Luming Street, just after noon.
A loud sound of horse hooves came from far and near, breaking the tranquility of the entire street.
At the gate of Su Mansion, the sleepy old concierge jumped up and looked around timidly.
In a short while, the noise spread from the gate all the way along the winding corridor to the depths of Su Mansion.
The crisp wind chimes hung all over the pavilion of the Sufu Gallery for a certain little girl's birthday ceremony. The tinkling and swaying sound in the noon wind was momentarily obscured by the sound of footsteps rushing past below.
It was like a silent artery was suddenly activated by a wildly beating heart, and the blood flow accelerated... The entire Su Mansion came to life.
When the old butler Shun Bo rushed outside the fishing platform by the pond.
Li Xian was sitting on the steps at the edge of the stage, fishing with a fishing pole, nodding sleepily, just like the fishhook buoy that jumped from time to time on the water.
Uncle Shun said hurriedly: "Master, the envoy from Luoyang Palace is here, and he is outside the gate now!"
Li Xian slowly opened his eyes and subconsciously glanced at the calm water where the fishhook was in the distance. He turned his head, looked at Uncle Shun who had a nervous face, and nodded.
Li Xian silently put down the fishing rod, stood up and sighed:
"If you are supposed to come, you still have to come. Let's go and go out to receive the order."
"Yes, sir."
At this time, Su Guo'er, Wei Mei, and Su Dalang also hurried over.
"Father!"
"Shichiro!"
Looking at his wife and children with worried faces, Li Xian waved his hand. Although his fingers were trembling a little, he managed to smile:
"Don't worry, didn't the wise nephew Liang Han who was planning a strategy in Yilanxuan say that our family is still useful to the mother, and now we are not blocking the mother's way, and we will not be easily forced to death like the second brother. "
When Wei Mei and others heard this, they immediately sighed in silence.
Li Xian is the third son of Empress Wei. He had two elder brothers. Initially, the eldest brother was the crown prince. However, he died young and the second brother succeeded him. However, because of his virtuous and intelligent nature, he aroused the suspicion of Empress Wei and was later regarded as the crown prince. After being convicted of treason, he was demoted to a commoner and exiled to Bazhou. After the imperial guard proclaimed himself emperor, he was forced to kill by the cruel officials and female historians who monitored him.
It was because of the accidents that happened to these two brothers that Li Xian became the prince's supervisor by accident. Unfortunately, he still couldn't play the role of a fierce mother. He came to the "Emperor for a few days", and then he was demoted and kicked out of the capital. I came to this remote Jiangzhou in despair.
Speaking of which, the fate of Li Xian's family is indeed very similar to that of the second brother of the former prince who was deposed as common people, except for the final forced execution.
This is also the reason why Li Xian was so pessimistic about the future before he met Ouyang Lianghan, who was amazed by him and before he overheard the ingenious strategies.
The slightest disturbance from Luo Jing's palace can make Li Xian panic and frighten him to death.
Because his queen mother has really done this kind of thing and won't joke around with you.
Fortunately, I have met a wise man in the field, an unparalleled national scholar... Ouyang Rong's leisurely and determined voice that day still faintly echoed in his ears, and Li Xian calmed down a little.
After comforting his wife and two children, he took the lead and walked out, rushing to the gate of Su Mansion without hesitation.
Close to the mansion gate.
I saw a group of Su Mansion slaves crowded inside the threshold, timidly looking out the door.
And through the crowd, one can faintly see the green, crimson and other colored skirts and dark clothes belonging to the palace messenger team outside the door.
It is in sharp contrast to the monotonous colors of white walls and black tiles in the streets of small counties in the south of the Yangtze River.
Just like their status as uninvited guests, they seemed out of place everywhere.
Inside the threshold, Li Xian held up his hat, separated the crowd with his arms, and took the lead to step out.
"Bao'er, Dalang, wait inside."
Wei Mei stretched out her hand to stop Su Guo'er and Su Dalang who wanted to follow.
Then the Mistress of the Su Mansion straightened her appearance, stepped gracefully, followed her husband's footsteps, and walked out.
"Amei." Su Dalang turned his head and glanced at Su Guo'er.
"Listen to my mother," Su Guo'er said without turning around. After a pause, he added, "I also believe in his strategic judgment."
Today, she was wearing a sky blue waist-length skirt, and a light cyan tulle on her pretty face, covering the lower half of her pretty face.
Only the bright red plum print between the eyebrows, the two slanting red lines on the temples on the left and right temples, and the narrow and cold lacquered eyes with slightly upturned corners were exposed.
Su Dalang swallowed his words and naturally understood who the "he" in Amei's mouth was.
The two brothers and sister looked at their father and mother's backs shielding them from the wind and rain.
At the same time, his eyes unconsciously moved to the group of palace envoys.
"Where is Li Xian?"
"The common people are here." Li Xian walked out in response.
"Webster?"
"The civilian woman is here." Wei Mei followed closely.
Su Guo'er couldn't help but look sideways, and saw that the person who asked the question first was a woman in palace clothes who was at the front of the palace messenger team.
He was about thirty or forty years old, wearing a luxurious crimson palace dress, which was particularly eye-catching.
Two small dots of rouge were added between the dimples at the corners of her mouth, which was a popular lip makeup trend in the Zhou court.
These makeup and looks all highlight the identity of the colorful dress lady beside Her Majesty the Queen.
This should be the sixth-grade palace man mentioned in the secret letter from the Prime Minister's Palace a few days ago... Su Guoer secretly thought.
The questioning seemed to be a routine confirmation of identity. After Li Xian and Wei Mei bowed their eyebrows and bowed their heads in reply, the woman in palace attire, who seemed to be a sixth-grade woman, did not speak for a long time.
She stood at the front of the crowd of envoys, raised her chin slightly, and glanced at the couple who had been demoted to common people in front of her, without saying a word.
Su Guo'er immediately heard her father's respectful words as he stepped forward:
"The angel from Luojing has come from afar. The common people are a little neglectful and frightened. If you dare to ask the angel's name, please move to your humble abode..."
Su Guo'er suddenly saw the corner of the woman's mouth raised in palace clothes, and she chuckled like a "ha".
Before Su Guo'er could frown, she saw her father suddenly silenced as he raised his head to look at her, with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Her mother behind her was also attracted by the chuckle, and she saw clearly the face of the woman in palace attire. My mother's breathing seemed to be quickening, and she clenched her fists under her sleeves.
In front of everyone, the woman in palace clothes tapped her chin and said, "Have you forgotten my name, Your Highness? It's true that noble people forget things."
"You...you are..." Li Xian was a little unsteady on his feet.
"Miaozhen, why is it you!" Wei Mei blurted out.
Miaozhen looked at her sideways and said, "Why can't it be my concubine? Well, maybe His Majesty thinks that we have a good friendship."
She nodded and said to Li Xian, who looked very excited:
"I came here on your Majesty's order to give a seventeenth birthday gift to the princess of the clan. In addition, although Your Majesty has many things to do, he is still thinking about you, Your Highness. He also chose a small gift for me to deliver. Your Highness, please don't I must live up to His Majesty’s wishes.”
Li Xian lowered his head slightly and stopped talking: "Miaozhen, I..."
"Your Highness, don't waste time. Please open the gifts personally and prepare to express your gratitude. Someone, please bring over the gifts from Your Highness and the Princess." Miaozhen did not look at him, but turned around and ordered lightly.
These arrogant words and indifferent attitude caused everyone on the scene to immediately fall silent.
Listening to this tone, it seemed that there was some grudge. Countless eyes fell on Su Xian.
The latter was also shaky and unsteady on his feet. He was supported by Wei Mei who took a step forward. Wei Mei's eyes widened and she stared at Miaozhen as if nothing had happened.
"Uncle Shun, you were also a member of the palace before. Do you know this female official named Miaozhen?"
Inside the gate of the Su Mansion, Su Guo'er, who was hiding behind the crowd, turned her head and asked the butler Shun Bo who looked worried.
"Why do I feel like I have an old grudge with my father and mother? It seems quite big." Su Dalang couldn't help but frown.
"Miss, Master, where should I start talking about this dispute? Huh..."
Uncle Shun smiled bitterly and sighed:
"This female officer named Miaozhen was one of the favored maids of the Empress Wei in Xingqing Palace when she was young. When I was still the seventh prince, I occasionally went in and out of Xingqing Palace. For some reason, Miaozhen fell in love with me. , but later...well, in the words of the madam, it was this woman who did not abide by the palace rules and seduced the master. Naturally, she was rejected by the master without hesitation.
"After all, at that time, the master had already married his wife as a princess. She had deep feelings and single-minded devotion. Moreover, the mother-son relationship between the master and the queen was not very close, so naturally he kept a distance from the palace people around her.
"If this is the case, it doesn't matter. After all, when I was young, I was a famous handsome man in Chang'an City, and there were countless women who wanted to please him.
"But this Miaozhen seems to have had his self-esteem hurt, and was ridiculed by the lady who didn't know where to find out about it, and she holds a grudge.
"The old slave heard from the palace servants that this woman often spoke ill of the madam behind the guard, and spoke ill of her at every opportunity. After that, the relationship between the madam and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the queen of Wei deteriorated. This woman must have had a share of 'credit'. It is impossible to say that the master was deposed later. She also participated in and offered advice on King Xunyang’s affairs.”
Speaking of the past, Uncle Shun's eyes flashed as he reminisced, sighed melancholy, and shook his head.
"Isn't he just a love rival?" Su Bao'er frowned slightly and murmured softly:
"I have a grudge against my mother for stealing my husband, and I guess I also have a deep grudge against my father. The female court officials may seem glamorous, but like the eunuchs, they are locked up in the palace. Unless they are favored by the emperor, or given to the prince by the queen's concubine, they will not be able to do anything in this life. They are all from the Ascetic Palace."
"A famous handsome man in Chang'an City? How handsome my father used to be." The bearded Su Dalang asked curiously, with a slightly different focus.
Uncle Shun's face was stunned for a moment, and he whispered: "It's similar to Mr. Ouyang who was selected as the prostitute."
"Brother, don't interrupt." Su Guo'er said angrily.
Su Dalang scratched his head and his expression turned solemn.
At this time, the unusual movement outside immediately caused the brother and sister to divert their attention.
Luming Street outside the gate of Su Mansion has been blocked and cleared by a group of elite soldiers from Zhechong Mansion.
In the middle of the open space, Miaozhen nodded slightly to signal to the palace people behind her. She turned sideways with a calm face and got out of the way. Eight palace ladies in white skirts escorted a palace man in green clothes who came forward.
The palace man in Qingyi held a carved brocade box in both hands, raised the box to his eyebrows, bent down and handed it to Li Xian.
Li Xian was stunned.
Miaozhen stared at his vaguely familiar face and said coldly:
"Your Highness, please. Your Majesty has ordered you to open it personally."
Li Xian froze in place.
The entire audience also fell into a dead silence tacitly.
Countless eyes fell on Li Xian and the brocade box in front of him.
As we all know, the gifts given by the Holy Emperor have never been so easy to receive.
Maybe it's a rare treasure.
The gift may also be an empty box, a pot of poisonous wine, or a foot of white water chestnut.
The gift is decent.
As for your question, what should I do if it’s not honorable to pretend that I don’t understand, pretend to be stupid, or run away, if what I really want to give away is this “three honorable items”?
Then this is the purpose of sending the sixth-grade palace man Miaozhen and the soldiers of Zhechong Mansion.
Before meeting Miao Zhen, Li Xian and his wife did not think so much or worry so much.
But after meeting their "old acquaintance" Miaozhen, even though the words of the good nephew were still in their ears, Li Xian and his wife still couldn't bear to face the carved brocade box sent all the way by the moody Empress Wei. My heart was beating like a drum.
Even if you take ten thousand steps back, the king of hell is easy to see, but the devil is difficult to deal with.
Empress Wei happened to choose a former enemy of the couple to come here, even if the gift was a normal gift, even if it was just a routine beating.
But what if Miaozhen seizes the opportunity, makes a fuss out of a molehill, and takes the opportunity to kill the two of them?
At this moment, Su Xian felt as if time had been stopped. All kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind. He felt that the shirt on his back was soaked, and a wet and cold feeling came, and shivers ran through his stiff body like electric currents.
"Your Highness, please kiss me."
Miaozhen's cold voice came, urging again.
Su Xian raised her head and glanced at the calm expression on Miaozhen's face, then at the palace officials behind her who were gloating about her misfortune, as well as the cold-faced soldiers blocking the street in front of the Su Mansion.
Li Xian suddenly felt that the whole world was very cold. He looked at the carved brocade box like a blind box and slowly raised his hand.
"etc."
At this moment, a clear young voice suddenly sounded on the field:
"Give way. I am the magistrate of Longcheng County. This is my official seal and ribbon. This place is under my jurisdiction. You Zhechong Mansion officers and men should first take out the official transfer document and take a look. This must be shown. I am a little bit Experience, don’t let others lead you around, and eventually be dragged to the imperial court by the patrolling censor, and you will be wearing a rebel hat for no reason...
"In addition, please give me permission. I want to see the angel from Luoyang. By the way, do you have any official documents or imperial edicts? Don't break into private houses... I'm sorry, poor people come from poor places. Although the place is small, there are no liars." "Young Master, I have no choice but to conduct routine inspections and pay attention to anti-fraud..."
Everyone in the audience was stunned and followed the sound one after another.
I saw a young man with long sleeves wearing a green official uniform walking towards me with an embarrassed expression. While he was chatting about the law in a sincere tone, he walked straight through the crowd without stopping, looking around curiously, and finally came to Su Xian. The position between the couple and Miaozhen.
Ouyang Rong turned his back to Su Xian and his wife, and inadvertently stood in front of Miaozhen's palace envoys.
Su Guo'er, who was hiding behind the crowd in the door and caught everyone's attention for a moment, looked straight at him and landed on his slender back.
Ouyang Rong first looked up and down at Miaozhen's outfit, slowly clasped his fists, and saluted sincerely:
"Excuse me, Your Excellency, why are you blocking the door of our law-abiding citizens in Great Zhou? Are you coming all the way here to ransack your homes? Is there any decree from the Holy One?"
Miaozhen narrowed her eyes and looked at the young county magistrate who was pretending to be stupid. After a while, she suddenly stretched out her hand, grabbed a stack of official documents and a token from her sleeve and handed it out:
"Is this enough?"
Naturally, there are customs clearance documents, road guides, and even the troop mobilization token presented by the smiling face of the Jiangzhou governor. But from Guanzhong in the north to Jiangnan Road in the south, Miaozhen has been walking all the way. Who dares to check her carefully? It’s not all a formality.
Ouyang Rong smiled apologetically: "Don't worry, wait a moment, I'm a little short-sighted, let me take a good look..."
Ouyang Rong lowered his head and squinted his eyes, seeming to carefully look at the documents one by one. However, out of the corner of his eye, he silently looked around, especially the carved brocade box not far away.
Miaozhen stared at the slow-moving young magistrate for a while, surprisingly without urging him. After a while, he suddenly asked:
"Are you Ouyang Lianghan? The first-year Jinshi Tanhualang?"
"That's right." Ouyang Rong was slightly surprised.
Miaozhen nodded and said leisurely: "I know you."
The whole place fell silent.
…
Woo hoo hoo, I'm sorry, dear brothers, it's Xiaorong who is useless. He didn't code it out in the early morning. He was stuck for a long time, and he felt uncomfortable. Orz (kowtow to admit his mistake)
(End of chapter)
