Early the next morning, Tao Ti and Pei Yan boarded the carriage to Yongweihou's Mansion.
Yongweihou's Mansion is a typical ancient big family. Uncles and brothers, seven aunts and eight aunts, sisters and sisters are all kinds of relatives. Just thinking about it makes people dizzy.
Leaving aside these relatives, let's just say that the original owner's father is brave and respectful. This old guy has too much desire to reproduce. Over the years, he has taken eight concubines and added eighteen half-sisters to the original owner. Siblings and sisters, the youngest brother is only two years old this year.
Tao Ti, who was an only child in her previous life, suddenly had so many brothers and sisters... well, she panicked.
When the carriage left the palace gate, the surroundings became lively.
Tao Ti was a little curious about what the ancient streets looked like, but she was afraid of breaking the rules, so she subconsciously glanced at Pei Yan who was beside her. However, the back of his head was resting against the sideboard, his eyes were closed, and his almost transparent pale complexion made him look like a jade-faced Bodhisattva with a serene appearance.
Are you asleep... Or is it that his body can't stand the carriage
Tao Ti felt a little sympathetic in her heart, turned around and opened a corner of the curtain, and looked out.
Zhuque Avenue is the main avenue of Chang'an City. It is spacious and flat. There are rows of shops on both sides, and there are endless hawking noises. It is really very lively.
A warm spring breeze blows, sending a burst of sweet scent of Sophora japonica, mixed with a burst of crispy mutton scones.
Tao Ti looked in the direction of the fragrance, and saw a small stall at the entrance of the square city, and the peddler selling scones was nimbly taking out pieces of baked golden crispy long pies from the oven. Hold it with a piece of oiled paper, and with a little force with your fingers, the crispy baked skin will make a prickly sound.
Thinking of the delicious meat stuffing mixed with the fullness of the pie crust filling her mouth, Tao Ti couldn't help but swallow her saliva—
The meals in the Eastern Palace were too bland, and if it continued like this, she might starve to death.
"Is there any excitement outside? You are so fascinated." A gentle voice sounded softly.
As soon as Tao Ti turned her head, she met Pei Yan's calm eyes. She hurriedly put down the curtain and sat up straight, "It's nothing, I'll just take a look."
Seeing her sitting upright, Pei Yan smiled and said, "I'm going back to your house, why do you look more nervous than Gu?"
Tao Ti whispered, "I did such a foolish thing, and I didn't know how to face my parents..."
The smile in Pei Yan's eyes was slightly suppressed, and he said, "I have tried my best to suppress the news of your poisoning. This matter is related to the face of the Tian family, and no one dares to talk nonsense outside."
After a pause, he looked at her, "Besides, there is Gu who will accompany you, and Gu will protect you in case of trouble, so you can rest assured."
Tao Ti was so moved that she nodded heavily at him.
About half an hour later, the carriage stopped.
The little eunuch lifted the curtain of the car, Tao Ti wanted to get out of the car first, but Pei Yanyan stopped her, "Get out first alone."
Tao Ti was taken aback, "Oh, good."
I can't help but wonder if I have made a mistake again
But Pei Yan got out of the car first, and after standing still, smiled and reached out to her, "Come."
Tao Ti's heart warmed, it turned out that he was helping her.
She pursed her lips, slowly stretched out her small hand, and placed it in his wide and slender palm.
His hands were still cold, wrapping her limp little hands, and helped her down firmly.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome." Pei Yan said so, but didn't let go of her intentions.
Tao Ti was a little strange. Just about to ask, she accidentally caught a glimpse of the scene from the corner of her eye, and her words stuck in her throat—
Well, there are so many people! !
In front of the majestic Yongweihou Mansion, there were fifty or so people standing in Wuyangyang, all dressed in dignified and neatly.
Pei Yan caught the frightened expression on her face, and the corners of her lips curled up calmly.
The leader, Yong Weihou, took the lead in saluting, and the family members behind him also greeted each other, "The minister / minister's wife pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince and the Concubine Crown Prince."
Pei Yan said softly, "Get up."
After everyone got up, he pulled Tao Ti forward and said politely, "We are all a family, so there is no need to be so polite."
With this sentence, Yong Weihou was terrified when he said it outright, while letting Pei Yan and Tao Ti enter the mansion, he quickly glanced at his goose-like daughter.
Judging by Artie's appearance in gold and silver, it seems that she is doing well? Moreover, the prince helped her get off the carriage, and held her hand again, so affectionate, it didn't seem like a fake.
Yongwei Hou thought about it for a while, could it be that Arti served the prince well, so the previous suspicion was resolved? After much deliberation, there seems to be only one explanation.
Women and men, isn't it just a matter of bed.
Everyone went into the hall and took their seats together. After exchanging a few words of greetings, Yong Weihou looked kindly at Mrs. Zhang and Tao Ti, "Ma'am, take Arti to the inner courtyard to talk."
Mrs. Zhang responded, glanced at Tao Ti, and said quietly, "Let's go."
Tao Ti nodded slightly, and said to Pei Yan, "Your Highness, then I will go first."
Pei Yan smiled, "Well, don't worry, talk slowly."
Tao Ti was smiling, but she was bitter in her heart: I'm still chatting slowly, I'm afraid that if the chat doesn't go well, I'll overturn and reveal my secrets.
She obediently followed Mrs. Zhang, and the female relatives in the next hall also left their seats, surrounded by Tao Ti and the others, and went to the backyard together.
There are four houses in Yongweihou Mansion, the first house and the second house are the descendants of the old lady, and the third house and the fourth house are both descendants of the concubines. Because the old lady is still alive, the fourth house has not been separated, and they still live happily. Together.
When Tao Ti returned to the door today, most of the people in the fourth room were present, and this was the lively scene at the door.
Besides, the men stayed in the front hall to accompany the prince, and Tao Ti was not idle in the backyard, with an awkward yet polite smile on her face, and obediently greeted all kinds of aunts, aunts, sisters and sisters.
This feeling is like returning to my hometown during the Chinese New Year, and being greeted by a bunch of elders I don’t know at all, it’s a social nightmare and suffocating.
The aunts, sisters and sisters in each room chattered about her health, and at the same time looked at Tao Ti up and down, as if they wanted to see every strand of her hair clearly.
It was spring, and Tao Ti was not dressed grandly, but in a gentle and generous attire.
A goose-yellow gown embroidered with bright pine and green Tuanfu patterns, with a flying cloud bun, two exquisite palace flowers behind the temples, a gorgeous tasseled phoenix hairpin inserted in the temple hair, and two jade stones on the white and tender earlobes. Emerald pendant.
She put on a little makeup, a little bit of red lips, and she looked like the morning glow and snow, which was the most beautiful.
Seeing her like this, everyone was surprised, puzzled, and full of astonishment.
Is this still the sad, old-fashioned girl Tao Ti from the Hou Mansion in the past
Although a woman's marriage is equivalent to a second reincarnation, but she has reincarnated too thoroughly, right? The whole person feels different.
Among the sisters in each room, there were a few who did not get along with Tao Ti. They wanted to see Tao Ti's embarrassing and ugly appearance, but now seeing her bright and compelling appearance, the smile on her face couldn't be held back.
Fortunately, this scene of family members loving each other didn't last long, Mrs. Zhang invited everyone away very politely, and the reason was very simple, "This is the first time my family Atti came home, and let us have a good talk for a while." Private talk."
Everyone left knowingly, and the courtyard of the big house became quiet all of a sudden.
Tao Ti picked her palm uncomfortably, and stared at Zhang Shi.
After a moment of silence, Mrs. Zhang also sent out all the women and servants who were serving in the house, and the house became even quieter all of a sudden.
Seeing that there were no outsiders, Mrs. Zhang's long, no longer young face suddenly sank, and she patted the table heavily.
There was a muffled sound of "pa", which made Tao Ti's little heart tremble with fright.
"You are really talented, you dare to commit suicide by taking poison! How can we feel sorry for you, you want to harm us like this? Tell me!"
"..."
Tao Ti looked at the dissatisfied woman with her hips akimbo in front of her in amazement, and memories about Mrs. Zhang flooded her mind.
Zhang is old-fashioned, fierce and capable.
As the head wife of the Hou Mansion, she handles the housework of the Hou Mansion in an orderly manner and never made a mistake.
As the housewife's mother, Yingyingyanyan, concubines and concubines who are bravely waiting in the backyard, she also governs submissively, and no one has ever dared to disobey.
But as a mother, Zhang failed.
Ever since she ordered this marriage for Tao Ti, she has been demanding her daughter according to the standard of a "princess concubine".
Such as "Why are you so stupid, you are going to be a princess in the future, why can't you even learn this, look at how capable and virtuous a certain girl of a certain country is, and look at your half-dead stupid look" and the like , on the lips almost every day, with three sentences inseparable.
The mother didn't get enough love and encouragement, and the father, Yongweihou, didn't pay much attention to the children. As a result, the original owner lacked love since he was a child, and subtly developed a flattering personality with low self-esteem and sensitivity.
So when the third prince Pei Changzhou treated her a little better, she couldn't help but fell into it...
Thinking of this, Tao Ti couldn't help but sigh.
The influence of the family of origin on the child is enormous. The psychologist Adler once said: Lucky people are healed by childhood all their lives, and unlucky people are healed their childhoods all their lives. It's a pity that the original owner didn't have time to heal his childhood, so he ended his life prematurely.
"Are you dumb? Don't you think you can fool me if you don't speak?" Zhang's angry voice sounded again.
Tao Ti came back to her senses, looked at her calmly, and asked, "What do you want me to say?"
Mrs. Zhang didn't expect her to react like this, and choked for a while.
Tao Ti said lightly, "It was my recklessness to commit suicide by taking poison. I apologize to you. But... I have said many times before that that I don't want to marry to the Eastern Palace. Have you ever heard my wish?"
The original owner had said these words, but they were crying hysterically, and never said them so calmly.
Mrs. Zhang still wanted to scold Tao Ti with a straight face as usual, but for some reason, seeing Tao Ti's clear and serious eyes, she only felt guilty for a while.
Tao Ti said again, "Mother, I want to ask you, when you heard the news that I took poison, was your first reaction to be angry, or worried about my safety?"
"I, I..." Zhang's voice tightened, and he turned his head awkwardly, "Aren't you fine now, don't talk about me."
Tao Ti clenched her fingers, her eyelashes drooping slightly, "I see."
She straightened her dress and slowly got up from the couch.
Mrs. Zhang panicked for some reason, and hurriedly said, "Ah Ti, where are you going?"
"I'll go out to get some air. If my mother still wants to accuse me..." Tao Ti showed a polite and alienated smile, "I've been listening for so many years, and I'm tired of listening."
Zhang's footsteps froze in place, she had a lot to say, but she couldn't say a word, so she could only watch her daughter leave the house.
The bright and clean sunlight shines down from the carved wooden windows, casting mottled light and shadows.
Sitting on the couch slumped, Mrs. Zhang felt that the heart in her chest had become empty.
After a while, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed softly, "No, it's not what you think. You are a piece of flesh that fell from my body when I was pregnant in October. How can I not feel sorry for you..."
—
After coming out of the main room, Tao Ti didn't know where to go, so she simply asked Zishuang to take her to the back garden, so she could find a quiet place.
I never thought that this back garden is not only not quiet, but extremely lively.
"Did you all see just now, Wu Niang seems to be a different person?"
"Yeah, I feel the same way. Although she has always looked good, she is much prettier than before with her dress today!"
"Hey, what's so strange, people rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles. Her outfits are all bought by the palace, and they still look good in my clothes."
The girls from the fourth room of the Hou's Mansion got together and chatted, and the topic naturally couldn't get around today's protagonist.
"But did she really commit suicide by taking poison? I think she looks very good, and she doesn't look like she committed suicide at all."
"I don't know, I just vaguely heard about it." The speaker was the daughter of the second room, Tao Ti's cousin, Tao Si Niang, holding an embroidered handkerchief, and said in a low voice, "Anyway, the night she got married , the uncle ran to the uncle's mother's room and lost his temper, and said something like the whole family would be implicated... "
As soon as these words came out, the faces of the girls changed, and they were both scared and resentful.
"If she really does such a thing, we will all be tricked to death by her! How can you be so vicious when you look at a person who is silent on weekdays?"
"That's right! She has been engaged to the prince since she was a child, so she should accept her fate early, what kind of a moth..."
"In the past, I heard my second elder brother say that the crown prince Zhilan Yushu is like a banished fairy. When I saw him today, it was true. He is not only good-looking, but also so gentle that he helped her out of the car himself. Alas, it is a pity that the crown prince is weak and sick, otherwise it would be so The most perfect husband in the world."
"Hmph, if the prince is as healthy as an ordinary person, how can someone like Wu Niang be worthy of being a princess? I'm afraid she's not even worthy of carrying the prince's shoes!"
These harsh words caused the girls to cover their lips and laugh.
The corners of Tao Ti's lips twitched when she heard it behind the rockery, and she really wanted to rush up and say: I am not worthy to be a princess, are you worthy
In fact, she did.