Chang'an knew that he was hiding his anger, especially when the emperor mentioned it in the imperial garden before, he had his back to him, which meant that the emperor didn't want him to see his expression.
"Your Majesty." Chang'an looked regretful. He looked cautiously at the emperor who was smiling but not smiling, and said softly, "I hope you won't blame me. Chang'an has no other choice."
"I've already said that no matter what you say today, I won't blame you.
However, after today, if I find out that you lied, I will not let you off easily."
"Yes." Chang'an's cautious face immediately plastered with a smile. "In fact, on the way here that day, Chang'an had already decided not to accept the imperial edict given by my grandfather. I was afraid that the emperor would take back my imperial edict and write something on it, and then Chang'an would become a sinner of the Southern Kingdom."
"Write what? I don't understand what you mean. For example?"
"For example," Chang'an said seriously, "you might write on it which area of the Southern Kingdom belongs to the Shu State. Or, for example, you might write that my grandfather abdicated. Or, for example, you might let the Crown Prince go directly to the Southern Kingdom to take over a general's position. Or, for example..."
"Stop! Stop!" The emperor looked at Chang'an with a look of confusion, and asked in surprise, "Is this why you deliberately provoke me?"
Chang'an Shui Lingling's eyes widened, "Otherwise, what does the emperor think? These are all huge matters."
"Alright, alright." The Emperor sighed. "Then why did you hint to me in Anxi Palace that the Fourth Prince had met the Empress with you?"
Chang'an frowned and looked at the emperor. After thinking for a while, she slowly spoke.
"Chang'an is dull and doesn't understand the emperor's meaning. Why does the emperor say that Chang'an is hinting at you? In fact, the emperor will know sooner or later that Chang'an and the Fourth Prince went to the Lakeside Pavilion to meet the queen.
Moreover, that day, the future Fourth Prince's wife was also there. When she met the Queen, the Queen Mother was also there, as well as the First Prince's wife and Princess Lan.
Chang'an couldn't figure it out. With so many people present, was there any need for Chang'an to mention it specifically?
At that time, Chang'an truly believed that the Queen would not poison anyone, regardless of whether the Queen had ever been jealous of Concubine Tong. However, Chang'an believed that the confined Concubine Tong was no longer worth the Queen's risk of taking action, and there was absolutely no need for the Queen to do so.
The emperor asked, "So now, do you still think that the Queen didn't need to poison her? You know, Concubine Tong is the Queen Mother's niece, and the Queen Mother usually cares about you very much."
"The Queen Mother's concern is true." Chang An thought, "Although Chang An doesn't understand the Queen, at that time, Chang An asked himself, if Chang An were in this position, he would never do this."
"Why?"
"A woman abandoned by the emperor will naturally not pose a danger to the queen who is high above her."
The emperor frowned slightly, and looked at Chang'an without saying a word. He thought to himself that perhaps he was overthinking it. After today's tests, he found that Gu Chang'an was an interesting person, and his words were sincere, unlike those ministers and servants who only said nice things.
Thinking about it, he suddenly had the idea of deliberately teasing Chang'an, "Okay, let's end our conversation today. Return the imperial edict I just gave you."
Changan was stunned, "Huh?"
"Return the imperial edict to me."
"Why?" Chang'an didn't understand, but one thing was certain, the emperor in front of him was not a cruel person, no matter whether what he said was true or false.
Changan believed that as long as he acted like a scoundrel, he would be helpless. "No! If Changan returns the imperial edict and the emperor punishes me, I won't even have a place to cry. It's more unfair than Dou E."
As Chang'an spoke, he stood up and moved away from the emperor.
"..." Chang'an's action and expression surprised the emperor, "Hahaha! Gu Chang'an, interesting, hahahaha."
Chang'an, who realized it belatedly, looked at the laughing emperor and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, are you teasing me?"
"Haha, what did you think? Do you really think I would do something like that, going back on my word?"
Changan had a slightly depressed look on his face, "Who knows?"
"Come here and finish this game of chess with me."
The emperor no longer hesitated in his words. He made moves while talking to Chang'an. The atmosphere was much more relaxed, and Chang'an won in the end.
"That's great!" Although the emperor lost, he was happy to lose, "Come again!"
"Your Majesty, let's do it another day." Chang'an reminded him, "Chang'an should go to the Queen Mother. I heard from the Ninth Prince that the Queen Mother summoned him this time probably because Concubine Tong knew about my mother's death and wanted to see Chang'an."
After a while, the emperor finally spoke, "Go! If the Queen Mother blames you... well, I'm sure the Queen Mother won't blame you."
Chang An headed towards the Queen Mother's palace. As soon as he reached the door, he saw Bei Mingxuan leaning against the vermilion gate, drinking from the pot of wine at his waist. "Aren't you cold? Why are you staying here like this?"
Bei Mingxuan looked at Chang'an, as if he was confirming something. After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and turned to walk into the hall.
Chang'an raised his eyebrows and said nothing more, and followed Bei Mingxuan directly.
"Miss Chang'an." Manager Li saw Chang'an approaching from afar, "The Queen Mother and Master Tong are waiting for you."
Changan nodded, then entered the palace, "Changan greets the Empress."
"Alright, alright. No need to bow. Come quickly and let the Empress Dowager take a good look at you." The Empress Dowager smiled. "When you're not here, my heart is always in turmoil. The Emperor hasn't made things difficult for you, has he?"
"It's okay." Chang'an smiled. "The emperor is very easy to talk to. He said he was lonely and asked Chang'an to play chess with him."
"Playing chess? Lonely?" This was obviously something the Queen Mother had not expected.
"Yes, the emperor said that it's lonely at the top, and there's no one willing to talk to him about their feelings."
"Haha! He deserves it for what he has done!" Concubine Tong, eyes wrapped in white cloth, was helped out from the inner hall. "In the past, there were more than one person who was willing to have a sincere friendship with him, and to be like a monarch and a subject.
But things have changed since he took that seat.
Now that I’m old and can’t find anyone to talk to, what else can I do but deserve it?”
After Concubine Tong finished speaking, she noticed that the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. It was extremely quiet. Especially after she could no longer see, her ears became more sensitive. She frowned and asked tentatively, "Empress Dowager, is Chang'an here?"
"Yes." The Queen Mother's words were brief but a little hesitant.
No one expected that the emperor would suddenly come to the Fushou Palace, and he was alone. The emperor heard every word that Concubine Tong said.
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