Da Suining

Chapter 77 Old Cat
I got off the car at the side gate of the imperial city, often led by my father-in-law, Xiang Suining and Xiang Daying went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Xuanguo has lasted for a long time, the imperial city was built only a few floors inside when the first emperor was here, and another four floors were built outside when Emperor Guo Zhengchan came here. Now, inside the red wall, there are hundreds of palaces, large and small, from front to back. , all red walls and yellow tiles, are all square and spacious yards.Entering from the side door, there is a wide platform of bluestone slabs, which is the front gate square of Xuanguo Palace.

Stepping onto the square, looking around, eunuchs and maids shuttled among them, all walking quickly with their hands down, no one was talking too much.

On the roof of the palace, there are various small animals, such as dragon, phoenix, seahorse, celestial horse, lion, etc. The dragon symbolizes the emperor, the phoenix symbolizes auspicious and virtuous people, and the celestial horse symbolizes access to the four directions and smooth flow. No hindrance, the lion symbolizes bravery and majesty.Looking from the high ridge, not far to the west, there is a tall wooden pole with a disc on it. A little eunuch is tied with a rope and a bamboo basket around his waist. The pole is on top, and something is being put into the disc.

Xiang Suining knew that what the little eunuch put in was minced meat and grains. Twice a day, someone in the palace put minced meat and grains into the discs to feed the crows, so it was common for crows to hover above the imperial city of Xuan Kingdom. The thing is, when there are many crows, the sky over the entire imperial city is pitch black, like dark clouds, and the bright yellow glazed tiles of the imperial city are all darkened.

In the eyes of Xuanguo people, crows are no better than magpies, and they are not auspicious birds. For this reason, the common people are very taboo about them.It wasn't until Guo Zhengchan ascended the throne that he changed the limelight and set up this wooden pole in the palace wall with great fanfare to raise crows.

It is said that when Guo Zhengchan came into the world, dozens of crows flew in the courtyard of his mother, who is now the empress dowager. , Guessing that he would definitely die, the old emperor felt sorry for the empress dowager, and hated the vicious prince in his heart, why he wanted his wife's life before he was born.

After pouring ginseng soup several times, the old queen tried her best and bled half of her body before she gave birth to a child with bruises all over her body. The child was born without breathing and could not move. Like a black eggplant, slippery and dirty, it was only assumed that he was dead, and was ready to be thrown to the little eunuch.At this moment, a crow flew up and pecked the child's face, or the child was in pain, and the child cried "wow".But the old emperor never hugged him again.

When the crow flew over, it also pecked the old emperor's hand. The black hair of the crow was shiny, and the small attacking eyes left an indelible mark on the old emperor's heart.

Maybe he had a grudge against the child, maybe he had a grudge against the crow, or maybe he had a grudge against both the child and the crow, the old emperor was not close to Guo Zhengchan.

Feng Shui took turns, and when Guo Zhengchan became emperor, he wanted to avenge his shame.

When other emperors were born, wasn't the palace full of auspiciousness?For example, the five stars gather, the kylin appears, the nectar falls, and the Buddha's light shines everywhere.

When he was born, crows gathered together, so it would be better to enshrine the crows.Anyway, he said that crows are divine birds, and crows are divine birds.

A flock of crows flew overhead, flew over the roof ridge, and circled the wooden pole to the west.

"Hey, Baxi, this little bastard, how many times have I told him to feed the crow and let others feed it, but he will go up by himself, so he can't kill this monkey boy." Chang Gonggong looked at the rickety wooden pole in the west and shook his head. .

Xiang Suining followed Xiang Daying lightly, Xiang Daying followed Eunuch Chang's footsteps, and asked carefully: "Eunuch Chang has always been well informed, the emperor summoned my worthless daughter, why? Can Eunuch Chang give me some advice?" One or two?"

Eunuch Chang didn't quite understand, he just took Xiang Suining outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and he went in to report, and when the report was over, he bowed and confessed to Xiang Suining: "Go in, your majesty is waiting, if you have something to say, please say it, what does the majesty ask, Just answer honestly."

Prime Minister Suining had never entered the palace in her previous life, so she had no impression of what the Hall of Mental Cultivation looked like to the emperor.

The entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation is paved with gray marble. After stepping over the high threshold of red lacquer, one enters the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation is very tall, at least twice the height of an ordinary house. The entire wooden frame structure is carved with beams and painted buildings, carved with dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, bats and other patterns, and painted with various flowers and trees. It is lifelike and breathtaking.

There are three side halls on the left and right, and in the main hall there are eight pillars with two people hugging each other. Like the beams of the house, the pillars are also painted with patterns of dragons soaring over the sea of ​​clouds and dragons guarding the nine heavens.

The emperor sat far away on his red gold throne. Down eight steps, there was a long red carpet. Xiang Suining stood at the end of the red carpet. He didn't dare to look around, but just took small steps forward. Walk.

The emperor was far away, so he couldn't see his face clearly. The throne was very high, and he sat upright, feeling very majestic.

"Come before me," said the emperor.

Perhaps the Hall of Mental Cultivation was too empty, and the emperor's voice was amplified, as if it was coming from the top of his head.

There are two teams of people standing in Nuo Da's Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Guo Kai was standing on the left with a woman in a high bun and palace attire, presumably it was Guo Kai and his mother.

Lan Tuan and his mother Langding Princess Guo Lingzhen are standing on the right.

Xiang Suining didn't know where to stand, so he could only stand in the middle.

The emperor looked at her condescendingly. She wore a water-green shirt, a white pomegranate skirt, dark green velvet flowers in her hair, and a hollow and carved silver hairpin. She was plain and low-key, not like a troublemaker.

Prime Minister Suining saluted the emperor respectfully.

The emperor asked her what her name was and how old she was, and then smiled and said: "You don't have to be afraid, I've called you here, just to ask a few words."

The emperor asked Guo Kai again sharply: "Didn't you say that the fight has something to do with Miss Xianger? Now that she is here, what kind of thing is it that made you use the knife?"

Xiang Daying listened to the emperor's words from a distance, ran to the front with small steps, was pushed by Xiang Suining and knelt down, and bitterly said to the emperor: "Your majesty, the little girl is ignorant, and she really lacks discipline. I don't know how she provoked the two noble sons, but since the emperor summoned her, it was naturally her mistake, and she was going to be killed or cut, but according to the emperor's order, I dare not say anything. But for her young and ignorant sake, see For the sake of her mother being a lunatic, Rong Xiaonv should talk about it carefully to avoid any misunderstanding."

"I didn't say I was going to kill your daughter, you are panicking like a woman." The emperor waved his hand at Prime Minister Daying: "Stand and listen at a distance, the matter is not settled yet, don't get confused."

Xiang Daying had no choice but to stop at a distance.

Guo Kai clenched his fists, his fat face flushed red.

Blue fading is breezy.

"Tu'er, speaking of which, I'm your uncle, and you're a guest. Let me tell you what's going on." The emperor leaned on the throne.

Before Lan Tui could speak, Guo Kai jumped out, jumping too fast, the flesh on his face trembling: "Father, I..." He dare not say that he murdered Prime Minister Suining: "I... I think this little girl..." He slapped himself: "I think this little girl is quite pretty..."

This heartless son.

Concubine He secretly sighed.

He is the second prince of Xuanguo, how can he praise Xiang Daying's daughter in public?What kind of personality is Xiang Daying?Although she is a second-rank official of the imperial court, she is a civil servant and a casual job. She receives a salary and plays with the emperor. After all, she is like a monkey raised by the emperor for fun. What can his daughter do?How could someone as hard-working as her concubine give birth to such a blind son?
Concubine He immediately kicked Guo Cheng's leg, and Guo Cheng knelt down.

The emperor squinted his eyes, and concubine He quickly retreated.

The emperor's eyes were slender, and when he squinted, his eyes were gloomy, like an old cat that didn't sleep at night, vigilant and focused.

Guo Cheng was very scared, he thought left and right, knelt there and thought again: "It is said that the incense of Jiguang Temple is effective. I couldn't sleep well, my son was anxious for his father, and wanted to go to Jiguang Temple to burn incense to keep his father safe. Unexpectedly, he met this Xianger girl, she... she saw how pretty her son was..."

"Huh?" The emperor frowned, Guo Cheng is pretty?Why didn't he find out when he raised this son until he was a teenager?
Guo Kai sniffed: "Miss Xianger saw that the child was dressed richly, so she... hit him, deliberately blocked the way, and tried...to seduce the child."

When Xiang Daying heard this, his face turned red to his ears.If it is said that Xiang Guoxin is eyeing a girl and blocking the way to make fun of her, he believes that Xiang Suining is blocking the way to seduce Guo Kai, right?
Xiang's family has a scholarly family, and he still knows a little bit about etiquette, righteousness, integrity and shame. For generations, such things have never been heard.

Guo Kai said again: "Seeing that the child is not willing to live or die, Miss Xianger called a helper again, that is, Lan Tui, the Imperial Guard, and they robbed the child, my jade pendant, and my purse. The child is in a hurry. Then I hurt Lan Tuan with the dagger I carried, it was not intentional, the boy was afraid that they would steal things and wanted his life."

After Guo Kai followed Xiang Yan, he made great progress.

At least he's good at lying.

Reversing black and white, speaking as if it were true.

The emperor didn't say he believed it, nor did he say he didn't believe it, but just watched Lan fade.

Lan Tuo knelt down: "When I went, I happened to see that the second prince was... was... trying to bully the second girl Xiang. The emperor asked me to be a guard for a day, and I had to protect the peace of Qingcheng, and so on. It happened under my nose, I can't ignore it."

The emperor nodded.

Princess Guo also nodded in satisfaction, no one in the palace knew about Guo Kai's character.The emperor's questioning was probably just a formality.

Concubine He didn't want to, but Lan Tui said it sounded like a business, and with Princess Guo's backing, she didn't dare to do anything to Lan Tui, so she had to point to Xiang Suining and said, "You are so young, how can you be like this?" Hu Mei, do you still want to occupy our second prince? You don’t even look in the mirror, do you deserve it?”

"I don't deserve it." Facing the accusation, Xiang Suining calmly said, "I hope your concubine will forgive me."

Concubine He scratched a lot, she was angry but couldn't let it out, Xiang Suining acted like a lady and was honest and honest, which made it difficult for her to speak.

The emperor sat on the throne and laughed.

Everyone was puzzled but didn't dare to say more.

Eunuch Chang held up a cup of tea and the emperor stopped laughing after drinking it.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was very quiet, and the small sound of the hourglass came along the cracks in the bluestone.

"I already know about the children in my heart." The emperor stood up holding the dragon head on the side of the throne: "The second prince is getting old, and the palace may not be able to keep him around. After a while, I will give you a The government let you get married and move out."

Guo Cheng didn't know why, but when he thought of getting married, he immediately knelt down happily: "Thank you, Father."

Concubine He frowned.The opening of a mansion is usually done by conferring a king. The emperor does not mention conferring a king, but only talks about opening a mansion. This is not necessarily a good thing.

The emperor said again: "The blue guard has done his duty and is worthy of praise. The orange jade pendant has been cracked. I will reward you with a new one. In addition, from today onwards, you are allowed to carry a sword in front of you."

It doesn't matter what the emperor rewards, and Changxinhou's mansion is not lacking. It is a great honor to carry a knife in front of the emperor. The whole Xuanguo knows a rule, that is, when entering the imperial city, civil servants get off the sedan chair, military officers get off the horse, and take the sword with them. Those with swords also unloaded themselves. Except for the imperial guards, it was unheard of for anyone to bring a sword to the emperor.Blue fading is the first one.

Princess Guo kowtowed to thank her immediately, the emperor was so kind, it was considered sympathetic to Lan Tui's injury, it was considered comforting, and it also justified Lan Tui's name.

Only Xiang Suining was left.

If the emperor put all the blame on her and made her a weak woman to bear the responsibility, just giving her a name would be enough to calm the incident. The emperor obviously didn't, but smiled and rubbed a string of yellow beads on his wrist: "Xiangaiqing's daughter was frightened, what compensation do you want?"

Xiang Daying panicked.

Xiang Suining knelt upright and said: "My daughter and all of my family are the emperor's favor, the emperor's sage, and the blessing of the common people. My daughter thank you."

"Sexy, charming." Concubine He took a deep breath in her heart. She had seen too much of this method of refusal and welcome. If she wanted any compensation, she would just say it. She flattered her for such a long time, but she wanted to get some reward .

The emperor asked Prime Minister Suining, "You really don't ask for anything?"

"Just ask my father not to be afraid, thinking that I have caused some trouble again."

The emperor shook his head with a smile, he was used to listening to the words on the stage, such sincere words were really rare.

Xiang Daying was embarrassed.

The emperor personally confessed to him: "The second girl of yours is very sensible, don't wrong her, after returning to the mansion, please stay with me."

"Yes, yes." Xiang Daying nodded.

It is not easy to step into the imperial palace and be bitten by Guo Cheng, and to be able to escape unscathed.Xiang Suining really didn't think about anything else.

The emperor was not stingy, and gave Xiang Suining two pieces of brocade from Changzhou, and a red gold hairpin inlaid with pink tourmaline.A pair of gold bracelets and two small silver ingots.

Chang's father-in-law sent his prime minister Suining out of the palace.

Xiang Daying thanked him persistently: "Eunuch Chang, thanks to you. We are safe and sound."

"It's the emperor's sage, who is what kind of person, the emperor knows well." Chang Gonggong cupped his hands and said: "It's still Mr. Xiang who wins face in front of the emperor. The emperor always favors Mr. Xiang, so how can the second girl be wronged?" ? This reward means that you like the second girl, second girl, you have a bright future in the future."

"Thank you, Eunuch." Xiang Suining picked out a silver ingot and gave it to Eunuch Chang.It is common for eunuchs in the palace to receive gifts.

Unexpectedly, Eunuch Chang blushed and returned the silver ingot: "Didn't the second girl slap me in the face? What's the relationship between us? I can't take the silver from the second girl."

Xiang Suining had no choice but to take the money back.

"Two pieces of brocade are not easy to get. I will ask the little eunuch to send you to your house later. You go back, it's getting late." Eunuch Chang stood at the gate of the palace and handed them off.

(End of this chapter)