Chapter 139: 139 wedding date

Chapter 139: 139 wedding date

Chapter 139 139 Wedding date

"elder sister."

Seeing that there was no one else around, Gu Zhiyan ran over from behind the nanny holding her skirt, grabbed the hem of Chu Qianchen's skirt, and became her little tail.

It had only been a short night, and the wet nurse was already used to it.

When Chu Yunmu saw this, he immediately felt like he had lost.

He was not convinced anymore and rushed over. His little steamed hand held the other side of Chu Qianchen's skirt, while the other hand pressed his nose and made a face at Gu Zhiyan.

The two children stood beside Chu Qianchen like golden boys and girls.

Chu Yunmu was afraid of falling behind again, so he rushed to say: "Chu Qianchen, let's go play!"

Chu Qianchen came to his senses, handed the marriage certificate to Hu Hu, looked down, and asked, "What do you want to play?"

Chu Yunmu thought for a while and immediately said: "Hide and seek."

Chu Qianchen rubbed the top of Gu Zhiyan's hair again and asked her softly: "Qiniang, what do you want to play?"

"..." Gu Zhiyan didn't speak at first, and Chu Qianchen didn't rush her. He just looked at her silently, showing her a gentle smile with a slight dimple on his lips.

Gu Zhiyan clutched the train of Chu Qianchen's skirt, and after a while, she said in a low voice: "Bamboo dragonfly."

Her voice was very soft, as light as a mosquito's moan, and her expression was timid, as fragile as a ball of cotton.

The wet nurse, who thought she was already used to it, was shocked again. The county lord has not spoken to anyone like this for a long time.

Chu Qianchen turned to look at Chu Yunmu on the other side, "Brother Mu, how about we play with bamboo dragonflies?"

Of course, Chu Yunmu wanted to play hide-and-seek more, but thinking that he was a boy and had to let the little girl do it, he nodded in agreement: "Okay."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly had an idea and suggested, "Chu Qianchen, can we take Yueying to play with bamboo dragonflies?"

Yueying is usually so happy to see a bird flying in the sky. It must like to play with bamboo dragonflies.

"Yueyue!" Gu Zhiyan became even more happy and clapped happily.

What month? Chu Yunmu was stunned for a moment before he realized that she was talking about the little black cat, and corrected him: "It's Yueying."

Chu Qianchen resigned to Shen and took them to play with each other.

Just listen to the two children talking to each other:

"Yueyue."

"Moonshadow."

After all the business was done, Shen didn't stay in the main hall any longer and left together with Grandma Chen.

As she walked, she looked at the two children in front of her, and said casually: "These children really like Sister Chen!"

Grandma Chen walked beside Mr. Shen, covering her mouth and laughing, and said jokingly: "Not to mention the fourth young master and the county master, I also like the second girl."

Grandma Chen said this from the bottom of her heart. In this prince's mansion, there are not many reliable people, and there are not many people that their wife and the fourth young master can trust. The second girl is one, even more...

Grandma Chen's eyes flashed and she felt sad.

In the Hou Mansion, the trees are shaded and the greenery is thick. In the sunlight, mottled light and shadow are formed, which are projected on Nanny Chen's face, making her look a little complicated.

Mrs. Shen was immersed in her own thoughts and didn't notice Chen Momo's strange behavior. She sighed with emotion: "Sister Chen is still a child herself. Who of other people's children start preparing for marriage when they have grown up? Wait for Sanshu After the six rites are over, you don’t get married until you are sixteen or seventeen years old.”

These aristocratic families usually start dating girls when they are thirteen or fourteen years old, and then formally engage them when they are pregnant. After that, the three letters and six rituals will also take a year, and by the time of the wedding, The girl is about the same age, and her body is fully developed when she is seventeen or eighteen, making her suitable for pregnancy and childbirth.

Originally, Chu Qianchen should be like this.

After all, the Chu family is not one of those poor families who sell their daughters. In order to exchange for a bride price, they can't wait to marry off a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl so that they can save money for a wife for their brothers and sisters.

There was a hint of sadness on Shen's face.

Chu Qianchen will get married soon, and Chu Yunmu is reluctant to let go. Yesterday, he would hold her hand sadly and ask her:

Mom, can the second sister not get married?

Grandma Chen comforted her smoothly: "Madam, after the second girl gets married, she can still come back often to talk to you."

Grandma Chen said something similar when she comforted Chu Yunmu yesterday.

Shen didn't interrupt at that time. In fact, she didn't think so in her heart.

Now that Chu Yunmu is not here, she tells the truth: "After getting married, it would be better for Sister Chen to go out less often, so that King Chen can rest assured and her life will be easier."

Aunt Chen: “…”

Grandma Chen was stunned and immediately understood what Shen meant.

Chu Qianchen became the princess after marrying to Prince Chen's Mansion. She seemed to be superior, but she was no better than Shen Wan. Shen Wan was favored by Prince Jing. It was Prince Jing who went to the Duke's Mansion in person to ask for her hand in marriage, so Shen Wan wanted to go back. She would go back to her parents' home, and no one would stop her if she wanted to take her daughter back to her parents' home for a short stay.

Chu Qianchen was different, she didn't have her natal family to support her.

Now the wife attaches great importance to Chu Qianchen's marriage. Firstly, she really can't refuse the marriage. Secondly, she also wants to express her loyalty to the emperor and hopes that Chu Qianchen can come back from Prince Chen's palace to find out some information in the future. , let the Hou Mansion make meritorious deeds.

The Chu family is definitely unreliable, so the only person Chu Qianchen can rely on is King Chen.

For her, it would be best for her to devote herself to Prince Chen's palace after getting married.

If she returns to the Marquis Mansion often, it will only lead to Prince Chen's unwarranted speculations, which will be harmful but useless.

Grandma Chen sighed and said, "Madam, you only care about the second girl, and you think clearly about it."

"That's all I can do for this child." There was a hint of bitterness in Shen's expression.

In about half a month, before Chu Qianchen got married, she had to find a time to have a good talk with this girl.

As a married woman, she didn't need to worry about how the Chu family was doing, whether it was prospering or failing. As long as she lived well, that was all.

Chu Lingxiao is just an Adou who cannot be helped, and he has evil intentions. Once a person like him gains power or is in a high position, he will only do more despicable things...

Chu Lingxiao was still limping like this. It was better to stay in the Hou Mansion and go out less.

Shen's lips tightened, her pupils became darker little by little, and she mocked: "Unlike some people, they are simply not worthy of being parents."

Aunt Chen: “…”

Nanny Chen could naturally tell that Shen was talking about Chu Lingxiao, and she didn't know how to answer the question.

Shen has always been clear-minded and rational, but sometimes even Grandma Chen doesn’t know whether it is good or not for Shen to think so clearly. If she had been a little more confused, would she and Mr. Hou not be where they are today? …

Seeing that Mrs. Shen was a little depressed, Grandma Chen simply changed the subject: "Madam, the eldest lady is going back to the palace in the afternoon. Do you want to talk to her?"

As Grandma Chen spoke, she carefully observed Shen's face.

Mrs. Shen has not seen Chu Qianhuang since she returned home yesterday. During the entire ceremony just now, she was still like this, neither looking at Chu Qianhuang nor talking to her, as if she did not exist at all.

Grandma Chen was also worried and hoped to find ways to ease the relationship between mother and daughter.

However, Shen's expression turned cold and she just nodded and said, "I understand."

She planned in her heart that after Chu Qianchen's wedding, she would be busy with Chu Qianhuang's affairs. If she wanted to quit the princess's companionship, she might need her mother's help.

While talking, the master and servant returned to the main courtyard, passed through the main room, and entered the secondary room.

As soon as Mrs. Shen sat down, the maid quickly served her hot tea.

Mrs. Shen ordered Nanny Chen: "Send someone to the Duke's Mansion again and tell Third Sister that everything is fine with Qiniang. She and Brother Mu are having a great time. I will keep Qiniang here for a little longer." , so that she doesn’t have to worry... you might as well ask Grandma Rong to go to the Duke’s Mansion in person.”

"Also, go and get Sister Chen's dowry list. I have to change it again."

Mrs. Shen still held the betrothal gift list sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in her hand and browsed through it.

This betrothal gift only looks glamorous, and does not give much fertile land or shops. To put it bluntly, so many antiques, jewelry, medicinal materials and spices cannot be used as food. What is more important is those promising fields and shops.

Grandma Chen only agreed and went to do it one by one.

The Hou Mansion returned to its usual tranquility. Those who came to watch the excitement had dispersed, and even the red confetti left by the firecrackers outside the gate had been swept away.

The capital became lively, and people on the streets were discussing today's appointment by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Yongding Marquis Mansion. They praised the grandness of the ceremony, praised the luxury of the betrothal gift, and lamented the emperor's brotherly love for King Chen.

In this atmosphere, Qin Tianjian also acted quickly. Two days later, the **** in charge of the House of Internal Affairs came to inform the Marquis of the planned wedding date. Not only that, they also went to Prince Chen's Mansion in person.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk!"

The young chamberlain knocked on the red-lacquered door of Prince Chen's Mansion with the knocker, but he was greeted with silence.

After knocking on the door seven or eight times but getting no response, the waiter had no choice but to return dejectedly and reported back to the **** in charge in the carriage: "Eunuch Li, no one opened the door."

Eunuch Li pulled down the corner of his mouth with a sly smile and ordered: "Keep knocking."

So, the little waiter had no choice but to knock on the door again.

This group of people stopped at the gate of Prince Chen's Mansion and attracted the attention of many onlookers. There were more and more people on the street, all looking at the group of carriages and horses, and various comments could be heard clearly.

"Tuk-tuk-tuk!"

"Tuk-tuk-tuk!"

The waiter knocked on the door for a while and called for it, but no one answered. After half a cup of tea, he returned to the carriage in despair and reported again: "Eunuch Li, there is still no answer."

Eunuch Li felt his head was as big as a bucket.

If he did nothing and went back in despair, the emperor would definitely not be happy.

He thought for a while, then gritted his teeth and ordered: "Go and read the date calculated by Qin Tian aloud three times in front of the gate of the palace."

Anyway, as long as the wedding date of King Chen and Miss Chu is spread in the capital, his job will be considered completed, right?

The young chamberlain has been working in the Ministry of Internal Affairs for five or six years, and has never encountered such a thing, so he can only bite the bullet and do it.

Eunuch Li and his party were rejected, and after leaving Prince Chen's Mansion, they returned to the palace in a hurry.

The emperor was not in the Jinluan Palace, nor in the Imperial Study Room. Eunuch Li was sweating profusely as he walked through the huge palace, and finally found someone in the Upper Study Room.

It is said that the emperor suddenly had a whim and wanted to see how the princes were doing in their studies, so he brought several cabinet ministers to the study to test the princes.

After a small chamberlain went in to report, he soon led Eunuch Li in. More than a dozen eyes from everyone inside rushed towards him.

Eunuch Li bowed his head respectfully and said truthfully:

"Your Majesty, the door of Prince Chen's Mansion is closed. The servant knocked and knocked again and waited outside the Prince's Mansion for a long time with a stick of incense, but there was no movement inside the Prince's Mansion."

"The slave really had no choice but to force his way into Prince Chen's palace, so he told the wedding date set by Qin Tianjian three times outside the palace, and then returned to the palace."

Li Gong did not dare to raise his head to look at the emperor. He was still a little uneasy, fearing that he would be angered by the emperor.

The princes and elders in the upper study also heard these words, and they exchanged glances in twos and threes with different expressions.

Some people felt that Gu Jue didn't know how to praise; some frowned; some were secretly sad, such as the second prince Gu Nanzhao.

Everyone looked at the emperor in front of them again.

The emperor, who was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, was sitting behind the writing desk usually used by the Taifu, with a lazy expression and a smile instead of anger.

The folding fan in his hand flapped slightly, and he thought to himself: Gu Jue is nothing more than that. He is unable to resist the order, so he uses this little trick to slap himself in the face.

Ridiculous, really ridiculous.

It seemed that Gu Jue was really sick. The emperor's thin lips curved into a mocking arc, but he said with affectation: "Before my father died, he kept talking about the marriage of the Nine Emperor Brothers. I must make the wedding a glorious one to comfort my father. The spirit in heaven.”

Gu Nanzhao felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart again, and there was a thick bitterness in the bottom of his throat.

The wedding date has been set, which means that Sister Chen will soon be his royal aunt.

Gu Nanzhao closed his eyes, his eyes sore and dry.

When he just heard that sister Chen was given a marriage by his father to Uncle Nine Emperors, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning and couldn't believe the fact.

He also wanted to go to his father and tell him that he liked Sister Chen, and he went, but when he got in front of his father, he couldn't say it.

He knew it was too late.

The mother-in-law once said that the emperor pays most attention to his appearance as the emperor, and feels that the emperor is eloquent and does not allow anyone to challenge his authority.

If he had asked his father to choose another noble daughter for Uncle Nine Emperors before the imperial edict of marriage was given, his father might have agreed;

But now that the imperial edict has been issued, it is a done deal. No matter how much he asks, it will only make his father unhappy, and may even make his father feel disgusted with Sister Chen...

While thinking, the third prince and other princes all complimented the emperor:

"Father, my grandfather's soul will definitely rest in peace in heaven."

"Uncle Nine Emperors will definitely understand what your father is thinking."

“…”

The emperor was very pleased and said grandly: "The wedding of your Nine Emperors uncle is a happy event and should be celebrated by the whole world. In order to prevent him from working too hard during his illness, I plan to hold a big banquet in the palace that day."

For him, the best outcome is that this time he can kill Gu Jue.

Even if he couldn't defeat Gu Jue, he could legitimately set up an informant in Prince Chen's Mansion through this marriage.

Moreover, the queen said that the girl from the Chu family was weak and meek, and the people she sent to the Hou Mansion had already trained her well, so she would definitely be obedient.

This marriage is indeed a good one, a perfect match made in heaven!

Thinking about it, the emperor felt better and his eyebrows relaxed.

Several pavilion elders and princes also felt the emperor's good mood, and rushed to praise the emperor again.

Only Gu Nanzhao was absent-minded and silent from beginning to end.

Ever since his father made the betrothal gift, he had never dared to see Sister Chen for fear of seeing her sad face. He only glanced at her from a distance in the Baohe Hall on the Wanshou Festival.

He could tell at a glance that she had lost weight and became more taciturn.

He could imagine how sad, disappointed, and helpless she was.

It was all his fault. He had let down Sister Chen. He had promised her that she would become his royal concubine...

Gu Nanzhao's heart ached even more.

He really regretted that he didn't mention the matter between him and Sister Chen to his father earlier, and he even regretted that fate played tricks on people.

The handsome and elegant young man turned his head and looked at the lotus pond outside the window. The lotus leaves in half of the pond were swaying in the wind, and the green lotus leaves rippled like water, churning endlessly.

Alas, he and Sister Chen are no longer destined to be together in this life after all...

Eunuch Li on the side secretly breathed a sigh of relief and maintained his bowing posture.

After being rejected at Prince Chen's Mansion just now, he was worried that there would be trouble at the wedding banquet at Prince Chen's Mansion on the wedding day.

If Prince Chen's Mansion insists on closing its doors, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will not be able to help prepare the banquet. Now the emperor plans to hold the banquet in the palace, which also solves a big problem for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

At this time, the salute of the chamberlain came from outside the study room, and Crown Prince Gu Nanjin strode in.

Before Gu Nanjin could salute, the emperor smiled and said, "Prince, you came just in time."

"Your Nine Emperors Uncle's wedding date has been set. It's only half a month from now, why don't you bother with it."

This marriage was personally managed by him, the emperor, and all the three books and six etiquettes were based on ancient etiquette. It was done openly and honestly, and no one could make any mistakes.

From now on, who else in the world can say anything bad about him towards King Chen!

"Yes, Father." Gu Nanjin bowed respectfully and accepted the order.

The emperor always felt at ease with the prince when doing things, and asked him to sit down with a smile.

After the emperor took a sip of tea, he changed the topic and asked with concern and kindness: "How is Jia'er these days? The weather has been getting hotter these two days. Please ask the people in the East Palace to be careful. Be careful that Jia'er is hit. heat."

The emperor's eldest grandson is the emperor's only grandson, and the emperor values ​​him more than the second prince, third prince and other princes.

"Thank you, Father, for your concern." Gu Nanjin smiled slightly and replied tactfully, "Jia'er has been very healthy these days. I specially asked the Imperial Hospital to prepare some herbal tea to relieve the heat."

"That's good!" The emperor smiled with satisfaction.

He remembered that Gu Yuanjia suffered from several heatstrokes last summer. This summer, he has been in good health. It should be said that since he recovered from convulsions in May, he has not been sick again for more than a month.

Fortunately, I rewarded the child with the Jiuhuan Dan, so I was able to nurse the child back to health. The Jiuhuan Dan really has the miraculous effect of strengthening the body and cultivating the body.

The emperor made a gesture to Eunuch Ni and ordered: "Ni Xiang, you will pick up a Nine-layer Pill later and send it to the emperor's eldest grandson in the East Palace."

The emperor bestows elixir, which is a holy favor. Gu Nanjin immediately stood up and thanked him: "My son, I would like to thank my father on behalf of the emperor's eldest grandson."

Gu Nanjin felt a little solemn, and could not help but hear the words of the miracle doctor from Jishi Hall: "Elixirs are erysipelas, how can such a young child use them casually?"

Several cabinet ministers were silent.

The emperor favored Taoist priest Xuanjing, and everyone knew that he liked to take elixirs.

Some courtiers once advised the emperor that the elixir was harmful. Throughout the ages, many emperors have been obsessed with the elixir.

However, the emperor not only refused to listen, but became furious. He felt that the other party did not think well of him, and he dismissed the official from his post in anger.

After that, no one dared to persuade the emperor, and no one dared to question Taoist Master Xuanjing.

"Taoist Master Xuanjing is really profound!" the emperor praised, stroking his beard with a smile on his face.

The emperor has been taking Jiuzhong Dan for a month. The effect of this Jiuzhong Dan is indeed better than the previous Jiuhuan Dan. It makes him more energetic than before, and even the gray hair on his temples has become less.

It takes 7,749 to refine one furnace of the Nine-layer Pill. The emperor also loved his grandson very much, so he gave the Nine-layer Pill to Gu Yuanjia, hoping that his grandson would be healthy and avoid encountering those quack doctors who deceive the world and steal their reputation again.

Whenever he thought about the fact that he was forced to seal that Jishi Hall as a national medical center, the emperor felt aggrieved, his smile faded, and his eyes became uncertain.

On that day, if the eldest prince Nanhao, Wuhe Jialou, hadn't suddenly appeared...

This Uhagal Tower is basically here for me.

Recalling the scene where Wuhejialou repeatedly provoked him on the Wanshou Festival, the emperor became more and more fed up with those Zinanhao people.

He suddenly put away the folding fan and changed the topic again:

"Prince, when do Nanhao people plan to leave?"

After the Wanshou Festival, some of the surrounding small tribes who came to Beijing to congratulate them have left Beijing one after another. They brought birthday gifts for the emperor from foreign countries. When they left, they brought back a large number of rewards from the emperor and things they bought in Daqi. Goods, in the past half month, the capital has suddenly become a lot deserted.

However, the Nanhao people lived in the post house as if they were very comfortable and had no intention of leaving.

Gu Nanjin looked up at the emperor, clearly seeing the disgust in the emperor's eyes, and sighed inwardly.

Gu Nanjin replied succinctly: "Father, Wuhejialou said that he will not leave until Uncle Nine Emperors gets married."

Wuhajialou and his party arrived in the capital in April, but the emperor had been deliberately keeping them cold.

After the incident at Jishitang, Gu Nanjin took the initiative to take over the responsibility of entertaining them. So when the Ministry of Rites came to ask for instructions about envoy Nanhao a few days ago, he simply went to the posthouse to visit Wuhajia Tower and test it out. His tone.

The emperor's expression changed slightly. At the end of May, Wuhejialou had visited Prince Chen's Mansion. This time, he had to wait until Gu Jue's wedding before leaving...

The air in the study room also became colder.

The princes looked at each other and held their breath.

The emperor held the folding fan in his hand tightly, making it rattling, and said angrily: "Isn't this Gu Jue in cahoots with the Nanhao people?!"

His voice was so cold that it almost made ice shards fall out, and a gloomy aura was released from all over his body.

The emperor couldn't help but think of the time when Gu Jue went on a mission to Nan Hao on behalf of Da Qi when he was fourteen years old.

That year, my father wanted to choose one of the princes to be the envoy to Nan Hao, and the first person he gave priority to was the prince.

Of course he doesn't want to go. Nan Hao is like a dragon in a tiger's den. What if Nan Hao suddenly wants to keep him as a hostage?

A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. How could he, the majestic prince of Qi, be personally involved in danger!

The adviser at that time suggested that it would be better to let Gu Jue go. Gu Jue was the successor and the legitimate son of the emperor, so his status was naturally higher than that of other princes.

The emperor also felt that this proposal was good. If Gu Jue was really left in Nan Hao as a hostage, he would be able to eliminate a major worry.

He had originally arranged for others to propose to his father, but he did not expect that before their people could speak, Gu Jue would send Nan Hao as envoy to the Qing Dynasty.

Father agreed, but at the same time, he gave him a disappointed look.

In the end, Gu Jue returned home safely from Nanhao, and his father praised him even more. During that time, the emperor had trouble sleeping and eating, fearing that his position as prince would not be guaranteed.

Fortunately, within a few months, his father allowed Gu Jue to go to the North...

Thinking of the past events many years ago, the emperor's expression became even colder.

“…”

“…”

“…”

There was silence in the study room.

The corners of Gu Nanjin's eyes twitched wildly, and he did not dare to accept these words easily.

Everyone knows that Chen Wang Gu Jue has made great contributions to Da Qi. Unless the evidence is conclusive, no one can easily question him as treason.

As a prince, this is even more true.

To put it harshly, the emperor can lose his composure and make mistakes in his words and deeds, but the prince cannot!

Gu Nanjin glanced at the few pavilion elders next to him, and saw that they all looked away, pretending not to hear the emperor's gaffe just now.

Gu Nanjin thought with a heavy heart: Nanhao is different from those small tribes that are vassal to Da Qi, but a big country that stands side by side with Da Qi.

This time, my father had already treated the Jialou group with a lot of neglect. What my father said just now could not be spread.

Gu Nanjin cleared his throat and said implicitly: "Father, since the eldest prince Wu He will not leave for the time being, can we take this opportunity to settle the marriage between the third emperor's sister and Nan Hao?"

Gu Nanjin's expression was very solemn.

This marriage is very important to Daqi.

Good morning!

(End of chapter)