Zhu Di slammed the door and walked out. Xu Ying was stunned in Guanyuxuan, staring blankly at the broken nanmu table in two pieces, and couldn't help but shed tears.
Xu Xiu put her arms around her sister's shoulders and comforted her: "Fourth brother has always been very kind to my sister. He might have been anxious just now. Don't be sad, sister." As he spoke, he waved to the maid next to him to bring some face wash, and served Xu Ying to wash her face. He then ordered the housekeeper to pick up the broken nanmu table.
Xu Ying slowly calmed down and sighed: "Twenty-one years after we got married, this is the first time I've seen him get so angry. It was because of a vassal princess."
Xu Xiu consoled her, "That's my niece-in-law. My fourth brother has always been kind to others, and he also cares about the younger generation."
Xu Ying shook her head and refused to say anything. Until today, I didn't know what Zhu Di was like when he cared about someone. Twenty-one years later, they only said that they treated each other with respect, but it turned out that he didn't care about her at all.
For the first time in her life, Xu Ying had doubts about her marriage. Looking back, I felt a sense of desolation.
Xu Xiu was still persuading: "Sister, what man doesn't fall in love with every one he meets? Only fourth brother, he doesn't care much about the concubines in the palace. You gave birth to three sons by yourself. Fourth brother is really bad. Woman, you are really lucky. It's not like the one in our house where you have to watch every day. I'm not at home these days, so I don't know what the trouble will be."
Xu Ying said casually: "Thirteenth brother can be managed by you. You can tell me everything."
Xu Xiu was a little proud: "Of course, he doesn't dare to mess with me." She looked at Xu Ying and smiled again: "I have such a powerful sister and brother-in-law, shouldn't he weigh it?"
Xu Ying knew that she was just teasing him, and couldn't bear to brush off her good intentions. She cheered up and said, "I didn't know that this Princess Yining had these stories. I originally thought that the prince just brought her here from Daning Mansion, but it doesn't seem to be the case. Do you know anything?"
Xu Xiu shook his head: "Fourth brother didn't say much. Can you find someone to ask?"
Xu Ying thought for a while and told the maid next to her: "Send Hou Xian to come."
After a while, there was the sound of boots, and Hou Xian entered the Guanyu Pavilion, bowed and stood with his hands down.
Xu Ying asked after careful consideration: "Hou Xian, have you always followed the prince during this Northern Expedition?"
"Yes." Hou Xian was shocked and confused. The princess asked so seriously, what happened
"That Princess Yining, when did you meet her?"
"Meeted in the desert."
Xu Ying frowned: "In the desert? Not in Daning Mansion?"
Hou Xian bowed and said: "The younger one was not with the prince at that time. I heard from Sanbao that when the prince and Sanbao's scout team were wandering in the desert looking for the Mongols, they saw Princess Yining lying injured and lying in the desert, and they met her."
"and after?"
"Later Princess Yining told the prince the location of the Mongols. The prince sent Sanbao back to Daning Mansion to mobilize the army, and he left first with the scout team. Somehow he encountered a sandstorm and lost his horses and water."
Xu Ying and Xu Xiu looked at each other, not expecting such twists and turns: "Then what?"
"Then a pagoda appeared in the sky. Sanbao insisted on heading towards the pagoda. Fortunately, we all followed. The prince's team was almost dying at that time, and the water supply had been cut off for several days."
"Princess Yining is in the prince's scouting team?"
"Yes. San Bao came back to mobilize the army and was on his way, so she went with the prince's team."
Xu Ying pondered for a while: "Later, Princess Yining followed your army to the Mongolian garrison?"
Hou Xian's face was full of admiration: "Thanks to the terrain map drawn by the princess, we captured Solin Timur's garrison camp without any trouble, and followed it to Ulianghatu City."
Xu Ying was silent. It sounded like Princess Yining not only saved Zhu Di's life, but also made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty.
Hou Xian looked at Xu Ying and suddenly fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing.
Xu Ying frowned: "Speak up if you have something to say."
Hou Xian did not get up. He looked at Xu Ying and said, "Princess Yining has been very kind to our army. She was sent by Buddha and Bodhisattva. Please don't embarrass her." He kowtowed again.
Xu Ying couldn't help but feel angry, why did she become a villain now? Everyone protected her, fearing that they would embarrass her. Xu Xiu asked Hou Xian curiously: "Why do you say she was sent by Buddha and Bodhisattva?"
Hou Xian's face was full of doubts: "At that time, the prince had been searching in the desert for several months. The princess fell from the sky and we found the Mongols. When there was no water or horses, the princess led the team to chant sutras, and then the pagoda appeared in the sky. Yes!" He looked at Xu Ying and said: "Please don't embarrass the princess, you will be punished by God."
"Bold! Such nonsense!" Xu Xiu couldn't help but get angry when she heard the word "God's punishment". Hou Xian made no sound while kowtowing.
Xu Ying sighed and said, "Hou Xian, please get up." Hou Xian looked at Xu Ying's expression carefully, hesitated and stood up.
Hou Xian, like Ma Sanbao and Wang Jinghong, all entered the palace since childhood. Xu Ying watched them grow up for twenty years. These few people have always been well-behaved and obedient, and anything can often be done without even saying a word and just looking at them. It was the first time today that I saw Hou Xian being so thoughtful and arguing with herself. Xu Ying couldn't help but feel sad when she thought about it: twenty years of upbringing was not as good as half a year of friendship.
Xu Ying's thoughts were confused for a moment, and she asked Hou Xian after a while: "Do all the soldiers in the army think that Princess Yining was sent by Buddha and Bodhisattva?"
Hou Xian looked at Xu Ying, feeling a little worried: "Yes. Especially those in the scout team at that time."
Xu Xiu scolded: "Absurd!"
Xu Ying felt tired in her heart and waved her hand: "Go down."
Hou Xian excused himself, and when he reached the door, he couldn't help but turn around and said, "Princess, this is true!" Seeing Xu Ying and Xu Xiu's unkind expression, he quickly gave another salute and ran away in a hurry.
Xu Ying looked out the window and remained silent. I don't know when, a slight drizzle began to fall, falling slantingly in the cold wind, and the mist filled the air, making everything seem real and illusory. Xu Ying remembered that seventeen years ago she and Zhu Di entered the Prince Yan's Mansion, and it was also in this rain-watching hall. He hugged himself and murmured: "From now on, it will be you and me."
For more than ten years, the two of us have loved each other and treated each other like guests, but why has it come to this day? He cares about another woman far more than himself.
Xu Xiu whispered from the side: "Sister, she is leaving anyway, don't think about it."
Xu Ying was startled, "Are you leaving?" Yes, the holy decree is here, and Princess Yining must go to the capital as soon as possible.
But even if her people leave, will Zhu Di's heart stay
Princess Yining lived life and death with him. She saved his life, led him to the Mongolian camp, and helped him win the Northern Expedition. Zhu Di will not forget. Maybe he was so anxious just now because he couldn't keep her and couldn't help her.
After being married for twenty-one years, Xu Ying still knew Zhu Di quite well. When he was sure, he was always careless; he would only become restless when he felt helpless. Xu Ying remembered that Empress Ma was seriously ill more than ten years ago, and Prince Zhu Biao was seriously ill five years ago. They rushed back to the capital together and guarded the palace day and night. Zhu Di was also so uneasy when he was carrying someone on his back. Xu Ying remembered She always hugged him to comfort him, and for such a big man, he curled up and cried. Empress Ma died of illness, and Zhu Biao finally died. The couple always forced a smile in front of Zhu Yuanzhang to avoid the sadness of their father. Only Xu Ying knew how much the departure of these two people affected Zhu Di. Looking back today, you can still see it clearly Zhu Di was crying bitterly at that time.
Also before the first Northern Expedition, Zhu Di was only 21 years old. He officially led his team to the battlefield for the first time. The night before departure, he was also sleepless. Later, he continued to fight and gradually got used to it, but in the battle in the 23rd year of Hongwu, his opponents were the Mongolian Prime Minister Jie Zhi and the Taiwei Nai'er Buhua. Zhu Di was still worried after planning for a long time and kept pacing back and forth.
However, in the end, all these difficulties were overcome together.
This time, if Princess Yining is really someone he cares about, he should help him. What's more, Princess Yining has made so many contributions, and she should not forget it under any circumstances. How could he turn a blind eye to her just to avoid some suspicions in the court
Zhu Di is right, people can't be so ungrateful and selfish.
Xu Xiu watched Xu Ying's expression change. She didn't know what she was thinking. She pulled Xu Ying's sleeves with some worry: "Sister, are you okay?"
Xu Ying took a long breath and smiled: "Don't worry." Xu Xiu was confused and looked at Xu Ying with some confusion.
Xu Ying came back to her senses and touched Xu Xiu's head: "I'm fine. This Princess Yining is kind to my family and my Ming Dynasty. We all need to be kind to her."
Xu Xiu didn't quite understand, but she was always convinced of this sister and agreed: "Okay!"
Xu Ying thought for a moment: "Have you heard any news about Huizu these days?"
Xu Xiu shook her head: "Brother, I haven't written for a long time."
When Xu Da was alive, the power of the Xu family was overwhelming, and Wei Guogong was the most important minister under the emperor alone and above ten thousand people. Xu Da passed away more than ten years ago, and Xu Huizu succeeded to the Dukedom of Wei. Zhu Yuanzhang was nostalgic for the past and still had great love for Xu Huizu. Xu Huizu was originally called "Yungong". In order to avoid the taboo of changing the name of the emperor's grandson, Zhu Yuanzhang personally gave him the name "Huizu". It still holds considerable weight in the court. Xu Ying was eager to meet her husband at this time. After much deliberation, she actually wanted Xu Huizu to take care of Princess Yining in the capital and inquire about the whereabouts of the crown prince of Goryeo, Wang Se.
Xu Xiu was a smart man, but he thought wrongly. He hesitated for a long time and asked: "You want the eldest brother to deal with Princess Yining in the capital? Isn't that good? What if the fourth brother finds out..."
Xu Ying was angry and funny. What happened today? Everyone thinks she is a villain? He sighed and said: "It's not about dealing with her, it's about taking care of her. Of course I will help you with what your fourth brother wants to do."
Xu Xiusong said in a relaxed tone: "That's good, let me tell you. Sister, it's not a big deal if you are so kind. If you follow the Fourth Brother, he will be grateful."
Xu Ying sighed again: "I don't appreciate his gratitude. Looking at the way he is today, if there is something wrong with Princess Yining, he doesn't know how anxious he will be? I hope Huizu can take care of her and she will be safe. Just fine."
Xu Xiu nodded: "Okay. Then what are you going to tell eldest brother?"
Xu Ying stood up and muttered: "I'm afraid it will be too late to make arrangements after Princess Yining arrives in the capital. I asked Zhu Qin to go first and say it was a New Year's gift to the family."
Xu Xiu reminded: "Don't write this in the letter, just let Zhu Qin remember it."
Xu Ying nodded slightly: "Not bad." Secretly planning in his heart.
Xu Ying and Xu Xiu did not expect that Xu Huizu was an upright person and would not take his sister's bizarre entrustment seriously. How could the dignified Duke of Wei take care of a concubine in the East Palace? In the future, the four siblings finally turned against each other due to their different stances, leading to tragedy.
The light rain outside the building was still falling, making this winter afternoon feel particularly cold. The thin snow on the ground gradually turned into mud after being beaten by the rain. Winter is just beginning.