Roselle Peony

Lu Shangqiu thanked the butler, and the butler resigned.

The other room of the living room is also very elegantly furnished, there is a simple couch against the wall, covered by a white curtain.There is a square table in the middle, on which inkstones, pen holders, and a stack of books are neatly arranged.There are four large and small wolf pens in a row on the pen stand, all of which were pens he brought from Yushitai, presumably during the time he visited the palace, the servants helped him tidy up the room.

In addition, there is a plate of sweet-scented osmanthus cake and a blue and white porcelain cup on the table.The blue and white porcelain cup was steaming hot, he took a sip, and it turned out to be the best West Lake Longjing tea.He took another piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake and put it in his mouth. The sweet-scented osmanthus cake of Wangfu is different from other places. It is fragrant and soft, salty and sweet, and full of taste.He hadn't eaten today, and he was hungry at the moment, so he took a bite from left to right, and after a while, he wiped out the sweet-scented osmanthus cake.

He waited and waited until the King of Liang came out, then covered himself with the cloak that the King of Liang gave him, lay down on the couch to take a nap, and soon fell asleep.

The king of Liang spent a lot of time talking, and finally sent Zhong Cheng away.As soon as he opened the door and came in, there was such a scene in front of his eyes: the gentle and beautiful gentleman was lying on the couch and sleeping peacefully, covered with his own cloak, his long eyelashes cast a shadow on his cheek, his nostrils fluttered slightly, his red lips slightly Zhang, exhale like blue.

He stepped back from the crowd, crept onto the bed and lay down, and gently embraced the sleeping man in his arms from behind.

The small couch couldn't accommodate two big men, so Lu Shangqiu turned over and faced Liang Wang face to face.At first Liang Wang thought that he was going to wake up, but Lu Lang just muttered a few words in his sleep and went back to sleep.King Liang stared at him intently, and couldn't help stretching out his thumb, drawing the willow eyebrows, long eyelashes, that tear mole, and those red lips that were close at hand.

It was getting dark, and the palace was lit with lights everywhere.Lu Shangqiu barely woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw King Liang's big face approaching him. He almost fell out of bed in fright.

Liang Wang caught him and hugged him tightly again: "Sleep a little longer."

Only then did Lu Shangqiu realize that he had been sleeping with King Liang just now, and immediately blushed and said blushingly: "The lady in Xiaguan's family is still waiting for Xiaguan to come home for dinner."

"It doesn't matter, I will send someone to Lu Lang's mansion to report a letter later, saying that you are having dinner at the palace today." King Liang kissed him on the forehead, "Go to sleep."

The king of Liang, who was under one person and over ten thousand people, fell asleep quietly under his nose, and wrapped his arms around him, so that no one else could fall asleep.Lu Shangqiu secretly opened his eyes, and pictured Liang Wang's face in his mind, with straight eyebrows, a straight nose bridge, and two thin lips; at this moment, a pair of star eyes were closed, and the hostility was suppressed, and the two mustaches on his mouth moved slightly with his breathing. He could hardly resist the urge to reach out and grab it.

King Liang slept for half an hour longer, and his servants knocked on the door and came in: "My lord, the dinner is ready, please have dinner with your lord and Mr. Lu."

Seeing someone coming in, Lu Shangqiu hurriedly hid behind the prince.However, the servants seemed to be used to this kind of scene and didn't react much.

The servants led the two into the dining room, and the housekeeper took away the cloaks for the two, and led Lu Shangqiu to sit next to the prince.

"Try it, does it suit your taste?" Liang Wang brought food for him.

Lu Shangqiu was looking around, and he finally asked curiously: "Don't the prince's family have dinner together?"

The butler replied from the side: "The princess eats fast, and does not eat at the same table with the prince."

The dinner in the palace was not as extravagant as Lu Shangqiu imagined, with a lot of fish and meat; it was just some drinks and seven or eight daily side dishes.The drinks are all old wines in the palace. Although the side dishes are not delicacies from mountains and seas, they are all from the hands of the chef, with exquisite workmanship.

The food and drink were still too much for two people, so Lu Shangqiu got up to leave after eating until his belly was full.

"Can Lu Lang stay with me for a while?" King Liang squeezed his hand.

"The wives and concubines of the lower official are not yet confinement, and there are still a bunch of baby babies who are looking forward to the lower official's return to take care of them." Lu Shangqiu broke away from King Liang, bowed to him, and said in his heart: If I stay with him, I won't be able to leave tonight.

Seeing that he insisted on leaving, King Liang didn't stop him anymore.

On the second day, Lu Shangqiu found out that King Liang had removed the small couch in the other hall and put a big bed in it, which was really relaxing.

From then on, Lu Shangqiu followed Liang Wang up and down every day, running between Shangshu Province and the palace, and recorded affairs with great care.When he has nothing to do, the prince will play the piano with him; there are various musical scores collected in the palace, the two lovers of music often communicate, and sometimes even argue for an hour because of a rhythm.

Although sleeping with King Liang's arms and being eaten tofu happened from time to time, but every time he insisted on going home, King Liang would never be kind enough to keep him.

Lu Shangqiu couldn't understand King Liang's mind, nor did he understand what kind of relationship he had with King Liang.Let's say they are lovers, the two have not had any substantial physical relationship so far; let's say they are ordinary bosses and subordinates, I have never seen other bosses hugging their subordinates to sleep and eating tofu.

In any case, compared to the last job, this job is like honey to wormwood, sugar cane to coptis, it is much sweeter.

***

On this day, Lu Shangqiu and several other servants were waiting outside the Xuanzheng Hall for all the officials to come down.

On weekdays, when retreating from the imperial court, those with lower ranks should let those with higher ranks go first, so Liang Wang and his party always left the palace first.Unexpectedly, today the emperor dispersed, and all the officials filed out, but the king of Liang was not seen for a long time.

Lu Shangqiu waited anxiously outside the hall, stretched his neck to look at the exit of the Xuanzheng Hall, rubbed the tip of the pair of official boots on the ground back and forth, unexpectedly saw Lai Zhongcheng and his party slowly walking towards this side, and immediately He buried his head low, for fear of being recognized by Zhong Cheng.

Lai Zhongcheng was wearing a red robe official uniform and silver fish belt today, walking towards him talking and laughing with several other red robe officials.Walking here, I saw a man dressed as a servant buried his head low, looking like "there is no silver 300 taels here".

"Hehe, isn't this Lu Yuanwai? Why do you show such a big courtesy to Zhongcheng?" The fellow Shangshu Youcheng Wang Guang has sharp eyes. In fact, he has seen Lu Yuanwai from a long distance. It was no longer a secret in his circle, and now seeing him coming to Zhongcheng in hiding, he deliberately taunted him.

Lu Shangqiu had no choice but to salute: "I have seen some officials."

It was only then that Lai Junchen noticed him.He looked him up and down, and said with a sinister smile: "I haven't seen you for a long time, Mr. Lu has gained weight."

When has Lu Shangqiu been described as "fat" by others, and he was trying to refute him, only to hear Zhongcheng continue: "The last time I met Lu Yuanwai, Lu Yuanwai was still a thin monkey, I am afraid it is thanks to Liang Wang. Feed you well every day." After speaking, he laughed.Several red-robed officials understood the implication and laughed too.

When Lu Shangqiu saw that Lai Junchen dared to spit out indecent words so brazenly in Xuanzheng Hall, a holy place of pilgrimage, to slander him and the prince's innocence, he was angry and anxious, and said, "King Liang is not what you imagined."

"This is strange, when did the old man see you so sincerely protecting the lord?" Lai Junchen pretended to be surprised, lowered his voice, and said in a volume that could only be heard by a few neighbors, "Could it be that King Liang's bed skills are better than that of the king?" Is the old man great?"

All the officials laughed.

Now that he jumped into the Yellow River, he couldn't wash himself away, Lu Shangqiu turned into a big red apple with embarrassment, and in his heart, he just chopped up the old man who ruined his reputation everywhere.

Wang Youcheng laughed and said, "I've heard that Liang Wang likes the new and dislikes the old. If one day Lu Yuanwai falls out of favor, don't forget that there is our Zhongcheng, haha."

The crowd left with a smile. Lu Shangqiu cursed each of their ancestors for eighteen generations, but still couldn't get rid of the hatred in his heart.

After King Liang came down to court, Wu Zhao summoned him to discuss matters in the apse, which was delayed for a while.When he came out, he saw Lu Lang's face was ugly. He thought he was waiting impatiently, so he asked the person who carried the sedan chair to follow behind, comforted him, and took him to the direction of Shang Shuxing.

All the officials had already dispersed, and the Xuanzheng Hall was very quiet at this time, except for the eunuchs outside the hall, the servant who carried the sedan chair, and them, there was no one else.

Lu Shangqiu was dragged away by King Liang awkwardly. At this moment, the only thing that kept going back and forth in his heart was Wang Youcheng's words - "Wang Wang likes the new and dislikes the old".That's right, King Liang loved women, and he had never heard of him loving men, so he was probably just curious about himself for a while.If he relied on King Liang's temporary favor and forgot his identity, and only looked at the concubines in the east courtyard of King Liang's mansion, he would be able to see his fate in the future.What's more, King Liang is a strong contender for the crown prince, and the Holy Majesty intends to nominate him as the crown prince. If he really becomes the crown prince, what should he do by then.Now that he is about to be captured by King Liang's tenderness, he might as well end this hopeless entanglement before anything happens.

With determination, he pulled his hand away from King Liang's.

"Why don't you leave? The Ministry of Rites will be here soon." Liang Wang looked back at him suspiciously, "Is it because this king is walking too fast?"

Lu Shangqiu gritted his teeth, and knelt down on his knees with a "plop": "I am incompetent, unable to be qualified for the post of Lieutenant General Wailang, and I ask the prince to allow me to disarm and return to the field."

Liang Wang quickly went to help him: "Why don't you just stop doing it?" Seeing that Lu Shangqiu was kneeling on the ground and couldn't get up, his face was gloomy, as if he was about to cry at any time, he guessed: "Did someone say something to you?" It’s that bastard who doesn’t have long eyes, Lu Lang quickly told this king, and this king dragged him to feed the dogs.”

"No one said that I am incompetent." Lu Shangqiu said.

"If you are incompetent, who else is competent?" King Liang said angrily, startling a few birds looking for food in the square, "If you suddenly quit like this, who will I ask to replace you?" After finishing speaking Go pull him again.

Lu Shangqiu shook his head: "Dazhou is full of talents, and there is no shortage of next ones."

"Which one of Lu Lang's plays is sung, huh?" Liang Wang was so anxious that he even forgot to call himself "the king", "Don't do it, I recommend you in front of the emperor and all the ministers, so you just resign Now, where do you tell me to put my face? Don’t stop doing it.”

So he asked four sedan chair bearers to lift Lu Yuanwai, who was kneeling on the ground and refused to leave, into the sedan chair, and carried him to Shangshu Province.

***

After retiring from the court, Emperor Wu Zetian of the Great Zhou Dynasty left behind a book of spring officials—Liang Wangwu Sansi, discussing two things: first, preparing for the banquet in the palace in the first month;

The Ministry of Rites of Shangshu Province held a regular meeting, and everyone sat around a table, Liang Wang sat at the head, and other officials ranked second according to their ranks.

Lu Yuanwai was still quarreling, his official rank was not high, Liang Wang picked up a small tea table for him, and asked him to sit behind Liang Wang's back.

Liang Wangdao: "According to the usual practice in previous years, the guest department and the meal department are in charge of the Daming Palace banquet on New Year's Eve, and the ritual department and priest department are in charge of the lantern riddles in the Lantern Festival. Do you have any objections?"

Everyone shook their heads to express no objection.

"Masters, you have other questions. If you don't have any questions, the meeting will be adjourned."

Sisi Wu Langzhong said: "The person responsible for last year's Lantern Festival riddles was implicated by Di Party and sent to prison. This year, he has to find someone else to do it again."

Liang Wang asked: "Do you have any recommendation from the family of the ministers?"

Silence for a while.

Xu Su, the doctor of the Rites, said: "I have heard that Lu Yuanwai, a Jinshi, is well-read in poetry and books, and has many talents. According to my opinion, I will leave the Lantern Festival lantern riddles to Lu Yuanwai. What do you think, my lord?"

King Liang turned his head and looked at Lu Shangqiu who was hiding behind him.

The two eyes met.

Lu Shangqiu shook his head: I don't want to be an official anymore.

Liang Wang made a threat: Now is the busiest and most lacking time for this king. If you dare to run away, let me see how I can treat you.

Lu Shangqiu stared: You threatened me.

Liang Wang made a pitiful gesture: I beg you to do me a favor and help me.

Lu Shangqiu compromised: Your majestic prince, you are so useless, for your poor sake, I will reluctantly accept it.

Liang Wang nodded and smiled: That's right.

After the eye contact was over, King Liang turned to his subordinates and said, "Okay, that's it. Are there any questions?"

Lu Yuanwai poked his head out from behind King Liang: "Wu Langzhong, can you tell me how many lantern riddles you need?"

Wu Langzhong counted on his fingers: "According to previous years, there are about a thousand lantern riddles every year."

One thousand!Officer Lu stomped his feet and scolded in his heart. He came up with a plan and said: "This task is arduous and the time is tight. Please allow the officials to suspend the work in hand, and let the people collect lantern riddles."

The black line between King Liang's forehead.