The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 613
Although the Chonghua Palace is large, it is only a corner of the palace after all, so there has long been a decree in the palace that only those with a rank of five or above can enter the palace to celebrate the birthday of the Supreme Emperor.Moreover, except for Wang Jue, every third-rank and above official can only bring at most one junior to the banquet.

To the west of Chonghua Palace, a water pavilion that is usually inaccessible to people, is already full of people.

Many teenagers and young people hang out here in groups of three or five, chatting, dancing, playing chess and drinking tea.

There is no doubt that each of these young people is a prince with a prominent family background, a great reputation, and a gathering of followers wherever he goes.However, here today, each of them looks so ordinary.

Because among these people, the prince and son alone accounted for almost half of them!
It is conceivable that, if there are no accidents, the one or two hundred young people around this small water pavilion will be the ones who will dominate the empire for nearly a hundred years to come.

"His Royal Highness is here."

Following the voice transmission, the high-spirited prince in a yellow robe came, surrounded by everyone.

It was also at this time that many people who had maintained their identities before immediately put down their airs and gathered towards the prince.

The prince smiled and said: "The lonely king is so busy today, and there are many things that he didn't take good care of. I hope you will forgive me."

The prince was ordered by Emperor Ningkang to host today's birthday banquet.He is naturally proud, because every time he presides over such a major event, he becomes more familiar with state affairs, and his position as the crown prince becomes more stable.

Therefore, even though he is busy, he dare not slack off at all.

Because all the princes and ministers came to the palace to celebrate their birthdays in advance, in order to reasonably arrange the time before the official start of the birthday banquet, he gathered the juniors of each family here alone.After all, adults are with adults, young people are with young people, and they have the same interests and are more harmonious.

Looking at the handsome young men from various families who gathered towards him like a shadow because of his movements, the prince smiled even more.Even if he is a prince, it is not easy to gather so many children from powerful families together.

Obviously, this is an important time for him to build up his foundation and choose his followers and allegiances.

However, after glancing at the middle of the water pavilion and looking at him with a smile, the third prince who didn't come to greet him at all, the smile on the prince's face faded a little.

He saw it. Before he came, most of the people here gathered in the water pavilion. Even now, there are still many people in the water pavilion. Most of them are juniors of civil servants.

Just as he was about to step into the waterside pavilion, he suddenly heard an important name in his ears. He glanced at him, and a smile appeared on his face. Then, ignoring the third prince who had already approached to greet him, he turned around and quickly walked towards the periphery. .

In the fence by the pool, the fourth prince and a few people who usually play close to him gathered here to fish.

He, the prince, is the most leisurely. Whenever there is a grand event, he doesn't care about anything, just play.

Suddenly seeing his big companion came back, he immediately dropped his fishing rod and ran over, but he jumped over his big companion and rushed towards the person behind him.

"Hey Jia Lian, you're finally here."

Looking at the fourth prince who is full of enthusiasm at all times, Jia Lian took a half step back, cupped his hands and said, "I have seen the fourth prince."

"You were in the Hall of Worship just now, right?"

"Return to Your Highness, that's right."

"Hey, there are some old antiques over there, it's really boring. Why don't you come here to fish, hehe, the fish in the Liuqing Pond of Grandpa Huang can't be eaten at any time!
I've already caught several, and I'll let Zhang Bao sneak them back later, and when the banquet is over, you go to my palace, how about we roast and eat together? "

The fourth prince obviously had plans long ago, and looked at Jia Lian expectantly.

He really admired Jia Lian in his heart. He was better at "martial arts" and better at composing poetry. Who knew that he could cook food, which was even more delicious than the cooks in his palace. Damn it, really It's genius!

Thinking of the last time I accidentally ate the small crucian carp grilled by Jia Lian on a bamboo stick, the crispy outside and crispy inside, the taste of numb and spicy is really...indescribable.

Later, he also asked the cooks in the mansion to bake according to Jia Lian's method, but it always felt a little bit worse.

Besides, everyone said that the fish raised by the Taishang Emperor of Chonghua Palace was a spiritual creature that gathered the essence of heaven and earth. If you could eat one, it would bring wealth and treasure and prolong life.Therefore, every prince and minister who received the reward from the Supreme Emperor regarded it as a treasure.

It's a pity that even if he is the prince, he usually doesn't dare to come in and steal.It was only because there were so many people today that he was so bold that he planned to steal some back early in the morning.

This kind of baby spirit fish grown from the dragon veins, coupled with Jia Lian's magical technique, the final taste... just think about it!

Seeing that the fourth prince was drooling when he spoke, Jia Lian couldn't help but smile.Speaking of which, the fourth prince is quite easy to dismiss. This idiot who grew up in rich clothes and rich food, has never eaten spicy grilled fish on the street, and he will become addicted once he eats it.

But this kid is brave enough, he even dared to steal the Taishanghuang's fish, he might be the only one in the whole Wei Dynasty.

Perfunctory to the fourth prince, and greeted Zhang Su and others, Jia Lian was about to go to see the fish of the fourth prince, when he suddenly saw the prince coming with a group of people, Jia Lian straightened his appearance and bowed to meet him.

"Haha, Marquis Zhenyuan doesn't need to be too polite. It's because I didn't think carefully. Although Marquis Zhenyuan is an official and the emperor's most important confidant, but in terms of age, talent and appearance, he is the leading young talent in my Great Wei Dynasty. .

It's all my fault that I forgot to instruct the servants below, they must have led Zhenyuanhou to the Hall of Worship just now, right? "

The prince smiled and walked within two steps of Jia Lian, with a familiar demeanor, as if he and Jia Lian were best friends.Such a favored prince made many people behind who wanted to say a few words in front of the prince couldn't help but look jealous.

But thinking about it, even the crown prince said that Jia Lian was Emperor Ningkang's most important confidant, and some people in the city quickly restrained their expressions.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, is serious. Your Highness has done everything right, and arranged for the Supreme Emperor's birthday banquet in an orderly manner. Just now, in the Hall of Worship, I have heard many elders praise Your Highness.

Besides, I'm just an ordinary courtier, and the deacon in the palace arranged me to the Hall of Worship, and he did things according to the rules, without any mistakes or omissions.On the contrary, I came here without asking for instructions, and I ask Your Highness to forgive me. "

"Ha ha."

As soon as the prince laughed out loud, the fourth prince interrupted displeasedly: "Oh, everyone is so familiar, and you are not an outsider, why are you so polite. Besides, I sent someone to call you, how can you do it without authorization? Do you mean I shouldn't call you here, or am I not qualified to call you here?

Big Brother, tell me, am I qualified to call him over? "

The prince didn't mean to be angry with the fourth prince at all, instead he said with a smile: "Fourth brother is right, he is not an outsider, why should the Marquis of Zhenyuan be so polite. As for the fourth brother's question, haha, of course you have the right to call him over, big brother and I And thank you for being so considerate to me.”

The prince looked easy-going, but when he said "not an outsider", he gave Jia Lian a meaningful look.

"Brother Dahuang is right, Marquis Zhenyuan is famous far and wide, back then in the other courtyard in the western suburbs of Brother Dahuang, the few masterpieces that Marquis Zhenyuan casually produced, even his younger brothers could only admire.

Fangcai Chendi was still feeling emotional when he was discussing literature and ink with a group of talented people. It would be great if Zhenyuanhou was present. coming. "

The third prince walked over like strolling in the courtyard.He also ignored the prince's sudden frown, and nodded in response to Jia Lian's greeting. He continued to laugh and said, "This king Su likes to play with words and ink, and to do arty things. I have long wanted to ask the Marquis of Zhenyuan to come to the palace, but I was only concerned about the official affairs of the Marquis of Zhenyuan. It is heavy, and I dare not send someone to invite it easily.

Since there is a grand meeting today, I want to have a good discussion with Marquis Zhenyuan. "

"Third Highness loves you so much, I dare not show it in front of His Highness."

People around, seeing all the princes being so affectionate to Jia Lian, felt very uncomfortable.They are also the children of the rich and powerful, many of them are even much higher status than Jia Lian, but the treatment they receive is very different, which can't help but make people feel jealous.

Especially the group of clan children who were harmed by Jia Lian and the fourth prince and were taken to the Taimiao to eat white flour steamed buns for more than a month, looked at Jia Lian, and almost became angry.It's just that in the presence of the crown prince and the third prince, he dared not attack.

How can the crown prince not know that the third prince is competing with him?He frowned, but he sneered in his heart, you couldn't compete with me before, and from now on, you will have no chance.

Jia Lian is a smart person, and he will soon have a new relationship with the prince, so it is even more impossible for him to join your banditry.

Just as he was about to ridicule the third prince, suddenly his confidant whispered in his ear, he turned his eyes and said to Jia Lian and the others: "The lonely king has something to deal with, everyone, please feel free."

After finishing speaking, he deliberately nodded with Jia Lian, the fourth prince and others, and then led them away.

……

Weiyang Palace, this is the dormitory of the Empress Dowager, and it is also the most majestic and solemn palace in the entire Chonghua Palace except for the main hall.

At this time, most of the internal and external edicts who came to celebrate the Supreme Emperor's birthday, as well as the female relatives of various families, also gathered here.

Theoretically speaking, on an occasion like today, the most eye-catching ones should be the most distinguished concubines, princesses, and princesses.But this is not the case in the main hall at this time. The most eye-catching person is a delicate girl in her teens.

Because, she was brought here by the queen herself, and the queen introduced her to the queen mother herself just now.

Theoretically speaking, the status of a woman who can get the special care of the empress must be extraordinary.But after the people in the hall quietly asked the left and right, they found that the girl's identity was very ordinary.

The daughter of Jiangnan weaving?It is indeed ordinary, because many young princesses and county owners have quietly asked their elders that Jiangnan weaving is only four or five grades.

In a small place like Jiangnan, maybe the fourth and fifth ranks are not too small.But on an occasion like today, it's just at the bottom. If there is no queen, she shouldn't even have the qualifications to come in!
For such a woman whose status is so much lower than theirs, but has received the attention of a group of elders, the young ladies feel a little bit aggrieved.

The appearance is... quite beautiful, but it looks so thin. Is their family so poor that they can't get rid of the pot, starving their daughter like this!

Facing everyone's scrutiny, especially those unfriendly gazes, Zhen Yuhuan, who was standing next to the queen and mother, was under a lot of pressure.

Even though from the solemn dress her mother and others gave her in the morning, as well as the many earnest entrustments to her, she knew that today's trip to the palace was not easy.But I still didn't expect that it would be like this.

In Kunning Palace before, under the arrangement of her mother and queen, she met countless elders.Those elders, whether they are princes or concubines, are at least second or third rank, and they are much higher than her mother.

Her family is in the south of the Yangtze River, which is second to none.As the first daughter of the family, she can be said to be a figure like the proud daughter of heaven.

But facing those princesses and princesses of the same age, she felt that she seemed to have become a commoner girl.Even though she knew it wasn't the case.

It's even better now, the queen brought her and her mother to meet the queen mother!Is she really the queen mother?She looks so young...so beautiful...

and also……

This guy doesn't look easy to get along with!
Zhen Yuhuan secretly glanced across at the young woman in the gorgeous palace dress.Unexpectedly, the other party was also looking at her, her indifferent eyes made her heart skip a beat, and she hurriedly avoided her eyes.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness has arrived, please wait outside."

"Let him in."

Hearing such words, Zhen Yuhuan, who was already nervous, became more and more nervous, and hid her small body behind her mother.

"Yi'er sees the emperor's grandmother, pays respects to the queen mother."

The prince walked into the hall under the guidance of the palace people, because behind the curtains on both sides were orders from various families to observe the ceremony, so he did not look sideways, came to the empress dowager and the empress, and greeted them respectfully.

"You don't need to be too polite, have you arranged everything outside?"

"Reporting to the emperor's grandmother, all the adults in the Mongolian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Rites are thoughtful, and everything outside has been arranged, and there have been no major mistakes."

"Ah."

The queen mother nodded casually, then changed her tone, and signaled to the wife of the Zhen family below: "This is the wife of the Zhen family in Jiangnan. The Zhen family in Jiangnan, when your grandfather was in power, was ordered to preside over the weaving affairs in Jiangnan. , Decades like a day, hard work.

Their family's wife is the 'Lord of Xiu'an County' personally bestowed by Taizu Yukou.When the Lord Xiu'an was still young, he and the late Empress Xiaowen were good friends in her boudoir, so the wife of the Zhen family is also your elder, so I haven't met her yet. "

Upon hearing the word "Zhen's family", the prince's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked in the direction indicated by the queen mother.

Then his originally calm expression suddenly changed, and he stared blankly at the weak girl standing timidly behind Mrs. Zhen's family.

Beside him, the young woman who had been staring at him had a cold look in her eyes, and immediately glanced at Zhen Yuhuan with piercing cold eyes.

This scene was all watched by the empress dowager sitting upright.

As someone who has experienced it, the Queen Mother naturally knows that the future life of the little girl of the Zhen family may not be smooth.But it's no wonder others, from the day she chose to marry into the royal family, she should have expected this situation, just like she herself did back then.

With a light cough, the Queen Mother said: "Prince."

Only then did the prince realize that he had lost his composure, he quickly bent down, and bowed to the middle-aged woman who had stood up in front of him in fear.

At the same time, he couldn't help but smile in his heart, since he grew up so big, he has never given such a big gift to a fourth-rank imperial order!

It is said that their old lady and Empress Xiaowen are close friends in the boudoir, I don't know if it is true or not.After all, when Empress Xiaowen was young, the imperial grandmother might not have been born yet, so it seemed a little weird and less credible to say such words from her mouth.

But no matter if he is true or not, it is a bridge built by them to facilitate their own marriage. He only needs to obey the arrangement. Anyway, if he can marry the beautiful girl in front of him, it is not a loss for him.

(End of this chapter)