The Grandmaster Strategist

In the third month of Gengwu in the nineteenth year of Xiande, Zhao Sheng passed away and was posthumously named King Ling of Chu. The prince Zhao Jialing succeeded to the throne. He ordered to use the Xiande era, and made Princess Dayong Changle the queen. Countless silks.

The central palace is established, the court and the opposition go up and down, Xian thinks of the prince, advises the doctor Luo Wensu, and proposes to establish the third son of the king, Zhao Long, as the prince.

First, the lord of the country made Princess Changle the queen concubine. The princess did not come out, but sent a dowry maid to serve His Royal Highness. His Highness Aiyong was beautiful and she was very favored. She gave birth to three sons and four daughters one after another. Wei Jun's daughter was the concubine of the crown prince. In the fourteenth month, she was born in Long, Jia ascended the throne, and named the Shang family as a noble concubine. The Shang family was born in a prestigious family, virtuous and less jealous, and the court and the public followed the old rule of "the son is more valuable than the mother", so please appoint his son.

When the queen heard this, she was furious and said: "Although Aijia has no sons, how do you know that there will be no successors, and even if there is no future, Aijia's dowry maids in the past are all daughters of the famous family of Da Yong, and they have already given birth to two sons. , is it not as good as the Shang family, if you want to establish a heir, you can also establish the eldest son of the king."

-- "The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties: The Biography of King Yang of Chu"

In the nineteenth year of Xiande, the lord of the kingdom died. If ordinary people died, he would die, but the death of a lord of the kingdom is a major event. Before the lord of the kingdom, Yan Jia, our Hanlin Garden will have basically completed the Chongwen Hall bibliography "Chongwen Secret Collection". ” handed it up, and the king was overjoyed. Although he did not see the completion of the Chongwen Temple, he should still be able to rest.

There is no controversy at all. Prince Zhao Jia ascended the throne before Lingqian, and then changed the Yuan and amnesty to the world. Our Hanlin Academy is also very busy, and there are some very important things, although we small officials did not interrupt most of them. There is room for them, but they are also very concerned about the matter of Li Hou and Li Chu. After the establishment, there is no objection. Although Princess Changle lives in the palace all the year round to recover from illness, it is not considered to be responsible, but Nanchu nominally submits to Dayong, and Princess Changle is the prince concubine appointed by the previous king, so Princess Changle is still smooth. To take over the palace. But it would be troublesome to establish the crown prince. Princess Changle has no children, and although she is only 19 years old, she has been ill all the time. Everyone doubts whether she will still be pregnant and have children, and there is no prince in the country. A prince, Zhao Jia already has four sons and seven daughters. Because Princess Changle sent palace maids to serve the prince, most of the children were born to Yongnv, but this aroused the dissatisfaction of the dignitaries in the court. The daughter of the Prime Minister, Shang Zhilan, gave the crown prince a concubine by marriage. Although the crown prince loved Yongnv, the princess was very proud of her belly and gave birth to the third son of the king, Zhao Long. In the view of the ministers in the court, if Princess Changle was born, it would be noble, but the children of the other Yongnv were not of pure blood in their opinion, so they all demanded that Zhao Long be the heir.

Although the lord is greedy and lustful, he is also a smart person. He naturally knows that the ministers are right on this point, so although he does not like the Shang family very much, he still makes her a noble concubine and establishes Zhao Long as the prince. He also agrees. of. But Princess Changle was furious because of this, had a big quarrel with the lord, and returned to the palace alone. Now the lord of the country was in a daze. Although he and Princess Changle got together less often, Princess Changle was very virtuous and not only let herself dowry The beauties of Yongguo serve him, and often support him in selecting beauties to enrich the harem, so he respects and even fears Princess Changle very much. Moreover, the reason that the Shang family is a noble daughter of Southern Chu can only be tacitly understood by the monarch and the minister, so Zhao Jia temporarily stopped the establishment of the heir, and hinted that the courtier could not establish the heir unless the queen was persuaded.

But this makes it difficult for these courtiers to die. Since Princess Changle married Nanchu, she has often lived in the palace. The courtiers of Nanchu can't find a way even if they want to flatter them. The maids who are close to the princess are now basically the state. The Lord's favorite concubine, their son is not qualified to establish a reserve, and their resentment is too late. How can they persuade the princess. Gradually, everyone's eyes fell on one person - Liang Wan.

Liang Wan is the best friend of Princess Changle's boudoir,

She is also the righteous daughter of the late king. Although she did not have a son-in-law in Nanchu, she has a very good relationship with Nanchu's Wenwu Junjie. She is supposed to be the best lobbyist, but she refused. Therefore, Mingyuelou, which has gradually calmed down for many days, has become a busy place again.

Under such circumstances, I came to Mingyuelou again. I didn't want to come, but Liang Wan suddenly posted a message to invite me. Although I have no intentions for her, it is inevitable to imagine her, not to mention that I refuse her post. It would be a bit rude to say that.

I Shi Shiran walked into the courtyard gate and bypassed Bibo. Now the front of Mingyue Building is full of pear flowers. Now April is the flowering season of pear flowers. The pear flowers in the garden are like clouds and snow, and I took a deep breath. With the refreshing fragrance, I asked the maid who led the way, "Miss, do you have any orders for Miss Liang to summon an official?" The maid said playfully, "Then I have to ask the lady, how would a little girl like me know, sir? This kind of respect, slaves are ashamed to be worthy." I said solemnly: "As the saying goes, the prime minister's family is a seven-rank official, and Miss Liang is the righteous daughter of the former king and a friend of the queen. I am afraid that the power is better than the prime minister. In that way, how can a girl have six The lower officials are from the seventh rank, so naturally they should be respectful." The maid was stunned for a while, then burst into laughter, and said in a low voice, "I heard that my lady told the Prime Minister that if you want to persuade the queen, you must The adults have to come forward."

This time it was my turn to be stunned. When would I, a small Hanlin editor, be able to talk to the dignified Princess Dayong, the Queen of Nanchu. He walked into the Mingyue Tower with suspicion, and at a glance saw the Prime Minister and the academician of the Hanlin Academy sitting at the top, with Liang Wan to accompany him. I almost wanted to turn around and run. But he knew that was impossible, so he respectfully bowed and said, "Xiaguan pays respects to the Prime Minister, the Master of the Court."

Prime Minister Shang Weijun nodded again and again: "Okay, okay, I heard from Master Xie that you are very capable, and you will be promoted in the near future. You are indeed the pillar of the country, Miss Liang, someone has come, Miss said last time that only Jiang Hanlin can persuade the queen, What is the reason?"

I immediately looked at Liang Wan. I had no grudge against her in the past, but recently I have no grudge against her why she framed me like this. Under the gazes of the three of us, Liang Wan took a sip of the tea and said, "To tell the truth, the concubine was originally from Dayong, and the adults proposed that Prince Long be the heir, the deep meaning of which is a passerby. We all know that the queen doesn't understand. Now that she is angry and leaves the palace, it is the time when she is most annoyed. The concubine is greatly favored by the princess, and the princess treats her like a sister. The princess was in a cold heart. At that time, even if the princess had room to turn around, she would not be able to agree, so Liang Wan absolutely could not persuade her. I have to turn around, think about it again and again, think of the princess from the southern Chu, Ya Ai's poetry, every day I can't put it down, I once said to the concubine, the famous families in the past have all returned to the loess and can't see each other, and today everyone is only the champion of southern Chu. Jiang Zhe, reading his poems is heartwarming, and he is also in Southern Chu. Every time he thinks about seeing him, he is afraid that there will be differences between rulers and ministers, and that men and women are different. If you can meet the queen to fulfill the queen's long-cherished wish, and then ask the champion to make a tactful statement, the queen will definitely be moved."

I almost fainted, do I look like an idiot, I am a small champion, and in the eyes of the queen, I am afraid that I am just a role like a jester, why should I influence the queen, look at the Prime Minister eagerly, hope he can stop Such an unrealistic idea. But my dream was shattered, the old man Shang Weijun was actually full of contemplation, and the lord of the courtyard was nodding his head. In this way, I was escorted into the carriage by Liang Wan without even having a chance to object, and drove to the palace.

On the way, I asked solemnly, "Miss Liang, has the lower official ever offended you?"

Liang Wan smiled and shook her head, "No."

I said again: "So did the lower official offend Dayong?"

A trace of contempt flashed in Liang Wan's eyes and said, "No."

I suddenly said angrily: "Since this is the case, I am neither your father's enemy nor your merciless lover. What are you trying to kill me for?"

Liang Wan was startled, and then showed a flowery smile: "Master Zhuang Yuan is angry."

I have regained my calm, and said coldly, "I'm not good at doing things, I'm afraid it will implicate Miss Liang." Hmph, even if I die, I will pull you back, I thought bitterly in my heart.

Liang Wan's brows twitched, and she said sweetly, "Dong Yuan Zhuang has misunderstood the concubine body, and the concubine body is a surefire way."

I'm not talking to her because I think it's pointless to quarrel over a matter that has already been settled. The anger just now is just imitating the mentality of ordinary people. Anyway, even if I can't achieve the task, I can't say that I have failed my duty. Just be slower. Seeing that I didn't speak, Liang Wan showed a little more respect, which made me vigilant. Although I haven't seen her in the past few years, I know something about her. Judging from her behavior, it's actually a big deal. It is very likely that Yong was a spy, otherwise, why didn't you find Ruyi Langjun for three years? I think she is long-sleeved and good at dancing, and she is like a duck in water in the Southern Chu Dynasty. I will never believe that she is an ordinary woman. To put it bluntly, although I only visited Yanyuelou once in Jiaxing because I was fooled, Yunyan, the oiran in Yanyuelou, is a beautiful woman who is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Looking at Liang Wan's behavior, she is just a high-level prostitute. The difference is that she contacts with high-ranking officials and talents, and the backstage is hard, and she doesn't sell herself.

Liang Wan didn't know that I was slandering her, and she still chatted with me word by word. After about two hours, the carriage finally arrived at the Mochou Lake Palace. After being interrogated by the imperial guards, I entered the palace smoothly and came to the Linboxuan facing Mochou Lake. Let someone report it, drag me and go inside. The maids on both sides probably know that Liang Wan is not easy to mess with, except for hurriedly going in to report, so let us go in like this.

As soon as I entered the room, I saw Princess Changle wearing a plain-colored palace dress, reclining on the brocade couch and reading a book. She raised her head with a smile and said, "Sister Wan'er is here." As soon as she saw me, her face immediately became full of expression. She blushed and said, "Who is so bold and dares to break into the Ai family's bedroom." Liang Wan let go of me and stepped forward, "Princess, you see that your concubine has brought the person you most want to see, why are you still angry?"

Princess Changle was stunned for a moment, thinking of a person in her heart, and exclaimed: "Is it Jiang Zhe Jiang Suiyun?"

Liang Wan turned her head and said, "Jiang Zhe, you haven't come to see the princess yet."

As soon as I entered the door, I was stunned. When I saw Princess Changle, she was on the wedding day. She was wearing Princess Dayong's dress and red wedding dress, so even though she was only sixteen years old, she was still graceful and luxurious. , Today, she is wearing plain clothes, without any makeup or makeup, but she is elegant, elegant, and charming, which is quite different from when she was married, not to mention that she has been weathered in the past two years. A mature rhythm, my heartbeat is getting stronger and stronger, and I don't know why, suddenly there is a trace of evil thoughts, it would be great if I could hug her.

Just when I was thinking wildly, Liang Wan's words reminded me, so I quickly stepped forward and bowed down and said, "Jiang Zhe, the editor of the Imperial Academy of the Imperial Academy, greeted the Queen Chitose Chitose."

Princess Changle suddenly showed a look of joy and sorrow, and said after a long while: "Master Jiang is flat, and Aijia usually likes Master Jiang's poems the most. I'll meet you today, and I want to ask for something. I don't know if it's okay."

I calmly said: "Dare to obey."

Princess Changle seemed to see that I was a little cold, and gave me a faint look, and said, "This is the poem that Aijia recites on weekdays. Master Jiang knows which one Aijia likes the most." Then she handed the booklet in her hand to Liang. Wan. Liang Wan was slightly blessed and gave me the booklet again.

I took it over and took a look, and it turned out to be a hand-copied poem. The lines of hairpins and small characters were very beautiful. When I turned to the first page, it was a "Jinse".

"Jinse has fifty strings for no reason, and one string and one pillar contemplate the Chinese New Year. Zhuang Shengxiao dreamed of butterflies, and Wang Di's heart was in love with cuckoos. The moon and pearls in the sea have tears, and the warm sun in Lantian produces smoke. This feeling can be recollected, but it was already lost at that time. ." I whispered a poem I wrote when my father died when I was fifteen years old. At that time, my father was dying. Facing the portrait of his mother, he sometimes whispered, sometimes chuckled, and more often was a touch of sadness, It was really light, because my father was going to see my mother, and there was even a hint of joy in that sadness. It was for this reason that I didn't force my father to take those bitter medicines. Since my father's life could no longer be saved, why should I let him? He was suffering with endless pain. I remember that night I knelt in front of my father's bed and swore to take care of myself. My father looked at me with relief, and then he stopped breathing. His expression was so peaceful. Involuntarily, my tears fell, and today I know how much pain my father's death has brought me.

Princess Changle felt uneasy when she saw me weeping, and looked up at Liang Wan. Liang Wan understood and handed me a silk handkerchief.

I wiped away my tears, smiled and said: "The queen is laughing, this poem was written by the minister when his late father died. Before his death, his father and mother were very affectionate. After the death of my late mother, my father was always sad and difficult to understand. At that time, my late father was in a very calm mood, just because I was going to meet my mother. So I wrote this poem, and I didn't expect the princess to have it here."

Princess Changle said softly: "When Aijia and Ji, someone came from Nanchu and brought this poem to Aijia, but Aijia didn't know who Jiang Zhe was at that time. Later, when he arrived in Nanchu, he heard Zhuangyuan's "" Feelings under the Moon", I liked it very much. When I asked His Royal Highness, I realized that it was Jiang Zhuangyuan's masterpiece. Since then, Aijia asked Sister Wan'er to collect Zhuangyuan's poems for me. In recent years, Aijia's secluded residence in the palace is to read Zhuangyuan. The words can relieve the sorrow a little.”

I bowed down and said, "It is an honor for my minister to be appreciated by the queen for his poems."

Seeing that I had calmed down, Chang Le asked: "Aijia likes this Jinse very much, but Aijia doesn't understand, what is 'Lantian Sun-warming Jade and Smoke'? Smoke?"

I replied with a smile: "This poem has a source. In the past, Sikong Tu of the Jin Dynasty once said, 'Zai Shulun calls the scene of a poet, like a blue field where the sun is warm, and a good jade produces smoke, which can be seen but cannot be placed before the eyelashes. '."

Princess Changle suddenly said: "So it is, Aijia understands. I don't know if the champion has any new poems recently."

I pondered for a while, and said, "My minister is busy with official duties these days, and there are very few good poems. If the queen doesn't dislike it, please Rong Chen record a game."

Princess Changle was overjoyed and immediately summoned the palace maid to polish the ink. I wrote the title of the poem "Moving to Liuzhuang to listen to the warbler in the spring" on the four treasures of the study on the desk next to me, and then wrote: "The spring is still in the sky with rain and smoke, and countless long strips are dragging on the ground. For a few days, the green shadows add tenderness, and for a while, the yellow birds occupy Qiao Ke. Flying over the road of blue clouds, I can hear the red snow song. In front of the curling wind, Zhang Cuimu is in front of the wind, and the golden shuttle is on the cross. There are many shadows from the north to the south. A few strands are vaguely fascinated by Hanyuan, and the sound seems to recall Qin E. However, Rong Yunyi listens to each other, and does not allow the rough and the horse to pass. The thick light is fast and the eyes are really stunned. What if the young voice disappears? Gu Ying's suspicious voice is intermittent, and when she hears the voice, she still recognizes the shadow and whimper. How can the prime minister pay today, I will do my best to honor the front."

Princess Changle stepped forward and recited in a low voice. After a long time, she said, "The talent of Nanchu is really extraordinary. Aijia read it, and he spoke well."

I saw that Princess Changle seemed a little tired, so I said goodbye: "My lady's phoenix is ​​not in good health, and this minister does not dare to stay for a long time, so I will leave now, please cherish it."

Princess Changle smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, Liang Wan, for sending off Lord Jiang on behalf of the Aijia."

Liang Wan responded and led me out. After walking a long way, Liang Wan suddenly stopped and said coldly, "Mr. Jiang, did you forget something?"

I was stunned for a moment, and then I remembered that Ben and I forgot to persuade the niece to set up a reserve, but I thought about it and said lightly: "Why does Miss Liang say this, it shouldn't matter whether I persuade or not."

Liang Wan said angrily: "Why, do you ministers of Southern Chu think our princess is easy to bully?"

I saw through the surprise in Liang Wan's eyes, but didn't hide the truth: "Ms. Liang should be very clear that the establishment of the crown is a foregone conclusion, and the queen should also understand that if she agrees lightly, it will inevitably damage Dayong's prestige."

Liang Wan's face sank and said, "What nonsense are you talking about."

I thought to myself, instead of letting her think that I am stupid and can take advantage of it, it is better to let her understand how powerful I am and stay away, lest she harm me again. Therefore, I said in an ethereal tone: "Princess Dayong married Nanchu far away, which was unwilling, so the queen did not expect the favor of the lord at all, and Emperor Yong married so many beauties, not just to confuse the lord. , lest the queen have to deal with her husband who she doesn't like. As for Miss Liang, you are a good candidate to lead Dayong's spies in Southern Chu. The lady's identity is delicate, and she can act arbitrarily without any scruples. The princess is in charge of this matter, and it is inevitable that some people will notice that the princess's behavior is suspicious. I think for Dayong, the princess only needs to marry to Nanchu to fulfill her duty."

Although Liang Wan tried her best to remain calm, her face was pale, and a cold light flashed in her eyes.

I hurriedly said: "Xiaguan is just a small Hanlin, I have no way to ask about these important affairs of the country, and I don't bother to ask, but it is really unwise for the young lady to bother to involve Xiaguan. It is inevitable that people will doubt the intentions of the young lady."

Liang Wan was stunned again, and her expression returned to normal in a moment, and she said sweetly: "The queen likes your poems, and every once in a while, the concubine will send someone to get your new works from the adults, and the adults will not refuse to agree."

I said calmly: "Xiaguan's family is poor, and he doesn't have his own mansion yet. He just rented a private house near the Hanlin Academy. If the lady sends someone, it is often impossible to find him. If the lady doesn't dislike it, he will New poems must be sent to Mingyuelou from time to time, please pass on to Queen Chitose."

Liang Wan gave me an admiring look and said, "Okay, concubine has to go back to persuade the queen, the carriage and horses are ready, they will send the adults to the Prime Minister's Mansion to report the errand."

I respectfully thanked me, got in the car, and left.

In the middle of the night, I finally returned to the city, and the journey was safe. When I arrived at the Prime Minister's Mansion, I told Shang Weijun, who was full of worries, and said "the truth": "Xiaguan meets the queen, and the lady really likes Xiaguan's poems and asks a lot of questions. In this regard, Xiaguan was clumsy and did not know how to persuade him. Later, the empress was tired, and Xiaguan had to retire. Later, Miss Liang told Xiaguan that she knew that Xiaguan could not speak, and that the purpose of letting Xiaguan go was just for the sake of resignation. To solve the empress's depression, the empress knows the righteousness, she has long understood that this is the case for the establishment of the reserve, but it is difficult to change her mind when she is angry. Miss Liang will take advantage of the empress's pleasure to persuade the empress, and she will definitely be able to make the empress change her mind, but Miss Liang said that she still won the country. The Lord will personally go to pick up the empress, and the empress will be able to step down."

Shang Weijun said with joy: "Okay, okay, Jiang Hanlin is indeed a pillar of talent, I have discussed with you Xue Xueshi, you have done a good job in setting up the Chongwen Temple, and there will be a reward in the near future, okay, you can go back and rest. "

Returning home full of fatigue, seeing a lamp like a bean, knowing that Xiao Shunzi was coming, he walked in lazily, fell on the bed, and asked, "Why are you free today? Woolen cloth."

Xiao Shunzi walked over with a chuckle, pulled me up, helped me undress and said, "I was supposed to be on duty today, but I overheard Prime Minister Shang telling the country lord that you were going to the palace, so I exchanged it with someone else. After class, this trip back and forth is really tiring, I saw that you came out of the Prime Minister’s Mansion and thought there was no danger, so I came back to get you some water to bathe, and when you are finished, you should have supper.”

I was dragged to the kitchen with my eyes half-open and half-closed. There was already a tub filled with 70% of the water, and a late-night snack was hot on the stove. I asked in a low voice, "You didn't go to the palace with me, did you?" Xiao Shunzi helped me into the tub, and said lightly, "My kung fu is not good enough, and the guards of the palace and the prime minister's mansion are very strict."

I yawned and said, "There is a sword book under my pillow, I don't know if it works or not, you go take a look."

Xiao Shunzi said lightly, "I've seen it before. The swordsmanship is good, but it's of no use to me. It requires masculine inner energy, but mine is the most feminine."

I almost fell asleep, and said in a daze: "I know, I'll look for it again. The higher your martial arts, the safer I will be."

Xiao Shunzi replied something, but I didn't hear it clearly.

Half a month later, when the queen returned to the palace, the lord held a grand ceremony for the establishment of the crown prince, and all the officials were rewarded.