, calmly cupping his hands in respect.

  "The Emperor's words are extremely correct, I was just about to go to Beiping Prefecture to take office. I wanted to bid farewell to the Emperor. Now it's just right, the military tally has been handed over, and I can also stay at home to prepare for my daughter's grand wedding."

  "Alright..."

  It's obvious that Hong Taiji was waiting for just this one sentence.

  "From now on, the command of the three battalions of the Golden Guard will be returned to the Ministry of War. Moreover, Xie Changjin has also requested an edict saying that Wei Guo Gong Xia Tian De is a matchless hero, capable of taking on this heavy responsibility, and I deeply agree with him. Therefore, the Golden Guard will be handed over to Wei Guo Gong's hands, Old Nineteen, you can rest assured. However, remember that you are still my Divine Martial General King, and when the country is in danger and foreign enemies rise up, it will still require your personal command on the battlefield..."

  Emperor Hongtai smiled and spoke warmly, saying a lot of comforting words, but Zhao Zun's face remained calm, neither approving nor disapproving. However, everyone present knew that at this critical moment when the crown prince was being chosen, Emperor Hongtai's actions were not entirely out of fear for Zhao Zun, but rather to add weight to Zhao Mianze's chances. Who didn't know that Wei Guogong Xia Tiande was Zhao Mianze's father-in-law? Handing over the military power to him wasn't obviously a move to help Zhao Mianze become the crown prince?

  Everyone has a chessboard in their heart, but they are all polished to shine like snow.

  Some people naturally sighed, thinking that Zhao Kuo was not worth it. Since ancient times, when the flying birds are all gone, the good bows must be hidden, and those who enjoy blessings are not the ones who conquer the world. In the beginning, when the world was in chaos and the four sides were filled with smoke, Zhao Kuo was the divine general of the heavenly army. Now that the world is at peace and everywhere is fertile land, he has become the king of the divine general, adding a "king" character to his title, but losing the right to command troops, leaving him with only an empty title.

  Father and son, ruler and subject, this is the most complicated relationship in the world.

  However, having lost military power, Zhao Yun still appeared lofty and elegant like a clear breeze, his face expressionless, as if he didn't care at all.

  Just as they were speaking, a small eunuch came to report that the King of Qin had arrived.

  Qin Wang Zhao Gou was the second son of the old emperor and also the eldest son born to Empress Zhang.

  If we follow the ancestral system of brother dying and younger brother succeeding, Crown Prince Zhao was the eldest son. After his death, according to the order of succession, it should be the second son, Qin Wang Zhao Gou, who succeeds to the throne. However, this person Zhao Gou is a different story. Although he holds the position of Minister of the Imperial Clan Office and is a high-ranking official in charge of imperial family affairs, the Imperial Clan Office is not actually a powerful department. Moreover, Zhao Gou has been weak and sickly since childhood, often absent from court due to illness, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the political winds of the court. He does not appear to be overly close with any of his brothers, so although some people have suggested that he should be made the crown prince, he himself seems to have no intention of doing so.

  People quickly swarmed in——

  Zhao Gou was about thirty-six or seven years old, thin as a reed in the wind, with a pale face and a haggard look, clearly someone who had not been outdoors for a long time. As he walked through the palace gate, his steps were unsteady, making one fear that he might be blown away by the wind of the palace.

  "Your son has come to pay his respects, may Your Majesty live forever!"

  Emperor Hong Tai looked at him and excused him from the ceremonial rites, as he was not feeling well, and even gave him a special seat. He first asked about his health over the past few days and why he hadn't come to the palace to pay respects to Empress Dowager, etc., and finally got around to asking about Zhao Xi's situation in the Imperial Clan Court.

  When mentioning the usurpation of power, Zhao Xie was somewhat slow in speech and seemed to consider each question carefully before answering, not looking like a wise ruler.

  "I report to the Emperor, Eldest Three is very obedient, in the mansion of the imperial relatives, every day he writes poetry, writes characters... no, writes scriptures, saying that he wants to atone for his sins, and pray for blessings for the great Jiangshan. Hmm, also, also want to pray for blessings for the Emperor and Empress..."

  He muttered and murmured, pausing from time to time, speaking in a stiff and formal tone.

  For a moment, Hong Taiji was speechless.

  After a while, he looked at Zhao Gou again, "Is it really so?"

  Zhao Gou nodded, "Your son does not dare to deceive the emperor, the third one is indeed sincere in his repentance. Also, also that one, your son saw that he was stripped of his title and feared that the people in the imperial clan would bully him, so specially arranged for someone to serve him..."

  Everyone originally thought that Emperor Huizong had summoned Zhao Gou to test the waters and would give him an opportunity to step down. Firstly, he was his own son after all, and secondly, Empress Zheng had been bedridden with illness for days and missed her son dearly.

  But who would have thought that after hearing this, Emperor Hong Tai's face sank and he said in a cold voice: "You are good at being a hypocrite. I let him go to the Imperial Clan Mansion, not to enjoy himself, but to suffer. Go back and immediately withdraw all the palace maids for me. How can I lightly pardon someone who dares to usurp the throne?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty."

  Zhao Gou's face turned pale with fright, and he hastily got down from his chair and knelt on the ground.

  "I know I was wrong, I am guilty."

  He had just finished speaking when the eunuch who was transmitting the orders rushed in again, his face pale.

  "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress... is no more..."

  "What's wrong?"

  "The girl vomited a lot of blood..."

  As soon as Emperor Hong Tai heard this, he smashed his teacup on the spot and had a fit.

  "A group of useless doctors in the imperial hospital, I want to behead them all, every single one of them..."

  These days, Empress Zhang's body has not been comfortable, so even the diligent Emperor Hong Tai shortened his time in court and sometimes moved government affairs to Kunning Palace.

  It has to be said that "youthful couples, old age companions" is absolutely true.

  Men, when they are young and romantic, and as the emperor, it's only natural to have a crush on young women. With countless concubines in the harem, it's almost a matter of course. As his wife since he was 14, this empress has been with Hong Tai Emperor for decades, yet she remains unruffled and unbothered, with a gentle disposition. Whenever any of the concubines become pregnant, she would personally take care of them, earning her a reputation that spreads far and wide.

  Emperor Hongtai previously respected and cherished her, but before she fell ill, he was like most men, who apart from routine palace affairs, basically did not remember his first wife.

  However, Empress Zhang's body became increasingly weak, especially after the death of the Crown Prince and the usurpation of the throne by her third son. She never got out of bed again. As a result, Emperor Hongtai was frightened and almost went to Kunning Palace every day.

  A man's value lies in what he is about to lose, even if he is an emperor.

  It was probably around this time that he realized he couldn't bear to part with his old wife who had been with him for a lifetime.

  Of course, saying "behead the doctor" wouldn't actually mean beheading him.

  The queen of Kun Ning Palace was extremely busy.

  The eunuchs and palace maids came and went, while Jiang Taoyi, the imperial physician who had been attending to Empress Zhang, was sweating profusely on his forehead. When he saw the old emperor enter with several princes, he immediately knelt down.

  "Your Majesty, I am incompetent."

  Hong Taiji flew into a rage and kicked him.

  "You're useless, you should be dragged down and skinned alive..."

  "Your Majesty..." The Empress Zhang, lying on her sickbed, weakly called out to him, stopping his anger. After taking several deep breaths, she continued, "Imperial Physician Jiang has already done his best. It's just that I, your subject, am not strong enough and don't want to implicate others. I'll just rest for now and wait until the weather warms up, then I'll be fine."

  Hong Tai sat beside her bed, his lips moved several times, and finally hummed a sound, holding her hand tightly.

  "Empress, don't speak, save your energy, I have already made up my mind..."

  Empress Zhang blinked hard and said, "Your Majesty, spare Jiang Taishi's life?"

  "Alright." Emperor Hong Tai let out a helpless sigh, and without noticing that his children and grandchildren had followed him, he grasped Empress Zhang's hand tightly. "Whatever you say is what I'll do, I'll follow your lead."

  The Empress's face was slightly awkward, and she said weakly, "Your Majesty can't say that, you are the ruler, I am a subject, it is only right for me to listen to you."

  Looking at his pale-faced old wife, Emperor Hong Tai suddenly remembered an old event. When he first took in concubines, he had asked Empress Zhang's opinion, and she had said the same thing to him back then. Now hearing it again, his eyes grew hot, and he was deeply moved.

  "The queen, no matter how big the mouse is, it's still afraid of the cat."

  Empress Zhang was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  "I didn't expect Your Majesty to still remember."

  "That's natural, I remember..." That was the first time in his life that he had been in a bridal chamber. On that night, he had also told his wife that he was a mouse and she was a cat, and no matter how big the mouse was, it would still be afraid of the cat. Only, forty years ago, the woman in front of him was a shy and beautiful young girl. Now, the woman lying on the phoenix bed had already turned half grey, with a face full of vicissitudes and a dark yellow complexion. For a moment, his hands trembled with excitement.

  "Empress, you are my cat."

  Empress Zhang coughed heavily and said, "Your Majesty, the children are all here, don't lose your imperial dignity."

  "What is a monarch? What is a subject? In this palace, you are their mother, their grandmother, my wife, all one family. Where does the distinction between ruler and subject come from?"

  These words are quite astonishing, the old emperor who had just shown off his authority in the grand hall, now sitting on Empress Zhang's bed, seems to have become an ordinary husband and father again. Unfortunately, Empress Zhang listened, but only smiled faintly. There is much respect on her face, but not a hint of genuine emotional response can be seen. The marital relationship between the imperial couple is just like this, she may have had many expectations in the past, but after decades, that heart is probably long dead.

  "Your Majesty, I have one more thing to request."

  Empress Zhang coughed a few times, took the water from the palace maid's hand and rinsed her mouth, then, with the support of the old emperor, she trembled and asked for instructions.

  "Empress, you speak." Hong Tai Emperor nodded slightly.

  Everyone thought that Empress Zhang would take this opportunity to beg for Zhao Xi's life, but unexpectedly, she let out a few snorts and looked at Zhao Zun, who had been standing silently all along. Panting, she said, "Your Majesty, these children are all grown up under my care. Now most of them have married and had children. I am only worried about the old 29...20 or so people, there is no one in the house to warm their hearts."

  "Yes, I know, isn't she the daughter of the honest Guo Gong's family?"

  "Your Majesty, although the eldest has just passed away and it's not a good time for marriage, I think that fate is unpredictable and things can change easily. Why not choose an auspicious day as soon as possible to arrange a marriage for the 19th? I'm afraid that if we wait any longer, I won't be able to see the children of the 19th's household..."

  She spoke very slowly, each word like a bellows being pulled out of her throat, extremely difficult and mournful, so that Emperor Hongtai listened with red-rimmed eyes, silently stroking her arm, and let out a deep sigh.

  "Empress, I am aware of all these matters. Although I have grown old, my mind is still clear. You should take good care of your health and not worry about the affairs of our children. Once you have recovered and become as robust as I am, I will take you to see the great lands that are mine... These years, I have indeed wronged you..."

  With a sudden shake of his head, Zhang Huanghou stared at him with great stubbornness.

  "Your Majesty, you first promise me."

  In fact, after following him for so many years, Empress Zhang rarely became stubborn.

  Hong Tai Emperor frowned, patted her hand, "Alright, I promise you." Then he turned his head to look at Qin Wang Zhao Gou, "Second brother, you go back and find a good day with the Imperial Observatory. Eldest brother is no longer here, as second brother and also the head of the imperial clan, it's your responsibility to take care of the marriage matters of the imperial family, you should take on this responsibility for your younger brother and prepare well for his grand wedding."

  Zhao Gou was frightened and hastily knelt down, "Yes, your subject will obey the edict."

  Empress Zhang seemed satisfied, a faint smile appeared on her pale face, and she continued.

  "Your Majesty, I have another request."

  Hong Taiyi couldn't bear her tone, which was as if she were giving her last words, and his voice was rather hoarse.

  "Your Majesty says."

  Empress Zhang let out a deep sigh, "Your Majesty, you must first promise me, and then I will dare to speak."

  Such a request is a bit too much, especially for an emperor. However, Emperor Hong Tai fell silent for a moment, knowing that this empress would not make excessive requests and always considered his well-being, so he nodded in the end.

  "Alright, whatever you say, I will follow."

  "I, your concubine, thank Your Majesty—"

  Empress Zhang struggled to get up, but was stopped by the old emperor. Seeing that she couldn't win against him, Empress Zhang gave up and only sat up halfway, leaning on the pillow. She coughed heavily again before beckoning to Zhao E.

  "Old Nineteen, you come forward."

  Zhao Zhu's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at her pale and weak appearance, his Adam's apple moving subtly before he slowly walked over and squatted down in front of her bed.

  "Empress Dowager..."

  Empress Zhang smiled, her face wrinkling deeper, with deep folds at the corners of her mouth.

  "Old nineteen, mother owes you from back then, now wants to make it up to you."

  "Empress Dowager, why would you say such a thing?"

  "Cough! Cough......!" Empress Zhang coughed heavily, panting and speaking in a low voice, "In those days, the daughter of the Dongfang family was originally chosen by the empress dowager as your wife. In terms of talent, appearance, and temperament, she was a match for you. But fate played tricks on people...... Now that Eldest is gone, the daughter of the Dongfang family is also a pitiful child. The empress dowager heard that in these few years, she never even served as a concubine to Eldest......"

  As she spoke to this point, Empress Hong Tai's eyebrows had already furrowed, and the people in the palace realized that she was going to say something inappropriate, their eyes revealing surprise. But Empress Zhang became more and more agitated as she spoke, breathing even harder, with tears welling up in her eyes.

  "Lao Jin, the Empress Dowager doesn't understand state affairs, but when it comes to family matters, she still thinks that the happiness of her children and grandchildren should be prioritized. Now that Your Majesty has already agreed, the Empress Dowager wants to betroth the daughter from the Dongfang family to you as a concubine, is that acceptable?"

  She spoke out in one word, and the hall was in an uproar——

  ……

  ……

  Major events occurred in the palace one after another, but Xia Zhongsi knew nothing about them on the seventh day of summer.

  After waking up, she walked out of the bedroom door and began to carefully examine the house. It's unknown how much silver Zheng Erbao, that dead eunuch, had embezzled, but although this house wasn't particularly spacious, it seemed small yet elegant. The courtyard was adorned with flowers and trees, elegant without being showy; in modern terms, the decorations everywhere had a "petite bourgeoisie" flavor, not luxurious to look at, but full of charm.

  She let her hair down, stretched and hummed a little tune, ready to take a stroll around the garden and enjoy this rare peace. But just as she hadn't walked far, two people emerged from the direction of the kitchen.

  One of them was not someone else, but Mei Zi who should have been in the Jin Wang Fu, and another maid. The two maids were holding a tray, whispering to each other about something. As they spoke, they walked over with smiles on their faces.

  She snapped her fingers and Xia Chuyi pulled at the over-long hem of her skirt, laughing as she shouted.

  "And you, Xiao Meizi, what brings you here?"

  Plum saw her and suddenly smiled, running over with a little trot.

  "Chu Qi..."

  She had just shouted out two words when she patted her mouth and smiled, saying "This servant was wrong, this servant greets Young Mistress Jingyi."

  A bunch of black threads floating in her mind, but being reminded by Mei Zi, Xia Chu suddenly felt that she was a person with "multiple identities". Thinking about it, it's really too complicated, and there's a feeling of shouldering countless burdens. Xia Chu wants her to take revenge, Xia Chu wants freedom, Dongfang Qingxuan wants her to be a spy, Zhao Jun wants her to be the princess of Jingyi County, and she is also the legitimate wife that Zhao Mianze is waiting to marry...

  What a huge pressure!

  She pulled the corner of her mouth, shook her head with a wry smile, and looked at the girl next to Plum Blossom who seemed slightly older, "Who is this sister?"

  The girl slightly bowed her head and curtsied, "I was sent by Master to serve the young lady."

  "Early summer seventh, slightly raised an eyebrow, 'What's your name?'"

  That girl then curtsied and said, "From now on, I am a maid of the county lord's daughter. My name should be given by the county lord."

  Looking at her, she was a steady and generous girl. I thought Zhao Zun was afraid that she would not be used to the people in Chengguo Gongfu, so he had someone come over to serve her first? "Indeed, a mother's child is like a treasure!" She exclaimed inappropriately, carefully calculating, her eyes suddenly lit up.

  "Then just call her Qing Lan!"

  "Love, beloved?"

  "Yes, it's Qinglan, my sweetheart... Ah, how wonderful!"

  That girl's forehead bulged with blue veins as she jumped up and quickly knelt down, "I dare not, Master will kill me."

  On the seventh day of summer, she smiled slightly and walked over to comfort her by patting her shoulder with an indifferent smile.

  "Don't worry, if he wanted to kill someone, he would have killed me first, and you would definitely be safe."

  Qing Lan didn't dare to refute, although it was only the second month of spring, she felt like it had already entered summer, with sweat dripping down her back. Thinking about being a noble lady, shouting "lover" all day, how could that be?

  No matter what they thought, Xia Qi had always been used to doing her own thing. She rolled her eyes and smiled, then saw the trays in their hands. After sniffing carefully, she smelled a medicinal fragrance and couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

  "What is this thing?"

  "Master said that the young mistress has caught a chill, so he specially sent us over to make her some black chicken soup to help her recover..."

  On the seventh day of summer, I walked over and lifted the lid, took a closer sniff, and couldn't help but narrow my eyes.

  Is it wind and cold? But all the medicinal materials added in this black chicken soup are for nourishing and activating blood.

  Is Zhao going crazy?

  But thinking about it is good too, she just so happened to have her period and soaked in cold water yesterday, drinking this stuff is just right.

  She went back to the house and drank a bowl of black chicken soup, feeling warm and comfortable all over. She sent the two little maids away to play on their own, and lay down alone on the beautiful couch where Zhao had lain the night before, lazily flipping through his book. Before she knew it, the book had fallen onto her face, and she fell asleep again with a snore.

  Zhao Zhu entered the house and saw this scene.

  He tiptoed in, his brow furrowed in concern, and gently removed the book from her face. He picked up the thin blanket beside her and was about to cover her with it when she suddenly opened her eyes and let out a yawn.

  "Are you back?"

  Zhao Zhuang let go of the thin quilt, his face full of displeasure.

  "Don't send everyone away next time, I fell asleep without knowing."

  "Who says I don't know? As soon as you touch me, I'll know. Unlike some people..." Xia Chunqiu thought of last night and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, but she swallowed her words and changed the subject, "Why didn't you go to the camp? You're back so early?"

  "It's just as well either way."

  With a complex expression, Zhao Zhu looked at her and said lightly, "Since you're awake, let's go."

  "Where are you going?"

  "Chengguo Gongfu."

  She pouted, and Xia Zhi lay down on the seventh day of summer, "I haven't thought about it yet?"

  "Hmm? Then let's think about it slowly..."

  Zhao Zhu spoke in a low, hoarse voice, his hands propping up the edge of the beauty couch, and he lowered his head to press Xia Chuqi heavily onto the soft cushion, nibbling at her lips with just the right amount of force. Xia Chuqi murmured "mm" a few times before closing her eyes, savoring this rare moment of tranquility.

  They kissed for a long time, until they were almost out of breath, before she finally reached out to push him away.

  "No more... it's all saliva... disgusting or not..."

  "Grandpa still wants..."

  Her body slightly feverish, she grasped his hand and said with a blush, "I said no."

  "That can't be helped." Zhao Zhu's voice was low and husky, with a hint of heavy breathing, as he kissed her again, until his hand unknowingly reached up to the brooch on her collar, then suddenly came to his senses, panting, and stopped. He stretched out his arm to hug her, wrapping her in his own body, and strode outwards.

  "The carriage is already prepared outside, this time I'll spare you."

  Her head rested lightly on his shoulder, Xia Qi Qi smelled the faint and gentle scent coming from his body, her face turned bright red, she felt uncomfortable with her body being pressed against him, and irritably reached out to pull away.

  "Be careful... watch your manners!"

  “……”

  Lowering his head to glance at her, Zhao's eyes deepened in color.

  "One hundred and twenty."

  "What's going on?" Xia Qi raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to swindle me out of my money again? I still haven't paid back the 100 taels I owe you."

  "Either give me a hundred taels, or I'll throw you back onto that couch and have my way with you again."

  "…Scoundrel!"

  At the beginning of summer, she slightly lowered her eyelids and leaned her body against his, feeling that the scent on him was really good, very good. It seemed to be a familiar smell from memory. She didn't know when it had already been embedded in her bones...

  Digression

  La la la la, monthly ticket monthly ticket, monthly ticket is here, last day la la la...