In Yinzhong, there are stars on the dark blue sky.
Although it is located in the south, the air is still foggy on December nights.
The wind blew from the sea, cold and biting.
Qiu Jinglan wore only a jacket and walked to the martial arts hall with a knife.
At the end of the month, he stepped into the dining room, his body as wet as if he had been fished out of water.
Half a moment later, after breakfast, he went back to his room to freshen up and change clothes. He took the bookboy Ruan Yi to the monastery where the teacher was and started today's studies.
At three quarters past noon, the morning class ends and the teacher takes a nap after dinner. Qiu Jinglan took Ruan Yi back to the house, finished the homework assigned by the teacher in the morning, and practiced calligraphy for a while. It is estimated that the teacher has already gotten up, and he will go back to receive teaching.
At half past midnight, the day's studies are over.
After bidding farewell to the teacher, we eat first and then go back to the house to do our homework.
Homework usually cannot be completed until three quarters of the day.
A moment to freshen up, drink tea, and relax.
At the beginning of Haishi, I practiced sword practice, and then looked at the account books and records that Ruan Yi brought over, and wrote down my views and opinions on each account and every matter. At the same time, compare with the final results of these things and reflect on them.
After midnight is the time he arranges most often.
"Young Master is really working hard!" Each of the four maids Chun Ran, Xia Ran, Qiu Ran and Dong Ran who served him said this more than once.
But only Qiu Jinglan knew in her heart that he actually didn't feel hard.
Because what troubled him more than hard work was anxiety.
Especially every two months, when Ren Ziyong allowed him to listen to a report from Beijing: "How is it?"
"It's okay, Princess. The princess has sent someone out to get medicine again. I managed to read the prescription, and it seems to be for treating colds."
"Wind-cold? How can the concubine get wind-cold if she doesn't leave the house?"
"I think he was walking around in the yard. Our people were afraid of being discovered and didn't dare to enter the house, so I don't know?"
"My mother-in-law is not a person who doesn't know the importance of things. She just walks around in the yard. If she feels cold, will she not put on clothes in time?"
"Could it be that the princess was careless?"
"How is this possible? My mother-in-law is always the most careful... Show me the dowry list that my mother-in-law gave me before!"
"yes!"
"Sure enough... Da Mao's clothes have been pawned for so much, could it be said..."
"No matter what the reason is, until the young master has a suitable reason to come to Beijing, what happens there has nothing to do with you!" At some point, Ren Ziyong strode in and said calmly, "Young Master, please calm down. Don’t let Concubine Lian’s sacrifice go to waste!”
He lowered his eyes, then raised his eyes after a moment: "How about giving me a big woolen coat?"
"It won't do even if you give me a needle!" Ren Ziyong said resolutely, "I've spent nine years on a mountain, but I've failed in one!"
"What if I have to give it away?"
"That subordinate can only act first and send someone to escort the princess and the princess to the underground to reunite with the concubine and the prince!" Ren Ziyong said indifferently, "Lest the young master impulsively ruin the Qiu family. The last bit of my direct bloodline will make it impossible for my subordinates to explain to the concubine even when they are underground!"
Qiu Jinglan stared at him for a long time, and finally walked away without saying a word - he knew that although he was the nominal master of "Tianya", he was the young master Ren Ziyong always respected.
In fact, the real decision-maker in "Tianya" is Ren Ziyong.
He couldn't resist Mr. Ren.
At least for now, he couldn't resist.
Even though Ren Ziyong faked his death and left "Tianya" shortly after this incident, Qiu Jinglan still did not dare to rashly contact his mother, concubine, and sister who were far away in Beijing.
All because before he left, he emphasized again: "The lives of the princess and the princess depend on the young master! I hope the young master will make a proper decision and don't leave any regrets for life!"
How much do you want... how much do you want to grow up quickly
He didn't know how many times he had looked up at the sky - it seemed like a long, long time. Since he was sent to the south by Ren Ziyong, he had witnessed every starry sky in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and every cold, hot, rainy and snowy night.
The starry sky drew the sword again and again, and the cold window kept reading hard.
His sweat flows through the four seasons and through time, and he absorbs various lessons with the most pious and fearless mood.
But the more I wish to fly to that familiar palace, the slower the days seem to pass.
According to Ren Ziyong's plan, after he turned fourteen, he began to end his pure hard study and cultivation, and gradually became public to cover his future identity.
With his extravagant spending and good looks inherited from his parents, he became famous in this city without any effort.
Riding a horse and leaning on the leaning bridge, the building is full of red sleeves.
In the circle of his age, the scenery in front of others is nothing more than this.
Ren Ziyong has no objection to him hanging out in those Qin Lou and Chu houses: "As long as the young master is not seriously obsessed with it, it's okay to relax occasionally."
This man, who was born under the most important counselor of Dezong's deposed crown prince but died young, and who was left alone by Concubine Lian, would certainly not let him have sex with courtesans for such a simple reason. , you must come and go frequently on similar occasions. After all, General Ruan’s current situation cannot pave the way for you. You can only manage it on your own. It is always a good idea to learn more about the tricks of the wind and snow! "
After all, he still needed to learn something - but Ren Ziyong's arrangement was indeed effective. After the year he went to Beijing, he managed to meet the two most famous oirans in Beijing, and with just a little trick, the courtesan who was accustomed to being attentive was allowed to Both Hua Shen and Penglai Yue treat him differently and try their best to help him.
From this, he fell in love with Ling Zui, the favorite youngest son of Marquis Jingchuan and Princess Maode.
There was a reason for choosing Ling Zui. As the former prince of Xihe who returned to the capital as the illegitimate son of the Ruan family who was living abroad, Qiu Yilan was burdened with a blood feud, but he could not alert the enemy. This is destined to make him prosperous in the court in order to accumulate capital for revenge, but he must not be too ambitious and attract the attention of the Gu family and the Kuang family, so they must kill him first for the best strategy.
Ling Zui is a typical playboy, but his character is not without merit and he is a person worth getting to know.
The key point is that his parents have a place in the clan and the court, and they are both members of the Neutral Party.
During the dispute between the two queens, the Queen Mother's Party and the Queen's Party were scrambling to win over the Neutral Party. If Ling Zui became friends with the Queen, unless there was evidence, people from the Queen Mother's Party would never deliberately embarrass a friend who was the son of an important member of the Neutral Party. .
This is very important to Qiu Jinglan.
After all, his apparent identity is the heir of the Ruan family, and he has a deep connection with the Queen Mother's party.
Ling Zui's identity and upbringing environment also determine that although he has never been an official, his ability in Beijing is definitely not small. These are exactly what Qiu Jinglan, who is new to Beijing, needs urgently.
On the surface, one is a famous brothel frequenter in the south, and the other is a well-known dandy in Beijing - the difference is that although the former is dissolute, he happens to have the talent to be a top student; although the latter is not very good at reading, he was born into a good family. -It's not surprising that these two people can get together.
Apart from Ling Zui, Qiu Jinglan didn't deliberately make friends with anyone else.
Sure enough, Ren Ziyong's careful arrangement did not attract any attention from the Queen Mother's Party - even though Qiu Yilan got involved in the dispute between the two queens not long after he arrived in Beijing, the Queen Mother's Party always took precautions against him in accordance with the rules of the Ruan family's exile. Born out of an illegitimate child, this error in judgment gave him the opportunity for development he most needed.
In the spring of the following year, he was named on the gold medal list and became the student of Xue Chang, the prime minister of the dynasty.
At less than twenty years old, he was undoubtedly the youngest Jinshi in this dynasty, so he was naturally favored by Xue Chang. He gave careful advice and taught frequently, and even if Xue Fangmi hadn't hindered him, he would have become the son-in-law of the Xue family.
Although there was Xue Chang's love for talents, his behavior of approaching Ling Zui first was not without influence - a close friend of a descendant of the Neutral Party, with Xue Chang's personality, he would say nothing, but he would be extra in action. Give some benefit.
After that, he went to Western Xinjiang and entrusted his sister to Ling Zui. As expected, Ling Zui took great care of her. Even if he was forcibly sent to the south by Marquis Jingchuan and his wife to avoid the limelight for a few days, the first thing he did after returning to Beijing was to visit Qiu Yilan.
At this time, Qiu Jinglan had already forgotten Huashen and Penglai Yue, who had connected him.
He didn't feel guilty at all. He felt that he had provided a lot of money anyway, and the rest was just a joke.
The persistence of these two courtesans could only show that they were not professional enough - for a few years, he resented Ren Ziyong very much.
She resented his harshness and harshness, resented him for threatening her again and again with Princess Ruan and Qiu Yilan, resented his indifference in everything except Princess Lian's trust... But unknowingly, Qiu Jinglan discovered that , but he gradually turned into another Ren Ziyong.
Calculation without any moral burden, a straightforwardness that only pursues the goal without justifying the means, an indifference that treats all people and things as trivial except those that are important...
Many years later, he finally understood that Mr. Ren: He may not really be cold and cruel, but the responsibility on his shoulders is so heavy and the goal ahead is so far away. On the road to the end, he is weak, tired, desperate, sad, Pain, doubt... there are so many reasons for interruption - therefore, we can only move forward without stopping, and we can only stare at it without blinking, even if we know that we will miss countless scenery and lose so much beauty in life. Passed by, and such a miss will most likely never be made up for in this lifetime!
However, you can only make your heart colder and colder, so cold that you are indifferent to all external things and immersed in a world where there is only yourself and your goals.
It's just for the hope of Xi Wei.
As for whether such behavior also cuts off the hope of others, Qiu Jinglan is indifferent.
After hearing the bad news thousands of miles away, I went to Beijing overnight. I used the greatest perseverance in my life to maintain a calm expression and walked into the familiar yet unfamiliar mansion. I saw Princess Ruan’s deserted mourning hall and her younger sister who was cautious but could not conceal her suspicion and precautions behind the tent. Finally, he thought sadly and calmly: "There is nothing in this world that I can't do!"
From that day on, he forgave Ren Ziyong, and he became more and more like Ren Ziyong day by day.
After Hua Shenshen failed to threaten him with death, she cried and asked him: "Do you have any intention at all?!"
He turned around and walked away in a familiar manner, his decisive back was better than thousands of rejections - it was so straightforward and carefree, and his heart was so calm that it could not tolerate any disturbance.
Only when he was treating his sister, he could find the same thing as a few lifetimes ago, when his grandmother was still there, his parents were still there, in the Xihe Palace in autumn, in the courtyard where his mother and concubine lived, under the stone steps and behind the low fence, the " "The Golden Annunciation" is as gorgeous as the rippling golden lake, and like the shimmering sunset - he likes to lie on the low fence and pick the one he thinks is the most beautiful, and use it to tease his infant sister: the pink and tender jade snow When the baby is awake, she giggles. Her laughter is crisp and delicate, as sweet as the silver wind chimes hanging in front of her window. When she sleeps, she pouted her mouth slightly, and her long eyelashes hung like small fans. Flowers were placed beside her on her eyelids, and the little child was like an elf transformed from the flowers - such carefree years full of laughter, clearly far away and unreachable, yet as fresh as if they were just a moment ago. occur.
This was the only solace in his devastated heart.
So when he accidentally heard Xi Sheng in fire-red clothes pulling Qiu Yilan and asking, "Don't you think you need a cousin-in-law?"
He only felt that this seemed to be a trouble, without any joy and pride in being favored by a beauty or the only daughter of Uncle Jing.
His premonition was absolutely correct - after being refused without any room for maneuver, he thought that a young lady with such status would never come openly again, right
But when he was annoyed by the entanglements again and again, he had to look at the entire Ou family with admiration: It was okay to raise such a girl who stalked men. The most rare thing was that the elders of the entire family seemed to It's like she doesn't know anything, just letting Ou Qinglan do whatever she wants...
"Had it not been for Kuang Shihan's betrayal, my grandfather would not have been defeated, my father would not have died in the battle, my grandmother would still be here, and my mother and concubine would be fine..." Qiu Jinglan was tired of Ou Qinglan's interruption and resented the Ou family's indulgence of their daughter. She felt infinitely sad again, "Is Lanlan the same as her?"
That kind of persistence that is so stubborn that it ignores honor, ignores the world, is not afraid of rejection, and doesn't care about the scars. At a glance, you can tell that he grew up in an obedient environment and was pampered. He is full of the enthusiasm and recklessness of a newborn calf who is not afraid of tigers.
How can a mind that is not protected to the point of ignorance be able to get up again and again after falling down and continue innocently
And the apple of his eye was supposed to grow up to be such a girl, right? There is no haze or calculation, just like a clear sky, full of sunshine and flowers.
Even the occasional crying is like the raindrops reflecting the rainbow: the sadness has not reached the bottom of my heart, but has been replaced by new joy - this is the life that the princess of Xihe Palace should have!
So he became even more reluctant to see Ou Qinglan.
That will make him unable to help but immerse himself in various assumptions - and those "if", "what if", "what if"... will push him step by step into the abyss of weakness!
Even though Ou Qinglan traveled thousands of miles to reach Western Xinjiang and was almost humiliated at the hands of Kuang Qingwu, Qiu Jinglan still didn't feel touched.
Having trampled on the hearts of too many beauties, he has already developed a heart of stone. The kindness of beauties in the eyes of ordinary people is boring to him.
If possible, he would rather exchange this beautiful and affectionate person for a capable subordinate.
In this life, it was already very difficult for him to carry the two heavy burdens of revenge and guilt, and he really had no interest in distracting him anymore.
-So that year, in the biting wind and sand in Western Xinjiang, on a night with a moonlight as clear as frost, Qiu Jinglan stared at the girl in red clothes in front of her, listening to her calmly giving out various reasons why she should not marry her. , the impatience in his heart gradually faded away: "It is true that I have reached the age of marriage. If I don't marry a wife yet, I will be in trouble after all!"
Apart from anything else, the people below just speculated whether he was a good man, or simply not good at it. Such a reputation was a problem for him who was trying to take charge of the Western Army at a young age!
Before that, it could be said that he was focused on revenge and had no intention of starting a family; after that, he would definitely start a family, and it couldn't be delayed for too long - at least before the rumors came out.
Among the candidates for marriage, Ou Qinglan was among the best, both in terms of her own conditions and the power behind her.
At that time, Qiu Jinglan was perfunctory with the wording that she had tried her best to think of, and she was thinking slowly in her heart: "Marry her? It seems to be okay: she has a good appearance, a good family background, and most importantly, her mind is simple enough."
At least when facing him, she was simple enough and obedient.
Simple people are easy to coax - for Qiu Jinglan, a wife whose loyalty is guaranteed, does not require him to spend much effort to win over her, and can bring him a marriage effect, can be said to be a small investment with high returns.
After all, after more than ten years of rigorous schooling without any hindrance, and no time for recreation and rest under Ren Ziyong's whipping - even when he was alone with the oiran in the hook bar, he had to always remember Ren Ziyong's instructions. Even though Qiu Jinglan was not A lazy person will feel exhausted after being tense for a long time.
He also admires those women who are good at dancing and have beautiful hearts, but when it comes to being a pillow partner and a serious wife... then forget it!
For example, the Jiang family members he almost asked to marry, whether it was the bad-tempered Jiang Shiwu and Jiang Shiqi, or the good-tempered but deep-tempered Jiang Shiba. If it weren't for the power of the Jiang family, Qiu Jinglan wouldn't be interested in them at all.
The same goes for Xue Fangmi of the Xue family. Xue Nongqing is just like Ou Qinglan, a girl who doesn't have much to think about - but not to mention what Xue Fangmi did, it would be very difficult for Qiu Jinglan to marry another girl from the Xue family. Trouble, this requires him to spend a lot of thought, and it will inevitably make him feel that it is not worthwhile.
Simply speaking, Xue Nongqing's character is simply better than that of Ou Qinglan, but she is too soft.
Qiu Jinglan, who is serious about finding a wife who will not cause trouble to her, will naturally not consider her.
Just because he wants to please a girl doesn't mean he's willing to do it - he doesn't have time to seize power or coax his sister. Occasionally he just wants to take a break when he has some free time. The kind of girl who may not be able to take care of even the simplest backyard. He doesn't want to serve at all!
Therefore, Ou Qinglan, who was among the group of people who did not need him to please, but who was always thinking about pleasing him, and who was so aggressive towards others that she would never suffer any loss, seemed to him to be of high quality and low price.
But he is not the only one who can deceive people in this world - especially Ou Qinglan's family background and the relationship with Qiu Jinglan's brother-in-law, so he has to be cautious: it is okay to refuse Ou Qinglan, but once married, unless she steals someone, otherwise she wants to marry him. It is simply impossible for her to reconcile!
Therefore, he asked a very pointed question: "If the general wants to bring all his early confidants into the backyard, Miss Ou, can you agree?"
"If you agree, I can immediately stop the marriage negotiations with the Han family, and tomorrow I will send someone to bring you the hairpin ring left by my late mother as a token of love!"
When he asked this question, he was already prepared for Ou Qinglan's promise - after all, this girl did do things for him that many men couldn't do when pursuing their sweetheart, right
He was confident that the other party would compromise.
In fact, he didn't remember those close friends in the past at all. The reason why he asked like this was just to show Seiran Ashou's feelings and let her know that even after getting married, it was best to stay in the backyard obediently and not disturb him.
Qiu Jinglan, who has long spent her life's experience and passion on the road to revenge, has a very light view of love. His main purpose of getting married was for career considerations and the continuation of his children.
Love between two people, growing old together, loving each other... these are all boring in his eyes.
The Yue family has something to rely on, the wife is docile and obedient and doesn't need to worry about him, and she can give him children... let's live like this. He was too lazy to think about other things, but Ou Qinglan pursued him so hard. Once they got married, she would inevitably have unrealistic fantasies. He felt that she should wake up.
Don't be disappointed and change your face when the time comes.
"Now I will be mentally prepared to live with a group of sisters under the same roof in the future. If I don't take any concubines or take a few less, maybe she will still be grateful to me, right?"
Qiu Jinglan thought coldly.
Beat a stick and give a sweet date, yes, that’s what he thought and did.
—But even if he has read all the beauty in the world, he will still be wrong sometimes.
Ou Qinglan refused.
The girl who never hesitated to fight when she was the direct grandson of the Jiang family, the girl who never showed much weakness after being almost insulted by Kuang Qingwu and running away, struggled as if she was about to drown in the moonlight.
He thought that in this situation, the answer she gave with tears in her eyes was that there was no other possibility except compromise!
Unexpectedly, she was heartbroken when she refused, but she was also as firm as a rock: "I am willing to die for you, and I am willing to do anything for you - except taking concubines!"
"I can never share you with anyone else!"
She almost shouted her decision - she wouldn't agree! ! !
Even if he promises that as long as she verbally agrees, the set of hairpin rings representing the betrothal gift will be delivered to her the next day, and her dream identity of Qiu Ou will be realized - what does it matter if she regrets it after the marriage? She is not a person without a natal family!
Not to mention Uncle Jing's status at the time, but because of the friendship between her natal brother and Qiu Jinglan's brother-in-law, Qiu Jinglan, who loved her sister, would not make it difficult for her.
No matter how innocent Ou Qinglan is, she should understand these things, but she still said "no"!
It was difficult for Qiu Jinglan to express her feelings clearly at that moment. Surprised? Lost? Touched? angry? easy
It seems to be a little bit, but I can't say exactly - the strangest thing is that it is relaxed. I don't know why. When I saw the girl in red lost her mind and turned around to leave, because I was not prepared for her rejection at all, I forgot for a while. How should he answer? He actually took off his robe and put it on smoothly!
After several days, he was thinking about his impulsiveness - he felt that he was impulsive - and he didn't know whether it was good or bad
A momentary impulse and a lifelong commitment are two different things.
He didn't think he would protect Ou Qinglan for the rest of his life because of his inexplicable heartbeat on that moonlit night, and even his tacit promise on that moonlit night that Ou Qinglan wouldn't take concubines... to be honest, he didn't really have any intention of abiding by it.
"Let's live life first, I always want to get married, right?" The busy affairs left him little time to distract himself. When he forced himself to devote himself to the official document, he said to himself, and then he was shocked, "This Isn’t that what she said to try to convince me?”
Shaking his head, he didn't want to think too much. He thought like an ostrich - let's live it first!
Years passed by without realizing it, and he finally returned to Beijing and reunited with his worried sister.
During this period, he and Ou Qinglan experienced a lot together. The most unforgettable one was the loss of their eldest daughter. At that moment he held her in his arms, and for the first time, he saw in her pupils not himself, but complete emptiness!
At that moment, he suddenly realized that he also had a family!
He is no longer simply Qiu Yilan's brother, he is Ou Qinglan's husband.
Husband and wife are one, and the sister who has already left the family has someone else to protect her from the wind and rain.
And he should also fulfill his responsibility to his wife.
But after this moment of touching, the emissary from Northern Xinjiang brought a proposal about the then Zhenbei Bo and later Emperor Jianjia, asking him to once again devote himself to the plan for his sister. After returning to Beijing, he was lonely on his knees. He naturally loves his sister's children as if they were his own flesh and blood.
Ou Qinglan never blamed him for the death of her eldest daughter. Instead, she regarded Jiang Huiying as a treasure.
That day he went back from the market and brought the pastries that his niece and sister loved to eat, but he forgot to buy anything for his wife. When his wife complained, he smiled easily: "Ying'er has pastries, Lanlan has food, but you have nothing." ? How could it be? I’m not yours!”
This wife was really easy to coax, she smiled brightly on the spot and didn't care about anything!
... There are many more things like this. Sometimes he remembers it and sometimes he doesn't, but he has never been criticized once, because when he was young, he had the experience of not being able to touch a leaf among thousands of flowers. It is really a piece of cake to deal with a wife who loves him wholeheartedly. , not worth mentioning.
Until one time, Ou Qinglan, who was already gray-haired, frowned and complained: "Why did you go to buy this cake in person again? Didn't I tell you that I didn't like eating it a long time ago? It just rained yesterday, and your leg was injured in the past. "It's difficult to walk in this kind of weather. If you really want to buy something, don't you just ask someone to run errands?"
He coaxed skillfully: "It's only a few steps away. Besides, I think you like it. How can I remember the pain when I go shopping?"
"That's not okay!" Ou Qinglan shouted angrily, "If you don't hurt me, I will - you have already said that you are mine. From now on, you are not allowed to go without my permission!"
"Okay, okay! I'll listen to you when I go out from now on..." At this point, Qiu Jinglan, who prides herself on being romantic and accustomed to romance, suddenly froze - looking at the white-haired old woman who was still frowning and complaining, and then looked not far away The old man with frosty temples was vaguely reflected on the smooth glaze of the white gold peach blossom vase. He thought in a daze and confusion: It was not agreed that he would just find someone who is not troublesome and has a family background to get married. Did you talk about it later
Why...do you grow old like this? !
The most terrible thing is that over the years, since when did Ou Qinglan, who had always been so obedient and gentle to him, gradually start to treat him here and there, but in front of her, he, who had always been a reserved and arrogant flower of the high mountain, actually accepted it as if she were enjoying it? ? !
In a trance, he looked up at his wife who had finally finished complaining and happily opened the oil paper bag, squinting her eyes to enjoy the cakes like a girl: It was in vain that he boasted that he was used to seeing the spring scenery in the world and that he knew the ways of the wind and moon like the back of his hand. She was confident, but she didn't know that this person was the real master. He was so gentle and silent that he allowed himself to follow her obediently for the rest of his life! ! !
Moreover, he didn't mind at all, and even thought: "Don't bother with it in the next life, it will still be her!"