swear not to be concubine

Chapter 58

It was early summer, and the crape myrtle tree in the courtyard of the Ministry of Rites was in full bloom.Whenever the breeze comes, the flower branches tremble lightly, as graceful as a frightened bird.

At the moment of Shenzheng, all the officials in the official office of the Ministry of Rites had almost left, and Xu Zhongxuan was still writing and replying to the official document in hand.A young eunuch on the side stepped forward with a chrysanthemum-patterned purple sand teapot, uncovered the teacup he had put on the first case on the right, and poured some boiling water into it.

But after refilling the water, he didn't leave, just bowed and stood by the side, saying in a very low voice: "Eunuch Zheng asked the little one to tell you that the time for the release of the Shengshanglong case is the shortest recently." There are two kinds of long chapters. One is submitted by commanders and envoys from various coastal areas, saying that Japanese pirates are rampant recently. The other is submitted by Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong shipping departments. It doesn't stop. The Holy Majesty seems to be quite distressed by these two things, and he often reads these two chapters. And there is another matter that Eunuch Zheng also asked the younger one to tell you. The little eunuch who served the Holy Majesty said that he had heard the Holy Majesty talking to himself twice recently. Talking to myself, they all mentioned the word "sea ban."

While he was speaking, Xu Zhongxuan was still looking down at the official document in front of him with his head down, without squinting, as if he didn't hear anyone talking.And after the little eunuch finished saying this, he immediately turned around and left with the beam pot as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't said a word just now.

From beginning to end, only the fragrance of the crape myrtle tree outside the window is brilliant.

At the second moment of Shenzheng, Xu Zhongxuan stretched out his hand to sort out the documents on the case, then got up and stood up, intending to go back.

But just as he left the room, he saw Du Dai walking in from the courtyard door.

"Okay, Lanxi," Du Dai walked in a hurry, with beads of sweat on his forehead.When he met Xu Zhongxuan, he immediately walked two steps forward and said with a smile, "I knew you hadn't left yet."

Xu Zhongxuan walked down the steps, cupped his hands towards Du Dai, and with a slight smile on his face, he asked: "Brother Junqing, what do you mean by what you said, do you have something to do with me?"

Du Dai laughed heartily: "It's nothing important. I just heard that there is a new Zuiyuelou in the east of the city. It makes a very good wine called Rouge Zui. Why don't you and I drink it together?" How about a cup?"

Xu Zhongxuan wanted to decline, but Du Dai continued: "You live alone in Beijing, and no one is in control of you. Why are you rushing back when Shenzheng is on duty? Could it be that there is a beautiful woman at home?" Is Jiao Niang waiting for you?"

After the joke was over, he stretched out his hand to hold Xu Zhongxuan, and said with a smile: "Even if there is another beautiful girl waiting for you in your family, you may have to accompany me, a rough man, today. Go, go, and be with me." Go drink."

Zuiyue Tower is located in the east of the city, surrounded by willows and a locust tree, which is full of white flowers, shining like silver.

After Du Dai and Xu Zhongxuan stepped into the door of the restaurant, someone greeted them immediately, and asked with a happy face, "Are you two Xu Shilang and Du Shenyi?"

Xu Zhongxuan raised his eyes to look at the man, and saw that he was wearing a straight silk skirt with sapphire blue and dark patterns, and silk shoes and clean socks on his feet. He must not be just a buddy.

Du Dai was already asking at this time: "May I ask Your Excellency?"

The man laughed quickly and said, "I dare not, I dare not. My surname is Zhang, and I am the shopkeeper of Zuiyuelou. Xu Shilang and Du Shenzhi, please accompany the villain to the private seat on the second floor. My master has invited you."

Xu Zhongxuan remained calm, followed Du Dai and the shopkeeper to the innermost private seat on the second floor.

Shopkeeper Zhang was in front of him, stretched out his hand and pushed open the two doors with fretwork and heart, and then bowed to invite Xu Zhongxuan and Du Dai to enter the room.

In the room, there was a person sitting in a rosewood armchair facing the window, holding a teacup in his hand, turning his head sideways to look at the locust tree outside the window.Hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned around, put down the teacup in his hand, got up and greeted him with a smile, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Xu Shilang, brother Junqing."

It was Shen Chuo who met once in Taoyuan that day.

Du Dai took two steps forward with a smile, and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Feng Qin. I was just thinking, who has such a big face, who can actually work for the shopkeeper of the Zuiyue Tower to pick it up in person?" People, it turned out to be you. And just now he said that my master invited..."

After a pause, he asked in surprise: "The Zuiyue Tower here is not the property of your Shen family, is it?"

Shen Chuo smiled slightly.

He was originally born with a beautiful appearance, so with such a smile, he naturally became more beautiful and romantic, and he became more and more magnificent.

"When my younger brother was bored a few days ago, he thought about opening a restaurant, where he could cook all the delicacies in the world and brew all the best wines in the world. It would be an elegant thing to think about."

When Du Dai heard this, he said that Shen Chuo lived his life as he wanted, making others envious.On the one hand, he sighed to himself, saying that it was a waste of more than ten years in the cold window, and the current monthly salary is only meager, so it would be better to simply abandon his official position and go into business.

Shen Chuo only listened to Du Dai's words as a joke.

How many officials are really only earning the meager salary issued by the court?But whenever the mouth is slightly relaxed, there will naturally be a lot of people rushing to send money.He has dealt with quite a few officials, and he has given them money as well.

And when they were talking, a waiter had already brought tea over.

Yise Ru Kiln's rain-covered sky-blue teacup is as delicate as jade.In the teacup is silver needle tea, with a high aroma and green tea soup.

Shen Chuo asked Xu Zhongxuan who hadn't said a word since he entered the room: "I wonder what Xu Shilang thinks this tea tastes like?"

"It's okay," Xu Zhongxuan put down the teacup in his hand, his voice was light, "it's just a little light."

Shen Chuo raised his eyebrows, because he asked again: "Do you want to ask the buddy to bring you a cup of good Biluochun?"

"No. It's the same if you just drink it."

After Xu Zhongxuan entered the room, he had already scanned the room quietly.But I saw the incense burning the treasure tripod, and the flowers in the clean bottle.On the rosewood wood inlaid marble round table is a large crystal lotus leaf plate full of various seasonal fruits.On the side there is another magnolia pheasant screen embroidered with rosewood and silk gauze, behind which there is a qin case with a plain qin placed on it.

This is clearly the meaning of hospitality.

Today's meeting with Shen Chuo, was it a chance encounter, or was it intentional?

Xu Zhongxuan slightly lowered his eyes, staring indifferently at the stone pattern on the rosewood wood inlaid marble round table in front of him.

Du Dai at the side was asking Shen Chuo: "Fengqin, why are you here in Zuiyue Tower today?"

Then Shen Chuo said with a smile: "Today I invited a senior uncle to have dinner here, but I just sat in front of the window and saw Brother Junqing and Xu Shilang coming, so I asked the shopkeeper to go down and invite you two." Come up. Brother Junqing, you don't think I've acted abruptly, do you?"

"Of course not," Du Dai said with a smile, "you and I have known each other for many years, why would you say it so abruptly?"

Shen Chuo smiled, then turned to ask Xu Zhongxuan: "Mr. Xu, I take the liberty to invite you here. I wonder if you feel that Mr. Shen offended you?"

Xu Zhongxuan raised his eyes and looked over, with a proper smile on his face: "Mr. Shen is serious. I am very happy to meet Mr. Shen again."

Although Xu Zhongxuan is usually a quiet person, he handles things mellowly, and when needed, he looks like a very approachable person.

Shen Chuo smiled, opened the ivory handle bone fan in his hand, and slowly shook it.

Du Dai asked again who Shen Chuo invited today, but Shen Chuo just smiled and did not answer, only saying that this uncle Du Dai and Xu Zhongxuan knew each other, and they would naturally know when they met.

Xu Zhongxuan had a vague guess in his heart.

He and Shen Chuo have only met each other twice, and the only acquaintance between them is Du Dai.As for the uncle Shen Chuo mentioned, he said that Du Dai and himself both knew each other, so the other party must be an official in the court, and I'm afraid the official position will not be low.Besides, Du Dai seldom invites him out for drinks and meals, why is it so uncharacteristic today?
He glanced at Du Dai again and saw that he was chatting with Shen Chuo, so he reached for the teacup on the table and drank the tea slowly while listening to what the two of them were talking about. .

What Shen Chuo said inside and outside the words was the matter of the sea ban, as if he wanted to find out if there was any sign of the current sea ban loosening, but Du Dai shook his head and said it was difficult.The sea ban was originally established by the founding emperor, and the descendants showed their filial piety. Naturally, there were very few things that overturned the ancestor's decision.This is the first, and the second is that pirates have been rampant along the coast recently. If the sea ban is lifted, it will be even more difficult to contain it.

When Shen Chuo heard this, his eyes darkened slightly, and the movement of shaking the fan in his hand was a little slower for a moment.

Xu Zhongxuan quietly took all these into his eyes, but just continued to drink tea calmly, without saying a word.

At this moment, two knocks were heard on the door, and then the door was pushed open, and a person walked in.

He is dressed in black calamus dark patterns and has a straight body, with indigo double silk tassels around his waist. He is thin and thin, with a pale complexion.

The three people who were originally sitting in the room all stood up at this moment, bowing their heads in salute.

Shen Chuo called Shi Bo, but Xu Zhongxuan and Du Dai called mentors.

It turned out that the person who came was Zhou Yuanzheng, the Chief Assistant of the current cabinet.

Zhou Yuan was walking in slowly, with a gentle smile on his face. He stretched out his hand to signal the three of them not to salute, and said with a smile, "There are not so many rules when meeting in private. Just sit down."

The three sat down according to their words.Shen Chuo laughed first and said: "Because my nephew saw that Sophora japonica flowers were blooming just in time recently, I remembered that you like Sophora japonica flowers the most, so I thought of hosting a table of Sophora japonica flowers, and I would take the liberty to ask you to come here, it is also My nephew's kindness."

He glanced at Xu Zhongxuan and Du Dai again, and said with a smile: "Just now when my nephew was leaning against the window and looking down, I happened to see Xu Shilang and Brother Junqing coming towards this side, so I asked the shopkeeper to go down and invite the two Come up, I would like to take the liberty of asking you two to accompany me today, what do Xu Shilang and Brother Junqing think?"

In front of Zhou Yuanzheng, Xu Zhongxuan and Du Dai naturally would not refuse.For a moment Xu Zhongxuan laughed and said, "I don't know that my mentor is the Uncle Shen that Mr. Shen mentioned."

"I have some relationship with his father." Zhou Yuan smiled, but he only said vaguely, "So Ah Chuo can be regarded as my nephew."

At this time, Shen Chuo had ordered the shopkeeper Zhang who was standing beside him to order the waiter to serve the dishes.

Because it is said to be a Sophora japonica banquet, naturally all the dishes are related to Sophora japonica.

For a while, Sophora japonica chicken, Sophora japonica steamed fish, Sophora japonica boiled meatballs, Sophora japonica shrimp, Sophora japonica tofu, Sophora japonica scrambled eggs, Sophora jasper jasper soup, etc. were all delivered at a rolling price.Finally, the waiter brought another plate of pork and ham buns stuffed with Sophora japonica flower, and served with a plate of steaming Sophora japonica cake as white as the first snow.

The other ones are fine, Xu Zhongxuan couldn't help thinking of Jian Yan when he saw the plate of Sophora japonica cake.

Recently, she deliberately wanted to hide from herself, even if she didn't eat with Jin'er anymore.I don't know if Mrs. Jane only feeds her some bland vegetarian food every day when she eats alone?And still not full?
At this time, Shen Chuo called shopkeeper Zhang over again, and gave him some instructions in a low voice, then shopkeeper Zhang lowered his head and walked out of the door with lowered hands.

After a while, I heard a few very light tinkling sounds of the pendant, and another scent of pheasant musk, and then I heard the sound of the qin like running water, slowly coming from behind the screen.

Everyone raised their heads, or turned their heads to look over.But after seeing the screen, there was someone sitting there at some point, looking at her slim and light figure, she must be a young woman.

Du Dai then turned to look at Shen Chuo and said with a smile, "What is Feng Qin doing?"

Shen Chuo held the wine glass between his thumb and index finger, and was sipping the rouge in the glass to get drunk.It was said that he removed the wine glass from his mouth, but did not put it on the table, but twirled it lightly, then raised his eyes and smiled and said, "If there is wine and flowers, how can there be no joy? This red-sleeved girl's piano sound is still But, you can force yourself to listen."

He smiled respectfully at Zhou Yuanzheng and said, "I remember that Shibo seems to like listening to plum blossom quotations the most?"

Zhou Yuanzheng's eyes darkened slightly, and then he said with a smile on his face: "That was all many years ago. I haven't heard of it in these years."

It's just that the smile on his face seemed a bit forced.

Mei Niang is the best at piano music, especially this Plum Blossom Citation.Since she left, no one has played the Plum Blossom Yin better than hers, so in the end he simply never listened to this piece of music again.

"This red-sleeved girl can also play plum blossoms, Shibo, do you want to listen to it?"

Zhou Yuanzheng was silent for a moment, then smiled and said: "Since that's the case, let's just listen."

Shen Chuo gave instructions in a low voice again, and the sound of the piano changed immediately.

Zhou Yuanzheng's face was in a daze for a moment, and he put down the ivory chopsticks in his hand for a while, and listened intently.

Xu Zhongxuan was eating Sophora japonica cake at this time, and it was already the second piece.

Sophora japonica is bitter in nature, but this rare Sophora japonica cake is not only not bitter, but also has a hint of sweetness in it.There is a layer of rose sauce wrapped in the middle, which is cool and sweet, and it has an endless aftertaste in the mouth.

Jian Yan definitely loves to eat, he was thinking about what kind of food she had for dinner today, did she have enough?
Shen Chuo watched Zhou Yuanzheng's appearance and knew that the plum blossom played by Hongxiu had attracted his attention. With a glance, he saw that Xu Zhongxuan was already eating the second piece of Sophora japonica cake, and the expression on his face was also different. Somewhat dazed, he didn't know what he was thinking, so he smiled and said: "Can this Sophora japonica cake still get into Xu Shilang's mouth?"

Xu Zhongxuan put the remaining half of Sophora japonica cake held by his chopsticks on the small white porcelain plate with blue and white inside and outside in front of him, nodded and praised sincerely: "Soft, glutinous and sweet, very good."

Shen Chuo smiled, then turned his head and told shopkeeper Zhang: "Tell the kitchen that I have packed two boxes of Sophora japonica cakes, and I will bring them back to Shilang Xu later."

Du Dai smiled and said from the side: "Fengqin, you are wrong. You know that Lanxi likes to eat Sophora japonica cake, so you let him take two boxes home and eat it by himself. I like to drink this rouge to get drunk, Why don't you tell someone to prepare two jars and let me take them back later?"

"Brother Junqing, are you asking me for a drink?" Shen Chuo teased him with a smile, and then turned to tell shopkeeper Zhang, "Take two altars of good rouge to get drunk, and give it to the person who came with Du Shenyi." Boy, let him take it back."

Only then did Du Dai say something meaningful with a smile, and picked up the wine glass again, saying that he wanted to toast him with a glass of wine.Shen Chuo drank it, and then gave him a glass in return.Because he ordered the shopkeeper to fill the glasses of Xu Zhongxuan and Zhou Yuanzheng with wine, he also made a toast one by one.

(End of this chapter)