"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arrived in Luoyang the day before yesterday. There were stations along the way to change horses, and the road to Nanxiao is gentle. It is estimated that he will arrive at noon. Wan Jun left early and could not see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
The mistress of the Xie family was speechless to her husband who was focused on the court: "Have you forgotten our Deyong? He wrote a letter early saying that he was going back to Chang'an. This time he came back with His Highness the Crown Prince. His third uncle went to pick him up early. Isn't that right? Good"
Seeing that the head of the family was choked, the whole family laughed secretly. Xie Jize coughed slightly to cover up his embarrassment: "It's a good thing that Deyong is coming back."
Xie Qingwu also smiled, her eyes gleaming with hope, and her heart was filled with excitement and a bit of shyness.
"Let's go, then let's pick up Deyong." Xie Jize said.
Xie Lingfu felt that the excuse the eldest brother had made was really lame. There was nothing wrong with wanting to see His Highness the Crown Prince. Many people had gone. They had a closer relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince. Instead, they had to retreat reservedly. This really shouldn't have happened, even though he knew that the eldest brother had always warned him. They said that their family should keep a low profile and keep a low profile, but this was the first time for His Royal Highness to come to Beijing, so they should be more solemn.
The sun gradually rose, the flags were fluttering, the drums and drums were blaring, and everyone was eagerly looking forward to seeing Xie Jize formally dressed in official uniform. After the morning sun popped out of the clouds, it shed thousands of golden lights.
"Today is an auspicious day." Xie Jize said. His family and the families of other officials were all settled in a high-rise building in the city with a better view. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is now past his prime. If nothing goes wrong, he will enter the court to govern. , the East Palace will also have a series of teams belonging to him. Xie Jize thought of the successful sons in the family, and also thought of his youngest son, Xie Deyong, who had always been idle.
After weighing the two sides, they decided to let Deyong continue to stay with His Highness the Crown Prince for the time being. His family, Deyong, had been going to Youzhou for several years. He got along well with His Highness the Crown Prince, so it would be inappropriate to change him rashly.
Most of the way to Zhongzhong Wenwu, the ceremonial stand belonging to the prince had already been laid all the way. Xie Jize's eyes jumped and he heard the thunderous sound of horse hooves galloping on the official road in the distance from far to near. The sound changed from high to low. Soon, his At the end of the line of sight, a group of thousands of people with flags spread out appeared, and the large red bird banners and red flame banners were flapping in the wind.
The leading young man had thick black eyebrows, resolute eyes, and majestic air. He was wearing fine armor. Xie Jize, like other officials, paid homage to His Highness the Crown Prince.
Zhou Shenzhi looked at Chang'an City, suppressed all the emotions of excitement, excitement, and longing in his heart, and entered Chang'an City calmly. The reason why he came so late was because the Duke of Wei in Taiyuan was still evil, and after his father ascended the throne in Chang'an At that time, he repeatedly attacked Youzhou and spread many rumors. Zhou Shenzhi was worried that the people's hearts among his subordinates were unstable, so he stayed in Youzhou and waited until the matter was settled before rushing to Chang'an.
His father and mother-in-law urged him to come quickly. Now that they were close, Zhou Shenzhi felt a little timid in this unfamiliar Chang'an after such a long time. However, he quickly recovered his mood. What's more, it's the joy of seeing my family soon.
Just as Zhou Shenzhi was riding into the imperial city, he suddenly felt a line of sight. He looked up and saw a girl leaning halfway in front of the window on a high building, looking at him.
Seeing that she had been discovered, Xie Qingwu quickly took a step back, her heart pounding.
Zhou Shenzhi withdrew his gaze and continued to move forward.
"That's my sister. I'm going to see Aniang and the others later." Xie Deyong found an opportunity to step forward and whispered to his friend: "Is there anything you want to say to me?"
Zhou Shenzhi looked at Xie Deyong acting like a thief, twitching the corner of his mouth, and said slowly: "See you when you have time."
"That's it?" Xie Deyong asked with a bitter look on his face, "Is there more, is there more?"
Wu Changfeng smiled softly from behind and said: "Xie Langjun, please pay attention to your manners so as not to disturb His Highness."
Xie Deyong went to see his family with a dark face, and they were reunited. Zhou Shenzhi happened to meet Amei and Shiliu who ran out of the palace halfway.
When Xiao Qingxue saw her brother jumping three feet high, she was so happy that she wanted to go back to the palace with her brother.
Xiao Luolan learned that Shen Zhi was coming and had been waiting for her for a long time. If the rules in the palace were not too strict and her current status was not suitable for going out to greet Shen Zhi, she would have wanted to take Qingxue with her to pick up Shen Zhi. She had not seen Shen Zhi for a long time. Xiao Luolan felt that the child seemed to have grown taller again, as strong as a cow. Xiao Qingxue said happily: "Brother, you came just in time, just about to eat." After the two met their father together, Rush to grandma's side.
On the 16th, he went to see his parents. Zhou Shenzhi came not alone this time, but also brought some of the Zhou family members with him.
"Are you tired from this journey?" Xiao Luolan asked kindly: "I heard from your father that there is a bit of unrest in Youzhou. I have been worried about it for a long time. Come on, come on, please sit down quickly."
"It happened some time ago." Zhou Shenzhi sat down. Aniang and Amei next to him looked at him with smiles. The atmosphere was still relaxed and natural, which diluted the nervousness and depression he had when he first entered the palace. Zhou Shenzhi Suddenly I found the feeling I had before, and the next words came out naturally: "Don't worry, Mom."
Xiao Luolan's smile grew stronger and she said in a gentle voice: "That's good. I've already asked someone to fix your house. You can go and see if you like it later. If you don't like anything, tell me. Dad will probably be here soon, he has been busy recently with the conquest of Taiyuan."
Zhou Shenzhi felt warm in his heart, and there were plenty of food on the table, all of which he liked to eat.
"That's right." Xiao Luolan said with crooked eyes: "Where's your wine, Shenzhi? Did you bring it with you this time?" She heard from Shiliu that Shenzhi regarded the wine as a treasure, so she must have brought it with her. .
Zhou Shenzhi responded: "Bring it." He remembered the agreement and said, "I didn't drink a sip." He waited for the whole family to drink together.
Xiao Luolan was a little touched by this silly boy and couldn't help but laugh: "Then let's drink first."
Zhou Shenzhi had the wine served. He preserved it very carefully and brewed it himself despite his busy schedule.
"I want to drink a little." Xiao Qingxue said eagerly.
Zhou Shenzhi poured a small cup for his sister. It was his first time making wine. He had never tasted it before and didn't know the taste yet. Seeing his sister eagerly drink it, he couldn't help but ask: "How is it? Does it taste good?"
Xiao Qingxue swallowed it with a rumbling sound in her throat, and raised the corners of her mouth as soon as they were sour. She smiled widely and said in a sweet voice: "No, not bad, it tastes good!" She said it with a powerful voice. , it’s easy to convince people: “Brother, drink more.”
Zhou Shenzhi poured himself a glass and took a sip. After twitching his brows, he said calmly, "It's quite delicious. I'll leave it to my father to drink."
"Then I'll drink a little too." Xiao Luolan was moved when she saw that both children said it tasted good. After taking a sip, she looked at the two children's expressions of taste and elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. : "It's really delicious. I should give it to your father to try."
"What's so delicious?" Zhou Xu held his head high with a smile on his face. When he saw the wine on the table, his smile deepened.
"Wine brewed by Shen Zhi himself." Xiao Luolan poured a full glass for Zhou Lang: "Drink and see."
"It's very sweet. Dad, drink it quickly." Xiao Qingxue said.
Zhou Shenzhi remained calm: "We all drank it, and my mother-in-law also liked it very much."
Zhou Xu happily sat down next to his wife and raised a glass of cow to drink without thinking. After a while, his face showed a strange grin and his sore eyebrows knitted together.
"Hahahahahaha." Xiao Qingxue couldn't help laughing anymore. Xiao Luolan also laughed when she saw Zhou Lang's sour expression. Zhou Shenzhi quickly poured other wine for his father.
Zhou Xu waited until the sourness in his tongue subsided and looked at everyone's performance. If there was anything he didn't understand, he raised his hand and patted his son on the head in feint of anger: "You little bastard, did you do this on purpose?"
Xiao Luolan laughed on Zhou Lang's shoulder and burst into tears.
Zhou Shenzhi was startled for a moment by his father's intimate gesture that he hadn't seen in a long time. Then he laughed and nodded: "It's better to have fun alone than to have fun together. We all drank, so of course my father also participated."
Zhou Xu smiled and said: "I think the suffering of one person is not as good as the suffering of others. You are all involved in this matter, and none of you can escape."
The whole house was filled with laughter and laughter.
At the end, Xiao Luolan asked Shen Zhi to rest early, while Qingxue and Shen Zhi went to the prince's east palace. Xiao Luolan shook the bottomed wine bottle and found that the wine had been finished.
She curled her lips.
"If the brew is so sour, I'm not afraid of losing my teeth." Zhou Xu muttered, his words a bit rude.
"No matter how sour this wine is, it's also sweet." Xiao Luolan sat next to Zhou Lang: "You can drink whatever is left."
Zhou Xu smiled and thought he was a little drunk after smashing it: "Let him brew it again next year."
"Do you still want to drink?" Xiao Luolan tapped the tip of Zhou Lang's nose, and she knew that this man had a sharp mouth and a tofu heart.
Zhou Xu grabbed Madam's wrist, kissed her, and called Madam as before. He didn't think calling her Madam was as intimate and pleasant as Zi Tong.
"After the brew is finished, we drink it together as a family, just like today."
Xiao Luolan suddenly felt a heavy sense of satisfaction: "Okay."
She thought she would miss this day forever.
Chapter 347
The day when the crown prince was appointed was a sunny day, and the sun shone warmly on people's bodies. Xiao Luolan also dressed up very grandly. When Shen Zhi went to the central palace to thank the Queen, Xiao Luolan looked at Shen Zhi with a mature and steady look on his face. , and treat each other seriously.
As far as Xiao Luolan knew, Shen Zhi would also visit the ancestral temple later to inform her ancestors that the Zhou family's various ancestral brands in Langge had already perfected and made new ones. When Xiao Luolan was the queen, she also went to pay homage. She remembered There were many people along the way.
There will be a lot of people at Shen Zhi's worship ceremony this time. After all, it is a rare good weather today. The people are lined up to greet each other. The scene must be spectacular. To be honest, Xiao Luolan also wanted to join in the fun, but she gave up the idea after thinking about it. , today is an extremely important day for Shen Zhi, and there must be no mistakes.
"Auntie, I'm going out. When I come back, I'll tell you about the excitement outside." Xiao Qingxue walked in with high spirits, wearing a bright red round-neck robe.
"Take more people and pay attention to safety." Xiao Luolan put down the book in his hand, waved his daughter forward, pinched her round and fair face: "I have heard some rumors about the imperial censor in the court, you are a girl, It’s not good to hang out in the streets with Shiliu every day, so restrain yourself a little, and if you want to have fun, you can hold a banquet and invite other girls in Chang’an to play together.”
"Okay, I understand." Xiao Qingxue's cheeks were slightly red: "But I don't know how to play chess, calligraphy and painting, so what should I do if I don't have anything in common with them?"
Xiao Luolan touched her daughter's hair: "If you don't know it, just learn it. It's just for entertainment. It's not a campaign for everyone. It's enough if you can listen to music and watch chess. Besides, it doesn't have to be such things as horse riding, Cuju, and pot throwing." You can even play archery.”
"Let's talk about it later. I also have something to be busy with." Xiao Qingxue sat on the couch and looked at Dongxue. Dongxue went down with many maids in the palace.
"Let me hear what's going on." Xiao Luolan listened intently.
Xiao Qingxue couldn't hide her pride and happiness: "Isn't my father going to attack Taiyuan? As his daughter, I should also contribute. I am always paying attention to the artillery in Jinling. Maybe I can help my father." It’s a big favor. After working hard for so long, it’s time to show it to the world.”
Xiao Luolan's face showed worry: "Is it dangerous?" Er Er responded: "Do you want to go to Taiyuan with your father?"
After being exposed, Xiao Qingxue confessed: "Why can't I go? I have an army, weapons and my father by my side. I also want to make a great contribution."
Xiao Qingxue secretly calculated in her mind and felt that she had quite a lot. She also had a racecourse, a fiefdom, and her own town. Her father was very, very good to her. Her fiefdom ranged from Qinghe to Guangling. It covers the wealthy areas on the Jianghuai side.
Princess Wuyou, if calculated according to fiefdom, should be Princess Qinghe or Princess Guangling.
"In a few days, Amu and I will go back to Jinling to debug it again. I have to test it myself first."
What he said made sense, and Xiao Luolan, whose daughter had her own aspirations, also supported it, but, but, it was a battlefield... Xiao Luolan was restless and said without thinking: "Artillery is so dangerous, I will go with you. "
"Oh, my dear mother-in-law, you are the queen now. How can you run around with me? This will cause trouble." Xiao Qingxue shook her head and said: "Mom, you can rest assured. The artillery is only in its infancy and has not yet reached its peak. At the modern level of maturity, if everything goes well, it will be great. If we don't study hard, in the new era, we will always have to abandon some old things. We can be the first." Xiao Qingxue didn't want to become fat in one breath. .
She raised her head high and said: "Maybe we will be the pioneers or founders of the new era in the future." Xiao Qingxue's eyes sparkled and she lowered her voice and said: "Auntie, I'm not saying we want to overthrow the feudal system. Just think about it. It’s impossible, but if I keep moving forward and pushing forward a little bit, I’ll be happy.”
She hugged Grandma's arm affectionately and said slyly: "Grandma, haven't you been calling people to inquire about Lingnan rice seeds recently?"
Xiao Luolan opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by her daughter's long words. Like her daughter, she certainly hopes that the world will become better. The prerequisite for all this is to have enough food. She regards it as a top priority. Ask Lingnan to send it as soon as there is any news. The days of waiting are always anxious.
The foundation left by the old dynasty was very thin, the treasury was empty, and natural disasters occurred frequently in the past few years. Zhou Lang never hid himself when reading the memorials. The two of them often watched the memorials in the tent. Xiao Luolan was influenced by his ears and eyes, and assisted Zhou Lang. Dealing with it together, we also know that the foundation of the new dynasty is not good at the beginning. She has a worried and emotional character. She often keeps those things in her heart, feeling worried and lamenting the hardships of people's livelihood, and she can't sleep.
Xiao Luolan nodded her daughter's forehead: "You are the only one who talks a lot." She still couldn't raise her eyebrows: "I have secretly advised your father several times. The battle in Taiyuan will often waste people and money, but he is very stubborn. If he can't do it, that's it. Want to fight."
Don't we hurry up and get everything settled, the queen, the princess, the prince, Zongzheng, the court, those who deserve to be granted, those who deserve to be killed, in the new year of the new law, we strive to stabilize everything as quickly as possible. Back on track, the new dynasty was established, but there were still many things to deal with. Xiao Luolan was sometimes secretly annoyed by Zhou Lang's stubbornness.
"Just fight, dad will definitely win." Xiao Qingxue was not worried. In her heart, dad was really powerful. She suddenly pouted: "Mom, when I went out to play some time ago, , I met the Lu family, their family is so impressive now, even the words on the plaque were mentioned by my father, and my father also made the old man of the Lu family a Marquis of Zhongyong, and there are several princesses in the house."
Xiao Luolan listened to her daughter mentioning the Lu family, then looked at her unhappy daughter, and said warmly: "The Lu family is Shen Zhi's maternal family. Shen Zhi will think of you for everything she does well. I will bring it to you this time when I go to Chang'an." There is a car full of gifts, don’t say that next time, peace is the most important thing in all things.”
"If you want your father's handwriting, that's not easy. When I get back in the evening, I'll ask him to write a dozen of them for you. You pick the one you like best and let the craftsman frame it and read it every day."
Xiao Qingxue knew that she was a bit stingy, so she smiled and rolled her eyes. In fact, she knew that most of the marquises in the Lu family were of an honorary nature, and she was just being petty and wanted to show preference.
Xiao Luolan pinched her daughter's nose: "Okay, I don't have anyone to mess with now, so you should be more generous."
Xiao Qingxue made a sound and covered the corner of her mouth: "It's good for my mother to be the queen. Without a summons, they couldn't even see my mother if they wanted to." After saying that, she ran away.
Lian Shiqing, who was promoted to Minister of Civil Affairs, was transferred from Taiyang County to Chang'an and successfully took up the post. He is neither qualified nor young enough to take a step forward, but he can afford to wait, and he believes that he can wait. Lian Shiqing As soon as Shiqing entered Chang'an, he returned to a central position in the court and took over the work of the civil service.
He got a big job in the civil service, and Lian Shiqing worked diligently every day. According to rumors, someone offered him a gift but he refused it. I don’t know whether he didn’t like it or had changed his mind. People in the court often looked at him strangely. Looking at him, many people believe that he will show his flaws one day.
Once he was promoted to an important minister of the emperor, he was secretly envied and hated by many people. Lian Shiqing felt good about those piercing eyes. It couldn't be better. He was born to enjoy the feeling of being in the spotlight and just wanted to live high forever. , his faction in the court has begun to show its strength. As far as he knows, the Ministry of Rites in charge of the imperial examination has begun to have shadows of Xiao's disciples.
Lian Shiqing instantly thought of Xie Dang, who had always been tepid. After his vitality was severely damaged, Xie Prime Minister, the Minister of Rites, turned a blind eye to this phenomenon, whether it was a temporary concession or a latent attack.
Or maybe he retreated bravely when the current was rushing. Lian Shiqing smiled. The Xie family was the natal family of the crown prince. This move was really clever for the Xie family back then.
"Wei Chen pays his respects to the Queen."
When Xiao Luolan saw his old friend, he smiled and said, "Master Lian, please take a seat."
"Is there any news from Lingnan?"
Lian Shiqing cupped his hands and said in shame: "Not yet, but the Holy One has sent people to Lingnan, and asked the Lingnan Economic Envoy Mr. Huang to fully cooperate with Luo Langjun and all the agricultural experts in the search. I believe there will be good news soon. "
