The festive atmosphere in the Tokyo Dazhou Palace was rather weak, as a large number of soldiers were still fighting outside the country, and the court did not celebrate the festival in a big way. However, it was the New Year after all, so some red lanterns were added everywhere. The snow fell even harder here, and snow could be seen everywhere on the roofs, treetops and ground; there were relatively few flowers, plants and trees in the Tokyo Palace, and now they were all withered. The buildings were magnificent and simple, and the snow made the whiteness everywhere extremely monotonous. The red lanterns hanging on the treetops under the eaves added bright colors.
In the Wansui Palace, Fu Jinzhan had just received a letter from Guo Shao. She had learned about the assassin sent by the Southern Tang Kingdom a while ago, and she was still angry, but she had suppressed it and did not show it.
The handwriting on the letter was Guo Shao's own, in formal small characters. Fu Jinzhan read it carefully, and it was all military and political reports, without any other words. She turned her head to look at the envelope placed aside, which was clearly written to Fu Ermei. Fu Jinzhan picked it up, took a look, and put it down again.
The Great Zhou army in Jiangnan was making very good progress, with several unexpected victories, which made the chaotic war situation clear earlier, and the conquest of Southern Tang was a foregone conclusion. Guo Shao estimated in the letter that the war in Jiangnan might be completely ended next spring.
After she finished reading the letter, she was a little distracted, still thinking. At this time, Fu Jinzhan had already smelled the scent from the victory report in Jiangnan. Guo Shao had the elite imperial guards, two naval divisions and the Jiannan Army under his command. In addition to the garrison troops mobilized from various places, the total force might reach 200,000. Even the imperial guards stationed in Tokyo were in the hands of his brother Yang Biao. Fu Jinzhan guessed that when Guo Shao returned to the court after the great victory, the army was still under his command. At that time, it should be a good opportunity for Guo Shao.
After a long while, she reached out and took off her mink cape. It was warmer in the palace than outside, and she was already wearing thick clothes. The mink collar was furry, and after removing it, Fu Jinzhan was left with only a satin coat and skirt, which looked more delicate than if she were wearing mink.
At this moment, a voice said: Your Majesty, the Emperor is here to pay his respects to you.
The eunuch Cao Tai, who was standing on the side, first glanced at the person who was talking at the palace gate, then turned his head to pay attention to Fu Jinzhan. Fu Jinzhan raised her head and nodded slightly. Cao Tai said: The Queen Mother invites His Majesty to come in.
Soon, a group of people walked into the palace. A child was being led by a woman. The child was the young emperor Chai Zongxun. The person leading him was his wet nurse. The one next to him was the stepmother that Concubine Du Fu Jinzhan had asked the young emperor to recognize. There were also some palace maids and eunuchs.
Cao Tai stepped down from the throne and knelt on the ground to greet the little emperor, but Fu Jinzhan sat there without moving.
Chai Zongxun knelt in the hall and saluted in a formal manner, saying: "Your son asks how your mother is doing." He was well taught etiquette, but he was still breastfeeding at the age of five because Fu Jinzhan didn't pay much attention to him. Other people in the palace spoiled the emperor and no one deliberately weaned him.
Fu Jinzhan smiled and said: Xun'er, get up quickly.
Mother, Queen Chai Zongxun got up and ran over happily. The woman behind her hurriedly stood up and said carefully: "Your Majesty, please slow down."
He walked up to Fu Jinzhan and said, “Someone is making a snowman in the back and I want to play too, but my nanny won’t let me go.”
The weather is too cold, the nurse is doing this for your own good, Fu Jinzhan said casually.
Chai Zongxun said in a childish voice: I will listen to your mother.
Fu Jinzhan smiled after hearing this. She didn't like talking to children or teasing them, she always thought it was boring; but she was still happy to hear what Chai Zongxun said. She looked at the child again and found that he was actually good-looking. He was wearing a small yellow brocade robe, the style that adults would wear, but on him, he looked naughty and cute.
However, this child will be willing to listen to himself when he grows up. Of course, if the little emperor really grows up in the palace, it will not be easy for him to regain the imperial power. It will be even more difficult to stabilize the situation in the country. It is almost impossible in this world, and the situation will not give him that much time.
Fu Jinzhan rarely reached out and pinched Chai Zongxun's face, feeling quite sympathetic, and thought: I don't know if you are lucky to be born into a royal family with luxurious clothes and delicious food, or if you are unlucky to be born into a royal family in troubled times of war.
In any case, this child can't blame Fu Jinzhan and others. Because even if Guo Shao didn't exist, there would be others, and anyone in that position would follow the same path. A five-year-old child has no chance of defending the country.
Fu Jinzhan talked to Chai Zongxun for a while, then signaled Concubine Du and the wet nurse to take him away.
She took another look at the unopened letter next to her, picked it up, stood up and returned to the bedroom at the back to meet Fu Ermei.
Fu Ermei's belly is now very obvious. When she saw Jinzhan bringing Guo Shao's letter, she looked surprised and opened it to read.
Jinzhan glanced at her sister's bulging belly. It would be a good thing if her second sister could give birth to a son.
Fu Ermei put down the letter and said with a smile: I remember that my eldest sister said she didn't like children. Why are you saying that they are good now
Jinzhan did not comment, and then said: Second sister likes children
Fu Ermei rolled her eyes and thought for a moment before answering: I like my own children, not other people's children. I can feel him kicking me in the stomach and it's very annoying. I can't bend down now. If I drop something on the ground and there's no one around, it's very troublesome. I also feel nauseous and want to vomit. It's so cold, and I often have to get up at night, which is very troublesome.
It's so hard, but you're still happy? Jinzhan looked at her in confusion.
Fu Ermei said: "In the past few months, the more difficult it has been, the more I feel it is serious. I can't explain it. If my eldest sister were pregnant, she would know what is going on."
Jinzhan glanced at the maidservant standing by from the corner of her eye, and said with a smile as if nothing had happened: "I have already called myself Aijia, how can I still be pregnant? How can you, my second sister, speak nonsense?"
Fu Ermei was not a stupid person. After hearing this, she immediately changed her words and said: I was wrong.
The two of them seemed to have discussed it beforehand, and they were speechless for a while. Fu Jinzhan thought that although the second sister spoke generously, she must also care about that matter, but she had no choice because of the sisterly love for many years. Jinzhan thought that this was also her own fault. In order to promote Guo Shao as soon as possible and establish a stable marriage relationship, she actually promised Fu's second sister to him; after promising the second sister, she was unable to restrain herself from maintaining an alliance relationship with Guo Shao. As a result, things have become a mess today.
However, as long as Fu Ermei gave birth to a son, he would be the eldest son. Jinzhan felt that this matter was very important to everyone in the Fu family. Even if the two sisters did not care about their feelings, they should trust and rely on each other rationally.