The dinner was held at the Laneige Palace, which was close to the Queen Mother's Palace and had traditionally been the place where family feasts were held.

Xiao Qinglang made a brief introduction, and took Xu Chu around the garden pavilion and went to the harem.

Although Xu Chu had already entered the harem for the matter of investigating the secret road before, she did not dare to look around carefully due to her identity and the circumstances of the case at that time, let alone listen to Xiao Qinglang introduce those scenery and temples like now.

The two walked slowly, and when they passed by the Taiye Pool, which reflected countless lights, Xiao Qinglang specially put on a cloak for Xu Chu.

"It's windy here, beware of catching a cold." He whispered, with a smile in his eyes but also with a hint of solemnity.

Xu Chu nodded, knowing that Xiao Qinglang was a little hesitant, and he was also a little worried about what he would face later. She smiled and said, "You're always so worried, beware of getting old fast." ”

After speaking, she sighed secretly, stepped forward and walked to Xiao Qinglang's side, stretched out her hand to hook his fingers, pursed her lips and said: "In fact, there is also a lotus pond in Cangyan County, and when autumn comes, children love to touch lotus roots and pick dead leaves there......" When she said this, she couldn't help but bend her eyes, tilted her head to look at Xiao Qinglang and said, "By the way, if you pick some when the lotus leaves are tender and green, dry them and save them, and cook porridge or steam glutinous rice in autumn and winter." ”

The wind surged through, blowing the surface of the liquid pool, and also shattering the soft light reflected in the water, and the stars were sparkling and very beautiful.

But Xiao Qinglang felt that even the rather freehand rippling water waves and rippling water, or the vast smoke waves and quiet and leisurely scenery, could not match the tenderness in Xu Chu's eyes at this time.

He looked at the person in front of him deeply, and suddenly hooked his lips and smiled: "Since this is the case, then I will have to trouble Xiao Chu to steam glutinous rice for me in the future." ”

In fact, now, where are the two people who have the case in their hearts still in the mood to laugh? It's just that at this time, Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu both need a tacit understanding, a tacit understanding that they are fearless about the road ahead and the future.

The two looked at each other and smiled, and the gloomy depression in each other's hearts dissipated instantly, and only the hands holding each other conveyed each other's warmth and love.

At this time, it was not yet dinner time, and King Su had to meet the Queen Mother before entering the palace, so the two of them went straight to the Queen Mother's palace at this time.

When they approached the Empress Dowager's palace, the two of them heard a burst of laughter, followed by laughter like pearls and silver bells, and it was obvious that the atmosphere was just right at this time.

Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu entered the hall one after another, and this time there was no need for Xiao Qinglang to remind him, Xu Chu stepped forward and performed a woman's blessing ceremony. This time, although she also came to investigate the case, her identity was very different from the last time, and the number of rituals she performed was naturally different.

The Queen Mother's eyes flickered for an unknown moment, and then she looked at the emperor with a smile and said: "It's good for the emperor to marry this time, Xuanzhi, who has never liked to participate in banquets, has also opened his mind now, and he has personally protected people." ”

When the emperor heard this, he also glanced at his third brother with a slight teasing. However, when he thought of the third brother's pretense of public affairs for his own quasi-princess, he felt a little toothache.

In the past, he was always worried that his third brother would be a lonely family for the rest of his life. Now that the third brother has a caring person, he is naturally happy for him as an elder brother. But every time I think about it, the third brother has always been the same in the court, even if he is the emperor and is drowned by the courtiers' war of words, he does not move like a mountain, and he never defends his brother. can be partial, since Xu Chu entered the court, his third brother has been able to protect people with all his strength......

This difference really made him a little surprised.

Next, naturally, a few elders ridiculed Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu.

"Imperial grandmother, don't look at the third uncle who is always cold outside, but he is very tight with Sister Chu, and even his taste has changed a lot with Sister Chu. In the past, the third uncle was a few indifferent people, not to mention anything sweet and spicy, even the roasted fruits that were sought after by literati, and he disdained them. Xiao Mingzhu saw that several people were very interested in the acquaintance process between Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu, so he chattered with great interest, "But when I met Sister Chu, the third uncle's lofty and arrogant habits have been completely changed." ”

"By the way, the third uncle also cooks for Sister Chu himself, and also makes dumplings......"

When she said this, the expressions that everyone looked at Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu became even more meaningful and profound. Of course, whether there is a side meaning in it, no one is aware for the time being.

Xu Chu's previous life had always been a loner. Even if she was with Xiao Qinglang later, most of the days were cold and dull, and she only needed to conduct an autopsy every day. Therefore, it can be said that she has lived two lifetimes, and she has never been so looked at by a group of elders, let alone been kindly ridiculed by her elders, especially her lover's relatives. Therefore, even though she didn't speak, and even tried to relax her demeanor to make herself look generous and decent, her face was already covered with red clouds, compared to the solemn appearance when she was in the Yamen autopsy, at this moment, she added some of the astringency of her little daughter.

Perhaps seeing Xu Chu's discomfort, the queen, who had been teasing the two, glanced at her kindly, smiled and nodded Mingzhu's forehead beside her and said, "It's not big or small, now you have to change your name to Aunt Huang." ”

Xiao Mingzhu covered her poked head, pouted, and grinned; "Just call it, and when you celebrate the New Year this year, you can get one more big red seal ......"

Her childlike gags caused the people present to laugh again, and naturally their attention turned from Xu Chu to Xiao Mingzhu, who was about to marry into the Hua family.

Mingzhu's wedding date is approaching, even if she is marrying someone who has grown up with her since childhood, she will inevitably feel shy when she is teased at this time.

Next, the Queen Mother, Princess Qi, the crown princess and others got together, and talked to Xu Chu and Xiao Mingzhu. And Xiao Qinglang glanced at Xu Chu, who was slightly red, with a gentle expression, and then turned his gaze to King Su and King Su, who had always been very restrained.

"This king heard that when the imperial uncle was in Jinling, he had lived in the Sun family of the Jinling scholarly family for a long time, and the king admired the Sun family in Jinling very much, I wonder if the imperial uncle can tell his nephew about the poetry and family style of the Sun family?" Xiao Qinglang's eyes were indifferent, as if he just saw King Su restrained and casually talked a few words.

King Su glanced at him, then looked at King Su's son, and then smiled and said: "When I was in the Sun family, I was just a scholar at first, and later became a housekeeper. However, the Sun family is indeed very knowledgeable, don't say that Mrs. Sun and Master Sun have students all over the world, and the young lady of the Sun family is very famous in Jinling. ”

As he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh and said, "It's a pity that the face is ......."

Xiao Qinglang raised his eyes and glanced at him, casually put down the tea cup in his hand, and then pulled his sleeves and raised his eyebrows: "Well, that's right, otherwise how could the first emperor handpick the daughter of the Sun family to enter the Beijing draft?" However, I heard that the Sun family was originally a pair of twin daughters, but what happened to provoke the anger of the old lady of the Sun family and removed his eldest daughter from his ancestral home? ”

When King Su heard this, his expression froze, and he hesitated for a moment and said: "The Sun family does have two concubines, but its eldest daughter did something insulting, so she was kicked out of the Sun family." There's a lot of stuff in this that I don't know as an outsider, so I really don't know. ”

Xiao Qinglang nodded, and did not ask any more questions, but said with a nonchalant smile: "I heard that Jinling has always had the selection of concubines, which is probably similar to the selection of the first lady in the capital. I heard Wei Gang, who often walks in Jinling, say that the two young ladies of the Sun family were once known as the Shuangshu of Jinling, and their virtues and character are equal, and they even overwhelm the daughters of many bureaucratic families. Does Uncle Huang know about this? ”

Seeing that he turned to ask this, King Su was a little puzzled, but as long as it didn't involve the affairs of King Su's Mansion and the Sun family, then he wouldn't be too vigilant.

He thought for a while, then smiled and said: "There is indeed such a thing, but Miss Sun was indeed the best in Jinling back then, and she was the object of many people's pursuit." ”

"I remember that back then, the two young ladies of the Sun family used to like to wear moonlight yarns, and most of their preferences were similar, the only thing that could be distinguished was that the eldest lady had a gentle temperament and was shy and quiet, and the second lady was a little lively and lively by nature." King Su said in a low voice, "The eldest lady has always liked to read in the secluded bamboo building, and she also likes to play with flowers and plants, just like the plain peony and the flower garden in front and back of the bamboo building, most of which she takes care of herself. At that time, the eldest lady's hands were often worn out, so she often asked the doctor who often went to the house to prepare a lot of ointment to remove scars. I remember one time, the eldest lady was scratched by the flower branches because she was loosening the soil in the flower garden, which caused the Mrs. Sun family to worry for a long time......"

"And the second lady is more lively, although she is also a lady, but she is good at dealing with women in Jinling's various Gaomen mansions. But everyone who has had a small gathering with her will praise her for having the style of a concubine and being dignified, so although the Sun family does not have an official name, the wives and daughters of various families in Jinling will invite the second lady to go every time they hold a banquet. ”

I don't know if it was because I was here, and King Su, who felt restrained and apprehensive, was suddenly asked about something he was familiar with, so he said a lot. is still to prove that he has indeed lived in the Sun family, and he is not inferior and depressed because of this, so he deliberately talked about many details of his life in the Sun family. In short, he almost said the trivial matters of the Sun family without reservation.

And Xiao Qinglang didn't interrupt him, but only echoed it appropriately. As for King Qi, although he was a little bored by listening to it, he didn't say anything.

Xu Chu's room, although he was talking to the Queen Mother and the others, he also shared his thoughts on Xiao Qinglang's side. Fortunately, there is no emphasis on men and women sitting differently here, so she is sitting next to Xiao Qinglang, and she can also hear what King Su said.

Just when everyone was thinking about it, Liu Deming came from outside, and after saluting, he said: "Your Majesty, the banquet has been prepared in the imperial dining room, but do you want to have a banquet?" ”

The emperor got up and clapped his hands and said, "Then invite the imperial uncle to the Lanzhi Palace, I have prepared a banquet for the imperial uncle, which can be regarded as a family banquet." ”

King Su stood up and saluted respectfully to thank him.

Then they got up and went out. Of course, the leader is naturally the emperor and the queen mother, followed by the queen and Princess Qi, and Xiao Mingzhu, who was dragged by Princess Qi to preach and kept turning back to Xu Chu with a sad face.

King Xu felt the sudden enthusiasm of his third brother for King Su today, so he walked with King Su and deliberately left Xiao Qinglang and Xu Chu behind.