Imperial City, Xingqing Palace.
In the spacious courtyard, a middle-aged woman wearing a golden brocade dress sat on a large lounge chair, closed her eyes, and let the breeze blow her long hair, revealing a few strands of graying hair.
Four palace maids stood beside the woman. The palace maid behind her gently pushed the recliner, causing it to shake rhythmically and slightly.
The palace maids on the left and right sides each held a banana fan as high as one person and flapped it gently, which not only cleverly blocked the light shining on the woman's face, but also brought a gentle breeze.
The last maid knelt beside the woman and massaged her legs very skillfully.
"Lian'er, what time is it now?" The woman looked at the darkening sky and asked softly.
"Going back to the Queen Mother, it's already midnight. Does the Queen Mother want to have a meal?" replied the palace maid behind her.
The Queen Mother shook her head and said: "At this hour of the week, this girl Nian Yi should have come to the palace to have dinner with the Ai family. Today, no one has been seen. The Ai family is wondering if there is an accident on the road."
Lian'er smiled and said: "Your Highness the Princess is extremely intelligent and has always been eccentric, and everyone in Chang'an City knows the Princess. She should not encounter any trouble. I think there is probably something that has delayed her for a while."
"On weekdays, there is no need to worry. It's just that in the past few days, so many mountain monks have come to the city. Although these people give the royal family face on the surface, they will definitely not be completely bound by my Tianqi rules." The Queen Mother He said slightly worriedly: "I'm afraid Nian Yi will have a conflict with these people. With Nian Yi's temper, even if he is wrong, he will not bow his head and admit it."
The Queen Mother thought for a while and said: "Lian'er, please go and get someone out of the palace to find out about the princess. This is the first time that Nian Yi has not come into the palace so late. The Ai family is always a little worried."
"Yes, Queen Mother." Lian'er stopped what she was doing and hurriedly turned around and left. Before he had even taken two steps, he bumped into a young man wearing black uniform.
Seeing the appearance of the visitor, Lian'er said "Ah", quickly stepped back two steps and saluted: "My slave Yue Lian is here to see Your Majesty."
His Majesty the Emperor of Tianqi, Ji Qingchen nodded and waved his hand to indicate that there was no need to be polite. Then he walked quickly to the Queen Mother, knelt down on one knee and said, "My son, I have come to pay my respects to the Queen Mother."
"Didn't the Ai family say it all, that's all before. Now that you are the emperor, you can only worship heaven and earth. You can no longer do this great ceremony when you see the Ai family." The queen mother said helplessly.
"I have been used to it for so many years. Now it is extremely unnatural for my son to stand and salute when he meets his mother." Ji Qingchen stood up, walked behind the Queen Mother, and took over from the palace maid Yue Lian. , continue to push the recliner.
"Tell me, why did you come to the Ai family this time?" The queen mother closed her eyes and lay down in a more relaxed position.
"What did the Queen Mother say? Can't I come to visit the Queen Mother if nothing happens? It's great to be able to talk to the Queen Mother about everyday things," Ji Qingchen said aggrievedly.
The Queen Mother snorted coldly: "That's nice to say, but I haven't seen His Majesty come here to chat with an old guy like me. You brothers all have the same virtue. When you grow up and your wings harden, you can fly. If it hadn't been With Chu girl coming to accompany the Ai family every day to relieve their fatigue, I really can’t stay in this palace for another day.”
"What do you mean, my mother is not old at all. Who doesn't know that my mother was the most beautiful woman in Tianqi back then. What I admire most about my father in my life is that I can marry such a beautiful woman like my mother. Unlike my son, the harem Everything inside is filled with vulgar fat and powder, not even half as beautiful as the queen mother." Ji Qingchen said seriously.
"Smooth talk, I learned all these things from your father." The Queen Mother scolded with a smile.
Ji Qingchen chuckled, then glanced around a few times, wondering: "Why haven't I seen this girl Nian Yi today? Why is the Xingqing Palace so clean? If she were here on weekdays, it would be connected to the nearby Jianing Palace and Even Anqing Palace could be tormented by her."
"The Ai family was also wondering just now. In the past, if something happened and she couldn't come, she would order the servants to come to the palace to inform her. But today, no one came to report, and the girl was nowhere to be seen. The Ai family was worried that she might be Did we encounter any trouble on the road?" Speaking of her beloved adopted daughter, a trace of worry appeared on the Queen Mother's face.
"With Nian Yi's status, no one in the entire Tianqi land would dare to provoke her, let alone in Chang'an City. Unless..." Ji Qingchen frowned: "Unless she and the mountains in the city The monks had a conflict.
The people who came to Chang'an City to watch the battle between Longhu Mountain and Wudang Mountain this time were all prestigious elders from various sects, or the proud sons of the younger generation. Although Yigui was regarded as the princess, for these people For example, if they don't want to, even the emperor, Erchen, will not give him any face. "
"Duan Duan Jing is going to hold some kind of Taoist orthodox martial arts competition in the palace. Then so many people from the mountains will enter the palace. What will happen to the safety of your harem concubines and other brothers and sisters?" The Queen Mother complained: "Is it possible to count on you? Can this mortal emperor control those mountain gods?"
Ji Qingchen said with a smile: "Of course I can't control them, but I have sent shadow guards to monitor every place in Chang'an City. If it's just some wild cultivators from the mountains and rivers who are causing trouble, the shadow guards can still handle it.
As for those big sects, the seventh brother is also in the city now. Not to mention whether the seventh brother can be the opponent of these people, but after all, he is still the direct disciple of Mr. Dongfang in Tianyi Pavilion, even if it is Wudang Mountain and Longhu Mountain Such a sect is neither willing nor dared to form a quarrel with Tianyi Pavilion. "
"You are the emperor, so long as you think the arrangements are in place." The Queen Mother closed her eyes, "By the way, call Qingyuan over to have dinner with us. The Ai family hasn't seen him for several days."
"Seventh brother is not in the palace at this time. It is said that he has been away from home for too long. Now he is not very familiar with Chang'an City, so he has been wandering around the city with Li Yi, the commander of Tianlong Guard, in the past few days." Ji Qingchen said After finishing, he carefully looked at the Queen Mother's face.
As expected, the Queen Mother's face immediately turned ugly when she heard this, and she snorted coldly: "Wandering in the city? He has been running around the city with that Li Yi every day since he was born, how unfamiliar he can be. I'm afraid the Ai family has to do it every day. Have you visited Liu Ruyan’s restaurant?
Humph, if it weren’t for the Ai family back then..."
Hearing this, Ji Qingchen's heart moved and he asked cautiously: "Mother, I have always been puzzled by my son. Your fifth brother and I were brought up by your mother, so naturally we were kissed by you. Why did my mother wait until my seventh brother was born? You have been away for a while? I asked my father many times about this, but my father did not tell me."
The Queen Mother was silent for a long time, and finally sighed and said: "The Ai family cannot tell you about this yet, but you will know about it in the future."
"My son, I know." Ji Qingchen nodded, but he became more and more curious. Every time he asked about the matter of his father and mother, they were unwilling to mention it. Could there be some secret in it?
"It's all a lot of twists and turns, why don't you get down to business?" the Queen Mother reminded.
Ji Qingchen said "Ouch", "Look at my memory, I came here to discuss Yun Xi's marriage with my mother."
"Huh? Yun Xi, this girl, has reached the age of marriage so soon?" The Queen Mother was a little surprised.
"The Queen Mother has never paid much attention to Yun Xi, so it's normal that she can't remember..."
The Queen Mother nodded and said: "This girl is a good girl, but she is too dull and not as lively as Nianyi. But thinking about it carefully, the Ai family really paid too little attention to her, and she is really a little ashamed of her biological mother. Your Majesty has already done this for her. Has she chosen her husband’s family?”
"In three days' time, there will be a competition between Master Zhang from Wudang Mountain and Lu Tianshi from Longhu Mountain. It is also Yun Xi's birthday. At that time, heroes from all sects will gather in the palace. What I am thinking about is , if there are some young talents among them, with excellent teachers and good character, maybe we can get along with them, and if we can like Yun Xi, it will be better." Ji Qingchen said.
"Can these immortal masters on the mountain look down on mortal women?" the Queen Mother asked.
"My fair lady, you are a good gentleman. The appearance of this girl Yun Xi is second to none in my Tianqi. I think that even those who practice Taoism may not be tempted by her." After saying this, As he spoke, Ji Qingchen quietly stretched his neck and looked at the Queen Mother's face.
This idea was somewhat selfish for him. If he could marry the royal princess to a high-ranking family in the mountains, it might be a big help to the royal family in the future. Although it is a bit unfair to Yun Xi, the royal family has always been the most ruthless.
As a princess of the royal family, in a sense, her destiny was destined to be a tool for royal marriage from the day she was born.
The Queen Mother stretched out her fingers and tapped the armrest of the chair. After being silent for a while, she said, "This matter needs to be handled better. Before her death, Concubine Xi told the Ai family that she must find someone for Yun Xi in the future. A good husband. Don’t marry Yun Xi just because of her school background. After all, she is still my princess of Tianqi, and she should marry in a glamorous manner and not suffer the slightest injustice."
Ji Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said: "My son, I obey. Yun Xi is also my sister. I will not hurt her, and I will definitely choose a suitable husband for her."
The Queen Mother nodded and closed her eyes again.
"One more thing, Queen Mother, since the seventh brother has returned to Tianqi and has achieved some success in cultivating Taoism, how about I send him to assist General Chu in the army?" Ji Qingchen asked.
The Queen Mother waved her hand, "Don't worry about this matter. You three brothers, you are the emperor of the day and a real dragon in the world. Naturally, you need to sit in Tianqi to strengthen the prestige of our country.
Qingming is our Tianqi's sharpest sword. With his military talents and performance on the battlefield, he will definitely succeed Yun Kuo as our Tianqi's general in the future.
As for Qingyuan, he is like a soaring eagle. He will only fly higher and higher when he becomes an adult. He will not stay in the palace forever. There is no freedom he likes in the palace. "
Ji Qingchen nodded, "What the Queen Mother said is absolutely true, and I have actually thought of it. It's just that my seventh brother can't stay in Tianqi to assist me, so I will inevitably feel a little regretful."
"From the day that the famous Mr. Dongfang came to Tianqi, Qingyuan was destined to be farther and farther away from us in his future life." The Queen Mother said quietly: "But you don't need to worry. Now with my Tianqi Due to the national strength, Daduan and Qingyun can barely fight if they join forces. But if the two countries want to join forces, it will only happen if Qingyun's little emperor can let go of his revenge for killing his father.
As for those mountain gods, the Ai family knows that the magical powers they have displayed in the past few days are a bit unbelievable to you. But there are rules on the mountain. If they interfere in human affairs without authorization, someone will naturally punish them, so you don't have to worry. "
"The queen seems to know a lot about things on the mountain?" Ji Qingchen asked curiously.
The Queen Mother was stunned and replied casually: "The Ai family just heard about it."
Ji Qingchen nodded, not taking it seriously.
Just as Ji Qingchen was thinking about how to make his departure seem more natural, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark shadow moving quickly on the ground from the corner of his eye, and suddenly arrived in front of the Queen Mother's recliner.
After the shadow stood still, it began to slowly stand up from the ground, until it transformed into a dark human form and stood in front of several people.
The Shadow Guard is said to be the guardian of the Tianqi Royal Family. No one knows how strong the Shadow Guards are. Although there are less than a hundred people, the late emperor once commented that one Shadow Guard can be as powerful as ten thousand elite soldiers. Their usual appearance is like shadows lurking everywhere. When it's time to take action, they will turn into a dark human form and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.
Ji Qingchen remembered that he once asked his father, since the Shadow Guard is so powerful, why not use the Shadow Guard to launch a war against the enemy? With the strength of the Shadow Guard, whether it is assassination or head-on fighting, they are invincible on the battlefield.
But the father said that the shadow guards were not "people" in the true sense. They were just creatures that had signed a contract with one of Tianqi's ancestors. This contract allows them to protect Chang'an Imperial City for thousands of years, but it also limits their freedom. If they leave Chang'an City, they may completely disappear from this world.
At the end of the conversation, Gide said intentionally or unintentionally, "It has been too long since the signing of the contract. I always feel that the Shadow Guard seems to be looking for a way to break the contract. Maybe I am paranoid." , but when you succeed to the throne in the future, remember not to rely too much on the shadow guards and completely put your life and the lives of the royal family members in their hands."
"See the Queen Mother, Your Majesty." The shadow guard's hoarse voice interrupted Ji Qingchen's thoughts.
"What's the matter?" Ji Qingchen asked.
"Back to Your Majesty, on the way to the palace at night, the princess rode her horse and collided with several Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain. After knowing the identity of the princess, the Taoist priests forcibly blocked the way and forced the princess to apologize. "The shadow guard replied emotionlessly.
"Sure enough, the Ai family guessed it." The Queen Mother sat up and asked, "Have those Taoist priests taken action against the commander-in-chief?"
"The deputy commander of the Tianlong Guard, Zhang Xiuxiu, and the Right Prime Minister Li Ping arrived in time and have just negotiated with the Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain, but the other party did not appreciate it."
"So, this matter can't be solved." The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes and said in a cold tone, "If we gather the power of the Shadow Guards, can we take down those Taoist priests?"
The shadow guard shook his head and said: "It would be fine if there were just a few ordinary Taoist priests, but the Lu Tianshi from the Tianshi Mansion seemed to be among them. Lu Tianshi should have felt the presence of his subordinates and others, and used his own Taoism The subordinates were so angry that they could not take a step forward, so they had no choice but to come back and report the situation to the Queen Mother and Her Majesty."
"Is this how a master of a sect behaves?" Ji Qingchen's expression also darkened, "Is it possible that Longhu Mountain can ride on my head?"
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, there is no need to worry. When the accident happened to the princess, the Seventh Prince happened to be at the scene, and the Seventh Prince had already taken action and seriously injured the aggressive female Taoist." Shadow Guard said.
Ji Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief, "But now that the seventh brother has taken action, Master Lu Tianshi must not be able to sit still."
The Queen Mother nodded, and then said to the Shadow Guard: "Continue to inquire about the information. If the Seventh Prince can successfully resolve this matter, let him and the princess enter the palace to see the Ai family."
"Yes." The shadow guard lowered his head and saluted, and then slowly melted into the ground, turning into a black shadow and leaving quickly.
"Mother, if Master Lu Tian suddenly attacks, my seventh brother is still young, can he handle it?" Ji Qingchen asked worriedly.
"If it were someone else, it would be impossible to think about it. However, Mr. Dongfang's direct disciples, and his senior brothers are all the same people standing on the top of the mountain. I think Qingyuan will be good too." The Queen Mother said quietly, However, he still looked at the north from time to time, as if he wanted to see some clues.
——
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Chang'an City, Ji De Restaurant.
The middle-aged Taoist held a sword in his right hand and held it across his chest. With his left hand, he protected his junior sister who was already a little depressed behind him. He stared at the man in white on the third floor of the restaurant opposite. At the same time, the people around him also looked at the three men. The men on the floor were whispering to each other that they had enjoyed the show and it was getting more and more exciting.
The middle-aged Taoist's face was heavy. Although his junior sister had a perverse personality, in terms of strength and Taoism, she was considered to be outstanding among the younger generation. But today, the young man seemed to have seriously injured her casually, and even she didn't even see how he took action.
Thinking of this, the middle-aged Taoist looked back at the young Taoist at the back. The young man still just looked up at the sky, as if everything that happened had nothing to do with him.
"The poor Taoist is Xu Yuanchun of the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain. My family teacher is the contemporary Tianshi Master Lu Yiran of the Tianshi Mansion. This is my junior sister Lin Xiuying. I don't know your name? Are you some senior expert on the mountain?" The middle-aged Taoist said in a deep voice, secretly hoping that the other party would retreat after hearing the name of Master.
The man in white didn't answer, but a middle-aged man in black walked out from behind.
"It's General Li." Li Ping said softly, "So that person is..."
"Seventh Prince." Zhang Xiuxiu also breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Yi glanced coldly at the four Taoist priests below. As a soldier, he was born with loyalty and respect for His Majesty. Now these outsiders dare to speak rudely to His Majesty. Even if the Seventh Prince is not here, he dared to use his words just now. Draw a knife.
Li Yi said coldly: "When you see me, the Seventh Prince of Tianqi, why don't you be polite?"
Li Ping and Zhang Xiuyi were the first to react and quickly knelt down to salute. Although the people around them were full of curiosity about the legendary seventh prince, they also knelt down one after another due to fear of the natural majesty of the royal family. Including Miss Chu.
Chu Nianyi secretly raised her eyes to look at the seventh prince who once only existed in the mouths of His Majesty and the Queen Mother, and couldn't help but feel a little dazed. Even the women in the city who came to watch the excitement had only one thought in their minds.
There are such good-looking men in this world!
It is like a romantic immortal from the sky. Although it is close in front of you, it makes people feel that it is far away.
At this time, only the four Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain were still standing downstairs, motionless. Xu Yuanchun, who was standing at the front, was already sweating profusely.
