The New Year comes quietly in the snowy sky. This new year is the first year of Zhengde.
Although the mourning period has passed for a month, after all, the late emperor was newly mourned, and the snow started to fall on New Year's Eve, so the New Year in the first year of Zhengde was less festive and more deserted.
and Xiao Suo.
On New Year's Eve, Zhang Yanling spent a quiet day at home with everyone behind closed doors. There were no lanterns and noisy firecrackers, and it seemed a bit deserted. However, this time, all the family members came, and the atmosphere was pleasant.
It's also cozy and cozy.
When they got up in the morning, Zhang Yanling, Xu Wanyi and Axiu distributed red envelopes to everyone in the family as the host. This year, the red envelopes given by Zhang Yanling were particularly generous. Everyone in the family was very happy to receive a large number of red envelopes.
Later, when Axiu was preparing a meal and a banquet, Zhang Yanling personally went to pick up Tan Ruqing. This year, Tan Ruqing was alone in the Tan family mansion, so Zhang Yanling naturally wanted to pick up her and Xiaozhu to celebrate the New Year together at his home.
The only fly in the ointment is that Xu Youtang can't come to the reunion. Zhang Yanling also wants to bring Xu Youtang to celebrate the New Year, but after all, the relationship with Xu Youtang has not been made clear, and even Xu Gao doesn't know about it, and there is no reason to pick her up, so
I can only give up.
Originally, Zhang Yanling planned to eat the New Year's Eve dinner in advance because he was going to the palace tonight. His sister, who had become the Queen Mother, sent a letter saying that she hoped that she and her brother Zhang Heling would go to the palace to have a reunion dinner tonight. Zhang Yanling
I understand her state of mind, and I must go to reunite with her this New Year. This is also a comfort to her, after all, she has just lost her husband, who she has always been with.
Xu Wanyi talked to Ruqing and Axiu and expressed their understanding, but they said that it didn't matter if the New Year's Eve dinner was a little later. They could wait for Zhang Yanling to come back from the palace before having the reunion dinner. Then there was no need to rush.
In the evening, Zhang Yanling, fully dressed, wearing a fur hat and fur coat, went out to the palace. The snow had not stopped, there were few pedestrians on the streets, and there was no festive atmosphere. After arriving at Qianqing Palace, it was already dark. Zhang Yanling walked slowly
Enter dimly lit
In the back hall of the Qianqing Palace, we arrived at the residence of sister Dongnuang Pavilion. After entering the door, we slowly entered the outer hall and saw that the table full of wine and food had been served. There was no one around the banquet, except for Queen Mother Zhang, who was sitting blankly.
Beside the table, he looked lonely and lonely.
"Second sister!" Zhang Yanling called softly.
Empress Dowager Zhang was startled and turned around, her frown relaxed, and she said happily: "Ah, my little brother is here."
Zhang Yanling and Empress Dowager Zhang had not seen each other for only seven or eight days. During this period, Zhang Yanling came to the palace very frequently, just to accompany Empress Dowager Zhang and comfort her. But even though they had not seen each other for only seven or eight days, it was obvious that they could see each other.
Queen Mother Zhang seems to be looking older than a few days ago.
"Yanling has met the second sister!" Zhang Yanling saluted.
Empress Dowager Zhang reached out to hold Zhang Yanling's hand and said with a smile: "Why are you so polite? Come sit down and talk. It's very cold outside, right?"
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "It is indeed cold, but the second sister's hands are colder than mine. Why don't you light more braziers and wear more clothes?"
Queen Mother Zhang said softly: "It was like this when your brother-in-law was alive, and I was used to it. Even though he is gone, I can't change this habit."
Zhang Yanling nodded, turned around and saw the food and wine on the table, and said with a smile: "Why am I the only one here? Isn't the eldest brother here yet? Where is the prince... this... the emperor? He's not here either? He's celebrating the New Year, is it possible?
Are you also dealing with government affairs?"
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled bitterly and said: "What kind of government affairs are we dealing with at this time? I have already sent someone to invite him. He said that he was drunk at noon and fell asleep all the time. Liu Jin said that he would come over when the emperor wakes up later. He Ling asked someone to bring the letter.
Come, they said they were caught in the cold and couldn't come. Look, every one of them, as soon as the emperor left, they didn't want to come to see the Ai family. My sons rarely come to see me. It's my younger brother who is kind to me, so he came
Diligence.”
Zhang Yanling frowned. As a son, how could Zhu Houzhao not come to accompany his mother at a time like this? He drank and fell asleep. On such a day, he really shouldn't have done it. The eldest brother also went too far. He only saw him yesterday.
He was very lively when I was settling the income from the manor with him. Why was he sick today? Based on my understanding of him, there was a high probability that he didn't want to come.
"Sit down, little brother. I'll pour you some tea to warm your hands." Empress Dowager Zhang helped Zhang Yanling sit down and went to pour a cup of hot tea. Zhang Yanling thanked her and took it in her hand.
"How have you been, second sister, lately?" Zhang Yanling asked softly.
"What's good? Just live day by day like this, what else can I do? The emperor is gone, and I, the widow, can only think about him every day, staying in the palace like a fool. In the past, I didn't know the old queen mother's
Bitter, now I understand her and I am the same as her." Empress Dowager Zhang said with a wry smile.
Zhang Yanling said softly: "Second sister, don't think so. Although the emperor has passed away, I feel sad. But there are still decades to live, so you need to adjust yourself and look forward."
Empress Dowager Zhang nodded and said: "I understand the truth, and I will try my best to adjust myself, but I can't get out for a while. Don't worry, little brother, you just come to the palace to talk to me from time to time. I plan to pass it in a few days
Ask your wife and that Axiu to come into the palace to talk to me. You won't object, right? I'm really a little decadent when I'm alone every day, and I know it in my heart."
Zhang Yanling said: "Okay, in a few days I will ask them to come into the palace to talk to Second Sister. Second Sister, does the Emperor come to see you often?"
Empress Dowager Zhang breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Huzhao? Why is he... free? He is a fourteen-year-old child who has just ascended the throne and became the emperor, so he must be a little frightened. There are so many things going on in the court, and he and
I'm busy. How can I ask him to stay with me? I can't help him, so how can I cause trouble for him?"
Zhang Yanling nodded slightly and said: "The emperor should indeed be very busy. Recently, everyone in the imperial court has been praising the emperor for being like the emperor before him. He got up early and went to bed late, and was diligent and prudent. My second sister should be pleased."
Empress Dowager Zhang sighed softly: "I am pleased that the emperor has done well. I am just afraid of his impermanence. How can he suffer so much?"
Zhang Yanling said in surprise: "Why does the second sister think so?"
Empress Dowager Zhang looked at Zhang Yanling and smiled bitterly: "I know my son Mo Ruomu, but I still don't know his temperament? I'm satisfied if he doesn't cause trouble. How is that possible if he wants to be like his father?"
Zhang Yanling nodded slightly. It seemed that Empress Dowager Zhang did know her son well enough. As she knew, Emperor Zhengde and Emperor Hongzhi were basically two different people. There was no way Zhu Houzhao could become as diligent a person as Emperor Hongzhi. His
character jump
It is impossible to stabilize without rebellion. The Zhengde Emperor in history was a weird thing. How could Zhang Yanling not know this? So when I heard people in the court saying that Zhengde had the style of the previous emperor, Zhang Yanling almost laughed out loud. He is the fundamental
Don't believe this.
It now seems that Queen Mother Zhang also has a correct understanding of his son. Moreover, according to Zhang Yanling's guess, the reason why Zhu Houzhao was so well-behaved during this period was probably because he had first ascended to Dabao. Everything was too sudden and he has not yet figured it out.
I am still adapting to the situation. As time goes by, my true nature will be revealed.
The two siblings talked for a while, and then a servant outside shouted loudly: "The Emperor has arrived!"