Chapter 34 Palace Maids' Dresses
The emperor's cold became worse and he had a fever at dusk. All the concubines in the harem, from the empress onwards, took turns to go to the Qianqing Palace to attend to his illness.
Even so, the emperor still forced himself to go to the morning court the next day and decided on the marshal for the expedition to the northwest.
Wen Huan has been through many battles and is most familiar with Xitian, so he can be said to be the popular choice.
However, he refused to go on the expedition on the grounds that his mother was seriously ill recently and he was restless and unable to take on the heavy responsibility.
Upon hearing this, the Minister of War Guo Zhenxiong immediately stepped out of the line and knelt down, saying angrily: "Since General Wen is unable to shoulder the heavy responsibility, I am willing to do so! I beg Your Majesty to allow me to lead the battle. I will definitely bring the head of the King of Khotan to see Your Majesty!"
Chu Ang, the commander of the Beijing Camp, laughed and said, "Minister Guo is too arrogant. General Wen has been through hundreds of battles, but he still couldn't take the head of the King of Xitian. Are you more powerful than General Wen?"
"That pustular king's head is not that hard to take. General Wen can't take it, so I'm afraid he has his own plans!"
After Guo Zhenxiong finished speaking, Wen Huan's face immediately darkened. He bowed to his superiors and said sternly, "Your Majesty, Minister Guo slandered loyal officials, and he deserves death!"
The emperor did not answer for a long time.
Wen Huan frowned. What happened to his nephew today? In the past, he would have scolded Guo Zhenxiong. But now that a war is imminent and he should be used, why is he controlling him instead?
Just as he was thinking this, Pei Yan's gentle voice came from the dragon throne: "What Minister Guo said is indeed inappropriate."
Wen Huan's brows relaxed, and he looked at Guo Zhenxiong with contempt, but his nephew continued, "But since we need you now, I won't punish you. Minister Guo, if you can win a great victory in the expedition to the northwest this time, it will be regarded as making up for your mistakes, and I will forgive you for the past."
Wen Huan's expression changed instantly.
Guo Zhenxiong, on the other hand, was already expressing his gratitude with great joy: "I obey your order! Long live your majesty!"
"Your Majesty, wait!"
Wen Huan's voice was like a loud bell, echoing in the Golden Palace, and all the officials looked over.
Pei Yan said gently, "Uncle, what else do you want?"
Wen Huan said solemnly, "The terrain in the northwest is complicated, and the king of Tianxi is a cunning man. If we let a man like Minister Guo who is brave but not wise be the leader, unless I intentionally disrupt the morale of the army, I'm afraid this battle will result in heavy casualties and we will surely lose!"
Pei Yan was in a dilemma: "But my uncle cannot go to the war, and I have no one to use."
Wen Huan was somewhat suspicious of this nephew.
He was not a stupid king. Didn't he know that his hidden meaning was to make him submit to him?
This was the first time Pei Yan had fought a war since he ascended the throne. Wen Huan had to take this opportunity to give him a warning, to let him know that even if he became the emperor, he still had to respect his uncle and the entire Wen family.
He must take good care of his younger sister, and his little daughter must not suffer any grievances in the palace.
However, Pei Yan's attitude clearly showed that he was prepared to act like an emperor and not bow to him.
Wen Huan didn't care. Firstly, he really didn't think that Guo Zhenxiong, a brainless man, could win the war. Secondly, his son was stationed in the northwest and would also participate in the war. Even if Guo Zhenxiong could win, he had a way to make him lose.
It would be better to let his nephew teach him a lesson. After he fails, he will know to come to him and beg for mercy.
Wen Huan chuckled: "In that case, I wish Marshal Guo a triumphant return!"
*
Zhaoyang Palace was blocked by the imperial guards, and no news from outside could get in.
Jiang Shuyi had the illusion of returning to her previous life, where she was also imprisoned here, isolated from the world. She had no idea what was happening outside, nor when she could go out. The only thing she could do every day was to wait for Pei Yan to come and see her.
Oh, Pei Yan will not come to see her in this life, she has to go to the Qianqing Palace.
Jiang Shuyi was not a person who was content with solitude. She managed to endure for two days with great difficulty. On the third morning, she took the jade pendant and planned to go out.
The guard looked at the jade pendant on her hand and immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I still need to report to His Majesty."
Jiang Shuyi's heart skipped a beat: "Do we still have to report back? Didn't His Majesty leave you a message? Is this jade pendant useless?"
Could it be that Pei Yan coaxed her into locking her up and then just left her alone?
The guard said respectfully, "Please forgive me, Madam Concubine Jiang. I need to report this to Your Majesty."
Jiang Shuyi saw through it and he would say this.
He definitely didn't dare to force his way in, so Jiang Shuyi could only wait for him to report in frustration.
Back in the bedroom, Jiang Shuyi threw the jade pendant onto the bed and couldn't help shedding tears.
Yuzhu quickly advised: "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. His Majesty must have left a message, otherwise the guards would not have been willing to go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to report."
Jiang Shuyi kicked the table leg with tears in her eyes: "No! Your Majesty is simply lying to me! He didn't give me a clear answer that day, and I foolishly believed it. If I had known earlier, I would have asked for clothes!"
Yuzhu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "My lady, if His Majesty really didn't want to see you, would he have to lie to you? We have been confined for two days, and our food and clothing expenses have not been reduced. The guards in front of the emperor just now were also very respectful to you. If your ladyship hadn't ordered it, how could this happen?"
Jiang Shuyi thought it made sense, but she still felt sad and uneasy.
Half an hour later, the guard came back with the first red lacquer square box in his hand.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has asked you to put on this dress and follow me to the Palace of Heavenly Purity at 3:30 pm tonight."
Jiang Shuyi instantly perked up and asked Yuzhu to take the box. She went over and opened it. Inside was a light pink dress. Judging from the style, it was the kind worn by the imperial maids.
She wondered, "Why did your majesty let me wear this?"
The guard bowed his head and said, "His Majesty said that Concubine Jiang is under house arrest in Zhaoyang Palace. The one going to the Qianqing Palace tonight is the newly selected imperial maid."
Jiang Shuyi understood that she was afraid that outsiders would find out that she had sneaked out while still under house arrest, so she chose to do it at night and put on the dress of a palace maid to hide her tracks.
She was about to nod when she inadvertently glanced at the guard in front of her who wanted to laugh but didn't dare to, and his mouth corners twitched slightly.
What's so funny?
Jiang Shuyi paused, thinking back to what she had just said. After repeating it three times in her mind, she finally realized that she was embarrassed.
What newly selected imperial maids? This, this is outrageous!
Nightfall.
Jiang Shuyi put on the dress, combed her hair into a palace maid's bun, turned around in front of Yuzhu, and asked her expectantly: "Does it look good?"
Yuzhu suppressed her laughter and said, "Your Highness is naturally beautiful and charming. She looks good in any clothes."
Too official.
Jiang Shuyi was not satisfied. She went to the mirror to look at herself, adjusted the velvet flowers on her head, and then touched her sleeves and hummed softly, "It's different to be in the imperial court. This material is really good. It feels almost the same as what I usually wear."
Yuzhu was watching from the side. The dress fit the empress's exquisite figure very well. She had some guesses in her mind, but she didn't say anything. She just smiled and agreed.
The third quarter of the evening soon arrived, and Jiang Shuyi excitedly followed the guards to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
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