swear not to be concubine

Chapter 99

Before Xu Zhongxuan came to the Ministry of Officials to take the post of Minister Zuo, all the officials of the Ministry of Officials privately inquired whether the future second in command of the Ministry of Officials was easy to get along with.Then, according to some colleagues who have worked with Xu Zhongxuan, Xu Zhongxuan always looks with a faint smile on his face at all times, and he is also very humble.It's just that he is as meticulous as a hair, and he is extremely intelligent, so don't take chances and hope that you can fool him in official affairs, even if there is a slight mistake, he can see it.

In this case, some people believe it from the bottom of their hearts.After all, Xu Zhongxuan was only 18 years old when he passed the three yuan. Which scholar in the world doesn't know him?And it took only seven years to sit in this position. If he has no extraordinary ability, how can he rise so fast all the way?Therefore, after hearing such words, these believers will be trembling and do things cautiously, not daring to make a single mistake.

But naturally there are those old officials who think that they are much older than Xu Zhongxuan in terms of age and qualifications, and they don't believe it.

It can also be said that they actually believe it deep in their hearts, but they are not willing to admit it.

How can a person at such a young age surpass them in official positions and control them like this?

Therefore, when Xu Zhongxuan came to the Ministry of Officials and took up the post of Zuo Shilang, some people bowed their heads to him, and some deliberately found trouble for him.

Those who bowed their heads to him were thinking that the new official would have three fires when he took office, so he should not just hit the gun and find himself unhappy.And those who deliberately find trouble for him are just trying to show him off, and tell him secretly, even if you are sitting in the position of the left servant, so what?If we don't cooperate with you, then you will be in a hurry.So in the future, you can't throw face at them seniors, don't you still have to beg them to do things?

So on the first day when Xu Zhongxuan first arrived at the Ministry of Officials, there was a large pile of official documents from the past on the desk in front of him, and no one came to tell him what was going on in the Ministry of Officials.Even when Xu Zhongxuan asked about it, everyone was just obedient and obedient, and just made a fool of themselves by saying that the lower officials didn't know.

Everyone is waiting to see the jokes of the new young Zuo Shilang.

Just a joke but didn't see it.Because after Xu Zhongxuan read these files and official documents for several days, he immediately picked a few thorns who took the lead, and gave them both kindness and power, and made them docile and obedient.As for the people below who refused to accept him, naturally they did not dare to be arrogant in front of him anymore.

So all the officials, big and small, looked at the faint smile on Xu Zhongxuan's face, and sometimes felt very frightened, and never dared to fool this young Zuo Shilang again.

It's just that a group of officials in the Ministry of Officials have discovered in the past few days that the smile on the face of their young Zuo Shilang has changed a little.

Different from the masked light smile in the past, the smile on his face now comes from the heart.And walking briskly, the eyebrows and eyes became more and more soft.Even today a colleague made a mistake that shouldn't have been made, Xu Zhongxuan didn't blame him, but just kindly said that there should be no next time and let him go easily.So for a while, everyone was guessing what happened to Xu Zhongxuan, and it turned out that the kindness that made him happy became like this.

Zhao Zhengqi, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, is also interested in this.

Mr. Zhao is nearly sixty years old, he is fair and fair in doing things.Sometimes when he got stubborn, he dared to refute what he thought the emperor had done wrong in the Golden Palace, and made the emperor look angry several times, but he endured it in the end.

The transfer of officials in charge of the Ministry of Officials requires a fair and selfless person to take up the post.

Thinking back to when the emperor ordered Xu Zhongxuan to be appointed as the left servant of the Ministry of Officials, Mr. Zhao was actually a little unhappy in his heart.

Naturally, he has met Xu Zhongxuan, and he also knows that this young man is extremely talented. Although he looks humble on the surface, he is afraid that he is very skilled in the inside, otherwise he will not have such a smooth official career all these years.

It's just that Mr. Zhao Fangzheng is used to being unsmiling, so he naturally appreciates people with the same temperament as himself.Therefore, people like Xu Zhongxuan who looked gentle on the face and showed no emotions or anger were always a bit contemptuous and hypocritical.So he knew that some officials in the official department tripped Xu Zhongxuan when he just came to the official department and didn't know the situation of the official department. He didn't stop him, but just watched coldly.

And after several days of observing like this, even he had to admire Xu Zhongxuan's ability.He is really exquisite in all aspects, he gives both kindness and power, he has done everything, and people admire him from the bottom of his heart, but he is much more powerful than a person with a fiery temper, who only knows how to show power, but doesn't know what kindness is at all.

And when Xu Zhongxuan was with him, he didn't actually try to please him deliberately, and his words and actions were always neither humble nor overbearing.But he can still make himself feel very comfortable without any trace, like the spring breeze turning into rain, he even feels that his impetuous temper has eased a lot, and he is willing to drink tea with him, chatting about his stunned youth when he was young some of the past.

So after getting in touch for a while, Mr. Zhao really fell in love with his young subordinate, and planned to cultivate him well.

Such a young man will have a bright future wherever he goes.

In the past few days, he also clearly felt the abnormality of Xu Zhongxuan.

Xu Zhongxuan, who used to be indifferent to emotions and anger, but the smiles on his face these days are so bright that even the bright sun outside feels inferior.

So Mr. Zhao found a gap, and very amiably planned to start a routine.

"Zhongxuan, the old man has seen a lot of smiles on your face in the past few days, but have you encountered any particularly happy things?"

He thought Xu Zhongxuan was the only one, although he looked humble on the surface, but he was determined, and he was afraid that it would be extremely difficult to talk, so he was already mentally prepared to talk for several days.It's just that I didn't expect that just after he asked this question, Xu Zhongxuan smiled, and then he answered very simply: "Yes. It is true that Xiaguan has encountered a very happy thing right now. Because Xiaguan likes a girl , I was planning to send a matchmaker to come to propose marriage in a few days."

Master Zhao: ...

It feels a bit subtle to have set out Xu Zhongxuan's words in this way.

A vague sense of accomplishment and pride.

It's just that Xu Zhongxuan actually likes a girl?No one in the civil and military circles of the Manchu Dynasty knew that Xu Zhongxuan was 25 years old, how many people had offered to come to propose marriage for his female family members, but he was politely rejected by him.But now he has fallen in love with a girl, and he is going to send a matchmaker to propose marriage.

Mr. Zhao hurriedly asked with interest: "I don't know if the girl Zhongxuan likes is a lady from that famous family? Do you have a father and brother? What positions do you have in the court?"

He naturally thought that according to Xu Zhongxuan's current status in a high position, the woman he likes must be of extraordinary background, which will be very helpful to him in his future career.

Xu Zhongxuan smiled slightly when he heard the words, and then said: "Her father passed away unfortunately last year, and she has an elder brother who is studying in the Imperial College."

Neither father nor brother could help Xu Zhongxuan, Mr. Zhao thought, then this girl must be from an aristocratic family, and the power in the family is not weak.So he asked again; "Then this girl is from a family?"

Xu Zhongxuan shook his head, and said with a smile: "It's not from a noble family. Her father was born as a merchant, but now she has withered and moved away from her ancestral home, and now she is living in an official's house."

Master Zhao just found it unbelievable.

The daughter of a merchant.And she is also the daughter of a merchant whose father died, her elder brother was still studying in the Imperial College, moved away from her ancestral home, and lived in Xu Zhongxuan's home.

Such a woman clearly has no support for Xu Zhongxuan's future career.

So Mr. Zhao hesitated and asked: "Zhongxuan, you are, do you want to take her as a concubine?"

"No." Xu Zhongxuan shook his head.Thinking of Jian Yan, the smile on his face softened a lot, "It's my wife. The only wife in my life."

So Mr. Zhao was even more shocked for a moment, and he didn't react for a long time.After he realized it, he immediately reached out and patted the desks on the side.

The force was so great that the teacups on the tables bounced up.

Mr. Zhao was so excited that he wished he could reach out to pat Xu Zhongxuan on the shoulder, and at the same time cited the expression of Wangnian making a close friend.

"Good job. A good man should rely on his own ability to break out of his own world. Why do you want to find a Yue family who can help you? If you say it, you will make people look down on you."

Yin asked again: "Have you found the matchmaker who is going to propose marriage?"

The smile on Xu Zhongxuan's face became softer for a moment.

He knew that Zhao Zhengqi was originally a poor and white student who married a wife who was also from poor and white background, but after so many years, even though his official position rose all the way, he still didn't dislike his wretched wife, and he didn't even take a concubine. , on the contrary, he has always respected and loved her.So when such a person hears that he will marry a merchant's daughter, he must be very interested in such a thing.Even wanted to facilitate such a thing.

And I originally planned to invite Mr. Zhao as a matchmaker to propose marriage to Mrs. Jane.

So Xu Zhongxuan shook his head, with a regretful expression on his face: "Not yet. I'm just thinking about finding a respected person to propose marriage, so as to show my sincerity in asking for marriage. It's a pity that even now No suitable candidate was found."

"Then what do you think of the old man?" Zhao Zhengqi pointed back at his nose and asked, "Maybe I can get you a matchmaker's wedding wine?"

Xu Zhongxuan was naturally overjoyed.Busily got up and stood up, and bowed deeply to Zhao Zhengqi: "That's it, sir, thank you for your success."

Zhao Zhengqi laughed loudly: "Of course I am willing to do such an adult beauty thing. Zhongxuan, you don't have to be polite with me. There is also the woman you like, I will definitely meet her, and see what she is like." A woman who can make you fall in love with Zhongxuan."

Xu Zhongxuan naturally responded with a smile.

The matter that he had been planning in his heart was easily solved in this way, he couldn't help thinking happily, what is Jian Yan doing now?Tomorrow is the day for Hugh Mu, but he couldn't wait to go back to Tongzhou to see her when he was done working in the afternoon.

But Jian Yan was not in Xu's residence at this time, but was sitting in a tea shed on the outskirts of the capital drinking tea.

Two days ago, Zhou Yingying posted another post, inviting her and Qin Yan to meet up in the Zuiyue Building in the capital today.

Jian Yan accepted the post, originally she didn't want to go.

That day when Zhou Yuan was looking at her sticky and fiery eyes, it only made her feel sick and unappetizing, so she didn't even want to go to Zhou Yingying's appointment, always afraid of seeing Zhou Yuanzheng again.So she just asked Siyue to show Qin Yan the post, told him that Zhou Yingying had invited the two of them out for a get-together, and then asked him if he would go.

Her original intention was to let Qin Yan go to Zhou Yingying's appointment by himself.After all, she also knew in her heart that Zhou Yingying should actually just want to invite Qin Yan alone, and she was just a light bulb in the past, covering up for both of them.It's just that the news brought back by April is that Mr. Qin said that the girl will go if you go, and he will not go if you don't.

Jane Yan: ...

It seems that she can't do it without making this light bulb.

Then she thought about it, the day when Zhou Yingying invited them to get together, Zhou Yuan was supposed to be in the official office, maybe he had no time to get out, right?She can go to the Zuiyue Tower with Qin Yan first, and after meeting Zhou Yingying, she can say a few words casually, then she can get away and go to Xu Zhongxuan's courtyard in the capital, and wait for him to come back after finishing his work. Then go back to Tongzhou with him.

As long as he thinks of Xu Zhongxuan's going back and opening the door to see her waiting for him, what kind of expression will he have on his face then?

Shock?unbelievable?happy?Excited?
Jian Yan couldn't help laughing after thinking about it.

So she sent Si Yue to tell Qin Yan that she would go to Zhou Yingying's appointment that day.

And now, she is sitting with Qin Yan in a simple tea shed outside Beijing, resting and drinking tea.

There was a heavy snow a few days ago, but after that, it was sunny for a few days.It's just that no matter how big the sun is now, it doesn't feel any warmth when it shines on the body.And the cold wind was blowing, and he kept getting into his sleeves, shivering from the cold.

Jian Yan stretched out her hands to wrap her pink satin cloak tightly, and then tightly held the teacup to warm her hands. She looked around sideways, planning to find a place that could shelter from the wind to sit.

At this moment, Qin Yan's voice was heard saying: "You seem very happy?"

"Ah?" Jian Yan turned her head to look at him when she heard the sound, and asked with a smile, "How do you know I'm happy?"

Qin Yan shook the teacup in his hand, and the dark brown tea swayed accordingly.

In this way, he will naturally not drink the tea after the tea leaves are finally brewed.It was just that Jian Yan said that she had been in the carriage for a long time and was very stuffy. It would be good to come down and take a rest and enjoy the cold wind. Then he followed her to this simple tea shed set up on the side of the road. .

"Since you came out, you have always had a smile on your face." Qin Yanping said flatly, "Why are you so happy?"

Jian Yan reached out and touched her face.

Does she have a smile on her face all the time?Why didn't she know it herself?

After all, she felt that Qin Yan and Qin Yan came from the same place, so Jian Yan always felt closer to Qin Yan than others, so she didn't want to hide anything from him, and she didn't think about having a relationship with Qin Yan in front of him. What an embarrassment.So she laughed and said, "Because I thought I would see Xu Zhongxuan later, so I felt very happy in my heart."

Qin Yan's hand holding the teacup paused, and the look in his eyes sank.

He turned his head and looked outside the tea shed without saying a word.

The snow in the sunny place has long since melted away, but in the shady corners there are still some frozen hard snow that has not melted.

No matter how bright the sun is, there are still corners that will never be illuminated.

"Jian Yan," Jian Yan suddenly heard Qin Yan's voice as cold as ice and snow saying slowly, "You liked me before."

Not a question, but an extremely positive tone.

Jian Yan froze all over.

Unexpectedly, he knew about her crush on him in her previous life.And now that he said it so bluntly, he was somewhat shy.

It's just that after all, it was all a matter of the previous life, separated by a layer of mist from the previous life and the current life, the flowers in the mirror are like the moon in the water, it has long been a very distant memory.

Jian Yanyuan is not a coy person, now that Qin Yan pointed out this point, she did not deny it, but admitted it openly: "Yes. Senior, you are so good, you were so good at that time. It's not just me, as far as I know, most of the girls in our class have a crush on you."

"What about now?" Qin Yan suddenly turned his head and stared at her, "Why don't you like me now, but Xu Zhongxuan instead?"

Jian Yan felt that Qin Yan was very unhappy.She thought about it, and then answered cautiously: "Senior, liking you was something that happened in my previous life. But now, after all, I have died once, and some things will naturally be let go .”

"In the past, you liked Xu Zhongxuan because you didn't know that I was also in this era, but now that you know, why do you still like Xu Zhongxuan instead of me?"

The two sentences Qin Yan asked were quite aggressive. After hearing this, Jian Yan was subconsciously at a loss.Then she thought for a while before she said: "That's different. I don't know how to say it. Although I had a crush on you and liked you in my previous life, but this kind of liking, for example, if one day I know that you like you I met a girl, I may feel sad at that time, but after a summer vacation, I may not be sad anymore. When I see you again, I may still greet you with a smile. But for Xu Zhongxuan, if I know him If I fall in love with other women, even if I don't cry in front of him, I will hide and cry by myself. I will feel pain in my heart, and I will even resent him, and then I don't want to see him again for the rest of my life. And I When we are with him, I always worry about gains and losses, but I feel wronged by a little thing, I want to cry in front of him, I want him to coax me, but I never felt this way about you at that time of."

Although what she said was very general and vague, Qin Yan understood it.

She just likes herself, but she loves Xu Zhongxuan.

When you like someone, you will feel joy when you see him, but it's okay to be sad after being separated for a while.But when you love someone, you will worry about gains and losses, and you will care about his every word and deed.The mood may be sunny at one moment, but it may be raining cats and dogs the next moment.And it is true that when we are together, we will be happy, but when we are apart, it will hurt our hearts.

It's just that Qin Yan still couldn't accept it.

What he thinks is that the reason why Jian Yan liked him in her previous life and Xu Zhongxuan in this life is just because he was so good in her previous life, but Xu Zhongxuan is better than him in this life.If she is still as excellent in this life as in her previous life, how could Jian Yan dislike him and like Xu Zhongxuan instead?
What Jian Yan likes is the best person who can make her look up.

He hates himself for being a bastard through time travel in this life.

Thinking of Zhou's cold face at that time, when he looked at him mockingly, saying that he was just raised by a little woman and could achieve great achievements, Qin Yan felt that his heart was full of hatred.

His hand holding the teacup gradually tightened, his finger bones turned white, and his complexion slowly sank.

Seeing him like this, Jian Yan felt a little uncomfortable, and felt a little guilty.

"Senior," she lowered her head, looking at the black lacquered tabletop with a few tiny cracks, and said softly, "I'm sorry."

Qin Yan felt more and more uncomfortable in his heart.

Why, you like Xu Zhongxuan, but you still come to say sorry to me if you don't like me?What is this?Do you feel that I am pitiful in this state, so you came here to take pity on me?
But there was still a forced smile on his face, and he just said lightly: "It's okay."

Jian Yan hummed, and turned her head to look at the boundless bleak trees outside the tea shed, and then said: "Let's continue on our way. Miss Zhou is still waiting for us in Zuiyue Tower."

Qin Yan nodded, got up and stood up.

And Zhou Yingying was indeed waiting for them in Zuiyue Tower at the moment.

When the servant girl came in to announce that Mr. Qin and Miss Jian had arrived, Zhou Yingying's hands that were in her sleeves were suddenly clenched tightly.

But after a while, she got up and stood up to greet her.

Jian Yan was helping Bai Wei's men to get off the carriage.He looked up at the Zuiyue Building in front of him.

The two-story restaurant with four corners and eaves has a plaque with gilt characters on a black background hanging above the door. On it, the words Zuiyuelou are written in cursive. It looks very simple and classy.

"Young Master Qin, Miss Jian."

Zhou Yingying came out to greet her at this time, and the three of them met each other before they entered the Zuiyue Tower together.

And after entering the Zuiyue Tower, Jian Yan found out sharply that the Zuiyue Tower had been cleared, and there was no guest inside.

But thinking about it, Zhou Yingying is a lady after all, and she is generous.Since she invited herself and Qin Yan to get together here, it is normal for her to book the entire Zuiyue Tower.

However, Jian Yan glanced around without any trace, and found that Zhou Yingying brought a lot more maids and servants today than before.And it seemed to be an illusion, she always felt that something was wrong with Zhou Yingying's state today.

He didn't talk as much as before, and he wasn't as cheerful as before, and the smile on his face was just a fake one.And his eyes were a little dodgy, and he didn't dare to meet her eyes.

Jian Yan's heart sank slightly.Why is Zhou Yingying so abnormal today?There must be some reason for it.

So she turned her head and asked Bai Wei in a low voice: "What time is it now?"

Bai Wei looked up at the window.

But in winter, the wind is strong, and the windows on all four walls are closed tightly.Even the gate of the Zuiyue Tower was closed by the maid after they entered, so they couldn't see where the sun was in the sky.

Bai Wei made a rough estimate, and then said: "It should be about noon now."

In winter, the sky is originally bright at night.After waking up in the morning and having breakfast, he was going to bid farewell to Mrs. Jian before coming to the capital with Qin Yan.And there is a short distance on the way from Tongzhou to the capital.Because of the cold weather, the carriages drove more slowly than usual, so it was already noon when we arrived at Zuiyue Tower.

However, the scheduled meeting time with Zhou Yingying was originally around this time.

It's just that Jian Yan still feels very strange in her heart.But she didn't show anything on her face, she just followed Zhou Yingying up the stairs to the private room on the second floor - at first Zhou Yingying said that she had some personal words to say to Jian Yan alone, Ask Qin Yan to sit in the downstairs lobby for a while.He only thought in his heart that after sitting with her for a while, he would find an excuse to say goodbye, and then go to Xu Zhongxuan's place. He absolutely couldn't stay here any longer.

Since she had made up her mind, she really sat down and talked to Zhou Yingying for a while, then got up and said goodbye. She only said that when she came out, her cousin asked her to bring her a pair of modern clothes in the Zhenbao Pavilion in the capital. Return the new earrings.

Zhou Yingying also hurriedly got up and stood up, with an eager look on her face: "Miss Jian, why do you need to go there by yourself for such a small matter as buying earrings? It's the same to ask the maid beside you to buy a pair."

Jian Yan smiled and said: "My cousin is the most picky. I'm afraid that the earrings Bai Wei picked won't catch her eyes, so I'll pick some better myself. You and Brother Qin sit here for a while, and I'll talk to you later. It’s the same when I come back to find you.”

Of course, if she went out later, she wouldn't come here in person again, and it would be the same if Qi Sang or Qi Hui came over to pick Qin Yan up.

However, Zhou Yingying refused to let her go, she reached out and grabbed her arm, saying: "You can't leave now."

The weird feeling in Jian Yan's heart after entering the Zuiyue Tower became more and more intense at this moment.

"Why can't I go?" She looked at Zhou Yingying, and asked in a persuasive tone, "Miss Zhou, what exactly do you want to do when you invited Brother Qin and me to come over today?"

Zhou Yingying was at first speechless in a daze when she was forced to question her, then she sighed helplessly and said in a low voice: "Miss Jian, I can't help myself, you have to be considerate of me. In fact, today was my Uncle asked me to invite you over and wanted to talk to you. The reason why Brother Qin came with me was that Uncle was worried that if I only invited you, you would not come over. After all, you are such a cautious person .”

Jian Yan was shocked in her heart, and her face suddenly changed color.

Then she put her face down, her tone became cold, and she just said: "Miss Zhou, I have always regarded you as a friend in vain, but I don't want you to deceive me like this. I really didn't know you. "

After finishing speaking, he turned to Bai Wei and said, "Bai Wei, let's go."

She walked quickly, but when she reached the door, when she reached out to pull the two doors, she couldn't pull them open no matter what.

"Miss Jian, I'm sorry." Zhou Yingying's voice sounded faintly from behind again at this moment, "It's just that since you have entered this Zuiyue Tower, you must be unable to leave. Didn't you see Are there so many maids and servants inside and outside the Zuiyue Tower? Uncle was guarding against you from running away."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head to signal, and immediately a servant woman who was serving at the side came over and held Jian Yan down.And Zhou Yingying asked another maid to hold Bai Wei down, and said to Jian Yan: "Your maid, follow me downstairs for now. Don't worry, I will not let anyone hurt her. But if you Thinking of running away, my uncle will definitely not let you off easily, so you should stay here obediently and wait for my uncle to come over."

After finishing speaking, he turned around and took Bai Wei and other servants out of the house, and ordered the servants guarding the door to lock the door, and then slowly went down to the second floor.

(End of this chapter)