Fake concubine, real queen

Pei Zhaoheng paused for a while.

But soon, he took the cup of tea that He Gu handed over as he said——

The teacup seemed to have been held in the palm of someone for a long time, the tea soup inside was just right, not too hot to the mouth, and the temperature of someone's palm still remained on the cup.

Pei Zhaoheng drank the cup of tea in one gulp, his Adam's apple rolled slightly, but he didn't put down the small teacup in his hand immediately, he only raised his eyes to look at He Gu, and said in a gentle voice: "...I rested a bit late yesterday, so I can't wait until now." For a while... I lost my composure."

He Gu shook his head, and said: "It's just a short rest, it doesn't matter, there is nothing wrong with it, if Brother Heng hasn't woken up yet, there is nothing wrong with taking a short nap, I will accompany you. "

Hearing this, Pei Zhaoheng was slightly taken aback, and raised his eyes to look at He Gu, only to find that he was also looking at him very seriously, those black and bright eyes were right for a moment, and he felt his heart burn when he looked at him for some reason, and was almost caught by that too The candid and concerned eyes can't help but look away——

I don't know if it's his illusion...Zihuan...Zihuan seems to be different somewhere.

After a while, Pei Zhaoheng coughed lightly and said, "...It's okay, I'm awake now."

He turned his head and lifted the curtains of the carriage to see the situation outside, and then said: "It turns out that we have arrived, Zihuan, have you seen the drawings of several houses? Is there anyone you like?"

He Gu heard that, from the corner of his eye, he glanced at the inconspicuous book lying quietly on the small table, and then looked at Brother Heng's expression, and he probably guessed in his heart that it was probably the servant or Brother Heng. He himself was too tired, so he took the wrong book because he was careless for a moment. This book didn't contain any drawings of garden houses at all. Brother Heng probably didn't realize it until now...

He didn't point it out, he just smiled and said: "I've seen it, they are all good, but I don't particularly like any of them."

Pei Zhaoheng nodded, and said, "It's okay, I'll accompany Zihuan to see them one by one today, and it won't be too late to make a decision."

He Gu responded with a smile.

The two got out of the carriage, and Cheng Wei, who was waiting outside, saw them coming out, and rushed to greet them, and Zhai'er immediately sent someone to say hello to the concierge of the house where the carriage and horses were parked in front of the gate, and the closed gate It didn't take long for it to open.

In fact, Pei Zhaoheng said that he accompanied He Gu to take a closer look, and it was just that the two of them were wandering in the beautiful garden together. This house must be the private property of the emperor's inner treasury, otherwise Brother Heng would naturally not be able to reward him with it.

The house is well-maintained, exquisite and clean, the shrubs have been carefully pruned, and the small bridge and flowing water are very pleasant. Walking around, people feel that even the mind is much more peaceful——

As for those disappointing refusals, He Gu never mentioned them again.

The distribution of the four houses is not close, and the style is not the same one by one. After visiting the last one in the south of the city, the sun is setting to the west, and the sky is already faint.

Pei Zhaoheng said: "What, among the four mansions, I don't know which one Zihuan is interested in?"

He Gu hung his eyes and thought for a while, then looked up at Pei Zhaoheng and said: "If you really want to choose... the first place."

Pei Zhaoheng was startled when he heard the words, as if he was a little surprised.

"...Why?"

He was indeed surprised.

I thought... With Zihuan's temperament, he would probably like the third house, which is simple and spacious, with direct access, or the house where the two of them are now. The sparkling and open-minded garden, but Zihuan didn't want to choose the first place... the smallest, but most exquisite, styled house that is mostly loved by literati.

He Gu leaned on the railing of the pavilion, closed his eyes and blew the cool evening breeze from the distant lake, and said, "Brother Heng wonders why I didn't choose this place? , are all very good, the gardens Brother Heng picked for me are all suitable, but the first one is closer to the palace..."

He paused, turned his eyes to Pei Zhaoheng and said with a smile: "I don't want to have to take a carriage for half an hour every time I go to the palace to see you."

Pei Zhaoheng: "..."

He really didn't expect that the reason why Zihuan fell in love with the first house was this...

Besides... Pei Zhaoheng didn't notice Zihuan's prudence these days, he thought... In order to avoid suspicion, Zihuan would choose a house not so close to the forbidden center, so as not to attract people's tongues, right? Therefore, even though Pei Zhaoheng's favorite house was also the first one closest to the palace, he still ordered the Department of Internal Affairs to choose three other houses for him to choose.

He Gu didn't know that his choice was in the hands of someone, he raised his eyes to look at the sky, and knew that the palace gate was about to be closed at this time, and it was time for Brother Heng to return to the palace.

...But for some reason, no matter what, she didn't want to open her mouth to drive him back.

Pei Zhaoheng saw some clues from He Gu's face, and suddenly said: "...Zihuan doesn't want me to go back?"

He Gu was startled, turned to look, but saw that he was looking at him.

He was silent for a while.

In the past, maybe He Gu would have forced a smile on his face, pretending that he had no such intentions, and started to persuade him to return to the palace quickly, but today for some reason...

"……is it okay?"

He consultant.

"Naturally."

Pei Zhaoheng replied with a warm smile.

The sun had completely set, the sky was low, and only the flames in the carved lanterns hanging on the corridor were still dancing in the pavilion, casting the overlapping figures of two people.

The two smiled at each other.

"That's good, but you have to be careful, don't let people find out that His Majesty is out of the palace today to meet a foreigner." General He said.

"As long as the general doesn't say anything, heaven knows, the earth knows, you know me, and no one else will know." The emperor replied.

Seeing that He Gu couldn't help but smile, the young new gentleman also raised the corners of his lips, and whispered in a rare narrow voice: "...Even if I know, it's okay, if I want to meet someone, they can't stop them."

After He Gu finished laughing, he suddenly came back to his senses and realized that at some point, his disobedient right hand had interlocked the fingers of the man's slightly cold left hand, and Zhai'er's extremely low reminder came from outside the pavilion: "Two Sir, it's getting late."

Pei Zhaoheng didn't turn his head back, but only replied lightly: "I won't be going back to the palace today, you send someone back to pass the word and settle the palace well."

Zhai'er at the other end was obviously a little surprised, but he didn't ask any more questions, he just hesitated a little, and quickly replied: "Yes, I will go back and make arrangements."

Zhai'er hurried back to the palace.

As the leader of Zeng Jin's Twelve Guards, He Gu naturally knew that even if Eunuch Zhai left, not only Cheng Wei from the Ming Dynasty would be left with them, but even so, he became calm——

"Brother Heng rarely leaves the palace for a day, why don't I take you to a nice place for dinner?"

The good place is not elsewhere, but it is the property of the He family in the south of the city, the dowry left by Miss Yan to the two children, Zhenke Building.

This restaurant was originally ruined by Wan Shu'er for many years, and it was half dead, but it was handed over to Lan Xiao in recent years, and Lan Xiao has worked hard to manage it until now, and it has been brought back to life.

At the beginning of last year, in the south of the city, it was already on equal footing with Huizhen Building, a competitor that once stabilized Zhenke Building.

Pei Zhaoheng wore a veiled hat, but He Gu didn't do anything to cover it up, so even though Lan Xiao wasn't here today, when the shopkeeper saw He Gu, he immediately recognized that the owner had brought a distinguished guest, and hurriedly panicked He personally greeted the two of them to the private room on the top floor.

Last year, when there was a surplus in business, Lan Xiao made a fuss about it. The Zhenke Building was extensively renovated, and two floors were raised. Therefore, the restaurant with the best view and the best view in the south of the city must have the Zhenke Building. This room on the top floor has a seat, and He Gu also thought of this, so he brought Brother Heng here.

Dining in my own property and in my own restaurant naturally makes people feel more at ease. There is no need to worry about the partition wall having ears. There is only such a private room on the top floor. It is spacious but also hidden.

The food and drink had already been told to go down to the kitchen to prepare. He Gu opened the door leading to the viewing pavilion in the private room, turned around and smiled at Pei Zhaoheng who had just taken off his veiled hat, "Brother Heng, come and have a look."

Pei Zhaoheng put down his hat, and followed He Gu out of the door according to his words. The cool night wind in Bianjing City mixed with the faint smell of unknown food floating in the air rushed towards his face. The downstairs was brightly lit, crowded with people, Zhenke Building The location of this private room is indeed unique, and one can have a panoramic view of all this without making a fuss.

He Gu said proudly: "How about it? It's not bad. I asked Lan Xiao to add this pavilion last year. Isn't it the first one in the south of the city to be the best one?"

Pei Zhaoheng hadn't seen such a self-satisfied and naive look on him for a long time, and he felt very cute, and said softly: "...It is indeed the best, and Zihuan's ingenious idea is really good."

General He was still complacent, but suddenly found that Brother Heng was just staring at him and stopped enjoying the scenery, so he couldn't help but said anxiously: "What is Brother Heng staring at me for such a beautiful view? You don't appreciate it today. Jing, wouldn't it be a waste of this rare time to come out of the palace?"

It's not without reason that he brought Brother Heng here today, although he also had his own selfish desire to watch fireworks with Brother Heng long ago, but today's impromptu intention was mostly due to the awareness of Heng Brother's fatigue——

With Pei Zhaoheng's disposition, I can imagine...for the past two lifetimes, he has always been taking care of the burden that will inevitably be on his shoulders after he becomes the king, but he can't do without the side of the Lanzheng Palace, which has almost become everything. The one-acre three-point land where the emperor of the Yue Dynasty was imprisoned all his life...

He never took a good look at the land protected by him, and the hard-won hustle and bustle.

But He Gu wanted him to see it.

There is a voice in the bottom of my heart that is shouting and restless——

——Whether it is He Zihuan or Pei Zhaoheng who is king again, even if they should appreciate the mercy of the heavens and let them live a new life, even if it is not easy to stay together in this life, they should never repeat the old ways of the previous life.

A king who is lonely and lonely, and a minister who is trembling like walking on thin ice.

... If it is destined to be just a endless cycle of pain, what is the meaning of this reborn life?

Thinking of this, He Gu froze in place, almost forgot to breathe——

He seemed to be dragged by something from the suffocating and dark bottom of the lake, and returned to the surface of the water, under the sunlight.

To ask what it was that dragged him to the surface to see the light of day...

It's probably the weary side face of brother Heng who was asleep in the carriage today.

It wasn't until this moment that he suddenly realized, like a dream, what he had lived these days——

There were two knocks on the door of the private room, and a waiter's voice came from outside: "Boss, the dishes are ready, do you want to serve them now?"

He Gu was brought back to his senses by the shout, and then he turned his head and raised his voice, "Come in."

The guys pushed open the door, and sure enough, they came in with trays to serve dishes. Their hands and feet were very nimble, and within a short while, a table was full on the Eight Immortals table in the room. The leader, holding the tray, stood at the door and bowed his waist. He laughed and said: "If there is nothing else, the little people will go out now, and the two masters will use it slowly."

He Gu responded, and only he and Pei Zhaoheng were left in the room again.

He Gu took Pei Zhaoheng to a seat, and sat next to him again, then raised his chopsticks and said with a smile: "After shopping for a day, I should be hungry. The cook in my restaurant is so picky after Miss Yan's picky mouth. The ones that have been carefully selected must not be inferior to the Huizhen Tower opposite, Brother Heng hasten to taste it."

Hearing this, Pei Zhaoheng also picked up the jasper paper on the table, but he seemed a little hesitant, instead of picking up food, he suddenly asked: "...What was Cai Zihuan thinking?"

He Gu was taken aback: "Just now...?"

Pei Zhaoheng said: "Just now in the pavilion, Zihuan seems to have something on his mind."

Only then did He Gu realize that he hadn't escaped Brother Heng's eyes just now, and couldn't help sighing: "I really can't hide anything from you..."

After a pause, he said again: "It's not a big deal, it's just that I've figured out something I've been worrying about for a long time...it's nothing important, Brother Heng, let's try this dish, it will taste better once it cools down waited."

Pei Zhaoheng took a deep look at him, but didn't continue to ask any further questions. Sure enough, he took a piece of stir-fried bamboo shoots with chicken sauce and put it in his mouth. He ate very politely, he hardly made any noise when chewing, and his expression was very decent. His slender fingers were twisting the crystal clear pair of jasper chopsticks, which looked as beautiful as picturesque.

He Gu looked at this scene but thought of something else, suddenly his mind became distracted, and when he came back to his senses, he realized what he was thinking, his old face blushed, and he secretly spurned himself in his heart.

Fortunately, Pei Zhaoheng didn't notice it this time, he seemed to be savoring the small bamboo shoots in chicken sauce very seriously, and it took a long time before he smiled and said: "The craftsmanship is really extraordinary, as expected of a cook who can be recognized by Miss Yan. Not too much."

General He has a ghost in his heart. At this moment, he neither dares to look at his hands nor his face. Compared with the self-satisfied look just now, he seems to be a different person, and he becomes uncharacteristically humble: "This ...This must be Brother Heng's exaggeration, no matter how good a cook is, how can he compare with the imperial dining room in the palace."

But Pei Zhaoheng became serious somehow, and said: "As the saying goes, heroes don't ask where they come from. Whether a cook is good or bad has nothing to do with where he is. Zihuan has also tasted the dishes in the dining room of the palace. , if you only talk about the quality of this dish, there is no difference between the two."

He Gu was dumbfounded by his untimely earnestness, and after a while he said, "It's up to them to fight for the merits of the cooks, and eating well is the most important thing right now."

After speaking, he raised his chopsticks and couldn't help saying that he added several big chopsticks to Pei Zhaoheng, and said: "Eat quickly, it's rare that Baoyin is not here today, and no one will come to grab it, otherwise the sweet and sour short ribs, glutinous rice eight-treasure duck, Brother Heng You can’t eat two whole pieces.”

Pei Zhaoheng said helplessly: "How old is Shuangshuang? Even if you are hungry, how can you eat as much as Zihuan said?"

He Gu didn't care, he just kept bringing food to him.

Coming back from this trip, it was fine for him to go in and out of the Beirong people at the front line with a child in his arms, but Brother Heng became so skinny. Although he looks good even if he is thinner, He Gu will inevitably look I feel distressed, and I don't know when the lost meat can be raised back.

It can be seen from the previous life in the dream that most of the time this person meets with court meetings or urgent errands on weekdays, he doesn't care about eating well, he can deal with it if he can deal with it, and if he can't deal with it, he just drinks two sips of soup and treats it as food After finishing a meal, this is not a good habit. He still hopes that he and Brother Heng can live for two more years, and then watch Baoyin grow into a big girl.

Pei Zhaoheng didn't know what he was thinking, but he was keenly aware that when He Gu picked up the dishes for him, he seemed to deliberately avoid a few fish dishes. Slightly surprised——

Ever since the emperor's sister left him and his mother because of that incident when he was young, Pei Zhaoheng has been on guard against eating and drinking for two lifetimes, and he couldn't be more careful. For many years, every meal has been almost covered with rain and dew, and he never let the palace people around him eat. The servant could see his taste preference, and he hadn't paid attention to it in the past, but only now did he find out how Zihuan knew his taste so well?

He Gu lingered for a long time, and suddenly found that Brother Heng didn't eat it, and then his heart moved, and he realized that his behavior of avoiding fish dishes was a bit too obvious——

It's not that he didn't want to tell the truth about the fact that Brother Heng, who had been peeping at the previous life's daily bedroom for a long time in that dream, was mainly because if he really knew about it... then Brother Heng would also Knowing that I have watched him many times... Cough... This embarrassment is unavoidably unnecessary.

Then he said with a dry smile, "Eh... I eat fish. I'm a cat, so I like fish."

How smart is Pei Zhaoheng?

Seeing him like this without 300 taels of silver here, I only thought about it for a while, and probably guessed that most of it had something to do with the incomparably miraculous jade at the beginning, so I didn't look into it carefully, just smiled, and then let it go.

He Gu breathed a sigh of relief, but thought of a serious matter, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked: "Brother Heng, I have something to ask you, you accepted the post-election paper at the court meeting a few days ago, What is your plan for this matter?"

Pei Zhaoheng was a little surprised that he was so straight to the point all of a sudden.

He thought that Zihuan would not take the initiative to ask him about this matter, so he planned to speak frankly with Zihuan after everything was settled, but he did not expect to ask him himself today.

Pei Zhaoheng put down the jade chopsticks: "When I was still in Yanling, I asked Zihuan if he would like to be a decent husband and wife with me."

"The day ring gave me the answer that day, so, can't you guess my intention?"

The guess in He Gu's heart was finally confirmed, and it was indeed not his imagination, but somehow he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He said: "I did guess it... It's just that I can't believe it."

Pei Zhaoheng rolled his Adam's apple and said, "Now Zihuan knows."

He Gu was silent for a while, but suddenly nodded, and answered without thinking: "Okay."

Pei Zhaoheng immediately froze in place.

——He originally wanted to tell Zihuan that even though he had this intention, he would not force him.

This decision after the election is not only what he wanted in his heart, but also a way out for himself and Zihuan. If Zihuan is not willing, he will not force him, and everything will be given up.

Zihuan is still his General He who rides his horses on the battlefield and does whatever he wants, that's why he was promoted to the title of Duke Yongguo, but he didn't expect that all his plans, up to now, seem to have turned into asking for trouble and asking for trouble. trouble--

Zihuan only replied "Yes".

Even though there was only such a word, the trust and determination in the young man's dark eyes were so clear. Looking at him with such eyes, there was really no need to say a single word.

Pei Zhaoheng's voice was hoarse for some reason.

"Zihuan agreed so quickly, but I can understand if you agree...the situation in the future."

"In the future... In the future, you and I may be like Gaozu and Empress Zhonghuiwen...reviled by future generations..."

He paused, and seemed to want to prove something, and whispered: "...I will protect Zihuan."

Of course He Gu knew.

He laughed and said: "Of course I know that Zuo's head was smashed by the papers of civil and military officials, and his spine was pierced by the pens of imperial historians. It's the same situation, so there's no need to be afraid of them making more trouble."

"I just think that if I'm with Brother Heng...notorious for thousands of years, together with this eternal infamy, it seems...it seems to be more interesting than me alone as the powerful and powerful Duke Yong. "

The young general stopped talking and turned his eyes to smile, his black pupils reflected the bright and dancing candles, making them more and more brilliant like stars, the light was so shining that it was almost impossible to stare at——

Pei Zhaoheng looked at his general, and at this moment, his thoughts were like silk, turning back and forth a thousand times, but in the end he returned to a peace and ease that he had never had in his life.

Only an unknown place in the bottom of my heart became hotter and softer.

He said: "Okay."

----------------

He Gu actually wanted to drink afterward.

Although the dishes at Zhenkelou are good, the wine is even better. If Lan Xiao invited a picky gourmet like Dr. Yan to find the cook, then the wine was all paid for by General He, an alcoholic owner, from his hometown in Fanyang. After many twists and turns, it was only after getting through the key points that Fanyang's Nurhong's acquisition route was obtained.

It's a pity that he wanted to drink a lot, but the father of the long-forgotten child in his belly didn't agree, and resolutely rejected General He's small request for a drink, and even called it "I'll do it for you." Zihuan just drink it." He cleaned up a pot of good Nurhong, and not a drop fell into General He's throat.

When the moon was in the middle of the sky, the two returned to the princess mansion and fell asleep. The next day before dawn, Pei Zhaoheng got up early, changed his clothes and washed, and quietly took Chengwei back to the palace.

He Gu knew that although there was no court meeting today, he guessed that there were still a lot of things waiting for Brother Heng to do in the palace, so he didn't keep him, but when he realized that Pei Zhaoheng was about to get up and get out of bed in his sleep, he half-closed his eyes and pulled him over. Kissed indiscriminately, and fell asleep without any burden after the kiss, and didn't care if he made someone drool all over his face.

Pei Zhaoheng obviously had nothing to do with him, he seemed to help him tuck the quilt when he left, and said something in a low voice to the boy at the door, and then left in a hurry.

When He Gu woke up completely, the sun was already high. He rarely slept such an arrogant laziness. It was rare for him to indulge once, but he didn't feel guilty at all. He just felt comfortable all over his body, and his bones were almost limp The beach mud, I wish I could just eat it and wait to die for the rest of my life.

It's a pity that General He intends to do this, but there are guests in the mansion——

It wasn't someone else, it was Liu Guanshi who hadn't seen him for a long time in the Marquis of Changyang.

Guanshi Liu looked preoccupied, and the teacup on the table next to him could be seen as untouched.

Seeing He Gu coming, he immediately stood up, shook his beard, and hurriedly said: "Master Hou, the villain finally saw you."

He Gu said: "What's the matter, look at your restless look, is something wrong with Brother Cheng?"

Liu Guanshi shook his head and said: "It has nothing to do with the second young master. It was this morning that the old Wu who was looking after the courtyard of the old Fanyang house came to Beijing. He said that the Department of Internal Affairs of the palace was preparing to select beautiful women for the emperor to fill the harem. All places are recruiting women of the right age. Daughter of a good family, it’s just that this matter follows the old rules, the family who intends to be selected should submit the birthday horoscope and portrait of their daughter to the government office, and then the Department of Internal Affairs will screen and carefully select them one by one.”

"But Lao Wu said that the person from the Department of Internal Affairs came to the door in person yesterday, and asked for our girl's birth date and portrait at home. Old Wu thought it was Miss San, so he asked that Miss San was in Bian Beijing, they should come to the Hou's mansion to ask, but the internal official said that they were not looking for Miss He San, the compatriot sister of Lord Hou, but the distant cousin of the He family, "Miss He". Knowing where such a 'big girl' came out of our family, he was in a hurry, he had no choice but to come to Beijing, and wanted me to ask Lord Hou how to deal with this matter."

After hearing this, He Gu was stunned for a while, and his expression gradually became a little weird.

"He Da... girl?"