After the marriage decree was issued, Meng Shen, the prince of Lin'an who was trained in the Shenwu Army, also followed the Empress Dowager's decree and returned to Beijing to get married.
　　This was not only a marriage, but also an opportunity for Meng Shen and Mu Xuehua to meet again. The prince Meng Shen, whose name is Sizhi, was taken from "Ce Lin" "Think carefully and act diligently". He left the capital when Emperor Mingde was ill. It has been more than three years now, and it is almost the fourth year.
　　Even though Mu Xuehua was very humble, in the gossip of Kyoto, the prince, who was only 21 years old, was handsome and heroic, and he was handsome, not to mention that he was from a royal family. He was the ideal husband in the hearts of most Kyoto noble ladies. The sudden marriage was granted, and even the ladies of the noble families mentioned their daughters' sadness during banquets and conversations in Beijing...
　　Because Empress Dowager Dong participated in politics, the status of the ladies of the noble families and the ladies of the noble families was higher than that of the previous dynasty. Even if they discussed their children's marriage and love affairs, it was reasonable and would not hurt their reputation. Instead, they would think that the girl was brave and sincere and worthy of their love.
　　During the period when the prince of Lin'an returned to Beijing, the Cining Palace spent more than half a month very peacefully. It was not until mid-June, when the palace was full of green leaves and the summer heat arrived, that an unexpected event occurred.
　　On this day, Dong Lingjiu was reading all the imperial examination papers of previous years. She wanted these files from the officials because since the death of Emperor Mingde, many elderly officials have retired and returned to their hometowns, so there are many vacancies. It just so happened that the successful candidates in the imperial examinations in previous years have been serving as Shujishi in the Hanlin Academy for several years, and it was time to assign practical work.
　　Dong Lingjiu not only tested the officials' abilities from their mouths, but also reviewed the test questions and essays of the successful candidates that year. After reading these essays, she drafted the appointment opinions for the Ministry of Personnel on the documents. Halfway through, she suddenly found that the number of essays on the test paper seemed to be insufficient.
　　"Ruixue," she said, "send someone to the six departments to ask if there are any Shujishi who have been transferred to other places and cannot be appointed in the capital, so they have not been sent."
　　Ruixue was about to turn around, but suddenly remembered something, looked at the questions on the test paper, and said with a smile: "You forgot that among the test papers selected in front of the late emperor, several were dismissed because of disrespectful articles, and even went to prison in the Ministry of Justice. How can those articles be sent to the queen to read?"
　　Dong Lingjiu held the pen and pondered, and it seemed that she did not pay special attention to this matter, so she recalled for a moment before remembering this matter.
　　She was about to write again, and her eyes swept and saw the little doctor Zheng feeding the cat behind the bead curtain.
　　Zheng Yuheng originally did not want to embarrass "Prince Zhaoye" and never competed with Aiai when feeding cats. As a result, it was unknown what he was thinking at this moment, and his expression was a little dazed. Aiai could not eat the food in his hand, and she meowed anxiously, wagging her tail impatiently. Finally, she became bold and jumped suddenly, and the heavy and fat white cat fell into his arms.
　　Zheng Yuheng caught it in a panic. Not only was the food in his hand eaten by the evil cat, but his hand was also bitten by the sharp teeth, leaving a light red mark.
　　"Meow--" Aiai jumped down and walked away triumphantly.
　　Zheng Yuheng was stunned for a moment, stood there and looked at his hand, and felt as if someone had walked up to him, so he thought it was Aunt Yuewan or Mrs. Jiang, so he said, "I'll go wash it..."
　　A plain blue handkerchief was handed over.
　　Zheng Yuheng's mind was still circling with Ruixue's words. He was distracted and didn't know whether he was regretful or sighing. He didn't even notice the sandalwood scent on the handkerchief for a moment. He just took it and wiped his hands: "Thank you, my lady. I'll go to the kitchen to see how the empress's medicinal food is doing."
　　The small kitchen in the Cining Palace is almost the best among the six palaces. The imperial chefs and female officials in it are carefully selected. The recipes for the medicinal food are all discussed and made by him and the female officials. Fortunately, they are both well-educated and well-mannered, and have made great achievements in cooking, so they can be formed so quickly.
　　Zheng Yuheng turned around and saw a large piece of golden embroidery and a long hairpin. His eyes swept across the other's smooth and white chin and the light red color on his lips. There
　　was a brocade belt with metal inlaid on his official uniform. With a ding, it hit the layers of pearls and jade on the empress dowager's robe. The coral forbidden steps and the half-moon jade pendant trembled against each other.
　　Zheng Yuheng's breathing stagnated.
　　The plain blue handkerchief, embroidered with a colorful phoenix, was still in his hand. He pinched the handkerchief with his fingers at first, then he came to his senses and returned it with both hands, lowering his eyes and saying, "Your Majesty..."
　　Dong Lingjiu felt that he seemed to have scared him.
　　The little doctor's tone was a little nervous and stagnant.
　　She hummed, and when she took the handkerchief back, she didn't pull it out of his hand all of a sudden. Zheng Yuheng's fingers tightened more and more, and he said respectfully and carefully, "I will return it to you after washing it."
　　Dong Lingjiu looked at him and smiled, "Okay."
　　Zheng Yuheng then slowly put the handkerchief away.
　　Dong Lingjiu said to him, "Ai Ai is already 11 or 12 pounds, I can hardly hold her, and she has a bad temper. When I'm busy, please take care of her." Zheng Yuheng
　　knew in his heart that the people who were willing to help the Queen Mother take care of a cat could line up from the gate of Cining Palace to Shenwu Gate. He said, "I dare not take credit for it."
　　Dong Lingjiu raised his hand and gently brushed his shoulder, which was the place where Ai Ai had just hit him. This was a gesture of care. Considering the age difference between the two, it didn't seem like there was any hint of
　　love between a man and a woman. Zheng Yuheng should have a clear conscience and was deeply moved to thank the Queen Mother for her care. But he opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything. His mind was confused... When the founding emperor conquered the world, in order to win the loyalty of his subjects, he often kept them at home. His wife would serve him food and tea, and treated him like a son. People praised her as a virtuous queen...
　　Treated her like a son...
　　No.
　　Zheng Yuheng suddenly had such a thought, and his body moved faster than his brain, silently moving half a step back.
　　Dong Lingjiu stopped and looked at him meaningfully, his tone still gentle: "You shouldn't be afraid of me now."
　　The little doctor paused and whispered: "I'm not afraid, I'm..."
　　"Don't want to?"
　　"No." Zheng Yuheng couldn't help looking up at her when he said this. Seeing that Dong Lingjiu looked gentle and not angry, he said, "Can the Queen Mother not treat me as... as... a junior?"
　　Dong Lingjiu was silent for a while, a little puzzled: "I don't understand you." Zheng
　　Yuheng was also speechless. He didn't know how to explain his thoughts in his heart, so that he could explain it without appearing to be asking for more. Before he could say it clearly, Dong Lingjiu raised his chin with her fingers.
　　When facing the Queen Mother, everyone had to bow their heads and listen to her instructions, and dared not look directly at her. So even though Zheng Yuheng was very tall, like a pine or bamboo, she had to put away some of her humble attitude a little to meet her eyes.
　　Among women, Dong Lingjiu was also very tall, and the expensive decorations on her temples added to her height. Her fingers caressed Zheng Yuheng's chin, her fingertips were warm and gentle, and the faint scent of sandalwood and ink filled his face.
　　In this breath, Zheng Yuheng seemed to have even slowed down his breathing.
　　His eyelashes moved slightly, his pupils were dark, and he heard the Queen Mother gently say: "If you don't want to, you can tell me."
　　Zheng Yuheng couldn't detect the deeper meaning of her "unwilling".
　　Sweat oozed from his forehead, his palms were burning, blood was boiling, and his thin lips were flushed with excitement. He replied: "I just... you treat me with the integrity of a monarch and a minister, and with the love of the elder and the young, but..."
　　But he didn't treat him as a young man. Such a careless and indifferent contact, the feeling of not taking the defense between men and women seriously, simply hurt Zheng Yuheng's sense of propriety that he had worked hard to maintain.
　　He was so worried about something, but Dong Lingjiu seemed to think that you were still a child. It made people particularly depressed.
　　Dong Lingjiu said, "What's wrong with you? Why are you angry? I didn't realize it."
　　The Queen Mother joked, and said, "I saw that you were not in a good mood. I didn't know what you were thinking just now, so I came to ask you. You actually raised some opinions about me."
　　Zheng Yuheng had to whisper, "I dare not."
　　"Don't dare? You are very brave. Except for that cat, you are the bravest in the world, and you pretend to be wronged and pitiful." Dong Lingjiu said, "The female clerk in the palace has gone to the Classics Hall to work. Don't come back after you are done. Help me copy a few official documents."
　　Zheng Yuheng would naturally not refuse. After all, he was a scholar, and he was more convenient than ordinary female clerks to do things.
　　So the maid of the Cining Palace brought a small table, spread a mat, and took out a pile of documents from the pile of documents and put it in front of Zheng Yuheng. There were some recommendations and approvals about the appointment of Shujishi.
　　Zheng Yuheng glanced at the names of the other successful candidates, paused for a moment while holding the pen, but still began to copy without objection. His posture was silent and docile, standing in the corner, like a first-class beauty exhibit and a precious ornament.
　　About half an hour later, when Zheng Yuheng was about to relax a little, the eunuch on duty at the palace gate came up and said something to Aunt Ruixue. Ruixue stopped the work at hand and whispered: "Your Highness, Princess Zhaoyang is coming to the palace for an audience."
　　Dong Lingjiu had a son and a daughter with the late emperor. Princess Zhaoyang was her biological daughter, named Meng Zhaiyue, nicknamed Yingying.
　　As they were talking, there was already a commotion in front of the palace. A eunuch knelt outside with a plop, bowed his head and said tremblingly: "Your Highness, the Queen hasn't summoned you yet, Your Highness..."
　　Meng Zhaiyue pushed away the palace servants in front of her with one hand, lifted the curtain, and walked straight to the main hall. No one dared to stop her head. She bowed to her mother who was sitting at the top of the table, and said, "Your son wishes you good health , mother."
　　Dong Lingjiu said, "You have such a bad temper, Yingying."
　　Princess Zhaoyang was wearing a red dress, and she was graceful and elegant. Her arms were slightly transparent, and her skin was as white as snow, round and smooth as jade, and her figure was beautiful. When she heard this, she smiled very embarrassedly, but she did not really repent. Instead, she got up from the ground and ran to Dong Lingjiu's desk.
　　Meng Zhaiyue said, "Mother, please make the decision for me. I want to divorce my son-in-law!"
　　As soon as these words came out, all the palace servants in the Cining Palace lowered their heads or covered their faces with fans to avoid showing too obvious changes in expression.
　　Dong Lingjiu had expected such a day to come. She adjusted herself slightly, moved her body, and leaned on the pillow: "Didn't you ask for the marriage, and the number one scholar you chose? You said that you would not regret it and decided on him, right?"
　　"He has talent but no virtue!" Meng Zhaiyue said. She was so anxious that she walked around the desk, pulled Dong Lingjiu's sleeve, leaned beside her, put her mother's hand on her cheek, and said coquettishly, "Mother--"
　　Zheng Yuheng, who was quietly writing and reducing his presence, was shocked by this title and his fingers suddenly stopped, almost letting the ink soak through the paper. He had been with Dong Lingjiu for a long time, because the Queen Mother was dignified and extremely mature and beautiful, so he didn't have such a very intuitive and strong impact on the gap between the two. It was
　　also because of this that he felt that Dong Lingjiu would hurt his self-esteem by treating him as a child. But seeing the sixteen or seventeen-year-old princess calling her mother, Zheng Yuheng suddenly realized-no wonder the queen didn't understand what he meant.
　　He bit his lower lip, looked at the ruined paper, and silently started over. But the cold air awakened by this name still lingered in his arms.
　　The princess did not notice him, but begged for mercy: "We have been married for so long, and he has been living in the princess's mansion, eating and using my things. Although he follows the rules and does not take concubines, he actually kept a mistress a few days ago, right on Changping Street!"
　　Meng Zhaiyue had been pampered all her life, so naturally she could not stand this kind of grievance. She put her face against Dong Lingjiu's hand, and said tenderly and aggrievedly: "Mother, how can you let go of someone who bullies your daughter like this?"
　　Dong Lingjiu pinched her cheek, which still had a little baby fat, and said calmly: "It's not that I can't, but it's a pity that your brother will be pointed at and scolded for family affairs in the court by a group of censors. There is no precedent of divorcing a husband in this dynasty."
　　Meng Zhaiyue was so anxious that she was about to cry, with tears in her eyes. She almost threw herself into Dong Lingjiu's arms and sought a solution from her mother. However, her sight passed over her mother's shoulder and she accidentally saw an unfamiliar handsome doctor sitting at the desk in the corner.
　　Zheng Yuheng was really good-looking. Meng Zhaiyue blinked sharply, and the four words "serving people with beauty" naturally emerged in her mind. She raised her eyes and said, "Mother..."
　　Dong Lingjiu: "Hmm?"
　　"Who is he?" Meng Zhaiyue stretched out her finger and pointed in the direction of the young doctor.