Changle Floating Life

Chapter 39

Since the emperor's decree to bestow marriage to the king was issued, the whole of the twelfth lunar month has been discussed in the capital.

A few days after the decree was issued, King Ning took King Fu and the little princess to Prince Duan's mansion to congratulate him.Pei Shouye only got out of the confinement a few days ago, and his complexion is better than before the winter solstice, and he looks plump.He hardly spoke the whole time, and the still childish King Fu and the princess talked and laughed with joy on their faces.Since Pei Zhaoye opened the mansion, it has been a long time since he played with his younger siblings.It is rare for brothers and sisters to gather together, and they are respectful and happy.

The princess exchanged handkerchiefs with the future Concubine Duan. When she was happy, she blurted out: "I said three or four years ago that she would definitely marry our surname Pei. Look, isn't it fulfilled? An outsider." She was referring to the fact that the crown prince wanted to ask Miss Zhu to be his side concubine, but was rejected.

Pei Zhaoye was drinking tea in the seat, his eyebrows frowned.

The words imply that brothers take brothers and wives.King Fu heard something was wrong, and quickly winked.The princess felt a slip of the tongue and covered her mouth.There was a moment of silence in the lobby, and the atmosphere was a little awkward.

At this moment, King Ning suddenly got up and knelt down to Pei Zhaoye.Pei Zhaoye was shocked, and hurriedly came down from the hall to pull him: "What is the third brother doing? What's the matter?" Pei Shouye couldn't afford to die, King Fu and the princess looked at each other, and then both knelt down.

Pei Shouye did a great job, wiped his tears and said, "Second brother, you are the only one who can speak in front of the father. With the joy of our wedding, we brothers and sisters would like to ask you one thing."

Pei Zhaoye was so angry that his seven orifices were filled with smoke, whether he asked for anything or not, this was clearly negotiated and forced to come here.He let go of his hands and stood up straight, and asked, "What's the matter? Second brother will definitely help if he can."

"I beg the second brother to intercede with the father and release the prince's elder brother from Zongzheng Temple. It is a big Chinese New Year, and the whole world celebrates it. It is always unbeautiful that the family cannot be reunited. Zongzheng Temple is located in a remote place, and the environment is harsh..." Ning Wang looked very worried. pathos.

Pei Zhaoye's face turned cold, and he said: "I know better than you what Zongzheng Temple is like." He was also imprisoned by the emperor in Zongzheng Temple because of the Zhenguo Princess Mansion case.Behind this prison calamity was the prince's deliberate frame-up.

King Ning choked on him, extremely embarrassed.The princess was bold, and said: "Since the second elder brother has been here before, he knows that it is not a place for people to stay. The queen mother has only passed away for half a year, do you have the heart to lose one person during the Chinese New Year this year? How embarrassing is this for the emperor..."

The rebellion on the night of the winter solstice, how many people died, were all caused by the prince's obedience and absurdity.The blood is still wet, and the culprit is still wandering in the temple, but you asked me to ask the emperor to release him, where will the country's laws be placed? !

How can you embarrass me!How embarrassing for the world!Pei Zhaoye felt deeply sad.

King Duan in the capital was furious, and the young master in the south of the Yangtze River was also troubled.

After seeing Wu Xiaocun that day, this person suddenly became seriously ill, with a persistent high fever, he still grabbed him and Lanshan by the sleeves, and yelled that he was murdered by his family.The two had no choice but to stay in the dirty house and take turns taking care of him, delaying the doctor to get medicine, and working like an ox.Adhering to the old adage that "a disaster can last a thousand years", after ten days, Wu Xiaocun's fever finally subsided, but he still pretended to be very weak and wanted someone to take care of him.

Ye Jianqing asked Yaqin to prepare pen and ink for him this morning.While laying the paper, Yaqin saw him splashing ink with the word "Qingnuan" in the first few sentences, so she asked with a smile, "What are you writing, my lord?" Ye Jianqing smiled but said nothing.When Yaqin saw the back, she realized that it was a sacrificial article, and it was dedicated to two women named "Qingyun" and "Nuanxue".

A sacrificial text was eloquent, and Ye Jianqing lost his mind for a moment after finishing writing it.Yaqin sighed softly: "I don't know what kind of woman it is, but with this article from Lord Hou to pay homage to, she will definitely die in peace."

Ye Jianqing didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she put down her pen and asked, "How did you girl Bai become the owner of the restaurant. She is the owner of the first restaurant, why is she in the Four Seas Casino? There is no one around." The first time I saw Lanshan was the little girl serving tea beside Li Sihai.She took care of herself for a while, surrounded Gu Su for a while, and was arrested and served Wu Xiaocun for a while. She was busy all day long.Even I was about to start crying for her.

Yaqin said: "The former owner of the Qingshang Hall was Su Ying, the mother of Gu Jiaozhu. She adopted Miss Bai more than ten years ago. After the owner Su and his wife traveled overseas, Miss Bai took over. The Lord likes a person to be free and not to be served personally. She also went to Sihai Gambling House to learn, and said that the lower Liba is, the more it suits her appetite."

This is a far cry from what Xiao Lanshan told himself before.Ye Jianqing had no idea how many versions of her life experience there were.Reluctantly asked: "What musical instrument is your master good at?"

Yaqin wanted to laugh, but tried her best to hold back the pain: "Miss Bai doesn't understand the rhythm, and she used to hate practicing the piano. She once told me that she was forced to learn the piano to grade in her dream. Master Su understands very well. , does not stick to her."

The brush that Ye Jianqing was lifting in his hand shook, and a large ink dot fell on the white paper.Even Gu Jiaozhu often brings a flute by his side, no wonder she is never seen tuning the piano and playing the zither, arty.

At this time, a servant outside shouted: "Yufeng Trading Company. Is anyone at home? The Shu tea ordered by your mansion has arrived."

Ye Jianqing went out with Yaqin to sign for the receipt, and saw several large bags of tea in the car.After the people left, he kept smiling: "Has your Qingshang Hall really changed into a teahouse?"

Yaqin covered her mouth with a smile and said, "Exactly. But the teahouses here are different from the ones outside." She bent down and fumbled among the sacks one by one, finally took out a finger-long bamboo tube from one of them, and removed it. Let's take a look.Yaqin frowned and said to Ye Jianqing: "It's the news from the Hebu of Xichuan. They said that they saw Gu Jiaozhu riding a tiger on the Shu road, and they went all the way to the southwest, as if they were chasing someone."

Ye Jianqing's heart was suddenly grabbed by an invisible hand. "The person the leader is chasing must be Gu Tingrang. But why did he go to the southwest?" He couldn't figure it out for a while, so he went to Wu Xiaocun to discuss the matter with Lan Shan.

The Wu family's house has been cleaned up a lot compared to ten days ago.Wu Xiaocun lay crooked on the bed, his face flushed red, as if he was at leisure.Lanshan moved a bench and sat on the ground, swallowing his breath and reading to him.She didn't want Wu Xiaocun to be comfortable, so she deliberately read white characters, just to make things difficult for him.After Wu Xiaocun corrected it several times, he found that she did it on purpose, so he said with a straight face: "If you continue to blaspheme the sage books, you will copy the Analects of Confucius ten times."

Lan Shan lowered his eyelashes on purpose, looking pitiful: "I only know a few big characters, and they were taught by Master Hou when he was free. I have never touched pen and ink before."

Wu Xiaocun was puzzled and said: "You stretch out your hands." According to Lan Shan, he stretched out his head to take a look, and scolded with a smile: "Damn girl, how many years have I eaten food, dare to lie to your master. Where did the callus on your middle finger come from?" ?” Lan Shan withdrew his arm hastily.Wu Xiaocun didn't bother to pay attention to her anymore, moved back to the bed, swayed around, and hummed a ditty: "...when you are free, you treat your loyal ministers slowly, when you are busy, you don't listen to loyal advice, but when you are in danger, you want loyal ministers to do it..."

Arashiyama's heart skipped a beat.She put away the books and looked up at the sky: "I heard that the emperor gave a marriage to King Duan. She is the daughter of Zhu Kan's family, Minister of the Ministry of Officials."

Wu Xiaocun faced the bed, snorted and said with a smile: "Zhu Kan, but you can't talk. You cherish words, and you really cherish words like gold. Isn't Zhu Xiyan's daughter rumored to be appointed by the prince?"

Lan Shan salivated and leaned over to the bed, beat him on the back, and said: "You said Duan Wang got mad this time, didn't you?"

"That's not necessarily true." Wu Xiaocun turned his head to look at her, and said, "You say I'm a dirty river?" He heard what she and Ye Jianqing said outside that day.Just as Xiao Lanshan wanted to defend himself, Wu Xiaocun turned back to the bed and said, "That's right. The young master is too clean and well protected, that's why he got this field today."

Xiao Lanshan stuck out her tongue and said flatteringly, "Master Wu, you have also been favored by the princess before, so please help me..."

"The people of Xuzhou have never received favors. It is Gan Jing's monarchs and ministers who have received favors, and they have already paid back to the princess."

Their reward is to "repay kindness with hatred".

Lan Shan said in a low voice: "If a good man can't die well, who will be a loyal minister and a good man?"

"You don't understand." Wu Xiaocun said: "Yesterday must not be left behind. Young Master should be more considerate of the living. People have two eyes to look forward."

Arashiyama complained: You are looking at money, right?

"That's wrong." Ye Jianqing had been listening outside for a long time, and now he came in and said, "I've heard that the conclusion of the coffin is that the real name is the name behind it. I also heard that it is right to set things right..."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh With--" Wu Xiaocun drew his tone.

Ye Jianqing had no choice but to wink at Lanshan. The latter knew that he must be in a hurry, so he walked out and said, "Master Wu, I will come to see you tomorrow."

After leaving Wu's house far behind, Lan Shan said: "I searched again today before he woke up. It's not strange if you say it's strange, he is a person in the pen and ink business, except for the printed books, the family is stunned." It was a small piece of paper that was not found.”

Ye Jianqing thought of Wu Xiaocun's condition of "talking only, not using hands", and guessed: "He doesn't use handwriting to communicate with people, and if he writes occasionally, he must burn them afterwards. He must have suffered from this. Forget about these things, Master Gu has faith."

The two returned home quickly.After reading the note, Xiao Lanshan said happily, "I knew the leader was fine. But what exactly did leader Gu go to Xichuan?" Yaqin said: "I have ordered someone to send a letter to the head of Hebu in Xichuan to let her pay attention movement."

Ye Jianqing gritted his teeth and said, "I remembered, when Gu Tingrang was a teacher in my house, he once told me that his old nationality was in southern Yunnan."

Compared with the bottom of the cliff in Xishan, this is beyond reach.Lan Shan gasped, and asked Ye Jianqing, "What are you going to do?" Ye Jianqing pondered for a long time, before he said to her, "My enemy is here, and so is the battlefield."

Lanshan sighed secretly in his heart, turned to Yaqin and said, "Take the people from Jibu to Xichuan. There is something wrong here, and I may return to the capital. If there is a message, I will send it to Sihai Casino." She said to Ye Jianqing said: "Don't you still want to go back to Jinling? Let's leave today and try to return to Ganjing before the end of the year."

From Xuzhou to the south along the canal, when the wind is strong, it takes half a day to reach Jinling.Huiliu Villa is located by the Yanghu Lake outside Jinling City, with white walls and blue tiles, and the outside is faintly visible with layers of courtyards and high ridges and cornices.But when the two walked outside the door, they saw a big seal on the door, and a large rusty iron lock was hanging on it.Grass grew overgrown on the steps at the door, and the plaque of "Huiliu Mountain Villa" bestowed by Emperor Taizong in the past was also missing.

The two climbed over the wall and entered the villa, and the inside was even more horrible.Xiaojing Lake has dried up to the bottom, and the bottom of the lake is full of things that were spilled when the house was raided.The Togetsukyo Bridge has long since ceased to exist, and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets has been blocked by boulders.The trees on both sides of the bank are dead, even the hundred-year-old Guanyin willow was not spared.

Ye Jianqing personally built a soil bag under the Guanyin Willow, lit a joss stick, and then took out a sacrificial text from his bosom to read aloud.Xiao Lanshan watched quietly from the side, and waited for Ye Jianqing to finish burning the sacrificial rites before listening to him slowly tell the story of Qingyun and Nuanxue.

The cold flowers are in full bloom.The two randomly picked some wild chrysanthemums, dandelions and the like and placed them in front of Qingnuan Shuangshu's tomb.Lan Shan used to think that Ye Jianqing was a sissy, but now he also understands that he is just born sentimental and emphatic on love and righteousness.

After the worship, Ye Jianqing took her to the countryside of Jinling to find Steward Yang.

Butler Yang regained his freedom after being raided in the Princess Mansion for half a year, and heard that he returned to his hometown in the countryside.When the two found him, he was guarding the sacrificial field for Yang's ancestral hall. He was blind and deaf, and his mind was not very clear.Butler Yang's son, Xiao Yangzi, was dark and thin, rubbing his hands, and said shyly, "Young Master came without sending a letter. We didn't prepare anything."

Ye Jianqing said kindly: "There is no need to prepare anything, I just think it's time to come back and see your father and you, thank you for everything you have done for the Princess Mansion over the years."

Xiao Yangzi's nose suddenly felt sore, tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't speak very well for a while.Seeing this, Lan Shan quickly dragged him outside the ancestral hall, and went with him to prepare Ye Jianqing's board and lodging.

Ye Jianqing walked up to Steward Yang, knelt down and asked, "Uncle Yang, I want to ask a few things. When my grandmother was alive, did she mention a man named Shi Qian? history."

Steward Yang's eyes were empty, and he muttered in his mouth: "Look for salt, look for salt..."

Ye Jianqing asked several times, but Butler Yang repeated the questions like a puppet.He asked again helplessly, "Uncle Yang, the year before last, His Royal Highness Duan Wang came to Jinling, and his grandmother greeted him on the canal outside the city. Did the two of you talk at that time?"

He still didn't get any response.

That night, the two slept in a small wooden shed next to the sacrifice field.Xiao Yangzi was very sorry and wanted them to live in his family's mansion, but they declined politely.Ye Jianqing didn't want too many people to know that he came to look for Butler Yang, for fear of causing unnecessary trouble to the old man.

At night, Ye Jianqing slept very soundly in the air-ventilated wooden house, and even had a dream for the first time.It was his fifth birthday in the dream, and Grandma Princess held a grand birthday party for him in Huiliu Villa.The banquet was over, and it started to rain lightly.After seeing off the guests, Pei Yongzhen did not return to the Princess Mansion, but stayed in the villa to accompany him.

Because Xiao Jianqing was too excited, she refused to sleep, and pestered her grandma to tell him stories in Duyue Hall.Princess Zhenguo told one story after another, and Xiao Jianqing was still wrapped in a quilt and shouted: "One more, one more." Pei Yongzhen made a fuss with him, got up and took down the renzhuqin on the wall, and played while telling the story. lullaby.

The ink in the spring hall is light, the fragrance of crossing the moon is far away, and the sound of continuous beads is broken.Xiaojing Lake was filled with smoke and clouds, and two people holding paper umbrellas and glazed wind lanterns walked up.One of them was Steward Yang.He walked into the study and handed a small note to the Princess Zhenguo who was standing in a cloak.Suddenly a flash of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the astonished face of Grandma Princess, and the note in her hand fell on the floor tiles of the room.

"Lao Yang, prepare the car!" The princess tightened her skirt.Steward Yang suddenly knelt down and begged, "Your Highness can't go! The feudal lord is not allowed to interfere with local government affairs. This matter has nothing to do with us. If His Highness gets involved, the Holy Majesty may cause suspicion!" The princess bit her pale lips. , shook his head and said: "When a person dies, I can't be so indifferent! It's better for me to be there than not, and Yuan Huaike is at least a little bit more cautious." Yang Butler hugged her legs in a hurry, and said: "This person is so annoying! Tree, death is not a pity! Your Highness must not fall into someone else's trap. Your Highness does not think of others, but also of the little duke! Does Your Highness want to repeat what happened last year in Ruisi Palace?"

When he mentioned Xiao Jianqing, Princess Zhen Guo unconsciously looked back at her grandson.Little Jianqing was playing with Jiulianhuan and Moheluo on the brocade mattress.The princess's loving eyes lingered on him for a long time, so long that Butler Yang thought he had convinced her, so he relaxed and let go of his arms.The princess walked out of Duyue Hall firmly, without looking back: "Prepare the car!"

Ye Jianqing sat up suddenly from the bed, the wooden bed creaked.In the twelfth lunar month of winter, the quilt was as thin as iron, but he was sweating profusely.

After breakfast, he and Lan Shan bid farewell to Yang and his son.Butler Yang was in a daze, but still couldn't recognize him.But Xiao Yangzi took out a book wrapped in layers of oiled paper, and there were traces of mud on the oiled paper. "This is what my father told me when I was still confused. He said that it is an important account book of the Princess Mansion. If the young master comes back, I will hand over this account book to you."

Ye Jianqing took it in his hand and weighed it, it wasn't very heavy.Xiao Yangzi patted his head and said with a naive smile: "I am illiterate, I am afraid that bad people will steal it, so I have been buried in the sacrificial field."

Thinking of the dream last night, Ye Jianqing couldn't help but smiled wryly and said: "Your father is not confused. On the contrary, I am young...Why can't I remember anything about my childhood? King Duan..."

Xiao Yangzi opened his eyes wide and said, "Master Hou really doesn't remember?"

"What?" Ye Jianqing asked back.

"When you were four years old, you accidentally ate poison in the palace. You fell ill and almost died. The princess made up her mind to move to Jinling because of your illness. Because you always drink medicine to recuperate, you can't remember what happened in those years Yes. It is not allowed to mention it in the princess mansion, it is taboo. A few years ago, some people who gossiped were kicked out of the mansion."

The two hurried back to Xuzhou silently.Xiaolanshan caught up with Ye Jianqing, and sighed: "Little Yezi, I didn't expect you to be worse than me, I will treat you well in the future..." Ye Jianqing turned to look at her, and suddenly said: "I still want to go back Take a look at Liushanzhuang." After he finished speaking, without waiting for Lanshan's response, he whipped the horse and walked away.

A layer of hoarfrost had been covered on yesterday's mound, and the cold flowers were blown away by the north wind.Ye Jianqing stood under the Guanyin Willow, looking in the direction of Duyue Hall on the small stone bridge.

On that day, Xiao Jianqing was having a good time playing, but when she looked back, the sound of the piano had stopped, and there was no longer the princess and grandma in the hall.It was windy and rainy outside, and he told no one and no one could take care of him, so he was so scared that he burst into tears.A gust of wind rolled the note on the ground to his feet, and he carefully identified it with teary eyes.It was a line of very strong small characters: Shi Gong has been murdered.I hope His Highness will take pity on the weak son and rescue him first.

Ye Jianqing's whole body trembled like an electric shock.

He loves the truth above all else.

Although good and evil follow different paths, where is the cause and effect?If goodness does not come from truth, what has it to do with beauty?

This devastated and ruined Huiliu Villa is no longer a vain dream in his childhood.Every plant, tree, and ruined wall here are all telling the deep love.Because of those loves, this place will never be desolate and lonely.

"Little Ye Zi, look." Lan Shan pointed at the back of Guanyin Liu and shouted.Ye Jianqing turned to the back of the tree, and saw the south-facing side, with a willow bud sprouting from the root of the tree.

Life is like a dream, and waking up from the dream is not bad.

At the Guandaokou to the north of Xuzhou, a man in gray was riding on a horse, picking his teeth while waiting for someone.He muttered in his mouth: "It's not safe for people who celebrate the New Year! You have to accompany me..." Soon, two riders came from the south road, a man and a woman. At the intersection, Zhuma meets him.

Ye Jianqing clasped his hands and said, "Mr. Wu has been waiting here for a long time, right?" Wu Xiaocun glanced at him and said, "Can't you rent a carriage? My lord, I get a headache from wind." Wu Xiaocun smiled and said: "Master Wu, if you can catch up with me, I will ask Young Master to rent you a comfortable carriage."

Wu Xiaocun was not fooled, he muttered about Cheng.Ye Jianqing leaned over on his horse and asked him, "15 years ago, Mr. Wu was the prisoner of Xuzhou Mansion?"

"Didn't you already know? Why do you keep asking." Wu Xiaocun said angrily.

Ye Jianqing wrote lightly: "Mr. Wu never writes posts for people?"

"If you can afford the money, I'll write it down. Ten taels of silver is a word, cash in cash!" Wu Xiaocun continued to talk nonsense.

Ye Jianqing said: "Okay. Please write these big characters in cursive: Shi Gong has been killed. I hope His Highness will take pity on the weak man and give him first aid."

"Cough, cough, what?" Wu Xiaocun opened his mouth wide, choking on the cold wind.Ye Jianqing sat on the horseback, staring at the road ahead, his eyes sparkling.

"Hmph, the hair isn't all grown yet, how dare I play tricks on me!" Wu Xiao put on the reins and leaped forward, chasing after Xiaolanshan.

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