Cui Sleeves said to his mouth, couldn't help it, and continued: "The huge palace, strange and deserted, the lonely lamp is a long night, if the mother has a heart, there will be a wishful life around her, the steward eunuch Chen Derun has a good life in his heart, rather than waiting for the spring to be old, it is better to have fun in time." ”

Zhang Yan slapped her in the face, knocked her to the ground, and scolded: "You shameless, you are crazy and stupid in front of me, is this your idea?" What good did he give you? ”

Cui Sleeve fell to the ground and looked at Zhang Yan in fear, unable to think of whether she was really annoyed, or couldn't wipe her face, and forgot to answer for a while. Zhang Yan stepped forward and picked off the beads around her neck, then took off the jade bracelet on her wrist, kicked it and said, "Pass Chen Derun here, I want to see how you two dog men and women are guilty of the crime?" ”

Chen Derun came in, saw Cui Sleeve lying on the ground, knew that the incident in the east window had happened, trembled and knelt down, completely without the previous lust, Zhang Yan shouted: "Xiao Dezi, I promoted you to be the steward of the five grades, and rewarded the rag knife, you don't know that Dai De repaid the favor, but he used the little sleeves to bully me, who instigated it?" ”

Chen Derun rolled his eyes a few times, and kept clapping his mouth: "The slave maid saw that the mother was beautiful and widowed, and she couldn't help it for a while, so she begged Cui Sleeve to convey it on her behalf, and no one instructed her. The slave knew she was wrong. ”

Zhang Yan said sharply: "Nonsense! Just because you, a dog minion, are also equipped with such a transparent jade bracelet and such a large bead? ”

"These were stolen by minions." Chen Derun bowed his head and said.

"Stole? Where did it steal? ”

Chen Derun was stunned for a long time, and he couldn't say clearly. Zhang Yan said angrily: "It is obvious that someone is behind the instigation, but you cheap slave gritted his teeth and didn't say anything, it seems that it is difficult to recruit a big punishment if you don't move." Come on, drag Chen Derun out! With the shout, two eunuchs on duty and more than a dozen brocade guards who patrolled the night rushed up, picked up Chen Derun and walked out, "How much do you want?" ”

"Hit forty."

Chen Derun was so frightened that he shouted: "Niangniang is gracious, the slave has something to say." ”

Note: The rag knife, the rag is the yellow silk belt, hanging on the right side of the clothes. The knife refers to two toothpicks and a small knife with gold and silver as a sheath, which is tied to the left side of the garment. It is an honor that only a favored eunuch would reward.

The white prodigal son, regardless of the palace maid's disobedience, forced the eunuch who was married to the palace maid was called the white prodigal son. The prodigal son is close to a scoundrel, white, and is the pronoun of the eunuch.

§§ The fourteenth metaphor is a big rape, a little play, a new upstart, a banquet, and a banquet

Wei Zhongxian said: "I just gossip, but I almost forgot to introduce an old friend to Xu Ye." After that, he pointed outward with his hand, and Xu Yingyuan found that there was a person standing on the back of his hand under the Shuangling window, wearing a scarf, facing out of the window, I don't know whether to look into the distance, or to appreciate the first blooming buds outside the Xuanwai with a few begonias.

"Turn back." Zhang Yan looked at Chen Derun, and Chen Derun knelt down when he saw everyone retreat and said, "Niangniang really wants to punish the slave maid?" ”

"If I don't beat you, how will I know that the king's law is strict?"

Chen Derun heard that the queen did not put him to death, and his heart suddenly calmed down a lot, he smiled, raised his head and said: "The slave and maid still persuade the mother to be more thoughtful, if the slave and maid are tortured, but the skin and flesh suffer some pain, but if someone asks the slave and the maid what crime they have committed, the slave and the maid may not be able to hide it, once it is spread, it is really a dirty lady's reputation and reputation." ”

"You dare to blackmail me?"

Chen Derun retorted: "It's not that the slave and maid are coerced, the matter has come to this point, the authority is still in the mother, if the mother insists on going her own way, she will be punished, it is nothing more than teaching the slave and the maid to make a clear proof to the palace, how can the slave and the maid be influenced?" ”

"You're forcing me to kill you?"

Chen Derun was not afraid, and sneered: "Niangniang wants to beat the slave and maid, I am afraid that no one dares to stop it, if the slave and maid are executed, but they can't be the master, they must also play the Ming Kunning Palace Zhou Niangniang, Niangniang don't forget that now Kunning Palace has changed masters." ”

"Without me, she can't enter the Kunning Palace, for the sake of a lowly minion, how can she turn her face and deny people? Besides, you are not in her name, why does she protect you? She's not the slut who inks the moon! Drag it down, hit it hard! Tomorrow, I will play the emperor again, and degrade you, a slave, to grow vegetables in Xiaoling. He turned his head to look at Cui Sleeve and scolded: "First teach this unfamiliar who betrayed her master to eat inside and out, and then send her to the Huanyi Bureau to take care of her." ”

After a while, the shouts of counting came from outside the temple gate: "One, two, three...... Eight...... Thirty", accompanied by the poignant and suppressed sound that could not cry, Chen Derun's mouth was firmly blocked by a cloth towel, his hands were tied above his head, and he was lying down under the stone steps, his buttocks were already bloody and blurred, and his clothes were stained.

Wei Liangqing got the iron coupon given by Qin, overjoyed, and wanted to celebrate it with a lot of lights, but his uncle Wei Zhongxian sent someone to tell him not to publicize it, Wei Liangqing had no choice but to repaint the mahogany case in the center of the main hall dedicated to the imperial book holy decree, and built a small pavilion dedicated to the iron coupon, covered it with bright yellow satin, and worshipped in the morning and evening, the civil and military courtiers were so happy that they didn't have to go to the house to congratulate, and most of them secretly gave gifts, only a few iron-hearted sworn friends came to congratulate them, and Cui Chengxiu waited for everyone to come to the excitement before they arrived, Wei Liangqing personally accompanied, first paid a big salute to the imperial book iron coupon, sat down to watch tea, and asked in a high voice: "Lao Cui, you came just in time, we have something on our minds and want to ask you earlier, but we have to carefully staff for us." ”

Cui Chengxiu looked at Wei Liangqing, the prince of Ningguo, who was wearing a big red python robe, and said with a smile: "How can Grandpa Guo learn to think about it?" ”

"It's not that it's tempting, it's just that I can't sleep well. Originally, with this iron coupon, it should be happy, but who knows that my uncle doesn't teach Zhang Yang, and I don't know what kind of medicine my uncle sells in his gourd? The tall and mighty Wei Liangqing is used to being outspoken, he was a farmer and a farmer who ploughed the land, with a straight look, and he hadn't read for a few years, and he couldn't read a few words.

Cui Chengxiu asked rhetorically: "Daddy doesn't care what medicine he sells, he won't teach us juniors to suffer losses after all." When Grandpa Guo can't sleep well, he should think about what kind of medicine is sold in the emperor's gourd. ”

Wei Liangqing patted his forehead with his hand and said, "We also thought about it, but we didn't understand it either." The emperor ascended the dragon throne, it stands to reason that it should be rewarded and punished, and it is just the old people of the letter mansion such as Xu Yingyuan who are sealed, my uncle, Ti Qian, Wen Fu and others should be secretly hated in his heart, those original imperial eunuchs Wang Zuo, Chen Bingzheng, Qi Benzheng, Zhang Yongqing, Wang Yongnian and so on have no size of merit, but how can they be sealed together, and they also give us and the child Peng Yi with additional grace, which is admonishing and coaxing, and teaching people is always uncomfortable and steady. ”

Cui Chengxiu saw that his words were straightforward, but he was also to the point, so he couldn't help nodding and said: "Grandpa Guo, the emperor has such a deep meaning!" The old people of the letter mansion were changed to new titles, entered to serve inside, and rewarded the old ministers of the previous dynasty, so that they did not distinguish between relatives and relatives, in order to calm the hearts of everyone. Daddy is now a big tree with deep roots, he doesn't dare to act rashly, and he uses fierce medicine indiscriminately, so naturally he will not follow the usual practice of being a son of heaven and a courtier. He comforted his father and others, as if he was not reusing it as in the past, he was afraid that he would not be able to beat the weasel and provoke a commotion, but he intended to slow down, he was afraid that he would not be able to tolerate our masters! ”

Wei Liangqing took a sip of tea and said: "Then you should persuade your uncle, such blind forbearance is not a good strategy, if the emperor is steady and steady, step by step, sooner or later there will be a day to close the net, and it will be too late to regret it at that time." ”

"Now that my father is careful, he is extremely cautious in everything, and he must not be ruthless until the last resort. These days, he is either serving on duty in the palace, or sitting in the yamen of the celebrant and talking to Wang Tiqian, Li Yongzhen, Shi Yuanya, and Tu Wenfu, as if he is avoiding us, he must be afraid of the crime of befriending foreign ministers, where do I dare to go to see my father! Cui Chengxiu looked at the bowl of green tea on the ebony square, but he didn't drink it, he just frowned and sighed, "How did Daddy's courage become smaller?" There is no such thing as before. ”

Wei Liangqing was disturbed by what he said, and said worriedly: "The palace report from the palace said that the emperor has allowed Li Chaoqin, Pei Yousheng, Wang Binggong, Wu Guangcheng, and Tan Jing to leave the palace to take a break, I don't know who will be next?" ”

"Daddy shouldn't have taught these people to go up and beg one after another, repeatedly testing the emperor's thoughts, but now it's good, but the emperor has taken advantage of it. If you continue to be allowed like this, I am afraid that it will not be a head. The matter has come to this point, whether you advance or retreat, you must teach the people of the world to understand, so as not to look left and right, and your own subordinates are also confused and confused, and then they are in trouble both internally and externally, and they are afraid that a catastrophe is coming. ”

When Wei Liangqing heard this, the dense beard under his chin trembled slightly, and his face changed color and said, "How to advance and retreat now?" ”

Cui Chengxiu habitually looked around, and when he saw that there was no one, he said with confidence: "If you say it, that's it." He stretched out his palm, turned his five fingers into a knife, and slashed downward, "If you say that there are two ways to retreat, one is to concentrate on keeping the success, so as not to cause trouble to the wall; The second is to seek the purpose and return home. ”

Wei Liangqing was silent, and couldn't help fiddling with the lid of the tea bowl in his hand, and suddenly a strong fragrance hit, and he couldn't help but move his index finger, and salivated: "It's strange, this aroma is like the stewed pig's trotters of the Zhou family?" As soon as the words fell, I heard a person laughing outside the window, hurriedly walked out, and saw no one, only to see the chrysanthemums under the window being moved to the ground, but there was a hanging bamboo silk woven red food box on the flower stand, to be drunk, someone under the grape trellis in the west window asked: "This pig's trotters are still fragrant?" In the official dialect of southern Jiangsu, I heard that the person was Zhou Yingqiu, the secretary of the ministry, and said happily: "I haven't eaten your pig's trotters for a long time, but you can teach us to be greedy." ”

Zhou Yingqiu hurriedly said: "What kind of delicacies and seas are there in Grandpa Guo's mansion?" But I just like this pig's trotters that are not very named. I heard that the grandfather of the country got the iron coupon given by the emperor, where will this wealth have a head? The little one thought about what to send for a few days, and couldn't make up his mind for a while, and he was afraid that a few pig's trotters would be too light to give a gift, and he couldn't take it! I wanted to secretly put it down and leave, but when I saw that Grandpa Guo liked it so much, I was cheeky enough to congratulate him in person. There is a sense of gratitude in the words.

"The pig's trotters seem to be very fragrant. Come into the house, Second Brother Cui is also here, just drinking. Zhou Yingqiu heard that Cui Chengxiu was here, so he hurriedly came in to worship, the three of them sat down, put the wine up, Zhou Yingqiu sat down, and said with a smile: "Don't hide it from the two of you, this pig's trotter is carefully made, but it is not better than before." ”

"But what's so strange?" Cui Chengxiu saw Wei Liangqing hurriedly rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a big chew and gnawed it violently, completely without the appearance of Guogong, and secretly thought: A pig's trotter, stepping on mud and wading in the circle, is very pickled, what's the good?

Zhou Yingqiu said: "This old man doesn't know anything. The pig's trotters stewed by the younger brother are all pigs raised in clean wooden cages at home, fed with soybean milk, melons and fruits, and fine grains, and the house slaves release it every day and drive it to run for miles in the backyard, so the pig's four legs are strong and strong. When it is used, the pig is tied firmly, and it is not slaughtered, but the mane on the four hooves is first removed in boiling water, and the pig is cut off raw, and the pig is still wailing and howling. In this way, the four hooves have sufficient blood, the skin and flesh are fresh and tender, and the color is red, which is very different. Rao is Cui Chengxiu is well-informed, and he can't help but secretly call He Ren in his heart, and he is surprised. smiled at the moment: "Your simmering hooves are worthy of the fame, and you are so exquisite." ”

Zhou Yingqiu said with a straight face: "It's all those villains who talk nonsense, but they are actually jealous." Grandpa Guo has such a noble status, he can see a few pig's trotters of the younger brother, and the younger brother does his filial piety for the grandpa of the country, but he teaches people to be red-eyed and warm-hearted, I am afraid that they want to tie the knot, but they don't have that kind of craftsmanship! Cui Chengxiu couldn't laugh anymore when he saw him explain like this, and was about to be comforted by good words, but he heard a burst of urgent footsteps stop by the door, and someone said: "Someone is from the palace." ”

Wei Liangqing stood up suddenly, glanced at Cui Chengxiu and shouted, "Please!" As soon as the door opened, the housekeeper Guo Jun accompanied a eunuch into the door. Soon after the new emperor ascended to the pole, Wei Liangqing closed the Liuquanju restaurant, and Guo Jun, the shopkeeper of the restaurant, returned to the house to become a housekeeper. The eunuch saw Wei Liangqing and hurriedly stepped forward to pay a visit, Wei Liangqing recognized this person as Liu Ruoyu, the head of the middle study, and asked, "What is the matter, actually sending you, the head of the middle study, out of the palace?" ”

Liu Ruoyu also gave a salute to Cui Chengxiu and Zhou Yingqiu, and replied: "Nine thousand years old instructed the younger ones to invite the theater troupe in the house. ”

"What do you want the troupe to do? What joys to celebrate? Wei Liangqing couldn't help but be secretly happy in his heart.

Liu Ruoyu said: "Two days later is the Thousand Autumn Festival of Queen Zhou Niangniang, long live the Lord has a decree to celebrate, and the imperial concubine Tian Niangniang specially ordered a few plays to celebrate Zhou Niangniang's birthday." ”

Wei Liangqing's enthusiasm suddenly turned into ice and snow, and he said unhappily: "If the sect division can't do it, why bother to come here to find it?" ”

"Tian Niangniang looked at the musicians and servants of the Teaching Workshop Division, and was extremely dissatisfied, I heard that the grandfather's house had a team, which was the best choice in the world, and it was unparalleled in the world, so she dictated that she was nine thousand years old, and nine thousand years old should be inherited, and she knew that the little one knew a little bit about some tunes, and the little one came to the selection."

"What tunes did you order?" Cui Chengxiu, who was on the side, saw that Wei Liangqing was unhappy, so he changed the topic and asked.

Liu Ruoyu said: "Let's prepare a few more, which one to order depends on the taste of the girls, how can we point out indiscriminately." ”

Cui Chengxiu asked again: "Who is accompanying you?" ”

"This is an internal banquet in the palace, and the elders of the pavilion will not be able to go if they are afraid!"

Wei Liangqing said: "We have heard about it in our drama troupe, and it is also our glory, you go down and choose!" Let's go back and teach the tailors to make some fresh clothes overnight to please the girls. ”

Cui Chengxiu saw Liu Ruoyu going out with Guo Jun, and said with a smile: "If you take the red line of girls, Grandpa Guo can sleep peacefully." It's just that it coincides with the Thousand Autumn Festival, and the palace is afraid that it is extremely busy, and my father's mind will not think much about anything about advancing and retreating, so there is no need to meet and persuade him. It may be better for the camera to act than for us to be obsessed with advancing and retreating, after all, we are not by the emperor's side, and many things in the palace are difficult to know and taste. ”

In the northeast of the Wenhua Palace, set up a brand new pavilion, several rows of tables and chairs are placed opposite the pavilion, the red sandalwood belt is set up in the middle to support the clay throne, the left and right are the red sandalwood round backrest armchairs, and the low square table next to it is placed with all kinds of fresh and dried fruits, Ya pear, apple, peach, mountain red, jujube, walnut, chestnut...... In front of the throne, there were a few pots of jasmine and peonies in full bloom, Chongzhen walked into the hall, and smelled a refreshing fragrance of flowers, and said with a smile: "Well arranged." ”

Wang Tiqian next to him hurriedly replied: "Long live Lord, this jasmine was ordered by Concubine Tian, where did the slaves and maids think of it?" This peony was purchased by Wei Shanggong to the Caoqiao Wanliu Garden outside You'an Gate, and the peony in the flower room in the palace has just been bone-broken. ”

"The concubines and the imperial sisters-in-law haven't come yet?"

"Concubine Liu Niangniang said that she was tired and wanted to sleep a little more at noon, Zheng Niangniang was weak, and she was afraid that she would not be able to hold it up and stir up the situation. Wang Tiqian replied. That Concubine Liu was originally the concubine of Emperor Shenzong, and she had lived in Cining Palace since the Guangzong Dynasty, holding the seal of the Empress Dowager.

Chongzhen looked at Zhao Benzheng and Wang Chengen beside him and nodded: "Xuanwei Zhongxian, Gao Shiming, and Xu Yingyuan came to watch the play with me." While speaking, Queen Zhou, Concubine Tian, and Concubine Yuan walked into the palace surrounded by a group of palace maids, and Queen Zhou had a dragon and phoenix bead crown on her head, decorated with a golden dragon, two green phoenixes, and beads in her mouth. Two golden hairpins and a pair of coral phoenix beaks are inserted on the left and right. There are peonies, stamens, and green leaves formed by beads before and after, and the left and right beads are emerald and sideburns, and the jewels are shining brightly. He was wearing a yellow coat, a dark blue xia post and a jacket, and a red thread belt. Tian and Yuan Erfei are wearing Luan phoenix crowns, Tian Fei is a flower hairpin phoenix crown, Yuan Fei is a fake mane Huadian, a color of real red big sleeves, Xia Ti, red Luo skirt, skirt, skirt, gold thread woven into Xia Feng pattern. came over together and sat in Chongzhen. Chongzhen asked Concubine Tian with a smile: "This sandalwood pipa, you are an expert, what kind of tunes are you preparing for the birthday star today?" Tell me about it. ”

"The emperor is making fun of the concubine again, how are you not an expert, which of the ancient and modern emperors has made five songs of visiting the Tao?" Concubine Tian's eyes flowed, and she smiled and said: "This time, the concubine personally organized a troupe for the queen's mother, selected the famous Kunqu opera characters of the northern and southern schools, and prepared more than a dozen music cards. ”

"Who are the teams?"

Tian Fei said: "There are Zhang Dai, Ruan Dacheng, You Tong's family class, Jingshi's Juhe, Sanye, and Keyu opera classes, Nanjing's Xinghua class, and Suzhou's Hanxiang and Ningbi classes, all of which are the masters of Kunchao. ”

Chongzhen said happily: "You said this, I want to see the repertoire." The eunuch in charge of the Chengqian Palace behind Concubine Tian whispered: "Imperial Concubine Niangniang, the sect Si Si Le is waiting next to him, can they be announced that they will present the repertoire for the royal view?" ”

"Okay, teach them to present them together, and the queen mother will also have a purpose."

Queen Zhou said: "Sister Lao is bothered. ”

"The Pope's mother called her sister, and the little concubine was so happy in her heart that she was willing to vomit out her heart."

Chongzhen pointed and said: "You clever mouth, the dead will be coaxed to life." ”

Concubine Yuan said angrily: "Your Majesty, this is a good day for the mother to be a thousand years old, what is dead or alive, you are not allowed to talk nonsense." ”