Chapter 002 Chapter 2

Xu Duanyi didn't know Cao Da had come, she was still busy in the kitchen.

Holding the menu handed to him by the palace attendant, Xu Duanyi looked at it and said slowly, "My aunt has been feeling a little irritated these past two days, so we don't need to serve the mountain-cooked lamb, lest it aggravates the heat. Instead, we'll serve a fish soup that's refreshing."

"Serve another dish of crispy yellow tang. My aunt likes this. Remember to pour the freshly made osmanthus sauce on it."

How could the palace maid in charge disobey?

He immediately said yes.

The palace steward heaved a sigh of relief and complimented Xu Duanyi: "Thanks to you being here, otherwise if we send these foods over, I'm afraid the Queen Mother will be unhappy again."

Xu Duanyi smiled.

"Aunt has done a good job." She said as she handed the red lacquered menu back to her.

The palace maid in charge bowed hurriedly and held out her hand to take it.

"Then I will do as you said." She added, "The kitchen is greasy, the princess should go back to the queen mother as soon as possible, otherwise she will be stinking with greasy smell. If the queen mother knows, she will be very upset."

Xu Duanyi nodded, stood up and walked out.

The palace maid bent her waist and accompanied her out personally.

She was also an old lady who had accompanied Empress Dowager Zhaoyu for many years. Normally, who in this palace didn't respect her? To be honest, even if she met their new emperor, she would not be so respectful.

But Princess Jiashun is different.

If Prince Wen Zhao had not passed away, the one who calls the shots in the harem today would be the master next to him.

Everyone in the palace has eyes.

Whoever the master values, they will naturally praise more.

Since the death of Crown Prince Wen Zhao, the only person left by Empress Dowager Zhaoyu's side is Princess Jiashun.

Moreover, in this whole world, only this noble lord can persuade their Queen Mother. Therefore, the palace servants all respect the Princess very much, hoping that if something happens in the future, they can ask someone to help plead for her.

"The roads are slippery in the snow, Princess, please be careful."

"It would be better if you could ask me to get a sedan chair ready, so that you don't have to walk back and get your shoes and socks wet."

"No need, it's just a few steps away." Xu Duanyi declined gently.

After hearing this, the palace maid could no longer insist.

Bixi was waiting outside.

She was holding Xu Duanyi's white fox fur coat in her hands.

She had been drenched by the wind and snow before, so she used the heater from next door to keep away the cold. When she saw her coming out, Bi Xi hurried forward to help her dress carefully, and handed over the hand warmer wrapped in brocade to prevent her from catching a cold.

When the palace maid saw her, she called out politely, "Miss Bixi."

Bixi nodded to her and called back "Aunt Fang" with a smile.

Xu Duanyi has two personal maids by her side, one is Bixi and the other is Shiyu. Both of them followed Xu Duanyi into the palace since they were young, so their relationship with them is naturally different.

Knowing that Xu Duanyi values ​​them, the people in the palace naturally have to respect them a lot more.

Afterwards, Bixi helped Xu Duanyi out of the kitchen.

It's still snowing now.

Bixi walked beside Xu Duanyi, holding an umbrella for her.

Xu Duanyi asked her to come closer so that she wouldn't get soaked by the heavy snow and wind.

Bixi agreed with a smile.

The master and servant walked side by side like this.

Just left the kitchen.

Seeing that there was no one else around, Bixi reported the news from the front to Xu Duanyi: "Master, Eunuch Cao is here."

Xu Duanyi frowned: "It's so cold, what is he doing here?"

"I heard it's for the marriage between my cousin and Prince Nan'an, but..." Before I could finish my words, a voice suddenly came from the front: "The eldest princess."

When Bixi heard the voice, she immediately shut up.

Xu Duanyi also looked up along the umbrella.

Not far away, Cao Da, wearing a sable-skin cloak and holding a warm stove, was walking towards them, protected by an umbrella held by a young eunuch.

Such a cold snowy day.

The little eunuch beside him almost turned into a snowman, but Cao Da was not touched by any snow at all.

This eunuch who has been in charge of the inner court for many years is now nearly fifty years old, and the little hair that is exposed has turned gray.

He had a smile on his face and looked like someone who could be talked to.

However, Xu Duanyi would not think that he was an easy-going person, and anyone who knew who he was would not think so.

"Eunuch Cao."

Xu Duanyi also greeted the person politely.

Cao Da walked over with a smile and said to Xu Duanyi: "I didn't see Your Highness before, and I thought I couldn't greet Your Highness today. Where did Your Highness go in such a cold day?"

Xu Duanyi replied: "Auntie has not had a good appetite recently, I went to the kitchen to look at today's menu."

After hearing this, Cao Da sighed and said, "No wonder the Queen Mother loves you so much, like the apple of her eye and the flesh of her heart."

"But Your Highness does not have to worry. The matter that the Queen is worried about will be resolved soon." When Cao Da said this, he kept looking at Xu Duanyi and smiling.

This smile made Xu Duanyi feel uncomfortable for no reason.

She did not want to talk to Cao Da any more, and was about to say goodbye when she heard Cao Da say with a smile, "It all depends on whether Your Highness is willing to help me with this."

"Help?"

Xu Duanyi looked at Cao Da again, frowning, and asked in confusion: "I wonder what you mean, eunuch?"

Cao Da smiled and said, "Your Majesty is worried about the marriage of the young Prince Nan'an. She originally wanted to select a woman of the right age and suitable from the noble ladies in the capital. But now there are too few people of the right age, who are not married, and whose status and background can match the young Prince Nan'an. So I recommended His Highness to Your Majesty..."

"What?"

When Bixi heard this, she couldn't help but open her eyes wide and speak.

Cao Da didn't look at her, but continued to look at Xu Duanyi with a smile: "Your Highness is of the right age and noble status. It would be most appropriate for Your Highness to marry the young Prince Nan'an."

"If Your Highness agrees, the foreign ministers and the Nan'an Palace will no longer blame the Huguo Palace for breaking off the engagement, and they will probably even praise the Queen Mother."

"By then, the foreign ministers will have nothing to say, and the queen will be relieved of her worries and will no longer have a headache or get angry."

That was all Cao Da said.

Without waiting for Xu Duanyi's reply, he prepared to leave.

"I still have a lot of things to deal with at home, so I'll take my leave now."

After he finished speaking, he just nodded to Xu Duanyi without any greeting, then left with the little eunuch.

"Master, what should I do?"

As soon as Cao Da left, Bi Xi saw that he was no longer in sight, so she hurriedly asked, "The Queen Mother will not really marry you to the young Prince of Nan'an, will she?"

Not as anxious as Bixi.

After Xu Duanyi's brief absence, he has now returned to normal.

Seeing Bixi's anxious face, Xu Duanyi was still in the mood to joke with her.

"Didn't you want me to marry the King of Nan'an before?"

"master!"

Bixi said anxiously, "I did think about it, but didn't I regret it immediately? The little Prince Nan'an is not the same as before. If you really marry him, what will you do if he wrongs you in the future?"

"No, you can't accept this marriage!"

Thinking of the many concubines that Prince Nan'an had outside the palace and his ever-lasting reputation as a playboy, Bi Xi got a headache.

My head is buzzing.

Bixi murmured: "Fortunately, the Queen Mother loves you. She would definitely not want you to marry her. She would definitely not want you to marry her..."

Xu Duanyi said nothing.

No one knew the emotion she felt at that moment.

"Let's go back first," she said.

…

outside.

The young eunuch followed Cao Da.

It was freezing cold, and the wind and snow were blowing on people, causing severe pain.

The young eunuch did not dare to tilt the umbrella towards himself at all. He just placed himself in the wind and snow, holding the umbrella high with all his heart and soul to serve the old ancestor beside him.

"Grandfather, do you think the Queen Mother would agree?"

After leaving Shoukang Palace, the young eunuch helped Cao Da to sit on the sedan chair, and then followed him and asked him a question.

Cao Dawen was sitting in the sedan chair that was protected from the wind and snow. Hearing this, he just sneered: "Even if she doesn't agree, our Princess Jiashun can't bear to let her good aunt continue to have such a headache."

"What's more——"

Cao Da sneered: "Our Queen Mother has a clear mind. She is more afraid of the Nan'an Palace rising again than I am."

"I think the young Prince Nan'an is not pretending. You haven't seen what he looks like now. How can he still be as high-spirited as before?"

"Only that face is worth looking at."

"The last time I went out of the palace to deliver an imperial edict, I ran into him. Oh, he smelled strongly of alcohol... I was so far away that I frowned when I smelled him."

The young eunuch said with a look of disgust.

It seemed as if I could still smell the smell of alcohol lingering at the tip of my nose, and I wanted to fan it away with my hand.

"Actually, let me tell you, old ancestor, why did you make the Empress Dowager angry today? Princess Jiashun is the Empress Dowager's favorite. Even if you really want to find out the truth about the Nan'an Palace, just tell the Empress Dowager, give her some gifts, and arrange for a few obedient women to go there, isn't that enough?"

"After all, that little Prince Nan'an is nothing more than a drunkard in an embroidered quilt."

The young eunuch was still a little frightened when he thought of the scene in which Empress Dowager Zhaoyu threw cups and bowls in anger.

Cao Da held the hand stove in his hand, closed his eyes and sneered: "What do you know?"

The young eunuch naturally didn't understand, so he hurriedly asked, "Grandfather, can you help me solve this puzzle?"

Cao Da snorted, "Our Queen Mother has been in power for many years, and she has become arrogant and has forgotten the promise she made to our family."

"I did this to remind our Queen Mother that I am a partner to her, not a slave that she can beat and scold at will."

"Secondly..."

The young eunuch waited a long time before asking, "What's the second thing?"

Cao Da suddenly opened his eyes and snorted, "Doesn't Xu Pingyi hate us slaves the most? I just want to let him and everyone know that we slaves can also decide life and death."

"When he told the late emperor about my faults, did he ever think that one day I would decide the future of his precious daughter?"

The young eunuch finally understood why the ancestor insisted that Princess Jiashun marry Prince Nan'an. How could he dare to say anything at that moment?

Busy flattering him outside.

"What kind of person is Marquis Wu'an? Not to mention his daughter, even our emperor has to be respectful to the old ancestor now."

The snow is falling harder.

Cao Dawen sat in the sedan chair and felt quite comfortable.

On the other side, Xu Duanyi went back to his palace to change his clothes before going to the main hall.

No one followed.

She held her umbrella and walked towards the main hall.

Bixi looked at her leaving figure with a worried look on her face.

Shigure, who was peeling pine nuts nearby, saw her like this and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What are you doing? Your face looks as bitter as a bitter gourd."

Bixi turned around to look at Shiyu.

She saw her with a pair of big black eyes, looking at her with confusion.

She called her a "fool" in an unpleasant tone and then went to do needlework over there in annoyance.

Shi Yu tilted his head, his dark eyes flashing with confusion.

But she was always straightforward, and when she saw that Bixi refused to speak, she just shrugged her shoulders and continued peeling pine nuts.

She specially divided the pine nuts into several piles, one for herself, one for her master, one for herself, and one for Bixi. Hehe, she had a lot of fun peeling pine nuts.

When Bixi caught a glimpse of Shiyu's movements with her remaining eyes, she felt even more headache. In the end, she turned her face away, thinking that she would not be bothered by it.

Anyway, this matter depends on the master's own wishes.

If the master doesn't want to get married, no one can force her.

Similarly, if the master wants to get married, no matter how much she persuades him, it will be useless.

She sighed and decided not to think about it anymore.

"Why did Your Highness come here with an umbrella by yourself?" The palace maid at the door of the main hall saw Xu Duanyi coming with an umbrella and ran out in surprise. While using a handkerchief to wipe the snow water off her fox fur, she took the umbrella from her hand and helped her in personally.

Xu Duanyi said: "It's just a few steps, I'm too lazy to ask someone to accompany me."

After entering the corridor, she looked inside and didn't see her aunt, so she asked, "Aunt, are you resting?"

The palace maid was collecting umbrellas. Upon hearing this, she shook her head and said, "No, Eunuch Cao just left." She lowered her voice again and reminded Xu Duanyi, "The Queen Mother just lost her temper and even smashed a cup of tea."

Xu Duanyi guessed why her aunt was angry and nodded: "I'll go in and take a look."

After she finished speaking, she went straight to the inner hall.

Inside the inner hall, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu, who was nearly fifty years old, was leaning with her eyes closed on a rosewood and jade chrysanthemum throne by the window.

Her brows were furrowed and her lips were slightly pursed.

He clearly looked impatient and depressed.

Aunt Danfeng, who had always been by her side, was now standing behind her, gently massaging her temples.

Seeing Xu Duanyi coming in, Dan Feng was about to greet her, but Xu Duanyi stopped him with her hand.

Xu Duanyi glanced at her aunt, who looked annoyed and unhappy, even with her eyes closed but still frowning.

She walked over lightly and exchanged places with Aunt Danfeng.

Dan Feng went to pour tea for Xu Duanyi.

Xu Duanyi took over and continued to press her aunt's temples.

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu opened her eyes and immediately saw Xu Duanyi behind her. She said, "I just feel that the force is not right."

After she finished speaking, she sat up and refused to let Xu Duanyi continue pressing.

He took her hand and asked her to sit next to him. He was reluctant to let go and just held it to keep her warm: "I heard from Dan Feng early in the morning that you went to the kitchen. What were you doing in such a cold day? You didn't feel cold at all."

Xu Duanyi did not refuse and sat next to her with a smile.

"I stayed in the house all day, and it happened that the snow was not too heavy this morning, so I just took a walk." Xu Duanyi smiled, her voice gentle and moving, "I asked the kitchen to make you some crispy yellow du, and specifically told them to put more osmanthus sauce in it."

Only then did Empress Dowager Zhaoyu show a hint of smile on her face.

Dan Feng finished pouring the tea and came over, then she continued with a smile, "The Princess knows the Queen Mother's feelings best. With this crispy yellow bun, the Queen Mother will have to eat more for lunch today."

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu held Xu Duanyi's hand and said with a smile: "Zhao Zhao knows me best."

Zhaozhao is Xu Duanyi's nickname, which was given to her by her mother before she passed away.

Zhaozhao means bright, which means that I hope Xu Duanyi's life will be bright and smooth.

But her life was not actually smooth.

She lost her mother at the age of six. When she was ten, she was betrothed to her cousin, Prince Wen Zhao, an honor that everyone envied. However, when she was eleven, Prince Wen Zhao died of depression because he was not favored by the previous emperor.

Xu Duanyi's life seemed bright, but it was also full of ups and downs.

Therefore, when she came of age, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu specially drafted a title for her, which included the two characters Jiashun, hoping to eliminate the hardships she had experienced in her life.

The two sat and talked.

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu asked a few questions about what to eat for lunch, but she never mentioned what Cao Da said to Xu Duanyi.

She never thought of telling Xu Duanyi about this.

She had also issued an order to everyone in Shoukang Palace not to mention this matter to Xu Duanyi.

But she didn't expect that Xu Duanyi already knew it.

"Aunt, I met Cao Da when I came back earlier." Xu Duanyi suddenly spoke.

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu's smile faded immediately. She frowned and raised her head. When she saw Xu Duanyi's face, she knew that she already knew.

Anger reappeared on her face.

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu frowned and angrily shouted: "You are a bastard!"

"Don't worry about it. I will never let you suffer like this. How can my Zhao Zhao marry a playboy like that?"

She always treated Zhao Zhao differently.

Even if she was jealous of the Nan'an Palace and the Jizhou border troops, she would never sell out her own niece!

Zhao Zhao has a different meaning to her.

In addition to the more than ten years of companionship, she is also the only blood of her sister left in this world.

She once lived with her younger sister.

Her younger sister was even bullied and raped in order to protect her.

At that time, she swore that she would protect her sister and ensure her a healthy and glorious life, and give her the best things in the world.

Later, when her younger sister died, she took Zhaozhao to live with her, took care of her personally, raised her like her own daughter, and even gave her to Qi'er in marriage, hoping that Qi'er would protect her for the rest of her life.

It’s a pity that Qi’er was unlucky and left too early.

After Qi'er passed away, she and Zhaozhao depended on each other for survival.

Now in this world, the only person who can soften her heart is Zhao Zhao.

How could she allow her to marry such a playboy?

Cao Da is a mess.

How could she not know why he insisted that Zhao Zhao marry Xie Qingya?

Just as she was about to comfort Zhao Zhao, Xu Duanyi grabbed Empress Dowager Zhao Yu's hand and said to her, "Aunt, please let me get married."

"I am willing to marry."