Looking at the girl's delicate and moving face, Zhu Xizhou's somewhat chaotic mind slowly surfaced a lot of thoughts.

After entering Beijing this time, even if he didn't want to admit it, he really saw many things that he hadn't seen clearly before.

In the past, the Zhu family was a well-known scholarly family in Suzhou, and his grandfather and deceased father were highly respected by Jiangnan literati. His young husbands were all well-known scribes.

He once felt that even when he arrived in the capital, with the fame of the Zhu family, it must be a very simple matter to get to know those great Confucians or Chinese officials of the dynasty.

But he was wrong.

He slowly discovered that among those who were willing to see him, even if out of the humility of the literati, he did not show any contempt for him, but he could also perceive it—it was only on the face of the Dingguo Mansion.

How the Zhu family in Suzhou is, they don't seem to care at all, let alone really look at it.

In the realm of the capital, the so-called scholarly door seems to be just a flashy coat, if there is no strength as a support, it is almost a fool's dream to really integrate into those circles of intricate interests.

And the Zhu family has not been a jinshi for three generations......

There is a great Confucian who likes him very much and gives him a lot of advice in the article.

But once, he happened to hear the conversation between the great Confucian and Dingguo Gong, it turned out that the other party mistook him for the grandson-in-law candidate that Dingguo Gong was looking for for Xu Er's girl.

Since then, he has visited the other party again, and although the attitude of the other party has not changed, he can still perceive many subtle changes.

He has experienced too many things like this, and one by one has become a thorn in his heart.

And tomorrow his grandfather will leave, he will be alone in the capital in the future, if there is no grandfather to plan for him, he is afraid that many things will become difficult.

Although the Dingguo Mansion can be called benevolent and righteous, he is just an insignificant outsider after all......

is the second son of Xu, who doesn't seem to be as enthusiastic about him as before recently.

Looking at the girl in front of him again, Zhu Xizhou's eyes couldn't help but change.

Today's things are not his calculations.

The door had been locked from the outside, and he was so weak that even if he wanted to get out, there was nothing he could do.

After he goes out, he will truthfully explain everything to the Dingguo Mansion, and he will never say anything to tarnish the reputation of Miss Xu's second girl-

Forced by the situation, there was only so much he could do.

The slightly heavy aroma of the incense burner was sucked into the mouth, and the feeling of powerlessness hit again.

Zhu Xizhou's hand was slightly loose, and the porcelain vase rolled down to the bed.

……

Outside the hall where the birthday banquet was held, occasional guests began to leave their seats and leave.

More guests were still talking in the hall, after all, the people who came to the banquet tonight were either powerful or noble, and it was a good opportunity to make friends with each other.

Under the verandah of the hall, Xie Qian frowned after listening to Aunt Lian's words, "Can't find anyone?" ”

Aunt Lian nodded anxiously: "Yes, the maid has searched for many places, but she can't see the girl...... I only came to ask Lord Xie. ”

After all, the 'strangeness' that the girl revealed tonight was obviously related to Master Xie, so she wondered if the girl would come to Lord Xie alone again.

"She never saw me again." Xie Qian immediately said: "Take me to the last place where she stayed." ”

Aunt Lian nodded hurriedly.

The two of them walked together into the garden.

"This is the gazebo...... The girl didn't want to go back, saying she wanted to be alone. In the past, the girl would occasionally come to the garden for a walk alone, and I thought that I would come back and forth from the garden, and I would walk as fast as I could, and it would only take half an hour to go about the left and right......

Xie Qian cut her off: "Does she have a favorite place in this garden?" ”

"There are a few places where girls like to go, but they have all been searched, but no one is found." Aunt Lian said a little anxiously: "The girl doesn't have a lantern in her hand......"

She wouldn't have been so worried during the day, and the girl's mood was so unquiet tonight.

Seeing that Xie Qian didn't speak for a while, only looked around, Aunt Lian said, "Lord Xie, why don't you call some people to come over and help find it?" ”

Although Lord Xie is not in the house, maybe because of the girl, she unconsciously trusts the other party very much, and at this time she has regarded the other party as the backbone.

Xie Qian nodded: "I have to call someone to find it, and the more people, the more people-"

In any case, it is most important to find the person first.

The more the merrier......

Aunt Lian hesitated and said, "But in this case, I'm afraid I will alarm the guests in the house...... It may be detrimental to the girl's reputation. ”

Xie Qianxian had already taken this into account, and said at this time: "First inform the Duchess and the prince of the country about this matter, and let the prince come forward to explain to the guests that there are thieves who want to steal property on the occasion of the birthday of the prince of Dingguo, and now the mansion is searching - in order not to disturb the guests, let them all gather in the front hall first, or send them out of the house according to their wishes." ”

Aunt Lian pondered as she listened.

Now that the banquet is about to disperse, this will not discourage the fun, and it will save the guests from walking around the house after leaving the table......

"Master Xie is thoughtful...... The servant went to find the son. ”

Aunt Lian hurriedly bowed to Xie Qian, and then left quickly.

Xie Qian stood where he was, his gaze slowly moving around.

Not far away, the Crane Tower is brightly lit and stands quietly in the night.

At that moment, there was a sound of footsteps and the sound of young men talking.

Xie Qian walked over, only to see that it was Xu Yongning and his party.

"Lord Xie is also coming for a walk in the garden?" Xu Yongning asked with a smile.

Xie Qian looked noncommittally at the group of children who greeted him and asked, "Why don't you see Zhu Gongzi?" ”

"Brother Zhu Xian...... He didn't come along. Xu Yongning said: "Is there something wrong with Lord Xie looking for him?" ”

Xie Qian's hand behind him moved, shook his head, and said, "Just ask casually." I just heard that there are thieves in the house, and I haven't been able to catch anyone yet, so it's better for you to go back to the front hall first, so as not to encounter the thieves and be disturbed again. ”

"Thieves?!"

Everyone was surprised.

This thief is so bold that he even dares to steal from the Dingguo Mansion?

But after thinking about it, I probably wanted to take advantage of Dingguogong's birthday, there were many guests in and out, and I took the opportunity to touch some benefits.

After all, it's the end of the year, and the thief will also celebrate the New Year.

However, young people are bold, but they are just small thieves, and there is nothing to be afraid of them excessively.

Someone didn't care much and proposed, "Then let's go to the crane tower for a while, shall we?" ”

It's a little cold after staying outside for a long time, and it's good to go to the warm pavilion to have a cup of tea to warm up, and maybe you can take a look at the excitement of catching thieves by the way.

Xu Yongning was about to nod, only to hear Xie Qian speak in front.