The imperial guard looked embarrassed: "Old lady, this is against the rules——"
"What is the old lady doing?" The deputy commander of the Royal Forest Army on duty came over. When he saw the old lady of the Zhao family, he stepped forward and asked in confusion, "Do you have something important to ask the Lord?"
Generally, this kind of situation is considered to mean that something big has happened in the family, and the women and children can't make up their minds, so they rush to the palace to find their husbands or sons to discuss the solution.
But Mrs. Zhao is obviously not.
She said expressionlessly: "I want to enter the palace to meet the Holy Spirit. Please let me know, Deputy Commander."
The deputy commander was surprised: "Do you want to see the emperor?"
"yes."
"Unless the emperor summons her, a foreigner is not allowed to enter the palace." The deputy commander thought she didn't know, so he explained patiently, "If there is something really important, you need to submit a letter in advance. I hope the old lady will understand."
Mrs. Shangshu breathed a sigh of relief and supported the old lady: "Mother, how about we go back first and wait until the master returns home in the evening."
Mrs. Zhao had a cold face and was about to sit back on the sedan when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a person walking out of the palace gate. She was immediately happy: "Boss!"
The visitor paused and looked up to see Mrs. Zhao. She was slightly startled and quickly walked out: "Mother? Why are you here?"
The imperial guards saluted the visitor one after another: "I have met the Duke."
The person who came was none other than the Protector. When he walked up to his mother, he said with a solemn expression: "What happened at home? Is my mother here to see me?"
Mrs. Shangshu lowered her voice and said, "Brother, please take a moment to speak."
The Protector in official robes looked at her suspiciously, then at his mother, and then walked aside with them.
Mrs. Shangshu spoke in a low voice and told him what happened, with a worried look on her face: "I persuaded my mother, but she was very angry and had to face the saint. I hope my elder brother can persuade her to go back home and rest. Once the matter is clarified, it will not be too late to find another opportunity to talk about it."
After hearing this, the Protector turned to look at Yunrou: "Your cousin was beaten?"
"Yes." Zhao Yunrou nodded, her eyes red and her cheeks swollen, "Everything my niece said is true, not a word is false."
The Protector's expression turned cold, and he pondered with a deep brow: "Mom, please go back first. My son knows this matter well. I will go to see the emperor later and talk to him about this matter."
Madam Zhao perked up: "Are you sure?"
"Of course it's for sure. How dare your son lie to his mother?" Lord Protector's eyes passed over Zhao Yunrou's face, his eyes dark, "I won't let anyone bully my Zhao family's daughter easily. Rou'er Don’t worry, uncle will seek justice for you.”
"Thank you, uncle." Zhao Yunrou bowed and saluted.
"Everyone go back."
The old lady then got on the sedan chair and went home with peace of mind.
The Protector stood outside the palace gate, silently watching the servants carrying the sedan away, his eyes becoming colder.
War Princess.
Although King Zhan holds military power, Princess Zhan dares to attack the daughter of the Zhao family by relying on his power?
It would be too disrespectful to take them seriously.
The Protector turned around and walked into the palace gate, heading towards the Qinzheng Hall.
The emperor had just left the court and was handling government affairs in the Qinzheng Hall. The people he left behind to discuss government affairs were Prime Minister Jiang and other important ministers.
When he heard the Lord Protector outside asking for an audience, the emperor was stunned for a moment: "The Lord Protector wants to see you?"
"yes."
Emperor Mu pondered: "Let him come in."
The Protector has no actual position in his hands. Although he has to meet with the emperor every day, since he has been granted the title of Duke, he actually has very little power in his hands, and he is usually not qualified to participate in political affairs.
According to the practice of court meetings, after the morning court, except for those who were left by the emperor to discuss affairs, other officials with real power went to work in their respective departments. Most officials who only had titles but no real power could go home early.
This is also the reason why Mrs. Zhao happened to meet her son outside the palace gate.
After being summoned by the emperor, the Protector walked up to the main hall and felt the eyes of his colleagues falling on him one by one. His heart sank slightly, and he suddenly realized that he had arrived a little abruptly.
He should wait outside first.
However, even if you have come, you have to get off even if you are riding a tiger and it is difficult to get off.
The Protector took a deep breath and saluted respectfully: "I pay my respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor."
"Pingsheng." Emperor Mu called out, "Is there something wrong with you, Ai Qing?"
The Protector stood up, glanced at the ministers waiting aside, and took a few steps back: "Reporting to the Emperor, I do have something to report, but it is just a small matter. I will discuss it with the Emperor in detail after the Emperor has finished handling the government affairs. .”
"Your Excellency, are you playing a mystery?" Prime Minister Jiang smiled, but his eyes were thoughtful, "Isn't it possible that he has obtained evidence of a minister's crime?"
The Protector laughed and said, "The Prime Minister is really good at telling jokes."
Emperor Mu was also thoughtful: "In that case, the Duke will go to the side hall to wait, and I will go there when I finish my work."
"yes."
The Protector turned around and went to the side hall.
Prime Minister Jiang's eyes deepened slightly, and he stared at the back of the Protector for a while before looking away.
The Protector stood in the side hall for about half an hour before Emperor Mu came in. He raised his hand and stepped back, leaving only Yang Dexi waiting at his side.
"Your Majesty, forgive me." The Protector knelt down again quickly, "I should not have disturbed Your Majesty for something trivial. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
Emperor Mu sat down on the couch in the side hall and lifted his robe: "Speak."
"I..." Lord Protector couldn't help but choked up as soon as he spoke, "I just feel aggrieved."
Feeling aggrieved?
Emperor Mu frowned: "Where do you start talking about this, Aiqing?"
"After going to court just now, I was about to go home, but I met my mother and sister-in-law outside the palace gate." The Protector knelt on the ground with an angry expression. "My mother has always been kind to others. She has never been so angry. She I originally wanted to go to the palace to ask for an audience with the emperor. I thought it was unreasonable, so I persuaded my mother to go back in time."
The relaxed expression on Emperor Mu's face gradually faded away, and was replaced by deep thought. What happened to alert Mrs. Zhao to the palace to complain?
Emperor Mu was thinking deeply and said: "My beloved, please tell the truth."
"I heard that Princess Yu held a tea party at home today and invited several royal princesses and ladies to drink tea. The niece of the second brother's family also went. Unexpectedly, there was a conflict." Lord Protector lowered his head and looked at His expression was unclear, but he could hear the dissatisfaction in his tone, "Originally, this was just an ordinary and trivial matter. After all, my daughter's house was lively and busy together to pass the time. Unexpectedly, I went there happily in the morning and cried after a while. When I came back, my face was horribly swollen."
Emperor Mu frowned: "What's going on? Miss Zhao was bullied in Prince Yu's Mansion?"
"I deserve to die." Lord Protector kowtowed and apologized, "Such a trivial matter really shouldn't bother the emperor, but... But Yunrou's face was hurt too badly. She also said that Princess Yu was also slapped by Prince Yu in public, All the women present saw that Princess Yu was completely disgraced."
"This is simply unreasonable!" Emperor Mu thought it was King Yu who was crazy, and he was furious, "What does this fourth son want to do? Beat his own wife in public? Is the wife with hair tied for beating? Damn it!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down." Lord Protector hesitated for a moment, "I don't blame Prince Yu for this, and I have no intention of blaming him."
"Don't blame Prince Yu?" Emperor Mu squinted his eyes, and there was inquiry in his eyes, "Then who should be blamed?"
