coobybook Chapter 321 Chu State
Chapter 321 Chu State
Not only was Emperor Qi Xiao surprised, but everyone present was somewhat taken aback.
I thought Liu Yuechu was unwell and wouldn't leave the princess's residence, but it turns out she really is unable to move around and needs someone to help her when she walks!
Li Chengyue raised an eyebrow slightly. Her belly wasn't this big when he saw her last night. He exchanged a glance with Chen Zhongyao and understood that this was just an act. He would just play along.
"No wonder Lord Yuan has always been so concerned about his wife, Yue Niang has really had a tough time!" He stepped forward with concern and raised his arm for Liu Yuechu to hold.
Liu Yuechu almost couldn't help but laugh, "Thank you so much, Brother Chengyue! Seeing you return safely is a double joy!"
"Don't let her eat too much. You should discipline her when necessary," the Empress said to Granny Fang.
Granny Fang and Huajiao immediately obeyed the order.
Emperor Qi Xiao didn't say anything, and immediately ordered Cheng Hai to issue an imperial edict.
Yuan Cuo had already been granted the title of Viscount Yongyi, and Liu Yuechu had correspondingly become a second-rank imperial consort. The list of gifts went on and on, and even though Liu Yuechu was unwell, she was helped to kneel and express her gratitude.
Emperor Qi Xiao's joy was genuine. After bestowing the rewards, he asked Li Chengyue to explain in detail the differences between Chu's weapons and those of Qi, including whether the existing arrows and weapons could be improved.
"Your Majesty, this is a long story..." Li Chengyue deliberately kept everyone in suspense, and his words were loaded with meaning.
Emperor Qi Xiao did not blame them. "You only need to tell them, if our army were fully equipped with such weapons, could we defeat the states of Chu and Yan?"
Li Chengyue immediately nodded, "They're evenly matched, at least not as completely incomparable as before!"
"it is good!"
Emperor Qi Xiao was waiting for this sentence: "The Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War must work together and, by any means necessary, replace the weapons of the Great Qi army. In one year, at least 30,000 cavalrymen will be equipped with weapons no less than those of the Chu army, and perhaps even better!"
"Send orders to Huaizhou to expedite the mining of the fine iron ore veins!"
……
As imperial edicts were promulgated, everyone shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
Only Liu Yuechu silently muttered to herself, "Do they have money?" Then she saw Fang Ziqing's father's face turn ashen; the pressure he was exerting was simply too great!
Prince Chun remained silent throughout.
It was quite unusual for him today; instead of focusing on Liu Yuechu, he kept his eyes glued to the sets of military equipment that Li Chengyue had brought back.
Liu Yuechu was a little puzzled. Didn't they go to great lengths to get her into the Prince's Mansion just a while ago? And they kept trying to use money to interfere in the Liu family's business, even offering 100,000 taels to buy her father's painting?
But today he was absent-minded and had completely lost his previous attitude.
But the old eunuch beside him had eyes as sharp as knives, and Liu Yuechu met his gaze briefly before looking away...
The court session ended in a great commotion only after Emperor Qi Xiao had finished showing off.
The courtiers, who were already starving and their eyes were practically glowing with hunger, hurriedly left to grab a bite to eat.
Liu Yuechu arrived after she had eaten her fill, and the Empress intended for her to stay for a meal in the palace.
Just as she was thinking about how to refuse, Granny Fang coughed twice, and Liu Yuechu stopped worrying and hesitated. She sat in the Empress's carriage and went to Fukang Palace together.
After the Empress alighted from the carriage, she first went back to the inner palace to change into lighter clothing.
Liu Yuechu finally had a chance to lean close to Granny Fang's ear, "What's wrong?"
"Have you forgotten what day it is today?" Granny Fang said in a low voice.
Liu Yuechu blinked her eyes; how would she know?
"Young Master Pei and the Huang family..." Granny Fang only said six words softly.
Liu Yuechu stared in disbelief and covered her mouth. Wasn't today Pei Chun and Jiang Yunjiao's wedding day?
But since Li Chengyue made such a fuss, none of the court officials could leave, including the Left and Right Chancellors who were just in court. It's likely that no one will come to arrange the marriage; at most, it will just be a large gathering of the women's families!
"Then I'll stay in Fukang Palace a little longer..." Liu Yuechu had already left the palace. If she ran into the Pei family at the palace gate, it wouldn't be convenient for her to go straight back to her residence without offering a cup of wedding wine.
Moreover, she was very curious as to why Li Chengyue had chosen today of all days. Could it be that he was deliberately trying to upset the Pei and Huang families?
Granny Fang was relieved to see that she understood.
After the Empress changed her clothes, the palace maids had already laid out all the food. "Please remove the cushion in front of you; it's too tight!"
Liu Yuechu was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, "Your Majesty has such discerning eyes that you actually saw through it!" She decided not to hide it anymore, grabbed a cushion to support her back, and leaned back in the chair, feeling quite comfortable.
The Empress and the palace maids were both amused and exasperated when they saw this.
"You're going to the palace, why would you be afraid someone will harm you?" After all, she had given birth before, so how could she not see that something was wrong with her waist?
"Who can say for sure? I thought everything was fine before, but then trouble struck. Your Majesty, please don't blame me for being cautious. I'm just still shaken by what happened before, so I'm taking precautions." Liu Yuechu didn't mention the name "Fuyao," but everyone knew who she was referring to.
The Empress's expression also turned cold.
How could she not know?
But then, Consort Yu brought Fuyao back to the palace...
"It's better to be careful. There are mad dogs in this palace, and one could suddenly appear at any time." The Empress was still troubled by this matter.
Liu Yuechu accompanied the Empress to eat some snacks and bird's nest porridge, but the Empress deliberately avoided mentioning the marriage between the Pei and Jiang families.
Liu Yuechu rambled on for a long time, and finally, after an hour, she was a little tired and almost fell asleep in her chair. Only then did the Empress let her go back to her residence. "...She is, after all, a second-rank noblewoman and a viscount's wife. It is not convenient for her to stay in the princess's residence all the time."
"The Viscount's mansion has also been rewarded, and we are urging them to expedite the repairs. Otherwise, when Yuan Cuo returns, the grand ceremony of bestowing titles and honors cannot be held at the Princess's mansion, can it?"
Her reasoning is indeed reasonable.
Liu Yuechu understood immediately that this must be a message from Emperor Qi Xiao sent by the Empress.
She nodded repeatedly, half asleep and half awake, "I'll get it done as soon as I feel a little better. It's a good thing my older brother hasn't returned yet, otherwise I would have had him keep an eye on things!"
The Empress said everything she needed to say, and the rest of her words were full of concern.
Liu Yuechu left the palace and boarded a carriage at the palace gate.
Liu Muchi waited there on purpose, acting as a personal coachman. "...Brother Suozi's men have already entered the Viscount's mansion. Second Sister can continue to repair the mansion as long as she wants!"
Liu Yuechu's eyes were bright, and she was no longer as dazed as she was in Fukang Palace.
"Don't rush. Check what kind of families own the mansions around the Viscount's residence before making a decision." Emperor Qi Xiao was forcing her to move, so why should she obey?
Given Yuan Cuo's current sensitive status, perhaps Emperor Qi Xiao has already dug a pit around the Viscount's residence, just waiting to lure him into it!
Liu Muchi nodded in agreement, and the carriage slowly started moving.
At this moment, Prince Chun was furious. "...That weapon wasn't newly made by the Great Qi at all, but from the Chu Kingdom! What kind of trick are they playing?"