At dusk, the glow had turned dark red and the wind was blowing in gusts. It was a fine day.
Hua Zhi got off the carriage in front of the palace gate, looked up, and followed the angel inside.
People are afraid of unknown things, but when things have happened, she is not afraid anymore. No matter why she entered the palace this time, he would not kill her until the emperor had the money to build the canal.
As for whether he would bully her... Hua Zhi looked up at the dark red cloud again. She also wanted to see how far the emperor had come. Usually, the closer the emperor was to death, the more confused he would be.
The royal family's family banquets were no different from those of other families. All the royal relatives who could still walk came. Although there were still many members, their numbers had shrunk a lot compared to before. After all, after the round of purge that followed the emperor's ascension to the throne, too many people, both deserving and not deserving, had died.
Hua Zhi didn't expect that she would be brought to this occasion.
At this time, the family banquet had just begun, and in the center of the palace, the musicians were doing their best to please the most supreme group of people in the Daqing Dynasty.
The Queen Mother sat on the high seat, half a step below her was the Emperor, and the others followed in order.
Haoyue, the emperor's favorite concubine, was chosen by the emperor to sit beside him. Her eyes were fixed on the outside of the door, and she was the first to notice Hua Zhi's arrival.
She pressed her chest inconspicuously, and the slight pain reminded her of her current unbearable situation. How could she be the only one to bear it? Hua Zhi should not miss any of the marks on her body!
With a smile on her face, Haoyue leaned towards the emperor and whispered softly, "Your Majesty, look at that famous young lady from the Hua family outside."
The emperor followed her line of sight and snorted, "That's her."
With a light clap of hands, the female musicians all stopped and retreated in an orderly manner.
The emperor glanced at Lai Fu, who understood. He felt his throat tighten, but he had to raise his voice without changing his tone: "Announce, Hua Zhi, come to see the emperor."
All the nobles looked outside the hall, and Xiaoliu could hardly sit still.
The empress dowager frowned quietly and glanced at the second son. The position of the crown prince was vacant, and Yan Xi still did not show up this year. If nothing unexpected happened, he must be in the palace at this time. What does the emperor want to do
Hua Zhi took off her cloak and let the cold wind blow away the warmth on her body. She lowered her eyes but kept her back straight as she walked into the palace at a leisurely pace.
"The commoner Hua Zhi pays homage to His Majesty."
Hua Zhi knelt on the ground, being respectful but not humble. Her manners could serve as a model for educating daughters in every family.
The emperor couldn't help but think of Haoyue's praise for Hua Zhi these days, so he said, "Raise your head."
"As you wish." Hua Zhi straightened up, raised her head, and lowered her eyes as per the rules, not looking at the emperor.
Well, her beauty alone can indeed make her look better than many others, but what is really attractive is her demeanor that appears gentle but actually hides a sense of pride. People like her make people want to see if her bones are really that hard.
Haoyue watched the emperor rub his thumb and index finger together, and a smile flashed across his lips.
"Emperor, this is a family banquet. What's the meaning of inviting an outsider here?" The empress dowager's voice broke the silence in the room. There was no accusation, but rather pure curiosity.
"An outsider? Not necessarily." The emperor smiled meaningfully. "Speaking of which, my mother has done a favor to the Hua family. How about asking her to come to the palace and serve you?"
The Queen Mother was shocked, but she didn't show it on her face. "I am an old woman who stays in the Buddhist temple all day long. Why do I need a young girl to serve me? It's enough to have Yuxiang accompany me."
"If Hua Zhi is willing, it is also her intention, right? Hua Zhi, what do you think?"
It turned out that he was waiting for her here!
Hua Zhi turned and bowed to the Queen Mother. "When my grandmother was still alive, she was thinking about thanking the Queen Mother. Today, I have the opportunity to see her. I would like to thank her for her protection on behalf of my grandmother and the Hua family."
Before the Queen Mother could say anything, the Emperor spoke with a grim expression, "What I want to ask is, are you willing to enter the palace?"
"It is my honor to go to the Queen Mother's Buddhist temple to copy scriptures and chant. I am willing to pray for Daqing."
clever!
All the nobles, whether they were friends or enemies, who had already understood what the emperor meant, had to admire Hua Zhi's quick wit. After she resolved the situation, her entry into the palace and the emperor's entry into the palace were now two different things!
The emperor rubbed his fingers faster, and his old face even showed some excitement. The empress dowager saw it and was even more shocked. The emperor was trying to snatch the girl from his nephew! Once he said some words, how could he face Yan Xi who had risked her life for him!
But it was too late to stop it.
"You should know what I mean." The emperor pointed to the royal family in the room, "I will allow you to become one of them."
"Father!" Xiao Liu was quick-witted and seized on a reason that was extremely important to his father, "Sister Hua can only make a lot of money for you outside the palace."
"Does she need to do it herself to make money? She's just giving advice. There's nothing wrong with that." The emperor retorted lightly, his eyes fixed on Hua Zhi. The Hua family is in his hands. Whether the families related to the Hua family, such as the Zhu family, are good or bad all depends on his thoughts. No matter how powerful she is, she is just a woman. As long as she is his, whether she is a god of wealth or a think tank, she can't help but work for him.
Haoyue was right. It was a waste to keep such a person outside. As for Yan Xi...
Thinking of his nephew, the emperor hesitated for a moment, but was relieved in an instant. For the sake of his great cause, Yan Xi would understand him, and he would not treat him unfairly. Isn't it just a woman? He would give him a hundred!
The emperor, who felt that his argument made perfect sense, leaned forward, as if looking at a fish caught in a net, and asked, "How is it? Have you thought it through?"
The Queen Mother suppressed her anger and tried to remind him, but then she saw the leader of the Imperial Guard, Fu Gang, come in and announce, "Your Majesty, the leader of the Seven Stars Division wishes to see you."
Haoyue covered her mouth and chuckled, "It came so quickly."
The emperor glanced at her lightly, and the hostility in his eyes made Haoyue's laughter stop abruptly. She lowered her head and dared not do anything unnecessary. Anyway, her goal today had been achieved. After today's incident, the relationship between the emperor and the leader of the Seven Stars would never go back to the past. It would not be surprising even if they broke up. And Hua Zhi, who had a bad relationship between the two, would not be able to end up well anywhere. She might even have to bear the crime of being the cause of the disaster. It was so satisfying, too satisfying!
She needs to plan carefully again. The result can be changed. As long as the two of them fall out and the leader of the Qishu Division loses the emperor's trust, he may not have the chance to sit in that position.
Thinking of this, I heard the emperor say: "Tell him to guard the Seven Stars Division."
The smile in Haoyue's eyes deepened, and she looked at Huazhi with an indescribable sense of pride. Huazhi suddenly turned her head to meet her gaze, which was cold and indifferent, as if she was looking at an ant, which almost made Haoyue bite her teeth to pieces.
Wait, Hua Zhi, just wait!