On the eve of the fourth year of Chinese New Year's Eve, the Jiang family reunited for the first time in more than 20 years.

Jiang Huang gradually got used to the environment of Huiye Mansion, two sons, a daughter and a son-in-law, plus eight grandchildren and two grandchildren and a granddaughter, the hall was lively and lively, and the children were noisy, this is the New Year. Jiang Huang leaned on the soft fur and smiled from ear to ear.

Yan'er spent her own money to buy a house, not far from Jiangfu, but not on the same street. Yan'er was attentive and took into account her husband's discomfort, and the signboard of the Li Mansion made Li Mingfeng feel at home. Chinese New Year's Eve, Jiang Huang's family let Yan'er's family come, Li Mingfeng is somewhat uncomfortable, there is always the feeling of a son-in-law, Jiang Anyong pulled him to fight wine, and after a while, Li Mingfeng got himself drunk, the sun and moon in the pot are long, and he doesn't think about other things.

Knowing that Mrs. Jiang came to Huazhou for a reunion, there was an endless stream of people who came to visit, and Jiang Huang was afraid that his son would be difficult to do, so he patiently met a wave of visitors. Jiang Anyi found that his mother was a little tired, so he asked An Yong and his family to accompany his mother and the child to Xiangxueju, although it was winter when the apricot blossoms did not bloom, but Dabeitiangou was much warmer than in the city.

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During the four years of war in Changqing, more than ten states suffered from military disasters, but Chuzhou was relatively stable. According to the will, Hu Lizhen collected more than 300,000 refugees who fled the war, and Chuzhou was relatively rich, with two large granaries in the territory, which could barely support the refugees' food. Hu Zhushi did not let the refugees into the city, but built many simple wooden huts outside the four city gates, the government distributed food rations for five days a year ago, many victims returned to their hometowns, and there were no people begging in tattered clothes in Yongning Mansion.

The Shangyuan Lantern Festival is approaching, the city can be seen everywhere with high-built colorful sheds, the shops are hung with colored lanterns, the children in the sound of gongs and drums are laughing and chasing the dragon lanterns and colorful boats, and the whole city is shrouded in the joy of the New Year.

Chu Wangfu, the newly painted red lacquer door reflects the brass door nails shining, the servants who came out and went in were wearing new clothes, with a smile on their faces, the princess passed out the good news that she was pregnant, and this year's palace gave a rich reward, everyone was elated, and they were full of energy.

Yi Garden, Jin Mantle Pavilion, Chu Wang Shi Chongjie and Wang Fu Ma Suizhen, Changshi Shen Wenqing, Sima Huang Jiping, Advisory Staff and Military Jiao Ling and others sat together, the garden was in full bloom, and the five people chatted while drinking. These four people are the cronies of Shi Chongjie's cronies, and there is no shying away from what they talk about.

Jiao Ling said: "...... Most of them are incompetent, and the thieves will stir up the rest of the world, not Jiao's boasting, if the thief dares to step into Chuzhou half a step, he will not come back. ”

Shi Chongjie is twenty-three this year, with a short beard on his lips, he looks a lot more mature, and he said: "Jiao Ling can't be careless, King Keming, the Duke of Shenguo, is a battlefield general, he led 5,000 soldiers and horses to the south and forced Rao Qiangfeng's bandit army to cross the river to the south. ”

Shen Wenqing said with a smile: "Everyone sweeps the snow in front of the door, don't care about the frost on the tiles of others." The thief army was raging in the south of the Yangtze River, and Chuzhou was ordered to provide money and grain, and the tax paid to the treasury this year was only 3.8 million taels. ”

Everyone laughed, Hu Lizhen didn't deal with the palace, and everyone in Yongning Mansion knew it. Huang Jiping said contemptuously: "Hu Lizhen has always planned to make a plan, and he naturally pleases the Son of Heaven when he goes against the prince, but he never thought that the more capable he is, the more likely it is that the Son of Heaven will let him stay in Chuzhou." ”

Ma Suizhen took a sip of wine and said, "The bandit army is a trivial matter, and the indifference is a big disaster. The court should take advantage of the inability of the desert people to go south in winter to quickly pacify the bandits, otherwise the war in the north will break out again, and the court will have to take care of one or the other. ”

Shi Chongjie looked at the red plum outside the pavilion, leisurely out of his mind, the Son of Heaven drove himself out of Beijing and Chuzhou, but he ended up with nothing to do, but the great rivers and mountains left by his father, Shi Chongwei tossed all over after he ascended the throne, and he was really unwilling.

Shen Wenqing understood Shi Chongjie's intentions, and said meaningfully: "The country has a system, and the prince settled in the East Palace at the age of ten. The emperor's eldest son, Shi Shousheng, is nine years old during the New Year, and the Son of Heaven still has no intention of becoming a prince. ”

Although Shi Chongjie is in Chuzhou, he is well-informed, especially Huang Xi, the secret guard governor, has secret news with him, so Shi Chongjie knows the news of the court and even the harem very well. In the harem, in addition to the eldest son of the emperor Shi Shousheng born to Queen Xiong, Cheng Shufei has a son Shi Shouqi (three years old) who is very favored by the Son of Heaven. Wang Meiren cried in front of the Queen Mother, and the Son of Heaven named Wang Meiren as a cultivator, but her affection for her became weaker, and it was rare to go to Yuehua Palace once a month.

Shi Chongjie smiled and said: "My eldest nephew is also a poor man, the queen is not liked by the Son of Heaven, could it be that the Son of Heaven is going to be abolished?" ”

Ma Suizhen shook his head and said: "No, if Queen Xiong is not virtuous, Kong Province and Duan Cizong will not let the Son of Heaven act recklessly." ”

Shen Wenqing stroked his beard and said, "The position of the reserve is undecided, which will definitely cause turmoil among the courtiers. As prime ministers, Kong Province and Duan Cizong should advise the Son of Heaven. Shen thought that the biggest crisis in the court was not the war, but the establishment of the prince, the prince did not stand for a day, and the court was unstable for a day. ”

Shi Chongjie didn't make a sound, looking at the blooming plum blossoms, not knowing what he was thinking.

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In Ningshou Palace, Shi Chongwei, the son of heaven, came to see the Queen Mother.

The queen mother retreated left and right, and said to Shi Chongwei: "Long live, Sheng Er is already nine years old, when do you plan to make him the crown prince?" ”

Shi Chongwei said angrily: "Queen Mother, but the queen is crying in front of you, the establishment of the prince is a national matter, how can you make a hasty decision." ”

The Queen Mother shook her head and said, "The Queen never mentioned this matter in front of me, because the mourning family couldn't see it." Wei'er, when you were three years old, your father made you the prince, Sheng Er is already nine years old, and according to the system, you will be stationed in the East Palace next year, when do you plan to drag it out? ”

Shi Chongwei frowned and said, "Sheng Er is weak by nature, I'm afraid he is not the hero. I was also twelve years old before I entered the East Palace, and there are still three years left, so there is no need to worry. ”

The Queen Mother said: "Sheng Er is good by nature, she can keep it, the queen is virtuous and can be a mother of the world." I know that you don't like her many persuasions to you, so you treat her coldly, but when you look into it, you are sorry for her. That Concubine Cheng Shu is a servant of sex, charming and seductive, I don't care if you pamper her, but I will never allow you to make his son the prince. ”

Shi Chongwei said embarrassedly: "The queen mother's lesson, the child should keep it in mind. If it's okay, Erchen will go back to the imperial study to deal with state affairs. ”

Sincerity Hou's Mansion, in the study, the father and son of the Xiong family sat speechless, and one or two firecrackers came from afar, feeling deserted.

Xiong Yi'an said: "Father, Shousheng is already nine years old, and he has not yet been appointed as the prince, and the Son of Heaven is also very cold to his sister-in-law, are you going to set up someone else?" ”

Xiong Zhiren frowned, and said: "In the first month, my father went to Kong Xiang and Duan Xiang's house to pay New Year's greetings, and when it came to the matter of establishing the prince, the two ministers advised me to be more patient, Shousheng is the eldest son of the emperor, and he is the queen, and he should be established as the prince according to the system, but the son of heaven is still young and does not want to be in a hurry to establish the prince." ”

After pondering for a moment, Xiong Zhiren continued: "The two prime ministers have expressed their support for Li Shousheng as the crown prince. ”

Xiong Yi'an let out a long breath and said with a smile: "So don't worry too much, there is a queen mother in the palace, and there is no accident when Shou Shengli is the prince." ”

Xiong Zhiren's brows did not stretch, and he said in a deep voice: "The establishment of the prince is a family affair of the Son of Heaven, even if the queen mother and the two prime ministers can't withstand the will of Long live." Long live the time to go to Kun'an Palace, Shousheng has fewer opportunities to get along with the Son of Heaven in Kun'an Palace, and the relationship between father and son is weak, which is really worrying. ”

"Father, do we want to create a lot of momentum, so that the people of the world can force the Son of Heaven to establish a prince as soon as possible." Xiong Yi'an suggested. He is now a waiter in the Ministry of Works, and he is also an uncle of the country, and he is quite famous in Beijing, and there are many sycophants around him.

"No", Xiong Zhiren shouted categorically: "This matter is a big taboo, if you don't want the Son of Heaven to abolish your sister, you can stay at home and study with peace of mind, and less socialize with some indiscreet people." There are many eyes and ears in the capital, your every move will be reported to the Son of Heaven, if you make waves, let the Son of Heaven think, the life of the family will be cut off in your hands, and your sister-in-law will also be affected by you. ”

Xiong Yi'an muttered: "Then do nothing, wait for the Son of Heaven to abolish the sister?" ”

Xiong Zhiren sighed and said: "I regret my father, I shouldn't have sent your sister to the palace in the first place, the palace is a tiger and wolf den, and I hurt Yu'er." ”

Xiong Yi'an disagreed, if there is no sister to enter the palace, where will the glory and wealth of the family come from, it is not a matter of regret or regret at the moment, how to make his nephew Shousheng become the prince as soon as possible, as long as the position of the prince is set, the sister-in-law and the Xiong family will naturally be as safe as a rock.

Xiong Zhiren wrung his brows and thought hard for a long time, and said: "Everything is foreseen, and if it is not prepared, it will be wasted." Those fox friends of yours have no other purpose than to cause trouble, and my father once again solemnly warns you that you must not make a decision in front of them. However, there is one person who can help, and may be able to help in the future. ”

Xiong Yi'an thought for a while and said, "Jiang Anyi? ”

"Not bad", Xiong Zhiren nodded, still very appreciative of his son's cleverness, and said: "Jiang Anyi passed through Huazhou, and the tax in Huazhou this year exceeded four million, and the court recently issued an order for him to lead the army to clear the Gobi horse thieves, so as to seize and fill the treasury. Jiang Anyi passed through Luohua Prefecture, and was originally in a high position, but this time he got the permission of the court to use troops, if he can open up the territory and expand the territory, who else in the court can stand side by side with him. ”

Xiong Yi'an stroked his beard and said, "I'm afraid that Jiang Anyi is unwilling to help." ”

Xiong Zhiren said: "When Jiang Anyi was serving as Shao Zhan in the East Palace, he had some incense with him for his father, and he was very grateful to see Jiang Anyi acting as a person. The father doesn't say it clearly, just reminiscing about the past, and with his cleverness, he will naturally understand the father's intentions, and as for success or failure, he can only do his best to obey the destiny of heaven. ”