There is a lake in the north of the royal capital city. There is a small island in the lake, which is just big enough to build a restaurant. You can go back and forth by small boat. It is a small building in the middle of the lake.
Qi Shang stood in front of the second-floor window of the restaurant, watching several small boats parked on the lakeside. Occasionally, people would leave. The oars were rowing, and the wicker branches on both sides were swaying in the water, creating rippling blue waves.
If he were a scholar and a refined guest, he might already be full of poetry and be in urgent need of writing. Unfortunately, Qi Shang is a pragmatic person and has only one question in his mind -
If a restaurant catches fire, taking a boat is a bit slow, and it is easy to fall into the water if you are not careful. It is even more dangerous if the boat is set on fire. Why not just build a wooden bridge to connect the two sides?
Before he could figure out the reason, there was a knock on the door, and the waiter led the two women in.
Qi Shang turned around and gestured to sit down: "Please, Miss Su."
Su Xiangxiang's eyes were half lowered, and her face was covered with gauze. When she arrived in the room, she had no intention of taking it off. She nodded slightly to Qi Shang and sat opposite.
Zhu Xin asked the waiter to exit, and then he closed the door and went out, but did not leave, guarding the door.
The two sat for a while, Qi Shang picked up the teapot and poured two glasses of water, then fell into silence again.
"Miss Su." Qi Shang put his hands on his knees respectively, breaking the deadlock and said: "The marriage contract between our two families was made out of the good intentions of our parents. It is just a matter of marriage. It is between you and me. I have a rough personality and I am not a good match for a young lady." , Miss, if you have no objection, you can return to the engagement."
Qi Shang asked Su Xiangxiang to take the initiative to break off the engagement, but he still preserved the other party's reputation and put all the responsibility on himself, showing his magnanimity to the fullest.
It's a pity that Su Xiangxiang was too preoccupied and didn't listen to Qi Shang's words. When he heard that the engagement was cancelled, he raised his head and frowned and said, "Qi Shen wants to cancel the engagement? Why?"
Qi Shang had doubts on his face. He secretly thought that when Su Xiangxiang asked Xiangyun to do such things, she had already made it clear that she wanted to break off the engagement. But now that she asked this question, it puzzled him.
"If it's because of Xiang Yun," Su Xiangxiang said on her own initiative, "She didn't abide by the rules and was punished by my mother. Today I'm here to make amends to Qi Shen."
Qi Shang thought about everything that happened that day and became a little unsure, "It's okay, Miss, you don't have to take any blame."
Su Xiangxiang raised her head slightly and clearly talked about the marriage with her fiancé. There was no shyness in her eyebrows, nor was she full of longing and anxiety like other women. There was even a little irritability and a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
"Since my parents ordered me to be a matchmaker, I will listen to my family's arrangements."
Qi Shang felt that Su Xiangxiang looked a little strange, but he couldn't tell what was wrong, "Miss Su, let me tell you straight away, getting married is not a piece of cake. It is a good idea to marry two surnames and create a hundred years of joy. They will be inseparable from now on. Can you Have you thought it through?"
According to her parents' eyes, Su Xiangxiang was gentle, considerate, and well-read poetry and books. She was a sensible woman. Such a woman knew how to advance and retreat. Having her in charge of the inner courtyard made people feel at ease, while the man could concentrate on his hard work outside.
Qi Shang thought that the misunderstanding was cleared up, Su Xiangxiang had no objection, and there would be no problem in continuing the marriage.
Su Xiangxiang stood up and gave a blessing gift, "I'm going to invite you to the Mid-Autumn Festival in August. I'll be waiting at the Su Mansion to accept the offer."
After finishing speaking, Su Xiangxiang opened the door and walked out without drinking a sip of tea.
Qi Shang looked at the two empty and open doors, a deep thought flashed in his eyes. Before he could think of anything, suddenly a head hung from the middle, facing him, with a crooked mouth, white eyes, and tongue rolled out.
"Hee hee hee -" The person turned his head and transformed into a petite shadow that landed easily. He used Qinggong to float to the table, picked up the unused water glass and poured it into his mouth, smacking his lips: "What kind of tea, it's so painful. "
Qi Shang frowned, "Why are you here?"
The quirky girl stuck out her tongue and fanned her with her hand, mockingly saying, "It's a good show to see your hot face against your cold ass."
Qi Shang walked around her to go out. Lu Taotao dragged her chin with her hands, rested her elbows on the table, slid forward, raised her head and shook her head at Qi Shang, "That woman dragged her for two to five to eight thousand, you really Do you want to marry her?"
Qi Shang: "Miss Su is a lady of the family and is reserved."
"Bah!" Lu Taotao turned over and jumped up, "Look at her unlucky face, be careful. After marrying her, bad luck will spread, and the whole family will be unlucky."
Qi Shang walked outside. The boat Su Xiangxiang was on had left the small building in the center of the lake and was now approaching the center of the lake.
Lu Taotao put her hand on her forehead, jumped up and took a look, shook her head and said, "A woman doesn't laugh or cry when she sees you. What does it mean every time she lets you look at her back?"
Qi Shang glanced at her. Although he didn't say anything, there was a blank look on his face.
"Forget it, you're stupid." Lu Taotao stepped on the anchor with his arms akimbo, "A woman will laugh if she loves you, and cry if she hates you. Not crying or laughing means that you are a dispensable person in her heart."
Qi Shang turned around and saw Su Xiangxiang and his maid ashore from a distance. He thought to himself: They are not yet married but it is just a marriage contract. There is no love. Miss Su's attitude towards things is considered normal.
—
Su Xiangxiang picked up her skirt and got on the carriage on the shore. She sat down as if she was exhausted, and there was a moment of confusion on her face.
"Miss..." Zhu Xin hesitated, "Is Xiangyun really going to be betrayed?"
Su Xiangxiang seemed to be lost in her own thoughts and didn't hear anything. She stared blankly at the scenery passing by outside the carriage. Until Zhu Xin thought she wouldn't get an answer, her voice drifted over in the summer wind, "What mother decided, you can do it next time." say no more."
Zhu Xin's heart tightened, and her eyes were sour and red. She and Xiang Yun had served Su Xiangxiang since they were young. They had a deep relationship when they ate and lived together. Suddenly seeing the mistress of the Su family handling Xiang Yun, it was not that she had not begged for mercy, but instead suffered a few blows. Get off the board.
I also thought that I could sell Xiang Yun today, but what about her tomorrow?
Su Xiangxiang moved and stretched out a hand, "Don't worry, I have asked someone to help you secretly so that you won't suffer too much."
Zhu Xin hurriedly supported her, biting her lip and choking, "Miss, you have been wronged. I really don't know..." The voice lowered from behind, "Why did Madam force you to marry the Qi family?"
Su Xiangxiang's eyes flashed slightly, thinking of her mother's words that night.
"You don't have to go to the palace tomorrow. I have already replied to the princess's post for you." Mrs. Su was usually cold and cold when she said this without any special expression.
Su Xiangxiang was greatly surprised, "Mother, the eldest princess invites me to come to the palace to talk. How can I refuse?"
Mrs. Su curled her lips without a smile, "Are you going to see the eldest princess," her eyes turned cold, "or the second prince?"
Su Xiangxiang was startled and looked away, "Why did mother say that?"
"I gave birth to you and raised you. You can't hide your thoughts from me because it is written on your face." Mrs. Su walked over and stretched out her hand to straighten Su Xiangxiang's collar. "If you listen to mother, don't meet with the royal family again from tomorrow on."
Su Xiangxiang felt that Mrs. Su's fingers touching the skin of her neck were as cold as ice, just like the feeling her mother gave her since she was a child, stern and cold, different from many people's mothers.
Behind the most talented woman in the capital, Mrs. Su is indispensable, holding a ruler in her hand.
Su Xiangxiang suddenly felt a little aggrieved, "Mom, do I really think I won't marry someone who is not from the Qi family?"
"Xiang'er," Mrs. Su pushed her loose hair behind her ears, her voice softer, "Have you forgotten the secret of our Su Mansion?"
Su Xiangxiang's whole body froze instantly, and cracks opened in the middle like a stone, and his face slowly became ugly.
After coming back to his senses, Su Xiangxiang closed his eyes and said with a cryptic face: "Zhu Xin, if you don't want to follow in Xiang Yun's footsteps, don't say this again in the future."
—
Three days later, the long queue started from Sanyuan Palace and extended to Zhuque Street. People on both sides of the road came here in admiration, all the way to the gate of the royal capital.
Because most of the students were literary students, the carriage along the way was very spectacular. It started from the royal capital and aimed at Emperor Qiu.
At the beginning, everyone was still a little bit fresh. Even if they were riding in a carriage, they would be restless and visit everywhere. It was almost like an outing. As the days passed, looking at the same scenery, I became exhausted both physically and mentally. I gradually stopped moving around and just stayed in the carriage, counting the days.
There are also those who can't sit still, such as Princess Ding'an. She is wearing a purple short dress. She abandons the carriage and rides a horse by herself, with her face facing the wind and her whole body full of energy.
"Brother Nangong, what do you think of me riding a horse?"
Nangong Zhi said with a smile: "Very good."
"In the future, when you go out on patrol, Uncle Huang and I will also arrange an errand. Do you think that's okay?"
"Princess, don't you still have to go to school? Be careful, Master, if you fail."
Princess Ding'an changed from her usual indulgence and pouted, showing a bit of a daughter's style, "Do you have to be so different from me?"
Nangong Zhi was helpless: "Yan'er."
"Hmph, if you don't coax me, I will definitely be angry."
From a distance, Lu Anran happened to see this scene, which somewhat subverted the image of Princess Ding'an in her memory.
"Oops, I'm going to throw up after the last night's meal." Lu Taotao, who was traveling with the carriage, yawned, rolled his eyes and said, "It's so pretentious."
Lu Anran felt that Lu Taotao's words were sometimes ugly, but most of what she said was indeed the truth.
There were three knocks on the carriage wall outside, and Wu Fang's voice came in, "Miss, Leader Qi Shen sent someone to inform us to set up camp in the valley tonight."
Lu Anran opened the curtain, "Where are you?"
"We have entered the territory of Huaiqing Mansion." Wufang said, "The mountain road ahead is rugged and it is dangerous to travel in the dark."
Lu Anran got out of the carriage, and the world suddenly became vast. The sun was tilted to the west, and the afterglow scattered on the clouds, sprinkling dreamy colors like broken gold.
Everyone who knows each other gathers together, and the tents are next to each other, lighting bonfires, setting up barbecues, bumping heads and chatting.
Lu Taotao held a piece of grass in his mouth and tilted his head, "Wow, little sister, your popularity is so bad. Eh? There are actually people like you who are ignored."
Lu Anran followed her gaze and saw a carriage parked far behind. The tent had not yet been set up in the open space in front. Meng Shizhao got off the carriage with a bad look on his face.
The 3,000 people accompanying the army are mainly responsible for the protection and safety, and because the dojo is set up to promote Taoism and pray to heaven, each Jixiagong student cannot bring too many followers, otherwise there will be chaos if there are too many people, which leads to many things that the students cannot do. Not in person.
For example, when it came to setting up a camp tent, everyone originally thought that someone would help them set it up, but they didn't expect to do it themselves. The young master and the young lady didn't know how to do this, so they asked the servants and maids who were familiar with each other to help each other, and it was done.
The most difficult thing is for people like Lu Anran and Meng Shizhao who live alone. The former is fine. There is no way to deal with such trivial matters. As for Meng Shizhao, seeing how busy she and the maid are, you can tell that there is no one. The camp can't be set up at this hour.
Lu Anran was still hesitating. Meng Shizhao was an aloof person, so rushing to help might not be what the other party wanted.
As they watched, the newly erected tent collapsed in front of them.
"Hahahahaha——" Lu Taotao did not hesitate to laugh loudly.
