The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 81: Head-to-head confrontation: The true nature of a shrew

"This one is..." Liuli slowly chewed the wontons in her mouth and suddenly raised her head, "Bear stuffing!"

Su Dingfang and Mr. Yu immediately smiled and nodded, "You can distinguish eight kinds of food the first time you eat it. It's really good. It took two years of keeping the promise to distinguish them."

Liuli smiled and put down the plain silver bowl in her hand. There were thirteen wontons in one bowl, each with different fillings. Her sense of taste was quite keen, and she could only guess half of it. Fortunately, bear meat was fatty. It's quite easy to identify. But this greasy feeling couldn't help but remind her of the cooking methods in the palace. She turned to Su Dingfang and smiled, "When Liuli was in the palace, she often ate jade noodles stuffed with bear meat. However, the imperial chefs in the palace mostly used bear meat and... Mixing venison makes it both plump and chewy. It seems better than cooking it alone. Has the general ever thought about the thirteen kinds of meat fillings? In fact, you can try two or three kinds mixed together. Wouldn't it be possible to change it? endless?"

Su Dingfang's eyes lit up and he clapped the table and said, "Not bad!" The bowl on the table suddenly jumped up. Yu was startled and glared at him. Su Dingfang suddenly stood up, "This is a brilliant idea! I'll let them try it now."

Yu Shi said hurriedly, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. We're not in a hurry. Why don't we talk for a while?"

Su Dingfang laughed loudly, "Just stay with her..." Before he could finish his words, he heard a maid say from outside the house, "Madam, Mrs. Zheng from Pei Mingtang Mansion is here to visit."

Su Dingfang and Mr. Yu looked at each other, and their expressions suddenly darkened. Su Dingfang frowned and said, "How come Ms. Cui has come by such a coincidence? I'm afraid there are some nasty guests over there to keep the promise, so I'll go over and take a look first! A Luo, you take me with you Take Liuli and come to your room to have a rest."

Liuli immediately guessed something, and quickly asked Yu, "Are you a member of the Zhongjuan Pei clan?"

Mrs. Yu nodded and said, "She is the wife of Pei Anshi, the commander of Wuling. I originally stayed at his house for more than three years as promised. She was from a branch of the Zheng family in Xingyang. She is the most arrogant. I really can't bear to see her, and you can't, either. Don’t listen to her nonsense.”

Liuli shook her head, "Since she suddenly came to the door like this, she probably knew that I was here. It was easy to avoid me this time, but will I be able to avoid it again and again in the future? She is an elder in the clan who keeps her promise, and we will eventually meet. , If you lose this momentum for the first time, let alone the future. "

Su Dingfang glanced at Liuli in surprise, nodded and said, "These words are quite interesting in the art of war! Anyway, your godmother is here today, so she will accompany you to meet this guest. I will also go to keep the appointment and have a look. Although in the past few years, I can deal with them if I keep my promise. After all, given his seniority, it would be more appropriate for me to say some things." He turned around and went out.

Luo Shi was still out to greet the guests here. Guessing that it was almost time, Liuli accompanied Yu to the entrance of the courtyard. Sure enough, from a distance, he saw Luo Shi leading a woman wearing a satin cloak with ermine hair over. , I saw recently that this lady was about forty years old. The makeup on her face looked very similar to that of Mrs. Wu on the day of the banquet. It was just that Mrs. Wu had plump cheeks and smiling eyes, but her face was slightly deflated and she looked grand. It looks even more awkward by three points.

Yu took a step forward and said, "Mrs. Zheng is a rare visitor." Liuli also performed a Wanfu salute in a proper manner.

Zheng's eyes had been fixed on Liuli from afar, and he was looking at her cloak. Liuli's beige brocade cloak looked plain, but it was made of fine Shu brocade. In addition, the butterfly Bu Yao she wore on her head was the one that Wu Zetian first rewarded her with. It was an extraordinary piece at first glance. Zheng's eyes suddenly became a little complicated: these things are definitely not something that Yu can get. Could it be that Duke Ying's government also attaches great importance to this Hu girl? Thinking of this, her face softened slightly and she nodded lightly to Liuli.

The group entered the upper room, and the guest and host took their seats. Luo Shi turned around and went behind the valerian screen, lit up the small stove and cooked some tea. Mrs. Yu was not polite and asked, "Mrs. Zheng is here in a hurry. What do you want to do?"

Mrs. Zheng had expected this question and said with an indifferent expression, "It's just that I heard about a strange thing and came to ask about my appointment. By the way, I also asked Madam."

Mrs. Yu narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "I dare to ask for details."

Mrs. Zheng didn't even look at Liuli, she looked directly at Mrs. Yu, "In the past few days, there have been rumors outside that General Su has arranged a marriage for Shouxiang. Not only does the woman have a very low background, she is also a Hu girl. It sounds like It's really shocking. I don't want to believe it. The Pei family has a noble family and never takes marriage lightly. Shou is the eldest son of the beloved Pei. The general has always regarded keeping the promise as his own son, so he will definitely not let him. Doing such unfilial things that disgrace the family tradition!”

Liuli looked at Mrs. Zheng's face full of sense of justice, and suddenly felt that she still had a lot to learn, such as the ability to scold a blind man in front of a blind man with all manners and manners. When she saw Mrs. Zheng's eyes finally turned to her face As soon as he slipped away, he showed her a bright smile, and Zheng was stunned immediately.

Mrs. Yu nodded and said, "Mrs. Zheng is really dedicated to keeping the promise. I only have one thing to ask for. Speaking of absurdity, even a beggar knows that there are three unfilial piety and not having an offspring is the worst. Keeping the promise is the only bloodline in the family, so we must not do without it." After that. How could someone leave his junior alone for several years and ignore him, but when he heard that he was finally going to get married, he came to ask questions and accused him of being unfilial? "You are taught that filial piety is to eliminate children and grandchildren, but you don't know what this means?"

As soon as these words came out, not to mention Mrs. Zheng, even Liuli was shocked. Mrs. Zheng pointed at Sang and scolded Huai. She was relying on her seniority and status to be higher than Liuli, but Mrs. Yu obviously had no scruples. Mrs. Zheng said His face suddenly changed color, and he hurriedly said, "Mrs. Yu's words are wrong. Why don't we just ignore them? It's just... Keeping the promise has such a reputation. It's more difficult to talk about getting married, but it's not always possible. As for how to make do with it!”

Mrs. Yu laughed and said, "It turns out that Madam also knows the name of Shou Yue, and also knows that it is not easy for him to marry. I am the eldest daughter of the family, and my family is also a marquis. I have been an official for five generations. I am talented and beautiful. Needless to say, if you feel bad about it, you might as well find someone who is better than her in every aspect to keep your promise. What about a remote house with distant branches, a father and ancestor who has no official status, or a concubine who is recorded in the name of the main wife? No need to mention it, what do you think?"

Mrs. Zheng was speechless for a moment. With Pei Xingjian’s reputation, who wouldn’t be taboo about him? Even if she wanted to have the legitimate daughter of an official, she was from a well-known family. Even if she had the heart, she wouldn't dare to have the courage - with the reputation of being a daughter-in-law, how would she behave in the future? But Pei Xingjian has a prosperous official career now. If he remarries his first wife and has a legitimate son, wouldn't the huge family property and the position of the eldest son still belong to his family in the future? How can his family continue to be prosperous and wealthy after causing so much harm to their people? How can there be any sense of justice? Thinking of this, he still sneered, "As the saying goes, it's better to be lacking than to be extravagant. Keep your promise and stay young. You can always find the right one if you look slowly. You can't just be greedy for beauty and find a wife randomly. How can he look like this in the future? Meet the ancestors!"

Mrs. Yu raised her brows and sneered, "Exactly, I also feel that it is really shameless to keep the promise and go to see the ancestors of the Pei family. I want to wipe out all of them, leaving only his bloodline. Now I am close to At the age of thirty, he had no wife and no children. The so-called relatives only focused on his little family property. It was not enough to force his mother and wife to death. They also spread rumors everywhere, trying to make him cut off his direct lineage in order to seize the huge wealth. If he does what these people want, and his father and brother have been so heroic, I'm afraid they will never accept such a son!"

Liuli knew that Madam was about to get angry when she saw her face, but she never expected that she would say such merciless words. She couldn't help but be stunned. Mrs. Zheng opened her mouth and couldn't say a word. Of course she had heard of Yu's name before, but after dealing with her several times, she felt that she was just arrogant and cold-tempered, so she didn't take it to heart. In this life, she , have you ever been pointed at your nose and scolded like this? For a moment, your mind went blank. After a while, you straightened up and your voice changed, "Who are you talking about? Who wants to seize someone's property, who wants to seize that clan's throne?" ? As elders, shouldn’t we say a word when we see a younger generation marrying a Hu girl and insulting our ancestors? "

Mrs. Yu nodded decisively, "Of course not! If this elder has cared about the younger generation and said that a lady from a famous family is qualified to talk about this marriage, if not, it is natural that he has ulterior motives. What qualifications do elders have to make irresponsible remarks as they only hope that the younger generation will succeed?

Mrs. Zheng's chest heaved, wishing she could throw her face and leave, but she glanced at Mrs. Yu and then at Liuli, gritted her teeth and sat down, "Madam, you also know that Shou Yue is the eldest son of Xijuan Pei, and the wife he married will be She is the clan's wife. Could it be that the dignified Xijuan Pei actually allowed a Hu girl to be the clan's wife?" Then his eyes fell coldly on Liuli, "I would rather be scolded by the world, and would rather be wrongfully accused to death than suffer any consequences. This despicable Hu woman leads the way of worshiping ancestors!"

Madam Yu was about to speak when she suddenly heard Liuli laugh. She couldn't help but turn her head to look at her. She saw Liuli's face was full of smiles, "Madam, you are so ambitious. Liuli admires her so much. I dare to ask Madam, do you really think that Hu Nu is like this?" You are so despicable, you would rather die than tolerate Hu Fu being above you?"

Mrs. Zheng was a little stunned, but she still nodded, "Of course! How can Mrs. Hu be worthy of being the wife of my descendant Pei Zong of the West?" Liuli frowned in confusion, "In this case, why did Madam allow her husband to serve as an official in the court? ?”

Mrs. Zheng couldn't help but be startled, "What do you mean by this?"

Liuli smiled softly, "Madam's husband must have been an official for a long time. I wonder who the queen was at that time? Since Madam would rather die and cannot tolerate the humiliation of being led by a Hu woman to worship ancestors, I wonder if she will hold a court meeting on the first day of the winter solstice. , would you rather die than kneel down and salute Mrs. Hu?”

Mrs. Zheng then remembered that the first two empresses of this dynasty were both outright barbarians. She was stunned for a while before shouting, "You are so arrogant, how dare you compare yourself with the previous empress!"

Liuli still smiled, "What Madam is talking about is the difference between Hu and Han, not the difference between superiority and inferiority. If we talk about superiority and inferiority, there is a natural difference between Liuli and the former empress. If we talk about Hu and Han, there is no difference. It's just that if Madam thinks in her heart What you want is power and wealth, so why use your family lineage as a cover?"

Mrs. Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud, she simply stopped talking and just looked at Mrs. Zheng with a smile. Zheng's face turned blue and she said angrily, "You, you dare to talk to the elders like this, how brave you are!"

Liuli blinked and said, "Madam, what you said is wrong. Liuli is very timid. As a citizen of the Tang Dynasty, Liuli would never dare to say that Hu Fu is despicable. She would rather die than endure the humiliation of Hu Fu. Liuli is lucky enough to have done so. I have received great rewards from both of you for your service to the current sage and Wu Zhaoyi. Maybe I can ask for advice when I visit you in the future.

Zheng's face suddenly turned from green to white, and she said anxiously, "You, what are you talking nonsense? How could I mean to be disrespectful to the late empress? Don't spit on others!" If it was the previous dynasty, Emperor Taizong would have just heard this, but now His Majesty is the most filial person, how could he allow someone to humiliate his mother like this!

Liuli said seriously, "Madam, tell me, which sentence did Liuli make up out of thin air?" She turned around and asked Yu, "Mom, did Liuli hear wrongly? Didn't those words come from Mrs. Zheng herself?"

Mrs. Yu nodded seriously, "Of course you heard it right. I asked Madam repeatedly, and Madam herself admitted it again." She sighed again, "My mother also knows that Zhaoyi is very kind to you. Rushan, the Holy One has even rewarded you with a hundred pieces of silk, but the family scandal must not be made public, so it is better not to make it public. "

Zheng Shi nodded hurriedly and said, "Exactly, people can't talk about the rights and wrongs of their elders. I just made a mistake for a moment. If you deliberately make trouble, what will happen to Pei's reputation?"

Liuli looked at Mrs. Zheng in surprise, then turned to her wife and said, "My mother's words are wrong. You should not publicize the family scandal, and you should not talk about the rights and wrongs of your elders. It was meant for Mr. Pei's wife. Since this lady Liuli would rather die than let Mrs. Hu take over, so Liuli would not dare to harm anyone. In this case, Liuli is just a citizen of the Tang Dynasty, what does the reputation of the Pei family have to do with Liuli? Does Liuli still want to allow others to disrespect the late empress? "

Mrs. Zheng looked at Liuli blankly. If the Hu girl in front of her could be admitted to the Duke Ying's residence for a long time, she was probably very familiar with Wu Zhaoyi in the palace. Mrs. Yu was not someone who just talked nonsense. She was rewarded by the Holy Emperor. I'm afraid it's true. If her marriage is ruined, and she goes to Zhaoyi or the Holy Master out of spite and adds fuel to the fire, her husband's future will be ruined. ...I couldn't help but feel a shiver running through my body. But if you want to ask for mercy now, how can you save face?

Luo Shi, who was behind the screen, suddenly laughed and said, "The tea soup has been divided. Don't dislike A Luo's poor workmanship." He came out with a tray in both hands and placed the tea cups on everyone's desk in turn.

The stiff atmosphere in the room suddenly relaxed a little. Liuli learned her lesson this time and was not in a hurry to get the tea cup. Seeing that Yu had already picked it up, she tested the temperature, lowered her head and took a sip, and tasted that it was exactly what Pei Xingjian had cooked. Adding salt to the tea could not tell the difference between good and bad. Yu nodded and said, "Aluo's flower foam is getting better and better."

Mrs. Zheng took a sip of tea, calmed herself down, then raised her head and said with a smile, "A Luo is really good at his craftsmanship." Then she sighed, "Mrs. Yu, please forgive A Zheng for his remarks. What the wife said is that there are three types of unfilial piety. Later, General Su has cultivated and cared for him for many years, so it is best for the general to make the decision. "

Mrs. Yu smiled happily and said, "Madam, you really understand the righteousness. Don't worry, we will handle this matter properly. From now on, we will be a family, so why should we see each other outside?"

Mrs. Zheng looked at Mrs. Yu's smiling face and saw Liuli smiling nonchalantly from the corner of her eye. Her heart ached with pain. She hurriedly drank a cup of tea and stood up to leave. She had no intention of talking to Luo Shi who was escorting her out along the way. I felt uneasy in my heart - my husband wanted me to express my attitude, so it would be best to humiliate this Hu woman and make her retreat. Now it has become like this...

Going to the door of Su Mansion, I saw the family's carriage already parked there. Pei Anshi was standing beside the carriage with a very ugly face. When he saw himself, he took a few steps to meet him. Mrs. Zheng felt a sudden shock in her heart, and could only quickly turn around and say goodbye to Luo Shi, and walked out in a few steps.

Pei Anshi hurriedly asked, "What do you think?"

Mrs. Zheng shook her head, "Mr. Yu is really fierce, and that Hu girl is not easy to get along with, so I can't say anything..." Before she could finish her words, she saw Pei Anshi let out a long sigh of relief, nodded and said, "Then Okay!" He looked relieved.

 p.s. Hoho, guess how Pei Jiu punished this clan uncle...

 Thanks to my old friends verycooldog and Marshmallow Shu.

By the way, it seems that it has never been explained. Pei Xingjian's father and brother are both legendary figures. His elder brother, Pei Xingyan, is also the third hero of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Pei Yuanqing. His father, Pei Renji, was the only one at that time who could tame the lion Cong (the one Wu Zetian claimed to use the iron whip, hammer and The legendary horse that the knife went to tame) the famous general. Well, the Pei family is actually a martial arts family...

Friendly recommendation:

"Summoning the Demon Lord" Author: Yue Jing ISBN: 1992886 The magical legend of Loli and Shota

Yinzhen VS. Silly Sister, definitely not "Hello Yinzhen" written by Qing Chuan, ISBN 2047958, the author is eating fish tofu

 (End of this chapter)