Hearing his voice, Cui Wenxi turned his head and saw that the young man was dressed in purple robes, wearing a futou on his head and a jade belt around his waist. He was a little more mature and steady than before, and he should have just come here after completing political affairs.
Both sides bowed to each other.
Queen Ma asked: "Why is Erlang here?"
Zhao Yue looked at the chips on their table and joked: "My father asked me to come here. He said that my aunt came to the palace to play leaf cards with my mother. She was probably thinking about the things in Changchun Palace again, so she asked me to come here." Come and take a look.”
These words made Cui Wenxi laugh.
Yongning said with shame: "Erlang, don't talk nonsense. It makes your aunt like a beggar, eager to take good things when she sees them."
Empress Ma said "Ouch", pointed at her and said: "My jadeite Ruyi, tapestry peony fan, gilt silver bowl with lotus pattern, and jade comb with red phoenix and gold back are all in your pocket. I must not catch you today." Dao'er!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone present laughed, even Grandma Shen who was waiting next to her couldn't hold back.
Yongning curled his lips and said, "Sister-in-law is not having a good time today, so why not let me give you a chance?"
Queen Ma: "I don't believe you."
She was really unlucky and lost several times in succession.
Queen Ma couldn't help but be a little anxious, so she tried her luck with Zhao Yue.
Zhao Yue is also proficient in leaf cards, and she won several games as soon as she played.
Empress Ma smiled from ear to ear, getting carried away when she was happy, and asked Yongning: "What do you like about me this time?"
Yongning didn't feel embarrassed and said bluntly: "The white porcelain jade pot and spring vase in my sister-in-law's bedroom are excellent and elegant."
Queen Ma said "poof", "You are really discerning!"
Cui Wenxi joked: "It seems that my sister-in-law's jade pot and spring bottle can't escape today."
Queen Ma was not convinced and thought her son was lucky, so she said, "Since Yongning is interested in the jade pot and spring vase, how about we exchange things for things?"
Yongning asked enthusiastically: "What kind of things does sister-in-law like in me?"
Empress Ma put her hand on Zhao Yue's shoulder and said: "Today I will make a bet with you. If you win, the jade pot and spring vase will be yours. If you lose, all the things you have taken from me in the past will be yours." How about giving it back to me?"
Hearing this, Yongning curled his lips and said, "Sister-in-law is so petty that she makes a lot of calculations."
Queen Ma: "Don't talk nonsense, I just want to ask you whether you want to bet or not?"
Yongning silently calculated it and felt that it was not a good deal, but there was something wrong with her. As long as it was something she cared about, she would always rack her brains to get it.
So he thought about it again and again and said, "Just bet."
Zhao Yue pursed her lips and smiled, "From this point of view, even if we lose today, it is still a good deal."
Yongning knew that Cui Wenxi was good at cards and had good luck, so he dragged her into the sewer: "Chang Yue wants to gamble too?"
Cui Wenxi: "What should I bet on?"
Yong Ning: "I'll bet that the item on your body is the most valuable." After saying that, he looked at it carefully and said, "I bet that the jade bracelet on your wrist is of good quality and should be worth some silver."
Cui Wenxi covered her mouth and smiled: "I can't compare to my sister's family background."
Yongning pursed his lips at Queen Ma, "What are you afraid of? There are many strange things hidden in my sister-in-law's Changchun Palace. Since we are here today, how can we return empty-handed?"
Queen Ma laughed angrily at her and said in disgust: "Come on!"
Yongning said cheekily: "Just asking, sister-in-law, do you dare to bet with us?" He added, "I lost a set of gem hairpins in Pingyang Mansion a while ago. I will definitely ask Erlang to get it back today."
When it came to the spring banquet at Pingyang Mansion, Zhao Yue was in a happy mood and responded: "Maybe my aunt lost her wife and lost her troops."
Yongning: "Crow's Mouth!"
Queen Ma was in a good mood and said to Cui Wenxi: "Changyue, show me the bracelet."
Cui Wenxi was helpless, "Do you really want to bet?"
Queen Ma: "Since Yongning has said this, let's take a gamble."
Cui Wenxi took off the bracelet and handed it to her. She took it into her hand and looked at it carefully, and praised: "Oh, the water quality of this jade is good." Then he asked, "What do you like in my palace?"
Cui Wenxi: "I haven't decided yet."
Empress Ma said to her son, "Son, you have to be angry. I'm in a good mood today, but don't bother me."
Zhao Yue said disgustedly: "Aniang is as unreasonable as Pingyang, so you have to blame me if you lose together?"
Queen Ma: "I don't care, you have to win it back for me today anyway."
Zhao Yue laughed, it was really unreasonable.
He was not busy now, so he played a few games with them.
Queen Ma had lost a lot just now, but as soon as Zhao Yue came to sit in the battle, she made a lot of money back.
Queen Ma looked happy, Yongning was a little uneasy, and Cui Wenxi was as steady as an old dog, taking his time.
Zhao Yue glanced at her, deliberately stretched her neck to look at the chips in her hand, and said, "Aunt Four Emperors is still stable."
Cui Wenxi said bluntly: "The jade bracelet on my wrist is a dowry given by my mother-in-law. It is worth dozens of gold. How can I let Erlang win it so easily?"
Zhao Yue grinned, her handsome face full of smiles, showing that she was in a very good mood.
Empress Ma shouted, "Look, your Fourth Emperor's aunt is in a hurry."
Yongning said impatiently: "I've hit the bottom. Changyue will lend me some books later."
Cui Wenxi glanced at her sideways and said, "Go ahead!"
She concentrated on calculating the leaf cards in her hand, because this way she could ignore the embarrassment in the rockery that day, otherwise she would not be able to sit here and play against Zhao Yue.
Zhao Yue actually felt a little awkward in her heart, but on the surface, she pretended that it was nothing wrong and couldn't see anything unusual.
After a while, someone from the palace came to report internal affairs, and Queen Ma went to the side hall to deal with it. During her absence, Zhao Yue had bad luck and lost several times in succession.
Cui Wenxi came back with a lot of chips and continued to be as steady as an old dog.
She actually wanted to win, not because she was interested in the things in Changchun Palace like Yongning, but because she had already thought about what she would ask for if she won Queen Ma today.
Things are dead, but human feelings are alive.
She wanted to ask for a favor, but what if it was used in the future
With such caution, she calculated the cards more carefully.
Zhao Yue on the side lost half of her chips and became dishonest. She craned her neck secretly to glance at the leaf card in her hand again. Yongning called out: "Erlang, don't let your eyes wander around the countryside."
When Cui Wenxi played his cards, he hit him with a leaf card. He let out a naughty "ouch" and immediately shrank back.
Seeing the cards she played, he picked them up and said, "Eat the cards."
Yongning said dissatisfied: "You two must not team up to trick me."
Cui Wenxi smiled and said: "What did I do to trick my sister? I also took a fancy to one of the items in the Changchun Palace."
Yongning couldn't help but wonder, "What did you see?"
Cui Wenxi: "I won't tell you."
Yongning curled his lips, knowing that she was not a cheap person, so he didn't take it seriously.
But Zhao Yue took it seriously.
Cui Wenxi has a noble character and is recognized as a strong-willed girl in the family. She will never do whatever she wants like Yongning. She said that she fell in love with the objects in Changchun Palace, which made Zhao Yue curious.
No, in order to find out what she was looking for, he deliberately lost the card.
Yongning also came back with a lot of chips. He was very happy and secretly said: "A good man will not fight with a woman. Erlang will continue to let us go."
Zhao Yue said with a straight face: "If you cooperate with me, why don't you trick your own mother?"
Yongning said cheekily: "Hey, let us aunts and uncles take advantage, and we will look for a wife for you. We will definitely make money without losing money."
Zhao Yue: "..."
Cui Wenxi covered her mouth and smiled: "It's your turn, Erlang."
Zhao Yue randomly played a card, which was picked up by Yongning.
When Queen Ma came over, he borrowed another copy. Seeing the gold nuggets in the hands of Yongning and Cui Wenxi, Empress Ma said distressedly: "Son, why are you so unlucky than me?"
Zhao Yue made a helpless expression, "My aunt is so cunning. She teamed up with the Fourth Emperor's aunt to deceive me."
Yong Ning: "That's nonsense. Erlang's skills are inferior to others and he's still not convinced."
Afraid that his mother would become suspicious, Zhao Yue played cards more normally after that and won a few small wins.
Queen Ma didn't believe that she would always be unlucky, so she replaced her again, but her luck was really bad.
This time she was convinced of the defeat, "Erlang, you should do it, my jade pot and spring bottle will probably not be saved."
Yongning secretly said: "In today's situation, my sister-in-law probably won't be able to stand up." After that, she looked at the chips in Cui Wenxi's hand. She had already exchanged four gold coins, and there were more than ten stones in the remaining chips.
Queen Ma was heartbroken and spat: "Next time I won't play cards with you two, you ghosts."
Zhao Yue comforted her and said, "Don't be afraid, mother-in-law. If you export it, I will earn it for you in the future."
Yongning shouted: "You see how promising Erlang is." After that, he said in a shopping tone, "When are you going to visit your Yong'an Palace?"
Zhao Yue: "..."
Queen Ma: "Yongning is so shameless!"
Cui Wenxi listened to their jokes with her lips slightly curved. There was a reason why she liked to get along with this group of people. There was no deception among them and they were harmonious.
Queen Ma has a gentle and tolerant temperament and has never lost her manners; although Yongning is unreliable, she is straightforward and will not plot secretly; Pingyang values friendship and has always been sincere towards her and has never been deceptive.
It's natural to be happy and happy when you get along with such girls.
Take the matter of her quarrel with Prince Qing, they tried to persuade her to return, but they would not slander her behind her back.
After all, we are all girls. We know how difficult it is for girls to treat each other with respect, so how can they laugh at her like other nobles from aristocratic families
Or maybe she doesn't lack anything, but her consciousness is much higher than that of ordinary girls. As long as she lives happily, other people won't take it seriously at all.
The height of their group is beyond the reach of other girls.
This was the circle she couldn't bear to leave behind.
In the end, Zhao Yue deceived his mother so badly that she lost seven gold coins. Queen Ma saw that she could not stand up and did not want to continue the fight.
Yongning smiled from ear to ear and urged: "Sister-in-law, hurry up, my jade pot and spring bottle are here, take it out quickly!"
Empress Ma said angrily: "Why are you so anxious?!"
Cui Wenxi said cheekily: "Yes, why am I in a hurry? I have to wait for a meal before I leave."
Empress Ma laughed angrily and spat: "Fourth family member, I didn't expect you to be so shameless."
Cui Wenxi said shamelessly: "It's rare to come here to get some benefits. How can there be any reason to go back hungry?"
Zhao Yue couldn't help but laugh and asked curiously: "What does the Fourth Emperor's aunt like about my mother-in-law?"
Cui Wenxi responded: "I am not as greedy as my sister. My sister-in-law suffered heavy losses today, so I won't make matters worse."
These words made Queen Ma happy, "Fortunately, you have some conscience."
Cui Wenxi said with a smile: "But this bet is what my sister-in-law wants to make. I can't do it in vain. I have to get some benefits back no matter what."
Queen Ma: "Tell me, what are the benefits?"
Cui Wenxi thought for a while and said, "How about if this is not the case, if my sister-in-law loses, she will write an IOU and owe Chang Yue a favor?"
Empress Ma pointed at her, "I owe you a favor. It's easy to say. What if you ask me for money in the future?"
Cui Wenxi pursed her lips and smiled and said: "My dowry is rich and I have no shortage of money." He added, "Since it is a favor, it has nothing to do with the real thing."
Queen Ma found this acceptable.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Yue suddenly said: "A mother's debt must be paid by her son. I am already unlucky enough today. If you don't want to bear this debt of gratitude, I will bear it. Can Aunt Four Emperors agree?"
As if he didn't expect him to interrupt, Cui Wenxi was stunned for a moment.
Yongning clicked his tongue twice and praised: "Erlang is very promising. He knows how to pay off his mother's debt."
Empress Ma was also made happy by him. She looked at Cui Wenxi and said, "Then let Erlang bear this debt of gratitude for me. What does Chang Yue think?"
Cui Wenxi didn't know how to respond for a moment. She was a house girl and mostly dealt with female family members. It was impossible for her to have contact with the prince. This was really outrageous.
Zhao Yue looked at her with a calculation hidden in his eyes.
He didn't want anything, he just wanted her to come to him personally to collect the favor debt he owed, not as Princess Qing, but as the Cui Wenxi family, and wanted to have private contact with her.
Yongning on the side was thinking about the jade pot and spring bottle, and urged Queen Ma to get it.
Queen Ma didn't lie and went to the palace.
Yongning stepped forward and hugged her arm, saying many playful and flattering words, leaving Cui Wenxi and Zhao Yue sitting at the table. Although there were maids around them, they always felt a little embarrassed.
The long silence created a strange atmosphere between the two of them. Cui Wenxi ignored the strange discomfort, turned to look at Fang Ling and said, "Bring me a bowl of tea."
Zhao Yue glanced at her and immediately avoided her when she turned around, feeling a little embarrassed.
This was almost the first time that the two of them sat alone together, and the atmosphere was a bit delicate.
If they hadn't had the rockery experience, the two of them should have been able to face it calmly. However, Cui Wenxi was too arrogant and refused to recall the original embarrassment. He lowered his head and smoothed his wide sleeves.
Zhao Yue glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The girl had a slender neck and a soft and elegant side face, which made people think wildly. In his heart, he was obviously extremely absurd, but on the outside, he was as straight and dignified as a chaste and virtuous woman, with the frankness and ease of a gentleman.
Fortunately, the silence did not last long. Yongning got Queen Ma's jade pot and spring vase, and smiled brightly and walked forward to show Cui Wenxi.
The white porcelain is white and transparent, and the shape of the vessel is truly elegant and impressive, just like the orchid in the empty valley hidden in the mountains. The whole body is pure and uncontested.
Cui Wenxi praised: "You have great taste, I like it too."
Yongning said with a smile: "No, I have been thinking about it since last year."
Zhao Yue teased: "It seems like you have to be careful when your aunt comes into the palace in the future. Maybe you are interested in something again, and you are racking your brains to coax her into getting it."
Yongning secretly said: "I will go to Erlang's East Palace sometime to take a look and open my eyes."
Zhao Yue waved her hands quickly, "Forget it, I can't afford a big Buddha like you."
Empress Ma came in and said, "Look at your aunt's ability. I won't tell you the trouble, but she won't even let her nephew go. Is that fair?"
Yongning blinked his eyes and said: "Anyway, everything in the palace will belong to Erlang in the future. I would rather harm him."
Empress Ma spat: "Shameless."
Seeing that noon was approaching, Grandma Shen asked if she would pass on the meal. Zhao Yue did not stay and said she would go to Chongzheng Hall to use it.
Queen Ma didn't try to stay either.
After he left, the three of them went to the side hall to have a meal.
After lunch, they strolled around the Imperial Garden. Cui Wenxi and Yongning didn't go back home until it was getting late.
It was a coincidence that as soon as Cui Wenxi arrived at the door of the house, he met Zhao Chengyan returning from duty.
Seeing her returning from an outing, Zhao Chengyan felt curious and asked, "Where is Yuan Niang coming back from?"
Cui Wenxi saluted him and said gently: "Yongning made an appointment to go to the palace to play leaf cards with the queen."
Zhao Chengyan raised his eyebrows, "You are really elegant."
The two of them entered the house together. Cui Wenxi glanced at him deliberately and said, "My husband is staying in another courtyard every day. I can't just cry and cry like a resentful woman all day long. Don't you think so, Silang?"
Zhao Chengyan snorted coldly, "If it were in the past, I would have almost believed your lies. If you were sincere to me, how could you have the heart to play leaf cards?"
Cui Wenxi smiled and said: "Silang is really unreasonable. Your legs are on your body. You can go wherever you like. Is it possible that I can tie you up with a rope?" He added, "You have an intimate girl to replace you." If you want to relieve your boredom, you won’t allow me to go out and have fun?”
Zhao Chengyan said angrily: "You just fell into Yongning's trap last time, how dare you hang out with her?"
Cui Wenxi: "Silang, please don't forget, Yongning is your eldest sister, what's wrong with me hanging out with her?"
These words choked Zhao Chengyan speechless. Perhaps seeing that she was upset, he threw up his sleeves and left with a serious face.
Cui Wenxi ignored his annoyance and went back to Yaoguang Garden.
Fang Ling couldn't help but look at the backs of the two walking separately, and sighed silently. Cui Wenxi turned her head and asked, "Why are you sighing?"
Fang Ling said helplessly: "I feel that my wife and husband seem to be getting further and further apart."
Cui Wenxi said calmly: "As the saying goes, there is no room for two tigers in one mountain, unless there is one male and one female. For marriage, two people are just right, but three people are too crowded."
Fang Ling shut up and said nothing.
At the same time, Queen Ma in the palace was also talking to the saint about Prince Qing and his wife. She said with emotion: "Cui Changyue has been married into the Zhao family for seven years. I like this person's character. The only problem is that he has no heirs." .”
Sage Zhao Junqi washed his hands and asked, "I haven't heard anything from the fourth child these days. Are you still making trouble?"
Queen Ma: "I heard that everyone should live their own lives and not interfere with each other."
Zhao Junqi commented: "That girl is too arrogant. As long as she lowers her head just a little bit, she won't be in this situation."
Queen Ma: "Sometimes I am quite confused. You said she is difficult to get along with, but the interpersonal relationships around her are well taken care of, and there have never been any problems. If you say she is not difficult to get along with, she cannot tolerate the fourth child's extramarital affair. "
While the two were talking, Zhao Yue came over to eat.
Zhao Junqi waved to him, "Erlang, hurry up, we have duck stuffed with wine today."
Zhao Yue: "That's my father's favorite food." After saying that, he looked at Queen Ma and said, "Today, my aunt coaxed my mother-in-law to take away my jade pot and spring vase. Are you angry?"
Empress Ma said cheekily: "Why am I angry? You can earn it back for me in the future."
Zhao Yue pursed her lips and smiled, sat down and cleaned her hands and said, "It seems that grandma has grown up just like my aunt." With a thought, he asked again, "You were visiting the imperial garden this afternoon, and my aunt asked for something from you. Did you take it well?" To coax you?"
Empress Ma said disgustedly: "Her broken mouth looks like it's been stained with honey. She's the best at saying nice things to coax people. Not one of the three sentences she said is true."
Zhao Junqi agreed with this point, "Yongning is not very reliable in his actions, but he has a good heart and never plots behind his back. His temperament is most like the late emperor's, cynical."
The maid came forward to serve them soup.
Zhao Yue deliberately wanted to trick Mrs. Cui from her mother's mouth, but she pretended not to do so and said, "When Cai'er came over just now, I heard my mother-in-law talking about Uncle Four Emperors. What's wrong with him?"
Empress Ma said "Oh" and replied: "I told your father that Prince Qing and his wife lived their own lives. When we visited the Imperial Garden in the afternoon, your aunt of the Fourth Emperor said that these old people have been staying in another courtyard all day, and she was worried about that. The fetus in the outer chamber was not stable, so the doctor was specially asked to come every ten and a half days to ensure the fetus. At that time, Yongning said she had a large belly."
Zhao Junqi said happily: "This is what I figured out."
Queen Ma snorted coldly, "You men, how do you know the girl's thoughts?"
Zhao Junqi: "???"
Zhao Yue felt secretly happy in her heart, and said with a smile in her eyes: "I know the intention of Aunt Four Emperors."
Queen Ma suddenly became interested and asked curiously, "Come and listen to what Erlang said."
Zhao Yue took the spoon and gently stirred the soup in the bowl, and said with a smile: "Use your strength to fight."
Zhao Junqi didn't understand what he said, and Bagua asked, "What does it mean to use strength to fight?"
Zhao Yue looked at him and asked instead: "Since the Fourth Emperor's aunt can't tolerate the divorce between the foreign wife and the Fourth Emperor's uncle, why did she ask the doctor to protect the fetus?"
Zhao Junqi was stunned and guessed: "Is it possible that he wants to harm the woman and make the fourth son fly like a chicken, so he can be happy in vain?"
Zhao Yue: "..."
Silently looking at my father who looked not very smart, he felt helpless.
No, even Empress Ma was disgusted by this, "Dalang, use your brain. Then Cui wants to reconcile with the fourth child. If she interferes and makes the fourth child happy, how can he let her leave the house?"
Zhao Junqi thought about it carefully, and it seemed to be the truth, "Then how did she change her gender and get better?"
Empress Ma rolled her eyes at him and said patiently: "If you were the foreigner, you not only saved Shiro, but also gave birth to a son for him, but ended up with the mother leaving the son, would you be willing?"
Zhao Junqi: "Who can bear this cowardice?"
Zhao Yue: "If I were that wife, I would have racked my brains to get Uncle Four Emperors to stay when I was pregnant. I would have to find a future no matter what."
Zhao Junqi nodded after realizing it, "That's the truth."
Zhao Yue: "Dad, think about it carefully. The Fourth Emperor and his wife are quarreling with each other. If the outsider gets involved and sows discord, will the two of them get further and further apart?"
Zhao Junqi said nothing.
Empress Ma praised: "This is Cui Changyue's brilliance. She knew that the fourth child would not reconcile with her, so she put all her efforts into the outer room, treated her well, and made her have thoughts that she shouldn't have. Seek your own future. After such a medley, the fourth child will definitely get bored over time, and in the end, she will most likely be released in honor of her."
After listening to her explanation, Zhao Junqi suddenly understood and couldn't help but said: "A woman's heart is as deep as a needle, and she can still do it like this."
Empress Ma: "From now on, the fourth son's family affairs should not be interfered with. I don't think it will be easy for Chang Yue."
Zhao Junqi commented: "Cui has such skills, she can establish herself wherever she goes in the future."
Queen Ma: "She is determined, speaks the truth, and acts calmly. If it weren't for the fact that she has no heirs, she would be a perfect girl."
The whole family chatted about Mrs. Cui's situation for a while. Zhao Yue drank the soup slowly, thinking about Mrs. Cui's appearance during the day when she lowered her head and stroked her sleeves.
Zhao Junqi seemed to have remembered something, and suddenly asked: "Erlang, have you submitted any exams from the Ministry of Personnel in recent days?"
Zhao Yue came back to her senses and responded: "Yes." After a pause, "Dad, do you want to see it?"
Zhao Junqi: "Show it to me tomorrow."
Empress Ma joked: "Why, Dalang already knows how to care about government affairs?"
Zhao Junqi replied: "You still have to take a look at the official examination."
Next, the father and son discussed the subject of examinations for a while. In the imperial court, examinations were held every three years, and the promotion, demotion, and transfer of relevant officials were all based on examinations, which was a very important matter.
After dinner, Zhao Yue went back not long after sitting in Changchun Palace.
Dozens of performance appraisal documents for imperial officials were placed on the desk, and there were also many in the wooden box next to them, all of which were submitted by the Ministry of Personnel for the appraisal of Beijing officials.
Zhao Yue's eyes fell on the pile of documents, as if he remembered something. He rummaged around enthusiastically. There was nothing on the desk, so he rummaged through the wooden box. Finally, after rummaging for a long time, he found the examination course of the author Feng Zheng. Achievements.
He flipped through it carelessly, thinking of the scene in the day when Mrs. Cui asked for favors from Queen Ma, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
He thought that she would probably come to ask for favors in a few days.
It’s really worth looking forward to.