Like Pearl and Jade

Chapter 48

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"Girl, it's getting late at night, go to sleep." Baomei walked over to Sima Xiang with red eyes and put the cloak on her. Turning her head to look at the extremely gorgeous fireworks outside the window, she didn't dare to take a second look, "It's cold at night, shall we close the window?"

"The fireworks have been burning for almost an hour," she sneered mockingly. "Didn't they all say that His Majesty is diligent and thrifty, and never hurts the people and money?"

She put her hands on the window lattice and looked up at the sparks in the dark night: "Aren't these fireworks a waste of money?"

Baomei lowered her head and did not dare to speak. She was a little maid, so how dare she comment on the affairs of the royal family. She also knew that her girl was suffering, so she could only listen silently.

Sima Xiang has been standing in front of the window, watching the fireworks blooming and turning into darkness again, until Zi Shi, the fireworks that had been noisy all night finally returned to darkness.

She moved her cold feet to the edge of the bed, and when she heard scolding from the main courtyard, she walked to the table and sat down, suddenly stood up, and swept the tea set on the table to the ground. , the porcelain shattered on the ground, and the cracking sound was particularly harsh in the dark night.

"Girl." Baomei wanted to step forward worriedly, but she stopped her.

"Get out!" Sima Xiang snapped, "Don't bother me."

"I..." Baomei was worried when she saw the mess on the ground, but seeing the girl's unsightly expression, she had to slowly withdraw from the house and carefully guard the outside.

But what surprised her was that until the middle of the night, there was no sound from inside the house. She was so sleepy that she couldn't stand it, so she fell asleep outside.

The next morning, she was woken up by the screams from the main courtyard. She didn't even care to put on her shoes, and ran into the inner room in a hurry, only to feel relieved when she saw that the girl was still asleep on the bed.

She was about to exit quietly when the thunderous cry from the main courtyard came over.

"Girl, girl," sensing that something was wrong, she stepped forward to wake up Sima Xiang, who was still sleeping, "Girl, something seems to have happened in the main courtyard."

"What did you say?" Sima Xiang suddenly sat up with her hands propped up, but it might be because she stood by the window for too long last night, and her arms were a little weak.

Baomei hurriedly stepped forward to support her, and then called the rough maid who was waiting outside to come in and wait for the girl to wash up.

Before Sima Xiang's clothes were put on, a mama ran over in a hurry. Before she could speak, she knelt down with a thud: "Miss, the wife is gone."

"What did you say?" Sima Xiang finally couldn't stand up and collapsed to the ground. She stared blankly at the grandmother who came to spread the word, "Last night was fine, how could it be..."

"Madam... Madam committed suicide by cutting her veins." The slightly chubby body of the grandmother who passed the message was shaking like a sieve, and she was obviously shocked by what she saw.

Baomei looked back at the pale girl, only to feel that the sky was falling.

"Help me to have a look," Sima Xiang stood up with strength, pushed away Baomei who wanted to step forward to help her, and staggered out.

"Girl, your shoes..." Baomei saw that the girl was still wearing a pair of soft-soled shoes that she only wore in the house, and hurried back to the inner room, opened the shoe cabinet, and came out with a pair of plain cotton shoes, and ran after her.

"Sister Baomei." The maid who was in charge of taking care of Simaxiang's shoes and socks saw her coming and going in a hurry, and lowered her head to clean up the messy cabinet that Baomei had rummaged through. After finishing it, she frowned suspiciously.

Which pair of shoes did Sister Baomei just take? The pair of shoes the girl wears on weekdays are good, but the colors are a bit brighter. Maybe it's a little inappropriate for the girl to wear them now

The third wife of the Sima family has been a little sluggish since her son was beheaded, but who would care about the chaos inside this kind of family that is famous but has no real power.

It's just that someone sighed in a pitiful, lively tone after tea and dinner. The girl in their family was beautiful, but the mother and brother in the family were delayed.

Now the third wife of the Sima family committed suicide, but her death was not good. It was the second day of the emperor's wedding, so Sima Yue did not even send an obituary to other people.

And the most important point is that the third wife committed suicide. In this case, whether to be buried in the ancestral tomb of the Sima family still needs to be discussed with the second room.

The Sima family took this matter very tightly, and did not disclose the slightest rumor. And at this moment, the attention of the whole capital is on the marriage of the emperor and empress. Who would really care if someone in their family died or had an accident.

On the second day of the wedding, it was the day when the civil and military officials and all the wives officially worshiped the Queen. This morning, although Gu Rujiu suffered from severe lack of sleep, and had some sore backs and weak legs, she still had to climb out of the bed with difficulty.

"So sleepy." She took the steaming towel handed over by the palace maid and covered her face so that she could wake up.

Seeing her like this, Jin Yang regretted that he had tossed a little late last night, so he walked to Gu Rujiu's side and gently pressed her temple, "Is it better?"

Gu Rujiu took off the towel on his face, rubbed the towel on his face, and whispered, "Your Majesty, there are other people around."

"These people are all the people around me, don't worry," Jin Yang was covered in the towel, and he was not angry, but looked at Gu Rujiu's tender face cheerfully, then took another towel and wiped his hands for Gu Rujiu , "Why do you have to take care of others for the happiness of you and me as a husband and wife."

Gu Rujiu felt that her mind was really not open enough.

The emperor and the empress put on their formal court clothes, and while Gu Rujiu was dressing, Jin Yang came over again.

"Your Majesty, have you ever heard a word?" Gu Rujiu painted a golden phoenix tail on her forehead and glanced at Jin Yang with a serious expression.

"What?" Jin Yang asked without blinking.

"That's when women put on makeup, men shouldn't watch around at will." Gu Rujiu put down the pen, then took out a piece of shaved eyebrows from the box, and then she noticed that Jin Yang's eyes were about to glow.

She slowly drew her eyebrows, put down her eyebrows, and said, "Your Majesty?"

"I just want to see how you thrush your eyebrows," Jin Yang coughed uncomfortably, "Isn't it often written in the biography that the husband and wife have a deep relationship, and that the husband paints the eyebrows for the wife for a lifetime?"

Gu Rujiu held out the hand that took the mouth fat.

"Your eyebrows are so beautiful, but I don't know how to draw them. I'm worried that they will make them uglier." Jin Yang was a little embarrassed after revealing that he didn't even know how to draw eyebrows, "so I wanted to take a look first. , how did you draw it?"

Gu Rujiu smiled when she saw herself in the mirror.

"It's okay, I can't practice slowly," Gu Rujiu turned to look at Jin Yang who was standing beside him, "From tomorrow onwards, His Majesty can try to draw me first, so that I can practice my hands."

"Will it be a bad painting?" Jin Yang was quite moved, but looking at his beautiful Liu Yemei for a long time, he was a little worried. What if he painted an earthworm

"It's okay, I won't despise Your Majesty." Gu Rujiu said with a smile, "Because I understand His Majesty's intentions."

Moved by Jiujiu's understanding, Jin Yang decided to take some time today to practice his craftsmanship on paper, so as not to be too embarrassed tomorrow.

Looking at the sweet appearance of the husband and wife, the maids who waited around blushed, and they lowered their heads and dared not look again.

In the end, Gu Rujiu still let Jin Yang move his hand, that is, let him give his two fingernails.

Although the dyeing is not very good, but looking at the red nails on the white fingers for a long time, Jin Yang still has a sense of accomplishment.

He Ming and Bai Xian next to him looked blankly like His Majesty who had found his favorite toy.

In the Vermillion Bird Hall, the officials have already settled according to their rank and rank, and the same is true of the women.

It's no wonder that everyone is so solemn. Today is the first time that the queen has officially appeared to accept worship. It is very meaningful. Who wants to be picked out in etiquette.

"Lord Sima's face today is more ugly than yesterday." Li Guangji and Sima Hong stood side by side. To this old man who was older than him, Li Guangji adhered to the good style of respecting the old and caring for the young, and took the initiative to step forward. Concerned about greetings, "Could it be that you didn't sleep well last night?"

"When Your Majesty finally stood up, the old minister was very happy. Under the excitement, it was inevitable that he didn't sleep well enough." Sima Hong turned his head and glanced at Li Guangji, "I am fine if I have trouble with Li Xiang."

"It's fine, it's fine," Li Guangji said with a smile, "A good minister like Lord Sima who is loyal to the country, but don't make any mistakes, or your Majesty will be worried."

When Sima Hong heard this, his heart trembled slightly, and he glanced at Li Guangji blankly, not understanding what he meant.

Did Li Guangji already know what happened in the third room

Although Sima Hong couldn't make up his mind, when he saw Li Guangji's leisurely appearance, a smile appeared on his face, and he cupped his hands and said, "Each one another, one another."

Standing next to the two, Zhang Zhonghan lowered his head and looked at the tip of his shoe silently, as if he had not heard anything.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The drum beat nine times in a row, and all the ministers turned around, facing the middle of the hall, then took a step back and bowed to meet them.

"Welcome the emperor, welcome the queen."

At this time, no one looked up, and the ministers who were leaning against the center of the hall could only see that the skirt of the vermilion rolled gold palace dress was winding by, and on the skirt, there was a golden phoenix swimming in the auspicious clouds.

"All the ministers are exempted from the ceremony." Jin Yang and Gu Rujiu stood on the high platform together, and after the ministers straightened up, they both sat down.

A phoenix seat is added next to the dragon chair, and even if it is still high, it is a little more popular than before.

The members of the royal family were the first to come forward to salute Gu Rujiu. When they bowed to salute, Gu Rujiu stood up and nodded slightly towards them.

After the members of the royal family, it was the third prince, Jiuqing, Madam Guo, Madam Jun, and Gu Rujiu, all of whom bowed their heads in salute.

Although there were only a limited number of people who could come to the Vermillion Bird Hall to worship in person, Gu Rujiu felt that her head was sore when the group of people came to pay their respects. Slowly sit back on the phoenix seat.

Jin Yang turned his head and smiled at her, and then an official stood up holding a jade axis decree, and then read out the imperial decree that Gu Changling was named Duke Zhongning.

Afterwards, three imperial decrees were issued in succession, all of which were the will of the canonizing queen's family.

Mrs. Zhongning was named Mrs. Ningguo, the second son of Duke Zhongning was named Xianghou, and the eldest daughter of Duke Zhongning was named Xiangjun.

When Baiguan officially worshipped, they would congratulate the Queen's family in front of the civil and military officials. The royal family simply gave the Queen enough face.

What kind of honor is this

The civil and military officials listened to the decrees issued one after another, and their hearts were both envious and jealous, but it is a pity that their family did not have a good daughter that the royal family admired, and the whole family could not be knighted.

Thinking that Duke Zhongning is still in the post of minister, Baiguan couldn't help but think, this is a sign that the Gu family wants to dominate the government and the opposition.

Just when everyone thought that the Gu family was out of the limelight this time, who knew that Gu Changling handed a resignation memorial to His Majesty this afternoon.

As soon as this memorial was handed over, before the evening, it was passed to the ears of many psychic families.

"Gu Changling is really an old fox," Li Guangji couldn't help feeling emotional when he found out about this. Even if he encountered such a situation, he might not be as determined as Gu Changling.

A strong man can break his wrist, not everyone can do it.

But he knew that Gu Changling's approach was the smartest. Now that the Gu family has a queen, and the whole family has been awarded a title, it can be said that it is full of flowers and endless scenery.

But as a courtier, the last thing you can't challenge is the suspicion of the emperor. Now His Majesty believes in the Gu family and respects the Empress, but this does not mean that His Majesty will not be suspicious or dislike the Empress in the future. At that time, the scenery of the Gu family is a thorn in the eyes of His Majesty. The Gu family is right and wrong, and what is wrong is still wrong. Not to mention the scenery, I am afraid that even the glory of the past cannot be protected.

But now Gu Changling resigned decisively, no matter whether His Majesty will allow it or not, at least this move will leave a very wise impression on His Majesty's mind.

Which emperor doesn't like obedient and witty courtiers

The present His Majesty is still young, and when he is middle-aged and suspicious, this will be the best emotional card for the Gu family.

"It's a pity that I didn't ask to marry the Gu family's daughter for you," Li Guangji said to his son. "Having such a smart and interesting Yue family is a great help to you."

"Father, you're joking." Li Huaigu lowered his head and said, "It's just an old thing, it's not worth mentioning." Now that he is engaged to a girl from the Shen family, those past should have been forgotten.

Now, as long as he thinks of the past, he will think of what his sister looked like when he fell off the horse. The mind of the young Mu Ai has long been worn away by time.

Li Guangji looked at his son whose expression did not fluctuate, and sighed: "Up to now, being a father has made you and the Shen family girl betrothed."

The girl from the big house of the Sima family married the son of the Shen family, his son was going to marry the Shen family girl, and the Shen family was about to move into the capital. It was good that there were no other thoughts. If there were other things, it would be inevitable that they would The Li family will also be implicated.

The Dafeng Dynasty had several princesses who were caught in the struggle for the throne, and now there is only one princess, the eldest princess, Deyi, who is still alive. I really don't care.

"Please rest assured, father, my son won't let that happen." Li Huaigu said after a moment of silence, "If you marry into our Li family, you will belong to our Li family, and the Shen family should have nothing to do with her."

Li Huaigu nodded: "You can think so."

Outside the study, Mr. Li Wu listened to the conversation between the father and son, turned around expressionlessly, and walked towards his yard.

In the eyes of these men in the Li family, why do women ever need their own ideas? Women are just tools for them to carry on their heirs, and even they themselves are just clay figurines to maintain the prosperity of the family.

Standing in this luxurious mansion, she felt that it was dead silent, like a tomb.

In the Zichen Hall, Gu Rujiu took off the hairpin ring, and after taking a bath, he saw that Jin Yang had returned from the imperial study, but his face did not look good, so he asked, "Your Majesty, what's the matter with you?"

When Jin Yang saw her coming, her hair was still wet, so he pulled her to sit beside her, and wiped her hair with a dry handkerchief, "Lord Taishan, I gave me a memorial."

"Yeah." Gu Rujiu nodded, casually took a biography from the side and opened it in his hand, then looked up at him, "Did my father do something that made you unhappy?"

"No," Jin Yang shook his head, "Master Taishan has resigned from me."

"What?" Gu Rujiu raised her voice and threw aside the biography in her hand, "My father really did this?"

Jin Yang nodded silently.

Gu Rujiu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is your fault."

"Blame me?" Jin Yang looked at Gu Rujiu in confusion, "Am I making Lord Taishan dissatisfied?"

"No, you are so kind to your father," Gu Rujiu explained, "I remember hearing from my mother when I was a child that my father's hobby was writing and painting, and he was not interested in officialdom. But our family members are thin, and if my father does not enter the officialdom , then how can the family continue to prosper."

Speaking of this, Gu Rujiu couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Our Gu family is still a family that has been around for hundreds of years. Our ancestors revived the family's glory a hundred years ago, but they couldn't fall again in my father's generation, so my father had to hold on. Today, you I decreed that my mother's family would be awarded a title, so that the Gu family would be honored, and my father would have no worries, how could he still want to be an official in the court."

Jin Yang thought of Gu Changling's calligraphy and painting that amazed countless people, and said a little reluctantly: "But Lord Taishan is full of talents, so I am really unwilling to let him go to office like this."

"Then you try to keep my father," Gu Rujiu continued to hold the biography in his hands, opening the title page, "Although I don't think it's likely that you will keep him."

When Jin Yang saw his queen like this, he couldn't help feeling a little discouraged. As the queen, it would be fine if he didn't do well for his family's welfare. He also explained the reasons why Lord Taishan was an official in the court. He really didn't know whether to trust him for a long time, or take precaution The heart is too low.

But no matter what the reason, facing Gu Rujiu's frank attitude, Jin Yang's little heart was warm, like drinking a pot of hot tea.

In the next few days, Jin Yang has been trying his best to keep Gu Changling, but unfortunately Gu Changling's desire to become an official is too strong, and he was crying when he said how he wanted to serve the court, but unfortunately his body was not up to his expectations, his legs hurt, his hands hurt his head, his whole body hurt. Neither was very good, so in order not to delay work, I had to resign.

Seeing that he said nothing good about his whole body, Jin Yang was finally shocked by his determination to go to office. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and use his seal on Gu Changling's twelfth memorial requesting him to go to office.

After going down to court, Jin Yang returned to the Zichen Hall with a little grievance in his heart. Who knew that he didn't see the Queen's figure, he turned his head and asked Bai Xian, "Where's the Queen?"

"Your Majesty, three days have passed. The Empress has to move to Luanhe Palace, so the Empress has already moved to Luanhe Palace."

"How come no one told me about such an important matter?" Jin Yang lowered his face, thinking that it was someone in the palace who made decisions without authorization, which made Gu Rujiu feel wronged.

"Your Majesty, isn't this... You agreed with the Ministry of Rites before your wedding?" He Ming reminded in a low voice, "The slaves thought you knew, so they didn't report it to you."

"The rules are dead, people are alive, and the queen wants to leave, why don't you know how to stop it," Jin Yang put his hands behind his back, "not to mention that according to the rules, after the bride gets married, she cannot easily move her residence for a hundred days. Otherwise, it may hinder the relationship between husband and wife."

He Ming and Bai Xian are in harmony in their hearts. At first, it was you who said that the bride could not live in her husband's room when she got married. Now it is you who said that the bride will not move properly in a hundred days. Why don't you Let's say it directly, don't bear the empress to move out

Although they were madly complaining in their hearts, the two of them still put on serious faces and said: "Your Majesty's words are reasonable, but the people from the Ministry of Rites did not think carefully."

"Since that's the case, I'll still bring the Empress back," Jin Yang turned around and walked outside the palace, "The Luan He Palace has just been renovated, and the paint inside may still smell a little pungent."

Oh, Your Majesty, the "just" in your mouth, the standard is more than one year

Eunuch Bai and Eunuch He, the two eunuchs who were close to the imperial eunuch, had unknowingly practiced their abdominal defamation skills to the highest level.

Entering Luanhe Palace again, Gu Rujiu found that it was more delicate than the last time she saw it, and there were a lot of decorations added. These decorations were all painted with auspicious patterns, and almost all of them came in pairs right.

She walked into the yard, and the yard was already full of eunuchs and eunuchs working in Luanhe Palace. The two men and women standing in the front were more ornately dressed than the others behind them. They seemed to be the stewards of Luanhe Palace. .

As the new owner of Luanhe Palace, according to the rules, she should carry out the plan of "leader's speech", but unfortunately the arrival of Jin Yang made this plan aborted.

Seeing Jin Yang's hurried footsteps, Gu Rujiu swallowed the words at the top of her throat, walked to Jin Yang in the greetings of the eunuchs and court ladies, and said to him with a slight blessing, "Your Majesty."

"Did Jiu Jiu come to see the palace?" Jin Yang held Gu Rujiu's wrist and didn't let her down.

Gu Rujiu raised her eyebrows. Isn't today the day she officially moved into the Luanhe Palace