[R18] The stars are brilliant, so lucky even (The stars are brilliant, the moon rises over the sea) – Chapter 66 of “The Stars Are Brilliant, How Lucky They Are (The Stars Are Brilliant·The Moon Rising Over the Sea)” [English]

Chapter 66

When everyone was panicking and stunned, Mrs. Xiao was the first to react and immediately gave the order——

“Ah Qing, prepare the royal robe and crown for your Excellency. Don’t eat it for Niao Niao. Go back home quickly to change and dress up. Wear the light-colored rhombus brocade dress. Aju, just put on a string of pearl shells and a jade hairpin for Niao Niao.”

“Mom, that dress is half old. I’d better wear the bright red pearl satin that my aunt just sent me. It will make me look energetic…” If you want to meet the leader of the country, don’t you have to look majestic and high-spirited? The young businessman still has this awareness.

“What do you know? Your Majesty loves simplicity. Besides, you just broke off the engagement and you are wearing red, green, gold and jade. What’s the matter?”

“Niao Niao, listen to your mother, you have just lost a good marriage, and you look even more desolate than He Zhaojun, who lost his whole family. Fortunately, you look like this when you are born, and if you dress more plainly, you will look like that!”

Shaoshang:……

Cheng’s mother was so excited that she was supported by Cheng Shu and chased her all the way to the second gate. She asked happily: “Will this trip to the palace bring back the marriage, right?”

Cheng Shi stepped on the step stool and replied in a nonchalant manner, “Don’t think about it, my mother-in-law. Don’t worry about it. If someone comes to propose marriage to Niao Niao in the future, I won’t ask anyone else, just look at the face.” He almost made Cheng’s mother fall down in anger. The three brothers Cheng Yong quickly caught their grandmother’s huge body and watched the group of palace envoys who came to announce the decree slowly walk away accompanied by the carriage.

In the car, Shao Shang was nervous and couldn’t help asking why he came to the palace. In fact, Cheng Shi and his wife were also very nervous. They were also unable to confirm the reason why they were summoned to the palace. Mrs. Xiao could only vaguely say: “It is probably related to the Lou family’s divorce. It shouldn’t be serious. We always take the overall situation into consideration. Can your Majesty still punish us?”

Shaoshang was relieved.

It took half an hour from the Cheng Mansion to arrive at the gate of the palace. The young Shang followed his old habit of lifting the car curtain and looking out. He immediately choked with excitement in his throat – he saw the magnificent double-story gates standing on both sides of the palace gate, like the feet of ancient giants stepping on the ground. The people walking by were as small as ants.

Shao Shang felt his head stick out of the car window, almost raising his head at a right angle. It was not until Mrs. Xiao’s scolding voice came out that she shrank back. Xiao Huangmen, who was riding beside him, laughed and said, “The daughter of the Cheng family has never been to the palace before. No wonder she was surprised. But there are more than ten gates like this from south to north.” Shao Shang was speechless when he heard this.

Cheng Shi looked outside and was about to help his wife get out of the car when the little yellow gate said again, “Captain Cheng, there is no need to come down. Your Majesty has given orders. The women are slow and don’t know how long it will take to reach Yongle Palace. Go in by car first and then transfer to the palace carriage before returning to the road.”

“…Should we go to the North Palace?” Cheng Shi was shocked, “Or should we go to the Queen’s Empress?”

Mrs. Xiao also frowned in surprise. Shao Shang didn’t know about the Nangong and the North Palace, but he knew that the Yongle Palace should be where the Queen lived.

The little yellow man nodded politely and asked the driver to follow him and continue walking forward.All the way through the Mingtang high-rise building guarded by light-armored archers and heavy-armored crossbowmen, through the straight road stretching like a dragon soaring in the sky, and then bypassing the huge Nangong building complex, we finally came to the complex road connecting the northern and southern palaces.Mrs. Xiao and Shao Shang changed into a very solemn and square black palace carriage with raised eaves, while Cheng Shi insisted on going to the ground and walking with everyone.

By the time they arrived at the Beigong Gate, all three members of the Cheng family started walking. This walk took less than half an hour.

The South Palace is not a palace, and the North Palace is not a palace, but two complexes of buildings with many palaces and high-rise official offices. The young Shang saw the numerous palace gates and was overwhelmed. In the end, he couldn’t remember how many gates and towers he walked through. Then he came to a magnificent and beautiful palace with flying phoenix eaves. The young Shang looked up and saw the word “Yongle” written in simple and curved characters on the plaque on the palace gate.

The small yellow gate hurriedly reported to the palace lady guarding the door, and then heard the loud and clear sound of the report, which penetrated layer by layer like an echo until it was finally inaudible. Shao Shang was shocked in his heart, wondering how deep this palace was.

Not long after, someone came inside and invited the three members of the Cheng family to come in. They walked for nearly a quarter of an hour before arriving at the side hall. Young Shang was tired and panting a little. Looking sideways, he saw Cheng Shi was in high spirits and Mrs. Xiao looked calm, and couldn’t help but secretly admire them.

When he raised his eyes, he saw the emperor whom he had met in Tu Gaoshan that day, wearing casual clothes, sitting on Shangshou Hu’s bed. Sitting on the same bed was another beautiful middle-aged lady. The young Shang was panicking and couldn’t decide whether she was a queen or a concubine.

Fortunately, Cheng Shi and his wife came forward and kowtowed, saying “Your Majesty and the Queen.” Young Shang breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly followed, saluting like his parents.Seeing the clumsy posture of the girl below, the queen frowned and glanced at the emperor. The emperor pretended not to notice, smiled and asked the three Cheng family members to lie flat on their backs, and gave them soft mats.

After Cheng Shi said his words of honor, he bowed his head respectfully and said, “I wonder what your Majesty has to tell me about today’s summons.”

The emperor looked kind and said: “You don’t need to be polite, Cheng Qing. Today I want to reward you and reward your family for sharing my worries. Your family can withdraw from the marriage with the Lou family on its own. It is really wronged.”

Cheng Shi lowered his head and looked at each other with Mrs. Xiao, both of whom said “Sure enough”.

But Shao Shang thought that the emperor must be full of spies. They broke off the engagement and went home for lunch, and then they were announced to the palace. It was so fast in the information society.

“I don’t dare to accept it. General He has a family full of loyal people who protect the people and serve the country. The whole family is very impressed, so naturally they want to satisfy the general’s last words.” Cheng Shi pretended to look both aggrieved and moved, and his acting skills were perfect.

The emperor smiled and said: “I have been too humble, so I still deserve a reward. This must be your daughter. Come, sit over here and let me and the queen take a good look at you.”

Cheng Shi shivered at the word “love”, and the hairs on his back stood up; but Mrs. Xiao looked at her daughter worriedly.

Shaoshang was called unexpectedly and felt a little timid, but he managed to calmly get up and walk forward in small steps. When he got up, he flexibly dragged the soft cushion forward, then laid down and sat down.She thought that her movements were nimble, nimble and graceful, but she left the two maids waiting to serve her in place.

Now the queen not only frowned, but went directly to see the emperor.When Cheng Shi and his wife saw this, they shouted that something was wrong in their hearts. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, but they did not dare to speak out to give advice to their daughter in front of the emperor.

The emperor’s nerves were very strong. He said that he neither saw the queen’s surprised expression nor the panicked look of the Cheng couple. He still said kindly: “Sit closer, how can you talk so far away.” When Shao Shang was about to stand up again, the emperor said again, “Don’t move!” Shao Shang straightened up and stopped halfway. She was stunned for a while, not knowing what the emperor meant.

At this time, the two palace ladies finally came into use and quickly stepped forward to perform their duties.One helped Shao Shang to stand up softly, the other bowed and picked up the soft cushion and placed it three or four steps in front of the empress, then helped Shao Shang sit down gently.

Shaoshang was manipulated like a doll, and then she realized that her behavior was very wrong. She felt a Niagara Falls sweat in her heart – the most powerful primate mammal is indeed extraordinary. I give full marks to this 13-piece pretense!

Seeing the little girl’s dull and stunned expression, the emperor smiled comfortingly at her, and then went to see the queen who remained calm all the time.The queen looked at the emperor disapprovingly, and then spoke solemnly: “Miss Cheng, what is your name?”

Shaoshang quickly recovered from his daze and said: “I, uh, minister… uh, people… uh,” she vomited blood, why no one trained her on the etiquette of entering the palace, “The little girl’s childhood name is Shaoshang, after the string of the piano.”

The queen paused for a moment and said: “Shao Shang, what a good name. How old are your teeth this year?”

Shaoshang stayed for a while and asked, how big is this body?Fortunately, she reacted quickly. She remembered the usual chats at home and quickly replied: “The little girl will have haircut in five… um… six or seven months.”

The queen’s dignified face seemed to have some cracks, and the emperor coughed lightly.

Mr. and Mrs. Cheng, who were kneeling in the back, wished they could stamp their feet and beat their chests. If they had known that their little daughter would face the emperor so soon, they would have to train in court etiquette all night even if they didn’t eat!

The emperor felt that he had to take action in person, so he said kindly: “Today you and Mr. Lou broke off your engagement, are you feeling sad?”

Shao Shang cursed MMP in his heart. Each of these royal couples was more difficult to deal with. How should she answer this question?!If the answer is not sad, then she is too ruthless and cold; if the answer is sad, the sadness is so painful that it seems that the previous emperor’s awards were based on forcing others to do things.

She thought about it for a moment and replied: “Your Majesty, although my family is unwilling to break the promise, we know that this must be done.”

The emperor smiled and asked, “How can I say this?”

Shaoshang took a deep breath and tried not to let his voice tremble: “The little girl once read in a book that ‘Heaven and earth are unkind and treat all things like stupid dogs.’ A few months ago, she saw the tragic situation of the people after the war in Hua County, where her uncle was in charge. The little girl thought, just because the world is ruthless and looks at the world indifferently, we, as human beings, should be benevolent and righteous, and help each other with compassion. Otherwise, we will only care about our own profits. HeHumans cry blood, how are they different from animals?” After saying this elegant line, she felt that she didn’t have enough air in her lungs, so she quickly lowered her head and sat upright, not daring to make any unnecessary moves.

The emperor laughed softly, but the queen did not laugh. There was a bit of surprise in her eyebrows when she looked at the little girl.

Mrs. Xiao closed her eyes and sighed secretly: Stop it.

After the emperor laughed, he actually expressed his satisfaction with these words seriously, and even praised Cheng Shi and Mrs. Xiao for being good at raising their daughters. Cheng Shi accepted it happily, but Mrs. Xiao was too shy to even say it.

After a few words of praise, the emperor asked Xiao Huangmen to take the three Cheng family members to a side compartment to rest temporarily.

The emperor advocates simplicity. Although the palace is tall, the interior decoration is not luxurious. All decorations are simple and dignified. Shao Shang and his parents stayed in this simple and clean side room for a long time without saying a word. Finally, Shao Shang broke the silence with a gossip, “Oh, father, the queen is more beautiful than my mother.”

Mrs. Xiao frowned and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. How can noble people talk at will!”

“But it’s true. My father gave my daughter some pearls from the sea a while ago. The Queen is as dazzling and dazzling as those sea pearls.”

Cheng Shi said angrily: “If you have the ability, I just said that your majesty and the empress might reward you as soon as they are happy. What’s the use of saying it now.”

Shaoshang pouted and said, “Say it to your face and it’s like flattery, I can’t say it…”

Mrs. Xiao endured it for a long time, and finally cursed in a low voice: “You can only say these useless things. You usually tell you to study more, but you have many wrong reasons. Let me tell you, ‘Heaven and earth are unkind, and treat all things as suckers’. It does not mean treating all things as pigs and dogs, indifferent and ruthless, but heaven and earth treat all things the same, and everything develops naturally! Do you know!”

Shao Shang was shocked: “Is this what this sentence means? But… I am also quite right. It is true that the world does not care about the world, so people have to help each other!”

Cheng Shi quickly helped: “What Niao Niao said is not that outrageous. I have heard San Di’s brother’s discussion of the classics in Taixue. It’s in the classics. It depends on how you interpret it. As long as you can justify it, it’s not a bad idea.”

“Father, you are right!” Shaoshang said happily, pulling on his father’s sleeve.

“Oh, Lieutenant Cheng seems to have a lot of knowledge about classics,” Mrs. Xiao said coldly, “I don’t want to make it difficult for you father and daughter to tell each other apart. You two should talk about which ancestor said the phrase ‘Heaven and Earth are unkind’.”

Cheng Shi immediately ate the screw and stammered: “This, this, this…”

“Father, don’t be afraid, I’m here!” Shaoshang patted Father Cheng on the shoulder very confidently, “We might as well take a guess.”

Cheng Shi didn’t want to give his daughter face, so he said: “Stop trying to show off. If you know something, you know it. If you don’t know it, you don’t know it. Just let your mother laugh.”

“Father, this is destroying our family’s prestige!” Shao Shang said with his hands on his hips, “Okay, I’ll say it now. First of all, I have read this sentence. Naturally, my daughter has not read many books, only a few important ones among the hundreds of schools of thought.” Science students also have elective courses in history and culture, okay? Ahem, although she is confused and confused.

“Confucius said benevolence, Mencius said justice, Xunzi believed that human nature is inherently evil, and the “Heaven and Earth are not benevolent” is probably not said by these three elders. The Legalists talk about pros and cons, while the Mohists want to care for both. The former only cares about the benefits of the world, and has no time to explore whether the world is benevolent. The latter thinks that the world is simply too benevolent. Since the world is so benevolent, people have the nerve not to cherish each other. So it is not heThey!In the end, only the Taoist village is left…”

Cheng Shi wanted to laugh when he heard this. Mrs. Xiao looked at her daughter with a subtle smile on her lips.

Shaoshang made the final decision: “I should have said this.”

Mrs. Xiao smiled and said, “Why not Zhuangzi?”

“Because of Taoist books, my daughter has only read Laozi.” Shao Shang said with a smile, “My daughter has never read Zhuangzi at all!”

Apart from a few sentences in martial arts books such as “Inhale the wind and drink the dew”, “What joy is there in life”, “Zhuang Sheng’s dawn dream is obsessed with butterflies” and so on, plus a few sentences about a fish named Kunpeng in the North Ming Dynasty, she has never read Zhuangzi’s book at all.

Cheng Shi stayed there for a long time, then turned to ask his wife: “Is this sister-in-law right? Is she right? Is she right?” The anxious look was exactly the same as Cheng’s mother just now.

Mrs. Xiao glared at her husband and turned sideways to acquiesce.

“You guessed it right?!” Cheng Shi was overjoyed, but he didn’t dare to laugh loudly, and whispered, “I just said that we are smart! Ahem, of course, it is all the credit of Madam! Madam Xie gave birth to such a smart and lovely child for me.” The desire to survive made him change his boasting mode midway.

Mrs. Xiao looked at the proud father and daughter, unable to hold back, and finally chuckled.

…

The emperor and empress, who were standing quietly outside the wooden door of the pavilion, walked away gently, and the eunuchs and palace maidens behind them followed silently.

After walking to another palace room, the emperor laughed out loud: “Let me tell you, Zi Sheng will never fall in love with a good-for-nothing woman. Although this young lady from the Cheng family lacks some education, she is upright, cheerful and cheerful, and she is not bad at all.”

The queen smiled and sighed: “Your Majesty, stop pretending. If she can teach Zi Sheng to look at him differently, that would be great.”

“She was praising the queen’s beauty just now, so just pretend not to care!” the emperor said with a smile.

The Queen endured it, but still laughed: “When will Your Majesty plan to speak? By the way, you summoned Wan Songbai just now. Could it be that you want him to pull strings from it?”

The emperor waved his hand: “It’s not too fast. It seems that Zi Sheng has been spying on his fiancée for a long time. It will take at least more than a month.”

The queen secretly thought: Isn’t this true?

The emperor felt confident and said with relief: “Cheng Qing, you guys should have finished talking and asked someone to call you over. Let’s have a family dinner tonight.”