Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 37
  Before dinner, Emperor Chenghui was in a good mood and drove to Kunning Palace again. On the way, he heard someone talking loudly: "Third brother, don't be ignorant. Jia Lian was a street tiger more than half a year ago. If you don't believe me, go to Rongning." Go and ask around. Don't ruin the reputation of the royal family later. If the father's side falls, it will not be as good as yours."

Emperor Chenghui paused and listened carefully. Is this the second child, Li Xian, teaching the third child, Li Heng? The cause was Jia Lian?

"I don't have to worry about my younger brother's dealings with Jia Lian." Li Heng's calm voice came, without any fluctuation in his mood.

Emperor Chenghui praised in his heart, "I am much calmer than before. The third child has made progress."

Thinking of this, Emperor Chenghui didn't stop much, strode forward, turned a corner and appeared in the sight of the two brothers.

Facing Emperor Chenghui is the second eldest son, Li Xian, who is only seventeen years old. He is highly respected by civil servants and is known as the "Wise King" in both the government and the public.

"My son, I would like to send my regards to my father!" Li Xian has a very good appearance. Compared with Li Heng, he is less sunny and slightly more feminine.

Li Heng also turned around quickly, not forgetting to step aside before saying goodbye so as not to block his second brother's view.

Emperor Chenghui nodded calmly and asked: "The second brother is observing the government in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. What do you think of the evaluation and selection?"

Li Xian stood with his hands down and bowed his head slightly to answer: "I believe that when evaluating and selecting officials, one should observe their virtues and check their abilities."

"Oh? What is virtue and what is ability?" Emperor Chenghui smiled when he heard Li Xian's answer, tilted his head slightly, and his tone of voice increased in an unnoticeable manner. Li Heng, who knew Emperor Chenghui well, knew that his father was not satisfied with his second brother's answer.

However, Li Xian thought that Emperor Chenghui's expression was that he was very satisfied with his answer, so he couldn't help but feel proud, and replied with a joyful face: "The virtuous are the official reputation, and the evaluation of colleagues and local gentry. The capable are education, taxes, etc." In criminal cases, local officials look at the imperial examination results, tax collection, and the number of criminal cases."

Emperor Chenghui did not comment on this answer, and he did not intend to teach the second son a lesson. There are some things that cannot be taught, and you have to discover them yourself, so that you can deeply understand them and keep them in mind.

"Second brother, I will go to the Metropolitan Procuratorate tomorrow to observe politics for half a year, and then I will write a detailed report on my experience in observing politics in the Ministry of Civil Affairs."

"My son obeys the decree!" Li Xian's tone was so happy that he seemed to be singing. Next to him, Li Heng slightly tilted his mouth and said silently in his heart: You are so happy.

Li Xian happily said goodbye and left. Emperor Chenghui smiled at Li Heng who was still there: "How did we meet?" As he spoke, Emperor Chenghui continued to move forward, and Li Heng quickly followed: "Come to say hello to the queen mother. , bumped into the second brother head-on."

Emperor Chenghui didn't ask any more questions, but walked forward quickly and entered Kunning Palace. The queen was waiting in the front yard to say hello.

There was not much politeness between the husband and wife. Emperor Chenghui asked seemingly casually: "I just saw the second child. Is there something wrong with him in the palace?"

In the Zhou Dynasty, men became adults at the age of sixteen, and princes left the palace at the age of sixteen. Li Xian needed permission from the queen or emperor to enter the palace.

"My brother's thirtieth birthday is coming in a few days. Isn't this because he wants to ask for a local job but is too embarrassed to come to the palace, so he asked me to come to the palace to deliver a message in a roundabout way." The queen smiled and made it clear. That's what happened. Everything depends on the emperor's decision.

The queen has a younger brother, Zhou Hao, who was born as a Jinshi and worked as a doctor in the Imperial College. There was an unspoken rule for the princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty to select concubines. Women of the right age who were well-educated and reasonable were preferred, and those with background and other factors were put back. There was no such thing as "a woman's lack of talent is a virtue". After all, those things are all meant for people at the bottom.

Queen Zhou's father was a scholar who came from a poor family in the south of the Yangtze River. He was selected as a scholar at the age of forty and entered the palace in time for the beauty pageant. In order to complete his political achievements, the local county magistrate forced Zhou Xiucai to take his daughter out to participate in the election. Who would have thought to fight all the way to the palace and catch up with the fourth prince who came of age to open the palace, and Queen Zhou was selected and sent there. Within three days, he was blessed by Emperor Chenghui. Li Xian was born the next year, and he was straightened up in the third year.

Others don't know it, but Li Heng is very aware of the power of his mother-in-law. He's almost forty years old, and he still has the ability to be the only one he loves. It's not just about his beauty. Li Heng knew that the empress's favorite historical figure was Empress Changsun, and he often advised the emperor to get both rain and dew.

Regarding his brother-in-law, Emperor Chenghui smiled naturally and said, "I don't know about this matter."

Empress Zhou smiled tacitly and said, "I don't know, either."

Li Heng left Kunning Palace and had already had dinner, and it was getting dark. Fortunately it was dark, otherwise Li Heng knew that he would look as dazzled as if he was drunk. In fact, he didn't drink, he just enjoyed one-on-one teaching and tutoring from Emperor Chenghui for the first time.

If Empress Zhou hadn't interrupted the conversation between father and son on the pretext of being impatient with the precious concubine, Emperor Chenghui, who was in high spirits, could have talked for another two hours (half an hour).

What Li Heng didn't know was that after he left, Queen Zhou quietly said to Emperor Chenghui: "Your Majesty, the third child is still young."

Emperor Chenghui hummed without saying anything. After drinking a cup of tea, he got up and went to the precious concubine. Halfway through, Emperor Chenghui was still thinking about what he had said to Li Heng before. how to say? It's like there's a wall in front of you, and you can't see what's behind the wall. When I thought deeply about the contents of this booklet, it was as if a window had opened on the wall in front of me.

When it comes to this pamphlet, Li Heng's attitude is very clear. I know who wrote it, but I can't say. This is what Jia Lian repeatedly warned. Anyway, after Jia Lian handed over the pamphlet, he refused to admit it. Everyone said that he had never seen it and did not know that it was not written by me.

Emperor Chenghui couldn't help but secretly blame himself when he thought of the queen's previous attitude, and his steps slowed down a bit. How did the Supreme Emperor fall ill? Aren't you just angry at a few brothers competing for the reserve position? If he hadn't hidden his thoughts well enough, he might have been killed by several brothers before he had a chance.

Thinking of this, Emperor Chenghui shuddered. Between the second and third children...

The third child looks like a child who wants to be recognized by his father. Judging from today's situation, the second child has begun to guard against the potential competitor of the third child. Emperor Chenghui was also quite helpless, but this was what the emperor wanted. He was afraid that his sons would fight among themselves, and he was also afraid that the son who would succeed him in the future would not be able to take on the responsibility.

It is really not something that ordinary people can do well in the position of emperor. It would be okay if he were a humble king who was willing to do nothing. That kind of emperor who is obviously a foolish emperor but insists on thinking that he is very good is too terrible. Ming Yingzong is a very typical example. If Yu Qian hadn't stood up, there might have been another Northern and Southern Dynasty.

Emperor Chenghui hoped that the princes would compete with each other, but not quarrel with each other, and the competition should be kept within a certain range. Don't make it like the Tang Dynasty, where you get sick and bloody at every turn. Emperor Chenghui actually knew some things well, but how to say it? For the sake of His Majesty, the Supreme Emperor is his biological father, so his affairs must be covered up if possible.

Emperor Chenghui also knew Empress Zhou's mentality very well. Her position was very clear. The palms and backs of her hands were all flesh. It was very difficult for a mother to have a quarrel between her two biological sons.

Along the way, when he saw the maids and lanterns in front of him from a distance, Emperor Chenghui secretly made up his mind to change the rules of competition between princes in the future and try his best to avoid the bloodshed of life and death between brothers due to the fight for the throne. .

Early the next morning, Li Heng in class was like Sun Houhou in the class of ancestor Bodhi. He was scratching his head and fidgeting, and kept winking at Jia Lian. Old Master Fang, who was in class, didn't tolerate him. He called him directly, pointed at the door and said, "Go and stand outside!" Li Heng went out with a shy look on his face, and Old Master Fang continued his class.

During lunch, there was a follower behind Jia Lian's butt. Li Heng couldn't see any princely bearing at all.

Jia Lian doesn't get angry easily in crowded places, so when he got out of the gate, he made a face and started to complain: "I say Li Laosan, when you received the pamphlet, you promised to stay away from me in the future."

Li Heng, who had tasted the benefits, was not willing to admit it. He licked his face and said, "Brother Jia, don't get me wrong. I'm not thinking about this. Should I tell my father clearly that you wrote that pamphlet?"

When Jia Lian heard this, his expression was as cold as ice. Under Li Heng's gaze, he felt that the air around him seemed to have dropped to freezing point. Looking at Jia Lian's fists, he immediately jumped back and waved his hands: "Don't worry."

"Get out of here, get out of here as far as you want. I finally understand. I'm blind to expect you to be honest."

After Jia Lian scolded him, the little chamberlain beside Li Heng refused and yelled loudly: "Jia Lian, you are so presumptuous!"

Li Heng turned his head and said, "What's wrong with you? Stand back!"

Jia Lian ignored the master and servant, walked to the concierge and said to Old Man Liu: "I won't come to class before the government examination. I will review at home. Could you please tell Old Master Fang that every day I will let the servants write the finished articles?" Send it for correction.”

Old Man Liu looked at Jia Lian sympathetically, nodded and said, "Okay, I understand, please be more careful in the future."

Jia Lian clasped his hands and said, "Thank you very much. I'll ask someone to bring you some good wine later."

Without saying a word, Jia Lian ignored Li Heng who had been working anxiously beside him, got into the carriage directly, and ordered to set off home.

Li Heng, who didn't understand the key, didn't move or stop him. He stood aside and watched Jia Lian go away.

When the carriage was out of sight, Li Heng also walked to the concierge, clasped his hands and bowed to Old Man Liu: "Old sir, did I do something wrong?"

Old Man Liu looked impatient. He raised his hand and waved it as if to shoo away flies. He said coldly: "Don't hang around in front of me! You only care about yourself. I feel panicked when I see you."

Li Heng's IQ was sufficient, so this sentence gave him a hint, but he still didn't understand it. His mind was in a state of confusion, and he had no intention of going back to class. He also asked for leave and went back to the palace first.

After returning to the palace, he headed directly to Kunning Palace. After meeting the queen, Li Heng said pitifully: "Behind the scenes, can I tell you something private?" Queen Zhou was quite surprised. She was dancing happily last night. Today What's going on here?
  Waving her hand to signal the maids to leave, Queen Zhou asked patiently: "What's wrong? You can scrape off two ounces of ash from your face."

After Li Heng looked around, he stepped forward and whispered: "Mother, that's what happened. That booklet was given to me by Jia Lian. I will tell you this matter alone. My father didn't even mention Jia Lian." Name. I met him today. I didn’t want to bury his contribution, so I told my father who presented the pamphlet. He turned his back on the spot and told me to get out."

After listening to Li Heng's words, Queen Zhou looked at her smart son with a half-smile, pointed to the door and said: "Go back to your yard and be grounded, and you are not allowed to eat dinner. You are so smart that you can be cured by starving for three meals." .”

Naturally, Li Heng didn't dare to leave just like that. He knelt down with his forehead on the ground and kowtowed three times with "dong dong dong" sounds.

"Mother, if your son does something wrong, just beat him and scold him. Don't let your anger break your body."

This kid is a cruel man. When he raised his head, his face was filled with tears, and there were red marks on his forehead.

When Empress Zhou saw this, her heart immediately softened. Her nose felt sour, she turned her head and twitched a few times before turning back and saying nasally: "Go back and think about it carefully. Think about it all, what you have been through." You can't be soft-hearted when you say that, otherwise this child won't be able to teach him. So he said to the outside: "Come here, please take the Third Highness back and confine yourself to think about it for three days."

Several palace maids and chamberlains came in from outside, but they did not dare to make a move when they saw this scene. When they looked at each other, Jia Yuanchun's heart moved when he saw this. He calmly stepped forward and stretched out his hand to help Li Heng and said: "Your Highness, the queen is angry, why don't you step aside first?"

If it were any other palace maid, Li Heng would naturally not move. Isn't this Jia Yuanchun?
  Li Heng kowtowed to the Queen three times again and said, "Queen Mother, please don't be angry. I will go back and reflect."

Emperor Chenghui got off work, and the eunuch Qiu Shian next to him stepped forward but hesitated to speak. Emperor Chenghui knew what this old man was thinking, and when he saw that the other servants were not present, he laughed and cursed: "You old slave, if you have anything to say, just say it. Stop pretending."

"Your Majesty has a keen eye. I can't hide this idea from you. That's what happened..." Balabala stepped forward and said, and Qiu Shian took a step back. There was no embarrassment in the whole process.

Emperor Chenghui didn't say anything, just nodded to show that he understood, and then said: "Stop, forget it, let's go to Concubine Ning."

Queen Zhou disciplines the third child, and Emperor Chenghui doesn't intend to get involved. He likes the child if he likes her. Now that the Queen has dealt with it, Emperor Chenghui must respect her. We have been husband and wife for many years, and we have this tacit understanding.

In the side hall where Li Heng lived, he was also lost in thought at this moment. After going through the detailed process of the matter in his mind, Li Heng still didn't understand where he went wrong. Jia Lian's thoughts don't matter to Li Heng. If you say you don't admit it, then you won't admit it? Although he approached Jia Lian with a smile and a bit of flattery, his original intention was to capture Jia Lian.

As a prince, if you can't do this, how can you expect to care about that position?

The queen's actions proved that there must be something wrong with her approach, or there was a big problem.

So what exactly is this problem?

Li Heng couldn't understand. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Then he started to go through the people who had happened, and finally thought about the attitude of the gatekeeper, Old Man Liu, towards him.

(End of this chapter)