103 Chapter 103
◎Back and forth. ◎
After reading for a long time, Liu Ju always gets used to going out for a walk. He doesn't want to become nearsighted, but he didn't expect to meet his older sister and future brother-in-law who were on a date.
As the only son of Princess Pingyang, the emperor's nephew and future son-in-law, Cao Xiang was naturally treated with great favor. This time when he came to Ganquan Palace to escape the summer heat, he was also called to accompany the emperor.
Unfortunately, Liu Ju thought, His Majesty the Emperor was not a person who loved his family most of the time. He would kill his eldest daughter, his nephew's only son, and his own grandson.
But it's not surprising. During the Witchcraft Incident, so many of the emperor's blood relatives died. A grandson is considered a distant relative.
Liu Yuan walked under the shade of a tree, his round fan still covering half his face. He tried to start a conversation to break the awkward atmosphere: "Brother, why are you here?"
Liu Ju said, "I've been to those places before. Today it's my turn to go here."
The walk was not a casual one. Liu Ju specifically chose roads he had never walked on, so he could see new scenery while walking. It was definitely just a coincidence that he met an engaged couple on a date.
Liu Yuan was speechless for a moment. She felt that her brother was a little unsympathetic.
Seeing this, Cao Xiang hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please walk a little further. There's a pond over there with some birds nesting there. The view is even better."
Liu Ju blinked and smiled, "What bird? Is it a mandarin duck?"
Mandarin ducks now commonly have two meanings: one is husband and wife, the other is brothers. Liu Ju's words clearly refer to the first meaning.
Liu Yuan glared at her brother immediately, changing the subject again: "Brother, we have been in Ganquan Palace for ten days. Isn't it time for you to return to the palace and pay your respects to Mother?"
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, sister. I've already asked my father-in-law and will be back tomorrow. Sister, do you have anything for me to tell mother? For example, do you need to tell mother about the little thing about you and cousin Cao Xiang watching the mandarin ducks together?"
Cao Xiang's face also turned red. He quickly begged for mercy, "Your Highness, please have mercy and stop joking with the princess."
Otherwise, he won’t be able to make an appointment with his fiancée to go out tomorrow, and the prince won’t help him find a solution.
Liu Ju looked at Cao Xiang again and said, "Aunt Pingyang is not here these days. Cousin Cao Xiang, you should also go back to pay your respects to Aunt. You and I are traveling together, so you can keep each other company."
Cao Xiang bowed and said, "Your Highness, thank you for your concern. I went back the other day to ask how my mother is doing."
"Okay." Liu Ju said regretfully, "I can only go back by myself."
Liu Yuan gritted his teeth and said, "Go back quickly!"
Liu Ju couldn't help laughing: "Sister, I was just joking with you. We agreed that you can't complain to mother!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Ju had already slipped away: "I'm leaving now, you guys take your time and have fun."
Liu Yuan held the round fan in his hand, a smile on his face that he couldn't help but laugh, but he said, "Hmph, I will definitely complain to my mother!"
Cao Xiang thought seriously, should he plead for his brother-in-law like the prince in front of his fiancée?
…
In the Pepper Room of Weiyang Palace, when Liu Ju was returning, he happened to meet Liu Dan who had suffered from heatstroke. He provided several prescriptions for relieving heat in children.
Liu Dan was the third child. His biological mother was Li Ji. He also had a brother, Liu Xu, from the same mother. Although Li Ji had two sons, they were not very favored. During these years in the palace, he was able to enjoy the care of the queen, so Li Ji always respected the queen.
Liu Ju remembered that in his previous life, both brothers had ambitions for the throne, but that was after his death.
It was perfectly normal for the emperor's sons to covet the throne. Moreover, none of these sons could defeat their fathers, so Liu Ju did not have any aversion to these two people, nor did he have any plans to deal with them.
At his mother's suggestion, Liu Ju had to go and visit the two brothers in person out of friendship for his eldest brother. Since both of them had visited them, Liu Min did not miss them either.
Liu Min took after her mother, being very beautiful, but with a somewhat sickly pale complexion, and seemingly also in the same physical condition as her mother. In her previous life, Liu Min had indeed died young, and left no offspring.
Liu Ju felt sorry for him, so he told him to take care of his health, but he couldn't do anything else.
Lady Wang was in great favor, and as the crown prince, Liu Ju could not get too close to Lady Wang's son.
Liu Min thanked him politely, and after they had nothing more to say, Liu Ju took his leave.
When Liu Min stood up to see him off, Liu Ju said, "It's very hot outside, so don't go out."
After saying that, he walked away. Liu Min, on the other hand, stood there for a while before turning around and sitting down.
When they returned to the Pepper Room, Wei Zifu was packing some new clothes and asked Liu Ju to take them back to his three sisters.
Liu Ju took a look and pretended to be dissatisfied, "Why are there only my sister and hers? Where are my mother and mine?"
Wei Zifu laughed and said, "How could mother have forgotten you? You had already brought it with you when you packed your luggage earlier."
"Ah..." Liu Ju rolled up his sleeves, "That's what I'm wearing today."
"The material is light and thin, perfect for summer wear." Wei Zifu raised her hand to straighten her son's collar. "It's getting late, don't delay your return, let's go."
"Yes." Liu Ju stood up and saluted. "Mother, I will come back to see you in a few days."
"Mother is fine." Wei Zifu said with a smile, "Please keep an eye on your little sister for her and don't let her have too much fun outside."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother."
…
When he returned to Ganquan Palace, it was time for dinner. Liu Ju thought that if he went to pay his respects to his father now, he would have to stay for dinner. But if his father wanted to summon Lady Wang to accompany him, and he was there too, his father would not be able to call Lady Wang, which would make his father unhappy.
But if he didn't go to greet his father the first thing he did when he came back, wouldn't that give those who would try every means to find fault with the prince an opportunity? One day someone might use this as an excuse to go to his father and accuse the prince of being unfilial.
Just when Liu Ju was hesitating, Liu Che heard that he had returned and sent someone to call him.
After solving a small problem, Liu Ju walked a little lighter. When he got there, he knew why his father was so anxious to call him over for dinner. It turned out that Huo Qubing had come.
General Xiao Huo has been preparing for next year's war. This time he will lead the troops alone, so he naturally has to make all the necessary preparations. If His Majesty had not summoned him, he would not have come to accompany His Majesty for drinking and hunting.
The sun was scorching in the summer, and after not seeing each other for only ten days or so, Liu Ju noticed that Huo Qubing had become darker.
However, the Wei family members all have a good foundation, and the black spots do not affect the handsomeness of Champion Hou.
Liu Ju had just sat down when he heard his father laughing and making fun of Guanjun Hou.
It turned out that after his wife became pregnant, Huo Qubing's mother, Wei Shaoer, went to the queen and asked her to pick two concubines for Huo Qubing. Huo Qubing was dissatisfied with his mother's unauthorized decision. When the queen asked him to go and see the people, she politely refused him on the spot, saying that he had been busy with military affairs recently and had no time, which was a disappointment to his aunt's kindness.
Liu Che laughed and said, "I picked it for you to keep at home. I'm not asking you to have an intimate relationship with her. It's not a waste of your time."
Huo Qubing said with a bitter face: "Your Majesty, after all, they are people given by the Queen. I can't just leave them at home like this. But I really don't have time right now, so it's better not to come and save myself the trouble."
Liu Che smiled and sighed, "Marquis Guanjun is devoted to serving the public. Well, I will go and speak to the Empress."
Huo Qubing had been a Palace Attendant for many years. Although he disdained the many twists and turns in the palace and the court, he definitely understood them.
This matter originally happened because Wei Shaoer had never been close to his son, and he knew he couldn't control him, so he went to the Queen for help. Because of the blood relationship between them, this was originally just a family matter.
But if His Majesty the Emperor personally gave the Queen an oral order, forbidding her to take a concubine with Marquis Guanjun, this would no longer be a family matter.
A joke evolved to this point. Huo Qubing was stunned for a moment and was about to reject the emperor's kindness. He would just talk to the empress and his aunt himself.
Liu Ju spoke first, "Grandfather, Mother asked me to bring some clothes for my sister and the others. After my sister tries them on, she has to write back to tell Mother if they are suitable. Since you are going to write a letter, why don't I tell Mother about this little thing too?"
Liu Che nodded and made another joke: "Okay, come and help your cousin solve this big problem, so that you can eat a few more bunches of his grapes later."
Upon hearing this, Huo Qubing looked at Liu Ju and asked, "What grapes?"
Liu Ju blinked at him, then looked at Wei Qing: "Uncle, my grandfather said he wanted to eat the grapes from your house!"
Wei Qing didn't expect that there would be something else for him to do, so he smiled and said, "The grapes at my house are not very sweet. If Your Majesty is not afraid of sourness, I will give them to Your Majesty when they are ripe."
Liu Che nodded at Liu Ju and said with a smile, "Okay, I must try it. And... Marquis Guanjun, don't forget your grapes. The prince has been thinking about them for a long time."
Huo Qubing said, "Yes."
But when Liu Che was not paying attention, he whispered to Liu Ju, "Why do you want to eat grapes again?"
Liu Ju laughed and said, "I just said it casually, cousin. Who knew that Aung had to bring it up? It's not my fault."
That certainly couldn't be said to be His Majesty's fault. Huo Qubing curled his lips and said, "As for the Queen..."
"It's a small matter." Liu Ju smiled, "Mother knows my cousin's difficulties."
Wei Shao'er was always Huo Qubing's biological mother, and filial piety was the most important thing to him. He had no way of saying anything about her self-willed behavior.
Huo Qubing wanted to curl his lips even more this time. He pressed the corner of his mouth and said, "Hmm."
Liu Ju thought about it and said guiltily, "Cousin, could it be that you asked Aunt about my biological father and she misunderstood you?"
Wei Shaoer thought this was a good opportunity to get closer to his son, maybe it would be true!
Huo Qubing said, "I didn't ask... It's been too hot lately. I don't want to go. Let's wait until it cools down."
Liu Ju thought about it and felt that he had no expectations for a father he had never met after living for almost twenty years. He didn't have the energy to ask.
Liu Ju said, "If you don't want to ask, then don't ask. After all, you just don't know. If someone really makes trouble in the future, His Majesty will protect you anyway."
As for Huo Guang, he will find a solution.
Huo Qubing shook his head: "My uncle also asked me to go..." He paused, "He told me who it was, but..."
Liu Ju knew what he meant. He had to go through the procedures, ask his biological mother, and then go to meet his biological father, and the matter would be over.
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