45 Chapter 45
◎Two chapters in one◎
Huiyin didn't know what Mrs. Xu was feeling when she left, but she felt much better. Although she said to Li Cheng, "You shouldn't bring up my elder sister. She is a concubine in the East Palace. I heard that she is not happy. My grandmother is angry. Seeing our love, she will inevitably say something bad."
"That's not her reason to say that about you. Is it that only your elder sister is her granddaughter, and you are not?" Li Cheng was naturally indifferent to family affection, especially between relatives. If they could not help each other and even slandered Huiyin in front of him, it showed that Madam Xu was not a good grandmother.
Huiyin smiled and said, "Okay, I get it. You are doing this for my own good. Let's not talk about this anymore. You said you wanted to go to your uncle's house. I will go and prepare gifts. If it is feasible, we can go there."
Li Cheng nodded: "Then you draw up a list and I'll see what to add or subtract."
"Okay." Huiyin didn't think Li Cheng was questioning him. When the couple handled things, they didn't have that kind of exclusive mentality and were easy to accept other people's opinions.
Li Cheng was about to say something when he heard the voices of Pei Shuo and Zheng Wuheng from outside. Huiyin pushed him and said, "You can go with them. It's not good for you to accompany me all the time."
In fact, at Li Cheng's age, he is more mature than adults, which is not reasonable. Years of scheming and scheming will make people corrupt. Going out more often will make him more clear-headed.
Li Cheng smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll go out and see what they want me to do. If there's nothing, I'll come back early."
Of course he didn't come back earlier, Huiyin could have expected that, so she drew up a list first. In previous years, the gifts that Uncle Cui sent to Xuzhou were also quite generous, so they couldn't give less this time.
It was getting dark again when Li Cheng came back. He looked in a good mood. Huiyin showed him the list she had prepared. Li Cheng had no objection. He fell on the bed, resting his head on his head, and looked at her and said, "The emperor's birthday will be in a few days. We have to go to Qinghe quickly and can't delay on the road any longer."
"Well, let's leave the child at my house. I'll feel at ease with my mother looking after him." Huiyin said with a smile.
Li Cheng clapped his hands and smiled: "That's great, our son won't have to travel with us, this is a good thing."
After the two men discussed it, they decided to send a fast horse to inform the Cui family the next day, and then they would follow behind. It took about a day and a half to get from Jizhou to Qinghe.
Originally, in Huiyin's imagination, Cui Xun should be a handsome man in his forties, because even if his mother-in-law Wu lived to this day, she would only be in her early forties, but Cui Xun is already in his sixties. Even if he takes good care of himself, you can see that his hair is gray and his skin is wrinkled.
But fortunately, he was of great stature, worthy of being a once-conferred general.
"Uncle." Li Cheng saw the Cui family and their group welcoming him at the door and quickly dismounted and stepped forward.
Huiyin followed Li Cheng in and met her aunt Li. It was strange that her uncle Cui Xun was nearly sixty years old, while her aunt Mrs. Cui Li was in her forties and looked like an old man and a young wife.
But she would never ask directly if someone wants to continue the song, as that would be too rude.
Therefore, Huiyin just sat down and talked to Mrs. Cui about some irrelevant things: "I got married a few years ago, but I didn't expect that your family would become more closely related to us."
I originally thought it was another person with the surname Cui from the same room, but it turned out that it was Cui Xun's daughter who was going to marry his younger brother.
Madam Cui obviously loved her daughter very much: "My daughter is a plain girl, but she is favored by the Marquis. This is her blessing. The two families will be engaged soon, and it just so happens that the Prince of Huaiyin and the Princess will be attending the ceremony. This is also her blessing. Why don't I ask my daughter to order a cup of tea for you to taste."
Obviously, he wanted his daughter to win the favor of her future husband's family. Huiyin was pleased: "Why not? I want to meet her, too."
Miss Cui wore a white jade crown with light purple flowers in her hair and a dress of the same color. She had a pretty face and graceful manners. Huiyin said "good" to herself and drank the tea she brought over.
Just now I saw her add tea soup seven times. The soup was pure white like milk, and the soup foam was even and fine. Her technique was quite good.
She took another sip: "Mm, it tastes good, has a subtle aroma, and looks good. Not bad, not bad."
Mrs. Cui and Miss Cui looked at each other and were very happy.
Miss Cui's nickname was Yuehuan. The little girl also learned how to socialize like an adult. "This kind of tea is called Lingcha. If the princess likes it, we will have someone send some to you."
"Okay, then pack two packets for me. I can't finish more than that." Huiyin said with a smile.
Mrs. Cui was also very happy to see this, and continued, "I just got married and my sister-in-law got married. Although we didn't spend much time together, we also cared about each other. We have been separated for many years. When we heard the news of Princess Wu's death, our old man was so sad that he couldn't go to the funeral. Our old man kept this in his heart and never forgot it."
"It's so hard for you to be unable to move and have to travel a long distance. I don't think my mother-in-law in heaven will blame me." Huiyin thought that if they really had a good relationship, it would be impossible for her not to go. She heard Li Cheng say that Princess Wu had only one brother.
Like when she returned home, her brother went out to greet her for three hundred miles.
Mrs. Cui heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Huiyin say this. She had been determined to make this marriage happen. Zheng Wuheng, the son of Marquis Zhaojie, was young and handsome. He was both the crown prince and the only son. Jizhou was also under the jurisdiction of Marquis Zhaojie. This marriage would be very good for both her daughter and the Cui family.
For lunch, the Cui family prepared fine wines. Li Cheng ate some and was about to leave, saying that he was going to the capital. The Cui family did not want to keep him. However, Huiyin and Madam Cui said, "We will be relatives in the future, so it will be more convenient for us to visit each other. We will have a chance to meet again."
After getting on the carriage, Huiyin frowned. Li Cheng saw her like this and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you? Are you not satisfied with my cousin?"
"No, it has nothing to do with this. I just think that your uncle is old enough to be Mrs. Cui's father? Is this Mrs. Cui the continuation?" Huiyin was curious.
Li Cheng waved his hand, "Of course not. You don't know that in this dynasty, the nobles must marry someone of equal status. My uncle lost his father when he was young and lived with his sister, who is my mother. My uncle is eighteen years older than my mother, and he almost raised my mother. He is ambitious and comes from a famous family. Only when he was over thirty and was given an official title, did he qualify to marry a member of the Li family of Longxi, one of the five surnames."
"So that's how it is. Huiyin is not from a noble family, so she doesn't understand these things." Huiyin finally reacted.
Li Cheng couldn't help but say, "My uncle and aunt had two sons and one daughter after they got married. My eldest cousin was recruited by Wei Duo, so it can be said that a tiger father will have a dog son."
Huiyin held her chin up, feeling strange: "If your uncle had never made it, wouldn't he have never had a woman? How would he manage the family?"
"If there is no wife, there are concubines." Li Cheng didn't find it strange.
After visiting Li Cheng's uncle, they first returned to the Zhaojie Marquis Mansion in Jizhou. The couple was most concerned about their son, and were surprised to see Jing'er lying obediently in Ji's arms.
Ji smiled and said, "When you just left, the child cried for half an hour, and then he became very attached to me. He has been sleeping with me these past few days."
"It seems that it's not the children who can't live without adults, but we adults who can't live without children." Huiyin tickled Jing'er, making Jing'er giggle.
Women are more concerned about the affairs of the rear house. On the surface, Li Cheng seems to be out playing with his uncles, but in fact, Li Cheng and Zheng Fang are discussing Uncle He's plan to get rid of Lu Wei.
It took only a day to travel from Jizhou to the capital, and the streets of the capital were already decorated with lights and lanterns to welcome the arrival of the Emperor's birthday.
This time, Ji Shi did not come. She usually went to the palace quite often and was impatient to deal with Empress He. She always said that Empress He was full of tricks, so she reported an old illness and stayed at home to take care of Jing'er. On the contrary, Madam Xu, who was so old, still wanted to go. Why? Everyone knew it.
Actually, entering the palace meant nothing to Huiyin, but to Li Cheng, it was novel and gave rise to strange thoughts.
He was born in a vassal state and grew up in Jiangnan, but he was also the descendant of Emperor Taizong and had the blood of Emperor Taizong in his veins. Seeing the sickly emperor behind the curtain and the majestic Prime Minister Lu Wei, he thought that if he were the emperor, he would definitely kill such a rebellious person. As soon as this thought came to his mind, he felt that he seemed too ambitious.
"I, the humble servant Li Cheng, the Prince of Huaiyin, and my wife, Princess Zheng, are here to congratulate the Emperor on his birthday. I wish the Emperor a long life."
Huiyin followed Li Cheng in paying respects, and raised her eyes slightly. She saw that the hall was brightly lit, as if it was daytime. She could see the Crown Prince Li Heng standing next to the Emperor, with Li Heng and Lu Wei on his left and right. Li Heng was still as elegant and noble as ever, with a smile on his face. The shadow under the light covered half of his face, making him look a little more mysterious.
As for Li Heng, Huiyin now sees him as no different from a stranger.
The emperor was very weak and coughed for a long time. His tone seemed to be full of joy: "You are the son of Prince Wu's younger brother. You are also my nephew. Come closer and let me take a look."
Li Cheng stood up, pulled his coat, and walked forward, looking more and more outstanding and overwhelming. Li Heng seemed to have just noticed his cousin, the King of Huaiyin. He heard that he was sent by the King of Wei to the capital to celebrate his birthday. He had been training the navy for the King of Wei and was famous in Jiangnan at a young age.
More importantly, he married the eldest daughter of the Zheng family, while Li Cheng married the second daughter of the Zheng family.
While he was thinking, he saw Li Cheng coming up the stairs towards the light, with two rows of candles paving the way for him. Li Heng looked up at him, and Li Cheng stopped and greeted him with a smile.
皇帝端詳了李澄片刻，又笑道：“淮陰王龍章鳳姿，不愧為吳王之子，你從封地而來為朕慶賀，朕也不能讓你空手而歸。”
皇帝身邊的侍從念了很長一串的賞賜單子，李澄謝恩，其實他內心有些失望的，他以為皇上會問他平日所做什麽，或者有關父親過世之後再封地好不好？顯然他只是皇帝昭顯和睦的一個人選。
偏偏這個時候，李澄還得維持着無懈可擊的淮陰王的身份。
待李澄走下場來，徽音才和李澄一起入座，今日皇上在三大殿慶賀，他們這樣的皇室宗親就在麗景殿，與皇帝一起共同慶賀。
“你表現的很好。”徽音坐定之後，趁着周圍的人不注意，小聲對李澄道。
李澄心裏一暖，別人都關注他的身份，看他是否得到賞賜，唯獨只有徽音怕他緊張，是關注他這個人本身。
夫妻二人對視一笑，卻被對面的德音看了個正着，她是猝不及防的看到李澄的。因為前世李澄一直到死都根本沒有進過京，他和徽音前世甚至從未見過面，現在卻似一對恩愛夫妻，這實在是讓她愈發受打擊。
如果祖母提前告訴她徽音和李澄的關系，她還能夠稍微緩沖一下，沒有一下子的沖擊來的大，現下沖擊太大了。太子入座之後，甚至還耳語道：“聽你爹說，淮陰王是專門陪你妹妹回家省親的，你們姐妹也有幾年未見，不妨你去和她說說話。”
難怪的，原來李澄是陪着妹妹回來省親，順便參加皇上的萬壽節的。
前世她和李澄幾乎很少在一起，即便他回建業，也是匆匆一瞥，二人毫無交集，他對殷麗君那個錄事的女兒卻關懷備至，可即便對殷麗君不錯，也沒有專程陪着女人做事情。
“是嗎？妾身常常在東宮，對家裏的事情也一無所知，還多虧太子告訴妾身。”德音堆起笑臉，還得裝賢惠大度。
李珩也想拉攏李澄，他和魏王之間，當然是他的優勢更大，一旦皇上龍馭殡天，他就是名正言順的太子，魏王偏居一隅，打着皇室宗親的名號，想名正言順，做夢去吧。
但平心而論，他現在能給李澄的沒有魏王給的多，但若李澄能夠心向着他，二人聯手，冀州青州甚至是徐州，都可以是他的囊中之物。
所以，他現在需要德音幫忙在其中穿針引線。
而德音也明白李珩的意思，她望着對面的徽音，卻有些怔愣起來，前世太子更寵愛妹妹，她也有孕，順利産子，後來成了太後，這輩子徽音也是深得李澄的喜愛，她真的想知道妹妹到底是用什麽手段？
作為姐姐，她的确不應該這般嫉妒妹妹，可是她自認什麽都不輸徽音。
想當年，她朋友衆多，妹妹卻性格孤僻，她被人踏破門檻，要娶她的人非富即貴，妹妹卻只有爛桃花，甚至她的才名遠播，妹妹卻是寂寂無名。
後來還是紀氏見妹妹樣樣都不如自己，才自稱什麽冀州第一美人，四處說她女兒容貌美。
怎麽各自成婚，境遇竟然如此不同？歸根結底，還是妹妹有兄弟這一樣贏過她了，若是她也有親兄弟，怎麽會落到如此境地無人幫忙？
這是天生的，并非自己比她差。
徽音卻不這麽認為，她與李澄對飲一杯，又欣賞歌舞，尤其是皇帝離開之後，大殿之中大家更加放松下來。不住有人過來和李澄敬酒，其中就有國舅爺，徽音見他二人含笑寒暄，但是笑容之下，似乎藏着很深的東西，這些是什麽徽音不多問，也不側目，盡量不會引起別人注意。
她的所為被李澄看在眼中，愈發佩服，他從未和她說過某些軍國大事，但是徽音似乎天生就和他心有靈犀似的。
“何國舅，你說的，小王知道了。”李澄笑道。
何國舅舉杯：“那下官告退，日後請您去我府上吃三花醉。”
李澄客氣送走他，周圍的人不以為意，李珩不一會兒就和何國舅接上頭了，何國舅道：“淮陰王答應勸鄭放反，但是有一個要求，青州一分為二，鄭放和他各占一半。”
“他這是在空手套白狼。”李珩不願意同意。
這青州是他好不容易拿下的，要他拱手讓人，絕無可能。
何國舅笑道：“太子自然是一諾千金，可您知曉秦國丞相張儀騙楚國背棄齊國時，就是用六百裏地做籌碼？可最後，您看秦國給了嗎？”
這是戰國時的一個故事，當時秦相張儀出使楚國，為了利誘楚國，瓦解齊楚聯盟，張儀以六百裏商於之地歸還楚國為誘餌。楚國于是與齊國斷交，與齊國斷交後楚國派遣使者出使秦國要求以約交付商於之地，但張儀卻矢口否認。最後，惱羞成怒的楚懷王于是派兵攻秦，三戰皆敗，楚國的大國地位自此動搖。
現在先答應了他，反正青州都是何家和呂家兩家占據，到時候呂威一死，那裏都是他何家，給不給李澄，還不是他們說了算？
在何國舅看來，現在他最大的威脅就是呂威。
只要殺了呂威，他就能勢如破竹的再解決了鄭放，日後天下是他的還差不多。
李珩一聽也笑了：“舅舅說的是，那孤就先答應下來。”
甚至李珩還有個計策，正好一箭三雕，以青州為籌碼，到時候讓何、呂、李三家相争，到時候平衡點反而在他身上了。
不得不說李珩也是個算計人心的高手，就像現在德音親自請了徽音過去東宮，笑吟吟的道：“妹妹早就回來了，也不進宮看我，倒是讓我好生記挂。”
這樣暖心的話，若是在一對平日相處融洽的姐妹中，當然是好事，偏偏德音和徽音的關系其實一直都淡淡的，所以這種話很反常。
但徽音也沒有表現出詫異，反而笑道：“想着祝壽能進宮，就沒有再折騰了，更何況姐姐這東宮，可不是一般的地方，旁人如何好進來？”
話音剛落，就見連枝上了一盞金駿眉來，徽音端起聞了聞：“姐姐，你這丫頭機靈，還知道我以前在娘家時最愛喝的便是金駿眉。”
連枝福了一身：“哪裏是奴婢記得，是良娣記得。”
“原來是姐姐，真是讓妹妹無地自容了。”徽音故作失語。
德音略有些得意，她從小跟着徐太夫人交際，知曉哪位夫人愛喝什麽茶，怎麽安排夫人們的座位，怎麽和人迅速交際做手帕交，就這點雕蟲小技，她都不放在心上。
但是她知道她這妹妹這些都不行，和人交往總是很快就變得冷清清的，根本不适合做主母，甚至連和人基本相處都難。
所以，德音只是道：“你還愛吃芙蓉糕、粉蒸肉、雞湯炖花生，我們是姐妹，這些怎麽會不知道呢？我進深宮之後，家人們很難見到，愈發想起從前，我們姐妹因為各自長輩的關系，從未好好說話，想起來，也是我做姐姐的不是。”
“姐姐休要這麽說，姐姐是東宮良娣，卻還能想起妹妹我，就已經很感激了。”徽音哪能真被這幾句話就感動不已。
德音很會示弱，見徽音似乎并沒有很激動，遂淚光點點加強力度：“我比妹妹先嫁，妹妹已經有兒子了，我卻還是一無所出，有時候真是羨慕妹妹。”
“有身子這種事情是運氣問題，姐姐還年輕又有什麽好擔心的。”徽音準備起身就走，很簡單，德音突然在壽宴上喊自己來東宮，想必不僅僅是她的意思，可能還有太子的意思。
畢竟，李珩這個人所謂的心機幾乎都是用在女人身上了。
果然，德音話鋒一轉：“唉，現在我是不敢生了，我們東宮有位女子因為有了太子的骨肉，只因她在太子妃前面有妊，被呂丞相打死了。”
徽音聽了一恸：“竟至于此——”
“是啊，所以我想若呂丞相一直在，我便是有了身孕，也是不敢懷的。”德音聲音蕭索。
但很快，她深吸一口氣道：“太子也被控制夠了，若是呂威一直把持朝政，恐怕我還有爹爹，甚至是無恒，日後都會被害的，你看董玉娘的親哥哥就被牽連了。”
“爹爹和無恒……”徽音露出一幅擔心的神色，她已經知曉德音找她做什麽，還是想說動鄭放殺呂威，恐怕何國舅找李澄，說的也是同一件事情。
至于何國舅為何不願意求救衛铎，恐怕是衛铎勢大，請神容易送神難。而鄭放這裏，卻是先利用鄭放，畢竟鄭放勇猛過人，卻有勇無謀，他能夠殺呂威還有個原因是鄭放是呂威的鷹犬爪牙，唯呂威之命是從，大肆捕殺呂威的政敵，呂威雖然內心忌憚鄭放坐大，但是他二人關系又很複雜。
鄭放是唯一在呂威軍中能命令呂家軍的人。
In her previous life, she had asked her father to help kill Lu Wei without hesitation, and later tied the Zheng family to the prince's boat. Her brother died and her younger brother almost lost his life, but in this life, she would never let her father tie anyone up like this.
Li Cheng is not yet a powerful figure. If his father kills Lu Wei, he will be killed by the He family who are waiting behind. Uncle He has been coveting Qingzhou for a long time, and Jizhou is also a piece of fat meat.
How can we turn the tables? What if Li Cheng also agrees? No, forget about Li Cheng, and let's just go our separate ways.
So, Huiyin raised her eyebrows and looked at Deyin: "Sister, don't trust the prince's words too much. The prince is also hedging his bets. The prince saved you from the water that year, but you didn't know that the prince also saved me the next day. Which one of us sisters is moved first, once she marries her, she can tie the Zheng family to the prince's chariot. I didn't want to say this at first, but now that my sister keeps talking about these things, I have to say it."