Chapter 176 Spring Festival Couplets
After the second prince’s full moon banquet, the New Year arrived.
The King of Cheng, who had accompanied the Water Department's doctor to inspect the canals in various places, also returned to the capital.
He became darker and thinner, but his temperament became more calm.
There was a gleam of life in his eyes that had not been there before.
As soon as he returned to the palace, he went to see the emperor first.
Yan Shixu ordered someone to call Yan Shilin over.
Yan Shicheng excitedly told them what he had seen and heard along the way.
Seeing that he could not hide his excitement, Yan Shixu and Yan Shilin were both a little amused.
Indeed, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.
Going out and experiencing the world firsthand can broaden your knowledge and thinking more than simply reading.
As an older brother, Yan Shixu was happy about Yan Shicheng's transformation.
He also told Yan Shicheng what happened to Yan Shiliang in the palace and expressed his apology for not taking good care of Yan Shiliang.
Yan Shicheng hurriedly shook his head: "Your Majesty is very busy with affairs of state. I and Aliang are already very grateful that you have done this for Aliang. But why did Concubine Duan want to harm Aliang?"
Yan Shixu did not hide it from him. If what Concubine Duan did was to alienate the feelings between them as brothers, then naturally she could not hide it from him.
Yan Shixu knew his younger brother's temperament.
If brothers discuss things together and find solutions together, their relationship will only get better and better.
If you suspect and hide everything, you will only drift further and further apart.
Moreover, if he wants to govern the country well, he will need the help of his younger brothers.
If you try to take on everything yourself, you will end up being a lonely person who works hard every day.
Therefore, Yan Shixu directly told them his suspicions and the fact that he had sent Zhang Sicheng to investigate.
"This happened too long ago. The midwives who delivered the Imperial Grandmother and Concubine Dowager Duan are all dead. There must be something hidden behind this. Now we can only start investigating from their families. I've also sent people to Xizhou and Youzhou, but no news has come back yet."
Yan Shilin and Yan Shicheng were both shocked and couldn't close their mouths.
Yan Shixu added, "I only have suspicions about this matter, and I don't have any concrete evidence. I'd like to leave the follow-up investigation to you, Ah Cheng."
Yan Shicheng was even more shocked and waved his hands repeatedly.
"Brother...Brother, I can't do this. What if I make a mistake? Or should I leave it to my second brother?"
Yan Shixu refused to accept the request and said, "I have other things to ask A-Lin to do, so you will be responsible for this matter. You don't have to worry, Commander Zhang will assist you in the investigation."
Hearing this, Yan Shicheng breathed a sigh of relief.
…
To welcome the New Year, there was a festive atmosphere both inside and outside the palace.
The queen has also finished her confinement, and Wen Li'er's good days of sleeping in are gone forever.
But the joy of the New Year still dilutes the pain of getting up early every day.
The Bixi Palace was hung with red silk, red lanterns, and decorated with paper-cuts and Spring Festival couplets.
The Spring Festival couplets posted in the palace during the New Year were all written by the scholars and imperial attendants of the Hanlin Academy, but what Wen Li'er received were ten pairs of couplets written personally by her brother, an editor of the Hanlin Academy.
Wen Li'er was favored, and since it was just a small matter like sending Spring Festival couplets, many palace people were willing to curry favor with her.
Yan Shixu knew everything about the Bixi Palace.
When he learned that Wen Bianxiu had personally written Spring Festival couplets for Wen Lier, he also became interested. He immediately picked up his pen and wrote one too, and had it sent to Bixi Palace.
The palace servant passed on the message: "His Majesty asked the Imperial Concubine to hang this couplet on the door of the bedroom."
Wen Li'er asked someone to unfold it and take a look.
First couplet: The sun is warm in the pepper room and the baby is born;
Second line: In the embroidered pavilion, in the deep spring, the phoenix girl comes;
Horizontal banner: Locusts celebrate.
"螽斯" comes from the Book of Songs, symbolizing many children and good fortune, implying that the concubine can give birth to children for the royal family.
Wen Li'er looked at the couplets and thought to herself, could it be that His Majesty already knows that she is pregnant?
That shouldn't be the case, she didn't tell him.
The Spring Festival couplets written by her brother were already posted on the door of the bedroom. Wen Li'er was reluctant to tear them down, so she simply posted the Spring Festival couplets written by His Majesty on the head of the bed.
Yan Shixu came over and saw it, and immediately burst into laughter.
The head of Wen Li'er's bed was indeed a bit crowded.
Before she learned painting from Aunt Xu, Yan Shixu painted a picture of lilies for her.
She moved the palace twice later, but she never forgot to take the painting with her and hung it above her bed as usual.
Some time ago, Yan Shixu painted that portrait of her and Xiaoxiao again. She ordered people to move Lily a little to the left and hang the portrait and Lily side by side.
Now this pair of Spring Festival couplets is in a surrounding position, pasted on the left, right and above the two paintings.
Yan Shixu asked with a smile, "If I have the leisure to paint a few more paintings someday, where would you like to hang them?"
Wen Li'er looked around the bedroom and said with a giggle, "My palace is so big, Your Majesty can paint another hundred paintings and there will be room to hang them."
Yan Shixu chuckled, "That's a nice thought."
Wen Li'er said shamelessly: "I not only want beauty, but I am also beautiful."
As she spoke, she brought her face closer to his.
"Your Majesty, take a look."
Yan Shixu was shocked: "You are becoming more and more shameless."
Wen Li'er refused and pestered him, insisting that he say she was beautiful.
The two of them were arguing and somehow ended up in bed.
Yan Shixu pressed the man under him and tossed him around for a while, but he didn't dare to take the next step.
He felt so hot and uncomfortable that he bit her hard in anger.
"Just wait and see how I deal with you later."
Wen Li'er asked foolishly, "Why later?"
Yan Shixu raised his eyebrows: "You want now?"
He pretended to tear off the last layer of cloth on her body, which scared Wen Li'er so much that she quickly covered her stomach and made up a lame excuse.
"Your Highness... Your Highness is coming!"
Yan Shixu lowered his eyes to look at the place where she had squeezed her arms, which had created a deep groove, and said quietly, "You're having your period, so we can do it."
"Ah?" Wen Li'er was confused.
Does Your Majesty want to fight a bloody battle with her?
Then, she soon knew what he meant.
There was a rustling sound in the hall.
Then, there was another burst of unbearable gasps and groans.
Even until Yan Shixu let out a contented sigh, Wen Li'er was still lying limp, her body disheveled in the wind.
A burning sensation came from the ravine, and her whole body turned a thin layer of pink, and she was itching to the point of being unable to bear it.
As a result, the hateful Majesty ran away after satisfying himself.
He waved his sleeves, but didn't take away a single cloud.
Wen Li'er was so angry that she wanted to chase him and bite him.
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