"Your Majesty, the almond milk tea is here." Bai Xian held a tray, and inside the tray was a bowl of almond milk that was still steaming.
Jin Yang took a sip of the milk tea and felt that the taste was not bad. The faint almond flavor suppressed the smell of milk, and it also had a sweet taste.
After drinking the milk tea in one breath, Jin Yang took the cup handed over by the palace maid, rinsed his mouth, and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief: "The milk tea from the head of Changyan County also tastes like this?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, this milk tea is made according to the method of Kangquan Palace." Bai Xian handed the empty bowl to the eunuch behind him, and then whispered, "It's getting late, look..."
Although Jin Yang was thinking about a few memorials in his heart, he thought about the concerned eyes of his mother and junior sister just now, and then said: "Bring the travel notes I read a few days ago, I will sleep after watching it."
Bai Xian was relieved, and after finding the book and presenting it to Jin Yang, he quietly stood aside.
After less than half an hour, Jin Yang put down the book and said to Bai Xian, "Call someone in to serve."
Bai Xian applauded lightly, and a palace maid and eunuch came in and waited on Jin Yang to wash and make the bed.
Carefully taking off the jade crown from Jin Yang's hair, and gently putting it into the box, Bai Xian faintly felt that from today, the world will change drastically.
"Bai Xian, who do you think is a noble lady?" Jin Yang opened his arms and saw the maid's hands tremble when he saw the maid who unbuttoned his belt.
Bai Xian's hand holding the box stopped, and even cold sweat broke out behind him: "Your Majesty, this servant is a lowly person, and there is no chance to see the beauty of each noble girl."
"Really?" Jin Yang walked to the chair and sat down, raised his feet and let the maid take off his shoes and socks for him, then put his feet into the steaming wooden basin, and the warm water wrapped his feet. His expression softened a little: "I heard that people from the Sima family have been looking for you two days ago?"
"Your Majesty!" Bai Xian's face was pale, and he knelt down in front of Jin Yang with a thud, "The servant is guilty, but the servant never revealed the slightest information to the Sima family."
Jin Yang glanced at him and didn't speak, just looked at the back of his feet silently.
The spring night is still cold, but Bai Xian's forehead is full of sweat. His forehead touched the ground, but he didn't dare to open his mouth when he heard the sound of the water, and he didn't even dare to raise his head. He only shook his shoulders shiveringly, hoping that the emperor would spare him this time because of his love for so many years.
After washing his feet, the palace maid wiped off the water stains on Jin Yang's feet with a good cotton cloth, and knelt on the ground and put on a pair of soft cotton shoes for him.
Jin Yang stood up and walked to Bai Xian, silently watching Bai Xian without speaking.
Bai Xian's whole body trembled slightly. He waited for a long time, but His Majesty turned around and walked towards the inner room without saying a word.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." He knelt down a few steps forward, but was stopped by the gauze curtain put down in front of him, so he had to bang his head inward through the gauze curtain.
"Your Majesty, my servants are loyal to you, and I will never dare to have two hearts. Please, Your Majesty, let me know." After just a few strokes, blood was already seen on his forehead, but he didn't dare to wipe it, and he didn't dare to let go.
"You retreat," His Majesty said in a dull voice from the gauze tent, "He Ming will serve you tonight."
Bai Xian's heart was bitter, but he didn't dare to say more, he just bowed his head respectfully: "Slave... retire."
When he walked out of Zi Chen, he happened to see He Ming walking in, their eyes met in the air, and Bai Xian stood blankly and didn't move.
"Father Bai has worked hard." He Ming bowed his hands to him with a smile, and then continued to walk inside.
Looking at his back, Bai Xian scolded in a low voice: "The villain is successful!" Let's see how long he can go crazy!
I don't know if it was because I was too tired yesterday, or because the bowl of almond milk tea had an effect. Jin Yang slept so sweetly that night that he almost missed the time for the grand meeting.
Sitting down on the Nine Dragons Throne, Jin Yang raised his hand as he watched all the civil and military officials salute him.
Standing behind him, He Ming sang loudly, "Get up!"
The queen mother sitting on the golden phoenix seat stood up and said: "Today, all the civil and military officials are here, and the Aijia will announce something."
All the civil and military officials looked at the Queen Mother, and they all had a bottom line in their hearts.
As expected, the Empress Dowager wanted to return the power to Her Majesty, and in front of the important ministers of the whole dynasty, she said that all matters in the Ming Dynasty, both big and small, were decided by the emperor, and she no longer had to worry about the government.
Many loyal ministers and generals were originally worried that there would be disputes between the queen mother and the young emperor because of their rights, and even many people made a lot of preparations in private, just to avoid the disputes between the two from affecting the common people. Who knows that they have imagined countless possibilities, but they did not expect the Queen Mother to let go so easily.
This is not about delegating power orally, but inside it is still tightly controlling the government, but a real return to power. Because the empress dowager even gave the emperor a tiger talisman that could mobilize the central army. The gesture was unspeakable, as if it was not a tiger talisman, but an ugly stone.
But in any case, the Queen Mother was willing to hand over power so easily, and most of the courtiers were relieved. When sending off the Queen Mother, they were very convinced by the three bows. It was their turn. Maybe they couldn't be as free and easy as the Queen Mother.
Li Guangji looked at the young emperor on the throne with a reluctant smile on his face.
After the meeting was over, he stopped Gu Changling who was about to leave: "Master Gu, please stay."
"Li Xiang." Gu Changling stopped and smiled kindly at Li Guangji.
Li Guangji returned the salute, then smiled and said, "The spring is just right today. If you can walk with a gentle person like Master Gu, it will be considered an elegant thing. I wonder if Master Gu would mind walking next door?"
"Li Xiangqian please." Gu Changling smiled and waved his hand, "It's just me and other vulgar people who can't bear elegant words, and Li Xiang praised them miserably."
"Master Gu is too modest." Li Guangji smiled and walked side by side with Gu Changling.
"Li Xiang, the monarch, the monarch, is the lord of all monarchs. Although I am fortunate to teach Your Majesty's homework, how can I go to consult on such a major event?"
"I will be loyal to the king, and the establishment of the future is a major event for the country. Even if you say something, your majesty will not be dissatisfied with me," Li Guangji clenched his fists in the direction of Zichen Hall. "Master Gu, do you think this is the truth?"
"The words of my parents' life matchmaker, I believe that the Queen Mother will have a decision on this matter," Gu Changling said slowly, seeing the smile on Li Guangji's face a little alienated, and said again, "But what Li Xiang said is also very reasonable. , if I waited to meet the Queen Mother and expressed my thoughts."
"What Master Gu said is very true." Li Guangji knew that Gu Changling was a slippery smiling tiger, so he didn't insist. He turned around and brought Zhang Zhonghan with him, and the three went to see the Queen Mother together.
When the three of them were outside begging for a meeting, the Queen Mother had just changed into a heavy phoenix robe, and when she heard the three important ministers begging for a meeting, she did not hesitate to ask the eunuch in charge of the palace to invite the three of them in.
Gu Rujiu put down the teacup in her hand, got up and said to the Queen Mother: "Aunt, I saw that apricot flowers in the palace are blooming just right, I'll pick some and come back to show you."
"Be careful, bring a few more people to serve." The queen mother nodded, and let her put on a shawl before letting her go.
Walking out of the main hall, Gu Rujiu saw his father and two middle-aged men walking towards him, stopped and stood to the side. When the three approached, he bent his knees.
Zhang Zhonghan knew that this was the second girl of the Gu family, and now there was a county magistrate, so he smiled very gently and nodded, taking the attitude of a gentle and easy-going elder.
Compared with Zhang Zhonghan, the smile on Li Guangji's face was much more reserved. After a little nod to Gu Rujiu, he walked towards the hall.
Gu Changling put the movements of the two in his eyes, smiled at his daughter, and reached out to touch the top of her hair.
"Father," Gu Rujiu's eyes widened, "this is the bun I just combed."
Gu Changling retracted his hand with a smile, put it behind his back and said, "Don't worry, it's fine, it's not messed up, it won't be messed up."
Gu Rujiu raised her head and glanced at Li Guangji, who was already walking in front, and Zhang Zhonghan, who was standing there waiting for her father, and whispered, "The Queen Mother is waiting for you in the main hall, so I won't disturb you."
Zhang Zhonghan looked at Gu Rujiu's back with a smile, and then said, "Brother Gu's daughter is really cute and radiant, and it makes people feel happy when they see it."
"I've been spoiled by my wife," Gu Changling smiled and waved his hand, "Look at what he looks like."
When Zhang Zhonghan heard the words, he was still just complimenting Gu Rujiu. It's no secret that Gu Changling prefers his young daughter. Don't look at him saying that his daughter is not good. Zhang Zhonghan is sure that if someone really says that his daughter is bad, he will definitely turn his face.
Empress Dowager Zhou had already guessed why the three came, so after the three sat down, she mentioned the matter of inviting ladies from different families to Taihe's other palace during the Qianqiu Festival next month.
This time, even Li Guangji didn't say anything, it's better to mention the next thing. He looked up and saw Gu Changling's expression as usual, as if he was not surprised by this matter at all, and couldn't help but be a little puzzled in his heart, did this person already know about this matter
Thinking of this, he felt a little nervous, but he didn't know what the Gu family could know. What does this mean
After leaving Kangquan Palace, Li Guangji bowed to Gu Changling and said, "Master Gu is very good."
Gu Changling smiled and said, "Where did Li Xiang come from?"
Li Guangji smiled and didn't answer, but told Gu Changling about the spring seed. Gu Changling also didn't seem to take his previous words to heart, and the two had a pleasant conversation again.
Zhang Zhonghan interjected from time to time, smiling like a good old man.
Gu Rujiu walked slowly with her personal maid and several eunuchs. She had no interest in the so-called Xinghua, and was just looking for an excuse to leave.
"County lord, the imperial chariot is here." A eunuch behind him reminded in a low voice.
She looked up, and sure enough, she saw the imperial guard of honor walking towards this side from a distance, so she took a few steps back to the side, but she didn't know that the imperial carriage stopped when passing here.
"Junior Sister," Jin Yang lifted the curtain in front of the imperial carriage, revealing a handsome face, he looked at Gu Rujiu with a smile, "What are you doing here?"
Gu Rujiu remembered the excuse he made when he left Kangquan Palace just now, so he could only say: "The apricot flowers in Xinghua Pavilion are blooming just right, I want to go and see."
"It just so happens that I'm fine as well. Junior sister, would you mind going with another person?" Jin Yang raised the curtain without letting go, but instead asked this question.
"It's good to go with one more person." Gu Rujiu smiled and looked at Jin Yang, feeling that Jin Yang really needs to walk more to exercise.
Jin Yang stepped down from the imperial carriage, walked to Gu Rujiu's side, and stood two steps away from her: "Junior sister, please."
"Your Majesty, please," Gu Rujiu didn't move.
Jin Yang knew that although she acted naively, she never ignored the rules and etiquette, so she had to take a step first, and then turned to her side to talk, "Junior sister likes apricot flowers?"
"I like everything that looks good," Gu Rujiu noticed his posture, and the smile on his face became softer, "What does Your Majesty like?"
"When I was a child, there was a peach tree in the yard where I lived. At first, I always expected it to bloom and bear fruit. Later, I found that its fruit was not only small, but also had a lot of hair. It tasted astringent, so I didn't expect it to bear fruit. ," Jin Yang said, shaking his head and smiling, "So I probably prefer flowers that bear good fruit."
This idea is quite pragmatic, Gu Rujiu thought to himself. Then I thought about it, the eldest son of the dignified palace's eldest son, but he was looking forward to the peach tree blooming and eating a peach. This day must not be particularly comfortable and comfortable. For a while, she had some sympathy for Jin Yang, so she said: "There are no peach trees in the yard where I live, but there is an orange tree that started to bear fruit last year. When the fruit is ripe this year, I will give half of it to Your Majesty."
"It's good to plant an orange tree." Jin Yang knew in his heart that Peach Blossom was a little frivolous. How could a family like the Gu family love their children and be particular about planting such a tree in their yard
"Then when the oranges are ripe this fall, you can't forget what you said today," Jin Yang said with a smile, "If you don't remember, don't think I'll be ashamed to ask you for it."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, our Gu family has a family motto: Don't make promises lightly, but if you promise, you must re-promise." Gu Rujiu nodded solemnly, but the expression on her face was smiling, "This year the oranges are ripe, they must be I will send you to the palace."
"It's not easy to promise, but promises are made again," Jin Yang said with a smile, "The ancestor of the Gu family is worthy of being a master with a gully in his chest."
Yes, if you don't have a gully in your chest, how can you save the family that has been in decline, and by the way, how can you cheat other competitors
From this point of view, Gu Rujiu really admired his ancestors.
The two did not walk fast, and it took two or three quarters of time to reach the Xinghua Pavilion. At this time, the apricot blossoms were blooming just right. Gu Rujiu stood at the door and saw a large piece of apricot petals on the ground, and the flowers on the branches were blooming even more.
Just as she finished saying this, a gust of wind blew up, and the petals on the branches rose with the wind, like a rain of petals and snow, so beautiful that people felt that it was a fault if they disturbed the beauty.
Jin Yang looked at the smiling girl beside him, his eyes fell on the apricot petals in her hair, and suddenly thought, maybe in the future, there will be a handsome young man who will accompany her to enjoy the flowers and the scenery, and accompany her to taste the beauty. World Food.
If there is such a person, it's quite... OK
Seeing that the petals fell between her hair and didn't fall, his fingertips trembled slightly, but he didn't reach out to take it away in the end.
"Your Majesty, what are you looking at?" Seeing that someone was looking at him, Gu Rujiu turned around and saw Jin Yang's clear eyes, blinking suspiciously, "Is something wrong with me?"
"No," Jin Yang shook his head with a light smile, then pointed to her hair, "There is a petal on it."
"Hey?" Gu Rujiu shook his head violently, and then asked, "Anything else?"
"Don't move," Jin Yang sighed with a smile, stretched out his white jade-like hand, avoided her blue silk, twisted the petal, and put it in her palm, "Here you are."
Gu Rujiu held up the petals and brought it in front of him, smiled and said, "As the saying goes, there are flowers that can be folded straight and must be folded, don't wait until there are no flowers empty to break the branches, you can see that this thanked apricot flower has turned from pink to white. ." After speaking, he lifted the skirt and said, "So today I'll take a few flowers and take them back to my aunt to see."
"Girl," Qiu Luo called out, turning his head and seeing the emperor's calm expression, unable to see his anger, he gritted his teeth and followed.
"What are you doing standing?" Jin Yang turned to look at the eunuchs who followed Gu Rujiu, "Don't let the county head fall."
When the little eunuchs saw this, they hurriedly followed, and under Gu Rujiu's command, they broke off some beautiful flower branches.
"I'll give you half," Gu Rujiu came over with a few flowers, and generously stuffed a few into Jin Yang's hands, "Auntie must be happy when she sees the flowers you gave."
"You brought it back, and the queen mother is just as happy." Jin Yang stretched out a few petals from her hair and said with a smile, "Go back now?"
"That's why we're only half of each other," Gu Rujiu looked back at Xinghualin and nodded, "No matter how beautiful things are, you'll be amazed at first glance, but after a long time, you'll lose that amazement."
Jin Yang looked at the apricot flower in his hand, and said with a smile, "What Junior Sister said today gave me a lot of energy."
Gu Rujiu was stunned, what did she say? What did you just say about being beautiful and stunning
Turning her head to see Jin Yang's smiling face, she hurriedly retracted her gaze, what does a big gentleman look so good-looking for? Simply unstoppable.
Seeing that Gu Rujiu and Jin Yang entered the house together, the queen mother was stunned for a moment, and then said, "Why did you come back with so many flowers?"
"The flowers are blooming just right, wouldn't it be a pity not to let my aunt see them?" Gu Rujiu put the flowers in a vase, and then washed her hands under the service of the palace maid, "Auntie, look at this, your majesty and I specially designed this for you. selected."
The Empress Dowager glanced at Jin Yang, got up and walked to the vase. After watching it, she said, "It's hard for you to be filial. This flower is indeed very beautiful."
"It's good that the queen mother likes it," Jin Yang bowed to the queen mother. "I just met my sister on the road, so I walked with her to Xinghua Pavilion. Otherwise, it would be a pity if I couldn't see the beauty of today."
The Queen Mother Zhou saw that he did not speak, turned to see Gu Rujiu happily sorting the apricot flowers in the vase, and said, "Jiu Jiu, sit down and drink some tea."
"Okay." Gu Rujiu put Huazhi at a pleasing angle before sitting back on the chair.
Gu Rujiu saw that the mother and son might have something to say, and after sitting for a while, she got up to find an excuse to leave.
"Empress mother, my son may be happy with a woman." Jin Yang held the teacup in silence for a moment, and couldn't help but open his mouth.
"Maybe?" The Empress Dowager looked at him with a half-smile, "Since Your Majesty is still not sure of his own mind, why should you mention it to the Ai family?"
"I..." Jin Yang looked at the smile on the Queen Mother's face and hesitated, "I just... I don't know if she would like to live with me in the deep palace."
The Queen Mother Zhou laughed when she heard the words: "You are better than your father."
Jin Yang knew that the "Lao Tzu" mentioned by the Empress Dowager was not King Cheng, but the Emperor.
"You can say this, it shows that you really care about this woman, instead of treating her as a dispensable item," Empress Dowager Zhou pondered for a moment, "If you are really interested, then ask for marriage. She. The relationship is about your love and my wishes, the right family, and the two love each other, otherwise in the end, you just exhausted your relationship, and she resented you for life, leaving each other unwilling. "
Jin Yang put down the teacup, got up and gave the Queen Mother Zhou a deep bow: "My son understands."
"Go back, I'm a little tired." Empress Dowager Zhou waved her hand and rubbed her forehead.
"Son retire." Jin Yang knew the Queen Mother's character, so he would not immediately ask him about the identity of the woman, nor would he embarrass him, but he knew in his heart that his actions would embarrass the Queen Mother.
But he couldn't tell the queen mother directly that he had a relationship with the woman he regarded as his sister. He was worried that the queen mother would be dissatisfied with the junior sister, and even more worried that after the junior sister found out, he would alienate him.
"The Queen Mother," Aunt Liu said hurriedly when she saw that the Queen Mother looked bad, "what's the matter with you?"
The Queen Mother Zhou shook her head: "What I was worried about still happened, but..." If she hadn't intentionally indulged, how would Jin Yang find out what he was thinking
She had considered that after Gu Rujiu got the title of county head, she would go back to Gu's house, and the Gu family would choose her a wishful husband.
But she couldn't bear Jin Yang to find out her heart at that time, and in the end she was in pain when she couldn't ask for it.
What's more, she has been distressed for a long time, but it does not mean that she can arbitrarily manipulate her feelings by virtue of this distress.
What will happen to Jiujiu and Jin Yang should be chosen by Jiujiu herself, not by her.
She... also reluctant to bear the emperor she cultivated by herself, and this regret will be left behind in this life.
In the west side hall, Gu Rujiu looked around the room where more and more things were placed, thinking about how he should open his mouth and bring up the matter of returning to the manor.
She has been in the palace for more than half a month. Although the queen mother is very kind to her, it is not suitable to stay in the palace all the time.
"Can the county lord of Changyan be here? He Ming, the servant of the Qiankun Palace, is instructed by the emperor to bring something to the county lord." A eunuch's voice came from outside the door.
Gu Rujiu's brows moved slightly, He Ming
In the past, the leading eunuch who brought her things had always been Bai Xian, but why did he suddenly nod to Baolu with her, Baolu walked to the door and said, "Eunuch He, please come in."
"Don't dare," He Mingchao Baolu cupped his hands, and then walked to the inner hall with the palace maid and eunuch holding something behind him. When he entered the inner hall, he didn't lift his head, and first gave Gu Rujiu a big gift.
"Slave He Ming, I have seen the county magistrate of Changyan," He Ming kowtowed before explaining his intention.
Gu Rujiu asked him to get up before going to see what he brought.
The ones sent are all liked by my daughter's family, and the most exquisite one is a golden apricot flower, so delicate that you can see the dew droplets on the petals.
She was about to open her mouth to express her thanks, when she suddenly saw another close-fitting maid, Mu Xiang, running into the hall with a panicked expression, with tears still on her face, as if she had lost her usual calm and demeanor.
Seeing this, Gu Rujiu's heart suddenly jumped inexplicably, and an indescribable sense of unease arose.