Chapter 656 A Different Mid-Autumn Night
When Gu Xu arrived at the lake, the concubines were already waiting for him under a big willow tree.
Zhao Yan leaned against the tree trunk, her arms folded across her chest, and her slender and straight legs were outlined in a martial arts outfit.
Shi Xiaohan sat on a big rock and couldn't wait to eat a piece of mooncake. Her pretty oval face was covered with mooncake crumbs.
Shangguan Jin hugged Gu Qingyan and used his true energy to transform a ball of flame, making the baby grin. From time to time, he stretched out his little hand to catch the flame.
It seems that she dotes on this infant princess more than her mother Zhao Yan.
Gu Xu walked directly in front of them, waved his sleeves gently, and four white porcelain cups filled with osmanthus wine appeared out of thin air and floated in front of everyone present.
"It would be nice if there was a moon today," Shangguan Jin handed the baby to the nearby palace attendant, took the wine glass, looked up at the dark night sky, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes, "Changchun Garden's The lake reflects the moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival, it must be an extremely beautiful landscape painting."
Hearing her words, Gu Xu chuckled and called softly towards the lake: "Friend Zhaoyue?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the silver dragon emerged from the bottom of the lake, its huge head surfaced, and stared at Gu Xu with a pair of purple eyes. There seemed to be a bit of displeasure in his tone: "Zi Wei, What did you call me just now? ”
"Who first sees the moon by the river? When does the moon on the river shine on people for the first time? Life has been endless for generations, and the moon on the river looks the same every year." Gu Xu looked at her calmly, but said indifferently, "Fellow Daoist Jiang has a good name. !”
At this moment, the silver dragon scales shine brightly, like broken silver, gently falling on the water.
The floating light leaps into gold, while the still shadow sinks into the jade.
Shangguan Jin suddenly understood why Gu Xu wanted to call the silver dragon out of the water.
The light on her body is purer and more brilliant than the moonlight in the sky.
"Emperor, your cultivation has declined over the past thousands of years, but your poetry writing skills have improved a lot!" Jiang Zhaoyue couldn't help but sigh when she heard the poem recited by Gu Xu.
In her memory, Zi Wei was also a poet in the past, but most of the poems he wrote were love poems composed of gorgeous words and specific routines. These poems express feelings of sadness and melancholy, as if her sister would immediately die of depression if she did not agree to his advances.
But the sentence "Who first saw the moon by the river" breaks away from the rigid rhythm and the narrow theme of male and female love, and focuses on thinking about the shortness of life and the eternity of the universe.
Why did Zi Wei’s poetic style change like this?
Is it because he has been imprisoned in the wild world for thousands of years and has felt the vicissitudes of life?
But the question is, why did he deliberately write her name into this poem?
According to the "real" authority, he obviously has no interest in her at all!
The more Jiang Zhaoyue thought about it, the more confused her mind became.
"Jiang Daoyou is ridiculous," Gu Xu smiled faintly, "I just heard this poem from others."
Just say it!
That lecherous Zi Wei only writes vulgar love poems!
How could he have the ability to write such a masterpiece?
Jiang Zhaoyue thought angrily, stretched out her body, turned somersaults with a "whoosh" sound, and got back to the bottom of the water.
The silvery white light on the lake surface dissipated in an instant and returned to darkness.
"Cheers!" Gu Xu raised the white porcelain cup filled with osmanthus wine and said to the concubines with a smile, "I hope we can see the full moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival next year! I hope we can still be there next year. Happy gathering! ”
"Cheers!" the three women responded with a smile.
…………
“Bang!”
Xiao Wanjun put the brush on the table, then stretched out her hand to straighten the hair on her temples.
Although the voice was very soft, it seemed particularly abrupt in this silent study.
Xiao Wanjun's desk is located in the corner of the imperial study room by the window. It was specially placed by the emperor after he moved to Changchun Garden.
At first Xiao Wanjun felt that this matter was a bit irregular - how could he, a mere minister, have a seat in His Majesty's study? During the Daqi Dynasty, this was undoubtedly a lawless act of transgression.
Aware of her doubts, Gu Xu said calmly: "Is it possible that when there are problems with the newly compiled exercises, or when I need to ask for your opinion on national affairs, I have to send someone back specially? Isn't it a waste of my precious time to rush outside to find you?
"Besides, this position is not specially prepared for you, Luo Chuan and Wang Jian have both stayed here. ”
Faced with the emperor’s firm attitude, Xiao Wanjun could only obey silently.
The emperor's imperial desk is located in the center of the study.
It was a large mahogany table, simple and clean, without too many decorations.
An inkstone lies quietly on the corner of the table, next to it is a delicate langhao pen, and the pen holder is made of simple bamboo sections.
A few branches of asparagus are inserted into a blue and white porcelain flowerpot. The slender leaves sway gently, casting whirling shadows on the wall under the candlelight.
On weekdays, whenever she raised her head, she could see the handsome face of the young man who held the highest power in the wilderness. She could see him either focusing on reading books and documents, or writing seriously. , or close your eyes and frown in deep thought.
Quietly, together with the furnishings in the house, they formed an exquisite, elegant and bookish picture.
It’s quite eye-catching.
Just when Xiao Wanjun was in a trance, a eunuch walked to the door of the study, bowed and said: "Master Xiao, this is a letter from your family!"
On his side As he spoke, he handed a note to Xiao Wanjun.
Xiao Wanjun unfolded the note and saw that her brother Xiao Shangzhen's prospective father-in-law and mother-in-law invited her to go to the Luo River to watch the lanterns and the fire dragon dance.
"Perhaps they are pity that I can only spend the Mid-Autumn Festival alone!" She thought to herself.
After pondering for a moment, she looked at the eunuch in front of her and asked: "Does your Majesty have any explanation?"
She knew that the emperor had the ability to see everything in the world. The content on the note, he It must have been known.
"Your Majesty said that now is your rest time, you can do whatever you want," the eunuch replied, "He also specifically told you not to work overtime, otherwise he will I have to pay you overtime allowance out of my own pocket.”
The words “overtime allowance” do sound like they come from His Majesty.
Xiao Wanjun slowly stood up from his seat while thinking secretly.
The light outside the window is dim and the cool breeze is blowing.
Vaguely, she seemed to hear bursts of laughter coming from the lakeside.
…………
Leaving the secluded Changchun Garden, Xiao Wanjun took a carriage and headed to Luojing City.
When we arrived, the banks of Luoshui were already brightly lit, bustling with people, and very lively.
In an open space, accompanied by the exciting sound of gongs and drums, a group of young men in colorful clothes and hats were dancing with long bamboo poles in their hands. The top of the bamboo pole is tied with a "fire dragon" carefully made of straw and cloth strips, with lit incense stuck on the dragon's body.
Their steps are strong and vigorous, sometimes shaking the bamboo poles, sometimes spinning and jumping. Under their exquisite control, the "Fire Dragon" seemed to be given life. Sometimes it soared into the sky, sometimes it swooped and swooped, flexibly shuttled among the crowds, leaving behind dazzling fire trails.
The green smoke of incense curls up in the streets and alleys, making the "fire dragon" look like it is soaring in the clouds and mist.
According to legend, the dragon can move clouds and bring rain, eliminate disasters and bring blessings, and is a symbol of auspiciousness. Therefore, people in Dahuang often dance the fire dragon to pray for good weather and abundant harvests.
Through the thick smoke, Xiao Wanjun saw her younger brother Xiao Shangzhen waving to her excitedly from a distance. His fiancée stood quietly beside him, a young girl of similar age to him.
She is of medium height, thin build, has light freckles on her face, and wears an embroidered jacket and skirt. Although her appearance is not beautiful, she is also delicate and pleasant.
Not far from Xiao Shangzhen, there was a tall and burly man in a brocade hat and mink fur.
This man is not the prospective father-in-law of Xiao Wanjun’s younger brother in his memory.
But a completely unfamiliar, younger face.
"Master Xiao, I am Bai Yuanjiang, son of Chairman Bai of Hongquan Chamber of Commerce." Seeing Xiao Wanjun's figure, the tall man immediately stepped forward with a warm smile on his face. , "As early as a few years ago, I have admired Mr. Xiao's name for a long time. It is truly my honor to meet you today."
As he said that, he stretched out his hand towards Xiao Wanjun. .
However, Xiao Wanjun did not respond to his move.
She frowned slightly and turned to look at Xiao Shangzhen aside, as if questioning him with her eyes: "What's going on?"
Xiao Shangzhen shrugged and replied innocently: "You are almost twenty-seven years old and you are still alone. Chan'er's father saw him and thought that a rich distant relative happened to come to Luojing to do business. You guys We are similar in age, so I would like to introduce you to each other.”
Xiao Shangzhen is naughty by nature and grew up in a pampered environment. Sometimes words come out of her mouth without going through her brain. His words made Bai Yuanjiang and Xiao Wanjun feel embarrassed. They stood there not knowing what to say.
The royal family of the Daqi Dynasty were in a rather embarrassing position when the new dynasty was first established.
Although the emperor of the new dynasty only severely punished those who did evil and demoted the rest to common people, people still kept a respectful attitude towards them, fearing that getting too close to them would arouse suspicion.
However, with the passage of time, especially when the former third prince Xiao Shangli and the fourth prince Xiao Shanzhen got the tacit approval of their engagement, people no longer treated them like snakes and scorpions, and some even began to treat other members of the former royal family. His thoughts arose.
After all, most of these people have outstanding looks and have considerable talents in cultivation.
Xiao Wanjun knows very well that this is because His Majesty has absolute confidence in his own strength. He believes that these people cannot make waves under his rule, so he adopts such a tolerant attitude towards them.
As for Xiao Wanjun, who was once the "most beautiful woman in Luo Jing", she has also returned to everyone's attention.
People with official status may still have some scruples in their hearts.
But a wealthy businessman like Bai Yuanjiang can't help but fantasize: What if she falls in love with me?
You know, a woman like Xiao Wanjun used to be a high-ranking and powerful figure in Daqi. If her current situation had not changed, they would never have been able to meet her.
Bai Yuanjiang looked at the beautiful woman with bright eyes and white teeth in front of him, took a deep breath, and took the initiative to find a topic: "Master Xiao, although I have little talent and knowledge, I have also dabbled in some spiritual classics. Maybe I can talk to you. Let’s discuss spiritual matters together.
“Look, although the people in front are very energetic in dancing the fire dragon, there are ‘wind and fire protection formations’ set up by the government on both sides of the road to avoid fire——”
“——That’s not the ‘Wind-proof and Fire-proof Array’, but the ‘Five Elements Guard Array’,” Xiao Wanjun frowned slightly, interrupted him, and corrected, “It can not only prevent Fire and flood prevention. "
Bai Yuanjiang froze in place, with an embarrassed look on his face.
However, he was thick-skinned and quickly pretended to be nonchalant. He changed his strategy and began to discuss government affairs with Xiao Wanjun: "Master Xiao, are you serving in the court now? I heard recently that His Majesty intends to establish a school in Luojing. The new school aims to compete with Longmen Academy, and plans to recruit students on a large scale across the country -"
"—not in Luojing, but in the 'Illusion of the Qing Capital'," Xiao Wanjun corrected again , "His Majesty's plan is to promote the 'Qingdu Order' in the Gyeonggi region and invite high-level practitioners to give lectures in the 'Qingdu Fantasy' from time to time, aiming to help the monks break through the bottlenecks in the practice process."< br>
Xiao Wanjun felt helpless in response to Bai Yuanjiang's remarks.
Why does this person always like to show off her knowledge in the field she is good at?
Perhaps it was because she spent time with His Majesty and was used to high-quality conversations, which reduced her ability to tolerate the "half-full" of shallow knowledge.
It didn't take long for her to feel a little unmotivated, so she said she was a little tired and planned to return to the mansion to rest.
The expression on Bai Yuanjiang's face became increasingly stiff.
He was obviously unwilling to give up the opportunity to get closer to Xiao Wanjun.
But no matter how hard he tried to find new topics, or tried to resolve the embarrassment in a way that he thought was humorous, Xiao Wanjun only responded lightly, with obvious alienation and exhaustion in his eyes.
After another quarter of an hour, she finally lost her patience, turned around and walked towards the carriage she came in.
At this time, Bai Yuanjiang's low voice could be heard vaguely behind him: "A yellow-faced woman who is almost thirty years old is still left unused by His Majesty. What airs are she putting on?"
Xiao Wanjun is here In front of strangers, he has always been very well-mannered and rarely gets angry easily.
But after hearing what Bai Yuanjiang said, she immediately turned around, looked at him coldly, and asked: "What did you say, Your Majesty?"
As a former princess, Xiao Wanjun She was once in charge of the government, so when she was angry, there was a kind of awe-inspiring majesty in her eyes.
Ke Bai Yuanjiang seemed to be angry because of Xiao Wanjun's previous cold attitude.
He stood firmly on the spot, showing no timidity at all. He looked directly at her and said, "You know what shameful things you have done."
As a practitioner who is not weak in strength, in While speaking, he released his true energy, causing everyone on the roadside to feel obvious pressure.
In the eyes of Bai Yuanjiang and many people in the market, the reason why Xiao Wanjun is so beautiful and can be spared by His Majesty and is reused in the court must be because she once had an affair with His Majesty. Some kind of unknown entanglement.
But perhaps because His Majesty disliked her for being too old and a mortal with no cultivation, he allowed her to leave the palace freely and gave her the right to choose her husband.
“Actually, I don’t care what you say about me,” Xiao Wanjun was silent for a while, looked at him, and said in a very calm tone, “But Your Majesty is a true gentleman with great talent and great strategy, and he treats me It’s just the kindness of knowing someone. It’s disrespectful for you to spread such rumors here——”
At this moment, under the unexpected gaze of everyone, several eunuchs walked out of the crowd.
Although they were wearing court clothes and dressed quite formally, for some reason, people never noticed their presence.
I saw one of them walking directly to Xiao Wanjun and said: "Master Xiao, we are here to ensure your safety and escort you back to your home under your Majesty's order. You are a national scholar of the day. , the pillar of Daxia, your majesty has high hopes for you, and you will not allow any mistakes. Let us handle the matter here!"
As he said this, he handed a note to Xiao Wan. Jun's hand.
Xiao Wanjun looked at the beautiful handwriting on the paper and recognized it at a glance as Gu Xu's own handwriting.
I saw it read: "I originally intended for you to have a good rest and entertainment during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but you come here to argue with these short-sighted guys. In this case, you might as well go back to Changchun Garden and work overtime for me.
< br>"By the way, I'm short of money right now and can't give you overtime pay. ”
Xiao Wanjun couldn’t help but laugh.
Shallow pear dimples appeared on her white cheeks, like the warm spring sunshine, warming the cold autumn.
She boarded the carriage back home in full view of everyone
Her face was pressed against the car window, and her beautiful eyes reflected the brilliant lights along the Luo River. What lingered in her mind was the young and handsome face of His Majesty.
There is no moon this Mid-Autumn Festival.
But there was a person, like the moon, looking at her from a distance.
(End of this chapter)