Chapter 268: 268 does not recognize
Chapter 268 268 Denial
A burst of bright laughter broke the silence in the hall.
Everyone couldn't help but be diverted and looked towards the owner of the voice.
It was a handsome-looking man wearing a bright red bullfight suit. In the winter of November, he was holding a folding fan in his hand. He was none other than Kang Hongda.
"Your Majesty is late. I thought your Majesty was not feeling well." Kang Hongda gave the emperor a step back as if nothing had happened and changed the subject, "Your Majesty is late, so you will have to punish yourself with three drinks."
As he spoke, he poured three glasses of wine into three white wine glasses on the dining table with a smile on his face, as if he and Gu Jue were close friends.
The emperor's face softened slightly, feeling that Kang Hongda still sympathized with the holy will.
The others continued to watch. After all, no matter who among the emperor, Gu Jue and Kang Hongda stamped their feet, the court would be shaken. They couldn't afford to offend them, so they had better stay on the sidelines and watch. Not even the prince dared to do anything. Say it.
Chu Qianchen stared at Kang Hongda secretly without blinking. Gu Jue almost saw that the cat's tail behind her had exploded.
"It's true that I don't feel well." Gu Jue smiled faintly.
He made a fist with his right hand, put it next to his lips, and coughed twice in a serious manner.
“…”
“…”
“…”
No one expected Gu Jue to react like this, they were all stunned and dumbfounded.
The hall fell silent again.
Gu Jue didn't care at all about the reaction of the emperor and others, and took Chu Qianchen to sit down on the seat between Prince Li and Prince Rui.
After sitting down, Gu Jue raised his hand and gently squeezed Chu Qianchen's left hand under the food table, once, and again, like squeezing the pads of a cat's paw, to comfort his little girl.
The little girl had already told him that he was taking medicine and could not drink alcohol.
If he really gets drunk today, his little wild cat will definitely scratch those who dare to persuade him to drink.
Although her fierce look is cute, a person like Kang Hongda is not worthy of his little girl stretching out her claws for him.
Gu Jue's eyelashes flashed, and he was in an amazingly good mood.
Chu Qianchen suddenly felt relieved after being touched by Gu Jue, and his eyes became sweeter when he looked at Gu Jue.
Your Majesty is so obedient! Chu Qianchen praised him silently with his eyes and peeled an orange for him as a reward.
One for him, one for her.
The couple didn't care about everyone's looks, and ate an orange cleanly in just a few seconds.
Some people were looking at Gu Jue and Chu Qianchen, and some were quietly looking at Kang Hongda's face, wanting to see if he would get angry because he was ignored by Gu Jue. However, how could Kang Hongda lose his composure so easily, drinking glass after glass of wine? Talk and laugh freely.
Gu Nanjin also sat down at the table, and couldn't help but glance at the emperor at the front. The emperor reluctantly walked down the steps because of Kang Hongda's interruption. After he drank a glass of wine, his face became a little better.
The **** Ni Eunuch beside him promptly asked the emperor if he wanted to play music, and the emperor nodded.
Then, a melodious sound of silk and bamboo sounded, and a group of dancers wearing pink embroidered hibiscus gauze skirts walked in to the music. They all had beautiful looks and slim figures. Even in this winter, they only wore thin clothes. Gauze skirt.
When dancing gracefully, the hem of the skirt is like a blooming flower, and the dancing sleeves are like butterflies, rain, and mist. They are graceful, gentle, and uniform. The figure of the maiko is incredibly soft, as if walking and roaming on the lake, as poetic as a painting. .
Everyone's attention was attracted by the singing and dancing in front of them. The palace officials also served sumptuous drinks and dishes to the guests in a well-trained manner. They shuttled back and forth in an orderly manner.
The sky outside is getting darker and darker, and night has fallen, but the hall is full of people drinking and laughing.
Some ministers began to toast to the emperor one after another, and compliments came one after another. After listening to these words, the emperor finally had a smile on his face. He was giving wine and delicacies, and both the host and the guest were happy.
There were also some generals toasting Gu Jue, but Gu Jue always offered tea instead of wine. He had just said that he was "not feeling well", so naturally no one without a sharp eye would dare to ask Gu Jue for a drink.
The atmosphere in the palace became more and more lively, and everyone seemed to have forgotten the invisible confrontation between Emperor Cai and Gu Jue just now.
After the song was over, the dancers left in an orderly manner.
There was a warm round of applause in the hall. Most of the guests only applauded two or three times to show their appreciation, but one person applauded seven or eight times, causing all the surrounding guests to look at that person with subtle expressions.
"Wonderful! It's really wonderful!" The person who applauded calmly let others watch, or in other words, he was deliberately using this to attract other people's attention.
The king of Andaman stood up from his seat, saluted the emperor on the golden throne, and praised:
"The songs and dances of Daqi are very different from those of our country of Hao. Each has its own merits. It's really an eye-opener for me to thank your majesty today." Andaman laughed loudly and said, "I would like to toast your majesty."
Andaman picked up a glass of wine with both hands, drank it all in one gulp, and turned the glass upside down to show that there was no wine left.
The emperor was quite impressed by Andaman's warmth and compliments. He drank half a glass of wine and said reservedly: "Your Majesty, don't be polite. Enjoy the singing, dancing and drinking."
Andaman responded with a smile, and then looked in the direction of Gu Jue, with a bit of scrutiny, a bit of suspicion, and a bit of speculation in his eyes.
"His Royal Highness Chen Wang," Andaman also bowed to Gu Jue with a Hao salute, and his smile deepened, "Last time His Highness Chen Wang came to Hao Kingdom, my emperor was not able to see him. I deeply regret that this time After I come to the capital, I must say hello to His Highness King Chen, and invite His Highness to visit Hao Kingdom again and talk to my emperor if there is an opportunity in the future."
"I was lucky enough to meet His Highness once in Hao Kingdom. It is a rare fate to meet His Highness again in Daqi, thousands of miles away. I would like to drink a glass to Your Highness."
Andaman raised another glass of wine that was refilled and drank it down again.
Andaman's face was full of spring breeze, and he looked eager to reminisce with Gu Jue. In comparison, Gu Jue's expression was as cold as water.
Gu Jue didn't stand up, but picked up the tea cup in front of him and touched his lips, which was considered a return gift.
He behaved elegantly, like a humble gentleman, but at the same time he was extremely arrogant, with a kind of frivolity that looked down on the world, almost saying that he didn't take Andaman seriously.
Andaman's expression changed slightly. Not even the Emperor of Qi had treated him so lightly.
If he hadn't witnessed the confrontation between Gu Jue and the emperor just now and knew that Gu Jue didn't even give the emperor face, Andaman would have asked the emperor to suppress Gu Jue at this moment.
Andaman looked at Gu Jue, remembering Hao Emperor Wuhaduluo's instructions, and suppressed the displeasure in his heart.
He laughed again and said with a bit of joking: "When I came to the capital this time, I heard that His Highness King Chen has married the princess. It's such a pity."
"The fourth princess of our country has been fond of martial arts since she was a child. She is very fond of His Highness King Chen's deeds. This time, she even pestered my emperor and said that she wanted to come to Daqi to meet with His Highness King Chen. My emperor originally agreed, but unfortunately before departure, the Queen It happened that she was feeling unwell, so the fourth princess could not come. "
At the end, he said "what a pity" emphatically again, which was a very meaningful tone.
Anyone who is not stupid enough can tell that the fourth princess of Hao Kingdom admires Gu Jue, and that Emperor Hao intends to marry Gu Jue as a good friend of the Qin and Jin Dynasties.
The originally lively atmosphere in the hall turned cold again, and the expressions of the guests became very stiff.
The emperor subconsciously squeezed the wine glass tightly, and his fingers were so tight that he almost crushed the wine glass.
Eunuch Ni was sweating on his forehead. He was really afraid that the emperor would throw the wine glass out in anger. These days, the emperor's temper was getting worse and worse, and he lost control at every turn.
The emperor's face was as dark as water, and his thin lips pursed into a straight line. He felt that these Hao people were really greedy. On the one hand, they wanted to win over him, the great emperor of Qi, and let Wu Hetuna, the prince of Hao Kingdom, marry his princess. On the other hand, they wanted to Marry the princess of their Hao Kingdom to Gu Jue.
They, the Hao people, wanted to bet on both ends, because they were afraid that if Gu Jue imitated Wuhaduluo and rebelled, would their Hao country still be able to have good relations with Da Qi? !
The emperor hated Wuhaduluo and gritted his teeth in his heart. He was more worried that Gu Jue would agree.
This is a temptation from the Nanhao people and a tactful gesture of goodwill.
If he were Gu Jue, of course he would agree. This Nanhao's princess, the daughter of Wuhaduluo, is far better than a mere concubine!
Most of the other guests in the hall were looking at Gu Jue, wondering whether Gu Jue would accept the goodwill shown by Emperor Hao.
Some people glanced at Chu Qianchen next to Gu Jue, with a trace of pity in their eyes.
After all, it was because Princess Chen's status was too low that Envoy Nanhao dared to say such words so openly.
If King Chen really intends to divorce his wife and remarry, Princess Chen can only accept it. Even if she suddenly "died suddenly", that is, her death was unknown. How could such a shabby residence as the Yongding Marquis Mansion go to a mere concubine? Seek justice from King Chen.
Therefore, it is inevitable that this marriage should be well-matched. The status difference between the two parties is too big. One of them is an ant that can be stepped on by the other party and can be easily discarded.
Chu Qianchen seemed to be unaware, lowering his head and peeling the orange slowly.
In the eyes of some caring people, they only thought that she could only be used as a maid for King Chen to peel oranges.
The surroundings are quieter.
"Fourth princess?" Gu Jue raised his eyebrows, "As far as I know, Emperor Hao only has one eldest princess. Where did the fourth princess come from?"
“…”
“…”
“…”
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly turned sharply because of these words.
Most people don't know exactly how many princesses there are in the Hao Kingdom, but there are a few people, such as the officials of the Ministry of Rites, who know a little bit. The previous Emperor Hao who passed away only had three sons and one daughter.
Obviously, the Emperor Hao in Gu Jue's mouth was not referring to Uhaduluo.
This also means that he does not recognize Wuhaduluo as the new emperor of Hao Kingdom.
"..." Of course Andaman knew that the person Gu Jue was talking about was the late emperor, and his face suddenly darkened, as if stained by ink.
Gu Jue had just visited the Hao Kingdom. It was impossible for him not to know that the king on the throne now was Uhaduluo.
So, Gu Jue said that on purpose.
Gu Jue actually shamed their Hao country over and over again!
Andaman stood there frozen like a stone sculpture.
Gu Nanjin felt in his heart that Gu Jue's response was really pleasant, and he glanced in the direction of the emperor without any trace, his eyes twinkling.
The emperor's father asked the second emperor's brother Gu Nanzhao to entertain Nan Hao's envoy, which made his mother very unhappy. However, Gu Nanjin actually thought that this was a good idea.
The country of Hao is in chaos, and Uhaduluo forces the palace to rebel. Even if he ascends the throne now, he can only be regarded as a false emperor. Only when he secures his seat in the South Hao River can he be recognized by the surrounding countries and be honored as Emperor Hao. Enter the annals of history.
At this moment, the father actually casually accepted Nan Hao's marriage request and promised to be the legitimate princess.
His father thought that Nan Hao was supporting him as the emperor of Da Qi, but in fact, Wuhaduluo had clearly trampled on Da Qi's face, so Andaman dared to show his favor to Gu Jue in public and dare to bet on both ends.
Looking at it from another angle, not long ago, my father had just entertained a group of Nan Hao envoys from Wuhe Jialou. Now, just a few months later, he had so readily acknowledged Nan Hao's pseudo-emperor. Doesn't that mean that Wu Hejia Lou was a puppet emperor? Is Hadura right to force the palace? !
To outsiders, they can't help but look like weeds on the wall, losing the style and demeanor of a great country.
To take it a step further, doesn't the father think that the winner is king, and there is nothing wrong with forcing the palace to rebel? !
Gu Nanjin sighed secretly in his heart.
However, now he no longer even opposes the marriage. Both the emperor and the empress feel that he does not support the marriage between Da Qi and Nan Hao!
Gu Nanjin could only suppress the sadness in his heart and drank several glasses of wine.
Andaman was silent for a long time. His square face with a curly beard was sometimes black, sometimes green, sometimes purple, and the colors changed wonderfully, and finally returned to calm.
The emperor had Kang Hongda pass the steps to him, but Andaman could only answer the question himself: "My emperor has six daughters under his knees. I'm afraid His Majesty King Chen has remembered it wrong."
Originally, he could just be so vague, but he was unwilling to do so. Before sitting down, he couldn't help but said quickly: "What do you think, His Highness, King Chen?"
"Oh?" Gu Jue chuckled.
In the silent palace at this moment, this low laugh was so scornful and harsh, like a sharp arrow piercing Andaman's heart.
Gu Jue was smiling, his smile was clear and shallow, like the bright moon in the night sky, and like the night wind outside the palace, which made people feel unapproachable.
In this quiet and strange atmosphere, Chu Qianchen, who had his head lowered, raised his head and fed an orange segment into Gu Jue's mouth under the gaze of everyone. His fingertips inadvertently touched his soft lips. .
Her eyelashes trembled, and she immediately withdrew her hand, pointing at the plate of rouge goose breast in front of Gu Jue, meaning that she wanted to eat it. The smile on Gu Jue's face grew stronger. He ate a sour and sweet orange in his mouth. The warmth of the girl's fingertips was still on his lips. He was in a good mood.
He ignored Andaman and picked up a pair of ivory-embedded chopsticks at hand, picked up a piece of rouge goose breast and put it into Chu Qianchen's bowl.
Chu Qianchen took a bite of the rouge goose breast and was not satisfied.
Rouge goose breast becomes too sweet when cold.
This kind of palace banquet is boring, there are too many people, toasts are made at every turn, and all the food is cold dishes.
Gu Jue also saw that she was not satisfied, so he took the initiative to give her a bad letter.
This bad duck is served as a cold dish and tastes good.
The two of them went back and forth to eat, and no one looked at Andaman again, as if Andaman didn't exist at all.
For Andaman, this was even more embarrassing than before. The emperor also wanted to teach Andaman a lesson and had no intention of helping smooth things over.
The emperor glanced at the wine pot. Eunuch Ni, who was good at speaking and observing people, quickly refilled the emperor's wine glass, although the glass was still half full of wine.
The emperor felt much more comfortable and started drinking again while holding up his wine glass, his guard against Gu Jue deepening.
Logically speaking, Wuhaduluo intended to marry the fourth princess to Gu Jue, which would benefit Gu Jue but not harm him at all. Why did Gu Jue slap Nan Hao's envoy in the face in public?
What is Gu Jue planning? He always has a purpose in doing things.
The emperor was so preoccupied that no matter how good the song and dance was, he had no intention of enjoying it and glanced at Gu Jue from time to time.
At the next banquet, the atmosphere became a bit awkward.
The guests could see that the emperor was in a bad mood, so no one asked him to propose a toast. They all ate without a taste, and most of them didn't even use their chopsticks.
After another half an hour, the banquet ended hastily.
The sky outside has completely darkened. The night sky above is like ink, the stars are bright, the moon is like silver, and dim lanterns have been hung in the palace below, like countless fireflies flying.
The guests dispersed in all directions, each going back to his own courtyard.
Chu Qianchen and Gu Jue did not sit in the chariot. They planned to take a walk back to Zichen Palace to eat.
Chu Qianchen held Gu Jue's hand in one hand and held an octagonal palace lantern in the other. In the cold night wind, the candle in the lantern was swaying, as if it was about to go out at any time.
Amber and Jiang Yuan were very interested and fell five or six feet behind.
Chu Qianchen shook the lantern in his hand and boasted: "Your Majesty, my hands are very skillful. Can I make a lantern for you during the Lantern Festival?"
"My hands are also very skillful." Gu Jue covered her left hand tighter. She always said that his hands were cold, but her own hands were obviously colder, and she didn't know how to take care of them.
Doctors cannot heal themselves. Gu Jue thought that when she returned to Beijing, she could ask a doctor who was good at gynecology to treat her.
Chu Qianchen said with a smile: "Then Prince, make one for me too!"
Chu Qianchen was so happy that he couldn't help but start counting the days to look forward to the Lantern Festival.
"Your Majesty..." Chu Qianchen wanted to say if she could make him a rabbit lantern, but before he could say anything else, there was a sudden exclamation in front of him.
"Awan!"
The strange woman's shout was a bit shrill in the silent night.
Chu Qianchen looked up and saw a woman in a dark red cloak staggering in front of her. Another woman in a purple cloak beside her supported her.
Chu Qianchen put the lantern into Gu Jue's hand and trotted over, holding the skirt of his skirt.
She raised her hand to support Shen Wan from the other side and said softly: "Aunt, there is a stone bench here. Please sit on it for a while."
Chu Qianchen and the woman in the purple cloak helped Shen Wan sit down on the stone bench next to them. The two men walking in front of Shen Wan also turned around. One of them was Prince Jing.
"Awan, are you okay?" Prince Jing looked at Shen Wan worriedly. Because Gu Zhiyan had been ill a few days ago, Shen Wan had not had a good rest during these days and had to rush again.
"I'm fine." Shen Wan braced herself and said, her face a little pale and her eyes dull, "I was just a little dazzled for a moment."
Chu Qianchen checked Shen Wan's pulse and immediately withdrew his hand, feeling relieved.
Shen Wan is fine. It's just that he hasn't had a good rest for a long time recently, so his body is a little weak. He will recover after taking good care of himself and resting for two days.
"Jingle, thank you very much." Shen Wan turned to the woman in the purple cloak and smiled.
Fortunately, Jingle reacted quickly and helped her up, otherwise she would have fallen down just now.
Princess Jingle? ! Hearing this familiar title, Chu Qianchen's eyebrows moved slightly and he raised his eyes to look at the woman in the purple cloak.
She was a woman of about twenty years old, with an oval face and apricot eyes, a bright appearance, and a gentle temperament, but she was a little thin, as if she would float away when the wind blew.
At this time, Jingle withdrew her right hand that was supporting Shen Wan.
Chu Qianchen's sharp eyes happened to catch a glimpse of a whip mark on the opponent's wrist exposed outside the cloak. The wound had scabbed over and was extremely glaring on the fair skin.
Chu Qianchen remembered what Empress Dowager Yin said last time: "Princess Jingle had some dispute with her consort, and she was whipped by her consort. I heard that it seemed that it was because the consort wanted to take in her cousin."
Gu Jue, carrying a lantern, also strolled over.
The dim candlelight danced in the lantern, forming an unpredictable light and shadow on his face, making him look cold, distant, and out of reach.
Jingle's hand had already been hidden in the cloak, she smiled tenderly, and greeted Gu Jue and Chu Qianchen: "Brother Nine Emperors, Sister-in-law Nine Emperors."
Prince Jing said again: "Awan, I'd better ask an imperial doctor to take a look at you."
"No need." Shen Wan shook her head hastily, "I'm really fine."
Although the Emperor of Winter Hunting brought most of the imperial hospital with him this time, it was not good for her to always call the imperial doctor when she was traveling. After all, the imperial doctor Wang had just come two days ago to treat her daughter's illness.
Seeing that Shen Wan's spirits were better and his pulse was fine, Chu Qianchen said goodbye: "Aunt, since you're fine, let's leave first."
A strange light flashed in Shen Wan's eyes, he hesitated to speak, and finally just nodded.
Chu Qianchen pulled Gu Jue and left. Jingle also quickly left, and the surrounding area suddenly became deserted.
Shen Wan looked at Chu Qianchen's leaving figure, couldn't help but sigh, and whispered to herself: "She can see it too..."
Shen Wan felt that Chu Qianchen must have noticed that their family was deliberately avoiding Prince Chen's Mansion. In the past few days, she had not even seen her eldest sister.
She raised her hand and rubbed her eyebrows.
Prince Jing looked at his wife's tired look and put one hand on her arm. His eyes were filled with complex feelings of distress, regret, and self-blame...so intense that they almost overflowed.
If it weren't for him, Qiniang wouldn't be like this...
Shen Wan placed her backhand on the back of Prince Jing's hand and held it tightly.
The night is getting darker and the moonlight is cold.
Soon, a mother-in-law came over with a carriage. Shen Wan was carried by Prince Jing into the carriage. The couple went to Yunxiangzhai, their family's residence in the palace.
Shen Wan had just rested in the inner room when someone came from the back and said, "The Amber girl next to Princess Chen is here, saying that she is here to greet you on behalf of Princess Chen."
Shen Wan immediately asked Amber to come in. She felt warm in her heart and smiled at Amber: "Humber, go back and tell your princess that I am fine."
Amber bowed gracefully, held a wooden box and said, "Princess, this is Rong Yang Pill. You have been weak recently, so you can take one pill a day."
Rongyang Pill was originally a tonic made by the imperial hospital of the previous dynasty. It has been spread to this dynasty. Now many concubines in the palace are also taking it. Rongyang Pill is also sold in famous medical halls outside. However, Chu Qian The Rong Yang Pills sent by Chen were naturally not ordinary Rong Yang Pills. She had improved them according to the original recipe.
Shen Wan only thought that Chu Qianchen had bought Rong Yang Pills from a medical clinic outside, so she ordered Aunt Rong to accept them, and then said to Hu Hu, "Thank you, Princess, for me."
Amber didn't say much, bowed, and then left.
"Miss Amber, go this way."
The eldest maid sent Amber away personally, leaving only Prince Jing, Shen Wan and Grandma Rong in the inner room.
Shen Wan looked at the swaying door curtain in front of her and sighed: "Sister Chen really has a delicate heart with seven orifices."
Chu Qianchen is now Princess Chen, and she and Prince Chen are tied together. If she takes the initiative to visit her today, then the news will reach the ears of the emperor in the future. With his suspicion, he will inevitably become dissatisfied with Prince Jing and Prince Chen's palace. too close…
Chu Qianchen obviously understands this, so she has been avoiding getting too close to Jingjun Prince's Mansion and keeping just the right distance.
Shen Wan felt complicated and looked at the wooden box in Grandma Rong's hand.
Among the medicinal materials used to make Rong Yang Pills, there are many precious medicinal materials such as ginseng, and they are not easy to make.
The number of Rongyang Pills supplied by both Taiyuan Hospital and several well-known medical clinics in Beijing is limited, and they are basically reserved in advance by those famous and famous families.
If other people want to buy it, they have to make a reservation, but even if they make a reservation, they may not be able to wait for several months.
Sister Chen, this kid is really thoughtful.
Shen Wan's eyes were slightly sore, and there was a faint glimmer of water in them.
Aunt Rong also knew how precious the Rong Yang Pills were, so she carefully took out a small porcelain jar the size of a baby's fist from the wooden box and said, "Princess, I'll get you a glass of water, dissolve the Rong Yang Pills and eat it. "
After a short while, Shen Wan drank the medicinal tea dissolved in Rong Yang Pills. The medicinal tea was hot and poured from the throat into the intestines and stomach, making her whole body warm. Her cheeks were also stained with a light fragrance. Hongxia.
Aunt Rong took the empty tea cup and handed Shen Wan another cup of warm water. Shen Wan drank half the cup of water to get rid of the aftertaste in her mouth. She felt much better and her brows relaxed.
After that, Grandma Rong wisely withdrew, leaving the inner room to the couple.
Prince Jing held Shen Wan in his arms, kissed the top of her hair, and said softly and distressedly: "Awan, I have wronged you."
How could Prince Jing not know that his wife was only thinking about the Prince's palace?
Hey, they are a clan, and the clan's dignity depends entirely on the emperor. The emperor's likes and dislikes will inevitably affect the status of the prince's palace. Moreover, although their surname is Gu, their bloodline is already far away.
If it weren't for the kindness of the late emperor, even the title of the county king would have been demoted in his generation.
The emperor's words can determine the survival of the title. Their family cannot offend the emperor, let alone get involved in the game between the emperor and Gu Jue.
The clan can only be neutral.
He just wanted to keep his ancestral title and couldn't earn the merit of being a dragon.
Qian Chen’s personality is different from A Yue’s.
She is not a good person in the perfect sense.
Qianchen studied medicine for the sake of the prince.
The purpose of rescuing people in Jishitang was to make her famous, so that the prince would notice her. She gave Jishitang the prescription for treating infantile convulsions to accumulate blessings for the prince. She made Jiuxu ointment so that the prince could use it in the army, and to give her to Wuhajialou. The recipe for miasma is to exchange medicinal materials for the prince...
Qianchen doesn’t have the heart of a doctor and a parent like A Yue.
Her character was doomed. When she found out that Prince Jing’s Palace could only avoid Prince Chen’s Palace because of the emperor, and could only distance herself from her, she would no longer take the initiative to ask what she was doing...
Even if Qianchen is not perfect, I still like her.
(End of chapter)