A piece of paper

Chapter 386: Every Request Will Be Granted (3000)

In the following winter, Feng Yuanyuan became a regular visitor. She came almost every day for ten days. Sometimes she would laugh and play with little girl Rong and several other girls. Sometimes she would come late and chat and laugh with Xianjin.

As for people, feelings are developed through interactions.

As the first month of the lunar year approached, Feng Yuanyuan began to call Xianjin "Sister Xianjin" affectionately, and even invited Xianjin to go out of the city to burn incense together two or three times in a row: "I heard that Wanguo Temple is our national temple, and the spring water in the temple is very effective. Drinking a pot of water can cure all diseases, but it is only open to the public in the twelfth month and the first month of the lunar year - Sister Xianjin, can you accompany me to get a cup of spring water?"

The shop was busy, so Xianjin declined.

After being rejected twice, Feng Yuanyuan was a little unhappy and grumbled: "You clearly said that you would always meet any request of a young girl - if Sister Rong invited you, you would definitely go."

Xianjin:?
Not necessarily.

They are all just passers-by in my life.

The only principal wife was still busy making paper pulp in Xuancheng Mansion.

In the capital city, the New Year was celebrated in a lively and bustling manner. During the first month of the lunar year, all three shops held activities. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, several boards were placed at the end of the alley where "Pinxuan" was located. There were words and paintings engraved on them, saying things like "After the Lantern Festival, the family reunites. In a family, the mother comes first." There were also several large paintings on the boards, all of which were women who looked like mothers, some with a kind attitude, embroidering, some with their hands on their hips, turning the soil, and some with books in their hands, reading by lamplight at night.
On the last board, it was written "Congratulations to my mother at the hour of Chen, sending her a piece of peach paper", and then there was an arrow drawn pointing inside.

A tall figure in a black cloak with gold weaving stopped at the end of the alley, stood in front of a few wooden boards and looked for a long time, then walked slowly inside after a while.

Xianjinhou was waiting outside the side door and called out, "Grand Princess." He then avoided the crowd and led Grand Princess Bai'an to the inner courtyard, where there was a small flower room, bamboo-woven cotton curtains hung around the fences, and bronze auspicious beasts exhaled incense. The coldness of the first month in the capital seemed to have bypassed this hidden little courtyard, leaving behind only the purity and chill unique to winter.

Princess Bai'an untied her cloak and handed it to Xianjin in a friendly manner. She then sat down and sniffed the teacup: "I've heard from others that your tea is strange and delicious. It smells really strange now - some fruity aroma? Add some green tea?"

"Dried cherries from the first fruits of early spring, dried peaches from summer, dried plums from autumn, and dried hawthorns from winter, brewed with green tea, and added some brown sugar." Xianjin smiled and sat down opposite the Grand Princess Bai'an: "It's rare that you like it. Many people say that I am wasting natural resources - I actually made fun of tea."

This is not something brought over from later generations.

He had it ready long ago. When he was in Xuancheng Prefecture, although Mrs. Qu was not a very objective person, her tea was delicious. Xianjin had always been thinking about it. Now that he had his own shop, he tried his best to make it to entertain guests.

Princess Bai'an raised the corners of her lips and smiled: "No matter how valuable it is, it is just an object. What matters is that the person is happy."

Xian Jin lowered his eyes and replied.

Princess Bai'an had what later generations often called a "sense of fatigue from being satisfied with everything" - her overwhelming demeanor and efficiency probably came from this.

Princess Bai'an talked about the signs at the end of the alley again, and her smile changed from being light and indifferent just now to being warm: "I heard them in the palace that you are organizing some Mother's Day festival. They said that if you make paper for your mother, you will also give her a gift box and ribbon. How is this going now?"

Mother's Day in later generations was in May, but now Xianjin has set it in the first month of the lunar calendar.

Happy New Year! Celebrating two festivals at the same time makes it easier for everyone to remember.

Xianjin followed suit and laughed: "This year's promotion is average, but if it is promoted every year and persisted for ten years, this saying will eventually become a habit - who doesn't have a mother? Who doesn't love his mother? Which scholar has not learned 'who says that the love of a little grass can repay the kindness of three springs'? I think this solar term will eventually become popular."

Princess Bai'an took a sip of tea and nodded.

The two of them tacitly kept silent about Xianjin's refusal to return to his ancestral home. Princess Bai'an asked about the status of Xianjin's shop, and Xianjin asked about how Princess Bai'an spent the New Year: "The New Year atmosphere is particularly strong among the people. The fireworks by the moat have been set off all night. I heard from the neighbors that this year's fireworks are the most beautiful in the past ten years."

Princess Bai'an looked at Xianjin with a gentle gaze: "Really? That's great. The busyness in the palace is worth it."

Xianjin thought of Qiao Hui's busy year: from the end of December to now, a whole month, he hardly came back. Even if he came back once, he was in a hurry to take a shower, say a few words to Xianjin and then leave. He didn't mention what he was busy with, and Xianjin didn't dare to ask - since the last blood transfusion, the Capital Command Headquarters has almost become a reserve guard, handling all the emperor's affairs.

Xianjin raised his head and saw the fine lines extending from the corners of Princess Bai'an's eyes. He lowered his head again and saw that the calluses on the middle and index fingers of his right hand were very thick, showing that she had been holding a pen for many years.

Xianjin recalled Qiao Fangzhi's previous evaluation of Princess Bai'an: she was like a lone wolf, ignorant of life and death, tireless, sleeping only three hours a day and busy with endless official duties. She was the only king in the history of the Wei Dynasty, and even in the past hundred years or so, who could personally reply to every memorial.

Oh, you can even tell from the official's greetings that the local harvest has been bad recently - they flattered and tried to build relationships, but were criticized by the emperor.
It also required that the five cabinet members, two of whom would take turns to guard the Changtian Palace outside the Forbidden Palace every day, and several cabinet elders were often woken up in the middle of their sleep to be trained.

If your boss doesn't rest, there is no way you can get off work.

Among them, Wang Ge Lao is the oldest and has already thought about retiring early. He has been pestering Qiao Fangzhi with a sad face these past two days: "Why don't I die yet?"

"There are so many things to do, you must take good care of yourself." Xianjin's eyes moved to the pale lips of Princess Bai'an: "It's not easy for a woman to be in charge of a family, not to mention that you are not in charge of a family, but a country. You must put your health first in everything."

Xianjin didn't finish his words.

Princess Bai'an's gaze shifted to the northeast outside the window, her eyes were calm but contained murderous intent: "At all times, family and country must be put above individuals - this has nothing to do with whether I am a woman or not, and is closely related to the fact that I am the highest authority in the Nine Provinces of the Great Wei." Xianjin blinked.

Princess Bai'an turned her head back again and looked at Xianjin with a powerful gaze.

There were a few "bang bang bang" sounds.

All the doors and windows in the flower room in the inner courtyard were tightly closed from the inside.

The voices of the aunt and niece were clearly audible at the beginning, but gradually became lower and lower, and finally turned into a diffuse and lingering mist.

The Tibetan fox Liangliang held the sword in both hands and stood guard at the door of the flower room with a serious expression. Four or five mute guards hid between the beams and the curtains. Not even a mosquito could fly into the outer room. And the news of "Princess Bai'an's visit" in the inner room was like sealed with wax and would never be allowed to leak out.

It was getting dark, and Princess Bai'an came out from a side door, showing her golden face and calmly seeing them off.

Princess Bai'an gently pulled her niece's scattered hair back behind her ears, and said in a soft and slow voice: "Do everything within your ability, don't rush forward."

Xian Jin nodded.

Princess Bai'an's eyes were as clear as water: "You are so brave, I am both happy and scared, you know that is not my original intention."

Xianjin interrupted at the right time: "Xianjin knows - but the nine provinces can't stand another white fall chaos." He paused slightly: "My mother's suffering came from this. In the capital city, I only hope that there will be beautiful fireworks, no more rusty blood."

Princess Bai'an rubbed her golden furry head. When she glanced sideways, her expression changed instantly, and her attitude became tough and cold: "Only the people in the courtyard know about what happened today. Once it spreads out, the nine clans will be killed immediately!"

Hu Hualiang was the first to respond, “Yes!”

Xianjin looked at the light of the oil lamp hanging from the beam.

The lights flickered slightly, the halo was milky white and soft, and the dust in it floated steadily.

"Does King Xiao need to know?" Xianjin asked.

Princess Bai'an shook her head gently: "No need -" She paused, as if looking for the right words: "His personality is not suitable for these fights."

Xianjin nodded suddenly.

It’s the end of January, but not yet February.

Beside the paper pulp pond, Feng Yuanyuan was already very skilled in scooping out paper and spreading it. Her hands fluttered like butterflies. After making a thin piece of straw paper, she laughed happily, looking bright and beautiful.

Xianjin's attitude was still doting. He leaned over to take a look and praised, "Not bad. The pulp is evenly distributed. When it's baked, it will definitely be the best one you've made."

Feng Yuanyuan pouted, a little proud: "Of course! I went to Wanguo Temple with my mother a few days ago and made a wish!"

Xianjin smiled and asked, "What wish did you make?"

"I must make a very good piece of paper!" Feng Yuanyuan raised his head high: "I will give this piece of paper to a very special person!"

Xianjin smiled and nodded slowly, looking very intimate.

Feng Yuanyuan followed closely and came forward, shaking Xianjin's sleeves, mumbling coquettishly: "The day after tomorrow is the last day of the first lunar month! The next opening of Wanguo Temple will be next year! Come on, go! Come with me! I'll ask my mother to prepare the carriage and servants, and you just need to go! I'll take you to many places! Qiaoyun Peak! Kuanjian Creek! And the vegetarian food and fried vegetarian meatballs in the hall! It would be best if we stayed one more night!——"

Feng Yuanyuan put her head close to Xianjin's ear and whispered to him innocently, "Also, there is a Taoist temple called Qiushou Temple below the Wanguo Temple. The little Taoist priests inside have red lips and white teeth. They are so pretty!"

Xianjin blinked and whispered back, "I already have a Hedong lion at home."

"Let's just not tell him!" Feng Yuanyuan laughed: "We will set off after lunch the day after tomorrow. It will take two hours to get there, so we can eat vegetarian food and stay overnight. We will get up early the next morning to pray for spring water and listen to Buddhist scriptures." Feng Yuanyuan blinked: "There is also Taoism~"

Xianjin lowered his eyes slightly, as if thinking.

Feng Yuanyuan looked at her expectantly.

After a while, he nodded: "Okay, let's follow your schedule."