In Xue's house, there are several newly planted plum blossoms in the backyard. Although they have not bloomed yet, their branches and leaves are sparse and they are really beautiful.
This was planted by Yan Yan casually. She was worried that she would not survive, but she did not expect that she was growing well and she could always do things well without any effort.
In the early morning, after the couple got up, they started to move around the flowers and trees.
"A big watermelon, cut in half with one knife, half for you, half for him..."
After becoming the wife of a housekeeper and staying in bed for a few days, Yan Yan still couldn't escape her mother-in-law's discipline. The last time she came back, Wei Yun gave her a few words about her physical problems. After that, Xue Bai only had time at home.
, so he often took her to practice Qigong.
On the other side of the path, Yong'er stood watching this scene, with a smile on his lips. He was even happier than Yan Yan, as if he was having a love affair with Xue Bai for her.
After the two of them had completed a set of slow punches, Yong'er stepped forward and said: "Mr. Sir, Madam, Madam is here."
"Auntie is here to take care of me again."
Wei Yun had been sitting in the hall for a while. When she saw her daughter, her son-in-law came over to greet her. He nodded with satisfaction, took Yan Yan's hand, and asked her how her health was lately and whether she took her medicine on time.
Finally, she asked Yan Yan to show her the latest female celebrity homework.
After sending her daughter away, Wei Yun looked at Xue Bai and asked, "Is your relationship okay?"
"Don't worry, mother-in-law, it's all right."
Wei Yun lowered her head and took a sip of tea soup, then asked casually: "Then...when do you plan to have a child?"
She is a mother-in-law, and some things are obvious.
Xue Bai pondered for a while and said: "Sanniang is still too young, and her health is not good. It may be dangerous to give birth to a child now, so it is better to take more care of her now."
"That's true." Wei Yun nodded worriedly and said hesitantly: "Recently, people all over Chang'an say that you are an upright gentleman and keep your integrity, which is good. But since Sanniang married you, she should give birth to an heir for you. Do you care about that?
She is weak, but it is not appropriate for her to lose her responsibility as a wife..."
Xue Bai couldn't help but be confused and asked: "May I ask my husband, what did someone say to you recently?"
Wei Yun sighed, with a son-in-law like Xue Bai, she was under considerable pressure.
There were quite a few ladies who wanted to marry Xue Bai, and some of them had ridiculed Yan Yan at certain banquets, but Yan Yan retaliated. However, the malice did not dissipate, and some of them were transferred to the Yan family, saying that Yan Yan could not give birth.
There are many people who have children. Occasionally, some people say that Xue Bai married such a frail and sick young man because of his indifference.
Wei Yun was not good at dealing with this, but fortunately Cui was still in Chang'an and gave her some advice.
"We have also thought that Sanniang's disease may not be cured within a few years, and it is not quiet around you." Wei Yun considered it, and said slowly: "I asked Yong'er just now. She has served Sanniang since she was a child.
It’s inseparable…do you understand?”
"Understood." Xue Bai said: "Mother-in-law, you don't need to pay attention to what others say. Sanniang and I are still young, and many things can't be rushed at the same time."
"You have always been calm."
Wei Yun sighed with emotion, feeling that seeing Xue Bai's unhurried attitude, even if the conversation did not produce any results, the worries in her heart were relieved a lot.
Afterwards, Yan Yan came over with some embroidered needlework.
"What are these embroideries?"
"They are all the patterns my husband likes." Yan Yan said matter-of-factly, "This is a gourd baby. Yong'er has also heard this story from her husband, saying that it is good luck to embroider this."
"Okay." Wei Yun had nothing to do with her daughter, "You send my mother out."
…
Qinglan saw Wei Yun leaving the hall, walked to Xue Bai, and whispered: "Mr. Lang, my second mother is waiting in the west wing."
"Okay." Xue Bai turned to look at Qinglan and asked, "What do you want to say?"
"Madam gave me a pair of gold bracelets, and I deserve it."
"I understand." Xue Bai shook her hand and said, "If you feel relieved if you don't accept it, you can return it to Sanniang. She won't care."
Qinglan's eyes lit up.
Although Wei Yun didn't say it, she gave such an expensive gift in the hope that Qing Lan could adopt a child into Yan Yan's house in the future, but Qing Lan finally broke away from her humble status, and she was actually unwilling to do so.
"Don't worry." Xue Bai said, "My husband is also very easy to get along with, and Sanniang is even more so. She is very transparent with others. If you return it to her, she will understand your intentions and will not care about you."
"Lang Jun, I think so too."
Qing Lan nodded vigorously. Although they had only been together for a short time, she already trusted Yan Yan very much.
~~
Pushing the door open and entering the guest room in the west wing, Xue Bai smelled a familiar fragrance.
Du Jin came here after washing her hair and was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, arranging her hair.
"Here we come." Xue Bai said, "I plan to go to Fengwei Building later."
"I didn't come here to mess around with you. I got some important information. Do you know what the murder weapon was that killed Li Qian?"
"Not a saber?"
Du Jin asked: "Did anyone tell you it was a saber?"
"Princess Tang Chang said that the soldier accidentally killed Li Qian and then 'hacked' others."
"But it didn't say what he accidentally killed Li Qian with. Maybe he picked up something else?"
Xue Bai thought for a moment and found that neither Princess Tang Chang nor Princess Boping had told such details. Among them, Princess Tang Chang did not see the scene when Li Qian was accidentally killed, while Princess Boping was still young and may not have noticed it.
.
"No one really said it. I subconsciously thought it was a saber."
"Paperweight."
Xue Bai was surprised.
Du Jin pursed her lips and smiled slightly, beckoned him to come closer, and whispered: "It is a long brass paperweight with a carved Chi, entrenched on the paperweight, lifelike."
Chi is a kind of dragon without horns. Legend has it that it is the son of a dragon and a dragon. Because dragons have horns and Chi does not have horns, Chi often goes to the mortal world and asks people if it looks like a dragon. If it hears the word "no", it will
Swallow the person in one bite.
Nowadays, chisels are often used as decorations on bells and tripods, on the foreheads of monuments, on palace pillars, on palace steps, and on seals.
"Where is this paperweight now?"
"I don't know yet, but Li Jing has been looking for you since he met you," Du Jin said. "He did witness the death of Li Qian with his own eyes. Also, do you know how Concubine Wu Hui was frightened to death?"
"Is it related to this paperweight?"
"Listen to that, when Concubine Wu Hui died, the paperweight was in her house. She thought it was placed by the ghost of Concubine Xue and wanted her to pay for it with her life..."
Xue Bai thought about it and combined it with the information he got from Li Jing. After Li Qian's death, Gao Lishi and Chen Xuanli went over to confirm that the paperweight was once in their hands. If someone deliberately scared Concubine Wu Hui to death, it was probably these two.
What people do.
"Li Jing heard that Li Qian was not dead, and she had doubts in her heart. She wanted to see if that paperweight could kill someone?"
"That's right."
"Where is the thing? I have to see it with my own eyes."
"After Concubine Wu Hui's death, all valuable items were left to Li Xuan, unless someone specifically took them away." Du Jin said, "We bribed a maid next to Li Xuan and just wait for news."
Xue Bai thought that if he wanted to pretend to be the emperor's grandson, he would have to bribe or get rid of all the insiders. Now it seems that some of the insiders are involved in the death of Concubine Wu Hui.
After talking for a while, Qinglan said outside the door: "Mr. Lang, the Prime Minister's Office has sent someone to invite you."
"Let's go."
The two people came out of the room. Qinglan hesitated for a moment and then said: "Well... Madam, please ask Er Niang to come over."
Xue Bai was surprised and smiled bitterly to himself.
Du Jin glared at him and sneered, "Go and do your work. I'll go see your wife and see if she can take care of all these things for you."
Although the words were powerful, Du Jin really didn't expect Yan Yan to respond like this. She thought she would pretend not to know about it, or make trouble with Xue Bai privately.
I didn't expect that she would dare to face her again.
…
Walking around to the lobby, I smelled a strong medicinal smell before I even entered.
Yan Yan was sitting behind the desk, drinking medicine from a bowl bigger than her face.
Perhaps it was because the medicinal soup was too bitter. When she put down the bowl, she showed a pitiful face, which made Du Jin feel a little soft-hearted for a moment.
"Second sister is here, sit down quickly."
Yan Yan patted the stool beside her, continued to take a sip of the unfinished medicine, and said, "Yong'er, go to the kitchen and get me another piece of candy."
"yes."
Du Jin smiled and told herself not to be fooled by Yan Yan. This little girl was by no means as innocent as she seemed.
"You have something to tell me?"
"Second sister just happened to be here, let's relieve our boredom together?"
"I'm busy." Du Jin smiled and said, "My life is not good. Unlike you who sit at home and have everything, I have to earn many things by myself."
"I have a good life. Everything has gone well since I was a child. The only exception is my poor health. If my husband hadn't saved me and hired a famous doctor to help me, I might have died." Yan Yan said, "Now I drink this medicine every day.
, Salvia is dug from Changbai Mountain, ordinary people cannot afford it, my husband bought it with the money earned from Hua Fengwei Restaurant."
Speaking of this, she said calmly: "This bowl of medicinal soup also contains the second sister's thoughts."
Du Jin refused to accept this trick, saying that Yan Yan was a good at winning people's hearts. No wonder Li Tengkong didn't blame her at all.
"A small amount of money, as long as Sanniang's illness can be cured, it doesn't mean anything."
Yan Yan finally finished drinking the decoction and said casually: "It is not an easy disease to cure. It should be carried with you for the rest of your life."
She had no resentment, it was an attitude she had long been accustomed to, and then added another sentence.
"I just thought, just live happily every day."
"Happy?"
Du Jin glanced at Yan Yan again, and was sure that the joy was not fake.
But thinking about it again, she would be happy if she married Xue Bai.
Suddenly, Yan Yan asked.
"Second sister wants to give birth to a child for her husband, but in what capacity should she raise it?"
"What?"
Du Jin never expected to be caught off guard by Yan Yan.
She is not afraid of her, she just feels sorry for herself.
In the past, the status of Prince Liangdi made it impossible for her to marry Xue Bai, but now she has to suffer this humiliation.
She had been ambitious since she was a child, wishing to pick up the moon in the sky. She had climbed so high that it seemed like she was only one step away from the sky, but then she fell and hit the bottom. When she looked up today, she found that she was at Yan Yan's feet.
"you……"
When Du Jin came today, she saw Wei Yun's car and guessed that Wei Yun had reminded Yan Yan.
Yan Yan said: "I'm not stupid. Before we got married...well, I should know, my mother-in-law told me. My husband often goes to Fengwei Building these days, and I can smell the incense you use, second sister."
"My husband is probably too tired. He slept much deeper than usual at night and didn't wake up in the morning, right?"
Du Jin didn't answer.
"Second sister, haven't you ever thought about the name under which you should raise the child? What if you really have this child, what if others find out about it?"
"I have thought about it," Du Jin said lightly. She knew that if a child was really born, the Eastern Palace and even the imperial court would never allow their mother and child to survive.
"That?"
"Just hide it."
She had thought about this issue, but not deeply. It was far from as far-sighted as she did other things, because she knew that it would be difficult for her to have a child.
"All right."
Yan Yan took out a small cloth bag from her sleeve. Du Jin thought it was some important item and looked at it curiously. He saw the small cloth bag opened and there was a piece of candy hidden inside. Yan Yan picked up the whole piece and stuffed it into her mouth.
inside.
"It's a pity that I have a good name but a bad health. You want to have a child, but you don't have a good name."
Because there was candy in her mouth, her words were a little vague, and Yan Yan seemed careless.
Du Jin was startled again.
"What did you say?"
Yan Yan turned around, looked at her, smiled, and asked, "Second sister, do you think it's okay?"
"Can you accept it?"
"I've looked at the family accounts. My husband's salary is only a little. You earned all the money in the family. I spend your money, and I can still hear your children call 'Aniang'. Anyway, I'm not at a loss.
"
"Can you make the decision on this matter?"
"What do you think my husband is thinking? He is the most scheming person." Yan Yan said, "I hear Yong'er complain every day."
Du Jin suddenly understood. No wonder Xue Bai didn't say anything and cooperated with her fully. This must be his intention. The so-called "deepest scheming" probably meant that he wanted to wait for things to happen.
Instead, it was Yan Yan who spoke out early and sold her a favor.
"Wouldn't it make Yong'er more loyal to you if he gave birth to a child?"
"Don't ask for loyalty, but ask for sincerity."
Du Jin sneered: "You are too young and have too many thoughts."
"The second sister only said yes or no."
"Let's talk about it later."
Du Jin responded lightly, pinched Yan Yan's cheeks that were bulging due to the candy stuffing, turned around and walked out.
Qing Lan went to see Du Jin off and then returned to the hall, where she heard Yan Yan muttering as she sat there.
"The romantic debts of the past have been settled for you. If you dare to recruit new ones, you will be finished..."
Qinglan quickly lowered her head and pretended not to hear.
Yan Yan asked her, "Did you hear everything? You can warn your husband later."
"Madam, please don't be angry."
"I'm too lazy to get angry with him." Yan Yan took Qing Lan's hand and asked, "Are you relieved now?"
"Um."
"Just take that gold bracelet. I'm not forcing you to do anything. I'm trying to bribe you."
"Madam, this is not okay..."
"Take it with peace of mind, my mother-in-law just wants you to treat me well. If you don't talk about this anymore, I will draw the story of Calabash Baby for you to see?"
"OK!"
~~
Right Prime Minister's Mansion.
Li Linfu met Xue Bai and said directly: "If the saint wants to see the true nature, you can sort out all the important events in the court recently and tell them."
"In the government affairs, most of the preparations are centered around Wang Zhongsi's attack on Nanzhao. As long as you believe in Wang Zhongsi, there will be good news before the end of the year."
The right prime minister has already said it, and the saint summoned the right prime minister now for the wedding of Princess Rongyi?"
"Yes, An Lushan wants to destroy the Khitan this year, Xi, but in the midst of the Nanzhao war, the saint has refuted his memorial to send troops. In order to appease him, An Qingzong's wedding must be grand."
Xue Bai couldn't help but think that during the Yuan Dynasty, when An Lushan boasted about Haikou, he might have guessed that Nanzhao would rebel and did it deliberately.
He responded casually: "Your right Prime Minister can accept it, and I will take care of it when the time comes. I will definitely satisfy the saint."
"expense?"
Li Xiu first replied: "Before the summer harvest, the Taifu did not have enough money to spend."
Xue Bai replied: "No matter how much it costs, the saint will be satisfied."
"That's it." Li Linfu asked again: "Have you thought about how to remove Zhang Ping from his position as a subordinate of Zhongshu?"
Xue Bai was too lazy to pay attention to this matter. He was just about to deal with it when a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Does the Prime Minister know a copper paperweight?"
"Copper paperweight?"
Li Linfu murmured, and memories appeared in his eyes. His face was not very good, and he was having a hard time thinking.
Xue Bai also thought for a moment, and then said: "I heard from King Qing that to get rid of Zhang Bian, all you need to do is find a copper paperweight with a chilong coiled on it."
"Chilong?"
Li Linfu was obviously surprised. He closed his eyes and seemed to have fallen asleep.
After a while, Xue Bai asked: "Right Prime Minister?"
"What did you just say?" Li Linfu didn't open his eyes.
"Prince Qing said that Concubine Wu Hui's death was related to the copper paperweight."
"Prince Qing?" Li Linfu repeated and murmured: "Prince Qing wanted to mourn Concubine Wu Hui, and all he wanted to do was compete for the throne. He was very smart, and he realized that Prince Shou probably had no chance of becoming the throne."
Li Xiu was stunned for a moment and wanted to speak, but Xue Bai raised his finger and pressed it on his upper lip, making a silencing gesture.
Li Linfu continued: "I promised Concubine Hui that I would protect Prince Shou, but I'm afraid I will break my promise in the future."
"Why?"
"During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, Li Ji was determined to fight for the position of queen and prince, but she eventually died out of hatred. Taking history as a guide, we can know people's hearts." Li Linfu lamented, "When Concubine Hui was alive, she treated her with the courtesy of a queen. She died.
She was later posthumously named queen, but when it came time to bury her, she was hastily buried with the ceremony of a concubine. Prince Qing even asked for permission, but the saint was unwilling to spend any more money."
"Grandpa, stop talking." Li Xiu finally couldn't help it and interrupted: "These words are totally counterproductive..."
"Shut up." Li Linfu said, "There is no place for domestic slaves to speak here."
Li Xiu had no choice but to pull Xue Bai away.
Xue Bai gave him a reassuring look and continued to ask Li Linfu questions.
"Why?"
"Do you think the saint doted on Concubine Hui just because he was too affectionate? How can it be so easy to cleanse Wu Zhou's evil spirit? When Concubine Hui died, the Wu family's relatives were in great trouble, so they had to appease them with the title of queen. As for the Taifu's
It’s expensive, but it’s not for the dead.”
Xue Bai asked: "So, the saint is..."
"We have all been used by the sage," Li Linfu said. "The sage is using us to get rid of the prince, Zhang Jiuling. Now that it is done, the sage will get rid of the disobedient chess pieces."
When Li Xiu heard such words, his face turned pale with fright. He wanted to stop him again, but he was too frightened to speak easily.
"Could it be that Concubine Wu Hui was... given to death by a saint?"
"She must be thirty-eight years old this year, right? She has always been healthy, how could she be scared to death by an innocent ghost?"
"But what about the copper paperweight?"
"When the poisonous wine was given, there was that square copper paperweight on the plate. What did you think it was? That was a reason for Concubine Hui to drink the poisonous wine."
Xue Bai asked again: "Where did that square copper paperweight go?"
"It seems that it was given to King Shou together with Concubine Hui's other relics, or it was received in the Taifu's treasury."
"Give it to King Longevity? Does the saint want to warn King Longevity about the death of his grandson?"
Li Linfu was silent for a moment and said calmly: "The saint doesn't care about the emperor's grandson at all. There are many more grandsons than sons, so why should he care? If he really cared, why did only Concubine Hui die? But you are fine and I am fine too."
Xue Bai didn't know what to say. Li Linfu's view on the matter was completely different from that of Princess Tang Chang. Princess Tang Chang said that the saint was deceived by Concubine Wu Hui because of the death of the emperor's grandson, and interpreted it from the perspective of family affection; but Li Linfu only saw the cold rules of power in his eyes.
.
So, who is the one who really speaks Li Longji’s mind?
"Can that copper paperweight kill someone?" Xue Bai asked again.
"Now that I've been beaten to death, what's the point of saying more?" Li Linfu said, "This matter ends here. From now on, we can just pretend that we don't know and let it die in our hearts."
Seeing that he didn't want to talk anymore, Xue Bai asked another question.
"Then, who do you think I am?"
"Yang Hui." Li Linfu didn't open his eyes, "Are you kidding me?"
Xue Bai then pointed at Li Xiu and asked, "Where is he? Who is he?"
"Cangbi, see you off."
Li Xiu was stunned for a moment, and had no choice but to raise his hand and say to Xue Bai: "Prince-in-law, please."
Li Linfu then opened his eyes and kept watching the two figures leave. There was a faint light flashing in his eyes, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
He pulled the rope behind him, called a female servant, and ordered: "Call the mute slave."
"Here."
When the mute slave from the Document Library arrived, Li Linfu made a few gestures, meaning to bring the box of files hidden in the underground secret room.
When the file arrived, he opened it and read again the records about Xue Xiu's confiscation.
For a long time, Li Linfu looked up at the sky, touched his beard, and murmured to himself: "Why does Shuzi ask about these old things?"
~~
Prince Shou's house.
Li Jing walked closer to the house again and asked Li Jing, "Have you found it?"
"Why do you have to look for it?"
"I don't understand why it would still appear in Queen Zhenshun's house if Li Qian hadn't died."
"Brother, you usually don't care about everything." Li Long was very puzzled and asked: "Why are you so worried about this matter?"
Li Jing frowned slightly and murmured to himself quietly.
"If she was not frightened to death, but paid for Li Qian's life, why didn't she hold me accountable? If Li Qian didn't die, why did she die?"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Li Jing came back to his senses and asked: "The copper paperweight was lost or is it not in your house?"
"I have never looked through those two boxes of relics. They were probably not there from the beginning."
Li Jing said: "Then keep it in the Taifu's treasury and I'll go look for it."
Li Zhen didn't think there was anything worth worrying about, so he sent Li Zhen away, shook his head, and went to his wife Wei's house.
When he arrived at the house, he said: "When Princess Rongyi gets married, you come with me to the banquet."
"yes."
Li Chen turned around and looked around, and found that the beautiful maid was not there again.
He returned to the flower hall from the princess's courtyard. On the way, he saw Chi Shu coming in a panic. He stopped her and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"The princess calls her servant to ask Shiba Lang if he will go to Princess Rongyi's wedding banquet."
"I told her, you come with me."
"Here."
Chi Shu followed Li Xuan back to the flower hall. When she entered the door, her waist was already hugged.
"You want to seduce me, right? You've been showing up right under my nose lately."
"Slave...Slave doesn't have..."
"How dare you say no? I've already seen you."
Chi Shu was frightened and wanted to struggle, but was pushed down by Li Xuan.
~~
In the hut, the bed creaked for a long time.
The two men were panting.
"Come……"
Du Jin felt dazed for a while, then remembered something, and pressed Xue Bai's strong waist with both hands.
She was very tired, so she closed her eyes and rested for a while, thinking of some distant things. If she gave birth to a child, she would send the child to Yan Yan's knees.
At first she was extremely unwilling, but she thought about it over and over again. Only in that way could everything she earned be handed over to her children in the smoothest way. She would definitely earn a lot because she was born strong.
Sometimes, she also realizes that what she wants is not a child, but to make her strength more meaningful.
Like Xue Bai, she always loves herself.
Of course, the character has not yet been revealed. At the moment, she does not want to talk to Xue Bai about this, and would rather talk about happy things.
"I'll prove to you... you are good at it."
"Why prove it?"
"Because many people in Chang'an say you are not good at it." Du Jin smiled and wiped the broken hair stuck to his face with sweat, "But how good you are, only I know these days."
"As long as we are happy, it doesn't matter what they say."
"Okay, I'll just listen to you, a well-behaved gentleman."
Today, Du Jin's mentality has changed a bit, and she is no longer jealous of Yan Yan. She thought of the way she was holding a big bowl of medicine and knew that she would never be able to fight Xue Bai to the death like she did.
At this time, the bell in the courtyard rang, indicating that Qushui was coming.
This maid has become much more sensible now. If it were not an urgent matter, she would not come here when Du Jin and Xue Bai met.
"Second mother."
"Wait."
Du Jin agreed, glanced at Xue Bai, wanted to get up, but immediately lay down again, saying: "You go."
"good."
Xue Bai stood up, put on his clothes, arranged his hair, walked around the screen, opened the door bolt, and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Ms. Daxi is here and she has something urgent to talk to Mr. Lang."
Xue Bai then went over to meet him.
He walked into the hall ahead with a serious look on his face and asked, "What happened?"
Da Xi Yingying sniffed, glanced at Xue Bai, smoothed her hair that was not scattered, lowered her head and replied: "Something happened, Chi Shu is dead."
"Who killed him?"
"It should be Li Chen."
"Did he realize that we bribed Chi Shu?"
"It should be..."
At this time, Shi Zhong also hurried over and reported a piece of news that surprised Xue Bai.
"Lang Jun, King Ruyang died of a sudden illness."
"What? Are you talking about Li Jing, King of Ruyang?"
Xue Bai was a little unbelievable. He had just met Li Jing not long ago. She was in the prime of life and looked very good. How could she die of a sudden illness in just a few days?
But if someone is said to be harmful, how can a dignified prince be harmed?
"I have to go take a look."
Xue Baicai was about to go to Ruyang Prince's Mansion, but he thought for a moment that he actually had no reason to go, so he ordered: "I'll go find Du Fu, and then you can arrange for someone to tell Du Fu the news."
He walked out of the hall, thinking about the square copper paperweight in his mind, wondering whether Li Jing's death was related to it, and suddenly thought that Li Ying looked like a Chilong, so why didn't Li Jing look like him?