Queen Flower

On the second day after the court ceremony, Sima Lian entered the palace to see the empress dowager. The empress dowager was not in good health, so she rested and recuperated. Regardless of the affairs of the harem, Sima Lian saw Sima Rong beside her when she came in.

"Seventh sister is also here with the empress." Sima Lian sat on the couch of the empress dowager. "How is the empress' health recently? Are you feeling better?"

The Empress Dowager was only fifty, her hair was half white, her body was thin, and her complexion was slightly yellow. She had a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to Sima Rong, and saved her life from the king of Yan, but her body has been damaged since then, even if there are countless imperial physicians and thousands of good medicines , and cannot restore health. She was very happy to see Sima Lianlai, after all, her time in the capital was short, and if it wasn't for the emperor's call, she would not be able to enter the capital casually.

"How is the princess' health?" The Empress Dowager was very concerned about Princess Ning, who became seriously ill shortly after marrying Sima Lian. Probably because of the same illness, Princess Ning also hurt her body because of childbirth.

Sima Lian sighed, "She's still the same, she can't get up from the bed, so she can't even come to her mother's birthday. It's really unfilial of the son."

The empress dowager patted him for comfort.

Sima Lian turned his head to look at Sima Rong, and said, "Queen Mother, Seventh Sister should have a concubine at her age."

"Third brother," Sima Rong blushed, "how to say this."

Sima Lian smiled and said, "Why can't you say that even though the third brother is not in the capital, he has always cared about you, the seventh sister. I wonder if the seventh sister has a crush on you? The third brother will help you find the emperor to marry you."

Sima Rong's face turned redder, and then gradually turned pale again. If she wanted to talk about her thoughts, who in the capital didn't know? It's just that for so many years, that person has turned a blind eye, avoided it if he could, and even avoided going to the frontier and was unwilling to return to Beijing. Even if the emperor knows it in his heart. Never act. Now she is also disheartened. If she can really marry him, it will also make her feel a sense of panic, but it is not as good as the beautiful and empathetic Tanhua Lang. If you can't have sincere love, it's better to choose someone who treats you gently.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Sima Lian turned around and said to the empress dowager, "I think that General Zhennan is a good candidate."

The Empress Dowager glanced at Sima Rong on the side and said, "I think that Tanhua Lang is more suitable."

She also knew what was on her daughter's mind, but Yan Zhan had always felt inappropriate for her. one. He is a general and needs to fight on the battlefield, if he marries the eldest princess. Otherwise, we have to disarm and return to the fields, this is the loss of the Celestial Dynasty. Second, Yan Zhan is indifferent and ruthless, with the style of a general, even if he looks handsome. It's not really a good choice for a husband. Third, the most important thing is that Yan Zhan doesn't care about the eldest princess and doesn't care about her at all. There is no happiness in such a marriage. Although the royal family can forcibly confer a marriage, and the king wants a minister to die, the minister has to die, but the matter of marriage. When it is good to end Qin and Jin forever, it is not the opposite, but forcibly. It will become a grudge, Yan Zhan's military exploits are outstanding, and General Yan is also kind to the late emperor, so it can't be a marriage, and it leaves the heart of the monarch and his ministers. And as a mother. In her heart, she hoped that her daughter would have a good life, so she has not expressed much.

Sima Lian didn't want the Empress Dowager to actually mean this. "How can the Tanhua Lang be of low rank, how to match the seventh sister."

The empress dowager said with a smile: "That's not a good statement. It doesn't matter if the official position is low, it can be promoted. Besides, he only needs an empty position. He is the most suitable. What does Rong'er think?"

Although it was inappropriate to discuss marriage in front of her like this, Sima Rong was indeed old, but she was unwilling to marry. The empress dowager said this to force her to make a decision early, otherwise she would force her to take action.

Sima Rong sat there, her face flushed, but her heart was uncertain. If she could marry Yan Zhan, her long-cherished wish for many years would be fulfilled. If you marry Jiang Lan, that's fine. That person is one of a kind, gentle, affectionate, and considerate, and she will be a fairy couple in the future, but she can't let go of Yan Zhan, which is really a dilemma.

The Empress Dowager smiled, "In that case, leave this matter to His Majesty the Emperor, whoever he thinks is suitable is who."

Sima Lian was a little unhappy when he left the palace gate. Things didn't develop as he thought, but it wasn't necessarily. As far as he knew, Yan Zhan violated the emperor's taboo because he was too popular and loved by the common people. Recently, Sima Jin didn't trust him so much anymore, and it was very likely that he would use this matter to test him, and his purpose of Sima Lian was just to alienate the monarch and minister, causing Yan Zhan to lose the trust of the emperor and finally lose his military power. As long as this is the case, even if he can't get his head for a while, then his goal can be considered achieved. As for Jiang Lan, even if he is given a marriage and becomes a concubine, what will happen in the world when he ascends the throne? ?

Jiang Lan was so busy that she had no idea that a conspiracy about her was unfolding. When she came out of the Hanlin Academy, she saw Yan Zhan standing beside her.

"I don't think you need to be like this all the time. King Ning shouldn't dare to act." Jiang Lan already knew the emperor's attitude, so he became fearless. No matter what, this is Sima Jin's territory after all, no matter how mad Sima Lian is, Don't dare to provoke the emperor easily.

Yan Zhan flicked the whip in his hand and walked over with the horse, "Stop talking nonsense, it will be too late if something goes wrong, and it's like last time, if I can't make it in time, you will suffer."

Jiang Lan looked at the pedestrians who happened to pass by, and saw that they didn't seem to care, and felt a little more at ease.

"You don't want to see me that much?" Yan Zhan squeezed out a sentence, looking at her guarding appearance and getting angry.

Jiang Lan sneered, "I'm not thinking about your reputation? General Zhennan must be an admirable man, not a broken sleeve."

Yan Zhan forgot to look at Jiang Lan's tender and tender face, and wanted to stretch out his hand to squeeze, "Don't worry, even if they think I'm a broken sleeve, what's the problem, this is not a normal thing in the army? Besides, With someone as beautiful as you, who wouldn't think I'm a man." He glanced at her deeply, his dark gray eyes revealing an uncommon meaning.

Jiang Lan's face was blushing, so cold-faced people would tease people, so she said, "That may be, maybe you will..." She suddenly stopped, why did the topic move in this direction? Just stop right now.

But Yan Zhan was obviously reluctant to end this topic easily. He turned his face to the side, described as serious, with burning eyes, "Why don't we try it?"

Jiang Lan took a step forward, talking more and more wrong.

As they were walking, they saw a sedan car approaching from a distance, and suddenly stopped when they came to them, the sedan curtain was lifted, and a veiled young woman stepped out, calling softly, "Second brother, Mr. Jiang ."

Yan Zhan was surprised, "Fourth sister, why are you here? What happened?"

Yan Lin felt a little aggrieved, "Second brother, you are a liar." He hesitated.

Jiang Lan felt that it was inappropriate for the three of them to be in the middle of the road. Someone was already looking at them with weird eyes, so she said, "If there is anything wrong with Miss Yan, you might as well discuss it with your second brother after returning to the house."

Yan Lin shook her head stubbornly, resolutely unwilling to leave.

There was no other way but to carry the sedan chair to the side of the road, and the three of them stood aside and started talking.

Yan Lin looked at Jiang Lan and said: "Second brother said that he is not familiar with Mr. Jiang, so Mr. Jiang is reluctant to come to Yan Mansion. If it wasn't for the secret reminder from the elder brother, I would never know the rumors in the capital these days. Mr. Jiang, they Is what you said true? You and the second brother...you...I didn't want to believe it at first, but I see you like this..." As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and she was about to cry.

Jiang Lan felt a headache, and the Yan family couldn't deal with one, so another one came. Although it looks weird now, there are some things she can't admit, she quickly waved her hand, "Miss Yan, don't listen to those rumors, even if you can't trust this official, you should trust your second brother, what kind of person is he? The whole kingdom knows it."

Yan Zhan frowned and took the words, "You are a girl, stay at home, and run around when you hear some rumors out of nothing, what's the etiquette?"

Yan Lin's eyes widened, "Second brother, it's obviously you who's wrong, and you have to blame me. Since you know Mr. Jiang, why don't you want him to come to Yan's mansion? My father wants to invite him many times, why do you always ask him? To stop?"

Yan Zhan was speechless for a while. In fact, he just didn't want the two of them to have more contact, which was for her own good. Besides, his wife, how can she tolerate other people's covetousness, both men and women, she must kill this idea in the cradle as soon as possible.

Jiang Lan came out to smooth things out, thanks to Yan Zhan for this shield, and she was also unwilling to go to Yan's mansion, "Miss Yan, don't blame the general, it's because this official has been busy with official duties and trivial matters recently, and I don't have time to visit your mansion. When you have free time, you must come visit.”

Yan Lin looked at Jiang Lan's face, and was not very happy, but hesitated, "Mr. Jiang, I don't know if I should say it or not."

Jiang Lan motioned for her to continue.

Yan Lin blushed slightly, she mustered up her courage and said, "Master Jiang, there is still a rumor in the capital that Master Jiang will be the concubine of the eldest princess, is there any such thing?"

Yan Zhan shouted angrily: "Yan Lin, is this kind of thing a girl in your boudoir should ask?"

Yan Lin gritted her teeth, "I'm going to ask clearly, how can Lord Jiang be the princess, shouldn't the eldest princess' concubine be the second brother? This is something everyone in the capital knows."

Yan Zhan squeezed his fists tightly, and the blue veins on his face burst out. He wanted to squeeze her to death, "What nonsense are you talking about? Can these things be said nonsense outside?"

Yan Lin stomped her foot, "I don't care anyway, the second elder brother of the eldest princess is going to marry, but Mr. Jiang can't." She turned around and got into the sedan chair, without saying hello, she got up from the sedan chair and left.

Yan Zhan looked at the distant sedan chair and said with a wry smile, "Sorry, the fourth sister has been spoiled since she was a child, and now no one can control her."

Jiang Lan was thoughtful, "I didn't even know that there were so many rumors now. Isn't that ridiculous?"

The two looked at each other and felt that nothing was groundless, as if if they felt anything, one of them would be unlucky.