Early spring in February.

In the apricot blossom forest on the outskirts of Beijing, the fallen flowers are colorful, and the tourists are weaving.

On the day of the Flower Dynasty Festival, unmarried women can come out to enjoy the green. The number of tourists who come to enjoy the apricot blossoms, especially young men, is several times higher.

In the afternoon, the clouds were light and the drizzle was falling, and the tourists were discouraged and dispersed.

When there were fewer people, a young man with a drooping hair of twelve or thirteen years old suddenly came.

Dressed in white, his eyes are like jade.

In the drizzle, I found a secluded corner, took the painting folder, and painted on the spot. The whole body was fluttering, and there was a bit of misty fairy breath.

A group of gentlemen who were richly dressed, riding eagles and horses, and wanted to return to the city, were immediately stunned.

If there is no taboo in meat and vegetables, he wants to kidnap people on the spot.

Unexpectedly, it was stopped.

"This kid's surname is Xue, and he was originally after the Duke of Dingguo. Now it's just a broken house, and there's nothing to fear. But because he can read, he has to show talent at a young age. got the blue eyes of Master Xu and recognized this relative. It's really a bit of a hassle. ”

Everyone said it was a pity.

But one person had a whim, "This kid can't move, he always has sisters in his family, get one back as a concubine, and the brothers can't ...... Ha ha! ”

Everyone praised and pushed out one person together.

Within a few days, the Xue family, which had already been dilapidated like civilians, was squeaked and pushed open two thin wooden doors.

An official media with gold and silver walked to the famous beauty in the alley, the eldest girl of the Xue family.

“…… As the saying goes, it's better to be a maid than a poor wife. Now she is not a servant, she is still a serious and famous concubine, how can she not rely on it...... I know you have ambitions, but your brother has to spend money to study, right? Even if you recognize Master Xu, but for daily expenses, you can still find the door. It's up to you to do the needlework, how many years will he be able to get through......"

Miss Xue took the embroidery shed and was silent for a long time.

A few days later, the young man in white took time out of the day to rush home from the academy to report the good news, but unexpectedly saw a pink sedan chair parked in front of his house.

Miss Xue, as always, smiled gently, "Little brother, the eldest sister is about to marry and live a good life." is the son of King Ning, and after the clan, he just gave three hundred taels of silver. ”

The young man in white was shocked and heartbroken, and his eyes were about to split, "The son of King Naning is a famous gentleman in the capital, what good can you get if you are a concubine for that kind of person?" Eldest sister, did you agree to this family affair for my sake? Not really!

You see, I can make money too. The picture of apricot blossoms and spring rain I drew a few days ago sold for two taels of silver. In the future, we will always get better and better in the future! ”

Miss Xue looked at her younger brother trembling, holding the two taels of silver in her palm, and gently stroked the young man's head.

"It's good that my little brother has a good job. But you spent half a tael of silver in the rain for half a day in order to paint, and when you came back with a cold, you asked the doctor to grab medicine. And it was uncomfortable for a few days, and the person suffered a loss, and delayed studying, and it was impossible to go back. ”

"But what you like, it's obviously from the mouth of the alley—"

Miss Xue covered his mouth with a smile, but her slender hands were cold.

"But what future can a little carpenter have? Sister, this is for myself. Naturally, if you have a good future, the eldest sister can also be better. Okay, let's not talk about it, the auspicious time has arrived, and the eldest sister should go. Take care of your family and yourself in the future, the eldest sister is waiting for the day when you will be named on the gold list and play on the streets. ”

The beautiful girl walked away, leaving only a delicate back of apricot blossoms.

Concubine's room,

Naturally, you can't wear red.

But such a light apricot blossom red, like an apricot blossom red that can be blown off by a breeze, eldest sister, can she really live well?

The young man in white had already burst into tears.

Three years.

During the examination, the white-clothed young man who passed the examination Xie Yuan, with the good news, was allowed to walk into the back door of King Ning's mansion for the first time, and under an osmanthus tree, he saw his eldest sister who had been absent for three years.

In the fragrance of golden cinnamon, Miss Xue was still smiling, her eyebrows and eyes gentle.

"My little brother is really good, he took the first exam!"

The young man endured not to look at it, and the wind and frost covered by the thick fat powder of the eldest sister and the desolation carved into his eyebrows were also smiling.

"Yes, I will do my best, and I will also take the first place in the Jinshi exam. Let the eldest sister look at my gold list title and play horses and parade the streets. ”

Miss Xue nodded, "I'm waiting for the good news from my younger brother." Alright, let's go. Take it to make a few good clothes, don't wear so plain all the time. ”

She removed the gold bracelet from her wrist and shoved it in.

Others don't understand, but she knows why her brother keeps wearing white.

Not because I like it, but because of the beautiful colors, I can't afford to wear them all.

If you have a color, you will be old after a few washes, and you have to make a new one. It's only white, so I'm not afraid to wash it a few more times.

The young man held back his tears, "Sister should also take care of herself." ”

Pretended not to see my sister's skinny wrist and the little bruises and purple marks that came out of it.

But as soon as he turned around and walked onto the road, there were two people who looked like maids, who seemed to be chewing their tongues in front of him on purpose.

"Yo, Aunt Xue, this time your brother is angry, the little prince shouldn't ask you to accompany the guest again, right?"

"But there are a few guests who like you very much, and they must order them every time they come to the door."

"I also said that Aunt Xue, when you cry, it is especially beautiful. Those green eyes are as ...... as moist jade."

Miss Xue's body shook dramatically, and her face turned pale and she raised her head urgently.

I saw my younger brother, the young man in white with his shoulders straight, and strode away.

There was no looking back.

Miss Xue thought by luck, he probably didn't hear it, right?

But she didn't know that when her younger brother left King Ning's mansion, he vomited a mouthful of blood!

It was raised for half a month.

Fortunately, a year later, Ning Wangfu gave a message to the young man who was becoming famous.

Aunt Xue gave birth to a son.

The young man went to see, when he came to Ning Wang's Mansion at this time, he could finally have a seat in the side hall.

Miss Xue hugged the big red swaddling clothes and smiled worriedly, "I only wish to be a daughter." Who knows-"

The boy said, "Even boys are not afraid, and my uncle will protect him." ”

Miss Xue laughed again.

It's just the first time, in front of my younger brother, there are a few tears in my laughter.

Later, as long as the boy remembered the eldest sister with tears in his laughter and the little nephew who looked like a kitten, he worked harder.

Winter and summer, cold and summer, cold window hard reading.

It's easy to say, but in every word, there is a deep impression of the hard work of the scholars for many years.

Another three years.

was supposed to be the imperial examination, but because the emperor was seriously ill, it was delayed.

The children of the clans, large and small, in the capital were summoned into the palace and pulled out one after another.

The emperor had no children.

This is a real opportunity to reach the sky, but there are also the deepest bottomless tricks hidden underneath.

The ministers and magnates are panicking, who still cares about the imperial examination?

The boy didn't have that in mind.

I am afraid that the eldest sister and little nephew who are in King Ning's Mansion will also be involved in this bloodless dispute.

But he was still swept in.

On that day, the emperor summoned the children of the clan into the palace, but asked them to bring the children of the family.

So the little nephew was also led away by his mother-in-law.

On that day, the emperor deliberately separated all the children of the clan and the adult children, leaving only a group of ignorant young children to play in front of him.

Hearing the emperor's cough, a child in the audience brought a bowl of warm water to the emperor.

And looking back, the emperor chose an heir.

It is the father of this little child.

A child of the clan who is so dilapidated that he is on par with the Xue family.

Min Heng.

The child who poured water is naturally His Royal Highness the King of Han today.

The eldest prince, Min Bai.

In fact, to analyze objectively and fairly, Min Heng was indeed the best candidate at that time.

The emperor took a fancy to him because his family was in a state of decay, his father and mother died early, he had no brothers and sisters, and his population was simple. There are not so many messy things, and he is not afraid of forming a party for personal gain when he looks back, and he is mean and rude to the princesses and concubines he left behind.

The courtiers took a fancy to him because he didn't learn and didn't have any skills, but he didn't have any bad habits, he was ordinary and ordinary, and he was easy to knead and rub.

The people took a fancy to him......

Does it matter if the people don't like him?

As for saying that he brushed the dragon chair with his face, it was really just a smoke bomb released by the whole court.

After all, there is a handsome and decent emperor, and anyone who looks at it is pleasing to the eye.

But if there were no prerequisites, no matter how handsome Min Heng was, he wouldn't be able to sit on this dragon chair.

Even the teenagers at that time could analyze this truth, but some people refused to accept it.

For example, Ning Wangfu.

Since the day his nephew entered the palace, Ning Wangfu has collectively blamed the youngest child.

Obviously about the same age as Min Bai, why do others know to pour water, and you are like a piece of wood?

Idiot!

Those who are cheap are not on the stage!

What good can be the Hu people's species?

The little nephew, who was born weak, was frightened and frightened, fell seriously ill, and his health became worse and worse.

……

Once upon a time, the boy thought that as long as he worked hard enough, he could protect his sister and nephew.

But in fact, his efforts are also a double-edged sword. It not only protects them, but also attracts more jealousy.

The boy had no choice but to work harder.

The first emperor died, and the new emperor succeeded to the throne. At the beginning of spring next year, Enke was finally added.

The young man was full of ambition, and in the Jinshi examination, he was admitted to Huiyuan as he wished.

Only no one expected that he, the champion with the highest voice, was slapped down by Taishi Xu, who cherished his feathers, during the palace examination.

Not even the top three.

And what did he fund Xue Shen at the beginning?

Ten taels of silver.

After Xue Shen won Xiucai, he gave ten taels of silver.

This has become Master Xu's insight, and everyone praises him.

And the counterattack in the inner courtyard of the deep house came extremely fiercely.

It's just that he deliberately delayed all night and didn't ask for a doctor, and the little nephew was killed by an ordinary typhoid fever.

Miss Xue was so sad that she turned white overnight, desperately hugged her son's small body, and committed suicide by swallowing gold.

After so many years, she is as fragile and withered as an apricot blossom.

When he left, he only left six words written in blood for his younger brother -

"I'm sorry, it's so bitter!"

The young man can't delve into it, the gentle and virtuous eldest sister, what hardships have she suffered over the years, so that she left such six words at the end.

But in the end, she still felt sorry.

Who is she sorry for?

Except for herself, she obviously hasn't lived up to anyone!

After using some means, the young man buried his eldest sister and little nephew in his own cemetery.

With the blessing of their ancestors, and the relatives who love them, they can always live less bitterly under the Nine Springs, right?

The deceased is gone.

But the living, when they wipe away their blood and tears, they will seek justice for them.

The young man hated Ning Wangfu, hated Xu Taishi, and hated the child who poured water!

If it weren't for him,

If he hadn't had to pour that glass of water—

Even if he is still the eldest prince today, his little nephew may not have to die.

If he is alive, doesn't the eldest sister have the hope of living?

Therefore, he and Min Bai will not get better in this life.

No matter how virtuous and wise he is, it won't work!

In his sleep, the former teenager once again wet the pillow towel with tears.

The apricot blossom rain that year had already grown into a wound in his heart that would never heal......