[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Liu Yang and Li Hu are both guards of the scholar's residence, and they are preparing to take the Wu Enke exam next year.This young lady is going to fast and copy scriptures in the temple, but it is difficult for warriors like them to sit in a room near the temple for three days.

The two of them could only practice their fists and kicks hard in the yard, but they saw Zhang Zhiyao running into the yard excitedly, and said, "You two have been training hard, and I'm afraid you will be awarded a Wu Jinshi next year."

Liu Yang said: "You and Lao Li are not on duty today, where did you go early in the morning?" After all, it is the suburban area of ​​Kyoto, and there has been no danger near this temple since the founding of the country, so the four nursing homes are divided into two groups to be on duty. .Liu Yang and Li Hu did not leave this courtyard not far from Tiekan Temple today, and it is also a temporary residence for pilgrims who come to Tiekan Temple to offer incense, while Zhang Zhiyao and Lao Li went out early in the morning.

Zhang Zhiyao looked excited, and said: "Hurry up and wait for the table, but there is a distinguished guest."

But why?

It turned out that Zhang Zhiyao and Lao Li were hunting in the nearby forests. First, they were doing tooth sacrifices outside the temple. Second, the saint will hold Wu En Ke next summer. It is imperative to demonstrate this kind of kung fu. Now it is considered as a practice.

The two shot two pheasants, heard the dogs barking and horses neighing loudly, and soon met several other nobles.

……

Not long after, Lao Li brought a few princes and grandsons, and followed several Jianghu masters into the courtyard.

Liu Yang and Li Hu looked at it, and saw that the three young princes were dressed in elegant and luxurious clothes, and their appearance was dignified, which made people forget the customs.

One of them wore a moon-white brocade-faced rabbit fur robe, one wore a light blue ermine robe, and the last one wore a snow-green silk-faced ermine robe.They wore leather black fur coats and jade belts around their waists, and they were not ordinary people at first glance.

Lao Li immediately introduced, the noble young man wearing moon white, but this year, is Xiao Jingyun, the eldest son of Dingzhonghou.But seeing that his body is like a bamboo, his face is cut like a knife, his eyebrows are slanting, his eyes are full of stars, his nose is straight and his lips are red, he is extremely romantic and romantic, Mo Shangren is like jade, and his son is unparalleled in this world.

And the one wearing light blue clothes is Wei Ruolan, the son of Jing'an Hou's family, with delicate features, elegant looks and handsome appearance.

Wearing a snow-green robe, the young man with sword eyebrows and starry eyes is full of heroism. He is Feng Ziying, the son of Feng Tang, the new god Wuhou.

The young masters all came out to hunt when they saw the weather was nice, so they ran into Lao Li and the others, and they got to know each other when they saw that they were also armed with swords and arrows.

Seeing these three unborn princes and grandsons all at once, Liu Yang, Li Hu, Zhang Zhiyao, and Lao Li respectfully and warmly welcomed them into the house to keep warm.

But Feng Ziying ordered his followers to clean up some rabbits and pheasants, and boil them in a pot, and he didn't mind, so they will use them here.

Lao Li is the oldest, already 31 years old. He used to be an escort in the south of the Yangtze River. He also came to the capital this year to seek a career. But housework is something he is good at. He entertained these distinguished guests and went to the kitchen. Boil hot water.

Feng Ziying was invited to sit down in the upper pit, and the others were roasting around the stove, and everyone talked about Jingwu Enke.

Liu Yang, Li Hu, Zhang Zhiyao, and Lao Li now live in the scholar's mansion as guards and martial artists.

Feng Ziying said: "The Lin University scholar you are talking about is Lin Ruhai, the Wenyuan Pavilion University scholar?"

Liu Yang nodded and said: "It is Mr. Lin. Although Mr. Lin is a high-ranking civil servant, he treats us very courteously, and doesn't care that we are vulgar warriors."

Feng Ziying said with a smile: "Master Lin is amazing. If you can win the Wu Jinshi, in his face, your official career will be smoother than others."

Liu, Li, and Zhang who were present couldn't help showing joy on their faces, but Xiao Jingyun, the heir of the Dingzhong Hou Mansion who was new to the capital, was curious, and said, "Bachelor Lin is a civil servant after all, and he can manage the affairs of generals?"

Feng Ziying said: "Master Lin's appointment as the next Minister of the Household Department is also a certainty. It is difficult for him to be the left servant of the Household Department directly from the position of the inspector of salt and censor, and even enter the cabinet. I found another one. Mr. Lin was originally a family of princes for generations. When his title was passed on, he became an official in the imperial examination. He was originally married to the youngest daughter of Duke Rong. , Wen Chen, and Xungui have some connections with him, and ordinary generals should give him some face."

Xiao Jingyun said: "It's a good and noble family, but it took in a adopted daughter and became a powerful minister of the foreign relatives." Xiao Jingyun was born in the hereditary Dingzhonghou's mansion, and he never thought highly of upstart relatives with shallow roots.

Wei Ruolan said: "Lord Lin is not someone who wields power, besides, the saint is very wise and mighty, and there are no powerful ministers in the court now."

But Liu Yang couldn't help explaining to the head of the family, saying: "Master Lin did not accept Concubine Chen as a righteous daughter, but all the servants in the scholar's residence knew about it. Naturally, it is clear that we went to the scholar's residence to make a living. This imperial concubine Chen Before entering the palace, she and Miss Yi of the Fuzhong were friends of eight worshippers, Jin Lan sisters, because of the relationship with Miss Fuzhong, Imperial Concubine Chen called Lord Lin as foster father back then."

Xiao Jingyun wondered: "Is there anyone in this girl's family who is called the eight worshippers? Didn't they play with a handkerchief?"

Li Hu couldn't help yearning for it, and said: "Our young lady is different from other families. She has a noble status, not only is the only seedling of the Lin family, the granddaughter of Duke Xianrong, the righteous sister of Concubine Chen, and the saint's personal seal." Yuxian Jun'. It is said that the young lady was brought up as a boy when she was young. She is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. After a few years of education, the family invited three mothers who were born as court ladies to be educated, and then there were two adoptive mothers, Concubine Chen's mother and Mrs. Shi's family, to teach by example, and the boudoir training is not bad. Her female celebrity is outstanding , and later exchanged ideas with Concubine Chen, who was known as the number one embroiderer in Gusu, and became more diligent. Before the Lin family had no mistress, the young lady had to take care of the Lin family's internal affairs at a young age. It is basically impossible for Zhuangzi and the shopkeeper to hide her nonsense from her eyes. I heard that the young lady seized the loopholes in the evidence and dismissed many managers, but she also favored the conscientious and loyal managers. Convinced miss. The miss is a bosom friend with Concubine Chen and the granddaughter of Taifu Xianshi. When she went north to Kyoto, she encountered a peach blossom forest on the bank of the river. She really doesn't have the temperament of an ordinary lady, but Mrs. Lin treats her like a pearl in the palm of her hand. It's hard to disobey her thoughts. Miss's temperament is not like an ordinary woman's submissiveness. Some people say that a woman who is so powerful is not pleasing, but if I can marry If half of the good women are my wives, I will burn incense."

Liu Yangdao: "Miss is such a fairy, we don't even need to think about it, even if we win the champion of martial arts, we are not worthy of it."

Xiao Jingyun has always been very self-confident, and said: "A girl in a boudoir, is she really as powerful as Brother Li said?"

Feng Ziying said with a smile: "I have been in touch with Jia Baoyu, the grandson of Rong Guogong. I heard him say how outstanding his sisters are, and I can't compare to his daughter. He respects Miss Lin the most, but Miss Lin was a few years ago. It's a pity that it's hard for him to get close to him after leaving the Rong Mansion."

Wei Ruolan said: "Men and women have different seats at the age of seven, if Mr. Jia wants Miss Lin to get close to him, he is not afraid of tarnishing her reputation."

Feng Ziying said with a smile: "Brother Wei doesn't know something, but Baoyu is not the kind of person who can't do anything. He has a spiritual body, but he is also a little crazy and doesn't like reading and martial arts, but he is also an elegant person."

However, Xiao Jingyun was not interested in elegant people who "don't like reading and practicing martial arts", so he asked Liu Yang, "I wonder how old this Miss Lin is?"

Liu Yang said: "Miss will be ready for the Flower Festival next year."

"He was born in Huachao Festival?"

Li Hu said: "Exactly. It's the twelfth lunar month now, and the wives in our house are also preparing for the important affairs of the young lady and Ji. The young lady came to Tiekan Temple this time to fast and chant scriptures for the death of the late wife."

Everyone thought to themselves, Miss Lin is also a pure and filial person.

Afterwards, everyone stopped gossiping and stopped gossiping when they talked about Wenwu Enke. Even the four martial artists who worked in the Lin family had never seen the real face of the lady. After all, the lady was surrounded by maids and mothers .

It turned out that in order to protect the reputation of their master, the Martial Master Nursing Academy wanted to explain that the master was not the kind of man who exploited and clinged to the harem, so he had to mention the reason for this, and naturally mentioned Miss Lin Fu.

The speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional, and it will lead to a whole new story in the future.

……

Daiyu fasted for three days at Tiekan Temple before returning to the mansion in a mighty way. Lin's mansion also set up a battle to sacrifice to the late wife. There were a lot of three animals, incense and paper money.Lin Ruhai, Daiyu, and Sun entered the ancestral hall wearing sacrificial attire to offer incense, and Daiyu knelt down to worship.

After Jia Min's ten-year taboo, it was the end of the year, and the various families exchanged annual gifts, all the officials also took great pains to present New Year gifts to the emperor, and the concubine's natal family also gave New Year gifts to the concubine.

The annual rites for the emperor are managed by the empress, concubine Wu Hui, together with the eunuch Wang An and the palace eunuchs.Of course, what the concubine's natal family gave to the concubine was sent to each palace and pavilion.

Xing Xiuyan just entered the palace this year, and the first year's gift was also filled with manna hall, so the Xing family, Lin family, and Shi family naturally sent big gifts.

The eldest family of the Jia family also sent decent and generous gifts under the auspices of Wang Xifeng and Mrs. Xing. Even the Ningguo Mansion entrusted Wang Xifeng to bring a gift, and the General Secretary's Mansion, who was the official guest of Xing Xiuyan and Yan Li, also sent a gift. Eli Lilly.

Ziyue and Xuejue, the two important court ladies, kept their feet on the ground as they looked at the gift list one by one.Xing Xiuyan had already prepared to return the gift, but seeing that the Zhang family and the Ningguo Mansion also gave gifts, he had to make preparations impromptu.

Ziyue suddenly came to report that Wang Xifeng's gift was mixed with filial piety from the Xue family, and Xing Xiuyan murmured: "Why did the Xue family bring in gifts?"

Zi Yue said: "The handwriting on this page of this gift list is different. When we counted, we found a gift list in the box, which was the same as the page on this big gift list, and it said 'Jinling Xue's Congratulations'. "

Xing Xiuyan said: "Then don't we have to back up the gift? How can there be so much money, alas!"

Zi Yue said with a smile: "It's just a matter of moving the gifts presented by others and rewarding them to other families. Could it be that the empress has kept so many things?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Although it is possible to do this, it is always a pity to see that things are sent out without warming them up. But I think I should save more in my private room, so as not to have nothing to eat when I grow old. In addition, I will give you some Don't you want to save some dowry? You will be seventeen after the new year, and it's not been a few years."

Ziyue blushed immediately, stomped her feet and said: "The slave girl told the empress to be serious, but the empress came to bully the slave servant."

Xing Xiuyan chuckled and said, "How can this be bullying? Do you know what bullying is?"

"How can you bully my mother?"

She raised Zi Yue's chin, and said with a smile: "Little beauty, can you have a drink with me?"

"What nonsense!" Suddenly heard a cold reprimand.