The emperor and the six princes got up and admired the paintings, and Ling Xiao and everyone also admired them. "The composition of this painting of the second brother is clear and the coloring is gorgeous, which makes this red lotus more enchanting and a little more charming." Yan Lingqi said. The bold use of color throughout the painting highlights the charm of the red lotus.

"What Qi'er said is exactly what I thought, it's a bit enchanting. Not bad. The emperor nodded and said.

"It's my father's misappropriation." Yan Lingshu said humbly.

Later, when he came to the Yanling last painting, Ling Xiao looked down, the brush and ink in the painting were elegant, and the colors were lightly rendered, which actually had the hazy charm of modern Chinese landscape painting, which was in stark contrast to the paintings of Yanling Shu. In fact, a person's state of mind can also be seen from the painting, and Ling Xiao thinks that Yan Linglast's state of mind should be like this painting.

"I see that the painting of the fifth brother can be matched with the second brother's, one is light and the other is strong, one is like tea, and the other is like Danzhu." Yan Lingyu teased.

"The fourth brother is open-mouthed, your first half of your sentence is so indecent." Yan Lingli said.

"The ninth brother's sage has read too much, and he will have to be taught as a nerd by this thousand-year-old Confucian sage in the future." Not to be outdone, Yan Lingzao replied.

"Fourth, you are really idle, and now you don't quarrel with Yu'er, and you are fighting with your ninth brother." The emperor stopped it in time.

Yan Lingyan listened to the emperor's words and said: "Erchen has always spoken like this, so I don't learn from the way of Sage Confucius, and I talk about etiquette every day, and I am tired to death." Life is too short, and I just want to live a happy life. ”

"It's really rotten wood that can't be carved." The emperor said angrily. Yan Lingyu pouted indifferently, and everyone began to talk about the painting again.

"Light as tea, quiet as snow, hazy and ethereal, this painting is like the temperament of the fifth brother." Yan Lingzhan said.

"That's true." The emperor nodded.

Next is the painting of Yanling Map, the scenery is outlined in detail, the whole layout is moderate, Ling Xiao never thought that this Yanling Tree is quite accomplished in painting.

"The fourth child's painting is also lifelike." For Yan Ling, the emperor finally had a smile on his face.

"The fourth brother's talent in painting is far better than ours, and a mere lake of red lotus can't be difficult for him." Yan Lingqi said.

"It's still the sixth brother who is so powerful, and he painted Sister Yuan so much like a real person." After everyone looked at the paintings of Yanling Stack, Yanling Oak said in admiration.

"Out of the dust, but the eyes are too indifferent. Sixth brother, why don't you change it when you paint, you can't eat the fireworks of the world when you paint it. Yan Ling said regretfully.

"Today's Yuan'er is really what she looks like in the painting, and she is becoming more and more similar to the fifth brother." Yan Lingshu said.

"Which one?" Yan Linglast asked simply.

"Silence is like two pieces of ice." Yan Lingyu replied.

"In the past six years, Yu'er has changed a lot." Yan Ling last admitted.

"Painting is about reality, not imagination. Now she is a stranger to everything, which is why she is like this, and I believe that I will be able to make her return to the lively and cheerful girl she used to be. Yanlingzhan said firmly.

"Zhan'er is right, Yu'er will definitely be able to go back to the way it used to be." The emperor agreed with Yanling Zhan's words and continued: "Zhan'er's four poems are very appropriate. ”

"Let's see how the oak is painted." After looking at the paintings of Yanlingzhan, the emperor said. Although there is only a red lotus and two lotus leaves floating on the fine wave lake, the details of the lotus are highlighted vividly, the veins of the leaves are clearly visible, and even the fine thorns between the branches are exactly the same.

"It's really refreshing, you can think of such a way of drawing, the fourth brother admires you." Yan Lingyu exclaimed.

"The ninth brother has always been like this, he can always be ingenious and do unexpected things." Yan Lingshu said.

Finally, there is Yan Lingqi's painting, which has a contrasting color and reveals a kind of arrogance and uninhibitedness.

"The static scenery was actually painted by the seventh brother with a sense of dynamics, and there was a desire to break free from the shackles and not fall behind." Yan Lingshu said.

"The second brother laughed, just a painting, how can it be like this." Yan Lingshu glanced at Yan Lingshu and said calmly.

"I'm very happy that some of you have done a good job today." After admiring all the paintings, the emperor said. Later, he ordered these paintings to be made into scrolls and sent back to the princes' mansions.

About an hour after the lunch was used in the pavilion, Ling Xiao saw a group of palace maids hugging a group of well-dressed people coming to this side, led by a richly dressed old woman, now in her prime, Ling Xiao guessed that this should be the Empress Dowager Zuoqiu. She heard Zhong Limu say that the reason why the Zuoqiu family has such power is not only because it has been entrenched in the court for a hundred years, but also because the Zuoqiu family has intermarried with the royal family, and the emperor's concubine Zuoqiu Lan is the niece of the Empress Dowager Zuoqiu, and the nephew of the Empress Dowager Zuoqiu, Zuoqiu Jinai, is the prime minister of the dynasty, and Zuoqiu Ji's daughter Zuoqiu Cicada is the side concubine of Yanling Zhan.

Ling Xiao saw a woman wearing a goose yellow dress and a soft appearance holding the arm of the Empress Dowager Zuoqiu, looking very intimate, Ling Xiao thought that this should be the side concubine Zuoqiu Cicada of Yanling Stack. The Empress Dowager Zuoqiu was followed by three young women with good temperament and four middle-aged women who were also dressed extraordinarily, that is, the concubines of the three princes and the four concubines of the emperor. The emperor has not set up a queen in his life, and there are only five concubines, and Yanlingzhan's mother has long since died.

Seeing the arrival of the Queen Mother, everyone stood up one after another and bowed: "Son-in-law see the imperial grandmother." "See the queen mother." The emperor saluted.

"Let's all be flat." The Queen Mother raised her hand and said, "Today is a family banquet, what is the reason for outsiders to be here." As soon as she said this, the surroundings instantly quieted, and the atmosphere was very strange, obviously referring to Ling Xiao.

"Grandma Huihuang, Yu'er is my wife who has not passed through the door, how can she be an outsider?" Yan Lingzhan said.

The emperor's face was slightly displeased, and he said: "What is the queen mother talking about, Yuan'er is equivalent to my daughter, if even Yuan'er is an outsider, then the queen mother is even more of an outsider." These words really shocked Ling Xiao, although the queen mother was only the emperor's adoptive mother, but these words were too rebellious.

"It turns out that this is Yu'er, the mourning family really didn't recognize it, it's really more and more like your mother, just don't be like your mother to charm the monarch."

"Queen Mother!" The emperor's face was extremely ugly. The queen mother obviously hated Ling Xiao, just saying that He was flattering, Ling Xiao didn't understand, in her opinion, He's demeanor was dignified and generous.

"Auntie, don't stand, let's take a seat, today is Li'er's birthday, don't talk about this." The person who spoke was Concubine Lan. The crowd said no more, and sat down one after another.

When he sat down, the embarrassing thing happened again, the princess and the prince sat in the same place, but Ling Xiao sat in Yanlingzhan, so Zuoqiu Cicada had no place to sit.

"Sister Cicada, why don't you sit here with me." Yan Lingli said.

Zuoqiu Cicada glanced at Ling Xiao with a cold look in his eyes, and did not respond to Yan Ling Li.

"It seems that Miss Zuoqiu wants to sit with the fifth brother, but unfortunately the fifth brother is afraid that he will not agree." The fourth prince said playfully.

Among the princes seated, in addition to Yanling last and Yanling oak, several other princes now have wives and concubines. Yanling oak is still young, and it is normal to have no wife and concubine. However, Yan Linglast still does not even have a concubine, and he is alone, which really puzzles Ling Xiao.

"Juan'er, how does the mother usually teach you, it's really getting more and more unruly, don't apologize to Cicada soon." Yan Lingyang's mother said. Zuoqiu Cicada finally sat down next to Concubine Lan, but it could be seen that her face was full of displeasure. Ling Xiao felt that it was too boring for women to be jealous, and now that she hadn't married Yanlingzhan yet, it was really hard to imagine what would happen if she really got married.

When everyone arrived, the singing and dancing began, and there would be singing and dancing when there was a banquet, but Ling Xiao was not in much of a mood to appreciate what had just happened, and he didn't want to marry Yanling Zhan more and more. Time passed as everyone watched the dance and enjoyed the music. Wait until sunset before the banquet ends. When Yanlingzhan was about to send Ling Xiao back to her house, she was left behind by the Empress Dowager Zuoqiu, saying that there was something wrong, and Yanlingzhan was not easy to refuse, so she asked Yanlingzhan to send her back to her house.

Ling Xiao felt very tired, Xu had the habit of taking a nap in the afternoon, but today he was in the palace all day. So in the carriage, she leaned there with her eyes closed, ignoring the Yan Lingyu in the carriage.

"Are you still the wild girl I know who gets into trouble all day? How I feel like I've changed as a person. After a long time, Yan Lingyu said.

"It's not." Ling Xiao opened his eyes and said two words. These two words made Yan Lingyang not know how to answer. After a while, he said: "I have suffered a lot in North Vietnam, and every time the people of North Vietnam write to you, they say that you are doing well, and now it seems that they must have deceived you. ”

"I'm doing well in North Vietnam." He really wronged the North Yue Kingdom, Zhong Liyuan will not suffer, not before, and not now.

"Other people's protection will only make a person more weak and rude, Zhong Liyuan was like this before, but now Zhong Liyuan doesn't want to be such a person." Ling Xiao continued.

"It really made me look at you differently, you can say such a thing. Really grew up. It's just not fun. Yan Lingyu said, and did not forget to tease.

"It seems that you are addicted to being tricked by me, if you don't tease you, you will feel uncomfortable." Ling Xiao had never seen such a person, and he really didn't clean it up.

"I'm also your brother, so there's no need for you to be so estranged from me." He was serious about this. In fact, Ling Xiao also saw that among the princes, Zhong Liyuan had the best relationship with him. As for Yanlingzhan, she doesn't know, although today's Yanlingzhan can be regarded as maintaining her everywhere.

"I'm the same with my third brother." Ling Xiao said.

"You do the same to Zhong Limu? You're really amnesiac. Yan Lingyu asked in surprise.

Ling Xiao nodded: "Yes." ”

"By the way, that Zuoqiu cicada is not a fuel-efficient lamp, and you need to pay more attention to her in the future. If it weren't for the Queen Mother's scheming efforts to let Zuoqiu Chan marry the sixth brother, the sixth brother would not have accepted him as a side concubine. Yan Lingyu said again.

"Thank you Brother Gou for reminding me, I'll pay attention." Ling Xiao said.

"The Zuoqiu family is really a joke, they always like to stuff their own women into other people's homes, Concubine Lan is like this, for so many years, my father has not wanted to look at her more. It's just that the Zuoqiu family has been entrenched in the court for a hundred years, with a deep foundation, and there are some things that the emperor can't contain. "Concubine Lan's fate has now been reflected, her face has passed away, and she has no heirs, in this deep palace, she will definitely die alone in the future.

"Brother Wang, I'm out of the car. You should go back early, too. As the twilight was dull, the carriage gradually stopped, and Ling Xiao said to Yan Ling.

"Won't you invite me into the house for a cup of tea?" After getting out of the car, Yan Lingyu said jokingly.

Begging for tea, Ling Xiao was speechless, and finally said: "It's not early, Brother Yu should go back to accompany the beauty as soon as possible." Drinking tea, there will be opportunities in the future. ”

"Just kidding, I'll go first." Yan Lingyu said.

The day of the day is getting closer and closer, and there are only three days left, and the house is becoming more and more busy, all kinds of preparations, lanterns, Ling Xiao can't help but sigh, it's just a small birthday, it's so grand, her previous birthdays were spent at work.

"Did you have a good time yesterday?" Ling Xiao casually browsed the books on the shelves in Zhong Liyi's study, and Zhong Liyi asked while writing on the bamboo slips.

Ling Xiao turned around and said, "It's extremely boring. ”

"So what's not boring?" Zhong Liyi asked with a smile.

"I don't know." Ling Xiao shook his head helplessly.

"My father is busy with official duties and has no time to accompany you, do you blame my father?" These words made Ling Xiao's heart tremble, is God compensating her for not getting her father's love in modern times? Now in ancient times, there was a father who treated her like this, as well as her family.

"No, I know that my father is in charge of the position of court captain, and there are many things." Tingwei is regarded as the highest level of the Ministry of Justice, in charge of criminal prisons and national law, which is second-class, but Zhong Liyi's position as a marquis is equivalent to that of the prince.

The official positions of the Central Plains were changed on the basis of the Qin Dynasty's system of three dukes and nine Qing counties, and many official posts were added at the central and local levels, making the previous posts more detailed and specific, and the officials performed their own duties without interfering with each other. As long as it does not violate the law of the land, the title or official title will be hereditary from generation to generation. The six grades are the embodiment of status, so the magnates are also more hierarchical and orderly, and they have not changed for more than 300 years. However, there are pros and cons to this, and the power and ambition of the Zuoqiu family are cultivated in this way.

"It's rare that you understand my father." Zhong Liyi said with relief.

After a long time: "According to the etiquette of the Central Plains, you need to go to Lingju to watch incense the day before, and Japan should accompany you for your father in the future, but a big official corruption case in your hand needs to be investigated and dealt with urgently." ”

"Father, don't worry, I'll just go with Qian'er." Ling Xiao said.

"I am ashamed of you for my father, and I can only be accompanied by the six princes the day after tomorrow, which is also what the emperor meant." Why is it Yanling Stack again, Ling Xiao thought after listening to his father's words.

"Don't bother him, just send a few people who know the way." Ling Xiao didn't want to bother Yanling Zhan anymore, so she said.

"The road is not safe, how can my father rest assured that you will go alone." Zhong Liyi said.

"Father, the Central Plains attaches great importance to Taoism?" Judging from the history of the country that Ling Xiao has known since childhood, the ancient people believed in Taoism very much, and ** is the product of Taoism, but I didn't expect this Central Plains country to be the same.

"Buddhism and Taoism are all credible, and since Buddhism was introduced from the Western Regions a hundred years ago, there are many people who believe in it. And the real self-cultivation of governing the country is Confucianism. Zhong Liyi patiently explained to Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao felt that the Central Plains Country could be regarded as a country with free thought, but the hierarchy was too strict. Even dressing has strict requirements, especially for women, the dresses worn by the nobles and ladies above the fourth rank are dragged to the ground, such as the curved skirt can only be worn by the prince's concubine, princess, and county lord, while ordinary women are dressed to the ankles. The first two times Ling Xiao and Zhong Limu went out, Zhong Limu deliberately let her change into an ordinary dress in order to make it easier to go out, she was still very puzzled at the time, so she heard what Qian'er said.