Jia Heng and Chen Xiao returned to Ningguo Mansion in silence all the way. The winter nights were short and the nights were long. The lanterns in front of the porch had been hung high, and circles of red and yellow lights appeared under the stone eaves. light and shadow.
Chen Xiao's pure face was as cold as frost. He didn't speak the whole time. He sat down in the study and Jia Heng ordered Qingwen to prepare hot water.
Looking at the cold-faced and silent girl, Jia Heng felt a little funny for some reason. He came closer, took Chen Xiao's bare hand and said, "My Xiaoxiao is jealous again."
"Don't touch me." Chen Xiao gently shook off Jia Heng's hand and gave Jia Heng a cold look.
Jia Heng didn't take it seriously either. When he and Xiaoxiao first met, the two of them often competed in fists and kicks, and often got into fights. Now it's time to let him eat a big snow pear.
He picked up the teapot from the coffee table on the side, poured a cup of tea, and said softly: "In a few days, we will be far away from each other and never see each other again. It's okay to make trouble together. After all, they are pregnant with the child, so you think so." .”
With that said, he handed over the tea cup.
When Chen Xiao heard this, the anger in his heart seemed to dissipate a little. He looked at Jia Heng, reached for the tea cup, and took a sip.
Just now, she was left outside in the cold wind, but he was living a luxurious and luxurious life like an emperor inside.
Jia Heng took the girl's hand, held the smooth and tender catkins, rubbed them gently, and said, "Xiaoxiao, it's a little cold outside. Look, your hands are cold."
In the past, Chen Xiao could still be kept on guard, but now that the two of them have entered a period of passionate love to some extent, it will definitely not work to treat them like before.
Chen Xiao had nothing to do with the boy, but said with a cold face: "Even if they give birth to children in the future, they will only cause you more trouble, not less."
This enchanting concubine of the Zhen family is a nuisance to a pair of people, especially Zhen Qing, who is shameless, vicious and cruel. This kind of woman will be in trouble sooner or later.
Jia Heng looked at the girl and said softly: "There are some things that even if you know, you can't do anything about, you can't really ignore them. They are still pregnant with my two children, do you want me to cruelly leave them alone?"
Qingxue and Qingxue had an accident when they went south to Jinling, and they suddenly returned to Shenjing for the time being. Looking back on this journey of going south to patrol salt, organize the army, and fight against bandits, it was indeed a bit ridiculous and unseemly.
As Xiaoxiao said, it is easy to gradually lose your true heart in lust or power, but how can he criticize two women?
Chen Xiao's bright eyes under Liu Ye's eyebrows were focused, and he looked at the young man, as if he could sense the "sage's" thinking in his calm eyes. He pursed his pink lips, softened his tone, and said, "But try to minimize interactions. I Worried that you'll be in trouble if things get revealed."
Although the girl doesn't know about compromise and bowing in love, she can't bear to see Jia Heng in trouble.
Jia Heng said: "When I return to Shenjing this time, I will have less contact with you in the future. There is some trouble, but it is not fatal yet."
Of course there isn't much time left for him.
Chen Xiao looked at the young man and said softly: "I don't want to see you tightening your string too tightly."
"It's okay now. Besides, the two of them do things casually." Jia Heng nodded and said with a smile: "By the way, why didn't you advise me to be moderate when I was with you?"
It’s true that you’re not too promiscuous with me, but you just don’t have any restraint with others...double standards?
When Chen Xiao heard this, a blush of embarrassment appeared on his ice-skinned face, and he said angrily: "When will I be with you..."
As he spoke, he felt something strange in his heart. He snorted coldly, turned away and ignored Jia Heng.
Jia Heng looked at the girl whose features were similar to Xianning's cold but very different nature. He stopped teasing her and said softly: "I plan to meet the Zhen family tomorrow and see King Beijing in the evening. I will solve the last problem first and then go back." ”
Chen Xiao said no more, picked up the tea cup and took a sip.
She knew that with his temperament he was willing to tolerate her control just because he liked it.
As Jia Heng said at the beginning, "I just like you to control me."
Jia Heng didn't know at the beginning that the words he just said randomly would create a storm in the heart of a girl who had stood out from the crowd since she was a child and had a temperament as cold as snow.
At this moment, Qingwen's charming voice came from outside: "Sir, the hot water and clothes are ready."
Jia Heng looked at the girl and whispered, "I'm going to take a bath and have dinner together later."
After saying that, he got up and went to the side room. He washed away the greasy air and put on a colorful Su brocade robe. His temperament was relaxed and there was no sign of depression on his face.
In fact, the lack of restraint that Xiaoxiao mentioned does not exist at all for the energetic young people, because the youthful hormones that have nowhere to rest have no way to go.
Jia Heng came to the study room and looked up to see a girl who had changed into a green dress and had airy bangs. Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing a small section of white lotus root arm. She was placing dishes on the table. The candlelight on the small table not far away flickered and was bright.
"I just cooked a few dishes and a pot of wine. Would you like some?" Chen Xiao's voice was undoubtedly softer than before, and there seemed to be something different in his eyes.
Jia Heng saw that the girl's expression was sad and solemn, and his heart moved slightly. He walked closer, sat down, and whispered: "What's wrong today? Is it a special day?"
Chen Xiaoyurong was startled for a moment, then picked up the wine bottle and started pouring the wine.
Then, the voice that was as cold as gold and stone was slightly sad, and said softly: "My father died of illness ten years ago today in the Palace of Prince Zhou in Shenjing."
When Jia Heng heard this, his expression calmed down and he was silent for a moment. He reached out and held the girl's jade hand tightly, and whispered: "Xiaoxiao."
He should have remembered these special days before, which was really an oversight on his part.
The main reason was that the relevant information did not record the date of King Zhou's death, so he could not ask Xiaoxiao about the specific date of his death.
It seems that he really doesn't care enough about Xiaoxiao. In the past, he always treated her as a lookout.
Jia Heng was silent for a moment and said: "King Zhou was a hero in his life. Liaodong was defeated that year. If King Zhou hadn't sent troops to guard Xuan Mansion and tried his best to save the country, the situation would have been even more difficult to deal with. It's a pity that he died young."
Now no one knows, nor does Emperor Longzhi in Beijing remember that such a son passed away today.
Chen Xiao looked at the young man with a special meaning in his voice and said, "When my father passed away, he held my hand and said that he felt that he had no regrets in his life. The only thing he regretted was that he didn't have the chance to see me. Until I get married."
As the girl spoke, her face looked a little depressed, and her voice gradually became choked with sobs.
King Zhou only had a daughter, Chen Xiao, and he had no heirs. He raised Chen Xiao as a boy since he was a child, trained him in the art of riding and archery, and found military books for the girls to read. After Princess Zhou died young, she became both a father and a mother. .
Jia Heng sat closer, put his arms around Chen Xiao's shoulders, and hugged her tightly. Feeling the girl's loss, he whispered, "Xiao Xiao."
The girl wants him to be her man and wants to show it to her father today?
But I saw the girl pouring two glasses of wine. Her clear eyes under her willow eyebrows were as bright as the stars, and she seemed to be filled with tears. She said softly: "You and I will have a glass of wine."
He was destined to be unable to marry her in this life, and she didn't even know how to tell her father.
Jia Heng picked up the wine cup and met the girl's crystal eyes. Before the girl clinked her glasses, her eyes flickered and she said, "Wait a minute."
As he said that, he took the wine cup and passed it around the girl's bare hand. Amid the girl's confusion, he said, "That's it."
He wrapped his arms around the girl and made a gesture of offering a glass of wine. He chuckled and said, "This can be considered a marriage."
When Chen Xiao heard this, his eyes flashed and he looked at the young man. His heart skipped a beat and he lowered his head to drink the wine in the glass.
The two of them drank a glass of wine. Jia Heng looked at the girl's white jade cheeks that were already blushing with warm eyes. He stretched out his hands to hug the girl's slender shoulders tightly and said in a low voice: "Like you, I have been missing since I was a child. My father and mother haven’t seen me get married and start a business, and it’s been like this all these years.”
He still can't promise how Xiaoxiao will marry her in the future. Maybe he will be made a concubine after being granted the title of county prince?
Chen Xiao stared at the young man, his voice as cold as jade was filled with drunkenness, he raised his wine cup and had a drink with Jia Heng.
He is the same as her, but he doesn't know the hatred yet and doesn't have to bear it yet.
Jia Heng picked up the wine cup, took a sip, and looked into the bright starry eyes. The girl's melancholy mind was almost full of worries.
I don’t know how long it took for the two of us to drink one glass for you and one for me, and we didn’t know how many glasses of wine we drank.
At midnight, Jia Heng was lying on the study room with the drunk girl in his arms, looking at the cold and jade-like face.
The clear eyes under the willow-leaf slender eyebrows are quite like Xianning's, with a straight nose, slightly pink lips, a slightly cold lip line, and a sleeping face that is quiet and peaceful, like a tree swaying on a cliff in the cold wind. iceberg snow lotus.
Jia Heng was a little distracted for a while.
Xiaoxiao doesn't seem to have many friends. Compared to Jinyang and Xianning, who both have a group of relatives, such as the Queen Mother and Queen and Concubine Duanrong, Xiaoxiao's life experience is a bit more miserable.
Xiaoxiao's father and mother died young. Later, the uncle who he thought had adopted him turned out to be the enemy who killed his father. He had to leave the palace alone and wander around the world in search of revenge.
Having eaten Xiaoxiao's snow pear, he should be Xiaoxiao's only support.
The girl seemed to be a little cold in her sleep. She stretched out her hands to tighten her clothes. She unconsciously said in her sleep: "Cold, cold, father."
Hearing this, Jia Heng pulled the quilt folded at the end of the bed to cover the girl. After thinking about it, he took off the girl's embroidered shoes and took off her socks, revealing a pair of smooth and flawless feet.
The girl's feet were as white as jade, a little cold to the touch, and her toes were as slender as bamboo shoots and were not coated with any impatiens juice.
Seeing that the girl seemed to be cold in her dream, Jia Heng reluctantly put the jade feet in his hands into the quilt, covered him with the quilt, and looked at the drunken and red face, which looked like a red apple, which made people unable to help but Want to take a bite.
Jia Heng came forward and kissed the girl's beautiful cheek.
At this moment, the girl stretched out a hand and pulled Jia Heng's arm tightly. She was very strong and pulled her over at once. She was whispering softly in her sleep, and she didn't know what she was mumbling.
Jia Heng was a little helpless at this moment, so she could only be held by Chen Xiao, wiped off her shoes, got on the bed, lifted up the quilt with one hand to cover her, hugged the girl's soft and delicate body, which was filled with the smell of alcohol and wine, and fell asleep.
Nothing more to say all night.
The next morning, it was another sunny day, and the winter morning light fell on the ridge of the glazed tile roof, reflecting streaks of shining light.
The morning light shines through the window sill and is cut into a line of light and shadow by the curved and fine eyelashes. The sleeping girl opens her sleepy eyes and looks at the boy who is hugging her tightly. There is a slight surprise in her eyes. Between her eyebrows, she suddenly thinks of last night. Intermittent fragments.
At this moment, I was staring at the young man's sleeping face. From such a close distance, I could see the profile of his face, as white as jade, without any trace of the frivolity and unprovokedness of the past, and as calm as a lake.
Jia Heng also woke up at this time. The lake of clear shadows in his eyes seemed to reflect the girl's pure and beautiful appearance. He smiled and said: "Xiaoxiao, you're awake."
Facing that smiling face, Chen Xiao's cheeks as white as snow blushed slightly with embarrassment. He said softly "Hmm" and stood up. Seeing that the clothes on his body were still there and there was nothing strange about them, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. There's something weird in my heart.
No, she seemed to have forgotten about it just now.
"I drank some wine last night." Jia Heng paused slightly, looked at the bright and beautiful girl, and said softly.
Last night was the death anniversary of King Zhou, and he would never touch Xiaoxiao no matter what.
Chen Xiao turned around, his jade cheeks still flushed with the flush from yesterday's drunkenness, and said in surprise: "Did I sleep with you in my arms last night?"
Jia Heng said softly: "We are a couple who have had a drink together. What's the fuss about sleeping together?"
Chen Xiao's icy face turned slightly red. He snorted coldly and stood up. Suddenly he found that his shoes and socks were gone, and he was slightly shocked.
I seemed to vaguely remember him taking off my shoes last night, but then it seemed...
Jia Heng also slowly got up and said, "I'm going to take a shower later. I smell like alcohol."
With that said, he ordered the maids and nannies outside to come over and change the dishes, cups, bowls, chopsticks and plates on the table.
Chen Xiao raised his eyes and looked at the busy young man, his face was startled, and a warm current surged in his heart.
Jia Heng said: "Get up and have breakfast together."
When all the golden hairpins in Ningguo Mansion stay together, it is not always the case that everyone eats and talks together.
That is to say, Jia Heng will have lunch or dinner together when he comes back from the Yamen.
After having breakfast with Chen Xiao, Jia Heng walked to the wing where Zhen Xi was. At this moment, the two sisters Zhen Lan and Zhen Xi were also having breakfast.
Zhen Xi looked at the young man with some surprise. Her bright and graceful brows were full of joy, and she said softly: "Brother Heng, are you here?"
Jia Heng nodded, looked at Zhen Xi, and said softly: "Come here to see you. I'll invite your uncle and the others to have lunch at Zhenfu Department at noon. Are you going? You're going back to Beijing in a few days. Let's go see you. Your father."
Zhen Xi nodded and agreed, "Brother Heng, I'll go."
Jia Heng said softly: "I will send someone to pick you up at noon."
Zhen Lan was sitting not far away at the moment. She had just had breakfast, sipping the fragrant tea, wiping the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief. After hearing this, she cast a pair of narrow, clear eyes at the young man and said softly: "Brother Heng, I’ll go too.”
Jia Heng nodded and said, "Well, we may not be able to see you during the Chinese New Year."
It was understandable that Zhen Xi followed him to Ning Guo Mansion, but Zhen Lan felt a little weird when Zhen Qing and Zhen Xue were both in Jiangnan.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with sitting at my brother-in-law's house.
Zhen Lan nodded in agreement.
She went to Beijing this time to revive the Zhen family's reputation.
Jia Heng then stayed in the mansion for a while. At midday, he prepared a carriage for Zhen Lan and Zhen Xi to ride on. Then, accompanied by the retinue of Jinyi Mansion Guards, he headed towards Jinyi Mansion Town Fusi.
Winter is approaching, and the climate is getting colder. Although the southern country is not experiencing the worst of winter, being in the imperial prison, like being in a cold cave, is almost bone-chillingly cold.
Because of Jia Heng's instructions, the executioners in the prison prepared several pairs of extra quilts for Zhen Yingjia and others, and also prepared coal stoves for heating.
Zhen Yingjia, Zhen Shao, Zhen Xuan, Zhen Zhu and others, under the leadership of several Jinyi guards, entered a warm, spring-like, spacious and elegant wing.
On a round table of lacquered wood on a wool carpet, there are cups, bowls, chopsticks and plates, filled with dishes, all delicious and delicious.
Jia Heng looked at Zhen Yingjia and said, "Shibo, how are you these days?"
After all, his two daughters have followed him, so they have to be nice to others.
Hmm, no, if Zhen Xi is added, it seems to be three?
Zhen Yingjia looked at the young man in python suit opposite, with a complex look on his haggard and old face, and called out: "Zi Yu."
In just over half a month, Zhen Yingjia, the former president of Jinling Tirenyuan, has already become weathered, with sunken cheeks, and seems to have aged by more than ten years.
Zhen Shao was also wearing prison uniform at this moment, and his eyes under his broken eyebrows were looking at the young man firmly. His eyes were a little firmer on his old face that was originally covered with ravines.
Zhen Xuan and Zhen Zhu looked at the boy in the python suit with complicated expressions.
When Jia Heng went south to Jinling, he went to the Zhen family, but it didn't take long before things had changed.
Jia Heng said: "Shibo, these uncles are sitting down to talk. They will be returning to Beijing in a few days. Sisters Xi'er and Lan'er want to come over and see Shibo and his uncles."
At this time, Zhen Lan took Zhen Xi's hand and slowly walked out from a splendid mountain and river screen behind the bead curtain. She came closer and saluted Zhen Yingjia, Zhen Shao, Zhen Xuan and Zhen Zhu.
Zhen Yingjia looked at the two of them, then glanced at Jia Heng, and said in surprise: "Ziyu, Lan Yatou is going to Beijing too?"
Among the four sisters of Qingxue Lanxi in the Zhen family, Zhen Yingjia also valued Lan Yatou, whose temperament was somewhat like her eldest daughter. If the Zhen family had not already given birth to two princesses, she would have used some of them when the kings of Wei and Liang opened their houses. strength.
But now it is understandable that Zhen Xi follows Jia Heng to the capital, but could Zhen Lan also...
Yes, the Zhen family is no longer what it used to be. Previously, the Fang family even canceled Lan Yatou's marriage. If she married Zi Yu, maybe things could turn around for the Zhen family?
Zhen Yingjia's heart moved slightly. The Fang family broke off the engagement earlier, and Zi Yu took care of the Fang family. He paid attention to it because he couldn't help it.
Zhen Xuan frowned, looked at his daughter, and asked, "Lan'er, are you going to Beijing too?"
Zhen Lan had a look of determination on her pretty face, and said: "Father, uncle, my sister is going to Beijing alone, and there are two lives in the world. I want to go to Jingli to take care of my sister Xi'er. I discussed this with my eldest sister before. , and she agreed, saying it would be good to go to Beijing to see the world."
Zhen Xuan was speechless for a moment and said, "Since your eldest sister said so, I might as well go to Beijing."
In Southern Province, there should be no good family who is willing to marry their daughter and go to Beijing. If she can find a good family, she can take care of the family in the future.
Zhen Zhu glanced at Zhen Xi, who had soft features, and sighed in his heart, but didn't say anything.
Hearing this, Zhen Xuan looked at his daughter, his lips moved, and he turned his gaze to Jia Heng and said, "Zi Yu, I only have this daughter, Lan'er. She went to Beijing, so you should take more care of her."
Jia Heng said softly: "Don't worry, Shibo."
The two brothers Zhen Yingjia and Zhen Xuan also suppressed the mixed feelings in their hearts for the time being and ignored the matter.
Zhen Yingjia said worriedly: "Zi Yu, there is no news about the Holy Emperor in Beijing now. Now that China and the outside world are isolated, I don't know whether it is a disaster or a blessing."
Every day in the imperial prison was a day of suffering, and Emperor Chongping didn't know what to think. He still had no intention of dealing with the Zhen family.
Jia Heng said: "Shibo, no news is good news. Recently, the Jinyi Mansion and the House of Internal Affairs will jointly submit a memorial. When I go back, I will also express my love to the Holy One. The Holy One has a magnificent temperament. I saw Shibo and he served you respectfully some time ago. , The loss shouldn’t be too severe.”
Zhen Yingjia nodded and sighed: "The deficit in the Weaving Bureau over the years was not our intention. Although it is less than 20-30% of the deficit, we have exhausted all our family wealth."
Then, Jia Heng nodded, expressed comfort, and had lunch with Zhen Yingjia and others, while Zhen Lan and Zhen Xi picked up the teapot and poured wine for their elders.
A banquet ended at noon.
(End of chapter)
