Early the next morning, the team left the Huaxian Station and continued eastward.
Sleeping in the same bed with Pei Yan at night, and spending the whole day in the carriage during the day, Tao Ti could control her image for the first three days, and gradually let herself go and be lazy It's become a salted fish.
Anyway, no matter what she did, Pei Yan always had a tolerant and gentle appearance, and her temper was too good to be outrageous.
The day before arriving in Luoyang, a heavy rain suddenly fell on the way.
When the rain came, Tao Ti was sleeping in the carriage, when suddenly a thunderbolt struck her, shaking her in fright.
Pei Yan had just closed the car window, and when he turned around, he saw the little girl hugging a soft pillow, her hair was a little messy, her eyes were straight, and she looked innocent and innocent beyond the situation.
"It's raining outside." He leaned down and said softly, "Scared by Lei?"
Tao Ti blinked her eyes in a daze, and seeing her stupidity through his dark eyes, she nodded obediently, "I woke up from fright."
The thunder just now was too loud, as if it exploded directly on the roof of the carriage.
Pei Yan raised his hand and rubbed her hair, comforting, "It's okay, it's just thunder, the carriage is equipped with a lightning protection device to ensure safety..."
"Your Highness, don't worry about me. I'm not afraid of thunder. I just woke up from the fright." Tao Ti smiled at him with her eyes bent.
Probably from the night at the Huaxian station, Pei Yan didn't know why, but he got into the habit of rubbing her head. At first she was a little weird, but gradually she got used to it, and even... she liked this little gesture of intimacy
She attributed this liking to her remaining bestiality. Although the animal body of their gluttonous tribe is quite scary in the eyes of human beings, divine beasts are also beasts, subconsciously they like to be petted and caressed.
The thunder outside was still ringing, Pei Yan stared at her, seeing that she was really not afraid, she slightly curled her lips, "I didn't expect you to be so courageous."
Tao Ti raised her chin, her tone was a little smug, "Of course."
Just kidding, she is a divine beast, it would be embarrassing to be afraid of thunder, so how can she mess around in the Three Realms in the future
While the two were talking, the carriage stopped slowly, and then there were three rhythmic knocks on the door outside.
Pei Yan collected his expression, and said in a cold voice, "What's the matter?"
Zhangping's voice came from outside the door, "His Royal Highness, the rain is too heavy to move forward. And just now the spies reported that a section of earth slope collapsed ahead, blocking the road."
Pei Yan pondered for a while, and said in a low voice, "Is there a place to stay nearby?"
Zhan Ping replied, "There is a mountain temple five miles ahead, which can temporarily shelter from the rain."
Pei Yan said, "Go to the mountain temple to shelter from the rain first, and then you send a team to clear the roadblocks ahead, and make arrangements after the rain subsides."
Zhan Ping responded, and got busy with the arrangement.
Bean-sized raindrops were pattering on the carriage, like big and small beads falling on a jade plate, making a bit of noise.
Pei Yan sat up straight, looked sideways at the quiet little girl beside her, and said softly, "Let's go ahead to shelter from the rain... If the rain doesn't stop, we may spend the night in the temple tonight. The situation is special, Just bear with it, and you can rest in peace when you arrive at the Luoyang Palace tomorrow."
Tao Ti raised her eyes to look at him, and said softly, "It doesn't matter if you live in the temple. If you can live, Your Highness, so can I. I'm not that delicate."
Pei Yan's black eyes moved slightly, and he nodded and smiled, "Well, that's good."
The carriage turned around, and it didn't take long to arrive at a slightly dilapidated mountain temple.
The temple was covered with cobwebs, the statues of mountain gods enshrined in the hall were covered with dust, and the tributes placed in front of the table had already rotted.
In such a harsh environment, even the accompanying palace servants couldn't help but complain—
"How can people live in this kind of place? I'm afraid all kinds of snakes, insects, rats and ants will come out at night."
"Oh, it's all to blame for the rain. It's best to stop quickly so that we can rush to the next station!"
"Okay, stop talking, hurry up and tidy up, so that His Highness and the Crown Princess can have a place to stay."
The mountain temple has been in disrepair for a long time, so the so-called clean-up is just to make the inside a little cleaner without so much dust.
Outside the carriage, Fu Xirui waited with an umbrella, and when the door opened, he immediately rushed forward.
The one who came out first was Pei Yan in a blue robe. After he stood firmly, he took the umbrella from Fu Xirui.
Fu Xirui, "...?"
Linglong guessed something, tugged at his sleeve, and led him back to the side.
I saw the prince standing beside the carriage holding an umbrella, and after a while, a small head poked out from the carriage, it was the princess.
Just when everyone thought that the prince was going to personally help the princess down, they saw that the prince handed the umbrella to the princess. Afterwards, he bent down and hugged the princess directly.
Everyone, "!!!!"
Linglong and Fu Xirui, "!!!!"
Tao Ti, who was the person involved, was also confused at the moment.
Holding the umbrella with blank eyes, she leaned against Pei Yan's warm embrace.
Her slender arms were tightly pressed against the man's hard chest, and she could clearly feel the pounding of his heartbeat. In this rainstorm, his heartbeat was so fast.
Boom boom boom, boom boom boom.
For a moment, she couldn't tell whether the buzzing sound in her ears was his heartbeat or her own.
What dangled in front of his eyes was his cold white skin, and his well-defined jaw, and further down, his slender neck, and that protruding, slightly sexy Adam's apple...
For some reason, she felt an urge to touch it.
Suddenly, a man's deep and pleasant voice sounded above his head, "Ah Ti, raise the umbrella higher, pressing down on the lonely hair crown."
Tao Ti was taken aback, and obediently responded, "Oh, good."
She raised her umbrella a little higher, and looked up at Pei Yan. His expression was very calm and natural, as if holding her like this was a very normal thing.
This confused Tao Ti a bit, is this... normal
When Pei Yan carried her into the temple and put her down, she couldn't wait to raise her head and asked him directly, "Your Highness, you, you just now..."
Before she finished speaking, Pei Yan replied, "The road is muddy, and your embroidered shoes will get wet."
Tao Ti, "...?"
Pei Yan, "When the shoes are wet, the cold enters the feet, and it is easy to get sick."
Tao Ti, "..."
This answer was well-founded, so perfect that she didn't know what to say.
After a while, her pink lips moved, and finally she just whispered, "Thank you... Thank you, Your Highness."
Pei Yan chuckled lightly, and said again, "Put the umbrella away, it won't grow tall if you open it in the house."
It was only then that Tao Ti realized that she had been so focused on asking him why he was hugging her that she forgot to put the umbrella away.
Linglong, who was following beside her, heard this, and hurried forward to take the umbrella from Tao Ti's hand, and took it to the door to close it.
Tao Ti stood firmly in front of Pei Yan. Seeing that his shoulders were drenched by the rain, she was a little embarrassed. Seeing that there were drops of water on his forehead, she quickly took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, "Your Highness, Here you go, wipe it off."
Pei Yan didn't take it, but bent down a little, and faced her directly, "Hands are a little sore, can Arti wipe it off for Gu?"
His tone was gentle and gentle, the scent of cedar came, and that extremely handsome face was so close that she could even see clearly every one of his slender eyelashes.
Tao Ti felt that she was like a fisherman who was fascinated by the siren, not to mention wiping his sweat, even if he asked her to wipe his back, she would not say "no".
only-
"Your Highness, can you close your eyes for a moment?"
When he looked at her like this, her heart beat very fast, as if she would poke it in the next second!
"Okay." Pei Yan cooperated very much and closed his eyes gently.
As soon as the eyes were closed, his slender eyelashes became more obvious, and it was a good eyelash essence.
Tao Ti raised her hand to wipe his sweat, and while wiping, her eyes fell on his lips unconsciously.
His lips are so beautiful, I don't know how they feel...
She was thinking like this, but her finger moved to the corner of his mouth in a mysterious way, and her round fingertips just wanted to touch it——
Suddenly, Pei Yan opened his eyes.
Those deep and charming peach blossom eyes stared straight at her, their eyes were clear and bright, as if filled with stars.
Tao Ti suddenly withdrew her hand as if waking up from a dream, her face flushed, and she stammered, "Wipe, wipe it off."
Pei Yan seemed not to notice her small movements, and smiled with curved lips, "Okay."
The palace people cleared out a bench, and the two walked to the window and sat down together.
The rest of the people stood guard in front of the porch outside the door, the sound of rain was accompanied by faint thunder, and the sky was extremely gloomy. It was clearly noon, but it was as dark as evening.
Tao Ti quietly glanced at Pei Yan, hesitated again and again, and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, am I... a bit heavy?"
After holding her for such a long distance, he started to sweat. Did he eat too much recently
Pei Yan answered simply, "Not heavy."
Tao Ti, "Then you..."
Pei Yan said, "It's not sweat on your forehead, it's because your umbrella is crooked and some rain has dripped."
Tao Ti, "Oh, so."
She nodded, and suddenly felt that something was wrong.
Since he wasn't too tired from hugging, why did he say his hands were sore just now
She looked at Pei Yan in astonishment, Pei Yan seemed to understand her mind, and looked at her quietly.
The four eyes met, and the atmosphere unconsciously became ambiguous.
Both of them wanted to find something through each other's eyes, but in the end Tao Ti was defeated.
She stood up with hot cheeks, "I, the room is a bit stuffy, I'll go to the door to get some air."
Seeing her petite back running away, a smile appeared on Pei Yanqing's handsome face, "Little fool."
The rain was rippling and the clouds were thick.
Tao Ti took several deep breaths by the door before forcing down the inexplicable throbbing.
Linglong looked at the flushed cheeks of her princess, as if she had figured out what happened in the house, she lowered her head and snickered twice.
It was raining heavily, and the air was filled with a layer of dense smoke. Amidst the white rain curtain, a figure in a state of embarrassment ran over.
Before they approached, a guard in a coir raincoat stepped forward to stop them.
Hearing the movement, Tao Ti looked intently.
Only then did I realize that it was not one person, but two people, one old and one young, the old one was carrying the young one on his back, and the young one was carrying a big pannier on his back, they were all drenched to the ground, the rain was so heavy that they couldn't even open their eyes. open your eyes.
The old man folded his palms together and bowed to the guards, and could vaguely hear words like "I beg the official".
Tao Ti frowned and said, "Linglong, go and see what's going on."
Linglong responded, and went with an umbrella.
After a while, she came back to report, "They are medicine farmers who live nearby. They went to the mountains to collect medicine today. They never expected to encounter a sudden rainstorm. This old man's little grandson accidentally fell and injured his leg... two People come to the mountain temple to avoid the rain.”
Tao Ti glanced at the figure of the old man and the child, and said softly, "Then let them come in to shelter from the rain."
Linglong was taken aback, "This..."
Tao Ti said, "We can't stop the common people from taking shelter just because we are sheltering here, right? Besides, the rain is so heavy and there is no other place to hide nearby. An old man with a child, if he is not careful If you fall again, that's bad."
Pausing, thinking of Pei Yan's identity, she added, "Don't let them enter the hall, it's better to avoid them in the corridor."
Hearing this, Linglong bowed her head respectfully and said, "Princess Concubine is kind-hearted, servant girl, please go and speak to the guards."
The guards got the order and searched the grandpa and grandson carefully, and after confirming that there were no weapons, they let them come here.
The old man put down the grandson on his back, arched his back, and bowed to Tao Ti, "Thank you, madam, thank you, madam!"
"You are welcome, old man." She raised her hand.
The old man in front of him was about sixty years old, skinny, with white beard and hair; while the little boy beside him seemed to be about the same age as the fifth prince, with dark skin, dirty body, torn trousers, and serious injuries from the fall on his knees. obvious.
Seeing Tao Ti looking at him, the little boy timidly hid behind his grandfather.
Tao Ti smiled at him, and softly instructed Linglong, "Go to the carriage and get medicine for his wound."
Linglong promised.
The old man looked grateful, and he took his little grandson to thank him again and again, "Madam is kind, the little old man is really grateful."
"It's just a small matter. It rains suddenly, and it's fate that we can hide from the rain together."
"Yeah, the weather was fine when I went out in the morning. I never thought it would rain." The old man shook his head and sighed, "I didn't get much medicine, but I was so embarrassed by the rain."
While talking, Linglong brought a bottle of wound medicine powder and some gauze.
The old man took it politely, "Don't dare to bother the girl, the little old man will just give the medicine to the grandson."
Linglong gave him the medicine bottle and gauze, and the old and the young sat on the threshold and began to apply the medicine.
Tao Ti casually glanced at their baskets, and found that in addition to some herbs, there were also a few wild vegetables, such as bracken, shepherd's purse, ground fungus, etc., which she presumably plucked for cooking.
After taking the medicine, one old and one young, returned the rest to Linglong, and then sat obediently on the threshold, looking outside, waiting for the rain to stop.
Tao Ti beckoned to Linglong and said in a low voice, "Give them a blanket to cover them with. When the rain subsides, give them two umbrellas so that they can go home."
Listening to this order, Linglong's heart was touched. She was also from a poor family. They all said that the rich people's wine and meat stinks and the bones are frozen to death. Those high-ranking nobles are already thankful for not bullying others. How can they be so considerate and gentle? help.
If in the past, when the locust plague hit her hometown, she would have met a kind person like the princess, even if she gave a steamed bun, Grandma would not have starved to death.
Linglong recovered from the past, and her tone became more respectful, "Don't worry, the princess."
Tao Ti smiled, and was about to turn around and walk in, when Pei Yan stood behind her at some point, which shocked her, "Dian..."
Pei Yan put a finger in front of his lips, and his cold eyes swept across the grandparents and grandson sitting outside the door.
Tao Ti came to her senses and went forward to explain. At the end, she tilted her head and asked, "Dian... well, I'm away from home. If I don't want to reveal my identity, what should I call you?"
A bunch of nicknames automatically popped up in her mind, Xiao Pei, Xiao Yan, Ah Yan, little brother
Seeing her asking seriously, Pei Yan narrowed his black eyes lightly, and said, "Gu call your wife, you call Gu...husband?"
Husband, Jun
Tao Ti went through this title in her consciousness, and the temperature on her cheeks became warmer little by little.
Ever since the last time we went shopping together in the East and West Market, Pei Yan wanted to hear her call him husband. I thought I had to be persuasive and careful, and figured it out slowly, but I didn't expect this little girl to bring it up...
Seeing her shy and delicate face as white as porcelain, he suppressed a smile and nodded solemnly, "Gu thinks this title is good, what does Artie think?"
Tao Ti, "Just... it's okay."
Pei Yandao, "When we go out and deliberately hide our identities, will you and I get along like this?"
Tao Ti lowered her head, pinching the hem of the skirt with her tender fingers nervously, and said "hmm" softly.
"Then call your husband to listen now?"
"Ah?" Tao Ti was stunned.
Pei Yanqingjun's brows and eyes were stained with a warm smile, "Just practice in advance."
Tao Ti lowered her head, her slender and thick eyelashes drooping, slightly covering those clear eyes like mountain springs, and muttered softly, "Husband, husband..."
The voice was very soft. After she finished speaking, she squeezed her fingers even tighter, and hurriedly said, "It's getting late, it's time for lunch, I'll let them light the fire!"
Seeing her leaving in a hurry, Pei Yan raised the corner of his mouth.
It's really... very obedient.
After a while, he collected his expression, glanced at the grandparents and grandchildren at the door lightly, saw nothing unusual, and turned back to the inner room.
Although the mountain temple is dilapidated, it is a wooden structure. Tao Ti always remembers various fire prevention slogans, such as "a fire under the mountain, the director will fall in love with me", "set fire to the mountain, and sit in prison". There was a fire on the porch, with a bucket of rain water on the side, just in case.
The weather was bad and it was inconvenient to fetch water. Tao Ti thought for a moment and decided to make a convenient and water-saving dish—Cantonese-style preserved meat claypot rice.
She brought two small pots with her on this trip, one is the casserole used to make chicken pot last time, and the other is a clay pot suitable for making claypot rice. Compared with other pots, clay pots are more flexible in fire control, and the claypot rice made is more delicious.
The cooking utensils are in place, and the ingredients are also very simple, a bowl of silk rice, two eggs, sausages, sliced bacon... Unfortunately, there are no green vegetables, and I always feel that something is missing.
Tao Ti stroked her chin, suddenly her eyes lit up.
She walked up to the grandparent and said politely, "Old man, I saw some wild vegetables in your medicine basket just now. I wonder if you sell these wild vegetables?"
Hearing this, the old man said, "Ma'am, why be so polite, it's just some wild vegetables, worthless stuff." He put the basket in front of Tao Ti, "You can take whatever you want."
Tao Ti thanked her, took a handful of shepherd's purse, and saw that the lunch of the grandparents and grandson was two wheat cakes swollen by the rain, so she asked Linglong to take four pieces of roasted sesame naan.
"Old man, your barley cake is soaked in rain, so it's not easy to eat. You and your grandson can have this baked naan for lunch, as a reward for your shepherd's purse."
"Okay, okay, thank you Ma'am." The old man nodded and took the baked pancake.
Although the roasted naan is cold, it is not as crispy as it was when it was just out of the oven, but you can still smell a faint fragrance when you take it in your hand, especially after you eat it, the sesame is crispy, the surface of the roasted naan is crispy, the inside is delicate, and a light salty fragrance , the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes.
The little boy took the baked pancake and started to eat it. After Tao Ti walked away, he secretly said to his grandfather, "Grandpa, this cake is much better than the wheat cake you made."
The old man stroked his gray beard and said with a smile, "Eat more if it tastes good."
The little boy nodded and continued to eat the baked naan that was bigger than his face.
The old man broke off a small piece of cake in a gentle manner, and while chewing, he looked at the figure busy by the stove at the end of the corridor, with a hint of appreciation in his thin eyebrows and eyes.
…
With the ingredients and cooking utensils in place, the steps of making claypot rice are very simple.
After the silk seedling rice is soaked, put it into a clay pot with clean water, add two teaspoons of sesame oil, and steam it over high heat. When the rice is almost steamed, small holes will appear on the surface. At this time, spread the cut sausage and bacon neatly on the rice, spread some shredded ginger, and then cover the pot to continue cooking.
After a while, a strong aroma came out of the pot, with the light sweet aroma of rice, and the meaty aroma of steamed oil from bacon and sausage.
Seeing that it was almost time, Tao Ti lifted the lid of the pot, cracked two eggs in the middle, covered the pot and continued to simmer. At the moment, she doesn't have the conditions to prepare sauces in bottles and jars, so she was lazy, dug out a spoonful from the spicy sauce she carried with her, and stirred it with warm water, and it was called sauce.
At this time, in addition to the aroma of rice and sausage, you can also smell some burnt rice crackers. Tao Ti lifted the lid of the pot again, put the washed fresh shepherd's purse in, poured the prepared spicy sauce evenly in the pot, covered the pot and continued to simmer with the remaining temperature. Before serving, sprinkle a layer of chopped green onion, and a pot of claypot rice is ready.
The table was set up in the temple, and the table in the carriage was used directly. After the palace servants brought the claypot rice to the table, Tao Ti said to Linglong and the others, "Linglong, go to the carriage to get some baked naan and preserved meat for everyone to eat. , I don’t need you to serve here... Oh, by the way, the dried meat is also distributed to the grandparents, it’s quite boring to eat baked naan.”
Linglong was slightly startled, but did not respond immediately, but looked at Pei Yan, waiting for him to speak.
Pei Yan slightly raised his eyelids, and said in a low voice, "It's all up to the Crown Princess." He glanced at Fu Xirui and other eunuchs beside him, "You guys go too."
"Thank you, Prince, and Princess Concubine." Fu Xirui, Linglong and the others were overjoyed, bowed and retreated.
The light in the temple is dim, and the sound of rain is pattering, making the surroundings seem more and more quiet, with a taste of coldness and seclusion.
But when Tao Ti opened the pot of steaming claypot rice, the rich aroma and steaming white smoke brought people back to the real world full of ups and downs in a second.
Through the hazy smoke, Pei Yan saw her little face with a bright smile.
Her smile, simple, pure, and so accurate, touched the softness deep in his heart.
Let him feel that this world is not so useless, there is still a beautiful side.
"Your Highness, it's time to eat, what are you thinking about?" Seeing his thoughtful look, Tao Ti couldn't help calling out.
"Well, eat..." Pei Yan came back to his senses, smiled at her, and glanced at the food in front of him again.
I saw that the round earthen pot was full, the crystal white rice was covered with a layer of tender red sausage and bacon, the white eggs were covered with green onions and white sesame seeds, and the fresh shepherd's purse was dotted on the side. It is delicious in color, fragrance and taste.
After seeing him admire the attractive appearance of claypot rice, Tao Ti took a big spoon, "This rice tastes delicious only when it is stirred, especially the rice crust inside, you must try it, Your Highness, it is fragrant and crispy , I like to eat it the most."
After her stirring, the rice was fully mixed with bacon, eggs, shepherd's purse and sauce, and the aroma became more intense.
"Okay, you can eat it now." Tao Ti bent her eyes and smiled, took a bowl by herself, and couldn't wait to taste it.
Grains of crystal clear and oily rice are full of the aroma of oil secreted by bacon and sausages. The entrance is soft and moderate, accompanied by the salty and delicious soup, the taste is extremely rich, and there is a touch of sweetness when chewed.
Not to mention the taste of Cantonese-style sausage, with a light aroma of wine, mellow and refreshing; the tender bacon is chewy and has a unique flavor of smoke; a mouthful of rice and a mouthful of meat will give you a sense of satisfaction. If you feel tired, take a bite of fresh shepherd's purse, which is fresh and sweet, a natural delicacy unique to the mountains and fields.
"Well, it's delicious..." Tao Ti shrugged her shoulders, like a soft kitten, lazy and relaxed.
Seeing this, Pei Yan also took a sip, with an expected smile in his eyes, "Well, it's delicious, Arti is really good."
Tao Ti felt a little embarrassed when he boasted like this, "It's okay, it's okay, as long as you like to eat."
Next, the two of you finished the pot of rice one by one, and there was still some left over. Tao Ti pushed it in front of him and said softly, "Your Highness, eat more."
Pei Yan clearly caught the little reluctance in her eyes, she still wanted to eat, but chose to let him eat more.
He knew that in front of fourth uncle, his little princess said that he would try to feed him stronger. This is not a lie, she is really proving it with her actions.
He knew even more that what he said in front of fourth uncle that day was not a lie.