The Queen Mother had issued an order: "Let's do as the inspector Guo said." Some ministers may have thought that she had some farsightedness, so they praised the Queen Mother in front of the people of Southern Tang: "The Queen Mother is wise."
This made Fu Ermei very happy. She didn't know why she was so wise. The envoys of the Southern Tang Kingdom had no choice but to wait for the official imperial edict of the Zhou Dynasty.
Everyone thanked her and left. Fu Ermei didn't know what to say and sat there without saying a word. Guo Shao didn't leave with the others. He hesitated for a while, and when everyone left, he clasped his fists and said, "Queen Mother, please take my wife home."
Fu Ermei was stunned. She was the empress dowager now. She couldn't go home with him in a brocade robe and sash in front of everyone. So she thought about how to perfunctorily answer him with a few words, and then go back with her elder sister to change clothes first.
After a moment she said seriously: You wait.
Guo Shao outside bowed and said: I obey your order.
Fu Ermei almost laughed out loud after hearing this. Guo Shao was always very nice to her, but only now could she enjoy his respectful attitude.
Fu Jinzhan had a veil on her face to prevent the eunuchs from seeing through her. The palace maids nearby did not dare to stare at the Queen Mother, but they might not feel any pressure looking at Fu Ermei, so she covered it up. The two sisters' eyes looked the most alike, but their cheeks and lips were a little different; Fu Jinzhan covered the lower half of her face, so it was hard to tell in the mirror.
Without saying a word, she followed Fu Ermei out of the side hall and went straight to the back hall.
At this time, Fu Ermei waved her hand in a formal manner, and the palace servants hurriedly knelt and quietly left the palace. As soon as they left, Fu Ermei laughed so hard that she bent over, holding her chest and said: "Oh, I almost couldn't breathe just now. They really didn't see it."
Fu Jinzhan smiled and said: "The ministers certainly don't know, and even your husband probably didn't notice it. The curtains blocked their view and they couldn't see clearly, and you didn't say much. The eunuch Cao Tai might have noticed something was wrong, but it's nothing serious."
That's good, I was also worried about messing up my eldest sister's business. Fu Ermei smiled and said, if dad knew about this, he would scold us and beat us. My eldest sister still loves me the most.
Fu Ermei said again: Let’s change our clothes quickly.
Fu Jinzhan is usually very well-behaved and cautious, but today, after being teased by her second sister, she became bolder. For some reason, she said calmly: When you are riding in a sedan chair, everyone on the road will kneel on both sides of you. Don't you want to try that feeling of being the only one in charge
As expected, Fu Ermei was immediately attracted. She wanted to try all the new things. Ermei pondered and said, "But my husband is waiting for me."
I will send an eunuch to pick you up tomorrow. Fu Jinzhan felt that she was going deeper and deeper. She glanced at her second sister and said, "As long as Guo Shao is in Tokyo, you can see him all day long. What's the big deal about staying one more night?"
Then I'll listen to my eldest sister. The second sister's curved eyes immediately revealed a relaxed smile.
So Fu Jinzhan called out for her: Come on, let's go back to Wansui Palace.
In the palace, ordinary people could not ride in sedan chairs. Only the empress dowager, the emperor and other royal members could ride in sedan chairs. Even the empress dowager's sister could not enjoy such honor and could only walk or ride in a carriage.
So Fu Jinzhan had to ride in the chariot at the back, which was also a special honor. All the way to the Wansui Palace, Fu Ermei issued an order: Let Guo Shao go back first today.
"As you wish." Cao Tai responded respectfully, but glanced at Fu Jinzhan.
Fu Jinzhan saw it and immediately realized that he had figured it out, so she shook her head slightly. Cao Tai left the Wansui Hall without making a sound.
The two sisters had dinner in the dining room of the Wansui Palace again, dismissing the attendants and chatting while eating. After finishing the meal, they deliberately avoided the palace maids who came to clean the table and sat down in another place to drink tea.
At this moment, Cao Tai walked in quickly, bent down in front of Fu Ermei, who was still wearing a brocade robe and sash, and said: "Empress Dowager, something big has happened in the court, please go to Jinxiang Palace as soon as possible."
There was a trace of panic in Fu Ermei's eyes. After a moment, she calmed down and said: You wait outside, I'll be there soon.
Here. Cao Tai took a few steps back, then turned and walked out the door.
Fu Ermei said: He hasn't figured it out yet
Jinzhan said calmly: The attendants cannot stare at us, it will not be easy to discover it once or twice.
I don't know what happened, I can't help my elder sister deal with state affairs. Fu Ermei said, let's change clothes quickly, elder sister, go over.
Fu Jinzhan looked around. Second sister could also see that there was no place to change clothes. Outside was the dining room, where some palace maids were still clearing the tables.
She said: I will go there with Cao Tai, and I will ask him to take you to the bedroom so that no one will find out.
The second sister reminded her: "Sister, go to Jinxiang Palace to meet officials like this, dress like this.
Fu Jinzhan looked down at her outfit, a purple round-necked robe and a futou on her head, and said: It's okay, I sometimes dress like this. The outer court doesn't know what's going on in the harem, and they can't see me, they can only hear my voice.
The second sister pondered and said: Then the eunuch will know that we have been making trouble today.
That's right, I'll order him not to tell anyone. Fu Jinzhan said, go back to the palace and wait for me, I'll go see what the big deal is.
Fu Ermei frowned and nodded.
Fu Jinzhan got up and walked out of the tea room and the palace, where she saw Cao Tai standing at the door with his head bowed. Cao Tai whispered, "Madam Guo, Inspector Guo is waiting for you outside the Jinxiang Palace."
Fu Jinzhan walked down the stairs calmly. After walking for a while, her shoulders trembled slightly. As Guo Shao once said, when a person is not under too much pressure, he will become more and more courageous. If the late emperor were still alive, she would never dare to take such a risk; but now, the consequences are not so serious in comparison, and the threat is too small.
Why do this? Fu Jinzhan had imagined it several times before. Last time, she was changing clothes with her second sister in the Fu family yard in the west of the city. What would happen if she took the opportunity to leave with Guo Shao? Once she had the chance, she couldn't help wanting to realize her imagination. She didn't want to do anything, but she wanted to try out the things in her imagination in reality, but most things couldn't be done.
She thought for a long time, turned around nervously, and said to Cao Tai: "Tell Mu Shang Gong to help the Queen Mother go to bed later, and don't let anyone enter the bedroom before tomorrow morning."
Cao Tai said: Yes.
The two walked for a while, one in front and one behind. Cao Tai asked for permission in a low voice, then called for an imperial carriage. He opened the curtain for Fu Jinzhan to get on the carriage, and then drove out of Xuanyou Gate.
Guo Shao had not received the imperial decree for him to return home today, and he was already getting impatient waiting in the open hall outside the Jinxiang Palace where the ministers were waiting to enter the court. He didn't know why Fu Ermei was still in the palace. Did she have dinner first before going home
At this time, Fu Ermei walked in. Guo Shao immediately felt something was wrong, because she did not happily call him husband, and then talk happily, as Fu Ermei would definitely do when they met again. But the woman in front of him said nothing, her eyes were flustered, but she was still very calm.
Guo Shao immediately observed her face and recognized her after a moment. Of course, he could tell who was his wife, but Fu Jinzhan and his second sister looked too similar, so he couldn't recognize them at first.
Guo Shao looked at her in surprise.
Fu Jinzhan said in a trembling voice: I am your second sister, please take me away
Guo Shao felt that she was a little excited, but knowing Fu Jinzhan, she was very thoughtful; no matter how she got here, she must have made some arrangements. Guo Shao glanced at the door behind her, and the eunuch Cao Tai was standing outside.
He lowered his head, thought for a while, and said: Then let's go home.
Fu Jinzhan put the veil on her head and followed Guo Shao out of the Changdian without saying a word. The two of them left the Jinxiangdian and walked through the Donghua Gate.
Inside Donghua Gate, a team of horsemen had been waiting there. Zhou Tong, Lu Chengyong, Dong Er and others came forward and bowed: "My lord, please meet the lady." Guo Shao waved his hand, opened the back door of the carriage, and helped Fu Jinzhan to get in. He paused, then got on the carriage.
Lu Chengyong ordered the guards to leave, and a team of people went out of Donghua Gate in the dim light.
Guo Shao sat opposite Fu Jinzhan, and the two looked at each other in bewilderment. After a while, Guo Shao asked in a low voice: "Is my second sister doing well in the palace?"
Fu Jinzhan said: It has been arranged in my bedroom.
Guo Shao nodded, touched the back of his head, and felt a little nervous.
Fu Jinzhan looked at his face calmly and said: "Today, when the envoys of the Southern Tang Kingdom were summoned, it was also Fu Ermei who was on the throne. You two are so good, each of you said one word and easily lost 1.2 million strings of cash. You did that for Zhou Xian.
She has her reasons. Guo Shao said honestly, but if Li Jing of Southern Tang is restored to the throne, the 1.2 million strings of cash will still be needed; if the ministers of Southern Tang refuse to obey and insist on making Li Hongji the king, we will have the status to attack Tang; in the future, the Great Zhou should unify the world first, this is the unstoppable trend of history.
Fu Jinzhan seemed to be thinking of something farther away, and suddenly said quietly: I wish I were the second sister.
Guo Shao said in a deep voice: Aren’t you the second sister today
Fu Jinzhan's face was excited for a moment, then she became sad, her expression was very complicated, she said quietly: We are very sorry for our second sister, it's my fault
Guo Shao, however, was not entangled at all, as he had already figured out his relationship with the Fu sisters. His heart was originally on Fu Jinzhan, and he didn't even know the second sister at that time; the reason why he married the second sister later was entirely because of the political marriage arranged by the queen, but after the marriage, he became interested in the second sister, and the feelings gradually established from the marriage, but all this still could not change the original position of Fu Jinzhan in his heart.
Of course he knew that he was sorry for Fu Ermei, but he had also been sorry for Li Xiaoniang in order to marry her. Guo Shao felt that one person could not be worthy of everyone. Fu Jinzhan was the most special in his heart, and it was enough for him not to be sorry for Fu Jinzhan.
Guo Shao is not a person who is entangled. If he thinks that he can give up Fu Jinzhan for his wife, he will cut off the ambiguous relationship with Fu Jinzhan after getting married, and will not delay until now. The reason for delaying until now is that he has been unable to let go of Fu Jinzhan in his heart.