87 Chapter 87
◎Two chapters in one◎
The couple went to pay their respects to the Grand Empress Dowager. People in the palace used to call her Empress Dowager Xun, which was actually a very normal title. Some people even said behind her back that Huiyin was Empress Zheng, but she didn't care.
But she felt that the Empress Dowager was the Empress Dowager, her status was higher and Huiyin also respected her.
At the door, Li Cheng straightened his clothes. This set of clothes was made for him by Huiyin. The size was right. He could just put it on when he got home. The couple still had no awareness of being the emperor and empress. They slept in different palaces and were still the same as when they were in the palace.
"Your son pays his respects to your grandmother." Li Cheng bowed.
The Empress Dowager called out excitedly, "You didn't even tell me you were coming back from the battle. I asked my kitchen to prepare some wine and food for you to welcome me."
Li Cheng smiled and sat down. Huiyin also took the opportunity to sit down beside him. Then he said, "After my grandson pays his respects, I have to summon the Prime Minister and the three ministries to discuss government affairs. I'm afraid I won't have time to eat with my grandmother."
He himself didn't have time, and he didn't ask Huiyin to accompany him. He knew in his heart that his grandmother could be admired from a distance, but not too close. Otherwise, if the relationship was too close, it would be easy to lose the sense of boundaries and dare to make any requests, which would make him annoyed if he didn't agree or agreed. Therefore, it was best to greet her from a distance, honor her, and be polite to each other.
As for his wife, her emotions are more stable than his, and he loves her too. The couple understand each other very well, and they just may not talk enough or sleep enough.
Soon Li Cheng left. The Empress Dowager said unhappily, "When I get old, I'm not welcomed. Look, people don't even want to listen to me anymore."
Nanny Fan secretly complained, "You didn't do anything, but your family was appointed a high-ranking official, and you are supported by the whole country. Do you still expect the emperor to be in your arms? You can't have all the good things in the world."
The entire Zheng family came to surrender, but the Cui family didn't even get a title because they had no achievements.
But Nanny Fan said, "Everyone in and outside the palace is counting on our emperor. The emperor came to pay his respects in person. Who else in the world can be treated like this?"
The Empress Dowager thought to herself that no one else in the world had such treatment, but Zheng definitely had it, because his grandson was a complete wife slave. She secretly spat at him for being unfilial, but she didn't dare to really show it. She also knew that Li Cheng was the emperor now, not the child he used to be.
Li Cheng said that he was going to meet officials from the outer court, but he still sent Huiyin back to the palace. He didn't care about what others said about him spoiling his wife. If he didn't spoil such a good wife, what's the point of trying to balance? Otherwise, he would end up killing himself.
Managing a vassal state is easy, and even a local lord would find things complicated and confusing, but managing a country is like cooking a small fish. Anyone can say a few words, but you have to really start to do things. Especially Li Cheng, who always likes to do things too quickly, and can't wait to finish next year's work this year. When he saw the memorial sent by Prime Minister Jian Tan, he first read it quickly, and then asked very carefully, asking once for each copy, and his pen flew with dragons and phoenixes dancing.
Jian Tan was not young anymore, and his physical strength was different. He could no longer sit still after two hours. Li Cheng also noticed it. He looked up and saw that it was getting late. He laughed and said, "Today is my first day back, and I have troubled the Prime Minister."
Jian Tan said quickly: "This is my duty."
After saying that, Jian Tan quickly ran away. Li Cheng said to the eunuch, "Go and invite the queen over."
He still had to read the memorials for a while and was reluctant to leave now. Huiyin could understand. In fact, she was stewing soup, which was green bean, lotus seed and pork ribs soup.
Mung beans can clear away heat, and lotus seeds have the effect of nourishing the heart and calming the mind. After a long journey, Huiyin does not need to drink a tonic soup, but to nourish the mind so that she can sleep well. As long as a person can sleep well, it is better than anything else.
When Huiyin came over, she saluted with a smile: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
"Why should we be polite to each other? Come here quickly." Li Cheng was very happy because this was the life he had always dreamed of, with a wife and children by his side and ruling the world.
Huiyin said, "Your Majesty, please use it here, so that the soup won't be included in the memorials. You can also take this opportunity to move around a bit and exercise."
Li Cheng came over happily. He was very angry and drank a lot of tea to suppress it. He was afraid that Huiyin would make something tonic. He never thought that it was a refreshing green bean and lotus seed soup. The green and white colors were both extremely peaceful. He couldn't help but sip it. Huiyin took out two more snacks, one was red date glutinous rice cake, and the other was osmanthus milk cake.
Glutinous rice cake is Li Cheng’s favorite, and it is easy to digest with milk.
After Li Cheng finished eating, he was still not satisfied. Huiyin said with a smile: "Don't eat too much. If you eat too much, you will not be able to sleep easily."
"You always talk about rest. When I'm not around, do you always have trouble sleeping?" Li Cheng looked at his wife with concern.
Huiyin nodded without hesitation: "Yes, I am always afraid, but I don't know what I am afraid of. I am afraid that someone will break in through the window and take me away. Anyway, I am afraid. But once you come back, I am not afraid even if I walk at night."
Li Cheng thought it was a good idea to let Huiyin come over tonight.
Not to mention how the two of them spent a good time together, Cui Dalangjun also came back with Li Cheng. When he was young, he was proficient in divination and was very good at reading faces. It was because he saw that Wei Duo had the aura of an emperor that he joined him. However, his cousin Li Cheng, who originally had a short life, somehow became a dragon with great aura.
Therefore, he secretly said to his father Cui Xun: "Originally, I wanted to join Wei Duo, but somehow, after seeing the current emperor on the battlefield, my fate seemed to have completely changed. It's really strange."
Cui Xun was of course aware of his eldest son's capabilities, so he never thought of seeking refuge with his nephew from the beginning. Even when his nephew later became successful and became the emperor, he was a little flustered, but he still did not really try his best.
He is not only Li Cheng's uncle, but also the head of the entire Cui family. Naturally, he has to put the entire Cui family first.
After listening to his son, he stroked his beard and said, "Since ancient times, good fortune has been born. I see that the emperor's face has changed, which may mean that his fortune has improved. You turned the ship around in time and made a great contribution to the emperor. Our family can now maintain its wealth."
Cui Dalang was handsome and thin, with a somewhat immortal look. He knocked on the table again and said, "I wonder if there are gods or people helping the emperor? Otherwise, a person who died young could be brought back to life."
"I have been in Hebei for a long time, so I am not very clear about what is happening in the capital. But your sister married into the Zheng family, and she once said that the emperor has many extraordinary people under his command, and he often recruits talented people." Cui Xun said.
Cui Dalang laughed out loud and said, "Don't worry, we will know everything when we go to the capital."
However, it is said that Li Cheng was busy with official business day and night for three days after he came back. Huiyin was only intimate with him on the first day, and kept him under control for the other two days, hoping that he would get more rest.
Knowing that he likes to drink the soup she makes, Huiyin's small kitchen has never stopped working. Today, they are making snow pear and pork lung soup, which can moisturize and protect the lungs. You have to know that when Li Cheng was fighting, he inhaled a lot of dust and dirt every day, and he had to rely on himself to fight off the cold. How could he not take care of himself?
But generally speaking, she would not go forward unless Li Cheng summoned her, after all, he often summoned ministers during the day.
"You guys watch the fire first, I'll go out and take a look." Although Huiyin said this, she also left two people to watch, for fear that someone would take the opportunity to drug them.
She yawned a few times, feeling sleepy again. With Li Cheng's return this time, her complexion suddenly became very good, and she no longer felt any aches in her body.
I fell asleep in a short while.
Nan's mother covered her mouth and laughed secretly, then went out and said to Fu Gui, "Our grandmother looks so good, maybe in a few months, we can have another little prince."
But he didn't expect that Li Cheng came not long after Huiyin fell asleep. He took time out to go out for a walk. When he was fighting, he was away every day and wished he could be at home. But after sitting at home for a few days, at first there were too many things piled up, but he was energetic and clear-minded. He had sorted out those things and just came to Linde Hall to see his wife.
Unexpectedly, he saw the picture of a sleeping crabapple tree in spring. He signaled the people around him to step back and couldn't help kissing her sweet lips. When Huiyin felt drowsy, she found someone approaching her. She immediately opened her eyes and realized it was him, then her body relaxed.
"You should calm down. You have been thinking about these things these days. Now that you are in good health, don't act like this just because of your good health." Huiyin pushed him.
Li Cheng cried out, "You, I just miss you."
Huiyin scratched his nose and said, "I know you miss me, but let's talk about it at night. Come and lie down on the couch and have a good rest. These days, I see that the vein under your temple is so tense, and I know how tired you are."
"Do you mean at night?" He immediately turned over and lay beside Huiyin. The two of them were squeezed on one couch, which was obviously very crowded, but he didn't care.
The couple hadn't seen each other for two years, but the reason they didn't feel any strangeness at all was all thanks to Li Cheng's enthusiasm.
Huiyin felt a little hot, so she stood up and started sewing, but she was not serious at all. She just leaned over and whispered a few words in his ear, which made Li Cheng hold her hand tightly.
After more than a month, the army returned together, and Li Cheng began to reward them according to their merits. He gave two manors to Yuwen Dang, two thousand dan of land to Guo Zhao, Xie Qian was given the title of Earl and his three generations were allowed to inherit the title, Pei Shuo was given the title of Earl and his three generations were allowed to inherit the title, and his uncle's family, the Cui family, was given the title of Duke, and Cui Dalangjun was given two thousand dan of land...
All the ministers shouted that the emperor's grace was great, and Li Cheng now changed the original feudal system to a county system, and prepared to hold another imperial examination as soon as he took office.
This was an experiment that was very useful when he was in Xuzhou. The best way to recruit scholars was the imperial examination.
雖然璟兒還沒有到聽政的年紀，但是李澄對他的學業非常關注，也常常帶着他的身邊，并且驚喜的發現兒子讀書和武功竟然都沒有下降。
“看來父皇不在你的身邊的時候，你還是有好生讀書習武的。”
璟兒恭敬道：“母後日日敦促兒子，兒子雖然有的時候倦怠，總有母後提點。”別看他年紀小，但心裏很清楚，父皇看重母後，他與母後是一體的。
果然，聽說是母後提點，李澄歡喜的很：“有你母妃在，父皇是一點也不擔心的。之前還擔心你們淘氣，現下看來倒是很好。”
“兒臣多謝父皇誇獎。”璟兒笑道。
李澄則道：“現下跟着師傅好生讀書。”
“兒臣知曉。”璟兒道。
現下父子關系都是如此，很少有母子那般親熱的，皇帝這個身份本身就有壓迫感，幾乎是所有人都想讨好的對象，他的一句話就有生殺大權。
皇帝對國家是如此，一家之主在家的地位也是如此，就像郭興自從見了宇文家的姑娘之後就悶悶不樂。
甚至在郭钊喊他過來，打趣的問着：“見着宇文家的姑娘沒有……”
郭興的回答直接是：“宇文姑娘有內秀。”
內秀的意思就是外貌不太相襯，偏郭钊和宇文當相處許久，他暗自十分佩服宇文當，也知道陛下比起他來更信任宇文當。
宇文當大家出身，建功頗多，和宇文家結親比別的人都強。
所以，當晚郭钊問起江碧波的時候，江碧波倒是沒有掩飾，說實在的，她這位繼子的确出類拔萃，外貌也頗為出衆，但僅僅因為如此就斷了親，這實在是不現實。她又轉圜了一下：“宇文姑娘教養倒是不錯，為人頗為貞靜。”
“興兒還年輕，只看重外表，我看女子內秀比什麽都好。”在郭钊看來，他是寒門，只不過曾經因為武力過人被吳王看重，後來成了世子最低等的護衛，承蒙世子慧眼識珠，提拔于他。但即便如此，他的根基是不能和宇文家比的，所以為兒子選妻子，就必定要選這樣大家族出身的。
江碧波是個乖人，素來不會多參與什麽，尤其是繼子的婚事，她只道：“老爺決定了就好了。”
作為續弦，郭钊對江碧波是很滿意的，聰明美麗不多事，擔當的起主母之責。
現在聽她也贊許自己的建議，郭钊道：“你是皇後娘娘的幹妹妹，平常無事時也要多去宮中走動一番。我在前線，知曉皇後娘娘對皇上的影響可不一般，否則這次不會讓裴朔封伯爵，還在戰場上帶着鄭無恒。”
這倆都是皇上的小舅子，若非看重皇後娘娘，怎會如此安排？
江碧波聽出他嘴裏有些許不滿，倒也不為鄭家人說什麽，雖說明面上她也是喊紀氏幹娘的，但是她也清楚自己現在是郭家的人。
所以，對丈夫的吩咐，她只應是。
郭钊又笑：“你明白就好了，詩姐兒呢，也抱出去來我看看，我怪想她的。”
詩姐兒很快就來了，郭钊從懷裏掏出一顆碩大的夜明珠，就連江碧波這樣出自大商賈之家，什麽好東西都見過的，看到這顆珠子都驚訝的很。
“你把它放在紗帳上，夜裏會有幽咽之光，這是東海之珠，拿去玩兒吧。”郭钊說的很輕松。
詩姐兒看了她娘一眼，江碧波則道：“伯爺，這夜明珠也太貴重了，給她一個小孩子，萬一不見了可怎麽是好？”
郭钊搖頭：“俗話說窮養兒子富養女兒，兒子嘛，反倒是在宮中養着，女兒卻不能委屈了她。她要什麽好的，只管給她就是了。我還想為她請幾個規矩好的嬷嬷來，你不是和娘娘的關系好麽？可以看看娘娘有沒有放出去的人，只管請來教教規矩。”
江碧波知曉丈夫一直對女兒很好，但是好到這個程度就已經有些奇怪了。
她雖然平時不怎麽反駁郭钊，但現在卻還是問道：“伯爺，這是為何啊？咱們詩姐兒的年紀還不大啊。”
郭钊本不欲說自己心中的盤算，但知曉夫妻一心，若他不說清楚，妻子日後不懂其意，胡亂行事也就不好了。
只聽他道：“咱們詩姐兒的年齡和二皇子相仿，以我的身份，咱們詩姐兒是伯爵千金，便是做個皇子妃也不是不成。”
原來是因為這，江碧波手下帕子一松，卻掉在了地上，她看向女兒，不由得道：“雖說我和皇後娘娘關系不錯，娘娘也喜歡我們詩姐兒，但是這樣的事情我們若太上杆子，反倒是教人瞧不起。娘娘的為人我還是有些清楚的，她這個人不愛別人太有目的的要什麽，若是被她察覺，那反而不好。”
“對，對，還是你有這個謀算。反正我和你說，也是為了我們家好，咱們女兒是貴命，若是平白矮嫁了，那才是對不起女兒。太子妃那茬兒，我不敢想，可二皇子妃難道我們還想不得了。”郭钊笑道。
江碧波心中已經有了計較，面上倒是笑道：“伯爺真的疼詩姐兒，我這後半輩子也就放心了。”
郭钊聲音暧昧了起來：“咱們再給詩姐兒生個弟弟就是了。”
比起郭钊家已經是開宗明義的準備争皇子妃的頭銜，裴朔這裏則是慶賀自己榮封伯爵，辛氏以及她娘家人都過來慶賀，大家都很歡喜，甚至辛氏見到娘家嫂子的周歲的女兒，還為董氏的兒子直接就說了親事。
夜裏，裴朔問道：“你怎麽也不問我，就說了親事。”
在裴朔看來，辛家如今早就和裴家不相襯了，畢竟他的庶子，那也是伯爵府的少爺。
辛氏笑道：“我也是想着董氏和我似姐妹似的，他兒子若是娶了我娘家侄女，那不是親上加親嘛。想那年，我哥哥與你吃酒時就說要做兒女親家的，只不過固哥兒年紀不合适，正好有小哥兒來。你若不同意，就作罷算了，也不是什麽大事，我哥哥他們也不會怪罪。”
“罷了罷了，我們若是鄭重其事的說了，人家反而覺得我封了爵，反而看不起人了。也便如此罷，你哥哥也是讀書人，今科皇上要開恩科，也讓他過來考。”裴朔道。
辛氏見裴朔沒有反對，心裏隐約松了一口氣。
那邊董氏卻沒什麽太大反應，她的身份不高，裴朔雖然擡舉她，但是她的年華在這裏，日後裴朔遲早也會有更鮮嫩的女人，她在這件事情上若是和大奶奶鬧翻了，又能讨什麽好。
還不如裝洋，反正兒子是伯爵府的公子，怎麽也不會虧待他的。
她不露出什麽不滿之色，身邊的人也不會說這些有的沒的，倒是下人們都覺得她好，連紀氏都和鄭放道：“那辛氏算得真精，好好地伯府公子，竟然跟她娘家結親了。”
鄭放冷哂：“要我說朔兒就是太要臉面了，她自己在那兒自說自話的，若是我，我就不同意。”
“也不能這麽說，以前朔兒和辛家關系還是很好的。”紀氏忍不住幫兒子說話，這世上似鄭放這樣随心所欲的人也少。
鄭放卻道：“辛家以前倒是不錯，可現在早已天翻地覆了，還指望和之前那般不成。辛氏以前看着倒是人不錯，哪曾想也是個心中盤算頗多的，滿肚子的盤算，就是不為朔兒盤算。”
這個道理紀氏哪裏不懂呢，辛氏這是為了自己兒子的地位，生怕将來裴朔疼董氏的兒子越過她的兒子去，所以先下手為強，後宅的女人只消一眼也就看明白了。
這樣的話，紀氏當然是進宮同徽音說了，嘴裏不是沒有埋怨的：“我還真沒想到她來這一手，本來是你哥哥封伯爺的好日子，我還跟着高興呢。”
徽音作為小姑子當然是想站在哥哥這邊，但她道：“她也沒資格先斬後奏，但哥哥既然同意了，咱們也就別多說了。”
“這口氣我是下不去。”紀氏對兒媳婦一貫是不錯的，這次只覺得辛氏行事太過了些。
徽音則道：“不聾不啞不做阿翁。我在中間也不好說什麽，若說多了，反倒是亂了哥哥的家，如今哥哥成了伯爵。就像崔家，還是天子的舅家，明日要進宮來赴宴，皇上親自招待他們，我也要過去。”
聽徽音說起崔家，紀氏笑道：“你弟妹這些日子腰杆子都挺直了，她娘家到底還是出息了。”
“本就是皇上的舅家，又怎麽會虧待呢？”徽音說話間，外頭說郭夫人遞了牌子過來。
紀氏問道：“可是郭伯爺家的？”
徽音微微一笑：“可不是。”
一個伯爵府的庶子，打主意的還不少，更何況是她的兩個兒子，太皇太後娘家也有意，郭家也有意還有不少人家也是如此，只是不敢在她這裏放肆罷了。
But on the next day, Cui Xun brought his two sons and their families into the palace. Li Cheng and Huiyin sat in the seats of honor. Cui Dalang followed his father in paying respects. He had met Yuwen Dang, Guo Zhao, Jian Tan, and even Pei Shuo and Xie Qian in recent days, and there was nothing strange on their faces.
But today, when I saw the empress's face again, her appearance was dignified and solemn, with a phoenix about to emerge from between her brows. At first glance, she was a person with great fortune and the ability to change the world.
It turned out that it was she who changed Li Cheng's fate, it turned out to be her!