On the way back to the courtyard, Shanshan let her mother hold her in her arms. The maid next to her was still reciting the rules and etiquette. She frowned, covered her ears, and buried her head in her mother's arms.
Wen Yiqing held her daughter firmly. The maid next to her wanted to say something. She glanced over and the maid closed her mouth.
"Mom, I don't like Third Auntie." Shanshan said gloomily, "She bullies you."
Wen Yiqing laughed and said, "Why did she bully me?"
It’s hard to say whether it’s good or good. But she had just seen everything with her eyes. Although her little brain couldn't think clearly, she could still detect that the third aunt had evil intentions. In the past, when we were still in Yun City, the uncles and uncles in the clan were always like this, gesticulating in their family's affairs. Wei Niang loved Shan Shan and doted on Shan Shan.
Shanshan also couldn't understand why her mother bought her a mirror. What did it have to do with her third aunt?
There is also my cousin. If she wants to play with the mirror, just tell her and she will be happy to share her toys with her cousin. But her cousin didn't say anything, but she was still angry with her.
Shanshan said unhappily: "I don't like them!"
Wen Yiqing responded calmly: "Okay, I won't play with them next time."
Back in the small courtyard, Shitou had finished practicing Chinese characters and was continuing to work on the unfinished swing under the tree. Shanshan squatted next to him and watched him flatten the wood and use the wooden boards to build a seat. It was also his first time to do carpentry. He was thinking about it while doing it, and the progress was slow.
Shanshan looked at it and thought about it for a long time. Finally, he held his fleshy chin and announced with a serious face: "From today on, I will never go to Zhenbaozhai again."
As soon as the words came out, everyone in the courtyard looked sideways.
The wet nurse was the first to sigh and said with a smile: "Sister Shan, there are so many rare things in Zhenbaozhai, and you can't find another one even in the capital. Are you really going to never go there again?"
Shanshan nodded solemnly: "I'm not going."
Except for Stone, no one in the yard believed her. The little girl was raised to be squeamish. She needed to be coaxed when writing and hugged when walking. She had no self-control at all. Even if she put down her harsh words this time and walked back through the gate of Zhenbaozhai, her calves immediately became unable to move. He walked inside without looking back.
But this time Shanshan was serious: "The things in Zhenbaozhai are too expensive."
Wen Yiqing and the nanny looked at each other and saw something strange in each other's eyes.
The little girl usually buys things not based on whether they are expensive or not, but only because she likes them, and she doesn’t even know the price. Anyway, her family is used to it, so now she thinks it’s too expensive?
Shanshan had his own reasons, "My third sister-in-law bullied my mother because the mirror I bought was expensive. We don't have a shop in the capital, and my mother can't make any money. I have to support so many people, so I have to save money for my mother." money."
Wen Yiqing paused and said hurriedly: "Shan Shan, there is no shortage of money in the family."
"Then why does the third aunt say that my mother is not good?"
Wen Yiqing choked.
There are many things that adults can see clearly, but they don't say anything, but they have other concerns in their hearts, but children are not clear about it.
Shanshan only knew that the third aunt bullied her mother because she bought a mirror. If she didn't go to Zhenbao Zhai, then the third aunt would not bully her mother. Shan Shan Ke couldn't bear the thought of her mother being bullied.
Besides, the things in Zhenbaozhai were not as interesting to her as the swing made by Brother Shitou.
By dusk, the stone swing was finally ready. Shanshan climbed up. The seat was neither too big nor too small, and it was just right for her to sit on. She sat firmly, and the stone pushed gently from behind. With his strong strength, the swing began to swing, and Shanshan seemed to be flying. The gentle evening breeze blew over her face, and she laughed happily, branching out. The bird on her head was also frightened away by her, flapping its wings.
The remaining wood was not wasted. When Shanshan got tired of playing, Shitou picked up a piece of wood from the ground and slowly started carving it with a knife. Shanshan sat next to him and watched. The sharp blade was manipulated very flexibly in his hand, and in a moment he carved out a human-shaped outline on the wood.
Shanshan asked curiously: "Brother Shitou, who is this?"
"It's you."
Shanshan looked again and saw that Stone was holding a knife and carving the little wooden man's head carefully for a moment, and the little man had two little knots on his head that were exactly the same as Shanshan's.
She said "Wow" and her eyes lit up.
But it was much more difficult to carve a wooden figurine than a swing. It was not until the sky turned dark and the courtyards of Uncle Zhongyong's Mansion began to rest one after another that Shanshan saw his eyelids fighting, and the wooden figurine in his hand had just taken a prototype.
Wen Yiqing took her to sleep and covered her with a quilt. The little girl closed her eyes and was still muttering: "...I want Brother Shitou to carve another mother, himself, and a nanny. Sister Xi'er..." she counted a long list of names, "...this is how we become a family."
Wen Yiqing smiled, brushed the soft hair from her forehead to the side, and kissed her softly.
In the days that followed, Shanshan didn't go anywhere, and he no longer pestered his mother to take him out. He only followed the stone to be his little tail, watching the little man in his hand take on a new look every day. More and more like myself every day.
A few days later, the little wooden man was finally ready.
Wen Yiqing polished the ink and used a thin brush to color the wood. She wore a pink peach blossom-like flower on her head, smiling eyes on her round cheeks, and even drew a flower on her clothes. A vivid little goldfish!
Shanshan didn't remember the treasure house. She didn't like the Western mirror she just got. She emptied her little goldfish money bag and put the wooden Shanshan in it. She took it with her wherever she went, even when she slept. He didn't let go, holding it and getting into his mother's arms.
Uncle Zhongyong's house is very big. Usually when Shitou and his mother are not free, Shanshan will walk to other people. Except for the third aunt and cousin Qing, everyone else is very friendly to Shanshan. She especially loved to go to the eldest lady, who would give her delicious snacks every time.
On this day, there were no classes in the school, and my mother was teaching Shi Shi to read. Shanshan got tired of playing on the swing, looked around, went back to the house, put on his little goldfish purse, said hello to his mother, and went out for a walk in the yard. went.
Wen Yiqing responded without raising his head. As long as you don't leave the uncle's house, nothing will happen at home.
Shanshan stood at the fork in the road and thought for a long time.
Are you going to your second aunt's place to play with your cousin today? Or should I go to my aunt's place to eat delicious snacks?
The snacks made by my aunt are particularly delicious, but when I went there yesterday, my cousin was busy studying again, and there seemed to be a lot of homework in the school.
Before she could figure out the reason, a large shadow suddenly cast in front of her eyes, "Shan Shan?"
Shanshan raised her head, and in front of her was a gentle and handsome young man, looking at her with a smile. Shanshan's eyes lit up and he shouted happily: "Big cousin!"
"Qi Yun, when did you get a younger sister?"
Shanshan followed the sound and looked. There was a man standing next to the eldest cousin, who was about the same age as him. He was dressed in rich clothes and looked handsome.
Qi Yun introduced: "This is my cousin, who just came to live in my house recently."
He paused and hesitated, not knowing how to introduce this person to Shanshan.
Behind the young man were several guards. Although they did not carry swords, they were muscular and tall. Their eyes were as sharp as hawks, and they quietly observed the dangers lurking around them.
The young man said: "It doesn't matter."
Qi Yuncai said: "This is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Shanshan was stunned for a moment.
She raised her head and looked at the person in front of her with her mouth wide open. Even though she was still a child and didn't understand the power of the Bofu and the Houfu, she still knew who the prince was. That is the emperor's son, and the emperor is the most powerful person in the world!
The prince was also looking down at the little girl in front of him. She is fair and tender, with chubby cheeks, and a soft and cute appearance. She is carrying a bag that looks like a little goldfish on her back in a childish way. A little wooden man's head pops out of the bag. Look carefully, you can see the little wooden man's head. There are two small ones on it, with beads and flowers, exactly the same as the little girl's dress.
Her eyes were clear and round, looking at herself unblinkingly. The prince smiled kindly at her.
I don’t know why, but I felt close to him at first sight.
Shanshan's eyes were bright and she smiled at him, revealing two sweet little pear dimples on her cheeks.
Qi Yun reminded: "Shanshan, when you see His Highness, you must bow."
My mother taught me this. She was slow for a moment, and just as she was about to kneel down, she heard the prince say: "It's okay, no need to be polite."
Shan Shan stood up straight again.
The prince asked her: "What is your name? Which family do you belong to?"
Shanshan: "My name is Wen Shan, and this is my home."
The prince laughed.
The inexplicable feeling of closeness in his heart was inexplicable. He originally came to see his friends, but now he had the patience to tease children.
The prince asked again: "What are you doing standing here?"
Shanshan said truthfully: "I'm thinking about where to go."
"Have you figured it out?"
"Not yet." Shanshan glanced at Qi Yun and sighed in disappointment: "My eldest cousin doesn't have class today. I could have played with him, but he has a guest today, so he can't play with me."
Qi Yun was sweating coldly at the side. Just as he was about to accuse him, the prince raised his hand to stop him. He said amusingly: "It was Gu who came to find Qi Yun and robbed your eldest cousin. Then it was Gu's fault?"
Shanshan said generously: "It doesn't matter."
The same goes for my mother, who doesn't take care of her when there are guests at home. Shanshan has long been accustomed to it.
"I can also go and play with my cousin."
After that, she waved goodbye to her eldest cousin, took her little wooden man, and waddled away.
Qi Yun said hurriedly: "Your Highness, don't be surprised. My cousin is young and doesn't understand etiquette yet."
The prince's eyes followed the little figure as it disappeared around the corner. He did not feel angry, but became more and more curious: "Is this your cousin? I remember that Mrs. Xuanping Hou gave birth to a pair of twins, and they were not her."
"Yes, I got it recently." Qi Yun said vaguely.
The prince glanced at him and knew it was a family matter, so he didn't ask any more questions.
Although the two are monarchs and ministers, they are also good friends. They are classmates in the same class at Qingsong Academy. The prince's visit today was just to discuss knowledge with him. Yesterday, when the school was over, my husband raised a difficult problem. The prince thought about it all night and couldn't figure it out, so he came to discuss it with him.
Qi Yun was also troubled by this. The two of them stayed in the study room for most of the day, counting ancient books, before they finally came up with an idea.
"Mr. He is indeed the number one scholar. Even my father has praised his knowledge." The prince sighed: "I thought he was young at first, but I underestimated him."
Qi Yun nodded in agreement. He looked out the window and saw that the sky outside was turning yellow. He couldn't help but feel annoyed: "Why is it this time?"
They were so absorbed in their discussion that they lost track of time.
Qi Yun did not dare to delay and hurriedly sent people out of the house and back to the palace.
After immersing himself in books for half a day, his mind was filled with all sorts of things. The prince had completely forgotten about the little girl he met on the road. Unexpectedly, on the way out of the uncle's house, I met the child carrying the little wooden man again.
At this moment, she was sitting on a stone by the pool, her feet dangling on the surface of the lake, holding a piece of snack in her hand, breaking it into pieces and throwing it into the water. Groups of golden and red carps gathered under her feet, open and wide. The mouth grabs food.
The prince was about to leave the mansion, but somehow he turned on his toes and walked straight that way.
The words rolled around on the tip of her tongue, and when she spoke, she suddenly thought of the nickname her older cousin called her, and she opened her mouth and said, "Shan Shan."
Qi Yun looked surprised.
The sound came suddenly, startling Shanshan who was in a daze. His little body suddenly jumped up, and he couldn't even hold on to the snack in his hand. The whole piece fell into the water with a plop, and he almost fell into it. Fortunately, a hand suddenly stretched out from behind, grabbed her back collar, and pulled her back with force.
Shan Shan raised his head in confusion and met the prince's frightened face.
"Why are you sitting here? The rocks beside the water are slippery. If I hadn't caught you, you would have fallen." The prince frowned and said sternly: "Where is the maid next to you? Why aren't you looking at you?"
Shanshan Shang was still a little bit unable to recover. When someone asked, he poured beans out of a bamboo tube and said, "Sister Xi'er was called away by the third aunt. I'll wait here for her to come back."
She blinked and looked back at the pond. The koi carps had some snacks and dispersed, wagging their tails. Shanshan felt a little aggrieved: "I was feeding the fish here, but you suddenly called me, which startled me."
Prince: "..."
This is indeed the case.
He touched his nose and took the little girl away from the lake.
His soft little hands were clenched into small fists and wrapped in his. The prince didn't know where he got the patience from, and regardless of his friend's increasingly weird gaze, he said in a gentle tone: "Next time, stay away from the lake. If a child as young as you falls in, he won't be able to climb out."
Shan Shan responded obediently: "I know."
He gave a few more instructions, and Shanshan all obeyed obediently.
Not long after, Xi'er, who was called away by the people around the third lady, also hurried back and took her young lady back.
Shanshan waved goodbye to him, but the prince also extended his hand out of nowhere. After the little girl led the maid and jumped away, he put down his hand and shook his head.
I feel that my appearance is a little funny and a little incredible.
Qi Yun sent him out of the house, and he was full of surprises on the way: "I have never seen His Highness treat someone so close to him."
"Gu Ye feels strange." The prince recalled the delicate appearance of the little girl just now, "Do you think she looks familiar?"
"She is my cousin, so she is naturally similar to my family members."
The prince shook his head: "It's not you."
"That is?"
The prince couldn't tell for a moment. He thought about it for a moment, but he had no clue.
While he was talking, the man had already arrived in front of the carriage, and he sighed: "Maybe it's because I have closed my eyes."
Qi Yun smiled and said: "That is the blessing of kindness."
"Okay, just send it here."
The prince got into the carriage. Before leaving, he raised the curtain and asked, "Will your sister go to school?"
"Should be going."
Convinced, he nodded.
The driver raised his whip, and under the heavy protection of the guards, the chariot drove towards the palace.
at night.
Shanshan was lying on the bed, whispering to her mother about what happened today.
She always talks a lot, and for a long time she couldn't get to the point. She even mentioned the names she gave to each little fish when feeding them, and then she remembered: "Today I also met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
Wen Yiqing closed her eyes slightly, patted the child gently with her hand, and replied sleepily: "That's right."
Shanshan described it with great joy, "His Royal Highness is still a friend of my eldest cousin!"
"I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is also studying at Qingsong Academy. They are of similar age, so they should know each other."
"Is it the school I want to go to?"
"right."
Shanshan was even more happy: "Then will I also be a classmate with His Royal Highness?"
Wen Yiqing smiled and pulled back the quilt she had kicked away, "You are still so young, even if you enter the school, you will not be a classmate of His Highness the Crown Prince."
Shanshan didn't mind either, but asked curiously: "Then the emperor will also send the prince to school? Will I see the emperor?"
"How can the emperor be so easy to see? We're afraid we'll never see him again." Wen Yiqing scratched her nose, causing Shanshan to crawl straight into her mother's arms.
After the laughter, she hugged the child and said gently: "Go to sleep."
"Um!"
Shan Shan closed his eyes obediently.
…
In the imperial study room, the lights are brightly lit.
The emperor is painting.
When the prince entered, the emperor kept moving, did not raise his head, and did not give him any attention.
The prince had long been used to it and bowed respectfully. The eunuch brought him tea, brought a chair, and sat down to wait.
He glanced at it and saw that the portrait was 90% complete, only the face was blank, and he knew it was almost done.
Sure enough, after a while, the emperor slowed down and stopped hesitantly. The brush hung above the portrait, but did not fall down. The ink condensed along the tip of the pen and a drop of ink fell on the blank face, spreading out. The emperor let out a long sigh.
He was also disappointed.
"Father, have you still not drawn it today?"
The eunuch handed over a warm cloth to wipe his hands, and then put the picture of the beauty missing her face properly away. In the cage, there are hundreds of pictures of beauties like this, all of them depicting the same person.
At first it had a face.
A few years ago, the emperor went out of the palace incognito for a private visit to observe the sentiments of the people. When he returned, he began to draw pictures of beauties.
The prince had the opportunity to take a look at it a few times. The girl in the painting was gentle, generous and beautiful. He probably knew something about it. There was an unforgettable incident during the emperor's private visit incognito, but the result was not as expected. The girl who was lucky enough to be favored lost her life early. Even the emperor, who is rich in the world, can only paint and think about people.
But I don't know when he started to paint, and he gradually couldn't draw the appearance of the people in the painting. He also kept those pictures of beauties on a shelf, preventing outsiders from seeing them.
The emperor's expression was stern, with a deep mark between his eyebrows.
As time goes by, even if he misses her day and night and cannot forget it, the face in his memory gradually becomes blurry, and no matter how he recalls it, it is no longer clear. He hesitated and deliberated, and in the end did not dare to write again.
I'm afraid that I won't be able to draw the artistic conception, and I'm also afraid that I'll draw the wrong shape.
He closed his eyes tiredly.
After a while, he asked: "You left the palace again today?"
"My son went to Uncle Zhongyong's Mansion to see Qi Yun and discussed some lessons." The prince paused, and then said with great interest: "My son also met one of his cousins today, and I somehow got very close to each other, as if...as if It’s like seeing Jiahe.”
Jiahe is the daughter of the eldest princess Zhaoning. The eldest princess is the biological sister of the emperor's mother. In terms of relationship, she is the prince's cousin.
The prince paused.
He suddenly realized that no wonder he felt familiar.
It's not that he looks like Qi Yun, but he looks like himself.
Strangely, I have never heard of an in-law marriage between Zhongyongbo Mansion and any clan member.
