Chapter 575: Imperial Guards and Relatives
Three days later.
When Yan Xue stepped into the palace for the first time, her pretty face revealed a look of nervousness.
She followed Yan Zheng with small steps, secretly looking at all the magnificent things around her.
"Brother, is this where you usually work?" she asked in a low voice.
Yan Zheng said "hmm" without even turning his head. The imperial guards who were patrolling nearby saluted him.
Entering the harem, Yan Xue became even more nervous.
"Brother, why do you think the Queen Mother suddenly wanted to summon me..." She had asked this question no less than ten times.
Yan Zheng shook his head. He didn't know the reason either.
"It's almost there." Yan Zheng whispered.
The two stopped in front of the gate of Changyu Palace.
Biyu went in to pass the message and came out after a while, saying that the Queen Mother wanted to see her.
Yan Zheng and his sister followed Biyu into the main hall. Yan Zheng knew the rules of the palace, so he kept his head down and looked at the ground, not daring to look around.
"Your humble servant Yan Zheng and my sister Yan Xue come to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager."
The two of them greeted each other, and then they heard a very elegant voice:
"No need to be so polite, just stand up. Biyu, please take a seat."
Yan Zheng was flattered and said quickly that he dared not, but Biyu had already asked two young eunuchs to bring chairs.
Yan Zheng and Yan Xue then sat down nervously.
Before entering the palace, Yan Xue had been repeatedly reminded by her brother of the palace rules that she must never stare at the face of an important person, otherwise it would be an offense and an overstep.
But Qin Yuwei's voice seemed to have some kind of magic. Yan Xue couldn't help but glance at her, and then couldn't look away.
The woman sat upright, dressed in a gorgeous robe embroidered with scarlet clouds, dignified and noble, like a peony in its prime.
There was a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, like dew drops from spring rain, or like a petal of a different color suddenly grown on a peony, enchanting and mysterious.
Even though Yan Xue was also a woman, she was still amazed by her beauty at this moment.
It was not until Yan Zheng beside her coughed violently a few times that she realized her loss of composure and lowered her head in panic.
"No need to be so formal." Qin Yuwei's voice was gentle, like a spring breeze. "I've heard that Commander Yan's little sister is pretty. Seeing her today, she is even more charming than the rumors said."
When Yan Xue was praised by her, her face immediately turned red, and she was even more shy than when she met Li Zhengqing before.
Yan Zheng carefully asked the Queen Mother why she summoned him and his sister.
Qin Yuwei smiled gently, asked Biyu to serve tea to the two of them, and then said leisurely:
"I heard that Minister Li from the Ministry of Rites wanted to marry Miss Yan a few days ago and even invited a matchmaker to come to the house?"
Yan Zheng was stunned. He didn't expect the Queen Mother to get the news so quickly.
He was a little anxious and stammered as he explained that he had already scolded the matchmaker away.
Yan Xue's expression darkened.
However, what Yan Zheng did not say was that he had been thinking about it over the past few days and secretly inquiring. He found that Lord Li lived a decent life, had never married or taken concubines, and had no behavior such as flirting with other women. He seemed like someone who could be trusted.
If he really loves my little sister and is willing to humble himself and come to propose marriage again, it is not completely out of the question.
But these words must never be said in front of the Queen Mother.
Qin Yuwei took in all the changes in their expressions and looked at Yan Xue with a very gentle voice.
"Miss Yan, I want to ask you, do you have that Minister in your heart?"
Yan Zheng seldom mentioned to her the factional struggles in the court. Yan Xue was even less clear about the relationship between the Li family and the Queen Mother. When asked about her concerns, her cheeks became even hotter.
She lowered her head, stammered, and looked embarrassed. The answer was self-evident.
"I have been in the harem for a long time, and I am used to seeing life and death, and I am always happy to see something perfect.
Since you and that Minister Li are in love, how about I make the decision and arrange a marriage for you two?"
Yan Zheng was shocked, "Queen Mother, this, this——"
Qin Yuwei raised her hand to signal him not to speak, so Yan Zheng had to turn around and look at Yan Xue.
Yan Xue didn't expect the Queen Mother to say that and was a little confused.
Li Lang is a gentle and talented person, and he treats Li Lang very well. However, he does not understand why his brother is always prejudiced against him and unwilling to accept him.
Yan's parents have passed away for many years. The eldest brother is like a father. She cannot disobey him, and it is even more impossible for her to break up with him for her lover. She is in great torment.
But if the Queen Mother could grant the marriage, then no one would be able to stop the two from being together.
"Yan Xue thanks the Empress Dowager--" She was a little excited and was about to kneel down.
"Don't thank me yet." Qin Yuwei interrupted, the smile in her eyes deepened a little, "This has a price."
"The price?" Yan Xue asked in a daze.
"If you marry Minister Li, your brother Yan Zheng will be dismissed from his position as commander of the Imperial Guards and will be transferred out of the palace."
Yan Xue stood up in shock, "Empress Dowager, why is this..."
Yan Zheng's expression also changed.
You should know that your current position as the commander of the imperial guards is not only to bring honor to your ancestors, but also to fulfill your father's last wish.
If I lose this position, how can I face my ancestors?
The most important thing is that his official position was appointed by the late emperor. Even the current emperor cannot remove him without a legitimate reason. How can the empress dowager abuse her power because of personal grudges?
Qin Yuwei motioned Yan Xue to sit down first.
She also saw through Yan Zheng's thoughts and said to them slowly:
"The Imperial Guard is the closest guard to the emperor. Every move they make affects the safety of the entire palace. Therefore, the commanders of the Imperial Guards of all generations must be completely loyal to the emperor."
Yan Zheng nodded.
Qin Yuwei continued, "So, I will not allow the commander of the Imperial Guards to marry a relative from outside the family to happen."
"Relatives by marriage?" Yan Zheng didn't react for a moment.
Wasn't Concubine Rong demoted to a commoner long ago? How could the Li family be considered as foreign relatives now?
Qin Yuwei said: "Although Concubine Rong was deposed, don't forget that she still has a prince outside the palace. The blood of the Li family flows in that little prince."
If Qin Yuwei hadn't reminded him, Yan Zheng would have almost forgotten that there was such a little prince named Yan Tiao outside the palace.
Not only Yan Zheng, most people in the court have no memory of it.
"But..." Yan Xue was a little unwilling, and said boldly: "I have always ruled the country according to the law in Daliang. May I ask if the Queen Mother has any legal basis for removing my brother from his post?"
"How dare you speak to the Queen Mother like that?" Yan Zheng scolded in a low voice and quickly apologized for his sister.
Qin Yuwei was not angry.
Being the commander of the Imperial Guards is such an honor, it is understandable that the Yan brothers and sisters are unwilling to give it up easily.
If it weren't for the words that Lan Lan told me before leaving the Taimiao sacrifice a few days ago, I wouldn't have come here to rashly force Yan Zheng today.
Qin Yuwei smiled faintly, her tone revealing the calmness of a superior:
"Did you know that when our dynasty was first established, there was an incident where foreign relatives took control of the imperial guards and nearly caused chaos in the government?
Therefore, Emperor Gaozu once mentioned in one of his letters that the lessons of the past must not be forgotten and that the external relatives must never be allowed to have any affair with the imperial guards again.
Our Daliang governs the world with filial piety. Since Emperor Gaozu said this, how can Your Majesty not follow it when governing the country?"
This story is not fabricated, but a sentence that Zhu Lan saw and wrote down in a corner when he was compiling the collected works of Emperor Gaozu in the Hanlin Academy.
Perhaps the idea just flashed through Emperor Gaozu's mind at the time and he wrote it down, but it was not ultimately included in the law, so it is not known to the public.
Fortunately, Zhu Lan had a photographic memory, and if he moved out at this time, he could completely put an end to the Li family's idea of winning over the imperial guards through Yan Xue.
Qin Yuwei was not in a hurry for the two to give her an immediate answer, but asked them to go back and think about it carefully.
…
Yan Zheng and his sister returned home. Yan Zheng looked at the distraught Yan Xue and felt a little reluctant, but he didn't know how to start.
On one side is my sister's lifelong happiness, and on the other side is the family's glory and my father's last wish. It's really a dilemma.
The two entered the house, where the spirit tablets of Yan's parents were enshrined, but the tablet of Yan's father had fallen to the ground for some reason.
Yan Xue walked quickly forward, carefully picked up the tablet and wiped it clean. As she wiped, tears fell and dripped onto the tablet.
Yan Zheng felt bad too, and said softly, "Father loved you the most when he was alive, and couldn't bear to see you sad. If you and Lord Li are really..."
"No." Yan Xue shook her head, wiped the tears from the tablet and rearranged it.
"Although Li Lang treats me well, my last name is Yan, and I am the daughter of the Yan family. If you really lose your position in the Imperial Guard because of me, my parents will not be at peace in the underworld."
Yan Xue suppressed her heartache and said sadly:
"Don't worry, brother. From now on... I won't go to see him again."
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