HBWnovel Chapter 142 Here Comes! [2 More]
Chapter 142 Here Comes! [2 More]
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.
For the young people in Chang'an City, they look forward to more than New Year's Eve.
Especially this year's New Year's Eve did not go well, so I pointed to the Lantern Festival to make up for it.
Early in the morning, Prince Fu's Mansion was as bustling as popcorn. Everyone from the master to the servants had red faces and walked with wind.
The royal family members all have to enter the palace to pay their respects to the queen mother and queen.
This year is the first year after Zheng Jiarou's wedding to host the Shangyuan Palace Banquet, and her family must come to support her.
The luncheon will be held in Jiying Hall, when the sages will reward the meritorious deeds, and all the lords and ladies who have made meritorious deeds in defending the city will be rewarded.
After dinner, you can go to Furong Garden. There is a big light building beside the Qushui Pool, which will be lit when it gets dark. There are also various lights along the attic stairs.
There is no curfew on the night of the Yuan Dynasty. Ladies and gentlemen can go shopping, visit gardens, appreciate lanterns, guess riddles, shoot geese, and throw pots, and they can play all night.
Li Xi doesn't care about the above!
All he cares about is—whether brother Shuyun can return to Chang'an before the Lantern Festival!
It was originally scheduled to arrive yesterday, but there was a heavy snowfall just after Puzhou. Li Xi hoped that he would walk faster, but also feared that it would be dangerous for him to drive in the snow, and his heart became tangled.
Aunt Li, the female envoy in charge of the courtyard, persuaded, "Ah Lang, it's so lively outside, why don't you go out and have a look?"
Li Xi lay listlessly on the couch, "The bustle outside has nothing to do with me. At this moment, I only have one thing on my mind—"
"study?"
Li Xi: "..."
With a "bang", Li Mujin pushed open the door and barged in, "Xiaobao, help me take a look, which of these two sets of clothes looks better?"
Li Xi rolled her eyes, "You live next door to Spider Spider, and the next door is Big Sister, and at worst, there is Little Pepper. Why do you let me, an old man, choose clothes for you?"
As soon as the words fell, Zhuzhu rushed in with a large pile of clothes, "Xiaobao, help me choose clothes! Aunts say you have the best vision!"
Followed by little Hu Jiao.
Although his face is expressionless and he doesn't say a word, he has as many clothes as a spider in his hand.
Li Xi: "..."
The true friend of the little lady has been hammered.
Li Xi was sitting on a soft couch with Xiongzi lying on his lap, holding a box of candied fruit in his hand, directing while eating.
"Third sister is tall and wears full hair accessories. Why don't she wear something plain underneath? Well, that pomegranate skirt with dark patterns of acacia flowers is very good. Don't wear silk, and wear a half-arm covered with fur..."
"Wearing that fox fur cloak outside, it looks best against the snow scene when visiting the garden, and it won't lose its color when standing next to Chai Guagua."
This is what Li Mujin wanted!
Although they are best friends with Chai Lanlan, they can't be compared!
"Little Pepper, let's wear a black dress. Didn't your grandma give you a dress a few years ago? Only a white and aloof beauty like us, Xiao Pepper, can support that gaudy outfit."
"By the way, don't wear pearls and emeralds, just wear a corolla. There is a bunch of peonies blooming in Helan's mansion. I asked Fig to cut two of them."
Hu Jiao nodded, threw away the clothes in her hand, stepped a little, jumped over the fence, and went to her house to change into Hu clothes.
"Xiaobao, what about me?" Spider Spider looked expectant.
"Call me brother."
"Brother Smelly." Spider Spider smiled.
Li Xi hit her with preserved fruit.
The spider grabbed it with his hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
Li Xi laughed, "Such a good figure, it would be a waste if you don't wear military uniforms. Today's big sister must be wearing military uniforms. Don't wear armor, but buckle up my jade-encrusted belt, and put my hair in a bun... Do you have a pearl hairpin? "
"Grandma gave me one yesterday." Spider Spider took it out of her bosom and showed it to him.
"The turquoise is stable. You are young and can't hold it back. Give it to the big sister. I have an amber one here for you to wear."
As Li Xi said, he took out an amber double-headed hairpin from the treasure chest, and there were two smaller rubies hanging under it, luxurious and playful, indeed more eye-catching than the one in the spider's hand.
The spider was puzzled, "How can you have a pearl hairpin for a young gentleman?"
"My mother gave it to me."
"Why did the empress give you this?"
"Who knows!"
He just casually exchanged with his mother about the matching of pearl hairpins and makeup, and mother gave him this hairpin with a look of relief.
Li Xi shrugged, helpless and sad.
On the Qingniu cart, Li Mujin was holding a small mirror, looking left, right, front, and back. It was even more exaggerated than Li Xi before.
On the contrary, Li Xi was deeply immersed in the sadness that brother Shu Yun hadn't come back, and he didn't care so much about whether he was good-looking or not.
However, people who are used to being stinky often can't bear to see others being more stinky than him, "Why are you so active today?"
"Naturally, you have to be active. This is related to whether I can hook you up with a brother-in-law." Li Muqin stroked the broken hair on her forehead for the hundred and eighth time.
The spider said boldly: "It's easy to handle. Our Tie Le tribe has a lot of warriors. I'll bring them all and let the third sister pick them."
"No, no, no, everyone is as strong as a bull. I don't like it." Li Mujin frowned.
Spider Spider laughed, turned her head and asked Hu Jiao: "Where is Fourth Sister, do you want me to introduce you?"
Hu Jiao shook her head calmly, "I already have it."
Li Xi:? ? ?
Li Mujin:? ? ?
Spider Spider: "Who is it?"
It was rare for Hu Jiao to let it go, "We'll talk about it when it's done."
Li Xi gave a thumbs up slowly.
Li Mujin and Spider Spider also gave their thumbs up slowly.
It is indeed their small pepper!
Jiyingdian.
As soon as the five sisters of Prince Fu's Mansion appeared on the stage, they were gorgeous, startled, four, and seated.
Li Xianzhi is heroic.
Li Yunluo is gentle and charming.
Li Mujin is lively and energetic.
The spider is straightforward and pretty.
The most amazing thing is Hu Jiao.
It was the first time she appeared at the palace banquet as Li's daughter, and immediately attracted everyone's attention.
The appearance with Hu ethnic characteristics, glamorous facial features, snow-like skin, but also unsmiling, against that shiny beard outfit, I don't know how many men's hearts have been disturbed.
Zheng Wei's fingertips trembled, and he didn't take a sip of the wine that had just been filled, and spilled it all on the hem of his clothes.
Looking at himself dressed in white, and looking at the family members wearing official uniforms and goldfish bags around him, he suddenly realized that he seemed to be unable to go on indifferently, without desires and desires.
The happiest thing is the Queen Mother.
This is her dear little granddaughter!
"Cecchi come quickly, Xianzhi, Yunluo, you guys come too."
Princess Xincheng sat at the bottom, and said with a charming smile: "Looking at the entire Chang'an City, who is more blessed than the Empress Dowager?"
Princess Weinan cooperated and said, "What does Miss Xincheng mean by that?"
"An ordinary family can raise such an outstanding little lady, and they will blow their cowhide to the sky. Fu Wang's mansion has produced five in one go. Isn't it the empress dowager's blessing?"
The queen mother chuckled: "If you stand out, she is also the daughter of your Li family. Xincheng is boasting all the time, but you are not praising your own niece!"
All the nobles laughed together.
Princess Xincheng lowered her eyes, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.
She could hear the implication of the queen mother's words, no matter how the Helan family stood in line, she was always Li's daughter.If you don't be a demon, you won't be implicated.
Princess Xincheng raised her head, glanced at He Lanpu who was talking and laughing beside Li Xi, and her smile deepened.
What's more, she also raised a good son.
There are not a few people who have the same thoughts as her. Today's palace banquet, eating and drinking is fake, and rewards for meritorious deeds are real. Whether one can add another color to the lintel of one's family depends on this experience.
Li Hong didn't keep the ministers waiting for too long.
"I thought we'd talk about it after the court opened on February [-]nd, but now we're here, so let the children be happy——Chai Yang."
"The minister is here!" Chai Yang stepped out, with one knee on the ground, his waist straight.
Everyone's eyes focused on him, which was a bit complicated.
When Princess Jinyang was buried, except for the two surnames Chai and Li, almost no one else came to the door. To put it bluntly, they were afraid of being implicated.
Even Chai Yang's former good brothers and Chai Lanlan's little sisters, some silently sent care, and some were afraid to avoid it.
Even the tavern butcher shop in the workshop has a different attitude towards the Chai family than before.
In just half a month, the Chai brothers and sisters can be said to have tasted the warmth and coldness of human relationships.
Whether the Chai family can have a "later future" depends on today.
"For big festivals, be more casual."
Li Hong waved his hand and said: "I have heard that you took the lead in the New Year's Eve battle and captured the leader of the bandit. It is a great achievement. Today I will make an exception and let you take Xu Qing's class."
Chai Yang raised his head abruptly, apparently in disbelief.
Li Xi was pleasantly surprised: "Stinky, no, what father is talking about is General Xu Ji Xu who leads the Jinwu Guard?"
Li Hong nodded, "The two generals Xu Ji and Gu An are going to Anxi after the Chinese New Year. The left and right Jinwu Guards in Beijing have two generals vacant. Chai Yang is young, so he should be promoted to 'General' first!"
"Sir, thank you saint!" Chai Yang kowtowed excitedly.
During the banquet, the old general Chen Xuan, who was in charge of the Jinwu Guard, smiled heartily, "Boy, it has fallen into the hands of the old man, and I will have to tighten my skin in the future."
"The old general is willing to give advice, thank you in advance, kid." Chai Yang cupped his fists respectfully.
Old General Chen Xuan stroked his beard, very satisfied.
Li Hong looked at Chai Lanlan, "What reward do you want?"
Chai Lanlan went out, saluted respectfully, and said solemnly: "The sage has already rewarded my brother, and the empress has also given my daughter a lot of treasures, and my daughter is already grateful in her heart."
This is the truth.
Princess Jinyang died like that, the sage not only let the Chai family go, but also reused Chai Yang. This is a good thing she can't even ask for by burning incense and worshiping Buddha, so she is content.
Li Xi smiled and said, "Don't, Cousin Chai is Cousin Chai, you are you, and your contribution is no less than his. Tell me what you want quickly. After passing this village, there will be no such shop."
Chai Lanlan smiled and insisted: "I really don't ask for anything after thanking the saint."
Zheng Jiarou said softly: "Then save it for now, it won't be too late when you think of it."
The Chai brothers and sisters returned to their seats, frankly greeted the fawning or waiting gazes around them, and straightened their backs.
Next came He Lanpu, Xiao Sanlang, Dou Ji and others.
Several lords have been promoted to official positions, and have official ranks and official salaries, adding a color to their lintels.
It's Li Mujin's turn.
She had already planned to ask Li Hong to give her the number one scholar in this year's imperial examination to be her husband, but at the end of the day, she felt embarrassed again.
So, he said: "My niece can't think of it for a while, can I save it first like my cousin Lanlan?"
Li Hong smiled, "Where are the spiders, are they still there?"
Zhuzhu shook her head and said: "My niece begs the sage to allow my little brother Qibi Xuesong to study in the palace."
"Your adoptive father, Qibi Namu, has made great contributions to the country, and is now the third-rank chief guardian. His son should be admitted to the Imperial College or Academy—this is not what you asked for, let me add another one."
When Zhuzhu heard this, she was very happy, and she was not polite, and said generously: "Then my niece begged the sage, and Xu niece went to the elder sister's command to be a soldier."
Li Hong raised his eyebrows and looked at the queen mother, "What does mother think?"
The Queen Mother looked surprised, "Aren't you going back to Songmo?"
"Grandfather and mother have taken back the homeland of the Tiele tribe, so there is no need for me to go back. The spider will stay in Chang'an from now on, and stay with grandma, okay?"
"Okay, okay!" The queen mother nodded again and again, "Then go play with your big sister, okay, don't beat around all day."
Zheng Jiarou teased: "In two years, our family will have two female generals."
The Queen Mother laughed heartily.
Li Xi strongly reminded: "There is also our little pepper!"
Then he turned his head and whispered to Hu Jiao: "Don't ask for knives or swords. I can get you all these. You must ask for a big one, or you will lose money."
Hu Jiao nodded seriously and said, "I want someone alone."
Li Hong calmly said: "Who does Jiaojiao have her eye on? The maid or the eunuch?"
"He." Hu Jiao raised her slender finger and pointed at Zheng Wei from afar.
Zheng Wei:? ? ?
Hu Jiao looked at him and said, "After Xiaobao and Wei Shaoqing get married, I want to marry you."
"puff--"
I don't know how many people lost their manners in front of the palace.
Zheng Wei was totally taken aback.
Facing Hu Jiao's calm and innocent eyes, she couldn't help but blush.
Zheng Jiarou pursed her lips and smiled, "I didn't expect that the idiot in our family would have such good luck."
Everyone laughed.
Li Xi smiled the most.
Niu, or little Hu Jiao Niu.
Li Hong didn't dare to agree to this marriage, it had to be discussed by Zheng Jiarou and the Queen Mother before making a decision.
Of course, it also depends on Zheng Wei's intentions.
Of course, this is not important.
As long as the Empress Dowager doesn't dislike Zheng Ni, the matter will be almost done.
This palace banquet is really worth it!
Before the meal was finished, everyone's stomachs were filled with chatter.
The noise of the world has nothing to do with Li Xi.
After eating, he ran outside the city to wait for Wei Yu.
Hu Jiao originally wanted to go with him, but was stopped by Zheng Wei on the way.
Zheng Ni asked, "Do you really want to marry me?"
Hu Jiao said, "It's fine to marry."
Zheng Wei: "..."
Not giving up looking for abuse, "I am ten years older than you."
Hu Jiao said calmly: "I don't think you died early."
After thinking about it, he said, "Not necessarily, maybe I died first."
Zheng Wei: "..."
Hu Jiao looked at him fiercely, "Aren't you willing? Don't be unwilling. I saved you on New Year's Eve, and you can give me your body."
The corner of Zheng Wei's mouth twitched, "Who did you learn this from?"
"Little Treasure." The way he stared and the tone of his voice were the same.
Zheng Ni laughed and couldn't help teasing her: "I also saved you when you were born."
"Do you want me to promise you with your body?" Hu Jiao nodded, "That's fine."
Zheng Wei: "..."
On the other side, the King of Weinan County was also negotiating with Li Hong.
"Saint, that child will be fifteen after the Chinese New Year. After all, he is the blood of the royal family. It is not an option to be trapped in that small place of Qinzhou for the rest of his life. Look, do you want to bring him back to Chang'an?"
Li Hong nodded indifferently, "It's not impossible."
The Weinan County King heaved a sigh of relief.
Immediately afterwards, there was an extra note in his hand, "On the second day of the second lunar month, at the court meeting, the imperial censor made a letter to make King Fu the crown prince. Does Zongzheng Temple have any objections?"
The king of Weinan County made it difficult for him, "King Fu is still young, and the concubine is a man. If he has no children in the future, it will be bad for the country!"
Li Hong was straightforward, "As soon as Zongzheng Temple agrees to this matter, I will issue an order to take the child back to Chang'an."
The King of Weinan County shook his head and sighed: "How about the sage Rong Chen discuss with the elders of the clan?"
Li Hong nodded, "I leave it to you."
The Prince of Weinan walked out with a bitter face.
Li Hong stopped him, "What's the child's name?"
"Little Langya." Weinan County King said, "He has not yet been named, and no one in Qinzhou knows his background. He is only raised as a relative."
"Little Langya." Li Hong nodded, "Very good."
As soon as the king of Weinan County came out of Changle Palace, his face changed instantly, "I have deceived the saint! Zongzheng Temple has already discussed it, and as soon as the court opened on February [-], he wrote a letter to ask for the crown prince. "
The loyal servant silently clapped his hands and did not speak.
He thinks that the one who was tricked is probably, maybe, maybe, his own county king...
Changle Palace.
Li Hong entered the hall happily, "Mother wants to reward me."
The queen mother happily said: "What good deed have you done, and you have the face to come in and ask for a reward?"
"Aren't you worried that the thirteenth brother is afraid that the child will be in danger, so you don't want to let him go back to Chang'an? I persuaded him just now, and I will order to pick him up after February [-]."
"Well, I should praise you for doing it grandly."
The queen mother suppressed her laughter and said slowly: "Take good care of the child, and when he comes underground, he can explain to the first emperor."
……
In the north of the city, Shili Pavilion.
It was past noon, and Wei Yu hadn't returned to Beijing yet.
Li Xi waited impatiently, so she ran out to meet him.
As soon as he arrived on the front foot, his friends came to accompany him on the back foot. They were afraid that he would be unhappy, so they tried their best to make jokes and gossip.
He Lanpu played the function of a small speaker, "I heard from my mother that the one raised in Qinzhou is a strange person..."
Cui Lanxin was the first to cheer, "How do you say?"
He Lanpu lowered his voice and said mysteriously: "He is the posthumous son of Prince Li. It stands to reason that he should be sixteen no matter what. Guess what - after the new year, he will only turn fifteen!"
Li Mujin exclaimed: "Could it be that he is not Prince Li's flesh and blood?"
Chai Lanlan shook her head, "Impossible, King Wei of Weinan is not an idiot, how could he raise an unknown person for nothing all these years."
Everyone looked at He Lanpu.
He Lanpu bumped into Li Xi's shoulder, "Brother Xi, what do you think?"
Li Xi looked at the end of the official road, and replied casually: "You can't be pregnant in his mother's belly for two years, right?"
He Lanpu flattered wildly: "Brother Xi is so smart, he can guess such a bizarre thing right!"
"Really?"
"Really pregnant for two years?"
"It's more real than real gold, mother can't lie to me." He Lanpu emphasized.
A group of young people began to discuss immediately, and pulled Li Xi into the group chat from time to time, both cautiously and trying hard to appear unintentional.
Li Xi was amused and moved.
"Okay, don't wait anymore, love will come back or not, let's go, watch the lights!"
"That's right, if you don't come back, you don't want him."
"Find a better one tonight."
"The next one will be better."
The friends were laughing and joking.
They wanted Li Xi to be happy, and Li Xi also took their feelings into consideration, otherwise, even if he waited until tomorrow, he would still wait.
Hibiscus Garden.
When the light tower was on, there was a fairy holding a pipa, hanging a cloak, and dancing Huxuanwu, which was as high as a three-story building.
There are all kinds of small lights on both sides of the Qujiang River, some are hung in a string on the trees, and some are tied with sticks and carried in the hand.
The lords spent money and bought a portable lamp for each of the young ladies. After buying, they carried it by themselves, and the young ladies just had to look at it with their eyes.
After all, it's cold and I don't want to reach out.
Li Xi and them watched lanterns, guessed riddles, and sat on a flower boat. They seemed to be very happy, but they were actually absent-minded.
Brother Shuyun hasn't come back yet.
Brother Shuyun said that he came back on the Lantern Festival.
Could he have come back and not found himself?
No, it was agreed to meet Qujiang.
He is so conspicuous, he must be able to see it at a glance.
Just in case, Li Xi bought a small orange lantern.
It's only the size of a fist, papered, and very light, with a very thin candle inside, through the orange colored paper, like a small glowing orange.
On a whim, Li Xi borrowed a gold hairpin from Li Mujin—she had several on her head anyway—hanging up the little orange lamp and inserting it on her head.
In this way, he is the most "bright" boy on Qujiang.
There were cruise ships passing by constantly, and the little ladies smiled and threw purses and sachets on him.
The oiran lady even sang a song for him.
Suddenly, there was a melodious flute sound not far away, which was very clear on the noisy river.
It's not an ordinary bamboo flute or jade flute, but the ocarina that Li Xi is very, very familiar with!
It's the gourd-shaped ocarina that Brother Shuyun often plays!
It was his favorite "Jiangnan"...
The sound of Qingyue's flute made everyone silent at the same time.
On the river, someone stepped on a bamboo raft and went down the river.
The night wind blew his cloak, revealing the gorgeous robe embroidered with dark patterns and sewn with gold thread.
It was Li Xi who gave it to him.
It's a pair with this one on him.
Ships of all sizes leaned towards the sides at the same time, giving way to a sparkling passage.
One person stood at the bow of the boat, playfully hanging a small orange lantern.
One person came playing the ocarina and came across the river.
Smile at each other.
Time and flowing water are all fixed at this moment.