The Gilded Cage

Leave the City–Can’t Wait Any Longer (2)

It should be noted that as the prince, his identity was very sensitive, and he could not leave Changan without the emperor’s permission.

When Xu Rong heard his question, he hurriedly said solemnly, “Your Highness, everything has been arranged, and you can leave at any time. Just waiting for Your Highness to speak. Do you want to leave as soon as possible?”

Xiao Yu pondered for a moment, and under Zhao Yue’s frowning gaze and Xu Rong’s tense waiting, he finally nodded, “Forget it, we can’t wait any longer, and things will change if we were late. Now it’s curfew and the city gates are closed. Let’s do it tomorrow, tomorrow. After the court meeting, the government offices will begin to work, and the gates of the city will be opened normally, so we can leave.”

After he finished speaking, he turned his head and said coldly to Zhao Yue, “Get ready for tomorrow, and you can leave with me at any time. If you delay, I won’t take care of you.”

Zhao Yue looked directly at his indifferent and gloomy expression, didn’t say much, just nodded slightly, then got up and left.

She and he were using each other, so naturally, she didn’t expect him to protect her at critical moments. She didn’t even have the slightest doubt that the reason why he was willing to take her away with her was not because she was already his wife, but because her surname was Zhao, and behind her was his last stick.

Today, she felt that she finally saw Xiao Yu’s character clearly. She was also a little shaken and doubted whether it was worth it to put everything in the future on such a ruthless, selfish, and cruel man, but she and her brother had no other choice. This way…

…

Early in the morning of the second day, just after dawn, Xiao Kezhi got up, washed and dressed, and prepared to go to the court meeting in the Taiji Hall.

Chu Ning wanted to get up to serve him personally, but he was holding her down, and because of her monthly flows, her body was indeed a little weak, so she simply fell asleep again.

Now there were no other concubines in the palace, and all common affairs were managed in an orderly manner by the people from the Sixth Bureau. Before they were handed over to her, she could still be regarded as free.

Seeing this, Xiao Kezhi felt satisfied. He lowered his head and rubbed her cheeks a few times, then slowly straightened up and straightened his clothes in front of the bronze mirror.

He was a person with a strong nature. He had always been energetic and had the desire to control. Even if he took her into his arms now, he still hoped to see her live comfortably under his care.

After everything was ready, he stepped out of the bedroom lightly, and Jin Jiang hurried over from the direction of Wude Hall, reporting the abnormality found in the city early in the morning.

“I’m not mistaken. He really can’t hold his breath anymore.” Xiao Kezhi listened intently, nodded and said, “Tell Qianniu Guard to not act rashly. Bid Jinwu Guard to get some news, and let Jinwu Guard’s people chase after him.”

Qianniu Guard was led by Jin Jiang. All of them were his personal soldiers, and asking Qianniu Guard’s people to intercept the prince would always lead to speculation. But the Jinwu Guard was different. The Jinwu Guard was in charge of the security of the people in Changan City and had no close relationship with him. When they caught the prince fleeing suddenly, they could be considered to have separated from him as the emperor.

Everyone must understand that he, the emperor, was benevolent and righteous. He had been trusting and close to his nephew since he ascended the throne for half a year.

In this way, the loyal and upright veterans who followed the prince either because of orthodoxy or because of Chu Qianyu and others could not be implicated and could be used more by him, the emperor.

In the Ganlu Palace, it was not until noon, when the sky was bright and the order in the palace was fully restored, that Chu Ning woke up leisurely, put on a dress, and got out of bed to wash.

After Cuihe brought her the prepared clothes and menstrual affairs to change into, she ordered someone to bring in the boiled ginger tea.

“Lady, this was the ginger tea specially ordered by the Holy Majesty to warm up the Lady.”

Chu Ning glanced at the scorching sun outside and couldn’t help wiping the hot sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief. She smiled lightly and shook her head, “Forget it, His Majesty was so caring, I should have a good drink.”

Thinking of his phrase “paralysis” last night, she felt amused and drank the hot ginger tea with a tea bowl in her hand.

In the scorching heat, pouring sweet and fiery ginger tea into her belly did drive away the soreness and dull pain in her lower abdomen, but at the same time, it also made her back sweat again.

She wiped her back with a towel again, then sat on the side of the couch and fanned herself for a while before getting up to eat at the dining table.

After breakfast, she took the maids in front of the imperial court to enjoy the cool in the house and talked, and the imperial physician diagnosed her pulse and prescribed her prescriptions for recuperation.

Seeing that half of the day was about to pass, she still felt very free and couldn’t help but want to find something to do for herself.

In the past in the East Palace, as crown prince consort, she had to take care of the food and clothing of the East Palace and the arrangements for the maids and servants. When she arrived at the Taiji Palace, these were naturally the first things that came to her mind.

She thought about it, and was about to send someone to the Sixth Bureau to invite some people in charge when Cuihe from outside suddenly came in and said happily, “My lady, look who’s here?”

She fixed her eyes and hurriedly looked in the direction of the palace door, only to see Madam Xu standing under the eaves with Guoer in the scorching sun outside, looking around cautiously.

As soon as the two of them met her gaze, they were both a little dazed. Madam Xu’s face subconsciously flashed a bit of bewildered embarrassment, but Guoer, who had always been shy, actually showed her a happy and sweet smile.

The little girl, only ten years of age or so, had clear eyes. She should be ignorant, but she seemed to be able to see through everything.

She felt relieved and dazed. After a moment, she walked over and led the two into the hall.