I heard my brother is a tyrant

The honor guard of the holy driver was grand, accompanied by many people, and walked very slowly. After the lunch break, he continued to move forward, and stayed in a Huangzhuang used as a hotel that night.

Afraid that his delicate little girl would be wronged, it was inevitable that there would be too many people in the chaotic car to be careful, and he was also afraid that someone would bump into her, so Xie Dan naturally wanted her to live in the best place.Where is the best place, of course, is the emperor's residence, there is nothing more exquisite and comfortable than his residence.

So Ye Chu lived in the bed in the bedroom, and Xie Dan had someone make a bed for him in the outer room.The three main halls in Huangzhuang, where the holy driver is preparing to live, are connected, and the middle is separated by a curtain and a large lacquered mahogany carved screen. In this way, there is only one curtain between the two at night.

The two of them lived in the same room when they were away from home. Of course, Ye Chu was young at that time, but now that the girl is older, Xie Dan asked her first, and the little girl didn't think there was anything wrong.Instead, let her live alone in a strange house, and she will not sleep well.

Xie Dan also calmly arranged this way, anyway, only the people who served in front of the imperial court knew that many imaginary etiquette boundaries were really superfluous for the two of them.

Before going to bed, a few personal maids waited for Ye Chu to take a bath and wash up. After washing, Ye Chu changed into pajamas and sat in front of the dressing table in the back room to comb his hair. It seemed that it was a matter of course for the emperor to sleep on the couch outside.Xie Dan waited for her to finish bathing before going to take a shower to enjoy the coolness. When he came back, he changed into a white single-length inner robe and walked in to see her calmly.

When the maids saw him coming in, they hurriedly bowed and retreated, and Xie Dan took over the maid's errand to dry her hair.

"I'm going to the capital tomorrow, what should I do?" Xie Dan asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to go into the palace to have a look, or should we stay in the Ye residence as usual?"

"I still want to go back to Ye's house." Ye Chu said, for some reason, the word "harem" repulsed her a little, the little girl thought to herself, and said, "I quite like our big garden, I don't like harem."

"I think so too." Xie Dan smiled, living in Ye Zhai is more casual, and it is not so convenient to go in and out of the palace, "We are going to get engaged next time, it is more suitable for you to live in Ye Zhai."

Ye Chu put his chin in his hand and thought for a while, his eyes were clear and mischievous, and he asked, "Brother, what are you going to do about the engagement?"

"Just do whatever you want," Xie Dan knew what she meant, and said with a smile, "You just wait at home."

"Brother," Ye Chu called him in a drawn-out tone, pursing his lips, "Although I don't understand government affairs, I know after thinking about it that it's not that simple for you, the emperor, to get married."

"You don't need to worry about this." Xie Dan took a comb and concentrated on combing her hair, then smiled indifferently, "I am the emperor of the Great Zhou, not a puppet who sells myself to the Great Zhou. Whoever I like to marry Being a wife is my own business, as long as the two of us agree to this marriage, no one else will be allowed to comment on it."

"Well, you can count on your own." The little girl looked at him and smiled shrewdly, "Anyway, I'm not in a hurry, I'm still young."

"What do you want to say, that your brother is getting old?" Xie Dan stretched out his finger and poked her forehead, then made a gesture to scratch her neck, and said with a smile, "Don't be in a hurry, I'm in a hurry!"

The little girl shrank her neck and giggled, and said coquettishly: "No, my brother is a young Yingjie, young and promising."

"Tsk, how come those words come out of your mouth so nicely." Xie Dan put down his comb and said with a smile, "It's been a long day, so go to bed early."

Ye Chu nodded, not forgetting the daily tasks, pulled him to bend down to her, stretched out his head to kiss his cheek, waved his hand and said: "Brother, you should go to bed early, and ask Chun Jiang to come in and make me a baby." Dry your hair."

Chen Lianjiang was a little agitated all night, the emperor hid the girl in his room, always making people expect something.He watched Xie Dan enter the inner room after taking a bath, and was waiting at the door excitedly. The two seemed to talk for a while, and then watched Xie Dan come out again, read a book for a while, and then lay down on the couch outside to sleep. down.

Chen Lianjiang was inexplicably regretful.

Two days later, the emperor arrived at the capital at sunset in the afternoon. The officials who stayed behind in the capital came out of the city to greet them. The imperial chariot entered the city all the way. The emperor disembarked outside the palace gate and stood on the royal road to receive the bowing and greeting of all officials. No one paid attention to the imperial chariot. Another servant came down, surrounded by several palace people, turned around a palace road, and boarded a soft sedan chair.Surrounded by maids and guards, the sedan chair went straight to Baima Lane.

After leaving Ye's house for more than three months, Ye Chu felt very cordial when he came back. While the master was away, the house in the mansion had been repaired and cleaned up. The parrot that hadn't been taken away from the verandah started to shout when Ye Chu came in. : "All blessings, girls, all blessings, girls."

"Ah, it still recognizes me, I thought it was going to forget." Ye Chu teased the parrot and laughed.

Chun Jiang said with a smile: "Don't forget, how many pine nuts the girl fed it, and the goldfish in the tank, which are usually hidden in the lotus leaves, are all fed by the girl. When they see the girl, they will run forward."

The maids laughed together, and the small courtyard was full of joy.

***

In the early morning of the next day, after the political affairs were discussed, Xie Dan left the old prime minister Wang and the oldest of the clan, King Minjun, behind him before leaving the court.

King Min is the nephew of his imperial grandfather, and he is his uncle according to his seniority. After the Great Zhou Dynasty, after the chaos of Emperor Yanshi, the royal family withered, King Min could barely represent the royal family.

Before the courtiers had left, they heard the emperor say in a very ordinary tone: "I left the two Qing families behind to entrust one thing to another."

Prime Minister Wang and King Min naturally couldn't say anything else, they hastily bowed and said: "Your Majesty, just give orders."

Xie Dan's expression was as usual, and he said softly: "I want to ask the two Qing family to be a matchmaker to help me find a marriage."

Old Prime Minister Wang and King Min were about the same age, and they almost choked on their saliva when they heard the words. The old prime minister calmed down and asked with a glimmer of hope, "Which one is your Majesty going to match?"

Xie Dan said: "My fair lady, a gentleman is so good, I send the two of you, of course it is to ask for my marriage."

The emperor could understand every word of the words, but when they were put together, the two old officials couldn't understand for a long time. After a long while, King Min asked, "Your Majesty is saying that you like a woman and want to marry her?"

"Exactly." Xie Dan smiled lightly.

The two old ministers looked at each other, and the other courtiers were also confused. The emperor liked a woman. If he wanted to be included in the harem, he could just issue an edict. After discussing, and then making a decree, since ancient times, it has never been heard that the emperor sent a matchmaker to propose marriage.

The old prime minister slowly recollected it, thinking of the two red nails on the emperor's hand, and the woman who appeared in the palace that was rumored for a while, the old prime minister thought for a while, and asked with a bow: "Dare to ask your majesty, which one is it that your majesty said?" Your lady?"

"White Horse Lane, Ye Family."

The old prime minister was stunned for a while, then looked at King Min, who also looked back blankly, and finally King Min asked, "Your Majesty, the old minister is dull, is this Ye family in Baima Lane from the palace of the court?" ?”

"Not from the court." Xie Dan said, "Her parents are dead."

"Folk girl?"

"Probably." Xie Dan looked at the shocked eyes of the courtiers, and said calmly, "She is the daughter of my benefactor, she is 15 years old, she lost her mother when she was young, and she was raised by me."

All the civil and military officials in the hall buzzed, like throwing a stone into a deep pool, and the water suddenly stirred up. The news was too shocking. The emperor had quietly raised a young daughter-in-law for him for so many years.

"Your Majesty..." The old prime minister pondered for a while, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the establishment of an empress is a major matter for the country, and it must not be taken lightly. The empress is in charge of the six palaces, and she is the mother of the world. She can set an example for women in the world. I beg your majesty to think twice."

"What is the meaning of the Wang Qing family?" Xie Dan asked in a cold and indifferent voice, "How did the Wang Qing family know that I have not been cautious, and how can I conclude that the woman I choose cannot be an example for women in the world?"

Prime Minister Wang was suffocated by the question, and King Min bit the bullet and said: "Your Majesty, for the position of empress, it is natural to choose a noble daughter from a noble family. Even in folk marriages, the right family is important. How can the empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty be a commoner girl?"

"Oh?" Xie Dan was neither happy nor angry, but still asked indifferently, "Then Uncle Min wants to find a woman of the right family for me?"

King Min was dumb all of a sudden, he was right with the emperor, maybe he wanted to plot rebellion.

"Your Majesty, the position of empress is extraordinary. You should choose a noble daughter who has both ability and virtue, and who comes from a great family. If you like her, you can bring her into the harem. I implore Your Majesty, this matter must not be taken so lightly." Prime Minister Wang turned his head. Wen Wu asked Man Dian, "My lords, what do you think is related to the posthumous position in the middle palace?"

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wang's words are justified. It is a major matter for the country to become a queen, and she should be a noble daughter with both ability and political integrity and excellent education." Another minister knelt down and persuaded.

"My minister seconded the proposal." "Your Majesty, please think twice."

More than half of the Chinese and military officials in the palace knelt down, and all spoke in unison to persuade them. Xie Dan grabbed the paperweight on the case and threw it down. He got up and cursed: "What is the family status? You keep saying that you are a powerful family, and the queen must come from a noble family. Is this trying to raise another Chu family? I brought up the girl with one hand and raised it myself. Is my family status not high enough, or is my education not good enough? Who in the world dares to say that her family status is higher than hers? ?”

"Your Majesty, calm down!" "Your Majesty, calm down!" All the ministers in the hall knelt down.

Xie Dan stood in front of the steps with his hands behind his back, looking at the silent courtiers kneeling all over the hall, there was a hint of hostility in his eyes.

After a long while, Wei Chen came out, bowed and said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty. No matter what, Your Majesty should have been crowned Empress long ago. After three years on the throne, Your Majesty finally has the idea of ​​marrying a wife and having children. Congratulations."

Wei Chen's words can be said to be a serious blow to the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty. The emperor is 25 years old and has not entered the harem for three years. It is not easy to have a woman he likes now.If the emperor has always been so lonely and not close to women, you adults should be even more anxious.

Xie Tan smashed things and finished scolding people, his face sank like water, and asked in a cold voice: "I don't know something. It is my own business to marry a wife and start a family. What does it have to do with you? I just want to send someone to propose marriage , have you ever asked your opinion?"

The officials were silent, and after a while, the old prime minister said resolutely: "Your Majesty, you are the emperor of the world, and the queen is the queen of the world. The emperor's family affairs are also state affairs!"

"That is to say, I need you to agree to who I marry as my wife, right?" Xie Dan laughed back angrily, and asked with a sneer, "I'll just ask Prime Minister Wang, who is in charge of civil marriage?"

Prime Minister Wang said: "Naturally, it is the order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker."

"My father, empress, and empress have already died. Among the elders, only the empress dowager was sick and unconscious. I can't make decisions about my marriage, but I want you to agree. Are you going to be my masters? I just want to ask In a word, who is the emperor, who do I want to listen to as the emperor?"

The words were serious, the faces of all the officials changed, and they all knelt down and kowtowed: "I dare not wait!" "The ministers are terrified!"

The hall was completely silent and silent, Xie Dan sneered and said: "Everyone will remember today that people have rebellious scales, and I have all my heart in the government, but marrying a wife and having children is my private matter, and I have made up my mind. Your opinions. The only ones who can be my masters in this matter are my father, queen and queen. If any Qing family wants to speak up, I will ask him to ask my father and queen."

After finishing speaking, the emperor walked away in a huff. Manchao civil and military, you look at me, I look at you, everyone looked embarrassed but no one dared to speak. After all, no one wanted to be sent to meet Emperor Sejong.

The emperor left, and the courtiers went out one after another. Many of the military generals supported the Zhongwangfu in the battle for succession. At this moment, a military general approached Guo Yu and said in a low voice: "Lord Zhong, look This issue……"

Guo Yu stopped and stood on the steps, sulking as he looked at the courtiers in twos and threes below the steps.For more than half a year, everyone knew that Guo Zijin's "born phoenix fate" was a candidate for the successor, but the emperor suddenly came, which made him in an awkward situation at the moment. Under such arbitrariness and tyranny, the courtiers who originally supported Guo Zijin dared to speak out.

Guo Yu said: "What can I think of this king? Your Majesty will go his own way. A folk woman with unknown origin is about to become the queen of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is really ridiculous to think about it."

Wei Chen passed by him and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I sincerely advise you to stay on the line and not touch His Majesty's scales."

"Hmph, the servant of the charming king!" Guo Yu snorted, glanced at Wei Chen and walked away.

Wei Chen smiled playfully, probably no one saw the scene more clearly than him today.The emperor's operation was clearly intentional, and he insisted on turning the post-establishment from a "major matter of the country" into a "private matter of mine". I'm afraid it was not only for the present, but also to pave the way for some future events.

After all, there are many things between the emperor and the little master who are not in harmony with the etiquette, rules and ancestral system. From now on, no matter what the emperor and queen are like, or what the harem is like, it will probably be "my private matter".

The courtiers went out of the palace along the palace road, discussing this matter quietly all the way. Since ancient times, when martial arts died and wars died, some people always wanted to remonstrate, and some people accused Wei Chen of slandering and flattering the Lord, which was unprincipled.

As the leader of the Iron Armored Guards, Wei Chen would find it difficult not to be hated for how many bloody and brutal things the Iron Armored Guards had done.

Wei Chen sneered and said: "Everyone, the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty is enough to wither, and now only His Majesty is left in the orthodox blood of the royal family. If he waits for another three to five years and does not become a queen or accept a concubine, I see you all." Your Excellency, why should you be anxious! It is rare for His Majesty to have a woman he likes, and you insist on blocking it. It is not uncommon for you to know His Majesty's temperament. When did he compromise on what he believes?

"Renjun should have the world in mind, Your Majesty refuses to accept advice and insists on going his own way..." A censor was heartbroken.

Before he finished speaking, Wei Chen interrupted with a snort: "It depends on when a benevolent king accepts advice. If there is no such toughness and fortitude as His Majesty, I don't know what the world will look like."

Wei Chen said that he was going to bow his hands to King Min, and said with a smile: "My minister thinks that the prince is being foolish. Now that the country is stable, His Majesty doesn't need to marry a noble daughter to help him. If the Queen's mother's family is too powerful, then you can do it again." How would it be beneficial for the Great Zhou to have a Chu family come out?"

This matter has been deadlocked in the court for more than half a month. The emperor was not that impatient, but he did not give in at all. When the two censors who attacked Ye's daughter for "confusing the emperor and harming the country" were punished in court, the board It was like hitting the ministers directly in the face.

The courtiers finally understood that the emperor could occasionally accept advice and listen to advice in government affairs, but in this matter, the emperor had made up his mind, so he just told them.

Some clan members headed by King Min gradually came to their senses.They are clan relatives, and they should have stood with the emperor. It would be stupid to confront the emperor. The emperor's heir Guozuo is what they should care about most. The emperor gets married as soon as possible and has more little princes. important.The empress dowager is a living example. The emperor married a powerful woman from the mother's family as the queen, and then created a Chu family, which would not benefit the Xie royal family at all.

So the clan members first compromised, from opposing Ye's daughter's establishment, to how to take advantage of the opportunity to choose a few more suitable concubines for the emperor, so as to spread branches and leaves for the royal family.

After more than half a month of stalemate in the court, Xie Dan casually asked King Min if he was still willing to propose marriage for him after the morning court. If not, he would just change someone else.

King Min quickly agreed.King Min finally persuaded the old prime minister Wang, took the old prime minister together, and offered to propose marriage for the emperor.

King Min told the old prime minister that everyone knows His Majesty's disposition, and His Majesty has made up his mind, and this matter is settled anyway. If Prime Minister Wang does not go, at worst, His Majesty will find someone else to beg for relatives and protect the matchmaker. It will be the old prime minister who will be embarrassed .

Proposing marriage to the emperor is probably unprecedented, and no one has done it before.But since the emperor said it, the three matchmakers and six hires are also indispensable. They have to represent the emperor to propose marriage first, and it depends on whether the woman agrees.If the woman agrees, she will formally accept the ceremony of selection, and then she will be asked about her name and married. The two families will form a marriage, and the man's family will hand over the letter of engagement to the woman's family.

So the two matchmakers agreed on a date with Xie Dan, prepared a generous gift according to the rules, and went to Ye's house in Baima Lane to propose marriage.