Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen
Before sunrise, an internal officer came out to summon him.When they arrived at the gate of the emperor's Nuan Pavilion, Li Yan stopped him again, saying that the Qingning Palace had just sent something important and was about to present it to the emperor, so please wait for Wang Zheng.Sure enough, I saw an elderly palace man flashing into the bedroom holding a lacquer plate, and vaguely heard "I am presenting the old things at the order of the Empress Dowager, please rest assured, Your Majesty".Yang Lian caught a glimpse of a palace fan on the plate, and his heart trembled again.
I don't know how long it took, he knelt in the cold wind all night, the hem of his clothes was wet with dew, standing outside the warm pavilion, he didn't feel warm at all, on the contrary, he felt even more hungry.He didn't eat anything last night, and even though he was young, he was a little weak now.
Seeing that the sky was bright, Li Yan and a group of people stepped down, and finally changed Zhou Lu to the front.Yang Lian glanced at him, caught him and asked, "How is Your Majesty?"
Zhou Lu nodded: "There is no serious problem."
Not knowing whether it was disappointment or happiness, Yang Lian asked again: "Where is King Fu?"
Zhou Lu said: "Your Majesty had no time to see him last night. It was Concubine Xian who invited Yizhi to lead him back to rest."
Yang Lian was stunned for a moment, it turned out that he was the only one kneeling outside waiting, and nothing happened inside.
He was discouraged for a moment, and he just wanted to flee back to Qingfu Hall to catch up on sleep.Even if you have a sip of hot tea, he thought lightly.
Zhou Lu looked at his pale face, but his eyes were a little dazed, and hurriedly said: "Last night, Eunuch Zheng sent a message to Qingfu Hall. Why didn't Cheng Ning come over to serve on such a cold day—this servant will go to His Highness now." Looking for a cloak?"
Yang Lian shook his head silently, sat back in the chair and was lost in thought. After a while, he remembered that he should thank him. When he looked up, he found that Zhou Lu had already entered.
Internal officials filed in with food boxes in their hands. Yang Lian guessed that the emperor would finish his breakfast before cooking himself, but Zhou Lu didn't want Zhou Lu to come out suddenly: "The emperor calls His Highness to come in."
Yang Lian took a deep breath, clenched his fist and pinched his palm hard with the tips of his nails, straightened his clothes and stepped into the Nuan Pavilion.
The emperor sat obliquely on the bed, his black cloak made him pale and haggard.Yang Lian hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, the emperor pointed to an embroidered pier in front of the bed and ordered him to sit down, and asked: "Ah Lian, you are proficient in medicine, and you can take care of uncle, what's the matter with this disease?"
Yang Lian felt suspicious.The emperor was always cautious, he only believed in the words of two or three imperial physicians, it was strange that Zheng Banshan was passed on this time, and he was asked to take the pulse, could it be that he was really seriously ill?Seeing that his complexion was fine, he concentrated and held his breath, and put three fingers on the emperor's gray wrist, but he heard the emperor whisper: "It's really cool."
Yang Lian hurriedly withdrew his hands, knelt down and said, "I'm going to die."
The emperor was stunned, and smiled wryly, "What's the crime? You're so young, how could you have cold hands?"
Zhou Lu hurriedly brought a copper stove over to ask Yang Lian to hold it, and said, "It turned out that the servants were not well served, which surprised His Majesty. King Zheng stayed outside for a whole night..."
"Outside?" The emperor stared, "You guys are getting bolder, you didn't even clean up a single room, and asked King Zheng to stay outside?"
Zhou Lu hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.
Yang Lian looked coldly at the emperor's gesture, and said, "Your Majesty, Duke Zhou only came here in the morning. Besides, the dragon's body is not in good condition, so I should keep watch at night, there is nothing wrong with it."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction, but he didn't ask him to feel his pulse again. He just sighed: "You are a loyal child. To tell you the truth, when I fell ill last night, my stomach was full of pain. My Father has been ill for many years, and had to entrust state affairs and family affairs to the queen mother. If I follow in the footsteps... the queen mother is already old, and the two children are not sensible. After much deliberation, I have to leave it to you."
There was a bang on Yang Lian's head, his knees almost gave way and he knelt down, he forced a smile and said: "Your Majesty is in his prime, and the days to come will be long, why do you say such sad words in this illness?"
He was testing himself, Yang Lian thought, he must not follow his words at this time, and said: "Your Majesty didn't eat properly last night, and the news that he is also the eldest princess came too suddenly, and I was overly sad at the moment. I will raise some Days will be fine."
"I just hope it's as you said." The emperor closed his eyes for a while, and asked suddenly: "What do you think about the eldest princess?"
Yang Lian became more and more puzzled, so he could only slowly say: "Princess Dachang is old, and she has been ill for a long time..."
The emperor shook his head, as if he wanted to say something, but he saw a passerby servant guarding the door, so he asked what was the matter.All the concubines and concubines in the palace are waiting outside, and they want to come in to say hello.The emperor said annoyedly: "Let's call them out. I'm fine now, let them go back to the palace."
Zhou Lu reminded from the side: "Where is the concubine Xian?"
The emperor frowned: "Send it back, it looks like! She is not allowed to talk to the queen mother again!"
That fan really had a big story last night, Yang Lian thought silently.Is that fan an allegory of the Emperor Na Shu concubine through Luoshen poems? "Princess Pingyang's relatives" quotes the old story of Empress Wei of the Han Dynasty. Wei Zifu was originally a servant of Princess Pingyang, who was favored because of his lowliness, while Concubine Shu was the princess's direct granddaughter. It is also more vicious and vicious.
Just thinking about it, the emperor said again: "Ah Lian, when you were young, you played with the late emperor, and you are very familiar with the eldest princess, right?"
Yang Lian shook his head and said, "But I don't know her well, my nephew has hardly seen her before."
The emperor sighed: "Yes. By the time you were born, my aunt was not willing to return to the palace. It was not like this. Princess Xining was brought up by the empress dowager since she was a child because of the early death of her biological mother. 2. The late emperor grew up with her, and the brotherhood is the most intimate. When I was young, she often went back to the palace to reunite with her brother and sister-in-law, and they were as close as relatives."
Then why did the eldest princess not return to the palace?Yang Lian waited to hear what he said, but saw that he closed his eyes and said nothing, his gray fingers were hanging down on the side of the bed trembling slightly.
After a long time, the emperor continued: "Since I came to the throne, I have been busy with everything, and I have never expressed my nephew's affection in front of the princess. She is my real aunt... and the last aunt. Her For the funeral, I want to take care of it."
He stopped and waited for Yang Lian to answer, Yang Lian had no choice but to say yes.
The emperor then said: "I wanted to personally ask about this matter, but I couldn't live up to it. After much deliberation, in terms of status among the clan, you are the only one worthy of the job. I will send you to take charge of the funeral of the princess today, you... Hugh To disappoint me."
Xie En was ordered to come out, but Yang Lian was still at a loss.The emperor wanted to bury the princess generously, although it was out of nostalgia, it was probably also to honor Concubine Shu.But why send him to do it? Is this a test, a trap, or both?How will the Empress Dowager view this matter?Now that the matter has come to this, what should he do to get out of his body?
There was no one outside the Nuan Pavilion, and the doors were closed tightly at this time, and purple cigarettes lingered between the curtains.He looked around, and saw at a glance the Seven Treasures Palace Fan sent by the Queen Mother in the morning, lying quietly on the table, like a secret that had been sleeping for many years.
Several servants on duty in the hall stood facing outwards, not daring to turn around when no one summoned them.With a sudden determination, he reached out and took the Seven Treasures Palace Fan.
On the fan is a girl in court dress in her 14th or 15th year, with bright eyes and white teeth, and young hair, she looks a bit like Concubine Shu, and the poem next to it is the "Princess Pingyang's kiss".Yang Lian was a little confused. Although the poems and paintings were a little immature, they all seemed to be written by the emperor himself.
The mulberry paper and tooth stems are light yellow, and they look quite old, presumably they belonged to the emperor.Although the palace fan from last night looks similar from a distance, it can be seen that it is a new imitation.He gradually figured out their plan, smiled unconsciously, and was about to put it back when he suddenly discovered that there was a poem on the back of the palace fan!
"Lust is detrimental to elegance, and is often ridiculed by the world."
Like a red-hot soldering iron, it scorched his eyes hard, and he almost burst into tears immediately.He didn't have time to think about "why". He just scanned the whole poem with hunger and thirst, but his heart and mind were filled with whiteness and indistinct pain.
At this moment, the bead curtain rattled, and he instinctively threw the fan back.
The one who came was Concubine Shu, dressed like snow, with a plain face facing the sky.Yang Lian remembered that the concubines were sent away, but it is normal for Concubine Shu to come here quietly.At this moment, his mood was fluctuating, and he couldn't help but gave her a hard look before walking away quickly.Xie Yili was taken aback by him, and noticed that his eye circles were red, and his heart became uncontrollably sour.
At this time, the sky was bright, and it was a beautiful sunny day with no clouds.The sun dazzled people's eyes, and for a moment they felt reborn as human beings.Yang Lian came down from Taisu Palace and saw Cheng Ning waiting beside the road with a sedan chair and holding a cattail bag in his hand, so he smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Cheng Ning greeted him with a wry smile, helped him into the sedan chair, and handed him hot tea to warm his body.But Yang Lian asked: "I went tonight, how is the mansion?"
"It's safe and sound." Cheng Ning thought for a while and said, "Miss Qin is also fine."
Yang Lian nodded lightly, and said: "The emperor sent an urgent errand, I will not go home now. You go back and find a suspender suit, and send it directly to the clan's mansion." He seemed to hesitate for a while, then handed it out again. A small package made of silk handkerchief, "Take it to her."
I don't know what is in the hard bag, Cheng Ning answered it, and heard him whisper in the sedan chair: "Crabs are cold and you can't eat them. Let her play with them and kill the time."
Cheng Ning was dumbfounded, hurriedly hid the things, but shook his head unconsciously.
For the funeral ceremony of the eldest princess, the Ministry of Etiquette drafted a detailed etiquette note, and the encoffining, coffin, funeral, and burial were all handled according to the routine, and the personnel and utensils were ready-made.The so-called clan presidency is just a sign made by the emperor to show off Long En.If he is more active, he can personally intervene in everything, if he is more negligent, as long as he comes forward to preside over the funeral at that time, he can do the job.But to what extent should you ask?
There are many examples of funeral ceremonies for concubines and princesses, but the actual implementation varies greatly. Those who have a close relationship with the reigning emperor will inevitably be buried in a grand manner, while those who are left out can only do things hastily.Now that he has received the imperial decree to "preside over the funeral ceremony", the officials in the Ministry of Rites are probably waiting for his explanation.The eldest princess Xining certainly has a detached status and has a granddaughter who is favored in the palace, but she is not at peace with the emperor and the queen mother.Why did the emperor think of having a big funeral for an aunt who had been neglected for many years?
Yang Lian went to the patriarchal mansion first, pulled out all the records of Princess Xining's family, quickly searched through it, and gradually got an idea in his heart, so he hurried back to Qianqing Palace to get Zhongzhi out, changed into plain clothes, and gave alms Then I went to Xie Ma's mansion.
"Lust is detrimental to elegance, and is often ridiculed by the world." The beauty on the fan is not Xie Yili.The emperor only met the 14-year-old Miss Xie in the palace in the early years of Shenxi, and the poem on the back of the fan was clearly written by Prince Zhuang Jing, so it can be seen that it was an old event in the Wan'an years.
Princess Xining has been ill for more than a year, and the consort's house has already prepared for the funeral. The shrouds and coffins are all available, and a paper archway has been erected in front of the gate. The whole house was decorated with paper, candles and cigarettes were lit before the coffin, both men and women in the house were dressed in sackcloth and filial piety, and the sound of crying resounded through a toon tree alley.
Last night, I went to the palace to report the funeral, but unexpectedly, the emperor suffered a sudden illness, and everyone in Xie's family was terrified.And when he heard that King Zheng came to pay his respects, he became more and more perplexed, and had to kneel in front of the gate to greet him.The plain sedan chair was carried into the gate of the ceremony, and Yang Zifang got out of the sedan chair with a roll of yellow silk, and the silver crown was like snow, leaning against the thin sun, like a god descending from heaven.A long time ago, an internal official had brought Xie's father and son to the north to kneel down to receive the order.After hearing the decree, Xie's father and son settled down a little, thanked the heaven for their grace, and brought the yellow silk to the princess's spiritual throne to enshrine.Yang Lian also went to the mourning hall to worship in person, kowtowed twice, offered incense twice, and burned a knife of paper money with his own hands.After a lot of work, he was seated in the main hall and received a big gift from Xie's father and son.
After the father and son of the Xie family had finished kneeling and worshiping, Yang Lian got up to give him a hand, asked the Eldest Princess about her dying situation in detail, and said a few polite words of "sorrow and obedience", and then slowly said to Xie Fengge: "So, Mr. Xie is going to Ding worry?"
Xie Fengge nodded in agreement.
"It's a pity." Yang Lian saw Xie Qian standing aside with his hands down, dressed in plain clothes and shoes, as if he was a virgin, and said: "Your son is very handsome and talented. He is really a talent of Zhilan Yushu. There are successors in the Xie family. Your lord is enough." rest assured."
"Your Highness is absurd," Xie Fengge smiled apologetically, "I can't afford to be a child."
Yang Lian raised his eyes and glanced at everyone in the hall one by one, and said: "The people in the family are a little thin, does Mr. Xie have any brothers?"
Xie Fengge said: "At the knees of my parents, I will be an official alone."
Yang Lian didn't answer, just looked at him.
Xie Fengge said again: "There is still a younger sister who belongs to Qin's family and has died long ago."
Yang Lian nodded and said with infinite regret, "Yes, I saw this cousin when I was young."
Xie Fengge was slightly surprised, and seemed to glance at him inadvertently. Yang Lian had noticed his probing eyes, and then sighed: "Master Xie, I will tell you the truth. This king is young and has little knowledge. Uneasy, I am afraid that if the errands are not done well, the Holy Heart will be disappointed and the court will be involved. This king is thinking, Mr. Xie is a veteran of the two dynasties. He has served in Chuntai for more than ten years, and he is very familiar with the codes.
Xie Fengge shook his head again and again and said: "Your Majesty entrusts all matters to His Highness, how dare the lower officials talk too much."
Yang Lian frowned slightly, and said again: "Princess's funeral is not only a national funeral, but also a family affair to thank you."
Didn't Xie Fengge understand what he meant, he hesitated for a moment, but said: "What your highness said is very true, it is not only a family matter, but also a state matter, so the lower officials should avoid it. Please think about it, your highness, if the lower officials intervene in the funeral ceremony without authorization, it is inevitable that they will be punished by the censor." Taiwan talks about taking advantage of power to seek personal gain. If His Highness is implicated and disappoints the Holy Lord Long En, it will be a death penalty for the lower official."
These civil servants were really hard to deal with, Yang Lian cursed inwardly.He just wanted to ask about the grudges between Xie's family and the palace, but he refused to cooperate and not to mention, went around and got a big hat.Xie Fengge simply thought that if the funeral was not done right, the Xie family would have the emperor standing in front of him, and it would be Yang Lian who was unlucky... Xie Fengge always knew the Sacred Heart well, could it be that this was really a trap set by the emperor?He was so anxious that he sweated a little.
"It turned out that I didn't think it through carefully," he forced a smile, "Your Excellency taught me."
Since he didn't have much to say, he got up and said goodbye.The father and son of the Xie family sent each other to the gate all the time, still calling it "disrespectful".Yang Lian got up the sedan chair, Xie Qian said suddenly: "I will see His Highness off for a while."
Xie Fengge glared at him immediately, Xie Qian just ignored it, but looked at Yang Lian's sedan chair with burning eyes.
Yang Lian hurriedly said: "That's very good, thank you, Young Master, for guiding me."
Chengshou Temple is only a hundred steps away from Concubine Xie's Mansion, but turned into a secluded alley.When the sedan chair landed, Yang Lian didn't come out, but asked through the curtain, "Young Master Xie, what advice do you have?"
"Just now, Your Highness wanted to ask, how should grandma's funeral be handled in order to comply with the rules and not violate the emperor's order?"
Yang Lian nodded, Xie Qian was as smart as Xie Fengge, but after all he was young, and spoke much more straightforwardly.
"I can't say much else." Xie Qian looked around, and said briefly through the curtain, "It's just that the site of my grandmother's tomb has already been chosen in Cuiwei Mountain. I saw it when I visited the tomb this spring, and it was washed away by the water for some reason." .Because the sister-in-law got married, the family was not allowed to mention the matter, fearing it would be unlucky, and never arranged for someone to repair it. If you want to come to this cemetery, it is unusable."
Yang Lian only felt the bone-chilling chill, and said sharply, "What does this mean?"
Xie Qian took a step back, and sighed: "I'm afraid His Highness doesn't know, so let me remind you. I don't dare to delay, so I will take my leave."
He didn't wait for him to say anything, and left with his hands.
Xie Fengge didn't dare to chase Xie Qian back, and he was afraid that his precious son would make trouble, so he waited at the gate the whole time, the mourning stick in his hand banging on the brick floor.Until Xie Qian appeared at the entrance of the alley, he couldn't help but went up and asked, "What did you say to him?"
Xie Qian said indifferently: "Just asking about the rules of funeral rites."
Xie Fengge felt at ease, but when he thought about it, he became even more terrified. He couldn't help hitting Xie Qian on the back with a stick, and cursed: "The emperor and the king of Zheng will decide these matters, how can you let me intervene!"
After receiving this blow, Xie Qiansheng knelt down in front of his father and said softly: "Is it a long-term solution to just dodge blindly? The power of heaven is unpredictable. If there is a mistake in the funeral of my grandmother, how can my family be spared? My son thought it would be better to deal with King Zheng."
The mourning stick was slowly put down, Xie Fengge was in a daze for a long time, Fang said slowly: "Once the funeral is over, your mother and I will go back to our hometown in Xingyang, and we will not be able to take care of your siblings. You are still acting so recklessly, what do you want us to do?" Take it easy."
Xie Qian narrowed his eyes, and said solemnly: "My son knows how to measure, and he has thought through every word and every word. Father, don't worry."
When Yang Lian returned to Xiyuan, the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. At first, he only thought that the emperor taught him to handle the funeral of the princess for the purpose of taking the school exam, but he didn't expect that there was something dangerous in it. Fortunately, Xie Qian reminded him.The cemetery of Princess Xining was washed away by water and was not repaired for half a year. This was not the fault of Xie Fengge, a dutiful son.If it was the emperor's order, then he didn't intend to bury the princess in Cuiwei Mountain, but he didn't say so clearly, and dug a hole for Yang Lian to jump into.But what happened to the emperor last night?He walked around the entrance of Qingfu Hall but didn't enter, and went straight to Qingning Palace.
Fortunately, before leaving Xiyuan, Tian Zhihui came running in a hurry.The two met face to face, and they smiled wryly at each other. "Your Highness don't need to go to my master, the palace is not a place to talk." Tian Zhihui said, "Master sent me in early in the morning, and I have something to bring to Your Highness."
After all, Zheng Banshan is rare.Yang Lian heaved a sigh of relief, looked around, and saw a lonely water pavilion on the lake, ventilated from all sides, but it was a secluded place, so he walked over with Tian Zhihui, leaving everyone on the bank to watch out.
Tian Zhihui didn't make any detours, and said directly: "The matter has to start with the daughter of Princess Xining, who is Xie Shilang's younger sister. This person's boudoir name is Zitai."
"Qin Lingxian's wife?"
"It's her. Miss Xie is the late emperor's niece. Because of her noble status and extraordinary talent, she was deeply loved by the late emperor and the queen mother since she was a child. She was almost raised in Kunning Palace. She is exactly the same age as Jinshang. Princess Qing was the empress dowager's default choice. It's a pity that the marriage was not harmonious, so that the marriage was out of date—this is the reason why Princess Xining and the empress dowager were born."
"Do you know why there is disharmony?"
Tian Zhihui lowered her voice: "If I say it, Your Highness will not be angry."
"Of course not."
"It involves Prince Zhuang Jing. The concubine chosen by the Queen Mother back then is actually the current Queen."
Yang Lian was startled, no wonder no one dared to mention this matter.
"However, when the prince proposed marriage, the late emperor forbade him to marry Xu's daughter, and insisted that only Miss Xie was the concubine he recognized. The prince couldn't bear to see his parents at odds, so he said that he would follow the ancestral system to choose a concubine among the common people. He didn't accept an official woman, so he married His Highness's mother. As a result, Xu's daughter was left alone, and the old loyal King Jing refused to agree. In the end, King Qing married Xu's."
Yang Lian was stunned for a moment, before he had time to digest all the twists and turns, Tian Zhihui hurriedly said: "Both the Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess Xining intend to find another good match for Miss Xie, but Miss Xie is determined after this setback. She didn’t marry, and went to the mountain to practice Taoism. Later..." Tian Zhihui paused, and said carefully, "Later, the crown princess was implicated by her clan and was convicted, and she lived in seclusion on the balcony mountain. The late emperor and the queen mother deliberately ordered Miss Xie to continue to serve the East Palace. Miss Xie But she was unwilling, and it happened that the violin supervisor came to propose marriage at that time, and she agreed privately. The Queen Mother was naturally furious."
"Why doesn't Mr. Zheng tell me about these things?" Yang Lian asked suddenly.
"Master said," Tian Zhihui sighed, "for the sake of the elders, these children's grievances should not be told to Your Highness. Just look at the situation in front of you, and don't talk about it. Your Highness must be aware of how to deal with this."
Yang Lian pondered over the meaning of his words, and was momentarily confused: "What should we do now?"
"Don't offend the emperor." Tian Zhihui said, "Master's suggestion is to follow the emperor's wishes."
Don't pass Tian Zhihui, Yang Lian only felt that his head was as big as a bucket, so he simply went home to rest first, cleared up his thoughts, and then went to the Ministry of Rites to explain tomorrow.It was almost dusk at that time, Cheng Ning thought that he must be exhausted after tossing all night and day, so he told the kitchen to prepare dinner, and it will be served when he comes back.Lin Juanjuan was not allowed to go out to raise her baby, so only Mrs. Wen came to Qingfu Hall to say hello.Yang Lian was puzzled, but it was difficult to ask.Just after the dinner was set, I saw a little palace man poking his head at the door.He remembered that it was the rope in Qin Taiwei's room, so he called in.
"Miss Qin has fallen asleep. Tell me to stay here and watch her. When His Highness comes home, I will wake her up."
"She can sleep?" Yang Lian asked in surprise.
Sheng Sheng was taken aback, and stammered, "I just took a big bowl of sweat medicine..."
Heartbroken and sick?As he thought about it, he immediately got up and went to Penglai Mountain.As soon as they got to the bridge, they saw Qin Taiwei on the opposite side rushing towards this side with Zhunzhun's hand supported. Seeing him, he immediately hesitated, and when they got together on the bridge, they asked directly: "Are you okay?"
Yang Lian was speechless for a moment.In the silence, she regained consciousness a little bit, bent her knees and said, "His Royal Highness is blessed and safe."
"It's okay." Yang Lian asked, "Why are you sick again?"
She raised her slightly swollen eyelids and said, "I stayed in the back mountain for a while last night."
He watched her silent for a moment, then suddenly stretched out his arms to wrap around her waist: "Come with me, I have something to ask you."
Her feet were as soft as mud, she was so sad and frightened all day and night that she couldn't sleep peacefully, when she saw him come back, she finally calmed down, she even lost the strength to walk, and was almost carried back to Qingfu Hall by him.
Yang Lian and Liuqin Taiwei accompany him for dinner.Qin Taiwei stood by and saw that there were all kinds of dishes on the table, there was a big bowl of stewed eight-treasure duck with dried ham and bamboo shoots, so she picked a duck leg and put it in a small bowl, added hot soup with sliced bamboo shoots, and held it in front of him with both hands.Yang Lian said: "Sit down when you are sick."
She thanked En and sat down, scooped up half a bowl of thin porridge for herself, and slowly sipped a few slices of pickled melon.Yang Lian saw that the small cup of stewed eggs on the table was still light, so he pushed it in front of her.She lowered her head and scratched the stewed eggs with a silver spoon, feeling that she had no appetite, and occasionally peeked at him, but it didn't matter that he was looking at her with good eyes.
Yang Lian said: "I went to your grandmother's house today, don't you want to ask what's going on there?"
"I..." She was speechless for a while, and the water in her eyes gradually brightened again, "I'm afraid you don't want to say it."
"I'll tell you after dinner." Yang Lian said.
She ate it up as she said, so he took her into the inner room, sent everyone away, closed the door and sat down, and said seriously: "According to Xie Shilang, the princess felt a little tired yesterday and fell asleep without dinner, and The maid added incense at night, only to find that there was no breath in the tent. The princess passed away in a dream, and there was no pain, so you can rest assured. However, the princess didn't leave any last words."
She was silent.
He leaned in front of her and asked softly, "Are you sad?"
She nodded, then shook her head suddenly.She has always understood that her grandmother's time is numbered, and her aunt is busy marrying and marrying daughters because of this, but as long as her grandmother lives for a day, the hope in her heart will not be extinguished, even if it is just the lights on the other side of the river that cannot be relieved by the nearby cold .Now that the lights are finally turned off after death, how can it be said that the word sad can be exhausted.
"The first emperor has been ill for many years." He seemed to have read her thoughts, and said calmly, "After my father passed away, I was adopted by the Queen Mother in Kunning Palace, and all the attendants around me were replaced. The rod is dead."
He stopped to observe her expression.These secrets of the palace have always been tabooed by the palace people, but she was not afraid. He continued: "At that time, the only hope in my heart was my grandfather. Although he has not asked about political affairs for many years, he is the king of a country after all, not to mention he has always loved me. But I waited and waited, but I didn't wait for him to save me. After I grew up, I recalled everything that happened back then, and then I realized that if he could really save me..."
He considered his words, looked at her again, and said, "If grandfather is really willing to save me, why should he wait so long."
"How can you think like that!" She suddenly understood, her eyes widened as if she wanted to bite him.
"I didn't lie to you..."
She suddenly rushed two steps towards the door, then stopped suddenly, looked at him suspiciously, suddenly twitched her lips, and bit them tightly again in an instant.
He regretted it, and planned to persuade her with this, but what he said pierced her heart even more.Think carefully about what kind of persuasion others have said when I was bereaved in those years, but I can't remember it after much deliberation.Fortunately, she held back her life and didn't cry on the spot. He quickly turned around and said, "Is there anything else you want to know?"
She lowered her head and didn't want to answer, but finally managed to say: "Uncle discusses important matters with you, so naturally he has no time...to mention me."
He felt a little uncomfortable, but said: "You know your uncle very well."
Noticing the difference in his voice, she asked doubtfully, "Did your Highness have a dispute with uncle?"
"I don't dare to argue." He said, "Because the emperor wants to mourn the eldest princess's funeral, I asked Mr. Xie for advice, but he just refused."
"Uncle has always been very careful and refused to publicize everything because his grandmother always told him that he was born as a relative of the emperor, and that he was not suitable for conferring important civil servants according to the ancestral system of the country. , it is bound to attract people's attention. What's more...there is the Xu Party waiting to catch it."
Even for the sake of concubine Shu's face and the future of the third prince Yang Zhen, Xie Fengge absolutely did not dare to be the target of public criticism.He snorted coldly.
Seeing that his expression was getting more and more wrong, she thought about the cause and effect carefully, and said slowly: "Actually, my grandmother was born with arrogance, and in her later years she was indifferent and restrained from interacting with the palace. If the funeral ceremony is extravagant and extravagant, it must be against her original intention. What's more, since the royal family has always been rebuked by courtiers for their extravagance, there have never been courtiers who frugally deal with affairs but are openly reprimanded by the emperor."
"Thank you for your opinion." He nodded, a little surprised in his heart, the silly girl really has seen some things in the world.
"At first, His Highness said that he wanted to ask me something, did he just want to ask this?" She asked suddenly.
"No." It was only then that he remembered what he wanted to keep her here, and he turned her face to examine her carefully, until a blush crept up Yuxue's cheeks again.
She closed her eyes and her heart beat like a drum, unable to figure out what he wanted to do. After waiting for a while, she suddenly heard him ask: "I want to ask... what kind of person is Lingtang?"
She was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes darkened: "I was young when my mother passed away, but now I only remember that she was extremely beautiful and spoke softly. According to my father, she is proficient in playing piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and has a free and elegant temperament. She is completely a fairy." Top notch."
Yang Lian said: "I think your parents are very loving."
"That's natural." She nodded, and then sighed deeply.
Yang Lian took a mirror and put it in front of her: "Does it look like this?"
She immediately covered her face with her sleeves: "I am far worse than my mother. My grandmother said that only my skin is white like my mother, and the rest are gone."
"It's not bad to be gone." He walked away with his hands behind his back, looked out of the window, and said in a low voice, "What about your cousin?"
"It's a bit similar." She murmured, "But my cousin...she has a restrained temperament, and she doesn't show her emotions."
"She wasn't like this in the first place." Yang Lian said lightly.
Does he want to talk to her about Concubine Shu?She asked if she wanted to follow his meaning, but the words twirled on the tip of her tongue a few times, but she refused to say it.
But he asked: "When you were young, did you ever hear Lingtang talk about the old things in the palace?"
"No."
"Didn't the princess tell you?"
"No..." She tried to think back, "I guess, my mother went to the palace a few times when she was a child, right? Once she made a snack with goat's milk. I didn't want to eat it because of the smell, so she said it was the empress in the palace. Our favorite... and what's more, my grandmother hates cats, and the Xie family doesn't let me keep any. But my mother likes cats very much. When I was young, I had several cats at home. She loved a yellow raccoon flower the most. , her name is Pheasant Nu... She probably learned this habit from the palace."
She was taken aback when she said this, she didn't have time to think about it, but she heard him ask: "Are those cats still there?"
"Cats can't live for so long." She shook her head. "After the mother passed away, they died and ran away. In the end, only the pheasant slave and her two kittens were left. The pheasant slave was too old to walk. Lu, lying outside my father’s study all day in the sun. I mash fish meat and feed it to it every day, but it can’t eat a few bites. When I was eleven years old, I came to Beijing with my father in the winter. I brought the boss of the pheasant slave, named Shiny. Unexpectedly, it was cold in the north, and Shiny fell ill on the boat, and the medicine stone was ineffective, and finally died in the border of Linqing, and had to be buried by the canal. There are two pheasant slaves, mother and child, in the family, and I entrusted them to the kitchen staff Lu Qi, even asked Dad to remember to mention them when he wrote letters. Later, Dad also passed away..."
He looked out of the window into the dark night and was lost in thought, seemingly unresponsive to her "Cat's Book".Then she stopped and asked again: "Why did Your Highness think of asking my mother?"
He turned his head as if waking up, and said: "It's nothing. I went to Xie Ma's mansion today, and I remembered that my father-in-law and mother-in-law are here, so I asked."
Zhongjing Wang Xu Gongye is your father-in-law, she thought.
He rubbed his forehead and said: "I want to write a few words. You go to add a burner of incense and grind some ink."
She looked for it in the drawer once, and only found the sachet she embroidered. Inside it was a handful of light brown incense pills the size of a cherry pit, which was the pine window borneol with a refreshing fragrance.She felt inexplicably embarrassed, and turned to ask him, but he didn't know where he went.
Yang Lian was only afraid that she would talk about Qin Lingxian again, so he hid out, but saw a few officials in charge guarding the porch and waiting to answer him.Only then did he remember that when he came back, he was just hanging around with Qin Taiwei for half a day, and he almost forgot about the business, so he called them over and said a few words, ordering all the people in the house to change into plain clothes, banning banquets and playing, and everything follows the palace. Here's the rules.He also asked how Lin Juanjuan was in the backyard. He has been busy outside these few days, so he must have kept an eye on her so that she would not make any mistakes.
After the stewards left, he summoned a confidant to come over and go to Tian Zhihui's place to see if Zheng Banshan had any news to send back.Suddenly, an elderly female official from Kunning Palace came over, she didn't bring the title of Qing Ci, but only asked if King Zheng was safe.Yang Lian guessed that the queen might be apologetic, and suddenly had a new idea in his mind, so he told the female official that he wanted to ask the queen to come forward to recommend a priest who was familiar with geomantic omen, and the female official responded repeatedly.
After everything has been dealt with, Si Jinkuan's palace servants came forward and said that Lan Tang was ready.He stayed up all night and day, cold and tired, half lying in the bathtub for a while, only to feel that the hardened muscles and bones slowly melted away, and his spirit gradually relaxed.My mind wandered around, and for a while, I remembered the prince's poems I discovered today, and recited them silently over and over again in my heart.After thinking about it, I couldn't help feeling tired, and fell asleep with my pillow on the towel.The servants did not dare to wake him up, but only added more hot water in the bucket, so that he didn't wake up until it was time to light the lamp.
After bathing, he went back to the inner room, only to find that Qin Taiwei also fell asleep on the desk.Thinking about it, she had endured it for a long time, but now she is sleeping peacefully, her face is like a begonia just blooming.Yang Lian looked at her for a while, then simply carried her to his bed, wrapped her in brocade quilt, and put down the curtain.
The ink in the inkstone is slightly lighter, and the white paper under the lamp is like snow.He concentrated on recalling, and silently wrote down the full text of the poem inscribed on the back of the Seven Treasure Fan: Luopu has Concubine Mi, and the fluttering snow competes with each other.Light clouds blow the plain moon, and you can see the brilliance in the chat.
Xie Pei wants to go west, but he is in love with each other.The fragrant dust moves the socks, and the green water does not stick to the clothes.
Chen Wang only writes Fu, how can the goddess return to the same place?Being lustful hurts elegance, and is often ridiculed by the world.
After finishing writing, read it carefully, and then recorded the emperor's poem on another piece of paper: "Who is the god of Luopu, who came from fourteen or five years ago."The beautiful hair hangs down on the forehead, and the fragrant shirt is soft.
The red sleeves of the lotus are wet, and the green moths are peeping frequently.Flying magpies come and go, Princess Pingyang kisses.
From this point of view, it must be Yang Zhi, the King of Qing, who yearned for his cousin and wrote paintings and poems on the fan to convey his love.The prince didn't think so when he saw it, so he wrote another poem to persuade him.Later, when the marriage failed, the empress dowager put away this indecent thing and did not teach it to spread outside.
"Lust hurts elegance, and is often ridiculed by the world." Comparing the two poems, the prince's poems are fresh in rhetoric and elegant in conception.Although the emperor's words are charming, they are frivolous.Back then, King Qing Yang Zhi was not as diligent and dignified as his elder brother, Prince Zhuang Jing. The queen mother hastily recalled and tried her best to play the role of the crown prince and the emperor.
Heh... that's not necessarily the case. I don't know if it was the queen mother who broke up the marriage and asked him to marry Xu Xianluan to get out of the siege, or he took the initiative to thank the eldest lady and ask to marry the daughter of the Xu family... whoever marries the daughter of King Zhongjing will get it The full support of the Xu family.In the past, he believed that the case of Cui Shuzheng was the starting point of the struggle between the crown prince and the Xu family.It turned out that Fuxian was still a few years ago when the crown prince was discussing marriage with King Qing.
There was a layer of sneer in Yang Lian's heart, as light as wisps of green smoke slowly rising from the treasure tripod.Pine Crow Dipterocarp is as cold as ice and snow, as melancholy as pine waves, and as empty as a sea of stars. It can turn blood hatred and poison into cool jasper, make miscellaneous thoughts merge into a trickle of clear water, and turn regret and self-blame into a bitter medicine. If there is no such fragrance, it will last forever. Companion, how do you sell the dark nights and lonely lights year after year?
The ink stains were gradually drying, so he folded the two pieces of poetry paper and put them in the book and hid them. On another paper, he wrote down the details related to the princess's funeral for tomorrow's use.Those civil servants in the Ministry of Rites are afraid that they are all Xie Fengge, so they need to guard against being concealed and plotted by them.
I was writing raptly, when I suddenly heard a burst of crying.他搁笔走入帐中察看，却见琴太微满面泪水，眼睛闭得紧紧的，显是被梦魇住了。他急忙将她摇醒。
她揉了揉眼睛，发现自己躺在床上，骤然止住了哭声。
杨楝问：“梦见什么了？”
她摇头不语，想必是梦见亡人心中伤感。他将她抱起细看，只见她双颊赤红，碎发湿漉漉粘在额前脸上，探入衣裳里摸了摸，胸前背后全是冰凉的汗水，只得将湿透的中衣和主腰一件一件解开褪下，仅用被子裹了。摸了摸脉，觉得还是受寒，又想起房中存有一些应急丸药，遂拉开槅扇，叫人送温水过来。
这一晚却是程宁亲自在外面值夜，见他手中抓着一团濡湿的女子亵衣，脸色骤变，压低声道：“殿下，这还在丧期哪……”
杨楝怔了一下才回过神来，不觉恼道：“我知道！”
就着他手中杯水吃过药，琴太微缩回被中，瞪着他忽又流下眼泪。泪珠极细，还未落到枕上就化开了，仿佛她的脸只是一片菲薄茧纸，泪水承不住，簌地渗了进去。他的心不知怎么就绞了一下，竟想倘若她从此一病不起，那可如何是好。
“好生养病，出殡的时候我会想法子带你出去，给你外祖母磕个头。”他说，“要是到那天你躺着起不了床，可不能怪我不帮你了。”
“嗯。”她连连点头，忽从被中探出手捉住了他的袖管，将脸埋在里面，似乎哭得更响了。他不敢起身离去，又说不出一句像样的安慰来，只得在她身边守着。终于等她到哭声渐消，才用袖子替她抹了抹哭花的脸。
他凝神看着她，忽问：“你看见了吗？”
"See what?"
“昨晚不是去了后山？”
“太黑了，看不见。”她伏在他怀中叹道，“用千里镜对了很久，也没有看到你，我还以为……”
他想说几句令她宽心的话，又说不出来。窗外传来两声更鼓，长宵初起，起身将灯烛吹灭，室中霎时漆黑。他却似于沉沉雾霭漠漠水天之间，又看见了一点孤灯，照见世间万籁俱寂。她再度睡着了，他在她身边躺下，扯过一角被子盖着，不知不觉亦进入梦中。
次日徵王杨楝穿上朝服去了礼部。自礼部尚书以下诸位官员俱有表态，有人只推“皇帝既有此意那么便厚葬好了”，有人说“国有祖制不可轻废应量力而为”。杨楝听他们东拉西扯说了一个多时辰，才摸清楚情形，其实礼部官员无论是向着徐党的，还是身居清流的，似乎都不太赞成厚葬熙宁大长公主。他心中有了计较，就让他们取出实录，查阅开国以来诸位庶出大长公主丧葬仪注详加对比，选出其中丧仪最为隆重的，稍行减损一二，商量至黄昏时方拟出了一套中规中矩的仪注，大致算了算开销，亦不至于让户部太过为难，遂令有司连夜拟本，备呈御览。
礼部诸员虽暂无话说，然而皇帝既开了金口，却不能不给他面子，是以杨楝总要想个三全之策。既要让御史们无处指摘，又要全了皇帝的一线心愿，还保住自己不遭非难。丧礼的仪注拟好先送到清馥殿过目，杨楝看看差不多，故意又挑了几处小毛病打回去。等奏疏被另修饰过一回送入宫，又在司礼监打个转才送到御前时，杨楝已经领着一个白胡子道士在皇帝的病榻前回话了。
“如此说来，翠微山的阴宅竟是不能用了？”皇帝却有些吃惊。
老道士道：“陛下请恕贫道直言，大长公主的阴宅本来就选址不佳，如今地基被泉水冲坏并不是意外。”
皇帝沉默良久，才问：“姑母病了一年多，谢家都在干什么！”
杨楝只得道：“陛下，如今只有将大长公主的灵柩暂时停放在永宁寺，另择吉壤重修陵寝。”
“也只得如此。”皇帝叹息着，却又笑道，“难为你如此心细，居然又遣人去看过阴宅。不是提前发现了这事情，将来下葬可就麻烦了。”
杨楝心中冷笑着，却顺着他的话道：“皇命在上，臣岂敢不尽心。”
杨楝又问：“臣还有一言，大长公主的阴宅原在翠微山，既然要移址，不知是否可以葬入天寿山皇陵？”
皇帝眼睛一亮，显然这主意甚是合意，嘴上却说：“这是谢家请你说话来的吗？”
杨楝惶恐道：“臣只想着大长公主年望既高，又与先帝情分深厚。然庶出公主陪葬皇陵，虽不逾制，亦确无先例，倒是臣糊涂了。”
“姑母自幼养在孝圣皇后膝下，不能算庶出。”皇帝道，“你说得不错，翠微山风水终不及天寿山，就让姑母入皇陵陪葬吧。”
一时看过礼部递上的仪注，皇帝面上又笼上一层乌云。杨楝又叩罪道：“这是按庶长公主的规格拟定的，是臣弄错了，还教他们按嫡长公主重新拟过。”
皇帝合上奏疏半日不语，最后道：“就这样也罢。诸事办得认真些，便是朕的心意到了。”又道，“礼部那些办事办老了的官儿都扯不清楚的事，叫你来裁夺，也是为难了些。”
这一番讨价还价，杨楝算是勉强摆平局面。皇帝既然破格将大长公主改葬了天寿山，便不好丧仪上要求更多。而停灵不下葬又可以小小地省下一笔开销。至于重修墓穴那是来年的事情了，来年他自己还在不在帝京都难说。来年开春户部又有了大笔银子到账，就不会像现在这样难松手。
杨楝猜想，皇帝若能将谢紫台的棺椁从杭州凤凰山中起出改葬在皇陵里面，他才不会在乎大长公主的丧事办得怎样。只是他贵为天子，也有永远不敢去做的事情，他所能做的只是谢紫台的母亲葬得近一点。那么，将来谢迤逦也会埋在他身边吧……
如他所料，改葬天寿山皇陵的中旨出来，礼部立刻有人质疑，然而算了个账之后大家都认可了，户部也按数兑出了银子。计议已定，银钱到位，后面事情自有礼部诸司按例操办。杨楝不过分出些工夫来四处看看。皇家的婚丧嫁娶诸事，历来有不少油水可捞。这一回徵王亲自视事，经办官员倒不敢十分贪墨，做出来的东西大致挑不出毛病。
出殡那日一早，琴太微换上一身素白的贴里，头戴网巾纱帽，看上去恰是一个小内侍。她不便像其他随行内官一样骑马，只得与杨楝一起坐在辂车中，一声也不敢吭。杨楝千叮咛万嘱咐：“若被人发现我送葬还带着宫人，我的名节可就全毁了。”
车驾至谢驸马府，听见谢家诸男在道旁跪迎。杨楝教她在车中静候，自己下了车与谢家父子叙礼。她在车中侧耳细听，其中竟有谢迁简短的语声，不觉将手指搭在面前的车帘上，停滞良久，终究没敢拨开。一时辂车掉转方向，车厢侧面的帘子忽被风掀起一角，露出两个披麻戴孝的人形，却是隔着窗纱看不真切，一瞬间就过去了。
她终于鼓起勇气，飞快地撩了一下帘子，却只看见一面照壁堵在眼前，层层叠叠的白幡自墙头披沥而下，有如通天巨瀑。
驸马府大门洞开，三十二抬的朱漆棺木缓缓移出，一时银山铺地，鼓乐齐鸣，哀声响遏行云。杨楝银冠素袍，乘一骑白马，亲自领着仪仗徐徐穿过天街，谢家诸男扶棺跟在后面。琴太微藏在辂车里窥看，只觉满目衣冠胜雪，不辨东西，跟着外面小声哭了一回，心中如结百丈寒冰。
出安定门便息了鼓乐，一径向北奔驰，杨楝亦下马回到车中。琴太微想问他累不累，又不敢说话，遂打开程宁塞给她的蒲包，倒茶给他喝，却不防他忽然抬手触到她的面颊，拭下一滴眼泪来。
永宁寺独辟了一个小院安置徵王。琴太微趁人不备闪下车，跟在程宁身后进了院子，扫地铺床，烹茶焚香。直到吃过晚饭，杨楝才从前面回来，累得脸色发青，一把扯下燕弁冠上的长簪就往床上扔。琴太微收拾起冠帽，又上来帮他脱那一身沉甸甸的麻布袍子，慌乱中竟把衣带扯成了死结。杨楝无奈，两人四手弄了多时才解开。
她跪在脚踏上为他脱靴除袜，动作仔细又生疏。杨楝低头看着，忍不住伸手摸了摸她鬓边的柔软碎发，轻声道：“前面人多，不好带你出去。一会儿早点睡，明天一早咱们就去看姑祖母。”
她低头谢过，一痕浅浅的汗水被灯烛照得微微闪光，倒像是一滴清泪。
他问：“今天走了这么远，累不累？”
“不累的。”她面上泛红，颇犹豫了一会儿才小声道，“只是马车坐久了，腿上的伤口磨得有些疼，不知出血了没有。”
他教她上床趴着，褪下小衣看了看，原来瘢痂松脱了，下面的粉红新皮微微渗出血丝来。“你也不早说。明天记着拿个厚厚的软垫子放在车里。”他替她抹上药，又道，“反正明天就回去了。麻衣太粗糙，别再穿了。”
明天就回去了，那还有没有机会见一见哪怕是谢家的任何一个人？她固不敢多问，只是嚅嚅道：“我应该为外祖母戴孝的……”
“穿素色衣服不就够了吗？”按照礼部拟出的丧仪，大长公主新丧，凡宗亲贵戚、有爵世家皆守制三月。想到此处，他不觉叹了口气，扯过被子盖在她身上，自家放下帐子，吹灯上床，分了半边被子躺在外侧。她颇觉羞愧，但想他素来谨慎不肯逾矩，此时大约不会做什么。
正忐忑之间，忽听他在枕上低声道：“想不到，第一次参加长辈的丧礼，居然是送姑祖母下葬。”
她愣了一下，问：“先帝和太子的丧礼，殿下都没有去吗？”
“都没有去过。他们差不多是先后下葬的。我被关在清暇居里，除了换身素服，什么也做不了。那时候年纪小，连哭都不敢哭得太大声。”他低声回忆着，“父亲去得突然，当时我还没有想太多。到祖父病危时，我已经被关了大半年，很多事情自己也明白了。我想见祖父最后一面，他们说什么都不同意。最后还是江选侍传出圣旨来，用祖父的辂车强行把我载到万寿宫去。”
“江选侍是谁？”她问。
“是祖父晚年最后宠幸的一个嫔御，一向待我还不错。”
“那么赶上了吗？”
“没有。”他淡淡道，“还是晚了一步，车刚到宫门，就听见里面已是哭声震天。”
江选侍固然是个好人，偏偏毫无根基势力。先帝病危时，她已预见到将来徐太后决计不会善待她。冒险接杨楝面圣，大约是想孤注一掷，弄出先帝临终传位皇孙这一结果。可惜人算终不如天算。
看见她一双圆溜溜的眼睛正在暗中瞪着自己，他叹了一声，没有说出先帝驾崩之后，江选侍被太后杖死的结局。
她的手从被底伸了过来，小心握住了他的手指，像是想要安慰他。过了一会儿，又听她问：“殿下的母亲呢？”
“母亲的棺椁一直停在朝天宫后面，没有下葬，因为……墓志一直拟不好。”他轻声道，“将来若有机会，我一定要将她同父亲合葬了。”
“墓志拟不好？”
太子妃的父亲崔树正以谋逆之罪而遭满门抄斩，才是墓志铭无法拟定的原因，也是太子妃被迫出宫修行乃至抑郁而终的原因。总有一天，他要将这个冤案翻过来。
既没有等到他的回答，琴太微心知不便再问，任他将自己揽到怀中彼此偎依一回，又说了几句闲话，各自安寝。
琴太微心事如灼，自是无法入梦，数着夜空里远远的钟声，连翻身都不敢翻一下。她记得杨楝易失眠，睡觉绝不能被人打扰，但见他背对自己一动不动，不知是否已入睡，暗夜中看去形廓有如画中一段小山。
朦胧中忽听见四声更鼓响，她立刻摸下了床。杨楝亦揉着眼睛醒来，默默地由她服侍着洗脸穿衣。
收拾停当，提灯出门，此时夜色深浓，新月早已沉落，唯见一天碎散星子。山中寒气侵肌，露重苔滑，她拽着他的袖子穿过层层廊道，不知走了多远，终于来到一处灯火通明的大殿，钟鼓木鱼，香烟缭绕，僧侣们通夜诵祷不绝，此时声音有些疲弱虚渺。明灯下一具大木如樯，正是熙宁大长公主的棺椁。
僧众们见徵王带着一名内侍过来，亦不甚在意，只道他是过来巡视的。杨楝上了一支香便踱到一旁，琴太微旋即跟上，对着棺椁认认真真磕了三个头，忽听见杨楝道：“我去后面看看，你在这里守一会儿，别乱走。”
她原指望他陪陪自己，却见他一侧身从后门出去了。她呆立了一会儿，见火盆在侧，又取了一挂纸钱，边扯边烧，忍着哭声暗暗抹泪。这番举止落在旁人眼中，自是极为怪异，便有人上前劝道：“小公公如此厚意，不知……”
她手中一震，整挂纸钱落入火盆中，骤然腾起三尺赤焰。灵堂乍然明亮，隔着猎猎的星火尘烟相看那人，一时如入阿鼻地狱。
穿过光明殿东边的一处院落，杨楝寻到一间禅房，径自推门进去，房中空空如也。正在踌躇间，忽听见背后有人轻声一笑，回头一看，轻袍缓带的郑半山立在门口含笑望着他，白发有如夜半飞霜，身后一个小内侍还提着一桶新鲜泉水。
“这永宁寺有何玄妙好处，”郑半山道，“竟值得殿下秉烛夜游？”
杨楝摇头道：“郑先生别取笑我了。先生的玄妙我尚且百思不得其解，哪有心情夜游？”
自中秋节以来，杨楝每每使人与郑半山暗通款曲，想要探知那个扮演《洛水悲》的戏班背后有什么机关，郑半山那边却是含糊其词。连冯觉非也只是说，郑公公使他找几个稳妥戏子进宫唱戏，他便叫和秀姿寻了一个相熟的戏班，内中情由一概不知，如今戏班子被一股脑儿拘住了，连他也懊恼得紧。
“殿下不都猜出来了吗？何须再来求证。”郑半山笑道。他催着小内侍煮茶待客，一边快速察看周围情形，旋即掩上房门。
杨楝道：“写那出《洛水悲》的汪道昆，他有一个同宗兄弟汪太雷，是福王的授业师父之一。戏班子的人在东厂招供了，说演洛神的那个戏子上台之前，有一个宫人曾跑到后台去看她，想来那把假扇子是被那内官换下的——现已指认出那宫人在太后名下，一向与贤妃交好。至于福王念出的那两句应景诗，是他的伴读暗中教给他的，连同之前应诏诗，也是伴读代笔。这个伴读内官名叫何足道，内书堂出来的人。我猜，先生您大概也认得他。”
郑半山微微颔首，算是默认了，却道：“司礼监问出的这些结果，可是周公公告诉殿下的？”
杨