Pang Yi's mind was completely confused. He frowned and thought for a long time, but the more he thought, the more confused he became. He had no choice but to look at Zhong Mingwei again: "Master, what do you think? What is the purpose of the Pingxi King's return to Beijing this time? Is it the Pingxi King or the cousin who brought down the Xu family?"
"I don't know," Zhong Mingwei shook his head. He frowned and said, "I don't know Jinghui. I don't know the King of Pingxi either."
…
The tenth day of the ninth month in the thirty-third year of Jiasheng
Double Ninth Festival.
The capital.
Cining Palace.
Unlike the lively Double Ninth Festival in previous years, the Cining Palace was a little deserted this year. It was not Zhong Zhiheng's idea, but the Queen Mother's suggestion. There was no need to celebrate the Double Ninth Festival this year. After all, she had just celebrated her 70th birthday. If she celebrated the Double Ninth Festival in a big way, she would inevitably be labeled as extravagant by the censors outside. In addition, the Queen Mother was really not in the mood. Since she sent a letter to the Southern Frontier, it was like a stone sinking into the sea. During this period, the Queen Mother looked calm on the surface, but she was really tormented in her heart.
"Bi Qiao, what did the Xu family say?" As soon as she saw Bi Qiao coming in, the Queen Mother hurriedly asked. "Did Cheng Jin send a letter to the Xu family?"
"Your Majesty, Madam Xu said there has been no news from Southern Xinjiang for more than two months," Bi Qiao also looked worried. As she walked over and poured a cup of Lu'an tea for the Empress Dowager, she hesitated and said, "Empress Dowager, is there...something wrong in Southern Xinjiang?"
Since Xu Chengjin became the General of Zhennan, he has maintained the habit of communicating with the capital every half a month. This has been going on for so many years, so the empress dowager could not help but be anxious at this time, especially since she knew that Xu Chengjin had other thoughts in mind, so she has been extremely anxious and angry for the past two months.
"Something must have happened," the Queen Mother gritted her teeth and threw the Buddhist beads in her hand to the ground. She said angrily, "I just can't understand why he is so anxious! He has endured for so many years, and now Jinghui is about to be born. With such a prince, what is there to worry about? What on earth has clouded his mind and made him have such a confused mind! I really want to slap him hard in the face!"
"Who is the Queen Mother going to slap in the face?"
As soon as the Queen Mother finished speaking, a figure walked in. When the Queen Mother and Bi Qiao saw the man's face clearly, they were both speechless for a moment.
"What's wrong? Today is Double Ninth Festival. I came to see mother, but why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Zhong Zhiheng pursed his lips and walked to the side of the queen mother with a smile. He knelt on both knees and saluted her. "Your son greets you, mother. I wish you good health! May your peach blossoms bloom for a thousand years and may you live longer than a god."
"Why did the Emperor come in so quietly?" The Empress Dowager looked unhappy.
"I wanted to give my mother a surprise. What happened? Did I make her unhappy?" Zhong Zhiheng kept smiling.
"Nothing, get up quickly," the Queen Mother said with a smile, and ordered Bi Qiao, "Bi Qiao, make tea for the Emperor."
"Yes, I obey your command." Bi Qiao bowed and retreated hurriedly.
"By the way, mother, you haven't said who you are going to give a few slaps in the face yet." Zhong Zhiheng sat opposite the queen mother, looking at her face which was obviously much more haggard than before, and said slowly, "Who is the blind person who made mother so angry? Mother, just tell me, your son will decide for you, there is really no need for you to do it yourself."
The Queen Mother listened to Zhong Zhiheng's words and felt that there was something weird in his words. She couldn't tell what it was, but her heart was in a panic. She took a sip of tea and tried to calm herself down. Then she looked at Zhong Zhiheng with a smile: "I was just joking with Bi Qiao. Why did the emperor take it seriously? And with the emperor here, who would be so bold as to dare to provoke me?"
"Not necessarily. Maybe there are people in this world who are so bold as to not take me seriously." Zhong Zhiheng said slowly.
The Queen Mother's face froze, then she smiled again: "All land under heaven belongs to the Emperor, and all the people in the land are his subjects. The whole world belongs to the Emperor, and who dares not to take the Emperor seriously? The Emperor is joking."
"That's not necessarily true," Zhong Zhiheng raised his eyebrows and looked at the Queen Mother, saying slowly, "It is said that the emperor is far away, don't you understand this?"
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