Devil’s Advent

Ching Ming,

light rain.

During the continuous rainy period, like a passionate woman in soft water, one stop, two glances, three meal, four hope and five look back;

It's like covering the sky with a thin layer of rain gauze,

Moisturize a group of people and tire of a city.

In the Yuxin Palace of the Empress Dowager, the green in the pond has already turned green.

Different from other aristocrats who like extravagance, the Queen Mother of Chu has always had a simple temperament. Every winter, in the mansions of many great nobles of Chu, there will always be one or two courtyards for greenhouses. The four seasons are like spring, but the Queen Mother of Chu does not Hi so.

In her words,

this man

old age

I am thinking more and more about the changes of spring, summer, autumn and winter;

When I was young, I was ignorant, when I was an adult, I had no sense, when I was old, I had no time, until when I was old, when I suddenly looked back, I was surprised that I had missed so much.

This spring, summer, autumn and winter, every time the wheel swings, it seems that there is another layer carved on the bluestone pillar. One glance is less, and one look is shorter. The warm room is comfortable, but it seems to be picked up. Sesame lost the watermelon, made himself into four seasons, a fool living in the deep palace, why bother?

The Empress Dowager sat under the cornice, holding a soup drink in her hand, picked up a spoon from time to time, ate a couple of mouthfuls, and then looked at the mist in the yard.

And outside Yuxin Palace, Fifth Highness Xiong Tingshan was there in a red python robe, looking inside from time to time, but he didn't dare to go in. Behind him stood a woman in gorgeous makeup.

Among the eunuchs and maids around, no one dared to talk too much, they all lowered their heads, and it was broad daylight, but they seemed to have covered themselves in the drizzle.

The position of prince is certainly respected, but just a newly promoted prince is not enough to make these eunuchs and maids so cautious.

It is true that His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince has been guarding Wutong County for so many years, and stories about His Highness the Fifth Prince have been circulating in Yingdu.

Some people say that he and the Shanyue people drank blood to form an alliance, and that eating human flesh and drinking human blood was the favorite of the sixteen girls' sharp heart and liver, and cut off the wine;

Some people also said that the Shanyue women around him had to find a boy from the state of Chu every night to come and get lucky.

In short, these rumors come from how disgusting people come from, how they make people fearful.

No one deliberately spread these things,

But in Dachu,

The Chu people's contempt for the Shanyue people has long been engraved in their bones.

Just like how the people of Yan look at barbarians, and the people of Jin look at savages, in fact, what they look at is not humans at all, but beasts.

Because of this, His Highness the Fifth Highness, who is called a brother and brother with the Shanyue people and also married the Shanyue people's wife, naturally has an image in the folks that is as terrifying as it can be.

At this time, a young eunuch trotted over and saluted Xiong Tingshan:

"Your Majesty, I will see you, Your Majesty, His Majesty ordered you to go and see the Empress Dowager and her old man first. Your Majesty has something to delay in the South Study Room."

"this……"

If it wasn't for being in the palace at this time, Xiong Tingshan really wanted to yell at his fourth brother.

but no way,

Xiong Tingshan could only tidy up his clothes for the last time, then turned around and helped his wife tidy up himself.

Different from her husband's "tremendous fear", his wife seems generous. This woman named Wu Tingting in Xia was born in the Wujiang tribe of Shanyue. The tribe has a population of 70,000 to 80,000. It can be regarded as a relatively powerful Shanyue tribe in Wutong County. .

"When I see the old queen mother later, I have to behave a little better." Xiong Tingshan carefully reminded.

"Sir, you have been talking about this since last night."

"hehe."

Xiong Tingshan nodded, pointed to an eunuch next to him, and signaled him to go pass it on.

The eunuch immediately trotted in,

Shaoqing,

A voice came from within:

"The Empress Dowager has a decree to announce that the prince will come to see her."

Xiong Tingshan breathed a sigh of relief, and led his wife into the inner courtyard of Yuxin Palace.

On the steps of the inner courtyard, the empress dowager stood up impatiently, looking at Xiong Tingshan who was walking towards here.

"Chen Xiong Tingshan, I have met the empress dowager, the empress dowager Fukang!"

Wu Tingting also knelt down: "The Empress Dowager Fukang."

"Come in and talk, don't get your clothes wet by the rain."

The Empress Dowager didn't say much, she went straight into the hall, Xiong Tingshan stood up, and everyone entered the hall;

The Empress Dowager sits in the first seat, and Xiong Tingshan and Wu Tingting sit in the lower right seat.

There are tea and snacks offered by the maids.

Wu Tingting had been waiting outside with her husband for a long time before. She entered the palace early and didn't eat a few mouthfuls of lunch. Now she was really hungry, so she didn't hesitate to reach out and pick up the snacks on the plate and ate them.

This kind of behavior is a bit out of courtesy,

after all,

On some occasions, the food served and displayed is not for eating, but for decoration.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Looking at the delicious food from Wuzi's family, Ai's family is also a bit greedy."

immediately,

The queen mother reached out and picked up a piece of pastry and took a small bite.

After sitting down, Xiong Tingshan's eyes turned red, and he said;

"Queen Mother, the fifth son misses you, old man."

The Queen Mother picked up the handkerchief, wiped the corners of her mouth, and cursed with a smile:

"Why do you want to mourn your family? Do you want to be beaten?"

"I really want to be beaten by you."

"Bad bone, just like when I was a child."

"That is."

When he was a child, Xiong Tingshan's mother and concubine had a humble status, let alone discipline the children, sometimes they didn't even dare to speak loudly.

At that time, the Empress Dowager was a noble concubine, and her status was revered in the harem, and Xiong Tingshan was often whipped and beaten.

This is not an abuse,

But sometimes when Xiong Tingshan and his fourth brother went to eat in the Empress Dowager's palace together, seeing Xiong Tingshan sitting there submissively, the Empress Dowager would order the eunuch to whip him with a rattan weave. As a prince, how can this sitting posture be so cowardly?

Another example is that when I heard the choreography by the servants in other places, I felt wronged, hid and cried beside the rockery, and was seen by the queen mother passing by there. After asking the reason, the queen mother asked the eunuchs around to throw Xiong Tingshan into the side. in the pond.

"Cry, cry, cry, you know how to cry, you are the prince, and you have the blood of the fire and phoenix flowing in your body, and you can be bullied by the servants to the head, don't you like to cry, you just cry to your heart's content in this pool !"

The next day, the fifth prince beat up the maids and eunuchs who spoke ill of him and his concubine, and threw them into the pool.

As a result, the news got out, and a book was read by foreign ministers, saying that His Highness the Fifth Highness abused his servants without the way of a prince.

The Emperor Chu didn't like his son very much, so he was punished severely. At the same time, his mother and concubine were cut off for half a year because of their lack of education.

Then,

The Fifth Highness was summoned by the Queen Mother again, tied to the big tree in Yuxin Palace, and whipped more than a dozen times.

"Idiot, you can make this situation by taking care of a few servants by hand, and your mother and concubine are involved, are you just pretending to be muddled!"

for a long time,

The fifth prince is actually a transparent person in the palace.

There are rumors in the palace that the imperial concubine at that time, who is also the current empress dowager, dislikes the fifth prince from a humble background the most, and often uses lessons to punish him physically.

But only the fifth prince himself knew how hard it was for an elder who was willing to teach him a lesson, to teach him, and even... to beat him at that time.

Later, after being crowned, the Emperor of Chu directly sent his son, who was bothering him, to Wutong County. At that time, the Shanyue people in Wutong County often rebelled and attacked the county at every turn, throwing the fifth prince there. , that is, to let him fend for himself.

The so-called tiger's poison does not eat its sons is not true in the royal family, because excluding some special circumstances, the emperor's sons are generally not rare.

Everything follows the law that what is rare is the most expensive. If there are many sons, it will be worthless.

And after going to Wutong County, the fifth prince would send someone to send him carefully prepared local products of Wutong County to Yingdu every year. Every time, there were two copies, one for his mother and concubine, and one for the queen mother.

Later, when his mother and concubine passed away, the fifth prince asked for his order to return to Yingdu for the funeral, but the Emperor Chu used the grounds that the situation in Wutong County was not bad to take it away.

In the end, it was the empress dowager at the time who asked the fourth prince to perform the funeral for the fifth prince, mother and concubine on the grounds that human relations were indestructible.

At the beginning of last month,

The Fifth Prince, Xiong Tingshan, personally presented the form in Wutong County, asking the Regent to be crowned the Son of Heaven, succeeding the Emperor.

This move marks the recognition and support of Wutong County and the forces represented by Wutong County for the legitimacy of the Regent.

Among the ruling and opposition parties of the Chu Kingdom, some people thought that His Royal Highness the Fifth Highness chose to surrender because he saw that the regent king was now in great power, so he was unwilling to hit a stone with a pebble;

Some people also think that the fifth prince is a child of the royal family after all, and he didn't want Chu to continue to fight internally, so he chose the state of publicity.

In fact, there are both, and there is another one, Xiong Tingshan didn't tell others that he had to pay back what he owed to the Queen Mother.

"I can't move anymore, I can't move anymore."

The queen mother smiled and waved her hand, and continued:

"You brothers have all grown up, married wives and had children. The Ai family just wants to fight. First, they can't do it themselves. Second, the servants don't dare to attack you."

"Queen Mother, the fifth son is thinking about your whip."

"Bitch, bastard, look at you, what are you talking about in front of your daughter-in-law? After listening to your daughter-in-law, you will think that the Ai family was harsh on you when you were young."

Wu Tingting heard the words, put down the food in her hands, and said:

"Empress Dowager, how dare I think that way. He is at home, but he keeps talking about the kindness of Empress Dowager to him, and he even tells the children that they still have a grandma in Yingdu."

The Empress Dowager set her eyes on Wu Tingting. This woman from the Shanyue tribe seemed so out of place in the overly well-regulated palace, and she showed a wild and unruly nature in her body.

It is said that when the fifth prince first arrived in Wutong County, if he hadn't met this woman, he might have died long ago.

"But Tingting?"

"is my name."

The eunuchs and maids at the side all lowered their heads, not daring to show any other expressions.

Xiong Tingshan licked his lips, his wife is like this, she doesn't like to talk about rules.

"It's a good-looking shelf."

"Yes, that's what my mother said about me."

The queen mother pointed at her and said:

"When you choose your daughters for His Majesty to enter the palace, you have to help choose them carefully. You have to choose someone like you. My grandsons are all delicate and weak. I am sorry for my family, but I want to hug a knot." A solid grandson."

Taking a woman from the Wujiang tribe into the palace was originally one of the agreements reached between the regent king and the fifth prince.

Wu Tingting patted her chest with her hand, and said boldly: "Don't worry, Queen Mother, wrap it on me, and I will definitely choose a big and stocky one for His Majesty the Regent."

"Yes, yes, choose this way, choose this way."

Chu people's aristocrats' aesthetics towards women tended to be soft and beautiful, and it was best to have a petite figure with a slender waist and a graceful waist.

"How about those children in your family, why didn't they bring them into the palace to show Ai's family?" asked the Queen Mother.

Wu Tingting replied: "Queen Mother, they were clamoring to enter the palace to see the grandma that their father said, but my family said they didn't understand the rules and disturbed you Queen Mother, so they didn't bring them into the palace."

Xiong Tingshan supported the forehead,

It's fine to have you as a mother who doesn't know the rules, and if there are a few monkey-like little ones, then Yuxin Palace will really have no rules at all.

The Empress Dowager glared at Xiong Tingshan, and said: "This man is old and aged, and he is most afraid of being deserted. Next time, bring him into the palace so that my place will be lively."

Xiong Tingshan said with a smile: "It's natural, the five sons also want to let them come to the Queen Mother and let the Queen Mother help teach them."

"Don't, don't, don't."

The queen mother hurriedly waved her hands,

Then he put his other hand on his chest and said:

"The Ai family has already taught such a good girl, so I don't dare to mistake her again."

Princess Xiong Liqing of Great Chu, at the Qu family's wedding, took the initiative to throw herself into the arms of Uncle Pingye of Yan State, and even rushed out of the other garden to enter Yan.

This move caused an uproar in the Chu state.

Chu people feel that this is their great shame!

Of course, the biggest humiliated person was Qu Shi.

Although the royal family immediately married another princess and came down to another child of the Qu family, and the Qu family immediately took an oath to continue to support the regent, and everyone announced the political signal of continuing cooperation, but everyone understood that Qu This time, she really lost her face.

Wu Tingting heard this, but directly said:

"My queen, this is wrong."

"No?" The queen mother was a little puzzled.

"I think the princess is doing the right thing. Just imagine, a man who dared to take great risks to come to the enemy country and take himself away at a wedding surrounded by heavy soldiers;

Such affection, such heart,

How many women in this world can not be moved by it? "

The queen mother was at a loss for words for a while, because she found that she seemed not able to communicate well with this Shanyue woman.

Wu Tingting looked at her husband sitting beside her, and continued:

"At the beginning, my father also wanted to betroth me to the young patriarch of the neighboring tribe. It was him who broke into my tribe with two subordinates and asked my father to betroth me to him."

Xiong Tingshan continued to support his forehead.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's eyes falling on her again,

Xiong Tingshan could only say:

"This, young and frivolous, young and frivolous."

Isn't it just young and frivolous, but it's good to be young.

Wu Tingting continued: "At that time, he was tied up by my father, but he still yelled my name and told me not to marry someone else. At that time, the whole tribe was alarmed by him .

In the end, I had to cry and beg my father, and my father spared him and let him go back. "

The Queen Mother nodded and asked, "Then what happened next?"

"Later, I packed my bags, escaped from the tribe, and went to find him under the county seat. After his troubles, I became famous in my tribe and the surrounding tribes. Apart from him, I can still marry who?

So, after marrying him, I will desperately give birth to his baby and take revenge on him! "

"Hehehe."

The Queen Mother was really amused.

"Okay, it turns out that the root cause lies with her fifth brother."

The Prince Regent came from outside.

All the court ladies and eunuchs around knelt down together:

"See Your Majesty the Regent."

"Sir, see Your Majesty."

"My son, please greet your mother, and your mother will be blessed."

The queen mother glanced at her son, and said: "Old Wu's family, accompany Ai's family to go for a walk in the garden, here, let them talk among men."

"Yes, Queen Mother."

Soon, only the Regent and the Fifth Highness were left in the hall, and even the maids and eunuchs consciously went outside to wait.

The regent looked at His Royal Highness Fifth,

road:

"So, Liqing learned from her fifth brother, right?"

Xiong Tingshan was obsequious in front of the queen mother, but in front of his fourth brother, he didn't have the previous restraint. Hearing this, he just smiled and said:

"It can't depend on me. I heard that you used to be with him, fourth brother. When we competed by the river, didn't he just watch?"

"well."

The Regent sighed,

road:

"Who knows."

"Fourth brother really didn't notice?"

The regent shook his head, nodded again, and said:

"I don't think he looks like Su Mingzhe, but when I think about it, he should be a real talent in Qianguo, but I didn't expect him to be Zheng Fan.

If I had known it was Zheng Fan,

I just..."

"How about fourth brother?"

"I immediately regretted my marriage with Qu Shi. If he likes Liqing and Liqing also likes him, then let them get married in Dachu."

"Sister Liqing, if you hear this, tsk tsk..."

"I have appeased Qu's side, and nothing major will happen. You lead Wutong County to join us. This big Chu is already in my favor.

As a king, the centralization of power must be the first priority. Qu did not dare to take the lead, nor would he take the lead. "

"You don't have to care about the Qu family. Once Qu Tiannan is gone, the status of the Qu family has actually been downgraded. Fourth brother, what we have to do now is to collect the imperial guards, and we can't be suppressed by the Yan people like before. It's on the head."

"I also understand, but you have to take it step by step. Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish. There is no rush. As for the imperial army, I have decided that you will be in charge of this errand. First, we will organize and practice, and I will figure out a way for the rest.

Fighting tiger brothers. "

"My younger brother will definitely not let fourth brother down."

"Oh, by the way, Nian Yao has already returned, I met him in the South Study Room earlier, and now he is waiting outside.

Come on, go and invite General Nian in. "

"Yes, Your Majesty."

soon,

Nian Yao walked in,

"Slave sends greetings to His Majesty, and to Fifth Master."

According to the rules, only family members are called slaves, and outsiders call themselves ministers.

Although Nian Yao was a unparalleled general outside, he had to call himself a slave in front of the regent because he was born as a domestic slave.

Of course, calling yourself a slave is not a simple term of contempt. In fact, many people want to be a "slave" but cannot get it.

The regent pointed to Nian Yao, who was kneeling on the ground, and said to His Royal Highness:

"Fifth Brother, do you know what brochure this thing delivered to me last month? In the brochure, this servant dared to suggest that I let Qu's Qingluan Army change to Zhennan Pass;

What else to say, the Qu family will definitely do their best to ensure that Zhennan Pass is not lost. "

Xiong Tingshan touched his head and laughed loudly:

"Hahaha, you slave, you are too courageous, and you won't take someone like you to bury people. What's the matter, can't Qu Shi go to Zhennanguan to reunite with his family over there?"

"I don't dare." Nian Yao said aggrievedly.

"Heh, there are things that your young general dare not, what is your intention in this book, you know, if I really do this, then the Qu family will suffer such a great humiliation, if you don't want to, you must do it! "

"Damn the slave, damn the slave!"

"Hey, hey, don't rush to kowtow, Nian Yao, let me ask you, how does it feel to play chess with that Yan man Nanhou?"

Nian Yao immediately said with a mournful face:

"But it scared the servant to death."

"snort."

The regent snorted coldly.

Xiong Tingshan smoothed things over and said: "Okay, it's okay, and I can put on a crying face, so it's more than enough."

The regent closed his eyes and said with emotion:

"Li Qing ran away with that Zheng. Although I let Da Chu be very passive, but after all, it is impossible to shake it to the root. If my Da Chu can't leave Zhennan Pass in the north, I will have to be beaten by Jingnan in Jindi all the time. The army is under pressure.

Although there was a lot of trouble at Ganren's side, it was nothing more than a lot of thunder and rain. "

"Fourth brother, don't worry, there has been no constant strength since ancient times. Eight hundred years ago, the great summer rose like the sun, so it meant that it would die if it died. I think his Yan Kingdom is now powerful, and Xu Huo has to occupy it." Four or five points, let's see how long his firewood can last."

"But after all, I was so upset that I actually invited Zheng Fan to drink."

"Hahaha, does this mean that my brother-in-law invited my sister-in-law to have a meeting wine in advance?"

The regent glared at Xiong Tingshan, but Xiong Tingshan didn't take it seriously and continued to laugh.

Nian Yao, who was kneeling on the ground, also laughed "hehehe\

,"Seeing this, the regent kicked over directly,

Nian Yao didn't dare to bear the force, let alone mobilize the energy and blood in his body to carry the kick, so he was kicked and turned the gourd on the ground, and then immediately knelt back to the original place.

"Xiaoxiaoxiao, isn't your General Nian and Zheng Fan selected as the seed of the four great generals of the younger generation? Well, now that he, Zheng Fan, has come to my Dachu and abducted my Princess Dachu, your Nian When will the general go to the country of Yan to abduct a princess for me too!"

When Nian Yao heard the words, he immediately showed a bitter face, and said very aggrieved:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, slave, slave can't do it."

When the regent heard the words, he kicked over again.

General Nian hit a circle of gourds on the spot again,

After kneeling back, he continued:

"Your Majesty, slave, slave really can't do it."

"Worthless things." The regent scolded.

Nian Yao was very wronged,

road:

"Your Majesty, if you want to abduct, you have to abduct, but whoever said that Emperor Yan is a son, he didn't have a daughter."

————

The next chapter is before 2 am.