Huan Rong

Huan Rong stood on the corridor for a long time, and finally decided to walk away tactfully.

Unexpectedly, the door suddenly opened from the inside, and Mrs. Li walked out from the room. Her black hair piled up in clouds, her long skirt floated like colorful clouds, her lotus steps moved lightly, and the warm fragrance flowed slowly, instantly dispelling the cold winter wind.

Seeing Huan Rong standing in the corridor, Madam Li was slightly surprised.

"Lang Jun came to see His Highness, why didn't you go in?"

Huan Rong cupped his hands and saluted, and smiled awkwardly.

Do you admit that your thoughts are not pure enough to dare to enter?

Absolutely not.

Great young man, how can he be so dirty.

Fortunately, Mrs. Li didn't ask any more questions. After nodding with a smile, she walked slowly down the corridor.

The beautiful back gradually faded away, and the trailing skirt flowed past like water waves.

The winter sun shines from the corridor, the golden hairpin in the hair halos dazzling light and shadow, the pearls under the ears shake gently, and the forbidden steps made of pearls and jade collide with each other, making a crisp sound.

The wind passing through the corridor rolled up the veil, hazy the delicate figure.

The beauty of the flowers and the moon, the shadows on the temples and the fragrance of clothes, are as beautiful as a dream.

After Mrs. Li left, Huan Rong stepped into the room.

Princess Nankang was reclining on a low couch, holding a roll of bamboo slips that were some years ago, and she was browsing quickly, as if she was looking for something.

Huan Rong poked his head and took a look. The characters on the bamboo slips were all in big seal characters, and most likely they were documents from before the Han Dynasty.

Hearing the sound, Princess Nankang raised her head and said, "Did Gua'er go to rest?"

"Aunt." Huan Rong bowed his body and said: "I have something to discuss with my mother."

"What's the matter?" Princess Nankang put down the bamboo slips, asked Huan Rong to sit down, and ordered Ah Mai to bring honey water, and said, "Can't wait until tomorrow?"

Huan Rong shook his head and said, "It's about the Yu family's house in Jiankang."

Princess Nankang suddenly realized that this matter cannot be delayed.

"Yu Xi fled Jiankang in fear of crime, and confiscated all his family property. The house in Qingxili will not belong to the family, and will be rewarded to you by the Queen Mother and the officials. You come back this time, just to take a trip to Qingxili."

After the honey water was delivered, Ah Mai retreated to the porch, where there were only mother and child in the room.

Thinking about what Empress Dowager Chu had said a few days ago, Princess Nankang frowned, feeling quite undecided.

Looking at Huan Rong, who was still unknown, Princess Nankang said in a deep voice: "The gold and silver hidden in the courtyard have not been moved for the time being. After counting, three volumes were copied, one volume was sent to Taicheng, and two volumes are now in my hands. Wait for Xi When Fang Hui turns back to Jingkou, someone can send it to him."

"It didn't come out?" Huan Rong was very surprised.

"Naturally." Princess Nankang smiled, "After you read the record booklet, you will understand that so many things cannot be transported out of Qingxi at one time. If outsiders see it, there is no guarantee that trouble will not arise."

It's fine if you can't see it, but if you carry it out swaggeringly, most people will look red-eyed except for a few high-ranking people.

Huan Rong understood that Princess Nankang was by no means alarmist.

Jiankang's high-ranking gentry family is simple, and it is impossible to say that they have not discovered the tricks in the house.So far there has been no rumors, and it is probably due to the scruples of Xi Jishi and Queen Mother Chu.

Xi Ci envoy guards Jingkou and holds the Beifu army in his hand, so naturally there is no need to mention it.

The Chu family of Yangzhai was not included in the top gentry, and there were many capable people in their early years.

Empress Dowager Chu's great-grandfather served as General An Dong, her grandfather served as the prefect of Wuchang, and her father was a famous scholar in the dynasty. He was appointed as General Wei.

Empress Dowager Chu's mother was from the Xie family in Chenjun, and her father was the prefect of Yuzhang.In terms of talent and fame back then, it was not as good as Xie Daoyun today, but it far surpassed other gentry girls.

Nowadays, the descendants of the Chu family are not as good as their ancestors, and the family is declining day by day, but there are many old friends who are capable, especially the Xi family and the Xie family.

From this point of view, Empress Dowager Chu's background is not as strong as usual.In addition, she was once a regent in the court, and she was quite famous. The officials in the court could treat Sima Yi as a display, but they never dared to underestimate the queen mother who had retreated into the harem.

If it were a year ago, the relationship alone would be a mess, enough to give Huan Rong a headache, and it might not be easy to sort it out.

Now, with combing over and over again, the relationship between the gentry is gradually becoming clear, and a complex network is gradually unfolding. Just peeking out the tip of the iceberg is enough to make him breathe a sigh of relief.

It's no wonder that the Queen Mother's decree is needed to retain Xi Yin, and it's no wonder that the mother-in-law proposed that the Queen Mother should give [-]% of the gold and silver found in Yufu.

The importance of Empress Dowager Chu can be clearly seen even by Huan Rong, who has just entered the court.

If Xi Yin has been guarding Jingkou and controlling the Beifu army, the Xie family's weight in the court will continue to increase, and the Chu family may not have a day of resurgence.

Similarly, as long as the Empress Dowager Chu is still in the palace and her words have enough weight, the two will have more confidence in fighting Sima Huan.

As for the emperor Sima Yi, for now, he really only has to be a mascot.

However, judging from the historical process, he has been doing this mascot for a long time.

"Mother, I will stay in Jiankang for half a month." Huan Rong thought for a moment and said, "When the two servants arrive, I will go to Qingxi to transport out the hidden gold in batches."

Princess Nankang nodded without asking how to operate it, obviously very confident in her son.After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth and said, "There is one more thing."

Huan Rong raised his head, seeing his mother's expression, doubts flashed in his eyes.

"You are already in the year of Dancing Elephant, and you haven't been engaged yet. I entered Taicheng a few days ago, and the queen mother revealed the intention of marriage."

What? !

I thought about many possibilities, but I never thought that Princess Nankang would mention his marriage.

In future generations, he was still in the period of preventing "puppy love", and now he is considering getting married?

"Mum," Huan Rong's voice was a little dry, "Is it the Sima family that the empress dowager mentioned?"

Do you want him to marry a county princess?

"Of course not."

Princess Nankang was born in the royal family, but she looked down on the princess of the county who came from the same royal family.Taking Sima Daofu as an example, if Empress Dowager Chu dared to tell Guaer such a thing, she could directly raise her sword and enter the palace.

"Is that the Chu family?" Huan Rong asked again.

"No." Princess Nankang still shook her head and said seriously, "It's the Xie family of Chen Jun."

If it was a girl from the Chu family, she could also refuse.There is no girl of the right age in the first line of the Chu family, so it is absolutely impossible to marry a side line.But Empress Dowager Chu put aside her family and proposed the Xie family, she was really surprised.

Although the Xie family in Chenjun is not as good as the Wang family in Taiyuan, it is still thriving now.

Xie An has a great reputation, and there are many outstanding people in his family, and Xie Xuan is even more outstanding among his peers.Everyone can see that as long as there are no accidents, the development of the Xie family in the future will not be inferior to that of the Taiyuan Wang family back then.

There are not a few people who want to marry Xie's daughter.

Empress Dowager Chu proposed marriage, it is impossible not to have Xie's meaning behind it, and Princess Nankang hesitated for a while.

"Why me?" Huan Rong frowned.

"I don't quite understand either." Princess Nankang was no less puzzled than Huan Rong.

Huan Rong's conditions are good in all aspects, the only thing is that he was born in the Huan family of Long Kang, and his biological father is Huan Wen!

In the Jin Dynasty, one can get a glimpse of a family's background from the birth of the bride.

Regardless of Huanxi, Huanji or Huanxin, the first wife is not a top gentry, the concubine is one of them, the key is that people look down on the Huan family.

Take the Wang family of Taiyuan as an example, basically they only marry high-ranking families in the north and the south.

However, there is still a process in between.

Emperor Yuan crossed the river, and in the first few years when the regime was established, the Gaomen of the Northland wanted to gain a foothold through marriage, and the difficulties were not small.With Wang Dao's efforts, the northern and southern gentry gradually began to marry, but as far as some high-ranking families were concerned, the Sima family was still excluded.

How about the royal family?

Whether you marry a daughter or a wife, you still can't even touch the edge.

In the final analysis, at the height of the Wang family in Taiyuan, the word "foreign relative" is not even wanted to be touched.

In comparison, the Wang family of Langya was far behind.

Historically, Wang Xianzhi was forced to marry Sima Daofu. The most important reason was that the family had no political power.

The Xie family in Chenjun has not yet reached its peak, and its status is still not comparable to that of the Huan family who was born in a "military family".

Mrs. Xie took the initiative to offer an olive branch to marry Huan Rong. The weight is not insignificant, and the help to Huan Rong in the future is also immeasurable.

"Guaer, what do you think?"

Huan Rong was surprised, so he can decide on his own in marriage?

Princess Nankang was stunned, why not?

"It's you who married a wife, so naturally you have to feel good about it."

Huan Rong turned his head silently, well, he was wrong.How lucky to have a mother like this!

"Mum, it's better to decline this matter. My son doesn't want to get married right now." After thinking for a moment, Huan Rong expressed his true intentions.

"Rejected?"

Princess Nankang felt a little sorry, but then she thought again, after all, it is the son who marries the daughter-in-law, and the most important thing is to agree with her.No matter how good Miss Xie is, if her son doesn't want to marry her, it's not a good thing to force her to welcome her home.

Getting married is a good thing for two surnames, not for enmity.

"Then refuse it." Princess Nankang said, "I will make it clear to the Queen Mother when I enter the palace on Yuan Ri. You will go with me when the time comes. The Queen Mother has already said that she wants to see you."

"Mom, is this appropriate?"

"Why is it inappropriate?"

"My son is a man after all."

Princess Nankang was stunned for a moment, seeing Huan Rong's serious face, she wasn't joking at all, she immediately laughed so hard that she laughed and said: "The official family is your cousin, the queen mother is your elder, you haven't reached the crown yet, how can you tell me?" Those taboos."

Huan Rong was speechless.

Is he sixteen anyway?

You were talking about marriage just now, but now you're saying he's young?

After laughing for a while, Princess Nankang stroked Huan Rong's hair and said, "Don't worry, there is a mother in everything, no one dares to pick your business."

"promise."

The mother and son revealed the marriage in a few words.

Princess Nankang put Huan Rong's meaning first, no matter how good the girl is, if her son doesn't like it, she doesn't rush to make a decision.Furthermore, with Chenjun Xie's family first, when choosing in-laws in the future, the eyes will naturally be raised, and there are too many who can meet the standards.

Huan Rong understood in his heart that the reason why he refused the marriage was a little complicated.It's just that it's hard to say it clearly now, so I can only adapt to the situation and wait for a chance to mention it again.

As for whether my mother can accept it... let's take it one step at a time.

That night, Princess Nankang hosted a banquet to welcome Huan Rong.

Because it was a family banquet, Huan Yi, Huan Xin and Sima Daofu were all present.

Huan Xin was concerned about his son's injury, so he insisted on staring at Huan Yi's white eyes, putting aside his elder brother's face, and tried his best to persuade Huan Rong to drink and flatter him.

Sima Daofu sat behind a low table drinking wine, he hardly said a word except to greet him.

Huan Rong glanced over, and immediately turned his gaze away.

The other party's depression is too obvious, whether it is true or not, it has nothing to do with him.Besides, seeing Wang Xianzhi who did not hesitate to join the army in order to hide his peach blossoms, he was really speechless about this second sister-in-law.Apart from saying hello in person, I don't want to say a word at all.

"Bring the two young gentlemen and meet Gua'er."

Princess Nankang was in a good mood, and she spoke with a smile.

The servants led the servants to go to the west courtyard, Ma and Murong were overjoyed, they didn't dare to delay, they hurriedly brought people to the family banquet, they were allowed to enter the room, and saluted Princess Nankang.

"Set up two more seats."

Princess Nankang spoke, and the servants immediately began to get busy.

Two low couches are placed under Mrs. Li, just opposite to Sima Daofu.The latter drank a glass of warm wine and snorted disdainfully, obviously looking down on the two of them.

After more than a year, the two became more honest and never took the initiative to provoke trouble.

At first, both of them were a bit cautious. Princess Nankang didn't take it seriously, but Mrs. Li thought they were ignorant, so she tried to teach them a few times, regardless of Ma Shi or Murong Shi, they were all dealt with obediently, and the rules could no longer be tolerated. rule.

After a long time, Princess Nankang almost forgot that there were these two people.

Now, both Huan Wei and Huan Xuan are raised by Mrs Ma's side, and Mrs Murong can only visit them every now and then.

When it came to a family banquet, Mrs. Ma dared not make mistakes, for fear of experiencing Mrs. Li's tricks again.

Murong still thought that His Highness the Princess would be merciful, allowing her to bring her son back to her side, and she was more disciplined than Ma Shi, not daring to speak loudly.During these days in Jiankang, she understood that her husband was afraid of forgetting herself early, and that her son was the foundation for her to live a good life.

Huan Rong drank two glasses of wine, his face began to flush.

Seeing the two dolls being carried up by the servants, they took out the jade pendants that had been prepared earlier, similar to the unicorn pattern, and even the golden ropes attached to them were not much different.

"Take it and play."

The two dolls can be easily distinguished, the one with snow-white skin, slightly curly hair, slightly amber eyes is Huan Wei, the one with thick eyebrows and big eyes, chubby face, and the one with heavy head and thick brain is Huan Xuan.

Looking at Huan Xuan who was grabbing the jade pendant and opening his mouth, thinking that this is the founding emperor of Huan Chu in the future, Huan Rong felt a sense of unreality.

However, judging from the names of the two, the scumbag father obviously valued Huan Xuan more.Huan Wei is a complete overkill, his name seems to have been scratched on a piece of paper.

After staying for a while, Huan Wei and Huan Xuan started to yawn one after another.Ma Shi and Murong's heart raised their throats, lest they would cry and disturb Princess Nankang and Huan Rong.

Fortunately, Mrs. Li spoke softly to Princess Nankang, and the two dolls were carried down.

Ma and Murong could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Huan Xin started to hold the cup with Huan Rong again, Huan Yi stared angrily, thinking that Huan Xin was upset and wanted to get Huan Rong drunk, so he said immediately: "Brother, brother is too strong to drink, I will drink with you!"

After the words fell, he ordered someone to take away the wine cup, fetch the wine jar, and pat open the wine seal on the spot.

"Brother, this..." Huan Xin had a bitter look on his face when the wine jar was brought to him.

"Why, brother doesn't want to drink with me? But you look down on me?" Huan Yi raised the wine jar, and Huan Xin dared to nod, so he would "drag it over and pour it directly".

Huan Xin looked at Huan Rong, who was propping his chin with one hand, his eyes were hazy, and his face was full of drunkenness.

Sorry!

If he had known that Huan Rong was not good at drinking, he would get drunk after two drinks, so why did he try so hard to persuade him!

Huan Xin was bitter, Huan Yi held up the wine jar and stared at it.

Princess Nankang and Mrs. Li obviously didn't intend to care about it. Sima Daofu was still drinking by himself. Mrs. Ma and Mrs. Murong lowered their heads, hoping to reduce their sense of existence to zero.

Huan Xin knew there was no way to do it, so he just got angry, grabbed the wine jar and poured it.

"it is good!"

Huan Yi applauded loudly, and had a drink with Huan Xin on the spot.

Huan Rong propped his chin, he seemed quite drunk, but actually his mind was clear.Looking at Huan Yi's heroic posture, and glanced at the wine spilled on the skirt of his clothes, he couldn't help curling his lips.

It seems that his elder brother is also playing tricks.

That night, Huan Xin was very drunk and slept until the next afternoon.

Huan Yi drank hangover soup, fell asleep, and woke up in the morning alive and kicking.

Huan Rong was tired from the journey and went to bed late. When he got up early in the morning, Huan Yi was waiting in the outer room, holding a plate of sanzi and the goshawk that had landed on the wooden frame and staring at him.

Hearing the noise outside, Huan Rong had to sit up.

After a brief wash, for the first time, he didn't wear a long robe, only a long gown over his middle coat, his black hair was loosely tied behind his head, and he walked out of the inner room while yawning.

"Brother, why are you here at this time?"

Huan Yi didn't speak, but stared at the goshawk and the lacquer plate in his arms.

Huan Rong had no choice but to sit at the low table and tapped his fingers.

The goshawk croaked unwillingly, flew down reluctantly, slid on the table twice, and after barely standing still, stretched out a leg to Huan Rong.

Taking off the bamboo tube from the eagle's legs, Huan Rong turned his head and found that Huan Yi was staring at him in a daze, and then at the goshawk who turned his back, his face full of disbelief.

"Brother?"

"Ah? Ah!" Huan Yi uttered two monotones, and hurriedly put down the lacquer plate, his face flushed, "Well, what my brother said yesterday, I thought about it all night, and I finally figured it out."

Huan Rong raised his eyebrows, put away the bamboo tube first, and asked A Mi to fetch fresh meat, and fed them to the goshawk one by one.

"Brother has decided?"

"En." Huan Yi nodded heavily, and said directly, "Brother, I don't want to be the prince."

"Why?" Huan Rong kept ordering, and the half plate of fresh meat quickly disappeared.

"I don't want to be by my father's side as an elder son." Huan Yi said in a muffled voice.

"I still want to go to Yandu with my younger brother. Next time I meet a barbarian, I will protect my younger brother and never let my younger brother get hurt!"

Huan Rong turned his head and looked at Huan Yi in surprise.

"Brother, have you really thought about it? You need to know that if you become the eldest son, you will be able to inherit the title of duke of the county in the future. Everything in this mansion will belong to brother."

Huan Yi smiled, very brightly.

"My brother told me yesterday that I've thought about it for a long time, and it's a lie if I don't feel tempted at all."

Speaking of this, Huan Yi took a deep breath and said with a louder voice: "I thought about it, if I become the eldest son, I can make my brothers look good! But I thought again, I am not smart, and without my mother, I may not be able to Even today, without brother, I may not be able to have a skill and get rid of the reputation of ignorance."

Huan Rong listened carefully without interrupting.

Just hearing these words, whoever said that Huan Yi was stupid, he would definitely slap him.

"I thought, being a prince, I can only be happy for a while. If I don't become a prince and follow my brother, I will be happy for a lifetime."

"Brother, we can't say for sure." Is there any pressure to trust him so much?

"Yes, definitely!"

"What if I only serve as the magistrate of Yandu County for the rest of my life?"

"Very good!" Huan Yi's eyes lit up, "Yandu near the sea, I like sea fish the most, and I'm sure I won't have to worry about eating with brother!"

"What if I want to fight against barbarians?"

"Better!" Huan Yi continued to shine his eyes, "I learn this martial art, and I can protect Brother!"

Huan Rong was at a loss, he went all out and said, "What if I rebel like my father?"

"No problem!" Huan Yi clenched his fist, his eyes turned green, and he said fiercely, "Whoever dares to stop brother from rebelling, I will beat him to death with one punch!"

Huan Rong: "..."

"Brother?"

After feeding the last piece of meat to Goshawk, Huan Rong put down his chopsticks and waved his hands weakly.

With a brother like this, he really needs to be quiet.