The Fate of the Red Chamber

As mentioned above, Yuanchun went to see the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was joking with someone, and the room was very lively.Seeing Yuan Chun salute, he called out with a half-smile, "Get up, the whole family doesn't have so many etiquettes."

"It's the concubine's blessing that the queen mother is sympathetic to the concubine, but the concubine sincerely hopes that the queen mother can live a thousand years." Yuan Chun stood up leisurely, covered the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief and smiled very much.

"Only you can talk. Ai Jia said that he wanted to talk to someone. You came at the right time. Sit down." The queen mother was wearing a light summer shirt with a half-circle embroidered golden auspicious pattern on a black background, rolled up high The hair bun is lit with a phoenix hairpin, and there is a string of round pearls around her neck, which is no different from ordinary old women from rich and noble families.Most of the time, the queen mother is amiable in front of everyone. Of course, almost everyone understands that this is definitely not the real face of the queen mother.

However, no one would be foolish enough to pierce the disguise of the Queen Mother, they were all willing to cooperate with the Queen Mother in acting.On this point, Yuan Chun is the best.Look at her, her smiling face immediately collapsed, she knelt down pitifully, and whispered softly: "The concubine knows that she has committed a crime, and she came here to plead guilty to the empress, please punish her."

"The Ai family knows that you are a decent person, and you can speak up when you have something to say. The Ai family knows whether you will be punished or not." The queen mother only wanted to be puzzled, and she must stand up when necessary, and this degree must be grasped.Yuan Chun is a good pawn, she has selfishness, but no one has selfishness, besides, she is obedient and smart, without a strong background, the harem needs a woman like Yuan Chun to be favored to balance the power, and by the way, check and balance the Lin family.

Yuan Chun blushed, deeply ashamed and remorseful, and whispered: "It was kind of mother's intention to allow our sisters and relatives to reunite for a few days. I am very grateful to my mother. I miss my sisters in my heart, so I call Tanchun, the younger sister of the concubine, and Baochai, the cousin of the aunt's family, came here, thinking that they were good friends.

Unexpectedly, the courtiers and concubines didn't know who they were, and they shamed the queen mother instead.The cousin of the Xue family, the concubine never expected that she would be so confused and do such a stupid thing, the concubine really had no face to face the queen mother.Cousin Xue is young after all, and the concubine has to be trusted by her aunt, so I ask the queen mother to show mercy. "

In a few words, since Xue Baochai pointed out that the fault was with Xue Baochai, it showed that he attached great importance to love and righteousness, and was willing to take it all on his own, which was enough to set an example of a good sister.

The Queen Mother had no intention of blaming her, so naturally she would not punish her.He was even a little bit proud, he was really old, and he forgot that Lin Mohan was at the age of marriage, what a good opportunity this was, thanks to Xue Baochai's reminder.A merchant girl is a merchant girl, and her moves are extraordinary, not comparable to those of the daughters of these big families, and her methods are ruthless, even worse than her own back then.

It's a pity that she thought too highly of herself and underestimated Lin Mohan.It's no wonder she, it's me, didn't I underestimate the Lin family and Lin Mohan back then, and missed the best opportunity to make a move, leaving behind this serious trouble today.

Fiddled with the sharp armor, after a while, the queen mother's slightly gloomy face eased, and she sighed: "This matter has nothing to do with you, so you don't have to blame yourself too much. You have been in the palace for many years, and you are not good to the sisters in your family." It's understandable to be very clear. Besides, although that Miss Xue was a little confused and made such a big deal, it was probably due to drinking too much wine and losing her mind. She has already received the punishment she deserved, and Aijia doesn't want to Make more calculations. However, you still send her back as soon as possible, so as not to make any mistakes. "

"Thank you for your mother's innocence. The concubine heard that Cousin Xue is not feeling well, and has already ordered someone to send her back to Beijing. The queen mother just rest assured." Yuan Chun looked up at the queen mother, his eyes were full of reverence and gratitude, and he kowtowed again. Then he raised his head to touch Nanny Jin's hand.

The two were casually chatting about gossip in the villa, but it was the emperor who brought along the Minister of Rites.

Yuan Chun was overjoyed when he heard that the emperor was coming.She was already older than the emperor, and the emperor did not love her very much, after the last time when he bestowed Daiyu on marriage, he hated her for a long time.Some beauties appeared around the emperor from time to time, and the affection that the emperor had for her gradually faded away.If the Empress Dowager hadn't mentioned it frequently, she would probably be no different from being in the cold palace.

Ever since she came to the villa, she had no chance to meet the emperor except at the palace banquet, so she couldn't help but carefully scrutinized her attire.Today, in order to plead guilty, she is a little plain, wearing a sky blue palace satin dress, a lilac gold thread embroidered butterfly purse, and jasper hairpin jasper bracelet, which is more refreshing than usual.Take a look, it's quite satisfactory.

The emperor unexpectedly met Yuan Chun, and seeing how charming she looked today, he put aside his disgust recently, put on a smile and saluted the queen mother: "I have seen the queen mother, the queen mother is fine ? If it’s hot, just put more ice on it.”

Although the Empress Dowager didn't treat other people very well, her own son still loved her very much. The Emperor didn't make eye contact in front of the former Emperor when he was young, so he had a very good relationship with the Empress Dowager's mother and son.In the past, she was also filial, but of course she was more afraid of the Queen Mother.

"You are filial. That's all, it's good. But you, what are you rushing to do when it's so hot?" The queen mother patted her son's shoulder with a smile, and sat down with him.

"But there is one thing, the minister came to ask the queen mother's idea." The emperor is not much younger than Mo Han this year, but he always looks like a child who will not grow up.

"Oh. Coincidentally, the queen mother also has something to discuss with you. It's better that Mr. Zheng came together."

The Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, surnamed Zheng, named Guangting, was the cousin of King Zhongshun, and of course the cousin of the Empress Dowager.In order to give people a sense of fairness and avoid suspicion, King Zhongshun did not hold a very important position, but none of the other members of the Zheng family were idle, and they were all placed in important departments by the Queen Mother.Ever since Master Zheng came in to salute the Empress Dowager and Yuan Chun, he has been standing quietly below, bowing his head and making no sound.

When the emperor heard that the queen mother had something to do, he became interested for a while, and put aside what he wanted to discuss with the queen mother, and asked curiously: "If the queen mother has any orders, just talk to my son, and my son will send someone to do it immediately."

"You are just impatient. Did the emperor hear what happened at Lord Lin's place this morning?" The Queen Mother asked without answering.

When the emperor heard about it at the time, he wanted to run to join in the fun. He had never seen a woman who offered to throw herself into her arms, and the funniest thing was that she sent it to the wrong person. He was very interested in that Xue Baochai.However, being persuaded left and right by the people around him, he didn't succeed in the end. It was a bit embarrassing for the emperor to go to watch such a lively scene.This time, seeing the Queen Mother asked, the dissatisfaction was palpable:

"I've heard about it, but it's a pity I didn't make it in time to see it. Queen Mother, you said that there are such women in the world, who are interesting and interesting, but Mo Han is not blessed. The beauties who come to your door are all in vain to benefit others." The emperor just said. Happy, unaware that this is not what an emperor should say.

The Empress Dowager heard that this was inappropriate, and it was difficult to reprimand her in front of so many people, she coughed twice in a loud voice, and then stopped the emperor's words.

The emperor wasn't that kind of fool, and immediately realized that he didn't look like an emperor, so he quickly pursed his lips and sternly, and finally couldn't help muttering: "I don't know how that girl looks like?"

The queen mother was so angry that her chest hurt a little, this adou who can't help her, can't she decorate other than these things when she is out of her mind?Glancing at the emperor coldly, he sternly shouted: "My son. Lord Lin is about twenty years old. After the age of marriage and marriage, do you think we should worry about it? There is a mistress in Lin's mansion, Lin The prince can also better share the worries for the emperor. Does the emperor have any suitable candidates?"

The emperor was taken aback by this and was too frightened to speak nonsense anymore. Hearing what the queen mother said made sense, he said, "The queen mother is right. It's time to marry Mohan a daughter-in-law. I just don't know whose family he has his eye on." Girl, I will give him a marriage. Why don't we call him and ask him what he means?"

Originally, the queen mother wanted to directly give Mo Han the imperial decree of marriage, but the emperor said so. Although most royal weddings are decided by the queen mother, the emperor usually asks the opinions of the parties beforehand.What's more, maybe he can take this opportunity to play on Lin Mohan. If he takes the initiative to mention a girl from another family, then he should pay attention to the friendship between the two of them.Thinking of this, the queen mother nodded and ordered the little eunuch to send Prince Lin over.

Mo Han just came back from Zhishuangzhai, and met the little eunuch delivering the decree on the corridor outside the Yanbo Tower.

Who in the palace has become a master, the little eunuch glanced at the amount on the bank note, which was 50 taels, so he was careful, and walked behind Mo Han, muttering: "Congratulations to the prince, I am afraid that I will marry you soon." The princess is gone. There are two saints, the emperor and the empress dowager, who are worried about the prince, so they must be the daughters of a famous family."

These words seem to be unintentional, but in fact, they have hinted the most important information to Mo Han, the emperor and the queen mother announced that he was going to give him a marriage, so think about it as soon as possible.

Mo Han was not surprised, he had anticipated such consequences after Baochai's incident happened, how could the queen mother miss such a good opportunity to put someone beside him openly, and he had also thought up a countermeasure.But this little eunuch is so knowledgeable and interesting, it is worth handing over, so he tore off the jade pendant from his belt and handed it over.

Even if this jade is not the best, it is definitely the best. It is not easy for a little eunuch like him to get it, so he beamed with joy and casually mentioned Yuan Chun and Zheng Shangshu.

When the Queen Mother met Mo Han, she was still kind and kind, as if there had never been any unhappiness between the two of them.Mo Han was too happy to know.

The emperor is a bit of a jerk, but because Mo Han reacted quickly, he didn't refute the emperor's face, so the emperor still valued Mo Han very much. When he saw him, he smiled and said: "You are here. I asked you before." I will decide for you whether you have a crush on a lady or not, but you will say no. This time, the queen mother will decide for you in person, so choose one carefully." In the emperor's heart, he seemed to regard Mo Han as his brother-in-law , and count on him to send Daiyu to the palace.

"The emperor is right. Your parents passed away early, and the Ai family is old and forgetful, so they have delayed you until now. If you feel good, just say that the Ai family asked the emperor to give you an order, and everything is left to the internal affairs I will take care of the mansion, and I guarantee that you will have a mistress in your mansion this year." The small wrinkles reflected on the fair skin make people look more peaceful, and those who don't know will think how much the queen mother loves Mo Han on weekdays, and her tone of voice It's no different from being with your own son.

Mo Han pretended to be in a daze, then blushed slightly, and bowed his head in silence.

The emperor strode up to him, a little anxious: "You are a big man, don't you want to learn from those daughter-in-laws? What are you afraid of? I'm here." The emperor only thought that he was shy, without any doubt.

"Your Majesty, I would like to thank the Empress Dowager and the Emperor for their love and care for me. I am very grateful. But as a man, I don't know how to serve the country and the kindness of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. I am really ashamed and flustered. Furthermore, when Wei Chen was entrusted by his father to take care of his younger sister, Wei Chen secretly made an oath that he would not talk about his life-long affairs until his younger sister came out of the cabinet. I beg the empress dowager and the emperor to understand this little minister's painstaking efforts, and this humble minister will not be rewarded with death."

The mellow baritone voice was powerful, without any hesitation, echoing lowly in the hall.Mo Han knelt on the ground with both knees, his back was straight, and he seemed not afraid of death.

Although this excuse is not the best, but it involves filial piety, which makes it impossible to refuse.Naturally, the Empress Dowager could not force her to break her oath to her late father, but she didn't intend to let it go. After hesitating for a while, she said with a smile: "Of course it's good that you haven't forgotten your roots. But there are three unfilial sons who have no descendants. The Lin family's The incense is all on you, so don't get emotional.

According to Ai's family, it doesn't matter if you don't get married yet, at least the girl is settled, and the two families are slowly preparing. After Han Xiang gets married, everything will be settled and only owe Dongfeng.If you think this idea is feasible, the Ai family will decide to choose the best girl for you, and you will never insult the lintel of your Lin family. If you want to come, Mr. Lin can rest in peace under the nine springs. "

Mo Han listened very carefully, pondered for a while, glanced at the emperor, and still said: "The empress dowager is all for the sake of my minister, and I am very grateful. It's just that I haven't made any achievements yet, and I'm afraid I will spoil the girl in the future. It's still two years later." In [-], when my sister was older, and things in our house gradually got on the right track, at that time, even if I begged, I begged the Queen Mother to reward me with a good daughter-in-law."

At the end, his voice dropped, and he stared at the ground in embarrassment.

Seeing this, the emperor loved him more and more, and there was no reason why he would not allow it. Before the queen mother could speak, he responded first: "That's up to you. Queen mother, it's only been a year or two, let's let him live happily for a while."

"Forget it. It's just the emperor, you should be careful anyway, we can't delay Mo Han." Seeing the emperor, the queen mother opened her mouth. In order to save his face, she reluctantly agreed. It happened that she didn't have a suitable candidate for Mo Han. Woolen cloth.It's better to use the past two years to train one or two well, so that it will be easier to handle in the future.

The three of them agreed, the queen mother remembered that Yuan Chun and Zheng Shangshu were both here, and the emperor had come to ask her for instructions, so she stopped talking and asked, "Your Majesty, did you just say that there is something important?"

After this question, the emperor finally recovered his problem from beyond the sky, stared at Zheng Shangshu with displeasure, and replied: "It's not about the Tubo prince's marriage proposal. My son and Zheng Aiqing discussed it for a long time, and there is no one in our dignified celestial dynasty." A girl's family who can take on great responsibilities. Queen Mother, it's up to you to make up your mind."

Generally, the emperor doesn't get involved in state affairs, and often he only hears about it, and the queen mother will make the decision in the end.This time, the Empress Dowager left the matter of the two countries' reconciliation to the Emperor in order to express the decentralization of power. The Emperor naturally consulted with the people from the Ministry of Rites.In the end, the emperor had no choice but to come to the queen mother after all, and he disliked political affairs even more in the future.

The queen mother smiled and enjoyed her son's coquettishness and dependence, enjoying the supreme power, and deliberately asked: "Whoever the emperor thinks is good, let him go?"

"Mother, look, this is the list of official daughters sent by the Ministry of Rites. This granddaughter of Duke Xiu is proficient in writing and ink, has a gentle and gentle personality, and is about the same age. My ministers think it is good. But Zheng Aiqing said that she is cowardly and shy to see others. Let alone a marriage, the family would not dare to leave the house. The daughter of the Liu family is very courageous. She mounts a horse, hunts, dismounts and dances a gun. Long journeys are not a problem for her. But Zheng Aiqing said that she is too extravagant, Going to Tubo not only did not bring the meaning of friendship between the two countries, but caused a lot of trouble.

What else is the daughter of the Marquis of Xiangyang, the granddaughter of the Marquis of Zhongshan, etc., either this is not possible or it is not suitable there.After making trouble for a long time, no one can solve the trouble for me.Queen Mother, tell me, why do I raise these people? "It's rare for the emperor to have something to do, and it's such a fun thing to be a beauty pageant. It took a lot of thought, but it was repeatedly rejected by others, and I was already full of anger. This time, the more I talked, the more angry I was, I almost rejected Tubo directly. and kissed.

All these were hinted by the Queen Mother to Zheng Guangting, and the Emperor knew it even without telling her, so she put on a look of embarrassment, meditated for a long time, and seemed to be muttering to herself: "Could it be that we can't find a girl in our celestial dynasty? Wouldn’t it be embarrassing for the Celestial Dynasty if Tubo knew about it?”

Everything was expected by Yuan Chun, she endured the ecstasy in her heart, and did not jump out immediately to recommend herself, she hadn't figured out what the Empress Dowager meant, so she didn't dare to act rashly.Observe the queen mother's every move more carefully.

The queen mother glanced at Mo Han unintentionally, clapped her hands and smiled and said, "Isn't there an excellent candidate in front of me? Han Xiang looks like a fairy, gentle and courteous, and knows everything about piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. If she is going to marry Tubo, The Tubo prince must be quite satisfied."

His heart shrank suddenly, and Mo Han was about to protest, but he quickly calmed down, because he remembered that the queen mother might be testing him, and wanted to see how much Daiyu held in his heart, so as to determine how much he could do in the future. You can't rely on Daiyu to blackmail him.Therefore, he must not act rashly, otherwise the conjecture in the queen mother's heart will be confirmed, and the situation of the younger sister will only be more dangerous.

The queen mother has always wanted to use the Lin family, so how could she be willing to marry Daiyu away? Isn't this sending away a good chess piece?Only by keeping the two brothers and sisters by her side can the Queen Mother truly feel at ease and make good use of them when needed.So he bet that the Empress Dowager would not allow the siblings to leave her sight.

"Mother, this is absolutely impossible." The emperor objected urgently, what a joke, how can the beauty he has been thinking of marry that rough Tubo.

"Prince, let's listen to Lin Aiqing's opinion." The sharp phoenix eyes made the emperor flinch, not daring to move again, pointing out that it was up to Mo Han to decide.

"The empress dowager, the emperor, it is the honor of our Lin family to share the worries of the country. My sister and I are obliged. However, I am a little worried. My sister is too weak, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to hold on for a few months or even half a year." One more thing, Shemei is too young, and she has to wait at least a few years for her wedding, and the Tubo prince may not be able to wait.

We have a good relationship with Tubo, which is very sincere, and marriage between the two countries is the best way.If there is a problem due to a little negligence, it will definitely go against the original intention of the empress dowager and the emperor. "After careful consideration, Mo Han did not refuse outright, but instead adopted a strategy of retreating and advancing, pointing out the inappropriateness of Daiyu's marriage, and letting the Queen Mother decide for herself.

Such an answer was beyond the Queen Mother's expectation. From the news she got, this Lin Mohan treated Lin Daiyu better than his own brother.On such an important matter related to the happiness of Lin Daiyu's life, he is so calm. Either he is pretending to be good to Lin Daiyu, or this person is too scheming.For a while, the queen mother was a little uncertain.

Zheng Shangshu has been watching the queen mother's face and acting, knowing that the queen mother did not really choose Lin Daiyu to marry, this time it just needs a step down.Respectfully replied: "I would like to report to the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, I have something to say."

"You say." The Queen Mother nodded.

"My minister thinks Lord Lin's words are justified. Tubo is eager to get married, we can't let them wait for two years, this point is unreasonable. Besides, the princess is delicate and weak, and everyone knows this. Going away to get married will not only embarrass the county. My lord, it is also a contempt for Tubo. I have absolutely no intention of slandering the princess, but I just think that we can choose another beautiful woman. Can our heavenly dynasty lose women with both talents and looks?" Zheng Shangshu is a little fat, and he smiles three times when he meets everyone. But no one would ever think that he was a bully.

The Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly, took a sip of tea with the maid's hand, wiped the corners of her mouth, and then said with a smile: "Lin Aiqing and Zheng Aiqing are justified in their concerns, it is the recklessness of the Ai family. In other words, the Ai family is really reluctant to part with the princess. Since the princess When I came to the capital, the Ai family always treated me as my own girl, and I was confused just now. I wonder if the two Aiqings have suitable candidates? Concubine Xian, don’t just stand there, you know the girls in the capital Many, if you have a good idea, don’t hide it, just say it and let everyone think it over, this matter can’t be delayed any longer.”