With Concubine Zheng's permission, Li Xuanshi and the two grandsons of the Zhu family entered the main hall of Yikun Palace.
Everyone bowed again, and Concubine Zheng leaned on her side, leaving Li Xuanshi, looking at Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Youjian, and said slowly: "Your father is a filial man. These days, he has been serving Long Live Lord without any clothes on. After all, blood is thicker than water, long live the Lord's holy face yesterday."
Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Youjian looked at each other.
When the two brothers were growing up, the female elders around them would instill in them advice and advice from the time they were sensible. Their father, Zhu Changluo, had a hard time gaining the position of crown prince.
Everyone in the Ciqing Palace lived their lives in the deep palace as if they were walking on thin ice, fearing that if any omissions were made as big as sesame seeds and spread to Concubine Zheng's Yikun Palace, they would be fabricated into watermelon-sized mistakes and turn the young master into a deposed prince. .
Therefore, every time Xi Li brought her to greet Concubine Zheng, the two brothers were always walking on thin ice, fearing that they might not say the right thing.
At this moment, when he heard Concubine Zheng praising the prince, Zhu Youxiao knelt down like a crossbow being plucked, and responded as if he was singing a book: "It is Grandpa Huang who is blessed with great fortune and a strong body. Grandma Huang is the one who loves her so much." With hard work and company, my grandsons can continue to serve Grandfather and Grandmother like this with their father, and their hearts are filled with honey."
Concubine Zheng saw that Zhu Youxiao was already about the same height as the imperial guards. As the eldest grandson of the emperor, he still spoke in such vulgar ways, and his tone was similar to that of those low-key people who knelt down to flatter their superiors. She couldn't help but feel contempt. , happy again.
After all, he was a little brat who had never studied outside the pavilion, so he was taught how to read a few words by his father's eunuch. I heard that he hadn't even read the four books and just liked to smash a few pieces of wood all day long.
Concubine Zheng asked Li Xuan to sit on the brocade stool on her left hand, and then waved her hand to ask the palace servants to bring in a young eunuch.
"This is Liang Chun, who was promoted to Yikun Palace last year. After showing his skills a few times, I found out that his family members all make a living by doing carpentry. What is their name, what..."
"My slave's hometown is for making ladle wood," Eunuch Xiaoliang lay on the ground, bowed his head and replied in a clear voice, "We country people call ladle wood, these are the plates and bowls for eating, the legs of tables and chairs. Son, a rolling pin, a garlic hammer, wooden pillars, curtains, hand beads, anything round and round, our lathe can make it."
When Liang Chun was talking, Concubine Zheng glanced at Zhu Youxiao. Sure enough, when she heard something about lathes and lathes, this bastard's eyes, which were originally like dead fish eyes, suddenly lit up.
Concubine Zheng then signaled to the eunuch Cui Wensheng in front of her: "You and Xiaoliang, lead the two brothers to have a look at the lathe. If you find it fun, let the slaves carry it to Ciqing Palace to lathe some vase tops. Have fun." .”
Zhu Youxiao immediately looked happy, but Zhu Youjian looked at Li Xuanshi.
Li Xuanshi's eyes were filled with fake kindness, and he smiled and said: "The imperial concubine loves you so much, let's go and play. Auntie, you should also follow me. Fifth brother is young and weak, so don't hurt your hands."
After everyone filed out, Concubine Zheng sat up straight, her voice softened, but her tone was meaningful: "My son, you are also going to be a concubine."
"Ah..." Li Xuanshi was stunned at first, and then ecstatic.
These words were much more believable when they came from Concubine Zheng than when they came from her coward-like prince husband.
But she quickly put away her moved expression and pretended to be frightened: "My child's belly is not up to par, and he has not been able to continue the imperial heir. So far, he has not even been given the title of lady. The... top of the mountain that the empress mentioned, I want to I dare not even think about it.”
Concubine Zheng only felt that the philistine affectation of the woman in front of her was disgusting. She squinted her eyes and looked away at the sunny side hall outside the door.
Under the guidance of Eunuch Xiaoliang, brothers Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Youjian were pondering around the lathe with great interest, while Auntie Ke took out her handkerchief and wiped Zhu Youxiao's sweat.
Zhu Yousong, the eldest son of King Fu Zhu Changxun, was only two years younger than Zhu Youxiao. When King Fu came to vassal six years ago, Zhu Yousong was just a child under Cheng Huan's knees. Concubine Zheng missed her son and grandson, and hated the crown prince Zhu Changluo and the Donglin Party's gang of traitors even more.
As long as there is no one of them, Chang Xun will be the prince, and at this moment, the child who appears in Yikun Palace is the true grandson of his own blood.
Concubine Zheng composed herself, and when she spoke to Li Xuanshi again, her voice became lower and lower.
"My son, how many pairs of eyes are staring at this harem now? I won't talk in circles with you. Let's be honest. I called you here today to say hello to you first. I chose eight beautiful girls. The beautiful palace lady wants to send her to Ciqing Palace to raise children for the prince."
When Li Xuan heard this, his expression suddenly froze.
"My dear concubine, please forgive me for being stupid and not understanding the point. Long live my Lord, it is the time when the dragon's body is not in good condition. At this time, it is inconvenient for me to visit the palace frequently."
"Silly boy," Concubine Zheng interrupted her categorically, "Who said it would be this time? Of course it will be after the crown prince inherits the throne and you become the concubine."
After Li Xuanshi was stunned for a moment, her thoughts came back a little, and her cunning and calculating nature made her mind race.
The imperial concubine has already said the words "inheriting the throne" openly and openly. Why should she avoid it?
Waiter Li Xuan then faced Concubine Zheng's deep eyes, which were more of a test than a discussion, and inquired: "I dare to ask, your concubine, are you afraid that our young master will not be filial to your concubine after some time?"
Concubine Zheng sighed: "The prince's heart is kind. After all these years, Master Long live and I still can't see it? I'm afraid that the Donglin Clan people in the outer court will treat me and Prince Fu like a scourge, and we will surely be in danger." You are trying to drive a wedge between me and the prince, oh no, the mother-son relationship between me and the future emperor."
Li Xuanshi's head was pounding in his heart.
She didn't even know how to do it for a while, but she was drunk by Concubine Zheng.
Send the charming children from Yikun Palace to Qianqing Palace. If you really have a prince, will you send them to yourself to raise?
But think about it calmly, at the moment, the only two capable women in the Forbidden City are Concubine Zheng and herself. Moreover, the Donglin Party has also impeached her. Li Xuanshi's brother flattered the mining tax eunuch in the south. He and Concubine Zheng have a common enemy.
The prince was saved by the Donglin Party at all costs. In the future, when the prince ascends the throne, the Donglin Party will be reused. He really has to stand with Concubine Zheng to ensure that Zhu Changluo, whose ears are softer than dough, won the idea of the previous government. , I changed it when I got to the harem.
Li Xuan's calculations were settled, his face immediately relaxed, and he didn't say much. He just said sincerely and piously: "I have to listen to the empress in everything. When the time comes for my son's position, I also ask the empress to say something fair."
Concubine Zheng said softly: "That's natural."
…
In the early autumn, the night was already as cool as water at the end of the day. Ke Yinyue hugged a robe and hurriedly walked under the wall of Ciqing Palace.
Passing by the courtyard where Zhu Youxue usually learned to read and write, a tall and sturdy figure wearing a t-shirt came out to stop her.
"Hey, you're going to die, you scared me!"
Ke Yinyue turned from shock to anger, and punched the visitor's shoulder blade.
Wei Jinzhong dragged her into the shadow of the willow tree and said teasingly: "I've made you live and die, hasn't it been almost a year?"
Ke Yinyue grinned.
God is really a blessing to me, to be able to face an eunuch who has not been castrated yet and is very aggressive in the deep palace.
Wei Jinzhong turned to look at the bookstore behind him and urged the hero: "Let's go in."
Ke Yinyue pushed him away: "Are you impatient? This is the palace, where I study!"
"That's how fun it is," Wei Jinzhong smiled obscenely, "Let's go to the table where I, Old Wei, usually grind ink for the emperor's grandson."
Ke Yinyue was really annoyed this time and pushed him harder. She is a plump and strong woman, and she actually pushed Wei Jinzhong to stagger a few steps.
"That's all you have to offer!" Ke Yinyue scolded in a deep voice, "We don't care about things in the crotch, but we can't just think about it all day. I want to ask you, have you treated Wang An recently? Are you offended, old man?"
Wei Jinzhong stood still and scratched his head: "He is the crown prince's first companion, and I am the first companion of the emperor's eldest grandson. They are both on errands for the future emperor. Why should he discipline me like a son? Didn't I just scold the censor a few times?" Huh? I am in charge of Jiaziku. If the censor wants to stop the palace market, won’t it mean that the wealth of the people in the palace is cut off? Let alone scolding, I should kill him."
Ke Yinyue rolled her eyes and was fascinated by Wei Jinzhong's rough appearance. She likes this kind of masculine man, better than those like Wang An and Liu Shimin who pretend to be scholars, or her nominal "counterpart", who is also a high-ranking eunuch, like Wei Chao, who looks like a good old man.
Ke Yinyue then said softly: "I also think that Wang An is not pleasing to the eye. He has nothing to do with it. Those scholars who imitate foreign dynasties are so serious. But now, I am going to become a long live master, and Wang Anping is becoming more and more powerful. You... Do you have the brains to confront him at this critical moment?"
Wei Jinzhong took a few heavy breaths and muttered: "Then what should we do? We are already at odds."
Ke Yinyue's face suddenly poked out from the shadow of the tree, pale in the moonlight, and its big eyes were even more sinister than a night owl.
"Man, tell me, if the brother we serve can become emperor in a moment, is there anyone in the harem that we should be afraid of?"
"Ah?" Wei Jinzhong was suddenly stunned, and after a long while he stammered, "You, my sweetheart, how dare you say this about decapitation."
Ke Yinyue scoffed: "Think about it, can't you? I won't bother you anymore. I'm playing chess at Fifth Brother's place. The wind has picked up. I'll send you my robe to avoid getting caught in the autumn cold."
She turned around and walked a few steps. Wei Jinzhong caught up with her and asked in a low voice: "Brother, you know someone is involved. Has he touched you?"
Ke Yinyue turned around and smiled sweetly: "How can a little chicken compare to you? Old man, why are you so jealous?"
(End of chapter)
