[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Lin Ruhai really couldn't tell what was wrong with her, but if she wanted to talk about the Shi family's affairs, after all, the two families didn't have a blunt agreement, and they couldn't lie.Besides, if Daiyu had already betrothed to the Shi family, she would also be suspected of belittling her own daughter. As a father, of course Lin Ruhai would not do so.

Therefore, Lin Ruhai was suffering beyond words.

Xiao Jingyun actually found out that Tan Qian was going to marry Lin Ruhai's adopted daughter, not the romantic poet.But it's better to act first, and then to be attacked later. Miss Lin is already old, and the marriage is coming soon. If he doesn't act quickly, Miss Lin will definitely get engaged this year.

Xiao Houdao: "Brother Lin can't say what is not a good match, that is, you dislike me as a father. Brother Lin insists that I also go to the Jinshi examination, so I think the two are suitable?"

Lin Ruhai said: "Lin has absolutely no such intentions, it's just that Lin... has only one daughter under her knees, and she has been spoiled by thousands of petites since she was a child. Lin is afraid... the nobles of the Hou family..."

Xiaohou said: "Brother Lin, don't pretend to be. Why is the Hou's family noble? Your Lin family is also a generation of princes. It was only after you that you passed the imperial examination. You are all from the Hou family. Why don't you look down on us as the Hou family?" ?You were born in a noble family and entered the imperial examination. My son is also a son of the Hou family, and he also entered the imperial examination. If you look down on him, doesn’t that mean you look down on yourself? Talented and beautiful, a match made in heaven, the beauty of our adults also becomes the beauty of our own, as an in-law That's great, why do you push back and forth?"

Lin Ruhai was also drunk when he met such a scoundrel with a special status. Lin Ruhai said: "The matter of marriage still needs to be carefully considered. It has to be done step by step. Character, talent, family background must be considered, and we can't rush it for a while."

But when Xiaohou and his son were grinding Lin Ruhai in the main hall, Mrs. Xiaohou also came to Mrs. Sun's courtyard to chat with tea.Mrs. Hou came to visit and was accompanied by the female relatives. As the eldest lady of the family, Daiyu naturally wanted to come up to see her. This is the basic etiquette when dealing with female relatives of officials and eunuchs. Even if Mrs. Hou has other purposes, Daiyu can't avoid it.

Mrs. Sun was politely entertaining Mrs. Xiaohou for tea, when she heard the report from the nurse outside: "Madam, Miss and Third Miss are here."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiaohou turned her head to look at the door, and saw two beautiful maidservants in bright clothes, surrounded by two girls with extraordinary bearing, entering the room. Looking at the first girl, Mrs. Xiaohou couldn't help but catch her breath.

But I saw that girl's shoulders were shaved, her waist was plain, her neck was slender, and her muscles were like ice and snow. She was wearing a plain brocade skirt that reached her waist, covered with a layer of water-blue soft smoky gauze, and a moon-white embroidered skirt. The orchid shawl is held between the shoulders and arms.Her hair like a waterfall of ink was lightly pulled into a green bun, and she simply inserted two pearl flowers between the buns, and two gauze headbands hung between her hair.

Quietness is like delicate flowers shining in the water, actions are like weak willows supporting others, and the spirit of poetry and calligraphy in the belly flows freely.

With a peerless appearance and rare beauty, this young girl is like a fairy who does not eat fireworks in the world.

Even though that Shi Hui is also one of the most famous beauties in the capital, her attire is also similar to that of Daiyu, only with different colors and patterns.And her almond-shaped eyes and peach cheeks are bright and beautiful, but Mrs. Hou just looks straight at Daiyu.

In ancient times, the elders and the younger were orderly, that is, two girls entered the house together, and Daiyu stood on the left as the eldest, so Madam Hou could naturally tell which one was the right one.

Mrs. Sun said with a smile: "Yu'er, Hui'er, come quickly and meet Mrs. Xiaohou."

Daiyu and Shi Hui hurried forward to salute. Madam Sun introduced the identities of Daiyu and Shi Hui, and Madam Xiao Hou sighed.

Mrs. Xiao Hou was very interested in the "Taoyuan Three-Old Brotherhood", and when she asked about it, Daiyu also answered one by one. Of course, she wanted to avoid the part that Xing Xiuyan and the sage had known each other for a long time.

Mrs. Xiao Hou heard this, and even said yes, and said with a smile: "You have such good looks and such a bold temperament, isn't it a natural match with our Yun'er! Mrs. Lin, you should accept us and treat such a lovely person with you." Xin Xin's daughter to our family, we will love it like our own daughter!"

At this time Daiyu heard about the marriage again, she and Shi Hui were unmarried daughters, so naturally it was inconvenient to hear, so she resigned immediately.

Not to mention how Mrs. Xiaohou pestered Mrs. Sun, Daiyu and Shi Hui left the house, but Shi Hui was anxious like ants on a hot pot.

Shi Huidao: "If foster father and wife accept Xiao's house, what will my second brother do? My elder brother is already having trouble finding a sister-in-law. If second brother fails here again, what should I do?"

Shi Hui looked as if she was about to cry, Daiyu couldn't help but gasped, and said, "Sister, if you say that again, I won't talk to you."

Shi Hui pulled Daiyu to beg for mercy, and said: "My good sister, you have to tell your wife that you must not agree!"

Daiyu said in embarrassment, "My daughter's marriage has always been ordered by the parents and the words of the matchmaker. How can we interfere indiscriminately?"

Although Daiyu has a heart longing for free love, the truth that Xing Xiuyan told Cui Yingying's story that day is deeply imprinted in her heart.Instead of trusting a man in matters of marriage, it is better to trust one's own father.The Shi family had a close relationship with her, and her father was also satisfied with Shi Cong's talent and morality. After all, she was a young girl, so she naturally felt that Shi Cong was a good man. In fact, she really had no plans to find another good man.

However, Shi Hui had to be concerned, because she was going to leave temporarily and go home, and asked the Lin family to arrange a carriage.Daiyu knew what she was anxious about, but she couldn't refuse her to go back, so she had to let Mother Xu order her to prepare.

When the Shi family learned that the Xiao family had proposed marriage to the Lin family and came to visit, it was quite a sensation. Although the Shi family was afraid of the power of the Xiao family, the "internal appointment" daughter-in-law who was about to come to her mouth was killed by Cheng Yaojin for no reason. of?

Shi Cong also knew how good-looking that righteous sister was, and he would never be able to marry such a daughter-in-law elsewhere.What's more, Lin Ruhai is the servant of the household department and a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, and the Lin family is also a family of nobles. Poems and books have been handed down from generation to generation. She herself is the "Heyu County Lord" proclaimed by a saint. Where can I find such a wife?Every time he thinks about it, he is full of anticipation for the day when he gets married in the future.

Shi Bai frowned, and said: "This Xiaohou has always faded out of the court, but he is the hereditary Dingzhonghou, what should we do?"

Shi Cong and Xiao Jingyun are in the same family, and said: "The son of Xiaohou is a Tanhualang handpicked by the sage, his talent and appearance are really outstanding, and the child also feels that he is not as good as him, I am afraid that Uncle Lin will not refuse."

But Shi Bai said: "Brother Ruhai is not that kind of person, he likes you all the time, and our two families are so friendly, as long as he doesn't respond now, we still have a chance."

Mrs. Shi Zhang was also impatient, and said: "But we won't wait until Rui'er settles down on this matter. We will find someone to come to propose marriage tomorrow!"

Shi Bai originally wanted to agree, but he had been in the officialdom for a long time, and he had more scruples, and said: "It's better not to make a big show, and it's better not to offend Xiaohou's family. Tomorrow, I will go to Brother Ruhai to discuss it and ask What does he mean?"

……

Xing Xiuyan found out about the competition between Xiao and Shi to hire Lin Daiyu two days later, because Xiao Hou had already cried to the Supreme Emperor and asked for a marriage.

This incident alarmed Tu Yuanyi, and Tu Yuanyi was stunned.Because at this time in the previous life, the Emperor's health began to be bad again, but the Empress Dowager Liu came out to dance again.Empress Dowager Liu saw Xiao Shizi's talent and appearance through the curtain at the Qionglin Banquet, and thought of the hereditary marquis behind him, she became greedy, so she married the Lord.

Xiao Hou was not in the capital at that time, and he took Madam Hou to visit the mountains and rivers. Xiao Shizi was still young, the queen mother had already granted a marriage, and the imperial decree was issued to the Hou's mansion.But before he got married, he went all over the flower houses in the capital and blatantly took in three concubines to express his dissatisfaction.

All the officials and eunuchs in the capital knew about Xiao Shizi's unrestrained behavior. Naturally, the tenth princess also heard the news. She originally wanted to let her mother divorce the engagement, but she didn't expect to see him at the palace banquet and she didn't want to divorce at all.Xiao Shizi did that in order to let the royal family take the initiative to withdraw the engagement. How could he know that the princess' daughter Xinxin would fall in love at first sight?

At that time, Tu Yuanyi didn't want to care about these things either. He was concentrating on fighting against the power of noble families, piling up money everywhere to fill households that were not much better than beggars.

Xing Xiuyan heard from Tu Yuanyi that Xiao Hou asked for marriage from the Lin family, so he couldn't help serving him tea and asked, "Who is this Xiao family?"

Tu Yuanyi raised his eyebrows and said, "You don't know?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "I'm not a god, how would I know?"

Originally, because she knew some opportunities, Tu Yuanyi always had the feeling that someone from outside the world was in this world, which made him uncomfortable. Hearing what she said now, he couldn't help but feel a little proud .

He made a fool of himself, so he explained the background of the Xiao family, and said that this Lord Xiao is the third generation of Dingzhonghou. The previous generation of Lord Hou was the leader of the army in his early years. He only got this son when he was 40 years old. grow up.As a result, Xiao Hou developed an arrogant and absurd temperament. He grew up snacking, drinking and playing, and was good at cockfighting and running dogs, but he couldn't study and practice martial arts. He was a full-fledged dude with a title on his head.But I heard that he married Mrs. Nie, Mrs. Hou from the people. Mrs. Hou practiced martial arts since she was a child. Although Xiao Hou is a dude, he is full of fear of internal affairs.

Tu Yuanyi was also very surprised that such absurd dude as Xiao Hou could give birth to Xiao Jingyun who was nominated on the Youth Gold List.

Xing Xiuyan asked again: "Then, will this Prince Xiao have a bright future? How is his character? Does he have any bad habits? How does he look like?"

Tu Yuanyi shook his head: "I can't say for sure."

Xing Xiuyan said urgently: "How can you not be sure?"

Tu Yuanyi would not easily tell about the fact that he favored ten princesses in his previous life. After all, he was a feudal emperor, that is, the "head of the family" of the royal family.Dowager Liu is not good anymore. She is also the "mother" of the previous royal generation legally and in fact. As the current "head of the family", he can deal with their mother and daughter himself, but he will not openly admit that it was the empress dowager Liu and the royal princess who indirectly destroyed the mother. Xiao Shizi.

Tu Yuanyi said: "Many things are different now, how can I judge a person's future? If everything is the same as before, what's the point of my years of hard work?"

Xing Xiuyan had nothing to say when he thought about it, if he could predict everything now, then nothing had changed, and that would be the saddest thing for him.