Zhu Jianshen couldn't wait and was ecstatic.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he walked out of the hall, he bumped into the Queen Mother Zhou.
"Where are you going, Your Majesty?"
"My son, I have met my mother." Zhu Jianshen stopped, suppressed his thoughts, and said, "The situation in the grassland has changed. I will go to the Ministry of War."
"Just let Yu Qing's family come over. Why does the emperor need to go there in person?" Mrs. Zhou said with a smile, "The queen mother has an urgent matter here."
Zhu Jianshen was scratching his heart, but he had to be patient and asked: "What's the matter with the queen?"
"What else can there be? This is the end of the selection process, isn't it?" Zhou stepped forward with a smile and whispered, "The twelve beauties have been selected. Your Majesty might as well go and see them first."
Mrs. Zhou still loved her son. She was afraid that the son she chose would not like it, so she simply let her son make the decision.
Zhu Jianshen was anxious to meet the beauties, but not the twelve beauties. "Parents make the final decision on marriage matters, and the queen will decide after she chooses the mother."
"Let...mother decide?"
"Well, thank you for your hard work, mother." Zhu Jianshen nodded gently.
"Okay..." With her son respecting her so much, Mrs. Zhou was even more elated. After half a lifetime, she finally got through it. She smiled happily and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, my mother will definitely choose a queen you like."
"Um…"
Seeing the eagerness on her son's eyebrows, Mrs. Zhou said: "Since the Emperor has official duties, he should go about it first, and the Queen will take care of it later."
"Well, mother, walk slowly."
After watching Queen Mother Zhou go away, Zhu Jianshen immediately said to Xiao Hengzi who was leading the honor guard, "Let's go to the Huanyi Bureau."
…
Clothes Bureau.
Zhen'er was frightened for a long time. Seeing that the old eunuch didn't harass her anymore, she relaxed a little and continued her job.
The Chinese New Year is just a few days away. If you do more work in advance, you will be more relaxed during the two days of the Chinese New Year.
Zhen'er has been following the Sun family since she was a child. She is literate and can read and write. She is able to do this statistics like a fish in water, and her little abacus is crackling.
She must know how much clothes to wash, which area to put them in after washing, and when to pick them up.
This job seems easy, but not everyone can do it...
She was taking inventory when she suddenly heard a noise outside, and then the sound of worshippers came one after another.
"This slave is here to see the Emperor...!"
'Crack! The brush fell, blurring the number she had just calculated. She stood up in panic, "Wow!" 'The abacus was also knocked to the ground.
Zhen'er couldn't care less about feeling sorry and hurriedly hid behind the pile of clothes, her heart beating wildly.
Why is he here, why is he here at the Clothing Bureau... Zhen'er was extremely flustered and extremely nervous.
In fact, she didn't even know why she was panicking.
Is it because of Li Qing?
Obviously not!
Only Li Qing and Emperor Jingtai know her secret. Now that the emperor can find her, it is most likely that Li Qing told the truth. There is no need for her to panic.
'Maybe it's just that he was depressed in the palace and came here to relax. It's not what I thought. '
Thinking of this, she slowly relaxed, and then she felt an uncontrollable sense of loss.
She took out the small bronze mirror from her arms, and when she saw the face reflected in the mirror, she felt even more disappointed. In the end, she sighed, hugging her knees, resting her chin on them, feeling lonely and speechless.
~
"Where is she?" Zhu Jianshen asked Xiao Hengzi after sending the maids away in the courtyard.
"Over there." Xiao Hengzi pointed to a large warehouse-like house not far away.
Zhu Jianshen nodded slightly and said, "No one is allowed to come close without my permission."
"yes."
Zhu Jian took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and stepped forward...
'Squeak~' The door was pushed open.
'I'm here. '
'he came. '
One person is in the light, the other is in the dark, and everyone is very nervous.
The warehouse is not small, it can hold up several large houses combined, and the clean clothes are piled up in an orderly manner.
Zhu Jianshen scanned for a week and saw no one, but he had a strong feeling that Sister Zhen'er was here.
"I'm here to find you," he said.
This small sound fell into Zhen'er's ears, but it was like thunder, making her heart tremble wildly.
Don't come over, don't come over... She covered her mouth, her body was trembling, and her face was filled with fear.
She is afraid, afraid to face it.
She... is already old and her years are gone. How can she compare to a young woman in her twenties?
"I know you are here." Zhu Jianshen said, "Come out and see me."
Zhen'er didn't respond, but her body was shaking violently. She was scared, but also surprised. After so many years, the prince still remembered her.
'What am I rejoicing about? '
Zhen'er asked herself, thought hard, and finally came to the result.
It turns out that he has never left. He was a cute child at first, then a lovable younger brother, and now...
After understanding her own feelings, she was even more unwilling to face it. What is she now? Just an old woman in her thirties!
Even if he was not the emperor, or even just a commoner, she would never be worthy of him.
Don't come here, please... She buried her head, her body was shaking, and her tears fell silently.
"Don't cry~"
Wen Chun's voice sounded.
Zhen'er's trembling body froze, and then she buried her head even lower. She wished she could die on the spot, but she really didn't have the courage to face it.
Zhu Jianshen sighed softly, and regardless of appearance, he sat next to her and held her hand.
Zhen'er wanted to struggle, but she had no strength, and her little hand was easily held by him.
His hands are so warm...
She buried her face sideways, never daring to face him.
Zhu Jianshen didn't force it, he just stroked the hand gently, feeling the roughness of the little hand, which made him feel very distressed.
"Zhen'er... come back to the palace with me." Zhu Jianshen called her for the first time.
Although she couldn't see it, she could feel that at this moment, those hot and longing eyes were filled with pleading.
She didn't speak and didn't know what to say.
After a long time, Zhen'er calmed down and regained her composure.
She withdrew her hand, stood up, walked to Zhu Jianshen's side, bowed and saluted, "My slave, long live my emperor."
Zhu Jianshen smiled bitterly and stood up slowly: "Sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhen'er stood up and lowered her head in silence.
Zhu Jianshen stepped forward to hug her, but she took a few steps back and silently refused.
Seeing this, Zhu Jianshen stopped forcing himself and said softly: "We haven't seen you for so many years, you...have lost weight."
Losing weight means... getting old? Still getting ugly... Zhen'er couldn't help but burst out with these thoughts.
But I heard Zhu Jianshen continue: "But that Zhen'er is so good-looking and cute."
Zhen'er's mind was in a state of confusion and she instantly lost her mind. When she looked up again, tears were streaming down her face...
Zhu Jianshen stepped forward, hugged her into his arms, and said softly: "I finally found you, come back to the palace with me..."
~
The dragon chariot drove out of the Huanyi Bureau, and a cold voice came from inside:
"If word of what happened today spreads, everyone will be killed with a stick!"
"yes."
The more than 20 people accompanying him responded respectfully and remained as silent as a cicada.
"Xiao Hengzi, go back to the palace to make arrangements and disperse the servants waiting in Qianqing Palace."
"Yes." Xiao Hengzi saluted the dragon chariot and hurried away.
In the dragon carriage.
Zhen'er lowered her head and twisted the hem of her plain dress with her fingers, feeling both happy and nervous.
That palace was not only beautiful, but also dark, but now, she didn't want to retreat.
"Your Majesty, do you want to place your slaves in Qianqing Palace?"
"Um."
Zhu Jianshen naturally took her hand and kissed the back of it lightly, causing Zhen'er to lower her head lower.
My head is so dizzy, I don't know what I'm thinking...
…
Qianqing Palace is magnificent and warm as spring.
The charcoal basin is red in color and smells of rosin. Compared with Huanyi Bureau, it is like heaven.
Zhen'er was in a state of confusion, just like in a dream.
Not long after, Xiao Hengzi stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, the hot water in the inner palace is ready. I have found two well-behaved and sensible maids. Do you want them to serve... the empress?"
Hearing the word empress, Zhen'er's expression changed and she hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this is not possible, slave..."
"It doesn't matter." Zhu Jianshen didn't take it seriously and said to Xiao Hengzi: "Have someone come over and serve you."
"yes."
Not long after, two little palace maids walked in. They had already received instructions, one at a time, and Zhen'er was half pushed and half pulled into the inner hall...
Zhu Jianshen was in a good mood and patted Xiao Hengzi on the shoulder: "Well done, you will continue to work hard in the future. As long as you are willing to work hard for me, I will not be the second choice for the position of eunuch of the palm print."
"Yes, I understand." Xiao Hengzi was elated. He had been busy for so long just because of this sentence.
Zhu Jianshen said: "My wedding is about to happen, so Zhen'er's affairs should not be exposed to the public..."
After thinking about it for a while, he finally felt a little worried and said: "Well... without my permission, you must not let other people know about this matter. Just keep an eye on it."
"My slave obeys the order."
Seeing that the emperor had no other instructions, Xiao Hengzi bowed, exited the hall, went to summon people with knowledge of the matter, and made harsh threats.
——
After bathing, Zhen'er put on gorgeous new clothes. Under the steam of water, her skin was white and rosy, and she looked much younger.
In front of the bronze mirror, she looked at herself in the mirror, and her strong sense of inferiority eased a little.
She is no longer young, but she is still pretty.
Two little maids dressed her up. This kind of luxurious life that she had always dreamed of living made her extremely satisfied, but she was worried about gains and losses.
She didn't know how long she would remain beautiful, but it was obvious that it wouldn't last long. This feeling of having just gained something and was about to lose it was not a good one.
'It would be great if I could be twenty years younger, even ten years old'
She thought so...
"Your Majesty, it's ready." The little palace maid reminded softly.
"Well..." Zhen'er nodded lightly.
Another little palace maid said, "My queen, please come with me."
"Do, what?" Zhen'er stuttered.
Of course she knew what would happen next, and it was precisely because she knew that she was nervous...
The little palace maid was about to answer, but when she saw the emperor coming in, she quickly bent down and saluted, "My slave, I pay my respects to the emperor."
"Well, back off."
"yes."
Zhu Jianshen stepped forward with a smile, his eyes full of love, but he was too young after all, still a teenager.
The love of young people is often mixed with a lot of love.
He put his arms around her waist and kissed her on the lips...
Zhen'er was dazed and dazed, and suddenly she felt her body light up, and she was picked up by Zhu Jianshen.
"W-where are you going?"
Zhu Jianshen just laughed, smiling very evilly...
…
The charcoal pot was burning very brightly, and occasionally sparks would pop out, causing ripples in the picture.
The whistling sounds are low, and the swaying sound of spring shadows is slower;
Thousands of whispers, the dewdrops among the flowers have bloomed...
