He calls himself "Laozi" and considers himself the old father of the two birds. There is no one else except Muchun.
The old father Mu Chun is worried sick about his two bird sons, but in fact he is transferring his feelings to another's side. The daughter-in-law that is within the reach of the two birds is out of his reach for him.
Mu Chun served as the deputy general of the imperial guards. The general of the imperial guards, Gongchang Hou Guo Xing, was a general who had followed Emperor Hongwu for many years and knew what Emperor Hongwu meant. It was because his own sister, Concubine Guo Ning, was in charge of the harem. Emperor Hongwu wanted to maintain a balance and could not have only Guo's family members inside and outside the palace.
Guo Xing was very cooperative and generous. He delegated power and handed over the defense of the imperial city step by step to Mu Chun. Mu Chun was very busy, patrolling and checking posts in various places in the imperial city every day.
The two brothers of the Guo family, Guo Xing guarded the imperial city, and Guo Ying followed Xiping Hou Mu Ying to guard Yunnan. The whole family was loyal. Although the younger sister, Concubine Guo Ning, repeatedly got into trouble in the palace, disappointing Emperor Hongwu, the power of the harem was still given to Concubine Guo Ning, who was less capable than loyal, because of the loyalty of the Guo family. At least the Guo family and the old Zhu family were a community of interests. Emperor Hongwu trusted the Guo family, otherwise he would not be able to sleep well.
He and Hu Shanwei were both civil servants in the imperial city, but they acted like they were in a long-distance relationship and could not easily meet. When they met occasionally, there were many people around them, so it was inconvenient to talk, and they were busy with their own things and passed each other in a hurry.
So when Mu Chun learned that Hu Shanwei had left the palace to go to the Xiaoling Mausoleum, he was overjoyed and asked Guo Xing for leave, saying that he was going back home to visit.
Guo Xing calculated with his fingers and found that Mu Chun had not had a single day of rest since he took office, so he agreed to his request.
Mu Chun hurried back to the Mansion of Marquis Xiping, offered the things that Emperor Hongwu had recently rewarded him to the ancestral hall, and burned incense to his ancestors. The wife of Marquis Xiping was still waiting for him to have dinner, when he heard from the servants that the prince had ridden to Zhongshan to burn paper for his mother, Feng.
Feng was granted a burial at Zhongshan, at the Mu family's ancestral tomb, near the Xiaoling Mausoleum. Mu Chun burned some paper and went to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to find Hu Shanwei. He saw her and Shen Qionglian feeding the deer together, so he went to the greenhouse to see the phoenixes guarding the birds and waiting for people. He knew that Hu Shanwei would definitely come.
Sure enough, Hu Shanwei came to the greenhouse, thinking about the green peacock's lifelong affairs.
Mu Chun was nagging and teaching the male phoenix. When he heard footsteps behind him, he quickly posed in a handsome way, gently lifted the corner of the thick fox fur cloak on his shoulders, and turned his left face to Hu Shanwei, "What a coincidence, you are here to see the birds too."
He was used to seeing Mu Chun patrolling the imperial city in armor, but today he was wearing a fox fur coat and a jade crown, and suddenly he looked like a handsome young man. Hu Shanwei's eyes lit up, and he felt that he couldn't see enough of him, but he said, "The greenhouse is warm, aren't you hot?"
Men dress up to please themselves. When Mu Chun saw Hu Shanwei, he immediately spread his feathers like a male peacock.
Mu Chun completed a series of tasks at whirlwind speed, including asking for leave, burning incense, changing clothes, looking for people, feeding birds, etc., just to see the light in Hu Shanwei's eyes when they meet again, just like the stars in the night sky.
Humph, you clearly admire me in your heart, but you always say it indifferently - however, I like this kind of sister Shanwei who says one thing and means another.
Why bother taking a bird for a walk when I already have Sister Shanwei
"It's hot." Mu Chun said, "So let's go for a walk outside."
"Let me take a look at the birds first." Hu Shanwei walked closer and saw a pile of peacock feathers...
"Fighting again?" Hu Shanwei asked.
"Yeah." Mu Chun nodded. "I brought my wives here, but when they met, they were like enemies. They started fighting. It was hard to separate them."
Hu Shanwei half-knelt down and picked up the beautiful peacock feathers that seemed to have their own halos, "Take them back and give them to Shen Qionglian and the others. They will look great in vases."
Muchun picked up feathers with her, "I thought you would teach these two wife-beaters a lesson."
Hu Shanwei said: "Let nature take its course. Over the years, the emperor may have forgotten about this pair of phoenixes. Time will dilute everything."
Emperor Hongwu was really scary and unpredictable. On the night when he learned the truth about Empress Xiaoci's death, Emperor Hongwu did not get angry, but talked with her about his dead wife all night.
After confirming that Concubine Ding was the murderer, Emperor Hongwu summoned the murderer to sleep with him. Before he got on the dragon bed, he saw with his own eyes that Concubine Ding drank poisoned wine, but she still slept soundly without any psychological barriers.
If it were an ordinary man, he probably wouldn't be able to do that.
Ruthless? Affectionate? Hu Shanwei increasingly understood Empress Xiaoci's lament that living with the emperor was like living with a tiger. Today, when she saw Concubine Da Ding's sickly state after being poisoned, she did not feel the pleasure of revenge as she had expected, but still felt sad.
The prosperity of the palace seemed depressing and sad to her. When she thought about the Prince of Qi returning to the palace by imperial decree and the bloody storm that was about to hit the palace, she didn't want to stay in the palace any longer. She asked for leave from Concubine Guo Ning and stayed in the Xiaoling Mausoleum for a few days, waiting until things were over before going back.
Mu Chun held a bunch of peacock feathers in her hand, looking particularly coquettish. She and Hu Shanwei walked through the pine forest. It was obvious that she was worried and her eyes were bloodshot. She couldn't put on makeup in the Xiaoling Mausoleum. After washing off the makeup, the faint dark circles under her eyes were revealed. "She was well-dressed and well-fed in the palace, why do you look so haggard after returning to the palace?"
When he was an animal keeper in Xiaoling Mausoleum, life was poor. Hu Shanwei and Haitang took turns preparing every meal. They were content with their poverty, unlike the depressed mood they are today.
Mu Chun could not tell the difference at first glance, and he had always been paying attention to her. Hu Shanwei felt warm in his heart, "They are all serving as female officials for the master of the harem. After all, Concubine Guo Ning lost in terms of position. If the name is not right, then the words will not flow. Many people in the palace are not convinced. Therefore, she was reinstated, and it is not as easy as before to be a female official."
The conspiracy between Concubine Da Ding and Prince Qi to usurp the throne is a state secret. Currently, only the Imperial Guards know about it. Hu Shanwei dare not leak the secret. The more Mu Chun knows, the more trouble he will get into.
Mu Chun didn't believe it. He counted Hu Shanwei's previous "great achievements" and said, "No, your work was easy before. It was difficult to travel thousands of miles to Guizhou to convey the Queen's decree, but you didn't worry like this at that time."
Hu Shanwei discovered that having a confidant is not always beneficial. When people know each other too well, some secrets cannot be hidden.
Since he couldn't hide it, using one lie to cover up another would only make things more troublesome, so Hu Shanwei simply said, "Yes, I have something on my mind, but I can't tell you for the time being, okay?"
Mu Chun paused and said, "As if I can still say 'no'. However, if you need help, just ask." He grew up in the palace and knew the palace rules. Sister Shanwei had her own difficulties.
Hu Shanwei stopped and looked at Mu Chun who was holding the peacock feather. Mu Chun, Mu Chun, was like a spring breeze. Just as her name suggests, he didn't need to help with anything. Just standing beside her, she was warm, like a wall that isolated her from the cold conspiracies and calculations in the palace.
I really want to hug him, but Hu Shanwei only dares to think about it.
Mu Chun saw the suppressed desire in her eyes and was overjoyed. He deliberately imitated her indifferent expression, sighed helplessly, and said, "You must be cold. I'm warm. You can get closer to me to keep warm. Just like the time when the emperor almost dug out your eyes."
Hu Shanwei walked closer, put her hands into his fox fur, put her arms around his waist, and put her cheek against his chest. For a moment, she wanted this moment to last forever.
But, it was only for a moment.
Hu Shanwei reluctantly let go and wanted to separate, but Mu Chun let go, and a bunch of peacock feathers in his hand fell on the ground covered with pine needles, and he hugged her back.
Hu Shanwei's body froze, and she instinctively pushed him away, but Mu Chun held her tighter and tighter. She simply stopped struggling, because he couldn't hold her like this forever.
The snow was getting heavier and heavier. This was the first snow of winter, and it came earlier than last year. The heavy snow gradually covered the gorgeous peacock feathers, but Muchun still didn't let go.
Mu Chun didn't let Hu Shanwei go until Shen Qionglian rode through the forest with the herd of deer.
Shen Qionglian fed the deer in the morning and painted in the afternoon, feeling free and easy. After five days, the pine and deer painting was half finished, the deer herd was basically completed, and the pine forest was still missing.
When Hu Shanwei returned, he brought her a box of powders of various green minerals, including malachite, olive green, jasper, aquamarine, etc. "I don't know what color green you want, so I bought some of them."
Shen Qionglian saw that her cheeks were flushed, her nose was slightly sweaty, her eyes were shining, and she had a rare good complexion even though she was not wearing any makeup. She took off her thick fur coat and only wore a thin coat and skirt. She stood on tiptoe and hung the coat on the rosewood hanger. The setting sun shone on her face, and her whole body seemed to be glowing.
"Don't move." Shen Qionglian spread out another piece of drawing paper, "Keep this posture, I want to draw a picture for you."
Shen Qionglian picked up her brush and drew the outline of her figure and the details of the folds of her dress. Later, Hu Shanwei couldn't hold on any longer. "Are you done? My hands are sore and my feet are numb."
"Hold on for a while longer." Shen Qionglian finished painting and put down her brush. "That's enough. I'll color it tomorrow."
Hu Shanwei twisted his stiff neck and leaned over to look at the painting. What a beautiful ink-and-wash painting of a beauty.
Shen Qionglian touched her face curiously, "You got promoted?"
Hu Shanwei was puzzled. "No way. I will be a Shang Gong if I move up one step. If Shang Gong Cao hears what you said, she will cause trouble for me again."
"When good things happen, people feel refreshed." Shen Qionglian looked at Hu Shanwei, whose eyes were full of spring. "Where have you been going to relax these days? Why do you feel like a completely different person since when you came here?"
Hu Shanwei felt guilty and said, "Walk around Xiaoling Mausoleum, go to the street occasionally, and buy you some drawing paper and paint."
"That's all?"
"What else can I do?"
Shen Qionglian looked at Hu Shanwei and said, "Your whole demeanor is like Chang'e who has taken the elixir, floating in the air, about to ride the wind to the moon."
This elixir is called □□love.
Hu Shanwei tried his best to conceal it, but Shen Qionglian had no interest in exploring other people's inner thoughts. She sat down and began to mix paints, hoping to get the special green color of pine needles washed clean by heavy snow.
"Go away - don't block my light, otherwise there will be color difference when the color is adjusted." Shen Qionglian said.
Hu Shanwei, who was racking his brains to make up a lie: It turns out that the inhumanity of genius is not all shortcomings.
Hu Shanwei was eager to do so, so he went to the compartment to copy scriptures for Empress Xiaoci. But when he picked up the pen, his heart could not calm down. He had just said goodbye to Muchun and he thought of him again.
She put down her pen and opened the window. After the heavy snow, the weather cleared up, just like her mood. Love is an elixir that can make people temporarily forget the pain and relieve the pressure. After the hug in the pine forest that day, the two of them never had any more intimate actions. They just occasionally held hands under the cover of their cloaks and gently scratched each other's palms.
The numbing feeling spreads from the palms to the whole body. Even in winter, I don’t need to use a hand warmer, my whole body will be warm.
There was a palm-thick pile of snow on the windowsill. Hu Shanwei was scratching on the snow unconsciously. When he looked down, he saw the word "Spring".
Her subconscious action revealed her thoughts, and Hu Shanwei's cheeks began to burn again. She picked up the bamboo knife on the table and wanted to shovel away the snow where her name was engraved. She was reluctant to let the bamboo knife pierce into the snow.
He threw away the bamboo sword and gently placed his palm on the word "Spring". The warmth of his palm slowly melted the words and turned them into a pool of spring water.
She couldn't bear to part with him, even just his name.
Hu Shanwei stood at the window and looked into the distance. Mu Chun lived in the ancestral temple at the Mu family's ancestral tomb in Zhongshan.
Suddenly, a group of people appeared halfway up the mountain and headed towards the Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Hu Shanwei went out and asked the guards of the mausoleum, "Who is coming?"
The guards replied, "It's Prince Lu. Prince Lu has just recovered from a serious illness and is here to burn incense for Empress Xiaoci, thanking her for blessing him to recover."
Hu Shanwei looked at Shen Qionglian who was concentrating on mixing paints in the study, and thought: I'm afraid the real purpose is not to mix paints.
Hu Shanwei said: "Dispatch a hundred people to guard here. No one is allowed to approach, so as not to disturb Shen Jiaoxi's painting. Her painting is to be presented to the emperor."
Arrange people to protect Shen Qionglian, Hu Shanwei put on a cloak and went out to meet the King of Lu to prevent him from doing stupid things again. At the age of fourteen, he can do a lot of things...
Prince Lu burned incense, returned to the side hall to rest for a while, took out a collection of poems, and went to look for Shen Qionglian. On the way, he was blocked by Hu Shan.
It was almost dusk at this time, and Prince Lu did not bring any followers with him. His skin was smooth and shiny due to the careful care taken by the imperial physician. Prince Lu was not bad looking, but Hu Shanwei always thought his eyes were vulgar.
"Where is Your Highness going?" Hu Shanwei asked.
Hu Shanwei was the "military advisor" of his biological mother, Concubine Guo Ning, and it was not easy to offend him. Prince Lu hid the scroll in his sleeve and said, "Just walk around and take a look at the scenery of Xiaoling Mausoleum."
Hu Shanwei invited him warmly, "What a coincidence! I'm a keeper at the Xiaoling Mausoleum. No one knows this place better than me. I'll take Your Highness for a look around."
Prince Lu waved his hands and said, "Hu Siyan is here to recuperate. How dare I trouble you? If my mother knew, she would definitely scold me."
Hu Shanwei said, "It's no trouble. I just had some snacks and was thinking of taking a walk."
Prince Lu naturally declined, but Hu Shanwei insisted on dragging him up the mountain. She was ten years older than Prince Lu and treated him like a child. During the pushing and shoving, the collection of poems in Prince Lu's sleeve could no longer be hidden and fell to the ground with a plop.
"What is this?" Hu Shanwei picked it up and asked knowingly. He put on the airs of an elder and lectured Prince Lu with a stern face, "Are you in the same boat again? This is the Xiaoling Mausoleum. How can Your Highness bring such filthy things in? I'll tell Concubine Ning!"
Prince Lu was anxious and said repeatedly, "No, no, no... Hu Siyan misunderstood. It's not a customs painting, it's a poem I wrote recently."
I don't think you dare to commit a crime against the wind. Hu Shanwei wanted to ruin the little tricks of the King of Lu. "I don't believe it."
King Lu had no choice but to say, "If you don't believe me, open it and take a look."
Hu Shanwei pretended to be angry and said, "I will not look at such filthy things, it will dirty my eyes."
The Prince of Lu felt even more wronged than Dou E. "I really didn't lie to Hu Siyan. If you don't believe me, go find a patrolling mausoleum guard and you'll know."
Hu Shanwei said: "Your Highness is the prince of the Ming Dynasty. They will definitely stand on your side and help you cover up your lie."
King Lu was really at a loss, so he stretched out his right hand and said, "I swear, if I tell a lie, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death."
Hu Shanwei then returned the collection of poems to King Lu and said, "It's cold and the roads are slippery. I have to go back - I still have to mix paint for Teacher Shen."
This is nonsense again. Shen Qionglian never asked anyone to help her write poetry or paint. Hu Shanwei deliberately scared Prince Lu away so that he would give up and stop harassing Shen Qionglian.
The search and inspection of the five eastern and western institutes was carried out by Hu Shanwei, a tough guy.
Prince Lu was torn between reason and emotion, "Hu Siyan and Shen Jiaoshi live together?"
Hu Shanwei nodded, "The Xiaoling Mausoleum is too quiet at night, the two of us can keep each other company."
Prince Lu returned in dismay, "Oh, so that's it."
Hu Shanwei asked: "Didn't Your Highness say he wanted to go for a walk? Why did you go back?"
Prince Lu lied, "I found the road slippery and hard to walk on. I have just recovered from my illness and I am afraid that I will lose my strength and fall down."
Just stop at the right time and achieve the purpose of protecting Shen Qionglian. If you expose it, it will hurt Prince Lu's face and it will be difficult to meet in the future.
Hu Shanwei returned to the side hall. Shen Qionglian had already mixed the colors and continued to paint. Once she got into the mood, she almost forgot to eat and sleep. Hu Shanwei quietly placed the food box on the table and came to collect the bowls half an hour later. The food was not touched at all, except for half a plate of osmanthus cake.
Hu Shanwei quietly collected the bowl, added charcoal to the study, and went to bed.
In the middle of the night, Hu Shanwei was awakened by a voice while she was having a deep sleep. Shen Qionglian pushed her shoulder and said, "Hu Siyan? Wake up. Something seems to be wrong with Xiaoling."
Hu Shanwei sat up suddenly, "What happened?"
Shen Qionglian said: "I stayed up late to paint, and opened the window to wake up. There were stars dotted down the mountain. They were patrolling soldiers holding torches and walking in rows. The lights were neat and uniform, but suddenly the torches were in a mess, and some went out, which was a mess. After a while, the torches were neatly arranged again and were heading up the mountain."
Hu Shanwei got up and put on his clothes. Looking out the window, he saw a line of fire coming up the mountain. "Did the night guards on duty just change shifts during the chaos?"
"If we hand over the shift, the number of people should be about the same." Shen Qionglian is a talented girl with a photographic memory. "Before the chaos, the number of torches was fifty-six, and now the number of torches is one hundred and eight, almost double the number."
Hu Shanwei had experienced too many critical moments. Her mind was racing. Being alert had become her instinct. Her instinct was reminding her:
Of all the guesses, safety comes first.
The handover was not done in a standardized manner, which resulted in tears afterwards.
Hu Shanwei immediately ran out and said to the patrolling soldiers: "The enemy has invaded Xiaoling Mausoleum. Send out warning signals immediately, strengthen vigilance, set up roadblocks, and take Prince Lu to Empress Xiaoci's underground palace for protection."
A flare arrow shot into the night sky and exploded in the air, like a green lightning, illuminating the night sky.
The author has something to say: Green is a light so bright that it makes you panic.
Tonight is the Lantern Festival, which means that the Chinese New Year is finally over. To celebrate my son’s kindergarten start, I’m giving out 200 red packets today! ! ! !
Congratulations to the reader "Chi Shiyu" for receiving a big red envelope of 100 points.
№12 Netizen: Chi Shiyu Comment: "Hu Shanwei" Score: 2 Published: 2019-02-18 22:07:00 Reviewed chapter: 119
Leslie Cheung
Cheng Dieyi in Farewell My Concubine