Brother Donggong

From the first day of the first lunar month to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival lasts for fifteen days. From dumplings, firecrackers and firecrackers, to watching lanterns and eating Lantern Festival, from New Year’s Eve to the fifteenth day, the year is over.

On the night of New Year's Eve, my father was alone in Xiyuan, chanting scriptures and praying for blessings.

The court meeting had long been over, and the Ministry of Household Affairs also issued a month's extra salary in advance, allowing officials in Beijing to go home to buy meat and drink for the New Year.

On New Year's Eve, I, Lao Cui, Xiao Lian, Cucumber, and even Xie Meng, all of us stayed in Xiaoxing Palace to eat dumplings.I was very happy to see that Xiaolian was fine, and he comforted me that he was fine.When the people from Dali Temple came to 'invite' them that day, Cui Bicheng had already almost 'persuaded' Master Luo to go back, and it was Xiao Lian who was willing to go to Dali Temple with him.

He said, "I'm not afraid of thieves stealing, but I'm afraid of thieves thinking about it. Instead of making them worry about having a bad New Year, it's better to find out at once, and now everyone can spend the New Year in peace."

I,"……"

Although Xiao Lian's origin is unknown and her life experience is a mystery, I still know one thing. He is a gentle, handsome, beautiful child of colored eyes, and he won't talk like a Yongjing ruffian.

It's not like what he said, but it seems to be said by Old Cui.

I rubbed my chin and thought about it.

Sure enough, when I was eating dumplings, I secretly noticed that Lao Cui and Xiao Lian would sometimes chat for a while, and it was no longer like at the beginning that Lao Cui treated him as nothing.

I only saw Wen Zhan once that day, and that was when the fireworks started.

I once thought about going to him, maybe we can talk for a while calmly, of course, it was also because the dumpling banquet that night was too rich, except I didn’t eat mutton and radish, eggplant, small fish, leek, oyster yellow, The pork and scallions were rounded by my stomach, and I even ate brand new copper coins forged by Fenghua for 40 years in five dumplings.

Forged from bright brass, the lettering is clear and there is no patina.These copper coins are all mother coins that are directly kept on file in the Ministry of Households, and they are used to make molds and cast coins that are commonly used in the world.I have eaten five, which is really a good omen, and it seems that there will be a good omen in the coming year, good luck.

On the New Year's Eve dinner, there are not only delicious dumplings, but also hot Huanggui thick wine in clay pots. It is sweet and warm, and it is delicious.If I didn't pay attention, I ate my stomach round.

While we were eating dumplings, Wen Zhan was always in the study.I couldn't tell who was there, but I saw the old servant of Chu Qiangsheng's family standing beside the Taihu Stone outside the corridor, Pei Tan didn't leave, and there were a few other people, who should be the shogunate officials from the East Palace .

It seemed that they had business to do, so I was very knowledgeable and didn't bother.

When I dragged Cui Bicheng away, I asked Liu Congrong to thank the prince for me, and took out a big red envelope from old Cui's arms and handed it to Liu Congrong.Isn't it the new year? Everyone is celebrating.

Why did I drag Lao Cui away?

Actually, hey, speaking of it, this matter can be neither big nor small.

Old Cui offended the Seventh Highness.

On New Year's Eve, Yuezheng wanted to eat lotus cake, and the snack box was right by his hand, but he was smoking a hookah, and he didn't want to move his place, and he didn't want to help Yuezheng get it, so Yuezheng asked his big companion Wei Jin to go and get it.But Wei Jin accidentally rubbed Cui Bicheng's sleeve.

Cui Bicheng has three problems.

[-]. Cleanliness.

[-]. He doesn't like to be disturbed when he is puffing. The main reason is that he can't control the paper twist in his hand, and it is easy to burn himself. Last time, he burned his finger to a blister.

[-]. He doesn't like eunuchs, he thinks eunuchs are bastards, but he works in the Yongjing Manufacturing Bureau, and all he comes into contact with are those who are of high grade in Yongjing, or the eunuchs stationed abroad in Jiangnan, he will not Cutting off one's own money, so no one knows about this except me.

[-]. Well, that is, he doesn't like playing zithers.

Cui Bicheng has always disliked children, especially such clever, cute and precocious children as Little Fat Duck.Every time I talk about my seventh brother with Lao Cui, Lao Cui pouted and said, "I don't like him, he has an old face at a young age, full of famous sayings, and he is like a little monster who has not forgotten his previous life and died. !

So scary.

I said, your old man can always give birth to such little monsters. The third, fourth, and sixth highnesses were all like this back then, and now the seventh highness is also like this. Don't worry, he should go to the temple to worship next time he has a son..."

And my cute little fat duck asked Wei Jin to bring candy to Lao Cui when he was smoking a shisha, which violated several taboos of Lao Cui.

But in view of Yuezheng's status as the prince, he didn't say anything, but just ignored him at all. For ordinary people, maybe this is fine, or he can go get this piece of lotus cake by himself, but Yuezheng is different.

Yuezheng has been held in the palms of everyone's hands and on the tip of their tongues since he was born, let alone ignoring him, even if he wholeheartedly goes to doglegs, he is still afraid that he will be unhappy!

Cui Bicheng's eyes are also very cheap when he ignores people!

He squinted at Yuezheng and Wei Jin, and with that one look, he wanted someone to beat him up.

Although Yuezheng is a bit precocious, he is only four years old after all. Even if he is one year older in Chinese New Year, he is only five years old.There is simply no comparison between him and an old fritter like Lao Cui who has been in the world for many years.

Although Wei Jin is His Royal Highness's companion, he does not have Liu Congrong's influence after all, and he does not speak so straightly.

He just held the zither and said angrily to Cui Bicheng, "Young Master Cui, please pass over the pastry His Royal Highness Seven asked for."

Cui Bicheng, still with his head down, smoked his hookah slowly.

He didn't say anything at all, needless to say, he had offended Yuezheng. At this time, Cucumber was still at the side and hurriedly brought over the wooden box containing the pastries, so he managed to coax Yuezheng well.

These are the things that happened before I ate the dumplings.

At that time, I saw that Wen Zhan was very busy in the study, so I didn't bother him, so I asked Liu Congrong to bring him a message, saying that I would go back first with my seniors and seniors from the Qi Palace.

Before leaving, he kissed Yuezheng several times, his little mouth was not so flat.

When I finally got home, I asked Cucumber to put a big smoker in the house, and it was so hot that I could finally have a good night's sleep in peace!

I accept bed.

You don’t have to sleep on a jade-carved bed with a head full of water, or an ebony bed with a precious goldfish swimming in the water. Just give me a solid bed, and don’t let me fall asleep. Another bed is clean and comfortable. The quilt is enough for everything.

This year has been very quiet.

On the fourth day of the lunar new year, someone from the East Palace sent over some food, including several catties of dried bamboo shoots, a newly hunted deer, four jars of yellow cinnamon wine, four roast chickens and ten catties of fine dried noodles.

I sent Cucumber back a box of fresh snacks made by Lao Cui's workshop, and a few catties of medicinal materials brought by Lao Cui and the others from outside.Then Donggong returned a small brocade box of pills, full of fragrance, and a small pharmacy, which was said to clear the lung fire and relieve stagnation.Good for my heartache.

I took that little pill and looked at it for a long time, and after taking one, it was delicious in my mouth, much more delicious than I imagined, so I slowly started eating one every day.

I always feel that the relationship between me and the prince seems to be getting better gradually.

On the fifth day of the lunar new year, he delivered delicious dumplings again.

On the sixth day, the seventh day, and the eighth day of the new year, he sent someone to deliver things to my palace every day. On the ninth day of the new year, Liu Congrong came by himself, and brought an ebony box with 6 taels of silver bills inside. .

Liu Congrong was afraid that I wouldn't accept it, so he said as soon as he came in, "For the Chinese New Year, the palace will cost a lot, and more money will help the expenses. Also, the guards in the palace have been busy for a year. General Xie Meng and Feng Lord Xiaosheng has served the prince wholeheartedly for a year, so the prince should reward him with something. This is a favor."

I was not as concerned as Cui Bicheng about whether the money given by the East Palace could not be used. As soon as Liu Congrong finished speaking, I asked Cucumber to take the bank note, and asked him to deposit it in the account, and then asked the kitchen to prepare a table of delicious dishes. Let Cucumber accompany Liu Congrong to have some wine.

I didn't eat with them, I'm going out.

Speaking of which, Yong Jing figured out a big event.

Chu Qiangsheng is going to marry a wife.

His wife is said to be a lady from a famous family in Sanxiang, and it is said that his father arranged the marriage for him.

I was puzzled, he Chu Qiangsheng is from Liangpo, Zhili, his mother is a big girl, never married, she just gave birth to a baby for a foreigner.After Chu Qiangsheng was born, his father never came back. Later, his mother struggled to start a skin business, which brought him up.

When will he have another father?

As a guest at Chu Qiangsheng's house, I brought him a jar of stewed mutton as usual.

When I arrived at Chu's residence on horseback, I saw Pei Tan just coming out of Chu Qiangsheng's twisted alley. When he saw me outside, he just bowed hurriedly and saluted me as a greeting.

When I entered the inner hall, Lao Min (Chu Qiangsheng's old servant) served me fragrant tea, and I ate two pieces of pastry, which warmed me up. Chu Qiangsheng told me that Pei Tan had come to give a congratulatory gift.

I probably know something about the things between them.

It seems that they really slept together for the first two years, and then went their separate ways.Later, it seemed that they started to have little personal relationship, but their relationship on the surface was still good. They often walked around the East Palace together, participated in planning, set traps, participated in people, and punished people, but they also helped each other. , Jump over the big pit dug for them by others.

To use Chu Qiangsheng's words, there is no business, but friendship.

Today Pei Tan knew that Chu Qiangsheng was going to marry a wife, so he came here specially to give a congratulatory gift. At that time, my mind slipped a little. If one day I also married a wife, I wonder if Wen Zhan would also come to give a congratulatory gift?Or just strangle me to death and let me go to reincarnation?

Which one is more like what Wen Zhan would do?

——"Actually, my mother did not do my father's business. My mother gave birth to me not for business, and my father does not lack women to give birth to him. I have several younger brothers and sisters under me, all of whom my father married later. Madame gave birth."

Chu Qiangsheng sat across from me, holding a scented cup in one hand while talking.

I didn't interrupt, just listened to him.

"My father is from a rich family, my grandfather is a celebrity in Sanxiang, and my father once studied in Qingxi Academy.

When he was young, he liked to play around. At that time, he came to Yongjing to study.When he arrived in Yongjing, he heard that there was a poor place like Liangpo in Zhili, and people were doing such a business. He was just curious and wanted to take a look. Then he went and met my mother.

He and my mother had a good time, and returned to Yongjing after leaving ten taels of silver. My mother hadn't broken up with him back then. He was my mother's first man. Later, my mother found out that she was pregnant. Naturally, I guarded for my father.Later, it is a story that everyone knows. My father never came back, and my mother did a cheap job to help me study. When I passed the exam, she also went. "

"My mother always knew that my father didn't want to come back at all, but she would rather believe that my father fell into the cesspit outside the village and died when he came back to find her."

I took his hand and said, "Huh? Qiangsheng, didn't you say last time that your father fell into a mountain stream when he came back to look for you?"

Chu Qiangsheng gave me a sideways glance, hey, he is so coquettish, he said, "This is my mother's original words, but I was afraid that a noble person like the prince would not listen to such a dialect, so I softened the words. In fact, the prince, you should think about it carefully." Thinking, if there are mountain streams on the Liangpo side, mountains and water, peach blossoms and flowing water, mandarin fishes are fat, why are you so poor? Why are you selling your sons and daughters, and why do you bother to make a living like that?"

I,"……"

This is true.

But Chu Qiangsheng's mother thought that his father's falling into the cesspit was too much.

Chu Qiangsheng continued, "Originally, when I didn't pass the exam, they naturally wouldn't recognize me. After I passed the exam, I have been working as an official in Yongjing, and I can't go to places as far away as Hunan. Naturally, I will be with them. No connection.

This was last year when my grandfather passed away and my father took over the family. Then he sent a letter, saying that he wanted me to recognize my ancestor and return to the clan, and that he had arranged a marriage for me since I was a child...Of course I know that he is talking nonsense. But thinking that it was time for him to marry a wife, that's why he agreed.Chengyi, do you know all of this? "

Me, "..., I know."

Chu Qiangsheng should have settled down on marrying a wife, otherwise, in Yongjing City, those old fellows from aristocratic families would always think of recruiting him as their son-in-law and grandson-in-law, and Chu Qiangsheng would annoy them.Those people can neither offend nor get too close, and they have to be careful with their words every day. After a long time, it will become complicated. Waiting for something to go wrong, it will really become a mess.

Chu Qiangsheng had a lot of things of his own, and he didn't want to get involved in his personal affairs, but fortunately, he followed his new father's wishes and just married a random woman to live.

only……

You, Pei Tan, the group of people in the East Palace, the youngest Yu Lan, the Du family's fathers (Du Ge Lao and Du Xiaoge Lao), Cui Bicheng is also counted, plus Prince Wen Zhan!

You have copper skin and iron bones one by one, you come and go in the wind and rain, and you have practiced good kung fu to be invulnerable to swords and guns. You are mean in your mouth and pen like a knife.

Others are frequently imprisoned, dismissed, and exiled, and most importantly, the whole family will be executed, and the family will not be allowed to survive.

Which innocent daughter marries you will be bad luck for eight lifetimes.

but……

I suddenly felt that I was starting to eat radish first and worry again.

Chu Qiang was born in her early thirties, when she was the chancellor of the imperial court, she had power all over the world.With a flamboyant style, a tall and handsome person, no family to serve, and no brothers and sisters to be careful with, just because of his name, there are countless girls in the world who are willing to jump into the fire pit.

When I looked at Chu Qiangsheng, my eyebrows were slightly frowned, a little depressed.

I think he may be thinking too much.

He and his mother have been dependent on each other since childhood and have a very good relationship.

And his mother is so miserable.

When he could finally feel proud, his mother left.

Although I can't understand the pain of a child who wants to support her but does not want to be loved, I know it must be painful.

So, I touched his hand again, "Qiangsheng, don't think too much about the past. You can get what you want now. After you marry a wife and live a good life, and give birth to a litter of bald boys, then I will give you money." You have a big red envelope."

Chu Qiangsheng didn't know what he was thinking, but actually smiled admiringly.

In the evening, he invited me for dinner, maybe he was going to have a wedding, maybe I gave him a few bolts of silk made by Lao Cui’s workshop in Qiantang to make clothes (this thing is more expensive than gold), and a few bolts of silk To make bedding, he finally asked Lao Min to cook me a fat chicken in a piece of green vegetables.

Holding the chicken soup, I was almost moved to tears.

There is a folk saying that is true.

On the fifteenth of August, clouds cover the moon, and on the fifteenth of the first month, snow lights up.

The [-]th day of the first lunar month is the last day of the annual holiday, and at dawn tomorrow, all the yamen in Yongjing will start to do their best again.The fifteenth day is also the Lantern Festival. Everyone enjoys the snow, sees the lanterns, and eats the Lantern Festival.

I was called by my father to watch a play in the palace.

I heard that this year's drama is more lively than previous years.

The water mirror stand is full of lanterns, which is no worse than the hustle and bustle of the Yongjing Temple Fair.There are also a lot of people who come here on this day, princes and relatives, princes, grandchildren and princesses, everyone who can come.

The prince came naturally, and sat next to my father as usual, and beside him was the princess in full dress!

The concubine Du Minghe, the jewel in the palm of Du Xiaoge's old man, is astonishingly beautiful. In the words of those romantic talents in Yongjing, she is as gorgeous as a Han Fu.

The show on the water mirror stage has already started.

But I clearly saw Du Minghe's eyes looking towards me.

Same as Ayla.

The epiphyllum that blooms in the middle of the night is generally thin, transparent and fragile.

My hand trembled, the wine glass in my hand fell down, and the jade liquid and fine wine spilled all over my body.

Cucumber was frightened and wiped it clean for me with a silk towel.

After we finished tidying up here in a hurry, I raised my eyes to look at the princess, but saw that she had disappeared, as if it was snowing heavily and felt cold, so I went back to add clothes, and several older princesses had already left the table.

I thought, maybe I drank too much just now and made a mistake, but before my eyes turned around, I saw Wen Zhan's eyes as dark as the sea.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if in thought, but looked at me for a moment.

colder than snow.

I suddenly felt that I couldn't stay any longer.

I got up to say goodbye, saying that I had drunk too much and wanted to take a walk behind the imperial garden, and now it was a family banquet, so naturally no one stopped me.Cucumber wrapped the black fox fur cloak tightly for me, and I turned around and went down the west building.Although I didn't look over there again, I knew that Wen Zhan seemed to be staring at me all the time, as if there was a thorn in his back.

I don't know how to describe this feeling, I just feel very uncomfortable, as if a big stone is pressed on my heart, and I can't breathe because I'm so deflated.I thought about walking casually to get some air, and then calling Cucumber to come over. Don't wait for the show to end, let him clean up, and we go back to the palace to sleep.

It's a pity that I don't know if it's fate or what happened. As soon as I turned around the lotus pond over there, I saw the concubine Chu leaning on the railing.

I turned around and left, but I heard her voice, faint, with a special kind of fragility, "Did you see the lotus? Did you hear it? It's smiling."

I feel cold and shivering.

I turned around and looked at the white lotus pond in front of me. There was no lotus, and there was no one that failed miserably.Whether it is ice, mud, or dead branches and leaves, they are all covered by the heavy snow tonight.

My eyes are white and bare, and there are no lotus flowers at all.

What else can I say, I can only sigh, take off my cloak, and put it on for her.

At this time, a little palace lady ran over from the lotus pond, shouting as she ran, "Prince Princess, Crown Princess—so you are here. The medicine has been decocted, you should take it."

Du Minghe's voice beside me was very low, as if he was talking in his sleep.

"Do you know why it laughs?

It has the most gorgeous silks in the world, and precious jewels...

So it's content, so it's laughing... hee hee, it's laughing!

But is it happy?Does it like these? ..."

She is crazy! !

It turned out that the young lady of the Du family, who was famous in Yongjing and well educated, became a lunatic.

I gently hugged her shoulders, telling her not to stand beside the lotus pond, and we walked back slowly together.There are a few people behind that little palace lady, and we are getting closer and closer to them.

I think it's too cold this day. Without a fox fur cloak, I'm shivering from the cold. The snow seems to have stopped, but I know that there will definitely be another heavy snow tonight.

Among the group of people, I actually saw Prince Wen Zhan, who was walking slowly towards this side.

The people around Concubine Chu seemed to be very afraid of him, they all hurriedly knelt down and prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to raise their heads, not daring to speak, only me and Du Minghe behind me were still standing.

I think I just misread it.

Du Minghe is different from Ayila.

The princess is very beautiful, but her eyes are empty, like the white lotus pond behind me.

Wen Zhan walked in front of us, he didn't look at me, he went straight to Du Minghe, gently tore off Du Minghe's fox fur cape, held it with one hand, and pushed her to a white-headed palace lady next to her.

The prince said, "Is the medicine ready for today's Youshi?"

The white-headed maid supported Du Minghe and quickly replied, "His Royal Highness, the medicine has been decocted."

The prince said, "Okay, you wait for the princess to drink the medicine and go back to the palace to rest. It's cold tonight, so don't run around."

The white-headed palace lady said yes again and again, and then hurriedly hugged the crown princess and left with others, as if she was a step late, afraid of provoking the crown prince's anger.

I want to go too.

The splendor of the palace is breathtaking.

But the prince suddenly grabbed my hand firmly and pulled me in front of him.

He is very calm, but his calm is scary.

"Why, did you see her again?"

I don't want to answer his question.

I want to get rid of him, I want to leave here, but I can't break free from his control.

The prince suddenly let go of his hand, and threw the cloak in his hand to my face.

"You always like these cunning sluts!

It was so in the past, and it is the same now!

However, I am different from before, if you like this woman, I can give her to you! "

I didn't say anything, we just stood face to face.

It's like on a chessboard, each side holds one side, the Chu River and the Han border are clearly separated from each other!

I want to tell Wen Zhan, I will never fall in love with you, but I don't want to become what Du Minghe is today!

I am not like you.

I don't have copper skin and iron bones, I can't be invulnerable.

Naturally so.

I'm not that cruel, I don't know how to make choices, I don't plan for eternity, and I don't plan for the overall situation. I can't even treat my life's major events as a trifling matter just to find a shield!

I am cowardly and incompetent, weak to be bullied, just because I have feelings.

I am not a qualified prince.

But I am still alone.

"Your Highness, let her live in peace, I don't want her...I don't want anyone..."