Tanhualang

Even though he was full of thoughts all the way, the moment he was greeted by Xiaoyou and saw Zhao Heng, he stood quietly at the door and didn't know what to say.

Zhao Heng was sitting in the living room drinking tea, his face looked thinner.Shen Jing couldn't help but look at him, and hesitated for a moment whether to salute before hearing a cheerful voice next to him: "Little uncle!"

Shen Jing turned her head to look, only to find that there were two children on the other side of the room, one of them was Pan Xiaozhou, who was jumping off the chair at this time, and jumped towards herself happily.

Looking closely at the other child, he was taken aback immediately, and hurriedly grabbed Pan Xiaozhou who was throwing himself into his arms with both hands, then bent down and knelt down: "I have seen the Holy One!"

Pan Xiaozhou was surprised to see his uncle pulling him to kneel on the ground, kowtowing to his elder brother who was playing marbles with him just now, feeling a little dazed for a moment.

Zhao Ming, on the other hand, seemed to be used to such scenes, frowned, and instantly took off his childish appearance of playing marbles just now, looked up at the regent Zhao Heng, put down the marbles in his hand, and stood up with an old-fashioned look Come: "Shen Aiqing is alive."

Shen Jing thanked her, then pulled Pan Xiaozhou to stand up, hesitated for a moment, turned around and bowed to Zhao Heng: "I have seen Your Highness."

"En." Zhao Heng raised his head from under the lamp, responded, and frowned slightly at Shen Jing, "Why did you come back so late?"

Shen Jing lowered his eyes, trying not to look up at him: "When it was dark, the rain suddenly became heavier, and I was a little worried about the water in the river."

"How's the water?"

"It's unobstructed and very stable." Shen Jing said, his voice couldn't help bringing out a bit of joy, "The embankment is as solid as gold, even if the rain is heavier, the embankment of the new river can still be kept safe."

"This is all thanks to you." Zhao Heng said, got up and took a few steps closer, and after seeing his half-wet hair and forest wood clothes clearly, his voice became softer, "Go and change the wet clothes first, come back Talk again."

Shen Jing answered "Yes", turned around and went out.

It was raining heavily outside the corridor, and the rain curtain filled the sky and the earth.

The rain brought a burst of coolness.

Shen Jing hurriedly walked back to the room along the long corridor, restraining the slight trembling of her hands, changed her wet clothes, combed her hair carefully, and was neatly dressed, before hurriedly going up the hall along the way she came.

Before he reached the main hall, he saw Zhao Heng followed by Wei Zheng, standing on the corridor talking.

Shen Jing hesitated for a moment, stopped far away, and cleared his throat.Hearing the sound, Zhao Heng turned his head to see Shen Jing, and walked over: "It's the first time I come to your yard. Although it's a little remote, the place is really not small, and the layout and decoration are also very delicate."

"When my father repaired this house, he spent a lot of thought. It's just that he is too old, and he came back in a hurry last year, so he didn't have time to repair it. Now it's just barely liveable."

"This courtyard is almost as luxurious as the lonely palace, so it's just 'reluctantly'?" Zhao Heng turned his eyes to Shen Jing, and smiled slightly, "Miao'an has been away from Beijing for a year, and her skills have grown a lot, and her tone has become louder. Quite a few."

"..."

Seeing that he bowed his head and didn't answer, Zhao Heng chuckled lightly, took two steps along the long corridor beyond Shen Jing, and then turned around: "I heard that you have a lot of good books hidden in your study. I wonder if I can read them? "

Shen Jing turned around, hesitated for a moment, and said hesitantly: "The study has not been tidied up, it is in a mess, why not..."

Zhao Heng looked like a smile but not a smile: "I don't dislike you."

"..."

"Speaking of which, Miao'an," Zhao Heng took a step closer, "I bought this house with money alone back then. Why can't I even take a look at it now?"

"..." Shen Jing had no choice but to step past Zhao Heng, "Your Highness, please follow me."

The quiet study room is in the east wing, and there are three rooms in a row, one of which is on the south side is usually lived by Wei Zheng, and the other two rooms, one is a large study room, and the other is a quiet bedroom.

After returning to Suzhou for a year, there are very few days when he can stay at home safely.But as long as he came back, he would live in this study and never set foot in the backyard.

Shen Jing opened the door ahead, followed by Zhao Heng.

After Shen Jing lit the candlestick, Zhao Heng stood behind him, and by the dim candlelight, he saw at a glance the warm white jade fan pendant placed behind the pen holder on the messy desk.

He pretended not to see him, turned around and looked around the spacious study room.

The bookshelves on the four walls are full, coffee tables and reclining chairs are placed under the west window, and a pair of wide-mouthed celadon jars are placed side by side in the south corner, filled with scrolls.

Zhao Heng walked over and pulled out a pair at random, unfolded it for a look, saw that it was an unfinished pair of landscapes, rolled it up and put it back.Then he turned to the coffee table under the window, picked up the "Water Control Strategy" and "Wu Song History Mirror" that were placed on it, turned two pages, and then put it down again.

Then he paced and walked to the door of the inner room in the north, with one hand behind his back, and the other hand raised the curtain to peep inside.

Inside is a bed, cabinet and chair, and Shen Jing's wet clothes are being draped on the back of the chair.

He glanced twice, then put down the curtain, turned around, walked to the chair and sat down, picked up the "Water Control Strategy" again, flipped through it casually and asked, "Do you usually live here?"

"I've been living here since I was a teenager, and I'm used to it." Shen Jing stood behind the desk and responded, quietly raised her hand, touched the fan pendant into her hand, and hid it under the messy scrolls on the table, "Nowadays, I often leave early and return late , it’s easier to get in and out of here.”

"I see that you have lost a lot of weight." Zhao Heng raised his head while flipping through the book, "You must be very busy on weekdays?"

"It's okay...but it's inevitable to leave early and return late every day."

"So busy." Zhao Heng put down the book, stood up again, and walked across from Shen Jing, "so busy that you don't even have time to reply Gu's letter?"

"..." Shen Jing hesitated for a moment, "I—"

Since leaving Beijing last year, Zhao Heng has received letters every three or two months. Although they are all for Wei Zheng, after Wei Zheng has read them, he will always show them to Shen Jing.There are not many words in the letter, it can be seen that it is written in haste, most of it is the situation in Beijing and China, Wei Zheng should be careful about who and what.

However, since the twelfth lunar month of last year, when the situation in central Beijing has stabilized, Zhao Heng has sent more letters, one every month, except for Wei Zheng, there is also a separate letter for Shen Jing.

For Wei Zheng, it was still instructions from the news of the current situation, and for Shen Jing, although there were only a few words, it was an order to warm up and add clothes.

Shen Jing accepted all of them, but never returned.

He was thinking of finding an excuse to prevaricate, Zhao Heng chuckled, turned around and sat down on the chair again, "Don't bother making excuses. I'm a little tired, let's make a pot of tea to refresh myself."

Responding quietly, he turned around and fetched a teapot of tea from the bookshelf, and went out to fetch hot water.

Wei Zheng was standing at the door, seeing Shen Jing coming out, he rushed up to meet him.

Shen Jing whispered: "I'll ask Xiao Meng to boil a pot of water to make tea—"

"I'll go." Hearing this, Wei Zheng quickly walked away along the corridor.

The rain will be a little lighter now, and the rain under the eaves reflects the light from the window, dripping down like strings of beads.

Shen Jing looked back at the dim light in the study, then turned around again, and stood in a daze on the porch for a while.

Seeing Zhao Heng suddenly tonight, he was both surprised and happy, but now, he is a little bit worried.

At first glance, Zhao Heng seemed to be the same as before, but upon closer inspection, it seemed that he was not alone at all.Shen Jing still remembers the way Zhao Heng looked at her in the capital a year ago... It is different from the calmness that is like still water flowing deep now.

Shen Jing didn't know whether she should be happy or disappointed.

While in a trance, Wei Zheng brought hot water: "Be careful it's hot."

After returning to his senses, he took the hot water and said, "Thank you."

He entered the room with hot water, poured half a pot of washed tea in the tea bowl, and then slowly poured water into the tea bowl again.

The faint tea fragrance wafted out along with the heat, Shen Jing put the lid on the bowl, and then turned to look at Zhao Heng, only to find that Zhao Heng was leaning on the reclining chair under the window with his eyes closed.

The sound of rain falling like beads outside was continuous and boring.

Shen Jing quietly approached the window and heard Zhao Heng's breathing, just like when the two of them fell asleep together before, it was even and long.

...and fell asleep.

Moisture came in from outside the window, he hesitated for a moment, turned his head and blew out one of the two lamps on the desk, went inside and took a quilt, approached the window and gently covered him.

Zhao Heng's long breath stopped for a moment.

Shen Jing paused.

Zhao Heng opened his eyes slightly, saw that it was quiet, and vaguely called his name: "...Miao'an?"

"...Your Highness, it's me."

A hazy smile floated on Zhao Heng's face, he raised his hand to hold Shen Jing's hand, and then fell asleep again with his eyes closed.

The rain outside the window is sometimes big and sometimes small, tick tock.

The heat on the teacup gradually disappeared.

The candle on the desk slowly burned to the end, the flame suddenly jumped up, and then gradually extinguished.

In the darkness, Shen Jing held one hand tightly by the sleeping Zhao Heng, and stood motionless.

Zhao Heng fell into a deep sleep this time, and didn't wake up until the sky was dim and bright.

Sensing Zhao Heng's fingers moving, he looked over quietly, saw Zhao Heng slowly opening his eyes, then carefully moved his numb feet, and then tried to pull his hands out.

Zhao Heng held his hand tightly, stared at him for a moment, and then slowly let go of his hand: "Gu... fell asleep?"

Shen Jing withdrew her hand, turned and walked outside: "I'll ask them to fetch water to wash up."

"No need." Zhao Heng uttered a voice to stop him, lifted the sheets on his body, stood up from the recliner, "Wei Zheng!"

Wei Zheng pushed the door open and came in: "Your Highness?"

"What about the emperor?"

"Xiaoyou guarded. He slept with Xiaozhou in the backyard."

"Go and wake him up." Zhao Heng said as he walked out, "We have to hurry later."

"Yes." Wei Zheng took the order and left.

Zhao Heng walked to the door, as if suddenly remembered, turned to look at Shen Jing: "I am in a hurry to go to Nanjing, I have to leave later."

Shen Jing: "...Your Highness, take care."

Zhao Heng paused, took a step forward to hold Shen Jing's hand, and then let go: "Remember to write me back, and stop thinking about useless things. There are too many things these days, and I will come to see you when I am busy."

Before the words finished, Wei Zheng had already returned to the door: "Your Highness, the Holy Majesty has settled into the carriage."

Zhao Heng nodded, and glanced at Shen Jing: "You don't have to see me off, let's go for a break. I'm leaving."

After speaking, he let go of his hand, turned around and strode away.