[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

Xing Xiuyan came to Ci'an Palace in a phoenix chariot. Empress Dowager Liu had already had her breakfast at this time, and Princess Hexiao, who was resting today, Concubine Wen Liu Jingru, and Concubine Gong Zhao, who was born in Qiandi Liangdi, accompanied her to play cards in the side hall .When Concubine Chen came to pay her respects, Concubine Wen couldn't help saying, seeing that there was no one else around, "It's really interesting to come to pay my respects at this hour."

Princess Hexiao twitched her lips and said, "I'm afraid I should go to the Empress Dowager of the West Palace first." Princess Hexiao already regarded Princess Hede as a competitor at this time. Amiable, Tu Yuanyi gave another two points of face, because he used to be favored by the harem style evaluation and Princess Xiao.Princess Hexiao has always been wary that Princess Hede will "steal" her opportunities and resources, and she knows that Empress Dowager Zhou is actually a thorn in Empress Dowager Liu's heart. But he was on an equal footing with Empress Dowager Liu.

Empress Dowager Liu said lightly: "Don't talk nonsense." As she spoke, Mama Ma helped her up.

As soon as I arrived at the main hall, I saw Concubine Chen waiting with a team of eunuchs and maids. Empress Dowager Liu came to sit in the hall, and Concubine Chen stepped forward to salute.

Empress Dowager Liu smiled lightly, and said, "You don't need to be too polite, concubine, just calm down quickly."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager."

Empress Dowager Liu said again: "I just came back from Shuofang, I'm afraid my body is still glowing, why did the noble concubine come to this palace?"

Concubine Chen was well-behaved and said: "Concubines are afraid, morning and evening are filial piety. The empress dowager loves and sympathizes with the concubines, but the concubines must not be ungrateful. The concubines went out, bought some earthen rituals, and sent them to the empress dowager." Occasionally enjoy it, and I hope the Empress Dowager will not dislike vulgarity."

As he said that, he asked the maid and eunuch to bring up the box, and introduced Yiying Tuyi, which was similar to that of the Queen Mother Zhou, except that there were four or five more pieces that she picked out by herself.In the previous quarrel, Empress Dowager Liu pretended to be sick to put her in an unrighteous situation. If Tu Yuanyi hadn't beaten the Empress Dowager in the face hard enough to protect her, this charge of disobedience and unfilial piety would be enough to force her The end of the life of an ordinary concubine.Xing Xiuyan was not a narrow-minded person who held grudges, but it was hard for her to have sincerity towards Empress Dowager Liu, and the Liu family and her Liangzi were not lightly tied.

Empress Dowager Liu said with a smile: "It's because you have a heart. Is everything going well during this tour of Shuofang?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "It's smooth, the emperor is wise and powerful, all the officials in Shuofang are naturally loyal, and the envoys of all the Mongolian tribes all admire the power of my Great Zhou."

Empress Dowager Liu nodded and said with a smile: "This is also a blessing for the whole country."

Because the eunuch opened the boxes, Xing Xiuyan also said that there were several boxes of gifts for Princess Hexiao. Naturally, the princess was a little curious and went to see those "earth ritual gifts".

She held a string of agate beads from the Western Regions and looked at it. Since it was different from the ones she usually saw, she couldn't help liking it, but then she changed her mind, looked at Xing Xiuyan and said, "Is this just for me, or is He De also available?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled lightly and said, "Hede is also the sister of a sage, so of course there is."

He Xiaodao: "Is it her good looks, or mine?"

Xing Xiuyan thought to herself: You are not Daiyu's baby. Daiyu went to the grandmother's house outside the Rongguo Mansion. Aren't you still in "your own home"?

Xing Xiuyan said: "Naturally they are all beautiful."

Princess Hexiao put down the beads, snorted and said, "I just don't know which side is the most respected."

"Hexiao!" Empress Dowager Liu yelled, and stared at her, "Chen Guifei has a heart, what are you talking about? Don't back down!"

Xing Xiuyan looked at Empress Dowager Liu, and wondered why the old sage made her queen. The Liu family also had no background. From Liu Jingru, it could be seen that she was the kind who blindly indulged women but didn't teach anything useful. Compared with the daughters related to her family, she is very different, and now she is not even very good with Princess Xiao.She didn't know that Empress Dowager Liu was originally the cousin and niece of Empress Cao of Zhenzong. Back then, Empress Dowager Cao was still alive and strongly supported the establishment of the Liu family as empress.And Emperor Gaozong had always been grateful to this adoptive mother who changed his destiny, but he didn't like Liu very much, and he didn't disobey Empress Dowager Cao.

Empress Dowager Liu said: "Concubine Chen, don't be surprised, He Xiao is still young."

Xing Xiuyan didn't want to meet them at first, the person she looked down on was someone who would be lazy even to take revenge as long as they don't provoke her again.

But she doesn't want to touch this kind of investment that spends money to give away things but can't get a good one, which is always worthless. She is really cheap, but she doesn't have to struggle with money.

Which side is respected, shameless to face, really think who you are.The saddest thing about people is that they can’t see their own capital clearly. Even when I was favored by the emperor, I had to suffer some grievances because I didn’t get the “right time, right place and harmonious people”, because I knew I had no capital.How much capital do you have?

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Of course I don't care about this with a child. It's because I like some novelties two years ago, so I think it's the same age as Princess Xiao. It turns out that He Xiao doesn't like it." However, Bengong Tian put on a face to please the princess, which is a bit presumptuous. Zhao Quan!"

Zhao Quangong said, "What is your order?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "Since the princess doesn't like the things that were originally given to Princess Hexiao, take them back to the Palace of Manna, so as not to stain the princess' eyes."

"Yes, ma'am." As he spoke, Zhao Quan directed the little eunuch to carry out the three boxes of gifts originally prepared for Princess Hexiao out of the hall.

The big and small masters present were all stunned, and Empress Dowager Liu clenched her fists, really annoyed in her heart: The bitch insulted me so much, it's too much!

Princess Hexiao really didn't expect Xing Xiuyan to do this, but seeing the three boxes of novelty gifts disappearing from her eyes like this, she couldn't help but feel happy in her heart.It was the time when the little girl liked to collect things. Some of the things Xing Xiuyan sent were bought by herself, some were gifts from Mongolian envoys, and some were tributes from Shuofang officials.Anyway, she presided over this private ceremony back in Shuofang, and of course the gifts she received were unceremoniously put into her private treasury, and Tu Yuanyi also acquiesced.Although they did not have good relations with Empress Dowager Liu, there were many valuable things sent to Ci'an Palace.

Princess Hexiao looked at her mother aggrieved: "The Queen Mother..."

Concubine Wen Liu Jingru said: "Grand Concubine Chen, the princess didn't say she didn't like it, besides, who in this world would take back a gift given to someone else?"

Liu Jingru no longer dared to speak to Xing Xiuyan in the same tone as before, but she had a good life in the harem by relying on Empress Dowager Liu, how could she not say a word to Princess Xiao at this time?

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Isn't this given away yet? I suddenly don't want to give it away anymore, and everyone will say hello to me when I bring it back to reward people. Why should I let the princess despise me when I give it away? The princess has golden branches and jade leaves. , how can there be no need for the exquisite things from Shuofang in the palace records?"

He Xiao couldn't help saying: "Co-author, you're going to despise me like this!"

"Princess is afraid that I have misunderstood this palace, and this palace has no such intentions." Xing Xiuyan looked innocent, and then said to Empress Dowager Liu: "Empress Dowager, I still have something to do in the Palace of Concubine Ganlu, so I will kneel down first."

Saying that Yingying blessed her body, she took three steps back in a regular manner, then turned around, and led a group of eunuchs and maids into the hall of Ci'an Palace.

Empress Dowager Liu couldn't bear it any longer, brushed all the tea bowls on the desk to the ground, got up and went back to the room, and Princess Xiao cried and followed, but Concubine Gong Zhao naturally didn't follow, said goodbye to Concubine Wen, and went out Went to Ci'an Palace.

Xing Xiuyan returned to the Ganlu Hall, and there were extra things, and she planned to keep half of it for herself, and share the other half with her maids and sisters in the Red Chamber.Originally, she hadn't planned to give things to daughters who were far away, such as Xichun, Baochai, Xiangyun, etc. Now, it's like giving a silk scarf to a friend during a modern trip, giving a small gift. Now, in her capacity, These daughters will all miss her well.Using much less money to make more people appreciate it is more cost-effective than sending Princess Hexiao to her hatred.These daughters are all married to officials and eunuchs, maybe she will need them in the future, human resources are the foundation.

Just as she was about to arrange this matter again, Shangyang Palace sent eunuchs to ask her about the old sage's manuscript yesterday. Xing Xiuyan sighed and had to go to the study to read the old sage's "big book".Because the old sage continued to write "The Wind and Cloud of the Late Ming Dynasty" which she was far from finished, and he had a group of Hanlin who intensively read literature and history who could "query" at any time, without having to dig through the history books himself.She had no choice but to go and have a look before talking, to reply to the mentality of the old sage, a "novice" who desperately needs comments from experienced readers.

……

Today, Tu Yuanyi's grand court meeting didn't end until noon, and he summoned his trusted ministers to discuss matters in the Imperial Study Room of Liangyi Hall, and gave him a meal.

When he returned to Ganlu Hall from Liangyi Hall, the sun had already set, but Xing Xiuyan was still not in the hall, and when he asked, he went to the storeroom again, and he couldn't help but stroke his forehead.

Zhao Gui asked, "Why don't you go and invite your mother back?"

"I'll go take a look."

She was looking at things in a storeroom, surrounded by trusted eunuchs and court ladies, but she said: "Sister Hui doesn't need to send too expensive this time, she will leave the court in twelve days, and she needs to add makeup. "

"Yes, ma'am."

Tu Yuanyi couldn't stand her, so he said at the door of the warehouse, "Can you do something else?"

Xing Xiuyan turned her head to look, and said with a smile, "Have you finished the work of the sage?"

Tu Yuanyi said: "You still don't let me out!"

Xing Xiuyan greeted her with a smile, he took her hand and walked back, saying, "Why do you love doing these things as soon as you come back?"

Xing Xiuyan then said: "It's really wronged. The concubine came back from the Queen Mother and has been admiring the masterpieces of the father in the study. I just got free, so I have to arrange some human relations."

Tu Yuanyi couldn't help laughing and said: "Then... how did the father write?"

"Uh... the words are a bit too parallel. In fact, the truth is different from poetry. It mainly looks at the ups and downs, catches people's hearts, and writes vividly. Sometimes it is more concise and refreshing. The words are too gorgeous, and the audience On the contrary, it lost its sense of reality. Of course, the old sage's literary talent, the concubines are willing to bow down."

Tu Yuanyi chuckled and said, "You should be proud. You have abducted an emperor of mine to be your husband with a small piece of bamboo strips, and you have abducted an old emperor to be your companion."

Xing Xiuyan couldn't help laughing, thinking that he was quite successful!

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Father is definitely talented. He has experienced so much, and he has that status. He doesn't have to write the first draft, sometimes he can just dictate. If Father becomes Luo Guanzhong and Shi Naian in my Great Zhou , Wu Chengen, it's really interesting."

Tu Yuanyi looked up at the sunset, smiled happily, and suddenly said: "It's good that the father is happy, I still hope that he can enjoy his old age peacefully."

"I understand, everyone will grow old." Speaking of "respecting the elderly", she couldn't help but think about offending Empress Dowager Liu earlier in the morning, so she told the story again.

Tu Yuanyi scoffed, and said, "Well, you bastard, you've stabbed people's hearts!"

Xing Xiuyan said: "Why don't I go and plead guilty to the Empress Dowager Princess?"

"Okay, you go."

"Really?"

"So, are you deceiving the king when you say you are going?"

Xing Xiuyan shook off his hand and said, "I'll go!"

Tu Yuanyi tilted his head. If he was a modern person, he would have put his hands in the pockets of his suit trousers and looked at his wife with a helpless expression when she lost her temper.

"Are you really going?"

Xing Xiuyan turned her head, squinted her eyes, and said, "I mean 'I'll go!'"

Tu Yuanyi realized what she meant, couldn't help laughing, and said, "A lawless woman!"

In the evening, when passing the meal, Tu Yuanyi said: "I have ordered Ouyang and Chunyu to assist Zhang Zhi to finish the case first, and then go to the Imperial Guard in the capital to be the instructor."

"Well... is this case difficult?"

Tu Yuanyi said: "Before I ordered Jin Yiwei and Dongchang to secretly monitor Yang Huaigu. This person seems to be impeccable, and he is really not easy to deal with. Otherwise, how could I always think that he is a loyal, kind, and courteous person? The old sage also thought so .”

Xing Xiuyan sighed: "It's not easy. People from generations of the Household House family can become the chief minister, the daughter becomes the queen, and he himself becomes the prince of the state."

Tu Yuanyi said: "I shouldn't have saved the Yang family back then!"

Xing Xiuyan cut out, and said: "Although I have a third hope that you didn't save someone, because there is a dark and childish little woman living in every woman's heart, hoping that the man she loves will be cold-blooded and cruel to her rival. However, another mature I am still glad that you saved her once, which also proves that the man I love is a human being, and you have not lost your basic conscience of being a human being in your soul. You who will abandon your wife and your own son are just wearing beautiful clothes If I, who have a conscience, sleep with such a devil, it will be a terrible thing."

Tu Yuanyi couldn't help feeling relieved, and sighed softly: "I know you are different from others."

Xing Xiuyan said: "Of course they are different. There are no two identical people in the world, even twins."

Tu Yuanyi shook his head and said, "I don't mean that. You have a broad mind like a cloud, a vision overlooking the sky, a kind of heartfelt sympathy for the common people, and a timeless and elegant gentleman. I only have Only by being with you can I find my original self, my true self. What was the reason for the first time I had the idea of ​​wanting to be an emperor? When I think of this, I regret what I did at that time, and I am ashamed of being trapped in the royal family at that time In the means of the harem, trapped in the boundaries of the capital, there is no country that truly embraces me."

Whether it is an emperor or an ordinary man, it is extremely rare to say such words.

Xing Xiuyan was also a little embarrassed, and said, "Are you talking about me? Why didn't I know that I had the qualities you mentioned? Didn't I just hit your tenth sister in the face again?"

Tu Yuanyi said: "But you never thought about taking revenge on her. You are just naughty. You have encountered countless setbacks and even died, but you have never lost your original self."

Hearing what he said, Xing Xiuyan couldn't help covering her cheeks, and said with a smile: "Praise again! Praise again! Be more violent!"

Tu Yuanyi held her hand and said, "I'm talking to you seriously, can you be serious?"

Xing Xiuyan stopped making trouble, and Tu Yuanyi said: "Why are you so persistent, have you never been confused? Even if you are hurt and painful, have you never wavered?"

Xing Xiuyan thought for a while: "I can't say that there is nothing at all. I know that I am not that good. I still have many shortcomings. I also have small thoughts and love and hate emotions of ordinary people. But human life is so short and precious, I will not let myself become Let the kind of people I don't like keep my soul peaceful and happy. If everyone else is like that, it will be annoying if I'm the only one like this, but I also insist on being who I like. Because my life is just me Yes, do what you want to do, choose what you want to choose, and become who you want to be, isn't it more important than anything else?"

Tu Yuanyi sneered and said, "You are lucky to have met me, otherwise..."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "If I didn't meet you, of course I would have my other encounters. There are three thousand roads, and anyone can become a saint. There is no reason that women who are different from me will have their own way, but it is my turn. It doesn't make sense'. If I want to meet a noble person to be able to be happy and successful, I think I will always meet, and when I meet, I will grasp it."

Tu Yuanyi smiled and said: "You have grasped all the people you meet who can be noble, so you have the ability and wisdom to make up for it, and you can luxuriously stick to your original self."

Xing Xiuyan said: "Actually, let me say something more like Marysu, if you are in full bloom, the breeze will come naturally."

"What if the breeze doesn't come?" Tu Yuanyi raised his eyebrows.

"Spring hasn't come yet!"

The two looked at each other with a smile, and began to eat, without saying much, but he would give her food because he found that she was a picky eater.In their daily lives, the two of them no longer like to move a chopstick, and the eunuch would do it, just like ordinary couples.

In the evening, Tu Yuanyi was in good spirits, took the piano, and played a song "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" by himself. Xing Xiuyan was very happy, because he asked: "What's wrong with the saint today?"

Tu Yuanyi didn't answer, but asked her to play the piano and sing, she said: "Let me play the flute for you."

But Tu Yuanyi said: "I listened to some songs from your previous life, but they are very charming."

Xing Xiuyan said: "But when a time-traveling girl sings pop songs, men fall in love with her. It's very vulgar!"

Tu Yuanyi smiled and said: "When you still only know how to 'cry ghosts and howl wolves', I am very happy, not because of singing."

Xing Xiuyan sighed, "Then what do you want to hear?"

Tu Yuanyi asked: "What song will your woman sing for her lover?"

"You want love songs? That's complicated, I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it." Xing Xiuyan said with a smile.

How could Tu Yuanyi give up: "Why can't I stand it, you howled for a while, and I recognized it."

Xing Xiuyan rubbed her hands and said that she doesn't need Guqin, because it doesn't match modern love songs. Tu Yuanyi was looking forward to it. He had listened to a few songs and he actually thought they were very good.

Xing Xiuyan stood up, beat the beat, and sang.

"My lady! Aha? Youwill not gethurt. My lady! Aha? Youwill not gethurt. Like singing a love song, watching the most beautiful fireworks, wandering in the city, my heart trembles for love~~~"

When she sang "Lang's Temptation", she also sang a man and a woman by herself, which was completely different from the songs she occasionally sang in the past.

When she sang wildly and hotly, "It was the temptation given by Lang, I sang a love song, in the longing sky, there is a beautiful moonlight, it was the happiness given by Lang, I dried up my loneliness", he couldn't help but look red up.

After singing a song, Tu Yuanyi's expression was complicated, and he said, "Aren't you from Jiangnan? Why did you sing such a rough song? Jiangnan women's tenderness, sentimentality and poetic charm, don't you know?"

Gentle and affectionate?Xing Xiuyan thought about it, but Qiong Yao is the most affectionate one. No matter how much controversy there will be later, she also created an era of love fairy tales.

So she took the zither and played and sang a song "Mandarin Duck Brocade" for him, but saw that he listened very seriously, and she didn't feel the discomfort when she sang "The Temptation of Lang". Each other vows to the sky and the moon. I hope to show the mandarin duck brocade together, hold the plum blossoms and never thank you." When he couldn't help but move his phoenix eyes, and the beautiful tune played, he was a little moved.It seems that Qiong Yao is still closer to the taste of the ancients.

After one song was sung, Tu Yuanyi said: "This song has a special taste. Xue and Mei are originally cold, but the love in their hearts is red hot, and even when it is cold, they can't suppress the enthusiasm of love. The mandarin duck brocade is just a But the more spiritual things in this world are, the harder they are to last, but this dead thing lasts forever."

Xing Xiuyan couldn't help being stunned, does he love Qiong Yao?Obviously she told Qiong Yao's love story before, and he didn't even like it.Do people's tastes change that much?

Tu Yuanyi said again: "But I want to be with Xiuxiu for a long time."

Xing Xiuyan couldn't help staring at him with his snowy and handsome face, his clear phoenix eyes flashed with passion, he hugged her and kissed her, and carried her into the bedroom.

He entangled her passionately, and when she was drowsy, she vaguely heard him say: "Today is 'his' 'death'."

In his previous life, when he was 54 years old, he died on this day, November 21st of the lunar calendar.That is the self who has never had true love in his life and lost his original intention, but his life has been like that.Now, he finally has her by his side, takes her heart as his home, and he will let her live in his heart.

……

Su Fu'er got off the carriage at the gate of the Xing Mansion, and Mother Zhao, who had been waiting earlier, came up to meet her, and said with a smile: "The eldest lady is here, Madam started reading yesterday."

Su Fu'er was also striding forward. At this time, there were several carriages behind her. Apart from the maids and mothers of the Tan residence, there were also some servants carrying gifts.

Mother Jiang smiled and said: "Miss is also thinking about his wife, but she hasn't returned home for a few months, and my uncle is not in the house, so there must be some trivial matters."

Su Fuer asked: "How is mother? How is brother?"

"Okay, okay! Miss, you'll know when you go and see."

Su Fu'er arrived at the main courtyard of the Xing Mansion in a soft sedan chair. It was late November and it was already cold in the capital. Mrs. Xing and Li were breastfeeding, so it was difficult to leave the house.The Xing family had hired a few nannies before, but the younger brother was picky and wanted to drink his mother's milk. Mrs. Xing and Li loved her son very much, and she was not as fastidious as other ladies, so she naturally "surrendered." "Are.Xing Zhong looked at his son with joy in his heart, but he scolded him, "It's really a creditor in the previous life, and he only made trouble with your mother."

Nurse Yun opened the curtain for Su Fu'er, with a joyful face, she said: "The big girl is here!" The "big girl" in Xing's mansion refers to Su Fu'er, and if Xing Xiuyan is called, of course it is the respectful title of "Niangniang".

"Mother!" Su Fu'er saw the slightly plump middle-aged woman on the kang, and greeted her.

At this time, my brother was sleeping on the rocking bed, Xing Li hugged her and said: "I just hope that you will come back. If you are not in Beijing, my heart will be empty."

"Mother Lao is thinking about it."

"Where's Qian'er? Do you still want to go to the Yamen today?" The emperor's son-in-law didn't dare to make an appointment, and the way for the emperor's son-in-law to honor them was to be appointed an official, but she was named "the first-rank Mrs. Anguo" by the emperor's son-in-law as soon as her brother was born.Xing Li, who was poor for half his life, could never have imagined that one day he would be a first-rank official.

Su Fu'er said: "The sage appointed him as the deputy imperial envoy, and he has gone to Fujian."

Shi Qian set off directly from Shuofang to Fujian, and he went in a hurry, but he didn't come back with a message.Xing Zhong and his wife had no son in the past, but now their son is still young, they rely heavily on this son-in-law.

Mrs. Xingli said in shock: "In ten days or so, sister Dai will be married, won't it be too late for the wedding?"

Su Fu'er sighed: "It's been 20 days since I went directly from Shuofang. Maybe I can make it back during the Chinese New Year, but I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up with sister Daiyu's wedding."

Su Fuer asked again: "Where's younger brother?"

Uncle Xiaoguo was sleeping peacefully in the inner room, Su Fuer went in to take a look, and saw that he was completely different from when he was born, not red, but white and fat.The doll has thick hair, long eyelashes, and is carved in pink and jade. Because Su Fuer is married, she naturally has the desire to have children. When she saw it, her heart melted a little, and she was very eager to have one herself.

This Xiaoguo uncle will have a group of "nephews" and "nieces" who are only one or two years younger than himself. If Jia Lian's first room is included, sister Qiao is seven years older than him, and they will all be called "uncles" .

Because the brothers-in-law were all so great, this little doll also became the real "devil king of the world" later on. He barely read the Four Books and Five Classics, but he was favored by the emperor, but his career was not very good when he grew up.