Section 2.

She opened her eyes, furrowing her brows. She turned over and sat up, grabbing Chunwo's hand and said, "Nurse, he mentioned my background and my relationship with Yunguan. I feel that this person is truly terrifying. He may be in the imperial city, but he seems to have knowledge of everything in the world. I'm afraid that before I can make any moves, he will execute me in front of the Xuande Gate."

The corners of her eyes and eyebrows relaxed as expected. After all, she was young and couldn't hide her pride. In fact, Nonghua was not much older than her, but their attitudes towards life were different. Chengying appeared innocent and harmless, while Nonghua preferred to be worldly and smooth. Perhaps being lively by nature could win favor with the emperor, but the palace never lacked such innocence and romanticism. A bow drawn too tightly is prone to break, and those entrusted with important tasks are often calm and deep.

Spring Wo saw her determination and knew that it was impossible to persuade her easily. So, he had no choice but to ask her, "When Huaisi Wang left, you were already sixteen years old... Did he ever touch you?"

Spring gently pressed her lips and said, "You worry too much. Your background is not an obstacle to him. All he wants is a woman associated with the Great Sui Emperor, regardless of whether she comes from the inner palace. Besides, as for the matters between you and Prince Huaisi, only the two of you know. Without the command of parents or the words of matchmakers, who can take it seriously? As long as you firmly insist that you are just old acquaintances, even if he wants to harm you, he has to consider the power of the Suiguo behind you."

As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the palace hall relaxed. The Empress Dowager offered them fruits and sighed, "Now that you have entered the palace, there are some things that can be said openly. As you have seen, the Emperor is burdened with many responsibilities and works hard. Moreover, he has never valued romantic relationships between men and women, and still has no heir. There are many beauties in the harem, from concubines to noblewomen, totaling twenty-seven. Yet, none of these twenty-seven ladies have been favored by the Emperor. Isn't this ridiculous? In my opinion, it's not that the Emperor is not interested in them, but rather they are incompetent. As princesses with noble backgrounds and exceptional beauty, you should be more favored than them."

Both parties had a three-point reservation, but in the end, they just smiled at each other. They walked slowly with ten guan of money and parted ways at the fork in the road, each returning to their own pavilion.

Spring Wu agreed and lifted the beaded curtain to call for Brother Fo. After a while, he arrived and stood outside the threshold to respond, "I have heard the instructions of Princess Chang."

Do you want to talk about patience? That's nothing. Cui Zhuyi not only lectures on the Four Books and Five Classics, but also practices meditation every day. She enters a deep state of meditation, with subtle breathing and subtle thoughts. As for waiting, she has unique insights.

If we truly discuss about not liking her, wouldn't she be in a more difficult situation than her? Nonghua had to comfort her, "The official remembers you, it can be considered an old acquaintance, how could he not like you! You have also said that he is not good at speaking, but just now there was no displeasure, which indicates a good sign. Settle your mind, you have also heard the few words the official said to me earlier, if someone is really going to be sent away, it must be me."

In the heart of Nonghua, she was shocked. She had indeed underestimated him. The final winner of the Great Yue Throne could never be an ordinary person! He had complete control over the actions of Yunguan, so perhaps her existence was never a secret to him.

"Chiyin let out a sound and said, 'Does the emperor still remember me? I was still young and had just recovered from a serious illness when my father invited the envoy to a banquet. It has been seven or eight years since then.' She smiled charmingly and spoke with deliberate flattery, 'The emperor has a natural kingly aura. I once asked my father if that person was the Crown Prince of Yue, but my father said no. I felt sorry for the emperor. Now that I have entered the Great Yue, the emperor's demeanor is even more impressive than before. It is my blessing and also the blessing of my people.'"

She let out a soft "oh", with a graceful and sweet tone, as if dipped in honey, and said gently, "You were sent here by the Imperial Household Department (the official name of the eunuch's office in the Song Dynasty, which was equivalent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Qing Dynasty). Since you have entered my chamber, you are one of us. As you know, every woman who enters the palace desires to climb higher, and I am no exception. According to you, is this desire good or bad?"

In Jian'an City, there was a beauty with a stunning appearance that could captivate all living beings. Unfortunately, Princess Chengguo was not born in the Sui court. It is said that she was born before Empress Dowager Guo entered the palace.

Shi Zhao smiled faintly and said, "As a member of the Princess Chang's entourage, I naturally speak well."

He spoke very tactfully. After all, he and Yun Guan were brothers. He should feel regret and sorrow for Yun Guan's death, and he should take better care of his younger brother's old friend.

As the emperor walked past her with a feigned gait, he bowed before the throne and said, "I pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Empress." His voice was indescribable, like the clash of glass, with a strange and wonderful illusion of being aloof yet also filled with a sense of compassion for the world.

Ngohua was made anxious by her words, feeling wronged and suffocated as she pondered over it. She held onto her sleeve and said, "I know that mother is doing this for my own good, but I have thought about this for a long time and I will not change my mind. As for what you said about me and Yunguan, only I know the truth. Whether it is worth it or not, I am fully aware."

She calmed down and couldn't lift her head, but she paid attention to the movement at the gate. Before long, she saw two eunuchs standing outside the threshold, and a pair of black shoes entered her field of vision. The emperor was wearing a dark red silk robe that covered his knees, with a large belt made of gold and jade around his waist. Judging from the reflection, he seemed to be quite tall, but his face was not clear in the wooden floor. Standing against the backlight, he appeared obscure, perhaps even a bit fierce.

Her Majesty said that as long as he is a man, he cannot resist her beauty. However, he just glanced at her without any emotion, and she couldn't capture any stunning light. It seems that the road ahead is long. To get close to him, one must first enter his heart. This prickly person, even if one can get close to him, is afraid to leave oneself covered in wounds.

In other words, if the emperor does not favor them, they are not even as good as the twenty-seven imperial concubines, and they will have no face to walk in the palace in the future. Indeed, being a daughter-in-law is not easy. Nonghua and Chiyin exchanged glances, wanting to force a smile but swallowed it back. Although Yinzhongyuan doesn't say much, every sentence reveals his sharpness. It was evident from their previous interaction that he seemed dissatisfied with everyone. Nonghua remembered those eyes, clear and upright, but separated by a layer of ice. He didn't trust anyone. With a single stroke of the blade, the boundary between Chu and Han was drawn. The emperor had truly become a lonely man.

Upon hearing this, Nong Hua's face turned red. "Where has Mother gone? He is a well-mannered scholar, and I have also been taught about feminine virtues since childhood. How could I have done such a transgressive thing?"

The window on the east side is open too wide. The sudden wind blew the bamboo curtain and rolled it up. Chunwo was afraid of catching a cold, so she was about to get up and close it. But then she raised her head and called out, "Mother, please call Shi Zhao here. I have something to ask him."

This is truly a timely rain-like news. Nonghua smiled happily and said, "If the official can lend me a helping hand, I will definitely not forget your kindness when I achieve something in the future."