Xie Xiang

Night is approaching, just before it gets dark.In the bustling place of the capital, even at dusk, there are still many pedestrians and horses passing by in the alleys.

There were more than [-] people in their party, soldiers all rode horses, Liu Zao and Xie Yi rode in chariots.More than twenty riders were well-trained. They divided the left and right to protect the only one cart, and divided into more than ten riders. The front opened the way, and the rear was cut off to protect the cart airtight.

The car has only one canopy, and the four walls are unobstructed. Liu Zao knelt under the canopy, and could have seen where she was going, but the soldiers surrounded her, blocking her view, so she could only recognize the direction.

Go north out of the gate of the mansion, and walk to a thoroughfare. The soldiers who opened the way in front turned to the east.

To the east is Changle Palace.Changle Palace was the first palace of the Han Dynasty. Gao Zu once lived here, where he summoned his officials and dealt with government affairs. After Gao Zu, Changle Palace became the residence of the Empress Dowager, while the emperor of the Han Dynasty lived in Weiyang Palace.

Because Changle Palace is to the east of Chang'an City, it is also called East Palace.

Why did the Queen Mother want to see her?

Liu Zao couldn't figure it out.She is only fourteen years old, and because her grandmother has no children of similar age and no playmates, she has a relatively calm temperament.It was also because she was raised by her natal family and loved by her grandmother, she grew up safely and never saw any conspiracy.

The court's scheming was beyond her imagination.

It's just that no matter how ignorant he is, Liu Zao wouldn't believe the Queen Mother missed her and called her into the palace just now.

"What is the emperor's grandson thinking?" Xie Yi asked.

She suddenly uttered a sound, waking Liu Zao up from deep thought.She was silent for a moment, then replied: "I was wondering why the Empress Dowager called me into the palace."

Xie Yi smiled when she heard this.

Because of the dark sky, her smile fell into Liu Zao's eyes, looking vague and ethereal. Only then did Liu Zao notice that the elegant fragrance on Xie Xiang's body was very soft. I don't know if it was the incense on his clothes or the inherent fragrance of a woman. .

"The emperor's grandson is diligent in thinking, which is a good thing." Xie Yi said again, "I've thought about it all the way, do you have a clue?"

Liu Zao didn't know how to answer.

She didn't know why she entered the palace, and she didn't know what was waiting for her in front of her. She didn't even know whether the Prime Minister beside her was an enemy or a friend.

Xie Yi's treatment of her could not be called respectful, but it was far from rude.Liu Zao was not hostile to her, but she didn't dare to trust her too much. After a while, she shook her head, not knowing whether she had no idea or was unwilling to answer.

Xie Yi didn't make things difficult for her, but said: "It seems that the emperor's grandson doesn't like talking."

The roads in central Beijing are flat, especially here, between Weiyang Palace and Changle Palace, where nobles often come and go, the floor tiles laid are flat, with few bumps.The cart was driving very fast, the wheels rolled across the ground, making a rumbling sound, Liu Zao only felt very few slight bumps.

After walking for another section, the magnificent palace walls of Changle Palace appeared in front of my eyes.In front of the palace gate, more than a dozen men dressed in armor were divided into two rows and stood holding halberds. On the palace wall, banners and flags were fluttering, and there were many palace guards, which gave off the solemn atmosphere of the Han family.

Xie Yi stared at it for a while, then said: "After entering the palace, the emperor's grandson will know."

Liu Zao was startled, and realized that he was answering what she said earlier, why the Empress Dowager called her into the palace.As soon as she finished speaking, she saw that her eyes darkened, and the car had already entered the palace gate.

The doorman in front of the palace did not stop him, so it can be seen that the order has already been obtained.

Passing through the palace gate, there is a circle of palace roads. High walls stand on both sides of the palace road, and cars drive between the high walls.

The Han Palace is majestic, like a beast, entrenched in the night.Liu Zao's heart tightened for a moment, and he felt that he was about to be swallowed by this beast.

The car was still moving forward, passed through several palace alleys, passed through several palaces, and stopped in front of a small gate.

All the soldiers guarding them retreated, and a few eunuchs walked out of the door, and the one in charge raised his sleeves and bowed: "I pay homage to the prime minister."

Xie Yi sat in the car and said, "Excuse me."

Liu Zao also did not move, but secretly looked at these eunuchs.The eunuch in charge was quite old, and the sideburns exposed under the crown seemed to be frosty. He saluted and stood up.Maybe it's because he kneels down a lot and serves the nobles all day, so his back is slightly hunched.Liu Zao didn't know the position of the eunuch in the palace, nor could he recognize their robes, so he didn't know where the eunuch was.

After the eunuch stood up, he took two steps in front of the car, and looked towards Liu Zao with a usual smile on his face.His hale and bright eyes fell on Liu Zao, as if he was looking at an object.

Liu Zao made him look uncomfortable, but the eunuch smiled and said, "Is this the daughter of Prince Wei?" After saying that, he saluted again: "I have seen the emperor's grandson."

This ceremony was perfunctory, there was no respect on his face, and he didn't even bend his waist.Liu Zao knew that although she was of Han blood, she had already lost power before she was born, and she was even inferior to a little official with some power.She didn't make a sound, the eunuch was just putting on a show.

Sure enough, the eunuch straightened up quickly, and said again: "The empress dowager has been waiting for the prime minister and the emperor's grandson for a long time."

Xie Yi got up, and an eunuch came forward to help him with a wink.Xie Yi fell to the ground with his support, and turned around again, trying to support Liu Zao.

When helping people out of the car, it is often that the young serve the elders, and the humble serve the noble.There are many eunuchs around, so it is not necessary for her to do this in person.As soon as Liu Zao entered the palace, she was treated coldly, she never expected that Xie Yi would come to help her.

She was stunned for a moment, and quickly put her hand in hers, and she helped her out of the car.Xie Yi's palms were smooth, with a coolness that repulsed others for thousands of miles, completely different from the dry warmth of his grandmother.

Liu Zao landed, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Thank you."

Xie Yi withdrew her hand, turned to face the eunuch and said, "Lead the way in front of the Zhonghuang Gate."

It turned out that he was from the Zhonghuangmen.Liu Zao secretly thought.But she didn't know how big an official position Zhonghuangmen was.

Zhonghuangmen said: "No." His eyes turned between Xie Yi and Liu Zao, and he turned around to lead the way.The moment he turned around, Liu Zao saw that the smile hanging on the corner of his mouth receded, forming a harsh line.

The former Qin Dynasty was martial arts, the criminal law was strict, and it had the power to annihilate the six kingdoms. It is majestic and magnificent, unprecedented in ancient times.The first emperor built the Afang Palace, which is unprecedentedly magnificent and magnificent.The Han Dynasty inherited the Qin system, and the palaces and pavilions were built on high platforms. Its momentum is so high that it can catch stars.

The night is hazy, the moon is like flowing water, and the eaves and brackets of Changxin Hall reach straight into the sky.Liu Zao followed Xie Yi closely, there were more than ten people behind them, and more than ten people in front of them, all eunuchs with lanterns to illuminate the way, escorting them to visit the Empress Dowager.

A group of people shuttled through the palace.

Liu Zao can't remember clearly what he saw and heard in Ye Ting when he was young, only a vague general impression.Seeing the situation of the palace ban at this time, I can't help being curious.

They bypassed the Changxin Hall and walked to another palace behind the Changxin Hall.Along the way, I saw two groups of guards patrolling the night. The guards were in armor, holding halberds and holding torches, and greeted them head-on.The leading general met Xie Yi, led his subordinates to step aside, and asked the prime minister to go first.

There is a clear distinction between superiority and inferiority, and there is no confusion.

Xie Yi walked past without looking sideways, she was already used to it.Liu Zao was not. When she was at home, she often listened to stories told by her grandmother. Her favorite story was about Emperor Wu's army, which was brave and invincible.

Therefore, Liu Zao had a good impression of the Han army.These are just a dozen or so guards who watch the night, but they can already see the strict military discipline of the Han army's orders and prohibitions.

She walked more than ten steps, looked back, the figure of the imperial guards could not be seen clearly, but the torches in their hands were shining brightly in the darkness, like a fire dragon, gradually drifting away.

Liu Zao's eyes revealed amazement, and he noticed that Xie Yi, who was beside her, glanced at her.Liu Zao is actually a little afraid of her, her eyes seem to be able to see through people's hearts and into her heart.

Liu Zao said in a low voice: "I, I often heard my grandmother talk about the iron hooves of the big man, galloping past the Huns' flocks, invincible."

There were people in front of and behind them, Liu Zao was a little cramped, and his voice was not loud.

Xie Yi smiled slightly. Liu Zao looked from the side and saw that the corners of her eyes were slightly bent, and there was a trace of tenderness on her usual estranged face: "Soldiers of the Han family are not afraid of death. Rotating heels. Their armor splattered with blood, their spears killed the enemy, and the killing spirit on the battlefield is not comparable to that of the guards in the forbidden area."

Her voice is also not high, but unlike Liu Zao's embarrassment, she appears very calm.

Liu Zao didn't know why Xie Yi told her what the real style of a Han family soldier was, but he was ashamed of himself.

They came to a palace, and a woman who looked like a female official in front of the palace came down the steps of the palace.

The two rows of eunuchs leading the way in front of him spread out to both sides in a well-trained manner, letting the female officials walk in front of Xie Yi.

Behind the female official was a little maid, and the two of them saluted Xie Yi together, saying they paid their respects to Mrs. Xie.

Xie Yi said no, then turned to Liu Zao and said, "This is the grandson of Emperor Wu."

Liu Zao was keenly aware that she was referring to the grandson of Emperor Wu, not the daughter of Prince Wei.But she couldn't tell the difference just yet.

Upon hearing this, the female officer saluted Liu Zao: "I pay my respects to the grandson of the emperor."

She knelt down on the ground, put her hands together in front of her, then leaned over, with her forehead resting on the back of her hands, and her palms touching the ground.This is a very solemn gift.

Different from Zhonghuangmen's perfunctory, the female officials in front of the queen mother treated her extremely politely.

There are strange things everywhere in this palace, people who are also the Empress Dowager have completely different attitudes towards her.Liu Zao glanced at Zhonghuangmen from the corner of his eye, and saw Zhonghuangmen's expression was ugly.

Liu Zao wrote down Zhonghuangmen's reaction.She is not familiar with the palace, she doesn't know any of the people in it, she doesn't even know if it's a blessing or a curse for her to come here, when will she be able to leave the palace and go back to her grandmother.The reaction of the palace people can reflect the nobleman's mind.If she pays more attention, she can never go wrong.

Remembering Zhonghuangmen's reaction, Liu Zao followed Xie Yi's example and said, "Excuse me."

The female official got up upon hearing the words, stood respectfully in front of the two of them, and said: "The empress dowager has been waiting for a long time, please thank me for entering the palace to see you." Please go to the side hall and take a rest."

Liu Zao's heart sank suddenly.Is the short rest really a short rest, or is she going to be imprisoned?

She looked at Xie Yi, wanting to see Xie Yi's reaction.Xie Yi didn't look at her, as if she wasn't there at all, she raised her sleeves and straightened her robe, followed Gong'e to the palace.

The group of eunuchs leading the way retreated without knowing when.Xie Yi entered the hall, only Liu Zao and the female official were left outside the hall.The candlelight in the palace shines through the window, Liu Zao's confusion when he entered the palace has not been solved, on the contrary, it has rolled more and more.

The female officer said again: "The emperor's grandson, please come with me."

After all, Liu Zao walked to a corridor in front of the hall. Liu Zao had no choice but to follow behind her, through the winding corridor, and through a courtyard, before coming to a palace.

Candles were lit inside the palace, and there were two eunuchs and two maids waiting at the door.Seeing them coming, the four of them knelt down and saluted together.

The female officer faced the palace gate, without even looking at the four people kneeling on the ground, she just said in a low voice: "Have you prepared all the things you need?"

A leading eunuch replied respectfully: "It's all ready."

The female officer nodded, no longer looked at them, passed between them, and went straight into the room.Liu Zao still silently followed behind her.

This is a small palace, but it is very elegant and tidy.Two rows of copper lamps of different shapes are lit, and the clean floor reflects the light of the copper lamps.There are several couches in the room, and there is a copper incense burner in the middle.

The female officer glanced around, and from the look, she was quite satisfied, but when she opened her mouth, she said in a guilty tone: "The Empress Dowager just moved from the Weiyang Palace to the Changle Palace three days ago. There are some omissions, but the emperor's grandson has needs, so let them do it."

After she finished speaking, she saluted and left.

Liu Zao watched her walk out of the palace gate, turned her head, but saw the four palace servants standing behind her at some time.