I think Wei Tan's face is not quite right, looking at him, I feel a little uneasy in my heart.
At this time, A Yuan led his family to bring water in: "Young master, madam..."
"Get out!" Wei Tan suddenly turned around and shouted.
Everyone was taken aback, A Yuan looked at me anxiously, and hurriedly went out with his family.
Wei Tan and I were left in the room again.
I stand at the base of the Amaranth, the Bintang, the Tax, the Emperor, the Luan, the Ban, the Shubi, the Bo, the Zhangtoe, the mulberry bed, the fence, and the alliance stool.
I thought Wei Tan would continue to lose his temper, but he didn't. Under the candlelight, I saw that face changing. After a while, he turned his head and took a deep breath.
"Come in." He said to the outside, his voice calmed down.
The door was pushed open carefully, and A Yuan led his family in, quickly putting water in front of the couch.
"You don't have to wait on me anymore." Wei Tan said when the family filled the water.
A Yuan Weiwei looked at me worriedly, and retreated with his family.
"Foot bath." Wei Tan looked at me and sat down on the couch.
Although I was apprehensive, I dared not neglect. After a while, he walked over.
There is only one basin, and I have to sit with Wei Tan. I felt awkward, afraid that what I did would touch his back again, so I couldn't help but sit back.
Wei Tan didn't ask me to help him take off his socks. He bent over and untied the tie belt three or two times, and threw the socks aside.
This saved me from trying to test it, so I took off my socks and dipped my feet in the basin.
Neither of them spoke, only the sound of warm water being stirred.
"I don't know about Xu Ji's pregnancy." Wei Tan suddenly said, "She is from my mother, and I have known her well since I was a child. When I was in Luoyang, Xu Ji cried to me about living alone. My father lived in Luoyang. When Zhongming was in Jizhou to rebuild the barracks, I asked him to go to Luoyang to see the construction."
I didn't answer.
Wei Tan continued: "When you and I were still in Huainan, Zhong Ming went to Luoyang to supervise the army. Now Xu Ji is three months pregnant, I think it happened at that time."
I was surprised when I heard these words, and the previous doubts gradually became clear.
I know Xu Ji's situation in Luoyang. Although food and clothing are plentiful, they are like birds in cages. Although the family members in that house will serve her, no matter what she wants to do, she has to be arranged by the steward first, and there is no one who can order alone, let alone send a letter to Wei Zhao to complain.
If I were her and got pregnant, it should be a great joy. But she didn't say it, why? I pushed back the date, and soon realized that it was probably because I was in Luoyang.
Although Wei Tan and Wei Zhao are brothers, even outsiders are talking about the delicate relationship between them, let alone Xu Ji. Pregnancy is Xu Ji's only hope to return to Wei Zhao's side. She doesn't believe in anyone and is more cautious than me.
Crying to Wei Tan is a crucial step. Xu Ji didn't confess to Wei Tan, but she used the old friendship to attract Wei Tan's pity and helped her meet Wei Zhao.
Xu Ji is very smart, and she has all kinds of schemes. If it were me, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it.
As for Wei Tan, his good intentions were taken as a stepping stone, and he was so angry that he had nowhere to vent his anger, so did I become the one who died for him
I am so wronged.
I still didn't speak, just looked at the basin. The candlelight was not too bright, and the four feet inside were silently soaked in water, two were small and exquisite, and two were thick-boned. I touched the water with my toes, and rubbed the fingers of one foot with the other. Suddenly, the big foot next to me came across and pressed both of my feet.
"Is there anything else you want to ask?" Wei Tan asked.
My heart has already settled down, and I smiled: "I have nothing to say."
Wei Tan stared at me with dark eyes.
"I'm just a husband to you, isn't it?" After a while, he asked.
When I heard that, I thought I really wanted to see what was in this man's head. I am still not satisfied with being my husband, let me do my best, do you want to be my father and let me be filial
My smile didn't change: "My husband treats my concubine deeply and righteously, and I know that I can't repay it just in case. Husband and concubine are more than two words."
"That's it." Wei Tan said softly, nodded and turned away.
At night, Wei Tan didn't hug me like usual.
I turned my back to him, and when I was about to fall asleep, I heard the sound of him turning over, and seemed a little unsteady. I wanted to ask, but felt that if this was the case, was I telling him that I was guilty and couldn't sleep
Forget it, go to sleep. I said to myself, continue to close your eyes.
The snow really fell, one after another.
In the past, in order to boost the morale of courtiers and stay alert to the cold and suffering, the late emperors would go hunting every year before the midwinter. However, since He Kui's rebellion, the emperor himself has been unable to protect himself, and the annual festivals have long been abandoned. Now Wei 嗨 Nuo Meng す 槔 chu and wonton ribbon 18 thin s 见 pulls the 料 烩 烩 熳 and Nie Ao
The emperor has no reason not to agree. One day, when the weather was fine and the snow was clear, the emperor, ministers and nobles drove to the foot of Mount Mang on the outskirts of Yongdu, and set up camp.
Dongshou is allowed to bring family members. Mrs. Guo is old and doesn't like such a noisy place, so she just stays in the mansion. I boarded the car with Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Mao, and we went to winter hunting together under the escort of sergeants.
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"Winter hunting." On the way, Mao was very excited and said, "My grandfather was a military commander. He told me that the emperor's winter hunting is more lively than the New Year."
Zhou said with a smile: "My husband also said he wanted to hunt a deer for me to see." She looked at me, "Cousin, have you ever seen my eldest cousin hunt? I heard that my eldest cousin is very good at archery."
I shook my head and smiled: "I've never seen it before."
Don't say I haven't seen Wei Tan hunting, these days, I rarely even see his face. On the one hand, he was hunting in winter, and on the other hand, he was urging the sergeants to take advantage of the slack to train troops. These days, he was busier than usual. Sometimes I have already fallen asleep and there is no sign of him. When I wake up, it is obvious that someone has been lying on the bedding next to me, but it is empty.
It's hard for me not to think about the twists and turns of that night, but what can I do? I have tried my best, but Wei Tan still feels dissatisfied, so I have nothing to say.
The mountains and fields are white, and the trees that have lost their leaves are covered with snow and ice. Looking from a distance, the brilliance of the branches in winter is particularly bleak.
Around the paddock, tents were neatly arranged, vehicles and horses were busy, and sergeants were shuttling. The nobles who had been dormant in the greenhouse for a long time were covered in furs, rubbing their hands, complaining about the weather, and bowing to each other. In contrast, people who are born in travel are more energetic, with swords and bows, and horses galloping.
The hunt will last for two days, and Zhou and Mao will spend the night in the wild. However, it was very warm in the tent, and there was a pavilion built by King Yong nearby. Many people met to cook tea and enjoy the snow during the interval.
When I arrived, I had seen Wei Tan from a distance. He was riding on horseback with Wei Ci and Wei Lang, talking for some reason. But there was a lot of people and cars, and after a while, he disappeared again.
I also saw the Son of Heaven and Empress Xu. I am a member of the Wei family, and I am going to see the ceremony. The emperor seemed to be in a good mood, wearing a long sword, adding a bit of heroism to that gentle face. Empress Xu was dressed in ermine fur with her hair in a high bun. When she saw me, she smiled lightly and greeted Mrs. Guo's body.
The first day was for the hunters to practice on horseback. There were no female relatives, and I and all the noble relatives just sat idle in the queen's tent. Most of the more than 30 family members who came to Dongshou were young like me. Among them, two or three are Xu's stepmothers, who married into a family that is not too high, but in this tent, they can talk to Xu Empress without being cold.
After seeing the ceremony, Empress Xu and I never spoke a word. She sits at the top and talks about her, and I sit at the bottom with Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Mao, so I am not lonely. While resting and drinking tea here, I heard my superior talking about the hunting in Chang'an in the past, and talking about various anecdotes.
"... If we talk about those years, what I remember most clearly is that there was a time when the late emperor set up a paddock in Zhongnan Mountain, and he shot and hunted with the disciples of the high school in Beijing. At that time, when the prey entered the arena, everyone shot at it, but Mr. Ji Yuan didn't shoot at it. The late emperor summoned him to ask, and Master Ji Yuan replied, "Heaven's virtue is good for life, I can't bear it."
I was taken aback for a moment, then glanced over there, and it was a sister of Empress Xu who was speaking.
"I also remember." The other person next to her laughed, "At that time, the late emperor praised Mr. Ji Yuan for his benevolence and gave him gold and silk."
I shook my head in my heart. Clueless woman. At that time, Pei Qian accidentally sprained his wrist because of wrestling with my second brother. However, people always have inexplicable tolerance towards the famous and handsome men. Even the late emperor believed such nonsense.
But Pei Qian was Pei Qian after all, now that he was mentioned, the women became visibly excited and recalled the past.
"It's a pity that the war broke out afterwards. I don't know where Mr. Ji Yuan is now?"
"I heard it's in Huaiyang?"
"Huaiyang? What is Mr. Ji Yuan doing in Huaiyang?"
"I don't know."
"Of course you don't know." A smiling voice said, "Mrs. Fu should know."
Surprised, I turned around to look.
Beside Xu Hou, a young woman looked at me with a provocative smile. Not only her, but also many people present, I feel a little familiar, but I can't remember who it is. They either exchanged glances or looked at me meaningfully, exactly the same as the young woman.
Empress Xu was drinking tea and didn't seem to hear anything.
Zhou's and Mao's colors changed slightly, I looked at them, they were calm.
This is not surprising, because of Pei Qian's disaster, there are a bunch of people in Chang'an who are not familiar with me and treat me badly, and I have already gotten used to it.
"What is Madam asking about?" I took my time, "If you ask Huaiyang, my concubine is shallow and unfamiliar; if you ask Mr. Ji Yuan, Madam's house is a court official. If Madam wants to know, why don't you go home and ask?" ?”
The young woman frowned, and wanted to say something. Empress Xu smiled and said, "Although Mrs. Fu is in the prime minister's mansion, she lives in a boudoir. How do you know what's going on outside? Not only Mr. Jiyuan, but there are not many left from the famous Chang'an family in the past. Fortunately, the emperor Establishing the capital of Yongzhou, reuniting the hearts of the people, and regaining prosperity, the day is waiting."
When these words come out, it can be regarded as a solution. All the women praised with smiles, having fun.
There were still all kinds of gazes from over there, I ignored it, filled the tea by myself, and took a sip slowly. Raising his eyes inadvertently, he met Xu Hou's sight. She was also drinking tea, for a moment, she turned her eyes away.
When I came out of the tent, the sun had already set in the west.
The sergeant lit a torch and patrolled among the tents. Someone came back from hunting in the distance and was grilling meat and drinking wine on the campfire.
The words in the previous account were embarrassing, and Zhou and Mao's faces were deliberately evasive. I didn't intend to explain anything, I just chatted a little along the way as if nothing had happened, and returned to my account.
I originally thought that Wei Tan would come to rest for the night, but the sergeant came to report that Wei Tan was going to the barracks tonight and would come to the hunting ground tomorrow. This answer was somewhat expected, and I wasn't surprised. I washed up, soaked my feet to warm my body, and lay down to rest.
Xu Shi went to bed early, and when he woke up the next day, the light was still very dim.
The charcoal fire burned all night in the tent, and it was a bit suffocating. A Yuan was sleeping soundly at the side, I didn't want to disturb her, and I didn't want to sleep again, so I put on my clothes lightly and planned to go out to get some air.
"Young Master." Just as I was about to lift the thick fur curtain, I suddenly heard a voice from outside.
"Hasn't Madam woke up yet?" A low voice came from Wei Tan.
"Madam hasn't gotten up yet... the eldest son won't come in?"
"No need."
For a moment, the outside became quiet.
I hesitated for a while, thinking whether I should go out, when I suddenly remembered what happened in the tent yesterday. He cursed in his heart, no matter how much hesitation, the husband will not be able to hold him firmly. Could it be that the group of women are making jokes in vain!
My heart skipped a beat and I opened the tent door.
A gust of wind came oncoming, it wasn't big, but it gave me a jolt.
Two soldiers were roasting their hands by the bonfire in front of the door, and they were surprised to see me.
"Ma'am." They saluted.
"Where is the eldest son?" I looked around, but there was no sign of Wei Tan.
"The eldest son just left." One person said.
"Where did it go?" I asked.
Another person pointed in the direction: "Over there."
I nodded, and chased over there without saying a word.
The genius was bright, along the way, except for the patrolling sergeants, there were no idlers. The snow on the ground has been trampled on yesterday, and the color is no longer discernible. I walked faster and faster, and after chasing for a long time, I saw Wei Tan's figure. I was about to call out, but saw him turn and walk into the woods.
I hurried to follow.
There is a circle of orange in the sky, the trees are towering, and the dead branches are intertwined. The woods are not dense, but the snow has no insteps, and there is no road. There are only a series of footprints left on the ground, which are very clear, one by one, extending forward.
There was no one around early in the morning, what was he doing here? Doubts arose in my heart, getting stronger and stronger. The silence of the woods seemed to tell me that something was hiding in it. I put away my thoughts of calling Wei Tan, followed his footsteps carefully, and moved forward quietly.
The twigs of the trees were pulled over from time to time, and I crept forward and slowly pushed them aside, lest I make any noise. The footprints stretch all the way. After a full moment, there was a burst of weeping, and not long after, two figures suddenly fell into the eyes from the other side of the bush.
My heart suddenly jumped, and I hid behind a big tree.
It was a man and a woman. The man is undoubtedly Wei Tan, and the woman is plainly dressed, like a working maid. But that face couldn't hide from me—it was Empress Xu.