The blue-robed man helped the faltering Mu Guogong to sit down on the Luohan bed.

Duchess Mu asked nervously, "Grandpa Guo, your feet ......?"

"I'm fine. I accidentally kicked it, but I sprained it a little. Mu Guogong waved his hand and smiled open-mindedly, "Lin Ye is not at ease, so he has to send me back." ”

"Lin Ye, it's also thanks to you for helping me in time, otherwise I will definitely fall."

"It's a small thing." The man known as "Lin Ye" smiled indifferently, like a breeze blowing through the treetops.

Duchess Mu looked at him and said with some emotion: "Lin Ye, you are dark and thin, you haven't been back to Beijing for five years, right?" ”

"Cousin, you have a good memory." Lin Ye bowed his head.

Pei Linye is the eldest son left by the cousin-in-law of the Duchess of Mu Guo, General Pei, who returned to Beijing five years ago to mourn his grandfather. After the funeral, he left Beijing in a hurry and returned to the north.

It's been five years, and General Pei has publicly stated that he doesn't have this son.

Duchess Mu Guo wanted to speak and stopped, wanting to persuade him to go back to Pei's house to have a look, but she didn't say anything after all, she just sighed: "It's good to come back safely!" "As long as people live, fathers and sons can always resolve the past grievances and misunderstandings.

Pei Linye smiled and arched his hand, "Cousin, cousin, cousin, I still have something to do, so I'll leave first, and I'll come back another day." ”

His clear gaze swept over the three of them, glanced at Shen Shi more, noticed that her eye circles were a little dark, and frowned slightly.

Mu Guogong didn't keep him, and asked the housekeeper to send him off.

Pei Linye left, and then the doctor invited by the Guogong Mansion arrived, and the doctor showed Mu Guogong the sprained right foot, saying that it was no big problem, and only gave a bottle of medicinal wine for them to rub it for Mu Guogong for three days.

Lin Ye left, and immediately after, the doctor invited by the Guogong Mansion arrived, and the doctor showed Mu Guogong the sprained right foot, saying that it was no big problem, and only gave a bottle of medicinal wine for them to rub it for Mu Guogong for three days.

It wasn't until the doctor took his leave that peace was restored to the main courtyard.

Only then did Shen have the opportunity to ask about the marriage: "Father, how are things?" ”

Mu Guogong's eyebrows frowned slightly, and he straightened out his thoughts and said: "This morning, Cheng Linhua, the chief of King Chen's mansion, came, saying that he came on the order of King Chen, returned the marriage decree, and then left, and the emperor was furious. ”

King Chen has always been arbitrary, but neither the emperor nor the Manchu civil and military forces expected that he would openly resist the decree in the early dynasty. At the moment, some civil servants proposed to punish King Chen in order to curry favor with the emperor.

"......" Shen's eyes widened slightly, first shocked, and then taken for granted.

Maybe the Chenwang Mansion has not moved yesterday, just waiting for today's early dynasty to give the emperor a dismissal in public.

Mu Guogong stroked his beard, and then continued: "The emperor was almost about to punish King Chen, but Su Mubai and Ming Xiyang stood up in time and asked for their lives, saying that since King Chen was unwilling, it was better to forget about Chongxi, and he couldn't force King Chen to marry a concubine......"

Mu Guogong's eyes were slightly dark, recalling the scenes of the early dynasty.

Many of the current courtiers are royalists, but most of the generals are on the side of King Chen, and the two sides really want to confront each other, and it is difficult to say which will win or lose.

"At first, the emperor refused to let go, insisting that he was for the good of King Chen, even if King Chen didn't understand his hard work, otherwise, he would have no shame to face the spirit of the first emperor in the sky."

The emperor and those generals quarreled for nearly half an hour over the matter of Chongxi, and they did not discuss the reason.

"They are deadlocked, so I will take advantage of this to play, saying that this marriage is indeed a little urgent, even if it is for Chongxi, but in the end, it is King Chen marrying the concubine, so in a hurry, I am afraid that King Chen's Mansion will not have time to prepare."

"This marriage event should require three books and six ceremonies, so as not to disgrace King Chen."

Mu Guogong's remarks also gave the emperor a step down, and the result of the matter was as Mu Guogong expected, "The emperor finally took a step back, saying that King Chen's health was not good, and the Ministry of Rites was planning a big wedding and postponed the wedding to a month later." ”

Although the thing he promised his daughter was done, Mu Guogong was frowning and drinking tea absentmindedly.

Anyone with a brain can see that this turmoil in the early dynasty is a game between the Chenwangfu and the emperor, and the emperor made a move yesterday, so the Chenwangfu fought back today.

Cheng Linhua and Su Mubai are clearly singing and harmonizing.

If Cheng Linhua asked the emperor to postpone the marriage from the beginning, then the emperor would definitely not approve it, because the Chenwang Mansion first resisted the decree strongly, so there was room for bargaining later.

Postponing the marriage date should be the purpose of King Chen's Mansion.

Mu Guogong glanced at Shen with a subtle expression.

Since King Chen's Mansion intends to delay the marriage, I am afraid it is......

Mu Guogong thought of a certain possibility, sighed secretly in his heart, didn't say anything after all, and drank tea.

"Father, thank you on behalf of Sister Chen." Shen got up and blessed Mu Guogong and breathed a sigh of relief.

She also knows that this marriage involves the court, and it is not as simple as marrying two surnames, but at present, the marriage date can be postponed from the day after tomorrow to a month later, which is already good.

Anyway, she still has a month to prepare a decent dowry for Sister Chen.

With Duchess Mu Guo's understanding of Mu Guogong, she can vaguely see that her husband has reservations, but in her opinion, Chu Qianchen is just a concubine, not the biological daughter of the eldest daughter, and their Shen family has done this for her, which can be regarded as worthy of her life-saving grace to Chu Yunmu.

Duchess Mu immediately changed the topic: "I left Ah Zhi in the house for lunch, Grandpa Guo, do you want to pass the meal now?" ”

Mu Guogong also knew the old wife's intentions, and responded with kindness.

The three of them had lunch together, and no one mentioned Chongxi, and he Lele talked and laughed.

Shen had not yet said goodbye, and after she left, Duchess Mu's face sank suddenly.

The atmosphere then became oppressive, and the air was heavy.

"I really regret it, I really shouldn't have given Ah Zhi this family business," Duchess Mu Guo said regretfully, "There is also a cousin and aunt between these two families, who grew up together as childhood sweethearts, but we Ah Zhi are not human inside and out...... What is this? ”

Mu Guogong also repented, and his eyebrows were raised into deep wrinkles.

More than 20 years ago, the old marquis of Yongding Marquis Mansion had saved his father's life on the battlefield, and his father was still thinking that he owed the old marquis a life, so when the old marquis came to ask for his wife, Mu Guogong was also very embarrassed.

At the beginning, Shen was afraid that he would be embarrassed and took the initiative to deal with this family business, although he was a little hesitant, but he thought that the old marquis had a good character, and he finally responded, who would have thought that Chu Lingxiao was such a foolish person who had no responsibility and no ability.

Mu Guogong also sighed and rubbed his eyebrows, "The matter has come to this point, it is useless to be annoyed, we will help more in the future, and when Brother Mu grows up, we will ask him to be crowned as a prince as soon as possible." ”

Duchess Mu didn't know this truth, but she just held her breath in her heart. The daughter she raised like a jewel should be so humiliated and despised by others, and Ah Wan and King Jingjun are also good things......

Duchess Mu Guo settled down and gradually calmed down.

She is a smart person and said sharply: "...... Does the emperor want to use a concubine to slap King Chen's face? ”

"Nine times out of ten." Mu Guogong nodded with a sinking face, and only then did he reveal to his old wife what he had hidden before, "What I'm worried about is how sick ......King Chen is."

Mu Guogong thought about it carefully, Cheng Linhua and Su Mubai's singing and harmony circle in Jinluan Hall today really didn't look like King Chen's style, it was more like they couldn't make up their minds, so they had to use a "drag" trick first.

Thinking about it carefully, Mu Guogong felt terrified.

Could it be that King Chen was so sick that he lost consciousness, so Cheng Linhua and Su Mubai had no leader, so they could only drag it first?

If that's the case, everything can be explained.

Duchess Mu Guo glanced outside the house and hesitated, "Will Lin Ye know?" ”

Pei Linye is a member of the Beidi Army, and he happened to return to Beijing at this time, which made Duchess Mu have to wonder if it was related to King Chen's serious illness.

"No." Mu Guogong decisively shook his head and vetoed.

Fang Cai Pei Linye did not stay in the Guogong Mansion for a long time, I am afraid it is to avoid suspicion, after all, so many pairs of eyes are staring at it in Beijing now.

At this time, the more the Guogong Mansion knows, it may not be a good thing, the emperor can't tolerate King Chen, so it is inevitable to think and worry too much, and the grass and trees are all soldiers......

Mu Guogong hooked the corners of his mouth mockingly, "The emperor is still as childish as ever, he couldn't tolerate King Chen back then, and he always felt that the first emperor preferred King Chen, so the first emperor let King Chen go to the north." ”

"King Chen has made immortal contributions to the Great Qi in the bloody frontier in the north, and until now, the emperor still can't tolerate King Chen."

In the end, it turned into a long sigh.

The first emperor has died, and there is no one to restrain the emperor anymore, as long as the emperor is the emperor for one day, it will be difficult for King Chen and Chu Qianchen to resign. King Chen is seriously ill now, in case he can't pass this pass, before Chu Qianchen passes the door, there will be no people, and Chu Qianchen will become an ominous person.

Mu Guogong was worried about both the court situation and the eldest daughter, the eldest daughter was obviously interested in this concubine, for fear that she would be out of proportion.

The old couple exchanged glances with each other, and Duchess Mu Guo said helplessly: "Let's take a step and see a step." ”

The flowers and trees outside the window swayed in the wind, and the rustling sound seemed to echo her.

The air was filled with the scent of flowers and grass, and the weather was a little stuffy, both the people and the plants and trees were a little wilted.

On the way back to the house, Shen was in a daze, his eyes were stunned, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

When the carriage of the Hou Mansion stopped, she didn't realize that it was Mama Chen who called her twice, and she came back to her senses, and got out of the carriage with the support of the maid.

Shen originally planned to go back to the main courtyard, but saw Mama Wang walking towards her from the direction of the inner courtyard with an expressionless face, obviously coming for her.

"Madame," Mama Wang blessed with a smile, "Madame, please come over." ”

Shen stroked his sleeve and said lightly: "Lead the way." ”

Mama Wang was choked, thinking that the Shen family would really sting, and she didn't know how to go to Rongfutang, where she needed someone to show her the way. It's no wonder that Mrs. Tai is always indifferent to this eldest daughter-in-law and doesn't like it.

"Madame, please."

Mama Wang walked in front to lead the way for the Shen family and led her to the left room of Rongfu Hall.

Incense curled in the corner, and Mrs. Tai closed her eyes and twisted the string of beads in her hand, looking pious.

Hearing Shen salute her, Mrs. Tai slowly opened her eyes, and her eyes were complicated. She also knew that Shen went out early in the morning, and knew that she had gone back to her parents' house.

It is very common for a married girl to return to her parents' home, but when she thinks of why the Shen family returned to her parents' house, Mrs. Tai is as if she has eaten a mouthful of gluttony, and her heart is not very happy.

Before, for the sake of her son's errand, she asked the Shen family to go back to her parents' house several times to ask Mu Guogong for help, but the Shen family just refused, but she actually ran back to ask her in-laws for Chu Qianchen's business.

Mrs. Tai tightly squeezed the string of beads in her hand, and said to herself in her heart, as long as she can disrupt this marriage, it will be a good thing for the Chu family.

Mrs. Tai endured her anger, didn't get angry, and said patiently: "Ah Zhi, are your in-laws okay recently?" ”

When Mrs. Tai asked, Shen replied, "Thank you mother for your concern." My father accidentally broke his foot this morning, and everything else is fine. ”

Mrs. Tai asked again: "Sister Chen'er and His Royal Highness King Chen's marriage...... What did your father say? ”

"The emperor said in the morning court that after the wedding was postponed to a month, the Ministry of Rites would prepare the three books and six ceremonies for the wedding." Shen replied calmly.

"......" Mrs. Tai's face sank by three points in an instant.

For this result, Mrs. Tai was not satisfied at all.

The postponement of the wedding is not helpful at all, and their Chu family still has nothing to do with the Chenwang Mansion!

Shen saw Mrs. Tai's thoughts at a glance, ignored it, and laughed mockingly in his heart: Whether it is Mrs. Tai or Chu Lingxiao, they have never thought about Chu Qianchen at all. In their hearts, blood and family affection are nothing, and they can be discarded!

Shen was too lazy to talk nonsense with Mrs. Tai, and took the initiative to propose: "Mother, I plan to put Sister Chen'er in my name......"

What did she say?! Mrs. Tai looked at Shen with a look of "are you crazy".

If the Shen family records Chu Qianchen in his name, then Chu Qianchen is the daughter of the Chu family, doesn't this move mean that the Chu family attaches great importance to this family business, and in the eyes of the emperor, will the emperor think that the Chu family has the intention of taking refuge in King Chen?!

Even if Mrs. Tai didn't speak, Shen could see that she was obviously not very happy.

But in addition to her own consent, she also needs the consent of the clan to register Chu Qianchen, so she will mention it to Mrs. Tai.

"Mother's ......"

What else was Shen about to say, there was the sound of a crutch limping outside the door, and the sound of the maid saluting: "Master Hou." ”

Chu Lingxiao was also called by Mrs. Tai, she wanted to discuss Chu Qianchen with her eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law again.

After the door curtain was raised, Chu Lingxiao came in on crutches, looking at Shen's eyes like a owl.

Seeing this, Mama Chen sighed secretly: If people who don't know about this are afraid that this couple is not a husband and wife, but an enemy!

"Ling Xiao, you're here." Mrs. Tai almost couldn't suppress the irritability in her heart, and when she saw that her eldest son was coming, she couldn't wait to relay the emperor's order to postpone the wedding to Chu Lingxiao.

"Broom Star! What a broom star! Chu Lingxiao slammed his crutches into the ground a few times, and the crash made a loud noise.

Their Chu family has made Chu Qianchen, a broom star, suffer.

After the Shen family left from Rongfutang yesterday, their family discussed together until midnight, and the more they discussed, the more they felt that this marriage was inappropriate, and the more they discussed, the more they felt that the Hou Mansion was in danger.

This was originally a grudge between the emperor and King Chen, and it was King Chen's ignorance and refusal to hand over his military power that caused the emperor to be angry.

King Chen is so sick that he can't get off the bed, Chu Qianchen is just going to rejoice, King Chen is alive, Chu Qianchen is not pleasant; King Chen's death, Chu Qianchen is not likable, and it will also affect the reputation of the daughter of the Chu family, making others think that the daughter of the Chu family is Kefu.

Anyway, in the eyes of the emperor, no matter whether King Chen lives or dies, Chu Qianchen will not end well, just like her name, she is destined to fall into the dust.

All humiliations are humiliated, and their Chu family will also be rejected by the emperor because of Chu Qianchen!

The more Chu Lingxiao thought about it, the darker his eyes became, like a boundless hell, exuding a chilling dark aura.

He sighed, gritted his teeth and said slowly, "Chu Qianchen can't stay." ”

As long as there is no Chu Qianchen, then this marriage will naturally not be counted.

It was a deliberate decision he made last night.

"What did you say?!" Shen's eyes were almost open to the extreme, and he looked at Chu Lingxiao in disbelief.

She thought that she had seen Chu Lingxiao clearly, and thought that she had no expectations for him, but she never thought that he would be able to refresh the lower limit again.

Is this man really her pillow person?!

Shen only felt an indescribable nausea spread rapidly.

Mrs. ...... was also a little surprised, her eyes showed hesitation, her eyes lowered slightly, and she said something in her mouth, noncommittal.

"Let her die violently." Chu Lingxiao simply said it bluntly.

He took a step closer to Shen on crutches, and persuaded in a soft voice: "Ah Zhi, don't be too naïve, that girl is profitable to please you, how sincere can you be?" ”

"She sweetly coaxes you and says a few kind words, and you are so heart-wrenching, is it worth it?"

"After all, she's just a concubine."

Chu Lingxiao looked at Shen's eyes with a vague three points of pity and three points of mockery, and his expression revealed a kind of detachment of "everyone is drunk and I am sober alone".

Shen's lips pursed, staring up at him, his cold and sharp eyes seemed to see through Chu Lingxiao.

Chu Lingxiao's eyes hesitated for a moment, raised a hand and gently put it on Shen's shoulder, and continued to persuade: "Ah Zhi, Chu Qianchen is not the only one in the Chu family, you are the head of the Hou Mansion, you have to take care of the overall situation!" ”

"Moreover, you still have Sister Huang and Brother Mu, they are your biological children, you don't think about others, you have to think about them, right?"

As he spoke, Chu Lingxiao's eyes brightened, revealing an inevitable determination, "You listen to me, leave her alone." ”

Shen didn't speak, still looking at Chu Lingxiao, seemingly speechless.

Chu Lingxiao felt that he had persuaded the Shen family, the corners of his mouth were almost invisible, and he returned to his original position, and said softly: "You are also tired, go back and rest early." I'll take care of the rest. ”

"I will arrange for someone to send her to Zhuangzi today, this matter should be sooner rather than later, we must let the emperor know......"

"Smack!"

A crisp slap interrupted Chu Lingxiao's words, so loud and crisp.

Chu Lingxiao's face was tilted to the side.

A clear five-finger mark appeared on the left side of his face, and his cheeks suddenly became red and swollen, and he glared at Shen in disbelief.

How dare she hit herself!!

Although Shen is a woman, she also learned to ride and shoot when she was young, and the strength in her hand was not light, and she used all her strength to slap her.

Mrs. Tai and Mama Wang looked at this scene, they were all dumbfounded, and they couldn't react for a while.

"Shen Zhi!" Chu Lingxiao was simply mad, his left face was so hot and painful, angry, angry and ashamed, and his facial features were hideous.

If gaze could kill, Shen would have died thousands of times.

Shen Shi still couldn't understand his hatred, took the cane in his hand, and hit him unceremoniously on his injured left leg......

"Ahh

Chu Lingxiao's shrill screams almost toppled the roof.

Shen didn't care about Chu Lingxiao's reaction, and didn't care if his injuries would be more serious, so he brushed his sleeves and left.

She didn't bother to talk to Chu Lingxiao anymore, and it was useless to talk to someone like him.

Even if the Shen clan went out from Rongfu Hall, they could still hear Chu Lingxiao's ghost crying wolf's howl: "Quick! Hurry up and call the doctor to Benhou! Ben Hou's leg hurts so much! ”

Shen walked forward angrily, faster and faster, his chest rising and falling violently.

Mama Chen took a few steps behind and followed behind the Shen family, thinking about the scene just now, her heart was complicated, and she comforted her: "Madam, don't be angry...... It's not worth it to be angry. ”

As for what kind of person Chu Lingxiao is, as early as last month, he quietly changed Chu Yunmu's perfect cream, and Mama Chen had already seen through it, and felt sorry that her wife had married such a man who was not responsible.

Shen suddenly stopped under a tree, and the sunlight cast dappled light and shadow on her face through the dense foliage above, making her expression heavier and heavier.

Shen knew that Chu Lingxiao hated Chu Qianchen, he could trample on it at will, and he could abandon it at will, but he never thought that he would be so disgusted that he hated her to death.

When the wind blows, the branches and leaves of the weeds sway, and even the dappled light and shadow shake with it, and the surroundings seem particularly peaceful.

Shen suddenly asked, "Mama Chen, did you find out what I asked you to check last time?" ”

She said that she asked Mama Chen to check on Aunt Jiang and Chu Qianchen last time.

Shen looked back at Rongfutang, and after what had happened, the sense of disobedience in her heart became even stronger.

Why don't Chu Lingxiao and Aunt Jiang like their biological daughter?!

Their "dislike" is so unreasonable!

Shen always felt like she was in a thick obstacle, and something was about to come out, but she couldn't find the answer......

"Madam, I found some ......" Mama Chen has recently received some reports about this matter one after another, and she originally planned to give them to the Shen family, but the holy decree of marriage yesterday came too suddenly, and she didn't care about this matter for a while.

------Off topic------

It's cooling, don't catch a cold~