Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is summer, and the hum of cicadas and the hot weather are annoying. Things in the court were as annoying as the weather, and the forces of all sides were surging, and the direction of the wind was unknown for a while.

The passage of time can be forgotten, but time records it clearly.

No one mentioned the secret of Xiao Li's death anymore. The big and small things that happened in the court at the beginning of Xiao Zhi's accession to the throne were soon forgotten by people. The official in charge of the living of the inner court still follows the old rules and makes a superficial article seriously: "Xiao Li's fifteenth year is the first month of the first month,...... collapsed in the temple of nourishing the heart"; "Roch and others are good at riding royal horses, and the king is gracious, fined for three years, and demoted by two levels"; "The eunuch Cao Yong was in Yuehuamen...... "At that time, only a very few careful people kept it in their hearts and thought about the mystery. In fact, Sima Ni's illness was a barometer of the government at that time. A little more ill he is, something will happen to the inner court. Right now, Sima Ni's illness is getting worse and worse, and the situation in the palace is becoming more and more tense.

In the evening, when the weather was cooler, Sima Ni sat on the edge of his pond, wearing only a coat, leaning against the shade of a tree to feed the fish, surrounded by ice cubes prepared by his family in winter. Sunlight shines through the dense layers of foliage, and the ground is covered with spots the size of copper coins. As soon as the food is sprinkled, schools of red carp will come around and scramble, which is very interesting.

Basking in the sun, blowing a cool breeze, and being accompanied by fish, Sima Ni felt very relaxed. Thinking that those reclusive people live such a leisurely life every day, and they have also experienced it in sick leave, Sima Ni couldn't help but close his eyes, crossed Erlang's legs, and the expression on his face was much more relaxed, enjoying this hard-won leisure.

It's just that the good times are too short, and in the midst of chaos, who can be alone?

Son Sima Wei got off the court, walked in in a hurry, and didn't care about greetings, so he said, "Father, today's court, the Ministry of Industry Shangshu was impeached by Cao Ze's party, and recommended Luo Shi to serve, this person is Cao Ze's henchman, no matter how it goes, there is no place for my Sima family to stand in the court, my father said that he has been sick for so long, he should make a decision as soon as possible, and he can no longer hide at home." Sima Wei pointed to the gate, "Lord Xiao Jie's guards have been waiting at our door for several days, and everyone is waiting for my father to reply." ”

"What's the hurry, the king and the old queen are not in a hurry, what are you anxious about?" Sima Ni just continued to feed the fish, and didn't look at his son, "What do you say about Jiang Taigong's fishing?" ”

"Those who wish take the bait."

"Yes, let's either not shoot, if we want to shoot or catch those small fish and shrimp, we have to catch the dragon king." Sima Ni smiled.

"Dragon Fisher?"

"The current situation can only be stabilized if I come forward. If the king and the queen mother want to clean up Cao Ze, they will definitely reuse my Sima family. Sima Ni stood up and shook off the dust on his body, patted his son's shoulder, and said meaninglessly, "At that time, you will not only be a senior minister, but my Sima family will no longer be an ordinary family."

"Father means 。。。。。。"

"I'm just waiting for this dragon king to take the bait, it should be fast after so long."

A week later, a small sedan chair stopped at the main entrance of Sima's Mansion.

When the little man guarding the door heard the noise, he thought that another minister was coming to visit, so he opened the door and whispered, "My lord is seriously ill, and I am afraid that I will not be able to see the adults." I hope you will forgive me. ”

I saw Su Wan standing at the door, holding a coiling dragon cane in both hands - that was commonly used by the old queen mother, and she didn't care about the surprised expression of the little girl, but said calmly, "The old queen mother has arrived, please go and prepare your lord." ”

After a while, the old queen mother helped Su Wan out of the sedan chair and entered Sima's mansion. Seeing Sima Ni, Sima Wei knelt on the ground with his family and his family, and shouted in unison, "Blessed is the old lady." ”

The old queen mother hurriedly stepped forward, helped Sima Ni up, and said with a smile, "I heard that your body is always not good, and the king and I are always not at ease, come and take a look, don't bother you to cultivate your body." ”

Sima Ni hurriedly said, "It is the sin of the ministers to let the king and the old queen mother worry." After that, he respectfully greeted the old lady to the lobby and sat down, and personally served tea. The family members are all standing outside, although the people who come and go in this house are all people with heads and faces, but it is the first time that the old queen mother has come to the house in person, and she does not dare to speak out.

The old lady took a sip, "Good tea, it's this year's new Biluo Spring." Then put it down, "It's hard for you, and I still remember my preferences as an old woman." ”

"The king likes Longjing, and the old queen mother likes Biluochun. The old minister remembers clearly, and it is the duty of the courtier to remember the likes and dislikes of the master. Sima Ni sat on the side, very respectful.

This is to show loyalty, the old queen thought to herself, very satisfied. The two chatted for a while, and inadvertently, the old queen mother asked, "Eh, why did you see your son Sima Wei, where is your baby daughter Sima Qing?" ”

Sima Ni hurriedly got up, "Back to the old queen mother, the little girl has no grade, she can't see the face of heaven according to the big gift, and she is young and reckless, for fear of provoking the old queen mother, the old minister let her be outside." ”

"Eh, I'm an ordinary guest at the house today, don't talk about one rule at a time." The old queen mother smiled, "What's more, I haven't seen Qing'er for a long time, it's weirdly hot, what are you doing standing outside?" Let her in! ”

Su Wan looked at the door and saw a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl standing at the door. She is tall, her facial features are delicate, her face is a little baby fat, her forehead seems to be a little higher, her eyebrows are swept, and she is a beauty. Wearing a pale apricot-colored gauze skirt, her hair was neatly combed into a Ling Tian bun, she was decorated with a few golden flowers sporadically, and she was wearing a pair of emerald earrings, which was solemn and elegant, obviously carefully dressed.

"Good boy, come here." The old queen mother looked up and down and beckoned. When Sima Qing saw the old lady for the first time, she seemed a little reserved.

"How old are you this year?"

"Back to the old lady, she is fourteen years old."

"What books have you read?"

"I have read the Four Books and the Five Classics, and I have also read the women's training."

After chatting like this for a while, Sima Qing was not so nervous, and the old queen mother answered generously when she asked anything, her words were neither humble nor arrogant, low-key and calm, and she was very personable.

Sima Qing picked up the fruit plate next to him, bent his knees slightly, and raised the plate above his head with both hands, "Old lady, this is preserved fruit made from the fruit picked from her own orchard, let the old lady try it." ”

The old queen mother smiled and picked up one and ate it, she was very satisfied, and said to Sima Ni, "Your little daughter is humble and polite, and she looks good, I like it very much." I don't know if you can be matched? “

Sima Ni replied, "The little girl is stubborn, not yet." “

"Speaking of which, it's fate, the king is also seventeen years old this year, and it is time for him to get married."

"The king has been delayed by the court, and ordinary people are afraid that they even have children." Su Wan laughed on the side.

These words said to the old queen mother's heart, and said, "The king is busy with government affairs, and there must be a person who knows cold and hot by his side, I think this child is very good." I am in charge, so let this child be promised to the king to be queen. The old queen mother looked at Sima Ni again, "What does Aiqing think?" “

"Wechen is terrified." Sima Ni hurriedly led the whole family to kneel, "This is the blessing of the Sima family, Empress Dowager Xie." “

"Don't say that, we will be in-laws after that, you are also the national abbot, and you will depend on you a lot for national affairs, the new king is young, and you should mention more as the father-in-law" The old queen mother is meaningful.

"Weichen must do his best, and in the next few days, he will go to the court to ask Wang Shang'an." Sima Ni naturally understood the deep meaning, which was exactly what he wanted.

"The king is also older, and after the wedding, he is considered an adult, and it is time to listen to the government."

"The old minister understands."

Seeing the old queen mother's sedan chair leave, Sima Wei said happily: "Father is really like a god. ”

"There are two sides to everything, all of a sudden, even if we are completely in chaos, Cao Ze and Xiao Yan should not be underestimated." Sima Ni wasn't too happy, "Be cautious in the future." ”