Chapter 22 The Prince Who Failed to Revolt
When Zhang Xiaojia came out of the Wude Division's cell, he saw the emperor and said aggrievedly, "Daddy."
The emperor looked at her, swallowing many of his words, and said lightly: "Mother has woken up, go see her."
When the emperor saw Zhang Xiaojia happily going to see his mother, he went straight to the cell. Then a group of eunuchs brought up food. Yao Wanqing looked at the food and it seemed that this was her last meal.
Yao Wanqing ate her meal silently
"In your previous life, what year did you die?"
When Yao Wanqing heard this, she paused with her chopsticks and slowly said, "Next winter."
The emperor said coldly, "The Yao family has been expelled from the capital, demoted to Qiongzhou, and their three generations have been barred from taking the imperial examinations. The eldest prince has been adopted by the younger uncle and will guard the imperial mausoleum from now on. After hearing Jiajia's dream, I suddenly don't want to kill you anymore, because you are too stupid."
After the emperor finished speaking, he left and came to Chenhua Palace.
"Mother, I miss you so much. The prince and I wanted to take you out of the palace to take care of you, but my brother wouldn't let us. He's so mean. He wants everyone to monopolize Mother. There are three of us, so why can he monopolize Mother alone? Mother, when you get better, can we go live in the imperial manor?" Zhang Xiaojia said coquettishly.
Concubine Chen smiled gently and nodded.
"Mother, let me tell you, the prince has prepared a great gift for your birthday this year. He has been thinking about giving you this gift for three years."
Concubine Chen held Jia Jia's hand, and there were calluses on it. Her throat had not yet healed completely, and her voice was still hoarse. She had felt it two months ago, but just didn't wake up. This girl was still hiding it from her.
Zhang Xiaojia watched the palace maid bring in porridge. She took it and gently fed her mother to drink. She chatted with her mother for a while. After coaxing her mother to sleep, she massaged her mother's acupoints carefully. She estimated that her mother could sleep for quite a long time.
"Your Majesty, I'm returning to the palace."
"Aren't you going to tell me about your dream world?"
"It's just a dream!"
The emperor didn't say anything and just looked at Zhang Xiaojia quietly.
Zhang Xiaojia pretended to be nervous and pretended to be calm.
That’s all!
Can I really restore the lost territories in the north under the banner of the Great Zhou, have the Western Liao and Tubo submit to me, and have the Liao and Jin territories south of the desert also become part of the Great Zhou?
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After leaving the palace, Zhang Xiaojia happened to meet the Wudeshishi. She asked, "Wasn't Yao executed by the emperor? Did the emperor spare her life?" The Wudeshishi ignored her question and did not give any response.
Zhang Xiaojia was not angry and continued, "Then leave a horse for me. You can't let this county lady walk home."
Inside the palace, the servants had already taken up their duties. Upon seeing the county lady return, they all bowed and greeted her with deft and respectful gestures. Zhang Xiaojia didn't need to say anything; a clever maid stepped forward, took her cloak, and gently inquired if she needed to bathe and change. She nodded gently and was led to the bathing room, where hot water had already been prepared.
Inside the bathhouse, steam thickened, and petals floated on the warm water, emitting a light fragrance that was refreshing and soothing. Zhang Xiaojia stepped in slowly, letting the warm water envelop her body, and her fatigue dissipated along with the steam.
After bathing, she put on her soft nightgown and was carefully supported by the maids to her bedroom. Inside the bedroom, everything was neatly arranged, with flickering candlelight, reflecting a warm and peaceful atmosphere. Zhang Xiaojia did not need to ask for instructions, and the servants served hot tea and snacks. Everything was arranged just right, as if they could see through her every need.
Zhang Xiaojia closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift away. She was secretly thinking about her next plan, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
Zhang Xiaojia woke up at daybreak and rushed to the palace. When she arrived, her mother had just woken up. She thoughtfully gave her mother a bath. As a favorite concubine, her mother had maintained an excellent figure, which was enviable.
"Jiaer, your aunt plans to bring Nanny Qiao back to you." said Concubine Chen.
Zhang Xiaojia quickly refused: "Aunt, no need. Aunt Qiao will never leave you. Besides, didn't we agree to go to the Imperial Manor together next year?"
Concubine Chen said, "Tomorrow, you will go back to the imperial mausoleum to accompany Xiaofei."
Zhang Xiaojia angrily asked, "Which servant is gossiping in front of you?"
Concubine Chen smiled helplessly and said, "You~ Although your aunt is aware of the outside world, she just can't wake up."
Zhang Xiaojia carefully carried her aunt to a wheelchair and gently pushed her to the dining table. Seeing the emperor present, she deliberately said in a slightly coquettish tone, "Aunt, please don't blame my cousin. When the prince entered the palace with his troops, it was understandable that my cousin didn't trust him. Punishing him was also right."
Upon hearing this, the emperor reached out and gently tapped Zhang Xiaojia's forehead, snorting coldly: "I didn't take your lives, which is already a sign of my magnanimity."
Then, the Emperor turned to Concubine Chen and asked with concern, "Mother, how are you feeling?"
Concubine Chen responded gently, "Your Majesty, I'm fine. Although I couldn't speak during these three years, I was still aware of what was happening outside. Especially when Xiao Fei led his troops into the palace, Your Majesty handled it very well. Jiajia, you are not allowed to blame your cousin."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded obediently, but from an angle where Concubine Chen couldn't see, she made a playful face at the emperor. She knew the emperor's bottom line very well. She knew that it didn't matter if she acted like a spoiled child or asked for jewelry or money, but she absolutely couldn't participate in politics.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, if the husband held real power, his wife could not hold official position, and vice versa. The laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty explicitly prohibited both men and women from interfering in government affairs. This was based on the lessons learned by the founding empress in her later years, when harem meddling in politics nearly led to the downfall of the dynasty. Therefore, this law was strictly enforced.
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