The first day of October is the day of the December Festival, and it is customary to worship the souls of ancestors. The Lu family's ancestral home is not in Yongcheng, so after worshiping at the ancestral hall at home, they went to the Buddhist temple to burn incense and worship. Because of the sacrifice, on this first day of the Lunar New Year, the temple
There weren't too many people inside.
On the first day of the new year, there was a secular lecture in the temple, but Qingran couldn't bear to listen anymore, so she asked Qingrong to hide out together, leaving only Wang in the courtyard to listen to the secular lecture.
Qingran took Qingrong out of the yard, walked west along the stone path sandwiched by green pines, and climbed up the bluestone steps. Without the noise of people, if you listen carefully here, you can still hear the flowing of the clear spring.
As they reached the halfway point of the mountain, they stopped.
"Sister, what do you think of the scenery here? Is it like the screen you painted?" Siniang said with a smile as if she were offering a treasure.
Qingrong looked up and saw a patchwork of large and small courtyards with white walls and black tiles. They were both solemn and graceful, and a bit like flowing water from a small bridge. Down below was a clear spring. Qingrong smiled and said: "
It is a geomantic treasure land with pleasant scenery. I wondered a few days ago if there were such green mountains and green waters in this city, but I didn’t expect it to be found here.”
Siniang knew that she was painting landscape screens recently, and heard her say that she wanted to see the real scene, so she thought of this place.
"This is the Zen room up here. Sister, look down. In a moment we will go in the direction we just came from, where Yue Lao is enshrined." Qingran looked at her jokingly.
"Yue Lao?"
Qing Ran said matter-of-factly: "Yes, those people in the Xu family are short-sighted. Since my sister's engagement is no longer counted, let's go find a better one."
Qingrong couldn't laugh or cry, and said with a smile: "I know what you mean, but this destiny is destined by nature. How can you get it just by asking for it? If this is really the case, wouldn't it be possible to kneel down in front of the Yue Lao Temple every day and you can't afford it?
Did you get your wish? Then I will come here every day for Siniang, begging day and night, hoping that she will find a right husband."
"Sister! Why did you arrange for me instead?"
"Okay, sister, I won't say anything anymore."
The two were chatting and laughing, completely unaware of the arrival, so Qingrong was surprised to meet Xue Shao here again!
"Xue...General Xue?" Qingrong blinked, as if she still couldn't believe it. Xue Shao didn't look like a Buddhist, so he asked, "Why is the general here?"
"Some personal matters." Xue Shao couldn't help but look her over. He thought he would never see her again, but he didn't expect to meet her here, nor did he expect to see her smiling so happily.
Qingrong just nodded when he heard this and didn't intend to ask any more questions. After meeting him, he planned to take Siniang away.
"Ms. Lu, I have something to ask you." After saying that, she stared straight at Qingran. Qingran felt that she was an eyesore and smiled coquettishly, "Then I will go downstairs and wait. Sister, you and the general will take your time.
Let’s chat.” After saying that, he left quickly.
After Qingran walked away, Xue Shaocai asked: "That person... why did he cancel his engagement with you?"
Qingrong raised her eyes in shock, but she met Xue Shao's eyes. She was so clearly visible in his eyes. Why did he ask this? Qingrong paused and said: "Probably there is no fate. Since there is no fate,
You can't force it." How could she explain all of this to him?
"Then meeting you again can be regarded as fate?"
He asked straightforwardly and clearly, but Qingrong did not want to respond to his thoughts. Qingrong smiled slightly and said: "I don't understand what the general means. There are many kinds of fate between people. Even if they meet by chance,
That's fate." But I don't know whether she really doesn't understand or doesn't want to understand.
Qingrong could probably guess Xue Shao's thoughts, but he was always so abnormal. The strange thing was that this would also affect her emotions. She didn't want such an uncontrollable feeling, so she chose to avoid it.
She deliberately avoided it, and a person with a poor tongue like him couldn't continue. Qingrong said: "Since the general has something to do, I won't bother him, and I will take the first step."
Xue Shao still had the same expression. If his tone hadn't been gentle, people would have mistaken him for an enemy, "I do have something, and I hope to ask Sanniang for advice."
"General, please speak."
Xue Shao looked at her and wanted to ask her why, the relationship between them could only be casual. She had clearly said that if he asked for help, she would do her best to help. But now? What the heck?
? He thought that if she broke off the engagement, maybe he would have a chance to be honest, but... he frowned, feeling a little upset, "That's it, that's all, you can go first."
So what? This man! It was obviously him who asked her to stay, but she seemed unwilling to leave. Qingrong was so angry and funny that she didn't care about him, a weirdo, and just bowed, "Then I'll take my leave first."
Xue Shao looked at her back and put his clenched fists behind his back. He didn't understand the rhetoric of fate or not. He only knew that everything depends on man-made circumstances. However, she seemed to be avoiding him...
When Si Niang saw Qing Rong coming over and saw that her expression was as usual, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and then went up and asked, "Didn't you see Master Kong Ji today?"
"The Master may not be free today." Qingrong gave her a strange look. She thought that when she came out, Siniang would look at her and she would naturally have to interrogate her. But for some reason, Siniang mentioned the Master.
Shaking his head, he said, "What do you want to ask? Why don't you ask directly?"
Siniang lowered her head and said cautiously: "Sister, what is the relationship between General Xue and Xue Fangji, Duke of Xing?"
Qingrong thought for a moment and said, "He and Duke Xing are uncles and nephews."
Uncle and nephew? Doesn’t that mean he is a cousin with that person! Qing Ran can’t believe it, why can’t he avoid that enemy!
Qing Rong felt that her reaction was wrong and asked, "Do you know her?"
Qingran shook her head subconsciously, and under Qingrong's eyes, she nodded guiltily, and said honestly: "It's not like we know each other. I have met his cousin Xue Yan once, and we had... some disagreements.
"Who knew that General Xue who saved you was actually Xue Yan's brother? Qingran couldn't help but sneered.
"Holiday?"
The last time I came to Lingbao Temple, Master Kongji blocked the incense burner for Qingrong, and Qingrong found that his hand was accidentally burned. Seeing that the master was trying to hide it, Qingrong didn't say anything, and wanted to greet him again after some time.
However, due to matters related to the Xu family and then to the concubine Xian's gift, she gave Si Niang a chance to come find the mage and bring some plasters. Unexpectedly, she met Xue Yan, and the two of them had a baby.
Quarrel…
Qingrong was angry and funny, "You, are you also as arrogant as me? What should I do if he deliberately wants to retaliate against you?"
Si Niang was annoyed: "Sister, don't talk about me anymore. Don't I regret it now? It was just a quick talk that day, and I won't dare to do it next time. Then General Xue appeared here today, maybe he was looking for Xue Yan.
of."
"He didn't mention it, and I don't know either. Well, it's useless to think about it now. Let's go back first. If my mother-in-law doesn't see us for a long time after listening to the secular talk, I'm afraid she will be anxious."
Siniang looked embarrassed and begged her: "Sister, please don't tell me about this, I'm afraid of her..."
Qingrong shook her head in amusement and glanced at her, "You, I know." Then she glanced back, and A Zhen and Song Yue, who were not far behind, knew what Sanniang meant and lowered their heads silently.
When they went back, the sermon was not over yet. Everyone in the courtyard was so mesmerized that no one paid attention to them. Qingrong also sat and listened for a while, looking at the master on the stage with his tongue shining like a lotus flower, feeling inexplicably
The earth gave birth to a ridiculous dream-like feeling...
After returning home, Qingrong picked up the paintbrush and continued to paint the landscape screen she had finished. She looked at it and was quite satisfied. It would be finished in about three or four days. "I will go to the West Market in a few days. You can
Do you want to go with us?"
Si Niang nodded hurriedly, "Of course I want it."
Qingrong nodded and said, "I wonder if Concubine Xian will like it?"
The good concubine Liu Yuniang is the daughter of the Wang family's biological sister. In the past, the two families had frequent contacts in Yongzhou. Liu Yuniang often played with the Lu family sisters. In the past two years, the Liu family and the Lu family moved to Yongcheng one after another. Liu Yuniang moved to Yongcheng one year ago.
After entering the palace, within just over a year, Liu Yuniang stood out from the crowd of talented people and was awarded the title of Beauty. A few days ago, she was promoted to the title of Good Concubine. To celebrate Liu Yuniang's promotion and title, Qingrong planned to paint it herself.
A screen as a congratulatory gift.
"Giving gifts is more about affection. If Sister always feels that it is not good enough, then it means that the gift is not good enough. After all, there is no shortage of rare things in the palace. Besides, I think the paintings painted by Sister are very special.
It’s artistic and I can’t fault it.”
Qingrong sneered: "You know how to fool me."
"It's just the truth."
On the day when the painting was finished, the Qingrong sisters went to the Jiaval Store in the West City together. When they took out the painting, everyone around them took a fresh look. Someone asked: "This is the little lady herself."
drawn?"
"The painting is really good!", "Yes, yes!"
"Could this little lady be the painter in the shop?"
"I wonder if it's possible to draw a valerian pattern?"
Qingrong just smiled and nodded, and she responded one by one. Unexpectedly, the shopkeeper who was waiting for him said that he might not have a suitable screen frame in the store, and if he wanted to order it, he would have to wait for several months. This was a bit embarrassing, originally
It takes more than a month to make this screen, and won’t the screen stand have to wait until next year?
Just when Qing Rong was in trouble, a lady came over and said with a smile: "My dear lady, I have many screen frames at home, all made of fine wood. There should be one suitable for your painting."
Qingrong turned around and saw the person coming clearly. This woman was wearing a gilt double-headed hairpin with a Ganoderma lucidum head and an emerald flower. She was wearing an eight-part purple skirt with dark patterns and a silver-red shawl.
She was plump and beautiful. Even Qingran couldn't help but be fascinated. She had never seen such a beautiful woman, let alone a man. She couldn't help but look at her a few more times.
"Madam is well." Qingrong stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile: "Thank you madam for your kindness, but you are not getting rewarded for nothing. How can you dare to do this?"
Wei Xunyan smiled sweetly, "You're welcome, little lady. I saw your paintings and liked them very much. I want you to draw some valerian patterns for me. Of course, I won't take advantage of you in vain. As a
As a reward, I will find a suitable screen stand for you, what do you think?"