The husband who forced her to marry her couldn't keep her warm, and she didn't want him to

Snowflakes were floating in the sky, covering the courtyard with a layer of silver.

Chen Zhengde got up at the hour of Mao in the morning, performed a set of boxing in the snow-covered yard, then took the handkerchief held by the servant and wiped away the sweat dripping down his temples.

"Third Master." The servant saw him coming, bowed and greeted him, then raised his hand to lift the door curtain.

Chen Zhengde turned his head and stepped into the study under the door curtain.

Inside the room, behind a square table sat an old man with gray hair and a thin figure.

"Father, why didn't you sleep a little longer?" Chen Zhengde closed the study door behind him with a look of concern on his face.

My father was General Huaiyuan, stationed in Ningyuan City. It was a serious crime for him to go to the capital without an imperial edict.

The servant tiptoed and placed the sliced ​​roast duck, braised pork, steamed dumplings, and a pot of hot Autumn White Dew from the food box on the table.

Chen Hang picked up the wine glass and took a sip of the wine, then put the rest of the wine in the glass into his mouth and squinted his eyes slightly, "The stronger the wine, the better it tastes like Qiu Bailu."

He did not answer his son's question, but pointed at the plates, "... the roast duck from Baishun Hutong, the stewed pork from Zhu's... I didn't expect that the couple who sold buns and dumplings at Yongdingmen are still alive."

Chen Zhengde sat opposite his father, his lips curled slightly, "Father, you have been away from Beijing for many years, and these business transactions still need to continue."

Then he lowered his voice and asked, "Today is the New Year's Eve palace banquet. Father, do you want to dress up and go with your son?"

Chen Hang shook his head and put down the wine glass in his hand. His eyes became deep. "Back then, my Chen family fled Shengjing like a stray dog..."

He couldn't help but think of the two most outstanding daughters of his Chen family nineteen years ago. One started as a concubine of the prince and worked her way up to become the imperial concubine today, while the other was trapped in the cold palace and her life or death was unknown.

Now his grandson, the third prince, was finally sent back to the palace. He wanted the Chen family to be welcomed along the streets and welcomed back to Shengjing City in the spotlight.

Chen Hang looked at his son and said firmly: "The Third Prince grew up among the common people. As his mother's clan, we are his greatest support!"

As he said this, his thin face showed pride and his eyes were shining.

Chen Zhengde looked at his father who was confident of winning and reached out to pour him a glass of wine.

He was going to attend a palace banquet and it was inconvenient for him to drink, so he ate tea instead of wine and accompanied him. He asked, "Father... since you have done so much and prepared for so long, why not?"

Chen Hang opened his eyelids and glanced at him, then said calmly: "Duke Dingguo's achievements shook the world. Without Jiang's army, how could the late emperor ascend to the throne...

Jiang Honghui holds military power and is very popular among the people. He doesn't even dare to rebel and covet the throne. Do you think it's so easy to take that position?"

The late emperor had a good family background. Not only did he have a legitimate reason to fight, but he also had a brave and loyal general like Jiang Honghui by his side. It was inevitable that he would ascend to the throne.

How many people does the Chen family have in Ningyuan City? Sending troops now is called rebellion. It is useless to the country and the people, and will be spurned by the world and history.

What's more, Duke Dingguo is still here, and he is the soul of the Jiang family's army. If the Duke Dingguo's Mansion is not overthrown, no one can shake the power of the Jiang family in the court. Who in the world dares to rebel?

"Those who achieve great things always know how to plan." Chen Hang smiled. If the third prince ascended the throne, he would definitely become a puppet of his Chen family.

Chen Zhengde frowned slightly, "Father, does my elder sister know what you think?"

"You and your elder sister are born of the same mother. When you see her at the palace banquet today, don't forget to admonish her. Only when the Chen family is doing well can she sit firmly on the throne as the empress dowager." Chen Hang instructed his son beside him with a serious look.

For the sake of the Chen family, the eldest daughter can put aside some grudges for the time being.

Wang from Songtaoyuan was also preparing to attend the palace banquet.

According to past practice, after having breakfast, Wang knelt in the small Buddhist hall, washed her hands, burned incense, and copied Buddhist scriptures for half an hour.

Only after copying the Buddhist scriptures did Wang walk out of the small Buddhist hall.

In the warm room, the eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Meng, was playing with Chen Ge'er and the ninth young master on the big kang by the window.

When the Ninth Young Master saw Wang coming out, he hid behind Chen Ge'er with the box of snacks in his arms, with a hint of timidity in his eyes.

He was about the same age as Chen Ge'er, but Chen Ge'er was stronger than him. The two little guys sat side by side, and the Ninth Young Master was completely blocked.

Brother Chen tilted his head, took a piece of snack from his uncle's snack box and stuffed it into his mouth, looking at him with a smile, looking domineering and cute.

Seeing that his mother and the old women were not paying attention, he would go over to get a piece from time to time, and wipe his mouth carefully after eating.

Meng saw her mother-in-law stand up, walked over and helped her to the Luohan bed, whispering: "...Father-in-law called my husband and said that you should go directly to the Minghui Hall Madam when you are ready."

After Zhou, who was beside the Ninth Young Master, came in, her face changed drastically as she thought of something. She hurriedly checked the hands and mouths of the two young masters before she felt relieved.

Wang rubbed her sore knees and frowned slightly, "Chengming is back, you just need to concentrate on taking care of him. From today on, Chen Ge'er will stay with me, so you can give him a brother or sister as soon as possible."

Meng blushed and nodded, with shyness in her eyes. When her mother left Duke Dingguo's mansion, she also gave her many instructions, asking her to be more passionate towards her husband.

Wang glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, and couldn't help but think of Madam Meng's compliments to the fifth brother's wife that day, and said:

"Chengming just returned to Beijing, and there are many things that need to be taken care of... Don't bring your petty arrogance in Mingzhou to the public."

Meng's eyes were red. She stood up from the chair, bowed and responded, then walked to the kang, picked up Chen Ge'er and whispered, "Then your daughter-in-law won't bother your mother."

Wang looked at her with some displeasure and rebuked in a low voice: "How come you forgot what I just said so quickly?"

Meng said she didn't dare, and then explained, "Mother is going to attend the palace banquet today... I haven't packed Chen'er's usual things yet, so please send Chen'er over when you come back."

Chen Ge'er lay on his mother's shoulder and stretched out his little hand towards the Ninth Young Master, "Uncle Jiu, come." What he meant was that he wanted the Ninth Young Master to go with him.

Wang looked at the little face of the Ninth Young Master and waved her hand, "Go down first."

She also reminded her daughter-in-law, "Chen Ge'er is too fat, give him less sweets. He is not like the skinny Ninth Young Master, who will be blown away by the wind."

Mrs. Meng always obeyed Mrs. Wang's orders. Before leaving, she glanced at the Ninth Young Master, who looked thinner than when he came a few months ago.

It makes the pair of big eyes look particularly big and a little dull.

The servants of Yuanyuan Hall got up early in the morning and put on the new clothes made by the lady.