Chapter 174: Taking a Concubine

Li Longji read Yang Guozhong's memorial three times before he put it on the imperial case. Frankly speaking, Yang Guozhong impeached Li Qing and crossed the border to attack the Tubo army. He was overpowering. His duty was to impeach the etiquette and the court was not in good order. It was the matter of the prosecutor. However, Li Longji didn't want to care about this matter for him. Instead, the map aroused his interest. This map should have been sent to the Ministry of War this morning. The map was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. Li Longji casually opened the map of the officials and found the column of the Ministry of War. Li Yin's name jumped into his eyes.

"No wonder he found out so soon."

Li Longji closed the map and showed a knowing sneer on the corner of his mouth, as if he had guessed a grand prize at a guessing party. He sent someone to check Yang Guozhong's old secrets, but unexpectedly learned that Yang Guozhong and Li Qing were old acquaintances, and the old acquaintances were so ruthless. This censor was really qualified! However, such a ruthless person was what he needed. Like Li Linfu, Li Longji was also considering holding a third faction in the court. After the fall of the princeling party, he could balance Li Linfu's prime minister party. Cui, Pei and Wei in the court had a mixed relationship and marriage for generations was not a good candidate. The Yang family was the third faction he liked. He not only pleased Yuhuan, but also killed two birds with one stone. Why not do it?

Originally, he was considering Li Qing, but Li Qing had no foundation in the court and had no connections with him. Moreover, he had turned against Li Linfu and was suppressed by the prince. It was difficult to have a chance in the court. More importantly, he had few things on him. What Yang Guozhong had but he didn't have was ruthlessness.

So Li Longji put him out to Shazhou, asking him to take another move of his own and to abolish the prince. Of course, Li Longji had his deeper considerations, and Li Qing would have great uses in the future.

Although Li Longji was not interested in the content of Yang Guozhong's memorial, he was satisfied with what Li Linfu did. Only by relying on a big tree can he grow fast. His ruthlessness and innocence destined to turn against him immediately after growing into a big tree, and there would be no slight affection in friendship. This is the most indispensable quality of a wise man.

"Your Majesty, Li Xiangguo is here." Gao Lishi's gentle voice came from the door.

"Supreme him in."

Li Longji turned around and smiled kindly. He just forgot something that ruthlessness is not absolute, but more importantly, his absolute loyalty to himself, such as his personal eunuch Gao Lishi.

Gao Lishi was still as humble and cautious as ever. Li Longji became more and more lazy these days, and his power was getting bigger and bigger. However, Gao Lishi was even more careful. He faithfully reviewed memorials according to the emperor's wishes, and never incorporated his own feelings. This is his cleverness. Since ancient times, eunuchs have good power and have taken all the big and small things. In the end, they made the heavens angry and the people resented, and the court was boiling, but Gao Lishi was not. He only needed to point out at critical moments, and he only needed to make a few big figures afraid of him, such as Li Linfu and Li Heng, which was enough.

Gao Lishi quickly walked out of the hall and smiled at Li Linfu who was waiting there, saying, "Prime Minister, the emperor promises you a visit."

Li Linfu just learned that Yang Guozhong's memorial had been handed in, but he didn't know that he told his son not to say anything, but he took the initiative to say a lot of nonsense that he shouldn't say. It would be better for the superiors to speak less, keep a profound and unfathomable, and let his subordinates guess it is a clever move. It would be enough to express his opinion at the critical moment. This would be the same as Gao Lishi not abused his power and withdraw it together.

"How can I feel that Ahon is here in person? I am really sorry."

Li Linfu bowed and thanked Gao Lishi. Gao Lishi nodded with a smile and led him into Li Longji's imperial study room. The strange fragrance in the imperial study room was indifferent. Li Longji was holding up a pen and writing something. Li Linfu hurriedly bowed to Li Longji and bowed, "I am the queen Li Linfu, please see Your Majesty!"

Li Longji smiled and waved his hand, "Prime Minister, please sit down! Please sit down! I haven't been to court these days, I wonder if my health has improved?"

"Thank you for your concern. Today is already great and I can attend court normally tomorrow."

Li Linfu sat down and bowed to respond, "I don't know if your Majesty ordered me to come, do you have something important?"

"I didn't want to disturb the prime minister's rest, but it was of great importance and I had to discuss it with the prime minister."

Li Longji handed over a Tubo State's confession: "Tubo condemned our Tang Dynasty for invading its borders in Shazhou and killing its border posts, and asked us to bear all responsibilities. Otherwise, if we want to see each other, I don't know what the Prime Minister thinks about this matter?"

Li Linfu was confident in this matter. He took the Tubo national contract, glanced at it and sneered: "It's ridiculous to speak nonsense, it's obvious that they were sneak attacking first, but they insisted that we took the initiative to provoke. It's really ridiculous."

He casually put the Tubo national sign aside and said loudly: "Your Majesty, this must be an excuse for Tubo to attack our Longyou. We need to quickly allocate troops and supplies to prepare for war at any time. If the Tubo barbarians don't teach them a lesson, they don't know the power of our heaven!"

After a moment of silence, Li Longji said slowly: "But in fact, it was our cross-border battle. The Shazhou Governor Li Qing has specially submitted a statement to me to explain the situation."

Li Linfu smiled faintly and said, "In the morning, the dog son came home to report this to Weichen. He believed that Li Qing had provoked Tubo without the consent of the court and should be severely punished. However, Weichen scolded him severely. Not to mention crossing the border, what can he do if he fights them? The emperor, Weichen thought that Doulu Army should be highly praised. At this time, morale is unstoppable."

Li Linfu's answer surprised Li Longji. He glanced at Yang Guozhong's memorial to impeach Li Qing, and secretly sighed that Jiang was still too old. Yang Guozhong was indeed too tender, so he smiled tolerantly: "The Prime Minister doesn't have to be too harsh on the orders. After all, he is young, but Yang Guozhong. I want to train him well, but he has been in office for too short, so I will trouble the Prime Minister to take him along the way." The implication is to formally express my agreement with Yang Guozhong to join the Prime Minister's Party.

Speaking of this, Li Longji smiled proudly and stood up, "The Prime Minister is right, so what if he is more logical? The morale of the frontier soldiers is unscathed. We should indeed vigorously praise the soldiers of Doulu Army."

He passed the Hanlin who entered the study room outside and said loudly: "Transfer my will to reward Shazhou soldiers with 50 million yuan and 3,000 pieces of silk. The soldiers who were meritorious in this battle were recorded by the Ministry of War. He also appointed the governor of Shazhou Li Qing as the founding marquis of the founding country, and gave him 500 taels of gold."

Half a month has passed since the battle of Tubo. The seeds have been sown and waiting in hope, and finally the harvest season has come. Today is the day when the two joys are coming. The reward from the court has finally arrived. Li Qingming learned in the morning that Li Longji did not care about his cross-border attack. After all, the Tang Dynasty is different from the Song and Ming dynasties, and unlike today, the majesty of a great country is not only built by grace, but also by the swords, guns and blood of the soldiers. The official reward of the court recognized the achievements of the soldiers, and Li Qing also had his first title, founding marquis.

Erxi is Li Qing officially taking a concubine today. News came from Chang'an that Xiaoyu's parents have removed their slavery from Xianyu's family. They are currently living in an old house in Langzhong and are supported by Wangjiang Restaurant in Chengdu. Xiaoyu's parents have also gained freedom. Although Xianyu Zhongtong resented Li Qing, the favor of the governor of Rongzhou still has to be paid back.

Shazhou was full of joy, and the repair of the city wall had already set the last brick yesterday. The street was filled with busy people. Businessmen shouted loudly in the shops. The restaurants were full of people, and there were long queues in front of the brothels. There were also those who came to Liangzhou to do business. The soldiers who received the rewards had three days off. There were three or three soldiers everywhere on the street.

Today, the Governor's Office was decorated with lights and Yan'er was a big belly. He was directing his family to arrange it. Xiaoyu and her had been in trouble for many years. The two were like sisters. Although they were one of the seven jealousies in the past, Yan'er had never been jealous of Xiaoyu. On the contrary, she hoped that Li Qingming would marry Xiaoyu a little early, which would solve Li Qing's increasingly serious illness.

Li Jingyan started to act as Xiaoyu's bridesmaid. At this moment, Xiaoyu was wearing a happy outfit and hid in the room waiting for the moment of happiness to come. She met Li Qing in Xianyu's mansion four years ago. At this moment, she finally reached the pinnacle of her life. Although she was a concubine, she was already satisfied.

The wife has to take care of her parents-in-law and children in her hometown, and men need to take care of themselves when they are officials outside, so they have the identity of concubine. Of course, this is just an excuse, and it is the need for moralists to write textbooks. If this is true, is it different to find an old mother?

The key is sex, which is what men yearn for. Generally speaking, there is no man who is not lustful. If there is no restriction of the "Marriage Law", most of the novels in the starting point will probably be bachelors.

Men pursue women, never use beautiful feathers like male peacocks. They initially rely on strong bodies. They are said to obtain more food in this way. Later, they have power, status, money, etc., and they become a means for men to possess women, just like fishing. Some people use rods and some people use nets. The amount is uneven and the weight is uneven. In order to occupy more and better women, men strive for status and money.

Although the ancient marriage law was not like the current ban on second marriage, there were still many monogamy. In fact, it was the poor. It was not that these men did not want to marry more than two wives, but that the economic conditions were limited, and they could not afford to marry or support them. Unfortunately, most of the moralists were not civilians, and they also had the requirements for high-quality sexual life. So they used flexible methods to raise the moral banner of monogamy. There could only be one wife, and the other women were not wives, but mothers, concubines, etc. Just like Jia Zheng in Dream of Red Mansions, he was so hypocritical. Didn’t he also have Aunt Zhao and Aunt Zhou?

Having said that, longing for blessings for others is a man's physiological instinct, but this is not distinguished from ancient times or present. The topic is a bit far-reaching. Let's go back to Dunhuang County in August of the fourth year of Tianbao.

The room was filled with joy and joy, and the candlelight was bright. Xiaoyu, who wanted to be a bride, had a flush cheek, and was shy in her almond eyes, silently staring at herself in the mirror. She felt as if she was in a dream, but the unique sensitivity of a woman made her feel a little awkward, that was the color of her wedding dress. She did not wear her favorite clothes at her happiest moments. Xiaoyu cared about this very much.

"Sister Jingyan, I don't think I'm suitable for red. I don't know if there are any yellow outfits." Xiaoyu raised her mouth slightly. She has always liked yellow. All her dresses are sewn with bright yellow brocade. At this moment, she seems not to be getting married, but to choose New Year's dresses. This little girl is seventeen years old this year, tall and tall, slim and plump. Her figure is rare in the Tang Dynasty, but she looks a bit like a Persian beard, but also has the subtlety and mellowness of an oriental beauty. At this moment, she is dressing in front of the mirror, and her black hair is dripping down, which makes her skin look like a baby's delicate and white.

Li Jingyan slowly combed Xiaoyu's hair, smiled with a smile on the corner of her mouth, and her slender white fingers passed through her black hair, tied up a soft hair, and combed it into a braid. When she heard that she was childish, she couldn't help but chuckled: "You are not satisfied yet. How many women in the world can marry the man they like, and they are men like your young master. If you don't want to, go to the yard and shout, you are willing to give up this position. Look at Sister Lian'er's maids, it would be strange if you don't rob me."

Xiaoyu smiled but said nothing. She suddenly pulled Li Jingyan over and leaned into her ear and whispered: "If I give it to you, do you want it?"

"You damn girl!"

Li Jingyan flushed and pinched her tight neck hard, "You'll talk nonsense anymore, I'll pay attention to you!"

Xiaoyu suddenly jumped up, reached out to scratch her armpit, blinked at her and smiled ambiguously: "Look at you being serious. That night, you were by the Qujiang Pool, and you were doing what you and the young master did, and you still thought I didn't know."

Li Jingyan was both ashamed and embarrassed. She reached out to cover her mouth and did not allow her to say it. Xiaoyu finally broke off her hand, took a long breath, gave her a blank look and complained: "I think you just want to suffocate me to death and then wear my wedding dress to pretend."

Li Jingyan pressed her back to her seat and said angrily: "Who cares about it? Hurry up! It's almost dark, and you didn't do any of your dressing or trial service. After a missed time, you should have to throw a basin and a bowl and lose your temper."

Xiaoyu looked out the window and said, "Ah!", and suddenly panicked. She was busy rushing around the table, shouting: "Where is my pink box? I put it here two days ago!"

There was nothing in the drawer, and she lay down under the dressing table and touched it for a while, but it still didn't. She straightened her body, thought for a while, and suddenly screamed: "I remember it!"

When Li Jingyan saw her pulling the bed curtain, she was about to get into the bed to look for her. She couldn't help but feel angry and funny. She grabbed her and smiled and said, "I have never seen a bride like you, use mine!"

As she said that, she took out her powder box from the embroidery bag next to her and handed it over. Xiaoyu took it, applied some powder on the back of her hand and looked carefully, put it on her lips and smelled it, and laughed: "It smells so fragrant, it will belong to me in the future!"

"Why, haven't you dressed up yet?" Jianer pushed the door and frowned. Her belly was already quite big and it was quite inconvenient to walk, but the midwife with her must walk more and sleep less so that she can give birth smoothly.

Seeing Lian'er come in, Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue and pointed at Li Jingyan and smiled, "It's her here to make trouble for me, so she is procrastinating. Sister Lian'er, just drive this person away."

"you"

Li Jingyan was angry and gently tapped her on the head, stuffed the comb to her, and said hatefully: "I won't comb you anymore, go find someone who can't mess around!"

Xiaoyu turned around and hugged her, begging softly, "Good sister, don't be angry. Their main wife is here. I, a concubine, want to show off?"

Hearing her speech pitifully, Lian'er smiled and walked over to Li Jingyan and said, "Zhengyan, come and comment on this gift. I used to expect her to share some of the housework for me. Now I am even busier. It's okay to be a little busy, but I have to always think about her concubine's heart and speak with great care. I can't hurt her. The concubine looks at her wife's face, but in our house, it's the opposite."

Li Jingyan looked at them and said with a little emotion: "That's because you are like sisters. If it were someone else's family, Dunjue wouldn't have such a good-looking face, and he was sold to a brothel because of his concubine offended the official family!"

"Really?"

Xiaoyu stared at Li Jingyan with a pair of almond eyes, stared at Li Jingyan in disbelief, and glanced at Yan'er again, "You won't sell me too!"

"Okay! OK! If you don't want to marry, it won't be bothered."

After Lian'er finished speaking, he was about to leave by holding the door, but Xiaoyu was panicked, stepped forward and pulled Jian'er, and said in a stack of words: "Marry! Marry! Of course I want to marry."

After stopping, she glanced at Jian'er again and asked worriedly: "You really won't sell me, right!"

But Lian'er was too lazy to pay attention to her, so she turned around and smiled at Li Jingyan and said, "I want to tell the bride some wedding night things. If Jingyan is interested, she might as well sit down and listen."

"I don't want to listen!" Li Jingyan turned around and ran out of the door.

Seeing her leaving, Lian'er closed the door, stared at Xiaoyu who was distracted and smiled, "Where are you! Do you want to listen?"

Xiaoyu pouted her mouth slightly, "Don't she just sleep and have a baby? What's so nice about it?"

Let’s talk about Li Jingyan running into the yard, her smile immediately disappeared, and her face showed a sad look. She sat on the steps with her knees, staring at the clear moon in the sky, and a crystal tears unknowingly slid on her white porcelain face. She felt that she had nothing at this time, and even Xiaoyu finally got married, leaving her alone, thousands of miles away from home, but she had no choice but to rely on.

"Dad!"

She shouted softly, and the tears could no longer be controlled and rolled down.

"Yingyan, are you missing home?"

At this time, a thick and warm hand gently supported her weak shoulder, and behind her familiar voice that made her dream linger, low and manly charm, Li Jingyan's body seemed to be frozen, she grabbed the hand and turned around and stood up. Under the moonlight, Li Qing smiled slightly, her eyes filled with endless tenderness. Li Jingyan seemed to have all the grievances burst out at this moment, her eyes suddenly turned red, she threw herself into his arms, hugged his waist desperately, and cried sadly like a child. At this moment, even if she died for him, she was willing.

"How can you say that someone will go back after they figure it out!" Her weak shoulders trembled in his arms, sobbing in silence

"sorry!"

Li Qing gently stroked her hair and apologized in her ear.

After a while, Li Jingyan calmed down. She remembered that today was a good day for Xiaoyu, wiped away her tears, and said embarrassedly: "If Xiaoyu saw it, she would say that I would rob her of her wedding and would not give me food tomorrow."

Li Qing took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her chin, and smiled and said, "I'm going to Anxi in a few days. I'll take you with me, okay?"

Li Jingyan tried hard to restrain her inner joy, nodded shyly, turned around, ran to her room, and halfway through, she suddenly stopped and looked back at him. After a long time, she said word by word: "Li Lang, I don't regret it at all!"

After saying that, she quickly ran back to her room.

In Xiaoyu's room, the bride-to-be was plugging her ears with two fingers and shook her head desperately, "I don't want to listen! I don't want to listen! I'm so embarrassed."

Lian'er's face was also swollen and red. What experience did she have? But she is her sister and she has an unshirkable responsibility. She couldn't pull her arm down for a long time. Lian'er was a little tired, and thought to herself: "Li Lang knows this kind of thing more than himself, so let them solve it themselves!"

"Okay! I won't talk anymore. You are such a big man, so I should understand it myself. I will prepare the tea for Song Mei. I will drink the tea you have toasted later."

Seeing that Yan'er had gone out, Xiaoyu jumped out of the bed and muttered again: "Isn't it just sleeping and having a baby? Is there anything to say?"

She turned around and straightened the bed sheet, thinking that the young master would sleep here tonight, and her heart was sweet and shy. When she served him in Xianyu Mansion many years ago, she also made the bed for him. Unexpectedly, many years later, she finally became his woman. She was eager but a little scared.

Xiaoyu got up and looked in the mirror, cooled down her hot face with her hands. Suddenly she was stunned, her hair was still draped over her shoulders and she had not combed it at all.

She couldn't help but scream, "Sister Jingyan!" and slammed the door and rushed out.

Taking a concubine is not like marrying a wife, and there is no necessary etiquette. Therefore, the ancients said that "taking a concubine is not a ritual". The most important thing is that the concubine should give a cup of tea to the wife. After taking it, the wife will admit her identity.

Li Qing married Xiaoyu, and the process was very simple. He saved everything he could. It was not because he was marrying a concubine, but because he was afraid of trouble. When he married Yan'er, the six major procedures were all the same.

Of course, he had to sit in a sedan chair, so he couldn't give Xiaoyu nothing. It was the same rule, go out from the back door and come in from the front door; firecrackers were to be set aside, which was to drive away evil spirits and avoid disasters; if you had to pay the money, you would be paid in the house, and each person would take out another 500 guan of money to throw it out on the street;

For wedding banquets, two sixty tables were set up in the largest restaurant in Dunhuang County to host all officials in Shazhou, officers of Anxi Army and Doulu Army, as well as celebrities in society, and they also slaughter pigs and sheep to reward soldiers. Of course, there is no need to make trouble in the bridal chamber.

At this moment, the hall was brightly lit, and Li Qing's personal soldiers, maids and some family members gathered at the door to watch the ceremony. There were only a few people sitting on the guest chairs on both sides, such as Wang Changling, Gao Shi, Zhang Xun, and Li Siye, who were also witnesses.

Li Qing and Xiaoyu have already worshipped the world. The last link is that Xiaoyu presents tea to his wife Yaner. The host sang loudly, "Sales tea to the official room!"

With the help of Li Jingyan, Xiaoyu slowly walked to Jian'er with a bowl of tea with her eyebrows down and held a bowl of tea. The two of them met each other, and Jian'er smiled, but refused to answer. Xiaoyu glared at her fiercely, and stepped on her secretly below, and her eyes turned into begging again.

Then Yan'er smiled slightly, took the tea bowl, drank a symbolic sip, and placed it on the table. At this point, the etiquette was over and the newlyweds were sent to the side room.

Lian'er stood up tiredly on the back of the chair, smiling at Li Jingyan, who was worried about protecting her, "Jingyan, otherwise you can sleep with me tonight!"

Li Jingyan nodded and walked into her room with the curtain on her shoulder.
Chapter completed!