In February, the Spring Festival has passed, the Lantern Festival is approaching, and the winter is still strong.

The long street was cold and frosty, and the street vendors on the side of the road shrunk their shoulders and kept rubbing their hands together to keep their bodies warm. The people who rushed to the market were also in a hurry, quickly selecting what they needed.

The Emerald Red House on Qianmen Street is a different story. The singing and dancing are leveling, the fragrance is warm and the jade is soft, the warbler is singing and swallowing, and the staggered planning is not lively.

Compared with the bustle downstairs, the VIP warm pavilion on the second floor is much quieter, only one singer is playing music below, and the tune is particularly beautiful and ethereal in the empty warm pavilion.

On the upper seat of the warm pavilion sat a man in blue in his twenties, exuding a noble atmosphere, the man had sword eyebrows and starry eyes, thin lips slightly pursed, plump and handsome, and his bearing was very extraordinary.

"In such a harsh winter, there are beauties in your arms, drinking and listening to music in this warm pavilion, and there is nothing more joyful than this. I said Brother Jiang, this is not the palace, you don't have to hold it, timely pleasure is the right way, don't you say, Qiu Meng? ”

The man in white who spoke was leaning on the couch next to him, the man was handsome and chic, and compared with the man in blue, he was not inferior, but compared with the solemnity of the man in blue, the temperament of the man in white was much more elegant.

The man didn't forget to pick the chin of the beauty in his arms with a folding fan while talking, and the funny beauty giggled.

Jiang Yichen lowered his head and sipped the tea, and asked, "Didn't you travel around to the Western Regions, why did you come back so quickly?"

Xiao Junyan put away the folding fan, shook his head and said: "Don't mention it, that ghost place is not good at all, the wind and sand are all over the sky, a mouth is full of yellow sand, and the sun is also poisonous, you see, I have only been in the work for a month, and my skin is rough and dark." As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and let the people in the seat see.

Qiu Meng took his arm and looked at it carefully and said, "It's true."

"However, the beauties there are worth seeing, especially when they dance, the waist is soft, tsk, it is really a unique charm!"

Xiao Junyan withdrew his arm and said as he reminisced, "Brother Jiang, you should really go and see if you have a chance, don't be bored in the palace all the time, how boring!" ”

Jiang Yichen looked at him calmly and said, "Brother Xiao is chic and merry by nature, and I can't compare to this."

Xiao Junyan smiled: "It's not that you can't compare to me, it's that you think about too many things."

Jiang Yichen listened, lowered his head and smiled.

Qiu Meng, the beauty in Xiao Junyan's arms, asked: "Xiao Gongzi said that the orchid of the Western Regions is beautiful, but what about me and Dongxue?"

Xiao Junyan thought about it for a while, and said seriously: "How to say it, the women of the Western Regions are more charming, you and Dongxue, with the delicate and weak women of my Southern Dynasties, it can be said that they are equal." However, I prefer our Southern Dynasty women! ”

"Oh, Xiao Gongzi, you are really good at talking." Qiu Meng's heart suddenly bloomed after hearing this, and she asked again: "Then who is more beautiful than Sister Wanying?"

Xiao Junyan said decisively: "Then it goes without saying, naturally your sister Wanying is beautiful!"

"Prince Xiao's mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter!"

At this time, a soft and crisp voice came, pushing the door and entering a young woman, the woman's skin is like condensation, moth eyebrows, a smile is full of style, although there is no country and city, but still can be called the national talent, for a while, the two beauties in the warm pavilion are dwarfed, lost their brilliance.

When Xiao Junyan saw Lu Wanying coming in, he sat up straight, coughed, and pretended to be serious and said, "That autumn dream, winter snow, you go down first."

The two beauties got up and blessed the three, and then withdrew.

"I heard Qiu Meng say that Uncle Wen Chang invited guests to the 60th birthday banquet today, and invited you to the house to play the qin, why did you come back so soon?" Xiao Junyan asked suspiciously.

"Listening to what Xiao Gongzi meant, don't you want me to come back early? Could it be that Xiao Gongzi knew that I was not here today, so he deliberately chose to come today? ”

Lu Wanying paused, and said with a smile in her eyes: "Unfortunately, halfway through the banquet, Wen Changbo suddenly felt unwell, so everyone dispersed early, what's the matter, swept your Yaxing of Prince Xiao?"

Xiao Junyan only felt that his whole body was cold, and his heart was not good, whenever Lu Wanying spoke to him with this tone and expression, he must be angry.

So he immediately changed his smiling face and said flatteringly: "No, no, how could it be, I wish you came back soon, without you, today's Cuihong Mansion would have lost a lot of color, do you say Brother Jiang?"

As he spoke, he squeezed his eyebrows at Jiang Yichen, but Jiang Yichen didn't even raise his head, still sipping tea by himself.

Lu Wanying snorted coldly: "Young Master Xiao doesn't need to explain, this Emerald Red Mansion is all yours, and I still rely on you to beg for food, how dare I offend you?"

Xiao Junyan suddenly felt very hot, and fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead, "What is not to offend, it's too outward, you are the signboard of the Cuihong Mansion, if you want to talk about stammering, I will also stammering you, besides, we didn't do anything just now, just listen to the music and drink tea." I saw that Brother Jiang was stuffy in the palace all day long, and he had to pretend to be sick, which was too hard, so I taught him to have fun in time! ”

Lu Wanying gave him a blank look: "Do you think that the prince is the same as your eldest son Xiao, leaving the son of the richest man in Jiangnan to do nothing, and doing nothing all day long?" And I listen to you, if I don't come back early, what are you going to do? ”

Xiao Junyan was speechless for a moment, his brain turned, and he immediately understood that it was useless to talk more at this time, it would only become darker and darker, after thinking clearly, he hurriedly changed the topic and asked Jiang Yichen: "Speaking of Wenchangbo's birthday, he should have handed you a post in his house, why didn't you go?"

Jiang Yichen said lightly: "The birthday gift has been sent."

Xiao Junyan thought thoughtfully: "Also, you have never liked this kind of occasion."

Jiang Yichen raised his head and asked, "Brother Xiao, what about you, you have always had a good relationship with Wen Changbo, why didn't you go?"

Xiao Junyan scolded Jiang Yichen fiercely in his heart, when he needed you to speak just now, you drank tea vigorously, this will not require you to speak, you just don't open which pot to mention, knowing that I am to hide from Wanying, and deliberately asked me.

He thought so in his heart, but he said: "If you don't go, it's boring for me to go alone, and ...... besides"

Xiao Junyan was halfway through his words, looked at Lu Wanying, saw that she was staring at him, and swallowed his saliva: "Besides, I also let people send the birthday gift, Wen Changbo is generous, and he will not blame me."

However, Lu Wanying saw his intentions, and did not intend to let him go, and said: "Your eldest son Xiao is merry and uninhibited by nature, I know that I am not qualified to talk about you, I don't care how you want to mess around, but if you mess around yourself and pull the prince, then I have to take care of it." Sister Yue'er has already instructed me, if you pull the prince into the Qinglou again, tell her immediately, Xiaolian! With that, she called out the door.

When Xiao Junyan heard this, he quickly got up and walked to her, pulled her sleeve and begged for mercy: "Don't! Hao Wanying, I know it's wrong, don't tell that girl, you know, I'm most afraid of Qingyue's girl. ”

Lu Wanying looked at Xiao Junyan with a pitiful face, and couldn't help but want to laugh in her heart, but her face was still chosen: "That's not good, Sister Yue'er trusts me so much, as her good sister, how can I deceive her?"

Xiao Junyan saw that this trick didn't work, and immediately flattered: "Then Wanying, you say, how can you spare me?"

Lu Wanying deliberately thought for a long time before saying, "It's okay if you want me to hide it for you, but you have to promise me that you won't be allowed to go to any Qinglou for three months!" Of course, you can't take the prince with you! ”

When Xiao Junyan heard this, he secretly complained in his heart, not going to Qinglou for three months? Wouldn't that be a lot less fun?

He secretly glanced at Jiang Yichen, hoping that he could say something good for him, but the guy looked at him with interest, looking like he had nothing to do with himself, Xiao Junyan knew that he couldn't count on him.

Lu Wanying saw that he was hesitant, and deliberately shouted out of the door again: "Xiaolian! Little Lotus! ”

Xiao Junyan hurriedly pulled her over and said dejectedly: "Okay, aunt, I promise you, if you don't go to the Qinglou for three months, you will spare me!"

Lu Wanying couldn't help but smile, "This is what you said, with the prince as proof, what if you regret it?" ”

Xiao Junyan raised his finger and swore to the sky: "I will never regret it, if I regret it, then punish me Xiao Junyan for not marrying a daughter-in-law for the rest of my life!"

Lu Wanying saw that he was serious, so she let him go.

Xiao Junyan saw that Lu Wanying had spared him, and couldn't help but be complacent, but he had another calculation in his heart: Hmph, I, Xiao Junyan, were not ready to marry a daughter-in-law, and the oath was fulfilled!

Just thinking about it, he inadvertently glanced at Jiang Yi, and saw that he was looking at himself upright, and his eyes were meaningful, so he knew that he had seen through his tricks, so he picked up the tea bowl and drank it with a weak heart.

At this time, a subordinate in the building called Lu Wanying outside the door, and after Lu Wanying went out, the person whispered to her, and then Lu Wanying came in with a solemn face.

Seeing the situation, Xiao Junyan cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"

"Didn't I say before that Wen Changbo suddenly became unwell in the middle of the banquet, and just now there was news from his house, saying that the doctor had seen it and Wen Changbo was poisoned."

Xiao Junyan exclaimed: "Huh? He's dead! ”

Jiang Yichen also raised his head, his eyes were sharp, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Not dead!" Lu Wanying glanced at Xiao Junyan and said to Jiang Yichen: "The doctor found the poison from the wall of the wine glass that Wen Changbo drank, but fortunately it was discovered early, so he rescued it." Now Mrs. Wen Changbo has locked up all the subordinates, interrogated them one by one, and vowed to find the person who poisoned her. ”

Xiao Junyan rejoiced: "Fortunately, he didn't die, although this Wen Changbo is a relative of the emperor, but he is elegant and noble, and his character is good, if he dies, we will have one less literary friend, don't you say, Brother Jiang?"

Jiang Yichen nodded slightly, acquiescing: "Wenchang Bo is the son of the lord of Suiyuan, and his maternal grandmother, Princess Jianing, is the younger sister of Shaozong, it can be said that he is of noble birth, and he likes poetry and songs on weekdays, so he naturally has a style that is different from that of ordinary high-ranking officials and magnates."

Xiao Junyan nodded in agreement: "What I said is that otherwise, he would not have befriended you, a prince who has fallen out of favor and has no power."

Lu Wanying couldn't help but roll his eyes again: "Are you so boastful?"

Jiang Yichen didn't care, twisted his eyebrows and thought: "Wen Changbo lives in Cangzhou all the year round, does not participate in the court battles, and has no political enemies, although he is a little arrogant, he will not offend anyone, so he has to put him to death." The person who harmed him knew that he used his birthday banquet to poison and could buy off the people in his mansion must be someone Wen Changbo knew, and he was probably very familiar with him. ”

He thought for a while and asked Lu Wanying, "Who is attending today's banquet?"

Lu Wanying thought for a while and said: "Most of them are literati and ink writers who Wen Changbo has befriended, and if the officials are officials, there are only assassins Zhang Shijing and former Taifu Zhou Zhengxun."

Jiang Yichen thought for a moment and said: "Mrs. Zhou has been at home for many years, Master Zhang and Wen Changbo have a good relationship, the two of them have no motive to harm him, and those literati and ink writers are even more impossible."

Xiao Junyan guessed: "Then there are only people in his mansion."

"That's right," Jiang Yichen agreed: "But I think those subordinates don't have the guts, thinking about it like this, the person who harmed him must be someone with status in the house."

Lu Wanying frowned and thought for a while, and retorted: "Impossible, Wen Changbo's family is thin, there is only one lady and a concubine, the eldest lady gave birth to the eldest son and a daughter, the daughter is already married, they will never harm Wen Changbo, the second room Liu family also gave birth to a son, he gave birth to the only grandson for Wen Changbo." The eldest lady is strong, the relationship between the second room and the big house has always been bad, and she has to rely on Wen Changbo to protect her, and it is impossible to harm him, in addition, there is no person with status in the house. ”

Jiang Yichen frowned slightly, and asked, "Didn't Dafang give birth to a grandchild?"

Lu Wanying said with a sad face: "I also heard from others that Uncle Wenchang's eldest son has a hidden disease, so he has not given birth to an heir."

Xiao Junyan interjected: "No wonder the relationship between the two rooms is not good."

"Yes, although Dafang is the eldest son and has already attacked the lord, if he can't give birth to a baby boy, then he will inevitably pass the title to the second room, and Dafang is naturally unwilling."

Jiang Yichen asked again, "Is there anything special about today's banquet?"

Lu Wanying thought for a while and said, "There's nothing special about it."

She saw that Jiang Yichen was still looking at her, and recalled carefully, "Oh, by the way, in the middle of the banquet, the eldest son of the eldest house accidentally tripped when he toasted Wen Changbo, there shouldn't be any problem, right?" ”

Jiang Yichen asked: "What happened later?"

"After stumbling, there was nothing big about him, but the wine was spilled, and after it was sorted out, he continued to toast, and not long after he finished toasting, Wen Changbo withdrew on the grounds of physical discomfort."

"Really?" Jiang Yichen's eyes suddenly became unfathomable.

Xiao Junyan saw that Jiang Yichen suddenly became very mysterious, and asked curiously, "What?" Do you see what's wrong? ”

Jiang Yichen didn't answer him, but fell into deep thought.