Chapter 81: Love-Brained

After sending Jin E away, A Jiao returned to the Xuanshi Hall as usual to process the memorials sent by the ministers.

The matter that had been discussed the most in the court recently was the development of the Southwest Yi some time ago. All the ministers felt that this was a labor-intensive and money-wasting thing that was thankless.

But with Sima Xiangru's article and the farming plan for the Southwest Yi region, there was finally no opposition in the court. Facing such a result, A Jiao felt a sense of accomplishment swelling in her heart.

At this time, Su Wen ordered the eunuchs to carry a stack of bamboo slips into the hall: "Son of Heaven, these are the scholars and Confucianists recommended from all over the country as you ordered before. The Central Secretariat has already screened a portion according to the requirements, and the remaining people need you to look at them personally."

"Present them all." A Jiao nodded slightly.

The eunuchs placed all the bamboo slips beside the Son of Heaven, then one eunuch was responsible for handing the memorials to A Jiao, and another eunuch was responsible for collecting the memorials.

The contents of these memorials were talents recommended by various counties and prefectures. A Jiao reviewed them one by one, then selected a few people who looked good and appointed them as Lang officials.

"The Zichuan Kingdom recommended a scholar named Gongsun Hong, this person's name sounds familiar." A Jiao took out the memorial from the Zichuan Kingdom and asked the eunuch on the side: "Did he serve in Chang'an before?"

The eunuchs on the left and right also had unclear memories, but Su Wen said: "Son of Heaven, this Gongsun Hong did indeed serve in the palace, this person likes Confucianism. During the Jianyuan period, because he went to the Xiongnu as an envoy and displeased you when he returned to report, he was dismissed from office."

A Jiao raised her eyebrows, so it had already been ten years, it seemed her memory was not bad.

"Mr. Gongsun is respectful and cautious, and he is also very filial to his stepmother. His filial reputation has spread to many kingdoms, so the Zichuan Kingdom must have recommended him again."

The Great Han attached great importance to filial piety, and Gongsun Hong was famous for his filial piety. A Jiao thought for a while and said: "Then let him come to Chang'an to respond to the summons."

"Nuo."

The memorials were basically read, A Jiao put down the pen in her hand and pressed her forehead, which was a bit painful. Seeing this, Su Wen hurriedly said: "Son of Heaven, do you want to return to the Wenshi Hall to rest?"

A Jiao closed her eyes and nodded: "Go back."

So here, they hurriedly prepared the imperial carriage for the Son of Heaven and sent the Son of Heaven back to the Wenshi Hall. A little eunuch watched the Son of Heaven's imperial carriage leave, he hurriedly ran to the corner and released a quail pigeon from his sleeve.

Not long after, this quail pigeon flew to a corner of a palace in the Changle Palace. After Tian Qian saw the quail pigeon, she immediately turned around and said: "Quick, quick, quick, the Son of Heaven has returned to the bedchamber, come and help me dress up."

For a time, the entire bedchamber became busy.

A Jiao returned to the Wenshi Hall, the bedchamber of the Son of Heaven, alone. Su Wen hurriedly ordered the people in the imperial kitchen to send dinner to the Son of Heaven.

Looking at this lonely little table in front of her, A Jiao suddenly recalled the scene of having dinner with Liu Che and A Li in the Jiaofang Hall.

It was livelier at that time.

"Son of Heaven, is the meal tonight not to your taste?" Su Wen saw A Jiao not using chopsticks for a long time and said cautiously: "Do you need the imperial kitchen to redo it?"

"No need." A Jiao waved her hand: "It's just that I have no appetite, I can't eat anything I see."

Su Wen thought that the Son of Heaven had never had such a time when he couldn't eat in the Jiaofang Hall before. He said: "Son of Heaven, you must be missing the Princess, why don't you move to the Jiaofang Hall?"

A Jiao's expression froze. She was very willing to prepare a room for A Li in the Xuanshi Hall and let her daughter live in the Xuanshi Hall. But doing so would inevitably lead to gossip and cause A Li to suffer unnecessary criticism.

But she was also really annoyed with Liu Che and didn't want to see him.

On one hand, A Jiao was annoyed that Liu Che used dirty thoughts to suspect her and Cousin Liu De for no reason. On the other hand, A Jiao felt that an invisible fate was shrouding her, making her unable to break free.

So the more she looked at Liu Che, the more annoyed she felt, so she simply didn't see him to be clean.

Thinking of this, A Jiao sighed lightly and said: "No, I'll just eat a little."

Su Wen still wanted to persuade the Son of Heaven to pay attention to his health, but the eunuch outside reported: "Son of Heaven, Lady Tian requests an audience."

A Jiao: "..."

Su Wen looked up at the Son of Heaven's expression, thinking that when this Lady Tian came two days ago, the Son of Heaven's mood had improved, so he made the decision on his own: "Please invite her in."

"Nuo."

Tian Qian carried an exquisite food box into the hall. She bent her knees slightly and saluted: "Son of Heaven."

Su Wen: "Lady came just in time, the Son of Heaven has had no appetite recently, fortunately for your care."

Tian Qian walked gracefully to A Jiao's dining table and knelt down, then opened the food box she brought: "Coincidentally, A Qian brought some refreshing and appetizing side dishes, and a pot of fine wine, would the Son of Heaven like to taste it?"

A Jiao smelled the wine fragrance, it seemed to be slightly faint and even had a little floral fragrance. She asked: "What kind of wine is this?"

Tian Qian picked up the wine pot gracefully, poured the wine into the cup, and pushed it to A Jiao: "Son of Heaven, taste it first."

A Jiao held the wine cup and drank it in one gulp. After tasting it carefully, she said: "This wine... is a little sweet and sour, it's quite delicious."

"This is plum wine brewed from the plums I picked with the Son of Heaven in the Shanglin Park last time." Tian Qian deliberately emphasized the trip to Shanglin Park last time, attempting to hook the Son of Heaven's beautiful memories of their past in his heart.

Listening to what Tian Qian said, A Jiao indeed recalled what happened when she lived in the Shanglin Park with Tian Qian before. Looking up at the girl's admiration for her in her eyes, A Jiao suddenly felt a bit unbearable.

Was it really good for her to use such an innocent girl who longed for love?

At that time, Liu Che and A Li were missing and their life or death was unknown, and the Empress Dowager used the power of the court to try to make her re-establish the Empress. She had no choice but to deal with Tian Qian, which could be considered a complete plan.

But now... what reason did she have to hurt this innocent girl in front of her?

How was her behavior different from Liu Che's at that time?

Su Wen withdrew all the palace servants serving in the hall, and only A Jiao and Tian Qian were left in this hall. Tian Qian lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushed: "Cousin, why are you looking at me like this?"

The candlelight on the table jumped slightly, and the light and shadow were cast on Tian Qian, making her figure look exceptionally slender. Her elegant neck was exposed outside, as if covered with a layer of thin gauze, revealing a different kind of beauty in the haze.

A Jiao suddenly came back to her senses, seeing the wine in the cup filled again, she picked up the wine cup and drank it in one gulp. The cold wine entered her throat and slowly flowed into her abdomen, bringing a trace of warmth.

"A Qian." She said slowly: "You should go home tomorrow."

After listening, Tian Qian looked up at the Son of Heaven abruptly: "Is Cousin trying to drive me away?"

"You are already seventeen years old this year, it is a good age to marry. After going home, the Marquis of Zhouyang will definitely find you a good husband." A Jiao's voice was gentle, like an older brother caring for his younger sister: "You deserve to meet a better man."

"But A Qian only likes the Son of Heaven." Tian Qian reddened her eyes and looked at the Son of Heaven in front of her aggrievedly: "A Qian no longer asks to be the Empress, only asks to be able to accompany the Son of Heaven, even if there is no name, A Qian is willing to be sweet."

She stretched out a pair of soft hands to hug A Jiao's waist, tilted her head and leaned into A Jiao's arms: "Is such a small request not allowed?"

"Sorry, I can't give you what you want." A Jiao wanted to push Tian Qian away.

Although she and Liu Che had matters of the bedchamber after switching bodies, she still felt that she was a woman. From a woman's perspective, she would think for Tian Qian and think that the feelings she paid for herself now were not worth it.

"A Qian, I am not your good match." A Jiao pushed away the hands around her waist hard, then kept a little distance from Tian Qian, and said gently: "Didn't you say that when you were young at home, you liked to read the 'Classic of Poetry' and the 'Minor Odes'? Perhaps after you go home, you can slowly look for the good match you expect."

Tian Qian's nose was sour, and her heart was the same. Actually, it wasn't that she didn't feel that Cousin Son of Heaven didn't like her; he was distant and polite to her, gentle but not affectionate. Even when he told her to leave now, he said it in such a gentle tone.

"Cousin thinks, after falling for Cousin, who else can A Qian like?" Tian Qian choked: "In this world, what man can compare to you?"

A Jiao: "..." Was she really that good

?

Tian Qian poured another cup of wine for A Jiao, then held the wine cup and drank it in one gulp. When she looked at A Jiao again, there were already two lines of clear tears on her face.

In such a state, even A Jiao felt a bit unbearable; she had truly let Tian Qian down.

"A Qian, even if I keep you by my side, I fear I can't give you what you want." A Jiao decided to change an angle to let Tian Qian leave.

"A Qian doesn't ask for anything, only asks for company." Tian Qian said stubbornly.

A Jiao sank her face, took the wine pot from Tian Qian's hand, poured a full cup of wine, drank it, and said: "You know, when we went to the Shanglin Park together before, we clearly ate and lived together, why didn't I favor you?"

Tian Qian was stunned after hearing this.

At that time, Cousin said that he hoped they would perform the matters of the bedchamber after they got married. She thought it was because Cousin cherished her that he said so.

Now it seems that there may be hidden secrets.

"Why?"

A Jiao cleared her throat and drank another cup of wine to moisten her dry throat, then said: "Because I... can't."

Tian Qian: "???" She didn't understand for a while.

A Jiao pressed her lips with her fist and whispered: "I am impotent, I really can't do that thing." In order to make Tian Qian give up on her, A Jiao decided to let go of her face.

However... anyway, this was not her face, it didn't matter.

Tian Qian understood, she looked at the emperor in front of her with astonishment, shocked and unable to speak.

This news was simply too shocking.

Tian Qian stammered: "Cou... Cousin, you... you..."

A Jiao nodded heavily: "So A Qian, I really can't bear to delay you, you should go home tomorrow."

She thought that after hearing this news, Tian Qian would give up on her, but who knew that the next moment Tian Qian would throw herself into A Jiao's arms again: "No, if so, A Qian cannot leave Cousin even more."

A Jiao: "???"

Tian Qian said sincerely: "Cousin, A Qian is willing to stay by your side and take care of you."

For a time, A Jiao didn't know what to say; she had never seen such a silly girl. She thought if she were really a man, maybe she would have kept Tian Qian by her side.

A Jiao sighed long, hugged Tian Qian in her arms, and drank a few more cups of wine. As a result, the pot of wine was soon finished. Tian Qian took the initiative to stand up and call Su Wen to prepare another pot of wine.

Tian Qian saw the Son of Heaven's face flushed, she gently bit her lip, then leaned over, climbed onto A Jiao's shoulder and whispered: "Cousin, why don't A Qian help you try again."

A Jiao was a bit slow: "Try what?"

Tian Qian reached out and hooked A Jiao's belt, whispering seductively: "You come with me."

A Jiao was a bit dazed for a while, listening to her soft words, as if bewitched, stood up and let her lead her to the bed behind.

Before the bed, Tian Qian took a deep breath, tried to hold her breath, her heart jumping wildly, stood in front of the Son of Heaven, and reached out to untie the clothes on her body one by one. Finally, only a belly wrap was left on her body.

A Jiao was not completely drunk. Staring at Tian Qian who suddenly took off her clothes, she was stunned for a moment before reflecting: "What are you doing?" After saying that, she picked up Tian Qian's clothes, intending to help her put them on.

Tian Qian: "..." Cousin saw her naked, and actually had no reaction at all? Could it be that he is really impotent?

When A Jiao was about to put Tian Qian's clothes on, Tian Qian took the initiative to step forward and throw herself into A Jiao's arms.

Because she didn't expect Tian Qian to be so bold and active, A Jiao was pushed onto the bed by Tian Qian. In the dizziness, A Jiao looked at Tian Qian in front of her, and in a trance, she seemed to see... Liu Che wearing her appearance.

Tian Qian saw that the Son of Heaven did not resist, and her courage grew a bit more: "Cousin, let A Qian help you try, what if it works?"

A Jiao blinked her eyes confusedly. This was truly a bit drunk, her mind had been thinking about what she wanted to try?

Tian Qian originally wanted to go straight to the theme, but she found that the clothes on Cousin's body seemed to be a bit different from others.

Why couldn't she touch anything no matter how she touched? What exactly is Cousin wearing on his legs

clothes, how come she had never seen them?

Just when Tian Qian was pondering how to take off A Jiao's pants, Liu Che, who was furious, walked in from outside.

Liu Che glared: "What are you doing?"

Tian Qian, who was concentrating on how to take off the pants, was startled by this roar. She looked up and saw the "Empress", she was terrified: "Emp... Empress?"

A Jiao's expression was a bit blurred, she propped up her body and muttered: "Why... why did it stop?"

Tian Qian knelt, not daring to breathe.

A Jiao stared at her for a long time before she was a bit sober. Turning her head to see Liu Che who suddenly appeared in the bedchamber, she was completely sober: "Why are you here?"

Liu Che smiled coldly: "Is the Son of Heaven blaming me for ruining your good deeds?"

A Jiao: "Don't misunderstand, just now we..." The words she wanted to explain turned into surprise when she saw Tian Qian's disheveled appearance: "A Qian, why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Saying that, A Jiao hurriedly reached out to help Tian Qian pull her clothes together, and then continued to say to Liu Che: "It's not what you see, we just drank some wine together."

"Drinking wine to the bed?" Liu Che mocked coldly, his heart feeling like it was blocked by something, the more he thought, the angrier he became.

A Jiao slowly got off the bed: "So what if we got to the bed? We didn't do anything."

Liu Che suddenly thought of what A Li had popularized to him before, what a scumbag was. Comparing A Jiao's words and deeds now, he blurted out: "You scumbag!"

A Jiao's expression froze slightly, she chuckled: "Yes, I am a scumbag." Her words and deeds towards Tian Qian before were exactly what A Li called scumbag behavior, right? A Jiao deeply despised herself like this.

She turned to look at Tian Qian who was still kneeling on the bed and reached out to help her up: "Get up."

Tian Qian looked at Liu Che tremblingly, and finally followed A Jiao's words and stood up wrapped in clothes.

A Jiao carefully helped her tidy up her clothes and said: "You go back first."

Tian Qian knew that if she left here now, what awaited her tomorrow would be being sent home. In front of Liu Che, she grabbed A Jiao's hand: "Son of Heaven, don't drive me away."

A Jiao gently pulled her hand away: "You tried just now, I still can't, so..." She whispered: "So you go, I don't want to delay you."

However, A Jiao's actions became a kind of helplessness and coercion in Tian Qian's eyes. Tian Qian turned to look at Liu Che abruptly, deciding to fight for her love once: "Little Lord, please fulfill me and the Son of Heaven, even if the Son of Heaven is impotent, I am willing to accompany the Son of Heaven."

Liu Che: "???"

The guards and Su Wen standing outside the hall: "!!!"

The Son of Heaven is impotent?!

A Jiao: "..."

She caught a glimpse of the guards and Su Wen standing at the hall door, her expression stiffened slightly. Sister, you really have no brain! Is this something that can be said?

Liu Che glared at Tian Qian, who was speaking wildly, raised his hand and slapped her hard, then narrowed his sharp and murderous eyes, gritting his teeth and saying: "Who told you the Son of Heaven is impotent?"

After being slapped, Tian Qian realized she had said the wrong thing. She... she actually said Cousin's secret in front of so many people! Tian Qian knelt down abruptly: "It, it was me who talked nonsense, it was me who was babbling, I..." She was completely panicked.

Liu Che suppressed the anger in his heart, glared at Tian Qian and said: "Lock this bitch who doesn't keep her mouth shut into the heavenly prison, and punish her with the tongue-pulling punishment!"

Obviously, Liu Che had already developed murderous intent towards Tian Qian at this time. A Jiao heard this and hurriedly said: "Su Wen, you take her down first, and all of you withdraw."

The guards who had just eaten a big melon of the Son of Heaven retreated almost impatiently. Knowing such a big secret, they began to worry about their heads.

After a burst of excitement, only A Jiao and Liu Che were left in the hall. Liu Che was so angry that he couldn't speak: "Impotent? Heh!"

A Jiao knew she was in the wrong. She never expected Tian Qian to be so brainless as to say it in front of so many people. Seeing Liu Che's appearance of being about to explode, A Jiao pursed

her lips and explained in a low voice: "I wanted to persuade Tian Qian to go home, in order to make her give up on me, I told her I..."

"Enough, shut up!" Liu Che laughed in anger: "Chen Ajiao, I really suspect you did it on purpose!"

"Who would talk about such shameful things to the outside?" Although A Jiao was a bit guilty, she still defended herself: "Besides, I really can't get it up for other women, only for you... so, this is not a lie."

Liu Che: "..."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. If he didn't calm down, he feared he would be angered to death.

After such a toss, the drunkenness that A Jiao had just suppressed came up again. She sat down by the bed, rubbing her dizzy head: "Sorry, it's my fault, don't be angry, think about what to do now."

There were quite a few guards at the scene just now.

Liu Che's expression was cold: "Kill them all." Those who know about this, none of them should live.

"No." A Jiao refused: "They didn't hear these things on purpose, I don't agree."

"Then do you want to wait until tomorrow for the news that the Son of Heaven is impotent to spread throughout Chang'an and even the entire Great Han?"

A Jiao scratched her head and thought: "That's better than killing innocent people indiscriminately."

Liu Che: "?"

"I mean, we can warn those guards just now. Since they can enter the Qimen Army, they must be loyal people." A Jiao made up: "There is really no need to kill innocent people indiscriminately."

"Those guards can not be killed, but Tian Qian..." Liu Che said coldly: "Must not be kept."

A Jiao: "I have a way to make her keep her mouth shut and never mention this again. Liu Che, she is also your cousin after all. I promise you, you will never see her again."

Liu Che narrowed his eyes coldly. Even if he wanted to kill Tian Qian again now, he had to pass A Jiao's will. So hearing A Jiao's promise, Liu Che also weighed it in his heart.

Today, A Jiao was obviously in the wrong and her attitude towards him was much better. It would be better to make good use of this point and take the opportunity to ease the relationship between them. Thinking of this, Liu Che hummed and laughed: "Good, you go find her, I will find those guards just now and solve this matter. If I see her again tomorrow, or hear any rumors that shouldn't be heard, I will pull out her tongue!"

A Jiao nodded hurriedly, stood up and said: "No problem, I will go find Tian Qian now."

Tian Qian was temporarily taken to the side hall by Su Wen. At this time, not only were those guards who heard this secret panicked, but Su Wen, who had served by the Son of Heaven's side for seven or eight years, was also panicked.

He looked at Tian Qian and wished he could sew her mouth shut.

"Su Wen." A Jiao appeared at the door of the side hall.

Su Wen turned around tremblingly and knelt down directly: "Son of Heaven, I just..."

"I believe you are not a person who talks too much." A Jiao said slowly: "Besides, what Tian Qian said is not true, whether I am capable or not, the Empress knows best."

Su Wen nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes."

"You go and prepare a carriage, the kind that goes out of the city." A Jiao ordered: "Send Tian Qian back to the Marquis of Zhouyang's mansion later."

"Nuo." Su Wen took the Son of Heaven's order and went to prepare the carriage.

A Jiao paused, reached out and pushed open the door of the side hall, and walked in.

Tian Qian had already sobered up at this time. She was sweating coldly from fear, knowing that she had said something she shouldn't have. Now seeing the Son of Heaven walking in from outside the door, she seemed to see a life-taking ghost. ===== CHAPTER 82 =====