The Gilded Cage - Chapter 151

The Empress – Why on Earth Did You Betray Me? (2)

Someone suddenly said in a low voice, “Your Majesty has always been informal, and today’s behavior is reasonable. It is better than always hanging in the back seat, continuing as before…”

Yes, the Emperor was decisive in political matters, but he had been absurd for a day or two in matters of men and women. The Chu lady had left the East Palace anyway, and it was better to be a woman with a clean background than the rumored married maiden, dancer, or maid…

After thinking about it like this, everyone felt that it was not as unacceptable as it was at first, and even the voice of opposition gradually became smaller.

When Xiao Kezhi saw this, he knew that the matter had come to an end, and it could be regarded as basically settled. For the rest, they liked to discuss things, so they discussed it for the time being. After a long time, it would pass.

“Okay, that’s the end of today’s ceremonies. Everyone, step down. If there are political matters to be played, stay for a while and discuss them later.” He said heavily and bowed to everyone.

The courtiers hesitated for a moment, then bowed and bowed, and retreated one after another. Only a dozen or so officials from the Ministry of Education and the Six Ministries remained in the hall, intending to continue discussing political affairs.

……

In Ganlu Hall, after Chu Ning had her breakfast, she brought Cuihe and two other maids to the Guizhen Temple.

She did not use a palanquin, but brought a hat to shield her head from the scorching sun and enjoyed the scenery as she walked along.

The first time she came here, she was not grounded and only walked around one or two nearby halls and pavilions, so today she came out and had to take a good look at the scenery.

On the road, she passed by a number of attendants who had not heard of the changes overnight. Two wide-eyed maids hesitantly bowed and curiously looked at her back for a long time.

Chu Ning had already gotten used to this kind of attention, smiling and nodding at them one by one, and continuing to walk without any haste.

Only when she arrived at the Guizhen Temple, she took off her hat and watched several people pack her things.

The dozens of gorgeous dresses in the cupboard in different colors and styles had not been worn, and the dazzling jewelry in the trousseau had not been touched.

She subconsciously stroked the string of red jade she still wore on her wrist, then glanced down at the red dress on her body, and only then did she come back to her senses.

This much clothing and jewelry could never be prepared in a day or two. When did he start ordering people to make these things for her? Two months ago, or three months ago?

His mind had been clear a long time ago.

“These, collect them as they are and send them to my bedchamber.” She pointed to the clothes and jewelry that Xiao Kezhi had prepared for her and instructed the maids who were packing them.

Several people answered “Understood” and put the boxes away separately.

She asked the maids to take the boxes and containers away in a cart first, while she continued to walk slowly with Cuihe.

The rumors always spread very fast, after only a little more than half an hour, the attendants she met again seemed to know the change in her status, and their salutations and tone of voice were several times more respectful.

Cuihe was a bit uncomfortable, but Chu Ning was open to it. She knew people were like that, and there was no need to be demanding. Now that they were out, they could be more liberal and relaxed.

“Let’s go to Linhu Hall and take a look.”

The lotus pond in the Linhu Hall, she had admired only for ten minutes, and today she passed by it, so she also wanted to go in and take a look.

Compared with a few days ago, the lotus pond was full of blooming pink and white flowers standing proudly above the water. The fragrance and color brushed away the restlessness in her heart and quieted her mind.

Her preference for the lotus stemmed from her mother’s early death.

Her mother had the word “lotus” in her maiden name, and her favorite flower was also the lotus. My father always said that whenever he saw a lotus, he would think of her mother.

She could no longer remember her mother’s appearance, but only the memory of a few fragmented scenes to feel tender care of her mother.

Chu Ning was looking at the pavilion and was a bit lost in thought, but suddenly felt uncomfortable, a feeling coming from behind her.

Her heart tightened and she subconsciously turned around to see Xiao Yu standing there silently, a few feet away from the pavilion.

His pale face was still thin and gloomy even under the scorching sun, and on his thin cheeks, a pair of gloomy eyes were staring at her closely.

She was a bit chilled, but still straightened her back, standing in the pavilion, looking at him at the bottom of the steps, and asked indifferently, “At this time of the day, why is the Crown Prince still staying in the backcourt of the palace instead of going to the government office?”

The tone of her voice was no longer as gentle and submissive as it used to be, and it fell on his ears like a cold knife with a layer of ice in the winter, and like a torch mercilessly thrown into the lamp oil, causing his heart to ache coldly and at the same time, a flame of anger sprang up.

“I never dreamed that this day would come – A’Ning, why on earth did you betray me?”