After returning to the palace, Heng Shu came forward and handed over a post, which was sent by Shou'an Palace.
Xie Hengwu had roughly seen that Empress Dowager Cui was hosting a plum blossom appreciation banquet. In addition to Xie Hengwu, she also invited several noble ladies from aristocratic families.
Cui Luyi's name was prominently listed.
The post Queen Mother Cui sent her was probably special because there was the Queen Mother's own handwriting on the back.
It probably meant that Xie Hengwu was alone in Beijing and she was the only one in the palace. She had no lovable friends, so Empress Dowager Cui thought of letting her get along well with girls of her own age.
If Xie Hengwu is really stupid, I'm afraid he will be moved now.
No precious girl is easy to get along with, especially a noble girl from a high family. They have their own social circle and will not easily accommodate new people. They must not be willing to contact Xie Hengwu at all.
Xie Hengwu could almost imagine the scene that day.
After the noble ladies had finished ridiculing and ostracizing her, Queen Mother Cui came out to preside over the situation. Finally, she expressed condolences to her, and she was able to easily win over her.
Xie Hengwu didn't think about this anymore. There was still some time left, and he would deal with the situation when the time comes.
Right now, she was curious about something.
"Heng Shu, why are there no people from the Duke's Mansion here?"
Logically speaking, in order to stabilize their status, aristocratic families often pursue having many children so that they can marry each other.
You can't have such a huge palace without any unmarried female dependents, right?
Heng Shu looked a little strange when he heard this, and after a long time he said softly: "Reporting to my young master, Duke Jingguo had a daughter, but she lost her before she was raised."
"Lost?" Xie Hengwu frowned, "Can the daughter of Duke Jing be lost?"
"My little master doesn't know that about twenty years ago, the current Duke of Jing was still fighting in the border areas. His wife was also the queen of the generals and a famous heroine in those days. The two of them were guarding the border together, which was a good story at that time. "
"Later, the border area was peaceful for some time, and the Duke's wife gave birth to a daughter, who was simply raised at the border. Who would have thought that a few years later, war would break out again, and our rear camp was attacked. By the time the Duke and his wife returned, they had already I can’t find my daughter.”
Heng Shu shook his head when he said this and sighed: "Jingguo Gong has never given up for so many years. He even went to Nanliang to look for it, but unfortunately there is no news at all. Who knows whether the child may have..."
He paused and said angrily:
"Yinu saw that such a loyal minister like Duke Jing should suffer such torture. It is really unfair!"
Xie Hengwu curled his lips, noncommittal.
Heaven is never fair.
She remembered the way the Duke and Madam looked at her at the palace banquet but hesitated to speak.
Could it be that her appearance...is similar to the lost daughter of Duke Jingguo?
No, according to Heng Shu, the Duke's daughter was still young when she was lost. After so many years, her appearance has changed, and I'm afraid the Duke and his wife themselves can't remember clearly.
Maybe... they're just the same age.
This is interesting.
If she could make use of it and borrow the power of the important minister whom the people of Beijiang admired, she would be able to have more leverage when dealing with the Queen Mother; even when she left the palace in the future, it would be much easier with the help of Duke Jingguo.
As soon as this thought passed through his mind, Xie Hengwu felt a little guilty.
It doesn't seem right to take advantage of someone else's pain to benefit yourself.
But she doesn’t do anything harmful, she just wants to live a better life for herself...
Since Duke Jingguo and his wife are kind-hearted, they should not mind.
Having convinced himself in this way, Xie Hengwu calculated how many more opportunities he would have to meet the Duke and his wife.
The New Year's Eve banquet and the Lantern Festival can probably be seen again.
You have to take advantage of these few opportunities to win more favors.
Xie Hengwu thought like this and asked Li Luo to put the post away.
--
But the opportunity to contact Duke Jing came earlier than Xie Hengwu imagined.
After two days of rest, when Xie Hengwu was sent to the imperial study, Duke Jing and a group of ministers were still discussing with Xiao Yanzhou about the snow disaster in the coming year.
Xie Hengwu stood outside, listening to the words coming out intermittently.
It snowed a lot this winter. Many farmers froze to death and their crops were crushed to death.
There is little rain in Beijiang, so next spring plowing will be very problematic.
Xie Hengwu didn't stand at the door for long, then deliberately walked a little further and arrived at the window of the imperial study.
The distance between the window and the desk is far away, so that Xie Hengwu can see Xiao Yanzhou without hearing too much about political affairs.
She had no intention of intervening in politics, which would serve no purpose other than arousing Xiao Yanzhou's suspicion.
Xie Hengwu stood sideways by the window, looking in boredom.
Xiao Yanzhou was sitting in front of the case in black clothes, with dark dragon patterns looming. His black hair is tied up, and his long eyebrows and lacquered eyes are like jade or pine. The flying golden dragon between the black gauze wings and the crown on his hair slightly dilutes the gloom between his eyebrows and highlights the power of the emperor.
He lowered his eyes and sketched on the memorial. The hand holding the pen was pale and thin. It was illuminated by a ray of light falling from the window, which made it even more pleasing to the eye.
Xie Hengwu stared at his hand in trance. Although she was at a distance, she looked hard and seemed to see the lines of veins on the back of Xiao Yanzhou's hand that were faintly highlighted by the movement of writing.
The hand that was writing stopped.
As if he noticed something, Xie Hengwu slowly raised his eyes and met a pair of dark eyes.
The gorgeous phoenix eyes were full of teasing at this time, staring at her with a half-smile.
Xie Hengwu:!
She subconsciously shrank her head, took a few steps back and hid in the window where no one could see her.
Watching the figure flash past outside the window, like a frightened rabbit ducking back into its burrow, the corners of Xiao Yanzhou's lips curled up, then relaxed again.
The ministers who were speaking below inadvertently raised their heads and saw their king looking sideways out of the window with an uncertain expression, as if... he was distracted.
He followed his line of sight and saw nothing outside the window.
"Your Majesty, but there is something wrong with what I said...?"
he asked fearfully.
Xiao Yanzhou slowly looked away and said "Hmm": "It's okay, I just saw an interesting bird. Let's continue talking."
Birds?
It's freezing cold. How can there be any birds outside?
The ministers felt strange and thought that the emperor would not lie to them, so they did not think more about it and continued to continue the conversation.
On the contrary, Duke Jingguo looked out the window twice more.
His experience of guarding the border made him particularly sharp, so he paid attention to things that others did not pay attention to.
There seemed to be a woman there just now.
--
Xie Hengwu hid for a while, but later realized that his behavior seemed to have a guilty conscience.
She didn't come secretly, she was clearly summoned by Xiao Yanzhou, and she should be upright no matter what.
Thinking like this, she straightened her back, walked back to the door of the royal study, and stood quietly on the corridor.
The chattering inside gradually stopped, the door opened, and the courtiers came out one after another.
Xie Hengwu lowered his eyebrows and squatted down to salute.
These are all veterans. No matter how curious Xie Hengwu is, he will not show it too obviously. Some just ignored her, while others greeted her politely.
Duke Jingguo also had something else to say and stayed inside for a while, so he came out the latest.
Xie Hengwu raised his eyes and took a look, then lowered his head and said softly: "Please ask the national police."
Duke Jingguo stopped and said kindly: "Thank you for being safe, beauty."
Xie Hengwu was surprised, stood up and said, "Does the Duke remember me?"
Duke Jingguo smiled and said, "Don't you, Beauty Xie, also remember me?"
Xie Hengwu lowered his eyes and said softly: "I thought it was just a distant sight during the palace banquet, and the Duke would not take it seriously."
"Although I have never spoken to the beauty, my wife has." When Duke Jingguo talked about the Duke's wife, his tone became much softer, "The beauty is here to see your majesty."
Xie Hengwu nodded and took out a delicately embroidered sachet from his sleeve: "Can you please pass it on to Madam for me?"
Duke Jingguo raised his eyebrows in surprise: "What is this beauty doing..."
Xie Hengwu's smiling eyes turned lonely: "To be honest with you, I know I am not very popular here, but during the palace banquet, the Duke's wife was the first one to come and talk to me."
"I'm very grateful, Madam. I embroidered this sachet myself. I heard that the Duke of the State is entering the palace today, so I asked you to help me."
Duke Jingguo's heart moved when he saw the lonely look on the girl in front of him.
If his daughter were still alive, she would be this old.
She was still young, but she was so sensitive and cautious, which made Duke Jingguo feel a little intolerable.
He took the sachet and saw that the stitching on it was fine, the threads were smooth, and the embroidery was lifelike. This was not too expensive and was extremely exquisite, so I accepted it.
"Don't worry, beauty, I will give it to Madam." Duke Jingguo took the sachet securely and subconsciously wanted to pat her shoulder to comfort her, but felt it was inappropriate and withdrew his hand stiffly.
"There is no need to be too sentimental about beauties. We only meet people outside the palace a few times, not to mention that their love is not worth it." Duke Jingguo lowered his voice at the end. Xie Hengwu was startled and then smiled. body:
"Thank you, Lord."
She watched Duke Jingguo go away, and then walked to the imperial study.
Xiao Yanzhou has been waiting for her for a while.
Seeing her entering, Xiao Yanzhou tapped the desk with his fingertips and asked as if unintentionally: "Have you spoken to Duke Jingguo?"
Xie Hengwu didn't want to hide anything from him, so he explained the matter in general.
When he heard "fragrance bag", Xiao Yanzhou narrowed his eyes with unknown meaning. When Xie Hengwu finished speaking, he saw Xiao Yanzhou staring at her closely.
Xie Hengwu asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, is there anything wrong?"
She thought to herself and didn't say much. How could Xiao Yanzhou notice it?
Xiao Yanzhou nodded.
Xie Hengwu looked calm, but his heart beat faster.
Xiao Yanzhou frowned, tapped his fingertips on the table twice, and said in a deep voice, "Gu Ye has helped you a lot."
Xie Hengwu blinked and did not react.
Xiao Yanzhou's brows furrowed even more tightly, as if they were covered with dark clouds.
"If she talks to you, you will give her a sachet. What about Gu?"
His expression was frighteningly gloomy, but at this moment Xie Hengwu wanted to smile.
She pursed her lips to hold back a smile, and after a moment she said, "But...but Your Majesty, don't you dislike incense?"
Xiao Yanzhou was strangely silent for a while, and then said displeasedly:
"Who said I want a sachet?"
"Okay, okay." Xie Hengwu smiled and sat in his arms. The latter had no intention of refusing, and naturally wrapped his arms around her waist to prevent her from sliding down.
It's just that this series of actions, coupled with Xiao Yanzhou's cold face, has an extra sense of humor.
Xie Hengwu spoke slowly, as if coaxing a child: "How about I embroider a veil for Your Majesty?"
Xiao Yanzhou opened his eyes and said in a bad tone: "I don't need you."
Xie Hengwu knew that he was just being tough to lose face, but he deliberately said: "Since Your Majesty dislikes it... then I will not embroider my body."
Xiao Yanzhou looked at her expressionlessly, and Xie Hengwu could clearly read a bit of shock, a bit of accusation, and a bit of grievance from those ancient and unwavering eyes.
She finally couldn't help it, burst out laughing, and lay in his arms until her body was shaking with laughter.
After realizing that he had been teased, Xiao Yanzhou licked his back teeth and narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Ah...hahahaha, Your Majesty...Your Majesty, please spare me."
Xie Hengwu twisted her body and tried to escape Xiao Yanzhou's tickling hands, but she was tightly held in his arms and there was nowhere she could hide. She was really being tickled for a long time.
At least that's what Xie Hengwu thinks.
If Xiao Yanzhou didn't stop, she felt like she would really lose her temper.
Xie Hengwu laughed so hard that his whole body was weak. He leaned softly in Xiao Yanzhou's arms and panted slightly. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were filled with tears. He looked like he had just been ravaged.
She heard Xiao Yanzhou snort, whether proudly or mockingly.
