Although Princess Maode was not optimistic about the pairing of Zhuang Man and Ling Zui, she always doted on her youngest son. Ling Zui coquettishly lingered for a while, then relaxed: "Why do you have such a crush on someone, how can I not help you as a mother? It's just... this young lady from the Zhuang family has to get along well with her after she comes in!"
Ling Zui achieved his goal, and of course he wholeheartedly agreed to what the eldest princess said, while hearing it in one ear and out the other.
The eldest princess accepted the marriage on behalf of her son. Considering that it was Mrs. Zhuang, Zhuang Man's aunt, who brought up the matter in the first place, as a man, he had to take the initiative, so he took a hairpin that he wore when he was young and wrote back: " This palace specially collected it in the early years and prepared it for Zui’er’s wife!”
Mrs. Zhuang was very happy when she found out. She told Mother Chang to put away the hairpin, and then sent someone to invite her sister-in-law Wen and niece Zhuang Man to come to the house - this time the task was to persuade Wen.
It was a matter of her little daughter's life. Although Mrs. Wen didn't want to offend her sister-in-law, she was not willing to ignore it. She felt very embarrassed to find out the reason from the person who went to invite her. After thinking about it, she found an excuse not to come and Shi Find countermeasures to delay the attack.
Mrs. Zhuang guessed her sister-in-law's thoughts and disagreed: "Not to mention Zui'er is actually a good boy, even if he is naughty, is it possible that Man'er is someone easy to bully?"
Qiu Yilan smiled and smoothed things over: "Didn't Princess Lihui report the news? It's the same thing that we should take care of Bago first."
"That's right." Mrs. Zhuang nodded slightly as she remembered that her eldest son's stepmother had not been found yet, "Call someone to come in!"
In the past two years, Chu Yitong had never been out of the house because of her filial piety to her mother, so she was very quiet. The person Mrs. Zhuang sent to check out her temperament was a confidant brought back from northern Xinjiang. He was trustworthy. It would be difficult to spy on the inner chamber of the dignified prince's palace for just a few days.
The conclusion reported in this meeting is basically the evaluation made by Princess Huainan when she was still alive: "... she is the most lovable among the clan daughters!"
Good-looking, lively personality, sweet and smiling... This was the impression that Princess Lihui gave to everyone inside and outside when Princess Huainan was there. She has a distinguished status and has never had any enmity with anyone, so she naturally has many good deals.
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhuang was somewhat satisfied: "Dan'er should like it. His mother is a virtuous person, so I expect her tutoring to be good."
Chang’s mother also agreed, “In the past two years, she has been staying at home to observe filial piety, so much so that she has almost been forgotten outside. This shows her filial piety!”
Being a filial daughter always gets extra points in front of older people.
"Go and call Dan'er over. If nothing unexpected happens, that's it!" Mrs. Zhuang calculated the time in her mind. It has been a long time since she left Northern Xinjiang. The original intention was to seek justice for their daughter. Later, when they found out that her daughter was fine, they decided to reunite with their children. But now Jiang Qizheng and his wife are stranded in Shazhou, trying to avoid the limelight. They fear they won’t be back for a year and a half. But she couldn't wait so long.
"We will return to Northern Xinjiang after the emperor's wedding!" Mrs. Zhuang had already made up her mind two days ago. Although Jiang Tianchi is no longer young like her, his status as the general of Zhenbei means that he will be young and beautiful until he is in his seventh or eighth decade. lure. Mrs. Zhuang doesn't want to add a younger brother or sister to her children due to negligence.
In this case, she didn't say anything, but she made up her mind to get everything done quickly!
The eldest son's second marriage and the niece's marriage are, of course, the first major events that bear the brunt.
Jiang Yadan, like Ling Zui, arrived in front of his mother and nodded when asked about the candidate.
Qiu Yilan was not surprised when he nodded - this uncle has always been open to beautiful girls!
Moreover, he had been trained badly by Mrs. Zhuang during these days. How could he dare to go against his mother's wishes
Even now, I have fully agreed to the candidate recommended by Mrs. Zhuang, but I still can't escape the end of being beaten: "At your age, the eldest son of the concubine will be planning to get married in two years. I shouldn't let you down again." ! Just look at these things you do..."
After selecting only a small part of the ridiculous things Jiang Yadan had done before, it was getting dark, and Mrs. Zhuang snorted coldly, "Since you know you were wrong before, you can't do it again in the future!"
He warned him, "The wife you lost before was a good one. You have already been sorry for her. Now that she is gone, I won't say anything. But now the news from the inquiring is also good. If you continue to act recklessly, Either you don’t let me know about how you’ve ruined your wife in this life, or else I’ll send your mother Chang back to look good on you even if I can’t come back!”
Chang’s mother was very unfamiliar to Jiang Yashuang and his wife, and Jiang Yadan was no stranger to her—he still remembered that Chang’s mother hugged him often when he was a child. Although Jiang Yadan had no sense of moral integrity, he still had some respect for the old slave who hugged him. Somewhat respectful. At this moment, he smiled bitterly and said: "Mother, you have said these words before, and the children will remember them!"
"You really should remember it!" Mrs. Zhuang sneered, and said a few harsh words before sending her order to pass on the food, leaving Jiang Yadan to use it together.
... After the news spread that Princess Lihui was filling Jiang Yadan's house, it aroused a lot of discussion even as the emperor's wedding was approaching.
"It's okay that the dignified princess is actually a successor. Who in the capital doesn't know about Jiang Yadan's virtues?"
"It is said that the Huainan Palace itself proposed it!"
"Really... I will do anything for the sake of power... Ha!"
Among the various discussions, they felt that the Jiang family was bullying others and might have forcibly married the princess; and that the legitimate daughter who despised the Huainan Palace for going to such lengths to please the prosperous Jiang family was equally divided by marrying a libertine. No matter which one it is, both sides are shameless anyway.
The Jiang family, which has been criticized for a long time, naturally does not care about such shameless remarks. From top to bottom, they have been used to being scolded for so many years.
The Huainan Prince's Mansion is different.
The innocent prince Chu Weixian was turned around and congratulated in front of the court, but when he returned to the palace, he complained of illness and did not complain. The concubine Lixian County Princess Chu Sitong even went back to her natal home to remind her father: " Everyone is talking about our palace outside..."
Then Chu Xiao stopped her with an understatement: "Since you have left the cabinet, don't worry about family matters!"
Chu Sitong came out with a red face and wanted to leave. After thinking about it, she gritted her teeth and went to the backyard - she and Chu Yitong's biological mother died at the same time. The two sisters supported each other in the first days, so although they had different mothers, , the age difference is several years, but the relationship is very good.
"Yier, why are you haggard again?" Chu Sitong began to sigh after entering Chu Yitong's yard, "Is it because of your marriage?"
The pale Chu Yitong just smiled: "I have been like this for the past two years, and my sister still doesn't know?"
Regarding the marriage that was rumored by the outside world, she acted very calmly. She had no expectations, but she did not resist: "My parents have the final say in marriage matters. Besides, how can there be so many good men in this world? I just make do with it."
Chu Sitong was a little angry: "This is really humiliating to you!"
"It's not like Jiang Yadan's sister-in-law doesn't have a princess!" Chu Yitong said calmly, "He just wants golden branches and jade leaves. Those eldest princesses shouldn't be too happy!"
This is true.
Chu Sitong sighed: "They... living under the Queen Mother, naturally want to please the Queen Mother."
"Let's not talk about this anymore. My father has made up his mind anyway." Chu Yitong said lightly, "Besides, little Tao can live for so many years, why can't I? The Tao family is gone now, but back then it was the envy of everyone. A famous family...and little Tao died in childbirth, not from abuse!"
She was not directly tortured to death, but if Jiang Yadan had any conscience, why would he let her give birth to her first child in her thirties? If not for this, she might have died!
Chu Sitong muttered in her heart, but she heard what Chu Yitong meant: Regardless of whether she wanted to or not, their father had to marry her to the Jiang family anyway! Crying won't help, so it's better to be more open-minded!
The backyard of Huainan Prince's Mansion was filled with pessimism about the marriage - the people in Beijing who coveted the position of Jiang Yadan's successor were all gnashing their teeth, hoping that Chu Yitong would die soon!
Just because Empress Dowager Jiang brokered the marriage and Madam Zhuang approved it, even Duke Qin and Madam Tao remained silent. No matter how others had their opinions, they didn't dare to do anything. They only prayed that Madam Zhuang would leave quickly so that they could get in the way. Courage and opportunity.
Time flies, and it’s June in the blink of an eye.
The biggest event in June is of course the emperor's wedding.
However, in early June, a minor incident occurred in the fourth room of the Jiang family, so that the people below did not dare to make up their minds. Qiu Yilan, who heard the report first, did not dare to make the decision, so she had to go to ask Zhuang for advice. Madam: "Duan's ex-child has given birth to a pair of twins! Didn't mother give her instructions before? But now there is no one in Bago's backyard, and the date set for Princess Lihui's marriage is at the end of the year... Duan just wanted to Ask mother to let her raise the child until then, mother thinks? "
Mrs. Zhuang didn't even think about it: "She thinks I won't stay in Beijing until that time, and I can survive as long as I survive these few months, right?"
Qiu Yilan thought the same thing, but her status was different. If Mrs. Zhuang could say it casually, it was not easy for her to say it. She could only say truthfully: "If we send her away now, I'm afraid there won't be anyone suitable to raise them in the backyard."
"Then let the wet nurse raise it." Mrs. Zhuang said coldly, "Is the Duan family the only one in the world who can raise a child?"
This result was expected by Qiu Yilan. Because of Jiang Yazhu's biological mother, Mrs. Zhuang believed that concubine Ji deserved death—even she thought so after being robbed and bought, not to mention the Duan family who was in such a hurry. Seducing a married man
But Qiu Yilan reminded: "Mom, of course it's okay to be raised by a wet nurse. It's just that Princess Lihui is young and Bage is still in her prime. These two children are Bage's flesh and blood after all. They can't always be raised by wet nurses... When Princess Lihui comes in, will she take care of her? "
"This..." Mrs. Zhuang couldn't help but frown when she heard this: Yes, neither Jiang Yadan nor Chu Yitong has passed the age of childbearing! Jiang Yadan's backyard had been cleaned up again before. After Chu Yitong came over, if he didn't take the twins into his lap and raise them, he would definitely be criticized as unkind!
Not only the twins, but also the children under Jiang Yadan's knees, none of them have had their hair tied until now. These children, big and small, must always be taken care of by their aunt or biological mother, right? But Mrs. Zhuang took care of their biological mother - now they can live with the wet nurse, but can they leave her alone once their legitimate mother comes in
Raising a child of a concubine under the knee of a legitimate mother is considered an honor in any way!
Not only that, if Chu Yitong gives birth to children in the future, how will he continue to treat these children raised under his knees? After all, if you have too many children, you will definitely not be able to achieve an absolutely level bowl of water. If this end is not level, you may work hard to raise them but you will end up with a white-eyed wolf!
So Mrs. Zhuang cleaned up the eldest son's backyard by tracing the dowry of little Tao. Although it was to give face to her step-daughter-in-law, she had no intention of causing a problem for her.
Mrs. Zhuang had always determined to be a good mother-in-law because of what happened to her mother. Chu Yitong was her step-daughter-in-law who she had personally chosen, so she was not willing to cheat her. After thinking for a moment, he hummed: "Even so, it's not the reason why she can live!"
Just ask around, "Is there anyone knowledgeable in Dan'er's outer room?"
Mother Chang pondered: "Although the former Zhou Princess is a remnant of the Gu family, she is very knowledgeable!"
The corner of Qiu Yilan's mouth twitched slightly: "Seeing that something was wrong, I immediately sold my husband and family, just to live alone... How can I not know the fun?"
Mrs. Zhuang briefly asked why, and she also made the same comment - but Mrs. Zhuang thought it was nothing: "As long as your identity is not bad, you should know that it is an unexpected blessing to be able to enter our house. If you think that you have raised some concubines and given birth to children, it will be a surprise." If you can go against the main wife, it is just because you think you have a long life - tell her my exact words!"
So, half a day later, Mrs. Duan was carried out of the house on a roll of straw mat through the back door; Princess Gu Grace of the former Zhou Dynasty was carried in a small sedan through the side door. As Aunt Gu, she assumed the responsibility of the adoptive mother of many children of Jiang Yadan's concubines...