Liu Mingzhi looked at Chen Jie's helpless eyes for a long time, then he put away the palm that Chen Jie was holding on his heart, held the beauty's shoulders with both hands and gently pressed her to sit on the chair.
"You want me to return to Beijing to report on my duties. I can understand your thoughts, but do you understand the court?"
Listening to the slightly magnetic question in Liu Mingzhi's voice, Chen Jie was at a loss, with a look of confusion in her eyes.
How could she know what happened in the court?
Li Baiyu had only been on the throne for two years. At that time, she and He Shu had just settled in the harem. They were both thinking about how to please Li Baiyu and Empress Dowager Nangong Meng to take the position of lord of the harem. They had no time to distract themselves from the affairs of the court.
What happened on.
Compared with Nangong Meng, who had been closely watching and hearing about Li Zheng for decades, Chen Jie, the empress dowager, knew nothing about matters above the court, and she was completely ignorant.
After living in the harem for so many years, his teachings to his son Li Ye were all based on his mother, Queen Nangong Meng, and he never made any decisions on his own.
It's not that her identity is inappropriate.
It's just that her knowledge of the affairs in the court was too hazy. It was said that she only had a partial knowledge or heard about it from her mother.
Chen Jie shook her head silently and looked at Liu Mingzhi blankly.
"No...I don't understand, but does it have anything to do with whether you come back to Beijing to report on your duties and whether I understand the court? I just want you to return to Beijing. As long as I can see you occasionally, I will be satisfied.
I’ve begged you so humbly, and you’re not even going to agree?”
Chen Jie's eyes once again revealed the resentment and loss that she didn't even know she had, but Liu Mingzhi, who was looking down at him, saw it clearly.
The look in Chen Jie's eyes made Liu Mingzhi's heart tremble, and he sat down on the chair helplessly and sighed.
This woman's arrival without warning disrupted my thoughts and state of mind.
This has loosened some deeply rooted decisions.
Liu Mingzhi fell silent, and Chen Jie, who was not sure why, just stared blankly at Liu Mingzhi who was in a daze, her eyes gradually regained some of their sparkle.
Liu Mingzhi looked like he was considering whether to agree to his request that he return to Beijing to report on his work.
In the past, when he first listened to his mother, Queen Nangong Meng, and wanted to exchange his innocence for Liu Mingzhi's full support for his son's throne, Nangong Meng's words came to mind again.
'Zhi'er is a child who has always doted on women with whom he has a close relationship. As long as things are not too excessive, he will almost always follow her temper.'
This conversation in the past made Chen Jie's feeling of loss once again filled with hope.
"Chen Jie, it's not that I don't agree with you to return to Beijing to report on your work, but you know what it means when I go back..."
Chen Jie looked at Liu Mingzhi who was hesitant to speak, her eyes full of expectation: "What does it mean? Tell me?"
"I... don't know how to tell you, but I can only say I'm sorry."
Chen Jie's phoenix eyes, which finally regained some sparkle, were stunned for a long time and gradually dimmed.
Looking at Liu Mingzhi, who nodded and lowered his eyebrows with a guilty look on his face, he sat helplessly on the chair.
"Is this your answer? You know that your choice will be... or... Liu Mingzhi, I beg you again, can you go back to Beijing to report on your work?
My identity means that we can only have a nameless relationship, and I cannot live a life of flying together with you like your wives.
The Golden Queen, Wan Yan, is as real and anonymous as you, and you can be tolerant and doting on her in every possible way.
Why do you have so little affection for me?
You took possession of my innocence and left me alone in the deep palace compound. How could you bear it?
Although I am not your woman, we have had two adulterous affairs as husband and wife.
Once I lose my innocence, I am destined to be dirty for the rest of my life.
And if you don’t come back to Beijing, I...I..."
Chen Jie's voice became increasingly sad, and Liu Mingzhi's brows almost stood up when he heard it.
"Your Majesty really doesn't know about your coming to Xinzhou?"
"How dare I let him know that if it spreads, nothing between us will become nothing, let alone something that already exists. Then I won't know how to defend myself."
Liu Mingzhi was silent for a while, then turned to look at the sad Chen Jie.
"Besides lobbying me to return to Beijing to report my work, do you have anything else to do when you come to see me?"
Meeting Liu Mingzhi's eyes, Chen Jie's eyes wandered for a moment and she shook her head silently.
"No, after seeing the imperial edict on the Long Case, the Ai family put the matter in their hearts. Later, they summoned Xiao Dezi and made some insinuations, intentionally or unintentionally, and found out that you had refused to accept the imperial edict three times.
Worried that there might be a rift between you and Huang Er due to the imperial edict, I had no choice but to disguise myself and secretly meet with you to lobby for your return to Beijing to report on your duties."
"You're not telling the truth!"
Chen Jie's expression suddenly became flustered, and she looked away at Liu Mingzhi's somewhat sunken eye sockets.
"I'm telling the truth. I have nothing to lie to you about!"
Chen Jie's reaction made Liu Mingzhi confirm again that she was not telling the truth to herself.
In addition to what she said about wanting her to return to Beijing to report on her work, she must have known something else.
Raising his hand and patting Chen Jie's shoulder, Liu Mingzhi stood up and walked towards the window sill.
Looking out the window at the busy traffic and people buying new year's goods, Liu Mingzhi let out a silent sigh.
"Chen...Jie'er, I won't force you, but I still say that the matter of returning to Beijing to report on your work is not just as simple as you think.
It’s not like I’ll have nothing to worry about after I return to Beijing and assume the position of regent.
Those old foxes in the court don't want to see anyone other than Your Majesty sitting on their heads and shitting and peeing in the last few years after they retire and return home.
So I can only disappoint you.
But I promise you, after the Northern Expedition is over and the world is unified, I will definitely ask you to return to Beijing to report on your duties."
A flash of anxiety flashed in Chen Jie's eyes, and she stood up and walked towards Liu Mingzhi.
"The Northern Expedition only lasted a year and a half. Is there any difference in this short year and a half?"
"There is no difference, but I will abide by the late emperor's decree and guard the country from generation to generation.
As soon as the world is not unified, the six cities in northern Xinjiang will still be the gate of my country, rather than the territory.
As the world becomes less unified, I, Liu Mingzhi, will firmly abide by the late emperor's will and will not leave the country.
I, Liu Mingzhi, acted in accordance with the order. What was wrong with me?
Accepting His Majesty's decree means resisting the disrespect of the late Emperor's decree. To obey the late Emperor's decree is bound to resist the disrespect of His Majesty's decree.
If both are disrespectful, is there any difference?"
"Yes, there is a big difference!"
Chen Jie raised her hands and grabbed Liu Mingzhi's arms tightly, pulled them in front of her, and stared at Liu Mingzhi dimly.
"You are right, I don't understand the court, but I still understand the principle of an emperor and his courtiers.
It has been three years since the late emperor's reign. The current king of the country is Li Ye, not the late emperor.
You are assisting His Majesty!
Do you still remember what you said to me at the pavilion outside Yi'an Palace two years ago?
Eat the king's salary and share the king's worries.
What you are receiving now is the salary of today's emperor, not the salary of the late emperor.
Who should share your worries and whose will should be obeyed? You know better than me, a woman who knows nothing.
Isn't it?
Listen to me and come back to Beijing to report on your work, okay?
Don’t you know that if this continues, the relationship between your monarch and his ministers will become alienated?”
There is no need to go on like this, I have already become alienated from morality.
Liu Mingzhi said something inwardly and shook his head as always.
"Except for returning to Beijing to report on my work, I can agree to anything you say, except for this matter."
Chen Jie let go of Liu Mingzhi's arm and staggered towards the chair beside her.
Sitting silently on the chair, Chen Jie began to murmur with her eyes in trance.
"Why are you so stubborn? Do you know it will kill you?"
"Are you OK?"
"It's okay! Even though I have tried my best to say good things, I still can't persuade you to insist on doing this, so I have nothing to say!
I'm tired, can I borrow your bed to lie down for a while?"
"Of course, I'll help you over."
Liu Mingzhi helped Chen Jie, who was a little weak, and walked towards the bed. He carefully stuffed the beautiful lady with a quilt and prepared to let Chen Jie have a good rest.
Chen Jie grabbed Liu Mingzhi,
"When are you leaving?"
"It's getting late today, it's too cold at night, and it's inconvenient to travel. We'll set off early tomorrow morning."
"I know, I'll take a nap first!"
"How about... I accompany you?"
Chen Jie's body wrapped in the brocade quilt trembled. She hesitated for a long time, neither nodded nor shook her head, and turned around silently to rest.
Knowing that Chen Jie had acquiesced, Liu Mingzhi did not hesitate, took off his outer robe and got into bed.
Feeling the beauty's slightly stiff plump body, Liu Mingzhi took her into his arms with a little force, restraining Chen Jie who was trying to struggle, and Liu Mingzhi smiled softly.
"No matter what, thank you for coming to see me."
Chen Jie's lips parted and she looked at Liu Mingzhi, her face was red and her breath was short.
"Am I shameless?"
"I apologize to you for the humiliating words I said in the past."