"Frame, I heard that the woman is not dead." The majestic voice of the Queen Mother echoed in the empty hall, since the son woke up, the whole person was dumbfounded, unwilling to speak, and went to Xishan alone when he saw the sky, and did not want anyone to follow, the Empress Dowager Guo saw the condition of her son, she was not at ease, and she did not dare to twist him at this time, so she sent someone to protect him secretly, but she did not appear in front of him, which annoyed him, and the two saw the Empress Dowager Guo already knew the way.

"Yes, Queen Mother." Zhao Shijiao knelt down in the upper hall.

"It's for this woman to abandon her mother and ignore it, and she doesn't want to live anymore." Empress Dowager Guo was indignant in her heart, and the mention of this woman made her grit her teeth.

"The son is not filial."

"The queen mother wants to see the woman before deciding." Emperor Zhao Shixian sat next to the Queen Mother and said. During these days, seeing that the Queen Mother was worried about the affairs of King Anyang, he put down some trivial matters in the court and took the time to accompany the Queen Mother to relieve her boredom.

"The woman that the third brother has a crush on must be extraordinary, the queen mother knows people, you might as well announce her into the palace, and the queen mother will see" Queen Li echoed the emperor, the husband sang with the wife, and the emperor's ideas, she fully supported them.

Empress Dowager Guo said sharply: "I disdain to see her, the Shen woman is unethical, and the emperor immediately ordered her to be killed." ”

The queen mother said, cast a stern gaze at the emperor, but before the emperor could speak, he said coldly, "If the queen mother kills her, she will kill her unfilial son first." “

Zhao Shijiao's face was frosty, and the cold in his voice was so cold that even the emperor was so cold that the queen mother was stunned.

Then the Queen Mother was furious and said: "Are you threatening the mourning family? ”

"Erchen doesn't dare, Erchen lives and dies with her, if Shen Wanzhen dies, Erchen will not live alone." Zhao Shijiao said firmly, he can't hesitate a little, if he wavers a little, the queen mother will kill Shen Wanzhen without even blinking an eye, he understands the strong personality of the queen mother, he must stop the queen mother from hurting Shen Wanzhen.

"Your Majesty, listen to what he said, my mother is in the hall, is this what a son of man should say?"

Empress Dowager Guo shouted at her son: "Are you threatening the mourning family with your life?" The Queen Mother's voice changed, and her hands trembled with anger.

"Third brother, don't scare the queen mother." The emperor spoke to stop it, seeing that the queen mother was angry like this, that inhumane selfishness, so he had to let go, don't be angry with the queen mother because of this matter, seeing that the queen mother was emotional, and the tension between mother and son was very worried.

"Okay, that's good, what are your plans? Want to marry her? Empress Dowager Guo held back her breath and asked, as if the amber Buddha beads in her hand were going to be crushed.

"The son wants to marry Shen Wanzhen as a concubine." Zhao Shijiao replied simply.

Empress Dowager Guo was so angry that she couldn't hold her back, pointing at him and saying that she couldn't speak, Queen Li hurriedly stepped forward to rub her chest for the Queen Mother, and persuaded in a low voice, "The queen mother takes care of her body, and she will discuss things slowly." ”

Seeing this situation, the emperor coughed dryly twice, and persuaded with a pleasant face: "Third brother, you have to marry the Shen family as a concubine, you must know that Lu Dao is a widow, marrying the daughter-in-law of a courtier, where is the royal face?" Where is the system? "The words on the table, the emperor said to the Queen Mother, which means to stand on the side of the Queen Mother and appease the Queen Mother's emotions.

Zhao Shijiao had already made up his mind and did not back down, "Please make an order to abolish the title of King Anyang of his younger brother and demote him to a concubine." ”

The emperor was stunned for a moment, much to his surprise, and looked at him deeply, as if trying to judge the truth of what he said.

When the Queen Mother heard this, she almost fainted, pushed the queen away, stood up, and slowly walked in front of her son, "You say it again." ”

"The son is willing to be demoted to a concubine."

only heard the crisp 'pop' sound twice, the queen mother raised her hand, and the slap fell, Zhao Shijiao did not dodge, knelt straight and straight, and the two slaps fell firmly on his face.

Emperor Zhao Shixian and Empress Li hurriedly stepped forward to persuade them, and insisted on helping the Queen Mother to sit down.

Empress Dowager Guo was so angry that she trembled all over, her eyes were full of tears, "Okay, good, your Majesty, you see, this is my well-raised son." ”

"Don't be angry, the third brother is impulsive." The emperor saw that the queen mother was so angry that her face changed, and he hurriedly comforted.

"Get out, you get out immediately, the mourning family doesn't want to see you, and the mourning family should not have your son." Empress Dowager Guo cried bitterly, completely losing her former dignity and decency.

"You kill the mourning family with a knife, kill the mourning family, and then you marry her into the door." Empress Dowager Guo cried heartbroken, looking for a knife to seek death, she was extremely disappointed in her son, and her life's hard work was in vain.

Seeing that the mother and son are out of harmony, the queen Li is sympathetic to the little uncle, and the royal love is rare, that is, she and the emperor are married to each other, and the emperor has no bottom in her heart.

The queen helped the queen mother to sit down and comforted: "Queen Mother, the third brother was confused for a while, and when he figured it out, let him enter the palace to make amends to your old man." ”

He turned back to Zhao Shijiao and said, "The third brother should go back first, and wait for the queen mother's anger to disappear." ”

Zhao Shijiao silently kowtowed and knelt down, stood up, and walked out of Cining Palace, he had been suppressing his emotions, he knew that there would be this day, and Shen Wanzhen would face life and death, and he couldn't help but be ruthless and protect her.

The king of Anyang went out, the Empress Dowager Guo sat in the chaise longue in frustration, she could deal with countless dangers in the palace for decades, but she was helpless against her own son, she was helpless, he threatened her with death, but she had no way to deal with him.

Emperor Zhao Shixian saw that the queen mother with a strong personality was depressed and withered, and she was much older in vain. I feel sad that the Queen Mother's mother and son have the same temperament.

The queen mother's mother and son hurt each other, and the palace people didn't know what to do, and the emperor and queen were there, and the palace people didn't dare to participate.

Queen Li couldn't help but come out at this time, sharing worries for the emperor, and couldn't watch the queen mother's mother and son fall out of harmony, so she said: "Queen Mother, the concubine has an idea, the Shen family leads the practice, and the nunnery is burned. ”

The emperor looked at the queen and praised it slightly, he thought of this idea but couldn't say it, only when the queen said it, so as not to make the queen mother suspicious.

"Let me marry such a daughter-in-law, and the queen will kill me with a knife." Empress Dowager Guo was so excited that she was panting, and she did not have the same attitude towards Empress Li as before.

The queen was blamed by the queen mother, and she didn't save face for her, so she quickly stood up and said unhurriedly

"The queen mother is angry and listens to the concubine."

"Say, the mourners want to listen to your ideas?" Empress Dowager Guo was still satisfied with Empress Li, respectful and filial, and her words were decent, so she was angry at her.

"Queen Mother, Shen's daughter is widowed, she is not qualified to be a concubine, she can be a concubine, the concubine is nameless and pointless, and no one cares."

The queen was only then gentle, thinking carefully, this is not a bad way, the son's temper is up, no one can persuade him, he has to ask for this woman, but a concubine, it's nothing.

The emperor secretly glanced at Empress Li and had no expression.

"Your Majesty, tell me, can the queen make this idea?"

Zhao Shixian groaned slightly, and said: "This idea is good, it doesn't hurt decency, and the concubine's background doesn't hurt, but it's ......"

"But what, the emperor said." Empress Dowager Guo was obviously satisfied with Empress Li's proposal, so she was ready to do what she wanted, and as soon as she heard the emperor's words, she said anxiously.

"I'm afraid that the third brother won't agree"

Empress Dowager Guo looked at her son's posture, and most likely would not agree to his beloved woman being nameless and not being assigned to the palace.

Empress Dowager Guo is now in a calm mood, and she is still the Empress Dowager who was decisive in the past, and she instantly has an idea.

"Xuan Shen Shilang and his wife enter the palace, if her parents agree, what else does she have to say, since ancient times, her parents' orders, matchmakers' words."

"The third brother had better hide it, and wait for someone to enter the mansion." Emperor Zhao Shixian wanted to be more secure like this, so that the third brother knew that the Tao was going to make trouble again, and the queen mother had a spring and autumn period, and she couldn't help but be angry.

Seeing that the queen mother went through this trouble, her body was weak, and the queen withdrew, and the emperor Zhao Shixian thought while walking, since it is impossible to register the Shen family as a concubine, then the Shen family will enter the palace as a concubine, and the king of Anyang will favor the Shen family alone, and the backyard of the palace will be ....... if he is afraid, thinking about it like this, looking at the eyes of the queen Li, he softened a little, "You comfort the queen mother more, I see that the queen mother is very sad this time, and she is afraid that she will hurt her body, you put the affairs of the harem aside, accompany the queen mother more, and think about it." ”

"Yes, the concubine obeys." Empress Li knew that the emperor and the queen mother had a deep relationship with each other, and she did her best to be filial, and she never slackened off in the morning and dusk.

"Concubine Fang, why haven't you seen Cining Palace for a while?" The emperor remembered that he hadn't seen Concubine Fang in the Empress Dowager's palace for a while.

"It's almost winter, my sister is weak, she is tightly conditioned, and she doesn't go out easily." In fact, Empress Li handed over all the trivial matters of the harem to Concubine Fang to take care of, and Concubine Fang couldn't spare time to come to the Queen Mother, although this time the Shen family's affairs came out and relieved the siege of Miss Xu, but she also missed the opportunity to hit Concubine Fang.

The emperor didn't say anything, the careful Empress Li noticed that the emperor glanced at the direction of Concubine Fang's bedroom, turned her head, and looked away, she knew that the emperor was unhappy with the concubine, and now that there was such a big thing in the harem, Concubine Fang only cared about her own body and did not come to serve the queen mother, so it can be seen that the usual filial piety to the queen mother is fake.

She is not afraid that Concubine Fang will complain in front of the emperor, if Concubine Fang feels that the trivial matters of the harem are complicated and complains, it is just right, while resting, the affairs of the harem will not let her be involved in it from now on.

Zhao Shijiao went out of the palace, thinking about seeing Shen Wanzhen, so he went to the inn where she lived, and the shopkeeper knew him, so she sent the female guest back in the room It was this man, so she greeted with a courteous smile, "This son, look for Shen Niangzi, Shen Niangzi is in the house." ”

Zhao Shizhen shook his head, said hello, and went to the house where Shen Wanzhen lived, Shen Wanzhen heard the shopkeeper talking to people outside, as if looking for her, let Xiuju go out of the hall to see, Xiuju opened the door, saw Zhao Shijiao, and turned back in surprise, "Master, the prince is here." ”

Zhao Shijiao appeared at the door with a smile, Shen Wanzhen saw him come in, and squatted with a smile, "The prince is here." ”

Xiuju and Qiao Shan saluted, pursed their lips and smiled and dodged out.

"Lord Wang, please take a seat." Shen Wanzhen asked him to sit on the kang.

Zhao Shijiao sat down, saw her standing, and motioned for her to sit down too, Shen Wanzhen was not good next to him, and there was an empty seat between the two.

When it was just the two of them, Shen Wanzhen suddenly felt that her face was a little hot, and she didn't know what to say for a while, so she didn't have anything to say: "Has the prince eaten dinner?" ”

He smiled and nodded, he couldn't even remember the meal, and when she asked, it seemed that he hadn't eaten.

He turned his head to stare at her, and suddenly said, "How about you and I try Keju another day?" ”

She winked at him, pursed her lips and smiled, "Bet on what?" ”

"You"

"What am I?" She asked curiously.

"You can't leave me if you lose, and you can't leave me if you win" He always had an unsteady feeling, as if she would leave at any time, he couldn't grasp her heart, and he couldn't guess what she was thinking.

"Does the prince think it's fair?" Shen Wanzhen glared at him and said coquettishly.

"Fair, win or lose, you're all my people." He hesitated, then reached over and grabbed her hand that was on the edge of the kang.

She wanted to withdraw her hand, he clenched it tightly, twitched a few times without twitching, she lowered her head, had to let him hold it, he was very close to her, he felt her breath, suddenly his body reacted, his heart was hot, his breath was short, his face was flushed, and his heart was pounding.

She felt that his palms were hot, her lips were dry with nervousness, and she said in a panic, "I'll pour tea for the prince." He pulled out the hand he was holding, stood up, walked to the table, picked up the teapot, and breathed unevenly with nervousness.

She poured a cup of tea, turned around, and saw him staring at her with good eyes, embarrassed for a moment, looking flustered, and the water in the cup almost spilled.

His breath was a little heavy, he reluctantly looked away, and hurriedly said, "I'm leaving." Without waiting for Shen Wanzhen to answer, she went straight out.

Walking outside, in the cool air, he exhaled, and the thought was forced down.

Xiuju and Qiao Shan went to the shopkeeper's house to chat with her, and from the open door, they saw that the prince was gone, and then walked back.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw that the master was sitting alone, his face seemed to be smeared with rouge, and Qiao Shan said strangely: "Why did the prince leave after a while?" ”

Shen Wanzhen blushed and lowered her head to cover her head: "The prince has gone back beforehand." ”

"How do you look at the prince, it seems that there is something wrong, and he just stayed for a while and left, and it seems that there is nothing to do." Xiuju saw a little doorway.

The fire in Xishan was two days later, and the news reached Shen Wanzhen's mother's house, and Master Shen knew that he was busy sending someone to inquire about the letter, and the person who came back said that the fire was lit at night, and people were burned to death in their sleep.

When Master Shen heard that his daughter had died, he was also sad, thinking of the dead Aunt Mu and the Wu family

Said: "This child is pitiful, and his life is miserable. ”

Wu took out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes, squeezing out some tears, "This child's biological mother died early, and he died a miserable death. But he said in his heart, and wanted her to go back to the Bofu to guard, but he didn't expect it to be short-lived.

Shen Wanxin went to his wife's upper room, to ask his wife to say goodbye, just walked to the door, heard this, he was stupid at the time, and cried out for a long time, so frightened that the nurse next to him hurriedly covered the mouth of the little master, and said: "Little ancestor, you want to cry back to the house and cry, don't be here." ”

I only heard Master Shen in the house say: "Such a big fire, there are no bones, just pick up two pieces of power as a thought, find a place to bury it, I can also have an explanation to her mother, Mu Shi was begging me to take care of the three girls before he died." I only heard Master Shen coughing in the house.

"The third girl was reunited with her mother." Wu's handkerchief covered his face, and cried twice, Paxia looked disdainful, and said in his heart, to die, to be a good uncle's mansion is not staying, he has to run to the wilderness, go to the nunnery to practice, just want to use this pretense, find another man, Bofu is disgraced, full of civil and military, as a joke, Mrs. Bo is so angry about this matter that she is too lazy to swallow tea and dinner, and her mother, Mrs. Wu, is even blamed for this matter, blaming her for not disciplining her concubine, marrying out of Lu to make a fool of her, and disgrace the family.

Master Shen sent someone to Xishan to find the bones, where did the person who sent Lu to find it, so he found two charred wooden blocks from the ruins, dug a pit and buried them, and when he came back, Master Shen cried again, and the Wu family repeatedly persuaded him to put down the matter.

The mansion also cried sadly for Shen Wanxin, and she didn't dare to be a person without crying, Aunt Ding knew that she believed in it, and said to her personal maid; "I also said that the third girl married well, and the fate was worse than anyone else, and she was gone at a young age."

The maid knew that Aunt Lu Dao was sick, and said flatteringly: "How blessed is our girl, the child is about to be born." ”

Aunt Ding made the girl she gave birth to and raised, and she always hated her mother-in-law Wu in her heart.

As soon as Aunt Zhang learned the news, she sent someone to tell Shen Wanzhu.

A few days later, the Shen family hurriedly ran into the inner house, "Back to the old lady, someone from the palace is waiting in the front hall." ”

Master Shen and Mrs. Shen looked at each other, and they didn't know why, so they hurried to the front hall.

As soon as he entered the door, a person who looked like a eunuch stood up and arched his hand, "Our family has seen Shen Shilang." ”

Master Shen hurriedly returned the salute, "I don't know that my father-in-law has arrived, and I have missed the welcome, and my father-in-law forgives my sins." ”

Hurriedly gave up his seat and ordered someone to pour tea.

The father-in-law waved his hand and said, "Our family is here for important business, the Queen Mother Xuan Mrs. Shen will meet you, and Mrs. Shen will enter the palace immediately." ”

"Xuan my wife into the palace?" Shen Quande was a little suspicious and misheard.

"That's right, Mrs. Shen entered the palace to meet the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother is still waiting for her old man."

"Let's go first, Mrs. Shen, don't delay, I'm afraid the Queen Mother will be blamed if you delay for a long time."

Old Man Shen bowed down to see the eunuch away.

Hurriedly rushed to the inner house, saw the Wu family and said: "Quick, clean up, the Queen Mother will see you." ”

Wu was confused for a while, busy dressing up, Wu was about to stop, Master Shen couldn't help but say a few words, Wu sat in a sedan chair and went to the palace.

Cining Palace

The queen accompanied the queen mother to relieve her boredom, and the queen mother Guo was persuaded by Queen Li, and most of her anger disappeared, and her own son was angry, even if he was angry, he was also angry at the Shen family, his mother and son, and he was angry.

When Wu entered the queen mother's bedroom, the eunuch shouted, "Mrs. Shen meets the queen mother and the queen." ”

Wu knelt down and bowed.

"Mrs. Shen is exempt." The Queen Mother sat high on it, and the Queen sat sideways to accompany her.

Wu got up, stood with his hands tied, and waited for the Queen Mother to speak, feeling worried and not knowing what was going on.

"Mrs. Shen, I came to you today, there is a matter, the king of Anyang has taken a fancy to you as a girl from the Shen family and wants to take you as a concubine, are you willing?" The Queen Mother said unhurriedly, and she couldn't hear the joy and anger.

The Wu family was a little confused, the girl of the Shen family, suddenly thought of Shen Wanzhu, Shen Wanzhu is not already the concubine of the King of Anyang, what does the Queen Mother mean? I didn't answer for a while.

Empress Dowager Guo was a little dissatisfied, Shen didn't say what he meant, he refused, so his tone cooled down, "Shen Wanzhen has been married, and it is not an insult to her to be a concubine for the king of Anyang." ”

Hearing Shen Xuanzhen's name in the confusion, the Wu family raised his head bravely and said carefully: "Empress Dowager Xie is very loving, but unfortunately the concubines are not blessed and have been buried in the fire." ”

Empress Li sneered and looked at the Wu family with contempt, "I don't even know whether the concubine is alive or dead, you are really worry-free as a mother-in-law." ”

Wu's face flushed, Queen Li sneered, she didn't dare to argue if she had grievances, so she had to listen.

"The concubine thought that the queen mother said that it was Shen Wanzhu, the fourth daughter of the concubine, who had become a concubine for the prince."

Wu asked the queen to blush in public and explained with a red face.

"That's it, it's best, the two sisters are companions, your Shen family is ready to prepare, and it will be sent to King An's Mansion in a few days."

Wu quickly knelt down and kowtowed to thank him.

Wu came out of the palace, wiped a handful of sweat, sat in a sedan chair, and planned in his heart to take Shen Wanzhen back to the Shen Mansion and let him outside.

As soon as Mrs. Shen stepped into the upper room, Master Shen raised his head and asked anxiously, "Why did the Queen Mother call you there?" ”

The Wu family said that Shen Wanzhen was not dead, and the queen mother intended to be included in the Anyang palace as a concubine.

The husband and wife combined, Master Shen said: "You take her out immediately, and take her to live in her mother's house according to the queen mother's wishes." ”

Wu didn't want to do this, and it was easy for the concubines to leave their eyes one by one and invite them back.

In the inn, Shen Wanzhen closed the door and was talking to Mrs. Yan, who handed over the money from selling the shop to the master, and said, "If you don't need it urgently, you can buy more money." ”

Shen Wanzhen weighed it, her wrist sank, and praised; "Yes, it's a pity that the tofu business just got off the ground, so it was closed."

Say, put this bag of silver in a clothing bag, and take out two taels of silver to use it at hand.

At this moment, it was noisy outside, and in an instant, the Wu family suddenly came in with the maid and servant, and when they entered the door, they saw Shen Wanzhen and said with a smile: "Congratulations to the girl, congratulations to the girl, I heard that the girl is going to enter the palace, and the girl will not die, and there will be a blessing." ”

"Follow me back to my parents' house, marry in style, and let me do something for the girl and buy some things." Wu said to himself.

Shen Wanzhen only felt suddenly, and wondered, what was going on, if the family affair was done, why didn't King Anyang come to tell him in person, his mother-in-law came suddenly, it was incomprehensible.

"Quick, clean up for the girl, the old man is waiting for the girl at home, the old man heard that the girl is still alive, he is so happy that he urges me to take the girl back." Wu didn't ask what Shen Wanzhen meant, so he ordered someone to clean up her things for her.

Shen Wanzhen didn't say anything for a long time, and suddenly asked, "How does my mother know that I'm here?" “

Wu was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "The Queen Mother announced that I entered the palace, saying that the King of Anyang and the girl were in love, and they were expected to promote good things, and the girl was married and walked in the inn, like what words." ”

At this time, the maid and servant brought by the Wu family took Shen Wanzhen's things, and couldn't help but say, hugging her to go out, since her mother's family came to pick her up, she couldn't help whether she could leave or not, so she had to follow the Shen family back to Shen's house.