In the next half a month, the wind in the court really blew towards the Jing family as always. Jing Yuheng was officially awarded the position of Taibao, which was the first time since the three dynasties of the Jing family that someone was ranked as the third duke. For several days, the Jing family was full of people. Compared with this kind of liveliness, the Xi family, the Qi family and the Situ family, which are only a few streets away from the Jing family, seem much more deserted.

In the face of these officials who were becoming more powerful in the DPRK, the head of the Jing family invited them in politely, and each of them served a cup of tea, and as for the gifts that came with him, Jing Yuheng selectively accepted most of them.

For this upstart who is not an upstart, the Xi family, the Qi family, and the Situ family only gave some inconsequential things in a polite manner, and no one was willing to lower their status to visit in person. For a while, a very delicate situation was formed between the Jing family and the other three.

There are still a few days left to be Xi Yuanshan's birthday, although it is not a full birthday, but after all, Xi Yuanshan, as the head of the family, cannot be neglected. It was Xifu who prepared early. Xi Luan's body is inconvenient, Xi Qing, who has always been in charge of things in the house, went to the water again, and Xi Yan, as a son-in-law, had to take responsibility for Xi Yuanshan's birthday.

"Father, this is a list of guests, you can see."

Xi Yuanshan only glanced at it lightly, and then put the list aside casually, "It's okay, I'll invite you as you plan." ”

Originally, when Xi Yuanshan's gaze swept over Jing Yuheng's name, he was a little hesitant in his heart. Xi Yuanshan was born in a hairpin family, and he has always been a little high in his bones, and when facing the Jing family, which is in the limelight, he didn't want to be invited. But Jing Yuheng also came in previous years, and if he missed the post this year, it would be easy to make people beak.

Thinking of this, Xi Yuanshan has no doubt about the list proposed by Xi Yan.

On February 16, the gate of Xi's house was opened for a rare long time, and several good-eyed subordinates greeted them at the door. Although the Xi family is much less popular these days than the Jing family, no one dares to be negligent on the birthday of the head of the family, Xi Yuanshan, and the people who give gifts are not less than in previous years.

Although there are many people who give gifts, there are very few people who can actually be invited to the feast. Needless to say, the heads of the other three families didn't need to say much, except for Situ He, who was still sick and didn't attend, Jing Yuheng and Qi Zejun, the head of the Qi family, had already arrived on time, and Situ He sent people to send congratulatory gifts even if they didn't arrive.

When Qi Zejun arrived, because the two were of the same level and were equals, Xi Yuanshan had already taken Xi Yan to the gate of the mansion to greet him. After Xi Yuanshan and Qi Zejun exchanged pleasantries, Xi Yan also bowed his hand and said respectfully, "Uncle Qi, there is a loss of welcome." ”

Qi Zejun smiled faintly, and said in a very caring tone: "It's okay, I haven't seen you for some years, it's not the same as it was at the beginning." ”

Xi Yan smiled slightly and didn't answer, but heard Qi Zejun say again: "Your father and I are both elderly people, you and Qi An go to play, you don't have to accompany the two old men of us." ”

Xi Yan raised his eyes and saw that Qi An was really following behind his father, looking at him with a high spirit. Xi Yuanshan also bowed his head and promised, "Go ahead, I have something to say to your Uncle Qi." ”

With the consent of the elders, Xi Yan and Qi An naturally couldn't ask for it. Especially Xi Yan, all the affairs in the house must be arranged by him, and he must come forward to greet the guests, and he has already been busy and tired all day. At this time, he was able to get out, as if he had been pardoned, and after saluting, he took Qi An and left.

It is spring, the peach blossoms are brilliant, and the begonias are blooming shallow and deep. Walking to a secluded place in the garden, Qi An became more and more unable to control his hands, and randomly climbed and broke many flower branches in his hands.

"It's rare to see you so tired," Qi An raised his eyebrows and looked at Xi Yan, his playfulness overflowing.

"Shut up, you," Xi Yan looked at him gloating, and his heart became a little depressed, and he sighed lightly, "Although the birthday is not a big deal, everything falls on me." I really miss Xi Qing a little..."

"Lying," Qi An squinted at him with disdain, "You don't see fatigue with such a big heart, but these little things make you restrain yourself?" I see... You just don't bother to care about these trivial things. ”

"Say whatever you want," Xi Yan smiled lightly, his expression calm, "But at the moment, there is no one else in the house who can take care of these things except me, my brother... He's never been in good health, and he's not interested in the world. ”

Qi An pulled two petals at random, rubbed them in his hand, and said: "Speaking of your brother Huan Guohou, everyone says that he is like the silence of the abyss, and he is like a boat that is not tied...... In our generation, he was the first and only marquis. Now that I think about it, he was only twenty-four years old when he was crowned marquis......"

Qi An's eyes showed admiration, and when Xi Yan saw that he respected his brother so much, he naturally felt a sense of pride in his chest. Yao remembered that his brother had also been a golden iron horse and crisscrossed the battlefield, how high-spirited he should be; Thinking of his brother's depressed and cold appearance on the night of Chinese New Year's Eve, Xi Yan felt a little desolate in his heart.

When he was ridiculing his fugue, Qi An chattered again: "But I really can't figure it out, even if Huan Guohou is a little inconvenient for him, why is he willing to hide in the mansion and ignore the court situation?" Thinking about the first emperor, didn't Taishi Yao also drag a sick body to assist the king? ”

"Brother, he has his own thoughts," although Xi Yan knew in his heart that Xi Luan didn't want to pay attention to the court situation because he was too disappointed, he would never tell Qi Anhe these words, so he shook his head and said, "Besides, he came back from the battlefield back then, and there is nothing wrong with living a peaceful life." ”

"But I always feel pity in my heart," Qi An sighed again, and threw the bouquet in his hand to the side with a slight interest, "Anyway, Huan Guohou is also the person I admire in my heart, if he can enter the court again, I will take him as a model." But look at it now, even Jing Yuan is a scholar! It's still a book of the military department! ”

Jing Yuan is only in his early thirties this year, and he is indeed the youngest of the six Shangshu. In the past military department books, there has never been such a young one. And Jing Yuan can achieve this position, at most, it is only because of his meritorious service in rectifying the military affairs of the Northwest. And Qi An has always looked down on Jing Yuan's style, so it is inevitable to complain now.

Xi Yan smiled noncommittally and said with relief: "Shangshu is Shangshu, anyway, his Shangshu is only a third-grade, and the Huan Guohou you admire is a second-grade ......"

"I just can't get used to Jing Yuan's rampant appearance," Qi An's eyes showed a slight coldness, and he said fiercely, "Now that the entire Jing family is climbing so fast, don't you think we should do something?" ”

"What to do?"

"Of course it should be congratulations to him," Qi An didn't have a trace of warmth in his eyes when he said this, and his face was so cold that it was chilling, "Do you remember what I said after swimming in the lake that day?" ”

"Remember," the impression of swimming in the lake that day was too deep, and Xi Yan still remembered Qi An's words vividly, "You said that the Jing family is like a pot of hot oil, on the surface it is calm, but in fact, a drop of water can make him explode." ”

"Yes."

"You also said that you came to stabilize the fire, and let me go and prepare to pour water into the oil pot," Xi Yan said lightly, as if the matter had nothing to do with him, "Now it seems that it is time for you to go and light the fire." ”

"That's right," Qi An nodded very smugly, and then asked, "What do you say Your Majesty is the most taboo?" ”

"How do I know, as a courtier, I don't dare to talk about the king's wrongs."

"Come less," Qi An had long turned a blind eye to Xi Yan's set, "Will you dare to discuss?" ”

Xi Yan groaned slightly, his eyes gradually condensed into a heavy color, "Greed for ink, favoritism and even fraud, as long as it is not too much, Your Majesty can turn a blind eye." But there's only one thing that doesn't work...... That is, His Majesty must not tolerate the court's powerful ministers. Once he senses the threat of his courtiers, he will definitely nip this feeling in the bud...... He didn't care if this courtier really had a disobedient heart. ”

"Yes, to get rid of the Jing family, Your Majesty is the best sword to use."

"But the sword is not in your hand."

Qi An raised his eyebrows, turned to Xi Yan and said, "Although I can't control this sword, I can lead my enemies to the edge of the sword." When the time comes, he won't be able to hide, but it's not my business. ”

"But risking one's life is not for the wise."

"I'm not in the abyss, and how can I put him on thin ice?" Qi An smiled softly, but his eyes were already lit with fighting intent. It was as if the curtain of the bloody wind was about to be opened, but he played with it lightly.