Zhu Xian returned to the warm pavilion of Kunning Palace, and the anger on his face was still unsubsidy.

Empress Guo was accompanying the crown prince Zhu Houde to sit on the long couch and paint red, seeing this, she couldn't help but raise her slender eyebrows slightly, and asked half-jokingly and half-puzzled: "What's wrong with the emperor?" Which blind minion you off? As she spoke, she beckoned to Lady Yao and asked her to take the prince out to play.

Zhu Xian lifted the hem of his robe and sat down on the couch, and his face, which had always been moody, showed a rare flush that remained after being extremely angry.

He snorted lightly and said sarcastically: "Today, I have seen a good show that I don't usually see" Speaking of this, his eyes flashed, and then he was silent.

After all, Zhu Xian, as the Son of Heaven, disguised himself and went to the courtier's house to peep, which is not in place in itself, and it always hurts dignity to say it.

Empress Guo naturally understood in her heart, her eyes were fluttering, Ying Ying smiled lightly and slowly peeled a dark purple grape and handed it to Zhu Xian's lips. Seeing Zhu Xian open her mouth to eat, she took out a piece of brocade, wiped her somewhat sticky fingertips, and said to Zhao Quan, who was waiting on the side: "Zhao Quan, tell me, what did you see in Yang Lao Shangshu's Mansion?" ”

Zhao Quan saw Empress Guo asking, hurriedly bent down and saluted, and then peeked at Zhu Xian. Zhu Xian was picking up the blue and white tea cup on the table at this moment and took a sip, without even raising the corners of his eyes.

Zhao Quan smiled slightly, and immediately talked about what he saw and heard in the Yang Mansion: "The gift-giving team has lined up outside the alley, and it is more lively than the crab, good guy." All of them are the size of a sea bowl, and such a big basket can only hold seven or eight, and the slave feels that the color is wrong, and thinks that there is no crab of this color! It was faintly shining by the sun. So the minion kicked over the basket with a heart, good fellow, where is the crab in it! All the silver ingots that rolled out were ten taels or one."

Empress Guo listened to Zhao Quan's story with a smile on her face, and when she heard that the basket was full of silver ingots, she was obviously taken aback, so she covered her red mouth and smiled a little stunned: "Look at what you said." In this section, it is reasonable for colleagues to go back and forth with each other to give a festival. But how dirty is it to hide the silver ingots in the crab basket? ”

"The Queen's Mother. You have lived in the deep palace for a long time, where do you know the curves and corners here. Zhao Quanxin said bluntly: "The slave has calculated slightly, not counting those crabs, there are at least as many as a thousand taels of silver ingots hidden in the basket, and whose normal exchange of rites will be so valuable." Do you want to hide and don't dare to see the light? ”

Empress Guo showed a hint of understanding on her face. She frowned slightly and said suspiciously: "Could it be that a low-level official of the Ministry of Rites wants to be promoted, so he went to Yang Laoshangshu to take the door?" ”

Zhao Quan said sarcastically: "As far as those poor Hanlin in the Ministry of Rites, who can come up with such a large sum of silver to give a gift for the festival!" Yang Lao Shangshu often wears boots with patches to go to court! I heard that it was Zhang Shilang from the Ministry of Officials who gave the gift.

With a soft "bang", Zhu Xian put down the tea cup in his hand heavily, successfully interrupting Zhao Quan's chatter. Zhao Quan was so frightened that he trembled all over, and immediately took a room full of eunuchs and palace maids to prostrate on the ground, not even daring to come out.

I saw Zhu Xian gritting his teeth with a hideous face and said: "One is the servant of the Ministry of Officials, and the other is the Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites." What can they do? Check, be sure to check it clearly. I want to know what they're doing in private. ”

Empress Guo hurriedly stroked his chest and comforted: "The courtiers are not good, just send it down." Why should the emperor be so angry with them, and he was angry. ”

Zhu Xian calmed the anger in his chest slightly, and after he pondered for a while, he said to Empress Guo: "It just so happens that the heir is currently investigating a murder case of this Zhang Shilang's family, and for this reason, he was also impeached by Yang Shangshu and several imperial historians. Later, you will only whisper to him, and I will carry it around him, so that he can only check boldly, rest assured, and be sure to find out the details of this Zhang Shilang to see why he wants to give this gift. ”

"Yes." Queen Guo hurriedly got off the bed, and Ying Ying bowed to the order.

Zhu Xian stood up after explaining, and Empress Guo hurriedly asked: "Your Majesty, the banquet is about to start later, where are you going?" ”

Zhu Xian waved his hand and said casually: "I was spoiled by these dog minions, I went to see Concubine Li, and listened to her play two tunes to distract myself." Later, she will go directly to the Changle Hall from her Lingxiao Pavilion, and the queen will not have to wait for me. As soon as the words fell, he walked out quickly, and Zhao Quan hurriedly got up from the ground, hurriedly saluted the queen and chased after him.

After Lady Yao led the crown prince and Jing'er led a group of palace maids to see the emperor off, Lady Yao looked at Queen Guo who had already straightened up and sat back on the couch with some worry. I saw that she lowered her eyebrows and was silent, and the gold beads held by the tired silk golden phoenix shook gently in front of her snow-white forehead.

Queen Guo silently lowered her eyes and stared at the originally warm, sweet, and soft swiftlet soup in front of her, perhaps because it had been left for a long time and lost the last trace of heat, and it was cold and sticky. Suddenly, she smiled, raised her hand and gently stroked the hair on her sideburns, and commanded: "Jing'er, you go to the palace gate to guard, if you see Cheng Hei, let him come to Kunning Palace first." ”

"Yes." Jing'er obediently took the order and left.

At this moment, the sky was already a little dark, and Ugin had fallen on the edge of the sky before it had completely fallen, trying to exude the last trace of light. In order to welcome this Mid-Autumn Festival, the palace has long been decorated with magnificence. The ubiquitous lanterns of various colors have been eagerly lit by the palace maids, exuding a festive light in the dimness, illuminating the huge imperial city with golden brilliance, as if it were day.

At the gate of the palace, there is an endless stream of Chinese cars and BMWs, and the carriage and fleet of the Zhenguo Mansion are also inconspicuous in it.

"I've seen the Duchess of the Kingdom." Not long after entering the palace gate, a delicate female voice sounded in Song Qinglian's ears.

As soon as Song Qinglian raised her eyes, she happened to see Jiang Ruxue, who was wearing a blue and draped pleated phoenix tail skirt, combing a hundred flower buns, and thinly applying powder, and looked gentle and lovely to her.

Song Qinglian nodded, revealing a kind smile. said: "It turned out to be Miss Jiang, it's polite." Why didn't you see your mother? ”

Jiang Ruxue stood up and said with a smile: "Mother took the third sister to the eldest sister's Changxin Hall first, but she left a bag of toys ready to be given to the second prince." So call me to fetch it. As she spoke, she lifted a small bag in her hand.

Song Qinglian smiled and just wanted to speak, but suddenly saw Jiang Ruxue blessed again, and said in a coquettish voice: "I have seen Prince Rui, the cousin of the heir of the prince of Shu." As she spoke, her snow-white cheeks had a shy flush, and her eyes were more soft and dripping.

Song Qinglian subconsciously turned around. Sure enough, I saw Guo Chengsi and the three of them dismounted, and they were coming hand in hand through the palace gate.

Song Qinglian suddenly remembered that she had heard Empress Guo mention it a few months ago, and that Concubine Jiang Rulan seemed to be deliberately trying to promote her sister-in-law Jiang Ruxue to become Prince Rui's princess. It's just at the eldest princess's plum banquet after the year. Prince Rui first had an affair with Jiang Chuqing, the concubine of the Jiang family, who was both true and false, and then he was ordered to go out of Beijing to find the mysterious Xuanyuan real person, and it was several months before the marriage was over.

Now I saw Jiang Ruxue standing in front of Zhu Yi with her head half-hung and her face shy. The man is handsome and chic. The woman is beautiful and delicate, and she is really a pair of beautiful people made in heaven. Song Qinglian smiled as she thought she knew it, but she didn't know that the pair of beautiful people in her eyes had their own hearts at all.

Jiang Ruxue didn't dare to look up, her gaze was half-hanging, and naturally fell on the hem of Guo Chenghe's robe. He still wears his favorite purple brocade robe, and the hem is embroidered with rippled silver piping, revealing a little bit of the upper of the cowhide boot.

It's been a long time since she's been so close to him, and at the moment her heart is like a litter of rabbits. Uncontrollably thumping and thumping, and sour. Bitter, sweet, and astringent, it can be said to have all five flavors.

The "Cousin Chenghei" she called made Guo Chengsi a little confused, and he looked at Song Qinglian puzzled.

Song Qinglian smiled: "You don't remember her?" She is the Ruxue girl of Jiang Shangshu's family, your uncle is her aunt, and her name is Cousin Chengzhong, so naturally she has to call you cousin. I remember that when she was a child, she often followed Concubine Niangniang to play in our house. It's just that you either polished in the military camp later, or accompanied Prince Rui to study in the palace, and slowly never saw him again. ”

"You're like snow?" Guo Chengsi had a decent but detached smile on his face.

To be honest, he really didn't have much impression of Jiang Ruxue. The only thing I remember is that she was wearing a beautiful and delicate dress, combing her hair in a meticulous bun, and her little face was always clean, and she followed Jiang Rulan to stay with her uncle and mother in the wing room or embroider, or tie the ties, or drink tea and eat snacks.

My uncle doesn't have a daughter herself, so I like these two little nieces of my mother's family very much, and they always come over to play every once in a while. It's a pity that at that time, he was keen on all the things that boys liked, either going up trees to hunt birds, digging earthworms and fishing, or fighting dogs and catching crickets, but the two girls of the Xue family were always unfamiliar.

However, Guo Chenghui, who was still the eldest lady of the Zhenguo Mansion at that time, became close friends with Xue Rulan, who was of the same age. It's just that time flies, and now the former best friend has become an enemy, and the girl who is as well-behaved and delicate as a rag doll has grown into a slim girl.

Guo Chengsi couldn't help but sigh: "If it weren't for my mother today, I wouldn't have recognized this cousin of the Jiang family." ”

As she was talking, Jing'er had already arrived, she bowed to everyone, and said with a smile: "I have met Madame, Prince Rui, Prince of Shu, Guo Shizi, and Miss Jiang Er." ”

After she finished saluting, Song Qinglian smiled and said, "But what does the queen mother command?" ”

Jing'er said with a smile: "Exactly, the queen asked Guo Shizi to go and talk." ”

"Didn't you just see it in the morning! What's the thing that's called? Although Song Qinglian was full of puzzlement, she didn't dare to delay, so she said to Guo Chenghe: "Go quickly!" Don't tell the queen to wait for a long time. ”

"Yes." Guo Chengsi agreed with a smile, but set his eyes on Zhu Fei. Zhu Fei opened his mouth and silently spit out two words, "It's done". Guo Chenghei comprehended slightly, and then followed Jing'er to Kunning Palace to reply.

Zhu Yi looked at the two of them silently playing dumb riddles in front of him, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, he tilted his head and said meaningfully to Zhu Fei: "It seems that I have missed some wonderful stories in the past few months that I have been in Chang'an City!" The corners of Zhu Fei's mouth lifted but he didn't speak.

Zhu Yi was surprised, but his eyes suddenly froze, and Mrs. Liu Taifu's hand holding the maid in her command suit happened to pass in front of him. He immediately put Zhu Fei, who pretended to be mysterious, behind him, and only clasped his fists and saluted Song Qinglian, saying, "Mrs. Guo, I have taken a step in advance." ”

Song Qinglian smiled and said, "Prince Rui, please." ”

Zhu Yi didn't care about being polite, and hurriedly chased after Mrs. Liu. Zhu Fei saw a few partners who were already familiar, so he also said goodbye and left first. For a while, only Xue Ruxue was left in front of Song Qinglian.

Jiang Ruxue was looking up at the front calmly at the moment, her dark eyes flashing with an unknown light.

Song Qinglian couldn't help but look up in surprise, in the distance was Guo Chengsi's gradually hazy and vigorous back, and in the near distance was Zhu Yi, who was talking to Mrs. Liu Taifu.

Song Qinglian retracted her gaze, with a decent smile on the corner of her mouth, took Jiang Ruxue's hand and chatted kindly about homely things.

Jiang Ruxue also retracted her gaze, she was unusually docile, and answered one by one obediently. After inadvertently mentioning Liu Yuciao, her eyes gradually turned red, and she said with a little choked up: "Sister Yucia is so pitiful, she is so simple, so kind, how can she have such a terrible strange disease." A few days ago, I went to Fahua Temple to make a wish, even if it made me die for ten years, I only hoped that Sister Yucia would suffer less."

Song Qinglian's face was greatly moved by the words, she put away the impeccable smile on the corner of her mouth, showed a touch of sincere pity, and said: "What a kind stupid child, such a wish can be made casually." ”

Jiang Ruxue's face turned red, and she said shyly: "Let Mrs. see me smile, I just saw that Sister Yucia was suffering from illness every day, but the medicine stone was ineffective, and she was dizzy for a while, so she recklessly ran to Fahua Temple to make a wish." For this reason, my mother also severely reprimanded me, and I would not dare to act so recklessly next time. ”

Jiang Ruxue said a few more words to Song Qinglian before leaving. The moment she turned around, the gentle, sweet smile on the corner of her mouth gradually converged.

At the end of the rolling palace was a full moon that had just risen, and the sky seemed to be not completely dark, but still a deep shade of blue. Under the eaves, the colorful lanterns hanging on the treetops seem to rob the full moon of its brilliance.

She grabbed the burden in her hand and walked forward step by step, her dark eyes deep and quiet. Along the way, those beautiful and novel lanterns never caught her eye, because in her eyes there was only the bright moon hanging in the sky and seemed to be out of reach. (To be continued......)