The gazebo is not as good as a serious house, and after peeling off the thick snow, I lifted the straw on the top, and soon saw the corner of my clothes under the broken reed mat.

"Quick!" Pei Yourui's sideburns are scattered, and a pair of wishful hairpins are obliquely inserted on the vertical hairpin, which has long been gone; The fox fur that hindered the movement was also thrown on the snow not far away, and the bright wrist exposed in the narrow sleeve had been blown purple in the north wind; The ten fingers, which are as delicate as mushrooms and slippery as clotted cream, are covered with blood stains due to the excavation of frozen snow blocks.

But at this moment, she didn't care about these at all, her eyes stared at the familiar corners of her clothes, and she urged sharply, "Hurry up!! ”

Watching the delicate young lady take the lead in pulling off a bundle of straw, the subordinates were busy and quickened their hands and feet.

After a while, the rafters and purlins on the top of the pavilion were tied with spare ropes and tied to several mounts, with the order of the head of the guards, the horses who were whipped were pained, and the galloping power dragged up the top of the pavilion, and the straw, reed mats, and snow that had not yet had time to be cleared were mixed with sawdust and sprinkled one after another, and a white snow mist suddenly rose all around!

Before the top of the pavilion was fully erected, Pei Yourui had already swooped into the pavilion with a gust of wind!

"Daddy! Father? How are you? Between the snow and dust, her vision was blocked, she groped for Pei He's position with her memory, and reached out to touch her father's face, but there was a small body at the tentacle, as if sensing her panic, the little beggar said with all her might: "The master's head is fine!" ”

Because he hugged Pei He's head at the last moment and blocked the collapsed pavilion roof with his body.

Pei Yourui watched him move away, revealing his father's intact face, although his eyes were closed, his breathing could be heard, and he was indescribably excited, he clenched his fist to his lips and bit it hard, before he choked out: "Good boy - come on, take this child out first, is it important to see?" ”

hurriedly brushed away the straw and snow on Pei He's cheeks, and said cautiously, "Dad, if you hold on, we'll help you out immediately!" ”

"No need......" Pei He, who suddenly opened his eyes, glanced at his daughter with affection, but sighed softly, "My son, you call the old people over, Dad...... Daddy can't do it! ”

Pei Yourui was stunned for a moment, and followed her father's line of sight - most of Pei He's body at the moment was hidden in straw and snow, and in the intertwined colors of pale and pale, a touch of bright red was shocking.

The handful of straw she grabbed suddenly scattered all over her body!

After a moment of stiffness, Pei Yourui trembled and stretched out her hand, wanting to touch but not daring to touch, wanting to see but even more afraid to look at the appearance, so that the people who were gradually surrounding them noticed that something was wrong, several healthy servants couldn't care about wiping a handful of sweat, walked to the front in a few steps, and walked away the straw and snow with their hands and feet, and after seeing it clearly, their pupils shrank: an ice ridge the thickness of a baby's arm was running through Pei He's left chest!

"Pull it out!" Pei Yourui's outstretched hand was suddenly withdrawn, covering her mouth tightly, tears surged out, blown by the north wind, and before it dripped off her clothes, it had already condensed into ice.

She quickly put down her hand again, waved nervously in the air a few times, and pulled her hair fiercely, and the bun that was barely tied up completely fell down, covering most of her face, and she looked extremely embarrassed - after a short period of helplessness, she seemed to have finally come to her senses, let out a terrible scream, and crawled over, trying to pull out the ice edge, "Where's the doctor?!" Go to the doctor! Fast!!! ”

"Miss Five, you can't pull it out!" Steward Pei stepped forward to stop her with a crying voice, and said in a low voice, "The master is too seriously injured, if this will be pulled out, I'm afraid the master will ...... immediately."

He didn't continue, but everyone present understood the meaning of his words.

Pei Yourui only felt that countless thunderbolts suddenly exploded in her ears, and after a short period of confusion, what she wanted to say, the fishy sweetness surging in her throat made her unable to make a sound despite all her strength!

"Cover the straw and get warmer." When Pei He spoke, blood bubbles were already coming out of his mouth and nose, but his face was extremely ruddy, and his eyes were as clear as a child's - it was clear that he had returned to the light, "You all watched my son grow up, I won't be able to do it, my son will ...... in the future."

Chief Steward Pei knew that this was about to explain the future, so he wiped his tears indiscriminately, knelt down beside Pei Yourui, kowtowed heavily, and said sadly: "The old slave must have protected Miss!" ”

"I have four sons under my knees, and this is the only daughter." Pei He raised his arm, grabbed his wrist, endured the discomfort of the blood foaming in his throat, and said with difficulty, "The four sons have all started a family, and they have both children. Over the years, I have given them schoolwork, married the right wives, planned their careers, and suggested ways to behave in the world, and I think that I have fulfilled my father's responsibilities, and I am worthy of them—only my daughter, the youngest, has been serving me, but I have not been able to find a good home for her! ”

The scenes under Chenghuan's knees when her daughter was a child have come to mind: the cuteness of Yuxue in swaddling clothes, the innocent coquettishness of drooping hair, the innocence and shyness of cardamom, and the sentimentality behind the curtain - as if she was still a toddler and babbling yesterday, and in the blink of an eye, she has become a fair lady.

Time has destroyed his years, but it has also bloomed the flowers in his palms that he has carefully cared for.

Sixteen years of father and daughter dependent on each other, countless pictures of family and happiness flashed in my mind, and finally froze in the midsummer a few months ago - the daughter who has always been generous and retreating, after being called to the palace to return, waved away, stumbled into the door, and threw herself into her arms and cried!

The grief and grievances in the crying, even after hundreds of days and nights, Pei He still felt indescribable pain when he recalled it.

He whimpered, "So...... I decided...... Half of my property...... The dowry that is classified as her can be controlled without leaving the cabinet; The remaining half was divided among the four sons. You are the head of my family's servants, and today I tell you this, and when he returns to his hometown to handle the aftermath for me, you must not stand up! ”

"Daddy, I don't want makeup!" Pei Yourui couldn't cry for a long time, shook off the maid's support, pounced on him, and shouted hoarsely, "I just want you to get better!" I don't want anything! As long as you! Daddy, don't leave me behind!! Daughter can't live without you!! ”

"My son, you are seventeen years old, and you will be twenty-nine in the next year. Ordinary girls are mothers at this age, but you still haven't settled down in your life! ”

Pei He withdrew the hand holding the chief steward, put it on the back of his daughter's hand pulling the corner of his clothes, and choked up, "You are my old girl, but when you were in swaddling clothes, your mother went!" Dad had grandchildren at that time, and he was impatient to toss, so he didn't marry again, so that you have never enjoyed the care of your mother in your life! And your youngest brother is more than ten years older than you, when they were released as officials, you were still young, since you have not been with your brother and sister-in-law for a long time, how much affection can you have? ”

He remembered that when his youngest son was still around, his daughter was only five or six years old, with pink makeup and jade makeup, and she smiled when she saw people, such a cute child, or the only girl, how could he not give her the best?

I don't want this move to make the young son and daughter-in-law who have become adults jealous, and even one winter, the little daughter-in-law deliberately used words to lead Pei Yourui to play in the water by the frozen pond, hoping that the sister-in-law would fall down and have an accident - if it weren't for Pei Yourui's obedience since childhood, remember Pei He's advice not to be tempted, I'm afraid she would have been out of the world for a long time!

This is still a brother and sister-in-law who has been with Pei Yourui for a few years, and they are still so vicious, how can Pei He trust his other sons and daughters-in-law to treat his younger sister well after his death?

He closed his eyes and said sadly, "What's more, your sisters-in-law may not all be virtuous!" When your father is here, you have your father pressing, even if they don't treat you like a jewel, they don't dare to bully you! But Daddy is blessed, there is no way to continue to protect you, and you don't have the support of other elders, in the future, you are a girl who has not been out of the cabinet, helpless, what should you do? ”

How much he wished he was alive?

It's not that I'm afraid of the unknown after death, it's not that I'm greedy for wealth when I'm alive, I just want to arrange my daughter's future and make sure that my pearl in my palm won't be downcast and bullied by others because of her father's death!

If he could, he would be willing to pay any price in exchange for such an opportunity—even if he was scolded by thousands of people, even if there was no peace for eternity, he would be willing to do it!

But the numbness in his chest, and his body getting colder and heavier, all told him that his life had come to an end!

"The only thing Dad can do for you now is to leave you a dowry, and the big steward and their old servants - promise Daddy, in the future, live well! Marry a good man, teach your husband and children, live a harmonious and beautiful life, and speak out for your father! ”

Tears suddenly welled up in Pei He's eyes, "Dad is sorry for you - Dad is really sorry for you!" Although my Youzhou Pei family could not be compared with Qingzhou Su, Donghu Liu and other valves a hundred years ago, after all, it was also a famous family, and the royal family was still proud of marrying my family at that time. But in the past hundred years, the generation of descendants is not as good as the generation, if the father is a little more angry, like Jian Pingyu and Gu Shao, the power is tilted towards the government and the opposition when he is in power, and he still has a far-reaching influence after the Zhishi, even if it is a golden branch and jade leaf, how dare he humiliate you like that? ”

"Even if it is not as good as Jian and Gu, like today's Jin Suke of the Ministry of Officials and Qiu Shuxia of the Ministry of Rites, if it is their son-in-law, no matter how willful Princess Changxing is, she will not dare to make up her mind about the future of King Zhao!"

"After all, it's useless to be a dad! In vain, the official worships the third-grade scholars, but he can't even protect his daughter's lifelong affairs - not to mention that my son is innocently humiliated, and he has become a laughing stock in the imperial capital!! ”

Pei He was emotional, two lines of blood and tears gurgled down, and his painful and distorted face was full of resentment for the princess to snatch her love, and deep regret for her daughter: "Dad is incompetent, he didn't protect you!" Now that I'm dying on the side of the road, I'm even more tired of my son and a weak female streamer cleaning up the mess...... How can Dad be worthy of you?! How can you be worthy of your mother who died young?! Dad - Dad is ashamed to be a father and husband!! ”

"No!" Pei Yourui's eyes were hazy with tears, she hugged her father's shoulder, and cried bitterly, "It's my daughter who is sorry for her father!" My father gave birth to me and raised me, which is already a great kindness, and he regards me like a jewel, and he has always been obedient and pampered, what else can't stand me?! It's my unfaithful and unfilial piety as a daughter, and I have to worry about my unfilial daughter! Now that I'm seriously injured, I have to worry about my daughter's future - how good it would be that my father didn't give birth to me in the first place!! ”

dissolved the marriage contract and changed from a prospective daughter-in-law to a righteous daughter,

The former sycophants and envy have been replaced by whispers - Pei Yourui has always believed that this is the most painful experience in her life, the most difficult moment, she will never forget such humiliation and betrayal!

But until now, feeling the breath of his father's little weakness in his arms, and watching the red blood continue to drain from Pei He's body, Pei Yourui knows what it means to regret not being at the beginning, and what it means to save your heart with ten thousand arrows!

She cried hysterically, trying to block the blood gushing from her father's mouth and nose with her hands to save her father's vitality, but her hands and sleeves were stained with a dazzling red, and Pei He's breathing still inevitably declined!

"It's Daddy who hurt you!" Pei He shook his head with great difficulty, this action made the blood foam in his mouth gush faster, the bright blood came out with hot air, and immediately condensed into red ice after dripping between his temples, and the continuous blood loss made him feel extremely cold, and even his pupils gradually began to dilate.

He opened his eyes, trying to see his daughter's face clearly, and wanted to take another look at his beloved child at the last moment of his life, but there was only a gray chaos in front of him, and even the words he said with all his strength were as slight as whispering, "Dad saw the princes competing for the crown prince when he was the emperor in his early years, and he was not prominent at that time, so most of the courtiers of that meeting took refuge in his half-brothers, and then inherited the unification, but it was Jinshang - those who stood on the wrong side, none of them had a good end!" ”

And the Pei family, "It's because your grandfather insisted on being in the middle, even if he was always excluded and threatened, he refused to express his position, so he was lucky to be saved!" ”

When Pei He was in charge, "Your uncle didn't leave any blood and bones, and your brothers were just middle-aged people." So Dad never expected them to shine on the lintel, as long as they can keep the family business of their ancestors, they will be satisfied! ”

In this case, "Dad has deliberately been alone all these years, and he has not formed a party for personal gain, after all, your brother's ability, and being a magistrate in this life is almost over, Dad fights for them too much, and they can't keep it, but they will cause trouble - but I knew that doing this would make my son suffer so much grievance, Dad must have ...... in the first place"

A stream of dark red blood gushed out from between his mouth and nose, Pei He struggled for a moment, and his voice quickly went down!

"Your uncle had a good relationship with Jian Limiao during his lifetime, and if his son is in danger in the future, he does not want to ask your stepmother, but he can go to him—regret not listening to him in the first place!"

When he finally died, he said, "Dad is so unwilling to ......"

- He has just decided to leave the past behind, return to his hometown with his most beloved little daughter, and start a new life in the land where the Pei family has been raised for generations.

But the prospect of the father and daughter is still in his ears, but he is no longer able to fulfill his promise - he can no longer personally choose a son-in-law for his daughter, unable to send his daughter out of the cabinet, unable to hear the long-awaited "grandfather", he did not even personally take his daughter into Youzhou City, which has ten surnames and nine Pei, and introduce her to the intricate clansmen of Youzhou Pei!

Sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and granddaughters are all far away in Tiannan and Haibei, and this place is still a hundred miles away from the state capital - that is a place that Pei Yourui has never been to, the nominal homeland, but in fact a strange city and people!

He regards him as a child with a palm bead, what should he do next? What kind of hardships will you face?

The girl is young, has flowers and moon appearance, has no father and brother to protect her, but has a lot of wealth.

If it is coveted, if it is deceived, if it is coerced......

Pei He struggled for a long time with thousands of reluctance and concern, with infinite unwillingness and unease, and Fang swallowed his last breath with resentment!

But his eyes kept looking at his daughter and refused to close them for a long time!

Pei Yourui looked at the gradually permeating ashes on her father's face in a daze, opened her mouth slightly, and her pale face was full of disbelief.

The wind whimpered, like a cry.

The goose feather snow fell on her face with an unforgettable chill, and in a short time, she was wrapped in a snow sculpture.

But Pei Yourui felt that she was pressed into a boiling oil pot, like a thousand years of torment, like a tiger trapped in a cage for a long time, like a flood that has been stuck in a high embankment for a long time, roaring and roaring, with the determination to die without regrets, in a silent bang, broke through the invisible barrier!

"Dad, wake up!"

"Daddy! Don't leave me behind! ”

"Dad, what should I do without you?!"

"Daddy! Don't you want a daughter?! ”

"Daddy! I beg you, wake up...... Wake up...... Dad, my daughter can do without anything, but she can't do without you...... My daughter has nothing now, and you leave your daughter alone, what's the point of your daughter in the future?! Father...... Whining...... Daddy......"

After a long time, she woke up like a dream, threw herself on her father like crazy, and cried heartbreakingly—but the person who brought her up and sheltered her from the wind and rain for sixteen years as a father and a mother, after all, could no longer answer her.

This is the sixth day of the 11th month of the 20th year of the Manifestation.

The imperial capital was empty, and the nest was dispatched to watch the descending honor guard of Her Royal Highness Princess Changxing, the eldest daughter of the emperor.

The dowry of the only daughter of the emperor and queen is extremely luxurious, and the team of makeup and dowry is not visible at a glance, and the first person has entered the palace of Princess Changxing, and the last one has not yet left the palace.

With envious and curious eyes, the crowd looked at the royal guards who were still neat and tidy in the vast snow, and talked about the auspicious year of Ruixue and the noble honor of the emperor.

On the same day, Pei He, a former scholar of the Hanlin Academy, was on the way back to his hometown, due to the disrepair and collapse of the pavilion next to the road.

When he died, his eyes were hard to see, and he loved his daughter and his servants, and no one could join him.

In the end, the head and face could only be covered with silk handkerchiefs as a matter of expediency.

It is the imperial capital of the time, in the palace of Princess Changxing, the precious incense of the large vat is burned in the courtyard of the hall, the mist of the incense rises like a sea of clouds, with the rows of colorful maids fluttering through, churning like cooking, sometimes or revealing the fire light that is extinguished in the inside, ethereal dust, seems to be no longer in the world.

On the high platform, dozens of beauties stretched their sleeves, turned their waists, and sang their voices, accompanied by beautiful silk and bamboo, dancing a prosperous like a splendid flower, singing a rich and prosperous house.

Between the carved beams and paintings, or leaning on the couch, or the bottle, through the glass window to enjoy the flying Qiong broken jade, in the room full of spring leisurely enjoy the wine and food, light singing and dancing of the guest of honor, no one knows, at this moment, thousands of miles away on the official road, Pei Yourui, who is covered with snow and hair, is kneeling in front of his father's body, kowtowing one after another.

The sound of falling snow turned into a surging rush at some point.

In the twilight, her pale face was almost the same color as snow, but her eyes were as bright as stars in the cold night.

The snow covered with thin ice wore out the delicate skin of the aristocratic girl in a few strokes, the warmth on the forehead dripped down the tip of the nose, and the smell of blood was familiar and distinct, but Pei Yourui seemed to be unconscious.

After insisting on performing the big ceremony of kneeling three times and bowing nine times, she staggered up with the support of the maid.

It was difficult to distinguish between the southeast and the northwest in the snowy night, but she still looked accurately in the direction of the imperial capital, as if against the north wind of the call sign, and heard the festive drum music outside the mountains and rivers.

After a long time, under the persuasion of the staggering Steward Pei, Fang withdrew his gaze, looked at the front of the lampless and fireless, and whispered: "Dad, let's go home - my daughter has taken you home!" ”