Chapter 29 (29) Entering the Palace, Turbulence Rise Again (Part 1)
These days, Lianzhi felt that his life suddenly became much better.
Not only did Bai Kang become less and less interested in him, he also kept sending Qing He and the housekeeper to bring him things. Knowing that he loved to listen to opera, he even paid for an opera troupe to come to his house.
If this gets out, people will definitely think that Bai Kang is extravagant.
When Bai Kang returned home, he could still hear music playing by the pond. The troupe's costumes were piled nearby, filling three large boxes. The piece they were singing seemed to be about flowers serving as matchmakers, which made the listeners feel a little annoyed.
He didn't like these things, but if Lianzhi liked them, he would tolerate them.
This hobby is exactly the same as Chen Fenglian's. The prefect of Liangzhou has such a good eye for selecting people, he should be placed in the Imperial College as a chief academic officer... No, has the prefect of Liangzhou ever been to Beijing and met Chen Fenglian?
"Such lascivious music." Qing He beside him snorted angrily, "Sir, you have been too indulgent to Young Master Lianzhi lately."
"Let him be." Bo Kang waved his hand. "As long as he doesn't come looking for me, he can do whatever he wants."
Hearing the words "Don't come looking for him", Qing He became a little curious and asked, "Sir, are you having a conflict with Young Master Lianzhi?"
That’s not the case.
But he couldn't be afraid that Lianzhi would like him more if they spent more time together. Wouldn't Qinghe think he was a fool? He didn't say anything, so Qinghe assumed they had a quarrel and planned to find a good opportunity to persuade Master Lianzhi.
After the show ended, Lianzhi gave Xiaoliu some money and asked him to escort the troupe out of the house. After everyone left, he was about to go back when he saw a large box on the ground. He thought it was left there by the troupe, so he asked Xiaoliu to send someone back to move the box away.
"That's for you," Xiao Liu said. "Our master sent it to you. It's the auspicious dress you'll wear when you enter the palace. Would you like to try it on, young master?"
It turned out to be a ceremonial robe. Lianzhi had always thought it was ugly, dark blue and old-fashioned, not as good-looking as the red court robes worn by officials. He said reluctantly, "Let me try it on."
Lianzhi had initially thought the box contained a dress. After all, as far as he knew, there was no precedent for court officials marrying men, and this was his first time. But the box actually contained a set of men's clothing. It seemed that Bai Kang had had it specially tailored for him.
"Master, you look good in anything you wear." Xiao Liu admired sincerely. Even those who didn't like him had to admit that Lianzhi's appearance was truly superior. "I'll ask the master to come and take a look."
Unexpectedly, Lianzhi threw her coat casually and said, "It doesn't look good."
"This is a ceremonial dress, young master, please don't throw it around." Xiao Liu hurriedly picked it up, not knowing why Lianzhi was unhappy. This is a ceremonial dress, not something ordinary people can wear.
Young Master Lianzhi actually dislikes even the auspicious attire. Could it be that he wants to wear the dragon robe?
That night, when Bai Kang finished his official business and returned to his room to prepare for bed, he had just laid down on the couch when someone suddenly crawled out from under the quilt.
Such a familiar, yet strange scene.
He was so frightened that he almost threw the quilt out: "Lianzhi! What are you doing in my bed again!"
Lianzhi looked at him with watery, moist eyes: "Brother Kang, can you become a prime minister or something, and let me be your imperial consort? I like the imperial consort's auspicious dress, it's beautiful."
“…I’ll try my best.”
Bo Kang was so confused that he just casually responded without even hearing what Lianzhi said. Lianzhi hadn't expected him to be so ambitious, but it seemed to be of no harm to him at the moment, so she left feeling satisfied.
The sound of shallow breathing echoed from the bed, leaving only a faint fragrance. Bai Kang began to ponder Lianzhi's intentions again. Was she really trying to seduce him? No, the child didn't understand such things. Even being bitten on the ear by him frightened her and made her cry.
She must really like him, that's why she crawled into his quilt.
How should I explain this to Lianzhi?
May 17th is the birthday of Emperor Jianguang.
In addition to officials of all ranks in the capital, some vassal kings who had returned to the capital by imperial decree would also attend, including the tribes of the Northern Sea Territory that were affiliated with the Daning State. When the auspicious time came, all the ministers and officials, following the guidance of the eunuchs, entered the Golden Throne Hall to pay homage and offer congratulations to the emperor.
As an official's family member, Lianzhi went into the harem with the other ladies to pay a visit to the empress dowager.
His status was somewhat awkward, unsuitable for court entry, not to mention that even the more informed officials' families knew he was merely a musician from a remote town. The people of the capital were extremely particular about family background, and, assuming their noble status, they were unwilling to speak to Lianzhi. Lianzhi wasn't angry. Those ladies were old enough to be his mothers, and he wouldn't be able to speak to them. So, he followed at the back, pondering what to say when he saw the empress dowager.
——He was afraid of meeting the Queen Mother, and he couldn't help but go up and assassinate her.
Just as he was thinking about it, he heard the rumbling sound of wheels rolling over the palace road behind him. The carriage was heavy and like thunder, and it seemed to be the emperor's golden carriage.
Chen Fengke...why is she here!
Lianzhi was so startled by the sound of the carriage that her hair almost exploded. She carefully hid behind the crowd. Fortunately, it wasn't the emperor's carriage that passed by, but the sedan chair commonly used by the imperial concubines. The wind blew a corner of the carriage curtain, and Lianzhi looked over. The person inside was indeed dressed as a concubine.
He breathed a sigh of relief and followed the others in paying their respects. The lady next to him addressed the other lady as "Royal Concubine," and he followed suit.
After the interlude, he followed the team absentmindedly, still thinking about what he would say next.
The crowd walked away, and the people in the car leaned out and looked at Lianzhi's back.
"Is he the musician that Your Majesty arranged for the Minister of Rites to marry?" The man in the car frowned and spoke, his voice clearly a clear male voice.
The maid beside him nodded. The man stared at the lotus branch for a while before letting the maid continue on her way towards the Golden Throne Hall.
When it comes to the way to the Cining Palace, Lianzhi is much more familiar with it than anyone else. He lowered his head and stood in the middle of the crowd, afraid that his face would be seen.
Once he entered the Cining Palace, he found himself surrounded by the Empress Dowager's confidants, who were very familiar with him and who must not be seen.
Empress Dowager Chang Zhaojun was over fifty this year, yet she looked every bit the age. The years had imbued her with a unique grace and elegance. She wore a brocade auspicious garment intricately embroidered with dragon and phoenix designs. Her graying hair was meticulously combed into an intricate bun, adorned with delicate gold hairpins. At first glance, she appeared to be a graceful and kind woman.
But if you look closely, you can glimpse a bit of majesty and unconcealable ambition in those still clear and shrewd eyes.
From being the empress to the empress dowager of two dynasties, her methods were so cruel that not only Lianzhi but also the ministers in the court had witnessed it.
Ever since entering the Cining Palace, Lianzhi has been standing very properly. Apart from greeting and bowing, she hasn't said a word, which perfectly demonstrates the timidity and caution of a commoner when meeting a noble.
He didn't even raise his head. The two ladies beside him saw his little action and laughed inwardly. He really had never seen the world. Unlike them, he had the opportunity to frequently enter and leave the palace to pay his respects to the Queen Mother.
Throughout the entire process, the Queen Mother only spoke a few words of concern to the few women in her household, and a few token expressions of care, before having the maids accompanying her escort the ladies out. Lianzhi turned and was about to follow her when the Queen Mother's deep, intimidating voice suddenly rang out.
"etc."
Everyone stopped and stood there, bent over.
"Who is that? I have never seen him before. Come here and let me take a look." The Queen Mother waved in the direction of Lianzhi.
The lotus branch didn't move.
"Replying to the Queen Mother, that is the wife of Minister Bai." said Nanny Xuemei beside the Queen Mother.
"The man Bai Kang married?" The Queen Mother was puzzled for a moment before slamming the table beside her. "Since he's a man, how can he enter and leave the inner court with all the ladies? It's really outrageous! Come here and let me see him."
Lianzhi hesitated for a moment before feigning timidity and moving forward, his body still trembling slightly. Seeing his timid appearance, Nanny Xuemei couldn't help but feel disgusted. "Since you're meeting the Queen Mother, why don't you show your respects?"
The Queen Mother raised her hand to interrupt her and said to Lianzhi in a deep voice, "Look up."
Somehow, she felt that this person looked very familiar. Although she had heard the emperor say that the reason for granting Bai Kang marriage was because this musician looked like the late emperor, she still felt that he was too familiar.
She was so familiar with him that she noticed him at a glance just by standing in the crowd.
It gave her an all too familiar fear.
Lianzhi struggled internally and raised her head slightly.
He knew the Empress Dowager's temper well. If he didn't look up, he would be dragged out and caned the next moment. The young man before him raised his chin slightly, revealing a very three-dimensional jaw and an exotic face that bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor Chen Fenglian.
The empress dowager shook her wrist and lost her composure, knocking over the incense burner and fruit plate on the table, and the broken porcelain pieces fell on Lianzhi's feet.
Too much likeness, too much likeness! That horrific face of death once again appeared before the Queen Mother's eyes. Even though the person before her was only five points similar to the late emperor, that look in his eyes was exactly the same as the late emperor's!
If the emperor saw him, I'm afraid the situation in the palace would change again.
The Empress Dowager's misconduct was too obvious, and everyone around her witnessed it. Nanny Xuemei stepped in front of her and shouted, "Madam Bai knew she had to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager today, yet she still burned this kind of incense to offend her!"
"Pass on my decree. Madam Bai has behaved disrespectfully in front of the emperor. Go and kneel at the palace gate for an hour." The empress dowager immediately came to her senses and continued what Nanny Xuemei said.
They sang in unison, and although the crowd was somewhat skeptical and in an uproar, they dared not say anything to the Queen Mother. They had just walked with Mrs. Bai and had not smelled any incense on him.
Lianzhi bowed as if awakened from a dream, and asked the maids beside him to take him to the palace gate to kneel down as punishment. After the ladies left, the empress dowager finally breathed a sigh of relief, her forehead already covered with cold sweat.
"Xuemei, is it him? He is back?" The Queen Mother turned the Buddhist beads in her hand, feeling uneasy.
The broken porcelain and fruits on the ground had been swept away by the palace maids, but the face from earlier still lingered in the Empress Dowager's mind. Nanny Xuemei consoled her, "Don't worry, Empress Dowager. You witnessed the late Emperor's death with your own eyes. He certainly won't get away with it."
The Empress Dowager hummed, turning her Buddhist beads even faster. Nanny Xuemei continued, "There are so many people in the world who look alike; the Empress Dowager was only surprised when she first saw him. According to this servant, your Majesty's is the one who most resembles the late Emperor, but that's just a resemblance."
"You're right. The dead cannot be resurrected. Even if his spirit returns, it will never escape my control. But I must never let the Emperor see him. A face like that... is truly a disaster." The Queen Mother exhaled and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. "Xuemei, help me change my clothes."
Lianzhi was not aware of what was happening in the Cining Palace. He did not know that his mere appearance had caused the Empress Dowager to panic.
In reality, although Lianzhi knew that the Queen Mother would be surprised to see her face, she never expected that she would actually be frightened by her. She was truly guilty as a thief.
He knelt at the palace gate. The palace maids coming in and out cast curious glances at Lianzhi, who was dressed in the auspicious dress of a noble lady. Lianzhi did not feel embarrassed. She had knelt in the Cining Palace in a dragon robe many times before and never felt embarrassed.
After kneeling for only half an hour, Lianzhi felt a slight pain in his knees. Perhaps he had been so comfortable recently that he had forgotten the feeling. Behind him, he heard the sound of conversation. It seemed that officials and princes were passing through the palace road, heading to the Golden Throne Hall.
Bai Kang should be among them.
Somehow, although Bo Kang had always seen him kneeling as punishment before, now, he inexplicably didn't want Bo Kang to see him.
To be precise, he suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
Bai Kang was the only one in the capital who married a man. Wouldn't all the ministers know that Bai Kang's wife was punished by the Queen Mother to kneel? Bai Kang was nice to him, so he should not let Bai Kang lose face.
Thinking of this, Lianzhi lowered his head, looking for something to hide behind. But the official road was empty, and there wasn't even a pillar to hide behind, let alone anything. Seeing someone walking past him and looking at him curiously, Lianzhi quickly raised his hand and quietly covered his face with his sleeve.
He only blocked it for a moment before a scarlet figure strode over, grabbed his hand forcefully, and forced Lianzhi to raise his face.
"Who told you to kneel here!" Bai Kang shouted.
Lianzhi looked at him in a daze.
"The Queen Mother?" Bo Kang asserted.
Lianzhi didn't answer, just staring at him stupidly. Bo Kang pulled her up, put her on his back, and, ignoring the eyes of the people around him, ran quickly towards the Golden Palace. Lianzhi came to her senses and grabbed his neck: "The Queen Mother is punishing me. I can't leave. Put me down!"
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Bo Kang's voice was a little deep, as if he was suppressing something. "I'll go with you and kneel in front of the Golden Throne Hall."
Lianzhi was stunned: "Why don't you ask me what happened? If the Queen Mother finds out, you will be punished too."
Bai Kang didn't know what was going on, but he knew the Empress Dowager was moody. Just now, when he passed the official road and saw that thin, pitiful figure, he thought he saw Chen Fenglian, who was always punished to kneel. Although Lianzhi was not obedient, she knew how to judge the situation and always acted in front of outsiders. It was impossible for her to deliberately offend the Empress Dowager.
It was probably because the Queen Mother saw his appearance that she deliberately found fault with him.
"The Queen Mother ordered me to kneel, and I dared not disobey. If you really offended the Queen Mother, it would be my fault as your husband for not managing you well." Bai Kang tightened his hands behind his back, "I will apologize myself."
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