A Thousand Hills

Chapter 121

Xie Moru and the fifth prince lived a fairy life on the mountain. From time to time, they went to the temple to see the Bodhisattva, or chatted with Master Wenxiu. , "I thought that when I met a monk, I could only talk about Buddhism."

Xie Moru smiled, "Besides performing rituals and ceremonies, when have you ever seen me burn incense? I am not a Buddhist believer, let alone understand Buddhism. The master was known as a polymath when he was young. He traveled to various countries, experienced wars, and finally converted to Buddhism. The master's knowledge is no worse than the current Hanlin Academy's bachelor."

"This is natural. Master Wenxiu has an outstanding status in Buddhism," the fifth prince asked Xie Moru, "Is the master's divination as effective as the legend says?"

Xie Moru frowned, "Well, if you believe it, it will work, if you don't believe it, it won't work."

"Didn't you come to the master for divination about the return of the mission to the imperial capital?" It is true that his wife has been acquainted with Master Wenxiu for a long time.

"I didn't want to hinder my grandmother's favor, so I asked the master to do divination once, and I regretted it after thinking about it. After that, many dignitaries wanted to ask the master to do divination for them, which disturbed the master's peace." There are winter days on the mountain path The afternoon sun was shining, Xie Moru breathed white air, and said, "But I don't believe it, but I just use my status as a master to calm everyone's hearts."

The fifth prince took her hand and said in a low voice, "I just came out of Xishan Temple, so I can't be so bold as to say that I don't believe it." His daughter-in-law is really outspoken, it's rare that the master is willing to talk to her.

Seeing chickens and rabbits haunting the forest, the Fifth Prince said, "If the weather is still this good tomorrow, let's go hunting at the forest farm."

"Didn't your Highness come out from illness?"

"Father must also know that I am pretending to be sick."

"I've never hunted on horseback."

"It's very simple, I'll teach you."

Then, the teaching effect of the fifth prince was very mediocre. Xie Moru ran for a long time in the forest without even hitting a chicken feather. He made the fifth prince laugh, and while ordering his attendants to load the prey, he said to Xie Moru, "Why are you so stupid?" Ha! Hahaha!" There was another burst of laughter.

Xie Moru rolled his eyes at him, "You are the smart one, that's fine."

The smile in the fifth prince's eyes couldn't help it, and he couldn't comfort others. He just kept smiling, "I can't even shoot you right in front of you."

Xie Moru ignored him, and the fifth prince rambled about how to eat these prey when he returned home, "Bake venison and eat rabbit meat, cook soup with pheasant, and ask the chef to clean up the deer and roe deer. I will cook the yellow sheep myself." Come to bake, I will show you my barbecue skills." He continued, "It's a pity that I didn't meet a bear, otherwise the bear's paw would be delicious."

Xie Moru flicked the bowstring in his hand and said, "The bear has to hibernate."

"Yes." The fifth prince laughed again, put away the longbow and quiver from his daughter-in-law, and then remembered to comfort his daughter-in-law, "Are you angry for not hunting for anything? Don't be angry, we'll come back tomorrow. "

"Okay, enough is enough, I'll tell you that you can't make a joke the second time."

"Then let's practice riding and archery at home before we come back." The fifth prince was still riding a horse, Xie Moru said, "Let's go back by car."

The Fifth Prince said, "Riding a horse is comfortable, don't you also like riding a horse?"

Xie Moru pulled him, but the fifth prince still didn't listen, Xie Moru lowered his face and said, "Can you get in the car? Don't tell me to say it a second time!"

"Get in the car, get in the car." The fifth prince was very suspicious that his daughter-in-law was furious because she got zero eggs from hunting. When he got in the car, Xie Moru wiped his sweat and said, "I was sweating all over, and I didn't go hunting on the return trip. Riding a horse When the cold wind blows, it is easy to catch cold."

Alas, it turns out that my daughter-in-law is concerned about me.Enjoying the care of his wife, the fifth prince said, "Well, I will listen to you from now on."

The fifth prince had a lot of prey, Xie Moru ordered to pack some up and ordered his servants to send some to Jiang Xingyun, Su Buyu, Li Qiao, Li Xuan, and the Xie family on the second day, and to Zhang who stayed behind in the mansion. Chang Shi and Nanny Zhou and Nanny Zhang, both Nanny Zhou and Nanny Zhang are old, and in winter, Xie Moru didn't want them to move, so he ordered them to stay in the mansion.

Xie Moru sat on the warm couch, took a sip of hot tea, and asked the fifth prince, "Do you want some for Mr. Chu?" The one who bribed the imperial examination.

"No need." The fifth prince washed his face, changed into a homely azure silk cotton robe, and said, "I remember Master Lin's birthday is approaching, so prepare some pens, ink, paper and inkstone for him." Master Lin is Hanlin A bachelor, who works as an errand in the upper study, and has taught the fifth prince's knowledge.

Xie Moru responded naturally, and said, "I have already prepared it in the mansion, and I have given it to Mother Zhou, and she will send someone to deliver it when it is time."

The fifth prince sighed, this is the benefit of marrying a daughter-in-law, basically you don't have to worry about anything at home.For a while, the gazelle was packed outside, and the fifth prince called his wife to watch him show off his skills of roasting sheep.

The two stayed until the arrival of a heavy snowfall in the imperial capital. The fifth prince and Xie Moru wrapped up their cloaks and went outside to enjoy the plum blossoms. The red plums were in full bloom in the heavy snow, just like a burning flame in the snowy day. The fifth prince praised , "The strange way is called Wanmei Palace, it's so magnificent."

"Yeah, I also felt in the first year that the scenery of Wanmei Palace is really good."

The two wandered in the plum forest for a long time, until the snow became tighter, and the maid Wisteria persuaded, "Although the princess is in good health, the mountain is cold. Besides, the snow has only just fallen. Look at this day, it will always be cold." Some snow, when the snow stops, the scenery will be even better." The two went back to the other palace.

Xie Moru smiled, "Princess's plum feast will probably be held soon."

The eldest princess’s plum appreciation feast was not held this year, and the quarrel between the court and the central government was so great that the roof of the Zhaode Hall would be overturned. The eldest princess Wenkang’s status was so detached, she was also very annoyed, she didn’t even bother to enter the palace now , as soon as she entered the palace, her mother murmured to her about the establishment of the prince, what, "Your brother, too, settled the matter quickly, and everything is fine." What else is "I think the second child is very good ,what do you say?"

Princess Wenkang simply didn't enter the palace or have a banquet.

This news was brought by Su Buyu and brothers Li Qiao and Li Xuan when they went up the mountain. Su Buyu first thanked Xie Moru for giving him the game, and smiled, "Everyone likes it at home, you know it, and now I don't write anything. Book, people are also poor, so they don’t return gifts.”

Xie Moru laughed, "I'm used to saying these weird things."

Su Buyu and Li Qiao are both Xie Moru's friends, and after Xie Moru got married, they didn't stop communicating with each other.Although the fifth prince liked to put on a neat appearance, he also wanted to get close to a few people, and said, "It's a pity that you keep your pen closed without saying a word. Elder sister Changtai of Yongfu likes to read the notebook you wrote the most."

Su Buyu asked Li Xuan, "Didn't I hear you say that?" Li Xuan's wife was Princess Changtai.

Li Xuan put down the teacup and said solemnly, "After seeing you personally, Your Highness swore to read the script in the future, and never see the person who wrote the script again."

Su Buyu laughed loudly, "My family also said the same."

Everyone laughed.

Li Xuan is familiar with the Fifth Prince, Li Xuandao, "I heard that His Highness hides on the mountain, so it is not easy to disturb him. Last time, His Highness sent someone to send things. I thought that it would be no problem for an acquaintance to go up the mountain. I have only heard of the plum blossoms in Wanmei Palace before, but yesterday's snow was really good, so we made an appointment to come together when we were having a drink together."

The fifth prince smiled, "It's just in time. We are much more interesting in the mountains than in the city. You have seen the plum blossoms outside. These flowers seem to have spirituality, and they bloom only in response to snow. Let's go and have a look."

Several people said they were going to enjoy the flowers, and the fifth prince specially called Xie Moru, "They are not outsiders, let's go together." The fifth prince felt that Li Qiao was silent and took extra care of him.

Looking at the plum blossoms in Wanmei Palace, the fifth prince said, "I haven't received a post about plum feast from Aunt Wenkang this year." The post should have arrived by other time.

Li Xuandao, "This winter is busy, and my mother didn't hold a plum feast."

The fifth prince said, "It's not clear yet."

Su Bu talked the most, contrary to his name, he waved his hands and said, "It's early. I think those adults are also strange, as if there is nothing else to do except to establish a prince. Your Highness should live on the mountain. At least it's quiet."

Xie Moru said, "Prime Minister Su is the head of the cabinet, so there is no way to appease him?"

"Look at what you said, my father, the chief assistant, is very prestigious, but the seven members of the cabinet are so selfish, and they are arguing for the establishment of the crown prince like a child, what can we do." Su Buyu spread his hands, quite helpless.

Xie Moru smiled slightly, "I'm afraid we can't blame Su Xiang."

"Mo Ru sister, you are a sensible person."

All three of them had errands in the court and couldn't stay for long. After lunch, they took a break and left. Xie Moru ordered someone to break off a plum blossom more than one meter high and give it to Li Qiao. Su Buyu was suddenly dissatisfied, "Why is there only A Qiao Yes, it’s too fair to favor one another.”

Li Qiao said, "It's for Mr. Beiling."

Su Buyu immediately fell silent.

The fifth prince laughed straight, and sent the three of them out together with Xie Moru, Su Buyu even said that there was no need to send them off, Xie Moru said, "I'm not sending you, but Li Shizi."

Su smiled quietly, "I am a good old man who is always bullied."

After seeing off the guests, the fifth prince couldn't help but said to Xie Moru, "I heard that Su Buyu and Mr. Li are both gods and gods in every movement and stillness."

"Su Buyu is just a talker."

The Fifth Prince asked, "How did you meet Su Buyu?"

"The second uncle knew each other without saying a word, and we knew each other. No words said that I am related to his ancestors."

"Your family is still related to the ancestors of the Su family?"

"The surname of the great-grandmother of the Buyu family is Cheng, and she was originally a cousin of the Empress Shizu. In this way, he and I are considered distant relatives."

"That's it." The fifth prince quickly sensed something was wrong, and said, "But at the beginning, Mrs. Cheng only had one son, and Su Buyu and the others were obviously descended from concubines. In terms of blood relationship, you have nothing to do with each other."

"Whether the aunt and the concubine have to recognize the aunt as the mother, Su Buyu and the others are the concubines, and when it comes to their great-grandmother, they have to be called Mrs. Cheng, and they can't be called some old aunt." Xie Moru is a perceptive person, Asked, "Mother's concubine is also surnamed Su, could it be that there is some connection with Su Xiang's branch?"

Speaking of this, the fifth prince touched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment, and said, "It's not far away. I will know some old things about the Su family. Most of them were told by my concubine mother. Speaking of which, the concubine mother is the direct descendant of the Su family. It's just that there are only a few people here, and her grandfather and grandmother passed away very early, so she is the only one left. Although there are still people in the Su family, it was said that Mrs. Cheng was very tough and had an average affection for the concubine. , the two lineages of the concubine and concubine are not close. Therefore, my concubine mother was taken to Princess Ningping's mansion when she was a child, and she did not stay with the Su family. Afterwards, she had no contact with the Su family. distant relative."

Xie Moru was hearing this old story for the first time, and laughed, "If you say that, you still want to call me Moru's sister."

The fifth prince said, "We're already husband and wife, what about sister and brother?"

Xie Moru smiled and asked, "It's the first time you saw me, why didn't you tell me?"

The Fifth Prince said, "It's the first time we meet and we're not familiar with each other, so how can we take the liberty of stepping forward to recognize relatives?"

"Su Buyu and I recognized each other the first time we met."

Speaking of Su Buyu, the fifth prince said, "It's strange for you to say Su Buyu. Everyone says that Prime Minister Su is the most silent man, and he can't speak ten words a day. How can he give birth to a talkative son?" I forgot At first, he praised Su Buyu as a god.

"I heard that Mrs. Su hated Prime Minister Su for being too talkative, so she gave my sons Su Yan, Su Yu, and Su Yun respectively. As a result, the eldest son and the second son are both taciturn, and only Su Buyu grows up to be talkative. , in response to the word 'cloud', Su Bu can speak well when he doesn't speak a lot. Su Xiang feels that he talks a lot, and he is afraid that he will be unsteady in the future, so he chooses words for him. It's just obvious that Su Xiang's words are not as effective as Mrs. Su's. " When Xie Moru said this allusion, the Fifth Prince couldn't help laughing out loud, it was the first time he heard this story, and he found it quite interesting.

When there was another two or three light snowfalls in the mountains, at the end of October, the steward of the palace went up to the mountain to deliver some food and clothing and reported back to the prepared porridge shed. Xie Moru ordered him to prepare as last year. The fifth prince said, "We are here There is nothing to do on the mountain, so why don’t you change into ordinary people’s clothes and go over to have a look. We gave porridge last year, and the yamen was always busy, so I didn’t go to see it.”

"Alright."

After what happened last year, the fifth prince ordered the guards to strengthen the security, and don't do bad things with good intentions.Because he didn't want to go back to the city for the time being, it's not the Fifth Prince's temperament to spend time in the palace all the time, so he simply went to arrange the porridge every day, leaving early and returning late, which was quite attentive.I often tell Xie Moru some interesting stories about the porridge shed, "It is true that those days were difficult, and some were not so difficult. I also saw a pair of grandparents and grandchildren who came to the city to attend the temple fair and ate porridge in line. I’m going to visit the temple fair.”

Xie Moru smiled, "Let them go, those who are really well-off will not come, needless to say those who are poor, some of them probably want to save their family's grain and rice so that they can have a prosperous New Year, so come here to get some free porridge and rice .”

"That's right." The Fifth Prince has always been lenient, and it was just a new talk with Xie Moru. The two discussed it and would return to the imperial capital before the concubine's mother's birthday.However, before Concubine Su's birthday came, Eunuch Yu arrived first and summoned the five princes back to the imperial capital.

The fifth prince also asked Yu Gonggong, "How is the father?"

Eunuch Yu smiled, "Your Majesty, everything is well, but I miss His Highness the Fifth Highness and the Concubine Wang."

Xie Moru rewarded Eunuch Yu with some playthings, and Eunuch Yu was a little apprehensive when he saw Xie Moru. People who were used to taking care of things in the past actually felt a little bit prickly at this time. He thanked him again, saluted, and ordered him to die behind him. The young eunuch put away the game device, and privately reminded the couple, "Your Majesty has ordered the cabinet to discuss the establishment of the East Palace."

The fifth prince nodded slightly, and said, "Eunuch Lao reminds me."

On the way back, the fifth prince whispered to Xie Moru in the car, "It's probably the second brother."

Xie Moru agrees with the fifth prince's conjecture, but if the second prince got the reserve position in this muddy pool, it is not a smart way.

(End of this chapter)