September 24, 18th year of Hongji.

The new emperor's fifteenth birthday, Halloween Day.

Although it was the first birthday of the little emperor since he sat on the throne, it should have been grand, but the Daxing Emperor Zigong was still in the Forbidden City and had not yet been introduced, so it was not easy to do a big deal.

Originally, even the palace banquet was to be waived, but the queen mother issued an edict saying that the palace banquet would still be held, and she would also let a group of women and women enter the palace to enjoy the banquet, so the emperor also set up a banquet, but the scale was much smaller.

Everyone understood in their hearts that Empress Dowager Zhang was just trying to find an excuse for the little emperor to choose a concubine. It's just that Emperor Daxing hasn't been introduced yet, and the banquet at this time is somewhat out of place, but it also shows how anxious the Queen Mother is.

The news of the Zhang family was not hidden, as early as two years ago, they began to continuously pick up girls from relatives to the house for training. Now he is in a hurry to send people into the palace, in order to stay in the palace for a year and a half before the emperor's wedding, cultivate and cultivate feelings, he can't be the queen in the future, and he has to forcibly occupy the position of a favorite concubine.

If you have the emperor's favor, give birth to a prince...... It is a repetition of the old events of the Xuanzong Dynasty.

There are not a few relatives who have the same abacus as the Zhang family.

Although in addition to the founding generations of emperors of the Ming Dynasty, the harem is elected by the people, and the daughters of the relatives cannot be selected, but there are side branches, as well as relatives and girls, and it is not difficult to turn over a few beautiful girls of the right age.

Empress Dowager Zhang naturally wants to push the Zhang family, but the harem is so big, how can it be that all the concubines are members of the Zhang family, as long as they can enter the palace, the side, look at the sky, look at fate, and look at the girl's own means - can't be favored, Yu Xungui's family is just a side branch, a relative girl, and there is nothing to lose in the buried bone palace; If you can be favored, the family will borrow.

Therefore, there are many people who are happy to come to the banquet of Empress Dowager Zhang.

Wenchen's reaction was mostly cold, and it was definitely impossible for those with high grades to be selected, so they had the mentality of taking children into the palace to see the world; And if the grade is low, if you don't want to do this, you will either report that your daughter is sick or that your daughter is sick, and you won't get it in the palace.

Yang Tinghe, as one of the emperors, his wife and daughter were naturally invited.

Yang Tian has already made a marriage, the queen mother and the little emperor both know about it, and the little emperor has also joined in the excitement at the wedding banquet. Yang Tinghe didn't have much to worry about, he only told the Yu family to be cautious in his words and deeds.

Yang Tian entered the palace for the first time, and because of the suddenness of the incident, he only had time to learn the etiquette of entering the palace for half a day, so he couldn't help but be a little nervous.

Yu Shi smiled and teased when he saw it: "The eldest girl is almost used to it, my uncle is very promising, and she will enter the court in the future, and earn a seal with the eldest girl, and the eldest girl will not be allowed to enter the palace in the future."

Saying this on the face, I can't help but worry in my heart, although it is the Shangshu Mansion over there, but after all, the old Shangshu is deceased, people go to tea and cool, and the son-in-law is just a showman.

Yang Tian's face flushed, but he relaxed a little.

She was originally a cool person, and she also followed the Yu family to a few places as guests, not a stage fright, but just entered the palace because of fear. asked Yu to laugh like this, and let go a little, and also stabilized his mind.

Seeing Yang Tian's shy appearance with a red face, Yu couldn't help but smile, and then remembered what the Shen family sent to the steward yesterday, and couldn't help but sigh again, and said: "You also have to learn to be in charge, go back and I will transfer some things to deal with you alone, the filial piety of your in-laws will only pass at the end of next year, and you will be able to pass the door the year after tomorrow." Mrs. Xu recognized this deed girl...... In my opinion, Mrs. Xu is afraid that she will take care of the house first. I think the third wife of the in-laws is a soft person, and she can't be a family. I heard that this deed girl was originally to help with the second master with the father-in-law, and she is a good hand at taking care of the housework, since Mrs. Xu recognizes her, she wants to be an arm. Although she is a widow, and you can take back the housekeeper as soon as you enter the door, you will have to be more attentive in the end. This widowed mother with an only son, always has to think about her son, and when the time comes, she won't understand, and she will have a mother-in-law in the middle......"

But yesterday the Xu family had officially recognized the He family as a deed girl, because both the Shangshu Mansion and the He family were in filial piety, so they did not make a big deal, only lit the incense and performed the ceremony, and invited relatives in Beijing to come over to be a witness.

It is inconvenient for the Yang family to invite here, but it is also understood by the big housekeeper and the most powerful housekeeper mother by the Xu family.

Shen Rui also specially wrote a letter, explaining all the things He experienced and Xu's considerations, only hiding Shen Ling's disability, and only saying that he committed suicide by torture in prison.

This letter said that it was for Yang Shen, but in fact, it was explained to Yang Tian. Otherwise, there are more than one housekeeper in the family, or a widow in the clan, what is the matter?

Yang Tian saw the letter, learned of He's tragic experience, and then shed a few tears, both sympathetic to He, but also appreciated her strength, for Xu can accept He as a deed girl, give her an identity and a shelter, Yang Tian is happy in his heart, but he doesn't feel that He's housekeeper will have any impact on him.

When Yu mentioned it, Yang Tian was quite unimpressed, endured the shame of mentioning her in-law's family, and said with a smile: "Mrs. cherishes her daughter, but Mrs. Don't worry." The Shen family is a family of rules, I listen...... I heard Second Brother Shen mention this Sister Qi and said that she was a reasonable person. In the future, the daughter will abide by the rules and do her duty. ”

Since Yang Tian got married, the Yu family has not received Shen Rui's filial piety, and these days he has taken Yang Tian's housekeeper and **** to get along, but he really has a little feeling.

Looking at the beautiful stepdaughter, Yu couldn't help but sigh and said, "The eldest girl is kind-hearted and always thinks of people in goodness, but this person's heart...... When I first walked in...... Hey, the big girl is still young, I'm afraid she doesn't know......"

Her voice faded.

When the Yu family entered the door, Yang Tian's mother had passed away for a long time, and the Yang family was the head of the Jiang family, the favorite concubine.

The Jiang family has three sons and one daughter, and Yang Er is half a year older than Yang Tian, so you can see how favored the Jiang family was back then. Even Yang Tian's mother was not less angry, otherwise she would not have gone early.

Yu's stepfamily, and no son, took over the housekeeping from the hands of the favored concubine, and was stumbled and squeezed, and it really took a lot of effort to straighten it out, even now, there are many places with oil and water that are held by the Jiang family, and they have not been pulled out.

Yang Tian has never suffered the loss of the Jiang family, but she has been smart since she was a child, and she studied with her brother, and the pattern in her heart is far from being comparable to that of a woman in the house, so she has never distorted her mind because of resentment.

She also knows that it is not easy for the Yu family, these days to get along, the Yu family treats her really well, it is a lie to say that she is like a daughter, but she also has some feelings. Yang Tian couldn't help but reach over and hold Yu's cold hands.

Yu Shi was stunned for a moment, then smiled with relief, patted Yang Tian's warm little hand, and said: "Look at me, just say something about Chen sesame and rotten grain, don't blame me, the big girl, I also remembered it for a while, give the big girl a wake-up."

Yang Tian said in a low voice: "My wife's good daughter knows it. Mrs. rest assured. But he did not let go of his hand until he covered it warmly......

The carriage creaked, swaying and carrying the stepmother and daughter to the palace.

At this time, the aunt who they said would have a great future in their mouths was having a headache in the house.

*

Shen Mansion Study

The scale of this year's Wanshou Holy Day pilgrimage is very small, and the official position of the third master is not the turn to enter the palace, and the boss enters the palace, leaving only one or two people to guard the yamen, and the rest are put to rest, so the third master has never gone out.

At this time, he was sitting opposite Shen Rui, both frowning, discussing countermeasures with the news obtained today and yesterday.

Yesterday, Shen Jin also came over by participating in the ceremony of recognizing the deed girl of the Xu family, he had been to the He family, but he found nothing, and he had never even seen He Beisheng's face.

Because Shen Yuan continued to be the daughter of the He family, Shen Jin knew that Mrs. He went to Beijing, and it was also a courtesy to visit.

The He family was not rude, but the doorman politely said that He Dongsheng would visit friends when he came back from the next dynasty, and he was not at home, and Mrs. He and He Beisheng were both sick because of the water and soil, and it was not easy to see guests.

Shen Jin is not a nerd, he knows how to do a full set of dramas, as soon as he heard that Mrs. He and He Beisheng were "sick", she turned around and prepared something to visit the patient.

The porter didn't dare to slack off, and then reported inside, but in the end, it was Mrs. He's "aunt" who came out to entertain guests.

Mrs. He greeted Shen Jin warmly, and her words were all "misunderstandings" and "the He family's Shen family has been in-laws for generations...... Nonsense like that she didn't believe herself.

Shen Jin was only polite, didn't answer a word, and when he got up to say goodbye for a while, Mrs. He suddenly said that He Dongsheng had gone to Shangshu Mansion many times to pay a visit, but unfortunately Shangshu Mansion was closed, and asked Shen Jin to look at the "family affection" and be a Chinese person, so that He Dongsheng could personally express his apologies to Shangshu Mansion.

“…… This hypocrite! The third master even scolded when he heard this, "When did he come to the door to apologize?!" ”

"He's calculated, and he has to be shut up when he comes." Shen Rui thought thoughtfully: "So I just didn't come, and I let out such a rumor, so that it seems that my Shen family is unforgiving?" As he wished, he would not be spared this time. ”

Shen Jin said: "I don't know if Mrs. He and He Beisheng avoided seeing each other, because they were afraid that I would probe them, or because they had a grudge against the Songjiang Weaving Factory." ”

The third old man waved his hand and said, "I didn't point at it to catch He Wu, but I just scared He Dongsheng." He is now hiding He Wu and Mrs. He, which shows that he is afraid. It's not easy. I'll send someone to find out. ”

The third master sent Shen Jin back, and immediately arranged for his henchman to send a letter to the eyeliner buried in He Mansion, and instructed him to pay special attention to He Dongsheng and He Beisheng's movements in the past few days, and report back in time when there is news.

However, the news from here was not sent back, and Shen Li sent someone to deliver a message this morning. - Shen Li had to enter the palace to congratulate, and it was inconvenient for him to always run this way, so he only sent his henchmen to report the news.

He Dongsheng was in contact with Hu Bingrui, an official in the East Factory.

This Hu Bingrui is the godson of Qiu Ju, the great eunuch next to the new emperor, who was originally working under the eunuch Lu Ning in Yangzhou Town, because he copied the Yan family, he had a relationship between Beijing and China, so he was sent to lead a team to escort the important prisoners and the Yan family's silver to Beijing.

The silver entered the inner treasury through the East Factory, Qiu Ju won the favor of the new emperor, and Hu Bingrui was also appreciated, and Qiu Ju was left on duty in the East Factory in Beijing.

Regardless of whether the civil servants are afraid of the eunuchs in their hearts, they must show more or less disdain on their faces, as if in this way they can raise their own value, and it is even more disgraceful for the literati to defect to the eunuchs.

Especially at the moment, when the cabinet is looking at the eunuchs who hook up with the little emperor and are bent on having fun, and all kinds of bullets are continuous, He Dongsheng's move to contact the officials of the East Factory is too conspicuous.

And this internal official copied the Yan family and escorted the main figures of the Yan family to Beijing.

Along the way, did this person dig out any tricks from the Yan family's mouth?

Shen Yuan was indiscreet, and he offended the Yan family to death, would the Yan family exaggerate, or even fabricate it out of thin air, and pit the Shen family to death?

"The thief bites three points into the bone." The third master finally sighed: "The Yan family will not have good words in their mouths. However, fortunately, Shen Yuan returned to Songjiang after the case was closed, and no matter how much the Yan family bites, there is always a limit to what can be involved. ”

Shen Rui nodded: "It's just that the He family wants to start with the Yan family to exonerate their own crimes, isn't it too child's play?" Even if the Yan family is involved in the Shen family and convicts the Shen family, it does not mean that the He family is innocent. ”

The third old man snorted coldly: "Maybe you're ready to go the way in the palace." These palace officials are all well-known figures, if they use their tongues to tell right and wrong......"

Shen Rui is not afraid of this, that "day" will meet him the day after tomorrow, and since he has made a statement to the king, he will not let others easily reverse black and white.

But these are not easy to talk to the third master before he has met Brother Shou, so Shen Rui only said: "This case is ultimately tried by the three divisions." Since the emperor sent a teacher to Songjiang to try the case, he believed in the Shen family, and he would never easily listen to the villain's slander. ”

The third old man sighed and said, "I hope so." ”

Instead, he opened his mouth and said, "Xie Ge Lao", but he didn't talk about it.

The news sent by Shen Li was obtained from Xie Ge's hometown.

So, what did Elder Xie Ge mean by telling the Shen family the news? Simply to help the son-in-law's family, or to stimulate the Shen family to find the He family's handle to bite the He family to death, so that Xie Ge Lao can use He Dongsheng to snipe Li Ge Lao?

Although the third master didn't say it, Shen Rui also understood.

Previously, it was just a common Japanese robber on the coast, although they plundered the place and the people suffered casualties, but in the end, the Shen family was involved, and it was not the meaning of Li Ge's subordinates to snipe Xie Gelao. Xie Ge Lao Yan could not be annoyed, and how could he not fight back.

When Shen Cang was alive, although the three pavilion elders had hints to woo Shen Cang, the second room of the Shen family had always maintained no side and was not inclined to any pavilion elders; Now that Shen Cang is gone, the Shen family has no Jingtang, but there are two champions, and there is an outstanding child, even if the elder of the pavilion mentions the Shen family, he also praises "many talents".

Xie Ge Lao is now sending such news to the Shen family, I am afraid that there is also a temptation, and now that the Shen family is likely to be dragged into the abyss by the case of Tong Fan, as long as the Shen family shows that he has accepted Xie Ge Lao's "help" to destroy the He family and attack Li Ge Lao, then it will immediately be labeled as Xie Ge Lao - it will not be possible to think of Xie Ge Lao's boat.

Shen Rui looked at the third old man with a firm gaze: "Third uncle, you also understand the deep meaning of Elder Xie Ge. My nephew thinks that we can't receive this 'kindness'. No matter how the He family jumps, they can't move the foundation of the Shen family without evidence, and besides, the family has been separated, even if the Yan family takes Shen Yuan's handle, it will not endanger the entire Shen family. Now, let's wait and see what happens. If Elder Xie Ge wants to find someone to impeach the He family for colluding with internal officials to spy on the palace and the like, with him, this news must not flow out from our side. ”

The third master really used his brains to find a few friends in the imperial history to impeach He Dongsheng for colluding with Dongchang and the like, even if he can't do anything about He Dongsheng, at least he will cut off his connection with Dongchang, and even the so-called "evidence" he took from Dongchang can be easily erased and slandered and framed.

There are many such friends in the imperial history, but there are many academies of the Tian family. is a sensitive matter such as collusion with eunuchs, and no matter how much you are willing to pay some pen money, it is not difficult to find any kind of imperial history.

Hearing Shen Rui's words, the third master couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and nodded slowly for a while.

Shen Rui breathed a sigh of relief, but he was thinking in his heart whether he wanted to tell his father-in-law about this matter.

And Zhang Hui's post...... Do you want to tell your father-in-law that you already know Brother Shou's identity?

However, as soon as he came back, he ran to his father-in-law's house twice in three days, although it was understandable and reasonable, but at such a sensitive moment, it was another matter in the eyes of someone with a heart.

Shen Rui took a deep breath and rubbed his eyebrows, he couldn't go, He Dongsheng and all he could think of Xie Ge Lao's intention was to repair the book and write it to his father-in-law. As for Brother Shou...... It's better to hide it, and let's talk about it after meeting Brother Shou.

Besides, I don't know whether Brother Shou came to see him in person, or just let Zhang Hui pass the word.

Thinking of the Yang family, Shen Rui couldn't help but think of Yang Tian again.

The queen mother's summoning of foreign women to meet her was also mentioned by the relatives and daughters who came to participate in the ceremony of recognizing the deed girl yesterday, and Shen Rui also knew about it from Xu's mouth.

Thinking that Sister Tian was entering the palace for the first time this time, I don't know if she would be nervous and scared......

*

At this time, Yang Tian, who was waiting for the announcement in the Xinuan Pavilion of Kunning Palace, was not a little nervous and afraid, but was sitting behind the Yu family, listening to a Hanlin lady and the Yu family whispering about the gossip on the side of the Xun Qi:

“…… No, the Zhang family and the Wang family have gone in, and the Zhou family is still hanging there, look at the face of Mrs. Qingyun Hou Shizi......"

(End of chapter)