27 Chapter 27
◎Two chapters in one◎
After occupying Qingzhou, the court wanted to send the crown prince to lead the army. Xie Jiuyi and Li Cheng were discussing urgent matters. Yin Liyi and Huiyin were sitting and talking. Huiyin was already seven or eight months pregnant and had to walk with her legs spread wide. She was drinking a glass of milk and was envious of Yin Liyi's willow-like waist.
"I really want the baby in my belly to come out soon, so I don't have to suffer anymore."
Yin Liyi smiled and said, "You just need to hold on for another two or three months. I can't go back to take care of my child even if I have one. It's hard for mother and daughter to be separated."
Huiyin heard that Yin Liyi gave birth to a daughter after marriage, but Xie Jiuyi couldn't bear to leave his wife. The couple always followed each other wherever they went and had a very good relationship. She touched her belly and said, "I don't want to be separated from my child in the future. I always feel that no matter who takes care of the child, it's not as safe as taking care of it myself."
At the same time, Huiyin also tried to ask: "When Governor Xie was away, were you always by his side?"
Yin Liyi shook her head: "Not really."
She took the initiative to come to Xuzhou this time because she knew that Li Cheng was a difficult person to talk to, so she came here with her husband. However, these words caused misunderstanding.
Huiyin was such a smart person that she had guessed almost everything from her expression. But she didn't expose him. Instead, she said, "I don't know what's going on outside. I just heard that the East Palace is going to lead the army in person. I'm afraid there will be a fierce battle soon. Madam Xie, why don't you stay in Xuzhou? It's safer this way."
"Alas, my husband also advised me to do the same. I will also keep the little princess company then." Yin Liyi said with a smile.
In Xuzhou, one cannot use the power of the dragon to suppress the local snake. Of course, one must build a good relationship with the King of Huaiyin. Originally, the King of Wu’s fiefdom was also here, otherwise Li Cheng would not have been so successful in Xuzhou.
Huiyin said happily, "That's great. I came here from Jizhou and to be honest, I was completely clueless. Now my wife and I are of similar age and temperament, so we will definitely get along well."
In fact, Yin Liyi found that Huiyin was warm on the outside but cold on the inside. She seemed to be warm-hearted and thoughtful in her actions, but she was not someone who was easy to get close to, and even seemed distant.
Therefore, the two of them did not open their hearts to each other during their conversation and just spoke perfunctorily.
Huiyin certainly didn't think about becoming good friends with her. Although she didn't understand the political situation, she could figure it out by analogy. It was Li Cheng who married into Jizhou, and it should have been Li Cheng who attacked Qingzhou, but the King of Wei asked Xie Jiuyi to conquer Qingzhou. In this way, the territories occupied by the Xie family and Li Cheng were intertwined, and Xie was used to contain Li Cheng.
Maybe now everyone is working for the King of Wei, and there is no distinction between them, but often in the end, those who are too loyal will lose everything, including their money and their lives.
Yin Liyi left after Xie Jiuyi finished talking about the matter, but she was very happy to see Yun Hui when she left. Yun Hui also walked forward with a smile: "I greet you."
Yin Liyi quickly helped her up and said, "My dear sister, what are you greeting me for? When I was studying in Prince Wu's mansion, I ate and slept with you."
Yunhui also recalled the past, when the Wu Wang and his wife were still alive. Yin Liyi's uncle was a lecturer in the Wu Wang's mansion. Because of his neat life and good knowledge, he was admired by the Wu Wang. Wu Wang's wife Cui liked children, but Li Cheng was her only son, so she asked them to bring their children to the palace to play during festivals.
At that time, Yin Liyi's mother was an eloquent woman, and Yin Liyi's sisters were both pretty and lovely, so Princess Wu let them study together.
At that time, Yin Liyi was too young, so she assigned a maid to take care of her, and the two of them had a good relationship.
Later, Yin's father was introduced by King Wu to work as a recorder in the Palace of King Wei, and they separated.
Recalling that time, Yun Hui smiled and said, "I know that you are happily married, Miss Xiao. I am very happy in my heart."
"Sister Yunhui, are you doing well now?" Yin Liyi raised her eyes and glanced at Yunhui, noting that she was dressed a little too simply.
Yun Hui said: "It's still like that."
Seeing Yun Hui's unhappiness, Yin Liyi said anxiously, "Sister, what kind of relationship do we have? Why are you being so hesitant to me? If it's not good, I'll go talk to Brother Cheng myself."
Yun Hui might not open up to others, and even some things were difficult to say to Mother Chao, but there was no conflict of interest between her and Yin Liyi, and she knew Yin Liyi's character very well: she was enthusiastic, straightforward, and simple, and not a scheming person.
So the two of them agreed to meet in two days. As soon as they sat down, Yun Hui smiled and said, "I sneaked out. Usually, the little princess doesn't allow people to go out casually. They have to bring the right cards."
"It really is a royal palace, with such strict management. Come, Sister Yunhui, have some mutton fried fish. This restaurant makes the most authentic fish." Yunhui was very enthusiastic and caring.
They were all originally from Wuzhong, where Yangfangcangyu is very common, but authentic ones are rare in Xuzhou.
Yun Hui was somewhat touched: "In fact, I didn't take care of you much before, but you still treat me like this."
After two glasses of wine, although they were not drunk yet, they started talking. Yun Hui said, "Since Zheng came in, the whole palace has been reshuffled, and half of the old people have been driven out. Some of them were corrupt, but some were simply because they were not her own people. She gave all the lucrative jobs to the people she brought with her. The young prince was not at home, and even my mother became an idle person. Compared with them, I am already good. Now I have the title of head aunt, and I am free."
Having too much leisure time is not a good thing. Yin Liyi is now the lady of a mansion. The more useful people she has, the more things she has to do, and she is unable to handle them all.
But she couldn't interfere in other people's affairs, so she said, "Sister Yunhui, since ancient times, new people have replaced old ones, and she must have used someone she is good at. You have always been diligent in your work, and I can't find any fault with you."
Yun Hui took a sip of the wine, and felt the sweetness and bitterness of it. "Yes, I thought so too. But man proposes, God disposes. It was fine before, but now the little princess is about to give birth, and the little prince will agree to everything she asks for. I heard that someone went to her and reported that I was someone that King Wu had placed with the little prince. I don't know how many days I can stay in the palace."
Yin Liyi frowned: "Sister, you are old too. She will definitely not kick you out for no reason."
"I don't have much hope. I'm just happy to see you again." Yun Hui didn't expect Zheng to be so cruel. First, she cleared out a group of Princess Wu's old friends, and now even asked Manager Zhong to leave.
Although Manager Zhong said that he took the initiative to return the money, it was said that there was an extra bag of silver in her bag, which was a gift from Zheng, who wanted him to leave. When she thought of this, the store owner brought another dish of wine, and Yin Liyi poured wine for her personally. Yun Hui thought that no matter what, only Mrs. Yin didn't have these family backgrounds.
Yin Liyi felt very sympathetic towards her: "Willn't the whole palace be in chaos if she excludes dissidents like this? This is probably not a good thing." She didn't want to meddle in other people's family affairs, but just commented on this matter. It is not impossible to replace the old with the new, but many old servants were replaced without any reason. She didn't know if there would be any chaos in the palace in the future.
Yun Hui bit a mouthful of squid and said, "All of us followed the Prince of Huaiyin to join the Prince of Wei without hesitation. We never expected this would be the outcome. You don't have to worry about us. A new emperor appoints new ministers!"
"This is too much." Yin Liyi has never been able to change this bad habit. She was originally quite calm, but the more she listened, the angrier she became.
Yun Hui persuaded her: "This matter has nothing to do with you. It is an internal matter of the palace. If you say anything, how will the young prince look at you in the future?"
Yin Liyi sighed softly.
When she returned home, she saw Xie Jiuyi packing his luggage and couldn't help asking, "Are you going to Qingzhou so soon?"
"Yes, speed is of the essence in war, and I, the one who laid the foundation of Qingzhou at that time, must be here. But it doesn't matter, there is Prince Huaiyin in Xuzhou to support us." Xie Jiuyi had just conquered Qingzhou, and it was not easy to control it completely.
Yin Liyi saw her husband's growing stubble, and remembering that he was usually a clean man with a cleanliness obsession, she just smiled and said, "You look so dusty now, you should take care of yourself."
Xie Jiuyi nodded, and he remembered that the King of Wei had always been gathering people from all walks of life in the south of the Yangtze River for the emperor. This time, the court deliberately sent the prince to lead the army in person, which in a way was to attack the legitimacy of the King of Wei.
If he goes against the imperial court directly, the King of Wei will be attacked by many people.
So Xie Jiuyi was a little upset, fearing that he had made a wrong move and the entire Wei Wang army would be wiped out. But when he discussed it with Li Cheng, Li Cheng said why didn't the Wei Wang request officials to stay in Qingzhou at that time, which would save the court's face and allow the Wei Wang to continue to keep a low profile.
But the court would never allow the King of Wei's people to occupy the city, especially the He family. Now the crown prince was asked to lead the army in person.
But he would not say much to his wife. He just said, "After I leave, you will stay in Xuzhou. If you have any problems, just go to Yunzhi (Li Cheng's courtesy name)."
Yin Liyi nodded secretly, patted her chest and said that everything was fine.
On the other hand, it is said that Huiyin was sitting on the couch, and Li Cheng's hand was on her belly. Seeing the movement in her belly, he was ecstatic: "It's amazing, even though the sparrow is dirty, it must be his little feet that kicked me. This kid is really powerful."
"Your Highness, what if it's a daughter? You can't say that, or our children will hear it." Huiyin smiled.
自從李澄回來之後，也是只有晚上才回來，白日不是在書房商量事情，就是在周圍巡城布防。但夫妻二人有商有量就是好，就比如王府那些碩鼠，徽音一般都先掌握證據，不把人弄走，只先跟李澄說，看他是怎麽想的？若是願意給這個人一個改過的機會，她就留下，伺機觀察，但若是李澄不願意忍，她就讓他和喬管事說一聲把人調走，或者趕出去。
這些人若是識趣的，當然知曉王府沒有追究他們貪墨已經是不幸之中的大幸了。要再鬧，就得懲交官府處置。
李澄是個雷厲風行的例子，他不在王府時，王府都貪墨成風，一個個碩鼠還哭窮，他自然不幹。
現下見徽音巧笑倩兮，卻手段淩厲，做事情尚且留餘地，幾乎都是好聚好散的，他忍不住拉着她的手道：“若是女兒也好，像你就更好了。”
“可我聽聞女兒生的都像父親，男孩子生的更像母親。”徽音看着李澄的相貌，盼望着孩子的出生。
李澄莞爾。
徽音又拿起旁邊的書在看，李澄以前回覺得人沒有朋友該多孤獨啊，但是看到徽音這般，覺得也挺好。她每日早起打理家務，中午用完飯之後，就開始看書做女紅，她還會許多風雅之事。
比如在大的芭蕉葉上題詩，用讓人用芭蕉葉盛菜，或者是見到落花，會撿起來，用針串起來，挂在床邊，她整個人就是充滿詩情畫意的。
就像這個時候，她坐在這裏看書，窗外的風吹進來，吹得她衣袂飄飄，恍若仙人一般。
李澄每次在她身邊就會感覺到什麽叫歲月靜好，心情也平靜多了。
“徽音，跟我說說話嘛！”李澄想博得她三分關注。
徽音把書角折了一下，方才合上書，看着他道：“怎麽了？想說什麽？是不是悶了，咱們出去走走。”
“好。”李澄起身，扶起徽音一起出去。
偏徽音出去時，雲慧回來了，她本來有身孕就對氣味很敏感，等雲慧走近了行禮時，她一把捂住鼻子：“有酒味。”
李澄皺眉：“日後吃了酒，別在跟前伺候。”
雲慧沒想到李澄對她竟然完全不念舊情，在鄭氏面前這樣硬邦邦的說話，她忍着難受先下去了。
“沒事兒吧。”李澄問起徽音，他知曉她不能聞到酒味，就連自己吃了酒，都得漱口沐浴才進房來，要不然妻子就不舒服。
徽音搖搖頭：“還好，因為我馬上把鼻子捂着了。”
李澄覺得她說話也特別可愛，又攜着她的手到花園裏，現下正是四月，園子裏開滿了桃花、櫻花、君子蘭、牡丹花、百合花、杜鵑花、玉蘭花、三色堇、海棠花、水仙花，看到鮮花，總覺得整個人心情都大好。
“诶，咱們倆看園子裏的這些花兒比賽背詩，如何？”徽音有些小得意的擡着下巴。
李澄指着牡丹看向徽音，念起徐凝的《牡丹》：“何人不愛牡丹花，占斷城中好物華。疑是洛川神女作，千嬌萬态破朝霞。”
徽音負手指着桃花，緩緩的道：“山上層層桃李花，雲間煙火是人家。銀钏金釵來負水，長刀短笠去燒畲。”
這是劉禹錫的詩，她雖然喜歡花，卻不喜歡缥缈的贊頌，更愛煙火之氣。
不料李澄卻道：“這首詩是不錯，勉強算桃花吧。”
明明徽音只是想找一件事情兩個人做，但李澄是在乎輸贏的，一定要點題才行。但她也沒覺得這有什麽不對，有時候她會因為李澄這樣的執行力過強而受益，這就是他的性格。
但她不會用規訓或者教訓他讓他改正，而是指着一朵海棠道：“你個子高，摘一朵下來，讓我別在鬓邊吧。今日我懶得梳妝，頭上太素淨了。”
這種耳鬓厮磨的事情李澄當然願意做，上次二人親密之後，每次他稍微動情，妻子必定會起身，就怕二人控制不住。
“要哪一根？”
“喏，頂上那朵，什麽一根啊，是一朵。”徽音笑罵道。
李澄不費吹灰之力的功夫就摘了下來，端詳了徽音半天，才別在她鬓發上，只不過靠近她時，摩擦到她玉房之處，二人皆是一震。
徽音往旁邊走了一步，臉微紅，李澄卻默默跟在她身後，他發誓自己絕對不是故意的，完全是意外。主要是他們的身體實在是太契合了，對對方非常渴望，完全是看到對方就想抱想親，甚至做更親密的事情。
轉過頭看了李澄一眼，看他垂着頭，似乎做錯事情一樣，徽音抿唇一笑，伸出手來。李澄頓了一下，過來握住她的手。
二人一邊走一邊聊，徽音道：“我聽說謝太守馬上就要出征，太子又親征，你知道的，我姐姐是東宮的良娣，也不知道我父親會不會出兵？你說我自私也罷，若是你出征，我定然會去信給我父兄，尤其是我兄弟都是一母同胞，尚且能說動，但如今不是你出征，所以我就沒有關心。”
李澄當然希望魏王好，他也是很忠心的，即便在徐州，他從不以自己的名義去結交誰。但徽音如此說起，他看了妻子一眼：“你為何，為何對我如此好？”
“因為你不僅僅是我的夫君，也是對我很好的人啊。”不管怎麽說，孕期這麽久，李澄可沒有別的女人，這就勝過別的男子一大截了，更別提還會陪她說笑。
李澄其實在她說起後面一句時，有點緊張，聽她說完，又釋然笑了。
他期待她說些什麽，又真的怕她說出來，這一切徽音也覺得太快了，她當然也說不出口，但是她得表達自己的态度。先把自己放在一個為了李澄好的态度上，否則爹爹不聽她的，要幫太子，那她孤身一人在魏王的地盤上，豈不是成了衆矢之的。
所以，她當然現在會這般說，也不是她要算計，而是人不為己天誅地滅。
如今的歡好，将來很有可能成為鏡花水月，在沒有确定李澄一心向着她的時候，她不願意讓自己受到任何傷害。
李澄哪裏能想到這些，他只是覺得妻子的确是好妻子，二人即便沒有生死之許，但她對自己的确很好。
他鹦鹉學舌一般：“你也不僅僅是我的妻子，也是對我很好的人。”
徽音和他對視一眼，都笑了。
又說鄭德音和太子李珩商量之後，讓太子準備她回冀州一趟，李珩去求了何皇後，二人以省親的理由先去冀州，名義上是說太子出征前探望老丈人。
東宮現在一共就三個女兒，太子妃呂笑，良娣鄭德音，還有個低階禦嫔董玉娘。呂笑聽說太子專門陪着鄭良娣回家省親，不知怎麽有些灰心。
她的侍女葡萄端着一碗羊肉湯粉過來笑道：“太子妃，平日太子在宮中，嫌棄羊肉味大，廚房總是不備，如今太子走了，您也能吃羊肉粉湯了。”
呂笑本來不開心的，但是吃了一碗羊肉湯粉，額頭上沁出汗來，有一種說不出舒坦。
葡萄見太子妃吃完，也很歡喜：“這麽些天都不見您笑了，今日吃了一碗這個倒是笑了。”
“我是在想為何我做什麽都不像個太子妃的樣子？也難怪太子偏心了。”呂笑搖搖頭，別的不多說了。
葡萄卻道：“依奴婢看，鄭良娣那般也僭越了，她代替您管着東宮，又來您這裏裝好姐妹，也就是您良善不多說什麽，看前幾天皇後娘娘不是也罵她擅專太過了嗎？這也是為您出氣呢！”
呂笑看着桌上的糕點，這是鄭德音送來的，她道：“葡萄，以後少說這些話吧。”
葡萄嘀咕：“也就您好性兒，平日搶了您多少寵愛啊。”
……
鄭放見太子和女兒一起過來，連忙領着衆人跪拜，紀氏跪在徐太夫人身後，非常清楚鄭德音是為了什麽事情過來的，只不過嗤之以鼻。
李珩親自扶着鄭放起身，還道：“都是一家人，毋須行此大禮。”
這般顯得他很親和禮賢下士，鄭德音卻覺得太子是看在她的面子上才對父親這樣的，她先讓人準備了賞賜給紀氏等人，又對鄭放道：“太子不日就要親征，便陪着女兒回家省親，以敘天倫之樂，大家自在些便好。”
鄭放連聲道是，又請李珩上座，李珩眼觀鼻鼻觀心，顯得溫文爾雅。
鄭德音又借故請鄭放進去裏間父女二人敘話。
“父親，這次太子要親征青州，我恐怕太子遭遇不測，所以想讓父親幫忙出兵。您放心，若是太子勝了，日後女兒在東宮也得臉，對咱們家也是大好事。我知曉父親您身子不好，若讓大哥和小弟随太子出征，此番立功了，他們也能升任，便是父親也能壓呂威一頭。”鄭德音如此道。
她覺得這個很有說服力，升官加爵，沒什麽比這強的。
鄭放有些許動心，但是又擺手道：“那青州會給我們嗎？”
什麽都不重要，地盤最重要。
Zheng Deyin laughed awkwardly: "Father, this belongs to the court. It may be difficult to give it to you."
Zheng Fang said, "Gold, silver, and treasures are plentiful in my family. We are doing well in Jizhou now. If I help the crown prince, my daughter, what should I do if the king of Wei attacks me in the future? Besides, didn't I let the He family's army pass through? This is all for your sake."
He still believed his little daughter's words. Now that Lu Wei hadn't made any move, if he helped the court to recapture Qingzhou, what if the land was taken by the He family? He would lose his troops and get nothing.
Besides, my daughter has been married for more than a year and still has no children. Not only she has no children, but the entire Eastern Palace has no children. It is possible that this prince will not be able to hold a stable position. What's more, if they want him to help, they don't even say who will provide the food and fodder. Isn't it just letting the He family get something for nothing?
In short, he just didn't agree.
Unexpectedly, with a "thump" sound, Zheng Deyin fell to his knees, which scared Zheng Fang.
"If Daddy doesn't agree, I won't get up." Zheng Deyin seemed determined. Wasn't that how Shen Baoxu cried in the Qin court? She was not incapable of doing so either.
Zheng Fang felt more and more that his eldest daughter was not as capable as his second daughter in taking care of the family. He could no longer agree to the offer, as otherwise he would be using his own troops to enrich the other family.