Jicanghai

Empress Dowager Zhong immediately put her arms around him and said with emotion: "Your father and mother left early, and your child was disobedient and went out to run around, so that Ai's family could not see him for several years. If there is something wrong with you, Ai's family will How can I have the face to go underground to meet my short-lived Yaomei..." After saying that, he covered his face with his sleeves, tears poured down his face, it didn't look like a fake, probably he was really thinking of Yaomei who died young.

Seeing the Empress Dowager being sad, the surrounding concubines wept too, and pressed the corners of their eyes with handkerchiefs, fearing that their makeup would be ruined.But Mingran couldn't cry even with all her breastfeeding strength, so she could only hold her in her arms without raising her head, and was forced by the Empress Dowager Zhong to lift her face up and look carefully: "Xiaoran has lost weight, but she has grown taller. It’s too big. Suffering outside.” Feeling around, he took a sandalwood box on the desk beside him, took out a pair of white jade necklaces inlaid with gold and treasures, and hung them around his neck.

The corners of Mingran's eyes twitched a few times, the old aunt came again and again, always wearing these girls' things for him, wishing to let him be covered in jewels, and treat him like a 16-year-old yellow flower girl!But seeing that my aunt was really sad and didn't dare to refuse, she had to sit beside the Queen Mother Zhong wearing the white jade necklace and said softly: "Auntie, I brought you a snow wolf fur cloak. Xiaoran hunted it with her own hands, and one of them is the wolf king of the snow wolf pack."

Empress Dowager Zhong stroked his hand with a lot of emotion: "My son has grown up, promising and filial, and when I turn around, my aunt will reward you generously!" She glanced across the hall, and when she saw Zhong Xu, she snorted coldly: "Erlang, you still know that there is a sister like me, you see that you are not as good as Xiaoran, he knows to come to see me as soon as he comes back, and you, the Ai family only thinks that you are waiting to come to pay tribute to me!"

Zhong Xu hurriedly bowed to salute: "I dare not, my brother... was busy a while ago and neglected to greet, big sister forgive me."

Empress Dowager Zhong wanted to wait for another attack, but remembered that there were so many people in the palace, she had to save some face for this little brother, so she suppressed her anger again, and ordered: "The lord of the country will come to give a banquet later, the three of you will accompany Aijia Let’s have a good reunion dinner. It just so happens that my wife will meet with you today, so let’s give a banquet together in this side hall.”

This happened to be just right, and Ming Ran couldn't say anything.He was dragged by the queen mother to ask questions, so he only picked up the not-too-outrageous things and talked about them, which made the old man very happy. He glanced at the bead curtain triumphantly, thinking that Yunjing is going crazy, saying that our little Ranhuang is going away I'm not reliable, I'll show you today to see if you still don't want to marry your daughter.

It's almost noon, and the existing servants will come to inform the king that he will arrive as soon as possible.So the wives withdrew from behind the curtain to the side hall, and several concubines also invited them over.Only then did the king come in wearing a black robe with the vermilion bird pattern, and everyone hurriedly kowtowed to the king again.However, when the lord saw Mingran, he clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Hey, where did such a face-born beauty come from! Empress, is this a relative of your Zhong family?"

Empress Dowager Zhong frowned and said, "Don't tell me you don't recognize him? He's so beautiful!"

The king took a closer look and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Xiaoran, who has grown so big. The queen mother, Gu, has never had the habit of cutting off her sleeves and dividing her peaches, but I praised him for nothing, why are you nervous? Come, come, sit down." Come on, the whole family don't need to be restrained."

After the banquet was finally held, the Empress Dowager Zhong pulled Mingran and Zhong Xu by her side, Zuo Wenhui was going to accompany the last seat, but the king never forgot him, so he called him over with his fingers Self: "If no one hurts, just sit alone."

In the middle of a banquet, Zuo Wenhui accompanied the king to talk courteously and modestly, while Zhong Xu was so absorbed in his work that he couldn't care less about words.Mingran didn't want to imitate his uncle and just eat nonsense, so he helped Queen Mother Zhong with a few words from time to time.

The king took the time to stare at Mingran for a while, and asked, "Xiaoran, are you about to reach the crown?"

Mingran nodded yes.Empress Dowager Zhong said: "Our Xiaoran's birthday is April [-]th. Your son, you have to go and crown us in person at that time. Would you like to think ahead and give Xiaoran a name."

So the king stopped eating, knocked on the case and said: "As long as he is willing to arrange the delicious food and wine, Gu will not hesitate to go there. As for the words, they are becoming more and more dyed without knowing it. Changed appearance. Probably because I was afraid that you would not be easy to raise, the third uncle gave you such a name, telling you to roll a little dust and get a little earthy, but it is meaningless when you think about it. As for the name, it is called "Chuiying" "Well, it sounds more refined, so that you don't have to be ugly with a name. Don't you still have a cousin? Later, I alone gave him the nickname 'Louchen', and the two of you together are blowing shadows and Louchen." "

Ming Ran got up to thank her, and said: "My cousin is still young, so I will keep the word Louchen for him."

Empress Dowager Zhong said: "I heard nothing good, it's illusory. Huanger, Xiaoran has suffered a lot outside in the past four or five years. You see, this child is now thin, and Aijia feels distressed. Very much, I just feel sorry for his mother, but I don't know how to make it up to him, after much deliberation, it is more serious to return his title first, what do you think, Huang'er?" After speaking, he wiped the corners of his eyes with a veil.

The king twitched the corner of his lower lip when he heard the words: "I knew the empress would say that. If Gu easily returned his title, who will make up for the grievances Anxiu suffered?"

Empress Dowager Zhong said coldly: "Didn't she do all the things that happened back then? Now she is married well, so why should I be wronged or not? You just favor that little vixen!"

The king said slowly: "The queen mother still favors Xiaoran, she has been biased since she was a child."

Empress Dowager Zhong frowned: "He has no parents since he was a child, and few people take care of him, what's wrong with me?"

Mingran hurriedly stretched out her hand to hold her arm: "Auntie, I did offend Princess Anxiu back then, and His Majesty deserved to accept my title. If you don't return it, don't return it. There will be martial arts in Chunwei in a few days, and I will be a scholar. If you want to participate as a child, you can find a family by yourself."

Empress Dowager Zhong said angrily: "Look at the children of the six surnames who pass the imperial examination to seek their own birth, unless he was born by a concubine! My grandson of the Zhong family can't even do it! You were not to blame for that incident at the time, and it made you have a high fever." I almost lost my life in one fight, so it would be good if the Ai family didn't settle the bill with them. Emperor, if you repay the title, we will leave this page. Burning incense, bathing, fasting and praying for him, save him from having a miserable life for the rest of his life!"

The empress dowager got angry and shocked everyone, Zuo Wenhui kept silent with his eyebrows lowered.Zhong Xu turned his head quietly, squeezed his eyes at Mingran, and smiled slyly.Mingran stretched out her hands to hold half of her face, and moaned in her heart, the secret channel was broken.Sure enough, the king snorted coldly: "The queen mother doesn't need to help him, he can eat the last meal without the next meal? His family randomly knocked out two boxes of the third aunt's dowry, which is enough for the palace to use for three years!"

There is a reason for the Lord's words. The Yongjiang Marquis Mansion has a lot of property, so much that it makes people's eyes red.Of course, Pingnanhou's mansion also has a lot of property, but the Eight Heavenly Kings can't hold back. Those who marry wives and those who have children, go out to fight from time to time to pay for medical expenses and so on. , but it happens to stand out from the crowd and all four are empty.

But after Mingran left to the northwest, his family property was confiscated by the queen mother, and put down the words, no one is allowed to get involved, and it will not be returned until Mingran returns to engage in marriage.So it is human nature for the ruler of the country to be jealous and jealous. Who said that even he can't get his hands on it?

The old empress went on to explode after hearing the words: "You unfilial son, what do you really want if the empress mother says something and you stop it?"

The lord raised his eyes to look at the queen mother, and the more he looked, the more depressed he became: "Mother, I wish I could entertain my relatives in colorful clothes every day. What is so unfilial? So what if you are lonely. The title and money are nothing but vain things, like a dream or an illusion. Just like dew and like electricity, everything in the world is impermanent, so we should observe it like this. Hey, how can ordinary people not see through this world of mortals?"

The king thought that the queen mother was partial to her natal family, so he was so angry that he didn't eat any food, so he simply got up and left. After a long while, he ordered the servants to bring over an agarwood wooden box, which contained a canonized document made of jade and gold rings and an oracle.Mingran took it quickly, and once again thanked her aunt for acting for the sky and for the people.

The Queen Mother laughed like a chrysanthemum, and waved to a nanny behind her, who immediately brought over a large handful of scrolls: "There is one more thing that Aijia wants to tell Xiaoran, you are about to reach the crown, you There is not even a decent hostess in your mansion. The Ai family knows that you are all busy, so let’s take care of it for you today. Here are [-] ministers’ daughters selected for you, all of whom are chaste and virtuous. The Ai family has personally seen their appearances one by one, so it won't make you feel bad. Come on, let's take a look at them one by one."

As soon as she said this, Zhong Xu stood up quietly and stepped back silently.Zuo Wenhui, who was opposite him, suddenly raised his head, staring at him with eyes like torches.Zhong Xu stared back, and mouthed to him: "It's convenient for me to go." Then he left the hall and ran away.

Mingran pressed the queen mother's hand: "I trust my aunt, I will be dazzled if I read too much, maybe I will pick melons in the melon field, so I can't pick melons."

His attitude was firm, so Empress Dowager Zhong had to ask the maid to present another piece of paper: "If you don't care about looks, just look at the family backgrounds of these girls, you must be satisfied." The old woman raised her eyes to see his rather reluctant face, He said again: "The key to your storehouse is still here at Ai's house, I'll let someone get it for you."

The meaning is very clear, no pick and no money.Mingran sighed in her heart, so she had to do something casually on the paper: "That's it."

Empress Dowager Zhong exclaimed: "It's the little granddaughter of Old Xiangguo Xiao, my son has good eyesight, good eyesight! Old Xiangguo is an important minister of the three dynasties, go and say congratulations to Mrs. Xiao first, and when I turn around, Aijia personally decides the date of marriage with her."

Zuo Wenhui also followed suit: "Not bad, not bad, a match made in heaven."

The queen mother turned her head: "Erlang, come and take a look. Your mansion has been empty for many years. Hey, where is Erlang?"

Zuo Wenhui said: "Report to the Queen Mother, little uncle has gone to change clothes."

Suddenly, there was a faint noise in the side hall, and then a court lady ran over and reported in a low voice: "Queen Mother, Mrs. Xiao heard the good news at first, maybe she was too... too happy, she passed out. I have already gone to invite you!" Physician."

Empress Dowager Zhong said: "Huh? In this way, I have to ask the imperial doctor to take a good look at her. Aijia remembers that there is a magic needle in the imperial hospital, Zheng, who can best cure this kind of sudden fainting. Let him give Mrs. Xiangguo a few needles." .”

Mingran was startled, got up and said: "Auntie, don't force yourself." Zuo Wenhui reached his side at some point, stretched out his hand and sat him down again, and said in a low voice: "Don't pay attention to that old woman, she doesn't understand You won't know how lucky her family is until her granddaughter gets married."

Mingran said: "Big cousin, who are you calling an old woman? That is Xiao Lao Xiangguo's first wife, who is my future...hehe."

He took away his house key and the gold-painted box containing the title deed from the Queen Mother that night. Before leaving, the Queen Mother held his hand and said earnestly: "Xiaoran, your cousin always thinks that I am partial to my mother's family." , so take the opportunity to get angry, don't take it to heart. In fact, he is my own son, how can I not favor him. How many of the courtiers have their own thoughts can be relied on? I am partial to my mother's family. For his own good, after all, we are all members of our family, so we can always help him more. You must understand my painstaking efforts."

Mingran said: "Auntie, I understand, don't worry."

That night, the Xiao Mansion was full of gloomy clouds and mist, the old lady was crying, the daughter-in-law was crying, and the little granddaughter Xiao Feiyue was still young, crying along with her for no apparent reason.Three women are in one play, and crying together is even more of a big play, which annoyed Xiao Laoxiangguo terribly, but he was not familiar with Ming Ran, and many things in the past were just hearsay, so he had to persuade indiscriminately: "Don't cry! Okay? It’s not as scary as what you heard. Today you also met this young master. He is not missing arms or legs, and he is not pockmarked with a crooked nose and squinting eyes. I think it’s fine. What’s wrong with you? Satisfied, she is really a girl with long hair and short knowledge!"

The old lady sobbed: "What's the use of being good-looking! What I'm most afraid of is that he is as ruthless as the legends say, and besides, he has been out for so many years, who knows what he has been doing outside! The holy will is hard to violate, we can't resist, cry Crying about Feiyue's tragic fate is not enough? I have to ask the master to ask for a favor, at least to keep Feiyue for two more years, she is not yet fifteen, how can she be sent to that beast... that person to spoil her?"