She fell out after crying at the wrong grave

Ah's expression changed so many times, but she still couldn't figure out the reason.

"You..." She went behind a painting, where no one could see her, "Since you deliberately tricked me, why do you have to admit it so readily today?"

Lu Zhongting changed his timid appearance in front of Shen Zhuo and his mentor, and became a different person, "Your Highness, please understand, this is definitely not my intention!"

He opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated whether he should say it or not. He held himself high and remained in a stalemate for a long time.

Although Ah-yi also wanted to know, she still had to pretend for the sake of face.

So she put on an air of a princess, and said in a haughty and cold tone, "Since you don't want to talk, I'll leave first." After saying that, she took a step forward and was about to leave, not giving in at all.

Lu Zhongting took a look and hurriedly stretched out his hand, "Your Highness, please stay!"

This was an obvious provocation, but now he had no choice but to take the bait. It was difficult for an official of the imperial court to meet a princess, not to mention that it was because he acted too hastily that Princess Xuancheng had been sick and stayed in the harem for more than a month.

She is going to be married in three days. If I don't seize this opportunity to negotiate, I'm afraid I won't be able to see her even if I leave the capital.

Lü Zhongting had been claiming to be a loyal and upright official for half his life, and he was also a disciple of the Minister of the Central Secretariat Yan Tongjun. He had never done anything ridiculous such as deceiving the emperor or rebelling, and he really had no experience to speak of.

"Your Highness, are you really willing to marry far away in Youbei and suffer the rest of your life in that wild land?"

Ah's steps paused, and a rebellious idea suddenly came to her mind.

She turned around slowly, her eyes locked on Lu Zhongting sharply, "Eating the salary of the whole country, even if it is to marry far away, what is not worth it?"

Although the words were spoken so beautifully, Lu Zhongting carefully distinguished the princess's unclear expression against the light, and it was obvious that every word was not true.

This was a test for him.

Lu Zhongting is now old enough to be the father of a princess. He and his wife had difficulty in having children in their early years, and only had a daughter a few years ago when they were old. Now she is thirteen years old, in the prime of her life.

In today's corrupt officialdom, the monarch has no moral integrity. Lu Zhongting originally planned to protect himself to the end, shrinking again and again, and directly shrinking until retirement. Fortunately, the salary accumulated over the years is enough for the family of three to have no worries about food and clothing in the future.

But the wind would not stop even if the tree wanted to be still. As the new emperor grew older, he indulged himself in wine and women more and more, and became more and more foolish day by day.

Just last month, during a grand banquet in the palace, the emperor forced the wife of the Imperial Household Official who accompanied her husband to the banquet to sleep with him. After the Imperial Household Official Huang tried to plead for mercy in vain, he cried bitterly in front of the new emperor's palace and was given a cup of poisoned wine. He and his wife, who could not bear the humiliation, were poisoned to death.

The desk of the Secretariat was filled with memorials from the Censorate, which was neither acceptable to submit nor acceptable to reject.

The new emperor even dares to take possession of his minister's wife. There's no telling whose daughter will suffer this disaster in the next beauty pageant.

Ever since the last time Xiao Jin was found to have embezzled money and used Princess Xuancheng's dowry, Jin Feng immediately admitted his guilt and not only made up the money, but also gave the new emperor a unique painting of a Tenglong, thus bringing the matter to a close.

But the new emperor was coaxed into a comfortable position, and Jin Feng was promoted in name only, but demoted in reality. Although there was no change in rank, what was the Ministry of Personnel? The appointment, dismissal, examination, promotion, transfer and appointment of officials were all in his hands.

The new emperor was stupid, but he was no less skilled than his brother in the art of ruling. Jin Feng relied on his obedience to the new emperor to gain wealth and glory, and the new emperor used this opportunity to place this pawn in the Ministry of Personnel. From then on, all officials in the court were truly disciples of the emperor.

This is of no benefit to those upright people who consider themselves as the mirror of the emperor's clothing and appearance.

Supporting a monarch is like placing a bet, and one must act decisively and change it when necessary.

Turning his gaze to the princess in front of him, Lu Zhongting suddenly felt that it might not be a bad thing for her not to have grown up in the palace.

How difficult it is to find a monarch who is sober-minded, not indulged in wine and women, understands the suffering of the people and has some blood in his bones.

But isn’t there one right in front of you?
Lu Zhongting lowered his voice and looked solemn. "Now he sits on the throne. Although he is your uncle, he is also your enemy who killed your father and mother. And your Highness has seen the situation in the world. Isn't it something that you can solve with a marriage?"

Ah'ao curled her lips, and became interested. "Master Lu, what do you mean by this? Do you want me to overthrow this great master? I am just a woman, and I am obedient in your eyes, but when I escaped from the palace, I remembered every word of your criticism."

Although I know clearly that neither Lü Zhongting nor his mentor Yan Tongjun are among them, who do they associate with? How can I believe everything they say?

Lu Zhongting bowed his hands, looking humble, as if he had always been Ah's loyalist. "Even if Your Highness despises my actions now, it was because of my intervention that Your Highness finally learned the cause of the late queen's death, isn't it?"

"Your Excellency is trying to drag me down with you now." Ah-yi crossed her arms, feeling amused. "Now that Your Majesty has a son, whether you support him as the young emperor in the future, or you overthrow the Shen family and establish a new dynasty, what does it have to do with me? Could it be that Your Excellency wants to make me the king and let me be the empress?"

He said this jokingly, but after a long while, there was no response from Lu Zhongting. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Ah'an without reservation.

After a moment's silence, Ah'ao felt more and more frightened.

"This palace... was just a joke."

Lu Zhongting said calmly, as if he was talking about the weather, "Why not? The world has suffered from incompetent rulers for a long time. To be disrespectful, starting from your father, the late emperor, the end of this great worship can be seen at a glance. If you can be resurrected, what about the empress?"

Although Lu Zhongting was not a close minister under Emperor Wu'an, Yan Tongjun was.

It was because of these loyal officials that Da Chong was able to achieve the Wu'an Restoration. However, his two sons were incompetent, and Yan Tongjun was the only loyal official left to support the dynasty.

Seeing that the dynasty was about to decline, the ministers' resolve was to establish another wise ruler.

This world, including the emperor on the throne, can be established or destroyed.

This is a minister of Da Chong, not a retainer of the Shen family. "Besides, although Jin Zhaoyi is pregnant, is she really your majesty's blood? What I can do now is to ruin the marriage if the princess is willing." Lu Zhongting bowed his head and said, "Of course, your highness must not be willing to go to Youbei just like that. We can both get what we want, so wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Ah-yi was so surprised by the first half of his words that she couldn't recover. She frowned and asked in a low voice, "What do you mean by that, Lord Lu? How can it not be your Majesty's bloodline?"

It seems that when doing things, it is hard to escape the shackles of being in the dark. Ah'ao thought about it and decided that whether it was Shen Zhuo's words in Changsheng Palace that day or Xiao Jin's affair with Shen Yuren, it should not be known to the officials outside the court.

So why is he so well-informed?
"Your Highness has probably personally checked the red wall of Chong'an Palace." Lu Zhongting smiled and said lightly, "If so, Your Highness should know more clearly whether Concubine Jin is pregnant or not."

wrong.

If what Lu Zhongting knew was that Xiao Jin had an affair, then this child is also Shen's bloodline, so he shouldn't have said this.

Since he mentioned Chong'an Hall, it means that what Lu Zhongting knew was the infertility of Shen Cong and Shen Zhuo.

Then why did he know about this?
Before A'ao could figure out what was going on, Xue Ping arrived.

"Your Highness, Lord Lu."

As soon as this annoying voice sounded, it interrupted the negotiation.

Lu Zhongting reacted even faster and nodded first, "It turns out to be the warden, what is the matter?"

Xue Ping looked at the two of them and saw that the princess looked unnatural, which made him suspicious.

"His Majesty ordered me to come and see the results of the acceptance inspection. He said that it was finished early, so Your Highness could be sent back. The female officials from the Clothing Bureau brought the modified wedding dress, and Your Highness is requested to try it to see if it fits." Xue Ping smiled and stated his purpose.

Ah'ao reacted at this moment, but if she smiled again it would seem deliberate, so she simply turned a face and ignored everyone.

It's not the first time anyway.

Xue Ping saw that this person was not in a good mood, so he did not want to offend him, and only asked Lu Zhongting, "Your Majesty will be relieved after your inspection. Please give me a reply so that I can go back and report."

Lu Zhongting said repeatedly, "Of course, of course." Then he praised the achievements of A'ao and Xu Tingzhou to the sky, and said that they were worthy of being Mr. Huai's disciples, and they had learned both his skills and his bones.

A'ao was too embarrassed to listen to any sarcastic remarks that followed.

After Xue Ping left, this huge group of ministers had no reason to stay any longer.

Lu Zhongting stopped Ah-yi from escorting him out of the palace gate and continued his unfinished words, "Whether Your Highness is willing to be with us or not, when you are sent to marry in three days, thirty miles outside the city gate, someone arranged by me will kidnap the princess, and Your Highness will be free from then on."

free.

Ah'ao was stunned when she heard his words.

Looking at her youthful face, Lu Zhongting suddenly thought of his young daughter.

After all, what good is there in being born in a royal family? How could a young lady of this age be like the princess, wandering around and suffering both physically and mentally?

"Da Chong will not rely on her daughter to stop the war. If there is a war, it should be fought on the battlefield to defend her country with dignity."

Lu Zhongting left.

Ah'ao stood there for a long time, looking up at the clear blue sky, her neck aching.

If she were to go to the battlefield, it would be great if she could be counted as one of them.

Lu Zhongting was right. Even if she had never admitted it, even if she was secretly planning to escape and marry far away, A'ao would never be willing to really marry You Bei.

When one king died, she would marry the next king.

Moreover, they harassed the border every year, invaded Da Chong territory, and massacred Da Chong people.

As long as the border is not at peace, generals like Li Chongxuan of Hengzhi will suffer in the border town.

But the emperor only knew how to indulge in debauchery in the palace.

How can such a thing be possible in the world? Whose life is not life?

But she was also feeling relieved.

Lu Zhongting could actually put aside her identity as a woman and look up to her as a person, and was willing to support her even as the empress.

It is much better than her biological father who abandoned her when she was young.

At this time, unknown to her, someone outside the palace was working hard for this.

(End of this chapter)