concubines

Li Chen was sitting by the lake fishing, and after a while, a carp was hooked.

Qi Yunruo walked over with a stack of tracing red booklets, lowered his head while reading and said, "Chen'er's writing is finished, do you want to have a look?"

Li Chen said "Yes", and Qi Yunruo knelt down to show him. Jing'er had just been enlightened, and Li Chen personally selected the brochure painted in red. Li Chen glanced at the crooked characters and said with a chuckle: "Bi The first two words are well written."

Li Chen threw the fish he caught back into the water, stood up, clapped his hands and said, "Go back, I think it's getting cold."

Qi Yunruo followed behind Li Chen, and said: "Mrs. Ji came to see Concubine Ji again today. My lord, Concubine Ji said that she wanted to see Jing'er a few days ago. It will soon be Jing'er's fifth birthday. She wants to bring the child to the Stay in Shuangqiu Courtyard for a few days."

Li Chen frowned and said, "Jing'er has already started studying, what do you think it's like to go back to the backyard?" After a while, Li Chen said, "What day is today?"

Qi Yunruo said: "It will be November in a few days, and it will be cold this year."

"November... so it's been half a year." Li Chen smiled, "Half a year."

"My lord?" Qi Yunruo looked at him curiously.

Li Chen said: "Jing'er's birthday will be celebrated in a few days, and the palace will be held in a big way. Xiao Qi, please send invitations to all the palaces."

"I see."

Two months ago, Princess She of the Jing Palace gave birth to a son-in-law. King Jing was overjoyed. On the day of the full moon, he hosted a banquet for the princes, nobles, and important officials in the capital. He wished to announce his happy event to the world. Qi Yunruo looked at Li Chen with a smile, and Li Chen said: "You Do you think I'm going to fight King Jing?"

Qi Yunruo said with some embarrassment: "I see that you usually keep a low profile in everything you do. Even on your birthday, you just put wine in the mansion."

It was still morning, it was early winter, and the sun was not bad, Li Chen said, "You will understand in a few days."

If Qi Yun didn't understand, he went back to Molian Courtyard to play with Jing'er and Yan'er.

In fact, it was not as long as a few days, it was only the second day, when people from the palace proclaimed the decree, Qi Yunruo knelt behind Li Chen in official uniform, and heard the eunuchs read the decree word by word, the emperor declared King Chun as the Chief Secretary , and also in charge of Honghe Temple, and also in charge of foreign envoys.

Li Chen knelt down to thank him, received the imperial decree, the eunuch who came to pass the decree smiled like a flower, bowed to him and said: "My slave here congratulates His Royal Highness Chun Wang."

Li Chen smiled, and glanced sideways at Qi Yunruo, Qi Yunruo stepped forward and said, "This father-in-law invites you to drink tea here." After speaking, he handed over a purse.

The eunuch who delivered the decree understood it, but said politely: "This is what a slave should be assigned. Your Excellency Qi is too polite."

Qi Yunruo smiled and asked someone to lead him to the ear room.

After Li Chen sat down calmly, Qi Yunruo leaned over and asked, "My lord, how do you know that the emperor will call you back to court in the next few days?" Worried that the prince will have no errands in the future, who knows that the emperor has appointed the prince as the general manager. This is not like before, the household department is still in charge of the Shangshu Cheng Wenjie, and the prince is only a supervisor. Accepting the advice of the subjects, listening to the grievances of the people, etc. are all under its jurisdiction. Upwards can participate in important court affairs such as official elections and political counseling. The errands of Honglu Temple Minister seem simple, but in fact they have to deal with envoys from various countries, which is cumbersome Very... Qi Yunruo frowned and said, "Are you particularly busy?"

Li Chen looked at him with a smile, "Do you like it or not?"

In the past six months, Chunwang Mansion has been leisurely and leisurely. During the hot summer, the prince does not need to go out to court or go to the yamen. The two of them play chess in the room with icebergs, or read books apart from each other, leisurely; in golden autumn, Li Chen He and Qi Yunruo went to the outskirts of Beijing to ride horses and hunt, and the two of them watched the old farmers harvesting grain at the village, and drank the latest rice porridge at night.There are two children in Molianyuan, and there is no more silence than before. Qi Yunruo can't say what he is dissatisfied with, but after thinking about it, he still said: "I still want you to have an errand so that you can go to court."

After a while, Qi Yunruo smiled and said, "Do you think King Jing will be angry?"

It can be said that King Jing has worked tirelessly in the past six months. He has traveled between the capital and the south of the Yangtze River several times. He was not in the capital when his son-in-law was born. He and Cheng Wenjie cooperated more tacitly, and he also had a lot of connections with officials under the household department. King Jing is still having a headache about the affairs of the household department. King Chun, who has been idle for half a year, suddenly His son was valued by the emperor, and he was appointed to two important positions. King Jing would really be very angry.

Li Chen said leisurely: "I didn't trip him up."

Qi Yunruo thought about it and understood many things. He rolled his eyes and asked, "My lord, are you ready to resign when King Qing and King Yong leave the capital?"

"Actually not." Li Chen smiled, "It's just that at that time, I was really ready to retreat bravely and not stay in the court and continue to be a living target. If I leave, the Yuan family will be wary that I will be highly valued by my father during this period. Instead of waiting for them to use some means, and it is when my father does not want me to continue to make meritorious service, it is better to do nothing. With this opportunity for me, my father does not want to establish a prince, so I just showed that I am not greedy for power."

Qi Yunruo listened to him, but there was melancholy in his eyes, "The emperor is not only to you, but also to King Jing. His old man's unwillingness to establish a prince is too strong. I guess after the two princes who went to the northwest come back, the emperor will also I won't give you more rewards... What will you do in the future? Could it be that you really don't do anything?"

This is also a problem that is deeply rooted in Li Chen's mind. Li Chen doesn't even understand why his father's health is getting worse, but he still angrily reprimands the courtiers who occasionally raised the matter of establishing a prince. He does not allow the courtiers to pay too much attention to this matter.

Li Chen sighed softly and said, "Is the invitation for Jing'er's birthday ready?"

"It's almost there."

Li Chen nodded, with a proud smile on his face, "It's pointless to always look forward and backward when doing things. Now is the time to tell the capital that the king is leaving the palace."

In the afternoon, Li Chen was going to enter the palace to thank him. Qi Yunruo stayed in the mansion to prepare for Jinger's birthday. Now that the prince said something big, Qi Yunruo had a big problem. The Dongmei Courtyard was not kept closed, and the backyard was restored to Ding Xing, but Qi Niqun seemed to be a different person, with yin and yang eccentricities every day, and good looks every day.Both Concubine Ji and Concubine Wei were honest, Mu'er started babbling, and Concubine Wei always wanted to ask the prince to visit him.

After Concubine Li Shu was imprisoned in the Small Buddha Hall, the other concubines and concubines were silent for a while. None of them had any offspring.

Qi Yunruo curled up on the big chair, having a headache, why did he go to the backyard and tell Qi Niqun that the Prince Chun's Mansion hadn't entertained any guests in the past six months, Qi Niqun had a weird temper, Qi Yunruo was still worried about what she would show in front of those wives...

"Uncle Xiao Qi, what are you doing?" Jing'er came in holding her younger sister's hand.

Qi Yunruo touched his little heads one by one, and asked Jing'er with a smile, "Have you finished your homework this afternoon?"

Jing'er blushed and refused to look at him, Qi Yunruo smiled and said: "You are already five years old, you are an older child, be careful when your father comes home and spanks you."

Yan'er listened to the maid talking about her father's receipt of the imperial decree in the morning, and asked, "Is father not in the mansion anymore?"

"Yes, father will be very busy in the future and will not be in the house often."

Yan'er looked a little disappointed, and Jing'er didn't look happy. After a while, he remembered and asked curiously, "Why are you sitting like this?" He is learning etiquette now, and knows how to sit and stand. Come on, even if the posture is not right when eating, the nanny will beat her.

Qi Yunruo noticed the cunning in his eyes, quickly put his feet down, and sighed: "Uncle Xiao Qi did something wrong, I shouldn't have done this."

Jing'er smiled in satisfaction, Qi Yunruo stood up, dragged a child into the inner room with one hand, and asked someone to bring fruit to eat.

Yan'er asked: "I heard that the mansion is going to hold a birthday banquet for brother, is this true?"

"It's true, when Yan'er's fifth birthday, we will also do it for Yan'er." Qi Yunruo said softly.

Yan'er just looked at her brother with a pleasant expression on her face, "Then I will use my own hands to make the network for my brother."

Jing'er said with distaste: "You don't know how to tie a net at all, you just tangle the threads together indiscriminately."

Yan'er became a little unhappy, and glared at her brother, "My sisters said I played very well."

"Whoever called you the master, how dare those maidservants say that you are not..."

Seeing the two children chasing each other while laughing, Qi Yunruo sat down with his hands on his chin, still full of melancholy. If he could, he really didn't want to deal with those women in the backyard. Qi Yunruo's eyes fell on Jinger, what did Concubine Ji say? She is also Jing'er's mother, and she loves Jing'er sincerely, but the lord is unwilling to let Jing'er contact her biological mother again... The concubine Ji's words were delivered to him, how should he refuse?

When Li Chen came back, Qi Yunruo was asking someone to go out the next day to inquire about the roster of officials who were on duty at the Secretary of General Administration and Honglu Temple. Li Chen asked, "Why are you asking this?"

"I remembered that you will be taking office soon, so you might as well contact your subordinates on Jing'er's birthday. I'll ask someone to inquire about it, and then I'll post a post for them."

Li Chen shook his head with a smile and said, "There's no need for you to ask someone to inquire, I'll just go to the Ministry of Officials and ask."

Qi Yunruo nodded, and said: "I also want you to know the character of the subordinate officials in advance."

Li Chen asked: "A feast, you can see how this person is?"

"You can see the congratulatory gifts," Qi Yunruo said as a matter of course, "If you come with a lot of treasures, it may be to please you, and he may not be able to do things. Those who bring a few simple things but are meticulous are prepared for Jinger, for sure. He's a thoughtful guy."

Li Chen shook his head, "If it is a capable official, who comes from a wealthy family, has a lot of money, or is good at management, has a rich family, and can produce things, what should I say?"

Qi Yunruo was dumb, and lowered his head a little ashamedly. Li Chen rubbed his head with a smile, "Very few people can tell you a person's character at a glance. What you think of, others may also think of."

"...Well, I see."

After the meal, Qi Yunruo asked: "Today you entered the palace to see the emperor, did the emperor say anything?"

"Ok?"

"I'm talking about the northwest matter. If the two princes fail, the emperor won't send you there, right?" Qi Yunruo was a little worried.

Li Chen smiled, "The emperor has assigned me an official position in Beijing, and he will not let me go out of Beijing again."

"What about the Xixiao clan and the Tumu clan?"

Li Chen's smile subsided, "It's still like what I said at the beginning, one word, kill."

Qi Yunruo frowned slightly, and Li Chen said: "The two tribes sent many killers to assassinate the officials sent by Suzhou and the imperial court to manage them. King Qing was afraid that a thorough investigation would cause dissatisfaction among the two tribes, and something would happen instead. He just strengthened his defenses over and over again. Unable to suppress them, the doctoral officers sent can only hide in the tent every day in fear, fearing that they themselves will be assassinated."

Qi Yunruo nodded.

"Now that Zhao Weidu is in the Qiang tribe to supervise the restructuring, it is almost the same. I ask my father to order that Zhao Weidu allocate part of his troops to go. We must make the people of these two tribes afraid, not worry about them from the beginning. Don't dare to use force in counterattack... The doctoral officers sent should educate from bottom to top, establish academies at all levels, let those Qiang children who have learned bow, horse and archery since childhood stay in the house and learn the poetry and painting skills of Han people, instead of convening over and over again Those chiefs who can't learn anything at all indoctrinate them with learning."

Qi Yunruo smiled, and said with emotion: "If you were asked to do this errand from the beginning, maybe this matter would have been resolved long ago."

Li Chen said: "Using force to coerce is very simple, but it takes a long time to spread Sinology."

Qi Yunruo also understood this, and said again: "Fortunately, you were not asked to go."

Li Chen couldn't help laughing, Qi Yunruo blinked and hummed unhappily.

On the second day, Li Chen was busy handing over duties with the two yamen people. Qi Yunruo had to bite the bullet and go to see Qi Niqun, but Qi Niqun didn't turn him away. Timid, which has never been before.

Because he found that Qi Niqun's paranoia was hard to get rid of. She put all her eggs in one basket, didn't consider the consequences, and always looked down on others.Qi Yunruo's mother's things were delivered to the front yard in several big boxes one day, Qi Yunruo only frowned and sighed deeply, and while packing up the things, he thought, he and Qi Niqun could be said to be inseparable.

But facing the prince, Qi Yunruo didn't want to retreat at all, and he didn't feel guilty about Qi Niqun because of this. The prince never belonged to Qi Niqun, and Qi Niqun really hurt the prince's heart.

"Master Qi, the princess invites you in." The maid Liu Bai said.

"Well, thank you very much."

Qi Yunruo took a deep breath, walked into the main room of Dongmei Courtyard, Qi Niqun was sitting inside, Qi Yunruo walked over to see the ceremony, after a long time, Qi Niqun gave a faint "hmm".

Qi Yunruo stood up straight, and said: "I came today to talk about the fifth birthday of the young master, the prince means to make a big deal..."

Qi Niqun frowned and said: "A bastard, such a child's birthday, why do you have to make a big deal of it?"

Qi Yunruo stared at her, and found that in just half a year, Qi Niqun's complexion seemed to have deteriorated a lot, and her eyes were gloomy, not at all like a bright and beautiful woman in her early twenties.Qi Yunruo said: "Prince Chun's Mansion has no banquet for half a year, and the lord resigned from office and returned to the mansion for those reasons before. Both lord and I feel...Prince Chun's mansion may be forgotten."

Qi Niqun said, "Oh? That's right."

Qi Yunruo said: "As for the banquet, I have drawn up some rules and regulations, and I will present them to you now. If there is anything wrong, you can make changes." After finishing speaking, Qi Yunruo took out a few pieces of paper from his sleeve and handed them to Qi Yunruo. Liu Ling beside Ni Qun asked Liu Ling to pass it on to the princess.

Qi Niqun looked at him coldly, "When did Chang Shi take care of the banquet in the palace?"

Qi Yunruo was stunned for a moment, the concubine should be responsible for this, but Qi Niqun didn't care about everything in Dongmei Courtyard for the past six months, Qi Yunruo was also used to doing everything by himself.

Qi Yunruo was speechless for a while, Qi Niqun knocked down the paper that Liu Ling brought over to the ground, and said with a sneer, "I'm not dead yet, Qi Yunruo, have you considered yourself as a concubine and mistress so early?"

Qi Yunruo's teeth clenched together. After a long time, he calmed down his anger and said, "There is not much time left. If you don't want to watch it, let me tell you. Several princesses and wives of aristocratic families will be there, and the banquet in the backyard is in your hands. Here, Concubine Ji is the birth mother of the eldest young master, so the Ji family will naturally be the chief..."

"Anyone can be the chief?!" Qi Ni qun said, "Don't forget, I am the eldest son's aunt, and the aunt and the decent grandparents are here, so how could the family members in the concubine appear on the chief."

This is already the result of Qi Yunruo's deliberation. Although Concubine Ji is a concubine, his father is an official of the second rank of the court, and his mother is the wife of the second rank. , letting his wife sit on the side seat is already a grievance, and Concubine Ji's son is the protagonist of this banquet, so there is no need to save her face at this time.

Qi Yunruo said: "Eunuch Suge also thinks this is more appropriate."

Qi Niqun didn't speak, Qi Yunruo said: "If you don't have any other intentions, then just do it."

After a while, Qi Niqun asked: "Will Princess She and Princess Zhang come too?"

"Princess She gave birth not long ago and she is still recuperating. She will not come. Concubine Zhang is about to give birth and will not come. Among the concubines, only Concubine Su from Prince Yong's Mansion will come."

Qi Niqun's face became even more gloomy, Qi Yunruo didn't say much, Qi Yunruo knelt down and picked up the few pieces of paper and said: "My lord, my lord, I don't want any accidents at this banquet, I think you understand the impact of it, you are in the back house. For the face of our palace, please take care of everything."

Qi Niqun didn't say anything more, Qi Yunruo put the paper on the table beside him, said goodbye and left.

Unexpectedly, not long after Qi Yunruo went out of Dongmei Courtyard, he learned that Concubine Ji was invited.

Qi Yunruo couldn't think of anything other than Concubine Ji looking for him other than Jing'er's matter, but Qi Yunruo couldn't make any concessions about Jing'er's matter. He felt exhausted for a while and didn't want to face her at all, Sooner or later, he had to reply to Concubine Ji, whether it was today or tomorrow, Qi Yunruo still went with a heavy heart.

It's just that Qi Yunruo didn't expect at all that side concubine Wei was also in Shuangqiu courtyard.The turmoil that caused Concubine Wei's mother and son to move to Yulan Court made Concubine Ji and Concubine Wei no longer maintain the peace on the surface, but after Concubine Ji had no children and the small building opposite had no enemies, they felt Feeling lonely, I ran into Concubine Wei occasionally in the back house, and the two of them lost the tension they had before, and could talk for a while. Now, Concubine Ji often invites Concubine Wei to sit down, or goes to Magnolia Court sat down and drank a cup of tea.

Concubine Ji and Concubine Wei politely asked him to sit down, and Qi Yunruo sat across from them, waiting for them to speak.

Concubine Ji took the lead and said: "A few days ago, I sent the young master a small jacket. Is the young master wearing it properly?"

"...It fits very well." Qi Yunruo thought to himself, but the eldest young master didn't know that the dress was made by Concubine Ji. Li Chen didn't tell Qi Yunruoshen, but said bluntly that Concubine Ji's character was flawed and she shouldn't raise Jing'er. Qi Yunruo Then I felt that there was no need to deepen the relationship between mother and child.

Concubine Ji wiped her tears with a handkerchief, making Qi Yunruo feel a little uncomfortable. In front of his loving mother, he instantly felt that he was a big villain who separated the mother and child.

Concubine Wei smiled and said: "Sister, don't cry, didn't we invite Mrs. Qi to discuss it?"

Qi Yunruo has always been vigilant towards Concubine Wei, and looked at her warily, then Concubine Ji said: "I really want to see my son, it's the young master's birthday, if the prince doesn't allow the young master to come back to live, at least ask me to see my son... I thought, That day when the young master had dinner in the front yard, he will definitely go to the back yard to meet the ladies, at that time, can you give us mother and son some time to talk alone. "

Qi Yunruo was a little embarrassed, but he couldn't say anything to reject Concubine Ji.

"...Then, I will tell the prince when I get back," Qi Yunruo said, "If the prince allows, I will arrange a time for you mother and son to meet each other that day."

"Thank you, Master Qi!" Concubine Ji stood up in surprise, and rushed towards Qi Yunruofu.

Qi Yunruo forced a smile, but felt a little strange in his heart, Concubine Ji was too polite to him, she no longer looked like Concubine Ji.