Looking up at the sky, there was still some time before noon, Zi Ning suddenly had a flash of inspiration in her mind, washed her hands, put her apron on the long table next, and told the cooks in a loud voice: "Hurry up and prepare lotus seeds, water chestnuts, white fungus, wolfberries and rock sugar, and some new stem rice." The eldest princess's lunch, I have a great idea. ”

After hearing this, the cooks and maids came to their senses. The dining room of Qingshuang Yuan was supposed to prepare meals for Lord Su, but Lord Su did not come for a long time, and the cooks were busy all day long. Now that the eldest princess has designated Zi Ning to prepare lunch, everyone suddenly feels that it is more beautiful than serving Lord Su. Figures swayed in the dining room, and everyone hurriedly prepared the necessary ingredients.

Lu Jixian stood next to the steamer with his hands behind his back, watching Zi Ning command everyone to be busy with interest, and there was an irrepressible novelty in his eyes.

Zi Ning looked at the clean ingredients on the board, didn't use the knife or seasoning, only washed her hands with salt water, carefully poured things into the purple sand soup pot, and instructed people to put them on the stove and boil slowly.

At this time, Xiao Cui'er came back with firewood and secretly told Zi Ning: "I told a secret to the girl, just now I went to collect firewood in the deserted garden of the lotus pond in front of the palace, and I walked by a son, so young and handsome." A satin green robe, passing under the willow tree, seemed to be carved out of white jade. ”

Everyone was busy, and they didn't pay attention to her muttering, Xiao Cui'er said to herself: "The clothes that the boy wears are all rich and luxurious, and the cyan material of the clothes shines straight, I have never seen it." Even the housekeeper is not as well dressed as him, he must be a big official, I don't know which family's son. ”

Zi Ning turned her head to look at Xiao Cui'er, raised her hand to fan the white gas coming out of a steamer, and joked: "If you say these words, if that son hears this, he will be overjoyed." As he spoke, he looked at Lu Jixian through the mist and saw that he was looking at him with a slight smile, and he didn't mind Xiao Cui'er's joke.

Xiao Cui'er put down the broken wood, sighed and said: "The girl will laugh, if the son can hear these words of mine, I would rather not marry for the rest of my life!"

Green Huan laughed out loud on the side, grabbed Xiao Cui'er's head with both hands, and said, "Look at who is standing next to the steamer, say what to marry or not, let Lu Gongzi laugh at you." ”

Xiao Cui'er's eyes widened, and when she saw Lu Jixian approaching her, she couldn't help but cry out "ah", and suddenly thought of what she had just said, she blushed her neck, covered her face with her hands, and ran out as soon as she lowered her head. When the people in the kitchen saw her like this, they all looked at each other and laughed out loud.

Zi Ning couldn't help but want to laugh, squeezed her eyes at Lu Jixian, and said with a smile: "The son has been here for a while, but Xiao Cui'er can't get married." ”

Lu Jixian also joked with her, nodded seriously, and said: "Then I will accompany you to find the ingredients for cooking, and if you get the reward of the eldest princess, you will give Xiao Cui'er as a dowry." Seeing that he spoke kindly, everyone became bolder, and Aunt Lian smiled and said: "What kind of blessing did Xiao Cui'er get, and Lu Gongzi personally handled the dowry for her." The crowd laughed again.

Zi Ning was very grateful, and hurriedly spread out her two sleeves and said, "Master Lu, let's go out to find ingredients." ”

As he spoke, he threw off his apron and walked out of the dining room with Lu Jixian. Aunt Lian hurriedly stepped out of the threshold and waved her hand to stop her: "Miss Zining, tell us what else we have to do, you won't stew these lotus seeds in a pot for the eldest princess to make lunch, right?"

Zi Ning turned around in the yard and smiled mischievously at her: "Prepare fresh lamb leg meat first, wash and cut off the tendons, and leave the rest to me!"

The two went around the garden, all the way is the long pavilion full of spring water, green willows, all kinds of fragrances blowing up against the warm wind, not strong, but like diffuse colors, pervasive, everywhere.

Zi Ning sniffed deeply, saw the guards guarding the door saluting Lu Jixian, and thought: "Lu Gongzi is really a good token, with him in front of him, no one dares to stop me." "Leave the Qingshuang Garden and walk towards the secluded corner of the wall to the north. Zi Ning remembered that on the day she entered Qingshuang Garden, she passed by here and saw many perilla leaves planted on the ground.

"Where? Remember here. A faint dark fragrance drifted closer, Zi Ning trotted a few steps, squatted down with a smile, and said to himself: "Ah, the little thing is hiding here." "I was pleasantly surprised to see a few small light white flowers in the garden, together with the emerald green leaves, carefully plucked the whole green leaves, and put a few pieces into the gauze bag.

The leaves were slightly dark in color, with many serrations on the edges, and the leaf surface was covered with a layer of fine and imperceptible hairs, and there was a medicinal fragrance, but it was the leaves and flowers of perilla.

Lu Jixian stood solemnly aside, his posture was elegant, as quiet as an ink painting, and suddenly asked, "You asked me to accompany you, what is the matter?"

Zi Ning put away the ingredients and leaves, got up to look at him, and praised with a smile: "Lu Gongzi is really smart, and he understands what I mean at once." ”

Seeing that he was walking slowly, the cyan satin brocade robe on his body was covered with gold threads, and it became more and more bright and noble under the light and shadow. Zi Ning tilted her head and smiled and asked, "Why did Lord Su entrust you to monitor the portrait of the concubine, are you a friend of Lord Su?"

Lu Jixian stopped, with a misty look in his eyes, and did not answer her directly, and said leisurely: "You are ****, your name is Zining, but my name is not told to you, you said that you want to exchange courtesies, and I want to see you for this matter." As he spoke, he stood quietly, blending in with the flowers, trees, and spring grass around him, and making a beautiful and beautiful scene.

Although Lu Jixian has lived in the palace for many years, Zi Ning has never seen him before, and seeing him so serious, he couldn't help but smile mischievously: "You have already told me just now, Lu Jixian, our courtesy exchanges are even, and no one owes anyone." ”

Lu Jixian was stunned for a moment, his face was a little disappointed, his eyes suddenly dimmed, and he said calmly: "Oh, it turns out that the girl thinks so." It's just that my name was spoken, and others heard it, but it wasn't specifically for you, and in the final analysis, I owe you. ”

Zi Ning smiled and couldn't help but say: "How can you have such a stupid thought, it's really like a piece of wood, I think it's better for you to call Lu Xiaomu, this is a very appropriate name." When he looked up at him, he saw that he was really handsome and extraordinary, and thought, "If anyone becomes his maid and looks at him like this all day long, it is as if he does not spend money on a painting, and he really makes a fortune." ”

Lu Jixian didn't get angry when he heard the word "Lu Xiaomu", he frowned slightly thoughtfully, then smiled faintly, and said: "My name is the sage of Sheji, the virtuous and virtuous, you have to remember." He was worried that Zi Ning didn't know, so he pulled one of her hands over and wrote the word "Jixian" in the palm of her hand.

Zi Ning frowned, looked up at him, and said with a smile of approval: "Sheji is both important, and virtuous ministers are rare." It can be seen that Lu Gongzi has shouldered a heavy responsibility and sustenance. ”

A sadness flashed in Lu Jixian's eyes, and he hurriedly covered up the past, and said: "Zi Ning's name is good, Zi Qi comes from the east, it is all noble, and it is peaceful and demure to go far." ”

Zi Ning only felt sour in his mouth, and didn't want to say something crepe to him, so he quickly changed the topic and asked, "Young Master Lu, is it good to be humble these days?"

"Qianli?" Lu Jixian's quiet eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, and asked, "Do you know Qianli?" Then the gaze that looked at her became strange, and then full of doubts.

Zi Ning grinned, and hurriedly covered up and said, "Leave ...... It's my friend, who was seriously injured the other day, and I helped him boil medicine. ...... I hadn't seen him in days, and I was a little worried, I didn't know what had happened to him......"

Lu Jixian stared at her for a long time, and said slowly: "If you want to know about his injury, you should ask yourself." Then he turned his head and looked up at the begonia flowers in the treetops.

Zi Ning couldn't figure it out, and thought: "This piece of wood is really strange, the speech is not coherent at all, the east and west, is the brain put together in pieces?" and then asked in a daze: "Lu Gongzi, Qianli is your companion, aren't you worried about him at all?"

"My companion?" Lu Jixian turned his head suddenly, his eyes revealed a complicated look, he shook his head helplessly, and said for a moment: "Don't worry, I will definitely go to see him, let him get better today, and jump around in front of people!"

Listening to his words, Zi Ning scratched her head and thought, "This piece of wood is very unreliable, should I ask him about the prince?" But if I miss the opportunity, it will be difficult to inquire in the future." So he asked tentatively: "Master Lu, I still want to ask one more thing, ...... Do you have a relationship with the crown prince?"

Lu Jixian turned his eyes to look at her, and said curiously: "Zining, I really can't guess what you think." I just asked Qianli, and suddenly asked the prince again, why?"

Zi Ning smirked, "You can't guess me, I just can't guess you, let's just don't guess anyone." Even though we can't understand what to say, we can have a good conversation, right?"

Lu Jixian's eyes flashed suddenly, and he nodded silently for a while, and praised: "Zi Ning is really a strange woman!"

Zi Ning waved her hands and said anxiously: "What's strange, don't ask why, if you know the prince, can you do me a favor and let me meet him?"

Lu Jixian was even more surprised, looked her up and down, shook his head and said, "You are the concubine of Lord Su, and you actually want to see the prince?

Zi Ning stomped his foot heavily, frowned and said: "The left also commits a big crime, and the right also commits a big crime, I care about it so much! If you are afraid of being implicated, afraid that Lord Su and the prince will blame you, just let me not ask!" He snorted in his nose and turned his head to leave.

Lu Jixian grabbed her sleeve and said with a faint smile: "I, Lu Jixian, am neither afraid of Lord Su nor the prince, if you want to see the prince, I can help you." ”

Zi Ning's eyes widened, he grabbed his sleeve, jumped up and shouted, "Really, really, you take me to see the prince? If you can really see him, I will make you a beautiful and delicious side dish in return!"

Lu Jixian pretended to be dissatisfied, frowned and said, "It's just a small dish, isn't this kind of reward too thin?"

Zi Ning pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, glared at him and said: "One is too little, how about those three side dishes?" This girl is a celebrity chef, she is not easy to take charge of the spoon, how many people line up to eat the dishes I make, at most they can only make three dishes, no more!"

Lu Jixian looked at her serious expression, couldn't help but have a smile in his eyes, and nodded: "Once the word is spoken, the horse is difficult to chase." Zi Ning raised her hand, smiled and "snapped" with him, and said happily: "Once the word is out, the eight horses will not return!"

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