Queen's Road in the Red House

The sun gradually moved westward.

The Empress Dowager drank a glass of this year's newly brewed sweet-scented osmanthus wine, and said to Empress Yang: "It's time to get up and walk around. You can't just be lazy."

"Yes."

Empress Yang nodded to Daiyu, and the two of them helped the Empress Dowager up and stepped out of the pavilion.

The queen mother walked forward at a leisurely pace, and wherever she passed, the girls naturally held their breath and saluted.

The Empress Dowager looked amiable, and asked casually about homely things, or what books she had read, or how the female celebrity was doing.

Even the people who asked questions were very random. When passing by Xiangyun and others, the queen mother only asked Yingchun and Baochai a few words and continued to move forward.

Daiyu whispered from the side the name of the girl whom the Empress Dowager paid attention to.

When she arrived at Madam Gaoming's place, the Queen Mother became familiar with it.

The girls are new faces and she can't recognize them clearly, but these women in Beijing have to go to the palace to pay their respects every year and festival. After watching these years, she naturally knows them.

Not only did they know each other, but the Queen Mother could even casually tell what happened to these people recently.

Whose son got married, whose son took part in the imperial examination last year, and whose family had a grandson, she can tell all about it, and she talks to these eunuchs with a pleasant expression, without losing her status and very kind, see Empress Yang was amazed.

Daiyu looked at the looks of the wives, and she respected the empress dowager obviously.

When she came to Jia Min, the Empress Dowager smiled and praised Daiyu to her, and said: "The Empress is not willing to let her stay for another night, and I will send her back to you tomorrow."

Jia Min responded with a smile: "It's just that the two ladies are kind and willing to take care of you."

Because Mrs. Wang Ziteng was also there, the queen mother asked: "Your Wang family's two daughters are already married, which girl did you bring in today?"

The lady hurriedly laughed and said, "Mrs. Xue, the daughter of our lord's direct sister, whose baby name is Baochai. When her father was there, she was named at the Ministry of Households and received imperial money from the imperial family. A few years ago, when her father went, she followed her mother. Brother is coming to Beijing." Then he looked at Jia Min: "Now the mother and son are staying in Rongguo Mansion for the time being."

The empress dowager smiled: "Since that's the case, why did I come with you, but I never followed Shi Taijun in."

Mrs. Wang Ziteng hurriedly said: "My lady has a flower viewing feast. It is a rare event in many years. Unfortunately, our family has only two daughters, and they are both married. No, I have to snatch a girl from Shi Taijun and take it with me." , so I have the cheek to attend the banquet of the empress."

The wives around who were talking about it also laughed, and they all took this opportunity to flatter the Empress Dowager for having a grand banquet today.

After walking half a circle around the Liuli Pavilion, the Empress Dowager returned to her seat, signaled the palace servants to pour wine for herself, and then drank it all in one gulp: "Okay, the mission is over."

Empress Yang couldn't help laughing: "I see you swaying freely, and I think I am enjoying it."

The empress dowager shook her head: "It's such a fine weather, it's time to stay in the room with the window open, listening to the song and reading the book. It's just that I have to sit here and socialize with people."

She smiled and nodded the tabletop and said to the queen: "I have to go back to rest first, the palace will be scattered in a while, you should send these people out of the palace properly, and no accidents are allowed."

Empress Yang didn't know about the second prince at this time, but after hearing the empress dowager's special order, she quickly agreed.

When everyone sent off the Empress Dowager, Zhen Ran happened to return to Changchun Garden.

Daiyu made eye contact with her, Zhen Ran suddenly smiled, her ice-like face was like the beginning of spring, and the coldness between her brows and eyes melted a lot.

Daiyu followed Empress Yang and asked in doubt, but Zhou Ling who was next to her could see it clearly, and couldn't help but walked over and said in a low voice: "So you can laugh too."

Zhen Ran's smile was fleeting, and she said lightly to Zhou Ling, "Not only can I laugh, but I can also cry. Miss Zhou, do you want to see it?"

Zhou Ling walked away angrily.

--

The next day of the flower viewing feast.

At dinner time, the emperor arrived at Fengyi Palace, followed by eunuchs holding many paintings.

Because of the flower viewing banquet, the number of times the emperor came to Queen Yang this month was more than the sum of the previous years.

The meeting was very affectionate, and the imperial concubine and concubine Ming only cared about her son recently, so she didn't have time to give the queen eye drops for the time being.

Thinking that although she can't communicate with him and is not considerate enough in dealing with things, it is rare for her to have a motherly heart for Xin Hongcheng.

So now the emperor and the empress can sit down and talk for a long time calmly. If Empress Yang doesn't understand, the emperor is willing to patiently explain something for her.

For this reason, Ms. Zou secretly wiped her tears twice happily.

Empress Yang brought tea, and the emperor pointed to the scrolls held by the eunuchs.

"In Qin Wu's hands, these are the candidates who can be worthy of the royal family, and the rest are candidates for the side concubine."

Empress Yang didn't care about serving snacks to the emperor, and quickly ordered: "Open it up and have a look."

Immediately, a eunuch and court lady came forward to help Qin Wu unfold the seven paintings one by one, and held them up for Queen Yang to see.

Empress Yang walked past these seven pictures one by one, and then listened to Qin Wu introducing the backgrounds of these girls, she couldn't help nodding: "They are all good children, the emperor will worry about it."

She could also hear that four of them were from prominent families, and they must have been prepared for Xin Hongcheng, while the other three were from much lesser backgrounds, and none of them were the eldest daughters. They probably chose the docile, weak third prince on purpose. The concubine's choice.

Empress Yang looked at this, looked at that, and suddenly realized: "Your Majesty, after all, she is Cheng'er's concubine. This child has made up her mind since she was a child, why don't you ask his opinion?"

The emperor said nothing.

Empress Yang persuaded: "Your Majesty, although etiquette and rules are important, they are all for outsiders to see. This common saying is like a person who knows how warm the drinking water is. Ask Cheng'er to choose one that suits his heart, so that his life will be smooth and harmonious in the future." Wouldn't it be nice?"

The emperor frowned: "I asked him to go to Mingzheng Palace yesterday. Before the painting was opened, the child came up with many excuses to refuse, and refused to look at it anyway. In the end, he just said that everything was up to my decision, and ran away in a hurry Yes. It seems that there is a tiger behind him who wants to eat him. What I know is that I choose a wife for my son. I don’t know, I think I will kill him."

Empress Yang apologized, opened her eyes and told nonsense to tell Xin Hongcheng: "Cheng'er is young and very shy, and sometimes he is embarrassed to speak."

The emperor sneered: "Hmph, a loving mother has many losers, you don't have to protect him. I know what he is thinking. Don't say he is a prince, even a king, who can do what he wants?"

As he said that, he couldn't help complaining to the queen: "Besides, it's not that I don't follow him, there is a way to get the best of both worlds, so why should he make trouble!"

Empress Yang has been with the emperor for a long time, and she discovered a little secret to coax the emperor to try all kinds of spirits: "Your majesty, Cheng'er was taught by you, and his appearance and temperament are just like you. It's just that he is still young, a child, and he has many things. Of course he can't be as thoughtful and wise as the emperor, so don't be angry, just mention him."

The emperor nodded as expected, his face turned cloudy: "That's right."

--

Four days after the flower viewing feast.

Now the maids and eunuchs in the Concubine Ming Palace are eager to walk on tiptoe, for fear of making a little extra noise that will upset the empress and scold her.

Concubine Ming was leaning on the couch, the refreshing autumn wind did not bring any improvement to her restless mood.

The son's marriage with the Zhen family failed, and it was too hasty and unseemly. Concubine Zhengui refused to see her these few days, and it was so easy to ask for a meeting. From the beginning to the end, she only showed her white eyes, making Concubine Ming unable to scorn her.

Qianyun said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, painter Yin and painter Tao are asking to see you."

Concubine Ming frowned: "What are you doing?"

Qianyun cautiously replied: "It is said that the emperor brought two portraits of the second prince's side concubine that the empress had chosen yesterday, and they painted them..."

"not see!"

It's really blind to invite pets now.

The painters in the Ruyi Pavilion are the same as the imperial physicians in the imperial hospital, and all the concubines in the palace are familiar with it.Among them, Concubine Ming loves to study painting the most, and is favored by the emperor with her painting skills, so she is quite familiar with the two painters.

Painter Yin is good at painting beauties, and Painter Tao is good at freehand brushwork.

It happened that one was in charge of drawing the concubine Ming's portrait, and the other was in charge of teaching the concubine Ming's painting skills, and sometimes acted as a contemporary pen for her, letting her use the painting to make the emperor happy.

Concubine Ming is also generous on weekdays, giving rewards happily.

But these two actually came to ask for a reward now, Concubine Ming was annoyed thinking about it.

Yesterday the emperor asked someone to send some portraits, saying that he wanted Concubine Ming to choose a side concubine for his son.Concubine Ming was very annoyed when she saw it.

"This one, there is no noble in the family, and she is a daughter from a branch of the family, and this one, although born in the Earl's Mansion, is a concubine born in the house. Not to mention the humble biological mother, the father is useless, and has no official position. And this one, even the merchant's daughter is included!" The more Concubine Ming looked at it, the angrier she became.

"It's hard to understand how the emperor found these girls' homes from the high-ranking families in Beijing! He also ordered me to pick a concubine for Yuan'er. Even if these people serve my son to dress and wear shoes, it is their good fortune! How can I do that? His concubine!"

It was Qianyun's confidant who dared to speak bluntly and persuaded: "Madam, the emperor is annoyed and deliberately embarrassed you. If you get angry again, you have to pick one by your nose and give the emperor a chance to vent your anger. What's more..."

What's more, the second prince's main concubine has been appointed as the daughter of the fifth-rank censor, so the family status of this side concubine will naturally decline accordingly.

Concubine Ming was so angry that she had a headache all night, and she still hadn't recovered from it today, when she heard that the two painters came to beg for a visit using this as an excuse, she immediately ordered someone to drive them out.

Qianyun walked across the yard, and said to the two painters who were a little anxious at the door: "You two go back first, the empress is busy and can't see you."

Painter Yin and Painter Tao looked at each other: "We have an inside story to report to your mother." Painter Tao gritted his teeth and lowered his voice: "The matter involves the Fourth Highness."

The muscles on Qianyun's face trembled slightly: "Both come in with me first."

--

The fifth day after the flower viewing feast.

After lunch, the princes had half an hour to rest in the palace.

In the upper study room, only Xin Hongcheng was left, practicing calligraphy standing up.Probably due to restlessness, I wrote a lot of papers that were all waste paper.

The bamboo curtain sounded softly, Fan Yunyi walked in and stood beside him.

"Master Zhang left Beijing safely?"

Fan Yunyi nodded.Today, he asked for leave on the grounds that the old lady of Jian'anbo Mansion was in poor health, and followed old painter Zhang privately until he left the city safely.

Xin Hongcheng breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, it won't hurt the retired old man."

Fan Yunyi stared at him and asked, "Aren't you worried about yourself?"

Before Xin Hongcheng could speak, he saw Wang Zhong rushing in at the door.He had been with Xin Hongcheng for many years, and he knew that he didn't need to hide anything from Fan Yunyi, so he said directly: "Your Highness, I caught it, it is indeed Lushui. According to His Highness's instructions, I did not disturb her and let her take that painting away."

"It really is her."

White hair, green water, anthurium, clear wave.

Among his four court ladies, only Baimao and Qingbo are the ones he completely trusts, and the other two are still somewhat indistinguishable.

It's just that the person has changed again, maybe it's still a nail, but it's even stranger.So he simply kept Anthurium and Green Water, and kept on guard.

until today.

--

Mingzheng Palace.

When Xin Hongcheng was announced, he felt that the atmosphere was extremely depressing.

The Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress sat down in order, and Dowager Zhen Gui was also there. King Rui was standing behind her shaking his head, and when he saw Xin Hongcheng coming in, he winked and greeted him.

In addition, Concubine Ming and the Second Prince were standing respectfully with their hands down.

The emperor's face was gloomy. When he saw Xin Hongcheng coming in, he hurriedly said, "Quickly kneel down and admit your mistake! If you do it again in the future, I will never forgive you!"

Although the Supreme Emperor was old, his eyes were still as sharp and bright as a falcon.He reached out and knocked on the table: "Okay, don't scold and protect secretly. You too, the palms and backs of your hands are full of flesh, even if the bowl of water is uneven and slightly biased, but you can't directly put the water bowl Knocked over."

The emperor's face turned red: "Father..."

The Supreme Emperor's tone was serious: "A few days ago, in my palace, Yuan'er made the same mistake as Cheng'er today. How did you deal with it at that time? Immediately cut off Yuan'er's marriage with the Zhen family, and sent the Xu family The girl pointed it out to her. How could it be done today, even if you admit your mistake? Tell me, what is the reason for this?"

Since the emperor ascended the throne, it was the first time that he was questioned by the Supreme Emperor in public, and he got up quickly: "Father, the son knows that Cheng'er lost his mother because he was young, and he is also a legitimate son, so he always pays more attention to him. But today's matter, Cheng'er The nature of Er'er and Yuan'er is indeed different. Cheng'er is just a young admirer, and he has not even spoken to the girl of the Lin family, let alone other things. But Yuan'er has a private life with Xu's daughter, and secretly communicates. the same?"

The Supreme Emperor tried his best to suppress his anger: After all, the son in front of him is no longer the King Xun, but the Ninth Five-Year Lord.In front of his concubines and sons, they must give him the dignity of the emperor.

But seeing that he is still so eccentric until now, the Supreme Emperor only felt that the fire was burning to the eyebrows, and it was going to burn the brain soon!

This means that the Supreme Emperor is old enough to cultivate his body and cultivate his character. Going back ten or twenty years, he probably will roll up his sleeves and smack the Emperor now.

Concubine Ming was standing beside her like a shadow, but at this moment she suddenly knelt down with a "plop", and said to the Supreme Emperor while mourning and weeping: "Old saint, the emperor is right, the fourth prince is different from Yuan'er. No big mistake.

It's just that the concubine made a mistake on her own, and she focused on self-examination.After accidentally knowing what the fourth prince was thinking, he was terrified, fearing that he would do the same wrong thing as Yuaner, so he thought of telling the old sage and the emperor early to persuade the fourth prince to turn around, so as not to repeat the same mistakes as Yuaner.After all... After all, Miss Lin has to enter the palace every two months, and she lives in Fengyi Palace, so it is convenient for the Fourth Prince to travel to and from Fengyi Palace..."

The emperor suddenly changed his face: "Bitch! I can't keep my mouth shut! I am talking to my father, and you, a little concubine, dare to speak!"

The queen was also trembling with anger: "Mingfei, what do you mean! Miss Yu... Miss Lin is doing well with me, she never takes a step too far, she is the most well-behaved child!"

Xin Hongcheng knelt on the ground and looked at the patterns of auspiciousness and longevity on the carpet: It really is the Ming concubine's style, every time she adopts a good attitude to kill people.

Seeing this, the Supreme Emperor patted the portrait on the table: "Pretend to be a little eunuch to see for yourself, and then take away the portrait of the girl from the Ruyi Pavilion for private collection. I think your concubine is right, if you don't take precautions If not, I don't know what absurd thing he will do!"

Xin Hongcheng hurriedly kowtowed: "Grandpa, forgive me."

Concubine Ming fell on the ground after being scolded by the emperor, her tears fell silently on the carpet.

She can't turn back, the emperor will definitely despise her today.

Besides, she had already dug a hole and pushed the fourth prince in, no matter whether she added a few shovels of soil, she would be ruined today, so why worry about it, she must bite Xin Hongcheng to death, and ruin his marriage!

In fact, she didn't want to face such a matter of killing one thousand enemies and harming eight hundred by herself.

After getting the news from the pottery painter Yin, Concubine Ming went to look for the noble concubine, and wanted to provoke her to come out, but the concubine suddenly changed her face: "Ming concubine! Let me tell you, in the past, I would like to join hands with you to give the empress It's just because I can't understand that idiot who doesn't understand anything, sitting in the queen's position and bossing me around!"

"But it doesn't mean that I like you, a villain with a sweet belly and a sword! In the past, I haven't settled with you for your son's instigating my son, but today you dare to provoke me! You want me to confront my son and the Fourth Prince! Come on, you can reap the benefits of the fisherman! Let me tell you, you are dreaming!"

"Okay, didn't you send me this news on purpose? I'll tell the emperor right away! You understand our emperor's partiality better than I do. He will definitely smooth this matter for his most beloved son. You and your son I can only fetch water from a bamboo basket in vain! I tried my best to take advantage of the fourth prince, and I also won’t take advantage of you, a scourge who goes around killing people with swords and causing trouble!"

Concubine Ming didn't want the concubine to play cards out of routine like this, because she was afraid that something bad would happen to the concubine, in a hurry, she had to immediately ask to see the Supreme Emperor.

It just so happened that the Supreme Emperor was leisurely taking the Empress Dowager and Concubine Zhen Gui to fish.Hearing this, he didn't want the fishing rod anymore, and immediately took Ming Concubine, mother and son to the Emperor's Mingzheng Palace.

The emperor was also shocked: he knew about Xin Hongcheng pretending to be a little eunuch, but he really didn't know that Xin Hongcheng also hid a portrait of another girl, and now it has become ironclad evidence.

--

For a while, the house was crying, kneeling, and kowtowing.

The Taishanghuang is a decisive person, and he is usually the most annoyed by these family matters.

So at this time, he ignored the emperor, and turned to the empress dowager directly: "You have seen that little girl from the Lin family, how is she?"

The queen mother said concisely: "He is a good boy."

The Supreme Emperor nodded: "Then I will make the decision. In the future, I will marry her to Cheng'er as a concubine."

As soon as these words came out, they fell on everyone's heads like thunder.

Concubine Ming's mother and son's heart fell to the ground, and for a moment, only Xin Hongcheng, who was kneeling on the ground with his head bowed deeply and his back trembling slightly, was in sight.

The joy of revenge filled Xin Hongyuan's heart.

The Taishang Emperor glanced at all the people present: "Today's affairs are not allowed to be rumored, and I will never let it go if a word is spread before the imperial decree is issued!"

Just like the matter between the second prince and Xu Ying, how the royal family handles it in private is one thing, but how to behave decently on the surface is another.

The Empress Dowager stood up in good time and said to the crowd: "Let's separate, the Supreme Emperor and the Emperor must have something to say."

Everyone leaves.

The empress supported Xin Hongcheng with her own hands, and said distressedly: "Cheng'er, let's go to the empress's place first." After leaving the door, she gave Ming Concubine a hard look.

The second prince is still humble: "Respectfully send off the queen mother."

Then he called to stop Xin Hongcheng: "Fourth brother."

Xin Hongcheng turned around.

The second prince raised a hand with a smile, facing Xin Hongcheng with five fingers distinctly: "Fourth brother, it's only been five days since the flower viewing feast."

Tat for tat, he finally paid back all the pain that Xin Hongcheng had inflicted on him.

It took only five days.

Xin Hongcheng walked up to him, and suddenly raised his hand high.

Empress Yang exclaimed: "Cheng'er!"

The Empress Dowager Zhen Gui and Princess Rui couldn't help but stop and look at the pair of brothers.

The second prince's pupils shrank, but he didn't dodge or evade: "Fourth brother, do you want to do something?"

The Supreme Emperor and the Emperor were still talking in secret, if Xin Hongcheng hit his brother in public at this moment, the consequences would be disastrous.

Xin Hongcheng patted the raised palm of the second prince with his raised hand.

The second prince was startled.

"Do it? How come, I just want to give my second brother a high five." Xin Hongcheng withdrew his hand and suddenly smiled: "Second brother, see you later."

The author has something to say: Xiao Chengzi raised her hand.

Second prince os: You want to hit me?

Xiao Chengzi: No, no, just a high five, the second brother really sacrificed himself to make me a living Lei Feng, thank you thank you.

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Add more at noon on Sunday~