Bright Spring

Zhang Xin flushed with embarrassment, maybe his embarrassment was not because he felt that what he did was contemptible, but because the occasion was wrong?After all, this room is usually a place where state affairs are discussed.

Zhu Gaoxu also knew Zhang Xin's special hobby. When he persuaded him to surrender in Beiping, the place where he met was in the home of a private prostitute.

Zhang Dao said: "Returning to the Holy Spirit, it has been a long time, but I have been with that woman for a long time, so I probably still remember it."

Zhu Gaoxu nodded, and did not continue to ask Zhang Xin how he tortured him to death.Anyway, Zhang Xin should not be a good person in his private life; however, sometimes people who are used to do great things really can't ask for perfection.

Just then, the eunuch Wang Gui came into the house.

Zhu Gaoxu immediately greeted Wang Gui and said, "Find someone who can draw in the palace, and accompany Marquis Longping to draw a portrait."

Wang Gui clasped his fists and said, "Your maid obeys the order."

Zhu Gaoxu asked Zhang Xin again: "Does Marquis Longping know who to paint?"

Zhang Xin was stunned for a moment, as if he had guessed something.He suddenly fell to his knees with a "plop", choked with sobs and said, "I understand! Your Majesty loves this humble minister, and the humble minister can only repay the emperor's kindness with all his heart!"

"Forget it, get up." Zhu Gaoxu said, "there are too many grievances and grievances among the people in the court at present; since everyone has gathered together to govern the Ming Dynasty together, let go of old grievances if you can. Besides, I advise you when you were in Beiping When I voted for Yan Wangfu, I said that I would help you deal with the grievances with Qi Shangshu. I have always been a trustworthy person."

Zhang Xin hastily expressed his thanks.

Wang Gui took Zhang Xin and left Dongnang Pavilion; after a long time, Wang Gui came back.

Zhu Gaoxu was sitting on a chair, rubbing his right palm on his forehead repeatedly, thinking about something.

After a while, Wang Gui stepped forward and said cautiously: "According to the emperor's will, the painter has been found. Now that the world is becoming more and more peaceful, the emperor doesn't have to work too hard. The slaves see it, and it hurts in my heart!"

Zhu Gaoxu raised his head, looked at Wang Gui, and said casually: "In life, there must be troubles. Don't worry about this, there will be that, it just depends on which one you are more willing to endure."

Wang Gui thought about it for a while, then said softly: "Your Majesty, there is one more thing. Mrs. Shen Xu from Yunnan came to Beijing this morning, and entered through the Jinchuan Gate."

After Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he immediately said: "Ms. Shen Xu contributed money to help me fight the war. She is a businessman, so she can't let her invest in vain. Go and tell Mrs. Shen to settle down and come to the palace. I will give her a seal of approval." Madam, I will give her late husband an official post."

"Yes, the servants will do it immediately." Wang Gui said.

Zhu Gaoxu took a look at Wang Gui, felt that his expression was strange, so he couldn't help explaining: "When I saw her, I also wanted to talk to her about serious matters. There are some things that officials can't do, and honorable ones can't do, so it's really a businessman. Don't think too much about it. "

Wang Gui hurriedly said: "I don't dare!"

Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand indifferently.

He hadn't seen Shen Xushi for a long time, and now that he heard that she was coming to Beijing, Zhu Gaoxu felt an unconcealable joy in his heart.

Thinking back to the days in Yunnan, although it was not so smooth, it also left a lot of memories, which only belonged to the past of that identity and that situation.

Chapter 644 To Go or Not to Go

"The spring is silent and cherishes the trickle, the shade of the tree shines on the water and loves the eyes softly. The little lotus just shows its sharp horns, and dragonflies have already stood on its head"

Shen Xu has arrived in the capital and lived in the prepared mansion.At this time, she was standing on the eaves of a house on an embankment in the back garden, reciting a poem while looking at the scenery.

Under her round eyes that looked like single eyelids, she looked a little tired due to the long journey; but she looked very comfortable, holding green tea made from cassia seeds, lotus leaves, roses, and wax gourd in her hand, and looked at her The new government is very satisfied.

Next to me is a middle-aged woman in her 50s, Yang, who is obviously puzzled.While wiping the railing, she muttered: "For a place as big as Jinling, why wouldn't Madam choose the edge of Xuanwu Lake, where the humidity is heavy?"

It is said that women of this age are not easy to get along with. In the past two years, Mrs. Yang has become more and more verbose.

However, Shen Xu thought that she had taken care of her daily life for many years, and felt that Yang's wordiness was also out of good intentions, so Shen Xu didn't bother with her.

Instead, relying on her youth, Shen Xu smiled and said in a slightly coquettish voice: "I like this kind of place, and I don't care about the humidity."

She looked at Xuanwu Lake and murmured: "You say it is quiet, but it is not quiet. Xuanwu Lake is not only in the capital city of the Ming Dynasty, but also look at the looming houses hidden by willow trees on the opposite bank. The yamen of the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate; further away, there is the Yellow Book Library. This place is not remote, and our place is not far from the Taiping Gate, so it is very convenient to enter and exit.

Aunt Yang, I actually don't like living in remote places, for fear of being forgotten by the world.I just love being in a bustling place where someone is waiting for me. "

When Shen Xu heard this, she stopped smiling and sighed faintly.Naturally, Yang couldn't taste the feeling of worry but not worry in her words.

At this time, she continued: "You say it's noisy, but it's not very noisy. Compared with the densely populated Qinhuai River in Jubaomen, where singing and dancing are peaceful, this place is much quieter.

It is located outside the inner city of the capital, and the inner house is leaning on the wide lake. Except for the sound of waves and wind, I can't hear other sounds. I am in Yunnan Mansion, and I built my mansion on the side of Caihaizi, which is also the reason!Living by the water, quiet amidst the hustle and bustle.I don't really want to go out to socialize all day long. It would be great if I could have more time to do what I love to do in peace. "

Yang said: "Only a wealthy person like Madam can pay so much attention to it."

Shen Xu showed a smile again, and said calmly: "You are right."

Yang asked: "A eunuch came to the palace in the morning, saying that the majesty wants to make madam a royal wife and asks madam to come to the palace. When will you enter the palace? I can prepare the itinerary for you."

"The Holy Majesty wants to thank me and confer an imperial edict on his wife. I just need to issue an imperial decree. I don't need to go to the palace to face the Holy Spirit. I just need to write a letter to thank you. At most, I will go to see the Queen during the New Year. Should I go this time or not?" ?” Shen Xu pondered.

Yang looked at her with confusion, and saw that her expression became very serious; Yang naturally couldn't fully understand why Shen Xu was so entangled.

Holding warm tea, Mrs. Shen Xu had already walked to the railing, watching the slight waves of Xuanwu Lake lapping against the dam below.

No matter how many successes and failures Shen Xu has had in these years, how much fear, humiliation and joy, in the end she was lucky, she got involved in the battle for the throne inexplicably, and even bet on the right treasure.At this time, Shen Xu could already foresee that the family status of the "Shen family" could go further in the Wude dynasty!

The Shen family did not trust the court because of what happened to Shen Wansan during the Hongwu period; and when Xu Fujiu took the initiative to disperse the family wealth, the Xu family did not have much pain and had a more optimistic view of the future.

So before Shen Xu left Yunnan, the two clans roughly reached a compromise.Most of the businesses and mines in Yunnan were controlled by those close relatives of the Shen family; the Xu family, including Xu Cailiu and Xu Caiqi, who were close to Shen Xu, followed her to the capital, intending to attach themselves to the imperial power. get more wealth.

But after this incident, the family did not survive.Xu Cailiu, who is already middle-aged, has a son who is about the same age as Shen Xu's stepdaughter Shen Baoyan; Xu Cailiu has a long-term plan and wants Shen Baoyan to be his daughter-in-law.

Xu Cailiu should have noticed that there may be some affair between Shen Xu and the Holy Majesty.He probably wants Mrs. Shen Xu to enter the palace and become a concubine, and then his son will marry Shen Baoyan, and control the huge wealth of the Shen and Xu family outside!

But Shen Xu didn't plan that way, she just wanted Shen Baoyan to enter the palace, and she continued to control the Shen family's business

Shen Xu stood behind the railing for a long time.The wind blowing from the lake cooled the tea in her hand; she felt her fingertips were also a little cold, so she paced away from the railing.Her face was expressionless, showing a little helplessness and laziness, but a pair of round eyes were still exceptionally bright and dark.

She thought to herself: In the past, King Min and Mu's family were thinking of seizing her family property, but now, even their own people have their own ideas.

It is indeed not easy for a woman to control the family business.She can't do anything about it, she can't manage all the businesses outside without relying on people from the two clans.

On the embankment by the back garden lake, there is a large eaves, and Mrs. Shen Xu was standing on the railing on the eaves just now.At this time she felt a little cold, so she went into the house.

In a suite for rest, there is a dressing table.Seeing this, Shen Xu walked over and looked at herself in the bronze mirror.

The face with a little makeup, fair skin, black lips, vermilion lips, and white teeth are still bright and beautiful.But when Shen Xu took a closer look, he still found that his skin was different from those of those little girls.After all, she was over thirty.

At this time, Shen Xu couldn't help thinking: If he enters the palace at this age, how many more years can he be favored?In the future, will you just compete with those stunning wives and concubines of Gao Xu?

After a while, her valet Yang came in.Mrs. Yang glanced at the teacup on the dressing table, and said: "My servant sees that Madam has made lotus leaf winter melon tea, but it is already cold. This servant is going to make another cup for Madam."

"En." Shen Xu nodded, and suddenly she said again, "Don't rush to make tea, tell Baoyan to let her enter the palace with me tomorrow."

After hearing this, Mrs. Yang glanced at Mrs. Xu, as if to say: Madame has decided to enter the palace.Yang knelt and said, "Yes."

Now that she has made up her mind on how to deal with this matter, Shen Xu finally heaves a sigh of relief secretly, and her heart relaxes a lot.She thought to herself: I thought about letting Shen Baoyan enter the palace, this must be a wise choice!

Shen Xu's mood gradually improved, she walked to the side of the soft couch, simply lay down on her side to rest, and pulled a blanket over her body lightly.