The storm was fierce but it stopped at dusk. Even the sun broke through the clouds, bathing the entire Jing City in gold. Qu Qing Ju stood on the only third floor of the wang fu. She narrowed her eyes at the stunningly beautiful sunset and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
Suddenly, from the direction of the Imperial Palace came the muffled sound of a bell. Because Duan Wang Fu was very close to the Imperial Palace, she could hear the sound very clearly.
The expressions of Mu Jin and the others who were standing behind Qu Qing Ju changed. They all knelt down with a thud and then covered their eyes, trying to make their sobbing look sadder. Huang Yang even painfully called out "Emperor" before using his sleeve to wipe his tears.
Qu Qing Ju's head buzzed and blanked for a moment. She looked in disbelief in the direction of the Imperial Palace. Under the setting sun, the Imperial Palace seemed to be plated with a layer of mysterious golden light. If this kind of scene was exaggerated, it would be an auspicious omen. How could it be that the Emperor had passed away?
She paused before turning and ordering: "Quickly change everything in the fu that needs to be changed. Don't let anything gaudy appear." Seeing Huang Yang come down with red eyes, she lowered her head to look at the clothing on her body, "Go back to zhengyuan and help me change."
Even though she wasn't clear what the situation in the palace was like, Qu Qing Ju still washed off the makeup on her face as fast as she could. She took off the peach red muslin dress and changed into a normal snow-white dress with a plain belt around her waist. She took off the silk and incense pouches that held down the edges of her dress. She also changed her hairstyle into a simple bun and used a few silver hairpins to hold it in place. She even took off her earrings.
The servants in the palace also changed their clothes and soon the palace was filled with white lanterns with black characters and white banners. Anything that had anything to do with the color red was taken back into the storeroom.
Jiang Yong Yu looked at the servants in her yard hurriedly packing things. She changed into a blue cotton dress and asked Ai Lu beside her: "Does wang fei have any orders?"
Ai Lu helped her take off the jewelry from her hair and tied her hair into a simple bun. She used two silver hairpins to hold it in place, "Wang fei didn't have any orders. She just told all the courtyards to pack what needs to be put away and hang what needs to be hung up."
Jiang Yong Yu frowned slightly. She walked to the gate of the courtyard uneasily and looked at the servants coming and going outside. She sighed and said, "I wonder how things are going in the palace."
Ai Lu knew that her mistress was worried about the matter of the new Emperor succeeding the throne. It was fine if their wang ye succeeded the throne, but if Rui Wang succeeded, the wang fu wouldn't be so peaceful in the future.
"What, you can't stay any longer either?" Feng Zi Jin held Xia Yun's hand and looked at Jiang Yong Yu mockingly. "I thought you were very tolerant, but aren't you still like this?"
Jiang Yong Yu looked calmly at the sapphire hairpin in Feng Zi Jin's hair. She said faintly: "If you have the time to come here to make a fuss, why don't you change what you are wearing earlier? If Wang Fei knew, would she be angry?"
"It's just a dog in front of Wang Fei. What is there to be proud of?" Feng Zi Jin snorted coldly. She held Xia Yun's hand and left.
Ai Lu said angrily: "She's just a shiqie that wang ye dislikes, what is she so arrogant about!"
"Her father is a third-grade assistant minister of the Ministry of Works. My father is under her father's jurisdiction. Naturally, she dares to show off in front of me," Jiang Yong Yu smiled ambiguously, "This kind of person, there's no need to lower yourself to her level."
Ai Lu saw that her mistress had a smile on her face. Even though she didn't understand what was going on, the anger in her heart dissipated.
The palace doors opened wide. A fourth-grade imperial guard on a fine horse flew out of the palace. The guard saw that the guard was heading in the direction of Duan Wang Fu and instantly sighed. The people of Duan Wang Fu were really like chickens and dogs ascending to heaven.
After that, a troop of guards drove a carriage out of the palace. There were white flowers hanging on the carriage, but looking at the decorations, it was a carriage that only the Empress had the right to sit in.
They instantly understood. This carriage was most likely going to receive Duan Wang Fei.
Qu Qing Ju sat with a solemn expression in the main hall of Duan Wang Fu. Behind her stood four yahuan and four taijian. Everyone's expression was stern.
Looking at the wide open hall gates, Qu Qing Ju drank a mouthful of Kuding tea. Her white fingers lightly tapped the surface of the table, alleviating the anxiety in her heart.
"Wang fei, the Imperial Edict from the palace has arrived." Huang Yang hurriedly ran in. His face was both happy and sad. He looked exceptionally funny. But there was no smile on Qu Qing Ju's face. She slowly stood and watched as the person dressed in the robes of an Imperial Guard strode in and then knelt in front of her.
"The Emperor has a decree to specially welcome niangniang into the palace to manage the affairs of the hougong."
Qing De Emperor was already dead. Right now, only the new Emperor could be called the Emperor. And the woman of the new Emperor could naturally be called niangniang. Qu Qing Ju slightly nodded: "This daren, please rise." She examined the person and found that he really was an Imperial Guard before asking, "Is the Emperor well?"
"Everything is well with the Emperor, but he is too grief-stricken and hasn't had a drop of water," The Imperial Guard respectfully replied, "The Emperor specially let this subject come to announce the edict. The carriage and guards will arrive soon. Niangniang, please wait for a moment."
Qu Qing Ju calmly nodded. This calm caused the Imperial Guard to feel admiration. As expected of Duan Wang Fei. Facing such a major event as Duan Wang's ascension, she was still so calm. She didn't lose her composure. She was really dignified and magnanimous, like the mother of the world.
Behind Qu Qing Ju, Mu Jin and the others were overjoyed. It was only because there were outsiders present that they managed to control their expressions. Mu Jin went forward to hold Qu Qing Ju's arm. She said in a small voice: "Niangniang, why don't nubi go pack some things."
Qu Qing Ju nodded. She asked the Imperial Guard: "This daren, please sit. How should I address daren?"
"This subject doesn't dare," The Imperial Guard raised his hands and replied, "This subject is a fourth-grade Imperial Guard Gao Jin. I was once a guard of the wang fu for a period of time."
Qu Qing Ju nodded. She understood that this could be one of He Heng's own people. She quietly sat down at the front and didn't speak again.
A short while later, the carriage arrived. Mu Jin and the other yahuan had put away their things. Qu Qing Ju took a few personal attendants and walked out of the gates of the wang fu. When she saw the grand carriage, she sighed. Her steps paused before she held Mu Jin's hand to get off the carriage.
The commoners on the two sides of the street had been ordered to leave by the guards. Qu Qing Ju sat in the carriage, feeling slightly bored. In the past, when she sat in the carriage, she could hear the voices of passersby. Now, other than the sound of the carriage wheels grinding against the ground and the sound of horse hooves, she couldn't hear anything else. Was this the difference between wang fei and empress?
The carriage didn't stop after it entered the palace. She slightly raised the curtain and saw the backs of the people kneeling on the ground. These people were all trembling and careful as though if she even frowned, they would lose their lives.
When the carriage passed a short distance from the palace gates, it stopped. Qu Qing Ju got off the carriage and switched to a phoenix carriage. She took a long detour at a moderate speed to reach Tian Qi Palace. When she got off the phoenix carriage, she saw He Heng standing on the jade steps.
She stood at the foot of the high jade stairs and looked at him. Step by step, she walked up. Every step she took was especially steady and forceful.
Just when there were still three jade steps to He Heng, He Heng actually walked down and held Qu Qing Ju's hand. The two walked together to the top of the jade steps. He Heng raised his head to look at the plaque of Tian Qi Palace: "Fuhuang's mourning hall is in Shou Kang Palace. Later, you and I will go and light incense."
Qu Qing Ju suddenly understood. So Qing De Emperor's body wasn't in Tian Qi Palace anymore? She turned her head to look at the bottom of the jade steps and found that the scenery above and below were completely different.
She raised her head to look at the plaque of Tian Qi Palace. For a moment, she didn't know whether to say condolences or congratulations. She turned to look at the man beside her. He wasn't as happy as she had imagined, but had an expected steadiness. Thinking, Qu Qing Ju still opened: "I heard you haven't had a drop of water. The weather is so hot, don't hurt your body."
He Heng smiled. He looked at the gradually darkening sun, "If you're worried about me, then eat dinner with me."
Qu Qing Ju nodded, a thread of concern on her unadorned face.
The two entered Tian Qi Palace together. The meal quickly came. Even though there wasn't any meat or fish, but the appearance was exquisite and wouldn't make one lose their appetite.
After the meal, He Heng finished rinsing his mouth. As he wiped the corner of his mouth, he said: "These days, the palace will be busy and chaotic. Follow muhou to deal with the matters of the hougong. After the matter is settled, it will be easier to manage the hougong."
Qu Qing Ju's eyebrows moved slightly. The meaning of He Heng's words was that the hougong would be managed by her in the future?
"There are two muhou in the palace, there's no need for me to do such things," Qu Qing Ju smiled as she responded, "Isn't the Emperor worried that I would be tired?"
"How can I not care for you? But our hougong, you can't ignore it," He Heng smiled warmly, "I wouldn't be at ease if I gave it to someone else."
Qu Qing Ju looked at his eyes and found that he was exceptionally serious when he said this, so serious that she almost believed him.
After a beat of silence, Qu Qing Ju smiled and responded: "Alright."
In Zhong Jing Palace, Jing guifei slowly waved the fan in her hand. She asked Ding mama who was standing at the side: "I heard that the Emperor welcomed Qu Qing Ju into the palace?"
Ding mama responded: "Nubi heard that niangniang is eating dinner with the Emperor right now."
Jing guifei nodded: "That's good. With her accompanying, the Emperor will know to take care of his body."
Ding mama hesitated for a second and couldn't resist saying: "But if Qu niangniang enters the palace, the hougong … …"
"Isn't it good that ben gong's son's hougong is given to ben gong's erxi to manage," Jing guifei's expression changed, "This matter cannot be mentioned in the future."
Ding mama's face paled and her body bowed even lower, "Nubi misspoke, niangniang, please forgive."
Jing guifei's expression softened slightly. She continued to wave the plain fan in her hand and didn't speak again.
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