Another round of toasts.

Liu Ting was recalled to Beijing, and the matter of checking and paying taxes in the south was handed over to him.

Since he is a Beijing official, and he is on an errand in front of the emperor, regardless of the size of the official position, he cannot afford to offend, and today is a banquet set up by Jiang Du in the prefect's mansion, and all officials above the fifth rank in Zhongnan are invited to accompany him.

"Lord Xiao has a good amount of alcohol!"

"The afterlife is terrifying!" While drinking, Jiang Du came over and smiled at him, "This is a kid, Jiang Heng." ”

Xiao Cheng looked over Jiang Du's shoulder, and saw a young man standing behind him, who had not yet tied his crown, white and handsome, looking at Jiang Du who was six or seven points similar, and saw that he was dressed without a meritorious official rank, so he said: "Brother Jiang." ”

Jiang Heng is Jiang Du's sister-in-law, Jiang Fei's brother, who has been studying abroad for several years, this time to escort the two younger sisters to Beijing, and secondly, to prepare in advance for next year's Spring Festival before returning home.

"Lord Xiao." Jiang Heng raised the lamp, didn't look at him much, and said with a smile, "I've always heard my father mention Lord Xiao, and I admire him very much, and I pay tribute to him first." ”

"Brother Jiang is polite, you and I are the same age, if you don't dislike it, you can be commensurate with each other."

"Brother Xiao." Jiang Heng is as good as a stream, "I heard my father say that Brother Xiao agreed to walk with us all the way, thank you." ”

"It's a gesture."

Xiao Cheng nodded, he had already eaten a round, if Liu Ting was here, everyone would not dare to do this, but he didn't care, after all, the foundation was good, he was used to drinking more and less, so he didn't refuse.

It's not that he doesn't drink well, it's just that he suddenly became a little irritable for some reason, so he hid out to disperse the smell of alcohol by taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't drink enough.

On the way out of the courtyard, Fang Xuan met Xiao Cheng.

Dazhen's folk customs are open, and they are a little more particular when they arrive in the north, but the men's and women's defense is not yet rigorous.

"Lord Xiao." She bowed and called him with a smile.

Xiao Cheng also returned the salute, "County Lord." ”

The two of them were going to say goodbye, but when he staggered, the tip of his nose smelled the warm fragrance again, and he paused and blurted out: "County Lord." ”

Fang Xuan turned around, his eyes were slightly raised, his cheeks were pink, and he raised the corners of his lips and smiled, "Is there something wrong with Lord Xiao?" ”

It's the same as in the Ten Mile Pavilion, soft and lively when you laugh.

"I just feel that there is some stuffiness and noise ahead, and I want to walk around, but I am afraid of colliding......"

"If so, how about I lead the way? Although this is in the central south, I have been here a lot since I was a child, and the road is very familiar. Fang Xuan covered his lips and proposed.

"Lord, cousin, she ......," the maid whispered behind her.

Following her today was the maidservant girl she had seen in the Ten Mile Pavilion that day.

Xiao Cheng is very capable, otherwise he would not have won Liu Ting's appreciation, and with a sweep of his eyes, he saw that Fang Xuan and the maidservant were not very close, so he said: "If the county lord has something to do, go and get busy first, it's not a good thing to leave me right." ”

Fang Xuan glared at the maidservant when she heard this, and seemed a little unhappy, "Just call the third girl to go, is it possible that this banquet can't be done without me?" ”

After that, he said to Xiao Cheng, "This girl is new and doesn't understand the rules, don't blame Lord Xiao." ”

At this point, Xiao Cheng didn't say anything more, and walked forward with her.

When the maid saw this, she was a little embarrassed, and turned in the direction they had come.

"Is it okay?" Xiao Cheng stretched out his hand to brush away the falling wisteria and asked.

There is a pool of living water in the garden, which is drawn from the Nanhuai River, and the two of them walk side by side along the gravel road next to the small lake, with strange flowers and plants on both sides, although it is late autumn, it is still a little gorgeous.

After leaving, she seemed to be a little more lively, casually folded a branch of flowers and put it under her nose and sniffed, and said with a little excitement: "It's okay, you are the host and guest, and my aunt and uncle have already instructed me to entertain you." ”

She was also like a bird, very beautiful, different from him.

Xiao Cheng's lips also dyed a smile, "I have always heard that the prince and princess love the county lord very much, and it is true." ”

"Yes, my father and mother have been very kind to me." Fang Xuan looked at him sideways, her lips were as pure and beautiful as the flower branches in her hands, and her porcelain skin seemed to give birth to a halo of white jade under the warm autumn sun.

"Lord Xiao, please come here." Fang Xuan stood still and pointed to a path leading to the center of the lake, "In front of you is Lanfeng Pavilion, and the view is excellent. ”

"It's a good place to go."

When I arrived at the Lanfeng Pavilion, I saw that the lake breeze came slowly and warmly from all directions, which was refreshing and comfortable, and really responded to the word "Lanfeng".

Xiao Cheng's eyes swept around, and he saw things such as throwing pots, chessboards, etc., and a leaf was tied to the pavilion pillar, so he knew that the first floor was a place to play.

Sure enough, I heard Fang Xuan say: "Lord Xiao is smiling, this is where our little sister usually goes for pastime." The second floor is the resting place, and the third floor, if I had to say, is the best. ”

She lifted her skirt and climbed the stairs, in fact, the attic was not very high, but the artistic conception was really wonderful, and the two of them climbed to the third floor after a while.

Xiao Cheng stood by the railing, and suddenly the autumn wind made a little noise, and the hunting sound of the clothes blowing, and he looked into the distance, and the entire mansion was in full view. There are green eaves tile corners occasionally exposed between the red flowers and green trees, the pavilions and pavilions stand upright, there is a small island not far from the lake, the grass grows on the flat lake, and there are egrets flying in fright.

"It's really elegant." He said, "Why is it that the two egrets by the water have no worries and silk on their heads [Note 1], I wonder if the county lord has ever raised birds?" ”

Fang Xuanwan'er leaned on the railing with one hand, and the other arm bloomed, and the long skirt with flowers and dragged on the ground danced lightly in the wind, as if she wanted to return with the wind. "I raised it when I was young, but my father once said that its wings are flying, and it shouldn't be trapped in a cage, so I never raised it again."

Her voice was very soft, and she brushed it against his ear with the wind, Xiao Cheng couldn't help but be a little self-deprecating, his lips pursed and he was silent, and suddenly he seemed cold.

But in fact, it is still very elegant, no wonder the maidservants of the Jiang family will discuss it in private.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, because she had just been frightened, Jiang didn't want to make a big deal, so the family just sat around and had dinner together to admire the moon. Only Xiao Cheng was also in the house, so it was not good to leave him, Fang Xuan and Jiang Fei went to invite, and listened to a few maids whispering on the way, and then Jiang Fei asked her a few words about Xiao Cheng.

"Let's go." Xiao Cheng turned around, "I'm bothering the county lord." ”

"Don't you see it?" Fang Xuan tilted his head to look at him, and suddenly said, "Yes, you have a lot of official duties, and you are not as easy and happy as us women!" ”

Xiao Cheng didn't answer, he just walked back along the gravel path he came, and when he arrived at the second gate, he clenched his fists with both hands, "I'm bothering the county lord." ”

As soon as the long legs were taken, the man was gone.

Fang Xuan watched quietly for a while, until his back disappeared at the end of the verandah, thinking of Xiao Cheng's strange appearance after hearing what she said to repay him that day in the Ten Mile Pavilion.

Yes or no, just test it.

"County Lord." The maidservant girl had stood behind her at some point, and called out loudly.

Fang Xuan's face sank, he didn't look at her, and said coldly: "Go and get the punishment." ”

The maid was stunned for a moment, and the person had already knelt down, "Wen Xia is punished, and I ask the county lord to make it clear." ”

"Everyone in the Shence army practices martial arts, do you think you can hide from him with your skills?" Fang Xuan said, "I have my own way of doing things, you are too presumptuous." ”

"Wen Xia knows his mistake."

"I won't tell my father about this matter, it's good if you know it yourself, don't make an example, just give birth and raise it if you receive the punishment, and change Wenxi to serve."

Wen Xia slammed his head to the ground, his face was already pale, "Thank you, Lord County." ”

Fang Xuan sighed secretly in his heart, couldn't tell how he felt, left the person behind, and went to the place where the banquet was in front of him.