After the first month of the seventh year of Qianyuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the emperor changed the name of the year to Yonghe, counting from the middle of the year, so in June, the first year of Yonghe began to be used.
The weather was already hot, especially in the main hall, and the backs of the officials wearing court uniforms were already wet.
The court meeting was still going on, and there was no figure of the emperor on the imperial couch. There was only a four-legged stool placed under the imperial couch, with the eldest prince sitting upright.
Compared with half a year ago, the twelve-year-old eldest prince has grown a lot taller, so he also looks thinner. Wearing the prince's court uniform, he already has some initial royal aura in this solemn hall.
Gao Tongshi, who was in the queue, looked at the eldest prince above him with a somewhat gratified smile.
The change of the reign name went well. Since the change of the reign name, life has become smoother and smoother. As expected, I got a post as a servant and became one of the dozens of people in the court. I am no longer simply titled.
He has become a national relative with an official position such as General Jinwu Guard, which means that he has a more influential position in the court, instead of hiding behind and relying on others to speak for him as before.
His life was going well, and the eldest prince had made much better progress than before. After the New Year, he seemed to have grown up suddenly and became more sensible. He was conscientious in his homework, and his teachers praised him. The emperor also relied on him more and more, and when he attended the court hearing, he did not
He will be as childish as before, blinking and listening very seriously.
The court meeting soon dispersed, and a group of officials came to the apse again, where the emperor was waiting.
"….What do you think about this?"
The eldest prince went in first to give a brief report on today's court meeting, and the emperor's voice of inquiry came from inside.
"...I think what Mr. Li said is true, but it's better to send someone to check it in person before making a conclusion. I don't know much about it, I just heard it said in books, so I wanted to take a look..."
"It's good that you think so."
Hearing this conversation, Gao Tongshi, oh, no, the smile on Gao Dengyuan's face is even stronger now.
He will have to go out sooner or later, but he has to leave with peace of mind. The current eldest prince makes him feel at ease.
The door here opened, and the eldest prince stepped out, returned the courtesy with the ministers, and moved forward and retreat in a well-founded manner. The etiquette was so meticulous that the ministers present could not find anything wrong, and they all expressed their admiration.
This child has indeed grown up.
The eldest prince turned and left. As he walked through the corridor, his pace quickened a few steps. His hands that were originally drooping were waving, and his wide sleeves were also swinging, giving him a bit of the innocent movement of a young man.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
The eldest prince's voice echoed in the Queen Mother's Palace, loud and joyful, showing the young man's spirit.
"Keep your voice down, otherwise the emperor will accuse you of being rude if he finds out." The imperial concubine stood up and said with a smile.
The Queen Mother, who was leaning on the couch, shook her head with a kind smile.
There were several concubines sitting on the other side, including two princesses of similar age and a princess who was about one year old. When they saw him coming over, they all said hello, laughed, and were respectful and lively.
"What's wrong with you? It's not like you were in the previous court." The Queen Mother smiled and stretched out her hand to ask the eldest prince to sit over. "You are only twelve years old. Are you tired from sitting in the court for half a day?"
He also urged the palace maids to get fans and drinks.
The eldest prince knelt down next to the queen mother, looking calm and content.
"I'm not tired. I've only been sitting for half a day. How can I say I'm tired? My father has to work hard every day." He said seriously.
The Queen Mother smiled even happier, stretched out her hand to touch his shoulder and praised him repeatedly.
"I still have to go listen to the lecture." She said with a bit of worry, "You are so tired, maybe you can take a day off?"
"Your Majesty, I'm not tired at all, and I've already memorized what Sir said, so I'm not afraid." The eldest prince said loudly, with a bit of pride.
"Fourth brother is so smart." The concubines on the side praised him one after another.
The smile on the eldest prince's face became even stronger, and the imperial concubine also looked pleased.
"Aren't Prince Jin'an and Sixth Brother coming back yet?"
In this bustle, a princess asked in a childlike voice.
The atmosphere suddenly dropped.
The concubine next to her immediately knew that the child had said something wrong and quickly reached out to hug the princess.
"...Yes, yes, if they were here, they would definitely be happy for the eldest prince's hard work and intelligence." She said hurriedly.
The other concubines seemed to be in a hurry, and someone else changed the subject by talking about recent news, and the Queen Mother's expression was a bit gloomy.
The eldest prince sat down for a moment longer and then stood up to leave. The concubines also left, and the Queen Mother's Palace became quiet.
"Where are Brother Wei and Brother Six going?"
The Queen Mother asked quietly.
"I told you to leave Hengshan a few months ago. I heard that there is a miracle doctor in Suzhou. I should have arrived at the border now." The palace maid hurriedly replied in a low voice.
The Queen Mother stretched out her hand to calculate.
"It's been more than half a year, why hasn't this child come back? Those miracle doctors are all nonsense, but he really takes it seriously..." She sighed and said.
"The prince... still doesn't want to give up." The palace maid whispered.
The Queen Mother sighed again, lay down and closed her eyes.
"It's just a matter of time."
The palace maid did not dare to answer, put down the curtains and quietly left.
The imperial concubine here, on the other hand, opened the curtain angrily.
"Concubine Liu did it on purpose, right? She was afraid that everyone would forget that fool, right?" She said, "Every time she is happy, she has to mention it."
The palace maid lowered her head and did not dare to speak.
"Princess Shuhui is so old, it's time for her to be taught well. She comes from a mason's family, so what good can she learn from hanging around with her every day." The imperial concubine said bitterly, "Send Princess Shuhui to Concubine Zhu Xian.
Go, she writes poems and books to everyone, and is well-educated."
Compared to the Empress Dowager's sentimentality and the Imperial Concubine's displeasure, the Eldest Prince's mood was not affected. He sat in the study and recited a scripture accurately and fluently. Listening to the teacher's praise, a smile spread across his face.
There is no more comparison, no more hateful maps, no more endless scolding, everyone likes him and pleases him, this is the life he deserves.
Such a good day.
Without that child, life would indeed be better, and he would be the best.
"Teacher, I want to review yesterday's lesson. There are still a few things I don't understand very well." The eldest prince sat up straight and said in a clear voice.
In the Chen family's suburban house, the whole family moved here this month to beat the heat.
"Eighteen Niangs, Eighteen Niangs."
Chen Danniang ran into the yard with great strides. After the New Year, she had grown taller and her movements became more flexible. She no longer looked ridiculous when running, but as agile as a flying butterfly.
The servants and girls in Chen Shiba Niang's yard hurriedly stretched out their hands to help her.
"Ms. Dan, Shiba Niang is practicing calligraphy. Don't make any noise." they whispered.
Chen Danniang said with a bit of regret.
"Why are you writing on such a hot day? Grandpa said he wanted to go out to eat." She said, standing on tiptoes and looking inside.
The door and window of Chen Shiba Niang's study room are open, and half of her figure sitting upright can be seen among the green trees. She wears a dark blouse, long hair tied behind her back, and no headdress. This has become the eighteenth generation of the Chen family.
The mother's logo will always be recognized by people at a glance no matter what time or occasion it is.
Hearing the voices here, she turned her head slightly and looked over.
"You and grandpa go, I won't go," she said, "I still have two words to write."
Chen Danniang stood on the corridor and looked into the study. There were many copybooks hanging on the wall and some spread on the floor.
"Sister, what's the point of writing?" she asked puzzledly, "You've already written well enough."
Chen Shiba Niang shook her head and looked at the large characters hanging on the book screen in front of her.
As long as you practice more, you can be as good as the lady writes, right?
No, sometimes it's talent.
Talent?
Chen Shiba Niang pursed her lips and continued to straighten her arms to write a word.
Chen Danniang is a little boring.
"You really don't want to go, you're going to Taiping Residence," she said.
Chen Shiba Niang stopped her hand, looked up at Chen Danniang, and smiled slightly as she thought of something.
"Danniang, do you remember Mrs. Cheng's wife?" she asked.
Chen Danniang nodded, but her expression was no longer as enthusiastic as last year. Children's memories are short-lived. When they met, they were inseparable even if they were familiar with each other in three languages, but after separation, the memory faded in March.
It has been almost a year since Mrs. Cheng left the capital.
I heard from my mother that she also left Jiangzhou. I don’t know where Yunyou has gone, and maybe she won’t come back.
Now that I think about it, this person came and went without a trace. Not to mention the child Chen Danniang, even her memory is a little blurry. It seems that there has never been this person in the capital.
"Sister, are you going? If you don't go, I won't bring you tofu." Chen Danniang's voice rang in her ears, interrupting Chen Shiba's reverie.
Tofu, Taipingju, Shenxianju, and Qietingsi.
No, she did not exist. Not only did she exist, she also left many marks. Although others do not know it, she always reminds those who know.
She came suddenly and left lightly, but in just one year, she left so many marks in the capital, and there are traces of her sleeves in all the storms, big and small. The most important thing is that people who don't know her will never know.
She, those who knew her would find it difficult to forget her.
Chen Shiba Niang pursed her lips and smiled.
"I can eat myself, so go ahead." She said with a smile, "Don't overeat and grow into a fat little person."
Seven-year-old Chen Danniang already had her own concept of beauty and ugliness. She shrugged her nose, got up and ran away.
In summer, compared to Taipingju, the business in Shenxianju is a bit quieter, but this does not make everyone have any bad thoughts. No matter how quiet the business is, it does not mean that they will close their doors.
Banqin looked at the account books and quickly fiddled with his calculations without stopping talking.
"...Fourth Young Master is going back next month? Why do you have to go back?" she asked.
Chun Ling sat across from her and looked at her with her hands and eyes, her eyes shining brightly, full of admiration and admiration, and seemed not to hear her question.
Banqin smiled at her look and asked again.
"Ms. Banqin, you are really capable." Chun Ling sighed without answering.
"What are you calling me, ma'am? Just like you, I am a servant." Banqin said.
"How can that be the same!" Chun Ling shouted with a look of fright, waving her little hands around, "What kind of lowly person am I, how can I be compared to a lady?"
"You are not a lowly person. You are not willing to go to that kind of place. As long as a person doesn't know what he has chosen, he will be clean." Banqin said, "Stop calling me a lady. I have a wife in my family. It's over the line."
Chun Ling's stern response was.
"The Fourth Young Master said that my husband is about to enter the imperial court, and the school is temporarily closed and will not reopen until the big exam in two years." She answered the question just now.
Banqin nodded in agreement.
"Yes, sir, he has taken on a new job." She said, calling the boy over, and ordered him to rent a car and a horse, and then went to buy gifts. She also asked quickly if the money was enough, "If it is not enough, take it from my wife first."
Give it to him."
"Do you want to write an IOU?" the boy asked with a smile. He had spent a lot of money to subsidize Cheng Silang in the past six months.
"Hey, I can't even do this, so what kind of IOU can I ask for?" Banqin said with a smile.
Chun Ling nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, yes, it's all sister Banqin who is working hard. It's really hard work. Can't we only make money but not spend it?" she said, with a bit of confusion.
Banqin glanced at her.
"That's not right." She said, "This is not my credit. Someone built the ladder, and the building I climbed to is my credit. This is my duty, and people can't forget their duty.
."
"Yes, yes, although I am in Deshenglou, my wife is very kind to me, so I will definitely serve my wife well, sister Banqin. This is my duty, isn't it?" Chun Ling asked seriously with her eyes widened.
road.
Banqin's expression improved and she nodded with a smile.
Chun Ling stood up and said goodbye, and walked out of the Immortal Residence. There was no smile on her face at all, and she looked back with a bit of jealousy.
It’s really a shame. What’s so good about that woman? Why would you want to be that woman’s good dog? (To be continued)
