These houses in the West Palace have just been renovated and Fu Jinzhan has been in power here not long ago.
The palaces and halls were old, but the furnishings inside were still new. The air was filled with the smell of new paint and the faint fragrance of wood, and it would take a while for the new furnishings to dissipate.
But before the novelty wore off, Fu Jinzhan was considering leaving.
The breeze made the brand new curtains sway gently, and Fu Jinzhan's figure wandered among them. The ladies standing by could occasionally see her bright eyes and white teeth through the curtains.
There are all kinds of people in the world. Fu Jinzhan looked at Cao Tai from behind the curtain and began to speak. Her voice was gentle and pleasant, but her tone was solemn and majestic.
Cao Tai bent his waist even lower, in a posture of listening attentively.
Fu Jinzhan's voice continued: "The nobles, the powerful, the military leaders and the high-ranking officials, but no matter how many mediocre people there are, they are useless. The world can only be ruled by the one and only true emperor."
After hearing this, everyone was in awe and dared not say a word.
Fu Jinzhan seemed to see Guo Shao's bright eyes full of expectation and ambition, and his voice rang in his ears. Ascending the throne was just a step up, the world was still big, and the Great Zhou was just one of the countries. The four seas were not subdued and even threatened the Central Plains. But one day, the Great Zhou Dynasty would stand at the pinnacle, conquer all directions, and establish the foundation of the empire.
She no longer hesitated and said immediately: Inform all officials on duty in the Council of State and the West Palace that from tomorrow onwards, the West Palace will be abolished and memorials will no longer be sent here.
Madam Cao Tai could not help but say, "I beg your permission. How about telling the emperor what you mean first?"
Fu Jinzhan said: "No need. Go back to Zide Hall and find someone to clean up this place."
Cao Tai had no choice but to bow and say: I will follow your order.
After the imperial sedan chair of the same standard as the emperor's was ready, Fu Jinzhan left the West Hall. She sat dignifiedly on the spacious sedan chair and walked northward into Xuanyou Gate. She couldn't help but turn her head slightly and glance at the majestic hall on the high platform.
Regardless of gender, although not everyone is greedy for power, anyone with a heart and lungs needs stability; it is obvious that the most peaceful thing is to control your destiny yourself or in the hands of someone you completely trust.
Ethics and moral teachings require women to observe the three obediences and four virtues, to obey their husbands and their sons, and not to make their own decisions. Almost no one in the world would challenge this common practice, but this is only on the surface; in reality, it does not conform to people's hearts.
Those who promote this ritual may not know how to put themselves in others' shoes. When their fate is completely controlled by others, and they are always on tenterhooks waiting for the verdict, I am afraid only they themselves know how it feels. If one's fate depends on the thoughts and likes of others, how can one live in peace even if the ritual is repeated a thousand times
Fu Jinzhan was sure that among the tens of thousands of women in this huge palace, there was not a single one who did not want to have power and be able to control their own destiny.
Fu Jinzhan had been through many hardships in her life and had been married twice before, so she could understand the feeling even more. Not to mention the experience of having to look at Guo Wei's face when the Li family was captured, being the queen in Tokyo depended on the favor of the late emperor; even at home, when the elders wanted her to become a nun, wasn't her fate decided by others
However, now Fu Jinzhan has voluntarily given up greater power and control.
At this moment, there was a slight rustling sound beside the brick-paved road. Fu Jinzhan glanced to the side and saw a piece of fine white plum blossoms falling down, and two more stuck to the delicate curtain. The petals on the tree were incomplete, and there were not many white flowers left.
The growth and withering of plants is like the way of nature, and no one can change it.
Fu Jinzhan was not a woman who loved to feel sad about the passing of time, but she felt a little sad at this moment. It seemed that many women in their thirties were more likely to lament the passing of time. She was twenty-nine years old this year, which was not considered young in a world where people could get married and have children at the age of twelve or thirteen.
She subconsciously raised her hand to her face and pursed her lips.
She thought of Guo Shao. They were strangers a few years ago. For a woman like Fu Jinzhan who had seen the joys and sorrows of life, no matter how much they loved each other, after all, love was in vain, and beauty faded and the old and the new replaced each other. It was a common thing in the world, and it was reasonable to have a limit. But now she felt that Guo Shao was closer and more trustworthy than her relatives.
What’s even more amazing is that this kind of closeness and trust is not the result of a temporary emotion.
Guo Shao gave her a lot of experience, and she also gave him all her sincerity over the years to help him grow. Guo Shao is her hope.
Fu Jinzhan was willing to hand over her own destiny to him and let him control everything; not only was she giving, but she could also rely on someone to truly support her. The assumption would be in vain, and Fu Jinzhan also felt that there was no need for her to care about her fate.
In the east hall of Jinxiang Palace, Guo Shao placed the brush in his hand on the inkstone and rubbed his wrist in a relaxed manner. At this time, an eunuch turned his head to look at Wang Zhong, bowed and said: Your Majesty, I was sent by Eunuch Cao.
Guo Shao waved his hand.
Wang Zhong silently moved away from the door, and the eunuch who was speaking walked up to Guo Shao's chair and whispered a few words in his ear.
Guo Shao frowned and said after a moment of silence: Wang Zhong, I want to go to Zide Hall.
"I obey your order." Wang Zhong bowed.
Guo Shao had never thought that Fu Jinzhan would voluntarily resign, but when it happened, he didn't feel too surprised.
The carriage arrived at Zide Hall, and Guo Shao walked up with big strides. His followers' legs were not as long as his, and their physical strength did not seem to be very good either. They walked faster, and he could even hear someone panting.
Guo Shao went straight to Fu Jinzhan's bedroom and heard a voice singing: The emperor has arrived.
When he walked into the hall, he saw Fu Jinzhan standing up surrounded by several female officials wearing futou. Guo Shao did not need to cover up and said directly: "Sister-in-law, why are you in such a hurry to do that? Although there are people who oppose your ruling, I have almost dealt with them. You don't have to worry."
Fu Jinzhan's expression was very calm, and he said: Your Majesty, please take a seat.
Guo Shao clasped his fists in greeting, then walked over and sat down on a chair. The female officials around him knelt down to salute and left one after another.
The two of them were sitting across a coffee table. Guo Shaoben came here to discuss serious matters, but unexpectedly, he saw Fu Jinzhan covering her mouth and chuckling. For a moment, the atmosphere became relaxed, as if they were just talking about some trivial matter in life.
Why are you laughing? Guo Shao asked.
Fu Jinzhan put her hand covering her mouth to her lips and whispered: I see you are eager to please me, but you have to be serious. I suddenly want to laugh. Actually, you have taken everything from me. Why are you so nervous about something that is already in your hands
When she said the second half of the sentence, Fu Jinzhan's face was a little shy, an expression she never showed in front of others. Her tone was also very tactful, with a hint of teasing; Guo Shao immediately remembered the fact that he had had physical contact with her.
His mood was also affected by her for a moment, but he really did not expect that this undercurrent matter would be discussed in such an atmosphere in front of Fu Jinzhan.
Guo Shaodao: It's not to please Jinzhan
I know. Fu Jinzhan said softly, it doesn't matter, as long as I take the initiative to take a step back, the court can save a lot of worries.
Guo Shaodao: Although Fan Zhi and other officials are not very satisfied, I can get more ministers to support Jinzhan. They will eventually compromise and choose the wisest attitude. It is not so easy to force me to submit.
Fu Jinzhan shook her head and said, "Really, it's not necessary. Your Majesty is not planning major events recently. Sometimes, Your Majesty also takes the initiative to compromise, which can better gather people's hearts. Although Your Majesty is the one who has the final say and you have prestige, you also need them not to...
She stopped smiling and became more serious: I'm not trying to show that I'm tolerant and virtuous, I just really don't need that kind of thing.
Guo Shao pondered for a long time.
Fu Jinzhan added: “As long as I have Shao Ge’er, power will be of little use to me.”
Alas, Guo Shao sighed.
Fu Jinzhan glanced at him and said kindly: But I am not so indifferent. I still want to see Shao Ge'er be a good emperor. What is yours is mine, no matter in terms of power, prestige or reputation.
Guo Shao was somewhat moved and said: I used to think that I had no relatives in this world, but Jinzhan is my relative.
Fu Jinzhan smiled but said nothing.
Guo Shao said with some annoyance: If we had not been defeated at the beginning of the year, it would not have come to this. I could have given Jinzhan a status, and then you could share everything legitimately.
Fu Jinzhan whispered: That's great, this way I can always serve Shao Ge'er. Otherwise, when I get old, you will think I'm not pretty, right
How could it be? Guo Shao looked at Fu Jinzhan. Their chairs were placed side by side on both sides of the coffee table. To see each other, they had to turn their heads and could only see the side. His eyes were attracted by the side lines of Fu Jinzhan's body. A beautiful woman is not only beautiful from the front. From the side, you can feel her dignified and elegant posture, and the side profile of her chest has a different charm; if you look at it from the front, you can't really feel the height and shape of the outline.
The coffee table is very low, and Jinzhan's dress is very soft, with very good lines on her waist and legs. The most gentle and charming thing is the wrinkles on the material on her hips when she sits.
Fu Jinzhan glanced at him and said with feigned anger: Don't look at me if it's not appropriate.
Guo Shao no longer bothered about those trivial matters. He felt that all his efforts were rewarded and the world was full of spring breeze and beauty. His eyes lingered on Fu Jinzhan's face. Her beauty could not be described by the specific color or shape of her skin. Anyway, her bright eyes, jade-like face and gentle lips with just the right color were harmoniously matched, and Guo Shao was very attracted by her appearance.
His mood was not only like a spring breeze, as Fu Jinzhan said, it was not indifferent and pure, but in the midst of comfort, desires were surging in his heart, disturbing him and making him feel unbearable. He wanted Jinzhan, not just to be satisfied after being molested.
Guo Shao opened his mouth, wanting to speak of his ambitions. But then he remembered that he had said so before the Northern Expedition, but had experienced failure. He didn't want to say it for a moment, but his ambitions did not fade; failure did not make him endure humiliation, but only made him endure it longer.