Chapter 156: Meeting Lord Qi for the first time, duel in the palace
When he returned to Prince Lanling's Mansion, Gao Changgong was still a little worried. Xiao Jinyu asked him what happened. Gao Changgong tactfully told Gao Zhan's words and Queen Mother Lou's words. After speaking, he couldn't help but feel guilty.
And when she heard him say that his mother's true identity was Princess Liyang, Xiao Jinyu's heart felt as painful as a dull knife.
She heard Ling Ye say that after Hou Jing's death, Liyang disappeared. Unexpectedly, Chen Xu actually gave it to Gao Cheng, who was a powerful official in the Eastern Wei Dynasty at that time.
Chen Xu, this villain...
Sensing that she looked resentful, Gao Changgong asked worriedly: "Ayu, what's wrong with you?"
Xiao Jinyu then raised his eyes and smiled.
"It's nothing. Ayu has to thank Chang Gong for recommending him in front of the Emperor of Qi."
Seeing her smile as bright as a flower, she seemed not worried at all about competing with Zu Jue. This strong self-confidence reminded him of "Xie Zhen" who argued with the heroes on Fahua Mountain.
If she really becomes an official in the future, where will she end up?
It’s always cold at high places. The higher you are, the greater the dangers around you. Accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger...
Just as he was thinking about it, Xiao Jinyu heard a comforting sound in his ears: "Chang Gong, don't worry about the dinner at Bingjing Terrace. I'll just ask Phoenix to disguise me!"
"good!"
"Let's go visit your aunt first!"
Hearing Xiao Jinyu's initiative to meet his aunt, Gao Changgong was unwilling. He was always worried that she would be wronged because of him. After all, she was once a proud person who dared to confront and reprimand even Princess Yunyin.
"Ayu..."
"Go ahead! I want to know about your family too!"
With Xiao Jinyu's repeated insistence, Gao Changgong finally called Lu Yu to prepare the carriage and headed to Jingde Palace where his aunt Yuan lived. Along the way, Fenghuang who followed had a sullen face and was very unhappy.
…
Since Gao Changgong's aunt Yuan Zhonghua had her treasures confiscated and raped by Emperor Wenxuan Gao Yang, she rarely walked around with other noble ladies. Instead, she ate and chanted Buddha's name in the Buddhist hall every day.
There were not many servants in the Jingde Palace. This was also because on the day when Yuan Zhonghua was taken over by Gao Yang, Gao Yang went crazy and ordered his servants to kill Yuan's noble lady in front of him. She was humiliated as much as she wanted, and even caused the barbarians to rape her aunt Princess Ande. This incident also dealt a huge blow to Yuan Zhonghua, and he never dared to step out of Jingde Palace again in his life.
Naturally, this incident also left a big shadow in Gao Changgong's heart. Although he was in the military camp at the time, the shock and fear in his heart after hearing the news were naturally self-evident.
He even began to slowly understand why his biological mother left him...
Gao Changgong was now able to tell Xiao Jinyu calmly about these things that he had suppressed deep in his heart and did not want to talk to anyone.
Xiao Jinyu didn't show any fear or disbelief. She just comforted him that all this was in the past and there was no need to worry about it.
After arriving at Jingde Palace, Gao Changgong and Xiao Jinyu just got off the carriage and saw his third brother Hejian King Gao Xiaowan, second brother Guangning King Gao Xiaoheng and Ande King Gao Yanzong standing at the door waiting.
"You know enough to come and see your mother. I thought you wouldn't take your mother seriously if you can even make such important decisions as marrying a wife!"
The speaker was Gao Xiaowan, King of Hejian, his brother and the only legitimate son of the Yuan family.
Hearing this, Xiao Jinyu turned her attention to this young man. Although he was not as tall as Gao Changgong, who stood out among the crowd, he was still a handsome and extraordinary man, but his expression was rather arrogant and arrogant.
"The fourth brother is about to reach the age of being crowned. It would be good to get a wife. Moreover, although this sibling is covered with a veil, her figure is extraordinary. She must be a girl raised by a big family. She is a perfect match for the fourth brother!" Guangning King Gao Xiaoheng answered.
"Yes, yes, I have heard some rumors about the fourth sister-in-law. The fourth sister-in-law in the South is a talented woman with amazing medical skills and proficient in painting. She is a perfect match for the fourth brother!"
Gao Yanzong said with a smile that he found out about these rumors from Lu Yu. After hearing what Lu Yu said about the Xiao girl's deeds, Gao Yanzong was a little envious and couldn't help but admire Xiao Jinyu.
"Are you proficient in painting and medical skills?" Gao Xiaoheng asked with surprise. He is also a very good painter and loves painting.
In the memory of the original owner, Gao Xiaoheng was also regarded as a man of great talent. He was the only one among Gao Changgong's brothers who had a good death. Although the Northern Qi Dynasty was destroyed and defeated and captured, he was treated with courtesy by the Emperor of Zhou until his death. .
Xiao Jinyu nodded and did not deny it.
Gao Xiaoheng was overjoyed and wanted to ask for advice on painting skills. Suddenly he realized that this was a bit rude. After all, this woman was now the wife of his fourth brother, so he gave up.
At this time, Gao Xiaowan was already displeased and urged them to visit their mother quickly. When Prince Lanling approached with Xiao Jinyu, he couldn't help but take another look at Xiao Jinyu, whose face was covered with a veil.
When several people arrived at the Buddhist hall, they saw a girl kneeling next to Yuan who was chanting Buddha's name.
"Mother, Chang Gong and his wife Xiao Jinyu are here to pay homage to mother!"
After Gao Changgong said something, the girl who was kneeling immediately turned around. It was Zheng Yue!
Zheng Yue still looked at Gao Changgong pitifully, as if she had cried just now, her eyes were slightly red, but as soon as she made eye contact with Gao Changgong, she immediately smiled sweetly.
"Xiaoguan, I know you will come to see your mother. Since you went to Nanchen, I have come to accompany your mother every day to pray for your safe return!"
Gao Changgong frowned. At this time, Yuanshi also turned around and looked at him and Xiao Jinyu.
Xiao Jinyu then saluted her and said, "Xiao Jinyu, my wife, pay my respects to my mother!"
Yuanshi nodded: "You are a generous, dignified and polite person, why do you have to cover your face with a veil?"
Xiao Jinyu said: "On the way back, I encountered enemy attacks several times, so I damaged my appearance so as not to scare my mother."
"There's nothing scary about it, Fourth Sister-in-law, even if your appearance is a little damaged, you are still beautiful..."
Halfway through Gao Yanzong's words, he noticed that Gao Changgong was looking at him and quickly stopped.
At this time, Mrs. Yuan said, "I won't stop you from getting a wife, but now that you have married her, what do you want to do with Mrs. Zheng's girl?"
When Yuanshi asked, Zheng Yue looked at Gao Changgong even more aggrievedly.
Gao Changgong said casually: "Chang Gong has no matchmaking agreement with A Yue of the Zheng family, and there is no personal relationship. What does it have to do with Chang Gong marrying her?"
Zheng Yue's face suddenly turned pale, and her eyes showed disbelief. She thought that in the past, although Gao Changgong could not say that he was very happy with her, he treated her with sincerity and occasionally said a few words. If she was bullied by other noble girls, He can also avenge her injustice.
But now, she really felt that she was completely missing from his eyes. He was even filled with the woman beside him and could not hold anything else!
Thinking like this, Zheng Yue even cried sadly.
Gao Xiaowan seemed to be unable to stand it any longer, so he reprimanded in an elder brother's tone: "Chang Gong, the head of the Zheng family, Zheng Daozhong, has been speaking for you in the court. He intends to marry his eldest granddaughter to you and form this marriage. You How can you say it’s irrelevant?”
Although it was intentional, they had been weighing the pros and cons. Prince Lanling was not the first choice of the Zheng family in Xingyang. The Zheng family had also been waiting for an opportunity, waiting for the opportunity for Prince Lanling to perform meritorious deeds again, and then they would get married. The reputation of the Zheng family in Xingyang is also more favorable!
Gao Changgong has always understood this in his heart, so when Empress Dowager Lou initially proposed that she go to the Zheng family to propose marriage when he was crowned, he was extremely reluctant in his heart.
He didn't like this kind of marriage that was completely tied up in interests, especially after meeting Xiao Jinyu, he didn't think about it anymore.
"Mother, Chang Gong came here today to tell mother that Chang Gong is married, and she, Xiao Jinyu, is my only wife, Gao Changgong, in this life."
"Tonight, Changgong is going to the Bingjingtai banquet, so I won't disturb my mother for now!" After saying that, Gao Changgong held Xiao Jinyu's hand tightly, as if he didn't want to stay for a moment, turned around and walked out of the hall. Gao Xiaowan saw Then he was very annoyed and couldn't help but shouted: "Gao Changgong, are you really going to cut off your arm?"
Gao Changgong paused and said only: "I didn't ask the head of the Zheng family to speak for me in the court. The facts are what they are. I don't need anyone to speak kindly for me!"
"you--"
Gao Xiaowan was so angry that he had nothing to say, and Zheng Yue cried louder in his ears.
"Ah Yue, please stop crying. Chang Gong has been very strict with himself since he was a child and has restrained himself very much. This Xiao Jinyu should be his first woman. This is his first taste of beauty, so he just can't let it go. I'll see you later. Let’s see! If he still can’t let it go after three months, then let it go!”
"Brother Xiaowan, Ah Yue can't let go. Ah Yue has liked him for a long, long time..."
Zheng Yue covered her face and cried bitterly. Gao Yanzong felt even more embarrassed, so he said goodbye to Yuan and ran out as if running away.
…
"Chang Gong, your brothers treat you quite well!"
On the way back, Xiao Jinyu couldn't help but sigh. Compared with the Xiao family's direct descendants fighting against each other, Gao Changgong's brothers are indeed much better. At least there is no conflict of interest to fight to the death! Everyone earns military merit by relying on their own abilities!
Even if it was his brother Gao Xiaowan, although the words he just said didn't sound good, he still thought about him and hoped that he would be able to help him in the court and help him at some point in the future.
But in the memory of the original owner, Gao Xiaowan seemed to have died very young. When the original owner was sent to the Lanling Palace by Queen Mother Hu, Gao Xiaowan no longer existed.
As for the reason for his untimely death, Xiao Jinyu could not find any memory related to it.
"It's not bad, but I've been going to the military camp since I was a child, and I haven't spent much time with them. My fifth brother Gao Yanzong occasionally goes to the battlefield with me, and we have a pretty good relationship!"
Xiao Jinyu nodded with a smile.
"Ayu, I have made you feel wronged today!" Gao Changgong suddenly softened his tone, rather blaming himself, "Zheng's Ayue did grow up with our brothers. She often visited my aunt, and my grandmother used to also You really want me to marry the Zheng family, but I have never had any feelings for Zheng Yue..."
"I know, Chang Gong, I won't argue with you over this trivial matter." Xiao Jinyu interrupted, "Our enemy will not be Zheng Yue, but He Shikai and Lu Lingxuan. Since you have recommended it to the emperor, Let me compete with Zu Jue, so why not take this opportunity to draw Zu Jue to our side and use it for us!"
"But this person is a greedy, lustful and bad-mannered villain. Can he be used by us? And even if he can be used by us, we are afraid that one day he will betray him..."
"So we need to seize his weaknesses to control..."
Seeing that Xiao Jinyu seemed confident, Gao Changgong stopped talking.
After returning to Prince Lanling's palace, the two of them rested for a while, dressed up a little, and then rushed to Bingjing Terrace for the banquet. Before going to the banquet, Xiao Jinyu took a pill and asked Fenghuang to change his appearance a little, and then again Wearing a veil, he boarded the carriage and went out.
As one of Cao Cao's three platforms, Bingjing Platform was originally used to store ice, coal and grain. Unlike the military parade of Jinhu Platform, the significance of Bingjing Platform was to prepare for war.
Nowadays, Gao Zhan uses it as a place for banquets. Especially in the hot summer, the ice cubes stored here make people feel extremely cool when walking in it. In the mist, there are countless palace maids wrapped in gauze holding incense cauldrons. Walking in a meandering way.
Gao Zhan held a banquet to celebrate the return of King Lanling from his envoy to Nanchen, and invited all the ministers to the banquet, and asked them to bring their wives.
To be honest, all the ministers were very frightened. When Emperor Wenxuan was still alive, he liked to hold unobstructed meetings, requiring the ministers to bring their wives, and then let the ministers have sex with women...in broad daylight...he himself was even more so. …
Gao Zhan imitated the example, and as soon as he succeeded to the throne, he usurped Emperor Wenxuan's empress Li Zu'e. Who knows if he would imitate the example and hold an unobstructed conference?
Thus, those who can report illness will report illness at home.
However, Gao Zhan would not give them a chance to ask for leave if there was no real and substantiated reason.
Therefore, many people came here for the banquet, including several of Gao Changgong's brothers. Now King Gao Xiaowan of Hejian and King Gao Xiaoheng of Guangning have also married, but Gao Yanzong is alone.
As soon as he saw Gao Changgong bringing Xiao Jinyu to the banquet, Gao Yanzong secretly sighed that something was wrong. He hurried over and whispered in Gao Changgong's ear: "Fourth brother, why did you bring her anyway? Your Majesty, this banquet is obviously …”
"It's just for us, I know."
"You knew why you brought her here!"
Gao Yanzong seemed to be very angry. After hearing Lu Yu's comments about Xiao Jinyu, he sincerely admired his fourth sister-in-law. He thought that her beauty would inevitably attract Gao Zhan's covetation, and he became even more anxious. .
As a burst of music played, the banquet began. Gao Zhan made an impassioned speech about the merits of King Lanling's mission to Nanchen, and then ordered the officials to start the banquet. At that time, wind instruments and shengs were played, and palace ladies draped in tulle danced through the thick mist.
Xiao Jinyu sat next to King Lanling, her eyes quickly swept over everyone at the Bingjingtai banquet. Among the many dignitaries, her eyes quickly caught the look on He Shikai's face and the one sitting on the table. Not far from the emperor, there was a lady wearing a rose gold dress.
The lady's expression was so calm and unpredictable that no one could see the hidden meaning in it!
This is the second person after Chen Xu whose expression and heart she can't see through!
Amidst the laughter and laughter, the banquet quickly reached its climax. Gao Zhan suddenly picked up the wine bottle, stood up and spoke.
The first sentence he said was: "Prince Lanling went to Chen State as an envoy. He made great achievements and gained a lot. Especially he brought back the most beautiful woman in the South... Oh, it is his Princess Lanling!"
"Princess Lanling, you might as well tell me. Whatever rewards you need, I will give them to you!"
These words were clearly meant to get Princess Lanling to show up!
The emperor’s intention couldn’t be more obvious!
For a moment, everyone at the banquet turned their attention to the woman beside King Lanling, wearing a mysterious dress that showed her coolness and luxury, and the veil was veiled.
Xiao Jinyu felt Prince Lanling's nervousness, so she gently stroked the back of his hand and walked out slowly.
As she walked step by step into the hall and in front of Gao Zhan, Gao Zhan's pupils gradually expanded with great excitement.
The surrounding sounds became smaller and smaller until they were silent.
Gao Zhan is only twenty-four or five years old now, and he is also handsome and handsome. However, due to his long-term indulgence in wine and sex, his expression is particularly intoxicated and decadent.
"Just looking at her figure, she is extremely beautiful. She is indeed a natural beauty!" Gao Zhan couldn't help but sigh in a low voice. Gao Zhan was extremely dissatisfied when he saw her wearing a veil, "Why are you wearing this thing when you are here for a banquet? Reveal it and let everyone see what Princess Lanling looks like."
At this time, Xiao Jinyu had stopped ten steps away from Gao Zhan. Gao Yanzong became more and more nervous after seeing him.
I heard Xiao Jinyu say: "Your Majesty, on the way back to Yecheng from Pengcheng, my wife and King Lanling were repeatedly chased by Qi's royal assassins. On one occasion, half of their appearance was ruined during the chase. , so I covered my face with a veil, fearing to frighten the holy face!”
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a loud buzz around her. The noble girl in the rose gold dress changed her face almost imperceptibly, and then she smiled habitually.
"What did you say? I am the assassin of the Qi Kingdom? I am chasing you?"
"yes!"
Xiao Jinyu responded and slowly took off the veil. During the process of taking off the veil, the right half of her face that was exposed first made people take a deep breath. The whole audience was stunned, but at the end of the veil When it was completely uncovered and half of the face on the left side was exposed, people were so shocked that they quickly closed their eyes.
Gao Zhan was even more shocked when he saw that there was a deep knife mark on her face, and there were some red spots around it, which looked very scary!
"Who did this? It's such a waste of resources. It's such a pity for such a beautiful woman... What a pity..."
While muttering to himself, he asked Xiao Jinyu to put the veil back on, and asked around: "Who did it? Who dares to mobilize my royal killer to hunt down King Lanling?"
(End of chapter)