Jiang Yanyi was a little confused. She calculated the date and found that her birthday would be in a few days.
What a coincidence, her birthday and that of her original body were on the same day.
If Feng Shuo hadn't said it, Jiang Yanyi would have almost forgotten about his birthday.
She asked, "How do you know my birthday is coming soon?"
Feng Shuo gently twisted her collar with his fingertips and said slowly, "I knew it when we exchanged engagement letters."
Jiang Yanyi suddenly realized that when they were engaged, the matchmaker had to use the birth dates of both parties to tell fortunes.
She laughed: "What did the fortune teller say? Are our horoscopes compatible?"
Feng Shuo looked at her and said, "A match made in heaven."
These words hit Jiang Yanyi's funny spot, and she laughed so hard that she could hardly straighten her back.
There was a hint of helplessness in Feng Shuo's eyes. Although Jiang Yanyi was thin-skinned, he was not as shy about many topics as the native ancient people.
Feng Shuo went back to the desk and got some ink and brush. "Lie down on the couch and I'll paint for you."
Jiang Yanyi pulled at the dress that he had lifted to her shoulders, then turned to look at Feng Shuo, as if to say, "Is that it?"
She wore a lilac-colored chest-length dress inside and a snow-white gauze dress outside. Half of the dress fell to her arm, and the other half was draped over her other shoulder. Her slightly messy black hair fell down, half covering her snow-white shoulders, making her look naturally charming.
This level might have been erotic enough for the ancients, but in modern times, it is considered conservative even for artistic photos.
Jiang Yanyi lay down on the couch without any burden in his heart. After getting into position, he felt something was missing. He stood up and went to the window to pick a pink hibiscus. He returned to the couch and lay down, holding the flower between his lips.
He said to Feng Shuo vaguely: "You can draw now."
Her clothes were too plain, and the gaudy painting looked a little out of place, but with a hibiscus flower between her lips, her charm came out in all its glory.
The light pink flowers are not too eye-catching, but match the color of her clothes, bringing out her demeanor and temperament.
Feng Shuo half-squinted his eyes and looked at Jiang Yanyi for a long time before he started painting on the paper like splashing ink.
Jiang Yanyi thought that he would keep this posture until his neck got sore, but Feng Shuo's painting speed was unexpectedly fast.
When he said "finished", except for the painting, the rest of the desk was already a mess, with a pile of brushes stained with various colors of paint.
Jiang Yanyi took the hibiscus from his mouth, pulled up his clothes, and ran over to take a look with great interest.
One has to say that Feng Shuo's painting skills are truly amazing. His portraits are not only realistic, but also have the kind of artistic conception that cannot be captured by later cameras.
Jiang Yanyi thought that this was a sexy painting, but the incense burner in the painting was filled with smoke, the hibiscus flowers outside the window were blooming in pink and white, and she was half lying on the couch with a hibiscus in her mouth. Her eyes were filled with affection and ruthlessness, full of sophistication, not at all vulgar or gaudy.
Jiang Yanyi was extremely satisfied and half-jokingly said to Feng Shuo: "With your painting skills, even if you are not a prince, you can probably make a fortune by painting for people on the street."
Feng Shuo raised his eyebrows slightly: "Not everyone can ask me to paint for them."
Jiang Yanyi quickly flattered him: "Your Majesty, your brushwork is so good, it would be a pity if you didn't paint a few heirlooms."
Feng Shuo teased: "Well, a pair of heirloom treasures are here."
Jiang Yanyi blinked: "Are you willing to show it to others?"
Feng Shuo glanced at Jiang Yanyi, of course he was reluctant to let her go.
Feng, who was outmaneuvered, leaned forward slightly, leaned close to Jiang Yanyi's ear, and said slowly with a playful tone: "This is a heirloom treasure I kept for myself."
The hot air he exhaled sprayed all over Jiang Yanyi's ears. Jiang Yanyi felt his ears were very itchy and couldn't help but dodge.
Feng Shuo chuckled. Jiang Yanyi glared at him, took the painting and was about to leave, "I should go back."
Feng Shuo relied on his long arms to reach around her shoulders and hold down a section of the scroll. This position was equivalent to trapping Jiang Yanyi between his arms and the desk. However, the person concerned said in a businesslike tone, "Why are you in such a hurry? I'll write another poem."
He had previously written a poem for his antique soup shop, which attracted many scholars and writers to come to the shop to check in. Jiang Yanyi was confident in his talent and was really looking forward to his poem.
Feng Shuo changed to a wolf hair brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a poem in cursive script in the upper left corner of the painting.
His handwriting is also unique, vigorous and unrestrained, with a sense of romantic spirit.
After writing the poem, Feng Shuo lowered his eyes and asked her, "Do you recognize it?"
Although Jiang Yanyixin's calligraphy is not cursive, can he not recognize words? Who is he looking down on
She recited the poem on the painting seriously: "The dream smiles open her delicate face, and her eyes are covered with falling flowers. The bamboo mat has lines on her jade wrists, and her fragrant sweat... soaks the red gauze..."1
Jiang Yanyi was stunned for a moment, then she realized that he was writing an obscene poem. She blushed and raised her fist to hit him: "You are teasing me!"
Feng Shuo laughed out loud.
Jiang Yan angrily rolled up the painting and was about to take it away, but Feng Shuo snatched it away again. He said: "Since it is a birthday gift, I should give it to you on your birthday."
Jiang Yanyi snorted at him, picked up her skirt and trotted out of his courtyard.
Feng Shuo looked at her back, and couldn't suppress the raised corners of his mouth.
Why is she so lovable
*****
In a blink of an eye, it was the ninth day of October. A few days before Jiang Yanyi's birthday, Feng Shuo personally led his troops to the front line again, and she also had to set off for Beijing. The two were destined not to be able to celebrate this birthday together.
Now that the area north of Hengzhou is basically stable, Jiang Yanyi only brought a thousand followers with him on this trip.
Considering that there are not many lakes in the capital and crabs are not abundant there, Jiang Yanyi also brought a clay jar of drunken crabs back to the capital.
Feng Shuo loved drinking, and the drunken crabs had a wine aroma, which really pleased him. He had almost finished eating all the drunken crabs that Jiang Yanyi had made before. Before leaving Hengzhou, she even pickled another jar of crabs for Feng Shuo.
After a long and dusty journey, Jiang Yanyi went to the kitchen and made a bowl of longevity noodles to reward himself when he arrived at the post station on the night of his birthday.
Aunt Guo knocked on the door and came in with a big wooden box, smiling: "Boss, happy birthday."
Jiang Yanyi was stunned for a moment. Besides being delighted, she was also somewhat touched in her heart: "Aunt, how did you know that today is my birthday?"
She was busy traveling these days and didn't tell her birthday to the people below.
Aunt Guo said, "Before the prince left for the war, he told me that this is the birthday gift he prepared for you."
Jiang Yanyi originally thought that the box contained a gift from Aunt Guo, but when he heard that it was from Feng Shuo, he couldn't help but feel a little more excited.
The main thing is that the box is square and quite large, as if it can hold a lot of things. Jiang Yanyi's intuition tells him that the box probably does not contain that painting.
When she opened the box, her eyes lit up and the corners of her mouth curled up.
In the box was a lit revolving lantern with an exquisitely crafted lampshade. On each side of the gauze there was a portrait of her, some lying, some standing, some walking, some standing still. Each one was lifelike and the painting was exceptionally vivid.
As the heat from the candle in the lantern rose, the revolving lantern began to rotate slowly, and her portrait on the wall of the lantern became coherent, actually painted according to her activities from morning to dusk.
Aunt Guo was very happy to see Jiang Yanyi liked it. She had been holding back for so many days and had not told Jiang Yanyi that Feng Shuo had prepared a gift for her. She was waiting to light the revolving lantern tonight and show it to her in person.
Aunt Guo smiled from ear to ear: "I have lived to this age, but I have never seen a revolving lantern as beautiful as this one. From painting the painting on the lamp wall to polishing the lamp frame, the prince is busy in his room every night after handling government affairs."
Jiang Yanyi only felt that the candlelight in the revolving lantern seemed to shine into her heart, filling her entire chest with this warmth.
That night she placed the zoetrope directly in front of her bed, and lay on the bed with her hands supporting her chin, staring at the zoetrope in a daze, and from time to time she reached out to move the tassels on the lantern.
"I only have one wish for my birthday this year, that you stay safe on the battlefield."
The moonlight filtering through the screen window was as white as frost. The night wind blew in through the gaps in the window frames, adding a bit of coolness to the room.
***
The night in Hengzhou was equally chilly, with a crescent moon hanging high in the sky.
After Feng Shuo finished processing the last volume of official documents, he rubbed his brows and looked up at the deep night outside the tent. Was it almost midnight
There was a rolled-up painting next to the bamboo basket where the documents were piled. He reached out and stroked the scroll, murmuring, "Ayi, happy birthday."
He was unable to spend a good birthday with her this year, but once the war in the south is completely resolved, he will spend every birthday with her in the future.
*****
Because there was no rush on this trip, it was more than ten days later when Jiang Yanyi returned to the capital with a thousand men.
The Chu family went to the capital for a few days first. Chu Changping was recuperating in the Chu Mansion. Now Chu Chengmao was basically handling all the big and small matters in the capital.
Chu Chengmao became famous after killing King Xinyang. After seeing his methods, some old officials in the capital who tried to make things difficult for him by relying on their seniority knew that he was not a decent person like Chu Changping, and they no longer dared to provoke this young man who seemed easy to talk to but was actually full of calculations.
Old Madam Chu was old and had been exhausted from the long journey. She was overly worried when she heard that Chu Changping was seriously injured, and she fell ill on the way. Although she saw Chu Changping after arriving in the capital, he was exhausted and was bedridden. She invited many doctors to diagnose his pulse, but there was no improvement.
After Jiang Yanyi arrived at the Chu family, he learned that Old Madam Chu was ill. He went to visit her without even having time to change his clothes.
When Madam Chu saw Jiang Yanyi, she couldn't help but scold him: "I know you are a man of your own ideas, but at that critical moment, you went south without informing your family. Are you trying to make me anxious to death?"
Jiang Yanyi knelt in front of the bed and admitted her mistake: "Grandma, don't be angry. I am sending my granddaughter south to do my part for the people of the world..."
Madam Chu wanted to scold her, but when she saw that the little flesh on Jiang Yanyi's face that had grown during the Chinese New Year was gone, she couldn't help but feel distressed: "You only care about the people of the world, have you ever thought about grandma? I heard that your merchant ship was hijacked, and grandma was so worried that she couldn't sleep well for several days and nights. If something really happens to you, how will grandma explain to your mother when she gets there?"
"Grandma, what are you talking about? You are in good health and can live another 20 years." Jiang Yanyi said hurriedly.
Mrs. Xue also tried to comfort her: "Grandma, you are just worried too much and got sick. Look, isn't Ayi doing well? Uncle San can get out of bed now and his injuries are not serious."
Madam Chu: "Don't worry, even if the King of Hell sends little devils to seduce me, I won't leave."
She turned her head to look at Jiang Yanyi and said, "Grandmother has to watch you get married on behalf of your mother. My girl Yi has suffered a lot, but no one can take away the wealth and honor that is destined for you. When the King of Liaonan came to propose marriage, your father and I were reluctant to agree to this marriage because we were afraid that you would suffer in that wealthy family in the future."
"Now that the Liaonan King is about to ascend the throne, my grandmother is even more uneasy. Once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea. But the date of your wedding with the Liaonan King has been set, and there is no turning back. Think of it in a positive way. This is a blessing that others can't even ask for. It can't be avoided, so let's keep it. Your father and brother have made great contributions this time. In the future, the Chu family will have weight in the court. Even if the Liaonan King's feelings for you fade, he will not dare to treat you badly for the sake of the Chu family."
Jiang Yanyi knew what Madam Chu was worried about. She was worried that she would fall out of favor in the future. With the palace wall between them, it would be difficult for her to even see him, let alone support him. But if the Chu family came out to break off the engagement, not to mention how the Chu family would live after offending Feng Shuo, she would have no hope of finding another husband. After all, no one dared to offend the royal family.
She held Madam Chu's old hands with both of her hands and said, "Don't worry, Grandma. I believe that the prince is not such a heartless person."
Madam Chu sighed, "Silly girl, don't bet everything on a man's heart. Love is strong when it is strong, but it will fade away when it is weak. Since ancient times, which emperor didn't have three palaces and six courtyards? If you are hoping that he will treat you well in the future, you will suffer. Having a child will make your future easier. Have you been taking the prescription that grandma gave you years ago?"
Jiang Yanyi said vaguely: "There is food."
That was a prescription for regulating women's menstruation, and it was said to help conceive. Jiang Yanyi drank the medicine purely because she had a cold uterus before, and she was in excruciating pain every time she had her period. After taking the medicine, she obviously didn't feel any pain now.
Only then was Old Madam Chu satisfied. She gave Jiang Yanyi a few more instructions and asked her to go see Chu Changping.
Maybe it was because he was injured too badly this time. When Jiang Yan saw Chu Changping, he felt that he had lost a lot of weight. If it weren't for his handsome stature and facial features, he would be comparable to those skinny civil officials.
"Yan Gui plans to move your mother's grave to the Chu family cemetery before the New Year. What do you think?" Chu Changping was writing something at the desk. He was wearing a Confucian robe with wide sleeves hanging down from his forearms, making him look even thinner.
Jiang Yanyi said: "I should show my filial piety."
Chu Changping nodded and said, "You will be married after the New Year. It is unknown whether the Liaonan King will ascend the throne first or get married first. Your grandmother wants to prepare both the wedding dress and the queen's formal dress. Otherwise, when the Liaonan King returns to the court, there may not be enough time to prepare any decent clothes."
Jiang Yanyi nodded: "Everything is up to you and grandma."
Chu Changping continued, "It is said that an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. Now everything in the mansion is managed by your sister-in-law. Your grandmother should have told her to prepare the pieces for the wedding dress. You can go to her to choose the pattern and style you like, and whether you want Suzhou embroidery or Sichuan embroidery. Just tell her."
Jiang Yanyi said: "I don't need to worry about that."
Chu Changping glanced at her clothes and said, "You must be tired after the long journey. Go down and wash up and rest."
Jiang Yanyi retreated in response. When he reached the door, he turned around and saw Chu Changping's thin figure. He couldn't help but call out, "Uncle."
Chu Changping raised his head and looked at Jiang Yanyi to see if there was anything else.
Jiang Yanyi said with some sadness: "Please take care of yourself. The Chu family still needs you to support them."
Chu Changping knew that his niece was concerned about him, so he nodded and said to her, "Go and have a rest."
Only then did Jiang Yanyi leave the study.
The author has something to say: Feng Hanhan (holding the picture of a beauty): I miss my wife.
Jiang Yiyi (staring at the revolving lantern): I want to be silly.
1 From Xiao Gang's "Ode to My Wife's Daytime Sleep"
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