Chapter 7: Entering the Palace for the First Time, Still Dressed as a Man
Xuanye knew in his heart that Mama's reaction was most likely a sign of her falling for a trick! Of course, there was also the element of Mama's love for him.
"The first time I played chess with this Princess Yu, I actually lost to her." Xuanye peeled an orange for Xiaozhuang and handed it to her personally. "Didn't Mama tell me that those who can play chess with ease are usually smart? So, I tried her twice, and she didn't disappoint me."
Xiaozhuang nodded secretly, and her eyes turned to the small portrait again: "Judging from the face, it is a blessed person."
Xuanye hesitated for a moment, and finally stated the main purpose of his trip: "My grandson thought that since she came to Beijing early and is still young, she will inevitably miss home on New Year's Eve."
"Want to bring her to the palace to play?" Xiaozhuang held the teacup in her hand and glanced at Xuanye: "Grandson, you have laid out so much before, isn't it just to say this!"
Xuanye smiled: "Mammy is Mammy. As expected, no matter what my grandson does, it cannot escape my grandson's eyes. My grandson has only said the first sentence, and Mammy has already guessed what he will say in the end."
"It seems you should change your master. Where did you learn to be so smooth-talking?" Xiaozhuang glared at Xuanye with a smile: "Madam, I know that since Fang'er passed away, you have rarely taken a fancy to a princess. But it is against the rules for a selected girl to enter the palace early."
Xuanye replied, "The battle against the Three Feudatories is almost won. I, your grandson, have thought of making the palace more lively this New Year's Eve. I hope that the past gloom will be dispelled as the fireworks explode in the sky, and the future of our Qing Dynasty will be smooth sailing."
"It's a good idea, but it's still a little immature." Empress Xiaozhuang put down the teacup, hugged the hand warmer, and said, "If you really want to bring this Princess Xiu Yu into the palace, then bring her in. Bring her to me and let me see her. If she's really as good as you say, then Mama will take care of the concubines in your harem."
"Grandson thanks you, Grandma!" Xuanye stood up immediately, his joy evident on his face.
Xiaozhuang's eyelids drooped, and she continued, "Grandson, do you know that bringing that princess to see me in advance is not necessarily a good thing? If she doesn't suit my taste, she will have no place in the harem in the future. You are taking a risk."
"Grandson believes that Mama will also like this princess sent by Guo Luoluo, just like him." Xuanye's face was full of confidence. He believed in his own judgment and even more in Xiuyu's ability. "She has more than just a pretty face."
"Yes." Xiaozhuang nodded: "You have grown up and have experienced and seen some of the world. Mama is still willing to trust your judgment."
Xuanye picked up the teapot and added some tea to the cup beside Xiaozhuang, complimenting her: "Grandson also trusts Mama's judgment."
"You're starting to flatter me again." Empress Xiaozhuang gestured for Xuanye to sit down. "Grandson, no matter what kind of princess this Guoluo Luoshi Xiuyu is, you must never forget what Mama once told you."
Xuanye bent his body slightly, and the warm smile on his face quickly disappeared. He said solemnly, "Don't worry, Mama. I will always remember that I am the emperor of the Qing Dynasty. I must first be a good emperor, and then I can take care of other things."
Xiaozhuang nodded with satisfaction: "Ma Ma always believes that you are a gift from God to my Qing Dynasty. With you here, my Qing Dynasty will prosper sooner or later!"
Xuanye said as if swearing an oath: "Ma'am is right. For the sake of our ancestors' kingdom, I will do my best."
Although the topic of their final conversation was somewhat serious, after leaving the Cining Palace, Xuanye looked up at the warm winter sun and felt a warm glow in his heart. He said to Liang Jiugong, "You know, Yu'er is like a ray of sunshine that shines through the dark clouds and into my heart. My once frozen heart has been melted by her light."
"Your Majesty does have good taste. I also think that Princess Yu'er is the most beautiful among the Manchu princesses." Liang Jiugong said what he was thinking.
Xuanye glanced at Liang Jiugong and said, "Eunuch Liang has always been averse to women. Even you think Princess Yu'er is beautiful?"
Liang Jiugong lowered his eyebrows and smiled, saying, "Princess Yu is beautiful, and she is beautiful for His Majesty to see. I just thought that the two times you met, she was wearing men's clothes. If she changed into a Manchu dress, wouldn't she be even more radiant and charming? I'm afraid she would be the most beautiful woman in the Forbidden City."
Hearing Liang Jiugong say this, Xuanye laughed out loud, lowered his voice and told Liang Jiugong to do something.
This year's New Year's Eve was particularly cold. In the inn, Xiu Yu woke up early and sat in front of the dressing table, combing her long hair that looked like a waterfall.
When Lihua entered the room to help her princess get up, she found that she was already awake, which was a bit beyond her expectations. "Princess, what's wrong with you today? Why are you up so early?"
"It's cold." Xiu Yu made an excuse for herself: "I, your princess, was woken up by the wind outside."
"Ah?" Lihua certainly didn't believe Gege's nonsense. "Isn't it colder outside the Great Wall than here? On the coldest day of the year, you stay in bed, and no matter how much Madam Ren calls you, you won't get up!" She walked over, took the wooden comb from Xiuyu's hand, and combed Xiuyu's hair stroke by stroke. "You must have something on your mind, so you woke up early, or maybe you didn't sleep all night?"
"What could be worth your princess staying up all night for?" Xiu Yu glanced at Lihua coquettishly.
"The Emperor is going to take you to the palace to celebrate New Year's Eve." Lihua was always straightforward with her daughter, never hiding anything. "How could it be such a coincidence? In such a big city with so many people, you can meet the Emperor while playing chess. Isn't this what we call fate?"
Xiu Yu snorted softly, not answering Lihua's question, but a smile played on her lips. Lihua's suspicions were at least half correct. She had indeed been unable to sleep because Xuanye was taking her to the Forbidden City today. That was probably because watching fireworks in the Forbidden City was truly exciting, and it had nothing to do with fate.
"Which dress are you going to wear, Princess? How about this purple one?" Lihua took out a bright purple dress.
Xiu Yu pursed her lips and shook her head: "Take the red men's suit with the bright red braids."
Lihua didn't know about the agreement between Xiuyu and Xuanye, and her face was filled with surprise. "Princess, you're wearing men's clothes when you enter the palace? Aren't you trying to outdo the emperor?"
Lihua made Xiuyu laugh. Xiuyu raised her head slightly and said, "Just compete with me. It's your daughter's daughter's daughter who is so handsome."
"Are you really going to wear this?" Lihua picked up the men's suit, still feeling that Gege's behavior was a bit strange: "There are the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager in the palace..."
"That's enough!" Xiu Yu simply took the men's suit and put on the inner cinnabar red robe embroidered with rolling cloud patterns. "You, just put your mind at ease. You won't go wrong wearing this."
No one could shake Xiu Yu's decision in the slightest. Lihua knew her princess's temperament very well. Seeing that the princess was so insistent, she naturally said nothing more and simply stepped forward to help the princess dress up.
Men's clothes are much easier to put on than women's clothes. In a short while, a handsome young man appeared in the mirror.
Lihua looked at Gege carefully, and the doubt on her face finally disappeared. She smiled and said, "Gege is such a handsome young man! What would happen if the emperor's concubines saw you entering the palace like this?"
"Isn't it quite interesting to dress like this?" Xiu Yu stretched out his vest and simply opened his arms to look at himself in the bronze mirror. "Unfortunately, this inn only has a bronze mirror."
Lihua said, "Don't worry, Princess. This look of yours is attractive to both men and women!"
"Is that so?" Xiu Yu raised his eyebrows slightly, bent his right arm, and gently lifted Lihua's small chin with his right hand, pretending to be a playboy: "Miss Lihua, are you interested in me?"
"If you were truly a young master, most of the princesses from our banner families would be reluctant to enter the palace and would rather marry into the Guo Luoluo family and become your daughter-in-law!" Lihua was still holding a red braid in her hand. She pulled Xiuyu's wrist and asked her princess to sit in front of the dressing table: "Please sit down first and let me braid this red braid for you."
It was Liang Jiugong who came to pick Xiuyu up. When Xiuyu saw Liang Jiugong, she was a little surprised: "Didn't the emperor say that you were busy today and maybe someone else came to pick me up?"
Liang Jiugong replied respectfully, "To answer your question, last night, the Emperor felt that he would not be able to rest assured if someone else was in his place, so he sent me here anyway."
"He does..." Xiu Yu hesitated to speak. In front of Liang Jiugong, she was too embarrassed to say the three words "quite concerned".
Liang Jiugong invited Xiu Yu to board the carriage. Before lowering the curtain, he said, "Princess, the emperor is quite busy during the day. I have another young maid to accompany you around the palace."
"Thank you, Eunuch Liang." Xiu Yu lowered her brows and smiled, thanking Liang Jiugong.
Liang Jiugong had been in the palace for many years, and he knew that this princess from the Guo Luoluo clan would play a vital role in the harem in the future. He wanted to serve the emperor wholeheartedly, so naturally he should also treat this princess wholeheartedly. "Princess, there's no need to be so polite. If you have anything to say, just tell me."
Xiu Yu nodded slightly. The curtain of the carriage fell, the whip sounded, and Xiu Yu was taken by Liang Jiugong into the Forbidden City for the first time.
For Xuanye, Xiuyu was still a piece of jade that needed to be hidden. It would be a disaster if anyone in the palace saw it. So he directly ordered Liang Jiugong to take Xiuyu to his most private place, where no one was allowed to enter. Of course, whoever the emperor said was a no-one was a no-one.
The warm room was decorated very exquisitely, and there was only a little maid dressed in palace clothes inside.
Xiu Yu was originally looking around the warm room when she heard a clear voice: "Xiao Tao pays his respects to the princess."
Xiu Yu frowned. She was very familiar with this voice. It was the voice of the only female disciple she had in her previous life. She turned to look at the young palace maid, who was greeting her with a smile, her features invisible.
Xiu Yu said slowly, "You...raise your head."
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