The Crown Prince in the Jade Pendant

Chapter 5

Qin Yi has been trying to get out of here.

The red catkins in Chu Jinyao's jade pendant are nearly half less, while Qin Yi feels that his injury is far from enough. The meaning behind this makes people shudder. Can you raise the soul after the red catkins are consumed? Qin Yi doesn't want to gamble.

What's more, he can't recover indefinitely. He has been unconscious for a long time. Once the news becomes big, it will be difficult. Qin Yi even thought about going back to his body like this, but he didn't know how to get rid of the jade pendant. Chu Jinyao was a girl, and he couldn't let the other party take him near his body and replace him with a man of the Chu family.

Qin Yi thinks about his own affairs, but Chu Jinyao knows nothing. She doesn't know what Qin Yi is worried about. When she saw Changxing Hou, she was just surprised for a moment. The next moment she cleaned up her look and saluted Changxing Hou respectfully: "I've seen my father."

Changxing Hou was obviously surprised to see Chu Jinyao. After a month's absence, Chu Jinyao turned out to be like this?

Changxing Hou looked at Chu Jinyao at the top and bottom, and finally said with a satisfied smile: "yes, it's mellow, and it's not as thin as it used to be. Very good."

Chu Jinyao's biggest regret now is that she is still a little black. As her body gradually recovered, Chu Jinyao was no longer thin and thin, and her true appearance was revealed step by step. After all, she was the daughter of the Marquis of Changxing and the Zhao family. She was an aristocrat in her time, and her foundation must be good. However, Chu Jinyao is more beautiful than her compatriots and sisters, that is, Chu Jinxian. Her eyes are very long. They are round, but the corners of her eyes are slightly hooked. They are very beautiful. Her eyes are very dark and moist. When she doesn't smile, they glow. When she smiles, it seems that thousands of stars fall into her eyes, which can simply bask in people's hearts. Chu Jinyao is only thirteen this year. When she grows longer and raises white, it will be more amazing.

Changxing Hou nodded secretly. He put down the tea lamp in his hand and said to Zhao sitting aside, "you have raised her very well, especially in good manners. You have put your heart into it."

Zhao's smile was a little stiff. Zhao cleaned up early this morning. She was dressed up and dressed very brightly. But Changxing Hou didn't pay attention to her mind. Instead, he had been drinking tea without salt. Zhao's heart was inevitably depressed. But Zhao did not expect that when Chu Jinyao came, he was looked at by Hou Haosheng of Changxing. Zhao's rare praise is still because of Chu Jinyao.

Chu Jinyao was also flattered. After Qin Yi instructed her, she hid in the house and practiced until Qin Yi was satisfied. Chu Jinyao thought it was the standard of aristocratic family, but in fact, it contained many personal preferences.

Changxing Hou felt that Chu Jinyao raised her neck when she saluted and walked, and did not speak evasively. Although she was not loyal and gentle enough, she was much more pleasing to the eye than ordinary women. If he is a servant girl in the concubine's room, Changxing Hou likes women who are shy and submissive and have a low posture, but instead of his legitimate daughter, he likes girls who are bright and gorgeous and look up and keep their chest straight. Chu Jinyao does a good job. Chu Jinxian was taught by an old man. Although the rules are good, Changxing Hou feels that his eldest daughter is too quiet and dignified. Chu Jinmiao is cold and bitter. When walking, his sleeves are floating back and forth. Although he has the posture of weak willow supporting the wind, Changxing Hou doesn't feel healthy.

There are two sets of standards for women and daughters.

The three sisters were there, but they praised Chu Jinyao alone. Chu Jinxian and Chu Jinmiao inevitably had some difficulties on their faces. Chu Jinyao was praised without any arrogance. Instead of taking a seat, she went to Chu Jinxian to say hello: "elder sister."

Chu Jinxian nodded. She was her eldest daughter. How could she care about such small things? She said, "I can see that you have worked hard recently. It's good. You just came back. Don't worry. Just learn slowly. Don't live up to your father's expectations."

"Sister Xie."

Chu Jinyao greets Chu Jinmiao again. In fact, their identity is somewhat embarrassing. Although Chu Jinmiao ranks higher than Chu Jinyao, in fact, she is not Chu Jinyao's sister. Chu Jinyao gave Chu Jinmiao enough face in front of so many people. Chu Jinmiao reluctantly stood up and returned with the courtesy of his peers.

When Changxing Hou saw his own legitimate daughters asking each other for gifts, he was very proud. He nodded to Chu Jinxian with satisfaction: "xian'er has the wind of elder sister more and more. In this way, when he comes to his husband's house, his father won't worry about you."

Chu Jinxian is seventeen this year. She made an appointment with her cousin as early as thirteen years old. Now she will be out of the cabinet soon. Chu Jinxian stood up and said, "thank you, father."

Chu Jinmiao's face is not very good-looking. What does this mean? First I praised Chu Jinyao for being polite, and then I praised Chu Jinxian for being warm, which means that you and I are respectful and friendly, and Chu Jinmiao is completely an outsider? She's not her own daughter, so she won't even say a good word?

Zhao Shi also felt uncomfortable. Seeing Chu Jinmiao's face embarrassed, she painfully covered her hand on Chu Jinmiao's back.

No one noticed Zhao's mother and daughter's actions, because the common daughter and aunts came in. A group of people packed the room. Because of the presence of Changxing Marquis, several young masters also came. As usual, they are staggered with the girls to say hello. Now there is Changxing Hou, so they don't have to avoid it.

Changxing Hou looked at his wives, concubines and children. He was satisfied. He stood up and said loudly, "let's go and have dinner."

You don't need to greet old lady Chu today. You don't have to worry about dinner. Besides, only their own people pay much less attention to the dinner table, and there is no need to avoid eating and sleeping. The second young master lost his appetite after a few chopsticks. He asked Changxing Hou, "father, you were rare a few days ago. What are you doing?"

Hearing the second young master's question, many people stopped their chopsticks and looked at Changxing Hou. It seems that since Chu Jinyao came back, Changxing Hou was suddenly so busy that he didn't even come to the back house several times. Zhao's wife, Huang's and Furong's aunts, all want to know what's going on.

Changxing Hou sighed, "it's not for his royal highness."

Your highness? The people of the Chu family were a little surprised. Zhao asked, "good, how did you get involved with the crown prince?"

Although it was said that this was a private affair of the heavenly family and should not be arranged, in fact, almost all provincial officials knew it. Shanxi knows more because of its favorable location.

This is at home, surrounded by wives, concubines and children. Changxing Hou felt it was unnecessary to avoid it and directly said: "In June, beizhili sent troops from Shanxi to join the Fifth Army camp. They were practicing together with the 3000 battalion and the Shenji camp. The emperor took the empress of the back palace to watch on the wall. This was originally a good thing for Yang Guowei. It was rare for the soldiers below to see the emperor and show their faces in front of the emperor and the empress. The Shenji camp also took out a lot of firearms to show off. Empress No When I saw a firearm, it was very novel. I asked someone to come and perform. "

When Changxing Hou said this, he took up tea and moistened his mouth. Chu Jinyao didn't understand the palace and officialdom, but she didn't seem quite right.

I'm afraid the scale of this exercise is not small, and the generals and soldiers are heroes who serve the country and the people and protect the frontier. The queen thought it was novel and fun, so she called the people of Shenji camp to perform for her... Is this a show?

Chu Jinyao thinks it's wrong, but she secretly looks at others and doesn't look different. Chu Jinyao doesn't know what's going on, so she doesn't make a sound and listens silently.

Changxing Hou put down the tea lamp and continued: "things were good here. My mother likes it. Then we ministers should do it. The Shenji camp demonstrates below. The emperor and queen see the rise and let people beat drums to cheer up. A very respectable maid in front of the queen takes the initiative to ask for orders. The emperor's dragon heart is happy, so it's OK."

When Changxing Hou said this, others couldn't help saying "ah". This... Is ridiculous. What's the style of letting a woman play drums for military worship?

Obviously, the Duke of Changxing thought it was ridiculous, but empress Qi was favored. The emperor became more and more superstitious about alchemists over the years. He loved empress Qi and didn't even care about the affairs of the court. On that day, everyone felt wrong. They watched a woman playing drums on the wall with laughter. The emperor also talked and laughed with empress Qi. He was very happy. Even the head and assistant of the cabinet could only laugh with him. They didn't dare to say more 。

"His Highness the crown prince was there that day. When the crown prince saw the maiden beating the drum, he went directly to the city wall to find the emperor and empress. According to the adults accompanying the city wall that day, the crown prince and the emperor said that the drum was an important weapon to inspire the hearts of the army, not a plaything. The army lined up, but a woman was laughing and beating the drum in front of the array. What's the matter? The emperor was not very happy, and the empress might be angry with that plaything The emperor's face was also very bad. Seeing that the situation was wrong, the cabinet hurried out to speak for his highness, and the Taifu asked the prince to go down first. "Changxing Hou sighed and said, "Who could have thought that the prince was fine at that time, and the adults thought it was all right. Who knew that the prince took two steps, suddenly grabbed the bow and arrow from the bodyguard, turned around and directly shot the palace maid to death. The imperial front saw blood. At that time, the chief auxiliary and the commander of the royal guards were scared white, and the women screamed. Tens of thousands of soldiers below saw the dead people on the wall, and they were all in a commotion."

When the Chu family members heard that the prince dared to shoot a palace maid in front of the crowd, who was still a popular lady in front of his mother, they all covered their mouths with handkerchiefs in horror. Thinking of the scene at that time, Changxing Hou wanted to sigh: "In this way, Long Yan was very angry. The emperor personally ordered the prince to come to Datong to guard the border. Datong often fought with Tatars and said that the dead were the dead. How can the prince come to such a place? The senior cabinet members took turns to plead with the emperor, and the prince was also stubborn. He refused to be soft with the queen, so he really ran to the border."

There is a deep estrangement between the Royal father and son. Although we don't talk about this, we all know it. This time, it's completely big.

The story of the crown prince shooting and killing his mother and maidservant spread all over the country within a month. Now the Chu family heard it, and the second young master said, "although the crown prince's trip is inappropriate, it's also to maintain the military prestige. It's understandable."

"We feel extenuating. Where are the emperor and the empress?" more Changxing Hou are hard to say, so they can only pass by. "The prince was only 16 years old at that time, young and energetic!"

Chu Jinyao sneered at the jade pendant. After knowing Qi Ze and at Qi Ze's strong request, Chu Jinyao had to change a tie and hang the jade pendant around her neck. It turned out that she was tied around her waist. It was childish and lovely for children to wear a hundred life lock around their neck. Chu Jinyao was so big that she still hung something around her neck. Chu Jinyao felt very ashamed, but she couldn't stand Qi Ze said she could only bite her teeth and bear it.

Chu Jinyao blinked, almost suspecting that she had heard wrong. Qi Ze was more vigilant than her. He never spoke when there were many people. Now there is still her father sitting here. Shouldn't he be able to help it?

Chu Jinyao couldn't figure it out, so she had to put it behind her temporarily. Maybe she's hallucinating in her ear.

Zhao couldn't help asking, "the Marquis didn't come some time ago. Is he busy... About the prince?"

"That's right. When the prince arrives at the border, there are no swords on the battlefield, and Tatars often disturb the border this year. Who can rest assured?" the Marquis of Changxing stops at the point, and there's no need to talk to the housewives. Men don't interfere in the house, and women can't interfere in the affairs of the dynasty. Changxing Hou and Zhao said this to let them know the situation in the palace. As for what he was really busy some time ago, they can't tell them.

Zhao knew that Changxing Hou was busy with serious business outside. He didn't keep the outside room. His heart suddenly settled down. She is not interested in the prince. These big people have nothing to do with her. They have their own men. All she cares about is her aunt and girls in the back house.

After dinner, Changxing Hou took the second young master and the other two concubines outside. I think he continued to talk about the prince. Chu Jinyao felt sorry after seeing her father off. She still wanted to know what happened to the Prince later.

Changxing Hou left and the young masters also left. There were only women left in the house, and it was much more convenient to speak.

Zhao sat obliquely on the Kang mat, Chu Jinmiao leaned against Zhao's hand, while Chu Jinxian stood opposite Zhao, tied her hands and stood upright, slightly lowering her head. Chu Jinyao looks at Chu Jinmiao sitting next to Zhao and Chu Jinxian standing respectfully. She silently walks behind Chu Jinxian. With Chu Jinxian and Chu Jinyao at the beginning, another concubine girl is not easy to sit, so she can only stand with Chu Jinyao.

Serious legitimate women are standing well. Where dare she sit?

Zhao's girl looked at the girls standing and hurriedly wanted to move the stool. Chu Jinxian shook her head and said no. Zhao didn't care either. She turned over the account book in her hand and said, "it's time to send monthly silver these days. According to the rules of our house, you girls have two liang of silver a month, and the big servant girl around you has one or two liang of silver a month. The girl has four clothes every season, and the concubine has two bodies. If there are guests or go out, the jewelry will be beaten separately. If it's birthday or festival, the elders will be subsidized."

Chu Jinyao was shocked when she heard this. She remembered that one year their family had a particularly good harvest and got a total of 18 liang of silver. Su's father and Su's mother couldn't close their mouths. The Su family only earns a total of 17.8 Liang all year round. It's still a good year. The girls of the Chu family don't worry about food and clothing, and they can get two liang of silver a month. Chu Jinyao calculated silently. It seems that she only needs to save some flowers and save the monthly cases. By the end of the year, the Bisu family will have money after working hard for a year.

Chu Jinyao was shocked.

Before Chu Jinyao was shocked, Zhao turned the page of the account book and said again: "These are the rules. Five girls just came back these days. Unlike you, she has changed clothes in previous years, and her clothes and jewelry have to be purchased again. The old lady paid one hundred liang from the public, and she subsidized one hundred Liang herself. Your father and I also subsidized some respectively. The total is about four hundred Liang. Apart from renovating the yard, buying shelf beds, pear blossom wood tables and chairs There are 150 taels left of large items such as mahogany wardrobe, dressing table and screen. She has made eight sets of jackets and skirts, winter clothes, a fur dress and two spring clothes. Then she has scattered some jewelry, and there are still thirty taels left. "

When Chu Jinyao heard that there were four hundred Liang under her name, her heart jumped quickly. When she heard that the four hundred Liang had been spent, her heart rose and fell, and now it has been calm.

Chu Jinyao didn't expect that in less than a month, the family smashed nearly 400 Liang on her... But the big head is furniture. These can be used for a long time with one blood, and many clothes are bought at one time. This sounds scary.

Chu Jinyao used to save clothes when she was a farmer, but now the environment is completely different. Chu Jinyao also knows that she can't be soft on clothes and jewelry. Otherwise, she will be ashamed of the big house. Especially Chu Jinyao has a special identity and can't save it.

Chu Jinyao suddenly felt that February and February were not enough.

Not only Chu Jinyao was frightened by the four hundred Liang, but other girls were also surprised to hear it. Four hundred Liang... Sure enough, it was their own, but it was different.

Zhao looked at Chu Jinyao and said, "I'll give you the remaining thirty Liang and keep it yourself."

Chu Jinyao hesitated for only a moment and then said, "I'm too young to manage so much money. I'd better bother my mother to take it for me."

"Take it yourself. I don't lack this money here. You always have to learn this."

Chu Jinyao still didn't dare to promise. Chu Jinxian said, "you're old enough to learn to be a housekeeper. Your mother wants to train you. Take it."

With Chu Jinxian's words, Chu Jinyao was finally relieved. Fu Shen said, "thank you, mother."

Zhao asked the servant girl to take the right card and go to the accounting room to pay 30 liang of silver. While the servant girl went back and forth, Zhao beat the girls in the big room: "My aunt should be back in a few days. I gave you a piece of cloud brocade. You should know the weight. Don't lose the dignity of Changxing marquis in front of my aunt because you don't want to give up things. It's a small loss, do you understand?"

"Yes." several girls agreed in unison.

Zhao Shi said, "cloud brocade is a delicate material. If you're not sure that it's light and heavy, send it to the sewing room and ask the embroiderer to make clothes for you. If you have a pattern you like, you can let the embroiderer embroider it together, or you can embroider it yourself. Look at yourself."

Chu Jinyao agrees with the girls. Although she had no expression on her face, she was thinking that she could make clothes, but embroidery? Chu Jinyao feels mysterious. Moreover, even if the married daughters are guests, they are after all legitimate aunts. Why are they so close to the enemy and fully armed? All the clothes are new, not to mention, even the embroidery on the clothes should be reminded by Zhao himself.

Aunt Chu Zhu's return to her mother's house this time is really just a provincial visit? What are she and Mrs. Chu going to do?