The guards hurried to lead the way in front.

Ma Xiuying pulled the angry Zhu Yuanzhang and persuaded him again and again: "Today's festival is rare for the emperor to have fun with the people, if there are really any bad remarks, please ask the emperor to deal with it in a low-key manner, don't disturb the people, after all, most of the people are towards you and support you, why destroy such a prosperous and peaceful atmosphere for a few people." ”

She had to give Zhu Yuanzhang a vaccination in advance, in case Zhu Yuanzhang was angry and ordered another river of blood, I was afraid that the people would not dare to celebrate the Lantern Festival in the future.

Zhu Yuanzhang hummed noncommittally, although he was dissatisfied, he was not as tense as he was just now.

Everyone came to the crowd to discuss, this is a lantern riddle stall. The lanterns are hung high, and there are many lantern riddles pasted on them, which are full of pictures and texts, attracting countless people to watch and guess.

This kind of activity has a long history and is a special activity of the Lantern Festival that has been spread since ancient times. The stall owner writes the riddle on a slip of paper and sticks it on the colorful lanterns for people to guess. This kind of game can not only enlighten wisdom but also cater to the festive atmosphere, so there are many people who respond to participate, and the three layers inside and outside are full of people, and the stall owners have to remind everyone to step back from time to time, so that a certain amount of space can be used by people behind to see the riddles.

One of the lotus lanterns has paintings and words on it. The painting shows a woman with bare feet and a large watermelon in her arms. Next to it is an anagram poem: "Women sleep together, two side by side, people carry flat burdens, and the moon goes to the ears - guess a character." ”

A scholar named Wang Yong, who entered Beijing to take the exam, immediately replied: "It should be Queen Ma." ”

The stall owner immediately handed over the lotus lantern, "Congratulations to this scholar for answering correctly, you take it." ”

The scholars who traveled with him asked why this was the answer.

Wang Yong explained: "It is 'good' for women to sleep together, two are 'double' side by side, people are 'big' when they pick up flat shoulders, and the three words of moon and ear are combined to be 'feet' - the four characters are connected, and the riddle is 'good pair of big feet'." Embrace watermelon homonym 'Huaixi'. I heard that Queen Ma is a pair of big feet, and her ancestral home is Huaixi. ”

Some local people immediately thought of the rumors that had been circulating in the market two years ago, and the emperor had been imprisoned for this matter, and these smart people immediately left the lantern riddle stall silently.

Wang Yong didn't know that there had been a literary prison in the capital, and he still sighed to his companions: "I heard that Queen Ma is virtuous and virtuous, but it's a pity that a pair of big feet are shortcoming. ”

Foot binding began in the late Northern Song Dynasty, arose in the Southern Song Dynasty, after the Yuan Dynasty was overthrown, the world in order to restore the Han tradition, the bad habit also carried forward, so that the wind of foot binding in the Ming Dynasty was particularly prosperous, women do not take foot binding as beauty, like Ma Xiuying's big feet have become a flaw.

The companion said: "I heard that Queen Ma was born a commoner and lost her parents at an early age, so she didn't bind her feet. ”

A young man who was full of alcohol laughed when he heard this: "Queen Ma's feet must have broken the bow shoes embroidery, and I don't know what the emperor feels like when he plays with it." ”

A group of young men beside him who rubbed grease and powdered echoed: "Widow Zhao in Nanxiang is also a pair of big feet, big brother will know if you touch it." ”

Wang Yong reprimanded angrily, "Brother Tai is cautious, how can others compare with Queen Ma? ”

The man said stupidly: "Who doesn't know that you literati like the three-inch golden lotus the most, and what kind of poems are inscribed by people who are glamorous and soul-stricken, this will be a false and serious matter." ”

Wang Yong and his companions glared at the man.

The man glared, "What?" Not convinced? I can't see you dog-like guys. Lao Tzu said what happened to the queen, and Lao Tzu also said that the emperor was there. ”

The group of teenagers coaxed: "Big brother, beat these two blind guys to death." ”

The lantern riddle stall owner, who was originally smiling and paying attention to the situation, hurriedly persuaded a few people, but was slapped to the ground by the man.

Wang Yong and his companions knew that they couldn't afford to provoke this group of ruffians, so they took the lotus lantern and wanted to leave. However, when it was too late to leave at this time, the man and the teenagers surrounded them, and when they were about to start, several big men suddenly appeared and controlled the man, the teenagers, Wang Yong and his companions, and the lantern riddle stall owner.

Wang Yong shouted to the person who captured him: "Who are you, and why are you arresting me and my companions? ”

The man snorted with wine, and shouted at the big man who held him: "Do you know who I am, dare to arrest your uncle." ”

The big men showed their waist cards and said coldly: "Patrol the city and handle the case." Wait for the queen's capital crime! ”

Wang Yong shouted: "We don't have it!" ”

The man woke up most of the time, "General, if you have something to say, I am Yang ......"

"Take it away!" The big man slapped the corner of the man's mouth and bleed, and the soldiers escorted Wang Yong and the others away, not giving them a chance to defend themselves at all.

The people who watched the excitement suddenly fled in shock, and the lantern riddle stall was smashed to pieces, leaving only Zhu Yuanzhang and his party at the scene.

Ma Xiuying complained bitterly, and only told Zhu Yuanzhang, but forgot the government personnel who followed behind, they saw the emperor and queen being humiliated, so they naturally couldn't turn a blind eye.

After this incident, everyone was not in the mood to stay and returned to the palace unhappy.

Ma Xiuying asked her three sons to go down to rest and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "It's because the concubine is not in good health, and the emperor's reputation has been damaged." If the concubine didn't propose to leave the palace, these things wouldn't have happened. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at her and said sullenly: "You're right, it was I who didn't protect you and made you feel wronged." ”

Ma Xiuying shook her head, "The emperor gave the concubine the title of queen, and the parents of the quasi-concubine deserve to enjoy the Taimiao, and also set up a standard as the prince." The emperor has given the concubine an incomparable glory in her life, the emperor is not sorry for the concubine, and the concubine does not feel wronged. The concubine begged the emperor not to kill people on the day of the festival. Although those people were disrespectful to the emperor, they did not sin unto death. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang refused: "No, what they say is unbearable, and the sin is unforgivable." ”

"But the two scholars did not humiliate the concubine, and the stall owner was also innocent."

"Innocent? If it weren't for the lotus lantern hung by the stall owner who guessed it, how could these things have been triggered? You are just too soft-hearted to make these untouchables lawless. The year before last, I was going to punish those who criticized you, and you dissuaded me, but this time I can't rely on you, and I can't vent the hatred in my heart if I don't kill them. ”

"The emperor killed them can only deter them for a while, but it can't put an end to the people's leisurely mouth."

Zhu Yuanzhang said arrogantly: "I don't care, but if I find one, kill one." ”

Ma Xiuying was so anxious that tears welled up, "Does the emperor want to kill everyone in the world or let the concubine bear the infamy of a thousand husbands?" Even if the concubine body is scolded by tens of millions of people, it doesn't matter, but the concubine body can't let the emperor fall into the reputation of indiscriminate killing, and is said to be a faint king. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang was moved, if the other concubines were humiliated, they would definitely cry and ask him to avenge them, Ma Xiuying was humiliated, and the first thing that came to mind when Ma Xiuying was humiliated was not himself but his reputation. This woman who thinks about him with all her heart! How did he get her heart? Wiping away Ma Xiuying's tears, he said softly: "I promise you not to kill innocents indiscriminately, but those ruffians who humiliated you can't let go." ”

"Emperor Xie agreed to the concubine's request," Ma Xiuying's tears have not dried, her eyebrows are already cold, she can not care about what others say about herself, but she must not tolerate others stepping on Zhu Yuanzhang's head, "Those ruffians even dare to say that the emperor should indeed be killed!" ”

Seeing Ma Xiuying maintain her appearance like a cow guarding a calf, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a sour feeling in his heart, he didn't know how to describe his mood, but he knew that he couldn't live up to Ma Xiuying in his life.