Dahanjiao Queen

Chen Jiao told Zhang Tang the news of His Majesty's death, and asked him to use Dongfang Shuo's pigeon to spread the news to Yanci.She didn't know where Liu Che would be at this time, but she was sure that Dongfang Shuo would be their help, so letting Dongfang Shuo know about this matter would be beneficial rather than harmful.

"Zhang Tang, there are people from the yamen." Mrs. Zhang rushed in to inform, Chen Jiao was dressed as a medicine boy at this time, and she simply hid in the inner room, forgiving those people from the yamen would not break into the house.

People from the yamen took Zhang Tang away, saying that Ting Wei called Zhang Tang to sort out the law, and the matter was urgent, so he only gave Zhang Tang a little time to change clothes, and then took him away.

As soon as Zhang Tang left, Mrs. Zhang released the pigeon.

"Once the pigeon brings back any information, you will come to see me immediately. If you can't see me, then go to Liu Nian or Jinse, and they will bring you to see me."

After giving these instructions, Chen Jiao returned to the mansion.

**********

At the moment Liu Che is still trapped in the embarrassment.He was worried about Liu Qi's body, but Liang Wang kept saying that Liu Qi was fine, and Liu Che couldn't tell the story of Chen Jiao's visits, so he could only listen to music and dance with Liang Wang absent-mindedly every day to pass the time.

Dongfang Shuo received Zhang Tang's pigeon letter and hurriedly handed it over to the prince.Liu Che was about to go back, but was stopped by Liang Wang who had heard the news. He was afraid that Liu Che would get there first, so he tried every means to prevent the prince from returning to Beijing.While hunting with King Liang, Liu Che deceived King Liang's Maxima and escaped. On the bank of the Yellow River, he met Cao Shou, who was entrusted by Princess Pingyang to go out of the city to look for his son-in-law.

The Yellow River ferry was only available the next morning, so Liu Che had to wait one night on the bank of the Yellow River. After this delay, King Liang's men chased him to the bank of the Yellow River.Seeing that Liu Che was about to die in the Yellow River, the son-in-law Cao Shou made a plan. He put on Liu Che's clothes, rode King Liang's Maxima and galloped towards the Yellow River. The corpse was also swept into the Yellow River.

When King Liang heard the news of the prince's death, he felt relieved, so he decided to rest overnight before leaving.At this time, Liu Che took the opportunity to be ahead of King Liang and continue to rush towards Chang'an.

Along the way, Empress Dowager Dou sent cronies to look for the prince everywhere, trying to detain him and prevent him from returning to Chang'an.Fortunately, Liu Che met Zhang Qian. Zhang Qian gave Liu Che his horse. With the horse, Liu Che traveled day and night, and finally rushed to the outside of Chang'an.

Since His Majesty's death, Empress Dowager Dou issued an order to block the gates of Chang'an, and everyone was not allowed to leave the city, and those who entered the city had to be carefully interrogated. When Liu Che arrived in Chang'an, he couldn't enter the city.

"Master Weng, Mrs. Zhang is here." Chen Jiao was telling Princess Guantao the details of entering the palace that day, and Liu Nian brought Zhang Tang's wife into the mansion.

"Bring her in." Princess Guantao had already seen the real will in Chen Jiao's hand, and she had heard about it from A-Jiao, "It must be that Dongfang Shuo has news."

Zhang Tang's wife did indeed bring the news of Dongfang Shuo - the angelica has returned, only Zhihei.

"Let's all go down, fleeting time, give Mrs. Zhang 100 taels of silver, Zhang Tang has always been clean, but don't work too hard on the family."

"Here."

Only Princess Guantao and Chen Jiao were left in the room.

"It's not difficult to solve the angelica's return, but how to solve it only by stopping the black?"

Princess Guantao mused over these eight characters, and her gaze fell on the chessboard: "Is it a step ahead?"

"Only sticking to the black, Dongfang Shuo wants to say... Although Che'er is one step ahead, Liang Wang is right behind?" Chen Jiao picked up a black chip, "It seems that the biggest problem now is... Che'er can't get in. City? Now the gates of Chang’an are strictly guarded, I’m afraid that as soon as he shows up at the gates, the Dou family will detain him first.”

Princess Guantao nodded: "A-Jiao, we have to find a reason to leave the city, or... Liu Fei?"

"What?" Chen Jiao was startled when she heard Liu Fei's name, "Why did Aunt mention him?"

Princess Guantao just thought about it and said that, but she didn't expect Gillian to be so sensitive to this name. She had always vaguely guessed it in her heart at this moment, and she looked at her daughter thoughtfully.

Seeing Princess Guantao's silence, Chen Jiao couldn't help being curious: "Why isn't Aunt talking?"

"A-Jiao." Liu Xun always thought that being a queen was what A-Jiao wanted, so she helped her fight for it and helped Liu Che become the prince, but now, she found that maybe...she was wrong.

"A-Jiao, I just want to ask you a question, a truth-do you really want to be the master of the six palaces, the seal of the phoenix, and the master of the Jiaofang Palace?"

"..."

It was Chen Jiao's stunned expression that answered Princess Guantao.

She hadn't thought about this question for a long time.

The person who asked her this question last time was Liu Fei.That was ten years ago.

The dusty past was brought up again, and Chen Jiao's heart was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

"A-Jiao, do you regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Do you remember that I asked you back then, do you like Liu Fei? I remember you told me back then that you just regarded him as an older brother, but now? In your heart, is he still an older brother?"

Chen Jiao smiled bitterly: "Aniang, no matter what I think, Your Majesty... the words of the late emperor's uncle, the matter is a foregone conclusion."

"Then what if it is King Liang?"

"Aniang—" Chen Jiao didn't expect Princess Guantao to ask such a question.

Liu Xun held Chen Jiao's hand: "No matter how rich you are, it's not as important as your happiness. If Che'er never comes back, then Aniang can ask for another marriage for you, and let you marry Jiangdu Wang. Since mother wants King Liang to become the throne, if Liu Fei supports King Liang to become the throne, mother will be happy in her heart, and if Liu Fei asks for it himself, you will get your wish."

Princess Guantao's words moved Chen Jiao's heart, but soon she calmed down: "She won't agree."

"Who? Are you worried about King Liang? Don't worry, as long as I beg my mother, how can King Liang refuse?"

"The emperor's grandmother won't agree." Chen Jiao has seen Dou Yifang's cruelty, and Liu Qi, her own son, doesn't care. Who can guarantee that she will care about Liu whoring, her own daughter?

"Why didn't you agree? Does she think you won't be able to marry for the rest of your life?"

"If Che'er came back after King Liang ascended the throne, in order to appease the deposed prince, she would marry her granddaughter to him as a show of favor; Get married. Unless... one day when you need it, use me to marry the Xiongnu. Although I am not a princess, but the daughter of the princess, the granddaughter of the queen mother, this status is not lower than the daughter of any marquis, which is enough to meet the conditions of the Huns."

Liu Xun didn't believe it: "This...isn't possible?"

"What's impossible? Auntie, I heard how my uncle swallowed his last breath unwillingly. Auntie, I'm really afraid..." Chen Jiao recalled Liu Qi's death with lingering fears, "Auntie, We can only rely on ourselves, the heart of the imperial grandmother... no, it is the heart of the empress dowager, it is too cruel."

Guantao held her daughter in his arms distressedly. Since she was a child, although she knew that the palace was dangerous, what she knew and experienced were those concubines, those insignificant strangers, not blood relatives: "A-Jiao , you still have a mother."

"Mother——" Chen Jiao wrapped her hands around Guantao's waist and leaned her head on Guantao's chest, "Mother, if...if...if one day, I make a big mistake, will you Will you want me?"

If one day, you find that there is no half difference between me and Dou Yifang, even... I am even better than her; if one day, you find that I am not what you think at all; if one day, you find that ... I am not me at all, would you still want me?Will you still hug me like this now and tell me "A-Jiao, you still have a mother"?

Chen Jiao didn't dare to think about it, and she never let herself think about it.Just like Liu Fei, she was afraid that when she thought about it, her heart would feel dense pain like needle pricks.

"Silly boy, you are my mother's caring little padded jacket, why would my mother not want you?"

"Really?"

"Of course it's true." Princess Guantao stroked A-Jiao's long hair, just like she did when she was a child, "A-Jiao, if you want to help Che'er, Auntie will help Che'er for you."

"Auntie already has an idea?"

"You, your uncle passed away. During this period of time, you have been worrying about him or worrying about him all day. You forgot, what month is it now?"

"The twelfth lunar month." Chen Jiao thought carefully, "No, it's already the first month. Uncle is seriously ill, and I haven't had a good time this year. I even forgot the date."

"Yeah, years have passed, and it's a new year!" Liu Xing sighed, "It's another winter!"

Chen Wu, Marquis of Tangyi, died in winter.

"How long has it been since you visited your father?"

"Aniang means..." Chen Jiao suddenly realized, "I just hope that Daddy is in the sky, so don't blame us for our impure intentions."

"Your father loves you the most. When you were just born, he liked you very much as a daughter from the very first moment he saw you. What he hopes most is that you have a good life. Unfortunately, he can't see you getting married. It’s okay. You, it’s time to talk to your father. He must miss you very much. I haven’t seen him for a long time. Sometimes, I talk and play chess with Dong Yan. I almost think your father is still there. .”

This is the first time Princess Guantao mentioned Dong Yan since Chen Jiao returned to Chang'an.

"Aniang wants to..."

"I know, he's in your Qingyin Pavilion." To Chen Jiao's surprise, Liu Xun didn't ask Dong Yan to come back, "Let him stay there! If I'm really bored, I'll go to Qingyin Pavilion , listen to the music, or play chess. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but I have never been ruthless. Gillian, I understand your worry, it’s actually quite good to do this... "

"Aniang...I just want to try him. I don't want you to get hurt..." Chen Jiao lowered her head guiltily, "Aniang, don't be angry, if you..."

"Aniang didn't mean to blame you," Liu Xun comforted her, "Let him stay in Qingyin Pavilion! Like before, it's not good to spread the word."

"Aniang, are you really not angry?" Chen Jiao was worried.

"Stupid child," Guan Tao smiled as he knocked on Chen Jiao's forehead lightly, "It's just a male favorite, you are my own daughter, how can he compare to him?"