A woman's expression changes faster than the weather, and her mood changes even faster. The sun was still shining, and the scenery was the same as usual, but when Lady Huarui came out of the bedroom, she felt that the sun was pale and dazzling, and it made her dizzy.
There was a clear artificial river in front of the palace. She walked across the arch bridge over the river. In front of her was a rockery and a winding stone path that led to a secluded place. Lady Huarui looked up and followed the path, but she could not see the end.
She walked on this seemingly endless road, the sun's halo flickering between the treetops made her feel like she was in a dream. In a trance, time seemed to be flowing backwards, and she returned to the road in her dream.
It was too long ago, she was only a few years old at that time. She only remembered that she was walking on a winding path, wearing patched clothes, hungry and empty-handed, and saw many peonies on the hillside, so she held a big flower in her hand.
There seemed to be many paddy fields on both sides of the winding path between the hills, but I can't remember clearly. The clearest thing is the peony flowers on the hillside, which are so fragrant.
After walking for a long time, they saw a river and a black-sailed boat parked by the river. There were many houses on both sides of the river, most of which were old tiled houses, but they looked very lively. It was the first time she saw such a lively scene. She got on the boat, and the oars made a splashing sound on the water. The river was like another road, winding and extending, with no end. She didn't know where she was going.
Later I realized that once you start down that road, you can’t go back. You can’t look back, and you can’t see the end.
Meng Chang did not ask about the affairs of the palace, but the deadline was approaching. Lady Huarui arranged for the palace maids of lower status than her to leave the palace. She did not ask about the royal family members, but only went to pay a visit and pass on a message.
The palace maids left the imperial city in batches under the arrangement of the female officials and eunuchs. Most of them were good girls that Meng Chang had found over the years, and he specifically picked the beautiful ones. There were thousands of them. But Meng Chang couldn't take care of most of them. He was willing but unable to do so. That is, when he distributed money every month, he would sit there and watch the beauties line up to receive money, which was a feast for his eyes. So these girls could probably find their way back after leaving the palace.
A voice from the queen called out from behind.
When Lady Huarui turned around, she saw the eunuch Wei Zhong, a fair-skinned man in his twenties or thirties.
Madam Huarui said: It is a good thing to drive them away, which is much better than being bullied and tortured. Where are you going
Wei Zhong's face suddenly became confused: "My family will definitely not recognize me when I go back, and I will feel ashamed. I have nowhere to go. I don't know if the temple wants eunuchs like us."
After hearing this, Lady Huarui felt sad and said: If you are not afraid of being displaced, then follow me.
Wei Zhong was immediately delighted and quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, thank you for taking me in."
Madam Huarui asked him to kowtow before she reached out to help him. Wei Zhong quickly retracted his hand and let Madam Huarui hold on to his sleeve, and with the help of Madam Huarui's movements, he climbed up. Madam Huarui said softly: Only those who have experienced the taste of being homeless know how to cherish the kindness of others.
Yes, yes. Wei Zhong bowed hurriedly.
At this time, they heard a commotion outside the palace gate. Lady Huarui asked the eunuch to follow her up to the palace tower to see what was happening outside.
There were actually many people watching outside the palace today. It was probably because they hadn't seen the Zhou army doing evil in the city for a few days, and people couldn't stay at home anymore. In addition to the people, there were also many Zhou army soldiers. The wide street outside the palace gate was crowded with people.
I saw a group of cavalrymen coming from the crowd. The young man in armor in front of them was Guo Shao.
Marshal Guo, Marshal Guo, the soldiers of Zhou army all started shouting when they saw him. It was obvious that he had a high prestige and was very loved in the army. Some soldiers even called him "Shao Ge'er" with a grin.
Guo Shao sat on a tall horse and raised his hand, and the soldiers stopped making noise slightly.
Back then, I and my two brothers, Yang Biao, Luo Mengzi, and Guo Shao, said loudly, in Wuqi Town, Hedong, we led dozens of wounded soldiers and a group of white-haired old soldiers to fight a bloody battle with more than 100 elite soldiers of the Liao army. Wuqi Town was very poor, full of old, weak, women and children. We have no benefit at all.
The noise of the soldiers became quieter. Guo Shao looked back and said: "But the soldiers are bleeding and sacrificing their lives. Why? To protect the Han people from being killed and trampled by the enemy.
Now, we are rich and powerful. Have you forgotten our passion and why we fought
At this time, a group of old soldiers around him started to shout. Someone shouted: My Lord, I am the one who beat the gong. My Lord, you are shooting arrows from the upper floor and the house is on fire.
Guo Shao glanced at him, nodded, and continued: "If you soldiers want to rob the people, burn, kill and plunder, think about those soldiers who died in the battle, why did they fight in a place where there was no profit. I will not let you off easily."
I took the money from the Shu treasury. What should I do with it? In addition to rewarding brave soldiers, we should expand our armaments and strengthen our strength; we should take back the land occupied by other countries to wipe out the humiliation of the Central Plains ceding land and becoming a vassal. Then I want to improve people's livelihood, not to plunder the people without limit.
Guo Shao looked at the onlookers again: We need dignity and security. We must use the roar of millions of iron hooves to scare away the powerful enemies who threaten us and want to rob and humiliate the people.
In the future, the people should also live a good life. After the unification of the country, I hope to see that most people can eat three meals a day, every meal can be full, and at least one meal every fifteen days, white flour, rice, braised pork
The atmosphere outside the palace was already hot. This frenzied scene was even louder than the New Year's Day, because the beggars who had recently fled to the inner city and the ragged people who had fled famine were all boiling with excitement.
He shouted at the right time: "For the people of the world, countless soldiers shouted: For the invincible Marshal Guo." Soon, all the soldiers shouted "Long live the Marshal", and some even knelt down and looked up at Guo Shao. At this time, Guo Shao rode away.
Some officials and soldiers came with drums and gongs, reading out loud the document written by Zuo You to pacify the people, and followed the street. There was no such thing as "zhihuzhaya", and basically anyone with a normal brain could understand it even if they couldn't read.
Madam Huarui was infected by the warm atmosphere. She was at least sure that the Zhou army would not commit crimes in Shu. In her mind, Guo Shao's vigorous figure just now, with his iron hoof raised and his arms raised, still appeared. An inexplicable breath surged into Madam Huarui's heart, and she felt a little suffocated for a while.
Looking back at the messy palace, despite its carved and painted buildings, she suddenly felt a little tired, and even thought of the crystal palace, which seemed so ethereal and empty. It was just gorgeous on the surface, but lacked soul, and the crystal palace could not comfort her inner emptiness.
At this time, Wei Zhong whispered behind him: "Your Majesty, this General Guo is no ordinary man. The Zhou army soldiers support him. In the Central Plains, force is everything. Did you see it just now? Many people shouted long live, but no one stopped them?"
Lady Huarui's willow-leaf eyebrows trembled slightly, and she answered irrelevantly: Don't call me queen in the future, the Kingdom of Shu no longer exists. It was only a few days after the Zhou army conquered the Kingdom of Shu that they quickly stabilized the world, and the Great Shu court was over.
Wei Zhong said hurriedly: "Your Highness is right. It looks like the people of Shu will soon submit. When King Yan of the Former Shu was destroyed, it was not so quiet. Didn't everyone submit to the Great Shu? There were still some old people who were alive decades ago. They can tell the difference."
Lady Huarui walked down the palace city, not on the wide streets, but on the secluded paths between the grass and trees. The eunuch stayed with her all the time, very loyal, and Lady Huarui knew that he was quite capable, so it didn't take her too much time to find out the news about the various people around Guo Shao.
The bustle gradually faded away, and they returned to the desolate and quiet palace.
Because of the attitude of the Zhou army commander in public and his actions, Madam Huarui was no longer so frightened. She sat in front of the dressing table and had the leisure to open the jewelry box and play with the pearls, jade, gold and silver jewelry inside.
There was nothing to do in the quiet place, and she was thinking about all sorts of things. Suddenly she felt that it might be a good thing that she was sold back then, otherwise she would not have the opportunity to see the prosperous and wealthy world and live a life of luxury. She would not have these beautiful and valuable things to play with.
At least now, she has seen it, and she never wants to go back to the life of not having enough food to eat. She is not a noble person, and she pretends to be so most of the time. She just likes these beautiful and luxurious things. Those women from aristocratic families don't understand her feelings.
But to get these, a woman of no birth needs to pay a price. Lady Huarui put her hand on her cheek with care, looked at the beautiful scene in the bronze mirror, and praised with a blush on her cheek: Furong is so beautiful.
Then she looked down at her own figure. Lady Huarui knew what was her most valuable thing. It was not the jewels in the jewelry box, nor the palace that did not belong to her.
However, she felt a little conflicted because relying on her looks to gain favor made her feel insecure.
If there was a man like that in the family, who could try to bring her hope and make her feel that she could live a better life by paying, instead of selling her, then she would definitely be willing to give everything for him and be willing to do housework for him. If she had something like that, she would be safe and happy.
Meng Chang was good to her, and she had imagined that this noble man was the man in her dream, so she never tried to seduce him, but often advised Meng Chang to be good to her. However, now Meng Chang has lost everything, and he didn't have to lose so badly.
Lady Huarui is getting to know herself. What she wants most is not those gorgeous things, although she really likes them; what she wants is hope and expectation.