Just when Zhou Xingyun couldn't figure it out, a luxurious carriage stopped in front of the house, and Xu Zhiqian, Jin Run'er, Xiao Qing, and Xia Jier appeared one after another.
"Good morning, senior brother Xingyun."
"How is the situation of the Xu family? Is Mrs. Xu okay?"
"Grandpa is very good. The Xu family moved back to the Taifu's residence the day before yesterday."
"Master Zhou, the Empress Dowager has summoned you."
Xu Zhiqian and Zhou Xingyun exchanged greetings, and Jin Runer took out the empress dowager's handwriting and asked Zhou Xingyun to follow them into the palace to meet the emperor.
"Is there a reward?" Zhou Xingyun smiled with joy. The Empress Dowager summoned him, and there was a high probability that there would be a heavy reward. After all, he was the one who arrested the sixteenth son of the emperor and put down the rebellion.
Zhou Xingyun took the hot porridge back from Xu Luose's hand, drank it in a big gulp, and then he couldn't wait to enter the palace with Xu Zhiqian and the two women to meet the saint.
However, just as Zhou Xingyun was about to go out, Nangong Ling came to his side, seeming to want to escort him and accompany him to face the saint.
Sister Nangong has been very honest in the past few days and has not yelled or killed. Just like she did when she lived in Zhou Mansion, she stays alone in her room reading, meditating, and caring for her beloved knife. When the weather is nice, she will occasionally bask in the courtyard. sun……
Zhou Xingyun wanted to meet the Empress Dowager, so naturally he couldn't bring the executioner Nangong Ling with him, so he thoughtfully declined Nangong Ling's kindness and asked his eldest sister to stay at home to rest.
Although Nangong Ling seemed reluctant to let Zhou Xingyun go out alone, the eldest sister had obeyed Zhou Xingyun's words since the battle at the capital city gate. He wanted her to stay, so she had no choice but to stay.
After all, Xu Zhiqian and other women were trying to persuade her, saying that Zhou Xingyun was going to meet the Holy Spirit and was not going to fight someone, so she did not need her escort.
All the girls who dare to fall in love know that Nangong Ling is a dangerous person. If she is asked to accompany Zhou Xingyun to meet the Queen Mother, it will be difficult to clean up if something goes wrong.
This was not the first time that Zhou Xingyun met the Empress Dowager. Wei Suyao and the other girls sent him out respectfully without thinking too much. Anyway, with Xu Zhiqian and Jin Runer accompanying him, the bastard shouldn't... cause any big trouble.
However, although Zhou Xingyun persuaded Nangong Ling to stay in the mansion, a certain little fox who had his own way quietly slipped into the carriage and followed Zhou Xingyun to meet the saint.
When Zhou Xingyun and others discovered Rao Yue, the carriage had already entered the palace...
With no choice, everyone could only let Rao Yue continue to hide in the carriage, so as not to alert the imperial city guards.
The Empress Dowager once received Zhou Xingyun in the small lotus pond of the palace, and today was no exception. The Empress Dowager was still waiting at the same place.
Zhou Xingyun got off the carriage and followed Xu Zhiqian and Jin Run'er. When they arrived at the imperial garden of the palace, two guards stepped forward and stopped Xu Zhiqian and Jin Run'er.
The guard's intention was obvious. The Empress Dowager wanted to meet Zhou Xingyun alone.
As a result, Xu Zhiqian and Jinrun'er consciously retreated. Only Sister Rao Yue disobeyed and climbed over the wall next door and sneaked into the garden, continuing to protect Zhou Xingyun secretly.
"Weak minister, please pay homage to the Empress Dowager." Zhou Xingyun patted his sleeves and decisively knelt down to the Empress Dowager.
Although Zhou Xingyun is not a fan of the kneeling ceremony, the Empress Dowager is an exception. Why? Because the Empress Dowager is Han Qiumiao's mother and his future mother-in-law. It is common even in modern times to kneel down to worship the father-in-law and mother-in-law when they get married.
"Pingshen." The Empress Dowager replied lightly. Today, only she and Zhou Xingyun met at the pavilion in the lotus pond of the Imperial Garden.
Zhou Xingyun raised his head and looked at the Empress Dowager silently.
The Empress Dowager had a veil on her face just like last time, making it difficult to see her true face. However, Zhou Xingyun could tell by just looking at the outline of her face that the Empress Dowager and Han Qiumiao looked very similar...
According to Han Feng's description, his mother and his sister looked almost exactly the same. Han Feng was quoted as saying at the time, "If the queen mother and the emperor's sister appeared in the same attire, I would be so stupid that I wouldn't be able to tell who is who."
Even her own son can't tell them apart, but imagine how similar the Queen Mother and Han Qiumiao are.
Zhou Xingyun observed the Empress Dowager for a few seconds, and his eyes couldn't help but shift from her to the large gift box on the table.
There was a round table in the middle of the lotus pond pavilion, and there were several very exquisite gift boxes on the table. This made Zhou Xingyun very excited, wondering whether the Queen Mother wanted to reward him, and wondering what valuable gifts were inside the gift boxes.
However, one thing that surprised Zhou Xingyun was that one of the gift boxes on the table had been opened. Could it be that someone had come to the Royal Garden to meet the Empress Dowager before him and took away a gift?
Just when Zhou Xingyun was thinking wildly, the Queen Mother's words came...
"Master Zhou, do you know why the Ai family invited you to see you today?"
"Please forgive me for being stupid." Zhou Xingyun replied respectfully. It is the duty of a good son-in-law to be polite to his mother-in-law.
"Master Zhou is so polite. The Ai family invites you to see me, naturally to thank you for quelling the rebellion of our Han family." The Empress Dowager said unhurriedly: "Princes, generals, and ministers are ambitious, and there are always rebellious ministers who are plotting to benefit our country.
Fortunately, Master Zhou helped the Ai family to put down the rebels, so that the crown prince could ascend to the throne."
"Thank you, the Empress Dowager, for the compliment! I am just doing my best, keeping my duties, serving the Empress Dowager and His Royal Highness, and living up to the Empress Dowager's expectations."
"Lord Zhou, you are too humble. Young Master's talent is rare in the world. Being able to serve our court is a blessing to all people in the world. Today, the Aijia came to you, just to reward you based on your merits and to commend the number one hero who put down the rebellion. The gift box on the table,
Mr. Young Master, you might as well open it and take a look and pick the one you like."
As the Empress Dowager spoke, she stood up from the table and chair, walked to the pavilion with her hands behind her back, and quietly looked at the lotus pond.
"Thank you, the Empress Dowager." Zhou Xingyun rubbed his hands. Since the Empress Dowager wants to reward him, it is better to be respectful than to obey.
But, with so many gift boxes on the table, it’s hard to choose only one, isn’t it?
Furthermore, he couldn't see what was in the gift box at all. The Queen Mother asked him to draw a lottery, and whichever one was drawn counted? The Queen Mother probably wouldn't have put a "Thank you for your patronage" in the gift box.
Zhou Xingyun was thinking as he opened the gift box, hoping that the generous gift arranged by the Empress Dowager would give him an unexpected surprise.
"I am!"
A strange cry startled the fish in the pond and caused waves in the calm lotus pond.
It is true that in the imperial garden, the only person who could make strange sounds like "wo-cha" was Zhou Xingyun.
Gulu... Zhou Xingyun swallowed hard and couldn't help but take two timid steps back. The Empress Dowager really gave him a big surprise...
What was inside the exquisite gift box was not a good thing, but a bloody human head.
Zhou Xingyun was no stranger to this head. The head of the Sixteenth Prince of the Emperor was just placed in the gift box.
"Have you won the prize, Mr. Young Master?" The Empress Dowager, who was looking at the lotus pond, turned her head slightly and looked at Zhou Xingyun with her peripheral vision.
Zhou Xingyun couldn't see the Empress Dowager's face and expression, but through the looming silhouette under the scarf, his mind couldn't help but picture Han Qiumiao's appearance as she sneered with the corners of her mouth raised slightly.
I can't help it, the charm between the Empress Dowager and Han Qiumiao's brows is too similar...
"The Empress Dowager... this is..." Zhou Xingyun's vest became cold, not knowing which drama the Empress Dowager was going to perform.
The Empress Dowager did not speak, but raised her hand slightly, and all the gift boxes on the table were opened in an instant.
Zhou Xingyun saw the heads in the gift box and was so surprised that he didn't know what to say.
"Master Zhou, does he know why the Zhenbei Jockey Regiment has not been able to reach Tianmen Pass? If you know them, I guess you can come up with the answer."
"The minor minister deserves to die! I beg the Empress Dowager to show mercy." Zhou Xingyun was confused by the Empress Dowager's actions.
"What crime is Master Zhou guilty of? Didn't the Ai family say that? I invite you to see you today to commend the first hero in putting down the rebellion." The Empress Dowager walked to the table casually. To be precise, the one who walked to the table was already there.
In front of the opened and empty gift box.
The Empress Dowager placed her hand on the empty gift box and looked at Zhou Xingyun with a half-smile: "There is still a missing gift here. What do you think would be good, Mr. Young Master?"
"I don't dare to speak nonsense." Zhou Xingyun sweated heavily from his forehead. Now he finally understood the Empress Dowager's intention.
"Master Zhou is a talented person. The Ai family does not want to be your enemy, so the Ai family gives you Princess Yongming. I hope you can help my Han family."
After experiencing this counter-insurgency incident, the Empress Dowager can conclude that Zhou Xingyun is a huge danger. If he attempts to rebel, Han Feng and Han Qiumiao together may not be able to deal with him.
The reason why the Empress Dowager left the Sixteenth Prince alone was because no matter how much he danced, he could not escape from her grasp. But Zhou Xingyun was different. Once he planned to rebel, the Empress Dowager could not guarantee that she would be able to control him.
He pressed down.
For such a terrifying potential threat, the best way is to kill him now. But...
The Empress Dowager also knew that she could not take action against Zhou Xingyun at this time. Not to mention that he had just helped Zhan defeat the Sixteenth Prince of the Emperor. Even Han Feng and Han Qiumiao had great trust in him. If she killed him now, the consequences would be
It will be difficult to predict...
The most important thing is that even if Zhou Xingyun plans to rebel, it will be decades later. Now she has a more difficult enemy to deal with.
"Empress Dowager, please be at ease. I swear to God that I will never be an enemy of you and His Royal Highness." Zhou Xingyun had a headache. From the beginning, he never thought about becoming the emperor. His mother-in-law is really
Groundless worries.
"The Ai family takes a step back and talks to you. If that day comes, you must let Qiu Miao's bloodline inherit your position." The Empress Dowager said to Zhou Xingyun seemingly as a test but also as a request.
Even though the Empress Dowager mentioned this, Zhou Xingyun was too lazy to be polite and simply straightened his back and went out to speak.
"Empress Dowager, please stop making trouble! Let's open the skylight and speak frankly, and I will tell you 100% that that day will never come! No, to be precise, as long as Han Feng is not a fool, not like the Sixteenth Prince of the Emperor
If he is a cruel dictator, I will not be his enemy."
"In addition, after Han Feng inherits the throne, if he can never forget his original intention, love the people as much as he does now, and be a good emperor who is responsible for the people's livelihood in the world, I, my brother and brother-in-law, will definitely support him if anyone dares to go against him.
In the end!" Zhou Xingyun said with high spirits, this was his sincere words, even if Han Feng was a happy-go-lucky Adou, as long as he was not as stupid as the Sixteenth Prince of the Emperor, he would not meddle in others' affairs.
On the contrary, if Han Feng could never forget his original intention and remain as considerate of the people as he is now, Zhou Xingyun would spare no effort to help him at critical moments.