After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 467 Visitors from the Capital
The Duke and his wife looked at their old friend who was bowing down in front of them, and quickly stood up and helped her up: "They are all members of the family, why should we be so polite?"

The old palace lady wearing a sapphire blue female official's dress stood up straight, smiled slightly, lowered her head and said, "The etiquette cannot be abolished. If the Queen Mother knew that the old slave was rude in front of the Duke and the Duke's wife, she would definitely punish the old slave."

Mrs. Zhenguo sighed and took her hand, and sat down together at the round table: "I remember when you were young, you were the liveliest and could not remember these rules and etiquette well. The mothers in the house did this every day. I can't help but scold and reprimand. How many years have passed since you are now an old lady who can't do anything wrong, but you have become the one who teaches others? Time flies. I don’t recognize you anymore.”

The old palace man smiled: "I have been in the palace with the Queen Mother for decades, how can I still be as naughty as I was when I was a child? If I can't remember the palace rules and be careful in my words and deeds, how can I survive today safely?"

Mrs. Zhen Guo sighed: "That's right. Although I rarely go to Beijing, I know that life in the palace is not that easy. The eight maids you entered with the Queen Mother in the palace lost half of them during the reign of the late emperor. I When I heard the news at home, I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. I don't know how the Queen Mother and you managed to survive it. After finally ascending the throne, the Queen Mother can enjoy peace and happiness, but so many changes have happened..."

"Okay, it's all in the past. Why are you bringing this up again?" Zhen Guogong interrupted his wife, "The Queen Mother always asked her fourth brother to send messages to her home, how could she suddenly send Su Fang is back? You must have important news to tell your family, right?"

He raised his head and looked at the old palace man: "Sufang, what did the third sister give you before you left the palace? Is there a handwritten letter? Who is coming back with you? I think the leader looks strange. , Isn’t he our son-in-law?”

The old palace man who was called "Su Fang" said calmly: "The old slave was ordered by the Queen Mother to return to Chang'an for business. He was accompanied by people sent by the emperor. The leader, Lin Sandao, was originally the imperial guard. The emperor was dismissed from his post because he offended Mr. Sun Ge. After the old slave entered the city, he had other instructions. Lin Sandao will go with the old slave to deal with the matters that the emperor has to deal with in the future. As for the people he brought, he will also ask the Duke to help them settle in the northwest. For military affairs, I only serve as a guard or messenger sometimes. The emperor has asked not to disturb too many people, so as not to leak the news and let irrelevant people know it, for fear of being verbose. "

Both Zhen Guogong and his wife heard the deep meaning in her words. Duke Zhen Guo asked tentatively: "What is the official position of Guard Lin now? How should I place him?"

The old palace man still smiled: "You can do whatever you want. As long as you don't delay the mission that the emperor has asked them to do, you can treat them as your own soldiers."

Mrs. Zhen Guo Gong asked quickly: "What did the emperor tell them to do?"

"The emperor asked them to come to Chang'an City to protect a young man named Jin Jiashu, and to act as messenger between him and the palace." The old palace man looked at the Duke of Zhen, "The Duke should be familiar with this young man."

Duke Zhen Guo was indeed no stranger to Jin Jiashu, but he didn't understand. If the Queen Mother sent someone to take care of Jin Jiashu, it was because of her years of master-servant friendship with Concubine Xu Xian and the fact that she had contributed to the Zhou family's support for the eighth prince's succession and another attempt to follow the throne. If the plan was successful, then why did the emperor specially send the imperial guards to protect Jin Jiashu? Is Concubine Xu Xian so favored? Can even her natal nephew get the emperor's favor?
Duke Zhen Guo felt that the emperor's love for Concubine Sun was too much. Now he saw that the emperor cared so much for his new favorite, and he couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. Da Chu has been tormented by Concubine Sun and the Sun family for decades, but it can no longer afford the second Concubine Sun!
The old palace servant saw it, and she lowered her head again: "Please leave the Duke and Madam behind. The Queen Mother has given instructions. There are certain things that I can only tell you two in person, and no other people are allowed to be present."

The Duke of Zhen and his wife were all startled and looked at the confidant girl and woman standing by the side, as well as the six sons and six daughters-in-law sitting at the bottom. Those present were all family members, either flesh and blood, or absolutely trustworthy confidants. As a result, the old palace man asked everyone else to leave, and only he and his wife could stay? What is it that is so secret that even their biological son cannot hear it? Mrs. Zhen Guogong was a little unhappy, but she thought that Sufang was originally the Queen Mother's maid. It was them and the Zhou family who gave birth to the son, not an outsider. She was able to speak like this, naturally because the Queen Mother had something to say first. And if the Queen Mother would give such an order, it must be a matter of great importance.

So she still winked at her son-in-law and all her confidants. Everyone retreated, leaving only the Duke of Zhen, his wife and the old palace man in the room. Outside the door, General Saturday and his wife were guarding the door in person to prevent others from eavesdropping.

The old palace man then spoke: "The emperor specially sent someone to protect Jin Jiashu because he had an unusual relationship with Concubine Xu Xian, Empress Xu. Before Empress Xu entered the palace, she was the wife of Jin Juren, Jinsen, Zunhua Prefecture, and she gave birth to her eldest son, Jin Jiashu. Later, Mrs. Wu Wen'an recommended her to the palace and became the wet nurse for the unborn Seventh Highness. Unexpectedly, the fire in Kunning Palace caused the death of the Empress, the Third Highness and Duke Wu Wen'an, and the Queen gave birth to the Seventh Highness before the crisis. The palace servant Liuhua and the wet nurse Xu Empress worked together to send him to Cining Palace and asked the Empress Dowager for protection. Over the years, His Highness the Seventh Prince has been living in Cining Palace and was raised by the Empress Dowager and Empress Xu. Now he has passed away. Turned fourteen."

The Duke of Zhen and his wife were dumbfounded.

Concubine Xu Xian and Jin Jiashu actually have a mother-son relationship. Queen Wu actually left behind a seventh prince. No matter which news it was, it was far beyond their expectations. How could they not be surprised? !

Duke Zhen Guo reacted first: "These things... why did the third sister never mention it?! Years ago, the fourth brother's daughter-in-law and grandchildren returned to Chang'an for a visit, and they never mentioned it?!"

The old palace man sighed: "It's not that the Queen Mother has never thought about asking her relatives for help, it's just...in those years, the palace was in turmoil, and Concubine Sun's family was the only one in power. The Queen Mother was worried that the news would be leaked, and Her Majesty Seventh Prince would be murdered. Therefore, I didn’t dare to tell anyone. Even Marquis Chengen and his wife learned the news after Cining Palace had been closed for many years and reopened.”

Mrs. Zhen Guogong immediately thought: "The Queen Mother specially brought Gui, her daughter and Ke Ge into the palace... to protect His Highness the Seventh Prince? Otherwise, other things can be covered up, but the baby's cry in the deep palace is... The last thing you can do is hide it from others!”

The old palace man lowered his head: "The Empress Dowager also wanted to protect the Wu family's orphan. At that time, she had already joined the Sun family. Although she wanted to keep her daughter, she had already planned to abandon her granddaughter, let alone Wu Ke, who had no blood relationship. Where is the young master? The purpose of taking them into Cining Palace is not only to save their lives, but also to let Miss Wu Qiong serve as a shield for Her Majesty the Seventh Prince. The Empress Dowager will move Concubine De and others to Shoukang Palace, leaving only a few. The concubines and concubines who were responsible for the incident sealed the Cining Palace, refusing to see any members of the clan or foreign wives, and did not allow any other people to enter. Therefore, the palace was never aware of His Highness's existence, which allowed His Highness to be safe. Survived to this day.”

Although the seventh prince was almost at full term, his mother was greatly frightened before he was born and gave birth to him in a hurry out of desperation. He had to run away and hide when he was born. After arriving at Cining Palace, he could not get comprehensive care in order to hide his identity. As a result, he was frail and sick since he was a child, and he would die soon.

The Queen Mother blocked the news because she was worried about this.

(End of this chapter)