Early the next morning, someone came to apologize to Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao didn't have to think about it to know who it was, and she didn't bother to see it. The man could only say some clichés in front of Zhong Liyi, and he had no way to teach his son, and he had been grinding there all morning, and his own son had not been told a few cars.

After lunch, Zhong Liyi took Ling Xiao to the palace, the sun was very strong, it was difficult to open Ling Xiao's eyes, even if she was sitting in the carriage, it was difficult to stop the heat under the scorching sun, she held a sandalwood fan in her hand, and kept fanning, and Zhong Liyi didn't seem to be so hot, she felt that the ancients were really not afraid of heat, in that era when there was no air conditioning, this kind of heat was already used to it. However, Ling Xiao had a hard time adapting, and since the rain, it has been hot every day.

The carriage drove slowly into the palace and finally stopped in front of a palace surrounded by greenery and cicadas. In fact, most of the palaces in the palace are like this, with green trees, which is also the subtlety of being built against the mountain. Ling Xiao followed Zhong Liyi into the palace, only to find out that this was the emperor's bedroom plus a study.

At this time, the emperor was reviewing the folds, and when he saw Zhong Liyi and Ling Xiao coming, he suddenly smiled and put down the folds in his hand: "Zidan, why did you come, I have been waiting for you for a long time." Come to Yuan'er, sit next to your father. ”

"See Father." Ling Xiao saluted the emperor before sitting down.

"Pastry." The emperor instructed Gonggong Chai behind him.

"Come, Zidan, try this tea, I cooked this tea with my own hands today, and I will also taste it." As he spoke, he personally added tea to the father and daughter.

Zhong Liyi was not polite, and picked up the cup and tasted tea.

"Are you tired?" He asked with concern.

"Back to my father, my sons are not tired." Ling Xiao replied respectfully.

"I see you're sweating profusely," he turned to the palace and instructed, "Come, fan the princess." ”

"Thank you father, my son is fine, don't be so troublesome." Ling Xiao saw two palace maids walking over with fans. At this time, the pastries were also served one after another, one by one on several cases, which made people dazzled, colorful, different shapes, crystal clear.

"Come, Yu'er, this is the osmanthus cake made by the new imperial chef in the imperial dining room, taste how it tastes." He pointed to a plate of pale yellow pastry and said to Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao took a piece according to his wishes, and took a small bite gently, the texture was smooth, with a hint of sweetness, and it melted in the mouth, which can be said to be very refreshing.

He looked at Ling Xiao with expectant eyes, hoping to get an answer, and Ling Xiao said, "It's delicious." ”

"What about the comparison with the south of the city?" He asked.

This is really a difficult question to answer, Ling Xiao has never eaten the osmanthus cake in the south of the city: "Back to my father, I have been home for so long, and I have not eaten the osmanthus cake in the south of the city, but the pastries in the house are not less." ”

"What about the comparison with the house? Which is better?" Ling Xiao felt that he was really asking a strange question, so he had to reply, "Each has its own characteristics." ”

"Haha, Yu'er is really good at talking. Come, try the others. Zidan, you can also try it, and your favorite apricot blossom cake. After he finished talking to Ling Xiao, he said to Zhong Liyi again.

"Brother Yanling, your tea-making skills have regressed, it seems that you haven't cooked it for a long time, and your craftsmanship is rusty." Zhong Liyi did not shy away from saying that there was no courtesy between the two of them at all.

"You cook well, then you can cook, don't drink it, I drink it myself." The emperor snatched the cup from Zhong Liyi's hand as he spoke, and Zhong Liyi was not to be outdone, and snatched it back: "Who said I don't drink." It was exactly like two little children, and they didn't have the same appearance as they saw at the palace banquet that day, and then the two laughed one after another.

"The lotus flowers in the lake are blooming, so let's accompany my father to see it." The emperor said

got up, and instructed the palace people to move all the pastries to the pavilion by the lake.

The lotus leaves are infinitely green, and the lotus flowers are different red, Ling Xiao feels that it is very suitable to describe the scene in front of him, the breeze by the lake is gentle, it is very refreshing, and the heat has driven away half of it. They sat down in the pavilion, which was not like the pavilion in the waiting house, which was larger than the one in the house, and there were no stone benches and stone tables, but mats and desks. In fact, there are very few people who sit on chairs and stools, and only when the family eats together, they will sit around a table, it is estimated that this is a transition period, and it takes time to transition from sitting on the floor to the chair era. Just like in ancient China, the Tang Dynasty used to sit on the ground, and it was not until the Song Dynasty that people really accepted tables and chairs.

"Yu'er, I heard that someone bullied you last night, didn't you get hurt?" After a while, he asked. Ling Xiao sighed, this emperor is really supernatural, nothing can escape his palm, I don't know how many of his secret guards there are.

"Back to my father, it's okay." Ling Xiao said.

"It's okay, if you encounter something in the future, don't do it yourself, leave it to the people around you."

Ling Xiao said lightly: "Father is really well-informed, you know all about my beating." ”

"He deserved it, he acted perversely, and he bullied Yu'er, even if you don't beat him, I won't let him go." As he spoke, he added another cup of tea to Ling Xiao and Zhong Liyi, and continued, "I heard that you sent him to the Qinglou to do hard labor? Ling Xiao had nothing to refute, so he nodded and acquiesced.

"You! It's just that I have a lot of ideas, even if I have amnesia, there are no fewer ways to tease people. He handed a piece of pastry to Ling Xiao and smiled heartily. If you think about it, Shu'er's face is afraid to be green. Come, Zidan, apricot blossom crisp. He handed Zhong Liyi another piece of apricot blossom cake.

"It's because I was too reckless last night, I didn't think about the consequences, and I offended the second prince and that person's father at once, his father is also a fourth-grade official, and I humiliated him like this, and it is inevitable that he will be hated." Ling Xiao thinks about it now, what happened last night really doesn't need to be considered, now it's not as good as before, in the officialdom, no one can offend, but she offended two at a time, and her temperament really has to change.

"What are you afraid of, the sky is falling, and there is your father and your father! What's more, it's just a little courtier. As for Shu'er, I don't have the time to take care of the affairs of his house, but if his wife and concubine bully you, then I will never be soft. "The emperor said slowly.

"Yu'er, it's okay in the future, don't go out with your bastard third brother, every time you get into a lot of trouble, where are you going, just tell your father, and take you there when your father is resting." Zhong Liyi actually said that Zhong Limu was a bastard, which made Ling Xiao feel unbelievable.

"Father, you said yesterday that you arranged a beautiful business for the third brother today, what is it?" Ling Xiao suddenly felt very curious, so he asked.

"Go back and ask him himself in the evening, and I won't tell you." Zhong Liyi said with a smile.

"Yuan'er, you sentenced him to three years of hard labor, isn't it too short, why don't I give an order to punish him for ten years." The emperor said.

"Don't, then people will think that I sued in front of you." Ling Xiao refused.

"It's better to do this, I decree that in the future, anyone who molests women from good families will be sent to the Qinglou for five years of hard labor, and ten years for the heavier ones, how about it?" The emperor said again.

"In this case, the shopkeeper of the Qinglou will be grateful to Brother Yanling, and the free hard labor will not cost money." After Zhong Liyi finished speaking, both of them burst out laughing.

"What's so funny about that." Ling Xiao said coldly. She really didn't know why they were laughing, first Zhong Limu, and now them. In their eyes, do they have to kill to solve their anger? Human life is so like a mustard in their eyes.

"Sometimes the insult of personality is more terrible than killing him, but I guess that kid values his life more than his personality." Zhong Liyi said.

Only then did Ling Xiao realize that they were laughing at only her humiliating the man.

"Then I still won't go out in the future, so as not to cause trouble again." Ling Xiao regretted going out with Zhong Limu last night, she just wanted to live a comfortable life, and didn't want to cause trouble, but now she got into trouble as soon as she went out.

"Afraid of what? With me and your father here, who dares to hurt you, even if we are not in this world one day, I will ensure that you have no worries for the rest of your life, and make you the most noble person in the Central Plains, no one can touch you, not even Zhan'er. "Your Majesty, this is a promise, not a joke. And such a promise overwhelmed Ling Xiao. In her eyes, she has always thought that no one in the world will be good to another person for no reason, most of them are with a purpose, Zhong Liyi is good to her, and that is because she is his daughter.

Ling Xiao didn't want to talk about last night's events anymore, so he changed the topic: "It turns out that my father likes to eat apricot blossom cakes." ”

"It's just to see things and think about people, you can also taste it" Zhong Liyi's eyes showed a trace of sadness.

Ling Xiao picked up a piece of apricot blossom cake, but the entrance gave her a very familiar feeling, as if she had eaten it somewhere before, but she couldn't remember that it should not be in the house, she had eaten a lot of pastries in the house, but there was no apricot blossom cake.

"This apricot blossom cake is not found anywhere else, it was developed by your father himself, and now only the imperial chef in the imperial dining room knows how to make it." The emperor said.

"Seeing things and thinking about people?" Ling Xiao said unintentionally.

"Sweetheart." The emperor said again.

Only then did Ling Xiao know that Zhong Liyi also had a sweetheart, and it was also true that in ancient times, marriage contracts were all the words of the matchmaker at the behest of his parents, and it was difficult to be together even if he liked someone.

"Brother Yanling, don't say this anymore, it's all over." Zhong Liyi said.

"Okay, let's not talk about it, let's bear the suffering of the two of us who are connected to the same fate, and don't let Yu'er also increase her sorrow." The emperor's eyes were a little red. Ling Xiao didn't know what they were talking about, and she didn't want to know.

When dusk was approaching, Ling Xiao and Zhong Liyi had already left the palace gate, the sunset was sinking, and the carriage was slowly moving away.

In the evening, Zhong Limu came to Ling Xiao's courtyard, but he didn't seem very happy, just sat there playing with the teacup in his hand, and didn't speak. Ling Xiao casually asked him what was wrong, more than two months had passed in the blink of an eye when she came here, although she didn't spend much time with Zhong Limu, she had never seen him feel so depressed. "Little girl, I can't accompany you tomorrow, I have decided to leave Jundu early tomorrow morning, otherwise I will be tortured to death by my father." Zhongli said bitterly.

"Third brother, what's wrong? Didn't your father arrange a beauty difference for you? Ling Xiao asked curiously.

"It's not a beautiful thing, you know? I accompanied Yan Lingxi all day today, from meeting in the teahouse in the morning to sending her back to the house in the afternoon, I went to know that my father was actually this heart, and wanted to marry the palace and let me marry Yan Lingxi as his wife. Tomorrow she will let me accompany her to the mountains, and I think I should go on the road. After listening to Zhong Limu, she realized that this was the case.

Ling Xiao said: "Who is Yan Lingxi? Isn't she bad? ”

Zhongli Mu took a sip of tea and said, "She is the concubine of the Liwang Mansion, she is too delicate and behaves hypocritically, I can't accept it." It turned out to be the Liwang Mansion, she heard Qi'er say that there were originally three county lords in the Liwang Mansion, one was married to the Xiangfu concubine, and the other accidentally fell into the lake and drowned at the age of seventeen, and this Yan Lingxi is only sixteen years old this year, and he is deeply loved by the Li Wangye.

"Since the third brother has made up his mind, let's do it according to his own ideas." Ling Xiao said.

"Hey, I said, I'm leaving, why don't you even give up at all? You little conscienceless. Zhong Limu looked at Ling Xiao and said with a little disappointment. Ling Xiao felt that the word "unkind" was the most appropriate to describe herself, her attitude towards anyone was the same, she could feel Zhong Limu's love for her, but it took time for her to have a deep brother-sister affection for Zhong Limu.

"Of course I'm not reluctant, but I can't spoil your business, so you can leave with confidence." Ling Xiao said.

"I'm talking to you about fun, how could I be mad at you. In fact, this is also official business, by the way, go out to avoid a few days, rest assured, on the day of your arrival, I will definitely rush back. Zhong Limu said to Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao added a cup of tea for him, "Then I wish the third brother a smooth journey." ”

"Well, after I leave, you won't be too bored in the mansion, three days later will be the twelfth birthday of the Nine Emperors, I guess Yanling Zhan will definitely take you into the palace, generally not yet the crown of the prince's birthday, there will be no outsiders at the banquet, like the princes and ministers will not go." Zhong Limu said. Generally, the prince can build another palace outside the palace when he is sixteen years old, and it has always been the case, when he reaches the age of sixteen, he cannot continue to live in the palace, but this does not include the princesses of the past dynasties, and the nine princes are only twelve years old now.

Sure enough, as Zhong Limu said, three days later, in the morning, Ling Xiao had not gotten up yet, and the slightest Chaoyang was thrown into the house, and Qi'er hurriedly came to tell Ling Xiao to get up, saying that Yanling Zhan was waiting in the outhouse.

After Ling Xiao changed her clothes and freshened up, the maid opened the curtain, and through the crystal bead curtain, she saw Yanlingzhan sideways, and at this time he was holding a bamboo slip, sitting there reading. It was the score that Ling Xiao didn't put away after reading it last night, I don't know where Zhong Limu got it for her, but now she still can't understand it, the writing form of ancient music scores is different from modern music, and she only knows some fur in terms of rhythm.

Ling Xiao walked over and said to Qi'er: "Serve tea, the six princes have been here for so long, don't you even know how to prepare tea?" Those who come are guests, and I still need to teach you the way of hospitality?" She couldn't help but sigh that how Zhong Liyuan disciplined his maidservants in the past was so without a discipline.

Yan Lingzhan put down the bamboo slip in his hand and said gently: "It's none of their business, is there still a host and guest between us?" ”

"The system can't be messed up. Brother Zhan, why did you come so early?" With that, she sat down.

"Today's ninth brother's birthday, I will take you into the palace after breakfast. I came early because I wanted to accompany Nan'er more, but I hadn't seen Nan'er for more than ten days, and I missed it very much, but I was entangled in official business. I wonder if you miss me?" As she spoke, she came to pull Ling Xiao's hand, Ling Xiao's hand trembled, and she broke free of his palm, she saw that his expression was obviously stunned, and then returned to normal: "Yuan'er, don't be afraid of me, it's me who is not good, you have been back for so long, I have only come to see you for the second time." He looked remorseful.

Ling Xiao spoke: "Such a more etiquette. ”

"Yu'er will be my wife in the future, how can I be considered a more etiquette if I hold your hand?" Yan Lingzhan said.

"But I am not the only wife of yours." Ling Xiao said that she couldn't accept him the most, the ancients had three wives and four concubines, but she needed time to accept this. Marrying him but not liking him may be the worst outcome in the future, and now Ling Xiao can only try not to face this outcome.

"My wife will always be the only one who is in the city, I know that I blame me for the six years that you left, and I accepted the side room, it seems that I am jealous, in the royal family, political marriage is inevitable, I hope I can understand. In the future, what I want to give you is the great rivers and mountains of the Central Plains, and let Yu'er be the person of the world. Yan Lingzhan's words revealed his ambition.

After that, they chatted about some other things, most of them were asked by him to Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao was very helpless, this way of cultivating feelings was too boring, and she was not in love, it was ridiculous to say, at the age of twenty-five, she didn't know what love was.