At night, palace lanterns were hung beside the red gates in the palace, and the pavilions and towers in the night were also stained with a layer of hazy light, becoming a little gentle, unlike the darkness in the daytime.
Zhao Pei and her third sister Zhao Li followed their brother and father slowly walking on the official road. She looked around at the magnificent buildings, these golden symbols of power and glory, but she felt inexplicably depressed in her heart.
The banquet was held in the Qingyin Garden in the palace. The name of this garden was taken from the line "Mountains and rivers have clear sounds" in Zuo Si's "Inviting Recluses". Why didn't I quote this line? Of course, it came from one of the many stories about the current crown prince. Thinking of the current crown prince Xiao Tong, Zhao Pei couldn't help but feel excited. She had heard too many legends about this Xiao Tong. She knew that he was talented when he was young, and he was well versed in etiquette and had a pure and kind temperament. He was extremely intelligent. He learned "The Book of Filial Piety" and "The Analects of Confucius" at the age of three, and read the Five Classics at the age of five, and could recite them all. I really want to meet this legendary figure and discuss with him...
Seeing her absorbed in her thoughts, Xu Kun was still a little worried. He stopped at the gate of the garden and taught her again: "Remember, don't cause trouble for me. Don't talk too much unless someone asks you to, understand? And..."
Zhao Pei stopped daydreaming and said with a frown, "Dad, you've said it a hundred or eighty times along the way. Pei'er will never make trouble for you. Pei'er knows what to do in these situations. Don't I have my elder brother and third sister by my side to guide me? Just relax!"
Xu Kun looked at the two children beside her, nodded with satisfaction, and finally felt relieved. Zhao Pei smiled, held Zhao Li's hand and blinked. Let me listen to you, do you believe it
Zhao Li also blinked his eyes. No one would believe it.
After entering the courtyard, I realized how lively the banquet was. All the civil and military officials brought their families with them, chatting in groups, and it was so harmonious. Zhao Pei and his companions found their seats and sat down. Looking around, they saw many young people of similar age or slightly older looking at them with admiration, and many of them even bowed to Daddy and Brother and started chatting. Zhao Pei frowned beautifully, and said, "Daddy, why did you change your nature and bring me here? It turns out that this is a grand blind date."
She felt a little tight in her chest, looked at Zhao Li who didn't know what was going on, smiled slightly, and whispered something. Zhao Li's ears suddenly turned red, and she didn't know whether to sit or not.
Zhao Pei looked up and saw a man in a yellow robe sitting on a high seat in the distance. She couldn't see his face clearly and could only guess. There seemed to be many people sitting around him. Zhao Pei thought they must be royal relatives. Xiao Lun and Xiao Yi must be among them. However, she couldn't go, so you two should forgive me for not praying for you.
Dad was chatting with those people enthusiastically, Zhao Pei was bored watching from here, she turned around and looked at Zhao Li who was buried in the fruit and food, and couldn't see her expression clearly. Zhao Pei smiled, took her hand and whispered in her ear: "Li Er, I see there is a small building for the women to rest, how about we go there and sit for a while?"
Zhao Li nodded quickly, lowered her head and followed Zhao Pei in getting up.
Zhao Jie glanced at the two empty seats, frowned, and continued chatting with his friends.
Zhao Pei and Zhao Li arrived at Jingshui Tower. Zhao Pei suddenly stopped and looked up at the night sky. Zhao Li called out, "Second sister?" But she didn't respond, so she followed her gaze and saw a white sky lantern rising slowly in the dark night, swaying as if it wanted to play with the stars.
"How strange. How could there be a sky lantern?" Zhao Li asked.
Zhao Pei stared blankly for a long time, then raised a smile: "It's really strange that there are these things in this palace. Li'er, let's go and see who is so interesting." As he said that, he wanted to pull her.
"Second sister!" Zhao Li called her in a low voice, "I won't go. I, I will wait for you in Jingshui Tower." Zhao Pei shrugged helplessly when she heard that, walked through the path and out of the yard, heading towards the direction of the lantern.
Zhao Li watched her disappear into the hustle and bustle, and a sense of worry arose in her heart.
After leaving the yard, there was a quiet atmosphere. She looked up again, and the faint light was hidden among the stars and could no longer be seen clearly. The wind gently caressed her cheeks and played with her hair. The trees on the side of the path rustled with the breeze, like a natural music. Zhao Pei smiled faintly, and unconsciously a line of poetry flowed out of her lips: "It is not necessary to have silk and bamboo, the mountains and rivers have clear sounds..."
"When will I be able to whistle and sing? The bushes are singing sadly. The autumn chrysanthemums are used as food, and the orchids are used as heavy clothes. I am so tired of hesitating that I just want to throw away my hairpin." A clear and mellow voice sounded behind him, and he continued to chant the verses he had not finished, with a hint of melancholy.
Zhao Pei was startled, and slowly turned to look at him, and suddenly her breath was choked. The man in the moon-white robe turned out to be the one she had caught a glimpse of at Yuan Bridge that day. He also saw her face clearly at this moment, and was slightly startled, and then smiled faintly.
As if in a dream, Zhao Pei stared at him blankly, afraid that he would be gone in the blink of an eye.
"Ha, I was wondering which young lady would come here to recite poetry for no reason. It seems that you are the only one with such 'leisure and leisure', Peipei." Zhao Pei then noticed Xiao Lun beside him. Xiao Lun raised his eyebrows and looked her up and down with interest.
Zhao Pei came back to her senses and asked softly, "You, you... why are you here?"
"What about you?" Xiao Lun asked instead of answering, and turned to look at the man in the moon-white shirt: "Brother, she is the Xu Zhaopei I told you about."
Big brother, big brother… Big brother! So he must be the one! Zhao Pei stared at him with wide eyes. His identity was about to come out, but it seemed to be stuck in her throat, unable to speak or swallow.
Xiao Tong smiled lightly: "So you are Xu Zhaopei. I think we have met before." His eyes were gentle, like a gentle breeze. She bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes: "Prince, you are joking. Zhaopei is not so lucky." She spoke very gently, like a lady from a noble family, which made Xiao Lun, who was standing beside her, feel uncomfortable.
Xiao Tong still smiled gently as if in the spring breeze: "Then I was rude."
Zhao Pei seemed to want to say something, but was interrupted by Xiao Lun: "Okay, okay. I'm not used to you guys being like this. Let me ask you, why are you here? Why don't you stay at the banquet and come here?" What about you guys? Zhao Pei stared at him, and because Xiao Tong didn't say anything, she replied while criticizing him in her heart: "I... saw someone releasing a sky lantern, so I ran to see who it was, and I ran into you guys on the way." The implication was, you're blocking my way!
After hearing this, Xiao Lun laughed and said, "Brother, what did I say? I was sure that we could call someone over. I didn't expect it to be this little girl." Zhao Pei was shocked and annoyed. She was shocked that they were the ones who released the sky lanterns, and she was annoyed that Xiao Lun actually called her a "little girl."
"Who is the girl? I'm about to reach the age of marriage, okay?" Zhao Pei glared at him, completely forgetting about Xiao Tong.
Xiao Lun seemed to be deliberately teasing her, and he crossed his arms and smiled, "I know, I know. But you are so anxious to admit to me that you are about to reach the age of marriage, are you in a hurry to marry me?"
"Hmm?" How could this frivolous look be like that of a prince? Zhao Pei glanced at Xiao Tong, who was watching them go back and forth with a smile, and her face turned red.
Xiao Lun was surprised to see her blushing. He saw her eyes intentionally or unintentionally looking at the man beside her, and then he understood and a smile appeared on his lips.
"Pei'er?" Someone suddenly called her. Zhao Pei turned around and saw Zhao Jie walking under the moon. Why is it so lively here? Zhao Pei smiled and walked forward to hold his arm: "Brother, are you here to enjoy the night view too?"
Zhao Jie first politely saluted Xiao Tong and Xiao Lun, then looked at her and shook his head: "I came to find you, leaving Zhao Li alone in Jingshui Tower, and sneaking out by yourself for what?" He looked at Zhao Pei standing with the two people, and his eyelids twitched a little. Zhao Pei was hesitating about how to make an excuse to leave, and now it was a coincidence. Just as she was about to say goodbye, she heard Xiao Lun say: "Since Ajie is here, how about playing drinking games together?"
"It's fine if His Highness says so." Zhao Jie smiled helplessly. It seemed that Xiao Lun wanted to keep them, not her. Zhao Pei was immediately interested in playing drinking games. Zhao Jie looked at her with a complicated expression, feeling a little uneasy.
The group returned to Qingyin Courtyard and walked through the bustling banquet hall to Yaohua Tower. Yaohua Tower was the resting place of the royal family, and its name was taken from the emperor's "Something to Think About".
"Who says that separation lasts long? I say farewell to you with pleasure. The fragrance on your clothes is still there. The book in my hand is still written. I have two silk belts around my waist. They are knots of love in my dreams. I am always afraid that my thoughts will be revealed. I cannot bear to break the jade flower." Zhao Pei read it out slowly and subconsciously, but the meaning was not very clear, and her mouth was full of bitterness when she read it.
After entering a private room, Zhao Pei discovered that there were not only four of them in the room, but also Xiao Yi and a man in gray whom she had never seen before, who seemed to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old and was very handsome.
Xiao Lun greeted with a smile: "Third brother, seventh brother." Zhao Pei suddenly realized and greeted with her brother: "Third prince, seventh prince."
After everyone greeted each other, they took their seats. According to age and status, Xiao Tong sat in the first seat, and on the right were the third prince Xiao Gang, the sixth prince Xiao Lun, and on the left were the seventh prince Xiao Yi, Zhao Pei and Zhao Jie. Xiao Lun looked at the empty seat on the right and asked, "Why isn't my eighth brother here?"
Xiao Gang smiled faintly: "There are beautiful women to accompany you under the flowers and moon. How can Eighth Brother be willing to waste time with us?"
Xiao Lun pretended to be angry after hearing this: "This kid has grown too powerful. He didn't even invite me to such a good thing. After all, I am his master."
Although Zhao Pei seemed to be fearless, she felt somewhat restrained sitting at the same table with so many princes. Xiao Tong seemed to have noticed something and said with a smile, "We are all family, there is no need to be restrained. Sixth brother, don't you want to play a drinking game? You decide the rules."
Zhao Pei muttered to herself, what do you mean by family? I don't know any of you. But she still smiled, which was really tiring.
"How about this, everyone recite a line of poetry before the battle?" Xiao Gang suddenly said. I hadn't noticed before, but his face was very elegant, gentle as jade, and bright as jade. His literary temperament was not inferior to Xiao Tong.
"Okay." Xiao Tong said with a smile, "Third brother, you will start."
Xiao Gang smiled, looked around and thought for a moment: "The willows are tangled into silk. I picked them in the spring. The dense leaves hinder the flying crows. The wind is light and the flowers fall late. The short flute sounds high in the city. The book horns are sad in the empty forest. There is no other meaning in the song. It is all about lovesickness."
"Good!" Xiao Lun smiled and was the first to applaud, "Well written."
Zhao Pei had also heard that the Third Prince was very talented, and this song "Breaking Willows" really made her understand that there was no other meaning in the song, and it was just for lovesickness...
"Since Third Brother is singing "Breaking Willows", I'll follow suit." Xiao Yi, who was sitting next to Zhao Pei, suddenly spoke up, "Wushan and Wu Gorge are long, with weeping willows. We share the same heart and weave the same willows, and old friends miss their hometown."
"Good!" Everyone applauded. Zhao Pei couldn't help but look at him carefully. Although this man looked very cold, he was unexpectedly so talented.
She cheered, but unexpectedly everyone turned to look at her. Xiao Yi also looked at her sideways. "Well, we share the same heart and the same fate. Old friends miss their hometown. Well said."
Xiao Yi smiled faintly, with a glimpse of something she couldn't understand in his eyes, and said, "Why don't you let Peipei recite a poem?" The "Peipei" he said and the "Peipei" Xiao Lun said were completely different in her ears.
It was a different feeling. Xiao Lun was not to be mentioned, he was a dandy boy. But this cold-looking man called her like this, she felt a little uncomfortable.
Zhao Pei smiled awkwardly and said, "I can't do that, but I can recite poems. Otherwise, I can learn from others." Her eyes moved to Xiao Tong who was sitting at the top, and she recited slowly, "I built my hut in the human world, but there is no noise of carriages and horses. I asked you how you could do that? It's because your heart is far away and the place is secluded. I picked chrysanthemums under the eastern fence and leisurely saw the southern mountains. The mountain air is beautiful day and night, and the birds fly back and forth. There is a true meaning in this, but I have forgotten the words to express it." Although she knew that this poem "Drinking" was not very suitable for the occasion, she subconsciously thought of it when she saw him.
Xiao Tong stared at her for a moment and smiled faintly: "So the girl likes Tao Yuanming's poems. I also like him very much and wrote a preface for Mr. Tao's collection. Mr. Tao's articles are unique and his words are exquisite. It's like crossing the white waves and flowing along the river, and rising straight up into the blue sky."
When he said this, his eyes were full of respect and admiration. Zhao Pei replied in her heart, in fact, you are not bad. But she didn't say it out loud.
Xiao Lun interrupted and said, "Okay, big brother. If you continue like this, what difference will there be between you and poetry? Let's play a guessing game. If you can't guess it, the questioner will propose a condition. What must be done?"
He rolled up his wide sleeves and said enthusiastically, "Then I'll start. Ajie will take over and ask Peipei questions. We'll pass it down in order. How about changing direction after one round?"
Seeing that no one had any objections, he smiled and said, "Ajie, listen carefully." He tilted his head and thought for a moment, then smiled slyly, "My topic is... Second Miss."
Zhao Jie was stunned when he heard this, and turned to look at Zhao Pei. What was the meaning of this insinuation? Zhao Pei was still young after all, and didn't know the deep meaning. She lowered her head and thought about it carefully, then smiled and looked at Zhao Jie, as if to say, I have thought of it, hasn't my brother thought of it yet
Zhao Jie smiled and looked up at Xiao Lun: "The second daughter is Zi."
Xiao Lun clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Right." But his eyes were still fixed on Zhao Jie. After a while, he seemed to have got an answer that satisfied him, and smiled and looked away.
Zhao Jie turned to Zhao Pei and said, "Pepe, listen carefully. Penny wise, pound foolish."
Zhao Pei rolled her eyes and smiled softly: "How difficult is this? Because of the big, the mouth." Zhao Jie just smiled and said nothing, Pepe, oh Pepe, don't lose the big for the small, it's easier said than done. Zhao Pei didn't notice his complicated look, turned to Xiao Yi and said: "One-eyed dragon."
Xiao Yi was stunned. Why was this question so lame? He finally answered, "Less eyes are for the province."
Zhao Pei smiled and replied, "Correct."
"Brother, my topic is. Reunion."
Xiao Tong smiled lightly and immediately replied: "See you again. Is that right?"
"Third brother, listen carefully. When the sun sets and the fragrance fades, wash away your worldly desires." Zhao Pei looked at him with her chin in her hand. Even the riddles she came up with were so talented...
Xiao Gang was also an extraordinary person. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Xiang Shaori is the character for wheat, and Fan Xin is a little less, which is the character for bald. Big brother, did I get it right?" This was a bit difficult. After Xiao Gang broke it down, it became clear, and everyone applauded.
Later, when it was Xiao Lun's turn, Xiao Gang seemed to be deliberately embarrassed. He thought for a while and said with a smile: "The character 正 is missing a horizontal line." Xiao Lun laughed out loud and was about to speak, but Xiao Gang continued: "Don't guess the character 止."
Xiao Lun was stunned, and thought about it: "The character 正 has one less horizontal line, so it should be 止, right? What other characters are there?" He was puzzled when he heard Zhao Pei laugh and said: "止 is missing, which means 步. Third Prince, is what Pei Pei said the correct answer?"
Xiao Gang smiled and said, "It's the word 'bu'. Sixth brother, do you have anything else to say?" Xiao Lun let out a long breath and sighed, "There will always be times when a horse stumbles. Third brother, if you have any request, just tell me. Sixth brother, I will definitely do it."
He smiled and looked at everyone, then said mischievously, "Third Brother, I won't make it difficult for you. I'll ask you to tell us in front of us, which lady's handkerchief did you receive yesterday?"
Xiao Lun was stunned, and seemed a little embarrassed. He glanced at Zhao Pei, who was also waiting to hear the result with a funny face, and cursed in his heart, "Why are you a girl here to join in the fun?" But he pretended to be distressed and scratched his head: "Third brother, you are making things difficult for me. I had a great harvest yesterday. How can I remember who it is?"
Everyone burst into laughter after hearing this. Xiao Tong shook his head helplessly: "A Liu, you have to change your temper and don't hurt the hearts of all the girls in the capital."
However, Xiao Lun replied ambiguously: "Brother, you are too modest. Which boudoir has not heard the name of the elegant Prince Zhaoming?" When Xiao Gang heard this, he felt a little embarrassed at first, and then let him talk nonsense.
Amidst the laughter, a new round of riddles began. This time it was Xiao Yi's turn to ask Zhao Pei. He narrowed his dark eyes and thought for a while before slowly saying, "Add a Ding to the mouth." Zhao Pei looked up at him and met his dark eyes, which were faintly shining. She looked at herself in his eyes and secretly sighed that his eyes were so clear. His expression was inexplicably a little dazed, and he opened his mouth and said, "It's so simple, Ding is Ding."
Xiao Yi smiled slightly, "Too clever is foolish. So what do you think the word 'jin' means? You got it wrong this time. It should be 'ke'."
Zhao Pei came to her senses and realized it was so simple. She couldn't help but say, "No, no, come again." Xiao Yi shook his head and smiled, "It's not up to you. Everyone has testified for me. Let me think about what to ask for."
Zhao Pei pouted and looked around, but she saw that everyone was looking at her with a smile, including Xiao Tong, whose eyes sparkled. She trembled in her heart, and was afraid that Xiao Yi would make some strange request, so she exclaimed: "Oh, brother. We left Zhao Li alone in Jingshui Tower! Go find her quickly!" Before anyone could react, she ran away with her skirt lifted.
Zhao Jie was stunned for a moment, then clasped his fists helplessly: "Please forgive me, Your Highnesses. This is just my personality. Please forgive me for not knowing the rules. Zhao Jie will withdraw first."
Xiao Yi watched the red dress disappear around the corner of the stairs, a faint smile on his lips, "Don't even think about shirking this condition." (To be continued)