The hall was as warm as spring, and on the high table next to Guo Chenghe's hand was a pot of Lingbo fairies wrapped in red paper. The branches and leaves are green and beautiful, the flowers are white and flawless, the golden buds embedded in the flowers are smoked by the heating, and the elegant and faint Lingbo fairy also exudes a rich floral fragrance, refreshing people's hearts.

Guo Chengsi's resolute and bright face was a little softer against the backdrop of the Lingbo Fairy. His impassioned words seemed to still echo in the hall, but Empress Guo remembered many old things from previous years in a trance. The most, but when he was as old as the prince, he was naughty and wild in the house, and after getting into trouble, he cleaned up the mess by himself.

Time flies, in the past, he only knew that he was a reckless young man, but now he has become a man who stands up to the sky and the earth and is dedicated to the country and the people, Queen Guo felt mixed feelings in her heart, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Heir, do you know that the future glory of our Zhenguo Mansion is all on you." ”

Guo Chengsi's chest was hot, as if a stream of blood was churning violently, and his dark eyes were shining, flashing with a full of ambition. He clenched his fists vigorously and said firmly: "Sister, don't worry, this time the border pass resumes the war, I will definitely charge ahead, and I will never insult the lintel of our Zhenguo Mansion." ”

"Nope." Empress Guo smiled happily and said slowly: "What my sister means is that you only need to be a grain officer, and let others do those dangerous things that charge into battle."

By the time Guo Chengsi left the palace with a depressed face, it was already the middle of the day. Countless lights in the palace shine as bright and beautiful as stars, and the palace is brightly lit and scorching. Outside the palace, it was dark and silent, far away. I only saw that the carriage of the Zhong family was lonely, still stubbornly staying in the snowstorm.

Guo Chengsi stepped forward and threw the reins to Rongxi, who was following behind. He neatly turned over and got into the carriage. Then he said to Fauber, "Go! Your lord won't come out today. Fauber was stunned for a moment, then sighed silently, raised his horsewhip and drove away from the palace gate.

Guo Chengsi opened the curtain and entered the carriage, only to find that it was as cold as an ice cellar. The two girls huddled together, and Zhong Ziyuan also spread the cloak on her shoulders and tried to include cardamom. Guo Chengsi frowned, stepped forward and took off the feather veil cloak on her shoulder and threw it to Cardamom. Cardamom smiled, put on her cloak and lifted the curtain and walked out.

Zhong Ziyuan looked up at him. Amber eyes were full of confusion, and he said, "Why can't my father come out today?" ”

Guo Chengsi sighed slightly and said, "I heard that the Queen Mother originally asked your father to leave the palace after dinner. Who knew that he had already walked to the gate of the palace. Concubine Li said that she was unwell, and asked the palace maid to call him back. ”

"Concubine Li?" Zhong Ziyuan also guessed that maybe the Queen Mother's condition had recurred, and she just left her father for the time being, but she was not very anxious. But now I heard that Concubine Li forcibly left Zhong Jinchuan behind. Zhong Ziyuan was really anxious. Her cheeks flushed. Said angrily: "Concubine Li is unwell, naturally she has the imperial doctor in the palace to serve her, why does she just want to keep my father?" Could it be that she is unwilling and wants to harm my father? ”

Guo Chengsi took off the Xuanhu big crush on his shoulder and put it on her shoulder, and then stretched out his long arm and gently hugged her into his arms. "Perhaps! But your father is now the Queen Mother's savior. Even if Concubine Li is unwilling in her heart, the emperor will still consider three points and will not let her act recklessly. What's more, I listened to my sister's tone, and it seemed that I was extremely dissatisfied with Concubine Li's arrogant behavior, she said that Concubine Li's wayward behavior had disrupted the palace rules. I'll reprimand her tomorrow.

Thinking that my sister will come forward tomorrow, Concubine Li will not be able to find an excuse to continue to trap your father. When the time comes. I will let Rongxi keep an eye on it, so don't come to the palace gate and wait stupidly. ”

In fact, Empress Guo is more keen to embarrass Concubine Li in the name of the Queen Mother, who has allowed her to be favored for too long. grew up to be so forbearant that Queen Guo couldn't bear it anymore. Now that a beauty has finally taken away her favor, Queen Guo naturally wants to return all the grievances she suffered before.

Zhong Ziyuan got the exact news, and her heart finally settled down, she leaned her head on his chest, quietly listening to his regular and powerful heartbeat. The Xuanhu big body on his shoulder still had his body temperature remaining, warm and clean. His powerful body hugged her tightly, and a strong masculine aura enveloped her. She felt that her blood, which was about to freeze, finally resumed its flow, and her cold body gradually warmed up.

Guo Chengsi hugged Zhong Ziyuan tightly, his cheek pressed against her bun, and he didn't say anything for a long time. His breath sprayed hot on the sockets of her neck and ears, and she felt itchy, so she struggled uneasily, and asked softly, "What's wrong with you?" Seems a little unhappy. ”

There was Guo Chenghe's urn-like voice in his ears: "It's just a little bit of a dispute with my sister in the palace, it's nothing." After a pause, he lowered his eyes and asked tentatively: "This time the border is resuming the war, I want to ask for my life, will you wait for me to come back?" ”

Zhong Ziyuan was stunned for a moment, and then said crisply: "I won't." Guo Chengsi was stunned. I heard Zhong Ziyuan continue: "If I want to wait at home in a panic, I can't do it." I must go with you, and in the name of the military doctor, provide you and your soldiers with the best and most effective treatment. ”

Guo Chengsi blinked slightly, and sighed: "What you think is too simple, it is war, and the battlefield is like purgatory on earth." Tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people and horses are fighting desperately together, either you die or I live. The military doctor only has one pair of hands, how many people can he save when he arrives on the battlefield? In the end, he just acts as a corpse collector. ”

Guo Chengsi lowered his head, pressed his face tightly against her face, and felt that her delicate and fragrant body trembled uncontrollably, and he said in a low voice: "Are you afraid? ”

Zhong Ziyuan's lips trembled, she grabbed his cuffs, and asked in a low voice, "Do you have to go?"

Guo Chengsi nodded and said, "I must go." ”

Zhong Ziyuan looked up at him, and said with great firmness and clarity: "Then take me with you, on the battlefield, if you are injured, I can heal you, if you break your hands and feet, I can pick you up, if you die, I will collect your body." In short, you can't throw me where you can't see you. Worried about you day and night. That way, I'm going to go crazy. ”

Guo Chengsi had never heard Zhong Ziyuan express his feelings so explicitly and passionately, and he stared at her for a while. Slowly, the corners of his mouth hooked slightly. His arms tightened, allowing Zhong Ziyuan's soft and slender body to cling to him. He sighed and whispered in her ear, "I knew that you were different from other women. ”

Along the way, the two of them stopped talking, only snuggled quietly, gaining warmth and strength from each other. Sometimes a warm embrace is more addictive than a myriad of sweet words.

The next day turned out to be a rare sunny day, and the sun hung brightly in the sky. Although there is no heat, it can also warm people's hearts a little by looking at it.

Zhong Ziyuan stood in the openwork pane and looked out, and his eyes were all white. Only the green pines and cypresses in the yard still stubbornly reveal a touch of fragile greenery. Today is the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month, and the outer courtyard has long been suspended. The gate of the Zhong family is closed, and preparations for the New Year are being made lively.

The inside and outside of the house have long been cleaned, and various auspicious lanterns are hung under the eaves. Qingdai and Fang'er also twisted the big red window flowers, which were stickers everywhere. It's a celebration to look at.

Aunt Zhu sent a large pot of noodles yesterday, and today she was preparing to steam noodles, so she specially called Sister-in-law Liu, Fang'er, and Qingdai to help. This pasta is the staple food from the first to the fifteenth day of the new year, but it is not sloppy at all. Zhong Ziyuan had nothing to do, so he took cardamom and squeezed into the kitchen to join in the fun.

Fortunately, the newly built kitchen is quite spacious, even though it is crowded in with so many people. It's not crowded. Aunt Zhu was in a good mood, so she deliberately showed off her skills. I saw her kneading the dough and kneading it quickly on the board. Delicate pasta was soon conceived in her hands. There are many types of pasta, including steamed buns, flower rolls, jujube paste square gardens, bean paste round buns, descendant steamed buns, ruyi rolls and so on.

Qingdai, cardamom, and Fang'er are purely fun, so the clumps of white flour are pinched into little tigers, little rabbits, little hedgehogs, little goldfish, butterflies and other cute little animals in their hands.

Zhong Ziyuan looked around and praised with a smile: "Fang'er's little goldfish bag is really good-looking, with big eyes, bulging belly, and this tail is like a fan, as if it can swim." ”

Fang'er was using the red juice from the amaranth to paint the cute little goldfish red, and couldn't help laughing when she heard this: "Miss, this goldfish is filled with your favorite pork and green onion stuffing, and when it is steamed, you can eat a few more." ”

"Miss, look at the little rabbit in my bag, is it cute?" Seeing that Fang'er was appreciated, Qing Dai hurriedly lifted the little rabbit in her bag and displayed it in front of Zhong Ziyuan.

Zhong Ziyuan looked at the rabbit in her hand carefully, and sighed: "Qingdai, if you don't tell me it's a rabbit, I thought it was a pig!" I've never seen a rabbit with such a big belly. ”

Qing Dai was anxious when she heard this, she pouted, stomped her feet, and said, "Miss is arranging people again, will the little pig have such long ears?" You see, you see,"

Zhong Ziyuan said with a look of surprise: "It turns out that these are rabbit ears, so thin, I thought this was the sweet potato vine left over by the little pig!" ”

"Hahaha." Cardamom, Fang'er was amused and laughed.

Qing Dai withdrew her hand stupidly, and said unconvinced: "I said that my little rabbit is like a pig, what is it made of cardamom?" It's so long, it's not a caterpillar. ”

Cardamom said triumphantly: "Who said that, what I did is obviously a dragon." ”

"Humph!" Qing Dai learned Zhong Ziyuan's tone and said, "The dragon looks like this? It's soft, and the horns on the head are like antlers, and it's too bumpy.

"I'll see." Zhong Ziyuan really leaned up and looked at it carefully, then touched his chin and said, "The dragon is originally an animal that people imagine, and no one knows what it looks like. For example, if you want to say it's a dragon, you can say it's a dragon. If Qingdai had to say that it was a caterpillar, it seemed to be fine. ”

"I kind of heard it." Qing Dai narrowed her eyes dangerously, and said slowly: "Miss is saying that what we do is not like four." But just saying it and not doing it is a fake trick, or you can also make one yourself and let us guess what it is! ”

"Just do it, if your young lady doesn't do it, what you do will definitely make you dumbfounded!" Zhong Ziyuan really rolled up his sleeves, pulled a piece of white noodles with great interest, and rubbed it on the board.

Aunt Zhu smiled and watched the young girls laughing and playing together, and said to Sister-in-law Liu with emotion: "Think about it two months ago, when I was in northern Jinbei, I was still lying in bed and dying of illness, thinking that I was afraid that I was going to die, and my whole heart was gray!" I didn't expect that we would be happy together again today and have a lively New Year. ”

Sister-in-law Liu smiled: "That's because our young lady has great skills." Now as long as we wait for the old lady to come back, our Zhong family can be regarded as neat."

As soon as her words fell, Fu Bo's excited call came from outside: "Master, Madame is back!" Zhong Ziyuan was stunned for a moment, then threw away the dough in his hand, turned around and ran out.

In the courtyard, Zhong Jinchuan and his wife, who had lost a lot of weight, were standing there with a smile, Zhong Ziyuan paused, and his bright eyes gradually became blurred. Although she was already mentally prepared, but at this moment, her previous strength, self-confidence, and optimism collapsed in an instant. She called out happily in a hoarse voice: "Father, mother" and plunged over.

Mrs. Zhong hurriedly caught her rushing body, brushed away the tears on her face in distress, and said in a trembling voice: "Child, during this time, I have lost you to running and mediating for us outside, but I have suffered you." ”

Zhong Ziyuan took a deep breath of the familiar breath on her mother's body, and said coquettishly with tears: "As long as you can come back safely, my daughter will not be bitter." ”

Zhong Jinchuan stood aside, stroking the beard on his chin, and looked at the mother and daughter hugging and crying in front of him with a smile. Although his nose is also sour, there is an urge to cry. But as a father, the majesty of being a husband can't be lost, so he still forcibly held back.

"Sir, ma'am." The people who were originally crowded in the kitchen all ran out to salute Zhong Jinchuan and his wife.

"It's great that you're all at home!" Zhong Jinchuan was also very happy when he saw everyone. He waved his hand and habitually said: "Tomorrow will be thirty, one person will take two taels of silver to go, and buy a good New Year's gift!" ”

It was a good thing to have money to take, so everyone bowed down again and said in unison: "Thank you, master, madam." ”

Zhong Jinchuan touched his sleeve pocket with a smile, and found that it was empty, and he was suddenly embarrassed. Mrs. Zhong, the tears on Zhong Ziyuan's face had not yet dried, and when she saw Zhong Jinchuan like this, she suddenly laughed with a "poof".

Zhong Ziyuan glanced at Cardamom and said, "Didn't you listen to what the master said?" and no silver has been issued. "Cardamom is now the little housekeeper of the Zhong Mansion, and he is a good hand at bookkeeping and managing money. She hurriedly ran back to the house, took out the purse that Zhong Ziyuan had prepared a long time ago, and sent them one by one.

Zhong Ziyuan said with a smile: "This year, Zhongfu has suffered this unwarranted disaster, and everyone has suffered a lot. It's not easy for us to get back together now. In this purse is five taels of silver, which is a little bit of the Zhong family's heart. I was going to send it again tomorrow night when I had a reunion dinner, but since the master sent it in advance, let's send it to everyone in advance. I hope everyone will be safe and sound next year. ”

"Thank you, miss." This time, the sound is even brighter. (To be continued.) )