The main courtyard of Duke Jingguo's Mansion is different from the West Courtyard and Fu Mansion. The Fu Mansion is planted with tall pines and cypresses, and even in winter, there is always green.
Fang loved luxury, so she ordered crabapple trees, pomegranate trees, etc., which symbolized wealth and prosperity, to be planted in the main courtyard. In spring and summer, the branches were full of flowers, and in autumn they were full of fruits. It was really pleasing to look at.
It's just that when winter comes, it's bare, with no pines or cypresses that look alive.
Through these bare branches, Liu Zimo saw the silhouette of a pavilion not far away.
The flower-green cloak followed the woman's movements, revealing the sky-colored dress underneath, with wide and fluttering sleeves that made her wrists white and delicate.
Further up, her skin was as white as snow, her brows were white and her teeth were white. At this moment, the woman didn't know what she heard, and she showed a pleasant smile, as if the snow lotus suddenly bloomed in this desolate winter, so noble that people dare not look directly at it.
Suddenly, the woman turned her head and looked here, a pair of clear eyes turning to the stream of light. Liu Zimo was so shocked that he couldn't help but take a step to the side, using the trees in front to block his figure.
With this step, he almost lost an ear. A short arrow sank deeply into the tree trunk in front of him, making a clanging sound. A flying bird was frightened and flew away.
He raised his hand and touched his right ear, gently squeezing it with his fingertips, feeling a little sticky.
"Hey! Why didn't you tell me in advance if you were going to move? I almost accidentally hurt you!"
Lu Jiuchen was holding a crossbow in his hand, with no sign of remorse on his face, but some dissatisfaction.
He stepped forward and pulled out the short arrow that had sunk more than an inch into the tree trunk, and said regretfully: "If you hadn't suddenly taken such a step this way, that bird would have been my dinner! Oh, what a bad luck!"
The young man next to Liu Zimo saw that his master was injured. Instead of apologizing, the young prince blamed him. Just as he was about to speak, Liu Zimo stopped him with his eyes and bowed to Lu Jiuchen: "I really don't know that the young prince is hunting in the Duke of Jingguo's mansion and disturbing the young prince. Don’t blame the young prince for his elegance."
Lu Jiuchen didn't seem to hear the sarcasm in his words, and waved his hand nonchalantly: "Forget it, it's just a bird."
Liu Zimo frowned slightly.
While wiping his crossbow, Lu Jiuchen said casually: "But you may think it's strange. In previous years, we didn't see so many beasts in the capital. But this year is better. Not only are there a lot of birds, but there are also a lot of bird people."
A cold light flashed in Liu Zimo's eyes, and he said with a smile: "Since the young prince likes hunting, I will have the opportunity to accompany the young prince to the Western Mountains someday and enjoy myself."
Lu Jiuchen hurriedly shook his head: "No, no, no, let's forget it. I still know how much I weigh, so I don't want to catch the prey when the time comes and I end up falling into the belly of the beast. It's not worth the loss."
Liu Zimo said: "Young prince is so humble. You are now the commander in front of the palace. How can you belittle yourself?"
Lu Jiuchen looked at him strangely and corrected: "The deputy!"
Liu Zimo was stunned for a moment, then smiled and shook his head.
Lu Jiuchen suddenly leaned over. Liu Zimo was about to retreat instinctively, but when he realized it, he didn't move and listened to him: "Do you know what others say about me? I say that I am uneducated and incompetent, and rely on my uncle to show off my power. But I don't. Got it, why can’t you rely on it? Some people still rely on a woman’s support to get back to the capital, so that’s nothing. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant Liu? "
After Liu Zimo returned to Beijing, his position was Chengmen school captain, fourth grade.
Liu Zimo lowered his eyes, but his attitude was still respectful: "Yes, the young prince said it is. In that case, I still have something to do, so go ahead and treat the young prince to a drink another day."
"It's easy to say, easy to say, but remember, I can't drink any wine."
Lu Jiuchen patted his shoulder lightly.
Liu Zimo saluted and left, then turned around and immediately changed his face. The boy beside him didn't dare to say anything.
Lu Jiuchen also put away the cynicism on his face, lowered his head and fiddled with the crossbow in his hand, and raised the corners of his lips: "Come out."
A figure slowly walked out from the corner, with a lazy posture, like a lion patrolling its territory.
"See? This kid has grown a lot."
Lu Jiuchen raised his head and looked at the direction Liu Zimo left and said, "I remember he was not so good-tempered when I was a child. Once I just bumped into him accidentally, and this black-hearted guy took advantage of being a few years older than me and took advantage of no one." Block me in the alley and beat me up."
Now that I think about it, I still feel panicked.
Fu Jinan glanced at him lightly and said, "Accidentally bumped into him? How come I heard that you roasted and ate one of his beloved hunting dogs, and then asked someone to pour smelly water into the backyard of Kanglehou Mansion? Is that possible? Did I remember it wrong?"
Lu Jiuchen jumped up with a cry: "Who are you with? Why did I kill his dog? Didn't he eat Yuanyuan's favorite rabbit? Also, if I can beat him, Do I need to use such despicable methods? Let me tell you, thanks to him running so fast, if he is still in the capital, I guarantee that he will not survive this long!"
Fu Jinan sighed: "Do you think that with your little tricks, the Kanglehou Mansion can't find you? Do you think Concubine Liu is a vegetarian?"
Lu Jiuchen touched the tip of his nose coquettishly: "I know, you have been wiping my butt for so many years, thank you!"
Fu Jinan glared at him with disgust, but he still reminded him: "Be careful lately. If you leave it alone for a long time, it will become a little wild."
"Haha, yes!"
Lu Jiuchen laughed heartily.
Fu Jinan stood where Liu Zimo had just stood and looked.
Luo Ran felt a line of sight behind her, but she just turned around and saw nothing. When she turned back again, she vaguely saw a familiar figure.
Yue Wanhe and Shen Xiqing also looked over, and they looked at each other and smiled: "Okay, you go and do your work quickly, you don't have to accompany us."
Luo Ran did have something else to do, but he didn't explain it. He told Shen Xiqing to eat less, rest when she was tired, etc., and then left.
"How did you come?"
Luo Ran asked as he watched Lu Jiuchen leave.
Fu Jin'an raised his hand and tucked the broken hair on her forehead behind her ears, and said softly: "It's okay, just take a walk. Why are you here outside?"
Luo Ran looked back and said with a smile: "That pavilion belongs to the inner courtyard."
Fu Jinan shook his head helplessly: "Okay, you are right."
Seeing that he was fine, Luo Ran said, "By the way, the fourth sister-in-law just made an appointment with me and said that she got some good things. If you are fine, then I will go."
Fu Jinan: "Okay."
Seeing that he understood, Luo Ran smiled slightly.
After watching Luo Ran leave, he put away his smile and told Changying: "Go and find out what Fu Shikun has been doing recently."
Changying: "Yes."
-
Luo Ran had just walked not far away when Chun Yu, who had not seen his shadow, came back with a smile on his face.
There were busy servants passing by, but Luo Ran didn't ask.
When they got to a quiet place, without waiting for the master to ask, Chunyu said: "Madam, I just went to inquire about it. Several maids and women in the house who know many people said that the fourth lady has been very generous recently. I haven't done anything yet." During the Chinese New Year, I heard that the shopkeepers of the jewelry shop and the cloth shop have come several times, and the fourth lady has not been dressing the same recently. Everyone also joked that the fourth master has dug up treasures outside and made a fortune. "
"Isn't that Fourth Master Fu Shikun helping the Duke's Mansion with the general affairs?"
Luo Ran asked.
Chun Yu said: "That's only part of it. I heard that Fourth Master has his own business outside, but he was just afraid that Duke Guo would be unhappy, so he didn't say anything. But these are things that everyone knows well. Duke Guo's government has to support itself. How much effort can it bring to them as a side branch?"
