"So, you are your concubine, and I am your wife."
Shen Miao glanced at Lu Wan'er in surprise, Lu Wan'er's gracious tone did not know where the heart came from. Originally, after listening to Lu Wan'er's words, it was not a lie that the Lu family members were all smart. These words now made Shen Miao somewhat unclear about Lu Wan'er's details, and said this in a grand manner, whether Lu Wan'er was really stupid or fake.
“If Miss Lu is interested, you can go and explain to His Highness yourself.” Shen Miao smiled slightly, “It is useless to tell me these things.”
"Of course I know." Lu Wan'er gave her a contemptuous look: "I came to tell you this today, but I hope you will have self-knowledge and take the initiative to tell His Royal Highness the matter of being a concubine."
Shen Miao almost laughed, she slightly raised the corner of her lips and said, "I cannot do this."
“What did you say?” Lu Wan’er widened her eyes, as if she did not expect Shen Miao to refuse.
Their voices were a little louder, and the ladies around looked at them. Shen Miao did not hide it and said with a smile, "I will not do anything about being a concubine. I will not do anything like recruiting concubines for my husband and spreading branches and leaves. When Prince Rui came to me, I would not do it. When the mansion proposed marriage, he also said that the backyard of the prince's mansion would not accept any other woman, if not, I would not have traveled a thousand miles to marry in Long Ye."
The ladies around were dumbfounded.
In this way, there is no fairness between men and women. In the man's backyard, most of them have three wives and four concubines. Whether it is in Great Liang or Ming Qi, it is not that there is no such thing as a pair of husband and wife, but it is rare. The men of ordinary families can't stand the temptation, let alone the rich, the officials, and the children of the royal family
Prince Rui is handsome and charming, with a high status and an outstanding position at a young age, and the world he faces is even more colorful. How can someone like him have only one woman in his life
This young lady from the Shen family in Ming Qi really has such a big face, and she really doesn't know how thick the sky is!
Lu Wan'er's face was almost ashen with anger, and she said every word: "Prince Rui, this is jealous, women are jealous, and their virtues are bad."
Shen Miao smiled, "Probably so, I am naturally jealous. If Prince Rui had not put forward this condition, I probably would not have been tempted."
Lu Wan'er was speechless with hatred.
Such an attitude of Shen Miao was like a thorn in the head, making it impossible for people to start. The ladies around were also surprised, Shen Miao came to Long Ye for the first time, not only did she not act with her tail between her legs, but she was so arrogant and arrogant that even the Lu family, who was even slightly afraid of Emperor Yong Le, dared to offend, but she did not know where to borrow it. The courage to come, is it really so stupid
Of course Shen Miao was not afraid.
Even if Emperor Yong Le was dissatisfied with her and wanted to point Xie Jing Xing to another marriage, he would not point Lu Wan'er to Xie Jing Xing. Even though Lu Wan'er said that her marriage to Xie Jing Xing would add a boost to Xie Jing Xing's career, not to mention that Xie Jing Xing was not someone who climbed up by relying on women's ability, or Emperor Yong Le, and did not dare to let Xie Jing Xing marry the Lu family easily.
The matter of Concubine Jing was probably a helpless move. But if Lu Wan'er also entered the door of Prince Rui's mansion, the two brothers of the entire imperial family of Great Liang would have a relationship with the Lu family. The exclusive power of foreign relatives is not a good thing. Fu Xiu Yi was able to use Shen Miao to bind the Shen family together because the Shen family was loyal by nature, but the Lu family already had great ambitions.
In terms of love and reason, Lu Wan'er was not the choice of Emperor Yongle. At the moment Shen Miao rejected Lu Wan'er's proposal so forcefully, I was afraid that it would reach Emperor Yong Le's ears, and it just happened to go along with Emperor Yong Le's wishes.
When both Mrs. Lu and Lu Wan'er froze, they heard a chuckle from the other side and said, "Prince Concubine is really a kind person. Prince Rui is young, but he values affection and justice. He is a rare man in the world."
Shen Miao looked towards the speaker, that person was sitting beside Ji Yushu's mother, a slightly thin lady. Wearing a brown embroidered skirt, her complexion is slightly darker, and her eyebrows are straight, but she is deeply depressed because of her age, so she looks a little inhumane. Her eyes are a little long, and when she looks at people, she seems to be scrutinized, as if she wants to see through people, which is a little uncomfortable. At a glance, she is a shrewd and serious person.
Bajiao took advantage of the tea time with Shen Miao, and quietly came to her ear and said, "This is Mrs. Ye from the Prime Minister's Mansion."
With just one sentence, Shen Miao understood. Wen Ye family, Wu Lu family. I think that Mrs. Ye is a member of the Ye family of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the two legendary families in Long Ye. Unlike the Lu family who was somewhat arrogant and exposed, the lady of the Ye family seemed to be much more restrained than Mrs. Lu, but it also made Shen Miao faintly feel that it was more difficult to deal with.
Madam Ye looked at Shen Miao and suddenly said with a smile, "Prince Rui and his wife are very affectionate. It seems that when the royal hunting is going on in a few days, the princess will also go with him."
Shen Miao said with a smile, "This needs to be discussed with His Highness." She was not allowed to talk casually. Today, Cai Xiayan, a room full of people, is afraid that they have bad intentions, but she does not dare to take it lightly.
"The princess has just arrived, and she still doesn't know the beauty of hunting in the imperial city. There are many interesting things, and the princess can probably join in the fun." Madam Ye continued.
Mrs. Lu and Lu Wan'er did not speak, they were disturbed by Shen Miao today and they were very unhappy in their hearts. At this moment, Mrs. Ye didn't mean to help.
Shen Miao looked at that Madam Ye and was actually trying to force her to agree to the reason for the hunt.
Mrs. Ji, who was sitting next to Mrs. Ye, said with a smile: "Don't force Princess Rui, Princess Rui is still young, just as Mrs. Ye said, she is new here, I'm afraid she is a little shy, on the hunting ground. But they are all old acquaintances, so it is natural for people to think about it.”
But he took the initiative to relieve Shen Miao.
Shen Miao looked over unexpectedly, but Madam Ji smiled and nodded to her.
Mrs. Ji’s husband was a disciple of the court, and her official position was not low, so the lady next to her would naturally not refute her words, but Mrs. Ye did not want to be aggressive, she just looked at Shen Miao inquiringly, making Shen Miao frown slightly. eyebrow.
This Cai Xia Banquet passed in a mild manner, and Lu Wan'er was probably stunned by Shen Miao's anger and immediately turned away. The rest of Madam Lu treated Shen Miao indifferently, since the host of this Caixia Banquet was Madam Lu, the other ladies naturally followed Madam Lu’s footsteps and deliberately left Shen Miao aside.
However, when Shen Miao was young, she was often neglected in Ming Qi, so she did not take it to heart. While drinking tea, she listened to Ba Jiao secretly explaining the relationship between the ladies and kept it in her heart. Not only did these snubs not affect her, but instead allowed her to more fully remember the relationship between these people.
When she left, no one came to see her. When he was about to get on the carriage, he was unexpectedly stopped by someone.
Looking back, it was Mrs. Ji.
Ji Yushu's biological mother is a dignified and amiable temperament, but her appearance is somewhat similar to Ji Yushu's. Looking at Shen Miao she smiled and said, "Yu'er told me that when I was in Dingjing in Ming Qi, I was taken care of by the princess, and today I will come to thank the princess for Yu'er."
Shen Miao was embarrassed and said that she did not dare. After all, she used Ji Yushu's Fengxian pawnshop to accomplish a lot.
Seeing that there was no one around, Mrs. Ji leaned closer and whispered, "The princess saw it today, too, the fourth lady of Mrs. Lu's family... She wants to marry Prince Rui's mansion, but the princess doesn't have to take her words to heart, if it can be done, The fourth young lady has long since become Princess Rui, but she is just eloquent. As for what Mrs. Ye said about the royal hunt today, the princess turned around and told the prince, the water is deep, and the princess should not be calculated in vain." Seeing the Lu family There were other ladies coming out one after another at the door, and Mrs. Ji said: "I can't say the rest. If the princess has time, she can come to the mansion and sit down. Long Ye thinks that you are not very familiar with you, so I can do it too. I said it for you.” Then he said goodbye to Shen Miao and left in a hurry.
On the way back, Shen Miao kept thinking about today's affairs. She didn't take Lu Wan'er's words to heart. For some reason, she always felt that Mrs. Ye made her mind very much.
Shen Miao asked Bajiao, “At the banquet today, it seems that Madam Ye’s daughter was not seen. How many young ladies are there in the Ye family? Why didn’t they bring them out?”
Bajiao was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "There is no young lady in the Ye family."
“How come there is no young lady?” Shen Miao frowned.
"This is a well-known fact in Long Ye." Bajiao said, "Prime Minister Ye and Mrs. Ye are a young husband and wife. When Fang married, they had a daughter, but unfortunately she died early. Mrs. Ye was too worried. , and the relationship with Prime Minister Ye also faded. Prime Minister Ye later took a concubine, and the concubine gave birth to a son, who is now Young Master Ye of the Prime Minister's Mansion."
Shen Miao frowned, "Is there no son next to the Prime Minister's residence?"
Bajiao shook his head: "After Prime Minister Ye had Young Master Ye again, he was assassinated once when he went out and injured the roots of his descendants. It is impossible for him to have any descendants in the future."
Shen Miao was surprised, how could a high-ranking family such as the Ye family have only one son? She asked, "Isn't there only one concubine in the Ye family?"
"That's not true, the concubine became weak when the young master Ye was born... However, some people say that the Ye family strangled the concubine to death. After the young master Ye was born, he was raised under the name of Mrs. Ye, occupying the son-in-law. However," Bajiao paused for a while: "Even if he has the identity of the direct son, this young master Ye is not valued by Mrs. Ye."
“Why is this?” Shen Miao wondered. Although it is not biological, but in the absence of other children in the Ye family, and raising it in her own name, Mrs. Ye treats this son-in-law better, and will be much better off in the future.
"Master Ye was born with a congenital disease, and his legs and feet are not good. Such people will not be able to enter the official career in the future, so some people say that the Ye family will be defeated in this generation." Bajiao explained.
Shen Miao understood this in her heart. It turned out to be a lame man, no wonder Mrs. Ye looked down on him. Thinking of this, my heart suddenly brightened. Wen Ye's family, Wu Lu's family, and Lu's family all sent Concubine Jing into the palace. Why did the Ye family not have them? It turned out that the Ye family had no ambition, but because the Ye family had no extra daughters at all. I am afraid that if I send the daughter of my relatives, it will be difficult to control.
So the current situation... Shen Miao could vaguely guess Emperor Yong Le's plan.
The Ye family couldn't be at the same level as the Lu family in terms of children. If they were to form an alliance with the Lu family, one day their ambitions would be fulfilled, and it would only be a benefit for the Lu family. People always have bad roots, why is everyone a big family, and in the end, you are the only one, and I am declining day by day? It would be better if I also turned against the water.
Emperor Yongle probably wanted to provoke an infighting between the Lu family and the Ye family, subdue the Ye family, and then deal with the Lu family who held military power. This would be much easier.
It's just that the Ye family and the Lu family have been friends for so many years, and their interests are intertwined. It is not easy to separate.
With these things in mind, Shen Miao did not notice when the carriage returned to Prince Rui's residence. Until Bajiao called "Master" from her side, someone flicked on her forehead and said, "Why are you thinking so much?"
Only then did Shen Miao see Xie Jing Xing, he came back early today and he was still wearing dark red official uniform with a dignified appearance. Shen Miao felt agitated, pulled his sleeves and hurriedly walked to the study room and said, "Just in time, I have something to ask you..."
Xie Jing Xing was stunned at first, then he was helpless and let her drag him forward. On the other hand, Bajiao and Gu Yu were dumbfounded, Bajiao smiled and said, "Madam really took the initiative."
Gu Yu said, "That's what it should be!"
Uncle Tang came out from behind and said quietly: "What are you looking at, don't go to work!"
Bajiao and Gu Yu stuck out their tongues and quickly walked away. Uncle Tang looked at the closed door, shook his head, and sighed, "There's no Luohong, what kind of initiative is it?"
…
Inside the room, Shen Miao just told Xie Jing Xing what happened today, Xie Jing Xing said, "Royal hunting?"
Shen Miao nodded, "It seems a little unusual."
“Every year on the second day of the sixth month, the royal hunting is a rule handed down by the previous emperor.” Xie Jing Xing said lazily, “However, the emperor and I are just wandering outside and will not go deep into it.”
“Why?” Shen Miao asked.
“Dangerous.” Xie Jing Xing lowered his voice.
Shen Miao was startled.
Seeing her appearance, Xie Jing Xing smiled and raised his eyebrows, "Are you afraid?"
“I have nothing to be afraid of.” Shen Miao looked at him, “Do you mean that someone will take action against the emperor and you? The royal hunting is full of imperial guards, who has such courage?”
“Have you seen the Mo Yu Army,” Xie Jing Xing suddenly changed the conversation and said, “That person is mine, and has nothing to do with the Great Liang Army. The emperor also knows about it. Do you know why you want to keep the army privately?”
“Because the army of the royal family cannot be trusted?” Shen Miao asked quickly, but in her heart there was some disbelief.
Xie Jing Xing snapped his fingers.
Shen Miao was speechless.
It is said in the world that Emperor Yongle is the Mingjun of Daliang, and the children of Daliang are all revered. It seems that the common people are like this, but the officials and ministers below do not seem to be as loyal as the legend. There is no intrigue in the royal family of Great Liang itself, and all those who come here are foreign troubles.
The army of the royal family was handed down from generation to generation, that is to say, the troops passed down by the previous emperors were not willing to end up in the current Emperor Yongle. Thinking of the coldness in Xie Jing Xing's tone towards the late emperor before, Shen Miao felt a little curious in her heart. She hesitated for a while, then looked at Xie Jing Xing and asked, "Speaking of which, what was the secret behind you living in Ming Qi's Dingjing?"
Hearing this, Xie Jing Xing's eyes changed slightly, Shen Miao sitting beside him could feel the gloomy mood in his present moment.
After a while, Xie Jing Xing smiled, reached out and touched Shen Miao's head, "Why do you have so many questions and want to know my secret? If you want to know, exchange it yourself." He smiled ambiguously, "The body is also fine. "
Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him.
Xie Jing Xing said again, "However, you don't seem to be angry with Lu Wan'er's words at all?" He was slightly dissatisfied: "Someone coveted your husband, you didn't even get angry? Shen Jiaojiao, you really have no conscience."
Shen Miao said, "You will not agree anyway, won't you? The Lu family is very ambitious, you are probably not big enough to keep a poisonous snake by your side."
Xie Jing Xing laughed loudly, stared at her and said, “I am not keeping a poisonous snake by my side now, it is still a beauty snake.”
This man has only three sentences. Shen Miao was too lazy to talk to him and said, "Ye family... what do you think about the Ye family?"
Xie Jing Xing pondered: "The Ye family is smarter than the Lu family and knows how to forbear. Maybe because of the children, they are not as arrogant as the Lu family. Brother Huang and I plan to start with the Ye family and provoke the Ye Lu family."
Shen Miao shrank her fingers, for some unknown reason, facing Madam Ye today, she always had an indescribable feeling, she seemed to feel that the Ye family was not as easy to deal with as she imagined, but this thought came out of nowhere and she herself did not know it was what happened.
Xie Jing Xing saw the strange expression on her face and asked, "Do you seem to have something to say?"
Shen Miao shook her head, probably because she was suspicious. He asked: "Imperial City Hunting, will you participate this time? Madam Ji told me not to be calculated, which makes me feel very strange."
Xie Jing Xing's expression turned cold slightly and said, "This time, even if you don't want to go, you have to go with you."
"Why?"
"This year is the 60-year festival stipulated by the first emperor. During the hunting in the imperial city, the emperor's brother must hunt a male lion in the hunting ground to indicate that the weather will be good for the coming year, and he will be the Mingjun of Great Liang."
Male lion? Shen Miao said, “This can be regarded as a beast.” In general hunting grounds, safety and life are naturally the most important. After all, the people who came to hunt were high-ranking officials and nobles, and it would be impossible if their lives were injured. Lions don't need hares, foxes, etc., one carelessness will kill their lives.
“Beasts are not afraid.” Xie Jing Xing raised his lips and smiled coldly: “Beasts will not shoot arrows in secret, they are much safer than humans.”
“You can only bring the Imperial Guards in. This is the rule set by the previous emperor. It is difficult to say whether the Imperial Guards are loyal or not.” Xie Jing Xing raised his eyebrows, “So you have to understand, this is the first step. The emperor left a game for the two of our brothers. The game for the world to see, we know what it is, and the emperor and I have no choice."
He glanced at Shen Miao with a worried face again and pinched her face: "But don't worry, you will be fine, although you will follow in the name of the imperial clan's wife, you do not need to enter the inner arena."
Shen Miao asked, "Are you sure right?" In her heart, there was an ominous premonition that she could not relax when she saw Xie Jing Xing's joking expression.
Xie Jing Xing stared at her and slowly shook his head, “No.”
Shen Miao's heart lifted tightly.
Xie Jing Xing smiled, “I lied to you.”
Shen Miao glared at him, Xie Jing Xing stretched his waist and said leisurely, “After the hunting is over, I will tell you about the palace affairs, so that you will not be thinking about it all day.” He said with a half-smile, “ You are also my thanks to my family now, and you always have to take on some things."
Shen Miao's heart moved, is Xie Jing Xing planning to clarify his secret with her? Xie Jingxing's life experience, how he came to Dingjing in Ming Qi in the first place, and Yongle Emperor Xie Jingxing's attitude towards the late emperor, always felt that there was something in it. One could vaguely feel the heaviness mixed in it, Xie Jing Xing's light-hearted temperament to talk about the past was not something that could be learned from ordinary experiences.
Although she was very relieved to know these secrets, why did she feel so uneasy this time in the imperial city hunting? As if something bad was about to happen. A heart was beating so fast, and despite trying to calm down, he was still restless.
She was silent, clenching her fists secretly.
…
In the Imperial Palace of Great Liang, Empress Xian De listened to her maids to report on the events at the Caixia banquet today, when she heard Shen Miao, "I will not do anything about being a concubine of your own accord. Widen the concubines for the husband and spread the branches. I wouldn't do anything about Ye Zhi. When Prince Rui came to my Shen residence to propose marriage, he also said that the backyard of the prince's residence would not accept any other women. If not, I would not have traveled all the way to Longye to marry. ." Empress Xian De couldn't help laughing when she said these words. She was originally born gentle and dignified, and usually has a calm attitude. When she smiles like this, she is actually a bit moving as a girl.
"Why is the empress smiling so happily?" Emperor Yongle's voice came from outside, his expression was a little cold, and he stepped into the Weiyang Palace, looking at Empress Xiande's appearance, a strange look flashed in his eyes.
Empress Xian De smiled happily and said, "Cai Lian, you will repeat what the princess said to Your Majesty."
The palace maid named Cai Lian quickly lowered her head and repeated the words that she had just imitated Shen Miao. After listening, Emperor Yongle threw his sleeves and said angrily: "Nonsense! There are no rules! Extremely presumptuous!"
Cai Lian was startled, her body trembled a little, the emperor's anger was not something she, a little palace maid, could bear.
Empress Xian De glanced at Emperor Yong Le angrily and said to Cai Lian, "Go down first."
Cai Lian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped back. Empress Xian De then smiled and said, "Jing Xing's daughter-in-law has the same temperament as he was made in heaven. She is also so refreshing, she is really a person of temperament."
“It’s enough for Xie Yuan to be fooling around, you are also fooling around with him?” Emperor Yong Le looked at Empress Xian De dissatisfied, “The Empress seems to like Shen Miao very much?”
"Long Ye has not seen such an interesting person for a long time." Empress Xian De smiled, watching Emperor Yong Le sit down beside her, her tone was still soft, but her voice was full of uncontrollable admiration: "Look He is a wise man, but he rarely maintains a sincere heart."
"I don't see any cleverness, nor sincerity." Emperor Yongle said coldly, "But she's just a woman who thinks hard."
"If this is the case, with Jing Xing's shrewd temper, how can he not see it, and how can he still like it?"
Emperor Yongle disagreed: "Xie Yuan is young now and can't tell right from wrong, so he is fascinated by women."
Empress Xian De sighed, knowing that Emperor Yong Le was stubborn and did not want to fight with him, she said, "In short, this palace looks at Jing Xing's daughter-in-law, she is a very good person."
"If it was really good, then I wouldn't be ashamed in front of so many people and say something jealous." Emperor Yongle was very dissatisfied: "Does the queen also think that she will not spread branches and leaves for her husband, and accept Ji Is what the concubine did right?"
Empress Xian De smiled lightly: "That is of course excellent, but very few women can do it. It is her blessing that Princess Rui can do it."
"Empress!" Hearing this, Emperor Yong Le frowned and looked at Empress Xian De with a stern look.
"My concubine made a mistake." Even though Empress Xian De said so, her expression did not show much panic, she just said: "To persuade peace and not to persuade separation, Your Majesty should worry less about Prince Rui's residence. Jing Xing is a person with ideas. If you intervene more, it will lead to his ill will."
"I have my own opinion." Emperor Yongle said solemnly.
After a moment of silence, Queen Xiande said, "Is Your Majesty ready for the hunting in the imperial city next month?"
"I'm just preparing for a life." Emperor Yongle's expression did not show joy or anger: "I have already arranged everything."
"Can the concubine go with you?" Empress Xian De asked, "The concubine wants to follow Your Majesty."
"I will take Concubine Jing with me." Emperor Yongle said, "If something happens to me, you will have to take care of me in the harem."
Empress Xian De lowered her head and said nothing. After a while, she raised her head again, smiling gently, and said, "My concubine understands."
"The person I am most worried about is Xie Yuan. Back then, he was lurking in Ming Qi when he was young, and I felt ashamed of him. But now that the world is determined, I still can't fulfill my original promise. He may hate me in the future, and he understands me. No matter how hard I work, there is only so much I can do." Emperor Yong Le looked outside and said with a sense of disappointment, "It's a pity that before the mother died, I couldn't see him."
"Empress Mother Quanxia knows, I will be pleased to see Jing Xing so outstanding now." Empress Xian De advised.
"Queen," Emperor Yongle said suddenly.
Empress Xian De looked at him, only to hear Emperor Yong Le say, "You have worked hard for so many years."
"It is a blessing for your concubine to share your worries for Your Majesty." Empress Xian De smiled, her expression was so calm, it seemed that no amount of suffering could defeat the slightest bit of her grace. She said, "My concubine has been with Your Majesty for decades. Your Majesty treats your concubine very well, and your concubine is already content."
Emperor Yong Le looked at Empress Xian De and wanted to say something. He moved his lips, but he didn't say anything. He just glanced at Empress Xian De with a complicated look, then looked away and looked at the bronze crane in the hall. Green smoke spit out.
Empress Xian De also looked at her sleeves quietly, as if the words she just said were just ordinary. It's just that the light in his eyes is somewhat moist.