[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

For the next two or three days, Xing Xiuyan always had something on her mind. She was thinking about whether she should try to seize the queen's position.Being a concubine is always a pain in her heart as a modern person, but it is most contrary to her three views as a modern person to lose her original spouse and replace her by herself.

In fact, she has been restraining herself, restraining herself with her kind side and the moral values ​​of modern people, restraining herself until she forgets about it.Even without this incident, if she insists on arguing with Tu Yuanyi to become queen, she will succeed. At this time, this man really loves her.

Another point is that she really has no interest in managing the harem. Tu Yuanyi dotes on her alone, and why is she obsessed with false fame?

Although she really has little interest in being a queen mother because she doesn't like being a widow, the queen is the official wife, and only a wife is equal to her husband.No modern woman likes to carry the mark of a concubine for a lifetime.

In fact, as the person who knows Tu Yuanyi best, he can feel his extreme disgust for Yang, yes, extreme disgust.Yang had already passed away at this time, he was not interested in "dead people" after all, and saving her and Tu Hui was entirely because of Tu Yuanyi's human nature.Later, he hated her because the Yang family had beaten her, but she and her family were useful to him, and the family affection for Yang Huaigu in the previous life reduced or suppressed a lot of disgust.Now the previous depression is released. Even Tu Hui came to pay his respects these two days, but he didn't have a good attitude. Tu Hui's face was half like Queen Yang and half like him, which made him feel very unsightly.

Opportunities are here.

She is a cruel person, but she is still a good person.

Do you choose to be reviled by the modern "anti-concubine superior" girl group people, or to be ridiculed by history for being weak and incompetent?

Besides, there are advantages and disadvantages of being a queen, how should I choose between this matter itself?

When she had something on her mind, missions from various tribes in the north came to see Tu Yuanyi.

Among them are the tribes of Aohan, Naiman, and Sunit in Chahar Mongolia; the tribes of Heshuote, Junggar, and Duerte in Xitao Mongolia (that is, the west of Hetao); and the Tuva tribe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Horqin have sent missions.

This time and space has evolved quite strangely. The relationship between the Central Plains Dynasty and the North is intricate. There are many Mongolian tribes, and the relationship is sparse and close.However, Dazhou is different from the Manchu-Mongolian marriage in the Qing Dynasty in history. Since the founding of the country, few princesses have married to the north, or during the short two years of Zhenzong's reign, for the stability of northern Xinjiang, two princesses and a princess married Several tribes of the Chahar Department.At that time, because of the funeral of Emperor Taizong, the most prestigious Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the news spread outside the pass, and naturally people's hearts were a little fluctuating.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty in the official history, Lin Danhan of the Chahar tribe also united with the Ming Dynasty to fight against the Houjin Dynasty. This chaotic space-time disciple Da Zhou was born, and history went for a fork. Gold after fighting.

At the beginning of the Great Zhou Dynasty, all the four kings and eight princes were not good. It can be said that there are fierce generals like clouds, and they have been resisting the northern border from the Tai/Zu to Taizong dynasties.It is also a national policy to unite with the Chahar Ministry to fight against the stronger Houjin, because the Central Plains cavalry and war horses really do not need to be outside the customs, and the Chahar Ministry can supplement the shortcomings of the Central Plains Dynasty.

Because of this, it is quite strange in the world of Red Mansions. On the one hand, the etiquette is inherited, and on the other hand, Hu Feng is quite prosperous.For example: aristocratic sons like Jia Baoyu would wear the arrow-sleeved robes of the northern ethnic style, and there are "Dream of Red Mansions" No. 40 nine chapters "The glass world is white snow and red plums, powder, fragrant cinnamon, and cinnamon".The arrow sleeve gown is a characteristic of the northern people's clothing, and roasting venison is also the custom of the Hu Feng in the north. affected.

The women in the aristocratic boudoirs of the Great Zhou Dynasty are also restrained by rules and etiquette, and on the other hand, the lifestyle of men and women in the Red Mansion is not very taboo, which is also very common.It can also be said that the principles of etiquette are still there, but real life is not so rigid, and everyone is not accustomed to it.

Otherwise, if someone as shrewd as Xue Baochai could persuade Lin Daiyu not to read books like "The Peony Pavilion" and "The Romance of the West Chamber", would she not know the importance of male and female defense?Apparently, Aunt Xue was born in the county uncle Wang's family who was ruled by the Taiwei. When she was in the boudoir, she lived in such a state of life, and the one who taught Baochai didn't have those very strict taboos.On the contrary, those boudoir women who are completely from the south of the Yangtze River have stricter etiquette.

That night, the officials and the envoys from various Mongolian ministries were feasted in Dingshuo Hall, the main hall of the Shengjia Palace next to the Xining County Prince's Mansion.Dingshuo Hall is also the only hall in this palace that can be compared with the palace of the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

When the envoys met during the day, Tu Yuanyi was naturally wearing a leather uniform, second only to the emperor's mianfu, and the emperor's sword with a golden treasure inlaid on the scabbard around his waist.The sabre, on the other hand, represents admiration for martial arts. The northern peoples are not so gentle, courteous and thrifty. They are adept at martial arts and only submit to those who are stronger than them.

But at the night banquet, he was more casual. He only wore a casual yellow robe with arrow sleeves, a golden crown to tie his hair, and boots on his feet. He brought the imperial concubine there, because there were also two tribal princesses among the envoys.Tu Yuanyi also ordered the senior officials who went to the banquet to bring orders to the banquet. This is not a court meeting, and it doesn't matter if you are in Shuofang.Su Fu'er and Daiyu have the title of County Monarch and are of the fourth grade, so they can come, but they are also in the second row of the main side of the Great Zhou, and in front of them are Xiaohou and his wife.

Xing Xiuyan didn't wear high-end make-up either, but wore an apricot-yellow beard robe and a very delicate red knee-length waistcoat with gold rims on his coat. The accessories on his head and body also had Hu Feng, some of which were designed and improved by himself, and some It is the official filial pick out mashup.

In the sound of rites and music, when Tu Yuanyi entered the hall with Xing Xiuyan, the officials, envoys, and edicts of both the Hu and Han sat up and arranged them on both sides according to their ranks. There were more than 400 people in the hall, and Wu Ya knelt down , like a paddy field being blown down by the wind.

"Courtesy/Court wife/Court daughter/See the emperor, long live my emperor, long live! See the imperial concubine, the empress, a thousand years old, a thousand years old!"

The sound reverberated throughout the hall, and Xiao Daiyu and Su Fuer felt indescribable at this moment. Daiyu's mother had just passed away. Xiu Shi didn't even know that one day he would become a relative of the emperor again.

At this time, Daiyu was full of gratitude and respect for Xing Xiuyan, and even though many accidents happened in Beishou, she saw a brand new vast world, and everything made her scared and excited.She doesn't talk much, because she is afraid of not understanding and making mistakes, but she has been watching and remembering to learn.

However, in the second half of her life, when she was fooled by her eldest sister into the court and became the "Minister of Wealth", she felt that this legendary elder sister was a "Tianzi No. [-] liar". Why did she bite this poisonous bait back then?

Tu Yuanyi walked to the center and stood still, saying: "Zhu Qing is in peace!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

All the ministers stood up again after the wind blowing, and then Tu Yuanyi took Xing Xiuyan and took a seat on the throne in the center of the banquet.

The minister of Honglu Temple sang meritorious deeds for a while, and even Xing Xiuyan, who was also quite talented in ancient literature at this time, could only understand eight parts of the splendid essays, and he needed to read the words to understand the remaining two parts.Xing Xiuyan estimated that nine out of ten Mongolian tribal envoys did not understand, but the red tape had to be like this.

After the Honglu Temple Minister's performance was over, the banquet officially began. At this time, the sound of singing, dancing, drums and music was loud, and Tu Yuanyi raised his glasses with all the ministers and envoys, and said a series of scene words.

The ministers and envoys also toasted and drank, and the host and guest enjoyed themselves.

After the dance of the Han family, the water sleeve dance, suddenly Prince Batu, an envoy of the Horqin Ministry, stepped forward to salute his disciple Yuanyi, covering his chest, and said: "Respected emperor of Zhou, although our ministry is small, this mission is also for the sake of our country. The emperor has prepared a dance and music performance."

The Horqin Dance is a neutral tribe, or a tribe where the mother is the mother. Although there are all mothers in the north, it is not as serious as Horqin.

Before the emergence of the Da Zhou, they married Hou Jin and had a close relationship. Later, Lin Danhan's Chahar tribe formed an alliance with Da Zhou and defeated Hou Jin, and dug the roots of the Jin merchant group in the Ming Dynasty to carry out economic operations in the north. blockade.The Horqin tribe also needed salt, tea, and grain from the south, and they secretly came to express their favor to Emperor Taizong of the Great Zhou Dynasty.Don’t think that salt, tea, grain, etc. are unimportant. Let you go to the prairie to live not only for a year, but for a week, and eat mutton without salt every day to see if you will feel sick when you see the meat afterwards.And tea can eliminate the greasy and fishy feeling, and it is a very precious drink in the north.

Taizhou agreed to trade in order to marry Jinman and Mongolia after the division, but there was still a quota at that time.In Gaozong's reign, it basically lost control. There is nothing in this world that can hinder capital for a long time.Moreover, most of the capable ministers during Taizong's period were gone. Gaozong loved to have fun, and was proficient in internal court tactics. He was not very good at big-scale strategies, so how could he control them.The more blocked, the more smuggled, just like the more forbidden/desire, the more tempting.

Horqin would send envoys here at this time, naturally because he was afraid that everyone would benefit from it, but he didn't, and he still wanted to make a fortune through "entrepot trade", so he had to make a living.

Tu Yuanyi'anzhan said with a smile: "The prince is so kind, then I have to take a look."

After saluting, Batu covered his chest and stepped back. The order was sent to His Highness, and the drum and dance team that had been waiting outside the hall earlier entered the hall in an orderly manner.

After a while, the preparations were completed under the eyes of everyone, and a tune full of national taste was played, and eight dancers in Mongolian costumes danced lightly.

She is tall and fit, with a perfect combination of softness and strength. She sways to the rhythm of the Matouqin and drums, or imitates an eagle or an elk.

Suddenly, a tall and beautiful woman in red clothes joined the dance team. Her red boots danced to the beat, stretching and stretching, giving the gentle power of flowing water freely. She seemed to integrate her soul into the nature of the grassland. One with everything.

Southern literati have the taste that women are beautiful when they are weak, but at this time there are also southerners among the civil servants present, and it is human instinct to be attracted by this kind of healthy beauty.

Everyone saw her smiling face like a flower, her beautiful eyes looking forward, she was actually a very beautiful person.Xing Xiuyan was also fascinated by it, she always thought that beauties like "Zhao Min" were just illusions, Jin Yong was thinking too much.She has seen the portrait of the "No. [-] Beauty in Manchuria" Dayuer Xiaozhuang Empress Dowager. Even if she was not young, the typical Mongolian woman's eyebrows, eyes and facial features are definitely not beautiful in the eyes of modern Han people.Her taste in women is still like that of Daiyu, not referring to her weakness, but referring to Daiyu's beautiful features and elegant temperament.

But this beauty has three-dimensional facial features, her eyes are like stars, and her cheeks are like spring flowers, which makes people's eyes shine.

At the end of the song, all the dancers and musicians danced and worshiped. Tu Yuanyi took the lead in applauding and applauding, and all the officials of the Zhou Dynasty, including the king of Xining County, also applauded.

The dancing girl in red covered her chest and bowed and said, "Pearl, thank you for your praise. It is a great honor for Pearl to dance for your Majesty."

Prince Batu then introduced: "Your Majesty, sister Mingzhu is the pearl of our Horqin Grassland, and not everyone is willing to dance for her. Your Majesty is a hero, and our sons and daughters of Horqin have always admired heroes."

Tu Yuanyi laughed loudly and said: "The prince praised it highly. I see that the prince is also very familiar with bows and horses. He is worthy of being the descendant of Genghis Khan. I also respect the prince and Princess Mingzhu."

Li Dequan came to fill up the wine for Tu Yuanyi, and his own maid served wine glasses to Prince Batu and Princess Mingzhu.

"Prince and princess, please drink this cup to the full!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After the emperor, the prince and the princess had finished drinking, the prince and princess should have stepped back as per the etiquette, but Princess Mingzhu looked at Xing Xiuyan with her wonderful eyes and said, "Can the imperial concubine dance?" She was also fluent in Chinese.

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "I am not good at dancing."

Princess Mingzhu said with a smile: "Han women are strict in etiquette, unlike us Mongolian women who are good at singing and dancing. It's strange that they are boring."

Xing Xiuyan cherishes her daughter. Although as a later generation of Han people, she also has the resentment of Yashan's subjugation, but the five ethnic groups in later generations are in harmony, and history is history.She has no ethnic discrimination in later generations, but at this time and at that time, she represents the Han Dynasty of the Great Zhou Dynasty.Regardless of the generation of the Han Dynasty, they are good at face, and she also wants to protect her face.

Xing Xiuyan laughed loudly and said: "No, no. We Han women are good at piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine and tea, and we are not stereotyped. Our Chinese wife Fuhao, the wife of Shangjun Wuding more than 3000 years ago in China, was an invincible female general; The heroic deeds of the female generals against the Liao Dynasty have been sung throughout the ages; in the Northern Song Dynasty, Empress Dowager Liu, a generation of heroines, listened to the government behind the curtain. , also pursued as 'Marquis of Loyalty'. Dare I ask Princess Mingzhu, which daughter in Mongolia has made achievements as good as my heroine in the Central Plains?"

When the ministers heard this, although they felt that these women who were praised in history did not seem to meet the aesthetics of literati in the world, they were also admired by future generations.Anyway, Xing Xiuyan didn't mention Wu Zetian, and didn't touch their nerves. Of course, Xing Xiuyan would not be so stupid.

Even if Princess Mingzhu could speak Chinese, how could she know so clearly the heroines of the Central Plains in history? Women are not as good at singing and dancing as our Mongolian women are.”

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Princess is probably forgetful. The women who danced before the princess danced just now were all Han women. It's just that the tunes of Han and Mongolia are different, and the dance steps are different. They are also singing and dancing. Han women are not good at Mongolian singing and dancing, but it's not that they can't sing and dance. 'Li, music, poetry, book', 'music' is in it, how can the Han people not understand?"

Princess Mingzhu couldn't help being dumbfounded, she took another look at Tu Yuanyi, originally she wanted to get his gaze in this way, but he didn't take a long look.She has determined to marry a hero since she was a child. Four years ago when she was 13 years old, her father wanted to marry her to Houjin, Jianzhou, but she didn't like it, because Emperor Houjin was old and fat, and the money rat tail was really ugly. .But when he saw Emperor Da Zhou in the daytime, he was young, handsome and romantic, like a god who lives in heaven.At this time, she was dancing to catch his attention, and when the elder brother mentioned it euphemistically, the Emperor of Central Plains would happily agree.

His imperial concubine is very beautiful, she has never seen a more beautiful woman than her, but Han women are weak, she also has something better than her.When a Mongolian man marries a wife, he likes to marry a stronger one.

Batu knew that his sister was embarrassed, so he couldn't help but interjected: "Mingzhu, you have never been to the Central Plains, and you have heard some gossip, so it's ridiculous at this time. Let's step back first."

Princess Mingzhu had no choice but to retreat first, Batu charged another crime, smoothed things over and retreated, singing and dancing resumed.Tu Yuanyi is also at ease, when it comes to eloquence, no one can match the strip sheet, but it depends on whether it is worth her to speak.At this time, Princess Mingzhu said that Han women are not good, she belittled all her kind, and belittled Han people. She will argue in the role.

But Xing Xiuyan was in the next song and dance, thinking: There is actually a "Pearl Princess" in Horqin, Mongolia, and she thought she wanted to be the "Pearl Returning Princess".She couldn't help imagining that she and Princess Pearl were going to stage the plot of "Huan Zhu Ge Ge", and then "Huang Ama" was Tu Yuanyi.The painting style was so weird that she couldn't help but lower her head and smile secretly.

Tu Yuanyi bowed his head and said, "What are you laughing at?"

Xing Xiuyan's eyes flashed, and he said with a faint smile: "I was thinking, if you really make me a princess, will it be Princess Dazhou and the princess of the Mongolian Tribe who are fighting each other at this time?"

Tu Yuanyi gently squeezed her hand under the table, and said in a low voice, "It's a good idea, if you don't marry me, you'll be a concubine outside."

Xing Xiuyan said: "It's really cruel. At that time, you gave me this kind of multiple-choice question. You can either be a concubine or a concubine. The left and right have to be hanged on your tree."

Tu Yuanyi's phoenix eyes flickered slightly, and he didn't answer, but he held her tightly in his hands. Xing Xiuyan thought about it and smiled: "I'm afraid it's not good to be a princess, and it's not like the previous Ming Dynasty's 'no marriage, no land, no compensation', 'heavenly'. The son guards the gate of the country, and the king dies in the country' is such a stinky and hard principle. I'm afraid that if the ministers want you to send me to marry, you can't help it."

Tu Yuanyi said: "No one can force me. Although Xiuxiu is a storyteller, don't think about these things."

After a while, Burigude, a Mongolian envoy from the Khalkha tribe who came from afar, stood up and toasted Tu Yuanyi, and the two sides drank.

Bu Rigude smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty the Great Zhou Emperor, I am located in Moxi. I met a Western Yi businessman in the past, and he posed a problem for me. No one in my subordinates has solved it yet. The Great Zhou is a prime minister." Calling Tian/Chao, I don’t know if anyone can help me.”

Xing Xiuyan thought that this was just a temptation from these tribes, if Da Zhou was present and no one could solve his problem, Da Zhou would be greatly ashamed.Don't underestimate the importance of face to the ancient Han Dynasty. No one in the whole dynasty can understand it, and the sky/chapo is nothing more than that.

Of course Tu Yuanyi couldn't refuse, and asked, "What's the problem?"

Brigude said with a smile: "The problem is this: There is a piece of grass in the pasture, which grows at the same speed every day. This piece of grass can feed ten cows for 22 days, or sixteen cows can eat it. , can be eaten for ten days, and grass has been growing during the period. If we feed 25 cows, how many days can we eat? Although we are a nation on the grasslands, we have never seen such a tricky problem, so we think that the weather is different , outstanding people, most of them can solve Xiao Wang's confusion easily."

Tu Yuanyi has never thought about this kind of arithmetic problem, although he used to think that he was more proficient in counting money.

Tu Yuanyi said: "Did you hear me clearly? Who can answer the question for the prince?"

The ministers of the Great Zhou immediately discussed it, but this is an interesting and complicated math problem with pitfalls.People who know arithmetic can use proportions, but they find that they cannot be calculated using only proportions.Because grass grows, this is a variable.

There was a minister who wanted to invite the accountant to come over, but after about half a cup of tea, no one came to explain, so he heard Prince Bu Rigude sigh: "Da Zhou Tian/There are so many ministers in the court who can't help the little one." Wang? Xiao Wang originally thought that the people of heaven/chao were smart!"

No one figured it out on the spot, and someone figured it out later, and Da Zhou lost a little face, which was enough to make Prince Buzhigude proud.

At this time, all the ministers were silent. They haven't figured it out yet, or if they don't know how to calculate it, they are afraid that the emperor will let them play, and they will be ashamed and convicted.

Tu Yuanyi looked at Xing Xiuyan, Xing Xiuyan smiled slightly, thinking what is the difficulty, and was about to speak out, but suddenly heard a clear voice saying: "Little girl is willing to try."

The sound was not loud, but the ministers were silent at this time, so they could hear it.And it was such a beautiful voice, everyone heard the sound and looked, but saw a beautiful young girl standing out from the second row of Gaoming's ministers.

But I saw that she was wearing a begonia-colored waist-length skirt, with a Lingyun bun on her hair, a butterfly hairpin on her head, and her precious apricot blossom wreath around her neck.

Adhering to the peerless appearance, rare and handsome, and full of poetry and calligraphy, all the officials couldn't take their eyes off.

Who is not Daiyu?

Daiyu has always had a strong temper, and she has never been convincing in the original work, showing her talent.She has been a housekeeper for many years, and arithmetic is another hobby besides poetry after she met Xing Xiuyan.She was supposed to come out, but she refrained from speaking because it was a woman and it was such an occasion.At this time, Prince Burigude's words had a slight contempt for Da Zhou, and the reluctance in his heart overwhelmed the "female virtue".Daiyu didn't exist to "praise how beautiful and happy women are under the feudal ethics, and praise how well the ancient lady followed the rules of nurturing mothers". She was rebellious according to the original intention.On the contrary, some colleagues with Daiyu as the protagonist "overcorrected" for the sake of "reconciling the ending", "favoring" or "slapping the face of Jia's family", and accidentally caused Daiyu to lose her precious side in the original work-the feudalism The rebellion of the society has become a feudal ethics in the hands of a nurturing mother. In addition to highlighting the beauty of the world and being able to compose poems, it is too contrary to the transcendent side of the original character, and the brilliance of the soul has dimmed a lot. . (Note: This article is also full of such omissions)

Lin Daiyu dares, the doted Lin Daiyu, she dares.She believed that no matter what, she had a big sister to support her.