Chapter 131 Entering the Palace 3 She didn’t need him to do so much for her…
Following the emperor's sedan chair were the empress, the concubine, the second prince, the fifth prince, and two other concubines.
But only the emperor rode in the sedan chair.
Moreover, that sedan chair was different from ordinary sedan chairs. It was surrounded by curtains embroidered with golden dragon patterns. It was obviously prepared long ago, obviously to block everyone's sight.
It was also obvious that the person sitting in the sedan chair was Bai Jinan.
Some people whispered, "The emperor is riding in a sedan chair. Could it be that he is really ill?"
Another person also asked: "There is a layer of cloth covering the sedan chair. Could it have also ruined the appearance of the face?"
The person next to him kindly reminded him, "Be careful what you say, or you might lose your head."
The discussion suddenly died down.
Several important officials at the foot of the city wall were the first to kneel down and shout "Long live the emperor" to the emperor on the tower.
All the ministers and common people knelt on the ground and shouted, "Long live the emperor, long live the empress!"
Xie Wuhen and Su He were naturally mixed in with the people and shouted along.
For a moment, the sound of worship resounded through the sky, and the momentum was shaking.
When the salutations died down, the emperor still did not emerge from his sedan chair. Instead, he addressed the crowd through the curtain, "Everyone, please stand."
The voice was deep and low, faintly revealing fatigue.
The people under the city wall then stood up from the ground.
The Empress stepped forward and surveyed the crowd from the tower's railing. Beneath her layers of imperial attire, she appeared graceful and elegant, a model for the nation. "Today marks the day when our nation of Daliang shakes off the old and welcomes the new. Though the Emperor is ill, he remains in high spirits. As the saying goes, auspicious snow heralds a good harvest. May the Emperor enjoy good health and the people of Liang enjoy peace and prosperity in the coming year."
The people below the tower followed suit and shouted: "May the emperor be healthy and the Liang Kingdom be peaceful and prosperous in the coming year."
The emperor said nothing; he sat in his sedan chair without moving.
Through the thin curtain, one could still see that he was wearing a royal robe and a crown, and even his arms were intact.
Su He was a little confused: "Did he really lose half of his arm?"
Xie Wuhen answered irrelevantly: "Don't worry, he is wearing a prosthetic limb now."
"In this case, how could he hide it from the Queen?"
"I heard that he has never been to Kunning Palace these days, and has been cared for by Concubine Shu."
Su He asked again: "When do you think it is appropriate for me to come out and recognize my relatives?"
Xie Wuhen replied: "Let's wait until they give out the reward money to the people below the city wall."
Sure enough, after a few moments, Concubine Shu also stepped forward and announced loudly: "With the arrival of people and wealth, the emperor will give you all rewards. May you all be blessed with good fortune and a house full of gold and jade."
The crowd below applauded and cheered.
Immediately, a eunuch came downstairs with a money bag and threw the change around.
For a moment, silver and money came like rain, so dense that everyone under the city wall, whether they were court officials or common people, jumped up and down and stretched out their arms to grab the money. It was bustling with people chasing each other, and it was very lively.
When everyone was scrambling for reward money at the Meridian Gate, Zhang Xiuhua, who had been in a coma for many days in the Tzu Chi institution, trembled her fingers again, and then her whole hand moved from her side to the edge of the bed.
Chunlan was wiping her body at that time. Suddenly she saw her moving her hand. Her face brightened and she called out hurriedly, "Auntie?"
Zhang Xiuhua on the bed did not respond.
Chunlan was a little excited: "Aunt, did you move just now? Are you waking up?" She pushed Zhang Xiuhua's shoulder while talking: "Aunt, wake up, Aunt..."
Zhang Xiuhua's eyelashes trembled, and she actually slowly opened her eyes.
The light was a bit dazzling, and she half-closed her eyes, half-open, in a trance.
Chunlan was filled with surprise and hurriedly shouted outside: "Hurry up, someone, my aunt is awake."
Zhao Fu was closest to the house and arrived first.
He was also overwhelmed with emotions: "I didn't expect to wake up on New Year's Eve. I am truly a blessed person, a blessed person."
He added, "If the princess knew you were awake, she would be so happy."
When Zhang Xiuhua heard the word "Princess", her brows furrowed slightly: "Princess...Princess?"
She was still a little slow to react and still a little dull.
Zhao Fu smiled and replied, "Yes, you may not know this yet, but your daughter is the child of the Emperor and Empress Duofu, a princess."
Chunlan couldn't help but shed tears and choked up, "The young lady has gone to the Meridian Gate to recognize her relatives today. If things go well, we may be able to live with the young lady in the palace, but if things don't go well, I'm afraid..." She didn't dare to say the rest.
If things don't go well, the emperor might even have an idea and take the young lady's life.
Zhang Xiuhua lying on the bed took a breath and her mind finally became clearer.
She murmured, "What do you mean... not going well?"
Chunlan just kept shaking her head and couldn't explain clearly for a moment.
Zhao Fu sighed and spoke with concern: "The situation in the palace is complicated right now. No one can tell what will happen. Don't ask too much. Take care of yourself first."
Zhang Xiuhua was silent for a while, and finally digested what happened before she fell into a coma and what they had just said. "Chunlan, I remember." She said in a deep voice.
Chunlan advised her, "It's freezing outside, and Auntie has just woken up and is still very weak. It would be better for her to stay in bed for a few more days."
Zhang Xiuhua gritted her teeth and used her elbows to support her body, but she had been lying there for too long and her arms were completely powerless. She had just raised half of her body when she fell back onto the bed.
She said in a hoarse voice: "Chunlan, I have to go to the Meridian Gate to find the young lady..."
At this time, the scattered silver in front of the Meridian Gate lasted for a quarter of an hour before it stopped.
Some of those who had a good harvest even stole two large bags of silver, which was enough for ordinary people to live on for more than half a year.
New year, new atmosphere, everyone is happy.
After distributing the tips, it was time for the music troupe to perform a dance.
Every year during the grand court assembly, the music troupe would perform a few dances for the court officials and common people in front of the Meridian Gate, with the "Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe Dance" being the most famous.
When Concubine Shu saw that everyone was so happy, she also smiled.
She was about to announce the music troupe's dance performance again, but before she could open her mouth, she suddenly saw a man leading a woman from the city wall, hurriedly pushing through the crowd and walking forward. When they reached the open space in front of the Meridian Gate, they both knelt down.
The man spoke in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty, you instructed me to search for the princess who has been exiled to the countryside. After months of investigation, I have completed my mission. Today, I am bringing the princess to meet you."
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
The court officials couldn't believe it, and the people were even more shocked.
Who would have thought that the current emperor actually had a princess who lived among the people!
Concubine Shu recognized the kneeling man as Xie Wuhen at a glance, and she also thought that the so-called princess who had been exiled to the common people was the child born by Duofu.
It turned out to be just a princess, and not a prince. She breathed a sigh of relief.
At this time, the queen also recognized Xie Wuhen, and she thought of who the princess was, and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Bai Jinan in the sedan chair also recognized Xie Wuhen at a glance.
He broke an arm in his hand, and he would recognize it even if it turned into ashes.
But he was not in a hurry to answer, but left him alone in public.
Seeing that the emperor remained silent, the empress stepped forward and asked, "Sir Xie, are you sure that the girl beside you is the princess the emperor is looking for?"
Xie Wuhen replied loudly: "Your Majesty, I am sure."
The Queen's tone softened a bit: "In that case, thank you for taking the trouble to bring the princess into the palace."
Before Xie Wuhen could respond, the emperor behind the curtain suddenly said, "Wait a minute," and then said slowly, "Since you are a princess, then raise your head and let me see what you look like."
Su He looked up as she was told. Under the winter snow, her eyebrows were delicate, her face was like a lotus, and her almond eyes were as round and clear as grapes, shining brightly.
Even through the high city walls and layers of curtains, Bai Jinan recognized Su He at a glance. Just like Xie Wuhen, he would recognize her even if she turned into ashes.
Unexpectedly, the woman who asked him to reshape her bones and killed Chen'er turned out to be a princess, and she appeared again in this imperial city.
Bai Jinan gritted his teeth, hatred surging in his chest.
He must not let this woman into the palace, otherwise all his plans would be ruined.
He imitated the emperor's voice and said, "Thank you, my dear minister, you know that confusing the royal bloodline is a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the clan."
Xie Wuhen replied sternly, "I guarantee with my life that this girl is none other than the daughter of Empress Duofu who left the palace that year. Her name is Su He."
Bai Jinan asked, "What's your proof?"
Xie Wuhen replied, "The testimonies of tea master Zeng Yidao and Du's wife Liu can both be relied upon."
Bai Jinan said with disdain: "This matter needs to be confirmed in detail. It won't be too late to welcome the princess into the palace after the confirmation is completed."
As for when the confirmation will be completed, it is not up to him. The longer it is delayed, the more hope there is.
At this time, several court officials and ladies also noticed that Su He looked familiar. Wasn't this the wife of the Shaoqing who appeared at the palace banquet last time?
But no one dared to speak carelessly. After all, people have similarities, and after all, it involves royal bloodline, so no one can speak carelessly.
The atmosphere was tense for a moment.
Su He suddenly spoke in a loud voice: "The Emperor has painstakingly searched for my daughter for many years. Now that the Shaoqing has finally found my daughter, the Emperor has become a completely different person, repeatedly refusing to acknowledge her. Why is this?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Bai Jinan was choked. Isn't it just that the emperor has become a different person?
The Queen also noticed his abnormality and whispered through the curtain, "What's wrong with the Emperor today?"
She knew that the emperor sent Xie Wuhen to look for Duofu and her mother.
Concubine Shu, standing by, was also starting to lose her composure. She pretended to console him, saying, "The Emperor has been thinking about this lost princess all day, isn't he? Now that she's been found, the Emperor should be happy to welcome her into the palace. After all, everyone is watching, and with Master Xie as the witness of the princess's origins, what else could the Emperor suspect?"
After all, she is a princess, and it will not hinder her interests in any way, so there is no problem in bringing her into the palace.
Bai Jinan knew what Concubine Shu meant. She was giving him an order.
He had been obedient to her every word these days, not daring to disobey her. But today, with everyone watching, he wanted to take the opportunity to do what he wanted. "My beloved concubine, you are too kind. It's not that I don't want to welcome the princess into the palace. I just want to welcome a princess who is certain to enter the palace."
The Second Prince, Zhao Bo, also thought he was causing trouble. "Since the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple has proven the princess's background, why should your Majesty be suspicious? Today is New Year's Eve, why not welcome the princess into the palace to celebrate the new year together?"
There was also a hint of coercion in his words, which others could not hear, but Bai Jinan could hear it.
He is now nothing more than a puppet of this mother and son.
Bai Jin'an sighed, "The Emperor is still too young to see the deeper aspects of things. If the identity of this woman is indeed confirmed, then Lord Xie could have come to Weiyang Palace privately to seek kinship with me. Why do you have to do this in front of so many people? There must be something fishy going on."
Xie Wuhen replied in a deep voice, "I have visited the Emperor in Weiyang Palace many times, but was never allowed to see him. Only today can I see him in person."
Bai Jinan was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Forget it. I'll take what you say as the truth. However, people are greedy and can be bribed with money. Therefore, in addition to witnesses, we must also have physical evidence. I wonder if Lord Xie has any physical evidence that can prove the princess's background?"
Xie Wuhen's expression remained unchanged: "Based on the trust the Emperor has placed in me in the past, I'm afraid he wouldn't even need human witnesses, let alone physical evidence. The Emperor's request today caught me off guard."
Bai Jinan exhaled heavily, and the curtain trembled slightly. He said, "This involves the royal bloodline, so I have to be cautious."
Then his tone became more ruthless: "Since my dear minister cannot produce valid physical evidence, I will have no choice but to severely punish this woman."
Xie Wuhen asked in return: "What does the emperor want?"
Bai Jinan replied, "I just said that confusing the royal bloodline is a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the clan."
Xie Wuhen said in a resounding voice, "I am willing to use my official position and the honor of the Xie family to guarantee that this woman is undoubtedly the princess."
Bai Jinan's tone grew increasingly ruthless. "But if you can't produce strong physical evidence, I will immediately strip you of your official position and the title of your Xie family."
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
In front of the crowded Meridian Gate, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
When had the court officials ever seen the emperor so angry?
Have you ever seen Xie Wuhen so bold as to contradict the emperor?
The snow began to fall silently.
The cold wind howled, bringing a chill.
Su He raised her eyes to look at him and shook her head secretly at him.
She didn't need him to do this for her, she couldn't bear it!
But his expression remained unchanged and he was unmoved.
His stern face seemed colder than the entire winter.
Liu Qinian, who was watching from the side, couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward to offer some kind advice: "Wuhen, why are you risking your entire fortune just for a woman who looks just like your wife?"
He replied, "Your Excellency, there is no need to persuade me. I know what I am doing."
Liu Qinian shook his head helplessly and turned away.
Xie Wuhen bit his back teeth, looked up at the tall city wall, and shouted, "If the emperor insists on not recognizing the princess, then take away my official position and wealth now."
Bai Jinan didn't expect that he would dare to confront him head-on, and he was in a difficult situation for a while.
Suddenly, a woman's voice pierced the sky and reached the city wall: "I have brought physical evidence proving my identity as the princess!"
Everyone looked back in the direction of the voice and saw a woman walking towards the center of the snow-covered street. The woman was pushing a sheep-horn cart in her hands, and a maid was lying on the cart, looking lifeless.
If it’s not Chunlan and Zhang Xiuhua, then who else could it be!
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