Chapter 404: Marriage to Xiao Xiao

The empress dowager felt a little sour when she heard her say this. In fact, what she said was nothing more than a guarantee from her, because the old eighth was coming back soon.

However, she deliberately avoided it, which was a bit contrary to what she had been saying before and not fighting for anything.

After dressing up, the Empress Dowager called Eunuch Sun, "Is the decree ready?"

Eunuch Sun lowered his head, "It's ready to go back to the Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager said: "You read it once to the Ai family."

Eunuch Sun was stunned for a moment, "Read it now?"

"Yes, read it." The Empress Dowager said.

Eunuch Sun replied: "Yes, the slave went to get the will, so the queen mother stamped the seal herself."

Eunuch Sun turned and left. Just as he got the order, he heard a voice from outside the door, "The regent is here."

The empress dowager was slightly startled, "Isn't it early morning time? Why did you come here?"

Murong Jie walked in with a smile, and his smile subsided when he touched the imperial concubine, "Mother, my son is here to take your order."

"Oh," the empress dowager was astonished, "Is it going now? Don't you have to discuss political affairs first?"

"Let's issue the decree first. After the decree is issued, the people below will be able to do things easily. After all, the time is short, and it only takes a day and a half to prepare."

The empress dowager made sense after thinking about it, so she said to Eunuch Sun: "Take the seal of the Ai family."

Eunuch Sun heaved a sigh of relief, and immediately took the seal. He slightly opened the seal to cover part of it.

The Empress Dowager stamped the seal and was about to take a look, but Murong Jie quickly came up to take the order, "The ministers are all waiting for my ministers, and my ministers will come back later."

The Empress Dowager said: "Since the decree is issued first, the Ai family will go with you."

Murong Jie said: "Alright, let's go."

The empress dowager turned around and invited the noble concubine, "You can go too."

The Grand Concubine looked indifferent, "My sister won't go."

"Go, go, Zhuang Zhuang is also your sister-in-law, you should go." The Empress Dowager let her go because she wanted to let her participate in the affairs of the royal family, so that she would have a sense of belonging, and don't always think that she is an outsider.

Eunuch Sun looked at Murong Jie worriedly, but Murong Jie didn't show him, as if he didn't know the content of the decree had changed.

Liang Shulin was the leader of the Eastern Palace, so he was naturally unable to attend the early court. However, he also patrolled in front of the palace for some reason, just waiting for the decree to be issued.

Grand Tutor Liang knew yesterday that the Empress Dowager was going to appoint Liang Shulin as her son-in-law, and he was looking forward to it in his heart. Last night, he deliberately showed his affection to Liang Shulin. Liang Shulin's attitude was very good, which made the Grand Tutor very satisfied.

Lord Xiaohou also knew that Zhuang Zhuang and Liang Shulin's marriage will be issued this morning. He originally wanted to excuse his illness and not go to court early, but he didn't sleep well all night, so he finally decided to come.

Now that you choose, you have to bear all the consequences.

No one knows how much he likes the eldest princess, such a beautiful, intelligent, wise and intelligent woman, if she can marry Xiao Xiao, it will indeed be a blessing for the Xiao family.

God's will tricks people, even if they die in love, they can't get together.

This is the cruelest.

He is ashamed of Xiao Xiao. Over the years, Xiao Xiao has made great achievements and stabilized the position of the Xiao family. The Xiao family is very prestigious under his military exploits, but those who have paid all this will not get anything.

"The empress dowager has arrived, the noble concubine has arrived, and the regent has arrived!" The eunuch in charge of ceremonies in front of the palace shouted loudly.

The bells and drums of the early dynasty sounded, and the sound shook the capital.

All the officials knelt down and called the Queen Mother three times.

As for the regent, even though he temporarily acts as the emperor, the officials do not need to bow down when they go to court, they just bow and salute.

After the ceremony, Murong Jie sat on the dragon chair, looking around at everyone, when he was not smiling, he was very serious and serious, and his eyes were also very sharp, so almost no one dared to meet his gaze directly.

"Before today's morning government discussion, the Empress Dowager has a decree to announce, so you should put aside the matter that you plan to report and listen to the Empress Dowager's decree."

The empress dowager looked at all the civil and military officials with a majestic expression, "I think everyone knows that the princess has passed the marriageable age and the marriage has to be done quickly. Therefore, although she is sick now, the Ai family feels that it is time to find a son-in-law for her. With the help of my husband's luck, perhaps the princess can survive this calamity."

A minister comforted: "The queen mother can relax, the princess will have a good fortune."

"Yes, with the wishes of all adults, she will recover." The Empress Dowager said.

She pressed her hand, wanting Eunuch Sun to enter the palace to announce the decree, but Murong Jie stepped forward and said: "Let the supervisor of ceremonies read out this decree!"

The empress dowager nodded, "That's right, this is the main hall, let the supervisor of ceremonies announce it."

Eunuch Li, the supervisor of ceremonies, came in with a decree and read it out in public, "Emperor Hui has a daughter, Princess Murong Zhuangzhuang, the eldest princess of Zhenguo, beautiful and intelligent, gentle and honest, outstanding in appearance, and old-fashioned..."

Eunuch Li paused after reading this, and looked back at the Empress Dowager with a hesitant expression.

The empress dowager said displeasedly: "Quickly declare!"

Eunuch Li responded, "Yes!"

He continued to read, "I heard that the eldest grandson of Lord Xiao Hou and the emperor personally named Xiao Xiao, the Great General of the Zhou Dynasty, with extraordinary martial arts, both civil and military, and childhood sweethearts with the princess. The old man and the regent were very happy to hear about it. The wedding ceremonies will be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Inner Palace!"

When the decree was read out to General Xiao Xiao, the queen mother knew something was wrong, but she couldn't stop Eunuch Li from reading it out.

The scene suddenly became suspicious, because before the announcement, everyone knew that the candidate for the son-in-law was Liang Shulin.

Especially the noble concubine, she immediately looked at the empress dowager, and lowered her voice, "What's going on? Isn't it Liang Shulin?"

The Empress Dowager's face was a little ugly, but she couldn't explain it, she just looked at Lord Xiao and said, "Master Hou still doesn't accept the order?"

Lord Xiao Hou hesitated for a while, then came out and knelt down with a pale face, "The old minister accepts the order, and the old minister thanks the emperor for his kindness."

Liang Taifu's eyes were cold, and he sneered from the bottom of his heart, let's see what tricks they play.

Liang Shulin also heard the reading outside the hall. He didn't expect it to be like this. Why was it Xiao Xiao? But didn't the queen mother say yesterday that he is the candidate for the son-in-law?

How come one night has passed and everything has changed?

The old King Xian came out, "Queen Mother, Xiao Xiao already has a wife, how can he marry the princess?"

"Uncle," Murong Jie said, "Han Qingqiu is dead."

"Dead, she is Xiao Xiao's wife, and she has to be ahead of the princess on the tablet, which is incompatible with respect." Lao Xianwang said.

Zhuang Zhuang is the cousin of the old King Xian. As a member of the royal family, he naturally doesn't want the honorable Princess Zhen Guo to be subservient to other women after her death.

Murong Jie smiled and said: "Uncle Huang, don't worry, Han Qingqiu has long been dismissed by Xiao Xiao."

He looked at Lord Xiao Hou, "Really? Lord Hou?"

Master Xiao's hand holding the will was trembling, "Yes, Xiao Xiao has divorced Han Qingqiu. They are not husband and wife for a long time. It's just that he has kept this matter secret in order not to be condemned by the empress dowager."

"This is a strange thing. Why did Xiao Xiao want to divorce his wife? Where is the divorce letter?" Old Xian Wang asked.

Only then did Murong Jie let Eunuch Sun come in, took out the divorce letter, and handed it to the old King Xian, "Xiao Xiao had already divorced Han Qingqiu on the night of getting married. When Han Qingqiu talked to the girl about the case of the princess being close to Yao Zhi, Xiao Xiao vaguely heard Han Qingqiu say that she killed Yao Zhi. Later, when I went to the expedition, I asked the king to investigate the murder of Yaozhi on his behalf. The king was young at the time and didn't take it seriously. It was not until these few months that the king ordered someone to re-investigate, and went to ask Han Qingqiu with evidence. Knowing that his crimes would be exposed sooner or later, Han Qingqiu panicked for a while, and finally committed suicide in fear of crime."