"It's the New Year's Eve for everyone. Please invite monks and Taoists to read scriptures and prepare wine and fruits to send gifts to the gods."
——Tang Dynasty, Anonymous, "Records of the Age under the Chariot? Stove Lamp"
......... New Year's Eve, the night of the last day of the year in the lunar calendar, is a time for rest when everyone prays for blessings and gathers together. There is also a festive atmosphere in the Zhao Mansion. However, Zhao Junchen is still hiding in the study, just like in those years The atmosphere of the night had nothing to do with him, he was just preoccupied with various public and private matters.
In his last life, Zhao Junchen was considered a lazy person, always muddle along no matter what happened, but after coming to this world, the environment has changed, his status has changed, and the people have also changed.
Accustomed to intrigues and all kinds of busyness, if Zhao Junchen is suddenly asked to take some time off, Zhao Junchen will not only be uncomfortable with it, but he can't help but feel uneasy.
Yes, nowadays, whenever Zhao Junchen is free, he will feel inexplicably uneasy deep in his heart. It seems that something important has been overlooked by him, and it seems that some plan has suddenly escaped his control. He can only continue to deal with public and private affairs. As for affairs, only by continuing to be busy with intrigues and intrigues can one have a sense of peace of mind knowing the situation.
However, Zhao Junchen believed that this was not only true for him, but also for Zhou Shangjing, Shen Changmao, Huang Yourong, and perhaps Emperor Deqing and Prince Zhu Heyu.
Although you can see far and have a unique scenery when you are at a high place, you are not only lonely, but you are also standing on a cliff. If you fall down, you will die without any body parts. You are frightened and frightened, just like walking on thin ice, but no outsider can know that.
Perhaps, this is the so-called "gain and loss".
Zhao Junchen is like this now. The Zhao Mansion is noisy and festive. Zhao Junchen does not stop it, but he has no idea of participating. In addition to not adapting to this relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, there is also a kind of incompatible confusion.
New Year's Eve is a day for family reunion, but Zhao Junchen could not find where his "family" was. The significance of New Year's Eve made Zhao Junchen feel even more lonely.
"Perhaps, it's time to find someone close to her in the mansion who can talk about her concerns, share some of the pressure, and take off the mask in front of her. Otherwise, this is just the 'Zhao Mansion', how can we call it 'home'? '?What a pity, the most difficult thing to find in this world is a close person, especially for me."
Or feeling the loneliness and confusion in his heart, Zhao Junchen put down the internal treasury accounts in his hand, thinking deeply.
And just when Zhao Junchen was thinking secretly, Fang Ru's voice sounded outside the study: "Master, the time has come, it's time to have New Year's Eve dinner."
Zhao Junchen packed up the papers on his desk and responded at the same time: "I know."
After finishing cleaning up, I opened the door and saw Fang Ruzheng standing outside the study with a smile. She was wearing a red long-sleeved coat and a red skirt. Her long hair was pulled into a pony bun, and she wore light makeup, looking enchanting and cute.
After drinking the poisoned wine that day, Fang Ru fell ill and finally recovered a few days ago. As the New Year was approaching, Zhao Junchen saw that the preparations of the Zhao Mansion were somewhat chaotic. He was busy with official duties and had no time. Xu Qingyan had no ability and kept following him. Zhao Junchen once again handed over all the affairs of the Zhao family to Fang Ru.
And Fang Ru did a good job indeed. After taking over, all the affairs of Zhao Mansion quickly became in order again.
After seeing Zhao Junchen appear, Fang Ru smiled charmingly and said again: "Master, it's time for the New Year's Eve dinner."
Zhao Junchen smiled and nodded, and walked towards the main hall of Zhao Mansion with Fang Ru.
On the way, Zhao Junchen asked: "Qingyan hasn't come back yet?"
Fang Ru said with a smile: "I just came to see the master when I saw him coming back. Xu Qingyan meant that he would wait for the master to finish his official duties before having the New Year's Eve dinner, and he did not dare to disturb the master. But it seems to me that you have been dealing with it for a whole day.
It’s time to take a rest from your official duties, and tonight is New Year’s Eve, so I can’t work too hard. What’s more, I can’t let the guests in the house wait, right?”
When she mentioned "guest", Fang Ru quickly glanced at Zhao Junchen. Seeing that Zhao Junchen's expression did not change, she seemed to be a little happier.
The guests mentioned by Fang Ru were the two brothers Liu Zimin and Liu Rui. Zhao Junchen took them to his residence, and Liu Rui was a beautiful girl. Naturally, there were many rumors in the Zhao residence.
And Fang Ru obviously felt threatened by these rumors.
Seeing Fang Ru like this, Zhao Junchen shook his head and laughed: "You, after what happened that day, you have become bolder."
Indeed, after drinking the poisonous wine that day and explaining their thoughts, both Fang Ru and Zhao Junchen were relieved of their knots. In front of Zhao Junchen, Fang Ru relaxed a lot and became bolder, but at the same time she also felt a lot more sad.
, because Zhao Junchen has not been close to her since he came back from Lu'an Mansion.
But after hearing Zhao Junchen's words, Fang Ru just smiled and said nothing.
Along the way, there were Spring couplets, blessing characters, New Year pictures, red lanterns everywhere, and the faint sound of firecrackers, which made the atmosphere quite grand. While chatting and joking with Fang Ru, the loneliness in Zhao Junchen's heart finally dissipated a little.
Speaking of which, Fang Ru's character is somewhat like that of Zhao Junchen's "close friend". However, after Fang Ru confessed her feelings, the gap between Zhao Junchen and her became more. Fang Ru put all her thoughts into it.
Zhao Junchen knew about himself, but what Zhao Junchen knew even more was that what Fang Ru loved was the Zhao Junchen who rescued her from the sea of suffering, but that Zhao Junchen was not the Zhao Junchen he is today. Because of this, Zhao Junchen
I have never slept with her so far.
While chatting, the two of them arrived at the main hall of the Zhao Mansion, and saw a round table in the main hall. All kinds of dishes were prepared on the round table, and Xu Qingyan, Liu Zimin, and Liu Rui were also waiting there.
, Liu Zimin was saying something to Xu Qingyan with a face full of flattery. Xu Qingyan listened without saying a word. As for Liu Rui, she was as quiet and gentle as ever, just sitting there quietly waiting for Zhao Junchen to appear.
After seeing Zhao Junchen appear, Xu Qingyan quickly stood up and went to greet him, but Liu Zimin hesitated and did not follow him after all.
Obviously, Xu Qingyan had something important to report to Zhao Junchen, but it was not a sign of appreciation to get involved at this time.
Arriving next to Zhao Junchen, Xu Qingyan said softly: "Master, I have already sent your gift to the Zhou Mansion."
Zhao Junchen walked toward the main hall with the two people around him, and asked with a chuckle: "What's the response from Zhou Mansion?"
A trace of doubt flashed in Xu Qingyan's eyes, and he said: "That old guy Zhou Shangjing didn't say anything. He just asked me to tell the young master that he transplanted three poplar trees in his backyard a few days ago. They have deep roots and luxuriant branches. They are tall and straight. They are the best place to enjoy the cool weather in summer."
It's appropriate. Master, please go and take a look at it in your spare time."
Zhao Junchen shook his head and laughed, saying: "What an old fox."
It turned out that a few days ago, Zhou Shangjing gave Zhao Junchen a copy of "Historical Records Volume 92: Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin" to remind Zhao Junchen of Han Xin's fate, and by the way, to drive a wedge between Zhao Junchen and Emperor Deqing. And Zhao Junchen took advantage of the Chinese New Year.
On this occasion, he also gave Zhou Shangjing a return gift, Zhang Juzheng's "Zhang Taiyue Collection", because he wanted Zhou Shangjing to think of Zhang Juzheng, who was also a powerful official in the Ming Dynasty. After his death, he was almost beaten to death and his family was harmed.
A person's way will cure his body.
Needless to say, the three poplar trees Zhou Shangjing mentioned to Xu Qingyan were the "San Yang" of the Ming Dynasty, which meant that although his power was no less powerful than that of Zhang Juzheng, his actions were directed towards San Yang.
Although Xuexue was also a powerful minister, it was naturally not his turn to bear Zhang Juzheng's miserable end.
However, Xu Qingyan, who had always been ignorant and ignorant, did not understand these riddles and their meanings. However, when Zhao Junchen laughed and called Zhou Shangjing an old fox, he nodded repeatedly.
"Take your time, that old fox just wants to gain some initiative. Now that the date of the southern tour is getting closer, I don't believe he is not in a hurry."
While muttering to himself, Zhao Junchen was already walking towards the Liu brothers and sisters...