The official family did not suffer from illness as people imagined, or even failed to recover. This forced the officials to put away their little thoughts and continue to be good monks and ring the clock... This is what they are most accustomed to and best at.
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, a decree came out from the palace. On charges of imprudence, the Liu family and ten other pavilions were released from the harem and sent to live in Baiyunguan, Nanjing. Two hundred and thirty-six people from the palace were also released from the palace and allowed to get married...
This edict finally confirmed people's speculations during this period, but everyone's focus was not on the emperor being cuckolded, but on the fact that the legendary prince who was about to be born disappeared without a trace.
Although Concubine Zhou and Concubine Dong in the palace are still pregnant, everyone already knows that it is impossible for the official family to give birth to another prince...
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Zhao Zongshi returned from Daming Mansion with his coffin in hand. Because Zhao Zongfu had been posthumously named the county king, according to the funeral ceremony of the county king, all the officials from Zaifu on down had to go out of the city to welcome him.
On this morning, the long pavilion ten miles north of Bianliang City was already filled with senior officials gathered on the sedan and horse roads. Hundreds of middle and senior officials from the three provinces, six ministries and twenty-four divisions, as well as the princes and nobles from all over the city, came to greet the coffin of the Huaiyin County Prince.
The emperor and empress also sent people to pay tribute and pay tribute. Zhao Zongfu did not show his face when he was alive, but after his death, he was full of mourning and honor.
But there is no sad look on many people's faces, but rather strange expressions... Although the Daming Mansion has strictly sealed the cause of Zhao Zongfu's death, the fact that he died in a brothel cannot be concealed at all costs. This news spread in the capital the day before yesterday,
Nowadays, everyone knows that the scholar-bureaucrats of the Song Dynasty have not yet reached the point where they don't even have moral integrity for the sake of flattery. Many people feel that it is an insult to the Song Dynasty to crown a prostitute who died in a brothel as a king.
But firstly, the deal was done, secondly, the dead man was the most important, and thirdly, Zhao Zongshi was almost confirmed as the crown prince. There was no reason for everyone to be regarded as this evil person, so they all looked on with cold eyes. Looking at those people who were seeking to sway people, their faces were full of sadness and tears were streaming down their faces.
A living farce.
Zhao Zongshi has gathered a group of brothers, all wearing white clothes and wearing mourning. They walked slowly holding the coffin amidst the sound of mourning music. The relationship between brothers is not deep. Except for Zhao Zongfu's half-brother, the other twenty brothers really don't have much sadness.
Instead, he looked at the scene of white flags and continuous curtains on both sides of the road, and started talking in a low voice. Only the seventh child, Zhao Zongqiu, said: "It's worth it for the fourth child. Look at that elegiac couplet, it's so apt.
ah……"
"Which pair?"
"That..." Zhao Zongqiu's face turned green as soon as he thought about it. He said angrily: "Who sent this couplet?"
His voice was so loud that he even stopped the mourning and music, and everyone's eyes were drawn over. Following his line of sight, he saw the elegiac couplet:
‘Death under the peonies, being a ghost is also beautiful’!
Many people couldn't help laughing, but the faces of the Zhao brothers were all darker than the bottom of the pot.
Zhao Zongshi glanced at Zhao Zongqiu angrily and cursed in his heart: 'What are you shouting for, lest others don't see it?!'
Guard Lao He quickly led people over and pulled down the elegiac couplet that was planted on the roadside with bamboo poles.
"It's just a little trouble, don't let him succeed." Zhao Zongshi's master Liu Chang whispered: "Calm down and turn a blind eye!"
So the mournful music started again, and the coffin continued to move forward. But the solemn and sad atmosphere just now could never return.
During the next journey, the Zhao brothers lost their sense of glory and always felt as if the officials were pointing at them and laughing at them. Zhao Zongshi's face turned even red. He was actually opposed to pursuing Zhao Zongfu as king.
. He even hoped to return to the capital in a low-key manner. After all, this man’s death was too ignominious, but the court insisted on making grand arrangements, so he could only endure it. What happened? It was really embarrassing...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although Chen Ke was at home on vacation, he could not bring his conflict with Zhao Zongshi's family into the open. So he and Su Shi's brothers also changed into plain clothes and mingled with the officials, watching from a distance.
"Hahaha..." When he got home, Su Shi couldn't help laughing loudly: "It's so good, so happy, I don't know which dear friend has revealed the secret and made me feel so stupid." He was one of the three people.
, the one with the strongest sense of morality. Ever since he found out about the cause of Zhao Zongfu’s death, he felt awkward. If Chen Ke and Su Che hadn’t stopped him, he would have written a couplet to satirize the man who sacrificed his whole life for the country.
The wise prince.
"When I come back and think about it, why do I feel that today's grand arrangements are just to show their brothers?" Su Zhe said with a worried face: "If this is the case, I'm afraid that Zhao Zongshi's position as crown prince is not as easy as the rumors.
"
In terms of literary talent and eloquence, he was inferior to his brother Nai, but when it came to political wisdom, Su Shi was far behind him. He thought that it was Zhao Zongji's father, Zhao Yunbi, who knew Zongzong Temple. It was Zhao Yunbi who prayed for Zhao Zongfu in front of the officials.
The county king was granted the posthumous title, and he always advocated the utmost mourning and honor.
Assuming that Zhao Yunbi had known that Zhao Zongfu died in a brothel, then his conjecture would be valid... Youdao was a father-son soldier, so Zhao Yunbi had no reason not to help his son and make Zhao Zongshi brother embarrassed and conspicuous.
Chen Ke looked at Su Che and said without answering: "Whatever, if you don't go accompany my wife, I will pick up my little sister and go shopping."
"It's a confusing time, today is the Chinese Valentine's Day." Su Shi smiled and said, "You're not celebrating the festival at home, but where are you going?"
"Oh, today is Chinese Valentine's Day. Why are there so many people selling 'Mohe Luo'?" Chen Ke scratched his head and said, "Then I won't go out."
Chinese Valentine's Day is not the traditional Chinese Valentine's Day as later generations take it for granted. In fact, it is the Lantern Festival. And Chinese Valentine's Day is actually the Women's Day. On this night, women dress up, display flowers, fruits, and all kinds of red flowers.
Furniture and utensils are worshiped by the Seventh Sister, who threads needles and begs for skills. The people of Bianjing City also build a colorful tower in the courtyard, called the "Qiqiao Tower", in order to place the "Mounhe Luo".
The so-called "moheluo" is commonly known as "mud baby", and southerners also call it "qiaoer". As the name suggests, they are cute clay dolls used by women to worship the moon and ask for children.
This day was a festival for women, so Chen Ke naturally couldn't let his little sister slip away, so he returned home sadly. Back home, Mrs. Cao was also preparing for the festival, making the beautiful house decorated with flowers. Chen Xiliang and Chen
Chen and Chen Zhen were also ordered to run around in circles. There was nothing they could do about it. Who is the biggest woman today?
When Mrs. Cao didn't see him, Chen Ke crept back to his yard, only to see the group of Japanese women setting up a feast of melons and fruits. He suddenly said helplessly: "Why are you celebrating Chinese Valentine's Day?"
"Begging for luck on Chinese Valentine's Day is a Han ritual. It has been introduced to Japan for hundreds of years." The Japanese girl Ah Rou and Ah Cai came over in small steps. While changing Chen Ke's clothes, she pursed her lips and smiled and said: "If you don't like it, we will leave."
"I don't like it. I also want to see how you beg for cleverness," Chen Ke asked with a smile: "Where is Qingshuang?"
"Grandma Zhi is sowing seeds in the backyard." Ah Rou leaned into his ear and whispered: "Actually, I also want to plant one, but I don't know when the Lord will show mercy?" It seems that Women's Day is different, even
The Japanese girls, who had always been cautious, became bold.
Chen Ke burst out laughing. After he finished laughing, he pinched Ah Rou's little face and said, "In two years, I'm only fifteen or sixteen years old. Why are you so anxious?"
After saying that, she ignored the Japanese girl who was so happy that she was dizzy, and walked to the backyard. She saw Du Qingshuang kneeling on a straw mat, carefully taking care of her 'five-life basin'.
It was a shallow square wooden basin with soil inside. A few days ago, she sowed corn seeds and let them grow green seedlings. Today, she put some small thatched huts with flowers and trees on them to make farmhouses.
It looks like a small village. There are also dolls the size of peanut kernels, a man and a woman, and the woman is holding a baby in her arms...
"You are begging for a child." Seeing Du Qingshuang stop, Chen Ke said: "Qingshuang, are you begging for a child?"
Du Qingshuang's delicate body trembled and she quickly turned around. She shook her head and forced a smile: "No, I'm just doing it for fun."
"You can't win over a fat boy if you don't mean what you say." Chen Ke said with a smile.
"Yes..." Du Qingshuang was bluffed by him, so she said casually: "I am asking for a daughter..."
"Look, it's time to be careful again." Chen Ke took her cold little hand and said softly: "Such a good girl, of course she needs to have both children..."
"Officer..." Du Qingshuang just couldn't stand his ironing, so she immediately softened her body and leaned gently against his side.
Chen Ke was about to get started when he suddenly heard the sound of soft footsteps. Du Qingshuang quickly jumped away and fixed her hair. Chen Ke turned around, glared at the Japanese girl and said, "Arou, are you taking revenge on me?"
Ah Rou quickly apologized and said, "I don't dare, this slave. It's just that there are guests coming in front, and I asked you to go see the guests."
"Oh." Chen Ke nodded and asked, "Who is it?"
"This slave doesn't know."
"Change."
"Hi."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After changing clothes and coming to the front hall, Chen Ke was stunned and quickly saluted: "My nephew has met the marshal."
"Haha," it was Di Qing who came. He stood up and stepped forward, supported Chen Ke and said, "We have been friends for many years, so you don't have to be polite."
"Isn't my father present?" Chen Ke said with a bitter smile.
"How can I talk to the marshal?" Chen Xiliang glared. He once served under Di Qing and admired Di Qing's character, ability and achievements, and they still see each other from superior to subordinate to this day.
"Well, it's inconvenient to say more about the reason for this," Di Qing said with a smile towards Chen Xiliang: "Gongbi, you just need to know that he is very kind to me and I can't put on airs in front of him."
"The marshal is going to kill him." Chen Xiliang said apologetically and said with a smile: "It is not the way to entertain guests if the house is filled with flowers."
"It's all the same. Who told you that today is the Chinese Valentine's Day?" Di Qing smiled bitterly and said seriously: "But I'm not here to hide from you, but I have something to ask Zhong Fang!"