marry queen

The emperor of Northern Wu died of a long illness, and the second prince ascended the throne as emperor, changing his reign name to Huicheng.

In the first year of Huicheng, the Empress Dowager Zhou ordered all officials and officials to send their children of the right age to the palace for drafts, so as to spread branches and leaves for the royal family and extend their descendants.

It's past midnight, and every family in the capital has turned off the lights and gone to sleep, but the main courtyard of Annan Hou's mansion is brightly lit. Annan Hou Shen Wenbo sat at the table and sighed, his wife Li rubbed his shoulders behind him, and hesitantly asked his master, "The Queen Mother's order What's wrong?"

"Hey!" Marquis Annan sighed, "When the first emperor was seriously ill, the empress dowager listened to the government behind the curtain for so many years. Now that the new emperor is on the throne, she is not the emperor's biological mother. How can she be willing to delegate power? She just wanted to arrange herself in the name of drafting for the emperor. She entered the harem, but ordered all the officials and officials to send suitable-age candidates to the palace for a draft to cover her up."

Mrs. Li sat next to him, "We are just accompanying him for a show, why should the master be so sad, if our daughter is lucky enough to be selected, wouldn't it be great joy?"

"A woman's opinion!" An Nanhou scolded her, "Prime Minister Dugu has been fighting with the Queen Mother for so many years, and the Dugu family will definitely not stand by in this draft. The youngest daughter of the prime minister's family is now twenty-eight years old. The reason for sending it to the palace?"

Mrs. Li is still a little puzzled, these detours in the court are more troublesome than the chores in the back house, she said: "In this way, the emperor can just choose between the two of them, at worst, they will all be brought into the palace, why do we have to do it?" Accompaniment."

An Nanhou sighed and said: "That being said, the Empress Dowager ordered us all to be sent away. Our daughters are all of good looks. If we are selected, we will become thorns in the eyes of the Empress Dowager and the prime minister, and we will definitely live in the future. Every step is frightening. I am just an empty prince now, I have no real power, how can I compete with them. If I am not selected, she will have to stay at home for three years before she can be accepted by others. At that time, she will be 20 years old. Can you make a promise to a good family?"

As soon as An Nanhou said this, Li Shi finally understood the stakes. She jumped up from the chair in an instant, not knowing what to do. She has two daughters, the eldest daughter Yanran is seventeen years old, and the second daughter Yanru was only nine years old, if she were to be sent to the draft, only Yanran would be suitable, but after listening to An Nanhou's analysis, how dare she send her daughter to the draft now, she anxiously walked back and forth across the room, grabbing Annanhou's hands, crying bitterly: "Master, you have to find a way, we Yanran can't go to the draft."

Marquis An Nan could only sigh, feeling a little ashamed towards his wife, "I don't want to send Yan Ran away either, but the Queen Mother's order, do you want me to resist it?"

Mrs. Li racked her brains to think of a way, "Or, we take Yanran's personal servant girl as a foster daughter and send her to the draft?"

"Confused!" An Nanhou interrupted her, "A show girl must come from a family of officials. If you are found out doing this, it will be a death penalty for disrespect!"

Li Shi was stunned, she slumped on the soft couch, she couldn't think of a way for a while, thinking that her spoiled eldest daughter was going to suffer this crime, but she was helpless, only had the strength to cry bitterly.She cried for a while, and An Nanhou felt uncomfortable watching, and said helplessly: "The gods fight, and we mortals suffer. The matter has come to this point, and I have no choice. Find a good marriage for her." After saying that, she stood up and prepared to go back to the house to rest.

Mrs. Li suddenly raised her head and said, "Master, I think of a candidate."

"Which candidate?" An Nanhou looked at her.

Mrs. Li hesitated for a while, then gritted her teeth and said: "Zhiqiu is seventeen now, he is the eldest son of the Hou family, as a man, even if he stays at home for three years before discussing marriage, he will not lose anything..."

"Shut up! That's Meishu's only son, how could he..." An Nanhou interrupted her aloud, Shen Zhiqiu was the only bloodline of his original wife, and because of dystocia when giving birth to him, the original wife passed away after giving birth to him , Mrs. Li is the house that he brought up later.

"My lord, I'm not proposing this for my own selfish desires. I brought up Zhiqiu since he was a child. I treat him and Zhimo the same. You can see it. It's just because Zhimo is only ten years old. Otherwise, he should be the one to replace him." His sister went to the draft, and I was also forced to do nothing, Zhiqiu has gone, the emperor will definitely not choose him, then we will not be considered against the decree and can pass the test safely, isn't it the best of both worlds?"

Mrs. Li's words made An Nanhou stop. An Nanhou frowned slightly and turned his back for a long time. Mrs. Li was right. Today's society can't help the south wind, and the queen mother's decree did not stipulate that she must be a daughter. Even though he sent his son there, he clearly expressed his neutral position, and the queen mother and the prime minister would not embarrass him.The emperor is not good at Nanfeng, so Zhiqiu just went for a formality, no matter how you look at it, it is the best policy, but he still feels that he can't do it if he is asked to send his dead wife's son to the draft, but when he thinks of Yanran who used to be good and virtuous He began to waver again, his daughter should agree to the best family, instead of going to the palace to waste her youth.Li's suppressed sobs touched his heartstrings, if he sent his daughter there, he would get into trouble if he was careless. He is a nobleman who enjoys his idle job, and he cannot withstand any wind and waves, but sending his son there can keep everything safe.Thinking of this, An Nanhou sighed deeply, and said to Li Shi: "This is the only way to do it. I will go and talk to him about Zhiqiu."

After finishing speaking, she sighed and went back to the inner room, leaving Mrs. Li alone in the front room to wipe her tears. Seeing that the master had finished talking at night, Mrs. Li's personal nurse opened the door and brought in a bowl of calming soup.Li Shi wiped away her tears, brushed her somewhat messy hair, and finally fell to the ground with a heart.Nanny Chen praised: "Madam's plan is very good."

Mrs. Li drank the Anshen soup, "Seeing him suppressing my Zhimo everywhere, it is hard to guarantee that the title will not be his in the future. Sending him to the draft will save Yan Ran from the disaster and make him spread the good news of Nanfeng." Fame, I’m afraid I won’t be able to find a girl from a good family in the future, I’ve raised him for 17 years, it’s enough affection.”

"Madam said that the Eldest Young Master should be happy to share the worries of the Hou Mansion."

In Jiyue Pavilion, a girl in an apricot-yellow blouse hurriedly ran around the room, cursing as she turned, "Madam really has a dark conscience, how could you do such a thing, the master let her go, Really..."

"Ginkgo, be careful!" Another girl in lotus root pink clothes frowned and interrupted her, "Talking about the master behind his back, if it spreads out, it's another trick in our yard."

Only then did Ginkgo realize that her words and deeds were wrong, and she hurriedly stopped talking, but she still couldn't hide the anger on her face. She looked at the handsome young man sitting quietly at the low table in the Nuan Pavilion, her immature face puffed up with anger, In the past, he said to the young man: "My lord, Ginkgo didn't do it on purpose, the servants are really angry, how could they... how could they treat you like this, you are the eldest son of the Hou family!"

"That's right, the eldest son of a serious son." Shen Zhiqiu smiled wryly, "It is precisely because of this status that they treat me like this."

"My lord, what are you going to do?" asked the lotus root pink girl.

Shen Zhiqiu put the warm teacup aside, and ordered: "Chen Xiang, pass on the meal, I'm hungry."

Ginkgo spoke first, "My lord, what time is it, why are you not in a hurry?"

"No matter how anxious you are, I still have to eat. I can't starve myself to death." Shen Zhiqiu said helplessly, Chen Xiang nodded in agreement after hearing this, turned around and went to the small kitchen to inform Chuanshan, Ginkgo was still wandering around in the room, Shen Zhiqiu was so upset by her, he pressed the center of his eyebrows and said: "If you are fine, go to the big garden in the mansion to see if the lotus flowers are blooming, if they are blooming, pick a few and put them in a vase, don't hang around in front of me. Very hot."

Although Gingko was in a hurry, she didn't dare to disobey her master's order, so she nodded with a puffy face.After she left, the room finally became much quieter. Shen Zhiqiu picked up the tea and took a sip, with deep disappointment and unwillingness in his eyes.

I heard from the old nanny who served him before that when his mother was pregnant with him, Aunt Li in the house had already given birth to a daughter, so every time she saw Mrs. Hou's belly, she was very jealous and wished she could Put his daughter back into his stomach and exchange for an eldest son.I don't know if it's because of her curse or the bad luck of Mrs. Hou Fu, she died of dystocia after giving birth to him. Shen Zhiqiu was naturally sent to Aunt Li's courtyard to be raised. For the kindness of raising his eldest son, An Nanhou specially lifted her up. Do housekeeping.She was quite concerned about Shen Zhiqiu at first, but after giving birth to her own son, she slacked off on him a lot. Although she never killed him, she only let him bear the title of the eldest son in vain, and never considered anything Overcoming him, she just pretended to be a loving mother in front of outsiders, deceiving everyone's eyes, but she finally couldn't hold back this time.That's right, her biological son, Shen Zhimo, is already a Tongsheng. When he is selected as a scholar in the autumn of three years later, he will be considered a scholar. She is afraid that she came here for the title of Marquis Annan. Today, the title of title will not be up to Shen Zhimo.

Chen Xiang brought the food, Shen Zhiqiu ate it quietly, thinking about something in his heart, he didn't even taste the food after eating it, Chen Xiang added a bowl of soup for him, and said worriedly: "My lord, there is really no room for maneuver in this matter ?"

Shen Zhiqiu drank the soup, and said lightly: "You have seen the attitude of father when he came in the morning, so there is no room for maneuver."

"The young master is really going to draft, this... this is too ridiculous." Chen Xiang was a little anxious.

Shen Zhiqiu sneered, "They want me to go, so I'll go for a walk, then they will be the ones who will lose face, so what has nothing to do with me, I see how long Li's loving mother can last."

The master and the servant were talking, and the servants outside heard rumors that the eldest lady had arrived. Shen Zhiqiu put down the bowl and chopsticks, and stood up. Xianghan, Shen Zhiqiu saw this, and ordered Chen Xiang, "Serve an ice bowl."

Then he smiled at Shen Yanran, "The sun is scorching outside, why is Big Sister leaving in such a hurry."

Before Shen Yanran could speak, two lines of tears flowed down first, she sobbed and said: "Second brother, I'm sorry for you, I just found out that I have already gone to see my father, but..."

Shen Zhiqiu interrupted her, handed her a navy blue square handkerchief, and said in relief: "It's not Big Sister's fault, Father has his own considerations, if you ask Big Sister to go, maybe we won't be able to see you again in the future, this is expedient For the sake of plan, you don’t have to blame yourself, just wipe away your tears quickly, with your current appearance, let outsiders see you, how will you talk about marriage in the future.”

Hearing what he said, Shen Yanran was relieved a lot, but still couldn't bear it, she wiped away her tears, sat down, looked at Shen Zhiqiu, the tears she had just wiped away flowed down again, Shen Zhiqiu looked at a loss, and hurriedly said, "Big sister looks like I'm really going to get married. I'm just going for a formality. I go in the morning and come back in the evening. Why bother?"

After all, he took the handkerchief and wiped away Shen Yanran's tears. If he and Li Shi did not get along, but he had a very good relationship with this half-sister. , took good care of his younger siblings, and because Shen Zhiqiu didn't have a mother, he was especially concerned about him. Shen Zhiqiu was still angry and unwilling just now. After seeing the tears Shen Yanran shed for him, he became much calmer. In terms of this sister-brother friendship , he should take this trip for her.

After wiping away her tears, Shen Yanran told Shen Zhiqiu with red eyes: "Although the current emperor doesn't like the south wind, but the second younger brother has gone, you should try to keep a low profile. Your appearance is outstanding, and your talent is also good. It's hard to guarantee that the emperor will not say goodbye. At that time, you will stand behind the people, and all kinds of beautiful women will block you, and the emperor will be tired of watching at that time, and even if you think about it, you will not be able to see you."

"I'll save it." Shen Zhiqiu took the ice bowl brought by Chen Xiang and put it in front of Shen Yanran, "Big Sister Xinzhiqiu understands, you don't have to worry, anyway, I can't suffer as a man, eat an ice bowl, don't be caught It's hot."

Shen Yanran frowned and sighed, took the ice bowl, ate it without taste, the siblings sat together for lunch again, and did not go back to their own yard until the sun was less poisonous in the afternoon.

The day of the draft was set to be seven days later, and the school-age children of officials and eunuchs were sent to the imperial palace for selection after being watched by the aunt in charge.

According to the rules, Shen Zhiqiu was required to stay in his own Jiyue Pavilion for the past seven days without going out.