Chen Qingrong was stunned for a moment.
She used to dream about hearing Xie Langjun praise her, but she couldn't. Today, she came to collect debts, but she was caught off guard by such a straightforward compliment.
What is beautiful, chic...it sounds like a cliché to deceive people, but when it comes from Xie Lanan's mouth, it seems extremely natural.
Princess Ancheng stared at the other party's eyes, trying to find any trace of perfunctoryness, but in the end, those rippling eyes were full of sincerity.
Chen Qingrong's face turned red with anger, she bit her lip, stamped her embroidered shoes on the bluestone, and turned away.
The luan bell rang, and Xie Lanan looked away, then looked out again.
Of course, the Xie family is not the only one who lives in Wuyi Lane. Some of the people in Wuyi who heard the news went out and stood in front of their own families.
These gentlemen have different expressions, and many of them are acquaintances with Mr. Xie Lanan in the past.
Xie Lanan changed his friendly attitude toward Princess Ancheng and said in a deep voice: "Looking for fun at the door of Xie's house? Why not go and see the excitement of the original family! Those who want to cut off their relationship with me can just hand over the letter of renunciation. One more yin and yang word, Think about what will happen to Hara Rokuro?"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was silent.
These people still don't understand why the dignified Duke of the Yuan clan belittled Xie Lanan and even wanted to kneel down and lick her boots.
I thought that Xie Lanan would turn into a street rat after the spring banquet, but the public opinion fermented for a few days, and she seemed not to be affected at all, so no one could figure out the background of this girl.
Wang Shiyilang, who was swept by her eyes, felt excited in his heart.
Yesterday, his friend asked him to help him come up with a harsh sentence to stab Xie Lan'an. He was also angry at the time, so he agreed. Now that he was caught, he felt a little guilty.
But can you blame him? On weekdays, the two families often interacted with each other, and he also asked himself how much he felt about his friend. Xie Lanan deliberately deceived him, but it was wrong. As a result, he was questioned over and over again by relatives and friends for days, including many dirty guesses. He, King Eleven, sits upright, when has he ever suffered such grievances?
However, the three-pointed love between them met, and now the anger dissipated. Recalling the past love, Wang Shiyilang couldn't bear it.
He was awkwardly preparing to say hello to Xie Lan'an, when suddenly he saw someone walking out of the carriage behind her, side by side with Xie Lan'an.
Although this man's eyesight was not half as sharp as Xie Lan'an's, he clearly glanced at the people on both sides, as if to say: Don't bully my friend to be alone, I will be with him.
Wenle Mountain?
Wang Shiyilang was surprised when he recognized this person. He felt an unspeakable feeling for a moment: Daxuan scholars value elegance and reputation first. At this juncture when no one dares to have anything to do with Xie Lanan, why should he come from a small family? This guy dares to interact with Xie Lanan openly?
That's right, it's precisely because he has no family burdens that he has such a compassionate, upright and upright face.
Unlike him...he can't just care about himself, he has to consider the reputation of the Wang family.
Although he thought so in his heart, Wen Liangyu was like a mirror that cleanses the dust, clearly reflecting the cowardice and despicability in Wang Shiyi's heart, which made him unable to lift his head.
Xie Lan'an and Wen Liangyu stopped paying attention to others. Since they were only a few steps away from the mansion, they should take a walk. Yun Shuang followed behind, carefully holding the piano that Wen Langjun gave to his master.
As he was about to enter the door, Wen Liangyu asked in a low voice: "Why were you so respectful at first and so arrogant later?"
Xie Lanan sneered, "You asked for it."
·
Shan Bo was very happy when he saw Wen Langjun and the girl returning home together. As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed, after all, the young master still has a true friend like Leshan Jun who will never leave him.
He smiled and asked: "Wen Langjun should still live in Youhuang Pavilion, right?"
Wen Liangyu nodded shyly and thanked the housekeeper for his hard work. Cen Shan said happily: "The pavilion has been reserved for the husband. It is cleaned every day, so it is not hard work."
Then he reported to Xie Lan'an: "Madam, there are several students who came to apply for disciples today. They are all students from the countryside. After being investigated by the servants, they found that their wealth is innocent, but their academic skills are mediocre.
"There is also a painter who calls himself 'Song Yinzi'. He is more than 10 years old and has the style of a hermit. He said that on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, he met the lady at the spring banquet. What... he suddenly had an inspiration, and his painting skills had been stagnant for many years. The bottleneck showed signs of loosening. He asked to see my wife again and wanted to paint a portrait of her."
"Song Yinzi?" Wen Liangyu was surprised, "I have heard of this gentleman. He is an elegant man who lives in seclusion in the valley. He is aloof and self-reliant. He occasionally associates with wise men at home and abroad. He is good at freehand brushwork of landscapes and flowers and birds. He has a 'painting obsession' The title. He would actually be willing to be a disciple of an aristocratic family?"
"They are all arranged to live in Daishe. Food and food should be taken care of every day, so don't treat them badly." Xie Lanan twisted his thumb on the handle of the fan, which was warm to the touch, and ignored Song Yinzi's request to see him.
She is willing to spend a lot of money to buy bones, which shows to the outside world that she is eager for talents, but she really has no time to go along with others.
Shan Bo nodded and pondered for a while. There was something that the girl didn't ask, but he didn't dare not to reply: "Over there in the West Courtyard... the mistress is in seclusion and doesn't want to eat. There is something bad about her body. She keeps clamoring to see the lady... …”
Xie Lanan's eyes were calm and he said, "If you are sick, please ask the doctor to prescribe medicine. I will provide you with enough food and drink. Just serve me carefully."
Her attitude towards her biological mother was no different from those of her hangers-on.
·
It was only after Wen Liangyu moved into Xie's Mansion that he realized that during the two days he was on his way to Beijing, what Xie Lanan had done in Jinling was far more exciting than the few words in the letter.
There is no airtight wall in the world, and news of Xie Xinyi's death soon spread like wildfire in the capital.
"The head of the Xie family died by hanging himself?!"
In the study of the Wang family in Langya, Wang Daozhen stood under Wang Ao, with chills running down his back: "What's going on with the feng shui of the Xie family, why did the original Duke kneel, why did Xie Gong die, and how could the funeral be held?" There is no news, there is no road festival? Xie Zhiqiu has always been good at dancing, but now he has stopped his activities, leaving that girl to sit in the main hall. "
Incense is burning in the Boshan furnace, and Prime Minister Wang Ao is wearing loose paddy field clothes at home, looking relaxed and relaxed.
He glanced at his son, twirled his beard and said slowly: "You are too hasty. The Wang family and the Xie family have been married for generations and have a close relationship. If something like this happens to the Xie family, you should just wait and see what happens. You secretly gave Wei Ting instructions. , sentenced Xie’s daughter for the injury case.”
The old prime minister of the Southern Dynasty, with half white beard and eyebrows, was here, teaching his son: "What are you doing now? Did that little girl give you an opportunity to take advantage of it? Didn't you want to seize power by saying thank you?"
It's not that Xie Zhiqiu doesn't want to, it's that he can't.
In the past few days, he had been troubled by the disappearance of his concubine and the divorce of his future daughter-in-law. On the one hand, he wanted to mediate with the Zhou family, not wanting to lose this powerful in-laws;
On the one hand, he had to secretly inquire about the whereabouts of Qiu Niang and Niang Niang, and on the other hand, he had to prevent Madam from noticing;
He had to be on guard against Xie Lanan's dirty tricks again, and he had to take care of the fifth uncle's funeral... He was almost exhausted both physically and mentally.
He wanted to ask the clan elders to come forward and force Xie Lan'an again, but when those old guys heard about Xie Xinyi's death, they all shrank their heads and said they would no longer interfere with their family's affairs.
"The young Xie family can't compete with Xie Lan'an, and they already want to sit back and watch. Shouldn't we, the Wang family, forget about it?"
Wang Daozhen is past middle age and is not an impatient person, but he can't swallow this tone even if he pinches his nose. "As the saying goes, a daughter buys her neighbor. Xie Lan'an, a female generation, secretly calls the head of the family, has the same name as the father-in-law, and teaches Wuyi How can I bear this?"
"A female prostitute? Is the person hanging the curtain in the court a female prostitute? How many years have I endured this woman?" Wang Ao's voice was cold.
The next moment, he concealed his smile and patted his eldest son on the shoulder.
"They say Xie Lan'an protects the weak. Who did she learn this from? Have you forgotten that her aunt Xie Yandong asked for a divorce from your brother? Who came to hand over the divorce certificate without any advice."
"Xie Jingzhou..." Wang Daozhen couldn't help thinking about Xie Yixia who dominated the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
Yes, the real leader of the Xie family has not returned yet.
Will the Xie family become the laughing stock of the entire Jiangnan if he, the dignified Jingzhou governor, protects his shortcomings?
Prime Minister Wang narrowed his eyes and thought for a long time: The little girl of the Xie family chose to go on a mountain tour with her aunt, and exposed her shortcomings when her second uncle was not around. She didn't even have an elder to protect her. Is she going to break the pot or burn the cauldron? Boat?
If you have the skill to watch water, you must watch its waves.
Wait and see.
·
Some people can't sit still, and some people can't wait to see it.
Yuan Liulang's biological mother was the beloved daughter of Uncle An Nan. She hugged her poor young son and cried to Master Yuan:
"Damn you bitch Ah Wu, you made my son disfigured. He hasn't proposed marriage yet. How will he live for the rest of his life? If the imperial officer doesn't arrest her, lightning won't strike her to death! But my husband is still dragging us with him. Liu Lang went to the Xie Mansion to plead guilty, but my son is still hot, tell me, what is the reason for this?!"
The seven-foot-tall Hara Rokuro choked with tears in his mother's arms.
Yuan Xun was speechless. The order was given by his father. He only ordered him to calm down Xie Lanan no matter what method he used, otherwise the Yuan family would be destroyed.
My father never made false claims, and even if he made such serious remarks, how could he not dare not follow them.
Mrs. Yuan didn't care about this, "If the Yuan family doesn't care about my son being bullied like this, I will go back to my parents' house and ask my father to talk to Xie!"
"Why bother Yue Ren..." Yuan Xun couldn't stop an angry woman. The news reached his ancestor's room, and Yuan De, who had been shutting himself up since Xie Xinyi's death, said something.
"If you want to send me back to the West, just go."
The two couples in the room looked at each other, only Hara Rokuro sobbed louder.
·
"Did she really go to the west of the city to greet Wen Liangyu in person?"
In Xi Mansion, Xi Fu stared at the boy who answered the question forbearingly.
Xi Yin was helpless, "What are you talking about? What time has it been? You still care about this."
He dismissed the boy and said in a low voice: "Fu'er, now the Xie family's affairs are causing a storm in the city, and Xie Yixia has been accused of lax governance and unmatched moral integrity. I want to take this opportunity to fight for the title of governor of Jingzhou." Do you agree with the position?"
There are many aristocratic families in Jinling City, and whoever becomes a first-class aristocratic family is still divided into three, six or nine. The status of the Xi family is neither high nor low, and the head of the Xi family is also a mediocre person.
However, perhaps it was because of moderation that the imperial court felt confident to hand over the official position of Yangzhou Mu to Xi Yin.
It's just that this title sounds loud and clear. The real political power of Yangzhou is still in the hands of Prime Minister Wang. He has no power and everything is empty.
A mediocre person suddenly becomes ambitious, like a hatchling that breaks its shell and suddenly sees a glimmer of light, and has no reason to think that it can flex its muscles. When Xi Fu heard what was going on, he regained his calm demeanor and shook his head.
"Father, please think twice. Now that my younger brother is working for His Majesty, the Queen Mother has assigned the Xi family to the Young Emperor's faction in her mind. Compared with the Xie family, who has no relationship with each other, how can the Queen Mother tolerate the Xi family to gain military power in Jingzhou?
"Secondly, Jingzhou controls Yuyang to the east and connects Bashu to the west. It has always been a must-win for military strategists. It echoes the north of Jingkou and is called the West Prefecture. Mr. Xie Fu has been operating in the West Prefecture for many years and knows the military and government of the place well. My father has no foothold there, so how can he fight?
"Come three..."
Xi Fu grinded his teeth in displeasure, "Third, Xie Hanling is cunning! She has been living in the mansion for a long time. How could she know that the oriole is not behind, waiting for those who want to deal with her to fall into the trap."
"Oh, yes, yes." Xi Yin nodded repeatedly, trusting this auspicious son who was born with auspicious clouds in the sky and a white crane entering his house. He clicked his tongue for a while and said with regret, "Then forget it."
His ambition disappeared as quickly as it came. After observing Xi Fu's expression, he asked furtively in a low voice: "My son, you and that girl from the Xie family..."
"I told you, I don't know!" Xi Fu's voice suddenly became louder, his brows as clear as a gully.
He pinched the jade ring on his finger, turned around and called Changsui in, and asked with deep regret: "Did Wen Liangyu live in Xie's Mansion?"
The servant who inquired about the news didn't know what the young master's rivalry was with that Leshan Lord, so he nodded bravely.
Mr. Xi snarled, shook his head and added to the confusion: "The wind, horse and cattle are irrelevant."
·
There are aristocratic families that wait and see what happens, and there are ministers who cannot tolerate harming their moral integrity.
At the court meeting, the imperial censor, who was born in the Zhu family of Wu County, wrote a letter to impeach Xie Lan'an.
"The "Biography" says: It is shameful and shameful to treat Qi with courtesy. But now there is a daughter of the Xie family who has concealed her life and deceived the world for twenty years. Her reputation is false and she is not in her rightful position. I, Daxuan, inherit the king's status and should be both powerful and powerful. According to etiquette, I ask the Queen Mother and Your Majesty to severely punish this woman to set the record straight!"
There was quite a commotion in the court hall.
The young emperor had a face as beautiful as a crown jewel and a bookish air, which was incompatible with the black dragon robe with sea cliff pattern that pressed down on him.
He looked down from behind his crown.
Prime Minister Wang said nothing and closed his eyes slightly, as if he was resting his mind; the important ministers headed by Wen Ban, whether the uncle of the country, Yu Fengxiao, or the Duke of Hui, He Xingqiong, all stood gracefully and had no intention of supporting Zhu Yushi.
The young emperor opened his mouth, and Empress Dowager Yu, who was sitting next to the dragon throne with a hanging curtain, smiled slightly: "Prime Minister Wang, the Ai family doesn't remember which of our laws clearly states that it is a crime for a woman to disguise herself as a man, or that it is a crime for a woman to run a house?"
Wang Ao shook his head, saying that there was no such law.
Zhu Yushi was anxious and argued with reason. Empress Dowager Yu's voice deepened: "The old woman Yuchi from the north of the Huaihe River has been showing off her military prowess for a long time. She has been claiming that a heroic woman from the northern barbarian land has emerged from her father's place in the army. It is true that both men and women are soldiers, and all the people are soldiers. She threatens to cross the river sooner or later. Let us equalize our dynasty! Looking back at our Han Dynasty, which has a strong literary style, there was Ban Zhao and Cai Yan in ancient times, and now there is a heroine in the boudoir. Instead of praising, you want to suppress and punish us. Is it true that our Southern Dynasty is not as broad-minded as the Northern Dynasty? ?”
The young emperor Chen Qing closed his mouth expressionlessly, and the court fell silent.
No one knows that the Queen Mother's words with a gun and a stick are borrowing other people's words to undermine her own power.
The "old woman" she spoke of hatefully was Empress Dowager Yuchi of the Northern Dynasties.
I remember that when Emperor Tuoba Wu was in power, Empress Dowager Yuchi and Emperor Tuoba Wu came to court together in Luoyang and were called the "Two Saints". When Emperor Wu passed away, Empress Dowager Yuchi continued to assist her son and plan state affairs. All officials in the Northern Dynasty took this for granted. Everyone obeys orders.
On the other hand, in the Southern Dynasties, the curtains were also hung, but Empress Dowager Yu was repeatedly asked to withdraw by the old ministers, saying that the harem's involvement in politics was inconsistent with the system, and asked her to hand over her power.
The biggest taboo in Empress Dowager Yu's life was the word "male and female".
Why did she ignore the complaints of the ministers and wholeheartedly push Da Sima to raise his troops for the Northern Expedition? Wasn't it just to compete with the Northern Dynasty in martial arts and prove her ability to lead Daxuan?
At this meeting today, whoever insists on targeting Xie Lanan is alluding to the Queen Mother Si Chen.
Queen Mother Yu looked with satisfaction at the court where no one dared to say anything. She turned around and asked the young emperor with a smile: "Does Your Majesty think Aijia's words are true?"
Under the gaze of the civil and military officials of the court, Chen Qing turned his head slightly and nodded respectfully, "What the Queen Mother said is absolutely true."
·
"There are eight first-class families in Jinling. The first ones are Wang, Xie, Yu, and He, followed by Xi, Yuan, Wei, and Zhu. The rest are not of concern."
In the Fanghe Pavilion, a small red clay stove was cooking Yuqian tea. The fragrance was refreshing and the three of them were sitting around the tea table.
Xie Lanan held up a bamboo hat and a small cup, watching cranes combing their feathers on the crane platform. His hands were whiter than porcelain, and he analyzed slowly:
"Today at the meeting of the five major dynasties, someone will definitely mention my matter. Prime Minister Wang will not say much. No matter it is hindered by the in-laws of Wang Xie's family or the still water of Wang Ao, he will not say anything more. Naturally, also He won’t speak kindly to me, and at most he won’t help me;
"The Queen Mother intends to win over me. Both the Yu family and the He family are under the Queen Mother, so she will not criticize the Xie family."
Xie Ce turned his head and looked at her.
Xie Lan'an continued: "The master of the Xi family is very talented and ambitious, but it is a pity that the major affairs of his family are always decided by the young master Xi Fu. I know that the young master may seem arrogant, but in fact he is the most careful in making choices. If he is not completely sure, he will not take the decision." This guy is a standout."
Thinking of what the young master of the Xi family did in the previous life, Xie Lanan glanced at his eyelashes and smiled, drinking tea with a sweet taste on his lips and teeth: "The rest of the original family has been convinced, and the Wei family is mediocre, so there is no danger. The remaining Zhu family is a native of Jiangnan. Since the northern aristocrats settled in Jiangnan, their power has been squeezed, and their status has fallen again and again. The only one who wants to take the opportunity to overthrow the Xie family and ascend to the throne is this family. It's a pity..."
Xie Ce responded: "It's a pity that the Queen Mother will not give him this opportunity."
At this time, he finally understood that when Xie Lanan said "someone asked me to come out" that day, he was actually referring to the Queen Mother.
It turns out that at that time, she had already considered today's situation.
But we can't dwell on this matter. Once we get into it, it will be like the death of our fifth uncle, making Xie Ce feel that Lan'an has become a bit strange.
Wen Liangyu was ignorant of world affairs and sipped tea in a foggy manner, "Hanling, he said that the Queen Mother intends to win over you... What does this mean?"
Xie Lan'an smiled elegantly. Today, the two countries are divided into two. The north and the south are governed across the river. On the surface, each has an emperor, but in fact it is the two queen mothers who really govern the country and decide the policies.
Our Queen Mother Yu is very high-minded and ambitious.
"She probably thought, 'Thanks to Hanling, you can't protect yourself without the protection of the Ai family, and if you don't thank the Ai family, Hanling can't use his minions, open your eyes and ears, and show off your ambition.' She is currently waiting for me to submit my name certificate."
Hearing these words, both Xie Ce and Wen Liangyu were horrified, and a low and distant voice suddenly came: "So my Xie family has a handsome man?"
The three people in the pavilion all had a meal.
Hearing this familiar yet distant voice, Xie Lanan's fingertips holding the lamp trembled slightly and he turned his head slowly.
I saw a middle-aged man wearing a crane-patterned robe and a far-traveling crown walking through the court. He had a crotch tail in his hand, his sleeves were filled with wind, and he looked as tall as an immortal.
"Second uncle..." She stood up subconsciously.
Her second uncle with outstanding demeanor sat in Jingzhou, an important place in the Southern Dynasties. He was very brave and resourceful, and he was also very kind. However, he pursued the demeanor of celebrities so much that he ate five stones as a meal, so that in his previous life, he was still in the prime of life. Then he developed gangrene and died in office.
If the second uncle was still there at that time, and the Xifu Army was still there, how could the Chu family's son dare to rebel secretly and cover up the sky with one hand.
However, the turmoil in the capital should have only just reached Jingzhou. How could the second uncle come back so soon?
Xie Yixia was not the only one who came back. Next to him, there was an armored man of similar age. His wild face was unlike that of a southerner. He had copper eyes, an eagle nose, and a purple face. His height of nearly nine feet made him even more majestic and impressive.
It stands to reason that Xie Lanan has not seen him since he remembered it.
However, after her death in her previous life, she had witnessed this man coming to the Xie Mansion, lying next to her mother's body and crying loudly, scolding the young and old of the Xie family with his halberd finger.
Her biological uncle, Ruan Houxiong.
In her previous life, in order to keep her identity secret, Ruan Biluo rarely took her back to her natal home in Guining. Even if someone from the Ruan family came to visit, Ruan Biluo never let her aunt from her natal family touch or hold her, guarding against others like thieves.
As time passed, Ruan's heart grew cold, and the two families stopped contacting each other.
Xie Lanan sent two flying pigeon letters, one to Wen Liangyu, and the other to the Ruan family in Wujun.
The mistakes of the previous generation should not be continued any longer, and she should give an explanation to her uncle, who is connected by blood. She expressed her love in the letter and said that she would go to Wu County in person to visit her grandmother, uncle and aunt in a while and apologize to them face to face.
But he didn't expect that the elder had traveled thousands of miles to see her before the junior had even set off.
As Xie Lanan stepped forward, a young man in green jumped out from behind Xie Yixia. This young man had a jade belt and a sachet on his waist. When he glanced at Xie Lanan, he was pleasantly surprised:
"Brother, you have really become a woman!"
Xie Yixia's youngest son, Xie Ce's compatriot brother Xie Deng, was at the age of fourteen or fifteen and was looking at Xie Lan'an with excitement in his eyes.
Ruan Houxiong also has a son by his side, named Fu Jing. He is born with a great appearance and is extremely steady, but he is also secretly sizing up this cousin whom he meets for the first time.
I just feel that her aura is pure and clear, like a celestial being.
The four people in front of her, two pairs of father and son, are all her closest relatives. Xie Lanan covered up his thousands of thoughts before he opened his mouth. Ruan Houxiong had already called out: "Anan."
Xie Lanan, whose whole body had nothing to do with this soft nickname, was stunned.
No one had ever called her that.
Ruan Houxiong stared at the tall and tall little girl for a long time, his eyes filled with water, and his naturally strong voice spoke very softly: "You are my uncle."
He thought she didn't recognize him.
"Unworthy niece Lan'an has met my uncle." Xie Lan'an trembled and hugged his hands in greeting. He took a closer look at his uncle's face. When he turned to Xie Yixia, he blinked the mist from his eyes and his expression remained as calm as ever. "Uncle, uncle, why did you two go to Beijing together?"
When Ruan Houxiong saw this, his heart suddenly felt painful.
This child's manners and manners are as graceful and graceful as a pile of stones and green pine trees. In all his years of living, he has never seen any descendant with her magnificence.
However, what kind of polishing does it take to cast a girl who should be young and lively into this look?
"uncle?"
"That's so loud! It scares the children!" Ruan Houxiong said with a tigerish face, "I am her biological uncle. If you don't agree with me, who will?"
Xie Lanan's brows twitched, just as Xie Ce and Wen Liangyu stepped forward to greet him, they were almost deafened by the voice.
