43 Chapter 43
◎Two chapters in one◎
The lawsuit between Madam Xu and Ji did not affect the mood of Ji and the Zheng family to welcome the Prince of Huaiyin and Huiyin. Even though the Prince of Wei had previously defeated the imperial army and Qingzhou was occupied by Lu Wei and He Guojiu, it still did not affect Li Cheng's image in Zheng Fang's heart.
In his opinion, when Li Cheng led his troops to seize Xuzhou, he was able to hold it firmly and the people of Xuzhou admired him very much, while Xie Jiuyi was driven away when he occupied Qingzhou. It can be seen that if the person who seized Qingzhou this time was Li Cheng, he would definitely not let the prince seize it again.
Zheng Fang is now relieved that he has not been involved in Li Heng's affairs. Li Heng is still controlled by Lu Wei, and even his concubine was executed. He is just a puppet. He always wants to fight hard, but his daughter is not ambitious. She is pregnant. What's the use of supporting Li Heng?
It is better to remain still now. It will not cause any loss to yourself, and you can accumulate strength to strike back at the enemy head-on.
As he thought about this, he saw Ji's eyes were red. He knew her mood and left her concubine behind to comfort her: "You will be able to see your daughter soon. The spies just reported that they have all arrived at Bali Slope."
"My Lord, I know." Ji actually felt more gratitude than love for Zheng Fang. After all, he had protected them, an orphan and a widow, and their current status was all achieved by this man. This was also the reason why Ji tolerated Madam Xu.
Zheng Fang was relieved to see Ji recover as before, "Don't be too sad, it would be bad if the Prince of Huaiyin saw you."
"Well, mother said she is not feeling well today and will not come over. I will ask someone to send a table of wine and food to mother later." Ji said.
Zheng Fang may not know why his mother was angry, but it was a bad move to bring his daughter back from the palace. If the prince really succeeded in the future, his daughter could at least get a concubine position. If the prince really failed, he could make plans in the future. The prince had not treated Deyin badly, so there was no reason for him to bring her back.
But he didn't dare to confront her directly. After all, she was his own mother, so he had to pretend that he didn't know.
The couple had their own plans in mind. The only one who was really happy was Zheng Wuheng. He even insisted on riding a horse to pick her up. But Ji said, "You are getting married, and you are still so rash. Your brother has already gone to pick her up. Don't mess up your hair."
Xin also said, "Yes, uncle, let's wait here. Look how strong the wind is outside."
Zheng Wuheng was not at all content when he was with Ji. Zheng Fang was happy to see his son. Zheng Wuheng was the only son in his life, so he was not strict like a father. Instead, he doted on his little son.
Compared to a kind father, Ji was extremely strict with his son, and Zheng Wuheng was obedient. Although he would sometimes be lazy, he would also practice diligently and was not bad in terms of kung fu or military deployment.
A moment later, the spy reported back: "My Lord, Madam, our young lady and aunt have arrived at the gate."
Only then did Ji go out with Zheng Fang to greet them.
Huiyin had not expected that her parents would come out. This was the first time that Li Cheng came to visit his parents-in-law in Jizhou. Even though he was a prince, he still felt like a prospective son-in-law, but he still had to appear calm and composed.
Huiyin was not so restrained. When she saw Zheng Fang and Ji, she quickly stepped forward and said, "Dad and Mom." She also called Xin next to her "sister-in-law."
After she finished speaking, she was about to introduce them again, but she saw Zheng Fang and his wife bowing to Li Cheng. In terms of status, Li Cheng was a prince and Zheng Fang was a marquis, and their status and position seemed to stand out immediately.
After they finished the ceremony, Li Cheng smiled and said to Huiyin, "Just now we performed the state ceremony, now we will perform the family ceremony. The son-in-law pays his respects to his father-in-law and mother-in-law."
In fact, Li Cheng was also looking at the Zheng family. Zheng Fang was seven feet tall, as tall as himself. Although he was not young, he still had a nose like a jade pillar and a mouth like red cinnabar, and was very handsome. Not to mention the brocade sleeves, he looked majestic and elegant, which was completely different from the Zheng Fang he had imagined. Looking at his mother-in-law Ji, like Huiyin, they were both tall and fit, but she seemed to be thinner, and looked smart and strong.
He also found that Zheng Fang and his wife were looking at him. Ji was particularly excited to see him. In Ji's mind, her daughter was the best in the world, and there were not many people who could match her. In this chaotic world, whether a man was handsome or not was not important. The most important thing was to be able to protect his daughter.
The son-in-law, Li Cheng, was wearing a black dragon robe with auspicious clouds embroidered with gold thread on the cuffs, a red jade-studded belt around his waist, and his black hair tied up with a hollow carved gold crown. He looked handsome and unattainable. The more Ji looked at him, the happier she was. Not only did her son-in-law love her daughter, but he was also so good-looking. He looked strong and powerful, not just a show-off. The smile on her face deepened.
Looking at her daughter again, she was still a young girl when she got married, but in the blink of an eye, she had become a woman. She showed a smooth forehead and had a lily bun, which made her face look more rosy and her eyes more like autumn water. Even though she had been through so much, she didn't look haggard at all, but rather full of youth. Ji knew what was going on.
"Your Highness, we have prepared good wine and delicious food at home. You and the princess can sit down together and we will have a family reunion dinner." Ji said with a smile.
Li Cheng was of course humble: "Everything is up to my parents-in-law to arrange."
Zheng Wuheng frowned and was anxious. At one moment he wanted to talk to his sister and brother-in-law, and at another moment he looked at his little nephew in his brother's arms. He felt overwhelmed and wished he had eight eyes.
Pei Shuo was holding his nephew in his arms, and Zheng Fang took him over. He weighed him in his hands and said, "How good is this child? Is he over a year old?"
Huiyin, who was walking in front, turned around and said with a smile, "Dad, what are you talking about? Our Jing'er is not even one year old yet, but he is in really good health. He weighs 20 kilograms in just four months."
When Ji saw that it was Zheng Fang holding the baby, she squeezed over quickly and said worriedly, "My Lord, you should give the child to the wet nurse." Men's hands are very rough, and it would be bad if they hurt the baby's skin.
Before Huiyin came back and spoke to Ji, she noticed that Ji's eyes were always on Jing'er and she seemed a little jealous.
The group chatted and laughed as they entered the house. Ji asked Li Cheng and Huiyin to sit at the top, while she and her husband sat at the bottom. Opposite them sat Pei Shuo and his wife and Zheng Wuheng.
After everyone sat down, Li Cheng talked about the journey: "We disguised ourselves when we were in Qingzhou to avoid unnecessary trouble. Our adults were able to hold on, but Jing'er had diarrhea for a few days before he recovered."
Huiyin felt that Li Cheng was too good at exaggerating himself, so she said, "Actually, this was all thanks to the arrangements made by the prince. When Jing'er was not feeling well, he immediately arranged a house for Jing'er to recuperate. On the way, we also encountered a bandit attack, but the whole army was unscathed. If it weren't for me, he and the child wouldn't have suffered."
"Stop saying that. I should have come here earlier to meet my parents-in-law." Li Cheng felt a little ashamed when he saw Huiyin treating him as a mere daughter at the Zheng family. Although he did come back to satisfy his wife's homesickness, he was unwilling to say this in public.
Zheng Fang and Ji Shi could see Li Cheng's shyness, but they were very happy. Zheng Fang said, "It is the happiest thing for the Zheng family that the prince can accompany the princess to her grave. When I went to Xuzhou before, I was very grateful to the prince for his hospitality."
"Don't say that, father-in-law. This is what I should do as a son-in-law." Li Cheng said with a smile.
The servants told her that the banquet was ready. Huiyin and Li Cheng followed the others to the flower hall for dinner. It had been a long time since she had eaten at home. She really felt like a fish in water. Ji even helped her daughter pick up some dishes: "This is your favorite fried shrimp. Eat more."
"Mom, I will." When Huiyin was in Jizhou, she seldom ate fried food. It's not that she didn't like it, but it would easily make her get a sore throat. A girl always has to pay attention to her appearance.
Ji loved watching her daughter eat. When she finished, she served another bowl of noodle soup. Zheng Fang also said, "Why did you serve this noodle soup? How can you let the princess eat this?"
"Dad, I love to eat these. Do you have steamed cabbage rolls? My daughter always wants this dish." Huiyin said angrily.
Zheng Fang hurriedly urged the servants: "Hurry up and serve that dish."
The way your parents treat you well is to feed you all the time, especially Zheng Fang and Ji Shi. When Huiyin is not at home, they feel like they are missing a backbone.
Normally, at such a feast, one should not talk while eating, which was very proper. The Zheng family had always been like this. But seeing Huiyin like this, Zheng Fang, who was not from a noble family to begin with, relaxed immediately and even used a knife to cut roasted lamb and beef for Li Cheng and Huiyin.
Huiyin was afraid that Li Cheng would think that their family had no rules, so she whispered, "My parents haven't seen me for a long time, so they are doing this to avoid being polite to you."
"I know, you don't have to explain." Li Cheng didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Instead, he could see that his wife was quite favored at home.
"Are these dishes not to your taste? I'll tell my mother that we have a chef who can cook southern dishes, and we can eat together then." Huiyin said with a smile.
Li Cheng nodded secretly.
Pei Shuo was actually observing his sister and brother-in-law, and seeing them whispering to each other, it was obvious that they were very close in private. He nodded secretly, thinking that this young prince was much more sincere than the crown prince, and he was really good to his sister. He accompanied her back from such a long distance and took care of her all the way. Apart from his sister, he had no concubines or maids, which was something even he found difficult to do.
"Your Majesty, let me offer you a toast. Our northern wine is stronger. If you are not used to it, you can try Yu Lu wine instead." Pei Shuo raised his glass.
Li Cheng laughed: "Why not? I've always wanted to see what burning a knife is."
這二人年齡相仿，一起吃酒，沒有片刻就好的如兄弟一般了，還有個鄭無恒也喜歡和他們一起，只可惜紀氏不讓她吃太多酒。
宴畢，李澄和徽音先回去梳洗一番，又去看她們現在住的院子，是家人精心準備的小院，此地十分軒敞，院子前面擺滿了各式各樣的鮮花，還有兩只仙鶴正低頭喝水，一旁的孔雀正開屏，更別提裏間赫然入目的擺件家俬樣樣都是上等。
徽音扶着李澄的胳膊坐下：“你呀你，喝這麽多酒，也不怕燒心，現下沐浴了，就好好睡一覺。這一路殚精竭慮，你也該歇會兒了。”
她打算過去和母親說說私房話，以前在娘家時，母女二人就有說不完的話，如今隔的遠了，寄信又不方便，她自是要過去。
但是李澄又拉着她的手道：“你也陪我一起睡啊。”
“我過會兒就回來了，今兒回來還沒私下與我母親說話，總要去說一聲的。”徽音笑道。
李澄似乎有些不舍，徽音又很理解，她夫妻二人從江南到冀州，二人朝夕相處，從不分開，乍一分開，都有些不習慣。
可在自家，徽音當然也想和家人團聚，她道：“明日我們去哥哥家裏吃飯，還有爹爹要帶你去巡邊，事兒還多着呢，快睡吧。”
她拿手捂住他的眼睛，李澄覺得暖洋洋的，竟然一下睡着了。
紀氏其實也沒睡，見女兒過來，她拍了拍床邊的空位，徽音趕緊脫了鞋上來床上，和以前一樣，母女二人窩在一處。
“姑爺睡下了嗎？”紀氏問起，做人家的妻子和做女兒不同，在家做女兒可以随心所以一些，但是做人家的妻子，就得先把丈夫照顧好。
徽音點頭：“都睡着了，舍不得我過來呢，原本我們夫妻常常分隔兩地，這些日子常常一處，所以就有些不舍了。”
女兒這麽一說，紀氏想起當初和裴野成婚時也是如此，他知曉自己愛吃街角的牛肉包，所以特別早一個大家公子給自己排隊去買，甚至是在她生朔兒的時候着急的不行，可那又怎麽樣，不妨礙他後來對別的女子也這般。
可她不想在女兒面前說這些，女人在新婚這幾年，是人生最快活的事情，若是自己說了這些，惹得女兒女婿生嫌隙有什麽好？再說了，就裴野是這般的人，全天下還有別的好男子呢。
故而，紀氏打趣道：“他舍不得你，可見你們倆的感情很好啊。”
“不說我們了，娘可好？我聽說小弟要成親了？”徽音連珠炮似的問。
紀氏笑着：“打住，我得一個個的回答。我一切都好，唯一心煩的是你姐姐鬧着要回家，你祖母呢要你爹接，你爹和我都不願意。連太子妃都不能輕易回家，何況是良娣？”
徽音一聽也是，前世她做良娣之後，幾乎都是召見家人，甚至做了太後都不能随意回自己的娘家。
所以，她有些無語：“祖母怎麽能夠提出這樣的無理要求？不過，姐姐怎麽鬧着要回家呢？”前世李澄去世，姐姐都沒有鬧着回家，現在鬧着要回家。
紀氏聽了這話也是嘆氣：“還不是東宮有個侍妾因為懷孕被呂威仗殺，連其兄都被牽連了。她的死狀，正好被你姐姐看到，她就吓到了，覺得東宮是是非之地。當初也是她自己要嫁的，又不是尋常人家可以随便回來。”
但紀氏想若是自己的女兒，她肯定會保女兒平安的，可德音并非是她的女兒，鄭放自己都裝聾作啞，她怎麽可能去做這等橫生枝節的事情。
“侍妾被呂威仗殺？是姓董嗎？上次好像聽童娘子說起過。”徽音很驚訝，居然發生這種事情，前世可沒這樣的事情。
紀氏點頭：“是個姓董的禦嫔，宮女出身，是何皇後的人。太子對她寵愛雖然不多，可是福氣好，懷上了東宮的孩子，沒想到是那個結果。其實這些和你姐姐有什麽關系，你爹好歹也是冀州大都督，還是侯爺，呂威怎麽可能這個時候和你爹鬧翻啊？”
徽音心想前世呂威還被爹所除，但是除了呂威之後，爹的處境也不太好，只能跟着太子混，就是沒想到太子想卸磨殺驢。
但這個德音千方百計換了婚事，居然膽子這麽小，到現在也還沒發現太子給她們下避子藥的事情。
如果是她，要說動鄭放，至少肚子裏得有個孩子，爹才會跟你拼命啊，要不然什麽都不是，別人怎麽可能這般呢？
“娘，我和王爺回來這次主要是探親，但是也要進宮為陛下賀壽。否則，王爺他掌管水師，輕易不能離開的。”徽音道出來意。
紀氏小聲問起徽音：“這些你爹已經知道了，到時候我們一起進宮就是了。倒是有一件事，我聽說你和姑爺遲了十幾天才完婚？他有沒有房裏人。你哥哥粗枝大葉的，看的都是表面。”
徽音搖頭：“我也不清楚他以前怎麽樣，他跟我說他沒有。”可是吧，李澄頭一日很熟練，不像生手的樣子。
“那你進門之後，他對你……”
“只要他回來，就是他受傷了，我們倆都睡在一起。您知道嗎？他祖母對我不好，想責罰我，也不讓我管家，他回來後把他祖母的人都發賣了，把銀錢都交給我管。”徽音提起這個的時候還露出點甜蜜來。
紀氏還欲說什麽，徽音又道：“女兒生孩子的時候，也是他進産房陪我，一直從後背這樣撐着我，安慰我的。那時候，我就很感動，不管以後如何，至少他真的對我很好。他沒有爹娘，一個祖母也糊塗的緊，和我倒是很好。”
“你看你，我還沒說什麽，你就幫他說了這麽多的好話。我知道他對你好，放心，娘瞧着他一表人才也很好。又是天潢貴胄，真是難得，可作為女子，切不可完全托付終身。”紀氏叮咛。
徽音笑道：“您放心吧，這點女兒有分寸。”
紀氏摸了摸女兒的頭發，忍不住道：“你今日回來，娘都差點認不出來了，氣色很好，面若桃花。我就知道你的日子肯定也過的不錯，最重要的是生了璟兒比什麽都強。”
當年紀氏帶着裴朔還能嫁人呢，即便嫁不了人，等兒子長大了，也有個依靠，亂世之中，女子就是再強，沒有家族庇護，沒有兒子，早就如草芥一般。
“您和父親怎麽樣呢？”徽音很關心紀氏。
紀氏笑道：“你爹一個月來我這裏幾次，他大事上還是都和我商量，那些寵妾們，有那刺兒頭，也不敢在我的面前說什麽，我可不怕她們。”
紀氏有鬥志，她對鄭放感激大于愛，沒那麽強的占有欲，所以只要不太過分，她根本就沒放在眼裏。再者那些寵妾，有的也是歌姬或者舞姬，窮苦人家出身，亂世如浮萍一般，很懂得看臉色的，現在家裏誰為大，她們很清楚的。
“這就好，日後還有女兒也給您撐腰呢。”徽音笑道。
紀氏垂眸：“還有你祖母那裏，你祖母那個人我很了解，恐怕看到姑爺之後會為你姐姐不值得。罷了不說這個了，正好你回來，我們選個黃道吉日，到時候你弟弟成婚，如此你也能看到你未來的弟妹。”
徽音自然說好，只不過她皺眉道：“娘，何須這般急？弟弟說起來也不過十八歲啊。”
“這已經很晚了，咱們這樣的人家，來來回回的打仗，你弟弟成了家，別人才把他當大人看待啊，再有若有不測，留個後總是好的。”紀氏生于軍中，對生死也比尋常人看的開。
徽音很自然的問起弟弟的親事：“我只聽童娘子說崔家小姐很賢淑端莊，具體如何還不知道呢？”
紀氏提起這兒媳婦不免道：“她相貌秀麗，卻不妩媚，沒有你和你弟弟這般的相貌，性情卻很好，天生自帶一股溫柔之氣，雖然是家中小女兒，可卻不撒嬌弄癡，心胸也豁達，你弟弟這樣桀骜莽撞的性子，看到人家姑娘一眼就看上了。”
“原來是弟弟看上的啊，那我就放心了。說起來吳王妃娘家是崔家的人，到時候正好我還能和王爺一起去他舅家看看。”徽音也松了一口氣。
母女二人又說了些家長裏短，徽音打了個哈欠就準備回去，反正現在歸寧了，和母親說話也是來日方長。
紀氏讓人拿了燈籠送她：“外面天太黑了，你小心點。”
“娘，您千萬別送我，我會小心的。再者，現在天氣又不冷，也不是雪窩子，您快別擔心了。”徽音就要出去，千萬阻止紀氏送她。
等從母親正房出來，她只覺得月明星稀，一時有些感慨，這輩子姐姐這般畏縮，不知那李珩又會如何？
Just as she was thinking, she walked out of the yard, and saw a man standing there holding a lantern. The light reflected on his royal blue cuffs. She looked up at his handsome face. He seemed to be absent-minded just now, but his eyes were suddenly filled with joy. In the dim light, Huiyin could see that his eyes seemed to be shining with gold.
"Husband, why are you here?" Huiyin thought he was asleep.
She wondered if he came over to confess his love for her, or if he came over for her safety or out of reluctance to leave.
Unexpectedly, Li Cheng himself was also at a loss: "I don't know either. I just walked here."
Huiyin laughed when she heard it, "You really have a smart face but a stupid mind. Can't you just say you miss me?"
【Author’s words】
I wish you all a happy National Day. Double happiness to you.