The Gilded Cage

In the sleeping hall, Chu Ning held the decoction that Liu Kang had sent from Feishuang Hall to drink at once.

Cuihe took the empty porcelain bowl and immediately delivered the candied fruit in the food box into her mouth.

The sweet taste spread, gradually suppressing the bitterness. Chu Ning leaned on the couch with his head half supported, and a comfortable reddish glow appeared in the corners of his eyes.

"Dajian Liu was thoughtful." Cuihe put the food box away again, and saw her lazy appearance, and her mood also relaxed.

"It's a person from the Imperial Front. He used to be able to spend so many years in the palace without relying on his back. Naturally, he is a personal spirit." Chu Ning simply folded his arms and leaned on the soft pillow, allowing the soft waist to stretch for a moment. , "I heard that he had some connections with the saint's biological mother Wei Cairen many years ago, and this is how the saint ordered him to be the central imperial supervisor."

It is precisely this kind of person who is thoughtful, considerate, and knows how to score, who can grasp Xiao Kezhi's weird temper.

She closed her eyes slightly, thinking about the things she had just been in Tangchi, and felt that in addition to being more tired, she also made herself comfortable.

Xiao Kezhi's reaction on this matter was completely opposite to his usual cold face. While energetic, he was also very enthusiastic and arrogant. This should be regarded as a good thing-save her greedy and flattering thoughts, as long as he is allowed to play around, you can realize the beauty of it.

Somehow, even though she had to bother to figure out the other's mind, she felt that being with Xiao Kezhi was more comfortable than being with Xiao Yu.

Seeing her slumped on the couch, Cuihe was about to sit down and rub her waist, but someone outside said: "Your Highness, Mrs. Lu is here."

Chu Ning was taken aback, and glanced at the sky. Although she didn't know what was going on with Mrs. Xu, she should be in a hurry when she came here so late.

She asked Cuihe to take a piece of clothing and put it on, wiped her wet hair again, and then walked to the front hall after a little swaying.

"His Royal Highness!" Although Mrs. Xu only waited for a moment, she was a little uneasy. When she saw her come out, she hurriedly greeted her. "Your Highness, forgive me. begging……"

Chu Ning personally poured a cup of tea for her, motioned her to sit down and slowly said, "I know that Madam is not the one who waits for unreasonable troubles, she must come here if there is something important, don't worry, take a sip of tea, and speak slowly. "

Mrs. Xu glanced at Chu Ning's wet hair and crimson cheeks, as well as the robes that he put on hastily. It was obvious that she was just out of the bath, and her face could not help but feel cramped and overwhelmed.

But she was anxious, and she didn't care about being ashamed and embarrassed, so she said the matter again.

It turned out that it was Guoer's child. He was a little uncomfortable in the hot spring palace because he was on the road during the day. After dinner, he suddenly vomited and became feverish.

Lu Guogong wanted to take a sign to ask Feng Yu to take a look at his daughter, but it was already night, except for the emperor, the east palace, the queen mother, etc., ordinary relatives and nobles were no longer allowed to invite people.

Mrs. Xu thought about going, for fear that the saint was still busy with other things, and she didn't dare to labor the saint without authorization, so she came to the princess, and begged the princess to come forward and invite the prince.

This was a matter of reason. Chu Ning immediately took the token of the prince princess and asked him to ask Feng Yu.

"I'm out of season, I'm bothering your Highness to take a bath." Madam Xu's heart was only halfway down, and she looked at her with a blushing face, and she muttered, "Your Highness is truly a gift from God. Beautiful, so good-looking without modification..."

Chu Ning pursed her lips and smiled. He didn't hear the second half of the sentence, and only said: "Madam came at the right time, not too soon."

If you come early, you will encounter the time when Xiao Kezhi is there, if you come late and delay Guo'er's condition, it is indeed the best time at this time.

Mrs. Xu didn't understand the deep meaning of her words, and only echoed hurriedly. When Feng Yu came, she thanked her again and hurried back.

...

Since Qi Mu left Feishhuang Palace, the anger that has been suppressing has never subsided.

On the one hand, he wanted to find an opportunity to warn Xiao Kezhi so that he could understand the influence of the Qi family in the court, but on the other hand he could not help but think of Xiao Kezhi’s cold eyes and the gray wolf he had witnessed before. A picture of a person's neck being bitten off in public.

After thinking about going, he finally went to Yichun Tang to meet the Queen Mother Qi after the meeting on the second day.

In the Buddhist hall, the Empress Dowager Qi only finished reciting today's scriptures, and Qi Chenxiang was holding her back to the sleeping hall. Seeing him coming, she lifted her eyelids and said in a deep voice, "Sit down, please don't do it again." Fainted."

She apparently knew that he had entered the Feishuang Palace without permission last night.

Qi Mu's face was a bit ugly, facing the eldest sister's slight accusation, but he dared not refute, he only let his daughter out with a calm face.

Qi Chenxiang had always been respectful, and was about to retreat after saluting, but was stopped by the Queen Mother: "Liu Niang stayed, what your father is going to say must be related to the saint, so listen to it."

Qi Chenxiang stopped and stood beside her again, listening quietly with his eyes down.

Qi Mu moved his eyelids, rejected Xiao Kezhi from the list of officials, and said his words back one by one, and said angrily: "His Royal Highness, the saint has acted like this, as if he didn't bring me together, and even The other humeral ministers of the great cool are watching!"

The Empress Dowager Qi ignored him, but patted Qi Chenxiang next to him: "Go, pour a cup of tea for your father to reduce the anger."

"His Royal Highness!" Qi Mu heard the Queen Mother's disapproval, and was a little impatient for a while, took the tea from his daughter, and put it back on the case without a sip.

"What are you anxious for? I think the saint said well. In the past few years, you have forgotten that the emperor of Daliang's surname is Xiao." Empress Dowager Qi glanced at him, drank tea slowly, and continued to move the Buddhist beads in her hand. It's like a Buddha statue that is kind and calm.

Qi Mu was blocked and flushed for a long while before he said: "His Royal Highness is not in a hurry? Previously, the ministers had listened to His Highness's instructions, and had not conflicted with the saint in the court hall, and had given way to everything, but now the saint is stepping forward. Pressing hard, obviously didn't put us in the eyes. The saint's meaning, can't your Highness see it? This is to force our aristocratic families little by little to have no place!"

"Anxious?" The Queen Mother slowly closed her eyes, folded her hands on her chest, her voice was calm and gentle, "He is also my concubine, as long as I am in one day, are you afraid that there is no place for Qi family? The ability to shake the sky depends on what I mean. His throne is given by me, and he can naturally be taken back in the future. Daliang belongs to him, and he is also from a few big families. He is young and vigorous, if he has been so noisy. , One day others will have to endure it. What you should think about as a "counsel" is who you will replace him when the time comes."

Qi Mu didn't respond immediately, his eyes moved slightly when he heard the word "foreign relatives".

Yes, the Qi family has today, all because of the presence of the queen mother, the first emperor, or the saints of today, who are all the queen mother’s concubines, and they all have to respect their parents. If one day, the saint provokes the anger of the people, the queen mother's decree will be able to abolish the emperor-this is not unprecedented in the previous dynasties.

It's just that they have to find a suitable successor first, and this successor is best from the Qi family.

He glanced at his daughter with a low eyebrow, and suddenly understood the queen mother's intentions.

When the prince Xiao Yu was discussing marriage, the queen mother also had the idea of ​​marrying the Qi family girl to the east palace. She gave up because of the prince's resistance and his father's opposition, but now he is a little awake.

"The minister understands that after the New Year, he will go to the saint, please fill the harem early, give birth to heirs, and consolidate the country's foundation."

"That's right." Empress Dowager Qi lowered her face, put down her hands on her chest, wrapped the Buddhist beads around her wrists, let Qi Chenxiang sit down, and pushed a plate of snacks over, "Take two mouthfuls. You are a good boy. I got up early to accompany me to reciting the Buddha. It's hard for you to calm down. You should be hungry now."

Qi Chenxiang smiled and thanked him and then sat down, took a snack and used it, but he was a little bit hesitant in his heart.

The words of the only father and the queen mother were clear to her. It turned out that letting her marry the saint was not because they really wanted to find a satisfactory marriage for her, but because they wanted her to be the queen and continue to keep the position of the Qi family. Not only that, they even have plans to pull the saint from the throne!

That being the case, why did she always tell her that marrying into the court is the best chance for her in her life?

She put these doubts in her heart, getting more and more serious, and finally asked the Queen Mother after Qi Mu left.

The Queen Mother looked at her and shook her head slightly. Her eyes were a little dim. I don't know if it was because of pity or because of something else: "I told you last time, people, keep your eyes on the long-term. The position of power is in your hands. Don’t be afraid. Of the brothers and sisters in your family, I value you most. You are the youngest, but the most sensible and submissive. Come up. Your days are still long, take your time, understand?"

"Auntie, I—" Qi Chenxiang stared at her blankly, opening his mouth to say something, but couldn't say anything.

She wanted to ask her aunt if she had had a good time in Tai Chi Palace these years, and she also wanted to ask her if she regretted marrying Emperor Gaozong.

Everyone knows that Emperor Gaozong fell in love with the Queen Mother at first sight, and after marrying her back to the palace, he was in love for more than 20 years. It is precisely because of this affection in his heart that Gaozong can tolerate the queen mother's removal of other concubines from the harem one by one in his later years, and then demote or expel his children, leaving only the cowardly eldest son Xiao Lian to inherit the throne. .

But she always felt that all this seemed to be made up by others. If the friendship were truly affectionate, how could the husband and wife get to that point?

Such a day was not what she had longed for in the middle of her heart, but facing the expectation and stern eyes of her aunt's kindness, she could not say anything to refute, and could only go against her own heart, nodded and said "understand".

...

Feng Yu saw Guo'er's disease that day and confirmed that it was not a major problem. It was just that the little lady was weak before, and she suddenly changed the place and couldn't adapt. After prescribing a few patches and taking it, she recovered after three to five days.

Seeing that the New Year's Day is approximately one day, people's hearts are also floating. It's just that Lishan is not as lively as the bustling Chang'an City. People can't go to various restaurants and markets to have fun, so they have to enter the country market under the mountain, the manor and pavilion near the hot spring palace, and the horse farm in the countryside under the mountain.

Among them, there are a lot of people on the racecourse. In addition to the young man, many of them are young and beautiful aristocratic girls. There is no other reason. Many people have heard that the saint loves to ride and shoot. Strengthen muscles and bones, practice skills, and sometimes bring envoys and many dear children who come to attend the New Year banquet.

On this day, seeing that the heavy snowfall in the previous few days had almost melted away, Chu Ning took the already healed Guoer and went down the mountain to the horse farm in the countryside.