The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

It is the twelfth lunar month now, and the year is approaching.All over the country, the female relatives of wealthy families are busy arranging annual events and arranging banquets.Ma Shi, the favorite concubine of the King of Qi, is originally a mute, she doesn't usually go out, she only likes to go to temples to worship Buddha.On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, she took the eunuchs and nuns out of the city to go to Puzhao Temple to offer incense.

In the past, all the maids had to empty out the tourists when they entered the incense, and Madam Ma didn't like to disturb the common people, so she just came quietly every time, and left after worshiping the Buddha.The same is true today.The pilgrims who often come to Puzhao Temple know it, and they either avoid it from a distance, or kneel aside.The presiding master led a group of monks to pick them up, accompanied Madam Ma to the main hall to worship the Buddha according to the old routine, and worshiped the Bodhisattvas and Arhats, and then went to the side hall to sit and have tea.Madam Ma was a little sleepy, and the monks withdrew.

The maid was helping Madam Ma to wash her face, when suddenly the door curtain was lifted and a man came in.Mammy shouted: "Bold! Dare to trespass on your mother's resting place."

The man smiled and cupped his hands: "I'm sorry to trouble you to avoid it, I have something to ask your mother for help." Nai waved to Madam Ma, "Hello, third lady. It's been too long, I don't remember when we met Have you ever met before... Oh, I seem to have met once on the street. I am the fat young man you wanted to send Uncle Zhou and Aunt Fat to assassinate more than ten years ago. You are so smart, and that matter is very important to you. You should remember me." Madam Ma's complexion suddenly changed.

Momo looked at Madam Ma and this man, and scolded: "If you don't go out, I'll call for someone to beat you!"

"Why don't you wink at all, you nanny." The man said innocently, "It's obvious that I'm holding your empress in my hand. At this time, you should lead people out quickly and keep the outside to prevent people from eavesdropping. I'm not you Qi people, not to mention the sons of the king of Qi. I know that your mother's tricks don't matter, isn't this a price negotiation? If you let your sons know, your mother will be in trouble."

Mammy panicked: "You scoundrel!"

The man spread his hands: "Yes, it's a rogue, what's the matter."

Madam Ma is no longer what she used to be, and she waved her hand at Mammy.Mammy immediately led the people out without saying a word.Madam Yingying stood up and greeted the man with a blessing, and the man bowed his hands back.Madam Ma took a pen and wrote on the desk: "Prince Jia, please stay safe."

This man is Jia Cong, who is only a little fat now.He said with a smile: "Miss Qu San, don't come here unharmed."

Madam Ma's face was expressionless. "Prince Jia is so brave."

"Thank you for your compliment." Jia Cong casually sat down in front of her and said, "Your Majesty is inconvenient to speak, so let's not be polite. Does Your Majesty know a monk named Jianru who came from Wu Kingdom?"

Empress Ma was slightly taken aback, and wrote: "I don't associate with monks from other countries."

"This monk is unusual." Jia Cong said, "He and an eunuch are co-messengers, ordered to deliver the blood book of the former Wu king to the princes of all countries. The king of Qi also got it. Don't tell me you don't know Madam Ma."

Madam Ma wrote: "My lord has never discussed this matter with me."

"What the King of Wu meant was to use his letter as an introduction to let all the kings join hands to deal with me. I never thought that even you, King Qi, would have no intention of making a move. It forced two people who only needed to send letters, because they didn't I would like to see my master's hard work go to waste, and I have to do things by myself. But how can they deal with me? Then someone induced Jianru to come up with a bad idea, a very bad idea. This king is very angry, very angry, very angry." Jia Cong bared He bared his teeth, pulled up the corners of his mouth and put on a smirk, his eyes widened, "I want to know who induced that fat monk."

Madam Ma was startled, and raised her pen, "I don't know anything about this."

Jia Cong shrugged: "That's none of my business. I can remind you that Monk Jianru is very protective of that person. Since he has nothing to do with Qi State, it is very likely that it is a woman."

Madam Ma thought for a moment and wrote: "That man is a monk, and he has no intention of being superior to women."

Jia Cong raised his eyebrows: "Your Majesty, you are joking. Even if a eunuch would die for his lover, let alone a monk? A man's heart is only for a moment, and a monk is more innocent." Nai stood up and cupped his hands, "I'll leave this matter to my Majesty. I will come back to ask my mother for the result after a year. I heard that the fifth child of King Qi worshiped my mother as my mother. Congratulations to my mother. If the son of the world knows the story of my mother's early years in the Chen Kingdom, I will be very interested." After saying this, he turned around and left , without looking at Madam Ma.

Madam Ma was angry and impatient, she could not do anything about her shortcoming in his hands, and she still couldn't speak.Seeing Jia Cong strolling out as if nothing had happened, the nuns and eunuchs immediately came in to inquire.Madam Ma shook her head, pointing to the candlestick on the shelf.Everyone saw that she had written, so they hurriedly took the candlestick down and lit it.Madam Ma put the piece of paper she had just written on the candle and burned it, and sat there in a daze.She was usually dignified, and no one dared to say anything below her.After a little less than half an hour, Madam Ma's expression softened a little, and she sat upright.The confidant mother stepped forward and whispered back: "Mother, when we went out just now...the guards were all knocked out." Madam Ma was slightly startled, and a sudden look flashed in her eyes.Nai motioned for someone to help her stand up.

Not long after, Madam Ma returned to the palace, and there was a commotion at the gate of Puzhao Temple.A green-covered horse-drawn carriage was parked across the street, the curtain of the carriage was parted a slit, and two heads were squeezed up and down to peek in front of the slit, it was Jia Cong and Liu Xiaoqi.

Liu Xiaoqi clicked her tongue twice: "This woman is quite legendary."

Jia Cong was lying down, and looked up at him with contempt: "Legendary? We arrange it every time. Otherwise, she would be so easy to be a prince for a while and a prince for a while. She is not the only one who is beautiful."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "Beautiful ones are so scarce. If it weren't for being dumb, you would be able to control the government if you meet someone who doesn't understand well. Hey, are you sure you have something to do with her?"

"I didn't have it before I came here. Now I have it." Jia Cong said, "The one who can make Monk Jianru prefer to protect himself is a woman who makes him fall in love. Jianru is a monk, not very knowledgeable, and uses beautiful women. It is not difficult to set him up. What's more, in the past few years, a large number of people from Qi State have flowed to Yan State, and Qi State has benefited the most from terrorist attacks in Yan State. The remaining [-]% may be his lay relatives and [-]% are benefactors. The latter two are too Chances are, I've always believed in inevitability."

At this moment, Madam Ma has already got into the sedan chair, Liu Xiaoqi withdrew from the curtain of the car, and said with a smile, "It's just that you have to figure out a few possibilities when you think about something."

Jia Cong spread his hands: "There are all kinds of possibilities." He paused, "Mr. Ma said just now that Jianru is a monk and has nothing to do with women. She intends to help people evade. She must know."

Liu Xiaoqi nodded: "These words seem casual, but they are actually standing there."

"What's more, Mrs. Ma is vicious by nature, and her best friend Ding Chu is now working as an aide under her godson Lao Wu."

Liu Xiaoqi suddenly laughed and said: "If the fifth child is in power, wouldn't these two become Zhao Ji and Lu Buwei?"

"Is it okay to focus on the key points?" Jia Cong twitched his lips, "The success of Empress Dowager Shen of Wu State in the past will definitely inspire Ma and her godson. For the sake of Qi, they are likely to encourage them to do evil."

Liu Xiaoqi thought for a long time: "If this is the case, the prince of Qi cannot escape the suspicion."

Jia Cong leaned back against the wall of the carriage: "Never mind him, let Madam Ma find her own way. Hurry back on the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. My wife is pregnant and needs someone to take care of her most."

"Oh, there is something I forgot to ask you." Liu Xiaoqi said, "Last time I was asked to coax eunuch Guo, why did you take your wife alone and couldn't have a son? Eunuch Guo served the previous king of Wu for many years, and he didn't The person next to the concubine."

Jia Cong said: "The former king of Wu used to look at his family background when employing people. Lao Tzu is the first class as a prince, and I am the second class as an official. Zhang Yuan has been an official in Wu State since before the world was divided into feudal titles. Many years of poor performance and outstanding political achievements, he should not be reused. After all, it is because his old man Zhang Youshi is just a doctor. Therefore, the status of Guo eunuch as an eunuch determines that the king of Xian Wu will not let him know much about political affairs. When the king still had such a confidant, that person was about to return to the west. None of the Wu officials had contacted him before. So the eunuch Guo had not been able to get to the previous court in the past, and he was hiding his confidant, so he might have more contact with him. In the backyard of Prince Wu’s Mansion, thinking is on the same path as women. Besides, didn’t that just coax him for a while? Didn’t he understand later and become suspicious? It’s not easy to find a point in a short time to make a loyal slave feel dizzy.”

Liu Xiaoqi stroked her chin: "There is some truth to it."

Jia Cong kicked him: "Go back to Beijing!"

Liu Xiaoqi climbed to the front of the carriage, put on a bamboo hat, and lightly waved the whip.Not long after, the carriage disappeared, and the two of them had replaced two horses, leading a dozen soldiers and galloping like the wind.

In the blink of an eye, the New Year's Eve passed, and the Yan State Political Affairs Hall was busy as usual.After the Shangyuan Festival, everyone urged Jia Cong to go to Qi.For some reason, Jia Cong became lazy and didn't want to go.After dawdling for four or five days, I didn't leave until the [-]th day of the first lunar month.He and Liu Xiaoqi had already led the people out of the Shili Pavilion, when they suddenly heard the sound of horseshoes behind them.Turning around, Liuzhuang came.

The young man gave a military salute: "My lord, Uncle Qi. General Jia asked me and Shen Zhimo to follow. Her horse will be here soon."

Jia Cong was taken aback: "It's fine if you follow, why is Little Bell here?"

"The general said that Ding Chu has the ability of photographic memory, so we must guard against him. Comrade Zhimo also has this ability."

Jia Cong and Liu Xiaoqi looked at each other.Liu Xiaoqi said: "That's good." He looked at Jia Cong and said, "Shen Zhimo's marksmanship is good, General Jia even praised him a few days ago."

Jia Cong smiled and said loudly: "It's just that the horse riding is a little slower."

Before the words finished, Shen Zhimo's horse had arrived.The little girl said angrily: "Liu Zhuang left before me! I'll leave later! Prime Minister Lin even told me about it! Seriously, I'm faster than him!"

Everyone laughed.Jia Cong cupped his hands and said: "Yes, I made a mistake, and I will apologize to you! Our little bell is both civil and military, and he is definitely a genius." Shen Zhimo snorted, pulled his horse and ran to the front.The crowd laughed again and beat their horses to follow.

On the first day of February, Niangniang Ma went to Puzhao Temple to offer incense as usual.After worshiping the Buddha as usual, go to the side hall to rest as usual.Suddenly I heard a cat meowing outside the window.Madam Ma frowned slightly, and listened attentively for a while—the cat's meow didn't seem to be quite like a cat's meow.After thinking for a moment, he only said that he wanted to rest, and ordered the servants to leave.

After a while, someone knocked on the window three times, and then the window opened with a "squeak".A man stood outside the window, cupped his fists, turned over and jumped into the house.Niangniang Ma saw that this was a young man in his twenties, with delicate features and good looks in an instant, she looked him up and down unconsciously.The young man clasped his fists together again, and said softly, "Miss Ma, I'm being polite. I'm offering..." He hesitated for a moment, then said bravely, "I'm here to fetch the result at the order of that fat young man on the streets of Chenzhou."

Ma Niangniang followed the son of King Yan a few years ago, and served the aging King Qi these years.Although he couldn't help it, he couldn't help but compare the two.Seeing this young man's heroism now, he felt that he was a bit naive, so he smiled sweetly.Then he took a letter from his pocket and handed it to him.The young man took the letter with both hands, put it in his coat pocket without looking at it, and then clasped his fists: "I will take my leave." Madam Ma nodded with a smile.The young man came out through the window, his figure was as fast as a civet cat, and he disappeared after flashing through the wall.Madam Ma stared at the window unconsciously.

The young man was naturally Liu Zhuang, and he returned to his residence with the letter and handed it to Jia Cong.Jia Cong opened the letter, and Liu Xiaoqi read it together.The letter said that Mrs. Ma had found out that it was Mrs. Cui, the concubine of the fifth son of King Qi, who personally went out to advise Monk Jianru that day.

The old fifth thought, since Madam Ma was favored, and he recognized her as his mother, this country of Qi would be his own sooner or later.So worry about state affairs day and night.Ever since Jia Cong came to power in the State of Yan, I don't know how many people were taken away from the State of Qi. The female prime minister surnamed Lin simply sent a small official from the household department to recruit tenants in the State of Qi!Then he hated Yan Guo hated his teeth itching.In the old year, King Chen helped the eunuch of the former King of Wu to send a blood book, and His Highness the Fifth Highness strongly advised the State of Qi to preside over the joint rebellion against Yan.Don't want King Qi and don't want to mix.After a while, I heard that the former king of Wu sent a monk to ask for an audience, but he still didn't move the king of Qi.His Highness Fifth sighed and stayed up all night.Cui Shi is a virtuous person, so she asked her husband if he would share his worries with her, and His Royal Highness then told her from the beginning.

As a woman, Cui could hardly share her husband's worries, and was also full of worries.There is a clever maid by her side who also wants to share the master's worries.Cui told her.The maid thought for a while, and came up with the idea of ​​"hurting the people with the army".It's just that the man from Wu Guolai was a monk.The monks are merciful and may not be willing to use this trick.So Cui dressed in plain clothes and looked like an ordinary girl, went to see Jianru, and told the monk a story.It is said that there is a huge ant nest in the village, and the ants are infested, and the villagers have nothing to do.One day a wandering Taoist came and poured a jar of water into the ant nest today and another jar of water tomorrow, drowning some ants each time.As the days went by, the ants finally got overwhelmed and moved away.Monk Jianru was thoughtful after hearing this.Cui smiled sweetly, got up and said goodbye.

Jia Cong looked at it and asked Liu Xiaoqi, "Do you believe it?"

"I don't believe it." Liu Xiaoqi said, "But I believe that the story about ants told to Jianru is true. I just don't know who told the story."

Jia Cong handed the letter to Shen Zhimo casually: "Look at it too. Prime Minister Lin sent you here for a reason."

Shen Zhimo smiled after reading it: "According to her opinion, that maid came up with the idea? Does she think we will believe it?" and handed it to Liu Zhuang.

Liu Zhuang took the letter and didn't read it, and said: "At Puzhao Temple just now, someone wanted to follow me, but I threw him off." He paused, "That person was in ambush on the beam of Mrs. Ma's house in advance."

Jia Cong asked, "How is his martial arts better than yours?"

"Not far."