Entering the palace
It snowed all night and the sky was bright. Gillian looked even whiter and brighter as she sat in front of the mirror. She dozed off with her eyes half closed, letting Green Willow play with her black hair.
The maid was walking down the corridor holding a wooden box when she bumped into a maid holding clothes. The wooden box fell with a crisp sound.
Ah Jiao regained consciousness. Seeing this, Lv Liu was shocked and angrily scolded, "This is Madam's dowry, which is to be sent to the palace today for the Queen and His Majesty! Are you blind people courting death? You deserve to have your eyes gouged out and your legs broken!"
Ah Jiao looked at the broken jade flute on the ground and raised her hand. "Forget it. Fortunately, it hasn't entered the palace yet. Ask the goldsmith to repair it and make it into the shape of a golden lotus."
Green Willow said worriedly, "Why not try another one? It's probably disrespectful to use this repair tool."
Ah Jiao smiled and said, "I once heard someone say that the golden lotus gives birth to Buddha, the bodhi tree molds jade, and the combination of gold and jade is like the reflection of mountains and seas, and the emperor and the people are close to each other, which is a great blessing. It can also symbolize the golden and jade marriage of the emperor and empress, which will last forever."
Lvliu was confused by what she heard. Seeing the maid's mouth opening and closing, mumbling something, she became furious. "What are you mumbling about? Madam has a good temper, but I don't indulge you. Ten of these things wouldn't be enough to compensate you!"
Lu Liu was about to order someone to kick her out when she heard Ah Jiao say, "Forget it. Right now, we need to find a skilled goldsmith before entering the palace. Beating them won't help. Just kick them out of this courtyard."
Upon hearing this, the two maids kowtowed and thanked him, then ran out of the yard quickly.
Lvliu looked at the two men from behind and said in confusion, "You had a good idea, but they ruined it this morning. How could it be such a coincidence? It's obvious that Wang Ling is setting us up. Why don't you complain to the Lord?"
Gillian laughed and said, "It's better to rely on yourself than on the master. It's not certain who will harm whom."
As soon as Huo Changqing left the house, he saw Lvliu and Wang Ling, each clutching a box, like children. He thought this was odd and got into Ah Jiao's car.
"What are you guys singing today?"
Gillian smiled and said, "It's the first time for us to meet His Majesty and the Queen. I'm a little nervous, afraid that the gifts might be broken."
Seeing that Gillian was wearing thin clothes today and her hands were red, Huo Changqing moved slightly towards the car window to block the cool breeze coming in through the window for her.
"I've already told you that my uncle and aunt are kind people. Don't be fooled by his serious and gloomy face, which makes him look scary. He's actually very childlike. He's even playing with crickets with me right now."
Gillian laughed and said, "If that's the case, then next time I'll know to give Your Majesty a cricket cage."
Seeing her smile, Huo Changqing thought she had relaxed a little, so he continued, "As for my aunt, she has always been selfless. Whether it's a harem fight for favor or a maid breaking a vase, offending the emperor, she doesn't pursue any of it. Now she only hopes that I can give birth to a son or daughter, so that the Wei family can have a successor."
Huo Changqing smiled and leaned closer to Gillian's ear, "Naturally, she won't embarrass you anymore."
Ah Jiao smiled faintly and stepped back, "I am incompetent. I only hope that Aunt Wang can give birth to many children for my husband as soon as possible."
"You are you, she is she, how can..."
As the carriage passed over a large rock, Huo Changqing choked and began to cough violently. Although he was incredibly strong, his body beneath his loose robe looked frail and thin, and now, as he rubbed his chest and coughed, he looked even sicker than Xi Shi.
Gillian gently stroked his back, her face full of concern, "Husband, you still need to take care of your health, and don't be too anxious about having children. When we get home today, I'll have Lvliu ask the doctor to prescribe some pills to nourish your body."
Huo Changqing looked at her concerned frown and serious expression, feeling depressed. He suddenly sat up and put down her hand, "Don't worry, Madam. Aunt Wang will take care of these things."
Huo Changqing looked unhappy, like a king of hell. Ah Jiao didn't dare to persuade him anymore. She looked anxious, but in her heart she only sneered. It was none of her business if he died of a loss. After all, she was already the wife of the Wei family, so she had no right to suffer any loss.
Gillian and Huo Changqing didn't say a word along the way. As soon as they got out of the car, Wang Ling came up to them and took Huo Changqing's arm.
Huo Changqing frowned when he saw her holding the box in one hand and holding him with the other. "It's such a treasure, and you're still holding it in your hand after entering the banquet. It's a joke."
Wang Ling curled her lips and said, "I'm afraid someone will break it."
Huo Changqing asked, "Who would dare to make such a commotion in front of His Majesty and the Queen?"
Wang Ling glanced at Gillian when she heard this, then proudly handed the box to the maid to hold.
Green Willow complained, "Who cares about her stuff? She's full of innuendos and petty."
After entering the inner hall and sitting down, Lvliu and the maids withdrew according to etiquette, leaving only the master in the hall. Princess Pingyang sat diagonally across from them and greeted Huo Changqing with a smile. Seeing Wang Ling sitting next to Huo Changqing, she was very satisfied.
The woman at the top of the table next to Pingyang was holding a fan and whispering disdainfully to the young man at the table, "Is that the new bride Huo Changqing brought back from the border? She doesn't look very good."
The young man said, "The one at the separate table is the one. This is the skinny horse that Princess Pingyang found and gave to Huo Changqing as a concubine."
The woman suddenly chuckled and said in a voice neither too loud nor too soft, "My niece really likes to arrange other people's marriages. When Your Majesty got married, she brought a singing girl to him. Oh no, it was our Queen who met Your Majesty and made a happy marriage. Now she sent a skinny horse to the Guard Captain who was married for only half a month. I think everyone should stop praying to the God of Love and raise money to build a shrine in Pingyang to worship him. It will be much more effective than that."
Everyone bit their lips to hold back their anger, while a few members of the imperial clan laughed out loud. Pingyang gripped his wine glass tightly, his golden step-shake shaking with anger. "The Grand Princess is being too harsh! She's already killed the Marquis of Tangyi and his children, and yet she still won't hold back her words?"
Liu Piao, struck in a sore spot, suddenly stood up, picked up a glass of wine, and threw it in Pingyang's face. Pingyang, unprepared for her public embarrassment, screamed, "Liu Piao, how dare you throw wine at me? Do you still think you're the glorious Empress Dou?"
Liu Piao sneered, "No matter how poor I am, I am still your aunt. Your Majesty must respect me. How dare you, a junior, be so presumptuous?"
"Hmph, didn't you also gain wealth and glory by offering your daughter as a gift? Queen Chen's coffin has been in that Mausoleum for years now. Just look at it clearly. Now Queen Wei is the phoenix. While His Majesty still gives you some face, instead of keeping your head down, you're teaching me a lesson!"
Liu Piao was furious when she heard this. She forgot the rules and was about to start a fight with Pingyang. Fortunately, the eunuch called out in a thin voice, "Your Majesty, the Queen has arrived."
Everyone stopped watching the fun and stood up to salute the emperor and empress. Liu Piao also sat back in her original seat. Pingyang wiped his face with a handkerchief, full of anger.
The emperor glanced at the mess on the ground and said, "What happened? I heard you guys arguing at the door."
Pingyang was furious when he mentioned this, "Your Majesty, I just said hello to Changqing. I don't know how I offended her, but the Grand Princess ridiculed me and even threw wine at me. Does she act like a kind elder?"
Empress Wei looked at the emperor, who said, "Today is the day Princess Guyang returns. Aunt is also an elder, so please go wash up quickly and sit down."
This sentence was biased towards Empress Dou, and Pingyang snorted coldly and left.
He ran into Princess Guoyang, who had arrived late. Although she was only a few years older than Pingyang, the northern wind had aged her face, revealing wrinkles. Only her eyebrows and eyes could vaguely reveal her youthful appearance.
The emperor invited her to take a seat, but Guyang just smiled faintly and said little, as if she was not the one in charge today.
At the same time, Empress Wei was looking towards Wang Ling and Huo Changqing with a gentle smile. Seeing this, the Emperor also looked towards Huo Changqing, "Is this the woman you brought back from the north?"
Huo Changqing, Wang Ling and A Jiao all stood up, "Your Majesty, this is my concubine Wang Ling, and that is my wife Cheng Jiao."
The emperor was stunned when he heard this, and Queen Wei's hands also trembled.
Ah Jiao lowered her eyebrows submissively, her hair tucked behind her ears, making her face unclear. The emperor asked again, "Which Chen is this?"
Huo Changqing said, "He Chengcheng, the lotus leaves are five inches long and the lotus flowers are delicate."
Gillian looked up with a little uneasiness at this time, and met the emperor's cold eyes. She quickly lowered her head and shrank back. Seeing this, the emperor also restrained his previous inappropriate expression. It was hard to tell whether he was disappointed or relieved.
Queen Wei also smiled and looked at Huo Changqing, "You never married before, but now that you have a wife and concubine, it's time to hurry up and have children. I'm looking forward to giving you a gift."
Huo Changqing said, "I have only been married for a short time. Didn't the Queen and Your Majesty also spend several years together before they had a princess? There is no need to be impatient, no need to be impatient."
Queen Wei said angrily, "I'm not anxious, but since you're going to the battlefield, you're the one who's anxious."
Huo Changqing nearly jumped up when he heard this. "Didn't the Queen promise me that after I come of age, I can join my uncle in the army? Your Majesty, the Queen's words are golden."
Queen Wei frowned, "How outrageous!"
The emperor laughed. "Hey, I didn't say that. I should go find your aunt. Besides, having an heir is the most important thing. You are still young, and the battlefield is changing rapidly. If you die there, what will happen to the Wei family?"
Huo Changqing said, "I am confident that I can defeat ten of them alone. If I were to enter the battlefield, I would be able to drive the Xiongnu like dogs and sheep."
The emperor smiled and said, "You have great ambition, but I dare not make the decision easily on your matter. I still have to look after your aunt."
Huo Changqing looked at Queen Wei and said, "Today I brought my new bride to meet her for the first time. They have prepared gifts for Your Majesty and the Queen."
Queen Wei smiled and said, "You can't bribe me with anything. It would be best if you bring a child with you. I will give you a generous reward."
Huo Changqing looked at Gillian with a smile. She and Wang Ling came out of the line at the same time. When they came out of the narrow aisle, Gillian suddenly bumped into Wang Ling. She fell and hit the corner of the table. There was a crisp sound, and Wang Ling's heart was broken into two.
It's over, it's over. This happened in front of the emperor! How dare this bitch do such a bold thing in front of the emperor? Yes, she calculated that she would not dare to speak out in front of the emperor and could only swallow this loss in silence.
At that moment, Wang Ling ran through thousands of ideas in her mind, and then her eyes turned. She didn't dare to speak out in front of the emperor, and Cheng Jiao naturally didn't dare to do so either.
She made up her mind and pulled at Cheng Jiao's dress. When she fell, she snatched the box from her arms and quickly stood in the hall.
Huo Changqing frowned and looked at Cheng Jiao. He had seen the trick just now. These two people were too bold to play such tricks in front of His Majesty and the Queen.
Sure enough, the Queen looked unhappy, but she also gave him enough face and did not care about his impoliteness in front of the emperor just now.
The emperor simply glanced lazily at the two of them and asked, "What rare things have you prepared?"
Wang Ling spoke first and hurriedly opened the box and handed it to the eunuch. When it was Cheng Jiao's turn, she hesitated and refused to let go.
The eunuch glanced at her and whispered, "Madam?"
Wang Ling smiled upon seeing this and said, "Why, Madam, are you reluctant to part with the treasure in your hands?"
Cheng Jiao let go when she saw the emperor and others looking at her. The emperor took the lead in opening her box, glanced at it lazily, and handed it to the queen without interest.
Huo Changqing was a little nervous and was about to go out to deal with it for her when he heard the Queen ask, "This embroidery of a dragon and a phoenix is quite exquisite. Did you embroider it yourself?"
Wang Ling glanced at Cheng Jiao in disbelief. Cheng Jiao still looked obedient, "I drew the pattern and gave it to the embroiderers to make."
The Queen politely praised, "You're so thoughtful." Then, as usual, she gave Cheng Jiao a jade ruyi as a reward. Huo Changqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, the emperor asked, "Is this a gift from you?"
The Queen and Cheng Jiao both looked at Wang Ling. Wang Ling couldn't tell the tone of her voice and said anxiously, "Yes."
The emperor stared at the jade flute in his hand for a long time. Seeing that he was silent, Wang Ling remembered what the maid had told Cheng Jiao that morning and hurriedly added, "The golden lotus gives birth to Buddha, the bodhi tree shapes jade, and the combination of gold and jade is like the reflection of mountains and seas, and the emperor and the people are in harmony. This is a great blessing. It also symbolizes the golden marriage of the emperor and empress, and their everlasting sound."
There was another silence. Wang Ling felt a suffocating pressure above her head. She couldn't help but look up at the emperor, only to see a pair of leopard-like eyes with bloodshot eyes, as if they wanted to eat her flesh and blood.
Wang Ling's heart trembled with fear. Suddenly, a loud noise came to her ears. The emperor picked up the wooden box and smashed it at her. "Who taught you these words?"
Wang Ling's forehead swelled up, and she cried bitterly, not knowing what she had done wrong. She shook her head and cried, "I just made up a lucky phrase. No one taught me to do that. Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Empress Wei also didn't understand why the emperor suddenly became furious. Everyone in the palace was in a state of panic. Seeing Princess Guyang's face was also shocked, Empress Wei hurriedly whispered to persuade her, "Your Majesty, if the young man behaves inappropriately, you can reprimand him after we have had a chance to talk. Don't scare Princess Guyang and disrupt her welcoming banquet."
The emperor looked at Guayang, and the brother and sister looked at each other, with an indescribable meaning in their eyes. Guayang sighed and shook his head. Only then did the emperor's bloodshot eyes dim and return to calm.
Seeing this, the Empress hurriedly offered the Emperor a way out. "The Empress Dowager was a Buddhist monk during her lifetime. Her memorial day is just a few days away. Your Majesty, when you think of her, is deeply moved. Your Majesty and I both know your feelings. Please return and sit down."
Wang Ling hurried back and sat next to Huo Changqing, while Gillian sat quietly on the side.
As the singing and dancing began and the wine became more and more popular, everyone became more relaxed and started chatting about the singing, dancing and entertainment.
Seeing Chang Qing eating fruits and looking at the singing girl without blinking, Ah Jiao walked over and said, "You've had too much tea. I need to go to the bathroom."
Zhang Qing guessed that she was bored, so he warned her, "Lvliu doesn't know the way either, so ask a eunuch to take you there. Don't get lost."
"I'm going too." Wang Ling wanted to follow, but Chang Qing stopped her, fearing she might cause trouble. "Sit with me for a while."
Wang Ling snorted in dissatisfaction, and Changqing peeled a lychee for her with a smile. Suddenly, he saw that Guyang, who was sitting at the upper seat, was looking at them, so Changqing looked up.
Guyang withdrew his gaze. Huo Changqing pushed Wang Ling aside and raised his wine glass to toast Guyang. "The princess went to the Xiongnu alone at a young age to marry a foreign prince. I admire her deeply."
Gu Yang smiled slightly, his attitude distant, "You are the Queen's nephew, right? Her Majesty often praises your bravery. You will surely be given great responsibilities in the future."
Huo Changqing said, "Princess, you are so kind. I only hold the position of power now because of the merits of my aunt and uncle. Princess, a woman, is willing to go to the Xiongnu to stop the war for the people of our country. You are no less brave than the generals fighting on the battlefield. I really admire you. I have always hoped that one day I can go to the battlefield and kill the Xiongnu, so that the princesses of our Han Dynasty will no longer have to fight for men, and our people will no longer be harassed by foreign enemies."
Seeing Zhang Qing's resolute expression, Gu Yang's expression softened slightly, and he returned the toast. "Then I wish the future victorious general of the Han Dynasty all the best."
Chang Qing drained the sake from his glass, thought for a moment, and then said, "Princess, do you know why His Majesty was so angry just now? Ling'er has been in a state of panic since she came back. She is terribly frightened."
Gu Yang glanced at Wang Ling, who looked gloomy, and Chang Qing said, "Your head injury is serious. Ask the doctor to bandage you."
After Wang Ling left, Gu Yangfang said, "When your Majesty was young, you smashed a jade bracelet given by the retired emperor to the Grand Empress Dowager. The Grand Empress Dowager was furious and wanted to punish your Majesty." Gu Yang lowered his voice and said, "It was the deposed queen who picked up the jade bracelet and sat next to the Grand Empress Dowager, acting coquettishly, saying that it could be made into a gold-inlaid jade bracelet, which saved your Majesty from disaster.
What you, your concubine, just said is exactly the same as what the deposed empress said to the Grand Empress Dowager."
Chang Qing looked at Gu Yang in shock. Gu Yang continued, "Of course, it could also be a coincidence. Perhaps the deposed empress also heard the auspicious words from somewhere."
While Chang Qing was stunned, Gu Yang said with a hint of meaning, "By the way, I heard that she was sent by Pingyang. You might as well ask her."
Pingyang was also listening to the people at the table talking about the recent incident, and he inadvertently looked at Changqing. Their eyes met, and Changqing lowered his head and took a sip of tea.
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