When we got back, it was already deep at night.
As soon as Xiao Jue returned to the yard where he lived, a yellow puppy rushed towards him excitedly, biting the corner of his robe and not letting go.
He crouched down and patted the yellow dog's head. The puppy had to take an inch, and while wagging his tail violently at him, he bit his sleeve and pulled it back frantically.
Virtue, it is exactly the same as its master.
The night after the night visit to Hefu, the yellow dog named Ermao also ran out of the dug out of the dog hole. Since it was raised by He Yan, it was naturally impossible to throw it away. It's just that He Rufei is now crazy looking for the thief that night. He Yan was afraid that he would find the He family and see Er Mao, so he entrusted Er Mao to Xiao Jue. No matter how daring He Rufei was, he didn't dare to enter the Xiao family's door, and naturally he couldn't find Er Mao.
Xiao Jue could only bring Er Mao back to Xiao's house.
The little girl named Ginkgo in the yard really likes Ermao, she bathed her, and her hair was combed clean, so she didn't look like a stray dog. It also used red rope to tie the broken hair around its ears into two small tugs.
Although Ermao is clearly a male dog.
Xiao Jue was teasing the dog when a voice suddenly came from behind him: "Huai Jin... When did you raise a dog in the mansion?"
Xiao Jue got up and turned around, Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei were standing on the edge of the yard, looking at him with strange eyes.
As we all know, the second son of the Xiao family is very loving and particular about cleanliness. It was nothing more than being in the military camp in Su Ri, but returning to Shuojing was even more nitpicking. The Xiao family never raised any birds, except for the green-eared one, there were no animals in the house.
This puppy looks like an ordinary farm puppy, with a yellow coat mixed with a little black, so it shouldn't be anything precious.
Xiao Jue looked down at Ermao, who was making a silent "wangwangwang" at him.
"Helps people."
"Who would ask you to help raise a dog," Xiao Jing laughed, "it's too hard to be too strong."
Bai Rong gave Xiao Jing a slight push with her arm and said with a smile, "Girl He should be the only one in Shuojing who can help Huai Jin help raise dogs."
Xiao Jing suddenly realized, and the look at Xiao Jue suddenly became a little more gratifying. This younger brother is always too cold and unfriendly to women, but now it seems that he is quite able to please the girl.
During the day, Bai Rongwei had already held a banquet for Xiao Jue's birthday in the house, and he knew that he was going to the night market with He Yan tonight. There is a lot of food in the night market, so there is no meal for Xiao Jue tonight.
"Big brother and sister-in-law are still waiting for me so late," Xiao Jue asked, "what's the matter?"
Xiao Jing approached him, looked at Er Mao who was playing in the snow in the yard, and said with a smile, "You know, the fourth son of Chu, who is in Shi Jinbo's house, will marry Miss Xu's family next month."
Xiao Jue hummed absently.
"You and the fourth son of Chu were given marriage by His Majesty." Xiao Jing said, "Now that the fourth son of Chu's wedding date has been set, your marriage, my sister-in-law and I would like to ask, when are you going to set it?"
Xiao Jue was slightly startled.
"Your eldest brother and I have talked to Master He before, and Master He said that as long as Miss He likes him, he is fine. After all, Miss He is a girl's family, so I don't want to ask more," Bai Rongwei looked at Xiao Jue, "You Su Ri Li Tonghe is with Miss He, have you ever told her about this?"
The Xiao family is very open-minded. When Xiao Zhongwu and Mrs. Xiao were alive, Xiao Jing wanted to marry the concubine Bai Rongwei, but Mrs. Xiao disagreed, and in the end she agreed with Xiao Jing. Now that Xiao Zhongwu and his wife are gone, Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei will not interfere in making decisions about Xiao Jue's marriage, everything depends on Xiao Jue's heart.
"I plan to get married after this year." Xiao Jue said.
Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing looked at each other, and both saw the surprise in each other's eyes. I thought it would take another year and a half, but I didn't expect Xiao Jue to decide so quickly. That's fine, it seems that Xiao Jue likes this girl He even more than they thought.
"Since that's the case, I'll give the two of you the birthdates tomorrow, and let him choose an auspicious day for you. I have to discuss with Mr. He what to do next. Don't worry about the betrothal gift. Bi has already prepared for you." Bai Rong smiled, full of genuine joy, took Xiao Jing's hand and said, "I'll go with Ru Bi and ask someone to send a message to Mr. Huai Jin, you are too today. After a tiring day, go back to the house and have a good rest, and I will come back to you tomorrow morning."
Xiao Jue nodded, and Bai Rongwei pulled Xiao Jing away with satisfaction.
Xiao Jue looked at the backs of the two of them, until Er Mao came to pull his boots again, and he regained his senses.
In the past, I only felt that the yard was empty and cold, but now there is only one more puppy, and it is still a mute who can't bark, but it seems to suddenly become lively.
He lowered his head and smiled, without returning to the house, he turned and walked towards the ancestral hall.
In the Xiao family's ancestral hall, the tablets of Xiao Zhongwu and his wife are placed at the front. Xiao Jue stepped aside and took out an incense stick from the alcove.
Green smoke rose up.
Xiao Jue's face was hidden behind the smoke, and his expression was diluted.
As long as he returns to Shuojing, he often comes to the Buddhist hall. When thunder strikes, when offering sacrifices... When you are bored.
He is not a person who likes to talk to. There are too few people to talk to in life. Everyone has their own pain, why share it with others. At the most difficult time, he was scolded by the literati pointing at his spine in the first battle in Guocheng. When he returned to the mansion, he just went to the ancestral hall to light three incense sticks.
After the three incense sticks are lit, everything is still as usual.
Many tastes in the world take many years to feel bit by bit. When he was young, he saw everything and found everything boring. He actually yearned for the fireworks of the world, but the fireworks of the world avoided him. What is it like to be young and successful, and what about the son of a noble family in fox fur and brocade clothing? Everyone thinks he is the moon high in the sky, but in fact the moon is just a lonely teenager.
He had friends, and friends betrayed them. Also looked forward to the family, and then the family left. The most arbitrary youth time, but in just a few years, the only candy left in life was also given to the dead seeker on the road. All these years, he has been alone, leaving nothing, until one day, a smiling girl rushed into his life and said to him, I like the moon, the moon does not know.
He had never been so sure of a thing at this moment.
Xiao Jue raised her eyes and looked at the tablet behind Qingyan.
"Father, mother," he said in a calm, unshakable oath, "I like someone."
"I want to marry her."
…
In the He Mansion, in a certain yard, there were intensive coughing sounds.
The maid who lived in the outhouse of the yard turned over and said in a daze, "The second lady is coughing again, go and have a look."
"I'm not going," the other maid beside her turned over and said impatiently, "Even the second master doesn't care, why do we have to worry about it. Just wait for the day. I'll go with you."
"It's so cold, so I won't go." The talking maid covered her head with the quilt, "Just pretend you didn't hear it."
The coughing sounds outside continued, and after a while, it seemed to be deliberately suppressed, and a few muffled hums came out.
Mrs. He Er struggled to hold up, her throat hurt as if it had been scorched by fire. The handkerchief in her hand had long been covered with bloodstains, and she took a deep breath before fumbling for a while to light the lamp.
He Yuanliang hadn't been to her yard for a long time. To be precise, after that time at Yuhua Temple, she was banned from the He family, and He Yuanliang refused to take a look again.
This was actually something that Mrs. He had long expected. Her husband was a villain, a cowardly and greedy villain, and now he was even more afraid of offending He Rufei, so he hurriedly separated himself first, even if she was his first wife.
When he made a wife, Mrs. He Er smiled sarcastically. What about a wife, he could be cruel to his own daughter, and a wife without blood relationship was no different from a stranger to him.
Mrs. He Er looked at the beating flames in the oil lamp.
She was the eldest eldest daughter in the family. She was married to He Yuanliang by her father back then, which meant that the He family still had a place among the nobles in Shuojing. In her original family, the marriage of her daughter was to pave the way for her father and brother's careers, but she did not expect to marry into the He family.
It is a pity that her life was not good and she gave birth to two daughters, so of course, her children became the victims of the He family.
Mrs. He hates He Rufei for being ruthless, hates He Yuansheng and his wife for coming up with the idea of changing sons, hates He Yuanliang for being cowardly and incompetent, and she hates herself more often.
I hate myself for not being able to change everything.
If she could give birth to a son, maybe if she had a son, He Yuansheng wouldn't be so arrogant in his actions. But she didn't, so she couldn't protect He Yan or He Xinying.
There was a knock on the door outside.
Mrs. He said, "Come in."
It was a little girl who came in, looking raw.
Mrs. He Er asked, "Who are you?"
"Slave Cuiluo, she's the sweeping maid in the yard." Cuiluo replied respectfully, carrying a pot of hot water in her hand, "This servant went outside to get some hot water, and the second lady has some water to avoid coughing. body." She walked to the table, picked up a tea bowl, poured a glass of water and handed it to Mrs. He Er.
The temperature of the water was just right, not hot, Mrs. He Er took a sip, and the tingling in her throat suddenly improved a little. She said, "Thank you."
Cuiluo lowered her head and said softly, "It's all what slaves should do. If Second Madam needs slaves to help with anything else, feel free to explain."
"Everyone in my yard thinks I don't exist anymore." Mrs. He said with a wry smile, "Why bother you."
"The slave's master is Mrs. He Er, so she naturally has to obey the second lady's orders." Cui Luo's voice did not change.
Mrs. He Er was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but seriously look at the maid in front of her.
The servants of the He family were always strictly disciplined by He Yuansheng and his wife. She used to be a little lively, but now she has become dull because of her fear of He Rufei. The servants are always trembling, timid and timid. This maid is standing here, neither humble nor arrogant, looking at her with no respect or overstepping, like treating an ordinary person.
Mrs. He's heart moved, and she asked tentatively, "Can you really help me with anything?"
"Second madam, despite your orders."
"Can you find a doctor for me?"
Cui Luo was silent for a moment before she said, "I'm afraid it won't work these days, but the servant can bring some pills for the second lady first."
Mrs. He suddenly understood something.
She sat forward a little and lowered her voice, "You are not from He Mansion, who is your master?"
Cuiluo glanced at Mrs. He Er in surprise. Master Fei Nu said that she wanted her to sneak into the He Mansion to take care of and help Mrs. He Er, and she did so. In the past few days, Mrs. He had almost no status in the He family, and the maids under her didn't take her seriously. Being so ill, He Yuanliang never took the initiative to come to see her, nor did he ask her for a doctor. Right now, if Cuiluo hadn't entered the room, Mrs. He would have been coughing until dawn.
She always felt that this was a somewhat weak and incompetent ordinary woman, but now that she heard this, she knew that this woman was smart and discerning.
Cui Luo did not speak.
"Your master, but General Feng Yun?" Mrs. He Er asked in a low voice.
Cui Luo was even more surprised.
Mrs. He Er laughed instead, she laughed for a while, her expression became serious again, and said: "I know what your master wants to do, you go back and tell him that I can help him, but as the price of the transaction, he must protect me. His daughter He Xinying."
Cuiluo was silent for a while, and didn't say anything. She just put the hot water bottle on the table, and said softly, "If the madam has any orders, let the slaves come in." After that, she closed the door and exited.
Mrs. He Er looked at the hot tea on the table and didn't know what she was thinking. After a long time, she swallowed the sweet smell in her throat and lay down again.
…
The night passed, and the next morning, Fei Nu brought back the news of the He family.
In the study, Xiao Jue frowned slightly: "Deal?"
"That's what Mrs. He said." Fei Nu replied. Fei Nu was also surprised when Cui Luo sent the news back. I don't know whether to admire this woman's courage or say something else.
"He Rufei and Miss He exchanged identities. Miss He is the real General Feihong, and Mrs. He should know." Fei Nu said, "He Rufei may use He Xinying to threaten Mrs. He now. , Mrs. He didn't dare to tell the truth. With the help of Mrs. He, the secret of the He family should be easily revealed." Speaking of this matter, Fei Nu sighed in his heart, who would have thought of the messenger on the battlefield. The Qiang general Feihong, who was frightened by the wind, turned out to be a woman? And how hard-hearted Mrs. He and Mr. He are to let a girl's family bear such an excessively heavy fate, and after they became famous, they would kill the donkey.
The Nine Banners Battalion believed that they had seen all kinds of cruelty on the battlefield, but when they knew the truth, they couldn't help but feel sorry for General Feihong who died unjustly.
A generation of famous generals, even if they die, they should die vigorously and die on the battlefield. Instead of being killed in an ordinary back house by insidious tricks.
"What Mrs. He said only mentioned He Xinying?" Xiao Jue asked.
Fei Nu nodded: "Yes."
Xiao Jue lowered her eyes: "I see."
"Master, then..."
"Let Cuiluo tell Second Lady He," Xiao Jue looked out the window, "I made this deal."
…
On the first day of December, Uto's messenger, Manimbu, came to Beijing.
Emperor Wenxuan summoned the envoy Utuo in the Golden Palace. In Qinglan Palace, Concubine Lan Gui was leaning against the soft collapse, watching the maid make tea.
Concubine Lan Gui is not young anymore. Every year new beauties come in in the harem, and she is the only one who has been favored by His Majesty. Everyone said that Concubine Lan had such good luck in vain. She was favored by the emperor and gave birth to a son with both political integrity and talent. She had a temperament that neither fought nor grabbed. Dare to be arrogant to her.
However, since Emperor Wenxuan handed over the fifth prince Guangji to Concubine Lan Gui for upbringing, Ni Guiren has restrained a lot. The fifth prince, Guangji, was young. Although Ni Guiren repeatedly told him that Concubine Lan was not a good person, Guangji felt that Concubine Lan was much gentler than his biological mother, and there was never a dispute with Concubine Lan. .
The same is true today.
Guangji ran in from the outside, and the old lady behind him hurriedly followed him, saying, "His Royal Highness, run slowly, be careful not to fall!"
"Mother concubine!" Guang Ji ran to Concubine Lan Gui in one breath and said with a smile: "Today, the Utuo messenger has come to the palace, and the royal father summoned them in the palace. I heard that the Utuo people sent a lot of gifts, half of them were there. The tall ivory, and the white peacock… Mother Concubine, I want to see it!”
Concubine Lan Gui smiled and patted the snow on his body, "Go if you want."
"Isn't the mother-in-law with the son-in-law?" Guangji asked.
"Bengong won't go." Concubine Lan Gui smiled, "Just let Mother Chang take you there."
The fifth prince was young, and he only wanted to see the white peacock. Hearing the words, he said: "Okay, the minister will go there. After reading it, I will tell the mother and concubine something new!"
Madam Chang took the fifth prince's hand and left, Concubine Lan Gui shook her head with a smile, "Like a child."
"The fifth brother is very young," a voice sounded from outside the door, "It's normal to be a little childish."
The palace maid behind her hurriedly said, "This servant has seen the Fourth Highness."
Fourth Prince Guang Shuo stepped in.
Concubine Lan Gui was born beautiful and delicate, and the appearance of the fourth prince followed her mother's. She was clear and handsome. Compared with the indulgent appearance of Crown Prince Guang Yan Chengri, he appeared to be much more cordial and reliable.
When Concubine Lan Gui saw Guang Shuo, she immediately laughed, pulled him to sit down in front of the fireplace on the side, and asked the maid to pour hot tea for Guang Shuo, saying, "Why do you have time to come to me today?"
"The father and the emperor saw those Utuo messengers in the hall, and the crown prince was there, and the son-in-law came to see the mother and concubine." Guang Shuo smiled.
Concubine Lan Gui smiled and said nothing.
"The concubine also knows about those Uto messengers, right?"
Concubine Lan Gui's expression was no longer as relaxed as she had just faced Guang Ji. She sighed, "I know."
"The royal father is willing to see those messengers, and he has already stated that he is willing to accept the Utuo people's request for peace." Guang Shuo's smile also faded, "That's all, now that after the battle of Jiyang and Rundu, the Uto people will stay for the time being. Don't dare to act rashly, but if the father and the emperor agreed to set up a market in Dawei... the consequences would be unimaginable."
Concubine Lan Gui looked outside, "The others step back, Yugui, close the door."
The palace ladies all retreated, and Yugui closed the door.
Concubine Lan Gui looked at Guang Shuo, "Have you ever said these words in front of your royal father?"
Guang Shuo shook his head: "No. Royal Father never talked to me about these things."
Emperor Wenxuan liked the fourth prince, because the fourth prince was like Concubine Lan Gui, who was outstanding in writing, gentle in temperament, neither fighting nor robbing. In the deep palace, he was like the last piece of pure land in the emperor's heart, which could not be tainted. Therefore, even though Empress Zhang disliked Concubine Lan Gui very much, Concubine Lan Gui lived well in the deep palace for so many years. Because she did not make mistakes, the emperor also protected her. This pity and respect for Concubine Lan Gui also carried over to Guang Shuo.
The same is true of Guang Shuo, no matter how the courtiers incite him to compete with the prince for that position, Guang Shuo is not moved. When he was with Emperor Wenxuan, most of what he talked about was poetic and picturesque—political affairs of the country should be the prince's concern. If he is too arrogant, it will arouse the disgust of the emperor.
"Guangshuo," Lan Guifei looked at him and suddenly said, "Do you want to fight?"
Guang Shuo was stunned.
"Do you want to fight for that position?" Concubine Lan Gui repeated again.
As if the secret in his heart was exposed, Guang Shuo avoided Concubine Lan Gui's gaze in embarrassment, "I dare not."
"I only asked if you wanted to, not if you dared." In the eyes of the always gentle woman, there was never-before-seen firmness and unfamiliar condensation.
Being watched by those eyes, Guang Shuo said involuntarily, "...I think."
After a while, he calmed down and said, "I think. Concubine mother, the prince is not worthy of being the heir, he only knows how to eat, drink and have fun. There must be private contacts between the Uto people and him. If there is something else in the palace A brother with both political integrity and talent, I will also support him, but now there is no one else. If Guangyan sits in that position one day, no one knows what Dawei will look like in the future."
"Perhaps, there is no Dawei at all."
The last word fell, and there was extreme silence in the palace, as if shocked by his rebellious words.
Lan Guifei sighed softly.
"For so many years, Ben Gong has never thought of anything else. I didn't want to enter the palace at the beginning. Now that I have come in, I can live well. Ben Gong doesn't care about how the Uto people are, nor how the emperor is, and even the future of the great Wei. Anyway, Ben Gong doesn't care." She looked at Guang Shuo, reached out and brushed Guang Shuo's face with a gentle smile, "In this palace, Guang Shuo, Ben Gong only cares about you."
"If Guangyan becomes the emperor, you and my mother and son will have no way to survive." She said in a soft voice, the cruelest words, "Bengong has lived most of his life, and it doesn't matter if he dies or not. But you can't. , Guang Shuo." She smiled, "You are so smart and gentle, and you are so young, how can you die at the hands of such a person. This palace will never allow it."
Guang Shuo looked at the woman who stood up straight from the slump, her brows still as beautiful and dignified as before, and with one movement, her aura had completely changed. There was a sudden burst of boiling emotions in his heart, as if the impulse that had been accumulated for a long time was about to burst out of the ground.
"Mother-in-law..."
"Your Majesty's favor, I already have it in this palace. You also have the love of the courtiers and the common people. But only these two are not enough. He Rufei has been bribed, and he wants to compete for this position..."
"You must get Xiao Huaijin," she said.
－－－－－－off topic－－－－－
Sister Lan: It's my turn to perform.
Follow the main storyline, friends who want to see the emotional line can raise the text, or watch it again during the Chinese New Year, it is estimated that it will be over by then~