Ever since he was caught in a heavy rain on the wedding ring at the Xuanwu Field, Cao Xi had been seriously ill for more than ten days in a row, and his mind had become increasingly trance-like.
Although Xia Houxuan came to see him several times, Cao Xi burst into tears when he saw him. Xia Houxuan saw that Cao Xi's injury was no longer serious, so he never came again. He wanted to wait for Cao Xi to calm down for a while before talking.
Outside the gate of the Dongxiang Hou Mansion, Miss Wei Yuan of the Wei family was wearing a face-covering curtain hat and was talking to the housekeeper of the Cao Mansion.
"My third young master is really seriously ill this time. Everyone in the house is trying to persuade him, but no matter how much he is persuaded, he just refuses to take medicine. Alas, he is really worried." The housekeeper of the Dongxiang Hou Mansion looked sad. said.
"This medicine is something I asked my eldest brother to go to the Imperial Hospital to ask for. Can you help me, the housekeeper, bring it to Mr. Xi?"
Wei Yuan frowned slightly, looking worried.
The steward of the Dongxiang Hou Mansion nodded and said yes.
Cao Shuang was anxious and angry when he saw his usually gentle and steady third brother acting like this.
During these days, Cao Shuang scolded Cao Xi several times in front of Cao Xi's bed. Seeing that it had no effect, he became angry and simply stopped caring about him.
"Third Young Master, this is the medicine that Miss Wei Yuan asked Young Master Wei Lie to ask for at the Imperial Hospital. You can drink it while it's hot..." After the housekeeper boiled the medicine that Wei Yuan brought, he put it on the desk, and he gave it to Cao Xi. After taking two mouthfuls, all the medicine came out. When the butler saw this, he shook his head helplessly, placed the medicine bowl and a prescription-like thing in the medicine bag on the desk, and left the west hall.
Cao Xi looked at the rows of elegant calligraphy on the silk on his desk.
Qianjunzi, gold does not change, Ding Gongteng, aphrodisiac...
[Note 1: These are all names of Chinese herbal medicines. Qianjunzi has a calming effect, Jinbuhuan is Tianqi, which relieves pain, Dinggong Teng also relieves pain, and Furong is opium in later generations. It was introduced by Zhang Qian in the Eastern Han Dynasty and has anesthetic and analgesic effects. 】
And behind the silk, there is a new poem written by His Highness Cao Zhi, King of Yongqiu:
I wish that for the southwest wind, I will pass away into your arms forever.
Cao Xi understood that Wei Yuan was telling him to calm down, forget his worries, and relieve pain. Looking at the medicine bowl and prescription on the desk, Cao Xi couldn't help crying again. He turned over, took the medicine bowl from the desk, raised his head and drank.
An autumn rain soaked the somewhat dry bluestone avenue. There are several shallow puddles on the bluestone brick road. The rain was about to stop, but from time to time, some light raindrops would break up the mirror-like puddles, giving off a shimmering light.
Under the red umbrella, a beautiful couple was whispering outside the imperial city.
This is the newly married couple Sima Shi and Xia Houhui. Xia Houhui was going to visit his grandmother, the Queen Mother Bian, and Sima Shi came to see her off at the foot of the imperial city in person.
Within the imperial city, the Yongshou Palace was the residence of the late king’s beloved wife, the current Empress Dowager Bian.
"My granddaughter greets the Queen Mother, and wishes my grandmother long life and good health." The newly married Xia Houhui knelt down at the foot of the white marble steps and gave a full salute to the Queen Mother Bian.
"Hui'er, be good, come on, come to grandma." Queen Mother Bian, who was over sixty years old, smiled from ear to ear and looked at her granddaughter in front of her with joy. Xia Houhui snuggled in the old man's arms. He remembered that when he was very young, his grandmother would hug him like this, feed him a lot of delicious cakes, and tell him some bizarre stories. Now, she has grown up and is married. .
"Time flies so fast..." The old man seemed to have recalled something: "I remember that when your mother wanted to marry your father, the Ai family personally prepared the dowry for her to get married. In the blink of an eye, Ah, even my little granddaughter has grown up and is getting married, and grandma, I am also old..."
"Grandma will never grow old..." Xia Houhui snuggled into the old man's arms. Although she was married, she was still just a child to Queen Mother Bian. She said these words softly, as if A beautiful blessing.
On the west side of the Imperial City, south of the Golden City, on the side of the arsenal, is the Sima Mansion.
The head of the family, Sima Yi, was quietly admiring an ink painting of mountains and rivers in the west hall, but he was filled with thoughts.
He understood that the benefit of his marriage to the Xiahou family was to increase His Majesty's trust in him. Although he was an old minister whom Your Majesty trusted, compared to Your Majesty's trust in Xiahou Shang, it was like a firefly compared to a bright moon.
More importantly, it was to win over Xia Houxuan in the future and make this child his own. Xia Houxuan is indeed a leader among his generation. If Shi'er and Zhao'er want to establish a firm foothold in Luoyang City in the future, this child's support and help will be indispensable. If he can't win over Xia Houxuan, then his children may not be able to live in peace.
Sima Yi knew in his heart that he was not arranging all this just to win over Xia Houshang!
Thinking of this, his originally gentle eyebrows suddenly looked like poisonous snakes, murderous.
I, Xia Houshang, Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu and others also worked hard to assist His Majesty in entering the East Palace and inheriting the throne. But why were they able to command a large number of troops and become veritable feudal officials, while I could only immerse myself in the court? Government affairs! He firmly believed that his military management ability was definitely no worse than that of Xiahou and Cao's generals! Xia Houshang, the so-called old friend of the East Palace...
"Hmph!" Sima Yi sneered. This old friend might have been a stumbling block for Xiahou and the Cao Cao from the beginning, nothing more.
If he wants to take over control of the military and political affairs in the south, he must alienate the relationship between the royal family and Xiahou Shang. What's more, even getting rid of him is possible!
"Wang Yi." Sima Yi was still admiring the long scroll carefully. His voice was low and majestic, which made people's spines tingle. He stared at a man in casual clothes lying on the ground with his peripheral vision: "I How many years has it been since you were assigned to serve in the "Martial Guard Camp" of the Forbidden Army?"
"Your Majesty, it has been two full years. Your kindness and humble position will always be remembered in my heart." Wang Yi, the chief of the 'Wuwei Camp' dressed in casual clothes, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nodded in reply.
At this moment, Sima Yi's sense of intimidation was too strong.
"I have a task for you to do now. Are you willing to do it?"
Sima Yi saw Wang Yi's reaction. The corners of his mouth raised inadvertently, and he seemed very satisfied with Wang Yi's reaction.
"Your Majesty, please give me your orders. I will do my best to do my humble duty!"
Wang Yi suddenly bowed his head to the ground.
"You only need to send someone secretly to the palace of Prince Hedong in disguise, and ask His Highness the Prince of Hedong to come to the Su Family Tea House in the north corner of Ximingmen Street soon, and say that I have something important to discuss with you."
"No!" Wang Yi wiped his sweat, stood up carefully, took orders, saluted and retreated slowly.
Not yet. Since it is already the autumn season, the business of Su's tea shop is not very good.
A noble man wearing dark clothes was currently in the quiet room on the second floor of the teahouse, serving tea and sipping.
Beside him stood two indifferent-looking subordinates.
This is a location with an excellent perspective. Looking out from the window, you can observe the pedestrian traffic on both streets at the same time.
In fact, this young man in black is Cao Lin, the fifth son of the emperor and the king of Hedong. In order not to attract attention, he deliberately changed into his regular clothes and went out from the back door of the mansion, and only brought two powerful soldiers with him to protect him.
If someone else invited him, he would not be condescending and agree to go on this trip. However, the person he invited had a high status in the court, and he was Cong Long. If he could make friends with this person, he would definitely do it. It would be of great benefit to him in seizing the direct descendant, so Cao Lin did not dare to neglect it.
There was just one thing he couldn't figure out. Why did the man who had just married the Xiahou family who supported Cao Rui go to all the trouble to invite him to meet him.
Hearing a steady sound of footsteps slowly approaching the quiet room on the second floor where he was, Cao Lin smiled, knowing that it was that person who was coming.
Peiyu Dingdong, walking steadily without delay. Looking at the capital, among all the civil servants in the capital, only the Sima family with strict family education can take such steps.
"I didn't expect that Young Master, I came so early and kept you waiting for a long time." Sima Yi said and sat down with a puff of sleeves. He understood that although it was a quiet place, there were many people and the walls had ears, so he did not dare to directly call the person opposite you His Highness. .
"Your Excellency personally sent someone to invite me. I think there must be something important to discuss with you. Why don't you come later?" Although Cao Lin's words were courteous, but he didn't know whether it was habit or other reasons, but there was still a certain tone in his tone. Arrogance.
"Young master is smart, so I won't go into details." Sima Yi filled the cups of hot tea for the other party and himself. After taking the tea and tasting it carefully, he slowly said: "It's really good tea. I know that the master just recently On that day, I had an affair with the young master of the Hou Mansion in Changling Township, and the young master already regards Xia Hou as his enemy, right?"
Cao Lin snorted coldly and said, "So what, sir, do you want to make fun of me too?" Cao Lin understood that the Sima family and the Xiahou family were family friends, and now that they are close to each other, how could they still help him? No.
"Young master, you must be thinking that I have a close relationship with the Xiahou family and share weal and woe, right?" Sima Yi raised the tea and smiled, which made Cao Lin suspicious.
"Isn't that true?"
"That's true of the family, but everything in the world is for profit, isn't it?"
Seeing Cao Lin's doubtful face, Sima Yifeng smiled lightly. He continued: "What I want is to replace the Xiahou family's position in your majesty's heart. The master of this capital is getting worse every year, and the young master does not want a Xiahou family that is not good for you to continue. Control a heavy army."
"Then what do you want, sir?"
"Xiahou Shang has the emperor's trust, and his military and political achievements are all not to mention. He seems to have no weaknesses, but in my opinion, he is fragile and vulnerable. However, all of this requires the help of the young master and the young master's mother. OK."
"how do I say this?"
"Love is deep and lifeless. Xiahou Shang's weakness lies in love. The young master only needs to say this to Empress Zhaoyi..."
Night gradually fell, and there seemed to be endless darkness, shrouding the seemingly glorious city of Luoyang.
