fleeting photos

Going out of the palace gate is Changping Street, all the way to the south, you can directly reach the most prosperous downtown in the capital.

Jiang Zhao seldom went out of the palace, but Yuanxiang, because he was often busy doing things for her, was much more familiar with the outside of the palace, not to mention Chang Dongling and He Yuansheng who lived outside the palace were by his side.

Yuan Xiang found a restaurant as a resting place, asked Yin Zi to order lunch, tied up the carriage, and went out to look for people. He saw Jiang Zhao squatting in front of a stall chatting with the stall owner. Chang He and He stood one on the left and one on the right In the back, it is well guarded.

He leaned over and heard Jiang Zhao ask: "Didn't you go to the police?"

The owner of the stall was an old man in common clothes, with white beard and hair, at least he was over sixty years old. Hearing Jiang Zhao's question, he sighed and said, "Report to the officials? Don't you know that the officials and officials protect each other? The world is as black as crows, and how many people really care about it?" The common people seek welfare?"

Jiang Zhao frowned slightly, and heard the old man say: "I think you should be from a wealthy family, if you are truly merciful, I hope you stick to your original will and don't join forces with others."

"Don't worry, old man, I will remember what you said." Jiang Zhao responded in a low voice, reaching out to pick up something from his booth.

What the old man sells are some small objects, such as porcelain cups and pots, some low-quality lacquerware, and plasters with unclear effects.

What Jiang Zhao picked up was a copper ingot with a strange shape and some black dirt on it. It looked like a failed and melted handle, and the old man put it on the stall somehow.

"Yuanxiang, pay."

Jiang Zhao stood up, looked up at Yuan Xiang, and gave an order.

The old man said: "It's a broken thing I picked up on the road. I put it here casually. It's not worth much. If you like it, you can play with it."

Jiang Zhao reached out to take the money bag Yuan Xiang took out, and while pinching a piece of broken silver out of it, he said with a smile: "Thank you, old man, but you are the seller, and I am the buyer. I will not accept your love."

She put the silver on the booth, and threw the purse back to Yuan Xiang, and turned around and walked away regardless of the old man's call.

Xie Jin reacted the fastest, followed her closely and walked forward for a while, then quickened his pace and moved past her, reaching out to grab her sleeve corner.

Jiang Zhao's face was as deep as water, but when he turned his head and saw it was her, he subconsciously softened his expression, and asked in a gentle voice: "What's the matter? But I caught something, I'll let Yuan Xiang buy it."

Xie Jin shook his head, still pinching her cuff, and asked, "Are you angry?"

Jiang Zhao lowered his eyebrows and said nothing, while Xie Jin walked forward side by side with her, he said: "The capital is under the feet of the emperor, but some people dare to enclose the land at will and bully the people by relying on their status and status. You should be angry."

I thought she was going to persuade her, but never thought that she would have such an attitude, Jiang Zhao couldn't help being a little surprised.

"The emperor is rich all over the world, sits high in the temple, and visits Kyushu, but there are more than four square palaces, and justice in the world is more than a memorial. There are too many things that you can't see, but this is not your original intention, let alone your fault. .”

The woman's voice is gentle, like a trickle, gradually flowing through the softest part of Jiang Zhao's heart.

She knew that Xie Jin was comforting her, her heart felt like a fire was burning, and the gaze she looked at her was also burning.

Xie Jin only looked ahead and looked at the road, and didn't notice Jiang's eyes looking at her, and continued to say softly: "For three years in Jiaping, there was no war at the border, and the soldiers lived well.

Although there are ants in the court who steal and gnaw away, Dameng now has a good king who is diligent in governing and loving the people, and has the world in his heart. The good days of the people are yet to come. "

If these words were uttered by others, Jiang Zhao would definitely think they were bragging words, feel empty and boring.

But when Xie Jin said it, Jiang Zhao thought it was very sweet, and he wished to clear up the court immediately and bring justice to the people of the world, for fear of humiliating himself that Xie Jin said.

But she said in her mouth: "It's all about borrowing the glory of the ancestors to be a successful king. It's not as powerful as you said."

Xie Jin smiled, glanced at her lightly, and said nothing.

The two walked in front, followed by the other three. Yuan Xiang deliberately blocked Chang Dongling and He Yuansheng's pace, so as to be able to follow them without disturbing their conversation.

He Yuansheng didn't talk much, he held his sword in his arms, and just walked behind Yuan Xiang, but his mind was on the surroundings, and he was always vigilant.

Chang Dongling was tall and rough, and had a carefree temper, so he asked Yuan Xiang in a low voice: "Grandpa Yuan, what is the origin of Miss Xie, who is able to walk side by side with His Majesty?"

Yuan Xiang glanced at him, and warned: "It's better for Captain Chang not to inquire about matters related to His Majesty."

Chang Dongling hurriedly laughed and said: "I'm a rough person, I can't think too thoroughly about everything, I'm just a little curious, and I don't mean to pry into His Majesty's private affairs."

He was indeed just asking casually, and seeing Yuan Xiang's secretiveness, he quickly put away his curiosity.

As Chang Dongling said in his own words, he is indeed a rough man, he can practice martial arts and do things in a big way, and his brain is not as bright as a scholar, but he has been on duty in the palace for several years, and he still has the winks he should have.

Since he couldn't ask, then he shut up and stood with He Yuansheng honestly.

Changping Street is the largest street in the capital and one of several main roads in the capital. It can go directly from the city gate to the gate of the palace. The people living in the left and right are either dignitaries or relatives of the emperor. It can be called the most prosperous and lively street in the capital. street.

Jiang Zhao had never been out of the palace for 16 years before his accession to the throne. In the second year of his accession, Empress Dowager Lu died of illness. She set up a long-lived tablet for the Empress Dowager at Huguo Temple in the suburbs of Beijing.

Since then, the number of times she has been out of the palace can be counted on one's fingers, and she also went to the Huguo Temple to pray for the Empress Dowager. It was the first time that the royal family traveled with great fanfare, and it was the first time that she walked casually on the street like this and felt the folk fireworks.

On both sides of the street are teahouses, restaurants, gold shops and other shops. There are more stalls selling food, supplies, handmade gadgets, and calligraphy and paintings. .

There are people coming and going around, some people in silk clothes, and some commoner peddlers carrying burdens, talking and laughing constantly, but it is not interesting.

Jiang Zhao felt the novelty, and dragged Xie Jin to stop at several stalls. Although Xie Jin had more knowledge outside the palace than her, after all, he was full of novelty after all the years, so he followed her all the way.

Passing by a pastry shop, the plaque reads "Baiweixuan", the customers are so lively, Jiang Zhao waited and watched, and could smell the sweet and greasy fragrance of pastries outside the shop, couldn't help feeling a little greedy, so he thanked him Jin walked in.

"This is the most famous pastry shop in Beijing. It has been open for decades. It is famous for its authentic materials, high quality and low price. No matter if you are a wealthy family or a peddler, you can afford it."

Before entering the palace, Xie Jin also liked to eat Baiweixuan's pastries, and often asked the servants and maidservants to buy them in the mansion, and he himself came to recognize the door in person.

Looking at it now, Baiweixuan is as usual, the business is booming, and the taste is familiar, it is inevitable to feel a little bit emotional.

She took Jiang Zhao's sleeve, pointed to the wooden sign on the wall, and introduced those familiar pastry flavors one by one.

"Father and mother love to eat red date cake, which is sweet and refreshing, and because of the addition of some medicinal materials, it also has the effect of strengthening qi and nourishing blood, so it is most suitable for the elderly to eat.

The elder brother loves the mung bean cake, which has a light fragrance and sweetness, refreshing and cooling off the heat. He dislikes the sweet-scented osmanthus cake because it is too sweet, but my sister-in-law and I like it very much. It is soft, sweet and delicious. "

Thinking about the life in the Xie Mansion in the past, it is inevitable that I feel very lonely when I am so nostalgic, but Xu just received the letter from his family, and his expectations for the future have grown, and when he talks about the past with others, he will feel less sad.

Jiang Zhao looked at Xie Jin, and heard her talk about cakes and Xie's family, and the tranquility in the past became a little more lively. Jiang Zhao was both soft-hearted and remorseful.

She looked down and saw Xie Jin's hand pinching her cuff, and felt as if it was pinching her heart, and with a slight tug, she could control all her emotions.

"Jinniang..." she whispered.

There were many diners around, and it was a bit noisy. Xie Jin didn't hear what she said, so he moved closer and asked, "What did you say?"

Jiang Zhao shook his head, calmly held the hand she was pulling on the cuff in his palm, and said with a light smile, "I said, since we're here, we'll buy more, and bring some back to Aunt Qingshi and Elder Sister Yiren. Try it."

Hearing this suggestion, Xie Jin's eyes lit up, and he forgot to break away from her hand, and led her to the counter with the palms of the two of them clasped, followed by Yuan Xiang who followed step by step and prepared to pay.

"What do you and your wife want? Jujube paste crisps and sweet-scented osmanthus cakes are freshly baked, as well as our Baiweixuan's special candied fruit. If you have a young lady at home, it's the most suitable!"

Just seeing off a guest, seeing a new guest coming, the clerk behind the cabinet skillfully put on a friendly expression with a smile on his face. Looking at Jiang Zhao and Xie Jin's intimate behavior, they naturally regarded them as a young couple.

Most of the women in this dynasty married at the age of sixteen or seventeen. Jiang Zhao is now 19 years old, which is really not a young man, and Xie Jin is 25 years old, which is the year of a woman's flower letter. Apart from being young and beautiful, she is more mature The demure temperament unique to a woman, and if she hadn't entered the palace, she would naturally be at the age of children at this time.

The man saw many people of all kinds every day, and thought he had a sinister vision, so he blurted out.

Xie Jin understood what he meant, blushed, and was about to explain when Jiang Zhao said: "I want more sweet-scented osmanthus cakes, and wrap some red date cakes, mung bean cakes, cloud slice cakes, Bazhen cakes, etc. You also need some jujube paste cakes that you just mentioned, we need to take them home and give them away, please separate them and pack them neatly."

When Jiang Zhao was young, she had a girlish voice that was crisp and round, but at some point, it suddenly lost its tenderness and sweetness, as if it had been washed by spring water, and there was a slight sense of coolness in the sweetness, which is more suitable for her now appearance.

In front of Xie Jin, she always deliberately kept her voice low, and her voice was always soft.

In front of outsiders, even if she doesn't show any imperial majesty, she is definitely not the soft and deceitful Ah Zhao in front of her.

Xie Jin looked up at her, a little thoughtful, and forgot to explain their relationship for a moment.

The clerk got the guest's instructions, so he turned around and conveyed Jiang Zhao's meaning, and then asked Jiang Zhao: "Do you think this arrangement is appropriate, Mr. Lang?"

There are a lot of guests in Baiweixuan. There are ordinary people who plan carefully to buy some early adopters, and there are also high-ranking servants who are casually recruiting back to the house. Like Jiang Zhao, they are either rich or expensive, and there are not a few young masters and ladies who come to see something new.

The guy was enthusiastic and spoke calmly. Seeing that Jiang Zhao nodded, he went to the abacus to calculate the price.

Jiang Zhao doesn't know the taste of Baiweixuan's cakes for the time being, but the price is indeed not high, and she asked for a lot of things, and the total is only a little over three taels of silver, and the clerk even gave him a change, and only charged three taels.

Yuan Xiang took out a small silver ingot, and the clerk knew that there were a lot of taels when he tossed it in his hand. He opened the drawer from the underside of the cabinet to give Yuan Xiang some change, but Jiang Zhao said, "You don't need to look for it. Please have tea for the rest."

She was dressed richly, so it was no problem to reward her with a few taels of silver, and the clerk didn't refuse, thanked her with a smile, said some nice words, and praised their "husband and wife" for their talent and beauty, a match made in heaven.

Xie Jin was uncomfortable hearing this, and looked up at Jiang Zhao again, only to see that the tails of her eyes were slightly raised, and the corners of her lips were also turned up, she looked in a good mood.

The two are still holding hands, if in the past, Jiang Zhao was just Ah Zhao, Xie Jin would not find it strange.

It's just that now, Jiang Zhao is the master, and she dresses up as a man so that they can be regarded as husband and wife. Not only does she not explain, but she also holds hands even tighter, as if she has already acquiesced.

Xie Jin felt weird, but he didn't want to say anything, so he pressed the button for now, thinking about explaining it to Jiang Zhao after returning to the palace.

But not everything can be reckless.