Entering the side room, he saw that Zhao Yue had already eaten two of them and had no intention of giving up. Cui Wenxi said stingily: "Are you planning to eat me up to the point of ruining your fortune?"
Zhao Yue was amused, "You can move whatever you want in the East Palace." He added, "Don't you think Yuanniang thinks Yanyun Village is very good? If you follow me, Zhuangzi will give it to you."
Cui Wenxi sat aside unhappily and said angrily: "You want to send me away with this small favor?"
Zhao Yue asked with great interest: "Then I will give you whatever you want."
Cui Wenxi deliberately disgusted him and said: "I am a greedy woman. After entering your East Palace, I want the position of crown prince. Can you give it to me?"
Zhao Yue raised her eyebrows and said jokingly: "It depends on how many children you can have."
Cui Wenxi: "..."
Zhao Yue said again: "I just don't understand. How can the East Palace become a golden cage, so that you are so resistant and afraid?"
Cui Wenxi was silent for a long time before saying: "You don't understand." He added, "This is the way of the world for men. If a girl wants to gain a foothold, she must rely on the charity of her husbands. Once you go to some places, you can never come back. "
Zhao Yue thought about it seriously, "There is a certain truth to this, but it also makes no sense." After a moment of pause, "Let's take Prince Qing as an example. You have been married to him for seven years. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you didn't have that extramarital affair?" , can you two continue to maintain it in the future?"
Cui Wenxi said nothing.
Zhao Yue looked at her and said, "Look, you are not sure in your heart either."
Cui Wenxi: "He is extremely persistent about his children. I once mentioned adopting a child from the Zhao family clan and raising it under my knees, but he refused."
Zhao Yue laughed, "Of course he won't allow it."
Cui Wenxi: "???"
Zhao Yue: "Uncle Four Emperors originally had no blood connection with the Zhao family. His surname is Song. He relied on his biological mother Yan to obtain such a princely title. But you let him adopt the Zhao family's son. Didn't you return the title to the Zhao family? ?”
Cui Wenxi said nothing.
Zhao Yue continued: "So Yuanniang still doesn't understand men."
Cui Wenxi frowned, "I reconciled with Prince Qing. You knew that I had no children, so didn't I encounter the same problems as him?"
Zhao Yue shook her index finger, "I'm different from him. He lived in the care of others. Although I also lived in the care of others, I was raised under the knees of my grandfather, Emperor Wu.
"I believe you also know what kind of person my grandfather is. He is war-minded, rebellious, and murderous. He ignores ethics and even robs his niece and daughter-in-law.
"I was brought up by such a person. If you still treat me like Prince Qing, you are superficial.
"The reason why I didn't touch you was because of the constraints of my teacher Chen Ping. For the royal family, heir inheritance is particularly important, but you must not forget that your grandfather was not born to your great-grandfather, but was adopted from another branch of the Zhao family. . For me, it is enough as long as the prince’s bloodline has the surname Zhao. Do you understand
"Back then, my grandfather was able to ignore the ethical code and often admit the Yan family's mother and son into the palace, and even steal his niece's wife. Then it seems that it is not a big deal for me to marry my former aunt, at least there is no need to steal her."
After hearing these words, Cui Wenxi's outlook was somewhat shattered.
She naturally knew that he must be rebellious at heart, otherwise he wouldn't covet her as the royal aunt, but it was rare to be rebellious to this extent.
Cui Wenxi's mood was a little complicated for a moment, and he asked tentatively: "Can you tolerate that the future prince will be another son of the Zhao family?"
Zhao Yue did not answer and asked instead: "Why can't you tolerate it?" He added, "The crown prince is related to the stability of the country. If the stability of the entire country is shaken due to selfish desires, wouldn't it be worth the loss?"
Cui Wenxi: "..."
Zhao Yue pointed at her and said, "This is how superficial you are. Do you know what a clan is? Only by supporting each other can a family become stronger and more prosperous, continue to prosper, and protect its descendants. When they are prosperous, they are both prosperous and when they are damaged, they are both damaged." Those whose bones are connected to their tendons are called clans.
"No matter how they fight among themselves in private on weekdays, once faced with the great righteousness, they will put aside all their personal grudges and speak unanimously to the outside world, because this is a blood connection of the same clan and surname with vital interests. This is the clan interest relationship of aristocratic families. .”
These words suddenly opened up Cui Wenxi's situation. She had to admit that she was biased against him, which was really ridiculous compared to his vision and overall view.
Seeing that she was silent for a long time, Zhao Yue asked in confusion: "So what you call the East Palace is a golden cage. How can it become a cage? I don't understand."
Cui Wenxi did not answer.
Zhao Yue: "I have a question for you. Tell me. I'm all ears."
This was the first time that the two of them sat down to discuss these practical issues calmly. Cui Wenxi hesitated for a long time before saying: "After all, the palace is not as good as the outside. It has its own restrictions."
Zhao Yue took another persimmon and poked it. Cui Wenxi frowned and said, "Still eating, persimmons are cold in nature."
When she said this, he squeezed it with his hand, and said with a serious tone like an old man, "I know what you are afraid of."
Cui Wenxi looked at him, "What are you afraid of?"
Zhao Yue said seriously: "What do you think of my mother-in-law?" He then asked, "You two have been together for so many years, what do you think of her?"
Cui Wenxi thought for a while and said: "Empress Ma is gentle and polite, and is generous to others. She has never blushed with me. She is a person who understands rewards and punishments and can distinguish right from wrong."
Zhao Yue clasped her hands and said, "It seems that you think highly of her." Then he said, "Where are Pingyang and Yongning?"
Cui Wenxi: "I get along with them."
Zhao Yue said seductively: "If you come together with me, your previous circle will remain unchanged and you won't have to adapt to new connections again. Wouldn't that be great
"My grandma is a girl who doesn't have many pursuits. All she wants from me is to marry and have children normally, and you can satisfy her. Infertility, which was criticized in the past, is fine with you and you can have children, and she can't fault it.
"The Cui family is a big family in Beijing. You have a distinguished family background, are talented and beautiful, and have good character. You are good at taking care of your middle class. Apart from having a marriage, you are perfect. No matter what others say, I, Zhao Yueneng, Accept it, a good wife, I think she is an excellent couple.
"As for my father, you don't have to worry. He has long wanted to give up his son to become the Supreme Emperor and enjoy happiness. As long as he fulfills my wish, I will fulfill his wish immediately. We will get married and have children, so that he can be the Supreme Emperor and enjoy his grandchildren in peace. It solved one of his worries.
"As for the rotten people in the previous dynasty, they only cared about the prince.
"If you feel uncomfortable facing Prince Qing, I will find a way to get him away.
"If you think that I will have three palaces and six courtyards in the future, that's too much praise for me. I, Zhao Yue, am so busy every day that I don't even touch the ground. I am pestered by the old men in the political hall every day. I have a hard life, and besides, I am clean and self-sufficient. Good character..."
Before he finished speaking, Cui Wenxi scolded him: "You have a good character and you still covet the emperor's aunt?"
Zhao Yue accidentally pinched the persimmon in his hand and broke it. He said "Oops" and said, "I can eat it."
Cui Wenxi: "..."
shameless.
Whether she admits it or not, his IQ and handling skills are indeed much better than that of Prince Qing. A person who can steal food from Emperor Wu's jaws does have some real abilities.
She was convinced of this.
At noon, the kitchen prepared a steamed snakehead pot. Zhao Yue doesn't like spicy food, so as usual, Eunuch Wei first tasted the food before letting him use his chopsticks.
Hot pot is the best time to eat in winter. The tribute oranges in the south are also ripe at this time. Zhao Yue said, "I'll get you two baskets of oranges when I get back."
Cui Wenxi: "Two baskets of tribute oranges are worth a meal of snakehead pot."
Zhao Yue pursed her lips and smiled, saying with disdain: "Look at your potential."
He has a calm and stable temperament, rarely gets irritable when encountering problems, and has quite the power to stabilize people's hearts. It is really comfortable to get along with such a person, so Cui Wenxi had a relaxed and happy lunch.
The weather was gloomy and cold outside in the afternoon, so the two of them hid in the side room to relax.
Cui Wenxi was bored and pondering the chess game, while Zhao Yue sat cross-legged on the couch and read the local county annals. The two did not interfere with each other and did their own thing.
The silver carbon in the charcoal basin occasionally made crackling sounds. Cui Wenxi liked peace and quiet, and Zhao Yue didn't like noisy, so they got along very well.
Sometimes Cui Wenxi would secretly glance at him. The man was sitting in front of the short table, completely immersed in the strange stories of the county magistrate, unlike King Qing who couldn't sit still.
Even she found it incredible. Maybe when she met the right person, even silence was comfortable, relaxed and comfortable, without any pressure and no need to hold back.
Cui Wenxi touched his chin thoughtfully and shouted unexpectedly, "Zhao Yue?"
"Um?"
Zhao Yue didn't even raise her head.
Cui Wenxi asked curiously: "Have you ever been embarrassed?"
Zhao Yue was stunned for a moment and asked instead: "Were you embarrassed when we bumped into each other in the rockery of Yongning Mansion?"
Cui Wenxi: "..."
Zhao Yue continued: "It's also quite embarrassing that I mistakenly used the same bowl of Tremella soup in Pingyang Mansion."
Cui Wenxi was really embarrassed when he thought about those two situations.
The two of them glanced at each other and bowed their heads silently, saying nothing more.
After a long time, Zhao Yue couldn't help but ask: "Every time I see you, you are very dignified. Are you tired of doing this?"
Cui Wenxi: "It's been like this since I was a child. I'm used to it."
Zhao Yue couldn't agree, "It doesn't have to be like this." He added, "It's so boring to have to keep arguing."
Cui Wenxi did not respond.
That boy is indeed more interesting than King Qing, he is loose-minded and able to play. At the same time, he is clear-headed and knows how to advance and retreat. His vision is much wider than that of ordinary natives.
This was something she didn't expect.
The weather was short in winter, and later in the evening Eunuch Wei reminded him that it was time to return to the palace, so Cui Wenxi took care of his makeup.
Zhao Yue sat on the stool and said, "Don't hide from me in the future."
Cui Wenxi didn't resist, "If you don't use your methods against me, why should I hide from you?"
Zhao Yue hugged her waist and said, "The days are long and I won't force you. What I said to you before was all serious. Don't take it seriously. Think carefully and try to get closer to me."
Cui Wenxi looked down at him, "What if I don't want to?"
Zhao Yue rogue said: "Then just fight to the death."
Cui Wenxi curled her lips and pinched him in annoyance. He said "ouch", put on the fake beard, stepped forward and kissed her, and then got slapped again.
After sending the master and servant away, Cui Wenxi stood in the courtyard for a while before going into the wing. Fang Ling went in to clean up and said, "My wife and the prince seem to get along well."
Cui Wenxi sat in front of the dressing table, looked at the person in the bronze mirror, and replied: "Compared to Prince Qing, he is indeed more skillful."
Fangling asked tentatively: "If the prince is really sincere, I wonder what the lady will do?"
Cui Wenxi shook his head, "I don't know, I just find it incredible."
Fang Ling said with a smile: "If the mistress finds out about this, I'm afraid she will faint." After a pause, she secretly said, "I hope that my wife will take notice of the prince and make Prince Qing angry to death."
These words made Cui Wenxi laugh, pointed at her and said: "You have no good intentions."
Fang Ling curled her lips, "Didn't Prince Qing despise the wife for not being able to have children? It's really unethical to abandon his wife for the sake of a foreign wife. Now that the wife has left him, she has gone to the prince instead. If she gets a wife from the palace, The title made him beat his chest and regret it, and it made him happy just thinking about it."
Cui Wenxi: "If I bury myself just to anger him, it's not worth it."
Fang Ling: "What if the prince is sincere? Will I consider it?"
Cui Wenxi gently touched his young and smooth face, "He is indeed much more interesting than Prince Qing. He is smart and transparent. It is not tiring at all to get along with such a person."
Fang Ling said enthusiastically: "Today's saints are famous for their generosity, and Empress Ma is also kind to others. Perhaps the prince has inherited their peace." He added, "All the slaves think that the prince is very skillful in dealing with things. If the lady doesn't If you reject someone, you can also learn more about it, and it won’t cause any problems anyway.”
Cui Wenxi: "Let's just waste it like this. If he wants to fight to the death, I can't do anything."
The next day, two baskets of tribute tangerines were delivered from the palace, along with several wild ginseng medicinal herbs that could nourish qi and nourish blood. Cui Wenxi accepted them.
The oranges were really sweet, and the servants in the courtyard also got some relief.
After that, the two of them kept getting along in this gentle way, and Zhao Yue was not in a hurry. Every time he came over, he would either have a chat with her, chat, or read the county annals.
The two of them got along very well, and they felt comfortable as long as they stayed together, even if they didn't interfere with each other.
That boy really could hold it back and wouldn't touch her if he didn't want to. He was considered a gentleman.
Cui Wenxi gradually lowered her guard against him and felt that getting along like this seemed pretty good. The two of them also transitioned from the previous pure companionship relationship to the relationship between ordinary men and women.
There is no desire for love, only companionship and mutual understanding.
Cui Wenxi is adaptable to this kind of relationship, there is no oppression, and she feels comfortable all over. Sometimes it even creates the illusion that the two of them are already an old husband and wife.
That feeling was very subtle, not at all the excitement brought about by the previous sex, but a kind of stability, natural peace and stability.
Cui Wenxi enjoys the harmony brought by this stability, which allows her to think better about whether she should try to accept Zhao Yue into her life and become a part of it.
However, this peace did not last long before it was broken by the stormy waves. The cause was a Hanju Banquet.
Chrysanthemum is one of the four gentlemen among flowers, and the cold chrysanthemums in winter are more valuable for viewing. The Fuyu Tower in Beijing holds a cold chrysanthemum banquet every winter, inviting talented people and beauties in Beijing to enjoy the chrysanthemums.
Last time, Cui Wenxi made a big splash while guarding the ring at the Duke's Mansion, so she naturally got an invitation. Yongning sent his slave over to spread the word, asking her to come along and watch the excitement.
Cui Wenxi agreed.
On the day of the Hanju Banquet, the weather was exceptionally good and the sun was shining brightly.
The Winter Chrysanthemum Banquet was held in the Plum Village, and the flowers that bloomed warmly in winter were served with great care by the host. Now that the cold plum blossoms have not yet bloomed, pots after pots of flowers in the Zhuangzi were displayed to the eyes of the world, leading the world.
There were nearly a hundred people who came to attend the Hanju Banquet. Because of her noble character, most of the invitees were talented literati. Regardless of men or women, there was always one talent they could excel at.
Cui Wenxi and Yongning went to Meizhuang together. The weather was good today and people were in a relaxed and happy mood. Yongning asked: "I heard you were sick a while ago, have you recovered?"
Cui Wenxi responded: "It's all good. I've been staying at home for a while, and I'm almost getting moldy. The sun is rarely out today, so I might as well go out for a walk."
When the carriage arrived at Meizhuang, the two got off one after another.
There are many flowers placed at the entrance of Zhuangzi, pink, yellow, purple and green, blooming beautifully under the baptism of the sun.
Everyone was happy to see it, and Yongning praised: "This chrysanthemum is well-raised. The quality of the winter chrysanthemums raised by my gardener is far worse than this one."
Cui Wenxi pointed to the pot of green velvet, "I love light green the most, it is elegant and unique."
Yong Ning: “I like gold, it’s majestic and graceful.”
The house slave handed them the sign, and the two of them were led in by the maid in the village. What they saw was a sea of flowers, and they became excited at once.
At that time, many people had come. It was rare to see such a scene in winter. Everyone was very happy and talked about it.
Some acquaintances saw them and came over to say hello and greet them.
In addition to the nobles from the aristocratic families in the capital, the people invited today also include literati and poets.
Cui Wenxi has always been eye-catching, and she always attracts more glances wherever she goes. Today she is dressed quite plainly, with two white daisy velvet flowers pinned to her bun. She also wears light makeup, and her tooth-colored robe is embroidered with exquisite The moiré pattern is not outstanding and eye-catching all over her body, but because of her elegant temperament and dignified speech and behavior, she looks like a beautiful lady standing in the crowd of women competing for beauty.
No, Yuan Wulang, who saw the beauty in Changyin Pavilion last time, felt itchy.
He is a well-known playboy in the capital, and he also prefers women. Today he came here to hunt for things, and his eyes couldn't help but fall on Cui again.
Moved by spring.
Yuan Wulang came forward to say hello to the two of them with saliva on his face. Yongning teased: "The people who came to attend the Han Ju Banquet today are all people with some ability. What ability do you, Yuan Wulang, have to sneak in?"
Yuan Wulang chuckled and said: "The eldest princess is serious. Dandies like this junior have no right to come in. I beg my brother to take advantage of it." After a pause, he looked at Cui Wenxi and said, "Ms. Cui is so lucky. That day in The Duke's Mansion defended the city with one against twelve, which really opened our eyes."
Cui Wenxi smiled softly and said, "Mr. Yuan has done a good job."
Yuan Wulang made trouble with Yongning again.
Cui Wenxi didn't like him, so she went to the pavilion first. Fangling helped her and said, "Then Yuan Wulang is not a gentleman at first glance."
Cui Wenxi said calmly: "The scoundrels of the Xibohou family are proficient in eating, drinking, prostitution and gambling. They are absolutely scoundrels. It is best not to mess with such people."
As soon as the master and servant walked to the pavilion, they saw Lin Qiong, who was very good at making tea from Changyin Pavilion, coming to greet the two of them and said shyly: "It's a coincidence that I met Lady Cui here."
Cui Wenxi reminded: "Lin Langjun should go to meet the eldest princess."
Lin Qiong smiled and said, "I was about to go over." She paused for a moment and said, "I came here to remind Mrs. Cui not to be alone."
Cui Wenxi glanced at him and said nothing.
Lin Qiong lowered her voice and said: "Yuan Wulang is not a thing. Please be careful, Ms. Cui."
After receiving his kind reminder, Cui Wenxi was a little surprised and said unhurriedly: "I appreciate Mr. Lin's kindness."
Lin Qiong then went over to meet Yongning.
Cui Wenxi's eyes fell on Yongning, feeling that the young man was not a vegetarian.
Zhao Yue is like this, and so is Lin Qiong. She specializes in dealing with rich women. What good intentions can she have
Looking at Yuan Wulang again, she knew he was nothing, but his boldness to climb the wall in the middle of the night opened her eyes.