On this day, Zhao Yingqiu and Yan Ningshuang came out of the old princess' Shou'an Hall.
"Why have you been so distracted recently? You were still distracted when the old princess asked you just now." Zhao Yingqiu looked at Yan Ningshuang and asked with concern.
Yan Ningshuang shook her head and said nothing.
Zhao Yingqiu sighed, stepped forward and grabbed Yan Ningshuang's arm: "Ningshuang, you will be returning to Beijing in three days, but unfortunately I did not go back with you this time, and I don't know if I have the same experience in this life. The opportunity to meet my family, can you help me bring a few letters to my mother and sisters at home?" Zhao Yingqiu has been married, so she will stay in Yunyang City to be married.
Zhao Yingqiu's words made Yan Ningshuang's face even darker. Those who wanted to stay couldn't stay, and those who didn't want to stay stayed.
"Okay..." Yan Ningshuang replied with pursed lips.
"Thank you, Ningshuang." Zhao Yingqiu said gratefully. Seeing that Yan Ningshuang was in a bad mood, she thought about it and suggested, "Why don't I accompany you to the garden?"
Yan Ningshuang likes to stroll in the courtyard of the Yanbei Palace on weekdays. Of course, she doesn't go to see flowers and plants, she just wants to try her luck to see if she can meet the person she wants to see, but unfortunately she never got her wish, so now Yan Ningshuang Also less enthusiasm for visiting the yard.
Seeing Yan Ningshuang shaking her head, Zhao Yingqiu said again: "I heard that the second son of Xiao asked people to buy more than a dozen new pots of camellias and put them in the warm room behind the garden. Don't you like camellias too? Why don't we go and have a look. "Ting Garden is one of the three major gardens in the Yanbei Wangfu, because it is far from Zhaoning Hall, where Xiao Jingxi lives, Yan Ningshuang doesn't go there on weekdays.
Yan Ningshuang was a little moved when she heard the words, but she couldn't help but suspiciously said: "How do you know that Young Master Xiao let someone bring camellias into the house?" She is most aware of Xiao Jingxi's news on weekdays, and there is no reason why Zhao Yingqiu knows that she doesn't know.
Zhao Yingqiu smiled helplessly and said, "When we went to greet the old princess just now, I heard what the maid in Shou'an Palace said. Didn't you hear it? If you don't believe me, ask your maid."
Yan Ningshuang looked back at her maid Ping'er. She brought this maid from home. There are many rules in the Yanbei palace. She and Zhao Yingqiu each brought only two of their maids by their side, or the old princess was afraid that they would not Convenience is especially allowed.
Ping'er nodded quickly: "Yes, miss, the servant also heard it. You were thinking about things before and didn't pay attention."
Yan Ningshuang thought that she was really absent-minded when she was in Shou'an Hall, so she cheered up and nodded: "Then go have a look."
The two of them went to Ting Garden together.
The Yanbei Palace did not restrict the actions of Yan Ningshuang and Zhao Yingqiu too much. They were generally not allowed to go to the outer courtyard of women, but they could still stroll around in the inner courtyard except for a few halls. However, it is unknown whether there is anyone in the dark who is responsible for watching the two of them.
The warm houses in the Scape Garden are all raised with more precious flowers and plants. Although they are called warm houses, they are actually relatively large yards with small bridges and flowing water, and eaves and bucket arches. They are built in imitation of Jiangnan gardens.
The overall architectural style of Yanbei Wangfu is more than majestic. Lack of sophistication. There are many towering trees and flowers among the buildings, but it is rare. Because the previous kings of Yanbei didn't like these fancy things, Tingyuan was specially rectified for the princess after Xiao Yan, the king of Yanbei, got married. So things like these flowers and plants are kept in several gardens.
The camellias were afraid of the wind and adored the sun, and were placed in the courtyard outside the warm room. As soon as Yan Ningshuang entered, she saw a tall and straight figure in a black long gown with his back facing them, standing in front of a pot of eighteen bachelors. It seems to be admiring flowers.
Yan Ningshuang stared blankly at the back for a while. After she realized it, her face was suddenly filled with joy. She ignored Zhao Yingqiu's presence, and hurriedly walked a few steps behind the man, and called out in surprise, "Xiao... Young Master Xiao."
Hearing the words, the man turned around and looked at Yan Ningshuang. He was puzzled at first, and then a smile slowly appeared on his face: "This lady... Know me?"
Yan Ningshuang couldn't help but startled when she saw the man's face. This man was not Xiao Jingxi, although their backs were somewhat similar. Look at the same age. Although this young man's appearance can be considered handsome, he is much worse than Second Young Master Xiao, and when he laughs, he looks a little ruffian with a playful look on his face.
When Yan Ningshuang saw that she had recognized the wrong person, she couldn't help but blushed, although she couldn't help herself when facing Xiao Jingxi. He is more daring and can let go, but this is not the case in front of other men.
"I'm sorry, I... I made a mistake." Yan Ningshuang quickly stepped back.
The man raised his eyebrows, his eyes swept over her recklessly, and then looked at Zhao Yingqiu who was walking behind Yan Ningshuang, and after thinking about it, a sudden realization appeared on his face: "I remember. , I heard that there are two beauties from the capital living in the mansion, is that you?"
Zhao Yingqiu guessed his identity, and immediately pulled Yan Ningshuang to curtsy: "I have seen Third Young Master Xiao."
It turned out to be Xiao Jingyue, the third son of the Xiao family. No wonder Yan Ningshuang couldn't help but look disappointed when he saw that his back was a bit like Xiao Jingxi.
Xiao Jingyue's eyes kept on Yan Ningshuang, and naturally he saw the disappointment in Miss Yan's eyes, and his smile couldn't help but bring some interest.
"Who did Miss Yan recognize me as just now? I look a lot like that person?" Xiao Jingyue asked with a smile.
Yan Ningshuang did not like the third son of Xiao, who had a similar back to Xiao Jingxi, and even resented the similarity between the two, so her face returned to her usual indifference towards other men: "I was wrong. , not really."
However, Xiao Jingyue refused to let her go, and still smiled and said: "You just called 'Young Master Xiao', besides me, there is only my second brother Xiao Jingxi in this mansion who can be called Young Master Xiao. Miss just now Did you call him?"
Yan Ningshuang pursed her lips and said nothing.
Zhao Yingqiu hurriedly said to help Yan Ningshuang out of the siege: "I didn't expect to meet Third Young Master Xiao. We were rude and disturbed you to enjoy the flowers. Please forgive me, Third Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Jingyue smiled lightly and blinked: "Why bother? I just feel bored watching flowers by myself. The two young ladies came just in time."
Yan Ningshuang saw this person's words and deeds were frivolous, and she felt more and more that she was dazed by admitting that this person was Xiao Jingxi. She didn't want to socialize with Xiao Jingyue, so she said, "I'm a little uncomfortable, so I'll go back first."
When Zhao Yingqiu saw her saying she was leaving, she quickly said, "Then I'll go back with you." Then she smiled apologetically at Xiao Jingyue, "Mr. Xiao, we're sorry."
Xiao Jingyue still looked at them with a smile and didn't stop him, but when Yan Ningshuang turned around, he said slowly: "My second brother doesn't come to visit the garden very often, because his body is not good and he can't blow the wind. But he There is a small flower house near Zhaoning Hall, and the flowers and plants in it are all served by him himself, do you want to go and have a look?"
Yan Ningshuang immediately stopped, and the smile on Xiao Jingyue's face couldn't help but become more obvious and meaningful.
Sure enough, Yan Ningshuang turned around and asked, "Isn't Zhaoning Hall not allowing people to enter?" It was not that she had never been there, but Xiao Jingxi's Zhaoning Hall was clearly not more guarded than other places. , but only if someone gets a little closer, they will be blocked by someone who suddenly appears out of nowhere, and it is impossible to approach at all.
Xiao Jingyue conjured a folding fan out of nowhere, turned it in his hand, and said with a smile, "Don't let outsiders in, am I an outsider?"
Yan Ningshuang really took the bait: "Then Third Young Master Xiao can bring us in?"
Xiao Jingyue tapped his chin with a folding fan and blinked: "If you want to go, beauty, I can naturally take you there."
Yan Ningshuang regained some radiance in her eyes.
Xiao Jingyue looked at the sky again at this moment: "It's almost noon now, and it won't be long before we have dinner, and my second brother is not in the mansion right now. But Miss Yan really wants to eat now. If you go, I will be happy to accompany you.”
Yan Ningshuang wanted to go to Xiao Jingxi's flower house because the drunkard's intention was not to drink. He heard that Xiao Jingxi was not there now, so he quickly said: "Since the second son of Xiao is not in the mansion now, let's wait for him to come back. Let's go. Otherwise, it would not be appropriate to rush over there.”
Xiao Jingyue looked at her for a while, smiled and slowly unfolded the folding fan and fanned it slowly: "If that's the case, let's wait until my second brother comes back. Where do you two live now? I'll send someone to find you then. "
Zhao Yingqiu glanced at Yan Ningshuang and hesitated, but Yan Ningshuang still told Xiao Jingyue her current residence.
Xiao Jingyue wrote down with a smile that Yan Ningshuang and Zhao Yingqiu said goodbye to him and left Tingyuan.
Xiao Jingyue stood in the courtyard with a smile and watched their backs disappear into the corner of the corridor in the courtyard. With a light smile, he stretched out his hand to pick a camellia, put it on the tip of his nose, sniffed it, and whispered intoxicated: "Sure enough, the flowers are still there. Someone else's smells good!"
After leaving Tingyuan, Zhao Yingqiu gently persuaded Yan Ningshuang: "Ningshuang, this third son of Xiao looks a little... We better not have too much contact with him."
Yan Ningshuang remembered Xiao Jingyue's appearance, and felt that this person looked a little unreliable, but she still didn't want to miss the opportunity to get close to Xiao Jingxi: "We came to Yanbei at the will of the Queen Mother, what can he do to us? It will be fine if you bring a few more people by your side.”
Seeing this, Zhao Yingqiu only sighed and stopped talking.
Yan Ningshuang glanced at her and said hesitantly, "If you don't want to go... then I'll go by myself."
Zhao Yingqiu thought for a while after hearing the words: "Should I stay with you? If something happens, I can take care of you."