Da Suining

Chapter 168
Cool breeze.

The flames of the candles in the room flickered.

It is late autumn, and the maple leaves on Qingcheng Mountain are all red. People in twos and threes go to enjoy the maple leaves in carriages. The maple leaves have been beaten by frost, showing a warm and lonely beauty. It is said that the road behind the mountain has been stepped on. , The carriages at the entrance of the mountain can't be squeezed.

That was previous years.

This year's late autumn is destined to be a little lonely.

It's just that the wind blows through the windows at night, and it's still cold.

Mrs. Xiang was old after all and couldn't stand the cold wind. Madam Su turned around and went to the cage to pick out a dark red cloak embroidered with honeysuckle, and put it on Mrs. Xiang's back. The dark red was like the red maple leaves on Qingxu Mountain. .

Xiang Daying looked at the cloak, a little dazed.

The dark red cloak has been washed many times, and the color is a little mottled. It doesn't look like the style of the past, and the Xiang family has no shortage of clothes to wear. With the identity of Mrs. Xiang, even the dowry clothes of the year are enough to wear to old age. But she still kept the cloak.

This cloak was made for Xiang Suining's old lady when Xiang Suining's mother, the Tang family, first married and was not yet very ambitious.

It was already the end of summer when it was time to do it. Because Tang had to choose the material, embroider, measure the size, and decide the style, all these trivial things were handled by Tang alone, and he never pretended to others. rush.

Tang thought that the old lady would need a cloak when she entered the autumn phase, so she hurried to count the days, and every night after dinner, she had to light a lamp and boil oil for an hour.

At that time, she was still full of self-confidence, and her body was heavier. When she sat down, her stomach touched the table. She held the embroidered cloth in her hand, maintained a half-sitting, half-lying posture, and insisted on making the cloak before the frost came. .

Embroidery is not the best, and the stitches are not the most delicate. Tang's family is in business, and the daughter's family is far more comfortable with abacus beads than needlework. She is pregnant, counting the time, and made such a cloak. , Mrs. Xiang couldn't help but be moved.

At the family banquet of the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, she put on her body.Since then, every autumn, she has to put it on several times.

Speaking of Mrs. Xiang's cloaks, at least there are five or six, embroidered with gold thread and silver thread, with a large veiled hat, and made of silk. As long as it is the style that noble ladies have, she has it all.

But Tang's was the only one who wore it the most.

Perhaps it was because this cloak was Tang's sincerity.

It was because Tang embroidered the cloak, not long after, she gave birth to Xiang Guoxin, and not long after, she went crazy.

This was the last piece of clothing Tang's madman made before, and she didn't even have a chance to make a small one for her son.

Seeing the cloak, he thought of the virtuous and dignified eldest daughter-in-law Tang.

Mrs. Xiang caressed the cloak, feeling somewhat emotional: "It's been another year."

"Mother still has this dress."

"I'm not like you, I like the new and dislike the old."

Xiang Daying rubbed his hands together in embarrassment.

In front of Xiang Suining, she should give her father some face.

Mrs. Xiang asked him: "Come here so late, what's the matter? If you have a quarrel with the one in the front yard, go back as soon as possible."

"Mother, the cloak you are wearing is not out of date even if you wear it now."

Xiang Daying's sudden flattery, Mrs. Xiang was both flattered and sad.

"Mother still misses Tang Corporation."

"That's my proper daughter-in-law."

"That's right. When Tang embroidered this cloak, I remember that Suining was already running all over the place. At that time, Tang's pregnant child hadn't landed yet. After she had a child, she got worse." Daying rubbed his hands again: "When I saw the cloak, I recalled the past, and felt very sad. There is also the matter of an old man. I wonder if my mother has heard about it."

"Old man? Who?"

"Zhou Sheng."

"He?" Mrs. Xiang slowly put down the red beans in her hand, and moved the candlestick towards Xiang Suining's direction, fearing that the light would not be bright enough to prevent her from writing, so she picked up a cup of tea and drank slowly: "This man, back then It's also an old minister, just like you, with a new master, you shameless... Forget it, now it's all up to you to support this family, what's the use of me saying such angry words, what's wrong with Zhou Sheng? What happened?"

Xiang Suining was afraid of frightening Mrs. Xiang, so she didn't say a word about Zhou Sheng's beheading.

For a woman in a deep house like Mrs. Xiang, I'm afraid she hasn't heard the news yet.

"The emperor said that Zhou Sheng was not good at treating the plague, and he was dissatisfied that he accepted bribes and was incompetent. He dragged him to the overpass and cut off his head in full view, followed by his two concubines."

"Is there such a thing?" Mrs. Xiang put down the tea bowl and pulled the cloak on her back.

When Zhou Sheng was mentioned, the memory was pulled back all of a sudden.

I still remember that year when the late emperor died of illness, several of the late emperor's brothers were ready to move, and no one took a fancy to Guo Zhengchan, who was neither handsome nor talented.

And Prime Minister Great Ying Zushang was a loyal minister of the late emperor. Among the civil servants, the family of several prime ministers was of the highest rank.

Maybe it's hereditary, but Xiang's lineage is eloquent, even drafting a document for the emperor is easy to grasp and is very popular.

Xiang Daying's mouth is not as powerful as his ancestor's, but his rebellion is faster than anyone else.

After Guo Zhengchan seized the throne, he urgently needed someone to take the lead in supporting him.

Xiang Daying was the first to run out and shouted long live three times, knelt on the ground and couldn't pull himself up, and said that he was shocked by Guo Zhengchan's imperial spirit.

Talk nonsense with your eyes open.

Guo Zhengchan's small eyes didn't catch the light, and his stature wasn't tall. Among his brothers, counting from top to bottom, they couldn't count on his head.

However, Xiang Daying started, and there were more people following behind.

The second person to bow down at Guo Zhengchan's feet was Zhou Sheng.

Zhou Sheng was born as a Jinshi, and his ancestors made meritorious service in the previous emperor's dynasty. With the blessing of his ancestors, Zhou Sheng successfully entered the temple.But he was not an excellent bureaucrat, and he was lustful. Before he turned [-], he lingered in brothels and refused to go home. He kept a concubine for three years. This story was widely spread.

The first emperor looked down on him and reprimanded him twice a year. If he continues to be reprimanded, he will probably withdraw from the court and go somewhere to become an unknown official. The blessings of his ancestors will also be lost. .

Coincidentally, the late emperor died suddenly, and Zhou Sheng was inexplicably happy.

With Prime Minister Daying leading the way, Zhou Shenghuan joyfully hugged the thigh of the current emperor Guo Zhengchan, and the words he said were also very nasty: "The emperor is wise and powerful, and he is decisive. He is the son of the real dragon and the blessing of the world. I wish you Serving the emperor, I will never hesitate to die..."

Anyway, Guo Zhengchan seemed to be pleased with what he heard, and he made a decision the next day, rewarding Zhou Sheng as the magistrate of Qingcheng.

This official position is enough to make people jealous.

There are dozens of people in Xuanguo who are satisfied, and Zhou Sheng is the first in terms of ranking.

After all, Qingcheng is the place where the emperor sits, and in ordinary times, the law and order can't be wrong.

Zhou Sheng was in the land of Qingcheng, eating delicious food and drinking hot food. It didn’t take long for the fox’s tail to show itself. He drank flower wine, sought out women, was greedy for money, and was foolish. There were people who sued Zhou Sheng, but Zhou Sheng didn’t fall down. Instead, they fell into his hands. Which one was imprisoned in Qingcheng Prison, and when the red-hot iron was taken out, these people were scared to death. Zhou Sheng asked them to say something, and they said what they said. If they were not allowed to say, one Words did not dare to take out.

The emperor is not confused.

But regarding Zhou Sheng's matter, he has always turned a blind eye to it.

It's like facing the British.

The emperor likes to find people to play chess, but he is very stinky to play chess, so many chess masters have been hired to teach him the skill, the more he teaches, the less he can do it, it is better not to teach.

But he likes to win.

If the concubine of the harem wins him, then it's over, at least one month will not turn over the concubine's green head card, so that she can't sleep alone, don't want to get his body, let her be lonely.

If the courtier had won him, in a few days in the court, he would naturally find an excuse and scold the courtier fiercely, and he would also be able to argue about what happened before the year of the monkey.

So whether it is a concubine or a courtier, when they hear that they are going to play chess with the emperor, they are all terrified.

It's easy to win against him, but it's not easy to lose, and you can't lose clearly, otherwise the emperor will be angry, lose to him, and even play a show, who can bear it?
Xiang Daying is the one who is most likely to be missed by the emperor. Sometimes he is too absorbed in the game and forgets about the loss. This happened several times, but the emperor did not reprimand him, but said: "Xiang Aiqing's chess skills are getting better and better The hair is superb, I see, it is better than those of my teachers, and only you dare to use your real skills to win me, I like your undisguised temperament."

Even the concubines who served the emperor were jealous, saying that if Xiang Daying was a woman, she must be a goblin. Look, the emperor is so fascinated, what is it?
The emperor favored Zhou Sheng, and Zhou Sheng was beheaded.

The emperor also favored the Great Britain.

Xiang Daying was at a loss.

"Zhou Sheng was beheaded by the emperor? This day has finally come." Mrs. Xiang closed her eyes and sighed: "It will rain when the sky commits crimes, and there will be disasters when people commit crimes. Zhou Sheng is in his position, and he doesn't want to share the worries of the emperor. It will be a matter of time before the emperor chops off his head if the people are full of resentment."

"A few months before the emperor chopped off Zhou Sheng's head, he gave him a concubine, who was said to be watching Zhou Sheng's every move, but unfortunately Zhou Sheng didn't notice."

"It's useless for him to be afraid." Mrs. Xiang said quietly: "What did the emperor reward him? Would he dare not take it? He didn't dare. He had no choice but to take what the emperor rewarded him. He has been in the officialdom for many years, how could he not know?" The reason why people's hearts are separated from the belly? He is on guard against that concubine, but I'm afraid he can't. The emperor planted this concubine. If Zhou Sheng was caught by the concubine, he would die. If he had no reason to be caught by the concubine, The emperor will also use this little concubine's mouth to let everyone know that Zhou Sheng deserves to die, and it is too easy for the royal family to fabricate some excuses, which dynasty has no unfounded charges?"

"Mother is right."

"You came to me, of course, not because of Zhou Sheng's beheading. From that concubine, you thought that the emperor liked Suining and wanted to point Suining to the second prince Guo, right?"

"Yes."

"You don't have to worry, the emperor wants the second prince to take Suining into his room and inquire about our affairs. He will not succeed. Suining is not a stupid child."

"I know."

"The second prince is reckless and lustful. It's a pity that Suining gave it to him. According to my opinion, I absolutely don't want Suining to give it to him. Now that you mean the same thing, let's think of a way. There is no way to marry him." Mrs. Xiang rested her head on her hand, and looked at Xiang Suining lovingly: "It's rare that your father is willing to think about your life's major events. After all, he gave birth to your child."

Xiang Daying brushed his hair with his hands, picked up a cup of tea and drank it, it seemed that his throat was very dry, and he drank that cup of tea in one gulp: "Mom, I mean..."

"Ok?"

"What I mean is not quite the same as what mother means."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm thinking that Suining needs to marry the second prince as soon as possible."

"You—" Madam Xiang really regretted giving him a cup of tea, and after drinking a cup of tea, she got drunk and said such sad words: "You... don't you know what kind of character the second prince is? , why did you push Suining into the pit of fire?"

"Mother, there are not many times when the child disobeys your will, but mother thinks about it, Zhou Sheng's head can't be saved, does the emperor have no thoughts about me? After all, I am in his position, and I am also incompetent, although I am not lewd..."

"You don't have to be modest, who knows that you dote on your concubine and kill your wife, you must have secretly drunk the flower wine."

"I...Okay, I'm stupid and incompetent, spoiling my concubine and destroying my wife. If the emperor wants to trouble me, won't he implicate the Xiang family? The Xiang family has been passed down to me, so it can't just disappear like this."

"You may be thinking too much, the emperor didn't mean that?"

"I'm not afraid of [-], just in case, what should I do? Mother, our Xiang family can't afford a little risk. Mother, think about Guoxin, he is only ten years old."

When Xiang Guoxin was mentioned, Mrs. Xiang's heart twitched violently.

Her expression was complicated, it seemed to be pity, but at the same time she seemed to be angry, but she quickly suppressed her emotions and listened attentively to what Xiang Daying said.

"I think it would be great if the second girl married the second prince. At least, it would be an extra layer of protection for our Xiang family. The second prince is the emperor's son. Let's not talk about whether he can be on the throne in the future." The throne..."

"Don't think about it, he won't be able to ascend to the throne." Madam Xiang retorted, who made her look down on Guo Kai anyway.

"Even if he doesn't ascend the throne, he will still be a prince. If the second girl marries him, she will be a princess. If the emperor wants to touch our family, he must also consider the impact on the second prince. If one day I make a catastrophe ... Even if the nine clans are implicated, the emperor will consider the second prince and punish him lightly, after all, if the second girl marries the second prince, he and us are a community of interests, and we are on the same boat."

"Then you can't gamble with the happiness of the second girl's life. You have to know that Guo Wei is not serious. Even if you marry him, can you live a good life? If one day a catastrophe comes, he will be the first to kick Suining back. He is a A person who can share the wind and rain? A person who can be relied on?"

"No, Suining was pointed out to him by the emperor, and he dared not disobey. After marrying Suining, he dared not divorce his wife."

"I don't dare to divorce my wife, but there are thousands of ways to abuse my wife, any of which can kill Suining, don't you...you have the heart to let Suining live on the knife's edge?"

"The second girl is getting older, her happiness is not her own, she is a member of the Xiang family, and she must make appropriate sacrifices for the Xiang family. Besides, the second prince Guo is precious, and he is more than enough to match her. An ordinary noble daughter is not Such an opportunity."

(End of this chapter)