The atmosphere in the room was like throwing a large piece of ice into boiling water. The hot and cold collided, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit weird. Some people were watching the mother and daughter of Yinshi and Ban Hua, and some people were watching the people of the imperial government. .
"Grandfather," Cheng Guogong's granddaughter explained with a smile, "there are so many guests today, you just ask Cheng Anbo how, forget about the rest of us, I want to eat."
When the eldest princess passed away, grandfather and grandmother were sad for a long time. But after a few days, my grandfather seemed to have forgotten about the assassination of the eldest princess, and occasionally brought up some past events. The family did not dare to stimulate him, so they could only follow his words. Now, in front of Ban's family, grandfather mentions this kind of thing again, which is a bit heartbreaking.
The juniors of Chengguo Gong's mansion showed an apologetic smile to Yinshi and Ban Hua. As juniors, they were in a dilemma, but I asked the Ban family not to think that they were deliberately offending.
"You kid," the older people like to be coquettish in front of him by the younger generation. When Duke Cheng heard his granddaughter say this, he shook his head cheerfully, "When you got married, I also cared about it."
Rong Xia turned her head to look at Ban Hua, and seeing that her face was a little bad, she didn't want Duke Cheng to continue to ask questions, so she said, "The younger generation will get married after the spring of next year, and your old man must come by then."
"This year is not very good, why wait until next year?" Cheng Guogong was dissatisfied, "You young people, you are really becoming less and less concerned about your own affairs. When I was as old as you, I had already started a family, boss. You can run and jump.”
Rong Xia explained patiently: "The junior asked the people from the Qin Tianjian to do the math a few days ago, and the people from the Qin Tianjian said that the junior and the county master had better get married next year."
In fact, when the eldest princess passed away, Ban Hua, her granddaughter, had to keep her filial piety for a year. No matter whether there was a good day this year, it was impossible for her to marry someone else. But Rong Xia couldn't mention it, he was worried that Duke Cheng would not be able to accept the bad news that the eldest princess had passed away.
This explanation was very useful to Cheng Guogong. He nodded again and again, forgetting that he was the one who urged the marriage just now: "This is right, marriage is a major event, and the day should be optimistic. When my wife and I got married, it was the same. I specially invited people from the Qin Tianjian to count the days, you can see how good our relationship is."
Rong Xia looked at the two old men with silver cream on their heads and gave a big gift.
When leaving the inner courtyard, Rong Xia stopped and glanced at the female family members. Ban Hua and Shang Shuling's daughter stood together, and the behavior between the two seemed very intimate. Zhou Bing'an is quite prestigious in the court, but among the two sons and one daughter, only the eldest son is mature and stable, and the remaining pair of children are playful and playful.
When the Yan family wanted to marry the Ban family, it was Zhou Bing'an's wife who helped to speak. It could be seen that the relationship between the Zhou family and the Ban family was good.
Zhou Bing'an was the second in the imperial examination more than 20 years ago. What's more interesting is that the ancestors of the Zhou family were born in martial arts. Although the descendants of the Zhou family have the heart to switch from martial arts to literature, their descendants are not expected to study. , is considered a true test of fame.
The Zhou family was successfully transformed into a civil servant, and the Ban family was successfully transformed into a dummy. This is simply a comparison group of positive and self-deprecating. However, what is more amazing is that the Zhou family and the Ban family have always had a good relationship. It is worth noting that although the relationship between the two families is good, the two families have never been married. This story teaches everyone a truth. If you want the friendship between the two families to last forever, don't become in-laws.
As soon as he walked out of the inner courtyard, Rong Xia saw Ban Heng, Zhou Changxiao and several other young masters in Chinese costumes gathered together. The atmosphere was harmonious and lively. Playful.
Zhou Changxiao bumped Ban Heng with his elbow: "Brother Ban, your future brother-in-law is here."
Ban Heng looked back and saw that Rong Xia was walking towards him through the Moon Gate. He waved his hand and wanted to invite him to come and sit. However, just as he stretched out his hand to beckon twice, he was pulled down by Zhou Changxiao next to him: "Let's not talk about poetry and painting, why did you call someone here?"
What's more, can a gentleman like Rongxia stand with them, can they stand their behavior
However, he didn't follow Ban Hengti, and he was suspected of provoking discord when he said it.
"Brother." Rong Xia walked up to Ban Heng and greeted each other with the dudes, without the slightest bit of discomfort on his face. Unlike other noble sons who have real jobs or claim to be talented, when facing them, there is always an inexplicable sense of superiority.
Rong Xia accompanied them and talked for a long time before being called away by a colleague of the Ministry of Personnel. After he left, the dudes looked at Ban Heng enviously, "Brother Ban, your future brother-in-law is very good."
Ban Heng raised his chin: "That's right, otherwise our family would agree to his marriage proposal?"
"Brother Ban," a dude who was closest to Ban Heng put his hand on Ban Heng's shoulder and sighed, "It's a pity that your sister is such a beautiful woman that she will marry another man."
For many playboys, in their hearts, Ban Hua is the pinnacle of a great beauty. If there is nothing to do, look at her a few times, and show her diligence in front of her, which can make them feel better all day. It's not that they like Ban Hua, but everyone has a love for beauty, and they will naturally feel good when they are with beautiful women.
This is also the reason why daughters in the capital like to throw flowers and fruits at beautiful men. Anyway, it doesn't violate the law of great cause.
"It's okay, what are you talking about my sister?" Ban Heng took a glass of wine and stuffed it into this man's hand, "Drink your wine."
The dude who was stuffed with wine wasn't angry either, and he drank it with the glass in his hand, but he didn't bring up the matter of Banyan again.
The second prince and the prince, as the highest-ranking people here, sat on the two honored seats at the same table, one on the left and one on the right. The second prince smiled and raised his eyebrows, "I heard that the princess is ill, the prince should pay more attention, it is very troublesome for women to be sick."
Hearing this, the prince smiled and said, "Thank you second brother for reminding me, I must be more careful."
"Heh," the second prince sneered, "the prince is really kind and kind."
The prince knew that the second brother had always been more and more polite, so he just smiled and didn't speak.
Seeing that the prince didn't talk to him, Jiang Luo felt a little uncomfortable, turned his head and saw Rong Xia coming over, and said coldly, "The one you admire, Cheng Anbo, is here, and I don't know what kind of music he played. We're still too late."
"Second brother," the Crown Prince frowned when he heard Jiang Luo's bad attitude towards the court officials, "Since Cheng Anbo is late, he must have been delayed. He is now the official minister of the Ministry of Officials, and there are many things to worry about. How could it be so? lots of free time.”
"The prince is saying that the younger brother is too busy?" Jiang Luo sneered, "I don't have a good life like the eldest brother. If I can reincarnate a few years earlier, I can intervene in the affairs of the six divisions."
After the prince was fifteen years old, he began to walk in the six departments and was familiar with the work flow of the six departments. Although the second prince is now married, he has not had a real job, nor a title. He is usually called a highness by others. The prince's dissatisfaction became more and more serious.
Originally, the emperor was partial, but the second prince did not dare to hate the emperor, so he turned all his grievances to the prince. Because the prince has a gentle personality and doesn't like to care about him, the more he feels that the prince is pretentious and can't do anything to please him.
"I have seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Second Prince." Rong Xia walked up to the two brothers and saluted, turning a blind eye to the ugly face of the Second Prince.
"Rong Junpo," Jiang Luo pointed to the seat next to him, "sit down."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Rong Xia didn't sit down where the second prince pointed, but chose an inconspicuous place to sit.
Jiang Luo felt that Rong Xia and the prince were sometimes quite similar, and they were both good at acting. In the eyes of a bunch of stubborn sour scholars, they became synonymous with elegant gentlemen. What an upright gentleman, benevolent and virtuous, is false in his opinion. If there were so many saints in the world, there would not be so many people who would resort to conspiracy and tricks for fame and fortune.
Duke Cheng is getting old, so it is the children and grandchildren of Duke Cheng who are entertaining guests outside, and the prince of Duke Cheng's mansion, the uncle of the prince and the second prince, are at the same table with the prince. When the second prince couldn't get along with the prince, he didn't speak, and he was as calm as a monk eating fast and reciting Buddha.
After Rong Xia sat down, his expression became slightly relaxed, hoping that the arrival of Rong Xia would make the atmosphere a little better. Who knows that he thinks too much and is too beautiful. Obviously, His Highness the Second Prince's attitude towards Cheng Anbo is not very friendly, and the atmosphere at the table becomes even more embarrassing.
"Yan Xiang, please."
"Shi Xiang, please."
It didn't take long for Yan Hui and Shi Chonghai to also arrive. The two of them came to the front and back, and after they came to salute the prince, they sat down at this table.
The poor Prince Chengguo, looking at the strange atmosphere at this table, was so choked up that he almost didn't eat. It was not until the old man came out and sat on the throne between the crown prince and the second prince that he breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what the people at the table are thinking, in front of his father, these people can only accompany smiling faces.
Cheng Guogong, whose character has become like a child, has been calling on his two grandchildren and Rong Xia to eat more since the banquet, and let his servants serve them dishes. He doesn't care what other people at the table think, just talk to the people he likes. The prince of Chengguo was worried that others would be embarrassed, so he could only greet the distinguished guests at the same table who were "slightly neglected" by his father.
After finishing the banquet, Duke Cheng suddenly said, "Boy Rong, take me to see your fiancee. There were too many people in the backyard just now, and I didn't even take a good look."
The prince of Chengguo secretly complained in his heart, the dignified county owner is not a cat or a dog, and he is just casually seen by others. He had no choice, so he hurriedly called someone to go to the backyard to spread the news, and apologized in advance to the county master of Fuller.
After Ban Hua finished her meal, she was chatting with some friends in her boudoir, and the granddaughter of Duke Cheng came to apologize to her, saying that the old man wanted to see her.
Ban Hua thought that Duke Cheng was not too young, so he agreed.
"I'm very sorry," Cheng Guogong's granddaughter led Ban Hua to the main house in the inner courtyard, and smiled bitterly, "Grandfather has been acting like a child in the past year or two, and his memory is not very good. If he speaks, it will be offensive. place, please don't take it to heart."
Seeing Cheng Guogong's granddaughter saluting and apologizing to himself, Ban Hua hurriedly supported her: "There is an old man in the family who is like a treasure, sister, your grandfather and grandmother are still alive, it's a big happy event."
Cheng Guogong's granddaughter remembered that the eldest princess loved the granddaughter of Fule County Lord very much before her death. Now that she heard what Ban Hua said, she didn't know whether to feel distressed or to change the topic.
Soon the two came to the main courtyard, and the granddaughter of Cheng Guogong took Ban Hua into the courtyard, and the voices of chatting and laughing came out, making the courtyard full of vitality.
"The girl is here," a maid in blue came up to greet him and bowed to Ban Hua, "Please come this way."
A maid opened the curtains for the two of them, and Ban Hua went in to take a look. Cheng Guogong and his wife were sitting on the top. Apart from the two old people, the crown prince, the second prince, and Rong Xia were also there. Some doubts what to do.
"Come, come," Mrs. Cheng Guogong, a very kind old lady, smiled a little when she saw Ban Hua's face, "sit on my side."
The maids in the house brought tea and snacks, and they almost coaxed Ban Hua as a child.
"I knew that this girl must be beautiful," Cheng Guogong smiled contentedly, turned to Rong Xia and said, "Such a good girl, you have to treat her well."
Rong Xia and Ban Hua's eyes met, and Rong Xia responded with a smile: "The younger generation will definitely treat the princess well."
The prince chuckled and said to Rong Xia, "You will be my cousin-in-law in the future. If you are not good to Hua, I can't forgive you."
The second prince sat beside him and drank tea sullenly. Although he was impulsive, he also knew that he would restrain his temper in front of his elderly grandfather, and he should follow his words and actions. .
"Brother Prince, Uncle Rong will definitely not dare to bully me," Ban Hua whispered, "because he can't beat me."
"Your grandmother also said that," Cheng Guogong suddenly said, "Back then, His Majesty was worried that she would suffer from marrying Lao Jingting. She said that she was the daughter of the most honorable man in the world. Who would dare to bully her? But all these years. , your grandfather has always been very kind to your grandmother, and it can be regarded as an answer to her."
"Have a good life," Cheng Guogong's eyes seemed confused and sober, he turned to look at the prince and the second prince, pulled Rong Xia to his side, and said to Ban Hua, "Although he is different from your grandfather, he will definitely I'll treat you well, don't worry."
Ban Hua was stunned, she looked at the old man, got up and blessed: "Thank you Cheng Guogong, the junior has nothing to worry about."
She is telling the truth, life is so changeable, who knows what tomorrow will be like? As long as her family is safe, what should she worry about
"Just don't worry," Cheng Guogong smiled like a child, then released Rong Xia's hand and yawned, "I'm sleepy."
Hearing the words, the crown prince and the second prince stood up one after another, "Grandfather, you have a good rest, grandson will not disturb your rest."
"Well." Cheng Guogong grabbed his wife's hand and said in a hoarse voice, "Come on, old lady, let's take a nap."
Ban Hua looked at the hands of the two old people holding each other, and couldn't help but smile.
The four of them left the main courtyard, and the second prince glanced at Ban Hua and Rong Xia: "It's not early, it's time for my Highness to return to the palace."
"Second prince, please walk slowly." Rong Xia took a step forward, stopped Ban Hua behind him, and saluted the second prince. The second prince glanced at Ban Hua behind him, turned around with a cold snort, and walked away without looking back.
The prince smiled gently to the two and said, "Second brother, he has a straightforward personality, don't take his actions to heart."
"It's okay, I'm used to his virtue." Ban Hua raised her eyebrows, "I'll go back to the female family, and my mother is still waiting for me."
"I'll accompany you there," Rong Xia said, "You've come here less often, and I'm more familiar with Chengguo Gongfu."
The prince smiled and raised his hand to the two of them: "Go ahead, I'll talk to my uncle for a while."
After Ban Hua and Rong Xia saluted the prince, they walked in the direction of the female family members.
"You used to come here often?" Ban Hua found that Rong Xia was really familiar with Cheng Guo Gong's mansion, rather than just talking about it casually.
Rong Xia nodded: "The old lady and my grandmother had a very good relationship when they were young. After my parents and brothers passed away, the old lady was worried that I would not be able to live well by myself, so she often took me to play at their house, so I and the prince The grandchildren of the government are privately referred to as brothers."
No wonder His Majesty trusted Rong Xia so much. An orphan who has lost his parents and elder brother, is still raised under the eyes of his father-in-law. His Majesty probably knows nothing better about his character and temperament.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to bring up those sad things." Ban Nu looked a little embarrassed. She knew that these things would involve Rong Xia's painful past, and she would never bring it up.
"No problem, it doesn't matter if you bring it up a long time ago," Rong Xia smiled, "What's more, the Duke of Chengguo treats me very well, and there is nothing to be sad about."
The corners of Ban Hua's mouth moved, and she didn't know what to say for a while.
"The place is almost here," Rong Xia suddenly stopped and turned to look at Ban Hua, "Hua."
"Huh?" Ban Hua raised her head unconsciously, and found that Rong Xia's beautiful eyes were full of herself, and she looked a little dazed.
"When you are out of filial piety, will you marry me?"
Ban Hua was stunned, standing there, not knowing what to say.
Seeing her hesitant appearance, Rong Xia smiled softly, and put her hand between her brows a little: "Go in, go through this gate is the yard where the female relatives are, it is not suitable for me to go."
Ban Hua turned her head and left in a daze. After walking a few steps, she turned back and saw that Rong Xia was still standing there, looking at herself with a smile like a spring breeze, and she stopped.
Seeing her stop, Rong Xia thought she had something to say, so she walked up to her: "What's wrong?"
"It's alright," Ban Ruo stood on tiptoe and nodded between his eyebrows, and said with a smile, "It's yours." After speaking, she turned and ran into the inner door.
Rong Xia touched his eyebrows and couldn't help but smile.
"His Royal Highness Second Prince," he turned his head and looked at the person standing in the corner, "Didn't you return to the palace?"
"Where my Highness wants to go, I don't need to report to you," the second prince leaned against a tree and looked at Rong Xia expressionlessly, "It's unbelievable that Young Master Rong, who is as graceful as jade, and who treats women as light as water, There is also such a tender side.”
Rong Xia smiled: "My fair lady is a gentleman, and the subordinate is happy with the Fule County Master. She is naturally different from other women."
"Really," the second prince put his arms around his chest, "it's a pity that those talented women in the capital who are infatuated with you, their talents are not worth a woman's skin in your eyes."
"His Royal Highness has this insight, which shocked the lower official," Rong Xia replied with a half-smiling smile, "Fu Le County Master does have a face that many women in the world can't match, and the lower official is fortunate to be pleased with a beautiful and lively woman. , what's the pity?"
Jiang Luo knew that Rong Xia was laughing at him for liking beauty, and he snorted coldly: "After all, you are just a hypocrite who covets beauty."
Rong Xia said slowly: "His Royal Highness, the second prince, is wrong. The lower official just likes Princess Fule, and she happens to be a rare beauty in the world."
"Sophistry." One of the reasons Jiang Luo dislikes scholars is their mouths, saying that the white is black and the black is white, but it still makes the world not doubt what they say, "Master Rong is so eloquent. , will it be used in front of Your Majesty and the Crown Prince?"
"Your Majesty is the king, the crown prince is the prince, and the lower officials never lie in front of them," Rong Xia bowed and bowed. "Of course, the lower officials did not lie in front of the second prince."
"Okay, you don't have to pretend in front of me," Jiang Luobi made a neck-slashing gesture, "The fox's tail will be exposed sooner or later."
Rong Xia smiled lightly and bowed to Jiang Luo.
Seeing his indifferent appearance, Jiang Luo turned around and left. In his heart, he was even more afraid of Rongxia, such a calm man would definitely not be as simple as a gentleman in the eyes of others. He didn't understand what method Rong Xia used to coax scholars all over the world to respect him, and even his father and the prince were full of praise for him.
This is an extremely ambitious man, and if he ascends the throne as emperor, he will never be left behind.
It has long been noticed that Ban Hua left with the granddaughter of Chengguo Gonggong. Now that she came back, everyone didn't ask, but they already thought of countless possibilities in their hearts. Especially the second prince concubine Xie Wanyu, she and Ban Hua had a bad relationship since childhood. Although the Shi Feixian incident made her feel less disgusted with Ban Hua, but she thought that Ban Hua would obediently salute her, so she felt that way. There is a feeling of urgency.
Originally, after finishing the banquet, she wanted to make things difficult for Ban Hua, but she knew that Ban Hua was called away by the people of Chengguo Gong's mansion, so she could only swallow the breath in her heart. But thinking of how he was often silenced by Ban Hua in the past, Xie Wanyu was always uneasy.
How to solve the worry, only to find Ban Hua to let out that breath.
"Fu Le County Master," Xie Wanyu took a sip of tea, "I haven't seen you for some days, and you seem to have lost a little bit more than before."
"It may be that I have eaten less recently," Ban Hua smiled innocently, "It was my fault that the princess was worried."
Xie Wanyu sneered and said, "Yes, since entering the palace, I have been worried about you."
It sounds like the two of them have had friendship. However, many people present knew that the two of them did have friendship, but they were all quarrelsome friendships, but the second prince and concubine fell behind every time.
The second prince concubine is obviously here to find a place for the past, but unfortunately, the psychological quality of the Fule county master is too strong. In the face of the second prince concubine's provocation, he is indifferent, and has the posture of playing stupid to the end.
Everyone knew that the second prince concubine had no way to take Pan Hua, because the second prince and the queen had the support of her majesty and the queen. Although the second prince concubine was higher than Ban Hua, she became a royal daughter-in-law and had to please the emperor.
As long as Ban Hua doesn't take the second prince concubine's trick, the second prince concubine can't find a reason to attack.
It can be seen that the grade does not explain everything, the most important thing is who the emperor favors more. After Xie Wanyu married into the palace, her relationship with the second prince was not good. The two elder brothers of her family were dismissed, disabled and disabled. Even if she wanted to be strong, others would not be afraid.
She wants to bully Banyan, but there is only one way to go.
That is when the second prince ascended the throne, and she became the queen of the great cause. At that time, when Ban Hua was in front of her, she could only be rounded and flattened.
Others understood this truth, and Xie Wanyu knew it in her own heart, so when she saw that Ban Hua was not afraid of her at all, she stopped humiliating herself, turned to talk to other noble ladies, and found a balance in her heart through their flattery. sense.
From the beginning to the end, Yinshi didn't interject a word. In her opinion, there was no need for her to speak in such a scene of a child's quarrel. In the future, after Hua Hua married into Cheng'anbo Mansion, she would always meet some people who didn't have long eyes. She couldn't help Hua Hua to do everything.
Cheng Guogong's birthday banquet was very lively, and the end was perfect. The two grandsons came to celebrate the birthday in person, and the court officials also admired their faces. Even His Majesty also specially sent messengers to send gifts. The face of the prince.
In recent years, the only thing that can compare to this birthday banquet is the birthday banquet when the eldest princess was alive. However, the eldest princess died, but Duke Cheng was still alive, and he also had a daughter who was the queen and the grandson of the prince.
The gold content of Chengguo Gongfu is higher than the current Jingting Gongfu.
However, when the Ban family left, the masters of Chengguo Gong's mansion personally delivered it to the door. Only then did everyone understand that the attitude of the Queen's family was the Queen's attitude.
The Ban family is still under the grace of grace.
On the night of Duke Cheng's birthday banquet, suddenly thunder fell from the sky, and there was a commotion in the palace.
Your Majesty is seriously ill and vomiting blood!