Chang'an is good

Chapter 53 Seeing the Empress (two more in one)

The reply letter was quickly delivered to Yao Xia.

When the female envoy handed the letter to her, she was on the way to greet Mrs. Yao with her elder brother Yao Gui, so she didn't open it immediately.

When I arrived at Mrs. Yao's courtyard, I saw my aunt Pei, my mother Zeng, and my cousin Yao Ran sitting in the hall.

Mrs. Pei, who was sitting under Mrs. Yao, heard the movement, and turned her head slightly to take a cool look at the late brother and sister.

Yao Xia and Yao Gui both wanted to shrink their necks subconsciously, and lowered their heads into the hall to salute.

The hall was eerily quiet, and the atmosphere was strangely tense. Yao Xia quietly glanced at her mother, Zeng, and saw that her lowered eyes were a little red, and her lips were slightly pursed, as if she was holding back tears.

Then quietly looked at the eldest aunt Pei, and saw that apart from the usual cold and severe expression on her face, there seemed to be a trace of suppressed cold anger between her brows and eyes, as if it was about to erupt in the next moment.

What's going on here?
Yao Xia felt apprehensive, but dared not ask.

"What is A-Xia holding in her hand?" At this moment, Mrs. Yao's smiling voice sounded: "Which girl is the letter from again?"

Yao Xia knew that her grandmother's words were meant to make fun of her and ease the atmosphere, so she pretended not to notice anything unusual, and went forward with a smile on her face: "Going back to my grandmother, it's my sister Chang's reply."

A person like her who is heartless and only knows about foolishness is the most suitable for easing the atmosphere at home. It is really a must-have product for home-because of this awareness, the little girl has always spared no effort in easing the atmosphere at home.

However, what she hadn't seen this time was that Pei's eyes, which were already cold and cold, suddenly became gloomy when she heard the words "Sister Chang's family".

She looked at the letter in Yao Xia's hand.

"From the Chang family?" The kind-faced Mrs. Yao asked with a smile, "Is that the girl from the Chang family in Xingning Fang that you have been talking about for the past ten days?"

"Exactly!"

"Second sister is not just talking about it." Yao Gui sighed: "Second sister now dreams of becoming a family with the girl from the Chang family, and seeing each other from time to time, so she almost traded her grandson for the lady of the Chang family."

"Brother has a good idea. Even if brother wants to change it, the Chang family may not be willing to ask him. Who would want to do such a bloody business?"

"Second sister's words are calling me ugly in a different way? Aniang, you come to judge!"

Looking at this pair of children who are like living treasures, the originally red-eyed Zeng couldn't help covering his mouth and laughing, and said angrily: "Okay, what are you talking about."

Pei Shi, who was sitting by the side, silently clenched the fingers of his folded hands.

"However, sister Chang's health is not good, and she has been recuperating in the mansion these days. I wrote to invite her out several times, but failed." Yao Xia said, and opened the letter with a smile: "Reply at this time, or You can go out and move around."

Mrs. Yao nodded her granddaughter's forehead, and said with a smile: "You girls in the capital, you are not willing to let go of any of them. If you are born a man, how can you pay for it?"

"Grandmother doesn't understand now, if I were a boy, these beautiful sisters would ignore me!" Yao Xia was full of rejoicing: "Fortunately, I am a girl!"

Mrs. Yao, Mrs. Zeng, and Yao Gui all laughed when they heard this.

Only Pei's face was still cold, without squinting, as if cutting off all the excitement.

Yao Ran quietly looked at her mother, pursing the corners of her lips with complicated emotions.

In the mother's eyes, a lively temperament like the second sister's is an extraordinary performance, and it is immodest to say some jokes.

Since she was a child, her mother disapproved of her getting too close to her second sister. She grew up obediently under her mother's instruction, so she could only watch the lively and funny second sister get closer to her grandmother from afar...even though the grandmother is fair and never She is biased, and often praises her for being well-educated, calm and dignified, saying that she and her second sister have their own strengths, and even often asks her second sister to learn more from her, but she knows that there is a difference between liking and liking.

But this is also human nature.

If she could choose, she would also like to stay with the second sister, relaxed and at ease.

On the contrary, who would want to face a person like her who is so restrained and so dull that people have nothing to say?

She never blamed her mother—she used to think that it was understandable for her mother to be more stubborn and repressed because she grew up under strict etiquette education.

But now, it's not just as simple as being stubborn and repressed...

Since Mrs. Zheng Guogong came back from the flower party, her mother became more and more difficult to get along with, and she was so depressed that she couldn't add it.

Yao Ran knew that this had something to do with the fact that her mother wanted to facilitate her marriage with the Wei family, but Mrs. Zheng Guogong did not respond enthusiastically or "flattered", and it was also related to where the letter in the second sister's hand came from...

Yao Ran looked over, and saw that Yao Xia had already unfolded the letter paper, and said joyfully, "Sister Chang is really much better!"

But immediately felt a little disappointed: "But the elder sister of the Chang family said that tomorrow I will drive to Dayun Temple with General Chang to pray for blessings...you can't meet me until you come back."

Yao Gui laughed: "Then you also go to Dayun Temple together?"

"That's right!" Yao Xia quickly went to hold Mrs. Yao's arm: "Grandmother, will you take me with you?"

At this time in previous years, when saints went to Dayun Temple to pray for blessings, all officials of the third rank and above had to accompany them, and their family members could also accompany them.

Yao Yi is the third-rank minister of Dali Temple, and his mother, Mrs. Yao, has a royal order, and because she sincerely worships the Buddha, she will accompany her every time in the past few years.

"This blessing ceremony lasted for seven days. You haven't been there before, can you stay?" Mrs. Yao asked with a smile: "If your words and deeds are not sincere, or you will come back after two days. If it reaches the ears of the sages, the punishment for losing their reputation is light."

"Don't worry, grandma, I will be obedient!" Yao Xia quickly raised her hand to make an oath and promised.

With the elder sister of the Chang family here, not to mention seven days, even seven years, she can stay there!

"Cousin, do you want to go together?" Yao Xia asked with bright eyes.

Yao Ran subconsciously said: "I won't go, I still haven't finished copying the family motto."

Yao Xia sighed inwardly.

The cousin was punished by the aunt again to copy the family training?

A Niang often said that if such a sensible and outstanding cousin was her daughter, she would kowtow three hundred times a day in front of the Bodhisattva until the Bodhisattva couldn't stand it and appeared and begged her to stop.

But such a cousin always has endless copies of books and endless punishments.

But Yao Xia could only complain about Yao Ran in her heart, and she dared not say a word in front of Mrs. Pei.

Mrs. Pei looked at her daughter at this time, but said: "After returning from Dayun Temple, it's not too late to copy."

Yao Ran was stunned.

Mrs. Pei immediately looked at Mrs. Yao, and calmly said: "This time, I planned to go with my mother to pray for the saint and the great prosperity, so let's bring A-Xia and Ran Er along with me."

Mrs. Yao smiled and nodded: "Okay."

Although I don't know what kind of wind the eldest daughter-in-law is going to join in the fun uncharacteristically, but she has no reason not to agree.

Yao Ran's back was chilled, and his mind was in a mess.

My mother doesn't believe in Buddhism, and has never participated in a blessing ceremony over the years. Why is it uncharacteristic this time?
Yao Ran's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she looked at the letter in Yao Xia's hand, but couldn't hear any other voices for a while.

……

"Aunt... Did you cry before my brother and I went? But did you have any dispute with Auntie?" Yao Xia asked in a low voice after returning to Zeng's residence after Mrs. Yao left. .

"I don't dare to argue with her, I just sit there and let her sneer and scold." There was only a dowry woman in the room, so Zeng dared to sigh.

"What is that for?"

Zeng: "It's because of Ding'er..."

"Brother?" Yao Xia blinked: "Did you offend my aunt by being naughty?"

In addition to her elder brother, she also has a younger brother, Yao Ding, who is only five years old this year.

"I got offended, but it wasn't because I was naughty." Zeng said helplessly: "The old lady asked me to discuss with your father before, and asked if we would like to adopt Ding'er to the eldest house..."

Yao Xia's eyes widened: "Are you going to adopt brother to uncle and aunt?"

"Otherwise? Your uncle's official career is smooth, but he has no heirs. It's really difficult..." Zeng's words brought back those private things: "Your grandmother is inevitably worried. Seeing that your eldest aunt has become more and more depressed in recent years, And there were quarrels with your eldest uncle from time to time... I only came up with this method to reassure your eldest aunt, so that she would understand that the eldest house will no longer bring concubines into the house and give birth to another bastard."

"Then the eldest aunt will definitely not be happy." Yao Xia sighed: "How could the child of our second room catch the eyes of the eldest aunt? Maybe she also thinks that the mother wants to use the younger brother to seek the eldest uncle's property."

"I really told you to say it!" Zeng glared at her daughter, and then thought of Pei's cold words, and her face was a little embarrassed: "Her words, although they are beating around the bush, are exactly what they mean. , and it’s much uglier than that.”

"If your grandmother hadn't discussed it with us again and again, I would still be reluctant to give up Ding'er! Our family is happy, why would we want to send Ding'er to her to suffer?"

"It was for the sake of their long-term wife. If she doesn't want to, it's fine. No one can force anyone else, but she still said some hurtful words, and she treated me like a thief with ulterior motives and a shameless face." ..."

As Zeng said, she felt wronged and wanted to cry again.

"Since she married her uncle, it seems like the entire Yao family owes her. Everyone has to look at her face and offer her up as a Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. What kind of crime have I committed? If I had known this... "

Seeing her saying this in one breath, she was so wronged that she was out of breath, Yao Xia took the words, and the surrogate mother said: "If I knew it was like this, it would be the knife resting on your neck, so you wouldn't marry daddy?"

"That's right!" Zeng cried and wiped his tears with a handkerchief.

Yao Xia sighed: "But who told Dad to be good-looking."

"That was in the past!" Zeng said here, even more bitterly: "Where can I see it now? His face, like a flowering epiphyllum, is so handsome in just a few days!"

The mother-in-law on the side couldn't laugh or cry when she heard it-or how can I say they are mother and daughter?

At this time, a female envoy walked in quickly.

"What happened?" Seeing that the maid's expression was different, the woman asked seriously.

Zeng also wiped away her tears and looked over.

"Ma'am, the aunt in the west courtyard of the long room...is gone." The maid said in a low voice.

Gone?

Mrs. Zeng and her mother-in-law looked at each other, their expressions changed slightly.

In the end, Zeng just let out a long sigh: "I've been ill for so long, so I won't have to suffer anymore..."

……

The death of Yao Yi's concubine did not cause much controversy.

The matter of driving to Dayun Temple cannot be delayed. After the funeral was explained that night, everyone in the Yao family left early the next morning.

Chang Suining also sat in the carriage to Dayun Temple.

At this moment, she saw the bright yellow Luanjia in front of her through the car curtain that Xi'er opened.

Chang Sui Ning was distracted, and a young boy's voice came to his ears: "Ning Ning, Jiantong has checked it out..."

Chang Suining looked at Chang Suian who was riding a horse and following beside the car.

The boy on the horse turned slightly in her direction, and said in a low voice, "Then Mrs. Pei is indeed here."

Chang Suining nodded, feeling more certain in his heart.

Before it became clear, no one dared to assert the identity of the murderer, but Pei's move undoubtedly confirmed another point of suspicion.

I have already inquired before that since Dayun Temple was built, Emperor Shengchi led his officials to go to the temple every year to pray for blessings, but this eldest daughter of the Pei family has never been there.

"Is that Minister of Rites, Pei Min, who has been sick for many days, included in this entourage?" She asked in a low voice.

Chang Suian shook his head: "I haven't seen it, only Pei Min's eldest son and his wife are here in the Pei clan."

That is Pei's younger brother.

Chang Suining nodded: "Understood."

A group of people drove in a mighty horse-drawn carriage, and as the horseshoe ringed, they arrived at Dayun Temple before noon.

When Chang Sui Ning Chu got off the carriage, he saw Cui Jing get off the horse in front of him.

On the day of the grand ceremony, he was wearing a purple robe with a round neck, with gold thread embroidered animal emblems on the chest, back and shoulder sleeves, riding boots on his feet, and a sword at his waist.

He looked sideways slightly as if aware of something, and caught off guard, he collided with Chang Suining's gaze.

It was only for a moment, but he took it back calmly.

Chang Suining: "?"

Why did she feel that when the other party looked over just now, the focus of that glance was her head?
It should be noted that when she focuses on other people's heads, there is usually only one possibility - to unscrew them.

At this time, many officials and family members got off the carriage one after another, and Chang Suining saw Yao Xia secretly waving at her among the female family members of the Yao family not far away.

Chang Suining smiled and nodded in response.

Yao Ran followed Yao Xia's line of sight, and quickly looked back.

On the other hand, Mrs. Pei kept her eyes fixed, as if she hadn't noticed the movements of the little girls.

As Pei Shi walked forward, his eyes finally fell on a figure among the officials in front of him.

At the same moment, Chang Suian also looked at the figure, and asked Jiantong in a low voice, "That's Dali Siqing, right?"

He had met Yao Yi, but only once.

After Jiantong nodded, Chang Sui'an quietly cast a serious look——

In his opinion, this Yao Tingwei is indeed ordinary-looking. If the full score is [-], he will give it [-] points, and one point will be added for the sake of the other party's middle-aged appearance. Even if Ning Ning's biological mother has Very beautiful, with such dilution, the child born will be at most seven and a half...

Therefore, Yao Tingwei will definitely not be Ningning's father.

After such a calculation, Chang Sui'an put his heart back into his stomach completely.

At the forefront, the Holy Book Emperor wearing the Tuanlong Mianfu has slowly stepped down from Luanyu.

Chang Sui Ning looked from afar, and unconsciously tightened his fingers slightly.

After the kneeling farewell 15 years ago, she thought that she would never see Empress Ming again.

　Today, the two are combined into one, so it is late, everyone forgive me.

　　(Recently, the mood is fierce, my mother is already a sheep _(:з」∠)_ Everyone try to protect yourself)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)