concubines

When Li Chen returned to the mansion for self-examination, his trusted officials were also silent for a while. Qi Yunruo just learned that Ji Huan was returning as an envoy. Li Chen said to Qi Yunruo, "I originally wanted to invite Ji Hansong's family to visit the mansion, but now I'm afraid it's not the case. It's convenient, Xiao Qi, come for me and send me a gift."

Qi Yunruo pointed to himself, "Me?"

Holding a book in his hand, Li Chen rolled it up, touched Qi Yunruo's head lightly, and said with a smile, "What? Master Changshi, is there a problem?"

When Li Chen said this, Qi Yunruo gave a "hmm" and said, "Then, my lord, I'll go to the storeroom to see what's suitable, and then I'll write a greeting card."

Li Chen nodded. He saw Qi Yunruo's eyes jumping for joy, pointed to his cabinet and said, "There are four-color note papers on the second floor, as well as rice papers of various colors and blank albums."

Qi Yunruo nodded, and went out to find Su Ge to open the storeroom. When one foot had just stepped out and the other was still in the house, Qi Yunruo suddenly asked, "What does Brother Ji like?"

Li Chen said without hesitation: "He likes pens, inks, papers and inkstones."

Qi Yunruo blinked and went out.

Li Chen suddenly felt uneasy, Qi Yunruo's footsteps were getting farther and farther away, Prince Chun's face was unnaturally embarrassed, he stood up and wanted to go to Xiao Qi, but Xiao Qi's reaction was so normal that he couldn't help it. He knew what to say, but just sitting here and doing nothing made him feel awkward and uncomfortable.

Qi Yunruo found an ancient inkstone with a simple shape and a square body in the warehouse. The ancient inkstone has no decorations and is simple and elegant. Qi Yunruo thought that Brother Ji would like it when he saw it. Ge reminded him that he still had to prepare a gift for Mrs. Ji's mansion. Qi Yunruo frowned and walked around, impatiently said: "It's enough to find a few jars of good wine and some clothing materials for embroidery."

Su Ge smiled and asked someone to look for him.

Qi Yunruo went out with two boxes in his hands, asked the maidservants to pack them up, and went back to the study to check and write greeting cards, when suddenly a little guy knocked on the door and came in with sparkling eyes.

Qi Yunruo smiled, "Jing'er."

Jing'er ran over with a smile, and threw herself into Qi Yunruo's arms. Qi Yunruo hugged him into his lap, and Jing'er asked, "Are you going to Ji Wai's grandfather's house?"

Qi Yunruo nodded, Jing'er said: "When father was away, Ji Wai's grandfather came to see mother and concubine, I heard them say that I have an elder uncle."

Jing'er called Qi Suxiao her grandfather, and added a surname before Ji Hansong. Qi Yunruo smiled and said, "Didn't you know this uncle before?"

Jing'er's eyes were a little sly, and he whispered: "I heard from Ji's grandmother that Ji's grandfather beat and scolded the two uncles, and that they love flower wine the most... Uncle Qi, what is flower wine? , the wine made from flowers?"

Qi Yunruo said without changing his face: "It's made by girls, and boys can only drink it when they grow up."

Jing'er nodded thoughtfully, at this time Li Chen opened the door and came in, frowning at the two of them, Jing'er slipped off Qi Yunruo's lap shyly, called "Father" in a low voice and quickly ran out, Qi Yunruo After grinding the ink, I am ready to write a letter of worship.

Li Chen paced over, and Qi Yunruo wrote on the title page "Prince Chun's Fu Shi Qi Yuze worships", and opened it to write "En Nong Zhanlu, Grain Rain Season. Your son is visiting the West at the emperor's will, and he is coming back in March. Special congratulations to your mansion. I plan to pay a visit to the mansion on the fourth day of the lunar month." Attached is the gift list, Li Chen said: "Just write it like this."

Qi Yunruo didn't speak, stood up and put away the remaining papers, Li Chen sat down in his place, Qi Yunruo sat on the other side after returning.

"Hmm..." Li Chen hesitated.

"My lord!" Qi Yunruo said, "My lord, brother Ji is smarter than me and can speak better than me. I like brother Ji very much, and you like him too, right?"

Li Chen looked at Qi Yunruo, and nodded slowly, Qi Yunruo's heart sank slightly, but Li Chen continued: "It's just that I knew from the beginning that Ji Huan would leave, so after he left, I let go of my heart for him." Those who abandon me, don't let the day of yesterday stay', I will not stop for the past, Xiao Qi, only you... When I decide to like you, I will not let go."

Qi Yunruo's eye circles were a little red, but he didn't speak. He put the booklet away, called a little eunuch and said, "Let someone send it to the Jifu."

Sifu's concubine, Mrs. Zhu, has never been found. Qi Yunruo has always felt that there is something hidden in Zi'er's mother's words. The mother and daughter are now living in the guest room of the Chun Palace. He sits down.

Qi Yunruo thanked her, took the tea brought by Zi'er, and looked at Zi'erniang silently.

Zi'erniang has been eating vegetarian food and praying to Buddha these years, Zi'er said: "Our wife is also, I remember things, my wife is a vegetarian, she worships the Buddha all the year round, donates cloth and clothes to the temple every year, and our wife even lights the ever-burning lamp for the master."

Qi Yunruo questioned: "Madam Si, light the ever-burning lantern for General Si?"

Zi'er nodded and said, "It's just that Madam never asks me to follow, she always goes to the temple by herself."

Zierniang said indifferently: "What are you talking about, Master Qi, what else do you want to say when you come here today?"

Qi Yunruo said: "Madam Si is a kind-hearted person."

Zi Erniang was silent, Qi Yunruo said: "How much do you know about those people who claim to be Mrs. Si's relatives?"

Zi'er motherly said: "Madam was born in Yuan's family in the north of the city. That family is all fake Taoists. Madam has not been in touch with them for many years. The people Zi'er mentioned are not Madam's relatives at all."

Qi Yunruo nodded. If Mrs. Si's family is good, she would not agree to my uncle's concubine for some false name. But why Si De, since he tried every means to accept Mrs. Zhu, has ignored her for so many years and let her and Si De The wife lived together for many years. If Si De had the heart, it would be easy to take his concubine to the northwest.

Zi Erniang said: "Then Mrs. Zhu is also a bitch. She was pregnant when she was a girl. After entering the door, relying on the master's liking, she never put her in the eyes. Our wife was also a girl of seventeen or eighteen at that time, and she was young. Sheng, I have fought against the master many times, and there is no one behind me to support me, so I can't help that bitch."

Qi Yunruo also felt sorry for Mrs. Si, but felt that Mrs. Si would not commit suicide for such a man, but when he looked at Zierniang, Zierniang said flatly: "This old slave will not go to the government to testify Yes, even if the old slave said it, those officials and lords might not believe me, an old lady."

Qi Yunruo asked: "At what age did Zhu's child die young? Did he suffer from any illness?"

Zierniang was silent for a long time before she said: "...Children, there are always many diseases... After so many years, the old lady has long forgotten."

If Qi Yun didn't continue to ask, he bid farewell to the mother and daughter and went out.

Qi Yunruo found Fang Ge and said, "Go to which temple Mrs. Cha Si often goes to, and for whom did you light the longevity lamp."

Fang Ge nodded and said, "I understand."

Qi Yunruo felt that he was non-stop all day long and hadn't rested yet. As soon as he came out of Zi'er's mother and daughter, someone said that the princess had an invitation, and that the princess' mother, Mrs. Zhao, had come.

Qi Yunruo changed his clothes and went to the backyard. Along the way, he thought about the reason for Mrs. Zhao's visit. It seemed that the letter yesterday had indeed reached the hands of Uncle Ziyang and his wife.

Mrs. Zhao may have already told Qi Niqun, Qi Yunruo just walked in, Qi Niqun threw a teacup on him, Qi Yunruo frowned, lowered his head and brushed away the tea sticking on his chest.

Qi Niqun was trembling with anger, her words seemed to be squeezed out between her teeth, "Qi Yunruo, I really underestimated you, you surprise me every time."

Qi Yunruo looked at Mrs. Zhao. Mrs. Zhao's complexion was no better than Qi Niqun's. She seemed to want to rush over and give Qi Yunruo a few slaps herself. She said coldly, "Where did you know that?"

Qi Yunruo said: "Why are you so angry? Even I am not angry, ma'am, it was you who divided my things at will, and I got nothing for myself."

Qi Niqun said sharply: "Bitch, that's mine!"

Mrs. Zhao sneered and said: "Sure enough, you are a slut of a slut. Seeing how worthless you are, it is your slut mother's good fortune to be able to give things to the royal family as a dowry."

Qi Yunruo said angrily: "Shut up! What right do you have to say about my mother!"

Mrs. Zhao said: "If it wasn't for her! If it wasn't for that bitch! Our Qi family would never have fallen into this field! You don't know how beautiful it was when the Qi family led the Qi family army. The Qi family was the first family in the capital. Even if any prince sees the old lady and the old man, he must be respectful and respectful! Look at it now? Now! The old man is now a fourth-rank official, and Shan'er has devoted himself to the imperial examination, and now he is still a seventh-rank! The whole life of the Qi family has been like this It’s all because of you! It’s all because of your mother and son!”

Mrs. Zhao shouted hysterically, but Qi Yunruo calmed down. He looked at Mrs. Zhao and said, "Since the founding of Dakang, the Qi family has been under constant suspicion from the emperor, and each generation of Uncle Ziyang needs to use his life to wash away the risk of the Qi family being liquidated." Ma'am, the defeat of the Qi family is something that will happen sooner or later."

Mrs. Zhao looked at him coldly, "Even if you have a reason to excuse you, your mother came here with bad intentions. First, she seduced Uncle, and then she revealed the secrets of the Qi family army."

Qi Yunruo said: "My mother asked, so Uncle Ziyang just said it? Could it be that our mother and son are all to blame? Uncle Ziyang himself provoked everything!"

Qi Niqun snorted coldly, "Don't blame everything on father, if it weren't for you mother and son, Ziyang uncle's mansion wouldn't be where it is today!"

Mrs. Zhao said: "You don't know at all. When the Ziyang Mansion was brilliant, countless treasures were sent from everywhere every year, and there were countless farms and shops under the name of the Ziyang Mansion. And our military power was taken away by others. After the seizure, Uncle Ziyang's Mansion plummeted, and it was all caused by your mother and son! What right do you have to take those things back..." Mrs. Zhao looked at Qi Yunruo like a poisonous snake, "These should belong to Uncle Ziyang's Mansion!"

"...All of this is an excuse you made for your own greed." Qi Yunruo said slowly.

The framework of an incomplete story finally slowly unfolded in front of Qi Yunruo. A few years ago, Shui Linglong of Zhiyalou might have approached Ziyang Bo Qi Suxiao with some purpose. One of the key bargaining chips in Shui Linglong's hands was also in the hands of the emperor, so the emperor took back the Qi family's military power so easily, and scattered the Qi family's army to various places.

Qi Yunruo thought of the scene before Shui Linglong's death, and remembered that Qi Suxiao had ignored him for so many years, allowed him to be bullied by the people in the uncle's mansion, and finally sent himself out, and he was no longer from the Ziyang uncle's mansion.

...But Qi Yunruo felt that things would not be so simple.

Qi Yunruo looked at Mrs. Zhao, his tone was calmer than he could have imagined, and he asked: "Madam, do you think my mother is close to Uncle Ziyang, does Uncle Ziyang know?"

Mrs. Zhao froze, Qi Yunruo looked at her, "Do you know who is behind my mother?"

Mrs. Zhao's body trembled a little, Qi Niqun looked at her puzzledly, Qi Yunruo was able to put things together suddenly, he didn't believe that a woman's actions could really confuse Qi Suxiao who had inherited the will of Uncle Ziyang for many generations, Even after the Qi family lost its military power, Qi Suxiao would still go to Qingzhi Hutong, but as time passed, he got tired of Shui Linglong, maybe he finally started to hate her, so even when Shui Linglong was critically ill, None of them showed up, but guarded his sick daughter.

"My mother works for the emperor..." Qi Yunruo was not sad, but just sighed.

This might be a game between the royal family and the Qi family, but in the end only Shui Linglong walked into a deadlock.

Uncle Ziyang was not tempted after all, but Shui Linglong recited "Qi Suxiao, you betrayed me", and closed her eyes helplessly after reading this sentence.

Many years ago, Shui Linglong accepted the emperor's order in Zhiya Building. She should have kept her heart and completed the task calmly, but she really fell in love with the young and gloomy new Ziyang Bo. Guarding the border with his father in the Northwest is his most profound and unforgettable memory, but when General Qi Ranqi died, he realized that he could not fight against the imperial power, so he accepted Shui Linglong without hesitation.

He let Shui Linglong get news from him, let the officials impeach him to give the emperor a reason, and let Shui Linglong's fascination with him grow deeper and deeper.

He was far more vicious than Qi Yunruo thought, he made Shui Linglong love him more and more but left her, he made Shui Linglong's son come to the emperor's son with the lowest status, and made him unable to stand up for the rest of his life—he Let the emperor witness all this with his own eyes.

Qi Yunruo looked at Mrs. Zhao and asked, "Whose idea is this? You deliberately sold my mother's servants and brought my property to Uncle Ziyang's mansion. Madam, you know, you actually have no reason to occupy my property. s things."

Mrs. Zhao sneered: "A prostitute's stuff, how do you think she accumulated so much money?"

Qi Yunruo said angrily: "A prostitute's things, do you find them dirty? Then you still keep these dirty things for your own daughter?"

Mrs. Zhao was dumbfounded for a while, Qi Niqun didn't understand the whole story, she only knew that if her dowry was to be given to others, it would be a great shame, and how many people would laugh at her—even if Qi Yunruo didn't ask for the things back , just to publicize the matter, others know that there will be treasures accumulated by prostitutes in their dowry, and they can't go out to meet people, so she said without thinking: "Come here! Capture him!"

Qi Yunruo looked at him in disbelief, but there was no movement in Qi Niqun's room. Qi Yunruo didn't look back, so he didn't know what happened. He only saw Qi Niqun slumped on a chair and murmured: "My lord..."

Li Chen walked in and said coldly: "Princess, who are you going to arrest?"

After Ji Huan went to the palace to report on his work and returned to the mansion, the people in the front yard sent a greeting card. When he saw the name taboo on the greeting card, he frowned suspiciously at first, but then he understood immediately, and a smile appeared on his face.

After reading the post, he ordered his servant to get the kitchen ready for the banquet as soon as possible, so that he must properly welcome his first guest three days later.This post was sent to Ji Hansong, the master of Ji’s mansion. Ji Hansong sent someone to send it after reading it. Soon after, Ji Hansong came over with his hands behind his back, and said to Ji Huan: “In the future, I will invite your grandfather to a banquet for my father. It's good."

Ji Huan paused with his hands, then nodded and said: "My son knows."

Ji Hansong sat down and sighed softly, "Now the emperor has allowed King Chun to go back to the mansion for self-examination, and both Si De and his wife committed suicide. The situation is not optimistic for King Chun."

Ji Huan had just returned to Beijing, and he didn't know much about these things. He frowned and said, "But no matter what happens, the merits of King Chun will not be erased."

Ji Hansong said: "It is precisely because of Prince Chun's great achievements that all forces have come under attack now, not giving Prince Chun a chance to breathe... This Qi Yuze, could it be..." Ji Hansong didn't finish, Ji Huan once entered the palace of Prince Chun Things are forbidden areas that cannot be mentioned between father and son.

But Ji Huan understood what he meant, and said: "Xiao Qi has made great contributions to King Chun in the northwest, which is not comparable to ordinary people. Xiao Qi is smart and decisive, with a gentle personality. Now that he has an official position, his future is boundless."

Ji Hansong showed hesitation on his face.

Ji Huan said: "Father, tell me directly."

Ji Hansong coughed lightly and said, "It was your sister who sent back a letter a few days ago. The prince brought the young master to the front yard and lived in the same room with this Qi Changshi. Your sister was deeply disturbed."

Ji Huan frowned and said, "What do you mean by father?" According to Ji Huan's thinking, Jing'er can't learn much from Ji Ru's side, but it's good from Xiao Qi's side.

Ji Hansong said: "Your sister wants you to tell the lord not to get in touch with Jing'er too much. He is a child raised by a prostitute. He started serving men in his teens. His temperament must be different from ordinary people. Jing'er is the eldest son of Prince Chun. , honorable status, this..."

Ji Huan interrupted him coldly, "Since Ji Ru thinks so, why didn't he tell the prince himself?"

Ji Hansong was the only one who didn't dare to speak harshly to the eldest son, and only said: "Your sister said that now Qi Yuze is very able to keep the prince's heart, and now she can't see the prince in the backyard, and she can't enter the Molian courtyard, and she can't even see her son. It's hard..."

Ji Huan looked at Ji Hansong, and said in a cold voice: "Father knows better than me who my sister is! If she is virtuous and virtuous, why would the prince gradually distance her from her, but she always only blames others and never feels it is her fault , Father! I didn’t want to mention those words. Back then she insisted on going her own way, and Mrs. Lian pulled me into the mansion. Later, the prince no longer liked her. She always thought it was my fault. What do you think?! Xiao Qi’s situation is also miserable, but this He didn't choose it himself. If he could, who wouldn't want to be loved by his parents and grow up to be an upright man? No one wants to live in hatred and pain. If Xiao Qi is given a chance, Xiao Qi will go farther than anyone else! "

Ji Hansong was silent for a long time, then slowly said: "Ru'er is your mother's first child, so it's inevitable that you will spoil her."

Ji Huan said coldly: "Madam has pampered Ji Ru for more than ten years, but Ji Ru often scares me. The Ji family is involved with her. If the Ji family is implicated by her in the future, my father will regret it."

Ji Hansong said: "No, it's more than that."

Ji Huan didn't speak any more.

Ji Hansong let out a long sigh, and said, "No matter what, Ru'er gave birth to the prince's eldest son."

Ji Huan wanted to say that his mother gave birth to him and that he was also the eldest son, but he didn't say it in the end.What Ji Huan said just now was about Xiao Qi, and even more about himself. If he could, he didn't want to be a sycophant. The peak of the family beyond reach.

This is the path he has already chosen.