Volume 1: Swan Goose Chapter 110: Tonight is as Long as Last Night (1)
The flying flowers of midsummer have fallen, the dawn is getting later and later, and the days are getting shorter and shorter. The bamboo curtains of the lattice windows of the annex are opened, revealing a beautiful and cold face.
"What are they doing?" Hua Fangyi asked, pointing to the government officials downstairs who were posting notices in the streets and alleys.
"Oh, the emperor is going to draft a girl. All unmarried girls between the ages of 14 and 18 across the country are going to participate." Xue Yan agreed while sorting out the jewelry boxes on the table.
"Are we going to pick a talent show again? Didn't we just finish the selection last year? The next time should be two years later." Hua Fangyi subconsciously shrank her body back from the window, as if she was afraid of being seen by people downstairs.
"I heard that the emperor was anxious to have a child, so he added a new show girl selection. But with the prince here, the girl doesn't have to worry about being selected." Xue Yan smiled proudly.
Hua Fangyi turned to look at the bronze mirror aside and touched her face: "Fourteen to eighteen, that's great. It's a pity that I'm old and I'm not even qualified for the draft..."
"Girl, why should you feel sorry for yourself? What's so good about being young?"
Things are blowing up!"
"Yes, she seems to be exactly eighteen this year. I don't know where she can get in the palace with her looks." Hua Fangyi looked at the red door opposite, the corners of her mouth raised slightly.
"What's the use of just being beautiful! Women who enter the palace must behave well. The emperor will not look down on a woman who travels around the world all day long!" Xue Yan curled her lips, with a look of disgust on her face.
Hua Fangyi turned her head and stared at her, wondering: "Why did she recruit you? You become sour when you mention her?"
"No, it's nothing." Xue Yan turned around and whispered, "It's just... there's something I don't know whether I should say..."
"If you have anything to say, please tell me. Don't worry about my mother-in-law and mother-in-law." Hua Fangyi sat in front of the mirror, picked up Luozida and traced her eyebrows against the bronze mirror.
"Girl, don't be angry after hearing this." Xue Yan came over, picked up the comb and combed her hair, and said carefully: "On the second day after you were arrested by Ruan Lang and sent to prison, the leader of the Lu Gang...
…Spent the night in the prince’s room…”
With a "pop" sound, the Luozidai in Hua Fangyi's hand fell on the table, rolled twice and then fell to the ground. When she lowered her head and looked down, she saw that the beauty in the bronze mirror was pale, and her water-cut eyes were full of resentment.
"They...they are together? How could this happen? I was imprisoned because of her, but she treated me like this?" Hua Fangyi frowned tightly, not sure if it was doubt or surprise.
Xue Yan quickly poured her a cup of hot tea and said distressedly: "Girl, please don't get so angry! I know I shouldn't talk too much, but I can't bear to keep you in the dark."
"What happened while I was away?" Hua Fangyi held her hand, her eyes filled with urgency.
Xue Yan bit her lip and said in embarrassment: "I have only heard about this matter. It is said that the people from the Royal Guards came to search for the assassin that night, and they actually saw it on the prince's bed... I saw it..."
"Tell me what you saw! Are you trying to kill me?" Hua Fangyi stamped her foot and turned around angrily.
"Master Ruan saw with his own eyes the disheveled Lu Gang leader, lying on the prince's bed! He wanted to check whether the deer gang leader had any injuries from the assassin, but the prince said that she was his woman and no one else could touch her!" Xue Yan said in a hurry.
It came out all at once.
"His woman? His woman! His woman..." Hua Fangyi's voice became softer as she spoke, and her eyes were slightly red.
"Girl, don't be like this!" Xue Yan quickly took out the handkerchief and carefully wiped her tears.
"Then what? What else happened to them?" Hua Fangyi tried her best to hold back her tears, her voice trembling.
"Later... then the leader of the Lu clan stayed in the prince's room all night and left the next day..." Xue Yan stood with his head lowered, like a child who had made a mistake.
"Where is Your Highness? I'm going to find him!" Hua Fangyi stood up and walked out the door.
"Miss, you can't find the prince if you go to the palace now! He has already left the city for his palace!" Xueyan ran after her and caught her in time.
"Palace? Your Majesty, go there
What are you doing here?" Hua Fangyi suddenly stopped.
Xue Yan hurriedly explained: "This time the royal family's case in court implicated the prince, so the prince took the initiative to invite Ying to go to the palace to repair ancient books to avoid trouble."
"Replying ancient books?" Hua Fangyi looked confused.
Xue Yan shrugged his shoulders and explained: "Didn't you hear that, girl? A few days ago, Tianzhang Pavilion was flooded and many ancient books were burned. His Highness proposed to the emperor that the ancient books should be re-edited!"
Hua Fangyi asked again: "Then why did you go to the palace?"
Xue Yan continued: "It's not because the prince ordered the whole country to donate books for a fee. There were too many books donated and the workload was too heavy, so it was moved to the palace to do it."
Hua Fangyi stared at her and frowned: "You are a little girl, how do you know everything?"
Xue Yan curled her lips and muttered in a low voice: "I didn't hear it when the drinkers who came to our place were chatting. Everyone likes to spread these gossips..."
"That's okay." Hua Fangyi suddenly sighed and said with relief, "It's okay for the prince to stay away from the capital, so that the little girl won't have to stick to him all day long!"
The sky outside the city is filled with white clouds, and light clouds are floating. Along the mountain road are unknown little flowers blooming, like clusters of red scarves. The Crystal Palace, built on the top of the mountain, is scattered in heights, and the entire palace is wrapped in a cloud of blue mist. , it looks like a heavenly palace built in the clouds from a distance.
There was a rumble of cars, getting closer and closer along the winding mountain road. After a while, an elegant and luxurious carriage had stopped steadily in front of the Nine Gates of the Crystal Palace.
The golden and red palace door opened, and a man with a white face and no beard in official robes walked out with several officials. He stood in front of the carriage and saluted respectfully: "I respectfully welcome His Royal Highness King Yi."
Tie Lin jumped out of the car and opened the door. Yu Fengjin, who was wearing a purple robe and jade belt, stepped out of the carriage and returned the greeting to everyone: "It's a hot summer day and I have to trouble you all to compile the classics here. Thank you for your hard work!"
"It's your duty, no hard work!" everyone shouted in unison.
The white-faced man wearing official robes came forward, bowed and held his hands in hand: "Your Majesty, I have followed your instructions and posted the reward and donation of books everywhere. Now the hall is filled with ancient books from all over the country. , other officials are selecting available books inside."
"Well done." The smile on Yu Fengjin's face was always modest: "I have heard of the reputation of light ink for exploring flowers for a long time. Today, I saw that Master Mei is not only a literary talent but also a talented person. He is really formidable!"
Just a few words of praise made Mei Qing's heart move slightly. He immediately raised his hand to lead the way: "Your Highness, please come inside!"
"Your Highness, please stay!" Yu Fengjin stepped forward and was about to step through the door, when she heard a gentle call from behind.
He immediately stopped and looked back, and saw a man dressed in red and a white horse disappearing and appearing on the mountain road lined with green trees and shrouded in mist.
Why is it her? Yu Fengjin recognized the person on the horse at just one glance.
"Your Highness, you are indeed here." As soon as the velvet horse stopped in front of him, the girl on the horse dismounted and walked towards him.
"Lu Ning? Why are you here?" Yu Fengjin came over and asked in a low voice.
"I have something urgent to come to see you. Can you lend me a moment to talk?" Lu Ning looked at him with an anxious look on his face.
"Not now." Yu Fengjin declined her in embarrassment.
"Then what should we do? We don't have time." Lu Ning clenched his hands, his eyes panicked.
"Let's do this. You come with me in and then talk about it." Yu Fengjin pulled her and walked to Mei Qing: "Master Mei, she is a maid in my palace. Is it convenient for her to come in and serve me?"
Mei Qing smiled tacitly: "This is not a large city. There are many people coming and going, so there is no inconvenience! Your Highness, please!"
After that, a group of guards surrounded the three people and walked quickly into the Crystal Palace.
Everyone walked on the white stone imperial road towards the Four Seasons Hall located in the middle of the Crystal Palace. However, Lu Ning was attracted by the two ancient cypress trees with intertwined branches, and couldn't help but stop and stare blankly.
Mei Qing came over and introduced with a smile: "These two ancient cypresses, one is [Blessed Cypress] and the other is [Luofeng Cypress]."
Yu Fengjin touched the rough tree trunk, raised her eyebrows and smiled: "Do you have anything to say?"
"It is said that two ancient cypresses carry fairy spirits. If you wrap a red thread around the tree three times and burn three sticks of incense, the blessed cypress will give the boy born good health and erudition. The fallen phoenix cypress will bless the daughter born, like
As smart and beautiful as a phoenix, everything is auspicious." Mei Qing explained affectionately, giving the two of them a meaningful look.
Hearing this, Lu Ning slightly curved the corners of his lips, blushing on his face, and a trace of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
"The sun is very hot now, let's go in and talk!" Yu Fengjin seemed unmoved and urged everyone to move on.
The two followed Mei Qing while admiring the beautiful scenery in the Crystal Palace while continuing to move forward. The scenery in the courtyard is on the first floor, with ten steps and one pavilion. The layout is rigorous and winding. The entire Four Seasons Palace is built on a wide platform.
There are reliefs of auspicious clouds carved on the steps.
As soon as the few people walked to the entrance of the Four Seasons Palace, they felt a suffocating heat wave hitting their faces. Leaning forward and taking a look, there were thousands of books in the huge palace, piled up like a sea. Hundreds of officials were in full swing,
I leafed through the books in a hurry.
It's autumn, and it's a windless day. Although the palm fan that protects the sun is still shaking, and the ice cubes in the bronze ice mirror are blowing out the slightest chill, the Four Seasons Hall is full of people, and the heat exhaled by people quickly dissipates.
A slight chill.
Lu Ning was shocked by the scene in front of him and could not help but frown.
Yu Fengjin was very considerate and said hurriedly: "Everyone is busy here, let's go to the side hall to talk."
Lu Ning smiled gratefully..
Bypassing the Four Seasons Hall, there is a side hall called Jiacang Hall. The sun is scorching hot and there is no wind in the courtyard. The two of them are sitting opposite each other on the rattan mat in the gauze tent.
Lu Ning looked sideways, and saw through the curtain the dense shade of trees outside the window, which covered the roof all the way to the eaves, cutting off the last heat of the summer. The begonias in full bloom in the courtyard were as red as fire, and the flowers were in clusters.
"Don't look at the beautiful appearance of Begonia. It is known as the fairy among flowers. However, it is often used by old friends to describe fruitless love, so Begonia is also called the Heartbroken Flower." Yu Fengjin followed her gaze and looked towards the yard, and spoke calmly.
.
"Heartbroken flower..." Lu Ning frowned slightly, with a touch of sadness flowing between his brows: It's really unlucky.
A young eunuch happened to bring a bowl of mung bean iced snow dumplings and a pot of tea and placed them on the table.
"Have a bite to cool off!" Yu Fengjin handed the bowl of dessert to her, while she poured a cup of tea and drank a few sips slowly.
Lu Ning's white jade-like hands picked up the crystal clear glass bowl, scooped out an ice-snow dumpling and put it into her mouth. She suddenly felt cool and refreshing, sweet and delicious. She looked at Yu Fengjin and asked softly: "Your Highness
Why do you only drink tea?"
"I don't like sweets, just tea." Yu Fengjin smiled faintly: "By the way, doesn't Miss Lu have something to tell me?"
Hearing this, Lu Ning put down the glass bowl and sat upright. She tangled her hands together on her knees, bit her lip and seemed to be struggling for a long time. Then she took a deep breath and asked in a mosquito-like voice: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty