Although the cold winter had not passed, the palace was as warm as spring. Queen Xiao sat on the couch, stroking the folds of the flowered palace skirt on her body, her eyes were reddish, and she sighed quietly.
"Faintly crying goodbye...old makeup..."
A rather desolate sound of sighs circulated in the hall...
This is undoubtedly a beautiful woman. Several years of wandering have not damaged her appearance, and even the traces of time are not obvious on her body.
Nothing else is needed, just the thin eyebrows, the flowing eyes, and the charm is revealed unconsciously with every frown and smile.
The softness of a woman from the south of the Yangtze River, the pink charm of the north, and the grace of the royal family are perfectly integrated in her body, forming a very unique temperament.
It can be said that the most beautiful woman in the world truly deserves her reputation.
It’s just that she is not young after all. She has enjoyed prosperity and honor, and has also experienced the pain of separation. A woman of her age does not have much ambition and desire, and she firmly believes in gods and Buddhas. At this time, she is almost calm and calm.
realm.
The sound of crying came from the palace. It was the palace attendants who had been accompanying her who were infected by the atmosphere. There was no need to worry about whether they were sad for the Queen's feelings or sad for their own life experience.
Because people who are wandering in troubled times have too many reasons to shed tears.
Empress Xiao raised her head slightly. She had seen this kind of voice and this kind of scene too many times, so she just said in her heart that Master He still remembered the old clothes, but... he was not young anymore.
able……
Queen Xiao's voice sounded in the palace, just like her, tactful and delicate.
"Hasn't Nanbian'er replied yet?"
Her personal attendant came closer, wiping his eyes and shaking his head slightly.
They all carry a bit of fear. They have lived under the shelter of others for a long time and have become frightened birds. Even Empress Xiao herself is unavoidable.
"Isn't it enough... to be crowned king?"
The disgusting and shuddering faces of Yu Wenhua, his brother, Dou Jiande, and the Turkic dignitaries in Dali City all appeared before her eyes.
She had already had a premonition that Jinyang...or Li Po and Li Ding'an would be her last place to stay. When this person's reputation spread to her ears, it was still at Dou Jiande in Hebei Province.
This is undoubtedly a strange name. He is neither a descendant of the Li clan in Guanxi nor a descendant of a major family in the world. Like Dou Jiande, he comes from a humble background...
The only difference from Dou Jiande is that he is still flying the flag of the sun, moon and stars, and has not yet proclaimed himself emperor or king.
She sighed slightly in her heart. The title of king might be the last thing she could give. Even if people wanted it, she wouldn't be able to give it to them.
In fact, all she wants now is to return to the misty Jiangnan, take a look at her former residence there, and meet her old friends there. Unfortunately, such a simple wish is too extravagant now.
"Li... Mr. Li is still young, and he has a lovely wife and young son... Now he wants to marry Princess Jialan... Don't worry too much..."
This was a personal consolation from the palace attendant, and he was speaking hesitantly, but in fact, it was exactly what was on Empress Xiao's mind. The so-called beauty is a curse. God gave her an unparalleled face and peerless grace, but in the time of chaos, she became the cause of trouble.
source.
When Yu Wenhua and his brothers were in the palace, they broke into her bedroom. Dou Jiande also showed his ugly face in front of her. Someone in Dali City openly asked her to marry him. Will this man in Jin Dynasty be any different?
So far, this person has never come to Jinyang to pay a visit. Maybe some palace people feel extremely disappointed, but she feels a little at ease. If she was ten or twenty years younger and fell to this point, she might still think of finding a stable one.
She has some backers, but now, she will not bear such humiliation.
Because no matter what, she is the mother of the country. Even if the Sui Dynasty is dead and there is no hope, she must end her life as the emperor's wife, that is, the queen. This is her final bottom line and her last
A little persistence.
She pondered for a moment and then ordered: "Go and invite Li Bi into the palace. I want to talk to her."
She was a standard Kansai aristocratic woman with beautiful appearance but as majestic as a man. In fact, she didn't like such a woman very much, because every time she saw her, it reminded her of the majestic Queen Dugu who was as majestic as an emperor...
But now she has no choice but to make good friends with each other, and it can even be said that she is deliberately trying to please him in order to live a stable life.
But a few years later, the world is no longer the Sui people, and the people in the world are no longer the Sui ministers. Who will care about her preferences?
Moreover, this is also a woman who only cares about her husband's achievements, and has no relationship with the Sui family at all.
……………………
At this time, Li Bi was indeed worried about her husband's achievements.
In the back house of the General Manager's Mansion, Li Bi held a small baby in one hand and kept clumsily rocking it, trying to calm down the little guy who was always eating, sleeping and crying.
Li Bi looked much mellower, and her face was rosy, almost not like a woman who had given birth to a child these days, she was a little too energetic.
She was in a good mood and was reading the letter home from her husband. Although she was a little regretful that her husband could not come back when she gave birth to a child, she had no complaints. In these days, all men who live with their wives and children are...
Among the unpromising men, only those men who can bring glory to their wives, children, and families are the ideal husband candidates for women.
Of course, the increasing number of women in the mansion also made Li Bi a little troubled, but this was nothing. After the death of Queen Dugu, men began to act unscrupulously, and marriage was one of the things that a family must deal with carefully if it wanted to prosper.
First, Li Bi, who comes from a wealthy family, understands this very well.
As the status of a husband becomes more and more noble, this kind of thing becomes more and more difficult to avoid.
No matter how much you say to appease the Wang family in Jinyang, it is better to marry a daughter of the Wang family and appease the Pei family in Hedong. The same is true, and this matter does not depend on personal will at all.
Maybe it won't be long before the surnames of many wealthy people will appear frequently in her home.
And since she gave birth, letters from her husband have come every now and then. In addition to being concerned about her health, the letters are also scratching their heads about naming their son. It's funny to watch, but also warm to the heart, and even more so.
There is no resentment left.
What made her even more satisfied was that her husband did not mention anything about marrying Princess Ashina Xiang of Jialan.
She can naturally understand her husband's intentions, but she also knows that this matter cannot be delayed any longer.
The move of the Turkic Khanate to the north means that the influence of the Turkic Khanate on the south is greatly weakened. However, in the eyes of wise people, it is the best time to make good friends with the Turks.
Any act that is not cautious enough at this time may arouse the most sensitive nerve of the Turkic people, and the princes who are caught in civil strife will not be willing to bear the wrath of the Turkic Khanate.
The same was true after Li Po chose to send his troops south, without exception.
Those bold words that Li Po made back then seem a bit ridiculous at this moment. Once civil war breaks out, how can we care about foreign enemies?
Therefore, marrying the Turks at the right time is the most correct choice at this time.
And how long can this false peace last? The initiative will not belong to Li Po for a long time.
Li Bi read the letter leisurely. In Li Po's family letters these days, there was very little mention of military and political matters. The idea was to let his wife take good care of her health and not to interfere with those messy things.
But this time it was different. Li Bi frowned as she looked at it, and finally slapped the letter on the table with a strong and loud sound, symbolizing that the hostess's anger was burning.
among.
The baby in her arms started crying again, and habitually opened its tender arms to seek comfort from its mother.
Li Bi glared at him fiercely, and the baby's cry suddenly stopped. Li Bi successfully used her "majesty" accumulated over the years to stop the baby's cry. However, the picture was so beautiful that there is no need to elaborate on it.
.
The two wet nurses beside them were so frightened that they didn't even dare to breathe. They were praying to the gods and Buddhas in their hearts to prevent the mistress's sudden anger from getting too violent, otherwise she would hurt the little master. What should I do?
Li Bi snorted and looked at her son with dissatisfaction, "Such a timid boy is far different from your grandpa."
He stretched out his hand and tapped his son's nose. The little guy shook his little hands and grabbed it. He immediately bit it with his mouth, then opened his little mouth and smiled.
Li Bi chuckled lightly, "Well, her smile looks a bit like..."
Seeing her moody look, the two wet nurses looked at each other with trepidation in their hearts. The personal maid next to her was more courageous and flattered her: "My young man's facial features are the same as yours. He will definitely be handsome when he grows up."
Wushuang, you may be able to charm many girls’ families.”
Li Bi teased her son and said without raising her head: "That's useless. If you want to inherit the family business in the future, you have to be like your grandfather..."
As he spoke, he handed his son to the wet nurse, waved his hand to the wet nurse and asked her to hold the son and leave. Then he ordered: "Go, tell Wen Changshi, Su Sima, come see me as soon as possible."
After saying that, Li Bizhong picked up the letter and read it again. As expected, the anger in her heart was stirred up again.
Yuen Long is her cousin... She understands her husband's character very well. Once she becomes suspicious, I am afraid it will be difficult to gain his trust again in the future.
Thinking of this, Li Bi cursed in his heart. This loser in Yuen Long may have been too carefree in the north and was a little complacent. If he is not allowed to remember it for a long time, the lives of his parents, wife, and children may be lost in the future.