In the quiet side hall of Zide Hall, Fu had just finished lunch. She didn't eat much, so she didn't move much all day. It was common for her not to even leave Zide Hall for ten days or half a month. Her appetite was not very good.
The dishes had been removed, and a cup of warm tea and several plates of dessert were placed on the table. She didn't eat anything, but took a sip of tea, then picked up a chess book next to her, and while reading, she looked at the chessboard on the table, and after a long while she picked up a chess piece and put it down.
There were actually many people in this side hall, but they all stood far away and didn't dare to disturb her. Fu looked very lonely; but she didn't seem bored, instead she was immersed in the chessboard, and would ponder for a long time from time to time.
She was wearing a wide, yellowish-brown robe with a jade sash. Although it was just a casual dress, it was wide and luxurious, making people look in awe, because only members of the royal family could wear yellow clothes. This robe was noble and imposing, but the only drawback was that it almost covered the female figure. It was not as good as a properly tailored ordinary skirt to set off a woman's figure. If the skirt was green leaves that could set off the beauty of the lady, Fu's robe would be a bit too much.
Fortunately, her temperament can suppress this overshadowing outfit. The wide robe adds a bit of domineering and solemnity to her gentle beauty. If a palace maid wore this dress, it would be very abrupt and would not convey the lofty aura.
Moreover, yellow is a bright color. If the appearance and skin color are not outstanding, then only the clothes will be highlighted, not the person. But Fu's jade-white skin is smooth and red lips are brighter, and they stand out in the yellow material; the silk is like a gold ornament, adding a bit of nobility to her beauty.
Not long after, the eunuch Cao Tai walked quickly into the hall, went straight to the upper seat as if no one was around, bent down beside the queen and whispered something in her ear, probably about the Huainan navy being transferred to the north.
The queen did not say a word, but gently placed the white chess piece between her fingertips on an empty space on the chessboard.
At this time, Cao Tai said again: "By the way, I have sent people to Guo's house to summon Guo Shao and his wife. I thought that Shao Ge got married yesterday, so I sent people at almost noon and summoned them to meet the queen in the afternoon."
When the queen heard the words "wedding noon", a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. For a moment, she seemed to feel a little relieved and said: "Send someone to clean up the Fu family's house. I will go there later."
I have already prepared it. Cao Tai looked very loyal.
Fu nodded and said: I haven’t seen my sister for several years, I really want to see her.
She had already considered summoning Guo Shao and his wife. As the queen, it was a bit too much to go to Guo's house in person. It would be more natural to let them come to pay a visit, but there was no proper way to summon them in the palace.
The emperor has been very busy recently and has not paid attention to the marriage between Guo Shao and the Fu family. Under such circumstances, Fu Shi is unwilling to summon ministers to the southern part of the palace where state affairs are handled, as that would make the favor very conspicuous. It doesn't matter, but Fu Shi feels that now is the time to keep a low profile and should not overemphasize the marriage between the imperial guard general Guo Shao and the Fu family.
If he was summoned to the harem, it would be even more inappropriate. Even if Guo Shao was a relative of the queen, he was still a man. It was not appropriate to ask him to come to the harem to meet her.
But Fu really wanted to see her second sister. After thinking about it, she asked Cao Tai to arrange for her second sister and her husband to be summoned to the Fu family's main residence in Tokyo. The Fu residence was like her mother's home. The queen went there first and then summoned them. This would be in accordance with the rules in all aspects and would not be so conspicuous.
Fu lazily put down the chess manual in her hand and stood up. She didn't even change her clothes. After all, her second sister was not an outsider. She immediately ordered to leave the palace and go to the Fu family mansion in the west of the inner city, not far from the imperial palace.
The queen did not expect that her casual behavior would move Guo Shao so much.
He quickly prepared and asked people to prepare the carriage and ceremonial guards. However, he still couldn't set off immediately. When Fu Ermei learned that she was going to meet her sister, she changed into many clothes and spent at least half an hour in front of the dressing table to dress up.
Guo Shao urged her, "It's just to meet your elder sister, why do we have to be so formal when we are family?"
Fu Ermei said: "It's not formal, I want to dress up beautifully. My sister is the queen, the most noble woman in the world, I can't go there with a dirty face, I must let her see that I am living a good life."
Guo Shao didn't understand for a moment, and vaguely felt that she was comparing, so he couldn't help asking: You sisters look so much like twins, don't you have a very close relationship
Fu Ermei said: My eldest sister and I are the best, and I miss her more than I miss my father and aunt.
Guo Shao touched his forehead, looking confused.
Seeing this, Fu Ermei laughed and said: You don't understand. Humph. She stood up again, turned around in front of Guo Shao, and said: How about me wearing this
Guo Shao took a look. The top was a bright red cross-collared dress, the skirt was light pink, and the scarf was purple. They were all made of very fine and pure materials. He thought to himself: With her looks, it doesn't matter what she wears. She looks better without any clothes.
But he had learned from his experience with Chen Madam Yang and other women, and of course he would not say such things in a self-righteous and humorous way. Sometimes women need appreciation rather than humor. Guo Shao was a very good learner, so he quickly understood these things.
He looked at Fu Ermei's body and clothes seriously and with a bit of fascination, and said: This one is good. Ermei has great taste and chose it just right.
Fu Ermei was delighted and asked with great interest: "How do you achieve the perfect balance?"
Guo Shao said calmly without any pressure: "We are newlyweds, so we should wear bright red and purple to be more joyful and more appropriate, but now it is not a wedding, so it is not appropriate to wear a dress; it just happens that this red and purple skirt is bright red, but it is also a casual dress, the style and color are just right, the upper body is bright red and the lower skirt is light red, which has a sense of layering, and the purple ribbon and embroidery decoration avoid the monotony of red. Well, the second sister's white and smooth skin is originally very fresh and clean, and wearing red adds a few points of gorgeousness, which is beautiful but not out of the ordinary. I think it would be better to choose a bigger headdress.
Fu Ermei was so happy that her face was full of smiles, and she was dressed in gorgeous clothes. She grabbed his arm and said with a smile: "I thought you were a little dull, and at first I thought you were silly. Later I found out that you have an amazing mouth. It's fine if you don't say anything, but once you say something, you can make people very happy just by talking. Oh, it would be great if I could be with you every day."
Guo Shaodao: Get ready quickly. Although the Queen is your sister, she is still a Queen of higher status. Don't just neglect yourself.
Fu Ermei let him go, sat in front of the dressing table, and took out a large phoenix hairpin inlaid with pearls and rubies from a pile of colorful jewelry in a wooden box and inserted it into her hair. Then she looked in the bronze mirror and used a rouge pen to make her lips look darker.
She was ready, and suddenly asked: My sister told me that you have known her for a long time
Guo Shao couldn't understand why she asked this question out of nowhere. This girl was always very smart, and sometimes she could catch people off guard. He had to answer honestly: I saw her a few years ago.
Fu Ermei looked at him with a smile: You didn't fall in love with my sister first, and then found out that I look like her, so you fell in love with me.
Guo Shao was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: The second sister and the queen only look similar, but they are completely different people.
Fu Ermei was not satisfied and asked: "If my sister was not the queen, and I asked you to choose one of us sisters, who would you choose?"
Guo Shaodao: I can’t choose, they are completely different people. The Queen is your elder sister, and in my heart, there is no difference between her and my elder sister; she takes care of me, and although my second sister is a little older than me, she is actually my younger sister and my true wife.
Fu Ermei refused and said: Those are useless, choose one quickly.
Guo Shao looked around and said, "I thought of another question. If my mother and my wife fell into the water together, who should I save first?"
Fu Ermei said: What's so difficult about this? If your mother were still alive, you would definitely save her first, otherwise the world would curse us to death.
Let's go when we are ready, Guo Shao urged.
Fu Ermei was not a substitute for the queen at all, because the two of them were completely different people except for their appearance; but Fu Ermei was not wrong, Guo Shao did know Fu first and then fell in love with Fu Ermei.
In the past, by chance, the first person he came into contact with was Fu, not Fu Ermei. This was a fact and could not be changed. But Guo Shao would not admit it, because the truth always hurts people. Just treat Fu Ermei well, there is no need to dig up all the old accounts for her.
I feel pity, love, and infatuation for her. When I see her, I feel that the world is full of sunshine and flowers. I can't stop my love for her. These are all my heartfelt feelings for Fu Ermei.
But there is only one person he relies on, and that is Empress Fu; no matter what she looks like, how many times she has been married, what experiences she has, or who her woman is, it cannot stop Guo Shao from relying on her psychologically and comforting her. Even he himself can't do anything about it. Fu Jinzhan is like Nuwa, as if she created the current Guo Shao.