The outside of the hall is as hot as roasting, and the child is not fat, and he is most afraid of heat. Standing at the gate of the temple, there is just a breeze blowing, cool and cool on the body, quite useful. What Liu Congguang said, she heard clearly, like stepping on a colorful cloud, floating and floating without knowing where she was. She turned around slowly, but her eyes overflowed with sadness, for fear that if she was not careful, this joy would shatter to the ground like porcelain and jade glass.

She said, "You're not kidding me, are you?" ”

Ignoring Congguang's answer, he chattered: "I'm fat, I can't lose weight all the time, my eyes are too small, and I don't look good." I am the third in the family, my mother is an aunt, and I am so old that even my father has never looked at me directly, and always dislikes me for not being well-behaved and obedient. I don't know how to play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and I'm not good at women's red needlework, except for reading a few lines of poetry, I'm useless. Do you want to marry me like this? ”

The hall was silent, the heat wave was rolling outside the window, and the sound of cicadas was like weaving.

Congguang slowly approached her, every step was like stepping on her chest, and every step was thrilling. Listening to her and watching her cry, he felt a dull pain in his heart, as if he had been hit hard in the chest by something, blocked in his throat, and he didn't know how to speak.

Zifei didn't know why she was crying, thinking that when she first entered the palace, her mother leaned on the door with tears on her face and watched her get into the carriage, she would not be comforted, but opened the curtain and laughed loudly: "Mother, go back, eat well, just as if you never gave birth to me." ”

She thought it was life and death, and she didn't even cry.

There was a faint sound of talking under the corridor, and the two of them ignored it. Congguang gently wiped away her tears and said, "I don't need you to know how to play the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, I can do these things." I don't need you to make good use of the red needle and thread, because I am not marrying an embroiderer. I don't dislike you being fat, it's a big deal that I'll eat more and be fat with you. As for whether your mother is the main room, for me, you are you, she is her, and you are my main room. After speaking, he took her hands and said softly: "I answer like this, are you willing to marry me?" ”

From the moment she broke his arm on the first day, her heart was already throbbing when she saw that he was dignified, dignified, and spoke with dignity and dignity, and that he did not have the vices of a gentleman. Later, I saw that he always bought gadgets to please himself and support himself in front of others, so he inevitably wanted to be in the wrong and excited. She also secretly quit eating, and she also wanted to be as light as Mo Lan and Jin Rou, weak willows to support the wind, but she couldn't get the essentials. She even thought that in this life, it was just like this. Eat on point, guard the palace wall alone, like all the old palace maids, have no intention of being bored, die in the palace and be buried in the slope.

Zifei couldn't help crying, and the worries that had been pressing on his heart for several months finally opened up at this time. She threw herself into his arms, choked and speechless. In her life, she never dreamed that she would have this day and today. Congguang hugged her, this was the first time they hugged, he hugged her, although he was wide and fat, but soft and soft, it was really ...... It's pretty comfortable.

On the second day, I set off from Guangyi to pick up Liu Congde in the morning, the morning sun did not rise, the east side was dyed with pink glow, wisps of a few clouds, the cooking smoke was swirling on the top of the city, and the traders walked in the streets, and the voices of the people were boiling.

Zifei ran to the roof of the Renming Hall with his skirt in his hand, and looked at Congguang's team swaying away, turning into a small figure in the wine shop tile shop, and he was reluctant to leave. She kept chewing on what he said yesterday in her heart: "The Queen Mother must be overjoyed to see my brother return to Beijing, and I am afraid that I will agree to anything." In less than three days I will ask her to go to you. "Thinking about it carefully, reading it, I don't feel that my soul is flying out of the sky.

As the Queen Mother's birthday approaches, the ministers have begun to prepare congratulatory gifts.

The Queen Mother has just recovered from a serious illness, and the palace is preparing to celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday, and she is very busy. When the Queen Mother thought that Congde was getting closer and closer to Beijing, she was even more eager to see him, and half a minute and a half were unbearable. Fortunately, Zhao Zhen, Jing Shu, and Minhua accompanied her in the Cining Hall to laugh and have fun, and called the palm print of the sixth bureau to come over. Just as he was talking about the beginning, suddenly the minister of the Yushitai came to ask for a meeting, and the queen mother did not like it, but did not refuse. When Jingshu and Minhua retreated to the apse, and the Sixth Bureau Shanggong retreated to the corridor to wait, he announced that the minister stepped forward.

Zhao Zhen was jealous of the ministers of the Imperial Historical Observatory, and as soon as he heard that they asked to see him, he always felt that something was going to happen again. Seeing that the minister presented a few bundles of weeds, the Queen Mother didn't know what she meant, and asked, "What is the Qing family's present?" ”

The minister couldn't help but answer, and only said sharply: "May I ask the official, what if you don't eat for a day in the palace?" ”

Zhao Zhen smiled and said gently: "If you don't eat for a day in the palace, naturally everyone complains. After a pause, he said: "Although the Qing family has something to say, there is no need to beat around the bush. ”

The minister stepped forward and said, "This grass is called Wuwei grass, which is a spring and summer weed. The right secretary of the war, Fan Zhongyan, is now in the Jianghuai area to relieve the disaster and comfort the people, and the common disaster victims use this to satisfy their hunger, and specially asked the post envoy to bring this thing back to show the court. This year, there are many disasters and famines, and it is difficult to eat in several places, so the royal family and nobles should set an example, not forgetting the suffering of the people, and refraining from luxury. Then he ordered the imperial chef to cook the black herb and present a few bowls, Zhao Zhen took a bite of it, only to feel rough and bitter and difficult to swallow.

The minister said cheekily again: "I heard that soon, the palace will set up a banquet for the queen mother's birthday, and it will be held in a big way. ”

Seeing that the Queen Mother was silent and unhappy, Zhao Zhen didn't want to sweep the Queen Mother's interest, so he hurriedly argued with the minister: "The Queen Mother has just recovered from a serious illness and is her birthday, so she should celebrate it with affection and reason." ”

The minister was unrelenting, spit on Zhao Zhen's face, and reprimanded: "Now that Jianghuai and other places are full of hungry people, how can the imperial court turn a blind eye and only know pleasure? Wouldn't it be more appropriate for the official family to allocate the money for the birthday banquet to the victims, so that the Queen Mother could be gracious to the world? After a pause, he said loudly: "Please send this black herb to the court, and warn the ministers to beware of the worries of the people, so as to guard against luxury and luxury." ”

Although Zhao Zhen was not happy in his heart, he could not refute the words of the admonition at will, and said in a deep voice: "Spread this weed to the court and the central government, warn the ministers, this is the right thing." I also agreed to allocate the funds for the Queen Mother's birthday banquet to the victims. It's just that the Queen Mother's birthday banquet has to be held, and only the court banquet will be changed to a family banquet, what does the Queen Mother think? ”

Seeing that the Queen Mother nodded in agreement, the minister was overjoyed, as if he had received great benefits, thanked Dade, and retired from the palace. After Jingshu and Minhua came out, Zhao Zhen wiped the spit on his face and complained: "Yushitai is the most annoying old man, he always doesn't save me some face, and the spit Xingzi sprays me in the face." ”

Listening to this, Min Hua laughed out loud, "The sixth brother is good-tempered, if he meets me, he won't give him good fruits to eat." ”

The Queen Mother smiled: "There are such upright courtiers in the court, it should be the blessing of the world and the blessing of the officials." Your sixth brother can tolerate him, and he is already a benevolent monarch. If it's your father, I don't know what kind of trouble will happen. ”

The Queen Mother rarely talked about the first emperor, but recently she recalled it frequently, which made her sigh: "If you are really old, you can remember those things when you were young everywhere." After speaking, he suddenly felt tired, withdrew from everyone, and went back to the dormitory to rest.

Zhao Zhen returned to the Funing Hall and ordered tea a few times, but he didn't see Mo Lan.

Yesterday, the two of them were angry because of trivial matters, Zhao Zhen greedily ate all the kumquat tribute in Jiangxi County, Mo Lan wanted to eat it for a while but didn't even store it, such a trivial matter, she was angry, Zhao Zhen only felt that she was unreasonable, and she didn't take it seriously. I ordered tea today, and when I saw that she dared not go to the palace, I felt even more ridiculous.

Xia Zhi knew what it meant, and hurriedly said: "She just came from Renming Hall to her old acquaintance, and she is talking in the garden of the apse at the moment. ”

Zhao Zhen was still angry in his heart at the beginning, and he didn't say no. After half an hour, no one came back, and he couldn't bear it, so he pretended to walk to the back garden, looking around, only to see Mo Lan and the palace people talking in the pavilion under the shade of flowers.

Although the two of them spoke quietly, their eyebrows fluttered. Looking at it from a distance, the garden was full of purple and red, and only Mo Lan was standing in the pavilion in a lotus-colored long gauze skirt, lining the round and fat palace people on the side, and he felt that his waist was soft and his demeanor was all right. He didn't feel a softening in his heart and was defeated.

Zifei twisted the green silk that hung down on the side of his ear, overflowed with joy, and said with a smile: "When Liu Congguang comes back, I may be about to leave the palace soon, your mandarin duck pillow should be made quickly, and it will be difficult to see you in the future." ”

Mo Lan gently brushed off a dead leaf from Zifei's head, and sighed sincerely: "I know he has you in his heart, and sooner or later he will take you out." I didn't expect it to be so fast. What are you afraid of making a pillow, keep it on the day you leave the palace, you will be able to get the pillow. Zifei, I'm really happy for you, you are a blessed person. ”

The two hadn't parted yet, but they felt that time was running out to get along, and they held hands and looked at each other for a long time before they heard Zifei say, "Thank you, Moran." Mo Lan also said softly: "I want to thank you, when I was in Renming Palace, thanks to you for taking care of me." The two were complaining to each other, and suddenly when they saw the official honor guard coming, they were all startled, and they hurriedly retreated to the side of the road, standing quietly.

Zhao Zhen passed by the two of them and pretended to be surprised, "Mo Lan, don't you have to be worth it today?" ”

Zifei thought that the official family was going to condemn him, so he was so frightened that he hurriedly knelt on the ground, "The slave maid is the palace person of Renming Palace, because yesterday was Mo Lan's birthday, the slave maid didn't have time to come to see her, today I sent a congratulatory gift, please don't blame the official family." ”

Zhao Zhen remembered all the things about Mo Lan yesterday, and then he suddenly realized, retreated Zifei, and asked Mo Lan: "Yesterday was your birthday, why didn't you say it?" ”

Moran said with a smile: "The official family has a lot of opportunities, how can they worry about such a trivial matter." ”

When Zifei retreated, he had never seen such a battle, and he was terrified in his heart, for fear of implicating Mo Lan. Seeing Mo Lan smiling and talking to the official, he relaxed a little.

Seeing the attention of the palace people, Mo Lan hurriedly bowed down and whispered: "It's not appropriate to talk for a long time here." Zhao Zhen knew what he wanted, and turned back to the Funing Palace, and Mo Lan also followed the honor guard and returned to the palace.

The remnant sun of summer is like blood, as far as the eye can see, the eaves and pavilions are undulating, and the exquisitely carved eaves and window lattices are covered with a layer of faint golden pink, and the atmosphere is majestic and quiet.

Zhao Zhen opened the Hunan curtain and walked into the hall, and changed into a silver-gray embroidered moire silk robe, which was made of high-grade silk, and was only worn in summer, which was the most light and cool. The attendants added ice cubes to the large porcelain jar, and the cold mist surrounded the hall, which was quite comfortable, and put down the Hunan bamboo curtains in front of the corridor windows, which really separated the heat from the outside of the hall.

Mo Lan brought new tea into the hall, Zhao Zhen leaned on the stool, supported his chin and hooked his lips and smiled, only staring at her serving tea and pouring water, and did not speak. Mo Lan held a new cup of tea in front of him, he reached out and took it, poured it down, scalded his teeth, frowned, and said, "Why is the tea so hot today?" ”

Mo Lan was not in a hurry, and said with a smile: "I think it's not because the tea is hot, it's because the official family is too anxious." ”

An attendant came in and presented freshly made fruit, a watermelon wrapped in crushed ice, and a layer of cold mist stained from the turquoise celadon. Zhao Zhen's tongue was so hot that his tongue was numb, put down the teacup, and took a piece of watermelon to eat first. Seeing that he was about to spit out the seeds, Moran hurriedly took the handkerchief and caught it. There are two white magnolia flowers embroidered on the veil, and the flowers are spitting purple-red stamens, and there is also a golden five-clawed cloud pattern embroidered on the corner, which is a royal article.

Zhao Zhen spit out the black seed in his hand, and only said: "This veil, you are also willing to use it to present these?" ”

The corners of Mo Lan's mouth raised a smile like a lotus, "What do you think this veil should do?" ”

Zhao Zhen was speechless, and listened to Mo Lan say: "Although this handkerchief is something you gave me when you and I first met in the Rainy Night Pavilion, if you don't take it out, it will be useless." It's better to show it to Liulang often, so that you can always remember the friendship of the day, and you won't even care about the slave's birthday. ”

Between the words, there is a sense of blame.

There were only two people left in the hall, and the breeze blew the bamboo curtain gently on the window sill, and there was a crackling sound one after another. Zhao Zhen glanced at Mo Lan, "Yesterday was not good, I didn't even know your birthday." But why don't you just tell me? ”

Mo Lan took the hot tea and blew carefully, for fear of getting the spittle into it, blowing it softly and softly. After the tea cooled a little, he handed the teacup to Zhao Zhen, "I have hinted at you many times, but you have no response." ”

Zhao Zhen carefully thought about what the two of them talked about in the palace yesterday, but he still found nothing, and looked at Mo Lan quite innocently. The cold in the hall gradually rose, and Mo Lan rolled up the bamboo curtains, allowing the heat from outside to rush into the hall. By this time it was getting dark and the air was much cooler.

Mo Lan smiled slyly: "Did I tell you that the Queen Mother is about to be born in half a month?" ”

Zhao Zhen didn't know what he meant, and nodded, "I also replied to you that the Queen Mother has just recovered from a serious illness, and she wants to celebrate her birthday." ”

Moran smiled: "Isn't this over!" ”

Zhao Zhen exclaimed: "This is the end?!" ”

Moran pinched half a piece of watermelon from the turquoise celadon bowl and took a bite, only to feel sweet and delicious. He handed the rest to Zhao Zhen and asked, "After saying this, do you remember what I said?" Zhao Zhen took the melon in his hand and didn't eat it, and said with a puzzled face: "You said, you and the Queen Mother are both born in summer." ”

Moran stared at him and just smiled, "This is not the end?" ”

Zhao Zhen shook his head and said, "What kind of knot is this?" ”

The summer evening breeze blew into the hall through the window, and it was a slightly cool warmth. Mo Lan changed the half-cold tea on the tea table before saying, "If you have a heart, you should ask: 'When is your birthday?' If I say that today is my birthday, if you don't have the intention of celebrating your birthday, then I won't be bored with myself. ”

Zhao Zhen didn't answer her at this time, but shouted outside the hall: "Zhou Huaizheng!" ”

Zhou Huaizheng was waiting under the corridor, and when he heard the official calling him, he hurriedly agreed, bowed down and entered the hall, glanced at Mo Lan, and then asked respectfully: "What does the official family command?" ”

Zhao Zhen said with a straight face: "The kumquat I sent from Jiangxi County yesterday is here at this time?" ”

Zhou Huaizheng looked bitter and said with a smile: "Official, this kumquat will not be sent to the palace until early tomorrow morning at the earliest." ”

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and motioned for him to step back.

Seeing Zhou Huaizheng retreat from the palace, Zhao Zhencai said to Mo Lan seriously: "Yesterday, I thought you wanted to eat kumquat and got angry, although I thought you were unreasonable, but I still ordered them to pay tribute quickly." This kumquat was originally eaten in November and February, but now it is specially cultivated and paid tribute to the palace. It can be seen that I care about you in my heart. ”

Mo Lan raised his eyebrows and smiled: "Got it, got it." Today I heard a happy event, and I am in a happy mood, so I will forgive you once. Just ......"

Zhao Zhen asked, "Just what?" ”

Moran said: "It's just that it's not an example." Zhao Zhen has always liked her boldness, and at this time she was joking with her, and she felt more relaxed and worried.

He pinched her cheek affectionately and asked casually, "What's the happy event?" I also let you spare me once. ”

Mo Lan thought slightly, and thought: After all, Zifei is a member of the Renming Palace, and he can be regarded as a person in the harem, and they all belong to the official family. The matter has not yet been decided, and the less people know, the better, so he smiled lightly: "The affairs between women, Rokuro doesn't know." After a pause, he said, "The treasurer has allocated some tribute tea leaves, and I have to clean it up." As he spoke, he took the bowl and bowed down.

Zhao Zhen had a lot of pieces to watch, so he didn't keep her, and asked Zhou Huaizheng to prepare dinner.

After finishing the work, just as Jiaoxi came over to change the value, Mo Lan handed over the affairs and went to Cuiwei Pavilion. The sky was dark, and the little eunuchs walked quickly between the palace walls, lighting up the hanging palace lamps and the gauze lanterns in the corners, like a winding dragon, slowly brightening to the depths of the forbidden palace. The air slowly cooled down, and there was a faint cool breeze.

Moran was thinking about the needlework, cloth, flower case, etc. to be prepared for Zifei's embroidered pillow, when he suddenly heard a voice from the shade of the tree in the hidden place: "Moran." ”

She stopped and turned to look, and saw a tall figure standing in the dark, and she recognized the shadow as Chu Zifu. She walked into the shade of the tree, and saluted according to the rules before saying, "Is there anything wrong with you?" ”

Chu Zifu took out a jade hairpin from his sleeve and said softly: "A birthday gift for you." ”

As if going back to many years ago, he stood in the shade of flowers, leaning against the pear tree in the courtyard, with flowers falling all over his shoulders, he took out a silk flower from his sleeve and chuckled: "A birthday gift for you." Every year today, he says the same thing. If the world is unpredictable, the only constant is Chu Zifu.

Moran respectfully accepted, after all, the gap between them is not the same as before, and now that the gap is deep, it is good to abide by the rules. Mo Lan smiled and said, "Yesterday was your birthday, and it must be very lively if you want to come to the house." ”

The two were born in the same year and month, but because he was the only son in the family, his uncle had a lot of contacts, and every year on his birthday, there were many people who congratulated him on his birthday, and gradually, the family moved her birthday to the next day.

When the husband saw her smile, he couldn't help laughing: "My father made the decision to tell your sister about a marriage, and on my birthday, let them meet secretly." ”

Mo Lan sighed in his heart, it turned out that Mo Chou was going to get married, and it was really like the sun and the moon.

She smiled even deeper and said, "Don't you be happy? ”

The husband usually speaks little, but he can only say a few more words in front of her, and he smiled lightly: "That man's father works in the Privy Council, and that man himself has taken on a false position under the door. Although he is a concubine, his character and appearance are excellent. ”

Mo Lan chuckled in his heart, and couldn't help sneering: "It's very good, but it's just a concubine, and it's a perfect match for a concubine to marry a concubine!" Your father is a slut! ”

The husband let out a low cry, "Moran! ”

Moran knew that he was speechless, so he hurriedly stopped talking and only said: "If that person is really good, I don't have any opinion." If that person is not good, son-in-law, you have to help Mo Chou make the decision. ”

Seeing her frowning, Zifu felt distressed, and couldn't help but say softly: "That's natural." After a pause, he said, "It's just Moran, are you doing well?" Last time in Gongyi Palace, you ...... with the official family"

Mo Lan understood, blushed, and said, "You were there at the time?" ”

The husband said in a low voice: "Yes, I was standing under the city gate, but you didn't see me." Accompany you like a tiger, you are careful in everything. Ten years of friendship finally ended with a sentence of "be careful". It was like a pair of scissors twisted in his chest, tearing his heart out, but he still had to endure it, trying his best to endure the pain, and said to her with a smile: "If the official family really likes you, you also have to mention the matter of the concubines of Jin Feng, you must not be the same as the same hour, and you always feel that everything doesn't matter." ”

Moran understands that it is freezing three feet, not a day's cold. Between her and her husband, after all, there were two little guesses, fresh clothes and angry horses, and when she talked about these at this time, she felt that the world was unpredictable and everything was vicissitudes.

It was much darker, and the two of them could not speak for a long time, lest they be seen and provoked criticism. The husband took out a nine-bend plain plain silver bracelet and handed it to Mo Lan, "This is what my grandmother secretly asked me to give to you, although it is made of silver, it is not as valuable as gold and jade, but it is a dowry left by the mother of the old ancestor, and it is also a little thought for you to keep it well." ”

Mo Lan was sad, and his eyes were red, "Is the ancestor still healthy?" ”

Seeing her expression, Zifu softened his tone and said, "She's fine, but I'm just thinking about you." Always scolded my father and sent you to the palace. ”

Moran let out a light "um", unable to speak anymore, just afraid that as soon as he opened his mouth, he would cry.

She sobbed softly, holding the jade bracelet and hairpin in her hand, and burst into tears. Zifu was distressed, took out a handkerchief and handed it to her, she took it, only to feel that the handkerchief still had his taste, it was the taste of carefree and childhood sweethearts when he was a child. She wiped away her tears before saying, "There are many people in the palace, you can go first." ”

The husband looked at her reluctantly, nodded in agreement, and went to the door of the hanging flowers.

When he was far away, Mo Lan turned out of the shadows, and only after walking a few steps, he saw Zhao Zhen standing under the corner of the corridor, his expression was indifferent, not at all like his usual gentleness and kindness.

Moran was stunned, knowing that he was going to misunderstand, and was about to open his mouth to explain a few words, but he didn't know where to start. She walked up to him, grabbed his sleeve, and pondered for a long time before she was about to speak: "Liulang ......" Before she finished speaking, she was slammed off by Zhao Zhen, glanced at her indifferently, and did not speak, only passed by her.