At night, Chu Ning failed to return to his bedroom, but was left by Xiao Yu to sleep with him.
In the darkness, she closed her eyes and woke up like a dream all night, just waiting for the dawn.
Xiao Yu is also the same, tossing and turning at night for a long time has trouble falling asleep.
But the two of them lay side by side, but they both chose to remain silent until the next morning when the maid knocked on the door, and they became silent.
According to his usual habit, Chu Ning first served Xiao Yu to get dressed, finished breakfast, and then stood at the door to send him away.
Before leaving, he squeezed her hand tightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything, just turned and left silently, and went to the Tai Chi Palace to attend the meeting.
"His Royal Highness." Xu Rong had been guarding outside the dormitory for some time, and lowered his head to remind him, as if he wanted to supervise.
"Xu Shi, don't be in a hurry, wait for me to change."
Chu Ning smiled at him, gentle and calm, turned back to the room, put on a neat and neat robe that he had prepared, and swayed his long hair, no makeup on his face, only his lips were touched. , but made his face even more pale.
She looked at the bronze mirror carefully, then stood up again and pushed Cuihe out the door: "Okay, Xu Shidu, I'll go now, so, are you satisfied?"
For some reason, Xu Rong felt a little guilty under her gaze, but he still squinted to examine her attire carefully. Seeing that everything was in order, he took a step back to move out of the way, and bowed his hands and said, "Your Highness, please go."
Chu Ning took a deep breath, slowly walked down the steps, and walked towards the Baifu Hall where the Queen Mother Qi lived.
…
In the Taiji Hall, the matters to be discussed at the court meeting are coming to an end, and the matter that Prince Xiao Yu has done in Huazhou has finally been brought up.
A courtier tentatively said: "Your Majesty, the dredging of the Huazhou River this time will break the old river and divide the water potential, so that there will be no more flooding in Huazhou, and the irrigation of hundreds of hectares of fertile fields will be restored. According to Zheng Hua's interpretation of the observatory's report, His Royal Highness has contributed greatly to this trip."
"Yes, the minister thought that such a great achievement should be greatly praised." Another courtier also got up and echoed.
Everyone else was waiting to see Xiao Kezhi's reaction.
Somehow, the ministers always felt that the emperor's attitude towards the prince was extraordinarily ambiguous.
While he dealt with many well-known princelings several times, he was always very tolerant to the prince, and even repeatedly said the words "national capital", as if he really wanted to cultivate him as a prince.
"Prince Prince's trip is indeed beneficial to the people of Huazhou." Xiao Kezhi put the memorial in his hand on the long case, and said solemnly, "I also feel that it should be praised."
This attitude reassured everyone a little, and they gradually joined in.
On the contrary, the prince Xiao Yu, who was being discussed, had a gloomy expression all the time. Even when he heard everyone's praise, he did not show joy, but became more and more depressed.
"Your Majesty," he slowly got up from his seat, walked to the center with his head lowered, knelt before dozens of eyes, and said solemnly, "I am ashamed of this minister, and I dare not take any words of praise."
"What, do you have something to say?" Xiao Kezhi sat up straight and looked at him with a half-smile.
"Yes." Xiao Yu kowtowed heavily, making an appearance of guilt, Qi Qi said, "I came back yesterday, and I heard that the court said a few days ago that I have been married for more than two years, but I have not been able to give birth to a son. Half-daughter, in order to stabilize the heritage of the society. The minister feels very guilty, but this matter, there are thousands of mistakes, all of which belong to the minister. There is no concubine in the east palace, and it is not because of the crown prince. Before having a wife and raising children, there are other heirs first, and this has never been able to comfort the ancestors..."
These remarks seem to be intentional to excuse the princess.
Wei Fujing got up and said, "Your Highness doesn't need to blame yourself like this. In the past two years, everyone knows that His Highness treats the Crown Princess, and His Highness's self-cleaning style is a model for all of you."
The voice fell, and a few more people got up to agree.
Xiao Kezhi looked down at the people below, a mocking smile flashed across his lips. Thinking about it carefully, Xiao Yu's remarks seemed to imply that the Crown Princess Chu was inseparable from this matter.
It's just that he is so hypocritical that he can describe all selfish behaviors as selfless. This nephew has no achievements in political affairs, and his ability to confuse black and white and win people's hearts is not small.
"Get up." Xiao Kezhi hid the coldness in his eyes, "I never said that my niece was not."
Xiao Yu's face was still pale and his mood was low. He slowly got up and glanced outside the hall as if he was waiting for something.
Just as he was about to return to his seat, an attendant suddenly rushed over from outside the hall and shouted loudly, "Everyone, everyone! The Crown Princess went down to the outside of the Baifu Palace, begging to see the Queen Mother, and said - I want to voluntarily give up the crown prince. The position of the concubine! The queen mother is unwilling to make a decision, please ask the saint to judge!"
When the voice fell, there was an uproar in the hall!
This was the first time in this dynasty that the monarch and minister discussed the prince's family affairs at the court meeting, and it was also the first time that a prince concubine wanted to take the initiative to give up his position.
The big stone hanging in Xiao Yu's heart fell slightly.
Xiao Kezhi waited for everyone to talk about it for a while, then tapped his fingers on the table, and said solemnly: "In that case, please come here with the Crown Princess."
The waiter was still out of breath when he heard this, and hurried out again.
…
Outside the Baifu Hall, Chu Ning got up from the ground and followed the inner servant to the outer court to the south.
The magnificent and majestic palace in front of her is the Taiji Hall. She has never been here again except when the late emperor died, and she is finally going to step into it again today.
Under the stone steps, she stopped, standing in the spring breeze and the sun, looking up at the open door on the top with complicated eyes.
Outside such a vast and tall palace, her stature became increasingly thin and petite, and even the inner servant who had brought her couldn't help but go up to help her.
"No need, thank you." She smiled, shook her head in rejection, took a deep breath, straightened her back, climbed the stone steps step by step, and entered the hall.
The way in the middle has been moved away, and the original voice of discussion disappeared the moment she stepped in. Under countless gazes, she bowed her head and knelt in front of the throne.
"I just heard that when you came to the Queen Mother, you were going to resign as the Crown Princess?" Xiao Kezhi's low voice came from above his head.
She nodded and raised her voice: "Concubine Chu, since she married into the East Palace and became the wife of the crown prince, she has been out for more than two years, and she knows her status is low. I have come today to give up the position of Crown Princess, and I ask Your Majesty to hire another good wife for the Crown Prince with the respect of his parents."
The voice fell, and the courtiers around were quiet, and then the voice of discussion gradually sounded.
Xiao Yu's dangling heart completely fell, but after a short while, he raised it again, looking up at Xiao Kezhi while looking up at Xiao Kezhi, waiting to see his reaction.
"Are you really willing?" On the throne, under the gazes of everyone, Xiao Kezhi stared at his nephew who was kneeling at the bottom, and said lightly, "You know, you are no longer a royal if you lose the position of Crown Princess. If you are a member of the guild, your current status, wealth and fame will no longer exist?"
"The concubine is voluntary, and she understands what she is giving up. I just ask Your Majesty to fulfill her—" Although Chu Ning's voice was soft, her tone was very firm.
Somehow, she felt that he deliberately asked this in front of Xiao Yu.
She bowed her head and said the second half of the sentence: "The concubine is willing to invite herself to enter the Taoist temple to become a monk, and from now on she will not be concerned about the world or the ordinary."
After saying these words, she finally let out the breath that was in her heart, and her whole body seemed to be lighter.
Xiao Yu, who was beside him, was stunned and stared at her dumbfounded.
"A Ning?"
What he thought earlier was that she gave up the position of the wife and continued to stay in the East Palace as a concubine, but she suddenly said that she wanted to enter the Taoist Temple and become a monk!
In front of all the ministers, he almost got up and asked her what was going on. Wei Fujing, who was closest to him, hurriedly grabbed the hem of his clothes, frowning and shaking his head silently at him.
He endured it, finally gritted his teeth, sat down slowly, and stared at his wife, who was kneeling on the ground and never looked at him, with red eyes, and his hands were clenched tightly, trembling.
"Okay." Xiao Kezhi looked at her for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and waved, as if tired, and said solemnly, "Since you have made up your mind, and you haven't done anything in the past two years, I will allow you to leave. Donggong. I read that you have always kept your duties for the past two years, and before you have gone through the rituals, you can enter the Guizhen Temple to practice."
Guizhen Temple is a royal Taoist temple. It is built in the west of the back garden of Taiji Palace. Most of the people who practice in it are noble women born in Chang'an City, especially women from the Xiao family and women who are closely related to the royal family. Lord, some were originally devoted to the Tao, while others had to become a monk temporarily due to various reasons.
In the past, the entry and exit of the female crown in Guizhen View was controlled by the head of the harem. Now the harem has no owner, and the emperor arranges it himself. in this big accident.
Probably thinking of Chu Ning's identity, everyone looked at her with pity, pity, and even sneering. They knew that she would end up like this today. When she had become the daughter of a criminal, why bother. What about marrying a prince
Few people remember that it was the crown prince who insisted on marrying the Chu daughter.
Even the courtiers who were friends with Chu Qianyu in the past only thought that the prince had done his best and was worthy of the Chu family after all.
Chu Ning had no time to care about the thoughts of others, but felt that the important matter in his heart had finally settled, he breathed a sigh of relief, bowed and bowed again, and after expressing his thanks, he got up and left the Taiji Temple.
The people have left, and the others slowly withdraw their gazes, only Xiao Yu has been staring at the direction of the palace gate.
"His Royal Highness!" Wei Fujing on the side couldn't help but reminded in a low voice, which brought his mind back a little.
"...Prince, do you have any complaints when I deal with it like this?"
Xiao Yu listened to the question that was repeated again, slowly bowed his body, and responded with restraint, "I don't dare."
"That's good." On the throne, Xiao Kezhi glanced at him, and a fleeting smile flashed across his lips, and said, "Let the Hanlin Academy formulate the decree immediately on this matter. Since the crown princess is vacant, As an uncle, I should also find a new marriage for the crown prince, and if you have a suitable candidate, you can talk about it at that time."
After all, he had no intention of entangled in this matter, he simply waved his hand to retire, got up and left, leaving behind all the courtiers in the hall, who once again exploded the pot, and began to discuss fiercely.
In the crowd, Xiao Yu's face was pale, and he was stunned for a long time without saying a word, suddenly got up, and did not go to the government office, but hurried to the direction of the East Palace.