Chapter 45: Painted Skin
Youshu slowly walked to the carriage and saw Zhao Yusong looking at him with a strange expression. His eyes were shining, his brows were furrowed, and the corners of his mouth seemed to be about to rise, but he tried his best to suppress them because of the scruples in his heart, and instead distorted his handsome face into a distorted appearance.
Youshu has studied micro-expressions and knows that he is trying to control the ridicule and contempt in his heart, is it because of his own dress? In a flash of light, he suddenly understood that the Wang family had just come to Beijing, where could they go to inquire about the preferences of the Nine Emperors? Naturally, the only way to ask for a concubine or send a servant. The information obtained by the servants is all word of mouth, and most of them are far from the truth, and those who are not used to the big house, where will they really help? What's more, they will also release fake news and wait to see the big house jokes.
No matter how unpredictable the Nine Emperor Princes are, Zhao Yusong, who is a companion, will more or less know some of his likes and dislikes. The servants sent by the Wang clan did not have to think about it, they would definitely go to his courtyard to listen. The rules of the Zhao clan are extremely heavy, and the second room of the Zhao family is even more rigorous, and everyone else has heard about their own yard, and it is impossible for Zhao Yusong not to know about it.
That's what he saw when he saw his expectant and smiling face, right? Is his outfit about his handiwork? Thinking of this, Youshu wanted to take off the forehead wipe and camellia on his head, but saw Wang hurriedly running over, carefully pinned a delicately made purse to his waist, and admonished, "Mother can warn you, this dress is not allowed to be dirty and messy, let alone changed at will!" This is the mother who stayed up all night to catch up with the production, and the mother has personally seen every stitch and thread, another day - you can wear it again after you crown! β
Youshu never ignores or even ignores the good of others. Such a precious heart, in the previous life, in the previous life, was wanted but could not be obtained, and it is naturally cherished in this life. deliberately evil or not; It's not enough to make people laugh; Let them all go, as long as my mother is happy. Anyway, my mother won't know about those things outside, and he won't care about the strange eyes of others.
Thinking like this, Youshu retracted her hand, and obediently should be, as if she had never noticed Zhao Yusong's malice.
The two took a carriage to the Flower and Bird Fang, which was bustling and crowded, and it was necessary to get off the bus and walk. Zhao Yusong kept laughing along the way, afraid of being noticed by his little cousin, and used a jade bone incense fan to block his mouth.
Youshu didn't care how weird his eyes were, and found that Wang really understood himself very well, so he didn't stuff spices in his purse, but put a lot of pine nuts, and held them in the palm of his hand, looking very leisurely. The two of them walked to the side of a teahouse, and saw someone waving and shouting from the window on the second floor, "Brother Cang Lone, here!" β
"It's coming!" Zhao Yusong smiled lightly and waved his fan, and Shi Shiran stepped into the threshold.
Youshu also planned to follow up, but saw an old man carrying a stack of sugar gourds on the other side of the street to sell, the bright red and bright hawthorn looked very attractive, and the smell of rich maltose came in wisps. When he followed Song's mother in his previous life, he never got anything good to eat, but when he visited the temple fair, Bai Shao would secretly buy him a string of sugar gourds. It was the only sweetness of his bitter years, and he would never forget it once he tasted it.
It is to follow the master to live a life of food and clothing, brocade clothes, he will buy one from time to time, take it in his hand and lick it slowly, carefully reminisce about the sweets and bitters of the past, and all kinds of tastes are also lingering in his heart, which feels very strange.
He carefully put Songzi'er back in his purse and ran towards the old man, ignoring the slightest call for his cousin.
Zhao Yusong gave up after a few calls, shook his head and went upstairs, only letting the little maid watch a little, and then take them to the private room after waiting for someone to buy something.
"What's your little cousin dressed up in today? Sure enough, is it showy and heavy makeup? β
As soon as he pushed the door open, someone laughed and ridiculed, Zhao Yusong looked up, but it was Xue Wangjing, the prince of Dingguo Mansion, Uncle Zizi, and another companion of the Nine Emperor Princes. He joked that he was okay, but he looked at the Nine Emperor Princes sitting at the top with a good look, as if he was deliberately provoking the other party.
Zhao Yusong didn't think it was wrong, and only smiled bitterly twice, saying that he was also helpless. He hated Dafang more than anyone else, especially Zhao Youshu, who almost caused the Zhao family to fall into the crisis of extinction. The Zhao family seems to be Zhong Mingding's food, but in fact, they have long been unable to make ends meet, especially the second room that bears the family's income, which has reached the point of selling the land to make a living. His mother's dowry was already very little, and in order to help the big house clean up the aftermath, she pawned out a lot, and now there is only an empty shell left.
He usually doesn't dare to open his mouth when he looks at any valuables, and there is resentment and hatred in his heart, but it is not very strong. But on the day of the return of the big house, he actually pulled more than a dozen carts of belongings back and forth, and Zhao Youshu was even more extravagant and how to wear it, what gold was expensive to use, and he also made a naΓ―ve appearance that did not understand the world, which made him feel dazzling.
Sixteen-year-old can't pass the children's exam, such a waste deserves to be on an equal footing with himself, compared with the other? Because of the jealousy and hatred in his heart, and the fact that his parents often whispered in their ears how the big house dragged down the Zhao family, how not to pay attention to it, and how to ignore the overall situation, Zhao Yusong's disgust towards Zhao Youshu naturally increased day by day.
He can usually ignore him, but he wants to hit the muzzle of the gun, and he actually tries to slap the Nine Emperor Princes by himself, and he doesn't look at what happens to those who deliberately stammer the Nine Emperor Princes? After being pestered for a long time, he muttered two sentences in front of the Nine Emperor Princes, but was listened to by the unruly Xue Wangjing, which led to today's idea.
A group of people waited in the teahouse early in the morning, just to admire the ugliness of Zhao Yusong's cousin. Xue Wangjing also brought many small followers, gathered in the private room to eat tea and chat, laughing and playing, but he didn't dare to provoke the first person.
Others don't know what the temperament of the Nine Emperor Princes is, but they know a little. It is said that the Nine Emperor Princes are majestic and strategic, both civil and military, and they will inevitably be the lord of revitalizing the family and country and unifying Kyushu in the future, but they vaguely know that the Nine Emperor Princes have a very strange temperament, and this weirdness is not that he is strict and uncertain, but that he does not care about everything in the world.
Yes, he didn't care about power, gold and silver, or even relatives and friends. His dark eyes are always dead silent, so that people dare not look at them, and if they stare for a long time, they will unconsciously feel suffocated, as if walking in the endless wilderness, or falling into the abyss. One moment he's laughing and laughing, he's in a good mood, the next he's gloomy and dead, and you'll never guess what he's thinking, let alone his preferences.
I can't guess what he likes, but what he dislikes is still revealed once in a while, just like now. He gently sipped the tea with the lid of the cup and said in a deep voice, "I heard that your fifth cousin is also called Youshu?" Why are there so many people in the world? β
This name was a legend as early as the Ming Dynasty. I heard that the reason why the famous Emperor Zongsheng never married in his life was because he was too infatuated with a young man named Youshu. And he has created countless great deeds in his life, and the various tribulations before his ascension to the throne are also quite miraculous, and the people of the time actually deified him, only thinking that whatever he did was good, there was a reason. Because of this, the Kyushu Continent, which was originally quite taboo against the south wind, has become popular and popular since Emperor Zongsheng unified the mountains and rivers.
And the custom of men applying grease and powder, hairpins and wearing jade also began to rise from that time, and it has not changed until now. Whether it is a common person or a nobleman, they are full of curiosity about the legendary "Youshu" who bewitched a generation of overlords with his beautiful face in the prosperous era, but if a child born in the family is extraordinarily good-looking, eight or nine times out of ten will take this name.
It's a pity that the portrait of Youshu, which was originally treasured in the royal family, was divided by the princes during the struggle for hegemony in the Nine Kingdoms, and was burned in the war for many years. Although Xia Qichao has preserved the only one, because it is too old and often touched by successive emperors, the ink has long faded, and it is impossible to see the appearance.
How beautiful Youshu is is now a mystery. And since the fifth child of the Zhao family is named "Youshu", it can be seen that his appearance is not bad when he is young. So someone came to the window and laughed, "Which is your fifth cousin?" Show it to us. That's the legendary beauty! β
"What crooked melon and cracked jujube, also worthy of being called Youshu?" Only at this time will the Nine Emperor Princes show their true disgust, as if they can't stand anyone named Youshu in this world. This is also the reason why Zhao Yusong brought Youshu to him.
Dafang wants to cling to the Nine Emperors? We'll have to see if he agrees! However, no matter how malicious he was in his heart, he would not let others notice it, so that he saw the jokes of the Zhao family, so he immediately replied, "My fifth cousin's appearance is not peerless, but it is not bad, and he looks very cute." β
"Yuxue cute? Are you describing a six- or seven-year-old child? Xue Wangjing slapped the table and laughed.
The Nine Emperor Princes frowned in disgust, and asked again, "I heard that he has yin and yang eyes, can he see ghosts?" How can there be ghosts and gods in this world, but they are just filthy hidden in people's hearts. β
This is a clear accusation that Youshu relies on ghosts and gods to grandstand, her mind is not pure, and her disdain between words cannot be hidden. Xue Wangjing and his followers laughed again and again, Zhao Yusong had to stand up and make a move, racking his brains to defend the fifth cousin, looking sad on his face, but very satisfied in his heart.
Presumably, if you see the Nine Emperor Princes today, you will never have the opportunity to see it for the second time, and if you are unlucky, you may be ridiculed and degraded, so that you will be ashamed.
Youshu bought a sugar gourd, and found a private room under the guidance of the little maid, and before he pushed the door in, he heard a very familiar voice. He was overjoyed and hurriedly crashed into it, but when he heard the last sentence, he poured down like a basin of cold water, freezing his heart and blood. Even after more than 600 years, the master's disgust and vigilance against ghosts and gods have not changed.
No, after all, something has changed, he is a few years younger, his elegant and handsome face is stained with evil and violence, and his originally warm and clear eyes are like bottomless cold pools, without a trace of warmth. He looked at himself like a stranger in his life, the same appearance, but hiding a different soul, he was the master, but he was not the master.
The Nine Emperor Princes are indeed the reincarnation of their masters. Youshu was already convinced of this, opened her mouth slightly, and called out "master" stupidly, and then the belated sadness and sadness, and the grievances of being abandoned and banished, all came to her heart. But he desperately held back the tears that wanted to get out of his eyes. Even after six hundred years, his promise to his master remains the same, he will carefully keep his distance from him, and never let his special abilities become a hidden danger and trouble for him.
If you don't know each other, why do you need to know each other? Be a stranger and just watch from afar.
When Youshu was still in a daze, everyone in the house was attracted by the sound of the door knocking open, and they all turned their heads to look back, and then were stunned. They never expected that the legendary No. 1 gentleman of Lin'an Mansion, who did not learn and did not know how to do it, would look like this! Pink, meaty, round face, round eyes, round mouth, and even the earlobes on both sides are also round, it looks really cute! With this look, it is really well-behaved and makes people's hearts happy, no matter how tacky the dress is, everyone can't say half a mean word.
Among them, the Nine Emperor Princes were the most out of shape, the teacup in his hand had been overturned, and the hot tea poured down the edge of the table on his lap did not bring him back to his soul. As soon as the boy entered, he was sucked away from all his attention. To be honest, his appearance is not peerless, but his temperament is extraordinarily unique, even no matter how vulgar his clothes are, he can't suppress that ethereal feeling. He is like a cloud, a snowdrop, a drop of nectar, silently burrowing into your heart, and when you feel the sweetness to explore, it disappears.
The Nine Emperor Princes were both flustered and happy, and they didn't know where this panicked joy came from. He couldn't think about it at all, and subconsciously replied, "Master? Who is your master? If the young man really intends to please himself as Zhao Yusong said, he will go straight up the pole and say that he is his master, and he will immediately respond and be with him every day from now on. Very good, very good!
He was so excited, but for some reason, he just blindly followed his feelings. He wants to have Shu, that's right, he is the only one in the world who deserves to be called "Youshu", and the rest of the people are fakes! It's all a damn fake!
However, he forgot to ease his expression and tone under nervousness, and this question actually carried a hint of disgust, not only Zhao Yusong and others had a misunderstanding, but even Youshu was pale, and his eyes were moist. This scene seems to be a reappearance of the previous life, and if the master pushes him away in person, it will probably be in this tone. He no longer wants to be his master, either in his previous life or in this life.
Youshu restrained herself from being full of sadness, and said, "I'm sorry, the grass people have exceeded the rules, the grass people knocked on His Royal Highness Jiu, and asked His Highness to forgive his sins." The words fell into a proper manner.
The Nine Emperor Princes were full of depression and blocked their throats, and they almost didn't suffocate to death. His face turned red for a moment before he waved his hand and said, "Get up, sit down." He was referring to the empty seat next to him.
Because of his strong momentum, even the two companions didn't dare to get too close to him, and over time, his left and right positions were empty, and no one was allowed to occupy them. However, today he took the initiative to invite, and such an abnormal behavior immediately attracted everyone's attention. But Youshu didn't want to dangle under his nose, if it weren't for his father and mother to explain the task, he couldn't go home now, so he struggled and hesitated, and he didn't sit down for a long time.
When the Nine Emperors' fingers itched and he wanted to pull the young man to his side, the attendant standing behind him on his right suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no, Your Highness, you have been scalded by tea!" This tea was served by him himself, and he naturally knew what it was burning, and he immediately panicked.
If the Nine Emperors rub off a piece of hair, Emperor Zhong Kangdi will also be furious and held accountable, not to mention perming off a layer of skin. A group of people hurriedly gathered around to check, and Youshu retreated. It's not that he's not worried, it's not that he's not concerned, but so what? He heard the conversation between the master and everyone clearly, and now he is just a villain who clings to the powerful to the master, and he is even more unbearable than in his previous life.
So, let the good memories stay in your heart, and don't add to the troubles. Moreover, this beauty is now remembered only by him, and it will become wishful thinking when he says it, and he will be despised by others. Youshu silently walked around the door, licking the sugar gourd for a while, looking far away.
When the boy stepped out of his sight, the Nine Emperors felt an unprecedented anxiety, if he had a sword at his waist, he wanted to cut down all those who stood in his way.
"Get out of the way!" He kicked away the attendant who wanted to roll his trouser legs for him, pushed Zhao Yusong and the others away, and hurriedly chased him to the door, just staring at the young man who was licking the sugar gourd and had big and round eyes. Seeing his own distorted and hideous face in the eyes of the other party, the Nine Emperors panicked in his heart, and hurriedly adjusted his state, and in a blink of an eye, he was the handsome and uninhibited nobleman.
"You're not gone yet?" He stopped abruptly, asked in a dumb voice, and his heartbeat, which was as fast as a drum, slowly returned to normal.
Youshu nodded, lowered his eyes to see the hem of his clothes that were wet with tea, and tried his best to hide it, and he also showed a trace of concern uncontrollably.
The Nine Emperor Princes, who were anxious, suddenly felt like they had drunk the elixir jade-liquid, and his mouth was full of sweet and greasy taste, and he couldn't help but touch his lips and smile slowly. The smile was extremely short-lived, and when the attendants chased him out, he became unfathomable and uncertain.
"Your Highness, let's go back to the palace immediately and show the imperial doctor, right? If you blister hot, you'll be in trouble! The attendant was about to cry, and he wanted to kneel down for his master.
"No problem." The Nine Emperors slapped the hem of their clothes disappreciatively.
"Then it's good to roll up your trouser legs and let the ministers take a look." Zhao Yusong was very cautious, and Xue Wangjing also agreed.
Youshu was pushed away by everyone and had to retreat to the staircase. He thought about it for a while, and felt that he would not be able to complete the task assigned by his father and mother today. The master has lived a very prosperous life in this life, there is no shortage of servants around him, and there is no shortage of flattering and flattering people, and the fact that he has yin and yang eyes has been introduced from Lin'an Mansion to Shangjing, which will inevitably become his taboo.
Let's go back and explain it to my parents, they will understand. If you can't go to Yangzhou, you can also go to Suzhou, it's a big deal to go to Shuzhou and Guizhou, it's far away, and the risk is also dangerous, but the things are just as delicious.
Thinking of this, Youshu pinched the sugar gourd and went downstairs, and just halfway through, he heard someone behind him shouting angrily, "Zhao Youshu, does this king allow you to leave?" Without saying goodbye, which courtesy is this? β
The Nine Emperor Princes didn't want to be so harsh on the boy, but if he didn't, how could he keep him? If he is really as flattering as Zhao Yusong described, and when he sees himself, he can't wait to stick up, and he can't wait to let himself go back to the palace, then it's good! But he is not, his eyes are clear and translucent, there is no sneaky mind at all, he is not arrogant, but very timid, he was almost in tears when he asked a word, that look was extremely pitiful, and it made him feel distressed.
He is like a ceramic doll, teaching him to hate to hold it in the palm of his hand, but it seems to be smeared with oil, and if he can't hold it firmly, he will fall to the ground and break. The Nine Emperors had only seen him, but they seemed to have known him for hundreds of years, and their smiles and every move towards him were so familiar that they could draw every strand of his hair when they closed their eyes.
Since birth, the Nine Emperors have been windy and rainy, and for the first time they have experienced what it means to be unable to stay, begging for it, and not getting tired of looking at it, but they dare not touch it.
He wanted to have a wife, but he didn't know how to get him, and when he saw that he wanted to leave, only a vicious voice could call him back. Youshu is timid and may be frightened, but he can't care about it. When the two slowly get acquainted with each other and get to know each other, he will treat him well, so that he understands that he also has a soft heart and affection, as long as he wants, he can give it.
This feeling came so strongly and suddenly, but miraculously did not make the Nine Emperor Princes feel the slightest hesitation or entanglement. He has known since he was a child that he must fight for what he wants, otherwise he will only have a dream.
If hesitation makes Youshu an empty dream for him, he doesn't dare to think about the terrible consequences.
Youshu really stood still, twisting her brows and looking back, "Then I will say goodbye to you now, is it okay?" β
"No, you can't." The Nine Emperor Princes struggled to calm down the anxiety in their hearts, and beckoned, "Come here, help the king to go to the hospital to check the injury." β
"Don't you go back to the palace to see the imperial doctor?" Youshu questioned in a low voice. Where is the hospital on the street compared to the hospital? What's more, the master has a prominent position in this life, no one dares to offend, and naturally no one secretly poisons him.
The two of you ask me to answer, the attitude is very familiar, and the Nine Emperor Princes seem to be domineering β‘β‘, but in fact, there is a faint intimacy and gentleness between their eyebrows, which is extremely rare, and it can even be said that they are only seen in their lives. A few people who were not very familiar with him had not yet noticed it, but the close attendants, Zhao Yusong, and Xue Wangjing had been beaten in their hearts for a while.
Is this the right eye? If you can make His Royal Highness Nine look at the right eye, it must be the first one in Xia Qichao! Xue Wangjing was full of emotion, but Zhao Yusong was crazy with hatred. No one knows better than him the benefits of clinging to the Nine Emperor Princes, he can hold you to the sky with a casual hand, but he can knock you down the abyss with a flick of his fingers.
The second room of the Zhao family is relying on the relationship between Zhao Yusong and the Nine Emperor Princes to gradually gain a firm foothold in Beijing and thriving. No, you can't let that happen!
When Zhao Yusong fell into anxiety, Youshu had no choice but to hold on to the Nine Emperor Princes and move downstairs step by step. The Nine Emperor Princes, who were still walking like a fly, were now like a disabled man with a broken leg, and the whole person was lying on the young man's shoulder, making an expression of unbearable pain. Youshu shortened him by a whole head, and when he moved the person to the medical hall, he was already sweating, but his left hand was still pinching the string of sugar gourds, and he was reluctant to let go.
The Nine Emperor Princes secretly thought it was funny, but they kept this matter in mind, and planned to let the imperial chef carefully study the method of sugar gourds after he returned, and try all kinds of fruits and syrup, so that he could take them out to tease this greedy boy.
Youshu was busy licking off the maltose that was about to melt, not knowing that someone was staring at the tip of his pink tongue, his eyes were on fire.