When the red lotus in the pond was in full bloom, Zhao Pei finally reached the age of marriage.
Wearing a gorgeous red skirt with white flowers embroidered with a four-sided ruyi pattern, she knelt down in front of her parents. Her face was lightly painted with red makeup, and her flawless face was beautiful and charming, which was very lovable. At this moment, Zhao Pei no longer had the usual playful mood, and bowed three times in a proper manner. She knew that from today on, she was no longer a girl, but a young lady.
Madam Xu looked at the girl in front of her with loving heart, nodding her head. She took the jade hairpin that had been placed on the table in her hand, gently wrapped her soft hair around it, and inserted the hairpin firmly. Madam Xu smiled softly, "Good Pei'er, you have grown up. This hairpin originally belonged to my sister, and now I leave it to you."
When Zhao Pei heard this, she reached out to touch it. The hairpin was cold and smooth, but it burned her hand.
"Take good care of it in the future and don't break it because of your mischief." Mrs. Xu advised, rubbing her head lovingly.
"Yeah!" Zhao Pei nodded heavily and smiled, but her eyes were full of tears.
Seeing her like this, Xu Kun felt a dull pain in his heart. He stood up and walked to her: "Alright, alright. Pay your respects and then get up."
Zhao Pei stood up and looked at him with a smile, and stretched out her jade-like hand: "Daddy."
Xu Kun pretended to be very reluctant, but still put the thing he had held in his hand for a long time into her palm: "Keep it well. When you meet someone you like, give it to him."
Zhao Pei looked at it and found it was a jade pendant, warm and graceful, with faint water cloud patterns carved on it. His words moved her heart, and she decided to give it to someone she liked...
Mrs. Xu also smiled and said, "Yes, yes, Pei'er is old enough to get married."
Zhao Pei blushed, tightened her grip on the warm jade, and her mind was in a state of confusion. Give it to the person you like...
She originally thought that she would be free after she reached the age of 15, but it seems that she had miscalculated. After she reached the age of 15, her father became even more strict. He used to turn a blind eye to her, but now he keeps a close eye on her every day. He even took away all her men's clothes, and gave Qingqing and Ruhua, who had always been helping her, a good lesson. Zhao Pei had no choice but to study the Four Books and Five Classics with Zhao Li every day, which was really boring.
Fortunately, Zhao Jie knew that she was a person who could not sit still, and if he had time, he would search for some interesting things for her. The colorful glass cup of Xianbei, the bird that could understand music, and the rare book. Zhao Pei knew that some things were not something Zhao Jie could find, and although he never said where he got them from, she had a rough idea in her heart.
Zhao Jie came back today and gave her a package.
"What is it?" Zhao Pei asked as she opened it, "A big bag."
Zhao Jie sat down in front of her desk: "This is the coming-of-age gift given to you by your highnesses."
Zhao Pei's eyes sparkled, and she smiled: "It's rare that they still remember me." She looked at the piece of paper in her hand, which had objects and names written on it, like a list. The flamboyant handwriting was from Xiao Lun, and Zhao Pei understood that it was him who was interfering with their gift giving.
She flipped through the pages and saw a white jade ring with a note saying it was given by the Third Prince Xiao Gang. The Eighth Prince Xiao Ji gave two hairpins of the same style. Zhao Pei pouted. Wasn't it obvious that one was for Zhao Li? Did they think I was a bridge
Seeing two scrolls, she opened one of them and was stunned. It was the "Red Lotus Picture" that Xiao Yi had snatched away last time. Zhao Pei shook her head helplessly. He finally gave it to her. It was just that Xiao Lun did not open the gift before giving it to her, otherwise he would not have given it to her.
The other painting was given by Xiao Lun. Zhao Pei was stunned for a long time after slowly unfolding it. The painting was a sea of gorgeous flowers, and in the sea of flowers stood a graceful woman in red, with bright eyes and a faint smile, and her charm was vividly displayed on the paper. The eyebrows and the expression were clearly hers. There was some kind of indescribable emotion in the gestures. Zhao Pei wondered blankly, was he looking at her at that time
Zhao Jie saw that she hadn't spoken for a long time, and with a look of surprise, he came forward to look at it. Zhao Pei blushed and put the painting away so that he wouldn't see it. She picked up a book beside her and read it. It was a half-worn sheet music that seemed to be quite old. A closer look revealed that it was a rare copy from the Western Han Dynasty. She felt a surge of joy in her heart, and she slowly held it up to her chest. It wasn't because it was so precious, but because it was a gift from him.
Zhao Jie looked at her with a complicated expression and asked slowly, "Pepe, I want to ask you something. Tell me honestly."
Zhao Pei saw that he looked serious. She carefully put down the music and looked at him.
"Do you have a lover?" Zhao Jie stared at her and asked word by word.
Zhao Pei blushed, nodded, then immediately shook her head to deny it. Zhao Jie continued to ask, "But... Sixth Prince?"
When she heard this, she was shocked and replied with wide eyes: "How is that possible? Sixth brother and I are just playing together."
Zhao Jie pondered: "Could it be... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
Zhao Pei was speechless, neither admitting nor denying. He stared at her for a long time and asked, "Do you know what the Crown Prince thinks?" Zhao Pei shook her head, "I don't know."
He shook his head gently, seeming to be in some distress: "Pepe, you have to control your heart. There are some things... your brother can't protect you."
"Brother, what do you mean?" Zhao Pei saw that he was hesitant to speak, and felt a little confused and uneasy. Zhao Jie smiled faintly: "Brother is just talking casually, don't take it seriously. Don't you have piano lessons later? Go and get ready. I'll leave first." After saying that, he stood up and left.
Zhao Pei thought about it for a long time, but still didn't understand. Could it be that her brother didn't want her to like the prince? Or did he know that the prince wouldn't like her? Thinking of this, she felt flustered. It seemed that she had to find out the truth. Daddy said that if there was someone he liked, he should give the jade pendant to him. Give him...
Give him... Don't give him... Give him... Don't give him... Give him...
When the last petal fell, it was for him. Zhao Pei bit her lower lip and thought for a long time, then lowered her eyes and smiled foolishly. Just as she was thinking, a sharp female voice came from above her head: "Second Miss! What are you doing?"
Zhao Pei looked up and saw Xu Niang's angry face.
Xu Niang stared at the petals scattered around her with anger, her lips trembling with anger: "Second Miss, where are your flower arrangements? You took them all out? You should know that flower arrangement is also a compulsory subject for women. It is related to how your husband's family views your aesthetic taste..."
Xu Niang began to lecture her, Zhao Pei frowned impatiently, and when she saw Zhao Li carefully cutting the branches with silver scissors, she shook her head helplessly. Zhao Li noticed her gaze, smiled at her faintly, and buried his head in his work again.
Zhao Pei held her chin and looked at Xu Niang, whose saliva was flying, and said, "Xu Niang, I know all this. Besides, who would want to make trouble when talking about the husband's family? Xu Niang, Xu Niang, I have something urgent to do now, and I must go out for a while, please forgive me."
Xu Niang paused and said, "Second Miss, if you can tell me all the essentials of flower arrangement, then Xu Niang will not force you anymore."
Zhao Pei heaved a sigh of relief when she heard that. She stood up with a slight smile and said slowly with her hands behind her back, "Among the grades of flowers, the best peonies are Huanglouzi, Green Butterfly, Scarlet, and Wuqingni; the best peonies are Guanqunfang and Baozhuangcheng; the best pomegranate flowers are deep red and double-layered; the best lotus flowers are green and brocade-edged; and the best plum flowers are double-leafed and green calyx. Among the flower utensils, bronze or porcelain are the best. Because they have been buried in the ground for a long time and are deeply influenced by the earth, the flowers used to grow them will be as bright as branches, and they will bloom quickly and wither slowly." Zhao Pei saw Xu Niang's brows slightly relaxed and continued, "Flower arrangement should not be too complicated or too sparse. There should be no more than three or two styles. Avoid two pairs, uniform, rows, rope bundles, discontinuous..." Zhao Pei spoke without stopping.
Xu Niang interrupted, "Okay, okay. That's enough. Second Miss, if you want to leave, just leave. I just hope your deft hands are as good as your back." Zhao Pei bowed and left the table with a smile. Before leaving, she met Zhao Li's eyes and they smiled at each other.
Xu Niang, you guessed wrong. Zhao Pei's hands have always been inconsistent in what they say and what they do. They are very clumsy. (To be continued)