It was past noon. A scream was heard from the Pearl and Jade Garden, followed by a clang as something fell to the ground, the sound of the scream lingering.
The laughter was like a silver bell. Ruhua looked at the black ink stains and shouted angrily and helplessly, "Miss!" The girl in light red standing aside, looking at the "black man" in front of her, laughing so hard that she couldn't even straighten her waist, put her hands on her waist and said proudly, "Haha, Ruhua, you still can't escape."
The maidservant named Ruhua felt very aggrieved. The young lady was active by nature and always liked to play some pranks to tease them. A few days ago, she was lucky enough to escape a basin of ink that fell from the sky, but now, the young lady always used ink to tease her. When she opened the door today, it was already pitch black in front of her. "Miss, Ruhua has admitted defeat. Can you be magnanimous and spare Ruhua?"
Xu Zhaopei pretended to be embarrassed, then looked at the "black man" dripping with ink, and showed her white teeth: "Okay, okay. Ruhua, go change your clothes quickly. Haha."
"But, but..." Ruhua pursed her lips and raised the blackened scroll in her hand, "This is, this is what the master wanted. How can Ruhua report to him now that it has become like this?" It's all over now. The thing the master wanted was ruined in her hands. Not to mention that she would lose this month's salary, even her life would be in danger.
"What is that?" Zhao Pei frowned, took the black scroll in her hand, unfolded it, and saw that it was all black and she couldn't tell clearly what it was.
"It was written by Mr. Lu. This is terrible, Miss. We are in big trouble." Ruhua wanted to cry but had no tears, not caring how moved the black face was. Zhaopei was also distressed, holding the hem of her red gauze skirt and pacing back and forth: "If it was a painting, it would be fine. I dare not do this calligraphy. Really, Ruhua, you didn't even tell me."
Ruhua was really at a loss for words, but she saw a person flash past the window, and suddenly she had an idea and shouted, "Young Master!"
Zhao Pei heard this and almost flew out of the door at the same time and hung on the man: "Brother! You came just in time!" The man in blue who was tightly hugged by her was stunned. Looking at the pretty girl hanging on him, he shook his head helplessly and said: "What trouble have you caused again?"
Zhao Pei pulled him into the house without saying a word. The man couldn't help laughing when he saw the "black man" standing in the house: "What's going on?" Ruhua blushed and lowered her head when she saw him. Fortunately, her face was black and others couldn't notice it. Thinking of her black face, she felt even more embarrassed. This young master Xu Zhaojie was not ordinary in her heart. He was only seventeen years old, but he had already obtained an official position in the court. He was gentle, elegant, literary, and graceful. I don't know how many girls talked about him in their boudoirs.
Xu Zhaopei was in no mood to tease her at the moment, so she pulled Xu Zhaojie to sit down and said, "Take a look. Can this calligraphy be salvaged?"
Xu Zhaojie looked at the unrecognizable scroll carefully, his eyes twitched, and he looked at Zhao Pei: "Pepe, what is this?"
"This is the 'Goddess of the Luo River' written by Mr. Lu that the master asked for." Ruhua replied quickly.
Xu Zhaojie smiled and shook his head, looking at the worried-looking girl in front of him with a slightly raised brow: "Pepe, good work."
"Oh, brother, you still have the mood to tease me. Hurry up and think of a solution." Xu Zhaopei said angrily. "It seems there is no way to remedy it. You should help me imitate another one."
Xu Zhaojie chuckled and said, "What if I don't help? The mess from the past few days has already made me so anxious. I'm afraid of you." Ever since she wore men's clothes and drank
She was drunk and was sent back to the mansion by the Sixth and Seventh Princes. There were many things going on in and out of the mansion. If he hadn't blocked it, would she still be living a carefree life now
Zhao Pei blushed when she thought of the embarrassing incident that day, and then she started to act like a spoiled child: "Good brother, please help me, please help me. I can't offend my father today no matter what. I was hoping to go out to the Lantern Festival today."
"Okay, okay. I'm your troublemaker brother. OK, I'll write it right away. I'll send it to dad when the ink dries." Xu Zhaojie shook his head helplessly and looked at her dotingly, "Don't cause any trouble for me when you go out today."
"I know!" Xu Zhaopei smiled flatteringly, "I know that elder brother loves me the most. Then you just write well. Ruhua, you serve me." She looked at Ruhua's dark face, and her mood became sunny again. She hummed a little tune all the way as she walked towards the ear room.
"Second sister!" I suddenly met a girl in pink on the road. She was about eleven or twelve years old, but very cute. "Second sister, the teacher is looking for you. He couldn't find you in the piano lesson today." She said, frowning slightly, "The teacher is very angry."
"It's okay!" Zhao Pei smiled lightly, not caring at all. Then, as if she remembered something, she leaned over and said, "Zhao Li, today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and there is a lantern festival. How about going with your second sister?"
Zhao Li shook her head and said, "I won't go. I have etiquette lessons in the evening." As soon as she said that, Zhao Pei's eyes became extremely sympathetic. She seemed to want to say something to tease her, but suddenly she heard Qingqing's voice from the other end of the corridor: "Second Miss! The master wants you to go to the study."
Zhao Pei knew that her good days were over, so she waved to Zhao Li and followed Qing Qing in frustration. After passing Chun Garden, they stopped at the door of the study. Zhao Pei said quickly, "Sister Qing Qing, please come in with me."
Qingqing smiled helplessly: "Miss, you should go in by yourself." Zhao Pei shrugged as if she was going to the execution ground: "Wish me good luck." After saying that, she took a deep breath and opened the door. She saw Xu Kun sitting at the desk.
Zhao Pei swallowed calmly, a smile on her face, and called sweetly, "Dad, you called me?"
Xu Kun is already forty-three years old, but his heroic spirit remains unchanged. It seems that one can still see through his eyes the heroic figure of the past when he was galloping on the battlefield. Zhao Pei is not afraid of anything except his eyes that can penetrate people's hearts. "What have you done these days?" He smiled faintly, looking at this child who worries him the most but loves the most.
"Well, I didn't do anything special." Zhao Pei pretended to be thoughtful.
"Hmph." He snorted, "Don't think that you can get away with dressing up as a man and going to the poetry conference just because your brother is blocking you. I'm still going to confine you."
"Ah?" Zhao Pei stared at him with wide eyes, looking serious, as if she didn't believe him. The next moment, she rushed over and howled, "Daddy, how can this be?! You know I have been looking forward to this Lantern Festival for more than a day or two!"
"Pei'er seemed to have said the same thing at the last temple fair, flower fair, kite fair, and poetry conference. It seems that Pei'er has a lot of things to look forward to." Xu Kun looked at her with amusement.
Xu Zhaopei frowned, as if she wanted to say something, but Xu Kun said firmly: "Today, no matter how much you think in your heart, you are not allowed to go. Stay in the room obediently. Your mother passed away early because I was too indulgent and doted on you, and you behaved recklessly. But you will be an adult next year, and you have to learn those rules and needlework well..." Zhaopei stood at the bottom and sighed infinitely sadly, knowing that this lecture would not be over until the Lantern Festival was over.
I sighed in my heart, but dared not say a word. This is probably the most unfair thing.
Just as Zhao Pei heard Ban Jieyu's story, the door was miraculously pushed open with a creak. Qing Qing glanced at Zhao Pei, who was worried, smiled slightly, and bowed to Xu Kun, saying, "Master, there are guests in the mansion."
"Oh?" He looked at the sky, which had turned purple. "Who would come at this time?"
"My Lord, it seems to be the Sixth and Seventh Princes." After Qingqing finished speaking, not only Xu Kun, but also Zhao Pei looked surprised. "What are they doing here?"
Qingqing glanced at Zhao Pei at the side and replied softly, "The Sixth Prince and the Seventh Prince came to invite Miss, and the Miss and the Young Master will go to the Lantern Festival together."
When Zhao Pei heard this, her eyes lit up: "Really?"
Before Qingqing could answer, she smiled at Xu Kunjiao and said, "Dad, it's hard to refuse His Highness's honor, right?"
Xu Kun remained silent, looking at Qingqing and Zhaopei for a long time before he said, "Go, go. Don't mess around!"
"Hey!" Zhao Pei smiled sweetly, knelt casually and saluted, then ran away. Xu Kun looked at the door that was still swinging back and forth and shook his head faintly.
"Haha, Sister Qingqing." Zhao Pei danced while shaking Qingqing's hand left and right, "I knew Sister Qingqing was the best person to help me out of this sea of suffering. Haha, that's great, let's pack up and go together. But, Sister Qingqing, why did you mention those two people? Those of lower status are easier to deal with, but this..." Zhao Pei had already started thinking about the aftermath.
Qingqing looked at her strangely: "But Miss, Qingqing is not lying. It is indeed the Sixth Prince and the Seventh Prince. They are in the front hall with the young master, waiting for you."
"Ah?" Zhao Pei's eyes widened, looking at Qingqing in disbelief, "No, no?" How could they be here? It was really... strange.
She trotted to the door of the front hall and saw three tall men standing opposite each other in the front hall, seemingly discussing something. She stood in the distance and looked at them silently. The man in black robe with cold eyebrows and a straight nose had dark eyes that reflected the light from the bottom of the abyss. He just smiled nonchalantly and said a few words from time to time.
The man in a beige gown on the side was talking excitedly, his eyebrows full of young success, and his eyes sparkling with stars. Zhao Pei looked at the young man and nodded secretly. This is good, unlike the cold black-clothed man next to him. Do you think you look good in this outfit
Opposite the man in the beige gown stood her beloved elder brother. He was still wearing the green gown as before, listening to the man's words with a smile, adding a few words from time to time. His elegance made the man next to him look rude. Zhao Pei looked at her gentle elder brother and smiled to herself: After all, my elder brother is the most likable.
Xu Zhaojie glanced at the girl standing by the door. He smiled and said, "Pepei, why didn't you say anything when you came?" As soon as he said that, the three people's eyes were on her. Zhaopei accepted their gazes calmly. He walked over with a smile and said, "I see you guys are chatting so enthusiastically, how can I bother you?"
Xiao Lun smiled when he heard this: "I'm still waiting for you. Let's go. If you're any later, you won't be able to see the good stuff."
Zhao Pei smiled and said, "You came just in time. I was being lectured by my father. If you had come a step later, I would have died in there." Xiao Lun laughed out loud when he heard this, and Xiao Yi behind him also smiled faintly.
"Ajie, your sister is really interesting." Xiao Lun shook his head. Xu Zhaojie looked at Zhao Pei lovingly: "She has no rules. She didn't even greet the princes. What nonsense are you talking about?"
Zhao Pei pouted, but Xiao Lun interrupted, "Well, Xu Zhao Pei, go change your clothes first. We are leaving soon."
"Hmm?" She looked at her light red dress, which was light and flowing. Then she touched her hair, which was as smooth as a waterfall and fell on her body. There seemed to be nothing wrong with it. After all, she was still a little worried under their gaze, so she turned around and looked back and forth. Her braids were flowing and gorgeous. "Is this not okay?"
Xiao Lun looked at her in a daze, then smiled and said, "It's up to you."
Zhao Pei smiled heartily and hooked Xu Zhaojie's arm: "Let's go. Let's go." She left the two thoughtful men behind.
The lights are on and the trees are full of fireworks.
The bustling streets were filled with laughter, and groups of gorgeously dressed young men and women were chatting and laughing happily, with a faint fragrance filling the streets. As Zhao Pei walked along the way, she saw many people wearing masks of various styles, and she couldn't help but ask curiously: "Brother, why do they wear masks? I've never heard of such a rule before?"
Xiao Lun laughed and said, "You are ignorant. When a man and a woman put on masks, no one can see who is who. Just let the matchmaker lead them together and it will be done." He even clapped his hands to scare her. Zhao Pei heard him say that and rolled her eyes around. She couldn't help laughing, "Those two people were talking so enthusiastically. If they took off their masks and looked at the scary look, wouldn't they sigh for a while?"
They laughed when they heard this. Xiao Lun said, "Then we can only lament our bad luck. How about we each find a mask to wear?" As he said this, he stopped in front of the mask shop, picked up a "fire god" and put it on. It was black with red paint, and on the forehead was a flame like a phoenix totem. The mask blocked his handsome face, and only his sparkling black eyes could be seen.
Xiao Lun seemed very proud of himself. He picked and chose for a while and found two similar ones and handed them to Xiao Yi and Zhao Jie. He looked at Zhao Pei and picked and chose for a while and found a "Heavenly Girl" and handed it to her. He threw a silver ingot to the shop assistant and left.
Zhao Pei watched her brother put it on with great interest. Only Xiao Yi stared at the mask in his hand like herself, with a look of deep hatred. She smiled brightly: "If you want to cover up your shame, wear it. I think I am so beautiful that I can make fish sink to the bottom of the water, geese fall to the ground, flowers shame the moon, and there is no need to wear this ugly thing."
Zhao Jie frowned slightly and was about to reprimand her, but was stopped by Xiao Lun. He lifted up the mask and looked her up and down: "You are quite arrogant. You, Xu Zhaopei, are not like ordinary women. If you don't want to wear it, then don't wear it. I want to use it to find a good marriage today."
Zhao Pei let him go, turned her head to look at Xiao Yi, who was also holding a mask and had no intention of putting it on. She smiled and wanted to say something to him, but every time she saw his indifferent eyes, those irreverent words stopped at her lips. Her intuition told her that this man was not easy to mess with, so she shouldn't make trouble for herself.
After the four of them walked for a while, Xiao Lun lifted up his mask and said, "By the way, we're all familiar with each other. We can't just keep calling her by her name. What should I call you? Ajie, do you always call her Peipei? Then we'll follow suit."
"Of course I'll follow Your Highness." Zhao Jie smiled.
"No way!" Zhao Pei quickly shook her head, "Only my brother can call me that. You can just call me by my name."
"Oh. How strange is that?" Xiao Lun raised his eyebrows and looked at her in annoyance. Zhao Pei thought for a moment and said with a smile: "How about this, you call me brother Ajie, and I will call you Alun, Ayi?"
When Xiao Lun heard this, he was stunned. No one had ever dared to call him like this. But these two words uttered from those red lips firmly grasped his indifferent heart. Xiao Yi's eyes were filled with a bit of amusement, and he looked at the ignorant girl indifferently.
Zhao Jie felt that the atmosphere was a little off, and was thinking about how to smooth things over. But he heard Xiao Lun say with a smile, "Whatever you want. Ah-pei!" He dragged out the sound, which sounded more like "Ah-pei!" Except for the angry Zhao Pei, the other three laughed.
"No, no!" Zhao Pei frowned tightly. "Willn't I be scolded by you guys every day? I don't agree. Let Peipei go. He's my brother in terms of age, so I'll just turn a blind eye." She looked like she was at a disadvantage.
Xiao Lun couldn't help laughing and said, "Thank you, Peipei. You can just call me by my given name. My name is Liu Zhen, and my seventh brother is Qi Fu."
"Six True? Seven Talismans?" Zhao Pei repeated it, and seeing his brother's disapproving look, he smiled and said, "How can that be? Since you call me the same as me, how about I call you Sixth Brother and Seventh Brother?"
Xiao Lun's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "Okay. What do you think, Seventh Brother?" He turned his head to seek the black-robed man's opinion, but saw that the man's eyes flickered and he looked at Zhao Pei with a smile on his face. "Of course." Xiao Yi smiled slightly, and no one except Xiao Lun knew what it meant.
Seeing this, Xiao Lun said nothing more and changed the subject: "Okay, okay. We have to hurry up, the fireworks will start soon. At our speed, we may not be able to make it to Yuan Bridge." Zhao Pei seemed to remember the highlight of this trip after he reminded her, and pulled Zhao Jie through the crowded crowd. Every year during the Lantern Festival, fireworks are set off on Yuan Bridge, lighting up the night, so gorgeous.
Zhao Pei squeezed in whenever she could, fearing that she would miss the show. When she was almost at Yuan Bridge, she finally squeezed out of the crowd and stopped at an open space. Breathing the fresh air, Zhao Pei smiled comfortably and turned to look at Zhao Jie: "Brother, the fireworks are good..." Her smile froze in the middle of her words. In front of her was an endless stream of people, and she could not see the three figures.
She was petite and agile, and she could get into any gap she saw. There was no way the three of them could catch up with her. And she was so excited that she didn't hear their calls. Now, she was in trouble.
Zhao Pei was anxious and looked around, but she couldn't see those familiar figures. What should she do? Just as she was anxious, she saw Xiao Lun wearing a Vulcan mask by the bridge. He was tall and slender, with fluttering clothes. She felt relieved and kept saying to herself: He runs faster than me. She squeezed through the crowd and rushed forward.
She quietly approached him from the side, then quickly lifted his mask and said with a smile: "Ha! I found you!" Her eyes were as bright as silk, but she was stunned the next moment. What kind of face was under the mask? His eyebrows were elegant and handsome, and simple lines outlined his almost perfect outline. He was naturally elegant, like clouds, moon, wind, and willows. Those eyes seemed to absorb all the brilliance and pour in the moonlight of a lifetime, making the sun, moon, stars, heaven and earth, and all things dim. There was no sound around her, as if everything had stopped working, including her body and mind. She just stared blankly and greedily at his eyes with a bit of doubt and scrutiny, and she didn't even know how to breathe!
Behind him, brilliant fireworks suddenly rose up and exploded with a bang. The star-like light slowly slid down the night sky and disappeared into the night. One more explosion after another. His snow-white clothes were dyed with brilliant colors. Zhao Pei's mind was blank. She just looked at his face with love. Her heart was just like the colorful lights blooming in the sky.
"Girl... did you... recognize the wrong person?" He seemed to be unable to bear her fiery gaze and smiled faintly, but the world was moved.
Zhao Pei was speechless, her mind circling with Xiao Lun's words: "If the matchmaker leads, it will be done." It's done, it's done, it's done...
Thinking about it now, she no longer wants to miss the stunning glimpse of fate bridge. At that time, she didn't know that the matchmaker tied a knot of death. No matter how hard she struggled in this life, she couldn't get it free, which only added to her endless pain. (To be continued)