Ancestral Temple
In the morning, the white marble square in front of the solemn palace was bright and bright. Han civil and military ministers wearing various official robes stood in formation. Accompanied by the sound of ritual music, a complicated ceremony of presenting prisoners to the Imperial Ancestral Temple was officially held. start.
At this moment, all the civil and military officials of the Han Dynasty inside and outside the palace looked at the young man in python suit accompanying the emperor with envy and jealousy.
Although they are called relatives, they are actually brothers and sisters. There is no distinction between the father-in-law and the emperor and his ministers. It is almost foreseeable that the next twenty years will be the era of this Duke of Wei.
In other words, as long as the Jurchens are not destroyed, the power of Duke Wei will not decline!
Cabinet ministers Zhao Mo and Han Huang felt deeply worried.
However, it is difficult to gain widespread consensus with this kind of worrying statement, because when the Chen Han Dynasty was founded, Prince Guang granted four titles, and they did not show any disobedience. Where was Jia Heng?
As the ceremonial officer's voice rang out, some people's thoughts were interrupted. Civil and military officials held ivory and jade sabers in their hands and strode solemnly into the hall of the palace, paying homage to the ancestors of Chen Han.
After three kneels and nine kowtows, the ceremony official began to recite an essay written by Lu Lishujiu, a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. He mainly described the whole story of the fall of Liaodong and accused the Jurchens of their heavy blood debt. In addition, he recounted the great victory of Ping'an Prefecture and the slave chiefs. The conferment of the head shocked all barbarians, thus averting the national humiliation of Liaodong.
Following a complicated ceremonial process, Chen Han's prisoner presentation ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple regarding the Ping'an Prefecture victory came to a complete end, and the process was not much different from the prisoner presentation ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple at the beginning of the year.
The civil and military ministers of the Han Dynasty slowly came out of the wing and came into the hall, their minds couldn't help but be immersed in the shock just now.
Just now, on a red lacquered table in front of the portraits of the ancestors of the Han royal family in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the heads placed in the brocade box, from the slave chieftain down, were the Jurchen Prince Duduo and the Jurchen Duoluo Prince Dege. The heads of the enemy prisoners, like cattle and sheep, are all in the box, and the Bael'ada ceremony is for the ancestors of the Chen and Han Dynasties to appreciate.
Really spectacular!
Looking at it one by one now, the Duke of Wei is like the nemesis of the Jurchens. Since the Jurchens faced off against the Duke of Wei, they have suffered many defeats until they lost their lives to the captive chief Taiji.
King Chu and King Chen Cheng of Qi County came out of the corridor. Among the vassal kings, most of them looked at the young man in the python suit with complicated eyes.
Next to Prince Qi Chen Cheng was a middle-aged scholar dressed as a retainer with a straight nose and powerful cheeks. At this moment, his eyes were looking at the young man in python suit next to Emperor Chongping, and he felt inexplicable jealousy in his heart.
If Duke Wei had not insisted on serving the public good for personal gain, how could he have been dismissed from office due to the case of Xue Pan beating Feng Yuan to death, and only doing these small things under the Prince of Qi.
Emperor Chongping looked around, with a slight smile on his face, and said: "You will have lunch first when you come to Xihe Palace."
At this point, the prisoner presentation ceremony is over. I think the entire northern and southern provinces of the Han Dynasty will be excited about this powerful war in Monan.
The people watching outside the palace were still looking at the carloads of Jurchen heads with unsatisfied eyes, rolling over the bluestone road with one wheel, and building a Beijing temple in front of the hero monument at the end of the street in front of the Taimiao Temple.
When everyone entered the palace, an eunuch said: "The Emperor has issued an order to summon the Duke of Wei to Chonghua Palace to give a report."
The ministers who had just sat down and were about to have lunch all turned their attention to the young man in the python suit.
Emperor Chongping and Jia Heng looked at each other and said, "Ziyu, go ahead."
Jia Heng cupped his hands without saying a word, and followed the prisoner away. When he came to the corner, his face was slightly stunned, and he saw Princess Xianning and the little princess coming hand in hand by the palace wall shaded by the plane trees.
Jia Heng cupped his hands, bowed and said, "Your Highness, the little princess."
Ordinarily, since the marriage was granted the day before yesterday, Princess Xianning was not allowed to see him again, but in fact it was not that strict.
Princess Xianning's face paused, her clear eyes showed a look of joy, and she said softly: "Sir, let's go together, the Emperor has been waiting for a long time."
Then he looked at the eunuch and said, "You go back and take your orders first. I and Princess Qinghe will see off Duke Wei."
The inner prisoner didn't dare to neglect, he responded quickly and left quickly.
Jia Heng nodded, and followed Princess Xianning as she walked along the two high palace walls. The vermilion walls were as bright as clouds under the sunlight.
Princess Xianning said softly: "Sir, the emperor has been very happy these past two days. Yesterday he looked at the head of Huang Taiji and drank two glasses of wine. I heard from the maid of Chonghua Palace that the emperor was crying and laughing alone in the inner palace. "
In fact, it can be understood that the emperor, who had made extraordinary achievements in civil and martial arts, suddenly lost the foundation left by his ancestors due to the Battle of Liaodong. Now that he sees the slave chief conferring his head, you can imagine his excitement.
Jia Heng nodded and said softly: "With the strength of our country, victory in this war will come much later."
Princess Xianning said softly: "Sir, I will get married to you in a few days."
Jia Heng said: "It must have been three years since we said goodbye."
Since he came to this world, although he has made rapid progress in terms of merit and status, it has been almost instantaneous. From the court to the border affairs, from south to north, and if he and Xianning first met on the outskirts of Chang'an, there are now three of them. More than a year.
Li Chanyue pursed her pink lips and looked at the two of them with a slightly sad look. One of the three people's love was always superfluous.
Chonghua Palace
The Supreme Emperor Longzhi is obviously much older than last year when the imperial mausoleum collapsed. His beard and hair are all white. The age spots on his face are now showing on his face, making him look even more decrepit.
On the left side of the palace are Empress Dowager Feng and several concubines including Empress Song, Duanrong Guiren, Zhou Guiren, etc., accompanying Empress Dowager Feng to talk.
The Supreme Emperor asked: "Go and send someone to urge you."
Empress Dowager Feng asked people to prepare watermelons, then took a toothmelon and said: "The summer heat is getting hotter, use some watermelons to relieve the heat."
The Supreme Emperor nodded, took the watermelon, and said with emotion again: "Jia Heng is really amazing, amazing."
No matter how colorful the words on the battle report were, it was more shocking to see the head of the slave chieftain who was once the enemy of the Han Dynasty.
Empress Dowager Feng said softly: "If we go down this time, Northern Xinjiang should be at peace for a few years."
The Supreme Emperor put down the melon rind, looked at it with complicated eyes, and said with emotion: "I will ask Duke Wei later about the situation of the Jurchens in the country. I don't know if I will be able to see my Han Dynasty regain Liaodong in my lifetime, so that I can go to meet my ancestors." Zong."
Empress Dowager Feng looked at the Supreme Emperor and opened her mouth, but in the end she did not say any words of comfort.
As soon as Princess Xianning and Princess Qinghe entered the palace, they bowed to Emperor Longzhi and then immediately went to the side of Empress Song and Concubine Duanrong. The two girls came forward to hold Empress Dowager Feng's shoulders.
Jia Heng raised his eyes and looked at Emperor Longzhi who was sitting on the soft couch. He walked a few steps quickly, bowed to him and said, "Jia Heng, a humble minister, has met the emperor. Long live the emperor. Long live the emperor."
The man in front of him is also his father-in-law.
Looking at the young man with a handsome appearance and an upright figure, the Supreme Emperor nodded, with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He stretched out his hand to support him and said: "Please rise, Duke Wei."
After all, he was Emperor Longzhi, a man of great talent and great strategy. Although he was now old, he still had a certain magnanimity of looking forward to his own glory.
The Supreme Emperor's burning gaze fell on the young man's face, he smiled and praised: "The Duke of Wei is really a handsome young man with a handsome appearance. I remember the last time I saw him, Ziyu returned from Jiangnan holding the head of Prince Jurchen Duduo. It was half a year later. , I am very relieved to have created such a stunning achievement again."
"The Emperor is concerned about the Jurchen Sutra. It will take only three or two years for the Jurchen Sutra to regain its strength. We, the Han Dynasty, can work hard to govern and accumulate our people's strength to clear holes for the future and lay a solid foundation for regaining Liaodong." Jia Heng said loudly.
The Supreme Emperor nodded and said with a smile: "Ziyu, sit down and talk."
With that said, he ordered an eunuch to come over and embroider the pier, and asked Jia Heng to sit nearby.
Jia Heng thanked him, made a facelift, and sat upright without squinting.
The Supreme Emperor was surprised and asked: "When I read the military report earlier, the Jurchen slave chiefs gathered an overwhelming army to attack Xuanda, but the Duke of Wei did not use the red barbarian cannons before, but led the cavalry to rush to Ping'an Prefecture and used the red barbarian cannons. The cannon killed Huang Taiji, why didn't he use such a military weapon when he was in Datong City?"
Jia Heng cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, although the Jurchen army stormed Datong City at that time, Huang Taiji never came to the city in person with the dragon flag. Therefore, the minister did not let anyone use the red cannon to avoid alerting the bandits. Moreover, I have predicted that most of the slave chiefs will raid Ping'an Prefecture, force Taiyuan with heavy troops, and cut off the food supply routes for our, Xuan and Da armies in one fell swoop."
The Supreme Emperor nodded and said: "What Duke Wei Guo said is right. When I saw the map, I felt that there was a big flaw in Ping'an Prefecture. If the Jurchens attacked fiercely, the consequences would be disastrous. Who knew that Ziyu deliberately gave Donglu a flaw."
In fact, this kind of national war usually does not have complicated strategies. Those who are good at fighting have no great achievements. The more strategies they use, the more flaws they will have.
Jia Heng said: "The emperor's wise eyes are like torches, which can illuminate thousands of miles. I admire him."
When the Supreme Emperor heard this, a wry smile appeared on his face, and he sighed: "If I shine like a candle for thousands of miles, maybe there will be no loss of Liaodong, and the Jurchens will not become bigger and endanger our Han Dynasty."
When Jia Heng heard this, he was silent for a moment and said: "The battle back then was not the fault of the emperor."
The Supreme Emperor can criticize himself, but he cannot echo it.
When the Supreme Emperor heard this, he looked startled, thought for a moment, and said in a loud voice: "That's all, it's all over."
Speaking of this, the Supreme Emperor said again: "This Hongyi cannon is a Hongyi firearm. Ziyu used it to defeat the enemy in the water battle in the south of the Yangtze River. Now he uses the Hongyi cannon to guard the city wall. It can be seen that it is really a military weapon and needs to be fully implemented. That’s it.”
Jia Heng said: "What the emperor said is true."
The Supreme Emperor paused slightly and said in a low voice: "In this great victory, not only the captive chieftains died in Ping'an State, but also the Jurchen elites suffered many casualties. Ziyu's contribution was crucial, and the Jurchens have been aggressive since then. A depression."
No wonder King Yong married his daughter to the young man in front of him. If he were still in power, he might have betrothed Jinyang to this young man in order to recruit his talents.
Well, if the age difference isn't that big.
Jia Heng looked at the Supreme Emperor and said softly: "Your Majesty, this can only be said to be an initial victory. If you want to destroy the Jurchens, the current war is not enough to reverse the passive decline of my big man."
"Yes, the Jurchens didn't become strong in a day or two, and it didn't take a day or two for me to reverse the decline. It's rare that you, at such a young age, can still be so neither arrogant nor impetuous despite your extraordinary achievements." The Supreme Emperor praised He said something in a low voice.
Empress Dowager Feng smiled kindly and said, "This Chanyue is entrusted to you. She has lost her father since she was a child. As her mother grows up, when she and Xianning get married, you can't favor one over the other."
After hearing this, Jia Heng turned to look at Li Chanyue, who was being held by Queen Mother Feng, nodded and said, "Don't worry, Queen Mother, I will treat Chanyue well."
Li Chanyue lowered her head slightly, but she didn't know what to say in her heart.
Princess Xianning said: "Grandma, don't worry. My husband also loves Chanyue very much."
Empress Dowager Feng nodded and said: "That's the case, I'm relieved. It's been almost half a year since Chanyue and her mother were in Jinling, and she still hasn't said anything about returning to Beijing. In a few days, Chanyue and her mother will be in Jinling." On the wedding day in Xianning, it’s time to return from Jinling.”
"The wedding date is so urgent, maybe we can't make it in time." Princess Xianning said softly, her beautiful eyes under her beautiful eyebrows shining like water.
Going to a wedding ceremony with a big belly doesn't look very cool.
Empress Dowager Feng frowned her slender eyebrows and said, "I wonder why things in Nanmian are so difficult? Your aunt can't even make it to Chan Yue's wedding?"
As soon as these words came out, Princess Xianning looked at Jia Heng with a smile but not a smile, and thought to herself, isn't this the trick that Mr.
Jia Heng was made a little uncomfortable by the complicated look in Princess Xianning's eyes. He quickly took the teacup on the small table and took a sip.
"My aunt in the south has been busy with maritime trade recently. In the past two years, as the imperial court relaxed the maritime ban, trade has prospered, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs also needs to expand its financial resources." Princess Xianning explained.
Queen Mother Feng nodded and said, "Xianning is a big girl now."
Empress Song smiled sweetly and said, "Mother, Xianning has grown a lot."
Concubine Duanrong raised her beautiful eyebrows, her eyes seemed angry but also annoyed, and said: "Sister, don't praise her. Apart from playing around and playing around every day, how can she improve?"
Empress Dowager Feng turned to look at the young man and warned: "Zi Yu, in the future when you get married to Chan Yue and Xian Ning, you and your husband must understand and help each other."
Jia Heng looked firm, cupped his hands and said, "The Queen Mother, I regard Your Highness Xianning and Princess Qinghe as treasures."
His Highness Jinyang is also...
Jia Heng added in his heart.
Empress Dowager Feng looked at the young man with a gentler look, and said to Empress Song and Concubine Duanrong, "Zi Yu is reliable."
Empress Song smiled and said: "Queen Mother, Ziyu is unreliable. There is no one reliable in the Han Dynasty."
At this moment, Empress Song said as she glanced at the young man in python suit who was talking, and saw the eyes under his firm brows as calm as an abyss.
"Okay, don't talk about this." Queen Mother Feng said.
Jia Heng met Empress Dowager Feng and the Supreme Emperor in Chonghua Palace, and did not stay long. Under the instructions of Empress Song, Princess Xianning and Princess Qinghe took them back to the front hall where they were drinking wine and drinking wine.
At this moment, in Xihe Palace——
Emperor Chongping was chatting with the courtiers present, with a slight smile on his cold face, and the civil and military officials in the palace also looked happy.
"The Duke of Wei has arrived." An eunuch came out from behind the hanging pillars, quickly came to Emperor Chongping, bowed his head, and reported.
After hearing this, Emperor Chongping put down the wine cup in his hand, his cold face looking a little gentler.
Jia Heng re-entered the palace, faced the gazes of the civil and military ministers of the Han Dynasty, and said, "I have seen your Majesty."
Emperor Chongping nodded and said: "Zi Yu, please get up quickly and sit down to have a meal."
Jia Heng thanked him and sat down, finished lunch with Emperor Chongping, left the palace garden, and strode back to Ningguo Mansion.
It was almost dusk, the sky was filled with rays of rays, and the sky was red and golden. Jia Heng rode a maroon horse, surrounded by several royal guards in flying fish uniforms, and headed towards Ningguo Mansion.
…
…
Ningguo Mansion, Grand View Garden, Hengwu Garden
When Jia Heng came outside the courtyard, his face paused slightly. He followed the smell and looked at the wisteria Xueli under the flower wall. It was almost midsummer, and the fragrance of flowers and plants filled the air.
"uncle."
Just when Jia Heng stood staring, Ying'er came from the corridor with a bunch of strings in her hand. Suddenly she saw the young man, her eyes lit up, and she quickly walked forward and said: "Master, are you here to see the girl? Why don't you go in?" ?”
Jia Heng raised his eyes to look at Ying'er, nodded, and said with a smile: "Where is your girl?"
The Ying'er in front of her is not a fuel-efficient lamp. Many times the master may ignore some of the back houses, but some maids will stir up trouble and instigate them.
You need to find an opportunity to hammer it out.
"It's in the house, I'll call him." Ying'er looked at the clear face illuminated by the afterglow of the setting sun. When their eyes met, she hurriedly avoided it, her heart pounding, and she whispered in a low voice.
Jia Heng nodded and said, "I'll just go over and take a look."
As he spoke, he walked along a path paved with gravel towards a wing room. He saw that the room was quiet, and when he entered the wing room filled with a faint cold fragrance, he saw no luxurious and exquisite furnishings. He entered the inner compartment quietly and saw the girl lying on the bed taking a nap.
Baochai is not wearing the ancestral honey-colored cotton-padded jacket today, but has changed into a light summer dress, an off-white rimmed light purple cross-collared long coat, and a flesh-pink pleated skirt. At the moment, she is leaning on the pillow, with Li Rui The snow-white face is white and rosy, and the cherry lips under the straight nose are full and shiny.
Among the Twelve Hairpins in the Red Mansion, Chai Dai’s appearance is inherently stunning, but some people don’t like Chai Dai. Is it weird?
It's just that it's a girl's love after all, and it's mostly a matter of scratching the itch, so it may not be as... merging of passions as Feng Wan Qingxue's.
Jia Heng came to a embroidered pillar in front of the bed and sat down, looking at the girl who was taking a nap peacefully.
Suddenly, the curved eyelashes trembled non-stop, and a pair of moist and shimmering apricot eyes were blank for a moment. They gradually saw the person clearly. His mind moved and he asked in surprise: "Brother Heng, when did you come?"
"I just arrived." Jia Heng looked at the girl who was wiping her lips with a handkerchief and joked: "This time, um, I didn't drool."
Baochai:"……"
He said shyly and angrily: "Brother Heng is making fun of people again."
Why are you drooling? I always feel like Brother Heng is talking about the last time...
Jia Heng smiled and stretched out his hand to pinch his pink cheeks and said, "Sister Xue, lie down inside and I'll take a rest."
Baochai was startled at this moment, and had to go to the mat in the inner room, with a shy and timid face.
Jia Heng put his arm around Baochai's shoulders and said softly, "It's been half a year since I last talked to Sister Xue."
It would be a bit vulgar to just leave the gold lock open as usual.
Baochai's eyebrows were curved and her face was flushed. She pursed her pink lips and said, "Brother Heng has been going through life and death in the north for the past six months. It's been half a year in a flash."
But there was a faint feeling of discomfort in my heart, or in other words, I was not used to it.
Is Brother Heng really tired of her body?
The main reason is that in the past, Jia Heng always went straight to the topic in a few sentences.
Jia Heng said: "Yes. Not long after I came back from the south of the Yangtze River, I went to the north. I originally thought that I would make a great contribution this time, so I proposed to the palace, but I didn't expect that the palace would grant me the marriage all of a sudden."
"Brother Heng, now is the best time. His Royal Highness Xianning and the little princess have a deep love for Brother Heng, and it should come to fruition. There is nothing wrong with me waiting." Baochai said softly.
Jia Heng turned to look at the girl, held a ball of soft flesh, and chuckled: "You don't mean what you say."
Baochai:"……"
A feeling of familiarity came over her, and for some unknown reason, the girl's nose felt sour, and her moist, apricot eyes filled with mist.
How she, a merchant's daughter, could be worthy of being the Duke of the country, was something she shouldn't have expected, but her mother had made such a big joke a few days ago, which really seemed like she was a little wishful thinking.
Jia Heng stared at the girl with plump cheeks, gently stroked the pearly tears on the girl's cheeks, and said softly: "Why are you still crying?"
Baochai said softly: "I didn't..."
As he spoke, he picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears on his cheeks.
Jia Heng was silent for a moment and whispered: "We have been together for two years."
When Baochai heard this, her delicate body trembled slightly, she said "Hmm" and whispered: "It's been more than two years."
Jia Heng said: "I told you at the beginning that if I was lucky enough to be crowned the king of the county, I would become a concubine..."
"It's not a status." Baochai raised her pear-shaped face, with a rare sadness in her moist almond eyes, and said softly: "It's me... who doesn't deserve it."
She is the daughter of a merchant and comes from a humble background. She does not have a Tanhualang father behind her, who will be able to help him in the civil service in the future, nor does she have the background of a royal family princess.
And the brother is stupid, and the mother... she can't be his legal wife.
So it's right that he didn't want to admit it for so long.
Although Jia Heng said at the beginning that the two of them had a long time to live and could let Baochai grow slowly in the garden, he actually hid the hidden danger of Baochai watching Daiyu, and even Princess Xianning and Li Chanyue coming from behind.
Well, the main reason is that Jia Heng's growth rate can be said to be rapid. It is inevitable that people think that if the name is decided early, perhaps the palace will consider it when it comes to marrying the daughter of the emperor and the daughter of the clan.
Jia Heng was silent for a moment, holding up the white and greasy face that looked like a pear, the delicate skin flowing between his fingers, staring at the red lips, and sealed it when Baochai said "Hmm~" Go up.
The soft and delicate lips are slightly fragrant, but you can clearly feel the underlying self-pity and lack of confidence.
In fact, Baochai should be a relatively strong person. After all, he can write sentences like "The good wind will send me to the blue clouds with its strength."
But in front of him, I seem to start to PUA myself, feeling that I am not good enough and not worthy of him...
"We are two people. There is no question of whether we are worthy of each other. What do you want to do?" Jia Heng said, stroking the golden lock and saying softly.
(End of chapter)
