Taohuaxi

Chapter 42: Named the Country King
I don't know how long it took, but when I opened my eyes, the smell of medicine and sandalwood poured into my nose.Sandalwood is mellow and mellow, and this incense is often used by Buddhas in temples.

The carvings on the beams, the golden stove next to the couch, everything is so strange.

Where am I?

The body felt heavy, as if being pulled by a heavy object, and kept falling.A fishy-sweet smell rushed out of his throat, and when he coughed on the ground, there was black and red blood.

The scenes in the dream were so real that I felt like I had experienced them one by one. When I woke up, I was tired and sad.It’s as if I haven’t left the icy waters yet.

The palace attendants on the side saw that I was awake and called out: "Physician, come and see, I hope the painter wakes up——"

The bead curtain was opened, and several imperial doctors came in quickly.

One of them took a look at my eyelids, checked my pulse, and discussed it secretly with several others.Then, he said to the palace people: "The Queen Mother's Red Pill of the Western Regions is really a miracle medicine. I wish that most of the bee venom in the painter's body has gone and his life is safe."

The palace man smiled and said: "I will go and report to the Queen Mother now."

I remembered that before I passed out, I used my paintbrush to brush away the bumblebee flying towards the Queen Mother.The bee stung me on the back of my hand.

Winter plum blossoms bloom in summer, which is a strange sight.The plum blossoms that grew bloomed differently than usual in winter, thus attracting those giant bees.It's huge and colorful, and I don't know where it is.

The eunuch outside loudly announced: The Empress Dowager Cisheng has arrived——

Everyone in the room knelt down to greet him.

Footsteps approached.

Queen Mother Li came over and sat beside the bed, with a slight smile on her round and noble face: "The Ai family didn't believe in the things of the Western Regions people. Last year, they paid tribute and said they could solve the problem. Hundreds of poisons, the Ai family had people throw it in the storehouse carelessly. The imperial doctors said there was nothing they could do, so the Ai family thought of it and had people take it from the storehouse and send it over. Unexpectedly, it was really useful."

"Thank you, Empress."

I struggled to get up, but Empress Dowager Li held me down gently and said: "You are not fully recovered yet, so just lie down. Speaking of which, it is the Ai family who want to thank you. There is not a single concubine in the garden." Like you. Astute, decisive, and really discerning."

At this time, a palace servant came in and replied: "Queen Mother, Zheng Shubin is still kneeling at the door of Cining Palace. Long live the Lord sent someone to ask you, are you surprised?"

Empress Dowager Li waved her hands impatiently: "Let her kneel down! She has only been kneeling for half a day, and she already feels distressed? What if it weren't for Zhu Painter today, and the bee stung the Ai family!"

The palace man was suddenly too frightened to speak.

Empress Dowager Li said: "What a clever little girl, she behaves like a fox to coax the Long Live Lord, even the Ai family. What's your idea? If she hadn't said that the Ai family should be included in the "Tian Rui Tu", Ai Jia would be so happy." The family would not sit under the plum blossom tree for those hours, almost causing disaster. The little Fuzi next to the Ai family was probably bribed by her. Otherwise, why did Xiao Fuzi rush to agree when she mentioned it? In my entire life, I hate such sneaky flattery tactics. Go and tell Lord Long Live that the Ai family is in shock and won’t recover for ten and a half months, so let him think about it.”

"Yes."

The Queen Mother must have been dissatisfied with Zheng Shubin for a long time. Now, she is just using this matter as a raft.

After a while, Queen Mother Li smiled at me and said: "Last time, the Ai family looked at you and you looked familiar, a bit like the late Mr. Banzhou. This time, you risked your life to save me, and it made the Ai family feel that you are just like Mr. Banzhou." The gentleman is average, loyal and brave. The Ai family plans to——"

She patted my hand gently, turned her head, and said slowly: "I convey the imperial edict of the Ai family, and wish the painter a successful rescue. If so, I will be named the Lord of Yide Township, and I will live in the city for hundreds of households."

Xiangjun was originally a title given to a noble daughter of the Ming Dynasty clan.In addition, only the daughter of a powerful minister who has made great contributions to the country and family can get it.

I hurriedly said: "The Queen Mother is so gracious, but I am so frightened."

Empress Dowager Li said: "You don't need to panic, you deserve it. The royal family is ashamed of Mr. Banzhou. A few days ago, the Ai family told Mr. Zhang about this matter. Mr. Zhang said that Mr. Banzhou had several concubines in the past. Concubine, after the 34th year of Jiajing, it is possible that the people dispersed in various places, or left a man and a half women living among the people. It is fate that you came to the palace and were seen by the Ai family. The Ai family will treat you as Mr. Banzhou's. My child, I can give comfort to the loyal and heroic spirit in the dark."

I understand.

The title of "Xiangjun" was not only due to my contribution to saving the driver, but also because of the Queen Mother's compassion for Mr. Banzhou.

I finally understood Master Zhang’s painstaking efforts in recommending me to the palace.He always wants to win some honors for me and make my future prosperous and peaceful.

Empress Dowager Li said: "It's good for you to rest. Quan Qi will be recuperated in the palace and then return to the mansion. The Ai family has gone."

I said together with everyone: "Congratulations to the Queen Mother."

After Queen Mother Li left, my eyes were heavy and I fell asleep again in confusion.

"Sister, sister——"

When I was half asleep, I heard someone calling me.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Feng Gao lying beside the couch, with faint traces of tears on his peach blossom face.

"Sister, don't let you do such stupid things again. Your life is the most important thing."

This face overlaps with the face of the frail little boy in my dream.

A shallow and soft smile appeared on my lips unconsciously: "Sister returned to Jingjue Temple in her dream."

He was startled when he heard the words "Jingjue Temple".

"Sister...remember?" he asked cautiously.

"I dreamed that I had a cold, and I was lying on the straw in Jingjue Temple. You used broken tiles to scoop out water to feed me. You said, sister, please, don't die. Also, in Guangyue Tower, You ask me to wait for you, and you go and lure the Feng family away."

He burst into tears instantly: "Sister, this is not a dream, this is all real. As soon as we said goodbye to Guangyue Tower, you and I were separated. I hate the people of the Feng family so much. They bumped into us on the street and led us away with their sweet words. They came home and said they wanted to adopt us. We were so happy, thinking that we would finally have a place to stay, that we would have enough to eat in the future, and that we would no longer have to travel around and be beaten and scolded. But they actually wanted to sell me to be a pedophile, and sell you Go to the Fengyue place. You took me and escaped. They chased me, but later, I was captured by them. Half a year later, they sold me to Mr. Cao Chang. And you, I heard that you came back again. After arriving at the acrobatic class, he disappeared soon after. Five years ago, I killed everyone in the Feng family. Blood flowed everywhere, like flowers blooming all over the house." Mr. Zhang's spies were right. , he really wiped out the entire Feng family.

It turns out that such a tortuous story happened among them.

I went back to acrobatics class again.Seriously injured.In the eyes of the class leader, it loses value.Later, he was adopted by Zhu's mother.When I was a child, the reason why my mother took me out and always avoided the dragon and lion dance teams was probably because she was afraid that I would think of something sad.

So everything is coherent.

"Sister, what we wanted most in the past was stability. But we never got it."

His voice was as light as smoke.

I suddenly remembered Qin Mingxu's words.

I looked at him and asked, "Did you kidnap Mrs. Qin?"

He lowered his head and didn't answer.

I asked again: "Tell me the truth, Mrs. Qin disappeared, was it your fault?"

After a while, he said: "Sister, don't get involved in these things. I don't want you to know."

"You don't want me to know, but I still know."

I sat up with difficulty and said anxiously: "You can't do this! Do you know who Mrs. Qin is?"

He said: "I know. She is the important person in Zhang Taiyue's heart. Why did Zhang Taiyue kill the class leader without saying a word? How could he, the leader of the class, have anything to do with a charlatan? It was clear that he was killing people and silencing them. I must know, What on earth did the class leader say to make Zhang Taiyue be so cruel? He is unkind, so don’t blame me for being unjust. I, Feng Gao, will repay the kindness of a meal and repay the resentment of Yaizhen..."

Before he finished speaking, someone came outside. He ducked and left.

What I wanted to say was choked in my stomach, and my heart was filled with hidden worries.

Empress Dowager Li ordered the palace servants to bring nourishing soup.

The palace servants served me and drank it before I left.

I waited for Feng Gao to come over again, but he didn't come until midnight.

More leaks later.

I tossed and turned.

Feng Gao has a rough youth and extreme methods. What will he do to Mrs. Qin?
If you make a big mistake, you won't be able to do anything about it.

I finally managed to stay up until dawn.

I got up and asked the palace attendants to go back to the Queen Mother. I was feeling much better. I missed my family and wanted to return home to recuperate.

In this compartment, he swung back and forth, came out of the palace, and told the coachman to go to Zhang Mansion.

When I saw Mr. Zhang, he was lying on the master's chair in the study, holding some residue in his hand, like fragments of a jade bracelet.

His face was in great sorrow, and when he saw me, his gray beard was trembling.

"Sangyu—"

I fell on his knees: "Sir, what is this?"

"This is Qingyao's jade bracelet. I gave her a token of love back then. She once told me in a letter that she has been carrying it with her all these years. Just now, someone from Dongchang gave this to me. They said ..." He covered his face.

"Sir-" I choked.

I didn't want to hear the worst from him.

He said: "They said that Qingyao was afraid that he would implicate me. When he was imprisoned in the secret room, he broke his jade bracelet and committed suicide. He was discovered by the gangsters of Dongchang and rescued him, but he was seriously injured. They also said that the factory owner Give me a message and you can save him this time, but he may not be saved next time."

A broken string can still be continued, but it cannot be recovered if it is covered with water.

At this point, the people in the game are in a dilemma.

"Sang Yu, do you know what conditions he made for me?"

The wind blows in through the window.

A few peony petals fell on the ground.

The peonies that had flourished in Zhang's mansion were finally withering away.

People can't help but think of Bai Juyi's sentence: When the wind rises in the Ming Dynasty, it should be blown away, but at night, the redness fades and the fire is watched.

Mr. Zhang said: "He said that Cheng Huaishi will not be allowed to take charge of the New Deal. I agreed to him and have written a note and submitted it to His Majesty."

(End of this chapter)