When Xu Yanqing returned home, the first thing she should do was to greet her parents. I went to pay a visit to Mrs. Xie together with him. The news of Xu Yanqing's return was hidden from everyone in the Xu family. When we saw him, Mrs. Xie loosened his hand and the cup fell to the ground and shattered.
"—Yan'er?" Xie Shi has always been reserved, and she doesn't show emotions easily, but she is still a mother after all. She got up in a hurry, and Xu Yanqing hurried to support his mother. Mrs. Xie stared at her son in a daze, tears fell before she spoke, raised her hand to touch his face, choked up and said: "Yanqing, you have suffered."
When their mother and son were talking, I took the servants out.
Xu Yanqing's visit was more than twice as long as the three or four months originally mentioned. During the days when he went south to inspect, apart from the monthly letters from home, he also only got some news from the postman, and he knew that although his journey was not full of twists and turns, everything was not smooth. It was said that he actually did a lot of things when he went south this time. Not only did he investigate and deal with corrupt officials in several places, but he also led people to clear up the dens of thieves. Those processes were passed without any seriousness, but one can imagine how dangerous the situation was at that time. Now, to be able to come back safely, it is not in vain for Mrs. Xie to chant scriptures and Buddha for him every day.
Although Xu Yanqing returned home after a long absence, she still had important tasks to attend to. After reporting her safety with her mother, she hurried to the palace to report to the emperor. His experience this time can be regarded as a meritorious service. Naturally, he was awarded a reward and directly promoted to two ranks. The second master of the Xu family has always been very popular. The people who came to visit the second young master in the past two days almost broke the threshold .
After such a toss, in the first few days after he came back, I saw him the least. Only when night fell did he wait for his people to come back.
In the first two nights, I waited for him to arrive at the third watch, thinking that there were too many banquets outside, and the people who invited him were all princes and nobles, so it would be hard for him to save face, and Xu Yanqing would wake up every time I fell asleep from exhaustion. Shan returned home. Only this night, shortly after the lights were turned on, there were footsteps outside.
Not long after I finished taking a bath, Biyu has been unwell for the past two days, only Biluo is serving me, she is combing my hair, when I heard a movement, Fang turned around and saw that Xu Yanqing had lifted the bead curtain and leaned out. When the four eyes met, I couldn't help lowering my eyes, Bi Luo lowered her head and called: "Second young master."
Xu Yanqing said to them: "You all go out."
Seeing the servants retreating one after another, I also wanted to get up from the chair, but Xu Yanqing had already stepped behind me. His hand came from behind me, over my neck, and picked up the grate on the table. That hand has distinct joints, and in the bright and dark candlelight, it holds the ends of my black hair.
I raised my eyes and looked at the blurred reflection in the bronze mirror.
After not seeing him for a long time, Xu Yanqing lost a lot of weight and his complexion turned darker, but this did not damage his usual romantic demeanor, on the contrary, it added a bit of loneliness that he didn't have before. He combed my hair carefully, and after smoothing it, he held a strand of hair in his palm and groped it, as if he was playing with it.
"There is a saying, to marry each other..." He murmured in a low voice, if whispering softly, "Do you know what the next sentence is?"
I stood up slowly, Xu Yanqing looked down at me for a while, and raised the corner of her mouth: "Jing Ting, you have grown taller."
His words reminded me that when I first entered the door, my eyes could only see his chest. Now, my head has reached his shoulders.
"Second Lord..." I whispered. Throat choked, not knowing what to say.
I just want to say that when Xu Yanqing and I parted, there was still a rift between the two of us. At that time, I really didn't want to see him. After this period of time, although I never hated him, when I was alone, it was inevitable... to think of the embarrassment and pain he gave me in front of others at that time.
Seeing that I didn't talk to Xu Yanqing, there seemed to be a trace of imperceptible loneliness in her eyes, but, don't be impatient in everything, and you can only figure it out slowly. He went outside for a while and came back, but his temper seemed to have stabilized a lot. Even though he and I used to fight, we are still his wife after all, and it is impossible to avoid him for the rest of our lives.
All the servants were sent away by him, so I helped him take off his coat and hung it on the screen. As soon as he turned his head, he saw a scar under his collarbone that was not there before. I took a step forward, and unconsciously raised my hand and opened the front to take a look. It was indeed a hideous scar, and it looked like it had been there for some time.
"This is..." I murmured in a daze. Xu Yanqing also looked down at the wound: "At that time, I was investigating a headless extermination case in Zhaojia Village. In order to hide people's eyes and ears, I didn't bring guards with me, and went against the villain's way." When he got up, he said lightly, "Fortunately, the local yamen was clever enough to search and rescue me in time before the villains silenced me. At that time, I was really in a mess—" He shook his head, with a smile on his face.
"Can you still laugh?" I couldn't help asking him, and my voice raised a little. When the words came out, both of us were slightly taken aback.
Instead of being angry, Xu Yanqing looked at me with twinkling eyes, with a gentle smile in her eyes. I just felt that my cheeks were extremely hot, so I withdrew my hand, and he stretched out his hand to hold it empty, and he was not annoyed, and walked out behind me.
When going to bed, I sleep with him.
I turned my back to Xu Yanqing and turned my face to the outside of the bed. When it was four o'clock, the whole world was silent, even though I closed my eyes, I didn't feel sleepy at all. In the dark, I noticed a movement on the side of the pillow. I knew he was still awake.
A few days ago, I knew that sooner or later I would have to face him again. Although my heart is clear, my body is not so obedient. When I felt that hand reaching out, my spine stiffened suddenly, and I suddenly remembered that time when I was under him... I clenched my fingers tightly, Hold your breath and move, as if you are going to be sentenced.
Just when he was about to touch my shoulder, the hand stopped in the air and didn't come down for a long time.
"..." Xu Yanqing didn't say a word, he turned his hand in the dark, and pulled up the quilt a little, covering me tightly. For the whole night afterward, he did nothing else.
After the rain in spring, the tip of the leaf is stained with rain dew, and the water surface is clear and round.
On the second room side, there is nothing else, but the paper and ink are the most complete. In Xu Yanqing's Accord, there are a lot of books, and there is also a special place for writing and painting. I also have nothing to do, so I thought of copying a few poems. I had no other intention, just to meditate. When I was at home before, I was just a lowly concubine, and my food and clothing expenses were not as good as that of a decent master. The wife who enlightened me was also won by my third aunt. Otherwise, a young master of the Shen family is illiterate. Scanned face.
That old scholar was not strict in discipline. When I was studying, I fished for three days and posted nets for two days. Because of this, my knowledge was not very good. It's just that I have always liked to practice calligraphy, and even my father once said that I can write this handwriting well. I was concentrating on copying, so I didn't notice someone coming in, until a shadow fell, I suddenly noticed it, and turned my head to look: "Second Master?"
Xu Yanqing somehow came back so early today. Just seeing the smile on his face, he poked his head and asked, "What are you writing?"
My ears turned red, it would be fine if it was someone else, after all Xu Yanqing is a well-known talent, I have always been very thin-faced, so I just hid the piece of paper with both hands.
"How can you be so stingy, you can't even give me a glance?" Xu Yanqing feigned anger. She thought he had become more stable before, but now she stretched out her hand and grabbed my paper. How can I compete with him, let him take the half-copied paper, and listen to him chanting, "Send the king to fold the willow, and the king to meet the postman, climb the plum for me..."
He stopped, glanced at me and asked, "Do you know what kind of poem this is?" I knew it, but I heard Xu Yanqing say, "This is a good poem, but the meaning is not good. I just came back, how can you Send me away again."
I was anxious: "I didn't mean that—"
Seeing that I was in a hurry, Xu Yanqing came over and put her hands on my shoulders naturally: "Okay, okay, don't worry, Xiaojun, the second master won't tease you, come, I will teach you to write another song."
When I heard the "Xiaojun", my face felt hot. Xu Yanqing didn't seem to notice, he spread out a piece of paper again, picked up a pen and dipped it in ink, and let me hold it. I was just confused. Unexpectedly, that hand grabbed my right hand and slid across the paper like a cloud and water.
"When will this water stop, when will this hatred end..." I read it word by word, and I didn't know what he meant until he wrote it to the end.
After finishing writing, Xu Yanqing put down the pen, and I looked at the words on it quietly. This Luoyang paper is excellent, and the ink dries up in the blink of an eye. I stretched out my hand, and silently stroked the words behind that with my fingertips. The warm breath came from behind my ears, and I only heard him recite in a deep voice: "I only hope that your heart is like mine, and I will definitely live up to my love."
At some point, his chest was already against my back, and I seemed to be able to feel the beating of that heart. I don't know if it's his or mine...
"Second Young Master—" A boy servant walked in unexpectedly. When we came back to our senses, Xu Yanqing also stood up straight without a trace, the boy servant didn't expect that the moment he entered the door, he would receive a cold stare, and stood there dumbfounded.
Xu Yanqing shook her head helplessly, and said unexpectedly: "What's the matter, why don't you tell me quickly?"
"Uh, oh...! It's the master looking for the second young master." The boy servant said hastily when he remembered.
Hearing that it was Xu Shangshu's order, no matter how dissatisfied Xu Yanqing was, she dared not disobey. Before he went out, he said to me: "I will take you to meet someone later."
I didn't know what kind of medicine was sold in Xu Yanqing's gourd, so I just changed my clothes and left the house with him in a sedan chair. When the sedan chair stopped, he led me down. I looked up, and the hall name on it was written with three characters of "Pingyang Mansion". As soon as the concierge made an announcement, the owner came to greet him. I saw a young gentleman come out and greeted him with cupped hands: "Little brother, I finally expected you to come." As soon as I saw him, I remembered that time when I The young master surnamed Li I met in the courtyard.
The last time I was in Xu's inner house, it was not good to talk to outsiders. This time Xu Yanqing formally introduced me: "This is Pingyanghou. You two have met before. You are like me, just call him Brother Li. .”
There are several well-known young princes in Beijing, and Pingyanghou is one of them. Pingyanghou's mother was the cousin of today's son, the niece of Empress Dowager Xie, who later married the old Pingyanghou. After the old Lord Hou passed away, as the only member of the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, he naturally inherited the title of Marquis. If he continues to receive the Holy Family, the title of Marquis can be inherited for several generations.
It seems that Xu Yanqing has a very close personal relationship with him, even Lord Hou, he still calls him a brother in private. Li Sheng, Marquis of Pingyang, invited the two of us in and brought us to an elegant pavilion, where wine and food had been prepared, waiting for people to come.
After all, the Pingyang Mansion is not inferior to the Xu Mansion compound, but thinking about it this way, the Xu family, as a family, spends no less than the royal nobles, I am afraid... it is a bit presumptuous.
"What's wrong?" Xu Yanqing asked me suddenly when I was thinking about it. I shook my head, and I saw Li Sheng raised his glass to me, and said: "I had a relationship with Xu Shaojun before, and it was so abrupt at that time, now Li will punish himself with a drink." I wanted to return the gift, and then I picked up the glass, but Xu Yanqing blocked it I don't care if I'm rude or not with my hand, I just say, "Brother Li, my wife is too strong to drink, this cup should be returned by Yan Qing."
Li Shenglang said with a smile: "Okay, okay—then tonight, if you don't get drunk, you won't come home."
Next, musicians played music, and actors came to perform dances. After one night, I still had a good time. When the Marquis of Pingyang was half drunk, he stopped Xu Yanqing from chatting outside the pavilion.
"Brother Li, are you really going to Shonan this time?"
Then Li Sheng put his hands behind his back and said: "I can only go. Now, my Pingyang Marquis Mansion seems to be beautiful, and I am living on the royal salary, but it is difficult, and only I can understand it. Besides, the man has ambitions in all directions. If you do something while you are young, you may have regrets in the future."
Xu Yanqing also sighed: "Not long after we came back, you are leaving again. It's really unexpected."
But Li Sheng pointed at him again, and teased: "You, now that you have a lovely wife, you don't even see me as a brother. Let me tell you, before you got married, you just didn't believe in evil... Forget it, I'll give it to you." Yu Niang arranged a yard, even though she has no name, at least it can ensure that she has no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life."
"Brother Li, don't mention the past." Xu Yanqing said.
Li Sheng shook his head, looked at the moon and sighed: "Sometimes, I really don't understand. This wedge-shaped union is actually better than all the love and love in the world. Is it a blessing from a previous life, or a bad fate..."
Xu Yanqing didn't answer.
In the end, Li Sheng said: "Today, I only ask you to see me off because I really regard you as a brother."
"Brother Li," Xu Yanqing also cupped her fists, "If there is a destiny in the future, we will meet again."
Before the curfew, Xu Yanqing and I returned to the Xu Mansion. Although he was much more restrained than before, he also drank a lot tonight. I helped him to lie down and was about to get up when someone pulled his arm and sat back on the bed.
I looked back at him, those black pupils were staring at me, and my thin lips parted slightly: "Don't go."
I lowered my eyes and said lightly: "Second Master, I'll make you hangover soup."
Xu Yanqing didn't want me to leave, so he sat up and pulled me over. We looked at each other for a moment, his chest rose and fell, the tip of his throat moved, and then he bowed his head and was about to kiss. I didn't intend to hide, but my body seemed to be instinctive, and I shrank back a little. This slight move made me brush our lips against him.
"..." Xu Yanqing kept tightening her hands on my shoulders. But look, he forced a smile on his face and let me go. I was startled, looked at him for a while, then got up, turned around and walked out.
In the middle of the night, I blew out the candle and still lay outside.
It was quiet, only the breathing of the person next to the pillow could be heard. Suddenly, I heard his voice say: "I've always wanted to ask you, why..." He was silent, and finally blurted out, "Why have you not replied to me even after I wrote you so many letters?"
I didn't answer.
After a long time, I felt him turn over. When he put his arm around, my body was still stiff, and the hand on my waist also paused.
Behind the ear, the voice said: "Or, you never opened those letters?" He couldn't wait for a response, and the hands on his waist were tightly clenched into fists.
Just as he was about to withdraw, I suddenly stretched out my hand and placed it on his wrist. Xu Yanqing was startled.
I inhaled tremblingly, only in the quilt, and slowly held his hand in front of me, and when he placed it on my chest, the fist gradually opened and clasped my five fingers...
There was a rustling sound from behind, followed by a heat source coming from behind, and when the lips touched the back of my neck, it made me tremble.