In early spring, in February, the winter snow gradually melted away, but a huge silver-gilt double-headed cauldron with two ears was still burning on the ground, making the room warm. The lotus pear wood on the bedside was small.
There are three or four bowls with soups and medicines placed on the table, all of which are made of Qinggong kiln porcelain with embossed beauty paintings and pastel slate. Next to the bed is a Taishi chair with a black leopard-print fur chair, and a person sitting on it.
A middle-aged man in rich clothes, with a gentle expression and a short beard under his chin.
"...Heng'er has been here all day and all night, and I don't know how he did in the exam?" A female voice came from the bed.
Mr. Qi said: "Heng'er has worked hard this time. In the past few months, he has been studying hard day and night. He will surely come back with a great reputation. You should not worry about your son anymore. It is important to take good care of your body."
You haven't stopped taking any decoction this winter, because you are ill and have not had a good life for several years."
Princess Pingning was leaning on a gold-threaded peony and thick brocade pillow. Her complexion was yellow, her cheekbones were steep, and her face was haggard. She didn't have her former high spirits. She only said sickly: "Heng'er is blaming me."
"Don't worry too much. Mother and son can't have an overnight feud." Mr. Qi comforted him: "In the riot a year ago, there were a lot of casualties in various ministries. The Hanlin Academy and the Cabinet were almost half empty because they were close to the palace.
, Your Majesty just opened Enke at the beginning of this year, and Heng'er studied hard day and night, hoping to get a meritorious degree and come back, which is just right."
Princess Pingning sighed quietly and said: "Stop coaxing me. Heng'er is one of the best in the capital in terms of appearance and talent, and is praised by everyone everywhere. Now he is a widower, and he is being criticized for no reason.
The joke is all my fault!"
Mr. Qi was silent, thinking to himself that in fact, his wife was not wrong. She made the right bet, but she was too unlucky.
Princess Pingning's eyes turned red and she choked with sobs: "When the incident happened to the Rong family girl, I had already vaguely felt that something was wrong, but at that time... I was already riding a tiger and it was hard to get off. I didn't like it after the county master came over. He was arrogant and domineering, and looked down upon people's lives. He was really not a member of the family.
Such a blessing, but I still forced Heng'er to get close to her! But...even so, I never thought she would die so tragically!"
After saying that, Princess Pingning started to cry. Lord Qi could not help but patted his wife's hand gently. The princess covered her face with a handkerchief and said in a low voice: "I have been dreaming a lot these past few months.
I saw what happened on the day Rong Xian broke into the palace. The gang of soldiers had murderous looks on their faces, and blood was dripping from the tips of their swords. The ladies in the palace were crying and squeezing in, and the sixth princess and the county boss were dragged away in front of me..." Ping
Princess Ning could not hide the look of horror in her eyes, and said in confusion: "I just realized that this wonderful marriage is actually carrying several lives behind it!"
She fell to her husband's side and couldn't help but burst into tears.
Mr. Qi and the princess are a young couple. Although they usually have quarrels, now they can't help but feel soft when they see their wife being so helpless. They persuade her in a good voice: "If the six princesses and their daughters dare to do such arrogant things, then don't think of the six princes in the vassal state."
The Holy Emperor was angry at the evil deeds of the emperor, so he took away his throne and left the clan idle. If he hadn't seen the three princesses alone and without heirs, even the heirs would have been killed. Concubine Rong and Concubine Shu committed suicide.
After the death of the four princes, their children were demoted to common people. Alas... After ten years of fighting, everything was in vain. There were so many princes and noble families in the capital who were implicated. Fortunately, the Holy One was wise and provided many pensions to my father-in-law and my family.
We...should also be more open-minded."
"I'm not sad about this." Princess Pingning wiped her tears and shook her head: "I grew up in the palace, and I know the ways there. Although the Holy One still treats us kindly, his body has changed a lot.
Every day is less and less. No matter what the right or wrong, we are always involved. Once the emperor and the courtiers, in the future... I am afraid that they will no longer be the saints they are today."
Speaking of this, Mr. Qi couldn't help but sigh: "It's not as good as fate! Who would have thought that it would be the Eighth Prince in the end!"
"Have you really decided on him?" Princess Pingning hesitated. She no longer dared to be sure.
Mr. Qi put his wife on the pillow and said with a wry smile: "The Holy Emperor has appointed Li Shuyi as the empress and Concubine De as the imperial concubine. The purpose of conferring De Concubine on De Concubine is to comfort the pain of losing her son. But Li Shuyi, who came out of the Huanyi Bureau, is not born.
I only received the title after I had a son. The Holy One has never favored me and has been living in the cold palace for a long time. Anyone with a discerning eye can see what the Holy One has done. The Holy One has already announced that the Eighth Prince will come to the capital."
Princess Pingning was silent for a long time, and sighed: "Your Majesty never wanted to see the mother and son, but now... Hey, how can one be more stubborn than God? It's okay, Lord Lai, the remaining princes are still young, and he is the only one."
...I remember that the Eighth Prince’s vassal territory is far away from Sichuan, when will he arrive in Beijing?”
"The road to Shu is difficult, at least it will take a few months." Mr. Qi said, then he moved closer to his wife and said gently, "So you have to take good care of your body. If Heng'er wins this time, you still have to take care of yourself."
We have to make arrangements for him."
Princess Pingning thought of her son's future and suddenly gained strength. She pushed herself up from the pillow, her eyes flashed, and she suddenly sighed: "Brother Heng, I don't know who I followed, but he is so stubborn!"
"What's wrong with your son?" Mr. Qi said with a smile.
Princess Pingning looked at the sandalwood bed top carved with pomegranate patterns of hundreds of sons and thousands of grandsons, and said in frustration: "Years ago, the Holy Emperor issued a decree to open the Enke. I remembered that Heng Ersu had a good relationship with Changbai, the eldest son of the Sheng family, so I
I told him to talk to others about his imperial examination articles, but Heng'er would rather wait outside the Hanlin Academy in the cold weather than go to the Sheng Mansion!"
"Huh? Why is this?" Mr. Qi was puzzled.
Princess Pingning glared at her husband: "Think about that girl whom the princess killed with a stick? Who do her eyes look like?"
Mr. Qi thought for a moment, softly said "Ah", and said with his forehead: "I just said that the girls arranged by the county master for Heng'er are stupid and vulgar. How did Heng'er fall in love with that flattering one? Could it be that Heng'er still
Missing Brother Sheng’s daughter?”
The princess nodded noncommittally and said helplessly: "Fortunately, Minglan's child rarely comes out in front of people. Otherwise, if the county princess saw it, I'm afraid he would be suspicious... What's wrong with you? What are you thinking about?"
He tugged at the corner of her husband's clothes.
Mr. Qi was lowering his head and looking intently at the purple-gold copper stove on the ground. He woke up when the corner of his clothes was pulled, and said hurriedly: "Just now I was thinking that Brother Sheng is very lucky. Mr. Lu is usually deaf.
He was confused and didn't know what to ask. He didn't think about the critical moment, but he had a bright mind. Not only did he and his subordinates get through the disaster safely, but all the documents and secret maps of the Ministry of Industry were not damaged at all. After the chaos, the Holy One commended the officials of the Ministry of Industry for "not being chaotic in the face of danger"
"Four words, Lao Shangshu himself entered the cabinet, Brother Sheng was also promoted to the fourth rank of Zuoqiandu Yushi."
Princess Pingning smiled and said: "Not only that, Sister Wang's family has been in high spirits during happy events recently. Her eldest son has given a book, her nephew has been appointed commander, and her son-in-law has been re-elected as deputy commander. Well... those were gifts from her the day before yesterday.
The wedding eggs are here, double. Last month her eldest daughter gave birth to a fat boy, and this month her daughter-in-law also gave birth to a little boy!" The sourness in her tone could not be concealed.
There was a plate of bright red wedding eggs placed on the marble-inlaid rosewood round table with wishful patterns. Mr. Qi looked at it and felt something in his heart. He turned to his wife and said: "Next month will be the anniversary of the death of Mr. Ningyuan.
Are you going?"
Princess Pingning looked at the pot of wedding eggs, her eyes were a little hot, and she said: "I'm not going, I have relatives in Wufu long ago, so it's just a gift. Speaking of which, Tingye's wife passed away almost a year ago.
"Send it off." He sighed heavily and said, "My poor old uncle has been careful all his life and never thought that his children and grandchildren would be involved in this mess. Ting Yu is not in good health, so he was involved in this big mess. Now the whole family
I am in constant panic all day long, for fear that if I buy a book of ginseng, my title will be seized and my house will be raided."
Mr. Qi felt uncomfortable when he heard that. He looked at the happy egg again and had some different thoughts: "...Since Heng'er still misses Brother Sheng's daughter, why don't you go and talk about it? I think it's a good match."
.How do you feel?"
Princess Pingning hummed and said: "It's too late, I have already made arrangements."
Mr. Qi was surprised and said, "Have you already asked?" The Qi family and their son were already unlucky enough. If they were rejected when asking for marriage, it would be even worse.
"How could I be so reckless!" Princess Pingning knew what her husband meant and hurriedly comforted her, "Sister Wang is a straight-tempered person, and she managed to trick me out of it with just a few words; her legitimate daughter is probably going to get married to her natal nephew.
, But I’m not sure yet, let’s wait and see; the old lady has already planned on that girl Minglan, she is a brother from the He family branch in Baishitan.”
Mr. Qi couldn't hide his disappointment. He thought of his son's lost and silent look, and hesitated: "So... there is only one girl left. How about that one?"
"Bah." The princess spat politely and frowned at her husband, "No matter how bad Heng'er is, she won't be a concubine! If she hadn't seen that Ming Lan was raised by his old lady, she has such a temperament.
They are all first-class, do you think I am happy? Isn’t it just because I felt sorry for my son and wanted to fulfill his wishes?"
Mr. Qi was silent for a long time and then said: "If there is someone here this time, please pay more attention to each other and ask Heng'er what he means. He must be happy."
The princess looked at her husband's distressed look on his son and couldn't help but said: "I heard that the Sheng family has not yet crossed paths with the He family; and now that the Sheng family is prosperous, there may be changes."
In fact, the prosperous Sheng family also has bad news.
"Mom, think about it again. You are too old to travel back and forth all the time." Sheng Hong even changed into his official uniform, and as soon as he came to the Yamen Hall, Wang and his wife were already sitting next to him.
A bunch of children.
Old Mrs. Sheng shook her head stubbornly and flicked a string of agarwood beads back and forth with her fingers: "We have been destined to be sisters-in-law for decades. Now that she is not good, how can I ignore her?"
Sheng Hong frowned and looked at Taisheng who was restless at the side: "How is your health?"
After not seeing each other for several years, Tai had grown much taller. The fat boy who was originally short and stocky now gradually took on the mold of a young man. With an apologetic look on his face, he stood up, bowed to Sheng Hong, and bowed low.
He said: "Uncle, please forgive me. Ever since I was born in the new year, my grandmother has been in despair. The family has hired Dr. Bai, who has become an official. He also said that it will only be a few months. After the news leaked out, the third-bedroom family
The sons took turns coming to the door all day long. One moment they said that the old lady had left some property with her grandmother and now she wanted to divide the money. The next moment she said that she wanted her uncle and aunt to take charge of the house. The third old lady was also old and would sit there all the time.
The family refuses to leave, and everyone is afraid of something happening, so they dare not move him... There is really nothing we can do."
After hearing this, Sheng Hong let out a long sigh and turned to Mrs. Sheng: "But if the old lady is in good health, how can your son be happy?"
Chang Wu, who was sitting next to him, looked ashamed, and immediately knelt down in front of Sheng Hong, raised his eyes and said sincerely: "My nephew is unfilial, my grandmother is ill, and my grandson cannot serve me, but I have to ask the two old ladies to work hard; this time... …This time, Taisheng’s cousin will escort the old lady there. When she arrives, my mother will take good care of her, please don’t worry, uncle!”
Wang's face was full of reluctance, and she muttered with a sullen face: "It's easy to say."
When Sheng Hong was about to say more, Mrs. Sheng put down her rosary, waved her hand gently, and sighed: "No need to say more, I have made up my mind and will set off tomorrow." After a pause, she looked at the face of Sheng Hong who was sitting first. Worried, he slowed down and said, "I know your filial piety, but things have priorities. I can still walk with my old bones, so I just walked there. Sigh... speaking of it, this time there is chaos in the capital, only our family Not to mention peace and quiet, you and Brother Bai and Brother Wu have been promoted. Of course, you are usually cautious, but it is also thanks to the blessing of gods and the blessing of ancestors. In this way, we can be kind to others and accumulate more merits, not to mention This time it’s my own family.”
Sheng Hong and Wang looked at each other and could not speak anymore. After talking for a while, Chang Bai sent Chang Wu and Tai Sheng out. Minglan saw that the matter was settled, so she stood up and packed her bags at Sheng Hong. He just missed the ticket and said, "Father, don't worry, I'm with you. My daughter will take good care of the old lady along the way."
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Sheng shook her head and said, "No, you won't go this time."
Minglan was shocked. She and the old lady had been almost inseparable these years. How could she bear to be separated now? But before she could say anything, the old lady turned to Wang and asked: "Ming, the girl is getting older. It's not easy to grow old." Living outside, let alone running around, I'll go to Youyang first, and if my old sister-in-law... I'll ask the children to come over then."
Mrs. Wang stood up and responded respectfully, and the old lady said again: "Brother Bai's daughter-in-law is currently in confinement, so you have to worry more about this place in the house." Then she looked at Ming Ming, who had a sad face. Lan couldn't help but said, "Sixth girl has never been away from my eyes since she was a child. She is so heartless. I feel worried about her. You should keep an eye on her more and don't call her naughty."
Mrs. Wang knew what the old lady meant, so she smiled and said: "Look what the old lady said, I think Ming Yatou is very good, and she is more sensible than her two sisters." Old Mrs. Sheng nodded: "You Thank you for taking so much trouble.”
Seeing the old lady like this, Mo Lan felt sour in her heart, and said with a sweet smile: "Grandma has such a biased heart, are you worried about only the sixth sister? The fifth sister and I have no one to love or pity."
Ru Lan was also unhappy, but she didn't want to be used as a weapon by Mo Lan, so she said: "The sixth sister is the youngest, so grandma may be worried about it; but... my grandmother does love the sixth sister the most." She pouted as she spoke. Come.
Old Mrs. Sheng smiled and said nothing. Sheng Hong frowned and lectured: "Who taught these rules? The old lady is leaving tomorrow. You don't think about the old lady's body, but only think about yourself!"
The two Lans immediately bowed their heads and stopped talking.
At night, Minglan stayed in Ji'antang, sobbing and rubbing her face at Old Mrs. Sheng. Che Zhulun said back and forth that usually this trick was very effective, but this time the old lady was determined. Minglan muttered: "My granddaughter doesn't get sick from the carriage anymore." , I’m used to taking boats, and I can talk to you to relieve my boredom on the way. What kind of outsider is my uncle’s family? They are all family members..."
The old lady was angry and funny. She slapped her granddaughter on the head and said with a straight face: "You should also learn more from your sister-in-law and see how she speaks and behaves under my wife's hands. How safe and sound she is? You
What? If you stick to me like this, how will you get married in the future?" The more I thought about it, the more worried I became, and the tea bowl and the lid of the bowl in my hand made a loud banging sound.
Minglan's little mouth curled up at Lao Gao, and she said gloomily: "Why don't you marry me together?"
Old Mrs. Sheng couldn't hold it on anymore and almost spit out a mouthful of tea. She put down the tea bowl and pinched Minglan's face, cursing: "It's just that I was soft-hearted. I should have hit you more hard when I was a kid!"
Seeing that there was no hope of persuasion, Minglan changed the subject and began to tell the old lady to pay attention to her health, not to drink too much water at night, as she would easily catch a cold if she got up too much at night, and don't go out in the morning, and wait until the sun shows her face before going for a walk. Lala said a lot of miscellaneous words.
Until Fang's mother and Cuiping came in, they all laughed when they heard: "It's been thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi. The girl has grown up and knows how to be considerate of the old lady. In the past, the old lady would catch the girl and nag her. Now
Everything fell down."
Old Mrs. Sheng's ears were numb from the verbose words and she couldn't escape. She could only sigh helplessly: "Didn't Taisheng bring you Pinlan's letter? Every time you receive Pinlan's letter, you will be so happy for a long time, why don't you open it quickly?
Want to take a look?"
Minglan twisted her fingers and acted like a rogue, crawling on the old lady like a fat squirrel, scooping up her little head and rubbing her grandmother's neck. The old lady laughed itchingly as she rubbed, "Grandpa and grandson, you two."
We started to play around with each other, Fang's mother and Cuiping looked amused, but they didn't dare to laugh, so they retreated silently. It took a while for the grandson and grandson to stop their stubbornness.
The old lady's bun was messed up by the tossing, but she still had the joy of an old child. She gently patted Minglan's little hand and scolded: "Stop messing around, listen to me!"
Minglan sat upright obediently. The old lady looked at Minglan and said earnestly: "Hey... I thought I would have no blood in this life, so I lived like this. I didn't expect God to mess with you, a little devil star, and me.
, it gave me so much worry for nothing.”
Minglan didn't say anything, she just hugged the old lady's arm and kissed her affectionately. The old lady's heart was warm and her eyes were kind. She hugged her granddaughter and rocked her, and said slowly: "I have been stubborn since I was a child, and I have been running rampant because of my parents' pampering.
I don’t know how to look back even if my head is broken and bleeding. Now that I think about it, it would be better to suffer some setbacks when I was a child. How long can your grandmother protect you? In the future, when you get married, your family will still have to look after your wife and your sister-in-law, and your grandmother can’t blindly treat you.
It’s not good to put them under your armpit without being exposed to wind and rain. This time you will get along well with them. Do you hear me?”
Minglan raised her little head and nodded, but her eyes were a little wet. There were a few water drops hanging on her long eyelashes, and her porcelain white skin was almost wet. The old lady felt most sorry for Minglan's pitiful appearance and said with care.
: "They won't be tied down without me. Not to mention anything else, my wife is a good housekeeper and accountant. Your sister-in-law has a delicate heart. You should also learn from them; eh...
In a year or two, you will also be old enough."
Minglan choked with sobs: "I can't bear to leave my grandmother."
The old lady patted the girl and just sighed.
The author has something to say:
For ancient officials, filial piety was a compulsory course. They sincerely hoped that their parents would grow older, because Ding You was a headache for officials at any level.
Hello everyone, a new volume has started, everything is as usual, five updates a week (if there are no surprises).