Chapter 212: Waiting

After Emperor Kangxi traveled far away, another summer came as scheduled. Every day at dawn, there is already a blazing sun in the sky, the red sun is scorching, and the scorching heat is unbearable; From time to time, a storm passes, and the heat on the ground is all surging and churning, and the breath is even more sluggish. However, the increasingly irritable and sultry weather, for the capital under the imperial power, is like a cool autumn, faint, serew, like a traceless autumn water, can not set off a trace of waves, showing a strange calm.

Huizhu didn't know how calm the capital was, or what kind of storm and rain were hidden under the calm, she was like an ordinary lady of the Eight Banners, taking refuge in this secluded Jiangnan courtyard for summer recreation, and living a luxurious and elegant life.

One afternoon in August, knowing the sound of cicadas, the white swaying sun is the most scorching, and people are lazily curled up indoors, sheltering from the sun and blocking the sun, looking up or taking a nap with a sad expression.

In the embroidery building, the fire-like sunlight is blocked under the cold windows of the eaves, and the green branches and dense leaves cast a shade on the house. In the exquisite and luxurious main house, against the yin rhyme shadow wall, there is a red sandalwood five-screen large arhat bed, which is separated by a small number of red sandalwood moire in the middle. Huizhu and Suo Zhuoluo were lying on the bed on one side, through the wisps of sandalwood smoke burning on the small surface, and there was a pair of gossips, looking relaxed and comfortable.

Suddenly, the bamboo curtain was lifted with the sound, Xiaojuan personally carried the plate in, walked to the front of the Luohan bed, bent her knees slightly, and set the food on the plate on the table, while saying softly: "Thinking that the master and the second grandmother have not taken a nap, I took advantage of the afternoon nap of Gege and Miss Biao, and made some food to cool off." As he spoke, he placed two small multicolored glass bowls in front of the two of them, and took two small silver spoons and put them in the bowls.

Huizhu glanced at the two four or five-year-old girls who were sleeping soundly on the low collapse opposite, slapped the fan casually, then looked back, sat up, scooped a spoonful of milky white crushed ice stirred with red beans and sent it to her mouth, then her eyes blinked, and she smiled and said: "The autumn tiger is powerful, and it is the best to eat this." ”

Suo Zhuo Luo covered it with a fan, looked at the husband and sister on the other side who looked like they were enjoying themselves, and pursed his lips and chuckled. Her husband and sister are a little unusual, sometimes there is a kind of majesty in a high position, and sometimes she is as carefree as a boudoir girl, it seems simple and simple, but always when you are defenseless, you have insight into everything, which is really incomprehensible.

Huizhu saw that Suo Zhuoluo was slightly stunned when he looked at the shaved ice in front of him, shook his head and smiled lightly, then moved the small bowl, raised his eyes and said, "Your stomach is seven months old, it's better to eat less cold." Well, just use some Jiang rice lotus root, by the way, there is also this cold powder, topped with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, garlic soup, chili oil, pickled carrot shreds and other seasonings, sour and spicy and delicious, you should be able to eat. ”

Suo Zhuo Luo smiled embarrassedly, and was a little dumbfounded at the condiments that Huizhu had eaten in front of him, and only after half a sound did he look back at the ridicule of Huizhu and Xiaojuan's master and servant, and scooped it with a spoon, and tasted: "I do eat it." After that, he ate a few more bites, and said suspiciously: "This should be only in the palace, the concubine has never seen it." However, the ingredients are not expensive, but they are not as expensive as those used by nobles. ”

Huizhu couldn't help but laugh to herself, and after a while, Fang Zhi smiled: "This is what people in the small alleys in the southwest of Beijing often eat, and it is used by those people whose families are not wealthy to cool off the heat, and they sprinkle a handful of chili noodles and some vinegar and eat it." You are from a rich family, I don't know it, I am also the time of incense in April, he ...... After eating at the stall in front of the temple, he sent someone to learn how to do it and made it himself. Because you were so happy a few months ago, I didn't dare to take it out, and I saw that you were almost full-term on this day, so I ordered you to do it. ”

Xiaojuan answered: "Second grandma, you have been living here for more than three months, the master has personally explained the kitchen to make supplements, you have no appetite a few days ago, and the master is secretly worried and ......anxious" The words were still unfinished, seeing Huizhu's blaming glare, he turned his busy words and said: "The master and the second grandmother may not know, this cold powder also has a common name called 'dialing fish', you look at this cold powder in the bowl is like a fish?" ”

Huizhu glanced at it a few times, nodded and said, "It is indeed similar, compared to Liangfen, the name of this group of fish is more vivid." Suo Zhuoluo's heart was moved, and seeing that Huizhu didn't want to talk more, she had no choice but to restrain her feelings, and said: "This group of fish concubines knows, I once read it in a book, and a limerick poem 'Ice scraping strips leaking fish, crystal clear teeth have more cold. The flavor tone is as you like, just cool and sour'. After reading it, the concubine has always wanted to eat, and she doesn't want to be under her nose for many years, and she has only seen and tasted it once. ”

A hint of surprise flashed in Huizhu's eyes, she knew that this brother and daughter-in-law were completely a lady, and now it seems that she is also a reader of a lot of books, and she can read a poem at her fingertips. Thinking about it, Huizhu was a little embarrassed, and was about to praise a few words, when she saw that the bamboo curtain was lifted again, and Xiao Ranzi came excitedly.

Huizhu asked, "What's the matter?" Xiao Ranzi didn't have time to salute, so he hurriedly took out a letter from the placket of his clothes and presented it with both hands: "Master, the post station in Beijing sent a letter just now, it was written by Brother Hongli, and it didn't go through the house. After hearing this, Huizhu and Suo Zhuoluo glanced at each other, took the envelope without saying a word, and hurriedly opened it, looking at it carefully.

The letter was not long, and Huizhu had already read it in a short time. Xiao Ranzi was anxious, and hurriedly asked, "Master, what did Brother Hongli say?" But something happened. Huizhu folded the letter, sighed slightly, and said: "The letter is written, and they were scheduled to return to Beijing at the end of this month, but it will be delayed until September, and it is estimated that they will not return to Beijing until October." When Xiao Juan and Xiao Ranzi heard it, they were like frosted eggplants, and they were stunned all of a sudden.

Suo Zhuoluo comforted: "Brother Hongli is a holy grace to accompany the Long Live Lord, and it is nearly two months late, so don't worry." Didn't Brother Hongli write a letter back? Huizhu looked a little lonely and said: "In three days it will be Hongli's birthday, she has been born for two years, and she is not by my side." ”

After getting along for the past few months, Suo Zhuoluo has been laughing and enjoying life when she sees Huizhu, and when she sees a faint sadness on her face, she doesn't know how to persuade her. When she was talking, she heard the two villains on the opposite side of the dwarf muttering something, as if she was about to wake up, she hurriedly sat up and wanted to stay over, Huizhu had already collected the letter, and walked towards the dwarf with a light smile.

Suo Zhuo Luo looked at Huizhu who seemed to be a carefree young woman for a moment, a little puzzled, a little curious, and had many, many feelings that could not be seen and touched, until her five-year-old little daughter called "Eniang" in a milky voice, she took her eyes away from this woman who seemed to be misty but like a clear spring, supported her back with one hand, stroked her high bulging belly with the other, and also walked towards the dwarf.

The following days were not affected by Hongli's delayed return. Every day, Huizhu chatted with Suo Zhuoluo, about children, about things that women are always interested in, about beauty and clothing, and so on; And Baolian, who grew up in the palace compound since she was a child, also played very happily with her little cousin of the same age. All the turmoil in the capital and the house has not affected this secluded and luxurious courtyard for the time being.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Huizhu still took Baolian back to the house, looking at the mansion after a long absence, and also felt the uneasiness under the calm surface, the servants were cautious, never said a word, just did the errand in hand. Even the ladies of the mansion who will be jealous in their words are extremely rare to get along, and they also show a certain dependence on the Ulanala clan between their eyebrows.

Huizhu didn't know where their panic came from, but judging from the fact that when the carriage entered the city, the number of officers and soldiers guarding the city gate increased, and even the carriage of Fujin on the side of Prince Yong's mansion had to be strictly checked, it seemed that a huge whirlpool was slowly brewing in the capital, waiting for the moment to break out.

After August, the summer heat faded, and the Wulanala clan often sent someone to ask her when she would return home, Huizhu saw that the situation seemed to have changed, thinking that it was better to go back to the house, but before the decision, the ears unexpectedly appeared on the day of incense, Yinzhen's last sentence, and then make arrangements when he came back, and the letter at the end of Hongli wrote, "Eniang, wait for Hongli to return to Beijing to pick you and your sister back home."

If so, the same words of the two made her finally reject the proposal of the Ulanara clan, and postpone the time to return home on the grounds that Pauline's illness was repeated. But everyone's nervousness and subtle changes in Jingli still made waves in her heart. So in September, after Huizhu returned home to give birth, she closed the door of the house and easily did not allow anyone to enter and leave at will.

But in the middle and late years, this house still inevitably attracted the attention of people who were interested, and every day after that, there were seven or eight people who made up farmers walking around not far from the courtyard. When Huizhu heard this, she was frightened, and after calming down for a long time, she was busy arranging for the guards to take turns to guard day and night, and even the usual necessary purchases were canceled.

On the evening of this day, after dinner, Huizhu stood in front of the window, looking at the slightly yellowing leaves through the shadow of the night. Suddenly, a gust of autumn wind blew, and there was a chill on her body, Huizhu couldn't help but shiver, and then she felt a warmth on her body, and then she heard Xiaojuan say softly: "Master, the autumn night is cold, it's better to wear a windbreaker, so as not to be infected with the wind cold, if Brother Hongli comes back, he will definitely be sad to see it." Huizhu turned her head to look at Xiaojuan, then put it away, and sighed almost inaudibly: "It's the eighth day of the first month, why haven't you returned to Beijing yet." ”

Xiaojuan opened her mouth, but before she made a sound, she only heard a heavy footsteps coming, she was shocked, nervously grabbed Huizhu's sleeve, and called "master". Huizhu forced herself, nodded to Xiaojuan soothingly, and asked sharply, "Who is outside?" ”