The shell of Sixth Rank Si Yan was like a suit of armor, protecting Hu Shanwei. In this era when the only value of a woman was to take care of her husband and children, if she was just a pure woman, with a disharmonious family and a failed love life, Hu Shanwei would undoubtedly be a complete loser.
But with the identity of a sixth-rank Si Yan, Hu Shanwei felt that her life was still fulfilling and hopeful, and the road ahead would not be so difficult.
At least this time, facing the disaster, she had a shell to protect herself, unlike four years ago, when she was a "weak and timid loner" like Zhao Wu Niang, like a shelled snail, trampled on by others.
What are women made of
The world believes that it is flowers, honey, silk, powder, rumors, love poems, clouds, stoves, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, vegetable baskets, bags, needle and thread, swaddling clothes, and lullabies.
But is it really just that
A woman can also be steel, a sword, pen and ink, fire, fists, a trophy, a scepter, an official robe, a black hat, a scar, mud, and rock.
During the days of preparing for and sending off Princess Huaiqing's wedding, Hu Shanwei recognized herself for the first time, what she was made of, and what she needed to work hard on in order to integrate those things into herself.
Hu Shanwei returned to the palace and divided Princess Huaiqing's reward among himself, giving the little palace maid Haitang to Chen Ermei, Huang Wei De, Shen Qiong Lian and others. He only kept a pair of white jade earrings with a jade rabbit pounding medicine in them, which he wore on his earlobes that day and went to Kunning Palace to report.
Concubine Sun had already arrived at Kunning Palace, sitting next to Empress Ma, listening to Hu Shanwei's description of the princess's wedding with her husband, "… Everything went smoothly. The princess gave me many gifts, and this earring was one of them."
Empress Ma nodded in satisfaction and said to Concubine Sun: "I have seen the Prince Consort. When he wears court robes, he is simply a banished immortal. I am looking forward to holding a beautiful grandson like jade and snow."
To be honest, Concubine Sun was not satisfied with this marriage. She always felt that the new consort was of a much lower background than the first consort. However, she had no right to interfere in the princess's marriage. She could only follow Empress Ma and smiled, "Yes, my sister is also waiting to hold her grandson."
Common women would return home after three days of marriage. Princesses would return home after ten days of marriage. Unlike common couples who would go home together, the princess and her husband went separately. Princess Huaiqing wore a full set of princess crown and clothes to worship ancestors in Fengxian Hall, and then met the emperor, empress and Concubine Sun. Her husband Wang Ning wore his official uniform to express his gratitude outside the Meridian Gate, and then went into the palace for a banquet.
When Princess Huaiqing got married, Emperor Hongwu personally escorted her to Donghua Gate and Crown Prince Zhu Biao escorted her to the princess's residence. This was an honor that none of the previous five princesses had ever had. Therefore, when the princess returned to her parents' home, all the royal family members were present and the family banquet was very lively.
Including Wang Ning, there were a total of six princes-in-law. Wang Ning had the most outstanding appearance and temperament. The more the mother-in-law looked at her son-in-law, the more she liked him. Seeing her daughter's blushing cheeks and the joy and coquettishness almost overflowing from her eyebrows, she knew that the newlywed couple was in harmony. The youngest daughter was not dissatisfied with the fact that the prince consort's background was far inferior to that of her elder sister, the eldest princess, Prince Li.
As long as my daughter is happy, that's all. Concubine Sun put aside her thoughts and smiled more sincerely at Prince Consort Wang.
At the royal family banquet, Emperor Hongwu's favorite "Pipa Ji" was sung on the stage, and the five princes-in-law surrounded Wang Ning and toasted each other. Princess Huaiqing changed out of her formal crown and clothes for casual home clothes, and held the chubby little princess's hand, teaching her to walk.
The little princess can already walk, but she doesn't dare to let go and insists on being led by someone.
Princess Huaiqing was newly married and liked this kind of pretty and cute child the most. She unconsciously treated the little princess as her own child and kissed her rosy face. "I haven't seen you for ten days. Your steps are more steady than before."
Concubine Sun sighed, "Luckily I have her by my side to entertain me. Now that you and your sister are married, she is the only one who can accompany me."
Princess Huaiqing looked around and said, "Why is Hu Siyan not here? I brought her a gift when I returned home this time. Hu Siyan contributed the most to the wedding that day. She worked so hard."
Concubine Sun said, "Today, the Duke of Wei's Mansion and the Marquis of Xiping's Mansion have arranged a marriage, and the Xu and Mu families have become a close family. The Queen has given gifts, and Hu Siyan has left the palace to deliver the gifts."
Princess Huaiqing hummed and asked in a low voice, "Mother, there is something I don't understand. Weddings are always the responsibility of the Shangyi Bureau, and the female officials of other bureaus only help out occasionally. Why does the Queen insist that Hu Siyan be responsible for arranging my wedding?"
Concubine Sun glared at her daughter with a serious expression: "How can you question the Queen's decree? How many times have I taught you? No matter what the Emperor and Empress say or do, it all makes sense. To figure out what the Emperor and Empress are thinking is to figure out their intentions. As a princess, especially since you have moved out of the palace and set up your own residence, you must be careful with everything you say and do. You—"
Princess Huaiqing pouted, "Okay, okay, I was wrong. After I got married, I had to submit a letter to the Shangyi Bureau before coming to the palace to see you. I couldn't just come and go as I pleased. I finally came back, so please don't just lecture me. Let's have some personal conversations..."
Today is the day when Princess Huaiqing returns to her parents' home, and it is also the engagement day of Xu Zengshou, the second young master of Duke Wei's mansion, and Mu, the eldest young lady of Marquis Xiping's mansion.
How was this marriage arranged
Of course it is related to Muchun.
When the imperial edict that Wang Ning was chosen as the prince consort came out, Mu Chun almost went crazy. If Wang Ning became the prince consort, wouldn't that mean he would always be under Sister Shanwei's nose
It's so fucking frustrating!
Mu Chun didn't know that he had added a "highlight" to the fact that Wang Ning became the son-in-law of the emperor, otherwise he would have been really crazy.
The words were spoken with impunity and could not be changed. Mu Chun hurried to comfort Hu Shanwei. Now he was the commander of the imperial guards, Yulin Youwei, and there was only a high wall between him and Hu Shanwei's residence.
However, this time Hu Shanwei did not cry all the way like she did last time. She just smiled, not knowing whether it was to comfort herself or to mock herself:
"Nothing. This just shows that I have good taste. The person I once liked was so outstanding that the emperor ignored his background and married the princess to him."
Mu Chun felt sorry for her, "In front of me, you don't need to pretend or pretend that it doesn't matter. Just cry if you want to."
Hu Shanwei put on his black hat and drove Mu Chun away. "I have been ordered to arrange the wedding. I have a lot of things to do. Please don't bother me recently."
A woman can turn grief into tears, or she can turn grief into strength. Hu Shanwei did not have so many tears, flowing from autumn to winter, and from winter to summer.
Mu Chun was driven away by Hu Shanwei, and she was naturally dissatisfied. She wanted to find an opportunity to comfort Sister Shanwei. At this time, an urgent military report came: The Eastern Route Army of the Northern Expedition has returned triumphantly and will arrive in the capital tomorrow!
His father Mu Ying is back.
Princess Huaiqing's wedding date was approaching, which was a double happiness. Emperor Hongwu was very happy and started the ceremony of presenting prisoners and the banquet for rewarding merits as usual. Commander Mu Ying was halfway through drinking at the banquet when he was called to Kunning Palace by Empress Ma.
Mu Ying and his son Mu Chun were sitting next to her. They had both made great contributions. Empress Ma looked left and right and could not see enough of them.
Empress Ma said, "Xiaochun performed well in this northern expedition, and even Duke Wei praised him highly. He was naughty and had no achievements before, so it was not easy to make him the crown prince. Now men change a lot when they grow up, and Xiaochun is eighteen years old this year. Do you have any rules in mind?"
It’s about establishing the crown prince again.
Muchun didn't care. He had already decided to earn his own future. He could give persimmons and grapes to anyone he wanted. The steamed buns I earned myself were sweeter than persimmons.
When father and son meet, they are extremely jealous of each other.
Mu Ying looked at his eldest son's careless appearance and wanted to slap him. Mu Chun's bravery and fighting skills in the Northern Army were as famous as his "Walking Wuzhong Erotica".
It is said that Mu Chun is so slutty and dissolute that even the top prostitute in Qinhuai River is not as good as him.
He had brought disgrace upon the Mu family! He still had the nerve to ask the Queen to propose the title of Crown Prince
I really want to kick this shameless guy out of the house!
Although he was so irritable in his heart, Xiping Hou Mu Ying still had a filial look on his face, "My queen, it is said that men should start a family and build a career. Mu Chun has not yet married and had children, so please don't be in a hurry to confer the title. Anyway, it is his, and it will be his in the end."
Mu Ying is very good at strategy. Last year, he used the excuse of "no contribution" to shirk responsibility. This year, Mu Chun has already made countless contributions, so it is not appropriate to use this excuse again.
However, this was the second time Empress Ma had raised this issue in person. Although Mu Ying was very reluctant, he had to verbally state that the position of Crown Prince would belong to Mu Chun sooner or later.
We still have to give face to Queen Ma.
The father and son understood each other very well and showed their loving kindness and filial piety in front of Queen Ma.
When Mu Chun heard that Mu Ying used his marriage as a shield, he was shocked: Get married, get married, a stupid marriage! I won't marry anyone. If you want to marry, go find a concubine yourself, don't involve me.
Mu Chun held the pot and poured wine for Mu Ying, using drinking to divert the topic away from marriage, "Dad, you've worked hard along the way, drink more."
Mu Ying choked and couldn't drink any more. He seriously suspected that the wine was poisoned. "Don't always stand to pour me wine. Sit down too."
Mu Chun waved his hands repeatedly, "Dad, we have been separated for more than half a year. Dad is in the Eastern Army, and I am in the Western Army. I miss you every day but can't see you. I am very sad. It's not easy for father and son to be reunited. I must serve father well and fulfill my filial duty as a son."
Empress Ma was delighted to hear this, "Xiaochun is amazing this year. She can even write poems! She is truly a man of both literary and martial talents!"
Mu Ying was so disgusted that he wanted to vomit. What kind of crappy poem was this? It must have been copied from some obscene song!
Just wait, I'll go back and break your dog legs!
When the father and son both returned home, they first picked out the most valuable gifts bestowed by the emperor and empress and sent them to the ancestral hall as a sacrifice to their ancestors.
The father and son each lit a stick of incense. Mu Ying personally closed the door of the ancestral hall and picked up the whip to beat the unfilial son.
Unexpectedly, Mu Chun sighed, "Dad, do you really mean what you said in front of the Queen that you would help me find a wife?"
At the age of eighteen, Mu Ying married his first wife, Feng.
Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. Mu Ying could repeatedly refuse to make his eldest son a crown prince, but if there was no legitimate reason, it would be hard to justify delaying his eldest son's marriage.
Mu Ying became alert: "Why are you asking these questions? Did your uncle's family tell you something? They want to marry the daughter of the Feng family to our Mu family! Are you interested in that cousin?"
Mu Ying and his original wife were a pair of resentful lovers. He was beaten twice by his brother-in-law Feng Cheng. Both times, his head was turned into a pig's head, which made him lose all face.
In the past two years, my brother-in-law Feng Cheng has been fine, but Duke Song Feng Sheng has always regarded Mu Chun as the property of the Feng family and has vaguely intended to marry his granddaughter to Mu Chun.
In this way, the title of Marquis of Xiping almost belonged to the Feng family.
Mu Ying would never allow this to happen. He hated the hypocritical Feng family. The title of Marquis of Xiping was Mu, not Feng.
Feng Sheng was very good at making marriage plans. His eldest daughter married Chang Sheng, the eldest son of Chang Yuchun, the Prince of Kaiping, who was the wife of the famous Duke of Zheng. His second daughter married the fifth prince, the Prince of Zhou, who was the Princess of Zhou. One was the top noble in the capital, the prince's in-law, and the other was a prince of the Ming Dynasty.
Mu Chun is so smart, of course he understands his great uncle's family's thoughts. He also knows that Mu Ying will never agree to a marriage with the Feng family, so he has always been relieved.
Mu Chun sighed, "It's not my cousin from the Feng family, Dad. Actually, I have fallen in love with a woman, and I will marry her in this life."
As long as she is not the daughter of the Feng family, it’s fine.
"Why are you beating around the bush? Just speak directly." Mu Ying had a bad feeling. "Are you attracted to a prostitute?"
Mu Chun shook his head, "She is of noble birth, and her father wants to slander her reputation."
Mu Ying: "Who?"
Mu Chun: "Princess Huaiqing. Huaiqing and I grew up together in the palace. We were childhood sweethearts. I don't know where the love started, but it was deep and lasting. I always looked for opportunities to enter the palace to see her. When I learned that Princess Huaiqing was choosing a consort and my father reported my name to the inner court, I was very grateful to my father, really."
No.
Mu Ying was so angry that he was speechless and didn't know what to say for a moment. He wished he could turn into a fire-breathing dragon and burn his son to ashes - Princess Huaiqing has married Yongchun Earl Wang Ning as her son-in-law, and the imperial decree has been issued. If outsiders hear what you said, it will damage the princess's reputation and you will be beheaded!
Mu Chun continued to pretend to be deeply in love, "So I tried my best in the Dragon Boat Festival competitions of hitting the ball, archery, and dragon boat racing, hoping to be selected. I performed well in the first two events, but in the last event, I was dragged down by the loser Xu Zengshou. He couldn't tell the left from the right and crashed into someone else's boat, so our boat came in last."
Mu Ying gnashed his teeth in hatred, "No wonder the military doctor told me that during the batting competition on the Dragon Boat Festival, you broke the rules like a mad dog, not distinguishing friend from foe, and rode your horse everywhere, bumping into people, and finally got sent off the field. It turns out that you did it to show off in front of the princess."
Muchun nodded, "Yes, I want to let the princess see how brave I am."
Mu Ying: "It's obvious that he has evil intentions, harming others without benefiting himself!"
"Women don't love bad men." Mu Chun blinked at Mu Ying, "I think my father should understand."
Mu Ying couldn't bear it any longer and whipped him.
Mu Chun was prepared. The wheel rolled under the altar. He thought to himself, if you have the guts, just use the whip to hit the wooden tablets of our ancestors!
I hope God will strike you to death for being such an unfilial son.
Mu Ying didn't dare. "Get out here. Take a piss and look at yourself. Princess Huaiqing is not something a loser like you can dream of. Give up this idea as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will bring disaster to your family!"
Mu Chun huddled under the altar and bargained with his father, "Well, Princess Huaiqing is already in a relationship, and it's useless for me to worry about it. If father wants to arrange a marriage for me, I have only one request."
Mu Ying taunted his son, "Who do you think you are? You are not qualified to be picky."
Mu Chun asked knowingly, "Who am I? I'm not your son? Then who is my father?"
Mu Ying covered his chest with his hands, his heart was about to explode with anger. He had been a soldier and a hero all his life, and he estimated that the possibility of him being angered to death by his eldest son was higher than dying in the battlefield.
Mu Chun said: "My wife must be of noble birth. Since the princess and I are not destined to be, I will marry a woman whose status is second only to that of a princess. Otherwise, I would rather be single for the rest of my life than compromise myself and settle for a woman of ordinary birth."
"Father, if I want to marry, I can only marry the daughter of Xu Da, the Duke of Wei, the first meritorious official of the Ming Dynasty."
Mu Ying sneered, "Are you stupid? Duke of Wei Xu Da has only three daughters, and the eldest is the Princess of Yan. The second and third daughters have also been betrothed to the Prince of Dai and the Prince of An. Do you still want to snatch the love and compete with the Prince of Daming for his wife? If you want to die, die far away and don't implicate the Mu family."
Mu Chun said: "I know the three princesses of the Xu family, but this time I followed Duke Wei to the Northern Expedition. Duke Wei is in good health. Lian Po is old, but he can still... have children. When the Xu family has a new daughter, I will marry her."
Duke of Wei, you must give birth to a son!
Mu Ying was furious. "You wish! The marriage of children is decided by parents and matchmakers. You have to marry whoever I choose for you. Even if I choose a pig for you, you have to worship the heaven and earth with the pig!"
Mu Chun said with a snort, "I will not marry anyone except the daughter of the Duke of Wei. If you arrange another marriage for me, I will take off all my clothes and come to cancel the engagement."
Mu Ying: "You dare!"
"What is there for me to be afraid of? I dare to do it now. Anyway, I am embarrassed and you are more embarrassed." Mu Chun rolled out from under the altar and tore his clothes with his bare hands. With two rips, he tore the round-necked robe into rags, revealing his upper body.
It was hot in the summer and people were wearing thin clothes, with only a pair of trousers under his round-necked robe. In front of his father, Mu Chun took off both his trousers and his shorts, like a newborn baby, naked.
Mu Ying had seen his eldest son shirtless twice. The first time was on the day he was born. He was dirty and bloody, and cried like a kitten. At that time, he was less than 20 years old. The young father was terrified of new life. How could such a small ball survive and grow up
It turns out that the wrinkled lump not only grew up, but also pissed him off to death.
Mu Ying's blood was boiling with anger. "You can only scare me."
"Really?" Mu Chun took a step with his long legs and jumped out of the window.
The housekeeper and servant outside the door saw this and shouted, "Master! No! Your clothes..."
Mu Ying ran out and yelled, "I don't care about you anymore, just be a bachelor for the rest of your life! Your bloodline should be cut off if it doesn't continue, or else you'll have rebellious sons from generation to generation, tarnishing the Mu family's reputation!"
Mu Chun broke off a banana leaf and tied it around his waist. "I'd rather be single than marry someone I don't like. I'll never marry anyone except the one I want."
Just as the father and son were about to argue again, the aide came to report: "The Duke of Wei is here."
Speak of the devil, and he will appear. Mu Ying calmed down his anger and changed his attitude to receive Xu Da, the Duke of Wei.
Unexpectedly, Duke of Wei Xu Da came to propose marriage: "My son Xu Zengshou has reached marriageable age. I would like to ask the eldest daughter of Marquis Xiping to be my daughter-in-law. What do you think, Marquis Xiping?"
Xu Da was an extremely good father. His youngest son, Xu Zengshou, was incompetent and dissolute, so he needed to find a strong father-in-law for his youngest son so that he could pacify him in the future.
Mu Ying, Marquis of Xiping, was the adopted son of the emperor and empress. He never participated in any factional struggles in the court. He had an transcendent status and was the most stable and powerful umbrella for protection.
So as soon as the imperial decree granted marriage between Princess Huaiqing and Earl Yongchun, Xu Zengshou's "runner-up" mission was over, and when Marquis Xiping Mu Ying returned victorious, Xu Da immediately went to propose marriage.
Of course Mu Ying is willing to marry into the Xu family! Xu Zengshou is useless, but his father is awesome!
So, Xu Zengshou and the eldest daughter of the Mu family got engaged, and the two families became relatives.
The author has something to say: The part about the woman in this chapter is from a Nike advertisement in Russia. I was so moved that I cried when I saw it.
Speaking of advertisements... I'm going to make an advertisement tonight as well. The final edition of "The Biography of Empress Xu of the Ming Dynasty", one of Lan Zhou's four-part series on the Ming Dynasty, has been published. As a result, a set of four volumes has been released and can be purchased on all major platforms. After the discount, with the price of a family bucket, you can collect Lan Zhou's work that took a whole year to write forever. I hope that the little angel readers will support the physical book, o(n_n)o thank you.
100 red envelopes will be given away tonight. Congratulations to reader "x" for receiving a 100-point red envelope, which is 5 seconds faster than the second place.
№17 User: x Comment: "Hu Shanwei" Score: 2 Published: 2019-01-05 21:32:44 Reviewed chapter: 75
ddd