Hu Shanwei and Muchun lived the life of senior retired cadres, watching buckwheat bloom and mung beans sprout, and having nothing to worry about but living a happy and comfortable life.
Compared with her previous busy and highly stressful career as a court lady, the pace of life in retirement is as slow as a turtle. The couple's pace of life is completely arranged around their two children.
In order to improve his relationship with his daughter, Hu Shanwei threw away all his reserve and courage, and went to learn swimming at the age of 40. He stretched his old arms and legs until they ached, and almost drank a bellyful of cold water. His personal coach Mu Chun abused his power for personal gain, and he took a lot of advantage of him in the water. The list goes on and on, and it is simply too difficult to describe.
He reached his hand into the soil to feel for wriggling earthworms in order to provide the two children with fishing materials, and acted as a human cover to lure away the hens so that Arei could go to the chicken coop and take the newly laid eggs. By making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, Hu Shanwei was chased by the hens and ran for his life. In the end, it was Mu Chun who waved his pole to rescue him.
Hu Shanwei plucked the chicken feathers from his hair and panted, "Why is the hen so fierce?"
Mu Chun smiled and said, "The hens are quite docile. Tomorrow they will go to touch the goose eggs. You can try to provoke the big goose."
The next day, Hu Shanwei was chased by a group of ferocious geese with their necks stretched out like spears and was forced to jump into the water. He managed to escape by using the dog paddle swimming skills he had just learned.
Hu Shanwei narrowly escaped death and got ashore. She questioned Mu Chun for not helping and just watching the joke! She was so angry that she wanted to divorce her husband right there.
Mu Chun laughed until he coughed. "I taught you so many times, but you didn't dare to swim alone. You relied on me too much. Look, without my help, you swim faster and better than before. Congratulations on your success today. There is nothing more for me to teach you."
Hu Shanwei rushed forward and used his fists and feet to illustrate what it meant to teach a disciple to kill the master, and what it meant to betray the teacher and destroy the ancestors.
The most harmonious relationship between Hu Shanwei and Mu Chun was when they lived apart. Whenever they lived together, Mu Chun would act up and make Hu Shanwei want to divorce her every now and then. But despite this, Hu Shanwei still hoped that this kind of life would continue.
Just like that, summer passed quietly, leaving behind little secrets. Hu Shanwei played in the water and ran with her two children every day, stealing eggs, fishing and catching shrimps. Her fair skin was tanned, as if it was coated with a layer of honey. In autumn, her skin was a healthy light honey color, her eyes were smiling, and she no longer had the majestic aura she had when she was a palace lady. Her temperament changed, and her appearance seemed to have changed as well, with an anti-aging effect. The woman in the mirror seemed to be getting younger and younger.
Hu Shanwei's efforts to play with A Lei finally paid off. In the fall, A Lei finally allowed her to bathe him and sleep with him.
Because the food was so good, the pair of white rabbits in summer were raised by them to be fat like piglets. The two puppies, named Xiao Hei and Xiao Hua according to their skin color, can also run in the chrysanthemum field with their little master. Muchun trained them to pick up balls, "treasure hunt" and other small games, working hard to become hunting dogs in the future.
Muchun also used this to encourage the two children, "Look, even dogs have to study hard, let alone humans?"
Hu Shanwei felt that there seemed to be something wrong with this statement, but he had to admit that it made sense.
The child's self-esteem was aroused, and he could stick to the one-hour daily reading enlightenment. In addition to enlightenment education, as the godfather of the emperor's eldest grandson, Mu Chun also read the court reports to Xiao Ji without fail, telling him about the major events that had taken place in the court during this period, the imperial edicts issued by the emperor, the personnel changes of officials, etc. At first, Xiao Ji felt like he was listening to a foreign language, and he became sleepy as soon as he heard it. It was more effective than a lullaby. Before Mu Chun had spoken a few words, he fell asleep in his godfather's arms.
It was not until Hu Shanwei returned home and Emperor Yongle ascended the throne that Xiao Ji occasionally heard his godfather and godmother discussing when the capital would send someone to pick him up. Suddenly, at the age of five, he seemed to have become enlightened and understood some things.
He was less than two years old when he left the Prince of Yan's Mansion. His earliest memory of life was that Mu Chun carried him on a large ship. It was his first time sailing on the ocean, with seagulls flying and dolphins jumping from time to time. He liked the vast sea and sky. Therefore, the siege of Beiping City, which had only 10,000 defenders by Li Jinglong's 500,000 troops, which was the most dangerous moment for the Prince of Yan's Mansion, was a very beautiful memory for him.
The Prince of Yan's Palace also sent a hundred elite soldiers to follow him all the way to Kunming to protect the eldest grandson of the Prince's Palace. Mu Chun never concealed his true identity from him. Therefore, Xiao Ji knew that he would have to go home one day - a place that was completely unfamiliar to him.
Xiao Ji didn't quite understand what "going home" meant, but he saw that after Hu Shanwei "went home", his godfather Mu Chun was in high spirits all day long, and was willing to be chased and beaten by his godmother. He also saw that sister A Lei received double the love, and "sister" Hu Shanwei treated A Lei almost in a flattering way, which made Xiao Ji full of expectations for "going home".
Godfather, sister A Lei, and enlightenment teacher Hu Rong were obviously more smiling and happier after godmother Hu Shanwei returned home. These people also cared about and relied on Hu Shanwei. Xiao Ji felt that going home was a very good thing for him and for his family who he had long forgotten.
Of course, he was very satisfied with life in Yunnan, but he was also clearly aware that this was not his home. His home was the lofty "imperial court" and "royal family" mentioned in the court bulletins. The emperor was his grandfather and the prince was his biological father. His home had a very lofty name - "palace".
When others go home, they call it going home, but when he goes home, he calls it going back to the palace.
When the palace soldiers were training him in riding and shooting, they always encouraged him to study hard and wait for the emperor to send someone to pick him up and bring him back to the palace, and to perform well in front of the emperor and the prince. The emperor and his great-grandfather Emperor Gaozu "both won the world on horseback", so they must like him very much for his talent in both civil and military affairs.
Xiao Ji was a little confused. In his eyes, children didn't need to please anyone and could naturally get the love and affection of their family. Just like sister A Lei, no matter how naughty she was, no matter how she splashed ink on white paper and clothes to draw tadpoles, her sister and brother-in-law would forgive her, give her a bath, and change her into clean clothes.
Maybe the palace and the home are different.
Xiao Ji was a precocious child. Although he was confused, he did not ask others. He kept it to himself and practiced riding and archery more and more seriously, trying to be the kind of child that "people in the palace" liked.
So, when there is thunder and lightning, sister A Lei will be afraid and hide in the arms of her sister and brother-in-law, but little Ji will not. Even if he wakes up in the middle of the night out of fear, he will just curl up in bed and endure it by himself, because the palace soldiers always say that the emperor and the prince like "brave" children.
Only his godmother Hu Shanwei came to comfort him in the middle of the night, saying that everyone has fears, and the emperor will be afraid too. Being brave is to choose to keep going even though you are afraid.
Xiao Ji immediately forgave his cowardice. Even the emperor would be afraid, so there was nothing to be ashamed of.
Autumn came. Xiao Ji could read the court bulletin by guessing, ride a Sichuan pony skillfully, hit the target five times out of ten, and even hit the bull's eye occasionally. Xiao Ji felt that after returning to the palace, he would be loved by his family like his godmother returned home.
But until the beginning of winter, the scene of "someone from the palace coming to pick me up" that the godfather, godmother, and the palace soldiers talked about never appeared.
Xiao Ji touched the belly of the puppy Xiao Hua, who purred with comfort. Xiao Ji was full of worries: Did the "people in the palace" forget him? This was normal, because he couldn't remember his family, even his mother, the Crown Princess.
Xiao Ji even cunningly looked through the palace bulletin to find out whether there was any new grandson born in the new royal family, but there wasn't. In the current Ming royal family, he is still the only grandson.
Why is this? Xiao Ji was very confused, but he didn't dare to ask the adults.
At a young age, Xiao Ji has to bear the pressure that only adults have, and he worries day and night, so he eats fine food and plays a lot, but he never grows smarter and gains weight.
Arei had everything except cleverness. When the weather turned cold in winter, Hu Shanwei would hold her in his arms to sleep. She was so soft and chubby that it was so comfortable.
Xiao Ji never gained weight, especially his chest, which was as thin as a pipa. Mu Chun was worried that he would have trouble reporting to Emperor Yongle in the future. He thought that there is a saying that a horse cannot grow fat without grass at night, so he asked the cook to make a bowl of milk cheese for Xiao Ji before going to bed every night.
Mu Chun kept it a secret from A Lei, and secretly brought it to Xiao Ji every night like a thief, and warned him: "Don't let your sister A Lei know, she can't eat this extra meal - now even your godmother can't hold her. This is a secret between you and me. You have to be a good child who keeps a secret, right?"
Xiao Ji ate with relish and nodded repeatedly.
After eating it for a month, there was finally some effect. Xiao Ji's face had some flesh on it. Mu Chun kept up the good work and continued to be a good breeder.
But one night, Mu Chun brought him some cheese and some rough, irritating white linen clothes, and asked him to change into them. "Your grandfather has passed away. Even though we are far away, you still have to wear mourning clothes for him and show your filial piety."
Xiao Ji didn't remember his parents, and of course he didn't remember his grandfather. His grandfather, Zhang Lin, was originally a low-ranking military officer in Yongcheng County, Henan Province. He thought he would be thankful if he could be promoted to a centurion in his lifetime, but he didn't expect to have a good daughter. It was the good policy of Emperor Gaozu to "marry commoners and select beautiful women from the fields". Zhang participated in the selection of women and won the first prize. She became the concubine of the prince of Yan.
At first, Zhang and her husband were both hostages in the capital, but the Prince of Yan and his wife respected this commoner relative very much, and found a way to transfer their father-in-law Zhang Lin to Beiping to be an official and entrusted him with important tasks.
Although Zhang Lin became rich because of his daughter, he remained cautious, low-key, and down-to-earth in his work, and he convinced people with his ability. The Prince of Yan became more and more appreciative of his relative, and later when he raised an army to "Jingnan", Zhang Lin naturally joined the rebellion.
The Prince of Yan appointed Zhang Lin as the commander of Beiping City, in charge of Beiping's defense, which was equivalent to handing over the family to his father-in-law for protection, showing his trust in the Zhang family. Zhang Lin fulfilled his mission and assisted the Princess of Yan and her son-in-law, Zhu Gaochi, the Prince of Yan, in the defense of Beiping, fighting desperately to win the victory.
Beiping was defended, and Zhang Lin suffered multiple serious injuries. The Jingnan Campaign lasted for four years. Zhang Lin insisted on working despite his illness and defended the city of Beiping impenetrable. Although he had famous doctors and various precious medicinal materials for treatment, his health was still worn out.
After the victory of the Jingnan Campaign, his relative, Prince Yan, ascended the throne and made his eldest daughter-in-law Zhang the Crown Princess, and made his relative Zhang Lin the Earl of Pengcheng. He then summoned Zhang Lin to the capital, put him in charge of the defense of Nanjing, and made him the Commander of the Beijing Guards.
This was a big deal. One must know that even Empress Xiaoci did not give her family the title of earl, and Emperor Jianwen did not give the family of Empress Ma the title of earl. The father-in-law of the emperor, Ma Quan, was always the Minister of the Taichang Temple and had no title.
In order to express his gratitude to the emperor, Zhang Lin, the Earl of Pengcheng, worked even harder, but his body could not take it anymore and he died suddenly in office due to overwork.
Emperor Yongle was very sad, and he posthumously conferred the title of Marquis of Pengcheng on his father-in-law, and gave him the posthumous title of "Gongjing". He also gave Zhang Lin a grand funeral, and also made Zhang Lin's eldest son Zhang Chang inherit the title of Earl of Pengcheng.
At the funeral of Zhang Lin, Marquis of Pengcheng, neither the Crown Prince nor the Crown Princess showed up. Why
Because at this time in the Ming Imperial Palace, the Empress, the Crown Prince and his family were not here. They had received the official canonization from Emperor Yongle, but they were still in Peking!
This is also the reason why Emperor Yongle has not sent anyone to Yunnan to bring his grandson back to the capital. In addition to the fact that the court was cleaning up and removing the ministers who refused to recognize the Yongle Emperor's legitimate throne, the air was filled with the smell of blood and the situation was not peaceful. In addition, the huge Ming Palace was now occupied by only Emperor Yongle. Emperor Yongle did not dare to leave his grandson to the care of the palace servants, and he had no time to take care of his grandson himself.
Together with Emperor Yongle, his second son Zhu Gaoxu, who had been named King of Han, also entered the capital city. However, King of Han was already an adult, so it was inconvenient for him to live in the palace, so he set up a separate residence outside the palace.
Why have the Queen, the Crown Prince and others not arrived in the capital yet
The reason is very simple: in that brutal battle to defend the capital, not only Zhang Lin, the Marquis of Pengcheng who had just passed away, was seriously injured, but Empress Xu was also injured.
In order to boost morale, Empress Xu personally went into battle and was attacked on the back. She later hid it from everyone and endured the pain until Emperor Yongle's reinforcements arrived and Li Jinglong withdrew his troops.
During the Jingnan Campaign, Empress Xu's condition was sometimes good and sometimes bad. This was kept secret and unknown to outsiders. Emperor Yongle successfully entered the capital and ascended the throne. It should have been a happy ending after all the hardship, but Empress Xu's brother Xu Zengshou died before the dawn. He was killed by Emperor Jianwen with a sword and blood splattered on the spot. Zengshou did not live long. His brother died in the Prince of Yan's Mansion. When Empress Xu heard the news, she was very shocked and her old illness relapsed.
Empress Xu's elder brother, Duke of Wei, Xu Huizu, threw down his sword and was captured after seeing his brother's five rings after resisting stubbornly. Emperor Yongle certainly would not kill his brother-in-law. He asked him to write a letter of repentance. As long as he acknowledged his throne as Duke of Wei and submitted to him, he would forgive him and let him continue to be Duke of Wei, hold military power, and continue to enjoy wealth and glory.
However, Xu Huizu firmly refused to acknowledge his elder brother-in-law's legitimacy. He accused Emperor Yongle of plotting to usurp the throne and refused to submit. In order to show his determination, Xu Huizu even chose to commit suicide, a strong form of resistance!
Xu Huizu was slapped in the face on the spot, what else could Emperor Yongle do? He was the emperor, and it was a critical moment to consolidate the throne. He had to punish his brother-in-law Xu Huizu who committed suicide to show the emperor's majesty.
Emperor Yongle stripped the Duke of Wei of his hereditary title and demoted his brother-in-law Xu Huizu to a commoner.
Of course, as compensation, Emperor Yongle conferred the title of Duke of Dingguo on his brother-in-law Xu Zengshou, who was a hereditary Duke, and posthumously conferred the title of King of Wuning on him, and gave him a grand funeral with royal rites. He also let Xu Zengshou's adopted son Xu Jingchang inherit the title of Duke of Dingguo. Xu Jingchang was originally the youngest son of his elder brother-in-law Xu Huizu, who was adopted by his younger brother-in-law Xu Zengshou. He was still a member of the Xu family, and the nephew of Empress Xu. In the end, the Xu family was still a hereditary Duke family, but the title of the eldest branch was given to the second branch. From the left hand to the right hand, the meat was rotten in the pot, and it still belonged to the Xu family.
But for Empress Xu, she lost two brothers at once. How could she not feel pain
Empress Xu suffered a series of blows and her condition worsened. She was unable to travel a long distance to the capital to begin the tedious ceremony of enthroning her as empress. Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi was very filial and asked to stay in Peking to take care of his mother and comfort Empress Xu who had lost her two brothers. Everyone was busy and the situation was tense, so Xiao Ji had to stay in Yunnan for the New Year.
The author has something to say: I have been on the road all day today, so the update is late. I will update early tomorrow. Good night everyone. Just leave a comment and then you can go to sleep. Hahahaha. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution~
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