The Red Mansions

Chapter 1223 Qin Keqing: It’s good that your husband knows what’s going on.

palace garden
Empress Song was listening to Emperor Chongping narrate the recent events in the court, and she was a little distracted at the moment. Fortunately, Emperor Chongping had had a few glasses of wine before, so she was feeling drunk and sleepy, so she didn't notice it. Similarly, with the support of Dai Quan and other internal eunuchs, he returned to the palace to rest, and after he sobered up, he reviewed the government affairs.

At this moment, Empress Song's bright cheeks were as red as peach, and under the willow leaves' slender eyebrows, her charming and flowing eyes were stunned, and she lightly pursed her pink lips.

Concubine Duanrong was watching from the side, but she noticed something strange and asked with concern: "Sister, what's wrong?"

Facing Concubine Duanrong's scrutinizing gaze, Empress Song's eyes were a little evasive, and she said softly: "I feel a little uncomfortable right now. Maybe I am too tired from the boat trip. I will take a rest later."

Concubine Duanrong did not doubt his presence and said, "Sister, you should pay attention to rest."

Queen Song said: "Well, let's go and take a rest."

While talking, the beauty, accompanied by several nuns and female officials, headed towards the sleeping hall.

"Nian Yun, prepare hot water, I need to take a bath now." As soon as the beauty entered the bedroom, a hint of shame and anger gradually appeared in her eyebrows, and she said softly.

She just felt uncomfortable inside and out now, and she blamed that little fox!

The beauty thought angrily in her heart, then became a little panicked.

She has obviously returned to the palace, why is she still... unable to forget that ridiculous journey.

At this moment, a bathtub has been prepared in the palace, and the bathtub filled with hot water is densely covered with petals. The steam is steaming and the fragrance is overflowing.

Nianyun responded, then prepared something for bathing.

The beauty sighed quietly.

……

……

Shenjing, Rongguo Mansion
Jia Heng entered the wing where Yuanyang was. The room was spacious and simple in decoration. There were porcelain cups and tea sets on the lacquered wood table. Under the bright afternoon sunlight, the white jade was flawless and radiant. In the inner room of the Nuan Pavilion, curtains stretched all around. On the bed, a pair of hibiscus-embroidered bedding is not old, but it looks quite neat and clean.

Jia Heng held Yuanyang's slender hand, went straight into the inner compartment, sat down on the bed, and asked, "Yuanyang, how are you doing lately?"

Yuanyang's face turned crimson and she said softly: "Isn't it like that? I'm waiting in front of the old lady. The old lady has been complaining these days and the house has become a lot deserted."

Jia Heng whispered: "After Sister-in-law Feng left, there was one less person in the house to talk and laugh with."

Normally when he and Sister Feng were making trouble together, I never saw Sister Feng talking and laughing. She always hugged his neck.

Under Yuanyang's curved green feather eyebrows, her crystal eyes were as bright as water, and she said softly: "How is your husband doing in the south? I heard that he won the battle, recovered an island, and defeated the Jurchens and pirates?"

During this time, the girl usually paid attention to the Di newspaper and other news sources.

Jia Heng said: "Yes, it was a small victory at sea. In naval battles, sea artillery and muskets were used to attack from a distance, and an island was recovered."

At this time, Han court officials, including Emperor Chongping, had no idea of ​​the strategic significance of the island being captured and the establishment of prefectures and counties.

Yuanyang's eyes were full of water and he said: "My husband just told the old lady that there will be no big war this year."

Jia Heng hugged the slim girl, caught a pair of mandarin ducks in front of him, and whispered in the ear of the girl with scarlet cheeks: "It's about the same."

Yuanyang's duck-egg cheeks were as crimson as clouds, and her pink lips were slightly moist. She said softly: "Husband, stop making trouble. It's not dark yet, so people should break in."

Before he finished speaking, he saw that the young man had come close to his lips, and his warm and soft breath touched his cheeks, which were as white as jade.

Jia Heng whispered, "Yuanyang, have you missed me these days?"

Yuanyang let out a soft "hmm", lowered his eyebrows and allowed the young man to be affectionate and frivolous.

Just after a while, Yuanyang quickly pressed Jia Heng's hand to explore You Xuanqi and whispered: "Husband, it's still daytime, the old lady should send someone to call later."

Jia Heng nodded, glanced at the dusk outside the window, and whispered, "Then come and see me in the next two days."

It seems to be getting late now, so I went back to see Ke Qing.

Yuanyang hummed slightly and said, "Husband, go ahead."

Then he watched the young man leave with some reluctance.

……

……

In Prince Qi's Mansion, there is a secret room in the study. The kerosene lamp is lit on the wall inside, and the faint orange candlelight shines.

The King of Qi, Chen Cheng, was sitting behind a mahogany desk, his chubby face was twitching, and under his short eyebrows, his eyes were filled with anger and resentment. "Vibrating up and down, making a clicking sound.

Shi Dou Rong, the head of Prince Qi's palace, had a pair of old eyes flashing like dew under his two slender eyebrows. He looked steadily at Prince Qi and persuaded him: "Your Majesty, please calm down."

Sitting next were Jia Yucun and Xu Shaozhen, as well as Chen Hong, the king of Zhongshun County.

Chen Hong's face was as gloomy as iron, his eyes flashed coldly, and he said in a clear voice: "Now that things have happened, does Your Highness still have any extravagant thoughts?"

"I am already so willing to flatter you, just because the Sanhe Gang made things difficult for me in every possible way. I had appealed to him before, but my father refused." Qi King Chen Cheng said with anger rising on his chubby face.

Chen Hong's face was solemn, he pondered for a moment, and said: "The Holy Emperor's heart is as solid as stone. Now that he has made up his mind, he will not change his mind any more."

Under the thick eyebrows of Qi King Chen Cheng, a ferocious light shot out from his tiger eyes, and he said in a low voice: "I am really not willing to give in, I really am not willing to give in."

If you take that path, you have no chance of winning, and you will have a narrow escape.

Chen Hong sighed and advised: "Your Highness, it is useless to talk about this now. We should take a risk."

Qi King Chen Cheng's deep voice was full of anxiety, and he said: "The last time the plan was destroyed, it already aroused the alarm in the palace. Where does it come from if I want to use it this time?"

Chen Hong lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, there is no need to be impatient. The Emperor has only been here for the past few months. The imperial doctor in the palace said that the Emperor's body is not in good health. Sooner or later, the oil will run out."

The ferocious light on Chen Cheng's face flashed away, and he whispered: "Then just wait for the opportunity."

"His Highness can also be busy with the new policy. Otherwise, with that person's suspicion, His Highness will just keep to himself and there will be no movement at all. Instead, he will be more suspicious." Chen Hong paused slightly and said softly.

King Qi's mung bean-sized eyes flickered, and he whispered: "Brother, what I'm saying is that my father has always been very suspicious, but now it's better to be patient."

The original plan was to take advantage of the emperor's death and force Emperor Chongping to abdicate while he was holding the coffin for the funeral.

But Chen Yuan's assassination strategy did not work, and he could only wait for the emperor to die of old age.

Xu Shaozhen said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, why not assassinate the Duke of Wei?"

King Chen Cheng of Qi said firmly: "No."

Chen Hong frowned and said thoughtfully: "What the prince said is true. If the Duke of Wei is so easy to assassinate, he will not delay it until today. Once the Duke of Wei is alerted, the consequences will be disastrous."

King Qi also showed some fear on his face, and said: "Brother Wang is right. It is not appropriate to cause trouble now. Now we just wait for the opportunity."

Jia Heng's son is really evil. From the 14th year of Chongping to the 17th year of Chongping, he was promoted all the way. Whenever he encountered difficulties, he succeeded in everything. However, his enemies were all unlucky, from Yang Guochang, the chief minister of the cabinet, to Nan'an. The county prince and a group of founding heroes.

The Prince of Nan'an County was even demoted. It could be said that all enemies were turned into powder under the crushing force of that young man.

Even though he had great fortune, he was reduced to the title of a county prince, and he only regained his title of prince today.

Jia Yucun looked at King Qi not far away, with a look of thought on his majestic face with straight nose and right cheeks.

If the King of Qi can succeed in his great career, then it will not be difficult for him to join the cabinet and assist in state affairs in the future, given his background as a Jinshi.

But once it fails, it will be shattered to pieces and the body will be attacked by swords and axes.

Thinking of this, Jia Yucun felt a little worried.

……

……

Ningguo Mansion, in the hall——

Qin Keqing was talking with Second Sister You and Third Sister You, and said in a low voice: "It's getting dark now, let's go call the uncle."

Baozhu responded, then left the courtyard and headed towards Rongguo Mansion.

Baozhu was just walking along the hand corridor. Not long after, he saw a young man in a python suit walking towards the hanging flower door. There was a hint of shyness in the girl's eyebrows, and she called in a low voice: "Uncle."

Jia Heng nodded and asked, "Where is Madam."

"Madam was telling me to call you." Baozhu's pink face, smeared with rouge and gouache, gradually showed a smile as full as water, and she said softly.

As she got older, the maidservant also began to think about the future, hoping that Jia Heng, the Duke of the country, would take a look at her, and then take her into the house as a concubine.

But beside Qin Keqing, there is the beautiful Second Sister You who is still waiting to be married, let alone such a vulgar and popular girl?

Jia Heng nodded and said, "Then I'll go there right away."

While talking, he slowly walked to the backyard hall.Seeing the young man who didn't even look at him, Bao Zhu pursed his pink lips, his eyes dim.

At this moment, Qin Keqing was sitting with Second Sister You and Third Sister You talking together. Not far away, a nanny was talking while holding a swaddled baby.

And Qin Keqing's face, which became more beautiful and plump after giving birth, was full of smiles. Occasionally, she stretched out her hand to tease her daughter and pinched her pink and plump face.

"Master is here."

As the grandmother and maid outside spoke, Jia Heng stepped into the hall and said softly: "My dear, have you had dinner?"

Qin Keqing looked a little surprised and asked: "I was just saying that I was waiting for my husband, but the old lady didn't leave any food?"

Jia Heng said softly: "We talked for a while, let's have dinner together."

As he said this, he reached out and took the swaddled baby from the nanny's hand, teasing the babbling baby girl. My daughter's milk was milky and her skin was fair.

Qin Keqing said: "Husband."

I only care about hugging my daughter, and I don’t know how to hug...accompany her.

At this moment, twilight is closing, the lanterns are starting to turn on, and the twilight is falling from the dark sky, like a black curtain, a mass of darkness.

Many maids and maids began to light candles one by one. The lights were dim and orange, and a warm atmosphere spread silently.

Sanjie You, on the other hand, was in the side hall instructing the maids to prepare the food.

The current Third Sister You was legitimately accepted as a concubine by Jia Heng. She was a serious concubine who was said to live in her body and nourish her spirit.

Jia Heng seemed to have caught a hint of disappointment in the beauty's eyes, and handed his daughter to the nanny aside. He came closer, held the beauty's slender and smooth skin, and said softly: "Ke Qing, why are you still here?" Are you jealous of your daughter?"

Qin Keqing: "..."

The plump, bright cheeks that were as bright as hibiscus flowers were almost flushed with shame, and there was a trace of anger in the shining eyes, and he said, "What are you talking about?"

Jia Heng chuckled lightly and said, "Ke Qing, we haven't seen each other for half a year."

Qin Keqing's beautiful eyes were as clear as water under her willow eyebrows, and she said angrily, "Yes, my husband is out every day, and Fu'er is almost one year old, so she calls her daddy."

Jia Heng said: "I will spend more time with you two during this time."

At this moment, Second Sister You looked at the couple living together, and couldn't help showing a trace of inexplicable shame. Holding a light red handkerchief in her hand, she got up and walked towards the side hall.

The thing that Third Sister had promised her before was either tonight or tomorrow night.

Qin Keqing raised her eyes to look at the beauty who stood up and left, and said quietly: "Husband, my second sister is not young anymore."

If she doesn't let anyone around her, she really won't be able to contain her man.

Jia Heng was silent for a moment and whispered: "I know."

Qin Keqing rolled her eyes at the young man, and said as if she had something to say, "It's good that you know what's going on, husband."

Immediately, his eyes filled with water, he asked softly: "My husband is in the south during this time, why didn't you talk about Sister Xue's marriage?"

Jia Heng said: "The old lady asked me just now about Sister Xue. I don't know why the palace granted Princess Le'an a marriage in advance."

He said and explained.

Qin Keqing turned her head with cloud-like hair. Under her emerald eyebrows, her crystal clear eyes were as full as water. She said softly, "Sister Xue is really in bad luck."

Jia Heng said: "Maybe it's God's will that allows her to marry Sister Lin together."

Qin Keqing snorted softly, with a hint of anger in his beautiful eyes, and said, "This is all from the beginning."

Jia Heng reached into the skirt of the silk dress, as if he was picking up the stars and the moon. There was a strange look in his eyes, and he whispered: "You still remember this matter now."

If he really wants to settle old scores, should he talk about the time he went to the Qin Mansion to propose marriage?

Well, forget it, it’s all the child’s mother.

Qin Keqing's beautiful and plump face had a slight blush, feeling the young man's love and affection, and her heart felt a little sweet.

Her husband did not dislike her because she gained weight after giving birth to her child, but seemed to like her more.

By the way, after gaining weight, she should be almost the same as Sister Xue?
Beauty is originally the beauty of both hairpin and black hair.

Under the beauty's curved willow-leaf slender eyebrows, a hint of worry appeared in her beautiful eyes as clear as water, and she said softly: "Either I am worried about it, or how can Sister Xue and Sister Lin have both?"

Jia Heng's face became silent for a moment, and he explained: "Since Yaruo, a marriage is a marriage, and there is no such thing as a marriage."

In other words, when he won another great victory in the northwest and was promoted to the rank of first-class Duke, he had already reached a potential tacit understanding with the emperor in the palace and the ministers in the government and the public.

His reputation was tainted with lasciviousness, but he was no longer rewarded with titles.

Speaking of which, he hasn't seen Ya Ruo for a while. He should be at Prince Meng's Mansion right now?

Third Sister You opened the rustling bead curtain and looked at the two people who were getting tired of each other. Under her beautiful eyebrows, a faint smile appeared on her beautiful face, and she said softly: " time to eat."

Jia Heng said: "Let's go eat first."

My hands are sticky now...

Qin Keqing looked at the young man with annoyance on her face. Her husband knew that she was nursing, and now Xiaoyi...

While Jia Heng was speaking, he took Qin Keqing's slender hand, came to a pearwood chair not far away and sat down, picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks, looked at You who was busy, and said: "Sister-in-law You, first of all Sit down and eat together."

I haven't seen Youshi for a while, and I feel a lot less tired and haggard. There seems to be a gloomy air between her eyebrows and her delicate face.

Speaking of which, Youshi has been widowed for more than three years.

You nodded calmly and sat quietly, like an orchid in an empty valley. Her breath was fragrant and refreshing. She just sat down and pursed her pink lips. She didn't know what she was thinking. She seemed to have some feelings for Jia Heng. Alienation.

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, feeling a little confused for a moment.

In fact, he was not ignorant of Youshi's friendship for him.

At this moment, Ruizhu came over with a basin of hot water, her youthful and beautiful face flushed slightly, and she said softly: "Uncle, wash your hands."

This is also an age when you start to get anxious.

In fact, since the 14th year of Chongping, it is now the 17th year of Chongping. Not only the little girls like Chai Daiyunqin have gradually grown up, but also the maids in the back house have begun to grow up.

Jia Heng stopped washing his hands, picked up the chopsticks and ate the food with Qin Keqing, and said softly: "Can Fu'er eat a little?"

"She's only a few months old. She can't eat yet, and she hasn't been weaned yet." Qin Keqing said softly, and glanced at the boy in the python suit with annoyance, as if with some meaning.

Jia Heng's face paused slightly and said, "That's true."

It was really different after I gave birth to a child, and I started to feel weird and angry.

Next to you, Sanjie You sat down, her face paused slightly, and she couldn't help but see a hint of amusement in her beautiful eyes.

Second Sister You watched from a distance, with a hint of joy on her face.

Everyone ate together.

Jia Heng, Qin Keqing and You Sanjie went to the inner room to drink tea and talk. It was mid-spring at this moment, and the fragrance of various flowers outside the window floated towards the inner room, creating a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

Third Sister You smiled, sat close and asked, "Uncle, how long will you stay at home this time?"

Jia Heng thought for a while and said softly: "Maybe three months."

Qin Keqing's face was slightly surprised, and she said with concern: "Didn't I say there will be no war this year?"

Jia Heng sighed and said: "There are still some government affairs that I need to take care of. In fact, if I really have to stay at home every day, that will be a big disaster."

When Qin Keqing heard this, her jade face, as crystal clear as snow, changed slightly, and she said with a worried tone: "Husband."

"It's okay, just be busy now." Jia Heng gently took the beauty's slender hand and whispered: "It's getting late, let's rest early."

Ever since Keqing became pregnant and gave birth to a child, she hasn't spent much time with Keqing.

When Qin Keqing heard this, her jade face, whose skin was as good as snow, was as red as drunkenness, and her delicate body was a little soft and slightly hot.

And the third sister You on the side also had a slight smile on her beautiful face, and asked: "Husband, don't you take a bath first?"

Jia Heng said warmly: "Then go and prepare hot water. I'm going to take a bath."

The journey was so dusty that I had to take a shower.

(End of this chapter)