Northridge Country.

"Ah Lin, have you heard that General Lu of the Southern Wei Kingdom took the initiative to hand over the military power?"

In the water pavilion in the imperial garden of the Beiling Imperial Palace, two teenagers are playing chess. The one who asked was Wei Ranze, the only seedling of the Beiling Kingdom, and sitting opposite him was Su Lin, the son of the prime minister.

Su Lin's thin lips lightly opened: "You can't be distracted when you play chess." After speaking, a white disc was dropped, and a black disc on the chess game was surrounded.

Wei Ranze is not annoyed, but he is not in a hurry to settle down again.

"You know I don't have a game today."

"No general would surrender his military power as a sign of loyalty. There are many ways to express heartfelt feelings, strengthen the training of elite soldiers, and kill the enemy in blood...... "Su Lin picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea" to hand over the military power is just to reassure the emperor. ”

Wei Ranze smiled, "Emperor Nanwei is also about to come to an end. My Beiling Kingdom has no intention of expanding, but the Xixiang Kingdom is staring at his big fat meat! Xijiaoguo is afraid of his general, and he doesn't know what kind of storm will be set off when he does this. ”

"If the West Ridge Kingdom moves, what about the North Ridge Country?" Su Lin looked up and asked him.

"If the Xixiang Kingdom swallows this piece of fat, the next target will be our Beiling Country. Last time I heard my father talk to your father about this, no matter how it changes, the Northridge Kingdom will have to wade into this troubled water. After speaking, he instructed the eunuchs around him, "The chessboard is withdrawn, and some tea and snacks are distributed." ”

"Yes." The eunuch hurriedly took the chessboard away and instructed the others to serve some tea and fruit snacks.

"By the way, after a while, it will be time for the two countries to communicate with each other. Did your father tell you to take you to the South Coast? Wei Ranze asked him.

"Well, I did, but I have other important things to do. What about you? ”

"I don't like to run long distances, but this time my father ordered me to go, which can be regarded as exploring the movements of the Southern Wei Kingdom."

Su Lin suddenly remembered something and asked, "I heard the spy say that this time he didn't go to the Xixiang Kingdom as an envoy, but he also sent someone?"

"Hmm." Speaking of this, Wei Ranze seemed to be interested, "I heard that this time it will be Xun Yu, the fourth prince of the Xixiang Kingdom, who brought people over, and I heard that Xun Yu fell in love with a girl from Nanwei Kingdom many years ago, and this time it was to find out the whereabouts of that girl!" "Suddenly the conversation changed" said so, and it should also be ordered to investigate, after all, Nanwei Guo moved too much this time. ”

Su Lin chuckled.

Soon the melon and fruit plate was placed, and the two of them ate a little at random. Wei Ranze suddenly said, "The dim sum in the palace has been good recently, can you accompany me to my mother's concubine later to give her some to taste?" Even if I go on a long journey, I should say goodbye to her. ”

Su Lin quipped, "In a few days after you leave, it is estimated that the chef in the palace will have to go to your mother's concubine." ”

"Haha, it's okay, I won't have anything to do with me when I'm gone! Anyway, I really want to find a companion to accompany me when the road is far away, why don't you really go? ”

"Don't go!"

The envoys of the Beiling Kingdom traveled for more than three months to reach the Nanwei Kingdom, and the people of the Xixiang Kingdom arrived half a month ago, and the envoys of both countries lived in a large palace in the imperial palace. Because it was a national mourning period, a simple banquet was held. Important officials and their families will be present, and although it is simple, this battle is not small.

Everyone had already divided their seats, and those who knew each other greeted each other and went to their seats, waiting for the arrival of the king of Nanwei Kingdom.

Wei Ranze tilted his head slightly and whispered to a middle-aged man next to him, "Uncle Su, where is General Lu's family seated?"

Su Liang also replied quietly: "The one in the middle of the seat on the opposite side is the one who wears a blue Luo skirt and has a little girl in a pink skirt next to it."

"Wife and daughter?"

"Hmm."

When Wei Ranze looked over, the little girl was taking the sugar pill from the glass jar in her hand to eat, and by the way, she held one up to the woman in the blue dress next to her, but the woman didn't pick it up, she stuffed the sugar pill into her mouth again. Look left and right, and look at a very active girl. On the other hand, girls of about the same age from other official families sat on the seats as they did their duty, and they didn't dare to move.

Wei Ranze smiled: "This little girl is a bold girl."

Su Liang also smiled and explained: "This little girl is really cute and tight, I heard that Princess Shuying did not control her too much, among these official children who studied in the palace, she was the most naughty, but she would not make a fuss out of proportion." Look at the child in this seat, she is the most childish. ”

"The princess and the general must be very fond of her." It is not good to have no restraint and control, but perhaps restraint will restrain the child's nature, and as a child of an important minister, it is really lucky to be able to live so happily.

"The emperor has arrived—" With the eunuch's sharp shout, he didn't speak again, and sat upright. Zhao Kuo walked over with a leisurely pace, followed by the queen and a group of concubines. Everyone in the table also stood up and saluted.

After they were all seated, Zhao Kuo and the leaders of the envoys of the two countries exchanged a few words of politeness, and suddenly asked: "I heard that in the past half a month, the four princes of the Xixiang Kingdom have been looking for a girl in the capital?"

During the banquet, a man in purple stood up when he heard this, saluted respectfully, and said, "Yes."

"Did you find that girl?"

"No, Xun Yu is not familiar with Nanwei Kingdom, and I need to ask the emperor to help me find that girl."

"The four princes are guests from afar, and I should help find them."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

At the beginning of the banquet, dozens of dancers in costumes slowly walked up in the center of the venue, and the musicians in the palace began to play music.

Wei Ranze whispered: "These four princes seem to be just the same size as me, so in such a hurry to pick a concubine?"

"Ahem," Su Liang, who was drinking, was almost choked by his laughter, "I heard that these four princes are not a beautiful person on weekdays, and there are no concubines in the mansion." ”

"I heard before that among the several princes of the Xixiang Kingdom, the four princes are the most favored, but now it seems that this is the case, and the lord of the Xixiang Kingdom actually asked him to find the girl?"

Su Liang suddenly became serious, and said solemnly: "The lord of the Xixiang Kingdom is not brainless, I heard that these four princes have excellent talents since they were children, and others can memorize them in two or three days after studying for seven days, and the head of the analysis is the Tao, if you want to learn from him, you can learn from him." Moreover, it is not unavoidable for a man to marry a wife at the age of thirteen or fourteen. ”

Wei Ranze looked at Xun Yu's eyes a little solemnly, but the corners of his mouth were still smiling, "Uncle Su, among his peers, Su Lin is also a leader, if Su Lin tells you now that he wants to marry a wife, will you agree?" ”

Su Liang thought about it, he shouldn't agree. In his eyes, Su Lin is still a little hairy child who has not grown up. But his son has always been a cold character, and he won't casually look at any girl.

Wei Ranze said: "If my father stuffs me with a crown princess at this time, the queen mother will definitely run to the palace to pull him a layer of skin!" The queen mother thinks that I am still young, and now I can't afford to take care of other people's girls when I talk about marriage, that is to mistake others. Besides, the queen mother said that no matter the status, she only wants me to find a favorite, no matter how long it takes. ”

Su Liang smiled: "Your father was eaten by your mother, haha!" ”

As he spoke, the singing and dancing dispersed.

The emperor and queen estimated that there was no one on the table watching the dance, so they removed the dancing girl on the stage.

Queen Chu Rong is the eldest daughter of the prime minister of Nanwei Kingdom, and she suggested: "It's really boring to watch singing and dancing for a long time, but this palace has thought of a novel method." All the ministers are here with their official dependents, it is better to let the unmarried girls and boys in the family show their faces, show off, if there is someone who sees the right eye, it is better to take advantage of tonight to give the emperor a marriage, it can be regarded as a blessing. ”

Zhao Kuo nodded, "The queen has a very good intention. Let's take turns from this side first! He pointed in the direction with his hand, which was the seat of the prime minister's family.

The prime minister's two daughters stood up and saluted, and then walked to the stage, one playing the piano and the other dancing. This was unexpected.

After all, it is rare for a girl in a boudoir to choose to dance in such a public occasion. However, the prime minister's two daughters do have their own merits, the sound of the piano is clear, and the dancing posture is graceful, like fairies who are about to ride the wind. This kind of dance can't even compare to the dancing girls who have been practicing in the palace for several years, so it's no wonder that they dare to show it in front of everyone.

At the back of the banquet, everyone just played the piano and wrote poems, perhaps the dance of the prime minister's daughter was particularly good, and no one in the back of the ladies chose to dance anymore. After all, if you don't dance well, you will blow your face, and if you dance well, you will steal the limelight of the prime minister's family.

When Nangong Zhaoruo was about to arrive, Li Yishuang, the mother of the Nangong family, asked her in a whisper on the side: "Have you thought about it?" You can't just be compared to others! ”

Nangong Zhaoruo said helplessly: "Mother, you have also seen the performance of the prime minister's daughter, who dares to steal the limelight?"

She already has a plan in her heart, just play the piano, this is a choice that many people have chosen before, and she will not lose face or show off. Besides, she doesn't want the emperor to give her a marriage! The person she had in mind was not at this banquet.

Li Yishuang naturally knew that her daughter's heart had been taken away by the kid in the General's Mansion, but she was very disapproving of this relationship. Not to mention that their mansion and the general's mansion have never been compatible, let's just say that Zhaoruo's appearance is more than enough for the princes and nobles.

She was anxious on the side: "As long as you don't be like her, the others will definitely attract attention, and it will be much more convenient to choose a husband for you in the future." ”

Nangong Zhaoruo just didn't hear it and ignored his mother.

Soon arrived at Nangong Zhaoruo, she was about to attend and walked to the seat where a guzheng was placed, but before she could attend, her mother on the side grabbed her. I saw Li Yishuang stand up and salute the emperor, and said respectfully: "Can the emperor send someone to carry the guqin?"

Suddenly, everyone present whispered.