[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

The faces of all the women present could not help but change slightly, only Lin Daiyu and Shi Hui looked cold, Lin Daiyu was always temperamental, and said: "Miss Shen, don't you like to sit with Eldest Sister?"

Shi Hui stepped forward and said: "Dear sisters, don't blame Huier for not greeting her well. Because the three of us sisters are married to Jinlan, the sisters only come here as their own home. I let the two sisters sit together and have company. I think Miss Shen has misunderstood."

Shen Man stepped forward and scolded Shen Mei: "Sixth Sister, I told you not to mind your own business, but you didn't listen again. Let alone the University Scholars' Mansion, we can also go to the Prince's Mansion. It’s okay for relatives of the state to be sisters. I just want to be jealous of others and make out with girls from the grand scholar’s ​​family.”

Shi Hui couldn't help turning paler, Lin Daiyu turned pale with anger, and said: "You guys are really deceiving people too much!"

However, Shen Man blessed Lin Daiyu, and said with a smile: "Sister Lin, don't blame me, my sixth younger sister is ignorant, disturbing your drinking, I will apologize to you on behalf of sixth younger sister."

Lin Daiyu was also speechless when a soft knife was inserted. She couldn't accept an apology. Xing Xiuyan also aroused a little anger. She didn't bother to be as knowledgeable as a second-year girl, but the two younger sisters were angry because of her. face.

Xing Xiuyan said with a smile: "Miss Shen is really extraordinary, she doesn't look like the daughter of the county mistress, but a real princess."

Shen Man slammed the knife softly, but he didn't expect the other party to stab back like this, and his whole body was trembling with anger.It's not bad that she is the daughter of the Hou family, and her mother is from the clan, but there are so many clan daughters. With her status, the clan banquets are less frequent.Taizong's concubine conferred the title of Prince Yi, and later passed it on to her grandfather, Yijun Wang. After Taizong, Zhenzong, and Gaozong, how many daughters did she have?Up to the current Emperor Qianyuan, even his mother was the young Tu Yuanyi who he had seen from afar when he attended the palace banquet.

Shen Man said angrily: "Bold! How dare you humiliate me!"

It would be fine for Xing Xiuyan to speak harsh words, but there is no need to quarrel on the spot, if he loses his manners, he will implicate Daiyu and Shi Hui again.

Xing Xiuyan said innocently: "I don't know how my little girl insulted you?"

Shen Man said: "You said I look like..."

Shen Man is domineering but not stupid, she can't say the following words, she can't get angry if she is said to be like a saint's daughter or not.If she got angry because she didn't look like her, didn't she want to climb up to the sage to say that her mother was not a woman and stole the dragon seed?If she gets angry because others say she looks like her, doesn't that mean she doesn't like the princess?

Shen Man said angrily: "A daughter of a minor official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs speaks falsely about the clan, what should you do?"

Lin Daiyu snorted coldly and said: "I didn't know that the Marquis of Shunping's Mansion was the clan. Besides, what is the crime of falsely talking about the clan? Could it be that the female relatives and sisters usually communicate with each other, as long as they see who is the clan girl, they can't say a word to her? "

A servant girl, Ziling, had already reported to his wife, and Mrs. Shi Zhang and Mrs. Xing Li rushed over in shock, including the second wife of the Shen family, Yijun, the head of Xianning County, who was born in the Wang family.

Mrs. Shi Zhang came over and asked, "Hui'er, why don't you treat the guests well?"

Shi Hui said: "It's my daughter's fault, I haven't greeted the young ladies of Shunping Hou's family properly."

Shi Hui's words were ingenious, saying that she did not greet well, meaning that they were dissatisfied and caused trouble.

Xianning County Lord is also a formidable figure, she suppresses her sister-in-law in the Hou Mansion, she has only two concubines in Shen Qing's house, one of the two concubines died in the early years, and the other is in the nunnery, she also loves Shen Man in every possible way.

So Xianning County Lord said: "Miss Shi, but the girls in my family were rude to you? How about I ask them to apologize to you."

Shen Man walked over to her mother and said, "Mother, I didn't cause trouble. I'm a lowly maid from the House of Internal Affairs who dares to insult my daughter."

Shen Man pointed at Xing Xiuyan, and the word "low maidservant" slapped Xing Xiuyan in the face resoundingly.It is well known that many families in the House of Internal Affairs of this dynasty came from Tai/ancestral slaves, but after several generations, these families have also become a special part of the nobility.Shen Man believed that his mother was the head of the clan and county, and the great-great-granddaughter of the Tai/zu, so he had the blood of the clan flowing through his body, and the people in the House of Internal Affairs were slaves.The officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are quite special. Many people will call themselves "slaves" when facing the clan.

Shi Zhang's face can't help being green, others don't know, but she knows that Xing Xiuyan has a special relationship with the saint.She didn't believe what Shi Hui secretly told her, that the sage took pity on her and treated her as his daughter.She and Shi Bai guessed from their interactions with Lin Ruhai, from the servants, court nurses, and Jin Yiwei, who was escorted by Weifu all the way, that the saint might be in love with her, and that he wanted to enter the palace when he brought her to Beijing.

Shi Zhang said: "Ms. Shen's status is honorable, but she still needs to know the truth that disasters come from her mouth. Officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are also upright officials. Even the empress's natal family is also the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Not all officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs can called 'minions'."

The wives and ladies of each family couldn't help breathing heavily, County Master Xianning also felt that her daughter's words were inappropriate, so she couldn't help but give her a blank look, and said, "Man'er, you are too outspoken. Apologize to Miss Xing."

At this time, Shen Mei came out and said: "Mother, Sister Gein is because of protecting me, a kind of sisterly love. This matter happened because of me, so I should apologize."

County Lord Xianning said: "What is my way, it's for you. It's good if you have the heart at this time, go."

The ladies of course knew what was going on, and couldn't help being speechless about it. Xing Xiuyan was also very annoyed. If she hadn't become sworn brothers with Daiyu and Shi Hui, she would have stopped pretending to be magnanimous and elegant.This was another slap in the face for no reason, and another concubine accomplice was asked to apologize.

The Shi family had to give face, and the two righteous sisters had to take care of it, but they had no light on this soft persimmon that everyone could bully.

"No need!" Xing Xiuyan said coldly.

The county magistrate of Xianning was slightly startled, took two steps forward, smiled and pulled out a gold hairpin from her head, intending to insert it into Xing Xiu's cigarette butt, and said: "At such an age, Miss Xing is quite temperamental. I feel wronged, it’s my son’s fault. But it’s fate to meet each other. It’s not a bad thing to make more friends. A little bump will pass. Girls should dress up beautifully. This Fengchai girl is wearing It's also appropriate, as a little bit of my heart."

Xing Xiuyan took a step back, took off the golden phoenix hairpin, and said, "I don't dare to remember today's events. The county lord's belongings are expensive, but the little girl's status is humble, and she doesn't wear them well. Such a precious hairpin is suitable for the Marquis's residence." Miss wears it."

As he said that, he took a step forward, and when he reached Shen Man, he moved quickly and inserted the phoenix hairpin into her bun.Then, she retreated indifferently and stood beside Xing Lishi. Xing Lishi had no experience in dealing with officials and family members, so she just panicked and didn't know what to do.

But Xing Xiuyan retreated back, he couldn't help pulling her and asked, "My dear girl, are you okay?"

"Mother, don't worry, my daughter is fine." Xing Xiuyan smiled faintly.

When everyone saw that Xing Xiuyan didn't want the county lord's hairpin and returned it to Shen Man, he was neither humble nor overbearing, and they couldn't help but make people look up to him.But Xing Xiuyan himself doesn't really like being neither humble nor overbearing, because now he always has to socialize with officials and officials, and it is impossible to do whatever he wants.

A flower viewing party is over, and the female relatives also leave, leaving only their own relatives.

Shi Zhang comforted her repeatedly, and Xing Xiuyan said: "Mother-in-law is at ease, this matter is nothing. I was doing needlework in Suzhou back then, and I met some people, so I don't understand."

Shi Hui was also a little discouraged. It was the first time to hold a banquet in the capital, but this kind of thing happened.Zhang Yunyun is Shi Hui's cousin, who has lived in the capital for a long time, and said: "I have also met the girl from the Shunping Hou's family once, and she is naturally high-spirited. I have met several girls in the capital, and they don't like her. I'm afraid that seeing Sister Xing and Sister Lin who are prettier than her, I'm not convinced."

Shi Hui clapped her hands and laughed, "That's right! With her narrow forehead and pointed mouth, how can she compare to Eldest Sister and Second Sister?"

Yingchun couldn't help sighing: "Do you want to hurt people when you see them being nice? Why do you want to be idle?"

Xing Xiuyan and Lin Daiyu couldn't take this topic anymore, the sisters just laughed and laughed.

……

But Tu Yuanyi heard that the Supreme Emperor was injured and returned to the palace, and found that the old man had broken his leg bone.Afterwards, apart from government affairs and martial arts training, he served soup and medicine personally, this time he really had a somewhat filial heart.

Tu Yuanyi is young now, but after all, he was an old man in his memory, and he can understand the psychology of the old man. Besides, this is his father, how could he have himself without him, and how could he have the rationality of his throne without him?

Therefore, while ordering the imperial doctor to treat him, he secretly added some diluted spirit spring when serving the medicine, and the Supreme Emperor gradually recovered, but the old broken leg did not heal so quickly.

On the first day of April, he rested at the empress's house according to the rules.After teaching the eldest son Tu Hui his homework, this child who should have died a long time ago has grown up so much that he is now 11 years old.

Hearing that he was fluent in reciting, it was obvious that he put his heart into it, so he just gave a few words of encouragement, and the eldest princess Tu Xin came over and said a few words of laughter, and it was rare for him to be patient.

The two children couldn't bother their parents for too long, so they resigned soon.

Empress Yang also dressed up carefully today, and after the children left, she smiled virtuously and said, "Saint, it's already April, and beautiful girls from all over the country are coming to Beijing one after another. A few days ago, the queen mother asked about it."

When Empress Yang said this again, her heart was bubbling bitterly. The saint became more and more handsome, domineering and coquettish. He was still so young, but she was old.

Tu Yuanyi took a sip of tea and said, "This matter is handled by the queen, so I won't ask in detail."

Empress Yang said again: "The concubine issued a decree to order the provinces to send two more beautiful women to participate in the election. What does the saint think?"

The general election was supposed to be presided over by the empress, so it was decided by her phoenix seal that this year's general election had been agreed earlier. At that time, the emperor said that it would be simple and there were not many people.

Tu Yuanyi didn't raise his head, put down his teacup, and said in a low voice, "Why bother? You ordered all unmarried women aged 13-17 to be elected among the officials and ladies of the seventh rank and above in Beijing."