In the lobby of the mansion, tables and tables were now placed.
The servants of the mansion shuttled between the corridors of the houses, making various preparations before the dinner.
The orderliness and thorough etiquette make it hard to believe that this is a mansion that has just been moved in, or even not yet moved in.
After all, Xia Jingyun stayed at Jiang'anhou Mansion last night.
Xia Jingyun silently looked at the situation in front of him, knowing that all this was because of Feng Xiuyun, who had given silently and never fought for anything. Thinking that he didn't practice sword practice as much as he applied rouge these days, he felt a little guilty in his heart. .
Everyone in the Xia family was walking in the courtyard, looking at everything in front of them, the smiles on their faces never stopped.
Not only was he happy that his sons had a bright future and the family was proud of their ancestors, but he also couldn't help feeling a little happy because he was in such a luxurious mansion and looked at the scene of so many servants.
In addition, the crowd was like a man, and from time to time they complimented her a few words just right, just like scratching an itchy flesh, which made everyone smile.
Mr. Su, Mr. Zhao, and the others were walking around the house together, looking at the orderly surroundings, and nodded slightly.
Mr. Zhao said with a smile: "After all, Miss Feng came from the palace and was the Queen Mother's personal female official. The rules are naturally strict."
Old Xianggong Su said slowly: "Whether it is powerful or noble, it requires a solid foundation. The Queen Mother is a good choice."
"When the girl Yanyan and the girl from the Qin family get married, and they are paired with some servants, won't this foundation be even stronger?"
Old Xianggong Su turned his head and looked at Mr. Zhao, the owner of the village with a teasing smile, "You don't want to open or pick up any of the pots, right?"
The old village owner Zhao was not afraid at all, "Gong An Guo is so majestic, but it's a pity that she is also the granddaughter of the Duke of Guo. How can you still dominate others and make them your concubines?"
Mr. Su was silent for a moment, knowing that his old friend was asking him to prepare mentally in advance.
Based on the current strength comparison between the Su and Qin families, it is impossible for the Su family's legitimate daughter to overpower the Qin family's legitimate daughter as a concubine.
You said that Su Yanyan had met Xia Jingyun and was committed to love first. The Qin family also had something to say. Who asked you to put forward any conditions in the first place? Why did you have to wait for someone to pass the imperial examination? The Qin family took the initiative to give the right conditions before Chunwei. .
At the same time, with Xia Jingyun's status today, he is fully capable of withstanding the pressure from the Su and Qin families. In other words, it is impossible for the Su family and the Qin family to give up this opportunity to marry him, not to mention the relationship between the young people on both sides. There is a male-female friendship in itself.
"Let them be!"
Mr. Su was silent for a long time, and finally he could only say this.
Mr. Zhao, the owner of the village, nodded, "That's right, children and grandchildren will have their own blessings!"
The rest of the family also had their own things and emotions, but these were all small thoughts before the banquet. When Zhang Dazhi, Xing Shigu, and Wei Yuanzhi arrived one after another, and when Mr. Yun and Su Shidao arrived hand in hand, this nominal... The small-scale reception banquet, which was actually a grand gathering of the core forces of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, officially began.
There are three desks set up above, with Mr. Yun sitting in the middle, and the two princes, Mr. Su and Mr. Qin, sitting on the left and right.
As the owner of the room, Xia Jingyun humbly sat in the second seat on the right hand side, and gave the first seat on the right hand to his husband Su Shidao.
The more noble first position on the left hand was left to Mr. Zhao.
Wei Yuanzhi, Li Tianfeng, Su Yuanshang, Xing Shigu, Bai Yunbian, Xia Yunfei and others took their seats.
Originally, several members of the Xia family were also going to participate, and Xia Jingyun arranged for them to be at the front. However, Xia Hengzhi and Xia Mingxiong, who were walking towards the hall with great interest, were stopped by Xia Li, "Don't go to the children." They are causing trouble."
After saying that, she took the initiative to drag Su Yanyan, Qin Li, Ye Hongluan, Feng Xiuyun, Xie Yanzhi and others to the side hall and sit down at the banquet that was also prepared in advance.
The two brothers Xia Hengzhi and Xia Mingxiong looked at the hall carefully and reacted immediately. They did not embarrass their son and shouted to Mr. Yun's personal servants, Chen Fugui, Lu Yi and other people without official status to go to the side hall. sit down.
In the main hall, it can be regarded as the core force in the court today. Although everyone is nominally headed by Mr. Su, they are actually closely connected with Xia Jingyun as the link.
This was the first time many of them had met, but everyone present knew what this gathering meant.
What does it mean specifically for everyone who can sit in it.
Clique has always been an unavoidable topic.
Now, they don’t need to shy away, they just need to work together under the guidance of the same ideal.
Therefore, everyone ate and drank tacitly, toasted to each other in a very friendly manner, and exchanged some interesting stories.
No one took the initiative to mention anything, but everything was done quietly.
After Xia Jingyun toasted to Mr. Yun and other elders, he came to Zhang Dazhi with a wine cup and said, "Brother, I have suffered this time."
Zhang Dazhi, who already felt flattered by being here, quickly stood up and said, "Master Marquis, you're welcome."
Xia Jingyun smiled and said: "Brother, since I invited you here today, you don't need to see me outside. How we got along before will be how we get along in the future. I'm going to let you take care of everything as a prisoner, and there are still a few more This is a very important matter that needs your supervision, can you do that?"
Zhang Dazhi's chest was filled with enthusiasm and he immediately said: "Don't worry, Lord Marquis, I will definitely fulfill my mission!"
"Still calling you Lord Marquis?"
"Don't worry, brother! Hehe!"
After toasting a bowl of wine with Zhang Dazhi, Xia Jingyun brought the wine cup to Bai Yunbian and said with a smile: "Brother Lexian, have you calmed down?"
Bai Yunbian snorted, "Do you think this young master is as narrow-minded as you?"
Xia Jingyun smiled and said, "How about a drink?"
Bai Yunbian turned to look at him, "Want to drink dryly?"
Xia Jingyun blinked, "Then I'll invite some singing girls to entertain Mr. Bai?"
Bai Yunbian thought it was good, but Ye Hongluan didn't think so, so he immediately calmed down because of the dull pain in his lower back and ears.
"Do you only think about women when you're having fun? How about writing a poem or something?"
Xia Jingyun looked stunned, "I'm not prepared!"
Bai Yunbian said hurriedly: "You have a unique talent for poetry! I will write a poem for you!"
He stood up, and the eyes of those around him who had been secretly paying attention to him openly turned towards him. The hall suddenly became much quieter.
Mr. Zhao took a sip and said, "This bitch is showing off again."
Old Xianggong Su smiled and said: "People are not arrogant and waste their youth. You should be more generous. Why are you angry with the younger generation?"
Mr. Zhao, the owner of the village, hesitated to speak and did not speak.
Bai Yunbian was calm and calm, looking at Xia Jingyun and chanting slowly: "The crescent moon reflects like a hook on the city head. The sword rises from the city head and goes to Longzhou. There are hundreds of thousands of houses in Longzhou nine miles away. Now they are in my hands to control the end of the world! The government and the people in the world are in chaos. , the wind is rustling and the night is long. There are many brave men under the rain on the Huaihe River. They will fight with me to determine the country. Can this poem be regarded as a piece of poetry? "
Mr. Su, who was listening with a smile, his smile faltered. Mr. Zhao looked at him and clapped his legs happily and laughed.
Xia Jingyun looked at Bai Yunbian, who looked proud after reading the poem, and said quietly: "How long have you been preparing?"
"Ahem!" A flash of panic flashed in Bai Yunbian's eyes, "What preparations are there? I just open my mouth whenever I feel like it! How can you just slander someone's innocence!"
"Aren't you afraid of being beaten when you say that?" Xia Jingyun smiled playfully, "For example, Mr. Su, Mr. Zhao, all the credit of the village owner has been robbed by you, and it has all become your glory."
Bai Yunbian turned around and saw that the old man, Mr. Zhao, had stopped talking. They had been arguing so much that it didn't matter anymore, but Mr. Su's smile seemed a bit scary.
Hey, you were careless!
I am not a match for this old man yet.
Xia Jingyun suppressed a smile and patted his shoulder, "Bless yourself, I can't help you!"
He stood up and was about to leave, but his arm was held tightly by Bai Yunbian, "Brother Gao Yang, you can't bear to let me be harmed by Xiao Xiao!"
Mr. Su, who was listening with pointed ears, twitched his mouth when he heard the word "小小", and almost got up and slapped this idiot twice. Mr. Zhao laughed and said, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, what do you want to do with this kid?" Angry!"
Mr. Su was hit by the boomerang he threw, and he took a sip of wine depressedly, "It's really not easy for you. You have been with him for more than a month."
The smile on Mr. Zhao's face froze and he drank a glass of melancholy bitter wine.
But these are all minor incidents. Those who know Baiyunbian's temperament will not care about it. Those who don't know will laugh it off when others mention it.
As the same saying goes, we are all our own people. As long as Xia Jingyun, who is the core of this circle, is not angry with him and kicks him out of the circle, his words are not worth people's anger.
The dinner ended in peace. After those who had to leave were sent off and those who were left to rest were settled, Xia Jingyun stood in the yard, hesitant for a moment.
Whose room should I go to tonight?
Do you want to try flipping the brand in your house?
Huh~
He shuddered in disgust, not to mention whether Su Yanyan and Qin Li would accept this absurdity, this idea was too decadent!
He hesitated and walked slowly towards the backyard.
I wonder if Feng Xiuyun had anticipated something when they were renovating and decorating the back. The best location in the backyard is an artificial lake. There are many buildings built on the lakeside, including two small buildings on the east and west. , location with great views.
When everyone entered today, they naturally left it to Su Yanyan and Qin Li.
However, when Xia Jingyun came to one of the buildings at this moment, he saw that the building was dark with no lights, so he stopped a maid who was approaching in confusion, "Where is Miss Qin?"
The maid hurriedly saluted, and then said: "In reply to the master, Miss Qin has returned to the Qin Mansion."
"ah?"
Xia Jingyun turned his head and looked far away. He saw another small building on the other side of the lake. Seeing the dark appearance, he was surprised and said, "Miss Su is gone too?"
The maid nodded, "Miss Qin invites Miss Su to the Qin Mansion as a guest."
Xia Jingyun smiled bitterly, still hesitating where to go, but no one was there.
"You too, you have no idea what their status is, and how could they live in your mansion without knowing it!"
Feng Xiuyun walked over slowly and scolded with a bit of smile and ridicule.
Xia Jingyun scratched his head. In his opinion, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it, "I lived in Jiang'anhou Mansion before, didn't I?"
Feng Xiuyun rolled her eyes, "You were also a guest at that time. Now this is completely your mansion. Can it be the same?"
Xia Jingyun looked at Feng Xiuyun and suddenly smiled, "Are you angry?"
Feng Xiuyun shook her head, "Nothing."
Xia Jingyun stepped forward and took her hand, "Thank you for your hard work. I treat you all equally, and there will be no distinction between high and low."
Feng Xiuyun broke away from his hand and said, "There are still a lot of things to arrange!"
After saying that, he left in a hurry, feeling a little flustered and at a loss.
Looking at Feng Xiuyun's back, Xia Jingyun turned to look at the two darkened small buildings, rubbing his chin and asking, is it time to think about marriage?
Su Yanyan and Qin Li are both very old. According to the current age of marriage and childbirth, they are already getting married very late. It's just that due to the huge power of the two families, no one dares to say anything.
But even with Xia Jingyun's understanding, it's time for the flowers to bloom and be cut off.
Thinking that he has now gained a little foothold, he is indeed at the point where he can marry a wife, have children, and consolidate his foundation.
Although he is not very interested in having children, he is very interested in the means of having children.
"Why are you standing here all alone and smiling? You're smiling like a flower picker?"
A voice sounded from the side, startling Xia Jingyun.
As soon as he saw the person, he raised his hands and saluted, "Old husband, old owner of the village, have you two rested yet?"
Mr. Zhao, the owner of the village, said with a smile: "I'm old and don't sleep much, so I just come out for a walk and chat. Are you interested in chatting with us two old men for a while?"
Xia Jingyun said quickly: "The old owner of the village has disgraced the younger generation. He has his own wish but dare not invite me."
Not long after, the three of them sat down in Xia Jingyun's study.
Mr. Su looked around and said, "You are also a great calligrapher and a talented poet. Why don't you have a few calligraphy pieces hanging in this room?"
Xia Jingyun took a look, and it seemed that there were indeed a few missing pieces [rare to be confused] [the best is like water] [instant success]. He smiled and nodded, "We're just moving in now. We'll make up for it slowly over time."
Mr. Su picked up the tea cup and said, "How do you consider the current situation of the court?"
This sentence confirmed Xia Jingyun's thoughts. Sure enough, these two old people would not engage in small talk for no reason.
He said slowly: "There are three main issues facing the government now. In order of priority, the first is the rebellion of all parties, the second is the Beiliang crisis, and the third is the internal affairs reform."
Mr. Su shook his head, "The first one is Beiliang."
He looked at Xia Jingyun and said softly: "It's early winter."
Xia Jingyun felt a chill in his heart. As a history buff, he certainly knew this. The best time for the northern nomads to invade south was early winter. The horses covered with autumn fat were fat and strong, and the grasslands in winter were nothing. Naturally, It's a great time to go south and plunder.
Fortunately, he was already prepared for this matter.
"Jiang Yuhu will leave for the north after the celebration banquet the day after tomorrow. I have also asked him in detail. He has already arranged the arrangements for Northern Xinjiang. There will be no problem even if he is not here."
Mr. Zhao said softly: "But the problem is that our border with Beiliang is very wide. Although it is most convenient to invade from Yanyuan Prefecture, there is no guarantee that Beiliang will not invade from other places."
He looked at Xia Jingyun and said, "There is nothing wrong with your idea of issuing an edict to let the state pastors from various states come to the court. Taking advantage of the fact that the trend is on our side, we just want to force them to express their stance and then settle it once and for all. However, if you are a little too eager, you should choose a better one. The timing."
Xia Jingyun nodded, and his expression became a little solemn, "It's true that I didn't think about it."
"However, there is no need to worry too much. Border army generals have always been a top priority, and the late emperor also chose carefully. Moreover, border army generals are not subject to the control of state pastors. Recruiting state pastors to join the court will not be a big problem."
Mr. Su comforted him, and then said: "We are looking for you today because we have two things to tell you."
Xia Jingyun also sat upright when he saw this, "Junior, I am all ears."
Mr. Su said fairly: "You and the Queen Mother have known each other since childhood, and you have helped her a lot. You also have a very good relationship with His Majesty, and you are the first to help the dragon. There is no problem in being favored at the moment, so that the limelight is the same for a while, but You have two huge pitfalls.”
"First, it is the relationship with the Queen Mother and Your Majesty. When the situation changes, people's hearts will also change. I am sure you are as smart as you can figure this out. Back then, Brother Zhao, myself, the late Emperor, the three of us, the monarch and the ministers were so harmonious and worked together. How high-spirited we were to manage the situation together. But as the late emperor's thoughts gradually changed, what was the final outcome? Even when Qin Weizhong wanted to kill me, he couldn't even say the first half of the sentence. Even Qin Weizhong's actions were originally It was his secret instruction. Do you know how terrifying it is?"
"Although you are close to Her Majesty the Queen Mother, how could the Crown Prince be so close to the late Emperor in the first place? The prince you had high hopes for and cultivated with all your efforts was the greatest hidden danger in the late Emperor's heart. The late Emperor even died because of it. This shows the stakes. If you rely on yourself Being arrogant and domineering in relation to the Queen Mother and Her Majesty may be a recipe for death, and the day of destruction is not far away."
Mr. Zhao suddenly said: "Actually, there is a way."
He looked into Xia Jingyun's eyes and said slowly, "He can take his place."
Xia Jingyun's heart skipped a beat, and then he shook his head and smiled, "Whether you are testing or reminding me, that position really has no allure for me. Spending my whole life imprisoned in that chair is not my pursuit in life. Ten or twenty years from now, I still want to live a happy life in this world and live like a couple of gods and immortals!"
Mr. Zhao and Mr. Su looked at each other and felt temporarily relieved.
Even though Xia Jingyun seems to be supported by everyone now, if he really embarks on that path, it's anyone's guess how much sincere support there will be around him.
At least the two of them didn't want to bear that infamy.
Mr. Su said slowly: "The second big hidden danger is that you have to create a rival for yourself."
Xia Jingyun frowned in confusion.
Mr. Su said fairly: "When you cover the sky with one hand above the court, it is like a dam, blocking all opposition and hostility. But these things will not disappear, they will only expand. If you have enough prestige, You are safe throughout your life, but after your death, there will probably be a flood. At that time, it is not impossible that you will be dug up and your body whipped, and all your relatives will be executed."
Mr. Zhao continued: "The invisible enemy is always the most terrifying. When you are at the height of the sun, you will see smiling faces, but you don't know what is behind the smiling faces. Once you relax your vigilance, It is possible to be defeated by invisible enemies and turbulent undercurrents.”
He smiled and said: "This is the advantage of taking the initiative to make an enemy for yourself. Would you be afraid of someone like the British Duke when he becomes your opponent? No matter how high your status is, no matter how many people you gather under your command, isn't it all? Do you have a dish ready to be stewed?"
Xia Jingyun suddenly realized and understood the key, and was amazed, "This move of yours is so clever!"
After the two old men yawned and returned to the room, Xia Jingyun sat in the room, thinking about what he had just said, and sighed again. This move that condensed the wisdom of two top bosses for most of their lives is really awesome!
The question immediately arises, who is this opponent looking for?
To be convincing, you cannot just promote an unknown person;
You must have a strong mind and confidence and dare to fight with him;
He must have strong appeal and appeal, able to lure enemies hiding in the dark to come out and gather around him;
You also need to be able to be eaten by him, so that you don't really become a tiger.
Names flashed through his mind, and suddenly his eyes lit up, and his frown instantly relaxed. (End of chapter)
