Linlang went to the palace to express her gratitude this time and was not nervous at all. Instead, she was a little worried about Amu.
Ah Mu gave her a reassuring smile. He had been to the palace countless times since he was a child, but this time he was just changing his identity. This palace, unchanged for hundreds of years, held few fond memories for him.
Looking at the towering imperial palace before him, Amu recalled his youth, when he had been the prince's study companion. The prince, though dull, was jealous of his excellence. As both a cousin and a prince, he was superior to him. There were many ways he wanted to punish him, but he couldn't tell his teacher or father.
At first, he tolerated it out of consideration for family affection and the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects. Later, he found that the more tolerant you are, the more vulnerable you are to bullying, so he fought back without hesitation.
Even though the prince was two years older than him, he was no match for him in either verbal or physical combat. From then on, the prince became increasingly dissatisfied with him, and he would snatch anything he liked.
His aunt always told him privately, "Yu Zhang, the Crown Prince is the common hope of our family. Only when he is well can we all be well. You should be more considerate of your cousin. You have everything good outside, but he is trapped in this palace and is too lonely."
That was the first time he disagreed with his aunt's words, "How can someone who can't even tolerate the people closest to him be a qualified leader?"
That was also the first time he saw unhappiness on his aunt's face. After that, he rarely went to his aunt's palace.
Since then, his aunt was not as close to him as before, but he didn't care. He had people he cared about and people who cared about him.
Ah Mu held Linlang's hand and followed Su Nanting to the palace gate. Eunuchs were already waiting there. "Your servant pays his respects to Marquis Anchang and Princess Fuyou. The Emperor, out of sympathy for Princess Fuyou's pregnancy, specially sent a sedan chair."
"Your humble servant thanks His Majesty."
"Your Majesty, thank you."
This was a great honor for Linlang. Generally, only super-ranking old nobles would be arranged with sedan chairs when entering the palace.
Amu thought that the emperor was indeed good to his benefactor Linlang, and helped Linlang onto the sedan chair with satisfaction. He and Su Nanting followed the sedan chair into the palace, one on each side.
The emperor met with Su Nanting, Linlang and Amu in the Qinzheng Hall. When the three of them walked in without looking around, he saw out of the corner of his eye that the hall was full of people and it was quite lively.
From the moment they entered the hall, everyone's eyes turned from Linlang to Amu. When they saw Amu's handsome face, they were stunned.
Looks like, very similar.
Amu ignored the gazes and followed his father-in-law to salute the emperor.
"Your humble servant pays respect to His Majesty."
"Your humble servant Linlang greets His Majesty."
"Student Xiao Yushu greets His Majesty."
"Long live our emperor!"
The emperor looked at Amu from head to toe, and finally stopped at his face. He was a little dazed. That jade-like boy would probably be as dazzling as the one in front of him when he grew up.
Such an outstanding young man was buried forever in a foreign country.
The emperor looked at Xiao Zhensheng and saw that he was trying hard to hold back his grief, but his clenched hands betrayed his current mood.
The emperor sighed in his heart and said, I am so sorry to Duke Dingguo.
Looking at Su Nanting, his daughter, and Amu again, the emperor raised his hand with a gentle expression, "Stand up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Then, Su Nanting took Linlang and Amu to greet the Queen, the Crown Prince, Concubine Jin and Princess Huasheng, and then stepped aside.
The Queen looked at Linlang and said to the Emperor, "The Princess of Fuyou County and the wife of the Marquis of Anchang look very similar. They are indeed mother and daughter. They are both beauties."
The emperor smiled and teased Su Nanting, "Of course. Marquis Anchang put a lot of thought into marrying his beloved. The couple's love and affection over the years has been the envy of many."
Su Nanting said with a smile, "This is all I can show off. I'm sorry to make the emperor and the queen laugh."
The emperor laughed heartily and pointed at Su Nanting, "Your strength is probably your thick skin."
"Your Majesty, there are so many people here, please give me some face." Su Nanting said to save face, but in fact he didn't care at all. Everyone was an acquaintance, and everyone knew what kind of person he was.
In the entire court, only Su Nanting could be so shameless in front of the emperor.
Xiao Zhensheng glanced at Su Nanting, who was as tough as a chopping block. Was it a misfortune or a blessing to be related to such a person?
Su Nanting thanked the emperor again for his gift. The emperor said, "Goddess of Good Fortune is my lifesaver. This time she saved three seriously injured patients. She truly deserves the title. I hope that the unexpected Goddess of Good Fortune can save more patients and benefit the people."
Linlang stood up and replied, "Your Majesty's words will be remembered by this subject."
The emperor asked the father and daughter to sit down and looked at Amu, "Xiao Yushu."
Ah Mu stepped out and saluted, "Student is here."
The emperor asked him, "Do you know why I specifically asked your father-in-law to bring you into the palace?"
"I know that since I came to the capital, many people have been surprised because my face resembles the deceased young master."
Ah Mu replied respectfully, "I admire your knowledge and talent, young master. I am honored to have some resemblance to you. I will follow your example and work hard to increase my own knowledge and talent, and become a person as outstanding as you."
The emperor had investigated Amu and found his background very thorough. He was very satisfied with Amu's answer. "Well said. Since the old priest accepted you as his last disciple, it shows that you have some merits. I hope you will do what you say and don't let the old priest down."
"Students will work very hard to live up to the teachers' expectations."
"Okay." The more the emperor looked at Amu, the more he could find the shadow of the child in him. He asked him to step aside and gave him a seat.
During this time, Xiao Zhensheng remained silent. Princess Huasheng looked from Amu to Xiao Zhensheng. They looked so much alike. Both were handsome and unparalleled, but Xiao Zhensheng was more masculine, which attracted Princess Huasheng even more.
Whether young or middle-aged, Xiao Zhensheng is the type that Princess Huasheng likes.
To make her beloved happy, Princess Huasheng said, "Royal brother, since this Xiao Yushu and the young master are destined to be together, why not acknowledge Duke Dingguo as his father? Wouldn't that make everyone happy?"
"Alas, this is inappropriate," the emperor said immediately. "Yu Zhang is unique in Duke Dingguo's heart and cannot be replaced. Please do not mention this matter again. It will hurt Duke Dingguo."
Xiao Zhensheng stood up and said, "Your Majesty is right. Yu Zhang is unique in my heart and no one can replace him. Mr. Xiao is very outstanding and I admire him very much."
He didn't say he wanted to adopt him as his adopted son, because he was his biological son.
Princess Huasheng understood and said, "It was my fault. Please don't take it to heart, Duke Dingguo."
"Princess, you have good intentions. How could I blame you?" After saying that, Xiao Zhensheng stepped back.
Concubine Jin looked at Linlang and Amu carefully, picked up the teacup and drank water without saying a word. She was sure that this person was not Xiao Yuzhang, and the child was already dead.
The prince looked at Amu and thought of his outstanding cousin who was serious with him, better than him, and always compared to him by the Grand Tutor and his father.
Haha, he was finally sent to Northern Qi, died in Northern Qi, and could never come back.
He looked down on her as just a scholar who looked like her.
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