wedding dress

Chapter 16
The weather was getting colder every day, and Xiaodong hadn't been out of the palace since that time.But she was not bored at home, with the sisters from the Shen family to accompany her, Zhao Lu and Shen Jing also came over after school.Moreover, there is a large flower house in the palace. Although it is the middle of winter, there are still a hundred flowers blooming inside. Not to mention that peonies, peonies, jasmine, and begonias are all in different seasons, but they all bloom in the flower house at the same time.In the words of the wet nurse Hu Shi: "I don't like those next to the prince. Looking at some flowers and plants is also a pleasure to nourish one's temperament. Besides, thirty gardeners are divided into three shifts to take care of the flowers. What's the use."

Hong Ling also smiled and said, "Everyone else's house raises opera singers and kabukis. Our house grows flowers. They raise ears, and we raise eyes."

Mrs. Hu shook her head and said, "What do you know, when there are too many people, there will be more right and wrong, and there will be a lot of confusion. There are no flowers to worry about."

right!Xiaodong raised both hands and feet in favor.

Whether those domestic opera singers or singing girls are the same as domestic prostitutes, life and death are all in the hands of the family head, but there must be more than one man in the family. clear,
Fortunately, her father, Prince An, didn't like this.

The population in Prince An's Mansion is simple. King An died two wives, and now he has three concubines around him, one is Mrs. Ming, and the other two are maidservants. One is surnamed Cheng. But there is no title of wife.One is the maid of the first Princess Shen, surnamed Liu.These two people are like invisible people in the mansion, Xiaodong only saw them once at Wang An's place, and because they bowed, they left, and didn't even see their faces clearly.But they did send things over, a set of clothes and two pairs of shoes, they said they were all made by themselves.But Mrs. Hu accepted it with a smile, turned her face away and put it aside, and told Hong Ling Hongying that the clothes and meals sent by outsiders, no matter who made it or gave it to them, should not be used.

Xiaodong usually only sees Hu smiling at her tenderly and caringly. At first sight of her cold face, I'm really not used to it.

But as soon as Hu turned his face, the coldness disappeared immediately, and he smiled like a hen protecting the chicks.

When her mother passed away, Xiaodong was also sad, but not so profoundly.

Because for her, the real mother in this life should be the Hu family.Moreover, Mrs. Hu has no reservations about her. When there is no one, Mrs. Hu always calls her name in a low voice, just like all mothers call their children.Only when there are others, do you call her princess.

As for not eating what was given by others, not wearing clothes that were handled by others, Xiaodong can understand.Not to mention the palace and palace, it is an ordinary wealthy family, and there are many fighting methods in the back house. She used to watch it on TV in novels.

Xiaodong also has pastime when he doesn't go out.

She can write.

Yes, it is writing.

Zhao Lu taught her, starting from the simplest words of heaven, earth and man. These are not very different from the characters of later generations, so Xiaodong will of course be able to learn them immediately.With such a face for the students, the teacher is naturally more motivated to teach. After only a few days of teaching, Zhao Lu suddenly found out that his sister had already learned hundreds of words, which was quite elated.Prince Zhao thought that his younger sister knew so many characters. On the one hand, of course his younger sister was a good embryo and smart.On the other hand, of course, he taught well and wonderfully, so that he can have such fruitful results.

Xiaodong is quick at recognizing characters, but not good at writing. To put it another way, it’s a pen that’s like a dragon——

It is curved horizontally, and curved vertically. Well, if you say it looks like a dragon and snake, it would be a bit wronged for the dragon and snake. Well, let's take away the earthworms.But no one cares.For such a small child, it is good to be able to read and write, and it is even rarer to be able to write. As for whether it looks good or bad, what does it matter?First of all, she is still young, just learning and practicing.Secondly, she is a woman, and she doesn't want to be the number one scholar to be a talented scholar, so who will criticize her for failing?
Zhao Lu was extremely complacent: "My younger sister is smart, just like me. In the future, she must be a very talented woman."

Xiaodong just laughed.

Even if she is smart, she is still like King An or her mother. Even if Zhao Lu is in line, she will not be able to get her turn.

But although Xiaodong can't write well, he can use top-grade paper and ink.The paper is high-quality green bamboo paper, and the ink is pine smoke ink made by Gongfang.At first, Xiaodong felt that her bad handwriting was ruining something good, but later she realized that this pen, ink, is also her duty as the princess.

This statute is not only the annual silver rice, clothes, and food, but also the paper, pen and ink.She even has one more share than Zhao Lu's: makeup and jewelry.

Although she is still young and does not need it, but the imperial court has stipulated that, it never said that because of her young age, the rice given to her will be discounted in half, and the rouge will be deducted and not given to this matter.

Not to mention that Xiaodong is the only daughter of King An, a princess who was officially born on a jade plate, and is favored, even if the distant branch clan that is so poor that it only receives ten taels of silver per month, the inner government will never detain him for this money. money.

The Hu family distributed her unneeded cosmetics to the Shen family sisters, but did not give away any of the palace flower hairpin rings.At first, Xiaodong wondered if she thought that makeup would expire if left unused, and it would be meaningless not to give it away, and hairpins and rings were more valuable, so she didn't give them away to relatives.

As a result, Tian Hongling talked to the little maid one day and she realized that these palace-made items can't be worn casually, and there are particulars about how and what they wear.Not to mention what you wear on your head, it is the same with what you wear on your body. You can embroider what you can and what you can't, even lace buttons.

When Xiaodong wrote, the cuffs of both hands were tied up to avoid dipping in ink.

"Come on, look, this is how you hold a pen...Here, hold it steady, come on, write a word first."

Xiaodong's movements were stiff, and he had never felt that a pen was so heavy.

A single stroke fell, twisted and twisted, like an ugly black bug crawling on the white paper.

Zhao Lu held back a smile: "Well, it's well written."

This is a vivid example of what it means to tell lies with your eyes open.

Xiaodong put down the pen, and Zhao Lu hurriedly smiled apologetically: "Really, the writing is really good. Come on, little sister, write another one."

"No more writing."

Really... Can she still write this one?It's just that I can't get used to this soft brush.

Xiao Tang, Zhao Lu's book boy who was rubbing ink beside him, said with a smile, "My son, after going to school for a while, will be able to become a master for our princess. This school is really not in vain."

Zhao Lu is usually kind to others, and the servants and maids around him are not afraid of him.On the other hand, Zhao Lu's wet nurse Qi, who was doing needlework nearby, raised her head to take a look, and Xiao Tang froze all of a sudden, his arrogance disappeared, and he lowered his head to grind the ink obediently.

Xiaodong pushed Zhao Lu's hand: "I can write by myself."

Zhao Lu smiled and stood aside with his hands folded: "Okay, my younger sister is the smartest, come on, write it."

Xiaodong also imagined how Zhao Lu taught her to hold a pen, but unfortunately the pen barrel is too slippery, too hard and too heavy—this is a set of elegant and luxurious jade pens, a box of five pens, a set of birthday gifts from someone I don’t know .

It looks good, but it's not as good as the cheap ones on the street for five cents and ten cents for writing.

Trembling, she made another stroke.This time it was much better than before, not like an earthworm—well, like a pole.

Zhao Lumei smiled and praised repeatedly: "Well written! It's so well written!"

Xiao Tang turned his face to the side. The son of the world is a smart talent who is praised by everyone, and he is both civil and military, but this kind of flattery and flattery is too bad. How fake is this praise... Even he can't listen to it go down.

Xiaodong put down the pen: "I won't write anymore."

"Okay, I won't write anymore. The sun is good today, let's go to the garden to play? Shall I accompany you to see the fish?" Anyway, Zhao Lu is not going to school today, and he has time to spend time with his sister at home.

Xiao Tang watched the prince take the princess out like a baby, looked at the pool of ink he had ground, and then looked at the luxurious jade pen that was written with two earthworms and a pole and was discarded, he was stunned for a while God, he quickly rolled up his sleeves and packed up the desk.

He had just rinsed the pen with which he had written. The water was so clear that there was no trace of ink, and someone was talking outside.

"Little Brother Tang, is the prince in the house?"

Xiao Tang put the jade pen into the box and replied, "Yes."

He opened the door and came out, and the person standing outside was Zhu Yong, the deputy steward of the inner courtyard.Zhu Yong is almost thirty, he is older than Xiao Tang by a lot, but he is politely called Brother Tang.

"The son is not here, I am going to accompany the princess to the back garden." Xiao Tang asked: "Guard Zhu, what's the matter?"

Zhu Yong said: "The two sons of General Luo's family have come and said they want to see the prince."

Xiao Tang asked strangely: "Young Master and the two of General Luo's family are not familiar. You can just nod your head in the school. What are they here for?"

Zhu Yong knew that although Xiao Tang was clever, he was still young and didn't quite understand what was going on here.King An is the emperor's younger brother, and he is highly trusted by the emperor. Others want to curry favor with him, but it's a pity that Prince An is cold-tempered and aloof.If you want to take the route of the inner house, even if the two concubines An have passed away, you won't be able to go.Of course we have to find another way.

"It's not a big deal, it's almost the end of the new year - I'm thinking, maybe there will be another daughter who wants to see the princess in two days."

Xiao Tang shook his head in disbelief: "The princess is still a child, what do other people see her doing?"

"Do you believe it or not? Let's make a bet if you don't believe me." Zhu Yong patted him on the shoulder: "What do you think the young lady of the Shen family is here for?"

Xiao Tang blinked, somewhat understanding, but he hadn't figured it out yet.

"Could it be that if you want them to come, you don't want others to come?" Zhu Yong said, "You can either go by yourself, or ask someone to pass on a message to tell the prince. None."

Xiao Tang agreed, he is not too old, so there is no need to shy away from it.

As he walked, he pondered all the way.

Of course he understood what Zhu Yong meant—it was such a blessing to be able to get in touch with the crown prince.Others don't talk about it, let's take Xiao Tang himself as an example. Who knew which green onion he was in the palace before?But because the elder son liked him when he was picking the book boy, he picked him because of his clever hands and feet. Now who in the mansion sees him and doesn't look smiling?

In the front is the crown prince and the princess, leading people to feed the fish on the pavilion.Xiao Tang lifted his spirits and quickened his pace to walk over.

Xiaodong raised his head, the two of them should have been feeding the fish just now, but for some reason, the mixed fish food scraps got on their faces.Xiao Tang hurriedly lowered his head: "My son, princess."

"Well, what's the matter?"

Zhao Lu raised his head, as expected, fish food was also on his face.

"The two sons of General Luo's family, Luo Xiao and Luo Wei, are begging to see the prince."

"Huh? Who?"

Zhao Lu couldn't blame him for not remembering, he had never talked to these two in school.Xiao Tang can't be rude as a book boy, he naturally remembers these two people, and the impression is quite deep.The two brothers have always been like one person, going in and out together, and they are tall and broad shoulders, the two brothers stand at the door, like a wall, not even the wind can pass through, nicknamed double door panels, even if Xiao Tang wants to Not impressed.

"It's just..." Xiao Tang lowered his voice, "Brother Door Ban..."

Zhao Lu suddenly realized: "It turned out to be them—but what are they here for?"

Xiao Tang thought about it, he must have come to hug your grandson's thick legs.But the words turned into: "I think it's because I got a day off from school, so I came to find the prince to play."

Zhao Lu said, "I'm not familiar with them."

Xiaodong asked curiously, "Brother door panel?"

Zhao Lu wanted to please his sister, and said with a smile: "These two brothers came from the general family. They are tall and thick, and their bodies are like door panels. They used to enter the door together, and people in the school saw them and said, 'There are two of you, why do you need a door leaf? ’, so they called them Brothers Door Panel later on, and they didn’t care.” He paused: “If my sister is curious, I’ll ask them to come in, and you can see me too.”

(End of this chapter)