The person standing on the edge of the moat, thin and thin, dressed in black straight, with his hands behind his back, happened to look back, a handsome face full of indifference, and his eyes were deep.

It's actually Xu Xiuyan, isn't he a county magistrate in Jiangnan? When did you return to Beijing?

Xu Han turned his head over, not wanting to greet him, but Bai Zhuo said in surprise, "Xu County Order? ”

Because Xu Xiuyan let go of the Qin Lou killer, he has been haunted by it, and it is inevitable that he will be a little surprised to see him.

Xu Xiuyan rarely greeted everyone, "The little prince and the prince also came to see the lights?" ”

Xiao Wei didn't want to see Xu Xiuyan, so he didn't reply, Xu Han pursed his lips and said lightly, "My lord is so Yaxing." ”

Xu Xiuyan bowed slightly, turned his head to look at the slowly rising Kong Ming lantern, and frowned, "Once a year, I'm used to it." “

Changying didn't have Bai Zhuo's prejudice against Xu Xiuyan, and Xu Xiuyan's face was good, so he was a little surprised,

"Xu Gongzi's lamp is so strange, why only draw dead branches on it, not leaves, is it to cope with the autumn scene?"

"Also, your lamp is not the same as the one sold by the stall......"

Actually, it's not different, but it's very ugly, plus the dead branches painted above, at a glance, it's very bleak.

Xu Xiuyan, who has never been indifferent, looked at the Kong Ming lantern, his eyes were soft, and his rare tone was gentle,

"It's ugly, isn't it? I did it myself, and for many years, I haven't ...... at all."

Changying was very surprised, Xu Xiuyan, the famous Xu Tanhua in Beijing, this Kong Ming lantern is not like what he made at all, it is really ugly......

She felt a little embarrassed, and pulled Bai Zhuo's sleeve, wanting him to help solve the siege, but it seemed that people didn't mean that at all.

So I could only say, "What about the dead branches, why don't you add something else to it, it doesn't look so ugly as ......."

Xu Xiuyan didn't speak, just looked at the Kong Ming lantern flying into the sky seriously, not knowing what he was thinking.

Xu Han withdrew her gaze from the Kong Ming lantern, she was still Huo Han back then, and Xu Xiuyan was a childhood sweetheart, an unmarried couple.

She likes to read miscellaneous books and wild notes, and when she sees a Kong Ming lantern practice, she wants to try it.

I didn't ask anyone to help, I cut bamboo, cut slices, and came by myself, but I didn't think that my hand was injured before the thing was done.

It happened that Xu Xiuyan came to the house to find the third brother and the seventh uncle, and when they saw that she had injured her hand, they made fun of her.

Of course she was unwilling, so she asked the noble Xu Gongzi to make one.

Xu Xiuyan really lifted his robe, sat down, prepared the materials, and asked her to find the book that saw the practice.

The result, of course, can be imagined.

Xu Gongzi, who didn't have to do it himself, naturally failed, and after wasting more than ten materials and getting his fingers bloody, he finally made a lantern that looked like it could stand, and finally floated crookedly into the air.

She couldn't help him wrap his injured hand with a smile, who knew that Xu Xiuyan was very calm, and rubbed it on her head with a zongzi hand, and said seriously,

"In the future, every year I will make lamps and draw branches, how about you add leaves and flowers?"

At that time, she was learning painting with Wang Mushan, and Xu Xiuyan's proposal naturally agreed, and even thought that such a proposal was very good, and it could be regarded as the love of husband and wife after getting married.

To this day, when I think about it, the only thing left is irony.

Xiao Wei, who had been silent and silent, suddenly snorted coldly, hooked the corners of his lips, pulled Xu Han to turn around and leave.

Xu Xiuyan watched the two of them leave indifferently, and did not look back, but continued to stare at the swaying Kong Ming lantern in the air,

On the way back, Xiao Wei was silent.

He grabbed Xu Han's hand and pulled it tightly. The green tendons are all floating.

Changying followed behind the two of them, and said unconsciously,

"Xu Tanhua is so good-looking, the slave maid heard that all the ladies in the capital want to marry this Xu Tanhua, but Xu Tanhua seems to have only his fiancée who died early in her heart, and she refuses to marry someone else."

"Bai Zhuo, you said that he just put the Kong Ming lantern, did he think of someone? He said that once a year, could it be a memorial to his fiancée? ”

Bai Zhuo has been following Xiao Wei for a long time, and even from a distance, he knows that Xiao Wei seems to be unhappy, but he is unhappy after seeing Kong Minglan.

"That lamp is so ugly, Xu Tanhua is embarrassed to let it out." Anyway, Bai Zhuo just disliked Xu Xiuyan very much, if it weren't for him, the Qinlou killer who injured the prince would have fallen into his hands.

Changying sighed, "That shows people's family affection." ”

Bai Zhuo sneered.

Xu Han gently stroked Xiao Wei's hand that was too hard, there are many people who go out to play on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and this is not too hidden place, the two of them are holding too tightly like this, it doesn't seem to be good.

Xiao Wei glanced at Xu Han and didn't speak, just looked at her with that heavy, gentle gaze, until Xu Han was annoyed by the look and wanted to withdraw his hand.

Xiao Wei's voice was low and hoarse, and he seemed to have a casual smile,

"Was that light nice just now?"

Xu Han couldn't laugh or cry, although he knew that his sudden anger was related to Xu Xiuyan, but he didn't expect it to be related to Kong Mingdeng.

Without waiting for Xu Han to speak, Xiao Wei said angrily, "I can make straw grasshoppers, straw rabbits......"

Xu Han was stunned when he heard this.

Xiao Wei slowed down, as if recalling something, his tone was light and gentle, on this noisy street, it seemed to be like a Sanskrit sound into Xu Han's ears,

"A long time ago, there was a spicy girl who belonged to the rabbit, and wanted to make a rabbit made of straw, and her hands were not very sharp, and once I lost a competition, I accepted 'defeat' and said that I wanted to make one for her.

At that time, when I was young, I always thought that I could do anything for the person I liked.

In fact, straw rabbits are not so easy to make, and they either have crooked ears or crooked bodies. How to look at it, how not to look good. “

Xu Han's memory slowly revived with Xiao Wei's words, and she still remembered that after Xiao Wei lost, she saw half of the unshapedly rabbit on her table, patted her chest and said that she would make a complete one for her.

Only later, she didn't see him mention the straw rabbit, and she thought he had forgotten about it.

Xiao Xiao smiled self-deprecatingly, "I made a lot of straw rabbits, but they weren't very good-looking, and later, I went to learn from craftsmen, and finally I was able to make a beautiful and stylish straw rabbit." ”

"Did you give her something then?"

Xiao Wei was silent for a while and said,

"By the time I did, she was gone."

Xu Han pursed his lips and did not speak.

"In my heart, only the best is worthy of her, and I only dare to send the best to her."

Xu Han looked at Xiao Wei's side face and opened her mouth, not knowing what to say, she couldn't find half a sentence suitable for the current situation.

Xiao Wei stopped, with a faint smile on his lips, looking at Xu Han's eyes serious and pure, Xu Han's heart trembled, and the hand he held was hot.

"It's like before I met her, I had already thought that even if it was hell in the future, I would accompany her."

Xiao Xiao didn't need any response from Xu Han, unusually, rubbed Xu Han's head, let go of her hand, hugged her gently, let go, and chuckled,

"So, Hanhan, forget about that not-so-good Kong Ming lantern, huh?"

They had already walked to the dark corner, and Xiao Wei didn't wait for Xu Han to react, and turned around and left with the lantern he bought for the eldest princess of Shuyang.

Xu Han, who was still stunned, was left alone.

Xiao Wei's footsteps gradually faded away, Xu Han carried the lantern, leaned against the wall, and looked at the bright place, the colorful lanterns of the high-ranking families were fascinated.

It took a long time to walk back with the long tassel.

When he returned to Xu's Mansion in Xuanpingfang, Xu Han remembered that he was going to go to see Mi'er with Xiao Wei, but he couldn't see it for the time being, and he was looking for an opportunity again.

……

Over there, Xiao Wei went to the eldest princess's mansion first, and when he arrived at the courtyard of the eldest princess of Shuyang, he found that it was full of people, Cheng Engong and his wife, the eldest son and eldest daughter-in-law in the second room, as well as Xiao Fengzhen and the younger brothers and sisters below.

Xiao Wei knew it in her heart, walked over to salute the eldest princess, and gave her the lantern, the eldest princess of Shuyang looked at the lantern happily, and hurriedly let the subordinates hang it up, and praised Xiao Wei for her filial piety.

Cheng Engong's expression was gentle, and he looked at his grandfather and grandson with some detachment.

Xiao Xiao has been raised in front of the eldest princess and the colt since he was a child, and he is favored alone.

Although Cheng Engong will not compete with his nephew for favor, he can't get close to him.

"Today's Mid-Autumn Festival, why isn't Zheng'er in the house with your grandmother?" Cheng Engong said.

Xiao Wei said, "There was a delay, so I bought a lantern to make amends for my grandmother." ”

The eldest princess of Shuyang said disapprerovingly, "I am in front of me every day, which day is not a festival, and there is no need to be filial piety to accompany me on this day." ”

Duchess Cheng'en listened to it on the side, her face was pale, a Xiao Wei, everything she did was right, fragrant.

The eldest young grandmother in the second room, Zeng, pouted her lips on the side, I really don't understand, a wild species, not only Her Royal Highness the eldest princess is tightly protected, why is the second room still so polite to him?

not only snatched the position of the prince of the second room, but even the industry also snatched the second room.

Zeng's expression was seen by the eldest young master on the side, and he immediately scolded in a low voice,

"What are you doing, the elders are talking about things, what are you doing like this?"

Zeng reluctantly withdrew his expression.

Cheng En said fairly, "Mother, Ah Wei is not young anymore, and the marriage is not good to drag on all the time, I don't know what will the mother has to say?" ”

Duchess Chengen echoed,

"Yes, Mother, if we go on like this, those who don't know still think that we are not satisfied."

"Ah Lai's surname is Xiao in the end, and the candidate needs the mother to speak, but what can be handled for him still needs to be handled by the house."

On the side, Zeng's heart was secretly happy, thinking about whether to go back to his parents' house tomorrow, and his mother's family also had a few girls of the right age.

There is only one person in the big house, so many industries, if the maiden girl can marry her, and she also has a caring person to talk to, the industry can also subsidize the family.

The more Tsang thought about it, the more feasible he felt.

The town was bored and sat next to the eldest princess of Shuyang, and did not look at Cheng'en and his wife.

Over there, the eldest princess of Shuyang said lightly,

"You don't have to worry about his marriage, Niangniang and His Majesty have their own will, you just have to worry about your own room."

Cheng Engong's face froze, and he laughed instantly, "Yes, we all listen to my mother, since my mother said that Your Majesty will have a will, we are also worrying about it......"

Zeng's veils were about to be wrenched

……

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the days flew by, many families in the capital were raided and exiled, and Xu Han began to resume his duty days.

The dungeon of Dali Temple is cold and damp, and I don't know where there is water dripping and ringing, which makes people feel irritable when they hear it.

Xu Han has been here many times, and he is already familiar with it.

Go down thirty-six steps, turn right, and pass through five iron gates, and there is a row of ten cells in it, and inside are the prisoners who are about to be executed.

Ma Jinshan, the former prefect of Huaiyang, closed his eyes tightly and sat calmly on a pile of dry straw.

Hearing the sound of the chains opening, when he opened his eyes, he saw that it was Xu Han, and she was holding a food box in her hand, and smiled slightly,

"Is this the time? Hehe, what's in it? Is there a famous Huaiyang wine? If you can eat an altar before leaving, it will not be in vain. ”

Xu Han didn't speak, but presented the contents of the food box one by one, took out the small wine jar inside, and laid out the dishes.

When Ma Jinshan saw the wine jar, he laughed, almost rushed over and took the wine jug in his arms, pulled the stopper and poured it into his mouth.

I don't know if it's wine or tears flowing down her cheeks, these days, he has not had an easy life, his cheeks have been thin and out of shape, and even the fat around his waist has been smaller.

After gulping down a few pieces of meat, he put down his chopsticks and sighed.

"I didn't expect that in the end, Lord Xu came to see me with wine and food, but Lord Xu shouldn't work in vain, I won't tell you anything."

After the outbreak of the big case, Ma Jinshan and Xu Han have dealt with each other many times, not to mention all the way from Huaiyang to the capital.

Ma Jinshan, except for the fact that he loosened his mouth when he was caught that day, his mouth behind him seemed to be as tight as a clam shell.

Except for the books of accounts and the gaffes of that day, the man did not utter a word more.

The most important thing is that the emperor has acquiesced to the end of the matter.

As a result, everyone in the court understood that Ma Jinshan was the last fig leaf for some people and certain things.

Xu Han pushed the wine and food and said,

"Commander Ma didn't come to see you, but I heard that your old lady still hasn't given up and is running for you."

"If you want to see them, I can give the emperor a request and be accommodating."

Ma Jinshan was stunned for a moment, and then realized that Xu Han was mocking him.

A sense of absurdity suddenly rose in his heart, and he didn't know whether it was worth it or not in this life.

The mellow wine is hard to swallow, and the exquisite dishes have lost their original aroma.

Ma Jinshan stuffed a mouthful of meat, whimpered a few times, and finally said,

"Lord Xu, I was sorry for you and Xiao Shizi in Huaiyang, but I recognized some things, but I didn't recognize some things to death.

However, things have evolved to the point where they are now, whether I say that it is a dead word in the end, can the emperor still kill his son? “

Xu Han's heart fell, this is the closest thing Ma Jinshan has ever said to the truth.

It's just that the emperor really can't kill his own son, but he can kill a chicken to show the monkey, and the fifth prince happens to be the chicken, as for the monkey......

However, she didn't come today to ask about Ma Jinshan.

She didn't entangle, but said coldly,

"In that case, you can explain what you have done."

Ma Jinshan was puzzled, "I don't admit it, what do you want me to say, why don't you point it out directly to Lord Xu?" ”

Xu Han didn't turn around, and said directly, "Back then, the Limen Pass, the White Emperor Valley, the Huo family lost the battle." ”

Ma Jinshan didn't expect Xu Han to ask this question, he was stunned for a moment, and suddenly said,

"The affairs of the Huo family, what do Lord Xu and the Huo family care about? If you are defeated, you will be defeated, I am just a prefect, where do I know anything about the front. ”

Xu Han suddenly asked, "Although Commander Ma is your elder brother, your Ma family is indeed only one of your brothers, but you also have a younger brother, and his name is Ma Fu." ”

"Back then, he served as a staff member of a general of the Huo family. That Malfoy, where has he been now? ”

Ma Jinshan was stunned, but he didn't expect Xu Han to even know about Ma Fu.

He smiled, "I don't know what the adults mean, whatever you want to do, I'm already going to cut off my head anyway, it's nothing." ”

Xu Han looked at Ma Jinshan for a while, and then said in a calm tone,

"Ma Fu is in the Xu family now, looking at his attitude, he is very respectful to the people of the Xu family.

Ma Jinshan was stunned, this was the third time he was stunned today, he looked at Xu Han faintly, and asked, "Who are you?" ”

The corners of Xu Han's lips hooked slightly, and he didn't speak, did he want her to tell Ma Jinshan that she was Huo Han? Is it for the revenge of the Huo family?

"To say or not to say?" She asked, frowning.

Ma Jinshan came back to his senses and said, "If I remember correctly, my crime is corruption, but Lord Xu came to try the Huo family's case, isn't this selling dog meat on the head of a sheep?" ”

"Does Your Majesty know?"

Xu Han was unmoved,

"I'm only asking you one last time, do you say it or not?"

Ma Jinshan asked curiously, "If I don't say it, what about you?" ”

"I'm already a dying person anyway."

Xu Han's eyelids were not raised,

"It's as it should be."

Ma Jinshan smiled, and suddenly said, "Lord Xu really wants me to say?" ”

Xu Han raised his eyelids and looked at him fixedly, Ma Jinshan saw this, and said in a deep voice,

"Since that's the case, then it's okay for me to tell you, I have nothing to do with the Huo family, not to mention that it is so far away, one in the south of the Yangtze River and one in the north.

I have always admired the Huo family, I didn't actually do anything, but I did something about the military rations, as for Ma Fu, he is indeed my younger brother.

We are all on command. ”

"On whose orders?" Xu Han paused and continued to ask.

"Whose orders do you say?" Ma Jinshan pointed to the sky.

Xu Han's blood was about to freeze suddenly, and the hand in her sleeve was clenched into a fist, just wanting to smash it on the ground.

Her teeth were clenched, and her back molars were crushed, so she could control herself from making any noise.

She was silent for a long time before she asked jerkyly,

"You say all this is on the orders of His Majesty?"

"Is Your Majesty going to let the Huo family lose this battle?"

Ma Jinshan said with a smile,

"Yes, and if Lord Xu wants to know more details, you can ask Elder Xu Ge, because he was a good friend of General Huo back then."

"At the beginning, he made a statement to the emperor that he wanted to bury the Huo family on the battlefield."

Xu Han didn't believe it, she closed her eyes and asked, "What's the benefit of the emperor doing this?" Aren't you afraid that the enemy will attack the capital? ”