Situ Ce had a quarrel with the ministers in the court, and soon the news reached the Empress Dowager. Empress Dowager Lu was afraid that Situ Ce would be young and energetic and offend those aristocratic families, so she hurriedly sent someone to invite Situ Ce over.
"Son, please greet your mother." Situ Ce saluted.
"Get up quickly." Empress Dowager Lu looked a little anxious, but she didn't hesitate to admit it. She said straight to the point, "I heard that you had a quarrel with the ministers at the court meeting this morning?"
"Who is so quick to talk? Mother already knows." Situ Ce looked a little unhappy.
Empress Dowager Lu sighed and looked at him with worry, "I shouldn't be involved in government affairs, but you have just ascended the throne and you have to rely on these ministers for many things. What's more, there are many aristocratic families in the court. If the relationship between monarch and ministers becomes tense, Well, they are acting in a disobedient way, which is not good for the country or the family."
"My son understands, but there are some things. If my son doesn't insist, they will step on the thorns with their bare feet and try to get closer." Situ Ce said with a solemn face.
Empress Dowager Lu sighed and asked, "I just heard that you had a quarrel with the ministers. What happened?"
Situ Ce thought for a while and told Queen Mother Lu the cause and effect of the incident. After hearing this, Empress Dowager Lu pondered for a long time, then frowned and said: "Fu's ability, I heard you mention it, is indeed worthy of women. But even if you are willing to let her help you handle political affairs, just put her in the harem. . Pushing it to the front of the court, coupled with Fu's involvement in the rebellion case, is really bad for your reputation."
"Okay, we have done it now. Wu Changqin objected and I demoted him to Lingnan. They are not afraid of death, but they can remonstrate." Situ Ce said indifferently.
Hearing this, Queen Mother Lu smiled and said, "Where is Shangshu Ling? What does he think?"
Speaking of this, Situ Ce also had some doubts, "Cui Ju strongly opposed it, but my uncle didn't comment."
Queen Mother Lu couldn't help but frown slightly after hearing this, "There may be something you like to hear, but I need to say it."
Situ Ce was a little puzzled, "It doesn't matter if I say it."
"Since you returned to the palace and entered the study, Cheng Zhongshu has personally taught you that it is understandable for you to be closer to him. But Cui Shangshu is always your uncle. You should discuss your actions with him more and don't let him feel that your mother is gone. , you don’t recognize him as your uncle.” Empress Dowager Lu persuaded her gently.
"Auntie's admonition is correct, the child should remember it."
Situ Ce's attitude towards Cui was quite contradictory.
The Cui family has the highest reputation among the seven surnames, and also has the deepest roots in the court. If he wants to weaken the family, Cui will definitely be implicated.
However, Cui is his mother's natal family. Without his mother, he would not be where he is today. He cannot trust his uncle as much as he trusts Cheng An, nor can he deal with the Su family and the Wu family as ruthlessly. What should he do? He has not yet found a suitable way to deal with his relationship with his uncle.
"I heard that Cui Shangshu wanted to send Miss Yun Xi to the palace. Did you refuse?" Queen Mother Lu looked at him and asked.
"I only think of Yun Xi as my younger sister." Situ Ce said calmly.
Hearing this, Queen Mother Lu smiled and said, "You have many sisters, there is no shortage of her."
"There is no shortage of her." He looked at Queen Mother Lu and said with a smile.
Empress Dowager Lu smiled and shook her head, and said earnestly: "I know that you have a deep relationship with Hehe and have a similar affection with the Fu family. But since you are the emperor, marrying a wife and having concubines is not something you like or think about. Whoever you marry is not only a way to win people's hearts, but also a favor. Don't be too different from your uncle, it will be bad for you. "
"But Aniang needs to know that if Yun Xi enters the palace, it will be fine if she gives birth to a daughter in the future, but if she gives birth to a son, it will definitely be a threat to He He. I have experienced what I have experienced, and I don't want my children to experience it again."
Speaking of this, Queen Mother Lu didn't take it seriously and said with a smile: "Who said that you will definitely have children after entering the palace? Aren't you the only one for me?"
Speaking of which, Emperor Yuan He and Empress Dowager Lu had no children because of the fierce struggle in the harem of the previous dynasty.
Lu Dingyue once went on an expedition with Emperor Yuan He when he was still the prince, and achieved military exploits. Emperor Taizong asked Lu Dingyue what reward he wanted. Lu Dingyue said that he did not need any reward. His sister dragged him up and wasted his youth. He hoped that Emperor Taizong would find a good marriage for his sister.
At that time, Queen Mingde had just taken Situ Ce to become a monk, and Emperor Yuanhe had only two concubines, Fu and Wang, who were fighting openly and secretly for the throne. Emperor Yuanhe was very tired of it, so he said he would marry sister Lu Dingyue. Just like that, Queen Mother Lu entered the palace.
Empress Dowager Lu had a gentle personality and was very popular with Emperor Yuan He. She soon became pregnant. The Fu family and the Wang family were afraid that Empress Dowager Lu would be a threat to them if she gave birth to a son, so they secretly harmed them, causing Empress Dowager Lu to have a miscarriage and she would not be able to have children again.
Hearing this, Situ Ce was suddenly enlightened, which he did not expect.
"Having said that, why let her go into the palace and suffer that kind of punishment?" Situ Ce sighed, "Let's consider this matter in the long term."
"Don't blame my mother for being cruel. There are many people in this world who can't help themselves, so they have to be able to bend and stretch." Empress Dowager Lu comforted, "Hehe's temperament is more upright and willful, but he is also sensible. Not even in the early Qing Dynasty. Mention it and she will understand your difficulty."
Having said this, Situ Ce couldn't say anything more. After all, Queen Mother Lu really had his best interests in mind.
"Aniang is right. I'll think about it when I go back, and I won't be in a hurry." He said solemnly.
Seeing this, Empress Dowager Lu couldn't help but said, "That's fine."
…
After coming out of Queen Mother Lu's place, Situ Ce wanted to go to Qinzheng Hall, but met Cui Yunxi on the way.
When Cui Yunxi saw him, she immediately became happy and hurriedly stepped forward to salute: "Greetings to Your Majesty."
Situ Cexu gave him a hand and asked with a smile: "Where are you going?"
"Come and say hello to the Queen Mother." Cui Yunxi said with a smile.
Situ Ce nodded, "Go quickly, the Queen Mother is playing with the birds, she will be happy to see her."
"Where is Your Majesty going?"
"Go..." He paused and changed his words, "Go and see your sister-in-law. She woke up this morning and said she had a headache. I'll go and see if she's feeling better."
Hearing this, the smile on Cui Yunxi's face suddenly faded a lot, "My brother treats my sister-in-law very well."
"She and I are husband and wife, so naturally we have to care." Situ Ce pretended not to see the grievance on her face and said with a smile, "Go quickly, the Queen Mother will take a lunch break later."
Cui Yunxi looked at him with a complicated expression, but her eyes were more sad. She responded, and the moment she turned around, tears burst into her eyes.
Situ Ce couldn't help but sigh. He really wanted to maintain the relationship with his uncle. But there is no need to risk his cousin's lifelong happiness, and he doesn't want anything to happen to Fu Qingchu and his child in the future.
Thinking of this, he turned and looked in Cui Yunxi's direction, feeling guilty. But this matter must be settled and cannot be delayed again and again, even though doing so is somewhat cruel to Cui Yunxi. But in order not to get into trouble in the future, he had to do this.
"Yun Xi——" Situ Ce shouted.
Cui Yunxi paused, turned around slowly, and looked at Situ Ce with tearful eyes.
He walked forward, looked into his eyes that were red from crying, and said softly, "Come with me, I have something to say to you."
Cui Yunxi didn't know why, but she followed him.
Situ Ce took Cui Yunxi to a secluded courtyard, dismissed the palace people, looked at her and said seriously: "Does my sister have someone she likes?"
Hearing this, Cui Yunxi couldn't help but be stunned for a moment and looked at him with some surprise: "Your Majesty, what did you say?"
"I ask you if you have someone you like?" Situ Ce repeated, his tone a little softer.
Cui Yunxi felt her heart stop and her face suddenly felt hot. She couldn't help but lower her head, not knowing how to answer him.
Seeing this, Situ Ce was anxious, "No? Then I will show you a marriage, what do you think..."
"Your Majesty!" Cui Yunxi hurriedly called him, her face full of disappointment and sadness, "Don't you understand Yun Xi's heart?" As she spoke, tears fell down her cheeks, and she hurriedly raised her hands to wipe them away.
Situ Ce sighed, feeling more and more guilty in his heart: "Yun Xi, I can't repay your kindness to me, but I have always treated you as my sister. You are still young, and you have not seen many breezes, moonlight, red flowers and willows. Yes, I don’t want you to die in the palace because of me. I will do my best to arrange a good marriage for you and make you the happiest woman in the world."
Hearing this, Cui Yunxi shed more tears and choked up: "Without you, where does my happiness come from? You have known my feelings since I was a child, and you even said you wanted to marry me, but when I returned from observing my filial piety, you married someone else. Brother, when my aunt passed away, you said you were lucky to still have me, have you forgotten these words?"
Hearing this, Situ Ce felt deeply guilty.
When his mother passed away, his father was heartbroken. Empress Dowager Lu was busy with her mother's funeral. The other concubines were fighting for the position of queen. They wished that he would also go with Empress Mingde, and they secretly tampered with his food. .
During that time, he didn't even dare to eat.
Cui Yunxi brought rice from home every day, watched him finish it, and observed filial piety with him. When the palace attendants brought water, she would take a sip first to see if it was poisonous.
She held his hand and told him seriously and firmly, "Brother Prince, don't be afraid, I will protect you."
He burst into tears and choked with sobs as he said, "Yun Xi, fortunately I still have you."
When Empress Dowager Lu was canonized as empress, Cui Yunxi said that even if the empress was someone else, Cui would definitely support him and be his solid backing.
He held her hand and said, "Cui will have a queen."
"When we were playing house when we were children..."
"I take it seriously. I regard it as the most important thing in my life." Cui Yunxi looked at him with tears in her eyes. "In the past three years of keeping my filial piety, I have been worried every day for fear that you would marry someone else. Sure enough, you married someone else. Cheng Hehe. Okay, she is your junior sister. She has been close to everyone in the past three years, and I am willing to be my concubine. But what did you just say? You only treat me as your sister. Is there anyone in the world who wants to marry your sister? "
"Yun Xi..."
Situ Ce wanted to reach out to pull her, but she waved it away, "Stop talking, I'm not so lowly that I have to beg for nothing to marry you. Don't worry about my affairs in the future."
Cui Yunxi said, turning around and walking away decisively.
Situ Ce stood there, watching Cui Yunxi's leaving figure, feeling helpless and guilty in his heart. But long-term pain is worse than short-term pain. Instead of using it up endlessly, it is better to end it right now.
Although I'm sorry for her, the matter is over.
