"Father, what are you thinking about..." Ji Wanyou's cheeks turned redder, and she whispered: "This is just my daughter's own thoughts and plans, and now it is just my wishful thinking... Mr. Zhan has no idea... what I said
thought."
Ji Xiu smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"Are you really not aware or are you pretending not to know? It will be written on your face. I'm afraid even a blind person can see it..."
"Dad... please stop teasing me."
"This is not a good place for women to stay in college."
"Why didn't you get admitted? If you can follow what your daughter said, she can stay with you for the rest of her life, and you will have Mr. Zhan to help you. You will also be able to save a lot of worry, and there will be people at home to help you support you.
Now... wouldn’t it be the best of both worlds?”
Ji Wanyou stretched out her hand, tugged on her father's sleeve, and begged: "My daughter has never asked you for anything, just this one thing..."
Ji Xiu sighed.
"Never asked? That's because dad has always indulged you in everything. You don't need to ask, dad has already agreed to everything."
"Yes, my daughter knows that you love me the most..."
"Okay..." Ji Xiu said slowly, "Father will give this matter careful consideration... It's too early to talk about this now."
Originally, he had no intention of considering occupying Yunzhu.
But if his daughter is really determined and cannot change it easily, then he can only wait and see carefully for a while.
Ji Wanyou was filled with joy when she heard her father relent.
"Thank you father!"
"I just agreed without saying anything." Ji Xiu snorted: "As a father, you have to make a careful screening to see if this person is worthy of my daughter."
Ji Wanyou pursed her lips and smiled.
She knew her father very well.
To be precise, I couldn't understand more deeply the depth of love my father had for me.
Ever since she was little, she had never gotten anything she wanted as long as she talked to her father.
Moreover, the talent of Mr. Zhan is here, and his father has some concerns about using it, and he will inevitably worry that it will be used by others in the future - if he can really marry into their Ji family, it will also eliminate many of his worries.
I just don’t know... is he willing?
Thinking of those gentle brows and eyes like the clear breeze and bright moon, Ji Wanyou felt a little unsure.
Will he feel that this is pity or even insulting him?
Thinking about it this way, we definitely shouldn't act too hastily.
Fortunately, they still have a lot of time to spend together, which should be enough for him to slowly see her true feelings.
…
Early the next morning, it rained lightly in Beijing.
In the drizzle, a carriage stopped outside the gate of Zhenguo Gongfu. A middle-aged man in a Chu-colored round-collared robe got out of the carriage, followed by two young men holding brocade boxes in their hands.
The middle-aged man stepped forward and announced his address and purpose of visit. When the servant guarding the door said "Wait," he turned around and went back to the house.
"..." The two young men looked at each other.
Even if they have to wait, shouldn't they be invited to wait in the hall? What kind of hospitality is it to leave them directly outside the door? It's still raining. Are you afraid of mopping the floor or something?
They all say that the Zhenguo government does not pay attention to etiquette? This time I can see it.
"Uncle Yun? Someone from the Xia family is here. Who is the chief steward of the Xia family? On the orders of Xia's first assistant? Has he made a special trip to the house to apologize?"
After hearing what the gatekeeper said, Uncle Yun said "oh" and waved his hands and said: "Let them go away - cough, let people go back."
The gatekeeper suppressed his astonishment and asked uncertainly: "Should we just let people... go back?"
Uncle Yun asked, "Is it possible that I have to beat him up and then throw him out?"
Although this is obviously more appropriate? But who made their generals have a much better temper now? Doing this is no longer in line with the reasonable and good temperament of their government.
No, the general gave the order early in the morning. If someone from the Xia family comes? Just ask them to get out.
As the saying goes, if there is no contrast, there will be no prominence? After hearing this, the gatekeeper couldn't help but feel that it would be a very amicable solution to just let people go back.
Therefore, the disciple conveyed this kind meaning to the Xia family in a friendly manner.
How many people listened? They left with very happy faces.
Not two days later, it happened that Xia Shoufu failed to appear in the morning court due to illness.
Someone secretly said: "80% of them were made angry by the Duke of Zhen.
After hearing this, the Duke of Zhen only sneered - were you angry with him?
This is the first time I have heard someone talk about retribution in such a fresh and refined way.
But why are they talking nonsense? Anyway, he is in good health, and it is not him who is sick - anyway, is this kind of thing? Isn't it shameful to make people angry? It is shameful to be angry and sick.
This point? It’s the experience gained from years of mutual irritation between him and that old guy Wu Jun.
The Duke of Zhen was too lazy to pay attention to these innocuous remarks. After breakfast, he went to the military camp for training.
…
"Girl, the second master has asked you to come over and have some tea."
In Xiyuan, when Xu Mingyi was sorting out books in the study, Akui walked in and reported.
Second uncle took the initiative to have tea with her?
——As expected, the weather is getting hotter and hotter. Can’t you stay in bed?
Xu Mingyi put the few books on the relations between the DPRK and China that he had compiled by himself into a locked box, put them in the secret compartment of the bookshelf, and then took Akui to Xu Yun's courtyard.
When I went there, I saw it was quite lively.
The tea table was set up in the garden and covered with several mats. Xu Yun was wearing a navy blue gown. Cai Jin sat on the left, and a young boy sat on the right, none other than Xu Mingshi.
"Zhaozhao, come and sit down quickly. Let's try Second Uncle's new tea."
Seeing his niece coming, Xu Yun greeted her with a smile.
Xu Mingyi sat down on the only empty seat.
The big bird that followed her gave a dissatisfied cry.
Xu Yun looked over and glared: "What?"
Literary people love beauty, and it doesn't matter whether they are beautiful or not, but they are very picky about everything they see, so he really has no appreciation for this fat, bald bird.
Especially when I heard that on the days when he didn't go to the dining room, his seat was always occupied by this vulture. But one day when he suddenly left, the big bird refused to return to its original owner, so he could only sit in the dining room.
The very edge.
"Jiu'er, get a mat for Tianmu." Xu Mingshi saw the key at a glance and ordered the boy.
Xu Yun sighed.
Nephews and nieces are bored with toys. This is it.
Is it ridiculous for a bird to sit wherever it goes?
And the tea table also needs to join in the fun. Is it possible that it needs to learn how to taste tea?
Or is this bird just enjoying this status symbol?
The mat was quickly delivered, and Tianmu sat down on it with satisfaction, and soon fell asleep, which confirmed Xu Yun's suspicion that "this bird wants status."
While a few people were drinking tea and chatting, Cai Jin looked at the deep spring colors in the garden and said: "At this time of year, it's time to go out and enjoy the scenery. In a month or two, the sun will be hot, and if you want to go out, you won't be able to do this.
When the weather gets better, the scenery will be different."
Xu Mingyi nodded in agreement.
"The scenery outside the city is really great now. It's time to go out for more walks."
The day before yesterday, she secretly took Wu Chao to ride a horse.
"Yeah, speaking of it, the spring hunting will be in five days." Cai Jin smiled, looked at Xu Yun, and asked, "Mr. Xu, do you plan to join in the fun?"
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Daqing has established the rules of holding spring hunting every year.
At that time, the emperor will take the royal family and the clan's children to the Quanhe Palace. All officials of third rank and above, regardless of whether they are civil or military, must also accompany them.
Officials can bring their families with them. Over the years, those who want to show their children in front of the Holy Spirit will usually not miss this good opportunity. According to previous years, those who perform well in hunting will still have the opportunity to get the Holy Spirit.
Praise.
Under such circumstances, there are only a few people who simply go to join in the fun.
"Haru Shou, I remember, we are going to Quanhe Palace..."
Xu Yun held the tea bowl and his eyes were inexplicably distant: "I haven't been to that place for more than ten years. Speaking of the scenery, it's really good..."
Hearing that he seemed to want to go, Cai Jin, who was looking down to add tea, paused for a moment.
"Second uncle is going?" Xu Mingshi asked casually.
As the only son of the Xu family, he has been traveling with his grandfather and father every year since he was seven years old.
But I have never seen my second uncle go there.
When Xu Yun was about to answer, he heard Cai Jin speak before him: "By the way, a letter came from the palace yesterday, to the effect that I should persuade Mr. Xu to go with him."
She originally thought that this would be impossible to persuade. After all, every time Xu Yun was asked to go out, the gentleman would put on a posture of "It's okay to let me go out, but just take my body out."
But just now I saw that this man was actually interested for the first time...
And she... she hesitated for a moment just now, hesitating whether to tell her about the letter.
Fortunately, I still said it.
Finally, the integrity of her Cai family was preserved.
"...The emperor wants me to go?" Xu Yun frowned, then shook his head and said, "Then I definitely can't go. You don't have to think about it. You know there will be nothing good waiting for me."
Cai Jin nodded seriously: "Yeah, it's definitely not a good thing."
The Wanfu Tower was almost completed, and the emperor asked her to persuade Xu Yun to take her to go hunting in the spring. She thought it was just to take the opportunity to mention their marriage in front of the clan and officials. Okay.
In public, Xu Yun and Zhen Guogong were told that they could not get off the ground, so there was no room for refusal...
So, it's really not a good thing.
——At least this is the case for Mr. Xu.
Cai Jin lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then smelled the aroma of the tea.
Tea is good tea.
There is a bit of bitterness in the mouth at first, but those who actually drink it will realize that the aftertaste is mellow and sweet, which is extraordinary.
But tea, like wine, should not be drunk excessively.
"Then second uncle should stay at home." Xu Mingshi turned to look at Xu Mingyi and asked, "Are you going?"
The female relatives can also go with them. There are ladies and ladies from various houses who want to make friends with each other, there are also those who want to visit the palace, there are also those who want to take the opportunity to meet the young masters and girls of certain houses, and there are even some who want to climb higher.
Therefore, it is very lively every year.
"Go, I've already agreed with—"
When Xu Mingyi said this, he paused before continuing: "I have already made an agreement with Jiao Jiao."
As a result, he saw several suspicious eyes scanning towards him.
She didn't care at all about the looks, and was just enjoying her tea.
She had indeed made an agreement with Jiao Jiao.
But Jiao Jiao was not the only one who had made a good deal with her.
She was originally going to go on this spring hunt.
This was different from those flower-viewing and poetry parties held by ladies and girls. She would never join in the excitement, but she would never miss an important event such as the Spring Hunt involving high-ranking officials and dignitaries of the imperial family.
Even if you just go and take a look, it is good to gain some experience.
As Wu Chao said, just listening is not enough.
"You guys can't just drink tea." Cai Jin put down the tea bowl and said with a smile: "It's almost noon, why don't I cook some simple side dishes myself."
Xu Yun's eyelids jumped when he heard this.
Perhaps it was because he had been poisoned by it, he just felt that the words "cooking by himself" had passed through his ears once, and when it came to his mind, it seemed like "poisoning by himself".
He wanted to persuade the person to stop, but the figure had already sat up very quickly and left briskly.
The kitchen Cai Jin mentioned refers to the small kitchen in Xu Yun's yard.
As for Cai Jin's cooking skills, aside from that, he has improved his speed at least now. In a short time, several plates of side dishes and a large bowl of soup were brought over.
The boy put the dishes and chopsticks in place.
Xu Mingyi and others held chopsticks, but for a moment they didn't know how to start.
There was unprecedented humility at the dinner table.
"What...is put in this soup?" Xu Yun couldn't help but ask.
After all, he had never seen soup of this color since he was a child.
How do you describe this color...
It seems as if it shouldn't appear in this world - as if you can cross the Naihe Bridge immediately after taking a sip.
Therefore, it is not so much a soup, but more like a mysterious existence that can connect the world of heaven and the underworld.
"Here, there are sliced meat, amaranth, and radish..." Cai Jin said while filling a bowl.
Xu Yun nodded.
They all sound like ordinary ingredients.
But Ms. Cai seems to have the ability to turn the ordinary into the magical.
And the disturbing point right now is—
To whom will she hand this bowl of soup?
In the silence, the bowl of soup was held in front of Xu Mingyi with a pair of bare hands.
Xu Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
For the first time, he was not so envious of his niece's superior position that no one could compare with in this family.
"Although it lacks some color and fragrance, the taste should be acceptable. Miss Xu, please give it a try?" Cai Jin said with a smile.
Unable to resist the hospitality, Xu Mingyi took it and took a bite.
Then he nodded and said: "Miss Cai's cooking skills have really improved a lot."
As we all know, she never lies unless necessary.
This situation is naturally unnecessary at the moment.
Xu Yun and Xu Mingshi tried it hesitantly, and both found it surprisingly delicious.
Although the several side dishes are not very delicious, they all taste quite satisfactory.
However, the third eye on the side always kept a vigilant look, looking like he would never be fooled.
Soon the day of spring hunting came.
On the eve of departure, in Xiyuan, Xu Mingyi sat on the couch in the house and read a book. Tianmu was sleeping soundly next to her. She was covered with a lotus root-colored handkerchief. The handkerchief, which was originally a normal size, was placed on the big bird, making it look inexplicably...
