bastard returns

"So guest officer, you didn't buy clothes for yourself." Xiaoer resentfully put down the gown in his hand, and said with some embarrassment: "The woman's clothes are on the other side, guest officer come with me."

Ning Yuan turned around to leave, seeing Huyan Yuanchen still standing still, he couldn't help but patted him on the shoulder, "What are you thinking, don't you like that dress?"

"It's nothing." Huyan Yuanchen's stiff body then moved, pretending to turn around casually.

Ning Yuan did not doubt that he was there, and quickly followed behind the shop waiter. Huyan Yuanchen looked at his back, and was a little worried for a moment. He came to see the woman's clothes, so it was definitely not for him. Is it because I am being self-indulgent?

Since ancient times, women have been pleasing to themselves, and women have more needs for clothes than men. After entering the room where women's clothes are displayed, it is much more spacious than the room where men's clothes were placed before, not only the clothes hanging in all directions The clothes are beautiful in color and unique in style, and the ladies coming and going in the room are all silk and satin, with red hairpins all over their heads, one can tell at a glance that they all come from rich and noble families. They won't even step in the door frame.

Huyan Yuanchen was dazzled by those colorful colors, he picked up the wooden sign hanging beside a goose-yellow dress with gold thread beside him, looked at the price on it, shook his hand, and almost knocked the wooden sign with the price on it. Throw it on the ground.

Ning Yuan was looking at an emerald green gauze dress introduced to her by Xiaoer, carefully studying the pattern on the skirt, Hu Yanyuanchen saw that he was looking at it seriously, hurriedly approached, and said in a low voice: "You really want to be here Shopping? I just saw a dress that is so ordinary that it costs 50 taels!"

"I know." Unexpectedly, Ning Yuan only threw out these three words lightly, and went to study another skirt.

Hu Yanyuanchen hit a soft nail, and suddenly couldn't understand Ning Yuan's behavior. Since he came to see the clothes of the woman's house, he must not wear them himself, but give them as gifts, but even if they are gifts, why bother? Such a precious thing, not to mention that the act of a man giving a woman clothes is a bit indecent.

While Huyan Yuanchen was struggling, Ning Yuan seemed to have chosen a very unique dress with a light green base and lotus flowers embroidered on it. Thinking of this skirt, it is not cheap, the price is actually broken by a hundred taels.

"Xin'er will be 14 years old on the second day of next month. It's a big day. I, as an elder brother, have never bought her any good things in these years. I should buy her a decent dress." The waiter took it. When the skirt went to help Ning Yuan pay the bill, Ning Yuan seemed to finally see Huyan Yuanchen's confusion, and explained.

Huyan Yuanchen nodded, only now did he realize that it was for Ning Xiner, Ning Yuan has always cherished this sister, no wonder he was willing to spend money here to buy clothes, it's only the second day of next month... Huyan Yuanchen calculated the date, Isn't it just the day before your birthday?

Presumably Ning Yuan cared about his sister wholeheartedly, so he probably forgot his birthday.Thinking of this, Huyan Yuanchen couldn't help shaking his head in discouragement. He is a big man, and it is really not easy to compete with other girls.

"Hey, look, isn't that Miss Pang?"

"Miss Pang, which Miss Pang?"

"The one who just came in is the young lady of Changsheng Hou's family!"

The conversation between the two ladies next to him suddenly caught Ning Yuan's ears. He turned his eyes and looked towards the direction of the stairs. He really saw two beautifully dressed women walking down the hall from the upstairs hall with another waiter waiting for customers. The older one, wearing a lake blue long dress and wearing a woman's bun, is the eldest daughter of Changshenghou Pang Song, the wife of Han Tao, commander of the Huajing Guards, Pang Chunyan, and beside her is a pink dress. The girl in the long skirt is her younger sister, Pang Qiushui.

When I met those two people here, I don't know if it was because of the narrow road, Ning Yuan gave Huyan Yuanchen a hand, and Huyan Yuanchen also felt better, and he and Ning Yuan walked to the back of a row of shelves.

The two ladies who spoke before did not stop talking after the Pang sisters came up, they just spoke in a low voice, and Ning Yuan listened to them thoroughly, and only one of them said: "Have you heard, my father?" When I came back from court yesterday, I said that Second Miss Pang is going to become a princess."

The tone of the other person was very surprised, "Could it be that you made a mistake, just because she still wants to be a princess? Didn't she stay in the sky prison, her reputation has long been rotten, and there are no ordinary officials' children?" Going to the Pang Mansion to propose a marriage, how could she cling to the prince."

"How can my father brag? This is what Pang Da personally said. He said that the Fourth Highness has proposed marriage to the Pang Mansion, and wants to marry the Second Miss and go back to be the main concubine." The girl smacked her lips, "Actually, it's nothing. I'm so envious, the second young lady of the Pang family is used to being someone who can do any shameless things in order to climb up to the dragon and the phoenix. Didn't she marry the first lady of Ningguo Duke's mansion in order to get on with the eldest prince? The Duke's wife was tossed into the dungeon. She probably saw that the eldest prince with all kinds of bad deeds would definitely not want her, so she took the second best option and embraced the fourth prince... But I see that even if she can To become a prince and concubine as one wishes, but one may not be a decent prince and concubine, and one might cause trouble to one's upper body."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What is the status of the Fourth Highness among the relatives of the emperor? You know. Although it seems to be better than before, it's just like that. Besides..." The girl said this, and suddenly lowered her voice. Voice, "And everyone is spreading the word that His Royal Highness is the lone star of Tiansha, and anyone who has anything to do with him will end badly. He was born to kill his mother, and later he recognized the concubine Yue as his stepmother." At first, I thought I could turn salty fish into a new life, but it turned out that within a year, the concubine Yue also disappeared. You said that this was not suppressed by the Fourth Highness, what else could be the reason? Second Miss Pang married to the Fourth Highness Concubine Zheng, it looks beautiful, maybe it can't be beautiful from the beginning to the end, it's hard to say!"

"That's true, but Miss Pang Er has a really thick skin. If I had been in prison, I'm afraid I'd stay in the mansion for the rest of my life and be ashamed to come out to meet people. She just seemed like a normal person. You can still go shopping while licking your face..." The two ladies walked away with silver bell-like laughter while discussing.

Sikong Xu actually wants to marry Pang Qiushui?The corner of Ning Yuan's eyes twitched. This is really an anecdote. If he remembers correctly, no matter in his previous life or this life, Ning Shanshan, who is known as the most beautiful woman in Huajing, is the one who has been eyeing him since he was a child. Why? Suddenly fell in love with Pang Qiushui?

As Ning Yuan thought about it, the Pang sisters had already walked in and began to pick up their clothes with relish. Many official ladies around saw the two of them and started whispering. They naturally heard it too. It can be seen that Pang Chunyan's face is not very good-looking and seems a little embarrassed, but Pang Qiushui just turned a deaf ear to the gossip around him, as if he was really focused on picking clothes.

Ning Yuan glanced at them again, led Huyan Yuanchen to go downstairs quietly from the other side, waited downstairs for a while, and planned to leave after Xiao Er brought the packed clothes.

Just walking outside the store, the two of them bumped into an acquaintance again.

Han Tao should have come with the Pang sisters, and he seemed unable to bear the shame of entering such a shop full of makeup smell, so he waited outside. When he saw Ning Yuan, he was taken aback for a moment, then turned sullen and said nothing. , There was no intention of saying hello to him at all.

Ning Yuan smiled subtly, didn't say anything, and got into the carriage that was already waiting outside the door.

After the Pang sisters bought the clothes and came out of the store, Han Tao immediately went up to greet them and asked, "Is someone in this store bothering you?"

Pang Chunyan didn't speak, but Pang Qiushui said with disdain on his face: "This place where there are many women, at most it's just a trick of lip service, taking advantage of the rumors and gossip, just pretending not to hear, what trouble can there be?" .”

"I'm not referring to this." Han Tao said: "Did you two meet that kid Ning Yuan, I just watched him come out with Prince Yongyi."

"Him?" Pang Qiushui rolled his eyes, "I didn't meet him, why, what did that kid tell you?"

"That's not true." Han Tao breathed a sigh of relief, "That kid has always been at odds with us, and he can't shake it off like a dog's skin plaster. Last time, Yue Zhang's plan not only failed to punish him, but let him come back alive. I don’t know what tricks I have used to get Ning Guogong’s favor, I’m worried that he’s confident and will trouble you.” After a pause, he said to Pang Qiushui: “Especially you, now you have a bad reputation. Before the imperial decree of the emperor's marriage comes down, you must be extra cautious, so why bother to drag your sister out to buy clothes at this juncture, isn't it arousing criticism."

"Criticism? I think those people are jealous!" Pang Qiushui disapproved of Han Tao's words, "I was fed up with being useless in those days. I have been in the mansion for so long, and now I have the opportunity to go out and take a walk. , I just want to show those gossips who like to gossip, no matter how much they gossip, I still want to be the princess, my status is above them, and I will piss off these gossips."

Because of being in prison, even if Pang Qiushui stays at the gate of the mansion all day long, she can still know how people outside talk about her through the mouths of servants. In the past, she was ashamed and reluctant. When she came out to meet people, now that she knew that she was about to become a prince and concubine, how could she care so much, she just wanted to walk out of the house to see it, and exhale and raise her eyebrows completely.

Han Tao said cautiously: "You still have to be careful, that kid Ning Yuan probably knows that Yue Zhang and the others tried to harm him with the help of the Eldest Princess, and now that he is doing well in front of Ning Guogong, he is bound to take the opportunity to retaliate , Yuezhang is guarding against him."

It's a pity that Han Tao's appearance is completely unfounded in Pang Qiushui's eyes, "Mr. Ning?" Pang Qiushui sneered: "Don't pretend that I don't know, but Ning Guo recognized him as a relative and gave him the status of a young master. His status is nothing more than making it easier for him to enter and leave the Duke’s mansion, but can he really treat himself as the heir? The heir of the Duke of Ning’s mansion is Ning Zhongkun, not him.” At this point, Pang Qiushui paused, “Ning Zhongkun I don't have much contact with people, but I also know that he is narrow-minded, and now he has finally become the prince, but Ning Guogong somehow put a "Master Tang" by his side, so he would not be jealous if he was born?"

"It's not your turn to worry about other people's housework." Speaking of this, Han Tao also felt that he might be worrying too much, so he lifted the curtain of the carriage, "Go home after shopping."

Pang Chunyan is not as thick-skinned as Pang Qiushui. She was already made uncomfortable by those gossips, and immediately got into the car. Pang Qiushui followed behind. While getting into the car, her eyes were full of strange colors, and she didn't know what she was thinking about. Ghost idea.

****

On Ning Xin'er's 14th birthday, Ning Yuan and Tang's actually set up a banquet for her and celebrated her well.

Ever since Ning Yuan appeared in Ningguo's mansion, he didn't intend to hide it any more. Tang and Ning Xin'erbian also moved out from Zhao Mo's house and returned to their house in the west of the city.

The banquet was held lively, and all the people who were supposed to come also came, so Ning Xiner naturally collected a lot of gifts, all kinds of gold and jade, jewelry, and jewelry, which could not be held in both hands, thanks to Ning Yuan Nowadays, although there are not many acquaintances in Huajing, they are all masters who are not short of money. Whether it is Jing Yi, Zhao Mo, or even the long-lasting Sikong Xuan who brought Shu's congratulatory gifts from the palace, they can get it. They are all big money. Compared with theirs, Ning Yuan's clothes cost a lot of money, but they are also the most shabby.

But Ning Xin'er is obviously not the type with elbows bent outwards. No matter how expensive the things others give are, in her eyes, they are not as good as Ning Yuan's. She even went into the room and changed the skirt on the spot, which made Sikong Xuan Can't help but feel a little disappointed - what he gave was also a dress, and he begged Concubine Shu Hui to drive out the nuns with the most superb embroidery skills in the house. I originally wanted Ning Xin'er to change it on her birthday, but was Ning Yuan took the lead, so that he could only laugh along with him while drinking dull wine with Huyan Yuanchen.

After drinking for three rounds, Huyan Yuanchen saw Sikong Xuan's mood a bit, and he couldn't help asking tentatively, "Why do you put on such a face, birthday gifts are always the most important thing, as long as people It is good to receive your wishes, and there is no need to worry too much about other things."

"Brother Huyan, you don't know." Sikong Xuan drank a little too much, his cheeks flushed, and his tone became clouded, "It would be great if she could really accept my wishes, but it's a pity that she never accepted my wishes." Do something."

"How can you see that?" Huyan Yuanchen raised his eyebrows, "I remember that your relationship was not very good in the past, and you often got together to fight and fight."

"Yeah, we used to have a good relationship, but later on, she suddenly didn't like to talk to me." Sikongxuan said sullenly, thinking that when he and Ning Xin'er were both young when they were at Ning's house in Jiangzhou, Ning Xiner's personality doesn't look like a little girl at all, and Sikong Xuan is always very cautious and serious when he first arrives in a new environment, so he sadly became the object of Ning Xiner's fun, painting his face with ink, or It is very common to catch earthworms and throw them into the back collar of the clothes. At first Sikong Xuan was very annoyed by Ning Xiner's behavior, but because she was Ning Yuan's younger sister, he couldn't say much, but gradually He suddenly found that Ning Xiner's mischievous behaviors had completely become a touch of bright color in his daily monotonous life, and he even looked forward to the chasing, fleeing, and fighting between the two of them. .

It's a pity that later on, probably because Ning Xiner got older, or because she was reprimanded more by Tang, she gradually lost her naughty temper, became more like a girl, and stopped teasing and flirting with Sikong Xuan. There was a commotion, which once made Sikong Xuan feel particularly lost, and this kind of loss also exploded to the extreme after Sikong Xuan returned to the palace with Concubine Shu Hui, because he found that the life in the palace was more monotonous and boring than when he was in Jiangzhou. .

Because he lived among the people for a long time, the emperor paid close attention to his homework, and Tian Buwei, who taught him, was a famous stubborn old scholar, so he lived every day except eating and reading, and occasionally Practicing martial arts, he could hardly find any other entertainment, and every time he was bored to the extreme, he would miss the little things he had with Ning Xiner in the past. Hanging around in front of Ning Xiner, what surprised her was that Ning Xiner's various behaviors in front of her became more and more like a lady of a great family. Although there was a little bit of etiquette, it only made Sikong Xuan feel that there was a lot of separation.

"I think Xin'er probably doesn't want to be friends with me anymore. She never treated me so politely before." Sikong Xuan hiccupped. He didn't hold a lot of alcohol, and after a few drinks, he would hide all his secrets. Can't stop, "That's right, a girl needs to look like a lady from a great family to be lovable. At Xin'er's age, I'm afraid she has a sweetheart, so there's no time to deal with me."

"You kid." Huyan Yuanchen laughed, and suddenly said: "Seeing how you care so much, could it be that you have fallen in love with him?"

He waited and waited, but did not wait for Sikong Xuan's answer, he took a closer look, it turned out that he was already overwhelmed by alcohol, and fell asleep on the table.

It was already late, and the people at the other table were all drunk, and Ning Yuan was watching the food and drinks, so he asked Bai Tan and the others to pack up, and arranged for those who had drunk to stay. After clearing the field, the hour was approaching Zishi.

Coming out of the main hall, Ning Yuan quietly closed the door, and when he turned around, he saw Huyan Yuanchen sitting on a stone bench in the yard, drinking tea with a small cup. Seeing Ning Yuan coming out, he smiled and said: "Is everything packed?"

"Not much." Ning Yuan walked up to him and sat down, and poured himself a cup of tea, "I haven't seen Xin'er so happy for a long time."

"With a brother like you who is good for her, any younger sister will feel happy." Huyan Yuanchen's tone was inexplicably sour, he put down the tea cup and said, "Forget it, it's so late, I still have some things to do, so I'll go back first. "

"Go back?" Ning Yuan was stunned for a moment, "How can you leave before the matter is finished."

"What else is there?" Huyan Yuanchen didn't know why.

Ning Yuan looked up at the moon, "It seems that it's not the time yet, but I can't care too much." Ning Yuan suddenly took Huyan Yuanchen's hand, "Follow me."

Huyan Yuanchen was pulled by him, and went straight out of the yard. Outside the yard, Zhou Shi didn't go to sleep, but waited there with a carriage. Seeing the two of them coming out, he smiled at Huyan Yuanchen ambiguously, Huyan Yuanchen was pushed into the car by Ning Yuan before he came to say hello.

Zhou Shi's movements were also nimble, with a flick of his horsewhip, the carriage trotted down the empty street.

"It's in the middle of the night, where are you going?" Huyan Yuanchen was even more confused, and had no idea what Ning Yuan was trying to trick.

Ning Yuan didn't speak, but just signaled him to be calm. After running for about two minutes, the carriage finally stopped. Huyan Yuanchen heard the sound of the rolling river outside, and when he lifted the curtain, the carriage really arrived. By the pier.

At this time, the pier is still lively, with several brightly lit painting boats wandering back and forth on the river, and the sound of unrestrained waves can be heard from time to time. Ning Yuan leads Huyan Yuanchen to jump out of the carriage and walk to the pier, where there is also a man waiting , Huyan Yuanchen took a closer look, and it turned out to be Yan Fei.

Before he was going to come to Ning's house in the afternoon, Yan Fei once said that he had a stomachache, asked him for leave, and went to see a doctor by himself. I don't doubt there is him, but now seeing people appearing here, I can't help feeling a little absurd in my heart.

Yan Fei has been with him since he was a child, and he is his confidant, but now this confidant has obviously acted out of the inside and outside. I don't know what medicine he is selling with Ning Yuan, which really makes Huyan Yuanchen feel very angry Funny again.

"Young master, Mr. Ning, you are here." Seeing the two of them, Yan Fei hastily saluted with a smile, completely ignoring Huyan Yuanchen's angry expression, and only stepped aside, revealing a delicate boat behind him , "I have been waiting for a long time, you two go up quickly."

Compared with the painted boats on the river, the small boat is much smaller, but it is also about three feet long. There is a small stove sitting on the bow, and tea is burning on the stove. The cabin is open, there is no door, only a bead curtain hangs down. , you can see that the candles are shining brightly inside, and a small square table that can accommodate two people is set up, and there are a few elegant side dishes on the table.

Ning Yuan pulled Huyan Yuanchen onto the boat and sat down. Yan Fei on the shore also jumped to the back of the boat, held the rudder, and with a low growl, the boat slowly left the pier and crossed towards the center of the river.