Zhao Xiyan, who was immersed in her own world, was awakened. She put down her sleeves and sat up straight: "Who?"
"It's me, open the door."
It was my grandmother Zhang's voice.
Zhao Xiyan calmed down and got up to open the door. Standing outside the door was none other than Mr. Zhang with a frown on her face. Her eldest aunt Wu and her fifth cousin Zhao Suxin also came.
Mrs. Zhang entered the house with a sullen face.
The sky has completely darkened. The hosta hurriedly found fire sticks and lit the candlestick. The bright candle flames danced, and the room quickly became bright.
"I finished praying to the Buddha in the small Buddhist hall, and then I realized that something big happened today." Mrs. Zhang looked at Zhao Xiyan with a slightly dissatisfied look: "Who is that Colonel Murong, why did he come to the door all of a sudden?
?”
Zhao Xiyan thought for a while and replied: "Maybe she secretly loves me, so she sneaked into Zhaojiafang quietly and wanted to see me."
Zhang: "..."
Mrs. Zhang was so choked that she couldn't breathe, and rubbed her chest with her hands: "Listen, is this something that a girl who has not left the government can say?"
"Of course I will show off to outsiders," Zhao Xiyan said calmly: "When you talk to grandma, you don't have to worry about it. You can say whatever you want. In short, grandma is reluctant to blame me."
Seeing that her aged mother-in-law was so angry with her granddaughter that her nose was about to smoke, Mrs. Wu hurriedly coughed and tried to smooth things over: "What Yue Yaer said makes sense. My family talks behind closed doors and doesn't care so much. Fortunately, Captain Murong
He's gone, this matter has been settled."
Finished?
This is just the beginning.
Zhao Xiyan sighed in her heart and responded with a meek and obedient expression: "That's what the eldest aunt said."
Mrs. Zhang was furious when she saw Zhao Xiyan's appearance. Since her youngest son was not here, she didn't have any worries about what she said. She opened her mouth and said: "In two months, it will be your birthday. The hairpin ceremony has passed.
, we should settle the marriage earlier so as not to cause trouble with your face."
Even Zhao Suxin found these words harsh and whispered: "Grandma, Yue Ya'er is born with such beauty. It's not her fault that some people admire Yue Ya'er."
Mrs. Zhang irrationally snorted: "Why not? They say beauty brings disaster. From my point of view, this beauty will bring trouble to the Zhao family sooner or later!"
Beauty brings disaster.
These four familiar words hurt Zhao Xiyan's heart.
This is the way the world is. Whatever a man does or does wrong, it can always be attributed to a woman.
Zhao Xiyan raised her eyes and looked at Mrs. Zhang, and suddenly said: "What grandma said makes sense. If such a day comes, I would rather ruin my face than implicate my clan members."
Both mother and daughter of the Wu family, Zhao Suxin, were startled and said one after another: "Yueya'er, you can't talk nonsense like this."
"That is, beauty and intelligence are gifts from God. You are the treasure of the Zhao family, and you are not a burden."
Mrs. Zhang was also a little shocked.
She just said that casually, why did Zhao Xiyan react so fiercely?
Ever since she was little, this girl has always been very sharp-tongued, and she is often so angry that her nose and mouth become crooked. What's wrong with her today?
Mrs. Zhang coughed awkwardly and lowered her voice: "I was the one who said something inappropriate just now. Why are you so angry with grandma, girl?"
"You should have a good rest! When your uncle comes back, I will tell him about this and ask him to send more tribesmen to guard the gate."
Zhang and Wu left, but Zhao Suxin stayed behind on purpose.
"Yue Ya'er, you really scared grandma just now." Zhao Suxin held Zhao Xiyan's hand and whispered: "I was also scared by you. There is no one else now, just the two of us. Just tell me
To be honest, have you really never met that Colonel Murong?"
A lie requires countless lies to cover it up.
Zhao Xiyan swallowed her frustration and nodded: "I have never even been out of Beihai County, how could I meet a disciple of a general in the capital."
This is true.
Zhao Suxin thought for a moment and said with a smile: "It seems that you really came here because of your reputation. Your reputation as the most beautiful woman in Qingzhou has really spread far and wide."
"It's a pity that I accompanied my grandmother to pay homage to Buddha, but I couldn't come out in time and didn't see the heroic grace of the prince saving the beauty."
Zhao Xiyan recalled the previous scene, the sweetness that surged up quickly dispelled the gloom in her heart, and her eyebrows curved.
Yes! This life is completely different.
Xu Jing will live a good life, and she will also live the peaceful life she wants.
…
Beihai Palace.
In the spacious and luxurious dining room, Ma Sansi and Eunuch Ma were sitting at the top. Commander Xie and General Zheng sat down with them respectively.
A handsome and elegant man in plain clothes stepped in.
Sheriff Xie and General Zheng each stood up to greet him. Zhao Yuanming now has no official position, but he is the first scholar in Beihai County in decades. He is a learned Qingzhou scholar. The Xie family and the Zheng family have sons under Zhao Yuanming.
Zhao Yuanming smiled and returned the gift.
Ma Sansi remained unmoved and smiled happily: "After more than 20 years of separation, Zhao Hanlin's style remains the same. Our family has always been thinking about Zhao Hanlin, fearing that Zhao Hanlin would be frustrated when he was young and fall into despair. I am relieved to see him today."
Zhao Yuanming glanced at Eunuch Ma and said, "It turns out that the imperial envoy is Eunuch Ma. I haven't seen him for many years. Eunuch Ma has read a lot of books, and there is no filthy air of a chamberlain in his words."
Sheriff Xie: "..."
General Zheng: "..."
Zhao Yuanming and Eunuch Ma were actually old acquaintances. Looking at the way they were going back and forth, they still had some old grudges.
Ma Sansi's eyes flashed, but he did not get angry and continued to smile: "It is our family's blessing to be praised by Zhao Hanlin. We are here on behalf of His Highness the Crown Prince, so it is inconvenient for us to salute Zhao Hanlin."
As he said that, he put on a posture of waiting for Zhao Yuanming to salute.
Zhao Yuanming didn't hurry and bowed his hands in the direction of the imperial city.
Ma Sansi was still not annoyed and smiled: "Zhao Hanlin, please sit down. It's rare to get together today, so our family can get closer to Zhao Hanlin."
Zhao Yuanming agreed calmly, walked over and took a seat next to Ma Eunuch.
Sheriff Xie coughed and laughed: "I just found out today that Zhao Hanlin and Eunuch Ma are old friends."
I was sensible and didn't ask what kind of past acquaintance it was.
General Zheng changed the topic: "It's getting late, why hasn't the prince come yet? There is also Captain Murong, we should send someone to ask for him."
Colonel Murong?
Zhao Yuanming's smile paused, and he finally understood why Xu Jing invited him to the banquet.
After waiting and waiting, I drank three cups of tea, but Xu Jing was nowhere to be seen, and Murong Shen didn't come either.
Ma Sansi couldn't sit still anymore and called a waiter: "Go and ask Captain Murong."
The waiter responded and was about to retreat when he saw two figures entering side by side.
One has a long body and a face like a crown jade, and his plain clothes cannot hide his arrogant and proud demeanor. The other is tall and heroic, with a handsome face and cold eyes.
It was Xu Jing, the eldest son of the Prince of Beihai, and Murong Shen, the former imperial captain.
Finally here.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to greet him.
