Tanhualang

In the middle of winter, in the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the coldest time of the year, Shen Jing quietly moved into his new home in the southeast of the city.

The yard is not big, and there are not many houses. Although Xiaoyou asked someone to tidy it up very carefully, it can't stand the fact that the yard has been abandoned for many years and has no popularity; it is the middle of winter, and the house is full of coldness.

The west wing is connected to the kitchen. During renovations, a craftsman built a kang, and Shen Jing lived in this west wing temporarily.As soon as he returned to the yard, he would set fire to the kang.There was dampness in the house, and it burned for four or five days in a row before the house was warm enough to keep people from being woken up in the middle of the night.

Shen Jing has always been at ease with the situation, but she doesn't feel anything.

Only occasionally when I wake up in the middle of the night, in the dark night, I will feel that I am still in the west wing of the small west courtyard of the palace.

But because of the moving, Xiao You complained a few words to Shen Jing.He originally wanted to ask Shen Jing to wait for the new year, and then move here at the beginning of spring. By then, the weather will be warmer, and the things in the house will be gradually arranged. Who knows that Shen Jing is in such a hurry to move. move in.

The angry Xiaoyou even said such words: "Those who don't know think that our palace has treated you badly! You don't care about us people, and you don't think about His Highness? How does Your Highness treat you? Don't be afraid to make him feel cold!"

With great difficulty, Shen Jing coaxed him over with an apologetic smile.

But thinking of Zhao Heng, I didn't know what it was like for a while.

When he went to say goodbye to Zhao Heng that day, Zhao Heng was reading documents in the study.Shen Jing finished talking about moving out carefully, Zhao Heng didn't raise his head, and just nodded for a long time: "If you need anything, just talk to Xiaoyou."

From the moment Shen Jing spoke to the moment he said goodbye, Zhao Heng didn't show any expression, but he never looked up at him.

Although he told himself in his heart that Zhao Heng had always had such a temper, and that treating him like this was the normal way to treat the staff in the mansion, but after all, the two of them used to get along very easily and harmoniously.Who knows what's going on, but they have gradually reached the point where they are cautiously avoiding each other.

It's not uncomfortable to be quiet.

Originally wanted to have a gathering at home after moving here, but due to various circumstances, Shen Jing thought that this housewarming celebration should be nothing more than just that.

Unexpectedly, on the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month, Xiaoyou still invited a few friends to congratulate him: Cao Feng, one of Cao Feng's deputy envoys of Jinyiwei named Gao Qing, Wei Zheng, Xiao Tong, Xi Wei who had been in the capital all the time.

Xiao You also brought a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy named Meng Xiang, who pushed him to Shen Jing as soon as he entered the door: "Look, do you still know him?"

Shen Jing looked at it for a long time, but didn't think of it: "It looks familiar, but I can't remember it?"

Before he finished speaking, Meng Xiang knelt down in front of him: "Mr. Shen forgot? You saved my life!"

Shen Jing was taken aback, and quickly pulled him up, but her face was still puzzled.

Xiao You sat aside with a smile, and reminded: "I can't remember? When watching a play in that garden in Nanjing, His Highness kicked that Mr. Xu, how did this happen?"

Only then did Shen Jing suddenly realize, and looked at Meng Xiang: "You're the one—huh? You're not—"

Isn't it a little girl?The one saved that day was obviously a girl, right?

"I'm a man." Meng Xiang blushed, "I sang an opera that day, and I happened to be a girl..."

"I see. Didn't you follow Master Ding later?"

Xiao You explained with a smile: "Grandpa Ding was afraid of losing him by sending him back to the Nanjing Jiaofang Division, and saw that he was clever, so he simply stayed with him. This time he came to Beijing together. The night before yesterday, Grandpa Ding went to the mansion to look for His Highness. Talking, brought him together, just mentioned the incident at that time, said that there were many people around him, and he wanted to leave Xiaomeng as an envoy to His Highness. There is no shortage of people in our palace, so His Highness said, bring someone to you come over."

After a pause, he pushed the man to Shen Jing's side: "From now on, he will be yours."

Xiao Meng then knelt down and kowtowed again: "Mr. Shen!"

Shen Jing hurriedly pulled him up again, looked at Xiao You in surprise and said, "What does Your Highness mean?"

Xiao You said very politely: "It's rare to have this fate. Since you saved Xiao Meng once, and now he has nowhere to go, he might as well follow you. You live here alone, and Xiao Meng follows you. It’s good for two people to take care of each other in daily life.”

Only then did Shen Jing understand.

This is Zhao Heng specially sent him a reliable servant.

Zhao Heng still has the same style as before, showing favors to others, no one can refuse them, and no one can thank them.

After everyone was seated, Shen Jing asked Xiao You and Xiao Meng to greet her and cook the dishes herself.The dishes are all prepared in advance, fried and stewed, and served one by one.Finally, a plate of sweetened bean cake came out of the pot. Shen Jing took the plate out of the steamer. After hesitating for a while, he still brought it to the table—I thought Zhao Heng would come today, so I specially steamed the plate of sweetened bean cake in advance. .

... Who knows that Zhao Heng didn't come.

As soon as the bean cake was on the table, Xiaoyou, Wei Zheng, and Xiaotong immediately stretched out their chopsticks and put a few pieces into their own plates. Half of the cake was gone in a blink of an eye.

Cao Feng also took a piece, looked at the three of them and said with a smile: "The three of you are really worthy of your highness, as if you have never eaten dim sum in eight lifetimes—oh, why is this dim sum so delicious!"

He stretched out his chopsticks and wanted to pick them up, but Xiao Lisuo stretched out his hand and dragged the plate away: "You are promising, don't eat it!"

As he spoke, he picked up a few more pieces for Wei Zheng, Xiao Tong, Xi Wei and Gao Qing each, and the plate was empty.Then he smiled and said to Shen Jing: "In the past in the mansion, I always watched His Highness eat, but now I can eat enough - by the way, is there any more, I will bring some back to His Highness."

Shen Jing hesitated for a while, got up and said: "Xiao Meng greeted to pour wine. I'll make another cage."

Except for Gao Qing, everyone was familiar with Shen Jing, and they didn't care if he was there or not. They happily drank wine and ate food.Cao Feng sang one dish after another, quite surprised: "Shen Jing's cooking skills are really good! Try this hot vegetable heart, it's very refreshing!"

After making way for a while, and then lowering his voice, Xiaoyou approached him: "...Why didn't His Highness come today? I thought he would come too."

Xiao Youruo casually ate the dim sum: "Your Highness is busy."

Cao Feng looked up at Xi Wei and Gao Qing, and then lowered his voice: "I have something to do today, so we can come together another day. Doesn't he value Shen Jing? It's not right if he doesn't come. It can't be Shen Jing... Offended His Highness, right?"

"Don't talk nonsense here, let you tell what happened if there is nothing wrong." Xiaoyou picked up a piece of snack and threw it on his plate, "You can't stop your mouth even if you eat!"

Not long after, Shen Jing came in from the outside wiping her hands, sat down at the table and picked up the chopsticks: "Let's eat and drink slowly. It is estimated that after eating, the dim sum is just cooked."

Xiao Xiao nodded and said: "Yes. I will take it back to His Highness when the time comes. Everyone is here, come, let's toast, congratulations on Shen Jing's housewarming!"

After toasting and drinking a few times together, the kang in the room gradually heated up. Everyone was a little blushing and began to chat about everything.Cao Feng pulled Xiaoyou and brought up the Gansu incident, while Gao Qing chatted with Xiaotong.Xi Wei chatted with Xiao Meng for a few words at first, then suddenly turned to Shen Jing: "By the way, didn't you stay in Hangzhou? In the same year as our township examination, the number one in Hangzhou, Mr. Mu Junhuai, Do you know him?"

Shen Jing was about to pick up some food, when she heard the words, her expression paused, she held her chopsticks in a daze, and then said: "I've seen it a few times... I guess I know it."

"A friend of mine knew him and said that he was very talented and knowledgeable. He was the son of Mu Jing, the prefect of Hangzhou, and he seemed to be a well-known talent in Hangzhou. Later, he became a Jinshi in high school, and he should be in the capital now. To be an official." Xi Wei picked up the vegetables, "My friend also told me that if there is an opportunity in the capital, I must visit him for him."

After hearing this, Xiaoyou held up his chopsticks and thought for a long time: "Why don't I remember that there is such a person?"

"I know, I met this man when I had dinner with Hu Congyun, the servant of the official department two years ago." Cao Feng continued, "The one who was originally in the Imperial Academy seems to have been picked up by Hu Congyun, and he is going to the official department. But it seems What kind of errands are you going out to do?"

"Oh, so I'm not in the capital now." Xi Wei nodded, "Then I won't be able to see you."

After finishing speaking, he looked at Shen regretfully: "You and him are both at the top of the list. If you successfully entered Beijing to take the exam, I'm afraid you will have to be a Hanlin now."

Xiao You heard the words and said with a smile: "General Xi is looking down on our Highness? I think it is much better to be quiet beside His Highness than to be such a hard-working Hanlin. In my opinion, they are a bunch of useless scholars. They are really serious. can not do this."

Cao Feng tapped the back of his hand with chopsticks and said with a smile: "You can't look down on Hanlin just because your highness doesn't make friends with civil servants, and you are too short-sighted. Those are the people who will join the cabinet in the future. Let me tell you. "

He tapped Shen Jing again with his chopsticks: "I think, instead of being tied up in the palace and making some odds and ends, Shen Jing might as well go for a Jinshi exam. Then enter the Imperial Academy, enter the Sixth Department, and become a household secretary! At that time, your highness will not just save Enthusiastic? It’s easy to imagine, every time I struggle with the Ministry of Households, how much anger I get from that old man for nothing!"

"That's not it!" Xiaoyou sighed, "It is said that His Highness is not allowed to make friends with ministers, I shouldn't say that. But this household department is really annoying. Whenever the north is tight, they are still stuck behind the cost of soldiers, horses and food! ——Now it’s even more aggressive, and I’m thinking of stuffing people into the Ministry of War——If you really want the Minister of the Household Department to belong to His Highness, how much less embarrassment you will suffer!"

"Speaking of the north," Cao Feng put down his chopsticks and looked at Xiaoyou, "How did I hear that the Tartars are moving again?"

As soon as he said this, everyone stopped moving.

Shen Jing first asked: "Didn't the agreement be signed two months ago?"

For a while, he was busy dealing with the follow-up matters of the King of Han's rebellion, and also evaded Zhao Heng, so he didn't know what Zhao Heng was doing elsewhere.

Xiao You snorted: "Can those Tartars be accurate? They are all treacherous savages!"

Cao Feng: "So, the rumors are true?"

"Only the few of us know, so don't go out and spread the word. There is such a thing, the Tartars killed people in Gansu again." Xiaoyou looked up sullenly, drank a glass of wine, and cursed, "Let me see , these bastards just think their life is too long! Let's see how many days they can dance!"

Cao Feng leaned over and said cautiously: "...So, His Highness already has plans?"

"Almost." Xiao Youdao said with a sigh, "Our Highness, alas, is a busy life."

Shen Jing listened, and hurriedly asked: "Your Highness wants—to go in person?"

Xiao Xiao nodded: "Just wait for the Holy Spirit to nod."