There was a moment of silence in the room, and the atmosphere was somewhat dignified.
At this moment, Ying'er walked in quickly with a smile on her face, and said: "Concubine Shizi, Master Shizi is back, and he brought Mrs. Lin with him."
Nangong Yue was startled for a while, smiling happily, and Hua Mei held the food box aside and said jokingly: "Concubine Shizi, that servant can save a trip."
After a while, Xiao Yi and Lin Jingchen walked towards this side together talking and laughing, and Xiao Yi could vaguely hear Xiao Yi saying with a smile: "...Grandfather, there is everything in Bixiao Hall, as long as someone comes..."
Nangong Yue had a thought and guessed something. Sure enough, as soon as Xiao Yi entered the room, he couldn't wait to say: "Ah Yue, my grandfather promised to come to Bixiaotang to celebrate the New Year with us."
"Grandfather!"
With Baihui's support, Nangong Yue tried to get up, and naturally greeted Lin Jingchen with a smile, asking Lin Jingchen to sit down, and at the same time, she did not forget to give Xiao Yi a look.
Why invite grandpa to come and celebrate the New Year together? ! This guy sounds nice, but in fact, he is Sima Zhao's heart, and everyone knows it!
Xiao Yi raised his eyebrows at Nangong Yue, his smile became brighter, and he didn't intend to hide it.
Over the past few days, seeing Nangong Yue's belly getting bigger and bigger day by day, which means that the day of her daughter's birth is approaching day by day, Xiao Yi is looking forward to it with joy, but also worried more and more about whether Nangong Yue will be in danger. Having a baby is like going back to the gate of hell...
Last night, I had a bad dream. After waking up in the middle of the night, Xiao Yi couldn't sleep anymore. Looking at Nangong Yue's sleeping face in the middle of the night, and early in the morning, he made a decisive decision to go out of the house to visit Lin Jingchen. Please come to Bixiaotang.
In this way, everyone can enjoy a happy new year together with peace of mind and liveliness. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone? !
Thinking about it, Xiao Yi triumphantly cast a wink at Nangong Yue, feeling that he had done a very beautiful job.
Seeing the flirtatious look of the two children, Lin Jingchen stroked his long beard with a broken smile, and said with a smile: "Ah Yue, come, grandpa will give you a pulse."
Although Nangong Yue felt that she was fine, since Lin Jingchen opened her mouth, she immediately stretched out her wrist obediently like a sheep, and the maidservants beside her couldn't help laughing, probably even the eldest son couldn't let the imperial concubine show such a look expression.
The atmosphere in the room became light and warm unconsciously.
Lin Jingchen felt Nangong Yue's pulse attentively, and after three breaths, he withdrew his hand and nodded with a smile: "Yue'er, your body is good, but you still have to remember to move around more on weekdays, so that giving birth will not be too difficult. "
Nangong Yue has heard the truths that her grandfather said many times, and she knows all of them. However, since she was young, she has been relatively busy, and her body is getting heavier and heavier, so she is a little slack.
She smiled shyly, and echoed: "Grandfather is right, I have gained a lot of weight recently, and the next step is to eat less and exercise more."
Xiao Yi looked Nangong Yue up and down from the side, but he didn't think so.
According to him, Ah Yue didn't eat too much at all, except for his big belly, he didn't see any growth... But he still held back and didn't say anything.
After all, childbirth is not like fighting a war. He is a novice, so he still has to listen to his grandfather.
"Grandfather," Xiao Yi flattered and courteously poured tea and water for Lin Jingchen, and suggested, "Why don't you make a list for Ayue, stipulating what she eats every day, how much she eats, and how long she walks, what do you think of her grandfather? I will Watch carefully that Ayue came here according to your instructions." Anyway, from today onwards, he started to take a rest, and happened to be staring at Ayue every day.
The corners of Nangong Yue's eyes twitched, she didn't know whether it was better to say that Xiao Yi should "make more progress" or "overkill".
She was about to say something, but Lin Jingchen nodded in agreement and said, "Ah Yi's idea is good."
So Que'er immediately suggested cleverly: "The servant girl is going to prepare pens and inks."
It's rare for the maids to feel that Master Shizi has made a reliable idea. With the list written by Mrs. Lin, they act according to the list every day, and they feel at ease.
After that, everyone in the room got busy with great interest, and even the few lists in Baihui's hands that recorded Bixiaotang's dishes these days were used as a reference for the recipes. Xiao Yi occasionally interjected, giving Add some Nangong Yue's favorite foods to the list, and don't forget to give Nangong Yue a rewarding look.
Nangong Yue endured and endured, but she was still amused by him, and burst out laughing.
When Han Qixia entered the room later, what she saw was such a bustling scene, and she also joined the crowd...
The next day is the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve, which is also the last day of the year. Everyone has to get rid of the old and make new ones, and pray for good fortune.
The servants are busy cleaning, posting door gods, Spring Festival couplets, blessing characters, window grilles, and New Year pictures... By noon, the palace has taken on a completely new look. In the evening, under the leadership of King Zhennan, everyone in the palace began to worship their ancestors. Afterwards, the family sat together and had a New Year’s Eve dinner—the second and third rooms of the palace were separated this year. In fact, the New Year’s Eve dinner was much colder than in previous years, but the atmosphere But more harmonious and lively.
This night, everyone watched the New Year together until the sound of New Year firecrackers suddenly sounded in the middle of the night, announcing the beginning of the New Year...
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, all the juniors in the mansion went to pay New Year’s greetings to King Zhennan, returned to their natal home on the second day, and visited relatives on the third day. However, because Nangong Yue was heavy, they did not go out with Zhou Roujia, Xiao Rongxuan and the others. It was also omitted, allowing Nangong Yue to have a rare clean and simple New Year.
For Nangong Yue, the New Year should be like this, with less rules, less etiquette, and just being happy with her relatives and friends.
Since the fourth day of the lunar new year, people from various prefectures have started to visit.
In fact, according to Xiao Yi's statement, Nangong Yue doesn't need to meet or pay attention to anyone, but as the mistress of the house, how could Nangong Yue be so reckless and pick people to meet, such as Zhou Roujia's mother Zhou, such as Mrs. Tian and Tian Madam, wait.
This New Year's Eve is the first time Nangong Yue and Xiao Yi spend the New Year together, and it also allows her to really see Xiao Yi's clingy skills, except when Nangong Yue goes to meet visiting female guests, Xiao Yi is really inconvenient, other times he Almost inseparable.
On the fifth day of the lunar new year, Xiao Yi's younger brothers made an appointment in advance to come to Bixiao Hall to pay New Year's greetings. Fu Yunhe, Yu Xiufan, Chang Huaixi, Yan Xijun, Xu Che, Huang Ergong and more than a dozen people came together .
There are not so many red tapes in southern Xinjiang, so Nangong Yue followed Xiao Yi to meet these young masters.
These young princes were always laughing and joking when they were together, casually paying New Year's greetings to Xiao Yi and Nangong Yue, and affectionately calling them big brother and sister-in-law.
Everyone brought New Year's gifts, those who brought snack boxes, bacon and venison were considered ordinary, and some people gave a stewed pig's head, which was said to be the best in southern Xinjiang, and someone gave a "wolf cub" You son of a bitch", and some people brought the live geese they just hunted, and they were teased by a group of sons, did they come to the elder brother to propose marriage...
The Bixiao Hall was full of chatter and laughter, and even the surrounding air seemed to become brisk and joyful because of their participation.
After the Chinese New Year greetings, those young masters sat for a while and then left in twos and threes. Some said they were going to another house to pay New Year's greetings; They are in a hurry to find their fiancées, such as Fu Yunhe; there are also some people who have nothing to do anyway, just chatting leisurely with Xiao Yi for more than half an hour, such as Chang Huaixi and Yan Xijun.
However, when this man was together, Nangong Yue was not interested in the topic of conversation at all. It was either about the military, or drinking, or riding and shooting... When they started talking about hunting, Nangong Yue had already considered whether to go back to the house to hide I'm lazy, but when I looked up, I saw a familiar slender figure walking into the yard at a leisurely pace. The person who came was wearing a moon-white beige, and was completely clean. Bejeweled, she was followed by a little maid carrying a red lacquered wooden food box.
It's Miss Fei! Nangong Yue couldn't help but smile.
Xiao Yi, Chang Huaixi and Yan Xijun in the room also saw Xiao Fei, and they all frowned, with different expressions.
Naturally, Xiao Fei came here to find Nangong Yue. Seeing that Chang Huaixi and Yan Xijun were there, she was unavoidably surprised, but she continued to walk forward gracefully and entered the house.
"Brother, sister-in-law."
She first blessed Xiao Yi and Nangong Yue, and then greeted the two young masters.
"Young Master Chang, Young Master Yan."
The two young masters were a little embarrassed, and they also stood up to greet Xiao Fei: "Miss Xiao."
Chang Huaixi glanced at Xiao Fei quickly, with a stiff expression, embarrassed to look directly at him, and secretly blamed his mother, Mrs. Chang, in her heart.
Years ago, my mother and third sister Chang Huanwei came to Bixiaotang to meet the concubine Shizi. After returning home, the mother proudly told his father that he wanted to marry Miss Xiao for him, and what she said about the concubine Xiao. The concubine breathed out, waiting for Miss Xiao to pass the filial piety period in the middle of the year and so on... After that, even the third sister Chang Huanwei quietly followed him and told him that having a mother does not necessarily mean having a daughter. He's a nice guy, and the meaning behind his words couldn't be more obvious.
And Yan Xijun is not much better than Chang Huaixi, the stupid thing that his mother-in-law Mrs. Yan did at the Zhennan King's banquet that day has long been spread among the various prefectures in southern Xinjiang, and it is inevitable that it spread to his ears, but, No matter how embarrassed and apologetic he was, he couldn't apologize to Xiao Fei for that matter.
Tao Yao, who was following Xiao Fei, took all this into her heart, and said in her heart: These two young masters are really not as generous as their own girls.
Nangong Yue, who was sitting at the top, raised her eyebrows slightly, probably guessing what was going on, and couldn't help but laugh.
Xiao Fei didn't notice that something was wrong between Chang Huaixi and Yan Xijun. When she saw Yan Xijun, she couldn't help but think of the other's stupid dog. Although the dog is stupid, it is still cute, so she asked casually: " Mr. Yan, how is your Yaoying?"
Yan Xijun coughed dryly, cleared his throat, and said, "It's very good."
Then, there is nothing to say.
Xiao Fei didn't know Yan Xijun very well, so she just greeted Yaoying casually, and then ignored him, smiling at Xiao Yi and Nangong Yue: "Brother, sister-in-law, I just made some dumplings and brought them to you Try it."
The fifth day of the first lunar month is commonly known as Po Wu. According to the custom, dumplings are eaten.
But Xiao Yi didn't believe that Xiao Fei could make any edible food, so he frowned.
Seeing this, Chang Huaixi hurriedly seized the opportunity and resolutely said goodbye: "Brother, sister-in-law, then A Jun and I will not bother you, and I will take A Jun to my house to celebrate the New Year." Chang Huaixi made an excuse casually .
He and Yan Xijun are cousins, since Xiao Fei has come, it is inconvenient for them to stay for a long time.
Xiao Yi responded, but did not keep them.
Then a little maidservant in Tsing Yi came and led the two young masters away.
Nangong Yue looked at the slightly stiff backs of the two of them, and curled her lips with interest. The next moment, she saw Xiao Fei personally presenting the hot dumpling soup to her, looking at her expectantly, her dark eyes seemed to be Like talking.
"Sister-in-law, try this dumpling quickly..."
Looking at Xiao Fei's pure and clear eyes, Nangong Yue couldn't help sighing in her heart: Sister Fei is really not enlightened! ... But don't worry, Sister Fei is still young, and when she is filial piety, I will pick her up slowly.
The two young masters left Bixiao Hall with complicated expressions, just in time to see a familiar figure riding out from the gate of the palace.
It's the Marquis of Pingyang!
The two looked at each other.
But the preoccupied Marquis of Pingyang didn't notice Chang Huaixi and Yan Xijun galloping down the street.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the streets outside are full of lively firecrackers, one after another, the sound of "cracking" firecrackers is full of joy in the ears of ordinary people, saying "Gong Xi Fa Cai" to each other, but these sharp and monotonous sounds In Pingyanghou's ears, it was just an annoying noise.
Both Marquis Pingyang and the third princess had a bad year, and it can be said that it was the most deserted New Year they had ever spent in their lives.
In previous years when they were in the capital, as the two of them, they were naturally surrounded by stars and moons, but here it was the complete opposite. It was as if the entire Luoyue City had forgotten about them. No one came to greet them, no one came to invite them He was a guest, even that old and cunning Zhennan King!
They have been in southern Xinjiang for more than a month. At the beginning, Zhennan King borrowed hundreds of soldiers and horses to Pingyanghou to help find people, but later, it involved military power. Taking the opportunity of the Chinese New Year, Zhennan King called everyone When he went back, he just dealt with it casually and gave him some palace guards to help him find it. There are still no clues for these hundreds of soldiers and horses, let alone dozens of guards from the palace, which is just a drop in the bucket.
Marquis Pingyang went to see King Zhennan just now on the pretext of paying New Year's greetings, and after a lot of effort, he got King Zhennan to agree to lend him troops after the new year...
Now I only hope that Kui Lang still has his life waiting for me to save him!
Tread Tread...
The crisp sound of horseshoes echoed on the bluestone streets, endlessly.
After turning a corner, I saw a young man in a blue cloak riding his horse towards us dozens of feet ahead. This is...
Marquis Pingyang couldn't help pulling the rein, feeling that the person who came seemed familiar.
While thinking about it, the black horse not far away was galloping closer, and the young man's upright face became clearer, which also made Pingyanghou feel that the other party looked more familiar...
Of course the other party also saw Marquis Pingyang, and slowed down his horse with a "wow", stopped two or three feet away, and then immediately saluted Marquis Pingyang with his hands clasped: "The last general, Li Yunqi, sees the Marquis."
Li Yunqi's expression was a bit complicated. He actually knew that Marquis Pingyang and the three princesses had come to Luoyue City together last month, but he hesitated again and again, not knowing whether he should go to pay his respects. Happened to meet.
Could it be that this was a sign from the heavens, telling him that it was time for him to make a choice!
"Captain Li!" Marquis Pingyang looked at Li Yunqi and suddenly remembered.
By the way, there is such a person, who seems to be the young general who was sent by the emperor to escort An Yihou Guanyu Bai to southern Xinjiang last year.
To Marquis Pingyang, Li Yunqi was just a small person, insignificant at all, so he never thought of him before.
After looking around, Li Yunqi lowered his voice and said, "Master Hou, this is not a place to talk... I will report something later."
Marquis Pingyang thought that Li Yunqi had been in Southern Xinjiang for a year, and knew more about Southern Xinjiang than himself, and now that he was indeed in a dead end, he agreed.
Li Yunqi followed Pingyanghou to the inn, and when there were only two of them left in the room, Li Yunqi took a deep breath and told decisively: "Master Hou, I don't know if you know that Hou Anyi and the prince of Zhennan Xiao Yi has a deep personal relationship?"
Marquis Pingyang thought of something, his face changed slightly, and he asked, "Why did you say that? Do you have evidence?"
Li Yunqi sorted out his thoughts, and said that when he was in Yanding City last year, he found that An Yihou and Xiao Shizi had a very good personal relationship, and Xiao Shizi also asked An Yihou to participate in the military affairs of southern Xinjiang, etc. I told Pingyang Hou everything.
Marquis Pingyang’s expression became more and more serious. Mrs. Qiao just told the third princess that Xiao Yi and Guan Yubai were very close in words and deeds. Xiao Yi once handed over the military power of Yanding City to Guan Yubai, but Marquis Pingyang only I thought that after Guan Yubai arrived in southern Xinjiang, the Prince of Zhennan and his son secretly gave Guan Yubai some benefits, and they reached an agreement to benefit each other, but now listening to Li Yunqi in detail, it seems that it is not just that simple .
Xiao Yi and Guan Yubai seem to be close friends? !
Then things are much more complicated, Pingyang Hou has to consider that Guan Yubai may have other plans for coming to southern Xinjiang this time...
"Lieutenant Li," Pingyang Hou asked in a deep voice, "Since you know, why didn't you report back to the emperor?"
If he had known this earlier, he would not have come to Southern Border unprepared, and he would not have fallen into a powerless situation now!
Li Yunqi's expression froze for a moment, and he regretted saying it again.
As Guan Yubai once said to Xiao Yi, Li Yunqi is not a smart person, so he has been hesitating and unable to make up his mind.
For example, at this moment, he began to regret what he said just now, and felt that he was really thankless, and now he would be blamed by Marquis Pingyang, as well as Guan Yubai and Xiao Yi.
Li Yunqi felt uneasy, so he could only reluctantly say: "Master Hou, this matter is of great importance, Marquis An Yi and Prince Xiao are both distinguished, and there is no certainty in the end, so how dare you rush to report to the emperor..."
If the emperor chooses to trust An Yihou and Xiao Yi, then he will become a treacherous minister who sows discord, and his future will be ruined from now on!
Pingyanghou didn't speak for a while, his face sank like water.
Looking at it now, if what Li Yunqi said was true, then the emperor's plan to let Marquis An Yi come to the southern border to check and balance Xiao Yi might not only be wrong, but also fall into Xiao Yi's arms.
Years ago, the booklet he sent to the capital only mentioned Kui Lang's disappearance, but did not mention An Yihou and Xiao Yi... So can this matter become his bargaining chip? If Zhen'an Prince's Mansion can stand on the side of King Shunjun, King Shunjun's strength will naturally increase greatly!
Marquis Pingyang was deep in thought, a gleam flashed in his eyes.
Perhaps this is not his crisis, but perhaps his biggest gain from this trip to Southern Border!
Marquis Pingyang barely suppressed the joy in his heart, dismissed Li Yunqi with a few words, and told the other party to keep his mouth shut and be cautious in his words and deeds. Li Yunqi felt that he had escaped a catastrophe, and almost retreated in despair.
After Li Yunqi left, Marquis Pingyang, who had not had a stick of incense back at the inn, went out again and headed towards Zhennan Wangfu, but this time he entered not the gate of the Wangfu, but the gate of the East Street of Bixiaotang , It's a good name to come to pay New Year's greetings to Shizi Xiao.
Naturally, the servants of Bixiao Hall did not dare to be negligent, and at the same time invited Marquis Pingyang to sit in the main hall for a while, and at the same time asked them to pass the news.
Marquis Pingyang was high-spirited at first, but as time passed, he became more and more impatient.
Several pots of tea have been served, but that Xiao Yi never showed up!
Just when Pingyanghou was about to turn his face, he finally saw a figure in a purple robe walking towards here.
Xiao Yi appeared belatedly!