The afterglow of the setting sun has not yet dissipated, and the luxurious and elegant official chariots slowly drove into the corridor leading to the palace.

All the chariots stopped after passing through the second palace gate, and gathered in a wide area for the time being. There are palace people on the road to answer, to the family emblem embroidery of each chariot to know the identity of each family, one by one rules and thoughtful salutes, inspection, guidance, although there are many royal relatives who came to the banquet tonight, but there is no slightest mistake.

From this secluded but wide corridor into the palace are the maids and relatives at the imperial banquet tonight, each was supported by the maids and stood together in twos and threes, those who knew each other stepped forward to salute, and those who did not know each other smiled and nodded. After a while, everyone dispersed, and was led by the palace people to Changqing Pavilion, where the imperial banquet was located, from different directions, and sat down in the seat where they should sit.

The inner courtyard of the palace had to be silenced and walked slowly, and the more respected the lord of his own house was in the court, the shorter the distance he had to walk, so that the most venerable person on the female table would be the first to enter the table as a sign of respect.

A bright girl dressed in a light purple skirt wrapped with silk and flying feathers did not move, ignoring the low urging of the palace people, only looked at a palace wall in the west, and said: "It's still early, I'll go to Yining Palace." ”

This is an information, not a consultation.

The one who came to lead the way for this young girl was a eunuch who looked young and old, and immediately smiled and said: "The county lord said that you are in the top three in the banquet tonight, you have to hurry up and go to Changqing Pavilion first." ”

The girl took a step and walked to the west, and said as she walked: "It only takes a tea hour to go to Changqing Pavilion from here, and the other four roads that need to wait for me are all above one stick of incense, so they can't be delayed." ”

The eunuch who led the way had to admit that this was the truth, but he still followed the girl and continued to persuade: "Having said that, but from here to Yining Palace, you have to ask for half a pillar of incense, and you don't have to raise your chariot this time, you have come and gone back and forth, so it's not too late-hey?" Princess?! ”

The girl pulled the hem of her skirt and stretched her feet and jumped on the palace wall, a few ups and downs were already a few feet away, and the voice came steadily: "I'll go first, you will wait outside the Yining Palace, and you will never make a mistake." ”

"Oops!" The eunuch stomped his feet slightly, and the girl was nowhere to be seen. He had no choice but to complain to the girl's maid who had not made a sound: "Why don't you persuade your young lady!" ”

The maid helplessly spread her hands: "Who can persuade whoever to persuade, I can't touch this mold." ”

The eunuch and the maid walked quickly towards Yining Palace, and said hatefully: "There is no mess on this joint!" Otherwise, your and my lives are nothing, and no one can think about it if the two generals are implicated! ”

The maid stuck out her tongue and walked faster.

Yining Palace.

Yue Tang climbed over the palace wall and landed gently in the courtyard.

There is not a single guard, and there is not even a palace maid standing at the entrance of the main hall.

Yue Tang only felt that the light was dim, not at all as bright as the last time he came, and the gold was overflowing. She walked towards the main hall and called tentatively, "Sister? ”

No one responded. She took a few steps forward, the door of the side hall suddenly opened, and a beautiful woman in palace clothes rushed out, her voice uncertain and hopeful: "Tang'er? ”

Yue Tang's heart was relieved, and he quickly stepped forward to hold his sister's hand with relief, and carefully looked at her somewhat scattered sideburns: "Sister, what's wrong?" Not a single light? ”

A palace maid chased out of the side hall, and when she saw Yue Tang, she was slightly stunned and immediately saluted: "Fourth Miss." Our mother has always felt tired these days, and she was about to fall asleep when she lay on the couch, but suddenly she said that someone was coming and came out immediately, and she didn't even bother to put on her coat. So saying, he put on a thin velvet for the beautiful woman, and tightened the placket for her.

The beautiful woman stared at Yue Tang tightly, holding her hand tightly, and asked again and again, "Why are you here?" How are you? What does Father want you to bring to me? Emperor...... How is the emperor? No news for so long...... Could it be ......?"

Her lips trembled slightly, and she looked at Yue Tang in disbelief: "Father is the opposite?" ”

Yue Tang's slightly hesitant expression burned the beautiful woman, she clenched her hand and almost pinched Yue Tang's blood, her voice began to tremble: "You tell me, you tell the truth!" It's been five months and twenty-seven days! No news! The emperor suddenly stopped coming, and this place was suddenly surrounded by the forbidden army, and the palace maids were all gone, leaving me with only a family maid! Tang'er! Father is the opposite, right? Now he's ...... The emperor? What about the emperor? What happened to the emperor him?! ”

"No, my father didn't fight back." It seemed that his eyes were stabbed by his sister's gaze, Yue Tang gently closed his eyes and opened them again, rubbing his sister's hand to comfort her, "I came to tell you, now-"

"No reverse, no reverse...... Sister breathed a sigh of relief in vain, her hand was also released, and she repeated these two words several times, and suddenly looked at Yue Tang with raised eyebrows, "Then you enter the palace tonight......" She looked Yue Tang up and down, and a cold feeling suddenly appeared on her lips, "I see." ”

She raised a finger and pointed at Yue Tang, and mocked: "The fourth lady of Yuefu, who doesn't like to enter the palace and doesn't like to wear palace clothes, is dressed up so standardly tonight!" I'm no longer useful, so my father wants to give you to the emperor, right?! ”

Yue Tang's eyes shrank suddenly: "What did you say?" Do you think I'm here to be a concubine? ”

"Isn't it?" The former Shuguifei sneered even more, "Are you still here to visit me?" Do you have such a good heart? Didn't I come to see me before because I was the emperor's favorite concubine? It turned out that he was uneasy and kind at that time, and wanted to show his face in front of the emperor? Why didn't you say it earlier? I'll introduce you to you! Even if I don't want to do it in my heart, don't I have to obey my father's will? What's more, sisters, what are you doing with me in such a big circle?! ”

"Yue Tang! I'm not sorry for you! Concubine Shu grabbed it casually and threw the jade pendant hanging from her waist towards Yue Tang's face.

Yue Tang easily dodged, and the jade pendant fell to the ground, making a crisp sound of breaking.

Yue Tang's eyes, which had been warm just now, gradually turned cold, and his concern had slowly disappeared. She looked at Concubine Shu and said word by word: "I came to tell you that the emperor has already died, and the new monarch has succeeded to the throne, and tonight is the new emperor's banquet to invite the imperial relatives in Beijing to show his favor, I just came with my father and eldest brother, and I can't say a word to the new monarch." Besides, it was the order of the new monarch that you were trapped here, in case you used the Yue family soldier talisman to mobilize the forbidden army when there was a change in the palace, and now there is no guard outside, and no one cares if you want to stay or leave. ”

Every word is like a heavy hammer, striking on Concubine Shugui's heart, smashing out big pits.

Concubine Shugui staggered back two steps, and her maid hurriedly supported her, looking at her face was pale and her eyes were flustered and helpless: "What's up?" Got it? When? How could it be...... A man as strong as he? A new monarch has succeeded to the throne? Who is it? Who is it?! Who dares! She pounced on Yue Tang and grabbed her clothes, and gouged out her eyes, "I didn't hear the mourning bell, you lied to me!" ”

Yue Tang grabbed her two wrists with one hand, tore them off the placket of his clothes and lifted them to the side, and said: "In order to protect the stability of the family and the country during internal and external troubles, I will not mourn." ”

Concubine Shu was lifted to the ground, looked at Yue Tang in amazement, and shook her head incessantly: "No, no, no, how long have I been a concubine?" How so? He said that he would love me and spoil me for the rest of his life, how could he die? How can it, how can it change the day so quickly? ”

Yue Tang's indescribable disgust for a while, mixed with the cold words that her sister said when she misunderstood her just now, made her turn her head and immediately walked towards the palace gate, intending to leave here.

Concubine Shu chased after her and shouted, "Tang'er! What am I going to do? That's what you're telling me? That, then what? What did my father say? ”

"Father didn't say anything." Yue Tang stood at the door and didn't look back.

"So, what does the new gentleman plan to do with me?" Concubine Shu's voice carried a little unspeakable and suppressed expectation, "Is Xinjun the Ke family Saburo?" He...... I was ......"

Yue Tang couldn't bear to turn around, and his cold voice pierced Concubine Shu's sweet dream: "Concubine Shu, you know Xinjun, but it's not the Ke family, it's still a member of the Duan family, called Duan Shuqing." ”

Concubine Shu was taken aback: "Duan Shuqing?!" She, she's a woman, how can she, how can she sit on the dragon chair?! ”

"Why not." Yue Tang glanced at her, "Where is she worse than your emperor?" She kicked open the palace door and strode out.

Concubine Shu was stunned for a moment and immediately came to chase her again: "Tang'er! I'm not sorry for you! You must tell my father to take me out! Tang'er! ”

Yue Tang shook his head in distraction, and after walking a distance, he could faintly hear Concubine Shu's sharp voice: "What is Duan Shu's liquidation!" Since ancient times, how can there be a reason for brothers to end sisters! Hate me only...... I only hate that I couldn't get pregnant, otherwise I would be the queen mother now! ”

Yue Tang closed his eyes sullenly.

Originally, she really came to pick up her sister, and she came behind her father's back.

As long as her sister said a word, she immediately arranged to leave the palace, and the people who connected Ying were all arranged, and they were waiting under the palace wall closest to Yining Palace.

And now, she blew a whistle near the palace wall, and someone outside the wall immediately responded three times, followed by the movement of the carriage and horses going away.

That's it. Such a sister is probably only suitable for living in the palace. The sister who used to take care of herself in the house doesn't know where she has gone now.

Yue Tang walked out with an annoyed face, and when he walked through the gate of Yining Palace, he greeted the leading eunuch and his own maid who were waiting outside. The eunuch who led the way breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her, and said in a loud voice: "County lord, you can come out, the slave has just received the letter, and the emperor has begun to change his clothes, you can hurry up." ”

Yue Tang smiled slightly: "I can be faster, can you keep up?" ”

The eunuch who led the way flattered: "Hey, where do the slaves dare to compare with the dignified county lord, I just hope that the county lord will step a little faster, and the slave will keep up even if he runs out of breath." ”

Yue Tang smiled and stopped talking, and his steps quickened. The leading eunuch walked half of her side in front of her, and she walked quickly with broken steps, and at a glance she knew that she had been in this palace for a long time.

After turning a corner and entering a tree-lined path, Yue Tang casually asked, "This father-in-law, does the emperor have any will for Concubine Shu of Yining Palace?" Without waiting for the leading eunuch to reply, she quickly shoved two large pieces of silver into his hand.

The eunuch who led the way hid the silver in his sleeve with a twist of his wrist, smiled quietly, and replied: "The county lord said carefully, this lady concubine can no longer be called. He leaned in slightly, "Although the emperor has not yet made an order, the old people of the previous dynasty will not stay." ”

Yue Tang's heart jumped suddenly, but his face was still calm: "Why don't you stay?" ”

The eunuch who led the way smiled: "The old people in the previous dynasty were all women, and they were all sent to the nunnery to be sisters-in-law. ”

Yue Tang's face still didn't change: "When will you start?" ”

The eunuch who led the way: "This has not yet been decided, but according to the foolish opinion of the slave, it will not exceed the fifth day of the next month." ”

The fifth day of the next month is the birthday of the current Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was still immersed in the pain of losing her son, and there was already a rumor that she didn't want to see the old man of the former emperor again.

At this time, there were still ten days before the fifth day of the next month, and Yue Tang felt that no matter what he did, it was enough, so he smiled at the eunuch who led the way: "Gonggong Xie mentions." ”

The eunuch who led the way even said "I don't dare" and continued to lead the way for the new emperor's personal lord of Guiying.

After a short time, he arrived at the Changqing Pavilion, and the eunuch who led the way led the county lord and the maid to the palace maid who was responsible for guiding the way and serving in the pavilion, and then bowed and retreated. However, he didn't leave immediately, but looked at Yue Tang's back for a while.

"What are you looking at?" The other eunuch followed his gaze, and saw that his eyes were full of fragrant clothes and sideburns, and he did not know which person he was looking at.

The leading eunuch was speechless: "It's amazing." ”

"What's the matter?"

"Yue's mansion is four thousand gold, the lord of Guiying, it's amazing."

"Needless to say? It has only been more than a year since he led the army to quell the rebellion six times, and he has won a big victory, this time he sat in Beijing to protect the emperor and ascended the throne, and was given the name 'Guiying' by the emperor himself. Besides, she's still a woman. ”

"That's not what I'm talking about." The eunuch who led the way squinted slightly, "She saw at a glance that I was well-informed, and stuffed me with silver to ask me about Yining Palace." ”

"Oh? How did she see it? ”

"She just glanced at my feet casually, and I knew that she had seen that my boots were the best of Shenghuazhai, and that I would never be able to wear them with these seven grades, and she could see it." The leading eunuch sighed, "I have been in the palace for more than ten years, and there are no more than three people with such eyesight." ”

Another eunuch also sighed: "If it was before, there were more people in the palace, but after a few days over the years, a group of people came, a group of people left, but there were fewer and fewer sharp-eyed." ”

The two eunuchs left Changqing Pavilion side by side, and they could faintly be heard saying, "If the saint is a man today, and he enters the harem with the county lord's observation, I am afraid that he will immediately be honored and favored and ascend to the sky......"

"It's a pity that it's a woman, otherwise I'm afraid I'd have ...... long ago"

There were already many relatives sitting or standing in the lower courtyard of Changqing Pavilion, greeting each other politely and laughing, and they were harmonious and peaceful, as if everything that had happened in the past few months had no effect on them.

Since Yue Tang sat down, people kept coming up to greet her, and although she didn't need to get up, she was also annoyed. She gently stroked her left arm, where there were still scars from the last rebellion, and now there was a faint pain if she pressed hard. And these ladies in front of them are all arrogant and luxurious, and they have no idea of the homeless people and famine outside.

Or maybe I don't care.

No matter which dynasty the emperor or the courtier, the people here seem to be forever content with pleasure and tireless.

Yue Tang looked at the upper courtyard, where except for the emperor's dragon chair, which was still empty, and the rest were already full. The men were not as talkative as the women, and the closer to the dragon seat made the atmosphere more solemn, except for the slight sound of the palace people serving refreshments.

The upper court and the lower court are only a few steps apart, but they have already divided the upper and lower courts.

Yue Tang looked at her father and eldest brother sitting on the lower left head closest to the dragon chair, both of them were dressed up and noble, there was a faint pride between their similar eyebrows and eyes, and the demeanor of everyone who raised a cup of tea was also the same.

Like two high gods, they can only be looked up to and cannot be approached, revealing infinite alienation.

Sitting opposite them was the Ke family's Saburo, the man who had discussed marriage with the concubine Shugui, who was still in the boudoir. Now that he is a hussar general, he is no longer the little squire who needed to rely on the support of the Yue family to go further.

And these three people, in the past six months of the homeless riots and border riots, all said that they were not sick, and only sent people from their families to deal with it, and the credit after that was received by these three people.

Who made them men who were heads of the house?

Scold.

Yue Tang raised his head and drank half of the tea in front of him, at this time he missed the sweet iced plum roast that he had drunk in the field before, and the refreshing feeling that took a sip went straight to his heart, which was much stronger than the semi-sweet and slightly spicy wine that was to be served here.

"The Holy Driver has arrived—kneeling to welcome—"

With a singing, everyone got up and bowed to the ground, the mountain shouted long live, and the emperor's steps were lightly stepped on the dragon seat, accompanied by a little ring dingdong.

"Zhong Aiqing is flat, sit down." The emperor's voice was tactful and clear, and everyone got up and sat down after thanking them in return.

The new monarch, who has only been on the throne for less than a month, has a beautiful face, and the whole person exudes a sense of exquisiteness and clarity, and the newly made banquet guests often wrap her elegant and beautiful figure properly, and the specially modified crown and accessories reflect her calm and gentle smile, and there is a sense of softness and warmth that belongs to a woman in the solemn and solemn emperor's robe.

"Tonight's family banquet, the secretaries don't have to be formal," the empress said softly, "The former emperor's new funeral should not be extravagant, but the intention of getting close to the secretaries must be conveyed, and it is a family banquet to celebrate with the secretaries as a reward." She didn't wait for everyone to get up and thank her, so she raised her hand in the direction where Yue Tang was, "Lord Guiying, come forward." ”

Yue Tang hurriedly got up and stepped forward quickly, and was about to kneel in front of the empress to salute, but the empress had already spoken to stop: "Excuse me, come forward and sit beside me." ”

Yue Tang walked straight to the empress under the gaze of everyone, sat on the foot of the dragon throne, and bowed his head sideways: "Thank the emperor for Longen." ”

The empress motioned to the palace people to add dishes and chopsticks to Yue Tang, and then the Qing knelt down to thank her, and then stood up and sat down, and the sound of the bowls and chopsticks touching each other was soft.

The empress leaned over slightly and whispered to Yue Tang: "Look at Ke Sanlang here, you can see it more clearly." ”

Yue Tang was a little displeased but didn't show it, just said, "Look at what he does." ”

The empress chuckled: "What are you pretending to be confused, your father allowed you to come to this banquet in Changqing Pavilion, isn't it just to let Ke Saburo see you?" Her beautiful eyes swirled on Ke Saburo, and her smile became more and more obvious, "After all, that Ke Saburo is also a master with eyes above the top." ”

Yue Tang snorted coldly: "Even if he takes a fancy to me, I don't necessarily like him." ”

The empress laughed: "Good Tang'er, you haven't even looked at others." Ke Saburo is also a well-known handsome boy in Beijing, how can he not be in your eyes. ”

Yue Tang sneered: "If you don't fight if you say you're sick, I can't look down on this." ”

The empress's smile narrowed almost imperceptibly, stretched out her hand and pressed it on Yue Tang's shoulder, and said, "When the imperial city was besieged, you were the only one who rushed to help, and I will always remember it." ”

Yue Tang said lightly: "Then why did the emperor make me the county lord instead of the general?" ”

The empress's hand on Yue Tang's shoulder stiffened slightly.

Generals can fight on the battlefield, and county lords must marry nobles.

The other men who quelled the rebellion with Yue Tang were all rewarded in the army, but Yue Tang was awarded the position of the wife's inner family, although it was noble but of no practical use, and clearly told everyone that no matter how strong and brave she was, the final destination was still to marry and have children, and she spent her life in the courtyard of the deep house.

The title "Guiying", in Yue Tang's view, is a resounding irony.

Although she also knows that the empress sincerely wants to praise her, not everyone can afford the words "heroine". But at this moment, she thought of the ridicule of her father, brother, mother, aunt and sisters, and she couldn't help but say it.

What she relied on was not even the kindness of saving the driver in the chaos and ascending the throne, but the cousin relationship between her and Duan Shuqing.

The empress gently pressed Yue Tang's shoulder, withdrew her hand, and said in a warm tone as usual: "If you want to be a general, it's not impossible. But you see, I am surrounded by tigers and wolves, and the position of general is like the best minced meat, and if you want to eat from the tiger's mouth, you must pay a higher and more price. ”

The general can hold the military power, and with the military power there is the possibility of turning the sky upside down, and anyone is eyeing the position of the general. In addition, in recent years, there have been frequent changes in power, and the empress is more cautious about rewarding generals, not to mention that the Yue family has two generals, and Yue Tang's father and brother are already powerful generals.

Although Yue Tang has always been loyal to the empress, and did come to the aid of the empress when she was in trouble, her surname was Yue after all.

Yue Tang had a subtle understanding of the empress's guard, smiled lightly at the moment, and said, "Your Majesty, if you don't want to give what you give, take it back, don't think about it." She hit the nail on the head, "I have the same surname as my father and brother, and I thought you already knew." ”

The empress's expression relaxed a little, and she said with a smile: "What remains unchanged in this world is change. Tang'er, what you say, I can believe it now, will I be able to believe it in the future-"

Yue Tang pursed his lips noncommittally, took a glass of wine handed by the empress palace people, and drank it all.

"But I can give you a chance to show your loyalty." The empress glanced at her obliquely, her eyes smiling, "You just wait." ”

Yue Tang nodded and said no more. She glanced at her father and brother at random, and saw that although they didn't care, they looked at her from time to time, and after making eye contact with her, they turned their gaze and pretended not to care.

Yue Tang also hooked his lips and looked away. She could feel that there was a gaze in Ke Jiazaburo's direction glued to her, but she didn't care about it, and she didn't look at it.

Half an hour later, the empress said that she was tired and left first, and according to the rules, the others had to stay for another half an hour before leaving. Yue Tang got up and said to change his clothes, he just wanted to go out to breathe and stay away from the emptiness and grievances of this place.

Unexpectedly, after walking a few steps, a clear voice called her from behind her: "Lord Guiying." ”

Yue Tang turned around and saw a long man with a gentle smile on his lips, slowly walking towards her.

Ke Jia Saburo, Ke Zhao.

Yue Tang clasped his hands and saluted: "General Ke." ”

Ke Zhao looked at her fist, and the smile on his lips was even worse: "The county lord really wants to be a female general." It looks good in this palace costume today, and if you do a half-squatting blessing, it will add even more style. ”

In the palace, men with official positions only hold fists and salute each other, and women or women see men with official positions, they have to perform a half-squat blessing ceremony.

Yue Tang's face was expressionless: "Oh." ”

Ke Zhao didn't care, looked at her again, and said, "The county lord looks closer than from a distance. ”

Yue Tang frowned very tightly: "You treat me as Sister Qinglou Yao?" Looking like you want to evaluate it? ”

Ke Zhao waved his hand again and again: "Don't misunderstand, the county lord, I just praise it sincerely." If it upsets the county lord, I apologize—I'm sorry. ”

Yue Tang: "What do you call me?" ”

Ke Zhao smiled: "It's okay, I just want to go out of the palace with the county lord, and I can give the county lord a ride." ”

"Not necessarily." Yue Tang immediately refused, "I can go back myself." ”

Ke Zhao: "Of course, the county lord can go back by himself, but it is my intention to send him off." ”

Yue Tang looked at him and said, "Ke Zhao, you're very annoying. ”

Ke Zhao was slightly surprised, and then smiled: "Oh? The county lord is annoying me? ”

Yue Tang nodded: "Yes, it's annoying." If you keep pestering, I'm going to do it. ”

Ke Zhao looked at her: "You can't bring a blade when you enter the palace, how can the county master do it?" ”

Yue Tang: "I can overturn you without a blade." ”

Ke Zhao laughed: "It is not appropriate to use force in the palace, if the county lord is interested, let's go out of the palace again-"

Yue Tang was already annoyed: "Are you annoyed?" Can't you hear me telling you to get out of the way? After saying that, he left, leaving no room at all.

Ke Zhao didn't chase after her, and said softly and skillfully behind her: "Lord Guiying, no matter how much you annoy me and how tired you are of me, this marriage is a certainty, I hope you understand." ”

Yue Tang stopped, turned around, and looked at Ke Zhao with a smile: "General Ke has always been confident, but does it include this thing that has no shadow at all?" ”

Ke Zhao slowly paced in front of her, looked at her condescendingly and smiled: "The county lord doesn't have to pretend to be tough, and he doesn't have to deliberately annoy me, with the county lord's cleverness and ingenuity on the battlefield, he will not be a boring woman who is completely uninformed and understanding, and will only be rigid and rigid." Besides, even if the county lord is really a brutal woman, or even disabled, I will still marry correctly. He forced his eyes to look at Yue Tang, with a coercion that was neither light nor heavy, "This is the matter of the Ke family and the Yue family, and you can't say half a 'no'." ”

Yue Tang's eyes were about to attack, Ke Zhao had already taken two steps back and stood still, regained the warm smile of the spring breeze just now, and said softly: "Actually, we can be a good couple with eyebrows on the case, right?" Instead of sabre-rattling, it is better to respect each other as guests, so that you and I can live happily in the future, what do you say? The corners of his lips were a little coquettish, "The county lord has to treat me well." ”

Yue Tang's expression on his face did not change much, but he fell into sorrow in his heart because he knew that what he said was correct. She secretly took a deep breath, glanced at Ke Zhao, and said, "I don't know what will happen in the future, but for now, you just stop." ”

Ke Zhao didn't insist on sending him off any longer, and nodded generously and gave a half-salute: "The county lord is good." ”

Yue Tang's chariot swayed slowly to the gate of the mansion within the last time of returning to the house. As soon as he got out of the car, the housekeeper who was in charge of keeping the door immediately stepped forward, led the horse, waited for the county lord to get off the car, and whispered to the county lord: "The master and the eldest young master have been waiting in the study for a while, and the fourth lady is hurrying at her feet." ”

Yue Tang nodded in thanks, followed the servant illuminated by the lantern in front of him, and walked towards the study closely, and sure enough, he saw the study brightly lit from a distance, and two maids walked in from the study with a tray of food and soup, and three servants walked out with a handkerchief and a basin of water that had cleaned their hands and faces, as well as a tea bowl and a water bowl that had gargled their mouths.

Yue Tang's footsteps slowed down slightly, and he motioned to lead the little girl to go to pass the word, but he didn't expect the eldest brother's voice to come out: "Is the fourth sister here?" Come on in. ”

The servant waiting for the door immediately lifted the curtain and opened the door again, bowed and saluted Yue Tang "Fourth Miss". Yue Tang stepped through the door, saw his father and eldest brother sitting in the primary and secondary positions respectively, and stepped forward steadily, squatting and blessing, and called: "Father, eldest brother." ”

Yue Rong, the head of the Yue family and Yue Tang's father, said "um" in response, but Yue Tang's eldest brother, Yue Song, who is now a hussar general, smiled politely at her and asked, "How do you feel when the fourth sister has seen Ke Zhao?" ”

Straight to the point and to the point, the eldest brother has always been like this, especially when talking to her and not wanting to waste time going around in circles, Yue Tang knows it very well in his heart.

So she also smiled directly: "It's not good." ”

Yue Song seemed to expect her to say this, and also smiled: "Your marriage with Ke Zhao has already been decided, if you think it's good, it's good, and if you don't think it's good, it's okay." The wedding date is just three months later, and all etiquette is simple, but the pomp will definitely cause a sensation in the capital, and the dowry will not be harsh to you. My father and I have been waiting for you until now to tell you that there must be no complications here, and you must not try to resist, nor do you do anything wrong, you know? ”

Yue Tang glanced at each of them, and smiled: "The former emperor's mourning period has not yet passed, can he get married?" ”

That's why etiquette is simple. My father had already made it clear to the new monarch and had received his permission. Yue Song immediately unveiled this stubble, and his smile was still gentle: "Big brother wants to ask you what you want, what do you want to buy, and my father and I will try our best to prepare it for you." ”

In Yue Tang's impression, his father and eldest brother will not spend their rest time waiting for him, and there must be a hidden reason for waiting here tonight but only saying something that can be said or not.

Yue Tang looked at his father, who didn't say a word, and asked, "Does my father have anything else to advise?" If not, please allow your daughter to retire. ”

Yue Rong's faint eyes finally settled on his daughter's face, and his tone was also light: "Listen to your eldest brother." ”

"Oh." Yue Tang replied and squatted down in front of the two, "The daughter will retire." ”

Yue Tang turned around and left, almost feeling two surprised gazes behind him. Yue Rong suddenly spoke again: "You can't take care of the affairs of Concubine Shu. ”

Yue Tang turned around and asked respectfully: "My daughter doesn't understand why her father can't take her sister back?" It is no good for my sister to stay in the palace, rather than being a sister-in-law and having no future, it is better to take it home and share my father's worries again. ”

It is useless to talk to the father about the relationship between father and daughter. You have to talk about the usefulness of this person to have a chance to turn around, and your own daughter is no exception.

Yue Rong's eyebrows didn't move, and he said, "At present, you can't offend the Queen Mother. ”

The Queen Mother wants to send the former emperor's concubines to be sisters-in-law, although the father can use his power or intercession or favoritism to save his daughter, but it is easy for the Queen Mother to know, even if there will be no major crimes, but it will also make the Queen Mother unhappy, and the Queen Mother has a dislike.

And the current queen mother, because of the former emperor, is now willing to give the Yue family a little thin noodles and some preferential treatment. This hard-to-find affection cannot be broken by an insignificant daughter.

Yue Tang was not surprised, and he didn't say anything more, and after saluting again, he didn't stop, and quickly walked out.

However, she did not go far, and found a random reason to drive off the servants who had followed her, and made a quick return to the study from a shortcut—her intuition told her that she had missed something important, and that it was the reason why her father and brother had been waiting for her together.

At this time, it was only a few moments since she left, and the lights in the study were still not extinguished, and it seemed that her father and brother had not left. However, on both sides of the study, more than a dozen big men with sticks and ropes in their hands poured out, and the direction of departure was the lower room.

Several of these big men are very familiar, and they are the nursing homes in the house.

The door of the study was gently opened by the servant, and Yue Rong and Yue Song came out of it, talking about something. Yue Song's ear power has always been amazing, Yue Tang hurriedly held his breath and inhaled, hiding himself deeper behind the rockery.

"She didn't say anything against it, but it was unexpected." Yue Rong said lightly.

Yue Song responded with a smile: "Xu saw that Ke Zhao moved his heart, but he was embarrassed to say it." ”

Yue Rong snorted: "This is the best." Fu frowned slightly, "At tonight's banquet, Xinjun didn't even give you and me a straight look." ”

Yue Song also smiled, and said with a slight solemnity: "Yes, I was also persuaded by Xinjun to wave his hand to retreat after a few toasts, but I changed the cup with that Ke Zhao, and we had a very happy conversation." ”

Yue Rong exhaled with his nose and snorted lightly: "If the former emperor is still here, how can this be!" ”

Yue Song helped his father walk a few steps, and said, "Then Ke Zhao is still waiting outside, does my father still want to see him?" ”

Yue Rong's tone was a little impatient: "Let him leave quickly, what's the matter when the third watch waits at the gate of the mansion in the middle of the night to be seen." ”

Yue Song immediately agreed: "Yes, yes, I immediately ordered someone to ask him to leave." ”

Yue Rong instructed again: "Those who know about the nursing home will be sent away immediately, and the four girls must not be allowed to know a single thing." ”

Yue Song: "Yes, of course, if we let the fourth sister know our plan tonight, I'm afraid it will turn the world upside down, and it won't end well." ”

The voices of the two faded away, and Yue Tang frowned in the dark. She contacted back and forth slightly, her brows furrowed deeper, and she immediately pulled out her legs and went straight to the lower room, but no one was alarmed, and she grabbed a nursing home with which she had some friendship and took it out and took it directly to the secluded place of the firewood room in the backyard.

In the face of the fourth lady's questioning, the nursing home didn't say anything, and Yue Tang was not annoyed, and directly poked him in the sore spot: "Isn't there an old mother waiting for you to take your monthly salary back to buy medicine and cure your illness?" Tomorrow all of you who are going to do something to me at night will be sent away, and how will you serve your mother if you lose your source of money? If you tell me plainly, I promise to give you enough money to treat my mother, and if it is not enough, you can come to me again to get it. ”

The eyes of the nursing courtyard lit up, and then darkened, and he snorted: "But if you say it, the old master and the eldest young master will not let me go......" He glanced at Yue Tang, "Fourth Miss, as soon as you make a fuss, everyone in the house knows who is going to talk about it......"

Yue Tang snorted coldly: "Don't worry, this time, I won't make trouble." ”

The nurse glanced at Yue Tang suspiciously, but knew that the fourth young lady had always been a good talker, so he hesitated and patted his thigh again and again, and said, "I'll tell you everything!" Anyway, we don't want to do this immoral thing! Fourth Miss, tonight, our twelve nursing homes have been guarding outside the study before you come, as long as you have a word of resistance to marriage, we will immediately rush in to knock you out and tie you up, wrap yourself in a quilt and send it directly to the carriage outside! ”

Yue Tang was shocked when he heard this, grabbed the placket of the nursing home, and asked in a hard voice, "What car did you throw it on?" Ke Zhao's carriage?! ”

The nursing home was a little unbearable: "Yes, yes......"

Yue Tang laughed angrily and gritted his teeth: "And then? ”

Nurse: "Then, and then you were taken away by General Ke, we don't know where to go, we just listened to the old man and the eldest young master, so that you can marry General Ke with peace of mind." ”

Do you want to get married?

Scold.

Yue Tang loosened the placket of the nursing home and pushed him: "You go, don't tell anyone about tonight." So saying, he took out two large ingots of silver from his purse and threw them to him, turned and walked away quickly.

Yue Tang did not go directly to his residence, but quickly walked in a large and long water pavilion in the north of the mansion, ran from the pavilion to the pavilion, and then jumped to the top of the water pavilion on the water surface, and breathed heavily for a while, Fang Jue slightly relieved the depression in his chest.

No wonder her father and brother, who have always been stingy and give her some time, are willing to sit in the study and wait for her in the evening!

No wonder they pretended to ask her for her opinion, saying that they would take her to meet Ke Zhao, and put on a posture of being willing to discuss!

No wonder Ke Zhao said that he wanted to send her back, it turned out that he was just stopping by at all, just waiting for her to be wrapped in a quilt and thrown into his car!

If she choked with her father and brother in the study as usual, I am afraid that this son would no longer know where Ke Zhao was taken to do some dirty things!

It turns out that in order to make her willing to marry Ke Jia Saburo, her father and brother can't be trusted? You came up with such a trick to deal with her?! is willing to let her be touched at will before marriage, so that she has to get married?!

The heart gradually sank, and became more and more cold and hard.

She recalled that when she was fifteen years old, she was first proposed to marry, and her father wanted to marry her far away to the border to appease the army, and she knelt in front of the study for three days in order to protect herself, and finally got a nod from her father, promising to treat her as a son for half a month, and if she could get back the border military intelligence information that her father wanted most within half a month, she could exchange freedom. She rushed to the border to collect intelligence, almost put herself to death, and escaped death several times before returning to Beijing to hand over the information to her father, in exchange for a faint sentence "Shang Ke, this time it will be up to you".

Although she had lingering palpitations and resented her father's coldness, she was still happy and proud to finally be able to enter his father's study and discuss matters with her brothers.

She thought she could be her father's son.

It was only now that she really realized that her father not only did not think of her as a son, but also regarded her as a rag that could be thrown out of the house at any time - a rag that could help her father wipe away the traces of usurpation.

Yue Tang completely calmed down, and knew very well the true meaning of his father's move-

The former emperor sat firmly on the dragon chair because of his father's support, and his father sent his sister into the harem to become the former emperor's favorite concubine. The former emperor ascended the throne for more than four months, and there were repeated news of physical discomfort, and he finally died after lingering on the sick bed for more than a month.

And during this treacherous time, my father stirred up the storm in it, and it was not unbusy.

During the period when the former emperor was sick, he summoned his father alone several times, and no one knew the content of the conversation, only to find that his father began to have private contact with the former emperor's only younger brother, the king of England, and there was a bit of a meaning between words and deeds to worship the king as the new lord. But just two days before the former emperor's trip, the king of England suddenly fell from his horse and died, and his father directly sent troops to besiege the city, with the intention of taking the dragon throne in one fell swoop.

These thrilling sounds were heard from others by Yue Tang, who was far away in the southeast at that time to fight against the homeless riots.

However, his father didn't expect the Ke family to suddenly attack.

The Ke family also had a bell-ming ding, but that was in the old dynasty a long time ago - Xi State. When the surname Xi was still in this country, the Ke family was shrouded in the court, and it is said that the emperor also had to look at the face of the Ke family when he issued an order. However, due to the seizure of power by the former emperor who was the commander of the soldiers and horses at that time, the Ke family was destroyed overnight due to the emperor, and in the end, only one San Lang barely supported the lintel.

The former emperor was favored by the support of the Yue family, and naturally he was alienated and indifferent to the Ke family who had rebelled against him. However, because the Ke family had many protégés, and because the former emperor was a usurper and his name was not right, he needed a high-ranking family like the Ke family to correct his name, so he supported Ke Zhao up, and there was a sense of appeasement and affection on his face.

Ke Zhaoben has never had any real power, and Yue Rong has never taken him seriously. But when Yue Rong was besieging the city, Ke Zhao suddenly led his troops to come, as if falling from the sky, surrounding Yue Rong's men and horses.

Yue Rong had already usurped the throne and was defeated, but because Yue Tang received Duan Shuqing's request for help and brought people back to Beijing, he immediately reversed the form - he was unashamed to show his heart to the new monarch, saying that he was besieging the city because he was afraid of the capital, not usurping the throne and seizing power, as evidenced by the fact that his fourth daughter Yue Tang brought people back to Beijing.

Yue Tang, who was still on horseback at the time, watched his father turn over and dismount, wept bitterly and opened the city gate in person, and kept muttering nonsense such as "Finally safe and sound, the ministers are very relieved", and welcomed himself and Ke Zhao into the city.

Duan Shuqing finally stepped on the dragon throne.

The new monarch succeeded to the throne, everything was unstable, and naturally he would not be very strict in pursuing the Yue family, which was quite powerful in the court, not to mention that Yue Tang was indeed here to rescue, even if he saw Yue Tang's face, he couldn't attack it. It's just that Duan Shuqing has her own way, and she hasn't summoned Yue Rong and Yue Song since she succeeded to the throne, although her status and fortune have not changed, but she hasn't expressed anything like rewarding Ke Zhao and Yue Tang.

The implication is self-evident.

At that time, Yue Tang had a subtle sense of joy and schadenfreude. She could obviously feel that her father and eldest brother's attitude towards her was a hundred times better than before, just because she was equivalent to the family's shelter in the court at that time, with her there, and the second brother was still guarding the southwest town, Xinjun would not move the Yue family for the time being.

Of course, only temporarily.

The silent sword hung high around his neck, and Yue Rong was not able to sleep peacefully for a day.

And marrying with the Ke family is the most obvious and direct way to show favor to the new monarch, and it can temporarily appease the Ke family, so as not to make frequent thorns in the Ke family, and have to sit on the usurpation of the Yue family and catch it all.

As for Ke Zhao's agreement to this marriage, it was just because he liked Yue Tang's ability to lead the troops and her cousin relationship with Xinjun.

Hit it off.

Yue Tang sneered softly and said to himself, "Good calculation." It's a pity that I saw through it, tsk. ”

She jumped from the roof at will, her figure as light as the moonlight. trotted all the way back to his residence, casually called the maid to prepare for the bath, responded to the mother-in-law's spying about the marriage, pretended to be an ordinary woman who could not suppress the shyness of the little daughter but still had a hard mouth, and finally when he had refreshments with his father a few days later, he heard his father say to her with a little playful and disdainful but a relaxed tone as if doting: "A daughter's family is a daughter's family after all, marriage is the final destination, and leading troops to fight is just a bargaining chip for you to marry better." ”

Yue Tang also nodded kindly, and didn't say much, only maintained a face that was said but didn't want to admit it, and successfully made her father think that she was ready to marry with peace of mind, and then the maids and daughters-in-law who served her were not as cautious and strict as before, and the guards around her courtyard were not as rotated every half an hour as before. As before, she went to the barracks every few days to inspect and quietly wrote a letter to her second brother that no one could see the flaws.

The marriage between Ke Yue and the two families was in full swing, but Yue Rong's holy decree to ask the new monarch for marriage was still delayed. Yue Tang would be asked to choose the style and pattern of various objects every once in a while, soak in the potpourri herb soup every two days, comb his hair with the refined hair oil of flowers, and clean the noodles with fresh flower dew and freshly peeled eggs every morning...... In this way, Yue Tang endured calmly for nearly two months, and finally watched a servant trot into her courtyard after taking a nap one day, and immediately said after saluting her outside the door in a hurry: "Fourth Miss, think of a way, the master fainted in the court!" But the emperor and the emperor didn't let the old man come back, so he made the old man faint on the ground of the Golden Palace......"

Yue Tang's voice in response was quite frightened, but his movements of getting up and dressing were not chaotic at all. When she walked out of the mansion in court clothes, the sisters who were still in the mansion and her father's wives and concubines were standing at the door looking at her, every face was expectant and nervous, and those ordinary white eyes and contempt were not dared to show the slightest.

Yue Tang didn't say anything, didn't even bother to look at them, pulled the reins from the little maid, turned over handsomely, and walked away.