Yuxi Episode (14)

When Yunqing abdicated, he took Yuxi back to the northwest. That time they stayed in Pickaxe City for ten days before rushing to Yucheng. I didn't expect to step here again, it was more than thirty years later. Time flies so fast!

Looking at the huge four characters of "Pingxi Prince's Mansion" on the plaque, Yuxi sighed and said: "It's true that things are different."

Qiyou supported her and said, "Mom, let's go in and have a look!" This is where he grew up, so his feelings are very different. Even though I have been away for decades, I still have a nostalgia for this place.

Back then, people coming and going here were very lively. But now, it is deserted.

Going around the main hall, Qiyou looked at the bare yard and asked, "Where did that big tree go?"

The steward said, "This tree was eaten away by termites, and it was blown down by a strong wind three years ago."

Qiyou was a little sad. If they have been living here, there will be special personnel to check these flowers and trees every year. Now there are only twenty servants left in the Pingxi Palace to take care of the daily cleaning work, and there is no time to take care of these.

After Yuxi was settled, Qiyou went to the courtyard where he lived before, and the layout of the house basically remained unchanged. But the flowers and trees in the yard are gone.

During dinner in the evening, Qiyou said: "Mother, this house is quite dilapidated now. Mother, if this house is kept empty, it will collapse sooner or later."

"Who do you want to live in?" Unless it is a member of the Yun family, no one else has the courage to live in.

Qiyou didn't think too much about it, so he just said it casually. Pingxi Palace is where they live. Only the feudal king can live, how can anyone else be qualified to live.

Yuxi did not comment on this.

After resting for two days, Qixuan asked Yuxi: "Mother, when are we going to Yucheng?" It's already June, and the weather has started to get hotter. If you want to go to Yucheng, you have to go early. Otherwise, before winter comes, I won't be able to return to the capital.

Yuxi shook her head and said, "I won't go to Yucheng anymore. When I come back this time, I will stay in the palace for a while longer." She doesn't have much nostalgia for Yucheng, and she only stayed in Yucheng for more than three years. And those years are not good memories.

The two brothers had no objection. This time, they mainly wanted to accompany Yuxi to relax, Yuxi had the final say on where to go, and they just obeyed.

Yuxi said: "If it wasn't for my age, I would still want to go to Huashan again." She and Yun Qing went to Huashan once, and both of them were in good health and climbed up by themselves.

In the evening, I also spent the night on the mountain. On the second day, watching the sun rise, I felt very good.

Thinking of Yunqing, Yuxi looked a little sad. Before she knew it, the old man had been away from her for more than half a year.

Seeing Yuxi's expression, Qiyou hurriedly changed the subject: "Mom, let's eat mutton for lunch! I always feel that the mutton in the capital is not as delicious as here."

Yuxi smiled and said: "Your father always said that the mutton eaten in the capital is not as delicious as that in Yucheng." Even if the mutton was sent by Yucheng, he still thinks it is not delicious.

In fact, it is not that the meat is not delicious, but that the atmosphere and mood of the past are no longer there when eating.

Of course, eating too much good food and making your mouth tricky is also a reason.

Qixuan said: "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I ate roasted whole lamb. Mother, why don't you eat a whole plate of roasted whole lamb at noon." I remember the first time I ate dad's roasted lamb, and I really felt that there was nothing more delicious than this in the world of food. It's a pity that it is only in the memory now, and I can't eat it anymore.

Qiyou was reluctant: "If you want to eat roast lamb, let's go to Fuyun Restaurant! The food at home is so tasteless." Fuyun Restaurant has branches in every provincial capital, and even some particularly wealthy states have branches.

Because of this, the annual profit of Fuyun Restaurant is astonishing.

"Let's go to Fuyun Restaurant to eat!" The cook with him, the dishes are very good, especially the vegetarian dishes are very good. But he is not very good at roasting whole lamb.

Qiyou said with a smile: "Mom, what do you want to eat, I'll let someone order it first." It's okay to go there and wait, anyway, they have a lot of time. But if you don't book in advance, some dishes may not be available.

Yuxi said: "Lianpo chicken, stir-fried diced lotus root, let's order another stir-fried dumpling!"

Just as he was talking, he heard the guard report that Cao Ren, the chief envoy of Shaanxi, asked to see him.

Yuxi was impatient to see the ministers below, and said to Qiyou: "Go and greet him!" Since those ministers knew that they had come to Pick City, it was impossible not to visit them.

Qiyou said with a bitter face: "Okay!" He all backed down, really impatient to deal with these officials. But besides him, there is no other suitable candidate here.

After exchanging pleasantries with the chief envoy for a long time, he sent him away. When he returned to the backyard, he heard that Yuxi had already rested.

Qiyou said: "Third brother, let's go out for a walk!" He is a person who can't stand it, let alone how can he stay in the mansion and not go out when he comes out.

Qixuan hesitated a bit, and said: "Why don't we wait for mother to wake up, and we will go out with her." Leaving his mother alone in the mansion, the two brothers ran out to eat, drink and have fun, Qixuan felt very sorry.

Qiyou smiled and said, "You still don't know about your mother's temperament? If she doesn't see us, she will find something to do."

In the end, Qixuan went out with Qiyou.

Yuxi woke up and heard the two brothers go out to laugh, and then asked Bingmei: "Have you written down everything about Chen Xuan?"

Bingmei nodded and said: "I have written it all down. Queen Mother, will you still use her original name if you make up a story about this in the future?"

Yuxi glanced at Bingmei, and said: "I must use a pseudonym, and the background must be changed, so that no one can see her identity." Use her real name and surname, and the girls in the Chen family who spread the word in the future will also avoid it. If you get married, you will die at home.

Bingmei smiled: "The Queen Mother is wise."

In the evening, Qiyou brought back two baskets of soup dumplings for Yuxi: "Mother, it's still warm, eat quickly." These soup dumplings won't taste good when they're cold.

Yuxi stopped eating after eating two soup dumplings, and gave the rest to the people around her.

In addition to eating two soup dumplings, Yuxi also ate a bowl of Gorgon seed and barley porridge, a plate of fried cucumber and a plate of fried choy sum at night.

After the age of sixty, Yuxi drank porridge in the morning and evening. But in the morning, it should be richer, and sometimes I will drink goat milk eggs or chicken soup. But at night, he only drank porridge and ate some vegetables. However, she will eat a medicated meal every day.

After Yuxi finished eating, Qiyou said in admiration: "Mother, I really admire you." Not everyone can hold on to eating so lightly for decades.

Yuxi said: "If you don't listen to me now, eat lightly. After two years, you will find all kinds of problems, and you will regret it at that time."

The eighty-seven-year-old Yuxi, the reason why she is not deaf, blind, or healthy, has a lot to do with her insistence on a light diet and exercise over the years. It can be said that Qihao's health is not as good as hers.

Qiyou shook his head and said, "I don't want it anymore." He would rather live a few years less than eat bland food every day. If you can't eat and drink well, what's the fun in living?

While walking in the yard, Yuxi said: "Tomorrow, let's go to Caotang Temple."

Qiyou was shocked: "Mother, are you going to Caotang Temple?" It's not his fault, but Yuxi has never been to a temple.

Yuxi smiled and said: "It's not to burn incense and worship Buddha, but to see the 'Eight Treasures and Jade Pagoda.'"

This pagoda is said to be made of jade from the Western Regions. The jade color is brilliant and lustrous, and each piece of jade is different. Yuxi has lived in Pick City for nearly twenty years, but she has only heard of her name but has never been to Tobacco Temple. The last time I came to the northwest with Yunqing, I came and went in a hurry. This time, Yuxi wanted to go and have a look.

Before dawn on the second day, the mother and son set off. On the way, I met many people who went to Tobacco Temple. Some of these people went to burn incense and worship Buddha, and some went to play.

Arriving at Tobacco Temple, when Yuxi got off the carriage, she saw many young men and women. These young people all came with their elders.

Qiyou said: "Mother, let's go to burn incense and worship Buddha first, or should we go to see the pagoda and the lying stone first?" It is rumored that there is a big stone in the well of Yanyan Temple, and every time there is a snake lying on the stone, white mist rises to the sky and surrounds the imperial capital. city. Therefore, this bedroom is also a scene in the temple.

Yuxi chuckled lightly and said, "Just look at the pagoda." There's nothing to see with a stone.

After seeing the Jade Pagoda and seeing that it was still early for lunch, Yu Xi went for a walk on the back mountain. This time Qixuan and Qiyou didn't follow, but went around the temple.

Yuxi picked a quiet place to walk, but the result became more and more remote, and she didn't know where she went to the back.

Just when the two were about to turn around and walk back, they heard a burst of crying.

A clear and soft voice said: "Jiu Niang, come with me!"

The woman cried and said, "If I leave with you, what will my parents do? Li Lang, I can't be so selfish."

Yuxi shook her head helplessly. Blame her for not asking Qin Tian to count the days when she went out this time, it is unlucky to go out. If not, it wouldn't always happen to me.

The man said in a cold voice: "If they really loved you, they wouldn't have given you to that old thief Cao Ren as a concubine. Jiuniang, if you don't leave with me, will it be possible for you to be Cao Ren's concubine?"

Yuxi gasped, and the chief envoy was called Cao Ren. I don't know if the Cao Ren they mentioned is actually him. If it was Cao Ren, this matter would have to be taken care of.

The woman cried, "Li Lang, I..." She really couldn't make up her mind to elope with her.

Yuxi turned around and walked back.

When the voices of the two were no longer heard, Yu Xi said to Yu Zhi: "Someone check the identities of these two people. Also, check Cao Ren carefully." The servants around her should leave If you are not in good health, you will retreat. Yu Zhi, on the other hand, has been working with her in good health.

Yu Zhi nodded and said, "Okay."

Halfway there, I met Qiyou and Qixuan who came to look for her. Seeing the terrified faces of the two of them, Yuxi smiled and said, "What's the matter? I just walked two steps in the back mountain, so I can still lose it."

Qiyou said: "Mother, there are poisonous snakes in this mountain. Just now, I heard that several people were bitten by poisonous snakes while playing in the back mountain."

"With Ah Zhi and the others around, I'm not afraid of poisonous snakes." After finishing speaking, Yu Xi asked: "If you are bitten by a poisonous snake, your life will be in danger if you don't detoxify in time."

Qiyou said: "The monks in the temple gave them poison and prescribed medicine, and now there is no serious problem."

Qixuan added: "Originally I wanted to give them detoxification pills, but it turned out to be useless." When he went out, he brought not only the imperial physician, but also a lot of medicinal materials and precious pills.

At noon, there are six vegetarian dishes and one soup, which are Luo Hanzhai, steamed egg with tofu, emerald jade roll, sweet and sour lotus root steak, fresh vegetables with five treasures, vegetarian pork, and mushroom soup.

Qiyou took two bites and said, "It's far worse than the vegetarian food at Lingshan Temple." The vegetarian food at Lingshan Temple is famously delicious. Qiyou went to eat there admiringly, and was full of praise when he came back. He talked about motivating Qixuan to eat twice, but Yuxi was indifferent.

Yuxi smiled and said: "If you don't like it, don't eat it. When you go down the mountain, you can find food by yourself."

Qiyou really had this plan in mind.

In the evening, Yu Zhi told Yu Xi about the news he had found out: "Queen Mother, the couple you met during the day were the nine girls from the salt merchant Lu's concubine. These nine girls were raised by Mrs. Lu. Yes. The man is the third young master of Zhaoji Liangpu."

Seeing that Yu Zhi's voice was hoarse, Yu Xi said, "Let's talk about it after drinking some tea, don't worry."

After drinking a cup of tea, Yu Zhicai said: "The Lu family offended them and turned to the Salt Transport Envoy. They were worried that they would not get Yan Yin, so they wanted to give these nine girls to Cao Ren as concubines."

"How old is Cao Ren this year?" With the growth of age, Yuxi didn't pay much attention to the affairs of the court. She doesn't know much about the situation of these important officials in the capital, not to mention the local officials in the frontier. But being able to be a chief envoy is definitely not young.

Yu Zhi said: "Cao Ren is fifty-three this year. This man likes young and beautiful girls very much. He has only taken four concubines in the past five years as the governor of Shaanxi. Moreover, he has also raised a group of dancing girls." These concubines are all charming young women in their 20s and 80s.

"anything else?"

Yu Zhi knew what Yu Xi wanted to know, and said, "Except for the lustful problem, everything else is fine. I haven't made any money in Shaanxi in the past five years, and my political performance is not bad."

Yuxi said: "Let the secret guards check carefully." It's good if there is no corruption or bribery, if there is, it will not be forgiven.

Two days later, the mother and son went to Qujiang for a tour. As a result, it rained halfway, and Yuxi blew a cold wind on the boat, which made her feel a little uncomfortable that night.

Seeing that she was not feeling well, Bingmei hurriedly called Doctor Zhang. As soon as he called the imperial doctor, Qiyou and Qixuan were naturally alarmed.

Doctor Zhang said after examining the pulse: "I have a cold, I will prescribe two patches of medicine first." Yuxi's body has always been healthy and healthy, and taking two patches of medicine should be fine. But just in case, I didn't dare to speak too clearly.

Qiyou knew the reason was a little annoyed, he should have advised her mother not to take the boat if she knew it earlier.

Yuxi leaned against the head of the bed, said with a smile: "You can catch cold after swimming in a boat, you are really old and useless."

Qiyou coaxed Yuxi and said, "Mother, you are not old at all. When we go out with you, others think we are siblings!"

Yuxi laughed and said: "You are sister and brother, so you won't grow old? Qiyou, you are also a bad old man."

Qiyou didn't agree with Yuxi's words: "I'm not a bad old man, I'm an old man with temperament, charm, elegance and humor."

Qixuan feels that Qiyou has no lower limit.

After taking the medicine for three days, Yuxi recovered from her illness. But Yuxi didn't dare to go out again, but stayed in the mansion to continue resting.

Qiyou asked: "Mother, shall we go back to the capital when the weather cools?"

Yu Xi shook her head and said: "If we don't go back to the capital, let's go to Jiangnan."

Qixuan said: "Mom, if that's the case, we might not be able to go back to the capital for the New Year."

She and Yun Qing stayed in Jiangnan for three months in three years, and the scenery in Jiangnan is really picturesque. Every time I think about it, I want to go there again: "This year I will spend the New Year in Jiangnan, and I won't go back to Beijing." If I don't go to Jiangnan this time, I will never have another chance.