Prince Merry

The end of the year is approaching.

Every Chinese New Year, on the evening of the [-]th, officials of the third rank and above must enter the palace to worship, and Qin Zizhen is also included.

On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Qin Zizhen returned to the capital slowly. This time, he only brought thirty guards with him, and the rest continued to train in Zhuangzi, and they were not allowed to stop until they were qualified.

The atmosphere of the New Year's Eve in Beijing is very strong, and every household hangs red lights.Sitting on the carriage back to Beijing, Qin Che looked around curiously.

Qin Zizhen is in a good mood. The New Year's Day is an ancient festival in China. Since the end of the world, he has not experienced such a happy and lively scene for a long time.

There are many people buying new year's goods on the street, whether they are ordinary people or high-ranking officials, all of them have soothing smiles on their faces during the new year.

Qin Zizhen had no interest at first, but in the noisy street, looking at the lights and festoons around him, he seemed to be infected, and suddenly looked forward to the New Year.

The servants in the mansion are very sensible, and the preparations for the New Year's Eve are well done. Ever since Fu Xucheng accepted the job of managing affairs, Qin Zizhen seldom worried about trivial matters.

Qin Zizhen nodded in praise: "You are not bad."

Fu Xucheng smiled leisurely, and said respectfully: "It is my good fortune to be able to serve your son."

Qin Zizhen laughed loudly: "Okay, reward, two slings for each person during the Chinese New Year, four slings for the team leader, eight slings for the squadron leader, [-] slacks for the team leader, and so on, the same goes for the manager."

"This...too much." Fu Xucheng frowned, feeling happy and worried at the same time. It's a good thing that the son of the world is generous, and he will follow suit, but if he continues to spend money like this, how will he live in the future?

Qin Zizhen waved his hand: "Don't worry, this son has plenty of money, and you can have fun with your grandson during the New Year, but remember one thing, don't let such dirty things happen in my house." If you want to run away , I have to feed the horses, he will not treat his subordinates badly, he has enough money, if anyone else steals the chickens and dogs for petty gain, don't blame him for being merciless, after all, most of the guards are criminals, He can imply that they are loyal, but he cannot imply that they will not do bad things, otherwise, what's the use of his own soldiers?He himself was not a good man.

Fu Xucheng's heart trembled: "This subordinate knows."

Qin Zizhen waved him back, before leaving, he said, "Your grandson is good, let him follow Che'er in the future."

Fu Xucheng was overjoyed: "Thank you, sir."

Qin Zizhen rubbed his son's head. He was isolated by the officials in Beijing, and his son was also excluded. Although Qin Che was still young, it would not work if he continued like this. He must have a playmate in childhood. Although Fu Xucheng's grandson is old It's just right to take care of Qin Che.

Back in the mansion, I rested for a day, and the next day was New Year's Eve.

The annual ceremony for entering the palace has already been prepared neatly. Qin Zizhen is reluctant to part with gold, silver and jewels. No one can cheapen the emperor, so he picks and chooses and takes out a full-length mirror from the space. It is beautiful, high-grade, and rare, and presents it to the emperor. It's good.

Fu Xucheng has become accustomed to the rare gadgets of the prince, even if he can't figure out where the prince's things come from because there is no mirror in the warehouse, this does not prevent him from being happy, and it can save a lot of money.

The emperor is in a bad mood this year, and the New Year is not as lively as it used to be. Whoever changes, a young and promising son is deposed, I am afraid he will not be happy in his heart.

When Qin Zizhen returned to the capital, the news that the fifth prince had been abolished was known to everyone. Hearing the rumors, Qin Zizhen laughed it off. Quite dark.

With a light sweep of his mental power, seeing him leisurely in the Hou's mansion, and seeing Mrs. Jing'an Hou discussing matters with the Hou Ye, he felt a little gloating in his heart. He didn't know what the boy would do in the face of a forced marriage. Let's see how calm he is. Leisurely, there must have been a countermeasure, Qin Zizhen looked away and stopped paying attention.

He was really not interested in the intrigue in the backyard.

But in Jing'anhou's mansion, no matter how angry Jing'anhou is, he has to stay with his wife during the Chinese New Year. If the Zhang family is convicted, the Zhang family is still Mrs. Jing'anhou, and must go to the palace to see the ladies at night.

After being cold for more than half a month, the Marquis of Jing'an finally stepped into the main room.

Mrs. Zhang's face was haggard. As soon as she saw her husband, she burst into tears: "Master, you have finally come to see my concubine. What is wrong with my concubine that makes you so unwelcoming."

The Marquis of Jing'an was angry in his heart, but seeing Zhang's tears streaming down his face, he couldn't help but soften his heart: "You... oh..."

Jing'an Hou sighed heavily. They have been married for decades, so how could they be so cruel? If Mrs. Zhang hadn't gone too far, he wouldn't have left her cold: "You are the head of the house, even if the concubine has a child, I will still call you mother, why do you...you can do it yourself."

"Master..." Zhang's face turned pale with shock, and she cried in grief: "Does the master just not believe in concubines like this? When the master has a child, the concubine will only be happy, how can he embarrass a concubine, the master's blood is hugging the concubine by his side What's the difference between adoptive and biological, you, you actually blamed me for a concubine, shouldn't I deal with such a scandal?"

Jing Anhou looked at her suspiciously, did he guess wrong?But a mere concubine has only been in the mansion for half a month, how could he have the courage to have an affair, and how could he know the servant.

While crying, Mrs. Zhang said, as if she had nothing to love: "My master condemned me even if I didn't listen to my explanation. What's the point of my life?"

Jing'an Hou was startled: "Why do you have to do this, madam? If you have something to say, speak up."

Mrs. Zhang cried for a while, and then said: "The little servant has been checked by his concubine. He is Zhou Guanshi's nephew. He eats too much and is lazy all day long, and owes a lot of money. Zhou Guanshi cares about his family, so he arranged for him in the mansion. An errand, this matter is still personally agreed by the master."

Hou Jing'an thought about it carefully, his expression was a little embarrassing, what Zhang said was true, Zhou Guanshi was his confidant, he thought it was not a big deal to help his nephew, once Zhou Guanshi mentioned it, he agreed .

Mrs. Zhang went on to say: "Who would have thought that that young fellow would never change his nature, and he would like to gamble as much as he entered the Hou's mansion. He owed the gambling house 3000 taels of silver last month, and he still couldn't pay, so he made up his mind on the Hou's mansion. Seeing that there was no one in Aunt Lian's house, he wanted to do something to gain some benefits, but Aunt Lian bumped into him. The boy was also a coward, and he was afraid that Aunt Lian would make a fuss, so he just stopped doing it and did those dirty things. As for the matter, Aunt Lian has a clue to be caught by him, and she goes back and forth... always showing her feet, and only then was she discovered by the concubine."

Mrs. Zhang's explanation was reasonable, and Hou Jing'an looked disgusted. When he thought of that woman who had been slept with by others, and then slept by himself again, he felt disgusted.

Mrs. Zhang sneered, if she didn't have a second move, how could she act recklessly: "If the master doesn't believe it, you can take the concubine's room to another hospital, so that if something happens in the mansion, it will be the concubine's fault."

The Marquis of Jing'an was a little moved, but he declined politely: "No, Madam is the head of the house, what does it sound like to raise a concubine and go to another courtyard?"

Mrs. Zhang is disdainful. The two have been husband and wife for decades, but she can clearly feel the master's temperament. The master is good at handling official duties. When it is the turn of the family, the master has always been indecisive. Otherwise, the family would have been separated early, her poor child How to die early.

"Master, don't forget, those rooms are all in the Jing'an Hou Mansion. If the master can't give birth to a son, who will be the happiest?"

Jing'anhou changed his mind. Back then, his father's deathbed order did not allow the Jing'anhou's family to be separated. He agreed because of a momentary soft-heartedness, but now he can't do so unless he has a descendant.

Jing'an Hou held his wife's hand: "It's still Huilan who is considerate."

Mrs. Zhang smiled slightly. She took good care of herself. Although she was over fifty, she still looked like she was in her early forties. She said softly: "It's good that the master understands my intentions. Don't misunderstand my concubine in the future. The Zhang family is now deeply In prison, if the master... I really can't survive."

Jing'an Hou patted her hand: "Madam, don't worry, there will be a turning point for the Zhang family after the New Year."

Mrs. Zhang secretly rolled her eyes, she knew this a long time ago, after the [-]th day of the first lunar month, it will be the Empress Dowager's [-]th birthday, which is a whole birthday, the emperor will definitely pardon the world.

No matter what he thought in his heart, the expression on Zhang's face was both surprised and happy, and his eyes were full of affection: "Thank you, master."

Marquis Jing'an twirled his beard and said with a smile, "Why should you and I be so polite?"

Mrs. Zhang hesitated to speak.

Jing'an Hou said: "Madam, if you have something to say, just speak up."

"My lord, the Zhang family is now in decline, and my concubine is suffering physically and mentally. Jiusi has not yet married a wife. How about letting him marry the daughter of the Zhang family, as it is to help the concubine's natal family."

"This... can't be done!" Marquis Jingan hesitated for a moment, then flatly refused. The daughter of the Zhang family had been imprisoned, and Jiu Si married the daughter of the Zhang family. Do you want the reputation of the Marquis of Jingan's mansion?

Mrs. Zhang didn't give up on the expected answer, and she had already thought up an excuse: "My lord, I know that my request is too much, but Jiu Si has a handicap, so there must be someone to take care of her, a woman of the right family... It's not like you don't know that Jiusi is fourteen in his twenties this year, and others are gossiping. If you don't know, you think I have treated this son-in-law badly. Anyway, he can't inherit the title. If the master has a son, who will Jiusi marry? No influence, even if he marries Zhang's daughter, others will only say that he knows how to repay her kindness."

Marquis Jing'an weighed the pros and cons, frowning tightly in thought.

Mrs. Zhang said softly, "If the master can't trust me, he might as well take a few concubines and raise them in another courtyard. The master is strong and can always give birth to a son."

The Marquis of Jing'an felt ashamed, and only then did he remember that he had wronged Mrs. Zhang before, and sighed: "So let's do as you want, there should be someone who knows the cold and hot around Jiusi, but the empress... "

"Master, don't worry. Jiusi said that as long as the master agrees, the empress will not be troublesome. What's more, this is a family matter of our Marquis Mansion, and the queen is too lenient."

Jing Anhou glared at her: "Don't be rude."

Mrs. Zhang smiled slightly, and said respectfully: "My concubine saves her life, isn't this only said in front of the master? The queen harmed my child, how can I not avenge this revenge."

"I understand what you mean, don't worry, whether I have a son or not, you will be the old Fengjun."

The husband and wife chatted for a while, and the Marquis of Jing'an rested in the main courtyard late at night.

The next day, New Year's Eve.

Early in the morning, every household is busy, posting couplets, setting off firecrackers, preparing for the New Year’s Eve, and the most important ancestor worship.

Qin Zizhen had no ancestors to worship, so he rectified a bit, left his son at home, brought New Year's gifts, and went to the palace alone for the banquet.

Qin Che looked at his father pitifully.

Qin Zizhen was unmoved at all, as he was forced by his own situation, he didn't want his son to worship the emperor three times and kneel down nine times.

On the other end, Yun Xiao was full of worry: "My lord, are you really going to enter the palace today?"

Xie Jiusi smiled lightly: "The prince has spoken, how could it be false."

"But you..."

Ever since the young master's legs were disabled, he has never attended a palace banquet, today...

Xie Jiusi glanced at her: "Okay, you go down." Yunxiao is getting old, and it's time to get married. Since he can't trust her, and there is no evidence to prove her betrayal, he will marry her for the sake of his master and servant in the past. People, out of sight, out of mind.

Xie Jiusi's brows and eyes were full of indifference, the prince sent guards to invite him into the palace, and he could not be refused at all, no matter whether the day was good or bad, he had to go through it.