When Mrs. Liu heard that her son was going to marry Chen Yan, she was so happy that she couldn't help but agree. As a mother-in-law, she personally persuaded Chen Yan to marry into the Qin family. Chen Yan naturally had no reason not to agree.
This kind of thing is very rare in this era of Datang.
Not only men like women like Chen Yan, but women also like her. It is said that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are born enemies, but Chen Yan is undoubtedly a rare "perfect daughter-in-law" in this world. Although Mrs. Liu's contact with her was the shortest, she fell in love with her immediately without any suspense.
In the words of the old lady, Chen Yan was already her biological daughter in her eyes, just like Shuang'er. For a woman like her, whoever marries her will be extremely lucky! She didn't hesitate to say it in front of Xuelian and others, because she knew that Chen Yan deserved such praise, and everyone who heard it would be convinced. Including Princess Gaoyang, who was born in the imperial family, and Wu Meiniang, who was the first to be engaged to Qin Mubai.
Invisibly, Chen Yan, who has not yet entered the family, has already been ranked as the "head of the inner house" of the Qin family, and she has great ambitions to lead the crowd.
Marriage in this world is determined by the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Chen Yan's hometown is far away in the south of the Yangtze River and she has no direct relatives. Her only adoptive father, King Li Daozong of Jiangxia, has also gone to Liaodong, so the old lady is still worried. He kept comforting Chen Yan and asked her to forgive her for her poor etiquette.
Chen Yan smiled and said to the old lady, I don't care about this.
Old Mrs. Liu said sternly: "How can you not care? What is more important for a woman in her life than getting married? Although you and Sanlang both have a small house, there is no ambiguity about the wedding! A good wife like you just wants to marry someone." There is no place to look for a lantern. I have repeatedly told Sanlang to make your wedding lively and grand! ... Yan'er, listen to me, from now on, I will leave all Sanlang's family affairs to you. The princess and Wu Meiniang are both engaged to Sanlang, but I think the only one who can truly serve as Sanlang's wife is you!"
Chen Yan smiled indifferently, noncommittal.
The implication of Mrs. Liu's words is that Chen Yan will take charge of the affairs of Qin Mubai's family as the "official wife" from now on. In fact, there are already "hidden rules" in this matter, which is to claim that Princess Gaoyang is the eldest daughter, because she is the princess after all and is the first to get married; everyone, including Qin Mubai, is very respectful to Chen Yan.
The elderly have their own opinions, and of course Chen Yan will not argue or refute them. She knew that Qin Mubai was no better than any man in the world. He is very popular with women and is also a bit of a playboy, so there are many women around him. But he has never treated any woman around him as a plaything. He knows how to respect people and will never give up. This is a valuable thing about him. Although Qin Mubai is now surrounded by many women, there is no distinction between the women in terms of the order of wives and concubines and the seniority and inferiority of other large families.
Therefore, it is impossible to talk about the distinction between the so-called wives and concubines.
The Qin government sent out wedding invitations to all the prefectures, counties and military offices under the governor's office of Lanzhou. For a time, Helong knew everything.
Qin Mubai returned triumphantly from the Western Expedition and was getting married again. This was a double happiness and a happy event for the whole Lanzhou. Therefore, the people of Lanzhou decorated the city with lanterns and colorful decorations to celebrate. The merchants and wealthy gentry were also grateful for the benefits that the Qin family and his son had brought to them over the years. They spontaneously raised huge sums of money to decorate the entire city. Even every tree in the city was hung with colorful silk ribbons, and the roads were illuminated with auspicious lights. Framed lettering. Every household is celebrating a big festival, wearing new clothes and hanging colorful silks, and the gongs and drums are playing loudly and the sky is filled with laughter.
Although Chen Yan never liked to show off, she saw everything happening in front of her without saying anything, and was shocked and moved in her heart. Because he knew that Qin Mubai had never been a vulgar and frivolous person, and it was uncharacteristic of him to do so many "mundane things" now. The reason is nothing more than wanting to give her a grand wedding that she will never forget.
Chen Yan has never made any demands on Qin Mubai, let alone asking him to deliberately do anything for her or change anything.
But Qin Mubai said, I have been treating you badly for so many years. So, starting from the wedding, I want to forgive you and use the rest of my life to make it up to you!
Chen Yan shed tears for Qin Mubai for the first time in front of him.
On the wedding day, Shuang'er helped Chen Yan do the bride's makeup.
"Sister Yan... Oh, I have to call you sister-in-law, hehe!" Shuang'er smiled while combing Chen Yan's hair, "You are so beautiful! My brother is such a blessing to marry you! It took eight lifetimes to cultivate the blessing. ah!"
Chen Yan smiled slightly and said: "My time has passed and my beauty has faded. I am no longer young. Compared to Mei Niang and Princess Gaoyang, I am just a bad old woman. Where is my beauty?"
"Kind and happy people are the most beautiful..." Shuang'er said softly, "Sister-in-law, to be honest, you are not as young as Mei Niang and Gao Yang, but in our eyes, you are the most beautiful! My brother, I also love you the most! He once said to me, "The charm of a woman like Chen Yan has little to do with her appearance. Her beauty comes from within and can withstand the passage of time." Jiu Mixiang. The longer we stay together, the more intoxicating and fascinating she becomes. Hehe, are these words very disgusting? But when my brother said these words, I have never been more sincere and emotional. I have heard my brother describe a woman like this; I have never seen my brother express such deep attachment and deep love for anyone!"
Chen Yan looked at herself in the mirror. The woman in the mirror had a happy smile that she had never seen before on her face. She nodded gently and said, "Shuang'er, you are right. Happy women are the most beautiful... I have never cared. I never dress up in any detail, but today, I think I am the most beautiful and happiest woman in the world!”
The wedding was indeed an unprecedented event. In addition to the invited guests, the people of Lanzhou also spontaneously came to join in the fun and surrounded the Governor's Mansion three floors inside and three floors outside.
Needless to say, the wedding was festive and lively. In fact, most of the officials and generals were secretly thinking: Marshal Qin is so calm! Now rumors about him are circulating all over the world, and many worries are lurking. Not only was he not at all nervous, he also acted like it had nothing to do with him and he was free to celebrate the happy event!
Of course they don't know that for Qin Mubai now, he has experienced too many so-called "big events in the world" and seen too much. So I'm tired of it, tired of it, and tired of it. In his opinion, these are just passing clouds, not as important as the friendship that he can reach out and grasp.
Just like the Buddhist story of "Spider, Green Grass and Rain" told by Master Qingshan in the palace, and then thinking of Yao'er, Qin Mubai didn't want to miss any precious feelings in this world.
Don't know how to cherish it when you have it, but only when you lose it do you realize that it is heartbreaking and regretful. In contrast, as long as he could get his family's peace, he would not hesitate to ask Qin Mubai to relinquish his military power and resign from his official position. This would make him feel more relaxed.
Once one sees through fame, fortune and wealth, all the turmoil in the world today is nothing more than a struggle for power and interests. And this kind of competition is never-ending and never-ending! It is like an abyss, where you can be a hero and dominate the world. Once you step into it, you will always be stuck in the mud and cannot extricate yourself.
The ending is either to suffer from it for the rest of your life, or to be ruthlessly devoured and never recover. The former is like the British leader Li Shimin. He is destined to leave a lasting legacy in history, but what can he do? Until the day he died, he would never be able to get rid of this endless suffering. No one could know the pain and helplessness in his heart; the latter, such as Gar Qinling, Li Chengqian, and Hou Junji, were too numerous to mention.
So - despite the strong wind and rain, I remain unmoved.
The Buddha said, "When the mind arises from thoughts and attachments, there will be emotional troubles and worries. If you use your sharp roots to be brave and straighten your body and mind, and cultivate to the point where no thought arises, you will have your true face." This is exactly the state of Qin Mubai today.
In the bridal chamber, Qin Mubai and Chen Yan drank with each other.
Chen Yan, who has always been bare-faced, put on some light makeup today. Her pink face, peach cheeks and spring eyes are charming.
After a day of noisy activities, although I had fun, I was also a little tired. The two had two drinks and sat quietly. They looked at each other but were silent for a long time.
"Yan, do you still remember the first time we met?" Qin Mubai said with a smile.
"Remember. I almost killed you with one sword." Chen Yan smiled.
"Time flies so fast..." Qin Mubai sighed softly, "At that time, I was still a young boy who was just starting out, taking everything for granted, but relying on a little self-proclaimed cleverness, I acted frivolously. Over the years, I have experienced There may be far more things than what most people will experience in a few lifetimes. Therefore, I have seen through many things and understood that in this life, nothing can be brought about by life, but only by death. It’s enough to cherish the people around you the day you are born!”
"Mu Bai, you do seem to be a different person than you were back then." Chen Yan smiled and said, "When I first met you, I thought you were just a frivolous and vulgar official junior, and I was very disgusted with you. After we have been together for a long time, I learned that you are not only smart and enterprising, but also have a kind heart. But what really made me fall in love with you was the time we spent together in the small building outside Xiangyang. The best time I have ever spent in my life! ... But despite this, I never thought that we would be together forever, because I thought that you and I are always people from two different worlds, and it is easy to meet but difficult to get along with. Even if we have Xiaolouer, I have always thought so. But now, the facts are before my eyes... Mubai, I want to say: Thank you! Let me have no regrets in this life!”
Qin Mubai grinned and said, "It's me who should say this. I think I will be lucky to have you by my side for the rest of my life!"
The two hugged each other tightly.
The red candle swayed, and the shadows were in pairs.
Three more days passed, and Qin Mubai still hadn't left the house. The affairs of the Governor's Mansion and the army were also ignored.
Now, even Pang Fei couldn't keep his temper and came to see Qin Mubai.
He asked: "Teacher, what should we do now? People all over the world are staring at Lanzhou, slandering me that Lanzhou is gathering troops to plot a rebellion. In a few days, the troops led by General Xue and General Yuwen will come back. We How to tell the difference?”
"An army of three hundred thousand has returned from the Western Expedition. After traveling thousands of miles, we are tired of men and horses. We need to reorganize our troops and recuperate." Qin Mubai said calmly, "Whatever outsiders think, let them go. We just don't mess up the situation ourselves."
Pang Fei said: "That's true. But what if... the imperial court really appoints King Wei as the heir apparent, where will we go?"
The implication is, shouldn't there be some movement from the Kansai Army at this time? Even if it means putting a little pressure on the court, King Wei cannot be allowed to take charge of the East Palace.
Qin Mubai frowned slightly, "Pang Fei, you have the wrong mentality! ... You have a heart that can be killed, do you know that?"
Pang Fei was so frightened that he flicked the ball and said hurriedly: "Teacher misunderstood! How dare a student threaten the court? It's just... fight for it, can't you?"
"I still say that if you don't fight, you will fight." Qin Mubai said calmly, "Now, no matter what we do, it will be inappropriate. Therefore, if you don't have a single thought, you can't stop the eight winds and calm down." The best strategy is to strike first before attacking."
Pang Fei couldn't argue, so he nodded and said, "What if the imperial court decrees that my mentor and I should return to the court to answer our orders?"
Qin Mubai's eyes sparkled, "Then go!"
"What if it's the Hongmen Banquet?"
Qin Mubai laughed and said, "I'm not Pei Gong, and I don't have the ambition to conquer the world. Why do you need to entertain me with the Hongmen Banquet? - Just wait! It won't be long before there will be a trend in the court. Because I plan to write a letter to the court, saying that Tubo The Western Region has been pacified, and there is no need to station so many troops in Kansai. Therefore, I want to hand over my military power and resign and go into seclusion!"
Pang Fei was stunned and speechless.
Qin Mubai smiled slightly and said, "Pang Fei, let me tell you the truth. In fact, I sent people to spread the rumors about me myself."
"Ah?!" Pang Fei was immediately shocked.
"You heard it right, that's it." Qin Mubai said lightly, "At that time, I had the same idea as you, and I also wanted to use my own strength to interfere with the court, so as to protect King Wu and help him seize the throne. . But now... I think I was too naive at the time. It turns out that no matter how great a hero is, he is just a cold pawn in the eyes of the court; people in the court will not talk about human kindness in their eyes. Only profit. But based on the rumors among the market, they were able to treat me as a thief. This made me feel chilling, but it was also a good thing. It was just such a small trial that allowed me to fully understand the nature of politics. Mean and ruthless.”
"Testing..." Pang Fei chewed these two words and was speechless.
Qin Mubai smiled and said, "The King of Wu is not dead, and the King of Wei will not become the crown prince. But I, Qin Mubai, will not continue to stay in the court to assist the new king in serving the Tang Dynasty. Pang Fei, please Convey these words to His Majesty the Emperor, and ask him to rest assured that I, Qin, have no ambitions, let alone do anything harmful to the Tang Dynasty, because... I belong to this era and love my country deeply!"
Pang Fei trembled all over and looked at Qin Mubai in astonishment, dumbfounded.
Qin Mubai still smiled slightly and said: "Over the years, Mr. Qin has been loyal to the Tang Dynasty through life and death, and he has never regretted it. But what he can do for the Tang Dynasty is what is in front of him. Now, I can come and go clearly. Understand, I am worthy of my heart, I am worthy of the Tang Dynasty!”
Pang Fei's expression had become a little nervous, and his face was pale, and he murmured: "Why did the teacher... suddenly say this to the students?"
Qin Mubai looked at him sideways and smiled without saying a word.
He kept staring at Pang Fei, who was full of anxiety and panic.
"Steward Lu was sent by you, right? And today you deliberately used words to provoke me?... In fact, these tests are meaningless." Qin Mubai smiled and said easily, "Pang Fei, in fact, as early as you When Xiangzhou transferred the Guanxi Army, I knew that you were the spy placed by His Majesty the Emperor and sent to monitor me. But I never revealed this matter because I knew that you couldn't help it. Loyalty to the king is the duty of a minister. You are the master of heaven and earth, and you have done nothing wrong.”
Pang Fei fell to his knees, banged his head on the ground and sobbed, "Teacher, I am not sorry for you!"
"Forget it. I don't blame you." Qin Mubai stood up and walked out, "I said, politics will always be mean and ruthless. I'm tired of it... really!"