Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 851 Changes in the Princess's Mansion
In the main house,
The long-winded words made the princess smile. As expected of Marquis Luo Yun, he had a chaotic look in his eyes just now, but now he has calmed down, his eyes are clear, and there is a smile on his lips. As expected of the head of the Marquis in Guannei, there are many old-fashioned Marquis' mansions in the capital, but no one dares to show off among the nobles.
That is, in front of the Wumen Gate of the Imperial Palace, under the command of Marquis Luo Yun, after being selected as the vanguard of the Imperial Guard, his reputation became very popular, and he was vaguely known as the number one inner marquis. Although this was only rumored among the nobles, it was no longer a secret as more people knew about it.

Looking back,

When my father was in power, which general dared to lead troops in the capital, and at that, a border army? It seems that everything was done by the emperor.

"Lou Yunhou's speech is becoming more and more like those civil servants. Not only is he very pedantic, but he is also very confusing. What does it mean that he met the people who were supposed to come, but didn't meet the people who weren't supposed to come?"

The lazy words seem to have complaints.
Zhang Jinyu smiled slightly, stretched out his hand to pick up the tea bowl and took a sip. Well, it was not the golden tree tea, but more like the flower tea from the north, very ordinary.
"Your Highness, you are joking. I am a military hero. How can I compare with the civil officials? What I just said is very clear. I saw those who went, and I didn't see those who didn't go. As for who went, Your Highness, you can guess."

Zhang Jinyu was also thinking in his heart, the time arrangement of Ningguo Mansion was strange, His Highness's side was also strange, and there were so many people on the side of the nobles. It seemed that when the country was founded, the retired emperor had conferred titles on the families of meritorious officials. In this way, they were all favored by the retired emperor.

"Since the Marquis wants to take the test, then I will make a guess. I think most of the nobles have gone, including the four princes and eight dukes. The only prince who can go is Beijing Prince Shui Rong, who is more suitable in age. I think my good nephews have also gone to join in the fun, right?"

Zhou Xiangxue smiled and recited the names of the people one by one.

But when Zhang Jinyu heard this, she became a little wary. Could it be that the princess had sent someone?

"Your Highness is very clever. If I hadn't been there, I would have thought it was Your Highness who presided over it."

"It's not a trick, it's just some old tricks. Marquis Luo Yun has just arrived. The nobles are one family, and this is no joke. But when the Marquis first came, he made a lot of jokes. I heard that several Dukes' Mansions in the capital and the old Dukes stepped in many times to suppress him. It's hard to say that the Marquis has a lot of troubles."

Zhou Xiangxue made a gesture of invitation and handed over a pair of chopsticks. Zhang Jinyu remained silent, her eyes fixed. No wonder many nobles seemed to be standing by and watching when there was a commotion in the past. It turned out that someone had given them instructions. Thinking back to when they were in court, the Duke of Zhenguo always liked to talk to her. It seemed that this might be a gesture of promotion. But how did she know all these things?
I took the chopsticks and took a few bites of food. Fortunately, it was Jiangnan flavor.

Seeing that Marquis Luo Yun's expression remained unchanged, the princess did not say anything else and smiled.
"There are not many things in the capital that can be kept secret from me. The Marquis's visit to the capital this time is a result of the compromise of the civil and military officials in the court, breaking the previous deadlock. So, who else can I protect if not you? You should know that the Marquis's title was obtained by those old men in the court. Who knew that the Marquis's means were so powerful that even the Jurchens could not do anything to you."

She kept staring at Luo Yunhou with her charming eyes. He was handsome and a powerful official with a large army. Although the people outside the Great Wall were poor, if he had rested and recuperated, he might have made some achievements. It was a pity that she acted too late.

This was the truth, a little hidden thing, Zhang Jinyu just had some guesses, he didn't expect that the inside story was like this, it must involve a dispute between civil and military officials, he just happened to get the advantage, if he lost the battle outside the pass, these had nothing to do with him,
but,

Why do I bring this up today? Once the fruit is eaten, others will have no chance to pick it.

"Your Highness, my heart has always been loyal to the court and to Your Majesty. I am here today to express my gratitude to Your Highness and to congratulate You. But I want to ask, Your Highness, what do you want to ask?"

Although the wine was only three rounds and the dishes were not five flavors, Zhang Jinyu did not want to beat around the bush. It is said that women are fickle, and it is true.
There was a table full of dishes, but only one plate was touched. Seeing Luo Yunhou put down his chopsticks, Liu Yue, who was serving him, sat up straight, holding the wine pot with both hands, and was about to fill Zhang Jinyu's glass.

As soon as he moved, he was stopped by Zhang Jinyu.
"Thank you, Miss Liu. I came here today to congratulate Your Highness. How dare I drink more? Please don't pour more wine."

When Liu Yue's hands were touched, she felt a burning sensation on them, her face flushed slightly, she took the wine pot back, placed it in front of her, glanced at her master, and advised;
"Don't worry, my Lord. My Highness specially invited you here today. One reason is to thank you for your help, and the other is to ask you for something."

After the explanation, since no wine was served, the only thing left was tea or water.
Zhang Jinyu did not stop him this time. Drinking too much would cause trouble. Even if he wanted to drink, he should finish what he was saying. It would not be too late to drink later.
"Oh, in that case, Your Highness, it would be very polite to ask for a letter. What do you want, Your Highness?"

Zhang Jinyu suddenly became interested. It was a big deal to let His Highness use the calligraphy. He wouldn't have thought of anything weird again.

But the eldest princess Zhou Xiangxue rolled her eyes and sighed;
"Hey, you know what, the Marquis is really generous this time, and he doesn't even ask for benefits, which makes me feel a little uncomfortable."

Obviously, it was not a good thing to say, but Zhang Jinyu was not embarrassed. What do you mean by not wanting benefits? I wanted more money, but you didn't give it to me.
"Your Highness, you are joking. I have principles when it comes to taking money. If someone is not pleasing to my eye, I will not touch him, not to mention money, not even a penny."

"My Lord, your words are indeed interesting. I don't have much to ask for, but I just think there are a lot of old ginsengs outside the Great Wall. Can you please prepare a ginseng that is more than a hundred years old?"

Speaking of these old mountain ginsengs, the whole of the interior of the country knows that the ones outside the country are better, especially the old ginsengs deep in the Luoyun Mountains, which are priceless. Unfortunately, the ginsengs on the market are ordinary mountain ginsengs. These good things must be in the hands of Marquis Luo Yun. When he came to the capital, he sent a lot of them to various mansions, including some that were more than several decades old. Therefore, this time, when his father’s birthday banquet is approaching, he needs to use them to show his filial piety.

These words were spoken sincerely. Although century-old mountain ginseng was rare, the Marquis' Mansion had no shortage of it. Many herbal farmers and old mountain travelers had dug up good stuff, and Zhang Jinyu ordered the Marquis' Mansion to buy it at more than three times the market price, without cheating anyone. Therefore, over the years, the Mansion had received a lot of good stuff, including Ganoderma lucidum, human body, rhubarb, and various precious medicines, especially century-old mountain ginseng, which was available in quite a few in the Mansion's treasury.

But I don't know what the woman in front of me wants these for.
"I don't know what your Highness wants this magical item for. It is a life-saving medicine. For ordinary people, less than ten years of mountain ginseng can save their lives. Those over sixty years old are rare. Even the Marquis' Mansion doesn't have many of those over a hundred years old."

Zhang Jinyu thought about it and wondered if the emperor needed it. It had been a long time since there was any news from the palace about Changle Palace. It was said that the emperor was practicing Taoism in Changle Palace, but how was he practicing Taoism? Who had seen it?
So, I asked tentatively,
"My Lord, you are testing me. I won't hide it from you. It is already the beginning of May. In a little over a month, on June 16, my father's birthday banquet will be held. I have been away from the capital for many years and have not been able to show my filial piety to my father. So, I want to use your help to fulfill my wish."

Zhou Xiangxue was a little surprised. These were just common things, and all the palaces knew about them. But Marquis Luo Yun, well, Marquis Luo Yun didn't seem to know these palace rules.
Upon hearing that it was the birthday banquet for the retired emperor, Zhang Jinyu secretly said to himself that it was a close call. No wonder the vassal kings in the interior could pay tribute with such fanfare, and the princes from all over the country came to Beijing, and the Four Kings also joined in the fun. They were waiting for the retired emperor to hold a birthday banquet. The key point was, how could they come so early? The nobles in the capital, even the Marquis of Xiangyang, did not mention this matter?
"Since Your Highness is so filial, I will definitely help you. Coincidentally, when the Marquis' Mansion came to Beijing, they actually collected a purple ginseng that was more than a hundred years old. When we returned, we sent it to Your Highness. However, I have a question. Why didn't you announce the birthday banquet of the retired emperor in advance? I didn't know anything about it."

Zhang Jinyu curled her lips. It was such an important matter, but no one told her. If she was not prepared by then and made a fool of herself, it would be embarrassing. But if there was any disturbance and someone took advantage of it, she would be in big trouble.

However, I didn't find anything prepared by the old lady of Rongguo Mansion. Of course, it is also possible that Rongguo Mansion does not lack these and can take them out at any time. The foundation of these noble families is still there.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. There is still more than a month left. Besides, the court and the clan affairs office will remind you in early June. Even if you know it then, it's not too late. After all, Your Majesty is outside the Great Wall, and you can't know everything about the capital."

As he spoke, he raised the wine cup. Zhang Jinyu smiled and raised his glass as well, clinking it with his own.
"Thank you for your advice, Your Highness. Although I am outside the Great Wall, my heart is in the court. I can come to the capital because of the grace of the emperor. The princess wants to be filial, and I also want to be loyal. We have the same feelings, so how can I fall behind?"

The words were so beautiful that even Zhang Jinyu secretly praised herself.
Not to mention the eldest princess on the opposite side, after hearing this, she looked at him seductively and drank the wine in one gulp.
"My Lord, you are thoughtful. Let's eat."

"Princess, please!" While Zhang Jinyu was having a meal at the Princess's residence, the Princess's residence in Yongcheng to the north was also busy and lively.
Although no guests had come yet, there were still many carriages and horses in front of the mansion. The butler was standing at the gate,

"One thousand taels of silver and ten pieces of Su brocade from the Chuan Ning Marquis's Mansion to congratulate Princess Yongcheng on her new home."

"One thousand taels of silver and ten batches of Su brocade from the Duke Zhongqin's Mansion to congratulate Princess Yongcheng on her new home."

"One thousand taels of silver and ten pieces of Su brocade from the Anping Marquis' Mansion to congratulate Princess Yongcheng on her new home."

"Marquis Jinxiang gives one thousand taels of silver and ten pieces of Su brocade to congratulate Princess Yongcheng on her new home."

A series of "nods" were heard inside, making Princess Zhou Ying of Yongcheng, who was sitting in the main hall, happy. Looking at the extremely luxurious Princess Mansion, Zhou Ying was a little dazed. She seemed to remember that when her father was still in power, he was choosing a husband for her. She had ignored many young talents in the capital and instead tried to snatch them away. It seemed that the rumors about He Yisheng spread by her sister were so wrong now. Unfortunately, when her husband was at a loss, she was unwilling to use mean means to get a divorce.
But he had no feelings towards the person himself. Knowing that he had fallen into his own hands, he felt nothing. The head of the guards at the Princess's residence, Shi Tai, came in to report;
"Your Highness, twenty-seven gifts have been delivered to the gate of the mansion, but they were all delivered by the butlers, and the owners have not come to the door."

Mrs. Shi was in charge of reception in the front yard. Although she had never done it before, she had seen how the butler of the Shi family received guests. She just followed suit. Unfortunately, after waiting for a whole morning, only people came to give gifts but no one came to the door. Seeing that the banquet time was about to arrive, no one was willing to come in. She felt uneasy and went back to the palace to report.
At this time, Princess Yongcheng Zhou Ying was dressed in a men's suit. Although the robe was wide, it could not hide her plump breasts. Her snow-white face was charming. Her hair was tied up with a golden hairpin. There were not many decorations on her, but the charm could not be concealed.

Mrs. Shi was used to it and was not moved. She just felt that something was strange today as no one came to the banquet. What was the reason?
"General Shi, you don't need to say more. This is all His Highness's idea. Who would come to the banquet at 15:30? It's not a good reputation. We can only send them off with gifts. Even if they come, there won't be much food for the banquet. General Shi, don't mind it."

Zou Xiao, who was serving His Highness, poured tea for His Highness and explained for his master that this matter was not difficult to understand. The banquet was scheduled at this time, which was a clear rejection. If someone came again, it meant that he had other purposes.

Princess Yongcheng Zhou Ying smiled but said nothing, and waved her hand. Seeing this, Lady Shi bowed quickly.
"Yes, Your Highness, I will understand."

Then he stepped back,
Only the master and his servant were left in the temple.

"By the way, Ge Qing, I wonder if my sister has any guests at her house, or if her old lover came to congratulate her?"

Deep down, Zhou Ying was always keeping an eye on her sister's movements. After fighting for so many years, how could she let it go?

"Your Highness, the situation at the Princess's Mansion is the same. The people who came were all housekeepers or stewards from various mansions, bringing gifts to pay their respects, but no one was the real owner."

The spies in the capital now all pass on information through Ge Qing. Especially today, the two princesses' houses were surprisingly consistent, which inevitably made the people in the capital think too much.

"Oh, that's equal. My sister used to disdain to use this method, but now it seems that people have changed. I just accepted the gift. I also feel a little regretful. Tell me, why did you choose that loser He Yisheng at that time?"

It's infuriating to think about it, a useless thing that only looks good. Some people are not only born eunuchs, but also spend all day on Zhihu, but they can't even pass the imperial examination. They are just good-looking.
"Your Highness, please do not disturb me. The affairs of the inner house must not be discussed in front of outsiders. I think the prince consort has his own difficulties. He is very honest in his fiefdom and has done nothing wrong. If the princess divorces, I think there will be gossip in the court and the public. I am afraid that the censors in the court will file a memorial to accuse Your Highness."

Zou Xiao quickly tried to persuade them. Although Prince Consort He was not manly, he was very kind to the princess. When he was in the capital, he was also quite talented in writing and was praised by the emperor. If the princess divorced and the news got out, the princess' reputation would be in jeopardy.

Zhou Ying certainly knew all this, otherwise, she would have used some means to resolve the matter long ago. However, as a woman, she could not enjoy human relations, and she did not want to desecrate her body. She also did not know whether the emperor's sister had a lover. She was tempted by these things,

"Of course I know all this, otherwise I could have kept him. After returning to the capital, although I have fulfilled my wish, the situation in the capital has changed drastically. The power of the civil officials is extremely great. The nobles have been excluded and can only huddle in the army without any achievements. As long as the cabinet makes another move, I am afraid that they will have a hard time in the future."

This was also something Zhou Ying found difficult to accept. Her previous friendships were all among the old relatives and nobles, but in recent years, they had disappeared from many court positions, and were replaced by the civil servants whom she had looked down upon in the past. As a result, the favors they left behind were almost useless, so many things had to start over again, but it was not so easy.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. The situation in the capital is like this, it seems that the emperor deliberately did it. I don't know why, but the palace has begun to use nobles one after another. This is a good sign. If Your Highness does not want to divorce, you can privately raise some male favorites in your house, or choose a man who catches your eye and say some sweet words to him."

Ge Qing blushed, she understood His Highness's suffering, if that was the case, she could select some men with clean backgrounds and keep them in the mansion for His Highness's enjoyment, without having to divorce the Prince Consort, which would be the best of both worlds. Alternatively, it is also possible for those who have been kind to him in the past to meet him privately in the mansion.

after all,

In your time, Your Highness was admired by many talented young men in the capital.

Zhou Ying's eyes looked strange, shy and angry, her face slightly red, and she thought of Luo Yunhou's figure in her mind. She felt her lower body soften and a warm current seeped out.
"You are the only one who talks too much. I look down on those low-class people. I give myself to them and indulge in pleasure for a while. Although I am happy, if I let out a hint, I will be ridiculed by the royal sister forever. By the way, has she always been alone in the Northern Palace?"

She raised her jade hands, which were plump and white. How could she be willing to have sex with those male favorites? She was still thinking about the day when her sister got married. Didn't they enter the bridal chamber?

"My Lord, the eldest princess has been resting alone for ten years, and there is nothing unusual."

Ge Qing shook his head. Many things were out in the open. With spies watching for so many years, even if there were any, it would be impossible for them not to reveal themselves.

"Let's not talk about him. Is Marquis Luo Yun in the mansion?"

"Well, Your Highness, Marquis Luo Yun should be at home. This morning, all the nobles gathered at Ningguo Mansion to send Jia Jing of Ning Mansion to wake up his spirit. Now that the time has passed, I think he has returned to the mansion."

Ge Qing suddenly understood that His Highness had fallen in love with Marquis Luo Yun, but the eldest princess had a very close relationship with Marquis Luo Yun. Isn't this just a repeat of the past where two women were fighting for one man? How could this be?
"Your Highness, there are guests arriving."

(End of this chapter)