The mutual admiration between the Princess and Lord Chen, including the tears in their eyes, was diluted by the sarcastic words of the Prince Consort.
Chen Tingjian lowered his eyes and calmed down silently. Huayang turned his back and wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve without leaving any trace.
On the chessboard, there is still only one white piece facing a whole table of black pieces.
Chen Tingjian solemnly swept all the black pieces into the black-glazed chess box, then lifted the white piece with both hands and gently placed it on the white-glazed chess box opposite. He said softly to the princess who was looking over: "I have benefited a lot from this game, and I know what to do next. It's getting late, so you should go back and rest. If you are interested in playing chess again in the future, I will be at your service anytime."
Huayang saw the wrinkles at the corners of the elder's eyes and the silver threads in his hair, and his heart ached again.
My father-in-law has made it from a poor scholar to where he is today, so how could he not know how to keep himself healthy
However, half of the land in the world is in the hands of princes, royal families, officials, gentry and wealthy merchants. The people are suffering more and more, and the treasury is emptying. During the reigns of my grandfather and father, the country had reached the point where the income was not enough to cover the expenditure and even the military pay was difficult to raise. The people were poor, the army was weak, the officials were corrupt and lazy, and there were internal and external troubles. My younger brother was young and could not intimidate the court. If my father-in-law did not stand up and implement new reforms in time, how long could the court last
Why was Taizu able to seize the world? It was simply because the previous dynasty was foolish and had run out of luck.
Although my father-in-law's reforms failed to take into account some areas, the results were very significant. At least now local officials no longer dare to shirk or perfunctorily implement government orders. Only when the national treasury has money can it consolidate border defenses and deter neighboring countries from invading.
You need money to get things done. Without money, even an emperor like you can't move an inch.
"My father is currently playing a chess game with the whole world, and one move affects the whole body. He is working hard day and night. I am just standing outside the chess game and observing some details that my father has not taken into account. How to make the next move still depends on my father. I also believe that with my father's ability, he will definitely win this game."
Huayang said sincerely that her father-in-law might have made mistakes, but his merits far outweighed his faults. What she said before was only to recommend He Qingxian, and she did not mean to blame her father-in-law at all.
Chen Tingjian smiled and bowed, saying, "Princess, you are too kind. A chess game is like a battlefield. I am only temporarily serving as the emperor's vanguard. When the emperor takes command in person in the future, the whole world will be united and invincible."
Huayang: "Only if the vanguard army wins can the morale of the main army be boosted. Father, please take care of yourself and hold the vanguard flag steady."
Chen Tingjian: …
He is only fifty-four, not very old, so why does the princess always sound worried that he won't live long
Immediately afterwards, Chen Tingjian thought of the late emperor. The eldest princess must have been hurt by the death of the late emperor, so she was worried that her father-in-law would suddenly collapse as well.
He also felt that the eldest princess treated him with great respect, just as the younger generations of the family were treated with respect to their uncles.
Chen Tingjian said hurriedly: "Don't worry, Princess. I have been practicing the health-preserving skills taught by Doctor Li for the past two years."
Huayang looked at his mother-in-law who had stopped pruning the potted plants.
Sun curled her lips with a look of disdain: "Those who fish for three days and rest for two days, can still be considered practicing."
Chen Tingjian: …
Huayang smiled and said, "From now on, I'll have to trouble you to closely supervise father. If father slacks off, please let me know."
Sun agreed with a gloating look.
Huayang looked at Chen Jingzong again.
Chen Jingzong looked like someone owed him money: "Leave? Or should you sit down with the elder again and have a few more dishes?"
Huayang glared at him, said goodbye to the two elders, and walked out.
When she turned around, Chen Tingjian and Sun glared at their son.
Chen Jingzong followed Huayang directly.
It was already the first watch when the family dinner ended, and the night was even darker.
Chen Jingzong helped Huayang to lift open the thick cotton curtain. The cold wind of early winter that had swept across the entire capital city found a gap and immediately changed direction and rushed over, blowing the extremely delicate princess so hard that she closed her eyes, frowned and had a stiff face. Where was the solemnity and awe-inspiring manner that she had just shown when she was commenting on the overall situation of the world with the Prime Minister of this dynasty
There was no wind when they came to Chunhe Hall for dinner, so Huayang did not wear a cloak.
Fortunately, Chaoyue, who stayed in Siyi Hall, was thoughtful and sent a maid to bring a cloak over. At this moment, it was being held by Chaoyun, who was guarding the yard.
Seeing his master coming out, Chao Yun ran forward, tied up his master's cloak and put on the hood, and stuffed a fox fur bag in his hand in time.
After finishing his work, Huayang turned around and said to Chen Tingjian and his wife who were about to see them off, "It's windy, you two elders should not come out. We are all family, there is no need to be so formal."
Sun took charge and said, "Okay, you guys should leave quickly, this winter is really cold."
Huayang nodded and led Chen Jingzong away.
After leaving Chunhe Hall, it was pitch black outside and the servants who had no work to do had gone to bed early.
The wind kept blowing, shaking the lantern in Chaoyun's hand.
Huayang glanced at Chen Jingzong, and saw that he was standing straight with his head held high and his chest puffed out, with his long neck exposed, and he didn't seem to be afraid of the cold at all.
"I'll carry you?" Chen Jingzong suddenly stopped and said to her.
Huayang subconsciously looked around.
Chen Jingzong: "It's so cold tonight. Even if you are a fairy, no one would be willing to brave the wind to see you."
Huayang clasped his hands in his fox fur gloves and wanted to kick him.
But she still lay on his back, put her arms around his neck and continued to insert it. The soft and fluffy fox fur just happened to stick to Chen Jingzong's neck, helping to warm him up.
Chen Jingzong smiled: "Do you know why I have to carry you on my back?"
Hua Yang snorted, "Let me block the wind from your back."
Needless to say, he would talk about something indecent as soon as he opened his mouth.
The words were interrupted by her, so Chen Jingzong had to say: "As expected of the eldest princess, you are indeed smart."
Huayang put his face against his right shoulder, using the hood to block the wind blowing from behind. He was too cold to talk.
Chen Jingzong also walked very fast, so fast that Chaoyun had to jog to provide light for the two of them, but after running, she didn't feel so cold anymore.
When they arrived at Siyi Hall, the hot water was already ready. Huayang and Chen Jingzong washed their hands and faces respectively, then sat side by side on the bed, each with a copper basin, and soaked their feet together.
Chen Jingzong began to settle accounts with her: "It was my birthday, and you played chess with the old man. I can't believe you came back today not to celebrate my birthday at all."
Huayang: "Celebrating the birthday is real, and playing chess is also real. This is called killing two birds with one stone, without delaying either."
Chen Jingzong: "You are multitasking and are not sincere to me."
Huayang: "Whatever you say."
Chen Jingzong: "It's obvious that you are guilty."
Huayang said nothing.
Chen Jingzong touched her lips, which were soft and moist.
His hand suddenly moved down, touched her neck, and touched the collar of her shirt.
Before he did anything, her breathing became disordered. Even though they had been married for so long, she was still not used to his hands. She still felt as immature as she did on their wedding night.
Chen Jingzong moved down, put his shoulders level with hers, then held the back of her head and kissed her.
The eldest princess, who could talk freely with the cabinet minister, was completely unable to handle the cabinet minister's son. Her wrists were restrained and her lips were blocked.
"How many times have you played chess with him?"
Having already indulged herself last night, and now staying here again today, Huayang did not ask the maids to prepare a lotus bowl even though Siyi Hall also had one.
Chen Jingzong had to stop and continue to settle the accounts.
He is often jealous of the old man. Huayang doesn't care about it at other times, but now that the two of them are so close, it is inappropriate for him to mention his father-in-law.
Huayang: "You've seen and heard it, so what's there to be jealous about?"
Chen Jingzong: "You haven't even played chess with me, yet you still want to slander me for not being as good as you."
Huayang: "You're also fussing over this polite and polite introduction."
Chen Jingzong: "You are afraid of offending him, so you say that you learned my bad habit of speaking out. You are really good at using others to take the blame. No wonder you have targeted Lord He."
Hua Yang: "You are my consort, so you must be ready to take the blame for me at any time. If you don't want to take on this job, it's not too late to resign now."
Chen Jingzong: "You still feel sorry for him and want to shed tears for him."
Huayang: "Because he is a cabinet minister, he is working hard for the court. I feel sorry for his hardship."
Chen Jingzong: "Then why did you shed tears for me?"
Hua Yang paused and said, "Because you are a general on the battlefield, and you are also fighting for the court."
Chen Jingzong: "Your cousin was shot by an arrow, but you didn't shed tears for him. You only shed gold nuggets for me. There must be another reason."
Huayang smiled: "Love the house and love the dog, didn't you know it a long time ago?"
Chen Jingzong: …
He bit her lips slightly harder.
Huayang also bit him, telling him to talk nonsense all day long.
But neither of them really put in any effort, and they ended up kissing each other while biting each other. He held her hot face in his hands, and she hugged his broad shoulders.
The two stopped again after they kissed Huayang's mouth until it hurt.
Chen Jingzong lay down for a while and then came to hug her again.
Huayang: "If you say another nonsense word, I will really be angry."
Chen Jingzong: "Let's talk about it seriously. Why do you trust Lord He so much? Although Zhang Pan is smooth, he can't cause any trouble under the old man's control. Lord He is honest and loves the people, but he and the old man are at loggerheads. It's probably not easy for the two to get along. Lord He has not been an official in Beijing for a long time. You have only heard of his reputation and may not really understand his behavior. Maybe he will only cause trouble for the old man."
Huayang had her back to him at this time, and Chen Jingzong had his arm around her waist.
She touched his slender fingers and asked, "Are you saying that I shouldn't get involved in court affairs?"
Chen Jingzong: "No, I'm afraid that if there's chaos because of Lord He's reforms, you'll feel bad."
Hua Yang: "How can I be upset? I'm just worried that no one will help my father to fill in the gaps. Those local officials are plundering the people one level after another. My father is concerned about the overall situation. As for other officials who can really risk their lives for the people, I can only think of Lord He. Or do you have a better candidate? Or do you think that whatever my father does is right, and the drawbacks of the performance evaluation system are not worth mentioning at all?"
Chen Jingzong: …
In fact, he just wanted to test whether she had predicted something, such as the old man really would not live longer than Zhang Pan. He did not expect that she was so serious and wanted to discuss politics with him.
"No, your idea is very good. Someone should come and dampen the old man's arrogance, so that he won't really think he can do anything."
Hua Yang: "Who wants to undermine my father's prestige? I hope that Lord He can improve my father's reforms."
Chen Jingzong: "Well, you respect the old man the most. No one can surpass the old man in your eyes."
Huayang pinched him.
But she secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She was really afraid that Chen Jingzong would dig into the matter and insist on arguing about the merits and demerits of Zhang Pan and He Qingxian.
It was tiring enough to persuade her father-in-law, and now she just wanted to have a good sleep.
(End of this chapter)