The Pingliang Restaurant only had white porridge. Xu Zhen ordered two bowls and two meatloaf. It was a hearty dinner.
The two sat down facing each other, just sitting by the window, snowflakes rolled in, floated on the table and turned into a circular pool of water.
Xu Zhen asked, "What did you find in Hualou yesterday?"
Xun Qianchun thought of what he saw last night, and wanted to tell Xu Zhen, but for some reason it was hard to say, so she shook her head.
Xu Zhen asked, "Did you find nothing?"
Xun Qianchun said, "Find a little bit."
Xu Zhen asked, "What is it?"
Xun Qianchun said: "I found someone."
Xu Zhen then asked the man what he looked like, what his name was, and what he was doing.
Xun Qianchun kept silent.
Xu Zhen was about to say something else.
Xun Qianchun said: "In two days, there will be a competition in Hualou."
"Competition? What competition? Is there any prize for winning the competition?" Xu Zhen asked.
Xun Qianchun nodded: "After winning, you can talk to the owner of Hualou."
Xu Zhen smiled: "Are you planning to talk directly to the owner of Hualou for clues? How could she tell you this kind of thing? If Hualou really has the eyeliner of a barbarian, wouldn't she be sending herself to death if she said it?"
Xun Qianchun said: "It's too obvious, I try not to ask."
Xu Zhen said, "How about I go with you?"
Xun Qianchun frowned and said, "Sir, you shouldn't go to that kind of place."
Xu Zhen thought to herself: An adult like me can't go, but can you go as a minor
Although she had this kind of thought, Xu Zhen was quite happy, because it showed that the little beggar was caring about herself. She nodded without arguing, and said in a low voice, "Then I will wait for you to come back at home at night."
After speaking, he blushed and urged Xun Qianchun to drink the porridge. After finishing the porridge, the two opened the curtain of the restaurant and left, walking in two directions.
Xun Qianchun went to Longmen Hualou, and Xu Zhen went home.
The veterans outside the city gate wore several layers of clothes, wrapped themselves tightly, and stood behind the city gate, which was only opened for one person to pass through.
White wind and snow blew in.
Xun Qianchun saw the silly aunt sitting at the door, her cheeks seemed to be frostbitten, and the scabbard on her back was covered with falling snow, she knelt down and threw a piece of sackcloth to the silly aunt.
That silly aunt suddenly opened her mouth: "Hu Bing has entered the city?"
This person hadn't spoken for a long time, his throat seemed to be filled with loess, weather-beaten.
Xun Qianchun heard Xu Zhen talk about this silly aunt.
Seeing the man's face covered with frostbite and his lips peeling off, she explained plainly: "I, a Han, didn't enter the city."
The silly girl's skin was blackened by the cold, her hands and feet were more swollen than ordinary people, but her eyes were dark and bright. She raised her head and asked Xun Qianchun, "Are you fighting?"
Xun Qianchun said: "Fight."
With dried blood on the corner of the silly aunt's mouth, she said hoarsely, "Take me one."
Xun Qianchun didn't ask any more questions, got up and said, "Follow me."
The silly girl stood up, followed Xun Qianchun, and limped out of the city gate, leaving footprints of different shades in the snow.
…
At night, when the wind was strong, Xu Zhen lit a green lamp and lay down on the bedside to read a book. What she read was the history of Daqing's development. And from Ruyan grass..."
It is said that Qing Gaozu was able to secure the throne back then, relying on the help of Mobei Khan. After a long period of time, the relationship between Hu and Han was still good, but they didn't know why they suddenly collapsed.
Xu Zhen flipped through the book and looked at it.
There was the sound of someone coming in from outside, and after a while, the quilt beside him was pressed down.
Xu Zhen turned her head to look, saw it was a little beggar, and touched her hand happily: "You are back? Get into bed, why are you lying outside?"
Xun Qianchun said, "I'm afraid you will freeze."
Xu Zhen lifted the quilt directly: "Come in quickly."
Xun Qianchun took off her outer clothes and got in. She got under the quilt, and somehow remembered the scene she saw in Hualou before. She stretched out her hand, put one hand on Xu Zhen's shoulder, and wanted to touch down, but Thinking of Xu Zhen's back being ticklish, she had no choice but to stop and retract her hands.
The two lay on their sides.
Xu Zhen asked Xun Qianchun if he went to Hualou tonight and how the investigation was going.
Xun Qianchun said: "No." Knowing that she had few words, she added, "Today, I took the girl from the city gate and went to the military camp to do paperwork."
"Stupid aunt?" Xu Zhen asked, "Isn't she stupid? Why was she dragged into a war? Your strong men are too hungry."
Xun Qianchun explained: "She wants it herself."
Xu Zhen didn't respond: "What?"
Xun Qianchun said: "She wants to kill the enemy."
Xu Zhen was shocked: "Has she recovered?"
Xun Qianchun nodded.
Xu Zhen said, "That's pretty good."
Xun Qianchun wanted to say something else, recalling that the silly aunt didn't say a word today, her eyes were dead silent, knowing that this person had lost her dearest person, she couldn't help being afraid.
What if I lost my husband.
Xun Qianchun was very afraid that this kind of thing would happen, she leaned over and hugged Xu Zhen, with a kind of longing in her heart, she kept clamoring to go further with her husband, to integrate this person into her flesh and blood.
But this desire is too overbearing.
After Xun Qianchun knew that he was poisoned, he asked others, and had a little understanding of it, and he knew why the poison was caused, and why his body hurt.
Therefore, she only dared to suppress her emotions, carefully showed a little emotion, and showed it in front of Xu Zhen, hoping to make Mr. Xu accept herself slowly.
The two of them slept peacefully at night, and the blue light was dim. When they woke up the next day, the candles had already been extinguished, leaving only a few rays of light in the gloomy sky.
Xun Qianchun fetched hot water, woke up Xu Zhen, wiped her face for help, and prepared the folded clothes. Seeing Xu Zhen still dozing off, she thought her husband was cute, so she leaned over and kissed her.
Xu Zhen slightly opened her eyes to look at her, and kissed her cooperatively, a burst of sweetness flooded her heart, and she immediately woke up.
Xun Qianchun stood up, said a few words, and went out to the barracks.
Only Xu Zhen was left sitting in the room, the sweetness just now reverberated in her heart.
Is this what it means to be in love
Xu Zhen couldn't help but think that something like falling in love can actually make her who has always stayed in bed successfully wake up early.
It's amazing.
The falling snow was getting bigger and bigger, and there were almost no pedestrians on the road. Xu Zhen was soaked in the air-conditioning all over her body, and she didn't bother to check the passers-by at the door, so she went to the academy to teach.
Ge Xier followed her to the academy.
Although the weather was bad, Xu Zhen was in a good mood, humming a little song while walking.
Ge Xier said behind her: "Why is Mr. in such a good mood these days?"
Xu Zhen didn't want to show her affection, so she smiled perfunctorily and said, "It's a happy event, so I won't talk about the specifics."
Ge Xi'er came from a poor family, but she was hired as an official directly after the autumn examination, so she has brains.
She asked: "Sir, have you and Xu Xiaochun privately decided for life?" She felt absurd when she said it, but out of her intuition, she felt that the truth was like this.
Two women privately determined for life? She had hardly heard of it in Jiangling.
And this matter was somewhat offensive, after Ge Xier asked, she was a little annoyed, and was about to retract her remarks.
Unexpectedly, Xu Zhen said without hesitation: "How do you know, it is true."
She said and asked: "By the way, is there any precedent for the matter of women being together?"
Ge Xier was really shocked.
What Xu Zhen asked her, she couldn't answer, as if something had been gouged out.
Almost to the academy.
Ge Xi'er couldn't help calling Xu Zhen, and asked again: "Sir, why did you choose this way? No matter who you choose, it's better than choosing this barbarian."
Xu Zhen stopped in her tracks, turned her head and looked at Ge Xier meaningfully for a while.
A child's song blowing in the wind and snow came to my ears: "Walk through the sand for thousands of miles, fight hard for the king—"
Xu Zhen asked, "How do you know that my choice is not the best?"
Ge Xi'er's personality has restrained a lot, but if she is in a hurry, she is still reckless and straightforward. She said: "Sir, you were demoted from Chang'an. You had a chance to go back, but if you have a relationship with Hu Ji, you really can't go back." And besides, you are both women..."
Ge Xier didn't say the rest, but Xu Zhen also knew it, because the female officer had already mentioned her before.
Even if you really like little beggars, you can’t be serious. Although Daqing says that men and women are equal, it’s only in words. You are a sin, and this life may be over.
These two people are kind to persuade.
Xu Zhen knows that she should be grateful, but she doesn't care what other people think.
Ge Xier said again: "This is a barbarian, or a woman, sir, you can have a better choice."
Xu Zhen said: "I haven't lectured for a long time, let me teach you another lesson today."
Ge Xier's face changed, she didn't know what Xu Zhen was going to say.
Xu Zhen said slowly: "Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in poverty and worried about money every day. He couldn't bear it, so he went to discuss life and death, and lived again. This time, he seized various opportunities and became a person. A rich man, and he even chased the girl he likes."
Ge Xier asked: "Then he must be very happy?"
Xu Zhen said: "Everyone thinks this way, but in fact, he started to worry about other things. He felt that he would go bankrupt at any time, and that his wife only liked his money."
Ge Xi'er said: "He is too worried about gain and loss."
Xu Zhen said: "He also thought the same way, so he gave away the money to others, and restored the previous state of poverty and poverty."
Ge Xier asked curiously: "Is he happy?"
Xu Zhen said, "I've been happy for a while."
Ge Xier asked: "Why were you unhappy later?"
Xu Zhen said: "Naturally, I began to dislike poverty again, and began to worry that I would not be able to eat enough for the next meal."
Ge Xier thought for a while and asked: "Sir, are you trying to explain the principle of 'moderation'? Don't be too poor, and don't be too rich."
Xu Zhen was silent for a moment, feeling that Ge Xier was really very perceptive.
She coughed twice and said, "No, I just want to say that no matter what choice you make, it can't be perfect."
Ge Xier nodded, agreeing with this point of view.
Xu Zhen said: "So many times, the decision you make is already the best, and you don't need to think too much about it."
Ge Xi'er was about to nod her head, thinking about what Xu Zhen was trying to refute, she wanted to ask again, but she was a little negligent just now, Xu Zhen had already taken advantage of the wind and snow and ran into the academy, leaving only two footprints.
A fire was lit in the academy, and it was warm.
As soon as Xu Zhen sat down and enjoyed the treatment that winter should have for a while, a student came over to talk to her.
Probably because of the good teaching in the past few days, this group of students became close to Xu Zhen.
A student asked: "Mr. Xu, I heard that you were an official in Chang'an before. What kind of official?"
Xu Zhen said: "First Yuanwailang, then Shangshu."
"Shangshu? What is that, how does it compare to the General?"
Xu Zhen said: "Of course I can't compare to the Great General. He is just in charge of books and imperial examinations, and also engages in sacrifices and other things. I don't know it at all."
People around whispered.
"Then how can you still be a minister?"
Xu Zhen said proudly: "I have made great contributions to disaster relief."
What is meritorious service in disaster relief? It's not killing the enemy, nor is it an imperial examination. After hearing this, several people around felt that Xu Zhen was not capable, but probably just had a good mouth, and the original respect for Xu Zhen faded a lot.
Xu Zhen didn't care.
A few others stayed by her side, looked at Xu Zhen with shining eyes, and asked, "Is the saint in Chang'an Palace okay?"
Xu Zhen said: "Is the emperor? It's fine, but I still have a bad temper, and I'm afraid I can't change it."
This group of students didn't understand much, and they nodded in relief when they heard that the emperor was doing well.
Xu Zhen asked: "Do you care about the Holy Majesty?"
The student said: "We are protecting Jiangshang and Shengshang."
Xu Zhen felt surprised after hearing this.
This group of students is completely different from Jiangling's. Jiangling's is a dude, but here is Zhongliang.
Xu Zhen said: "Since this is the case, then I will tell you more about Chang'an in the future."
These students seemed a little happy to hear that.
Xu Zhen said: "So you all listen carefully in class and don't sleep anymore."
The student nodded and responded heavily.
After class, apart from studying, Xu Zhen also talked about things about Chang'an. Her social circle is limited, so she can only talk about the students in the Hongdu Academy, a few people from the Ministry of Rites, the owner of the bookstore, and the saint in the hall. , Baiguan, and the affairs of the prince and princess.
The students were really eye-opening.
They never knew that the Holy Majesty had troubles, and when the officials ate, drank and chatted, they were no different from ordinary people.
Even in the very powerful Hongdu Academy, there are students who don't like to study.
"I must take the imperial examination." A student said, "I also want to be like Mr. Xu. Traveling from Chang'an to Pingliang is really great!"
"Are you stupid? Mr. Xu was demoted, which is not good."
The students whispered.
Xu Zhen, who was sitting at the front, couldn't help laughing out loud when she heard it. She looked at the time and packed up her teacups and books before going home.
However, as soon as he walked out of the gate, he saw a person standing in the snow at the gate, he should be a student from the academy, squatting on the ground with his head bowed as if crying.
Xu Zhen walked over and asked, "Student, what's wrong with you?"
The student looked up at Xu Zhen, and after a while, he burst into tears and said, "Sir, I, my younger sister was arrested and taken to Hualou!!"