cabinet first lady

Chapter 49 I Don't Go To Hell Who Goes To Hell

When Zhang Anyi came back with a chill in the thick night, Ruan Muyang was already going to sleep.

Tonight, Emperor Ling specially asked the palace people to set off fireworks on the highest tower among the empresses, and when the fire trees and silver flowers rose, the whole capital could see them.

But Ruan Muyang was not interested.

Zhang Anyi walked into the room, glanced at the rabbit lantern on the table, and curled his lips, as if laughing that she always looks calm but still likes the style of lanterns that the little girl likes.

Seeing that Ruan Muyang was about to go to bed, he walked to the bed, seemed to bring back the bits and pieces of the lantern festival in his eyes, his eyes were bright and gentle, and asked, "Mrs., don't you want to watch the fireworks?" Outside the door, The servants of Chuanyunyuan were already excited, and the sound of fireworks was mixed with the sound of laughter.

"Second Master left in a hurry, did something happen?" Ruan Muyang asked tentatively, "When I came back, I saw people from Shuntian Mansion on the street, but it has something to do with the person I saw earlier who looked like Mr. Shen?"

She almost asked if Shen Wei had something to do with his departure.

Zhang Anyi stretched out his hand and gently stroked Ruan Muyang's face and said: "When madam was picking up the lanterns, it was indeed people from Shuntian Mansion who came to me. For some official business, it happened suddenly. Besides, how could Shen Sikong be killed by people from Shuntian Mansion?" People are chasing you." The expression on his face did not change, not even the sparkle in his eyes flickered.

He always said half of what he said, and his gentle look made people lose their temper.

Ruan Muyang turned his face away to avoid his hand.

Zhang Anyi's hand paused.

The noise of people playing outside the door and the sound of fireworks made the room extraordinarily quiet, so quiet that one's heart ached.

"What happened to Madam?" Zhang Anyi is such a perceptive person.

Ruan Muyang was almost sure that what he saw was Shen Wei.It's fine if Zhang Anyi admits it, maybe she will feel better, but he refuses to admit it.It would be fine if she didn't know that Shen Wei was a woman, but she happened to know that Shen Wei was a woman, and also knew that they had a close relationship and shared a common secret.

In such a comparison, she herself is like an outsider.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired." Since he didn't say anything, she didn't say anything either.

Both she and Zhang Anyi hid too many secrets, and there was always a layer of estrangement that no one wanted to open.

Ruan Muyang lay down, covered himself with a quilt, and turned his back to him.

Zhang Anyi sighed softly behind him, as if he was spoiled and helpless, Ruan Muyang felt sour when he heard it, he felt that he was the one who did something wrong, and he had been tolerant all the time, and he couldn't bear to lose his temper with him, but in the end he held back .

"Go to sleep, madam."

After covering Ruan Muyang with the quilt and turning off the lights, Zhang Anyi went out and closed the door gently.

In the yard, Dian Cui Enamel, Mo Jian Mo Wen, Mu Feng Mu Yu and other servants were watching the fireworks happily.

Zhang Anyi called Mo Wen aside, the sudden burst of fireworks reflected the storm in his eyes: "You went to find Madam later tonight, but did you find it at the place I mentioned?"

Mo Wen shook his head, and explained the process of finding Ruan Muyang with Dian Cui in detail.

After going through every detail of what Mo Wen said in his mind, Zhang Anyi asked again: "Then when you found it, did you see what happened to Madam?"

"When we arrived, Madam's complexion didn't seem very good. Madam said that she did encounter some troubles, but fortunately, she met Master Yin."

As if he had thought about all the "Lord Yin" in his memory, Zhang Anyi asked uncertainly: "Yin Ji?" He rarely used such a raised tone.

"Yes." Mo Wen suddenly remembered something, and said, "Master Yin also asked the second master to bring a word." After being by Zhang Anyi's side for so long, Mo Wen knew that he needed to report every detail.

Zhang Anyi's eyes moved slightly: "What?"

"Master Yin said to remind you, don't let Madam go out alone, there is no one around."

After Mo Wen finished speaking, Zhang Anyi was silent for a while, as if he was in deep thought, but he didn't dare to disturb him, so he could only wait quietly.

"In your opinion, are Madam and Mr. Yin familiar?" Zhang Anyi asked suddenly.

Apart from going to the banquet and going back to Ruan's house, Madam stays at home, how could she know Mr. Yin?
Mo Wen didn't understand why he asked such a question, and replied truthfully: "It should be that I don't know him very well."

Zhang Anyi asked again: "Falang was with you at that time? What did she look like when she saw Yin Ji?"

Mo Wen recalled for a while and said: "Falang has been paying attention to Madam, and she didn't react when she saw Mrs. Yin."

"Go on, send someone tomorrow to find out what trouble Madam is in. There were so many people there at the time, it shouldn't be difficult to find out."

"Yes."

Ruan Muyang was not the kind of person who would hold on to one thing, and he didn't want the elders and servants of the Zhang family to notice anything, so he returned to his original state the next day and treated Zhang Anyi with respect.Zhang Anyi also tacitly kept silent about last night's unhappiness, and still looked gentle, as if the matter had just been exposed.

It wasn't until the [-]th day of the first lunar month that Ruan Muyang's carriage was stopped by someone on the way back from Ruan Mansion that this matter was brought up again.

"Mrs. Zhang, Master Luo is here to invite you."

Luo Jie finally found her again.

Ruan Muyang looked around, and followed the people to the tea house on the street.

Luo Jie knew her movements very well, and she could confirm that he had placed eyeliner near Zhang's house and even Zhang's house.

Luo Jie's subordinates took her outside a private room and left.Standing at the door was the butler of the Luo Mansion, Manager Luo.

"Mrs. Zhang, on the fifteenth night, I stopped the carriage of you and Mr. Zhang for business. I offended you so much. Please forgive me."

Fifteen nights?

Ruan Muyang can confirm that he has never met Manager Luo.When they went to the Lantern Festival, the carriage was not stopped, but when they came back, the carriage was used by Zhang Anyi, and she walked back.

Suddenly she thought of Shen Wei.

She has already practiced not changing her face when things happen, with a normal face, she said with a smile: "Mr. Luo is polite."

If Luo Mansion was arresting people that night, then she could be more sure that it was Shen Wei, because Luo Yu once said that Luo Mansion was attacked by thieves, and it happened that Shen Wei was injured and fled to Zhang Mansion that night.

Director Luo is also treacherous and cunning who follows Luo Jie, how could he recognize Shen Wei as her?
Before she could think about it, the door of the private room was pushed open by Director Luo: "Madam Zhang, please."

Meeting the gaze of Luo Jie who was sitting in the private room, Ruan Muyang put away his thoughts, concentrated his energy, and walked in.

After signaling Ruan Muyang to sit down opposite him, Luo Jie poured her a cup of tea, and cut to the chase: "Madam Zhang, do you still remember what the old man said to you last year? The year is over, do you understand now?"

"I'm afraid I can't agree to Master Luo's request." Ruan Muyang said every word clearly and firmly.

Luo Jie seemed to have expected that Ruan Muyang would refuse, and there was no anger on his face, but he just asked, "Madam Zhang, is she really thinking about it?"

Ruan Muyang thought it over.

Helping Luo Jie is tantamount to harming Zhang Anyi, and it is of no benefit to her, and she can only sink herself into the mud.Originally, the reason why she cooperated with him was to prevent Xie Zhao from ascending to the throne, for herself and not for Luo Jie. If she worked for Luo Jie in the future, she would really be helping Luo Jie, and the nature was different.

If she does one thing for him, she will be threatened by him because she is more afraid of Zhang Anyi knowing, and then do the second and third things for him... She will always be threatened by Luo Jie until she becomes Until the child is abandoned.She wouldn't be so stupid to let herself get into it.

Besides, Zhang Anyi might not believe Luo Jie's words.

Seeing Ruan Muyang's calm look, Luo Jie smiled and said, "The letter Mrs. Zhang once wrote to the old man is still there."

This Ruan Muyang thought it over even more: "Sir, taking out the letter is equivalent to making the things you have done public?"

Luo Jie's expression gradually turned cold.

Naturally, he would not keep such an important letter.Ruan Muyang was more difficult to control than he imagined.

"Since Mrs. Zhang has made up her mind, the old man will not force it. If Mrs. Zhang regrets it one day, she can find the old man again."

"Thank you, Master Luo."

It can be said that Ruan Muyang broke up with Luo Jie this time.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Dian Cui, who was guarding outside the teahouse, finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ruan Muyang come out.

"It's okay, let's go back." In fact, Ruan Muyang was not as relaxed as he appeared on the surface.

If Luo Jie told everything, she didn't know how to explain it, and she had no way to back it up. The only thing she could bet on was the relationship between Zhang Anyi and her, but she didn't have the confidence to gamble.

Fortunately, if Luo Jie told Zhang Anyi about her now, there would be no benefit.He will definitely not do this rashly, he will definitely wait for a suitable opportunity, or wait for her to go back and go to him.And she can only find a way to prevent him from saying these things.

It was also on this night that Zhang Anyi heard Mo Wen's report when he came back from the palace.

"Second Lord, we have found out the trouble Madam encountered on the fifteenth night." Mo Wen looked carefully at Zhang Anyi's expression, and said in a low voice, "Madam met Xia Xuanlin that night, fortunately Lord Yin appeared and rescued Madam. "

Zhang Anyi paused; "Xia Xuanlin?"

Xia Xuanlin was a well-known figure in the capital, so one can imagine what would happen if he met him.

Sensing that Zhang Anyi's breath became cold, Mo Wen asked, "Second Master, do you want to—" He made a murderous gesture.Although the Xia family is in decline now, their ancestors were all prominent officials, and they were considered big families in Beijing, so Xia Xuanlin was able to run rampant for so many years.

This is not a person who can be killed casually.

"Kill it." Zhang Anyi said without hesitation.

Mo Wen had no choice but to follow suit.After Zhang Anyi came back, Ruan Muyang told him some things about going to Ruan's house today.

In fact, she is very afraid of going back to Ruan's mansion now, every time she goes back, she will be asked if she is pregnant, even Ruan Zhongling mentioned this time cryptically, worrying for her.

After drinking the detoxification decoction last year for two months, Ruan Muyang followed the doctor's instructions to drink the tonic every day. Even now, his stomach still hasn't moved.In the end, she still blamed herself for drinking the avoid soup for several years.The doctor said that there is no need to rush this matter, so I can only take care of it while watching the fate.

After talking about the Ruan family's affairs, Zhang Anyi didn't respond. Ruan Muyang looked at him, but saw him looking at him with deep and complicated eyes.His expression was extremely gentle, as if she was the only one in his eyes, and he was so focused that she had to wonder if he had listened to what he just said.

Tonight's Zhang Anyi was so gentle that she was at a loss for what to do.

"you--"

As soon as she opened her mouth, she was embraced by Zhang Anyi.

A sigh came from above his head, Ruan Muyang thought he was tired, so he quietly let him hug him.

He just took a bath, and his body was a little damp, a little dense.

After the new year, Ruan Muyang gritted his teeth and often teased Zhang Anyi with a cheeky face, but there was no movement in his stomach.

Smelling the sandalwood scent on his body, her thoughts were gradually pulled back, and she remembered some scenes that made her blush and heartbeat.

"Let Madam be wronged."

Zhang Anyi's voice broke Ruan Muyang's charming thoughts.She looked up at him suspiciously.

"On the night of Shangyuan Festival, I didn't think carefully, and I will never leave my wife alone again." Zhang Anyi looked at her very lovingly.

Only then did Ruan Muyang realize that he was talking about Xia Xuanlin.

She didn't say it because she was a bit angry and hypocritical. She originally thought that he would never know.

Zhao's education, the reservedness of the daughter of the Ruan family, the estrangement and mutual concealment with Zhang Anyi all made her not care about this past matter, but she always cared about it in her heart.Suddenly hearing Zhang Anyi say this to her, Ruan Muyang's grievances that had been suppressed for several days finally came to his heart.

"It's all over." Ruan Muyang tried to suppress his emotions, but tears welled up.

The more she understands the general situation and endures it like this, the more it makes people feel distressed.

It wasn't supposed to be this vulnerable.The experience of the previous life made Ruan Muyang calm. Compared with those, Xia Xuanlin is nothing at all, and with so many people around, she will not suffer in the end.But being looked at by Zhang Anyi like this, she couldn't help but shed tears, like a child who couldn't control her emotions, the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she became.

Rarely shedding tears in front of Zhang Anyi, Ruan Muyang reached out to wipe it off, but Zhang Anyi grabbed his wrist.

After asking her to put down her wrist, Zhang Anyi wiped away her tears with his fingertips.

But who knows, more and more will be wiped away.

Zhang Anyi's tone was extremely gentle: "Ma'am, don't drop the golden beans, it's all my fault." Although Zhang Anyi looks gentle and modest, the more modest a person is, the more arrogant he is.From the beginning of his memory, he seldom felt that he had to apologize for his mistakes, and now that he was a dignitary in the court, he would never admit his mistakes, but now he was no match for Ruan Ruanxiang, and he admitted his mistakes.

Ruan Muyang didn't want to cry, but he just couldn't control it.

Zhang Anyi had no choice but to sigh softly, held her face in his hands, leaned closer, kissed away the tears she shed, and then kissed her eyes along the tears.

His movements were extraordinarily gentle, as if he held her in his palm and loved her, Ruan Muyang only felt itchy on his face, as if a feather had been brushed by, and the tears finally stopped.

Realizing that she finally stopped crying, Zhang Anyi stopped, looked at her red eyes and nose, smiled very lightly, and then kissed her lips.

Surrounded by his aura, feeling his pampering and pity, Ruan Muyang's heart softened, and he stretched out his bracelet to wrap around his neck.

The bed curtain fell, and it happened that half of Ruan Muyang's taken-off little coat was thrown out of the bed, exposed in the gap between the swaying bed curtains on both sides.

The night was extremely lingering, and even the breath in the room was sweet.

The result was that Ruan Muyang regretted last night's indulgence the next day. Not only were there marks all over his body, but he was also sore all over. When he was washing in the morning, he was looked at by Diancui and Fanglan with blushing faces for a long time.

Ruan Muyang became ashamed and annoyed: "If you laugh again, you will be married."

The two stopped laughing immediately.

"Dian Cui, who did you go with during the Lantern Festival?" Ruan Muyang suddenly remembered.

Dian Cui blushed and said nothing.

Ruan Muyang didn't force her, and said: "If there is someone you like, bring it to me, and I'll take a look for you. If the person is good, I will decide to handle your marriage. You have been with me for so long, I naturally I will prepare a generous dowry for you."

Dian Cui kept nodding her head, begging Ruan Muyang to stop talking, her face was getting redder and redder.

Both of them are of marriageable age.

At the beginning of January, a great event happened in the court.

Because of the reconciliation and mutual trade, the foreign race not only brought a lot of spices and jewels as tribute, but also paid tribute to two beautiful women.Emperor Ling was obsessed with alchemy and didn't like women, so he wanted to reward the two women to the ministers of the court.

Luo Jie said: "Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang has contributed the most to the reconciliation of the mutual market. Mr. Zhang is personable and handsome. I heard that there are no concubines in his family. This time, Mr. Zhang just rewarded Mr. Zhang with two concubines."

Emperor Ling deeply agreed: "Then give it to Zhang Aiqing."

Among the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty, the one with the most exquisite and good-looking facial features was Shen Wei, but Shen Wei was thin and thin, and his appearance was too feminine, which lacked masculinity, so the most handsome man in the court was Zhang Anyi, followed by Jiang Hanyun, the Imperial College Jijiu, and the third It is Yun Yinji in the right middle, and Shen Wei can be ranked fourth.

All the ministers looked at Zhang Anyi.

Zhang Anyi immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I am sorry that you cannot accept it."

Full of uproar.

This is tantamount to defying the decree openly, and losing face to the Holy Majesty in front of so many people.

A smile flashed in Luo Jie's eyes.

No matter how generous Emperor Ling was, he was still a king. "Why can't Zhang Aiqing accept it? But you don't think the two women from other races are beautiful enough to catch your eye?"

"The emperor's rewarding ministers shouldn't refuse, but there are family rules in the family, the descendants of the Zhang family are not allowed to take concubines." Zhang Anyi replied.

Suddenly someone stood up and said: "Back to the emperor, as far as I know, Mr. Zhang's father once took a concubine, and he also had a concubine." This person belongs to the Luo Jie faction.Obviously Luo Jie had already prepared for this scene.

Emperor Ling looked at Zhang Anyi: "Is that so?"

"Your Majesty, the subject's father has violated the family law. The subject will never dare to violate it."

"So you have to go against my will?" A cold light flashed in Emperor Ling's eyes.

Zhang Anyi immediately said: "I don't dare, please forgive me." His eyes were calm, without fear, but faintly firm.

At this time, someone came out again. "Your Majesty, all good filial piety comes first. When the first emperor was alive, the emperor was extremely filial. Mr. Zhang imitated the emperor's filial piety. He was able to reconcile and trade with foreign races. Mr. Zhang is a hero. It is due to his merit. Please forgive him for resisting the edict. Sin." The court is now divided into three factions, the Luojie faction, the Zhang Anyi faction, and the neutral ministers and censors.

Most of Luo Jie's faction are old officials, they are very powerful in the court and have intertwined relationships, while Zhang Anyi's faction are mostly young officials, some even just became officials not long ago.

It was not someone else who spoke, but Jiang Hanyun, Luo Jie's grandson-in-law.

Luo Jie's complexion was extremely bad.Since Xu Hou was executed and Emperor Ling succeeded to the throne, Jiang Hanyun stood by Zhang Anyi's side, turning his elbows outward.It's a pity that he also married a granddaughter to him.

Jiang Hanyun's words eased Lingdi's face a lot.Naturally, he would not really do anything to Zhang Anyi, just for the majesty of the royal family.

Now he lacks a step down.

At this moment, Shen Wei came out and said: "Your Majesty, although the credit for reconciling the mutual market ministers this time is not as good as Mr. Zhang, he is also the second hero. The emperor rewarded both women to Mr. Zhang, but the minister refuses to accept. The minister is still the same. A bachelor, dare to ask the emperor two women of different races to give me a gift."

Zhang Anyi looked at Shen Wei, frowned slightly, and wanted to speak, but got a reassuring look from Shen Wei.

Hearing "one bachelor", Emperor Ling laughed, and then came down the steps, and said with a smile: "Only Shen Qing is the most clever. Then I will reward those two women to Shen Qing. Zhang Aiqing will make up for it." , No reward, no punishment, and no punishment."

Shen Wei: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Anyi: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Unsurprisingly.

After retreating, Emperor Ling left first, Zhang Anyi and Luo Jie looked at each other with cold eyes.

After leaving the court, Zhang Anyi and Shen Wei went to Wenyuan Pavilion together.He whispered, "How do you want to take a concubine?" There was helplessness in his tone.

Although Shen Wei, who was dressed as a third-rank official, was thin and thin, he was cold and weak, but he had a different kind of aura, which many men could not compare to.She smiled teasingly and said: "If I don't accept it, will the Holy Majesty really give it to you? Or are you resisting the order? No matter what you do, it will just meet Luo Jie's wishes."

It is indeed the most suitable for Shen Wei to come forward to ask Lingdi.

Only she was always a woman.

Zhang Anyi's complex gaze finally turned into a soft sigh: "Thank you."

"Besides, it can be seen that you are really good to Mrs. Sister-in-law. With such a dignified and easy-going temperament, Mrs. Sister-in-law, if you get two concubines back, I'm afraid the husband and wife will be at odds." Shen Wei turned the loneliness in his heart into something he didn't care about. The tone said, "Besides, your grandfather is not in good health. If he hears that the emperor gave you two concubines, he might be irritated. Besides, there are many people who secretly say that I have broken sleeves, so I just need to gag them."

Speaking of this, she smiled freely: "So, if I don't go to hell, who will go to hell?"

If she was wearing women's clothing, this smile would be bright and kind.

There are too many open and covert fights in the court every day, if Zhang Anyi doesn't talk about it when he goes back, Ruan Muyang won't know about it.

But there was still a follow-up to this incident. Many censors seized this opportunity to scold Zhang Anyi for being disrespectful, and became more domineering. Some even scolded Zhang Ji for violating the family rules.

There were too many curses, and they finally reached the ears of the Zhang family and Ruan Muyang.

Ruan Muyang knew that this was not only a plot by Luo Jie against Zhang Anyi, but also a warning to her.

(End of this chapter)