Chapter 100 Reliving the Old Dream
"Is that all you have to say?" Yang Manyan asked in a low voice.
Queen Xu said "hmm", then she raised her chin slightly, as if trying to hold back the tears that were about to fall.
She knew that the late emperor's words were most likely a way for her to escape, but since her deceased daughter was involved, she could not care about anything else.
"Tell me quickly, what is the relationship between that treasure box and Changle?" Queen Xu continued to ask, looking anxious.
After thinking for a moment, Yang Manyan asked carefully, "Does your Majesty know Lord Su Jingyi, the governor of Nanyuan?"
Empress Xu nodded without hesitation, "Of course I know her."
More than just acquaintance, she and the late emperor were childhood sweethearts, and Su Jingyi was the late emperor's study companion. The three of them had known each other since childhood.
Her mind raced, her pupils shrank slightly, "Did Su Jingyi tell you that the treasure box is related to Changle?"
Yang Manyan did not deny it. "We need to open the treasure box to know the details."
Queen Xu held his breath for a moment and his body swayed slightly.
As the night deepened, the evening breeze blew, and the early summer heat faded away. The palace lanterns hanging high in the surrounding corridors were lit one by one by the palace servants, and the shadows of the lights flickered.
Yang Manyan felt a little sad.
She didn't expect that Empress Xu would have such a big reaction when she mentioned "Princess Changle". It can be seen that Empress Xu has never given up her child in the past ten years.
But even if she finds evidence in the future and recognizes Xiao Yan and his mother, can her pain over the past decade be wiped out?
After bidding farewell to Xu, Yang Manyan returned to the East Palace under the moonlight.
The inner hall was silent, with the faint scent of mint lingering in the air. A young man with handsome eyebrows and eyes was sitting at the desk, holding a file in his hands, with a solemn look on his face.
As the birthday banquet was coming to an end, Xiao Yan returned to the East Palace to deal with the official duties that had accumulated over the day.
Yang Manyan's heart moved slightly, so he tiptoed forward and suddenly covered his eyes from behind.
"Guess who I am!" she said in a deliberately muffled voice.
Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh, holding her hands that were covering his eyes, "I know it's you, I wish so."
"I thought you were so engrossed in watching that you didn't even know I was back." Yang Manyan rested her chin on his shoulder and spoke softly and coquettishly.
Xiao Yan's heart softened, and he reached out and pulled her into his arms, "Why are you back so late?"
Yang Manyan sat on his lap and concisely recounted the conversation he had just had with Empress Xu.
After that, she asked, "Zi'an, what do you think the late emperor meant by leaving these words to Madam Xu? Could the key to unlock the treasure box be in Xuanguang Pavilion? Let's send someone to search."
But on second thought, Yang Manyan felt something was wrong.
"But the late emperor may not know that it is Your Majesty who will succeed him. Xuanguang Pavilion is Your Majesty's residence. The late emperor may just want Empress Xu to ask Your Majesty for help when she is in trouble?"
Xiao Yan frowned slightly, "Xuanguang Pavilion is a forbidden area in the palace. You must ask for permission from my father before entering."
Because of this, the subordinates were worried about violating the ban and indeed missed Xuanguang Pavilion when searching for the treasure box key.
Yang Manyan hooked his arm around his neck and buried his head in his chest. "Recently, there have been frequent reports of war in the northwest. Your Majesty may still be discussing military affairs with the ministers in the South Study. It is better to wait until tomorrow when we go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to ask Your Majesty."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan pursed his lips, and his eyes were dim and difficult to discern.
Nowadays, Yang Manyan often went to the Qianqing Palace to sort out memorials. As the time he spent with the emperor increased day by day, he couldn't help feeling a little sad.
But Yang Manyun liked reading history and was very interested in current affairs, so he naturally couldn't bear to stop it for his own selfish reasons.
The two of them snuggled together quietly, their shadows reflected on the glazed window, flickering.
Although it is early summer, ice basins have been placed in the hall to cool off. Large square ice cubes are placed on the gilded lotus basins, which emit wisps of cool mist as they melt.
After a while, Yang Manyan suddenly whispered: "Zi'an, if..."
"What if?" Xiao Yan looked at her with a serious look.
Yang Manyan asked tentatively: "What should I do if I am still not pregnant?"
Perhaps it was the conversation she had with Queen Xu today that made her feel sympathetic, and she couldn't help but think of herself.
She has been married into the Eastern Palace for a year, but there is no news of pregnancy.
If she had married into an ordinary family, she might have been able to relax a little, but this was the royal family.
The late emperor and Empress Xu had been in love for several years, and even though Empress Xu had no children, he still refused to take concubines.
But a few years later, the late emperor broke his vow and had another...
The man let out a helpless chuckle that fell into his ears. Yang Manyan frowned slightly, "Xiao Zian, what are you laughing at?"
Xiao Yan lowered his head and kissed her temples gently. "Didn't the imperial doctors say that both you and I are in good health, and it's only a matter of time before we get pregnant?"
"Besides, you are still young, so maybe it would be better to get pregnant a few years later."
"But what if I can't get pregnant?" Yang Manyan avoided his kiss and looked up at him.
The candlelight was dim, and her skin, which was whiter than frost and snow, glowed with a pink glow, and her eyes were filled with moisture.
Xiao Yan felt both distressed and helpless.
He tightened his arms and hugged her a little tighter, and explained in a deep voice: "Yuanyuan, the Xiao royal family has been passed down from generation to generation, and the number of clan members has reached tens of thousands. This is only the number registered in the clan office."
"There have been many monarchs who succeeded the great clan from the minor clan throughout the ages. Not to mention the distant past, I am not my father's biological son, so you don't have to worry about this."
His deep voice was filled with an indescribable tenderness that made people's hearts tremble uncontrollably.
After getting a satisfactory answer, Yang Manyan smiled slyly, "You said it yourself!"
"Of course." Xiao Yan also smiled. He thought she was so cute that he couldn't help but raise his hand to gently scratch the tip of her nose.
The two hugged each other and chatted for a while, then washed and changed clothes.
The next day, after the morning court session ended, the emperor continued to meet with cabinet scholars, the Minister of War and others in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.
Behind a curtain, Yang Manyan sat at his desk, sorting out the memorials and secret memorials that had just been presented to him by the Ministry of Public Administration.
Memorials are divided into two types: memorials for the emperor and memorials for the emperor. Memorials for the emperor are official matters, while memorials for the emperor are private matters. Both types of memorials must be approved by the cabinet.
When the cabinet received a memorial, it would first draft a handling opinion, which was called a "piaoni", and attach it to the memorial before submitting it to the emperor for review. Finally, it would be issued and implemented according to the emperor's approval.
What Yang Manyan really needed to sort out were the secret memorials.
The secret memorial system was created by the dynasty. It did not go through the cabinet, and only the person submitting the memorial and the emperor knew the contents. From the royal family to the county officials, everyone could submit secret memorials to the emperor.
The emperor never avoided Yang Manyan when dealing with military and national affairs, so he would naturally let her read the secret memorials.
Some simple secret memorials were directly written with red-ink comments by Yang Manyan, such as memorials of greeting and thanks, and memorials reporting on the rain, snow and grain prices in various places.
Towards noon, the brocade curtain was lifted from the outside, and a tall and straight man walked in, exuding the cold and majestic air of someone who had been in a high position for many years.
He took off the golden winged hat on his head and strode over. When his eyes met Yang Manyan, there was obviously a hint of tenderness between his brows.
Yang Manyan stood up, took his arm, and begged softly, "Your Majesty, can you let me go to Xuanguang Pavilion?"
"Why are you going to Xuanguang Pavilion for no reason?" the emperor looked at her and asked.
As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes dimmed, "Reliving the old days?"
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