Wang Ruifen added incense to the Boshan furnace, another palace maid came in to offer tea, and two palace maids brought in a pot of first-blooming peony flowers cultivated in the conservatory of Yonghe Palace and placed them on a carved nanben table. In the Xinuan Pavilion of this Wuying Palace, there are tea, flowers, ambergris, and the fat powder fragrance of the palace maids, and the original heavy atmosphere has begun to change a little.

Li Zicheng asked Wang Ruifen, "Haven't the people from Fei Palace come yet?"

"The slave maid sent four palace maids to Shouning Palace to pick her up, I'm afraid it's about to arrive. ”

"You go and invite Dou Niangniang to come too!"

Wang Ruifen immediately rushed back to the dormitory and picked up Concubine Dou. Dou Meiyi knelt down and kowtowed according to etiquette. Li Zicheng ordered her to sit down on the chair next to her: "Fei Zhen'e is getting married today, and her husband is one of my favorite generals." This marriage is extraordinary, so when she gets married, I will summon her once, and I have something to say, hoping that she will make meritorious contributions to her husband, sing and sing with her wife, and reconcile her for a hundred years, and shade her children and grandchildren. You used to know her, and today you are the master of the harem, so I asked you to come out, and when I met her, it was also considered to send her to marry. ”

Concubine Dou stood up and said, "Your Majesty is a monarch and minister to Luo Hu, and he is like father and son. It is rare for a king to care so much about the marriage of his subordinates since ancient times. The concubine was still deeply moved, Fei Zhen'e was cordially summoned by the emperor before she got married, and she would definitely be grateful for this rain and dew. ”

Li Zicheng saw Concubine Dou say these words with tears in his eyes, it was indeed sincere, and he was very satisfied, and what made him even more satisfied was that Concubine Dou replied casually and spoke appropriately, worthy of being a female official in Empress Yi'an's palace.

He glanced at Concubine Dou with a smile and instructed: "For Luo Hu's happy expedition, you also have to give a few words to Fei Zhen'e." ”

"The concubine is the order!"

A palace maid came in, knelt down and said, "Emperor Qiqi, Fei Zhen'e has already left the Youshun Gate, and she will be there soon!"

Concubine Dou's face was overjoyed, and she sighed in her heart: "It's really an honor for Xiao Fei to receive this special encounter when she got married!"

Fei Zhen'e was accompanied by several palace maids, walked out of the right Shun Gate, and walked towards the Jinshui Bridge outside the Wuying Gate. She looked up at the open Xihua Gate, which was guarded by the military academy, and the scenes at dawn on March 19 were vivid in front of her, like a nightmare that had just passed.

What made her most memorable was Wei Qinghui, the palace maid of the Ganqing Palace, and Wu Wanrong of the Kunning Palace, and at this moment, she suddenly thought of their exhaustion, and couldn't help but feel sore in her heart, and said secretly: "Sister Wei, Sister Wu, we are about to meet." ”

Fei Zhen'e entered Wuyingmen, and walked towards Wuyingdian in the company of palace maids, her heart was beating suddenly, and she couldn't guess what Li Zicheng had to say when she summoned her. Every year from spring to early summer, Beijing often has hazy weather and often windy. Fortunately, the weather today is very good, the sun is shining, there is no wind and sand, and it is very warm. But in Fei Zhen'e's feelings, there are bleak scenes everywhere, and she touches the pain of her country everywhere.

Fei Zhen'e guessed what Li Zicheng had to say when she summoned her, and wished that Li Zicheng would regret it temporarily, and would keep her by her side, and choose another palace maid to give to Luo Hu. However, she thought that this was impossible, the wood was already in the boat, and today she was going to marry Luo Hu. After walking the long bluestone rain road, Fei Zhen'e climbed the nine-step white marble steps from the right side and went up to the solemn and quiet Danqi.

Wang Ruifen, who was waiting on the Danqi, immediately greeted her, held her hand tightly, smiled all over her face, and whispered: "Tip, congratulations, today is your big day!"

Fei Zhen'e didn't make a sound, and she didn't smile. She understands that Wang Ruifen treats her very well and really cares about her, but she doesn't understand that Wang Ruifen was originally the personal palace maid of Tianhuang Guifei. The housekeeper of Chenggan Palace, who was deeply favored by the royal family, did not follow Wei Qinghui and Wu Wanrong to the end of the festival when she died in the country, but became a celebrity around the traitor Li Zicheng.

She didn't hate Wang Ruifen, but sighed in her heart: "Alas, good sister, I didn't know that we were not people on the same road after the death of the country." ”

Wang Ruifen left the other palace maids on the Danqi, took Fei Zhen'e into the Wuying Hall alone, and turned into the Xinuan Pavilion, so that the Fei Palace people stopped for the time being, she walked into the innermost room by herself, bowed to Li Zicheng and said: "Emperor Qi, Fei Zhen'e is here." ”

Li Zicheng whispered, "Call her in!"

Wang Ruifen brought Fei Zhen'e into the inner suite of the warm pavilion. Fei Zhen'e knelt down on the yellow satin mat about three feet away in front of Li Zicheng and kowtowed. Wang Ruifen asked Fei Zhen'e to kowtow to her mother. Fei Shi turned around on the worship mat, kowtowed to Dou Niangniang, turned his body back, and faced Li Zicheng, couldn't help but look up, and then lowered his head again, waiting for the word.

Since March 19, she has only waited for the death of generosity, so she has no fear at the moment, and secretly thinks in her heart: "This is the last time I will see you, the leader of all evil thieves who killed my Ming Dynasty and forced my emperor to commit suicide, and I hate you for not leaving me by your side." ”

Li Zicheng said with a smile: "Fei Zhen'e, because you have outstanding appearance, literary talent, and are known as a female talent in the palace, I am especially kind to you, and I look at each other everywhere, and you naturally understand in your heart." I will personally choose a son-in-law for you, and I will give you a marriage match, and today you will leave the deep palace and marry my beloved general, General Xinfengtong Guan Boluohu. ”

"Luo Hu is only twenty-one years old, and he is already a meritorious person. He likes to read, has both civil and military skills, manages the army well, and has the style of an ancient famous general. In the future, it will be a brilliant career, and it is not difficult to have the hope of a prince. As the saying goes, the husband is honored and the wife is expensive, I only hope that you can be his virtuous helper, make meritorious contributions to the husband, and grow old together in the future, with children and grandchildren, and the shadow and future generations, and go down in history. ”

After Li Zicheng finished saying these words, seeing that Fei Zhen'e was silent, he immediately looked around at the palace maids on the left and right, and motioned to Concubine Dou to speak with his eyes.

Dou Meiyi said: "Zhen'e, the emperor has all the opportunities, and the eastward crusade is imminent, today before you get married, I will summon you to come and tell you sincerely." When a palace person marries, he is so blessed by heaven and saints, and it is rare for him to occupy himself. You should deeply understand the holy heart, make meritorious contributions to your husband, and report to the emperor's grace. ”

Fei Zhen'e remained silent. In the past two days, she heard that there was going to be a war, and at this moment, she knew that Li Zicheng was going to go east, and guessed that it must be Wu Sangui who advocated righteousness and begged thieves in Shanhaiguan, and she couldn't help but feel happy in her heart.

Li Zicheng asked Wang Ruifen: "Are all Fei Zhen'e's dowry things ready?"

Wang Ruifen knelt down and replied: "Back to the emperor, Dou Niangniang was worried that the palace maids in Shouning Palace were not doing well, so she ordered the slaves and maids to go and see the preparations in person. Zhen'e is still young, only seventeen years old, and she is not used to packing things in the palace. Fortunately, General Wu Ruyi selected four palace maids from Shouning and Kunning Palace as Zhen'e's maidservants to marry, and Luo Fu would choose a son-in-law for them to marry in the future. ”

"There is an older palace maid of Kunning Palace, named Li Chunlan, twenty-eight years old this year, more sensible, so he ordered her to be the head of the maid in the dowry, similar to the housekeeper in the palace, all the things that Fei Zhen'e dowry, including gold and silver, jewelry, and all kinds of jewelry, are handed over to her to take care of by herself. She took the slave maid to look at Zhen'e's dowry and sorted it out in an orderly manner. There is a small suitcase, in addition to containing the four treasures of Zhen'e's commonly used study, a few copybooks, as well as rulers, scissors, commonly used small scissors and a pair of bright scissors for cutting clothes. ”

She smiled unconsciously and added: "It's really a thoughtful marriage!"

Li Zicheng also found it interesting, and asked with a smile: "A big pair of scissors? Fei Zhen'e, as soon as you get married, you will be a countess, do you still need to do it yourself?"

Fei Zhen'e's heart was shocked, but she was calm as usual, and immediately replied according to the prepared words: "The slave and maid grew up in the deep palace, learned the ancient precepts at an early age, and knew that no matter whether a woman is rich or poor, she must speak of three virtues and four virtues, and the four virtues are virtue, speech, tolerance, and work. Even if the slave and maid are countesses in the future, there are groups of servants and maids, and they can't help but pay attention to the word female red, so they bring two large and small scissors with the dowry. ”

When Li Zicheng heard this, he was very satisfied, and looked at Concubine Dou with a smile. Dou Meiyi couldn't wait to see the emperor smile again in the past few days, and hurriedly said to Fei Zhen'e: "You really know how to read and reason, live up to the holy family's grasp, and give marriage match." When you go to Tongguan Bofu, you will definitely be considerate of your husband, filial piety to your mother-in-law, have more noble children, and live a long life. ”

Li Zicheng continued: "Soon, when Luo Hu makes another meritorious service in the Eastern Crusade, I will reward him with another reward, and I will also award you as Mrs. Command." ”

Wang Ruifen stood aside and hurriedly said, "Fei Zhen'e is grateful, Shanhu!"

Fei Zhen'e kowtowed, but did not call. Wang Ruifen reminded again: "Mountain call!"

Fei Zhen'e didn't shout again, and she was silent. Dou Meiyi smiled and whispered to Li Zicheng: "Because it is mentioned about marriage, Fei Zhen'e is a little shy, only kowtows, and there is no mountain call. Please don't blame Your Majesty. ”

Li Zicheng seemed very reasonable, smiled lightly, nodded again, and said to Fei Zhen'e: "I know that since you entered the palace at the age of seven, you haven't seen your parents and family again. Wait for Luo Hu's victorious expedition to the east, send someone to your hometown, visit the whereabouts of your parents and family, and pick them up to come to Beijing to share the glory and wealth. ”

Wang Ruifen said on the side: "Fei Zhen'e, hurry up and thank you!"

Fei Zhen'e followed the rules of the palace and kowtowed to thank her. She burst into tears and said in her heart: Even if her parents are still in the world, it will be difficult to see each other again in this life.

Li Zicheng said to Wang Ruifen: "Send her back to Shouning Palace, she will leave the palace soon." Tell the men and women who marry to serve with care. ”

Fei Zhen'e kowtowed to Li Zicheng, and then kowtowed to Dou Meiyi, and then Wang Ruifen sent her out of Wuying Palace, and then accompanied by the four palace maids who came with her, and returned to Shouning Palace. When she walked across the Jinshui Bridge outside Wuying Gate, she paused for a moment, and looked at Xihua Gate again, the scene of dawn on March 19 appeared in front of her eyes again, and she sighed in her heart: "It's been twenty days!"

After Fei Zhen'e returned to Shouning Palace, after a short rest, a group of eunuchs arranged by Wu Ruyi sent her dowry to a place prepared for her in Beichizi, where she would take a sedan chair and carry it to her mother-in-law's house. Unlike a folk woman, she did not have all kinds of red lacquer furniture, no new embroidered silk bedding and pillows, and no various household utensils in her dowry.

After all, Fei is a lone palace person, and he has no maiden family or relatives in Beijing, so everything is prepared by the Earl's Palace. There were only four pieces of her dowry, two were suitcases containing soft dresses and gold and silver, one was a lacquer inlaid snail and gold mirror, and the other was a small box containing the four treasures of the study and the belongings of the female workers. The noble lady who called Bainuo was thinking about the female workers in the three from the four virtues.

Before noon, Fei Zhen'e's dowry set off from the temporary hotel in Shanbei Chizi, led by drum music, escorted by soldiers, and carried to Tongguanbo Mansion in the east chief of Goldfish Hutong. Passing by, many people along the street, men, women and children, stood on the street and watched. Although her dowry is very small, unlike the young lady of a rich family who goes out of the cabinet, there are hundreds of dowry things, in the sound of drums, bustling, filling the long street, very lively, but also enviable. But the people all know that this is the marriage match given by the new emperor, and the son-in-law is the founder of the Dashun Dynasty, who is in his early twenties, has been knighted, and has a bright future.

There were many women who watched the excitement and sighed in their hearts: "This Feigong person, Bazi'er is really well-born, I heard that he is only seventeen years old, and he fell into the nest of happiness as soon as he left the palace, and he enjoyed endless glory and wealth." ”

At noon, Fei Zhen'e rested in the temporary hotel in Beichizi, in addition to the four palace maids who accompanied her out of the palace, there were also male and female slaves arranged by Wu Ruyi for Tongguanbo's mansion, and some of them came here to wait temporarily. There are many soldiers guarding the outside of the house, and idlers are forbidden to approach. Although the chefs arranged an exquisite lunch for the people of Fei Palace, she ate very little, and only asked for a small bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup to drink.

The four palace maids brought out of the palace all served left and right, and did not persuade her to eat more. Everyone understands that a palace maid with status like her is not comparable to an ordinary rough palace maid, and she eats very little, and everyone has heard since childhood before being elected to the palace that the folk married daughter, the bride does not eat or drink water on the first day, so as not to get the groom's family to urinate and urinate in a hurry, which makes people laugh. However, they didn't know that the reason why Fei Zhen'e ate very little at lunch, in addition to the above reasons, was because she was so distracted that she didn't think for a moment that she was going to be generous to her Emperor and Empress tonight, and blood was splattered in the cave room.

Fei Zhen'e and her four palace maids have been crying goodbye to their parents and family since they were about ten years old and entered the palace, and now some have been closed in the palace for ten years, and some have been closed for more than ten years. Today, for the first time, they left the majestic palace and walked out of the heavily guarded Forbidden City. From now on, these four palace maids can meet their parents and families, and they can choose a good marriage match among the people, so they are very grateful to Fei Zhen'e in their hearts.

If it weren't for the fact that Zhen'e usually has more affection for them and would not choose them to marry, they would still be closed in the deep palace, and their fate would be uncertain in the future. Because of their gratitude and loyalty to Fei Zhen'e, they took turns to serve Fei Zhen'e, so that the maids and maids from the Earl's Court would not disturb the bride's rest and recuperation.