46. ​​Audience

◎His expressionless face, was it like this before?◎

Chapter 46

Jiang Qiuye slept for a long time and finally woke up. According to the old rules, she needed to go to the palace with the prince to pay homage to the emperor and empress on the second day of her wedding.

But no one knew what had happened. Ji Ci did not return home overnight, and the palace issued an order to exempt him from the audience with the emperor. However, Jiang Qiuye still had to go to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager and the Queen.

She had met the Queen at a chrysanthemum viewing banquet, and had the impression that the Queen did not have a good impression of her, but fortunately they did not need to see each other every day.

As the Queen's master, she still looked very careful and thorough. Prince Liang was also with the Queen today. When Jiang Qiuye entered, she felt his strong and sinister smile. His eyes were about to turn into substance, but Jiang Qiuye didn't want to pay attention.

Jiang Qiuye was led by the eunuch to pay her respects to the empress. After the ceremony, she seemed a little embarrassed. "It's my fault today. I got up late this morning."

"Your wedding was grand yesterday, and it was fine. However, I heard that Prince Qi was called away by His Majesty in the middle of the night. It was really hard for you to spend your wedding night alone in an empty room."

Jiang Qiuye secretly observed the Empress. The Huo family was the Empress's maternal family, but now the Huo family had fallen, with the head of the family and Huo Heng imprisoned. Logically, the Empress was struggling. She wasn't as favored in the harem as Consort Shu, and her maternal family had been implicated. Yet, she remained as graceful and elegant as ever, showing no sign of change or change.

The Huo family was convicted because of Ji Ci, so the Queen should regard the couple as enemies.

Jiang Qiuye smiled and replied, "No problem, it must be a big deal. Your Majesty and I will do our best for the Emperor and the Empress."

He exchanged a few pleasantries with the Queen, and a few casual words of congratulations on her wedding, before sending her off. Afterward, he rewarded her with a pair of gold vase and jade wine cups, a truly unique sight.

After leaving the Queen's bedroom and walking to a corner, Jiang Qiuye was stopped by someone again. When he looked up, it was indeed Prince Liang Ji Kang.

With sinister and angry eyes, he sneered, "Sister Qiu is so impatient! Didn't I promise you that I would make you the Queen? It hasn't been that long, and you're already marrying my uncle."

Jiang Qiuye raised her eyebrows and smiled sweetly, saying nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? Your Highness Prince Liang was able to accept me being a widow at first, so why can't he accept me marrying a few more people?"

Ji Kang paused, then couldn't help laughing. She looked gentle and kind on the outside, but inside she was vicious and cunning. Her demeanor and demeanor were clearly virginal, yet who would have thought she had already married two men.

This sense of contradiction was even more alluring. Even the most skilled painter in the palace was afraid that he could not depict her in her entirety. When he saw this young woman walking into the palace just now, she was so beautiful that if his mother had not been by his side, he would have lost control of himself.

"Sister Qiu is right. It is I who am a little narrow-minded."

The smile on Jiang Qiuye's face disappeared. She didn't want to waste time with him anymore, so she turned to leave with a frown. Unexpectedly, he suddenly reached out and took a small jade hibiscus hairpin from her head.

She stared back at him in anger, "What are you doing? Give it back to me?"

Ji Kang took the hairpin in his hand and played with it, saying boredly, "Sister Qiu, I made such a big promise, how can I not give you some benefits? It's just a hairpin. If you are willing to go to Wushan with me, I will be very happy to do so."

She was disgusted by Ji Kang and was about to snatch the things back when she heard the voice of the female official coming over. Her heart tightened and she hesitated for a moment. In the blink of an eye, Ji Kang disappeared.

These emperors' sons are either fools or playboys. They have such a good example as their uncle, so why can't they learn from him?

Jiang Qiuye turned the corner and went to Shoukang Palace under the guidance of a female official and a large group of palace maids.

She was really angry. That small jade hibiscus hairpin was her favorite one, and it ended up in the hands of this playboy.

There was no word along the way, only the sound of the skirt rubbing against each other. The palace maids and eunuchs passing by stopped and bowed their heads when they saw the Princess.

It is said that the former Empress Qi Yuanning died of illness while fleeing to Shengjing, and the current resident of Shoukang Palace is the Grand Empress Dowager Zhao. Since moving to Ganyang, she has rarely appeared in public, but her prestige has not diminished in the slightest.

Jiang Qiuye was a little nervous about meeting Zhao.

Ji Ci has been loved by Zhao since he was a child, and he likes and respects Zhao, the imperial grandmother, the most.

The female official had been waiting in front of the palace early, with her hair combed meticulously, and she happily welcomed Jiang Qiuye into Shoukang Palace.

In the main pavilion, purple smoke curled up from the incense burner, and an atmosphere of daily Buddhist worship came over. Two rows of golden Buddhas were enshrined on both sides.

The Empress Dowager Zhao, who sat on the main seat, had white hair and a calm expression. No emotion or information could be detected from her eyes.

Sitting below was a woman who looked older than Jiang Qiuye, but she was charming and had an enchanting figure, with a hint of womanliness.

"I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager." Jiang Qiuye was led to the front by a female official and knelt down to pay her respects.

"She is indeed the legendary beauty, with graceful manners. Stand up and take a seat."

Jiang Qiuye slowly stood up after hearing the voice, glanced at the kind smile of the Empress Dowager, and felt relieved.

"Thank you, Empress Dowager."

After Jiang Qiuye sat down, Zhao said, "There's no need to be so distant. You're Ci'er's wife now, so just follow him and call her Grandma."

"Yes, grandma." Such an intimate address made Jiang Qiuye's uneasiness dissipate and she smiled sweetly.

"The Princess of Qi is truly beautiful. Jian Xi is so blessed." The woman at the side said in a teasing voice.

Jiang Qiuye didn't know who she was, so Zhao introduced her briefly, "This is Ci'er's distant cousin, Zhao Wan'er, the Lady of Lou. She was previously married to the King of Han, but she died of illness some time ago, so Wan'er returned to Shengjing alone."

"Hello, Madam." Jiang Qiuye nodded. She seemed to have heard Zhao Wan'er's name before, but suddenly she couldn't remember it.

Zhao Wan'er nodded. "Now that I've met my sister, you can call her sister from now on. Jian Xi and I grew up together and have a deep friendship. I will treat his wife as my sister, okay?"

Jiang Qiuye nodded and suddenly remembered where Zhao Wan'er's name came from.

She had heard many years ago that this woman once said that she was Ji Ci's fiancée, but Jiang Qiuye didn't know how she married the King of Han and became the Lady of Lou State, and what happened in the process.

However, she saw a hint of unwillingness and hostility in Zhao Wan'er's eyes, but it was hidden well.

Jiang Qiuye saw the reason why her cousin Zhao Wan'er had returned to Shengjing. She was afraid her husband had died, so she thought about it and decided to seize the opportunity to capture Prince Qi, her childhood friend.

They are all widows, so Zhao Wan'er must have thought that Prince Qi would accept her with pleasure.

This Zhao Wan'er was completely different from Susu. Susu was ambitious but couldn't hide it, and she was foolish. But Zhao Wan'er, not only was she extremely good at hiding it, but also had a dignified demeanor, a connection to the Grand Empress Dowager, and was also beautiful, the kind of flirtatious woman many men liked.

Although not as good as myself.

Jiang Qiuye didn't care whether Ji Ci would take concubines in the future. Even if he had ten concubines in the backyard, it wouldn't matter to her as long as she could keep him firmly in her hands.

But if it threatens her position in Ji Ci's heart, then she cannot stay!

Jiang Qiuye smiled nonchalantly and said, "Yes, sister. If there's a chance someday, sister, you can come to the palace as a guest."

"Of course." Zhao Wan'er nodded, turned to look at Zhao, and said, "Wan'er, thank you for disturbing me today. I will not bother you and Grandma any further. I will take my leave now."

She stood up and bowed, then left charmingly under Zhao's gaze.

Zhao looked at Jiang Qiuye and stretched out her hand, "Come, come to Grandma, let me take a good look at you."

"Yes." Jiang Qiuye stood up flattered and walked to the main seat and sat down.

Although Zhao was kind, her eyes were cold.

She could tell that Zhao's impression of her was actually average, but she was a little hesitant to look directly into Zhao's bright eyes.

Zhao looked at her and nodded, saying, "My grandson is a bit of a fool, so you should be more tolerant of him. But if he bullies you, I will take care of him."

Jiang Qiuye looked up in shock, not knowing whether her words were a polite greeting or out of concern for her.

"My Lord, my Lord is very kind. He is the best person to me in this world."

Zhao smiled and said, "I really wronged you by leaving you alone in the empty room last night."

"I'm not wronged." Jiang Qiuye smiled sweetly and shook her head. "The prince is also here to deal with important matters."

She saw Zhao Shi silently observing her, then lowered her eyes in fear. She felt that her perfect acting skills were completely exposed in front of Zhao Shi.

As expected, Zhao suddenly spoke, "Grandma knows about your past. I understand that Duke Anguo isn't a very kind father. But from now on, you must treat Ci'er with sincerity, and he will certainly treat you with sincerity. I watched Ci'er grow up. Although he looks cold and shrewd, he's actually very soft-hearted and too sincere."

Jiang Qiuye was stunned, his palms sweating. Thinking of the ambiguity with Ji Kang just now, he felt uneasy. He smiled at Zhao and said okay.

Zhao glanced at the female official.

The female official understood and immediately brought a string of Buddhist beads as a reward.

"Grandma lived a simple life, but she loved Buddhism. Buddhism emphasizes saving all living beings and treating others with kindness. This string of Buddhist beads has been blessed by a high monk and is given to you."

Save all living beings and treat others with kindness...

Jiang Qiuye took the bracelet and held it in her palm, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Thank you for the reward, Grandma. I will keep your words in mind."

Zhao looked at her and nodded, her eyes fixed on the distance as she said, "When Ci'er was little, he wasn't as calm and composed as he is now. Instead, he was a mischievous monkey, climbing up the roof and tearing off the tiles all day long."

Jiang Qiuye was a little surprised. How could he have been like this before with that expressionless look on his face?

Zhao saw the doubt in Jiang Qiuye's eyes and continued, "It was the destruction of Jin that caused his entire personality to change drastically. When he returned to Shengjing, I saw that his former charm was gone. Instead, he was emaciated and his eyes were dull."

"Return to Shengjing?"

Jiang Qiuye only knew that the late emperor led everyone to flee south at that time, but from what Zhao said, Ji Ci's experience was different from theirs.

"It seems Ci'er hasn't told you yet." Zhao couldn't hide the pain in her eyes.

"So, what exactly happened back then? During the time I spent with the prince, I could sense the contradictions within him. He was so famous, yet so decadent."

Jiang Qiuye shook his head. "Well, I can't say he's decadent. He still looks elegant and tirelessly handles government affairs for the country and the people. How should I put it? It should be said that he is too... altruistic. Well, this can't be said to be bad, but I always feel that he cares about everyone, cares about all the people in the world, but he doesn't care about himself."

"Even... I hate myself..."

Zhao smiled and nodded, "It seems Ci'er was right about you. He has been hiding it well over the years."

She sighed and spoke softly, "Back then, Prince Li Yan Xing relied on years of conquest to unify the fragmented northern factions. With an army of 400,000, he swept all the way to the outskirts of Ganyang. When Emperor An of Jin heard the news, he hurriedly took everyone, including the palace ministers, and fled overnight, even abandoning all his baggage. But he left behind Empress Qiyuan and Fang Guo Twelve's Ci'er."

"You didn't bring them? Why?" Jiang Qiuye covered her mouth in shock. "Then he came later."

"I don't know the specific reason. The late emperor didn't tell me, and neither did Ci'er. Perhaps one day, when his heart is untied, he will tell you."

Zhao continued, "Back then, the Great Jin Dynasty was falling apart, plagued by years of war and widespread famine. During the previous emperor's heyday, the population had reached 50 million, but now only 10 million remained. Empress Qiyuan had no choice but to take Ci'er and a few attendants and manage to escape from Ganyang. They then took a detour to Jinshui to avoid the Li army. After three years of wandering, they finally reached Shengjing. Sadly, Empress Qiyuan and her attendants passed away along the way, leaving only my grandson alone."

"Emperor An of Jin was filled with remorse upon hearing the news of Empress Qiyuan's death. After meeting Ci'er, he made him a prince and gifted him a mansion. But Ci'er could no longer return to the past."

Zhao's eyes reddened as she spoke, and she blinked gently. Jiang Qiuye hadn't expected that it would be so difficult for Ji Ci to reach Shengjing.

For a boy under fifteen, wandering alone for three years, trying to survive war and famine, one can imagine how difficult it was. The hardships were known only to him, and he never shared them with anyone.

Jiang Qiuye suddenly felt extremely distressed. The young man who was treated so painfully could still keep kindness in his heart. What a good person he was that he ended up marrying a liar like her.

She had originally planned to exchange the remaining eighty-two people on the list of eighty-seven for the antidote, but at this moment, she suddenly felt reluctant.

She was destined to betray him, destined to be his enemy. But could she betray less? Could she be Qiu Ziye for a little longer?

Jiang Qiuye's eyes sparkled with tears. She raised her head, took Zhao's hand, and said, "Don't worry, Grandma. I will definitely take good care of the prince and protect him."

He was so good to her, she had to cure his anorexia for him. If possible, she hoped he would live a happy and carefree life for the rest of his life.

Zhao nodded and said, "Ci'er is trapped by his inner demons. I know it's difficult to solve. I will hand him over to you in the future."

After Jiang Qiuye had lunch with Zhao, she left the palace.

......

Zhao, supported by a maid, walked back to her bedroom for a nap. She sat down slowly and asked with a smile, "What do you think of Ci'er's new bride?"

The female official bent down to take off the shoes for the Empress Dowager and said, "This servant sees that the Princess of the County is very pleasing, very well-behaved and obedient. She is a good child."

Zhao chuckled and shook her head, saying, "You are still simple-minded."

"The Empress Dowager is right."

Zhao slowly lay down and closed her eyes. The maid covered her with the quilt. She continued, "This girl looks innocent, but she's actually quite scheming. I can tell from her eyes that she's no ordinary person. Fortunately, she's also attentive to Ci'er, and it seems she truly loves him. Since Ci'er must have her, as long as she remains sincere and wholeheartedly works for Ci'er, I'm sure they'll be a good match."

…

Before returning to the palace, Jiang Qiuye went to Jingshan Academy again to look for Zhang Yi.

When Zhang Yi met Jiang Qiuye in the deserted Jingshan Academy, he respectfully bowed to the Princess of the County and said, "Congratulations to the Princess of the County of Qi on your wedding. You are worthy of being our Lord Qiuye, who can do things that others cannot."

Jiang Qiuye rolled his eyes and said, "Don't waste your time with me. I'll get the antidote."

Zhang Yi didn't take out the antidote right away after hearing this. He just smiled and said, "Master Qiuye, I can't give you the antidote for now."

"What? I've successfully lurked beside Prince Qi, what else do you want me to do? Aren't you asking too much?"

Jiang Qiuye was furious and became even more disgusted with the beast in front of him.

Zhang Yi said helplessly, "Sir, please don't vent your anger on me. I am only doing what you ordered."

"By order? That's not Yan Wu's request?"

"Of course, it's His Majesty's will."

"...What's the decree?" Jiang Qiuye couldn't help but clench his fists under his cloak, his eyes full of impatience.

Zhang Yi continued, "Rescue King Zhuojun."

"What?" Jiang Qiuye frowned and widened his eyes.

"Rescue King Zhuo Jun. His Majesty wishes to recruit him. The Ji clan's bloodline will be of great use in the future unification of the empire. Feiyan Pavilion has dispatched three bronze ghosts to assist in the secret operation. King Zhuo Jun will be executed at Caishikou in one month, along with 153 members of his nine clansmen. You only need to find a way to rescue King Zhuo Jun before then and bring him to Jingshan Academy. The three bronze ghosts will then escort him out of Jin."

Jiang Qiuye laughed sarcastically, "One hundred and fifty-three people were executed, and he was spared alone, planting the seeds of hatred for the Great Jin. You are truly capable of that. King Zhuojun is now imprisoned in the imperial prison, so how can he be saved so easily?"

Zhang Yi was stunned and said, "This was done by Lord Qiuye himself. How could he not be able to save him? The Pavilion Master has great faith in your abilities."

Jiang Qiuye said coldly, "If you don't give me the antidote, my deadline will be approaching this month. Are you trying to force me to rescue the person before the poison takes effect?"

Zhang Yi pursed his lips and said arrogantly, "Your Excellency, please do as you please. As long as you rescue Queen Zhuo Jun, there will be an antidote."

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