concubines

"Centurion?" the emperor asked lightly.

Li Chen said firmly, "Yes!"

The emperor suddenly remembered that when he was ten years old, he was taught by the empress dowager to deal with the affairs of state. The empress dowager Lan always sat behind him, leaning forward slightly, pointing at the memorial with her slender fingers, and said softly: "My lord, look ..."

He looked at the young man in front of him.

He was well-educated by the Queen Mother, and after leaving Ci’an Palace, he still grew tall and straight. Now that he has children, the Emperor suddenly felt a little arrogant. When I was young, I couldn’t leave the capital because I had too many influences. People are staring at me and the queen mother, but now that I am guarding the capital for the prince, he can naturally go out to see the tigers and wolves in the northwest and see our foreign aggression when he is ambitious.

"I will consider it."

Li Chen's expression relaxed, the emperor looked at him and smiled, "Go back."

Li Chen knelt down and left the palace to return home.

When the news reached Jingyang Palace, the empress was playing chess with the fourth prince. The empress was graceful and magnanimous, seeing the second son's absent-mindedness and did not criticize. , Said to follow the second brother to experience some experience."

The queen dropped a son, and said with a light smile, "Why bother, I'm afraid the result of your request will be the same as King Qing's."

The fourth prince said: "But if my son asked for an order, he would not ask his father to give him soldiers. Just like the second brother, the son took a hundred and ten people to become a centurion. At the beginning, the third brother said it was tens of thousands of soldiers." .”

The queen said: "But in your father's heart, you and King Qing have the same purpose." At the end, the queen's tone became a little cold.

At the end of the round, the queen casually called the servant girl to come in to tidy up, and said calmly: "But your second brother is different... but a centurion, even Zhao Wei may not dare to call your second brother to the battlefield, let's see. "

After the Spring Festival, the four princes will go out of the palace. In May, they will marry the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wuding, Su Shi. The queen thought, with a smile on her lips. Uncle Ziyang has retired, and Marquis Beichang has also retired. The young master entered the army for training in the early years, and this time, among the people led by Zhao Weidu, there is the young master Su under his command.

After Li Chen returned home, and stayed in the study for an hour, the sky was already dark.These days are cold in spring, and the weather is getting colder and colder. Occasionally, a snowflake falls from the sky and melts when it hits the ground.

Qi Yunruo took a nap in the afternoon, and he didn't want to eat until now, so he was holding a bowl of porridge, stirring it with a spoon, and he took a bite after a long time.

The stove in the room had been removed long ago, and when it felt cold in the afternoon, Qi Yunruo wore a thick dress from Li Chen brought by Lu Qing, and read the books Li Chen left here, most of which were miscellaneous notes to pass the time.

Li Chen went back to the backyard to finish his meal and looked at his two daughters.

Mammy told Yan'er to call "Father" and "Mother". Yan'er was beautiful and cute, and she was held in Li Chen's arms for a long time.Chu'er still eats and sleeps, sleeps and eats, Qi Niqun said with a smile: "I hope Chu'er can be as smart as her sister."

Li Chen was noncommittal, just smiled.

Qi Niqun talked about the pregnant Concubine Wei, and said: "The concubine gave birth to her first child before she knew the pain of childbirth. Concubine Wei is also the first child, and I hope the prince will visit him often."

Li Chen had something on his mind, and said with a smile, "My concubine has a heart."

Qi Niqun said: "I only hope that concubines and concubines can spread branches and leaves for the prince, and I also like a group of children to surround me." Qi Niqun looked openly at Li Chen without hesitation.

Li Chen's heart trembled slightly.

The princess meant something, Li Chen took a sip of tea, got up and left after a short while.

Nanny Song looked at the back of the prince worriedly, and said to Qi Niqun, "I'm afraid the prince won't like it when the princess says this."

Qi Niqun concealed the anxiety in her heart, and said calmly: "In the past, there was no official concubine in the palace, and a man was called to hinder the prince's heirs. There are many concubines in the backyard, but the prince only has one son and one daughter. Now, how can I just sit around and watch?" What if Qi Yun becomes the second Ji Huan?"

Nanny Song said fiercely: "Sure enough, there is a vicious girl who is also a bad person. She often hangs around in front of the prince, and even bribes the people around him. He is even worse than Ji Huan who left. Heart!"

"Yeah." Qi Niqun originally thought that flirting with men was just the lord's adjustment, but after hearing what Concubine Ji said, she couldn't guarantee it. If the lord really fell in love with Qi Yunruo, Qi Yunruo is a man with tricks... She's afraid She will follow the old path of concubine Ji.

Miscalculated.

Qi Niqun closed her eyes wearily. Back then, it was better to call Qi Danxia. Qi Danxia has shallow eyelids, and all her thoughts are on her face. Unlike Qi Yunruo, she has no way of knowing what he is thinking.

But the prince left Qi Yunruo in Molian Courtyard, what can she do?

There are too many people in the palace, and there are no secrets in places with many people. If Qi Yun hadn’t visited He Tingzhou yesterday, and the people in Molian Court had asked Lu Lan to deliver clothes, Qi Niqun, Concubine Ji, and Concubine Wei would have gotten the news .

Qi Niqun didn't have any ideas yet, but Concubine Ji came here with sincerity. She didn't add fuel to the picture, she just said that when she called Ji Huan for her favor, she thought that the prince would like her thoughtfulness more. Only then did he realize that he had fallen out of favor.

Don't think that the backyard is a woman's world. Those men can do more things in order to get something.Concubine Ji said that Ji Huan had a grudge against her, and he didn't know what he said in front of the prince, which made the prince become more and more cold towards her.Qi Niqun is more stressful than Concubine Ji. Concubine Ji already has a son, and she only has one daughter now. When she has a good son, she wishes the prince would no longer have a woman. Besides, will Qi Yunruo always be like Ji Huan? Are you speaking ill of yourself?

...Qi Yunruo...Qi Niqun's face was gloomy.

Li Chen returned to the front yard calmly, as if he didn't take Wang Hao's words to heart.

Li Chen is used to drinking tea after meals, he likes fragrant and elegant green tea and Mao Jian Er, Lu Qing handed the tea tray to Qi Yunruo, and stood by himself.

Li Chen glanced at Qi Yunruo.If there is no accident, the father agreed to let him take people to the northwest, what should Qi Yunruo do?

When she was by her side, she often talked about the mother and concubine of King Fu and King Yu, the most beloved and precious concubine of Emperor Taizong in his later years. That woman had a peachy face and a vicious heart. Died young.When talking about this, the grandmother's expression was flat, but there was a strong sadness in her brows and eyes.Since then, Li Chen has learned to guess the hearts of the women around him. The concubine Ji is arrogant and arrogant, the concubine Wei is indifferent and deep, the concubine is proud and self-respecting, the concubine Li Shu is out of her mind, and Yingqiu flatters her in every possible way...

He thought of his father, everyone said that the father and mother were deeply in love with each other and had two legitimate sons. He also believed that no one could shake the mother's position, but the father secretly carried Concubine Yuan to suppress the mother, doting on her. A group of young girls who have just entered the palace.

As for the mother?No matter how respectful she seems to the queen mother, she will always hold a grudge in her heart, Li Chen thought, otherwise she would not be so indifferent to herself. She treats her fourth brother differently from herself.

Li Chen brought tea and asked Qi Yunruo to sit beside him.

Qi Yunruo didn't comb his hair, but simply tied it up. Qi Yunruo just wore a small golden crown, which was exquisite and beautiful, but it was too ostentatious. Li Chen thought so, and looked at Qi Yunruo's figure, as if he was thinking about something.Qi Yunruo lowered his head, and when he noticed his gaze, he lowered his head even lower. After a while, as if remembering something, he raised his head and smiled at him.

Li Chen's heart is a little complicated.

Xiao Qi is not like Ji Huan, Ji Huan is transparent to himself, that is due to his wisdom, Ji Huan is too smart, so he simply shows everything in front of him without hiding anything, so that he can see his sincerity; Xiao Qi has something on his mind , but foolishly able to make people see.

In the end, Li Chen admired Ji Huan but didn't like him, but when he first met in the water corridor, Qi Yunruo left an indelible mark in his heart.

After drinking tea, Li Chen hugged Qi Yunruo to his side and rubbed his body affectionately. Qi Yunruo let out short exclamations and moans, and Li Chen looked at him while smiling.

Qi Yunruo felt that he was getting hotter and hotter. He was very happy, like water waves hitting the lake shore layer by layer... Qi Yunruo was drowsy, and he didn't even know when he fell asleep.

When he woke up the next day, he yawned and didn't want to get up to get dressed. After a while he sat up and called, "Lu Qing."

"Hey, the slave is here."

Qi Yunruo put on his outer shirt and said: "I'm sorry to bother you to find a little girl and go back and tell Lu Lan, take five taels of silver, and I'll give it to the guard Fang."

Lu Qing didn't ask why, but nodded and went out.

The regular silver issued by the palace to the master is regulated, and there is no need to say it. Lu Lan took a piece of five taels of silver and wrapped it in a handkerchief. Qi Yunruo went to ask Fang's guard if he was on duty today.

Feng Yuan was beaten, and now he is still moaning and lying on the bed, Qi Yunruo went to see him first, Qi Yunruo felt a little guilty, if it wasn't for him, Feng Yuan would not be like this.

Feng Yuan lay on the bed and sighed: "Oh, I don't blame you, there are mixed fish and dragons in the city, I just took you there, and told the local ruffians to do something."

Qi Yunruo poked Feng Yuan's waist, Feng Yuan howled, and Qi Yunruo glared at him.

Qi Yunruo said: "I don't know why the prince is so angry."

Feng Yuandao: "You are the prince's man, how could the prince not be angry if you were touched by another man?" Compared to this matter, the matter of Qi Yunruo buying two servants is not taken seriously by the prince at all. .

Qi Yunruo's face froze suddenly, and for a moment he had a very strange feeling that he really "belongs" to Li Chen, and belongs to another man. From now on, he can't look at another man openly, talk to another man, or talk to another man. Doing things... Qi Yunruo suddenly felt that the five liang of silver wrapped in a handkerchief was a bit hot.

Qi Yunruo went out from Fengyuan's place in a panic, handed over the silver to Luqing, and asked her to find someone to give to Fang Fang.I looked back at He Tingzhou in a daze.

Qi Yunruo remembered that when he was a child, he also dreamed of being a general and leading troops to fight. Later, he read and wrote articles, and wanted to be a petty official or a clerk to copy books for others. His fate was changed by Uncle Ziyang and Li Chen. Qi Yunruo I never thought about how to live as a concubine.

Oh, send it off.

Concubine, originally a female slave of three generations of nobles in ancient times, her status is getting higher and higher, but after all, it is a word composed of "li" and "female". Concubine can only stand next to his wife.

Both words contain "female", so Qi Yunruo couldn't find his place even more.

In the evening, Li Chen knew that Qi Yunruo was gone, so he said lightly "Got it" and went to the backyard. Qi Niqun was shocked when he heard what Li Chen said.

"My lord is going to the northwest?"

Li Chen nodded, "It's everyone's responsibility, let alone me waiting?"

Qi Niqun tugged at her clothes tangledly, not knowing what to say for a while.

Li Chen looked at it, his heart softened, and he comforted him: "With General Zhao and General Si here, apart from my status as a prince, I am just a nobody. Who would pay special attention to me?"

Qi Niqun was about to cry, and said: "I am not unreasonable. My great-grandfather and grandfather were both famous generals in bloody battles, and my father has been in the border for many years. As a man, the prince is also a nobleman, and he has devoted himself to the court. , and just worried about you."

Li Chen sighed, "I will protect myself."

In the evening, I stayed in Dongmei Courtyard.

When she woke up the next day, Qi Niqun started packing for Li Chen. When Li Chen came back in the afternoon, he saw that Qi Niqun was still busy.He said that he wanted to lead the guards, but his father did not deliberately send soldiers to him, but only transferred twenty guards from Qianniuwei, and the queen also selected two young men with outstanding martial arts from the Zhou family to serve as guards by his side.

For the rest, the empress did not announce it.

Li Chen copied the list himself in the study, and wrote down the names of his close and trustworthy guards, one by one, and after two quarters, he wrote down the last name.

Qi Yunruo.