Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 603 The water in the harem is too deep
Anshui North Bank Ferry,

The whole pier was full of busy figures. Soldiers were carrying supplies and armor in groups. The leading troops took off their armor so that they could quickly cross the river and go to the south bank to prepare. However, the ferry in front of us was extremely slippery and the rainy night had just passed. There are many depressions with a lot of water;
"Quickly, collect all the things and move them to the boat. Get everyone on board and prepare to cross the river. When we get to the south bank, we can bury the pot and make rice."

"Yes, General,"

After a night of rain, the soldiers and horses of the two counties of Hexi and Hedong looked extremely tired. Because they were in a hurry, they did not make much preparation before the rain. Some of the soldiers under their command were still wet.

Looking at everything in front of me, the chaotic crowd,

Peng Shiying's face was full of impatience, and the plan could not change quickly. Let alone one hour, even three hours, the troops would not be able to finish.
"Third brother, how long will it take to be ready to cross the river?"

"Second brother, there is too much baggage, and half of the ferry needs to be given to the people in Hexi County. It will take an hour before the brothers are ready to cross the river, which will take a lot of time."

The third brother Leshi, who was following behind, had sweat on his forehead. He stood on a high place and looked around. The generals from each battalion under his command personally went into battle and directed their men to carry things. However, there was not much space at the ferry, and the crowds became even more crowded. It's a mess.

Peng Shiying calculated in his mind, now he still has to wait an hour to cross the river, and then with half of his transport capacity left, he can't cross the river in four hours anyway. This is not possible.

"Third brother, this won't work. It's too slow. You go and make arrangements. Now arrange for some people to go there first, and take some of the baggage with them. When they get to the other side, they can bury the pots for cooking. This will save an hour."

"As long as you understand, let's go."

"What the general said is absolutely true."

"Yes, ma'am."

When Chunhe heard this, he lowered his head, and then quickly sorted out the information sent by the informants from all over the palace.
"My dear, Princess Yueru has not returned to the capital for many years. If it was really her fault, what could have caused her to take this risk?"

"Your Majesty, everything is ready. The Queen Mother has responded and will go directly to the palace gate to meet you. Your Majesty, you don't have to go to pay your respects."

"When I think of her, I think of Princess Yongcheng. She is Zhou Xiangxue's rival. I remember back then, that girl did some tricks for a man. But unfortunately, I know that Yongcheng's consort likes... Eldest Princess, if Your Majesty hadn't stopped her, Princess Yongcheng might not have been able to get what she wanted. Now that the two of them are in the fiefdom, they don't know what will happen. "

As the Queen left the Qiankun Palace, all the palaces of important officials in the entire capital were escorted by chariots and horses, heading towards the North City Gate together.

Leshi hurriedly agreed. After thinking about it, it was a good idea. He hurriedly led his soldiers down and arranged for the vanguard battalion to go first. On the panicked dock, the ferry had already been arranged by the court. Some soldiers from Hedong County immediately boarded the boat. Under the escort of the navy, he immediately left by boat.

Li Zhe suddenly understood. No wonder the two generals had a quarrel about the ferry in the early morning. This was the reason. However, the soldiers under his command were exhausted, and they didn't know when they would be able to go south after arriving in the capital.
"General, when we get to the camp in the capital, will we have time to rest? I see that the troops in the two counties are exhausted, and this is not a long-term solution."

Lieutenant General Li Zhe was a little puzzled. He looked at his soldiers and horses passing by in boats, came over and asked carefully,
Dong Dawang looked at the rickety boat in the middle of the river, which was full of soldiers. He felt helpless. As the figure of the ferry became smaller and smaller, he looked back to the east.
"It's not a matter of time limit, it's a gesture. We want the court to know that our Hexi County is loyal to the court. If our two armies arrive one after the other, what do you think the court and His Majesty will think? They will definitely arrive last. The impression is not good, so don’t fall behind.”

"Yes, for what reason? The consort Su Yuankui, Marquis of Jingnan, has been away for so many years, and she has been a widow for so many years. As a woman, everyone knows the pain involved. I have not heard any rumors. Which family does she like?" The young and handsome man is really a pain for her."

Empress Jiang now realized that things were not that simple. There was always a pair of hands pushing behind her. After much thought, she wanted to go to Jing'an Temple. Needless to say, only the eldest princess lived there. If she thought about it, she would know who it was.

"Yes, second brother,"

The Queen's words were also a reminder that Princess Yueru had always wanted to return to the capital. Why didn't Chunhe understand that if the Princess returned to the capital, it would definitely have an impact on the situation in the DPRK and China. One person needed to check and balance, and that was Princess Yongcheng Zhou Ying. Jealousy should never be underestimated;

"Well, I see it. When we arrive in the capital, we naturally need to rest. Wang Ziteng wants to make a contribution. That's his idea. It won't be a big deal for me to wait for the guest army to settle here for a few days."

"General, today is the deadline, but there is no need to be in such a hurry,"

Kunning Palace,
Female Shi Chunhe and the palace maids reported in the palace. Queen Jiang was sitting on a high seat with an inexplicable look in her eyes.
"Now that I have said that, let's go. I have been thinking about it all night. What a coincidence. As soon as the ancient tree was burned, all the concubines in the harem knew about it. The matter of offering incense tomorrow can be changed to today. Chang What a clever idea the princess has.”

"Don't worry, Madam, I know how to behave. As long as the eldest princess returns to the capital, I will definitely inform Princess Yongcheng. Princess Yongcheng has always wanted to return to the capital to fulfill her filial piety, so she will not miss this opportunity. She will definitely try her best to return. In the capital, as long as she cries and the Emperor and His Majesty agree, it won't be a big deal. "

Dong Dawang naturally took it into consideration, and had already agreed with Peng Shiying that when he arrived in the capital, he would first make up for the military pay of his brothers and rest for a few days before talking about it.

The queen sighed. Things are unpredictable. It's also the girl's fault for being too persistent. It's not like Dawu didn't have peace, how could he ruin himself?

This scene was seen by Dong Dawang of Hexi County, and he didn't want to be left behind. He arranged for Li Zhe to look at the people in Hedong County and start transporting troops to the other side, letting some people go first.

Outside the North City Gate,
The people from the Five Cities Military and Horse Division and the Forbidden Army had long been under martial law and the people along the street were cleared. Outside the city, Duan Hong led the 8,000 "ghost-faced" cavalry from the Hou Mansion to guard the official road on both sides.

The Queen Mother's carriage met the Queen's carriage at the entrance of the palace, and then headed north under the protection of the Forbidden Army and the Imperial City Department. This time they went to Jing'an Temple to offer incense, and only the Queen Mother and the Empress were together. As for the harem The other concubines, as well as the old concubine and others, were not taken with them and were all left in the palace.
Therefore, as soon as the Queen Mother and the Empress left, the rumors in the harem spread again, and there was a lot of discussion among the concubines and noble attendants.

In Chunli Palace,

Concubine Wu was so angry that she didn't even eat breakfast. She got up early to freshen up and dress up. She even brought her favorite set of jewelry. Unexpectedly, when she went out, she was told that the only people who went to Jing'an Temple to pray today were the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother. People, even the old concubine didn't go, a burst of cold water was poured out, who can not be angry?

"My Lady, you'd better eat some. At this time, the Queen Mother and the Empress have already left the palace. No matter how angry you are, you won't be able to leave."

Song Shuang, the female historian, took out a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Concubine Wu. She also filled a bowl of porridge and placed it on the table.
Concubine Wu was unhappy. She was fighting fiercely with those bitches these days, which made the harem uneasy.

But no one dared to participate. Zhou Guiren acted like a dead pig who was not afraid of boiling water. He had to fight against him. He was a little at a loss. "I know, just eat. I have been feeling unhappy these past few days. I thought the Queen's three A prince can take care of the harem after leaving the palace, but I didn’t expect that she was hiding in Kunning Palace to enjoy the blessings, and the harem turned a blind eye. Look what has become of her. "

Concubine Wu actually started to complain about the queen. The rumors in the harem were not spread by your side the most, Song Shuang thought in his heart, but did not dare to say anything more.
"Your Majesty, it's better to be careful now. Don't you think things in the harem are a bit strange these days? Just say that last night, the beautiful old tree was burned by the fire from the sky, and today, the Queen Mother is eager to go to burn incense. Isn't it a coincidence? "

After hearing this, Concubine Wu immediately put down her bowls and chopsticks, looked at Song Shuang, and thought for a moment. She was not stupid. She had already arranged to go to Beishan to offer incense tomorrow, but the ancient tree burned strangely last night. Why haven't I heard of it before?

"Yes, I've been in the palace for so long and I haven't heard anything about what the sky fire burned. Since the Queen Mother used this as an excuse to go to Beishan, Beishan seems to be that person."

"Your Majesty, this is Princess Yueru who lives in the summer palace."

With Song Shuang's reminder, Concubine Wu suddenly remembered this matter. Su Yuankui of the Jingnan Marquis Mansion, wasn't this the confidant of the former prince? What happened? Could it be possible that something happened to the eldest princess? She thought a lot in her mind, but she didn't think about it at all. No clue,

"In this way, Prince Zheng and others must be interested in sending a secret message to my father. I should also add that the Supreme Emperor is in poor health and is currently resting in Changle Palace. His Majesty has the final say in everything in the palace. "

The last sentence Wu Guifei added was obviously to harbor evil intentions. The Emperor was cultivating Changle Palace, and those who didn't know it thought he was under house arrest by His Majesty. So how could the princes not be impatient if they knew this? In this way, the princes could still sit in their fiefdoms. Live?

"Your Majesty, if word gets out like this, you won't be able to take it back. I'm afraid the court will be in chaos."

Song Shuang was a little hesitant. If the palace was unstable, the capital would naturally be unstable, so what about the harem?

"Yes, I can't take them back, but Shuang'er, you have to know that from the time you entered the palace to the present, the women in the harem have had nothing to do. I even suspect that the three princes are not your majesty's. I don't know who the queen is or who they are. kind,"

Concubine Wu had a sinister look on her face. The curse of having no heirs seemed to have enveloped the entire harem. All the concubines had already discussed it secretly, but no one dared to speak out. Shuang'er's expression changed drastically.
"My dear, be careful what you say."

"Hmph, it's not that I don't want to be good now, it's that someone doesn't want to be good to me. If I don't have any children, the cold palace will be the residence of concubines like us in the future. There is no shortage of beautiful women in the world. Look at the number of wives and concubines of Marquis Luo Yun. The servant in the palace, with his lecherous appearance, has a thief's heart but no courage."

Concubine Wu suddenly thought of Marquis Luo Yun. She remembered that when she first came to the palace, her eyes were looking around. He looked at all the concubines in the harem in Juxian Tower. Although she was young, she had such a high position. The women don’t like it, which means that the old Wu family is not up to par, and there are no girls of the right age in each family. Otherwise, if they marry Luo Yunhou, many things will be solved easily.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to be anxious. You are not afraid of your slaves talking too much. Nowadays, it is better to be still than to move. You can send messages, but you must not interfere with other things. When all the vassal kings come to the capital, the road to seizing the heir begins. How can we women be involved in the bloody storm? Your Majesty , Take one step at a time to see what is best, then Marquis Luo Yun is as lustful as life, so it would be better to find a stunning woman for him to use."

Concubine Wu thought for a while. There were many people with military power in the capital, but the decisive factor was only the imperial army, the capital camp, and the people of Marquis Luo Yun. After all, the last confrontation between the three armies outside the palace was vivid in her mind, and the whole capital knew about it. Unfortunately, except Marquis Luo Yun, Which general is not a cunning and cunning man, how can he be attracted by beauty? In this case, the only one is Luo Yunhou, but where can he find the stunning woman? He was troubled for a while.

"I know, send the letter out first, and then let father read it, and find a beautiful woman to keep in the house for later use. I heard that Marquis Luo Yun's mother, Wang, is from Jiangnan, so it would be best to find a woman from Jiangnan. "

"Yes, empress, I will go and deliver the message right now."

Watching Shuang'er leave, the long corridor of Chunli Palace felt so lonely.
In Biyun Palace,

It was quite lively today. Xu Shixuan actually came to greet Mr. Zhou.

"Sister Zhou, I'm here to pay you respects. I wanted to come last night, but it rained heavily, so I came here recently to bring something to apologize. It's not respectful."

After saying that, he actually took out a sandalwood box from his sleeve and placed it on the table. Zhou Guiren's face was full of spring breeze and he said politely,

"Oh, my sister is here right now, why is she still bringing something with her?"

The movement of the hand was not slow, and he took it in his hand without leaving any trace. Then he opened a corner and took a look. Inside the box was a golden hairpin and jade hairpin. It was heavy. His face instantly became much kinder.

"Sister, my sister is here for the first time. How can I come empty-handed? I think my sister is about to become a concubine. I will have to rely on her then."

The attendant sat there and said compliments, but he also made it clear what he meant by coming.

But when he said this, Zhou Guiren looked stunned. He didn't know which pot to mention. He didn't know whether there was anything about the concubine. He and Wu Guifei were in tit-for-tat in the harem. How could His Majesty not know that it was an extravagant hope to think about concubine. , but we can’t really say that’s it,
"Whatever my sister says, she is her own sister. If you don't take care of her, we will keep in touch in the future. We can't be bullied by others, right?"

The so-called bullying, the minister knows that Zhou Guiren is talking about Concubine Wu. No one in the harem knows this. It has to be said that Guiren Zhou is really capable. With his words, he makes Concubine Wu helpless. This is the selection of the minister. Admire.

"My sister is absolutely right. My sister doesn't have the courage. Today, the Queen Mother and the Empress went to Jing'an Temple to offer incense, and they didn't even bring any concubines with them. I think Concubine Wu must be angry."

Zhou Guiren had a smile on his face. Although he was happy in his heart, he could not show it. Things about the Queen Mother and the Empress were not something he could ask. In the harem, there were taboos about what could and could not be said.
"I don't know whether I'm angry or not, but I have to be careful about what I say in the future, which means I feel sorry for you. Remember what I said, trouble comes from the mouth."

Then he asked Lu Xue to choose tea for the servant, and then said,
"Since my sister is here, I have thought about it. Of course, I will take care of what my sister can take care of. If I can't take care of it, my sister can't do anything. Don't count on others in the harem. It's all your own destiny. Just be open to it. It doesn’t matter if you don’t look away, life is lived by people, what do you think?”

Seeing Zhou Guiren's uproar, the servant's expression changed. He was a little shocked. He was indeed someone who could compete with the imperial concubine, but he wasted his efforts. He originally wanted to ask about the heir, but as soon as he entered the palace, I inquired and found out that except for the queen's three princes, there was no one else, so I was confused about what to do in the future.

"Sister, I have questions in my mind. I dare to ask what I will do if I have children in the future."

Unexpectedly, Zhou Guiren looked over strangely and said with a smile,

"Ask again when you have it!"

(End of this chapter)