County magistrate Cao is in his forties or fifties this year, with a round face and a short stature, so he looks a bit fat and his face looks round.
She got out of the sedan chair, stood beside the carriage with her chest in her arms, and waited for Shi Qing to get off.
Although she was seventh rank, Shi Qing was only sixth rank, but compared with seventh rank local officials, sixth rank Beijing officials were more than one level higher, not to mention that Shi Qing was an imperial envoy, and her mother was the third rank imperial governor. history.
The carriage came to a complete stop, Yun Zhi pushed aside the curtain with the hilt of his sword, and jumped down first without stepping on the footstool.
County magistrate Cao noticed the handsome and tall man next to Shi Qing just now, but now that he looks at it again, he still feels unforgettable.
What he can make people remember is not just his unique appearance, but his unique temperament.
He is graceful and generous, without any tweaking or restraint.
In particular, what he was wearing was not gorgeous silk and satin, but a simple blue and white color, and his upright figure insisted on giving him a refreshing sense of openness, like a clear and clear autumn sky, clean and refreshing.
Compared with the boudoir man, he is more like a knight-errant.
Yun Zhi stood beside the car, stretched out his hand and continued to lift the curtain with the hilt of his sword, waiting for Shi Qing inside to finish swallowing the cherry in his mouth.
Her slowness was not to put on airs, but when she was grabbing cherries from Yun Zhi, she stuffed them into her mouth and ate very slowly.
Anyway, he is also an adult, Shi Qing has a shame, how can he talk to others until he finishes swallowing.
Yun Zhi couldn't help but smile when he thought of her puffed up cheeks full of cherries, and proudly raising her eyebrows at him.
He didn't really want to rob her.
Shi Qing coughed twice, finally bent down and got out of the carriage.
Different from Yun Zhi's refreshing and open feeling, Shi Qing is a typical flamboyant and bright, without any restraint.
In particular, she was dressed in red, which made her look so beautiful that people couldn't take their eyes off her.
No wonder it is Jinke Tanhua, it really looks good.
The magistrate Cao's attitude became more and more respectful, and he introduced the situation of the Yamen to Shiqing in detail, as well as some surrounding buildings with allusions and history.
On the way to the yamen, there was basically no cold scene.
The room in the inn has already been withdrawn, and they will stay at the Yamen side for the night. County magistrate Cao said that the guest rooms have been packed in advance.
Facing Shang Shiqing's gaze, County Magistrate Cao bowed his head and smiled apologetically, "I really dare not hide it from my lord Xiaoshi. From the moment you entered the city, the lower officials have received the news."
Magistrate Cao has always been noticed, just because he is afraid of neglecting the imperial envoys from the capital.
In addition, Mr. Li and Mr. Sun, who had been entertained by Jingzhong, also wrote to say that Shi Qing is different from others and should be careful in serving them.
Mr. Cao thought that Shi Qing was old-fashioned and thoughtful, otherwise how could he make the two adults Sun and Li so afraid, but it turned out that he was so young and fresh when they met just now.
"A total of three rooms have been tidied up," County Magistrate Cao looked at Yun Zhi who was beside Shi Qing, a little uncertain, and asked her implicitly, "Who is this gentleman? Do you need to prepare an extra room?"
Yun Zhi walked beside Shi Qing with his sword in his arms, and he paused slightly when he heard this, but didn't make a sound.
He pretended to look around, looking curious everywhere, but actually his ears were secretly pricked up.
"No, this is my husband. We live together." Shi Qing pointed to Mi He and Ya Qing, fearing that the county magistrate would misunderstand that they were also a couple, so he said, "It's fine for these two to live separately, three rooms are enough."
"It turns out that this is the Lord of Time." County Magistrate Cao performed the ceremony with Yun.
She had just guessed that the two might be husband and wife, but she didn't see any intimacy, instead they went their separate ways, so she felt that Yun Zhi might also be the guard brought by Shi Qing from Beijing.
As for why he is a man, it is of course because Shiqing was young and energetic, and he always had someone to "serve" when he was away from home for a long time.
She has seen too many situations like this during her years as a magistrate.
Some Beijing officials will even take the initiative to hint that they will send beauties to honor them.
Yun Zhi nodded slightly reservedly, in response to the Lord of Time.
"Why didn't you say you slept in a separate room today?" When the two walked side by side behind Magistrate Cao, Shi Qing looked at Yun Zhi teasingly.
When he first came out of the capital and lived in an inn, Yun Zhi wanted to sleep with Ya Qing but he didn't want to sleep with her.
Yun Zhi glanced at her, looked away, and said vaguely, "Isn't that for the convenience of protecting you?"
"Young Xia is so stubborn." Shi Qing stretched out his hand to poke the soft flesh on his side.
No excuses, just say that you like to sleep with her.
In the past half a month, the two of them got used to lying in the same bed.
With so many people around him watching, Yun Zhi's face was slightly hot, and he raised his hand to hold Shi Qing's wrist, pulled her fingers from his waist, and gently pressed her to his side.
Perhaps because he was afraid that Shi Qing would be dishonest, Yun Zhi just held onto her wrist like this, wanting to wait until she stopped struggling before letting go.
This scene fell into the eyes of outsiders, that is, the two walked forward hand in hand in public.
Mihe covered her mouth behind her and snickered, while Yaqing was embarrassed to look at it openly, and only took a sneak peek from the corner of her eye.
At the door of the room, County Magistrate Cao was inconvenient to follow in, so he smiled with Shi Qing on the porch outside the door and said:
"Your Majesty came from afar, and I know that you are here for flood control, but it's already late today, why don't you take a rest and let the official use local specialties to welcome you, and tell us about the situation here?"
Shi Qing became interested, and his eyes lit up slightly.
Magistrate Cao was not surprised to see her expression, on the contrary he was used to it. After all, he was young, but he accepted it without even bothering to hide it.
Until Shi Qing asked, "Are there any local specialties?"
She is really curious about the dishes.
County magistrate Cao paused, as if she had never received such a down-to-earth Beijing official who only cared about food. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, quickly suppressed the redundant expression, and replied:
"When you come to our place, you want to eat some mutton and noodles."
Shi Qing thought it was good, "That's fine, I'll go there at night."
After County Magistrate Cao left, Mihe said in a low voice, "Master Cao is much more capable than the Qian Kaitai we met before."
County magistrate Cao always greeted him at the door of the inn, but Qian Kaitai couldn't sit up even after everyone had arrived at the county office.
Shi Qing was stunned, "These two people must be different. Qian Kaitai relies on Mr. Qian as his backer, while County Magistrate Cao, as a local official, will not dare to offend the imperial envoys of the capital easily."
Mihe and Yaqing cleaned up the room, while Shiqing sat by the side and wrote a letter to Shiju in the capital, asking how the situation in the capital was, and reporting to Li Shi that he was safe.
It was getting late and the twilight was coming together, the county magistrate Cao sent someone to invite Shi Qing and Yun Zhi to the banquet.
In addition to the magistrate Cao, the companions tonight are also the magistrate's husband, Lord Cao.
He frowned and looked at the two vacant seats next to him, and said in a dissatisfied tone, "It's just a small official of the sixth rank, how can it be worth your efforts to curry favor, and Zhen'er was even arranged to perform a dance at night."
Cao Zhen is the youngest son of the two, he was born extremely good-looking, both in appearance and figure, he resembled the beauty Cao Fulang very much.
Usually when guests come over, County Magistrate Cao always arranges for dancers to perform dances, so he will not call Cao Zhen out easily.
Cao Fulang once thought that magistrate Cao wanted to find a good family for his son, but he still came to this point without realizing it.
Cao Fulang had never seen Shi Qing before, and thought she was a woman in her thirties or forties. When he thought that his son was only fifteen or sixteen years old, he hated seeing him from the bottom of his heart, "You are so cruel. You treat Zhen'er like this. He is still in the room." crying."
Who doesn't know what it means to present a dance, and that means you have to accept the house if you fancy it.
"What do you two know? This young adult is different from the officials in the past. Not to mention that he won the prize at a young age, and he is not inferior to men in appearance alone. You don't want Zhen'er to perform dances, and I'm still worried about Zhen'er. It's not in her eyes at all."
She just wanted to see if she was used to the big fish and meat in Qingjing, if she was interested in seeing green onions and side dishes.
County Magistrate Cao said to Fu Lang: "It's just a dance, to show how much I value Master Xiao, not to mention that Fu Lang is still by my side. Besides, if Master Xiao really takes a fancy to it, it will be Zhen'er's blessing. I am His mother, can you harm him?"
County Magistrate Cao's banquet held in the courtyard, the weather is warm now, and the wind is blowing and the moon is admiring at night, which is quite elegant.
In particular, the courtyard has a large space. Putting on a stage and lighting lanterns, it is convenient to appreciate the graceful posture of the dancers as if it were daytime.
Cao Fulang kept a straight face, and he couldn't be happy despite the hype that the magistrate Cao said, until Shi Qing from a distance came over.
Shi Qing changed his clothes and wore a blue official uniform.
The color is obviously very old-fashioned and dull, but for some reason it looks extraordinarily good-looking on her. The moonlight shone on her, like a radiant blue gem, which made people's eyes bright.
Cao Fulang fixed his eyes on Shi Qing's face, his eyes were amazed, he couldn't help but look up and down.
Shi Qing didn't know what he was talking to the man beside him, and suddenly smiled, his pair of affectionate peach blossom eyes curled up like this, full of spring.
Cao Fulang took a deep breath, feeling that the other party's smile looked better. He couldn't resist stretching out his hand to grasp the wrist of County Magistrate Cao, and confirmed: "Is this really the young man?"
Zhen'er will love it!
County magistrate Cao had already stood up and said in a low voice, "There can be fakes, now you finally understand what I mean."
With Shiqing's appearance, being her concubine is more willing than being a master like Li Yunqing.
What's more, Shi Qing didn't come from a poor family, her mother was Du Yushi, and she was Tanhua of Jinke, with only one lord by her side, she could be said to be the dream lover of a small family man.
I just don't know how the house is so clean with such a family background and appearance
In a small county like theirs, there are more people in the houses of women with some money than before.
County magistrate Cao got up and went to meet him from a distance, Cao Fulang quickly told the servants beside him, "Go and let the young master prepare for tonight's dance performance."
After finishing speaking, he followed magistrate Cao with a smile on his face.
"I've met my lord when I was young." Cao Fulang saluted, "I didn't expect my lord to be so young and born so good-looking. It really is the feng shui of the capital that supports people."
"You might as well not have said that."
"What does this have to do with Feng Shui in the capital?"
Shi Qing said, "I am good-looking, mainly because my parents are good-looking."
Good genetics.
She looked at Yunzhi and said with a smile, "But my husband's good looks depend on his own hard work."
Yun Zhi's temperament and posture really overshadowed his appearance.
Cao Fulang paused for a moment, then said with a dry smile, "That's that."
County magistrate Cao led Shi Qingyun to his seat, and she asked Shi Qing to take the main seat, and she sat next to Shi Qing.
There are already a lot of dishes on the table, and County Magistrate Cao said to Shi Qing, "Prepare a little wine and dishes, I hope that my lord will not dislike it."
As she said that, she asked someone to fill up the wine, and also poured a small glass for Yun Zhi who was beside Shi Qing.
Cao county magistrate first respects Shiqing and then Yunzhi.
Yun Zhi held the wine glass hesitantly, put it to his lips but didn't drink.
His alcohol capacity is really average. In the past, it was his sister who drank with his father during the New Year's festival, and he poured it in one gulp.
But in front of everyone, Yun Zhi didn't like to drink, so he took a small sip.
Yun Zhi didn't know how much she could drink at that time, but seeing how elegantly she drank, Yun Zhi thought that her drinking capacity was just that, and he felt much more at ease.
It would be a bit shameful for a man not to help his wife stop drinking.
If neither of you can drink, it's fine.
After the wine was finished, County Magistrate Cao said, "Eating is so boring. My Zhen'er heard that Mr. Shi came over and asked to perform a dance. It was also his kindness. I, a mother, can't stop me."
County Magistrate Cao told Shi Qing and Yun Zhi, "Your Majesty Shi and Master Shi don't care, he dances his dance, and we eat ours."
As she spoke, she clapped her hands, signaling the musicians to play.
Yun Zhi didn't mind at all, he had rarely seen such a scene, and his face was full of novelty.
You must know that in the past when he held banquets and drinks at home, he was the one who added to the fun.
And it's all a competition of swordsmanship and fists.
Now I can sit and enjoy other people's performances, can I not be happy
He leaned his head and whispered to Shi Qing, "It's the first time I've seen people dance."
Shi Qing agreed, "Me too."
Yun Zhi looked at her suspiciously, smiled Shi Qing, took the wine glass and lightly touched the cup Yun Zhi put in front of him, the porcelain was pressed against each other, and the voice was clear and melodious.
"I said so did I."
Shi's family kept a low profile in Beijing, and Shiju was not a person who liked to watch these things. In addition, Shiqing was timid before, so this was the first time she watched a large-scale song and dance performance.
Last time I thought I could see it during the spring hunt, but it turned out that there was only music but no singing and dancing, which was less interesting.
When Yun Zhi looked at it, he was sipping his wine, as if he was drinking tea, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Drink less, I won't carry you back when I get drunk later."
Besides, the two of them had to go out at night, what would happen if Shi Qing got drunk.
"I won't get drunk." Although Shi Qing said so, he still put down the glass.
In the courtyard, elegant music sounded, and Cao Zhen came in a pink dress.
He was originally reluctant, but he couldn't meet his mother's request.
Cao Zhen locked herself in her room and cried all night. She thought her father could persuade her mother, but she never expected that her father would stand with her mother and push him out to socialize.
Cao Zhen's eyes were red, and she was wearing delicate pink. In a place like the north, she looked extraordinarily weak and lovable.
He lowered his head and lowered his eyes, stood among the supporting dancers, put his hands on his lower abdomen, raised his eyes and glanced forward as he pushed forward.
It was just a gesture of raising one's head and dancing, but unexpectedly, one glanced at Shi Qing, who was sitting in the main seat, and couldn't help being slightly stunned, and couldn't look away immediately.
This, this is an adult from the capital!
Cao Zhen had never seen a woman with such appearance and temperament in the local area, her face flushed, she lowered her head shyly, and bowed to Shi Shi first.
"?"
Don't want to dance
Yun Zhi was at a loss, he had excellent eyesight, so he could naturally see Cao Zhen's reaction and expression.
Yun Zhi's eyes flicked back and forth between Cao Zhen and Shi Qing, his thin lips were slightly pressed together, and the fresh and happy feeling just now faded a lot.
Cao Fulang naturally saw his son's reaction, and gave Magistrate Cao a look with a smile on his face.
The person he likes, his son will naturally like it.
I just don't know what happened to the young adults.
Shi Qing looked up at Cao Zhen dancing.
Cao Zhen should have learned it before, with a soft body and beautiful posture, showing his own advantages in every move and posture.
County magistrate Cao was very satisfied with Shi Qing's focused expression, and said with a smile, "This place is small, and it can't compare with the capital, but some local dishes and children's singing and dancing are making a fool of yourself."
Yun Zhi picked up his glass and took a sip.
It's not showing ugliness, it's very good-looking, Shi Qing never looked away.
Although Yun Zhi couldn't appreciate the man's coquettish posture and soft movements, he couldn't deny that Cao Zhen danced very well.
Like a fluttering butterfly, and like pink petals dancing in the wind.
If it were him, he wouldn't be able to do it.
Shi Qing usually likes things with beautiful colors, such as peonies, such as red.
Seeing the pink Cao Zhen now, he must like it very much.
Yun Zhi didn't know why, but his chest seemed to be clogged with a ball of cotton soaked in wine, which was heavy and stuck to his heart, making him feel stuffy and uncomfortable.
He wanted to cover Shi Qing's eyes with his hand, but held back while pinching the wine glass.
Shi Qing was actually not that interested in singing and dancing. Hearing what Master Cao said, she couldn't help asking softly, "After watching the dance, when will the mutton stewed on the stove be served?"
"We can't just watch and not eat."
"No matter how good he dances, he can't be eaten as a meal. What really satiates him is hot food."
It's not that Shi Qing has never seen more advanced dances, but it's just that the sheep's head pot is the one that can make her salivate.
She smelled it, so she was still in the mood to watch people dance.
Shi Qing said, "It doesn't matter if he dances his dance and we eat ours."
Magistrate Cao, "..."
Magistrate Cao's chest was more blocked than Yun Zhi's.
Master Xiao didn't like it, did he? Otherwise, she is so beautiful, why does she only have food in her eyes
Or was it because Fu Lang was by his side that he restrained himself on purpose
Yun Zhi echoed, "She's hungry."
No matter how full the cherries are.
Shi Qing nodded heavily, "I'm here for the mutton noodles tonight."
If there was only dancing, she would definitely not come.
The county magistrate Cao and Cao Fulang twitched their eyes, and summoned servants to order them to serve the mutton.
Shi Qing's expression when he saw the hot and red mutton pot was much more lively than seeing the pink and tender Cao Zhen.
"I knew winter was coming."
Shi Qing sighed.
County magistrate Cao was depressed, but Kewu had to dance in this season to look light.
When the dance was over, Shi Qing applauded perfunctorily.
Yun Zhi was in a much better mood at first, until—
Cao Zhen walked over with a red face panting slightly, stood next to the county magistrate Cao and looked at Shi Qing, with a soft voice that touched people's hearts, "My lord."
With the sound of "pa—", the wine cup in Yun Zhi's hand was crushed by him.
The remaining drink in it spilled his hand.
Shi Qing looked at him suspiciously.
Yun Zhi lowered his eyes and didn't meet her eyes, and said softly, "I thought I didn't catch it, but I used a little force."
It was County Magistrate Cao who reacted quickly and ordered someone to quickly change another cup for Yunzhi.
It's just that the wine spilled one hand and flowed into the sleeve, and Yun went down to wash his hands.
Cao Zhen sat next to Cao Fulang.
His eyes are all about Shi Qing, Shi Qing only has mutton in his eyes.
"Why do you only eat vegetables?" Cao Zhen asked softly, "Is it because I didn't dance well just now?"
Shi Qing smelled a fresh scent of tea.
"If there's no food on the dinner table, what are you going to eat?"
Shi Qing said honestly, "No matter how good you dance, you can't compare with Cai."
Does this mean that he is not as good as a dish
Cao Zhen was taken aback, he pinched his fingertips, looked at the empty seat next to Yunzhi, his eyelashes fluttered and said, "It means that I can't dance as well as Lord Shi, so I can't see it in my lord's eyes."
Yun Zhi just happened to walk towards this side, standing in the shadow, he stopped unconsciously when he heard this, and his heartbeat slowed down by half a beat.
Shi Qing shook his head, "My husband doesn't dance."
"I didn't marry him to dance," she said.
That's right, it's for embroidery.
It's a pity that he can't embroider either.
Shi Qing didn't lie, but Cao Zhen's words had a different meaning in Cao Zhen's ears.
Yun Zhi is married to Ming Media, so there is no need to let him dance to please others.
Cao Zhen clenched her fingertips and said softly, aggrieved, "I can't compare to the background of the Lord of Time."
He thought that Yun Zhi came from a wealthy family with a good family background.
Shi Qing groaned, reached out to pick up the mutton, and did not explain, his attitude was perfunctory visible to the naked eye, "If you think so, there is nothing you can do."
She looked to the side suspiciously, and asked Mihe, "Where is Yun Zhi? Why hasn't he come back yet, the meat is almost gone."
The meat is gone, isn't it because you eat too much
Cao Fulang thought so in his heart but dared not say so.
He vaguely guessed that there was no other man around Shi Qing.
She choked on her words and her chest hurt so much that she couldn't continue talking.
Such a nice face, but unfortunately...
Cao Zhen failed in the test, so he didn't dare to say more, lest he lose his goodwill and impression.
Yun Zhi walked over slowly, sat next to Shi Qing, and looked down to find that the small bowl in front of him was full of meat for him.
Shi Qing tilted his head and whispered to him, "Young Xia Yun, drinking too much vinegar will hurt your health, why don't you eat more mutton?"
There was a bright smile in her eyes.
Yun Zhi's body stiffened and his breath tightened, his fingers resting on his legs contracted into fists, and his ears slowly turned red.
He wanted to quibble, but felt that no matter what he said, it would be too pale.
After the banquet was over, the two of them went to take a bath first. The smell of mutton was too strong.
Yun Zhi finished washing first, and sat on the steps in front of the door in a daze.
It may be that he unconsciously drank too much wine during the meal, but now he is a little dazed.
Jiu Jin came up, as if he had thought a lot, and it seemed that his mind went blank and he didn't think about anything.
Shi Qing patted him on the shoulder from behind, but before his hand touched Yun Zhi's shoulder, he grabbed his wrist with his backhand.
He raised his eyebrows, "Ambush me?"
Shi Qing took the opportunity to sit next to him, and changed the subject, "What were you thinking just now?"
Yun Zhi's eyes were watery, and Shi Qing said in surprise, "You must be drunk, right? Young Hero's drinking capacity is impressive."
Seeing him relying on the tree trunk to drink water as wine that day, Shi Qing thought he was a good drinker, but ended up pouring it down? !
"Not drunk." Yun Zhi stuck his neck and refused to admit it.
Shi Qing smiled, "Then what are you thinking?"
As soon as she asked, Yunzhi suddenly saw the figure of Cao Zhen dancing in his mind.
Shi Qing seems to like watching it.
"I was thinking that I can't dance or embroider." Yun Zhi's thick eyelashes fell, and he didn't know what he was thinking, and suddenly looked sideways at Shi Qing, and asked her tentatively, "Do you see Wujian?"
"look."
It was as if he wanted to compare himself with Cao Zhen.
Yun Zhi picked up the green sword beside him, the sword that hadn't been sheathed during the fight, but was pulled out by him today because of the sword dance.
Different from Cao Zhen's softness, Yun Zhi's every move is full of strength, the moonlight echoes the sword light, his movements are clean and unsloppy, and he is indescribably handsome.
Shi Qing yelled loudly, raised his hands and applauded, "It looks good."
This time, it was sincere and without perfunctory.
Yun Zhi's heart moved slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
Under the moonlight, he took a beautiful sword flower and put the sword behind his back and stopped, raised his eyebrows towards Shi Qing, his eyes were full of youthful looks, "how is it?"
Shi Qing smiled, "Better than the young master of the Cao family."
Yun Zhi put away the sword awkwardly, his eyes flickered and said, "I'm not competing with him, I'm just dancing for you."
Shi Qing rested his chin on his hand and looked sideways at him.
Yunzhi's ears were slightly red, and his thin lips were slightly pursed.
Shi Qing reached out and poked his cheek lightly, "Yun Zhi, you don't need to compare yourself with anyone, you are the most unique one in this world."
Yun Zhi held her hand, sniffed it lightly, but still smelled of alcohol, "Are you drunk?"
Who is the drunk? Don't you have any points
Shi Qing blinked, "Who said, I'm not drunk, oops, I'm just a little dizzy and can't walk."
"Alcoholics say they're not drunk." Yun Zhi let go of her hand and stood up.
"..."
Shi Qing was both puzzled and curious, raised his head and asked him, "Young Xia Yun is going to carry me back?"
Yun Zhi stood in front of Shi Qing and looked down at her, his figure was reflected in those beautiful eyes.
She sat on the steps and he stood at the bottom.
"Hold you back."
Yun Zhi bent down slightly, supported Shi Qing's side face with one hand, lowered his eyes and kissed her forehead lightly, and said with a smile, "Liar."
She is not drunk.