National Beauty

Keep the big or keep the small?

King Rui wants both, one is a concubine who is charming and smart and pleasant, one is the child he hopes for, and the other is most likely to be his son. It is really difficult for King Rui to choose.

But Chen Xiu had difficulty in giving birth, the imperial doctor said, he could only choose one of the two.

It was difficult for King Rui to choose, and at this moment, Princess Rui led the maids to arrive. Looking at the delivery room, Princess Rui asked anxiously: "My lord, what's going on now? I waited for the news last night and I slept late and just woke up. I heard that my sister was having a hard time, so I hurried over as soon as I woke up." The concern was overwhelming, as if Lying inside was her sister.

Rui Wang smashed his fist and turned his back, upset.

The imperial physician told Princess Rui the situation.

Concubine Rui was delighted, dystocia is good, Chen Xiu and her son are both dead. She was gloating in her heart. Of course, Princess Rui would not show it. She frowned and asked the emperor in a serious face: "How come you have reached that point, can't you protect both?"

Rui Wang turned his head and looked at the imperial doctor expectantly.

The imperial doctor threw himself down on his knees, and he really couldn't help it.

When Princess Rui saw her, she looked up at her husband. Wang Rui also looked at her, as if wishing her to help her out. Princess Rui moved her lips, but finally lowered her head and did not dare to speak falsely.

The important matter of life and death was his woman and child. The King Rui couldn't make up his mind, so he asked Princess Rui: "You said, what should I do."

Princess Rui understood what the prince meant and asked her to choose. Whether she chooses the older or the younger, the prince can push the sin of giving up on her and let her bear the resentment of Chen Xiu or the loss of the child's close relatives.

But the prince forced to ask, and he couldn't answer without answering. Princess Rui bowed her head, tried to suffocate two tears, and then said with tears in her eyes: "Prince, I have served you with my sister for many years. I have been with my sisters for many years. I really don't know how to choose. I just hope that their mothers and children are safe... "After covering his face, I couldn't cry.

Rui Wang pursed his lips, and suddenly there was a cry of pain in the delivery room. It was Chen Xiu.

The imperial doctor listened, and pleaded again: "Master, you must make a decision quickly, otherwise you can't keep both of them!"

Imminent, Rui Wang suddenly clenched his fists and said with red eyes with great difficulty: "I want you to do your best to protect them. It's really impossible. Then, just..." He closed his eyes, and the words behind him were very low, but The imperial physician and Princess Rui that Baba was waiting for heard. What Rui Wang said is to protect the children.

The imperial doctor got the order and immediately returned to the delivery room, and then explained the three midwives inside.

In the hall, Princess Rui choked and walked to the side of Rui Wang, supporting him on the shoulder and weeping: "Prince, I know that you feel uncomfortable in your heart. If you want to blame, you must blame your sister for fate. There is no blessing. Don't blame yourself..."

Rui Wang was in a mess. Just about to throw her hand away, he caught sight of Princess Rui’s pregnant belly. Thinking that there was another hope, Rui Wang felt a little better. He put the Princess on the chair and sighed: "Sit down, don’t move. Fetal air."

Princess Rui nodded, holding her veil, looking worriedly at the door of the delivery room.

Inside the delivery room, Chen Xiu could hardly catch his breath, his vision blurred. The imperial doctor hid behind the screen, and didn't know what he was talking to the midwife. Chen Xiu was in pain. She was so painful that she wanted the child to come out, but she couldn't do it. Seeing the midwife came back, Chen Xiu uttered aloud, looking at the midwife pleadingly.

This midwife teaches her to work hard and breathe, so she can stay aside. The midwife wanted to pretend not to see Chen Xiu's eyes, but she couldn't bear it when she thought of Chen Xiu's death, so she leaned over, held Chen Xiu's hand, and said with pity, "Do you have anything to say?"

Chen Xiu's lips fluttered, like a gossamer: "Child..."

The midwife wet her eyes and couldn't bear to tell her that Chen Xiu cried and insisted on her. The midwife was sad, and bowed her head and said: "The concubine has a difficult delivery. The imperial doctor said, you and your child can only keep one."

Chen Xiu was stunned, and moved his gaze to the screen, and suddenly realized that the imperial doctor had just gone out, and he must have asked the prince whether to protect her or the child. Who should we protect? At this moment, Chen Xiu also fell into this problem. That was the child she was looking forward to day and night during the pregnancy in October. She hoped that he would be safe, but if she died, what would happen to the child? Without the support of his mother, would he be bullied?

My lord, it must be a baby, right? Chen Xiulei is like rain. She has always wanted to give birth to a son for the prince. She wants to make the prince happy. If she can give birth to a son today, the prince will be happy. What about her, is her life worthless? In the heart of the prince, is she Chen Xiu used to give birth to children? Don’t count the love you used to do?

In this way, the midwife looked at her heartache, glanced at the woman's bulging belly, and the midwife clenched her hands and said: "Side concubine, the maidservant knows what you are thinking, you are really unwilling to give birth!"

When Chen Xiu heard the words, there was a sudden harsh light in his eyes, his teeth clenched and tried his best, his nails sunk deep into his palms, and his head was filled with flesh and blood in his belly. He was a ruthless and unrighteous husband outside. I don't know how long it took, Chen Xiu only felt his body loosened, as if he had relieved his vital burden.

"Born, given birth, finally given birth!" the midwife underneath shouted loudly.

Chen Xiu tried to open his eyes and stared at the midwife.

The child was dirty. The midwife looked at the child's legs, her mouth turned up, and she excitedly said to Chen Xiu, who was dying on the bed, "Congratulations, Concubine, Concubine, you are a little son!"

Son, it's a son!

Chen Xiu smiled, crying and laughing. The prince wants her to die, and the princess expects her to die. She will not die, but will live well with her son!

The midwife's voice was too loud, and both Rui Wang and Rui Wang heard it outside. Rui Wang walked back and forth excitedly, and forgot to ask Chen Xiu how he was, only to be happy that he finally had it.

Princess Rui sat on the chair, her heart sinking. The eldest son of the concubine, although it was a concubine, took up a long character. If the prince becomes the throne, the child will be a threat to the child in her womb. However, since the child was born, she had no choice but to get angry. Fortunately, the fairy Chen Xiu died. Without the mother, there are still so many years left before the eldest son grows up. Who can guarantee that nothing will happen?

It’s a long time coming.

Princess Rui quickly calmed down and waited to see the child with a big smile on her face.

The child was cleaned up, the midwife took it out, and let it be watched by King Rui. Finally he had his own son, and Wang Rui laughed from ear to ear. Even if the child was still very young and looked a little ugly, he would not do well. After several consecutive kisses, he was more joyful than the previous two small princesses. Obviously more at birth.

Princess Rui looked sour, twisting seven or eight knots in her heart.

Rui Wang was too happy, turned around and hugged the child in front of her, and said joyfully, "Look at it too."

Princess Rui made up her mind not to touch the child, so as not to have anything to do with her. The prince hugged her, and she lowered her head. When she looked at it, she found that the child's face was purple! Princess Rui has given birth to two children. When the daughters were born, their cheeks were red, and they quickly became white. How can there be such a color?

She looked at the prince hesitantly. King Rui didn't notice her look, and continued to hug the child, coaxing, and suddenly realized that something was wrong.

This child, why is there no movement at all?

Rui Wang slowly stopped and looked at the child's motionless nose and swaddling on his chest. Rui Wang's face became paler and paler, and he tremblingly touched the child's nose...without a trace of breath.

"Doctor!" Rui Wang yelled frantically.

The imperial doctor hurried over, took the child and sniffed, and sure enough...dead.

The imperial doctor thumped and knelt down. Women give birth to children, adults and children have to go through the ghost gate. Some children are stillborn, some die right after they are born, and many die before the full moon or their first birthday. Premature death is a common occurrence, but the son of King Rui, who was so longing for him in front of him, died in his hands.

The doctor's heart is cold, and he just feels that he is not far from death.

On the side, King Rui hugged his baby, watching his son who had been lost as soon as he got it, tears burst into his eyes. What is there in the world that is more tragic than watching a child die in his own hands?

In just a short time, the Royal Palace of Rui was filled with death-like silence.

Chen Xiu didn't know anything. Just after giving birth, she passed out because of exhaustion. The child born in the morning, it was almost noon, and Chen Xiuyou woke up. Seeing the red eyes of the maid beside him, Chen Xiu looked confused and looked around, first looking for his child.

The maid covered her mouth, sobbed and couldn't speak.

Chen Xiu's lips trembled, and there was a guess, but he didn't want to admit it, so scared that he didn't even dare to ask.

"Sorrow for the side concubine...You are still young, and you can have another child in the future." The maid knelt before the bed, whimpering and persuading.

Chen Xiu's face was as gray as death, I don't know if I didn't hear it or what, so he looked at the maid, his eyes sluggish, before rolling his eyes for a long time, and tremblingly asked: "Child, where is it?"

The maid lowered her head and explained: "The prince, the prince is distressed and can't bear to look at it anymore. It has been buried... The prince has explained to you that you can raise your body with peace of mind. When you are well raised, he will come to see you again."

Lord, did you say that?

Chen Xiu's tears fell again, the pain of losing his son, the pain of losing a man's love, turned into endless tears. She worked so hard to give birth to a stillborn son and disappeared when he was born. How could the prince be so cruel that he wouldn't let her look at the child who was struggling, nor would the prince come to see her.

"What's wrong, it's all right, how could something happen!" Chen Xiu still didn't want to believe it, grabbing the pillow beside him and smashing it down at the maid! With disheveled hair and tears all over his face, it was like madness.

The child died prematurely because he was held in the mother's body for too long and was weak after birth. The maid explained that Chen Xiu didn't believe it or not, and insisted that the maid clarified everything after the child was taken out. The maid had to tell one by one, saying that the prince was ecstatic with the child, and that the prince was holding the child for Princess Rui to see...

Princess Rui?

A gleam of light finally appeared in Chen Xiuji's tearful eyes! Princess Rui, Princess Rui, her son was born well, and died just after seeing the princess. It must be the princess who used some poison! That vicious woman has always been dissatisfied with her being favored by the prince, and now she is cruelly hurting her newly born son!

"The prince, call the prince over! I have something to tell the prince!" Chen Xiu was weak after giving birth, and could only cry.

The maid had received the instructions from the prince and princess, asking her to serve the concubine to recuperate, and she didn't have to go there if nothing happened, but the concubine cried like this, and the maid had to bite the bullet and go to the main courtyard, first to find the princess.

Princess Rui leaned lazily on the couch, frowning, as if she was very sad, but only she knew that since she was pregnant, there has never been a day so happy as today. Princess Rui originally hoped that Chen Xiu would have a dead body and two lives, but now that the child was born but died, Chen Xiu deserved to die but was still alive. On the contrary, it was the best result. Without a son, Chen Xiu would have to endure the pain of losing his son. As for the prince, he saw his son die and was devastated by the blow. I am afraid that he would never want to see Chen Xiu again.

Princess Rui smiled mockingly. Chen Xiu will no longer love her, so she can only watch her live one after another, and watch her and her son get what they want. Living like this is actually more uncomfortable than death. Chen Xiu is uncomfortable, and Princess Rui is happy.

I heard that Chen Xiu wanted to see the prince, but Princess Rui did not stop her and asked the maid to go directly to the front yard to find the prince.

In the front yard, Rui Wang sat on the bed alone, desperate. The son was so small and light, hugging like a ball of cotton, but the son he was looking forward to was gone before he opened his eyes to see the father clearly.

Rui Wang hugged his head, tears kept streaming down. There is the pain of losing a child, and there are all kinds of melancholy. As soon as Chen Xiu made a move, he immediately informed his father, who must have been looking forward to his grandson. But if his son did not survive, would the father think that his virtue was bad and hurt the child?

"The prince, the concubine side is awake, I want to see you..." The man in charge reported outside the door, his voice was very soft, implicitly hesitating.

Chen Xiu wants to see him... Rui Wang suddenly smiled. He could imagine what he would see when he went to Chen Xiu's. When his son died, Chen Xiu must have cried into tears. But what can he do? He was also uncomfortable. He really didn't have the strength to comfort Chen Xiu any more, and he didn't want to go. As soon as he stepped into the yard, he would think that his son had died in his hands.

Wait, wait a long time, wait until he forgets today, forget the child who missed it, he will compensate Chen Xiu.

There was no sound inside for a long time. The father-in-law understood, he bent down and withdrew, and said to the maid who was guarding the door: "If you go back to the concubine, you say that the prince is overwhelmed and can't bear to see her for the time being." He sighed after he finished speaking. After a sigh of relief, on the day of great rejoicing, who would have expected such a result?

The north wind whizzed, but the voice of the father-in-law was colder than the north wind. The maid stood there blankly. After a long time, she walked back and returned to the concubine's yard. Looking at the upper room window, the maid stepped suddenly. How would she explain to the concubine? When she thought that the concubine would cry in front of her and beg her to find the prince again, she suddenly understood the feeling of the prince. It was too uncomfortable, too tired, if she could hide, she didn't want to serve such a side concubine anymore.

~

The eldest son of King Rui died just after he was born, and news spread.

Emperor Xuande also looked forward to the night, learning of the bad news, Emperor Xuande was silent for a long while, except for a sigh.

Rui Wang's biological mother, Concubine Wu Gui was crying miserably. The son has a concubine dispute in the backyard, but it is all her daughter-in-law, who is pregnant with her grandchildren. The son has been anxious to give birth to a grandson for the throne. She is also anxious. Nowadays, the good grandson is gone. The son still hurts.

Song Jianing sighed when the news reached the Shou Palace, but the pain was someone else's. Looking at the lively and lovely children and daughters around him, Song Jianing quickly put this regret behind his head and cared more about the battle in the frontier.

The confrontation between Great Zhou and Liao was in a stalemate, and Liao could not take advantage of the Eastern Road. It immediately led the cavalry to the Western Front and fought two victories on the Western Front.

There is war in northern Xinjiang, and there is not peace in the south. The uprising army led by Li Shun surrounded Chengdu and fought a small nearby town. After a few months, they formed an army of hundreds of thousands. Among them were the people of Shu who had come to join the army, as well as the officers and soldiers who had turned against them. It has only been thirty years since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the officials in the Shu area were not loyal enough. No matter how it looks right now, the insurgents have a chance to win. Those native Shu people, of course, support their own side. Most of the officials from outside have fled.

On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the insurgents made a comeback and stormed Chengdu. After a **** battle, the gate of Chengdu was broken. Gao Zai, the Beijing official entrusted by the Emperor Xuande to lead his troops, escaped, and Chengdu fell.

The rebel army entered Chengdu violently.

The coach Li Shun has Guo Xiao, a military division, as well as some other generals. Someone suggested that Li Shun proclaim his emperor, and the capital should be located in Chengdu. Li Shun has won many battles and won for several months. After several months of fighting, he is no longer in the minds of fledgling people. After listening to the words of his generals, he thought that he could be an emperor even as a commoner. Li Shun floated and asked Guo Xiao directly: "The third brother thought how is it?"

Guo Xiao disagrees.

After the banquet was over, Guo Xiao said to Li Shun alone: ​​"Second brother, let us rebel in the name of the people being rich and poor. In my opinion, we don’t have to worry about calling the emperor. We should lead troops to continue to conquer outside the Shu area. Prefectures and counties recruit more people to join us by dividing the fields equally. When the army grows, you and I will break through the capital and kill the Emperor Xuande. It will not be too late for the second brother to conform to the will of the people and proclaim the emperor. If you become an emperor at this time, the people are worried that your second brother will be Once the emperor became the same as the emperor of the Great Zhou, he might not be partial to us."

He kept talking, Li Shun's eyes widened early and looked at him in disbelief: "Third brother, third brother still wants to fight Dazhou Capital?"

Guo Xiao smiled: "Why not? Don't forget the second brother, we have a large army of more than 100,000 in hand. When all of the Shu land is returned, the army will exceed 200,000, which is enough to fight the court."

Li Shun touched his head and looked away. Opposing a few state and county officials is not the same as opposing the emperor. Asking him to fight the local prefecture, he dares, ask him to fight the emperor in the capital, Li Shun didn't dare, because he didn't think he had that ability. How about he has an army of two hundred thousand? The emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty had 400,000 or so of the Central Forbidden Army. They were all well-trained troops. How could they be comparable to common rebels like him?

For the first time, Li Shun stopped listening to Guo Xiao's words, and persuaded him with all his heart: "The third brother has lofty ambitions, but the second brother is powerless. If you want me to say, our brothers should occupy the land of Shu, and I will call you the emperor the prime minister. Attacking us in Da Zhou, relying on the danger of Sichuan, the 200,000 army is enough to defend. Once out of Sichuan, we will have no chance of winning against Da Zhou with this little soldier. Third brother, rest that heart, can it be Shu. Is wealth not enough for you and me?"

Of course not enough! Guo Xiao said angrily in his heart. What he wants is for the whole world to surrender to him, and for the Zhao family to be his prisoners! In the beginning, the king of life robbed him of An'an as a prince. He asked Zhao Heng to kneel in front of him, so that Zhao Heng was often inferior to others. Then he married her in front of Zhao Heng and dazzled her in the bridal chamber next to Zhao Heng. ! It is even more important for An An to know that his Guo Xiao is her true beloved, so that he can give her a lifetime of glory and wealth.

Guo Xiao argued **** reason and insisted that Li Shun postpone his claim to emperor and continue to attack other places.

Li Shun is not afraid of death, but he does not want to die in vain. The two were in a stalemate for several days and refused to take a step back. Later, Li Shun began to alienate Guo Xiao. Guo Xiao asked to see him. Li Shun found an excuse to not see him, and instead got close to other generals.

If Guo Xiao refused to accept the imperial family of the Great Zhou Dynasty, how could he really be brothers with the two villagers? He secretly assisted Wang Wu and Li Shun, just using them as a guise, temporarily hiding behind them and not being noticed by others. When the time is right, he will easily replace these two puppets.

Guo Xiao can kill Li Shun now, and he can also guarantee that everyone else will obey him after Li Shun's death. But, if so. After that, he will lead his troops to face Da Zhou, in case he confronts his father...that's what Guo Xiao would never want to see.

Guo Xiao could not sleep at night. He thought a lot, Li Shun, he can slowly persuade, or find other excuses to force Li Shun to fight against Da Zhou. In three years, five years, and ten years, he had a way, but An An couldn't wait. She already had a pair of children for Zhao Heng, and Zhao Heng was about to return soon.

Guo Xiao didn't want Zhao Heng to touch her again, not once!

With thoughts, Guo Xiao sat up abruptly. No, he must first grab An An and bring An An to Shu. In the land of Shu, he is one person under ten thousand people, he will let An An see his methods, as long as he is together, he can coax her well.

Two days later, Guo Xiao went to see Li Shun again, saying that he had a big deal. This time Li Shun came out to pick him up in person. After all, the two were worshiping brothers. Li Shun had always respected Guo Xiao. He deliberately avoided Guo Xiao a few days ago, only for fear that Guo Xiao would persuade him to fight the emperor. As long as this and other things are not mentioned, Li Shun Shundu is willing to listen to Guo Xiao.

"Second brother, I thought about it carefully, and you are right. The land of Shu was bullied by the Great Zhou, and the people's livelihood is difficult. We should first let the people rest, wait for the people to become rich and strong, and then choose the opportunity to go north to unify the Central Plains. But I need to go to the capital to inquire about the situation in the capital. If it goes well, I will be back in less than a month."

Hearing that he was leaving, Li Shun was a little uneasy, as if his children were about to lose their parents' blessing.

Guo Xiao had already prepared words of comfort. Before leaving, Guo Xiao deployed Li Shun's strategy to capture other cities in the Shu area in detail.

Just as Guo Xiao set out to go north, Liao suddenly sent 100,000 troops to attack Yizhou on the northern border.

Zhao Heng and Li Xiong led troops to support, and Li Xiong attacked. Zhao Heng personally led 40,000 horses to cut off the retreat of the Liao army, and then encountered the army of Liao's secret envoy Han Rang in Tanghe. To capture the thief first capture the king, Han Rang wanted to capture the Shou prince of Da Zhou, and Zhao Heng also wanted to capture the privy envoy of the Liao State.

The main generals fought, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals took the initiative to give up an open space. Zhao Heng used swords and Han Rang held guns. The two of you come and go, no one can take advantage of each other. After fighting for an unknown number of rounds, someone from the rear army of Liao suddenly released a cold arrow. At that time, Zhao Heng had just turned off Han Rang's gun and had no time to dodge, and an arrow was hit in his shoulder.

"Go and protect the prince!" Father Fu shouted desperately. The soldiers of the Great Zhou quickly moved closer and surrounded the prince in the middle. Zhao Heng rode on the horse and stared at Han Rang. Han Rang didn't want to let his subordinates release a secret arrow, but the incident had already happened, and it was useless to argue, so he simply retreated to the army and handed over to the two armies to fight.

In this **** battle, the Great Zhou and the Liao Kingdom suffered heavy casualties, and the Great Zhou won by more and less.

At the end of the battle, Zhao Heng returned to the camp to heal his injuries. Fortunately, the arrow wounds were not serious. After the bandage, Zhao Heng reminded Father Fu that he was not allowed to spread the word.

Father Fu wanted to obey the order very much, but Zhao Heng shot an arrow in full view, and the military campers talked a lot, and the matter went out.

Hearing that the prince was injured, Song Jianing was terrified, and immediately wrote her family letter to her prince, exhorting her to care about every word.

Zhao Heng received the letter, overflowing with tenderness, and wrote back: How dare not to follow my wife's request. When the spring flowers bloom, they must return.

He won't let her wait too long.