The Promotion Record of a Crown Princess

85-90: The Ambition of the Emperor

Since Qi Sheng had already allowed me to leave the palace, there was no need to hide. I asked Xie Yi to prepare everything I needed to go outside.

When I went to the Grand Empress Dowager's to tell her about it, the Empress Dowager was there as well. To make things easier, I asked them, "Grandma, mother, I was heading to Fuyuan Temple, do you need me to bring you anything?"

The Empress Dowager was always nice to me, so she shook her head like she always did after hearing my proposal.

But the Grand Empress Dowager told me, "A few days ago, I dreamed of an old friend of mine. I thought about him a lot recently. Since you are heading to Fuyuan Temple, please light an incandescent light for me on his behalf in front of the Buddha.

I nodded.

"Cui Mountain is a nice place. My parents used to own a large patch of land in the mountain behind. We actually diverted the water from Qingshui River there for landscaping. I used to hang around there when I was a kid, and I lived there for quite a long time after I grew up..." The old lady twirled the prayer beads in her hand. There was a moment of trance in her eyes but soon she regained her composure. She looked up and smiled, "Lately, I keep thinking about what happened when I was young. I am indeed getting old."

I marveled in my heart at the long life the old lady had lived, as nearly everyone of her generation had passed away, and I didn't know whether the friend she missed was still alive.

I didn't know why, but somehow, I felt a bit sad. Everyone lived a life and even if you reached the status of the old lady, what did it even matter? Even if you'd been calculating for all your life, in the end, there was nothing you would gain.

Thinking this way, I suddenly felt there was no need to go to Fuyuan Temple.

Maybe I looked too depressed, so when Qi Sheng was visiting Wei'er in my palace, he asked me, "What happened?"

I lingered on my thought and then answered, "I am the Empress, so even when I change into casual clothes and pack light, it is still inconvenient for me to go to Fuyuan Temple. If I had known it earlier, I should've asked Xie Yi to do me the favor. Why should I bother go there by myself?"

Hearing my words, Qi Sheng said nothing.

However, I didn't expect Xie Yi to drag me out of bed early next morning and change me into a dress that was totally different from what I wore usually when I was still half in my dream. She took me to the dresser and helped me with the makeup.

My eyelids seemed to be glued together. I felt so sleepy and asked Xie Yi, "Now is not the time for greeting yet, so why are we doing this so early in the morning? And where are the others? Why are you here alone?"

Xie Yi whispered at my ear, "His Majesty just sent a note and asked Your Majesty to get dressed like this." Excitement could be sensed in her tone."

I was confused. When I was contemplating on what was happening, Xie Yi put a curtained hat in my head. She took my hand, sneaked out of the hall and took a detour out of the Xing Sheng Palace.

There was an unimpressive carriage parked behind Xing Sheng Palace. As Xie Yi led me to the carriage, the stableman waiting beside the carriage put a footstool on the ground and told me, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is waiting inside."

Qi Sheng? How come he was waiting for me?

I was surprised but Xie Yi had already helped me get into the carriage. She whispered to me, "I will be following behind. If Your Majesty have anything to command, just ask someone to send me a message."

Then she drew the curtain on the carriage for me.

Inside the carriage, Qi Sheng, who was dressed like a normal scholar, was sitting against the wall. He indifferently turned his eyes to me when he heard the sound.