Empress Chu

After finishing speaking, he quickly grabbed Chu Zhao's arm and hurriedly explained.

"Sister, I feel at ease after I tell you."

Chu Zhao laughed: "What are you explaining? Am I jealous of your parents?" She reached out and pinched the tip of Xiao Yu's nose, "Ah Yu has more people to talk to, I will only be happier."

Thinking of something, Xiao Yu took out the bamboo tube and said, "I almost forgot the gift for my father."

This bamboo tube, Chu Zhao looked at it with a complicated expression, but more pleased.

"Actually, my father seldom gets close to me." Xiao Yu stroked the bamboo tube, "I have complaints about my father. The gift I prepared for him that day was intended to scare him—"

It contained snakes, Chu Zhao still remembered, of course, the bamboo tube had already been replaced with a toy snake.

"After he died, I had no chance to scare him, and I also had no chance to get close to him." Xiao Yu said, looking at the tombstone in front of him, "I have been holding this bamboo tube, as if I would not lose it this way."

Having said that, he smiled slightly and placed the bamboo tube in front of the tombstone.

"Now, I am no longer afraid of losing."

"Just like my sister said, as long as the heart that loves me is there, people will be there, whether they are by my side or not."

Chu Zhao stretched out his arms to hug him, and sighed softly, "Our Ayu has really grown up."

Xiao Yu leaned on her shoulder and said, "So, sister, you can leave now."

Chu Zhao stood up straight and looked at him.

Xiao Yu also looked at her: "I can accept losing now, sister, you can trust me again."

He knew that his sister came back that day, but her sister didn't believe him anymore.

My sister never held his hand again.

When he went to see his sister, he could no longer go straight, and his sister would always be surrounded by soldiers and guards.

My sister will no longer block him behind and hand over her back to him like before.

He doesn't blame his sister, it's all his own doing.

Chu Zhao raised his hand and gently stroked the young man's brow.

"Do you know why my sister left? It's not that I don't trust you." She said, "You are the emperor, and I am a different queen. Even if we trust each other, we cannot coexist under the imperial power."

Xiao Yu opened his mouth to say something.

Chu Zhao lightly touched the tip of his nose to stop him.

"Of course, this is not a problem, because my sister has many methods to make you non-threatening, make you only trust me in this life, and make you my puppet."

She looked at Xiao Yu and shook her head slightly.

"But I don't want to be like this, I don't want to turn you into this, and I don't want me to be like that."

"I was a queen of nothing."

"I can also be an omnipotent queen now."

"However, I still want to be the me I like in the end."

Xiao Yu nodded, and said solemnly: "Sister, besides being the emperor, I will also be someone I like."

Chu Zhao smiled, looking at Xiao Yu's face, the once childish child had turned into a handsome young man.

"Ayu." She said, "My sister never regretted saving you, and my sister is very honored to have saved you that day."

Xiao Yu couldn't bear it any longer and stretched out his arms to hug her, buried his head on her shoulder, and tears rolled down gently.

Chapter 24 Later

It has been six years since the queen disappeared.

It happened in the winter of the fourth year of Jianning.

During the winter festival, the queen did not show up. At that time, the courtiers were still a little puzzled, but they just thought that the queen might be unwell.

It wasn't until the queen didn't show up at the New Year's banquet that the courtiers felt something was wrong. A dozen officials stood up and asked the emperor, where is the queen?

There are even some female relatives who cover their heads and rush to the harem.

The banquet was in chaos, and the guards had to come out to maintain order.

The emperor can only explain to everyone that the queen has something important to go out.

The dark-faced and frightening Commander of the Arch Guard Si Ding also proved that the queen was out, and the queen's cousin, Princess Huimin, and editor-in-chief of the Hanlin Academy, Chu Tangchu, apologized to everyone on behalf of the queen, saying that the matter was serious. You have to hide it from everyone.

It is not uncommon for the queen to go out. The queen often went out to fight before.

Hmm, but I didn't hear that there was a war again?

Although there were conflicts between some local government and aristocratic families, and it was said that there was a lot of trouble, but the officers and soldiers surrounded them with swords, and it was safe within a few days.

Maybe the queen needs to come forward to appease.

If the emperor said it alone, everyone would have doubts in their hearts, but if the guard and Chu Tang had said it, everyone would breathe a sigh of relief—compared to the emperor, everyone believed in these two people.

The queen never came back as soon as she went out, as if she had disappeared.

But no one asked the emperor anymore, because seeing that the guards were as usual, Master Chu Tangchu was also transferred to the Yushi Supervisory Council.

And the emperor has turned 20 years old, and there has never been a newcomer in the harem.

It's the same whether the queen is present or not, so why bother to tell the truth, just pretend that the queen is always there, and let it continue like this.

When Ding Dachui came out of the palace, he saw Zhu Yong and Chu Tang coming towards him.

The faces of the two were not very good-looking.

Zhu Yong was born in the Imperial Academy, even though he was wearing the dreadful python-patterned robes of the Arch Guard Division, even when he was interrogating prisoners in the prison, his expression was gentle.

Not to mention Chu Tang, a pretty girl, although she was transferred to the Yushitai, she relied on first-hand articles to impeach her. No matter what she scolded the other party with her pen, her face was always gentle and pleasant.

What happened to make these two smiling tigers stop laughing?

"Master Ding." When they saw Ding Dahui, they both saluted and said hello.

These two are the queen's confidantes, Ding Dahui's face softened a little, and asked: "What are you doing?"

Zhu Yongdao: "Master Chu wants to use power for personal gain, I ask her to write an impeachment memorial for me first."

Chu Tang sneered at the side: "Master Zhu is holding other people's secrets and is waiting for a price. I invite him to make a price with His Majesty."

What the scholar said was complicated, Ding Dachui frowned, and said: "This year's state and county women's imperial examinations are still blocked?"

Zhu Yongdao: "Haste makes waste, you have to persuade people with reason, not hacking to death everyone who stops you."

Chu Tang said: "When you open the bow, there is no turning back the arrow. Once you work hard, you will lose your strength and then you will be exhausted."

Ding Dachui didn't want to listen any more, and waved his hands: "Go, go, see Your Majesty."

The two saluted him politely before continuing to look inward.

Seeing the two walking side by side, the officials coming in and out of the palace cast their gazes. Although it has been six years, but seeing the women wearing official robes walking back and forth with the men, I still can't help but take a second look... …

"Master Chu and Master Zhu look quite compatible."

"Golden boy and jade girl? Haha."

Some people couldn't help laughing, but the next moment there was a gloomy look, the official couldn't help shivering, and his voice stopped abruptly.

At the gate of the palace, the python-pattern robe was shining, and Ding Dahui stared at them coldly.

"My lord thinks of a man and a woman when he sees a man and a woman. Why don't you go to the prison of our Gongwei Division. There are men and women, so you can be happy." He said.

The official was almost suffocated and squeezed out a smile: "Where is it, I am, I am thinking of my son and daughter. Thanks to Lord Todin, I have a new son and a daughter."

He spoke incoherently, and the officials next to him wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh. Fortunately, Ding Dahui didn't say anything, turned and walked away.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Scared me to death." The official wiped his sweat.

"You too, play tricks at home, your family doesn't dare to do anything to you, so you can restrain yourself when you come to court." Others also complained, "They are all officials, so they are not easy to mess with."

The official said angrily: "I'm just..." It's just that I'm not used to seeing men and women walking together. Except for following their husbands, women rarely show their faces in public.

Hey, the times are different, that's all, if you really enter the Arch Guard Division, you will lose your wealth and life.

"I see, I will pay more attention in the future."

……

……

In the bustling market, a group of officials came galloping, carrying burdens and holding flags in their hands.

"This is to convey the scientific examination next year." The people in the capital immediately recognized it, "It's so fast, three years and three years."

Facing the window of the restaurant on the street, Qi Leyun also stared at the group of officials, and almost leaned out. A girl and a boy were holding her legs carefully.

"Mom, be careful," they said.

The door was pushed open, and several women walked in. Seeing this scene, some of them couldn't help but sneer.

"Qi Leyun, it's just that you can't pass the scientific examination, don't worry about it." She smiled.

Qi Leyun withdrew from the window, glared at her, and asked anxiously, "How is it? Has Chu Tang made it?"

A few women sat down indoors, pouring tea unhurriedly, but Qi Leyun snatched the teapot, and said with a smile: "It's done."

One pointed outside.

"This time it will be conveyed that women can also participate in the prefectural and county exams, and it doesn't have to be just one in the capital."

Qi Leyun clasped his hands together and recited to the Buddha, "Finally I've got my head out of it."

There was only one science test for the girls, and everyone came to the capital, and those who didn't realize it until they were amazing would have no way of getting ahead.

"Qi Leyun, you are already a mother, and you still have to take the exam?" A woman smiled, stretched out her hand to grab Qi Leyun's two children, each stuffed a sachet, "Here, Auntie will play for you."

The two children saluted respectfully and sat down beside them without arguing.

"I won't take the exam. My sister-in-law is going to take the exam." Qi Leyun said, her eyebrows beaming. "I have already planned that she will go to the imperial school in the capital, and then we will go back to my hometown for reference. When the time comes—"

No matter how good the girls in my hometown are, they are definitely not as good as those who have learned from the Taixue in the capital. They will definitely be able to go to high school. Being hired by the government can be an official and an official.

Qi Leyun laughed triumphantly.

"No matter what, our family will have a female officer!"

The women shook their heads helplessly: "Why do you still look so tricky after you're a mother?" "Don't think you're smart, there are so many people who think like you, it's still difficult without real skills."

With the urgent report from the official messenger, the news of the new scientific examination spread in Daxia, and now everyone knows about the women's scientific examination.

In the remote Yunzhong County, next year's scientific examination has become the hottest topic.

Although Yunzhong County is remote, it is rich in products. There have been no wars in recent years, and the city is also prosperous.

There are many restaurants and tea shops in the city, and there are constant carriages and horses on the road outside the city.

At this moment, under a big locust tree outside the city gate, the traffickers passing by and resting were also talking about the women's imperial examination.

"There are also women who participated in the prefectural and county examinations this time, so there is no need to go to the capital."

"Just like the men, compete in the same field."

"I still think it's nonsense, what can women do?"

"You're wrong. You've heard of Mrs. Zeng Niang, right? You just passed the exam, and you can apply what you've learned. Now you're in charge of water control in the Ministry of Industry."

"I know, is it the river goddess!"

"The goddess of the river? I know, I know, my hometown, my hometown is flooded every three years, Mr. Zeng spent three years, and there is really no flood this year!"

"Is it really that powerful?"

"Really, our hometown is already going to build a shrine for her, and everyone is eager to donate money. I also wrote to my mother and said that our family will also donate money."

At this point, half a pear fell from the tree, accompanied by the child's oops, "My pear——"

The passer-by who was hit on the head looked up, and also ouched, "Who's kid climbed so high!"

People under the tree looked up and saw a four or five-year-old girl carved with jade on the old locust tree with thick branches and lush leaves.

Her short arms couldn't even hug the tree, and she looked wobbly.

People under the tree kept ouching, lest the child would fall.