When Queen Mother Meng left, Mrs. Xiang followed.
Although the Queen Mother said kindly when she left: "The Ai family is old and has a bad appetite. You are young, but don't worry because the Ai family can't eat well either. Just use it slowly."
But after sending these two people out of the back hall, not long after, Meng Shishi took the lead and took a kerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth, and the palace servants brought tea for mouthwash.
At this time, Chi Zuosi, who had accompanied the Queen Mother to leave, came back. When he saw this situation, he said, "Have you ladies made use of it? The Queen Mother ordered us to clean up the side hall just now for your entertainment, okay?"
Of course everyone nodded, and Chi Zuosi turned to Sheng Weiwu and said with a smile, "The Queen Mother invites Miss Sheng Ba to go to the Nuan Pavilion to talk. Miss Ba, please come with me!"
Although Sheng Weiqiao was worried, it was just like Nan was blocked outside the palace gate this morning. Now Empress Dowager Meng did not invite her, and her status and age were not easy to deal with, so she had to quickly give Sheng Weiwu a few words, and she was in a state of confusion. Watching her being taken away by Chi Zuosi.
The remaining people went to the side hall in twos and threes. Meng Guihuan deliberately walked beside Sheng Weiqiao on the way and whispered: "If today's luncheon is held elsewhere, it will be okay if we continue to use it after my aunt leaves. But This back hall, separated by a courtyard behind it, is my aunt's bedroom. Even if my aunt did not take a nap this time, but went to the Nuan Pavilion, we wouldn't be able to bother in the back hall for too long, so after my aunt left, we also It’s time to disperse.”
Sheng Weiqiao thanked her and looked up to see Meng Twelve and Meng Thirteen who were walking in front looking this way. He said hurriedly: "Look, Miss Twelve and Miss Thirteen, do they want to see you for something?"
Meng Guihuan didn't even look at Meng Twelve and Meng Thirteen. He shook his head and said, "They have nothing to do with me. They are probably curious because I came to talk to you."
Judging from her tone, it seems that her relationship with Meng Twelve and Meng Thirteen is not very good. Even if there is no grudge, they are probably not affectionate.
Sheng Weiqiao felt that this wealthy family had a shallow family relationship. How could she and her two cousins, Sheng Weirao and Sheng Wewu, be so cold
Of course, this was none of her business, so she changed the topic: "I originally thought I was going to leave after the luncheon, but I didn't expect the Queen Mother to keep us here - but I don't know if there are any instructions later? Do you need it? Are you ready?"
Meng Gui said with a smile: "My aunt likes to be lively. She often says that everything in Xinshou Palace is good, but the place is too big and there are too few people, so people will be called into the palace every three days to talk. Today, although my eldest aunt has something to do, I told my aunt alone that she didn't ask us to be with her, but she didn't want us to leave early. In my aunt's words, even if she was in the Nuan Pavilion or the main hall, she couldn't really hear us playing and having fun in the side hall, but she thought about the side There is a group of young people bustling around, which makes me feel happy."
His voice just dropped, "So if you don't have anything urgent to do, don't mention that you want to resign early, otherwise my aunt will be unhappy - older people always like to get together rather than leave. Besides, let me tell the truth. : It’s good for you and your brother to be able to visit your aunt often. Many people would envy you, but if you insist on refusing, they will inevitably think that you are angry!”
Sheng Weiqiao felt regretful. She really wanted to leave earlier. She nodded when she heard this: "I just don't go to the palace often, and I'm afraid that I don't understand the rules, so I don't have any other meaning in asking."
When she said this, she subconsciously glanced in the direction of Nuange, lamenting the emptiness and loneliness under Queen Mother Meng's knees. Even if she didn't have the energy to support a group of young juniors making noise all day long, she would rather stay in the same palace and chat for comfort. At the same time, I also find it a bit difficult to understand: "Since the Queen Mother likes the younger generation so much, why didn't the Queen Mother intervene when the Shu sisters plotted to murder the emperor's heir?"
Currently, rumors are circulating in the palace that everyone in the world knows that two of the emperor's heirs were murdered by the Shu sisters: one was Sheng Lanci before she formally married Feng. Emperor Xuanjing personally gave Jin Meiren a bowl of abortion pills. The male fetus that fell into shape; the other one was the little prince who was strangled by the wet nurse who Queen Mother Meng turned out this time to force Emperor Xuan Jing to agree to establish a successor.
Let’s not mention the possible heirs who are unknown to outsiders, let’s just talk about these two:
When Jin Meiren's miscarriage happened, the Shu sisters had not been in the palace for a long time. It can be said that Empress Dowager Meng did not expect that the sisters were so jealous and vicious, and that Emperor Xuanjing indulged his beloved concubine to such an indiscriminate degree. So much so that he was caught off guard and watched helplessly as a male grandson just disappeared.
But after learning such a bloody lesson, when it was the turn of the little prince who was strangled by the wet nurse, why didn't Empress Dowager Meng take action to protect her grandson
You must know that when the little prince was born, Emperor Xuan Jing only had such a child - considering his age, the emperor could not be called young at that time.
At that time, the Shu sisters who were favored by the emperor had a history of murdering the emperor's heir. Although Xiao Wen, the biological mother of the young prince, was the cousin of the deposed Wen family, the Wen family at that time only had the name of queen, but in fact After falling out of favor for many years, they can no longer leave Wangchun Palace and Jingshao Palace - how much can they help Xiao Wen and his mother
Sheng Weiqiao felt that under such circumstances, even if Empress Dowager Meng did not bring both mother and son of Xiao Wen to Xin Shou Palace to watch in person, she should at least bring the young prince to her and raise her, right
With such protection and intimidation from their direct grandmother, the Shu sisters may not dare to cause trouble in the Queen Mother's palace. How could the little prince die in such an unknown manner that Emperor Xuan Jing, who was over fifty years old, felt empty at his knees
If Empress Dowager Meng is a person who doesn't care about her descendants, it would be fine if anything happens to the little prince while he is being raised by the little Wen family.
However, she clearly likes the younger generation, but she likes but does not protect her grandchildren. Sheng Weiqiao really can't understand what the Queen Mother is thinking.
However, you should not ask Empress Dowager Meng's niece Meng Guihuan about this kind of thing. She just smiled and said: "What shall we play when we go to the side hall later? I have never learned anything, and I don't know the popular games in Chang'an. If there is any joke, you can't just watch the fun and ignore me!"
This sounded like a request, but in fact it was a response to Meng Guihuan's words of "turning hostilities into friendship". Meng Guihuan breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Except for the fourteenth sister, we are all just a little bit. Just know a few words! After all, you can’t take the top prize, so who has the patience to read and write all day long? That is to say, she likes these things by nature, so she has been learning from Bago’s husband. "
While talking, they had already entered the side hall. After the group sat down, the palace servants made tea. Meng Shishi picked it up and took a sip, then asked someone not far away: "That ancient book from last time..."
The palace maid smiled and blessed her without waiting for her to finish, and said, "I will fetch it from Shiqu Pavilion for you."
Shiqu Pavilion is where the royal family collected books. In the early years of the Kingdom, many books were displaced due to wars. After Mu Gaozu ascended the throne, he specifically ordered the construction of Shiqu Pavilion and Tianlu Pavilion in the imperial city to collect books and classics, both for preservation and preservation. These efforts of predecessors are also convenient for the royal family and the court to browse and inquire.
Later Emperor Taizong expanded the two pavilions and sent orders to the whole country to collect books to enrich them.
However, although this place has the largest and most comprehensive collection of books in the country, not everyone can borrow them.
Although Meng Shishi was the niece of the Queen Mother, because she was a female relative, she went directly to Shiqu Pavilion to pick up the book, which was inevitably criticized by others. However, she took advantage of the opportunity of being at the Queen Mother's house and asked the Queen Mother's maid to pick it up. In this way, in the name of the Queen Mother, outsiders could I know the inside story but it’s hard to say anything.
Sheng Weiqiao looked at it and felt that Meng Shishi really liked poetry and books as Huan Yehe said - but she didn't intend to go over to talk to him now, so she looked away after a few glances.
"Sister Fourteen wants to read a book, what about you?" At this time, Meng Twelve and Meng Shisan discussed in a low voice for a few words, and then asked Meng Guihuan, "You three are together, let's each play our own thing, or should we all choose one together?" Playing games?”
Meng Guihuan asked: "What are you playing for?"
"Ai Pu?" Meng Shuangxiao suggested enthusiastically, "It's not easy to go outside today. There's only so much we can play in this palace. At least the six of us can play together with Ai Pu. Others can be played like chess. Everything is just twos and threes, nothing exciting!"
In fact, Aipu is usually played by three to five people, and six people is a bit too much. Fortunately, it is not impossible. Meng Shuangxiao said this, thinking that for Meng Guihuan's sake, he didn't want to put Sheng Weiqiao and Gongsun Yingjiang into play. Exclusion.
Meng Guihuan looked at Sheng Weiqiao: "Can you do it?"
Sheng Weiqiao nodded: "I played it before, but it wasn't very good."
The Aipu Opera existed in the previous dynasties. It was very popular in Chang'an and has not declined to this day. It is one of the first choices for banquets and entertainment. Although Nanfeng County was far away from Chang'an and was less affected by it and was not as prosperous as Chang'an, Sheng Weiqiao's biological father Sheng Lanci had a lot of fun when he came to Chang'an. After returning to Nanfeng County, he occasionally had free time. I will play a few games with my wife and daughter.
In this way, both Feng and Sheng Weiqiao knew how to play, and Sheng Weiqiao also taught this niece during their relationship with Gongsun Yingjiang - after all, it is not a difficult game that only a few people can understand. Gongsun Yingjiang can master it after a little learning.
It's just that Sheng Weiqiao is not good at this skill and Gongsun Yingjiang has been following her. The aunt and nephew don't play much, so they are really not experts.
"That's just right!" Meng Twelve said happily, "I always lose at this game. If you are not as good as me, I will come to play with you specifically from now on!"
Sheng Weiqiao smiled awkwardly and said, "Okay, I don't care whether you lose or not."
—Anyway, I can’t get along with you for a long time!
—Even if we hadn’t parted ways due to political stances in a few months, I would have gone back to Nanfeng County long ago!
—I will control your life and death when the time comes!
With this thought in mind, she sat down beside the long table where the chessboard was placed with a relaxed expression.
At this time, not only she, but also the girls of the Meng family and Gongsun Yingjiang had no burden.
After all, it’s just playing with the acanthus.
They don't have any money yet... so what pressure can they feel
However, this relaxed and happy atmosphere quickly changed after a while!