Golden Branch

"Wow! Sister is working so hard!"

Princess Changning was young and did not understand the meaning of words such as "attending to the sick" and "extremely emaciated".

She simply understood her mother's praise and pity for her sister.

My sister looks so pitiful, she is so tired and thin.

"It's not hard! Serving my elders is my duty. I enjoy it!"

Wang Heng felt completely relaxed when she saw such an innocent little princess.

She had a sweet smile and sincere eyes, and she showed no deception or impatience towards Princess Changning.

Although Changning felt that the thinner sister was a little different from the sister she liked, her sister was more beautiful.

She is just young, not blind.

Children also have normal aesthetic tastes.

The chubby sister is round and cute.

The thin sister is pretty, pretty.

she likes!

When you like someone, you want to be as intimate with her as possible.

Changning told Wang Heng in a baby voice: "Sister, my name is Ji Nu, you can call me Ji Nu!"

Ji Nu is Changning's nickname.

Basically, only the emperor, empress and other close relatives would call her like this.

Wang Heng's eyes flashed.

The emperor and empress were married for more than twenty years and gave birth to four sons and two daughters, but one son and one daughter died young.

Today, there are only four children.

Ji, the "Ji" in "bo, zhong, shu, and ji".

Although Changning was a daughter, the emperor and empress insisted on using "Ji" as her nickname, which meant that she was included in the overall ranking of the four children.

They didn't attach importance to gender, they simply believed that this was their youngest child.

Slave, that’s easier to explain.

A cheap name is easy to maintain.

When the little princess was born, she was weak and sickly.

After being carefully raised for two or three years, it encountered a series of disasters caused by "mutiny".

The emperor and empress loved her and even pitied her.

Worried that her daughter wouldn't grow up, she tried every possible way to pray for her.

He changed his title, used the place where his father's career began as his fiefdom, and even took the nickname "Ji Nu"...

Wang Heng could only sigh: How pitiful are the parents in the world.

From these small details, Wang Heng could tell how favored the little Princess Changning was!

These thoughts flashed through Wang Heng's mind as fast as lightning.

In just a blink of an eye, Wang Heng reacted quickly.

She did not call "Ji Nu" immediately, but looked up at the queen.

The queen looked at him with a smile, showing great doting and indulgence.

She had no dissatisfaction with Changning's closeness to Wang Heng, nor did she want to stop it.

When Wang Heng saw the queen in such a state, she knew what she should do.

She quickly retracted her gaze and looked at Changning intently, "Ji Nu, the rare animal garden has been built, and there's also a surprise that my sister ordered to be shipped from the East China Sea!"

"If it's convenient for Ji Nu, you can go to my sister's princess mansion!"

Since the Queen was happy to see her on good terms with Changning, Wang Heng didn't worry too much.

She solemnly extended an invitation to Changning: "Three days later, my sister's princess mansion will host a banquet for guests. My sister would like to invite Ji Nu to be the guest. Would Ji Nu be willing to come and be the guest?"

As she spoke, Wang Heng actually took out a bright red invitation with gold sprinkled on it from her sleeve pocket.

Changning widened his eyes, wow, an invitation!

This is the first time she has received an invitation in her life!

The little princess, who was three or four years old, was very excited.

She is of noble birth and is now the most honorable and favored little princess in the dynasty.

Everyone around her pampered her, coaxed her, gave in to her, and respected her, but they still treated her like a child.

The four-year-old little princess said: I have grown up and am no longer a three-year-old child!

But everyone, including A Niang Ye Ye, still treated her as a child.

Only the elder sister of the Wang family, oh no, now it is the elder sister of the Langya family, she is the only one who treats her like an older child and even sends her an invitation!

Although Changning was excited, he did not forget the rules.

She opened her big round eyes and looked at the queen subconsciously.

When the queen saw her little daughter like this, her gentle smile extended to her eyes, and there was a bit more warmth.

She met Changning's expectant eyes and nodded slightly.

Changning's smile became brighter and brighter. Wow, that's great, mother agrees!

The little guy, only three heads tall, took the invitation solemnly like a little adult.

"Sister, thank you for your invitation. I will definitely be there on time!"

The baby's voice was so sweet and she was so soft and cute that Wang Heng couldn't help but like her.

Looking at the little princess's chubby face, her fingers felt itchy. Inexplicably, she could understand why Lou Yu liked pinching her face so much back then.

She also wants to pinch the little cute creature’s chubby face!

……

After paying her respects to the Queen, receiving the Queen's personal certification as a "filial person" and receiving some rewards, Wang Heng left Ganlu Palace.

Sitting back on the sedan chair, Wang Heng headed towards Baifu Palace.

From beginning to end, Lou Yu was silent.

He did not take the initiative to speak and take away the glory and dignity that belonged to Wang Heng.

Today he has only one identity: Princess Langya's bodyguard!

When they arrived at Baifu Palace, Zhao Annian and a head maid serving Concubine Jiang were already waiting at the palace gate.

"Slave, meet Princess Langya!"

"No gift!"

After a simple ceremony, Wang Heng got off the sedan chair and slowly walked into Baifu Palace.

Imperial Concubine Jiang sat in the main seat, with a large hidden bag behind her, her elbows resting on a table, looking very casual.

When she saw Wang Heng and Lou Yu come in, she just sat up slightly.

"coming!"

When Concubine Jiang saw her daughter had completed her transformation, a glint of joy and satisfaction flashed in her eyes.

Yes, this is her daughter.

She has a stunning appearance and a slim figure.

Although still a little immature, she already has a beauty that is unrivaled in the world.

In time, she will surely become the new most beautiful woman in the world.

Moreover, isn't it because my daughter no longer hides her incompetence that she has a backer?

She, Jiang Ajiao, was finally no longer a plaything to be sent around by others, and she could protect her daughter.

"sit down!"

Concubine Jiang casually pointed to the seat below her.

While greeting her daughter, Concubine Jiang did not ignore Lou Yu: "Duke Qi, please take a seat too!"

Lou Yu hurriedly bowed and crossed his arms: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the invitation to sit down!"

Wang Heng and Lou Yu took their seats respectively.

"Did the journey go smoothly?"

After not seeing each other for several months, Concubine Jiang saw her daughter again, but there was no sentimental mother-daughter "heartfelt talk" between them.

When she was in Hedong, she had made up for the maternal love she should have given and taught her daughter everything she should have taught.

The mother and daughter have already reached a tacit understanding on how to get along with each other.

Wang Heng was no longer at the age where she could lie in her mother's arms and act like a spoiled child, and Concubine Jiang's current status did not allow her to be too close to her daughter.

It is enough for both of them to know that the other has themselves in their hearts and loves each other.

The mother and daughter have been separated for nearly ten years. Although their blood ties cannot be severed, their feelings will eventually become somewhat unfamiliar.

Not caring about the invisible barrier and just wishing the best for the other party is the parent-child relationship that both Concubine Jiang and Wang Heng can accept.

As for the almost perfect "loving mother and filial daughter", let's just forget it.

Wang Heng could not act like a little girl, and Concubine Jiang was not the kind of loving mother who would sacrifice everything for her children.

They are constantly involved, but each has their own reservations.

"I've heard about Madam Lu's affairs. Ah Jiu, you did a great job!"

Without waiting for Wang Heng to speak, Concubine Jiang took the initiative to mention the "ups and downs" on Wang Heng's way to Beijing.

She was thirty-two or thirty-three years old, the age when flowers bloomed most beautifully.

Her already stunning appearance, with the accumulation of time and the nourishment of wealth, has become even more radiant and beautiful, beyond words.

For Concubine Jiang, pregnancy was not a burden, but rather gave her an extra layer of maternal glow.

The aloof and detached fairy in the Moon Palace has been stained by the mundane world and has a different kind of beauty.

The lazy sitting posture and casual expression do not make people feel that she is not dignified enough, but instead have a unique charm.

When she mentioned Madam Lu, a gleam flashed in her beautiful eyes.

She is just an old woman, yet she dares to occupy Ajiu's post station.

She didn't bully Ajiu, but looked down on Concubine Jiang.

Concubine Jiang didn't show it on her face, but she secretly held a grudge against Madam Lu and the entire Dugu family.

Almost on the day she heard the news, Concubine Jiang ordered someone to summon the imperial physician.

Half an hour later, the entire Taiji Palace knew that Concubine Jiang was so angry that she had a miscarriage.

The saint arrived at the first time, and facing the king's concerned gaze, Concubine Jiang still did not change her cold and noble personality of "disdaining to lie".

With arrogance and stubbornness in her eyes, she said, "My dear, I know that a second-married woman like me will never be in the eyes of a noble lady like Madam Lu."

Her identity as a second marriage is still a "stain" on Concubine Jiang.

Even in the heart of a saint, there is always the slightest resentment.

It is also the biggest handle for others to criticize Concubine Jiang.

However, this handle can also become a tool for Concubine Jiang to attract people's love.

Shame, anger, and self-blame flashed across Concubine Jiang's beautiful face.

Marrying for the second time was not her wish, but she had to bear all the ridicule and insults that came with it.

How innocent is she?

Others don’t know the truth of what happened back then, but could it be that even the saints don’t know it?

Yes, Wang Lin offered his wife to please his superiors, but he was also greedy, selfish and shameless.

But the saints are absolutely correct?

If he had not shown his interest in the most beautiful woman in the world in front of Wang Lin, why would Wang Lin take the "risk"?

After Wang Lin and Jiang divorced, he secretly ordered someone to send Jiang to the saint's military tent. The saint gladly accepted her, which made Jiang's "second marriage" successful!

Now, Concubine Jiang has to bear all the blame. How unfair is that?

Concubine Jiang will not resent the saint, but she can make the saint feel guilty and distressed because of this!

Even if the saint did not feel guilty or distressed, he would still feel awkward and uncomfortable when people kept attacking Concubine Jiang's past of "remarriage".

The saint is an emperor. If he is uncomfortable, some people will feel even more uncomfortable.

Sure enough, when the saint heard Concubine Jiang crying and telling about her "stain", his eyes turned a little cold.

"I'm quite pretty, and my husband loves me and cares for me, so I let Madam Lu and other elders misunderstand me as a seductress, and even my husband was mistakenly believed to be bewitched by beauty."

"My dear, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have married you, let alone fallen in love with you, and I shouldn't have stayed by your side all this time..."

"But I can't bear to leave you! And my wife treats me like a sister."

"Like duckweed, after drifting for half my life, I finally have a home, someone to rely on, a lover, and relatives. I, I——"

After Concubine Jiang "spurned herself", she began to express her love to the saint in a roundabout way.

If Concubine Jiang really felt that her identity was embarrassing, even if she didn't commit suicide, she should have left tactfully.

She didn't!

It's not that she is greedy for power, but she can't bear to leave her beloved husband and the warm and happy home he has given her.

The person who is as cold and noble as a fairy in the Moon Palace shows her love and admiration for the man without reservation. Even if the man is the emperor, she can't help but be moved.

Concubine Jiang's words not only expressed her love for her husband, but also her respect and reluctance to part with her mistress.

The emperor and empress, this supreme couple, already had an old grudge against the Dugu family because of the struggle for the throne.

I originally wanted to treat Madam Lu kindly out of consideration for her status as an elder.

However, due to Concubine Jiang's crying, the emperor and empress made a unanimous decision: to give Lady Lu the cold shoulder first.

elder?

The emperor and empress both came from large families and had no shortage of elders.

Moreover, he personally drove the saint's most direct elder off the throne and respectfully sent him to the Daming Palace.

If he could treat his own father like this, what about his adopted aunt who is confused and has old grudges?

The queen may not be as "decisive" as a saint, but she has a father and a mother, and she has no shortage of an aunt to whom she can express her remembrance and respect for her deceased mother.

I won't be afraid of Lady Lu getting angry, but in the Queen's heart, Lady Lu, her aunt, is not as close to her as Concubine Jiang, with whom she has a deep sisterly relationship.

Concubine Jiang is not only a smart and sensible concubine, but also the queen's partner.

The Queen has made a lot of money over the years thanks to Concubine Jiang and her subordinates Wang Heng, Wang Mian and others.

The queen's private treasury has long been rich enough to rival a country.

Queen Li completed her transformation from Princess of Qi to Queen, and Wang Heng also got the title of Princess. Their business will only grow bigger and bigger.

Businesses that were once not dared to be done or could not be expanded due to concerns about identity and status can now be done.

For example, sugar!

For example, salt!

Another example, glass!

"Madam Lu has already been disdained by the Saint and the Lady, so there is nothing to fear!"

Concubine Jiang was reluctant to mention an old woman who had fallen out of favor. She was more concerned about her daughter's mansion and -

"I've already informed the Saint and Madam about that glass."

Concubine Jiang looked at Wang Heng and asked seriously, "Is this item really so valuable?"

In the letter, Wang Heng painted a long and rosy picture for Concubine Jiang: if the glass project is successful, she will surely reap huge profits.

Moreover, this business is endless.

It can continuously and stably fill the private vaults of several nobles.

The annual income may even exceed the revenue of the national treasury.

The saint rules the world and does not seem to be short of money.

In fact, he is very short of it.

Whether it is repairing the Grand Canal or fighting against foreign enemies such as the Turks, money is needed.

The sage is ambitious and determined to defeat the foreign enemies around him, so he needs a steady supply of money and food.

If there is not enough income, the court and the people will obstruct the saint's various expedition plans.

Just the word "warmongering" is enough to persuade successfully.

Even saints must think carefully and must not become incompetent rulers or tyrants who will be infamous for eternity!

money! grain!

There is really a shortage of saints.

Wang Heng, Wang Mian and other younger generations, however, said shamelessly: Money and food are trivial matters!