Chapter 178 Countermeasures, an old friend reappears
"If His Majesty orders you to see me, just complain about illness and delay, or... let the second and third brothers help?"
Gao Yanzong came up with many ideas, and Gao Changgong shook his head. Especially when he mentioned Gao Xiaowan, he was severely rejected:
"No, last time the eldest brother died, the third brother cried bitterly in the palace, which made His Majesty unhappy. Moreover, because of his status as his legitimate son, Your Majesty has always been wary of him, lest we brothers join forces to take him away. The throne...
In order not to make Gao Zhan suspicious, we...it's better to stay apart! "
Gao Yanzong understood what he meant and nodded slightly frustrated. He had always known that although the four brothers seemed cold on the surface, they were not cold-hearted people. He still had feelings for these brothers, but he was afraid of getting too close. , it just made Gao Zhan jealous!
After Gao Yanzong left, Xiao Jinyu and Gao Changgong summoned Butler Liu, Lu Yu, Axiu and Ling Ye, and explained that all matters in the house would be taken care of by Butler Liu and Axiu. For the time being, Axiu would pretend to be the princess and drag them down. If you are sick at home, just don’t leave your house!
But just when this decision was made, Butler Liu received an anonymous letter, which actually said: Let the prince go to Zhou State with peace of mind, and I will take care of the aftermath of the princess's matter!
When they received this letter, both Prince Lanling and Xiao Jinyu were very surprised. Who wrote the letter? How much do you know about them?
In particular, Xiao Jinyu's identity as Xie Zhen was not known to anyone except Cui Heng and Li Mi, as well as Lu Yu, Ling Ye, Axiu, and Gao Yanzong, who was only now informed.
They also believe that these people must be able to keep secrets.
But when Xiao Jinyu carefully read the handwriting of the letter writer, he seemed to have a guess in his heart, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes!
Gao Changgong asked her who she was thinking of?
But she only smiled and replied: "It should be an old friend, Chang Gong, don't worry! This person only knows about you and Xie Zhen's mission, and does not know my identity."
He put the matter down and put the letter in the box.
The next day, Gao Zhan hosted a banquet for the ministers in front of the Taiji Hall to pay farewell to King Lanling and Xie Zhen as their envoys to the State of Zhou. After Gao Zhan said some words of condolences, the mission set off.
There were only two hundred people in the mission, most of whom were Baibao Xianbei selected by King Lanling. Gao Yanzong also brought some of his own private soldiers, Ling Ye brought a few of his own soldiers to follow, and the rest stayed in the palace of Prince Lanling. Help Axiu deal with matters in the house.
When the delegation left Duanmen and drove out of Yenan City, all the people on the street came over and sent each other off in the streets. Especially some sisters-in-law couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation. In troubled times, their husbands are traveling far away. Especially if you go to war or on a mission to another country, you don't know when you will return, and you don't know if you will return.
And for such a beautiful husband as King Lanling, it makes people feel even more sad and pitiful.
As the carriages and horses gradually went away, a burst of singing sounded from behind King Lanling and Xiao Jinyu:
"Love in the love place? Love in mourning for its horse? Where to seek it? Under the forest."
"The bond between life and death is broad, tell it to your son. Hold your hand and grow old together with your son."
…
"It turns out that this is the Xie family of Chen County who is famous all over the world. He was famous in the elegant talks of the Southern Dynasties. He also defeated Zu Zhongshu in our Qi State with his blind chess skills and poetry and calligraphy. Xie Zhen!"
"What a handsome and romantic person. He is truly elegant and elegant, and he lives up to his reputation as the largest family in Jiangzuo!"
A sister-in-law couldn't help but sigh when she saw "Xie Zhen" standing upright on the horse.
"Hey, what is the most powerful family in Jiangzuo? How can the Jiangzuo gentry still have the name of the Xie family in Chen County? He is the only one named Xie Zhen!"
"So what if it's just one person? He is now a third-rank official in our Qi State. He alone can support the entire Xie family!"
"Then it also depends on whether he comes back alive. If he is gone, what is the use of those false names?"
At this point, the sisters-in-law who were gathered together fell silent. In this short silence, a voice suddenly sounded particularly prominent:
"Don't say such unlucky words!"
The sisters-in-law turned around and saw Zheng Yue, who looked sad but was dressed exceptionally gorgeously!
"Zheng's Ayue, you actually went out. I thought that after you pushed Princess Lanling off the bronze bird platform that day, you were so ashamed that you never dared to see anyone again!"
"Yes! After this incident, let alone entering the gate of Prince Lanling's Mansion, I'm afraid Prince Lanling won't even look at you again, right?"
"Don't say you've seen it, I'm afraid you'll be disgusted by it. After all, it almost caused the death of his princess!"
"Hey, why is this necessary? People have many choices in this life. Since Prince Lanling only has his princess in his heart, why do he have to push himself to death and make the person he likes unhappy?"
"He is not the only beautiful man in the world. Even if he is the most beautiful and does not belong to you, just look at him. After all, life is short, and living is the most important thing!"
In the midst of this discussion, a woman with a curtain on her head said a few words of comfort or sighing, then turned and left.
When the group walked out of the city gate, Xiao Jinyu couldn't help but look back and saw not far from the city gate, under the setting sun, a tall and slender figure of a woman in green clothes stood out among the crowd.
The woman's head was covered with a curtain, and she seemed to have disappeared in an instant.
Seeing Xiao Jinyu's expression was different, Gao Changgong asked hurriedly: "What's wrong?"
"It seemed like I saw an old friend, but before I could see clearly, the person disappeared again."
"What old friend?" Gao Changgong asked with a soft smile.
Xiao Jinyu was not sure, fearing that telling Gao Changgong would eventually disappoint him, so he shook his head and said, "I can't remember. Maybe one day, this old friend will take the initiative to come to us."
Having said this, she looked at Gao Changgong again and said very gently but firmly: "So, Changgong, we must come back alive!"
"Of course!" Gao Changgong nodded heavily like an oath, stretched out his hand to her under the sunset, and gently shook hands with the catkins she also extended.
There was a sudden shout, and more than a hundred cavalry soldiers rushed to the official road in a mighty manner, rolling up smoke like thick fog and holding it high.
Seeing the cavalrymen gradually walking away with their baggage convoy, the woman in black standing under the tower could not help but let out a sad sigh.
"I hope you can come back safely, hold hands with her, and grow old together with her."
There was sadness in the woman's tone, but also some admiration. She stood there admiringly for a long time, until another woman who also wore a curtain came to her and sighed: "I didn't expect that the prince is still infatuated, and he is with Gao Gao." The other descendants of the family are different. For the sake of this little lady from the Lanling Xiao family, even the Xingyang family Zheng who could have proposed marriage was rejected! "
"It's just that the little lady is really beautiful. If she stays alone in Prince Lanling's palace, she will definitely cause trouble!"
The woman nodded and said, "Then go to Prince Lanling's Mansion and have a look!"
Hearing this, the other woman couldn't help but said happily: "Princess, are you... relieved now?"
The woman in green who was called princess was silent for a long time, and then she replied: "We can't see him being bullied by those treacherous villains all the time. I can help him a little bit!"
"Yes! Princess!"
"However, there is also the Zheng family's Ayue. It seems that she is still obsessed with the prince and can't let go. I just tried to comfort her a few words, but I wonder if this sister-in-law can listen to her?" "The one from the Zheng family?" The little girl is also pretty good, but unfortunately, Xiaoguan met this miracle doctor from the Xiao family... I hope this little girl won't have any evil thoughts..."
After a moment of silence, the woman said again: "I heard that this miraculous doctor opened another Xinghua Yanyu Tower in Yecheng, Qi State as promised. We might as well go to this Xinghua Yanyu Tower first!"
…
There is indeed a Xinghua Yanyu Tower in Yecheng. It is an abandoned house bought by Xiao Jinyu in Qidi Lifang. After construction, it became a place for elegant people to play. It is still the day it was just built. Because of its quiet location, Although the scenery in the remote Xinghua Mountain forest is beautiful, there are only a few guests here.
Xiao Jinyu sent a letter to bring Yue Ying back from Pengcheng as the steward of Xinghua Yanyu Tower. He also recruited some waiters, but before the business started, he went on an envoy to Zhou with King Lanling. .
Seeing such a desolate situation, the woman's face was a little disappointed: "I thought this little lady could build a building in the land of Northern Qi in an instant and become famous! But it turned out that she was just talking on paper and lacked practical experience!"
"Her reputation has become quite famous, but she has not yet made good use of it. Business should not be her main purpose. She should be doing it for..."
"Ladies, are you here to enjoy the view, eat, drink and have fun in my building?" A waiter ran over and asked enthusiastically and politely.
The woman in black nodded and then entered the building with another woman in red. As soon as she entered the building, the woman in black's eyes lit up because the layout of the building was something she had never seen before. The beautiful scenery does not have luxurious carved beams and painted buildings with high eaves, but it looks like a very simple picture scroll with winding paths, small bridges and flowing water, luxuriant grass and wild flowers.
"I really didn't expect that this little lady is not only good at painting, but also has the essence of the art of entertaining! How could she build such a beautiful place for fun? It makes people feel timid when they are close to home, and the tranquility of the years is quiet. feel!"
"You want to say it feels like home, right?"
After the woman in black finished speaking, the waiter sighed: "You two ladies are right, my boss said that this Xinghua Yanyu Tower should not only be a place for entertainment for dignitaries, but also for those who travel. The tourists who come here feel as if they are at home and have a sense of stability. When they are tired, they come here to sit, have tea, listen to music, or play with the water flowing wine, or ride the fastest horse!”
"Then according to what you say, business here should be booming!" Madam Wei interrupted.
The waiter then replied: "My boss said, don't worry, what is supposed to come will always come! Aren't the two ladies just coming? And we only do business on two days in a month, one on the first day of the Lunar New Year and the other on the fifteenth day of the month." !”
Having said this, the waiter smiled sheepishly,
"Unfortunately, today is neither the first nor the fifteenth day of the lunar month!"
"What does this little lady want to do? If you don't do business every day, you only do it two days a month. Wouldn't that be a huge loss?" Madam Wei asked strangely.
But the woman in black shook her head and said with a smile: "That's not necessarily true. As long as this reputation is established, even in two days, it is possible to make a fortune every day!"
"Why don't we do her a favor and make this Xinghua Yanyu Building famous first!"
After a pause, he added: "At the same time as this reputation was established, rumors also spread in Ye City. I guess the old woman will not ignore the precious son she helped up with her own hands..."
…
"Have you ever heard that the Xinghua Yanyu Building opened in Qidilifang? The layout and the games played there are really unique. I heard that everyone who has been there is obsessed with leaving..."
"Is it true? What place can compare with the largest Fengyue Tower in Yecheng?"
"It's different, it's different. The people in Fengyue Tower are all fireworks women, they are common people, but the people who go there are all elegant people, and they are doing elegant things!"
"By the way, do you know who the owner of this building is?"
"Who?"
"I heard that it was Princess Lanling who painted at the night banquet on Bingjing Terrace and prayed for rain on Tongque Terrace..."
"Really or fake? The princess can still do business? Then we must go and see..."
"I didn't finish what I just said. It was an acquaintance of hers..."
…
When rumors about the owner of Xinghua Yanyu House spread in Yecheng, another rumor spread!
"Hey, it's so pitiful! I heard that after King Lanling was sent as an envoy to the Kingdom of Zhou, the Princess of Lanling fell ill because she missed King Lanling. His Majesty issued several imperial edicts for several days in a row, and the Queen Mother In the name of the emperor, in the name of the empress, and even in the name of the imperial eunuch, she was admitted to the palace, but she claimed that she was ill and did not go away!"
"What's wrong with her? In my opinion, there must be something hidden in this. Why did Your Majesty want to summon her? It's not because..."
There was a lot of discussion in the wine shop, including those who were bold and speculated privately, "Who wouldn't want such a stunning beauty? I heard that His Majesty sent Prince Lanling out deliberately to take advantage of the opportunity to attack Princess Lanling. of……"
The rumors spread widely and soon reached the ears of Empress Dowager Lou. After hearing the news, Empress Dowager Lou was very angry and came to Zhaoyang Palace. When she saw Gao Zhan having fun with a beauty covered in gauze, he actually drew his sword. He was about to stab the beauty. The beauty turned pale with fear. She knelt down and begged for her life, but she was still stabbed in the heart by a sword and died on the spot!
"It is your crime to bewitch the king for fun!"
After Empress Dowager Lou said something, she scolded Gao Zhan: "The Ai family ignored the opposition of the officials and passed the Gao family's empire into your hands, hoping that you could keep the empire your father had conquered, but you... ...One Li Zu'e is not enough, and now you want to snatch away Prince Lanling's concubine. Aren't you afraid of chilling the hearts of all the ministers and officials? "
"Mother, don't speak so harshly. You are just trying to strengthen the military and political power of your Xianbei Lou family by passing on the Gao family's empire to your sons. Who knows if one day, the Gao family's empire will become Are you the Lou family?"
"you--"
Empress Dowager Lou was so angry that her chest stagnated and she almost fainted. Fortunately, the old woman beside her helped her and prevented her from spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Queen Mother, let's go back! The princess said you can't be angry!"
Despite the old woman's repeated dissuasion, Empress Dowager Lou's advice was in vain and she returned to her bedroom.
"Queen Mother, Princess Lanling has spent a lot of effort to cure you, but please don't get angry and hurt yourself again!"
"I don't know what evil the Ai family has done. The sons they gave birth to are more bastard than the last. The Ai family is not heartless. That boy Chang Gong is loyal and honest, and he loves this Xiao woman so deeply. The Ai family I don’t want to make him sad, and this granddaughter-in-law has saved my life, so how can I just sit back and watch?”
"I know the Queen Mother's intentions, but Your Majesty... He has already been wary of you!"
…
After being reprimanded by Empress Dowager Lou, Gao Zhan became furious again on the spot in Zhaoyang Palace, and even killed several palace maids with a long sword, and then his anger slowly subsided.
He Shikai immediately advised: "Your Majesty, the dragon body is important. Don't be angry with the Queen Mother. This Princess Lanling is obviously avoiding Your Majesty. Since Your Majesty can't invite her, why not send someone directly to the Lanling Palace?" How about a visit to see if she is really bedridden?"
"If I send the Imperial Guard into Prince Lanling's Mansion, I'm afraid those officials will rebuke me again!"
"Your Majesty doesn't need to send the Imperial Guard into the palace, why not just let Lord Lu make this trip?"
I am very grateful to Huo Huo Huo Yi and book friend 20200816100149522 for their rewards and recommendation votes. Thank you to all the book friends who have subscribed for their support all the way! shake hands……
(End of this chapter)