Forty-nine employed women

  After the court discussion, Liu Bang finally came to a clear realization that although he was the supreme ruler of the world, the abolition and establishment of the crown prince were not something he could do as he pleased. And after today's court discussion, his old wife and concubine had already begun their struggle, which would no longer end well. If one day he couldn't become emperor as he wished, what kind of fate would Empress Lü and her son suffer after his death?

  At this thought, Liu Bang couldn't help but shudder.

  "Is Your Majesty troubled by something?" Minister of Imperial Censor Zhao Yaowei stepped forward, bowing his waist.

  "Yes." The Emperor sighed, "You don't understand the worries in my heart."

  "Your Majesty's other thoughts, I dare not guess." Zhao Yao put his hands in his sleeves and smiled, "But Your Majesty's current concerns, I can ask myself to infer one or two. May I try to guess?"

  The High Emperor smiled and said, "What's wrong with that?"

  "Your Majesty is unhappy, is it because King Zhao is young and Queen Dowager Lü has always been at odds with Concubine Qi?" asked Zhao Yao.

  The Emperor was slightly surprised and looked at him, saying, "It's like this. I'm really worried in my heart, but I don't know how to make a plan."

  "Your Majesty can appoint a loyal and capable prime minister for the King of Zhao, so that the Empress, the Crown Prince, and all the officials will have something to fear."

  The Emperor thought for a moment and said, "I also think so. But - who among the officials can bear this heavy responsibility?"

  "Grandee Secretary Zhou Chang is a man of strong will and straightforwardness, respected and admired by Empress Lü, the Crown Prince and all the high officials. That's right. Moreover," Zhao Yao said in a low voice, "Zhou Chang once strongly supported the Crown Prince and had kindness to Empress Lü and her son."

  The Emperor was overjoyed and said, "Good." He then summoned Zhou Chang and transferred the Imperial Censor-in-Chief Zhou Chang to be the Chancellor of Zhao.

  Emperor Gaozu had been holding the Imperial Censor-in-Chief seal for a long time, and asked everyone, "Who can be the Imperial Censor-in-Chief?" Everyone looked at Zhao Yao and smiled, saying, "Besides Zhao Yao, who else could it be?" So Zhao Yao was appointed as the Imperial Censor-in-Chief.

  In the third month of spring, on a xin-chou day, Taizi Ying married Chen Jia's daughter Hu as his wife.

  "How is this possible?" In the Qu Yinhou Mansion, Chen Hu was surrounded by a crowd of people and opened her eyes in confusion. "I don't even know any prince, what's going on? Why would they suddenly betroth me to be the crown prince's consort?"

  "But that's what everyone in the mansion is saying." Xiang Wan said hesitantly, "The madam just received an imperial decree and was overjoyed. The marquis has entered the palace and hasn't returned yet."

  Chen Hu's mind was in a mess, she wanted to do something but couldn't, and when she thought of asking someone, she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to ask even Lü Gongzi's name and address. She remembered the warm smile of that young man, whose clothes and speech were not ordinary, he should also be from a noble family - but can anyone be more noble than the Tian family? Her heart was suddenly desolate, and she almost shed tears.

  "Second daughter, don't cry." Xiang Qian hastily consoled.

  "I want to go out for a walk." Chen Hu wiped away her tears and said calmly.

  "Second Mistress," said the old steward, blocking the carriage at the Hou Mansion gate, "your status is different now, you can't just go out as you please..."

  Chen Hu was furious and swung his whip at the newcomer, who hastily retreated to the side. Fortunately, he was in Erniang's daughter's home, so the whip didn't have enough force. He prayed silently in his heart. When he turned around again, the carriage had already gone far away.

  "Where are we going, Chen's wife?" the driver asked from up front.

  "I don't know either." Chen Huo said vaguely, "Let's just wander around Chang'an City."

  The coachman shook the reins and drove steadily along Zhangtai Street towards Anmen, just passing Wuku, when suddenly a woman inside the carriage lifted the curtain and hastily said, "Go to the entrance of Changle Palace."

  She wanted to ask her father earlier why she became a wife and mother for no reason.

  "Uh-huh." The coachman responded, "But Second Madam, we're almost at Xiqiao. Are you going to Xiqiao or Beiqiao?"

  "It's all right," Chen Hu said lightly, putting down the curtain in her hand.

  She saw Zhang Yan.

  Outside the Hou Mansion, a copper-walled sedan chair slowly came to a stop. A lovely young girl with a round bun on her head jumped out of the carriage, accompanied by a noblewoman's hand. The woman was over twenty years old, and although her face wasn't particularly beautiful, she wore a magnificent embroidered dress, exuding elegance and refinement.

  Zhang Yan was standing in front of her own door, looking up and chatting with her mother about something. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chen Hu jumping off a car across the street and walking towards this side. She was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed, "Oh, Sister Hu, why are you coming to my house? Ah, no," she patted her own head, covering her mouth with a smile, "I'll change my words and call you Aunt instead."

  "Mother," she pulled at Ruyuan's sleeve and winked, "this is the second daughter of the Qu Nihou household, Sister Hu."

  Lu Yuan stopped in her tracks upon hearing the words. As Princess Lü's own daughter and the Crown Prince's elder sister, she naturally knew about the circumstances of Princess Lü arranging for Chen family's daughter to be betrothed to her brother. At this moment, she carefully sized up this beautiful young girl who was about to become her younger sister-in-law, silently praising her: indeed, she had a lovely face and a slender figure, and was quite a good match for her own brother.

  But she secretly frowned, why did this girl who was about to become the crown princess of the Great Han have a face full of sadness and distress?

  "What does Chen's wife mean?" She said coldly and displeased, "Isn't she satisfied with my brother?"

  "It's not like that." Chen Hu's lips curved into a smile, but she couldn't quite manage to laugh, and suddenly her eyes reddened. She bowed her head to Zhang Yan and said, "Ah Yan, I may...I may not be able to be your aunt after all."

  "Hey, why?" Zhang Yan was surprised.

  "Because, because," Chen Hu fell into tears, "today, Your Majesty sent someone to our mansion to deliver an imperial edict."

  "Uh-huh." I knew it.

  "Say, say I'm appointed as the crown prince's consort."

  I also know this, is there something wrong?

  No, could it be that—

  Zhang Yan thought more and more suspicious, raised her head and exchanged a glance with her mother, finally pointing to the gate of their own Hou Mansion and asked cautiously, "Hua sister, do you know where this is?"

  Chen Hu said irritably, "I know, it's the Xuanping Marquis' estate. Such a big signboard, I'm not blind."

  "And you know or don't know," he said, bending his fingers back to point at himself, continuing cautiously, "what my surname is?"

  "I know, your surname is Zhang." That kid Ruyi had called out in the car.

  "Do you know or not, my mom and I just got back home?" Zhang Yan asked cautiously.

  Chen Hu was so angry that she became furious, "You didn't tell me before, how could I——"

  She suddenly fell silent.

  Xuanping Marquis Zhang Ao, who is he?

  He was the son of Zhao Wang Zhang Er, and in the third year of Han he married the eldest princess of Lu Yuan. Shortly after, he succeeded as King of Zhao, becoming one of the most powerful vassal kings of the early Han dynasty. However, last year he was accused of "plotting rebellion" and was stripped of his title as king, demoted to Marquis of Xuanping.

  Then who is his daughter? Who is the one she calls uncle?

  "You, you... he, he..." Chen Hu was tongue-tied and almost couldn't speak.

  "That's right."

  Lu Yuan's complexion had warmed up, and he looked at it with interest, smiling as he took over the conversation. "A Yan called Shu Xiang, that is, the younger brother of Ben Gong Zhuang, the eldest son of Liu Ying."

  A sharp and incisive answer.

  For a moment, Chen Hu was so ashamed that he almost lost his breath.

  Look, what embarrassing thing has she done?

  She didn't know the name, identity of her heart's desire, his family fulfilled their promise and came to marry her with proper ceremony, but she was still clueless, mistaking it for good news and was heartbroken, even going so far as to find his niece to pour out her troubles to, crying uncontrollably in the middle of the street.

  The most embarrassing thing was that she lost face in front of the eldest sister of the crown prince, Princess Ruyuan.

  Chen Hu's face turned red and white, she didn't say a word, turned around and walked back to her own carriage, with a stern expression ordered to return to the mansion, the coachman drove the carriage and turned his head, along Zhangtai Street heading back.

  The carriage's rear shadow rose with a faint dust, "It seems," Zhang Yan withdrew her gaze and said awkwardly, "Uncle probably forgot to tell her his own identity."

  "Uh-huh." Lu Yuan tried her best to maintain a virtuous demeanor, but eventually couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. "Yingdi, Yingdi," she said, lifting her head up with a hint of red on her cheeks, lively and energetic. "Yingdi has always been mature for his age, but this time he actually made such a big fool of himself, I suppose it's good to see that he still has some youthful spirit left in him. I'll tell your grandma about it tomorrow, let her have a good laugh too."

  Zhang Yan looked a bit dazed, pouting her lips and saying, "Mother also said that Uncle is like this, but you are still dignified and virtuous. Actually, if you smiled more, you would look even better, Father would like it too."

  "Goodness gracious." Lu Yuan's face turned bright red with anger and he scolded, "You naughty child, what nonsense are you talking about?" But his face was as red as a peach blossom.

  Don't miss it when you pass by.

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