Mountains and rivers fall into red

Chapter 22
Her room is spacious and simple, with a bedroom on the inside and a study on the outside, and a large wooden screen with a hundred birds and phoenixes standing in the middle.On the long and large desk, the bamboo slips and the four treasures of the study form a continuous "mountain of literature". The piano, chess, calligraphy and paintings are placed in the room, and even the female celebrities who are usually made are not left behind.

After the palace official explained, he left.Xiuxiu tidied up in the room, looked around again, and sat on a chair in a daze.Faintly, I can't tell what it feels like.

After a while, the courtyard door slid open silently, and several servants entered another wing with large and small boxes.There was an oriole-like light laughter outside, Xiuxiu went out of the room to look curiously, and saw Zheng Yizhen walking in with a small dressing-case in his arms.

"Shen Xiuxiu, the two of us are companions!"

Xiuxiu was happy in her heart, and said honestly, "I'm also afraid of meeting strangers, and worry that no one will talk to me. It's just right that you're here."

"Someone will come to talk with us, I'll come over later."

Yizhen raised her eyebrows proudly, and went into her room.

Standing outside the door, Xiuxiu heard Yizhen talking loudly.The pretty figure appeared from time to time in the room, the gauze sleeves rippling and undulating.She directed the servants to arrange her belongings here and there, obviously moving everything from the boudoir.For a while, the waiters were sent in and out, very busy.

Xiuxiu covered the sun with his hands and raised his eyes to the sky.The sun above the palace was too dazzling, a group of wild geese were flying past, and they couldn't see anything except the sluggish eaves and ridges.

"Why do people have so many unhappy things?" She sighed.

After waiting and watching for a long time, she was a little tired from standing.There was no voice in Yizhen's house, and the servants also disappeared.The door of the room was closed tightly, and she didn't know what Yizhen was busy with.Xiuxiu returned to her dormitory, still sitting preoccupied, finally regained her composure, took the small box from the vanity mirror, and slowly opened it.

Because she was afraid that the Shen family would discover that she was wearing the jade pendant into the palace, she put it together with those exquisite jewelry in the dressing box.Holding the jade pendant in his hand, it didn't feel as delicate as fat, because it was so rough that it didn't even have a luster.

As Xiuxiu watched, her eyes gradually blurred, and she felt that everything was still the same as last year. She was full of infinite longing for the gift of Jiji.Through the sleepy dream, I felt like I was in yesterday, and the father in the dream was smiling and within reach.

She sighed for a moment, her eyes clouded.

A hand reached out from behind and quickly snatched the jade pendant away.

Xiuxiu just woke up, turned around, and saw that it was Yizhen.

Yizhen looked at the jade pendant and giggled: "Where did it come from? I'll throw it away for you." After finishing speaking, she walked to the door and made a gesture to throw it away.

Xiuxiu flew over, snatched the jade pendant, and said fiercely: "It's mine!"

Yizhen was inexplicably terrified. Seeing Xiuxiu's face livid, he smiled and said, "Look at the way you want to eat people. Why do you take it seriously? I'm just kidding you!"

Then, she sat unceremoniously at the table and ordered the maid outside to serve tea.Xiuxiu felt that what she had done just now was a bit too much, so she calmed down, smiled at Yizhen apologetically, and went back to the Luan mirror and carefully put the jade pendant on her neck.

Yizhen was slightly taken aback, watching with cold eyes while sipping tea, without showing any traces on his face.

Isn't it just an inferior product, like a baby.Sure enough, he came from the countryside, so he couldn't get into the elegant hall.She hummed contemptuously in her heart.

Xiuxiu sat across from her and took a sip of tea, only to realize that Yizhen had obviously dressed up carefully.The black bun is lightly tied up, the pleated skirt of Xiang-colored twine flowers, and the face painted with honey is even more charming.

She couldn't help admiring: "Miss Yizhen is so beautiful."

After hearing this, Yizhen stood up, and her gauze sleeves fell down.She turned around in a coquettish posture, and said with deep meaning: "I know that I am here, and someone will come to see me specially today, and you must like it."

Xiuxiu's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help asking, "Who are you talking about?"

As soon as the words fell, there was a rhythmic knock on the closed courtyard door.Yizhen's eyes were as bright as snow, and she exclaimed "he's here" in surprise, and ran to open the door.

Xiuxiu's heart was also bleeding, and he stood up involuntarily.

The door opened, and the fourth prince Xiao Hao stepped in with a smile on his face.

"Brother Hao, why is it you?" Yizhen was greatly disappointed, and said with a straight face, "Come in, the person you like is inside."

Looking at Xiuxiu's figure with bright eyes, Xiao Hao said teasingly: "It turns out that you rushed to open the door, not for me. Are you disappointed? The third brother wants me to come first if you have something to do. If you wait for him, just wait at the door. "

"You're afraid that I'll get involved and it's inconvenient to talk to Shen Xiuxiu." Yizhen hummed, but she really didn't intend to leave.

Xiao Hao entered Xiuxiu's room, and Xiuxiu stepped forward to salute.Xiao Hao excused himself, and asked with a gentle smile: "The palace is not as good as Shen's residence, I wonder if you can't get used to it?"

Xiuxiu replied unhurriedly: "I'm not used to living in the Shen residence, how can it compare to living in my hometown?"

"My hometown in Mengmao County must be nice. I really hope that one day I can have you to accompany me to go there. But now we are in the palace, and I can be regarded as half the master at least. I hope I can accompany you." Xiao Hao said bluntly, Words are full of sincerity.

Xiuxiu heard the deep meaning in his words, turned around in a panic, sat at the table and lightly touched the sandalwood in the incense burner.Xiao Hao also sat down, and a maidservant in the palace had already served him a cup of tea, which was full of fragrance.Xiao Hao took a sip and smiled again: "This tastes good."

After he finished speaking, he found that Xixiu had complex expressions in his eyes, staring at the curling sandalwood smoke in a daze, his eyes scattered lightly, as if he hadn't heard what he said.Xiao Hao was not eloquent at first, but by observing Xiuxiu's color, he knew that she was full of thoughts, so he put down the teacup as if nothing had happened, and said, "I'm idle today, why don't I take you around?"

After hearing this, Xiuxiu answered readily, as if she was in a hurry to escape, "Okay."

When they left the courtyard, they found Yizhen standing there waiting eagerly.Xiao Hao joked, "Yizhen, do you want to go together?"

Yizhen gave Xiao Hao a blank look, and urged them to leave angrily: "I don't want to be annoying, you guys go."

Xiao Hao and Xiuxiu looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.

Walking along the bluestone trail, there are shadows of palace guards patrolling.Today's weather is very good, the weather is also reasonable, rippling and sunny, this kind of weather makes Xiuxiu's mood much clearer.

Xiao Hao gave pointers along the way, and the two of them talked and laughed and turned around a few railings, looking at the dense pines and cypresses on both sides, the apricot blossoms were in full bloom, and the willows sprouted new buds, covering several buildings and pavilions.There is no sound here, not even the shadow of the maids and guards walking around.

"What is this place?" Xiuxiu asked curiously.

Xiao Hao replied calmly: "The courtyard where my mother and concubine used to live has been abandoned since then."

Xiuxiu had already stepped into the yard with one foot, and saw that the door of the house was locked and the window was closed tightly.Because no one took care of it, weeds and vines were overgrown on the ground, and a gust of wind blew by, and the broken leaves and flowers floated all over the ground.Such a desolate scenery makes people feel resentful and desolate.Xiuxiu watched quietly, and said to himself, "It's a pity that your mother left you so early. If you were still alive, you would be a favored prince, and you wouldn't go to Huanyi so far away."

"It's destiny." Xiao Hao shook his head, "There are countless beauties in the harem. My mother has lived to this day, and her life is so desolate and desolate. The eldest brother has a queen and important ministers who support him, and the third brother has a father. I am caught in the middle , it doesn’t look good.”

"Don't you have Mr. Zheng?" Xiuxiu thought of Zheng Wei, the Marquis of Huanyi who spoke like a bell.

"But he's not his real father."

Xiao Hao's voice was low, as if he was sighing in disappointment.He stopped talking, squatted down, rolled up his sleeves, and pulled up the weeds skillfully.

Xiuxiu looked at him silently. At that time, she understood him somewhat.

She helped put the pulled weeds into a pile.Xiao Hao found a shovel from nowhere, and the two of them worked together to bury the grass.Xiuxiu raised her face slightly, smiled like a child, and said softly, "I also help my father with work in this way."

A layer of warm color appeared on Xiao Hao's young cheeks.In a daze, he really wanted to tell her his heart, but he couldn't say a word because of the thousands of words in his heart. He just grabbed her hand and hugged her gently.

When Xiuxiu returned to the courtyard, the sun had already shone overhead, and the maid had already prepared lunch.

Yizhen was still standing at the door, seeing Xiuxiu coming back, her eyes moved without emotion, and she didn't even have the strength to force a smile.

Xiuxiu knows who Yizhen is waiting for.

That person never showed up that day.

The teaching workshops set up in the palace teach women's morality, women's language, women's appearance, and women's skills.In the chaotic back Liang, even Emperor Liang's position as a dragon is in jeopardy, but the boudoir training in the families of princes, princes and ministers is still indispensable.From the time their daughter was sensible, every family taught her daughter to use chastity and obedience, eloquence and numbness, and she learned to be proficient when she was in her teens.

The establishment of the teaching workshop actually allows the princes to get in touch with those beauties at close range, so that they know what to expect, and it will be easy to choose a prince or concubine next year.Therefore, those adult princes love to drill in the Jiaofang every day.The eldest prince, Xiao Shao, who came the most diligently, has the best temper. Even when someone teased him, he was not angry but was amused.Xiao Hao also came many times, but he just went to Xiuxiu's yard, had a cup of tea, chatted for an hour and then left.

Being a princess is every girl's dream.They are dressed up beautifully every day, the garden is full of brilliance and pearls, and the birds are singing and swallows are singing every day. With their bright eyes, even the magnolias in the harem can't bear to bloom prematurely.

Of course, marrying the third prince Xiao Kui is their greatest wish.The third prince is favored by the emperor, and he is talented in literature and martial arts. He will be the most powerful contender for the crown prince.So they waited eagerly, looking forward to the appearance of the third prince every day.

It is said that His Royal Highness the Third Prince is busy with business affairs these days, and because he does not live in the palace, the more he wants to see him, the more he cannot be seen.

In a flash, it was March in Yangchun.

The yard is full of grass and flowers in various colors.The air is as clean as washing, and there is a faint fragrance of flowers.The kite is fluttering in the distance, and the wind is blowing, which is even more pleasant.

Xiuxiu felt alive.

Returning from Jiaofang this day, Yizhen went to play with others, and Xiuxiu was the only one left in the yard.Seeing that the weather was fine, Xiuxiu moved the crabapple outside the door into the sunshine.While he was busy, there was movement outside the courtyard gate.

Only the servant shouted in a rooster voice: "Concubine Rong is here!"

Concubine Rong stepped in gracefully, wearing a brocade palace gown with wide sleeves and deep breasts, with high temples, and a pair of green luan trembled.She is always so clean and dignified, making Xiuxiu can't help but think of the blue green of the Yeying Pond in Shen's residence.She hurriedly bowed and knelt down, and said: "I don't know if your mother is coming, but I am sorry to welcome you. I beg your forgiveness."

"What is Xiuxiu talking about? I'm in a hurry, so I came to see you." Concubine Rong helped Xiuxiu up, with a smile on her face.

A group of maids and servants stood with their heads bowed. Concubine Rong turned to them and ordered unhurriedly: "Go and guard the door first." After speaking, she carried Xiuxiu into the house without stopping.

Rest and serve tea, stand still and dare not move.Concubine Rong sighed softly: "You and I are not outsiders, how can we be so different? Sit down and talk together." Xiuxiu had to sit opposite Concubine Rong, bowed her head and said nothing.

Concubine Rong felt sad when she saw Xiuxiu's detachment, and said quietly: "Could it be that you are still angry with me?"

"Your Majesty, why didn't you tell me the inside story last time? My father hurt my mother, and my mother served you. Because of your pity, Xiuxiu was able to enter the Shen family to enjoy the glory and wealth. But Xiuxiu is the daughter of a sinner, and she dare not It’s useful. Your Majesty should bring my mother to Jiangling to realize her dream of wealth and honor, not me..."

Xiuxiu's eyes were full of desolation, she took a breath, and raised her sleeves to wipe away her tears.

Concubine Rong's breath froze for a moment.She subconsciously pressed Xiuxiu's hand, and said in a trembling voice: "Xiuxiu, you are innocent! Besides, your mother lived well in Mengyu County, and Jiangling is not suitable for her. Your godfather has already made arrangements You don't have to worry about your mother about this matter."

"The ones who are worried about you are you and the Prime Minister. You asked me to come to Jiangling this time, don't you just want to work together to make me and the Third Highness?"

Concubine Rong looked embarrassed, she smiled awkwardly, and said in a low voice: "Isn't it for Kui'er's future to kiss more?"

"The prime minister forced me, and the empress has selfish intentions, but it's a pity that I can't do what you wish." Xiuxiu said coldly.

"You mean—" Concubine Rong panicked a little.

Xiuxiu replied resolutely: "The dream of a prince and concubine is not something a poor girl like me should do. I stayed in Jiangling and entered the palace just to atone for my dead father, but I don't want to involve the innocent. As for other things, Hugh doesn't want to at all!"

"So it is."

Concubine Rong's expression was gloomy, she stroked the back of Xiuxiu's hand with one hand, and hesitated to speak: "If..."

Xiuxiu cut off Concubine Rong's words, and said: "There is no if. If the empress is kind, please let Xiuxiu go. Xiuxiu kowtowed to the empress here."

After saying that, she fell to the ground and kowtowed three times in succession.

"Well, you'd rather be jade pieces than tiles!"

Concubine Rong suddenly got up, pointed at Xiuxiu, her face turned pale: "Xiuxiu, Xiuxiu, how many people are vying to be the third concubine, you are better off, don't want anything! You have to think twice!"

After finishing speaking, Concubine Rong turned around and left.The skirt was heaved, and the steps between the temples swayed violently.

Xiuxiu sat there blankly, her mind blank.She didn't understand why she acted so decisively just now.Countless times, she had imagined that she would confide her pain in front of Concubine Rong, and Concubine Rong might help her.But when he thought that he was a chess game jointly played by Concubine Rong and Shen Buyu, his heart was filled with anger.

The catkins were flying, caught in the wind sporadically, and the sky seemed to be getting colder.When she came back to the middle of the yard, she couldn't help shivering, she became clearer, and pointed to the tree flower in front of her, and said, "Say it, I'm not afraid! It's been a month, and that Xiao Kui hasn't shown up for a long time." , I thought I was so great. He doesn’t care about others, why should I care about him? Isn’t he the third prince? No wonder!”

There were two claps of applause from behind.

Startled, Xiuxiu turned around hastily.

Xiao Kui did not know when she appeared in the courtyard, looking at her with great interest.She was dressed in a golden brocade robe with cloud patterns, and her long hair fluttered, making her look even more handsome and graceful.

There was a flaw in his heart, and Xiuxiu's fair face seemed to be covered with a layer of carmine.She glared at Xiao Kui and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Xiao Kui walked unhurriedly, and said calmly: "My concubine told me just now, I came here to thank you. I was so worried that I couldn't get away, Shen Buyu's move was too entangled, I didn't expect you to withdraw voluntarily. I It’s a relief, so I’m here to thank you.”

Like a hot knife cutting his chest, Xiuxiu felt pain.She looked at Xiao Kui who was smiling complacently, tried hard to be tough, and said with a sneer, "That's very good. Don't worry, I won't get close to you, and you don't need to force me to be nice to me."

"Not bad, savvy."

Xiao Kui nodded in appreciation, and stood in front of Xiuxiu, with a three-point smile on his lips: "You said that the dream of a prince and concubine is not something a poor girl like you should do. It's very good, and you have self-knowledge. Since this is the case, I don't need to waste any more words, please Miss Xiuxiu take care of yourself."

The smile on his face gradually narrowed, a shadow of prey flashed in his eyes, and then he walked away.

This was straightforward, but it caught Xiuxiu off guard.She stared fixedly at the gate of the courtyard, and after a long while she recovered, she didn't even have the strength to move, so she slumped in front of the flower bed and began to cry.

At this time, Xiao Hao came in, seeing Xiuxiu crying miserably, he hurriedly asked the servant girl what happened, only then did he know that the third brother had just been here.

"Xiuxiu, tell me, what did the third brother say?"

After asking such a question, Xiuxiu couldn't speak, and cried even more sadly.

Xiao Hao couldn't help but hugged Xiuxiu, his heart was shaken by the sound of crying, and it was uncomfortable to hold him.He didn't know what happened, but he knew what he should do.

"Xiuxiu, wait for me, I'll go find my third brother!"

Before Xiuxiu could stop him, Xiao Hao rushed out of the courtyard door recklessly.

Concubine Rong stood by the lotus pond outside the front hall, looking at her son not far away from time to time.

Last year because of Xiao Kui's confinement, his royal family was no longer there, and he was unhappy all day long, so he didn't have the heart to take care of the lotus pond, and there was an embarrassing situation of remnants of lotus leaves and fallen leaves.As soon as the Lantern Festival was over, the emperor suddenly missed her, and came over every now and then to sit down, which surprised her a lot.With a good mood, she took care of the lotus pond again.As a result, on the clear pool, the lotus money that sneaked out of the water appeared.Coupled with the tall willows surrounded by railings, the green water and hibiscus clothes, the picturesque spring scenery of cattails and fragrant wind reappeared in Wenying Palace.

The emperor told her in private that the teaching workshop in the palace is actually to find someone he likes for Kui'er.She couldn't help being elated, hoping that Kui'er would choose to rest soon.Unexpectedly, just now she was put on Xiuxiu for a while, as if being poured by cold water, she came back disheartened, it happened that Xiao Kui came to visit her mother and concubine, so she roughly said Xiuxiu's original words.Xiao Kui sneered at that time and said: "Alright, I'm going to find her." After speaking, there was no one there.

Not long after, Xiao Kui came back, and directly called several maidservants to fly kites in the garden.Concubine Rong looked at her son and saw that his face was calm and he smiled brightly from time to time, as if nothing had happened.

The son's mind is becoming more and more difficult for the mother to guess.

She walked over quickly, called Xiao Kui to stop, and couldn't help asking: "Ku'er, did you see Xiuxiu just now?"

Xiao Kui was very interested in playing, staring at the kite fluttering in the air, holding on to the reel and not letting go, and replied casually: "See you."

"What did you tell her?"

"forget."

Concubine Rong felt dizzy for a moment, she watched Xiao Kui and the palace maid laughing and running away, she just stood there and got angry.

Xiao Hao came in a hurry and saluted Concubine Rong: "Is Third Brother here?"

Concubine Rong knew that the two brothers were deeply in love, and thought that Xiao Hao was also playing with Xiao Kui, so she pointed at the door of the moon cave and said angrily, "I haven't seen you for more than a month, but I just came here today and started playing. I'm an adult, it's time to restrain myself."

Xiao Hao saluted again, and only trotted into the garden after Concubine Rong was supported by her maidservants to go into the inner hall.Sure enough, I saw Xiao Kui and the palace maid having fun.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Hao's heart was full of blood, and his brows were covered with endless resentment.He rushed in front of Xiao Kui with big strides, and called loudly: "Third Brother!"

Xiao Kui just turned his head to look at him, and greeted with a smile: "Fourth brother came just in time, let's play together."

Without saying a word, Xiao Hao pulled off the reel in Xiao Kui's hand and handed it to the maid beside him, then grabbed Xiao Kui with one hand and forcefully pulled him aside to speak.

"What's the matter today? Where did the fire come from? The fourth brother has always been gentle and refined." Xiao Kui continued to tease.

"Third brother, if you really don't like Xiuxiu, don't hurt him!" Xiao Hao shouted.

As soon as these words came out, there was no smile on Xiao Kui's face.He stared at Xiao Hao, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What did you say?"

"You must have said something hurtful, Xiuxiu cried!"

Xiao Kui was slightly taken aback, then sneered nonchalantly: "Women really love to cry."

(End of this chapter)