The prefectural government office and the rear residence.
There was a square table made of yellow pear wood in the main room. Chen Bochong sat at the main seat, and Yu Xiu sat to his lower right.
Yu Xiu gave birth to a daughter the second year after she married him. Since then, the couple seemed to rarely have meals alone like this.
She doesn't talk while eating or sleeping. Yu Xiuwei lowered her head and quietly picked up the food in front of her.
Chen Bozong glanced at her a few times.
Later, she would go to the princess's Ningyuan as a guest, and would also entertain Xiang Wangfei and others with the princess. In order to maintain her dignity, she, who rarely dressed up, specially changed into a brocade jacket with red background and embroidered patterns, a gold hairpin and a gold hairpin inlaid with rubies on her head, and a pair of white jade beads on her earlobes. She was already fair, and these external objects made her look even more bright and beautiful.
She was frugal by nature. After she married into the Chen family, she received an allowance of five taels of silver every month, but she seemed to have never bought anything for herself. She was so frugal that her mother asked her to save some private money from her salary, which should have been put into the public account, to buy her jewelry. He refused, so her mother gave him twenty taels of silver before her birthday to buy her a gift. She would not allow him to enter the house if he did not bring back a gift.
Or maybe the emperor bestowed a reward, and her father took it home and her mother distributed it, keeping some of the silks and satins and giving some to her family to make clothes. Then she would be able to get new clothes made of good material, including some good jewelry.
This is because her mother loves her. If her mother was a stingy person, she would keep all the good things in her hands and would not be willing to give them to her daughters-in-law. With her personality, it would be difficult for her to even put together this outfit today.
After finishing the meal and rinsing his mouth, the maid brought Chen Bozong's official hat to him.
Yu Xiu took it and helped her husband put it on herself.
The official robe of a fourth-rank prefect was bright red with a patch embroidered with a cloud goose in the middle. Yu Xiu quickly glanced at her husband, then at the cloud goose spreading its wings as if ready to fly, and she felt that her husband was as handsome and noble as a cloud goose.
"Once you get there, listen to the princess and don't be too reserved."
When she stepped back, Chen Bozong thought for a moment and gave instructions.
Yu Xiu was nervous to begin with, and became even more nervous after hearing what he said. She subconsciously wanted to lower her head, but then she realized that this was exactly what her husband had told her not to do. She suddenly felt it was not right to lower her head, and it was not right to look at him directly.
Chen Bozong shook his head slightly and walked out. He stopped when he was already outside the door, looked at her and said, "If the princess wants you to stay there for dinner, you don't have to refuse. I'll pick you up after I get off work. I just have something to say to my fourth brother."
When Yu Xiu heard that he had something to ask his brother-in-law, he stopped politely and asked, "If the princess invites me to dinner, I will tell her that you will come tonight, too?"
Chen Bozong: "No need, I'll eat first and then go over."
Yu Xiu understood, but he didn't dare to treat the princess as an ordinary brother or sister and have a meal with them casually.
After watching Chen Bochong go to the government office in front, Yu Xiu remembered that the princess asked her to go there early, so she did not delay any longer. She left the house through the side door with her maid Bi Tao and got on the carriage.
The two houses were only three blocks apart, so we arrived there quickly.
When Yu Xiu got off the car, she saw four guards standing guard outside Ning Garden. Outside the huge courtyard wall, there were other tall and straight guards lined up at a certain distance, on high alert.
At this time, Chaoyue walked out from inside, accompanied by a handsome and elegant eunuch.
"Madam, you are here. The princess has been waiting for you since early morning."
Chao Yue bowed with a bright smile.
Seeing the familiar face, Yu Xiu calmed down a little.
Chaoyue introduced Wu Run to her.
Yu Xiu knew that the princes and princesses were served by eunuchs, but she didn't expect that a eunuch could be so handsome. But then again, the princess was so beautiful, so the servants around her should be like Wu Run, Chao Yun and others, so as not to detract from the princess's beauty.
There is a flower hall in Qifeng Palace specially for receiving guests. At this time of the year, the plum and peach blossoms have not yet bloomed, but the camellias are in full bloom, with petals as big as bowls, delicate and bright.
What Yu Xiu first saw was Huayang sitting on the chaise longue. The intricate and gorgeous bright yellow silk dress surrounded the beautiful woman, making it difficult to take your eyes off her.
Then the beauty smiled and called her, "After just two days of not seeing you, sister-in-law, don't you recognize me?"
Yu Xiu came to his senses and stepped in like a drunk.
There are always more beautiful women in this world than others. The neighbors all praised her beauty. When her third brother's sister-in-law Luo Yuyan married into her family, she felt like her horizons had been broadened. When the precious princess married into her family, Yu Xiu thought that her horizons had been expanded to the maximum and there would never be anyone more beautiful than the princess in this world.
She was amazed by Huayang's new look. Huayang also noticed Yu Xiu's clothes and jewelry, which looked somewhat familiar. She seemed to have seen Yu Xiu wearing them in the first month of last year, before the news of the old lady of the Chen family's death reached the capital.
Huayang had a lot of unused jewelry, and boxes of silks and satins were placed in the warehouse. She was willing to give them to Yu Xiu, but she was afraid that Yu Xiu would take it as alms, which would make her feel bad.
"Sister-in-law, come sit over here. There are only two of us here. Why are you so far away?"
Huayang pointed to the empty seat on the other side of the chaise longue and said intimately.
Yu Xiu moved over with a red face.
Chaoyun served tea, and Huayang chatted with her with a smile: "How is the settlement of my sister-in-law? Are the maids provided by the government office obedient?"
With something to talk about, Yu Xiu relaxed and said, "I am still served by Bi Tao and Bi He, and the other maids are only responsible for doing rough work. So far, they seem to be doing their job well."
Huayang nodded: "Brother, are you busy with your work in the government office?"
Yu Xiu sighed: "There are a lot of things to do. I didn't come back from the front until it was dark yesterday."
As a new official, Chen Jingzong, who was not the head of the garrison, had so many things to do. Chen Bozong was in charge of the affairs of the prefecture, so he must be even busier. However, Chen Bozong had worked in the Dali Temple for six or seven years and had rich experience as an official. He was the least worrying of the three brothers of the Chen family.
Huayang asked Yu Xiu again: "Besides Princess Xiang, do you know the origins of the other two guests I am going to entertain today?"
Yu Xiu smiled and said, "I didn't know much at first. After I showed the invitation to the master, he told me about it. Then I knew that the Bai family was a prominent family in the local area. Although Lingyuan County Lady is only in her thirties, she is of a higher generation. It seems that Prince Xiang should call her Grandmother."
The so-called great-aunt refers to the sister of the grandfather. The grandfather can be the biological grandfather or the great-uncle from other branches. Sisters also include cousins.
There are too many relatives living in various places in this dynasty. For example, Huayang should call Prince Xiang his uncle, but in fact the blood relationship between the two is very weak. The same is true for Lingyuan County Lady and Prince Xiang.
It was still early, Huayang invited Yu Xiu to visit the garden.
The Princess of Xiang, Lady of Lingyuan County, and Old Madam Ji of the Bai family arrived one after another, all bringing gifts.
After greeting each other, Huayang sat alone in the main seat, the Princess of Xiang and the Lady of Lingyuan County sat on the left, and Yu Xiu and Madam Ji sat on the right.
Huayang didn't have to worry about her, and his attention was focused on the Princess of Xiang and the Lady of Lingyuan County.
These two people, one is the wife of King Xiang, and the other is a poor woman who was killed by King Xiang in her previous life.
Princess Xiang was forty-six or forty-seven years old, about the same age as her mother-in-law, Lady Sun. However, Lady Sun had a plump figure, was both wealthy and gentle and amiable, whereas Princess Xiang was very thin, with a hint of coldness between her eyebrows. Such a face made the smile she showed to Huayang even more deliberate.
Lingyuan County Lady is ten years younger than the Princess of Xiang.
She was not very beautiful, at least not stunning at first sight. However, years of widowhood had left a hint of sadness between Lingyuan County Lady's brows. When she occasionally lowered her head, she looked like a snow-white magnolia that was almost beaten by the rain and was about to fall off the branch, quite pitiful.
It was precisely because of this fragility that she lost all hope of living after being humiliated by the King of Xiang and even hanged herself.
Thinking of the tragic end of Lingyuan County Lady, Huayang's impression of Princess Xiang became worse.
It is true that the King of Xiang was the culprit, but the Princess of Xiang was also an accomplice. If she had not invited Lingyuan County Lady, how could Lingyuan County Lady, a widow living deep in the inner house, rashly visit a clan relative she was not familiar with at all? Since it was the Princess of Xiang who invited her, why did she let Lingyuan County Lady be alone? It was obvious that the King of Xiang had informed her in advance, and the couple worked together to lure Lingyuan County Lady into the trap.
Although Huayang was unhappy, she did not show it at all. She was like a favored princess from the capital, treating the two distant relatives in a lukewarm manner.
Madam Ji was the first to leave.
Huayang did not keep her, but only invited his sister-in-law, the Princess of Xiang, and the Lady of Lingyuan County to have lunch together in Ningyuan.
After the meal, Lady Lingyuan also said goodbye, and Princess Xiang continued to drink tea.
Huayang saw what she meant and said to Yu Xiu, "Sister-in-law, you must be tired. Go to the guest room and rest first. I will talk to the princess."
Yu Xiu followed Chao Yun sensibly.
As soon as she left, Princess Xiang smiled and said to Huayang, "Princess, you have come from afar, and the prince and I have specially prepared two gifts for you to show our appreciation."
Hua Yang smiled and said, "You and Uncle Wang are too polite."
Previously, she addressed the couple as "Prince" and "Princess", but she changed her words when she heard that there were other gifts.
Princess Xiang thought that this beautiful princess was really greedy for money.
Who would complain that the money is too little? Even the emperor is greedy for money, let alone the princess.
Princess Xiang was confident, and the maid waiting beside the carriage brought the gift over. Princess Xiang personally introduced Huayang: "This is the painting of Bamboo and Birds by the previous Emperor Huizong. The old prince got it by chance. The prince said that he was a vulgar man and did not know how to appreciate calligraphy and painting. It would be a waste of talent to keep this painting in the palace. I heard that the princess likes painting, so why not give it to the princess for appreciation."
Huayang took a breath imperceptibly when Princess Xiang slowly unfolded the "Birds and Bamboo" painting.
Princess Xiang pretended not to hear. After Huayang took a quarter of an hour to finally withdraw his gaze from the painting with great difficulty, Princess Xiang opened the second gift.
This box is divided into two layers. The upper layer is a unique rosewood base, and the lower layer is a foot-tall mutton-fat jade standing statue of Guanyin.
For Huayang, such a large piece of mutton-fat jade is not rare, but this Guanyin statue is so exquisitely carved, with delicate and smooth lines from beginning to end, so lifelike, that one cannot bear to touch it.
Each of these two gifts is a rare treasure and deserves a place in the royal treasury.
After appreciating it, Huayang said to Princess Xiang meaningfully, "Uncle Wang is so generous. If he doesn't ask for anything, I would be embarrassed to accept it."
Princess Xiang smiled apologetically: "Since Princess said so, then I won't hide it. To be honest, the prince has really encountered some troubles."
Then he euphemistically told her that the Prince of Xiang wanted to build a garden, but because he was in a hurry to complete it before the rainy season this year, he had to temporarily withdraw soldiers from the garrison.
"We will only need them for another four months or so. Princess, please tell your husband to be flexible."
Hua Yang looked relaxed and said with a smile: "This is easy. I will scold him when he comes back tonight. He is also a fool. Although a new official has three fires to start with, he should not burn the fire on our royal family."
Princess Xiang breathed a long sigh of relief, for she was afraid that the task would not be accomplished and the prince would take his anger out on her when he returned.
The matter was settled and Princess Xiang did not stay any longer.
The carriage left the gate of Ningyuan, went around several streets, and finally stopped in front of Prince Xiang's Mansion.
The Prince of Xiang has been thinking about sending gifts for most of the day.
The value of his generous gift was far beyond those of the garrison soldiers who could only sell their labor, and it was even enough to buy a few gardens.
The Prince of Xiang was so ruthless in giving up his love for her in order to completely buy over the princess from the capital, so that even if she heard that he had done something against the rules, she would not come to pick a fight with him.
Local officials were afraid of him and did not dare to expose his crimes to the court. Even if they did, Emperor Jingshun might let him go for the sake of his clan relationship. But if Huayang insisted on going against him, that would be troublesome.
"How is it, did the princess accept it?"
When the couple met, King Xiang couldn't wait to ask.
Princess Xiang smiled and said, "I'll take it. Your Majesty has good taste. The princess didn't find the Guanyin statue surprising, but she gasped when she saw the Bamboo and Birds."
The King of Xiang smiled proudly. He knew how precious "Birds and Bamboo" was, but he was really not good at elegance, so he just gave it away as a gift as a shabby painting.
"The princess also said that she would scold the prince consort tonight and forbid him to interfere in your troop movements."
The Prince of Xiang pondered the word "scold" and felt better. He knew that the most favored princess treated her husband just like he treated the princess at home, basically as a plaything. When she was in a good mood, she would tease him, and when she was in a bad mood, she would beat him or scold him as she wanted.
With disdain, he swept his eyes over the face of the Princess of Xiang, which was no longer young and beautiful. The Prince of Xiang sat down next to him and asked another question: "How is the princess? Is she as beautiful as the rumors say?"
Princess Xiang lowered her eyes and nodded dully.
Prince Xiang admired it for a moment, then sighed with regret. No matter how bold he was, he would not dare to reach out to Huayang, unless Huayang was a romantic man and fell in love with him first.
(End of this chapter)