59 Chapter 59
◎Two chapters in one◎
"Speak clearly, what do you mean by you're sorry to me? It's as if you and I have some kind of relationship. I said it very clearly, I saved Li Jing because my mother asked me to marry you before she died, but you married the uncle of Wei. I felt that I caused you to become a concubine, so I saved your son to repay the favor, and from now on we owe each other nothing. But you, you still think I'm interested in you?" Li Cheng was so angry that he died.
Yin Lifang covered her chest in disbelief: "You mean you didn't save Jing'er for me?"
Li Cheng said as a matter of course: "Yes, I was feeling guilty, and I felt relieved after repaying you for this favor. Also, don't always say that I seem to have feelings for you, I only have my wife in my heart."
"Okay, since you're so determined to clear up the issue between us, I won't mention it. I'll just talk about Jing'er here—"
"Wait, what do you mean by eliminate? There is nothing between us. Are you crazy? Why are you so self-indulgent? The three of you sisters combined don't look as good as me. Do you really think you are some kind of beauty who would conquer a whole country?" Li Cheng felt like he was about to explode with anger and felt very wronged.
After hearing the gentle voice calling "husband", Li Cheng ran to Huiyin's side like an arrow shot from a bow. Huiyin knew that Yin Lifang was most concerned about the issue of offspring now. Looking at Concubine Xu who had already run away, she knew that she had deliberately lured her over.
So Huiyin stood in front of Li Cheng and said to Yin Lifang: "Just now, Concubine Xu brought me here. I know you are arguing over the so-called succession, but this matter is not something we can interfere with. Please don't make things difficult for us."
Seeing that Li Cheng was still trying to argue, she quickly pulled him aside and said, "You are here today to discuss the burial arrangements with Aunt Wang. What are you doing standing here?"
So the couple went out, and Yin Lifang heard Li Cheng still complaining: "They are the ones who replaced the prince with a cat, I just came to talk about the burial."
After hearing this, Yin Lifang had nothing to understand. It turned out that all of this was just her own wishful thinking. Li Chengzhi was such a despicable person, and he was so aggressive towards her, a woman.
After coming out of here, she went to see the Princess of Wei and shook her head: "Young Master will not participate."
Princess Wei stood up and looked at Yin Lifang: "I didn't expect the problem to be with him. He would actually turn against us."
Yin Lifang could sense that the way Princess Wei looked at her showed that she was useless. It turned out that propriety, righteousness, and integrity were useless, and profit was more important than anything else.
No matter how Princess Wei and Yin Lifang plotted, or how Concubine Xu and her brother planned, in the end, Huiyin and Li Cheng had no intention of fighting with them.
But Xie Jiuyi still brought Yin Liyi with him at night. Xie Jiuyi and his wife were both familiar with Li Cheng and had an average relationship with Huiyin. They originally thought that only Li Cheng came, but when they saw Huiyin here, they both felt a little uncomfortable.
Huiyin of course also noticed it. The two of them acted as if Li Cheng was one of their own and they could talk to him easily, and they felt uncomfortable with Li Cheng being here.
"Young Prince, I have some personal matters to discuss with you alone." Xie Jiuyi felt that it was inconvenient with too many people around.
Li Cheng cheerfully made a gesture of invitation, and the men left. Huiyin and Yin Liyi had never gotten along, and the two of them sat opposite each other, looking at each other in bewilderment.
However, Yin Liyi smiled bitterly and said, "I didn't expect that the young prince would not stand on our side."
Huiyin disagreed with this: "The King of Wei has three sons. Although your nephew is the eldest son, the King of Wei has written a letter saying that the second son will succeed him. The sons of the King of Wei are all cousins to the young prince, so any one of them can be the heir."
"Then Jianye will be in chaos..." Yin Liyi was so anxious that she was about to cry.
Huiyin really felt that she hadn't figured it out yet, and was still hoping that Li Cheng would be loyal to his master. It was simply too absurd. They were all descendants of the dragon and the phoenix. The King of Wei was not even the emperor, and the King of Wei's son was not even the crown prince. How could Li Cheng be loyal to him?
Moreover, even if he was the crown prince, many people were not convinced. Wasn't the King of Wei not convinced? So he occupied the south of the Yangtze River and became the king.
So, she looked at Yin Liyi and said, "There is chaos everywhere in the world, and there is no place of peace. Don't you know this after returning from Yuzhou? The world is so big, and the capable should rule it."
If Li Cheng is not capable, he will just be a pawn for others in the future.
…
After leaving the Huaiyin Palace, Xie Jiuyi and Yin Liyi got on the carriage. Yin Liyi said, "I'm afraid the young prince has developed a desire to be independent."
"I've always worried that he would rebel, but fortunately he doesn't have that intention now." Xie Jiuyi was actually relieved.
Yin Liyi looked at her husband and said, "How is that possible? But this time he wanted Wu County, so why didn't the Guo brothers stop him? Wu County is a heavily taxed place."
Yin Liyi knew very well that recuperation was very expensive.
Xie Jiuyi said, "He just took Yuzhou and is neutral on the matter of King Wei. The Guo brothers are of course happy. Concubine Xu has only one brother. If it weren't for King Wei's promotion, I wouldn't let him take credit for it. If Concubine Li Xu's son inherits the title, they can control everything. But King Wei will never give them any message."
He died too hastily. If it wasn't so urgent, I could have asked him myself.
Yin Liyi felt relieved when she saw that her husband had come up with a solution, but she felt sorry for Cao again when she thought of her.
Sure enough, no matter how the Xu family jumped around, Xie Jiuyi had a countermeasure. He first found the person who helped the Xu brothers and sisters to forge the souvenirs, and then sought support from the civil and military officials in Wei. After the King of Wei was buried, he quickly asked the chief historian to send a letter to the capital to report the news. More than a month later, the capital sent back news that Yin Lifang's son was named King of Yuzhang.
Li Cheng recovered Wujun, Piling and Guangling this time, and from then on, the King of Huaiyin and the King of Wei had no connection. Concubine Wu also went to Xuzhou with Li Cheng and his wife. After Huiyin returned from here, she lived a peaceful life. No matter what the Yin sisters did, she had forgotten them all, and the so-called white moonlight came to an end.
In the past, Li Cheng had to report to King Wei on all matters related to the administration of Xuzhou, but now he has full authority and things are changing.
Without the support of Concubine Wei and the people in Prince Wei's Palace, Concubine Wu did not have the confidence to cause trouble.
Huiyin's side was calm. Although Yin Lifang got what she wished for and her son became Prince of Yuzhang, she did not have the happy ending she had imagined. The Huo family did not actually contribute much this time. The Princess of Wei always wanted to hold Prince of Yuzhang in her arms. Concubine Xu and her son did not get what they wished for, but they always made some small moves, not to mention that her sister Yin Lifang's family was also not peaceful.
These were secondary. The most unbearable thing in her heart was that Li Cheng completely ignored her. It turned out that he had no intention of her at all.
In the blink of an eye, it is spring again. Everything is reviving. The winter jasmine flowers are filled with butterflies and bees collecting nectar. Jing'er has started to go to school, and Zhan'er has learned to walk.
Linglu and Lingjiu came over with lychee drinks and said with a smile, "Princess, there's a letter from the prince. Steward Qiao brought it over."
After the death of King Wei, the word "young" was no longer added before Li Cheng's name of Prince. He visited Qingzhou and Yuzhou these days. Spring is the time to encourage agriculture and mulberry, so now he has the leisure to write to you.
Huiyin went to read the letter again. It contained a lot of news. He said that people in Yuzhou eat a lot of noodles, which are better than those in the south. He asked someone to send a lot of wheat back so that she could eat it whenever she wanted. He also said that when he was in Wu County, he ate the fresh meat mooncakes that he loved most when he was a child, so he asked someone to send a few boxes back. In addition, Wu County's candied fruits were unique, so he asked someone to bring them back, and if he couldn't finish them, he could share them with people around him.
She put the letter down and saw the maids carrying boxes and crates coming in. She couldn't help but scolded, "He is the same. Nowadays, you can't buy anything in the grocery stores, but he still sent it to us."
Fugui and the others all laughed and said, "This is because the prince has great affection for you."
Huiyin asked them to open the boxes one by one, and sent the flour to the small kitchen. She asked the kitchen staff to bake the rest of the fresh meat mooncakes and send them back. They tasted really good, so she took a box and asked Fugui to share it with the people around him. There were also preserved fruits and candied fruits, which were used to make various snacks.
In the afternoon, Jing'er came back from studying. Seeing the snacks were delicious, she ate a few more.
"This is the preserved fruit your father brought back. It looks very fresh to me, not the greasy taste of those salted with sugar, so I specially asked someone to use it as a treat." Huiyin smiled.
Jing'er was smart, able to sit still for a child of his age, and learned quickly. Li Cheng said that when he grew up a little, he would teach him how to ride a horse himself and would also hire a master to teach him martial arts, so she hardly needed to worry about her son.
Compared to her previous life when she was very cautious during pregnancy and was afraid her son would be poisoned, and lived in fear every day, her life now is so comfortable.
Jing'er asked Huiyin again: "Mother, when will father come back? I miss him so much."
"It will take about one or two months. After sowing in the spring, we will have food for the whole year." Only with food can we provide for the soldiers. Huiyin did not say the rest of this sentence.
After the mother and son finished their meal, Huiyin went back to her room and fell asleep. She slept soundly that night, but when she woke up in the morning, she had a dream. When she woke up, she felt uncomfortable for a long time, but she could not remember what she dreamed about.
Originally, she didn't believe in ghosts or gods at all, but since she was reborn, she should still have some respect for some things.
She decided to go to the temple to burn incense. Concubine Wu never talked to her much before, but this time when she heard that she was going to the temple and said that she wanted to go too, Huiyin had no choice but to let someone make arrangements.
Huiyin never went out casually for fear of unnecessary trouble. This time she chose a nearby temple. However, because the temple was not grand enough, Concubine Wu did not say much outside, but started to dislike it in the meditation room.
"This is such a shabby temple. Look at the state of the meditation room. Yet you arranged for us to come here. You really don't have to think about what you are doing." Concubine Wu shook her head.
徽音只能認錯：“孫媳不常出來，只是想着王爺吩咐不許走遠，所以才選了這兒。”
吳太妃不以為然：“若徐州都要這般小心，那豈不是打你們王爺的臉？”
徽音知曉她糊塗，也就低着頭，并不多說什麽。因為她知道吳太妃從建業來，常常嫌棄徐州不如建業繁華，但她現在已經是拔了牙的老虎，不過是閑話幾句，徽音也懶得和她計較。
果然，吳太妃說了幾句，也怕徽音真的生了氣，讓她下去了。
從太妃這裏出來，她便去捐了一百兩的香火錢，拜遍了菩薩，吳太妃累倦的很，想留宿這裏一夜，徽音見天色已晚，不好趕路，也在此地歇息。
原本出來想花錢消災的，沒想到竟碰到一件奇事，夜晚，靈鹫靈鹿姐妹在房裏打着地鋪，外間福桂和冬順兩人歇息着。這冬順小時候受過凍，冬日靠自己熬過來，所以總是體熱，今日不知是不是吃壞了肚子，讓外頭的婆子陪着她去茅廁，一路上倒是小心翼翼。
但徽音在外總擇床，她打算等冬順關門後睡覺，就是沒想到她想着想着自己睡着了，等次日醒過來時，聽到房裏有人在哭。
“這是怎麽了？”徽音揉了揉太陽穴。
福桂正在床尾疊着衣裳，聽徽音問起，不免道：“王妃，冬順這丫頭昨晚出去出恭，晚上就回來說見了鬼，我怕她吵着您，看她是吓傻了似的。”
“我聽說這廟是一座古剎，只是徐州連年征戰，一打仗老百姓就往廟裏避開，如此一來這裏破敗許多，肯定也死過不少人。”別看平日徽音很怕鬼，但真正遇到事情了，她還是敢擔當。
說罷，又讓南媽媽熬一碗安神湯給那冬順，她則親自去吳太妃那裏，說今日要離開。
二人正說着話，又聽南媽媽進來道：“王妃，昨日那幾個作怪的人抓來了，說是從北邊過來的流民，躲在這廟裏，說如今的這位方丈不讓生人進來。他們是偷偷躲在這裏的，不想被人發現，昨日怕冬順知道亂說，所以故意扮鬼吓唬他們的。”
北地的流民？
徽音從不缺食少穿，現在多半在徐州建業這樣的富庶之地，對周遭之環境也不是很了解，她倒不怪人家扮鬼，就想打聽北邊的事情，聽罷，遂讓人把他們領進來，隔着屏風問起。
“你們說是北地的，是哪兒來的？”徽音問道。
那幾人有男有女，南媽媽特地選了個十二三歲口齒伶俐的女子進來回話，那女孩兒一臉黃皮，頭發細軟，臉上還有大塊白斑，一看就是餓到如此地步。
那姑娘三下五除二的把細點吃完，就回話：“小人是從冀州來的，去年冀州又是下大雨，又是鬧幹旱，原本我們家裏有二十來畝地，全部淹了，後來好容易靠餘糧撐到秋天，又幹旱了，家中顆粒無收，冀州又要征兵，我們只好往南邊跑，沒想到……”
父親竟然又在征兵，冀州又是遭暴雨又是遭幹旱，似她們這樣的人家不知凡幾。徽音讓南媽媽賞了衣裳和糧食，又送了二十兩銀子，那群人千恩萬謝的，徽音只嘆息不已。
冀州百姓的日子不好過，她爹又不像李澄這樣勤勉，春耕之時還要親自各地都去查看，春耕結束後，又要練兵，和自己相處的時間都是抽空的，也難怪李澄占的地盤不大，但是每逢打仗都兵強馬壯，這不是他憑空得來的，而是他自己治理的。
冀州的确不太平，紀氏原先和徐太夫人都吃的莊子上的粳米熬的粥，如今她們倆吃的雖然是上等米，但比往年差了許多。
鄭放從京中回來又唉聲嘆氣，紀氏不免多問了幾句：“你這是怎麽了？好容易進京，倒是成了這幅樣子。”
“太子越發寵幸那姓石的了，皇上封了石崇為羽林軍統帥，今日他與我比試一場，竟然贏了我。”
紀氏大驚：“侯爺怎麽會和他比試？”
鄭放扶額：“是我小瞧了那年輕人，有意露一手，沒想到還被人教訓了。”
丈夫的性子，紀氏是再清楚不過了，仗着幾分武藝，簡直是睥睨天下。恐怕他下場和石崇争，也是有人挑唆的，于是又問起緣由來。
鄭放果然說起是有人激他，他才上前，如今輸了，好生沒臉。
夫妻二人正想法子，又有人說鄭放寵姬病了，紀氏不耐煩道：“也不看是什麽時候了，還想着争寵，讓她下去。”
平日這些姬妾争寵，紀氏并不放在心上，她都這把年紀了，有需求之時就喊鄭放過來，鄭放待她也算小意，平日身子不适時，只想自己歇息，那些姬妾們争來争去不過就是首飾衣裳，無傷大雅。
現在這個時候，再來糾纏，那就是不懂事了。
鄭放聽到也跟沒聽到似的，只在紀氏這裏道：“我丢了臉不打緊，就怕石崇看中了我的地盤，他是西洲軍出身，上次我在西洲落敗。他兵馬雖然少，可個個強悍精壯。”
別看鄭放在外平日個頭高大，虎目微瞪就吓死個人，其實對于紀氏而言，他卻是個外強中幹的，心中也有許多害怕恐懼。
紀氏就道：“你也不必怕，還有朔兒和恒兒呢，橫豎你年紀大了，讓他們年輕人上場。”
“他們若是像女婿那樣，我自然是不會擔心，女婿如今又取了豫州，只可惜他為何不把魏王的封地占了算了，若他全部收攏了，我也自當投靠女婿算了。”鄭放又自暴自棄起來。
紀氏只管笑道：“你這話說的有趣，人家那地盤恁大，憑什麽給你？你當姓謝的是吃素的，上次人家謝将軍奪取青州多容易啊，要不是呂威、何國舅聯合起來擊打他，恐怕他還一路打上來，女婿怎好翻臉？”
鄭放原本有吞并寰宇之心，可惜被現實重挫，又聽紀氏說起收成不好的事情，更加覺得煩躁不堪，紀氏則道：“你既然怕石崇打過來，冀州之地咱們就要好好經營，我如今也看出來了，太子也是頗有手段之人。”
瞧，衛铎之女嫁進來之後，聽說也愛上了這位太子，且衛铎之女還有了身孕，恐怕太子妃的位置就是那衛家女兒的了。
也正因衛家女兒有孕，太子去東華寺上香，聽說差點被賊人刺傷，因被石崇所救，故而讓他去了羽林軍，然而紀氏總覺得這一切都是做戲。
太子是個多面手，呂家不成，何國舅去了，鄭放自以為去收攏他們舊部，卻耗損自己的兵馬也沒得到應得的，太子卻暗自收攏了人馬。
而冀州之地離京裏太近，恐怕丈夫被人看破手腳了，若冀州被打下來，那太子的屬地就多了，将來征讨各處也有所本了。
鄭放見紀氏也贊同她的想法，愈發覺得呂威死後，太子露出峥嵘，對自己也不如以前。
“難怪徽音之前說我身處其中，不參與這些事情反而好。”
紀氏見他這般喪氣，也不好多說什麽了。
但夫妻倆都沒提冀州欠收這些事情，以她們這個年紀的人看來，這種事情都只是一時的，并不是長久之計。
卻不曾想石崇正和太子李珩商議：“冀州有一土匪叫灌慶，近來冀州流民流離失所，他們見那些身強力壯的都去了山上。依臣想，鄭放那厮賊無禮，幾次三番不受您的征調，既不去要回青州，也不去幫張頌打跑李澄，如今倒是讓淮陰王坐大。魏王這一去，豫章王的地盤恐怕到時候都到了淮陰王手中，咱們提前若是不除去此人，日後，他可就占據了半壁江山了。所以，鄭放這裏絕不要掉以輕心，讓這些土匪去鬧，消耗冀州兵力，我等再奉命剿賊，把冀州拿下。”
李珩撫掌：“君果然如孔明一般，我有君相助，如有神助。”
當下二人又密密商議。
卻不知徽音把冀州的事情告訴李澄，她主要想的是黎民失所，到時候會不會都由嘉浒關偷偷跑來徐州，将來人多了，容易糾結一起造成混亂。
就是徐州本地的這些世家大族，時常都有械鬥，還是李澄下了大力，不許械鬥，常常派兵巡邏，又殺雞儆猴，如此，徐州才安靜許多，但那些流民過來，太多了就容易生事。
李澄收到信之後，也佩服徽音見微知著的能力，連他也沒想到李珩會這個時候要冀州，因他此番新收攏豫州和吳郡，得多治理駐軍，還得招兵，旁的事情便沒有留心。
于他而言，魏王去世之後，即便有謝九儀輔佐，可謝九儀只不過是臣屬，霍家、郭家甚至許家都不會看謝九儀坐大，偏聽聞謝九儀還把之前納的曹家女退回本家。依照李澄猜測，謝九儀恐怕也是為了殷麗儀，但此番實在是打臉曹家。
那曹家雖然是商戶，可也不是尋常商人，将來指不定還會報複。
要李澄說還不如不納，這般納了又把人退回去，簡直打人家的臉。
If it were before, Li Cheng would definitely write a letter to remind Xie Jiuyi, but he certainly wouldn't do that now, just like he is not interested in the affairs of Jizhou now, and only focuses on rebuilding the territory of Poyang, because some of the territories are within his reach, and he is eager to stir up some water.