RMACAUH Chapter 41
by VolareChapter 41 Chapter 41 Feng Chao was about to roll up his trouser leg in front of him…
Wei Xiaofeng was moved, and his impression of Feng Xilan improved a lot. He didn’t receive many good intentions, and Xilan was one of them.
He solemnly took the phoenix hairpin that Feng Xilan handed over, “Thank you Xilan, I will keep it safe.”
This story was immediately spread as a good story, and some talented people on the spot began to arrange it.
After riding horses for a morning, everyone went to the Royal Villa for lunch in the afternoon.
This Royal Villa is named Qiushui Pavilion. It stands alone on the top of the mountain and has a huge hot spring field. The scenery is also amazing.
Wei Silang and several classmates from the Imperial College were writing and writing in the pavilion, composing couplets, attracting many onlookers.
Feng Yue took Wei Xiaofeng to eat and drink in the house, not joining in the fun.
Feng Xilan looked at the two of them getting tired of each other, couldn’t stay any longer, so she went to the back mountain alone to enjoy the scenery. Many wild peach trees grew on the back mountain, and clusters of pink peach blossoms bloomed a lot.
When passing under a tree, the branches above his head shook violently, shaking off branches of flowers.
Feng Xilan looked up and saw a face with an evil smile, with a bit of unrestrainedness and romance between his eyebrows. He spun around and hung upside down in front of him, instantly meeting his eyes in parallel.
“Why is Xilan County King wandering around the back mountain alone? Do you want me to accompany you?”
Feng Xilan took a few steps back in fright, keeping a distance from him, her slender eyebrows furrowed tightly, “The back mountain is so big, you go your way, I go my way, we don’t interfere with each other.”
“Don’t be so heartless, be careful there are big bad wolves in this mountain, dragging you away. Do you know what the consequences are of being dragged away by the big bad wolves in the mountain?”
“What can be the consequences? It’s just death!” Trying to scare him, does he look like someone who can be scared?
“Naturally, there is more than just death.” Saying that, Si Mo turned around and jumped off the tree, coming to him.
“Oh, I didn’t know there were other consequences?”
“Xilan County King looks so bright and moving, how could I be willing to kill you? Naturally, I would drag you back to the wolf’s den to marry and have children.”
Feng Xilan’s face flushed red, and she chased him with a peach branch.
“You foul-mouthed dead beast! I’ll stab you to death! If you have the guts, don’t run!!”
“Hahahaha… Come on, come on, come and chase me!”
Si Mo ran all over the mountains and fields like a wild horse off the reins. Feng Xilan chased him for a long time, without even touching the corner of his clothes.
He was extremely angry, and accidentally kicked a broken branch under his feet, suddenly throwing himself forward. He felt both angry and painful, and his eyes turned red. He wanted to kill Si Mo.
Si Mo saw him fall, didn’t tease him anymore, restrained his smile and folded back, with a serious face to help him: “Why are you so careless? Where did you fall?”
As soon as he helped him up, Feng Xilan slapped him in the face, and kicked him hard. Just as he was about to take his foot back, Si Mo grabbed his ankle with one hand, and smiled instead of anger: “Little brother kicks me so comfortably, don’t leave so quickly, come, come, kick me a few more times!”
Feng Xilan wasn’t angry anymore, he just wanted him to let go, his face red to the roots of his neck: “Let me go!”
Si Mo not only didn’t let go, but tightened his palm, teasingly stroking back and forth through the fabric with his fingertips.
“So thin!”
“You pervert! I’ll kill you!”
Feng Xilan didn’t think about running anymore. He had never been so angry in his life. He directly pounced on Si Mo and bit his shoulder hard, wishing he could tear off a piece of his flesh.
Si Mo felt the pain, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, but he was still in the mood to joke with him, “You bit so hard? You must like me, right? If this leaves a scar, it will never disappear in this lifetime.”
“Bite, bite a little deeper, and in the future I will walk around shirtless in the summer. When others see the tooth marks on my shoulder, I will say it was bitten by Xilan County King, he really loves me so much!”
Feng Xilan was really scared, and tears of humiliation flowed down his cheeks in two lines. Finally, he let go of his mouth and wanted to escape. Si Mo took the opportunity to turn over and rudely pressed him under his body.
Feng Xilan showed weakness in front of people for the first time, his tone with a hint of pleading: “Don’t… please let me go, I won’t hit you anymore, please… if someone sees, it won’t be good for either of our reputations!”
“I just won’t let you go!” Si Mo’s smile was a little distorted, he forcefully grabbed his chin, making him look directly at himself: “Isn’t it good for them to see? I will be responsible for you, I will marry you back to Nanzhao, let you be my fu lang, and be good to you for the rest of my life.”
“But I don’t like you! Why do you have to make things difficult for me?!”
“It’s enough that I like you. You have to snatch what you like, otherwise you will lose it forever.”
Si Mo overbearingly and possessively deceived his lips. Feng Xilan was both angry and scared, his whole body trembling violently. His whimpering was blocked by Si Mo’s tightly sealed lips and teeth, unable to vent.
He tasted the salty taste of tears. Si Mo opened his eyes to look at him, but saw him with a look of pain and fear, his heart was stabbed.
A voice was shouting in his mind.
This is not what he wants!
This is not what he wants!!
Si Mo finally regained some clarity, stopped his violence. Feng Xilan took the opportunity to push him away, wiped his lips with disgust, got up and ran, not daring to look back at what ferocious expression he had.
Si Mo is too scary!
He is very different from the people he knew in the past, like a madman who cannot reason!
It wasn’t until the evening meal that Feng Xilan was not seen coming out that Feng Yue knew that he had returned to the palace in advance.
Xilan is not the kind of person who leaves without saying goodbye. Feng Yue had a direct feeling that something happened to him, thinking about asking him when he got the chance another day.
During the banquet, Feng Yue specially found some topics to chat with Si Ming.
He couldn’t find any fault. When asked about the recent situation of Nanzhao, he was also very skilled in picking and choosing what to say. It would not cool down the atmosphere and make it too boring, and it would also allow them to learn more about the local customs and practices of Nanzhao.
As for family prosperity, power struggles, taxation, and people’s livelihood, not a word was mentioned.
So after chatting a few words, Feng Yue became silent and glanced at Si’s second son, who was gorging himself and looked like a straw bag.
It was this person who, a few years later, seized power by murdering his brother, and after forcing his sister-in-law to death, became extremely licentious as soon as he took office, plundering the people’s wealth, and being extremely cruel.
A few years later, it was heard that local officials and people jointly overthrew his kingship, leaving only a letter that was unclear. His surviving confidants said that he had taken a huge poison and was bound to die, but after searching all over Nanzhao, even his body was not found.
Feng Xiao first stationed troops in Guangling, and then took this opportunity to station troops in Nanzhao. The power of the vassal king was completely disintegrated. From then on, there was no Nanzhao King and Guangling King in the world.
Thinking about it this way, Feng Xiao is a person with a lot of luck on his body.
In the first ten years, he and his mother helped him, and even his father, who outwardly disliked him, was actually pushing him forward from behind. In the next ten years, the The snipe and clam fightyù bàng xiāng zhēng:snipe and clam fight; the snipe and the clam grapple—the fisherman profits, he disintegrated the power of the vassal king without spending a single soldier and solidified the situation.
But in this life, without his help, can Feng Xiao get his wish?
When the evening meal was about to end, Wei Xiaofeng saw Wei’s fourth son standing in the distance. He was a little restless.
Feng Yue noticed his strangeness and asked him in his ear, “What’s wrong?”
“I saw Fourth Brother.”
“Where?”
“In the path downstairs.”
Feng Yue looked down and indeed saw a thin figure, with correct facial features, who didn’t look like Xiaofeng. Xiaofeng looked like his mother, and this Wei Silang looked like his father.
“Do you want to see him?”
Wei Xiaofeng pondered for a while and nodded: “I want to see him, anyway, I’m leaving soon. I don’t know when I’ll see him again after this leave. I have some things I want to say to him face to face.”
“Then go.”
Wei Xiaofeng got up and bowed to the people sitting there: “I’m done eating, everyone enjoy, I’ll go down and take a walk to digest.”
Seeing Wei Xiaofeng coming down, Wei Silang breathed a sigh of relief. He had been waiting here for a long time.
After all, he is now the Di Wangfei (The legitimate princess dí wángfēi: primary consort of a prince), and the people he comes into contact with are all powerful people. The seating arrangements will not be in one place, and it is difficult to say a word.
“Fourth Brother, let’s talk over there.”
“Okay.” Wei Silang was still a little unaccustomed to the change in status.
Wei Xiaofeng knew the character of his fourth brother well, and had made enough psychological preparations for this meeting with him. He strode forward until he was far away from the crowd.
This place is extremely quiet. A natural lake reflects the bright moon. The evening breeze blows, and the waves are sparkling.
The two stood by the lake, feeling the rare tranquility between heaven and earth.
After a long time, Wei Silang said: “You didn’t come back for the third day homecoming, Father and Mother are a little dissatisfied.”
Wei Xiaofeng said unhappily: “What’s the point of going back? There’s no good face anyway.”
“How can you say that?”
“Then how should I speak? Fourth Brother, you teach me. You’ve read a lot, so tell me, how should I repay grievances with kindness?”
“When has the Wei family treated you badly? If they really treated you badly, could you have grown up safely and unharmed? How could you have married the Guangling Prince and have the honor you have today?”
“Because the Wei family didn’t treat you badly, so you also think I should be grateful and thankful like you? Because of your existence, how much prejudice and grievance did my mother and I suffer? Do you think a few words from you can erase everything?”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
“Forget it! What do you want from me?”
“Go and persuade Mother and maternal grandfather. Mother has been arguing with Father about separation recently! You say that we are already this old, and we sons are also at the age of getting married and discussing marriage. Now that we are separating, will I still want to be a human being if it spreads out? Originally, the reputation of a merchant’s daughter is not good, but this incident is still happening!”
Wei Xiaofeng laughed mockingly: “You should go back and persuade Father properly, and obediently separate for the best.”
“What do you mean by this?!”
“Mother’s dowry has been squandered by you all. Once it’s brought to court and spread throughout the capital, I’ll have to see how he, Wei Xinhe, will be a person!”
“How dare you?”
“He is the dignified Guangling Wangfei, he dares to do anything! Wei Silang doesn’t distinguish between rank and disrespect, how dare he speak to the Di Wangfei like this?”
Wei Silang suddenly looked up, not knowing how long this Guangling Prince had been here, and how much he had heard? He immediately felt a burst of guilt and hurriedly saluted: “Little commoner Wei Chengde, greetings to the Guangling Prince.”
“A-Yue?”
“You are just too soft-hearted, you are not even willing to say a few harsh words.”
Wei Xiaofeng looked embarrassed: “I was just about to say it, and you came.”
“You step back, this Wang will talk to Wei’s fourth son.”
Wei Silang trembled: “Wang, Your Highness, it’s a matter of commoner’s family, I dare not dirty your ears.”
“Since you came to find Xiaofeng, you should be related to Xiaofeng. Now that Xiaofeng is married to me as my fu lang, then it is related to this Wang. Where did we just talk to?”
Wei Silang swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty, “Yes, it is my mother and father who are arguing about separation.”
“Master Wei married Xiaofeng’s mother early in the years because of her dowry. Over the years, I heard that the Wei family’s expenses were all taken from Xiaofeng’s mother’s dowry. According to the Da Yuan law, after a woman or ge’er (brothers gē’er: a male concubine; a male who takes on the role of wife in a homosexual relationship) marries, the husband’s family must not embezzle or deprive the woman or ge’er’s dowry. Those who forcibly occupy it will be beaten twenty times and paraded through the streets.”
Wei Silang was so frightened that his legs softened and he knelt down: “Your Highness, please be aware, these are untrue rumors! Xiaofeng, you quickly tell the Wang that there is no such thing!”
“I told the Wang, and my mother has been keeping records of what you have taken over the years. She still keeps the dowry list she brought when she got married. Since Father does not agree to the separation, then please ask the elders of the clan to go to the ancestral hall together and compare the account books. You will know when you compare them!”
“You guys…”
“From now on, you must not detain my mother or take a single penny from her! Even if Father wants to separate, he should give corresponding compensation, otherwise we will see you in court!”
With that, he took Feng Yue’s hand and turned away angrily.
Leaving Wei Silang collapsed there like a pool of mud, with a confused look and at a loss.
Until he walked a long way, Wei Xiaofeng’s eyes gradually turned red, and he sniffed, tears couldn’t help but fall down.
Feng Yue hugged him in his arms distressedly, and comforted him softly: “It’s okay, um? What’s there to cry about? When your mother is separated, good days will be waiting for her in the future. You and your mother are both blessed people.”
“I just feel unworthy for my mother and me,” Wei Xiaofeng choked, his voice muffled, “Just for such a thing, my mother and I have endured so much, thinking that he could be promising and protect us a little, who knows… How can people be so selfish to this point?”
“Xiaofeng, you are too kind. Most people in this world are selfish and self-interested, but there is nothing wrong with this. People die for wealth, birds die for food (No one rén bù wéi jǐ tiānzhūdièmiè: If a man does not act for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him). What is wrong is to constantly harm the interests of others for one’s own selfish desires.”
“Well, I hope Mother and grandfather will be smooth and smooth in the future, and will not encounter people like the Wei family again.”
“Yes, from now on, you will definitely be smooth and safe.”
*
The New Yuan Festival passed in the blink of an eye. In the season of the spring equinox, all things recover, and everything looks like a new beginning, full of vitality.
The Wangfu started packing things before the New Year. After the storerooms were inventoried, the things were almost all put away.
After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, they will go to Guangling.
Wei Xiaofeng looked at the new Wangfu reluctantly. Although he hadn’t lived there for a few days, he already had a sense of belonging.
Once he leaves, he doesn’t know when he will be able to come back?
The swing in the courtyard was newly made by Feng Yue, thinking that the scenery here is good, and when the weather is fine, Xiaofeng can swing here while enjoying the scenery.
Wei Xiaofeng sat on the swing, and Feng Yue pushed him around for an afternoon.
Seeing his reluctance, Feng Yue smiled and said: “When you go there, I will get you a new one, it must be better than this swing!”
“This one is already good enough, don’t need a better one.” It’s a waste of energy and money.
“If you like it, I will listen to you, then make an identical one.”
“Um!”
“By the way, I’m going to the University Scholar’s mansion tomorrow morning.”
“The Liu Family?”
“Well, I have called him teacher for a while anyway, and this apprenticeship ceremony should be more solemn.”
Wei Xiaofeng stayed with him, and he also learned something by ear. The University Scholar is a spokesman for the civil officials, and the Minister of Personnel is the head of the civil officials. His father, as the Vice Minister of Personnel, even if he does not support Feng Yue, he should not rebel.
With the support of civil officials, even if Feng Yue is far away in Guangling, he will still have a place in the court.
“What are you thinking about?”
Wei Xiaofeng shook his head and did not express his shallow opinion. With his qualifications, it would be ridiculous to talk about court affairs.
That day, Feng Yue asked the staff to send out invitations. The next morning, Feng Yue took a carriage to visit Liu Wenyong.
Liu Wenyong knew that he would come sooner or later, and appeared calm and at ease when entertaining guests.
He didn’t refuse the gifts Feng Yue sent, but he just drank tea and chatted the whole time, saying some irrelevant words.
After sitting in the University Scholar’s mansion for more than an hour, Feng Yue didn’t disturb him much and got up to leave.
On the carriage returning to the Wangfu, Mu Yunhua was a little puzzled: “What does this Master Liu mean? Is he on your side, or is he not on your side?”
Feng Yue sipped his tea lightly: “Since he has accepted the gift, he doesn’t need to say it clearly. After all, there are many eyes and ears, and it is not convenient to say anything.”
Mu Yunhua suddenly understood: “So that’s how it is! I saw him pulling seven and pulling eight, talking about mountains and talking about water, and thought he had no sincerity and just wanted to fool you!”
“When will maternal grandfather leave the capital?”
“He will set off in the next two days. One is in the east and the other is in the west, ten thousand miles apart!”
Feng Yue couldn’t help but feel melancholy, “Maternal grandfather is old, and the climate in the northwest is harsh, he can’t stand a few years of wear and tear.”
“Blame the emperor for being heartless. At this age, who doesn’t return to their hometown to enjoy their old age? He’s good, he can’t return to the capital without an order. It’s not easy to come back, and he’s still doing the hijacking in the middle of the road!”
Feng Yue looked solemn and silently stopped talking.
Mu Yunhua also knew that he was worried and thoughtful, and had too many things to consider, so he stopped talking about these annoying things, and just sighed softly.
The court that day was also very restless. Every time at this time, they were worried, fearing that Chu Ting’s concerns about water control would fall on their own heads for no reason.
Losing an official position is a small matter, but losing one’s integrity in old age is a big matter.
The position of Minister of Works has been vacant and no one has been replaced. Several adults in the Ministry of Works are meek and dare not speak even if they have something to say.
Suddenly, the chief eunuch outside the hall hurried forward and said, “Your Majesty, the First Prince requests to see you.”
“Summon him!”
“Summon the First Prince, Feng Chao, to see you!”
Feng Chao, wearing a white python robe with gold thread on the bottom, strode to the front of the hall and saluted: “Your son pays respect to Father.”
“Spare the courtesy.” The emperor was annoyed and didn’t even look at him directly, sighing for the officials in the court, but none of them were usable.
“Father, your son is willing to go to Chu Ting to control the water and solve your father’s worries and problems.”
“Are you willing?”
“Yes, developing and improving water conservancy is a matter of benefiting all the people. Since we are supported by all the people, it is the duty of a prince to seek welfare for all the people. Your son will definitely do his best and live up to expectations.”
The emperor was surprised and pleased at the same time when he heard this. He nodded approvingly: “I didn’t expect you to have such insights. Draft an order. From today onwards, I will appoint the First Prince Feng Chao as the Water Control Supervisor of Chu Ting. The Ministry of Works will be used by you and will go to Chu Ting to take office in a few days.”
“Your son accepts the order.”
The news that the First Prince took office to control the water in Chu Ting spread throughout the capital in one morning.
This time he left in a hurry, and he had to set off in two days. Feng Chao went to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager ignored him and kept him kneeling.
Although it was spring, the ground was extremely cold. After kneeling for half an hour, his legs lost consciousness.
Feng Chao remained unchanged, but he closed his eyes in pain, and cold sweat dripped from his temples.
The Empress Dowager has a strong desire to control and never allows people around her to disobey her. Now that Feng Chao has made his own decision to go to Chu Ting to control the water, and he is not in front of her, she can’t control him, how can she not be angry?
It wasn’t until Haishi (Hai Shi hàishí: 9-11 p.m.) that the Empress Dowager was too sleepy to move, and then ordered someone to call him in.
Feng Chao sat on the ground for a long time before he was helped into the room by a maid.
“You sit down.” The Empress Dowager looked indifferent and curled her lips with some disgust.
Feng Chao sat down as told.
“Aijia (Ai Family āijiā: I (used by widows of emperors and imperial family members)) heard that you took over the job of water control?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you making things difficult for yourself? How can water control be a child’s play? There have been many capable people throughout the ages, but what was the result? Although you are smart, how can you compare with them? If you don’t do well, you will inevitably be demoted by your father, wouldn’t that be a cheap thing for the little Feng Xiao?”
“Royal Grandmother, don’t worry, it won’t happen.”
The Empress Dowager sneered: “Who do you think you are? Aijia has eaten more salt than you have eaten rice. Just wait and see, you are asking for humiliation, and you will eventually be laughed at. Now that things have been settled, you will die this death before you know Aijia’s good intentions.”
“Royal Grandmother is right to scold me.”
“Go out, Aijia wants to go to bed, these days, it really makes people worry.”
“Royal Grandmother, rest well, grandson bids farewell.” Feng Chao saluted and withdrew from Renshou Palace.
Feng Chao took the combined amulet, left the palace from the south gate, and went to the villa in the suburbs.
It is still quiet and peaceful here, and you don’t have to face those bad people and things.
Linhuai took charcoal fire and asked the kitchen to make some food and serve Feng Chao’s supper.
“Going to Chu Ting is also a good thing. You can get rid of the Empress Dowager’s surveillance in a short time and don’t have to worry all the time.”
Feng Chao didn’t know what he was thinking, and it took a long time to say: “Go, find Doctor Chu.”
Linhuai looked nervous: “Is Your Highness feeling unwell?”
“I…” Feng Chao thought for a while and said, “This palace’s knees hurt. I knelt in Renshou Palace for more than an hour. I must have been injured. You quickly bring Doctor Chu here.”
“Okay, this old servant will go and invite Doctor Chu over! Please bear with it first.”
By the time Chu Lingqiao came, it was almost midnight. He was really covered with wind and frost, and he was wearing the stars and moon.
“Ancestor, can’t you find me during the day? Do you have to wait until I’m dreaming of Duke Zhou?”
Feng Chao sent out all the servants who were serving in the room, and said with a helpless and aggrieved expression: “If I can choose the time when I am sick, I will definitely not choose the time when you are dreaming of Duke Zhou this late at night. Is that okay?”
These words blocked Chu Lingqiao so that he couldn’t say a word.
After a stalemate for a while, Chu Lingqiao stepped forward and asked, “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”
Feng Chao was about to roll up his trouser leg in front of him, scaring Chu Lingqiao a lot.
“Stop, if you have something to say, say it properly. What are you doing with your pants up?”
“Doctor Chu, what are you thinking about? I’m injured on my leg, so naturally I have to roll it up for you to see.”
Chu Lingqiao was choked again, and felt that his thoughts were dirty and detrimental to medical ethics.
So he waved his hand: “You roll it up.”
Feng Chao rolled it up extremely slowly, with a half-rejection and half-welcome look, causing Chu Lingqiao’s breath to stagnate and his whole body to heat up.
“Hurry up!”
“Doctor Chu is so fierce! Isn’t it because you think too much that suddenly makes me feel embarrassed?”
“You…”
Oh my God! Isn’t this ancestor here to punish him? But he thought about it, and he didn’t do anything harmful?
If anything, it may be because he snatched too many people from Yama’s hands that he suffered this retribution!