At the Bianhe Wharf in the autumn of the 11th year of Zhongxing, a master and servant dressed in men's clothes walked down from the boat with a cage on his back.

The Bianjing city in front of you is the capital of Great Chu. The autumn breeze is blowing, the sky is like washing, thousands of miles are blue, a round of red sun flashes out, the golden light is everywhere, a brilliant and gorgeous, flowery Bianjing City, which is very different from the time when it was still the capital.

The Hulong River has changed, the green waves are shining, teasing the reflection of the willows on both sides; The Bianhe, Caihe, Wuzhang River, and Jinshui River woke up, and the boatmen's horns agitated the white sails one after another;

The royal street in front of Xuande Gate is boiling, this street from Xuande Gate to Nanxun Gate is ten miles long and 220 steps wide, which is not only the only way for the emperor to drive, the Lu book to enter and exit, and the envoys of all countries to see it, but also a symbol of the prosperity and strength of the Great Chu Dynasty. On both sides of Yujie Avenue, there are two ribbon-shaped rivers with a width of five zhang, and the jade banks are shining. The lotus in the water, the green in spring, and the intoxicating fragrance of flowers in summer and autumn. On both sides of the ribbon river, peach, pear, plum, apricot, cinnamon are planted, and in the early autumn of sunset, the dark fragrance is full.

On both sides of the royal street, the flow of people is like a tide, and all kinds of people are competing for magical powers. Businessmen trade to make money, lovers fall in love, dignitaries take JI to spring, literati enjoy flowers and look for poetry, post houses hold signs to attract customers, restaurants buy wine and buy fame, geisha make love and sell voices, prodigal sons hang out, spy on the wind, princes look for flowers and ask willows, and inkmen sell paintings to make a living. On the river, the light boat is rippling, and the sound of the piano is lingering; On the banks of the river, the crowd is bustling and noisy.

Xianyun looked at the prosperity in front of him, and couldn't help but worry: "Miss, it's been two months since we came out." Let's go back almost, otherwise we will delay for a while, and I am afraid that it will not be enough to entangle on the way back. ”

Bing Lan didn't answer, pointed to the pavilion not far away, the prayer flags swaggering in the wind, and said happily: "Look! That's Fan Lou! The best restaurant in Bianjing, I'll take you to a good meal!"

"Miss, let's go home and eat outside the building." Xianyun grabbed her and said.

"No! Now that I'm going home, what should I do if my father forces me to marry any more Qi Gongzi?" After Bing Lan finished speaking, he walked straight in the direction of the Fan Tower. At this time, a well-dressed young man in the crowd stood in front of her like a moving wall, she went to the left, he went to the left, she went to the right, he also went to the right.

Bing Lan asked angrily, "Brother Tai, what's wrong?" ”

"Meng Huo, take a closer look at who I am?" The boy said.

Bing Lan was shocked, this person knew that not only his surname was Huo, but also his eldest daughter. So I looked at his eyebrows and eyes carefully, and he was quite similar to his father, this cynical appearance should not be his cousin, Wei Xuandong, the king of Xiaoliang. Xuan Dong is the younger brother of His Majesty and the son of the Queen Mother. But the Queen Mother remembered that the late King Liang had no children, so she let Xuan Dong inherit the heir of King Liang.

The young man looked at the two little girls with heavy bags in front of him and said, "I'm your brother, Xuandong!" Thinking of the two of them coming from Lin'an, which is more than 10,000 miles away from here, he couldn't help but be surprised: "You came from the waterway, didn't you meet bad people?" ”

"Nope! No...... Brother Dong, I still have something to do, so I'll leave first. Bing Lan was embarrassed and perfunctory, pulling Xianyun to leave.

"Don't you want to slip!" After the young man finished speaking, a chariot had already arrived, and then surrounded the two little girls.

In the carriage, Xian Yun glanced out the window and said softly: "We thought we had run out secretly, but the master had already known our whereabouts, otherwise how would the palace know that we were in Bianliang." ”

Xuan Dong's voice came from outside the car: "The girl is smart!" If I hadn't known your whereabouts in the morning, I would have caught you in one fell swoop. Hahaha......"

Bing Lan opened the curtain of the carriage, saw Xuan Dong riding on a horse, looking proud, snorted lightly, and put down the curtain and said no more.

When the carriage and horse entered the palace, a soft sedan chair came to pick them up, carried Bing Lan, and went to Jianzhang Palace. Along the way, the deer in the ice blue heart collided. She thought that her father must have told her aunt all the causes and consequences of her running away from home in the letter. My aunt will definitely persuade me to give priority to the heirs of the Huo family, and then send me home. But I don't want to marry someone I don't know.

After walking for two pillars of incense, the sedan chair stopped, and Xianyun helped her off the sedan chair, and there were palace people to guide the way. After bathing, Bing Lan changed into a light blue palace dress with silver pear blossoms under the service of Xianyun, and her hair was combed into a simple snail bun, and her black cloud temples were matched with a light yellow silk flower, which looked delicate and cute.

"Miss, I've entered the palace anyway. With some good first two, it seems that we respect. "Xianyun Road.

"Hmm. It's good. But I entered the palace this time to escape marriage and was caught, so don't be too high-profile, so as not to make Adon's kid laugh. "Ice Blue Road.

"Then the white hosta?"

"Good!"

After dressing up, the palace people brought Bing Lan to the main hall to meet the Queen Mother, and saw that the Queen Mother was dressed very elegantly. However, the concubine-colored silk gown and brown lower skirt are decorated with a little phoenix pattern on the neckline. The gray hair is tied into an ingot, and the hair is tied up with a fair-skinned jade phoenix, and there are no other accessories, although the skin is loose and the eyes are tired, they are still noble and graceful.

The neat queue of palace people and the heavy threshold curtains made Bing Lan can't help but restrain her temperament, and she saluted cautiously: "Concubine Menghuo to see the Queen Mother, may you be blessed and safe." ”

The Queen Mother said gently and elegantly as she did back then: "Child, come here." With that, he moved his body a little, leaving room for a person.

Hearing this, Bing Lan sat beside the Queen Mother obediently.

The Queen Mother looked at the girl in front of her, her jet-black hair, silky skin, and the embroidery of silver threads shining lightly in the light blue phantom veil. Just as young and beautiful as her face. I feel that time flies, and when I was young, I was like the girl in front of me, hiding the rebellion in my heart under the dignified demeanor, like a flame under the iceberg, and when I had the opportunity, I would explode enthusiastically.

Bing Lan cautiously called, "Auntie."

"Is your father and mother well?" The Queen Mother asked.

"They're in good health." Bing Lan replied obediently.

The Queen Mother asked Binglan a lot of words, such as the customs of Lin'an, and then to the details, how is the popular clothing in Lin'an? chatted about tea, incense, painting, and flower arrangement, but never asked about escaping from marriage or mentioning her father's plan to recruit a son-in-law for her. Bing Lan also pretended to answer calmly, but her heart was uneasy. However, the queen mother's spring breeze and rain gradually reduced the tension in Binglan's heart, and she gradually revealed her original temperament, but after a while, even she forgot her previous embarrassment, and when she said it, she told a lot of anecdotes outside the palace, which caused the queen mother and the palace people to laugh.

It was between talking and laughing that Wanqing came, and His Majesty came. The palace people around him suddenly bowed down and saluted, and in a trance, Xuan Dong followed a young man into the hall, he was dressed in a light blue straight coat, and his wide sleeved robe walked with a breeze. The only thing on his body that symbolized his identity was the white jade dragon crown on his head. Handsome and exuding a heroic aura between his eyebrows, he looks like two people like the naughty and childish Xuan Nan before.

Xuan Dong pointed to Bing Lan, who was saluting on the side, and said happily: "Brother Huang, who do you see is here?" ”

Xuan Nan's gaze stayed on the hosta on the woman's bun in front of him for a moment and said, "It's Meng Huo, right?" Coming from afar, there is no need to be polite. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ice blue flat body.

Later, it was the banquet prepared by the Queen Mother to welcome her into the palace. In the warm pavilion, a large round table is equipped with six chairs, and there are two more chairs, and there are dishes and chopsticks on the table, as if no one has arrived. Xuan Nan pointed to the two extra seats and asked, "Who else?"

"And Aunt Roujia and Cousin Zhonglin." Xuandong Road.

Xuan Nan nodded, sat down and continued to eat tea. Then time seemed to stand still, and after changing two teas, there was a message from the yellow door outside: "Princess Roujia, the Duke of Chongde has arrived-"

A richly dressed lady walked in, her face graceful and the jewels on her wig tinkling. As soon as he entered the door, he greeted him elegantly, and said in a voice like a silver bell: "Concubine to meet Your Majesty, to meet the Queen Mother."

Then Xuan Dong and Bing Lan also saluted again.

The ice blue heart said, the elder lord of Roujia was as radiant as he was back then. She wears a dark green peony and begonia palace dress. The pink peony and snow-like begonia seem to bloom quietly under the moonlight, lifelike, as if the petals can fall off with a light breath. With a set of emerald cranes on his head and wearing auspicious clouds, it is even more luxurious.

With the elder lord of Roujia walked in, he was a suffocatingly beautiful young man, and he was more polite and polite than Xuandong Xuannan. When Bing Lan saw him, he stood for a long time, wasn't he the son on the streets of Lin'an that day. When I saw him for the first time, the clouds stood lightly in the Danqing Pavilion, only warm as jade, and the eight characters of the handsome son were described.

The young man said: "Minister Song Chu greets Your Majesty and the Queen Mother."

It turns out that he is Song Chu? It turned out that I had seen it when I was a child, and when I was a child, I only thought that he had a black face, a little wooden. I haven't seen him for more than ten years, and he looks like his mother, white and clean, and he is a beautiful boy.

Xuan Nan looked at the two who were late, with a little disdain in his eyes, and twisted a fruit in his hand to play with, and asked slowly, "Why is my cousin delayed?"

Song Chu heard that Emperor Xuan Nan did not tell him to flatten his body, so he had to salute his two hands in the air, and his whole body froze there like a full bow, and he was at a loss.

The Queen Mother frowned slightly and said, "Your Majesty, your sister came from afar and hasn't eaten all day." After that, he took Binglan's hand and sat down next to him, and said, "Ordinary family banquet, children sit down and eat!"

As soon as the Queen Mother sat down, everyone sat down.

The meals on this table are all Lin'an-style dishes, and they are all Binglan's favorite dishes. The Queen Mother picked up a piece of white chopped chicken and put it in an ice blue bowl for a while, and soon after that, she gave her a purse tenderloin. also said: "Lan'er, almost all the imperial chefs who came to Bianliang back then are gone. This taste is definitely not as authentic as Lin'an, you will eat some. ”

"Back to the Queen Mother, this is a matter of investigation, and it is clearly exquisite. The concubine likes it very much. Ice Blue replied.

Rou Jia looked at the queen mother's gentle smile at the girl in front of her, and said in her heart: Sure enough, she is her own niece, if my brother Chu can marry her, won't she be prosperous in the future...... Thinking of this, Rou Jia also asked in a homely manner: "Meng Huo, have you ever thought about finding a husband in the future?"

"I want to ......" Bing Lan wanted to speak and stopped, hesitated for a moment, and the light crimson color blurred on her fair cheeks, and said shyly: "I haven't thought about it yet."

"It must be a son with a prominent family background and good looks to be worthy of Meng Huo. My sister-in-law is really blessed to have such a fairy-like niece. Lord Roujia said.

The Queen Mother looked at her slim, delicate and lovely niece, smiled, and said humbly: "She is still young, and she has been separated from the mourning family for a long time, so let's follow the mourning family to learn to be in charge of the family in the palace middle school first." ”

Binglan has watched her parents be harmonious and loving since she was a child, even if her mother has no son, her father does not take concubines. It doesn't matter if you don't care about anything else, just treat yourself wholeheartedly. Then she and her husband will have a few smart and lovely children. When the children grow up, she and her husband will join hands for the rest of their lives. If the sister of the boudoir asked, she would have said so. Now that the two elders are here, and there are outsiders, such deviant words are out of place.

"Eh...... The concubine suddenly remembered that Meng Huo only played the best with Zhong Lin. Roujia said with interest.

"Auntie, I always pulled Meng Huo to catch crickets at that time. How could Meng Huodu have the best time with his cousin, and me! Xuan Dong said, and everyone laughed.

Xuan Nan looked at the flattering Rou Jia, she was already white, and she loved to apply powder, just like Qin Hui in the playbook. Thinking of this, he picked up a piece of green onion bun cypress and put it in his bowl and took a bite of it. Well, it's crispy.

"Lan'er, they are all your brothers. This is the first time we have met since the return of the capital, and if there is anything in the future, just let them contribute. The Queen Mother smiled.

Bing Lan got up and saluted: "Three brothers, my sister is so polite." ”

Mother and son are filial piety, brothers and brothers are respectful. After the happy meal, Xuan Nan asked the queen mother for good night and left on the pretext of state affairs. His gaze glanced at the eldest lord and Song Chu, and Rou Jia and Song Chu were halfway through the ceremony, leaving an arrogant back and slowly walking out of the main hall.

Xuan Dong said: "Queen Mother, aunt." I'm leaving, too. After that, after giving the ceremony, he chased after Xuan Nan.

Just when Roujia's mother and son were embarrassed, the Queen Mother said with a smile: "Sister, how about you go for a walk with me?"

"Yes. Sister-in-law. "Roujia said.

In the imperial garden, the osmanthus is fragrant, and Roujia and the Queen Mother walk side by side. Song Chu and Bing Lan followed behind the two of them.

Bing Lan secretly glanced at Song Chu, not wanting Song Chu to be looking at her. The two briefly met their eyes and smiled at each other. The night accentuated her sparkling eyes and hid her blushing cheeks. The two of them were unconsciously separated from the queen mother and the eldest lord in front of them......

The autumn night is full of stars, and the breeze still can't blow away the eagerness in Song Chu's heart, she is the quirky little girl on the beams of the house. He plucked up his courage and said, "Do you remember me? Lin'an Danqing Pavilion. ”

"I remember, but I didn't mean to lie to you." Ice Blue replied with a bowed head.

Song Chu smiled and said, "So you don't want to be a maid who is happy for the seriously ill son, so why do you want to run away?" ”

"Actually...... By the way, I haven't paid you back yet. Where is your home? I'll have someone deliver it to the house. Bing Lan said.

"I often have to go to the palace to say goodbye during the New Year's Festival. You'll give it back to me next time we meet. Song Chu said.

The eldest princess of Roujia accompanied the queen mother along the palace road slowly. She opened her mouth and said, "Sister-in-law, Meng Huo should be sixteen this year." ”

"When she arrived, you gave her a set of jewelry." The Queen Mother said with a smile.

"Zichu is twenty-one this year, which is the same age as her and has the same family background." Roujia said.

Empress Dowager Si pointed to the green plum groves on both sides of the road and said, "When the plum blossoms bloom, I will ask Wanqing to send you the plum blossom paste." Plum blossom paste on the face, warm and fragrant, excellent beauty. ”

Rou Jia smiled awkwardly and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law." It's just that I'm past the age when little girls love to dress up. Now my greatest wish is Zichu's marriage......"

"Zichu is a good boy, when he gets married, my aunt must send a congratulatory gift." The Queen Mother interrupted her.

Rou Jia was about to speak, when Song Chu and Bing Lan walked over. The Queen Mother looked kind, and said to Song Chu and Yanyue: "It's not early. The mourning family is also a little tired. On the road, I take care of your mother, she is wearing high clogs and mopping skirts today, and it is inconvenient to walk. ”

Song Chu saluted and said, "The minister obeys the order." After saying that, he supported the eldest lord to salute the queen mother and leave.

In the night, Bing Lan saw the yellow door with the lights on to guide Song Chu and the eldest lord to gradually walk away, and she also followed her aunt to walk around Shanglin Garden, but it was not the way back to Jianzhang Palace. Xindao, isn't my aunt tired, why don't you go back?

At this time, the Queen Mother took her to the bottom of the corridor and said to her: "Are you moved when you see such a beautiful young man as Zichu?"

Bing Lan was peeped into by the Queen Mother's words, afraid and ashamed, and didn't know what to answer.

The Queen Mother said slowly: "Your father chose a poor family for you, the widowed mother died of illness, and he learned well, and the title of the gold list is just around the corner." In the future, when he enters the office, the Marquis of Wuren's Mansion can also carry him one or two. Therefore, he must be obedient and polite to you in this life. Why wouldn't you? ”

"Auntie, I don't know Gongzi Qi, let alone like it, so how can I marry him." Ice Blue was categorical.

"Hmm. The reason for this is clear. However, major marriage events are all the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers. You are the daughter of Houmen, how can you do such a frivolous act as escaping marriage. The Queen Mother sighed.

"Actually, I'm not a runaway, I'm just a picker. If I run out later when I greet my relatives, more people will know, and I will also protect the face of my father and the Marquis of Wuren. Bing Lan said timidly.

Even the Queen Mother couldn't refute this, but she was not angry, and still said slowly: "Your father is just in a hurry, and wants you to give birth to a child as soon as possible to join the Huo family, and leave you the title and family property of the Marquis of Wuren." Otherwise, when he dies, the title and family property will be inherited by other men in the clan. ”

"I know how hard my parents are, but what they want to give me is not what I want. I can't just live casually for the sake of a title and a family property. Bing Lan said.

The Queen Mother said in her heart, it is indeed a child who is golden and noble, and is loved by thousands of people. If you blindly persuade again, I am afraid it will backfire. "Okay. But it is not easy to be a woman in this world, and if you don't follow a safe path, you have to bear a lot of hardship. The Queen Mother is colorful.

"Auntie, I'm not afraid. There is no one in the world who does not suffer, if you don't suffer this hardship, you have to suffer that hardship, and you always move forward with a burden. Bing Lan said.

The Queen Mother recalled the past when she was young, yes, it was indeed Binglan who said this truth.

That night, in the Chongde Mansion, the eldest lord said earnestly to the son in front of him: "I proposed to the Queen Mother, but she didn't approve of it. But as long as Meng Huo likes you, the Queen Mother and Marquis Wuren dote on her and will definitely marry her to you. Meng Huo is Wu Renhou's only daughter, if you marry her, Wu Renhou will definitely help you with all his might. This matter is related to your future, don't be delayed by those unworthy women. ”

"Mother, I'm just going to taste paintings with Zhongda. I didn't do all the filthy things in the streets. Song Chu explained.

"Don't mention the son of the king of Pingxi again, he can't afford to count his reputation in this Bianjing City. You mess with him all day long, what can you do!" The Elder Lord said.

"Zhongda is a true friend of mine. Mother, I know how to be measured. Song Chu said.

"My son, if you treat him as a friend, he may not have the intention of taking advantage of you......" said the Lord.

Song Chu was silent.

The eldest lord continued to chatter: "The most important thing for you is to study hard, and you must be in high school in this year's poem, so that my mother will have more confidence to ask Wuren Hou to propose marriage." Zhongda, wait to marry the daughter of Wu Renhou......"

Song Chu was silent, and after listening to the chattering words, he hastily said goodnight to the eldest lord and returned to his room. He thought of Meng Huo's clean, simple and beautiful face, and he knew that he really liked Meng Huo, and it had nothing to do with his family background or future.