Chapter 22: The Ritual

While speaking, the Zhenguan Hall was already close at hand, and Princess Taiping was rightly describing, taking Tao Yao's hand and stepping down, and then went straight to the main hall to meet Wu Cao.

It was also a coincidence that they came, as soon as they entered the hall, they found that someone was one step ahead of them, and had bowed to His Majesty the Emperor, and at this time they were sitting under Wu Cao and talking to her. Seeing Princess Taiping coming in, he hurriedly stood up, waited until the two of them had finished greeting, and saluted her in a decent manner, with a respectful tone and a humble attitude, and he was more cautious than ordinary palace people: "Weichen see Her Royal Highness the Princess, Your Highness has been doing well lately?" ”

Bowing her head slightly, Princess Taiping's eyes smiled lightly, but the words she said were unusually sharp: "This palace is in good health and in a happy mood, so naturally there is nothing bad about it, but King Laoliang has remembered it." After speaking, she gently squeezed Tao Yao's hand again, and motioned to the little girl to salute: "Yao'er, this is Lord Liang Wang Wu Sansi, and he is also your elder, you should also see it." ”

"Yes." A pair of peach blossom beautiful eyes turned, and the white-faced, long-bearded, shrewd man in front of him was firmly remembered, and Tao Yao gave a serious salute, purely like a child who did not know the world: "Tao Yao See His Royal Highness King Liang, His Royal Highness King Liang Wan'an!" "Isn't it a coincidence, as soon as I finished talking about the county lord of Anle, I ran into someone's father-in-law as soon as I came in. She had heard that this Master Wu Sansi didn't like the Li family, not to mention that his father's identity was so embarrassing, and he should be among those who were disgusted.

"Lord Taoyao please hurry up, and your family doesn't need to pay attention to these false courtesies." Wu Sansi smiled kindly, and carried the demeanor of a friendly elder: "I heard Your Majesty say that after the county lord came, the palace was a lot more lively, and he was happy all day long, which is also a great achievement of the county lord." ”

Boisterous? Tao Yao pretended to purse her lips and smile shyly, but she subconsciously muttered in her heart: I'm afraid I wish she and Li Jijiang would fight, so that it would be more lively. It's nothing more than a hint that she is making trouble in the school palace, and she is still saying that she is innocent and cute, do you really take her for a fool?

"The little girl is thin-skinned, so don't tease her anymore." Wu Cao, who had been sitting on the top seat with tea, slowly opened his mouth at this time: "Think twice, the sacrificial ceremony will start after a while, don't you, the person who is in charge of the affairs single-handedly, need to take a look again?" She barely lifted the corner of her eye, but the majesty of her body was already overwhelming, so shocked that Wu Sansi bowed down again and again, and immediately went outside: "Yes, yes, Weichen will make the final confirmation to ensure that the ceremony is smooth and sound, and please let Your Majesty be relieved!" ”

Looking at the back that could almost be said to be a desert and fled, Tao Yao looked a little stupid, and when she was stunned, she heard Princess Taiping sneered unceremoniously: "Mother, look at him like this, how can there be a prime minister and a pillar of the court!" I still have some thoughts that I shouldn't have all day long, which is really despicable! ”

"Okay, Taiping, there are still juniors." With a casual reprimand, Wu Cao shook his head, and the disappointment in his tall phoenix eyes could not be concealed: "Wu San thinks about his people, and he follows the trend step by step, and he is mercenary, which is really embarrassing." It's a pity that her huge martial arts family can't pick out one who can get on the stage, otherwise, why would she let this nephew be an eyesore in front of her?

"Then you don't need it, and you don't have to worry about the girl who is going to be in trouble again under the banner of her husband's family." As soon as she saw Wu Sansi, she thought of Li Bao'er, and the anger in Princess Taiping's heart was rushing. Sure enough, it was a nest of snakes and rats, and all the people she didn't like got together.

"What's the matter, Anle provoked you again?" As long as he is not involved in political affairs, Wu Cao is usually easy to speak: "What's wrong with you, it's also her aunt, don't worry too much." ”

"Hmph, if it weren't for this, as early as the last time she robbed the other courtyard that Erchen fancied, Erchen would have to clean her up." I don't know if it's Tao Yao's illusion, Princess Taiping, who has always restrained her temper in front of the emperor, looks like a child who is angry with her mother this time.

However, Tao Yao also sensed another meaning. The princess, as if she was deliberately trying to make His Majesty the Emperor pay attention to the county lord of Anle, is this looking for a way back for herself to move the rescue soldiers?

Sure enough, when Wu Cao heard this, his face immediately sank: "Oh? Anle, that girl also bought another business? ”

"Isn't it?" Princess Taiping pursed her lips, looking like she couldn't swallow this breath: "She also connived at her servants to disrupt the market and run rampant." Mother, it's not that her son is narrow-minded, she has to get along with her niece, but Anle She is already a wife when she says anything, how can she be messy compared to when she is in the boudoir? ”

The implication of this sentence is even stronger. Tao Yao obediently held her breath and silenced, and only looked down to study the upper of her shoes, as if she was going to see a flower from above.

The phoenix's eyes narrowed, and Wu Cao's extremely threatening gaze lingered on Princess Taiping's face, as if he wanted to see her heart through her appearance: "Taiping, you are the princess and my most beloved daughter." You have to respect your identity at all times, you shouldn't need me to remind you, right? ”

"Mother, the son doesn't dare to mean anything else. It's only because of the factors that I can't get used to King Liang's style of acting, and I happen to be a little disobedient with An Le, so I lost my proportion. She knows how to accept it when she sees it, and she also knows that Wu Cao's bottom line is there, so Princess Taiping immediately bowed down and pleaded guilty: "I still hope that my mother will be confined and my sons will not talk too much." ”

"There is no need for so much false courtesy to gossip between mother and daughter." The sharp gaze of the eagle falcon slowly retracted, Wu Cao walked down from the high stairs, raised his hand and gave a hand: "You are my own flesh and blood, even if you say the wrong thing in front of me, I will not blame you." But the world is difficult to block, and you should be more careful in your daily actions. ”

"Yes. The sons obeyed their mother's teachings. Getting up, Princess Taiping stepped aside in fear, but from Tao Yao's angle, she could clearly see the secret smile on the corner of her mouth.

Is this the so-called mother-daughter relationship of the heavenly family? One is always tempting, constantly suspicious, and the other is taking steps and calculating repeatedly...... If the relationship between relatives is so cold and distorted, where should the flesh and blood relationship be placed?

The girl was in a trance, but when she raised her eyes, she saw that the empress in the dragon robe was already heading out, and she could only trot all the way to keep up.

She knew that the most important ritual of the day was next.

The year-end festival has been particularly important since the beginning of the dynasty. Because Wu Cao was the first person to ascend to that supreme position as a woman, and the only one who changed the entire Tang Dynasty pattern with his own strength. Therefore, even if the people standing at the bottom at the moment have different thoughts and have their own ghosts, they can only quietly accompany the empress to worship the heavens.