Suddenly, Han Yue took out the jade pendant from her waist and placed it in Shen Li's hand. "Take good care of this jade pendant. If you come to find me in the future with this, I'll do my best even if it costs me my life."
Shen Li nodded, thinking it was just a keepsake from Han Yue. Although they were mistress and maid, they were more like sisters. So Shen Li carefully put away the jade pendant.
However, she didn't know that this jade pendant was once given to Han Yue by Shen Yi.
In this way, it seemed that even the last memory would be cut off.
Just as the carriage was about to start, Helian Yun suddenly lifted the curtain, looked at Shen Li and smiled cheerfully. "You let me take my wife back. As a reward, I'll tell you something. Your parents should set off from the Western Yue Kingdom next week and will arrive in about half a month!"
Shen Li was startled. "Really?!"
But before she could get an answer, the carriage had gradually moved away. Shen Li stood there, looking at the gradually disappearing carriage, reluctant to leave.
Xuan Yuanjue tugged at Shen Li and said, "Let's go! Some people are destined to part ways. But don't worry, we won't! Now it's time to think about the betrothal proposal."
Shen Li couldn't help blushing. She playfully chased and hit Xuan Yuanjue. The two of them looked very happy.
...
After the imperial concubine and the queen had stayed in the White Horse Temple for a short time, they returned to the palace.
It was said that both ladies had met the Grand Sage Monk Taixu. In order to pray for the emperor's well - being, they had been copying Buddhist scriptures day and night in the hall.
The Grand Sage Monk Taixu was so touched that he specially divined for the emperor.
It was said that a happy event was needed to ward off the ill - fortune.
However, since the emperor was in such a state, he naturally couldn't get married.
So this matter fell on Xiao Hanzhi. Originally, the purpose of the princess of the Western Yue Kingdom was to marry into the Eastern Ling Kingdom for peace. This was originally decided by the emperor. With the words of the sage monk, the date was just advanced a little.
With the words of the Grand Sage Monk Taixu, Xiao Hanzhi quickly set the date and informed the king of the Western Yue Kingdom. In a flash, the two got married.
It was said that the dowry sent from the Western Yue Kingdom stretched from the palace gate to the city gate. The red bridal procession for a hundred miles was really enviable.
Since this was for the emperor to recover quickly with the so - called "warding off ill - fortune" theory, naturally no one dared to object. There were also some opposing voices, but no one dared to openly express their opposition, for that would be to defy the Grand Sage Monk Taixu. The common people would drown the objectors with their spittle.
Concubine Chen had reduced the dosage in the emperor's diet, so the emperor was awake more and more often. People thought it was because of the wedding that the emperor's condition had improved.
These tricks could deceive others, but they couldn't escape the queen's eyes. By the time the queen saw the whole situation clearly, it was already too late. Everything seemed to be a foregone conclusion.
However, the queen still recited Buddhist scriptures in her small Buddhist hall day after day without taking a single step out, as if she was imprisoned.
In fact, it wasn't much different from being imprisoned, because Concubine Chen had replaced all the guards at the queen's palace gate with her own people. As soon as there was any sign of trouble, it would reach Concubine Chen's ears.
On weekdays, when Concubine Chen was bored, she would come to the queen's place to mock her. But what harm could words do? So these harmless words meant nothing to the queen.
"Did Yu Jin send a message today?" In the curling smoke, the queen suddenly asked Granny Gui beside her.
Granny Gui looked around and didn't find any suspicious people. Then she leaned over and whispered in the queen's ear, "Second Master said that the wedding night is an opportunity."
The queen nodded. She raised her hand, and Granny Gui immediately understood and helped the queen up.
"I heard that my fourth son is getting married. As his mother, I should go and have a look. Where is the wedding banquet?"
"At the Feiling Tower." Granny Gui accompanied the queen out of the small Buddhist hall. As soon as they left, many people looked in their direction.
The queen acted as if she didn't see them and walked towards her inner chamber. As she walked, she said, "It's quite close to us. As his mother, I should also give him a generous gift. Remember to take the pair of Avalokitesvara statues for giving sons from my small treasury as a wedding gift."
"Yes."
When they stepped into the inner chamber, Granny Gui couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Your Majesty, why do you still give that pair of Avalokitesvara statues as a wedding gift to Concubine Chen? The Fourth Prince has set the wedding banquet at the Feiling Tower. You should know what his intention is. Such a villainous ambition doesn't put you in his eyes at all."
In her opinion, this was simply a provocation and a rebellious act.
"It doesn't matter. I think Father has prepared well. It all depends on whether Yu Jin can succeed on the eighteenth night of this month." The queen sighed. Her pious worship of Buddha recently was not only for the emperor's health but also for praying for her son's safety.
Granny Gui had been with the queen all the time and had heard about some things. She knew that the queen's conspiracy was a capital crime. But since she had no children of her own and had brought up the queen since childhood, she had long regarded the queen as her own daughter.
Now this matter was either a success or a complete failure. The only thing she cared about in the world was probably the queen.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. This old servant will always be with you."
This was the most reassuring thing for the queen in recent days. No matter how those people stirred things up, Granny Gui had always been by her side, never leaving, and her loyalty was obvious.
...
In the palace, Xiao Hanzhi and Helian Shu were in the imperial study.
Helian Shu was playing with some small gadgets on the emperor's desk, with a glint in her eyes. "It seems that this place is no different from my father's imperial study."
Xiao Hanzhi looked at Helian Shu's actions with a displeased face and asked in a deep voice, "I have important matters to attend to here. When will the things your elder brother promised to send arrive?"
Helian Shu pouted as if thinking, and then replied, "Soon. It should arrive the day after tomorrow!"
"You should know that we are getting married on the eighteenth of this month. The schedule should be accelerated!" Xiao Hanzhi frowned coldly and said.
If it weren't for the fact that he still needed Helian Shu's dowry to expand his army, he wouldn't allow a little woman to act so presumptuously in front of him.
Such presumptuous behavior made him lose face!
Helian Shu snorted disdainfully and said arrogantly, "We handle our own affairs. You just take care of your own business. Don't think that just because you're about to become the emperor of the Eastern Ling Kingdom, you can do whatever you want. I can give you something, and I can also take it back."
Hearing her words, Xiao Hanzhi's heart skipped a beat. He thought that Helian Shu knew about his and his mother's plan. In order not to show more flaws, his tone immediately softened.
"I've just been dealing with too many memorials recently and feel a bit tired. How can I be said to be doing whatever I want? There are already some opposing voices among the court officials. Only by using absolute force to suppress them can we achieve what we want. This matter is beneficial to both you and me. I just don't want anything to go wrong."
"That's for the best!" Helian Shu suddenly approached Xiao Hanzhi, gave an enigmatic smile, and quickly took out a jade pendant from his waist. "I'll take this. Let it be... a token of love!"