The Way of the Consort

He Qiniang really didn't bump into Ji Zhao on purpose this time.

Speaking of which, she also regretted a little, Ji Zhao never saw her no matter what, she couldn't go to Ji Zhao's house every day, so even a fool could see that there was something wrong with her.With limited staff around her, she couldn't grasp Ji Zhao's whereabouts. As for herself, she couldn't just squat near Ji Zhao's house all day long, watching where Ji Zhao went before touching him.

No matter how anxious she was, she still remembered what her brother said during the Lantern Festival, so she could only make a little trouble.

Recently, she has been to Fuzhizhai twice to buy snacks at the opposite door of the Taiyuan Academy. Those who go to school are either rich or expensive, and this richness is also particular. Ordinary businessmen can't get in. Originally, I don't know how many people squeezed their heads and wanted to enter the Taiyuan Academy for gold plating. Several grandchildren of Princess Changning are also in the Taiyuan Academy. read.

After the Ji family was invited to Jinling by the emperor, they opened the White Deer Academy. Renzong's original intention was to hope that there would be more places for students all over the world to devote themselves to learning. The White Deer Academy was different from the Tai Academy. It only accepted outstanding students, even if the family was poor. A thatched hut, even a piece of paper can't afford it, and the academy also accepts it.The academy holds exams every ten days, and if one gets to the top ten of the entire academy, not only will the list be posted at the gate of Bailu Academy, but money will also be given as encouragement.

As a result, countless children from poor families study hard all day long just to enter the White Deer Academy.

It has been nearly 20 years since the establishment of Bailu Academy in Jinling City, and it is still a holy place for children from poor families. Famous families also love to send their outstanding children to study in Bailu Academy.

Of course, the status of the Taiyuan Academy is still there. The descendants of the clan have always studied in the Taiyuan Academy, and there must be excellent students, but the dudes of the right age in Beijing don’t dare to go to the White Deer Academy. Tai Academy nestled.

He Qiniang wanted to step on the spot and release some rumors about Ji Zhao at that time, and she also specially picked a time when they were crowded after school.

The children of the clan's family, as well as some famous sons, got in the car to go home after school, but there were still a bunch of dandies who were eating, drinking and having fun. I was afraid that there would not be enough fun, so He Qiniang was targeted by these people, He Qiniang It's so annoying, I finally know what it's like to steal the chicken without losing the rice.

Those people sent people to the shop every day to make trouble, and then hired a few guards to make things better. After all, those dudes are also respectable people in the city, so they dare not make too much trouble.

Unexpectedly, when I went to the street to buy something today, I was almost snatched back in the busy market!

Yin Ming sent her back, she thanked again and again, went back to the shop, the maid was helping her look after the shop at the front, she went back to the back yard, full of anger, today on the street, she almost couldn't help it , killed those people.

Of course her kung fu can't compare with her brother's, and it doesn't take much trouble to kill a few people.

Her eyes were full of gloom, Xiao Mo'er watched from a distance, and wanted to come up to say something, but He Qiniang gave her a hard look, and she shrank back in fright.

He Qiniang felt furious and wanted to kill everyone who was an eyesore.

At night, He Qiniang was tossing and turning on the bed, when she heard a light crack on the window, she immediately sat up and asked softly, "Who?"

There was almost no sound of footsteps, a shadow approached her bed, she was holding a dagger, the curtain was pulled open, she breathed a sigh of relief: "Brother..."

Someone stood by the bed and looked her up and down carefully. She rarely smiled coquettishly: "Brother is worried about me? Who can harm me..."

The visitor frowned: "I just returned to Jinling when I heard that someone wanted to take you back as a concubine."

He Qiniang was dissatisfied: "One day I will kill them!"

He sneered: "Kill, kill, how powerful you are, you can kill anyone who doesn't like you? I don't dare to say kill, why, you are better than me?"

"..." He Qiniang wanted to refute, but when she looked up and saw his sullen eyebrows, she held back her anger, lowered her head and did not speak.

He was silent for a moment, and then said: "From now on, you should be honest and don't do anything I don't know about."

"Then when will we wait!" He Qiniang was unwilling.

"If you don't like to wait, you can be a concubine!"

"I do not!"

"Then be honest!"

He Qiniang was panting with anger, and the visitor was silent again, before saying after a long time: "In this world, we are already each other's only relatives, even if I die in the future, I hope to protect you first."

"Brother..." He Qiniang looked up at him, her voice tinged with sadness.

"What we do can be said to be the most difficult thing in the world. Listen to my brother, you are not as good as you imagined, and there is my brother here, so there is no reason for you to stand in front."

"But Ji Zhao—"

"It has nothing to do with you. You have done what you should do."

"this time--"

"Those young masters, I will help you deal with it. I will beat them up secretly, so that they will have no time to bother you in the future, and you will never take any risks yourself."

He Qiniang lowered her head and thought for a long time before she whispered, "I see, I'm the one who made you mess up again."

He reached out to touch He Qiniang's head, and He Qiniang asked him: "Where have you been these days? How long will you stay in Jinling this time?"

"This time we will stay for a few more days, King Zheng's place has already begun to loosen."

He Qiniang curled her lips: "Wang Zheng's family is trash too, what's the use?"

"Anything you see is not necessarily what they are. It's their decision. I'm just helping them."

The two brothers and sisters were talking, but they didn't know that just across the wall, there were several people sticking their hands on the thin wall, hearing their conversation verbatim.

In Shuangquan Lane, the owner of the shop next door to Ji Zhao's had sincerely wanted to sell the shop to them. He Qiniang was a smart girl, but she was afraid of human nature. She investigated secretly for a long time and found that there was indeed nothing unusual. He wanted to expand his manpower, but Ji Zhao had no idea, so forget it.

Later, the shop was bought by an Huizhou merchant, who didn't expect to make any money when he bought it, so he kept it as a warehouse. The old wife, son, and daughter-in-law are all honest people.He Qiniang observed for seven whole days, and even visited three times at night, before she was sure that the other party was fine.

How could the other party have no problems? This Hui merchant is naturally His Royal Highness Zongzhen.

When he found out that He Qiniang had a problem, he immediately asked Chen Keye to do it, but there were a few more relationships. After He Qiniang stopped asking secretly, they renovated the new shop in front of He Qiniang. It is human nature to repair a new house after buying it, and He Qiniang even gave herbal tea to the workers.

A few times, when He Qiniang was not in the shop, they dug tunnels directly in the backyard of the house, and even thinned the walls by a few inches.

After dawn, Chen Keye entered the palace, told Zong Zhen about this, and taught him the conversation between the siblings.

Zong Zhen asked: "Have you ever seen the appearance of that man?"

Chen Keye said in shame: "The subordinate happened to be away last night, only a few of them were there, and I didn't expect someone to come suddenly. His kung fu is very good, and he walks almost silently. After he left, they immediately chased after him, but Afraid of being discovered by the other party, I dare not follow too closely, that man's kung fu is indeed good, and he lost it after a while, that man, wearing night clothes, is tall, very thin, and his face is covered."

After hearing these words, Zong Zhen tapped his finger on the table lightly in thought, and gradually came to his senses.

Seeing that he did not speak, Chen Keye saluted: "This subordinate has neglected his duty, please punish him, Your Highness."

Zong Zhen came back to his senses and said with relief: "It's okay, since I've been here, it's not the first time I've been here, I'll definitely come again, listen to the voice, he cares a lot about this little sister He Qiniang."

He understands this kind of feeling very well. He also has a biological sister. He would rather die by himself than see someone bully his sister.

He Qiniang is not a fuel-efficient lamp, there will always be troubles, even if He Qiniang does not make troubles, he will make He Qiniangs cause troubles, not afraid that the person will not come.

Chen Keye was still very guilty: "This subordinate has neglected his duty. From today onwards, this subordinate will send more manpower to keep an eye on the neighbor!"

Zong Zhen's voice was relaxed: "It's not necessary, that would be suspicious, and it's the best now."

"Yes!"

After Chen Keye left, Zong Zhen was still thinking about things, and when he finished thinking about serious things, he asked Bao Qing to pour him tea.

After receiving the teacup, just as he picked up the tea cover, he suddenly thought of what the brother and sister said, His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly smiled, which surprised and delighted Bao Qing. His Highness has been cold-faced since shooting arrows yesterday. , This suddenly laughed again, for what?

Zong Zhen's happiness is simple.

It turned out that Ji Zhao really didn't collude with these secret agents.

He looked up and drank a cup of tea.

The grandmothers and the princess came back from the mountain, and Ji Zhao went to pick them up at the gate of the city. Princess Fuchen didn't go home first, but went to the Yin Mansion first. They didn't see each other for a few days. The princess and the grandmother got along better than when they were on the mountain. After eating happily, Ji Zhao sent Princess Fuchen home again, and stayed at the Princess Mansion that night.

The two are still separated by a screen, Princess Fuchen sleeps on the bed, he sleeps on the Arhat bed, the two chatted idlely before going to bed.

"Is Loquat Lane really that interesting?" Princess Fuchen asked.

"Yeah, it's interesting. I bought many of my rare copies there! It used to be the Shangshu Mansion of the previous dynasty. It is said that you can dig up the ground and walls, and you can find antiquities. Many shops say that they What is sold is dug out.”

Princess Fuchen laughed straight: "Then it must be a fake. Where did so many ancient relics come from? Even if there are, it's their turn?"

Ji Zhao also smiled: "But even if you don't buy anything, it's interesting to listen to those people talking. The princess wants to go too? I'll accompany you some other day!"

"I want to go shopping. My brother's birthday is in September. I give those things away every year. I'm tired of giving them away, and I'm afraid my brother is also tired of looking at them. I want to go there to see if there are any rare things."

It turns out that the crazy prince had his birthday in September?

After Princess Fuchen finished speaking, seeing that he had lost his voice, she suddenly realized, and apologized, "Look at me, the son-in-law's birthday is at the end of August, and I'm very close to my brother. I didn't have a chance last year, so I have to give my son-in-law a good time this year."

Ji Zhao didn't care and said, "It's okay!"

"How can it be all right? It's the son-in-law's 17th birthday. The son-in-law is a rabbit, right?"

"Yes, the princess is a cow?"

"Yes! Brother is a pig!"

"..." Ji Zhao heard this, and wondered in his heart, is the prince the same age as his elder brother? They both belong to the pig.

As the two talked, their voices gradually became quieter, and they fell asleep one after another.

In the East Palace, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who had just been discussed by them had just returned from the Yanfu Hall, and he had already negotiated with his father to lift the ban on Prince Zheng's Mansion.He didn't plan to sleep yet, but wanted to read a few more books. When washing his hands and changing clothes, Cheng Shen told him that Fu Chen had returned to the city: "The princess stayed in the Yin mansion until it was almost dark, and then returned to the princess with the son-in-law." government."

Zongzhen's hands paused, so tonight, did Ji Zhao stay in Fuchen Mansion?

He couldn't help turning his head to look at the clear moonlight outside the window.

Three days later, Zhang Yifei and others finally returned to Jinling City, and were ordered by His Majesty to contemplate their mistakes at home and not to go out.

Five days later, Xiang Sheng, who was beside His Majesty, went to Prince Zheng's Mansion to announce the decree, officially announcing the lifting of the ban on the Prince Zheng's Mansion.

Hearing the news, Ji Zhao thought in his heart that the crown prince actually kept his word, and Prince Zheng's mansion really lifted the ban.It's just that even though the ban was lifted, no one really dared to visit them.His Majesty is angry with Zhang's family, Zhang Yifei begged to see His Majesty, but His Majesty refused to see him, and sent Xiang Sheng to Zhang's House to verbally reprimand him every day.

At such a sensitive time, it is also the sensitive Prince Zheng's Mansion, everyone still respects and appreciates it.

Only Ji Zhao dared to come to the door, and His Highness the Crown Prince was confused by him, and he didn't know whether to call him stupid, or to be mad at him for thinking so much about Zongyan.

But Zong Zhen also knew that Ji Zhao didn't have many friends. Up to now, there were only two of them. He didn't say anything, let Ji Zhao go.When Ji Zhao went to Prince Zheng's mansion, he didn't see anyone else, but Zong Yan was alone. He went there for two or three days, and he asked Zong Yan to go out to play.

Zongyan was still a little timid and didn't want to go out. Ji Zhao persuaded him: "Your family has done nothing wrong. Aren't you implicated by that Guo family? His Majesty also knows it, and he didn't punish you. Now he will lift the ban." Now, you should hang out with me more generously! Let those who are waiting to watch the excitement be happy for nothing!"

"..." Zong Yan was still hesitating.

Ji Zhao asked again: "Are you worried about the prince?" He is the prince's brother-in-law in name anyway, so naturally he would not tell others that the prince is not good, even if what happened last time, the prince's role is indeed indispensable, he said, "Actually the prince also It's not what you imagined, so you don't need to worry too much."

Before Zong Yan said anything, Zong Mi came in from the outside and said with a smile: "Yes, fifth brother, you can go out with the son-in-law."

"King Zheng..." Ji Zhao stood up, intending to salute. He was still brooding over the fact that Zong Mi lied to him back then. In his opinion, the crown prince is not a good person. Although he has rectified recently, King Zheng Zongmi is also not a good person either!Only Zong Yan is really careless, and his grandfather also supports him to play with Zong Yan, which is enough to prove this point.

Zong Mi stepped forward, stretched out his hand to hold his hand, and said with a smile, "Don't be so polite, son-in-law."

Ji Zhao withdrew his hand unnaturally, hid it in his sleeve, and smiled.

Zong Mi was keenly aware of Ji Zhao's hand hidden in his sleeve, and with the same smile on his face, he reached out and patted Zong Yan's shoulder: "Go!"

"Mother is still at home... How can I go out to play alone."

"Our family has lifted the ban. Your Majesty is assured of us. If you go out, the mother and concubine will naturally be able to go out. With Your Majesty and the prince here, will anyone rush to our house to bully us? Watch us."

Ji Zhao thought it was weird. The crown prince told him that day that he would not use him again. It was a good thing, and he was happy, but the crown prince did not guarantee that Prince Zheng’s mansion would live well after the ban was lifted. In the village, there are no clan names, but there are too many clans with no power at all. What kind of life are they living?

What is the use of Zheng Wang, the county king?

Of course Ji Zhao knew that he was just a little son-in-law, and he couldn't protect himself, so he shouldn't worry about others, but Zongyan was his friend anyway, and on the other side was the prince who was moody, but recently treated him well.

Life is hard, Ji Zhao gradually lost his mind, Zong Mi looked at him a few times, and persuaded Zong Yan with a smile on his lips.

Zong Yan was finally persuaded and followed Ji Zhao.

Zong Mi kept sending them to the gate of the courtyard, and watched them go away. Zong Mi looked at Ji Zhao, who was next to his younger brother, who had regained his vigor. When he looked sideways at Zong Yan, his smile was dazzling. Mi also smiled.

After laughing, he suddenly put away his smile and turned back to the yard.

Ji Zhao went out with Zongyan several times, and the letter that was sent to Huizhou almost every day disappeared. It was completely forgot. His Royal Highness in the East Palace was very uncomfortable. Ji Zhao was indeed a little white-eyed wolf. .

With a new friend, he immediately left him behind, just like that, what kind of best friends did he say they were?And say you like him the most?

But he is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so how can he care about these trivial matters.

It turned out that it was July, more than half a month had passed, and Ji Zhao didn't say to send him a letter!

On a certain sleepless night, did His Royal Highness get up, cut paper and grind ink by himself, and picked up a pen to write a letter to Ji Zhao.

The next day Ji Zhao "received" his brother's letter, and immediately opened it to read it. In the letter, what did my brother say that I heard recently that you and the five sons of Prince Zheng's mansion are so good, how you play every day, how good it is, Ji Zhao sniffled. , Why do you feel that there is a sour taste!

He laughed "haha", brother really cared about him too!Scared he has better friends!

Ji Zhao also cut paper and ink by himself, and quickly replied, telling his brother that he loved him the most forever!They are best friends!It was because Zongyan's family was so pitiful that no one dared to play with him. He felt a little uncomfortable seeing Zongyan, who was so lively before, become like this, so he took him to play with him every day!

In his heart, brother is the most important thing!

After writing the letter, Ji Zhao asked Yin Ming to send it out immediately. As soon as Yin Ming left, Zong Yan and Qin Wen came to the door.

Ji Zhao is the host today, and invited Zong Yan and Qin Wen to dinner at home, and introduced them to each other by the way.

The three of them ate in the tall gazebo and talked happily. Zong Yan was in a bad mood and used wine to relieve his sorrows. Ji Zhao had never drank alcohol and couldn't drink it. Qin Wen accompanied him to drink. Zong Yan was good at drinking, and he Before he was drunk, he drank Qin Wen first and lay down. Ji Zhao stuck out the tip of his tongue and tasted the sweet-scented osmanthus rice wine, which was said to have a low alcohol content, similar to sugar water. He was still so stimulated that he didn’t like wine very much after all. smell.

Zongyan laughed loudly, and Qin Wen was awakened by the laughter, and even drank a few more cups.

The laughter of the three people could not be surrounded by the pavilion, and was carried far and far by the wind.

Qin Wen was later carried to the guest room to rest, but Zong Yan was still fine, so Ji Zhao took him to his study and asked someone to bring him hangover tea.

Zong Yan was still a little depressed, so Ji Zhao brought some interesting books, paintings, ink, etc. that he found, and shared them with Zong Yan.

The two of them drank tea and tasted it, but it was also very interesting.

Ji Zhao got up again to look for paintings for Zongyan. Zongyan stood behind him, saw a pile of scrolls on the bookshelf, and said, "This shelf is also a collection?"

"Those were drawn by me!"

"May I have a look?"

"Look at it!" Ji Zhao didn't care, and continued to look for paintings with his back to Zong Yan.

Zongyan looked at it, and then he took out a scroll tied with red silk. He unfolded it, held it in his hand, looked at it, glanced at it, and with a slight drunkenness, he teased: "I didn't expect that there is still a prince in your study." It seems that you still value him a lot, no wonder you don't believe me."

"..." Ji Zhao stopped his hand, turned his back to him, and asked, "What did you say?"

"Let me tell you, there is still a portrait of the prince in your study. Did you draw it? Or did it come from Fu Chen?"

"Prince?" Ji Zhao looked back at him.

"Well, isn't it?" Zong Yan raised his hand and showed him the painting in his hand.