Zhao Zhen reluctantly retracted his gaze, and said in a quiet tone: "Even if I want to promote her to the Duchess of the Kingdom, then I have to wait for you to be promoted to the Duke of the Kingdom?" ”

Kou Ji was stunned, he didn't expect Zhao Zhen to say such deep words.

Zhao Zhen lowered his head and said in a low voice: "I am going back to the palace......"

Kou Ji wondered, "You're not ......"

"I've seen it......"

"Not talking to her?"

"I don't want to show my face."

“……”

Kou Ji nodded slowly, no more.

Zhao Zhen has Zhao Zhen's difficulties, although he doesn't know how the Empress Dowager Liu E and Concubine Li will react after meeting the Zhang family's daughter, but what the imperial historians will react to, he can guess one or two.

The imperial historians will definitely grasp this matter, play him fiercely, and scold him for being incomplete.

will also play the Zhang family's daughter by the way, as well as Zhang's family.

He was played, but he didn't care, but because of this, the Zhang family was implicated, which he didn't want to see.

When Kou Ji was silent, Zhao Zhen suddenly stepped forward and gave Kou Ji a fierce bear hug, and then left the pavilion happily.

In the end, he quietly disappeared into the Orchid Garden.

Liu Heng and Cao Tong stared at Zhao Zhen's figure and disappeared into the Orchid Garden, looking at Kou Ji with a puzzled expression.

They didn't understand why Zhao Zhen left suddenly.

Kou Ji sighed and said in a low voice, "This is the pain that the emperor should bear......"

Liu Heng and Cao Tong looked dazed.

Kou Ji didn't explain much, and said indifferently: "You will understand later." ”

Liu Heng and Cao Tong glanced at each other, still at a loss.

"Let's go! Go meet people, they have already seen us. ”

Kou Ji said casually and walked out.

Liu Heng, Cao Tong was stunned, looked at the other side of the fish pond, and saw that the second sister of the Xiang family was constantly grimacing at them.

The other women were snickering with their mouths covered.

Liu Heng and the others hurriedly followed Kou Ji's footsteps and arrived on the other side of the fish pond.

"Brother Kou is polite......"

"Brother Cao is polite ......"

"Brother Liu's brother is polite ......"

When the women saw the three of them, they did not show shyness, but gave them a generous salute.

Kou Ji arched his hand, "Sisters, polite ......"

Liu Heng and Cao Tong greeted each other one after another.

After greeting each other.

Xiang Yan, as the proprietor, introduced each other to each other.

Its purpose is also to take care of Koji.

She knew that Kou Ji rarely attended banquets and poetry meetings, and she was afraid that Kou Ji would not know any of them.

When Xiang Yan introduced Zhang Yurou, the daughter of the Zhang family, Kou Ji also took a special look.

Zhang Yurou is not very old, but she is indeed a rare beauty embryo, and her figure and facial features are far more delicate than other women.

But compared to Xiang Yan, it is much inferior.

may be because she didn't grow up, but when she grows up and grows up, she should be able to compete with Xiang Yan.

No wonder Zhao Zhen misses her.

In addition to Zhang Yurou, the daughter of the Zhang family, there is also a woman who also makes Kou Ji can't help but look at one or two.

That is Cao Yun, the daughter of the Cao family.

The appearance is a little inferior to the Zhang family's daughter, but it is better than the living wave cleverness.

When she was with the daughters, she was more eye-catching than the Zhang family's daughters.

The reason why Kou Ji noticed her was because she hugged Cao Yan's arm and called out to her brother.

In this era of strict etiquette in ancient times, only brothers and sisters dared to do this.

Since she is Cao Yan's own sister, then she is the eldest daughter of the Cao family, who has been appointed as Concubine Zhao Zhen.

That is, there is no doubt that Empress Cao, who is called the virtuous queen in the history books.

Kou Ji chatted with the girls for a while, accompanied them to taste the orchids in the orchid garden, and then stopped talking.

It swayed behind the women like a piece of wood.

But Liu Heng and Cao Tong seemed to be used to this kind of occasion, chatting very happily with the girls, and they also ran to an open field to throw pots and play together.

Kou Ji felt that he might not be suitable for this kind of occasion, so he made an excuse and slipped into the hidden path of the orchid garden, strolling slowly to pass the time.

Not long after walking, a slight sound of footsteps sounded behind Kou Ji.

Kou Ji looked for prestige, and saw a familiar face.

"Why are you here?"

Xiang Yan lifted the corner of her skirt, walked to Kou Ji's side, accompanied Kou Ji on the winding path, and laughed softly: "Why can't I come?" ”

Kou Ji laughed in a low voice: "Today's garden party, you are the host, you are the host, and when you are gone, the guests will feel sluggish." ”

Xiang Yan cut her hair and laughed softly: "I didn't think about inviting them to ...... originally."

"Where's the second sister?"

"The second sister and the sister of the Cao family are ...... in Keju"

“……”

The two of them said a word.

Walked into the depths of the winding path.

Both spoke at the same time.

"Wait a minute......"

"What's wrong?"

Xiang Yan asked with a low smile.

Kou Ji stared at her and smiled, "You talk ...... first"

"You've got a leaf on your head......"

"You're ...... too"

The two looked at each other and smiled, reached out to each other, and helped each other take the leaves above their heads.

Keep walking.

At the end of the winding path, there was a moon gate.

Xiang Yan pointed to the moon gate and said, "When I was wronged when I was a child, I would come here.

There's a small yard behind this.

There is a Buddha edge stone in the courtyard.

It was invited by my grandmother from the White Horse Temple.

Don't let people touch it on weekdays. ”

"Go see ......"

"Hmmm......"

The two of them passed through the Moon Gate, and after walking a few steps, they saw the Buddha edge stone.

It was a huge stone, like a naturally formed Buddha head.

On the front of the boulder, there is a Buddha character carved in the shadow.

Xiang Yan saw the Buddha Stone, trotted over, climbed the Buddha Stone, sat on the Buddha Stone, and beckoned to Kou Ji.

Kou Ji followed and climbed the Buddha edge stone.

Xiang Yan laughed in a low voice: "When I was a child, my grandmother didn't let people touch this Buddha edge stone, but I like to sit on this Buddha edge stone." ”

Kou Ji pondered for a moment and commented, "Maybe it's because of rebellion." ”

"Rebellion?"

"Sit down a little, I'll tell you."

“……”

Xiang Yan chuckled, but didn't sit down.

Kou Ji saw that his treacherous plan did not succeed, so he could only stretch his waist and lie on the Buddha edge stone with the sunshine.

Xiang Yan lowered her head, stared at Kou Ji and asked, "You don't seem to be used to too lively scenes?" ”

"It's not ...... either"

"Huh?"

"It's too lively, and it affects me to see a girl who can shine?"

Xiang Yan looked puzzled, Kou Ji's words were not in the right mouth, so she couldn't understand the meaning for a while.

She said suspiciously: "And the girl will shine?" ”

Kou Ji stared at her and said with a faint smile: "Of course ...... then"

Xiang Yan followed Kou Ji's gaze, looked at herself, and blinked.

She followed Kou Ji's example, lay down on the other side of the Buddha edge stone, and stretched out her arms.

When she saw that her arm was covered with a faint halo in the sun, she glared at Kou Ji and said angrily, "When did you learn to flamboyant?" ”

"I don't have ......"

Kou Ji basked in the sun and said lazily: "I'm more honest, and I will say whatever I see." ”

"I don't believe you......"

“……”

The two of them just lay on the Buddha edge stone and chatted.

We talked for a long time.

Until the shout of the second sister of the Xiang family sounded outside the moon gate.

Xiang Yancai got up from the Buddha edge stone, "It's time to go back......"

Kou Ji didn't rush to get up, but asked, "Are you and your second sister born to the same mother?" ”

Xiang Yan was stunned for a moment, and wondered, "Why did you suddenly ask this?" ”

"Curious ......"

"No, what's wrong?"

"Then why did she follow you all the time?"

"She didn't follow me much before, but my little sister followed me more often.

Ever since I showed her the stories you wrote to me, she has been pestering me all day long.

You say you're following me, but you're actually trying to trick me out of the story you wrote to me. ”

Hearing this, Kou Ji nodded.

Xiang Yan smiled: "Speaking of which, the story of Master Xuanzhuang's westward journey that you wrote hasn't been finished yet."

The girl asked me several times, but I didn't have anything for her.

She also said that she saw you and wanted to clean you up.

I saw you today, but I didn't move. ”

Kou Ji sat up abruptly and sighed, "She's got revenge......"

Xiang Yan said suspiciously: "Why didn't I see it?" How did she get revenge on you? ”

Kou Ji stared at Xiang Yan and said faintly: "When I went out today, she told me to keep an eye on us, lest I secretly eat your rouge ......"

When Xiang Yan heard this, she was stunned at first, and then her cheeks slowly reddened.

She covered her face, hurriedly jumped off the Buddha edge stone, and muttered, "This girl is getting more and more unruly, how dare she say anything." ”

Kou Ji stared at the back of Xiang Yan and asked, "Are you coming to the garden tomorrow?" ”

"If you don't speak, I'll take you as a promise."

“……”

Xiang Yan has never appeared since she ran away.

Kou Ji lay on the Buddha Stone for a while before jumping off the Buddha Stone and out of the Moon Gate.

When I arrived at the pavilion in the middle of the orchid garden, I saw Liu Heng, Cao Tong and Cao Tong holding the wine pot and drinking bitterly.

Xiang Yan's daughters are gone.

Kou Ji stepped forward and said to the two of them: "Back home......"

"What are you going to do back home? It's a mess in the house. ”

Cao Tong took a sip of wine and said lightly.

Liu Heng nodded approvingly.

Kou Jihu said suspiciously: "Is there trouble in the house? ”

Cao Tong sighed and said, "It's not because of the abolition of the box army? My uncles and uncles were all arguing. ”

Kou Ji groaned: "Your Cao family is not short of money, so you can't give up that little bit of blood?" ”

Cao Tong opened his mouth, sighed, and said, "My Cao family has a big business, and there are some things that cannot be decided by one person.

Besides, the issue of the reduction of the Xiang army is very widely implicated, even if my Cao family agrees, and the other families do not agree, it will be useless.

My aunts and sisters will definitely run back to the house to make trouble......"

Kou Ji nodded thoughtfully.

He looked at Liu Heng and asked, "He is reluctant to return to his house because of the problem of dismantling the Xiang Army." Why don't you want to go home? ”

Liu Heng took a sip of wine and said lightly: "Recently, many courtiers have been impeaching my father, saying that Li Zhaoliang's assassination in the northwest was done by my father, and they want my father to bow down and confess."

My aunt is now imprisoned in the dormitory, and my father is a little unsure.

In the past two days, I borrowed wine from the house to kill my sorrows.

I looked upset and didn't want to go back. ”

When Kou Ji heard this, he said, "Then follow me to Kou Mansion." ”

Liu Heng and Cao Tong heard this, nodded in agreement, and followed Kou Ji out of the Orchid Garden.

Kou Ji took the two of them back to Kou's mansion, found a courtyard for the two of them to rest, and asked the kitchen to prepare some wine and food, and drank with them for a while.

In the evening.

Kou Zhun returned home and met Kou Ji.

Kou Ji rushed to Kou Zhun's study, and Kou Zhun said straight to the point: "Who did the official family see today?" ”

Kou Ji wondered, "Why did grandfather ask such a question?" ”

Kou Zhun didn't answer Kou Ji's words, but continued to ask, "Did you see a woman?" ”

Kou Ji was stunned.

Kou Zhun sighed, "Sure enough, ......"

Kou Ji asked in a deep voice, "The official family has revealed a flaw?" ”

Kou Zhun said with emotion: "When facing the Queen Mother and the concubine, he was brave, no matter how the two of them scolded, he didn't say a word."

When he returned to the Shishitang and followed the old man to observe politics, he held a copy of the "Book of Songs" and did not let go, and the old man saw the clues. ”

Kou Zhun stared at Kou Ji and admonished: "The old man will not ask who your official family has seen, nor will he want to know who the official family has seen."

The old man just wants to remind you that don't let the official family see that woman again in the future. ”

"Why?"

"For the good of the official family, and for the good of that woman."

“……”

Kou Ji questioned: "Can't the official family be with the woman who likes it?" ”

Kou Zhun was stunned and said, "Can you ...... But he must first learn to hide his thoughts, otherwise he will only harm others and himself. ”

"Don't mention the official family! The old man will tell you about the government in recent days.

In a few days, you will go to the ministry to report, and you should also understand the political trends of the government. ”

Kou Ji asked, "Has something big happened in the last few days?" ”

Kou Zhun pulled up his beard and said: "It's still the issue of abolishing the box army, and the civil and military officials are making a lot of trouble." It has even intensified, and some officials have even put down their official duties and devoted themselves to the struggle.

The old man is a headache from their quarrels every day.

In the court today, there is a royal history who moved out of the Taizu system, planning to force the official family to help the civil officials speak.

If the old man hadn't taken the official family out of the palace in advance, I'm afraid they would have succeeded.

The old man can see clearly, the problem of the Xiang army is that it is a puppet with medicine, and if it is ignited, it will have to be blown up, and it will kill people.

Fortunately, the old man listened to your words and did not express his position in advance, otherwise the old man would have fallen into it now. ”

After a pause, Kou Zhun said again: "The old man estimates that it won't be too long, and if they continue to make trouble, the court will be in chaos." ”

Kou Ji frowned and said, "The civil and military officials haven't fought for a result yet?"

Didn't have the upper hand? ”

Kou Zhun shook his head and said, "The old man didn't speak, and Xiang Minzhong, Wang Zeng and others didn't open their mouths either." At present, the civil and military competition is considered to be five or five open. ”

Kou Ji groaned: "The decision is in our hands, we don't need to rush, we must wait for them to fight for a result."

It is better if the civilian government can win. ”

Kou Zhun didn't care about Kou Ji's last words, he sighed: "I can't wait anymore, let them fight anymore, and the court will be in chaos." ”

Kou Ji said in a deep voice: "This matter will be easy to solve when the time comes......"

"How to fix it?"