次日，朝中彈劾暮青的奏折如同雪片一般，她卻稱病不朝，不疼不癢。                                                                                                                                    下了朝后，元修朝服都未換便來了都督府，聽過暮青昨夜讓人查的事后，問：“如此說來，此案很快就會水落石出？”                                                                                                                                    “一件案子，犯案者越多，線索越多，自然不難查。”這些人貪得肆無忌憚，線索多得令人發指，這件案子很容易查，不過是刑曹怕得罪人，一直拖著不查罷了。她擔下來的三件案子，假勒丹神官和湖底沉尸案才棘手些，為了全力查這兩件案子，她決定先將軍中撫恤銀兩案給查清。                                                                                                                                    “這件案子，不出這個月就能查個水落石出！”暮青道。                                                                                                                                    “這個月？”元修素來知道她的本事，但還是驚了驚，眼看就要上元節了，這個月已近中旬，如她說言，豈非不出半個月就能查清？                                                                                                                                    元修知道，暮青不會說大話，她既然這么說了，這案子定有希望在月底告破！他不由長舒一口氣，自從在奉縣得知軍中撫恤銀兩被貪，他日夜難眠，夜里總想起那年隨他孤軍深入大漠，埋在了黑風沙里的將士們，此案一日不查清，他一日愧對西北軍，如今就快對他們有個交代了，他心頭壓著的重石頓覺輕了不少。                                                                                                                                    “可有需要我幫忙之處？”元修問。                                                                                                                                    “留意一下這幾日朝中有誰彈劾過我，上元節過后把名單給我。”昨晚刺月部已查了各府的情形，哪些子弟回府后受了罰，她手中已經有了張名單。但京中子弟甚多，前兩日去玉春樓的只是其中一部分人，一定還有些朝官跟此案有關。                                                                                                                                    “好！”元修應下，想起今日早朝上的彈劾之事，面色沉了些。                                                                                                                                    這時，劉黑子進了花廳，手上端著熱茶。                                                                                                                                    都督府里人雖少，但各有分工，楊氏負責廚房和后院的事，劉黑子負責前院的事，他伺候人比石大海手腳麻利，石大海便領了府門前的差事。                                                                                                                                    這幾日，崔遠日日都去外城的望山樓里，結識了三名寒門子弟，只是相識時日還短，尚未帶回府中。但崔遠回府后總是神采飛揚，看起來與那三人很是志同道合。                                                                                                                                    韓其初會在夜里與崔遠論道辯學，而崔遠的兩個妹妹崔靈和崔秀因年紀尚小，平日就在廚房里幫楊氏做些廚事，有時也做些灑掃之事。                                                                                                                                    如今都督府里除了暮青，人人的日子都算得上清閑。                                                                                                                                    元修在花廳里又品了盞茶，分明已經沒有正事可說，他卻沒有想走的意思。                                                                                                                                    暮青見他磨磨蹭蹭的，便開口問道：“你娘又催婚事了？”                                                                                                                                    他明顯是在磨時間，近來除了婚事，她想不出還有別的事能讓他如此躲著。                                                                                                                                    元修險些被茶嗆著，抬頭時目光有些躲避，暮青一看便知猜對了。只是她還沒說什么，石大海便來了花廳，稟道：“都督，趙將軍來了。”                                                                                                                                    趙良義？                                                                                                                                    “請進來。”暮青道，見石大海走遠了，才看向元修道，“你娘派人來傳話的。”                                                                                                                                    元修一愣，暮青接著道：“我跟趙良義私交不密，他不會有私事找我，來此定是尋你的。如今他住在你府上，不在邊關不聞戰事，能有何事找你？你昨晚走時說是回侯府歇息，我沒記錯的話，你自從回了京就一直在相府住著，何事能讓你躲回侯府？我猜八成是催婚的事。你娘知道你昨夜宿在侯府，今日有事找你定會派人去侯府，你不在，趙良義便來尋你了。”                                                                                                                                    這話說完沒多久，趙良義便來了花廳，見著元修便道：“大將軍，老夫人身邊的小廝來傳話，說是讓您回相府。”                                                                                                                                    元修封了侯，但趙良義等人還是習慣稱他為大將軍。                                                                                                                                    元修瞄了暮青一眼，還真是讓她說中了。                                                                                                                                    暮青低頭喝茶，她只是無聊。撫恤銀兩案朝中拖得久，線索就在眼前，她卻不能即刻出城去審奉縣知縣，昨晚讓步惜歡查的第二件事也需些日子，城外那鄭郎中的家人也沒消息傳來，她悶得都快長毛了，看見趙良義來了，只不過是磨磨嘴皮子而已，說到底就是職業病犯了。                                                                                                                                    “不去！”元修煩悶地回絕，回相府也沒什么事，左不過是又跟他說寧昭病著的事兒。                                                                                                                                    自從上回別院詩會，胡婉從湖里帶出的死人斷手讓寧昭受了驚，娘就整日在他跟前說寧昭病了，讓他在朝中請個御醫到寧國公府上給她瞧瞧。寧國公府要為郡主請御醫，何需他出面？娘的心思他心如明鏡，因一直沒理會，這幾日娘提的次數越發多了些，他昨晚有意躲回了侯府歇息。                                                                                                                                    “你還是回去的好。”暮青道，“這回讓你回去，應該不是催婚，而是為了你昨晚去玉春樓的事。”                                                                                                                                    “大將軍昨晚真逛窯子去了？”趙良義兩眼瞪得如銅鈴，古怪地看向元修，“大將軍在邊關十年，可是一回都沒進過葛州城的窯子，怎么回了盛京，家中要給你議親了，你反倒往窯子里鉆了？”                                                                                                                                    他可是聽說了，老夫人相中的是寧國公府的郡主！莫非大將軍瞧不上？還是……                                                                                                                                    趙良義嘿嘿一笑，有些猥瑣，“末將知道了，莫非大將軍是想去窯子里先學學手藝，回去好伺候未來夫……”                                                                                                                                    “閉上你的嘴！”元修從耳根紅到脖子，瞄了眼暮青，見她淡定喝著茶，眼皮子都沒抬。他知道她常驗尸，對這些話不似閨閣女兒那般聽不得，但他卻坐不下去了，急匆匆起身道，“我還得去趟鎮國公府，老國公是我騎射功夫的啟蒙老師，我回了京中還沒去拜訪過他，正巧你來了，和我一道兒去吧！”                                                                                                                                    說罷，他便帶著趙良義急匆匆的走了。                                                                                                                                    暮青知道元修是去看季延的，季延昨夜染了風寒，老國公沒忍心罰他，只說記著，待他身子好后再打。這話也就是說說，季延自小嬌慣得緊，瞧他在家中受寵的樣子便知是個會哄人的，待他身子好了，老國公八成會被他哄得免了罰。                                                                                                                                    元修走后，花廳里靜了下來，暮青手中的茶沒喝完，繼續低頭品著，腦海中卻一直都是方才所說的催婚的事。                                                                                                                                    想著這事，不由想到大年初一太皇太后下了懿旨要給步惜歡選后，步惜歡說讓她等著看戲，可這都快半個月了，怎么一點兒動靜都沒有？                                                                                                                                    好戲，在哪兒呢？                                                                                                                                    *                                                                                                                                    兩日后，上元節。                                                                                                                                    好戲還真來了。                                                                                                                                    這日城中有花燈會，朝中安排了宮宴，宴請五胡使節。其實，朝中要議和，年節一過議和便是，但那些朝官偏偏要安排五胡使節在盛京閑住這半個月，帶著他們領略盛京的繁華，以揚大興國威。                                                                                                                                    草原民族剽悍，繁華富庶之地不但不會使他們忌憚，反而會令他們生出掠奪之心，議和之時會更加獅子大開口，朝臣此舉不僅自大，而且蠢到家了！                                                                                                                                    但這對元修和暮青等主戰派來說是好事，他們巴不得議和拖得越久越好。                                                                                                                                    暮青這幾日稱病不朝，連宮宴也不必參加，倒樂得在都督府里過節，只等晚上宮宴散了，步惜歡來帶她出城去大寒寺。她過年那日在朝中受封，夜里又去宮宴，沒和府里的人一起過年，上元節要在府里過，楊氏便張羅著出府去買些花燈回來添添喜氣。楊氏殺了李本，李家的人還在京城，暮青不放心她一個人出去，便讓月殺陪著。                                                                                                                                    但楊氏只出去了半個時辰便回來了，手里沒提花燈，臉色古怪。                                                                                                                                    “出了何事？”暮青臉色一沉，莫非是出府后有人找楊氏的晦氣？但瞧著她的臉色又不像。                                                                                                                                    “陛下……陛下他……”                                                                                                                                    “步惜歡怎么了？”暮青見楊氏的手往外指，撂了醫書出了閣樓便往府外而去。                                                                                                                                    到了都督府外，暮青見人都往城門方向去，回頭瞧見劉黑子牽出馬來，上了戰馬便策馬而去。                                                                                                                                    馳去城門，遠遠見一隊華車正緩緩進城。                                                                                                                                    日冷風急，雪未融，華車四面彩帳，四角懸鈴，紅窗里熏香裊裊，隱約可見人影綽綽，公子俊美。                                                                                                                                    車隊兩旁護著御林衛，刀甲森森，長街兩旁圍觀的內城各府小廝家丁均屏息噤聲，人人都知盛京出大事了。                                                                                                                                    暮青在街尾勒馬，遠望城門，怔愣無言。                                                                                                                                    元隆十九年，正月初一，太皇太后懿旨為帝立后選妃。                                                                                                                                    正月十五，帝忽召行宮男妃回朝，寧寵男妃，不立后妃。                                                                                                                                    男妃回朝乃是大事，朝中事先竟半點風聲也沒有得到，帝王欽召回朝的男妃皆是多年前便被打入冷宮的，失寵的男妃們在冷宮里自生自滅多年，無人多顧，深夜自偏門出宮，奉旨急行近半月到了盛京，一路無一名宮人相隨，待到了盛京城外，御林衛奉旨帶著華車出城，將公子們接入車里，浩浩蕩蕩便進了盛京城。                                                                                                                                    這些公子都是當年朝臣們府上送入汴河行宮的人，有不受寵的庶子，有從民間買入府中訓導過的，時隔多年回京，一時無處安置，便安置回了各家朝臣府中。                                                                                                                                    太皇太后剛下了懿旨要為帝選妃立后，帝王便將男妃從行宮召回，此舉可謂當著天下人的面扇了太皇太后一個耳光。                                                                                                                                    男妃進城那一日，太皇太后上元宮宴都沒有出席，聽說是氣病了。朝中文武卻不知是該喜還是該愁，喜的是圣上好男風，男妃們回了京，選妃之事許會擱置，憂的是太皇太后動了怒，不知會如何處置這些男妃，也不知是否會遷怒各府。                                                                                                                                    這晚的上元宮宴氣氛古怪，本想大宴五胡使節，到頭來卻誰都沒了心思。                                                                                                                                    宮宴早早散了，元相國去了太皇太后宮中，今晚又是個不眠夜。                                                                                                                                    而都督府后門，一輛不起眼的馬車停下，過了會兒，上來一人，往城外而去。                                                                                                                                    －－－－－－題外話－－－－－－                                                                                                                                    明天是母親節，這算是我過的第二個母親節，去年懷著小元寶的時候也過了一回。雖然我現在還么有過母親節的感覺，但還是要祝天下母親健康長壽，天下包子平安快樂噠！                                                                                                                                    姑娘們，乃們明天都打算給老娘送神馬禮物？快來說說，好給我點兒靈感。