Chapter 432
unedited~
In court, the ministers were in an uproar.
In previous years, when hunting in winter, there had never been a prince left to supervise the country in the capital, and emperors of previous dynasties generally only had a precedent for allowing the prince to supervise the country.
Immediately, one of the old ministers jumped out and objected, “Your Majesty, having His Highness the Sixth Prince overseeing the country is not in keeping with the ancestral system.”
Other ministers in the queue were also eager to jump at a chance; not only did they feel that it was inappropriate for the sixth prince to supervise the county, but they also felt that it was greatly inappropriate for a young man like Gu Zezhi to assist the sixth prince in supervising the country.
There were also highly respected cabinet elders in the court, civil, and military officials, and it was not Gu Zezhi’s turn yet!
However, these people were not allowed to speak, as the emperor’s next words blocked the old minister. “Then we will establish the sixth prince as the crown prince, so wouldn’t this be keeping the ancestral system?”
The emperor remained calm and relaxed while the court once again exploded, and the ministers’ doubts about Gu Zezhi were immediately diverted by the emperor’s decision to establish a crown prince.
More than half a month has passed since the Winter Hunting Supervision of the Country was established. With so many pairs of eyes in court, nothing could go wrong. The ministers were afraid of provoking the emperor and insisted on establishing a crown prince, so they dared not persuade him again.
The turmoil was resolved by the emperor playing down the situation before it started to stir up.
When Qin Jiu entered the palace, Empress Wei was repeatedly instructing Gu Zhen worriedly.
“Zhen’er, you’ll be alone in the capital. If you are unsure about anything, you must obey your imperial uncle.”
“Your imperial mother and father should be back by the end of the month.”
“….”
Empress Wei would also be accompanying the winter hunting. Although this would not be the first time Gu Zhen followed Gu Zezhi, since the last year’s winter hunting, the Empress was still not at ease.
Gu Zhen responded obediently from time to time with an eager expression like a young eagle that could not wait to leave its parent’s wings.
Fang Hanjun on the side, watched this scene with a smile.
Qin Jiu walked into the eastern side of the hall under the guidance of Xiao Kouzi, and after bowing to Empress Wei, she saw Fang Hanjun seriously curtsied and said, “Auntie*.”
(*the aunt here is for maternal uncle’s wife)
Qin Jiu: “…”
She was called a generation older by a person who was about the same age as her, and she wanted to cry without tears.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhen looked at Fang Hanjun and then at Qin Jiu, and a word also popped out. “Aunt*!”
(*while the aunt here is the wife of father’s younger brother)
As he said that he could not help but giggle himself, and Fang Hanjun seemed to be infected by his laughter and pursed her lips into a smile, with joy in her eyes.
After not seeing Fang Hanjun for a few days, Qin Jiu immediately felt a sense of rebirth from her. She seemed to have let go of the heavy burden on her shoulder and her temperament became livelier.
All right, she will be the aunt, as long as she likes it.
However…
Qin Jiu lowered her gaze to Gu Zhen and corrected him. “Call me cousin.”
Gu Zhen followed the good advice and immediately changed his words. “Cousin.”
He then smiled sweetly at Qin Jiu, making it hard for Qin Jiu to maintain her straight face and smiled at him.
Empress Wei could not help but laugh with them as she straightened the hem of Gu Zhen’s clothes and said. “Zhen’er, it’s time for you to go to the study.”
Gu Zhen obediently bowed and bid farewell to Empress Wei, and left Fengluan Palace with his close attendant.
When the curtain leading to the main hall returned to quietened, Fang Hanjun was the first to speak, “Xiao Jiu, you’ve come at the right time, I was about to talk to the Empress about … the matter of seperation.”
The atmosphere in the hall instantly changed subtly.
Without Empress Wei’s orders, You Bai had already taken the other palace servants and eunuch out with her eye signal, leaving only Xu momo serving at the side.
Empress Wei subconsciously clenched the handkerchief in her hand and only then did she realize that Fang Hanjun had come to her today to talk about this matter.
After the palace banquet on the day of the winter solstice, Empress Wei was afraid that Empress Dowager Liu would hear about Fang Hanjun from elsewhere, so the next morning, she tactfully told Empress Dowager Liu.
Upon hearing Empress Wei, Empress Dowager Liu had palpitations and later called Fang Hanjun and kept crying. Fortunately, Empress Wei had the imperial physician wait in advance and immediately tend to Empress Dowager Liu, which helped her regain her composure.
Empress Dowager Liu was old and weak; over the past few days she has been receiving acupuncture and taking medication, gradually recovering.
It was because of this that Fang Hanjun’s matter had been delayed until now.
Empress Wei sighed, “It is as it should be.”
She spoke these words with both hatred and anger, and her eyes were filled by surging fire.
Fang Hanjun was still so young, the same age as a flower that had just bloomed, and yet Wang Yu and Dong Pingbo married her hastily to a commoner son.
Empress Wei could help but look at Qin Jiu, remembering that if her niece had not escaped, she would have been betrothed to a fool by the Li family’s cheap slaves.
***
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