After ending the mindless conversation with the old man, Yu Lan left Songfeng Academy and returned to Green Jingzhai with a lot of questions. She still didn't understand why the old man wanted to see her despite his busy schedule.

The old man and Cousin Ye finished discussing government affairs, sent Ye Minchun away, and chatted with her for another quarter of an hour. The basic pattern was that the old man asked and Yulan answered. The content was very general, and there was nothing to say, but the topic kept changing.

Somehow, the old man told her many things in the palace.

It is said that the emperor has seventy-two concubines in three palaces and six courtyards. Today's orthodox emperors are confused in governing the country, but the Yeting Courtyard is overcrowded. There are not only the elegant and graceful beauties from the North, the beauties from the south of the Yangtze River who are as gentle as water, and even the Eastern Hu from the Western Regions.

The beauties from foreign countries came from Jin Dynasty.

The orthodox emperor has a queen, an imperial concubine, a noble concubine, three concubines, four concubines, and the remaining nobles are always there, and they promise to be unknown. The current emperor has five sons, two princes, and the third prince is young, so he can

The only ones who survived were the crown prince, the fourth son of the emperor, King Zhao, and the fifth son of the emperor, King Lu. The mothers of these three princes were the queen, Concubine Xiao and Concubine Hui respectively.

There are only three truly important figures in the harem.

The current Queen Chen, whose father Chen Kui was from Tongzhou, came from a poor family. Fortunately, he was very successful in studying. In the 19th year of Taizong, Chen Kui won the first-class Jinshi. Because of his high ranking, he entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor.

After six years of hard work in the yamen, he finally moved to the fifth rank of bachelor's degree based on his qualifications. In the 25th year of Emperor Taizong's reign, the emperor's daughter Chen Kui was selected as the princess of the Song Dynasty, and the orthodox emperor ascended the throne.

Later, Chen was promoted from Princess Song to Queen.

After the emperor succeeded to the throne, his father-in-law Chen Kui followed Zhan Guang and was named a first-class Cheng En Bo. However, after all, Chen Kui came from a poor family and belonged to Qingliu. Although he had the false title of uncle, he actually did not have much influence.

Concubine Xiao Huang is much more powerful. She entered the palace as a concubine after Emperor Jian Zuo. Concubine Xiao Huang was born in the Xiao family, one of the eight surnames in the founding of Da Chu. She came from a prominent family. Her father was Xiao Changzong, the current Minister of Civil Affairs, and her uncle was Jing.

Xiao Changzhen, the Marquis of Hai, has led the army in many battles since the Taizong Dynasty. He has made many achievements in battles, many of his children serve in the army, and his family is so prominent that even the Yang family has to lose.

Yulan never believed that a person like the old man would do some meaningless things. He told himself that these things must have deep meaning.

The information on the Queen and Concubine Xiao Huang was very detailed. Only Concubine Hui, the old man only said that she was the biological mother of the fifth son of the emperor, Prince Lu, and the rest was kept secret. But his sixth sense told Yu Lan that he and Concubine Hui seemed to be a little bit different.

What a relationship.

What was the purpose of the old man telling her this? Yu Lan shook her head and pushed her thoughts out of her mind. No matter what the old man's purpose was, she could only walk around now.

In ancient society, it seems that everyone likes to play guessing games. Is there anything you can’t say directly? Yu Lan felt a little irritated.

However, before leaving, the old man gave her a large pile of books, all of which were classics and history. There were several volumes of "Shi Huo Zhi" alone. The old man told her to read them carefully and tell him any insights she had.

He said it very seriously.

If she were a man, I believe the old man would really train her well. I heard from the servants in the house that the old man was not very satisfied with the second-generation sons.

Among the second generation of the Yang family, there is a sense of lack of successors. The second master is in the third rank, and the eldest master is in the third rank. The official position is not small, but the prestige and ability are far behind the old master. After all, the Yang family has no title to inherit.

, It is true that the old man is now the emperor's most important minister, but once he becomes an official or dies, this hot wealth will disappear in an instant. The cabinet bachelor cannot be hereditary!

Another flaw of the Yang family is that they don't have enough foundation and the population is not prosperous enough. No matter how powerful the old man is, the power of one person can never be comparable to that of a family like the Xiao family that has existed for hundreds of years.

It is not easy to cultivate a top talent like an old man, but there is another way to continue the prosperity of the Yang family, which is to marry into various wealthy families. At this time, daughters are more important than sons.

The next day, the book that the old man gave Yulan arrived at Lujingzhai. Yulan happily rewarded the little girl who brought the book. Qian’s mother was so surprised that she couldn’t open her mouth from ear to ear when she saw so many brick-thick tomes.

.

The eldest wife still frequently brought girl Yuxin into the palace, and gradually even Yuxin felt that something was wrong. Gradually there was news in the palace that the eldest lady wanted to marry girl Yuxin into the East Palace as the crown princess.

"There are rumors in the house that the eldest lady intends to marry the eighth girl to the East Palace." That morning, Xiaoyu told Yulan this explosive rumor while serving Yulan to dress.

Yulan thought for a while, and thinking of the eldest wife's recent unusual behavior, Yulan vaguely felt that the rumors were somewhat credible.

There was a hint of envy on Xiaoyu's face. Facing the Tian family's impressive wealth, this little girl who had always been steady and capable could not help but show a hint of envy.

Yulan stretched lazily and patted Xiaoyu's little face: "There is a saying that it's too cold at high places, and there's another saying that there's no such thing as a free lunch. I'd rather be a princess than a queen.

Just be the mistress of a small household, live a quiet life with a few acres of thin fields and a cup of tea."

Xiaoyu was thoughtful.

Unable to withstand the power of Aunt Liu's pillow wind, the eldest master finally informed the fifth girl and her daughter of the discussion between the queen mother and the eldest wife about allocating Yuxin to the prince.

When Yuxia saw Yuxin again, she couldn't hide the jealousy in her eyes. The war between the sisters in her school was escalating day by day.

Yu Xin originally didn't have much enthusiasm about whether to be a crown princess, but being so excited by the fifth girl, she was aroused to be very enthusiastic.

If the prince marries the eighth girl, the fifth girl Yuxia will have no hope at all. Aunt Liu and her daughter were so angry that they discussed for several days but could not come up with a good solution. After all, Aunt Liu was only half a master, and the Queen Mother

Even if she is favored at the level of the eldest wife, she will never be able to get involved.

Aunt Liu became worried and finally started to spread rumors everywhere, saying that the eighth girl Yu Xin had been approved by an expert and was born with a hard life and a bad character...

There are actually people in the government who are adding fuel to the flames, fearing that the world will not be in chaos.

When the eldest wife heard such rumors, the Three Corpse Gods were furious, and she got into a series of gossips, and finally suppressed this evil trend. Yulan also asked Qian's mother to strictly restrain the maids and women in the room,

Don't spread rumors and cause trouble.

Together, the eldest wife and Mother Wu figured out that it was Aunt Liu who could pull off such a dirty trick.

In order to attack Aunt Liu, the eldest lady also resorted to a trick. For several days, she pretended that she had something to discuss with the eldest master and brought him to Yining Residence. However, the eldest lady never came and only ordered the little maid Hongxue to dress up charmingly.

She is charming and serves the great master attentively.

As expected, the eldest man fell in love with Hongxue. He knew that the eldest lady had that intention, but the eldest lady didn't say it, so he was too embarrassed to say it himself.

The eldest wife kept his appetite for more than ten days, and finally decided to move Hongxue into a living room to serve the eldest master.

The eldest gentleman declined without any sincerity, and then happily accepted it, and stayed at the eldest lady's Yining residence for several nights. Aunt Liu's fake smile was just a little bit weak when she came in and out.

There was a bit of gloom between Yuxia's eyebrows.

The eldest wife felt very happy after hearing Mother Wu's report.

During this period, the eldest wife met with the old man several times, trying to persuade him to agree to send Yuxin to the talent show, but all failed. The eldest man followed him once, but was scolded by the old man and told him to go back and study hard to cultivate his character.

, stop thinking about that good thing that will reach the sky in one step, and think carefully about why you refuse to agree to this matter.

The eldest wife was so anxious that she had no time to pay attention to Yu Lan, a concubine.

Mother Qian was used to waiting on people, and she kept Yulan's clothes ironed every day. Yulan went to the "boudoir school" to study for an hour in the morning, and when she came home in the afternoon, Mother Qian made her learn to do needlework.

Yulan complained endlessly and tried every means to avoid sewing. Qian's mother was honest and honest, but she had a lot of perseverance. She had a gentle attitude and a smile on her face. As the saying goes, don't hit someone with a smiling face. Yulan faced this

The kind and loyal elders were unable to do anything.

As the days passed, under the guidance of Qian's mother, Yulan finally began to make some progress in her needlework skills.

Finally, two days before the third young master Chengzong's test, he made a pair of socks embroidered with "Toad Palace Victory" and sent them to him. However, the stitching was rough and it was very difficult to see anyone.

Chengzong then wore such a pair of socks and entered the examination room. The government examination consisted of three sessions: classics, essays, and policy discussions. This examination lasted four days.

The eldest wife put aside Yu Xin's affairs for the time being and waited anxiously for the news. Qian's mother even took a shower and changed clothes. She prayed to gods and Buddhas all day long. She prayed to all the gods and Buddhas she knew.

Yulan was still relaxed and happy, she believed in her own vision. If Chengzong couldn't even pass the examination as a boy student, it can only be said that he had changed the world and his vision had also become worse.

Four days later, Chengzong walked out of the examination room with empty steps. When he saw the old lady, she fell into the room and fell asleep.

Chengzong slept for a whole day and night. When he woke up, the family sat around Songhe Hall. The eldest wife kept asking him if he did well in the exam. Chengzong just said modestly: "Only after taking the exam did I realize that I don't want to understand what I read.

There are many shortcomings." The eldest lady believed it, and her face looked a little ugly.

Seeing that he was in good spirits and didn't look depressed at all, Yulan immediately let go of most of his worries.

A few days later, the results were released, and Chengzong indeed passed the exam and ranked eighth in the first class. The twelve-year-old young master Chengzong became a "child student" in Dachu and was qualified to be admitted as a scholar.

The eldest lady was very happy. She called Chengzong to Yiningju and praised him. She opened the storehouse and rewarded him with many things. What's more, she generously distributed rewards to all his servants.

The elder was also very happy and called Chengzong to the study for a lecture. On the one hand, he told him to guard against arrogance and impetuosity and not to be complacent because of a small achievement. On the other hand, he asked him to keep up his efforts and prepare for the hospital exams in May.

try.

Chengzong had this intention, so he naturally agreed.

Those officials in the capital who were good at maneuvering had noses sharper than dogs, and they never missed any opportunity to curry favor with the chief minister. At that time, there was a dragon of cars and horses in front of the Yang Mansion, all coming to give gifts and congratulations. The old lady personally gave the instructions to the eldest lady , all gifts should be rejected and returned.

Of course, a "child born" is nothing to the Yang family, which has a "poetry and etiquette heirloom" family lineage, so the eldest lady held a few tables in the inner courtyard to chat and congratulate. The old man was absent as usual, and the eldest lady headed the meeting. All bedrooms, second bedrooms and fifth bedrooms participated.

During the banquet, everyone praised Chengzong again. Chengzong repeatedly gave in, his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and he was generous. The old lady nodded repeatedly. The eldest man and his wife were all red, Aunt Liu and the five girls were smiling forcefully. Yulan didn't care about others, and her smiles were bright. Brilliant, revealing great sincerity.

The meal was a joyful meal for everyone, and both the eldest man and his wife were a little tipsy. Chengzong sent the eldest man and his wife back to Yining Residence. Instead of going directly out the second door, he turned to Lvjingzhai. The eldest wife did not Like concubines and concubines, they often interact with each other. In the past few years, the two siblings only met once in the morning and dusk, and there was no opportunity for communication at all.

When Chengzong once again entered the small hall where Lujingzhai entertained guests, he couldn't help but feel a little strange. He and Yulan had lived here together for seven years.

Xiaoyu served the tea, waved her hands knowingly, and led the maids out of the hall, leaving space for the two siblings to talk to each other.

"Sister, how are you doing?" Chengzong asked impatiently.

Yu Lan looked at this already very sensible brother, and felt a little pain in his heart. He was only twelve years old, still a child, but the harsh living environment forced him to mature early and shoulder the burden of a man early: "When I grow up, Now, I am no longer the Yulan who can be bullied by anyone at will. Don’t worry, my good brother, I am living a good life now!"

Chengzong said: "Although I have been staying in the outer courtyard, I have always been concerned about every move in the inner courtyard. I am happy for my sister!" He looked at the jade and antique furnishings in the corner of the wall, and then looked at the furnishings in the room. , sighed: "Sister, things have changed here." Chengzong was in the voice-changing stage, and his voice seemed a little strange, but his tone was clear and very mature.

Yu Lan gently moved the tea lid, "It has changed." After walking in, she slowly rearranged the small courtyard bit by bit according to her own preferences. Now only a small part of it is completed, but Compared with the previous desolation and decadence, it has become fresher, more elegant and full of vitality.

"You have changed, I have changed, how can this small courtyard remain unchanged? We have all grown up."

"In ten or twenty years' time, I will not forget this small courtyard. I still remember that we spent seven years here together. We were all young at that time, and our lives were hard. The mothers in charge always took advantage of us. In some cases, there was not even enough food to eat. At that time, Aunt Qi and Sister Qi always gave me delicious food. I remember all this and will never forget it... At that time, I I have made up my mind to be successful in the future, to protect my sister and Aunt Qi, and to be your backer. Unfortunately, Aunt Qi has already..."

Yu Lan's expression darkened. "Let the past be in the past."

Chengzong said apologetically: "It's all my fault for making my sister sad."

Yu Lan looked at him with a smile, "Good brother, you are very good, you did not let my sister down!"

Chengzong showed a happy smile and said, "With this saying from my sister, all the hard work I have been doing these days with my head hanging over my head and my thorns in my buttocks is in vain."

Yulan's eyes showed genuine concern: "Sister, I know you are motivated, but I heard that the government examination is scheduled for May. You are taking exams non-stop, county exams, government exams, and college exams, without any chance to rest. Is that okay?

, can your body bear it? I know this exam is very important to you, but you have to do everything according to your ability, and your body is the foundation of everything."

Chengzong showed a confident smile: "Don't worry, sister. I know it well. Didn't sister remind me last time? Write that letter for me!" After a pause, Chengzong said firmly: "This time,

I must pass the exam." There is a big difference between a concubine and a legitimate son, but the treatment is very different. This opportunity is indeed too precious for Chengzong.

Yulan stood up, walked to Chengzong, reached out and patted his shoulder: "Good brother! I know you know what you are thinking, but I still want to nag you a few words. Your world is very broad, even if you can't do it this time,

You are still young, and you still have many opportunities. What's more, even if you can't be a legitimate son, what can you do? The current emperor is not a legitimate son... My sister hopes that you will succeed, and I hope you will be among the most talented people in the exam.

Become a Jinshi, become a Shujishi, become a Hanlin, and then become a bachelor, just like your grandfather. But what my sister hopes more is that you can live happily, and don't give up everything because of these, such as health, happiness, and a bright future.

If you can only choose between being healthy and happy, my sister would rather you choose the latter and don’t put too much pressure on yourself, can you understand?"
Chapter completed!