First Concubine

Chapter 199 Shangguan Exposed (2)

 Brother Hao and Shangguanshi were injured after a fall. Everyone went to visit him, but brother Hao was introverted and didn't like strangers. Qiao Hui and others only put down their gifts, talked to Shangguanshi for a while and then left. Zhuge Yu and Prince Anjun went to court and went to Xianglan Courtyard as soon as they got the news. After sitting in the room for about two quarters of an hour, they each returned to the courtyard. As soon as he entered the house, Zhuge Yu hugged Shui Linglong from behind: "Shangguan Qian wants to live in, do you agree?"

Thinking of the truths that were revealed one after another, Shui Linglong's heart trembled slightly: "Zhuge Yu, how do you feel about your mother?"

Zhuge Yu rested his chin on his shoulder, kissed her beautiful white swan-like snowy neck, and said, "To be honest, I don't feel anything." I don't know if it's because he is too withdrawn, or because they have been apart for so many years and their relationship has faded. Shangguan always works hard. I have to be close to him, such as wiping his hands, wiping his face, and giving him water, but he is not used to it!

Shui Linglong bit her lip, turned around in his arms, looked at him intently, and spent the whole afternoon making such a decision. She had thought about the worst consequences in advance and should just blurt it out, but when she When he saw a face so similar to Shangguan Qian's, the sentences he had drafted countless times suddenly stuck in his throat. What if he doesn't believe it? What if he believed it but persuaded her to stop?

"I'm in a daze again. You deserve to be called a fool!" Zhuge Yu kissed the corner of her mouth and said with a smile.

Shui Linglong's eyes flashed, and after a moment, she said solemnly: "Zhuge Yu, I want to tell you something."

 The next day, Zhuge Yu left angrily. Shui Linglong smashed the butterfly-playing narcissus jade on the Duobao grid. Zhifan picked up the fragments and asked cautiously: "Miss, you...you and the prince had a quarrel?" Before dawn, the prince came. Hei left the room with a sullen face. She greeted the prince and asked him what he wanted for breakfast. The prince ignored her and strode out of the yard. This was the first time she had seen him look so disgusting.

Shui Linglong said angrily: "He is kissing his mother! What do you do with me? What do you do with us, mother and son? If he can, don't come back!"

 That night, Zhuge Yu did not come back. Another day later, news came out that Zhuge Yu had requested an order to go on a business trip to inspect the dam project in the south. After Shui Linglong paid her respects to the old lady, when she heard the news at the gate of the yard, she immediately burst into tears, making everyone in the yard tremble, fearing that Shui Linglong would take out her anger on them when she was angry. Within a few days, various speculations spread around the house.

“What’s wrong with the Crown Princess? It’s not like the Crown Prince has never been on a business trip. Remember last year? The Crown Prince also went on a tour to the south.”

“Oh, forget about last year. Last year, the Crown Prince went on a southern tour, and what happened? Do you still remember?”

"What?"

 “She’s so fair and beautiful! It’s said that she’s a little peasant girl who has a physical relationship with the prince!”

"Oh! Yes! Could it be that... the prince went to Jiangnan to look for her again?"

"I don't know if he is really looking for Bai Fumei, but it is true that the prince wants to make the prince concubine angry! Otherwise, he would not take the initiative to ask for orders to go to Jiangnan. He clearly knows that the prince concubine is very taboo about that place! Yesterday, the Defu family came Do you know what the purpose of our courtyard is? The wife wants to bring her cousin to live in it! But the prince doesn’t like it! I guess that’s why the prince quarreled with me!”

 “Huh? Why?”

"Have you observed carefully? The prince does not look like the princess, but looks like the madam! If my guess is correct, the madam is our prince's biological mother! This biological mother and daughter-in-law are at odds, and of course the prince It’s to help the birth mother!”

 …

The news that Shui Linglong and Zhuge Yu were at odds spread like waves in the house, and the speculation that Shangguan was Zhuge Yu's biological mother also spread like wildfire. No one said it openly, but the way they looked at Shangguan Shi was very different. Shangguan was in a good mood and his injuries were getting better day by day.

In order to welcome the arrival of Shangguan and Brother Hao, Shui Linglong had someone renovate the east wing according to the drawings she drew. The middle room was separated by a pear blossom cabinet. One side was Shangguan's bedroom and the other was Hao's bedroom. . At the end of August, the Wisteria Courtyard was ready, Shangguanshi and Brother Hao had recovered from their injuries, and Shui Linglong personally welcomed them in. But it is not difficult for the sharp-eyed servants to discover that the Crown Princess looks worse when she smiles than when she cries.

Rich dinner: squab in western sauce, shrimps with shrimps, roasted chicken with chestnuts, fish **** with sesame seeds, braised duck with tea tree mushrooms in dry pot, braised tendons with mushrooms, cattail in milk soup, cold cucumbers, vegetarian fried lotus root slices, and a green garlic crucian carp soup And a portion of corn, mushrooms and pork ribs soup, and a cup of papaya and pork knuckle soup specially stewed for water.

Shangguanshi pulled Brother Hao to sit down and said with a smile: "You are interested." He looked at the timid Brother Hao and said, "Thank Jin Jin! All the dishes Jin Jin ordered the kitchen to cook are your favorite dishes!"

Brother Hao lowered his head and remained silent, but it was obvious that he was in a good mood. Shui Linglong stood up, filled the soup herself, handed it to Shangguanshi and Brother Hao, and said with a smile: "Drink it while it's hot."

Shangguan smiled slightly: "Well, you can sit down and eat too! We are a family, so we don't have to stick to these false etiquette."

Shui Linglong showed a flattered expression: "Yes, thank you mother."

Shangguanshi was not in a hurry to eat. She ate after Shui Linglong ate it. During the dinner, she seemed to love Brother Hao very much. She always let Brother Hao eat first and then she ate. Shui Linglong raised her eyebrows imperceptibly!

 After dinner, Brother Hao ran to find Xiao Qiuyan. There was a room full of people, including Mother Zhong, Ye Mao, Zhi Fan and Qiu Sanniang. Shangguan glanced out of the corner of his eye and said with a smile: "Xiao Yu is on a business trip. I'll sleep in your room tonight. I'll take care of your sister when she wakes up. It used to be Xiao Yu who helped you, but now that Xiao Yu is gone, you're the only one who's afraid It’s too busy.”

Shui Linglong smiled palely: "Brother Hao has just moved into Ziteng Courtyard, and I'm afraid he may not be able to adapt to it. Why don't you wait for Brother Hao to adapt to the new environment before helping me take care of my sister. Besides, if my mother only cares about my sister and neglects her, Brother Hao, my father should be annoyed that I have taken over you and left Brother Hao alone. Anyway, I will take care of you at night, and it will be the same for my mother during the day!"

Shangguan's lips moved, and he said with a bright smile: "Why do you think so much about Brother Hao? I always say that as an elder brother, he should give way to his younger brothers and sisters, but now it is his younger brothers and sisters who have given way to him!"

Shui Linglong echoed: "Brother Hao has suffered a lot along the way. It's right for everyone to care about him. Although it can't make up for the loss of his parents, it would be nice to have a little more warmth. I hope he can get out of the shadow in his heart this morning. "

Shangguanshi's eyes flashed: "Yes, compared to my brother and sister, he is really... so unfortunate!"

Shui Linglong was silent, as if she was very sad! Shangguanshi paused and said with a smile: "But he finally got the reward after all his hardships. A few days ago, your father said that Brother Hao would be named under your and Xiaoyu's names. From now on, Xiaoyu and you will be his parents."

Shui Linglong's dark eyebrows raised, and she said in great astonishment: "Father... wants to adopt brother Hao into my name and my husband's name? Become... the eldest brother of brother and sister?"

Shangguanshi smiled and said: "Yes! I was so happy when I heard the news! This child has been suffering for four years and finally has roots, and finally has a father and mother like other children!"

Shui Linglong was silent!

"I just mentioned it a little bit. The old man has to nod for details." Shangguan looked at her silent expression and smiled: "You...are you unhappy?"

Who can be happy when something like this happens? Brother Hao is her nephew, and she will take care of him in every possible way, but if he becomes her son, the feeling will be completely different. Brother is her and Zhuge Yu's eldest son. Why did Brother Hao take away his position as the eldest son? This isn't fair. Shui Linglong said sourly: "Why are you unhappy? Ling'er's child is the child of me and Zhuge Yu. I will treat him as my own."

Shangguan held up the teacup and covered the corners of his lips with a cold arc.

For several days in a row, Shangguanshi abided by his duties, sleeping with Brother Hao at night, helping Shui Linglong take care of her sister during the day, and never made any excessive demands. Everything was so calm that Shui Linglong almost thought that she was judging a gentleman with a villain's heart. Maybe Shangguan wanted to take Brother Hao to cultivate a relationship with her. Regardless of whether she accepted it or not, the prince saw Brother Hao kissing her. If they are thick, they will more or less think that they are quite compatible. Then, Brother Hao can naturally become the eldest son of her and Zhuge Yu. Once he becomes the eldest son, he will have the opportunity to compete with his brother for the heir to the palace! So, Shangguanshi has such a wishful thinking, right?

Just when Shui Linglong thought that the Shangguan family really wanted to find a bright future for Brother Hao, Guo Yan finally sent a letter from Fei Ge, and almost at the same moment, a piece of earth-shattering news shocked the entire palace: Hao My brother is poisoned!

Behind the pear cupboard in the east wing, Brother Hao was lying on the bed with a purple complexion. Doctor Hu took off his clothes and used acupuncture to rescue him.

In the Shui Linglong room, Zhuge Liuyun sat on the main seat with a gloomy face, Leng Youru sat next to him with an expressionless face, Zhen, who had just recovered from her injury, sat on the chair on the left with Prince An and Qiao Hui. , opposite is the Shangguan family who is about to cry, and in the center of the room stands Shui Linglong, whose face remains unchanged despite the collapse of Mount Tai.

Shangguanshi beat his chest and burst into tears: "My poor brother Hao...he is still so young, who would be so mad as to kill him?"

Brother Hao was poisoned by arsenic, and the poison was hidden under the cribs of his brother and sister. It seems self-evident who the murderer is. Everyone looked at Shui Linglong! Mrs. Zhen touched her **** that was still a little sore, and smiled happily, "You deserve to be tricked into cheating on her one day!" He actually put his bad idea on Brother Hao's head. He is really too old to stir up trouble. He is not afraid of death! Leng Youru's cold eyes swept across Shui Linglong's face, which showed no trace of panic, without saying a word!

Zhuge Liuyun said in a deep voice: "If we torture everyone in the house one by one, we will definitely find out who bought the arsenic and put arsenic in Brother Hao's food."

In this way, Mother Zhong, Ye Mao and Zhi Fan will not be spared. The definition of torture cannot be clearer than Shui Linglong. Ye Mao may be able to withstand it, but Mother Zhong and Zhi Fan will definitely die on the way to execution. Shui Linglong shook her hands and said in her usual tone: "No need to torture me! I know who bought the arsenic, and I also know who poisoned Brother Hao's food!"

Everyone held their breath, waiting for her to point out what she called the real culprit behind the scenes. Shui Linglong's sharp eyes wandered over everyone in the room, and finally landed on Shangguan's tear-filled face, and said word by word: "It's you!"

Everyone was shocked, Shangguan? No way! How could Shangguan be so willing to poison his own grandson?

Shangguan was stunned at first, and then cried loudly: "Linglong...Linglong, how could you accuse me so unjustly? Brother Hao is my grandson, how could I harm him? The poison is in your house What I discovered...I didn't even doubt you, but you doubted me first...it's so unreasonable..."

Shui Linglong couldn't stand her pitiful look the most: "Anyway, the poison is hidden in my house. There are only a few people who can come and go freely in the house. They keep saying that they don't doubt me, but they can hide the poison." It's either me or you under the crib. You insist that you are wronged. Doesn't it mean you doubt me? "

Shangguanshi said calmly: "Linglong, I was wrong. I shouldn't have made you misunderstand by saying such things! In fact, the prince just mentioned it, and it was not accurate! You must not hate Brother Shanghao for this! Brother Hao!" I won’t fight with Brother Hong! The worst thing is, if I don’t record it in the family tree, I won’t just inherit it in your name! Don’t hate him..."

With this said, why don’t people understand? I bet it was the prince who had the idea of ​​making Brother Hao the son of Shui Linglong and Zhuge Yu. In this way, Brother Hao would be the eldest son and the future heir of the palace... Haha, it's hard to say.

 Zhuge Liuyun had a headache. He did have such an idea at the beginning, but for the details, he had to ask the old man. Did Linglong really kill Brother Hao because of Brother Hong?

Shui Linglong just wanted to laugh. What is this woman's background and her acting skills are so good? No wonder he hasn't taken any action against her, son or daughter for so many days. It turned out that he was targeting Brother Hao and using him as a raft to frame her! Once she is found guilty, at least she will be kicked out of the house, or at worst, she will be sentenced to the death penalty of Kashgar. This is really a vicious move!

Thoughts after thoughts flashed through Shui Linglong's mind, and she decided not to argue with her on this topic for the time being. Instead, she changed the subject: "You know who is the real culprit who killed Brother Hao! You have done so much What’s the big deal if one more evil thing happens?”

 Everyone's attention was successfully diverted, and they all looked at Shangguan's family again! Shangguan's heart skipped a beat, and he had an ominous premonition, but he said righteously: "Evil things? I don't understand what you are talking about at all? How long have I been in the mansion? What evil things have I done? Linglong, I admit that I was quite picky at first. I couldn’t stand you and I couldn’t stand you, and I couldn’t stand that my son, who was born in ten months of pregnancy, obeyed you but was a stranger to me. So, I I have pushed against you, and I have pushed against my sister! But when I realized that my words and deeds not only failed to win back my son's heart, but also made him and me become more and more estranged, I changed my mind! Take care of me and don’t cause trouble for you! Linglong, please feel your conscience, has there ever been such an unfilial daughter-in-law as you?”

As soon as these words came out, many people became quiet. The emperors of the Great Zhou Dynasty all ruled the world with filial piety. If Shui Linglong really instigated Zhuge Yu to disobey her parents because of her mother-in-law's few gossips, then she was too narrow-minded!

Zhuge Liuyun had a sullen face and was silent for a long time. Shangguan's distaste for Sister Nai shouldn't bother Zhuge Yu, but Shui Linglong's behavior is indeed inappropriate. The younger generation has to bear the anger given by the elders. Otherwise, how else can people say "a daughter-in-law of thirty years has to endure to become a mother-in-law"?

Shui Linglong's eyes narrowed slightly, and she didn't respond to Shangguan's move at all. Instead, she continued what she had said before, and said in a cold voice: "Okay! It doesn't matter if you don't remember the evil things you did! I’ll count them out for you one by one! Let’s talk about who is the murderer of Brother Hao!”

　　It can be said that the target is aimed at the Shangguan family again! Shangguanshi was startled, why didn't this girl get around her?

Zhuge Liuyun frowned: "Linglong!" The family scandal should not be made public. In front of the second wife, is it honorable for her and her mother-in-law to have such a quarrel?

At this time, the sister woke up leisurely and found that her mother was not around. She burst into tears at the top of her voice, but she was too young, and the sound was not half as loud as her brother's. Zhuge Liuyun's eyes flashed with a hint of forbearance, and he started to talk, "hold it back!" Shui Linglong walked to the bedside, quickly changed her sister's diaper and sweaty top, picked her up and comforted her for a while, her crying subsided, and she fell asleep again. Shui Linglong asked Zhong's mother to carry her sister into the side room. Inside the room, it was still a battlefield. But everyone's hearts trembled slightly at her deft and skillful movements. Ask yourself, even Mrs. Zhen, who has lived for half her life, has never taken care of her children so carefully. There are wet nurses to nurse, maids to take care of, and the children to cry. She smiled and hugged them. She loved them, but she never pooped or peed on them. Leng Youru's eyes moved slightly, and there seemed to be something more in her eyes when she looked at Shui Linglong.

Shangguan gritted his teeth bitterly, but choked with grievance: "Your Majesty, maybe I was wrong when I returned to Dazhou. I shouldn't have brought Ling'er's child back to cause trouble for you. I know who the palace looks like. They all gave in to me, but in fact, no one accepted me from the bottom of their hearts! Xiaoyu hated me for taking my sister away, and you also blamed me for being unkind and unjust. Needless to say, princess, the grievances between the two of us cannot be explained in just a few words. Zhen Minglan, my cousin is your wife and you are your concubine, you have already disliked our Shangguan family!"

Mrs. Zhen indeed hates Shangguan Hong, but Shangguan Qian and she are on a par with each other, and she has never competed with her!

Zhuge Liuyun's eyes darkened, and there was a hint of pity in Shangguan's eyes.

Leng Youru seemed to say casually: "Yes, someone who shouldn't have come back is back. What's the purpose?"

 (End of this chapter)