Chapter 69: Love

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Yuan Banmeng went from a famous son to a palace slave, this kind of ups and downs are not something ordinary people can bear, and it is no wonder that he is disheartened about the government. It is impossible for him to be as fearless of power as Lord Zhen and ask for the people's lives. But as a person who has seen through officialdom and red dust, and does not even have descendants, he will not be a person who harms the public and private interests and bends the law for bribes. Let him turn the tide, he will definitely not be able to do it, but let him keep to himself, but it is easy. The Holy One can gradually let him handle some of the affairs of the household department so that he can investigate. ”

Qian Hongzuo nodded in agreement.

Empress Dowager Xu said to Zhen Jinshu: "Jinshu, Concubine Tian likes you very much, saying that you are smart and capable, and quite convincing, and I want you to help her and assist in the inner court." She's not in good health, and she hasn't had a right-hand man by her side, so it would be great if you could share one or two. ”

Zhen Jinshu said modestly: "Concubine Tian has won the award, and Erchen is really worried that he will live up to the high expectations of the Queen Mother and the Concubine, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to do it." ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Jinshu, you are talented, Concubine Tian is afraid that you will not agree, so she specially asked the mourning family to tell you that the mourning family has never seen her, and she admires a younger generation so much." ”

Zhen Jinshu said respectfully: "Since this is the case, Jinshu is willing to follow Concubine Tian and learn more." ”

Empress Dowager Xu smiled and nodded, "It's great that you can agree." ”

Seeing that the atmosphere of the banquet was harmonious, Mrs. Zhen wanted to take the opportunity to say what she had been thinking about privately for a long time, and said, "There is something that the old body has been thinking about for a long time, and I want to discuss it with you on this good day. ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Duchess Guo, please speak." ”

Mrs. Zhen said: "Our Zhen family, there are no men, thanks to Lord Xie for assisting Jinshu and taking care of my master's funeral, he is the benefactor of our Zhen family." Nowadays, Master Xie is studying my master's lectures, and from time to time he has to discuss one or two with the brocade book. I'm afraid that people will gossip, so I want Jinshu and Master Xie to worship as sisters and brothers with different surnames. ”

Empress Dowager Xu looked at Zhen Jinshu and saw that her face was full of surprise, knowing that her mother had not discussed this matter with her. Looking at Zhen Jinshu's expression, she didn't agree with this matter, and Empress Dowager Xu secretly thought about Zhen Jinshu's thoughts.

Xie Xiangcun stood up when he heard this, and said: "The Duchess of the Kingdom raises love, Lord Zhen is a sage respected by the late life, if you don't dislike the late life and climb the ,......."

It was very obvious that Xie Xiangcun completely agreed with this matter, and Empress Dowager Xu hurriedly interrupted: "Of course, it is a great joy to become a sister and brother. I think it's better to wait for the completion of the mourning period before bowing down. Xie Aiqing is a closed disciple of Lord Zhen, Lord Zhen unfortunately died early, even if Jinshu teaches on behalf of his father, there is nothing wrong with it, and there is no need to avoid the suspicion of men and women. ”

Seeing that Empress Dowager Xu was stopping, Mrs. Zhen didn't insist anymore, and said, "It's okay, it's okay." ”

Empress Dowager Xu hurriedly changed the topic and asked Xie Xiangcun: "I heard that when you went out, your master Qu Liuqing walked with you to collect folk tunes, but is there such a thing?" ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "This is indeed the case. However, his expenses are all calculated separately, and he does not follow the accounts of the official family. ”

Qian Hongzuo said generously; "There is no need for this, as a servant of the imitation pear villa, it was originally a business to collect style from the people, and the accounts of the official family should be taken, and you don't need to pay for it from your master and apprentice in the future."

Xie Xiangcun said: "Thank you for the kindness of the saint, but this precedent cannot be opened, if other officials follow suit and go out on errands, they all bring their family members, and the official family will pay the expenses, and the saint will be difficult to control." ”

Qian Hongzuo thought for a while and said: "In this way, the lonely king will regularly reward some silver taels from the Quqi people in the future, so that he can go to the folk to collect style." ”

Xie Xiangcun stood up and saluted, "Thank you, Holy Lord." ”

Qian Hongzuo affectionately pulled him to sit down.

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Today is Princess Ruyi's birthday, Xie Aiqing, you might as well sing a song of the folk tunes you collected this time to help everyone drink." ”

Xie Xiangcun said worriedly: "It's all some love and love songs, and my master hasn't had time to sort them out, so it's really difficult to get into the elegant hall." ”

Zhen Jinshu said quite generously: "It's okay, folk tunes, all express their hearts directly, even the 'Book of Songs' compiled by Confucius Sage, the first poem is also about the love between men and women: Guan Guan Ju Dove, in the river island, fair lady, gentleman." Sing a song to us. ”

Others also echoed Zhen Jinshu.

Xie Xiangcun reluctantly said: "Okay then." "Say and sing:

In February, the spring breeze is coming, the spring breeze is coming, the peach blossoms are blooming, the peach blossoms are blooming, I want to pick, I'm just for my sister, sister, sister, knock on the door and ask if you love it, please don't let the yellow dog out.

As soon as he sang a few words, everyone laughed, Xie Xiangcun blushed and did not continue singing.

Empress Dowager Xu said: "It seems that when Sage Confucius compiled the Book of Poetry, it may have been processed, which is very different from the folk tune. ”

In a blink of an eye, everyone drank a lot of wine, Xie Xiangcun thought it would not be intoxicating because of the sweetness of the wine, he never drank alcohol on weekdays, but he didn't expect the wine, in fact, the wine was very strong, and he soon couldn't support it, so he felt dizzy, got up and left the table, saying that he wanted to go outside to breathe. After going out for a long time and not coming back, Qian Hongzuo asked the waiter who was waiting next to him: "Why did Xie Aiqing go here for a long time?" ”

The chamberlain laughed, "He slept in the garden." Look at the big tree over there, who's there? ”

Qian Hongzuo and Zhen Jinshu stood up together, looked out the window, and saw that opposite the Jiuqu corridor, on the stone slab under a big willow tree, Xie Xiangcun was already lying in his clothes, the willow silk was blowing, and the yellow gauze on Xie Xiangcun's body was light and elegant, floating with the wind.

Qian Hongzuo was stunned for a while.

Zhen Jinshu looked at it and said, "It's windy outside, I'll take a look." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "I'll go with you." ”

With that, the two of them left the table.

Only Empress Dowager Xu and Mrs. Zhen were left in the banquet. Mrs. Zhen sighed: "Jin Shu is a year older, already twenty years old. Now that even the family affairs have not been decided, and during the period of mourning, it is really troublesome that you cannot marry according to custom. ”

Empress Dowager Xu asked: "Jinshu is so outstanding, there should be a lot of people who ask for marriage, why is it delayed?" ”

Mrs. Zhen said: "Don't hide it from the Queen Mother, the original intention of the old body and my master is not to let Jinshu marry, but to recruit a son-in-law." My lord, because of the love between husband and wife, has always refused to take a concubine. I don't have a strong body, but I only got Jinshu's daughter, our original intention was to let Jinshu recruit a son-in-law, so as to inherit the Zhen family. But this outstanding man doesn't want to be a son-in-law, and how can an ordinary man be worthy of the brocade book, whether he is high or low, this marriage has become a problem. ”

Empress Dowager Xu listened, wordlessly looked outside the Jiuqu corridor, only to see Zhen Jinshu and Qian Hongzuo, both came to the sleeping Xie Xiangcun, Zhen Jinshu was afraid that Xie Xiangcun would catch a cold and wanted to wake him up, and Qian Hongzuo was afraid of forcibly waking him up, so Xie Xiangcun was unwell, so he asked the waiter to get a warm bedding, and he took off his robe and covered Xie Xiangcun's body. Both of them tiptoed to their feet, their concern palpable.

Empress Dowager Xu retracted her gaze and turned to Mrs. Zhen and said, "Duchess Guo, Jinshu and Xie Aiqing, forming brothers and sisters with different surnames, do you know why the mourning family didn't allow it just now?" ”

Mrs. Zhen asked, "What does the Queen Mother mean?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "The mourning family can see that Jinshu and Xie Aiqing have a good impression of each other. I'm worried that they have feelings for each other, and if they become brothers and sisters with different surnames, it will delay their marriage. If the Duchess intends to recruit a son-in-law, then Xie Aiqing is the best candidate. He was alone, without parents and family, and later became a colt, and the children born in the brocade book could follow their mother's surname Zhen. ”

Mrs. Zhen never thought about this, and said in astonishment: "Jinshu is four or five years older than him, how can he be a husband and wife?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Confucius said that he would stand at thirty, if according to his words, Xie Aiqing has passed the age of standing." Although he was young, he was full of sorrows and heavy responsibilities, but he was able to do it with ease. How can a person who is a second-class official be a child? Even if he is actually young, when the period of Jinshu filial piety expires, Xie Aiqing's age is already close to the age of marriage, and it is just the time for them to talk about marriage. And the saint should like it very much, let Xie Aiqing be his brother-in-law, so that they can kiss each other. ”

Mrs. Zhen's eyes lit up, and then she was worried: "Lord Xie is already in the second grade, how could he agree to be a son-in-law?" ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "A concubine can be a concubine, and the child born to his concubine is surnamed Xie." ”

Mrs. Zhen pondered: "After the death of my lord, Lord Xie once performed the eldest son ceremony for him, and he was greatly favored by the Zhen family, is it really a predetermined marriage?" Then he said happily, "When the old man was alive, he was very fond of him. Master Xie attaches great importance to love and righteousness, and is very kind to me and Jinshu. When I was with Master Xie, I always had the illusion that I was old and had a son, so I wanted him to marry Jinshu as a brother and sister. If it weren't for the fact that I didn't match my age, maybe I would have thought about it a long time ago. ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Madame, don't talk about this matter for the time being, find more opportunities for the two to get along, although Lord Xie is young and has not yet opened his love, but the more the first love, the more sincere the feelings, once they fall in love, I am afraid that they will become a fairy couple." ”

Mrs. Zhen said: "I hope the Queen Mother's auspicious words come true." ”