Chapter 157

Winter came a little early in the capital this year. In Jiang Yanyi's memory, it seemed that it had only rained a few times, and the weather was getting colder day by day.

When she woke up in the morning, the light in the room was a little dim. She said to Chenyu, "It's probably going to be another rainy day today."

Huo Jianjia came in from outside with a washbasin and said, "Master, you have to wear something thicker today. It's raining and snowing outside!"

"Rain and snow?" Jiang Yanyi had just combed her hair. She got up and walked to the door. She saw that it was indeed cold rain mixed with fine snow in the yard outside. The cold wind penetrated into the collar, making people shiver.

Jiang Yanyi said with some emotion: "It's winter again."

At this time last year, she and Qiu Kui were running a small antique soup shop in Xizhou, and what they thought about most every day was how to make money.

But a year has passed, and when she recalls that time, it seems like a lifetime ago.

Thinking of Qiu Kui, Jiang Yanyi couldn't help but miss her again. It was still late spring when she left Xizhou, and Qiu Kui's belly was not yet pregnant. The blacksmith was a caring person, so he let Qiu Kui stay at home to give birth and take care of the baby, and he also hired a maid to take care of the housework.

Calculating the months, the baby in Qiu Kui's belly is probably more than eight months old now.

She said, "Jianjia, please keep an eye out for me. If there are any caravans going to Xizhou in the near future, just let me know and I will ask them to bring some things to Qiu Kui."

Huo Jianjia and her daughter used to be escorts in the Beijing Escort Agency. They have a wide network of contacts in Beijing. Although she doesn't escort anymore, she still has a good relationship with those escorts. It's easy to find out the direction of a caravan.

Huo Jianjia was good friends with Qiu Kui, and nodded vigorously, saying, "I'm afraid Qiu Kui will give birth in two months."

Jiang Yanyi said, "The climate in Xizhou is not suitable for people. When Ruyi Tower and Noodle Shop in Beijing are opened, she and Luo Tiejiang will settle here and you will have a companion."

Huo Jianjia was very happy and grinned, "I will teach their children how to use a big sword when the time comes!"

Jiang Yanyi couldn't help laughing when he heard it.

Chenyu pondered the meaning of Jiang Yanyi's words, looked at Huo Jianjia calmly, then looked at Jiang Yanyi, and hesitated to speak.

Jiang Yanyi sat on the embroidered cushion, holding a soup bowl in one hand and flipping through the account book with the other. He said to Huo Jianjia, "Jianjia, go to the kitchen and get breakfast."

Huo Jianjia responded and went to the kitchen. Jiang Yanyi then looked at Chenyu and said, "Ask whatever you want to ask."

Chenyu twirled her fingers nervously, bit her lip and asked, "Boss... don't you plan to bring Jianjia into the palace?"

Jiang Yanyi looked away from the account book and looked at Chenyu. Outside the window, it was raining and snowing: "Jianjia's personality is not suitable for the palace. She is more comfortable in the vast world outside the palace."

She retracted her gaze and looked at Chenyu: "My original intention was to bring you into the palace. If you don't want to, I won't force you."

Chenyu knelt down hurriedly: "I swear to follow the master until death. Where the master is, I will be there."

Jiang Yanyi said: "Get up, don't let Jianjia know about this first."

Chenyu nodded repeatedly.

Jiang Yanyi continued to look at the account book, but his eyes were a little absent-minded, and he couldn't read it anymore.

She had been thinking about whether to bring Huo Jianjia into the palace for some time. There were many rules in the palace, and Huo Jianjia didn't like being bound. Jiang Yanyi felt that it was unfair for Huo Jianjia to be confined in the palace. Just as she

was worrying, Huo Jianjia had already brought back the food, and her smile was almost split from her ears. It was obvious that she had encountered something happy.

Jiang Yanyi asked her, "Why are you so happy?"

Huo Jianjia said, "Boss, the southern border has won a great victory. The Minghan Kingdom was beaten and took the initiative to ask for peace. The Liaonan King's army is already on the way back to the court!"

Jiang Yanyi was also very surprised to hear the news. After months of anxiety, he finally waited for this great victory.

It was the end of November when Feng Shuo led his troops to the capital.

The sky was gray and snowing heavily, but the long streets were still full of people welcoming the army's triumphant return.

Chu Changping and Chu Chengmao, as Feng Shuo's subordinates stationed in the capital, went to the city gate to greet them early in the morning.

Jiang Yanyi went out later than the others. It was because of this that she saw a young servant who she didn't know crying and begging the guard at the gate: "Guard brother, please be kind and inform Mr. Chu that my old man hanged himself this morning with a white silk thread. If he hadn't been found early, he would have been almost impossible to save."

The guard said impatiently: "Today, the Liaonan King's army returned triumphantly. Mr. Chu went to the city gate to welcome the army and was not at home. Besides, your old man would not have hanged himself earlier or later, but chose to hang himself today. Isn't it... Are you deliberately bringing bad luck to the King of Liaoning?"

The servant cried and was speechless, but he was unable to report the news to Chu Changping, and he did not dare to go back like this. When he saw Jiang Yanyi, he was like seeing a savior, "Miss Jiang! Miss Jiang! I kowtow to you, please tell Master Chu a message! My old man is still threatening to hang himself, I hope Master Chu will go and persuade him!"

Jiang Yanyi frowned. She was used to being called "Miss Chu" outside, and suddenly someone called her "Miss Jiang". She was still a little uncomfortable, but since the servant could call her by her real name, he must recognize her.

"Whose servant are you?" she asked.

Chenyu on the side held an umbrella for her, but small snowflakes were still blown by the wind and fell into her hair.

It snowed heavily today. She wore a brocade satin blouse inside and a rabbit fur cape with silver embroidery outside. The clothes and her eyes were cold and cold, which made people feel cold for no reason.

The servant hurriedly said, "Miss Jiang, don't you recognize me? I am Gengqing, the servant of the Lu family. I used to work for the young master." After

the servant was almost done, he suddenly felt a shock in his heart. He was in a hurry and didn't remember that last year the Jiang family said that the eldest daughter of the Jiang family died suddenly. Who was the person in front of him?

Jiang Yanyi ignored his shock. Knowing the identity of the servant, the old man he was talking about who hanged himself was the scholar of Lu University.

Feng Shuo was about to ascend the throne after returning to Beijing, and the great scholar Lu was a great scholar of the time. His suicide at this time was extremely disadvantageous to Feng Shuo.

Jiang Yanyi thought for a moment and said, "Yang Xiu, go to Lu's mansion."

It would definitely be too late to find Chu Changping at this time, so she would go there in person to take a look.

The Lu family was located in the west of the city, not in the same direction as the east of the city where the army entered the city. The street was not crowded, and the carriage arrived at the Lu family in two quarters of an hour.

After getting off the car, Jiang Yanyi looked at the plaque in front of the gate of the Lu mansion. The plaque of the once noble mansion was now covered with dust.

The servant led her to the main courtyard tremblingly, and Huo Jianjia and Chenyu followed behind her.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard the sound of a teacup breaking from the bedroom: "I won't drink this medicine. The King of Liaoning has already entered the capital. If I go, the Lu family will have a chance to survive."

The servant was about to report it, but Jiang Yanyi raised his hand to stop him.

He heard the woman crying again: "It's all the debt of the children! If the rebellious son hadn't been possessed by evil spirits and broke off the engagement, why would the Lu family have become enemies with the Chu family?"

Jiang Yanyi pushed the door open at this time: "Lord Lu and Madam Lu think that my Chu family is too despicable."

She walked against the light with a hint of mockery on her lips.

The couple of the Lu University scholar saw Jiang Yanyi and looked panicked.

Madam Lu pointed at Jiang Yanyi's hand and trembled: "You...Aren't you dead?"

Jiang Yanyi looked at Madam Lu and felt that she was very different from the arrogant noblewoman in her original memory.

She smiled and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint Madam Lu."

Madam Lu has been immersed in the inner house for many years and knows everything about the inner house. She immediately thought of Jiang Yanxi entering the palace and these two sisters were like enemies. She was afraid that Jiang Yanyi was killed by false pretenses.

The pair of children that suddenly appeared in Chu Changping were undoubtedly the siblings of the Jiang family. Thinking of this, Madam Lu's pupils shrank sharply.

In other words, the person that King Liaonan wanted to marry was the one in front of him!

It seemed like yesterday that Feng Shiyan suppressed the Lu family for Jiang Yanxi and exiled Lu Linyuan to the border. The cruelty of the King of Liaoning had been witnessed by the ministers in the capital. Mrs. Lu could hardly stand when she thought about Feng Shuo's revenge on the Lu family after he ascended the throne.

Her knees softened and she knelt in front of Jiang Yanyi, crying: "Yanyi, our Lu family is sorry for you. Please be merciful and leave a way for the Lu family!"

Jiang Yanyi avoided her kneeling, and Mrs. Lu's eyes were more panicked and broken.

Bachelor Lu was lying on the bed and shouted, "Get up! Why are you kneeling? My Lu family has lived up to the emperor and the people in this life. If the King of Liaoning wants to kill my Lu family for a woman, then let the blood of my Lu family show the world how he is different from the dead tyrant!"

Jiang Yanyi frowned. She originally wanted to advise this stubborn old man, but now it seems that this old man is really not likable at all.

She said, "Master Lu, you have said everything. I only want to ask one question: what has the King of Liaoning done to you?"

The great scholar Lu was speechless for a moment, and then angrily said, "The King of Liaoning is ambitious, and it is only a matter of time before he deals with the Lu family."

Jiang Yanyi sneered, "The mountains and rivers of Daxuan are about to fall, and it was this ambitious man you mentioned who saved the mountains and rivers. He had to fight for his life to gain a reputation, but you just opened your mouth and closed it, and gave him a bad name."

"Master Lu, don't worry about it. When your Lu family broke off the engagement, I was grateful to the prince for not marrying me. How could I bear a grudge? Your Majesty is a broad-minded person and never lets his emotions get in the way of politics." Master

Lu's face turned green and red after being confronted by Jiang Yanyi. He said angrily, "How can I trust you, an unfilial person who can deny his biological father and let him suffer in the cold? After my son arrived in Xizhou, he went to the Liaonan King and made meritorious deeds many times. He also persuaded Jiang Yanyi raised his eyebrows with a cold look in his eyes: "Lord Lu is upset for Master Lu, but

do you know what Master Lu did before he was imprisoned? In order to cover up Jiang Yanxi's sheltering of the Turkic spies, when the prince used Jiang Yanxi as bait to control the court, he colluded with the old subordinates of the previous dynasty to rescue Jiang Yanxi."

"By the way, I think Lord Lu doesn't know that Jiang Yanxi is the princess of the previous dynasty. You say, Mr. Lu has betrayed the prince several times for his sweetheart, can the prince still use him? As for Minister Jiang, let alone he has been hiding in the royal family of the previous dynasty for more than ten years, he once sent me to death, and the father-daughter relationship between him and me was completely severed at that time."

After hearing these words, Master Lu was shocked and speechless for a long time.

Jiang Yanyi had said all she could say. She turned and walked out. When she reached the door, she paused and said, "Lord Lu boasts that he has lived up to the people all his life. At a time when people all over the world are displaced and living a difficult life, you are shutting yourself in and imagining how the new people in power will persecute you."

She chuckled, full of sarcasm: "Don't stay stuck in your house thinking about how you still feel you have lived up to the people. Go out and see what those people who are in high positions and are truly up to the people are doing."

"You--" Bachelor Lu was so angry that his liver hurt. He pointed at Jiang Yanyi but couldn't refute a word.

Jiang Yanyi ignored him, put on the hood of his cloak and walked back into the snow. Chenyu hurriedly held up her umbrella and trotted to catch up. Huo Jianjia rolled her eyes at Master Lu and left quickly.

Mrs. Lu was busy stroking her husband's chest, fearing that he would be upset. She muttered, "The girl from the Chu family is about to become a phoenix. Her words are very sharp. Don't bother with a young girl." Master Lu

looked at the top of the tent, with embarrassment on his face, but more of it was shame: "She is right. In the past year, I have been complaining about everything since I was demoted. I claim to be loyal to the emperor and the people, but the mansion is about to fall, and serving the people is half-hearted. "I have never done anything, I am so ashamed..."

Mrs. Lu was a little surprised: "Master?" "The

great scholar Lu said: "The current Xuan Dynasty is in a period of recovery. After the King of Liaoning ascends the throne, the first thing on the agenda must be the restoration of the imperial examination. Send someone to get the bamboo slips in my study."

Although he is a bit old-fashioned, there are few people in the world who can compare with him in terms of knowledge. In the imperial examinations of previous years, the final proposals were all reviewed by him.

This year is a busy autumn, and there is no time to let the subordinates do it step by step, and he hopes to redraft the imperial examination regulations after the new year.

On the way back, Chenyu said with some worry: "Boss, that old man Lu wants to commit suicide. You ridiculed him. What if he really kills himself?"

Jiang Yanyi leaned against the wall of the car and closed his eyes to rest: "This kind of old man is stubborn and has an unpleasant temper, but he really cares about the people of the world. He doesn't believe in the monarch. Even if I give him a hundred or a thousand guarantees, he still won't believe it. Let him know that he is ashamed of the people, and he will know what he should really do."

Chenyu said: "What if he hangs himself out of shame?"

Jiang Yanyi opened his eyelids, and Chenyu shrank her neck.

She said: "If he can be promoted to the position of a great scholar in the world, he will not be a coward without responsibility."

Chenyu nodded, not quite understanding.

After Jiang Yanyi returned to the Chu family, the others in the Chu family thought that she went to the east of the city to meet Feng Shuo. When they asked her why she came back so late, Jiang Yanyi just evaded the question by saying that there were too many people on the street and the carriage was not easy to drive.

When Chu Chengmao came back in the evening with a dark face, everyone knew that Jiang Yanyi had gone to the Lu Mansion on behalf of Chu Chengmao.

Mrs. Chu was unhappy when she mentioned the Lu family: "Why did you go to the Lu family? Their old man wanted to commit suicide, and you, a little girl, went to persuade him, but he still died. Can you blame you?"

Jiang Yanyi hugged Madam Chu's arm and said, "My second brother and father went to the East City Gate at that time, and the servants from their mansion came to look for them. No one from our mansion went. If anything happens to Master Lu, won't it be up to us?"

"You are so clever!" Madam Chu tapped her forehead and sighed, "No matter how noble the Lu family is, their behavior is getting more and more shameless. Do they really think that our Chu family owes them anything?"

Chu Chengmao sneered, "A few days ago, I was patrolling the city with my troops and had an argument with a kid from the Lu family's side branch. I gave him a lesson, but I'm afraid that kid from the side branch went back and exaggerated and said that our Chu family wanted to take revenge on their Lu family."

Madam Chu glared at Chu Chengmao and said, "At this critical juncture, you should be more restrained and avoid making enemies for the Chu family."

Chu Chengmao agreed and said to Jiang Yanyi, "You are famous now, Lu... The old man in the family is very stubborn and arrogant. Since he came to Beijing, my father has sent many lobbyists to the place, but Mr. Lu refused to support King Liaoning, saying that the country is no longer a country and he wants to retire and return home. Today, after you went to the Lu family to persuade them, King Liaoning held a banquet. Although Mr. Lu did not go, he sent gifts. Many troublemakers in the capital who rely on their age to bully others act according to the wind. After Mr. Lu expressed his position, they softened their attitudes one after another. "

Chu Shubao and her sisters immediately looked at Jiang Yanyi with admiration: "Ayi, how did you do it?"

Jiang Yanyi said truthfully: "I just scolded him a few words."

Chu Shubao and her sisters looked particularly confused, obviously not believing it.

After Feng Shuo returned to the capital, he temporarily stayed at the palace. He was too busy with trivial matters to spare time. Jiang Yanyi was under Chu Changping's watch. The Chu family in the capital was much more strictly guarded than in Xizhou. Seeing that the wedding date was approaching, Feng was afraid of offending his future father-in-law, so he did not dare to climb over the high wall of the Chu family.

After thinking it over, he went to the Grand Concubine Dowager diligently for two days.

The Grand Empress Dowager teased him: "It seems that the war is over. You are really free. You have time to accompany mother for three meals a day."

Feng Shuo did not respond, but picked up a spoonful of white jade bamboo shoots for the Grand Empress Dowager: "This year's winter bamboo shoots, please try it."

After the meal, Feng Shuo stood up and said: "Son will come to see mother tomorrow."

The nanny who served the Grand Empress Dowager watched Feng Shuo walk away, and then said: "The prince is a filial person. He comes to accompany you for meals every day and listen to books. The servants in the room said that the prince always took care of government affairs at night and did not rest until three o'clock in the morning. "

The Grand Empress Dowager glanced at the nanny and smiled, "Okay, it's hard for him to please me for so many days. Even you, nanny, have spoken on his side. Send my invitation to the Chu family and ask all the girls in the Chu family to come to the mansion as guests."

No one knows a son better than his mother. How could the Grand Empress Dowager not know what Feng Shuo was thinking by suddenly coming to her so diligently.

Since Feng Shuo returned to Beijing, Jiang Yanyi has not seen him, let alone received a letter from him.

Jiang Yanyi still learned from Chu Changping that Feng Shuo meant to get married before ascending the throne. The original wedding date was February 2nd, the day of the dragon raising his head, but in order to catch up with the day of the ascension, the wedding date was changed to the eighteenth of January.

Of course, the time was a bit tight, but fortunately, the Chu family started preparing several months in advance, and everything was ready.

Jiang Yanyi was supposed to stay at home to get married for half a month, but the Grand Empress Dowager sent the invitation, and there was no reason to refuse.

Moreover, the Grand Empress Dowager said that all the girls in the Chu family would go. After this trip, the status of the three sisters Chu Shubao among the noble ladies in Beijing was different. In the future, as long as they were not marquises, they would be the only ones who could choose the right person.

On the day of Laba, Jiang Yanyi and the three sisters of the Chu family went to the palace together. The Grand Empress Dowager invited them to drink Laba porridge: "When you get older, you like to be lively. This is the Laba porridge that I learned to cook with the monks of Huguo Temple. You can taste it and see how it tastes."

Laba Festival was originally the "Buddha's Enlightenment Festival", named after the Buddha Sakyamuni who attained enlightenment on this day. Drinking porridge on Laba has become a custom. It is said that drinking porridge on this day can get the blessing of the Buddha, so Laba porridge is also called "Buddha porridge".

The Grand Empress Dowager cooked the Laba porridge soft and sweet. The fragrance of coix seed, red dates, lotus seeds, peanuts, longan, and red beans all bloomed on the tip of the tongue. Jiang Yanyi and others said it was delicious.

Chu Huibao loved sweets the most and drank three bowls. If the Grand Empress Dowager hadn't worried that she would upset her stomach and told her not to drink anymore, she would have had to get a fourth bowl.

But because of her support, the Grand Empress Dowager was very happy and rewarded Chu Huibao with a pair of golden butterfly pearl flowers, and asked the sisters to come to the mansion often when they were free. There was

still an hour before lunch, and the Grand Empress Dowager seemed a little tired, so she asked an old nanny to take them to the plum forest in the mansion.

As soon as Chu Shubao arrived at the plum forest, she ran away with her two sisters, and Jiang Yanyi followed their footsteps to look for them for a long time but couldn't find them. After

turning around a rockery and stone forest, Jiang Yanyi saw an octagonal pavilion built above the plum forest, and turned around and left without thinking.

A low, mellow voice came from the pavilion: "I've drawn another picture for you, why don't you take a look before you leave?"

Jiang Yanyi pretended not to hear it and continued to walk back.

Feng Shuo's voice was more smiling: "You've gone too far, I have to call you louder so that you can hear me."

This was a naked threat. If Chu Shubao and the others were attracted, Jiang Yanyi would still be embarrassed to be seen meeting in private even though the wedding date was imminent.

She turned around and walked back to the pavilion with a blank expression.

Feng Shuo looked at her with amusement: "Your mouth is pouting so much that you can hang the teapot on it."

Jiang Yanyi rolled his eyes at him: "Aren't you busy? How come you have nothing to do today?"

Feng Shuo picked up the teapot on the clay stove and made her a bowl of hot tea. Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows: "Don't I have a virtuous wife who helped me deal with Bachelor Lu? Now it's much smoother to take over the capital."

Jiang Yanyi took the tea but didn't drink it. She put it on the low table: "I have to go look for the sisters who came with me. The prince is a busy man. I don't think he has time to pay attention to an idle person like me."

The second half of the sentence finally made Feng Shuo understand what she was upset about. After returning to Beijing, he had never found a chance to find her and had never sent her a letter.

He looked somewhat helpless. He held her slightly cold hand and rubbed her hand bones beside the clay stove to keep her warm. "What do you think the two guards who have been following you are for? Your uncle has a bad face when he sees me now. I wrote a letter to you on the first day I returned to Beijing, but it was intercepted by your uncle."

When they were in Xizhou, they were always polite in front of outsiders. After arriving in Hengzhou, Feng Shuo would hold hands in public from time to time, and would go to Jiang Yanyi's yard in the middle of the night to look at her and say a few words to her.

Yang Xiu didn't say anything, but she wrote down everything in the small notebook in her arms, and gave it to Chu Changping after returning to Beijing.

Chu Changping glared at him, thinking that it was impossible for his well-behaved niece to be impolite, and he blamed Feng Shuo for everything.

Jiang Yanyi listened to his explanation and felt amused and embarrassed when he thought about Chu Changping knowing all this: "Then how dare you ask me to come over?"

Feng Shuo touched her red cheeks with the back of his hand, and a smile that only he could understand appeared in his eyes: "I have to tell you in person, I am here to marry you with this kingdom as a betrothal gift."

The court officials all wanted him to ascend the throne first and then discuss the matter of the queen, but he refused.

This kingdom was conquered by her and him, and she deserved the honor, and should not get it after he became emperor.

He was admired by the people, and when all the officials came to pay homage to him, she should stand by his side and share all these honors with him.

The cold wind blew through the pavilion, and his newly finished painting was blown to the feet of Jiang Yanyi by the tornado. When she leaned over to pick up the painting, she found that he had painted her a painting of a thousand miles of mountains and rivers.

As the wedding date was getting closer, Madam Chu was afraid that Jiang Yanyi would lose her mother and no one would teach her the things to pay attention to when getting married. So one morning when the young people went to pay their respects, she left Jiang Yanyi alone and gave her a few colorful booklets, asking her to take them back and read them by herself.

"Of the two maids beside you, only the beautiful one is barely pleasing to the eye. The little girl named Jianjia has a big birthmark on her face. Your family won't say anything, but if you take her as a dowry maid, people will laugh at you. Grandmother has prepared a few useful ones for you. Take them with you. With useful people by your side, everything will be convenient when you get married." After

Madam Chu finished speaking, she asked Madam Lin beside her to bring in the little maids.

Jiang Yanyi looked at the maids, who were all pretty and charming, and guessed what Mrs. Chu meant.

She pinched her hand and said, "Grandma, the prince treats me very well. I brought a few beautiful maids with me on my wedding day. Isn't this going to make him feel bad?"

Mrs. Chu sighed, "You are as stubborn as your mother in your feelings. Forget it, the one you want to marry is not an ordinary noble, so it's up to you."

After returning from Mrs. Chu's yard, Jiang Yanyi had a layer of worry on her face.

Huo Jianjia asked her, "Is there anything worrying you, Master?"

Jiang Yanyi looked at Huo Jianjia's clear and pure eyes and said, "I'm getting married soon, and I'm always a little nervous. Jianjia, come with me to the ancestral hall to burn some incense for your mother."

Huo Jianjia nodded and obediently followed Jiang Yanyi to the ancestral hall.

Jiang Yanyi lit three incense sticks, bowed three times in front of Madam Jiang's spirit tablet, and inserted the incense into the ash burner before asking her, "Jianjia, you signed a contract with me before, saying that you would be with me for ten years. Have you ever thought about where you will be after ten years?"

Huo Jianjia said, "According to the escort who worked with my father, when I was still a baby, my father carried me in front and a wine gourd hanging behind him while escorting the goods. I have never seen my mother in my life. If my boss doesn't need me anymore, the only thing I want to do is to continue on the path my father has taken. If I make a name for myself, I will have to open my own escort agency so that my father can have something to brag about to others."

Huo Jianjia said this with a look of longing on her face.

Jiang Yanyi said, "If you could open an escort agency now, would you be willing?"

Huo Jianjia was stunned for a moment, as if she understood something, and looked at Jiang Yanyi with her black and white eyes and said, "Boss, you don't want me anymore?"

Jiang Yanyi rubbed her hair and said, "Silly girl, it's not that I don't want you."

Huo Jianjia sometimes behaved very stubbornly, but at this time she was surprisingly sober. She lowered her head and said, "Actually, I know everything. I have a reckless personality and there are many rules in the palace. If I enter the palace, I will cause trouble for you sooner or later."

Jiang Yanyi said, "It's not that I'm afraid of trouble, Jianjia. Eagles will not be kept in cages, and good horses will not be kept in stables all the time. Do you understand what I mean?"

Huo Jianjia nodded as if she understood, and turned her face away.

Jiang Yanyi thought she was angry, and after a pause, he wanted to continue explaining to her, but he found that water drops were falling from her hair that covered most of her face.

She was not angry, she was crying.

Jiang Yanyi took out a handkerchief to wipe her face: "Good girl, why are you crying?"

Huo Jianjia said in a hoarse voice: "Boss, don't chase me away. I won't enter the palace. I can help you with work outside the palace."

Jiang Yanyi said: "I said you are a silly girl, but you still don't believe me. When did I say I would chase you away? After I enter the palace, I won't be able to take care of the business outside in person. I have talked to my sister-in-law, and she is willing to help me take over the business openly. I will invest in you to open an escort agency. When the time comes, we need to escort some valuable goods, and we will have to ask the people in your escort agency to help. Aren't you also helping me?"

This was what Jiang Yanyi had been planning for the past few months. If she became the ruler of a country and was busy with business every day, it would be a laughing stock.

So when she came to Beijing this time and tried to open Ruyi Tower and the noodle shop in Beijing, she had been in the dark. It was Xue who contacted the merchants openly, which paved the way for Xue to help take over the business in the future.

Jiang Yanyi chose Xue to help manage her business, and she had her reasons.

Although Xue is still in charge of the Chu family's reward, as long as Chu Chengmao gets married, she will have to take the initiative to hand over the right of reward if she does not want to offend her sisters-in-law.

The status of the Chu family is rising, but only the people in the third house have official positions, and the first and second houses just benefit from it.

Chu Shubao and her sisters were able to marry into a good family, but Xue had no way out. She could only hope that her son would become a useful person in her life.

She gave Xue a good choice. Xue would naturally help her run the business wholeheartedly, after all, the reward was a 10% dividend. Xue also understood Jiang Yanyi's future status, and knew that if he hid the fact that she was embezzling money, it would definitely be asking for trouble, and he would never do such a thing to ruin his future.

These days, Jiang Yanyi taught Xue how to do business, and it was obvious that Xue was a good businessman. She learned everything Jiang Yanyi taught her very quickly, and could even apply it to other situations.

With the current status of the Chu family and the backing of Jiang Yanyi, the future queen, no one in the business world dared to make trouble for Xue.

After making this decision, Jiang Yanyi also talked to Chu Changping, and Chu Changping supported her choice. If

a family wants to live in harmony, they can't always rely on one branch for everything. The first wife's family was hopeless until Chu Chengbai's generation. Fortunately, Xue was smart and sensible. She would teach her children well in the future, and the younger generations would be friendly and respectful to each other. Only when the Chu family passed down from generation to generation could it prosper and become a big family.

On the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the "makeup urging" people from Feng Mansion came. Jiang Yanyi had watched other people's weddings in the past, and she just watched the excitement, but she didn't know these specific steps.

She had only heard of "makeup urging poems", but this was the first time she knew that someone from the man's family would bring wine, food and roosters to the mansion the day before, which was called "makeup urging".

Xue, as Jiang Yanyi's sister-in-law, rushed to Feng Mansion with several carriages of sheets and quilts prepared by the Chu family early in the morning after the people from Feng Mansion arrived. Jiang Yanyi heard from the old servant that this is called "preparing the room", and the bride's family should bring bedding to decorate the new room the day before the wedding.

In some places in later times, the bride's dowry also includes bedding. Jiang Yanyi was not very clear about these customs before, but now he has completely understood them.

Facing the major event of her life, Jiang Yanyi was a little nervous. She had no sleep that night, so she got up and lit the revolving lantern that Feng Shuo made for her on her birthday. Looking at the revolving lantern, her mood gradually calmed down.

She only slept for two hours in the second half of the night before being called by Xue to do her makeup.

"Aunt passed away early, and the elder sister-in-law is like a mother. I will do your hair for you on behalf of Aunt." Xue wore a pomegranate skirt inlaid with rabbit fur for the celebration.

Jiang Yanyi sat in front of the dressing mirror and nodded, saying, "Thank you

, sister-in-law." There was a hint of melancholy in Xue's voice, "Grandma woke up at four o'clock in the morning. She was afraid that you would cry when she came over, so she delayed dressing and stayed in the yard without coming over."

Jiang Yanyi felt a little reluctant. Old Madam Chu really loved her and Chu Yangui. Maybe because she was about to get married, she became sentimental. Her tears flowed down in an instant: "Grandma will trouble my sister-in-law to take care of her in the future."

Seeing her crying, Xue couldn't help but have tears in her eyes and said, "I will take good care of grandma."

After styling her hair into a bun, Chu Shubao was an expert in putting on makeup. She put on makeup for Jiang Yanyi herself. In order to highlight the gorgeous golden and red wedding dress, the makeup had to be gorgeous.

Jiang Yanyi's eyes were bright peach blossom eyes. Chu Shubao used golden eye powder to help her draw the tail of her eyes longer, and then filled them with vermilion eye powder, drawing a phoenix tail that almost extended to the temples. It was gorgeous and noble. The most rare thing was that Jiang Yanyi held up this makeup. When she lowered her eyes, she seemed to be a phoenix looking down at the world when the sun rose.

The little maids who were helping in the room saw it and were so shocked that they didn't know what to say. The sound of firecrackers in the street made them come back to their senses.

Xue looked outside and said, "The groom is here, hurry up, go to the ancestral temple, your third uncle is waiting there."

Feng Shuo arrived outside the gate of the Chu family. Most of the people who came with him to welcome the bride today were generals in the army. Among the civil officials, there was only one person, Chi Qing, who had a close relationship with him.

The relatives of the Chu family did not dare to embarrass the future emperor. It was all thanks to Chu Chengmao and a few relatives who insisted on not letting them in easily.

"Groom, write a poem to urge the bride to put on makeup! The bride won't come out without urging her to put on makeup!" The matchmaker shouted in order to liven up the atmosphere.

Although Feng Shuo was an unkind person on weekdays, facing the covetous eyes of his future brothers-in-law, he had to lower himself and write a poem to urge the bride to put on makeup: "The fourth Miss Chu is noble, she will marry into a royal family; the mother of heaven prepares the powder for the sky, and the brother of Japan sympathizes with the flowers... May I ask if your makeup is ready? The dawn is about to break in the east."

Everyone cheered, and Chu Chengmao, who was blocking the door, took the lead in making a noise, "One song is not enough, another one!" Everyone

knew Liao The Southern King was skilled in martial arts, but there were few opportunities to see his literary talent, so he followed suit: "Another poem!"

Feng Shuo realized that he would be embarrassed by his brother-in-law if he entered the Chu family today, so he resigned himself to continue writing makeup poems: "It is said that you should adjust your rouge under the candlelight, and don't pretend to be in front of the mirror. You don't need to put on makeup all over your face, but leave your eyebrows to be painted.②"

When Feng Shuo was blocked at the door, Jiang Yanyi arrived at the ancestral hall.

Her wedding dress was made according to the etiquette of the prince's wife, gorgeous and complicated. She was supported by Xue, and several little maids helped to hold up the hem of her skirt, so that she could barely walk with a head full of pearls and jade.

She married Feng Shuo, and all the elders who were related to the Chu family came today.

Jiang Yanyi knelt on the mat in the middle of the ancestral hall as instructed. Chu Changping held three incense sticks in his hand and said to the tablets of the ancestors: "Ancestors, I am the thirteenth generation descendant of the Chu family, Changping. Today, my daughter will marry a wife of the Feng family. I am deeply moved."

Yanyi bowed three times to the tablets of the ancestors. After burning incense, he sat on the main seat and scolded Jiang Yanyi: "When I go to your home, don't forget to be respectful."

Chu Changping lost his wife at an early age and never remarried. The mother's scolding was given by Xue who was standing beside him: "Thinking of you day and night, don't disobey your orders."

Jiang Yanyi bowed his head and said: "Yanyi will remember your father's teachings."

The master of ceremonies sang loudly: "Bow."

Jiang Yanyi bowed four times to Chu Changping, was helped to stand up and said goodbye to Mrs. Chu and her husband.

Mrs. Chu held Jiang Yanyi's hand and refused to let go, crying like a tearful person. It was Old Lady Chu who held Old Madam Chu in the back and told them to take Jiang Yanyi away quickly.

With the master of ceremonies saying "The bride is leaving the room", Jiang Yanyi covered her head with a veil and was led to the front yard.

The journey from the front yard to the sedan chair had to be carried by her brothers from her natal family.

Chu Changping called Chu Chengmao to carry Jiang Yanyi, but Chu Yangui stood up and said, "Father, I'll do it."

Chu Changping was so busy today that he noticed that Chu Yangui didn't use a wheelchair. He immediately said, "Your leg is injured. What are you talking about? Let your second brother carry you."

Chu Yangui refused to give in and just smiled and said, "I'll carry you to the sedan chair." Yanbi

walked directly to Jiang Yanyi, looked at her through the red veil for a while, turned around and half squatted, tilted his head and said with a smile, "Sister, let me take you to the sedan chair. Don't worry, I won't let you fall."

He was laughing, but his voice was full of pleading.

Chu Changping had a headache and asked Chu Zhong to take Chu Yangui away.

Jiang Yanyi looked at the hem of the young man standing in front of her, hesitated for a moment, then took a step forward slowly, placing the weight of her body on the boy's thin but not frail shoulders.

She didn't spend much time with this young man, but she knew him very well in some aspects.

For example, at a moment like today, he would not stand up if he was not absolutely sure.

He was begging her, begging her as a sister to trust him.

The originally noisy front yard became silent after Chu Yangui carried Jiang Yanyi on his back.

The snow in the yard had been cleared away by the servants long ago, and Chu Yangui carried Jiang Yanyi on his back, taking every step steadily.

He felt the weight on his back, as if he was carrying the whole world on his back. He said, "Sister, I am your brother. Whether you get married or not, I am your brother."

Jiang Yanyi said in a sad tone, "Silly child, stop talking nonsense. Of course you are my brother."

Chu Yangui remained silent and continued to walk forward, but his steps were slower.

After walking this section of the road, the sister he had raised since childhood would be a wife of the Feng family. According to the Daxuan etiquette, from now on, her life and death would have nothing to do with the Chu family.

It seemed like it was just yesterday that she was fighting and crying with him. Why is she suddenly getting married?

When they were almost at the gate, Chu Yangui suddenly said, "Sister, you must live a good life."

If you don't live a good life, I will kill those who make you live a bad life!

Jiang Yanyi lay on his back and hummed softly. Tears fell on his dark robe under the veil.

Chu Yangui looked at Feng Shuo who was standing not far from the door, and said slowly: "You are my only sister. If you are wronged, you must tell me, don't think I am incompetent. Sister, I will have a bright future."

Jiang Yanyi felt that the tears she shed this morning were not as many as now. She said: "Sister Yan Gui is the most capable, how can she have no future? If you say these again, my sister will have to marry with tears on her face today."

Chu Yangui smiled, carried Jiang Yanyi out of the Chu family's gate, and when he sent Jiang Yanyi to the sedan chair, he looked at Feng Shuo for a moment, then grinned: "Brother-in-law, I leave my only sister to you."

Feng Shuo nodded solemnly, and patted Chu Yangui on the shoulder: "I will treat her well."

After Jiang Yanyi got on the sedan chair, Feng Shuo bid farewell to Chu Changping and got on the horse.

"The bride is getting ready!"

the matchmaker shouted, and the wedding sedan carried by eight people was carried to Feng Mansion with music and fanfare.

It started to snow again, and Chu Yangui looked at the wedding procession going away and whispered softly, "Mother, I am sending my sister out of the palace."

The snow fell silently, and there was no echo between heaven and earth.