King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 487 Ups and downs of mood

As for Kunning Palace, Baochai and Chen Zhi chatted with the queen for a while, and the latter soon looked tired.

Both Baochai and Baochai knew what was right, so they stood up and left.

The two of them walked out of the hall talking and laughing, and Baochai said goodbye to Chen Zhi again and went to the east hall of Kunning Palace alone.

"Sister Bao is here!"

Entering the study, Xiangyun was the first to say hello, which made Baochai smile unconsciously.

The next moment Zhu Yunsheng raised his head and said with a sad look on his face: "Sister-in-law, I feel so uncomfortable!"

In just one or two years, it was time for Zhu Yunsheng to get married, and the queen became more and more strict with her, so it was normal for her to feel uncomfortable.

Coming behind Zhu Yunsheng, Baochai hugged her slender waist and said, "If you have any troubles, tell the queen mother, I can't help you!"

At this time, Xiangyun interrupted: "Sister Bao, how dare the princess complain to the empress? Wouldn't that make her feel uncomfortable again!"

Baochai smiled and then asked: "Why don't you see Lin Yatou?"

Xiangyun answered: "She's lying down in the same place again. She's been bored for the past two days!"

When Baochai heard about the so-called "old place", she immediately understood it and said immediately: "I'll go over and have a look at her, and I'll talk to you later!"

At this time Zhu Yunsheng said: "Sister-in-law, please go, we will be here soon!"

Baochai then went to the attic. Daiyu was sitting alone by the attic window, staring out the window in a daze.

"What are you looking at?"

Baochai came to the window, from where she could see the courtyard of Kunning Palace.

"Sister Bao, you are here!" Daiyu turned her head, her eyes a little more colorful.

Sitting opposite Daiyu, Baochai asked with a smile: "Are you unhappy again?"

"No, I just want to be alone!" Daiyu replied with a smile, but the smile was very forced.

"Don't worry all day long, or you'll get wrinkles from worry!" Baochai teased.

"A few days ago, I heard you say that you were reading Empress Li's poems. I just happened to read them in the past two days..."

Baochai talked about poetry, intending to start from hobbies and help this sister solve her worries.

Daiyu knew this very well. She was very grateful to Baochai for his care, but she was sighing in her heart at this time.

Sister Bao, Sister Bao, how can you understand the origin of my sadness...

They are best friends who talk about everything, but Daiyu cannot tell her pain because she fell in love with her good sister's man.

"So I think it would be better for you to read less of Empress Li's words. I would treat you like this..."

Baochai was talking when Daiyu interrupted: "Sister Baochai, there are some things I don't know whether I should say..."

Baochai was stunned, and then said: "What's the matter? Just say it!"

"Sister Ting has entered the palace many times these days..."

"I know this!"

Baochai was a little confused and didn't understand why Daiyu mentioned this.

"She has a close friendship with Princess Rui. They talk happily when they come in and out, and they get along extremely intimately!"

Being alone every day, Daiyu didn't do anything. She saw many things.

"Oh~" Baochai's tone fluctuated, already realizing that this matter was unusual.

"And I accidentally heard..."

Seeing the hesitation on Daiyu's face, Baochai took her hand and comforted her: "If you have anything to say, just say it. You and I sisters don't need to worry about it!"

"I also heard from Princess Rui that the princess was supposed to be sister Ting. In terms of relationship, she is closer to you and in terms of appearance..."

Daiyu overheard these words, and they made her feel stuck in her throat.

Yang Jingting treated her very well. Logically speaking, she shouldn't get involved. After all, she was closer to Baochai, so she spoke out what she had hidden in her heart.

In any case, Daiyu felt that she was acting like a villain, so she felt extremely guilty after the words were spoken, and she would have no face to face Yang Jingting again.

But at this time, Baochai's eyes showed a cold light, and his heart was filled with anger towards Chen Zhi.

"You are unkind, so don't blame me for being unjust!" Baochai was furious in his heart.

At this time, she found Daiyu looking at her, so she immediately put away her sad expression, smiled and said: "Sister Lin, what Princess Rui said is right, I did pick this princess up!"

Although Baochai said it lightly, Daiyu, being such a smart person, certainly understood that she wanted to reassure herself.

"Sister Bao, you can't say this nonsense, you are the queen's concubine!"

"You're kidding... By the way, do you remember what I just told you?"

"Remember!" Daiyu replied.

But Baochai asked, "Tell me, what did I tell you?"

"I will never read Empress Li's poems again!"

Hearing this, Baochai smiled and said, "That's right!"

…………

Another half hour passed, and after Baochai left the palace, the emperor came to Kunning Palace again.

At this time, Yang Qingyin was meditating in the Buddhist hall. Normally, no one was allowed to disturb her, except the emperor himself.

Of course, Zhu Xianming did not order anyone to deliver the message at this time, but came to the temple in person and knocked on the door.

"Qingyin, it's me!"

"The door is unlocked, come in!"

So the emperor pushed open the door and came to the queen's side quietly, pulled a futon and sat on it.

"The news just came back, Old Thirteen led the troops to fight, and the front line was victorious!"

While talking, Zhu Xianming also took out the military newspaper and handed it to his wife.

Yang Qingyin opened her eyes, reached out to take the military report, and said: "The person who knows destiny is still the emperor... He is so happy that he won't be afraid of people laughing if he spreads it!"

"Who dares to laugh at me?"

Without answering Zhu Xianming's words, Yang Qingyin started reading by herself. After turning two pages, she became so angry that she became angry.

"Old Thirteen, this little bastard... who let him go into battle in person!"

When she said this, Yang Qingyin looked at Zhu Xianming with an evil look, and the meaning was very clear.

Zhu Xianming was also a little embarrassed when he was suddenly attacked. He felt that he was wronged and how could he dare to say more.

Turning her eyes back to the letter, Yang Qingyin continued to scold: "This kid is simply... simply an unfilial son, bastard...!"

"A filial son emerges from under a stick. This boy has been beaten too little in the past..."

"Actually, Old Thirteen is not useless!" Zhu Xianming said sarcastically.

Good guy, when Zhu Xianming opened his mouth, Yang Qingyin immediately gave him a cold look.

"It's the father's fault if he doesn't teach him well... If you hadn't been too tolerant in normal times, how could he be so wild and untamable as he is today? Now he even takes risks on the battlefield. You are really..."

He was here to share the joy, but now he was scolded, which made Zhu Xianming angry for a while.

"Blame me? Shouldn't you be blamed? Who keeps saying that he is still a child every time he is punished?"

"You still say something about me, but I think it's your loving mother who has failed!"

Ever since, the old couple started arguing again, but after a while they sat down quietly.

"This kid, Lao Shisan, is more courageous than anyone else. He started his strategy to advance northward on his second day in charge!"

"The imperial court finally conquered the territory, but this guy just lost it!"

"More than ten days have passed and I still don't know what the situation is like in the northwest. I feel really uneasy!"

Hearing the emperor's words, Yang Qingyin couldn't help but say: "It would be nice to send the new governor earlier, and then send an envoy to recall this kid!" "It's not that simple. If the army is really pushed to the In the northwest, it is taboo to change generals rashly!"

And this is the so-called "no opportunity creates opportunity". There are indeed very few people who are able and willing to take over such an extraordinarily risky strategy.

"So you mean to let him continue to command?" Yang Qingyin was particularly surprised.

"Just wait for two more days and see what happens next!"

While the emperor and empress were discussing in detail, Baochai had already returned to the palace in a sedan.

There is no doubt that there are many people who want to see her today, and there are even more people than before.

The majority of these people are the matrons of the Wuxun House, and their husbands or sons are on the northwest front.

Knowing that Zhu Jinghong was now in charge of the northwest, these people naturally wanted to come to see the princess. This can be said to be human nature.

It's a pity that Baochai will not meet these people. After all, Prince Xiang's Mansion is already a big tree and attracts attention. If he meets with people again, it will really be suspected of forming a clique.

So after entering the palace, Baochai summoned the female official Dong Fang and told her to persuade the married women to leave.

The reason is also very appropriate, that is, she, the princess, is too worried and has no intention of receiving foreign guests.

Although this is an excuse, Baochai really doesn't want to see guests now, and Yang Jingting's incident can be said to make her sleepless.

Although she was very confident in herself, it was unbearable for her to have others think about her like this all the time.

"If she wants to be a princess, she should plan with Princess Rui. If the Queen knows about this..."

"How can I let the Queen know?"

Thinking of this, Baochai had a candidate in mind, and that was the scheming Zhen Qin.

Only when such a straight person reveals the matter will he not be considered to have ulterior motives.

"Forget it, let's strike later. Being a little aggrieved will make people feel more compassionate!"

"Besides, I may not be required to come forward in this matter. Wouldn't it be a better choice to let Dong Palace fight with Prince Rui's Mansion?"

For a time, Baochai thought of many things, and her mood gradually calmed down.

You, surnamed Zhu, are at ease, but you don't know how much you have to worry about if you leave me in Beijing... Baochai is very unhappy.

Just when she was thinking about finding a chance to test Yang Jingting, a maid came outside to report that Deng An was back.

Hearing this, Baochai ordered: "Let him come to see me!"

It only took a month for Deng An to return from Jinling, and his efficiency was extremely fast.

And the fact that he came back alive meant that he had done everything well. This made Baochai feel relieved, but she wanted to find out in person.

After a few breaths, Deng An entered the palace.

Baochai glanced away and saw that this guy's face was full of fatigue, and his whole body had become darker and thinner, which showed that he had really suffered these days.

After waiting for him to receive the gift, Baochai asked: "Is it going well to go to Jinling?"

"Thanks to the great blessing of the empress, this slave has a smooth journey. Just two days after arriving in Suzhou, I heard the news that Gao Shuyan fell into the water and drowned!"

Deng An was a smart man. He knew what Baochai was concerned about, so he made the matter clear first.

"It's hard work for you to make the trip. Go to the treasury to collect five thousand taels of silver. This is a reward from the palace!"

Although it is natural for the servants of the royal palace to do their jobs, in order for people to exert their subjective initiative as much as possible, necessary rewards are indispensable.

And this reward of five thousand taels is indeed generous.

"Mother, how dare this servant..."

Before Deng An could say anything, Baochai interrupted: "No need to say more, just take it if I ask you to, and just do your business from now on!"

"Thank you for your generous gift!" Although he was saying thanks, Deng An felt very uncomfortable.

He is no longer willing to do these dirty things. After all, if he does it too much, it will become a stain, and the stain will eventually be erased.

But people are in the world and can't help themselves. He, Deng An, is on the road of no return, so he can only keep walking into darkness.

Maybe I should learn from Prince Rui's approach and look for people outside the Prince's Palace to listen. Firstly, it can cut off the connection with the Prince's Palace, and secondly, I can also stay out of the matter... Deng An thought to himself.

Although Ying Qiu and Sun He, the foreign stewards of Prince Rui's Mansion, ostensibly took care of the Prince's farm shop, Deng An knew very well that these two people were doing the dirty work.

After he thanked him, and seeing Baochai about to leave, Deng An said again: "Empress, I heard that a few days ago, the boy from the Jia family offended you again, causing His Highness King Qingyang to beat him up!"

"What do you want to say?" Baochai's eyes were blazing.

Deng An lowered his head and replied: "When I just returned to Beijing, I met this Jia boy, who was renting a place in the Waifang District of Nancheng with a few servants and maids!"

"This man is arrogant and rebellious. Should we send someone to him..."

Just listen to Baochai reply: "This matter is over. If nothing happens, just go down!"

"Yes!"

In fact, Deng An knew that Baochai would not allow him to take action, and he mentioned this matter simply to show his loyalty.

Prince Xiang's Mansion is busy here, and at the other end of the Jixian Hall's back hall, Zhu Jingyuan is also discussing matters with a group of confidants.

They all knew the contents of the latest battle report, and everyone tacitly agreed not to mention impeachment. At this time, they were discussing how to deal with it next.

"It is not appropriate for the vassal king to lead the army. We must arrange for Governor Liu to take office as soon as possible!"

"That's right. Although the Thirteenth Master is benevolent and filial, his behavior is not in line with the ancestral system. He should be recalled as soon as possible!"

"In a few days, it will be the Emperor's birthday. It is reasonable and reasonable to call the Thirteenth Master back to the capital for this matter!"

"If he doesn't come, it would be... a crime of unfilial piety!"

By the end of the chat, everyone present laughed, but Zhu Jingyuan didn't say a word during the whole process.

Not saying anything means not participating, which can also be said to be acquiescence in this matter.

Although he still believed that Zhu Jinghong was a reckless man, he now had military power, forcing Zhu Jingyuan to deal with him.

The so-called guarding against others is indispensable, and Zhu Jingyuan deeply agrees with this.

Zhu Jingyuan is planning, and the supporters of the East Palace are no exception. The difference is that the prince does not know about it.

That's right, Bachelor of the East Palace and other subordinates knew what Zhu Jingyuan's reaction would be, so they just did it without asking for instructions.

When the time came in the afternoon, there were many more memorials on Zhu Xianming's imperial case, and people from the two factions of King Rui of the East Palace crowded together.

These people were very smart, and they did not directly impeach Zhu Jinghong for his mastery of military power. Instead, they discussed the matter from various directions as being inconsistent with the system, and hoped that the emperor could send a new governor to take office as soon as possible.

Hundreds of memorials were sent, and every sentence contained in them was reasonable, which really shook Zhu Xianming's mind.

Today Liu Fang has set off. Zhu Xianming originally wanted to let Zhu Jinghong help Liu Fang, but now he has to consider calling him back.

"Alas...the court system is like this, so we can only recall him!"

Putting down the memorial, Zhu Xianming said in a deep voice: "Come here, come to Hanlin Garden to draw up another decree. The old man will hand over to Liu Fang and return to the capital!"

"Yes!"

Putting down the memorial, Zhu Xianming sighed.

As the former "Great General King", he knew very well what the courtiers were worried about, so he could only reassure everyone.

Could Lao Shisan really have any objections? This question popped up in Zhu Xianming's mind for the first time.

This means that the butt determines the head, and considering fundamental interests will push people to where they should be.

But fortunately, Zhu Jinghong's character is really perfect, which is in sharp contrast to Zhu Xianming.

When I think about more than ten years ago, I had been plotting, secretly wooing civil and military officials, risking my own power to gain fame, and finally taking risks to seize the throne...

Compared with Zhu Xianming, Zhu Jinghong is as simple as a blank slate.

Thinking of this, Zhu Xianming laughed and shook his head, secretly thinking that if Lao Shisan had other intentions, it would be unless the sun came out from the west.

Of course, although I believed in Zhu Jinghong's benevolence and filial piety, for the sake of maintaining the court system, he still had to be called back.

After handling these matters, Zhu Xianming continued to read the reports. There were many reports from various places, especially Jinling, and he, the emperor, needed to grasp them in real time.

(End of this chapter)