On the day of Taishi Du's burial, the funeral road was filled with road offerings from various families.
Some literati who had received favors from the Du family spontaneously changed into sackcloth and sackcloth and followed the funeral procession to send their spirits. The descendants of the Du family cried and said they were haggard, and they were barely able to move with the help of their servants.
Some people wrote sacrificial texts, some people greeted them off by the roadside, and even some envoys from other countries who had not left the capital also placed offerings on the roadside.
Hua Liuli was dressed in white, with no pearls on her body, and her blue silk was tied with a few plain silver hairpins. The road festival held by the Hua's family is very close to the road festival held by the Princess Shun'an. Seeing Jiamin's haggard expression, Hua Liuli guessed that she had been with Du Xiuying in the Du residence for one night, and went to her side and asked, "I haven't slept all night. , Can you bear it?"
"I'm fine." Jiamin sighed, "Cousin Du has lost a whole lot of weight in the past two weeks."
Hua Liuli pursed her lips and said nothing. Life is separated from death, even if you are born rich, you can't escape.
It didn't take long for the sound of mourning and music to come from far away, and Hua Liuli knew that this was the funeral procession.
Paper money was flying all over the sky, and the Eight Great Kings carried the coffin, stopping and walking. When the coffin stopped, the filial sons and grandsons would kneel down and perform three big bows.
Du Xiuying's father cried and bowed his back, holding the tablet and staggering forward, even when he passed the altars of various roads, he didn't even bother to thank him.
But at this time, no one would pursue Master Du's rudeness. They bowed to Taishi Du's coffin, grabbed a string of gold ingots, and set it on fire in the sacrificial basin: "Respectfully send Taishi Du, and wish you a long life in the future. Both are complete, and the lucky stars are shining brightly."
It was Hua Liuli’s third brother Hua Changkong who ignited the gold ingots in the Hua family, because he was the most literate person in the Hua family. Hua Yingting felt that if the son who was admitted to the champion would burn the gold ingots, Master Du would be happy. a little.
"Sister Du." Hua Liuli was in the funeral procession of the Du family when she saw Du Xiuying standing in a skeleton, she worried: "Please take care."
Du Xiuying silently blessed Hua Liuli, followed the team silently, and walked away slowly.
The literati who followed behind were weeping silently, making the funeral seem vigorous.
There are so many people crying sincerely after death, it can be regarded as a clear conscience.
Even though she was used to seeing life and death, Hua Liuli felt a little down. She looked at the paper money falling on the ground, shrugged her shoulders and went back to her house to change her clothes, and said to Hua Changkong, "Third brother, Jiamin and I are going out for a walk."
"You're young, don't be weak." Hua Changkong patted the top of Hua Liuli's hair, "Get up."
"Oh." Hua Liuli went out to find Jiamin who had already changed her clothes, "Let's go, I'll accompany you to the teahouse."
As soon as Master Xie entered the city, the carriage greeted the funeral procession head-on. There are rules among the people, and it is absolutely not allowed to collide with the funeral procession. This is called rushing, and it will bring bad luck to people.
He didn't expect to encounter such a thing as soon as he arrived in the capital, and hurriedly asked the Xie family horse team to avoid it.
Lifting the curtain of the carriage, Young Master Xie found that there were many literati in the funeral procession. He was a little puzzled. Could it be that the person who died was a person of high moral character
Looking at the paper money flying in the sky and the soul-sending banners held in the funeral procession, Xie Yaoye felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, and always felt that this was not a good sign.
Otherwise, how could he meet such a burial team sooner or later when he entered Beijing
When the funeral procession was far away, Xie Yaoye took off the handkerchief covering his nose and mouth, and said in a hoarse voice, "Go and find out whose funeral is this."
The little servant who quickly inquired about the news came back: "Old Master, the one who passed by just now is the coffin of Master Du."
"Du Songwen?" Xie Yaoye was stunned for a while, before sighing for a long time, "I didn't expect it to be him."
Back then, he and Du Songwen were officials in the same dynasty, but because of their political differences, their friendship was not very good. At that time, there was a saying in the Great Jin Dynasty, that is, Nan Xie Bei Du, their Xie family had a high reputation among the southern literati, while the Du family was very influential in the capital and surrounding prefectures.
The late emperor died of illness, and after the present His Majesty ascended the throne, he proposed to His Majesty to revise the Jin Dynasty etiquette rules, but His Majesty refused. In a fit of anger, he resigned and returned to the south, and has never set foot in the capital since.
Unexpectedly, after nearly 30 years, when I came back here, the first news I got was that my old enemy was dead.
It's a pity that Du Songwen's sons are all mediocre. Once he dies, it will be difficult for the Du family to continue to maintain their status as scholars in the north.
Thinking of this, Xie Yaoye was in a good mood again, and when the Du family fell, it was a good opportunity for them to thank the family. It's a pity that Xie Yao was useless and couldn't marry the prince, otherwise the Xie family could take this opportunity to develop their power to the capital.
The carriage went directly to the Princess Mansion of Leyang. Young Master Xie was very old, and he hardly had a good rest in order to drive on the road. He supported the arm of the servant and walked stiffly off the carriage. Before he approached the gate of the Princess Mansion, he was arrested. The Guards stopped.
"Old gentleman, this is the princess's residence, and you are not allowed to trespass."
"The old man is a member of the Xie family in the south. I heard that the head of the family is seriously ill, so I came to visit."
"Are you the Xie family?" The guard looked at Xie Yaoye with an indifferent attitude, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty has ordered that no one is allowed to enter the Princess Palace. If the old gentleman is really the Xie family, you can ask His Majesty and take His Majesty's warrant. go in."
"Thank you little brother for telling me." Xie Yaoye politely cupped his hands, turned back to the carriage, and his face sank instantly.
Emperor Changlong actually put the head of the family and Princess Leyang under house arrest in the mansion. It seems that His Majesty's disgust for the Xie family has surpassed his brother-sister relationship with Princess Leyang.
Xie Yaoye went to Dali Temple again, and got the same result. Dali Temple did not let him visit Xie Yao.
He had no choice for a while, so he had to take his servants to stay in the inn, and then ask his former colleagues, hoping they could find a way to allow him to meet His Majesty.
It's a pity that he hasn't come to the capital for 30 years. The friends he made in the past, the old, the sick, the dead, are actually very few who can help him speak.
He had long been away from serving as an official in the court when he went to the tea house. These people were clearly afraid of being involved with their Xie family and being implicated in the assassination of the prince.
Xie Yaoye had no choice but to send gifts and beg for help, and he gave up his old face, and then he got into a relationship with Cao Jinbo, the minister of households.
When Cao Jinbo participated in the imperial examination, Xie Yaoye was the deputy examiner of that imperial examination, and he was barely considered a "teacher-student friendship".
After listening to Master Xie explaining his intention, Cao Jinbo said: "Mr. Xie's memorial, the junior is willing to send it in for you, but the junior can't guarantee whether your majesty is willing to see you or not."
"Master Cao is willing to send the memorial to the majesty for the old man. The old man is very grateful." Xie Yaoye breathed a sigh of relief. His majesty is a person who is nostalgic. Even if he has a grudge against the Xie family, he will see him after seeing the memorial. one side.
After leaving the Shangshu Mansion, Xie Yaoye looked at the capital that was not as prosperous as he remembered, and waved his hand to let the boy who helped him get on the carriage back away: "I want to walk around, you let the carriage follow you."
When he left the capital that year, His Majesty had just ascended the throne less than a year ago. Because the late emperor favored the demon concubine and built a palace for the demon concubine, the capital was smoky, and everyone was in danger and was very careful.
In the current capital, people come and go, and from time to time you can see foreigners with different hair and skin color.
Different from the south, the women here are more unrestrained, and even dress more openly than the southern women. As early summer approaches, some women wear beautiful gauze, and the shape of their arms is looming under the gauze.
Xie Yaoye frowned, the woman was still gentle and beautiful.
"Sister Du, it's not good for your health to be bored at home every day."
"Yes, Cousin Du, the teahouse here has a unique view. Sitting by the window on the second floor, the view downstairs is unobstructed. When you see a beautiful young man, you can throw a handkerchief on his head, or throw it down. A few flowers, it's fun to see how they are at a loss."
What kind of girl is this, so casual and rude
Xie Yaoye frowned even tighter, and saw a few well-dressed young girls, surrounded by a woman in plain clothes and a silver hairpin, talking and laughing without shy about being surrounded by foreign men.
It's only been 30 years, these women in the capital are all like this
He clutched his chest, a little breathless.
"Grandpa, are you alright?" Hua Liuli was persuading Du Xiuying to come out to relax. Seeing an old man on the side of the road clutching his chest and panting, he quickly called Iris, who knows some medical skills: "Iris, take a look at this old man."
"Angry anger attacking the heart, the anger is too strong." Iris glanced at it, took a pill and handed it to the old man: "Grandpa, when people reach your age, you must pay attention to not being angry, not happy, you have to relax."
Looking at the old man wearing silk and satin, he doesn't look like someone who lacks food and clothing. Why is he so temperamental
Xie Yaoye held a pill of unknown origin, but he didn't take it in one breath. He raised his head and rolled his eyes a few times.
"Hey, you old man is too temperamental." Iris simply fed the pills directly into the old man's mouth, and only after seeing his complexion getting better, did he say, "Old man, take it slow, there is nothing wrong with being angry. Replacement."
Master Xie said with a stern face, "Thank you." After speaking, he glanced at the few girls in Chinese clothes who were just talking and laughing, and turned around and got into the carriage.
He can no longer look at the unrestrained behavior of these women in the capital, for fear that his eyes will not be able to bear it any longer.
Xie Yaoye waited in the inn for two more days, and finally got the news that His Majesty was willing to summon him. Early the next morning, he changed into clean clothes and hurried into the palace.
It is a pity that he went too early, and Emperor Changlong has not yet come to court.
"Master Xie, you haven't entered the palace for many years, and this old slave accompanies you to walk around." Zhao Sancai entertained Young Master Xie diligently. The person will be Your Majesty.
"Then there is Eunuch Lao." Xie Yaoye didn't dare to offend the eunuch next to Emperor Changlong, so he could only follow his words.
"You are too kind." Zhao Sancai called a few palace maids and eunuchs to accompany Young Master Xie to the Imperial Garden with him.
The capital has become much more prosperous, but the palace is still the same as it was thirty years ago, with high palace walls, respectful and discreet palace staff, and a royal garden with flying colorful butterflies.
When the late emperor was alive, because the demon concubine only loved peonies, the entire imperial garden was filled with all kinds of peonies. Thirty years later, there have been a lot less peonies in the imperial garden, and more other flowers.
Xie Yaoye didn't go far when he heard the intimate laughter of a man and a woman.
"His Royal Highness, this flower is the most beautiful flower in the entire Imperial Garden, and I gave it to you."
"You lie, this is not the most beautiful at all. I clearly saw a more beautiful one. Would you give it to me?"
"where?"
"Just in my eyes."
Xie Yaoye stopped and turned his head to look at Zhao Sancai, who is this prince who dared to talk to a woman so frivolously in the imperial garden
Zhao Sancai buried his head a little lower, His Highness did not go to court today!
"His Royal Highness is wrong, the most beautiful flowers are clearly in my eyes."
"Then I give it to you, you give it to me, okay?"
"OK… "
"Cough, cough, cough." Xie Yaoye couldn't listen anymore. He coughed a few times to remind the young couple who were dating in the imperial garden that there were other people beside them.
" Zhao Sancai
"The old slave has seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Lord Fushou County." Zhao Sancai said with a smile, "His Majesty summoned the old man of the Xie family today, and the old slave was ordered to wait in the palace."
"The old man of the Xie family?" The prince took off the peony on the jade crown, turned around and held Hua Liuli's hand, put the peony on her temples, and then nodded in satisfaction, "My family Liuli is really beautiful, and this flower is not as good as it is. you."
This frivolous young man, is the current prince
Xie Yaoye looked at the girl held by the prince again. Wasn't this one of the girls he saw on the street two days ago
Zhao Sancai called her Fushou County Master. Could she be the future crown princess? !
The author has something to say: Prince: Xiao Ming's grandfather lived to be a hundred years old.
Hua Liuli: Rain Girl has no melons, do you understand
Mr. Xie: …