"Your Majesty, why did you stop me?"

Empress Dowager Lu turned her head, her phoenix eyes full of doubt.

Jiang Chen smiled, pretending to be calm, and said, "It's nothing important, just informing the Empress Dowager that I am going to hold a palace banquet."

As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "I have already issued an edict to have the imperial descendants in the capital gather in the palace tomorrow. You haven't seen my two younger brothers for a long time... After the banquet, you can have them both come to Chang Le Palace to chat with you."

Upon hearing this, a deep sense of apprehension flashed in Empress Dowager Lu's eyes.

Before the emperor ascended the throne, his relationship with her two sons was not good. Now that he said this, he must have ulterior motives.

She suppressed the wariness in her heart, put on a touched expression, and choked with emotion, "In that case, I thank Your Majesty for your consideration."

"Since moving to Chang Le Palace, I haven't seen them two brothers. Thanks to Your Majesty, I can finally relieve this longing."

Jiang Chen looked at her red eyes and grateful expression, and felt puzzled in his heart.

Her reaction is normal, could it be that I really suspected the wrong person?

Well, I can't jump to conclusions. I'll have to test her further at the palace banquet.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Empress Dowager Lu took her leave.

Afterward.

Jiang Chen received Yuan Buyi, who had just recovered from serious injuries, and Xie Jin.

Yuan Buyi has now been promoted to Eight Provinces巡抚 (xun fu, circuit inspector), patrolling the localities on behalf of Jiang Chen and deterring corrupt officials.

Xie Jin and his subordinates were credited with covering the retreat and made outstanding contributions to Xu Changqing's return援 (yuan, support). Jiang Chen revoked the 'Xinyang City Mutiny' incident and reinstated him.

After receiving Jiang Chen's order, Xie Jin went straight back to Xinyang City.

Yuan Buyi, because his injuries had not fully healed, could only stay in the capital temporarily to help Jiang Chen deal with the aftermath and monitor the officials of the court.

Evening.

A top-priority secret letter was brought into the capital by a scout and presented to the imperial table.

"Your Majesty, Ying Guifei (Noble Consort Ying) has been found!"

Jiang Chen put down the memorial in his hand, stood up abruptly, and said, "Where?"

The scout was covered in sweat and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, news from the Imperial Guards says that someone saw the clan of Ying Guifei (Noble Consort Ying) appearing in the Yingcheng area. The Imperial Guards have consolidated their forces and are heading there."

Jiang Chen's expression turned cold: "So, the person still hasn't been caught?"

The scout lowered his head, a look of fear flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen's face revealed a hint of disappointment, and he waved his sleeve and said: "Tell the Imperial Guards, find Ying Guifei (Noble Consort Ying) at all costs and押 (ya, escort) her back to the capital!"

"If there are any short-sighted people who obstruct this matter, I will grant you the power to act expediently, and you can斩 (zhan, execute) first and奏 (zou, report) later!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The scout叩首 (kou shou, kowtowed), then retreated and went to Yingcheng without stopping to convey the decree.

Jiang Chen's mood was a little irritable. Xu Jiaying had been gone for more than half a month, and there was still no news of her, which he couldn't stand.

His woman was wandering outside. Even if Jiang Chen was annoyed and resentful towards her, he still had a trace of worry in his heart.

Moreover, according to the Imperial Guards, Xu Jiaying's clansmen had a very bad attitude towards her, thinking that she had委身 (wei shen, submit oneself) to the enemy for wealth and glory and lost the Xu family's face.

Under such circumstances, Jiang Chen had no way to let go. After all, Xu Jiaying had fallen into this situation because of him, and he couldn't ignore it.

Night fell.

Jiang Chen came to the Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s palace, with a hint of fatigue on his face.

He pushed open the vermilion door, signaled the palace servants to be quiet, and Jiang Chen quietly sneaked into the boudoir deep in the殿宇 (dian yu, palace hall), and saw the Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) sitting upright on the soft couch.

She was wearing a藕荷 (ou he, lotus root color)纱裙 (sha qun, gauze dress), holding a book in her hand, her清丽 (qing li, delicate and pretty) face full of worship and intoxication.

Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows, a little curious.

What is this丫头 (ya tou, girl) Yun'er looking at? She's so fascinated that she didn't even react when I walked to her side.

Jiang Chen stood behind Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort), stretched out his long arms,捏 (nie, pinched) her slender waist, and brought her into his arms. The soft and full aroma assaulted his senses and勾人心弦 (gou ren xin xian, captivating).

"Your, Your Majesty?" Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) was startled at first, then quickly calmed down, and嬌嗔 (jiao chen, blamed coquettishly) with a helpless expression.

Jiang Chen put his chin on her shoulder, took a few deep breaths, and said: "What are you looking at? You're so absorbed. Let me take a look too."

A flush of pink appeared on Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s pretty face, and she said shyly: "Your Majesty, what this concubine is reading are the poems you made at the Huai River Poetry Conference."

"If you hadn't admitted it yourself, this concubine really wouldn't have believed that Jiang Yan, who is风靡帝京 (feng mi di jing, all the rage in the capital), is..."

Speaking of this, Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s beautiful eyes suddenly lit up,闪烁 (shan shuo, sparkling) with admiring light.

After learning that the person known as the Poetry Immortal by the people was actually Jiang Chen, she personally made this collection of poems and admired it every day.

But this act was originally done in private, and now she was suddenly caught by Jiang Chen, she was a little embarrassed.

Seeing Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s discomfort, Jiang Chen deliberately teased: "I didn't expect that Yun'er would be so deeply in love with me, how should I reward you?"

As he spoke, Jiang Chen's big hand moved up along the curve of her waist,侵入 (qin ru, invaded) the挺拔 (ting ba, upright) under the薄纱 (bo sha, thin gauze).

Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s嬌軀 (jiao qu, delicate body) trembled, and she was烫 (tang, burned) by the hot temperature on her body and could not stand still, and fell softly into Jiang Chen's arms.

She颤声 (chan sheng, said with a trembling voice): "Your Majesty, not yet, this concubine, this concubine has a question that has been bothering me for a long time, and I want to know the answer."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen stopped his movements, but did not withdraw his big hand, maintaining a close state and said: "Yun'er, if you ask, I will definitely answer!"

Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s watery eyes glanced at Jiang Chen, and she said expectantly: "Your Majesty, is your song鹊桥仙 (Que Qiao Xian, Magpie Bridge Fairy) written for this concubine?"

Jiang Chen's expression froze, and he讪笑 (shan xiao, laughed awkwardly) and said, "Cough, this, this is of course written for you."

"Yun'er, you understand my intentions. From the first moment I saw you, I was fond of you."

Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) smiled in satisfaction, shyly lowered her head and said: "Your Majesty, this concubine is also the same. When we first met, I认定了 (ren ding le, recognized) you!"

"So, this concubine feels that this sentence '两情若是长久时，又岂在朝朝暮暮' (liang qing ruo shi chang jiu shi, you qi zai zhao zhao mu mu, If love between two people lasts for a long time, need they be together day and night?) is a little inappropriate. This concubine wants to spend her life with you and grow old together."

"This concubine doesn't want to only be with Your Majesty day and night!" Saying this, tears welled up in Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s beautiful eyes.

Jiang Chen put his arms around her waist and then sat down.

He was about to say a few words of comfort to make the beauty in his arms smile again, but Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) interrupted him.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. If you want to rest, why don't you, why don't you go to Liu..."

Before she could finish speaking, her chin was raised by Jiang Chen, meeting a pair of deep eyes.

"Yun'er, you are very strange today."

"Tell me what happened, and I will take care of it for you."

"No, no, Yun'er, Yun'er is just..."

As she spoke, tears fell from Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort)'s beautiful eyes, as if she had suffered great委屈 (wei qu, grievance), and she sobbed helplessly.

Jiang Chen's face changed drastically: "You still say you're fine! What's wrong?"

Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) choked and couldn't speak, nestled in Jiang Chen's arms, her delicate body trembling, and her娇柔 (jiao rou, tender and delicate) appearance made people feel pity.

Jiang Chen felt distressed when he saw it, didn't want to force her to speak, just hugged her in his arms and gently comforted her.

After a long time, after a cup of tea.

Shugui妃 (Shu Guifei, Worthy Consort) straightened up her sobbing, stopped shedding tears, and looked at Jiang Chen with red eyes.