She had always been worried about her youngest son, but now she can finally rest easy.
Before anyone could object, she immediately raised her voice and said, "I have thought many times about arranging for you to marry A-Yun, but A-Yun is still young, and I was afraid she would not like you. Now that you two are in love, I will take it upon myself to grant you this marriage. Someone, go and tell Master Wu Ye so that he can choose an auspicious date. I will even have a grandson!"
Zhang Chu smiled and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, no matter how anxious you are, you must wait until Miss Sun's mourning period is over."
"It's alright, it's alright. We'll choose an auspicious day after the mourning period. I just want the days to pass quickly these days," she said cheerfully. At the same time, she said to Sun Yun, "Come here, my good boy."
Sun Yun never expected the Empress Dowager to help her so much. She immediately stood up and, led by Ji Yun, walked step by step behind the beaded curtain.
The Empress Dowager looked at Sun Yun with increasing satisfaction, and the gloom brought by Hao Shumei earlier vanished, replaced by a kind smile on her face.
Sun Yun walked over, and she took his hand affectionately, patted it, and took off the white jade bracelet from her wrist and put it on his hand. "You are someone I have watched grow up. You are good in every way, except that you are too thin-skinned, too kind, and too honest. In my opinion, you should have told me about this matter long ago to save me from having to worry. You should be punished."
The court officials listened, and they realized that the Empress Dowager's words were not right. Sun Yun was clearly expressing his affection for Prince Yong during his filial piety period, and he even said it aloud. Shouldn't he be considered shameless and unfilial?
Does it relate to being kind and honest?
Furthermore, she is a young woman, and she openly declared her love for Prince Yong in front of everyone. How could she be so shameless?
"Yes, Your Majesty, I know I was wrong," Sun Yun said obediently, bowing respectfully.
The Empress Dowager immediately pulled her up and said affectionately, "You did nothing wrong, it was the nineteenth prince who was wrong and made you suffer. Punish him, but not you. You are my precious darling."
Look, everyone's so darlings! The Empress Dowager is determined to make everyone forget that it was Sun Yun who first revealed this.
Zhao Bi dared not utter a single word of criticism, because Hao Shumei wanted to bring him down, and he still had to rely on the Empress Dowager.
As for Yide's people, they really wanted to say a few harsh words, but in a flash they realized that Zhao Bi, the Empress Dowager, and the New Party members were now on the same side, and if they insisted on standing up, they might suffer the consequences.
In the imperial court, things can change in an instant. A single, subtle word can turn a political enemy into an ally, and an ally into a foe.
Even Yang Zhong remained silent, turning a blind eye to the matter. Although his character was somewhat flawed, he was indeed from a first-rate family. If he didn't speak up, why should others bring up etiquette?
Furthermore, Wei Tingsi was still standing there like a sharp sword, exuding a murderous aura, as if anyone who dared to say the slightest thing would be killed on the spot, making people tremble with fear.
The storm passed just like that, without even a ripple.
Hao Shumei was so angry that she gritted her teeth, but it was too late for her to slander Prince Yong at this point; it would only make her die a more miserable death.
However, she wouldn't let Zhao Bi go.
But how could the Empress Dowager allow her to ruin things at this time? While everyone was still in shock at the Empress Dowager's distortion of the truth, Jiyun and Hongxia came to Hao Shumei's side. A faint fragrance wafted into her nose, and she immediately fainted.
"Oh dear, Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has fainted," Ji Yun said, feigning surprise.
The Empress Dowager seemed to be in a very good mood and said lightly, "The Consort is pregnant and cannot be overworked. Send her to Cining Palace and bestow my purple-gold soft bed upon her."
It sounded like a great honor, but it was actually a form of house arrest. Zhao Bi panicked, but what could he do? Yi De had abandoned him, and King Jing had also abandoned him. Now that the Empress Dowager was ruling from behind the curtain, even if he was the regent yesterday and was the rightful crown prince today, he could not shake the Empress Dowager's position.
He glanced back at Yi De's men and Jing Wang's men, and gritted his teeth inwardly, thinking, "Just wait, you bunch of traitors!"
Zhao Shu hadn't expected things to develop so smoothly. She also lamented that the same thing would be tolerated and understood when it happened to a man, but would be condemned by everyone when it happened to a woman.
That's really unfair.
However, she benefited, and that was enough.
The Empress Dowager immediately granted the marriage, and the wedding would take place as soon as Sun Yunxiao's mourning period was over.
What should have been a dramatic court assembly ended rather casually.
Zhao Shu and Huo Baichuan were about to leave the palace when Wei Tingsi appeared. He walked straight up to Zhao Shu, took her hand, and said to Huo Baichuan, "Stay away from other people's wives."
Huo Baichuan flicked his finger in annoyance, "We're not married yet, so it's still uncertain whose wife she will be."
"I'm absolutely certain, definitely not yours." After saying that, Wei Tingsi put his arm around Zhao Shu's waist and leaped out of the palace, stepping across the glazed tiles.
Huo Baichuan stood under the shade of a tree and said quietly, "Later I'll have the Emperor pour oil on the roof tiles, let's see how you fly then."
As she spoke, she thought of Zhao Yi, that silly boy was going to be sad again.
It must be said that Huo Baichuan was a righteous man. He took the nearest route and went to the Seventh Prince's residence. Zhao Yi had already received the news that the Empress Dowager had bestowed a marriage upon him, and the other party was his imperial uncle.
He instructed Xiao Fuzi to prepare several jars of wine, and sat alone in the back garden, silently drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Xiao Fuzi felt sorry for him, but did not know how to comfort him. Just then, Huo Baichuan came over, and she immediately beamed with joy.
"Lord Huo, please persuade His Highness."
Huo Baichuan waved his hand, telling him to leave, not even keeping Xiao Pang. He followed the path to Zhao Yi's side, reached out and opened a jar of aged wine to start drinking.
Zhao Yi looked up at him, "Why does Your Excellency also want to drink?" In her memory, Huo Baichuan did not like to drink alcohol.
Huo Baichuan leaned against a pillar, raised the jar to Zhao Yi, and said, "Just like you, come on, let's drink until we drop."
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