The dining room of Tokyo's Shideokden was bright and magnificent. Countless candles on the copper lampstands illuminated the room in all directions. Lanterns were hung on the walls, and the orange light flowed on the exquisite and beautiful decorations, like a dream. The palace maids dressed in silk and gauze were better dressed than the hostess of the wealthy family. They lowered their eyebrows and looked respectful and docile. If someone walked into Shideokden from the mortal world of Tokyo, they would definitely feel as if they were in a different era and a different world. This place was completely different from the market.
The paintings of famous ladies on the wall were elegant and lifelike, but they were just paintings. Their beauty was not comparable to the noble ladies here. The paintings of ladies were hung on the wall, probably not to show off their beauty, but to contrast with the real people in the dining room. Compared with the people here, the ladies in the paintings were completely ugly.
However, Fu's expression was not as lively as the person in the portrait. Her face was dull, as if she was always distracted.
Jingniang and Qingxu were sitting on both sides below. Jingniang would secretly glance at Fu from time to time, but Qingxu was eating heartily. Her face was innocent, and her lips were small and thin, but all kinds of delicious food were stuffed into her little mouth. She looked more intoxicated than anyone else; it seemed that there was nothing more enjoyable in the world than eating delicious food.
I think I often come to Qingxu to burp. Queen sister, you are really the best person in the world.
The palace maid next to her blushed and gritted her teeth to hold back from making a sound.
Qingxu asked again: Can the bracelet be sold? Jingniang picked up a thin piece of mutton and put it in Qingxu's bowl: Eat it quickly.
At this moment, Fu picked up the glutinous rice cake from the bowl. The palace maid had already dipped this exquisite dessert in a powder made of sesame and soybean sugar. Fu slowly placed the dessert on a white ceramic plate and dipped it again. She probably knew that this kind of food should be dipped in some seasoning.
The palace maid standing beside her widened her eyes, because the white plate was filled with salt water. But the palace maid did not dare to stop her. Who dared to control what the queen wanted to eat? Even Jingniang noticed Fu's action of dipping the dessert in salt water and could not help but watch her secretly.
Fu silently recited the words translated from the rune paper in his heart: Last time I knew you were sick, I was worried that something might happen to you. If you didn't survive, my heart would have died with you, and this world would have become bleak and meaningless.
She had read this letter hundreds of times, and remembered every word clearly, and knew it better than the classics that ladies of noble families must read. Fu felt that she could recite it backwards.
She put the cake dipped in salt water to her lips and took a bite. Jingniang and the palace maids stared at her, as if to say: Does the sweet and salty taste good
But Fu chewed slowly, expressionless, without any reaction. The salty and sweet taste was edible, or maybe she didn't even notice what it tasted like, or maybe she didn't even know what she was eating.
The letter was translated into a secret letter by Jingniang, and Jingniang knew why.
Fu's mind was blank, and from time to time, some words and fragments flashed through his mind. He said: There will be an emperor to protect and love you.
I want to thank you. Without you, I would be so desperate and scared. I am also afraid of death. But now, I am not afraid, because there is a stronger emotion occupying my whole body. From hair to toes, every inch of my body misses you.
The woman I love the most, I know it is wrong because it is absurd and sinful, Guo Shao receives salary from the emperor, but loves his woman, this kind of thing is not tolerated by the morality of every dynasty even in troubled times, but I can't control myself, this emotion has surpassed my life, even if I die, I will not change
Maybe I will turn into ashes, and meet you again somewhere in the universe; maybe I will become a soul and reincarnate as a human, and in the next life, when we meet by chance, will you still look back and smile at me
You are like a goddess, or you are a fairy who has been reborn, that is my belief. I don't know what the meaning of war is, I try to find the meaning, that is for the nobility and glory of the goddess, I sincerely believe that you can give me good luck and strength; I hope I can capture Shouzhou, and I hope victory and glory will eventually belong to the warriors favored by the goddess.
How I wish I could die on the battlefield with your name in my mind at the last moment, not just a surname.
Fu Shi couldn't control her emotions. Tears filled her eyes. From her eyes to her throat to her heart, she felt sour and bitter. She swallowed her tears silently. Shao Ge'er, Fu Shi called out silently in her heart: I heard your roar and shouts on the battlefield, I heard your prayers, but I can't go to the battlefield for you, and I can't even plead for you, because that would be even worse.
You are fighting on the battlefield, but I can only eat the tasteless food here.
Be patient, although this kind of repression is very uncomfortable, but the ethics of the world always have its reasons. Shao Ge'er is very courageous. He dared to do this. Fu Shi could have guessed his thoughts a long time ago, but it was unexpected that he would express it so directly and passionately. Perhaps he could only be so unscrupulous when he encountered an insurmountable obstacle and even his life was threatened.
Fu thought to himself: But I don’t blame you.
It is said that Shouzhou is difficult to attack by force. Shao Ge'er has been given a month's deadline to issue a military order, but he is afraid that he will fail. Fu Shi pondered, his life must be safe for the time being, he just saved the queen's life, the emperor did not consider the merits and hard work of the Battle of Gaoping and the Battle of Shu, and he should also take care of the grudges. The key is that Shao Ge'er was defeated, but he did not have any essential mistakes such as treason, and he was a person without any threat. Is it necessary for the emperor to kill him? The words "you saved the queen's life" shut people up in public.
If the emperor doesn't ask or care about it at this time, he will take care of the queen's Fu family. It's useless to ask for mercy, it will only cause trouble. If the emperor doesn't care about the Fu family, will he still care about the pleas? If he wants to take care of them, it's better not to say it.
Don't blame me for being cruel. Sometimes I really want to go to Huainan in person and beg the emperor in person, regardless of any considerations. But there is no need to do so. What's the point of doing so except for pretending? I believe he can understand my intentions.
Shao Ge'er will not die, but it will be difficult for him to get up this time. To get to a higher position than the commander of the Xiangdu Commandery, one cannot rely on the Queen's connections alone. Even if one relies on the Emperor, it may not work. It also depends on one's ability. The Emperor will not affect the combat effectiveness of the entire Zhou Dynasty army for personal likes and dislikes. If he wants the soldiers to fight, he must show a certain attitude and approach. If one can get to a higher position just by relying on connections, who would be willing to go to the battlefield and risk their lives
Shao Ge'er had only a little foundation, and he suffered a great defeat after the Shouzhou Military Order. How could he withstand such a torment? Fu felt that it would be difficult for him to rise again. Even if there was still a little hope, it would be extremely difficult. She was the queen, not the emperor, and could not directly give Shao Ge'er anything.
In this world, if a person without strength has too high a vision and is too bold, it is a bad thing and will do him harm. Whether it is Fu himself or Shao Ge'er, if they don't have strength, they can't do anything, and it will be useless no matter what they want or desire.
Fu felt very uncomfortable when she thought of this. She felt helpless about the whole thing. It was not Shao Ge'er's problem to assign a place like Shouzhou to him; but he had to bear a disappointing result.
Finally, the dinner was over. Several people rinsed their mouths with water and drank tea. Jingniang said: The queen seems to be unwell, so Qingxu will not disturb you tonight. We will come to thank you tomorrow morning.
Fu came back to her senses and said softly: Serve our distinguished guest well.
Yes. The maids knelt down and answered.
Fu returned to the bedroom in Zide Hall. Mu Shanggong stepped forward to ask for permission and said: "The servants have prepared hot water, Your Majesty, please come in."
Forget it tonight, it's boring. Fu waved her sleeves.
Mu Shang Gong hurriedly said: "Then I will ask someone to fetch water to help the queen wash her feet."
Fu was very unhappy because he didn't wash away her tone.
Yes. I didn't dare to disturb Her Majesty. Mu Shanggong stepped back and winked at the maid next to her, and everyone followed her out of the bedroom.
Fu was walking back and forth on the carpet in the purple curtains, dragging her long skirt, like a beautiful ghost.
At this moment, a voice was heard cautiously calling out at the door: Your Majesty, Cao Tai asked to see you overnight, and I didn't dare to disturb you, but Cao Tai said he brought good news.
Let him come in and talk, Fu said faintly.
After a while, Cao Tai came in and bowed, saying: "I was anxious, so I hurried here. Two things. First, Guo Shao won a great victory in Shouzhou, captured Shouzhou City, captured the famous Southern Tang general Liu Renzhan and more than 20,000 people alive, and has gone to see the emperor to ask for rewards. I think that with this victory, General Guo should be able to establish a military system.
Fu's face suddenly changed, and her rich and subtle expressions changed rapidly behind the curtain, but she said nothing.
Then Cao Tai said: The second thing is that Han Tong received a transfer order from the Privy Councilor and will lead his troops out of the capital and go to Huainan. Fu Shi almost didn't hear this sentence, and she didn't know what Cao Tai was talking about after that.
Cao Tai heard no sound, so he tried to say: "I have finished speaking, and I will leave." When he heard no response, he quietly backed out of the bedroom.
After a long time, when Fu came to her senses, she found that there was no one in the bedroom, and she couldn't remember when Cao Tai left.
She suddenly felt a little dazed. Could it be that she was distracted just now and imagined the scene? In fact, Cao Tai had never appeared. But after thinking about it for a moment, she was sure that it was really happening.
A bright smile appeared on Fu's face. In an instant, the bedroom with a dull purple hue seemed to brighten up a bit, as if hundreds of flowers were about to bloom.
She decided to write a reply to Guo Shao. She thought of many things, but finally swallowed them all down. Only two words were left.