Chapter 389 Dad’s ‘Fatherly Love’

[Thanks to ‘wq007_007’ for the 500-coin reward]

In late June, in the height of summer, the sky was blue without a single cloud, the scorching sun was scorching the earth, the water in the Taiping jar in the Han Palace in Lushan was so hot that it burned my hands, and the soil on the open ground was smoking.

For a full six months, the atmosphere in the Han Palace and even the entire Lushan City was like the midsummer sun, never low and gloomy. The continuous good news and good news from Jiangnan made everyone feel relaxed as if they had eaten pistachios. Even looking at a piece of wood, you would find the texture lovely.

In such an atmosphere, the size of the Han King's harem was constantly expanding, and the small county government office Chen Hui felt more and more crowded. Even if the prison, back garden, etc. were all demolished and a house was built, Chen Hui's place seemed more and more cramped.

The form is changing, and people are changing.

Some people in the court have already submitted a petition requesting to "move the capital." Whether it is Wuchang or Nanjing, even Nanyang and Xiangyang, they are more decent than a small county town in Lushan.

Many dark and private desires are also hidden in this cheerful atmosphere.

Even if Chen Ming has hidden a lot of spies in Lushan, many privacy is not something they can detect at all.

…

Huang [Chen Ming's second aunt] left the courtyard, stood in the courtyard, and walked towards the old lady's residence. The Queen Mother of Chen Han did not live in the aggrieved county government, but lived in a house next to Zhaoping Lake outside the county. This house was originally the other house of the Xu family, the largest family in Lushan.

The Xu family and the Chen family had a little origin, but the Xu family was courting death, fooling the Chen family twice, and hiding the news and not reporting it in time, so that Tumenji suffered heavy losses. When the Fu Han Army of the Chen family broke into Lushan County, Xu Pengchun, the eldest uncle of the Xu family, was beheaded. This house is of course public.

This house is much more beautiful now than when the Chen family just took over. Chen Ming has gathered a group of gardening masters in Jiangnan. The county government version of the Han Palace is just a small change, but the old lady's Zhaoping Villa is full of dings and has undergone major changes.

The old lady is already 64 years old. She sits alone in the flower hall, twisting a string of Buddhist beads in her hand, staring at the ground in a trance.

Two days ago, two young women died in Zhaoping Villa. The old lady seemed to be angry and said she was sick in her room. She did not call the eldest daughter-in-law, but called the second daughter-in-law to serve. She also drove Gao, who came to pay her respects after hearing the news, back, and Huang was pulled to the villa for two days. No one knows whether the old lady is really sick or pretending to be sick, and no one knows why the old lady called the second daughter-in-law but did not let her enter the room.

Is it because she is afraid of the disease? Why did she call Huang to the villa? It's a joke.

Huang went in through the curtains. There was no one in the room. She stood by the flower stand and looked at her aunt and mother-in-law. "Is mother praying for Liu and Gan?" The words were not pleasant at all, and were filled with anger.

The old lady stopped the Buddhist beads in her hand and frowned at him: "Those two vixen are just toys. Can they afford me to pray for them?"

Huang sat down on the brocade cushion and looked at the Buddhist beads tightly held by the old lady. She smiled in her heart. After all, the old lady was old. She had never been poor or blessed in her life. These two lives were probably the first time she had blood on her hands.

Huang's face was tight, "They can't afford it in terms of status, but people died in mother's hands, that's another matter. Mother has been kind to others all her life, but she got stained with blood when she was old. I guess she is not happy. Is that right?"

The old lady's expression darkened, "What do you mean? Are you still blaming me now?" Her eyes suddenly became deep.

Huang looked at him without hesitation, "I'm not here to defend them. I don't dare to blame mother for intervening, but I really want to ask, why did mother do this?"

"There is no one in my eldest brother's room. My eldest sister-in-law hasn't said anything yet, why did you come to interfere?"

The old lady straightened up, her eyes flashing with a cold light, "Your sister-in-law hasn't said anything yet. When your sister-in-law wants to say something, it will be too late."

"Go back. Stay at home when you have nothing to do in the future, and don't get so close to your nephew's wife." The old lady's chest was heaving, and she was obviously very angry. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back her anger, and also said that she didn't want to see Huang anymore.

Huang's body suddenly stiffened, "Nephew's wife? Xiulin should be my eldest nephew's wife, not any nephew's wife."

"Mother, Gang'er is also your grandson. You just watched him wandering outside?"

"At that time, my sister-in-law gave birth to Shitou, and my eldest brother had a legitimate son. In addition, Gang'er wanted to study and make progress. My eldest brother wanted to give Gang'er a good background, so he adopted him to Chen Qingping.

Now my eldest brother's wealth has exceeded thousands and tens of thousands of times compared to the past. Why don't you let Gang'er return to the clan?"

"Gang'er's wife's surname is also Huang, and she also wants to call you aunt. It is reasonable for mother to really let them..."

Huang's next words were forced down by the old lady's sharp eyes, and the cold eyes made Huang shiver. I don't know if it was a sudden inspiration or a telepathy, Huang suddenly knew why the old lady was so angry. She knelt on the ground with a plop:

"Mother, I have never thought of letting Gang Ge'er compete with Duke Lu for the position." Chen Ming's reputation made even Huang, his aunt, dare not call him "stone" or Ming Ge'er. "I dare not cause trouble even if I have the courage of a bear. I just think that if Gang Ge'er returns to the clan, my eldest brother will be the emperor in the future, and Gang Ge'er will be a prince for sure. The Huang family will have two princesses." Chen Cong has always been valued and trusted by Chen Hui and Chen Ming, and in the future, when the meritorious officials are enfeoffed, Chen Cong will have to be a prince.

But the old lady didn't believe it. She had lived with Huang for decades, and even though Huang's daughter-in-law was her niece, the old lady didn't believe she was so kind.

——Inside the Chen family, Chen Gang's identity was very embarrassing, and no one dared to mention the past. Chen Cong never revealed to the outside world that he wanted Chen Gang to "return to the clan".

"You are so worried about things that the old man dare not mention. You even know to send people to my side." The maids around the old lady are of course limited, but the Queen Mother can easily squeeze two people into the ceremonial procession. If this person enters the Han Palace, he is a member of the backyard. With the current capabilities of Chen Cong and the Huang family, if they call Chen Er and Chen Zhongsheng, can the two vixens be sent elsewhere?

The old lady knew that the eldest daughter-in-law Gao had taken several wives to Chen Hui, but she didn't care at all. Gao was satisfied with having sons and grandchildren. Chen Ming was so competitive that as soon as the war of words in Wusong ended, someone submitted a memorial to ask for the establishment of the crown prince. Chen Ming was a civil and military official in the court and the public, and he was the choice of the people. Except for the fact that there were fewer sons, there was only one son so far, and there was no other deficiency.

"One is from the Gan family, the other is from the Liu family. One is the niece of the head of the Personnel Department of the Ministry of Culture and Education, and the other is the granddaughter of the Nanyang Prefecture..."

"One is Gang Ge'er's subordinate, and the other is from the Huang family." The prefect of Nanyang was promoted by following the Huang family's path.

"How did mother know?"

"I don't have the energy to find someone to investigate, and I use a stick to persuade those two vixens. What don't they know? Not only did you cheat your own man, but you also want to drag the Huang family into it..."

"What benefits did Gang Ge's daughter-in-law promise you? Why are you so dedicated?" This is what the old lady is most puzzled about.

Will Chen Gang's return to the clan anger Chen Ming? The old lady really wants her precious grandson to be a magnanimous person, but who can guarantee this? Huang is messing around in the middle. If there is no big benefit, will she be willing to take the risk? Chen Ming is the future emperor.

"Mother, this is not just my idea. Gang has mentioned it to my eldest brother, and he neither agreed nor refused."

The fact that he did not refuse shows Chen Hui's intention. This is the biggest reason why Huang Shi got involved.

Besides, to be fair, if I am the emperor, how can I not want my son to live a better life? Chen Gang cannot be the crown prince. His prestige and strength in Chen Han are far inferior to Chen Ming. But being a prince can always be okay, right?

The old lady was startled, "When did Gang mention it? How do you know?"

"My eldest brother told the master, and the master... told me." Then Huang Shi got close to her nephew's wife. Even the entire Huang family has narrowed the distance with Chen Gang, including Huang's uncle.

As long as Chen Hui is willing, Chen Gang can always return to his clan. Even if he becomes a Taiping prince in the future, he will be a prominent relative of the Huang family. The Huang family also has connections in the Internal Affairs Department.

"So, these two vixens were found by Gang?"

"How dare he?" A son gave women to his father, and he was a bastard. If this matter got out, he would be drowned by spit. "Liu and Gan were born with good looks and were of the right age. Their elders saw that their eldest brother had taken in several women in a row..., that. So they wanted to rely on women to get rich."

Chen Gang's subordinates begged Chen Gang, and the prefect of Nanyang begged the Huang family. Chen Gang and Chen Cong did not agree to this matter. Huang thought about it and thought that if she sent the woman to the old lady to pass it on, and then let the Ministry of Internal Affairs pass it on, it would be easier to find out Chen Hui's veins in the future. She did not dare to peek into the palace, and all she wanted was an occasional tip. This, this touched the bottom line of the old lady. Just deal with the person!

"What a sin." The old lady sighed. At that time, she was so angry that she ordered the two women to be beaten to death. After the beating, she felt uneasy again. Just as Huang thought, this was the first time that the old lady had seen blood. After years of vegetarianism and chanting Buddha, how could the old lady be at ease with blood on her hands?

"Since there is still this reason, this matter will be over. But if you dare to get involved in such things again in the future, I will not forgive you."

The head of the Ministry of Culture and Education is just a small official, not worthy of attention. But the weight of the prefect of Nanyang is different. So this matter is not something that Huang can simply think about in her heart. I am afraid that the whole Huang family has thought about it.

Huang slowly retreated and walked to the patio. She slapped her forehead suddenly. What happened to her? It was the old lady who beat people to death. Why was she so timid? Wasn't she also full of anger at the beginning?

Huang thought about it and found that the turning point was a "Lu Gong". All of his courage seemed to be frightened away by a ‘Lu Gong’ and a ‘fight for the throne’.

In the room, the candles were bright, illuminating the old lady in the room. The old lady looked at the Bodhi rosary in her hand, and then looked at a jade Guanyin not far away, with a sense of sadness flowing silently in her heart.

Both grandsons are good children. But things are just so coincidental.

When the family was not rich, it was easy for the descendants of the Chen family to be adopted and return to the clan, but now the Chen family is rich. The Chen family's property is no longer a few acres of land and 18,000 silver coins, but half of the country and a picturesque landscape.

Without Chen Gang, Chen Ming is both the eldest and the legitimate son. No matter how many sons Chen Hui can give birth to, no one can shake Chen Ming's position. But if Gang Ge'er returns to the clan, of course he has no strength and ability to shake Chen Ming's position, but Chen Ming is just a legitimate son.

The old lady did not return to Lushan City, but asked Chen Hui to rush to Zhaoping Lake. After dismissing the people around, the old lady talked about this matter with her son.

Chen Hui admitted it at once. He never thought of hiding anything from anyone. He told Chen Cong about this matter, one to test Chen Cong's opinion on the matter, and the other to let Chen Cong report the news to Chen Ming.

"Mom, you have two more grandchildren during the Chinese New Year. When they grow up, your son will be old, and Ming will be the one sitting on the throne. It is reasonable for him to make his brothers princes, don't you think?"

"But Gang is also my child. His brothers have been made princes, what about him?"

"Not everyone in the Chen family can be made prince. Gang is not very smart, and his ability is average. Even if he has the surname Chen and is my son, he has been adopted out according to the clan law. He will never be able to be made prince based on his merits in his lifetime." If Chen Gang can be made prince with his current level and merits, then there will be more people in the Chen family who can be made princes, including Chen Cong and Chen Erbao, Chen Min, Chen Quan, Chen Guang, Chen Liang, etc. Which of these legitimate Chen family members will not be made princes?

"Mother. It's not enough to just talk about it, right? There must be a palace, a fief, and land. According to the standards of Zhu Ming, not to mention the land, just the salary, the prince will receive 50,000 shi of rice, 25,000 strings of banknotes, 40 pieces of brocade, 300 pieces of silk, 100 pieces of gauze, 500 pieces of silk, 1,000 pieces of winter and summer cloth, 2,000 taels of cotton, 2,000 jin of salt [one jin is 300 jin], 1,000 jin of tea, and 50 pieces of horse fodder per month. The satin is given to the craftsmen every year, and the palace is allocated for self-production." What does it mean to have dozens of princes?

The salary of the princes of the Qing Dynasty was very small, but the princes of the Qing Dynasty were involved in politics, and in addition to the salary, there were also imperial farms. In Chen Hui's eyes, money was far less important than power. If he could get all the princes out of the court by spending money, he would definitely be willing to do it. Besides, the Qing Dynasty was a barbarian country, how could Chen Han follow their rules?

After the frequent reports of the victory of the Fu Han Army in Jiangnan, Chen Hui, who knew that he had secured his throne, looked through many records of the royal vassal relatives in history books. The Han, Jin, Sui and Tang dynasties were all a mess. The royal family of the Song Dynasty was unique and set a precedent for China to keep royal family members in captivity. The Mongols and Yuan Dynasty were exposed. In the Ming Dynasty, all the official and unofficial histories had records of them. There were a lot of weirdos and even more wastes. All the vassal kings were really raised like pigs. Because of the special overall structure of the Qing Dynasty, it was a joint-stock company, which was another rule. Every emperor tried his best to insert his son into the Eight Banners, not to mention it.

In a word, Chen Hui was stingy with money and had a headache about the royal family issues in history. He was unwilling to give the Chen clan a lot of titles, but he loved his children, so he wanted to return his eldest son to the clan, so that he could be made a prince in the future, otherwise he would really owe Chen Gang in the future.

The old lady found herself speechless. You can't stop the love of a 'father'!

In essence, Chen Hui did nothing wrong in this matter. Did she think too seriously? After the mother and son had a detailed conversation and vented their inner thoughts, the old lady sent her son away and called a woman in her thirties or forties.

"I said, you write." Regardless of whether Chen Cong had corresponded with Chen Ming, the old lady felt that she needed to write a more detailed letter to her precious grandson.

When Chen Hui came, the mother and son had a secret conversation for more than half an hour, but the old lady only used three pages of letter paper to speak.

The woman put down her pen and retreated obediently. The old lady called a nanny in her forties or fifties, "Read it to me."

That day, a letter was specially sent from Zhaoping Villa to Jiangnan!