Chen Jingzong said he wanted to create a good story about father and son, but Huayang didn't take it seriously at all.
She didn't believe that Chen Jingzong would be filial to his father-in-law in a proper way, but he would not provoke the old man in an improper way and get scolded for nothing.
Unexpectedly, her aunt suddenly came to her house and made her blush.
"Why is your Chen Silang so funny? I heard that day Chen Ge Lao's beard was so angry that it was crooked. It's a pity that I didn't have the chance to see it with my own eyes."
Princess Anle sat opposite Huayang in a plum green satin jacket with gold lining. She peeled a small tangerine and looked at her blushing niece Le: "In the final analysis, it's your fault for blaming Chen Silang. If you hadn't said anything about him, he wouldn't have gone to the Huangji Palace and made such a scene."
Huayang gritted his teeth secretly.
She and Chen Jingzong had been married for five years, but they rarely had a serious conversation. They always stabbed each other. Chen Jingzong liked to see her glare at him, and Huayang also liked to see him being choked by her and speechless. Just because of her father-in-law, the two of them had ridiculed each other countless times. How could she have expected that Chen Jingzong would actually take it seriously this time and act recklessly in front of the civil and military officials!
Huayang was just glad that she was not there, so she didn't have to get angry along with her father-in-law and her two brothers-in-law.
Princess Anle cut the tangerine she had just peeled into two halves, ate half herself and gave the other half to her niece.
Hua Yang picked up the phone and said angrily, "You are well-informed. You knew it before I did."
Princess Anle smiled mysteriously: "Don't underestimate my aunt. She has people in the court."
Hua Yang was stunned: "You mean..."
Princess Anle didn't want to talk about her family's affairs, and continued to talk about her niece's husband: "If you ask me, Chen Silang is pretty good. The Chen family has too many smart people, and it's time to have someone as straightforward as him. If he was like the two brothers above, who would only expose other people's shortcomings and find it difficult to find any fault with himself, who would dare to befriend him?"
She winked at Huayang meaningfully.
Huayang just pretended not to understand.
But she knew better than anyone that Chen Jingzong was not a straight-forward person, he was full of tricks, even the third place winner Chen Xiaozong wanted to plot against him, but was counter-plotted by Chen Jingzong. And last time his brother summoned him to the palace, Chen Jingzong could see that his brother was jealous of their freedom to leave the city, so he deliberately played a poor role in front of his brother, and finally asked for a pair of white lotus for her.
Therefore, Chen Jingzong's mischief outside the Huangji Palace was intentional. He took advantage of the "quarrel" between the couple to once again demonstrate his "straightforwardness" and "true nature."
The ministers were not worth his trouble, he was just acting for his younger brother.
Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Chen Jingzong had long understood this truth and would not take his younger brother lightly just because he was young.
Huayang recalled again that when his younger brother was still the crown prince, Chen Jingzong had been very honest in front of his younger brother. Even when his younger brother asked him questions, Chen Jingzong had to pretend to look at her expression before speaking.
In other words, the three brothers of the Chen family are actually male foxes that have become spirits, and Chen Jingzong, the youngest male fox, is the most powerful one.
“Hey, it’s snowing!”
The surprised voice of the little maid was heard from the yard.
But there is nothing surprising. Although it is only the end of October, this is the third snowfall this winter. The previous two snowfalls were not heavy. I wonder if there will be snow accumulation this time.
Princess Anle looked out the window and asked, "Is Chen Silang still running back every day?"
Huayang nodded.
Princess Anle said enviously: "It is easy to find a priceless treasure, but it is hard to find a lover. In terms of marriage, you are much better than Nankang."
Huayang didn't care: "It has nothing to do with that. He just thinks the food in the guardhouse is not tasty and the kang is not as comfortable as the bed at home."
Princess Anle lowered her gaze, looked at Huayang's lips and commented: "Your lips are shaped like petals, but they are actually harder than stone."
Huayang: …
When Princess Anle finished her lunch and left, the ground was already covered with a layer of snow, and snowflakes as big as goose feathers were still falling.
Huayang stood under the eaves and looked towards the outside of the city.
Daxing Zuowei, Fugui brought Baixue Tower and persuaded his master who came out in a cloak: "It's snowing heavily this time, you should stay in the guard post for two nights, the princess won't blame you."
Ever since his master got the divine horse, Fugui no longer has to get up early and work late to follow him, but Fugui feels sorry for his master.
Chen Jingzong: "What do you know?"
He did not explain much, but went around to the side of the Snow White Tower, climbed up, and ran straight outside. Only because the Snow White Tower was pitch black could one see a man and a horse in the flying snow.
Fugui looked at his master's back getting farther and farther away, and suddenly curled his lips.
How could he not understand? The prince consort just liked to sleep in the same bed with the eldest princess, but Fugui felt that even if he was given a fairy, it was not worth it for him to freeze himself like a dog.
It was snowing heavily and fewer people were entering and leaving the city. Chen Jingzong came on a fast horse, delayed for a while when entering the city, and then rode towards the Princess's Mansion.
When there was a noise in the yard, Huayang approached the glazed window and saw Chen Jingzong walking along the corridor in a cloak, flicking the snow off his hair and shoulders as he walked.
The exhaled breath turned into a white mist on the glass window, making it impossible to see clearly.
When Chen Jingzong looked up, he only saw a hazy face of a beautiful woman next to the window.
With just one glance, Chen Jingzong felt it was worth it.
Dinner was placed on the couch in the second room, and the kitchen also warmed a pot of wine for Chen Jingzong.
This wine pot is the birthday gift that Huayang gave to Chen Jingzong this year. It is a thin-necked pot with gold filigree engraved peony patterns.
Chen Jingzong still remembered the day Huayang gave him a gift. She said, "It's getting cold. Since you like to drink, I'll give you a wine jug. From now on, you can drink a full jug every winter to warm yourself up."
Chen Jingzong was so happy that he was even happier than the first time she gave him the peony handkerchief.
Before seeing the wine jug, Chen Jingzong imagined it to be the big wine jug commonly used in ordinary restaurants, which could pour out at least two bowls of wine when filled. However, Huayang took out a gift box from behind him, which was long and narrow, and Chen Jingzong secretly thought it was not good.
As expected, this teapot that looked very luxurious and elegant had a long and thin neck, and the belly of the teapot was not even as big as her fist. Even if all the wine was poured out, it would only be half a bowl!
At this time, Chen Jingzong picked up the long and thin wine jug again, turned it upside down and poured it into the bowl until no drop could drip out.
But he couldn't deny that the wine jug was indeed beautiful, especially the peony patterns carved on both sides of the pot belly, which placed aside, as if she was smiling at him.
"My aunt came today and told me about the good things you did at the morning court." Huayang spoke slowly.
Chen Jingzong: "You have a lot of ears."
Huayang: "You dare to do it, are you afraid that I will know?"
Huayang looked at his naturally shameless expression and felt that even if his brother was fooled by him, it only showed that Chen Jingzong was too powerful, not that his brother was credulous.
After dinner, the two went to the beauty's lounge on the corridor to enjoy the snow.
The maids all left, and there were only the two of them in the entire yard, with the falling snow all around them.
Chen Jingzong was afraid that Huayang would feel cold, so he held her in his arms. While Huayang was admiring the snow, his eyes were always glued to her face, looking at her long and thick eyelashes, and her small cherry lips.
As he looked at her, Chen Jingzong turned his face away.
Huayang closed her eyes and let him kiss her gently and heavily, but soon she leaned into his arms. Tiny snowflakes fell on her nose, and then melted silently in the hot breath of the prince consort.
The cloak had become a burden. The princess was so hot that she was sweating and her cheeks were flushed.
Chen Jingzong finally picked her up and strode back to the inner room.
"My aunt said that my eldest and third brothers are like male foxes that have become spirits."
"Then what am I?"
"No metaphor, just that you are a straight-forward person."
"No one's intestines are straight, this is the only place where I am the straightest."
"… "
.
When the heavy snow completely melted, it was already the tenth day of November.
Early in the morning, Chen Tingjian took his eldest son and third son out.
Chen Tingjian sat in the carriage, while Chen Bochong and Chen Xiaozong rode horses. Although the former top scholar and third scholar were now around thirty years old, they were still tall and slender with handsome looks, and attracted countless eyes along the way.
The three of them walked out of the city gate and went on for ten miles before they stopped at a teahouse on the side of the road.
Chen Tingjian got off the car, ordered a pot of tea with his two sons, and sat at the same table.
The three of them were all wearing casual robes, but their looks and demeanor were so dignified that the waiters in the teahouse simply called them "sirs" and served them very carefully.
Chen Tingjian faced the official road and occasionally stroked his long beard.
He remained silent, perhaps planning something big in his head. Chen Bochong and Chen Xiaozong did not talk either, but just accompanied their father silently.
At noon, a horse-drawn carriage suddenly appeared on the official road heading towards Beijing. The driver was driving the carriage, and an attendant in his twenties was sitting on the other side of the shaft.
The attendant noticed Chen Tingjian and the other two in the teahouse at a glance.
The Prime Minister's beautiful beard was well-known throughout the world. The attendant quickly said to the carriage behind him: "Sir, look at the teahouse on the side of the road."
As soon as he finished speaking, the owner of the car said, "I saw it, stop by."
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the teahouse.
When He Qingxian showed his thin figure in cloth, Chen Tingjian smiled and went to greet him with his two sons.
"It's been more than 20 years since we last met, and Brother He is still as charming and elegant as ever." Chen Tingjian said to his old friend who had just stood up on the ground.
He Qingxian sneered and looked him up and down. "It's been 25 years. I've become an old man. How can I still look so charming? On the contrary, the Prime Minister is energetic. If it weren't for his famous beard, I wouldn't have recognized him."
As he spoke, he looked at the brothers Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong again.
The two brothers saluted together, one was dignified and reserved, the other was elegant and graceful.
Chen Tingjian smiled and introduced them to He Qingxian: "These are my eldest and third sons. I hope you will take the trouble to teach me in the future, Brother He."
He Qingxian: "I dare not show off my knowledge of a top scholar and a third scholar. Isn't there a prince consort who has made military achievements at a young age? Why didn't he bring him along?"
Chen Tingjian's smile faded slightly.
Chen Bozong explained, "My fourth brother is busy today, so I'll ask him to come and see my uncle another day."
He Qingxian did not comment.
Chen Tingjian pointed at the tea table and said, "Sit down and chat?"
He Qingxian: "It's freezing cold, let's go into the city quickly."
Chen Tingjian got on the carriage with him, the one that belonged to He Qingxian.
The Chen Bozong brothers continued riding.
He Qingxian lifted the curtain to take a look, then snorted heavily again.
Chen Tingjian: "Before you were far away from them, you didn't know them. Now that you have seen them, you will know if they are truly talented or just famous for nothing. You shouldn't wrongly accuse these two children just because you don't like me."
He Qingxian: "I only know that if I were a cabinet minister, even if my own sons were top-ranking or second-ranking scholars, in order to avoid suspicion, I would ask the emperor to only appoint them as ordinary Jinshi, so as not to discourage students all over the world."
Chen Tingjian: "In terms of high moral character, I am not as good as you, but my children have their own future, and I don't bother to do things that seek fame and reputation."
He Qingxian: "It's just a different time. When you and I were working in the Imperial Academy, did you ever dare to show off? Later, when you entered the cabinet, you naturally wanted to be proud. I'm afraid that in a few years, your eldest brother can also be called the young cabinet elder."
Chen Tingjian: "One day I am in the cabinet, one day he is in the Dali Temple, brother He can rest assured."
He Qingxian was silent.
Chen Tingjian: "I invited Brother He to Beijing this time because I hope that Brother He can help me implement the reform. I also hope that Brother He will put aside the past grudges and work with me."
He Qingxian: "Your new policy is totally useless. Since you called me here, you should listen to me!"
After saying that, He Qingxian opened a box at his feet and took out a thick memorial: "This is the new policy I want to implement. Take a look at it first. I will give it to the emperor tomorrow when I see him."
Chen Tingjian: …
(End of this chapter)