Merchants gather in Bianjing city on summer nights, seeing that the Qiqiao Festival is approaching, all kinds of exquisite lanterns and colorful flags fluttering in the wind are hung everywhere on the Goulan and tiles of Biandu.
In the mansions of various families, wine and food sacrifices were also arranged for several feasts in advance.
The distant galaxy in the sky is also shining brightly together with the lights of thousands of families in the world. Looking around, it is a prosperous and prosperous scene.
The last time Mu Rao almost died by the lotus pond, now thinking of that day, she is still in shock.
Tuoba Yu disguised herself as a maid she bought from a tooth shop, and was temporarily hidden by her in the prince's mansion.
His disappearance certainly alarmed Luo Lu Khan who was far away in the Falcon Kingdom.
Luo Lu Khan has no fertility and has a bad relationship with his relatives. After he adopted Tuoba Yu, it can be said that he has devoted all his efforts to him.
Luo Lu Khan has a stubborn illness. He is loyal to the Maharaja of the Hu Kingdom on the surface, but in fact he has always wanted to replace him.
This was originally a grievance many years ago.
Originally, his elder brother's tribe made the most contributions to unifying the entire grassland. Luo Lu Khan's elder brother once brutally wiped out several tribes on the grassland. The meticulous murder plan killed his elder brother in the tent.
At the end, the majesty who was three years older than him came to occupy the magpie's nest, and easily replaced his brother's position.
Due to the current situation, Luo Lu Khan had no choice but to take his own subordinates and submit to the Maharaja without hesitation.
But many years have passed, Luo Lu Khan still remembers the miserable scene when his brother died that day.
He felt that the cause of his brother's death was strange, and he was afraid that there might be a traitor.
And the traitor, eighty to nine out of ten, is the Maharaja who is his half-brother.
Luo Lu Khan held a grudge against this, and had always wished to replace the Great King of the Ukrainian Kingdom. If he could not achieve this while he was alive, then after his death, he hoped to find someone who was capable and ruthless, who could carry on his legacy.
Many years ago, the tribes within the territory of the Falcon Kingdom did not follow the hereditary system of blood lineage as they did in the Central Plains.
The members of the tribe are not all related by blood. Like wolves, living together is more conducive to survival.
The leader is also the same as the wolf king in the wolf pack, and the leader is the one with the most outstanding ability.
A stable wolf pack will also be joined by a lone wolf that migrates from outside. If the migrating wolf is more ferocious and brave than the wolf king, then as long as it can defeat the wolf king, it will become the new wolf king in the wolf pack .
There is a strict hierarchy in the wolf pack, and the same is true within the tribe.
It was only later, after the various tribes in the Ukrainian Kingdom were unified, that they urgently needed to have their own set of laws and regulations to control and govern the tribes that had just been unified, just like the Central Plains.
The decrees of the Central Plains are ready-made, and some tribes in the Uganda Kingdom also take advantage of the ritual system of the Central Plains, passing the throne from generation to generation according to blood relationship.
Therefore, no one finds it strange that he inherited the title of son to Tuoba Yu who has nothing to do with him.
Originally, his tribe was also dominated by capable people, and he had no heirs. As long as Tuoba Yu was capable enough to secure this position in the future, he would not necessarily have to follow the etiquette and law of the Central Plains, and follow the hereditary system of blood kinship.
At that time, the population of the Uighur Kingdom was insufficient, and every year, some boys or girls had to be taken from the border with the Central Plains as slaves.
That's how Tuoba Yu came to the territory of the Hu State and became a slave of his tribe.
Luo Lu Khan saw in the eyes of this young man from the Central Plains the cruelty and cunning he expected and the ruthlessness that he was willing to go all out for. Originally, he wanted to train him to be his subordinate, and he was also the youngest subordinate under him.
He had many women, but none of them could conceive his offspring.
Luo Lu Khan knew that he would never have another child in his life, so he thought of adopting a boy as his adopted son.
He will take good care of this child who is not related to him by blood, and let him become the little wolf king that he is proud of.
Since he had the idea of adopting a son, he wanted to find a boy whose parents died.
All the characteristics of Tuoba Yu are in line with his requirements.
In order to survive in this strange place, the boy also tried his best to create several opportunities and proved his loyalty to him.
After Tuoba Yu became the adopted son of Luo Lu Khan, he did not disappoint him, seeing that he had raised a child into the wolf king in his heart.
In a few years, he will be taller and stronger.
Although Luo Lu Khan knew that he would not live long, but watching Tuoba Yu grow up day by day, he also had sustenance in his heart.
The child will always fulfill his wishes for him.
But who knows, news came from the country of Qi that the little wolf king he had been caring for had disappeared.
That day when Tuoba Yu said that he was going to Qi State, Luo Lu Khan felt worried, knowing that he was still young and unstable, so he sent his most trusted adviser to follow him to Qi State.
But his little wolf king still had an accident in Qi.
Qi State Crown Prince Mu Huai has always been deep in his thoughts, knowing that Tuoba Yu has repeatedly sought more benefits for the State of Qi during the process of Qi's tea and horse trade.
With his disappearance, it will be easier for Mu Huai to seduce that idiot Tuoba Jing.
Another half of the horses have not arrived at the tea horse department in Qinzhou, and some tea such as sparrow tongue has not yet been handed over to their envoys of the Uighur Kingdom.
The majesty was naturally worried about this matter, so Luo Lu Khan took the opportunity to invite Ying, under the banner of negotiating with Qi, and went to Qi to look for his missing adopted son.
The majesty has informed the monarch of the state of Qi by ordering his envoys, and Khan Luo Lu will arrive in Qi in a few days.
Mu Rao naturally found out about this, she looked as usual, calm and calm, but inside she was living in panic.
She felt that the aloof prince probably didn't expect that Luo Lu Khan cared so much about his adopted son.
Mu Rao knew that her fate was uncertain and her future was worrying.
She hid Tuoba Yu this time, and Mu Huai would not let her go.
Her surname is Mu, and she is the princess of Daqi. She can't be willful enough not to care about the family's honor and disgrace.
There were so many things on her body that she couldn't breathe.
On the day of the Qiqiao Festival, with the determination to die, Mu Rao thought that just today, she would indulge herself again.
Mu Rao called Wang Xin and Wang Huai, the two unmarried cousins of the Wang family, to accompany her for a final night tour in Bianjing City.
Wang Xin made military exploits in defeating Jin last year, and was just named a general.
Wang Huai took the imperial examination this year, ranked sixteenth, and also won the exam. Relying on the relationship of the Wang family, he is now in charge of military equipment in the Ministry of War.
Mu Rao, the two cousins of childhood sweethearts, took a bath at the right time on the day of the Qiqiao Festival, and happily accompanied Mu Rao, who was disguised as a man, as he walked around Bianjing, eating, drinking and having fun.
And Mu Rao's mother, Wang Shi, went to Daxiangguo Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha this day, and she was going to stay in the nunnery inside for the night.
The three of them went to Jinming Pond to take a boat during the day, and at noon they went to Fengle Building① with pearl curtains and embroidered door lintels to have wine.
After nightfall, Wang Xin and Wang Huai accompanied Mu Rao to Beishanzi Tea House on Old Caomen Street, watched the tea doctor order tea, and ate cherry fried and honey fried carved flowers.
Wang Xin and Wang Huai took out all the monthly salaries they had accumulated, compared with each other and bought a lot of food and things that their daughter's family likes for Mu Rao.
The two bickered as usual on the road, but Mu Rao was always unhappy along the way.
Seeing that she was preoccupied, Wang Huai couldn't help asking: "Ah Rao tired from playing today? If you can't walk, brother will carry you back to the Prince's Mansion."
Wang Xin glanced at Wang Huai, and threw all the big and small parcels in his hand to Wang Huai. Under his surprised expression, he walked up to Mu Rao and squatted down first. He said in a slightly embarrassed tone: "Your Brother Huai My son's bones are too thin, and he can't walk a few steps with you on his back, I'm afraid he will throw you off, so let me carry you."
Only then did Mu Rao get out of her own thoughts. She shook her head and replied, "I don't need you two to memorize... In two or three years, you will be crowned and married. What you two should memorize by then is The lady of the two of you. And I...sooner or later I will get married, and the one who carries me behind my back should be my future husband."
Wang Xin straightened up, with a slightly stunned expression.
The older Wang family brothers were all married, so Mu Rao gradually kept a distance from them.
He and Wang Huai are still young, but in recent years, Mu Rao hasn't gotten very close to them.
It was not easy for Da Qi's Princess Shen He to invite them out to play, but he and Wang Huai have not yet accompanied them.
Wang Xin was puzzled: "Why did Ah Rao suddenly bring up the marriage? Could it be that... your aunt has promised you?"
Mu Rao didn't say anything, just shook her head.
Few people knew that she was going to marry Tuoba Jing.
The three of them were silent all the way, feeling that the times were changing.
As we grow older, there are more helpless things.
Wang Xin and Wang Huai personally sent Mu Rao back to the Prince's Mansion. After arriving at the gate of the mansion, Wang Xin said, "Don't worry, Ah Rao, no matter who you marry in the future, we brothers from the Wang family will always be your backing. I dare not bully you."
Mu Rao wore a small white jade crown on her head and a moon white soap shirt. She looked like a handsome and gentle young man.
She looked at the two tall cousins, and replied lightly: "Ah Rao knows, Brother Xin and Brother Huai should go back to the house quickly, Xiu Muri called you two out, but it didn't work." rest."
Both Wang Huai and Wang Xin said that it was okay and they were willing to accompany her. They did not turn back to the mansion until they personally watched Mu Rao enter the mansion gate.
As soon as she arrived in front of the Fulu stone sculpture screen wall, Murao's close female envoy brought a lantern and looked for her anxiously.
Mu Rao secretly felt that something was wrong, and hurriedly asked the envoy, "What's wrong?"
The female envoy replied with a look of fear on her face: "The princess returned to the mansion ahead of time. Seeing that you are not at the mansion, she is about to send servants out of the mansion to look for you."
Mu Rao followed the female envoy calmly to Wang's courtyard.
The female envoy said again: "...and... Chuntao'she'...has caused trouble again. The concubine is teaching her a lesson, and also said that she will be kicked out of the house."
Mu Rao frowned, and then asked the female envoy: "Didn't I tell you to watch him carefully, and don't need him to do anything, as long as you stay in the mansion well, why did you cause trouble again?"
The female envoy replied helplessly: "...the princess should go and have a look first."
Mu Rao picked up the soap shirt, and after walking quickly to the main hall of the Wang's courtyard, he saw Tuoba Yu standing under the carved fly cover with a face full of disdain, and a little maid was kneeling on the ground and weeping softly.
Mrs. Wang was wearing a dark blue beige, a high bun on her hair and a jade comb, and she was sitting on the pear wood armchair in the main seat with a sullen expression on her face.
Seeing Mu Rao in men's clothes, Wang's face became even more sullen.
After Mu Rao entered, he glanced at Tuoba Yu who was kneeling on the ground. He was wearing the clothes of a palace servant girl, and he was wearing a double bun.
Originally, his appearance was flirtatious and feminine, and even pretending to be a maid would make people unable to tell his true gender.
But Tuoba Yu pretended to be a young girl, but her appearance was even more seductive than a woman's.
Not only is he born a monster, but he also has a big temper. Many maids in the palace hate him.
Wang Shi asked Mu Rao in a cold voice: "Are you going shopping with your Wang family cousin again?"
Mu Rao lowered her head and whispered back: "Concubine Mu, this is the last time, I will never do this again in the future."
Wang Shi also heard the news that the prince intends to let Mu Rao marry Tuoba Jing. She knew that Mu Rao was sad because of this matter, so she didn't criticize her any more.
Wang pointed to Tuoba Yu who was standing in the hall, and asked Mu Rao: "Which dental store did you buy this maid? Are you bringing back a maid or an ancestor? If you can't control it well This maid, then drive her out of the mansion as soon as possible, my prince's mansion cannot keep such a person."
Tuoba Yu looked disdainful, and even snorted.
Seeing that Wang Shi was about to get angry, Mu Rao hurriedly protected him in front of her.
In front of Wang's face, she scolded Tuoba Yu in a cold voice: "Chuntao, did you hear that? Don't behave surlyly in the future, otherwise the Prince's Mansion won't tolerate you anymore."
Tuoba Yu looked at Mu Rao, who was dressed as a gentle and noble son, his eyes darkened, and he secretly gritted his teeth in hatred.
What is this called
Now he is huddled in the prince's mansion, and he has to pretend to be a woman all day long.
She also gave her such a vulgar name, the abominable princess will deliberately call Chuntao this ugly name every day.
Tuoba Yu knew that Mu Rao also held grudges about the lotus pond incident that day, she looked gentle and harmless, but in fact she was also a wimpy person on the inside, trying to humiliate him in different ways all day long.
Why did he believe in this Princess Shenhe that day
It's better to let Mu Huai take him back. Rather than begging for justice, a man disguised as a woman is Mu Rao's maid, it's better to let Mu Huai kill him with one knife.
Tuoba Yu followed behind Murao with a look of resentment, and after following her back to the courtyard, Murao waved away all the servants.
In the front yard, only Tuoba Yu and Mu Rao were left.
If someone who didn't know it saw it, they would think it was the noble young master of this family who was teaching his maid a lesson.
Tuoba Yu finally couldn't bear it anymore, he suppressed his anger and said to Mu Rao: "I, Aye, will enter Qi within a few days, and Mu Huai will definitely not kill me again. Thank you Princess for taking me these days, and I will leave the house tonight , don’t bother me anymore.”
After finishing speaking, Tuoba Yu turned around and went to the ear room to change back into men's clothes. Mu Rao's expression changed slightly, she called him, and said: "Your Majesty, if you leave the mansion now, you may not be able to find you, Aye... If you fall again It fell into Mu Huai's hands, what should you do?"
Tuoba Yu rolled his eyes, and said coldly: "The princess wants to keep me, not because she sincerely wants to protect me, but because she wants to procrastinate for a while, afraid that Mu Huai will blame you?"
His thoughts were seen through by him, and Mu Rao's eyes dodged for a moment.
There was a smile on Tuoba Yu's lips.
He guessed right.
This woman, like his brother, is not a good thing.
Tuoba Yufu wanted to turn around and leave.
Mu Rao's voice was a little higher, and he ordered: "Stop!"
She knew that once Luo Lu Khan entered the state of Qi, Tuoba Yu would have confidence and no longer need to hide in the Prince's Mansion.
The color of Tuoba Yu's eyes became colder, and he saw that Murao had already walked in front of him, and his always gentle eyes were also filled with coldness.
The two are about the same size, Mu Rao looked at him flatly, and asked again: "You originally came with a mission, but now you have caused such a big disaster. Everyone in the palace has rumored that you were the one who treated me lightly and hurt me." , and then climbed over the palace wall and escaped."
Tuoba Yu also lowered his eyebrows and looked at the girl in front of him.
I saw Mu Rao pressed the folding fan in his hand against his chin, and after lifting it lightly, she said again threateningly: "Your Majesty, if you leave the palace like this, even if you return to the Hu Kingdom safely, what do you think, Majesty Can he let you go? Luo Lu Khan, will he be disappointed in you?"
Tuoba Yu couldn't bear being manipulated by a weak girl like this, he grabbed her wrist quickly, and Mu Rao suddenly felt that his meridians were being squeezed, and the folding fan in his hand fell on the bluestone floor.
Mu Rao's heart skipped a beat.
Tuoba Yu pretended to be a maid, these days he kept his head low in front of her, making her forget how cruel and terrifying this young man is.
Tuoba Yu's light-brown pupils were slightly ruthless, he held Murao's wrist, and said in a cold voice: "The Princess is hard to protect herself, so why do I care?"
After hearing that Luo Lu Khan had entered the Qi Realm, an idea came to Mu Rao's mind.
With her status here, she must make contributions to Da Qi and become the target of the marriage between Qi and Hu.
Mu Huai will not let her go if she has not achieved her goal.
But when she thought of that man Tuoba Jing, she felt sick.
Hearing that he is in the Hu country, there are already many beautiful concubines, and if she marries him, she will enter the tiger's den.
Thinking about it, Mu Rao looked Tuoba Yu up and down.
Tuoba Yu frowned slightly, and also stared back at her.
Mu Rao thought, Tuoba Yu's current age is only thirteen or fourteen years old, and he is still growing his body.
Moreover, although his personality is sinister, he is obviously unenlightened, and his mind should be very circuitous.
Mu Rao's tone was a little lighter, and he asked Tuoba Yu: "Is there a woman you like?"
Tuoba Yu was taken aback by the question, and then replied coldly: "What are you doing?"
Mu Rao's smile deepened, and she replied, "It doesn't matter if you have."
Tuoba Yu was puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Mu Rao let him hold her slender wrist, since she was going to get married anyway, so marrying Tuoba Yu was better than marrying Tuoba Jing.
Although she was older than him, what did that matter
This marriage has never paid attention to age.
Anyway, the two of them hate each other.
If she marries Tuoba Yu, then when he grows up and becomes enlightened and has a girl he likes, then she will give up her position as wife and find a reason to return to Qi.
The princesses and princesses of Daqi have a high status, and remarriage and remarriage are common, and no one will make irresponsible remarks.
As long as her chess piece can satisfy Mu Huai's request in this game of chess, it will be fine.
Since the Wang family is preserved, there is no need to marry that disgusting thing like Tuoba Jing.
Tuoba Yu felt that Murao's clear and beautiful eyes were full of calculations, he shook off her arm displeased, but Mu Rao grabbed her wrist instead.
Tuoba Yu threatened her coldly: "Do you believe that I broke your arm?"
Mu Rao's expression was calm, showing no fear of his threats.
She said softly: "Your Majesty, Murao has a plan that can save both our lives, and it can also make the two countries mutually beneficial. After you return to the Ughur Kingdom, you can also have an explanation with the Majesty and you Aye." .”
Tuoba Yu raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is the strategy?"
It is the night of Qiqiao, and the night sky of Bianjing is full of stars.
Mu Rao's eyes were docile and bright, and with a smile on her lips, she said to Tuoba Yu: "My lord, will you marry Mu Rao as your wife?"