Xue Yuxiao saw that his expression was serious, so he also said dignifiedly: "You speak." ”

"If only later...... I don't know how long it will be later. Are you tired of officialdom, unloading your armor and returning to the field, will you stay in Jingzhao forever? Will you go anywhere else, will you want to travel around? He asked.

Xue Yuxiao felt very confused about this question. It was a little difficult for her to discern the other party's intentions, and she didn't know how long the time premise of "later" would last. Maybe ten years, maybe twenty years, how could he assume something so long ago at his young age?

But she thought for a moment and replied, "Maybe." That was a long time later. ”

Cui Jinzhang seemed to ignore the words "for a long time", his hand was a little nervous and rubbed the pattern on his knees, and said seriously: "Then can you go with me?" ”

Xue Yuxiao: "...... What? ”

Cui Jinzhang immediately stopped talking. He lowered his head and stared at the tips of his shoes. He wore a pair of walking boots, embroidered with silver threads of bluegrass, all covered with fine pieces of snow, dust, and a little bit of dirt. He lowered his eyes and said, "Do you have anything to say to me?" I think, I think...... You should have something to tell me. ”

Xue Yuxiao was even more confused. She frowned slightly, bent her fingers against her chin and thought for a while, before she suddenly remembered something, and said, "It seems that there is a ...... The kind of self-defense you told me last time is the kind of powder that explodes when it comes into contact with fire. Although you said that you can't pass it on, I do need to, and I would like to ask if you can be accommodating? I'm willing to trade something else. ”

Cui Jinzhang first raised his eyebrows and looked up at her suddenly, but after hearing the second half of the sentence, the expectation on his face suddenly dissipated, he made a wooden face "oh", and lowered his head again.

He said, "...... You don't have to change it. I think you're using it for big things, and even if you don't say it, I'll ask you if you want it and tell you quietly. ”

Xue Yuxiao said: "Doesn't this affect the rules of your master's sect?" ”

Cui Jinzhang sighed and said, "There are only a few people in my master, don't say that I gave it, it's enough to keep it a secret." ”

Xue Yuxiao thought it would take a lot of speech, but he didn't expect it to be unexpectedly relaxed. She sincerely thanked him: "Shichiro, you are a person with great love in your heart, I will not use it to do bad things." You can rest assured. ”

Cui Jinzhang did not nod immediately. He first muttered "great love", and then rubbed his face vigorously with his palm, so that the temperature on his cheeks that was too hot after the cold at first came down, took a breath, and suddenly said, "Third sister." ”

"Huh?"

"I like you."

His tone was actually quite ordinary.

It's like an ordinary snow falling, gently falling to the ground, like a normal cold wind blowing through the sleeves of a winter day, and the faint sunlight is reflected on the body...... It's like a sprout bursting out of the soil in the spring and stretching your waist, everything is too ordinary and natural.

It's like asking Xue Yuxiao: "Have you eaten?" Almost the same tone.

Because of this tone, Xue Yuxiao almost didn't react. Her words suddenly stopped in her throat, sluggish, condensed, and empty.

The north wind swept the broken hair on Cui Jinzhang's forehead.

His hair was neatly tied, and the thin shredded hair that slipped out after the fight was stained with slight sweat from the corners of his forehead. There were still small Xiaoice crystals left on the white neck that had not shaken off, and as they talked, they turned into a shallow water mark.

It's obviously the moon, but Qilang's body seems to be steaming hot. He's too energetic, too hot.

There was a moment of silence between the two. It wasn't until Xue Yuxiao finally realized what he said that he asked in a daze, "You...... Are you serious? ”

"Yes." Cui Jinzhang held his cheeks, looked at his feet, and didn't look at her, "I speak very seriously, don't you don't believe it." I really like you, when I see you, my heart beats so hard, I think, I want to be closer, I want to talk to you, third sister...... No, Xue Chanjuan, you don't understand at all. ”

"I ...... I don't quite understand. ”

"You only have Brother Pei in your heart." He said, "You don't have me in your heart." You only think of me as a good friend, or a good friend's brother, I know. ”

Xue Yuxiao acquiesced.

Cui Jinzhang covered his eyes with his hands and opened them again, as if he had choked something back. He said: "Although I say I like you, I will not give up my ambition. I still travel everywhere, I will leave Jingzhao to practice medicine in various places and see the customs and customs. I won't stay with you, Xue Chanjuan...... I won't stay with you. ”

Xue Yuxiao said: "Your ambition is between heaven and earth, and you have helped me a lot. ”

Cui Jinzhang turned his head to look at her.

His eyes were as clear and clear as a babbling stream. He was so sincere and honest that he didn't hide or hide it. But the corners of his eyes were still red, perhaps from the sand when he had just fallen into the snow.

"I won't marry you, and you can't marry me." "But I'm still ...... At a certain moment, at a certain moment of lightning, I want you to be by my side. I want to see you for the rest of my life......"

Xue Yuxiao was silent for a moment and said, "However, you can only see me." What's the point? Shichiro, you have longed for freedom all your life, if you are carried into the mansion and trapped in a red wall, it is fate for the free. You should always be happy. ”

Cui Jinzhang picked up a small wooden stick from the ground and paddled it around the snow. He said, "If only you were a chivalrous man...... We could go anywhere......"

Xue Yuxiao suddenly felt some unexplained guilt, even if she hadn't done anything wrong.

What he should have liked was a chivalrous man, but behind her collection of thousands of favors, it was related to the prosperity and decline of a family, the checks and balances between the scholars and the imperial power, she couldn't walk away in style, not to mention, she had Pei Yuxue in her heart.

Cui Jinzhang exhaled slowly, and said, "I'm not telling you this because I want you to do anything. I'm for myself, for myself and I don't regret it...... If I keep it in my heart and leave Jingzhao one day, I will definitely regret it. Since you only see me as a friend, then we ...... I've always been a good friend. Even if I can't walk together, I would like to be friends with you for life...... All right? ”

After he said these words, he asked Xue Yuxiao very cautiously and tentatively.

Xue Yuxiao sighed and said: "Qilang, when people encounter people and things that make their hearts worry, they should withdraw immediately, and if they don't see it, they won't be upset......

She persuaded half a sentence, and Cui Jinzhang's eyes instantly turned red. He suppressed it again and again, but after all, he still couldn't hold back, suddenly got up and crashed into her arms, pushed the young master of the Xue family, who was calm and well-dressed, into the snow, grabbed her shoulders and shook her vigorously, shouting: "Xue Chanjuan! Do you have a heart? ”

Xue Yuxiao couldn't fight back for a while, her hairpin was covered with residual snow, and she held Cui Qi's arm: "...... I'm really thinking about you......"

"You're not!" He retorted loudly, so angry that he wanted to bite her, but he was half angry, and his eyes looked at her and froze in a daze, his eyelashes drooped, and he was stuck together with tears, and suddenly choked up, and then he was out of control.

Xue Yuxiao was about to help him up, but Cui Qi hugged him and cried. He was so crying that even the others were alarmed.

Xue Yuxiao was at a loss, and hurriedly comforted, Xue Mingyan, who heard the voice, stood outside the threshold, not knowing the cause and effect, and ordered the servant to tidy up the clothes for the two, and said: "Third sister, how old are you and still bullying others?" Let Xiao Langjun go. ”

Xue Yuxiao didn't care about explaining, first smoothed Cui Jinzhang's back, handed him the handkerchief, and then turned back to the second brother and said, "I really didn't bully him." ”

Cui Jinzhang eased up, his voice was hoarse, and he complained with a choked voice: "Second brother Xue, she just bullied me!" ”

Xue Yuxiao: "......"

Xue Mingyan walked over, looked at Xue Yuxiao with blaming eyes, slapped her twice, and coaxed the child to hold Cui Qi: "Second brother helped you avenge, did she play with you and didn't let you?" ”

Cui Jinzhang looked at the handkerchief, but he was reluctant to use it, and wiped the tears on his cheeks with the back of his hand. He actually ate this set, and muttered, "She won't promise me anything." ”

Xue Mingyan: "What do you want Xiao'er to promise you?" ”

Cui Jinzhang froze: "...... She said she didn't want to play with me anymore. ”

Xue Mingyan looked over.

Xue Yuxiao didn't expect him to be so adaptable, and sighed: "Wronged, really wronged." ”

Xue Mingyan said softly: "You are such a lady who is an official, and you are still angry with our Xiaolangjun. Shichiro loves to eat something at most, what can't you give? ”

Xue Yuxiao had no choice but to say: "How could I not agree to Qilang, I am also willing to be friends with you for life." ”

Cui Jinzhang stared at her: "Really? You won't be embarrassed by ...... So you don't talk to me anymore, do you? ”

Xue Yuxiao said: "Really. ”

The two played a round of dumb riddles, but Xue Mingyan didn't fully understand. His gaze paused on the third sister, and then looked at Cui Qi, full of doubts and question marks. However, Xue Mingyan didn't ask directly, but just said: "Mother also said that when you wake up and go to see her, you can discuss business." How do you get snow? ”

Cui Jinzhang took half a step back, hid behind Xue Mingyan, and hid himself.

"It's fine. I accidentally fell. Xue Yuxiao casually sorted it out twice, "Mother won't mind." I'm going to see her, you look at Dian Qilang don't let him play outside, they are such a big boy who is fierce and fierce, and he is the most prone to accidents. ”

"Xiaolang can only settle down if he is married." Xue Mingyan smiled, "You go." By the way, what about Senior Brother Pei? ”

Cui Jinzhang shrunk even tighter.

"It's a little bit, but I should be able to come over when it's almost dinner." Xue Yuxiao replied as he walked, and transferred to the main courtyard to see his mother.

Xue Yuxiao told her mother what she told Xie Fu, and the two talked about government politics for a while. It was getting late, the lanterns of the thirtieth day of the lunar month reflected the garden like day, the moonlight was bright, the red glow was all over the ground, everyone had dinner together, and even Cui Mingzhu, who had been running outside for a day, came back early.

Outside the hospital, there is a steward who is giving the attendants a reward for the New Year's Festival.

The meal was extraordinarily rich, and after the feast, Xue Sikong went back to rest, and the men reorganized a game and went to eat in the inner curtain.

In front of her mother-in-law, Pei Yuxue naturally paid attention to her image everywhere, and her attention was all on taking care of Xue Yuxiao, and she didn't eat well. As soon as the second brother came over to call him, Xue Yuxiao said in a low voice: "You accompany them to eat something, don't be hungry." ”

Pei Yuxue nodded first, and then suddenly asked, "What's wrong with you and Cui Qi?" ”

Xue Yuxiao was stunned for a moment: "...... Can you see that? ”

Pei Yuxue said: "You talk normally on weekdays, why did you pretend to eat very hard as soon as he came over today?" I've never seen you eat so seriously. Do you have some arguments and are you a little angry? ”

Xue Yuxiao wanted to speak and stopped, and said helplessly: "It's a bit of a dispute, but I'm not angry." ”

As the two were talking, a small attendant stepped out of the screen and placed a plate of fish meat with a spiny spin in front of them, with a note attached to it.

Pei Yuxue glanced at her, stretched out her hand to open it under Xue Yuxiao's gaze, and saw that it read:

"This bream is full of color and fragrance, and it is not inferior to the lettuce soup of that day. Today's reckless gaffe, (blacked out) Don't ignore me. ”

There is also a crying puppy drawn next to it.

Pei Yuxue raised her eyebrows slightly, and said softly: "You have such a good temper, he can still say things that you don't want to pay attention to, what did he say?" ”

Xue Yuxiao said: "...... I'm afraid you won't be able to eat, so go ahead. ”

Pei Yuxue put down the note and said, "If it's not a big deal, just spare him." Then he followed the slave into the screen.

Although there are not many male dependents in the Taiping Garden, the number is not too small when you count the relatives and guests, as well as the housekeepers who do things in the second gate, and a few stewards in the Ruyi Garden. The master sat alone, and the servants set the table and feasted below, until the hour was over.

Pei Yuxue came back early, he dispersed the smell of wine on his body outside the porch, and entered the room. The candles on Chinese New Year's Eve were lit everywhere, and when I entered the door, I found that Xue Yuxiao had not slept or changed clothes.

She sat in front of the window, holding a chess piece in her hand, and gently tapped on the half-finished game he played, knocking out a soft "ding" sound.

Pei Yuxue took off her coat and walked over to sit opposite her: "Maybe I slept too much today, and I haven't been sleepy yet?" It's now the third watch. ”

Three shifts. Xue Yuxiao's expression moved slightly, and he said, "I'm waiting for one thing...... Have you beaten it up? ”

Pei Yuxue said: "Today is Chinese New Year's Eve, and the people in the Taiping Garden have received the reward money, and the garden is probably looser, a little late." ”

Every big festival is a time when it is easy to steal chickens and dogs. Although Xue Sikong's family is strict, she is a woman after all, and the affairs of the backyard are not under her control, and all are temporarily handled by Xue Mingyan. Although Second Brother Xue is very capable, he has been criticized for being a widow, so he is not particularly strict, and this degree of laxity is allowed.

Xue Yuxiao nodded and said, "I'll wait for the sound of the gong of the third watch." ”

Pei Yuxue didn't ask much, and waited with her.

The incense on the stove burned for a moment, and after about seven or eight minutes, the sound of alternating gongs and gongs sounded outside the window. Xue Yuxiao's expression was relieved, he got up and closed the window, stretched out his hand and pulled out his belt, and said in a low voice: "It seems that it will be tomorrow." ”

"What's the matter?" Pei Yuxue asked.

"Yes......"

Before he could say anything, there was a sudden sound of very hurried footsteps outside the door, light armor clashing, and swords rubbing in the sheath. The voice stopped in front of the door, and one person knelt down with a thud and raised his voice: "Young master! General Xiao sent a letter to invite everyone in the military government to discuss the matter, and someone from the head of the family also went to invite! ”

It was Wei Qingyan's voice.

Xue Yuxiao's breath stagnated, she retied her belt, took off the saber from the wall casually, and only had time to take the cloak handed by Pei Yuxue, draped it on her shoulders as she walked, and ordered: "Go and lead the horse." ”

"Yes."

……

At the end of the second watch of Chinese New Year's Eve, the banquet in the deer park gradually dispersed.

The people who came to the banquet were all relatives of the Langya Wang family, and after everyone rested, Wang Heng served his mother in the room to take medicine.

Prime Minister Wang had a little illness last time, because she was too worried about it all day, and she never got better. Wang Heng has been ill for a long time and is still in good spirits, so he is filial piety in front of her.