Lin Rong stood up and saw that the quilt next to him was already cold. Lu Shen had long gone and didn't know where he had gone. Upon seeing this, Feng Xiao immediately replied: "The Lord got up and left the city half an hour ago. He said he would lead his army into the city at midnight. The army that returned home alone with its guards yesterday is still stationed outside Yongzhou City."
Lin Rong said coldly: "Where he went is none of my business." Then he turned to Kingfisher and asked: "Have you taken the medicine last night again? Bring me a bowl first, and I'll drink it before talking about anything else." .”
Kingfisher nodded hesitantly: "The king came back in a hurry, and he didn't prepare the medicine. We only prepared three sets of medicine last night. I sprinkled a lot of it last night, and this morning I boiled the remaining one, and just called When the king saw it, he ordered his slaves to bring him the medicine and drink it, and even the dregs of the medicine were taken away."
Lin Rong was silent for a moment and complained angrily: "Don't you know how to avoid him?"
Jing Qin lowered his head and whispered: "Next time, please be more careful." He then comforted: "Don't worry, County Master. Aunt Yu and Fourth Grandma just sent a lot of supplements and medicinal materials. Pick and choose from them. The few cinnabar and musk we have left can make up a decoction. When I come back from observing the ceremony, I will make it myself."
Lin Rong nodded, then got up to wash up, ate a bowl of porridge, and then asked the girls to serve and dress. Because she wanted to offer sacrifices to the ancestral temple, the old lady specially ordered Grandma Yu to send the bride's dress - Zhai Guan, Dashan, and Xia Pei. The clothes were okay, but the Zhai Guan had green hair and flowered temples, and was inlaid with countless beads. It was very gorgeous. , Aunt Yu stood aside and nodded with satisfaction: "The old lady is really right. Madam's appearance can only be suppressed by such a Zhai Guan coat, so it is suitable to match her."
Lin Rong forced a smile, and the crown made her scalp feel tight: "Mommy is making fun of me."
When she arrived at Rongjing Hall, the old lady, several grandmothers and the old aunt were all dressed up and sitting in the hall having tea. Seeing her coming, the old lady hurriedly waved to her: "Come on, come on." Come here, grandma."
Lin Rong walked over slowly and saluted: "Good morning, old lady!"
The old lady said good-bye, took her hand and asked her if she slept well yesterday and if she had breakfast. She patted her hand again and said, "Sixth Brother left the city before dawn. I came back home just for you yesterday! He said he wanted to tell me that he was safe, but I didn't know that he was thinking about you."
Lin Rong was even more upset when he heard this, but did not reply. He whispered for a while: "I know that my grandmother treats me well."
The old lady smiled and said something else. The woman outside opened the curtain and came in. She knelt down and said, "Old lady, madam, ladies and gentlemen, the carriages and sedans are ready, and the civil and military personnel are waiting at the city gate."
The female relatives immediately stood up, and a group of people sounded gongs and opened umbrellas, and got off the sedan chair in front of the colorful shed at the city gate. As I approached, I could hear the mighty triumphal song coming from far away from the city gate—all the people are united, and the mountains can be shaken. Only loyalty and righteousness come, and the bullfight is full of anger. Report to the emperor, and save the head of Guizhou. Kill all the Xiongnu and find a marquis. ①
Tens of thousands of people sang in unison, and for a moment it seemed that even the ground was shaking slightly. The maid opened the sedan curtain, and Lin Rong saw tens of thousands of mighty warriors in iron armor under the high platform, waving torches and singing triumphal songs. Lu Shen was standing on the high platform, with a solemn look on his face. He was wearing a blue robe and a five-piece bow. He held a jade gui and made a slight movement. The nine jade beads of red, white, green, yellow and black on the bow began to make a cool sound.
An old minister standing at the front sang loudly: "Lay the silk lord and pay the first tribute."
Then, Lu Shen slowly unfolded the brocade silk and recited the sacrificial inscription loudly. The sound was sonorous and powerful, as if coming through the clouds and cracking rocks. At the end, the soldiers Wen Wushan in the audience shouted: "Your Majesty, you may live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years!"
The old lady was full of pride and said to her, "You give birth to a son like this. It's a great comfort for the Lu family to be a hero." The female relatives on the high platform all nodded, looking proud. Lin Rong stared blankly, seeing Lu Shen in imperial robes, tall and straight, with broad shoulders and narrow back, crane-like mantis shape, a mighty aura and extraordinary appearance, he cursed in his heart: This guy has all the faults and poor character. , this skin alone is quite impressive.
The ceremony to present the victory was long and boring. Lin Rong took advantage of Lu Shen's recitation of the memorial inscription and turned sideways to Grandma Yu, saying, "I wonder if there is any news about what I entrusted Fourth Sister-in-law to do?"
Grandma Yu Si smiled and said apologetically: "I just received a reply from my father this morning. He has paintings and calligraphy there, but not letters. Many of Pei Linggong's friends are in Jiangnan. My father also inquired in many ways, and he heard a lot. There is a letter from Pei Linggong in the possession of Gongqing's children. But that man is an idiot and refuses to give up his love no matter what. Sixth brother and sister, don't worry, after some time, you will always be able to get your wish."
Lin Rong nodded: "Thank you, fourth sister-in-law, for taking the trouble." After thinking about it, he said, "This is just an elegant matter. Don't make things too difficult for that person, otherwise something might happen."
Grandma Yu Si smiled and nodded: "Of course!"
After the sacrifices and sacrifices were completed, it was already noon and everyone returned home. After all, the old lady was old and exhausted. In addition to her clothes, she asked the girl to hammer with a beauty hammer for a while, and then she felt better.
The old lady said: "They are holding a banquet outside to celebrate the victory. We should have invited the married women to come in and have fun together. But they have their own opinions outside. If we arrange too much, it will be suspected of overstepping. After all, we ladies are the ones who Just have fun and that’s it.”
The old lady loved the liveliness and enjoyed herself casually, so she set up about twenty tables. She also called the little girl and daughter-in-law raised in the house to sing songs, and asked several girls to gather around and laugh. He was very interested and said that the plum blossoms in the east garden were in bloom, so he led the female family members to the garden to enjoy the plum blossoms.
The commotion lasted until midnight, and then everyone dispersed. By the time he returned to Yanshan Courtyard, Lin Rong had no idea how tired he was. He changed his clothes, held a cup of hot tea, and sat lazily on the couch, not even wanting to say anything.
Feng Xiao then laughed: "The old lady also said that she was tired. After the banquet, she was going to enjoy the plum blossoms again. I see, the old lady is in good spirits at such an old age, but it is the county master who is tired. .”
Lin Rong also smiled and said: "The old lady is very lively and loves to play." Kingfisher also laughed, and while picking medicinal materials on the table, he said: "The old lady loves to play and knows how to play."
Just as he was talking, the little maid outside opened the curtain and came in to announce: "Madam, Manager Shen is here."
Shen Yan came in with a bow, holding a brocade box in his hand, and said: "Today, the post horse from the south has sent home letters from Madam's relatives in Jiangzhou. The Lord has ordered that if Madam is in a hurry, he will go to the study to get it himself. that is."
Lin Rong snorted. He had been deceived once in the pavilion last night. How could he believe it? "I'm tired today and impatient to move around. Please ask Manager Shen to fetch it for me."
Shen Yan replied: "Madam, I'm sorry, it's really not a slave's excuse. But now is an emergency, the king's study is an important place, and it is strictly guarded. Except for those who are dedicated to serving in the study, no one can enter or leave without orders. The slave is now transferred to the outer courtyard, let alone It's better." At the same time, he opened the brocade box and offered it to him: "The person who sent the letter sent the message. This letter should not have been sent to the king's study. The only things are not mixed up. Please take a look at it, Madam."
This statement was full of loopholes. Just as Lin Rong was about to wave his hand to order him to retreat, he saw that inside the brocade box was a set of clay sculptures of figurines. They were lifelike and in different shapes. They were also wearing silk clothes. They were indeed gadgets made by Cui Qi himself. After a pause, he asked, "Where is he?"
Shen Yan replied: "The banquet has ended, and the princes are discussing matters with their ministers!"
Hearing this, Lin Rong felt relieved and stood up. He only took Feng Xiao and two little girls with him, and told King King Qin: "You are not feeling well today, stay in the yard and look after the house."
Kingfisher understood: "Yes!"
Lu Shen's study, Erya Zhai, is in the front yard. It is built close to the mountains and rivers. When you cross the small stone bridge in the lake, you can see wild ducks flying under the bridge. When the bridge is over the mountain corridor, you can see the lights of Erya Zhai in the distance, waiting in the courtyard. There were four or five ministers in court uniforms.
Lin Rong paused, his face darkened, and asked Shen Yan, "Didn't you say he was discussing something?"
Shen Yan gritted his teeth and said: "Yes, the Lord is indeed discussing matters in the study." He pointed to the path next to him and said: "Madam, if you walk through this path and enter the back door of the study pavilion, you won't be bumped into by all of you. Miss Cui Liu is not the only one. , Madam’s grandmother and aunt have all received letters, so I really don’t dare to deceive Madam.”
Lin Rong snorted coldly and stood there: "You are afraid of offending your master, but you are not afraid of offending me?"
Shen Yan bent over even deeper, wishing he could kneel down: "Madam, I'm sorry, the prince wants to meet Madam Yuan, so he thought it would be best to ask Madam to sit inside and listen."
Mrs. Yuan? The beauty Lu Shenxin accepted? Lin Rong's mind was filled with questions: "Who is Mrs. Yuan?"
Shen Yan could only say: "She is the eldest girl of the Yuan family, and she later married the Huns." Oh, Mrs. Yuan, she is the Yuan Wenjun who sacrificed her life to save her father and married the Huns. She was very good at music, and she also liked to paint things. Yourong was famous in Jiangbei when she was a boudoir, and she once had a marriage agreement with Lu Shen.
Lin Rong asked him to speak more and more confused. In the scene where old friends looked at each other with tears in their eyes, what did he ask him to do? He frowned: "What's his plan? If you want to rebuild the old relationship, don't ask me, just go back to the old lady."
Shen Yan smiled bitterly: "Madam!"
Lin Rong was already on the path at this time, and a scribe in green clothes slowly walked over the bridge over there. He couldn't turn around, so he had to walk slowly into the study from the side. There is a large red sandalwood glass table in the house, with three or four wolf hairs scattered on it, and a piece of "Picture of Melon and Mouse" that is still ink-stained on the table. On the picture is a bitter melon with vines next to a bamboo branch, and under the melon is a naive mouse. , squatting on the big rock, looking at the bitter melon in a daze.
Feng Xiao stood nearby and asked: "In ancient paintings, melon vines and mice are often painted together. What does this mean?" Lin Rong said coldly: "Mouses mostly come out at night, which is midnight. Rat means having many children. The Book of Songs says that the vines of melons and vines represent the birth of a people. This melon vine also means luxuriant offspring."
As he said that, Lin Rong felt that the painting was really an eyesore, and regardless of whether the ink on the painting was dry or not, he turned it over with his backhand.
Feng Xiao helped Lin Rong take off his cloak and put on a pair of soft shoes. He was holding tea to warm his hands when he heard someone in front of him announcing: "Your Majesty, Mrs. Yuan is here."
Then came Lu Shen's voice: "Xuan!"
A soft female voice came from behind the screen, with a hint of crying: "I am Yuanshi Wenjun, I am here to pay my respects to you."
Chapter 74
Lin Rong sat on the couch. Feng Xiao put a lock brocade backrest on her waist, and put a white copper engraved landscape filled with stone blue hand stove in her hand. Hearing this, he paused for a moment and said blankly: "This person is the county master." The sound is really nice.”
Lin Rong nodded. The woman's voice was soft but not charming, light but not vulgar. It was as if the warm wind from Chunshui Lake in Jiangzhou was blowing slowly on her cheeks, making her feel comfortable and comfortable. The irritability in her heart was reduced by three points, and she simply He took off his shoes, leaned on the big bed by the window, put his fingers to his lips and whispered, "Keep it down, don't talk!"
Feng Xiao stuck out her tongue and stood quietly aside without saying a word.
However, the woman outside only said this, then she stopped and waited for a while, and when she spoke again, her soft voice suddenly became much clearer: "I married away in the past, and I don't know that there will be a day when I can return to my hometown. The scenery of my homeland is dim in front of me because of my clothes. I feel a lot of emotions at the moment, and I apologize for being disrespectful."
The big kang near the window had been burning warm for a long time, but after lying there for a while, she felt stuffy. Lin Rong stretched out his hand to push open the window, and saw that the snow on the green pines had melted away, and the lake was dripping. There were waves of ripples, and it was hidden in the night, and it looked like it was stained by ink. I thought to myself: It turns out that there is such a scenery in this garden, but I have never paid attention to it in the past!
She was lost in thought when she heard Lu Shen's warm and comforting voice from outside: "Mrs. Yuan, please get up. There is no need to be polite. Madam has been in Mobei for nearly ten years. She left home when she was young and returned home with white hair on her hair. How could she not not Are you feeling emotional? It's human nature, how can you blame me?"
Someone seemed to be helping the woman to stand up. There were two or three chaotic footsteps, and the boy served tea and put it on the small table and said: "Mrs. Yuan, please have some tea."
Lin Rong in the back room was listening quietly with her hands on her chin. Unexpectedly, Feng Xiao heard the word "white hair" and suddenly walked forward quietly, almost lying on the screen. There was a small piece of the screen. Naturally, the landscape painting on white silk could vaguely see the scene outside. He came back and quietly reported: "County Master, Mrs. Yuan's hair on the temples is indeed mostly white. She looks a bit older than my wife."
Lin Rong gave her an angry look, tugged her ears, and scolded her in a low voice: "If you talk again, you won't be allowed to eat for a day."
Fortunately, no one outside heard it. After having tea, Lu Shen asked: "It is a blessing that Madam has returned to the Han Dynasty now, but it is a pity that Mr. Yuan has passed away, and heaven and man are separated forever. Now, Yuan The family has withered and fallen, leaving only one or two distant relatives. I wonder what Madam’s plans are?”
After finishing speaking, the room fell into silence, and no one spoke for a long time. Lin Rongzheng felt strange, and then heard the woman ask back: "How dare you talk about the future with a wandering body? I don't know the king's plan, how to arrange the concubine's body?"
Lu Shen laughed and said, "Mrs. Yuan lived up to her reputation and knew little things. In the past, Mr. Yuan was imprisoned for being a traitor. Mrs. Yuan sacrificed her life to save her father and married the Huns. She has a reputation for loyalty. In addition, she had a marriage agreement with the Lu family. . Some advisers said to me that if I take my wife into the Lu family, I will take care of her for the rest of her life. It will not only preserve the past alliance, but also honor the loyal and righteous people, and tell the world. It is the best of both worlds. I want to find a son in the Lu family, and betrothal her as my wife. I wonder what Mrs. Yuan thinks?"
After hearing this, Lin Rong sighed that Lu Shen was so scheming that he didn't want to marry him but instead passed it on to others, which earned him a good reputation. Feng Xiao was already counting on her fingers, which of the Lu family members was of the same age as Mrs. Yuan, and who was not married. At the end of the count, she shook her head and unconsciously said: "Where can there be such a person?" ? How could he not have a wife at this age? There are also widowers, but their sons are already thirteen years old. "
Lin Rong glared at her, and Feng Xiao quickly covered her mouth and stood aside obediently.
Outside, Mrs. Yuan was silent when she heard the words. She suddenly stood up, straightened her clothes and bowed down. Her tone became sonorous and powerful: "Your Majesty showed his kindness, and I shouldn't have refused. It's just that I've had a rough life, wandering around, and in the Xiongnu company." A person who is suitable for three husbands is an unlucky person, and now he has no intention of getting married."
She paused and said loudly: "Although the Yuan family has declined, only the Boming Building where my father collected books is still there. It originally had more than 4,000 books, but was displaced due to the war. Now there are only more than 1,000 books left. I have no other merits. , but my memory is acceptable. If you are kind enough to allow me to return to Yuan's Boming Building, repair my father's collection of books, and restore Boming Building to its former glory, I will be deeply grateful."
These words were beyond everyone's expectation. Lin Rong couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. Talented women in ancient times naturally had rifts in their chests and had unique ambitions. Feng Xiao stretched out four fingers with an expression of disbelief on her face, as if Said: "Four thousand books, my God, do they have so many books at home? She has actually read all these books, still remembers them?"
Suddenly, a little maid opened the door and came in from nowhere. Holding a brocade box in her hand, she answered Lin Rong loudly: "Madam, this is a family letter from Jiangzhou relatives. Do you want to see it now?"
The maid's face was very angry. She was a waiter in a certain courtyard. She suddenly appeared out of nowhere and said such a sentence. Everyone inside and outside the study room froze for a moment.
Lin Rong looked outside the screen, feeling silent and embarrassed, and waved: "Bring it here!"
For a long time, Lu Shen sighed outside. Lin Rong heard that tone, which was half regretful and half admirable: "Sure enough, I have given birth to a lady gracefully, and she is on par with the scholars. If Yuan Gong gets this girl, she can pass on the legacy." After that, he said to the outside world. Called: "Come here!"
The attendant came forward with two brocade boxes, and Lu Shen said: "How can the scroll be restored without pen and ink? These are three pairs of Wuxin Sanzhuo pens with Dang Songyan ink."
Upon hearing this peerless writing, Mrs. Yuan's voice was filled with joy, and she immediately prostrated herself and thanked her: "Thank you, Lord, for your kindness!"
Lu Shen waved his hand and ordered a reward of ten thousand gold and hundreds of servants. He also said: "In the future, we will build Wenyuan Pavilion to store all ancient and modern books. I also ask my wife to read them all." After hearing this, Mrs. Yuan became more and more happy and thanked her. Again and again, he retreated.
Feng Xiao looked happy, and she leaned close to Lin Rong and whispered: "Everyone in the mansion is spreading that the king's crusade against the Huns is to welcome back Mrs. Yuan, and he also said that it would be a matter of time before he accepted her as his concubine. It's a big deal. Now I'm asking them to slap them in the face, it's nothing like this."
The more she talked, the happier she became: "County Lord, let's invite Mrs. Yuan to the house as a guest in the future. How about we see what she looks like?"
After asking for a long time, there was no answer from Lin Rong. She turned around and saw her master, lying lazily on the pillow, flipping through the family letter from Jiangzhou in his hand. There was no trace of joy on his face, but very sad. He asked timidly: "County Lord, why are you unhappy? Didn't you just feel well?"
Lin Rong didn't answer, only said: "You go out and have tea with the little maids. I will read the letter from the sixth sister alone for a while."
Feng Xiao nodded, pushed the door open from the back and went out. She was not at ease and just stood guard at the door.
Gradually, the voices of advisers and advisers were heard outside, and one person said generously: "Now that the border troubles have been eliminated, the Huns are no longer able to threaten the rear. The Five Mountains are still small, and the Lu family of Yongzhou has been in power for three generations. We should fight for the remaining heroes of our ancestors and uphold righteousness." Kill the rebellious ministers with troops, hold on to the hope of the world, clear the emperor's side, calm the country's troubles, and reach Luoyang, the world can be settled."
Another person objected: "Those who build great things must be diligent and far-sighted. How can the world be so big that it can be determined in one day? Moreover, although the king of Hejian is arrogant now, he has no counterattack. It is better to wait for the next level. The name is just and right, and the time and place are favorable."
The sound seemed like hypnosis in a math class, making Lin Rong's eyelids become heavier and heavier while he was reading a letter from home. Before he fell asleep, he could faintly hear Lu Shen sighing: "The world is fighting wars, the people are damaged, and the people are in panic. If we don’t protect the day and night, it’s really our fault.” ① (from Taizu of the Ming Dynasty)
…
I don't know how long the discussion took place outside. When Lin Rong woke up faintly, the candlestick had burned to the bottom, leaving a pile of messy red wax. Lu Shen was sitting next to him with a book in his hand. Seeing that she was awake, Lu Shen poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. Seeing that she looked gloomy, he pointed at the letter paper scattered on the Kang table and smiled: "Every time I see a letter from Jiangzhou, I feel sad for a long time. This shows that I don't believe it." I should show it to you, but I am just here to cause trouble."
Lin Rong held the tea, with a little blush remaining on her face. Her brows became more gentle. After a long moment of silence, she finally said: "I was just thinking, how nice you are to Mrs. Yuan!"
When Lu Shen heard this, he was still in disbelief. His heart was beating loudly, but there was no expression on his face, but his tone couldn't help but become dismissive: "Really?"
Lin Rong nodded: "Well, I envy her very much."
Lu Shen raised the corners of his mouth slightly, held Lin Rong's wrist and rubbed it gently: "Oh, why do you envy her?"
Lin Rong thought for a while and said: "I envy her that she can not marry and do what she wants. She is very talented and sacrificed her life to save her father. You admire her very much, so you respect her choice and do not forcefully control her." Did she give it to the Lu family's children?"
Envy that she can never marry again? Lu Shen's face turned ugly after hearing the first half of the sentence. He looked up and saw the little woman's eyes filled with tears. She looked directly into his eyes and asked, "Is that right?"
Lu Shen looked at those misty eyes and couldn't say anything else. He could only say truthfully: "Yes, I appreciate her talent and am willing to fulfill her ambition." After saying that, before Lin Rong asked, he continued: " It’s just that appreciation is appreciation, that’s not the desire of men and women.”
Lin Rong smiled bitterly, wrapped a brocade quilt and lay on the kang. He stretched out his hand to caress Lu Shen's eyebrows and sighed: "You are the one who always tells the truth so ugly."
Then he said calmly: "You see, this is what you have admitted yourself. You treat me out of the desire between a man and a woman, not the love between a couple. It's just desire, nothing else."
Lu Shenzhi frowned, feeling that what she said was right and wrong, but was speechless, and then heard the little woman tilting her head and asking: "There are so many beauties, don't you even have sexual desire for them?" That tone of voice He was very academic: "Does desire have something to do with feelings? If you don't like it, you won't have desire? Have you never tried it? When you were in Xuanzhou, didn't you look at me very differently?"
When Lu Shen saw that she was about to mention the matter in Xuanzhou again, he immediately interrupted her and said with a straight face, as if he was scolding someone: "Some vulgar people have neither beauty nor knowledge. In order to prolong their heirs, they have to be like this." What is the difference between a man who is facing each other and performing the courtesy of Zhou Gong, and mating a stallion in a stable?"
He said with some sarcasm: "Didn't the Lord of Wuyang County have many men? Why, didn't they tell you?"
