The next day, the fifth day of October, early in the morning, the queen sent someone to pick up Gao Shun's mother into the palace to attend the banquet.

Li Qiang led people to escort them to the gate of the palace.

Gao Shun estimated that he would know the outcome of the matter when his mother returned, so he could only wait patiently in the mansion.

Empress He was very polite and enthusiastic, and personally greeted her at the gate of Changqiu Palace, giving Gao Mu the most solemn etiquette.

Gao Mu immediately walked a few steps briskly and saluted forward, "The women of the people pay a visit to Her Royal Highness the Queen." ”

The little yellow door that delivered the message explained in detail several important etiquette on the way.

"The old lady doesn't need to be polite, please get up quickly!" Empress He pulled the old lady forward and walked into the Changqiu Palace hand in hand.

First, it was a family affair, and then the queen ordered a banquet.

The dishes are very rich, but she is used to the taste of the dishes made by the chef at home, and the old lady is not interested in the food in the palace, and she only eats this glory.

Empress He was very enthusiastic about persuading wine and food, and Mrs. Gao dealt with it carefully.

In the middle of the banquet, Empress He suddenly asked, "Old lady, I don't know what you think about the marriage of the champion marquis?" ”

"Thank you for your concern, the woman has already set up a marriage for her at home, and is ready to get married next spring."

"The champion is a nobleman of the imperial court, and his marriage must be filed with the imperial court, otherwise it will not be recognized by the imperial court."

"Haha, Your Royal Highness, the women entered Beijing this time specifically for this matter, and they will report tomorrow."

Empress He trembled in her heart, this old woman from the countryside is really difficult to deal with, she really dares to say anything, obviously His Majesty the Emperor took her into Beijing, but she said that she came specifically for reporting.

The queen sorted out her thoughts and said: "This time, Your Majesty specially invited the old lady to Beijing, but to invite you to participate in the coronation ceremony of the champion Hou, which is the importance that Your Majesty attaches to the champion Hou. ”

"The women of the people have thanked His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Empress." Gao Mu replied cautiously.

The queen did not give up and continued to ask: "Your Majesty wants to marry the champion marquis, what is the old lady's opinion?" ”

At this time, Gao's mother finally confirmed that Gao Shun's judgment was correct, His Majesty had plans to give marriage, and she must comply with her son's opinion and refuse His Majesty's marriage. So he said: "The people's women have thanked His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Empress's Longen, but the people's women have already married my son, and I can't break my trust, otherwise how can my son be convinced in the future?" ”

"Haha, the old woman doesn't ask who is the person who His Majesty the Emperor has given the marriage?"

"Back to Her Royal Highness the Queen, no one can stand without trust, no matter how noble the other party is, we can't do anything that distrusts others."

Seeing the old lady's direct refusal, Empress He was very angry in her heart, but she couldn't do anything, and immediately glanced at the eunuch beside her, and according to the content agreed in advance, the eunuch immediately withdrew and went to report to His Majesty the Emperor what happened here.

When Liu Hong heard that Gao's mother had rejected his marriage, he was very angry, and immediately sent someone to recruit Gao Shun into the palace, and he wanted to ask him face to face.

"Your Majesty!" After Gao Shun entered the palace, he respectfully saluted the emperor.

Liu Hong said straight to the point: "I want to marry the princess and you, I don't know what the champion will do?" ”

Sure enough, Gao Shun's heart was suddenly relieved, and when he saw His Majesty's face, he knew that his mother had refused, so he said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, it's just that my mother is in the hall, and everything depends on my mother, and I don't dare to say more!" ”

At that time, the social atmosphere was filial piety first, Gao Shun's words had no shortcomings, and the marriage of children was decided by the parents.

Liu Hong suppressed the anger in his heart and asked again: "I just want to hear the opinion of the champion Hou!" ”

Gao Shun said embarrassedly: "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, the wife of the chaff does not go to court, and the mother has set up a family affair for the minister, and the minister cannot refuse, otherwise he will become an unfilial and unrighteous person!" ”

Liu Hong said angrily: "Whose woman, destroy her three clans!" ”

Gao Shun said: "Your Majesty, she has no father or mother, she was killed by Xianbei, and Your Majesty cannot destroy her three clans." ”

Zhang Rang saw that Liu Hong was angry, and hurriedly said: "Junhou, Princess Wannian is Your Majesty's only beloved daughter, if the Marquis agrees to His Majesty's marriage, how can Your Majesty treat you badly?" As for the current fiancée of the prince, she can be a concubine, and the children born to her in the future can be canonized separately, is it possible to compromise like this? ”

"Isn't that shun to be untrustworthy and become unfilial and unrighteous?"

Liu Hong saw Gao Shun's refusal, so he said angrily: "Besides, you are not married, even if you are married, I have the right to order you to divorce your wife." ”

Gao Shun said toughly: "Your Majesty, the ministers are difficult to obey!" ”

The emperor's daughter could not be a concubine, while the Han practiced monogamy.

Flat wives are a practice invented and promoted by businessmen of low social status, and are not accepted by the mainstream of society.

If Gao Shun accepts the marriage, he can only break the marriage contract with the girl who has a marriage contract, or make her a concubine.

Seeing Gao Shun's refusal, Liu Hong changed his tone and said: "Princess Wannian has a soft spot for the prince, and she has reached a state of obsession, she lost her mother since she was a child, and I took care of it very poorly as a father, and now she only has such a wish, and the prince feels that I can not fulfill her wish for it?" ”

Gao Shun continued to refuse: "Your Majesty, there is really nothing you can do!" ”

Liu Hong secretly regretted it, why didn't he mention the marriage earlier? As a result, today's passive situation has been created.

Seeing that His Majesty was embarrassed, Zhang Rang said to Gao Shun: "Prince, according to the law of the Han Dynasty, the marriage of the prince and those with the title of lord must be reported to Dahonglu, otherwise it will be invalid. ”

"The minister is stupid, I don't understand many things, now that I know, I will go to Dahonglu to report as soon as possible."

Seeing that Gao Shun's oil and salt did not enter, Liu Hong had no choice but to let him go.

The banquet between Gao's mother and the queen also broke up.

The tough attitude of Gao Shun's mother and son made Liu Hong very dissatisfied.

When Princess Wannian learned of the situation, she howled and cried in the palace, and she was in great pain.

The next day, Gao Shun immediately sent Su Shuang to Dahonglu to report his marriage to Xu Ting. Fortunately, the emperor did not make any additional arrangements, and Su Shuang did it very smoothly.

In the afternoon, the two eldest princesses received an order from the queen to go to Gao Shun's mansion with the portrait of the princess of Wannian with the two imperial sons-in-law to persuade Gao Shun. was sternly rejected by Gao Shun.

In the following days, Gao Shun was in a state of tension, fearing that the emperor would take small actions.

On the eighth day of October, although Emperor Liu Hong was still angry, he still held a coronation ceremony for Gao Shun in the palace as scheduled, but the host was changed from the emperor to Zongzheng.

Although there were many guests, the scene was very depressing; Everyone has learned about the fact that His Majesty's marriage was rejected by Gao Shun.

All the words selected by Lu Zhi and others were abandoned, and Liu Hong personally selected the word "Zhenyuan" as Gao Shun's words.

Gao Shun didn't pay much attention to it, and he didn't care about it at all, but when the master of ceremonies and others couldn't pose, he changed a few clothes in a row, and saluted in and out continuously.

After a complete set of etiquette, Gao Shun was not lightly annoyed, and secretly thought, when he takes power in the future, he must simplify this cumbersome etiquette process.

In the next few days, the general, Zongzheng, Lu Zhi and others all went to Gao Shun's mansion under the emperor's arrangement to persuade him, hoping to make him cancel the original marriage contract and accept the emperor's marriage.

Everyone felt sorry for Gao Shun.

And many people from the big families are gloating, if so, Gao Shun will definitely not continue to be favored as before.

In view of the stubbornness of Gao Shun's mother and son, half a month later, the emperor could only let them leave Beijing and return to the office; At present, Gao Shun is still needed to protect the frontier, and the emperor is helpless against it.

The final result of the matter surprised many people.

Gao Shun and the others shouted luck in their hearts, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and left Luoyang as soon as possible.