Chapter 69 Raising children
"I am a drag on her in raising children
," Yan Qing looked at Xue Shiying's Zi Palace and said to Jiang Weiren, "Because of me, she quarreled with His Majesty several times. The imperial doctor said early in the morning that she should not be frightened anymore, but I heard that that day she Zhao Yuan was forced to die and refused to go to Ningxuan Temple. She was born prematurely in August, so..."
She choked with sobs, unable to continue.
Jiang Weiren patted her back gently, "Look at you, your eyes are swollen. I'm afraid you haven't rested in the past two days. Why bother guarding her personally like this."
Yan Qing's eyes dimmed and he whispered: "It's all as it should be... ...I couldn't keep her, so I had to give her away..."
Cao Yujun also tried to persuade her, but Yan Qing insisted on staying in front of her soul. In the end, even Cao Yujun had no choice but to stay with her. here.
On the other hand, it was Zhao Yuan. Yan Qing had specifically asked Wei Xu to let him come if His Majesty wanted to move to Shansi Hall, but Zhao Yuan himself refused. He heard from the palace officials that he didn't eat or sleep, and kept mumbling all day long. He stood there, refusing to believe that the imperial concubine had really gone.
After Xue Shiying's death, it was carried out according to the funeral ceremony of the queen. The cabinet also drafted a posthumous title and was posthumously named queen. According to the etiquette, all civil and military officials were required to cry outside Sishan Gate in full uniform, but Beiqi soldiers came and announced In the city, Zhao Yuan planned to leave the capital for a while. The court was in chaos, and many ministers secretly fled with their families.
Even after hearing that His Majesty had left Beijing with only the Queen and his concubines, many of the concubines also escaped from the palace privately during the two days of turmoil. At such a time, even though the funeral ceremony was carried out according to the Queen's etiquette, she could only keep everything simple and think well in front of the hall. It was actually deserted.
"I think if she knew better in heaven, she would have wanted to see you come here to say goodbye to her before going off. But at that time, the war on the front line was not decided, and I thought you would never come back. I was the only one here to accompany her in this last moment. It's over," she sighed, and said happily with tears in her eyes, "But you came back quickly, I think she should be able to rest in peace..."
Jiang Weiren walked to the front of Xue Shiyingzi Palace and looked at the coffin parked so quietly, It was unbelievable that the once willful and arrogant girl was now lying inside.
"When Shi Fang got married, I saw her for the first time. She was only eight years old..." He raised his hand to make a weak gesture and tilted his head with tears in his eyes. "She is only that old. She is a little girl with yellow hair..."
" Later, when Shi Fang came to Beijing, we raised her in front of us. She was said to be a sister, but she was almost like a daughter. After Shi Fang passed away, I had no relatives around me, and so did this girl. The two of us seemed to be dependent on each other, so I allowed her to become arrogant and naughty, and later she did so many wrong things that I almost didn’t want to see her again... But now, this girl is also a mother..." He said with red eyes and a smile, " Not only did she become a mother, her temperament also changed, becoming unrecognizable to me. In the end, she walked ahead of me. After all, she failed her sister's instructions..."
The indulgence towards her was actually more than just It was because he felt sorry for Shi Fang, but for more than ten years, he had already regarded her as a relative.
In the past, her willful behavior gave him a lot of headaches, and he always wanted to make her mature and sensible. Now she has lived up to his expectations, but the price of this sensibleness is too high.
In the past two days, Yan Qing insisted on staying in front of Xue Shiying's spirit. Naturally, Cao Yujun wanted to accompany her. Now Yan Qing asked the palace people to help her back to the palace.
"You should go and have a rest," Jiang Weiren advised Yan Qing, "I know you feel guilty for her, but life and death are destiny. You can't blame her death on yourself. You have guarded her for so long. It's all over, she will naturally understand."
How could he not understand her thoughts? She must have been embarrassed when she heard that Xue Shiying forced Zhao Yuan to die, which resulted in premature hemorrhage.
"Besides," he sighed, "if it's a debt, it's me who owes her. If I hadn't forced her to marry, she wouldn't have gone to Taihua Peak. If she hadn't been angry with me, she wouldn't have come to the palace. But people cannot be resurrected, and some things cannot be turned back after all."
"Zhang Fang is also dead," she said sadly, lowering her head, "I didn't like him very much when the late emperor was around. I always felt that this man was too thoughtful. , I am afraid that he will have power-seeking intentions when he is around A Yuan. It is because I underestimated him. He is a man with a strong heart."
"Don't be sad. I will have him moved back to his hometown for burial in a while."
Yan Qing suddenly raised his head and looked at him with red eyes, "I'm useless. I can't even take care of myself without you, and I'm dragging them down..."
Jiang Weiren felt a pain in his heart and sighed: "Idiot, I'm taking care of you." What do I need you to do with me?"
Yan Qing is a very affectionate person, otherwise he would not be so heartbroken after the death of his brother and parents, but being too affectionate only hurts himself.
Jiang Weiren understood that the deaths of Fuying, Xue Shiying, and Zhang Fang would weigh on her heart in the future. He understood that there was no way for her to let go. In this case, he would bear the burden with her.
"By the way, you go to a place with me." She said suddenly.
She asked the palace servants to prepare the car. Shansi Hall was too far away from where she wanted to go. She was in front. After walking a few steps, she looked back and saw that he was following behind her. Only then did she realize something was wrong.
"Your legs..." she asked in shock.
When she saw him coming, she was so happy that she forgot about everything and didn't notice it. Now she found that his left leg was slightly sluggish when he moved. Although it was not obvious, you could tell it if you looked closely.
Jiang Weiren knew that she would always notice it, and now he couldn't hide it, so he replied: "I fell at Xiuling, and then it flowed downstream with the water. Ice formed downstream, and my leg was frozen, otherwise I wouldn't have done it." It took me so long to arrive at Xuancheng."
Only he himself understands what happened behind these few words.
Although Yan Qing did not see the danger of Xiuling with his own eyes, Zhao Yuan's murderous intention meant that if he could save his life, it would be a narrow escape. In the past few months of his absence, he did not know what kind of pain and torture he had experienced. , can you stand in front of yourself like this.
Yan Qing didn't want to cry, but now he couldn't bear it anymore. As if his strength had been drained, he squatted down and cried.
Jiang Weiren helped her up, stretched out his hand to wipe away her tears bit by bit, his voice was full of sadness, "You suffered so much and shed so many tears when I was away. Since I rushed back with all my life, naturally I can't do it anymore." It makes you endure hardship and cry. "
Time is the cruelest thing in the world. It can never be turned back. Once something is lost, it can never be restored. Yan Qing knows that no matter what he does, he can never replace the lost life. Returning to the child's lost mother cannot replace the suffering he has suffered.
If you understand the past, you should not remonstrate, but if you know what is coming, you can pursue it.
The truth is so simple and clear, but only after I experienced it one by one did I understand the regret in it.
The place Yan Qing took him to was actually the Qionghua Palace. Jiang Weiren was a little puzzled. When he walked inside and saw the sleeping baby in the crib, he was shocked and said: "Didn't you say that the baby was gone with her? ?"
Yan Qing put her index finger to her lips to signal him to be silent. When Ah Luan saw her coming, she hurriedly came over to salute. Yan Qing supported her and shook her head.
Aluan was going to Shansi Hall to cry, but Yan Qing asked her to come and stay by the child's side. Although there was a nanny here, Yan Qing was still worried.
"The child is fine. I told the outside world that both mother and child are dead," she explained to him in a low voice. "This was Shiying's intention. Before she died, she entrusted the child to me and said that if we leave the palace later, she will give the child to me." Take it with you, so that the child will not be alone in this palace and become another A Yuan..."
As she said that, her eyes couldn't help but turn red again, and Jiang Weiren said softly: "Okay, he will follow us from now on."
" I heard from Dr. Zhou that the poison in my body will make it difficult for me to get pregnant even if I take Shuanglan to recuperate from now on. I am really grateful to Shiying for entrusting the child to me..."
Yan Qing didn't even think of it himself. , Xue Shiying can trust herself so much.
Jiang Weiren already knew what she said. Being able to find Shuanglan from Ganzhou and extending her life already made him grateful to God. He no longer cared about the issue of heirs.
When the child fell asleep, the two of them squatted beside the cradle and looked at it quietly. When milk foam appeared in the child's mouth, they were both shocked.
Yan Qing's heart was even softer. She gently put her hand next to the child's little fist. The little finger suddenly moved and grasped her index finger. Yan Qing's eyes widened and she turned around in surprise. Look at Jiang Weiren.
Jiang Weiren smiled and reached out to touch her head. In such a situation, it was like facing their own flesh and blood.
After watching for a long time, the two reluctantly walked out. It was already dark, the snow had stopped long ago, and a moon rose in the sky. The light of the moon bathed in the hair between their clothes.
"Things in the capital have not yet been decided, and we will not be able to escape in the near future. This child staying in the palace will be too conspicuous after all. He is A Yuan's eldest son and has a special status. If he cannot hide it, he will not be able to live in peace for the rest of his life. It goes against Shiying's wishes." She looked at him and said, "I wanted to let Aluan take the child out first, and I wouldn't worry about it anywhere else. It's your house, which can be regarded as Shiying's home. Some of her servants are here, what do you think?"
Jiang Weiren nodded, "It's all up to you."
"When the child was born, the Ministry of Rites drafted a name for the boy. The calligraphy is really good, but from now on, I can’t call him anymore and I have to give him another name. I think I’ll just wait for you to come back and think of a name for him..." As she said that, she sighed softly. "But if this child follows us, in the final analysis, he will still be separated from his biological parents. I always feel that no matter how good I treat him in the future, it will not be enough..."
"The love in this world is never enough, even if the biological parents are not enough ..." Parents are limited in what they can give. Thinking of his mother, we still feel guilty, so let's feel guilty. This guilt can be considered as a way for us to repay her our thoughts. "
" By the way," she said suddenly. He turned around and said hesitantly, "What...are you going to do with A Yuan?"
Jiang Weiren was somewhat silent. This was indeed the most difficult question now.
Now Wei Xu is guarding the Manlu Palace, although he is acting as a guardian, but the ministers in the court all know what is going on.
When Jiang Weiren disappeared in Xiuling, there were secret rumors that it was His Majesty's fault. Over the past year, everyone has seen the discord between His Majesty and the First Assistant in the court.
Jiang Weiren suddenly appeared and drove away the foreign enemies. Naturally, everyone in the court breathed a sigh of relief. But now, his behavior is ultimately treasonous.
This is also related to the method he used to repel Beiqi. When Beiqi entered the customs, he was bedridden due to a leg injury and could not show up. But at that time, he had already started planning. Over the years, he secretly cultivated many people in Beiqi. power, if Zhao Yuan hadn't suddenly taken action against him, he would have gotten the news before Beiqi sent troops and nipped in the bud.
He understood that Beiqi sent troops in a hurry this time because he thought he was really dead. Taking advantage of Zhao Yuan's unfamiliarity with military affairs and the chaos in the Yu Dynasty, he wanted to get an advantage. The biggest shortcoming of Beiqi's sending troops this time was that the eight major tribes were fighting against each other. Suspicion, military morale is not uniform.
At that time, he sent a message to the people in Beiqi, asking them to spread rumors that his disappearance was actually a fake death in order to fight for power with the emperor, and that the chief of the Orle tribe secretly colluded with him to convince Beiqi. Khan sent troops to cooperate with him internally and externally. After he used the power of Beiqi to completely neutralize Emperor Zhao Yuan, he handed over several northern states to the Orle tribe, so that the Orle clan could get rid of Beiqi and stand on their own.
Although the Great Khan of Beiqi had always been most afraid of the Orle tribe and would not easily believe such rumors, Jiang Weiren really appeared just when the Beiqi army was approaching Xuancheng.
The Northern Qi Dynasty believed that he was really dead, but his sudden appearance was consistent with the rumors. After Jiang Weiren arrived in Xuancheng, he spread those rumors to the Northern Qi army, and the Northern Qi army improvised a plan. The Orle tribe had already accomplished a great feat by crossing the Yunqi Mountains, and fought hard along the way, winning the title of the three armies. Each tribe was dissatisfied with the Orle tribe for taking all the limelight. After hearing such rumors, they could no longer hold back, and the rest of the DPRK The forces of several major tribes also expressed their opinions in front of the Great Khan, hoping to work together to suppress the Orle tribe.
Jiang Weiren took advantage of the chaos in the enemy's army and launched several sneak attacks, which greatly dampened the momentum of the Beiqi army. The Beiqi Khan in the middle of the court saw that his offensive was frustrated, and he cared more about the North Qi army than the benefits of entering the palace. The checks and balances of the eight major tribes. Ten years ago, a great war resulted in the complete defeat of the Tushan family, the leader of the eight tribes. The Orle tribe was unique and had long been feared by the Great Khan. Now that the suspicion was even deeper, he directly issued an order to withdraw his troops.
Using this method, the enemy was defeated, but such rumors spread back to Dayu and the Imperial Capital, and Jiang Weiren became a man with ulterior motives and evil intentions.
He asked twelve battalions to surround the Manna Hall, which confirmed these speculations.
Now he is riding a tiger and can't get off. He can't kill or let go of Zhao Yuan.
"Qingqing," he said with some difficulty, "Actually, I thought about it when I rushed back from Xuancheng..."
He had already made up his mind, but he had not decided whether to tell her first.
"He is not a talented person who governs the country. If the world is still handed over to him, no matter whether it will be detrimental to you or me, it will be uneasy for the court and the people. But if the world is to change hands, he can no longer Keep it..."
Yan Qing naturally understands these truths, but she and Zhao Yuan have been in a mother-son relationship for more than ten years. Even if Zhao Yuan has murderous intentions towards her, she can't really kill him.
"Is there no way... to save both the world and his life?" She murmured.
Jiang Weiren had already expected that she would find it difficult to accept it. There was no other way, but he did not want to say it outright, so he could only say: "I'll think about it again..."
The two of them stood in the night wind outside the palace, He was about to walk out when he saw an internal prison officer rushing towards him. Yan Qing recognized it and it was beside Zhao Yuan.
"The Queen Mother, this servant has found you," the eunuch's head was covered with sweat and he looked panicked, "The Queen Mother, Your Majesty... His Majesty has passed away!"