Bianjing always looks orderly and bustling. Cao Bin's carriage passed through the streets with people coming and going, and soon returned to the Zhongjing Hou Mansion.
At this time, the blazing sun had begun to set in the west, leaving Bian Jingcheng to be steamed and roasted for a whole day.
Several women in the Hou family were cooling off in the shade of the back garden.
Cao Bin changed out of his official uniform and put on a cool silk Taoist robe. As soon as he sat down next to Pang Yanyan, who was already pregnant, his daughter, who was less than two years old, struggled out of the nanny's arms and shouted with her short legs:
"Daddy hugs..."
Cao Bin lifted her up, and the little girl suddenly giggled.
Pang Yanyan watched him teasing her daughter with a smile on her face, her beautiful hands gently stroking her bulging belly, her eyes full of anticipation, while Li Shishi and others were talking about the little girl's interesting things.
At this moment, the little maid at the garden gate suddenly said:
"Master Hou, Princess Zhaoyang has arrived."
Cao Bin was a little depressed when he heard this. What a good guy, he escaped from Li Qingzhao but didn't escape her. He actually came to his own home and regretted leaving a back door for her.
You won't cause trouble for yourself, right?
Although he was shameless, he still wanted to save face in front of women. He took advantage of others' danger to bring her niece into his house, which made him feel a little guilty.
Cao Bin was about to hand the little girl to Du Shiniang and go out to hide. The little girl in his hand suddenly released a line of clear water and drenched Cao Bin.
He looked a little depressed at the innocent little girl and said speechlessly:
"Did you do this on purpose, you stinky girl?"
The little girl tilted her head and looked at him for a while, pursed her lips, tears were brewing in her eyes, and her big eyes were full of grievances.
Cao Bin felt distressed when he saw this, and was about to comfort her, but Du Shiniang hugged her and stopped her:
"Cao Lang, don't pay attention to her. This damn girl is used to pretending to be pitiful, but she can't be too arrogant."
Seeing her mother looking at her with a bluffing face, the little girl immediately shrank her neck and quickly covered her eyes with her hands, pretending to be covering her ears, which made the other girls laugh wildly.
"This ghost girl is afraid of her own mother."
Cao Bin was not too surprised when he saw this. This daughter was loved by the whole family, but Du Shiniang never treated her with kindness.
And because of Du Shiniang's physical condition, she had no milk since giving birth to a daughter, and rarely took her for a long time, so she was quite dignified in front of her.
At this time, Princess Zhaoyang had already walked into the garden with the female officer. Seeing the scene in front of her, a trace of imperceptible envy flashed in her eyes.
Pang Yanyan stopped laughing and hurriedly stood up and said:
"Husband, go and change quickly. Yanyan will greet the princess first."
Although she roughly knew that Princess Zhaoyang was having an affair with Cao Bin, the national ceremony could not be ambiguous, so she wanted to get up to greet her.
Princess Zhaoyang heard this and hurriedly stepped forward to press her down and said:
"We are all our own people, and Yanyan is pregnant, so there is no need to be polite."
After saying that, he smiled awkwardly and looked at Zhao Fujin who was standing aside and saluting stupidly, feeling a little helpless.
"I am here this time, firstly to visit Yanyan, and secondly to visit Fujin."
After saying that, he looked at Cao Bin and said with a playful smile:
"Marquis Zhongjing won't welcome you, right?"
What can Cao Bin say? Of course you are welcome.
She just secretly warned that if she made a request, she would never let go. The worst she could do was to give Zhao Fujin back. Whether she can still get married or not is none of her business.
After getting a satisfactory answer, Princess Zhaoyang was not too embarrassed. She was very affectionate to Cao Bin's wives and concubines. There was also a little girl who enlivened the atmosphere at the dinner, which was quite enjoyable.
Soon it was dinner time, and the banquet was held in the garden of the Hou Mansion.
At this time, Zhao Fujin looked at the brightly lit banquet and the lush vegetation, and suddenly plucked up the courage and asked expectantly:
"Master Marquis, Fu Jin wants to draw a picture of the banquet. Can you... give me some advice?"
Princess Zhaoyang saw that her niece was full of expectations and respect for Cao Bin, and she couldn't help but want to touch her forehead.
This niece was so crazy that she was sent to the Zhongjing Hou Mansion by her father. Instead of thinking about her own future, she became like a fish in water. All she wanted to do was let Cao Bin teach her painting skills.
After the banquet, Princess Zhaoyang got the chance to talk to Cao Bin alone.
In the backyard study.
Except for the female officer guarding the door, only Cao Bin and Princess Zhaoyang were left.
At this time, Princess Zhaoyang was already a little tipsy. She lay on the couch and said unconsciously:
"How does Cao Lang plan to arrange Fu Jin?"
Cao Bin was about to pretend again, but was interrupted by Princess Zhaoyang:
"Cao Lang will take her as his concubine, right?"
Hearing this, Cao Bin was stunned for a moment. Before he could react, he heard Princess Zhaoyang continue:
"Now that I think about it, I am troublesome. Sometimes having a high status is not necessarily a good thing."
"I like the current relationship and atmosphere of Cao Lang's family very much, and I can't bear to destroy it. This is also Cao Lang's idea..."
As she spoke, she sighed:
"Speaking of which, with my brother's current situation, it is impossible for Fu Jin to marry into a wealthy family."
"Besides, even if you are a wealthy family, which family can compare with Cao Lang's?"
Then, she said with some sadness:
"Even I envy your concubines, but it's a pity that I don't have the courage, nor the blessing..."
Cao Bin understood her thoughts. After all, she was also a serious royal princess and the late emperor's sister, but she still had a lot of identity baggage in her heart.
There are many precedents for cheating in history. Even if someone said she was dissolute, they would instinctively put her in a position of strength. However, she could not let go of her status as a husband with other women, and her status did not allow her to do so.
"Is there such a good thing?"
Cao Bin originally thought that Princess Zhaoyang was here to cause trouble for him, but unexpectedly she came to be a "pimp".
Just as he was enjoying himself, he didn't expect that Princess Zhaoyang suddenly stretched out her slender fingers, grabbed his handle, pulled him directly to the couch, and wrapped her charming eyes around her:
"Don't be overly fond of the new. Give me a child first, and then you can go find Fu Jin..."
Cao Bin was so aroused by her that he rolled his eyes and feigned anger:
"It's too much for you to be jealous of your niece. Let's go and let her comment."
With that said, he picked her up, lifted her feet and walked out.
Seeing this posture, Princess Zhaoyang panicked and said hurriedly:
"What are you going to do? Put me down quickly, I won't go..."
Her personal female officer was listening to the commotion in the house and calculating the time for rescue. At this time, she saw the door suddenly opened. Cao Bin carried Princess Zhaoyang and walked towards Zhao Fujin's residence. Without thinking about it, she hurriedly carried the Robe chased after him.
In the west courtyard hall, Zhao Fujin was holding the "Night Banquet Picture" and pondering it carefully under the candle. When he saw Cao Bin bursting in with Princess Zhaoyang in his arms, he was stunned and immediately blushed with embarrassment.
At this moment, Cao Bin suddenly greeted:
"Fujin, come and help, let's fight the landlord together."
Zhao Fujin hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly put away the "Night Banquet Picture" and hurried forward with a blushing face...
Seeing Zhao Fujin obeying Cao Bin's words, Princess Zhaoyang was speechless and ashamed and angry. Is this silly girl too obedient and skilled? Have you practiced?
In Luoyang City at this time.
A slender middle-aged man in civilian clothes rode a donkey to the door of a garden. Regardless of the darkness of the night, he knocked on the door knocker and said:
"Go and inform your Lord Sima that Wang Anshi, our old friend from Jiangnan, is visiting!"
