The Red Mansions

Chapter 663 Zhen Xue: My sister is still considerate...

Jia Heng bid farewell to Emperor Chongping, left Daming Palace, and went to Shuyu Palace where Princess Xianning lived. It was the end of midsummer, the afternoon light was strong, the heat was hot, and the palaces in the distance cast shadows from time to time. It can be seen that teams of internal eunuchs and court ladies walk between the beams and pillars.

At this moment, just as Jia Heng entered Shuyu Palace, he heard the sound of silk and bamboo orchestra wafting from the hall, following the prestige, a female official rushed to greet him as he approached the hall, and talked to Jia Heng several times.

The female official quickly entered the palace, and softly called out to the young girl dancing under the music: "Your Highness, Uncle Yongning is seeking an audience outside the palace."

Princess Xianning stopped dancing when she heard the words, her expression paused, because she had just danced, she was panting, her cheeks were sweaty, and there was a layer of fine sweat on her neck, which soaked her tube top, she stared at it intently. He said to the female officer, "Uncle Yongning is here?"

Speaking of which, this is Jia Heng's third day back in Beijing. Firstly, because he was in the palace, his eyes focused on Princess Xianning, and secondly, Princess Xianning knew that Jia Heng was going to reunite with his family, so she didn't want to disturb her rashly.

In other words, Princess Xianning didn't want to go to the Princess Jinyang's mansion even though she had no home court advantage.

"Cousin, is Mr. Jia here?" Princess Qinghe Li Chanyue, who was sitting not far away, paused slightly while stroking the strings in her hand, and asked in the same pleasant surprise.

"Well, I'll go to meet you." Princess Xianning said softly.

However, before Princess Xianning came out to greet her, Jia Heng had already entered the palace led by another female official.

Stepping into the hall, one can only feel that the surrounding temperature is quite cool. The ice mirror in the southwest corner is exuding a bit of cold air, so that the hot temperature in the hall is several degrees lower than that outside.

"Why are you here, sir?" Seeing Jia Heng, Princess Xianning's eyes were bright and clear under her beautiful eyebrows, and she fixedly looked at the young man in a python suit opposite, her joy could not be concealed in Feiquan Liuyu's voice.

Jia Heng looked at the beautiful young girl, smiled, and said, "I have something to visit the palace, so I came here to see Your Highness, is Your Highness dancing?"

In fact, Princess Xianning, because of her slimmer figure, does not sweat as much as Yuanchun and Baochai, nor is she as profuse, so Princess Xianning often has the feeling of sucking out her soul.

Princess Xianning nodded her head, her originally cold eyes were soft and clear, she approached, and said softly: "I have nothing to do in the palace, I will practice dancing with Sister Chanyue."

As he spoke, he led Jia Heng to sit down in the hall, while instructing the female officer to offer fragrant tea, while instructing the female officer to prepare washbasins and towels, to wash off the sweat on her face, on her beautiful and pure face, there were drops of clear water. Slapped in the face.

Here, the maid picked up the plantain fan and fanned it vigorously for Jia Heng and Princess Xianning.

Jia Heng turned to look at the girl playing the piano behind a mahogany table, smiled, and asked, "Little Princess, what song was played just now?"

Li Chanyue, the owner of Qinghe County, has soft eyebrows and eyes. She seems a little shy under Jia Heng's gaze. She quickly retracted her skirt with a pair of embroidered shoes protruding from the bottom of the table, her eyes lowered, and she said in a pretty voice : "Mr. Jia, just now I was just playing casually."

Jia Heng nodded, and said with a light smile, "Play casually? It sounded very pleasant to me just now."

"Yeah?" Li Chanyue's bright eyes were like clear dew and mist, and she felt ashamed and joyful in her heart, and said softly: "Mr. It's not that I'm playing and playing, and I forgot a few tunes."

Jia Heng looked at the childish young girl with gentle eyes, and said softly: "People regard the way of qin music as an elegant thing. As the saying goes, the lingering sound lingers on the beams, and you don't know the taste of meat in March. Just now I heard the little princess playing the qin, but I feel like I am in a secluded place. , the wind blows from all directions, it is quiet and cool, and the little princess's piano skills have already entered the room."

Well, maybe it's because Jinyang once told Jia Heng to be nice to the little princess, and now he has to make up lessons to make a surprise attack. Anyway, it's not his own, so there is no taboo.

At this moment, Princess Xianning finished washing her face, listened to the conversation between the two, she couldn't help but glanced at Li Chanyue who had a slight blush on her beautiful cheeks, a thought flashed in her clear eyes.

She waved her hand to screen off the female officer serving the palace, stepped forward, and sat down in front of Jia Heng, took Jia Heng's arm, and said: "Sir, Chanyue has learned to play the piano since she was a child, and she has learned a lot from her concubine during this time." Music and dance, do you want to dance for Mr. to see later?"

Li Chanyue was being overjoyed and ashamed by Jia Heng's praise, when she heard Princess Xianning's words, Chu Chu's eyes were slightly disturbed, and she quickly said: "Mr. Jia, I am knowledgeable but not good, and I am far inferior to my cousin in dancing."

Jia Heng looked at Li Chanyue and said softly: "This is also very rare."

It's really hard to imagine what the quiet little princess would look like when she danced?
Princess Xianning looked at the shy Li Chanyue with drooping eyebrows, changed the subject, and said softly: "Sir, if you have time these few days, why don't you go for an outing in the outskirts of the city together."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then said softly: "Xianning, these few days... Tomorrow I need to worship the ancestors of the family, and the day after tomorrow is the court meeting, and there is one more thing I need to tell you, not to mention going south to Yangzhou for business."

"Mister is leaving Beijing again?" Princess Xianning frowned slightly, and said in surprise, a light flashed in her heart, and asked: "Mr. is going to Yangzhou, but because of the salt affairs?"

Jia Heng said: "Well, Yangzhou Salt Affairs has been unable to open up the situation for a long time, I plan to go there."

Princess Xianning looked fixedly at Jia Heng, pursed her pink lips, and said softly: "Then shall I go to Yangzhou with my husband?"

In the past few years, she has long wanted to go south to Huaiyang to enjoy the scenery of the southern country, but she has no chance.

Moreover, there is no suitable person to accompany me. Now I am going to Yangzhou together with my husband to overcome the abuses of the salt law, get rid of corrupt officials, and enjoy the mountains and rivers after success. The land is much better.

The little princess raised her head slightly, under Chunshan's black eyebrows, she looked at the young man with starry eyes, clearly eager to try the trip to Yangzhou.

Some time ago, the girl went to Luoyang, Kaifeng, and Xuzhou with Princess Jinyang, which greatly broadened her horizons.

Jia Heng took Princess Xianning's jade hand, and said in a gentle voice: "Xianning, this time I'm not going out to play, it's not good to take you with me, besides, Concubine Rong won't agree to it, it's so far away, you finally come back, you have to Let’s talk about it after reuniting with your empress at home for a while.”

This time I went to Yangzhou, except that because of Lin Ruhai, I needed to bring Daiyu with me to reunite with Lin Ruhai's father and daughter, the others couldn't go with me for the time being, otherwise, when the situation of salt affairs was rectified and the situation was critical, there was no guarantee that they would not take risks.

And when there are more people, it is not easy for people to protect them.

Therefore, even if Xianning wants to go south, at least he has to wait for the situation in Jianghuai to stabilize, but whether he is still in Yangzhou at that time is another matter.

Seeing Jia Heng's refusal, Princess Xianning's bright eyes couldn't help but feel sad, and she said softly: "Then I'll wait for you in the capital, but how long will it take you to come back this time?"

"This time... I can't say it now." Jia Heng looked sad when he saw the beautiful girl, thought for a while, and said softly: "When the situation in Yangzhou stabilizes, it will not be too late for you to go there."

Princess Xianning was overjoyed when she heard the words, and said softly: "Then it's settled like this. At that time, when my husband goes to Yangzhou, don't forget to write a letter to Beijing."

Jia Heng said softly: "It's easy to write a letter, but it's hard to send it. You are in the palace..."

At this moment, Li Chanyue suddenly said softly, "Mr. Jia, you can send it to me."

Princess Xianning said: "Sir, just write a letter and send it to Chanyue."

"Alright." Jia Heng said in a low voice.

Then, Princess Xianning leaned her head on Jia Heng's shoulder, and said softly: "Sir, I heard that Qinhuai's love is unique in the world..."

Although he didn't continue to say the following words, Jia Heng's was also because the two had long been close by skin, and there was no slight twitch in their conversation.

Jia Heng embraced Princess Xianning's shoulders, and said in a low voice: "Don't worry, Your Highness, even if Qinhuai has a thousand styles, it is not as beautiful as the one in front of me."

As for which front?I don't know.

Princess Xianning said "Yes", her cheeks were bright, and she responded in a low voice, "Then sir, take care when you are outside."

Jia Heng nodded and said, "You are the same."

Princess Qinghe, who was sitting not far away, saw the scene in front of her, her cheeks were slightly hot, her eyes sometimes dodged, and sometimes she took a sneak peek at the two of them, her little hand tightly clenched the handkerchief in her palm.

Cousin and Mr. Jia are really...not even avoiding people now, or did they not treat her as an outsider at all?
At this moment, Jia Heng looked up at Li Chanyue who was opposite, and asked, "Has the princess ever been to Jiangnan before?"

It's not good to neglect Li Chanyue.

After hearing the question, Li Chanyue said softly: "I went to Yangzhou with my mother when I was young, but that happened when I was very young, and I don't remember it now."

Jia Heng said softly: "If the little princess has a chance, he can go to the south to have a look. The little princess can go out more while he is young."

Li Chanyue nodded.

After a while, Princess Xianning said: "Chanyue, let's show you the dance we rehearsed."

Before returning to Beijing, Princess Xianning encouraged Li Chanyue to rehearse a dance, and wanted to show Jia Heng a dance. The original intention was to "get" a matchmaker, but because Jia Heng was too busy, she didn't like it.

Li Chanyue felt a little ashamed when she heard the words, Zang Xingyunyue's eyes were twisted, and she hesitated, "Cousin, is it now?"

"That's right, I've been practicing for several days." Princess Xianning said, she took Li Chanyue's hand, turned her eyes and said, "Sir, Chanyue and I changed clothes."

Jia Heng put down the teacup, looked at the cousins ​​who had entered the apse through the curtain, shook her head slightly, and was also a little speechless.

Without any explanation, Princess Xianning lowered her voice when she pulled Princess Qinghe into the apse, staring at Li Chanyue with her clear eyes, and said, "Chanyue, you didn't hear that just now, Mr. has been busy for the past few days and his feet don't touch the ground. I’m going to Yangzhou in a few days.”

Li Chanyue blushed slightly, and said: "Cousin, I... I'm a little scared."

Princess Xianning frowned, cast a white look at the little princess, and said in a low voice: "What are you afraid of? Mr. He won't eat you, and I'm so familiar with you."

Li Chanyue lowered her brows and bit her lower lip with her white teeth.

I thought, Mr. Jia won't eat her, but who knows if Mr. Jia will eat her...

Princess Xianning sighed softly, and said: "If you keep being coy, then sister will not be able to help you. Although you can marry Mr. in the future, Mr. Mister may not take you seriously. If you I feel that I am dispensable in your little Mr. Jia’s heart, so it’s better to be like this forever.”

If the cousin who grew up with her is too emotionally dull and slow, she doesn't want to drag her cousin like this, it always feels weird.

But in the future, it will probably be a matter of a lifetime. If the husband doesn't like Chanyue, don't take her seriously...

Li Chanyue heard Princess Xianning's words, her delicate body trembled slightly, her face was already pale, she stared blankly at Princess Xianning, and said tremblingly: "Cousin, I..."

"I...then I'll go change my clothes." Li Chanyue said in a murmur.

Princess Xianning rubbed Li Chanyue's bangs lightly, and said: "Okay, sir will definitely like Chanyue dancing later."

Jia Heng picked up the teacup and sipped it, waiting quietly, but in his heart he was thinking about Li Chanyue, Princess Qinghe's life experience.

Since it was not Jin Yang's own child, whose child was it?

Abandoned prince?Or a child of civil and martial arts under the abolished prince?Or is it just that Princess Jinyang chose children because she loves children?
Is there an unknown secret hidden in the little princess?

As for the relationship between Jinyang and him, it seemed that he never thought of telling him, and he tacitly refused to ask.

Just as Jia Heng was thinking about the reason, Princess Xianning and Li Chanyue came together from the palace. Princess Xianning changed into a long palace dress with green and white water sleeves, and Li Chanyue changed into a dress with pink water sleeves, just like a flower Butterflies, bright and pretty.

"Mr. Jia, I'm not very good at dancing. I only learned it from my aunt for a few months. Wait a minute...don't laugh at me." Li Chanyue looked at the boy opposite and said softly.

Jia Heng smiled and said: "The little princess and I are old acquaintances, when have I laughed at the princess?"

Speaking of which, he also knew Li Chanyue very early, but to be honest, he didn't know much about Li Chanyue's temperament. Most of the time, his mind was on Princess Jinyang.

Li Chanyue looked at the young man who was talking and laughing at Yanyan, for some reason, the words of Princess Xianning suddenly sounded again in her heart.

Are you really willing to be...dispensable in Mr. Jia's heart?
Thinking in this way, Li Chanyue danced with Princess Xianning, with fluttering sleeves, one green and one red, one slim and bright, one petite and exquisite, like an elf among flowers.

Because it was midsummer, the two sisters were dressed lightly, their bodies were delicate and crisp, and their snowy shoulders were smooth, while the cloud sleeves and tulle were pinched up with both hands to cover their cheeks, revealing only a pair of bright eyes that looked forward and looked forward.

Princess Xianning is tall and slender, after all, she plays with Jia Heng a lot on weekdays, her eyes are originally cold and frosty, but there is a trace of fiery lust hidden in the lingering sentimentality.

Li Chanyue, the owner of Qinghe County, in the past, her quiet and melancholy eyebrows and eyes are full of moving eyes, charming and charming, her petite and exquisite figure is like a rainy alley in the south of the Yangtze River shrouded in mist and mist. Between the white and gray mottled and peeling blue and white stone walls and the dripping eaves.

A pair of high-heeled sandals step on the bluestone road, stepping through the trickling rain, the corners of the cornices of the houses behind, the lush trees, the dark sky...all shrouded in the misty rain.

And the pink dress on the little Princess is just like a tree of pink peach blossoms, protruding out of the wall. The petite and lovely peach blossoms are swaying in the wind, because the stamens tremble in the wind, they are a little bit coquettish and bright.

Suddenly, the girl lowered her snow-white lotus root arm, and the jasper bracelet slid down.

As Mr. Shuren said, when he sees short sleeves, he immediately thinks of white arms, and immediately thinks of full nudity...Imagination can only make such a leap forward at this level.

Jia Heng picked up the teacup, sipping tea while admiring the dance.

Well, how should I put it, the eyes are faintly not enough.

However, after all, she has experienced the peerless and enchanting "tests" of Princess Jinyang and Yuan Chun, and Jia Heng has always been good at managing expressions. On the surface, she is calm, but her heart is also turbulent.

Therefore, it is not like Yang Guang, the rich and powerful Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, who is already extravagant and lustful with just one look.

Princess Xianning, who was dancing, was also observing Jia Heng's demeanor, seeing him holding a teacup, sipping a small mouth, under the firm brow, eyes like black water, as if unmoved.

Princess Xianning was a little frustrated, but she still saw a clue when she looked down.

The little princess looked at the young man, but saw that the young man's eyes were on her, and she felt ashamed. Now, is she... to please Mr. Jia?

And while Jia Heng was admiring Princess Xianning dancing with the cousins ​​of the princess——

On the other side, on the Xuanchang street outside the Ningguo Mansion, under the escort of the Ningguo Mansion's mother and maids, Princess Chu Zhen Qing and Princess Beijing Zhen Xue boarded the carriage, lowered the curtains, and accompanied by the sound of turning , in the afterglow of the setting sun, the carriage drove towards the distance.

Princess Chu Zhen Qing and Princess Beijing Zhen Xue sat side by side on the carriage.

"Sister, since Uncle Yongning agreed, I went to the palace to ask again. I think there will be some eyebrows soon, and my sister should not worry too much." Zhen Qing looked at Zhen Xue with bright eyes, and pulled her sister's slender catkins, said in a low voice.

Zhen Xue nodded her head, seeing complexities on her snow-like face, she said: "I'm not worried that there are no clues, but the prince has always been strong in state affairs, so I'm afraid that he will be depressed after returning home like this."

At this moment, this young woman from Huaxin also vaguely understood that her husband's errands in Datong and Taiyuan Army Town were not done well.

Zhen Qing said softly: "General Bian is not easy to deal with. My brother-in-law is young after all, and his prestige has not spread throughout the army. After he comes back, my sister will just let him go."

Under Zhen Xue's eyebrows, her eyes were everywhere, and she said softly: "That's the only way."

The young woman Huaxin sighed deeply in her heart, if she is young, Jia Ziyu is not as old as the weak crown, she is already...

Um?How could she have such an idea, how could she compare the prince with Jia Ziyu?
"Sister, that's what I was thinking. When Uncle Yongning inquires about the news, let's be a host and invite Uncle Yongning to be a host." Zhen Qing was silent for a moment, her pink lips parted slightly, interrupting Zhen Xue's chaotic thoughts.

The soft and beautiful eyes under Zhen Xuexiu's eyebrows, seeing surprise, asked: "May I ask the host?"

Zhen Qing smiled lightly, and said: "Sister, I have helped you so much, so I might have to share it with my brother-in-law in the palace. This time, let's not use her for nothing. Besides, if my brother-in-law comes back from Datong, I will pay you back in the future." I have to work in the military plane, and I can't do without Yongningbo's help."

Hearing this, Zhen Xue thought for a while and thought it was reasonable, but she frowned slightly, still a little hesitant, and said softly: "My sister's words are not unreasonable, but the prince is not at home, I am a woman, even if I invite you Dong Daoer, it's always a little inconvenient."

King Beijing is not at home, and Princess Beijing is at home now, even if she wants to invite the host, but in the eyes of her mother-in-law at home, she does not know what she will think of Zhenxue.

"Sister, don't you still have mine?" Zhen Qing's phoenix eyes flashed, and she said with a light smile, "My sister is also the Princess of Chu, and the Zhen and Jia families are old relatives. They serve as intermediaries to post posts for Jia Ziyu."

Seeing the thoughtful look on her younger sister's face, Zhen Qing smiled and said softly: "By the way, the place where the banquet is held is not in the palace. I originally opened a restaurant in Xicheng, called Zuixianlou. Let's let the cook in the restaurant After cooking a table of good food and good wine, my sister and I will prepare gifts commonly used by generals for him, and we will go there early and wait, so we won’t be too ostentatious.”

Hearing this, Zhen Xue agreed with her tranquil and graceful face, and she said with a bit of joy in her gentle voice, "Sister, this is a good idea, so don't worry about him not coming. Even if it's Li Xia of the melon field... In short, he won't attend the appointment."

"That's what I meant. In fact, if he and your brother-in-law didn't intentionally alienate, it would be appropriate to have a banquet at my house, but it's fine as it is now. It's the friendship between our Zhen family and Jia family." Zhen Qing Liu Ye Under the slender eyebrows, the deep part of the narrow and long phoenix eyes flickered, and there was a faint hint of inexplicable meaning.

My good sister, anyway, your husband is as good as Long Yang, and he hangs around outside. I haven’t touched you for a few years. At home, because I didn’t give birth to a boy, I got a lot of anger. My sister is also counted. Help you, don't let you be a widow.

Xu is thinking like this to alleviate the guilt in her heart, Zhen Qing is doing psychological construction in her heart.

Zhen Xue didn't know her sister's sneaky thoughts, thought for a while, and said softly: "It's still my sister who is considerate."

Zhen Qing smiled and said no more.

This time, she will arrange it properly, and nothing will go wrong. After grasping the handle of Yongning Bo, she will not use it as a threat, but use it as an opportunity to reach a tacit understanding between the prince and Yongning Bo.

She wants Uncle Yongning to become a deeply hidden trump card in the hands of the prince.

As for the younger sister, she has always been soft-tempered, even if she is aware of it, it is enough to make more apologies and annoy her.

(End of this chapter)