box of hearts

Chapter 156
Qi She sat cross-legged on an apricot-yellow brocade and brown futon, half-embracing Qingtian with one hand, and wiped her shoulders and arms, "Don't be depressed, be happy, huh?"

Qingtian on the side was also sitting on the ground, under the faint light of the fire, his brows were furrowed, "How can I be happy with Zai Yu's appearance? It was fine for one day, and I couldn't get up the next day. Worse than a day, if you say no, you can’t, faster than people.”

The cat basket was placed in front of the two of them, and the cat in the basket was half-turned over, panting dully.As if just to make the master happy, he reluctantly raised his paw, enough to reach a feather hanging from Qingtian's finger, but it fell down feebly.The corner of Qingtian's mouth twitched, and he stuck his head in Qi She's chest, "I still remember how it looked when I was a child, just a little bit. At that time, I shared a room with Die Xian and the others, and there was a bamboo couch in the middle of the room. , I usually like to lean on it and read a book. I can’t jump up because I’m too small, so I always use my nails to dig the tassels on the mat and pick it up. I think it’s going to make trouble for me, so I give it all my nails It was bald, and it was so angry that it scratched at the foot of the couch. Later, when it got older, it learned to back away from the door for a long, long way. It ran up and rushed towards this end, but it jumped up. But often I can't hold my feet, and I get rushed down from the other end, laughing so hard that my stomach hurts. There is a basin next to my bed. If I get up too late, it will wet the pads of its front paws in the basin , jumped from the head of the bed to my face, pressed it coldly, and asked me to get up and feed it. When I was sad and shed tears behind my back, it would grab my head and hug my neck, meowing at me If I still cry, it sticks out its little tongue and licks my tears drop by drop, asking me not to cry anymore..." Qingtian covered his mouth with his hands, his voice choked up.

With one hand, Qi She adjusted the short shawl with silver makeup, satin and lotus leaves on her shoulders, and with the other hand she hung into the basket, slowly stroking the fur on her ribs, "You have done your best, you have taken care of her day and night, you don't take off your clothes, even A few days ago Die Xian and Dui Xia got married, and you just came back to accompany it. Having such a master as you, Zai Yu is also a blessing. At 15 years old, it is considered a long life among cats, and it will enjoy the rest of its life. "

Seemingly unable to think of any more comforting words, he opened his mouth two or three times, but only sighed heavily.

3.
Sigh into winter.

The weather was already expected to be chilly and cold in spring, but it snowed again two days later.It's not too big, and every grain of it melts when it sees the soil. It never makes the world whiter, but it makes it more like a big quagmire.

Zai Yu's condition intensified, and the medicine and stone were useless.Qingtian was guarding day and night. Although Qi She couldn't accompany her around, she repeatedly reminded him that if there was any change, he would send someone to tell him immediately.At dusk that day, Ruyuan sent out messengers, and after a round of calls, the news came in layer after layer from the outside of the second door, and finally Zhaohua walked into the cloud corridor stepping on a pair of clean sheepskin boots Moon Palace.

"Your Majesty, my lord has left Da Nei Chongding Courtyard, but there is Governor Qian from Guangzhou who came to Beijing today, and my lord wants to reward him with a meal. It just so happens that the birthday concubine from the palace will enter the palace tomorrow. My lord seems to have some list to entrust." The empress dowager she brought to the palace had to go back to the mansion in person, and arranged to have a meal with Governor Qian at the mansion. She was eating right now, so she left if it was inconvenient. The prince said to tell the empress not to worry, he will definitely hurry up Hurry back and tell your mother to eat well."

Qing Tian half-kneeled on the ground, shaking his hands at her without looking back.Yingzhi, the girl who hugged the cat, knelt on the other side and didn't say a word.Two pairs of bright red pupils reflected a group of dying old cats on the cushion.

After the eight-tone bell in the room played the No. 20 tune of the day, and the two of them who had stayed in Yu for most of the day stood up and stood up, Yingzhi asked softly: "Zai Yu, Zai Yu, where are you going?" Where is it, in the imperial court?"

The white cat, which had been in a coma for a long time, suddenly pulled out a horizontal force, opened its sky-blue single eye, tremblingly turned out of the cat basket, rubbed against the ground, and looked like it was going to crawl out the door.Tears welled up in Qingtian's eyes, she knew that once Mao'er escaped from home, the time would come.She stared straight at Yu Yiding, wiped away her tears, and picked it up in her arms, "Yingzhi, tell Youyan to go get the prince's card from the box on the bookshelf in the east room, and call Zhaohua again." Burn two hand stoves and come in, if the prince comes back, you can say that I went to the mansion to look for him."

On the side of the palace, when he heard that he was in Yumiliu, Qi She was also extremely anxious, but he had no choice but to hold back the entertainment, talking and laughing calmly: "You arrived in a hurry, and there is no time to treat you well, so I can only leave you in the king's study. It’s just a light meal here, don’t blame me for being slow.”

Opposite the big round table on the Shoushan stone surface is Governor Qian, who is only about forty years old and has a heavy appearance. I also understand the painstaking efforts of the prince. If you sit in the main hall of the prince's mansion, the ceremonial system will be shut down, and you will not be able to bow to your clothes, and perform the big ceremony of kneeling twice and kowtowing six times. If you sit in the study, you can drink around the table, and there is no distinction between high and low. This is the prince. Compassion for the humble official. What's more, this 'Harmony Hall' is a private place where the prince handles state affairs, and it is a great favor for the humble official to have the honor to drink with the prince here."

Qi She raised her hand, "You said there was no distinction between upper and lower, but you got up on your knees again and sat down."

"Yes." Governor Qian climbed back to his seat, and smiled, "I've been in Guangzhou for a long time, and I'm really not used to returning to the capital. I haven't seen snow for several years."

The snow fell from the eaves and hit the branches in the courtyard. It was light and thin, like a whisper between daughters.

In the north room of the back hall of the palace, two servant girls stood in the corridor looking at the snow, talking side by side:
"This year is a leap year, the beginning of spring in the first month, and the beginning of spring again in December. The folks call it 'two-headed spring'. But why did spring just come, and snow fell from the sky again!"

"Isn't it snowing? It just so happens that the prince is back today, maybe he won't go back to Ruyuan when it snows, and stay with the concubine."

"I don't think so. From the wedding at the end of last year to now, the prince has never stayed with the concubine. It's really strange. Our concubine looks like a fairy, and the prince still doesn't like it. He doesn't know about Ruyuan. How beautiful is your empress?"

Just as he was whispering, there was a loud shout from behind: "Wan Wan!"

The two turned their heads together, and the maid called Wanwan forced a smile, "Mother Yao."

Nanny Yao had a fleshy face and was full of majesty, "Your Majesty is going to the palace for a pilgrimage tomorrow, why don't you two hurry up and pack up your two clothes and come out, what are you doing here?"

"Yes."

"Tsk, it's fine to do the work alone, don't try to get in the way. Come in with me every night, and then give your mother a lick of your head."

"Yes."

Nanny Yao led Wanwan into the inner room, only to see Princess Xiangshou sitting alone in front of the half-open window, looking out.

Nanny Yao yelled and rushed over, "Oh my lady, you are going to get sick from the cold sitting by the window, hurry up, help me to go to the brazier to keep warm at night."

Xiangshou's two pale eyebrows gathered together, and his quiet posture was enough to make Mao Qiang cover his sleeves and Xi Shi covered his face, "I like to sit here, even if I am sick with cold, I will be seen by a doctor, what do you want me to talk about?"

"Your Majesty, isn't it all because of my old woman's rambunctiousness? These days, I hate me." Nanny Yao didn't care about 21, she put Xiangshou up and pushed it onto the heating kang, and locked the two Window, "Wanwan, move the foot stove closer to the empress. Empress, the prince will come soon, ask Wanwan to lick your hair for you, and put on the headgear given by the queen mother last time."

Wanwan took a rhino horn pearl comb, dipped it in jasmine oil, and came to shave Xiangshou's temples.Xiangshou raised his hand to block it, "Don't comb."

On the other side, Nanny Yao had already taken a necklace inlaid with jade and double dragons, and fastened it on Xiangshou's neck. Xiangshou gave her a slight push, "Don't wear it."

Nanny Yao held the collar and raised her voice: "Why don't you wear it? The prince is coming soon!"

"Come and come. You will tell me to wear jasper hairpins or gold-threaded shoes, so what? Apart from telling me what to say and how to say it to the queen mother, the prince will not even look at me. Why waste your time?" ?”

"Mother, listen to me—"

"I don't want you to care!"

Xiangshou also raised her voice, staring at Nanny Yao.Wanwan was holding the comb dryly by the side, neither advancing nor retreating.And then just then—

"Your Highness is here!"

There were a few sparse snowdrops on Qi She's purplish red leather robe, and he walked in with his shoulders brushed, and smiled, "Get up, get up, Mom Yao, stand down."

Before Nanny Yao left, she gave Xiangshou a wink, but Xiangshou pretended not to notice, poured a new cup of tea, and held it in front of Qi She.

Qi She casually touched his lips and put them aside, "Sit down. Are you all right this time?" The tone was almost deliberately pleasing.

Xiangshou grabbed the hem of the big red plain silk skirt, sat down opposite, "It's all good."

"Why doesn't your face look good? Are you sick?"

"No."

There is nothing to talk about in two sentences, which is relatively unnatural.Qi She took another sip of tea to pass away, then took out a yellow envelope from his sleeve, "Go to the palace tomorrow and give this to Xi Bian for me, and let her designate a few favorite candidates, and then you bring them back Give it to me, hard work."

Xiangshou took it with both hands, "You know, my lord, don't worry."

"Then," Qi She put the ring on the back of her neck and rubbed it twice. In the cold and snowy day, the wound from the past was aching. "It's nothing. I'll go first and come back another day."

"My lord!" He had already stood up, but Xiangshou threw himself to block the front.For a long time, it seemed that he mustered up a lot of courage, but the words he muttered were as thin as flower needles, "My lord, it's snowing outside, cold and slippery, and it's getting late, don't go back to Ruyuan today." Bar."

(End of this chapter)