Phoenix Fight: The First Concubine

Chapter 41
Su De led the fifth prince over, and the fifth prince shook his head when he saw the second brother staring at the parrot in a daze.

"Second brother, when I came out of the palace, I heard the news that the eldest brother had entered the palace. The emperor was furious and reprimanded him severely. He also ordered people to lock up Qi Wu immediately. Face doesn't want to publicize this matter, and it seems that it has to be covered up for it."

Xiao Mingrui said indifferently: "When my father asks the General Secretary to investigate the fact that the nobles of the royal family are collecting money and goods from fake people in various provinces, I'm afraid it will be difficult to cover up if you want to. That's fine, brother, it's best to stay behind closed doors. It was too active for a while."

The fifth prince felt a little regretful: "I didn't need to talk about this matter... It would be a waste to use it here."

Indeed, originally collected some things and planned to use them in the future, but now for Murong Wei's affairs, Xiao Mingrui used them in advance.

If this matter is used at the right time, the effect will definitely be better.

"I know."

But he didn't want Murong Wei to be bullied like this by his brother again, and he didn't want to see her being plotted against.

A man can do something and not do something.

He knows what he's doing.

But some things are beyond the bottom line, and he cannot tolerate them.

Seeing his appearance, the fifth prince curled his lips secretly. He could tell that the little girl's film really held some weight in the second brother's heart. If it wasn't for that, the fifth prince really wouldn't care about her.

"Is the second elder brother also planning to send someone to protect her? I see elder brother making such a move, I'm afraid he wants to borrow a knife to kill someone."

Xiao Mingrui nodded: "I will arrange for someone. I guess even if I don't explain, their Murong family won't let her go out easily."

She is also a smart woman, and she must know how to do it.

The fifth prince sat for a while, and when he was about to go out, Xiao Mingrui sent him out. When he went out, the two brothers were stunned.

"Yeah, it's snowing!"

I saw snowflakes constantly falling from the gloomy sky, like feathers, like catkins, drifting towards the world in an eloquent manner.

After a while, the ground was covered with white, and the roof was covered with a layer of white catkins.

The fifth prince tightened the cloak on his body, "My brother has to go back quickly, it's getting late, and the snow will fall again later."

Xiao Mingrui looked at the snowflakes in the sky, "It seems that your parrot is hopeful."

The fifth prince was surprised and said: "What does this have to do with the parrot? Second brother, you are so mysterious, who is that person, I have never been able to guess."

The corners of Xiao Mingrui's mouth turned upward, but he did not answer.

"Miss, miss, it's snowing outside!" Xiangtao yelled excitedly, Murong Wei looked out from the window, but it wasn't true, but she could see that the world was white, and the snow in Xiangwan seemed to be Small, it seems that there is a tendency to continue the next night.

Murong Wei stayed in the house to rest for a few days, and the little cold has long since healed up. No, now that it's snowing, she's eager to go out and enjoy the snow.

If it wasn't getting late, she really wanted to go out.

Murong Wei looked at the snow outside with some regret, this was the first heavy snow she had seen in this world.

What to eat in this weather?
When Murong Wei thought of hot pot, she was so hungry, she hadn't eaten hot pot for a long time.

Think about eating hot pot around the stove on such a winter night, that is a great thing in life.

"Hurry up, I'm going to eat hot pot tonight, Lu'er, Xiangtao and you guys come too."

Murong Wei hurriedly gave orders immediately, and the maids also got busy.

Although it is not as professional as the modern hot pot city, Lu'er got a small red clay stove, on which the old hen soup was stewed in a pot, which was the most delicious, and he also prepared some dried bamboo shoots, mushrooms and other things to put in it.

Because it is winter, there is no way to buy fresh vegetables. Although the royal family also built a greenhouse at the Beiguchang in the city at this time to grow vegetables, and some people used cellars to grow vegetables, but this The nobles of the upper class at that time thought that this off-season vegetable was a seasonal vegetable, and eating it was harmful to the human body, but it was useless.

It's the same in Murong Mansion, Murong Wei can't do anything conspicuous to explain to others that they can eat here.

Think about it, everyone in modern times still suspects that off-season vegetables are not good, so why should they persuade the ancients?
Putting the small stove and pot on the table, Murong's family counted the dishes on the table, including thin mutton, fish fillets, mountain delicacies, dried mushrooms and the like, as well as some meatballs, pigeon eggs, and duck blood tofu , wax gourd vermicelli and the like, although the types cannot be compared with modern ones, they are considered good.

Murong Wei saw her index finger twitching, seeing that some maids were still afraid to go to the table, she said with a smile: "I don't care about etiquette today, you should take it easy, how about this pot?"

Lu'er was still a little hesitant, but since the master rewarded them, they had nothing to say, so they sat aside cautiously.

Together with the two maids, Xiangyu and Dongfang, the five of them sat around the black sandalwood table, spread the dishes with serving chopsticks, and put them into the pot to cook.

Murong Wei ate the rolled mutton and mountain delicacies. The soup was slightly spicy, and the maids were a little cautious at first, but they let go of their nerves as they ate, and in the end they enjoyed it even more.

Murong Wei chatted and laughed with them while eating, as if in a trance, she felt that she was back in the past when she was eating, drinking and having fun with her buddies.

She enjoyed the meal very much.

After everyone ate until their bellies were round, they smiled and collected the food.

Xiangyu smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Miss, otherwise how could the servants eat such good food."

Murong Wei also got up and walked around the room, and felt better after eating a few big hawthorn pills to help digestion.

"It's not surprising. Hasn't someone eaten it before?"

Dongfang said with emotion: "The slaves don't have that chance to eat. Thanks to having a good master like Miss, the slaves are now living like human beings."

Dongfang's words made the other three maids feel a little bit emotional.

No, Murong Wei is actually very kind on weekdays. Of course, this does not mean that she is easy to be fooled, but when getting along with her, everyone can feel that she is not the kind of master who doesn't treat people as people.

That's why, the maids have been with her for a long time, and they all treat her sincerely.

"Okay, don't stay here to compliment me anymore, it's getting late, I'll go to bed after tidying up."

There was no way, there were no entertainment activities in this ancient time, and the candle light was dim, so she didn't dare to read too much at night for fear of hurting her eyes, so she usually went to bed early.

This biological clock has long been adjusted.

The snow really fell heavily, and when Murong Wei got up the next morning, she saw that the snow had just stopped.

After breakfast, he casually put on a bra, inserted a few jasper hairpins, put on a cloak, put on gloves, and held a hand stove in his hand, and then went out under the service of the maid.

This early in the morning, the servants of the rough envoy had already started to clear the snow in the courtyard, and the gravel path in front of the door had already been cleaned. Murong Wei put on warm leather boots and walked along the road to give the old lady Greetings, I went to greet Da Furen again.

On the way back, I met Murong Yue and Murong Xue enjoying plum blossoms in the garden.

"Third Sister, come quickly, let's enjoy the snow together!" Murong Yue greeted her warmly when she saw her from afar.

All the flowers in this garden are withered, but the red plums stand proudly against the wind and stand alone. There is a subtle fragrance floating in the white snow. From a distance, the red stamens are blooming in the white snow. This scene is even more beautiful.

Murong Wei was fine, and walked over with a smile.

Murong Xue asked: "Is Third Sister cured?"

"It's all right, it's just a cold, it's all better." Murong Wei was talking, when sister-in-law Yun Xia and elder brother Murong Fu came to invite An to come back, Yun Xia smiled and said, "What are you sisters doing? Can you tell me to listen?"

The sisters were busy with the ceremony again, that's all, Murong Yue said: "Brother, sister-in-law, I was talking about enjoying the plum blossoms with the third and fifth younger sisters, shall the sister-in-law come together?"

Yunxia became interested, "That's great, I also saw that the snow is falling well, and some plum blossoms are in full bloom today. But it's still a bit cold here, my sisters, why don't we sit in the Yifang Pavilion."

Murong Fu watched their sisters-in-law talking, and said: "Then you stay here and play with your younger sisters, I still have to go to the front yard."

Yunxia sent her husband away, and went to the nearby Yifang Pavilion together with Sister Murong talking and laughing.

Speaking of the pavilion, the terrain is not bad, the place is quite large, and the maids and women who are serving are busy making charcoal basins and serving refreshments and tea.

Murong Wei looked at Mei Lin in the distance, and said with a smile: "Isn't it boring to just sit like this? Why don't we sit around the stove and enjoy the snow."

Murong Xue asked curiously: "Third sister, you always have some novel ways to play, so what is this?"

"It can't be about playing the drinking order?" Yun Xia said: "I played this with my sisters before when I was not out of the cabinet."

Murong Yue hurriedly said: "If you want to have a poem, then I will lose, I'm afraid I will pass out drunk today."

After saying that, she made a frightened expression, which made everyone laugh, and Murong Xue even laughed so hard that she fell into Murong Yue's arms.

Murong Wei laughed, and jokingly said: "Sister, how dare I let my sister go home drunk, let's not play with the wine order, I think it would be really good to roast some venison and drink some plum blossom wine."

Yunxia is also someone who knows how to enjoy it, and she immediately became interested when she heard her say this, "This is very elegant, why don't we ask the kitchen to prepare some venison, and our sisters-in-law can also taste it."

Murong Yue was moved when she heard it, now that she is not married, she can relax a little bit, and when she gets married, they won't be able to pick and choose.

Just take advantage of this time to have more fun.

Murong Xue didn't think too much about it, she was just a little girl, she only wanted to play and agree.

The maids and women were suddenly instructed by their aunts and sisters-in-law. Some went to the kitchen to get the ingredients for baking that Murong Fu ordered, and some prepared things like barbecue stoves and barbed wire.

The maids warmed the plum blossom wine, and they all drank some.

This plum blossom brew is sweet and mellow, but not intoxicating. It's okay for a girl to drink it. When the venison was brought, Murong Wei got excited and asked someone to roast the venison, and then spread it with honey and other seasonings. The venison gradually exudes a fragrance.

Murong Wei asked someone to bake some other things, regardless of the ingredients, and baked more than a dozen of them that could be used.

"Is this all baked and eaten?" Yunxia asked curiously.

"I heard people say that these things taste good when baked, so let's try it by the way." Murong Wei said with a smile.

She's in a really good mood.

Murong Yue said: "It's boring for us sisters to just sit and wait for food, why don't we play something else."

Murong Xue raised her little hand, her eyes were bright: "Second Sister, why don't we sing?"

Yun Xia laughed and said: "We ladies, what are you doing singing that shit? Even though you have learned a few tunes, it's just for self-entertainment."

Murong Yue's eyes turned, and she pointed to the plum blossoms in full bloom, "It's boring to write poems, and it's okay to sing songs. These are my sisters, and they're just playing around with each other."

Yunxia thought about it too, although the girls are not those opera singers, and it is impossible to sing in front of outsiders, but it doesn't matter if a few sisters in the family play.

She glanced at Murong Yue, "That's fine, when the younger sisters get married in the future, it won't be so easy."

Murong Yue blushed and said angrily, "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about?"

Murong Wei jokingly said: "Second sister, sister-in-law is telling the truth. When second sister gets married, I will lose someone to talk to."

"Dare I just talk to you?" Murong Yue punched her funny.

The aunts and sisters-in-law made a fuss, and the maids cut a piece of roasted venison and divided it up. Everyone was eating venison and roasted various ingredients, such as winter melon and mushrooms, and drinking plum blossoms. What a joy.

This is enough to eat and drink, but it's just a riot.

Murong Yue clamored for Murong Wei to sing, but Murong Wei was not a hypocritical person, so she pushed it, then looked at the scenery in the yard, thinking in her mind: "We don't want to sing casually, How about singing about Xue and Mei?"

"That's right, it's a proposition, but it's only been for a while, and I really can't think of any tunes about it."

"I only remember a few lines of the play, and I don't know whether it is suitable or not." Yunxia said.

"Then feel free, anyway, the sisters are just playing for fun." Murong Wei rolled her eyes, thinking about why she should sing.

There are quite a few modern tunes, such as Yijianmei, Snowman, and Hongmei, but the key is that the tune is also modern.The ancient Chinese sounds are the five-tone scale Gong Shangjiao Zhengyu, and the modern ones are the Western seven-note scale. I guess they will not be able to appreciate it when they sing it.

You have to change the tune.

Murong Wei thought about it, and chose a lively song "Treading the Snow and Looking for Plum Blossoms" to sing. This song is suitable for chorus, and it is very catchy. It is the easiest to learn.

Murong thought of this, so he opened his mouth and sang: "The snow is clear and the winter plums are fragrant everywhere."

Riding the donkey dam bridge and crossing Jingle Bells.

Jingle jingle jingle jingle jingle.

Good flowers are collected in a bottle to make offerings to accompany me with the sound of calligraphy and qin rhyme.

Have a good time together.

Murong Xue's eyes lit up, her palms turned red, and she pestered Murong Wei: "Third Sister, this song is beautiful, what's its name, please sing it again."

"This song is called Stepping Snow and Finding Plum Blossoms. If Fifth Sister likes it, we can sing it together."

Murong Wei was also very happy to be supported, taught Murong Xue the lyrics and sang together.

Murong Yue and Yun Xia applauded, and the servant girls who were waiting beside them laughed even more.

When the girls were making a fuss, a few people came over from Merlin's side.

The leader is wearing a lavender mink velvet dragon cloak with black hair and a Baohe crown. He is wearing a silver-gray persimmon stalk woven gold thread coil dragon collar and narrow sleeves. He is wearing mink brocade boots. Murong Fu was talking.

But whoever it is if it's not Luo Wang Xiao Mingrui.

Murong Fu was wondering, but today he was taken aback. Today happened to be the day when his father rested, so King Luo came to pay a visit with a gift, saying that he was injured a while ago and couldn't formally come to pay a visit. This time, I came here to thank Murong Wei for saving her life and the Murong family for their great help.

Master Murong might have thought that King Luo would come before, so he wasn't surprised at all.

Both the host and the guest made some modesty, speaking politely and appropriately.

Luo Wang did not express any intention of soliciting, which made Master Murong heave a sigh of relief.

But then, King Luo suddenly expressed that he wanted to meet Murong Wei and thank her face to face, which made Master Murong at a loss as to what to say.

It stands to reason that it is not impossible, so Master Murong asked Murong Fu to call someone.

As soon as Murong Fu said that his sister was admiring the plum blossoms in the garden, King Luo suddenly suggested that he also go to appreciate the plum blossoms of Murong's family, and asked Murong Fu to accompany him. , had to bring King Luo here.

Originally, he thought that his wife and younger sister were just sitting in the pavilion talking while admiring the plum blossoms. How could he have thought that they were playing around?
At this time, when Murong Fu saw the singing coming from the pavilion not far away, his face immediately sank, and he felt a little nervous.

"Your Highness, sister-in-law is rude, I'll let someone go first." Murong Fu meant that this would be too rude, but the few concubines would not let King Luo see this kind of scene, so it's not King Luo Do you have to come here?
If he had known about it earlier, he would have sent someone to notify him first, so as not to make this happen.

At this moment, Xiao Mingrui's eyes were attracted by the people in the pavilion.

There seemed to be snowflakes in the sky again. The girl in the pavilion was wearing a long jacket with light yellow flowers, smiling sweetly, her beautiful eyes looking forward, and the flowing spirit on her face was dazzling, like the winter jasmine in full bloom in early spring, blooming wantonly With their own beauty.

Now she was singing a song with joy, the tune was light, and she sang along with the little sister while beating the time.

"The snow is clear, the winter plums are fragrant everywhere, and the donkey dam bridge is crossed, and the bells are jingle..."

That smile came from the bottom of my heart, like the warm sun in winter, it can make people feel the warmth from the bottom of my heart.

In the white snow, he could only see the winter jasmine, her brighter smile than before, her relaxed demeanor, and her undisguised happiness.

Xiao Mingrui stood there suddenly.

For a moment, he felt extremely disappointed, and it was inexplicably complicated.

This girl is really heartless, she doesn't look sad at all.

Seeing her so happy, Xiao Mingrui suddenly felt inexplicably unhappy.

After the separation, she seemed to be living better, but he...

Xiao Mingrui was extremely upset, Murong Wei, Murong Wei, what kind of woman are you, you are too chic.

Could it be that you will forget me so quickly?

This kind of thought tortured Xiao Mingrui, and made his eyes suddenly darken.

This heartless woman, she is a strange woman after all, she can do so amazingly even if she lets go.

It is better to forget each other than to forget each other, but who can really do it?
Seeing her smiling face now, Xiao Mingrui suddenly felt that he was as ridiculous as a fool.

This uncontrollable feeling made his whole body suddenly emit cold air, which made Murong Fu terribly frozen.

Xiao Mingrui is a person who has been on the battlefield, at this moment, the evil spirit all over his body is even more formidable, and his eyes are also sharper, how can Murong Fu, a literati, bear it?

Although he said he was the son of everyone, he barely maintained his demeanor and became a little nervous.

I don't know if Xiao Mingrui is angry because of his sisters?
"Your Highness, please forgive me, sisters and the others are just playing around for a while, I don't know His Highness is..."

Xiao Mingrui snorted softly, but the dull feeling in his heart still didn't go away.

Suddenly he was a little contradictory again and laughed at himself.

Could it be that he still hoped that Murong Wei could wash his face with tears?

Since the decision was made at the beginning, Murong Wei is not a procrastination person, so of course she can live as she should.

If she cried and cried for him, then she was not the Murong Wei he knew!

Not the woman he admired and admired.

He was a wise man, and he could not fail to understand that.

That being the case, why did he come up with such a strange idea?
Xiao Mingrui sighed slightly, he was clearly making trouble for no reason.

He waved his hand, "Mr. Murong, you don't have to be polite. It's the king who disturbed the ladies. Originally, the king just wanted to thank the third lady, but it was very abrupt."

Seeing that he didn't intend to blame, Murong Fu restrained the frightening cold around him again, with a smile on his face, he returned to his previous appearance.

He heaved a sigh of relief, and apologized repeatedly. On the other side, Murong Wei and the others were singing, and he saw his brother and a strange man.

After a closer look, I realized that it was King Luo.

Yun Xia froze for a moment, remembering that it was wrong for her sisters to laugh and laugh here just now, but who knew Luo Wang would suddenly appear.

After all, logically speaking, if King Luo is coming, he will be discussing matters in the front court, right?
Murong Wei was also stunned, and quickly put away the leisurely time just now, tidied up her clothes, and the sisters-in-law got up a little nervously to greet her.

After one by one came forward to pay respects, King Luo just smiled and said: "This king is bothering a few of you. I heard that the third lady was admiring the plums in the garden. This king originally wanted to come to thank the third lady in person, but I didn't expect it. Out of season."

Murong Wei frowned slightly, which song is he singing?

She raised her eyes to look at Xiao Mingrui, but seeing that his complexion had returned to normal now, it could be seen that he had already recovered.At this moment, those deep black eyes were facing her, and she smiled slightly, which made Murong Wei a little dazed for a moment.

At this time, I heard Yun Xia who was on the side say: "Your Highness, you are being polite, but our sisters-in-law have played too much, so don't let His Highness make fun of you."

Luo Wang had a very good attitude towards this cousin of the Anjun Wang family, and replied a few words with a gentle smile on his face.

Murong Fu winked at Murong Wei, and reminded her in a low voice: "Today, His Highness specially came to the house to thank you."

Murong Wei nodded, she really didn't understand why Luo Wang came by himself.

Originally, he could just send someone to give a gift for such a thing.

After all, the emperor had rewarded Murong's family for this matter, and she won the position of Xiangjun.

Besides, why should I thank her personally?

She thought that he would never want to see her again.

Murong Wei was in a somewhat complicated mood, when Xiao Mingrui looked at her again, he said modestly and submissively: "Your Highness, you are being polite, my servant did not do anything, now that I have been rewarded by His Majesty, I am already in a state of trepidation, how dare I accept His Highness's thanks."

Xiao Mingrui's smile was impeccable on the surface, his attitude was gentle and polite, and he praised Murong Wei with a few official words.

It seemed that the two of them had no special relationship, but in fact, there was a dark tide between his brows and under his eyes, and his dark pupils passed over Murong Wei's body several times, making Murong Wei's heart flustered.

After thinking about it, she laughed at herself again, secretly relaxed, and played back-and-forth word games with Xiao Mingrui neither humble nor humble.

Xiao Mingrui couldn't help but chuckled when he saw her go from being confused at the beginning to calm down at the end.

She is always like this, looking at her watery and calm eyes at this moment makes Xiao Mingrui feel yearning.

It's been a long time since I saw her...

She is still the same as in the past, still neither humble nor overbearing, still so intelligent and peaceful, like a peaceful sea, sometimes calm and sometimes rough.

He really wanted to say a few words to her in private, but seeing today's occasion, it was not very suitable.

(End of this chapter)