"In order to entertain these tribes, the palace and the forbidden army have sent a lot of additional personnel to Qianyayuan."

"In the past half a month, the emperor has repeatedly set up banquets and entertains, and for this reason, he has also renovated the two banquet palaces in Qianyayuan."

"It's only half a month before the New Year's palace banquet, and the emperor said that this palace banquet must be large-scale and unheard of, so that these tribes must be in awe and grateful to the court......

Only Duanmu Xian's voice echoed in the air in the room, Duanmu Heng listened intently, and Duanmu Fei managed the tea with both hearts.

"Hey. When those tribes go back in the future, I'm afraid there will be a wave of ......."

Duanmuxian sighed again as he spoke, and the more he talked, the more worried he became.

He could be sure that when these tribes left the capital, the emperor's habit would definitely be to give them a big reward.

The southern border is not peaceful, and the battle between Dasheng and Nanhuai does not know when it will be fought, and the silver in the treasury is constantly filled; In addition, the war-torn displaced people who fled to the surrounding states also need to be resettled in order to calm the people's hearts and stabilize the situation; In addition, the recent continuous heavy snowfall has led to the snow disaster, not only in the capital and the suburbs of Beijing, but also in Jizhou and Liaozhou in the past few days, some disasters have been reported, but Duanmuxian can judge that the snow disaster must be more than these two states, and the next disaster relief has a long way to go.

In a word, there is not enough silver.

In the past month, Duanmu Xian has been so worried that several white hairs have grown, and his eyebrows are tightly locked all day long.

"Grandfather drinks tea."

Duanmufei was very obedient and personally poured tea for Duanmu Xian, and also served the tea to him diligently, so that Duanmu Xian was very useful, and felt that his four girls were really getting more and more well-behaved and sensible.

Duanmu Fei obediently served another cup of tea to Duanmu Heng beside him, "Big brother drink tea." ”

Duanmu Heng took the teacup and slowly stroked the tea leaves from the tea soup with the tea lid, but he thought in his heart: It would be good if the fourth sister went to the boudoir to study and go to class.

Duanmu Fei was numb by his scalp, silently looked away, and made himself tea with his hands and feet.

The sound of pouring tea echoed in the silent room.

Duanmu Heng took a shallow sip of tea, put down the teacup in his hand, and his eyes stayed for a moment on the ups and downs of the tea leaves in the turquoise tea soup, and said with emotion: "The books are Lang Lang Qiankun, praise Xuanlong and prosperous, it seems to be full of flowers, but it is precarious. ”

Duanmu Heng looked at Duanmu Xian seriously, with a solemn expression.

These days, he followed Duanmuxian to listen to some court affairs every day, and compared with what he heard in the Guozijian on weekdays, he gradually felt that he really "didn't listen to things outside the window" before.

Duanmu Xian stroked his beard and looked at the eldest grandson with a satisfied look in his eyes. The children can be taught. Although the eldest grandson is not as stunning as the four girls, he can open up with just a little dial, which is already very good.

Duanmu took a sip of the tea he had just brewed with satisfaction, and the corners of his mouth curled.

After she put down the teacup, she proposed with a smile: "Grandfather, has there been a shortage of manpower in the Lifan Academy recently, why don't you let the eldest brother go to the Lifan Yuan for a few days?" ”

Duanmu Xian moved his eyebrows, his shrewd eyes lit up, and he was also a little moved.

The idea of the four girls is very good, but there are so many eyes in the court......

"If you just let your eldest brother go alone, it will be too eye-catching......" Duanmu Xian's right hand clenched into a fist and knocked twice casually on the case.

Duanmu Fei smiled even sweeter, she had already thought of this, and immediately said lightly: "Grandfather, then let the students of Guozijian help?" ”

She winked cutely, "Wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone if you earn some money for those students from poor families?" ”

It's not like killing two birds with one stone. Duanmu Xian's eyes brightened, and he stroked his palms and said, "This is a good idea." ”

In this way, not only can you openly let the eldest grandson go to the Lifan Academy to open his eyes, but he can also leave a good name among the students.

Sure enough, it's still the smartest of the four girls in his own house!

"Brother Heng, what do you think?" Duanmu Xian's gaze looked from Duanmu Fei to Duanmu Heng and asked.

Duanmu Heng stood up and solemnly said to Duanmu Xianzuo: "Grandson can't ask for it. ”

Duanmuxian looked at the solemn face of the eldest grandson, and sighed in his heart: Brother Heng, he is too upright, and it is time for him to see the officialdom, lest he be like a delicate flower in the conservatory, and he can't stand a little wind and rain.

It is rigid and easy to break, and the good is like water.

After Duanmuxian made up his mind, he said he would do it, and the next day he had an excerpt, which did not make too many waves in the court, and the emperor also felt that this idea was good, so he immediately approved it.

When the news reached Guozijian, it was like a stone stirring up a thousand waves, and a group of students in Guozijian talked about it and expressed their opinions, and within half a day, the students were divided into three factions.

Not all of the prisoners of the Guozijian were willing to go to the Lifan Yuan to help, and some of the children of the official eunuch families felt that it was really embarrassing to go to the Lifan Yuan to greet those tribes;

Some students feel that instead of being distracted by these things, it is better to spend their thoughts and time on studying, and it is a serious thing to get into the exam as soon as possible.

Anyway, everything is consciously voluntary.

Guozijian directly set up a desk behind the gate, laid out paper, set up pen and ink, and those who wanted to go left their names on the paper.

End, wood, hon.

The wolf pen left three words on a piece of silk paper unhurriedly, the standard willow body was evenly balanced, thin and hard, the bones were strong, and the rigor was as rigorous as Duanmu Heng.

After Duanmu Heng wrote his name, he then put the wolf pen on the pen rest, and then stepped back.

A gray-clothed student in the back immediately walked to the desk and wrote his name with a pen. The gray clothes on his body were slightly white, obviously from a poor family.

There were twenty or thirty students around the desk, all of them were looking in the direction of the desk, talking to each other, some seemed to be hesitant, some were impatient, and some were disapproving......

"Brother Duanmu," a student in Tsing Yi walked over, patted Duanmu Heng's shoulder, and said puzzledly, "I remember you said that you will take the township test next year, and there will be more than half a year left......

"yes, yes." Another blue-clothed student echoed in a loud voice, "Brother Duanmu, don't blame the little brother for talking too much. The imperial examination is important. Going to the Imperial Court sounds like helping, but in fact, it's just the work of a small official. He said it implicitly, and he felt that Duanmu Heng was so afraid that he was putting the cart before the horse.

The other three or four sons also felt the same way and nodded frequently.

At this time, Tao Zihuai, who was wearing a blue brocade robe, walked quickly through a verandah and walked towards the direction of the gate, he was going to go out directly, but when he saw Duanmu Heng, he couldn't help but stop, and looked at Duanmu Heng not far away.

For the people of the Duanmu family, Tao Zihuai's feelings are very complicated.

He agrees with Duanmu Heng's talent, and he is afraid that only Duanmu Heng can compete with him in this national prison and compete for the position of Xie Yuan in the coming year.

Also, Duanmu Heng's cousin is indeed a talented person, but unfortunately there is no talent......

The fourth girl of Duanmu obviously got Yongsuti, but she didn't want to go to women's school, and her sister couldn't get into school. In the final analysis, it's just because the Duanmu family is the first auxiliary family.

Shoufujia, that's right! Tao Zihuai's heart suddenly moved, and his eyes looked at the silk paper on the desk again.

said that this time the matter of going to the Li Fan Yuan to help came suddenly, and as soon as the will was made, Duanmu Heng immediately signed up, is there any hidden meaning in it?

Duanmu Heng is the eldest grandson of the Duanmu family, and he was admitted to Xiucai at a young age, so it is conceivable that Duanmu Heng will step into officialdom sooner or later. It stands to reason that he doesn't have to go to the Lifan Academy to do things at this time...... Unless, is Duanmu Xian using the convenience of the first assistant to deliberately pave the way for Duanmu Heng's future?

Tao Zihuai squinted, his gaze was slightly condensed, and he heard Duanmu Heng's voice in front of him: "Thank you Brother Wang and Brother Cheng for your care." My grandfather recently hired a new gentleman for me, and I am not afraid of delaying my homework. If several brothers plan to go together, they should also be careful not to take care of one or the other. ”

A few other students listened or were noncommittal, or they were moved, maybe it would be good to go through the experience.

"Brother Duanmu is right," the Tsing Yi student nodded, "I'll go home today to discuss this matter with my father and make a decision." ”

While talking, Duanmu Heng and a few classmates who knew each other well walked towards the gate, and their voices were quickly blown away by the cold wind around them.

This Duanmu Heng pretends to be pretended! Tao Zihuai looked at Duanmu Heng's back as he walked away, and his eyes showed a look of mockery.

The other students around the area were discussing more and more enthusiastically, and when it came to the Lifan Yuan, they inevitably mentioned those tribes who had entered Beijing to congratulate them, and how unprecedented the upcoming palace banquet would be......

Tao Zihuai continued to walk forward, his chaotic eyes gradually settled down, and his heart was like a mirror.

Yes, this time all ethnic groups came to Beijing to congratulate, and the emperor also attached great importance to this matter, if Duanmu Heng performed well in the Li Fan Academy, he would have the opportunity to show his face in front of the emperor, so it would be very beneficial to wait for the future to be admitted to the Jinshi and embark on a career in office.

Thinking of this, Tao Zi's eyes were shining, and he also walked towards the desk, followed behind a brown-clothed student, and also left his name.

The other inmates around didn't expect that even Tao Zihuai, who has always attached importance to degrees, signed up, and couldn't help but be surprised, and more students moved and whispered to each other.

Tao Zihuai didn't care what the others thought, after he wrote his name, he left the Guozijian in a hurry, leaving only the back of everyone looking at him with speculative or contemplative or questioning eyes.

After leaving the Guozi Prison, Tao Zihuai took the horse brought by the little servant, immediately turned over and got on the horse, and with a flick of the horsewhip, he rode the horse towards Duanmuheng's side.

The white snowflakes are still falling one after another, like the petals of countless pear blossoms fluttering down from the sky, the weather is still cold, but today's snow is much smaller than a few days ago, and there are more people traveling on the streets, all of them are shrinking their necks and moving forward against the cold wind.

"Gotta ......"

"Brother Duanmu, stay here!" Tao Zihuai rode his horse to catch up with Duanmu Heng and was parallel to him.

Duanmu Heng pulled the horse rope, slowed down the horse's speed, hugged his fist at Tao Zi, and said, "I don't know what Brother Tao has to say?" ”

Tao Zihuai also slowed down the horse's speed, and the horse paced forward leisurely, and said with a smile: "I want to ask Brother Duanmu for advice." After a pause, Tao Zihuai said, "I also signed up, and I plan to go to the Lifan Academy this time to 'experience and practice'." ”

He deliberately increased the volume of the word "experience", and his tone was meaningful, but also vaguely provocative.

"Brother Tao, then we will work hard for each other." Duanmu Heng smiled politely, his expression open-minded and bright.

He knew that this was the opportunity that his grandfather and his fourth sister had planned for him, and he couldn't waste it.

Grandfather said that he is only 16 years old this year, and it doesn't matter if he is selected in the township examination next year, he is still young, but this opportunity is rare but not sought.

This opportunity is not only for himself, but also for all the prisoners of Guozijian, so Duanmu Heng doesn't care whether Tao Zihuai signs up or not.

However, Duanmu Heng's smile was forced to smile in Tao Zihuai's eyes.

"Brother Duanmu," Tao Zihuai was proud in his heart, the smile in his eyes became thicker, and he continued casually, "This time the hundred clans are congratulating, and the momentum is huge, but it can raise my great national prestige, which is really fast!" ”

"We prisoners are protégés of the Son of Heaven, and it is really an honor for us to participate in such a grand event."

"What does Brother Duanmu think?"

Hearing this, Duanmu Heng subconsciously pulled the horse rope again, and the white horse under his crotch walked more slowly, and suddenly fell behind Tao Zihuai by half a horse.

For more than two months, Duanmu Heng has been listening to his grandfather and fourth sister discussing political affairs almost every day, and naturally he has heard a lot about the government affairs.

From the court to the people, they all talk about the prosperity of Xuanlong, but they don't know that the treasury is empty, and disasters in various places have been disasters year after year, such as the drought in Xiangzhou this year, and the grain production has been greatly reduced. For example, since the new king ascended the throne, the situation in Northern Yan has been unclear; For example, because of the proximity of Shuzhou to Dianzhou, some homeless people fled to Shuzhou from time to time, causing the exiles to be troubled; Another example is that Beijing, Jizhou and Liaozhou were hit by snowstorms again this winter......

In order to congratulate the surrounding tribes in Beijing this time, the emperor first repaired the Qianya Garden with a large amount of money, and then asked people to build more post stations along the way for these tribes to settle on the way to Beijing.

Duanmu pursed his thin lips and was silent.

Tao Zihuai keenly felt that Duanmu Heng's expression was a little wrong, and asked: "Why didn't Brother Duanmu say anything, could it be that Brother Duanmu felt that the emperor's move was inappropriate?" ”

Duanmu Heng frowned slightly, and his eyes were deep.

Even if he is not familiar with human feelings, he will not be stupid enough to say that the emperor acted inappropriately.

He smiled again and said lightly: "Brother Tao, you and I are just students, and we are not yet at the point of vainly talking about the holy will." ”

Duanmu Heng's words were neither light nor serious, and he didn't seem to have any intention of reprimanding.

Tao Zihuai listened but his face froze, and he only felt that Duanmu Heng was reprimanding himself for being frivolous and arguing about the government.

End ......

Tao Zihuai wanted to say something more, but he heard a shout from behind: "Second young master!" ”

Tao Zihuai pulled the horse rope, stopped the horse, turned around to look, and saw that four or five zhang away, a green canopy carriage was coming this way, and the person who called Tao Zihuai just now was this groom.

The curtain on the side of the carriage was lifted from the inside by a fair-skinned plain hand, revealing half a gentle face, which was none other than Miss Tao San.

Duanmu Heng also saw the third girl Tao, arched his hand and said, "Brother Tao, I'll leave first." ”

When my sister came, Tao Zihuai couldn't argue with Duanmu Heng anymore, so he also arched his hand.

Duanmu Heng continued to gallop forward, Tao Zihuai stayed in place, and after a while, the Tao family's carriage came to him.

"Second brother, I almost missed it with you, but fortunately I caught up." The third girl Tao smiled at Tao Zihuai.

Tao Zihuai pursed his thin lips, as soon as he saw his sister, he knew that she had come to the women's school to intercede with the Qi family today, and it was the third day today.

Tao Zihuai was full of emotion in his heart, but his face was silent, and he gently comforted the third girl Tao and said: "Third sister, don't worry, take your time, dripping water through stones, everyone will definitely be moved by your persistence." ”

Miss Tao San said "um", and her eyes subconsciously glanced in the direction where Duanmu Heng left.

She still remembers Duanmu Heng.

In the past, she often heard her second brother mention Duanmu Heng at home, and said that there were two people who were equivalent to him in Guozijian, one of whom was Duanmu Heng, and later heard that Duanmu Heng won the first case in the college examination this autumn. At that time, she was a little curious about the son of the Shoufu family......

It wasn't until early last month that she was lucky enough to meet Duanmu Heng once when she was taking the women's school exam.

The third girl Tao looked at Duanmu Heng's distant back, her slender eyelashes jumped twice, and her eyes flashed.

Sure enough, there are ancestors and grandchildren.

I heard that Duanmu Shoufu was also a young man who was in the limelight.

"Second brother," Tao San Girl retracted her gaze and said, "Don't worry, I won't give up." ”

Tao Zihuai smiled with relief, the children of their Tao family are not weak.

"Second brother, why are you with Duanmu Gongzi?" The third girl Tao deliberately glanced in the direction where Duanmu Heng left, and asked casually.

Tao Zihuai did not shy away from his sister, so he said that he signed up to go to the Lifan Academy to practice, and even said his speculation, "...... Third sister, this may be an opportunity. ”

The third girl Tao slowly rolled the silk handkerchief in her hand with her slender fingers, and said with a smile on her face: "With your talent, second brother, as long as you have the opportunity, you will definitely be able to stand out." ”

"Sister Ji Yan." Tao Zihuai smiled confidently, "There will definitely not be many students who sign up for Guozijian this time, as long as I perform well, I will definitely be able to show my face." ”

As Tao Zihuai expected, there were indeed not many people who signed up for Guozijian, including Duanmu Heng and Tao Zihuai, there were only ten people in total, four of whom were students from poor families.

The prisoners were given a month's leave, and the six of them went to the Imperial Court together under the guidance of a gentleman.

Duanmu Heng, who has always only focused on reading, is still the first time to contact these political affairs, and he can't get started for a while, plus after he returns home at night, he has to follow his husband to study and make up for his homework, he has become even busier, twelve hours a day are full, and he can't sleep for three hours a day.

Not only was Duanmu Heng so busy that he couldn't stop like a spinning top, but Duanmu Xian was also busy.

Duanmu Fei naturally saw it in her eyes, but she felt that she was actually busier, and she had to embroider the purse before Feng Yan came back.

At the beginning, because of her weak heart, she deliberately drew a good-looking and delicate embroidery sample to make up for Feng Yan, but good-looking and delicate means that it is difficult to embroider, and she is very busy, and it will be December in the blink of an eye.

It is said that Feng Yan and Wen Wuchen will return to Beijing before the latest year, and Duanmufei can only hurry up and live with embroidered hands every day.

The round embroidered hands were tight, and the taut purple cloth was embroidered with a little black starling and a little white fox, the little starling stopped on a crooked bamboo branch, biting a fruit in his mouth, and looked down vigilantly at the little fox on the lower right, the little fox licked its paws lazily, and the ice blue eyes seemed to be squinting at the little starling, and seemed to be sleepy-eyed.

Starling and fox is not difficult to embroider, but Duanmu Scarlet is asking for trouble, in order to embroider the little fox more vividly, she chose more than a dozen kinds of white embroidery thread, fine white, snow white, frost color, silk color, moon white......

It took nearly 20 kinds of stitching to show the hair on the little fox's body one by one, and the transition between various whites was extremely natural, and the fluffy white hair seemed to be clear, soft and palpable, making people feel lifelike.

After embroidering the little fox, Duanmu Fei already regretted it, but half of this pattern was embroidered, and it was already ready to fly, if she was lazy at this time and used a few black threads, the embroidered little starling would look nondescript.

Duanmu Fei had to prepare more than a dozen kinds of black lines, crow blue, ink, dark, pitch black, and dai color...... Embroidered the little starling's black feathers one by one, using the contrast of light and shadow, light and dark, to make the little starling's black feathers on the fabric oily and shining.

After Duanmu embroidered the little starling's golden eyes, he cut the embroidery thread, then raised his head in relief and moved his slightly stiff neck.

Finally embroidered, embroidered the pattern is equivalent to the purse is completed seventy or eighty, and then she only needs to sew the purse up, it will not take a few hours.

Duanmu Fei only felt that it was like the morning light had opened the night in front of him, and there was finally a glimmer of light ahead, and he was in a very happy mood.

As soon as she raised her head, she met two pairs of burning eyes, one ice blue and one gold, and the little fox and the little starling were squatting on the square table beside her, staring at her without blinking, or rather, the embroidered hand bandage in her hand.

"Quack!" The little starling jumped briskly on the square table, his head stretched towards his hand, and he seemed to be quite satisfied with the finished product.

The little fox and the little starling have never gotten along, but since the two of them found out that Duanmu Fei was embroidering them, they have become interested in this embroidery pattern together.

Under this huge pressure, Duanmu Fei didn't dare to slack off at all, and every time he met the little starling's eyes, he felt that he was warning himself not to embroider it worse than the dumplings.

Looking at the little starling and the little fox's fierce looks, Bi Chan and Green Pothos felt very funny, and secretly exchanged a look, one of the two maids helped Duanmu Fei look at the embroidered hands, and the other re-served hot tea for Duanmu Fei.

"Girl, your purse is so well embroidered, it's ......," Bi Chan praised with a smile, racking her brains to think of words, "It's simply ingenious." The slaves and maids were stunned. ”

Duanmu Fei doesn't like to be a female celebrity on weekdays, and the clothes made for Feng Yan last time were only embroidered with a few bamboo leaves.

Duanmu Fei eagerly picked up the teacup, and after the mellow hot tea entered his stomach, he felt that the fatigue in his body was swept away, just like the flowers and trees that lacked water came back to life after being watered.

"Do you want me to teach you?" Duanmu Fei said casually.

"......" Bi Chan's body stiffened, and she smirked, there were nearly twenty kinds of embroidery threads in this white alone, and she felt dazzled when she looked at it on the side, so don't look for guilt.

Bi Cicada said that the slave was stupid, and she was so frightened that she ran away.

Green Pothos couldn't help but hook her lips, pinched her stiff shoulders for Duanmufei, and proposed distressedly: "Girl, why don't you let the slave help you sew the purse?" ”

Duanmu Fei shook her head, how dare she, she originally planned to make a complete set of robes, middle clothes, cloaks, shoes and socks for Feng Yan, but now she hasn't done anything else, even the contact is lazy and didn't fight, only made this one purse, if she is lazy again, if Feng Yan knows, won't she be unable to eat and leave?

Just thinking about it like this, Duanmu Fei felt a chill on the back of his neck.

After Duanmu Fei drank half a cup of tea, he continued to work again under the urging of the little starling "quack".

The small study was quiet, and only she was left, as well as a fox and a bird.

It couldn't be easier to sew a purse, that is, to add an inner lining, install a drawstring, and then sew it up, she doesn't know how many times she has done it since she was a child, but after an hour of effort, an oval, palm-sized purse was sewn.

Finally, after putting the sachet made in the Ningjiang Palace last time into the purse, Duanmufei was completely relieved.

Done!

Duanmu smulet looked at the purse over and over again, and gently rubbed the little fox and the little starling on the purse with his fingers, the more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became, and said in his heart: Well, it's good that she didn't perfunctory this time.

"Knock knock."

There was a sudden knocking sound on the window embedded in the glass, and Duanmu Fei subconsciously turned his head to look, and saw a young man in a blue lotus-colored brocade robe standing outside the window.

His handsome face was clearly visible through the transparent glass, and his beautiful phoenix eyes were as bright as cold stars against the background of the snow around him.

The two were less than a foot apart.

------Off topic------

I went to work today...... Tearful.