The Empress Who Gave Up Three Missions
Outside the south gate of Bianjing City, there was a carriage covered with sky-blue cloth.
The South City Gate was bustling with people, and the small vendors doing business nearby almost occupied half of the area. They lined up in neat rows along the designated business lane, not taking up any space on the main cement road.
Early in the morning, the shouts of people selling sesame candies, cakes, wontons, and woven items were heard. As the fog dissipated and the rosy clouds filled the sky, the whole city came alive again.
It is now the fifteenth year since the founding of China.
The city of Bianjing has become many times more prosperous than before.
Soon, a group of riders came out from the crowd in the busy city.
She was a middle-aged woman, wearing a green robe, with a curvy figure and a strong feeling. It was obvious that she was a woman who was always on the road.
Since the founding of the Chinese Empire by the Empress, women have regarded strength as beauty, and it is not difficult to see many strong and powerful women in the city of Bianjing.
The man rode his horse as fast as he could and rushed into the carriage curtain like a cannonball.
There was a gentle breeze in the carriage.
The four wheels also shook slightly.
Feng Er wiped the sweat off her face and sighed, "Oh my God, we're finally here!"
Xu Yinxi was wearing a white gown. She had very fair skin. Even though she was over forty, there were only a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Because she had never given birth, she looked much younger than women of the same age.
Especially now that he has resigned from his job and has nothing to do, he appears even more gentle.
Xu Yinxi smiled and handed over the handkerchief that was used to wipe the sweat. "Why are you running so fast? His Majesty said he would wait for you, and he will definitely wait for you."
Feng Er said with a smile, "Oh, I'm afraid Her Majesty will stand me up. You know she often doesn't keep her word!"
"When did I ever break my promise?" Xu Zhenying, who was sitting in the corner, was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and trousers. She was nearly forty years old now, with a few barely noticeable strands of white hair on her forehead. "And you were the one who shamelessly insisted on coming here. I didn't promise to wait for you."
"I don't care!" Feng'er rushed in like a spoiled child, took off her shoes and went in, "You want to leave me behind to travel around the beautiful country, but I won't do it!"
Xu Yinxi said, "Your Majesty is joking. Right now, in Bianjing City, we are the only three who haven't gotten married. Now that Your Majesty is leaving, he must take you with him!"
Feng Er was unconvinced: "Humph, if I hadn't found any clues, you two would have run away! What's going on? We agreed to retire together and go out and have fun together, so why are you two leaving like thieves in the end?"
Xu Zhenying smiled helplessly, "Alas, I'm afraid the court officials won't be able to bear it. Elder Lin is so old, and he usually stays in bed to recuperate. If they suddenly heard that I was quitting, I'm afraid they would dare to come to the palace on crutches to arrest me. I have no choice but to leave a handwritten letter and slip away quietly..."
Feng Er wiped the sweat from her forehead, and hurriedly put the luggage on the carriage. She said loudly: "What's so unbearable? Your Majesty has worked hard for most of his life, so he should live for himself for a few years. Besides, anyone can take over this court if he leaves!"
"That's true." Xu Yinxi said with a smile, "But Your Majesty, this move of yours is truly unprecedented. Who would have thought that a dignified empress would actually run away from home through a dog hole—"
Xu Zhenying quickly made a "silence" gesture.
"Your Majesty came out through a dog hole?!"
Feng'er was so happy that she almost fell backwards in the carriage.
The three girls, who were almost forty years old, seemed to be far away from the disputes in the court and became as childish as teenage girls.
"Don't call me Your Majesty. I'm retired now and no longer the Empress of China."
Feng Er readily agreed: "Then I will call you Miss."
Xu Yinxi also laughed: "Then I'll call you Sixth Sister. It feels like... it seems like I haven't called you like this for a long, long time——"
Xu Zhenying smiled. "Yes. Over twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Thinking back to when we first attacked Bianjing City, it feels like just yesterday."
Feng Er had already opened the car curtain and looked at the group of more than 20 people. She couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Is this number of people... enough?"
Xu Yinxi said, "There is also a secret guard of fifty people."
Xu Zhenying said, "I left so suddenly that I didn't have time to notify security. But I trust these people, so there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, I'm no longer the Empress, so I guess no one would mess with me."
Feng'er sighed, looking at Xu Zhenying with some emotion, "Miss, I really admire you. You're so brave to retire at the right time, leaving your achievements and fame behind... I think within two days, the entire court will be in an uproar. Abdication! Selection! Competition for the position! This is simply a feat unprecedented in history!"
Xu Zhenying smiled. "As you said, I've worked hard for decades, and it's time for me to live my own life. Besides, I've already decided on the next emperor, so there won't be any major chaos."
Feng Er suddenly became interested, "Who did you choose to succeed the throne?"
Xu Zhenying smiled: "Guess?"
Feng Er shook her head, "I can't guess."
Xu Yinxi laughed out loud. "Sixth Sister originally chose me. But I rejected her! And then I discovered that she was about to quit, so I decided to retire."
Feng Er was shocked. "You refused? Why?"
"Since Sixth Sister wants to achieve true fairness, the Xu family cannot have two empresses in a row. Otherwise, the next generation of the Xu family will regard the throne as their own, which goes against our original intention of completely abolishing the hierarchy. Secondly, I am older than Sixth Sister and my energy is already insufficient. Finally, I am not that stupid. A job that Sixth Sister doesn't want to do must not be a good one. I have no children in this life, and I have always lived for the great principles of the world. Now is the time to live for myself!"
Feng'er was a little dizzy after hearing the news.
In just a few days, she discovered that Xu Zhenying was planning to quit and travel around the country, and then she discovered that Xu Zhenying was planning to abdicate and let someone else succeed him. She even drafted an imperial edict outlining the conditions and rules for the emperor's succession. Finally, she discovered that the throne had already passed through several families.
Feng'er always thought that she was the most extraordinary among the girls, but she forgot that the two people in front of her were the real heroes of the world!
"Who did the girl finally choose?"
Xu Zhenying hesitated for a moment, "Minister Song."
"Song Luo?" Feng'er wasn't terribly surprised. "Song Luo is in her thirties this year, right? She's in her prime. She's worked at the grassroots level and served as a governor. She has extensive political experience and is a good candidate. I just don't know if she can control those old ministers."
Xu Zhenying smiled, "I have confidence in her."
Xu Yinxi also said: "Your Majesty's choice must be good."
Feng Er saw that the two people in front of her seemed to be quite in love with each other, so she felt a little jealous, "Yes, yes, of course your majesty's choice is good. I'm afraid that no matter who your majesty chooses, you will think it's good. How could I forget that you, Xu Yinxi, are the young lady's most loyal supporter. If the young lady never marries, you will never marry either. If the young lady doesn't leave behind any bloodline, you won't have any children. If the young lady wants to retire at the right time, you should retire with her—"
Xu Yinxi smiled and said, "Speaking of those who haven't married yet, among the old members of our government team, there are only three of us. Qian Zhenniang already has three children! Now that we have retired with honor and are traveling around, we must also advance and retreat together as a family."
"That's more like it, but don't even think about leaving me again."
"You're already on the carriage, how can I leave you behind? I can only find a deserted place and kick you off!"
"You!" Feng'er and Xu Yinxi immediately threw themselves into a ball.
As the carriage sped away, a security team of dozens of people also set off.
Leading the way is the experienced An Peilin.
After he had made great achievements in the western battlefield, he had already become one of the founding heroes. However, he applied for early retirement due to injury in his early years and stayed at home. Therefore, Xu Zhenying also called him this time.
An Peilin naturally obeyed Xu Zhenying. As soon as Xu Zhenying gave an order, he would follow with his family.
Coincidentally, his wife was also a female soldier, and their son also liked to wield swords.
Xu Zhenying summoned almost exclusively veterans. While their physical strength might be lacking, they were all experienced and fiercely loyal to him. Xu Zhenying also allowed them to bring their families with them, so at first glance, this group looked more like a caravan of escorts.
The carriage swayed and moved in a low-key manner on the cement road shaded by the jungle.
After walking for about three or four hours, it was getting dark, a waning moon hung high in the sky, the summer heat had subsided, and only a cool evening breeze remained.
They stayed at an inn.
The bells at the post station rang in the evening breeze.
The wind also made the book in Xu Zhenying's hand turn several pages with a "swish".
Xu Yinxi came forward, dimmed the light of the oil lamp, then closed the book in her hand and said with a smile, "You have already retired as a meritorious official, why are you still so strict?"
Xu Zhenying raised his numb arm slightly. "Learning never ends. I've gotten used to it."
Xu Yinxi stared at her, "You seem a little absent-minded today. What's wrong? Are you reluctant to give up the throne? Or are you worried that the world will be in chaos after you leave?"
"That's not the case. When I was twenty, I was determined to retire before I was thirty. If it weren't for the fact that Mr. Lin noticed my feelings and forced me to work for another ten years, I would have wanted to quit long ago. As for the world being in chaos, that won't happen. The girl I chose should be able to calm the situation and prevent the foundation I've worked so hard for from being destroyed."
"Then why are you still distracted?"
Xu Zhenying smiled with her eyes narrowed. There were a few gray hairs on her head, but her eyes were very clear, and the two signature dimples on her lips made her look a little more approachable than usual. "I'm not absent-minded."
Xu Yinxi pursed her lips and smiled, "You're deceiving yourself. You and I have been sisters for decades, how could I not understand you? You've been absent-minded ever since you left Bianjing City."
Xu Zhenying frowned. "Since you've already said I'm deceiving myself, why are you still trying to expose me?"
Faced with Xu Zhenying's trickery, Xu Yinxi had no choice but to pinch Xu Zhenying's waist and said arrogantly, "Just keep talking tough. You've made me look forward to it. What kind of excitement is this that can make Her Majesty the Queen distracted?"
Xu Zhenying pushed her out. "You're already old, and you're still not in shape. Who said you haven't been eating or sleeping well all these years, and you've been busy with government affairs, so your face has aged? Take this opportunity to catch up on your beauty sleep."
"Okay. Since you don't want to say it, I won't force you." Xu Yinxi said, and walked out with a sigh. However, she walked out of the door and turned around, squatting more than ten meters outside the door of Xu Zhenying's residence, and bumped into Feng'er who was coming towards her.
Xu Yinxi was quick to act and quickly pulled Feng'er to squat in the corner. She lowered her voice and said, "Feng'er, we have something exciting to watch tonight."
Feng Er frowned, "What a commotion."
"Just wait."
"Childish." Feng'er looked Xu Yinxi up and down, and found that although the man was already forty years old, his behavior was completely lacking the steadiness of the former vice-emperor. Now he was even more playful, like a child of a few years old. Could it be that Xu Yinxi's previous maturity and steadiness were all pretended?
"What childishness! Back then, I don't know who made us squat on the wall to watch Qian Zhenniang's wedding night. It made Qian Zhenniang almost draw her sword and chop us all over the yard. And then, Ming Xiaoshuang and Fang Ruyu were arguing at home, and you and Fang Ningmo dragged Fang Ruyu to Miaoyinfang to see the handsome young man, and asked Ming Xiaoshuang to search the whole city for him—"
Feng Er felt a little guilty, "That was all His Majesty's idea. Besides, that young man is just average, not very handsome."
For some reason, Xu Yinxi suddenly felt a little emotional. "Oh, why have I never seen a handsome man? This life has been lived in vain. In the past, every day when I opened my eyes, I was busy with government affairs. I always felt that His Majesty could not do without me, Xu Yinxi, and China could not do without me, Xu Yinxi. From morning to night, I was like a spinning top, as if my world was only about work, eating, drinking and having fun. I didn't enjoy myself at all."
Feng Er smiled and took her hand. "That's why you're called a great saint! In this life, you and I can follow this young lady and do something great. We can go down in history, change history, become a noble and a prime minister as a woman, and even build a temple to cultivate ourselves. This is already a great achievement. As for now, you just live your life as an ordinary person, and I will help you make up for all that you missed in the past!"
Xu Yinxi laughed, "Your Majesty, why are you bringing me up again?"
"Your Majesty? How is Your Majesty?"
"Didn't you notice that she was absent-minded today?"
"Are you worried about Bianjing City? After all, she left with only a few words. I'm afraid those people in Bianjing City must have gone crazy by now."
"No." Xu Yinxi was certain, "I always felt that she was hiding something from us."
Feng Er also perked up, "Why don't we wait here and see what's going on?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of hurried horse hooves in the silent night sky.
The person who came should be a lone rider, with a thin figure, moving quickly through the woods.
Who is still running outside so late?
The two of them curiously stuck their heads out to look, only to find that Xu Zhenying's door was suddenly pushed open. Facing the moonlight on the ground, her footsteps were unusually cheerful, even with a girl's eagerness.
The two men quickly pressed their bodies against the wall to hide their figures.
The two looked at each other, quite puzzled.
When had they ever seen Xu Zhenying so anxious?
Xu Yinxi was so tempted that she leaned forward and looked into the courtyard of the post station.
The sky was filled with moonlight, like autumn frost on the ground. A man on horseback, dressed in black, rode out of the forest and tied his horse in the backyard.
He seemed to be in a hurry and seemed quite anxious.
He is a middle-aged man.
His back is straight, like a pine or cypress in the mountains, he has a crew cut, and a look of firmness can be vaguely seen on his face.
You can tell at first glance that he is a soldier.
His fierceness was like a sword drawn from its sheath, impossible to ignore.
Taking advantage of the quick glimpse of the moonlight, the two of them gasped.
Feng Er couldn't help but exclaimed: "The girl is waiting for him!"
Somehow, Xu Yinxi's eyes flushed slightly, "Your Majesty...you have only been waiting for him."
Feng Er looked at her, "You always knew?"
Xu Yinxi smiled faintly, her eyes filled with the desolation of a thousand sails that had passed by. "Do you still remember that time five years ago when His Highness fell ill and nearly passed away?"
"How could I forget? Dean Qiu's hair turned white overnight, the medical staff couldn't sleep, all the temples in Bianjing were brightly lit, and the people came out of their homes to pray for His Majesty. The moat was filled with water lanterns praying for His Majesty—"
"Yes. After His Majesty recovered from his illness, he seemed to have come to his senses. She secretly sent people to the area outside the Great Wall to look for him."
Tears welled up in Feng'er's eyes. "So, Your Majesty found him five years ago?"
"That's right. I only know that they have been exchanging information through letters intermittently for five years. I don't know anything else."
"Then...then he's almost fifty now. Is he married? Does he have children? Will he...let His Majesty down?" Feng'er seemed anxious, then bitter. "He's the only son of the Jiang family. His entire family was killed, leaving only him alive. He must have had a family long ago, and I'm afraid he must have had several children—"
yes.
Jiang Yongkang is already in his forties.
It has been almost twenty years since he was expelled from Bianjing City by His Majesty. During these twenty years, he has traveled across the country, seen so many customs and met so many people. He has been like a willow catkin for most of his life, and I am afraid he has already settled down somewhere.
Feng'er just felt heartbroken.
Just like when I suddenly heard the news that Xu Huiming was getting married.
Xu Yinxi looked at the fleeting figure and smiled, "Don't worry about it. Trust your majesty's decision."
Xu Zhenying hurried downstairs and finally met Jiang Yongkang in the yard of the post station.
She slowed down her pace and stared at the person who came, as if she wanted to see his appearance clearly.
Life is just a blink of an eye, and decades pass by in a hurry.
It has been almost twenty years since Jiang Yongkang left Bianliang.
During this period, he only came back a few times, but never came to see Xu Zhenying.
Xu Zhenying only remembers a quick glimpse of his appearance at the Lantern Festival one year.
Therefore, Xu Zhenying knew that Jiang Yongkang had returned quietly.
But there has never been a single time when we met face to face and looked at each other carefully.
Jiang Yongkang was also looking at her.
Ten years have passed since we parted. The laughter and love remain the same, but my hair has turned gray.
When our eyes met, there was no trace of mountain breeze.
The two of them smiled at each other.
The grudges are over.
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