Zhao Jing waited quietly.
After about a cup of tea, Chen Yuru suddenly turned around and said, "Are you going to use my dragon son as a cover to train people in the East Palace?"
"Other than that, I have no other choice. Although Brother Chang Ming and I are powerful, we are unable to cope with the general trend. Only by re-establishing the black factory can we secure a future for our empress."
"Eunuch Zhao, I see all your kindness to me, and I promise that your prosperity and wealth will be indispensable if I am here with you."
She agreed.
Zhao An secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then went to the deep palace to visit Chang Ming.
Chang Ming's injury improved, and Zhao An did not hide anything. He briefly talked about Chen Guogong's visit to the emperor and the black factory.
Chang Ming said gloomily: "Chen Guogong is very scheming. He should still be guessing whether I am still alive, but he will not attack easily when he is not sure. If you want to set up a black factory, I can help you."
He is highly skilled in martial arts, and with his help, Zhao An can feel much more relaxed.
As for Chen Yuru, although she promised not to leak the secret to the outside world, she still needed someone to fan her ears and ignite the fire to ensure that she would firmly resist Chen Guogong's thoughts.
The two had been plotting for a long time.
At noon, Zhao An went to Xiufang. Cao Hai was still the same, smiling like an old fox.
Deep in the Xiufang is the cleansing room. Zhao An mentioned the use of the East Palace and planned to recruit a group of young eunuchs, who should be young and agile.
"Hehe, it's a good thing to restart the East Palace. I'll give the order and hurry up. Eunuch Zhao can choose the person himself."
"Eunuch Cao, are there many people who plan to enter the palace to seek talents?"
"Of course there are a lot of them. After all, we are running errands for the royal family. One person can exchange them for an ingot of gold."
Under Cao Hai's introduction, Zhao An learned about the cleansing room.
People often die in the harem, or people disappear, so replacements are normal, but generally they don't recruit too many, and the harem eunuchs maintain a quota.
This time Zhao An plans to recruit fifty people first.
In addition, one or two eunuchs in the Xiufang can also be recruited, especially those who are dying, to help them cure their diseases and provide some benefits, so as not to worry that they will not give up.
Time passed slowly, and soon it was evening.
Officials arrived one after another at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and the palace was bustling with music, singing and dancing.
The emperor was absent-minded, and Zhao An obviously saw her hands shaking.
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has decreed that she also wants to go to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to cleanse the old prince."
Wei Yundiao arrived a little unexpectedly.
Zhao An and the empress looked at each other in secret surprise. She hated banquets and having fun. What was the purpose of her sudden visit?
Half an hour later, Zhao An accompanied the empress to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and saw Luo Qingshuang wearing a phoenix robe in the side hall. Today she was wearing a grand phoenix robe with black and gold patterns, and her majesty was heart-breaking.
"Your Majesty, you don't blame the Queen for being willful, do you?"
Luo Qingshuang said half-jokingly, and the empress shook her head and made a gesture of invitation.
"By the way, the Ai family also called Queen, is that okay?"
"As long as your mother is happy."
The empress didn't dare to have any objections. She stayed with Luo Qingshuang for a while like a filial son, and then saw Chen Yuru arriving late with a bright face.
She was also dressed up today.
The family of three talked and laughed, seemingly in harmony.
Zhao An pouted at the side.
They say that three women in one drama is really interesting.
The empress led Luo Qingshuang into the palace, and the bustling hall fell silent for an instant. It was obvious that the appearance of the queen mother and empress was unexpected.
Zhao An found that Duke Chen Guogong was staring at Luo Qingshuang almost without blinking when he entered the palace, with an indescribably weird expression.
Are these two having an affair?
The ministers stood up and the sound of mountain shouts came out of the hall.
Luo Qingshuang and the empress sat together, while the empress sat obediently aside.
"Where is the old prince?"
Luo Qingshuang didn't see Qian An at first glance. Zhao An smiled and said: "Maybe we are still on the road. The old prince is old and cannot withstand the bumps."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly saw someone coming outside.
Qian Yu supported old Prince Qian'an and entered the hall step by step.
Everyone was shocked except Chen Guogong.
After not seeing each other for just a few days, the old prince was as thin as a candle in the wind. Even so, he was still wearing armor and had a look of perseverance on his face.
Zhao An was in awe.
The empress' eyes were red, and she stood up and looked at him.
Luo Qingshuang looked at the first person, Chen Guogong, intentionally or unintentionally. This time he naturally avoided eye contact.
"My lord, Qian'an, see your majesty, see the queen mother!"
Qian'an signaled Qianyu to let go, and he knelt down to pay homage. The sound was like a loud bell, and his late heroic spirit showed his desolation.
The empress hurriedly asked for help from the palace. Qian'an shook his head, stood up with difficulty, and looked around his colleagues, "Everyone, I am lucky enough to return to the capital alive. I hope you will do your best to assist your majesty."
"I am willing to die for you——"
Everyone could see that he was dying.
With one foot in the gate of hell, today is the last time we meet.
At this moment, Zhao An saw the expressions of all the officials. Some were secretly happy, some were indifferent, and some were full of sadness.
Qian Yu helped his father sit down and sat opposite Chen Guogong, the head of the generals.
Chen Guogong raised his glass and said: "The old prince has worked hard for the country and his loyalty is evident. I would like to propose a toast to you."
Qian An smiled, raised his glass and drank it down, as heroic as ever.
However, this is just the beginning.
Officials stood up one after another, toasted solemnly, and said high-sounding words.
Qian'an was very calm, drinking one cup after another.
Qian Yu clenched his fists tightly at the side. If the situation was not suitable, he would rush over and kill these beasts!
The empress couldn't stand it any longer, and said in a deep voice: "Although I am here to support the old prince today, the banquet has just begun, and I am waiting to get the old prince drunk?"
The other officials who were about to get up saw her anger, their necks went cold, and they quickly shrank back.
"Your Majesty, since it's time to catch up with the wind and wash away the dust, the old prince should have a few drinks on this beautiful day."
As Chen Guogong spoke, he stood up and walked towards Qian An. Qian Yu instinctively blocked him, and the two of them looked at each other and were at war with each other.
Zhao An secretly said, Chen Guogong is very arrogant, he is planning to drink wine to kill the old prince!
No, he plans to anger Qian Yu!
I hope Qianyu won't be impulsive, otherwise it will be over!
"Why does the young prince want to stop me? I just haven't seen your father for many years, just catching up on old times."
Chen Guogong's face was full of spring breeze, like an elder with kind eyebrows and kind eyes.
Qian Yu sneered and said, "My father is not feeling well and should not drink too much. Mr. Chen Guo, please go back and sit down."
"Yu'er, don't be rude."
Qian'an shouted, and Qianyu's clenched fists loosened a little, but still did not give way.
Luo Qingshuang watched all this quietly without saying a word, but looked at Chen Yuru who was at a loss either intentionally or unintentionally.
She was nervous, and her father didn't seem to care about her situation...
