"Mother, my son has only a few good friends, if I don't stay in their house, where else can I go?"

Shen Tingyi said, secretly giving Shen Changfeng a look.

Shen Changfeng bowed slightly, stepped forward and said, "Mother, the third brother's failure to return last night was all my fault.

"After school yesterday, the son of the Zhao family invited me to have dinner together, and I was cowardly, so I took the third brother to accompany me to the Zhao family for a banquet, but the third brother blocked the wine for me and accidentally drank too much. At that time, it was late, and Zhao Chuyang's kind words were retained, so I took it upon myself to let the third brother stay at Zhao's house. ”

The mellow voice is like jade hitting a stone, rippling lightly in a corner of the hall.

"Mother, I don't blame the fourth brother for this, I'm greedy for the cup!"

Shen Tingyi looked panicked, but he was very proud in his heart.

His good fourth brother, every time he bears his mistakes, he has a set of tricky words, which are more impeccable than the clichés he taught him, and with a simple few words, he takes all the blame for all the faults and crimes on himself.

The thing of bowing his head and being soft and taking the blame for others is so handy, he is really an illegitimate son of a concubine, and he is destined to be humble for the rest of his life.

Mrs. Guo's face changed slightly, patted the back of Shen Tingyi's hand, looked at Shen Changfeng unhappily, and said coolly:

"You dragged Tingyi to the banquet, but left him alone in the Zhao family and ignored it. Shen Changfeng, is this how you treat your brother? Do you know that Miss Zhou came to visit Tingyi in the house last night, and waited until four o'clock before leaving?! ”

Shen Changfeng pretended to be surprised and raised his eyes, "I'...... I don't know that Miss Zhou came last night. ”

"Isn't it over if you don't know? That's the Zhou family, it's Tingyi's in-laws and future! ”

Mrs. Guo's tone was angry, and she stared at the young man with a cold face:

"This matter is not trivial, you provoked Tingyi to get drunk first, and Tingyi missed Miss Zhou later, Shen Changfeng, whether you are intentional or unintentional, it is difficult to escape today's punishment, do you admit it or not?"

The young man lowered his eyes and said only one word: "Recognize." ”

Mrs. Guo sneered, "Okay, still follow the rules." Cherish the cold, take the fourth son down to receive the punishment. ”

The handmaid who had just handed the handkerchief curtled her knees and said "yes", and stepped forward with broken steps.

Shen Tingyi spoke out in a timely manner to dissuade: "Mother, you can't blame the fourth brother for this matter, if I drink less wine, I won't go home at night......"

Mrs. Guo was unmoved, her eyes flashed with comfortable pleasure, "Take it down." ”

Xi Han walked to Shen Changfeng's side and gave a very light salute, "Fourth son, please come with the slave." ”

Shen Changfeng also bowed his head at her, "I'm tired of my sister leading the way." ”

Xie Jinci followed the two of them in an orderly manner, and under the contemptuous gaze of the maids, they walked out of the side hall together.

Stepping on the verandah, Shen Changfeng stopped, looked back at the little girl and smiled, "Xiao Zi'er doesn't have to go with me, just wait for me here." After the punishment, I will go back here and kneel for three hours. ”

The elegant young man spoke softly and looked calm, as if punishment was a common thing.

Xie Jinci's eyes were pantothenic, and he subconsciously looked at Xihan.

I saw that the delicate-looking sister was looking away, deaf to the little brother's words.

She seems to be the only one in Wisteria Courtyard who doesn't show a strange look to her little brother.

Shen Changfeng smiled, reached out and rubbed the little girl's bud, leaned over and bit her ear: "Don't be afraid of words, this sister is a good friend of Fugui, she won't embarrass me." ”

Xie Jinci's bitterness and worry gradually disintegrated with this whisper.

When she looked at Xihan again, her clear deer eyes were a little more grateful.

She nodded obediently, "Little brother, you go, I'll wait for you here." ”

……

The little girl wearing a toothy white Luo skirt and light apricot red half-arms stood quietly in the corner of the verandah.

The wind was chilling, causing the crimson hairband on her head to sway wantonly.

Not long after, Dong Li hurriedly stepped into the courtyard door with a brocade box, and walked towards the side hall with a breezy foot.

Xie Jinci sensitively sensed what should have happened from between her slightly heavy eyebrows.

She tried her best to show a timid appearance, and whispered "sister".

Dong Li glanced at her and snorted lightly.

In the side hall, Mrs. Guo took Shen Tingyi's hand and sighed: "I, a mother, don't I know you yet?" Tell me the truth, where did you go last night? ”

Shen Tingyi couldn't help but think of the wonderful taste of going to Yunyu with Nanrong in the Cloud Pavilion last night.

He half-clenched his fist, put it to his lips and coughed twice, dispelled the charming thoughts in his heart, and said with a smile: "Mother, I really didn't lie to you, I really stayed in Zhao's Mansion last night." ”

Mrs. Guo turned her face away, clearly not believing him.

Shen Tingyi hurriedly hugged her arm, and while observing her expression, he carefully considered his words, "Okay, in fact, I met Miss Zhao last night, and I sent her home, and by the way, I rested in Zhao Chuyang's room......"

Mrs. Guo's eyebrows furrowed, and she said in an unkind tone: "Haven't you given up on Zhao Jinxuan?" How many times have I said it, I have no objection to you befriending Zhao Chuyang, but you must stay away from Zhao Jinxuan. The wife you want to marry can only be the Zhou family's big lintel with a solid foundation at the feet of the Son of Heaven. Although the Zhao family is also an official family, the daughter of the governor of the prefecture is not worthy of my Guo Manyun's son! ”

Shen Tingyi knew from a young age that his mother was from a noble background, and she was the daughter of the king of Hengyang who was stationed in Jiangnan, and a relative of the emperor.

It's just that his maternal grandfather, whom he has never met, died early, and the heirs under his knees are thin, which led to the gradual decline of the family.

Otherwise, how could his father, a four-rank prefect, marry a noble daughter of his mother's status?

His mother hoped that he would marry Miss Zhou and help him in his career in the future.

But let's not talk about whether he can pass the exam in the autumn of next year, just with Miss Zhou's barbaric and flamboyant style, he doesn't want to marry at all.

It's still Miss Zhao, she looks like a fairy, has a graceful figure, can chant poetry and play the piano, and has a tall and arrogant body that attracts him very much.

Seeing that her son was distracted, Mrs. Guo was angry and helpless, reached out and tapped his forehead, and her tone was slightly softened:

"Okay, I believe you stayed at Zhao's house last night. Whether Shen Changfeng is wrong or not, I don't know, but you must be wrong. ”

Shen Tingyi hurriedly flattered: "My son knows his mistake, there will be no next time!" ”

"Wrongdoing? Hmph, if you don't punish you well, where will you know your mistake? ”

Mrs. Guo was disgusted, but a little smile bloomed on her face.

Shen Tingyi knew that his mother's level had passed, so he breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "I admit that my mother wants to punish me, but I'm afraid that before I can be punished, my mother will feel distressed first." ”

"You, you are used to being poor, how can you insist that I am not willing to punish you? In my opinion, I will punish you for bringing gifts to make amends to Miss Zhou, people have been waiting for you for so long last night......"

When Shen Tingyi heard this, he almost didn't pop out his eyes.

The reason why he didn't go home last night was because he didn't want to see Miss Zhou! It is absolutely impossible to go to the Zhou Mansion to apologize in person!

He was thinking about how to excuse himself, and Dong Li happened to take the lead white back.

Before Mrs. Guo returned to the bookcase, she devoted herself to painting, and she did not have time to discuss with him about going to Zhou's house.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the teacup and took a sip, thinking about when he would go to the Cloud Pavilion again, the taste of Nanrong...... It's bone-crushing.

Dong Li served the pen and ink, approached Mrs. Guo and whispered: "Madam, Miss Zhou has come to find the third prince again, and she is now waiting in the flower hall in the front yard." ”

"It's an infatuation."

Mrs. Guo's voice was faint, making it difficult to distinguish the emotions in it.

She dipped some freshly ground lead white and was about to send Shen Tingyi to the front yard to see Miss Zhou, but she didn't know what she thought, and suddenly changed her attention.

She took a deep look at her son and instructed Dong Li: "Go and invite Miss Zhou to the Wisteria Courtyard, I don't believe that under my nose, this kid can still play any tricks." ”

Dong Li's heart sank, but there was no trace on his face, and he left with his eyebrows lowered.

In the corner of the verandah, a seven or eight-year-old maidservant girl stood there alone, her small figure slender and delicate.

Through her, Dong Li seemed to see the unpopular fourth son.

I don't know how to fight, I don't know how to resist, I'm weak and incompetent, and I willingly live under the feet of others!

With a turn of footsteps, she walked towards the little girl, obviously two people who had nothing to do with each other, but at this moment, she just wanted to embarrass her.

A person like Miss Zhou who is so spicy and difficult, where is she worthy of the third son? She didn't want to invite her!

Xie Jinci noticed Dong Li's sight from a distance, and without waiting for her to come over, he obediently greeted him first, and shouted "sister" crisply.

Dong Li looked at her coldly, "What's your name?" ”

Xie Jinci smiled sweetly at her, and said childishly: "It's good for my sister to call me!" ”

Dong Li was shaken by the little girl's bright smile, looked away unnaturally, and said in a stiff tone:

"Excuse me, your son-in-law has gone to receive the punishment, and it's not a matter for you to always stand here. It's better to run an errand for me and go to the flower hall in the front yard to invite Miss Zhou over. Remember, Miss Zhou is a guest, so you must not slack off. ”

Due to his low status, Xie Jinci couldn't refuse at all.

She carefully remembered Dong Li's words, and asked the specific location of the flower hall, and then hurried to the front yard with her little short legs.

Dong Li watched the small figure disappear at the gate of the courtyard, and sneered: "Miss Zhou's is amazing, you have to learn well." ”

The verandah is emerald in color, and the garden scenery of Shen Mansion is full of elegance.

Xie Jinci walked briskly through the verandah courtyard, her pale apricot red clothes tumbling into clusters of waves, blooming at her feet.

Before I went to the crane courtyard with my little brother to ask the old lady for peace, I had passed through the front yard, if she walked carefully, it would not be difficult to find the past.

After about half a tea time, she finally saw the big banyan tree that Dong Li said, which was hugged by three people.

Behind the banyan tree, there is the flower hall.

The winter was cold, but the little girl was in a hurry, and a trace of sweat oozed from her fair forehead.

She stopped, breathed a sigh of relief, carefully arranged her appearance, and then walked towards the flower hall with decent steps.

Although she is a maid with people, she has always been with her little brother, the people in the house have not dealt with her much, and the people in the academy treat her very friendly, in the end, this is the first time she has received guests as a maid.

As the little girl approached the flower hall, she faintly heard a short sound of wind breaking through the air, as if someone was fighting.

Her heart tightened, and she couldn't help but speed up her pace.

Stepping on the stone steps outside the flower hall, before she had time to see the situation in the hall, she only heard a whooshing sound, and a celadon vase with a white glaze and blue background flew straight towards her façade!

She had never seen such a scene, and she was so frightened that she stayed where she was, and even forgot to dodge.