Mountains and rivers fall into red

Chapter 21
"Miss, don't pay attention to it. They take advantage of Da Furen's strength to bully people." Yan Xi was so angry that she almost cried.

Xiuxiu just walked in a daze, as if stepping on clouds and mist.There was nothing in her mind.The water in the Yeying Pond was melting and flowing, and the golden sunlight on the water surface shone into her eyes, fascinating her so that she closed her eyes deeply.

A thought touches the heart.

"I can't live here..." She thought to herself.

two

The Tingsong Courtyard next to the Imperial Palace is located in a secluded location away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.The scenery there is elegant and there are few people. It was originally the private school of the Queen's father Ding Guogong.After the death of Ding Guogong, Ji Mingyou, his former minister, ordered Ji Mingyou to use it for his own use and build it into an apartment.In the year of the scientific examination, recommended by the governors of various places, those talented tribute students who were born in poor families but were well-equipped with both literature and military skills, came to board here one after another.

Chu Tianji lives here.

His teacher had a deep friendship with Zhizhou of Mengmata County, so he was promoted by Zhizhou to be transferred to the salt transportation envoy of the capital.He was also lucky, he was recommended all the way, all the way was smooth, and he didn't have much money, so he finally worshiped under Ji Mingyou's door.Ji Mingyou saw that he was quick in writing and thoughtful and elegant, and he was really a rare talent. He secretly liked him and planned to use him for other purposes after the exam.But that's another story.

Tianji arrived in Jiangling on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month. Early the next morning, he went to visit Ji Mingyou with several Gongsheng students.It happened that the eldest prince Xiao Shao also came to Ji's mansion that day, Xiao Shao has always been honest and forthright, when he came back he took Tianji and others along the way, that's why Xiuxiu saw Tianji on the street.

The examination will be held on the ninth day of February, time is tight, Tianji dare not slack off, and hastened to review every day.He found the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion on the way, and saw the solemn and solemn door plate, guarded by family guards outside, he hesitated for a while, and went back helplessly.

Another reason is that before leaving home, his mother firmly forbade him to see Xiuxiu.

Mother's tone was stern, and there was no room for argument.

"This is fate, Xiuxiu is not yours." She looked at her son with a sad and helpless expression, "Listen to what mother said, don't go to Xiuxiu, it will kill you! Sibao, mother is your only son. "

Tianji is a dutiful son, so he listens to what Mother Nature says.But after staying in Tingsongyuan for a few days, he was finally suffering from lovesickness, so he rushed to the prime minister's mansion early in the morning to have a look.

That day when he saw the guard at the gate who was a little older with kind eyes, he walked over to salute: "My lord, please excuse me for disturbing me, I want to ask you about a person in the mansion."

The guard looked at Tianji's handsome face and was bored, so he joked: "Is it a woman? A childhood sweetheart? A private life?"

Skyrim was momentarily embarrassed.He is a smart man, and he must not report Xiuxiu's name at this time, otherwise he may lose his way out.His mind was spinning, and suddenly a person appeared, so he saluted and said: "I am from the south, and the maid Yanxi in the mansion is a relative of my good friend. Now that I am going to the capital to catch up with the exam, he entrusts me with a few words Just tell her, it will be fine in a while."

When Yanxi appeared in Mengmata County, Tianji met her in the alley and heard someone calling her name.She was ordered to pick up Xiuxiu and go to Jiangling, so she must be in the prime minister's mansion at this time.If you see her, and through her matchmaking, it will be easy to meet Xiuxiu.

The doorman was also kind-hearted, told him to wait a while, and then sent someone to enter.

Yan Xi was puzzled when he heard the news, and said with a smile, "Where do I get relatives from the south?"

The boy who passed on the message jokingly said: "That man must have taken a fancy to Sister Yanxi, so he made excuses to say so. If my sister doesn't like it, I will send him away. It's a pity that he is so kind, that person is still good-looking. Pretty handsome."

Xiuxiu listened intently, thinking: Could it be Brother Tianji?She waits for him here every day, has he really found him?She hastily called the boy to stop, and whispered something to Yan Xi.Yan Xi nodded repeatedly, and sent a servant: "You go first, I'll be right back."

Yan Xi trotted, and before he reached the door, he saw a clear and bright person outside, it really was Tianji.

When Tianji saw Yanxi appearing, he made a bow.Yanxi was clever, and in front of the guard, he exchanged polite greetings, Tianji winked, and the two talked.

"I'm talking about Chu Tianji, you're a bit too courageous, this is not Mengyu County." Yanxi lowered her voice, peeping to see that the guard wasn't paying attention, and said, "I'm serving the lady, so hurry up if you have anything to say. Say."

Tianji stuffed a ball of paper for Yanxi, and Yanxi hurriedly stuffed it into his sleeve.Tianji then said: "Words are on paper. Xiuxiu and I have grown up since we were young, and we have a deep relationship. We just want to meet and talk, and I hope Miss Yanxi will be fulfilled."

After saying goodbye to Yan Xi, Tian Ji left in a hurry.

Yan Xi entered the courtyard and handed the ball of paper to the lady.Xiuxiu opened it, and saw a few words on it: West Street Tingsong Courtyard, Bibo Pavilion.

Seeing that it was Tianji's handwriting, Xiuxiu started to panic.After grooming hastily, he put on the wind robe and said to Yan Xi: "Hurry up, we're going out now."

Yan Xi should have asked a few questions, but as soon as Miss's long-lost spirit came up, for some reason, Yan Xi was also infected by that kind of joy, so she didn't ask anything for a while, and left the house in a hurry.

After walking for an hour, they came to West Street.It is now the end of the month, and clumps of greenery are quietly poking out in the warm and cold, everything is revived, and the pines and cypresses outside Tingsong Courtyard are lush.Outside the Bibo Pavilion, stands the tall and straight figure of Tianji.A few children were playing and running past him, and carefree laughter came to his face.

Xiuxiu suddenly thought that when she was a child, she and Tianji ran in the alley leading to their home with such a carefree mood.Xiuxiu couldn't help running over happily, and shouted: "Brother Tianji!"

Hearing the sound, Tianji turned his head to meet Xiuxiu, and grabbed Xiuxiu's hand.

"After half a year, I miss me to death."

He pulled Xiuxiu to the pavilion, and looked at her with bright eyes.At this time, Xiuxiu was wearing a light green pleated skirt with flowers sprinkled on it, her loose hair bun was gently tied up by an emerald butterfly hairpin, her skin was as creamy and charming.She spun playfully, tilted her head and asked, "How, have I changed?"

"The complexion is worse than before, and there is a faint melancholy between the eyebrows..." Tianji asked solemnly, "Are... are you doing well?"

Just two short sentences touched Xiuxiu's mind.She restrained her smile, her nose was sore, and her eyes were a little wet unconsciously.

"Brother Tianji, you came to see me so late."

Tianji took a peek at Yan Xi who was not far away, seeing her stretching her neck and looking this way from time to time, he said, "What's the matter? Is this family bullying you?"

"That's not true. They treated me very well. It's just that I'm not used to living here and always want to leave." Xiuxiu explained.

"That's easy. You tell them you want to go home and see if they dare to stop you."

Xiuxiu thought of her dead father, with an inexplicable acrid feeling in her chest, she just shook her head.

Tianji looked at Xixiu's lonely look, thinking that she must have been wronged, so he naturally felt sorry for her: "Yes, your mother took a lot of money from their family, and she has already sold you. But you don't want to live here. Here, and don’t want to go home, where can I go?”

"Take me away and find a place to live." Xiuxiu naturally regarded Tianji as a relative, shaking his sleeves, urging him to think of a perfect plan.

Tianji roughly calculated that he would be very busy during this time. The ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth day of the lunar new year would be the ceremony, and the palace examination would be on the first day of March, and then wait for the results to be announced. It would take more than a month to say the least.Explain to Xiuxiu, but Xiuxiu is eager to leave, pestering him to take her away now.

"I heard that Songyuan is full of tribute students arranged by Mr. Ji. How can we accommodate single female family members? In this way, I still have money left. Why don't I find you a place nearby, and we will go home together after I finish the exam."

Tianji was so focused on thinking about Xiuxiu this time, that his mother had forgotten what his mother had told him before leaving.After listening to Xiuxiu, an empty heart stabilized.The two secretly agreed to meet here two days later.

After Xiuxiu went back, she still kept silent, but she lost her previous decadent appearance.Yan Xi saw it, and wondered what the young lady and that Chu Tianji had said, and felt uneasy in his heart.

Two days later, in the early morning, when the red sun was shining through the window, Xiuxiu had already woken up, wrapped her clothes into a small bundle, and walked out of the inner room lightly.

Yanxi was sleeping soundly outside, Xiuxiu's eyes were filled with reluctance, and he said in his heart: Yanxi, I'm sorry, I was afraid you would be sad, so I dare not tell you.It's just that I have made up my mind to leave here.When I settle down in the future, I will come to see you.Then he turned around and quietly opened the door to go out.

Yan Xi had been sleeping lightly for the past two days, and she felt a gray shadow floating in front of her eyes in a daze. She opened her eyes suddenly, and before she even had time to put on her shoes, she went into the inner room to take a closer look.Seeing the silence and no one inside, she understood in an instant.

"Miss!" she yelled and rushed out of the yard in a panic.

Xiuxiu had already arrived at Yeying Pond, when he heard shouts from behind, he turned his head and saw Yan Xi chasing him, and unconsciously quickened his pace.Yanxi ran desperately and stopped Xiuxiu in front of the screen wall.

"Miss, you can't leave! What did Yanxi do wrong, just tell me!" Yanxi cried anxiously.

Xiuxiu said: "Yanxi, you did nothing wrong, it's because I don't want to stay here. After I leave, you tell the second lady."

"If you leave, you should at least tell Master and Madam to go. If you leave like this, it's not good for you emotionally or rationally. I will also be reprimanded by Madam Yanxi. Miss, you must not leave!"

"I was afraid that the old lady would not let me go, so I left secretly. Yanxi, don't stop me, I'm not someone from Shen's residence, I don't want glory and wealth, I just want to live in peace."

"Miss..." Yanxi couldn't persuade Xiuxiu, so she burst into tears.

Someone had already run to sue the master.Shen Buyu got up in his clothes and came in a hurry.

He ordered Uncle Fu: "Order down, keep the gate strictly, without my permission, the lady is not allowed to go out for half a step!" Then, pointing at Xiuxiu's master and servant, his eyes were full of evil, "Go back!"

Soon, Xiuxiu was brought into Liu Rulan's yard.The eldest lady Li Pinghua also came after hearing the news, and several people stared at Xiuxiu, the air was full of tension.

Li Pinghua first said: "My lord, how many people in our family want to climb high and can't climb! She really thinks that she is in Mengmao County, and she can come in and out as she pleases. How can there be such rules? Since she doesn't want to be the daughter of the prime minister, then Do as she pleases."

Surprised and angry, Shen Buyu stared at Xiuxiu, with blazing flames burning in his eyes.

Seeing this, Liu Rulan explained: "Xiuxiu's father passed away, and her mother is bound to suffer. She is 16 years old, how can there be a good marriage in Mengmao County? Besides, thanks to the special care of the concubine Rong, if she is allowed to go, how can she go?" Have you not let down Concubine Rong?"

Li Pinghua sneered: "Concubine Rong is just an excuse, right? The third prince is about to choose a concubine, and what you want to climb is this royal family. Don't think I don't know, even a fool can see it."

"Women's views, don't talk too much!" Shen Buyu interrupted Li Pinghua's speech, and said in a deep voice, "The marriage between the monarch and his ministers is for the entire Shen family! In today's situation, the Mu family is in power and plotting to do something wrong. How can I be entrusted by the emperor?" Hands tied? Once the thread with Concubine Rong and the Third Prince is severed, my Shen family will be like a kite with a broken thread floating in the wind and rain. If I collapse, the whole family will collapse!"

The faces of the two ladies changed, and they stopped talking.

Shen Buyu's words made Xiuxiu tremble in shock, and couldn't help taking a step back.By now, she has understood Shen Buyu's intention to take her in, she is just a pawn that Shen Buyu has left in the court.retreat?There is no way back.

In desperation, she simply gritted her teeth and said, "Even if you lock me up, I won't obey!"

"I can't help you!"

Shen Buyu stood up against the table, pointed at Xiuxiu, with veins bursting on his forehead, and said loudly, "I, Shen Buyu, bought you with money! If it weren't for me, you and your mother would have starved to death and frozen to death long ago." Yes! Today I made it clear that I have let you go for the past six months to let you get close to the third prince. In the next year, you have to do the same!"

Speaking of this, he swept a glance at Yan Xi who was standing tremblingly with his hands down, and gave Xiuxiu a sinister smile, saying: "From now on, you obediently obey my orders. If you disobey, that Chu Tianji who wants to take you out , his future is over!"

After all, he walked away.

The bundle in his hand fell off, and Xiuxiu sat on the ground slumped.The sun was shining brightly in front of her eyes, and the voices of people were noisy, her mind was in a mess, and she had to close her eyes.

"Brother Tianji, I almost killed you."

After breaking up with Xiuxiu, Tianji went to look for a house nearby.The West Street area is secluded and there are many vacant houses, so he quickly found a suitable house.The landlord was an elderly couple, Tianji felt relieved, negotiated the price, paid a deposit, helped the elderly couple clean up the room, and made an appointment to pick up people to live in the next day.

It's too late for the day, and the sky is waiting under the Bibo Pavilion.From a distance, he saw several strong men carrying a blue woolen sedan chair. The leader was an old man with a white beard. Tianji just glanced at it and ignored it.

But the sedan chair stopped in front of him, and a middle-aged man in his forties came out from the curtain. He was elegant and handsome, with a handsome face and a faint smile on his face. Chu Tianji?"

Tianji couldn't guess the other party's identity, judging by his clothes, he was clearly either rich or noble, so he bowed his hands and said: "The villain is Chu Tianji."

Unexpectedly, as soon as the name was announced, a burly figure flashed in front of his eyes.Before the sky could be seen clearly, the abdomen was hit hard, the stars splashed in front of the eyes, a hot air rushed straight up from the bottom, and the internal organs began to roll and surge.He fell to the ground, retching uncontrollably.

The vaguely middle-aged man still stood in front of him calmly, showing a disdainful expression, with a faint smile still hanging on the corner of his mouth.

"I'm really sorry, my people are a bit harsher, I hope it won't affect my little brother's exam."

Tianji's face turned pale from the pain, and a trace of sweat leaked from his forehead. He shouted, "Who are you? Why did you hit me?"

"I'm just a little angry. My goddaughter is disobedient. It is said that my younger brother instigated it. You have no relatives in Jiangling. As an elder, I will teach you a lesson."

Only then did Tianji understand that the middle-aged man in front of him was Prime Minister Shen Buyu.His eyes were full of resentment, he looked directly at Shen Buyu, and said: "Xiuxiu has no relationship with you, and now she is leaving, why do you stop her?"

"Why?" Shen Buyu turned his face closer, as if he felt that Tianji's words were incredible.He reminded word by word: "The reason is that I am her godfather and the prime minister!"

Then, his smile faded away, and his eyes were fierce: "Who is she to you? Why can you take her away without authorization?"

"We have been together since childhood, we are closer than relatives!" Tianji replied confidently.

"Dear ones? Hmph, your relatives are in Mengmao County, and your mother's name is Ni Xiu'e. Your mother won't instigate you to seduce Xiuxiu, will she?" Shen Buyu stared into Tianji's eyes, feeling the slightest chill.

With a pale face, Tianji bit his lower lip and remained silent.

Shen Buyu restrained himself a little, and said in a calm tone: "Young man, you are too young. Your future is uncertain, and you don't even know who to rely on, so who will you rely on when you go back?"

These words are like a bucket of cold water pouring down in the cold winter, and the sky is completely icy.Shen Buyu's words continued to ring in my ears: "Poor boy, I warn you, don't plan on her. God let her mother give birth to her, and arranged for her to be the most honorable woman in the world, do you understand? "

Tianji's lips turned white, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Mother said: "Sibao, there are many good girls in the world, but Miss Xiuxiu is something you can't catch up with. She has the fate of a noble person, how can our family be so lucky?"

Mother also said: "This is life!"

Could it be that Xiuxiu was destined not to belong to him?

Shen Buyu looked down at the sky condescendingly, and stepped on his face with a boot, using a bit of force, which was a silent warning.Then he let him go, stooped into the sedan chair, and a group of people walked away.

Tianji was lying there alone, his body was cooling down piece by piece, and he was so painful that he couldn't move.He watched Shen Buyu disappear from sight, the flame of hatred burning endlessly in his chest.He gasped for breath, and roared with all his strength: "Shen, I hate you!"

叁

As soon as February entered, the matter of choosing the prince and concubine was put on the agenda.

Every spring, Emperor Liang would live in Taimiao for a month or two, and he would go to the palace immediately if there was an important event.However, this year is different. After discussing with the ministers, the emperor immediately issued an order to the government and the public: the daughters of princes and ministers above the second rank, all below will live in the harem.

The people of the country all speculated that the reason why Emperor Liang moved so many teachers was to choose concubines for the grown-up princes.At present, the third and fourth princes have reached the age of exempting their crowns, such a move by the government and the public has the meaning of choosing a future crown princess.However, Emperor Liang only favored the third prince, and the mediocrity of the eldest prince was well known to both the government and the public, and even more so to the people in the capital.However, deterred by the decree of "not discussing state affairs indiscriminately" and the despotic power of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, everyone can only steal in private.

As soon as the edict came out, the harem was busy.A few days later, Xiuxiu simply packed up and prepared to go to the palace.

Before leaving, Shen Buyu was in a panic, and said in a lecturing tone: "Compared to those daughters who have lived in the boudoir for a long time, your words and deeds are not good, and you must learn more. In contact with the third prince, when there is a big fight, we must grasp it firmly."

Xiuxiu worried about Tianji in his heart, thinking that in another month, Tianji's trial would be over.Ever since Shen Buyu made it clear why she was her goddaughter, she knew that her fate was in his hands.Entering the palace this time is also a last resort.

She was indifferent in her heart, so she answered indifferently: "No one can make decisions about feelings."

Shen Buyu smirked slightly: "The selection of a concubine by a prince is different from that of ordinary people, and he can't decide on his own lifelong affairs."

At the end he said again: "Empress, you need to be careful. Please ask Empress Rong for everything, she will help you."

After all, he ordered the carriage to set off.

Yan Xi couldn't enter the palace, so he sent her all the way outside the gate of the mansion, tearfully said: "Miss is in the palace, you have to think about slaves."

"You and I love sisters, why don't you want to?" Xiuxiu comforted with a smile, and said softly, "I've only been away for a few months, and we will be together again soon. If Brother Tianji comes to me, tell him the truth It's not that Xiuxiu doesn't want to see him, but he's really afraid of hurting his future, I hope he's safe and well, and everything goes well."

Yan Xi kept nodding, watching Xiuxiu's carriage go away.

The carriage went through the streets and alleys, heading straight for the palace.From the forest road to the royal road leading to the palace, it finally stopped firmly outside the palace gate.The deacon palace official greeted them, and ordered several palace servants to take the box from the servants of the Shen family, and move them to the harem yard together.

The gentle wind blows, the soft silk floats, and the fragrant flowers are fragrant all the way, and the whole harem is immersed in the tranquility.Xiuxiu walked inside along the bluestone path, and followed the palace officials into a small courtyard. There were two wing rooms on the left and right, and two maids with hanging hair were waiting outside the door.

(End of this chapter)