Queen Qiu suddenly felt like she had fallen into an ice cellar!
"Then... we..." The queen spoke with great difficulty, but after saying only three words, Qiu Baoniang pointed her lips to signal to be silent. Then Qiu Baoniang calmly said to the palace man through the beaded curtain of the phoenix chariot: "Ever since your Majesty personally went on the expedition, your Majesty has been worried about you all the time. Now that your Majesty has just come back, you are very angry. Although the Liu family is gone, your Majesty will not be at ease if your Majesty doesn't take a look in person... Father-in-law, let's go in and talk about it. Even if Your Majesty wants to arrange it, but it’s better to let the empress take a look from a distance.”
These words were very humble considering the queen's status, but they were very consistent with the relationship between Queen Qiu and Wen Yazi as a couple, and also in line with Queen Qiu's rural background and her husband-oriented temperament.
Sure enough, not long after the palace man entered, he came out and said: "Your Majesty, please come in."
"Your Majesty must be afraid of disturbing you now, so just wait outside." Queen Qiu shook Qiu Baoniang's hand hard, and asked the latter to help her get out of the phoenix chariot, and ordered quietly.
The queen always thought that after she had the idea of seizing the heir, she would never dare to come to her husband.
If it wasn't for her own flesh and blood, if it was just for herself, she would probably kneel down the moment she saw Wen Yaozi and confess everything - even if she knew that Wen Yaozi might directly kill her!
Even with the support of her children, Queen Qiu still felt trembling all over when she entered Xuanming Palace!
Her legs were trembling, her hands were trembling, her fingertips were trembling, and she could barely control her teeth, making a "grinning" sound!
If Qiu Baoniang hadn't sighed in a moderate voice at the foot of the stairs: "Mrs. Zhao really scared the empress just now..." If she had given her a slight cover-up, the people around the palace would have become suspicious.
But Queen Qiu herself never thought that all these tensions and fears would disappear the moment she saw Wen Yaozi!
She saluted with a calmness that even Qiu Baoniang could not have expected, and then tears flowed down. It was so natural and heartfelt: "Why are you so thin?"
Ever since Wen Yaozi took many concubines, especially the Fan family, the couple became so estranged that Queen Qiu would always address Wen Yaozi as "you" from then on. Now the word "you" is used, which seems to restore the previous intimacy.
Wen Yaozi had indeed lost a lot of weight. From the beginning of his personal expedition, he suffered a big loss due to his subordinates competing for merit and underestimating the southwest. He was almost captured by the southwest. After that, he did not mention the war, but only coordinated the generals. The relationship between them was enough for him to work hard, and the situation was finally good, but something happened again in the imperial capital - on the way back to the capital, his former confidant was gone, and no one could enrich himself with the delicacies of the mountains and seas every day at this time.
Hearing Queen Qiu's words, he reached out and touched his cheek, smiled self-deprecatingly, and said, "If you don't tell me, I haven't noticed yet. I have lost a lot of money these days."
He glanced at the Queen and found that Queen Qiu's chin was also pointed. On the way, he thought that if the Queen was more capable, he might not need to rush back to the imperial capital in such a hurry. His complaint faded away, and he softened his tone and said, "Cuiye His death was a backyard affair, how could it be so involved? "
Queen Qiu listened to his complaints and wondered why she didn't feel cold or painful at all now. Is it because what he is going to do next is more extreme than him? Or was it because Qiu Baoniang had already said that such a situation would happen and had anticipated it
"I didn't handle it well and caused you... trouble for you." A look of embarrassment appeared on her face, she lowered her head, twisted the handkerchief, and whispered, "I... I didn't expect that the Wang family She... was actually able to... "
The queen seemed to feel that she could not continue speaking, and her voice was choked with sobs, "You can punish me. The Zheng family is our relative after all, especially Brother Zheng, he... you still want to use him, I am a woman... Anyway... "
"What's the use of punishing you?" Wen Yaozi sighed, looking at the queen who was already old but still timid in front of him, he had complicated thoughts.
Not only did he feel that the queen had been with him for most of his life and had suffered a lot, not to mention the queen's background, it was really difficult for her to scheming with her; but she also felt that if the queen was not so unsatisfactory, she could share some things with him, and she could live well. Take it easy.
After hesitating for a long time, Wen Yaozi didn't know what to say to the Queen. He really felt a little tired now, so he waved his hands in a wan mood: "Forget it, since I'm back, leave this matter to me... You first Let's go back."
"Brother Zheng Sanya..." Queen Qiu seemed determined to plead for Zheng Sanya.
Wen Yaozi felt a little impatient: "I'm tired."
"But..." The queen's lips moved and her steps hesitated.
"I'm tired of talking!" Wen Yaozi's face darkened!
Seeing this, holding a fly whisk, the chamberlain standing by the side carefully smoothed things over: "My Lady, would you please go back first? Your Majesty is about to arrange the arrangements."
Queen Qiu's whole body trembled, her eyes alternated between weakness and cruelty. After a moment, she bit her lip and said: "I, my concubine... obey the order!"
Just when Wen Yaozi's expression softened, she still didn't move and said, "I, my concubine... want to serve His Majesty, can I do that?"
Wen Yaozi frowned, but looking at the queen's careful eyes, she finally gave her this face and nodded slightly.
Queen Qiu breathed a sigh of relief!
The palace people also gathered around and started to attack.
Queen Qiu took the Tiaotiao they handed over and wrapped her sleeves, revealing a pair of arms that were still fair but had lost their youthful luster, and the beauty of the jade bracelets became even more apparent.
Even Wen Yaozi couldn't help but be slightly surprised when he saw it: "These bracelets of yours?"
"Does it look good?" Queen Qiu said softly with a slight blush on her face when she heard this.
Wen Yaozi sighed: "These bracelets are of great value. Who gave them to them?" He didn't say they were beautiful because he thought the bracelets were beautiful, but not suitable for the queen to wear.
"It wasn't given by someone, it was found in the warehouse." Queen Qiu suddenly looked dazed and said in a low voice, "I was chatting with people around me before, and mentioned that back then... you bought a pair of jaspers for me. The bracelet, but later... The people around me later went to the library to get something. When they saw this, they thought it was similar to the bracelet from back then, so they took it to Weiyang Palace... "
Wen Yaozi couldn't help but be stunned by these words.
It took him a while to remember - that was Queen Qiu - no, it should be said that Qiu had just passed through.
The exorbitant levies and miscellaneous taxes were not as heavy as they were later. The little property passed down from the Wen family ancestors allowed Wen Yaozi to marry Qiu, a beauty recognized by eight villages in the ten miles away. The newlyweds were so close to each other. At that time, Wen Yaozi was only thinking about his wife, and the stars and the moon couldn't wait to hold her in front of her.
That pair of jasper bracelets is not as good as jadeite. It is much inferior to the pair Queen Qiu is wearing now.
If Wei Changying was such an acquainted daughter, he would probably have given it to his subordinates at a glance - but it was Wen Yaozi who sold ten acres of good land in exchange for it. Not to mention his envy and jealousy towards Qiu, even Wen Yazi's elders blamed him for doting on his wife too much.
It's a pity that the government forced people to survive. Wen Yaozi decided to start a rebellion and wanted to collect money to prepare weapons and food... Qiu reluctantly pawned it... At that time, Wen Yaozi promised her that he would give her something better in the future, but Qiu Shi said: "When you have money in the future, let's redeem it."
Then, their eldest son died in battle, and they were homeless and struggling. How could they still redeem a pair of bracelets
Then, with the unexpected addition of Wei Xinyong and Mo Binwei, the situation began to improve, but Wen Yaozi's heart began to be filled with ambition and desire. The ten acres of good land were no longer in his eyes. The bracelet that his mother had exchanged for him was also forgotten by him...
Up to now, the pawnshop seems to have been destroyed in the war. Whether the bracelet can be recovered... Even if the two of them are now emperors and empresses, they are not sure.
However, Queen Qiu still remembered how when she was young and beautiful, her husband did not hesitate to be scolded as a prodigal by her elders and neighbors, but insisted on giving her a pair of jasper bracelets that were nothing more than that in the eyes of nobles.
So much so that these bracelets, which could be seen at a glance, were so incongruous on her wrists, but she still wore them, hiding them under her deep crimson clothes. The crimson and emerald colors made the queen's age even more evident - but Wen Yaozi After staring at the Queen for a long time, I gradually remembered the time when they first got married. At that time, Queen Qiu's Jingchai sarong was pretty and bright. Although it was not as gorgeous as Concubine Shan, it was still recognized as a flower in the countryside.
The married wife.
Hearing Yaozi chewing these four words, his heart moved, and he took advantage of the situation to hold the queen's wrist, caressing the bracelet on her wrist, and said softly: "I will get that pair of bracelets back!"
Queen Qiu's eyes were fixed on his hand that was stroking the bracelet, and her expression suddenly looked strange, as if she were crying or laughing. Seeing that Yaozi looked at her in surprise, the Queen showed an embarrassed and forced smile: "I am already old and yellow. It’s really not worthy to wear such a good bracelet anymore…”
The doubts in Wen Yaozi's eyes disappeared. He thought he could understand the abnormal expression on the queen's face in that moment - the color of this jadeite was as bright as the young leaves washed by the new rain in spring. Even if it were worn by a young girl, it would not be as fair as skin. Ningzhi's stunning beauty was overwhelmed by the elegance of the bracelet.
No, it is difficult for a young girl to have the grace to control this kind of jade, even among the nobles. Only a lady in her thirties or early forties, whose beauty and bearing have been honed into a truly luxurious and graceful one, can control it...
Queen Qiu doesn't do either. Everyone can see that she wears this bracelet. The bracelet puts people down.
A touch of pity arose in his heart, and he sighed: "No, you are wearing it very well."
Afraid of embarrassment to the queen, Wen Yaozi put down his hand and said warmly: "You are the queen. You are not worthy of using good things. Who else in the world is worthy of this?"
not enough! He had only touched her for a while... What he didn't know was that Queen Qiu was thinking coldly in her heart: "I have to let him touch me for a while to ensure that... what should I do?"
Looking down at the robe in her hand, Queen Qiu gritted her teeth - Qiu Baoniang made it very clear that today is the best opportunity. If you miss it, it will be difficult to succeed again!
Especially since she had just attracted Yaozi's attention to this pair of bracelets...
The queen was so cruel that she suddenly dropped her robe, rushed forward, and hugged Wen Yaozi tightly from behind!
"What are you doing?!" Wen Yaozi was caught off guard and said in surprise.
The servants on the left and right also felt extremely embarrassed! While they were looking at each other, they heard Queen Qiu choke up her voice and say: "I was really worried... When Prince Ning left the capital... I couldn't sleep all night long... You are finally back... Let me hold you for a while, just for a while. ,OK?!"
Feeling his back gradually getting wet, his wife's trembling body close to his, and her embrace that was clearly trying her best, Wen Yaozi's face was complicated for a long time, his eyes softened, and he gently patted his wife and held her hand. The back of the hand that had been on his lower abdomen for several years said softly again: "Don't worry, am I not here well?"
He glanced around at the same time, and the palace people put down their things wisely and filed out.
They were glad that they had not stopped the queen from seeing him before - they had thought that when His Majesty returned, Concubine Shan would definitely regain his favor, and the queen might not be as majestic as she had been during this period, but now it seems that the original wife is the original wife after all.
But neither they nor Wen Yaozi knew that Queen Qiu was sobbing and crying, but in her heart she was counting the number of times Wen Yaozi touched the bracelet: "Once, twice, three times... not enough, not enough! Still not enough!" (Unfinished) to be continued)