Chang'an is good

Cui Wei looked at the sudden appearance of Zhuzi, frowned and asked, "Why are you coming back now?"

Cui Lang could only smile obediently: "My son heard the letter from elder brother..."

Cui Wei glanced at his wife, Lu Shi, and said with a sneer, "You guys always miss that traitor."

As he said that, his complexion became even more serious: "But since he is safe and sound, he only sent a letter today, and let the whole family worry about his safety alone. How could this move put this family in the slightest."

After finishing speaking, he got up and walked away with a cold face.

"Father..." Cui Lang hastily followed a few steps away, pretending to persuade him to stay.

Cui Wei flicked his sleeve to stop him, and strode away.

Cui Lang called "Father" again and again, until Cui Wei's back was completely gone, then he turned and returned to the hall, and sighed helplessly: "Father, why are you crazy again?"

It was so hard to wait for the news that the eldest brother was safe and sound, and it was too late to be happy, but the father blamed the elder brother for not sending the letter in time. This kind of provocative angle is really strange.

Cui Lang couldn't help complaining for his elder brother: "Elder brother is acting on a secret order, and was hunted down by assassins. It is not appropriate to expose his whereabouts at will, and elder brother must have his own plans and arrangements... This is on the march. , and you are not running errands for your father, why do you have to keep sending news of your father's whereabouts all the time?"

"What do you know?" Lu sighed, "Thousands of mistakes are all Dalang's fault. Even if he just climbed up from the frozen lake, he shouldn't think about escaping or healing his injuries. He should overcome all difficulties." First, write a letter to your father... I don’t have letter paper at hand? Is this an excuse? I just torn up my coat. Is there still a pen and ink? It’s not difficult. If he really wants to cut his finger to bleed, Is it difficult to write a blood letter as a family letter to report to the father at home?"

Cui Lang sighed: "...you really know my father best."

In short, no matter what the eldest brother does or does not do, the father will not be satisfied.

Lu concluded: "In the final analysis, the biggest disadvantage of your father is that he has not yet learned to accept that Da Lang is not his and Cui's puppet, but an independent person."

The existence of Da Lang, in his eyes, is a symbol of deviating from patriarchy and challenging family rules. With this premise, it is natural to do anything wrong.

Including Dalang's biological mother Zheng... The reason why he still regards him as a thorn in his heart is similar. In his eyes, Zheng's temper is too stubborn and sharp, he doesn't know how to adapt, and he is not submissive enough in front of him , and dared to commit suicide by throwing himself into a lake, which made him lose face as a husband—his wife, without his permission, dared to die on her own initiative.
From his point of view, Zheng's death was a slap in the face with anger, an act of an extremely wicked woman who used her life to refute and deny her husband.

Over the years, when the husband looked at Da Lang, why didn't he transfer the dissatisfaction with his dead wife to Da Lang?
However, Da Lang is so outstanding, even if he acts against the clan, he is still valued by the patriarch and clan members.

As a father, he is no match for a son, so he can only use his "father" status to show off.

All in all, she is really unlucky to have a father like this.

Thinking of these, Lu's Dalang who stayed far away in Bianzhou felt pity again.

Putting aside her desire to enjoy the shade under Da Lang's big tree, if Da Lang is willing to give her a chance, she will sincerely try her best to make up for her husband's many debts to Da Lang, even the harm done in the name of her father.

Cui Lang put his hands on his hips and sighed, very worried: "When will father grow up?"

"He just thinks too much of himself." Lu Shi didn't bother to mention her husband, raised her hand and tapped the letter paper on the coffee table at hand.

Cui Lang stepped forward and picked up the letter paper to read.

Looking at it this way, I feel that my father is making trouble for no reason-the elder brother clearly explained why the letter was late!

After reading the letter, Cui Lang asked casually, "Grandpa, can you stop reading the letter?"

These days, he could tell that his grandfather cared about his elder brother very much.

"Of course I have read it. This letter was sent from your grandfather."

The Cui family was well-informed. In fact, a few days before Dalang sent this letter back to the capital, the head of the family had heard the news of Dalang's appearance near Bianzhou from various sources. It's too complicated to be sure whether it's true or not.

It was not until Dalang's personal letter was sent back today that people finally felt at ease.

"... Eldest brother said in the letter that he is near Bianzhou now, doesn't that mean that elder brother is with my master?" Cui Lang's eyes suddenly lit up.

After his reminder, Lu's eyes also lightened slightly: "It should be."

The mother and son whispered about this for a while, and decided to write a letter back to Bianzhou to inquire about it.

"However... who is the person who assassinated elder brother?" Cui Lang changed his face when he mentioned this, "The imperial court must have known about it, what is the saint's attitude?"

"How do I know this? If you are interested, go back to your grandfather and learn more about it."

Lu's eyes were also a little unspeakably worried, and it was rare to speak to his son in such a tone: "The situation today is different from before... It is not easy for your elder brother to be away, and the Cui clan is not peaceful. I just pretended to have fun."

Cui Lang was silent for a moment, nodded "Yes", and silently clenched his fingers.

I also heard my mother say in an earnest tone: "Although mother has never expected you to be a great talent, even if we can't make that pillar, we still have to be a fire stick... No matter what, we can't become that retarded person that everyone hates." Your shit stirrer, isn't it?"

Faced with this simple expectation, the corners of Cui Lang's eyes twitched slightly, and he said dumbly, "...you really know your son well."

Hey, then let him try to make a fire stick, the fire stick can also glow.

The sky was about to get dark, and the first thing to shine was the lights that were lit up one after another in the huge Cui house.

In the darkness, Cui Wei stood in the corridor of the outer study, his shadow stretched behind him.

He has been standing here for a long time.

The lanterns hanging on the porch moved lightly with the wind, and the lights swayed brightly and darkly. Accompanied by the bright moonlight, they cast a piece of silvery white in the courtyard. In a trance, Cui Wei seemed to see a boy with half-up hair through the silvery white. Situation kneeling in the snow.

Images of the past emerged in his mind, and Cui Wei's palm behind him slowly tightened.

After a while, an attendant came over, saluted him and sent a message that his father was looking for him to discuss matters.

Cui Wei came back to his senses, and quickly went to his father's meeting hall.

Cui Ju sat at the head, and those sitting on the left and right were senior and prestigious members of the Cui clan.

After Cui Wei saluted, he also sat down.

Cui Juxian said to everyone: "Da Lang is fine."

Most of the clansmen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bianzhou and Luoyang are also safe and sound." Cui Ju's voice became increasingly hoarse due to his aging: "So, those people in Luoyang will have trouble soon."

The clansmen could tell that the people he was referring to were the Luoyang gentry colluding with Xu Zhengye.

"But there must be more than people from Luoyang..." Cui Ju looked at the bronze bird candlestick in the hall, and said, "I have a hunch that the empress will not let this opportunity go."

Cui Wei's expression froze: "Father means...she is going to attack the four of us? With the current situation, and her own throne will not be secure, how dare she attack the four of us again? Could it be that she is going to die? ?”

In the past, he didn't believe that he dared to attack the gentry, but first it was the Pei family, and then the Changsun family...

The demon queen is strong and ruthless, in order to hurt the enemy, she doesn't care about her own harm.

Just because she wants to eradicate the dissidents of the gentry no matter what, what kind of chaos is everywhere now!

"Because her throne is unstable." An elderly member of the Cui clan frowned and said, "The more critical it is, the less she dares to relax."

A younger clansman said sharply, "This is her chance, but it is also my chance."

They have never stopped playing games with Empress Ming, but they are all confrontations in the dark.

Next, it is finally time to reach the critical moment that truly determines life and death.

The young clansman stood up and bowed deeply to Cui Ju: "The Patriarch made a plan early on!"

They don't want to retreat, and they can't.

The rest of the tribe, including Cui Wei, also looked at Cui Ju.

Cui Ju looked at these people who represented the entire Qinghe Cui clan.

In the eyes of these tribesmen, there is determination not to give in and compromise, but also the arrogance and ambition that have not faded after hundreds of years of inheritance.

They express their opinions.

They also quickly mentioned Cui Jing - the Dalang who was not recognized by them in the past.

"...Although Da Lang is rebellious, if the head of the family comes forward to persuade him and explain the key interests to him, it may not be impossible to make him wake up."

"Da Lang has been willful and reckless for many years. At this critical juncture, it's time to make a plan for the clan!"

"Homeowner..."

Cui Ju raised his hand and interrupted their words, showing no emotion on his face: "I have my own plan for this matter."

As the head of the family, he should have made plans early, and he has been preparing for this day.

Furthermore, he not only had to prepare for Cui's success, but also for Cui's failure.

Dalang is in Bianzhou at this time, so he is also in the middle of the game, so don't take every step carelessly.

After a while, Cui Ju spoke, and took over the words of the young clansman just now: "The prince is incompetent, not enough to support the great task... Cui family must not repeat the same mistakes as the elder grandson."

After finishing his speech, he took out a secret letter from his sleeve and put it on the sandalwood coffee table beside him. His old and wrinkled fingers slowly pushed the letter to the edge of the coffee table.

"A few days ago, I got this secret letter, please take a look first."

The young clansman answered "Yes" sternly, and stepped forward to take the letter respectfully.

On the candlestick, the candle light flickered.

In the Ganlu Palace, behind the screen where all the birds were facing the phoenix, Emperor Shengji leaned on the couch, closed his eyes, and fell into a dream at some point.

The dream was damp and dark, with a pungent smell, which was the smell from the elephant garden, like an invisible net, which trapped the three of them, mother and child, in that difficult and cold time.

When Ah Xiao's hands were covered with chilblains, and when she had a high fever and couldn't find an imperial doctor, she also tried to beg everyone she could. She couldn't see the emperor, so she went to beg for a higher-ranking concubine, but she was extremely reluctant. Desserts that are easy to make will only be scorned and knocked down by the maids in front of the concubines.

Those haughty concubines would cover their noses with veils, mocking her for having the smell of an elephant garden and the bad luck of a catastrophe.

A noble concubine who likes to wear purple was wronged by the empress, she turned her head to vent her anger on her, and made up a false name at will. It was not enough to make her kneel down to make amends, and then ordered Gong'e to slap her mouth.

Even in the dream, the powerless sense of humiliation enveloped her once again.

The corners of her mouth were bloodshot, but she didn't want to beg for mercy anymore.

The more so, the more displeased the imperial concubine was.

Just as the other party came, he pulled out the silver hairpin in her hair with Kodan-painted fingers, and when he was gesticulating on her face with great interest, and asked her if she was afraid of ruining this face, a small figure rushed over, The other party knocked down to the ground, and bit down hard on the arm of the maid holding her.

The little girl's palms were full of sweat, and she was about to run after pulling her up.

But how could it be possible to escape?
Their own palace guards stopped them.

Fortunately, the commotion was too loud, and other concubines were attracted, so the noble concubine gave up temporarily.

But only temporarily.

In the middle of the night, the little girl knelt on the porch, and she asked—is there a mistake?

The little girl knelt straight, as if she was aggrieved, but she actually answered her—A Shang didn't know.

She asked the little girl to stretch out her hand, and Mammy beat it down with a ruler, and asked again.

The little girl trembled in pain, but still answered—A Shang still didn't know.

She asked Mammy to fight again.

She didn't want to "hit until she knew it", she just needed Ah Shang to record the pain at this moment and to have a long memory.

In the end, she told A Shang——Your fault is that you have no power to deal with the aftermath, but you still want to stand out. It seems that you are helping your mother and concubine, but you are actually harming others and yourself.

But she couldn't remember Ah Shang's reaction at that time.

She couldn't remember many things. It was already very difficult to survive during those days, and she didn't have much thought to pay attention to the healthy child.

But there was one scene that she remembered very clearly, and it would always appear in her dreams.

In the dim corridor, the thin little boy secretly slipped a broken lychee to the little girl, and she watched from a distance.

At that time, she was thinking that she must leave here, and then she really left.

Afterwards, she thought, no matter how high she wanted to stand, her wish would come true.

She became a queen, and her child became a prince. It seemed that this was the only high point that the world could think of. She also began to feel satisfied for a while, and even felt guilty and uneasy, thinking about whether to confess everything.

But she accidentally knew that everything was not as simple as it seemed on the surface. The seemingly just and stalwart emperor was just using her and her children.

He knew everything, he was in control, and he didn't need her "confession".

She felt angry and scared, but more ironic and sad.

So, it all goes away.

But she can't let that go away.

Not only that, she would never allow others to control her destiny, even the so-called emperor.

So she began to win over the ministers secretly, she began to plan everything by any means, she even did something bold enough to destroy the nine clans...

But she doesn't regret it.

Every step she took was on the most correct path. She felt guilty, but she never regretted it.

Yeah, she's guilty...especially as a mother.

The Holy Book Emperor slowly opened his eyes, and was absent-minded for a moment.

"This time, I blamed you wrongly... You didn't mean to be against me."

She murmured to herself in a very low voice, and sighed vaguely.

"But why, you just refuse to recognize me, and you don't want to sit down and have a good talk with me."

It takes a long talk, so that she can know what her Ah Shang is thinking now, so that she will not be forced to doubt her only flesh and blood.

"Your Majesty, you are awake..."

Gong'e, who was guarding the screen, heard the sound and stepped forward to serve. A handsome man with half-up hair also quickly took a bright yellow robe and stepped forward to put it on for the empress.

I spent four hours today sorting out the next detailed outline, and found that there is still a line between the Cui family and the empress to write, so I still can't switch back to Ningning, and I will definitely do it tomorrow! (auspicious crawl)