ended this brainless conversation with the old lady. Yulan left Songfeng Academy with a belly of questions and returned to Lujingzhai. She never understood why the old lady wanted to see her in her busy schedule?

The old lady and Cousin Ye finished discussing government affairs, sent Ye Minchun away, and chatted with her for a quarter of an hour, the basic pattern is that the old lady asks, and Yulan answers. The content is very general, there is nothing to say, but the topic has changed seven times or eight, I don't know how, the old lady said a lot of things in the palace and listened to her.

It is said that the emperor's three palaces and six courtyards are seventy-two concubines, and today's orthodox emperor is a mushy politician, but the court is overcrowded.

The orthodox emperor has a queen, an imperial concubine, a concubine, three concubines, four concubines, and the remaining nobles, often, and promises. Today's emperor has five sons, the second prince and the third prince died young, and the only ones who survived were the crown prince, the fourth son of the emperor, King Zhao and the fifth son of the emperor, King Lu. The three princely mothers are the queen, Xiao Huang Guifei and Hui Guifei.

There are only these three really important characters in the harem.

Today's queen Chen, father Chen Kui is a native of Tongzhou, the family is poor, good at reading quite accomplished, Taizong nineteen years, Chen Kui in the first class of Jinshi, because of the high ranking, he entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor, the Hanlin Academy such a bitter yamen for six years, and finally with seniority to move to the bachelor from the five grades, Taizong twenty-five years, the emperor's draft girl, Chen Kui's daughter was elected as the princess of Song, after the orthodox emperor ascended the throne, Chen was promoted to the queen by the princess of Song.

After the emperor succeeded to the throne, his father-in-law Chen Kui followed and was awarded the title of first-class Chengenbo. But after all, Chen Kui was born in a poor family and belonged to Qingliu, although he had a false title of uncle, he actually did not have much power.

Emperor Xiao's concubine is much more powerful, she entered the palace as a concubine after the emperor practiced Zuo. Emperor Xiao Guifei was born in the Xiao family, one of the eight surnames of the founding of the Great Chu Dynasty, a prominent family, her father is Xiao Changzong, the secretary of the current ministry, and her uncle is Xiao Changzhen, Marquis of Jinghai.

Yulan never believed that a character like the old lady would do something meaningless, and he must have a deep meaning when he said these things to himself.

The queen and Emperor Xiao have very detailed information, only Hui Guifei, the old lady only said that she is the biological mother of the fifth son of the emperor, King Lu, and the rest are secretive. But the sixth sense told Yulan that he and this Hui Guifei seemed to have something to do with it.

What is the purpose of the old lady telling her this? Yulan shook her head and expelled her thoughts, no matter what the old lady had, she could only see walking now.

In ancient society, it seemed that everyone liked to play a guessing game, so what can't you say directly? Yulan felt a pang of irritability.

But when she left, the old lady gave her a large stack of books, all of which were classics and histories, and there were several copies of "Food and Goods" alone, and the old lady said that she should read it carefully, and tell him what she had to do in time.

He said it seriously.

If she is a man, I believe that the old lady should really train her well, and I heard from the people in the house that the old lady is not very satisfied with the second generation of sons.

In the second generation of the Yang family, there is a bit of a lack of succession. The second master is the third grade, the eldest lord is from the third grade, the official is not small, but the prestige and ability are too far away from the old lady, the Yang family has no title to inherit after all, and the old lady is now the No. 1 important minister of the Son of Heaven, but once he is famous or deceased, this hot and rich will disappear in a blink of an eye. Cabinet Scholars are not hereditary!

Another flaw of the Yang family is that the foundation is insufficient, the people are not prosperous enough, and no matter how powerful the old lady is, the strength of a person will never be comparable to that of the Xiao family for hundreds of years.

It is not easy to cultivate a top talent like an old lady, but there is another way to continue the wealth of the Yang family, that is, to marry with the Gaomen family. At this time, daughters are more important than sons.

The next day, the old lady gave Yulan a book to Lujingzhai. Yulan happily rewarded the little girl who sent the book, and Mother Qian was surprised to see so many brick-thick tomes.

The eldest lady still frequently took Miss Yuxin into the palace, and gradually even Yuxin felt that something was wrong. There was gradually news in the house that the eldest lady was going to marry Miss Yuxin into the East Palace as the crown princess.

"It is rumored in the house that the eldest lady intends to marry the eighth girl to the East Palace." On this morning, while serving Yulan and dressing, Xiaoyu told Yulan about this explosive rumor.

Yulan thought about it, thinking of Mrs. Jinda's unusual behavior, Yulan faintly felt that the rumors were somewhat credible.

Xiaoyu had a faint envy on her face, and in the face of the hot and wealthy people of the heavenly family, this little girl, who has always been steady and powerful, inevitably showed a trace of envy.

Yulan stretched lazily and patted Xiaoyu's little face: "There is a saying that the high place is not cold, and there is also a saying that there is no lunch in vain in the world, compared to the princess and queen, I would rather only be a small family mother, a few acres of thin fields, a light of tea, and live a quiet life." ”

Xiaoyu was thoughtful.

The eldest lord couldn't stand the power of Aunt Liu's pillow wind, and in the end he discussed between the queen mother and the eldest wife, and told the five girls and daughters about Yuxin's rationing to the prince.

Yuxia saw Yuxin again, and the jealousy and hatred in her eyes couldn't be hidden, and the war between sisters in the boudoir school was escalating day by day.

Yu Xin didn't have much enthusiasm for being the crown princess or not, but she was so excited by the five girls, but she was aroused by her enthusiasm.

If the prince marries the eighth girl, the fifth girl Yuxia will have no hope at all. Aunt Liu's mother and daughter were angry and angry, and they discussed for several days without coming up with a good solution. After all, Aunt Liu is only half a master, and even if she is favored at the level of the queen mother and the eldest wife, she will not be able to mix in after all.

Aunt Liu turned her heart aside, and finally began to do it, spreading rumors everywhere, saying that the eighth girl Yuxin had been criticized by a master, and her life was hard, and she was a ......

There are really people in the house who are fueling the troubles, lest the world be chaotic.

When the eldest lady heard such a rumor, she was so angry that the three corpse gods jumped violently, and it took a few tongue-chewing mouths in a row to finally suppress this evil wind. Yulan also asked Qian's mother to strictly restrain the girls in the room and not to spread rumors and cause trouble.

The eldest lady and Mother Wu together can use this kind of pickled and dirty tricks, and there is a good chance that she is Aunt Liu again.

In order to fight Aunt Liu, the eldest lady also made a trick, pretending to have something to discuss with the eldest lord for a few days, and took the eldest lady to Yiningju, but the eldest lady did not come, and only told the little maid Hongxue to dress up as a fox and bewitching and serve the eldest master carefully.

After going back and forth, the eldest master really fell in love with Hongxue. The eldest lord knew that the eldest lady had that meaning, but the eldest lady didn't spit out, and he was embarrassed to say it himself.

The eldest lady hung his appetite for more than ten days in a row, and finally opened her mouth to carry Hongxue into a room and serve the eldest master.

The eldest lord excused himself very insincerely, and then happily accepted it, and stayed in the eldest wife's Yining residence for several nights. Aunt Liu went in and out, pretending to come out, and her smile was barely a little. Even the five girls, Yuxia, have a little more gloomy between their eyebrows.

The eldest lady listened to Wu's mother's report and felt deep pain.

During this period, the eldest lady met the old man several times and tried to persuade him to agree to send Yuxin to the draft, but all in vain. The eldest man went with him once, but he was scolded by the old lady, telling him to go back to study hard and cultivate his temperament, stop thinking about that step to the sky, and think carefully about why he refused to agree to this matter.

The eldest lady was so anxious that she didn't have time to pay attention to Yulan, a concubine.

Mother Qian is used to waiting for people, and she serves Yulan every day. Yulan went to the "boudoir school" in the morning to read a book for an hour, and when she went home in the afternoon, Qian's mother detained her to learn to do needlework.

Yulan complained bitterly and tried all kinds of ways to escape the needlework, Qian's mother was loyal and honest, but she was very persevering. She has a gentle attitude, her face is full of smiles, the so-called reaching out and not hitting the smiling person, Yulan can't come up with a way to face this kind and loyal elder.

As the days passed, under the guidance of Qian's mother, Yulan's needlework finally began to make some progress.

Finally, the third young master Chengzong's mansion made a pair of embroidered "Toad Palace Zhegui" socks two days before the test, and sent them over. It's just that the stitches are sparse, and it's very difficult to see people.

Seungjong then wore such a pair of socks and entered the examination room. The government test is divided into three sessions: scriptures, essays, and policy discussions. This test is four days.

The eldest lady put aside Yuxin's matter for the time being, anxiously waiting for news. Qian's mother is a bathrobe, and she has words to pray to God and worship Buddha all day long. I bowed all the gods and Buddhas one by one.

Yulan is still relaxed and happy, she believes in her own vision. If Chengzong can't even pass the test as a child, then he can only say that he has changed the world, and his vision has deteriorated.

Four days later, Chengzong walked out of the examination room with vague steps, and when he saw the old lady, he fell asleep in the room.

Seungjong slept for a whole day and a night. After waking up, the family sat around Songhe Hall, and the eldest lady asked him whether he did well in the exam, and Chengzong just said modestly: "After the exam, I realized that I didn't want to understand much in my studies, and there were still many deficiencies." The eldest lady believed it, and her face was a little ugly.

Yulan saw that he was in good spirits, and there was no trace of frustration in his expression, so he immediately put down most of his thoughts.

A few days later, the list was released, and Chengzong really won the eighth place in the first class. At the age of twelve, Young Master Chengzong became a "child" in Dachu and had the qualifications to be a showman.

The eldest lady was happy, called Chengzong to Yining Ju to praise him, opened the treasury, and rewarded him with some things. It is rare to give a reward to all the subordinates.

The eldest master was also very happy, and called Chengzong to the study to give him a lecture, on the one hand, he told him to guard against arrogance and rashness, and not to be complacent because of a small achievement, and on the other hand, let him make persistent efforts to prepare for the college examination in May.

Chengzong had this intention, so he naturally agreed.

Those officials in Beijing who are good at drilling camps, their noses are more sensitive than dogs, and they do not miss any opportunity to stammer, and for a while, the cars and horses in front of the Yang Mansion are like dragons, and they are all coming to give gifts and congratulations. The old lady personally instructed the eldest lady that all the gifts should be returned without them.

A "child" is of course nothing to the Yang family, a "poetry heirloom", and the eldest lady opened a few chats in the inner courtyard to congratulate. The old lady was absent as usual, led by the old lady, and the large, second, and fifth rooms all participated.

During the banquet, everyone praised Chengzong again, and Chengzong gave in again and again, his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and he was generous, and the old lady nodded again and again. The eldest man and the eldest lady are full of red faces, Aunt Liu's five girls are forced to smile, Yulan doesn't care about others, her smile is bright and bright, revealing that she is very sincere.

The meal was full of furniture, and the eldest man and the eldest lady were a little drunk. Chengzong sent the eldest man and the eldest lady back to Yiningju, and did not go out directly, but went to Lujingzhai. The eldest lady doesn't like the frequent exchanges between the concubines and the concubines, and in the past few years, the two sisters and brothers have only met each other in the morning and dusk, and they can't find any communication opportunities at all.

When Chengzong entered the small hall of Lujingzhai again, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional. He and Yulan lived here together for seven years.

Xiaoyu served tea, waved her hand knowingly, and withdrew from the hall with the maids, leaving space for the two sisters and brothers to talk to themselves.

"Sister, how are you doing?" Seungjong couldn't wait to ask.

Yulan looked at this already very sensible brother, and felt a slight pain in his heart, he was only twelve years old and still a child, but the harsh living environment forced him to mature early, and picked up a man's burden early: "I have grown up, and I am no longer the one who can bully Yulan at will." Don't worry, my good brother, I'm doing well! ”

Chengzong said: "Although I have been staying in the outer courtyard, I have always been concerned about every move in the inner courtyard, and I am happy for my sister!" He looked at the jade and antique ornaments in the corner, and then looked at the furnishings in the room, and sighed: "Sister, this place has changed." "is in the period of voice change, Chengzong's voice seems a little weird, but that tone is clear and very old-fashioned.

Yulan gently flicked the tea lid, "It's changed." After passing through, she slowly rearranged the courtyard little by little to her liking, and now it was only a small part of the completion, but it had become clearer, more elegant, and more vibrant than it had been before.

"You have changed, I have changed, how can this small courtyard remain the same. We've all grown up. ”

"In another ten or twenty years, I will not forget this small courtyard, I still remember, we spent seven years here together. At that time, we were all young, and life was hard, and the housekeepers and mothers always deducted our points, and sometimes, we didn't even have enough to eat. At that time, Aunt Qi and the seventh sister always gave me delicious food. I remember all of these and will never forget them...... At that time, I made up my mind that I must have a future in the future, and I must protect my sister and Aunt Qi well and be your backer. It's a pity that Aunt Qi has ......"

Yulan's expression darkened. "The past, let's call it the past."

Chengzong said apologetically: "It's all my fault for being bad and making my sister sad." ”

Yulan looked at him with a smile, "Good brother, you are very good, you didn't disappoint your sister!" ”

Chengzong showed a happy smile, "With my sister's words, I have been studying hard these days, even if it is not in vain." ”

Yulan's eyes showed sincere concern: "Sister knows that you are motivated, but I heard that the government examination is scheduled for May, you continue to take the exam like this, the county examination and the government examination, there is no chance to rest at all, can you do it, can your body withstand it?" I know that this exam is very important to you, but you have to do everything according to your ability, and your body is the foundation of everything. ”

Chengzong showed a confident smile: "Sister, don't worry." I know in my heart, didn't my sister remind me last time? Write me that banner! After a pause, Chengzong said in a resolute tone: "This time, I must be admitted." "There is a difference between a concubine and a concubine, but the treatment is very different. This opportunity is indeed too precious for Seungjong.

Yulan stood up, walked to Chengzong's side, stretched out his hand and patted him on the shoulder: "Good brother!" My sister knows that you know what to do, but my sister still has to nag a few words. Your world realm is very vast, even if it doesn't work this time, you are still young, and you still have many opportunities. What's more, take 10,000 steps back and say, even if you can't be a concubine, so what, the emperor is not a concubine today...... My sister hopes that you will succeed, and I hope that you will be a scholar in the middle of the show, a scholar, a scholar But my sister hopes that you can live happily and don't give up everything because of this, such as health, such as happiness. If you can only choose one for a bright future and a healthy happiness, my sister would rather you choose the latter and not put too much pressure on yourself, can you understand? ”

Chengzong was moved to tears: "I understand, sister!" ”

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