Volume 3 Linglong Dice An Hongdou One Forty Peifeng
Among the crowd of people paying their respects, a girl in a black dress walked out of the Inner Huang Village Pavilion, her face solemn as she bowed her head and said, "Everyone, please rise."
Over the years, Zhang Yan has become accustomed to playing the role of a dignified and courteous empress in front of everyone.
After the empress boarded the carriage, the emperor rode under the canopy with feathers and plumes, all vehicles and horses were ready, and continued to move southeast.
Prince Ziwang's son, Xiang Yi, stood in front of a four-horse carriage in the procession and gazed from afar at the dignified first makeup under the three hairpins and six buns, the youthful beauty of the 14-year-old girl, and couldn't help but praise her, "What a beautiful little empress."
"The Crown Prince." The attendant from the state of Qi beside him was startled and softly advised, "Please be careful with your words. Don't bring trouble to the state of Qi."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Yu Jin opened the curtain of the carriage and smiled, "This carriage is surrounded by people from all sides, a prince of a country, do you want to speak with trepidation? He also shook his head and smiled, "Huh, I really didn't expect that the little girl who wasn't very good back then would grow up to be such a beautiful woman. It's just that she's too serious, if she knew how to communicate, she'd be an extraordinary beauty."
"What a pity!" He patted Liu Zhang's shoulder, "She almost married your cousin back then. If Empress Lü hadn't changed her mind that year, this little beauty would have been yours by now, and it would have been a good match for both of you. But look at how things are now - such a beautiful woman is going to be a widow, it's really... what a pity!"
Liu Zhang leaned against the carriage wall, raised his head to drink, and laughed, "Brother Biao is talking nonsense again. This Empress Zhang, she has deeply gained the favor of my imperial uncle. Not to mention that His Majesty returned to his hometown to worship his ancestors, which of the palace concubines could accompany him? I heard that last night, the emperor also rested in her place. Today, the two of them are even traveling in the same carriage, isn't this enough to show the grandeur of imperial favor?"
The curtain fluttered gently, casting a cold and stern shadow on the face of the carriage driver, pointing to his own eyes. "I may not be old, but I've seen many women in my years. These eyes will never make a mistake, Empress Zhang has not been with anyone else. Young master, do you believe me?"
Liu Zhang burst out laughing and said, "Elder brother, your question is off the mark. No matter what, she, Zhang Yan, is no longer the Princess of Xuanping County from back then, but rather the Empress of Great Han. Whether I believe it or not, what difference does it make?"
Because of the Son of Heaven's lightness and thinness, riding and driving were arranged in an orderly manner, advancing slowly, on the fourth day of the journey, they truly entered Pei Commandery.
She lifted the curtain of the imperial carriage and peeked out curiously. "So this is what Pei County looks like," she sighed.
Pei County is located in the southeastern part of the Great Han, and its territory is a vast plain that slopes gently from southwest to northeast. Within it, there are nine rivers that nourish the land. In April, when spring is in full bloom, the fields on both sides of the main road are all cultivated land. Large tracts of green wheat ears, under the caress of the wind, slightly bend towards one side.
"Yes." Liu Ying also put away the memorial on her desk, came to her back, looked at the land of her hometown, and had a faint excitement and emotion in her eyes.
At the age of six, the war between Chu and Han finally invaded Pei County, my father was defeated, and our family scattered. I met my father in the chaos of the army and returned to Langya City with him. After that, I never returned to my hometown again.
"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked faintly.
"Mm." Zhang Yan smiled brightly and nodded, looking up at his face.
The earth has blue sky, white clouds, endless plains, and winding rivers, which are naturally beautiful.
Mother, and you, were both born and grew up on this land. Because mother and you are the two most important people in my life, I also think that this land is beautiful, although I had never set foot on it before.
Because I know you're happy and carefree back in your hometown, I'm willing to love this land forever.
He rode straight to the palace and stopped in front of it. Yuan Ping, the governor of Pei Prefecture, led the elders and villagers to pay homage to the imperial carriage. Liu Ying hastily got down from the carriage and supported the old man with white hair, saying, "Governor Yuan had taught me in the past, I dare not repay him."
Yuan Ping smiled and said, "Even so, the righteousness between ruler and subject cannot be abandoned." He still insisted on continuing to kowtow.
Liu Ying was moved to tears, and then saw him kneel down to greet the crowd. Many of them were familiar faces with white hair and eyebrows, all of whom were renowned figures in their hometown when they were young.
"Your Majesty," Yuan Ping said with a bow, "the wine and feast have been prepared in the Pei Palace. Please enter and partake."
"It's unnecessary." Liu Ying shook his head and said, "I want to go pay respects to the late emperor first."
When everyone's heart was moved by the emperor's filial piety, Feng Changsun stepped forward and advised, "Your Majesty's filial heart is commendable. If the former emperor's spirit in heaven has knowledge, he will surely be delighted. However, the ritual of offering sacrifices is not good if it is done hastily. Since Your Majesty has already come to Pei County, it can be seen that you are sincere. Why not wait for a few more days and then formally offer sacrifices at the ancestral temple?"
Liu Ying nodded and said, "Okay."
Pei County
In a rural area between two villages, there was a household that suddenly heard someone outside knocking on the door and calling out, "Is anyone home?"
A woman in yellow clothes came out of the house and saw three women standing outside the fence. The middle one was about 13 or 14 years old, with a head of black hair combed into a neat bun at the back of her head. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled brightly, and her face was delicate and lovely.
"Little sister," the girl curtsied slightly and said, "I came with my family to play here and didn't realize I had wandered far away. My mouth is a bit dry, may I ask for a sip of water?"
The people of Pei County are simple and honest, let alone such a beautiful and elegant young girl, who is likable and harmless. She smiled and nodded, saying, "Please come in, little lady."
"Thank you, sister-in-law." The girl followed her into the house and asked with a smile, "What should I call this little sister-in-law?"
She presented a clay bowl and smiled, "My husband's surname is Qin, so you can call me Qin Saozi."
The girl then smiled and called out, "Qin's wife." Looking around the interior of Qin's house, although it was not luxurious, it was tidy. The ceramic bowl in front of her was not as delicate as the palace's imperial porcelain, but it was spotless. Qin's wife poured the cooled boiling water into the bowl, and she took a sip, involuntarily praising, "So sweet."
"Yes indeed." Qin Shu smiled and said, "The water-boiled soup made with Sui River water has a clear sweetness without adding sugar. This is the spirit of our Pei County people, otherwise how could we produce great Han emperors?"
"Yes." The girl smiled slightly and responded in agreement.
"Mother, mother." The children playing in the fields came back from outside and rushed into Qin's arms, saying, "I heard people talking everywhere. The emperor is on an eastern tour to our Pei County. Mother, is it true?"
Little Qin's wife frowned and hugged her son, patting the dust off his body. She smiled and said, "Xiao Wu, you're being naughty again - it's true, of course. Didn't you hear the commotion in front of the palace this morning? The Emperor is from our hometown of Pei County. He must be homesick now, so he came back to take a look."
Xiao Wu nodded randomly and curiously looked at the girl sitting on one side, opening her mouth to praise, "Sister, you are so beautiful."
The girl giggled and smiled. Delightedly said, "Thank you. You're also very cute."
"Sister is from outside, but what kind of person is the Emperor?"
Little Qin's wife held her son, smiled apologetically at the young girl, but couldn't stand her son's noise. She thought for a moment and said, "The elders in our village say that His Majesty has been gentle and kind-hearted since childhood. After he ascended to the throne, he set the tax rate to one-tenth, allowing all the people of the Great Han to live comfortably. He is a good emperor." Qin Wu listened with admiration, puffed out his small chest and said, "When I grow up, I want to be a great general and help His Majesty conquer the Xiongnu."
"Heh heh." The girl who borrowed water covered her mouth and smiled, saying sweetly, "So, General Qin, sister is waiting for you."
Her uncle, she smiled slightly.
Look, all your hard work has not been in vain. People all over the world know your kindness and will regard you as a good emperor.
If you hear this, wouldn't you feel relieved?
Xiao Qin's wife suddenly sighed and said, "I saw Your Majesty when I was a child."
"Oh?" Zhang Yanqi said in surprise.
"When I was little, I was very mischievous." Xiao Qin's wife recalled the past, and for some reason, her face turned slightly red. "I ran around alone, got lost somehow, and met a boy who sent me to the village entrance and then left. My brother said he was the son of Liu Tingchang from Sishui. Unfortunately, I was too young at the time and didn't even say thank you to him."
Zhang Yan pouted and felt a sour taste in her heart. She thought the soup she was drinking wasn't as sweet as it had been just before.
"What's wrong?" Qin Shu saw her expression and couldn't help but ask, "Does this lady not believe it?"
She was just about to answer when she heard someone outside calling out, "Excuse me, is the lady inside?"
Han Changyu, dressed in a long scholar's robe, saw Zhang Yan and the hostess come out, and hastily bowed and smiled, saying, "Because I saw your husband's horse tied to the door, I guessed you were inside, so I ventured to ask."
"What's wrong?" Qin Shu looked at Zhang Yan's calm expression and asked in surprise, "Little girl, you're so young, have you already gotten married?"
"Yes." She nodded her head and said, "Thank you, Qin Shu Zi, for bringing water today."
"You're welcome." Little Qin's wife murmured.
Outside the gate, under the willow tree, a young man in black clothes turned his head back, smiling and looking at the girl who walked to his side. Then he nodded slightly to Old Lady Qin from afar.
At that time, the customs of the people were open-minded, but Xiao Qin's wife was naturally strict and refused to see outsiders. She turned around and went back into the house.
In a flash of surprise, she didn't recognize the man she had been thinking about just now.
Zhang Yan couldn't help but laugh, feeling calm and composed. It was all because she had been too narrow-minded. When they left Pei County, how old was Liu Ying? And Xiao Qin's wife was even a year or two younger than him, just an ignorant little girl at the time. People always look up to the emperor's status, and when adults mention past scandals, they remember them vividly. But the people in those stories had long forgotten.
"Ah Yan," Liu Ying shook her head and said, "You are not familiar with the rural roads here. It's not very safe for you to be walking alone outside."
"What's the point?" she pouted, "You're going to meet the county's elderly relatives and fellow villagers. Auntie is also looking for a group of old friends to chat with. They're all very old and talking about old times, I don't understand, so I can only come out alone. Listening to Old Man Pei talk about your childhood stories is quite interesting."
"Oh?" Liu Ying smiled, "Then what did you hear?"
"Ah, I heard," Zhang said with a smile, counting on her fingers, "Old Man Zhao from the west village said that when Uncle was young, he always looked very serious, and when we met at the Pei Palace the other day, you looked exactly the same. Leng Xiaobao from the east village said his older brother used to fight with you and several of your cousins from the Lyu family, although Uncle looks refined, but when he gets angry, he's also very fierce."
"What's wrong?" Liu Ying smiled and shook her head.
The small path of Pei Tu is lined with tiny orchids, purple ones as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Zhang Yan asked him, "Uncle, do you like these orchids?"
"I don't particularly like these flowers and grasses." Liu Ying shook her head, "However, since they are nurtured by the water and soil of Pei County, I do have a special liking for them."
Zhang Yan then bent down, picked a orchid flower, and said meaningfully, "Yes. There are too many beautiful flowers in this world, people always like to see them, but forget the one that belongs to themselves. Wildflowers are beautiful, everyone likes to look at them, but just looking is enough. If you linger because of it and forget the one at home, until it withers, when you turn back to look, I don't know if you will regret it."
Repentance.
Because I accompanied someone out today, I came back late.
The update is late again. This update has a tendency of being delayed more and more.
So refuel and adjust the time back.
Continue to ask for pink votes.