The Empire and the Kingdom

At this time, the reputation of the Feng family was increasing, and there was an endless stream of people who came to inquire about it every day, and proposed marriages. Di Shi was physically and mentally exhausted from coping, and couldn't help complaining to Master Feng.

"Ma'am, you should be happy, this shows that our children are promising." Mrs. Feng can think about it, it is a good thing that many people propose marriage, anyway, they have the final say on whether to agree or not.

"If you propose a marriage, you will be promising?" Di Shi disagreed, "Our family is in a hot fire now. I really dare not even think about those who propose marriage. Who knows what is hidden behind it?" She sighed "I have been an orphan since I was a child. I never thought that I could marry you and have a few sensible children. I don't expect anything from them. As long as there is someone who suits my heart, family background is not important." , the two of you can live a good life."

Master Feng smiled and said: "These children are well-educated by the madam, so don't worry about getting married with the madam, it will happen naturally when the fate comes. Isn't that what happened to me and you back then?"

Di Shi blushed, "How old are you? If you still say these things, you won't be afraid that the children will hear the joke."

The Feng family is indeed a clean stream.For those who are officials in the court, when they get married, they must look at their family background, which is the most important thing.But Mrs. Feng Di Shi is an orphan girl, without father or mother, no one to rely on, let alone a family background.If Lord Feng hadn't rescued her on the way out, she would have died in the wilderness.

The two fell in love at first sight and soon became relatives. They have been together for decades and never leave each other.Lord Feng never took concubines to take over houses in his whole life, his family was simple and his children were all descended from the Di family.Moreover, under the influence of their parents, the three sons of the Feng family said that they only marry wives and do not take concubines.

As for Feng Qianzi, she must marry someone who doesn't know how to take concubines.It's just that there are almost no such noble families in the capital, so the Feng family also looked away. Anyway, there is only such a daughter, can the Feng family still afford it?Instead of letting her daughter marry off and be wronged, it is better to raise her in her mother's house and live in peace.As for the rumors and gossips from the outside world, Feng Qianzi doesn't care, nor does Feng's family.Feng Shili and his wife Zhu Shi have made it clear that if Feng Qianzi doesn't want to get married, they will raise their younger sister for the rest of their lives.

Feng Qianzi is 16 years old this year. Many people outside are anxious for her, but Feng's family is not in a hurry.How many people want to marry Feng Qianzi, but it is only a condition that they are not allowed to take concubines, which makes countless people discouraged.

Of course, there are also people who want to be clever, agree first, and then what if they are concubines after passing the door?But what about such a person's reputation?Master Feng inquired in private, but refused decisively, such a character, even the nobles of Tianhuang can't do it.

In the back house of the Feng family, Feng Wanji ran into Feng Qianzi's room, "Sister, I heard that there are rumors about your marriage with the second brother, and they say that you want to marry a man from Feng's family and a daughter from Feng's family."

Feng Qianzi wiped Feng Wanji's sweat with a handkerchief, and asked the servant girl to quickly pour him a cup of tea to quench his thirst. "The weather hasn't warmed up yet, but you're sweating a lot. Be careful not to catch a cold. Don't listen to those words outside, they are all sent by someone with a heart to fool people."

Feng Wanji gulped down a cup of tea, "Did the second miss of the Shen family really fancy the second brother? It was rumored that it was true." He was the youngest child of the Feng family, and the most innocent.

Feng Qianzi frowned when she heard this, "The Shen family will always suffer from such rumors, they will never do this."

"It didn't come from our family. The second brother doesn't even know what the second lady of the Shen family looks like." Feng Wanji scratched his head, "Sister, don't someone spread it on purpose? , what can I do if I force my second elder brother to marry the second young lady of the Shen family?"

Feng Qianzi stood up, "Wanji, go back to your yard, I have to talk to my parents about this."

Xue Ai also discovered the same rumor.She found her beggar friends and asked them to help find out where the rumors came from.

Who is the most well-informed person in the capital?Not those news mongers, but beggars.They don't have much information themselves, but there is too much information they can inquire about.They beg on the street every day, and they have a fixed location and route, and they know all the residents of the shops in the area.They were the first to know which family had relatives and which store had unusual events.Then pass on one by one, and you will know soon.

It was actually a coincidence that Xue Ai made friends with these people.When she was six years old, she went to the streets with her family, but got lost inexplicably.As a little girl, she was terribly scared, and she couldn't find her way home. She couldn't believe the adults she met, so she could only cry.Later, she was picked up by a ten-year-old beggar, who bought her a piece of cake with the money he begged, and sent her back home.

Since then, she has made friends with this little beggar named Cai Bing.Although she is not loved by her parents, she still has the monthly money that every young lady should have, and there is no shortage of things that every young lady should have, even though they are all the worst.She carefully saved up these things and gave them to Cai Bing.Since she was a child, she couldn't eat food that was too oily and watery, but she didn't say that she would let Mengan secretly send out the chicken, duck and fish from the big kitchen, and she gnawed some vegetable leaves like a rabbit.

Later, when she got older, she took out all the old and unworn clothes and let Cai Bing sell them to buy food, so she only had a few clothes in total. Sometimes when Pan asked her, she would say that she was I accidentally broke it and lost it.Although it was unavoidable to be blamed by Mrs. Pan, she still did this all the time.

The first time Feng Jingsu met her on the street, she managed to get a sum of lucky money, got rid of the family servant who followed her, and went to buy food for Cai Bing and others.

After so many years, Cai Bing has grown from a small beggar to the leader of the beggars in Nancheng, and he has more information in his hands.Before, he always picked out some interesting news to tell Xue Ai. Later, when he found that Xue Ai was interested in these news, he would pay attention to the collected news, and then tell Xue Ai all of them.

In order to pass the news more conveniently, Cai Bing also went to learn some characters from an old scholar. Every time the news he sent to Xue Ai was hyphenated. After a long time, Xue Ai could understand it. And can use words and pictures to cooperate, let Cai Bing know what he wants to express.

This time Cai Bing spent two days to find out that the news came from Dongcheng. After careful investigation, he found the Xiangguo Duke's Mansion!

The Wang family of Xiangguo Duke's Mansion is the natal family of Wang Guifei.But what does the Xiangguo government have to do with this matter?Xue Ai thought for a long time.On the paper in front of her, there were densely written all the personnel relations she knew about Xiangguo Mansion, Fang Yihou Mansion and Feng Family, and finally found a line, but this line is too far away, right?

Could it be that the news is wrong?

Late at night, when Feng Jingsu, unable to sleep, pushed open the door of Xue Ai's room, Xue Ai was still sitting on the bed.The sudden cold wind made her shiver, and then a warm embrace hugged her including the quilt.

"Why is your arms warm?" Xue Ai was curious.Feng Jingsu had just entered the door.

"Because I wanted to hug you, I didn't let the wind blow into my arms." Feng Jingsu was full of nonsense.

Xue Aicai didn't believe it, she tore off the quilt and covered Feng Jingsu, "This way it's warm."

The body under the quilt was warm and soft, Feng Jingsu felt that the two were playing with fire. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Sister Su, I'm thinking about the rumors about Feng's family and Fang Yihou's mansion in the capital." Xue Ai told Feng Jingsu the information she had.

Feng Jingsu asked suddenly: "I remember that in the official relationship map you gave me, Fang Yi Hou Shen Ang and the eldest son of Duke Xiang Wang Xuyao ​​were classmates."

Xue Ai suddenly realized, "That's right! There is also a classmate relationship."

Xue Ai originally thought that Shen Zhichun, the eldest lady of Fang Yihou's mansion, married Anminghou's eldest son, Chen Pengfei, and Chen Pengfei's mother, Mrs. Anminghou's wife Wang, was Wang Guifei's biological sister. Besides, now that the classmate relationship is added, it will be different.Fang Yihou and Wang Xuyao ​​are classmates, and their teacher, the great Confucian Meng Huahui, is now the second prince's teacher.

"So the second prince wants to borrow Fang Yihou's mansion to bind Feng's family. I have to remind Sister Feng tomorrow."

Xue Ai was talking vigorously, when she was hit on the head, she covered her head and looked at Feng Jingsu aggrievedly.

"Where does the Feng family need you to remind? Are you a fool when you think of Feng Qianzi?" Feng Jingsu always felt a little sour when she saw Xue Ai caring so much about other people's affairs.

Xue Ai savored Feng Jingsu's tone of voice carefully, "Sister Su, are you jealous?"

"Nonsense!" Feng Jingsu turned her head and looked away.

"You're just jealous." Xue Ai was happy.

Feng Jingsu refused to admit it life and death, and was about to get out of bed and leave, but was hugged by Xue Aixiong, "Sister Su, can you stay with me?"

Xue Ai begged pitifully, her big eyes blinked, and Feng Jingsu's heart trembled when she saw it. In the end, she went back to bed softly, hugged Xue Ai who had taken the initiative to get into her arms, and stretched out her hand to cover her body. Closing Xue Ai's eyes, "Sleep."

"Okay." Xue Ai closed her eyes, as if all the sweetness in her heart could come out.Although the future is dangerous and unknown, as long as she can be with Feng Jingsu, she will not be afraid of anything.

Although the Feng family made it clear that the second young master, Feng Baiwen, had no plans to discuss marriage at present, the rumors on the street became more and more fierce. Stay at home and don't go out.

"It's all your troubles. Now when I go out, people ask me about the matter with the second young master of the Feng family. They obviously haven't even looked at me, but now it seems that there is something. What face do you have to show people?" Shen Zhiqiu was very happy when he knew the rumors in the capital, and felt that if the rumors came together, it would be logical for him to marry into Feng's family.She didn't expect the Feng family to be so powerful, they didn't care what happened to Fang Yihou's house, they refused directly, there was no room for discussion.

Now that the rumors in the capital are telling the truth, she doesn't want to marry into Feng's family at all.Such a Qingliu family, even if she is forced to marry herself in the end, what good fruit can she get if she marries in?

"Qiu'er, don't worry, your father is already looking for someone to suppress this rumor, the mother of Feng's family will think of a way." Fang Yihou's wife, Mrs. Deng, was also helpless. Bian would definitely not agree, this is a bit like "the cow does not drink water and forcefully presses the head". If the Feng family agrees, it will not be the Feng family.

Right now, the daughter should be married off as soon as possible, but with such rumors, who is willing to marry Shen Zhiqiu?This matter was a bad move, but it hurt my daughter.

Fang Yihou went to see Wang Xuyao ​​and explained the current situation.Wang Xuyao ​​only lamented that he had no daughters under his knees, otherwise he would have tied up Feng's family by himself.The current situation is indeed their wishful thinking, but they really don't want to miss this opportunity to attack the prince's party.Wang Xuyao ​​comforted Fang Yihou a few words, but he was planning a conspiracy behind his back.

Feng Jingsu has been thinking for the past few days to find a maid who knows martial arts for Xue Ai, but she can't choose the right one.No way, she told Concubine De about this.Concubine De knows that Feng Jingsu always likes to run outside the palace, and she is surprised when she hears that she always looks for Xue Ai.

"You have only been back to the palace for half a year, why are you so close to Miss Xue San?"

Feng Jingsu knew that this matter could not be concealed, so she said, "It's not that we only got along in the past six months, we got along very well when we were young."

"Wow!" Concubine De intentionally put on a straight face, "You're even hiding the truth from me, a mother."

"Shuangniang," Feng Jingsu acted coquettishly like Xue Ai, "before, we only saw each other once a year, but we only saw each other often in the past six months. She is not in good health, and I'm afraid she will be in danger. Shuangniang, please help me, help me." help me."

People like Feng Jingsu don't act like a baby easily, and if they act like a baby, they will be killed.Concubine De was so coaxed by her that she held her hand, "Help, who will I help if I don't help you?"

Concubine De entered the palace very early, and her position was not high at first, she did not fight or grab it, and gradually made it to the concubine position.Her natal family was also honorable, but her parents were killed by robbers when they were out on business.Now only she and her younger brother Qi Yuanhai are left in the Qi family.After that incident, Qi Yuanhai abandoned literature and became a general, and now serves under An Guogong.His wife, Mrs. Zhou, has a son and a daughter in their teens. They all follow Qi Ruhai to work outside and rarely return to Beijing.

"I asked your uncle to find a girl in the barracks to bring it to me. Is that okay?"

"Thank you Shuangniang." Feng Jingsu acted like a baby while hugging Concubine De.

Xue Ai has been sleeping late these past few nights, and she has been thinking about things during the day, because her body is weak, and she still caught the wind and cold after all.She coughed badly at night, and Meng An came in a few times a night, seeing her face flushed from coughing, but she couldn't do anything, and was so anxious.

After finally making it to dawn, she immediately went to Wanning Garden to report to Mrs. Pan.

"Didn't you invite Dr. Li to come over to see you yesterday? Why did you cough again at night?" Pan felt troubled. Xue Ai had always been sick since she was a child. Every time she got sick, she seemed unable to survive. I just can't be bothered.Now that Xue Xiang attaches great importance to Xue Ai, she has no choice but to show her mother's concern and bring people to Pingle Pavilion. Seeing Xue Ai's face is red, she comes over and touches it with her hand, and it is hot. Invite Dr. Li for diagnosis and treatment.

Xue Ai opened her eyes and saw Pan sitting by the bed, she stretched out her hand to grab Pan's hand, Pan subconsciously avoided it. "Elle, you're awake."

Xue Ai lowered her eyes, and withdrew her hand silently, "Mother, I'm fine, I made mother worry, it's my daughter's fault."

Mrs. Pan asked Xue Ai to boil the medicine first, and then told the maids to take good care of her, and finally took a look at Xue Ai, "Take good care of your illness, don't get out of bed and walk around." After finishing speaking, she left.

Meng'an saw that Xue Ai had been staring at the direction Pan was leaving.For so many years, Xue Ai, who can usually disguise herself very well, is very clingy every time she is sick, and always hopes that her mother will be by her side to accompany her. However, Pan has never accompanied her once since she was a child.Every time I come and go in a hurry.

"Miss..." Meng An felt sorry for her young lady.

"It's okay, I'm used to it." Xue Ai shrank back into the quilt, his body was hot and cold, and he really wanted someone to hug him and talk to him, instead of letting himself think wildly.

Dr. Li came over quickly and saw that Xue Ai had a fever, so he quickly prescribed a prescription and boiled antipyretic medicine. After Xue Ai drank the medicine, the fever soon disappeared, but she still had a bad cough.

Dr. Li also prescribed a prescription for cough relief. Xue Ai took the medicine this time but it didn't have much effect. In fact, the cough is like this, and it will get better in time.

After everyone went out, she was lying on the bed alone wrapped in a quilt. Her body was really weak. How many years would she be able to accompany Sister Su?She was not afraid of death at first, but now she is greedy again, and wants to stay with Sister Su for a little longer, a little longer.

In a daze, she didn't know when she fell asleep.When she woke up again, it was when Mengan asked her to have dinner.

She barely drank two mouthfuls of porridge, only to feel that there was no taste in her mouth, and she was extremely uncomfortable.

"Miss, you should drink a few more sips so that you can recover from your illness." Meng An scooped up another spoonful of porridge and brought it to Xue Ai's mouth.

Xue Ai shook her head, "Eat or not, you have to stay until the day to get well. Meng'an, it's no big deal. You can withdraw all the food. I'm tired and want to sleep."

Mengan was helpless, when she went out with the tray, she saw Feng Jingsu had just fallen from the roof, she hurriedly saluted, and just about to speak, Feng Jingsu waved at her, took the tray in her hand, and entered the room by herself.

Xue Ai was wrapped in a quilt, and when she heard the door rang again, she muttered, "Meng'an, I don't want to eat anything, don't be too busy."

"Why are you sick again?" Feng Jingsu's voice came from behind her.