EBE Chapter 245 Bystander
Chapter 245 Bystander
The Queen did not speak, but tapped her fingers lightly on the table.
The sound of "thump thump thump" echoed in Lin Ziping's heart.
"My sisters have not been home for many years. Recently, His Majesty and I discussed it and have granted permission for you all to return home to visit," the Empress said, pausing her work.
"Really?" Wang Shiyi looked at the Empress with surprise and delight. "I've been in the palace for so many years, except for the Lantern Festival when I can go back for a few days. I haven't been back at any other time."
Fang Qingmiao nodded with a smile in her eyes and looked at the Empress, saying, "Sister Shiyi is right. Is Your Majesty really allowed to go back?"
The others also looked at the Empress with anticipation.
"Of course." The Empress smiled slightly. "However, for the safety of my sisters, Lin Ziping will escort and accompany them."
"Him?!" Wang Shiyi looked Lin Ziping up and down with a reluctant expression. "My Wang family has plenty of guards. What could he possibly do?"
Li Ya said, "Your Majesty, if we all go back, what will happen to the affairs of the palace?"
The Empress gave Li Ya an approving look: "Consort Li has thought this through. So we will take turns going, and each of us will have ten days to visit our families."
"Is Her Majesty the Empress also going back to the Zhou family?" the woman in green palace attire asked.
The Empress nodded: "This is a great favor from His Majesty. Besides, I also want to go out of the palace to have a look around."
"But is it absolutely necessary to bring him along?" Wang Shiyi looked at Lin Ziping.
Lin Ziping remained motionless, maintaining the gesture of bowing.
"Don't worry about it, Miss Wang. He's just a... guard. Is it possible that your Wang family can't even afford to support a guard for ten days?" Fang Qingmiao said with a gentle smile.
Wang Shiyi said reproachfully, "Sister Fang, please don't tease me. That's not what I meant at all. Is Your Majesty the Empress and Sister Ji also going back together?"
"How could Yanran be left out? This was arranged personally by His Majesty," the Empress said.
"Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty and Your Majesty."
Lin Ziping recognized the voice as that of a woman in a green palace dress.
season?
These are people from the Ji family.
Did every family in the Great Zhou Dynasty have members in the emperor's harem?
The palaces where these imperial concubines resided were likely the offices of their respective families within the imperial palace.
"Do you have any objections to Lin Ziping's marriage to the ladies at their home?" the Empress asked.
"As Your Majesty commands," Lin Ziping said, moving his stiff arm as he returned to his seat.
Modern jobs not only require mental effort but also demand a high level of physical strength.
“Sister Ji, you’re too modest. You are His Majesty’s most favored woman now. How could His Majesty forget you when there’s something good happening?” Wang Shiyi said, picking up a chestnut.
"Your Majesty, I dare not." Ji Yanran quickly stood up and bowed.
Fang Qingmiao glared at Wang Shiyi, then stood up and helped Ji Yanran up: "Ji's younger sister is young, Shiyi, you frightened her."
Then he said, "Sister Yanran, don't take it to heart. We're used to joking around. You'll know once you get to know her better. Even though she's a mother of several children and can't keep her mouth shut, she has a good heart."
Ji Yanran held Fang Qingmiao's hand, tilted her head and smiled, "Your Majesty, I understand."
The Empress looked at Wang Shiyi and said, "Shiyi, you have been in the palace for many years. So many people come and go from the palace every year. Is there anyone you like?"
Wang Shiyi laughed and said, "What I like? I like His Majesty the most!"
Everyone else seemed to be immersed in the joy of being able to leave the palace, and they just laughed off Wang Shiyi's words, and began to discuss what to bring and what to do.
Although Lin Ziping was paying attention to everyone in the room, he focused more on the Empress.
Amidst the commotion and chatter of the others, the Empress lowered her eyes, her lips barely moving as she softly repeated Wang Shiyi's words: "Yes, we all love His Majesty the most!"
The room was bustling with activity, but Lin Ziping remained a detached observer, calmly watching everyone's joys and sorrows.
The gathering of family representatives lasted until evening, and Lin Ziping even had a working meal at Yukun Palace before returning to Xihe Courtyard.
By the time we returned to Xihe Temple, it was already dark.
After passing through the thick palace walls, you can see the lights shining in the courtyard.
Dongshan, who was guarding the courtyard gate, hurriedly came up to greet Lin Ziping when he returned.
"You're back. It must be quite cold outside," Dongshan said, draping a cloak over Lin Ziping's shoulders.
Lin Ziping avoided his hand, casually tied a knot in the sash on both sides of his cloak, and said, "Thank you, sir. What brings you here?"
Dongshan withdrew his hand and smiled, "It's alright for me to wait, but His Majesty is already inside."
Lin Ziping paused, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly: "Is His Majesty inside?"
"Yes, it will be time of the Rooster (5-7 PM) soon," Dongshan replied.
5-7 PM?
Lin Ziping calculated that it was exactly the time when the tea party in the Empress's palace ended.
After seeing off the palace representatives Wang, Fang, Li, and Ji, having a meal, finding a place to take care of personal matters, and then slowly walking back, it was just past 7 PM.
Making the top leader of the Great Zhou wait for two hours is indeed quite a long time.
Lin Ziping hurriedly apologized: "It is my fault for troubling Your Majesty and Your Excellency to wait for so long."
“We are not in any trouble, but His Majesty is in the courtyard… Ziping, you should go quickly.” Dongshan’s smile deepened.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir." Lin Ziping clasped his hands in a salute to Dongshan, said no more, and hurried into the courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, a wave of heat hit him. When he reached the corner, Lin Ziping took off his cloak and draped it over his hand.
The courtyard was brightly lit, leading directly to the main house.
"Knock—knock—" Lin Ziping approached and gently knocked on the door.
"Enter--"
Lin Ziping waited for a sound to come from inside before pushing the door open and entering.
The emperor sat cross-legged on the couch, holding the book that Lin Ziping had been reading a few days ago, and was flipping through it.
Lin Ziping suddenly recalled the words he had heard in the Empress's palace earlier that day, and a strange sense of embarrassment welled up in his heart. He stood at the door without moving.
The wind rustled the bamboo leaves in the courtyard.
"You're back?" The emperor seemed to notice that Lin Ziping hadn't moved and looked up at him.
Lin Ziping took a deep breath, left the door slightly ajar, put down the cloak in his hand, and walked towards the emperor.
"Your Majesty!" Lin Ziping stopped one meter away from the emperor, clasped his hands, and knelt down to pay his respects.
"Have you finished reading these books?" the emperor asked.
"I've finished reading," Lin Ziping replied. "Today, Her Majesty the Empress..."
"How does Lin Ziping's Xihe Courtyard compare to Yukun Palace?" The emperor interrupted Lin Ziping before he could finish speaking.
this--
Lin Ziping slightly raised his eyes and saw that the emperor's expression had not changed.
He replied after careful consideration, "The palace is full of beautiful scenery, and Yukun Palace and Xihe Courtyard are naturally the best."
The emperor slammed the book down: "Is this how Lin Zhong has taught you for the past ten years?"
Lin Ziping prostrated himself and begged for forgiveness: "This humble servant is filled with fear and trepidation!"
The house suddenly fell silent, and the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the bamboo leaves outside the courtyard drifted in through the crack in the door.
"Haha—" After a while, the emperor laughed, "You really are just like him. Get up."
Lin Ziping was too lazy to distinguish whose words the emperor was referring to.
Today he finally understood that neither of the male nor female leaders of this Great Zhou were normal. In any case, they were like fish on a chopping board, and he just had to follow their orders.