"Little brother, what's wrong with you? Why are you in a daze? Come, drink tea." Seeing Zhang Yanling sitting there in a daze, Queen Mother Zhang smiled and reached out to poke Zhang Yanling's forehead.
Zhang Yanling came back to her senses, took the tea cup and thanked her in a low voice, took a sip and praised: "Good tea, my second sister still makes the same tea as before. Back then, when my brother-in-law was still alive, he always praised you for your good tea making.
I was young at that time and didn't know how to taste tea. Now that I drink too much tea, I know what my brother-in-law said was right."
Empress Dowager Zhang changed her color slightly, looked around and said: "Brother, please tell me about what happened in Nanyang. I heard them say that the fight between you and the Folangji people was very fierce, and I was worried to death."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "There is nothing to say. I don't want to mention the matter of fighting and killing. I don't want you to worry about it. In short, as long as I am here, the Ming Dynasty will not be bullied."
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said: "That's right, my younger brother is now a big shot praised by everyone and an invincible general. The emperor once told me that he is not afraid of anything now. When he thinks of your uncle's ability, he feels that there is nothing.
People can shake my Ming Dynasty even a little bit."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "The emperor has given you too much praise."
Empress Dowager Zhang said: "Yes, when you came back this time, why didn't you come back with the emperor? The rebellion in the south has subsided, thank God. You should have gone to see him, right? Why didn't you accompany the emperor?"
Zhang Yanling said: "I am eager to return home, and the overall situation has been decided, so I will not be in the way. The emperor is wise and powerful in suppressing the rebellion. It would not be good for me to follow him."
Empress Dowager Zhang nodded slightly and said: "My little brother has really grown up and knows how to advance and retreat. You are afraid of stealing the emperor's limelight. If you stay, others will definitely think that it is your credit for suppressing the rebellion. The emperor wants to be in the limelight and wants to make the world
Praise him, so you returned to Beijing."
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "Second sister is also smart, you actually understand all these principles."
Empress Dowager Zhang said: "How do I know? It's Yang... um... he just figured it out on his own."
Zhang Yanling raised her eyebrows, but quickly regained her composure. The Queen Mother almost let it slip. How could the Queen Mother figure out such a truth? Yang Tinghe must have told her. But Zhang Yanling did not reveal it, because he
A decision has been made.
"Second sister, I suddenly remembered that I still have something important to do. This matter cannot be postponed, I have to do it immediately. Second sister will find some time tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and I will come to the palace with my eldest brother. Let's
The three siblings have a reunion dinner and talk about their farewells. Second sister, what do you think?" Zhang Yanling stood up and said.
Queen Mother Zhang was stunned. Although she thought Zhang Yanling's words were a bit abrupt, what could be more important than the reunion of her siblings? But she was actually feeling uneasy because that person had made an appointment to come this morning, and she was also
I was thinking of finding an opportunity to tell people to stop him and not let him enter the Yanxi Palace. Otherwise, if he met Zhang Yanling, it would be very bad.
Zhang Yanling was about to leave, which made Queen Mother Zhang relieved. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to her younger brother, but it was such an unlucky day. She had thought that her younger brother wouldn't come into the palace this morning. After all, she returned home yesterday evening.
When I arrived in the capital, I had to take a day off today. At most, I would send someone to the palace to inform me and make an appointment to enter the palace. How could I have expected that he would come all of a sudden.
The reason why I let that person come into the palace today is actually to see him one last time. Because my younger brother has returned to Beijing, their interactions must be more secretive and careful, at least they won't be able to see each other for a while.
"Since it's an important matter, the Ai family won't keep you. When can we, siblings, get together? It's not good to delay the important matters of the court. Tomorrow you and Heling will go to the palace together. In the evening, my sister will ask someone to prepare a banquet. Our Zhang family sister
Let’s get together, brother.” Empress Dowager Zhang said with a smile.
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Just listen to the second sister, my eldest brother and I will come to the palace tomorrow night. The three of us, brother and sister, will get drunk. The second sister will prepare some good wine and food, but I won't eat those clear soups without oil or water."
"
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said angrily: "I know, I can't treat you badly."
Zhang Yanling cupped her hands and turned around to walk out. Queen Mother Zhang followed him to see him off. When he walked to the wooden flower lattice, Zhang Yanling saw a canopy of fresh flowers and plants in the vase. It was a few red roses with several others.
Winter jasmine, plus some unknown flowers and plants with green leaves.
"Is this the flower arrangement arranged by the second sister?" Zhang Yanling stopped and asked with a smile.
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said: "When I'm bored, I just pass the time. What do you think, little brother?"
Zhang Yanling could not tell Empress Dowager Zhang what she really thought. The flower arrangement in the vase of Empress Dowager Zhang had no sense of art, and Empress Dowager Zhang actually did not have much artistic talent. The compliments given by the female official just now were obviously lies, or they were just to make her happy.
"Very good." Zhang Yanling said.
"If you say so, then I'll be happy. I'm afraid that it will be messy and make people laugh." Empress Dowager Zhang said with a sweet smile.
Zhang Yanling said: "Who are you making fun of?"
Empress Dowager Zhang hurriedly said: "I mean, the servants will laugh when they see it. Also, the queen and the concubines from the harem come here often. If it doesn't look good, wouldn't it be a loss of face?"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Second sister, I have seen a book called "Vase of Flowers" in the library of the Hanlin Academy. It was written by a flower lover named Zhang Deqian in this dynasty. That's what I'm talking about.
The Art of Vase Flowers. Written in detail above
It explains how to taste vases, taste flowers, break branches, insert and store, nourish, matters, flower taboos and vase protection, etc. It is a monograph that specifically discusses the art of flower arranging. The second sister wants to learn according to the rules, so this book can be given as a gift
Come and read it.”
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said: "There is such a book? Then I will ask someone to get it and take a look."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "It's not bad to kill time. But let me tell you, this art of flower arrangement is just like learning piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. It is only for entertaining yourself rather than entertaining others. The art of flower arrangement is said to have rules, but in fact there are no rules.
There are no rules. The key is to be happy as long as you are happy, but you don’t have to
You must follow other people's rules and have to be recognized by someone. The second sister feels that the most important thing is to be happy. Besides, you are the Queen Mother, a mother who respects the world, is virtuous and kind to all people, and everyone in the world should follow the Queen Mother's flower arrangement as an example.
It is for others to learn from you, not for you to learn from others.”
Empress Dowager Zhang chuckled and said: "What you said, let alone say it, there is some truth in it. However, this is not good. The Ai family cannot do that."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Why not? Second sister, remember, you are the Queen Mother. Every move, every word and every deed is in full view of the public. Everyone in the world is looking at you with blazing eyes."
Queen Mother Zhang's smile faded and she was a little dazed.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Second sister, I'm leaving. Second sister, please don't send me off. Remember, you are the Queen Mother."
Just as Empress Dowager Zhang was about to speak, Zhang Yanling had already cupped her hands and hurried out the door.
Empress Dowager Zhang stood in a daze at the door. For a moment, she felt that Zhang Yanling's words and deeds today were strange and there was something behind his words. But she also felt that he was just talking about flower arrangements and there should be no hidden meaning.
Zhang Yanling strode out of the Yanxi Palace. The moment he walked out of the palace, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. The reason why he was in a hurry to leave was because Zhang Yanling had already made a decision and could no longer hurt the Queen Mother or this opponent.
The woman he loves and protects. No matter how good the reasons are or how serious the consequences are, he cannot do that.
Isn't my original intention to make my relatives and the people I care about happy? Even if it is a false dream, as long as the second sister is happy, why should I wake her up? Let her return to the cruel reality? Then
Doesn’t it violate your original intention?
What I have to do is not to solve this matter by hurting the Queen Mother, but to solve the hidden worries and dangers caused by this matter in other ways. To prevent this matter from being known to outsiders, or to expose Yang Tinghe’s true identity
The intention is to make the second sister wake up from the dream on her own and make her understand that it is just a dream. This will make her more acceptable than waking her up roughly, or even using cold water or hot fire to wake her up.
Sometimes, being awake yourself is more important than anyone else's reminder. It is also easier to heal the wound.
Of course, Zhang Yanling did not intend to let this matter go. He would give Yang Tinghe the sternest warning. If he persisted, he would make him understand the serious consequences his shameless behavior would bring to him.
Zhang Yanling did not go too far. He stood in a field of flowers and trees at the entrance of Yanxi Palace and waited. Soon after, he saw Yang Tinghe walking from another path of flowers and trees to the entrance of Yanxi Palace.
Yang Tinghe was dressed in long robes and looked elegant. He was as handsome as jade, handsome and elegant.
He walked to the door, and the palace maid Cuiyu stepped forward and led him to the east side door.
Zhang Yanling sighed softly and quickly left the palace.
…
In the bright sunshine at noon, Tan Ruqingzheng and Xiaozhu were drying medicinal herbs in the backyard of Tan's old house in Baizhifang. On a rare sunny day, many of the hidden medicinal herbs had to be dried again to avoid being contaminated by the resurgence of moisture in the air.
.
The master and the servant did not rely on others. They worked in person, sweating from their busy foreheads. After all the medicinal materials were spread out, the master and the servant stood in the sun in the narrow open space among the medicinal materials on the ground and looked around.
Looking at it, my heart was filled with a sense of relief.
Then, they saw Zhang Yanling coming in from the back garden door with a smile and walking quickly.
"Why are you here? What a coincidence. We have finished our work and you came here. You could have come a moment earlier and helped us move the medicinal materials. You are really a lucky person." Tan Ruqing put her sleeves on her forehead.
Wiping his sweat, he slowly walked up to him with a smile and said angrily.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Coming early is worse than arriving by chance. I didn't mean to be lazy. When I came out of the palace, I came straight to you. I guessed that you were here."
Tan Ruqing smiled and said: "The Queen Mother didn't stay with you to eat and reminisce about old times? That's strange."
Zhang Yanling said: "I stayed, but I was anxious to see my baby Ruqing, so I declined."
Tan Ruqing said angrily: "Bah, that's disgusting to say. What kind of treasure is Ruqing?"
Zhang Yanling laughed, came to Tan Ruqing, suddenly hugged Tan Ruqing and kissed her.
Tan Ruqing whined and struggled, beating Zhang Yanling's chest with her fists, but could not break free. Soon she let him kiss her, and she was out of breath.
Zhang Yanling kissed her enough and let go of Tan Ruqing, who was blushing. Tan Ruqing said angrily: "What are you doing in broad daylight?"
Zhang Yanling said: "There are so many people in the house, and I couldn't speak properly yesterday. I miss you so much."
Tan Ruqing smiled and said, "I don't miss you. Xiaozhu misses you very much."
Xiaozhu, who was holding his back and did not dare to watch the father-in-law and the young lady kiss, was startled. He quickly turned around and shouted: "I didn't, young lady, don't talk nonsense."
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "It's not a bad thing to think about me, so why are you refusing to admit it? Are you embarrassed? Xiaozhu, order someone to prepare a meal. We won't go back home at noon, so we will eat here. After eating, I will love you very much."
Miss Jia, and you!"
Tan Ruqing turned red, stamped her feet and shouted: "Are you crazy? Stop talking nonsense. There is no food for you here. Go back home quickly. I will go to the hospital for a consultation later."
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "You'd better treat me as a patient first. I'm lovesick. Doctors are kind-hearted. You can't just watch people die, right? Xiaozhu, go and order people to prepare food."
Xiaozhu hurriedly agreed and ran out of the courtyard. When he came out of the yard, he subconsciously looked back and found that the young lady was hugged by the father-in-law again and was gnawing at her like a vicious dog. Xiaozhu's heart felt hot and his feet were stirred.