Early in the morning, Xi Yan was woken up by the sound of birdsong in the courtyard.

I got up and pushed open the window, and the snow had stopped. I saw three or two gray magpies stopping on the branches and singing like a chorus, muttering into a rhyme, which was very good. With such a beautiful view, Xi Yan suddenly felt refreshed and happy.

When Wanxing, the maidservant girl in the Begonia Courtyard, entered the house, she saw Xi Yan standing in front of the window with only her bedclothes, and the window was still wide open. He hurriedly took the cloak, put it on Xi Yan's shoulder, and said, "It's so cold, young master, don't get caught in the cold, let's close the window." ”

Xi Yan took the cloak and put it on herself, and instructed her, "Go down and call Xi Yun over." ”

Although Wan Xing was a little disappointed when she heard this, she still responded very measuredly: "The slave and maid will go now." Before leaving, Wanxing looked at Xi Yan again and said softly: "No matter how busy things are, you must also pay attention to take care of your body... The slave and maid retired. ”

"Hmm."

……

When Xi Yun came in, Xi Yan found that he looked at him a little strangely, so he asked, "What's wrong, why are you looking at me like this?" ”

Xi Yun hurriedly shook his head, "It's nothing, it's just that when Miss Fang Wanxing went out, her eyes seemed to be red." ”

Hearing Xi Yun say this, Xi Yan couldn't help but smile faintly, "Let her go." How is Xi Qing doing this time? ”

"Fourth Young Master..."Xi Yun said with some emotion: "During this time, he is really in full swing, and he is thriving. ”

In this regard, Xi Yan didn't react much, only said: "He has just been crowned, and he has a good position in the Ministry of Industry, plus as the real son of the Xi family, it is natural for someone to hold him." ”

Xi Yun also nodded again and again, "Not only that, but his own business outside has also made a lot of money." Especially on the Lingjiang side, with your instructions, I am trying to find a way to let him earn. ”

"Hmm..."Xi Yan said disapprerovitically: "Let's let him be proud for a few days, anyway, in the end, these silver taels are not going to come to us." ”

The wind was clear and quiet outside the window, and there were only a few sparse footprints in the snow-covered courtyard. At this time, Xi Yan also became indifferent.

"The snow has stopped, and I want to come to the garden where the white plums are blooming beautifully, so let's go and enjoy it."

……

Xifu Meilin has always been the purest place, and the plum blossoms have grown under the pressure of frost. As soon as the wind blew, the plums fell like snow, and they all fell on Xi Yan's silver-gray cloak.

Xi Yan was not in a hurry to reach out and brush away the petals, but walked into the warm pavilion and spread the scroll on the table. Dipped in thick ink, he began to draw plum without distraction.

Although he is painting white plums, his heart is full of the faint goose-yellow plain plum in the night palace, as well as the elegant face under the moon.

Raising his eyes to look at the sky outside, Xi Yan said slowly: "It's time to go down..."

Not long after the words fell, the sound of stampede on the snow came from outside the warm pavilion. Xi Yun raised his eyes and saw that in the plum forest, Xi Qing was holding his hands and walking with his eyes high.

Just after returning home, Xi Qing was also attracted by this beautiful scenery, and unconsciously walked to the plum garden around the Begonia Courtyard.

He happened to be in high spirits recently, so he didn't take Xi Yan in his eyes at this time, so he walked straight over, and said a little sarcastically: "Third brother, is this painting Mei?" ”

Xi Yan didn't raise his head, and continued to put pen on the scroll. It wasn't until a moment later that he responded coldly, "The fourth brother didn't come back, I didn't go to the study, I didn't go to the fourth lady, and I came to find what to do." ”

Xi Qing smiled contemptuously, "The third brother's words are a bit self-inflicted. The little brother has been very busy these days, whether it is the affairs of the Ministry of Industry or the affairs of our Xi Mansion, but none of them can be separated from the little brother. I'm just passing by, so I'm here to find you. ”

Xi Yan is still light and breezy, "Whether it's the study or the inner courtyard, it's over there." You shouldn't be passing through here, you're going wrong..."

Xi Qing seemed to suddenly realize, and slapped his head suddenly, "Yes, the third brother's Begonia Courtyard has always been cold, and few people come to the Begonia Courtyard around it, I did make a mistake." But does the third brother know, painting plum... I didn't paint, I painted, but I really didn't have anything. ”

Only then did Xi Yan put down the pen in his hand, raised his head and said, "Will it be not, I don't know." But I know, this man... The more inferior and narrow-minded he is, the more arrogant he will be. ”

"Of course... I'm not talking about you. Xi Yanpi looked at Xi Qing with a smile, "Fourth brother, you are in the limelight in front of people now, and your father values you so much." Even if your biological mother's maternal family has been offended, even if you are just a concubine. But you have to believe that none of this matters..."

Speaking of this, Xi Yan hurriedly denied what he said just now, "Oh, it's important to say it again." In fact, it doesn't matter if the concubine is out of the house, although the concubine can't inherit the position of the head of the family, but it's always okay to eat with a mouth... You say, don't you? ”

......

Xi Yan's words deeply struck the saddest place in Xi Qing's heart. At this moment, he suddenly hated his identity as a concubine, and even hated his mother.

He tried his best to restrain himself, and shouted at Xi Yan word by word: "Xi Yan, as long as I am in the Xi family for a day, I will never let you have a good time." When I take charge of the Xi Gate, I must make your death ugly. ”

Xi Yan didn't give in, and looked at Xi Qing and said, "Then I'll wait for the day when you take charge of the Xi family's gate valve." ”

Xi Qing snorted coldly and strode away from Merlin.

Xi Yun was a little puzzled, "Young Master, you don't have real power now, just don't offend him, why do you want to provoke him?" ”

Xi Yan explained indifferently: "For people like Xi Qing, identity is always the mustard in his heart. When I say that today, he will only want to express himself more, and he will only be more unscrupulous. As long as he does whatever it takes, our chance will come. If this man rises up by unscrupulous means, you still can't catch him? ”

"I see."

"Besides, what else can he do except shout a few words and send a few assassin killers outside? In the days since I came back, even Jing Xian has attacked me, and twice. What about him? Not once, it's just a straw bale that is too strong to use. ”

Xi Yan took a sip of tea, moistened his throat slightly, and said, "And the business of this straw bale outside is concentrated in Lingjiang." A few days ago, we tried to make him earn so much. Under the lust for profit, he can't help but invest all his savings in Lingjiang. ”

Speaking of this, Xi Yan couldn't help but sneer, "If you can cut off his financial route in Lingjiang at a critical moment, what will be the consequences for him?" ”

Xi Yun gradually understood in his heart that his young master was preparing to draw a salary from the bottom of the kettle, so he said: "It is the New Year's Pass, and there are many places where each mansion uses money, so my subordinates will order it to go down and ask Lingjiang to prepare." ”

"Hmm..."

"In the past three years, although we have not achieved much in the house. But in Lingjiang is still quite fruitful, and now Lingjiang... It's not so much the base camp of the Xi family, but the territory of your young master. ”

Xi Yan smiled and said softly: "Yes, if he is desperate, he can only fight chickens and eggs." In that case, let's prepare a small New Year's gift for him first. I think he's still waiting for the day I leave Chongdu and go to Xiajin..."

This time, Xi Yan was extremely confident, and he believed that Xi Qing would definitely accept all of his gifts.

He has been in Lingjiang for three years, whether it is business or the relationship with the magistrate, it is not comparable to Xi Qing. And Xi Qing didn't know that all his business in Lingjiang, the biggest proprietor behind it, was his brother Xi Yan, who he regarded as his mortal enemy.

The sharp sword hanging over Xi Qing's head was ready to fall at any time.

……