In the afternoon, the sun is shining and the wind is warm, and the ring pavilion of Mingxin Lake looks particularly elegant and refined on the sparkling water. On the side of the ring pavilion, under the gray eaves of the green tiles, there is a black and red lacquer case, next to the lacquer case, a small brazier is in full swing, and the copper kettle is on it, and the steam is boiling.

A carriage leaned against the waterfront and stopped, Zheng Dan lifted the curtain and looked at the ring pavilion across the water, only to see a person waiting there.

At this time, the breeze brings a moving sound of the flute to the water's edge, and the weeping willows on the shore dance and flutter with the sound of the flute, as if the graceful dancer dances to the music, and the sound of the flute is sometimes tactful, sometimes melodious, sometimes joyful, sometimes melancholy.

Zheng Dan was fascinated by the moving sound of the flute, she listened quietly, and unconsciously tears flowed from the corners of her eyes. A water is far away, but she can't bear to move forward, perhaps because good times are always too short, and the more immersed she is in them, the more fleeting they are.

After a long time, the outside of the pavilion shouted: "Niang Niang has arrived." ”

Gong Hui put down the bamboo flute and got up to greet him, Zheng Dan was as elegant as snow, and he came over. Dressed in a haosaro skirt, the cloud sleeves on both sides are long and hanging, although she has simple makeup and light fragrance, she looks extremely dignified.

"Chitose Niang." The public bowed.

"Excuse me, get up, I didn't expect Mr. Gonghui to know the rhythm of Xiao Se, and his skills are so exquisite."

"Niangniang is overrated, and she is only a rough pronunciation rhythm, and she has no outstanding skills."

"Sir doesn't have to be modest, I listened to the sound of the flute is very touching, just stopped outside to taste, and unconsciously shed tears, if it wasn't for Mr. skill, how could I be so moved?"

"Xie Niangniang's compliment."

"Sit down." Zheng Dan waved his hand and said.

The two of them took their seats, and a eunuch set up the chessboard on several cases, and then took a few steps back and stood aside.

"Let's go down." Zheng Dan said with a slight side face.

The eunuch said to the ladies of the court, "All of you go down, go down." ”

After the palace maids retreated, the eunuch stood in the pavilion and did not leave. Zheng Dan's personal maid Xiaomei saw that the eunuch was standing still, so she pointed at him and scolded: "What are you doing here? ”

"I'm waiting here, if my mother needs anything, I can help." The eunuch looked flattering.

"Hmph, go down, don't get in the way here, it's annoying to look at you."

"Xiaomei, how can you say that? I'm here, and that's how it should be. ”

"Let's go, don't bother here." Xiaomei grabbed the eunuch's clothes and dragged them out.

The eunuch shouted at the top of his voice: "Niangniang! Empress! Xiaomei, she ......"

Zheng Dan looked displeased and scolded: "Go down." ”

"Niangniang, I ......" The eunuch looked unhappy.

"Let's go!" Xiaomei grabbed the eunuch and dragged it out.

"Don't drag me, huh! Then I'll go back to the palace and wait! ”

After some uproar, the eunuch returned to the palace angrily, and Xiaomei took the other palace maids to guard outside the pavilion. Finally, only Gong Wanran and Zheng Dan were left in the pavilion.

Zheng Dan held his left hand on his cheek, tilted his head slightly, looked at Gong Wanran with gentle eyes, and said with concern: "Mr. has lost weight, Mr. has worked hard these days." ”

"Thank you for your concern."

"Although you are busy with official business, you must pay attention to your body and rest well."

Gong Wanran looked up at Zheng Dan, and saw that although she was smiling, she was secretly sad, and seemed to have something on her mind, so she asked, "Niangniang seems to be a little haggard, but what's the trouble?" ”

"It's nothing, maybe it's the change of seasons, and my body is a little uncomfortable. Come on, this time Mr. Black. Zheng Dan said that, and pushed the sunspot to Gong Huiran.

Gong Wanran was not in a hurry, but just folded a brocade handkerchief a few times, padded the copper handle on the small pot, and gently took off the lid.

Suddenly, a smell of wine came to his nose, and Zheng Dan couldn't help but sigh: "It's so fragrant, what is this?" ”

Gong Wanran didn't answer, he took out two small wine saucers, filled the wine saucers, brought them to Zheng Dan's case, and said, "It's cooked, let's taste it." ”

Zheng Dan pinched the wine plate and drank slowly, the sweet taste of glutinous rice wine fermentation mixed with fragrant floral aroma, sweet with a hint of sourness, moistened the heart and lungs, intoxicating.

Zheng Dan felt that this wine was completely different from the fine wine he usually drank in the palace, and other fine wines were trying their best to get rid of sourness and impurities, and tried their best to pursue purity and sweetness, just like a clean and flawless jade, but this wine was simple and unpretentious, just like a flower stone in the clear stream.

After drinking a plate, Zheng Dan took a deep breath, and his worries suddenly disappeared.

"Good wine, what's the name of this wine?"

Gong Wanran also drank the wine saucer and replied, "Luofang green plums." ”

"Luofang Qingmei, what a good name, the wine is as its name suggests, very beautiful."

"If you like it, it's fine."

"Do you have peach blossoms and plums in the wine?"

"Yes, it's the middle of April, the peach blossoms are in full bloom and the plums are ripe. In the evening, pick the peach blossoms under the moon, remove the stamens and petals of the flowers, and soak them in the newly brewed glutinous rice wine for one night. In the morning, the petals are strained, three or four freshly ripe plums are picked, washed, put in sake, and boiled for half an hour. ”

The public said this, and poured two more wine saucers.

After the two exchanged respects, they savored it.

"It's a good wine, it's intoxicating."

"In fact, this wine is not outstanding, let alone a precious product, only because the mother is in a detached state of mind, so that the charm can be tasted."

Zheng Dan smiled and said: "It is also the gentleman's high character that can make such a refined wine." ”

"The mother is overrated." Gong Wanran smiled slightly, saluted Zheng Dan, and then dropped a sunspot on the chessboard.

Zheng Dan dropped his white son and said, "The younger brothers are coming back soon." ”

"yes, I'm coming back."

"How long have you been out?"

"I went out in February, and it has been two months so far."

"Are you all safe?"

"Thanks to Niangniang Hongfu, the two of them are safe and sound."

"That's good, that's good."

The two of them made dozens of moves, and Zheng Dan asked, "Sir, how is the operation of the incense factory recently?" ”

"It's all going on step by step."

"If it's inconvenient for Mr., you don't have to worry about the spices I ordered."

"It's okay, it can be delivered to the palace this month."

"Oh."

Zheng Dan drank Luofang Qingmei just now, and his mood improved slightly, but at this time, he didn't say much, just blindly playing chess, but felt a little lost.

The two of them made dozens of hands, but neither of them spoke.

"Shih Tzu Niangniang has arrived."

At this time, the eunuch who had been driven out of the pavilion just now was leading Xi Shi Niangniang and a group of palace maids and eunuchs to the pavilion.

Gong Wanran hurriedly got up and saluted, only to see Xi Shi dressed in red flames, wearing a flying phoenix golden hairpin, and a pair of white blue jade pendants on his earlobes set off a stunning makeup, so beautiful that people dare not look at it directly.

"Chitose Niang." The public bowed.

Xi Shi waved his hand and said, "Get up, Gonghui Aiqing." ”

"Xie Niangniang."

Xi Shi sat next to Zheng Dan, put his hands on Zheng Dan's shoulders gently, and shouted, "Sister, why don't you pay attention to me when you see me?" ”

"Sister, please sit down."

Zheng Dan said that, he left a son on his own, and then said to Gong Wanran: "Mr. Gong Hui, please continue." ”

Xi Shi also smiled and said charmingly: "Gonghui Aiqing, please." ”

After that, Xi Shi moved to Gong Huiran's side, intentionally or unintentionally, and clinged to Gong Huiran's body. At this time, many eunuchs and palace maids were standing aside, and the entire small pavilion was suddenly crowded with people.

Gong Wan felt a little unnatural, but he still left a son.

Suddenly, Shih Tzu pointed to the small pot on the brazier and asked, "What is this?" It's so fragrant. ”

"Niangniang, it's just a pot of ordinary bad wine."

"Bad wine? Why does it taste so intoxicating? I wonder if I can let me taste it? ”

"If the mother doesn't dislike it, she should pour wine for the mother."

"Gong Hui Aiqing, please."

Gong Hui took out a wine saucer, poured the wine from the pot into the saucer, and then held it in front of Xi Shi with both hands.

Xi Shi reached out and took the wine saucer, the red gauze sleeves slipped from her small arm, revealing her smooth and jade-like wrist, she held the wine saucer to her lips with one hand, and gently covered her face with the other.

The wine syrup touched Zhu's lips, but his brows were slightly furrowed.

Xi Shi put down the wine plate and said: "Aiqing, although this wine is sweet and fragrant, it is not filtered enough, there are too many impurities, and the aftertaste is inevitably a little sour, so it really can't be regarded as a good wine." ”

"What the mother said is very true."

"Aiqing, I heard that you are an honest official, and from this point of view, it can really be seen. It's better to ask the maids in the palace to bring you some fine wine these days, and I will treat you as a reward for the king. ”

"Thank you for your love."

At this time, Zheng Dan, who was left cold, said unhappily: "Sister, why do you have time to come here today?" Why don't you accompany the king? ”

"Sister, the king went out of the palace to hunt the day before yesterday, and he is going to go for a few days, doesn't my sister know?"

After hearing this, Zheng Dan bit his lip lightly, lowered his head and dropped a son on the chessboard, and said: "The king has been with my sister for several days, so I naturally can't know." ”

"Sister, I envy you, you don't have to serve the king every day, you can live freely. How like me, it's hard to have a few days to spare. ”

"Sister, since it's rare to have free time, why do you want to come here to watch chess? Didn't my sister always think that this black-and-white game was the most boring? ”

"Hey, I'm bored and uncomfortable when I'm idle just now, I happened to meet the eunuch, and he said that my sister was playing chess here. I thought to myself, anyway, the road is not far, why don't I come over and see my sister, you and I haven't seen each other for many days, and my sister really misses me very much. ”

Zheng Dan saw Xi Shi's sincere face, only then did he feel that his previous attitude was a little unkind, thinking that the two sisters had not seen each other for many days, and the feelings of longing were also overflowing, so he left a son and said: "Sister, when I finish playing this game of chess, we sisters will go to the garden for a walk, okay?" ”

"That's great! Sister! I have something to discuss with you. Xi Shi was very excited, and a bright smile bloomed on his beautiful face.

"What's the matter?"

Xi Shi narrowed his eyes, as if he had a hint of something, "There is a letter from my hometown, saying that Gusu City is prosperous, let us help and send some rare things back." ”

As soon as he heard this, Zheng Dan's hand that was about to fall suddenly hovered in mid-air, and the originally slightly stretched Emei was once again filled with mist and rain.