Chapter 819 822. Empress

"Didn't the Crown Prince come to greet you today?" Hua Shunming changed the subject and asked. There were many considerations in enthroning the eldest prince as the Crown Prince.

Apart from being the eldest prince, the eldest prince is also the one that makes him most satisfied among the princes. He just hopes that he can maintain this status and not be interfered with by his external relatives.

Queen Zhou said, "Your Majesty, you forgot that the Crown Prince should be waiting for you in the Imperial Study Room at this time."

Hua Shunming, "...I really forgot. I am old now and my body is not as strong as before. These dogs didn't even remind me and went to find the prince."

Le San quickly bent down and stepped back. They wanted to remind him, but they wouldn't dare to do so even if they had ten times the courage.

Empress Zhou took the tea from the maid beside her and placed it on the table herself. "Your Majesty, it will take some time for the prince to come here. Why don't we rest in the palace for a while?"

Hua Shunming said, "Nothing, I haven't looked at the flowers and plants in the back garden for a long time. Queen, please sit with me."

Queen Zhou didn't know why he came today, so she waved her hand and a group of palace maids and eunuchs gathered in a circle, forming a human wall to help block some of the cold wind, while she sat next to the emperor.

"Time flies. Our prince can now stand on his own. The queen has worked hard over the years."

Queen Zhou, “Without the emperor’s teachings, they still have a long way to go.

Besides, for so many years, Your Majesty has treated me with respect, and I am able to handle the affairs of the palace with ease, so I don’t dare to worry about the hard work.”

"The Queen is really becoming more and more cautious in her words," Hua Shunming stared at her for a moment, then said with a nostalgic look on his face, "Back then, the Queen was a daughter of a general, but because of an imperial decree granting marriage from the late Emperor, she was forced to stay within these palace walls.

Thinking about those things from the early years, it seems as if they are still in front of my eyes. "

Empress Zhou narrowed her eyes and said shyly, "Your Majesty, I was young and ignorant back then, and I did do many things that were against the rules. Fortunately, Your Majesty tolerated me."

Hua Shunming couldn't help laughing when he thought of the ways the queen had tortured the concubines. "That's because the queen led well. It really made my harem much more relaxed."

Even he, out of curiosity at the time, followed suit for a while, and it was quite interesting to think about it.

Also because of the various new rules established by Empress Zhou, even if the concubines wanted to compete for favor, they had to be cautious, which indeed made him the emperor with the least worries.

"But Your Majesty, I have acknowledged four princesses because of you. The status of mother and daughter is really giving me a headache." Having said that, Queen Zhou also took the opportunity to complain.

"Oh, those princesses actually sent letters to the palace?"

If it weren't for this, Hua Shunming would have almost forgotten the princesses he had canonized.

Some of them were married off to distant places as foreign wives, and some were married off to his confidants.

These princesses were given the title of golden branches and jade leaves, but he did not give them much power.

The faces of these people were already very vague in his mind. If the Queen had not mentioned it today, he would have really forgotten them.

Empress Zhou had already guessed this, and said calmly, "After all, we are mother and daughter, so the letters of greeting have come in more frequently this year.

The two princesses who were married off wanted to bring their husbands back to the capital, but I really couldn’t make up my mind.”

It is not so difficult for a princess to marry an official, as she just wants to maintain a good relationship with the royal family.

Now that the crown prince has been decided, some forces have begun to take action.

But Queen Zhou was very worried. Given her and the Crown Prince's current situation, it would be best not to do anything.

His own brother and the prince's uncle have all fled from the capital, but these people are trying their best to get in.

Queen Zhou didn't think these people could have any feelings for her in this kind of half-way mother-daughter relationship.

"Don't pay attention to them," Hua Shunming immediately understood what they were thinking, "The Queen will issue an imperial decree later. Since you are married to him, you should abide by the rules of being a wife. The journey is long, don't tire their husbands and children running back and forth."

"As you wish," Queen Zhou got what she wanted and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Hua Shunming liked the queen's little expression the most. Seeing it made him feel better, and he started to speak even though he had not originally planned to.

"Empress, I originally wanted to find a capable husband for our prince, but unfortunately, God has not created people, so I am afraid that my wish will not come true."

Queen Zhou looked at him puzzledly, "Doesn't the emperor have a master?"

"I said it was the prince," Hua Shunming was somewhat dissatisfied with those teachers, "Those old eight-part teachers only teach a few things, I don't even know, these people are not passing down from generation to generation, but what they teach is almost the same."

The ways of emperors, their tactics and so on are things that need to be learned, but other shortcomings also need to be made up for.

More importantly, he knew his own physical condition and could not delay for too long. He needed someone who was capable but not greedy for power to help the prince control the direction.

Gu Wenheng was the one he was most satisfied with in all these years, but by coincidence, he submitted a memorial of mourning.

Empress Zhou had a guess in her mind, "Who is the emperor talking about?"

Hua Shunming, "Gu Wenheng, what do you think of this person?"

Queen Zhou's pupils shrank slightly, and she thought for a moment before answering, "I only know that he has a very good personal relationship with my brother, and he has done a lot of practical things for the people of the world over the years. He has a very good reputation and is very loved by the people."

"My queen has been speaking so straightforwardly for so many years." Hua Shunming looked at Queen Zhou and suddenly said this without any context, then laughed and said, "I should be happy. Even if he is loved by the people, it is a right I gave him. I know people and use them well.

I think there is one more thing that the Queen may not know yet!

Gu Wenheng submitted a memorial of mourning today, and plans to stay at home for three years. The Queen asked if I should approve it?"

Queen Zhou: "..." This is today's killer threat, any answer will be wrong.

"Why? That's hard to answer?"

Empress Zhou said, "Your Majesty, the harem has always been forbidden to interfere in government affairs. I think I have done this over the years. I plan to continue to persevere in this regard in the future. I hope Your Majesty will understand."

Hua Shunming, "…It is very good for the Queen to do this. It is a blessing for the Emperor to abide by her duty."

After saying that, he stood up and left, leaving the empress behind with the eunuchs and palace maids, "Respectfully send off His Majesty."

After the emperor left, the nanny who had been standing far away walked over quickly and supported the queen, "Your Majesty..."

Queen Zhou raised her hand to stop her, "Help me in first..."

At this time, the nanny had already felt that the queen's back was already soaked, so she quickly called the female officials and escorted Queen Zhou to the inner hall, "Quick, get someone to prepare water."

By the time Empress Zhou was dressed in her casual clothes, the servants had already brought her hot soup.

"Empress, would you like to ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come over?" Nanny Xu asked with a worried look on her face. When the emperor came over, they all stayed far away and didn't know what he said specifically.

"No need. Now there are people watching the prince's every step. It is not advisable for him to have too much contact with the harem," Queen Zhou recovered.

(End of this chapter)