The Queen Mother suddenly ordered to summon her, and Zhao Xiu was really a little surprised.

The three ancestors and grandchildren of the Zhao family have just received the grace, Zhao Zhuo and his wife have been posthumously sealed, and the whole family is beaming. Zhang pondered about going to the palace again to thank the Queen Mother, but she did not plan to bring her granddaughter as usual. Regarding the will of the Queen Mother, the three ancestors and grandchildren of the Zhao family were a little surprised. But looking at the faces of the messengers who came to the palace to announce the message, it is not a bad thing to think about it. Maybe the Queen Mother heard about Zhao Wei's move, so she summoned Zhao Wei's grandmother and sister to meet Jin?

Zhang instructed his granddaughter carefully: "You are the first time to see the Queen Mother, and you must not go on a business trip." I also taught you earlier, but I haven't used it for many years, and I don't know if you have forgotten the rules of the palace. Come to my room in a moment and show me again. The taboos in the palace, I also have to inquire about them once in advance. ”

Zhao Xiu was a little nervous by her, and began to feel uneasy while answering. However, Zhao Wei smiled and comforted his sister: "Don't be nervous, the Queen Mother and the emperor are both very kind people." My sister has always had a good number of courtesies, even if she is younger, unfamiliar with the rules, or accidentally made a taboo when speaking, the Queen Mother will laugh at most and will not care about her sister. ”

Their brother and sister have made a contribution to saving the fight, and they have a different relationship with the royal family, and the emperor usually looks at them, and they are all more close. If they are pampered and arrogant and cause a catastrophe, the queen mother and the emperor may not be willing to tolerate it. But they can still tolerate some painless little problems. The worst case is that the Queen Mother doesn't like her sister. It's just a matter of calling a few times less and caring less about one or two, but it is okay for the future of life.

Zhao Xiu also figured this out, and felt much calmer. said with a smile: "The ancients often said that the prime minister can support the boat in his belly. The measure of the Queen Mother is much more than that of the Prime Minister. As long as I don't go on a business trip, I am more respectful when I see Jin, and the Queen Mother will answer everything truthfully, and it will be okay to think about it. ”

Zhao Wei smiled and nodded, and Zhang also said: "Of course, the Queen Mother is an extremely generous and kind person. ”

Zhao Xiu seized the time to review the palace rules and regulations. He also consulted the Zhang family about the preferences and taboos of the Queen Mother, and the next day wore a newly made autumn-colored silver-embroidered shoulder jacket and a water-red woven gold horse-faced skirt. He tied a crown of gold wire and beads on his head, and went to the palace with his grandmother Zhang.

The Queen Mother seemed to attach great importance to this summons, and sent palace people to wait at the palace gate early, leading Zhang and Zhao Xiu all the way in. The people of that palace are well dressed. is obviously extremely faceless in front of the Queen Mother. walked all the way, and talked to Zhang and Zhao Xiu unhurriedly all the way, although what he said was homely, but he seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally inquiring about Zhao Xiu's situation at home. Zhao Xiu didn't notice anything wrong at first, but after listening to it for a long time, he faintly felt something strange. The Queen Mother wanted to know about her, why couldn't she say it to her face, but asked the people around her to inquire privately?

However, the people of that palace are not very conspicuous. The tone was also very natural, and Zhang didn't notice anything wrong at all. Zhao Xiu didn't have much to do.

The palace is very large, and because the Zhang family has come more and has experience, it is much easier to enter the palace from the Shenwu Gate, pass through the imperial garden from the back of the palace, and go directly around to the Cining Palace, which is much easier than entering from the main gate of the palace. The grandfather and grandson walked on their legs, and after walking for less than two quarters of an hour, they arrived at the gate of Cining Palace.

The Queen Mother summoned them in the Xinuan Pavilion in the apse of Cining Palace. Compared with the main hall, this place is less restrained and more casual, which is suitable for entertaining good friends. When Zhao Xiu greeted the Queen Mother, he saw that the Zhang family was very familiar with this house, and he was not restrained in greeting the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother is really as Zhang said, very generous and kind. Although everyone calls her an "old man", she is actually only about fifty years old, and because of her good maintenance, she looks like she is only about forty people. She had a very blessed round face, with fair skin, crooked eyebrows and eyes, and slightly curled corners of her mouth, as if she was smiling all the time, and she looked kind. When she saw Zhao Xiu, she seemed a little surprised, and then smiled and squinted her eyes again: "If I hadn't known how old your child was, I would have thought that Sister Xiu would be in time this year!" ”

Zhao Xiu was born taller than the little girls of the same age, she exercises a lot on weekdays, and she pays attention to nutrition, so her figure has begun to develop, her chest is slightly bulging, her waist is thin, and her legs are straight and slender. She was wearing a short jacket and long skirt, straightening her waist, and she looked taller and more slender. The Queen Mother saw that she was very different from the imaginary "bean sprouts", but vaguely understood why her eldest grandson decided that she didn't let go of the little girl - look at this size, she said that she was a girl of the same age as Gao Zhen, and some people believed it, Gao Zhen would take a fancy to others, and she was really not confused.

The Queen Mother looked at Zhao Xiu's appearance again, with a goose egg face, a slightly rounded chin, and the same crooked eyebrows and eyes, which made people feel good when they saw it, and they were particularly pleasing when they laughed. What is even more rare is that her eyes are dark and bright, even in front of herself, the most noble woman in the world, she does not show the slightest flinch, but looks at people generously, with only respect and a little curiosity in her eyes, no desire and ambition. When the Queen Mother saw it, she first liked it in her heart - such a girl is open-minded, and she will not have the intention of flattering and climbing up, nor will she make some conspiracies and tricks behind her back to harm others.

The Queen Mother beckoned to Zhao Xiu with a smile and motioned for her to come in front of her. Zhao Xiu glanced at Zhang, and when he saw her nodding with a smile, he also walked forward with a smile. The Queen Mother took her hand and took a look, and saw that her ten fingers were slender, and there were calluses between the index finger and middle finger of her right hand. The Queen Mother thought of the suffering of the Zhao family, and then thought of the Zhang family's temperament, she couldn't help but sigh secretly in her heart, and said to the Zhang family with a smile: "You should have brought your granddaughter into the palace a long time ago, and you didn't let the mourning family see it until today, you are too stingy." ”

Zhang smiled and said: "Her child is not sensible, and she is used to being presumptuous in the countryside, I am afraid that she will not understand the rules and collide with her mother, so I dare not take her into the palace." I brought her here today to thank her. ”

The Queen Mother said: "You are too humble in what you say, your granddaughter is very good, and the mourning family likes it when she sees it, where does she not understand the rules?" He took Zhao Xiu's hand and asked some trivial things, such as how old he is this year, when is his birthday, and have you ever studied? What do you do at home? And so on and so forth.

Zhao Xiu answered one by one, and the Queen Mother heard that she was studying with her grandmother at home, and she did not invite Xixi, so she asked her what books she had read.

Zhao Xiu remembered that Zhang's instructions would be good if he had something to say to the Queen Mother, so he really told the truth. She has naturally read not only "Female Training" and "Female Commandment", but also the four books and five classics have been studied seriously, not only taught by her grandmother Zhang, but also guided by a brother who can take the high school township test Yakui, so her knowledge is quite solid. When the Queen Mother heard that she had even learned all of these, she was a little incredulous, so she first asked two simple questions, and Zhao Xiu answered them one by one. The Queen Mother asked two more questions of medium difficulty, and generally those who can pass the Xiucai exam can answer them, and Zhao Xiu also answered, and they were all right. The Queen Mother was suddenly pleasantly surprised, she is also the daughter of the scholarly eunuch family, and she likes learned girls the most in her life, in order to try to be clear, she also asked two difficult questions, which can usually be answered, and they are all at the level of a person.

Zhao Xiu didn't answer immediately this time, but lowered his head and thought for a while before answering. But the answer is still correct, maybe a little shallow, I can't discuss it in depth, but this is neither the imperial examination room, nor the academy school, Zhao Xiu was the question that Zhao Xiu answered casually when he met the Queen Mother, and it is very rare to be able to answer this part. The Queen Mother said to Zhang: "The mourning family is only convinced of you today, the family has not invited Xixi seriously, a pair of grandchildren and granddaughters are raised by you, the grandson was promoted at a young age, and even the granddaughter is so talented, and the general scholarly family can't produce such an outstanding child." ”

Zhang's heart is actually quite happy, speaking of which, she has not taken care of her grandchildren's homework for a few days, Zhao Wei studied outside several years ago, and after entering Beijing, there are also famous Confucians to guide her homework; In recent years, her granddaughter has mainly learned talents and helped the housekeeper, and occasionally she will ask her if she has questions, and she still asks her grandson more often on weekdays. Zhao Xiu was able to answer the Queen Mother's question, and she was also a little surprised. However, her temperament is impossible to receive the Queen Mother's praise at this time, but she is modest and a few words: "The Queen Mother praised it falsely, this child is just a girl who studied with me and her brother for two years when she was a child, where can she compare to a girl raised by a famous scholarly family." ”

The Queen Mother said again: "Don't be too modest, anyone with a discerning eye can see it, if you have to be humble, it will look fake and look down on people!" ”

Zhang's face turned red when he heard this, and he lowered his head and smiled silently. Zhao Xiu was a little surprised, but he didn't expect the Queen Mother to speak so directly. Think about it, isn't Jiang Wen exactly the person with this temperament? No wonder the Queen Mother favored Jiang Wen the most among her many nieces, and it turned out that she had a similar temperament.

The Queen Mother held Zhao Xiu's hand and asked her a lot of things, and she was even more surprised when she heard that she had also learned some boxing techniques and practiced riding and archery. is different from Zhang's appearance of hating iron but not steel, but she is very satisfied in her heart. can be worthy of her eldest grandson who is both civil and military. Besides, people who practice martial arts on weekdays are healthier than others, and they will marry a housewife in the future, so that they will not fall down when the wind blows.

The Queen Mother looked at Zhao Xiu, and she liked it more and more. The only thing that I am not satisfied with is that the little girl is still too young, and it will take three years to enter the door. Guangping Palace's current appearance, where can you wait for another three years? But the eldest son refused to continue the strings, and he refused to even accept a side concubine. If within three years, the Guangping Royal Mansion does not even have a housewife who can preside over the feed, how will the eldest son and the eldest grandson live? Do you really expect the eldest grandson to be trapped in the house every day, worrying about firewood, rice, oil and salt?

The Queen Mother glanced at Zhao Xiu again, and hesitated again. (To be continued......)