In the afternoon, when the snow stopped, it should be early, but the winter days are short, and the overcast sky is gradually darkening. The snow was still piling up on the rooftops, on the roadside, and in all corners, and Zhu Gaoxu felt that the snow in Liaodong would probably not melt until the beginning of spring.

When he came to Mu Zhen's residence, he found that Chen Xianzhen was also here.

After seeing the ceremony, Mu Zhen said: "Mrs. Chen is really polite, I gave a coat yesterday, and she made a food 'oil magnetic' gift from Annan Shenglong City, and personally sent it over." ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded.

"The concubine is wearing it today, and this is it." Chen Xianzhen immediately accosted. Before Mu Zhen's words fell, Chen Xianzhen seemed to rush to speak in front of Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaoxu turned his head to look at Chen Xianzhen and said, "Yes, the clothes are very beautiful." ”

Chen Xianzhen noticed his gaze, raised his head and looked at Zhu Gaoxu for a moment, her eyes seemed to have some kind of coquettishness, but maybe it was just Zhu Gaoxu's illusion. Chen Xianzhen said again: "As long as it is something sent by the imperial concubine, where can it be bad?" ”

Mu Zhen smiled and said, "I don't pay attention to fur materials, and I don't know much, why did I need to wear this kind of clothes in Yunnan?" However, the coat is new and has never been worn. ”

The two of you are talking and I are talking, and Zhu Gaoxu is mainly listening.

Mu Zhen's voice said: "The oil magnet made by Mrs. Chen is the best to taste while it is fresh, and the saint should also taste it." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said with a smile: "Then I will touch the light of the imperial concubine." ”

So Mu Zhen invited Zhu Gaoxu to sit on the kang by the window. A blanket was spread on the kang with futons and a few cases on it; At night, after collecting things and laying out the futon, the palace maids on duty at night can still take a nap here.

Chen Xianzhen took off his coat and sat down on the kang with Mu Zhen. The kang is the warmest place, and if Chen Xianzhen sits on it in a fur coat, he will obviously not feel good. Both of them knelt on the futon, and only Zhu Gaoxu sat cross-legged. The kneeling posture is a ritual handed down from his ancestors, but now that there are chairs and stools, Zhu Gaoxu rarely kneels, and this posture makes him feel very uncomfortable with his ankles and legs.

After a while, the palace maids served three plates of food, as well as dried fruit tea. I saw that the so-called "oil magnetic" was a bit like rice rolls, with thin skin and many fillings, and sauce was poured on the outside. The thing had been cut open, and apparently someone had tried it first.

"Here, taste." Zhu Gaoxu picked up the chopsticks and began to eat. It tastes good, but he prefers seafood.

Mu Zhen's voice said: "Gao Siqing has been on a northern tour with him, but he has been staying in Shandong for several months, what did the Holy Lord send him to do?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at Chen Xianzhen, then looked at Mu Zhen and responded, "About the White Lotus Sect." ”

"Has Gao Siqing done it?" Mu Zhen asked.

Zhu Gaoxu shook his head and said, "It can't be that simple. Shandong's political envoy Chu Yin is a timid and fearful person, but he has been an official in Shandong for many years, and he must know the truth, knowing that the White Lotus Sect has a foundation among the people, and Chu Yin is afraid of provoking a popular uprising, so he will adopt the policy of appeasement. Of course, we can directly and strictly investigate the White Lotus Sect, but by doing so, it is very easy to make the public opinion of the government in the people unfavorable, and become on the opposite side of the people, which is not conducive to the people's will. ”

Mu Zhen said softly: "I know that the Holy One must have a good plan, and I like to hear how the Holy One realizes his ambitions and governs the world." ”

When she said this, she inadvertently aroused Zhu Gaoxu's interest, and he said a few more words: "In the past, during the 'Jingyan Battle', Shandong Jinan and other places resisted fiercely and were extremely difficult to attack, and the Jingnan army suffered heavy losses. Zhang Yu, one of the three guards of King Yan, was damaged in Shandong, with hundreds of arrows in his body, and almost no intact skin on his body. In addition, the Yanwang Mansion was completely against the trend at the beginning, and the military pressure was extremely great, and the Chinese army's control of the soldiers was very relaxed. I have also witnessed the connivance of looting in the army.

The political envoys of Shandong suffered from the disaster of the army, and there was the suffering of Yongle moving the capital at the beginning and dredging the canal to recruit strong men, and the people complained. The White Lotus Sect took advantage of the situation to develop and operated in many places.

Therefore, the strategy of the imperial court is not only to fight the White Lotus Sect, but also to win the hearts of the people, so as to be a long-term and stable plan. We have to first occupy the positive side of public opinion, and then actually reduce the burden and provide relief to the victims, both of which are equally important. Gao Xianning aims to do this. ”

Mu Zhen said: "The saint is strategizing, and the concubines are only waiting for the saint to succeed." ”

Chen Xianzhen suddenly interjected: "After losing troops and generals, the Holy Lord still used a gentle strategy to try to redeem them. The Holy One always treats people like this. ”

Zhu Gaoxu didn't understand the "always" in her words for a while, so he said casually: "You have to solve the problem." ”

Just now he talked to Mu Zhen about Gao Xianning, and he seemed to have snubbed Chen Xianzhen, and he didn't comment on the meals she made herself. Zhu Gaoxu thought of this, and said: "This 'oil magnet' is very delicious, delicious, and not greasy, I ate a lot without paying attention." ”

Only then did Mu Zhen echo: "Mrs. Chen is ingenious. ”

Chen Xianzhen looked a little happy, and said humbly: "It's not a rare thing. ”

The three of them drank tea and ate snacks, chatted and waited for dinner. Chen Xianzhen and Mu Zhen sat side by side, both opposite Zhu Gaoxu. Perhaps because of his status, Chen Xianzhen deliberately sat back and was a little farther away from several cases, which made Mu Zhen's status higher. In this way, unless Mu Zhen turned her head to look at her, she could hardly see Chen Xianzhen; And Zhu Gaoxu on the other side can see the two of them clearly with his spare eyes.

Ordinary women generally can't look directly in front of high-status men. But Chen Xianzhen has been looking at Zhu Gaoxu, her gaze and demeanor have changed, as if her mood has changed. In the past, Chen Xianzhen blamed Zhu Gaoxu for insulting her, but now he is looking at him again, which makes him a little confused and unable to understand this woman's thoughts.

The imperial concubine Mu Zhen is very beautiful, with delicate facial features, gentle and beautiful demeanor, and graceful figure on her peach heart, she is more beautiful than Chen Xianzhen. But Zhu Gaoxu is often with Mu Zhen, and what he feels the most is inevitably closeness. And Zhu Gaochu has not seen Chen Xianzhen for several years, and he had a skin-to-skin relationship with her a few years ago, Zhu Gaochu almost completely forgot what it was like, so that today he seems to pay more attention to Chen Xianzhen than Mu Zhen.

Chen Xianzhen's position is a little far away from several cases, which allows Zhu Gaoxu to see the whole. Zhu Gaoxu thinks that when a woman sits, the posture of folding her legs and upper body is very beautiful, the skirt and waist of the hips will be tightened, and the folds of the fabric can make the woman's wonderful silhouette more conspicuous; Even if she is neatly dressed, she can show off part of her unique body line.

After dinner, Chen Xianzhen left, and Zhu Gaoxu's arrangements today did not change anything. It wasn't until the evening that by chance his mind actually appeared Chen Xianzhen's appearance before, and then he remembered that he had a heartbeat in the afternoon.

The next day, Zhu Gaoxu went to the study in the front yard and read some files and chapters at random. At this time, a eunuch reported that Chen Xianzhen wanted to face the saint outside the door.

Zhu Gaoxu was slightly surprised, and asked someone to invite her in to speak.

Chen Xianzhen opened the curtain and walked in, she probably stood outside the door for a while, her face was pale from the cold, and her body trembled slightly. Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu said kindly: "No courtesy, go to the kang and sit down." ”

"Thank you." Chen Xianzhen said and took off the fur coat on his body.

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned for a moment, because she was wearing the light "jacket", which was a gift from him to Chen Xianzhen. The dress was originally worn in summer, or suitable for the hot Annan country, so it was naturally very light; But at first she wore a fur coat on the outside, and it was fine on the inside. This dress is something beyond the times, completely different from the flowing elegance of ordinary dresses, and is cut very close-fitting, which can show the woman's waist and graceful figure. Because the fabric is light and soft, it is necessary to wear it normally and have a thick lining material inside to avoid losing its manners. However, today Chen Xianzhen has a coat on the outside, and he only wears the "jacket" inside, which looks completely unlined.

There was no need for any brewing, Zhu Gaoxu's emotions were very direct, and he looked at Chen Xianzhen's gaze without concealing it.

At the beginning, Asari took the initiative to hint, but Zhu Gaoxu politely refused, perhaps because Asari said that Benyari lost sweat, which made him always feel that something was not good. But he didn't have such feelings about Chen Xianzhen at all, not to mention that he had been close to Chen Xianzhen before. Now that Chen Xian Allah has moved, Zhu Gaoxu has no restraint.

Chen Xianzhen took off her shoes and was about to sit on the kang, but Zhu Gaoxu suddenly moved to the side of the kang and reached out to grab her wrist. Chen Xianzhen turned his head to look at Zhu Gaoxu, and the two looked at each other silently. Seeing that she didn't resist, Zhu Gaoxu dragged her back and wanted to hug Chen Xianzhen. She should have felt the change in Zhu Gaoxu's body immediately, and she weakly refused, but still let him hug. At this time, she opened her mouth and whispered: "I can see the saint, passing by Concubine De and Gonggong Cao." ”

"Hmm......" Zhu Gaoxu replied casually.

Chen Xianzhen said: "For a while, the body is messy, the hair is not easy to comb, and the time left here is long, they must be able to guess." ”

"So what?" Zhu Gaoxu asked rhetorically.

Chen Xianzhen said: "The imperial concubine kindly gave me a coat, but I took advantage of yesterday's saint to go and send oil magnets to the imperial concubine, she may have been dissatisfied with me." If I happen to the saint soon, won't the imperial concubine be angry? Once she thinks that she is being used by me, I will not have any good fruit to eat in the future. ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded slightly, feeling that what Chen Xianzhen said seemed to make sense. Chen Xianzhen glanced at him, and after a while, she proposed to use another method, and Zhu Gaoxu had to agree. Unexpectedly, she sighed again and said that she felt a little humiliated. Zhu Gaoxu didn't know how to answer, but felt that the woman's mind was unpredictable, and she couldn't keep up with her emotions at all. The chaotic state of mind is just like the cold of the ice and snow outside the door, the warmth of the kang inside the door, and in the quiet winter, people are still hiding indoors chasing everything without stopping.