Chapter 7 Chapter Seven

In the folk, if an elder dies, they have to stay in mourning for three years before they can discuss marriage. The Tian family uses the month to represent the year, and the "three years" mourning period expires early.As everyone expected, Huo Chengjun successfully entered the palace, and he was granted the title of Jieyu and the Zhaoyang Palace.However, because Emperor Xiaozhao had not been buried yet, no big celebration was held. The officials compared the palaces where Xu Jieyu and Huo Jieyu lived. It was clear at a glance who was more important and who was more important. They began to think about what gifts to prepare so that they could be sent to Huo's residence as soon as possible to congratulate the daughter of the Huo family. Queen.

Not long after Huo Chengjun entered the palace, another woman was carried into Weiyang Palace in a small sedan chair with green curtains.After serving Liu Xun once, she got the title of "Changshi" and bestowed it on the remote Yutang Palace. The grade of "Changshi" can be understood just by hearing the name, but it is slightly stronger than ordinary maids, so everyone in the court did not pay attention.Only Xu Pingjun and Da Sima Huo Guang who lived in Jinhua Palace noticed this woman surnamed Gongsun. Because Liu Fuling passed away in his prime, the matter happened in a hurry, and the emperor's mausoleum was not yet completed, so he could not be buried for a long time.On how to bury Liu Fuling, Liu Xun was in a dilemma.If a grand funeral is held, firstly, the national treasury will be tight, and secondly, there will be a long time delay. It often takes many years to build the emperor's mausoleum, and the weather is getting hotter, so it is not easy to stop Lingzi Palace forever.But if it was simple, he would be even more afraid of the courtiers' criticism in the future.

For this matter, Liu Xun asked Huo Guang several times, but Huo Guang, an old fox, never answered him directly, and always said "I obey the emperor's will".It made other courtiers even more afraid to speak.In desperation, Liu Xun could only go to Changle Palace to get an idea from Shangguan's younger sister. Liu Xun had prepared a bunch of arguments, thinking about how to tactfully persuade Miss Shangguan to agree to the funeral as soon as possible. After all, this matter is related to Miss Shangguan's honor and dignity in front of the whole world, and Miss Shangguan definitely does not want the funeral to be simple.Unexpectedly, after hearing his intention, Miss Shangguan said before he could speak again: "The Ai family will issue a decree to prohibit luxury and keep simplicity."

With the will of Shangguan's younger sister, no matter what mistakes there are, he will not need to take responsibility in the future.Liu Xun's gratitude to Shangguan's younger sister increased again, and he bowed down, "The emperor's grandson thanked the emperor's grandmother on behalf of the people of the world." The little girl only smiled faintly, as if nothing.How often has he valued these?Looking at the current situation, the war between the Han Dynasty and the Qiang people is probably inevitable, and the military pay, food and grass are all costly. If I want to have a big burial, he will not be happy.

With the orders of the Empress Dowager Shangguan, everything became much easier. After more than two months of rush work, the imperial mausoleum is nearing completion.After discussion by the courtiers, Emperor Xiaozhao's funeral was scheduled for one month later, presided over by Taichang Cai Yi, and buried in Pingling. Huo Guang told Yun Ge the news, and asked her if she wanted to pay homage to Emperor Xiaozhao alone before the funeral, and he could arrange for her. Yun Ge's reaction was beyond Huo Guang's expectation. She was stunned for a moment, as if she didn't understand who Huo Guang was talking about, "Why should I pay homage to Emperor Xiaozhao?" She turned around and walked away.

Huo Guang could only have a lot of worries in his heart.Ever since Yun Ge lived in the Huo Mansion, she has been neither cold nor hot.He could still understand Cheng Jun's previous thoughts, but now, like Yun Ge, his thoughts were hidden and left open to speculation.Before Chengjun entered the palace, Huo Guang tried to persuade her several times, but she never gave him a chance to speak.In desperation, Huo Guang could only wait for time to resolve everything, and he could only hope that time would resolve everything. On the day of Emperor Xiaozhao's burial, Si Tianjian predicted that it would be sunny.

But on that day, just as the coffin came out of Weiyang Palace, the sunny day suddenly turned cloudy, and immediately after, light rain fell on and on.From spring to summer, there has been no rain in Qinchuan for eight hundred miles. Liu Xun was so anxious that he couldn't sleep every day, and his lips were blistered.Today, it suddenly rained. Although the road was muddy and difficult to walk, and my body was drenched through the cold, my heart was rarely relaxed. The whole country was mourned, and when they looked up, they could only see a vast expanse of whiteness. Prostrating over and over again, issuing edicts one after another, when the ceremony was completed and the tomb was sealed, Liu Xun's heart suddenly tightened, and he didn't speak immediately to deliver the edict, but subconsciously looked around the hill.After scanning around, he didn't see the person who should come to see him off.He looked at the direction where all the officials were kneeling. It was both expected and unexpected. Meng Jue had already left at some point.Liu Xun withdrew his gaze, staring at the mausoleum where Emperor Xiaozhao was about to rest, with mixed emotions in his heart, and remained silent for a long time.

All the officials thought that the new emperor Liu Xun would not let go of Emperor Xiaozhao, and the crying suddenly became louder, and they all wailed with all their strength, lest they would appear to be not sad enough. Accompanied by the bleak wind and cold rain, the world was desolate. On the contrary, Shangguan's younger sister looked blank, and called "Emperor" coldly. Liu Xun's heart was shocked, and the confusion in his eyes was swept away, leaving only determination.He nodded to Cai Yi, and Cai Yi gave an order to seal the underground palace. After the tombstone falls, the underground palace will never be opened.

Amidst the loud bang, a generation of emperors sank to the ground forever. He was praised as a child prodigy by all officials at the age of three, ascended the throne at the tender age of eight, and died of illness suddenly before he was twenty-two.His life is as short as a shooting star. Although there were brilliance once, what is left to the world is only the rush of looking up and not being able to see clearly. At the same time, on the top of an unnamed barren hill outside Chang'an City, a woman in red stood facing the wind, letting the rain hit her face. The rolling hills are shrouded in misty rain, combined with the mist of the mountain stream, as far as the eye can see, it is erratic darkness.The darkness of the world made the woman's red dress more conspicuous.

She seemed to be looking for something, and moved closer to the edge of the cliff step by step. The mountain wind bulged her dress like an invisible red cloud, and her slender body was precariously wrapped around it.Already at the edge of the cliff, there are rocks hidden in the sea of ​​clouds, and it is impossible to see where her feet are. As long as she takes a step into the air, she will melt into the clouds and go away. Meng Jue, who was hiding in the dark, looked at the independent woman on the top of the cliff indifferently. The corners of the brows and eyes are condensed like ice.

Yu An stood behind him.It rained heavily, and Yu An's face was covered with wetness. He wiped the rain from his face, but he couldn't wipe away the deep compassion flowing in his heart. "Yun Ge and the Emperor have been here?" Meng Jue didn't have much doubt in her calm tone. Yu An said cautiously: "When the first emperor found out that he was ill, he took Miss Yun out of the palace once. At that time, the old slave drove here by accident." "Today, I can't see the sunrise!" Yun Ge sighed lightly, but he didn't seem to regret much.Turning around and going down the muddy mountain road, in the net woven by the rain, walking like a car, walking slowly, not taking the miserable wind and rain as a serious matter at all. This mountain is already difficult to walk, and now it is raining, the road is even more difficult to walk, but Yunge's ups and downs are very calm.Yu An was shocked when he saw it, Yun Ge probably spent a lot of time practicing martial arts these days. When Yun Ge left the city, it was still midnight and there was no one on the road, but when he returned to the city at this time, it was after noon and there were many people on the road. The emperor's funeral, in Chang'an city, was covered with sackcloth and white banners everywhere, her red dress was particularly eye-catching, and everyone who saw her avoided them for fear of causing trouble to her upper body. Before long, a group of soldiers stopped Yun Ge, scolded her a few times, and wanted to lock her back to the yamen.Yun Ge naturally refused to let them go, and blocked the soldiers with his hands. The new emperor's enthronement and the old emperor's funeral are sensitive moments. Yun Ge ostentatiously dressed in red and even resisted arrest. With a faint smile on Yun Ge's lips, he snatched a long knife from a soldier casually, and started fighting with officers and soldiers in the downtown area of ​​Chang'an. Yu An hurriedly shouted: "Mr. Meng!" Today, Yun Ge made such a scene in the street, but it is a serious crime with all the witnesses and material evidence. Meng Jue, on the other hand, had a good time, standing with his hands behind his back under the eaves of the shop, watching the chaos on the other side of the long street indifferently through the misty rain. Although Yun Ge's moves were exquisite, his fists could not stop the crowd, and gradually, dangers arose.Seeing that Meng Jue still had an expression of sitting and watching the situation, Yu An was so anxious that he was about to act regardless of the consequences, but saw a white and plain silk carriage parked by the roadside, with several familiar faces guarding the side of the carriage. A man in gray was bent over, as if he was listening to someone in the carriage. After a while, he hurried to the commander of the officers and soldiers, showed a badge, and said a few words. The commander looked at the white carriage in surprise, Kneeling and bowing to the carriage shop far away.The curtain of the car was slightly opened, and one hand was lightly raised, motioning for him to flatten his body. The commander ordered the soldiers to stop, but he left Yun Ge behind and left as a whole. For fear of getting into trouble, passers-by have already avoided, and all shops have closed their doors tightly. At this time, the officers and soldiers suddenly left, and the originally noisy street became silent in an instant. In the middle, there are "ding dong" sounds of different lengths. Yun Ge was stunned in bewilderment, glanced across the long street, and saw Meng Jue standing under the eaves. The rain curtain woven by drizzle, like a bead curtain, obscured his face, but it was too familiar, only a vague figure, and she already knew who it was. Yun Ge thought he was meddlesome, smiled coldly, dropped the long knife, and was about to leave. The satin curtain of the white carriage was raised, and a woman in palace attire jumped out of the carriage, "Yun Ge!" Yun Ge stopped and looked back at the woman who was hurriedly running towards her. Behind the woman, two maids in the palace frantically opened their umbrellas while chasing, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, be careful of getting drenched!" Xu Pingjun stood in front of Yun Ge.She was dressed in plain clothes, with a white silk flower on her head to show her filial piety, while Yun Ge was dressed in a red dress, as if newly married. Two court ladies covered Xu Pingjun with an umbrella, and raindrops fell along the edge of the umbrella like a bead curtain, separating Yun Ge from her. Xu Pingjun blocked the umbrella with a wave of his hand, "You all go down!" The two maids hurriedly bowed their heads and retreated. Xu Pingjun opened his mouth several times, but he didn't know what to say.Since the farewell, there have been so many turmoil, and she doesn't know where to start.And there was so much guilt towards Yun Ge in her heart that she couldn't straighten up in front of this somewhat unfamiliar Yun Ge. Yun Ge stared at her for a while, then suddenly smiled, the smile melted the indifference in her brows and eyes, and she said softly: "Sister, you are now a mother." Xu Pingjun's heart finally relaxed, she was still Yun Ge's "sister", no matter how many things happened, at least this point has not changed. Holding Yun Ge's hand, Xu Pingjun suddenly started running along the long street, tears streaming down her face. Fortunately, there was rain hitting her face, so no one knew that those falling drops came from her heart. Just look at the misty drizzle on the long street, a woman in white and a woman in red, holding hands, running like flying.The winding skirt swells slightly, like a half-opened lotus. Amidst the sound of pounding footsteps, the lotus swayed and flashed across the blue stone rain alley, adding a bit of grace to the originally cold picture. Behind them, the splashing rain flowers bloomed colorfully one after another, all of which were boundless and fragile crystals. Xu Pingjun didn't know what she wanted to escape and what she wanted to pursue, she just wanted to run. While running, it seems that the oppression of being bound in Weiyang Palace has been far away from her these days, and she is still a wild girl who can pick wild vegetables on the hillside with her skirt lifted. It seemed that she had run across most of Chang'an City, and when she ran out of strength, her steps gradually slowed down, and she looked at Yun Ge while panting violently.Yun Ge's hair was in a loose bun, and her wet hair clung to her cheeks, looking very embarrassed, but the smile on her brows was very strong. The tears on Xu Pingjun's face were still mixed with the rain, but there was a smile on his lips. The two looked at me and I looked at you, and suddenly laughed at each other. Running wild on the road of life, as long as you can have someone to accompany you, it is worth laughing.Whether this kind of company comes from relatives, lovers, or friends, it must be lucky. She is not blessed to enjoy the support from her relatives, and maybe she has lost the person who should hold her hand the most, but at least she still has a light but lasting warmth. Seeing the familiar scenery, Xu Pingjun's feet were nailed to the ground. The branches and leaves of the pagoda tree in the courtyard have not long bloomed, and in the emerald green, there are small white flowers hiding in the branches and protruding out of the wall in twos and threes.After the rain washes, it adds a bit of brilliance. It turned out that she had traveled half of Chang'an City, and this was where she wanted to come. Xu Pingjun took off the hairpin from his sideburns, poked it lightly a few times, and opened the courtyard door. This lockpicking skill was still taught by him. Vaguely, under the shade of the tree, there seemed to be a figure doing carpentry work, and said with a smile, "This is ten-year-old paulownia wood. It would be good to make a wooden horse for my son." Beside the half-buried wine vat under the courtyard wall, there seemed to be someone making wine while laughing at her greed for money, "Why did I marry such a 'money-loving' woman? She was pregnant and refused to rest. Calculate how much wine should be brewed and how much it can be sold for.” In the main room, a tall stack of diabolo baskets lay quietly in the corner.In the past, these bamboo baskets were never idle. From spring to autumn, the rustling of silkworm leaves could always be heard.Raising silkworms is hard work. Before the silkworms cocoon, they have to get up twice every night to feed them.Often in the middle of the night, just as she was about to put on her clothes, the person beside her had already got off the couch, and while putting on her shoes, said, "Go to sleep! I'll go feed the silkworms." ... Xu Pingjun wiped the rain on his face with his wet sleeve, and said with a smile: "This house is still the same, nothing has changed." Yun Ge gave a soft "um", pretending that he didn't see too much "rain" on Xu Pingjun's face. Xu Pingjun turned around with a smile and went out, "Let's go and see your house." When he walked to Yunge's house, he saw that the courtyard door was half closed and the lock was snapped abruptly. In today's Chang'an city, would anyone dare to steal this place?Xu Pingjun hurriedly opened the door, led Yunge into the main room quickly. In front of the brass brazier, Meng Jue was holding the torch to set the fire. When he saw them coming in, he said lightly, "Roast the clothes by the brazier." Only then did Xu Pingjun suddenly remember that Yun Ge's body was not what it used to be, so he hurriedly dragged Yun Ge to sit beside the brazier, and went to the back room to look for old handkerchiefs and clothes. A familiar-looking person held several handkerchiefs and handed them to Xu Pingjun with a bow. Xu Pingjun thought it was the person next to Meng Jue, so he took it casually, "Thank you!" He turned and left the room, handed Yun Ge a handkerchief, and asked her to wipe her face. He was about to wipe Yun Ge's hair when he suddenly remembered where it was. met that person.Isn't that the eunuch Yu An who has been serving the late Emperor Liu Fuling?But before, she heard from the little eunuchs that Yu An wanted to continue to be in charge of the court after he was ill, but he suddenly disappeared, along with a batch of rare jewelry, calligraphy and painting antiques in the palace.In order to protect the face of the late emperor, the illness was kept secret and he didn't want to pursue it any further, so he only let Qixi take Yu An's position. While wiping her face, Yun Ge said, "Sister, don't patronize me, just wipe it yourself first." Xu Pingjun was startled suddenly, came back to his senses, forced a smile and said: "Understood." The three of them sat around the fire without saying a word. Yun Ge seemed to be concentrating on roasting the dress, Xu Pingjun looked down at the fire, dazed, Meng Jue looked indifferent, and used the torch to stir the fire from time to time. Yun Ge saw that the skirt was half dry, and the coldness on his body was gone, he looked at Xu Pingjun, "Sister, let's go..." Meng Jue said suddenly, "Mr. Ping, is the emperor planning to make you a queen?" Xu Pingjun didn't answer immediately, and after a while, he said indifferently: "Didn't the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty already recognize Huo Chengjun as the future queen? A few days ago, a woman surnamed Gongsun came to the palace to serve her bed, but there was no celebration." Yun Ge looked down at a small piece of charcoal, gradually burning from red to gray.This Gongsun woman is said to be the younger sister of an ordinary guard.Not long after she entered the palace, Liu Xun transferred her elder brother Gongsun Zhi to Fan Mingyou's subordinates.This matter made Huo Guang very unhappy, but Liu Xun acted cautiously and carefully asked Huo Guang for instructions before issuing the decree. It seemed that if Huo Guang disagreed, he would not issue the decree. This move made Huo Guang uncomfortable on the inside and beautiful on the outside, so even if he was uncomfortable, he could only I can endure it. Meng Jue said: "Before the funeral today, when a few close courtiers were with the emperor, Zhang He said that after the funeral, it's time to stand up. He wanted to ask the emperor what he really thought, and the emperor's answer was beyond everyone's expectations." Xu Pingjun suddenly raised his head and stared at Meng Jue, "Unexpected?" "The emperor always wears a sword when he talks about his poverty. Although it is not a famous sword, but this sword has been with him for a long time, and it is not far away from him. Now it is gone. He can't forget it, so I hope all the officials will look for it for you." As if breaking free from the dark clouds and jumping out of the dark sun, the joy that bloomed in Xu Pingjun's eyes made her whole body shine like a jewel, shining brightly in the room. Meng Jue couldn't bear the words she was about to say, "Don't be a queen." Xu Pingjun was puzzled: "Why?" Meng Jue considered it for a while, and said, "Huo Chengjun is bound to win the queen's position, and you can't compete with her." Xu Pingjun smiled indifferently, apparently not taking Meng Jue's words seriously, but half-jokingly said: "Yun Ge is also Miss Huo now! Brother Meng, you speak right and wrong about the Huo family in front of Miss Huo. willing." After Huo Guang took Yunge into the mansion, he told the outside world that Yunge was a distant relative of his deceased wife. After being separated for many years, he finally got to know each other.I heard that because of Huo Guang's love and pity, even Huo Chengjun would respectfully call Yun Ge 'sister' when he saw Yun Ge, so no one in the Huo family dared to disrespect Yun Ge.Although Xu Pingjun guessed that things were definitely not as simple as Huo Guang said, Bing Ji had told her to ask her to find out what was going on when she saw Yun Ge.But she has her own ideas in her heart, she knows this person Yunge, no matter Yunge's surname is Huo or Liu, noble or humble, she only knows that Yunge is like her own sister, those complicated foreign affairs, Yunge If she was willing to explain, she would listen, but if Yun Ge didn't want to, she didn't have the time to pay attention. Yun Ge smiled wryly and said: "My sister is in a good mood, so you can play with me? Huo Chengjun has long believed that the queen must be her. If my sister doesn't want to step into this muddy water, it's better not to be the queen." Xu Pingjun asked back: "My husband has already stepped into the pond, can I just stand on the shore and watch?" Meng Jue had another thought in his mind, was Liu Xun's "Looking for the Old Sword" really "The Old Sword with Deep Love"?But the joy in Xu Pingjun's eyes was too dazzling, such a pure daughter's thoughts, such a strong longing, was the cleanest beauty he had seen in these days, and he couldn't bear to break it for a long time.But... hasn't he already smashed a pair of eyes begging to believe?Isn't he used to looking at the rotten leaves under the flowers? "Mr. Ping, have you ever thought that if the emperor made you queen, you would be standing on the edge of a sword? The emperor wants to fight for the sole power of the emperor, and the Huo family wants to maintain the power of the family. The conflicts between them converge. When you arrive in the harem, you will bear the brunt. It is not difficult for the emperor to appoint you as empress, but it is just an edict. With Huo Guang's usual character, he will never confront the emperor head-on, but what do you use to keep the position of empress? The emperor has done so, already Putting you in danger is trading your safety for..." Xu Pingjun said decisively: "Brother Meng, you don't need to say it. I understand the truth of what you said. I think this is also the reason why Bingji wanted me to be the queen. He has been pinned down by Huo Guang in the court, and he doesn't want the harem to be abused again." Huo's control, that is his home, he needs a place where he can rest at ease, and I am willing to be his sword and protect him when he is resting. He is my husband, and since I married him, I have Determined to advance and retreat together in this life! I believe he will protect me, because I am his wife!" Yun Ge heard the implication of Meng Jue's words, and wanted to think about it when she felt cold, but when she heard Xu Pingjun's sonorous words, she felt that it should be like this.When you love someone, you should have been with him in advance and retreat, in adversity. If she had had Sister Xu's reluctance to turn back, at least she and Brother Ling could spend a little more time and have more happiness. Meng Jue didn't seem surprised by Xu Pingjun's choice, and still smiled slightly, "I used to think that Liu Xun was luckier than me. Later, I thought I was luckier than him. Now it seems that he is luckier." There was a sneer on Yun Ge's lips. Seeing the appearance of the two of them, Xu Pingjun felt uneasy, and suddenly a thought popped into his mind, why on earth did Meng Jue want to kill Yun Ge's child?What did the disease do?If one day, Yun Ge knew what Bing had done, what would he do? Meng Jue seemed completely unaware of Yun Ge's hostility, and said to Yun Ge: "Since you have lived in the Huo Mansion and have your own house, someone should return it to you, so as not to be an eyesore by staying here." Yu An came out from the room and knelt down in front of Yun Ge, "This old servant has done things wrongly and made the girl suffer these days, so I beg the girl to watch... look... let the old slave continue to serve the girl." There was a loud bang in Yun Ge's head, and the pain was so painful that it seemed as if his heart had been ripped out. In her memory, the picture of the last night on Mount Li was always blurred.She just took a nap, and he never left. In her memory, he was still leaning against the railing in the depths of the night admiring the stars. It seemed that with just a soft call, he would walk into the house dressed in night and starlight. In her memory, he was only temporarily away.He must be worried about her, so he sent Yu Anlai, it must be... Xu Pingjun saw that Yun Ge was covering his heart, his face was pale, and hurried to help her, "Yun Ge, what's wrong with you?" Yun Ge shook her head, her face returned to normal, she said to An: "Brother Ling has already asked you to come, of course I won't be unwilling, but I'm currently living in Huo Mansion temporarily, I wonder if you would like to go?" Yu An replied simply: "Where does the girl live, where do I live." Yun Ge suddenly remembered a person, and asked, "Where is Fu Yu?" Meng Jue said, "Here with me, I ordered him to go with you too..." "No need." Yun Ge said to Xu Pingjun: "Sister, do you still remember Fu Yu? It's the little eunuch we met in Hot Spring Palace." Xu Pingjun smiled and nodded, "Remember, we are friends in need, how could we forget? I also met him in the palace later, and he treated me very well." "If my sister decides to be the empress, let Fuyu be the director of Jiaofang Palace! He has been in the palace for many years and is familiar with all kinds of court rules. The great eunuchs have friendships, and if my sister wants to do anything, he can speak up." Xu Pingjun has lived in the palace for a while, and knows the importance of those insignificant eunuchs and court ladies in the entire Weiyang Palace.Every move in the palace is inseparable from the eunuchs and maids, but she is always uneasy about these eyes that follow her all the time, and she always feels dissatisfied with what she wants to do.But she came from a poor and humble background and had no relatives to rely on, so naturally, no one helped her to worry about these things.Unexpectedly, Yun Ge's thoughts turned so quickly, and in the blink of an eye, she had already solved a huge problem for her, and she couldn't help saying happily: "Of course!" The charcoal in the basin was almost burnt out, but Xu Pingjun didn't want to say leave for a long time.In the familiar old house, everyone sat around the fireplace, except for one person missing, everything seemed to be the same as before. She missed the familiar warmth and did not want to return to the deserted Weiyang Palace. However, Yun Ge didn't remember anything, just as the charcoal fire went out, she stood up, "Sister, are you leaving?" Xu Pingjun had no choice but to stand up, Meng Jue handed an old umbrella to Xu Pingjun, Xu Pingjun slightly nodded his head in thanks, held the umbrella in one hand, and led Yunge out the door with the other. The two of them walked to the entrance of the alley, and several eunuchs dressed in gray and casual clothes were looking for this place. When they saw Xu Pingjun and Yu An following Yun Ge, they were so shocked that they forgot to salute Xu Pingjun, and one of them murmured: "Master , how do you..." Yu An bowed humbly and said: "Don't dare, I'm just a servant of the Huo Mansion now, and I can't be honored by everyone." The eunuchs were still staring at Yu An in a daze, Xu Pingjun snorted displeasedly, and the few hurriedly greeted him respectfully, not daring to look at Yu An again. Xu Pingjun waved them back, held Yun Ge's hand, full of reluctance, and carefully warned: "Don't fight on the street again." Yun Ge smiled and said: "Sister, don't worry about me, Huo Guang treats me very well, if he treats me badly, I don't dare to make trouble in the street, only the favored lady of the Huo family can be domineering." Xu Pingjun let out a "puchi" laugh, "You! If I had known you were thinking this way, I shouldn't be troublesome." But there was still worry in his voice. Yun Ge smiled and said, "Sister, take care of yourself. I have my own ideas about my affairs." Xu Pingjun could only nod his head, handed the umbrella to Yunge, turned around and left, immediately a eunuch came over to hold the umbrella for her and lead the way. Occasionally, a passing resident who recognized Xu Pingjun was so surprised that he immediately threw away his umbrella and knelt down on the side of the street. A young boy, ignorant of his dignity, shouted loudly: "Aunt Liu, you promised to boil candy for me. ..." His mother was so scared that her face turned pale, she hurriedly covered his mouth tightly, and pressed his head with the other hand, and the mother and son kowtowed hard to apologize. Xu Pingjun asked them to get up, but the woman just kowtowed blindly, not daring to say a complete sentence. The misty drizzle shrouded the sky and the earth. It was only afternoon, but the darkness of night was already there.Xu Pingjun stood in the middle of the long street, looking at the people kneeling and kowtowing on the muddy road with a dazed expression. Not long after the funeral, the two brothers Zhang He and Zhang Anshi wrote to Liu Xun in front of civil and military officials, requesting that Xu Jieyu be made queen.Things were unexpected, and Huo Guang's faction could only deal with it hastily.Da Si Nongtian Guangming objected, saying that Xu Jieyu is the daughter of a sinner and not good enough to be a mother to the world. Huo Jieyu is the best candidate for queen because of her noble background and dignified character.Zhang Anshi retorted that although Xu Jieyu came from a humble background, she has a deep love for the emperor in times of trouble, which is even more worthy of everyone's admiration.The two parties couldn't resolve the dispute, so they could only ask Liu Xun to decide. Although Liu Xun didn't say it clearly, he kept recalling the whole process from acquaintance to marriage with Xu Pingjun in his words, and talked about how his wife took care of him when he was poor and humble. , with faint tears in his eyes. As Meng Jue said, when Liu Xun expressed his attitude, Huo Guang only accepted it respectfully, and did not oppose fiercely in person. A seal was affixed on it, officially announcing it to the world, and Xu Pingjun was canonized as the queen. Huo Guang might be displeased in his heart, but he didn't show it on the surface, and even ordered his servants to prepare gifts to congratulate Xu Pingjun on his title.But when the news reached Zhaoyang Hall, Huo Chengjun was so angry that he almost fainted. She smashed all the things that Liu Xun rewarded in Zhaoyang Hall to the ground.The maid tremblingly tried to persuade her, but she repelled them all. When she finished smashing all the things, her whole body was exhausted, and she sat on the ground softly with grief and indignation. When she looked up, she saw a palace lantern with "Chang'e Flying to the Moon" with an octagonal pendant ribbon hanging under the window.Looking at the palace lantern, she suddenly burst into laughter, and while laughing, she slapped herself hard twice.Huo Chengjun, Huo Chengjun!You have been fooled by a man again!Of course you know that he is not a gentleman, but you think he will at least be a trustworthy businessman, you help him ascend to the throne of God, he will give you the throne, fair deal!I don't think he is not even a businessman, today's two slaps will completely wake you up, and make you always remember your mistakes in the future! Liu Xun's act of not abandoning his wife of dross spread to the people, and countless people were moved and admired.Since ancient times, he has been an "infatuated woman with a heartless heart", but Liu Xun is still so affectionate after becoming the emperor, causing countless women to secretly shed tears of envy.For a while, the swords on the streets of Chang'an were several times more expensive, just because many women bought swords as gifts for their sweethearts, hoping that he would be like Liu Xun. Accompanied by the story of "the old sword is deeply in love", Liu Xun has become the most popular emperor among the common people since the founding of the Han Dynasty.Because in the hearts of the common people, this emperor is no longer an unattainable cold shadow on the Dragon Throne, but a man of love and righteousness, he will laugh and cry like them, and they feel that Liu Xun is very close to them.In their hearts, would an emperor who was so affectionate and righteous to his wives treat the people badly? Even Meng Jue didn't expect that an emperor who hadn't made any political achievements could win the hearts of the people with just one move, which made Meng Jue feel ashamed while ridiculing himself! Xu Pingjun was made queen, and Liu Shi became the eldest son of Liu Xun.Since the Zhou Dynasty, the succession of the son of heaven has followed the eldest son succession system, and the position of prince seems to fall on Liu Shi's head without saying anything.The ministers who were loyal to the imperial power in the court rejoiced, and after being suppressed by the Huo family for more than 20 years, they finally saw the hope of coming out. The frank Zhang He wanted to ask Liu Xun to canonize Liu Xi as the prince in one go, but the shrewd Zhang Anshi shook his head and disagreed.Zhang He was a little annoyed, and yelled at his younger brother: "Since Mrs. Zhang has decided to be loyal to the emperor, there is no way between you and Huo Guang. How can you be so afraid of the future?" Facing such a big brother, Zhang Anshi could only sigh, "The prince is different from the queen. Huo Guang's character can allow Mr. Ping to be the queen. Anyway, he has his own way to actually control the harem in Huo's hands. As long as Huo Jieyu gets a son in the future, He can't afford to argue with the emperor about these face-saving matters, but the prince..." He shook his head, indicating that Huo Guang would never give up. Zhang He sneered again and again, "The crown prince is definitely going to be established. Now only Empress Xu has a son. If there is no His Royal Highness, who else can be established? No matter how clever Huo Guang is, it is difficult for him to be without rice. Can you get in the book? You can't , I will go up by myself." Zhang Anshi wanted to pull him but he didn't, Zhang He had already strode out of the room. Zhang He's memorial requesting the establishment of the prince was like a huge boulder that shocked the entire court, causing water to splash everywhere.Liu Xun and Huo Guang would not mention it lightly until the matter of establishing the crown prince was properly prepared.However, Zhang He's memorial forced the issue that both parties wanted to avoid temporarily on the table.Don't say that Huo Guang was shocked and angry, but Liu Xun was secretly annoyed at Zhang He's self-assertion, but because Zhang He had been kind to him, he had always been loyal, and he had just ascended the throne, so these were the only courtiers he could really rely on. Can be annoyed.At this point, the water can't be collected, so we have to carefully come up with a solution. After the court was over, Liu Xun ordered Qixi to send Zhang Anshi quietly to see him. Liu Xun looked at Zhang Anshi, who was kneeling below, and said sincerely: "General Zhang, the marriage between me and Zitong was thanks to brother Ling who presided over the marriage. Now he has written a letter requesting that the son of Zitong and I be made the crown prince. The situation in the court I don't need to say more, the general should be clear in his heart, I only have one idea from you now, whether I can make Xi'er the crown prince right now." Zhang Anshi sighed bitterly in his heart, big brother, big brother, you really want to kill brother!In the court struggle, he has always stayed out of the matter and has not made friends with any party, but now he is forced to choose a side clearly. Zhang Anshi didn't speak, and Liu Xun was not in a hurry, but just waited quietly.Zhang Anshi, the veteran of the three dynasties, held the military power in his hand, and was the official on the right general. He was shrewd and transparent, and he was calm and careful in handling things. Zhang Anshi was the key to whether Shi'er could be the prince. What the emperor asked was "Can Liu Xun be crowned prince now", not "whether Liu Xun is suitable to be a prince", it seems that the emperor's mind has been made up, it's just sooner or later.It's easy to be a prince, but an edict, as long as the edict is quickly announced to the world, no matter how tyrannical Huo Guang is, he can't put a knife on the emperor's neck and force the emperor to withdraw the edict. To be enthroned? Zhang Anshi hesitated for a while, but still could not make a decision. When he was helpless, he suddenly had an idea in his mind, and said slowly: "Your Majesty, the matter has reached this point, of course there is a crisis, but it may not be possible to resolve the crisis if we don't. Li! After everything is justified, it will make people feel jealous, and they will not dare to do some actions blatantly." As soon as Liu Xun took the picture of the dragon case, he stood up suddenly, his eyes were full of joy and satisfaction, "Okay! What I want is your words." He quickly walked down the golden hall and helped Zhang Anshi up with his own hands. Zhang Anshi hurriedly knelt down again in fear, and kowtowed frequently, "Your Majesty loves me so much, I dare not! But..." Liu Xun was originally very happy, but when he heard Zhang Anshi's "but", his face suddenly sank, but he immediately thought that what he valued was Zhang Anshi's cautious character?Then the displeasure dissipated, and asked, "But what?" Zhang Anshi carefully reported: "His Royal Highness has no ministers to rely on in the court, so the Taifu is extremely important. If the emperor wants to make His Highness the Crown Prince, he should first choose a good Taifu." What Zhang Anshi meant to put it bluntly was that he disliked that Shi'er was weak and had no relatives to rely on. As the saying goes, "a master is like a father". By choosing a grand tutor, it can be said that he has found a relative to rely on for Shi'er.Zhang Anshi will wait until he sees this candidate and weighs the victory or defeat before making a real decision whether to tie Zhang's life and death with the crown prince.After walking around in the hall for a while, Liu Xun sat back on the dragon couch and said, "General, let's go back first! I will carefully consider this matter." After Zhang Anshi kowtowed, he bowed his head and exited the hall. It was getting dark, Qi Xi and a few eunuchs came in to light the lamps, Liu Xun waved them back.Facing the gradually darkening hall, he suddenly felt a little powerless. Will he reject Zhang He's memorial tomorrow?Then he should go to Zhaoyang Hall to rest tonight, but every time he rests, he is creating an extra danger for himself!If Huo Chengjun is pregnant... He didn't even have the courage to think about this question.After sitting quietly for a long time, he stood up abruptly, left the Xuanshi Hall, and walked towards the Jiaofang Hall.Qixi wanted to call someone, but was stopped by Liu Xun, "You can go there with me." Xu Pingjun was teaching Liu Xi how to write. He taught Liu Xi a simple "two" a hundred times, but Liu Xi still didn't learn it. Xu Pingjun lost his temper and grabbed his little hand to hit him.Liu Xi was just pouting his lips in displeasure, anyway, his mother didn't feel any pain from beating him, but when his father came in, he immediately changed from pouting to tearful, he stumbled to Liu Xun, and hugged Liu Xun One leg, said infinitely wronged: "Mother wants to hit me!" The depression in Liu Xun's heart dissipated a bit, and he laughed and hugged Liu Xi who was tired of his lap, "I think I'm going to hit your hand too, how dare I sue my mother!" Bingjiu would appear alone in Jiaofang Hall, Xu Pingjun was pleasantly surprised, he tidied up the couch with a smile and let him sit, "Have you eaten yet?" Liu Xun hugged Liu Shi and sat beside Xu Pingjun, "No. Order someone to make some home-cooked dishes, and let's have a meal together as a family!" When Xu Pingjun heard his words and saw him bowing his head to kiss Hu'er, his heart felt sour and warm at the same time, he hurriedly went outside the curtain and ordered Fuyu to order the imperial chef to cook. A family of three sits on the couch and eats.Without the eunuchs and maids who had been surrounding him all the time, Xu Pingjun was extremely relaxed and laughed constantly. After dinner, Liu Shi clamored to ride a horse. Liu Xun put him on his back and crawled around on the carpet on his back. The father and son made a fuss.It wasn't until Liu Xi was sleepy that Liu Xun was carried to sleep. "You are following the tiger too much. After all, you are the king of a country now, how can you still play 'horse riding' with him?" Xu Pingjun smiled and straightened his robe for Liu Xun. Liu Xun hugged Xu Pingjun with a smile, "It will all be on the ground in a while, what are you cleaning up?" As he said, his hand had already penetrated into Xu Pingjun's dress. Xu Pingjun groaned and fell limply into his arms. Before being canonized as empress, although Liu Xun would come here occasionally, Xu Pingjun always felt awkward, so the two of them were always reluctant.After being crowned queen, Liu Xun always came and went in a hurry and never stayed overnight.Although Xu Pingjun felt uncomfortable in his heart, he also understood that as the emperor's woman, this would be the same in the future. Tonight, she forgot that he was the emperor, and only thought that he was still her sickness. She was so happy, and it was another "little farewell". Xu Pingjun actually experienced happiness that he had never had before. After it was over, Liu Xun still hugged her and refused to let her go. Xu Pingjun felt his chest full of tenderness, looked at his side face, and caressed his temples with his fingertips inadvertently.Liu Xun laughed, and kissed her forehead again, "When will you give me another child?" Xu Pingjun said with a low smile: "It's not up to me, it depends on whether God will give it or not." Liu Xun hugged her again, and said very gently: "Ping Jun, Hu'er is very special to me, he is my first child, and also my favorite child. , I always wish to give the best of everything to my children.” Xu Pingjun smiled and said, "Are you thinking about hiring Hu'er a husband? It's time to hire a husband. I've been thinking about this recently." Liu Xun said: "I want to give him the country." Xu Pingjun suddenly wanted to sit up, but was hugged tightly by Liu Xun, unable to move at all.She couldn't tell what was in her heart, should she be happy that she loved Hu'er so much, or should she be afraid of a sudden mutation? Liu Xun stroked her back and asked, "Ping Jun, what are you thinking?" Xu Pingjun forced a smile, "You suddenly told me this, my mind is in a mess now, and I can't think of anything at all." Liu Xun said: "You don't have to worry. I have made up my mind. No matter who opposes, I will not stop me from making Hu'er the crown prince. The courtiers will have the backbone when the crown prince is settled. Only when they see the future clearly will they be right. Huo's fear is a little less. Otherwise, these ministers will be smarter than the other, and if they don't establish a crown prince for a day, they won't really help me." While speaking, Liu Xun felt sleepy and gradually closed his eyes.But Xu Pingjun thought about it and didn't sleep all night. On the second day, after Liu Xun left, Xu Pingjun was still unconscious.Fuyu came in with Liu Xi in his arms to say good morning to Xu Pingjun, and she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to say hello to the Empress Dowager Shangguan, and hurried to Changle Palace to say hello. When Shangguan's younger sister saw her, she was still neither cold nor hot, and after talking to her a few words, she picked up the scroll and hinted to see off the guests. Xu Pingjun got up to leave, walked a few steps, but then retreated, kneeling in front of Shangguan's younger sister, "Empress Dowager, I have something to ask." Shangguan's younger sister said lightly: "You ask!" "I see that the Empress Dowager has been reading history books recently, and I want to ask the Empress Dowager to tell my son a story about the prince." "Aren't you also literate? If you are interested, you can find a book and read it yourself." "I don't have time, I just want to know everything in the shortest possible time." Miss Shangguan sat blankly, Xu Pingjun thought she was unwilling to speak, kowtowed, and was about to leave.But Miss Shangguan put down the scroll and said: "There are so many dynasties, I don't remember all of them, so let's just pick a few and talk about them!" Xu Pingjun said gratefully: "I thank the Empress Dowager." "After Qin Shihuang unified the six kingdoms, he made his son Fusu the crown prince, and Fusu son later committed suicide. After Qin Ershi Hu Hai ascended the throne, he made Ziying the prince. After the Qin Dynasty was destroyed, Ziying was killed by Xiang Yu. It is said that the Emperor Gaozu of my dynasty When he was on the throne, he wanted to abolish the prince Huidi and make Zhao Wang the prince, but Zhao Wang was tortured to death by the Empress Dowager Lu. Although Huidi ascended the throne, he died in depression and was only twenty-four years old when he died." Shangguan Seeing that Xu Pingjun's face turned pale, the little girl asked, "Do you still want to listen?" Xu Pingjun gritted his teeth and nodded. The younger sister of Shangguan continued: "A little closer is Emperor Xiaowu. He was established as the crown prince at the age of seven. And above, not only took back the imperial power, but also became the emperor with the longest reign in history. Emperor Xiaowu was able to take back the imperial power, and the power of Chen Ajiao's relatives after the abolition played a key role. And then... the story of Prince Wei, you should It's very clear, so I won't talk about it." Xu Pingjun knelt on the ground blankly, his face pale.Is this the life of these princes?Except for Emperor Xiaowu, there was no one who died well. Shangguan's younger sister looked at her, with sympathy in her eyes, but she lowered her head and picked up the scroll again, and said coldly: "I have already told you what I can tell you, you can go back!" Xu Pingjun kowtowed three times and exited Changle Palace.Emperor Xiaowu had relatives to rely on, but what about Hu'er?He has nothing!I, a mother, can't give him anything!Back then, Prince Wei had the powerful Wei family to rely on, and in the end, all of them ended up with dead bodies in different places.Hu'er not only didn't rely on him, but instead had a powerful enemy - the Huo family. She just felt that her footsteps were vain and the world was spinning.If you want to seek medical treatment immediately, don't make Hu'er the crown prince, but you know his temper, if things are brought out clearly, there is no room for maneuver. In the Jiaofang Hall, the palace maid was singing with Hu'er. Seeing her come back, Fu Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness is so smart, you can learn the songs once you teach them. When is your Majesty planning to invite Your Highness to start a formal lecture?" A word to wake up the dreamer! Xu Pingjun was refreshed, turned around and went out, and said, "Immediately!" She ran to Xuanshi Hall and begged to see the emperor. After waiting for a while, Qixi respectfully invited her in. There was no one in the hall, only Liu Xun was sitting on the dragon couch waiting for her.Xu Pingjun walked up to Liu Xun, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, if you want to make Hu'er the crown prince, you must ask Meng Jue to be the tutor, otherwise, the concubine will never agree." Liu Xun pulled her up with a smile, "I thought it was a big deal, and that's exactly what I thought. It's just that it's easy to issue an edict, but I'm not sure whether he will really help Hu'er." Taking advantage of getting up, Xu Pingjun quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said calmly: "The concubine is sure, the emperor will make an order!" Liu Xun embraced her and said, "Okay! On the day I issue an imperial edict to make Hu'er the crown prince, I will order Hu'er to worship Meng Jue as his teacher. The crown prince's canonization ceremony and apprenticeship ceremony will be held on the same day, and Meng Jue will be canonized as the crown prince's tutor." , the official ranks at the head of the three princes." He also ordered Qixi, "immediately pass Zhang Anshi to see him." Xu Pingjun resigned to Liu Xun, "The emperor still has political affairs to deal with, and my concubines are retiring." Liu Xun patted her on the back gently but casually, and then let her go, already concentrating on thinking about how to meet Zhang Anshi.Xu Pingjun was at a loss for a while, and quietly exited the hall. What exactly Liu Xun and Zhang Anshi talked about, Xu Pingjun will never know, the only thing he can know is that a woman from the Zhang family was subsequently selected into the palace, and was awarded the title of beloved.