Gumo Rongrong quietly stared at the group of koi carps that were competing for fish food, then grabbed a handful of fish food from the earthen jar and gently threw it into the lake.
"Husband, I don't blame you. Who told me that my hometown is too far away!"
Liu Mingzhi was silent for a moment and nodded silently.
"Yeah, it's really too far."
Gu Mo Rongrong raised her eyes and looked towards the western sky: "It's far enough from the capital to the two prefectures of Ganzhou and Suzhou.
Concubine Shener's hometown, Gumo Country, is thousands of miles away to the west of Suzhou.
Such a long journey requires at least several months to walk just one step, let alone a round trip!
Moreover, this is under the condition that our journey is safe and smooth.
If something happens on the way, it will take even longer.
Husband, you are the king of a country. The court cannot live without you, and the people of the world cannot live without you.
I cannot ask you, my husband, to follow me back to my homeland just because I am homesick, thereby abandoning Dalong's country and the country.
If I really did that.
That concubine is too selfish."
Liu Mingzhi held the beauty's shoulders firmly, and remained silent for a moment with a guilty look on his face.
"Oh, Rongrong, I have wronged you."
Gumo Rongrong used her fingers to tidy up the wind-blown hair beside her ears, and rested her head on her husband's shoulder.
"No grievance, no grievance at all. As long as you and your children are by my side, I will be content with everything."
Liu Mingzhi held the beauty's shoulders with both hands, nodded slightly and kissed the beauty's white and tender forehead.
"Rong Rong."
"Husband."
"I promise you that I will wait until my husband establishes a crown prince.
My husband will take you sisters and a group of children under our knees to accompany you back to Gumo Country.
Except for you, Sister Yun, Sister Shan'er, and the other two sisters, have you and your other sisters never seen what it's like over there in the Western Regions?
After we all rush back to Gumo Country, you will lead the sisters and the children for a good walk.
Let them also have a good appreciation of the customs and customs in the Western Regions."
Gumo Rongrong's delicate body trembled, and she looked towards Liu Mingzhi with surprise on her face.
"Husband, really?"
"Of course it's true. When did my husband lie to you?"
Gumo Rongrong nodded her head vigorously and quickly stood up on tiptoes to give Liu Mingzhi a peck on the lips.
"Yes, yes, thank you, husband."
Liu Mingzhi raised his right hand and hooked it on the beauty's nose with a smile.
"Silly."
Aunt Mo Rongrong slapped Mr. Liu's palm away, pretending to be angry and snorted: "Huh, I'm not stupid."
"Yes, yes, you are not stupid, you are the smartest.
Let’s not talk about these topics anymore and let’s continue feeding the fish.”
"Yeah, I'll help you."
After a long time.
Just as Liu Mingzhi, Gumo Rongrong and his wife were walking on the bridge corridor talking and laughing, they would grab a handful of fish food and throw it into the lake from time to time.
From the lakeside in the distance, the shouts of Liusong suddenly came.
"Master, Master."
Young Master Liu suddenly stopped and turned back with a puzzled look towards Liu Song, who was standing by the lake and waving his hands.
"Liu Song, what's wrong?"
"In reply to the young master's words, the Marquis of Guannei would like to see you."
"Zhu Run?"
"Exactly."
Liu Mingzhi handed the earthen jar in his hand to Gumo Rongrong, and then slapped his hands hard several times.
"Liu Song, did Zhu Run say he had something to do with me?"
"Back to the young master, Mr. Zhu just told me that he had something to ask for."
"Okay, where is he?"
"The younger one has taken it outside the garden."
"Master, I won't get off the bridge. You can just go and bring him over."
"Yes, young master, I'll be back later."
Gumo Rongrong watched Liu Song trotting away, then walked to Young Master Liu's side with light steps.
"Husband, Brother Zhu Run should have something serious to say to you. Why don't I go back first?"
Liu Mingzhi turned to look at Gumo Rongrong, smiled softly and said: "There is no need to leave, continue to stay with your husband."
"Ah? But if Brother Zhu Run wants to discuss something important with you, wouldn't it be inconvenient for me to continue to stay by your side?"
Liu Mingzhi raised his hands and tightened the tight fox fur cloak, and stretched his body lazily.
"Rong Rong, if there was really something serious, Zhu Run should have reported it to her husband when we were in the court two days ago.
Don’t worry, I am sure that Zhu Run’s visit to our house this time must be for some private matters.”
Seeing her husband's tone of voice so sure, Gumo Rongrong smiled and nodded.
She can continue to stay by her husband's side, so naturally she doesn't want to leave now.
After all, I have so many sisters, and the opportunities to spend time alone with my husband are too few.
"Rong Rong, let's go."
"Husband, where are you going?"
"Of course I went to Qiaotou to greet him. Zhu Run is one of my husband's good brothers.
My husband, who is the eldest brother, naturally cannot be too condescending."
"Hey, I'm here."
Liu Mingzhi, Gumo Rongrong and his wife had just walked a few steps.
At a glance, Zhu Run was quickly walking towards the lake, following Liu Song.
Zhu Run saw Liu Dashao and his wife, and waved from a distance.
"Brother, Mrs. Sister-in-law."
Young Master Liu nodded happily, looked at Zhu Run and waved in response.
"Zhu Run, you guy, why are you leaving in such a hurry?
My eldest brother and your sister-in-law were talking about going to greet you, but we just took a few steps and you already arrived."
Zhu Run picked up the hem of his clothes and immediately ran towards Young Master Liu and Gu Mo Rongrong.
"Don't dare, don't dare, how dare I let you and your wife greet you, my eldest brother?"
"Slow down, slow down, watch your steps, don't fall into the lake again."
"Hey, big brother, what you said is right. Little brother, I am already dozens of years old, and I can still be as stupid as a child who is only a few years old!"
While Zhu Run responded to Young Master Liu's words, he trotted up to Young Master Liu, Gumo Rongrong and his wife and bowed in front of them.
"My younger brother Zhu Run, I have met my elder brother and my wife."
Liu Mingzhi shook his head angrily and held up his hands.
"Why are we brothers doing such a thing outside each other? Come on, please forgive me."
"Uncle, no gifts."
"Thank you, brother, and thank you, madam."
Zhu Run straightened up and looked at the earthen pot in Gumo Rongrong's hand, and asked directly with curious eyes: "Brother, you and Mrs. Rongrong, are you feeding the fish?"
"That's right. If I have nothing to do, I'll accompany you Rongrong to take a walk in the garden."
"It's so elegant, it's so elegant."
Liu Mingzhi chuckled and hugged Zhu Run's shoulders, turning his head to look at Liu Song.
"Willow Pine."
"The little one is here."
"Go to Yun'er immediately and ask her to order her servants to prepare some tea. The wine will be delivered as soon as possible."
"Yes, I will leave first."
Zhu Run looked at Liu Song who was about to turn around and leave, and quickly raised his hand to stop him.
"Brother Liusong, wait a minute."
Liu Song paused, looked at Zhu Run with a puzzled expression and asked, "Master Zhu Hou, what are your orders?"
"Hey, what are you saying about Mr. Zhu Hou and not Mr. Zhu Hou? Brother Liu Song, you are out of sight now, aren't you?
You can just call me Brother Zhu, or Lao Zhu.
I'm not used to the title Zhu Houye."
Liu Song hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a slight smile.
"Okay, Brother Zhu, then I would be rude."
"Hahaha, not rude, not rude at all, just call it that."
"Brother Zhu, are you trying to catch me?"
Zhu Run turned to Young Master Liu and lifted off his fox fur cloak.
"Hahaha, big brother, look at what's on my little brother's waist."
When Liu Mingzhi heard this, he subconsciously looked at Zhu Run's waist.
When Mr. Liu saw what was on Zhu Run's waist, his expression was startled.
I saw six wine bags of the same size hanging on the jade belt around Zhu Run's waist.
Zhu Run looked at Young Master Liu's astonished expression, laughed and touched the inside of the cuffs on both sides.
In the blink of an eye, Zhu Run handed two large paper packages to Liu Mingzhi.
One of the paper bags was actually slightly steaming.
"Brother, the lotus leaf chicken from Zhao's old shop on Zhuque Street, and the sauced donkey meat from Lu's old shop on Xuanwu Street.
In my little brother's arms, there are still two big bags full of fried peanuts that your brothers and sisters personally prepared for our brothers.
How about it, these snacks are okay."
Liu Mingzhi put away his gaze, smiled lightly, pointed at Zhu Run and tapped it a few times.
"Hehehe, you guy.
There is no reason why you should prepare your own food and drinks when visiting your home.
Why, are you afraid that this young master can’t take care of the food?”
Zhu Run stuffed the two paper packets in his hand into Young Master Liu's hand, and then happily took out two more paper packets from his arms.
"Brother, this is wrong.
My little brother didn’t come to see you as a guest, but he came to have a drink with you.
In a word, drink or not."
Liu Mingzhi raised the two paper bags and sniffed them deeply, then gestured to the bench by the lake.
"Let's go and drink by the lake."
Zhu Run immediately turned away and gestured to Young Master Liu, Gu Mo Rongrong and his wife with a smile on his face.
"Brother, sister-in-law Rongrong, please."
"Together, together."
Soon.
Liu Mingzhi, Zhu Run and others rushed to the bench by the lake.
Liu Mingzhi placed the two paper bags in his hands on the bench, casually picked up his clothes and stuffed them around his waist, and then looked at Zhu Run pretending to be unhappy.
"Zhu Run."
"Brother?"
Mr. Liu sat carelessly on the bench, skillfully unpacking the paper package in front of him.
"You guys, you figured that your eldest brother would come to me for a drink after I had breakfast, right?
Master, if I know that you are coming to me for a drink again, I will save myself a breakfast.
Now, you have prepared so many sumptuous food and drinks. How much food can I eat from you, Master?
You idiot, you must have figured it out."
Zhu Run untied each wine bag and placed it on the bench, then sat opposite Young Master Liu with an aggrieved look on his face.
"Brother, little brother, I was wronged, I was really wronged.
It’s not that I deliberately waited for you to have a drink with you after you had breakfast. I really can’t do anything about it.
We brothers have drank so much before, and you also know when the old Zhao's store selling lotus leaf chicken will open.
Brother, I went out early in the morning, but Zhao's old store is not open. What can I do?
Brother, in order to let you have a meal of lotus leaf chicken, I waited outside the Zhao family’s old store for a full hour and a half.
Brother, that's not one moment, two moments, or half an hour.
Rather, it was a full hour and a half!
After waiting for so long in this kind of weather, it’s easy for me, little brother.”
Young Master Liu cheerfully picked up a wine bag and handed it directly towards Liu Song.
"Liu Song, sit down and have a drink together."
Liu Song subconsciously pushed his palm: "Master, I..."
"Zhu Run is not an outsider, he doesn't have so many rules.
Sit down and have a drink with Brother Zhu Run and me."
"Okay, thank you young master."
Liu Song took the wine bag and sat down next to Zhu Run.
Liu Mingzhi picked up another wine bag and gestured to Gumo Rongrong with a faint smile.
"Rongrong, do you want something to drink?"
Gumo Rongrong is a woman from the Western Region, so her drinking capacity is naturally not that bad.
She looked at the wine bag that her husband handed to her, and her white and tender neck slid uncontrollably.
"Husband, concubine, concubine."
Liu Mingzhi looked at the beautiful lady's move, but looked a little embarrassed, and happily put the wine bag into her hand.
"Come on, have a drink if you want."
"Yeah, thank you, husband."
Young Master Liu picked up a wine bag again, removed the wine cork, smiled lightly and gestured to Zhu Run.
"Zhu Run, Rongrong, Liu Song, there are no wine glasses here, let's drink as we like."
"Brother, I respect you."
"I respect my husband."
"Master, I respect you."
Liu Mingzhi nodded slightly, raised the wine bag and took a long sip.
“Phew—good wine, really good wine.
Zhu Run, how many years has this bamboo leaf green been stored in the cellar?"
Zhu Run wiped the drink from the corner of his mouth with his fingers and immediately gave Young Master Liu a thumbs up.
"The eldest brother is indeed a good drinker. He immediately drank the wine that the younger brother brought.
Big brother, these two jars of bamboo leaf green have been stored in the cellar for about thirty years, and they were specially prepared for you, big brother."
Liu Mingzhi raised his head and drank a few more gulps of wine.
"Good wine, good wine! Good brother, you have a heart."
"It should, it should.
Brother, let's not just focus on drinking. Please try the taste of this lotus leaf chicken.
When we used to drink together, your favorite dish to eat with wine was this lotus leaf chicken."
Liu Mingzhi looked down at the lotus leaf chicken in front of him, stretched out his hand and gently fanned his face a few times.
"Well, the color and fragrance are all good, and it still tastes the same as before."
"Brother, as long as you are satisfied with it, try it quickly. It won't taste good when it's cold."
Liu Mingzhi reached out and pulled off a chicken leg, then handed it to the beauty next to him with a faint smile.
"Rong Rong, come and try a chicken leg."
Gumo Rongrong shook her head with a depressed look and reached out to push her husband's wrist back.
"Husband, you should eat it yourself.
I’m too full from breakfast, so I’ll just drink some wine with you.”