Chapter 465 Reunion of Husband and Wife (First Update)
The emperor looked at her with a resentful expression, as if he knew it all along!
Empress Dowager Zhuang vehemently denied it: "I didn't. When can't I play cards?"
The emperor continued his resentful complaint: "The Empress Dowager just doesn't want to get out of bed early."
Empress Dowager Zhuang: When did your brain become so sharp?!
My long-standing habit of waking up early was completely lost in just one year in Bishui Hutong, which is quite frustrating.
The emperor eventually agreed to Empress Dowager Zhuang's request to cease ruling from behind the curtain. After all, he was the emperor, and no matter how much he trusted Empress Dowager Zhuang, he would still yearn to rule alone.
This is a very contradictory feeling.
Empress Dowager Zhuang has lived to this age; what is there that she cannot understand?
It's normal for a ruler to have this kind of mentality. Otherwise, if everyone were like the crown prince, indulging and trusting someone unconditionally and without any bottom line, wouldn't they eventually be willing to hand over the throne to their spouse?
Being an emperor, or rather, being a benevolent monarch, is not a bad thing. One can be lenient where necessary, but one must never be without the ambition of an emperor.
However, the emperor did not unconditionally agree to allow Empress Dowager Zhuang to refrain from ruling from behind the curtain. Empress Dowager Zhuang had to agree to take him along when playing cards, about three or four times a month.
They also had to set aside time every day to handle state affairs with him.
––––Afternoon time alone with my mother!
Empress Dowager Zhuang did not truly relinquish all power; she simply stopped attending court. In private, she still engaged in her usual antics.
Liu Lang got promoted, but that little bit of silver wasn't even enough to pay the little monk's rent every month.
Sigh, with so many children in the family, the burden is so heavy.
...
As Xiao Heng finished his shift at the Hanlin Academy, he spotted a carriage parked in the alley diagonally opposite.
The coachman was a stranger, and the carriage was one he had never seen before.
But Xiao Liulang's intuition told him that the owner of the carriage was waiting for him.
Since there was no one around, he didn't bother to pretend and strode over.
The driver didn't ask any questions and simply placed a wooden stool down for them.
He hesitated for a moment, and Princess Xinyang slightly lifted the lid of the door.
Xiao Heng was slightly taken aback, then stepped into the carriage.
He sat down opposite Princess Xinyang, who then said to the coachman, "Let's go to the clinic."
"yes."
The driver cracked his whip, and the wheels began to turn.
Princess Xinyang looked better than when she first returned to the capital, and today she even had a rosy glow. She didn't smile much, but the gentle smile in her eyes almost flowed out.
“I came to see you,” she said.
"Um."
Someone was a little uncomfortable.
Princess Xinyang smiled and looked at his right foot: "I just saw you walking. Is your leg alright?"
"Okay, all done." Xiao Heng responded vaguely, without hiding anything.
After being separated for so long, it would be difficult to return to the close relationship they once had, especially since she had deeply hurt him. Princess Xinyang was actually more conflicted than Xiao Heng, but she didn't show it on her face.
Princess Xinyang smiled, pointed to the walking stick beside him, and asked, "Then why don't you throw this away?"
"I'll throw it away in a while," Xiao Heng said.
"Oh." Princess Xinyang understood instantly. No one knows a son better than his mother. How could she not understand what he was planning?
It's true what they say, once a son grows up, he's no longer under his mother's control.
He had never been so attentive to a young lady before, when he was engaged to Wen Linlang.
Princess Xinyang lowered her eyes to hide her smile, then changed the subject, saying, "Have you heard about Zhuang Yuheng's entry into the cabinet?"
"I've heard about it," Xiao Heng said.
Princess Xinyang added, "It was Grand Tutor Zhuang's idea to start as a seventh-rank secretary in the Grand Secretariat. It may seem like a demotion, but in reality, it elevates one's status."
It turns out the official positions have already been decided.
Xiao Heng was not surprised that Princess Xinyang knew these inside information. Back when he was still the young marquis of Zhaodu, he often saw all sorts of jaw-dropping inside information in Princess Xinyang's study.
"I've heard that Chief Minister Yuan greatly admires you," Princess Xinyang said, her words carrying a hidden meaning.
Xiao Heng paused for a moment: "It's not a matter of appreciation, we just met once or twice and he said a few words to me."
Xiao Heng understood Princess Xinyang's meaning. She was worried that he might feel unbalanced because Zhuang Yuheng had been promoted faster than him. If so, she could use her connections to get him into the cabinet.
“I’m doing very well at the Hanlin Academy,” Xiao Liulang said frankly.
There are shortcuts to some things, but not to others.
In his view, getting involved in the cabinet at this juncture might not be a good thing.
Princess Xinyang secretly felt relieved.
She was testing Xiao Heng's intentions. When he was young, Xiao Heng was a very competitive child. He wanted to be number one in everything. Of course, he did have the ability to do so. However, the officialdom is like a battlefield. Sometimes, even if you win the battle, you lose the battlefield.
Xiao Heng's current temperament is far beyond her expectations.
As the two were talking, suddenly the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from ahead, followed by what sounded like the rider crashing into something, and a series of screams rang out.
"Oh no! The horse is out of control!"
Princess Xinyang's coachman shouted!
It wasn't their horses that were out of control, but the other side's. They were rampaging, knocking pedestrians over and showing no signs of stopping.
Just as they were about to crash into their carriage, and there was no time to turn around, Long Yi flew through the air, swiftly lifted the roof of the carriage, and pulled Princess Xinyang and Xiao Heng out.
The carriage was smashed to pieces by the out-of-control, mad horse.
Long put the two of them on the roof and then went to grab the coachman who was about to die under the horse's hooves.
"Long Yi, that child!"
A child was terrified and stood frozen in the middle of the street as the mad horse galloped toward him.
Long Yi grabbed the coachman with one hand and the child with the other.
They managed to get the child away before the crazy horse hit them.
Princess Xinyang breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could fully relax, she slipped and fell off the roof. Xiao Heng reached out to grab her, but he also fell down with her.
Long Yi didn't have time to put down the coachman and the child. He darted over and only managed to catch Xiao Heng. Princess Xinyang slipped off his shoulder.
At the critical moment, another tall and mighty figure descended from the sky, embraced Princess Xinyang's soft waist, and slowly fell from the air.
This man possessed an exceptionally beautiful face and captivating eyes; he was none other than the Marquis of Xuanping, whom the emperor hailed as the face of the Zhao Kingdom.
Marquis Xuanping stood gracefully with Princess Xinyang in his arms, his posture dashing.
A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd!
Marquis Xuanping raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Princess, it's been a long time."
Princess Xinyang said coldly, "Have you had your fun? If you have, put me down!"
"Tsk, so clueless about romance." Marquis Xuanping curled his lip with a regretful expression and put Princess Xinyang down.
Chang Jing has tamed the mad horse, and he's going to have roasted horse meat tonight.
Marquis Xuanping waved his hand at the crowd of onlookers: "Alright, disperse, disperse, stop watching, haven't you ever seen a hero save a damsel in distress?"
Everyone's lips twitched. Although it was true, how could you say it like that? Don't you have any shame?
The crowd eventually dispersed.
Marquis Xuanping glanced at Princess Xinyang, then at the carriage shattered into pieces, clicked his tongue, and said, "It seems the princess will have to ride in my carriage back. Chang Jing."
Chang Jing arrived in a luxurious and stylish carriage.
Princess Xinyang did not go up.
She walked forward and came to an unfamiliar carriage, intending to pay the driver to hire it.
Marquis Xuanping crossed his arms and looked at her: "That is also my carriage."
Princess Xinyang walked forward and chose a rather inconspicuous carriage.
"It is also my carriage."
"It's still my carriage."
"Oh dear, it's my carriage again."
Princess Xinyang: "...!!"
Did the person surnamed Xiao contract out all the horse-drawn carriages on this entire street?
Oh, so you're not stingy this time?
The drivers trembled with fear: Can we go now?
(End of this chapter)
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