She carefully thought about every word the old lady said at the banquet: "...you always have the word "death" in your heart, and others can't give you a way to live...having the word "death"...can't give it to you. A way to survive..."
Lin Rong said: "I am afraid that I will let my aunt down, and I don't dare to let you down..."
The old lady laughed: "You kids, you are a couple, what are you afraid of? The more afraid you are, the more he will dare to bully you. If you are willing to let go, he will not be able to hold you."
Lin Rong lowered his head: "Yes!"
The sun gradually set, and the two sat for a while in the cool breeze. The old lady did not allow Lin Rong to see her off, but instead sent a few girls: "Take the little girls to the lake to pick lotus pods and play with lotus leaves. The season is cool, and with the fragrance of lotus leaves, there is nothing bad about it. I went back to rest myself, and no one was allowed to give it away. Several of the nuns said that you are good at cooking. I will leave the day after tomorrow and I will ask you to cook it tomorrow. Eat it with lotus leaves and lotus pods."
Lin Rong said yes and sent the old lady off to the boat, and then asked a few girls to hold their bamboo pens and go to the lotus pond.
Feng Xiao is someone who can't get enough of fun. She has long coveted the lotus flowers in bloom in this lake. Normally Lin Rong is very strict and does not go out to hang out. This time, after receiving the order from the old lady, she naturally wants to do something big. Seeing that except for a woman who was holding the boat in the boat, they were all girls from Jiangzhou. First, each of them picked a big lotus leaf and put it on their heads.
Kingfisher laughed at her: "How can you be so mischievous? You didn't pour out the dew from the lotus leaves, so you wet your hair carefully. If you get lice, who will help you shave your hair?"
Feng Xiao ignored him and hummed an unknown tune while picking many flower buds along the road. He also took the soft path water plants standing in the lake and made a palm-sized flower basket. He asked: "County Lord, do you think it's okay?" nice?"
Lin Rong held his chin and was thinking about the old lady's words. He looked up and saw Feng Xiao holding a lotus leaf on her head, holding a flower basket in one hand and a lotus in the other. She smiled: "Like the fat baby in the New Year paintings."
The girls all laughed: "Fat baby, fat baby, Sister Fengxiao is a fat baby."
One of them took out the rouge box from his sleeve, pressed Fengxiao and lit a beauty mark, and shouted: "County Lord, look, it looks more like it now."
Feng Xiao broke away and sprayed water on several girls: "Bad hooves!"
Lin Rong originally thought of picking a few lotus leaves to finish the job, but seeing these girls having fun and thinking that they were really working hard these days, he let them go.
After having been fussing for half an hour, picking lotus leaves and lotus flowers from half the boat, Lin Rong said: "Okay, it's getting late, let's go back." Feng Xiao hadn't had enough fun yet, so she jumped to the bow of the boat and picked up her mother-in-law. She held the pennant in her hand, but she was weak and she was an amateur, so she struggled to hold it up pole by pole, causing the boat to spin.
Kingfisher was timid and grabbed the side of the boat: "Damn girl, what are you kidding about? It doesn't matter if you fall by yourself. If you ask the county lord to fall into the lake, I won't twist your flesh."
Feng Xiao smiled and stuck out her tongue. Seeing that Lin Rong didn't blame her, she still asked the woman to teach her and slowly pushed the boat to the shore. It's just such a delay that when we land, we won't be where we were before.
The woman smiled: "Madam, it's okay, just go around that rockery and that's it. It's very close."
Lin Rong and the other girls had only been out a few times and didn't recognize the place. They looked up and saw a two-story building hidden among miles of greenery, with several kinds of peonies mixed with strange stones reflected in the couplets.
Lin Rong saw that the building was surrounded by mountains and rivers. It was very delicate, but there were overgrown weeds in front of the door. It was very strange. She felt puzzled and asked the girls to help her to the shore. Without paying attention, she stepped on it.
Fortunately, the girls on both sides were following. Kingfisher and Fengxiao hurriedly pulled her to the shore with their hands: "County Master, are you okay?"
Lin Rong opened her skirt slightly and saw that the shoe on her right foot had fallen into the lake, and her thin white silk stockings were also covered with mud.
Kingfisher frowned: "How can this be good?" Feng Xiao squatted by the lake and fished out the embroidered shoes, but they were in shape and could no longer be worn.
Lin Rong put down her skirt and didn't care: "Just walk back like this, I can't see you anyway."
Kingfisher shook his head: "What does it look like? Miss, there are mud marks on each foot. The county master will sit here for a while, and the slave will go back and get another pair."
Feng Xiao knew that she had made a mistake and whispered an idea: "If the county master doesn't mind it, can I wear this pair on my slave's feet?"
Before Lin Rong expressed his opinion, he asked Kingfisher to reject it: "Let's just play and make trouble. That's because the county master doesn't care. You are getting more and more unruly now. Your shoes can also be worn by the county master?"
This is just a trivial matter. Lin Rong told her that the two of them were making a headache: "Okay, what's the big deal? I'll just sit here for a while. Kingfisher will take a girl back to get it."
In fact, this is Lin Rong's modern thinking. He doesn't understand that at this time, our young lady's feet are of utmost importance, even in the inner house.
Kingfisher said, and led the two girls, each holding a large handful of lotus flowers and leaves, and walked around the rockery.
Lin Rong left a phoenix flute and a little girl with no head left next to her. She stood on the shore for a long time, but there was no sign of Kingfisher coming back. The woman then said, "Oh no, the Kingfisher girl must have gone astray. To get around the rockery, you have to take the narrow path, and you can't go to the bridge."
On the other hand, he said: "I blame the old woman for not explaining it clearly. There are many side roads in this garden. Madam, I went to look for it. Not many people come here."
Lin Rong nodded and waited for a while. There was no one there. Feng Xiao went to the rockery and took a look: "Sure enough, there are three branches. We have never been to this place before."
The water plants near the lake were luxuriant and there were many flying mosquitoes. Lin Rong wanted to leave, but was worried about missing the kingfishers. He saw a huge stone in front of the building, and there was a curved stream in front of the stone.
Lin Rong was bitten by some insect on his foot and itched terribly. He took off his shoes and socks, sat on the bluestone, and poured ice on the water. He felt much better immediately.
Feng Xiao was taken aback and shouted: "County Master, why do you expose your feet outside? How can you let others see you?"
Lin Rong looked at her Taoist expression and was very amused, so he teased her: "There is no one here, why don't you take off your shoes and socks, come and cool down?"
Feng Xiao blushed with embarrassment: "I don't want it." At the same time, he ordered the little girl: "Go to the intersection over there and stand there, lest someone comes out and bumps into the county lord."
There were some unknown small fishes in the meandering water, one inch in size, swimming around under the feet. It was completely silent for a while, and no one heard the sound. Lin Rong's tense spirit relaxed for the first time in a long time. The girl raised her head to the intersection, and turned around. With his head in the lake, he put his head into the lake with a nervous look on his face. In a playful mood, he caught a grasshopper in the grass nearby and waved: "Fengxiao, look, I made it out of grass. How does it compare to you?"
The grasshopper also cooperated very well and remained motionless. Feng Xiaoguo came forward and said, "County Master, who did you learn to weave grass from? How similar is it?"
When she came closer, Lin Rong let go of her hand, and the grasshopper suddenly jumped onto Feng Xiao's hair.
Feng Xiao was startled, and hurriedly caught it, saying angrily: "Master, how can you be so unruly? I thought it was really made of straw?"
Suddenly, she saw Lin Rong tilting her head and smiling, revealing a row of thin teeth. The expression on her face was the most comfortable she had ever seen, and she couldn't get angry. He squatted by her skirt and said, "County Master. , You have to smile like this all the time. If you smile, my great-grandmother will smile a lot in less than ten years, and she has lived to be seventy."
Unexpectedly, the green insect suddenly jumped back onto Lin Rong's skirt. Feng Xiao screamed in fright and jumped away.
Lin Rong laughed and caught the insect and said, "What are you afraid of? This is called a katydid. It is a beneficial insect and it is delicious." After that, he made a move to put it into his mouth.
Feng Xiao was so frightened that she covered her eyes: "No, County Lord, this is not fun."
The two people were arguing, and with a creak, the door of the small building was pushed open, and a young man in green clothes slowly came over.
Feng Xiao was really anxious now, her face turned pale, and she quickly pulled down Lin Rong's skirt to cover her, and asked: "Where are you from? You dare to run around in the inner courtyard? Don't you know that you have hit the madam?"
As they walked forward, Lin Rong recognized it. It was Lu Shen's personal servant, his name was... Shen Yan. Shen Yan didn't walk in. He stopped five steps away and said, "Madam, the lord just now is here." Sober up here and ask Madam to come in."
Lin Rong's good mood was suddenly wiped out, and her toes were digging into the stone wall of the pool in embarrassment. Feng Xiao hurriedly turned around and took off her embroidered shoes and handed them to Lin Rong with a panic look on her face: "County Lord, what should I do?"
Lin Rong put on her shoes silently, but most of the hem of her skirt was already wet. She thought to herself: "What bad luck!"
Chapter 21
On this day, Lu Shen got up, went to the front office, and approved the general affairs reported by various states and counties for an hour. Seeing that it was still early, he sat quietly for a while, and then did a set of punches in the court, and then started to have breakfast.
After dinner, it was only dawn when Duke De came with several counselors, holding a greeting card in his hand: "My Lord, the Crown Prince of Hejian pays his respects."
Lu Shen took it and saw that it was a plain blue greeting card. The content was not long. It was about thirty or fifty words. It talked about the friendship they had when they studied together in Luoyang. It was just written in a nondescript way - Panasonic Wilder, I sincerely pay my respects. He hummed. A voice said: "Isn't he hiding in the inn? Why is he willing to reveal his identity again?"
Duke De and several advisers looked at each other and said: "This prince of Hejian is stingy and suspicious. He is afraid that before setting off to return to Xudu, he will give it a try himself."
Lu Shen closed the greeting card: "It doesn't matter!"
Another counselor handed over another statement: "Generals Xia Houzhang and Dong Tao were ministers of the Yuan family before. This time they defeated Xuanzhou. They had no time to return reinforcements. Seeing that the situation was over, they paid homage again and again. Surrender. It's just that I surrendered and paid homage, but I made another statement, saying that I was injured and sick, and my loving mother was lingering on the bedside, so I couldn't go back to Xuanzhou to pay homage to my lord."
Duke De made a judgment: "I'm afraid this statement is untrue. These two men have more than 50,000 troops, and their station is adjacent to the army of the King of Hejian. They have some connections with the King of Hejian. If they vote for the King of Hejian, they will It's like a wedge inserted into the heart of my Xuanzhou."
One person continued: "There are only 50,000 people, so why should we be afraid? We have only accepted the surrender, and these two people have not yet shown rebellion. If we send troops to destroy them, they will finally be convinced."
Lu Shen's expression was indifferent and he gave it away: "Don't worry, gentlemen, this is just a small section. The matter of Xia Houzhang and Dong Tao can be solved in less than half a month."
Everyone looked at each other in confusion, not knowing why. Dude Gong understood and sighed: "My lord, you will establish your authority with your trust. When the world's talented people come to join you, we, the old men, can relax in the forest."
After the discussion, at noon, the Yazhong Gate was opened to welcome the Crown Prince of Hejian into the mansion.
A half guard of honor for the prince was placed from the city gate. At the front was a pair of imperial flags, a letter to his previous official positions, two guards each, including Li Gua Guards, Wo Gua Guards, and Yi Dao Guards. A red Luo embroidered gold five-dragon crank umbrella, The two eunuchs were holding green peacock fans, followed by several Baize flags, and then an eight-carry sedan with a silver top, yellow cover and red curtains. Surrounding the sedan were more than a dozen palace ladies carrying gold pins and stoves. ①
The journey was majestic until it stopped in front of the Jiedu Envoy's residence. A young maid knelt down beside the sedan chair. A man opened the sedan curtain, stepped on the maid's back, and came out laughing: "Brother Zaizhou, in the past, the Golden Valley of Luoyang It's been ten years since I left the garden. Are you okay after leaving?"
Lu Shen did not answer, but pointed at the prostrate maid and said, "Brother Zichong, why do you not care about women so much?"
The eldest son of the King of Hejian, whose surname is Xiao, given name Zhi, and given name Zichong, was born to a country woman his father married when he was still young. After the King of Hejian became prosperous, he used the emperor to command the princes, and when he had the potential to aspire to the world, he took him to his side. teach. Like the children of aristocratic families at this time, beauty is regarded as beautiful and graceful. Men who wear powder are regarded as beautiful, and whiteness is regarded as beauty.
Xiao Zhi is three years older than Lu Shen, but he actually looks three points better than Lu Shen, who is famous for his "white face and silver gun". He also wears a left-over skirt, without a crown, and is completely unrestrained.
When Xiao Zhi heard what Lu Shen said, he laughed, pointed at the maid and said, "Why should I care about this vulgar thing?"
When the two of them entered the inner hall, they were not accompanied by civil or military officials, and they did not talk about government affairs, but only some romantic affairs.
Xiao Zhi said with a smile: "In the past, when my brother Shen was in Luoyang, he could be said to be a 'horseman who rides and shoots gracefully in the feather forest'. Unfortunately, my father-in-law was very strict in his discipline. Your cold face hurt the beauty's pink heart." He pointed to the surroundings again. The standing beautiful maid said: "Now I know the three flavors."
Lu Shen looked like he was drunk and replied: "It's a pity that this place is remote and not as prosperous as the flowers and willows in the south of the Yangtze River. This woman is like water, and she will be more interesting if she grew up in a water town."
When the two of them were drunk, Xiao Zhi clapped his hands when he heard this and said, "What's the problem? Brother Zaizhou, I accept your hospitality today and give you a Southern Opera, how about it?"
After saying that, they clapped their hands, and a man and woman in Tsing Yi opened the door and came in. They were blindfolded by Concubine Yang's colored silk ribbon, knelt down and crossed their hands in salute: "I've met the noble man."
There was a layer of bamboo mats spread on the ground. A woman was lying on her back, with the imperial concubine's drunken porcelain pillow on her waist, and one foot resting on the side of the incense burner on the square table. Another man was holding a book in his hand and sitting on the drunkard's chair, unfazed. move.
There was a group of musicians behind the curtain, playing drums and harps, and one of the women read aloud: "On a beautiful day, the lady is sleeping alone on the imperial concubine's pillow, while the gentleman is studying hard on the drunken man's chair."
After saying this, the sound of silk and bamboo sounded again, light and melodious, as if walking among spring flowers and tender willows. The woman lying on her back sighed quietly: "Young Master, you are so ruthless..."
The man who was studying remained motionless and waved his hand: "You woman, you are so rude. I am studying hard here. Please leave quickly."
Neither of them wore undergarments, but only wore a thin scholar's robe. The slightest movement revealed their amorous feelings, and they still half-hided their faces with their pipa in their hands.
The clothes of the man studying were slowly uncovered. The lying woman got up from the straw mat, knelt between the man's legs, and muttered: "Mr.
The man yelled loudly: "Don't be so rude!"
Lu Shen was not good at these things. He didn't understand why at first, storytelling was not like storytelling, and singing was not like singing. Only then did he realize that this man and woman were imitating the erotic love affairs in famous paintings. However, the imitation of this matter is limited, and it is just a small taste of water. This is the aesthetics of this season, which pays attention to being subtle but not revealing. That kind of scene of eating big chunks of meat is not considered elegant.
After finishing the work, the two girls stood aside with their hands down. Xiao Zhi took out a painting, slowly unfolded it, and asked: "Brother Zaizhou, this is a masterpiece handed down from generation to generation by Jiang Su, a famous scholar from Huaiyin. Look at the artistic conception of these two people. Compared with How's the painting?"
Lu Shen didn't look at the painting at all. He looked like he was intoxicated. While drinking, his eyes wandered over the woman, and he sighed: "She is really a good woman from the south of the Yangtze River."
Xiao Zhi laughed, got up and changed his clothes, and asked the maid to lead him into a clean room. He saw that it was full of brocade tents and jade walls. There were large coral ornaments under one wall. Scent towels, embroidered handkerchiefs, and washbasins were all held by beautiful maids. There are brocade cushions and beautifully embroidered footrests under the feet. After everything was done, another maid served Mu Shou with bad beans and flowers.
Although Xiao Zhi has always been luxurious, he couldn't help but sigh when he saw this: Lu Shen is actually so satisfied! Boasting wealth and honor comparable to that of Shi Chong in the Wei and Jin Dynasties.
After the banquet was over, Xiao Zhi declined Lu Shen's offer to stay overnight and insisted on returning to the inn: "When I left Xudu, my father gave me many orders not to disturb the local princes. If I didn't have an old relationship with Brother Zaizhou, I would never show up. You and I The friendship between brothers is not limited to these false gifts. I know that you treat my father very seriously, and I will take this into consideration."
Lu Shen laughed frivolously: "Except for the king and the king of Hejian, all the heroes in the world are just selling Seoul."
After leaving the Jiedu Envoy's residence, he boarded the carriage. Sima Yunzhong was already waiting in the carriage. Xiao Zhi took off his brocade clothes and put on a set of coarse linen clothes. He leaned against the wall of the carriage and sneered at the corner of his mouth: "Then The deer blood wine was quite extraordinary. Lu Shen boasted that he was so brave that he actually drank two large pots. Judging from what he said and did today, he was nothing more than an eager warrior. I am afraid that at this time, I don't know which maid was dragged into the fire. "
He said with a contemptuous smile: "Sima Gong has a clear vision and this person is nothing to be afraid of. There is no one in the north of the Yangtze River, but this person has the upper hand. It is really unworthy of his name."
Sima Yunzhong nodded: "What the eldest son said is absolutely true."
Xiao Zhi said: "Sima Gong, we can return to Xudu."
Lu Shen sent this person away and went to the inner courtyard to see the old lady Gu. Unexpectedly, the maid said: "This is your lord, the old lady Gu is enjoying the lotus with the family members. I have left my wife to talk."
Lu Shen frowned after hearing this, Cui Shiniang? I walked slowly by the lake. After a while, the deer blood wine started to stimulate me, and I felt that the friction between my legs while walking was very painful. He had never drunk deer blood wine before, and he didn't take it seriously. He took advantage of his good drinking capacity and had to put on a show in front of Xiao Zhi, so he drank two large pots of wine. Only then did he realize that it was bad.
There was a small building by the lake. Lu Shen walked in slowly and ordered Shen Yan to wait outside the door. After a long time, he still couldn't. Instructed Shen Yan: "Ask someone to bring the potion."
Shen Yan was worried and waited outside the door and said: "Master, how about I change my servant to a doctor? I'll ask the doctor from outside. I'll be blindfolded so no one knows."
It was okay if Shen Yan didn't say anything. As soon as he said this, Lu Shen felt his blood surge up. He immediately smashed a copper ingot and said, "You bastard, Zhang Zui!"
