31 Chapter 31
◎Two chapters in one◎
At the beginning of autumn, the air was already chilly in the morning and evening. Looking around, there were already many large and small boats moored on the shore, densely packed like a chessboard with clear longitude and latitude. The adults had some sadness on their faces, but for the three-month-old baby, it was the first time for him to go out, and he smiled silently in his cradle.
While helping Li Cheng to straighten his collar to cover the kiss mark, Huiyin glanced at Yin Liyi not far away and whispered, "Then I will leave with Jing'er first. You have to be careful. The prince shot and injured Governor Xie with a poisoned arrow. If he really can't hold on, I'm afraid you will have to lead the troops there. Be sure to wear armor."
Li Cheng followed her gaze, feeling very reluctant to let her go.
"Go back." Huiyin waved to him while holding the child.
Not far away, Yin Liyi was also about to board the ship. Xie Jiuyi was shot with a poisonous arrow. It was said that Yin Liyi wanted to go to the front line to take care of the wounded, or Li Cheng was afraid that Qingzhou would be lost and Xuzhou would suffer, so he asked her to go back to Jianye with him.
Knowing that she could not go to Qingzhou, Yin Liyi's face was filled with disappointment.
Xue Huanhuan advised: "After you return to Jianye, at least take care of your daughter first and wait for Governor Xie to recover. Will there be no time for you two to be together in the future?"
So Yin Liyi had no choice but to go back on the same boat with Huiyin.
This time when they went to Jianye, Huiyin packed almost all of her dowry, except for the heavy items. There were also a lot of belongings that she and Li Cheng had saved, and Li Cheng asked her to bring them back. These things alone filled three boats, not counting the other boat they used for living.
Of course, the biggest and best location is where Huiyin lives with her children, so the place where Yin Liyi lives is a bit out of the way.
Less than an hour later, the sun came out and Yin Liyi couldn't stand it anymore. Her maid Qiaozhen couldn't help but say, "It's too sunny. I don't know how the palace arranged it. Why don't I go and talk to the little princess. This is too outrageous."
"Don't go. It's so troublesome to change places. Didn't you hear what they said just now? They said the house on the west side is bigger and we have more people with us, so it's best to live here. What else can I say?" Yin Liyi just felt that she really wanted to be good friends with Li Cheng's wife. Even if they couldn't be good friends, there was no need to play these little tricks. But Zheng Shi really did these little tricks. She pretended to be kind and righteous to herself in front of Li Cheng, but she targeted her as soon as she got on the boat.
In fact, Huiyin didn't have so many thoughts. As the Princess of Huaiyin, she should live in the best place. This was natural to her. Yin Liyi just took her back. Even if her sister was the Second Princess of Yin, so what? Now if she really showed weakness in Jianye, then Concubine Wei, Concubine Wu, or even the Princess of Wei could control her.
How can one show the compassion of a bodhisattva without taking drastic measures?
Furthermore, she was not targeting Yin Liyi, she was just doing her job.
Is it targeting just because you don't lick it?
Nan Mama told Huiyin what the servant guarding the west had said. Huiyin pouted, "I thought she would really ride a horse to Qingzhou, or find someone to take her to Qingzhou, but she just went back to Jianye obediently. What does she have to do with me? Why is she complaining about me? If she doesn't like it, why did she take my boat?"
"That's what I said too. She was acting secretly with Yunhui before. Mother Chao and Yunhui are staying in the palace this time, and I'm worried." Mother Nan didn't know before that Yunhui was given to Li Cheng by Prince Wu as a concubine. Later, after she found out, she often kept an eye on Yunhui and discovered many problems.
Huiyin held out her hand to stop her from saying anything more: "Don't be so nervous. I left my two concubines to take care of the internal affairs, and I left Fugui to guard the house. How dare she take the position herself?"
Nan's mother smiled and said, "If fighting for power and profit is a small matter, I'm afraid of what the little prince will do..."
"He was snatched away so easily, which means he is not worthy of my true love." Huiyin thought cheerfully.
The love between men and women does not actually account for a very large proportion in a person's life. It is just a very small flame. People have other emotions in life. It doesn't matter if they have no emotions at all, as they still have themselves.
Mother Nan was relieved to see that Huiyin understood the situation.
On the boat, she had more time to spend with Jing'er, but many of the people who came with Huiyin were from the north, and some of them felt dizzy and nauseous because it was their first time on a boat. It is said that after Yin Liyi found out, she asked Qiaozhen, who was beside her, to make a sour and vinegar fish dish to relieve the symptoms of nausea and dizziness, and many people really got better.
Huiyin asked someone to invite Yin Liyi over to thank him: "Thank you so much. Many of us northerners have suffered from water sickness. I don't know what to do."
"It's just a small matter, don't worry about it." Yin Liyi said with a smile.
"You can't say that. Who knows how many people will just stand by and watch. You are a kind-hearted person, and everyone knows that." Huiyin said.
Yin Liyi disliked Huiyin, not because Huiyin really targeted her, but because she felt that she and this person were not compatible, mainly because of their different personalities. She thought that she was a person who stood up for the weak and was passionate, at least she was a person of great affection and loyalty, but Zheng was not such a person, she was a person of great power and shrewdness.
Therefore, when Huiyin gave her the candied dried fruits, she strongly refused, "I don't need them, I already brought these."
Huiyin said, "Then I won't send it off, so you won't be unable to finish it."
After Yin Liyi left, Huiyin asked Nan's mother to tell the kitchen to make more of Yin Liyi's favorite food. She wanted to repay the favor no matter what.
Therefore, Yin Liyi would have an extra tonic soup every day, either stewed chicken with fish maw, or bird's nest porridge with rock sugar, or even stewed ginseng soup with old hen. She couldn't drink these tonics, so she let the people around her drink them all.
Qiaozhen said, "Are you worried about your aunt? From what I've seen, your aunt has been through a lot of battles, so she will be fine."
"How can he be okay after being wounded by a poisonous arrow?" Yin Liyi was very sad.
But Qiaozhen said, "Madam, don't worry. I think it will be even more helpful if the young prince helps us. Didn't the young prince promise you that he would help our aunt?"
Yin Liyi pursed her lips and said, "It was easy to deal with this matter before. After all, I know the young prince. Although he has a sharp tongue, he is very loyal. But now, just because he allowed Zheng to drive away so many old people in the palace, even the fat steward He who often made delicious food for me, and the loud but kind steward Zhong were almost all driven away by her. Brother Cheng didn't say a word. Do you think he hasn't changed?"
"Really? Why does the young prince listen to what Zheng says so much?" Qiaozhen couldn't understand.
Yin Liyi shook her head: "Maybe it's because of the Zheng family. The Zheng family is located in Jizhou. If the young prince offends the Zheng family, Jizhou will join the war, which is no joke."
The boat arrived at Jianye in just two or three days, but no one came to meet them on the shore. Huiyin knew what was going on, so she called the steward and said, "Go to greet Concubine Wu first and tell her that we are here. If she is not here, ask the steward in the palace to help us transport our things."
But Yin Liyi couldn't wait any longer. She only had seven or eight boxes of things, so she could just let her servant carry them down.
Huiyin did not want to keep her: "We have a lot of things at home, I will wait for someone to come before leaving. So, in this chaotic time, I will not keep you here, I will talk to you next time."
"Don't bother me. I'm very familiar with Jianye." Yin Liyi left in a hurry.
Jianye is another new place. Huiyin looked at Yin Liyi's back and suddenly remembered something. Yin Liyi was still like this because Xie Jiuyi was only injured by the poisoned arrow. What if Xie Jiuyi was gone? Although she shouldn't think about others like this, if that happened, where would Yin Liyi go?
The steward had been gone for half an hour and still hadn't come back. Nan's mother said anxiously, "What...what is he doing? They asked us to come over so badly, but now that we're here, no one is here to pick us up. This is too much of an insult."
Huiyin smiled and said, "It's okay. Tell the boatman that if no one comes to pick us up, we'll turn the boat around and go back. It seems that it will be difficult for grandma to arrange for us here. I understand all this."
One should not be too cautious in life. She was reluctant to leave Li Cheng in the first place, and now she feels even better.
Less than three minutes after the word spread downwards, someone came saying that the palace had sent someone over. The person sent was none other than Nanny Fan who had come earlier. Nanny Fan hurriedly paid her respects and added that today Concubine Wu was listening to an opera at Concubine Wei's place.
The old concubines' lives were all about listening to operas, playing cards, eating and drinking. These expenses were paid by Li Cheng after the death of King Wu. These old people were very careful with their money and would not spend it easily.
Huiyin smiled and said, "I just don't want to disturb the old concubine. You don't know how much our little prince is reluctant to part with the prince. I can't do anything about it."
Nanny Fan thought that it would have been great if she had brought Zheng to Jianye earlier. Now that she has given birth to a son and has established herself on a firm footing, she has the confidence to challenge the emperor.
There are many alleys in Jianye, unlike the wide roads in the north, where horses are often used. Most of the carriages here are mules, and those with horses are poor horses. Huiyin said to Nan's mother, "Let them display the ceremonial procession. They don't have to display the whole thing, half of it will do."
Nan Mama left in response, and Huiyin said to Fan Mama, "Mama, please follow me to the carriage and tell me about Jianye's customs and practices."
"Yes." Nanny Fan couldn't help but think that the little princess was making such a big fuss. No wonder she even drove Xun Rou away.
People like Nanny Fan followed Concubine Wu, so they were of course wary of Zheng. But as soon as she got on the carriage, Zheng was completely different from her previous dignified and majestic self, and directly gave her a pair of purses.
“範嬷嬷，這是我賞給你的，這麽些年你幫忙照看老太妃也是辛苦了，我也不知道送些什麽給你，這一對荷包，放的是些金餅銀铤。”徽音笑着遞到她手裏。
範嬷嬷更怕是徽音做局，連忙道：“小王妃，無功不受祿，這太妃要是知道老奴收了您的銀錢可就不好，伺候您原本就是奴婢的本分。”
徽音笑道：“也沒什麽無功不受祿，說起來還是我成婚的時候打賞過您，轉眼過去也是一年多了。這一年風雲變幻，我們王府又有了小世子，可我從未和太妃打交道，還要勞煩嬷嬷多加照看。”
如果是一般的小媳婦，這樣讨好，範嬷嬷不以為意，甚至拿了錢不辦事人家也不會說什麽，但鄭氏的銀錢可不好拿啊！就憑她起初對那些貪污的下人都隐忍不發，最後全部鏟除，可見其手段。
再者，她有小世子在手上，瞧小世子生的多白胖啊。
吳太妃卻不同，兒子死了，孫子重孫都未必聽她的。
範嬷嬷裝模作樣的推辭了幾下，最後還是收下了，嘴上還道：“老奴愧疚難當。”
“別提這些了，以前的事情嬷嬷與我不過是立場不同，可以後嘛，嬷嬷完全可以因勢利導，這也是人之常情。”徽音含笑。
範嬷嬷就怕徽音做局，如今聽她的話頭的意思倒是覺得此人真是深谙人性，人嘛做牆頭草是天性，就怕別人說什麽一次不忠百次不用，鄭氏卻說我有利的時候，你投靠我不會嫌棄你，我失勢的時候你投靠別人我也不怪你。
“奴婢知道了。”範嬷嬷道。
徽音則目視前方，見抱着孩子動了一下，又換了個姿勢，遞給乳母。她又對範嬷嬷道：“我倒是罷了，這幾位乳母是要喂孩子奶的，吃喝上有宜忌，到時候還勞煩嬷嬷了。”
這件事情對範嬷嬷而言再小不過了，她當即就同意了。
之後徽音閉目養神不發一言。
越是這樣範嬷嬷愈發覺得深不可測，也不敢多說什麽，不時又想起吳太妃雖然硬朗，但也是年逾花甲的老人了，即便再活一二十年，恐怕随着年紀增長也不能主事，如此小王妃抛來了橄榄枝，她有些心動，但現在還不能表現出來。
雖說小王妃說什麽因勢利導，但是自己轉變太快，人家也會看輕你。
如果說徐州是兵家必争之地，那麽建業絕對是天下最繁盛之處，徽音聽着耳邊此起彼伏的叫喊聲，都知道人聲鼎沸，難怪連鄭無恒來了一趟建業都流連忘返。
其實當年吳王的封地也是一個不亞于建業的好地方，只是後來吳王在世時身體也孱弱，魏王和吳王關系也好，吳王遂把藩産托付給魏王，自然不托付也不行，好歹認個親叔叔，和睦一些。
平日裏吳太妃一直和魏太妃作伴，住在昭明宮裏，那是前朝越王的宮殿，後來改成魏王府。
自然，魏王也賜了淮陰王府的府邸給李澄，但她們現在要先去拜見魏王和幾位太妃，才能夠回自己的府邸。
要說魏王府邸，未必是繁花錦簇，但巍峨高聳莊嚴肅穆。
她們在門口下了華蓋馬車，換乘轎子擡了進去，到了二門內，就見一群着绫羅綢緞的仆婦過來，都笑着道：“兩位太妃還有王妃次妃都在等着您呢，可把您盼來了。”
徽音含笑道：“是我的不是，合該早些過來才是。”
從甬道進去，走到東側第三道朱門的時候，領路的嬷嬷停了下來，徽音擡頭看了一下此處的牌匾寫的是昭明宮，她料想此處應該就是魏太妃住的地方。
有兩個女官模樣的人出來，迎了徽音進去，她們與別的宮女打扮不同。宮女一般都是梳着丫髻或者是垂挂髻，穿着綠色或者紅色的褙子，女官則是和官員一樣的打扮，穿着圓領袍褂，戴着黑翅帽，上次聽殷麗儀和薛歡歡說起，她們都是魏太妃的女官出身。
這些人大概也不會是普通人，至少也是小官之女。
徽音對兩位女官颔首，雙手疊交在前，目不斜視，嘴角噙着笑意的随她們走了進去。進門朱門之後，又過了兩道儀門，只見牌匾寫的是“慈寧安康”，筆鋒遒勁，仿佛是李澄的字。
據說李澄五年前曾經幫魏王打理過府邸，還打理的很好，所以這字即便是他寫的自己也不會奇怪。
這是個李澄曾經待過還非常熟悉的地方，這裏住着的人幾乎都是李澄的家人，她們越和李澄熟悉，對李澄的印象最好，就越會挑剔自己。
人和人都是很微妙的，就像她嫂子辛氏，也算是伶俐圓融之人，她剛進門的時候，母親也會挑剔一二。
跨過門檻之後，透過珠簾可以看到裏面的女子珠翠環繞，只聽裏面傳來一道年輕的女聲：“讓淮陰王妃進來。”
左右兩邊侍立的宮女連忙打起了簾子，把珠簾別在仙鶴樣的銀鈎上，簾後諸人一一展現在徽音眼簾。
坐在最高的寶座上的是一年四十歲上下的女子，她看着自己微微一笑，一身紫色的紗袍穿在身上，能夠想象她年輕的時候是怎麽個美豔的女子。
這位就是魏王太妃，這些人徽音一一見過，吳太妃雖然年逾六旬，身體消瘦，一雙眼睛很大，看的出來保養的也很好，但眉心縱紋太深了，一看就是脾氣不太好的人。
又有魏王妃霍氏，魏王次妃殷氏，還有魏王妃之母霍老太君等等。
說起來也很奇怪，殷麗儀生的算是很漂亮的，身段尤其好，殷次妃居然生的很普通，雖然有些姿色，但是和殷麗儀完全不能夠比。反而是魏王妃霍氏生的形容俏麗，顧盼生輝。
莫說徽音打量她們，她們也在打量徽音，只見這個鄭氏身材高挑，比建業和吳地的女子足足高一個頭，骨架勻稱，肌骨瑩潤，豔若桃李，舉止妥當。
魏太妃對徽音道：“我這老姐姐盼着你們多時了，知曉你們辛苦，一路舟車勞頓的，你不會怪我們吧。”
“太妃說話實在是見外了，我們殿下一見您和祖母的來信，就對我說他不能伺候在祖母膝下，甚為痛心，打發我快些帶着璟兒來祖母跟前伺候着。璟兒現下三個月了，一路也很好。”徽音笑着欠身。
這些都是長輩，她說話也是萬分妥帖，态度謙卑，沒有一點不耐煩。
吳太妃這個人年輕的時候在宮中就不大讨人喜歡，其實她的容貌在衆人中還算是很不錯的，但就是不受寵，之後還是生下吳王，方才從才人封了個婕妤，然後就一直止步于婕妤這個位置了。
她是見到璟兒就不撒手了，乳母們都讪讪的。
然而徽音看到她的長指甲都害怕，宮裏的女子都有蓄甲的習慣，一來有手指修長之意，二來也是代表這個人養尊處優的意思。
這樣長的指甲差點劃到小嬰兒的臉上，做娘的哪裏有不急的。
“這孩子生的真可愛，真像我們澄兒，我們澄兒小時候便是這般。”吳太妃既沒有養過自己的兒子，也沒有養過孫兒，現在看到曾孫，就抓着不放了。
還是魏太妃笑道：“姐姐，孩子還是交給乳母吧，我們這裏邊脂粉太濃了，小孩子最是聞不得這些味道的。”
魏太妃看起來幫了徽音一個忙，徽音看向她面上感激，心中卻不以為然，如若沒有魏太妃，自己還不必回來呢。她前世在宮中養成的習慣，誰的話都不可信。
顯然吳太妃很不舍得，徽音笑道：“祖母，孫媳婦日後長住建業，長伴在您膝下，将來您日日都能看到孩子的。”
聽到這句話，吳太妃才掀了掀眼皮，她沒見到璟兒的時候，只是心中惱恨鄭氏。她雖然沒見過她，但是她打殺了自己的老仆，趕走的自己的侄孫女，樁樁件件完全把她的臉面往地上踩。這些事情她也只能和魏太妃傾吐一二，又請魏太妃幫忙，讓孫媳婦帶着重孫子回來，只要回來建業，她就被自己攥在手掌心了。
當着這麽多人的面，吳太妃不可能就在這裏搶奪曾孫，只是淡淡的笑笑：“你有此心便好。”
徽音抿唇一笑，她能察覺這位吳太妃笑意不及眼底。
之後，魏太妃和吳太妃紛紛問起李澄的近況，看起來頗為關心，霍氏從旁解釋道：“澄哥兒媳婦，兩位太妃都是看着澄哥兒長大的，是以都對他很關心。”
徽音笑道：“俗話說養兒一百歲操心九十九，豈不是這個道理？我們小王爺平日多遵命在淮泗練兵，平日回來的也少，還是從今年才回來，即便回來，在家裏待的也不久。诶，我記得去年小王爺不是帶我阿弟專程過來拜見過兩位太妃和魏王叔嗎？”
搞的好像是十年八年沒見過了，明明才幾個月沒見面。
吳太妃眼神一下就變得犀利起來了，她覺得徽音性格不好，似乎不太恭順。
People in the deep palace, whether they are favored or not, live a very repressed life, so they will suddenly become sharp and sensitive. Just like now, when Concubine Wu heard this, she couldn't help but ask: "The weather has started to get colder recently. Have you prepared clothes and bedding in Xuzhou? Your little prince is usually very picky. The last time he came back, I saw that he had lost a lot of weight. I don't know how he lost weight?"
Is this the extent of the attack?
Huiyin smiled sweetly: "The young prince doesn't like extravagance, but he never tires of fine food. I know he is a bit picky, so I often cook for him. As long as he comes back, I will cook for him. So this time when he came back, what he regretted most was that he couldn't eat my food, but I said it didn't matter, and the most important thing was to show respect to my grandmother."
Concubine Wu originally wanted to say that she had not taken good care of Li Cheng, but she never thought that she had become a person who was inconsiderate to her grandson. How dare she talk to herself like this?