Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen

Qin Taiwei has never returned to the empty room, and only sleeps on the couch in the inner room with her clothes on at night, preparing for Yang Lian to serve tea and water, or sweating because of nightmares, she has to take care of him in time Scrub and change clothes to prevent the cold weather.After tossing around like this day and night, she didn't feel tired at first, but when his energy improved day by day, she gradually became exhausted, and at night she said that she would move back to the white room. Yang Lian naturally refused to let her go: "The house over there relies on the water, so it's already cold, and you can't burn the ground dragon, how can you stay overnight?"

"Aren't you always the most afraid of people's noise, and you are not allowed to keep people in the room?" She wondered, "At first you were sick and couldn't leave people, but now..." "I'm not afraid of noise." He frowned. "You are not afraid of me, but you are." She begged, "Let me sleep well before coming here. Otherwise, I will be exhausted, who will serve you?" "Stay here and sleep, I don't want to disturb you." Qin Taiwei had no choice but to stay with him.He didn't call Ansheng for two consecutive nights, but she became suspicious. On the third night, she was awakened by the sound of cups clashing.

"What are you doing?" She half stood up and asked in a daze, "but you want tea?" "I've had it." He staggered to the side of her couch, "Do you want it?" She was indeed a little thirsty, seeing that he still had half a cup of tea in his hand, she stretched her head over to drink it up in one gulp, and then urged: "Go back and lie down, who told you to get out of bed?" But he didn't leave, he just said: "I can't sleep when I wake up, you can talk to me for a while." She struggled to get up and put away the teacup, and when she turned around, she saw that he had already sat on the couch, so she went over to wrap the quilt around him.

"I've always wanted to ask you..." he said, "What kind of incense do you smoke? The smell in the quilt is so good." She complained: "I'm afraid of the cold, so I hid a smoker cage under the bed. Smoked like this every day, it's not bad, it's almost turned into a piece of bacon." He laughed and said he wanted to taste the bacon.Naturally she refused, and repeatedly scolded, "You can't bite me if you don't have meat." After a fight, he finally caught her and bit her ear lightly.Embarrassed, she snatched the quilt and got in, wrapping herself into a spring roll.Just about to chase him away, he suddenly changed his tone and asked: "Then what kind of incense is put in the smoker?"

"I've been sick for a while, and I'm getting more and more confused!" She gritted her teeth and said, "It's the dipterocarp that you use every day." "No way..." He wondered, "I think it's very different." "Why not? If you don't think it's troublesome, just open the smoker and take a look." "Songchuang diptero, the fragrance is as cold as ice and snow." He said, "The fragrance I smell is not like that, with a little sweetness of flowers and fruits, a bit like the smell of sweet-scented osmanthus and lotus seed soup."

She sniffed it hard, but she didn't feel the difference he said, it was still the cold pine window dragon brain.Just wondering if he was really hungry, I heard him say again: "Could it be that the fragrance has been on you for a while, and it has become different?" His voice was suddenly low and indistinct. She felt that something was wrong, so she quickly got up and threw the quilt to him: "Since I like the smell, I will give you the quilt. Take it back to your bed quickly." He hesitated for a moment, then put on her quilt reluctantly and left.She lay on the couch with staring eyes for half an hour before she felt extremely cold, so she got up and went to find the quilt on his bed.He rolled up her quilt and fell asleep, with a slight smile on his lips, as if he had a long and clear dream.She stared at it for a while, and suddenly felt that the room was strangely bright, the window paper was white, and the drum only knocked three times.

I went out on tiptoe to peek, only to feel the cold air blowing on my face, the clear brilliance shining on my eyes, and the sky and the earth were full of tiny silver and white stars flying.It turned out to be the first snow of this winter, and it had already fallen. "Is it snowing outside?" Suddenly hearing him questioning inside, she hastily closed the door and went back into the warm pavilion: "There are some snow stars, how do you know?" "I heard it." "It's all nonsense." She said angrily, "Snow falls on the ground, there is no sound at all. Listening to the wind and rain is fine, since there is no such thing as listening to snow, where did you hear it?"

He sneered under the quilt: "You have read a few books, but you don't remember Wang Huangzhou's saying-white paper windows can hear the snow, but a red stove is on fire and you can't hide the spring. Why can't you hear the snow?" She held her voice and listened for a while, and she really heard a rustling sound, like a breeze passing through the forest, or someone whispering through the wall.I think the new snow is wet, and the window paper is wet a little bit. "I don't like snow." He murmured, "When it snowed when I was a child, I couldn't go anywhere. I could only practice calligraphy in the study. It was more and more like being in prison."

She leaned over and tucked the corner of the curtain: "Go to sleep." The snow was extremely heavy, and it hadn't stopped until the next morning.Zheng Banshan came over with a snowflake like a goose feather to ask for pulse. After changing the dressing and writing the prescription, he suddenly said: "Ms. Qin is also haggard. I think I have been very tired these days." "Uncle Zheng is serious, I'm fine." Qin Taiwei felt that he meant something, felt quite ashamed, leaned over to tie Yang Lian's coat, and hurried away with a water bowl towel. Zheng Banshan travels between various palaces, and will take advantage of the timing of the diagnosis to tell Yang Lian important information. When he goes out, he sees Qin Taiwei wrapped in a cloak standing on the porch, as if he has been waiting for him for a long time, so he said with a smile: "Your Highness is fine now, the broken bone is well-growth, and the wound has not festered. Now it is just lying down for a long time and the body is weak. As long as it rests for a while, it will definitely recover by the New Year. Lady Qin can rest assured."

Qin Taiwei nodded his thanks, and said: "Shall I give uncle a ride?" "It's cold and the road is slippery, don't dare to bother you." Zheng Banshan said, "Young lady's complexion is not good. I made some Bazhen Yimu Pills. I'll ask someone to bring you some later. Take a dose with warm water every day." "Your Highness, can you eat this?" Qin Taiwei asked again, "Look at him, he is much thinner than before." "He doesn't need it, the decoction prescribed for him is enough. Bazhen Yimu Wan is a woman's medicine, but it is useless to him." Zheng Banshan said, "You have been injured several times before, although the root cause of the disease has not been found, in the end it hurts If you have innate vitality, you must take good care of it, so as not to hinder your fertility in the future."

Qin Taiwei didn't know how to respond, her face was blushing with her head down. Zheng Banshan shook his head and smiled, and then brought up another topic: "There is one more thing, so that you can learn that Shen Nushi is now a lady, and will be named Concubine Kang in the spring of next year." "It's actually her." Qin Tai was slightly startled, "How did you choose her?" "Shen Nushi has always been supported by the empress," Zheng Banshan said, "it's not a surprise that she was chosen." Qin Taiwei asked again: "The eldest princess's funeral has just passed, are you planning to marry Kang Wang?" Empress Xu had been procrastinating for a long time in choosing a concubine for King Kang, but she never hesitated for a moment once she decided on a candidate.Thinking of Shen Ye not only not being able to leave the palace to return home, but also spending the rest of his life with an idiot, Qin Taiwei felt guilty for no reason.I don't know if she is really willing, but whether she is willing or not, how can she ever say it by herself. "Fu Wang's overall situation has been settled, so there is no need to delay the matter of Kang Wang." Zheng Banshan said, "The Queen's guardian will definitely treat Kang Wang more generously. You don't have to worry about her." "I've never worried about this. Even if the queen treats ordinary palace people like us, she is kind and kind like a loving mother..." Qin Taiwei said sadly. Zheng Banshan looked at her with squinted eyes, noncommittal to this remark. She hesitated to speak, seeing Zheng Banshan raised her foot and wanted to leave, she finally plucked up the courage to say: "Uncle Zheng, I wonder if I can ask you for a favor..." "You tell me." Zheng Banshan said. "Uncle is walking around the Qingning Palace, and I think he will see the old lady of the empress dowager often. Can I ask you to speak...or if there is any convenient time...or remind...please the old lady..." She didn't know what to say, and used The words were mixed up and down, and finally said: "Please show me your kindness, Queen Mother." "What grace do you want?" She shook her head hastily and said, "It's not me. I want to ask for a favor for His Highness." Zheng Banshan chuckled, and said in a low voice: "You don't have to think about it. The current situation is in favor of His Highness Zheng Wang, and he is not in any danger at all. It is the Queen Mother herself who is very worried now." "I didn't mean that..." Qin Taiwei became more and more at a loss for what to say, and she still had lingering fears in her heart when she mentioned the word queen mother, "His Highness almost lost his life when he was ill. There are some rewards in the palace. The empress also sent a servant to look at the situation...but..." but what?But no one came to visit in person, probably the situation is dangerous and everyone is in danger, so they don't care about these things.But how can I not even have a gentle word of comfort... Zheng Banshan seemed to understand: "What did Your Highness say?" "No." She shook her head, "He didn't say anything. However, His Highness has no parents, only the Queen Mother..." "The emperor's family has always been like this." Zheng Banshan cut off her words, "You should have realized something after you have been in the palace for a year." "It's me, Meng Lang." She bowed her head and admitted her mistake. "You should think about the current situation of the Empress Dowager." Zheng Banshan sighed, "Besides, His Highness is under house arrest after all. If the Empress Dowager came to visit His Highness, wouldn't it embarrass the Emperor? Right now Zhongjing Mansion is in a precarious situation." The old eunuch walked away slowly stepping on the snow, a line of muddy black footprints fell behind the back of the scarlet cloak.Qin Taiwei stood alone by the Taiye Pool, looked at the snow scene once, then returned to the room feeling disappointed, saw Yang Lian sitting under the window, reading with his head propped up, without turning a page for a long time.The tea was still lukewarm, so I didn't take a sip. "Is it still the original prescription?" He asked. "Slightly changed the taste, almost the same as before." He took a look at the prescription and frowned. She would get it wrong, and just said: "There is two-money licorice, it's not very bitter. Let the kitchen steam another bowl of sugar and crisp cheese later." "It's not bitter. It's just meat, fishy and greasy. How long will it last..." He sighed softly. She chuckled: "Next time, tell Uncle Zheng that he is not allowed to write this sentence again." Nine plum petals dyed with cinnabar have already fallen on the rice paper, and with the addition of the day, they are a pair of twin flowers.It has been ten days since the winter solstice.While nursing her cold fingers, she looked at the drawing paper, thinking about how to write. "Why don't you even have a hand stove." He smiled and grabbed her hand for a while, and took advantage of the situation to pull her to his side.She didn't dare to look back at him, so she quickly picked up the brush and hooked the plum petals twice, but asked, "Is the painting good?" "No, your hands are shaking." He shook his head. She was annoyed for a moment, and wanted to draw another petal, but he immediately grabbed her wrist: "What's the rush? Why did you draw tomorrow's one too?" "I want to paint all of them today." She refused to let go, "To avoid the trouble of counting the days every day. I finished painting here in one go, and maybe spring will begin tomorrow." "So what about spring?" He said, "I don't want spring to start so soon, it's better to hide like this." As soon as she was lost in thought, he stroked the pen in her hand backwards.He turned her face towards her with a smile, making a gesture to touch the soft vermilion lips of the begonia. "This rouge can't paint a face!" She struggled. He put down his pen, bowed his head and kissed her lips, and then pressed her lips for a while before letting go, but said calmly: "You are too impatient, this is the first snowfall." It took her a moment to get a taste of it.He still hugged her leisurely, but his expression was strangely calm.Only the twitch of his lips and a blush under his ears told her that she hadn't touched anything else just now. "I'll go get a cup of hot tea." She finally thought of a sentence, slipped off the kang and ran away. He lowered his head and smiled sullenly, picked up the cold-elimination map she had thrown on the table, hung it on the wall with his own hands, and looked at it for a long time.He also thought of a certain winter day many years ago, also in the deep confinement of the palace, someone once quietly gave him a picture to dispel the cold, probably teaching him to draw plum blossoms to count the days to amuse himself from loneliness.The man gave the drawing paper, but forgot to give the color.He had no choice but to count the white petals with an ink pen, guessing in his heart what would happen when the plum blossoms rejuvenated after counting the sky and the earth.But the final outcome was something he had never guessed, so much so that for many years he regarded the picture of dispelling cold as an abomination, and even the white plum blossom looked annoyed. Fortunately, I haven't lost this time. I don't have to experience the loneliness, embarrassment, and hopelessness when I was fourteen.There was even someone who drew him a picture to dispel the cold day by day, using a little rouge to cover up Bai Xue's chill.He felt extremely lucky.But this tiny warm affection was stolen, and it should not have been owned by him. Yang Lian didn't see Qin Taiwei again until after dinner.The palace people said that Mrs. Qin had taken the medicine given by Eunuch Zheng and had been taking a nap in the ear room, so Yang Lian said that he would not disturb her.When it was time to light the lamp, she saw her coming over with a large hand stove with chiseled and carved copper flowers in her arms.Everyone knew that the two of them had something private to say, and they retreated completely in a short while.Qin Taiwei nudged her mouth and taught Yang Lian to sit at the table, then suddenly lifted the lid of the copper stove, and pulled out a small blue and white cup as if by magic. Yang Lian was stunned for a moment. She lifted the lid of the small cup happily, and peeled off a piece of grease-soaked sealing paper, and the meat smelled delicious in an instant.She smiled mysteriously and said: "Look at this 'The red stove is on fire, don't hide the spring'." It turned out that finger-sized pieces of pork belly were neatly placed in the teacup. After half a day of warming over a charcoal fire, the skin of the meat became soft and glutinous, the fat turned into a soup, and even the lean meat was so tender that it melted in the mouth.He dug little by little with a silver spoon, eating very sweetly. "taste good or not?" He nodded again and again: "Next time put a little less honey." She snorted softly, as a response to the "next time", and said: "It's not honey. The snowflake foreign sugar I use is the most nourishing." I only have this small teacup, but after a few sips, I see the bottom.He was a little unfulfilled, but she laughed at him again: "I found the biggest cup, and I wouldn't be able to simmer it with more hand stoves. It's just to satisfy your craving secretly. When Uncle Zheng asks you to eat meat, tell the kitchen to wait for you." Stew a big pot in a big stove, I'm afraid you won't be interested again." He said sadly: "The last time I ate the roasted meat stewed in the hand stove was at my mother's. She lives on the mountain and is a vegetarian on weekdays. Only when I visit her every winter, she uses the hand stove to make a little roast." Let me eat the meat. It turns out that you people from Southern Province can cook this, even the taste is similar." "It's not something that people in the southern province know. My family didn't do it before. Later, an old mother from another family did it a few times. I found it interesting, so I learned it." "Whose family?" "I don't know who it is." She looked at him and asked cautiously, "I know that his surname was Lu later..." He nodded and said, "So that's what you're asking." "How do you say that?" She was annoyed, and put away the cup, "If you don't tell me, there is meat to eat! Why bother!" He couldn't help laughing, he was a little ashamed, and after thinking for a while, he finally said: "When he was rescued by your father, he changed his surname to Lu. He only said that he was an orphan adopted by General Lu, and his biological father died in the Beihai Navy. In fact, his surname was Cui, and he was my cousin. At that time, the entire Cui family was murdered, but fortunately, he survived." "It turned out to be like this." She sighed, "I have always felt that there is a big secret about him since I was a child. It turns out that he is the family of the Crown Princess. No wonder Daddy has kept his mouth shut." "Did you know each other very well when you were young?" "Not really. The brother of the Lu family is more than ten years older than me. He studied with my father for a year. When I just started to read, he went back to the Lu family. His wet nurse Gu stayed at my house. She took care of me all the time, and followed me to Xie's house. She was very close to me. After I entered the palace, I heard that Grandma Gu was also sent away by my aunt. It was only later that I found out that Brother Lu's brother had found her when he came back. Unexpectedly, she recognizes the aunt who is earnest..." As she spoke, she felt that his face was not comfortable, and she felt guilty, "When did Your Highness know that I have contacts with him..." He didn't get angry, just said: "What do you think you can hide from me?" "Don't be embarrassing..." She lowered her head and said, "Brother Lu was afraid that I would be wronged in the palace, so he asked her to inquire. He was just taken care of by my father, there is no other meaning." "...Lu Wenjin is really capable." He snorted. She was a little anxious, and immediately argued: "If we didn't know where to find him, how could we have time to ask him to help you this time? Isn't that what you mean by asking me to find the beads before you leave?" That's not what it means.He knew that it was inevitable that he would be in danger this time, and he actually meant that Lu Wenjin could try to take her away so that he would not be implicated.Earlier, when Qin Taiwei was still in Huangshicheng, Zheng Banshan had arranged it like this, and Xiao Lu also agreed.But, could she be wrong... He felt extremely lucky, and also felt that there was an unspeakable melancholy hidden in this luck.He didn't ask any more questions, but gently took her into his arms to comfort her. "Did you freak out that day?" he asked softly. She nodded, but said, "It's okay." "Actually, I'm also afraid..." He sighed, "I don't even know if I'm still alive." She heard the voice in his chest, which was not steady enough to be real.She suddenly remembered that day, when Lu Wenjin galloped all the way from Fengtian Temple, and carried a bloody body on horseback.He didn't know that she was so nervous that she stayed up all night, checked the documents over and over again, and endured all kinds of rumors.I don't know that she once hid in the quilt and shed tears, and then wiped away the tear stains with cold water, and didn't even see the earnestness.She also tasted the taste of going from life to death, and resurrection from death.She never knew she would do something like this, so he wouldn't understand either.But... maybe he understands.She looked up at him in doubt, and he was also staring at him curiously, as if he wanted to see the bottom of her heart, and he seemed to really see something. She suddenly felt infinitely wronged, and stretched out her arms to hug him with all her strength.His lips came as expected, eagerly kissing her. "Don't be like this," she finally pushed her weak arms against his chest, she broke away a little, and said, "I secretly ate meat for you, and I have to... I have committed a serious crime, I'd better wait until you feel better... ..." "What are you going to do!" He was a little annoyed. She was a little dazed, and suddenly seeing his delicate face flushed like rouge, she actually laughed out loud, gritted her teeth and pushed him away, "I can't run away." He also felt tired, so he had to let go. "I knew it when you were beaten." He murmured towards the wall. She didn't dare to respond, she hurriedly packed the stove and cups, and hurried out.When walking down the corridor, it was slipped by snow water, and the cup fell to pieces, and the palace guard on duty at night shouted "Lady, watch your step", and rushed over to pick up the porcelain pieces.She backed away silently, standing under the roll shed with her hands in her sleeves in a daze. At this time, the snow fell even more heavily, and the snow in the courtyard was about a foot thick. The camellias at the bottom of the corridor, the pine needles on the branches, the animal heads in front of the door, and the immortals at the corners of the eaves were all faintly visible. I don't know where it ends.After looking at it for a long time, my eyes are dim, and I just feel that the sky is not this sky, and the house is not this house. It is like an exquisite and transparent glazed gallbladder hanging alone outside the world. The few small fishes in the bottle, Yang Lian, and herself, were all sealed into this square inch by someone. Those few words, some sadness, some smiles, love and resentment, life and death, All of them just circled back and forth on this crystal wall, unable to breathe out a trace of vitality.On the deep and quiet sky like sapphire, someone with huge eyes stared coldly at the little trick in the glass bottle, without saying a word.Suddenly, he stretched out a finger from his sleeve and gently flipped the bottle over, so the sky was overturned and the water flowed horizontally, and a handful of clear springs turned into flying snow and scattered away.Before the fish could see clearly what had happened, it withered and died in vain. Then I thought of a few words he wrote, "Shocking grass and trees are all soldiers, where are the Chun Xuans when you look up, they are like a mourning dog, and they are like a fish in a dry trough."He said he "doesn't like snow," and she suddenly understood.Snowy night teaches people to explore loneliness, and there is no way to break through this loneliness, just as not even a single footprint can be seen on this perfect snow.Life is born here, and death can't get out. Who is not a fish in a dry rut? He went back to the Nuan Pavilion with the hand stove in his arms, and saw Yang Lian lying on the bed as if he had fallen asleep, the brocade quilt was not stretched out, and the cloak was still wrapped around him, I don't know why he was so angry.He had no choice but to go forward to undress and cover him. Naturally, he wasn't asleep, and he didn't bother to talk, he just closed his eyes and let her serve him.It suddenly became dark, and there was a ray of coolness under the quilt, as if a cat had sneaked in while taking advantage of the opportunity, and it was soft and sticky, touching his back to keep warm. "Ah Lian..." she hesitated, "Go in and give me a place to sleep." "It's very empty inside, climb in by yourself." He said vaguely. She tried to roll over him, but was pulled into his arms by him. "Be careful of your wound." She whispered in his ear. He hugged her sideways, sniffing the fragrance of her body lightly, and rubbed slowly until the skin on her body gradually became hot.She closed her eyes halfway, watching his head as bright as the moon hanging down on her chest, and suddenly remembered that it was also on this bed in spring, the time when she gave up halfway.The pain that pierced my heart at that time has receded into a simple but indelible sadness.She took a breath and felt her heart beating uncontrollably. "Taiwei." He seemed to be facing the infinite void, murmured her boudoir name, and seemed to be sighing, "Taiwei." Trembling, she half sat up, and took off the only little coat left on her body for him.The cold fragrance of the winter night hit her naked skin, causing her mind to go blank, and she bent down recklessly, sticking them tightly together. It still hurts.He also seemed to be suffering.Every inch of her body was covered with his sweat, and so was he.It's sticky together like this, can't break free, can't wipe off, lingering to death, every inch is turned into ashes. Fortunately, after all, he was chronically ill and frail, so he couldn't enjoy himself very much this time.When she finally fell from the clouds, he also stopped, still hugging her. After a long time, Qin Taiwei felt that he had finally fallen asleep and got up to tidy up, but unexpectedly he turned over and held her back, only heard a "hiss".She touched a warm current with her fingertips as she climbed his back. She was so frightened that she woke up immediately, and repeatedly told him not to move: "The wound has opened again." There was a burning pain in his shoulder, as if he had been slashed by an enemy's sharp blade, and the same stinging pain and coldness struck again.He was so pained that his mind was dazed, but he hugged her stubbornly and said to himself: "Don't go, don't go..." No matter how embarrassed she was to ask someone to come in, she could only grope around on the bed, found a clean veil, wiped off the blood indiscriminately, and pressed the soft pillow tightly against his back, hoping to stop the bleeding.He also obediently lay on his stomach and let her take care of him.I don't know how long the pressure lasted, but finally the bleeding stopped, and he also passed the pain, so he went to sleep by himself.She was already so weak that her hands and legs didn't look like her anymore, she fell down beside him, and she never even made a dream. Yang Lian gradually recovered from his illness, but he didn't teach Qin Taiwei to move out of the warm pavilion, even the couch under the window was removed.The two of them still spend all day in one place, burning incense during the day, playing the piano and writing, and whispering on the pillow at night, lingering under the quilt, as close as an ordinary couple.Since he accepted a concubine at the age of fourteen, he has had five or six wives and concubines, but no one has ever received such kindness.Cheng Ning was quite surprised, and also felt that this move was beyond the norm.It's just that Qin Taiwei's status is special, and she can't be treated like an ordinary concubine. Besides, during this season, the Empress Dowager is closed to the palace for self-cultivation, who will take care of Yang Lian's affairs?After thinking about it, he swallowed all the words of persuasion. When the six plum blossoms are painted, the end of the year will come again. After eating Laba porridge, it will be the end of the year in a blink of an eye.Yang Lian closed his door and thought about his mistakes, avoiding all false stories, and only ordered Cheng Ning to take people to sweep the court, tidy up the house, and steam some festive snacks, and taught Qin Taiwei to arrange manpower for the big and small internal officials and officials of the whole family. The palace people bought a new suit from head to toe, and distributed it before the end of the year, so that everyone would be more or less happy. On New Year's Eve, everyone changed into brand new clothes and came up one by one to kowtow to the prince to thank him for the new year.Yang Lian stood on the porch with his hands behind his back, watching Cheng Ning handing out silver coins to everyone, he stood for half an hour before finishing the work, smiled and waved everyone to go down to receive the banquet. Seeing that he was so interested, Qin Taiwei jokingly offered to reward him.Yang Lian asked her what she likes, but she said: "Don't you know what I like, Your Highness? It's just some candied fruit." "You guessed right," Yang Lian said, "As expected, this is the only reward for you." But he really asked someone to bring a small bamboo basket with three layers. Inside was a layer of western cakes of various styles, a layer of jujube cakes, chestnut cakes, smiles, eight-treasure plum cakes, candied lotus seeds, etc. A box full of Meisu pills. "This is good!" She smiled unconsciously, "The plums from Wang's shop are not as good as theirs!" She picked up a plum and fed it to his lips first, and said with a smile: "I ate at Uncle Zheng's once on New Year's Eve last year, I never thought there would be more this year." Yang Lian endured the bitterness and stammered, "I sent the plums from Mr. Zheng's place last year. You should thank me first." She was stunned for a moment, vaguely remembering something, before she could think about it, she saw Xu Weichi smilingly bringing in a big red round box: "My lady's gift has been delivered." When I opened the box, I found a neat set of silk headgear inside. The gold wire weaving was extremely delicate and light. It was not the workmanship of ordinary craftsmen. The most rare thing was that the inlays were neither gems nor pearls, but were carved out of red coral branches. Flowers of various colors are interspersed among the gold threads, deep and shallow, with precious light drifting away, like crabapple flowers blooming on the branches. "You like to wear green. I originally gave you a set of red hair. I sent you a look. The color is still a bit old-fashioned. It happened that they found a coral tree for me. I looked even better than the original one. I used it to inlay this. Do you still like it?" She had liked it so much that she couldn't speak, and when she heard that another coral tree was smashed, she couldn't help but say it was a pity. "If you wear it for me to see, it means that a living coral is in front of my eyes every day. What kind of coral tree do I need?" He picked up a pair of cherry red bead earrings and put them on for her. He combed his hair again, and personally inserted a row of distracting, heart-picking, hairpins, and temple covers in order, and the spring scenery and radiance in the mirror reflected each other, making people unable to look away. "I'll call you Coral from now on." "I don't want it," she said angrily, "Coral is fragile, although it looks good, it doesn't last long." He thought about it for a while and thought it was true, but since he had this thought, how could he let it go easily, so he asked again: "What's your baby name?" "I told you that I will be laughed at by you, but I won't tell you." She muttered. He had no choice but to resort to means, persecuted for a long time, and finally asked the answer, and he couldn't help laughing for a while, but he still asked: "Where's the sign?" She frowned and said, "When I entered the palace, I hadn't reached Ji yet, where did I get the sign?" He was quite satisfied: "I should have waited for me to pick the character for you, and it was called Jiaojiao." "Are you crazy?" She became anxious when she heard that, "You like steamed dumplings yourself, so you shouldn't call me dumplings!" He laughed for a long time, and then said: "Who is thinking about eating dumplings, but doesn't know that there is still a bright moon?" "What is the allusion?" "I was listed as a star official for you, and I once pointed out Tianhe." He said, "The bright moon shines brightly on my bed, and the night of Xinghan flows westward." She thought about it, and felt satisfied, but she still resisted for a while, and said: "Since I said so, I also want to call you Fengshi." He did not agree. Before the New Year, Qin Taiwei tactfully mentioned that Mrs. Wen was still in Chaotian Palace, and it would be better to pick her up for the New Year. But Yang Lian said indifferently: "Even I am still in confinement, how can I go up the mountain to pick her up?" Qin Taiwei wondered secretly, but couldn't persuade her.Although Yang Lian didn't like Wen Canran very much, he never deliberately treated her poorly.Asking Cheng Ning privately, Cheng Ning also shook his head and said that according to the news from Chaotian Palace, Mrs. Wen was hiding in the nunnery to practice, but nothing happened.She thought about it back and forth, and suddenly remembered that on the day Yang Neem's accident happened, she was crying with Qiao Changqing, Feng Juefei and others under the Meridian Gate. After Zhao Chongxun was dismissed from office, it was Mrs. Wen's father who took the important position of the Ministry of War.Wen Guanzhuo has always followed closely with the emperor, and with Shen Hongrang and other Qingliu leaders, he will join the cabinet in a short time. If it is for this, then no one can persuade you.In her heart, she was actually happy that Wen Canran was not around, so she stopped mentioning this.He only secretly asked Cheng Ning to share some firewood, selected some good winter clothes from the newly cut clothes, and taught the kitchen to prepare some vegetarian snacks that Mrs. Wen liked, and quietly sent them to Chaotian Palace. So only Qin Taiwei spends New Year's Eve with Yang Lian.A small banquet was set up in the Warm Pavilion, and the two had a drink relative to each other, but it was also enjoyable.The sound of firecrackers came from far away from Da Nei, and across a pool of West Sea, it seemed that the lights of Aoshan could be seen as pillars, soaring into the night sky.Here in the Qingfu Hall, all the lanterns and fireworks were avoided because of Yang Lian, in case outsiders saw the red smoke and wanted to make irresponsible remarks in front of the emperor.The little internal officials wanted to burn Baizhi (Huoyu) Sui in the courtyard, so they also asked Yang Lian to send someone to drive them away. "But it's okay to burn a few firewood?" Qin Tai smiled. Yang Lian said with a smile: "It's not all because of this, the cypress branches are very fragrant when burned. I want to try new incense tonight, but I can't let it spoil the smell." These days I have nothing to do, and I have been seeing him pondering new incense recipes, and when he lit them, the taste seems to be different from before. She carefully distinguished, and said: "It has the aroma of pine branches and a little bit of plum fragrance, but the taste of dragon brain is not bad." It's a little lighter. How different is this from the original Songchuang dipteroxiang prescription?" "I added some new sinking water this year. It is said to come from an island three thousand miles south of Ryukyu. They picked a total of three catties and gave half of it to me." He said, "Don't you think it's fragrant? Compared with the past, the fragrance is softer, does it contain the sweetness of flowers and fruits?" When he said it, it seemed that there was a soft and sweet beauty, but after careful consideration, there was no trace of it.Seeing her confused face, he chuckled and said, "It's strange that you can't smell it. This is the kind of fragrance on your body. It comes from nowhere, and it comes from time to time. I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I just can't match it. Recently, suddenly Thinking of the ancient recipes that use plum meat to make incense, I added a few plum balls that you like to eat, and it really has a lot of meaning." When she heard Mei Suwan, she was already very ashamed and annoyed: "I'll be by your side every day, why do you still have to think about what smells like me?" He laughed for a long time and asked, "Can you give it a name?" She thought for a while, and said: "Since it is the fragrance of flowers, let's call it Xue Zhongchun Xin." "Very good." He also took a piece of red paper, wrote the words "Spring Letter in Snow" in elegant small letters, and pasted it on the incense box. Several cannons rang, and fireworks were set off one after another on Ouchi's side.The glow of the fireworks soared into the air, reflecting the lingling water waves of the Taiye Pool, it became brighter and brighter.Yang Lian couldn't leave Qingfu Hall, so naturally he couldn't see it. "I'll be twenty-one next year," he listened for a while, then suddenly turned to ask her, "What about you? You're going to be sixteen, right?" "Well, you are five years older than me." She nodded, "You celebrate your birthday in winter, but I celebrate it in summer." He seemed to remember something, but asked, "Why don't I remember celebrating your birthday this year? Or were you still in the Queen's Palace at that time?" Her face suddenly sank, and she said, "Your Highness, I don't remember." He remembered immediately.Last year, he married her for only one night, and he left the palace, and left her sick in the backyard. She was almost killed by someone, but at that time, he missed her fifteenth birthday.He apologized: "You never mentioned it yourself. On the tenth day of June next year, I will give you double the birthday gift and make up for this year's gift." "Fifteen is a big birthday, and it won't make up for three or four times next year." She gritted her teeth and said, "You owe me this one, and I have to remember it for the rest of my life." He chuckled, thinking that she had been reading it all her life, and was about to laugh at her again, when suddenly a thunderbolt exploded above his head, and he didn't know where the firecrackers flew here. Qin Taiwei screamed in fright, almost fell off the kang, but he stretched out his arms to embrace her. "Have you ever made any wish?" He asked with his head down. "I don't have much ambition," she put her forehead against his chest, chuckled once, and said, "I only hope that next year, today, will still be with you." "I also have this wish," he said sincerely, "I wish I could have today every year." During the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, there was another heavy snowfall in central Beijing.After an accident, the Empress Dowager claimed that she would not be sick, and all the banquets and celebrations in the palace were simplified, and the bustling scene of last New Year's Eve was no longer there.On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Yang Lian's three-month confinement finally came to an end.Getting up early, Qin Taiwei waited for him to put on his robes and went to the Qing Palace to thank him. He didn't come back until noon. He only heard that the emperor asked him to talk and gave him lunch.Everyone in the mansion was terrified, and they didn't even have a good lunch.Until the evening, when Yang Lianfang came back from the palace, he was refreshed, with smiles on his brows and eyes. "I originally thought that I would go out with you on the last day of the Lantern Festival, when the lights in the city were still on, and I was afraid that I would run around when I got out of the confinement. He told me that since he has been locked up for three months, he can go out to relax. He also said that when he was a teenager, he would go out of the palace to visit the lantern market every Lantern Festival. Now that he is an emperor, he is not free, and he is afraid to see the folk lantern market. The Yanguan didn't let him go, and he hasn't looked at the lamp for several years. He taught me to go out at night to watch it, and tell him when I come back." These words are exactly the tone of the emperor, Qin Taiwei thought silently, it's just that the emperor suddenly showed his favor, and he didn't know what kind of medicine was sold in the gourd. “他既有这好心，咱们不出去倒不成了。”他笑道，“索性晚饭也在外头吃了吧。” “真的？”琴太微颇为惊喜。她幼时在杭州，被父亲带着上过外间的酒楼，后来寄居驸马府中深闺内院，自然再没有机会能上街游逛，是以从未领略过帝京的繁华，更不要提进酒楼了。 她立刻叫谆谆取了自己出门行头来，披风暖耳羊皮小靴。这时节一身紸丝夹棉袄子外罩丝绒披风还嫌寒冷，杨楝瞧着她忙忙地换衣服，又命宫人开了一只旧衣箱，找出一件大红织金缎衬银鼠皮的氅衣拿给她。一试居然合身。琴太微看这氅衣身量窄小，又似旧物，不觉狐疑起来。 杨楝道：“是我的衣服。因为不合身，一次也没穿过。” 琴太微好笑道：“哪里的裁缝如此怠慢。” "It's my mother." 她一时语塞。 “有年冬天极冷，威国公府从北海带了一卷上好的银鼠皮献给父亲，父亲叫人送上山，给我母亲做皮袄御寒。结果她没给自己裁衣，却给我做了这一件大红氅衣。偏生那年大雪封山，我一个冬天没去瞧她。转过年不久，她就去世了。等到下一冬，我又被太后关在宫里出不了门。第三年冬天才拿到这件遗物，我已经长高，穿不得了。” 她低头细看，见针脚绵密整齐，毛锋晶莹若霜雪，便又想象着杨楝年少时必然娟娟可爱，裹在这炽如雪压红梅的氅衣里，该是怎样一个神仙童子，可惜他都没穿过。 他看她不说话，反倒笑了，捏了捏她的面颊：“倒便宜了你。” 此时已是正月十八，又因城中大雪，街衢泥泞，灯会远不及往年热闹。金吾不禁夜，竟有行人萧条之意。琴太微抱着手炉坐在车中，隔着帘子看杨楝轻裘白马，踏雪徐行。偶然回顾相视，彼此心上都罩了蒙蒙的一层欢喜，和烟和月不分明。 出了东华门直奔灯市，市口的鳌山被大雪压坏了半边，也无人去收拾。街边倒还有未收摊的小贩，顶风冒雪地守着，趁最后一晚尽量再卖些玩意儿出去。杨楝便凑到车边，问琴太微要不要买个花灯玩玩，她自然连连点头。 灯贩看见这一行人皆是内家装束，心知遇上了贵人，连忙将收起来避雪的各色上好花灯尽数挂出。琴太微隔着帘子看去，虽不比宫灯精巧奢华，难得是样式新奇、意趣别致，左看看右看看，觉得每个灯都挺好看，竟然拿不定主意了。 “你说哪个好？” 杨楝笑道：“那个兔子灯挺好。” “为什么？”兔子灯放在地上，她一时倒没看见。灯贩连忙把灯捧到车前。那兔儿白乎乎圆滚滚的，一双杏核眼颇有神采，居然还穿了一件大红缎子镶毛边的小斗篷，于是她悟过来他又在笑话自己。 “哼。”她嗔道，“耳朵这么小，算什么兔儿灯，我看倒像个猫。” “贵人说对啦，这就是一个猫儿灯。”那灯贩笑道，“不瞒诸位贵人说，小人家里可是祖传的兔子灯手艺，要比别人的兔子做精细一点，在这京城都是有点名气的。今年做了三百个兔子灯应节，刚刚最后一个被人买走了。这个猫儿灯，却是小人做兔子时闲琢磨的新花样，摆在兔子中间，一直没人留意。还是二位贵人眼力不凡，一眼瞧出这灯与众不同。” 琴太微不免疑心这猫儿其实还是一只做砸了的兔子，但模样着实有趣，遂对灯贩道：“我小时候蛮喜欢兔子灯的，可以拖在地上玩。不过这猫儿灯也很好，你明年照着这样多做一些。” “一定，一定。小人一定多想几个样子的猫儿灯。”灯贩应道，“明年也请贵人们过来赏光。” 她接了猫儿灯，仔细看了一回，愈觉得憨态喜人，心下十分满意，又探出头去再看几眼挂在摊上的那些海棠灯、莲花灯、燕子灯，件件玲珑可爱。杨楝朝她笑了一下，又低声和随侍内官交代着什么。 穿过一条街巷，车拐了个弯，停在一间临街的三层酒楼前。先有随行内官叫过店家，片刻间收拾了一间清净雅座，才请徵王和娘子上楼。 琴太微抬头看见牌匾上“桂华楼”三个字，不觉笑了：“原来是这家。” “你来过吗？”杨楝却问。 她顿了顿，却说：“没有，只是听说他家的点心很有名气。” 她不大识得城中道路，只是猜这里离谢驸马府应当不远。从前她喜欢一种海棠馅儿的酥饼，只这家做得好。谢迁每次从学里回来，都要带几样点心去后院给公主请安，其中也必然有一样桂华楼的海棠酥。公主也不说破他，只笑着和外孙女儿讲点心虽好，不可贪嘴，吃多了也伤脾胃的。 却听见随侍内官和店家说着“多上些甜点心”，她忽然插嘴道：“有汤圆就够了，别的甜点心不要。” “你怎么忽然转了性子？”杨楝笑道。 “我倒只想一碗玫瑰馅儿的汤圆。”她道，“再说这家做的南省风味，想来菜都是偏甜的，吃多了可不烦絮？” 于是那内官拣着清淡鲜美的菜点了几样。不一会儿肴果齐备，玫瑰馅儿的汤圆也热腾腾地煮了上来。杨楝在外不饮酒，略微尝了几样菜，嫌汤圆甜腻，吃了一个就放下了，却让人舀了汤来喝。 忽然听见楼下语笑琳琅，临窗望去，十来个老少妇人相携着走过街面，个个穿戴讲究，全是一色儿的白绫袄，满头金钗雪柳，起首的一个妇人手里还捧着香。原来京中习俗，妇人们元宵夜里结伴出行，穿街过桥，可以驱病除灾，保一年无腰腿诸疾，这叫做“走百病”。 “你要不要下去走走？我叫人护着你。”杨楝笑问道。 她心中颇为艳羡，但听他意思，大约是不方便陪自己下去的，遂摇摇头：“回去在玉带桥上走两步，便是走过了。” 杨楝在窗前又站了一会儿。她又笑问：“看见跟着的人了吗？” “要是能让被跟的人看见，那也不叫锦衣卫了。”杨楝笑道，“高师父和我说过，他盯那些文官从来都是易如反掌，武将十个里面有九个也察觉不了。这些年所遇机警过人者，只得小陆将军一个。不过小陆现下也是他的上司了。” 皇帝一定很想知道杨楝放出来之后，会去见什么人。说不定这一晚上派出来跟着他的锦衣卫里面正有陆文瑾和高芝庭，这固然是有些好笑。他看不见陆文瑾在哪里，唯有在窗前多站一会儿，或者在他目力不及的某个黑暗角落中，他们正在望着他。 过了大半个时辰，忽见外面又飘起雪来。“只怕夜里雪还要下大，”杨楝道，“咱们回去吧。” “是呢，咱们有酒有菜有炭火。”琴太微笑道，“跟着的人还得站在雪中，怪不容易的。” 彼此笑了一回，相携着下楼，冷不防撞见有人正从楼下往上走，琴太微急忙掩面转身，藏到杨楝背后。来人撞见了女眷，显然吃了一惊，立刻低头退开。 杨楝才看清那人竟是谢迁，四目相对时皆是一怔。谢迁还穿一身孝中素服，手里提着一个兔子灯，他正要俯身行礼，却见杨楝目中一道锐光横扫过来，不觉哑住了。杨楝并不招呼他，只略一笑，便拥着琴太微迅速离去，一忽儿便消失在门外。 谢迁在原地待了一会儿，忽然转身出门，朝自家马车走去。 “老爷不上楼了？”随行的小厮追上来问，“那……海棠酥还买吗？” “我乏了，先走了。”谢迁道，“你去让掌柜装两盒点心，带回家去，给夫人和霜姨娘各送一盒，再去书院找我。” 小厮诧异道：“老爷不回家，夫人问起怎么说？” “就说冯翰林找我过节。”他笑道。 那小厮应声去了。谢迁收起笑容，微微有些头疼，眼前晃来晃去的是那件夺目的大红氅衣。虽只惊鸿一瞥，亦能看清那对灼灼秀目中的温柔情意全都缠绕在另一人身上。那人护着她下楼，有如手捧珍宝。 车夫狠甩了几鞭，老马鼻中喷出臂粗的白气，踏着雪泥一溜儿跑开。车厢里极暗，兔子灯不知何时熄灭了，耳朵也折了一只，他看了看，顺手扔进雪地里。