MTL - Pihanjin-Chapter 7

"Xie Changgeng, what are you doing here?"

"If it wasn't for my late father's sake, today, Gu Duan would not allow you to step into my Changsha country again!"

The remnants of Mu Xuanqing's words seemed to reverberate on the tall and dome roof of the temple.

Xie Changgeng looked calm, and foreign ministers paid homage to him at the king's ceremony. After the ceremony, he said, "The king only said what he said, but he didn't say why. Could you tell me why?"

Mu Xuanqing's two eyes, like sharp arrows with anger, pierced at the opposite Xie Changgeng.

"You were a giant pirate. Back then, the father, regardless of his status, was very fond of you, and he betrothed the lonely Wang Mei to you. I fulfilled the contract in Changsha. At the beginning of the year, I will marry Wang Mei far away. Not to mention that she has traveled far and wide to marry you. In the miasma of Kuizhou, you left her alone on the wedding night. After she came to your home to thank her, she served the elders, presided over the feeder, and sympathized with the servants. Has she ever lost her honor or complained? "

"Lonely Wang Mei, what did you do wrong? You have only been in your Xie family for half a year, but you have been so humiliated? What kind of family is your Xie family, dare to be so scornful of my Weng Master of Changsha?"

Mu Xuanqing clenched his fists, and on the back of his hands, the blue veins crisscrossed and protruded one after another.

"Thank you Changgeng!"

In a tone of disgust, he gritted his teeth and called out the name of the man opposite him.

"What is a beast in clothes and a beast with an owl heart and a crane appearance? It's a shameless person like you!"

"You are deliberate, and you are extremely filthy! Three years ago, I came to Changsha to ask for marriage, and I clinged to it. If it wasn't for my father who was deceived by you and helped you, why did you enter the official career and flourish?"

"You ungrateful, wolf-hearted little boy! Is it possible to deceive me, Changsha, and no one in the kingdom of Changsha?"

"Xie Jiedu envoy, although you are powerful and powerful now, you are invincible, and our country, Changsha, is only a small country, but how heroic the ancestors of the Mu family are, the descendants are like orphans, and no matter how incompetent, they will never sit back and watch Wang Mei suffer like this from you. humiliation!"

"You have come to pay homage to the late king, and I will not make it difficult for you. Now that you have finished worshiping, please do it yourself! My Changsha National Temple is small, and I can't accommodate your big Buddha!"

He paused and threw a document to the ground.

"Listen, from today onwards, my Mu family and your Xie family have nothing to do with each other! The lonely Wang Mei has nothing to do with you any more! Men and women marry, and it's their own way!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around and walked away.

"Wait a minute!"

Xie Changgeng, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

Mu Xuanqing stopped, but did not turn around.

Xie Changgeng didn't look at the things on the ground, and walked over.

"Your Highness, Xie understands. His Highness reprimanded, word by word, very scolded. Xie has no intention of defending, and there is no excuse. It's just that there are some misunderstandings in the middle. If you don't explain it, it will hurt the peace. , I'm afraid it will bear some of the teachings that my father-in-law gave to Xie when he gave him the marriage."

Mu Xuanqing slowly turned his face and looked at him coldly.

"To be honest, as soon as I came back, I immediately set off here, not only to pay homage to the ancestors and kings of the Mu clan in Changsha, but also to bring back Lord Weng..."

"What are you taking back for?" Mu Xuanqing was furious.

"Isn't that humiliating, don't you think it's not enough?"

Xie Changgeng looked calm.

"If Xie's thoughts are correct and His Highness is so angry, the reason is that my mother once mentioned the matter of taking a concubine in front of Lord Weng. But His Highness only knows one, but not the other. It is precisely some of the misunderstandings that Xie needs to explain."

Mu Xuanqing sneered.

"Xie went home last month, knowing that the master of Weng has returned to Changsha. Listening to the words of the servants in the family, for more than half a year, the master of Weng has condescended to serve my mother on my behalf sooner or later. Neighbors all praised him. Although Gui Ning's move was a bit sudden, it must have been excusable."

"The cause of the incident lies with my mother. In the early years, Xie was unfilial, and the tired mother was greatly affected. When it was difficult, she was greatly favored by others. Now the other's parents have died, and the situation is difficult. In front of Lord Weng, it was mentioned to pick up the woman. According to my mother, Lord Weng agreed at the time."

Xie Changgeng paused.

"My mother is illiterate and trapped in the back of the door. She doesn't have much knowledge, and she has an honest temperament. At that time, seeing the Weng Lord's agreement, she only cared about her joy, and she was only grateful for the generosity of the Weng Lord.

"On the day Xie returned home, he learned about it from his mother. It wasn't that Xie was defending himself, but he felt inappropriate at the time. It was just that he couldn't bear to disappoint his mother, and when he heard that Lord Weng had promised generously, he thought about it. Take the Weng master back first, and discuss it later."

"This incident angered His Highness, and it was Xie's fault. It was my blessing, Xie Changgeng, to have a wife like this, not to mention the kindness that my father-in-law knew back then, Xie has yet to repay 1/10,000th of it?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness, Xie knows what to do in the future. When he gets back to Lord Weng, Xie will make amends for my mother."

He stared at Mu Xuanqing with a calm expression.

Mu Xuanqing said word by word: "Xie Changgeng, you are not a good match for Wang Mei! Since Wang Mei has returned by herself, you can't let Wang Mei be so eloquent today, and you can't let Wang Mei go to Xie's house with you!"

"Xie Mou is puzzled by His Highness's words. Marriage is a good thing between two surnames, not a child's play."

He looked around the Mu family temple, and his eyes fell on the tablet of the old king of Changsha.

"No matter what Your Highness thinks of Xie, the marriage between me and Lingmei that day was decided by Yue's father. There are three matches and six certificates. There is nothing missing. Her words were inappropriate, and she did not make any outrageous actions. She is not a sage, how can she be blameless? Besides, she is just an old country woman. Your Highness is so aggressive, it is not inhumane, right?"

He still had a smile on his face, but his tone was also a little more intense, implying power.

Mu Xuanqing's face became extremely stiff, and he stared at the man in azure clothes standing opposite to him. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said: "Xie Changgeng! You are just being cheeky and flattering for the sake of Tengda, but you are still at odds with others. , embarrassed! You cling to..."

"My Royal Highness!"

At this moment, a female voice came from outside the temple, interrupting Mu Xuanqing's words.

Xie Changgeng raised his eyes.

On the steps outside the temple, I do not know when, stood a young woman dressed in Chinese clothes. With a beautiful face, graceful and generous, it is the Queen Lu of Changsha.

Mrs. Lu stopped her husband's angry words in time, stepped forward, gave her husband a secret wink, then stepped over the threshold of the temple, came to Xie Changgeng, and said with a smile: "Xie Jiedu has come from a long way, I am the country of Changsha. The etiquette is poor, if there is any offense, please forgive me."

Xie Changgeng smiled slightly and greeted Mrs Lu.

"It is a great honor for Xie to see the honorable face of the Queen of Changsha. Why is it rude?"

Lu Shi also gave a half salute.

"Thank you for being so generous, I admire it. You must be tired from all the wind and dust, so please stop by the post house for a while. My king will set up a night banquet in the mansion, and then the Jiedushi will catch the wind and wash the dust."

"As for the matter of Sister Wang..."

She paused.

"I ask Jiedushi to rest for a while, and we will discuss it later. I don't know what the Jiedushi wants to do?"

Xie Changgeng smiled: "Thanks a lot. That would be annoying."

He took away the smile on his face, his expression turned solemn, turned around, and under the two gloomy gazes from Mu Xuanqing behind him, he reverently saluted the old Changsha King's tablet, knelt down, and got up. He walked straight out of the temple threshold and strode away.

…

As soon as Mrs. Lu returned to the palace, she didn't even have time to take off her clothes, so she hurried to Mu Fulan's boudoir, backed away, and closed the door.

"Laner, fortunately, I listened to your words and rushed to the temple in time, which prevented your brother's anger and blunder. His temper is still too aggressive! In case Xie Changgeng heard his disrespect to Empress Liu If I say goodbye and report to the traitor, my situation in Changsha will be even worse in the future."

Mu Fulan was silent.

"This Xie Changgeng, when I came to ask for marriage three years ago, I only glanced at him from a distance. At that time, I only felt that he was a heroic style, different from ordinary people. When I confronted him today, I realized why he was so young and made it happen. Jiedushi of the party. He should be the same age as your brother, but in terms of the depth of the city, it is far from your brother's rival."

She frowned, worried.

"I listened to what he meant, but I didn't want to let you go home. You have already passed the door, and his words are not leaking, and the concubines have been picked up. I'm afraid it won't be possible for a while."

Mu Fulan said, "Sister-in-law, after the banquet, let him come to my place."

Mrs. Lu hurriedly said: "Laner, don't get me wrong. Sister-in-law will not break her promise since she promised to help you. Sister-in-law means that this person is not easy to deal with, so I want you to take precautions, in case things can't be resolved quickly. Disappointing you. Don't worry, even if he doesn't nod, you've already come back. As long as your elder brother catches him and accepts his concubine rudely, he won't let you go. This is the country of Changsha, and he dares to forcibly rob someone. Things?"

"Xie Changgeng is indeed not easy to deal with. That's why it's not a good thing for Wang Xiong and me, Changsha, if the matter drags on."

"This matter started because of me, and it's also about me and him. No matter how much my brother and sister-in-law talked to him, it would be as if they were just scratching their heads. It's better for me to clarify the matter with him and end it as soon as possible."

Lu Shi was taken aback.

"Laner, this Xie Changgeng is really not a good person to deal with... A-sister is afraid that you won't be able to deal with it..."

"Sister-in-law, don't worry!"

"He and I are considered husband and wife. It is also necessary to make things clear. No matter if we can or not, I will give it a try."

Mrs Lu looked at the little aunt.

Her eyes were clear and she looked at herself with a smile.

Mr. Lu hesitated for a while, and finally nodded: "Alright. Then I'll go and talk to your brother Wang. If you have anything to say, you can make it clear to the person in person. If he can hear it, it will be the best."

Mu Fulan smiled and said, "Thank you, Sister-in-law!"

…

Night falls. In the banquet hall of the Changsha King's Mansion, a feast for the guests is being held.

The giant candles on the children's arms were lined up in the east and west wings of the hall, like two fire dragons, emitting splendor, illuminating the entire hall as bright as day. In front of the hall, under the left and right eaves, high-hanging musical instruments. In the hall, there are bells and drums for big music. Before the giant candle, the gilt-gilt nobles set on the sapphire cases gleamed under the light of the lights.

All regulations are only inferior to the emperor.

Such a style can only be seen in the house of a prince.

Before the upper seat in the east direction, the left bronze turtle, the right bronze crane, and the turtle crane spit out wisps of ambergris cigarettes.

Mu Xuanqing sat here.

Xie Changgeng, the envoy of Jiedu in Hexi, sat in the position of host and guest.

The officials of the Changsha State who came to accompany the guests also took their seats in order of honor.

The front hall of the palace is brightly lit tonight, drums and music are blaring, but the backyard is quiet.

The night darkened the flowers and trees, and the shadows of the eaves were like sketches. A few lanterns, emitting dim yellow light, illuminated the deep winding road leading to the queen's bedroom.

The surroundings were quiet, not a single sound could be heard.

Mu Fulan closed her eyes tightly and completely covered her body in the hot water.

It seemed as if countless pairs of gentle hands were stroking her, blowing heat into every pore of her body, comforting her curled up body,

Finally, she slowly stretched out her limbs and completely relaxed.

She opened her eyes, got up from the hot water, crawled out with the tub, dried herself, wrapped her clothes, walked to the door, and opened the latch.

Mother Mu was the only one in the room.

She was waiting outside the bathroom door, her brows furrowed and her eyes worried. Seeing that Mu Fulan finally came out, she hurried to meet her, and reached out to support her arm.

"Master, you..."

"I'm fine."

Mu Fulan stood there steadily and smiled at her.

"Tell them to come in and change my clothes."

Mu's mother suppressed her worries, glanced at her, turned around, opened the door and called the maid outside.

The maids entered and gathered around to change her clothes.

After changing clothes, Mu Fulan didn't get up, she still sat in front of the mirror, looking at herself in the mirror, her figure remained motionless for a long time.

She seemed to be in a trance and looked indifferent.

The maids were close to her on weekdays, but at this moment, they all stood aside and dared not speak.

After a long time, there was a sudden sound of rapid footsteps on the corridor outside the door.

The door was pushed open, and Dan Zhu stepped in.

Mu's mother hurried out.

Dan Zhu whispered something. Mu's mother turned into the inner room, returned to Mu Fulan's back, leaned down, put her mouth to her ear, and whispered, "The banquet is over. He should be here soon."

The night wind followed the door, passed through a section of the veil curtain hanging on the compartment, and poured in silently.

Mu Fulan turned her face, her eyes fell on the nearby cluster of lights swaying in the wind, and said, "I see. You all go out."