Chapter 61 Prime Minister Lu’s Proposal
After dinner, Xiaochun Fudong prepared bath incense for Jiang Xue. As soon as Jiang Xue soaked in the water, she heard the scent of the fragrance.
"Your Highness, the Prince Consort has asked Huang Fu to come over to reply. Do you want him to come over?"
Jiang Xue closed her eyes, steam rising from her chest, and said calmly, "No need. If the Prince Consort comes back later, come and report to me."
Xianglu replied yes and walked away.
Fu Dong scooped up some water and carefully helped Jiang Xue clean herself. He asked in confusion, "Your Highness, why did you specifically ask Huang Fu to call the Prince Consort?"
Xiaochun just silently helped Jiang Xue wash the ends of her hair.
Jiang Xue looked at Xiaochun and said, "My mother's decree is for me to bring my husband to the banquet, so I must let her know."
Fu Dong asked in confusion: "Since the Second Prince and the Prince Consort are both in the Ministry of Rites, the imperial decree must have arrived. Even if the Second Prince didn't say it, the Prince Consort must have known about it, right?"
"How can it be the same?" Jiang Xue said with a smile, "I have left him alone for a few days. Now I have to go to the palace. I can't be so unfriendly and let my father and mother notice it, right?"
"Oh..." Fudong nodded, not quite understanding.
Jiang Xue just remained silent and then closed her eyes.
Some gestures had to be made - as for how Gu Lintan would react, he would have to go back home to find her soon.
After a day of activities, my body is very sore. Soaking in the hot soup makes me feel much more comfortable.
After taking a bath, Jiang Xue changed into pajamas and leaned on the couch to read a book.
It was about time to go to bed. Jiang Xue saw that it was about time. Fu Dong happened to push the door open and whispered to Jiang Xue, "Your Highness, the prince consort is here."
Jiang Xue nodded, put the book on the small table, and leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes to rest.
When Gu Lintan pushed the door open, he saw the beauty reclining on the hibiscus couch. Jiang Xue had her eyes closed. He walked in quietly, picked up a blanket and gently covered her with it.
Jiang Xue "suddenly" woke up, looked at Gu Lintan with a little surprise, and then forced a faint smile.
"The Prince Consort is back."
Gu Lintan was wearing his official uniform and had obviously come to ask Qingxuan in a hurry after returning.
"Your Highness, why did you fall asleep here? It's cold at night, please be careful."
Jiang Xue tried to make a timid voice and said, "The day before yesterday, I...was the prince consort still complaining? He hasn't returned home for two days."
Gu Lintan laughed. Jiang Xue's transformation made him a little confused.
He said: "Your Highness has his own considerations. After all, everything is for the good of the mansion. How can I complain?"
Wouldn't he blame me? The two siblings had repeatedly humiliated him in front of the servants, and even the palace guards had given him a cold shoulder. Now they were acting like this again - he, Gu Lintan, was not someone who could forget the past with a slap in the face or a sweet date!
After all, Gu Lintan was concerned about Jiang Xue's identity. Now that his foundation in the court was not stable, he could only act magnanimous.
Jiang Xue looked at him with a weak face and said, "I'm afraid that if I ask someone to call the prince consort, he won't come back."
Gu Lintan sat down beside the couch, gently took Jiang Xue's hand and placed it in his palm, saying: "Your Highness and I are a close couple. As long as Your Highness calls me, I will be by Your Highness' side at any time."
Jiang Xue resisted and forced a smile, showing a shy expression.
Gu Lintan said, "I am afraid that I cannot go with Your Highness to the banquet in the palace tomorrow, so I took some time out from the Ministry of Rites and came back to tell Your Highness in person."
"Oh?" Jiang Xue looked disappointed and asked, "Why is that?"
"Tomorrow morning, the envoys from the Qian Kingdom will arrive in Beijing. All officials from the Ministry of Rites will be present to preside over the meeting. Your Majesty has ordered the Second Prince to be the chief envoy to welcome them, and I will be the deputy envoy to assist."
Jiang Xue shook off his hand gloomily and said, "Why don't you come back home after the ceremony? I was thinking of going to the palace with you to pay my respects to the Queen Mother first."
Gu Lintan reached out his hand, patted the back of Jiang Xue's hand soothingly, and said, "A prince from the country of Gan has come. His Majesty has ordered that the Second Prince and I accompany the prince to the palace throughout the whole process."
Jiang Xue frowned and pretended to be puzzled: "Isn't it a family banquet? What is he going to do in the palace?"
"Your Highness, don't you know?" Gu Lintan was a little surprised. Seeing Jiang Xue shook her head, he thought for a moment and said, "It seems that Prime Minister Lu proposed it to Your Majesty."
"Old Prime Minister Lu?" Jiang Xue asked in surprise. Grandfather proposed this? Why didn't Eunuch Feng mention it?
Jiang Xue seemed to be angry and asked, "Grandfather, are you getting old and confused? Why are you inviting a foreigner to the Ji Dynasty's royal banquet for no reason?"
Gu Lintan asked tentatively: "Your Highness, do you think that Prime Minister Lu's arrangement is inappropriate?"
Jiang Xue pouted and said, "I don't understand the affairs of the court, and I shouldn't care - I just see that the people are fed up. I thought I was having a good meal with my father, the emperor, and my mother, but I didn't expect a fly to come in."
Gu Lintan sneered in his heart. Jiang Xue had secretly agreed to spend her life with the hostage from the Gan country in her early years, but later the hostage abandoned her and left. She had been resentful and depressed for several years because of this - all the senior officials in the court knew this.
Seeing that the dry countrymen were bored, it was probably because it reminded her of that proton from the past!
His face was solemn as he explained, "Prime Minister Lu's intentions were good. After all, Gan State has shown goodwill to our dynasty many times. If we can use this opportunity to celebrate Your Majesty's birthday to bring the two countries closer, it will also be a blessing for the people. Prime Minister Lu cares about his country and family. It is said that there was originally no family banquet, but it was only after Prime Minister Lu's strong persuasion that Your Majesty agreed to hold it."
Jiang Xue was alert.
After all, Gu Lintan was my grandfather's disciple in public, but saying these words at this time - it seemed as if he was trying to put all the blame on my grandfather for hosting the banquet for King Ruichong?
What did he want to do? He couldn't come to alienate her from her grandfather, could he?
She said nothing, but still looked unhappy.
Gu Lintan said, "Your Highness, if you don't want to see the people tomorrow, you can have a few drinks and go back to your bedroom to rest. Your Highness is a princess after all, and we will just ignore the occasion if you don't want to."
Jiang Xue forced a smile, with some thoughts in mind, and looked up to Gu Lintan and said, "Then the prince consort should go back to the Ministry of Rites as soon as possible. It's late at night and the dew is heavy. Don't stay here any longer."
Gu Lintan nodded and said, "Then I will leave first. Your Highness should rest early."
Jiang Xue said goodbye to him with a smile.
After Gu Lintan left, Jiang Xue's face became even gloomier.
Xiaochun came into the house holding a plate with palace costumes that had been scented with incense on it.
Jiang Xue looked at the palace dress and said to Xiaochun, "Go and find out for me when the diplomatic envoys will arrive in Beijing tomorrow."
Xiaochun said: "I will go find Chen Jin now."
Seeing that she didn't ask any more questions, Jiang Xue said, "Aren't you curious about what I'm going to do?"
Xiaochun smiled and said, "Your Highness has your own reasons, but please allow me to say a few words. The delegation will be welcomed by officials in Beijing. No matter what Your Highness wants to do, it is best not to show up in person. Your Highness is now married, and there are some things -"
Jiang Xue was stunned for a moment before she reacted.
The girl thought that she had to meet the envoys because of Xiao Qi.
She smiled bitterly and said, "I know. Just go and find out for me. Also, try to find out from the Ministry of Rites whether Gu Lintan has only been in the Ministry of Rites these days, whether he has left, and whether he has met anyone."
Xiaochun nodded.
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