Chapter 134: 134 Grandfather

Chapter 134: 134 Grandfather

Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Grandfather

Tang Yuchu ate the bowl of fragrant and sour cold noodles again, and the words Su Mubai said rang in his ears.

In fact, they also think that Miss Chu Er is good, better than so many noble girls in the capital, but marriage matters must still be decided by the prince himself.

He finished the bowl of cold noodles in a few mouthfuls, drank water and rinsed his mouth, now he was completely full.

"Prince Qin, can you find the prince?" Tang Yuchu asked again, but he already vaguely had the answer in his heart.

Qin Yao touched his chin again, looked at the Helan Desert on the map again, put away the playful smile on his lips, and said seriously: "It's difficult."

After a pause, he explained: "If you want to find Ninth Brother, you will have to send out a lot of people and search in several directions. But with such a big fanfare and mobilizing troops, I'm afraid it will alert the enemy."

They originally planned to fight quickly and finish off the Lin people within ten days. Once the news leaks out and the people of Lin State are on guard, they can also be broken into pieces, which will inevitably put the people on the border into a dangerous situation and will inevitably increase the casualties of the soldiers.

On the battlefield, the most taboo thing is to leak military information.

A small mistake may cost hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of lives.

Both Qin Yao and Tang Yuchu knew this most clearly.

Tang Yuchu: "..."

Tang Yuchu was silent, feeling that he was hungry again, so he asked Yuan Bao first: "Are there any pastries?"

Yuanbao: "..."

Yuan Bao felt that Colonel Tang was simply reincarnated as a starving ghost, so he replied "yes" and went down to get pastries.

Tang Yuchu broke the jar and asked: "Prince Qin, what should we do?"

He also had a big head, and he thought to himself: Xue Feng should be the one to play, then he is not the one who has the headache!

Qin Yao spread his hands, but he didn't know.

The two looked at each other.

After a while, Yuan Bao came back holding a fragrant and hot millet cake with frosting, breaking the silence here.

Qin Yao also pinched a piece of millet cake to eat and said: "Brother Ninth and I have calculated that this battle will be over in nine or ten days at the earliest. Let's wait until Brother Ninth comes back."

Nine or ten days…

Tang Yuchu calculated silently. In other words, it would take about a day or two for the prince to return here, and then it would be too late for them to rush back to the capital.

Tang Yuchu ate millet cakes like he was venting his anger, and sighed again in his heart: The cooks here are really good at their craftsmanship.

Qin Yao smiled heartlessly, "Old Tang, have you not slept for several days?"

"You can just stay here with peace of mind, and the boat will go straight to the bridge!"

"It's not a bad thing anyway, is it?"

Qin Yao happily ate the cakes and thought wildly: It was like those story books he had read in the capital. If it was a bad thing, he would have to change his fate against the will of God and shout, "My fate is up to me and not up to God." "Yunyun.

But now this is a good thing and a happy event.

According to him, they should just comply with destiny... In fact, it's really good for that girl to marry Ninth Brother.

Tang Yuchu felt that what Qin Yao said was reasonable, and nodded subconsciously.

Yuan Bao interrupted: "Colonel Tang, your camp has been prepared."

Tang Yuchu felt that the bed seemed to be waving to him, and he struggled for a while. He still felt that they could not make the decision for the prince, so he changed his mind and said, "I still have to look for it."

"Since you can't make a big show of it, let's look for it secretly."

Qin Yao was also afraid that Tang Yuchu would die of exhaustion in the northwest, so he said, "I'll send some people to help you find it."

So, after burning a stick of incense, Tang Yuchu took five Nanyang Army officers in disguise and set out on the road lightly dressed.

They hoped to catch up with Gu Jue before he and his army entered the Helan Gobi. However, by the time he reached the Helan Gobi, it would already be the moonlight and the willows above the willows.

The Gobi desert at night was desolate and silent, and the cold wind was howling, as if it had suddenly entered cold autumn.

Looking at the endless Gobi desert, Tang Yuchu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on him. He finally understood why Qin Yao said "difficult". With just a few of them trying to find the prince here would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Tang Yuchu searched for three days in the Gobi, and finally gave up and returned to the Nanyang Army Camp.

He had a feeling in his heart: Their prince might really want to marry the princess!

Chu Qianchen naturally knew nothing about all this.

It was not even the beginning of the morning, but she had already stood up and was looking at the big pills she had just made in the middle of the night yesterday.

After drying for half a night, this large pill was completely finished.

She used so many medicinal materials, but in the end she only made ten brown pills the size of fingertips.

Chu Qianchen carefully put the pills into a small pastel porcelain bottle with silver tweezers.

In the early morning light, this small porcelain bottle shone like a bright pearl.

Chu Qianchen rubbed the small porcelain bottle with her fingertips with the corners of her lips curved, planning in her heart: when the prince returns to Beijing, he will take this big pill, and after a period of careful recuperation, she can operate on him to remove the hidden dangers in his chest. Taken out.

Chu Qianchen carefully locked it into the secret compartment of the drawer. Counting the days, Xue Fengyan and the others would soon get news about the prince.

Outside the small study room, a respectful and stiff female voice sounded: "Girl."

"Come in." Chu Qianchen stretched slowly and said in a lazy tone.

The door curtain was opened, and a thin palace maid in her thirties came in with a low eyebrow. It was Lan Ruo who was "rewarded" to Chu Qianchen by the Queen Mother Yin.

Lan Ruo also saw Chu Qianchen stretching, and silently averted her eyes, pretending not to notice, and asked for permission: "Girl, are you going to the main courtyard?"

Seeing Lan Ruo's respectful look, which was completely different from the day she first came to the Hou Mansion, Hu Bo felt a sigh of relief in her heart: This Aunt Lan Ruo is obviously much more knowledgeable than Aunt Yan, and she has suffered less than her.

"Let's go." Chu Qianchen stroked his sleeves and walked out casually.

Amber followed first, and Lan Ruo followed behind Amber knowingly, knowing her position in Wanyan Courtyard.

Shen had already spared Chu Qianchen from having to make morning and dusk inspections. The reason why Chu Qianchen got up so early today was to follow Shen to the Duke Mu's Mansion.

Lan Ruo also had to accompany her, but she knew her position, and Chu Qianchen took her out just to show the queen.

Therefore, when she entered the main courtyard, she waited on the porch in a sensible manner;

After the masters got on the carriage, she did not dare to enter the carriage and sit with them;

When she arrived at Duke Mu's residence, she was too smart to follow Mrs. Mu. She obediently waited beside the carriage of the Duke's residence with the accompanying women and maids, watching as Mrs. Shen and Chu Qianchen came in. Go to the hospital.

Her eyes fell on the golden bead inlaid with rubies on Chu Qianchen's temple, and her eyes flickered.

She can be sure that before Chu Qianchen entered the main courtyard to see Mrs. Shen this morning, she did not have this pearl flower on her head. It was obvious who gave her the inner pearl flower.

Mrs. Hou treated this concubine better than her legitimate daughter.

Soon, the figures of Shen and Chu Qianchen disappeared behind the screen wall, and Lan Ruo withdrew her gaze. Her waist was still straight, and her whole body exuded an aura of keeping strangers away.

Shen and Chu Qianchen came to the main courtyard under the guidance of a stewardess.

Mrs. Mu Guogong had been waiting for them in the second room for a long time. She was sitting on a rosewood bed with ten thousand characters and a head, looking energetic and smiling.

She stared unblinkingly at Chu Qian behind Shen, her eyes seemed to be fixed on her, without moving at all for a long time.

Shen, who was always keen, noticed that her mother was looking at Chu Qianchen in a trance, her steps slowed down, and she walked forward as if nothing had happened.

"Mother," Mrs. Shen walked up to Mrs. Mu Guogong and said, "You still remember Sister Chen, right?"

Chu Qianchen also bowed his head and resigned.

"Remember, remember." Mrs. Mu Guogong immediately helped Chu Qianchen up, took off a bracelet and put it on her, "I didn't give you a meeting gift last time."

Chu Qianchen thanked her generously, neither humble nor overbearing.

Mrs. Mu Guogong looked at Chu Qianchen's eyes, and praised with a smile: "This jade bracelet is much better for you little girls to wear every day."

As she spoke, the smile on her face deepened and she said to Shen: "Looking at these juniors, I feel that I am several years younger."

"Yes." Mrs. Shen agreed jokingly, "Sister Chen is good at everything, but she is dressed too plainly."

Mrs. Mu Guogong was convinced. She waved to the old woman and told her to get her jewelry box.

Mrs. Mu Guogong asked Shen and Chu Qianchen to sit down, and sighed with a little regret: "Azhi, Sister Chen is so well-behaved and beautiful, how come I have never seen her before."

Mrs. Mu Guogong also went to the Marquis Mansion to see her daughter, and her daughter would also call the concubines to pay her respects. After all, according to etiquette, these concubines under Shen's knees were also the granddaughters of the Duke's wife.

However, before the Wanshou Banquet, Mrs. Mu Guogong had never met Chu Qianchen.

Mrs. Shen said calmly: "Her aunt was not in good health in the past. She caught wind and cold from time to time. Sister Chen is a good girl. She often brings her tea and medicine."

Shen's words sound okay at first, but anyone with a brain can pick up on the clues.

Aunt Jiang is just an aunt. Even though she is in really bad health, she still has a maid to take care of her when serving tea and making medicine. Besides, it is just a minor illness such as a cold and a cough. There is no need for the girl from the Hou Mansion to go and provide her with an aunt at the bedside.

Mrs. Mu Guogong's eyes flashed faintly, and she smiled and said: "I do know someone who is good at treating colds. I will write to you later."

Chu Qianchen looked stunned.

It had only been a few months, and she had almost forgotten that she and her aunt were not close in the past.

In her memory, Aunt Jiang kept telling her over and over again that her aunt did not like her:

"Hey, your father and I have been childhood sweethearts since childhood, and our relationship is no better than others. Madam has always had a thorn in her heart..."

"Later, I got pregnant half a month earlier than Madam, so Madam became even more displeased with me... She also made you angry."

"You should stay away from Madam."

"Madam doesn't like you. I always remember that when she was one month old, I carried you to her. She looked at you as if you were looking at dust, with disgust."

"Sister Chen, you were reborn in my belly because of your bad fate. Don't blame Madam for not liking you..."

“…”

However, in the past few months, she has eyes and a heart, and she can see and feel.

Her aunt treated her almost the same as Chu Qianhuang. It was not like what Aunt Jiang kept saying. Aunt Jiang said that her aunt was jealous of her father's favor, but Chu Qianchen could see clearly that her aunt was as indifferent to her father as water, and she couldn't even say she was in love with him. .

Thinking about it this way, Aunt Jiang seemed to have the intention not to let her get close to her aunt...

At this moment, Chu Qianchen heard Mrs. Mu Guogong call out: "Sister Chen, come here and see what you like?"

The old grandma has already brought over a jewelry box. The box is filled with all kinds of gold, silver and jade ornaments, which are very precious. Mrs. Shen said: "Mom, let me choose. Let her choose. Maybe she will only choose some old-fashioned jewelry. At a young age, she likes to wear dull and plain tones all day long. She even has a cat. A fierce-looking black cat, how cute would a white Persian cat or a lion cat be?”

Chu Qianchen: "..."

Her Yueying was obviously very cute, but she was still young, so she was afraid of strangers, and she once gave her aunt a few fierce blows.

In short, there is obviously no room for Chu Qianchen to speak here.

Mother Shen and Mrs. Mu Guogong, mother and daughter, picked up the jewelry with great interest.

Chu Qianchen thought about what Shen had said last time that Mrs. Mu Guogong was often dizzy. He carefully observed her complexion and felt a little strange: Seeing Mrs. Mu Guogong's rosy complexion and bright eyes, it meant that she had sufficient energy and blood. She was full of energy and looked very healthy, not like she was suffering from a headache. Could it be that he has found a famous doctor?

"Ah Zhi, I think this necklace is good!" Mrs. Mu Guogong picked a gold necklace with eight treasures embedded in it from the box and looked at Chu Qianchen. Their eyes met each other in mid-air.

Chu Qianchen smiled slightly and sat there quietly, her slim figure upright without appearing restrained. The elegance emanating from her bones seemed to be engraved in her bones.

This girl is truly outstanding! Mrs. Mu Guogong secretly praised it.

Although Shen didn't say it directly just now, she also heard that Chu Qianchen was raised by her aunt since she was a child. But looking at her, she does have a good appearance and good demeanor, and she is completely different from that Aunt Jiang.

A hint of complexity and entanglement flashed across Mrs. Mu Guogong's eyes, and then she became calm again.

Mrs. Mu Guogong and Mrs. Shen chose another pair of earrings and a jade pendant for Chu Qianchen. All of these jewelry were worn on Chu Qianchen.

Aunt Chen and the old nanny complimented the mother and daughter in a playful manner, and also praised Chu Qianchen.

In the lively atmosphere, Mrs. Mu Guogong smiled so much that there were more smile lines on her face, and asked lovingly: "Sister Chen, what do you usually like to do?"

Because Mrs. Mu Guogong was the biological mother of the Shen family, Chu Qianchen was somewhat in love with the family, so he looked sincere and respectful, and his answers were not perfunctory at all.

"I usually like to play chess and read books." After a pause, she added obediently, "I also play with Brother Mu. Brother Mu originally wanted to come today, but he had to go to school and asked me to come with him. Say hello."

Speaking of her grandson, Mrs. Mu Guogong was in a happier mood. When she asked about Chu Yunmu, Chu Qianchen answered all questions and even said a few good words for her family Yueying in the name of Chu Yunmu without leaving any trace. .

Mrs. Shen heard it and couldn't help laughing. She just said casually that this girl was really interested in her. She had the same temperament as her fourth brother and was very protective of his shortcomings.

The three of them were chatting and laughing until someone came to report that the eldest girl was here.

Miss Shen, Shen Congzhen, was in her prime. She was petite, half a head shorter than Chu Qianchen, with round cheeks and a pair of bright almond eyes, making her look approachable.

"Grandma, eldest aunt." Miss Shen blessed her gracefully, saluted her elders, and then met Chu Qianchen as well.

Mrs. Mu Guogong smiled lovingly at Miss Shen and said, "It's rare for your cousin Chen to come to the house to play, so you take her to play in the garden. They are both cousins. We have never seen each other before. You can move around more in the future and don't see anyone outside." ”

Shen Congzhen responded with a smile, looking at Chu Qianchen with somewhat curious eyes.

Firstly, she had never met this cousin of the Chu family; secondly, the emperor's marriage grant had been widely spread recently, and there were all kinds of rumors about Chu Qianchen in the capital. She was also curious about what the future Princess Chen would look like. Sample.

Not only her, the sisters at home all came to tell her about this yesterday, asking her to remember it clearly and tell them later.

"Cousin Chen, there is a lotus pond in my garden. I see there are lotuses embroidered on your purse. You also like lotus flowers, right?" Miss Shen led Chu Qianchen out.

"I like it." Chu Qianchen smiled and found a hint of Chu Yunmu on Miss Shen's face, with a friendly smile.

She was good-looking, and her smile was even more charming. She was so bright that it made Miss Shen suffocate slightly and feel like she was dazzled.

Chu Qianchen and Miss Shen walked away while talking and laughing.

The door curtain leading to the main room swayed slightly, making a rustling sound. After a moment, it calmed down and hung motionless.

After confirming that the two little girls outside were out of the house, Ms. Shen asked seriously: "Mom, what do you want to say to me?"

Shen could tell that her mother sent Chu Qianchen away on purpose. She obviously had something to tell her.

"..." Mrs. Mu Guogong suddenly felt like she didn't know where to start.

Mrs. Shen guessed that her mother was going to have a long conversation, so she simply asked the old nanny to bring the tea set over.

Anyway, it was still early, so she was not in a hurry, and made tea for Mrs. Mu Guogong herself. Her movements were smooth and deft, her expression was calm, elegant and calm.

After a while, the aroma of tea overflowed with the heat, filling the room with fragrance.

Mrs. Mu Guogong quietly watched Shen making tea gracefully, her eyes dazed for a moment.

For a moment, her daughter's appearance in her boudoir many years ago appeared before her eyes, as if it was yesterday.

Mrs. Mu Guogong was lost in thought again until Mrs. Shen brought the tea cup to her.

Mrs. Shen continued to make herself a cup of tea.

Mrs. Mu Guogong picked up the white porcelain embossed tea cup, put it under her nose and smelled the fragrance of the tea.

The bright orange tea soup exudes a fragrant fragrance, with a hint of orchid.

Mrs. Mu Guogong took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "This is the big red robe that came from Nanhao a few days ago."

Mr. Shen also took a sip and praised: "It's sweet, mellow and smooth in the mouth."

Mrs. Mu Guogong took a few more sips of hot tea and then asked calmly: "How are you doing in your house recently?"

She looked calm, neither happy nor angry, and seemed to be asking casually.

Mrs. Shen put down the tea cup and briefly mentioned the affairs of the Hou Mansion: "Chu Lingxiao has been at home recently. I'm afraid his foot will never be able to do without a cane in his life."

After Chu Lingxiao was scolded by the emperor's cane last time, he not only injured his hip, but also injured his foot. Later, he also developed a high fever. The Hou Mansion invited several doctors from Beijing who were good at surgery and orthopedics to examine his injuries. The doctors all said that Chu Lingxiao's leg was hopeless.

Now Chu Lingxiao loses his temper at home every day, throws things, and makes endless noises.

Anyway, there are enough things in the Hou Mansion, so they are not afraid of him falling. He has Aunt Jiang waiting over there, so Shen doesn't bother to care.

Mrs. Mu Guogong pondered for a moment and said seriously: "Azhi, my son-in-law's leg is injured like this, I'm afraid he won't be able to do errands. According to my wishes and that of your father, it would be best for the Hou Mansion to invite the crown prince as soon as possible."

Shen also agrees with this. Chu Yunmu is already six years old, and another family should have established a heir apparent long ago.

Seeing that Mrs. Mu Guogong's tea cup was mostly empty, Shen moved again and started making her second cup of tea. She lowered her eyes, her eyes twinkling.

She also knew that Chu Lingxiao had never wanted to ask Chu Yunmu to be the crown prince, but now it was up to him whether he wanted to or not.

Mrs. Mu Guogong could also see that her daughter didn't want to mention Chu Lingxiao, so she sighed secretly in her heart and asked in a different tone: "How is Sister Chen's marriage going?"

As long as Chu Lingxiao was not mentioned, Shen's conversation immediately became more interesting. She put down the teapot and sighed: "A few days ago, Princess Li came to make a small commitment for His Highness Prince Chen. The marriage is finally settled."

"Hey, it's not easy for Sister Chen. She was forced into this marriage. Now her grandmother and father are angry with her, but she still acts like a fine person. She should eat and drink every day. Have fun."

"I think if I were her age, I wouldn't be able to do what she does!"

"This kid is so heart-wrenching!"

Speaking of Chu Qianchen, Mrs. Shen looked distressed.

But Mrs. Mu Guogong's heart aches for her own daughter: how easy is it for her Azhi!

Back then, when Azhi had just married into the Yongding Hou Mansion, she had just grown hair. A person of such a young age had to face such a large family in the Hou Mansion, as well as Chu Lingxiao's favored concubine, Aunt Jiang...

But Ah Zhi didn't feel sorry for herself, and she never blamed them.

Mrs. Mu Guogong had a thought in her mind: Chu Qianchen's character was indeed a bit like her Azhi.

She picked up a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her mouth quietly.

"Mother," Shen's right hand crossed the table and gently pulled the sleeve of Mrs. Mu Guogong, "Sister Chen just called your grandmother, you have to add makeup to her."

There was a hint of coquettishness in her tone.

A slight smile, half pampering and half teasing.

Mrs. Mu Guogong had not seen her daughter talking to her in this tone for a long time since her daughter got married. This reminded her of the past, and she vaguely seemed to see Shen Zhi again when she was fifteen years old.

Mrs. Mu Guogong's heart softened and her mood improved. She smiled smoothly and said, "You are so kind to Sister Chen, but what about Sister Huang?"

Part of her intention was to joke, and the other part was to remind Mrs. Shen not to be partial. No matter how good Chu Qianchen was, Chu Qianhuang was the daughter she gave birth to in ten months of pregnancy. As a mother, two bowls of water should be balanced. Yes, we can’t let our daughter have unnecessary grudges.

Speaking of Chu Qianhuang, Shen's smile faded slightly, and she felt weak all over.

She also wanted to teach Chu Qianhuang well, but Chu Qianhuang had grown up, had his own opinions, and learned to obey the rules and subvert the rules. He was no longer the obedient girl she remembered...

Seeing Shen's strange expression, Mrs. Mu Guogong looked solemn and asked, "Azhi, what's going on between you and Sister Huang?"

Shen didn't say much else, but just briefly talked about picking up the princess to read with her. Mrs. Mu Guogong's expression became serious as she listened.

The matter of accompanying the princess to the reading was a trivial matter, but Chu Qianhuang did not hesitate to go against the Shen family for the matter of accompanying the reading, and even secretly exerted force on the third princess and the queen. This was a bit inappropriate.

Mrs. Shen rubbed her brows and said a little tiredly: "I plan to resign to the Queen as the Princess's companion, and then send her to Shangde Academy."

Shangde Academy is a women's academy in northern Hebei, only fifty miles away from the capital. Shang De College has strict rules. Female students board in the college all year round. Students are only allowed to go home to visit relatives during the holidays.

Although the academy does not treat students harshly, life in the academy is definitely much harder than at home, and each female student is only allowed to bring one maid to accompany her to study. Noble families in the capital rarely send their daughters to Shangde Academy.

Mrs. Mu Guogong heard her daughter's determination, sighed, nodded and said, "That's fine."

Shen was a little surprised when she heard this. She originally thought that her mother would be reluctant and would advise her not to be too harsh on Chu Qianhuang.

Thinking about it again, she felt that she had thought too much.

The sisters like them were also strictly disciplined by their grandmother and mother when they were young. Regardless of their age, if the sisters made a mistake, they would be punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall and copying the clan rules, "Female Commandments", etc.

As the eldest sister, she has to be a role model for the younger sisters, and her mother is even more strict in her upbringing.

Mrs. Mu Guogong took another sip of Dahongpao and breathed out, "I see that Sister Huang was not a stubborn child before. She understood everything at once. Maybe something happened and she got distracted for a moment."

"As this girl's family grows up, she will inevitably have her own worries and won't talk to her elders about everything. Weren't you like this before?"

Shen was silent: "..."

She also knew that she was unfilial. Even though her mother was old, she still had to worry about her affairs all these years.

Mrs. Mu Guogong was still talking: "You also suffered a lot when you gave birth to Sister Huang... Hey, you kept hiding it from me back then. If Awan hadn't let it slip, I might still be in the dark now. In the drum.”

Fourteen years ago, the last patriarch of the Chu family, the eldest cousin of the old Marquis, died of a sudden illness. For this reason, Chu Lingxiao and his whole family rushed to his hometown in Yuzhou for the funeral. At that time, Mrs. Shen's belly was already nearly eight months old. It’s been months.

Perhaps because of the hurry and slow pace along the way, she had fetal motility. That day, when they were staying at a temple, she suddenly started to move.

(End of chapter)