At the age of ten, he entered the palace, and at the age of thirteen, he performed the first lotus dance.

Because he was appreciated by the second prince, he gave a flower note in public, and Chu Jiu was naturally famous.

The civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty, the frequent visitors to the palace and the noble mansion, and the princess and lady who are waiting for the word boudoir and do not see the light of day, all know that there is a nine girls in the palace, who is twenty-eight years old, and is a rare stunner in the world.

One day, the birthday of the ancestor of the Xie family in Shangshu Mansion sent a large invitation, and the birthday day was like a market.

The official lady has always been strict with the rules, and it is inevitable to be lonely, so they all take the opportunity to get together.

If he is old enough, he will be led by his mother and secretly look into the son's pile; Those who are still young will play to their heart's content, serving by the side of the girl, as long as they do not fall into the pot and lose the good luck of the master's family, they are not strictly restrained.

The Xie family has an eldest daughter, named Xie Tong, who is fifteen years old, and her appearance is very good, but she is a halfway monk.

Because of this, although the lintel of Xie Mansion is not low, the only playmate she has is Cao Qingqing.

Xie's mother has always disliked Cao Qingqing, and she strictly forbids her daughter to associate with her.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the two put tea on the table, dismissed the maid, and hid in the boudoir wholeheartedly.

"You don't know, my father recently raised a concubine, who looks so charming, cages all day long to rest there, and comes to invite me every night just after the unitary, and uses all kinds of excuses to eat my father to death."

Cao Qingqing's sip of tea just went down his throat, and before he could swallow it, his eyes widened, and he was shocked in his heart.

Mrs. Xie has never been waiting to see her, and she has always shown her face, so when she heard the news, she secretly gloated.

"Is that okay? This is your mother's ......."

As soon as the words came to her mouth, she realized that she had missed her mouth, so she quickly hid her thoughts and said:

"Your mother is also a powerful person, why didn't you say anything and let that little concubine continue to work?"

"What's the solution?"

Xie Tong gritted his teeth, lowered his head, twisted the handkerchief on his hand, and pouted.

"Aren't all men the same? At my mother's age, although she gave birth to me and my brother, it just so happened that my brother was not angry, which made my father unhappy, and my father was looking forward to having another son, where would he listen...... I'm afraid that if I talk too much, I will end up with the reputation of a "jealous woman" and provoke my father's suspicion. ”

Because of his relationship with Xie Tong, Cao Qingqing also knew a little about the situation in Xie Mansion.

Lord Xie's wife died early, and he has not continued to fill the house, seeing that the concubines are arguing for long and short, and the family house is uneasy.

It just so happened that Xie Zhang's family was favored, and he had a son to do his body, and he blew a lot of pillow wind in his ears every night, plus there was no mother-in-law to discipline him, and the heirs of the brother-in-law clan were sparse.

This Xie Tong naturally rose from the concubine to the throne of the concubine.

But as the old saying goes: a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as stealing.

Since becoming the head of the house, the master has slowly alienated her, and sometimes, they have not had sex together for several months, and the husband and wife respect each other like guests.

When the concubines saw this, where were they willing to settle down? They were all agitated, hoping that they could win the man in one fell swoop and win the position of the main mother.

"Sister, don't worry, you are now in your prime, and you are born with a beautiful face, there are countless high-ranking disciples in Yincheng, why worry about no one to match you?"

Seeing Xie Tong's happy face, she pursed her lips and continued to speak.

"Forgive me for talking too much, if my sister gets the opportunity in the future, she can marry into the palace of the princess and give birth to a son-in-law, the mother's family has a dependence, the husband's family has merit, the status is stable and stable, and the glory and wealth of a life are inexhaustible, and the lady has you as a support, so you still need to worry about this?"

She lifted the lid of the cup, brushed the tea foam, put her hand on the coffee table, and stood up half-crouched, leaning forward to lower her voice.

"Concubine, after all, she can't get on the stage. If his sister is developed, what will Mrs. do with them, it's not up to you to decide? ”

The lady of the boudoir spoke, with a hint of ruthlessness in her words, which made people unaware of Meng Lang, Xie Tong heard it, and her heart was slightly frightened, and her face was depressed.

But seeing that she was really reasonable, slowly, the sorrow also relaxed.

"Qingqing, you have a point...... But my unassuming brother ...... Alas! I'm afraid that I won't be able to keep a long face when the time comes, and I'll have to drag me back! ”

"Sister, don't think about it anymore!" Cao Qingqing interrupted her in time.

"If you don't look at the face of the monk and look at the face of the Buddha, even if Brother Xie is not angry, there are adults here, and the court naturally can't shorten his benefits. I envy you, such a good family, such a capable mother, and a brother to rely on in the future, how good it is......"

Xie Tong heard the meaning of her words, and did not answer, touching the brocade futon next to the couch for a while before waving his hand.

"My sister is right...... Come, let's drink tea, this is the best tribute tea, it is a reward from Daddy's heavenly family, sister, you taste it. ”

"But ......"

"But what?"

Xie Tong had some scruples in his heart, and after carefully considering it twice, he still couldn't help but ask.

Cao Qingqing suddenly bowed his head and was silent.

"Sister Cao has something to say, you don't need to be polite in front of me."

Her lips twitched, her face seemed to hesitate, and after a long time, she slurred:

"When I came over, I passed in front of Lord Shangshu's study, and I happened to hear ...... There was a fierce quarrel inside, and I heard Gongzi say something like 'Chu Jiu' and 'concubine'. ”

After she finished speaking, she secretly raised her head, looked at Xie Nu's face, and felt a little more sure in her heart.

"Originally, this is none of my business, and I can't chew my tongue, but my sister knows that Chu Jiu is a dancing girl, and she is the person who was personally rewarded by the second prince...... I'm afraid that my sister's reputation will be affected. ”

When she said the word "Chu Jiu", her tongue seemed to run over a wheel, but only for a moment, she regained her peace.

Looking at Xie Tong's eyes, there was a full sense of concern.

"What?"

Xie Tong got up from the couch at once, because of his excessive strength, he almost threw over a few tea bowls, and the anger rushed up.

"Brother, this is crazy! The wife has not yet married, but must add a concubine first? is so blatant, if you carry one in the house, even if you go outside, you can enter a good concubine with an innocent family, and that's it! Why do you want to ask for a dancing girl with such fanfare? ”

"This Chu Jiu, who doesn't know who doesn't know? Even if the second prince appreciated the flower note, it was only a cheap one! The face of this Shangshufu, he doesn't want me to ask for it! ”

She was violent, and as she spoke, she was going to cry with her mother, but she was finally pulled by the personal maid, half knelt on the ground, and persuaded her with great kindness.

"Miss, today's banquet in the mansion, the outer courtyard is full of official relatives, you look like this, you are in a hurry, what is it to go out?"

The girl was anxious, swallowed a breath, and then continued:

It is said that the ugliness of the family should not be publicized, and besides, this matter, the eight characters have not been skimmed, and they are going to have a seizure, so how can others talk about you? Transgression and disobedience have no virtue...... The three of them become tigers, and everyone is golden, do you want to be famous? Miss! ”

This girl's name is Yancai, she was originally Xie Zhang's maid, and she was with her when she bought it, and she has been here for seven or eight years.

Xie Zhang saw that she was doing things safely and was very loyal, so he gave Xie Tong a call.

Xie Tong is impulsive and has a temper, and she is usually persuaded when she is around, and there is a lot less trouble.

After listening to this call, Xie Tong's exuberant arrogance immediately disappeared at this moment.

Cao Qingqing looked at her eyes very much, and immediately turned red, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and blamed herself in her tone.

"It's all my sister who is not good, a good and good festive day, what are you doing with these? It also made my sister angry. ”

She got up and paced over, pouring a cup of tea for Xie Tong with her own hands.

"Sister, don't be angry, let's sit down, like just now, talk well for a while, the soldiers will block the water and cover the earth, no matter what, we have to think about it in the long run."

Yancai also half-pulled and half-persuaded, but finally stabilized her, and called the girl into the house to clean up.

From the scene just now, she had already seen Cao Qingqing through a few points, so she didn't go out anymore, and after serving the new tea, she quietly stood aside and waited.

Xie Tong took a sip of tea, still indignant in his chest.

"Look, what did I just say? There is such a foolish brother! ”

The purpose of this trip, Cao Qingqing originally wanted to explore the wind, she liked Gongzi Xie for a long time, but unfortunately she was just a concubine, and today she begged the hostess in every possible way to come to the banquet.

It is expected that it is difficult to do major events in life, and you can only rely on yourself, so you can only please Xie Tong step by step, and the calculations are very fine, and after thinking about it, you can only please Xie Tong.

Fang Cai's words were just words, and now this scene, it is not good to continue, and he was thinking about saving the country, but Xie Tong's voice sounded in his ears.

"Sister, I know you, you...... Adores my brother, doesn't he? ”

"I ......"

She blushed timidly and lowered her head, her fingertips rubbing her cuffs against her heart, forcibly suppressing the excitement in her heart.

"It's just that my family background is low, and my foundation is too thin, I'm afraid I won't be worthy of Brother Xie's identity."

"Sister, don't say that! Although the Cao family is an upstart and has a thin foundation, but a talent like my sister, Chu Jiu's kind of pickled people, my brother has to get it, why can't my sister compare? ”

"Sister, don't worry, when you come to my house, I am naturally willing, father and mother, I will try my best to make peace. As for the elder brother...... The order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker have always been the father who said one, and the brother did not dare to say two. ”

"How can this be done! My sister knows that her identity is low......"

"Sister Cao!"

Seeing that Xie Tong had already made up his mind, not to deceive himself, Cao Qingqing was only half-pushed, and Wen Sheng agreed.

"So...... Then there is Sister Lao. Sister rest assured, if Qingqing can be lucky enough to enter the house, she will be by her sister's side in the future, and she will be her right-hand man, at the mercy of her sister. ”

Looking at her, Xie Tong smiled.

"Don't worry."

Yan Cai looked anxious on the side, and didn't dare to show it in front of people, but just circled in her mind and reported the matter to her wife.

The sound of pleasant laughter came from the room, and the maid presented pastries and changed the new tea several times before the curtain was finally lifted.

Cao Qingqing walked out of the room and smiled contentedly.

There was a sound of rubble on the eaves, and a black cat jumped down and landed firmly on the ground.

She looked up at the blue sky, the brilliant sunlight shining on her face, and her expression was extremely pleasant.

There was a scolding sound from the maid in his ears, and the black cat that jumped down was disturbed by them with a bamboo pole and disappeared, and jumped away from the wall with a crying meow all the way.

As night fell, the second prince's mansion.

Yin Jian had just come back from the palace of the hidden concubine, and the mother and son had eaten some wine, said a lot of considerate words, walked upside down and were intoxicated, and their expressions were very pleasant.

"Mother...... Thank you mother, if there is no mother, there will be no son today, and my son will thank my mother for planning for me. ”

When Yin Jian's wine was hot, the words he said came from the bottom of his heart.

Just tomorrow, the Second Prince's Mansion will hold a celebration banquet.

He joined the army at the age of thirteen, and now he is twenty-three years old, and in ten years, he has been stranded by bandits in Xishan, plagued by gangsters in the East China Sea, suppressed the rebellion of the South Vietnamese rebels in the south, and investigated and punished corruption and traitors in the DPRK and China...... Drinking horses and the Yellow River, lying on the salary and tasting gall, born and died, made countless achievements, how many times his life hung by a thread, and his feet stepped into the ghost gate.

Celebration feast? In his eyes, it has long been nothing more than a vanity, a bluff gimmick.

But he was really happy, because Emperor Shunde had already issued an order to crown him as the new crown prince, and the canonization banquet and the celebration banquet were held at the same time!

The coveted golden seal of the prince is now famous and within reach.

The cool breeze was blowing, the mood was refreshing, and most of the heat of body and mind had faded, Yin Jian followed the guards behind him and staggered back to the mansion.

"Prince."

The guard had been waiting in the room for a long time, and when he closed the door, he took out a drawing from the dark placket and presented it.

"Who is it this time?"

A cold air came from the golden gauze tent, the hidden guard was already prostrate on the ground, and the green jade incense burner was thrown down, colliding with the hard green bricks, making a cracking sound.

The second prince half-squinted, turned the purple jade cup, and took a sip slightly.

"Back to the second prince, it was the woman who bumped into you on Qianmen Street on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month last year, named Xie Tong."

"Xie Yingtian?"

"Exactly."

"I remember this old man...... I used to take good care of my seventh brother? Jiu'er is a person from this palace, everyone knows it, and he dares to be so ashamed. I forgot to clean up, but they came to the door! ”

Suddenly, his eyes rolled, and a ghostly smile projected from his eyes.

"Since his daughter wants to marry Gaomen so much...... Then the main palace has to be an adult beauty! ”

With a smile on the corner of his mouth, Yin Jian threw out the wine in the cup, spilling it into the air, and when it landed on the ground, it was a complete blood-colored rose.

The cool breeze blows, the sandalwood in the hall is curling, the wisps are skewed, and the black gold curtain is flying, falling and dancing.

Half a month later, Shangshu Mansion.

Just after noon, Xie Tong had just gotten up in the morning and was sitting in front of the bronze mirror to make up.

She was lightly powdered, wore a water-red shirt, combed her double-looped bun, and after a little breakfast, she sat idly by the small lotus pond to feed the fish.

"Miss...... Miss...... Madame, please Miss come quickly. ”

"Brush ......"

The pond fish was frightened and swept over suddenly, Xie Tong was looking at the water surface up close, and a few drops of splashed pool water hit her in the face.

"What to lose! I can't be reincarnated in a hurry! ”

Xie Tong was irritable, and immediately with anger on his face, he grabbed a handful of fish food from the plate and smashed it at the girl.

Yan Ran shrunk her neck, unable to dodge, and could only bear it stubbornly.

"Miss...... It's someone from the palace......"

"What?"

She was stunned when she heard this, then she stood up with a sweep on the ground, raised her hand and unconsciously brushed her sideburns, flustered.

"That'...... What do you call me to do? ”

"It seems to be...... Tell the lady to kiss. Miss, come over quickly, the lord and the lady are waiting in the front hall. ”

When Yanran raised her head again, where was there anyone in front of her?

Then he stood up, rubbed his knees, and shook off the remaining fish feed from his hair.

Above the lobby, a group of people knelt on the ground, Xie Yingtian was dressed in court clothes, his face was solemn, and when he saw Xie Tong running out of the back hall, his pace was disordered and panicked, and he didn't have the reserve of everyone's ladies at all, so he hurriedly stopped drinking.

He folded his hands upward.

"The people have arrived, please announce the decree of the father-in-law."

Gonggong Li slowly unfolded the gilded holy decree, cleared his throat, and said in a solemn and loud tone:

"Fengtian carrier, the emperor edict said, Shangshu Mansion has done its best, and it can be expressed heartily. There is a concubine in the house, named Tong, twenty-eight years old, virtuous and obedient, green sideburns and red face, so now a special decree is made, referring to the second son of the fourth prince of Yin - Yin Jing as a concubine, a good couple, looking at the good fate, admiring this. ”

"Thank you, Lord Long."

Xie Zhang's cloud sideburns are beautiful, even if he has given birth to two children, he is still slender, a small face is wide and narrow, short like a fox, and his eyes are extremely charming.

She glanced at Yan Cai neatly and presented the tray herself.

"Thank you father-in-law, father-in-law has worked hard all the way, this little gift to invite father-in-law to drink tea."

"Madame is gracious. The will has been declared, and it is time for our family to go. ”

"It is a great blessing for a little girl to be blessed to be married by heaven...... It's just that...... I don't know if my father-in-law knows, what is the character and appearance of that son? ”

The father-in-law Li who announced the decree was originally an old man in the mansion of the second prince, because he had saved the holy car, he was exceptionally promoted, and served by the side of Emperor Shunde, and the second prince became the prince, and he also made a lot of efforts.

Although he received the money, when he heard this, his face suddenly changed.

"What do you mean, ma'am? The royal son, naturally, is good! This is a strange question, do you think that the son of the Yin family is not worthy of the lintel of your Xie Mansion, or is he suspicious...... The emperor has treated you badly? ”

Xie Yingtian was in the middle of the court, and he was like a mirror in his heart, secretly glancing at Xie Zhang, hating her for acting and speaking recklessly, not in general, and embarrassing herself.

He hurriedly shook his head and laughed in circles.

"No, no, no, my father-in-law misunderstood, if I can get the emperor's marriage, it is naturally the best, the insiders are not sensible, I haven't seen a big scene, and my father-in-law is not surprised."

Xie Zhangshi closed her mouth in disdain, only bowed her body, and after the people walked away, her smile gradually cooled.

Pulled Xie Tong and went to the inner room, cursing in his mouth.

"Phew! Dead eunuchs! What a capability! ”

"Mother, that Yin Siwangfu, that son, what kind of person is it?"