Returning home in a daze, Bai Duan plunged into her study room, and for the first time impatiently laid out paper and polished it, trying to describe the appearance of her sweetheart.
It's a pity that the reality is cruel. It's rare for Bai Duan to be so elegant. However, his painting skills are really not up to the table. After scribbling on the paper for a long time, he can barely see the figure of a human being. In the end, he had to give up angrily—then, he put down the brush , and quietly took out the carving knife and wooden blocks hidden by him.
Talent is really important. Bai Yushi tried his best to teach Bai Duan piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, but except for chess, he had little effect. On the contrary, Bai Duan was bored and groped for sculpture, but he achieved great results, and he already has a bit of a master's style.
The slender fingers pinched the ordinary wooden block and carving knife, and rotated and sketched flexibly. Bai Duan was obsessed with recalling the voice and smile of his sweetheart, unable to extricate himself. It didn't take long to carve the outline of the woman - although the facial features were not clear, but rough At first glance, it already has a somewhat unique charm.
In this way, Bai Duan continued to carve and polish the woodcarving of his sweetheart while persistently searching for the figure of the girl.
Uncharacteristically, he no longer always stays alone at home and pushes as many invitations as he can to go out. Instead, he began to actively participate in activities held by various aristocratic families, and even quietly inquired about girls from famous families with good conduct and strict speech. identity.
Although all of Bai Duan's efforts were in vain, but because of this, he gradually integrated into the social circle of the aristocrats in the capital by accident and inadvertently. Once in contact, few people can maintain disgust and repulsion as always.
After exhausting all kinds of means, she still didn't find any news about her sweetheart. Bai Duan's spirit became worse and worse, and her mood became more and more depressed.
Bai Yushi naturally noticed the sudden change in his son. He thought it was a good thing that Aiko started actively participating in social activities, so he let it go, but now he had to intervene.
Calling Bai Duan to his study, Bai Yushi looked at Ai Zi with a sluggish expression, his eyes were full of worry: "Din'er, what happened to you these days?"
Bai Duan and Bai Yushi's father is kind and filial, and they will never hide anything from their father. His face was quietly stained with blush, his long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and he said softly: "Father, son... has a girl he likes."
Hearing this news, Bai Yushi was shocked and then overjoyed, and quickly asked, "Which family is that girl from?"
"I... I don't know." Bai Duan looked disappointed, "If I knew, I would have asked you to come to my door to propose marriage for me a long time ago."
As the saying goes, "There is no one who knows a son like a father", of course Bai Yushi understands how persistent his son is. Hearing Bai Duan talk about the marriage proposal without hesitation, he understands that his son is deeply affectionate.
Even though he didn't know the girl's identity, Bai Yushi still paid great attention to it: "Where did you meet that girl?"
Bai Duan explained how he fell in love with the girl at first sight at the eldest princess's flower viewing banquet, and because someone came, he avoided the side without saying a word, and then he could never find her again. After reading it again, I finally smiled wryly: "Now I doubt that what I saw at the side of the lotus pond that day was some kind of lotus-shaped ghost..."
Bai Yushi never believed in ghosts and gods, seeing Aiko in such a bewildered state, he was really angry and funny. After hearing Aizi's hard work these days, he also found it quite difficult: "You guessed that she is the concubine daughter of a rich family, and I agree with this point of view. After all, not everyone can get the flower viewing feast of the eldest princess." Invited, and her attire is obviously not favored, so she is definitely not the daughter of the golden and jaded daughter."
After finishing speaking, Bai Yushi sighed, obviously having a headache about the girl's background.
To be honest, Bai Yushi didn't want Aizi to marry a concubine from a family, not because he had any prejudice against concubines, but simply felt that his family and Aizi's character were not suitable for concubines from big families. female.
No matter how glamorous the big family is on the outside, there are always intrigues inside. The concubines are fine, they will receive an orthodox education and have a broad horizon, but the concubines are mostly raised in boudoirs and grow up in the hands of concubines, and sometimes they are suppressed by their aunts and sisters, so their temperament will inevitably have some flaws. In order to survive better and marry a good family, they are either overly cautious, or they are scheming, good at disguising, or they are good at flattering and flattering... In short, they are not suitable for a simple family like the Bai family.
Bai Yushi didn't want Bai Duan to marry a concubine from a big family, and bring those house fighting methods to the Bai family, destroying the simple and simple family style of the Bai family, but Aizi just fell in love with such a girl, she is really human It's not as good as God's calculation.
In addition to being strict with Aizi's study, Bai Yushi is really responsive to Bai Duan. Facing Aiko's eyes asking for help, Bai Yushi sighed: "Forget it, you don't need to worry about this matter. You are a man, how can you ask about a girl everywhere? Whether it is for you or her, It's not a good thing—so, the elders still have to step in!"
Bai Duan's eyes lit up.
"Since you met her at the eldest princess's flower viewing banquet, then I will abandon this old face and ask the eldest princess for you. Maybe I will get some news." He stroked his beard, "Do you remember the girl's appearance?"
"Of course I remember!" Bai Duan nodded repeatedly.
Just as Bai Yushi was about to ask, he saw Aiko turned his head and ran out, he couldn't help but look confused.
Not long after, Bai Duan, who was running out of breath, returned to the study with the wood carving he had carved, and handed it to Bai Yushi with a little embarrassment.
Holding a beautifully crafted and lifelike wood carving, the speechless Bai Yushi said: "……………"
After a while, his beard trembled slightly, and his tone was subtle: "This...you did it?"
"Well, I did it." Bai Duan showed his woodcarving works to others for the first time, and touched his nose in embarrassment.
"I don't know, but you still have such a hobby." Bai Yushi twitched the corner of his mouth, "To be able to carve like this, you have practiced secretly for a long time, right?"
Hearing Bai Yushi's question, Bai Duan instantly understood what he meant, and quickly shook his head: "No, no, I definitely didn't delay my studies because of practicing woodcarving!"
Bai Yushi glared at Bai Duan, but he didn't continue to entangle with Aizi's "doing nothing" - after all, marriage is more important than this.
Bai Yushi has always acted vigorously and resolutely, no matter whether it is in court or in private, he will never procrastinate.
The next day, he handed over a call letter to the Eldest Princess' Mansion, and immediately visited her after receiving the consent—of course, he certainly would not forget to bring a small statue of a girl carved in white satin with him.
The eldest princess and Bai Yushi have never had any friendship, and she was very surprised when she received Bai Yushi's greeting card. After hearing his explanation of her visit, she immediately burst out laughing.
Looking at the small statue carved in white satin, the eldest princess praised his craftsmanship unceremoniously: "Your son carves with such care, obviously he loves this girl very much—there is really deep affection. This affection , even Ben Gong, who is used to the wind and the moon, can't help being tempted!" After a pause, she covered her lips and smiled, "Little Master Bai has always been indifferent and calm, unmoved by external things, I didn't expect to be a lover kind!"
Bai Yushi's old face was slightly red, and he was obviously not used to seeing his son, who had always been indifferent, fall in love without warning.
After teasing Bai Duan, the eldest princess raised her hand to caress the wood carving, and finally gave the answer Bai Yushi had longed for: "I do know the girl carved by this wood carving."
Bai Yushi's spirit was shaken: "Dare to ask the eldest princess, what is the identity of this girl..."
"Her identity is not the concubine daughter of a noble family. It's embarrassing for Mr. Bai to search everywhere, but can't find it anywhere." The eldest princess sighed, with a bit of pity in her expression, "She is the princess of the palace. I usually live in secluded places, so Bengong had a hard time inviting her out that day under the pretext of relaxing."
"Princess in the palace?!" This answer really shocked Bai Yushi, and he couldn't help but lose his composure.
"Yes, she is the second princess." The eldest princess nodded, "Master Bai should also know the situation in the palace. The emperor loves the noble concubine very much, and the noble concubine's temperament... the post is vacant, and she is in charge of the harem. She didn't suppress it deliberately, but she didn't like to see children who were not born by her. In addition, the emperor blindly followed her, causing the palace to be smoky, and the palace people stepped on the high and low, and the life of the princesses was not easy. And the second princess Mother and concubine died early, and the mother family has no influence, so life is even more difficult. It is understandable to be mistaken for the concubine daughter of a big family... "
Hearing what the eldest princess said, and thinking about the situation in the palace, Bai Yushi couldn't help but heaved a long sigh and shook his head slowly.
"The second princess has also reached the age of marriage, but no one in the palace pays attention to it. I have to make arrangements for her. If your son likes her, it will be a good marriage. Anyway, no one in the palace will care. What kind of family did she marry?" The eldest princess looked deeply at Bai Yushi, "I trust your character very much, and Bai Duan is also a good child. In general, the young couple can respect each other as guests and raise eyebrows. But—" the eldest princess changed the subject, "you know that once you marry the princess..."
Bai Yushi nodded slightly - this is where he hesitated.
Although Princess Shang is the glory of the family, it also means that the princess' son-in-law will stop in his official career and live under the "glory" of the princess for the rest of his life. Even though Bai Yushi no longer expects his son to continue scientific research and gain fame, he still hopes that he can find a vacancy in a remote place as a juren, start from the smallest, and serve the country as a parent official.
The eldest princess knew what Bai Yushi was worrying about, so she didn't say anything to urge her: "After all, it is a major matter related to the life of young master Bai. Mrs. Bai can go back and think about it, and then answer this palace after making a decision. If Mrs. Bai is willing to ask This daughter-in-law, I will go to find out what the second princess has said, and find an opportunity for the two young people to meet and get to know each other, so as not to mess up the mandarin ducks, and if the marriage fails, they will become enemies..."
The eldest princess recalled the entanglement between herself and the son-in-law who died young, and her face was a little gloomy. She is a person who has suffered like this, so she doesn't want her poor niece to follow in her footsteps.
Bai Yushi was extremely disturbed. Seeing that the Eldest Princess was depressed, he didn't say anything more immediately, and left in a hurry after agreeing.
—The important matter of the marriage of the daughter here can really make the elders feel sad...