Gongshang Confidante

"Princess, the emperor is resting at Yongning Palace tonight," Xia Ling said, and Zhou Chiyu's mouth curled up slightly, and he said nonchalantly, "Got it, you send that bowl of snow pear and white fungus soup to the emperor, and say that I heard it from you." My father coughed today, so I specially made it with my own hands."

"Yes", Xia Ling replied, winking at Xia Sha next to her, telling her to serve carefully and not to make any mistakes. Xia Sha followed behind Zhou Chiyu in fear, and saw that she had unknowingly walked to Huagong Temple .

As usual, Xiao Suo didn't even have a gatekeeper. When he walked inside, the maid greeted him. When he saw Zhou Chiyu, he saluted respectfully and didn't say much.

At this time of year, Duan Ruohua would go out of the palace, and sometimes he would come back in a month, at most not more than two months, his body would be more plump than in the palace, and his expression would be even more gloomy when he came back.

Zhou Chiyu knew that she was going to see Aunt Qingsheng, but she didn't know how the two women could have such a deep relationship, which made her always cold and indifferent, the emperor's grandmother, how could they be fettered to such an extent?

In a daze, I thought of the two people in the rockery when I was eight years old. Their naked bodies were covered with white flowers, and I felt extremely disgusted.

Zhou Chiyu looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, exuding soft silver light, spreading the moonlight all over the ground, feeling a sense of loss in his heart,

For four years, in this deep palace, how many secrets that cannot be seen are buried deep underground, how many innocent souls are lamenting, and how many sinister intentions are plotting.

Not long after, Xia Ling came back and replied, "Princess, the emperor has drunk it. Since the princess is filial, her face is very happy." Zhou Chiyu's mouth curved slightly, "Go back."

Xia Ling who was behind him hesitated for a while, and said, "Princess, I have something I want to report." Zhou Chiyu nodded, Xia Ling hesitated and said, "After the servants went to Yongning Palace to deliver sugar water, the imperial concubine gave 50 taels of silver. The servants dare not Yes, the princess decides",

Zhou Chiyu raised his brows slightly, sneered, and said calmly, "The imperial concubine really made a big mistake, Xia Ling, since it's a reward, you just keep it."

Seeing Zhou Chiyu's cold face, Xia Ling hurriedly knelt down and said, "I don't dare to take it! This servant belongs to the princess, so it's inappropriate to take the reward from the imperial concubine."

"Raise your head", Zhou Chiyu looked down at Xia Ling's panicked face, bent over to help her, and smiled lightly, "Xia Ling, you are someone I can trust."

Xia Ling didn't dare to trust her, so she hurriedly got up and walked back with Zhou Chiyu, "Did you find the thing I asked you to look for a few days ago?" Zhou Chiyu asked, "I have searched all over Meiyuan, but I can't find it." Xia Ling replied,

"Look for it again, I'll check it carefully for Ben Gong," Zhou Chiyu said, "Yes," Xia Ling replied.

During the period when Duan Ruohua was not in the palace, the emperor had worked a lot, looking up the memorials day and night, his mental head became more and more languid, the little eunuch who served by his side, the tea was cold and didn't know how to refill it, how could it be compared with Li Chengqian's meticulous,

Every time the emperor took a rest, the temperature of the teacup held in his hands was just right. Although Li Chengqian was ordered by the Queen Mother to serve outside the palace, at this moment he ordered, "Go down and let Li Chengqian come in",

"Father Emperor", Li Chengqian just pushed open the door, followed by Zhou Chiyu and shouted, today she is wearing a golden silk hairpin with eight treasures and pearls, and a pair of earrings with Dongzhu, her skin is so fair that even the Dongzhu has paled, Dressed in a begonia brocade embroidered with gold and silver threads, she has a delicate and lovely face. When walking, her steps are respectful and dignified. Although she is young, she does not lose her royal aura. She looks like the eyes of Concubine Mei. When laughing, it implies sharpness.

"Li Chengqian, you go down first and let Chao'er chat with me." The emperor wanted to have a chat with Li Chengqian, but now that Chi Yu was here, he asked him to step down, and Li Chengqian immediately retreated with interest , A trace of regret flashed in his eyes.

The emperor sighed out of breath, "My Chao'er won the first place in the riding and archery ceremony again this year, she is really the proud daughter of heaven." He looked at Zhou Chiyu with pride in his eyes.

"Father, Chao'er read the biography of Chen Yong a few days ago, and his achievements were mixed. I want to go to the Imperial Academy to get some history and read it, okay?" Zhou Chiyu walked up to the emperor, his fingers seemed to swipe The memorial on the case, casually asked,

"Why not? I will preach to the Imperial Academy." The emperor's eyes fell on the memorial, he sighed slightly, put it aside, and said, "Chao'er, talk to me."

Zhou Chiyu sat beside him obediently, and asked, "Why is your father so worried?" The emperor twirled the rosary in his hand, and Zhou Chiyu glanced at the memorial from the corner of his eyes, and said, "Eunuch Liu Wen? Is he rich?",

The emperor stretched out his hand to close the memorial, his face was not displeased, he just said, "Women are not allowed to discuss court affairs, the court has exceeded the rules",

Zhou Chiyu wrinkled her nose slightly, showing some displeasure on her face, and turned her face away to ignore the emperor, "A child with a temper, are you still angry with me?" The emperor raised his hand and squeezed her face, and said with a smile,

Chao'er paused, and said in a anxious tone, "Father, what happened to the Empress Dowager as regent?" As before, he was forbidden to go in and out of Chengde Hall to check the memorial at will, followed by various means to clean up most of the eunuch factions behind Li Chengqian.

The eunuch Li Chengqian, who had served the emperors of two dynasties, had unimaginably deep roots in the palace, but Duan Ruohua's thunderous methods, in just two years, pulled out the cocoons and uprooted his faction with conclusive evidence.

However, Duan Ruohua kept Li Chengqian alone, without mentioning anything about it.

This blow made Li Chengqian not only dare not cry to the emperor, but also made him tremble and serve the emperor wholeheartedly.

Li Chengqian formed cliques, searched for personal gain, consulted memorials, and interfered in court affairs. How could the emperor not know that in the past, he was lingering on the sick bed and had no energy to intervene. Moreover, Li Chengqian not only served the late emperor, but also grew up serving him, so he simply opened his eyes. Close one eye.

After Duan Ruohua returned to the palace, he dealt with Li Chengqian's accomplices, let him alone, and gave the first emperor and the emperor a little favor, and made Li Chengqian worry about his head day and night, so he restrained himself a lot.

"The Empress Dowager has the talent to manage the world and admiring the country. After the Great Zhou quelled the rebellion, she recuperated and thrived. In the past few years, she has not raised troops and paid no taxes. The country has flourished and the people's livelihood has been prosperous. You have made great contributions to your imperial grandmother." The emperor admired it in his heart.

"But regarding Chen Wen, I have my own ideas," the emperor said indifferently, Zhou Chiyu was slightly surprised, and then burst out laughing.

The emperor strongly invited the empress dowager back to the palace and let her deal decisively with the court affairs, while Duan Ruohua lived in seclusion in the palace and secretly assisted the emperor. In the following words, it was written in the holy reputation of the emperor in power.

Now, he is unwilling to fall under the Queen Mother...

"The empress dowager concentrates on affairs of the court, but the father promotes women's education and confers female officials. Why can't Chao'er intervene? Chen Wen is Li Gonggong's adopted son, but the eunuchs mess up the government and care about their hearts. The father thinks of the emperor's love, so how can he appease the people?" Small, left and right, different from holiness", Zhou Chiyu's words hit the nail on the head, revealing the emperor's considerations.

The emperor murmured, but she said what she said, which was all reasonable, but it was because of Li Chengqian's loyal service for so many years, so there was a dilemma.

The emperor stroked the court clothes with his palms and looked at the child in front of him. Only he, Li Chengqian and Chao'er in the palace knew about Duan Ruohua, and no one doubted Hua's view of the palace in the past six years. It can be seen that even though Chao'er was young , but strictly abide by the secret, without any negligence, which shows the tenacity of this son.

The emperor clapped his hands and smiled, "Chao'er has been with the queen mother since he was a child, and his talent and knowledge are as good as your grandmother's five or six out of ten, while Ren'er and Yue'er are far behind."

Zhou Chiyu didn't have an arrogant expression, and bowed his head and said modestly, "If Chao'er gets three points for the talent of the emperor's grandmother, it is already a good fortune, and the emperor's father praised him absurdly."

The emperor brushed her head with his hand, and sighed, "What a pity! What a pity! If Chao'er is a man, it must be my blessing!",

The fingers in Zhou Chiyu's sleeves trembled slightly, but his face became more and more cunning, and his nimble eyes flickered strangely, "Father, Chao'er said that female officials are involved in court affairs, why can't Chao'er's talents be used by Da Zhou?" ,

The emperor doted on the tip of her nose, "Nonsense, Chao'er is the princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and she will marry in the future", "Then Chao'er will not marry in the future", Zhou Chiyu said angrily, his pink dimple was dizzy, and his starry eyes looked forward During the time, the luster flows, becoming more and more attractive.

"Childish, I worry about who can match my Chao'er." The emperor pinched her nose and said with a smile. Zhou Chiyu said casually, "What if there is no one in the world who can match Chao'er?",

The smile on the emperor's face gradually faded. Looking at Chao'er's face, he lowered his eyes, then raised his eyes again, and said calmly, "Your imperial grandmother has a saying that the throne, regardless of concubines, is for the wise, and Chao'er... ",

"Who wants the throne? Chao'er just doesn't like Da Zhou's talented scholars who show off their knowledge and have no real materials." Zhou Chiyu interrupted the emperor's words coquettishly,

The emperor stretched his brows, smiled dotingly and said, "My daughter's thoughts are the most difficult to guess, and Chao'er is going to confuse me." Zhou Chiyu turned sideways shyly, and said in a soft voice, "Chao'er Royal father has asked for peace, so I will go back."

The emperor clenched his hands into fists, coughed twice on his lips, and instructed, "The autumn night is cold, be careful of the cold", "Father, take care of the dragon's body", Zhou Chiyu responded obediently,

"I have to read all these excerpts." The emperor rubbed his brows, his face was tired. He had been ill all year round, and he was even more tired every late autumn. The candles were flickering, and his eyes were darkened.

"Father, let's take a break." Zhou Chiyu supported the emperor and lay on his side on the couch, with bright yellow dragon robes spread out, legs bent, revealing pansy-colored dragon boots, his eyes were tired,

"It's better, why don't Chao'er read it to the emperor?" Zhou Chiyu paused, and said, the emperor pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and said calmly, "That's fine."

Zhou Chiyu didn't change his expression, and respectfully sorted out the memorial one by one, read it to the emperor, and then handed the memorial and Zihao to the emperor for his approval. The melted candle oil dripped down, and the maid picked and picked the wick, night and day. , getting deeper.