January 211 BC

Winter in Xianyang is earlier than usual, and many palaces have not yet prepared enough wood for heating, and the snow has already fallen one after another. The falling snow flakes are as big as goose feathers, and although they feel cold, they also feel happy to look at.

Ah Fang is already small compared to when I first came, but the rooftop for Ying Zheng to overlook the immortals has not yet been completely built, and there are still craftsmen busy there every day, and the structure of the wooden frame stands abruptly in a snow-white.

Since Zhao Wu is famous all over the world, I and Yigan Maiji both live in the Zhao Palace in the Imperial Garden of the Six Nations Palace. Due to the slightly higher status, Xiao Xu and I live in a larger courtyard than other dancers, and it is more troublesome to clean, and the father-in-law in charge cares about us, so he dials some palace ladies over.

Yesterday, my father-in-law, who was in charge, delivered the wood for the heating of the dancing girls to the yard where I lived, saying that I would distribute it. So I got up very early today, and before I had breakfast, I stood in the courtyard with the stove in my hand, and instructed the little eunuchs to divide the timber into equal dozens, and prepare to send them to the dancing girls who lived in the courtyards later.

I was busy here, but the door was gently pushed open, and the door creaked softly, like the footsteps of the man.

"Brother Chief. I nodded at the crowd and said hello.

"It's snowing again, do you feel cold here?" he walked up to me, his voice concerning, the thick snow in the courtyard trampled under his feet, and then left a row of well-proportioned marks behind him.

"The steward just brought heating wood yesterday, so I don't feel cold. I shook the stove in my hand and smiled, "It's you, who seem to be a little thinly dressed." ”

"It's out of the way, the man is much more hardy than his daughter's family. He moved the umbrella to my head and said angrily, "I don't know how to use an umbrella, the snow will melt after a while, and if you get wet, you will get cold." ”

I looked at the umbrella in his hand, red plums on a white background, glowing with snow, extremely beautiful.

"I didn't think it through. I dusted off the snow on my shoulders, leaned in on him, put the stove in his arms, and said, "Seeing that your hands are red, warm them up first." ”

"No need. He laughed and said, "It's enough for you to have that mind." ”

The little eunuchs quickly divided the timber into a dozen equal parts, and then reported: "Snow girl, that's all. ”

"Thank you for your hard work. "I gave them the bounty one by one, and then I told them the palace that needed timber and arranged for them to send it.

"Why did Brother Changxi suddenly come here today, but something is looking for me?" I pointed to the cloister and said, "Let's go there and say it, the snow in the yard is too heavy." ”

Standing in the cloister, Changxi put away his umbrella, and then helped me pat a few snowflakes that had just fallen on my head.

He wore a snow-white fox fur today, with a rabbit fur scarf around his neck, and long black hair draped over his shoulders and back, and the whole person looked like a painting.

"I heard you're going back to Xianyang Palace?" he asked.

"Just go back and visit the Big Dancer. I looked at the two rows of footprints that he and I had stepped on, and said, "I'll be back in two days." ”

"That's it. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and suddenly smiled: "I thought I wouldn't come back." ”

"Brother Changxi is too careful. I tightened the stove in my hand, looked up at him, and was about to say something, when I heard Xiao Xu's laughter coming from far and near.

"Xiao Xu seems to be here. I said helplessly: "If she sees you and me here, she will definitely say a lot of gossip, I have to go first, please forgive me." ”

"Out of the way, you go. He handed me the umbrella: "But bring an umbrella, my daughter's family should always take care of herself." ”

I took the umbrella, thanked him, and hurried to Xiao Xu.

Xiao Xu was building a snowman with a few gong'e in the backyard, and when he saw me coming, he hurriedly beckoned: "Xue'er, come on, we want to build a cat, but it's not good-looking." ”

"I've always been clumsy, don't laugh at me. "I put the stove and umbrella on the stone bench in the courtyard, then trotted over and shoveled the snow with them with a small bamboo shovel and piled it on top of the snowball.

"Sister Xue'er is going to Xianyang Palace?" Xiao Gong'e, named Luoying, was full of curiosity, "If you go to Xianyang Palace, you may see Fusu Gongzi?"

"I talk about Fusu Gongzi every day, Luoying, you are not ashamed!" Another little Gong'e Xiangzi laughed at her: "Gongzi is a dignified son, I think it is better for you to break your thoughts earlier, so as not to be trapped by love and full of sadness when you get it." ”

"Just count the length of your mouth!" Luo Ying's face was so angry that her little face turned red, she picked up a pinch of snow on the ground and smashed it at Xiangzi, and said angrily: "I naturally admire Gongzi, but I also have self-knowledge!"

Xiao Xu giggled happily and said loudly: "Childe's reputation is known all over the world, which girl is not loved? Not to mention Luoying, even Prime Minister Li Cheng's granddaughter is also concerned about him, what is there to make fun of? Unfortunately, although Xue'er and I grew up in Xianyang Palace, we have never seen the demeanor of Childe. Thinking about it now, I feel so regretful. ”

"It's okay if you can't see it, save your heart. I also joked, "In case I also fall in love with Fusu Gongzi at first sight, wouldn't it be the same as Luoying?"

"You all make fun of me!" Luo Ying was so ashamed that she threw the bamboo shovel to the ground, trotted a few steps back into the room.

"Anyway, did you go back this time because the big dancer was unwell?" Seeing her leaving, Xiao Xu also put away the joke and asked seriously: "Or ...... Just go back?"

"How can you go back? It's true that the big dancer is dying. "My heart was a little sour, and my hand in shoveling snow stopped, "When I left Xianyang Palace last year, she was already sick, and now she is terminally ill, even if Bian Que is alive, I am afraid that she will not be able to return to the sky." ”

Xiao Xu was silent for a while, and finally sighed: "The big dancer is a good person, but it's a pity that God doesn't open her eyes." ”

I didn't speak, and watched as she used small bamboo chips to cut snowballs into the shape of cat ears, and then placed them on the cat's head, which had already been formed.

"Xiao Xu," I said suddenly, "you can go back with me." ”

Xiao Xu was stunned for a moment, and the movements of her hands also stopped, she opened her mouth to ask me why, but soon closed her mouth as if she understood.

"I'm sorry," I said apologetically, "I know you hate going back to that nightmare place, but I still ask you to accompany me back, it's my lack of consideration." ”

"Don't care, I'll go back with you, I also want to send the big dancer on her last journey. Xiao Xu smiled softly, "Seeing that you are so nervous, I know that you care about me in your heart, and that's enough." ”

"You really know me best in this world. ”

"Not necessarily. Xiao Xu suddenly smiled ambiguously, she stretched out her jade finger and pointed to the stove and umbrella I put on the bench, and said: "I think someone is more considerate of you than me, I didn't give you an umbrella on a snowy day." ”

"You're making fun of me again. I shook my head a little helplessly and said, "I only think of Changxi as a brother, and I don't have the same feelings as you say." ”

"You don't have it, and it doesn't mean that people don't have it. Onlookers are clear, I can see the affection of the eldest son for you clearly. Xiao Xu persuaded me very sincerely: "Xue'er, a handsome and outstanding man like Changxi Gongzi is rare in the world, and it is a blessing to meet him, you have to consider it carefully." ”

"I naturally know that he is rare in the world, but I am just an ordinary mortal woman, how can I climb high? Besides, I have always treated him as a brother and sister, even if you say that you want me to be with him, I only feel awkward in my heart. ”

Xiao Xu looked at me, and finally sighed and said, "That's it, let it be." ”

I saved Changxi last spring, and since then he has been visiting me at my house often. He is a musician in the palace, because of his outstanding appearance and excellent temperament, he doesn't know how many palace ladies have disturbed the hearts of the ladies in the palace. He has always been low-key, often asking me to talk about chess by the lotus pond in Zhao Palace, and the content of the conversation is nothing more than where the seasonal flowers in the palace are blooming again, and he has composed a beloved song and other irrelevant things.

I think Changxi should be a calm person like a lake, his eyes are different from his mouth, the latter is always smiling, and the former is always bottomless. I could see that he was carrying something heavy, and he wouldn't say anything, so I didn't ask. It's just that I can't help but be curious about his background.

I know he's not Korean.

Of course, I'm not all.

The snow was getting heavier and heavier, so I stuck a small bamboo shovel on the snow next to the cat, patted the snowflakes on my head, and said to Xiao Xu, who was still concentrating on shoveling the snow: "Xiao Xu, the snow is getting bigger, go back." ”

"Just wait a little longer. She patted the cat on the ground, then took out the red silk from her waist and tied it into a delicate knot around the cat's neck.

"This knot, and the cat suddenly comes alive. I laughed, took her cold hand and said a few breaths: "In the end, it's still your Hui Lanxin." ”

The wind suddenly became stronger, blowing the snow off the trees, and Xiao Xu and I couldn't dodge, and our heads were covered with snow.

We giggled and snatched the stove and umbrella I had placed on the stone bench, and made footprints of different shades on the ground.

In the first winter of coming to Afang Palace, Xiao Xu and I competed for the stove as if no one was in the courtyard. Next to it was a newly piled cat, and the knot around its neck was dazzling in the snow, like a ...... Blood-like.