The Gilded Cage

As the stages of Xiaoxiang, Daxiang, and Tan Ji passed a little bit, the grief gradually eased, and the mourning clothes of everyone changed from heavy to light, from thick to thin, and finally ushered in the final burial.

Under the leadership of Xinjun, clan family members and Baiguan helped the emperor's coffin to the built emperor's mausoleum on the outskirts. After the last crying sacrifice and three prayers, the funeral of the Daxing emperor was ended.

On the second day, everyone took off their solemn mourning clothes, put on ordinary clothes, and gradually resumed their former lives. The pilgrimage that had been stagnated for two months finally resumed.

At the same time, the birthday of Empress Dowager Qi was also put on the agenda at the end of October.

In the Wanchun Palace, Cuihe will carefully insert a hosta into Chu Ning's hair, while saying: "Somehow this year, the Queen Mother will remember to have a birthday banquet."

Chu Ning was standing in front of the bronze mirror carefully sorting out the clothes he had put on. Hearing that he looked sideways at the folds on his shoulders that were smoothed, and said: "Who knows? Maybe it's because this year is exactly the 65th birthday. Let’s do a good job according to the custom."

Having said that, Cuihe said, "The slave and maid always feel that it is not that simple."

Chu Ning thought so too.

Although the Empress Dowager Qi used the Qi clan behind to gain power, she was more like an old lady who lived in simplicity, eating fast and reciting the Buddha every day, living a frugal life, and rarely organizing birthday banquets. The emperor who passed away not long ago should be taken into consideration.

Obviously there are other intentions to hold a birthday banquet at this time.

"Fine, let's go and see today, maybe we can guess something."

She and Xiao Yu lived in the Wanchun Hall for more than a month. Now the funeral has passed, and Xiao Yu's body has recovered. It's time to return to the East Palace.

She originally planned to go to the Baifudian in person today to greet the Queen Mother Qi, whether she is an elder, and she has to respect it. Unexpectedly, early in the morning, Baifudian also happened to come, saying that the Queen Mother Qi asked her to go there after lunch.

Donggong and Baifudian have always been very clear, and she, the princess, can't get into the eyes of the Empress Dowager Qi, so letting her go at this time obviously has no ulterior motives.

After finishing his appearance, Chu Ning waited in the hall for a while, until a servant from the government office brought Xiao Yu to be busy with official duties and couldn't find any news about returning to the palace, and then he got up and went to Baifu Hall alone.

This is also expected.

Xiao Yu and the Empress Dowager Qi had a stiff relationship. If it was not necessary, she would hardly go to the Baifudian. She used to be the princess alone to send her greetings several times a month. Moreover, something has indeed happened in the past few days.

First, on the first day of the reopening of the Dachaohui, someone in Yushitai impeached Liang Biao, the governor of Cangzhou, in court for embezzling disaster relief money and conniving his family members to bully men and women three years ago.

This impeachment was clearly prepared. Not only did the charges clearly state, but the specific time, number and other details were also listed in the book. After Xiao Kezhi watched it, he immediately ordered the Ministry of Penalty and Dali Temple to conduct a joint trial.

Many people in the dynasty knew that Liang Biao used to be a supporter of the prince Xiao Yu, and now he became the first person to kill the prince after the new emperor ascended the throne.

Xiao Yu's thoughts were extremely heavy.

He had prepared in advance and asked Xu Rong to deal with all the traces of pickling in the past, but he was still grasped by Xiao Kezhi. This time it was just Liang Biao who was far away in Cangzhou. Who knows how many others are in the hands of the other party. What about human evidence?

However, the matter was not settled yet, Xiao Kezhi immediately made another decree, handing over to Xiao Yu the reopening of the fourteen-li-long ancient river in Huazhou, which caused shock to the government and the public.

The matter of dredging the Huazhou river was raised last year by Zheng Hua's Interpretation and Observation Envoy, but it was put on hold because the Emperor Xian suddenly became ill. If this happens, it will be able to break the old river and divide the water potential, so that there will be no floods in Huazhou, and the irrigation of hundreds of hectares of fertile fields will be restored. It is an errand that can benefit the people and win praise.

While the new emperor suppressed the prince's supporters, while entrusting such an errand to him, it was really hard to figure out what it meant.

In the past few days, while Xiao Yu secretly suspected Xiao Kezhi's true intentions, on the other hand, he had to go to the Ministry of Engineering to ask for advice and discuss with several officials in charge, and waited to leave for Huazhou in January.

Outside the Baifu Hall, the waiting maid saw Chu Ning coming, and after giving her a slight salute, she turned around and reported it to the hall.

Chu Ning waited quietly outside the hall, only to feel that the maidservant had taken a long time to report.

She had long been used to being coldly treated in the Baifu Hall, and she was not annoyed. She only waited patiently. After a long time, the maid led her in with a smile.

As soon as I entered the inner room, before I saw anyone, I heard a young and gentle female voice say something, followed by the hearty laughter of the Queen Mother Qi.

The Empress Dowager Qi has always been unsmiling, and it is rare to see someone who can lead her to such an open mind in the Palace of Hundred Fuk.

Chu Ning thought for a moment and knew who the other party was.

Sure enough, as soon as I entered the inner room, I saw a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl sitting next to the Queen Mother Qi, with a quiet face, a dignified appearance, a calm and introverted temperament, but not boring. Ling Qi Mu's young daughter, the Queen Mother Qi's niece, Qi Chenxiang, the sixth mother of the Qi family.

The Empress Dowager Qi has no children under her knees, so several of Zimu's sons and daughters are extremely close, especially Liu Niang Qi Chenxiang. Since she was a child, her gentle and considerate, generous and calm temperament has made her outstanding among the ladies of Chang'an, and she is deeply loved by the queen mother.

Chu Ning only glanced at it, then bowed and bowed according to the rules, saluting upright.

However, the two aunts and nephews who were sitting in the same place didn't seem to notice her appearance, they still talked and laughed, and didn't mean to stop and let her get up.

Chu Ning still waited patiently, but he wondered whether Qi Chenxiang's appearance at this time was a coincidence or the Queen Mother deliberately arranged.

I don’t know how long it took until the maidservant who had just gone and returned, saying, "The saint is here," Qi Chenxiang, who was sitting next to the Empress Dowager Qi, opened her eyes in amazement as if she had suddenly noticed her existence. "Auntie, the princess has arrived. It seems that she should have been kneeling for a long time."

The Empress Dowager Qi followed and waved at her faintly: "I'm old, deaf and blind, but I didn't hear your request for peace. Get up, it's cold on the ground."

There were steady footsteps from outside the screen behind him, and Chu Ning slowly got up, just as the footsteps bypassed the screen and entered the inner room, as if he could not hold back the soreness of his knees, his legs softened and fell to the side.

The maids were startled, and were about to step forward to help, when she felt that her left shoulder was firmly held by a very familiar, with a scorching and strong broad palm that could not be ignored.

"Be careful." A cold and rough voice came from the ears, and immediately after that, the palm of his hand was quickly retracted, and there seemed to be nothing wrong.

Chu Ning hurriedly turned around, raised her eyes to meet those sharp eyes, her tone was weak and nervous: "Your Majesty, forgive me, my nephew and daughter-in-law have just knelt for a while, and her knees are a little sore, so she didn't stand firm and smashed into her Majesty. "

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qi didn't change her face, but Qi Chenxiang's expression on the side was a little stiff.

Xiao Kezhi looked at Chu Ning expressionlessly, and when his deep gaze slipped from her bright eyes to her red lips, the Adam's apple moved faintly.

She seems to have applied her mouth fat carefully today, which not only makes the whole face more beautiful and dazzling than when she did not apply the powder, but also makes the already full red lips more plump and attractive.

He slowly looked away, and said solemnly: "It's okay, get up and sit down."

When the two of them were seated, Qi Chenxiang Shi Shiran walked in front of him and bowed generously.

Xiao Kezhi faintly responded and asked her to get up, and the Queen Mother Qi smiled and pulled her to her side, sitting right between herself and Xiao Kezhi.

"Rokuro, how about looking at my niece?"

The Queen Mother Qi called "Liu Lang" naturally and kindly, as if he were really his mother, so that Chu Ning, who was sitting on the other side, had to admire.

She looked at Qi Chenxiang on the opposite side, and finally understood why the Queen Mother had specially asked her to come this time, obviously to let Donggong know that the Qi family intends to marry her daughter to Xinjun.

I probably saw Xiao Kezhi’s city mansion recently, and maybe I heard that Xiao Yu took the job of dredging the river, and the Queen Mother Qi made this decision.

After all, the Qi family is just a relative. When encountering such an unexpected new monarch, the best way to stand up is to take a step back and stabilize the position of the Qi family. If you can rely on marriage to stabilize the status of your relatives, naturally it would be better.

If the relationship between the emperor and the Qi family is strong, it will definitely make the East Palace nervous.

It's just that I don't know how Xiao Kezhi will react.

Chu Ning's gaze fell on him calmly.

He glanced at Qi Chenxiang blankly as if he hadn't noticed the meaning of the queen mother, and said coldly: "The queen mother's niece and niece are naturally ladies."

This word fell in Chu Ning's ears, it was considered praise, but it was quite unpleasant to hear it in Qi Chenxiang's ears.

She is the youngest girl in Qi's family. She has always been the one in the middle. There are countless compliments and compliments she has heard since she was a child. It is really rare to meet Xiao Kezhi as indifferent.

While she was proud of being challenged, she was also faintly dissatisfied.

This new monarch is indeed as extraordinary as others have said, with an overwhelming aura, but he is also a little colder.

Fortunately, her years of education allowed her to maintain a dignified and generous smile, without showing the slightest strangeness.

The Queen Mother Qi on one side didn't seem to mind his attitude, she took her niece to sit down again, and continued with a smile: "This child is very filial, and she just told me that she will give me a dance at the birthday banquet at the end of the month. It."

Qi Chenxiang hurriedly lowered her head shamelessly, and said, "I just hope that the queen mother will not be too disgusted with my tricks, it's hard to get into the lobby."

"Why? I heard your mother say that you practice hard and dance no worse than others." Empress Dowager Qi patted her hand and looked at Xiao Kezhi with expectation, "Liu Lang, you will also take a look at that time. , Give a comment on how well she jumped."

Xiao Kezhi neither agreed nor refused. On the contrary, he seemed to have simply ignored the words of the previous talent, and said, "The queen mother called me, why?"

Queen Mother Qi finally showed a trace of unpleasantness on her face.

She smiled slightly, pointing at Chu Ning and said: "The prince has always been in poor health, so I called her to ask. I heard that you sent him to Huazhou to repair the canal. Wouldn't it let him? Can't take care of it?"

Xiao Kezhi smiled coldly, his eyes full of insight and provocation as he looked at the Queen Mother. He turned to look at Chu Ning and asked, "How about the prince's body?"

Chu Ning blinked and replied softly, "His body is already very good."

"That's fine." Xiao Kezhi raised his eyebrows at the Queen Mother Qi, "I have my own arrangements for the affairs of the court, so I won't bother with the Queen Mother."

After speaking, she stood up and left without waiting for her to respond.

The Queen Mother Qi hadn't been refuted in person like this for many years, and she was surprised and angry for a while.

She put away her smile and returned to her usual dignity, and no longer talked to Chu Ning. She only allowed people to reward a few prepared supplements, and waved at her.

Chu Ning would not stay here, and after saluting respectfully, he left the Baifu Hall and headed towards the Shenlong Gate.

However, when he reached the vicinity of Lingyan Pavilion, he saw a figure who was eagerly eagerly standing under the steps of the original place, it was Liu Kang.

As soon as Liu Kang saw her, he walked closer and smiled: "His Royal Highness, it's still early, do you want to return to Wanchun Hall?"