The first snow at the end of autumn was like a spell cast by a god, dyeing the entire Forbidden Palace white overnight, and at first glance it looked as if you had stepped into a fairyland. Ayu stood outside the hall and shook off the floating snow on her body, and the food box in her hand exuded heat, melting the crystalline snowflakes that fell on it into transparent water droplets.

'Squeak' gently pushed open the door of the hall, Ayu put the food box on the table next to him, leaned down and took the embroidered shoes and changed them, the door of the inner hall was still closed, and the fire in the earth dragon was still very strong, which contrasted with the cold outside. The emperor ordered that winter was coming, and Niangniang could rest more in the morning, so she was not in a hurry to wake up Niangniang. Put the food box on the stove and warm it, so that the mother can eat it when she wakes up and it is not too cold.

Chu Xiang in the inner hall wrinkled his eyebrows, and in his dream, he seemed to have dreamed of something bad, and his hands were struggling hard, "Don't! No! Leave me alone! Yu Ruyi, who was pressed under the corner, fell to the ground with a thud, and Chu Xiang was just awakened by this voice, and suddenly got up and looked at the familiar furnishings around her, the aroma of burning in the room made her calm down faintly, and her arms were wrapped around her, and her whole head was buried between her legs, and she trembled weakly.

"Mother? But is the mother awake? ”

Ah Yu heard a sound in the outer hall, as if something had fallen to the ground, and he didn't dare to confirm whether it was Niangniang, so he had to whisper twice, Chu Xiang heard Ah Yu's voice, slowly raised his head, a pair of bright eyes were surrounded by a trace of water, wiped it with the back of his hand, and tried to control his voice, and said, "Ah Yu, come in and wait for the palace to wash and change clothes."

"No" Ayu pushed open the carved wooden door and saw the jade Ruyi under the bed at a glance, and stepped forward to carefully pick it up and put it on the lattice next to the bed. Then go to the cabinet to choose the dress you wear today, and a few days ago, the emperor ordered someone to make dozens of small jackets to wear in winter. Looking at the pile of very delicate and solemn dresses in front of her, Ayu didn't know what to choose.

"Why is it so slow? But I don't know which one to choose? ”

"Hui Niangniang, these dresses are too good-looking, and the slave doesn't know which one to choose for Niangniang to wear for a while..."

Chu Xiang got up, put on Liang Qi's coat, walked to the window, gently pushed open the small window, under the reflection of the amethyst, the snow outside was even whiter, a little uncomfortable, blocking the sight with his hands, but he was very happy in his heart, it was snowing... When I was young, every time after the first snow, my brother and A-Niang would take her to build a snowman under the peach tree in the backyard, and A-Niang would always rub a small girl and put it in front of her window, and every time she didn't want to read, she would look up and see...

"! It's cold outside, how can you wear it so thin! Ayu took a lily-colored snow-colored muslin acacia jacket skirt and came over to close the small window, and then pulled Chu Xiang back to the inner hall and stuffed a hot soup woman in his hand, Chu Xiang looked at Ayu as cautious as if facing a great enemy, and was a little funny, Mingluan Hall can be said to be the warmest residence in the palace, she is a silk flower nourished in the greenhouse.

Liang Qi heard from nowhere the day before yesterday that the hot spring water nourished his body and returned to the Mingluan Palace, and he transformed the small room that he bathed on weekdays into a hot spring, and the whole was built with white marble, surrounded by the jade inlet of the green dragon, the white tiger, the vermilion bird, and the Xuanwu, every time Liang Qi returned to this place after being busy with the affairs of the court, he had to pull her to toss in the hot spring water for a long time!

After Chu Xiang washed up, it was already a quarter of an hour, and it was even earlier than usual! Ayu presented the food box, opened the lid, and took out a bowl of blood bird's nest and a plate of lotus cake. It's not unusual to look at the blood swallow, but this lotus cake? It has passed the season of lotus blooming, and how is the imperial dining room done, Chu Xiang guessed that it must have been ordered by Liang Qi, and it was not easy to transport fresh lotus flowers from all over the world...

"Ayu, what day is today?"

"Hui Niangniang, today is the fifth day of the first lunar month."

Chu Xiang was a little surprised, she didn't remember it so accurately, how could Ayu know? Ayu knew when she saw the expression on Niangniang's face, and said embarrassedly with a red face, "Today is the birthday of the slave's younger brother Akui, and the slave will remember it so clearly..."

"Aqua's birthday? Why didn't you tell this palace earlier, this palace should prepare some birthday gifts for him, "What do you think of after speaking?"

Ayu's face was as ruddy as an apple, and she bit her lip and shook her head, "No, the slave has already used it this month... Niangniang doesn't have to worry about the slave maid, Aqua knows that the slave can't go back to celebrate his birthday... So don't worry about it."

Chu Xiang shook his head, "How can this be? How could this palace wronged his maidservant and said it without making people laugh?! Then he got up and called a little eunuch to give a few commands, and the little eunuch nodded again and again and retreated. Chu Xiang sat back on the round stool, looked at Ayu who was at a loss, and smiled softly, "Ayuke, do you remember that this palace once said that it would recommend your brother as a teacher?"

Ayu's eyes widened and she knelt on the ground and startled Chu Xiang, when this girl kneels on the ground at every turn, her habit can be changed!

"What is this for? This palace has not broken its promise, don't always kneel at every turn, this palace is so terrible? ”

“.. The mother is so good to the slave and the maid, and the slave and the maid don't know how to thank it..."

At this time, there was a knock on the door from outside the hall, and it was the little eunuch who was just now. After the little eunuch entered the hall, he presented a piece of paper, Chu Xiang took it and waved his hand to signal him to go down, picked up Ayu and handed her the paper on the table "Look, this is the birthday gift that this palace gave to your brother, although it was not carefully prepared, but this palace guessed that he would like it"

Ayu lowered her head and looked carefully, and the tears that had just been seen flowing, Chu Xiang hurriedly handed over the embroidered handkerchief, "Don't get your handwriting wet, otherwise this letter will be useless." You'll pack your bags and get ready to go back to Aqua for your birthday! Mama's side of the palace will tell them that the monthly money will not be less than you."

"The slave has thanked Niangniang for preparing such a big gift for Akui!"

"Akui is so young and promising, if he follows Ma Guoning to study, he will definitely be successful. Hongu is just helping those who deserve help. ”

Ayu said goodbye to her and left Mingluan Hall after an hour, and Chu Xiang allowed her to reunite with her family within three days.

'Buckle Buckle'

"Niangniang, the slaves and maids are sent by Mama to serve Niangniang"

No one responded, and the door of the Mingluan Hall was closed. Two maidservants dressed in palace maid clothes waited in the outer hall, looking at the front at a loss. Chu Xiang leaned on the chaise longue and held the notebook in his hand, and didn't ask why they didn't enter, Ayu went home, it must have been Mama who sent other palace maids to Mingluan Hall to serve. She didn't want to see it, the newcomer didn't know the rules and had to be disciplined, she wasn't so idle

The two palace maids knelt in the snow for two hours, and later when Rong Cheng was ordered to send Chu Xiang today's newly obtained tribute, he saw the two people outside the Mingluan Palace, how shrewd Rong Cheng was, and at a glance, he knew that they must not be liked by the mother, so he simply ignored them and walked directly.

"Can the mother rest? The emperor got a thing in the court today and asked the slave to send it to the mother, saying that the mother must like it very much."

"Grandpa Rong, please come in"

Rong Cheng handed the dust in his hand to the little eunuch, leaned down and took off his soap boots, got up and commanded behind him, "A few of you are waiting outside" Then he entered the inner hall, gently pushed open the door and saluted after seeing Chu Xiang, "Slave see Niangniang"

Chu Xiang put aside the notebook in his hand and looked at Rong Cheng with interest: "Didn't Gonggong Rong say that there is a thing, and this palace will definitely like it very much?" Where? ”

Rong Cheng smiled and carefully held a ball of fluffy things from his arms, "It's this, do you know what this is?" Chu Xiang looked at the fluffy lump and first thought it was a little rabbit that was not full-term, and then denied, no, the rabbit's ears are long, and its ears are like little foxes?

"I don't know about this palace, please make a public announcement"

Rong Cheng stepped forward and motioned for her to take it, Chu Xiang looked at the little group, the fear in his heart dropped sharply, stretched out his hand and carefully held it, Xiao Tuanzi instantly raised his little head, a pair of blue pupils looked at her pitifully, and there was a wisp of hair on his head where the snow-white fluff was actually fiery red!

"This thing is called the red cloud marten, and it is an extremely rare thing in the world. The emperor took a fancy to it at a glance and said that the mother would like it."

Chu Xiang really likes it very much, Ling'er always doesn't go home, and the originally quiet Mingluan Hall is even more deserted..." Red cloud marten? Hongu has never heard of it, but it has something to do with the red hair on its forehead? ”

Rong Cheng touched his nose "The slave doesn't know either, I only know that it has a gentle temperament, and the first person I see is its master for life." That's why he put it in his arms, if he accidentally looked at him, the emperor wouldn't have to gouge out his eyes!!

"Thank you father-in-law, this palace will take good care of it."

Chiyun Mink's blue eyes had been staring at Chu Xiang tightly, her little ears trembled, and the hairy little flesh pad pressed her palm lightly as if she was happy. Chu Xiang looked at it with a smile in his eyes, and Chiyun Mink's little head raised back, as if he had used all his strength to scream "Woo~" Then the center of gravity fell down unsteadily, very cute!

"Hehe, it seems that it likes Niangniang too! Niangniang can give it a name, and it will be convenient to call it when it is big."

Chu Xiang touched its soft fur with his hand and nodded, "What do you want?" The white ball seems to be a floating ball, why not call it a dumpling? Rong Cheng stood aside and covered his mouth, and the way the mother chose her name was the same as that of the emperor!

"Niangniang, the slave still has one thing, I just saw two palace maids kneeling outside the hall, but they provoked Niangniang?"

"Ayu went home to celebrate her brother's birthday, and Mama sent a palace maid to serve the palace, you also know that the palace has always hated trouble, that is, the newcomer wants to teach the rules of the Mingluan Palace, where does the palace come from?"

Rong Cheng understood this and nodded, "Then the slave will let them go back in a while, but it is really inappropriate for the mother to have no one around to serve her, so the slave will go back and inform the emperor, and let the emperor arrange it?"

Chu Xiang remembered that the decoction and medicine he wanted to drink for a day were indeed in charge of Ayu, so he nodded and agreed. After Rong Cheng received the order, he withdrew from the Mingluan Palace, and light snow began to fall outside the hall again, "Father-in-law, do you have something to arrange?" The little silver beside Rong Cheng asked, "Take them to the Huanyi Bureau, and they can come out after three years."

The two palace maids on the ground hurriedly grabbed his robe, "Why did the father-in-law want the slave to go to the Huanyi Bureau? The slave didn't do anything wrong! Rong Cheng kicked them away and patted the hem of his robe disdainfully, "Niangniang doesn't like you, our family is just acting on orders." After speaking, he took the dust and waved it away, and the eunuchs covered their mouths and pulled them into the distance...

On the beam, a person dressed in white stood here for an unknown number of hours, his hair was full of fine Xiaoice crystals formed by snowflakes, one hand covered his left chest, the heartbeat was very strong, the snow began to be restless again, it was the Royal Hunting Festival soon... She should have gone.