In the blink of an eye, it's autumn,? After several rounds of repeated autumn tigers, the weather has completely cooled down.
Afraid that King Guang'an would catch cold, Zhou Dawu ordered his servants to dismantle the waterwheel in front of the study early in the morning. A group of servants were busy working lightly, and a tender-faced boy accidentally dropped the bearing of the waterwheel on the ground ,? There was a bang sound, and there was a crisp sound. Everyone was shocked. The old man in the head gave him a hard look, pressed his finger on his lips, and with a booing sound, he stretched his neck quietly to the study Take a look inside.
Behind the looming veil, the nobleman holding the thin blanket did not move at all, and seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
The old man finally felt relieved, and cursed the boy secretly with his mouth. The boy on the opposite side stuck out his tongue. He quickly picked up the things on the ground lightly, and the group retreated quietly.
Waiting for the voices to fade away, Li Yuanmin moved his eyelashes, slowly opened his eyes, ? took a deep breath, ? threw the thin blanket on the armrest beside him, ? sat up.
Actually, he has already woken up from the noise just now,? If the leading manager finds out, he will inevitably go back and punish the child, so he simply continued to doze off.
He didn't sleep well these days. He didn't have any business today, so he hid in the study and read some idle books. He fell asleep just like that. For an hour, my heart was at ease, and now I stretched softly, a strand of black hair brushed across my snow-colored face, like a begonia just blooming.
He was wearing plain clothes today. Fortunately, he didn't even tie up his hair because he didn't go out. He only let the serving nurse tie it behind his back with a belt.
He sat down, and when his neck was heavy, a shiny jade pendant slipped out from his chest. He held it and held it in his palm for a moment, then sighed, remembering that it had been two days since Yan Lie left the capital. It's been a month, and I don't know if I'm still used to the harshness of the border.
Slightly sour in his heart, he couldn't help pulling out the red sandalwood box in the dark compartment under the desk, with a gentle look in his eyes, he stroked it gently, and opened it.
Inside are a few letters, which were neatly folded and placed properly. The content of each letter is actually extremely simple, either to say hello, or to say that everything is well. However, since being complained by Li Yuanmin last time, the word "Miss you" will always be mentioned at the end of the letter.
Li Yuanmin imagined him writing these two words with a cold and solemn face, and his heart was both funny and melancholy.
He carefully folded the letter paper, carefully folded it into the red sandalwood box, and sighed for no reason.
It's been five or six days. I should have received a letter, but there has been no news. Although I know that it must be those simple words, I still can't help but jump for joy every time I take off the seal expect.
While the radiant box was whirling, there was a noise from outside, as if someone was coming this way, Li Yuanmin hastily closed the hidden button of the box and put it into the hidden compartment.
Ni Ying walked in, her head downcast, her brows and eyes that were originally heroic were wrinkled by the shock of frustration.
Li Yuanmin pulled his hand out from under the table calmly, and joked: "Why, our queen is so unhappy today?"
Ni Ying angrily handed him the embroidery frame in her hand.
Li Yuanmin took a look and was dumbfounded. Two things that looked like petals were crookedly embroidered on it. The stitches on the silk surface were messy, and there were even broken threads floating on it.
—This is still the result of half a year of study.
Li Yuanmin swallowed his saliva and forced a smile: "Ah Ying is really amazing, she can already embroider two flowers in only half a year."
"This is a mandarin duck!"
Li Yuanmin's face tightened, looking at the two lumps that had become one piece, he couldn't help but praise her for her good embroidery.
I just sighed secretly, put the bandage on the table, and comforted her softly: "Everything is difficult at the beginning, we Ah Ying are so smart, how can we be stumped by a mere female celebrity, it's a piece of cake dish."
"Brother Your Highness, don't put a high hat on me."
Ni Ying stretched out her finger, with a little bit of complaint on her face, "I was born lacking the tendons to be a female celebrity. I really can't learn this needlework. The embroiderer told me that I have never seen me so clumsy." of!"
Considering Ni Ying's temperament, the embroiderers Li Yuanmin invited to teach are all well-known for their good temper and patience. If even she couldn't help but say such angry words, then she must have reached her limit.
Li Yuanmin looked at Ni Ying, who was wriggling her fingertips, and sighed, knowing that he was embarrassing her.
Although Ah Ying's temperament is jumpy, but as long as she tells her, she will work hard even though she is reluctant, just like this school girl, she is very reluctant, but after some painstaking instructions from herself, Then I learned the truth for half a year.
Xu really doesn't have the talent in this area, Li Yuanmin sighed, pulled her hand over, and looked at it carefully. The slender fingers with thin calluses were covered with old and new wounds. There was also a bright red needlepoint cut on the tip of the index finger, which was obviously caused when the "Mandarin Duck" was embroidered, and he felt a little regretful.
"Forget it, don't study."
Ni Ying's gloomy brows and eyes turned gloomy in an instant, and she grinned: "Really?"
"It's true," Li Yuanmin said helplessly, "Even if you were given a few more years, you probably wouldn't be able to learn this girl."
"That's not true," Ni Ying had a strong temper, but now she quickly admitted that she was not capable, "I was born to have a grudge against this needleworker!"
Looking at the happy girl, Li Yuanmin couldn't help worrying. She was almost fourteen years old, and she was about to reach the age of marriage.
He had already screened out a group of unmarried high-school children in Lingnan, and there were a few good-hearted partners. Although Ni Ying was the jewel in the palm of his Guang'an Palace, after all, his father was a criminal general of the court. Even ordinary people can't compare, if a nobleman marries her as his wife, then his official career in this life is almost over, so until now, although the Guang'an Palace is becoming more and more powerful, no one from the family has come to propose marriage.
After all, everyone is willing to curry favor with Guang'an Palace, but it is worth thinking about it if it has a bright future.
Of course he can use his power to coerce others to marry Ah Ying, but such an important matter as in-laws naturally requires your love and I will, and he does not want Ni Ying to be wronged in the slightest.
But if the conditions are lowered a little and merchants in the Lingnan area are considered, they will be happy, but the Lingnan merchants have a too strong tradition of taking concubines, as if they are competing for financial resources. They pile up a lot of women in the backyard, Ruo Aying After such a temper has passed, it is inevitable that he will be restless all day long.
For a while, I was full of thoughts, only looking at the girl who was still jumping for joy, feeling worried in my heart.
Rubbing his temples, a servant outside announced, "His Royal Highness, Mr. Xue from the Governor's Mansion is here to pay a visit."
Li Yuanmin frowned, and before he said anything, Ni Ying had already expressed dissatisfaction on his face, and muttered: "Is this Xue a person who has nothing to do all day? He kept running to our palace. This month, the third time right?"
Li Yuanmin scolded lightly: "Don't be rude."
He stood up, took Ni Ying out of the study room, and was about to go around the meeting hall and go back to the bedroom to change clothes. Xue Zaixing had already come out of the hall in casual clothes.
"Your Highness!"
Li Yuanmin faltered, lowered his head and told Ni Ying a few words, and then let her go on her own, and walked towards Xue Zaixing, with a smile on her face: "Why didn't the Governor inform you in advance? The adults laughed."
Xue Zaixing smiled and said: "It's not on official business. I just happened to pass by and pay a visit. Your Highness doesn't need to see outside."
As he was talking, he quietly looked at the person in front of him from the corner of his eye. He had never seen him so idle in private, but he saw the loose plain shirt clinging tightly to the wind blown by his steps. His body is slender and slender, he has no crown, his black hair is loose on his shoulders, and the end of his hair is loosely tied with a cloth belt. His face is more beautiful than usual. Fang, a little more unknowingly gorgeous.
His eyes moved, and he complained half-truthfully: "Could it be that, apart from official duties, His Highness is not allowed to go to the mansion for a while."
Li Yuanmin pretended not to understand what he said, so he just twitched his mouth slightly: "What are you talking about, my lord, as long as my lord has a good mood, I will be waiting for you at any time at the palace, and I can really drive away guests."
The two laughed together, and Li Yuanmin made a gesture to invite them into the hall. The two sat on the main seats in the hall. After a while, a servant came in with tea.
Xue Zaixing took a sip of tea, staring at Li Yuanmin with sharp eyes: "That girl just now is the sister of Yan Canling?"
"Exactly."
Xue Zaixing nodded thoughtfully, and put down the teacup: "May I ask, is the girl married?"
Li Yuan was vigilant in his heart, but his face was relaxed: "I'm still young, this matter is not urgent."
"I'm going to say that His Highness is wrong," Xue Zaixing accused half-truthfully: "Look at Miss Ni's stature is almost fourteen, not to mention that the baby girl who is popular in Lingnan is even in Beijing. Among them, there are many who made marriages at the age of eight."
"This matter should be done sooner rather than later." He emphasized in a louder voice, meaningfully: "It's also my fault that there are no mistresses in the house. Your Highness has a lot of work to do every day. It is inevitable that these marriage matters will be neglected."
Li Yuanmin just smiled and said nothing.
Xue Zaixing turned his eyes sharply, and moved a little closer: "Your Majesty's words may be a bit presumptuous, but His Highness is kind, so I don't think he will blame him."
"Naturally." Li Yuanmin smiled slightly, blew on the heat from the teacup with downcast eyes, took a sip, and looked at him: "My lord, it's okay to say."
"I don't know what your Highness thinks about being an official?"
Li Yuanmin's fingers stiffened slightly, and he quickly put down the teacup, "Your Excellency is in charge of the governorships of these two rivers and three provinces at a young age, so you are a dragon and phoenix among people."
The corner of Xue Zaixing's lips twitched slightly, "Then in His Highness's opinion, can the officer be favored by Miss Ni?"
The corner of Li Yuanmin's mouth was still smiling, and he said for a while, "My lord is joking."
However, Xue Zaixing seemed to be recommending himself: "My mother has passed away for several years, and there is nothing else in the backyard except for two concubines. What's more, my general's mansion does not have the rules of restricting hands and feet like a high-ranking courtyard... Could it be Your Highness thinks I'm old?"
Xue Zaixing has just passed his thirties, and his first wife passed away four years ago. It is said that he left behind a ten-year-old eldest son, but so what. He was Xie Yuan in the fifth year of the early martial arts, and he had the ability to lead troops. He was both civil and military, and he was favored by Emperor Mingde. In just ten years, he was promoted from a bachelor of the Imperial Academy to the current powerful governor of the two rivers and three provinces. , based on his identity and appearance, even if he is placed in the capital, he is also the object of marriage with princes and nobles.
What's more, Li Shangshu, who was more than a few years old in the capital, was married to a beautiful woman who was nineteen years old and born in a noble family, and Xue Zaixing's age is just the time for a man to be full of vigor.
How could Li Yuanmin believe that he really wanted to marry Ni Ying.
He twitched his lips slightly: "It's nothing else, but this girl in the mansion has always had no rules. How can she take on the responsibility of taking care of the backyard of the Governor's Mansion? This child is just going to find someone to make do with in the future."
"Oh, that's how it is. I'm still your Highness and I'm going to accept it myself."
He smiled, relaxed.
"My lord treats her like a younger sister, how can there be such affection between a man and a woman, my lord is joking."
The issue of Ni Ying's marriage ended here. Xue Zaixing kept his mouth shut and did not mention this matter any more. He only talked with him about insignificant matters such as Lingnan customs and customs.
Li Yuanmin had a strange feeling in his heart. Xue Zaixing seemed to be playing tricks on him. Naturally, his purpose was not to marry Ah Ying. He wondered whether he would really marry the daughter of a criminal minister. It is impossible for me to let Ah Ying marry him,
This person is unclear and treacherous. He regards Ah Ying as his own sister, and he hopes that his wings can protect her for the rest of her life. If it falls into his hands, he is not sure of keeping her safe.
But now the other party's mind is obviously not on Ni Ying, but rather to confirm his feelings for Ni Ying.
Li Yuanmin secretly clenched his fist.
Near noon, someone from the dining room came to inquire. Li Yuanmin hesitated for a moment, looked at Xue Zaixing who still had no intention of leaving, and said politely:
"It's time for dinner again, I wonder if the governor will stay for dinner?"
He asked casually, but Xue Zaixing showed such a flattered expression: "So, His Highness is being bothered over there."
Li Yuanmin was stunned, so he could only stand up, and ordered his servants to ask the kitchen to add more dishes.
One after another, people from the dining room came to serve dishes. Since there were no outsiders, they were all the same as usual, all of which were simple. Naturally, Xue Zaixing did not expect his diet to be so simple, only a stack of sauced beef, a A plate of vegetarian three delicacies, a plate of assorted shredded chicken, a bowl of vegetarian stir-fried choy sum, plus a bowl of silky chicken soup, there is nothing else.
Xue Zaixing is a member of the army, and he is not very particular about his diet. However, every time there are five meat, three vegetables, and two cold dishes on the table, if there are seasonal fresh foods, one or two must be added. some.
Can't help sighing: "His Royal Highness is really frugal."
Li Yuanmin sneered slightly: "It's just a lack of appetite, and I don't know that these dishes do not meet the appetite of adults."
"The lower officials are not the kind of people who wait for the bell to eat, and are pampered. Anyway, they have been fighting in the battlefield for several years. They often eat coarse grains with chaff. Our stomachs are very easy to pass."
Because there were few people, Li Yuanmin usually ate at the pear wood small round table. He was about to sit down, but found that Xue Zaixing opened the next seat and sat next to him.
This is obviously not in compliance with the rules, but Xue Zaixing didn't notice it, and started to eat with chopsticks, while praising the family's dishes, which seem simple but are actually delicious.
Li Yuanmin lost his appetite when his mind was heavy, but the people around him seemed to have a big appetite, and they added three bowls of rice in a row.
After drinking a bowl of chicken soup at the end, I looked at him,
"I didn't expect that the most pleasant meal during this period was eaten at His Highness's residence."
Li Yuan smiled and put down the bowl and chopsticks: "As long as the adults like it."
Li Yuanmin vomited into the spittoon the scented tea that people brought up to rinse his mouth, and was wiping the corners of his mouth with the handkerchief when he heard Xue Zaixing's voice: "Your Highness smells so fragrant, it's very quiet Elegant, I have never smelled such a fragrance."
He leaned a little closer to him, keeping a distance that was not too ambiguous but could be smelled.
Li Yuanmin doesn't use incense, it's all brought from the mother's womb.
He didn't dodge, his expression didn't move, he just stared into Xue Zaixing's eyes, and said indifferently: "This king has no research on incense, it's all handled by the servants. If the adults like it, I will ask the servants of the mansion Send some over."
Xue Zaixing smiled and stepped back a little.
At this time, there was a rush of footsteps outside, and a young man came in.
"Your Highness, you have received a letter from your lord."
Li Yuanmin's heart skipped a beat, wishing he could quickly step forward to snatch the letter from his hand, but he held back at the moment, and only waved his hand,
"Send it to the study."
Xue Zaixing captured the violent mood swing at that moment.
He was indifferent just now, and even if he intentionally tried to tempt him, he still maintained his usual estrangement and self-restraint. However, a mere letter can stir up ripples in this calm lake.
Is it something complicated or... people
Xue Zaixing narrowed his eyes slightly.
The author has something to say: Maybe there is another chapter tonight, it depends on the situation.
———
Thanks to the little angels who threw mines: PwditZ? 2; Firewood Stick, Curly Shengxiang, Pipi? 1;
Thanks to the little angel of the irrigation nutrient solution: Qingshan Yekong? 20 bottles; Macabella? 2 bottles; Sleeping God, boiled beef? 1 bottle;