When Hu Shanwei left the palace, he specifically asked the driver to take a detour and pass through Chengxian Street in Yinglingfang in the north of the city. The Hu Family Bookstore was at the southwest end of Chengxian Street.
Twelve years have passed, and the golden signboard of Hu Family Bookstore has become old, turning from dazzling gold to dull bronze. A sleepy old cat is squatting at the door.
Yesterday, Emperor Hongwu threatened to kill her entire family. Hu Shanwei is still frightened and worried, so she took a detour to come and see her father.
"Stop." Hu Shanwei said to Haitang, "Go in and buy a book."
Haitang asked: "What book should I buy?"
Hu Shanwei said, "Just buy whatever you like."
Haitang got off the carriage, walked into the bookstore, and drew aside the curtain of the carriage. Hu Shanwei saw a window on the second floor that was open to let in air and light. A young boy was copying books at a desk next to the window. He should be her half-brother. It seemed that he would follow in his father's footsteps and make a living from this in the future.
A man in a half-worn blue robe walked to the desk, as if instructing the boy. The boy nodded frequently. It was his father, Hu Rong. He was 48 years old this year, with a beard on his chin and a net scarf on his head. He looked clean-cut, and his appearance and figure seemed to be the same as before. He lived a comfortable life and it was rare that he had not gained weight. At this age, Hu Rong could be called a handsome middle-aged uncle.
Finally, Hu Rong picked up the clepsydra and went to water the pots of flowers on the windowsill, and Hu Shanwei quickly lowered the curtains.
At this time, Haitang had already bought a new book and came back. "This is the new collection of poetry by Zen Master Daoyan. Hu Siyan will definitely like it."
Hu Shanwei opened it and saw that it was "Continuation of Du'an Collection".
The driver whipped the horse and continued to drive. Unexpectedly, a voice came from the back, "Girl! The girl who bought the book just now!"
From the voice, it was Hu Rong.
The driver stopped the car and Haitang stuck her head out of the window. "What's going on? Did you miscalculate the money just now?"
Hu Rong ran after him breathlessly and handed over something. "This year our bookstore has a benefit. Buy a book and get a bag of duck fat sesame cakes for free. The guy who did the accounting forgot to give it to you."
Haitang was skeptical, "I just bought a book, and you gave me these things. Don't you make money from your bookstore?"
Hu Rong laughed and said, "A book is also a customer. We are doing business and we should not cheat anyone."
Haitang smiled and said, "I am neither a child nor an old man, so I don't want this sesame cake."
Hu Rong handed it over resolutely, "Girl, look, I've already given it to you - if you don't like it, it's the same if you share it with others."
Haitang took the pancake and said, "Oh, it's still hot? The pancake seller is right next to your bookstore?"
Hu Rong said, "It's the girl who came here by chance. She just brought a basket of freshly baked ones."
Hu Shanwei in the carriage touched Haitang's sleeve. Haitang understood and accepted the duck fat sesame cake. "Since the boss is so hospitable, I won't be polite. Thank you very much, boss. I wish the bookstore a prosperous business."
Hu Rong bowed and said, "Thank you for your good wishes, young lady. Have a safe journey."
The carriage started moving again. Hu Rong watched the carriage disappear into the bustling streets and did not leave for a long time.
Haitang opened the oil paper package and ate the duck fat sesame cake, forgetting that she was trying to refuse Hu Rong just now, "This sesame cake is so delicious."
Hu Shanwei sighed, "My father has seen through you."
Haitang choked and drank some water before swallowing it down. "How did Hu Siyan know that?"
Hu Shanwei said, "It is common for bookstores to give away pens and paper, but who would give away sesame cakes when buying books? Father probably guessed that the person in the carriage was me."
"Oh." Haitang suddenly realized, "So Hu Siyan likes to eat duck fat sesame cakes."
Hu Shanwei pointed at the crumbs in the oil paper package and said, "I like to lick the crumbs in the paper package after eating the sesame seed cake. It is fragrant and crispy. I like soy milk, milk, and the top layer of rice porridge... Before I was 18 years old, my father would pick these things out and leave them for me."
Everything changed after she became a widow and resisted marriage. The relationship between father and daughter was gradually worn away. She sent half of her salary home every year and wrote almost identical letters to her father. The relationship between father and daughter seemed to be so cold.
But this does not mean that Hu Shanwei would let his father die or sit back and watch his father being executed. The bond between family members cannot be explained in just a few words.
Seeing that her father was in good health and living a good life, she felt relieved.
In the end, they shared the duck fat sesame seed cakes - Haitang and the driver ate the sesame seed cakes, while Hu Shanwei ate the crumbs.
At the Xiaoling Mausoleum, Mu Chun had been waiting there early, carrying a pair of green peacocks brought from Yunnan. The peacocks, which were a pair of lilies and a pair of chicks, had reached the end of their lives and died, leaving behind two male offspring. Mu Chun, like an old father, carefully selected wives for the two peacocks.
This time was different from the previous times when they met and the ground was covered with peacock feathers. Perhaps it was the mating season in spring, and the two pairs of green peacocks quickly paired up on their own, occupied both sides of the pond, and groomed each other's feathers.
When Hu Shanwei walked to the edge of the pond, a male peacock had already spread its feathers impatiently and was circling around the female peacock. It seemed that he was about to do something unspeakable, so Hu Shanwei deliberately increased the noise of his footsteps.
Mu Chun turned around, the corners of his mouth raised unconsciously, "Sister Shanwei, I'm back."
Just a few simple words made Hu Shanwei burst into tears. The long-term depression and pressure made her collapse. She was not an iron man and she could not remain calm forever.
Mu Chun ran over and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, I came back late. Before I left, I made a vow to live up to my country and lover, but I didn't expect it to be so difficult. Three years later, there are always so many things around me."
"It's not because of you." Hu Shanwei choked up and said, "Two and a half million people are not two and a half million trees. It's not easy to stay away from home and take root in Yunnan. You've done a good job. I'm uncomfortable, not because of you, but because of the palace—"
Hu Shanwei was stunned. He couldn't tell this to Mu Chun, otherwise his entire family would be executed and it would bring trouble to Mu Chun.
Hu Shanwei said, "There are many things in the palace that no matter what I do, I can't change the outcome. I feel... tired."
Mu Chun didn't know whether he should be overjoyed or "worried about his sister Shanwei's worries". The expression on his face was very interesting, sometimes happy and sometimes worried, as if his facial expression was out of control.
At this time, Mu Chun was no longer a nobody. He was able to come up with two popular ballads during the funeral procession to promote his position as the successor. He was careful with his words, "If you... are tired, you can take a break and do something you like. For example, come with me to Yunnan... take a walk and see how big the world is."
After Mu Ying's death, Mu Chun, as the eldest son who inherited the ancestral temple, had to observe a 27-month mourning period, during which time he was not allowed to talk about marriage.
Seeing that Hu Shanwei did not object, Mu Chun thought that this was his agreement, and said, "When my mourning period is over, I will immediately give the title to my second brother Mu Sheng and let him guard Yunnan. Then we will get married and go wherever we want."
Mu Chun's words were like a thunderbolt, awakening Hu Shanwei from his sadness and disappointment. "What did you say? You want to give up the title?"
"Yes." Mu Chun said, "Our Mu family has been garrisoned in Yunnan for generations, but important family women and children must stay in the capital. Only unimportant concubines can go to Yunnan to serve the men of the Mu family and reproduce. My stepmother Geng and my second brother's wife Cheng will never set foot in Kunming. Once we get married, you will be the wife of the Duke of Qian. From now on, you will live as a widow in the Duke's Mansion with women like Geng and Cheng, and slowly wither away. We have finally been together, how can I bear to let you follow in their footsteps?"
Hu Shanwei looked at Mu Chun in surprise. After six years of separation, Mu Chun actually thought more long-term and detailed than her!
I didn’t expect you to be such a Chunchun!
The general guards the border while his family stays in the capital. This is a means of checks and balances. It has been the case in all dynasties, and the Mu family is no exception.
Middle and lower-level generals or officers could bring their families with them to farm, but senior generals were like bricks that had to be moved wherever they were needed. It was impossible for them to fight a war and take care of children at the same time.
The families of high-ranking military officers enjoy wealth and glory, but they have to endure separation and longing. For some couples, distance creates beauty. No matter how far or how long they are away, they are still a loving couple. But for most couples, distance only creates estrangement. Military officers can use concubines to solve their loneliness, physiological and reproductive needs, but women cannot take "husbands".
Geng had long seen through love and treated being a noble lady as a job, fulfilling her duties as a hostess and enjoying the honor and status of a duke's wife. She didn't care if her husband Mu Ying took concubines and had children. After all, she already had a son, Mu Sheng, who was her future support.
Poor second young master's wife, Cheng, had been married into the Mu family for four years but had never even seen her husband. She became a mother as a virgin and already had two sons.
Seeing Hu Shanwei's surprised and delighted expression, Mu Chun knew that he was right. "I swear that I will not let down my country and you in this life. In order to settle 2.5 million immigrants, you and I have not seen each other for six years. I have been busy all year round and have never had a day off. After my father's death, Yunnan will inevitably be turbulent in the early days. Some forces will test whether our Mu family has successors. So during the 27-month mourning period, I will use my strength to make those people with bad intentions give up their evil thoughts and protect the stability of Yunnan. My second brother has been staying in Yunnan. He has some prestige in the local area. This 27-month mourning period is a transition period for him and me to hand over. When the mourning period is over, I will ask to give up my title and return to the countryside. Then, will you marry me?"
Live up to the country and live up to the lover, this is not just talk. Loyalty and filial piety, loyalty and love, often cannot be achieved at the same time, one must give up one to achieve the other.
Fifteen years ago, Hu Shanwei was the one who was abandoned, and now, she met the man who solved her dilemma.
He does not give up, he does not choose, he wants all, and he never lets anything down.
Hu Shanwei wiped away his tears and tried to put on a smile, "Okay, I'm married. I didn't expect that the poem I wrote for you would come true by accident. The heartless young man should be so charming, wearing a helmet and dancing with a spear and playing the Yumen flute. He fought for 8,000 miles outside the Great Wall, and took off his armor to visit the chrysanthemums when he saw the cooking."
"I always carry it with me." Mu Chun took out the fan from his arms, pulled out the Sichuan gold fan from the kesi fan case, and opened the fan with a snap. The poem "On July 20th, I ate crabs and drank chrysanthemum wine with Jingchun in a Hangzhou restaurant" lay leisurely on the fan, and the ink had not faded.
After struggling and fighting, feeling tired and exhausted, it is worth it to have someone to accompany you, to withdraw from the world of fame and fortune together, to sleep and wake up together, to pick chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, and to leisurely view the southern mountains. No matter how much pain, betrayal, calculation, and disappointment you experience in this life, it is all worth it.
Because if it weren't for these, the two of them wouldn't have met, let alone known each other, loved each other, and even stayed together.
Hu Shanwei and Mu Chun were by the pond, watching the green peacock spread its feathers to court a mate, and looking forward to the future:
Hu Shanwei said, "We must go to many places. We must go to all the places that Ru Siyao and Doctor Tan have been to. Every time I received a letter from Ru Siyao, I was envious. Things will change. When we go to a certain place, we will write to Ru Siyao and ask her to envy me too."
It was rare for Mu Chun to see Sister Shanwei's little girl side. She was completely different from the depressed and tired look just now. She was full of energy and her eyes were shining brightly, as if they contained a sky full of stars.
Sister Shanwei is thirty-two years old. How many times can she be thirty-two years old in her life
Mu Chun became more and more determined to give up the title. He believed that Yunnan had paid a lot and lived up to the glory and responsibility brought by the bloodlines of the Mu and Feng families. He did not let down the title and honor bestowed on him by the country. After the twenty-seven-month mourning period, he was thirty-two years old. For the rest of his life, he would fulfill his promise to this woman and embrace happiness.
Muchun asked her, "Where shall we go first?"
Hu Shanwei thought for a moment and said, "Spread out the map of the Ming Dynasty, blindfold yourself and throw darts at it. We will go wherever the dart hits."
"What if we get stuck in the forest?"
"Then we'll go be monkeys."
"What if it hits the sea?"
"Let's just get a boat."
…
Hu Shanwei and Muchun were planning their future in Xiaoling Mausoleum. They were in love all day. When night fell, Concubine Guo set up a vegetarian banquet in Zhongcui Palace of the East Six Palaces and sent an invitation to invite the prince to the banquet.
Concubine Guo's eyes were slightly red, as if she had just cried, and she said, "For my son's funeral, the prince traveled thousands of miles to Yanzhou, doing everything with all his heart and soul, and Hu Siyan accompanied him all the way and saw it all. Later, he told me everything, and I am very grateful."
The prince hurriedly said, "It's what I, as the eldest brother, should do. I was shocked to hear that my tenth brother passed away. He was so young and his child was only a month old. Alas, I am very sad. If I had cared for him more and advised him more when he was still in the palace, perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided. Unfortunately, it has come to this point and it is too late for me to regret. The only thing I can do is to arrange his funeral properly and choose a Feng Shui treasured place for him to have a grand funeral."
Concubine Guo raised her wine glass and said, "Today I will use tea instead of wine to toast the Crown Prince."
During the mourning period, people were not allowed to drink alcohol, so tea was used instead. Concubine Guo drank it all in one gulp, and the prince also drank a cup.
After one cup, Concubine Guo pointed to a table of vegetarian dishes and said, "After your tenth brother left, I decided to be a vegetarian for a year. Today, I will ask the Crown Prince to accompany me to eat vegetarian food."
Concubine Guo was about to be crowned as the Queen. Facing his future mother, the Crown Prince was respectful, unlike other concubines. He said, "Since this is the case, I will also be a vegetarian for a month, and tomorrow I will release a thousand fish to pray for my tenth brother."
Concubine Guo raised her glass again, "Your Highness is kind and loving to his brothers. I will toast you again."
The two of them drank tea instead of wine, and each drank a pot of tea. Although Concubine Guo was sad, she still had a good appetite. She ate a bowl of rice and also picked up two chopsticks of imitation crab meat made of gluten for the prince:
"Your Highness, you have had a hard time on the journey. Eat more. I have come to terms with it now. King Luhuang passed away early, but there is still a child named Guoer in the Lu Palace. I heard from Hu Siyan that he is plump and handsome, and the nickname was given by the Crown Prince. It is a pity that Guoer was not born from the belly of the Princess of Lu. There is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. It is more difficult for the eldest son of an illegitimate child to be crowned king than the legitimate son. But there is no other way. King Luhuang only left this one flesh and blood. I have to take good care of my body. In the future, this child will have to rely on me to arrange for him to inherit the title."
Concubine Guo's remarks, especially her request for a title for the eldest son of a concubine, really touched the heart of the Crown Prince - he was the eldest son of a concubine, and was given the position of crown prince because of his advantage as the eldest.
The prince seemed to be lost in thought, and unknowingly ate the high-quality imitation crab meat that Concubine Guo picked for him. He liked river and seafood, and the fake meat made of gluten tasted as delicious as the real crab. The palace chefs were truly amazing.
In fact, in terms of martial arts and strategy, the prince is not as good as the Prince of Yan, the Prince of Jin, or even the Prince of Qin, who are vassal kings guarding the border.
In terms of literary talent, the crown prince was not as good as his younger brothers such as the King of Chu, the King of Xiang, and the King of Ning, who were all outstanding in literary talent. Even some of the poems of the King of Luhuang were better than those of the crown prince.
In terms of "unorthodox teachings", the prince was not as good as King Zhu Su of Zhou, who was neither good at literature nor martial arts but devoted himself to medical research.
The prince really has no other unique advantages except that he was born early. Therefore, the prince has been playing to his strengths and avoiding his weaknesses, and has been making a fuss about his personality, creating positive images such as "good student", "good brother", "good husband", and "good father".
Concubine Guo expressed her intention to ask for a title for her eldest grandson Guo'er. The prince understood the situation very well. After eating the imitation crab meat, the prince said:
"Your Majesty is right. A concubine's eldest son has a harder life than a legitimate son. I will definitely lend a helping hand to my son in the future. We cannot let the lineage of Prince Lu be demoted to become a prince of a county. By then, the size of Prince Lu's mansion will have to be reduced and changed to a prince of a county mansion, and it will no longer be as grand and majestic as it is now."
The grandeur of Prince Lu’s Palace is so impressive that if you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to believe that it was just a prince’s palace.
Concubine Guo showed gratitude on her face, raised her glass and said, "The love between the Crown Prince and his brother, the King of Luhuang, is as clear as the sun and the moon. I toast the Crown Prince again."
After drinking tea, Concubine Guo saw that the prince liked "crab meat", so she picked up another piece with the public chopsticks and gave it to the prince. She said, "A gift from an elder should not be refused, especially since this is the future queen." The prince ate up all the gift from Concubine Guo.
Later, Concubine Guo ordered more rice. She had a very good appetite and ate a lot. The prince was a little surprised because Concubine Guo had never eaten so much before.
Concubine Guo smiled while holding the rice bowl, "I am a vegetarian now, so I don't have much oil. I will work hard to increase my diet and keep my body in good shape, so that I can be a supporter for Guo'er in the future."
Concubine Guo was not reserved at all and ate with great relish, taking several bites of each dish with her chopsticks. All the elders did the same, so the prince could not pretend to be polite, otherwise it would be too artificial, so he also had more rice. He ate until his belly was full and there was not a grain of rice left in the bowl, then he put down his chopsticks.
This vegetarian banquet was a great success and both the host and guests enjoyed the meal very much.
But at night, the East Palace began to become noisy. Liu Siyao from the Shangshi Bureau was about to go to sleep when he was called to the East Palace for a medical consultation. For some reason, the prince felt unwell all over at night. First, his eyes hurt, even the lantern light seemed dazzling, and he shed tears for no apparent reason. Then he began to cough, and every time he coughed, his chest hurt.
When Liu Siyao arrived, the prince said that his throat hurt too. Liu Siyao looked at the prince's mouth and as soon as he opened his mouth, he smelled a rusty bad breath and his throat was red and swollen.
In addition, the prince also had multiple rashes on his body.
At first, Liu Siyao thought it was the stimulation of willow catkins or pollen. After all, it was spring, and many people in the palace who were sensitive to pollen and willow catkins began to fall ill. Their symptoms were very similar to those of the prince.
Princess Lu, who was accompanying the prince, said, "But the prince rarely had this symptom in the spring before."
Liu Siyao was timid and did not dare to take responsibility, so he said, "In this case, please move to the Qianqing Palace and ask the imperial doctors to consult together."
The prince cherished his life, and he felt very uncomfortable, an indescribable discomfort. At this moment, he even felt a little difficult to breathe, and he was dizzy. He said, "Then go to the Qianqing Palace and summon the imperial physician."
As soon as the prince arrived at the Qianqing Palace, his face turned pale and he said, "Hurry, I need to go to the bathroom."
The prince sat on the toilet. After a bout of diarrhea, he suddenly felt weak all over. Four strong eunuchs helped him lie down on the bed.
When he saw the dirt in the toilet, he was shocked: Oh no, the prince is having bloody stools!
When the imperial doctors arrived, the prince's condition had deteriorated at a rapid pace. His throat was swollen and sore that he could hardly speak. His eyes were red and the capillaries in his eyeballs were almost red enough to burst. It was as if he had not slept for ten nights and had continuous diarrhea. He had no time to sit on the toilet and had to change his dirty clothes and bedding again and again.
The prince began to cough violently. Every cough was like a knife stabbing his throat and chest. Finally, the prince coughed up blood.
Liu Siyao was so frightened that his face turned pale. He trembled as he recorded the details of the prince's illness on the pulse record, writing: "The symptoms are extremely similar to arsenic poisoning."
In the middle of the night, someone knocked on the door of Zhongcui Palace. It was Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He broke directly into Concubine Guo's bedroom, and no one was able to stop him.
When Concubine Guo heard the noise, she seemed to have expected it. She ordered people to open the palace doors one by one and waited with candles.
Mao Xiang bowed and said, "The Emperor summons the Imperial Concubine to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
Concubine Guo followed Mao Xiang without saying a word.
Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Before entering the palace, two old maids checked Concubine Guo's body and even took off the slightly sharp wooden hairpin on her head. Even though she was treated like this, Concubine Guo said nothing.
Mao Xiang looked at it and sighed in his heart.
Walking into the east side hall of the Qianqing Palace, which was brightly lit, she could faintly hear crying sounds. When Concubine Guo heard it, it was as if she was listening to heavenly music and she chuckled.
The author has something to say: Give him what he deserves~ The lunch box has been delivered by the courier Mu Lanzhou, please keep your phone turned on
Congratulations to reader Nina for winning a 100-point bonus! She got all the answers right and was the first to answer them.
[-Collapse] Netizen: Nina Comment: "Hu Shanwei" Score: 2 Published: 2019-03-09 23:59:49 Reviewed chapter: 138
First three questions cda
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[1st floor] Netizen: Nina Rating: 0 Posted time: 2019-03-10 00:10:51
4.1. The emperor lied that there were many alarms at the border, ordered the general Zhu Shou to lead the six armies to go to the expedition, and ordered the cabinet to draft an imperial edict.
2. Liang Chu and others requested that the emperor follow the example of Emperor Xuanzong in his campaign against Zhu Gaoxu, and that the troops be transferred back to the capital on the same day the criminals were captured.
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[2nd floor] Netizen: Nina Rating: 0 Posted time: 2019-03-10 00:12:41
I think I did this question in high school_(:3∠)_