Chapter 76

On the first day of April, Begonia bloomed overnight. This time, the whole city knows that Princess an's birthday is on the first day of April, and she loves crabapple the most.

After Mu Mingtang learned that there was something wrong with the incense, all the spices were changed to fruit incense. Even Xiang nanchun, who is used to spending money in the palace, thinks it's too wasteful to pour out the best fruit every day.

Although the money was spent like running water, Xie xuanchen's condition improved obviously. According to the Taoist priest, it's far from the completion of the treatment, but Xie xuanchen gradually adapted to the intensity, walked slowly to the East Road martial arts training area, and began to recover his strength.

When Mu Mingtang heard the word "recovery", his expression was not very good. Originally, his strength now is just weak?

The relationship in the palace is complicated now, but no matter how muddy the water is, the news of Xie xuanchen's new martial arts training must be a heavy bomb, and it is impossible that the news will not be sent back to the palace.

But before the palace could do anything, another big event happened. The emperor of Beirong sent envoys to the Ye Dynasty to discuss peace, headed by yeluyan, the eighth Prince of Beirong. Now, the peace negotiation team has entered the Ye Dynasty and is about to arrive in Beijing.

The whole capital has become a sensation because of this. Beirong occupied the sixteen prefectures of Youyun and had strong troops. Relying on the products and geographical advantages of the sixteen prefectures, he had been eyeing the Ye Dynasty. Xixia had the ancient road of western regions and Longxi racecourse, and never concealed his ambition.

In contrast, the Ye Dynasty was a little weak. In fact, the Ye Dynasty inherited from the Zhou Dynasty and was usurped by military generals all the time. Its early military strength was not weak.

It's a pity that those in power are rebellious and rich, and then they are especially afraid that others will learn and behave. When the throne comes to Xie Rui's hands, Xie Rui is extremely afraid of the generals, and the martial arts practitioners are devolved one after another. After the emperor made such a statement, the whole country was in an abnormal state of advocating culture and suppressing military.

Border trouble has always been a first-class problem for the imperial court, and all civil servants have no way to deal with the war reports. Today, Beirong, a powerful military power, has taken the initiative to negotiate peace with them.

This is not a trivial matter. From Zai Zhi to the people, all of them are very nervous and attach great importance to the negotiation of peace. After the envoys of Beirong arrived in Beijing, the Emperor gave a grand welcome at the early court, and two days later, a grand banquet was set up to help the Beirong troops.

The banquet involved the face of the country. The emperor and empress attached great importance to it. The people invited to the banquet were of various identities, and everyone was dressed up for fear of losing the face of the imperial court in front of Beirong people.

On the day of the reception, the palace was decorated with lanterns and ornaments. The banquet has not yet started, and the early ladies are sitting in the flower hall to have a rest. When people get together, they can't help talking about recent interesting things.

Now the first rare thing is that Zhuque street has been changed overnight, and the trees on both sides of the street have been changed.

At first, it was just mentioned by a lady, then someone should talk to you and me, and finally everyone discussed Princess an.

"A few days ago, Princess Ann had her birthday. The battle was too big. My sisters who married outside the capital all know that Zhuque street is full of Begonia flowers overnight, which is quite like Empress Wu holding a banquet in winter. "

Mu Mingtang did not hold a birthday party, but everyone knows her birthday, and also knows that Mu Mingtang did not invite them.

It's an embarrassing recognition.

"More than that." Another Mrs. Hou said, "Princess an is extremely extravagant. I heard that she dislikes the flavor of spice cakes and so on, so she only uses fruit to smoke incense. She only used the best apples to smoke the house and clothes. When the taste was light, she took them all and threw them away. She has to change the fruit for incense three times a day, not counting the cost of food and clothing. "

People just listen to pour out gas, apple they can't afford, but can't stand, every day so. Even the Empress Dowager in the palace doesn't smoke with fresh fruits.

"My God." A young Houfu stepmother covered her mouth and exclaimed. After all, she was a stepmother. Her family background was not as good as these direct wives, and her education was not as good. In her heart, she could not help but ask: "didn't she say that king an couldn't live through the new year last year? It's April now. How can king an do well?"

When the words came out, everyone was silent. Yes, it has long been said that Xie xuanchen has only one breath left, but Xie xuanchen has never died.

That's a long tone.

But if you want to go back, no one says it. When the Houfu's steproom finished, he saw that everyone was silent, and no one answered her. Then he was a little flustered: "I'm young and I don't understand. What did I say wrong?"

No one answered. At this time, the eunuch's voice came from outside: "Princess an is here."

All the women's families were shocked. They all pretended not to hear what the Houfu steproom had just said. They all stood up and said, "how are you, Princess an?"

When Mu Mingtang came in, he saw the colorful hall saluting to him, and his greetings were up and down. Mu Mingtang didn't think much, nodded and said, "don't be too polite. Let's get up."

After they said thanks, they returned to their original seats. Because Mu Mingtang came, the seats in the flower hall changed a little, but on the whole, the crowd was still distributed as before.

Mingming people and occasions have not changed, but after Mu Mingtang came, the atmosphere in the flower hall was quite different. Just now, they were chatting with each other about Prince an's house. However, as soon as Mu Mingtang entered the house, no one dared to reveal anything.The Houfu steproom who spoke just now was even more frightened. He did not dare to breathe more for fear of arousing Mu Mingtang's attention.

Mu Mingtang didn't think much about it. She was used to these people's violation of yin and Yang. She said a set of words to her and carried her behind her back. People live their own lives. In fact, no one cares about at least nine tenths of the things in their own lives. Similarly, 99% of other people's affairs and opinions are useless.

To care about them is to give them face. Mu Mingtang doesn't bother to investigate the strange quietness in the flower hall when she enters the door. No matter what these people think, they can't change her good fortune. On the contrary, they have to let her go everywhere.

If you can't stand it, bear it.

After Mu Mingtang sat down, he saw an old acquaintance, Jiang Mingwei. As soon as she saw Jiang Mingwei, she immediately said, "Princess Jin, are you here? This is really rare. In my impression, I haven't seen you outside for at least three months. "

The smile on Jiang Mingwei's face was stiff. She forced herself to face up and said, "I've been infected with wind and cold recently. I don't want to go out and give it to others, so I've been staying in the house to recuperate. I don't think I haven't seen my second sister-in-law for a long time. I don't want her to miss me so much. If my sister-in-law wants to see me, she can come to Jin Palace at any time. "

Jiang Mingwei made the emperor angry on the 15th of the first month, and even the empress and Xie Xuanji were affected. In recent months, even Xie Xuanji has been behaving with his tail between his legs, not to mention Jiang Mingwei, who wants to make a living under the empress and Xie Xuanji.

It is not obvious why Jiang Mingwei didn't go out. Thanks to the arrival of Beirong envoys in Beijing, the emperor held a banquet, and all the princes and grandsons had to attend, so that Jiang Mingwei could follow the trend. No matter how dissatisfied the empress is with Jiang Mingwei, now, Jiang Mingwei is Xie Xuanji's right wife. She has no reason to let her concubine come out for entertainment.

After they saw Jiang Mingwei today, they knew that they were all confused because of the face of the Jiang family and the king of Jin. No one asked Jiang Mingwei where she had been some time ago. But mu Mingtang, where the most painful step.

Mu Mingtang didn't feel the slightest pain in his feet. He was still enthusiastic and eager to talk with Jiang mingweila: "is it really convenient for me to go to the Jin palace? It's said that the rules in the palace of King Jin have been cleared, and all the officials in charge are the confidants around the queen. I rashly come to the door. If there is something wrong with the rules, won't it annoy the female officials? "

"What does sister-in-law say?" Jiang Mingwei's face is covered with heavy powder today. She looks pale and stiff. After hearing Mu Mingtang's words, she tugs at the corners of her mouth. Jiang Mingwei should want to smile, but if she wants to smile or not, it seems strange. "My mother likes her second sister-in-law most. She always tells me to learn from her. If you come to the palace of the king of Jin, it's too late for the empress mother to be happy. How can the female officials around her find fault with her second sister-in-law? "

Mu Mingtang, with a smile on his lips, said, "Oh, I'm really ashamed that the queen has said these words with her sister-in-law. Since my sister-in-law doesn't want me to make trouble, I'll be disrespectful. "

Mu Mingtang's words are simply a clear pick, gloating to make no secret. They are all royal palaces. Why is it that the royal palaces of Jin Dynasty are well regulated, and the female officials in the palace are in charge of the scheduling, while the royal palaces of an, separated by a wall, are still left to Mu Mingtang's mischief?

It's not because the queen treated them differently. Jiang Mingwei and Mu Mingtang are both Royal concubines, but their status in the mansion and the comfort of life are totally different.

Mu Mingtang talks to Jiang Mingwei, and none of the ladies who sit with him dare to interrupt. One is the imperial concubine who gave birth to the prince, the other is the imperial concubine who is the overlord of the capital. One is that they can't make trouble in the future, and the other is that they can't make trouble now. Although Jiang Mingwei seems to be out of favor, the thin camel is bigger than the horse. Even if Jiang Mingwei is really out of favor, she can't be bullied by a woman.

As for mu Mingtang, not to mention that. King an's position is indeed delicate, but song Wulang's lesson is in front of him. As long as king an is still breathing, no one in the capital dares to put his face on Mu Mingtang.

Everyone was silent. Seeing the swords and swords of the two princesses, you come and I go, the content of the speech gradually changed from irony to ridicule. They are afraid that these two will make trouble in the palace. When the time comes, these two will be OK, and all of them will suffer.

A lady said with a quick laugh: "don't say that Princess Jin didn't feel it for a long time. I always feel that I have just met Princess an. Maybe it's because I can often hear from her. By the way, my wife has not congratulated Princess an on her birthday. I wish Princess an a happy birthday and a happy life. I hope it's not too late for the princess. "

With a lady at the beginning, other people also respond. For a moment, the flower hall is full of words for mu Mingtang's birthday.

Blessing Mu Mingtang is always welcome, she thanks together, but a little surprised: "how do you know my birthday?"

The first lady to speak was embarrassed with a smile: "this It's hard not to know. "

Not only the honourable officials and family members, but also the pawns, peddlers and common people in Tokyo know that Princess an was born on the first day of April, especially Begonia.

Now everyone in Beijing knows that Princess an sighs that there are no begonias in the capital. In order to please the princess, Princess an makes the main street blossom overnight. I'm afraid the deaf and blind can know such a big news.Mu Mingtang murmured: "as you all know, I thought I just had a casual birthday."

They all smile more and more embarrassed. Yes, they not only know Mu Mingtang's birthday on the first day of April, but also know that Mu Mingtang didn't invite them at all.

I don't want to look down on them so much that I don't even want to make a face and send an invitation on my birthday.

Although Mu Mingtang didn't give them face in front of the whole city, the wives still had to be respectful and flattering to Mu Mingtang. Ears are similar blessing words, Jiang Mingwei listen, face more and more ugly.

Previously, as her double, Mu Mingtang always celebrated her birthday in June. Jiang Mingwei also heard the news on the street on the first day of the new year, and then she knew that Mu Mingtang's birthday was on the first day of April.

When Jiang Mingwei learned about what happened outside that day, she couldn't accept it. She is still worrying about how to save Xie Xuanji and how to suppress the fox spirits. How could Xie xuanchen spend so much money on Mu Mingtang's birthday?

It's just a birthday, isn't it?

Jiang Mingwei disdains to engage in so many frivolous battles. It's just a show. What's the use of these forms? If you really live a down-to-earth life, who will do these?

Jiang Mingwei thought that she didn't care. In fact, she paid attention to the next door all day. Mu Mingtang didn't hold a birthday party. She looked very shabby, but Xie xuanchen stayed with her all day. I accompany her to enjoy flowers, to play with her, and to make wine with her.

Jiang Mingwei tries to be indifferent. In fact, she is sour and jealous. Why does Mu Mingtang make Xie xuanchen transplant Begonia for her? Why can someone do this for mu Mingtang.

When Mingming was the adopted daughter of the Chiang family, she didn't even have her own hobbies. She first became the second miss of the Jiang family, and later became Xie Xuanji's fiancee. She had lived in the capital for more than a year, but no one in the Jiang family ever asked when Mu Mingtang's birthday was or what she liked, and Xie Xuanji didn't care. The only significance of Mu Mingtang is that she exists as a substitute for Jiang Mingwei. She is "like" Jiang Mingwei everywhere, and people take her as the shadow of Jiang Mingwei.

Born with the sun, lifelike, but always can only live in the shadow. A shadow does not need a name.

The Jiang family and Xie Xuanji should have neglected Mu Mingtang, and Mu Mingtang never mentioned his own affairs. Now, however, there is another person who openly and grandly announces that Mu Mingtang's birthday is on the first day of April, and he loves Haitang very much.

Xie xuanchen used the most arrogant way to compensate Mu Mingtang for what she had lost.

Jiang Mingwei also felt some subtle embarrassment. Although she was afraid of Mu Mingtang and hated that Mu Mingtang had replaced her in her last life, she was still proud of it in her heart. No matter how high Mu Mingtang goes, she's just her stand in. Everything about Mu Mingtang depends on her.

But now, Jiang Mingwei realizes that Mu Mingtang is no longer her shadow. Mu Mingtang gradually split with her. They talked about Princess an's extravagance, her birthday hobbies and her indulgence. There is no trace of Jiang Mingwei in it.

She became the person in the shadow of Mu Mingtang.