85 Chapter 85
◎Two chapters in one◎
After sorting out the palace affairs in the morning, Huiyin felt sore in the waist and back. She really could not be as healthy as some women. Last time, a lady came to the palace and said that she was in better spirits after giving birth to a child. Now at the age of over 60, she is still full of energy and more vigorous than young people.
She was not like that. She had to take a rest. She was too lazy to eat lunch at noon and just ate a few snacks casually. When she woke up from her nap, she felt much more comfortable.
The people who served her also developed this habit and would almost always take a nap at noon. Mother Nan would come over with needlework, Linglu would make tea for everyone, and Huiyin would read a book on the side.
After finishing the book, I remembered something: "It seems like my eldest brother has another son."
Fu Gui smiled and said, "You are a noble man who forgets things easily. Yesterday you sent me to visit Pei's family."
"I've been so busy these days that I forgot about it." Huiyin said.
Now the eldest brother has two sons and a daughter, so they are brothers. But as for Sister Xian, Huiyin wants her to marry Guo Zhao's eldest son Guo Xing. This is also a combination of new and old officials.
Besides, Xianjie is sensible, and Guo Xing is also a very sensible child. Their marriage may not necessarily lead to a passionate relationship, but it will be very good and stable, which is better than many people.
But some things are not just about what she thinks is good, it also depends on whether her brother and sister-in-law are willing to do so.
Marriage is a union of friendship between two families, not a union of enmity.
It is also said that after Dong gave birth to a son, she had to take more care of her postpartum blood loss, but her eyebrows and eyes were relaxed. She had been married several times, but she married into a family like the Pei family. Her husband was handsome and powerful, and she also had a son. For her, life was already very perfect at this point.
Therefore, she asked someone to take five hundred taels and donate them to the temple as a merit.
If I don't wish for anything else, I'd just wish her a peaceful and simple life in the future, which is better than anything else.
Pei Shuo actually understood Dong's actions. When he came to live with his sister, he needed financial and human resources the most. Dong helped him without hesitation. This was a favor to him. What's more, all she needed was a place to live, which he could easily give her.
This time it was also because Pei Shuo was the Empress's brother and a general of the cavalry, a much higher rank than the Lieutenant General of Jizhou. His home was very lively, and Xin felt jealous seeing all this.
But the relationship between husband and wife was mostly determined by the power behind both parties. The Xin family was considered a prestigious family in Jizhou in the past, but now that the new dynasty has been established, the Xin family is nothing at all. So Xin was sarcastic and uncomfortable for a while, but she just let it go.
Moreover, she watched from the sidelines. Dong was a docile person and would usually push Pei Shuo to her place. Although she didn't know whether she was hiding evil in her heart or deliberately trying to please him, in short, if she used thundering means to deal with Dong now, she would be known as a jealous person. If Pei Shuo disliked her, her life would be difficult.
This is also why she, despite being jealous, still held a grand ceremony for the third-day wedding of Dong's son Jiange'er, treating him the same as her own son.
Seeing this scene, Ji said to her son Pei Shuo: "Your wife is a virtuous woman. You should be nicer to her."
"Don't worry, I will never treat Xin badly." Pei Shuo never thought about how to treat Xin. Xin was his first wife and she gave birth to his children. How could he possibly treat her badly?
Ji smiled and said, "That's good, that's good."
The mother and son came to an end of the topic and talked about the completion of the Yuzhang Palace. Pei Shuo's other mission in Beijing was to monitor the Yuzhang Palace.
Zheng Fang happened to come in from outside and also interrupted the topic: "The Prince of Yuzhang has no hope. The group of people in the territory of the Prince of Wei is leaderless. Some of them have joined Wei Duo, and most of them have joined the emperor. The emperor is now fighting Wei Duo on the front line. He is the emperor of Daye, and many people have secretly joined the emperor. But what does the Prince of Yuzhang have? He is a child, more than ten years old, not proficient in archery and horse riding, and can't recognize a few words. Even if he is a little smart, can he turn the world upside down? The premise of pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger is that you have to be a real tiger."
"Dad, I understand what you mean, but the queen told me to be more careful, I dare not be careless." After seeing how his sister caught the adulterer and seeing his words work, Pei Shuo's heart inevitably leaned towards his sister.
Zheng Fang was not as open with his stepson as he was with Zheng Wuheng. He just sighed slightly and said, "The emperor is not here now, so it's normal for your sister to be concerned about him. But if she's too concerned, I'm afraid the emperor won't like it."
He still thought like a traditional man. Pei Shuo was not without worries, but he thought about it and smiled: "Don't you know that the emperor hastily appointed the crown prince just to ensure the status of his sister? Maybe he wants his sister to be stronger so that she can help the crown prince keep the throne."
Zheng Fang's thoughts immediately diverged. Yes, everything he said now was based on the premise that the emperor would return. But if the emperor did not return, then with his daughter's qualities and talents, she could really stand on her own.
If his daughter really holds all the power, then he, the prince's grandfather, will definitely be given important positions.
"Ahem, Dad, what are you thinking about?" Pei Shuo poured wine for Zheng Fang.
Zheng Fang took a few sips from his wine glass and said, "No, I'm not thinking about anything. I just think you're too tired to do this and that."
Pei Shuo laughed and said, "What are you talking about? I can leave things to my son, which means I trust him."
This is actually a good thing for Pei Shuo. Although he can make achievements in the war, with Yuwen Dang here, no one can surpass him. Being able to help his sister in the capital and gain some favor in front of his nephew is better than anything else. People are most afraid of being idle. It is good to be idle for a day or two, but after a long time, nothing can be surpassed.
Speaking of the completion of the construction of Prince Yuzhang's Palace, Huiyin went to the Empress Dowager's Palace and said to Princess Wei and Yin Lifang: "I want to wait for an auspicious day, and then the ladies can go there."
Princess Wei was very happy: "Thank you, His Majesty, and the Empress, for your care." Yin Lifang also said a few words.
Of course, Huiyin was very happy to see these things. For now, Princess Wei and Yin Lifang could maintain peace for the time being with Empress Dowager Xun, but it would be hard to say what would happen after they leave the palace in the future.
Therefore, Huiyin would not let them off so easily, but pretended to be embarrassed and said: "But I have to complain to you two first. The country is just established now, and the emperor is fighting outside. These allowances may not be enough. I hope you two ladies will bear with me when the time comes."
There was a war going on outside, and even the palace had to live frugally, let alone outside the palace. Under the current circumstances, it was already very good that Prince Yuzhang was taken in.
Furthermore, when you are under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head. This is a truth that neither Princess Wei nor Yin Lifang can argue with.
They waited for an auspicious day after the beginning of spring and moved to the Prince of Yuzhang's Palace.
Huiyin's natal families, the Zheng and Pei families, as well as Yuwen's head family, the Guo family, all came to congratulate Qiao on her relocation. Cui Yuehuan and Ji said when they came back, "The outside of the Yuzhang Palace looks quite impressive, but the inside feels too delicate and detailed, not spacious enough."
"There aren't so many spacious places for him. This house is so beautifully built. I think it's suitable for him to live in. Even if the King of Wei has a close relationship with him, he was able to save the life of his widow and was given a house and good farmland. There's nothing to complain about." Ji thought that compared to those who were sent to the imperial tomb, they were already doing very well.
Cui Yuehuan nodded: "You are right."
Ji smiled again: "However, if the stepmother and biological mother of Prince Yuzhang live together, I'm afraid there will be no peace in the future."
"My daughter-in-law thinks they are all doing well in the palace." Cui Yuehuan said.
"That's because in front of the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager is not someone who can calm down trouble. But it's different with the Empress. If they keep causing trouble, they may not be able to get out of the palace." When Ji said this, she was quite proud of her daughter.
Cui Yuehuan recalled that in the list she sent last time, only one person had a problem, and the others were fine. She originally wanted to go to the palace to admit her mistake, but the queen not only did not blame her, but also said that she had worked hard.
In fact, it also shows that the Cui family did not do a good job. Fortunately, the queen was not the kind of person who would make things difficult for others. She encouraged her, saying that even if she had no merits, she had worked hard.
This incident also made Cui Yuehuan calm down a lot. She realized that there are always people better than you and that things cannot be handed over carelessly. From then on, she became more convinced of Huiyin.
It is also said that Yin Lifang and others are staying here for the first time, so how should they live here? This is not arranged by the palace, but purely arranged by themselves. In fact, the identities of the two are now equivalent. It is true that the Princess of Wei is the principal wife, but she is not the biological mother of Prince Yuzhang. This is the residence of Prince Yuzhang.
The Princess of Wei naturally wanted to live in the best courtyard, and Yin Lifang was willing to live there, but she was not Yin Liyi and could tolerate it, so she said in front of Prince Yuzhang: "Jing'er, let's give the best courtyard to the Princess."
"Mother..." Prince Yuzhang was of course closer to his mother. The Princess of Wei was kind to her only because she herself had no son.
Yin Lifang shook her head slightly and said to Princess Wei, "Princess, you should live in the upper courtyard."
With a look of being wronged, Jianjia couldn't help but speak up for her mother: "My mother is the principal wife, she should live in the upper house."
As soon as these words came out, Princess Wei secretly thought that it was not good. As expected, Yin Lifang was happy in her heart, but she said submissively: "Yes, yes, we will follow the arrangements of the princess and the county lord in everything."
豫章王年輕不懂其中關竅，只是覺得自己都做了郡王，母親卻還要避讓，心中憤懑。魏王妃雖然出來和緩了幾句，但還是沒用，豫章王和殷麗芳對她都已經是深恨了。
然而魏王妃也有自己的考量，她女兒還未嫁，她需要這個身份，否則殷麗芳真的成了女主人，她再出來也就尴尬了，因此也不會退讓。
這才頭一日，就有人把豫章王府的紛争報上來，徽音聽了勾唇一笑：“讓她們互相鬥着，如此倒不會想其她的，我就怕她們一致對外，反而不是好事。”
福桂道：“是啊，這倆都不是什麽好東西。之前魏王妃還想把她妹子嫁給咱們皇上，亂了人倫都不管，這殷次妃就更別說，滿肚子心思，生的人矮，心思倒是許多。”
“豫章王雖然是個孩子，但也是一府之王，如何平息府中的糾紛，這就要看他的智慧了。那豫章王府不協調，對于他們而言是壞事，對于咱們是好事。既然魏王妃住了正院，那咱們将來送東西，就給殷麗芳和魏王妃送一樣的，讓她們平起平坐。”
當年魏王之母魏太妃不就是成日挑唆吳太妃的，離開魏王府了，吳太妃根本就不敢作妖了，可見問題之所在，徽音不是那種好了傷疤忘了疼的人。
能夠回敬的人，她絕對不會客氣。
只不過，她站起來走在窗邊，看到外面的桃樹上已經有了粉色的花苞，喃喃道：“陛下離開大半年了，怎麽還沒回來呀……”
李澄此時正在前線鏖戰，他知道衛铎難纏，但是沒想到這般難纏，之前能打贏衛铎，純粹是衛铎并不了解他的路數，如今衛铎卻似乎對他了若指掌，這其中當然少不了之前投靠衛铎的魏王部下。
這些人曾經和李澄一起打過仗，很懂李澄的路數，且清楚李澄的性格。
李澄性格非常分明，這點和徽音不同，徽音可以忍受她不喜歡的人，會十年八年之後找機會謀定而後動的反擊。可他的性格很較真，一開始見徽音拟的禮單覺得不妥，都會一一改過來，幸而是徽音完全不計較。
現在衛铎就專門攻他這一點，讓他勝的不痛快，輸的也不服氣。
鄭無恒年紀最小，不敢給出建議，宇文當也巴不得打贏這一場仗一鼓作氣，因為一旦撤退，衛铎就會向前。
只能苦苦熬着，得另外想辦法。
“陛下，皇後娘娘來信了。”侍衛在外道。
李澄在外辛苦時，最大的滿足便是看徽音寫過來的信，只不過徽音太有分寸，往往都是許久才寫一封信。他的身邊之前有衛铎的眼線，好不容易才揪出來，當時都無法送信回去，就怕被人截取。
現在把這些人打發了，他才能光明正大的信。
信上先說她原本是不想打攪他的，可是實在是他這次出來許久，她想念的緊，又說她在京中把衛铎派過來的奸細抓了不少。
看到這裏李澄咧嘴一笑，徽音就是聰明啊。
她還在信上說窗邊的桃花出了花苞，也不知道花開的時候，能不能見到他……
李澄也很痛苦，他也想快些回去和妻子見面，夫妻二人這麽多年聚少離多的。還好徽音在信的末尾又鼓勵他說，越是最艱難困苦的時候越要放松，越要有耐心，若不然九十九步都走了，何苦敗在最後一步？
甚至這信中還藏了一條舊絲帕，他能認出來，這是徽音常用之物，倏地一下，李澄臉紅了。
他急躁的心情就這麽撫平了許多，在次日，他親自犒賞三軍，又和郭钊、宇文當、鄭無恒等人一起在營帳中商量，明顯他們都感覺到李澄神采奕奕許多。
“他們不是偷襲咱們糧倉，就是收買我們的人，打仗時倒也有幾個得用之人，但是那是因為他們知道我的路數。這次我要制定一個他無法預測的路數，甚至他無法預測的人。”李澄說完看向鄭無恒。
鄭無恒雖然也有不少經驗，但是在他們這裏，卻是新丁一樣，見衆人都看向他，連忙道：“皇上，末将暫時沒有別的想法。”
李澄笑道：“你且說說看，說錯了，朕也不會怪你。”
見姐夫鼓勵的看着自己，鄭無恒也就說了：“我看那衛老賊，最愛陸戰，且喜歡詭谲之術。若是我說他怎麽動，咱們不管，咱們巋然不動，他又能奈何？”
“好，你說的也算有道理。但是咱們不動他就會打過來了，所以我們完全不能退縮，不僅不能退縮，還要給對方增加籌碼。”李澄也想到了一個好主意。
誘敵深入這件事情，雙方都巴不得幹成，可并不是這麽容易的。
衛铎現在正招攬趙鴻，而趙鴻卻想投靠李澄，李澄原本準備納此人在麾下，但是又想到一個好法子。
但宇文當道：“如此可是很容易弄假成真啊？”
“此事正是試金石，若趙鴻與衛铎聯手，我們當讓兩仗，讓他們從平山過來，我們從後面包抄。”李澄很快就制定了計策。
很冒險，但是不冒險不行了，兵行險着罷了。
在制定計策之後，李澄帶着士兵日夜練兵，非常勤快，幾地的糧草送來的也很及時，鄭無恒跟着姐夫練兵無怨無悔，他和裴朔兄弟倆其實這點很像，都不容易生二心，不似鄭放似的，朝三暮四幾乎成了常态。
前線如此緊張，宮中在魏王妃和殷麗芳出宮之後，倒是恢複了平靜。
但徽音還是不敢真的放松，她很清楚，肯定還有一些衛铎的奸細沒有被拔出來。不過，最讓她覺得有些惋惜的是，宇文當的女兒要嫁給郭钊之子做親，兩邊的父親在戰場上把親事定下了。
郭興既然許了親事，就不能再在宮中住下了，徽音準備了不少賞賜，讓他帶回府中。江碧波早就把府上收拾好了，就等郭興回來，一應的擺設布置都是她親手操持，就是想讓繼子滿意。
當年她成婚的時候，郭興不過七歲，被皇後養在王府中，現下一晃過去了五六年了，這孩子已經是個小少年了，甚至連婚事都許了，還有兩三年就要成婚了，還封了世子，就不能當成一般的孩子看待。
殊不知郭興回府之前，其實早就和太子二人說了不少心裏話，就是如何和繼母相處。
太子就跟小大人似的勸道：“你怕什麽，她的為人我聽我母後說起過，說是個很能幹的人，一個人都能打理好些生意。這樣的人面子上總不會做的難看的，即便她真的做的難看，這不還有我嗎？還有我母後為你做主，你可千萬別怕。”
思緒拉回來，郭興之前其實也見過江碧波，但是沒有近距離接觸過，現在打了照面，連忙作揖：“兒子給太太請安。”
江碧波有些激動，但還是按捺住：“好孩子，已經為了安排好了院子，若有不喜歡的，只管說，來，詩姐兒，過來見過哥哥。”
郭詩是郭钊愛女，平素視為掌上明珠，她卻毫無半分驕矜之氣，小小年紀就懂事乖巧，連忙上前見過哥哥。
郭興舒了一口氣。
殊不知辛氏對這場郭家和宇文家的親事樂見其成，娘娘之前雖然有意提過，但是辛氏覺得女兒做太子妃未嘗不可，只不過，這是她心底的念頭。
現下吃了幾杯酒，和裴朔說起時，似乎就露出點意思來：“真沒想到宇文家和郭家這麽快聯姻了，原本在徐州的時候，我也是很看好郭興那孩子的。”
裴朔抿了一口酒：“郭家是新晉伯爵，郭興是伯爵世子，又是太子伴讀，将來前程無量，可惜了。”
“其實也沒可惜的，咱麽女兒的好日子興許還在後頭呢？”辛氏笑道。
裴朔不解：“你這是何意？莫非你看上了官階更高，更好的少年給咱們娴姐兒？”
辛氏笑嘻嘻的，只是不說。
裴朔算了一圈：“宇文當的兒子不似其父，簡丞相的孫兒倒是可以，荀家倒是想和咱們家成婚，可荀家一看就沒什麽出息，都是些庸碌攀附之輩。”
“你的眼光可以往上頭再高看一些。”辛氏笑道。
她以為丈夫會猜出來的，沒想到裴朔道：“豫章王，你說的是豫章王嗎？不成，不成，豫章王雖然是郡王，可家中複雜。未來這些宗室都不會有實權的，咱們女兒嫁過去那樣的人家規矩大，還不實惠。”
辛氏搖搖頭，用手指頭沾了酒，在桌上寫了兩個字，裴朔見了，趕緊抹了去，覺得心跳有些加速：“你瘋了？皇後娘娘可是沒這個意思。”
“我就是白日做夢又如何？咱們家娴姐兒哪裏都不差，還是娘娘的親侄女，娘娘多喜歡我們娴姐兒啊。”辛氏可不覺得差。
Pei Shuo said, "You are just dazzled by all these beautiful things. If the battle on the front line is victorious and His Majesty returns to the court, the whole of Daye will be reshuffled. If my daughter becomes the Crown Princess, what will those former ministers who followed the Emperor do? Why did the Guo family suddenly marry the Yuwen family at this time? It's obvious that the Guo family wants to kill the chance of Yuwen's daughter becoming the Crown Princess in advance."
After hearing this, Xin still had something to understand: "You mean the Guo family wants to marry their daughter to the prince?"
Pei Shuo nodded: "I'm afraid that's exactly what they were planning. Madam Guo is the Empress's adopted sister, and Guo Zhao is a humble man who became an earl. They are planning every step carefully! That's why I say you are blinded."