Bixiao Palace is a hundred miles north of Kyoto. It is late autumn and the sky is getting cooler.
The breeze blew, and the ginkgo leaves beside the road fell. The bluestone road just cleaned by the slaves was soon covered with golden fallen leaves.
After leaving the library pavilion, Jiang Yunzhou led Chu Xiaoqing straight forward along the bluestone path.
Chu Xiaoqing dropped half of his body and followed silently, the dead ginkgo leaves under her feet making a clicking sound.
The two men's entourage tacitly kept some distance from them, and they all tilted their heads slightly to observe the two men's actions quietly.
"Oh, look at this couple. The man is talented and the woman is beautiful. They are a match made in heaven~"
Xiao Huazi held his heart in his hands and looked at the backs of the two of them, his little eyes filled with relief.
"Oh, there are women, but where are the men..."
Not far from him, Chu Xiaoqing's personal maid Xiaodie curled her lips and muttered softly.
Xiao Huazi had very pointed ears. When he heard this, he immediately lowered his face and glared at Xiaodie, then reprimanded in a high-pitched voice:
"Hey, you little girl, what are you talking about? Don't think that just because you are a maid, you can speak freely. My Highness has already realized what he is doing!"
Hearing this, Xiaodie's face instantly looked like a ripe apple, and she quickly retorted:
"Hu, what are you talking about? I, I only serve the young master, I am not a... maid..."
Her voice became softer and softer as she spoke, and the blush quickly spread to her ears.
"Hey, you're still shy. Let me tell you, being able to be our Royal Highness's maidservant is a blessing you earned in your previous life. If you can have a son and a half in the future, it will be a blessing for generations to come!"
Xiao Huazi's eyebrows were slightly raised on his fair and fat face, and he looked sideways at Xiaodie, looking extremely proud.
"Hmph, who cares..."
Xiaodie stamped her feet and quickened her pace to get rid of a few people. After taking a few steps, she saw that she was too close to her little master, so she controlled her steps and slowed down.
Looking at her little master's thin back with his head bowed slightly, Xiaodie felt a sense of distress in her heart for no reason.
My mistress, she must be feeling very bitter. The one she has always wanted to marry is His Highness Prince Yu...
But why do I feel that His Highness Ninth Prince seems to be a better uncle.
"Have you eaten yet?"
Thinking of Jiang Yunzhou's very poor way of greeting, Xiaodie couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth, and Jiang Yunzhou's sideways movement to block King Yu.
Maybe, he can make the little master's life easier...
Xiaodie raised her head and stared at the two of them.
Under the slender and muscular back of His Highness Ninth Prince, the young master seemed to be less lonely than before.
They truly seem like a match made in heaven...
Everyone just kept walking slowly along the bluestone road. From time to time, pedestrians would stop. After saluting Jiang Yunzhou, they still turned around frequently, chasing the two of them with their eyes.
If you don't think about it, the Ninth Prince and the most beautiful woman in Kyoto are quite a match.
This is the sentiment of most passers-by.
A few moments.
Jiang Yunzhou stopped and turned to look at the beautiful lady beside him. He scratched his head, cleared his throat with a little embarrassment, and said:
"Actually...I don't have anything important to do."
"I know."
"Huh?" Jiang Yunzhou looked up in surprise.
Chu Xiaoqing in front of her still had a cold face, but her voice was a little softer than before:
"Is there really such a clause in the "Zongfu Regulations"?
"No, I made it up. I didn't even read it, but he actually believed it, hahaha...hehe..."
Jiang Yunzhou shook his head and laughed. When he saw Chu Xiaoqing's charming and expressionless face, he stopped his smile and laughed twice. This woman is really cold...
There was a moment of silence.
Chu Xiaoqing took the initiative and said:
"Is it because of King Yan that Your Highness the Ninth Highness is so neglectful of King Yu?"
"No, it has nothing to do with Fifth Brother."
Jiang Yunzhou shook his head, "I just feel unhappy with him."
Of course, this is not entirely true. Facing this guy who will definitely bring chaos to the Jin Kingdom in the future, Jiang Yunzhou will definitely not be polite. He has too many ways to bring him down.
"Um?"
Chu Xiaoqing had never heard of the word 'unhappy', but she roughly understood its meaning through His Highness's tone of voice.
Jiang Yunzhou suddenly understood and explained casually:
"I just don't like the way he looks at you."
Chu Xiaoqing lowered her eyes slightly. After a moment, she raised her star-like eyes again, her eyes colder than before. She asked in an emotionless voice:
"Why did Your Highness hurriedly propose marriage to His Majesty once he saw this little girl? How different is your move from that of Prince Yu?"
"I……"
Jiang Yunzhou was stunned.
Yes, when you meet someone you want to marry, is it love at first sight, or is it love at first sight?
After all, it was him who ruined the plan she had worked hard for for many years.
Memories come flooding back.
Jiang Yunzhou suddenly remembered that this gifted marriage was not the marriage he asked the Jin Emperor for, as was rumored by the outside world.
It was not recorded in the original book, but the memory of the original owner was very clear. On that day, Emperor Jin took the initiative to find him and arranged this marriage for him.
He still doesn't know what Jin Huang's plan is.
Thinking of this, he didn't know whether he should explain it.
I can't say: I didn't want to marry you, my father asked me to marry you.
Wouldn't it be stupider to say so?
What if she holds a grudge and kills her?
He remembered that the outcome of King Yu in the original book was very miserable. After he ascended the throne, he was deposed by Nightingale as soon as she was included in the harem. She lay on the bed all day long, while Chu Xiaoqing was in charge of Zhen Guogong and the harem. With the help of a famous nightingale, he listens to politics behind the curtain, and his methods are extremely ruthless.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. Little lady, please leave."
After speaking, Chu Xiaoqing turned and left without waiting for Jiang Yunzhou to respond.
Jiang Yunzhou stared blankly,
Her slender and tall back was straight, like a lone sail sailing away on a calm lake, cold and distant.
He couldn't quite see clearly what kind of person this girl was.
…
A side courtyard of Bixiao Palace.
The servants and guards of the Zhenguo Palace were standing outside the courtyard gate, looking somewhat nervous.
Especially Chu Xiaoqing's personal maid Xiaodie was even more anxious. She kept pacing, her hands intertwined involuntarily, looking up at the high courtyard wall, and murmuring:
"I hope the young master will not be punished by the madam..."
The courtyard was empty.
After a long period of silence, a loud slap was heard from the closed study room, followed by an angry and harsh roar——
"Despicable! Do you really think that you are married to him, and you dare to have a private meeting with him in public? Have I told you that even if you really get married, your plan to become the queen will not stop! You will be disgraced if you act like this. Where is the king placed?"
"Mother misunderstood."
Chu Xiaoqing gently wiped the red blood stains from the corner of her mouth and looked at the luxurious woman in front of her indifferently.
This person is Xiao Mo, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Duke of Zhenguo and the biological mother of Chu Xiaoqing.
The soles of their feet were in a mess, and the floor was littered with broken teapots, mottled water stains, tea leaves, and messy fallen ink sticks and brushes.
Xiao Mo's delicately made-up face was severely distorted. She pointed at Chu Xiaoqing and scolded angrily:
"Misunderstanding? Oh, do you think I'm a three-year-old child and let you fool me?"
Chu Xiaoqing slowly lowered her body, stretched out her jade hand to clean up the debris on the floor, and said calmly:
"My daughter left with His Highness Ninth Prince in front of King Yu. She did it on purpose. Mother, based on your understanding of King Yu, when he saw me meeting His Highness Ninth Prince, did he give up or try to fight for it?"
Xiao Moliu frowned slightly, her eyes wandered, and she fell into short thoughts.
"Why……"
After a moment, she looked down at her daughter who was cleaning up the mess, sighed, and then whispered:
"Qing'er, have you ever hated your mother..."
Chu Xiaoqing's hands that were packing her things suddenly stiffened, and then she continued to move, her voice still calm:
"My daughter doesn't hate it."
Listening to Chu Xiaoqing's indifferent response, Xiao Mo sighed quietly again, bent down and pulled Chu Xiaoqing's shoulders, slowly lifting her up.
Looking at her daughter's somewhat red and swollen face, she stretched out her hand to caress it, and a green halo flashed by. The faint fingerprints and redness dissipated quickly, and Chu Xiaoqing's fair face returned to its original appearance in an instant.
"Qing'er, what we are doing is a sacred task. Once successful, you will definitely leave your name forever."
She took off the sundries in Chu Xiaoqing's hands, stared into her indifferent eyes, and said solemnly:
"For the sake of Da Qian and the young master, you must put aside those selfish thoughts, do you understand?"
Chu Xiaoqing nodded slightly: "My daughter understands."
"At today's dinner, Prince Yu's good fortune will be determined. You must find some opportunities to show off your skills to Prince Yu. After all, today you and His Highness Ninth Prince..."
"The daughter knows that the mother can rest assured. If there is nothing else, the daughter will go and prepare first."
Before she could finish speaking, Chu Xiaoqing interrupted, bowed slightly behind her, turned around, pushed open the door, and walked out...
