Golden Stage

Duke Ying's mansion.

The autumn is cool, but the interior is warm and fragrant.The long couch was near the window, and snacks and fruits were placed on the red lacquered low table. The half-grown boy raised his feet and pretended to be staring at the volume in his hand, without turning a page for a long time.The maidservants standing all over the floor waiting on her head would give each other winks from time to time, or pout their lips, or make secret gestures, their eyebrows were beaming, and there was never a time to be honest.The young man was about to be seduced, when suddenly a little girl ran in from outside, and said crisply: "Madam is here."

Everyone's faces were solemn, and all the servant girls stood quietly with their eyebrows lowered.The young master's legs didn't shake anymore, his bones didn't soften anymore, and he quickly looked like a dog while holding the book.When the lady in rich clothes entered the door, what she saw was such a meticulously drawn "Picture of Diligent Study and Never Stopping".

Mrs. Qin supported the servant girl's hand and sat on the couch. The young man got up and saluted, called "Mother", and sat down next to her.Qin took his hand and said angrily: "It's getting dark, why aren't there lights in the room? Be careful and damage your eyes."

When the maids heard this, they immediately went to light the lamps and brought new tea.The young man said nonchalantly: "I was fascinated by it, but I didn't feel it. Why is mother here now?"

Qin said: "Go to the front yard to meet your third uncle and discuss some matters. When I come back, I pass by your place, so I just come in to have a look. It will save you another trip at night."

The boy rolled his eyes: "Is it about my elder brother?"

Qin looked at him: "You know a lot. You don't learn well all day long, you only ask about these things you don't have."

"It's spread all over the capital, why do you need me to deliberately ask?" The young man smiled, "Isn't it because he has a broken leg and can't stay at the border, so he can only return to Beijing to retire?"

Qin Shi pursed her lips when she heard this, but she didn't blame her, she just told the servants around: "Everyone go down, I'll talk to Ya'er for a while."

Everyone withdrew from the house, the two maidservants guarded the porch, and the rest went to play in the yard by themselves.Those who served the young master were all charming little girls, among whom there were quite a few innocent and chivalrous women.The two friends got together, chattering, talking about what they heard in the young master's room, one of them said: "No wonder the eldest son wants to live outside. If this is at home, he might be rubbed into something by that person."

Another person said with a smile: "That's not necessarily the case, you don't know that when he was at home, our wife and young master saw him like a mouse seeing a cat. It looks like a character of Zhilan Yushu, but his temper is like a thunderstorm. That's the real man who stands upright."

"Eldest son is a young hero, and he can't be mentioned in his own family. But our young master has no heart, and he kisses his elder brother far away, and only listens to those bastards..."

Another girl patted the back of her hand: "You know again? He wasn't born by a mother, so how can he be called 'big brother'? Seriously, only the second girl, the current Princess Qi, can call him big brother. As for our young master and that empress Liangdi, in his heart he might be three thousand miles farther than his cousin."

Former Ying Guogong Fu Tingzhong's original wife died young, leaving behind a son and a daughter, the eldest son Fu Shen, and the second daughter Fu Ling.When Fu Ling was 17 years old, he married the third prince, King Qi, as his concubine.The second wife, the Qin family, had two daughters and one son. The third daughter, Fu Ting, entered the palace and was selected as the prince Liangdi.The fourth son, Fu Ya, and the fifth daughter, Fu Xi, are still young, and they all stay at home and are raised by their mother.

Fu Shen was already sensible when Qin Shi passed the door, and he was not close to her. After Fu Ya was born, the two became even more distant.Because Fu Shen, the eldest son, was standing in front of him, Fu Ya would not be able to come to Xijue in the future.Due to their limited status, conflicts between Qin Shi and Fu Shen are inevitable.

But before the Qin family took any small actions, Fu Tingzhong was assassinated in northern Xinjiang. At that time, Emperor Yuantai treated the generals quite preferentially in order to win over heroes, so he decided not to downgrade, and directly let Fu Tingxin take over the Duke of Ying.Later, when Fu Tingxin passed away, the border war was tense, and Fu Shen went directly to the battlefield before his filial piety was over.The duke of the country has been hanging in vain for a long time, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites made a plan and let the third master Fu Tingyi attack the duke.When Fu Shen returned to the court after making meritorious deeds, Emperor Yuantai conferred the title of Marquis of Jingning on him.

Taking this opportunity, the Qin family proposed to let Fu Shen live in Biefu on the grounds of being a double noble and "a big tree attracts the wind".

Fu Shen knew what she was planning, it was nothing more than worrying about the title and trying to squeeze himself out.The Qin family is short-sighted, but the new Duke of Ying, Fu Tingyi, thinks farther.The real support of the Fu family is not the title of duke of the country, but the Beiyan iron cavalry.However, the three generations of the Fu family are all closely related to the Beiyan army. If this continues, the Beiyan army will sooner or later be renamed as the Fu family army—what does this make the world think, and what will the person on the dragon chair think?

Therefore, it is better to retreat as an advance. In the future, Fu Shen will take over the Northern Yan Army, but Yingguo Duke's Mansion, or the Fu family, this giant can no longer be tied to the Northern Yan Army.

After weighing the pros and cons, we have the current situation: Marquis of Jing'an Fu Shen, the commander of the Northern Yan Army, opened the mansion alone, and hardly interacted with the Duke's mansion; The sons and daughters lived in the Duke's mansion, and they asked Fu Ya to be crowned sons only when he came of age.

Both the mother and the son didn't like Fu Shen very much. Qin Shi was guilty of guilt and didn't see his excellence, and was afraid that he would bite back; Fu Ya probably felt that Fu Shen didn't kneel down and hold the position of son in front of him, so he owed him by nature. .

In the main room, Mrs. Qin scolded with a straight face: "Your mouth, just talk at home, don't gossip outside."

"Mother—" Fu Ya threw a fruit into his mouth, dragged his voice, and said dissatisfiedly, "He has separated the Fu family a long time ago, what are you afraid of him doing?"

"What do you know? It's so nonsense." Qin slapped him lightly on the leg. "His parents' spiritual seats are here, but they live in another house. Why aren't they from the Fu family? After all, It's your elder brother, who held a high position at a young age. Although his temper has been restrained in recent years, he was also a demon king who refused to forgive others in his early years. Be careful and don't fall into his hands."

Fu Ya snorted nonchalantly.

Qin's: "In a few years, the family will ask for a seal for you. Your third uncle is partial to Fu Shen, wishing that you made a mistake. At this time, you must not make mistakes, remember?"

She lowered her voice: "My son, bear with it, when the time comes, the dukedom and family property in this country will be yours, and no one will try to grab it from you, even Fu Shen... can only stand aside and watch."

Qin's voice was so low that it was almost a whisper, Fu Ya's heart moved and he raised his head: "Mother..."

"Mother has a way," Qin shook his hand heavily, "Don't worry."

East Palace.

The crown princess Cen took off her hair full of jewels in front of the bronze mirror, and the servant girl who combed her hair leaned down and whispered: "Your Majesty, Mrs. Qin from Duke Ying's mansion sent her family to greet Fu Liangdi today, and sat in the hall talking for a long time. talk."

The Crown Princess thought about it for a while, then she understood, and said with a smile: "Let her go. I heard that Jingning Hou has returned to the capital, Madam Qin must be feeling uncomfortable, so she rushed to beg our Highness."

The servant girl was her confidant dowry, and she was puzzled when she heard the words: "But isn't Jing Ninghou...?"

"He's crippled, but he hasn't fallen yet," said Cen, "Jingning Hou has a high reputation among the people and people in the court, and he still holds the military power in Northern Xinjiang. Even if he goes back in the future, The Northern Yan army is full of his old descendants, and there is still a lot of response. To say something disrespectful, let alone Mrs. Qin, even our Highness has to avoid him three points."

Cen's father was Cen Hongfang, the envoy of Jingchu Jiedu, and he had some kind of friendship with Duke Ying's mansion. Cen had been under his knees since he was a child, and his chest was not inferior to that of a man.If Fu Shen hadn't gone to northern Xinjiang back then, perhaps Cen Hongfang would have considered him as one of his candidates for a good son-in-law.

Disregarding his temperament, Jingninghou is very upright, young and heroic, and has made great achievements in battle.

Cen said: "I remember that Fu Liangdi has a younger brother, and in two years' time he will invite Duke Ying to be the son?"

"Yes."

"Back then, our Highness fell in love with Jingninghou's sister-in-law, Princess Qi, and asked someone privately to ask what the Fu family meant. At that time, Duke Ying's mansion was still headed by Second Master Fu, because she was his eldest niece, and he It's not good to make decisions on your own, and take this matter to ask Jingninghou. Jingninghou is about the same age as Fu Liangdi's younger brother. Hearing his sister's displeasure, she refused without saying a word. Their Fu family is tough, trying to offend Your Highness also wants to choose a good marriage for his sister."

She caressed her temples, and suddenly there was a shallow, unreasonable sadness in her heart.

Concubine Qi Fu Ling, she has such a good brother, she is really enviable.

"Back then, for the position of the son, the Qin family risked their face and refused. They sent their daughters into the palace and separated the family. It was not a good situation. What happened? Didn't Jingninghou's sister marry in a glorious way? King Qi, the Qin family can only rely on Fu Liangdi when they have something to do, and they have to try their best to avoid the palace, just like being a thief." Cen Shi snorted, "If her son has half the responsibility of Jing Ninghou, why would Fu Liangdi swallow her breath under my command? , do a small fu low."

The servant girl didn't know that the three words "Jingninghou" touched a distant regret in her heart, but she felt that the princess concubine was particularly sharp tonight, so she responded with a condescending voice: "Then... Your Majesty, do you want to let her go away these few days?" Do you want your Highness a little more?"

Cen stared at the bronze mirror and pondered for a moment, then waved his hands after a while and said, "No need. The mud can't support the wall, so it's useless for His Highness to lift them up."

It's night, in the Chunfang Pavilion of the Eastern Palace.

Crown Prince Sun Yunliang stayed here, Liang Di Fu Ting waited on him to take off his coat, and helped him wash up, although he was attentive as usual, there was always a sullen look between his brows.

The beauty was sad, her willow eyebrows were slightly frowned, and she had a flirtatious attitude. The prince was very happy to see him, and couldn't help but go up and hug her tenderly.

After the clouds cleared, he asked lazily: "What? What's bothering you so much?"

Fu Ting got up quickly, and knelt down by the bed to plead guilty: "Today, my mother sent someone to tell me something. The concubine was so scared that she was in a daze, so I beg Your Highness to forgive me."

The prince raised his hand and hugged her back: "I forgive you for your innocence. What's the matter, tell me."

Fu Ting frowned, as if he saw a savior, his eyes were filled with admiration and trust, which made the prince even more elated.

She leaned close to the prince's ear and breathed like blue: "Your Highness, this matter concerns my concubine's elder brother, Marquis of Jingning Fu Shen..."