C54

On the evening of the second day that Zhuang Li returned to the palace, the emperor had also returned. Qing You then recounted what she had seen and heard from Little White, and after talking for a long time until her mouth and tongue became dry, she started to ask Zhuang Li what he had done these past few days.

Every day he served tea as usual, and the emperor was still as cold as ever, but he didn't seem to feel as cold as he used to. Perhaps it was really spring, and the trees in the courtyard had already blossomed, or maybe he had just gone to Xiangshan to bask in the sun for two days, but there was still some warmth left in him … He would occasionally raise his head to glance at Zhuang Li, and she would laugh idiotically, as if something had changed in her heart.

The Emperor looked at Zhuang Chi and giggled, and then he lowered his head, the only time he saw Zhuang Li's smile, he couldn't help but laugh … She then forced herself to become serious, as if Zhuang Li's mental illness was an infectious disease …

She spent most of the night in the tea room with the emperor. Sometimes, even if the emperor wasn't here, she would still stay in the tea room as usual. She warmed a bowl of fragrant tea and watched the steam rise slowly.

I don't know why Zhuang Li always had a faint uneasiness, but at the same time, I couldn't explain exactly what I was unsettled about. I seem to have almost forgotten everything she said to the King Bi that night, but I do remember that I did ask the King Bi what kind of relationship they had with Wang Su's mother. She remembered that Wang Bi said he was feeling guilty. Even though he was very young at that time, he did something that made him feel guilty for the rest of his life.

If it were not for her willfulness, Mei Niang would not have remained, and would instead have led a happy life.

What does this mean …?

What kind of person was that mother who the emperor would softly call in his dreams? What kind of stories happened...

As for the details, Zhuang Li could not remember. She knew she must have drunk her fill, and she forgot what she had said …

But what did the prince's words mean? If the Prince Bi was not in front of her, what would happen?

However, she was increasingly unafraid of the King Bi, and for some reason, it was as if they had known each other for many years.

The longer he stayed at Imperial Study, the clearer the situation the situation became. The current situation was not a stable world, when the Emperor took over the world, the powers in the imperial court would be a mix of different kinds of people, and after two years of rest, the Emperor had already firmly grasped the military, civil affairs, and ceremonial departments. However, there were still other powers in the Ministry of Revenue, led by the Lord Yin Tai, that did not all buy the accounts of the Emperor, and it was common for them to argue from the imperial court all the way to the Imperial Study.

Now, even though the emperor's strength had single-handedly suppressed the public's criticism of his West Cold, the interior of the Great Phoenix once again began to clamor. Other than West Cold, the longest border of the Great Phoenix was Mongolia. However, the Emperor hoped to establish a relationship with Mongolia and was not willing to fight.

As for Zhuang Li, she finally found out about the Empress's family after the Master of Rites, Sima Yao, came over and nagged about the matter of offering sacrifices to her ancestors for a few months. She was the daughter of General Dai-Zhao, and held the military power of two hundred thousand phoenixes. She was also the founder of the country. Afterwards, she heard from the young eunuch that she was the late emperor's testamentary edict, which was that no matter who became the emperor, Jia Zhao Huai was the legitimate empress. Coincidentally, that Yu Wei and is also very fond of the emperor. However, from the start until now, the Emperor had never had the chance to rest with the palace again …

Zhuang Li asked the young eunuch where the emperor often went to rest and the young eunuch replied.

"Of course it's the Imperial Study …"

In April, the empress held a Hundred Blossom Banquet when the city was in full bloom. The banquet was dedicated to the ladies of the harem and to the young women of the important ministers. It was the biggest event of the year.

The location of the Hundred Flowers Banquet was Huhe Palace in empress. For the servants of the Hundred Flowers Banquet Palace, they had already started preparing a month in advance, and all the strange flowers and herbs that were transported to the capital from all over the country were all sent to Huhe Palace. The food in the Hundred Blossom Meet was also a snack made from different kinds of petals. The wine was also fresh fruit wine mixed with this year's nectar.

There were colored silk cloths hanging everywhere outside the palace. This caused quite a few butterflies to dance during this period of time.

The important thing about this banquet is that. The gathering of the powerhouses in the harem will be decided by the empress, and the families of the ministers and ministers will be roped in to ensure their own influence in the capital. During that time, the emperor would also show up.

Zhuang Li naturally could not go. Even if the Empress did not fuss over the matter of serving the Emperor anymore, she could not let Zhao Qin see her appearance. She knew that her face like Du Yue'er's would definitely cause another commotion, and she would definitely not be able to hide the matter of her being Zhao Ci's forever … Even if she didn't want to get into a relationship with the Prime Minister Zhao right now, she didn't want to get involved in a dispute over the harem either.

Just like that, he guarded the emperor's tea quietly. It was already an excellent life to be able to sneak out of the palace with the Prince Bi to have a drink or two when he was free … If Zhao Qin found out that it was Zhao Ci who had revealed this matter, wouldn't it be the same as the crime of deceiving the monarch … She already knew what kind of decision the Emperor would make with his temper …

On the day of the Hundred Blossom Banquet, Zhuang Li only stood in the rear courtyard of the Imperial Study and looked at all of the ladies who were attending the banquet.

They were all extremely beautiful women. If any family's daughter was chosen by the emperor, it would naturally be the luck of that family. Thus, all the ministers who had a daughter who was over the age of sixteen sent her to the palace through this opportunity.

The children were all pretty and delicate. In April, the weather had already started to get warm, and the lotus leaves began to germinate. Spring flowers bloomed everywhere, and they all wore thicker clothing, looking as light as butterflies compared to the winter clothing. There were also calm and composed madams who naturally came to choose husbands and sons for their daughters. After all, the empress's influence was not to be underestimated, and her father's power within the court was not something that could be stopped. At a banquet like this, it would be good to know more about the general's movements.

Besides, the empress was a shrewd person. She'd taken many officials in as her disciples, and naturally did so for the emperor's sake.

Frankly speaking, she really loved the Emperor …

Just as Zhuang Li was about to leave and get annoyed from watching, she suddenly saw a person in white clothes. That person was a bit calm but surprisingly young, and her appearance looked almost the same as eight years ago. Zhuang Li remembered that the girl wore a green muslin dress as she smiled sweetly at him. That smile was naturally intoxicating.

Liu Yiyi

The renowned courtesan Liu Yiyi in the capital eight years ago …

But she wouldn't believe it. Perhaps she had seen wrongly. Although this white-clothed woman was beautiful, she was simple and low-key. And the Liu Yiyi in her memories was a beauty who knew how to use this kind of beauty … However, she had almost disappeared from the capital. It was hard to tell whether she had married into the imperial court. After all, it was not a long term plan to be the number one person on the street. How many years could a woman's youth last? If there was the right opportunity, she would naturally be willing to marry him, just like Zhao Ci's mother back then.

But in the end, she still did not know. When Yan Yanran returned to the teahouse, she saw that Li Liangxiao was also heading towards the Imperial Study.

Zhuang Li asked Li Liangxiao. These past few years, I almost didn't recognize myself, how could you recognize me? And it was the first time.

Li Liangxiao chuckled and said, "Because big sister hasn't changed one bit."

Zhuang Li's head was filled with black lines. I've changed so much... Unresigned, she asked again, "Have I not become more beautiful?"

Li Liangxiao was also puzzled, and said to Zhuang Li: "Big sister has always been very beautiful … …" Zhuang Li did not know how to deal with him, but how could he tell that Zhao Ci was beautiful when she was that skinny and undernourished?

Hence, Zhuang Li started to worry even more for Li Liangxiao. For this kind of child who simply had no taste, she had to watch him closely, so that he wouldn't be harmed by those ugly palace maids.

This time, when Li Liangxiao came out from the Imperial Study, he looked to be laughing merrily.

"Elder sister."

Zhuang Li sighed. She had no choice but to come across this foolish little brother of hers, so she pulled him over and said, "You aren't in love, right?"

Li Liangxiao looked at her, completely at a loss.

Only now did Zhuang Li realize that Li Liangxiao did not understand the word "love", and explained.

"Have you taken a fancy to any girl?"

This time, he finally understood. The child happily nodded his head …

Zhuang Li's heart couldn't help but thump, he thought that this foolish child had ultimately been harmed by the young women who were thinking of marriage in the palace …

"Which palace? How old? Is her temper good? "

Li Liangxiao shook his head.

Zhuang Li's heart became cold again... Could she still be from outside the palace?

"Which lady is it?" Isn't it beautiful? "

Li Liangxiao still shook his head.

Zhuang Li's heart suddenly dropped to the bottom of the abyss …

"Your brother's dead child …" Come... Tell Big Sister... Are you interested in brothels? "

Without waiting for Zhuang Li to finish speaking, Li Liangxiao asked, "Can't I marry big sister?"

At first, Zhuang Li still did not react, but when she reacted, she smacked Li Liangxiao on the head with her palm.

"Elder sister, you're so concerned about me …" We are family, the kind of family that is related by blood, do you understand? "

Only then did Zhuang Li remember that although she really thought of Li Liangxiao as his younger brother … But they're not... Moreover, it seemed impossible to talk about blood ties with people of this era …

"But I just want to marry big sister."

Zhuang Li had gone berserk, this foolish child was already done …

He had always wanted to find his sister. If the Great Phoenix did not have him, then it would look for her in the West Cold. If it did not have West Cold, then he would still look for her in Mongolia.

He didn't know where he had come from or where he was going, but the moment he met Zhuang Li, he suddenly realized that he had to follow his sister.

Thus, his sister was the most at ease when she married him.