Dugu Shao made an excuse and strode out.

When there were only two of us left in the room, I suddenly had a plan again and asked Cui Mingde: "Erniang, would you like to play another game?"

She didn't say anything, only silently held the dice in her hand, I stopped her and said, "I'll come first, the crickets barked all night last night, and people couldn't sleep, and now they don't have any energy, you let me let me." ”

She handed me the dice, and I made a random move, watching her walk - her face was calm, as if nothing had happened just now, and she was still sharp at the beginning of the race, but after a dozen steps, she gradually began to think about it, and I left a few empty doors for her, and she missed a place, and I turned defeat into victory in the end, and threw the chess and said: "I can't concentrate either, I lost this game." ”

I saw that she admitted it so quickly, but I didn't know how to deal with it, and after a moment of silence, Fang smiled and said, "Erniang is not afraid that I will publicize this matter, and damage your reputation of the Qinghe Cui clan?"

Cui Mingde said: "Erniang is not afraid that I will publicize the matter between you and Wei Si and damage Wei Si's life?"

I am not as calm as her, so I immediately leaned forward and said hatefully: "You dare!" As soon as the words came out, he knew that he had fallen behind, and simply said viciously: "Do you believe it or not, as long as I want to, I can destroy you Cui Qiao and a room at will." ”

Her face remained unchanged, she picked up the teacup, took a sip of herself, and said: "If Erniang really has this thought, she can fabricate charges, slander the imperial front, and cause me Cui's crime, Zhongke can instruct her subordinates, invade my clan property, destroy the foundation of my body, and act in a pretentious manner, mobilize government soldiers, and attack my house by force, Erniang is a princess, not to mention destroying my house, it is not difficult to destroy my family-just look at how far Er Niang is willing to do for Wei Huan." ”

She was actually testing me again, and I had fallen into her trap and exposed all the importance I attached to Wei Huan. I clenched my fists in annoyance, lowered my voice, and said like a remedy: "You have to be careful when you speak, what kind of pretension, what kind of armed attack, this is what a subordinate should say?"

She smiled lightly and put down the teacup: "Dugu Shao always thinks that I don't speak straightforwardly, I will simply be completely straightforward once today, Dugu Shao likes me, that's her business, and it has nothing to do with my Cui family." Don't say that this matter is just a child playing, but in the end she got married, gave birth to a son to inherit the family business, it will naturally disappear, clear traces, even if this matter attracts the attention of scholars, there are many discussions, that is also her Dugu's fault, I Cui's unprovoked involvement, I am afraid that not only will not damage the reputation, but will attract a lot of sympathy, if handled properly, maybe it can also end up with a generous name. Between Erniang and Wei Huan, it is different. Erniang is the only daughter of His Majesty, this matter is out, at most a few words of scolding, the heaviest is to cut some closures, with the favor of the two Majesties to Erniang, after a while, this closure is only afraid that it will be doubled back. Wei Huan seduces the princess - Erniang, don't worry, whether you like her or she likes you, in the end, it will only be her who seduces you, this is the heart of parents in the world, there is no reason to talk about - once it is known by His Majesty, what will happen to her, I don't need to say it? Not to mention that she is still the future crown princess, as soon as this incident comes out, her family has no hope of soaring, and under the hatred, what will happen to her and Wei Wusheng, I don't need to say more?"

I sank my face: "I thought that you and Dugu Shao were friendly to me, and you were counting on me to seek refuge with your mother, but it turned out to be not? Or do you think that you have entered the palace and don't need me anymore?"

Cui Mingde said: "Erniang misunderstood, I specially said it so bluntly, not to persecute Erniang, but to show Erniang my sincerity." ”

I raised my eyebrows to look at her, and she smiled and said: "My Cui family has been a famous family since Hanxing, which has lasted for thousands of years, and has been talented from generation to generation. It's a pity that to the first Sui to the present, the Son of Heaven suppressed my clan, collected my land, forbade the marriage of the scholars, redefined the clan rank, tired Ye Ling late, as for the present dynasty, although especially since the old land, false reputation, but it is a decline has been revealed, if you don't try, I am afraid that a hundred years later, the clan chronicles, there is no name of Cui, the grandfather wants to make the children out of office, famous in the time, revitalize the family reputation, and the important officials of the dynasty, more use of honors, even if the scholars have a name, but also according to the Qing and do not want the position, vanity outside, it is not beneficial, if it is a Qing official, but not the Son of Heaven is trustworthy and can not get. ”

Now the light crown and the surname, the big clan is proud of its identity, even if it is poor, but also self-respecting identity, never willing to say that they have declined, and the world also admires the scholar family, even Wei Zheng and the like, are competing with the scholar family for marriage, a certain prime minister of Taizong even said that he only wants to marry a wife with five surnames in his life, I thought Cui Mingde's family also had this view, now it seems that her grandfather is very discerning, knowing that the new dynasty has been decided, the world is peaceful, if you do not rely on the court, generation after generation, sooner or later will decline and decline, rather than become a third-rate dress, it is better to take the initiative to take the initiative, first for the children to seek an official body, and then talk about the position- But if this is the case, why did he refuse the prince's marriage at that time? With the current patriarchal atmosphere, wouldn't it be much better to attach to a prince with real power than to a princess with no power? Not to mention that the prince was still the prince at that time, and as long as the Cui family agreed to marry his daughter, he would be tied to the same boat with the prince, and the whole country would be in solidarity from now on, which was the great wealth of heaven - of course, now that the prince has been deposed... The crown prince was deposed...

I suddenly looked up at Cui Mingde, she seemed to see through my thoughts, and said quite self-assuredly: "When the edict was issued, my grandfather was uncertain, and I tried to stop this. ”

I gasped: "I don't believe it, how old were you at the time, thirteen or fourteen, and your grandfather was willing to listen to your little girl's opinion and gamble on family fortune?"

She asked rhetorically: "Erniang is fourteen this year, isn't she also well aware of things, far better than your brothers?"

I know that although she has always been arrogant, but by no means a rebellious person, since she said it so firmly, most of this matter is true, I was shocked in my heart, and I felt that people like her, saying that I 'know things well', I don't know whether it is a sincere compliment, or deliberately derogatory, thinking about it, Fang pretended to be smiling and said: "You say this, it seems that your Cui family has taken a fancy to me and wants to join me, I am just a female junior, neither the patriarch of the clan, nor farsighted, but I can't afford the honor and disgrace of these many people." And since you can enter your mother's eyes, most of the family has already offered their sincerity to their mother, so you don't need to talk to me, a little princess, about these court things. ”

Cui Mingde said: "The queen of heaven is the queen of heaven, and the princess is the princess." Grandfather is willing to serve the queen, but I am willing to serve the princess, don't you think Erniang thinks it's good?"

I looked at her deeply: "Cui Zhixun and a few of his brothers are friendly with Liulang, your grandfather took refuge with your mother, and now you come to talk to me again, your family is very safe." It's just that even me is included, isn't it too cautious?"

Cui Mingde glanced at me with a little surprise, and there was a slight hint of appreciation in his voice: "Erniang is really smart, I don't hide it from Erniang, although the big family has the same origin and ancestry, from a clan, but after all, everyone has their own ambitions and preferences, not to mention that I am a woman, in the harem, under the princess, is it very reasonable?"

Cui Mingde said it very reasonably, but I always felt that something was wrong, and looked her carefully, up and down, and suddenly realized that something was wrong - for example, if I want to be good friends with Wei Huan, that is to go with the flow and get better, there is no way for me to run over and say "we want to be good", and then from then on the truth of friendship, I asked her to do things, she planned for me, one and two, you come and go, everyone just walked to the same boat, tacitly. Like her, she ran and said directly, just like I used to ask Wei Huan "Are we friends", too deliberately, I was young and enthusiastic at that time, and I was impulsive but not brainy, how could a person like Cui Mingde do such a thing?

I stared at Cui Mingde, she also stared at me, we looked at each other for a long time, and I spoke first: "You specially said so much to me, but you didn't say what you could do for me, and you didn't say what you asked for. ”

She smiled deeply and said: "Now is an eventful season, the queen of heaven has been in power for decades, and she is in the prime of life, and she will not lose her authority lightly." Although the prince is young and does not experience the world, he has many old ministers to assist, and occupies the righteousness of the law, once the country has something, the court situation will inevitably be chaotic, Erniang is the only daughter of the queen of heaven, and the prince is also a sister of Erniang, although it is a woman, it is difficult to ensure that he will not be involved, people like me can always be used. ”

Although there are many people serving around me, there are almost no people who can be used and can discuss countermeasures in case of trouble, I am actually very moved, and I only said on my face: "You also said that I am my mother's only daughter, and the prince stops my sister, and then I am involved in it, it's a big deal that I don't want to throw away this household Juelu and become a Taoist aunt, can they really help me?"

Cui Mingde said: "Erniang is from a noble background, as long as she doesn't make a big deal and is rich and honorable, it is naturally not difficult." But Wei Huan chose the crown princess with a humble body, he had to be filial to the queen of heaven, and he had to be obedient to the prince, on the one hand, he was a family, and on the other hand, he was a husband, but he didn't know how to be embarrassed at that time?"

I was already a little alert, and I refused to show a very concerned appearance, and raised my chin and said: "Since she is married to the crown princess, she is the prince's person, what does it have to do with me? (Jin ↑ Jiang exclusive)

Cui Mingde said: "If Erniang really doesn't want to, Mingde won't be reluctant." As he spoke, he sat back and drank her tea.

I was a little embarrassed at this time, touched my head, and said, "What do you want to ask for when you want to take refuge in me?" Tell me, if what you ask for is not too much, I don't care if one or two more people usually talk about it. ”

Cui Mingde smiled faintly and said: "If the situation is too much, not only will it endanger Erniang, but also a female official like us who serves in front of the palace, I am afraid that it will be difficult to sit and watch the other side, and I hope that Erniang will pay more attention and help each other." ”

I wondered why Cui Mingde was so straightforward, and when I heard the words "help each other," I realized: Her confession today not only blocked up many of my suspicions in the future, but also how many exchanges between us in the future were just the words "help each other" that were said in advance! I am respectful, she is humble, and we say "help each other" , In fact, most of the time I helped her more, let her describe it like this, but it was not that she received my favor, but the meaning of mutual equality and friendship, and it was really the orthodoxy of the family. (. Just Love)