Chapter 1003

Zhao state, Renshou palace.

Empress Dowager Zhuang doesn't have a good appetite these days. Father Qin always asks the imperial dining room to cook food for her, and she can't eat any more.

Duke Qin stealthily handed the letter to Bishui Hutong and asked empress dowager Zhuang to stop it.

Empress Dowager Zhuang glared at him.

Father Qin sighed and knew that she didn't want several young people to see her sick, but he was distressed.

"Empress dowager, your majesty is coming." outside the bedroom hall, the palace maid reported.

Seeing that empress dowager Zhuang was sick, Duke Qin whispered, "why don't you go back to your majesty and say you have a rest?"

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky, pressed down her eyebrows and said wearily, "he must have something serious to come at this time."

"Yes."

Duke Qin invited his Majesty in.

The emperor stepped into the room, looked at empress dowager Zhuang sitting on the official hat chair, and asked anxiously, "is the mother better?"

This son is stupid. His concern for the Empress Dowager is not false.

Empress Dowager Zhuang rarely turned her eyes and said, "Ai family has long been fine. It's your fuss day by day. Come on, what's the matter with AI family so late?"

The emperor sat down beside his mother and said reluctantly, "to tell you the truth, my son did have a business with her."

"The matter of establishing a reserve?" Empress Dowager Zhuang asked sharply.

The crown prince has been abolished for two years. The voice of establishing a reserve in the court is getting louder and louder. If he doesn't establish it again, he's afraid of a dispute between parties to seize their legitimate rights.

The emperor acquiesced.

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at him: "how do you plan in your heart?"

The emperor said, "my son thinks that King Rui can be a great responsibility." when he talked about this, he paused and said, "however, Xiao Qi has converged a lot in the past two years."

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked into the boundless night: "it's almost nineteen, and ah Heng has been admitted to the top prize at his age."

"Yes," sighed the emperor, "my son hesitated between King Rui and Xiao Qi, and wanted to hear his mother's opinion."

Empress Dowager Zhuang said lightly, "Ai family has no opinion. You are the emperor. Who is the territory of your Qin family?"

"Empress mother!" the emperor did not like her to be so clear with herself as if she were not from this family.

Empress Dowager Zhuang hummed, "why? AI family has worked hard for the royal family of Zhao all his life, and it won't let people be clean for two days?"

The emperor frowned: "what did the queen mother say? You want to live a long life!"

"OK, OK, I'm not used to hearing that." Empress Dowager Zhuang waved her hand and opened the candied jar on the table. It contained three candied fruits made by Jiao Jiao Jiao for her every day. She had saved them for five days.

She took out a candied fruit, stared at it and said, "I only ask you, if King Rui succeeds to the throne, Xiaoqi will not accept it?"

"This......" the emperor hesitated.

Empress Dowager Zhuang then said, "if he doesn't accept it and creates rebellion, will King Rui carry it?"

The emperor's face flashed a decadent color: "it must be unbearable."

Behind King Rui is the Duke of the state of Luo, but behind Qin Chuyu is the whole Xuanping marquis. The relationship between Princess Xinyang and Xiao Ji has eased and will help him.

He also has Xu Cong, the youngest son of his brother xuanyuanxi and the Minister of war.

Xiao Heng's contacts haven't been counted in by the emperor.

Another very important point is that Xiao Qi came out of Zhonggong.

The answer is self-evident.

This seat doesn't mean that she won't fight if she doesn't want to. Even if Xiao Qi doesn't crave the throne, how can empress Xiao be willing? Why would a minister who wants to learn from the Dragon skill give up?

Empress Dowager Zhuang said earnestly, "to be an emperor, you don't have to be the smartest one, but it must be the most appropriate and the most stable one."

Only by letting Qin Chuyu ascend the throne, the other princes dare not make the idea of the throne. After all, no one has the confidence to succeed in the rebellion in the hands of Xiao Ji.

Empress Dowager Zhuang glanced at him and said, "besides, Xiao Qi is not as bad as you think. Don't underestimate him."

The bear child who grew up with headroom has no two brushes and has long been broken.

The emperor pondered: "my son understands."

After the emperor left, Empress Dowager Zhuang was not willing to eat the preserves and put them back in the jar.

Duke Qin came forward and poured her a cup of warm water. Seeing her absent-minded appearance, he couldn't help asking, "the matter of Li Chu has been solved. Is there anything else in your heart?"

However, Empress Dowager Zhuang gave him a deep look and said abruptly, "you are old."

Duke Qin was stunned and then said with a smile, "the old slave is not a monster. How can he not be old?"

Empress Dowager Zhuang pursed her lips and wanted to say that she was old.

She swallowed the words and asked, "did you enter the palace in the same year as AI Jia?"

Duke Qin said with a smile, "yes, but in the first few years, the old slave was not lucky to serve you."

Empress Dowager Zhuang sighed, "what are you doing with confiscating your son? If your family leaves, your little bastard can't really support you for your old age."

Duke Qin suddenly choked: "why do you always say such nonsense recently?"

I'm just a humble eunuch, not worth remembering.

Empress Dowager Zhuang was not always sad about spring and autumn. She was very calm: "how long has Xiao Shun been to Youzhou? Should he return to Beijing?"

Duke Qin wiped his tears and said, "calculate the days. It's time to go back."

What else did empress dowager Zhuang want to say, but she wanted to stop talking.

……

Gu Xiaoshun went to Youzhou years ago. He became a relative three years ago. His wife is the daughter of a scholarly family selected for him by his aunt. He lives in the capital and has his ancestral home in Youzhou. First, he accompanied his wife back to his hometown to worship his ancestors. Second, he went to Youzhou to cooperate with the construction of a royal garden entrusted by the Ministry of work.

He took his wife to Qingquan village.

He had cut off his relationship with his family. Naturally, he didn't visit them, but went to the grave for his third uncle and aunt.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the village, he met his own mother Liu.

Liu Shi fetched water at the entrance of the village. She was much older. She had a lot of white hair in her forties. There was a dirty little girl squatting beside her.

The little girl picked up something on the ground and sent it to her mouth. When she found it, she immediately hit the little girl's hand: "send everything to her mouth! I can't eat you!"

The little girl didn't know whether it hurt or scared. She cried!

"Besides eating and crying! What else can you do?" Liu scolded. The little girl cried more and more fiercely. Liu was so angry that he beat her several times.

Gu Xiaoshun couldn't help remembering that he spent his childhood under the beating and scolding of Liu.

And because he is naughty and stubborn, Liu's attack is particularly heavy.

If the child doesn't obey, he won't hate Liu because of it.

He felt cold for Liu because Liu had never had his son in his heart.

Liu only valued Gu Ershun, who was smarter than him and could please people.

"Xianggong, what's the matter?" his wife Chen Yun asked.

"Nothing, let's go." Gu Xiaoshun helped his wife out of the carriage.

Liu Shi saw him at a glance.

"Ah! Is it Xiaoshun?" aunt Zhao, who had just come with a basin of clothes, saw and recognized him. Aunt Zhao was surprised, "Oh, my God! I almost didn't recognize him!"

Gu Xiaoshun has changed too much.

When he left the village, he was just a little gangster of 13 or 14 years old. He didn't even walk properly. Now he is dressed in royal robes, with beautiful faces and eyes, handsome, casual and handsome. He looks like the son of an aristocratic family.

The woman wearing the veil beside him was elegant and dignified, and looked like the daughter of a large family.

Who dares to admit it?

The villagers gathered around.

Liu stared at Gu Xiaoshun, and the bucket in his hand fell into the well.

She couldn't believe her eyes.

This, this man who is more expensive than the county magistrate's son is really her careless son?

"Cough! Cough!" the accompanying bodyguard was determined to send by the magistrate. For fear that master Gu might encounter an accident on the road, you must carefully protect the safety of the couple.

He cleared his throat and said politely to the villagers, "don't squeeze. Master Gu came back to visit his family's grave. Please make it convenient for the villagers to make way."

"What do you call him?" Liu came over and asked.

The bodyguard didn't know her, but thought she was an ordinary villager and patiently explained, "master gu! Master Gu is a popular man in the imperial court! This time he came to Youzhou to build a mansion!"

The imperial court... Ordered

Liu almost fainted.

Had known Gu Xiaoshun was so promising, she shouldn't have sold him for twenty-two!

It should be sold for two hundred Liang... No, two thousand Liang!

No, what does she sell?

He became an official. She is the official's mother!

Yes, she is the mother of the official master

She was elated

"Smelly boy, you still know to come back! When you go to the capital, you don't care about me and your father! Your conscience is eaten by the dog!"

She said and rushed towards Gu Xiaoshun.

But Gu Xiaoshun is no longer the youngest son who was submissive to her at the beginning. She broke off their mother-child relationship with her own hands!

Gu Xiaoshun stepped back.

She threw herself into the air.

The bodyguard didn't know whether what Liu said was true or false, but master Gu's attitude was true. He immediately stopped in front of Liu.

Not long after, Gu Changlu also came on hearing the news.

He saw Gu Xiaoshun now and was too shocked to speak.

The little gangster, whom the family despised the most, became a popular man in the imperial court.

He tried to talk to Gu Xiaoshun, but was also stopped by the accompanying bodyguard.

"Daughter-in-law! Daughter-in-law! I'm your father-in-law!" seeing that Gu Xiaoshun refused to recognize his father, he hurriedly asked Chen Yun for help.

Women are soft hearted. As long as she asks for mercy for herself, Xiaoshun will listen!

Chen Yun didn't look back at all.

Gu's family had a bad time these years. Gu's father died, leaving a mess. The long house and the second house were divided.

Gu Dashun's road to the imperial examination was not smooth. When the news of Xiao LIULANG's No. 1 scholar in high school came back to the village, his mentality collapsed. Later, he got worse and worse in the examination time by time. His family owed a large amount of foreign debt for his scientific examination.

Although he found a rice merchant's daughter as his wife, his father-in-law's family didn't want to pay for him because he couldn't pass the exam.

He had to be a schoolteacher in the town. He was arrogant and impatient with his students. After being dismissed several times, there were no private schools to invite him.

The second room had a dream to let Gu Ershun take the scientific examination. It smashed all the twenty Liang he bought from selling Gu Xiaoshun on Gu Ershun. As a result, it was all washed away.

"Xiao Shun! We are your parents! You can't do this to us! Is there any justice!"

"You're not afraid we'll sue the Yamen! A charge of unfilial... I don't think you can be an official!"

"Do you have a king's law? He's my son! My own son!"

Gu Xiaoshun just didn't hear.

The villagers know the root and the bottom. Who doesn't know about the second room selling Xiaoshun? Where are the children who have been sold and come back to feed themselves?

What a shame!

Gu Xiaoshun didn't stay much in the village. He took his wife to sweep the graves and incense for his third uncle and aunt, and kowtowed to Gu Jiao, Xiao Heng and Jingkong.

In fact, Gu Jiao's house has always provided memorial tablets for Gu's three rooms. They are worshipped every year on the death day, Qingming Festival and new year's day. If she is absent from the war, Xiao Heng will also buy Incense and paper money to worship.

……

Gu Xiaoshun returned to Beijing in April.

When approaching the capital, Chen Yun suddenly fainted, and Gu Xiaoshun hurriedly sent someone to Beijing to deliver the news.

Gu Changqing happened to be in Bishui Hutong: "I'll send you there."

Gu Jiao: "OK."

They went to the post station outside the South Gate of the capital together. Gu Jiao gave Chen Yun a pulse. Then she smiled and said to Gu Xiao: "Xiao Yun is happy. The carriage is too stuffy and heatstroke. It's OK to have a rest for a while."

Gu Xiaoshun was stunned: "I, I, I... I'm going to be a father?"

Married for three years, this is their first child.

The joy in his heart is beyond words.

Chen Yun woke up and learned that she was finally pregnant. She was so excited that she almost cried.

After three years of marriage without children, she didn't know how desperate she was. Although no one in her family urged her, she always hoped to have a child for her husband.

The party got into the carriage.

Gu Changqing rode alone on the side of the carriage, silently guarding his sister in the carriage and his sister's family.

It was an ordinary afternoon, and even the weather in late spring was the same as before.

It is doomed that this will be an ordinary day.

Suddenly, however, the curtain of the carriage was lifted.

Gu Changqing turned to his sister who had lifted the curtain and asked, "what's up?"

Gu Jiao looked at him in the sun and smiled: "brother."

Gu Changqing was hit to the heart, and the afternoon sunshine shone directly into his heart.

……

On the other hand, enko finished this year.

Zhuang Yuheng was actually deprived of his fame when he was exiled together, but the emperor did not say that he was not allowed to return to the scientific examination, but he never appeared in the examination room.

It was in this way that empress dowager Zhuang realized that he did not want to return to the capital.

But just this year, he appeared in the tribute court in the capital and won the first place in the palace test in March.

He became the first tripod Jia in the history of Zhao to walk through the main gate of the palace and damayou street twice.

He went to Renshou palace, knelt on the ground, gave empress dowager Zhuang a heavy knock, lowered his eyes, and burst into tears: "aunt..."

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked at Zhuang Yuheng, who was in his infancy, and waved him to come forward.

Zhuang Yuheng choked and walked up on his knees.

Empress Dowager Zhuang pinched her handkerchief and punched him on the shoulder.

She beat again and again, her eyes flushed and her throat swelled: "you just came back... You just came back..."

……

In May, Xiao Heng handled a bad bribery case involving more than half of the Imperial Academy.

Although there is no fish when the water is clear, everything has to be measured. It is a terrible thing that more than half of the officials of the Imperial Academy are involved.

When all the investigation results came out, Xiao Heng never expected that the current Bachelor of Hanlin academy would be behind the scenes.

In the cell.

The academician confessed his crime.

He took bribes, manipulated shujishi's examination, entered low-grade Jinshi into Hanlin, and forged his qualifications and achievements in order to be among the six departments.

In the interrogation room, Xiao Heng, dressed in a purple official robe, sat in a chair and looked at the academician opposite with a complex look: "why?"

Ning Zhiyuan smiled bitterly: "LIULANG, not everyone is born in the clouds. I don't know how hard it takes me to climb up step by step. I'm not afraid of hardship, but sometimes it's useless to endure hardship. I know you want to say that you have come to this day by yourself. I admit that no matter how the world misunderstands you, I always believe that you rely on your own talents. But LIULANG, I Without your talent. "

"I have ambitions that don't match my talents."

"I... didn't keep my heart."

Xiao Heng lightly walked out of the prison of the Ministry of punishment.

Many years ago, in a duty room of the Imperial Academy, Ning Zhiyuan patted him on the shoulder and said with ambition: "although I came from a cold background, no background and no contacts, I occasionally dream, thinking that if I climb up one day... Don't climb too high, the five grade imperial scholar is my dream in this life!"

He clenched his fist, as if to force the contempt he had received all the way out of his bones: "I'm thinking that one day, when I take charge of the Imperial Academy, I will never be mercenary, cronyist, circle oriented, obedient and noisy!"

A thunderbolt flashed, and the sky seemed to be opened, and the rain fell in torrents.

He looked at the boundless rain with a trace of confusion in his eyes.

After a long time, his eyes were firm again.

He opened his umbrella and walked firmly into the rain.

……

Empress Dowager Zhuang's body has been changing from good to bad this year.

She couldn't eat the preserves and milk dates made by Gu Jiao and the old sacrificial wine.

I saved a lot of them all at once.

Xuanyuanxi sat at the head of her bed and said softly, "aunt, please eat preserves and eat whatever you like. I won't tell Jiao Jiao."

Empress Dowager Zhuang smiled: "where is my little granddaughter-in-law?"

Xuanyuanxi's ears were slightly red.

Empress Dowager Zhuang glanced and hummed, "you have a virtue with your brother-in-law! Don't learn from him! You've been married for so many years before you eat it!"

In August, Gu Jiao picked up Xue Ningxiang and gowardesh from the countryside.

Gowardesh is one and a half years younger than clearance. It's fourteen this year. It's a handsome young man.

Empress Dowager Zhuang lay on the soft Phoenix bed, looked at the figure coming towards herself in the light and shadow, and asked weakly, "is it Xiangxiang?"

Xue Ningxiang fell on her knees, held her aunt's hand and sobbed, "it's me, aunt, it's me..."

"Where's the dog baby?" asked empress dowager Zhuang.

Gowardesh stood beside Xue Ningxiang, but her eyes were hard to use.

Xue Ningxiang was so worried that she pulled her son aside: "gowardesh! Kowtow to the Empress Dowager!"

Gowardesh knelt down and kowtowed to empress dowager Zhuang three times.

"What's the old kowtow for? It's bad for the child." Empress Dowager Zhuang took a piece of sesame candy she had hidden under her pillow and handed it to him, "gowardesh, eat."

Gowardesh loved to eat sesame candy when she was a child.

Xue Ningxiang covered her mouth and couldn't help crying.

……

Gu Jiao lived in Renshou palace with her three little children.

"You don't quarrel." Empress Dowager Zhuang occasionally said to the three little ones, "your uncle Jingkong was really noisy when you were a child."

The three little girls are not quiet, but they are very quiet in front of her.

Even Xiao Yan, the little trumpeter, wisely suppressed her nature and the power of the wilderness.

Xiao Heng, Xuan Yuanxi, Gu Xiaoshun, Gu Yan and Gu Xiaobao also visit her in the palace every day. Gu Changqing and Gu Chengfeng often come.

It is worth mentioning that Gu Changqing and Yuan Baolin got a daughter, but Gu Changqing still thinks he is fulfilling the agreement.

Yuan Baolin told him, "a woman must have a son to spend the rest of her life."

Gu Changqing, a single-minded man, then began to fulfill the agreement to give yuan Baolin a son.

Gu Jiao was really surprised when she learned about it. She never expected Gu Changqing to be so single-minded.

She asked yuan Baolin, "what if you have a son? How can you coax him to bed?"

Yuan Baolin raised her chin and said, "then I'll tell him that a son is too lonely. There's no brother to support anything in the future. You see, you all have five brothers!"

Gu Jiao silently thumbed up.

Empress Dowager Zhuang was booed by a roomful of people and said, "you come all day. Don't you have to do business?"

The old sacrificial wine also came.

However, he always stayed there quietly without saying a word. Empress dowager Zhuang couldn't see it. Naturally, she didn't know he had been here.

In the twelfth lunar month, the memory of Empress Dowager Zhuang degenerated and often called the wrong person.

He would shout clearance to Xiao Xuan, Gu Yan to Gu Xiaobao, and ask Gu Jiao where Xiao Shun went and whether LIULANG went to the Fucheng for the exam again?

She listened to the snow outside the window and said, "it's cold. Has LIULANG brought enough clothes? The test shed in Youzhou is no colder than the capital."

"That's enough." Gu Jiao said, "don't worry, aunt. Xiaoshun has gone to the Academy for class."

My aunt pulled the silver note in her hand and touched Gu Jiao's hand: "give it to him for me. He fell out with his family and went to live in the Academy. His stomach is easy to eat."

Gu Jiao accepted the silver ticket: "OK, I'll bring it to him in the town later. Would you like some preserves? You can eat as many today..."

Empress Dowager Zhuang closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Gu Jiao lay down beside her quietly, opened her arm and gently buried her head in her arms.

……

On New Year's Eve, xuanyuanxi ushered in his 16th birthday, and Xiao Heng also ushered in his founding year.

Empress Dowager Zhuang was in good spirits. When she got up, she killed six preserves in one breath, which made Duke Qin very happy.

Originally, the birthday banquet was to be held in Renshou palace, but empress dowager Zhuang wanted to play leaf cards, so the family returned to Bishui Hutong.

Empress Dowager Zhuang, Aunt Liu, grandma Zhou and aunt Lu had a table together.

Since her aunt's eyesight deteriorated, Gu Jiao made the leaf card into mahjong, which can be touched by hand.

The old sacrificial wine stood behind my aunt, served the tea honestly, and turned in the private money.

Empress Dowager Zhuang raised her eyebrows and hummed, "I'm in a good mood today. Let you lose less!"

The neighbors actually wanted to put some water for her, but they found that she didn't need it at all. Even now, the old lady still hung the whole Bishui alley.

The neighbors lost miserably.

Yao made snacks in the kitchen, and Princess Xinyang went to learn crafts from her.

Gu Xiaobao and Xiao Yi, two older children, led several little guys to set off firecrackers in the alley.

Xuanyuanxi didn't go to join the fun. He moved a chair and sat behind empress dowager Zhuang, with his exquisite chin gently on her shoulder.

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked disgusted and said, "why? It's sticky?"

"Yes, it's sticky. Go to the children's side." Gu Yan came and squeezed xuanyuanxi away, lying on her aunt's shoulder.

Empress Dowager Zhuang fried her hair: "you are twenty-seven! What do you say! Your daughter-in-law can't find one! Xiaoshun's son can make soy sauce!"

Xiao Shunbao, who is still in his stomach: "...??"

Gu Yan adhered to her and said, "then tell my mother and let me marry yuya'er."

Empress Dowager Zhuang turned her eyes and said nonsense.

This kind of thing depends on fate. Where can everyone be happy? At the beginning, she only asked him to survive. He did it. She had nothing to be dissatisfied with.

She pushed the card in front of her: "touch yourself! Hu!"

……

In the afternoon, Empress Dowager Zhuang slept in her cabin.

Xuanyuanxi also lay down with his aunt: "did you especially want to sleep with me when I was a child? You always took me to your house."

Empress Dowager Zhuang said coldly, "that's because I want a little great grandson!"

Xuanyuanxi said, "I don't care. You just like me."

Empress Dowager Zhuang:... Such a shameless person.

Xiao Ji, I'm sorry for the shy little monk!

Xuanyuanxi wanted to tease his aunt, but he really fell asleep. When he woke up, it was dark, and he called his aunt.

His aunt didn't respond. He was so frightened that his face changed: "aunt!"

Empress Dowager Zhuang said faintly, "what's the noise? Do you think AI's gone?"

Xuanyuanxi hurriedly said, "I don't mean that!"

Empress Dowager Zhuang said lazily, "don't worry, it's new year's Eve. The mourning family won't go on New Year's Eve."

I won't turn your birthday and aheng's birthday into a sad death day. How sad should you be?

On the first day of the first month, a large family of children in Bishui Hutong entered the palace to pay New Year's greetings to her.

She took Gu Jiao's hand and asked Gu Jiao to take good care of father-in-law Qin.

……

Empress Dowager Zhuang left on the third day of the first month.

She is in good spirits these days and her memory is not confused. Everyone thinks she is getting better. No one expected that she never woke up after she slept.

She died in her sleep and walked peacefully.

She didn't leave any last words. She just listened to father-in-law Qin. She took out the poetry collection before the cabinet the night before.

Empress Dowager Zhuang has been in power for decades. The world only remembers her fierce and domineering means, but forgets that she was once a gentle daughter with poetic spirit.

She devoted her life to the kingdom of Zhao. She had countless opportunities to leave the royal family completely and live her own free life outside.

But she didn't.

It's for the country and the children not to be ashamed of her.

The palace was a cage that imprisoned her all her life.

According to the ancestral system, the Empress Dowager Hong died and was buried in the imperial mausoleum with the former Emperor.

Xiao Heng wrote to ask for a separate mausoleum for Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Not in the name of Empress Dowager Zhuang, but in the name of Zhuang Jinse.

She was imprisoned alive and had to be set free after death.

On the day when the mausoleum was completed, Gu Jiao, Xiao Heng, Jingkong, Gu Yan, Gu Xiaoshun, Gu Xiaobao, Gu Changqing and Zhuang Yuheng came to support her aunt.

My aunt left no children in the world.

But they are all my aunt's children.

……

If there is an afterlife, may you no longer join the royal family.