Originally, in the minds of the young Murong brothers and sisters, the King of Beiliang was just an empty title. In the unreachable border of Beiliang, behind him was a vast number of cavalry, three hundred thousand? They can't imagine what kind of a number this is. Such a great vassal who is privately called the Second Emperor should be a terrifying hero who can make the dynasty shine three times by stomping his feet, but he had nothing to do with them until Murong Wuzhu and Murong Tonghuang arrived at the palace and stayed in Wutong Yuan, with the help of His Royal Highness, has eaten at the same table with others several times. Although he has never dared to face it, he seems to think that General Xu is not such a moody old man. On the contrary, he is very talkative in front of His Royal Highness. , even they could tell that the most useful person in Beiliang Palace was not the vassal prince, but his eldest son Xu Fengnian. Not to mention that Murong Wuzhu couldn't figure it out, even Emperor Murong Tong was at a loss, so he had to live in the Wutong courtyard with trepidation. There is nothing missing in the house, and the ancient collections of piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry and books are all priceless.
However, those maids with weird names in the yard didn't show any good looks. The big maid, Sweet Potato, was okay, she was more amiable. How can she not be afraid of a third-rank official, the prince in charge of Saijun, but Murong Tonghuang is relatively tough, and he is confident in borrowing pianos and books with the maids.
What made Murong Wuzhu feel relieved was the arrival of a Qingzhou woman who also lived in Wutong Garden. It is said that this Qingzhou woman named Lu Chengyan came from a noble family. Shou, she brought a young servant with double pupils into the mansion, and after meeting His Royal Highness, the young man with strange double pupils went to the border. These gossips spread quickly in Wutong Garden, But it's only spread in this courtyard. If the Murong siblings have a taste that they can't fight and hide, then the women who come out of this first-class wealthy family will compete with those maids, and the strong-tempered maid Cucumber is always weird Speaking of strange things about dove occupying the phoenix's nest, when His Royal Highness is around, the women still maintain a superficial harmony, but when His Royal Highness goes out, the sky changes, a room full of women, all of them use cold knives to kill without blood, It seems to be more powerful than hundreds of flying swords coming and going. Murong Wuzhu admires that Lu Chengyan very much. He watched her from a distance several times timidly. Hearing her soft voice, it can make people suffocate. She is the first side concubine of His Royal Highness, Murong Wuzhu thought to himself that only such a smart and fearless woman is worthy of Beiliang's side concubine.
The King of Beiliang walked into the Wutong Garden alone. Except for Sweet Potato, the other maids stood far away and did what they had to do. For me, if I want to live comfortably in Wutong Garden, the most important thing is not what to do, but what not to do. Xu Xiao went directly to the room of His Royal Highness, without sitting down, and stopped and walked, seemingly helping to gather some small objects. The room is really spacious and the light is good, so that it is filled with a variety of rare toys. It is not cramped. In the evening, the book case by the window is covered with the afterglow of twilight, glowing with a warm pale yellow. Xu Xiao stretched out his callused hand and slid slowly over the edge of the book case. After stopping, there was no movement for a long time, as if Thinking of something, he smiled lightly, retracted his hands, put his hands in his sleeves, faced the window, and cast his gaze from the window to the wall.
Xu Xiao turned around and looked at the graceful girl of the Lu family standing at the door, waved and said with a smile, "Chengyan is here, come in and sit and talk, talk with Uncle."
Lu Dongyan entered the room, and after Xu Xiao sat down, she picked out an embroidered stool and sat on it somewhat stiffly. Xu Xiao smiled and said: "Uncle is very busy, the reception is not good during this time, don't arrange with Lu Zhuguo for Uncle when you go back."
Lu Dongyan shook her head and smiled, "No way."
Xu Xiao laughed loudly, paused for a moment, fell into memories, and said with emotion: "I remember the first time I went to Beijing to meet the Holy Spirit, it was Lu Laoshang Shu Lixian Corporal, who took me, a young warrior, to the Golden Luan Hall together, it was the day I walked together. Duan Lu. At that time, I still wondered how a dignified second-rank official minister was willing to walk side by side with a sixth-rank junior military officer who had just been honored. Yes, I heard that Shangzhu Kingdom knows some prophecies and green pouches, and it seems that I am waiting for this day, I must know at that time, I must have the courage to slander the old fox."
Only then did Lu Dongyan, who knew that there was such a sweet love, pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes were pure, without showing much awe and curiosity.
Xu Xiao's tone became lighter, and he said: "Uncle Xu also heard about it in Beiliang. You girl just came to Beiliang, and Wen Taiyi and Hong Lingshu are already making noise in the capital. Remember Cheng Yan When you were young, you often went to visit their families. The two old men really don’t miss the old relationship at all. The old one bullied the young one. They lived a long time, and the more they lived, the more they went back. These young people in Qingzhou were not supported by Lu Zhuguo. In view of the overall situation, let alone Bi Yaner's mischief, there is no such thing as the Qing Party. But then again, if my family doesn't say polite words, if Lao Shangshu gritted his teeth and persisted, although the Qing Party could last for a few more years, Your Lu family will be crushed by Wen Hong. If Old Shangshu hadn't completely given up on the Qing Party he created, he would never have let you come to Beiliang. In this way, the Qing Party has lost its last breath. "
Lu Chengyan whispered: "The old ancestor said that at his age, he has enjoyed everything he should enjoy. It's time to seek blessings for his descendants."
Xu Xiao finally had a smile, nodded and said: "I just like Lao Shangshu to be an honest person who speaks the truth and what is in his heart. Uncle has never had much dislike for the Qing Party. He wants fame, money, power and officials, and is straightforward. In the past, everything and everyone would be thrown on the scales, and the amount of money bought and sold would be unequivocal. Dealing with such a person is actually easy. Those who have not learned superficially, but those who are bad have learned a lot. Originally, the Youth Party did not have the auxiliary talents and the strategy of warp and latitude. .”
Naturally, Lu Chengyan didn't dare to speak to her.
Xu Xiao laughed at himself and said, "What are you doing when I tell you these things? Uncle originally wanted to talk to you about family matters. Alas, this person becomes confused when he gets old."
Lu Chengyan blinked her eyes, and said softly, "Uncle Xu, can you tell me about His Royal Highness's childhood?"
Xu Xiao made a subtle gesture of waving his hand, but instead of rejecting the proposal of the girl from the Lu family, he retreated the hidden dead man, and then smiled at Lu Chengyan and said, "I don't know when I can stop talking about this."
Lu Chengyan smiled brightly and said, "Wait until Uncle Xu says he's tired!"
Xu Xiao beckoned, obviously in a good mood, and said with a smile: "Come on, come on, sit closer and talk, uncle likes to talk about this, when Fengnian was around, he wouldn't let him talk, and uncle couldn't find someone who would listen sincerely in the past For these, it happened to catch you girl, just in time."
As time passed, Lu Chengyan realized that Uncle Xu was actually a very talkative old man. When he talked about the funny and embarrassing stories of His Royal Highness when he was a child, his gray and white brows were full of doting and pride. At this time, Uncle Xu and his family's kind The old ancestors are no different. When talking about the promising descendants, they are reluctant to use a strong tone. During this period, the big maid, Sweet Potato, brought in a food box, which was filled with exquisite pastries and thirst-quenching melons and fruits. The old man talked about his excitement, and he had no pretensions at all. He peeled sweet oranges for Lu Chengyan several times with his own hands. Blue paste and bright candles, there are many mysterious mechanisms on the beams in the house. I don’t know how the sweet potatoes move, so many night pearls inlaid in them are exposed. The house is as bright as the day, but the key is the soft light. Feeling glaring and tired, Lu Chengyan did not see the ordinary luxury that the world imagined in Beiliang Palace, but saw Beiliang's background and courage in countless details. Until Sweet Potato handed over a beautifully embroidered velvet cushion, Lu Chengyan saw the warmth in the eyes of this first-class maidservant, and the slightly turned corners of the plump beauty's mouth, and knew that she had barely integrated into Wutong Garden at this moment.
As the sky was getting darker, Xu Xiao finally stood up, without Lu Chengyan seeing him off, he went straight out of the house, and when he reached the yard, he called Sweet Potato.
The two walked towards the gate of the courtyard together, Xu Xiao said flatly: "The intention is to let you go with Fengnian, so that someone can take care of you, but firstly he doesn't agree, and secondly, this courtyard can't do without you."
Sweet Potato Judo: "Blue Bird."
There was a trace of helplessness in Xu Xiao's tone, and he said with a smile: "This stubborn girl knelt down all night, waited for me to nod, and went out with a momentary gun. I still dare not tell Fengnian about this, for fear I was scolded as a bloody sprinkler."
Sweet Potato smiled, among the maids in Wutong Garden, she was the most conversant with the Northern Liang King in front of her, except father and son, no one knew that she was the dead soldier left by the princess.
Xu Xiao sighed softly: "After Zhihu left, you are like Fengnian's sister."
Sweet Potato was about to speak, Xu Xiao waved his hand and said: "You and the girl from the Lu family are all the same way, take care of her more in the future, the water and soil in Beiliang are completely different from Qingzhou, no matter how smart a woman is, she won't be able to adapt in a short time. Well, a Qingzhou peony was transplanted in the land of Beiliang, and we just let it go. But remember, after a while, you send a message to her, saying that the double pupil is dead, and see her reaction , if you pass this test, you and Chu Lushan will start preparing for her to marry into the Xu family. If you don't pass the test, it will be assumed that she has not been destined to be a queen concubine."
Sweet Potato nodded. Xu Xiao walked to the gate of the courtyard, and asked with a smile: "You said that the King Ben had a conversation with her today, will she be proud of favors, or not be surprised by favors or disgraces? You are a woman, and you understand women's thoughts better."
Sweet Potato hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said, "I dare not speak nonsense."
Xu Xiao didn't make things difficult for the maidservant of Wutong Garden, and walked out of the yard alone.
Lu Chengyan in Wutong Garden should be full of joy, but her hands and feet are cold, even she herself doesn't understand why.
Xu Xiao came to Tingchao Lake to relax, and saw Pei Nanwei, the princess of Jing'an sitting in the pavilion in the center of the lake, and Shu Shuo who was inseparable from the royal concubine according to his instructions. The distance between the two women was more than ten steps. Just observing Princess Pei's words and deeds, for the truly superb Yirong, the appearance seems to be a technique, the spirit seems to be a technique, and the combination of the technique and the technique is considered a success. , Shu shame should be kept in mind. At first Pei Nanwei was very disgusted with this Beiliang squire's stalking and watching, but Shu Shu wished that Princess Pei would reveal her true feelings as much as possible, so she didn't care whether Pei Nanwei was angry or not. What kind of princess? Later, Pei Nanwei simply ignored Shu Shame completely. For some reason, when she came to this gloomy palace that the court and the world were afraid of, she really felt at ease and lived in an elegant garden near the lake. With a few acres of reeds, you can enjoy the scenery by opening the window. Although it is not comparable to the endless reeds outside Xiangfan City, Pei Nanwei, who is pretending to be calm and indifferent, only reveals a bit of joy at the tip of his eyebrows. No matter how big the reeds are, it is not her after all. Yes, no matter how small the acres of reeds in Beiliang Palace are, His Royal Highness clearly stated that they belong to her.
When Xu Xiao walked into the Huxin Pavilion, Shu Shuo had already knelt down silently, Pei Nanwei hurriedly got up and gave blessings, and said softly: "Ministers see General Xu."
"No need to be polite."
Xu Xiao jokingly said: "You and that sissy Zhao Heng, this king seems to be upside down, you will be King Jing'an, and he will be Princess Jing'an."
Pei Nanwei had a bitter face.
Xu Xiao didn't sit down and said, "Pei Nanwei, there are no restrictions on your entry and exit from the mansion."
Pei Nanwei got up subconsciously and saluted again, and said respectfully, "Thank you for your kindness, General."
Xu Xiao smiled, walked out of the pavilion, and muttered, "Your daughter-in-law here is so well behaved."
Pei Nanwei was stunned, and then her pretty face flushed.
Shu shy eyes are envious.
Xu Xiao walked back to his room slowly, except for his two sons and two daughters, no outsiders would enter here. Even Chen Zhibao and his adopted sons would only speak outside the courtyard door if they had something to report, and then went together A nearby anecdote pavilion study discusses important military matters.
There is only one loquat tree in the courtyard.
In the night, Xu Xiao stood under the tree, dazed, and went back to the room which was not spacious and luxurious. There were two clothes hangers in the outer room. Xu Xiao bent down and pulled out a box from the bottom of the table. After opening it, it was not a rare treasure. treasure, but a box full of cloth shoes. Xu Xiao took out a pair of half-sewed thick-soled cloth shoes and a sewing box. After lighting the candle, he skillfully bit the needle, wrapped his fingers with silk thread, and began to sew the shoes.
Not far away, there were two clothes hangers, a set of general armor and a set of Beiliang king's python robe.
Outside the window, there is a loquat tree in the courtyard, which was planted by my wife when she died, and now it is as graceful as a canopy.