On the night of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the emperor set up a banquet hall and invited the royal relatives and nobles to the Manchu Dynasty ministers to the banquet.

Qi Zhen Qi Yu was not invited as a courtier but as a prince, so he did not wear court clothes:

Qi Zhen was dressed in a white corrugated robe, with dark cloud sleeves, and a closer look at the white clothes were also embroidered with elegant bamboo leaf patterns, with a cyan jade-inlaid belt around his waist, and his hair was loosely tied by a fine silk satin, lined with a pure white fur collar of a fox fur coat, which made him look like black silk, gentle and elegant.

Qi Yu was dressed in a dark red robe, trimmed with gold wire, with a black belt around his waist, and a white jade bone fan decorated with rice ears hanging on the belt, a black fur coat on the outside, and his hair was tied up with mutton fat hostas to reveal a full forehead.

The two walked side by side, one black and one white, with a luxurious temperament and a refined appearance, and since they entered the palace, there have been people talking about them in a low voice.

Qi Zhen was still looking ahead and walking forward, but Qi Yu was indeed different, he looked at the beautiful women along the road looking at him shyly and timidly, the phoenix eyes raised the corners of his mouth and smiled, and he threw a flattering look at the girl without concealment,

In addition, he is an evil and amorous appearance, plain and has a light taste, and all kinds of girls on the road are blushing and twisting handkerchiefs to scold him in a low voice.

In the end, Qi Zhen was about to be broken by the big white teeth that he laughed again and again, and he couldn't bear to glared at him, and said, "Can you be more restrained, can't you hear the girls scolding you?" ”

"Fourth brother, I'm also very wronged, obviously they looked at me first, so I just laughed." Qi Yu waved his hand: "The girl in Beijing is too dignified, boring." ”

Qi Zhen sped up: "Go faster, don't attract bees and butterflies." ”

Qi Yu pursed his lips and stopped talking.

When they arrived at the banquet hall, everyone gathered together to chat, with the seats of high-ranking officials and ministers in front and the children of various families sitting together in the back.

When the people present saw him come in with the fourth prince, they all turned their heads to look at him, and in a matter of seconds, they turned around again and continued to chat with others, Qi Yuqi said, with his current identity, no one greeted him, this shouldn't be.

Qi Zhen seemed to know what he was thinking, and said in a low voice: "You have been on the frontier all the year round, and you only appeared once in the court when you first returned to Beijing, but in front of the emperor, everyone didn't dare to look up at you, so I don't know what you look like." I don't know who you are, so I can't greet you. ”

"I see, it seems that I will have to go out and walk around in the future." Qi Yu touched his chin thoughtfully.

At this moment, Qi Yu suddenly heard someone calling his name, and when he turned his head, it turned out to be Shen Feinan.

Qi Yu hurriedly sat down next to him: "Finally there is someone I know, Brother Shen, I see that you are very kind now." ”

Shen Feinan slapped off the paws on his shoulder, raised his head at Qi Zhen, who was sitting on the opposite side of the aisle, and asked, "Chang Daoyi, why did you come with the fourth prince, it seems that you are still very intimate." ”

"Is there anything wrong?"

"That's not it, it's just that I've never seen the fourth prince so close to others, just curious."

Then Shen Feinan suddenly thought of something, and moved his butt to the side: "Brother Chang, you won't be his one~"

"What?" Qi Yu took a sip of tea and asked.

"That's it, oops, you know."

Qi Yu looked at Shen Feinan's frowning and suddenly understood, a mouthful of tea choked on his throat, and he coughed for a while.

This kind of family banquet does have many officials who bring their lovers, "You can't say what I mean, right?" ”

"That's what I mean." Shen Feinan's interest came: "Isn't it?" ”

Qi Yu looked at him with a smile: "Brother Shen, I won't tell you, the fourth prince's attitude towards me is indeed different from others. ”

Speaking of this, Qi Yu raised his head and smiled at Qi Zhen opposite, Qi Zhen didn't know what was going on, and he also smiled back.

Qi Yu said again: What, Brother Shen, do you want to listen to the details of my relationship with the fourth prince. ”

"Eh, shut up, stay away from me." Shen Feinan looked disgusted and pushed away Qi Yu, who was getting closer and closer: "I don't want to hear it, let me tell you, I'm a straight world, don't be interesting to me." ”

"Don't worry, I don't like you, sir." Qi Yu shook off the white jade bone fan and shook it elegantly.

"Brother Chang, aren't you cold in the winter?"

"It's cold, but handsome is more important."

Shen Feinan rolled his eyes: "Brother Chang, don't you think you're too ostentatious?" ”

Qi Yu looked at him: "Brother Shen, I understand that you are jealous that I am more handsome than you, well-behaved, jealousy makes people look hateful, your face is not good-looking, don't ruin it again, okay?" ”

Shen Feinan was speechless: "You don't want to be embarrassed, I have never seen such a brazen person." ”

"Then your vision is too narrow."

Shen Feinan wanted to complain about something, but he heard a sharp voice sound: "The emperor has arrived~"

So he hurriedly stood up, lowered his head and shouted with everyone: "Participate in Your Majesty, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" ”

"The Qing's family is flat."

"Emperor Xie."

After everyone sat down, the emperor slowly spoke: "Since the first battle of Long'an, the Tubo, Xianbei, and Huifu tribes have bowed down to my Dalong, and they will not invade my Dalong land again for 20 years." The border is stable, the four seas are peaceful, this first cup salutes my Dalong generals and soldiers! ”

The emperor raised the wine glass in front of him and drank it all, and the ministers also said: "Respect my Dalong soldiers!" ”

"A few days ago, there was a plague in Fuli, and ten doctors from Taiyi Lin Hospital went to Fuli regardless of life and death, and it took more than two months to control the spread of the plague and greatly reduce the number of people affected. This second cup is a tribute to the eleven doctors of our hospital! ”

After drinking the second glass of wine, the emperor spoke again: "This year, through the efforts of my Dalong civil officials and military generals, the Silk Road to the Western Regions was reopened, and there was an endless stream of caravans in the past, which not only enriched my Dalong's national strength, but also improved my Dalong's status in several surrounding countries. This third cup is to all civil officials and military generals, may my Dalong be prosperous and strong! ”

Three glasses of wine, the emperor waved his hand, the palace ladies walked into the hall with delicacies, and after all were set, the music sounded, and several dancers entered the hall to start performing.

"Eh, Brother Chang, don't eat it." Shen Feinan's shoulder pressed against Qi Yu: "Have you noticed that the emperor and Marshal Chen always look at us, I'm so scared." ”

As soon as Qi Yu was touched by him, the hibiscus balls that had just been delivered to his mouth fell on the table, so he said angrily: "What are you afraid of?" At the age of three, others are still scared when they see you. ”

"You!" Shen Feinan glared at him, and then said: "Brother Chang, did you say that it was because you were the fourth prince, but the fourth prince brought you at such an important banquet, and the emperor and marshal thought it was inappropriate, so they kept looking here." ”

"You are the emperor's master," Qi Yu paused: "The marshal is idle, take care of this matter." Is it okay to watch the show and eat? ”

"No, Brother Chang, I still think there's something wrong, why don't you go and sit with the fourth prince."

"Hey, Brother Shen, you actually drove me away, you are not righteous. How do you know it's because of me, maybe it's because of you? ”

"Because of what, I didn't do anything, don't scare me."

Qi Yu looked at Shen Feinan's appearance and felt funny, picked up a piece of jade tofu and stuffed it into his mouth.

After Shen Feinan swallowed it silently, he suddenly asked, "Brother Chang, you know the Nine Princes, why didn't you see it at this banquet, it's strange." ”

"What's the matter, you're looking for him?"

"It's okay, I just want to see what he looks like, I heard that he has been back in Beijing for almost a month, and he stays in the Four Princes' Mansion every day and doesn't come out, I'm a little curious about what that kind of character looks like."

Shen Feinan poked him: "You say, is it because he doesn't go out because he looks too fierce and is afraid that he will scare people when he goes out?"

Qi Yu put down his chopsticks and said, "Look at what the emperor and the fourth prince look like, can the ninth prince be bad?" ”

"That's not necessarily, Brother Chang, have you seen the Nine Princes?"

"I've seen it, sinking fish and geese, closing the moon, embarrassing flowers, captivating the country and the city, unruly and untamed, handsome and chic, and loved by everyone."

Shen Feinan was speechless, and he knew the man opposite these days, as if he had rolled his eyes more than he had rolled his eyes in the previous eighteen years combined: "Brother Chang, you owe it too much, really." ”

Qi Yu smiled and patted Shen Feinan on the shoulder: "Brother Shen, don't worry, you will know him soon." ”

Qi Yu saw what Shen Feinan wanted to say, and hurriedly said, "I'll go outside to breathe." After saying that, he quietly retreated.

Qi Yu walked out of the door, but there was a light snow outside, he gathered his coat and walked into the snow, and walked forward along the path.

I haven't returned to the palace for ten years, and there is not much change in this palace, so I walked around the crutches along the memory, and I don't know why I walked to Xining Palace.

Xining Palace is the courtyard where Qi Zhen's mother lived before her death, and it also contains many memories of him and Qi Zhen.

Qi Yu wanted to continue to move forward and not give himself a reason to be sad, but after being entangled for a while, he turned around and stepped in.

It had been deserted for a long time, and I didn't feel a trace of life, but the dwarf plum tree in the corner of the courtyard was still there, sparsely blooming with some red petals.

He walked to the plum tree, stretched out his hand to pick a bud, put it under his nose and sniffed it, the fragrance was very faint, and he couldn't smell it without smelling it carefully.

This tree was planted by Qi Yu and Qi Zhen when he was eight years old, Qi Yu's mother went early, and his memory of his mother's appearance was very vague, only remembering that his mother liked plum blossoms when she was alive, and she always had the faint fragrance of plum blossoms.

So he also likes plum blossoms since he was a child, and he said to his eldest brother that he likes plum blossoms, but in fact, he is embarrassed to say that the real reason is his mother.

Qi Yu's father, queen, eldest brother and fourth brother were all very good to him when he was a child, but he still felt very lonely.

The fourth brother knew carefully that he missed his mother, and he didn't know where to get a plum sapling and planted it in this yard with him.

Qi Yu stood in front of the tree for a while, thinking of his own childhood, and also of Qi Zhen's childhood, and his heart was surrounded by a faint sense of loss.

After a while, I came back to my senses, thinking that it was not appropriate to come out for too long, and the snowflakes were getting bigger, so I had to turn around and go back along the road.

When Qi Yu returned to the Hundred Flowers Hall, the emperor had already left, and Shen Feinan and Qi Zhen were nowhere to be seen.

Qi Yu felt bored, retreated and walked out by himself.

On the way back, I passed the Cining Palace of the former queen mother, which is where Qi Yu used to live and grow up.

I wanted to go in and have a look, but I saw that the door was sealed, and I thought that there was no need to sneak in like a thief, and when I was about to leave, I suddenly saw a person sitting under the plane tree at the door.

Qi Yu walked forward, only to find that the person sitting on the ground was actually his fourth brother.

Qi Yu hurriedly pulled Qi Zhen forward and patted the snow on his body: "Fourth brother, why are you sitting here, how cold it is." ”

"I, I'm waiting, waiting for Xiao Jiu." Qi Zhen said intermittently, if it weren't for the closeness, Qi Yu wouldn't have understood what he was saying.

Qi Yu held Qi Zhen's face and looked at it carefully: "Drinking too much?" What about seventeen? ”

Qi Zhen tried hard to open his eyes, looked at him and smirked and said, "Xiao, Xiao Jiu, you're back." ”

It was the first time Qi Yu had seen his fourth brother drunk, stupid and stupid, not at all as upright as when he was sober, so his eyes narrowed and replied, "Well, I'm back." ”

"I've been waiting for you, waiting, waiting for you to come back," Qi Zhen tilted his head, pulled Qi Yu's sleeve and whispered: "I think, think, want to tell you, no matter how long you go, I, I will wait for you to come back." ”

Qi Yu looked down at Qi Zhen's hand holding his sleeve tightly, and felt that this sentence was not quite right.

When Qi Zhen came to play with him when he was a child, he didn't dare to enter this Cining Palace, so he always stood under the tree in front of the door and waited for him to come out, sometimes waiting for several hours.

In fact, there was a guard at the door, but because the fourth brother's mother was not favored, the guard also asked him to wait because of the low people, and he would not say that he would go in and inform him.

For this reason, Qi Yu and Qi Zhen said several times that they would take the initiative to find him, so that he didn't have to wait, but Qi Zhen never paid attention to him, he should come or come.

That year, when he was personally sent to the military account by his father, everyone he knew went to give him away, but the fourth brother, who was the best friend of him, never appeared from beginning to end, and for this reason, Qi Yu was also haunted for many years.

"Fourth brother, how long have you been waiting here?"

Qi Zhen shook his head and counted his fingers one by one, maybe there was a little flower in front of him, he counted it several times, and after counting all ten fingers, he suddenly stretched out his palm and almost slapped him on the face: "Ten, ten years~"

Qi Yu's heart tightened, and he asked in a trembling voice: "Ten years?" ”

Qi Zhen nodded, "Well, ten years!" ”

"You've been waiting for me since I left this palace to go to the frontier?"

Qi Zhen nodded vigorously again.

Qi Yu's eyes were red: "Why didn't you send me off that day?" ”

"I..." Qi Zhen paused, as if thinking of something, tears rolled in his eyes: "I'm reluctant, I don't dare to see you." ”

Qi Yu paused, his eyes reddened and whispered, "Fourth brother, stupid or not..."

Qi Zhen was still smiling stupidly, Xu is feet were a little unstable, and he actually fell forward and crashed into Qi Yu's arms.

Qi Yu straightened Qi Zhen, saw his eyes blurred and the appearance of vanity under his feet, sighed, put him on his back, and leaned up again, until his body was stable, and then slowly asked: "You know that you may not be able to wait for me, why do you have to wait." ”

Qi Zhen lay on his back and muttered something, he didn't understand, and it took a while for Qi Yu to take a step forward and walk forward: Forget it, let's go home.

The snow became heavier and heavier, and two figures, one black and one white, slowly disappeared along the road, leaving only a series of footprints in the snow.

The plum blossoms next to the plane tree bloomed just right, and when the wind blew, the two red plums shook their buds, and the thin snow bloomed on the top to welcome the cold.