Xiao Lang and the First Prince intended to rebel, and the evidence was conclusive. The First Prince was demoted to a commoner and could never return to the capital. As for the ambitious Xiao Lang, his property was directly confiscated. Although the whole family was not implicated, all the men in the immediate family of the Xiao family were beheaded, and the women were sent to the brothel. Their future could be imagined.
After dealing with the Xiao family, Jiujiu met Xiao Lang again.
Now Xiao Lang was wearing a cyan prison uniform. Because there was no water to wash, his face was stained with blood from the torture, and his beard was unshaven, like a beggar on the street. He was not the handsome young man in Hua Xiangrong's memory.
Jiujiu squatted outside the railing, looked at Xiao Lang, and asked for Hua Xiangrong, "Do you regret sending Hua Xiangrong to the palace?"
Xiao Lang did not expect that Jiujiu would ask him such a question. After a moment of daze, he twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "The winner takes all. I have no regrets."
After getting the answer she wanted, Jiujiu looked at Xiao Lang again and left without looking back.
Seeing Jiujiu's back, Xiao Lang inexplicably thought of the scene where Hua Xiangrong stood in front of him, saying that she liked him and wanted him to take her away.
If he took Hua Xiangrong away at that time, would it be a different scene?
Unfortunately, there was no "if" in life, and there was no medicine for regret.
Three days later, Xiao Lang was beheaded in public in the market.
After Xiao Lang's death, the Emperor directly announced his abdication on the grounds of health and directly became the Retired Emperor. Every day, in addition to going to the imperial harem, he played with cats and dogs, and occasionally went incognito for private visits. His life was very comfortable.
Although Jiujiu was not the biological mother of the Third Prince, the Third Prince was under her name. After the Third Prince ascended the throne, Jiujiu was worthy of the title of Empress Dowager.
Jiujiu originally thought that after the Third Prince ascended the throne, he would definitely do something to her. After all, she was the person who had seen the Third Prince in his most miserable state. She had also deeply hurt the Third Prince before. It could even be said that she had abused him.
However, what puzzled Jiujiu was that the Third Prince didn't do anything. He didn't even touch her fingers. He was even more respectful to her than before.
Sooner or later, the Third Prince would come to pay his respects, and nothing could change his mind. The things in the palace were given to Jiujiu first.
Moreover, because Jiujiu liked to eat, the Third Prince found several chefs who were very good at cooking to make Jiujiu's life more comfortable.
This kind of life was too beautiful. It was so beautiful that it felt like it was fake.
The better the Third Prince treated her, the more nervous Jiujiu felt. She always felt a little strange.
If Jiujiu was the Third Prince's mother, she wouldn't say anything if the Third Prince treated her like this. But the problem was that she wasn't the Third Prince's mother at all. She hadn't even given the Third Prince much warmth. But the Third Prince was treating her as if she was his ancestor. Jiujiu was really flattered.
Just as Jiujiu was worrying about how she should treat the Third Prince, the Grand Tutor came to ask to see Jiujiu.
The Third Prince was already seventeen years old this year. At this age, normal people would have already married and had children. Those who married early even had several children. But the Third Prince, as the Emperor, didn't have a single concubine. It was really a little unreasonable.
The ministers didn't lack in admonishing him for expanding the harem. However, the Third Prince basically agreed to everything they said. After that, he would do whatever he needed to do. He completely had the attitude of being the Emperor and making the decisions.
The ministers talked for two months in a row. Their lips were about to be worn out, but the Third Prince treated their words as wind passing by.
Other Emperors wanted to have three thousand beauties in the harem, but their Emperor didn't want women. It really was infuriating to compare oneself to others.
The ministers couldn't persuade the Third Prince, so they turned their attention to Jiujiu. Therefore, they sent out the Grand Tutor who had interacted with Jiujiu before. They hoped that the Grand Tutor could persuade Jiujiu to let Jiujiu persuade the Emperor to expand the harem.
When the Grand Tutor came, Jiujiu was eating pastries.
The Third Prince had recently found a pastry chef. Not only did he know how to make all kinds of pastries, he also liked to be open and creative. Every few days, he would create a new pastry. Towards this kind of perfect and creative pastry chef, Jiujiu was willing to give him one hundred and twenty likes.
Since the Grand Tutor came, Jiujiu naturally couldn't continue to eat pastries as usual. Jiujiu wiped the crumbs from her mouth and tidied her robes before walking out.
The Grand Tutor had been the Emperor's first teacher. The Third Prince had also been taught by him. Jiujiu was especially respectful towards the Grand Tutor.
Jiujiu didn't even have time to ask Xiao Mozi to bring tea before the Grand Tutor directly opened his mouth: "This old minister has a request."
If the Grand Tutor was looking for her, then there must be something, but Jiujiu didn't think that the Grand Tutor would be so direct. The polite words were instantly blocked in her mouth. Jiujiu looked at the Grand Tutor's wrinkled face that was like a dried orange peel. She dryly said: "Grand Tutor, please speak."
"Replying niangniang, it has been half a year since the Emperor ascended the throne, but there is no one in the inner palace. This official has tried to persuade the Emperor several times, but he always avoided the important and dwelled on the trivial. This official has no choice but to come to the Empress Dowager. You are the Emperor's mother, your words are more effective than this old minister's. This official wants the Empress Dowager to persuade the Emperor to hold a selection to fill the inner palace."
If it was another person who said this to her, Jiujiu would definitely suspect that the other party wanted to push their daughters of suitable age into the inner palace. However, the Grand Tutor was a famous solitary official. He only had one son, and his son only had one grandson. He definitely wouldn't come to beg Jiujiu just to push people into the inner palace.
Just as the Grand Tutor finished speaking, the Third Prince walked in from outside. When he looked at the Grand Tutor again, his eyes were somewhat cold. Without waiting for Jiujiu to speak, he had Xiao Guizi take the Grand Tutor out. When Jiujiu came back to her senses, there was only her and the Third Prince left in the hall.
Right now, the Third Prince was a full head and a half taller than Jiujiu. It was probably because he had many things to think about after becoming the Emperor. The Third Prince's eyes were not as clear as before. His eyes were as deep as the ocean. Even Jiujiu could not see through them.
The Third Prince lowered his head to look at Jiujiu. The first thing that caught his eyes was Jiujiu's head and the hairpin on her head.
It was probably because Jiujiu was now the Empress Dowager. No matter if it was her dress or her jewelry, they were all particularly plain.
If it was another person dressed like this, they would definitely have aged a dozen years in an instant. However, when Jiujiu dressed like this, not only did she not appear old, she gave people the illusion that a child was secretly wearing adult clothes. She looked particularly playful and cute.
The Third Prince lowered his head to look at Jiujiu. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down. In a low voice, he said, "Mother also wants to persuade me to take in the consort selection?"
When he said the words "consort selection," the Third Prince's voice was particularly hoarse as if it carried endless bitterness.
The strange feeling once again welled up in her heart. Jiujiu raised her head to look at the Third Prince. Without waiting for her to speak, she felt her head sink and her body fall limply to the ground.
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