King Anjun, who was angrily scolded by Lu Xian, stayed in the palace for a longer time today. Everyone said that he was here to visit the Queen Mother, but in fact, many people knew that he was talking to the emperor.

But too. The king of Anjun is the leader in the fight against the epidemic, and now that the Jiang family has been rewarded, and the doctors and officials who have contributed to the bottom have also been rewarded, so what to give the king of Anjun?

Gold and silver jewelry? The dignified county king should not lack this. That official position? I'm sorry, the emperor didn't want to give.

In fact, everyone knows that at that time, Zhu mentioned that the king of Anjun would preside over the treatment of the epidemic, just wishing that something would happen to him in the epidemic area. Now that people haven't come out with anything, and they have made meritorious contributions, but you don't want to give anything, where is this? So, the Emperor had to leave people behind, so that he could fool around—oh no, to soothe them.

As for the final result? According to internal information, Zhu someone, who recommended King Anjun, is probably going to be released. He offended King Anjun, so it was better to go out and avoid it. Otherwise, King Anjun made such a big effort but couldn't get any benefits, so he couldn't go to him to settle accounts?

This was all the tone that Eunuch Du leaked out when he accidentally talked to the little apprentices, and then the news flew to Shouxian Palace like a long leg.

The queen mother was in good spirits at this time, lying on the bed for several days with sore bones, supported by the palace people and walking a few steps in the palace, she was crooked on the pillow and listened to the queen.

"The emperor didn't let the Jiang family make a court judgment, he must be reluctant to let her come on an errand! Queen Mother, most of the emperor has taken a fancy to her! ”

Although the Queen Mother was in good spirits, she didn't have the strength to talk to her, so she just glanced at it. Qingyu can almost know what the Queen Mother is thinking: let the Jiang family judge you that the emperor wants her to enter the palace, and if you don't let her, you say that you are reluctant to let her be an errand, everything has been said by you, and let others say anything? What's more, the Jiang family just saved the life of the Queen Mother, so you can forget about it now?

At this time, what Eunuch Du said had been passed on, and the queen finally put aside Taohua's matter for the time being, and breathed a sigh of relief: "I didn't give him a reward, the emperor did a good job!" ”

The Queen Mother said to Qingyu: "Ask someone to ask the elder Ge, where does Zhu Sicheng want to go out?" ”

It's a bit suspicious. Qingyu hurriedly responded, turned around and gave the order, and whispered: "The slave maid heard that the affairs in the Huimin Pharmacy can have something to do with Zhu Sicheng, and he has a nephew who is running errands in it." "Although he is just a small official, he can usually follow Shangguan to get some oil and water.

The Queen Mother sighed: "I see. If so, it's better to go out of Beijing and avoid it. After thinking about it, he asked, "Is it a demode, or what?" ”

The person who sent the news hurriedly replied: "I heard that it is a flat tune." "Pingtuo, it doesn't seem to be a demotion to an official, but the Beijing official's leveling of foreign officials is actually equivalent to a half-level demotion.

The Queen Mother couldn't help but sigh again: "What's going on, why are there a series of accidents this year, and it's always involving our people?" ”

The queen said disdainfully: "It's not all the fourth child!" The queen mother doesn't have to worry, there are a lot of us in the world, and the officialdom is not all like that, who doesn't make a little money. It's just a matter of making a show first, and then transferring it back in a few years. ”

The Queen Mother thought about it, so she said: "He is still with the emperor?" ”

The person below knew who she was asking, and replied, "Yes." I heard that the emperor is still appeasing ......"

The Queen Mother frowned and said, "Tomorrow, I invited the old lady to come, and asked her to pick a clever girl from the side branches and be a side concubine for King Anjun." ”

The queen's eyes suddenly widened: "Queen Mother! How can the girls of our family be concubines! ”

"It's just a sideline." The Queen Mother said impatiently, "Do you have your blessing when everyone of them has you?" Being able to be a side concubine is already hard to ask for. Besides, there must be a ventilator in the house. I'm looking at the events of these days—he's not like he was when he first entered the capital......"

Although the queen understood, she felt uncomfortable thinking of letting the daughter of the Yu family be a concubine for Shen Shu, and finally snorted coldly and muttered: "He has a big face......

Shen Shu, who had a big face, was talking to the emperor in the Mingguang Palace, and the emperor looked quite pleasant, not like he was struggling to appease anything: "The reward I gave to the Jiang family today, do you think it's okay?" Originally, I wanted to give Jiang Xi a real job, but listening to him play correctly, I knew that he was too honest and not suitable to be an official. ”

Shen Shu nodded and said, "What the emperor said is true." However, the younger brother also wanted to ask for another favor for the Jiang family. ”

"Oh?" The Emperor raised his eyebrows, "What more favor do you ask for her?" After all, she is a woman, and this official position is not easy to give. What's more, she was given an official position, and when she entered the palace on an errand, she had to be tortured by the queen. ”

Shen Shu smiled: "Brother Chen knows." The younger brother just thought that if she had a family she liked in the future, could she ask the emperor to give her a pair of Ruyi as a dowry, and no one would dare to despise her. ”

The emperor was a little surprised: "I still ask you to be a side concubine." ”

Shen Shu smiled: "What kind of grace is it to be a side concubine?" ”

"Why doesn't it count?" The emperor's eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly, "Although she has merit, after all, she is from a lower background. The concubine of the county king is a four-rank seal, that is, the daughter of the Yu family, and she may not be able to get it in the future. ”

"The side concubine is also a concubine, and she is not allowed to wear red. Children are not allowed to succeed to orthodoxy. Shen Shu snorted, "The emperor also said just now, although she is from a low background, she has the ability to make meritorious contributions, how can she be greedy for the title of these four products and become a concubine?" If it weren't for the fact that a woman couldn't be an official, wouldn't she have been able to earn the court judgment of the sixth grade by herself? ”

The last sentence was said playfully, and the emperor also smiled: "Yes...... Once a concubine, it will never be orthodox, no wonder they can't tolerate ......"

His voice became smaller and quieter, and he didn't even hear Shen Shu clearly in the last sentence, he only felt that what he said didn't seem to be Taohua's business, and looked at him with a little puzzlement.

The emperor straightened his expression and started a new topic: "Has the matter of the Cui family been clarified?" ”

Shen Shu shook his head: "The epidemic was sudden, and I didn't find a chance to let people diagnose her pulse." It is not accurate to rely on what Na Langzhong said. The younger brother has checked it, and she has met people several times in the place of teahouses and restaurants, and she has not stayed for a long time...... "Speaking of which, it doesn't seem to be enough time to turn the phoenix upside down."

"What's more, the younger brother always feels that no matter how bold the Cui family is, he doesn't dare to do this. It's going to hurt her whole family. ”

The emperor frowned: "If that's the case, it's really not easy to do." If she comes hard, it's just that she is really pregnant, in case Na Lang is misdiagnosed, things will be big. When the time comes, the Cui family will be offended in vain, and the Queen Mother is afraid that there will be trouble. ”

Shen Shu smiled: "Isn't there still a few days, and the younger brother will find a way." ”

The emperor sighed: "At the beginning, my father felt that the daughter of the Cui family knew how to make needlework for her father at a young age, and she must be a good wife and mother when she grew up, so this is set for you." Who knew that people's hearts were so fickle...... Counting the days, Cui Jimin should also come to Beijing, this is a shrewd person, I'm afraid that it will be difficult for him to start, so he should hurry up. He paused for a moment, and then slowly added, "I hope that this matter can still be resolved privately, so as not to let the Cui family lose face......"

When he said this, he couldn't help but laugh at himself a little in his heart: The dignified emperor, now he has to win over this one, and that one doesn't dare to offend, and he is afraid that he won't laugh at his big teeth when he says it? However, the first emperor's favorite concubine was killed, and he also had to swallow his anger, and the two generations of father and son had such similar circumstances.

Cui Jimin, the prefect of Fuzhou, who was said by the emperor to "should also enter Beijing", has actually entered the capital now, wearing an inconspicuous casual clothes, and entering Cui's house with a small servant.

As soon as he entered the door, Mrs. Cui greeted him with tears in her eyes: "The master is finally here." ”

"What about the wicked girl? Can you find it? "Governor Cui can't say much, that's what he said.

Mrs. Cui cried with a whimper: "No...... That day, there was chaos in the palace, Cheng Enbo was sick, and there was an epidemic outside, and when I found out, no one knew how long they had been gone...... Jing'er is looking outside these days, and she doesn't dare to say too clearly...... "You must know how panicked she was when she asked the maids around her to pretend to be Cui Xiuwan and hide in the carriage on the way back to the capital, but fortunately, there was chaos in the palace, so no one paid attention to their mother and daughter, and they never showed flaws."

Governor Cui interrupted her angrily: "You don't care if Enbo is sick or not, and the epidemic outside can't spread to you, what's the panic!" Go to the palace with the car, you can't even look at your daughter, what are you doing in the palace! ”

Mrs. Cui's background was better than that of Governor Cui, and she was born beautiful, and she was loved by her husband. Today, it was the first time to hear such a reprimand, and I felt aggrieved and ashamed, so I couldn't help but cover my face with a handkerchief and cry: "I, I was thinking about ......"

Cui Youwan suddenly came out from behind her and knelt on the ground with a thud: "Father, don't blame the mother, it's all the daughter's fault." Cheng Enbo fell ill, and his daughter was afraid that the Queen Mother would be angry, and she heard that the prince had also been sent to the epidemic area, so she thought about inquiring about the news. Because he was driving, it was difficult to let the people around him move, so he encouraged his mother to go outside...... My sister was sick on the way to the palace, so she rested in the room, and who knew that when she went back in the evening, she would be gone--Father, in short, all the mistakes were the daughter's fault, the daughter should have been in the room with her sister, if that was the case, the sister would not have disappeared. ”

Mrs. Cui pulled Cui Youwan up and cried: "My son, what does this have to do with you!" ”

Governor Cui was full of irritability, and couldn't help roaring: "If it has nothing to do with her, it has nothing to do with you!" You are pregnant by fornication, and your eyes are blind? Let her do this kind of thing right under her nose! ”

Mrs. Cui had a hard time arguing, so she just lowered her head and cried. She was also very puzzled in her heart - she was a married woman, and she had some experience, Cui Xiuwan's appearance and demeanor had never changed from beginning to end, especially after the vomiting illness was cured by Taohua, her spirit was also vigorous, and she did not have that lazy demeanor like a soft muscle, and she didn't look like she had broken her body, how could she be pregnant?

Cui Youwan was beside her and said in a low voice: "It's all that Jiang Taohua!" said that my sister's illness was a depression, and she should go out more to relax, so her mother allowed her sister to go outside from time to time......"

For the first time, Mrs. Cui directly admitted her husband's thunderous anger, and this time it was a real disaster, and she was so panicked that she had nowhere to scratch, when she heard Cui Youwan's words, she said without thinking: "Exactly!" It's the girl of the Jiang family who said that Xiuwan is seriously ill, first vomiting, then coughing, if it is delayed any longer, it will hurt all five organs, and then there will be a small lesion and a big illness, I am afraid that it will linger and be difficult to treat......"

She added fuel and vinegar to say something, and finally wept and said: "I'm just afraid that Xiuwan will really become seriously ill, so I ......"

Cui Youwan took her hand and said, "Mother doesn't know how to medicine, how do I know if what she said is true or false, but I heard that I could cure my sister, so I was busy doing it." ”

Governor Cui became impatient when he heard this, and waved his hand: "What's the use of saying this at this time!" Who exactly did she go with, you don't know? ”

Cui Xiuwan's letter only said that there was another person in mind, and now that the pearl is secretly knotted, she is neither willing nor able to remarry Shen Shu, and implores her parents to try to withdraw from this family affair on her behalf, and after a long time, when this matter is forgotten, she also gave birth to Lin'er, and she will bring her husband and children back to Chenghuan's parents' knees. As for who the sweetheart was, she didn't reveal a word.

Governor Cui also understood. Cui Xiuwan was also limited in going out when she was in Fuzhou, this sweetheart must be someone she had known for a long time, if Cui Xiuwan said his name, she would have a place to go, so how could she be stupid enough to be so stupid? However, it is ridiculously stupid to say that he postponed the marriage and came back with his husband and children in the future.

"This rebel girl! It's a big deal for the whole family! Now what? How do you say! This is a rebellion, a crime of beheading! He was born as a scholar, and he disdained to swear words, but at this moment, he could not express the anger in his heart without scolding, and he circled the room twice, like a brute bull who did not know who to attack, and let out his anger.

Mrs. Cui wiped her tears, sent Cui Youwan out to serve tea, and carefully approached her husband a little closer, and said in a low voice: "Xiuwan's letter has a meaning......

"What?" Governor Cui snatched the letter and swept it through the ten lines at a glance, his expression changed, "Does she want to ask Youwan to marry King Anjun?" ”

"Exactly." At the end of Cui Xiuwan's letter, she gave a Jianyi, and asked the family to say that she was seriously ill and difficult to recover, and in order to comply with the will of the first emperor, she was willing to marry her young daughter to Shen Shu, so that she would still follow the good of Qin and Jin.

"This, this is actually a solution...... Mrs. Cui wiped her tears, "It's just that I've wronged Youwan again." "In the past few days since she entered Beijing, the eldest daughter is either uncomfortable here or uncomfortable there, and she tossed Mrs. Cui enough, and finally came to such a hand. And the youngest daughter is caring and well-behaved, compared with the two, Mrs. Cui finally had to say: "Xiuwan, this child is too ruthless." She left, but asked Youwan to replace her. I don't want to think about it, how old is Youwan this year, King Anjun is seven years older than her, and when Youwan can get married, I'm afraid that King Anjun will even give birth to a child, so how can Youwan deal with herself? ”

She only felt that her eldest daughter treated her broken heart as a donkey's liver and lungs, and she was scolded by her husband, that is, her mother's mind was too broad to stand it, and she couldn't help but blame Cui Xiuwan as she spoke: "After raising her for all these years, she just left, and she didn't want to think about what the family would do." My heart is like feeding the dogs! ”

"That's a good idea." Governor Cui didn't listen to what she said, and said suddenly.

"Huh?" Mrs. Cui raised her head in surprise, "But Youwan is only thirteen ......" In fact, she also knew that this was the only way, but she still felt a little uncomfortable in her heart.

"What is Thirteen afraid of?" Governor Cui didn't care, "King Anjun doesn't have a side concubine now, even if he points to one immediately, it will take half a year to pass through the door at the earliest, and when Youwan marries, she may not be able to give birth." Even if you are born, you are not afraid, just a concubine, as long as you have the means, if you give birth to a son in the future, you will be a concubine, and you are afraid that a concubine will not succeed? ”

"But—" Mrs. Cui still hesitated, "this is too wronged Youwan. Her sister didn't want a family affair, but she ......"

"My daughter is not wronged!" The door was suddenly pushed open, Cui Youwan came in from outside, plopped and knelt on the ground again, "Don't say that King Anjun is of royal blood and has the position of the king of the county, even if he is a pawn on the street, as long as he can save the whole family, his daughter will not feel wronged!" ”

"My son...... "Mrs. Cui hugged her daughter and cried.

Cui Zhifu's eyes lit up: "Okay, good, this is my good daughter!" But this thing must be done cleanly, otherwise it will still be a disaster. ”

Mrs. Cui felt that his eyes were a little scary, and asked, "Yes, how to do it?" ”

Governor Cui took two steps in the house, and said categorically: "I will go to the palace tomorrow to report, our eldest girl died violently, in order to comply with the will of the first emperor, the marriage contract will remain the same, and then you will marry on behalf of Youwan, just wait until you have a round house." ”

When Cui Youwan heard the word Yuanfang, her cheeks and ears were all red, and she lowered her head shyly. Mrs. Cui was dumbfounded: "Violence, violent death? ”

"Nature." Governor Cui glared at her, "If you report a serious illness, how can there be anyone in the palace who doesn't come to check?" People are gone, who are they going to see? Only when people die is insured, they can't open the coffin. ”

Mrs. Cui was stunned. reported the violent death to the palace, which is equivalent to announcing to the world that Cui Xiuwan is dead and no longer exists in this world. As soon as the funeral was done, although Cui Xiuwan herself was still alive, she was no longer Cui Xiuwan and the daughter of the Fuzhou prefect. Don't say anything about bringing her husband and children back to Chenghuan's parents' knees in the future, even now, she will also become a person who came from nowhere, without household registration and no identity, she will be a wandering soul, and she should not be stored in this world at all.

"But, but ......" Mrs. Cui's hands trembled. In the end, it's the daughter she raised from childhood to adulthood! This is simply the way to kill Cui Xiuwan, how is it different from killing her?

Governor Cui's expression was a little hideous: "What else should I do?" Let the palace know that she had an affair with someone and eloped? Do you want her to kill your whole family? If you and I give birth to such an obstacle, it will not hurt if we die. What about the sons and daughters? What about Jing'er and Min'er? ”

Mrs. Cui thought of her two sons, the handsome and capable eldest son and the intelligent and studious younger son, and finally, she nodded heavily.

Governor Cui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Don't worry too much. When this matter passes, I slowly get Xiuwan back, and the excuse is that it is the daughter of a distant relative, which is the same. After thinking about it, he said, "Yinzhu's cheap maid followed her, and there is a silver red, don't let her live, lest she leak the secret!" ”

Mrs. Cui feels that her own daughter is different from the daughter of a distant relative, but what can she say about it now? can only nod Mu Ran: "If you strangle someone to death in silver red, you will say that you committed suicide and martyrdom." Yinzhu -- just say that he is also a martyr. ”

As she spoke, she had nowhere to vent in one breath, and suddenly said angrily: "It's all a good idea from the Jiang family, I can't spare her!" ”

Governor Cui frowned: "When I entered the city, I heard that the Jiang family won a reward?" ”

How could Mrs. Cui have the heart to inquire about this, naturally I don't know. Governor Cui casually nodded: "Go and inquire." He turned around and said to his wife, "Don't blame you, after all, you didn't look at people." And the Jiang family now seems to have a sacred heart, and they must not be taken lightly as an enemy. ”

Not to mention Governor Cui, now the official eunuchs in the entire capital probably know that the Jiang family has a sacred heart. The old lady doctor who resigned early was rewarded with five grades, and the silver of a few hundred taels a year was not counted, the key was this glory. Not to mention that the Jiang family has a white body in the second room, and he has won the title of pharmacist from the emperor's seal, and he is ordered to repair books, and he can transfer money and people everywhere, not to mention, he can not kneel when he sees the officials of the fourth grade.

It must be known that the prefect outside is also the fourth grade, that is to say, when Jiang Xi walked outside the capital, almost no one could let him salute, but those county orders of seven or eight grades or something, but I had to consider whether to salute him.

There are well-informed people who are consciously close to the Jiang family, and they have already come to congratulate today, and it is estimated that there will be more people who will come to congratulate the day after tomorrow. ”

Jiang Zhu was also a little unsure. It is said that this is not a serious promotion, and it would be too frivolous to invite wine. But after all, the emperor rewarded him, and there are handwritten words, doesn't it seem that you don't pay attention to the emperor's grace if you don't put wine?

"Friends and family, please." Jiang Xi hesitated again and again, and made up his mind, "Colleagues in the yamen don't need to be invited, so as not to let people say that we are frivolous." Although it is a good thing to have such a favor now, it is necessary to act more steadily in the future, otherwise it is not for nothing that good things will turn into bad things. ”

Xiao Shi nodded again and again: "I understand." Then he said hopefully, "Our family has made meritorious contributions, and Sister Mei'er will have a better life in the palace, right?" ”

Jiang Zhu frowned and shook his head slowly: "Most of this skill is in the second room." ”

"The old lady is still gone!" Xiao Shi said unconvinced, "Why isn't it our work?" ”

"Although the old lady went, the prescription for curing the disease was taken out by Sister Tao. Not to mention the Queen Mother-" Jiang Zhu said coldly, "What's more, the old lady said in Luonan that Fang Zi belongs to Sister Tao, and he won't come to help." "He's a father who doesn't want to help him at all.

"This, this is too eccentric......" Xiao Shi couldn't help but complain, "Sister Tao is a girl, I haven't even seen such a pandemic, I don't believe this recipe is hers!" ”

"What if you don't believe me?" Jiang Zhu looked up at the tent, "What's more, the cinchona noodles are really from Guangdong that the third brother got them, which is a real credit." ”

"That's why I don't believe that she came up with the stinky artemisia method." Xiao Shi Zhenzhen has words, "Since there is such a spiritual thing, she still needs to think of other methods?" ”

Jiang Zhu didn't debate the prescription with his wife, he just thought about his thoughts in silence, and then said, "It's better to take this opportunity to let Sister Xing'er go into the palace to see her sister." ”

"The lord is going to-" Xiao Shi was startled.

"No matter what, Sister Tao was also recommended by her." Jiang Zhu said slowly, "At this time, while there is still some face, let someone in, and the emperor will be willing to raise one or two." Besides, let's send someone in first, and we can also block Sister Tao. ”

Xiao Shi's eyes widened: "Does the lord think that the emperor really has a crush on Sister Tao?" ”

"Otherwise, why did the court judge take it back again, and he didn't even have a reward for Sister Tao?" Jiang Zhu said in a deep voice, "If Sister Tao enters the palace, the emperor will reward her with a concubine, which is naturally better than any reward." ”

"It's not going to work!" Xiao Shi immediately said, "Sister Mei has offended her, if she enters the palace, what will Sister Mei do?" ”

"That's why I have to send Sister Xing'er in first. No matter how you say it, there is no reason for all three sisters to enter the palace. As long as the emperor can take a fancy to Sister Xing'er, I'm afraid that she won't be ......" Jiang Zhu was not impressed by the concubine, so he had little confidence.

Xiao Shi weighed the honor and favor of his niece when his concubine flew on the branch, and immediately made a decision: "Sister Xing'er was born well, I will take care of it." She glanced in the direction of the east side courtyard in the dark, no matter what, she couldn't let the second room be too beautiful.