A Thousand Hills

Chapter 101

Concubine Xie couldn't figure out the reason for the sudden change in her mother's attitude, and Mrs. Xie didn't know how to tell her daughter, don't take Mo Ru's idea, she is not a fool, Mo Ru knows all about what you contributed to the flames last time. .

When Mrs. Xie returned home, she was very upset, and she felt better when she saw Xie Moyou.Xie Moru is wearing a light blue dress, she is still in filial piety, it is not easy to dress brightly, but there are elders in the family, it is not good to be too plain, so she had to compromise.However, the jewelry on the head is still a simple two or three pieces, not fancy makeup.Seeing grandma returning home, Xie Moyou took the maid to help Mrs. Xie change and wash her clothes. When Mrs. Xie was sitting on the bed in soft and comfortable homely clothes and drinking tea, she had to sigh, "Fortunately, there is still you."

Xie Moyou smiled silently and sat in the right chair.In the past, Xie Moru was always not pleasing to the eye, although it was not thorny, but the grit in the eyes was uncomfortable, Xie Moyou occasionally felt bright.Now that Xie Moru has left Xie's family, his younger brothers go to school every day, and his mother is still confined to the Peony Courtyard. Without Xie Moru, Xie Moyou feels that life is really lonely.The filial piety period for the aunt will come next year. As a concubine, she has to observe filial piety for 27 months, but her father only needs one year of filial piety for his wife.She visited her mother in the Peony Court several times, and her mother asked her... Thinking of her mother's worried appearance, Xie Mo sighed inwardly, could it be that his father really didn't mean to help his mother?

Xie Moyou felt sad, and talked with Mrs. Xie about the family affairs, now no one is competing with her for the limelight, the grandmother is old, and most of the daily chores are left to her to practice, and the grandmother helps to check .Mrs. Xie went to the palace for half a day, and there were a few small things at home. Xie Moyou reported them one by one, and then said, "Su Xiangfu sent someone to send a post, and the marriage between the third son of the Su family and the girl of the Qi family is scheduled on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Two." Ling Sulan took the wedding invitation and showed it to Mrs. Xie.

Mrs. Xie accepted it with a smile, and this red wedding invitation touched Mrs. Xie's heart for no reason. Originally, her husband was optimistic about Su Buyu and Li Qiao. An outstanding young man recognized by the imperial capital.The husband originally wanted to choose one as his grandson-in-law, but he didn't want Fang's sudden death. The children in the family would have to observe mourning for three years, so the marriage was naturally out of the question.As a result, Su Buyu gave Qi Guogong's house a head start.Of course, Mrs. Xie can't say that this marriage is not good. A girl from Qi Guogong's mansion is too short to match Su Buyu.As the prostitute of Qi Guogong's mansion, the Xie family still lacks such conditions, and I'm afraid they won't be able to compete even if they fight.Mrs. Xie read the post, and said to Xie Moyou, "Remember to prepare a congratulatory gift in advance."

Xie Moyou responded softly, she didn't know the family's previous plan, so Xie Moyou didn't feel much about the marriage between Su and Qi's family, she said, "Grandmother, eldest sister has always been acquainted with Mr. Su, Mr. Su is married Do you want to send someone to talk to Big Sister about it?"

Mrs. Xie was worried when she thought of Xie Moru, and said, "Alright, is your eldest sister still living in Wanmei Palace?"

Xie Moyou is not very clear, the main reason is that Xie Moru has too many properties in his hands, and Xie Moru often changes places, Xie Moyou said, "Last month, I sent things to the elder sister in Wanmei Palace, so it should still be there. "However, when Xie Moru changed his residence twice a month, Xie Moyou asked for insurance, "Shilling the housekeeper, go over to say hello, and ask the big sister to be here before sending things. Otherwise, in this cold day, it will be another It has just snowed, and I heard that the roads in the city are not easy to walk, let alone outside the city."

Mrs. Xie just left it to Xie Moyou to arrange.

Xie Moru was not in Wanmei Palace, although the snow scene in Wanmei Palace is good, but she lived in Wanmei Palace for some time, and saw Taoist temples and some big families outside giving out porridge and clothing to give relief.Xie Moru followed suit, and she also bought a lot of brown rice to go to the soup kitchen.Xie Moru has always done things vigorously and differently. Others are gruel and rice, but she is different. Her porridge and rice can always be inserted into the chopsticks.As a result, it made the other family's good deed a bit unsightly.

Jiang Xingyun looked at the chess scale with his head in one hand, carefully placed a piece, and said, "You are really embarrassing others."

Xie Moru didn't take it seriously, "Why care about those insignificant people."

Jiang Xingyun smiled, "Actually, giving these two full meals will not solve the actual problem."

"Yes, it is better to teach him to fish than to teach him to fish." Xie Moru didn't mean to do good deeds, mainly because in the past two years, she made a small fortune on the plum tree, and she was not short of money, so she simply spent it go out.Xie Moru said, "It's a pity that I don't have anything to do at hand, otherwise I won't worry about manpower." When is it a good idea to distribute relief in this way? After all, it is the incompetence of the imperial court that makes the people eat this kind of food in the winter when they have nothing to eat. .

For the convenience of doing good deeds, Xie Moru moved to live in Tangquan Zhuangzi.

Jiang Xingyun was with her.

Xie Zhong went to Wanmei Palace and inquired with Wisteria who stayed in Wanmei Palace to recover from his foot injury, only to find out that Xie Moru had gone to Tangquan Zhuangzi, and immediately rushed to Tangquan Zhuangzi without stopping.It was almost evening, and in the dark night of winter, candles were lit in the hall, and the lights were brightly lit.Xie Zhong ran for a day, his hem was stained by the muddy water splashed on the road, he regretted not wearing a clean robe, so he had to wear this padded robe, he dared to say hello first, Xie Moru gave him a seat and asked him what happened.Xie Zhongfang told about Su Buyu's marriage.Xie Moru heard Xie Zhong say that Su Buyu decided to be a lady from Duke Qi's mansion, so he didn't ask any more questions, he just said, "Understood. Is there anything else?"

Xie Zhong respectfully said, "Everything is fine at home, but the master and wife have always missed the princess."

"It's getting late, you stay overnight at Zhuangzi, it's not too late to come back tomorrow." Xie Moru ordered, and a maid took Xie Zhong down to eat and rest.After dinner, Xie Moru and Jiang Xingyun went to soak in warm soup.

On the second day, Xie Moru prepared a congratulatory gift for the Su family and ordered Xie Zhong to bring it back together, and asked Mrs. Xie to bring it back when the introduction.

Mrs. Xie ordered someone to bring food and clothes to Xie Moru, Xie Zhong's daughter-in-law said, "Madam said, it will be a year soon, please go back home to celebrate the new year, princess."

Xie Moru said lightly, "Understood."

Since Fang's death, Xie Moru has been very indifferent to Xie's family, she didn't return to Xie's mansion until the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, so she did not miss the family's ancestor worship.However, just after the new year, on the sixth day of the first lunar month, Xie Moru moved to Wanmei Palace again.Mrs. Xie couldn't stop her, and complained to her husband, "It must be because she hates her mother in her heart." But this matter really cannot be blamed on the Xie family.If Xie Moru really thinks this way, Mrs. Xie feels that she really has given her all these troubles for nothing.

Xie Shangshu said, "Could it be that she is not such a person. She probably felt sad in the Dujuan Courtyard and wanted to go out to let loose."

"There are too many yards at home. Tell her that she can live in whatever she wants. Even if she wants to live in my yard, I will let her out. Let her come back quickly, and she will offend people every day outside." Mrs. Xie simply Can be sad to death, Xie Moru digs up the plum trees of Wanmei Palace one by one, that is not offending one family, it is offending a large area.Later, when the porridge was given out in winter, the clear soup and water in other people's homes made the face dull.The Xie family has been in the imperial capital for hundreds of years, and there are not as many enemies as Xie Moru.

Xie Moru lives outside, the key is, she is not idle outside.Mrs. Xie got a headache when she thought about it, and she really wanted to have the opportunity to talk to Xie Moru about the principle of harmony and light.

Xie Shangshu had no choice but to comfort his old wife.

What Xie Shangshu thought about was that the death of the Fang family could not be blamed on the Xie family, even if Concubine Xie had her own thoughts, but in fact, it was definitely not Concubine Xie's ability to contribute to the incident.Moreover, Xie Shangshu tried his best to ask himself.Xie Moru wouldn't really vent his anger on the family.Hey, if you don't blame the family, who will Xie Moru blame for this matter?She has already peeled off most of the faces of these people.

Xie Shangshu and Mrs. Xie have other serious matters to discuss. Xie Shangshu said, "The eldest son of the second prince is born. The third prince is sixteen this year. Since he was last year, the palace has intended to choose a concubine for the third prince. You Entering the palace, can the noble concubine tell you about the marriage of the third prince?"

"How could I not have said that?" Mrs. Xie said, "The noble concubine didn't think about it for a while. I think what the noble concubine means is that she wants to choose someone from the Chu and Qi dukes' mansions."

Xie Shangshu sighed, "Didn't the noble concubine think about Mo Ru at all? Mo Ru is the same age as the third prince, and will be born in June this year."

"Isn't it appropriate to have the previous incident?" Mrs. Xie hesitated.

"That's just the selfishness of the imperial concubine. The women in the harem, even if they have some selfishness, are not the ones who influence the overall situation. It's really not a trivial matter. If it can be made to be the third prince and concubine, with the same interests, it is better to think about their own future. I don't care about the selfishness of the imperial concubine." Xie Shangshu pondered for a while, and felt that Xie Moru was an excellent candidate for the imperial concubine.

Mrs. Xie still knew her own daughter better, and said, "If your mother has such a meaning, she might have mentioned it to me long ago." Marriage to her natal family is not something that cannot be unspoken.Concubine Xie didn't mention it from the beginning to the end, so it can be seen that she didn't mean that to the two nieces.

"Next time you enter the palace, please mention it to your empress." Xie Shangshu insisted, "If she agrees with you, please mention it to her. Otherwise, I'm afraid she will regret it one day." I understand that Xie's family is Concubine Xie's natal family, if the third prince really has the hope of a big position, Xie's family is a natural ally.Blood ties cannot be broken, and it is with such unbroken blood relatives that Concubine Xie does not want to give the title of concubine to her niece, and Concubine Xie is more inclined to give the third prince another wife's family for strong support.

However, according to Xie Shangshu's vision, Xie Moru inherited a strong mother lineage, she may not be submissive enough, but Xie Moru has the talent of Wang Zuozhi.If such talent is exchanged for the position of the third prince's wife, the third prince will not suffer.It is not a fool for a daughter to sit in the imperial concubine's position, but her vision is far inferior to that of Xie Moru.Perhaps, this is the reason why the daughter has been unable to ascend to the back position?
Seeing her husband's cautiousness, Mrs. Xie said, "I'd better persuade your mother."

"You don't need to persuade her deeply, just tell her what I said. She also has her own plans now. The third prince is her own son. After all, we are grandparents. After all, we are far away from each other. Deep persuasion will embarrass her. If she gets up It's not beautiful to make Mo Ru a side concubine think about it."

"How is this possible? How can you be a concubine if you are already a princess!" Mrs. Xie said, "Tell me, what is the matter with this marriage?"

Xie Shangshu was not worried at all, "The boat will naturally go straight when it reaches the bridge."

Mrs. Xie was worried and thanked Mo Ru for always running out, and said, "I have to take the time to persuade her, it's better to stay at home."

It's better to stay at home...

However, Xie Moru has been living outside, what is the reason?Is it really impossible to live at home?
Mrs. Xie continued to discuss with her husband, "Why don't you tell her to fix a place to live, so that if you are still in the city today, you will move out of the city tomorrow? I have trouble finding her."

Xie Shangshu was shocked suddenly, is that so?

Princess Ningrong's mansion.

Princess Ningrong looked lazily at the newly bloomed winter jasmine flowers in the garden. The soft spring breeze blew through the gauze curtain, bringing in a scent of green grass and trees.Cheng Li was standing behind Princess Ning Rong, and said, "Your Highness, there is something about thanking the princess, and this subordinate feels that something is wrong."

"Sir, please tell me." In the past two years, Emperor Mu Yuan hated her more and more, and she seldom entered the palace.Anyway, I don't have to worry about food and clothing in my own mansion, I don't have to deal with that idiot Empress Dowager Hu, and I have children to accompany me, so I feel at ease.

Cheng Li bowed and said, "Princess Xie has been to Wanmei Palace since the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, and lived in Tangquan Biezhuang on the day Long raised his head, and now moved to the Huayuan Bieyuan in the west of the city."

"Hasn't she been like this a long time ago? Since Mrs. Wei Guo passed away, she doesn't live in Xie's house much." Princess Ning Rong lamented, "This child really has a hard life. No matter how resentful she can be How? The dead cannot be resurrected."

Cheng Li said, "My subordinates have been paying attention to Princess Xie's whereabouts for the past two years, and I always feel that Princess Xie has moved a little more frequently."

"What's so strange about this? At the beginning, sister Ningping's property spread all over the imperial capital. When Mrs. Wei Guo got married, sister Ningping gave a lot of dowry. There must be more than a dozen farmlands in other courtyards in the hands of Princess Xie. She just changed every month. I can't live there for a year."

"Your Highness, moving is a cumbersome thing after all. Why do people have a home? It is because people desire to live in a fixed place. Moreover, as far as my subordinates know, every time Princess Xie goes to a place, he must count the items in the other courtyard. .It is not to read the list, but to check each item in person. Your Highness, I am sorry to say bluntly, Princess Xie has changed residences and counted things so often. It does not seem to be for the comfort of living, but it seems to be looking for something. " Cheng Li's words made Princess Ning Rong frown, she straightened up from the soft couch after a while, and blurted out, "Could it be!"

Princess Ningrong stopped talking abruptly, and looked at Cheng Li with cold eyes. Cheng Li knew that he was about to step back, but Princess Ningrong retorted, "Ah Li, sit down. It doesn't matter if you know, come on, I don't know if it's true or not."

Princess Ningrong sighed, "It wasn't all smooth sailing when the late emperor fought the world. The late emperor fought at the front, and my mother was in charge of raising food and grass. My mother likes to stay behind in everything. It is said that my mother built secret warehouses in various places to prepare for unexpected events. But Afterwards, the first emperor continued to invade the imperial capital, proclaiming himself emperor and founding a country, so few people mentioned this matter.”

Cheng Li has always been thoughtful, even though the words came from Princess Ningrong, he still had a different opinion and said, "But, if there is such a thing, there is no reason for the late emperor not to tell the present." The only son of the late emperor However, even if the government was entrusted to Princess Ningping back then, such important matters would definitely be told to the present.After all, when the first emperor passed away, he was already five years old, and he was a little sensible.

Princess Ningrong shook her head slowly, "You don't know my mother's temperament. The first battle of the late emperor was to attack Changping County. At that time, the late emperor stationed troops in Changning County. The two counties are not far away, separated by a river. The name of that river is also interesting. Pingning can be occupied by one word, called Pingning River. There is a bridge on the river. If you attack Changping County, you must cross this bridge. At that time, the first emperor had only five hundred soldiers under his command. The first emperor led his troops across After crossing the Pingning Bridge, my mother ordered the bridge to be demolished on the opposite side. If the late emperor could not attack Changping County, he would not have to come back. This is my mother. Even if she had a backup, I am afraid she would not have told the late emperor. "

"Before my mother passed away, everyone was expelled from the Mercy Palace, except for sister Ning Ping. If there is such a secret, the person most likely to know is sister Ning Ping."

Cheng Li still couldn't figure it out, "According to common sense, shouldn't Empress Dowager Cheng tell the late emperor? After all, the late emperor is the eldest son."

"Mother's thoughts have always been hard to guess. She said back then that sister Ning Ping insisted on ruling, and she was afraid that it would be a rare death. The first emperor swore an oath to treat Ning Ping generously. However, Ning Ping's ending was as good as the emperor's courtiers. What the mother expected." Princess Ning Rong leaned back on the hidden bag in the couch and said, "I always thought that the mother was going to leave Ning Ping behind, but until the end, Ning Ping didn't make a move. Wei Guo these years Staying behind closed doors, Wei Guo is strong and strong, just like his mother. Ning Ping usually said that life should be vigorous and death should be upright. In this life, people are most afraid of lingering. According to Wei Guo's temper, if there is no Xie Moru, I am afraid that he will die soon If Wei Guo knows something, she will not tell Xie Moru."

Princess Ningrong tapped the couch with her fingers, and the wood made a dull sound. Princess Ningrong sighed, "I used to say that Xie Moru was like Ning Ping, and I really underestimated her. There was a lot of trouble, the winter never stopped, and the food from the soup kitchen could beat many people in the face. I thought she was really suffering from the pain of her mother's death, and she had to find some bad luck. People's eyes, covering up her search. That makes sense."

Princess Ning Rong looked at Cheng Li, "I don't know if she really found it?" Ning Ping's things, I'm afraid I've searched all over today, if there is such a thing, if I haven't got it yet, then, It must be extremely hidden.So, did Xie Moru succeed?
Cheng Li said, "It's hard to get close to Princess Xie, but my subordinates think about it. According to Princess Xie's temper, if she has one, she won't hide it."

Princess Ningrong sarcastically smiled, "If you don't hide it yourself, why don't you dedicate it to the court?" The court cannot absolve the blame for Mrs. Wei's death!So what if I was sick last night?Even if he died of illness, Mrs. Wei Guo would not be able to survive!
Cheng Li shook his head, "Master Xie doesn't seem like this."

Princess Ningrong laughed, "She won't take out the stuff in the secret store by herself, will she?"

The master and the subordinate couldn't figure out Xie Moru's intention for a while, Princess Ningrong ordered Cheng Li, "Pay more attention to Xie Moru's movements."

Cheng Li complied awe-inspiringly.

(End of this chapter)