Frost

Fu Huaiying nodded, "All right, I'll listen to you, brother."

Before getting on the carriage, Fu Huaiying looked at Wen Chuyan who was about to help her up, stopped, lowered her head and pretended to look for something, "Brother, my handkerchief is missing. You wait here for me, I'll go find it and come back."

"I'll go with you."

Fu Huaiying waved her hand. "No need. It's only a short distance away. You can just wait for me here."

Lin Yan'an didn't say anything, but just leaned against the carriage and looked at her, raising his eyebrows slightly. Fu Huaiying felt like she was seen through.

She walked back, around the stage, picked up the handkerchief that had been thrown on the table, and walked back again until she saw a man in the pavilion who had not yet removed his makeup.

She stepped forward, and the man didn't seem surprised to see her coming, as if he had known about it beforehand. "You're here."

Fu Huaiying felt familiar, but couldn't remember who it was. "Who are you?"

The man chuckled, "Miss, you came into the garden to look for me, so why are you asking about me?"

"Didn't you ask me to come?"

Liu Shuang walked down and said, "Forget it, I won't tease you anymore. I am the secret guard that the young lady left for you. I usually like to come here to perform opera. I didn't expect to see you here today."

Fu Huaiying didn't believe his words at all, "The girl you are talking about is my mother?"

"yes."

"If you're the secret guard my mother left me, how come I've never seen you? When I was young, I was so sick that I almost died, and no one came to save me. If you were really the one my mother left me, and my master is dying, you're so good at putting on a show? Either you're wild, or you've been deceiving me from the beginning."

Liu Shuang only felt that this girl was clear-minded and very smart, which was very similar to her. He smiled and said, "I lied to you, but one thing is true. A Mei and I are old friends. She knew she didn't have long to live, so she entrusted you to me early on. We met in a teahouse when you were young."

Fu Huaiying lowered her eyes and her expression changed slightly. If her mother had known that she would be poisoned to death, why would she let things develop as they did? With her intelligence, she could have avoided this disaster.

When she raised her head, she regained her usual calm demeanor. "You looked at me several times on the stage today. I thought you would say something useful to me, but it was all nonsense."

"Don't you want to know your mother's background?"

"In no mood."

Liushuang was speechless for a moment. This answer was too certain. He thought she would be very curious.

"Really? Your mother is not an ordinary person."

"Speak what you want to say."

Liu Shuang was speechless. Why did he want to say that? But he still spoke helplessly, "Meet at Fuyao Pavilion in three days. I will tell you the truth."

Fu Huaiying narrowed her eyes. Fuyao Pavilion? Hadn't it already become a ruin?

Fuyao Pavilion was built outside the imperial palace, very close to the palace gate. It was built by the teacher of the late crown prince. The teacher and his wife loved each other deeply and had only one daughter. The pavilion was built to celebrate her birthday.

However, later on, the former Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were invited to go to the Fuyao Pavilion to watch the fireworks, but they were trapped inside by a sudden fire and never came out. As a result, the Grand Tutor's property was confiscated and his family was exterminated.

The late emperor had only two sons. The crown prince and the little grandson were both buried in the sea of ​​fire, leaving only one son, the current emperor. Therefore, there are also suspicions outside that the emperor killed his brother to ascend to the throne, but after all, these are all past events and cannot be true.

Wen Yuhe stood outside, looking inside, "Why hasn't Sister Huaiying come out yet?"

Lin Yanan leaned against the carriage with his arms folded. "Isn't it normal for girls to walk slowly? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Fu Huaiying happened to hear these words when she came out. She held a handkerchief in her hand and a smile on her face. "Sorry, I'm sorry for the delay. Let's go, shall we?"

Fu Huaiying stepped forward and was about to get on the carriage, but two arms suddenly stretched out in front of her. Wen Chuyan and Lin Yan'an stretched out their hands at the same time, trying to help her up.

Wen Yuhe stood aside, looking out of place. He looked at his brother and Lin Yan'an, feeling increasingly uneasy. One of them had a good-looking face, and the other was a famous general, and both were very perceptive. How could he compete with them?

Fu Huai hesitated for a moment, but still raised his hand, put his hand on Wen Chuyan's arm and got into the carriage.

Lin Yan'an didn't like riding in a carriage. He was used to riding a horse, so he rode slowly beside the carriage. Wen Chuyan led the way in front, some distance away from them.

Lin Yanan looked at the car curtain that Fu Huaiying had opened, and a look of grievance instantly appeared on his face. "Sister Huaiying, I can also help you get in..."

Fu Huaiying raised her eyes to look at him, finally feeling a little more tolerant towards this face, "Well... I can't bear to let you support me."

Although he knew it was just a perfunctory response, Lin Yan'an's face turned red instantly. He was torn between words and wanted to say a few more words, but the curtain on the other side had already been lowered.

Lin Yan'an was riding a horse, but she would look inside the carriage curtain from time to time. She always had this ability to confuse people with just a casual word.

The blush on Lin Yan'an's face had not faded until they entered Fangding Tower. Fu Huaiying looked at him twice more and curled her lips slightly.

Wen Chuyan led them into the private room and handed the menu to Fu Huaiying. "What do you want to eat? Order it."

Fu Huaiying didn't answer. She wanted to test it out and see how well Wen Chuyan understood her, and how genuine and fake he was with her. "Brother, just order. I'm not picky."

"Bring up the three signature dishes, and then the bird's nest duck, almond tofu, fish cake with chicken sauce, rouge goose breast, jujube yam cake, and peanut crisps."

Wen Yuhe immediately responded, "Brother, Sister Huaiying can't eat peanut crisps."

Wen Chuyan nodded, "I know, but don't you like it? You're the only one in the family who likes peanut crisps."

Lin Yanan took a sip of tea and said, "Let's replace the almond tofu with milk cake."

Fu Huaiying paused with her teacup in her hand and turned to look at him. While the peanut crisps might have been a coincidence, was her inability to eat almonds and her love of milk also a coincidence? She didn't know why Lin Yan'an knew her so well.

When Lin Yan'an said this, he himself was a little slow to react. He turned around and met Fu Huaiying's inquiring eyes. For a moment, he wanted to slap himself. He had worked so hard to make her stop being so defensive, but now, all his words were in vain.

Wen Chuyan nodded, "Okay."

Fu Huaiying lowered her eyes and thought to herself that today was the third time she had met Lin Yan'an, so he couldn't be wrong. The first time they met, he knew that she couldn't eat peanuts. The second time they met, he gave her a small snake on the pretext that there were extra animals at home. Today, he knew that she couldn't eat almonds.

Fu Huaiying thought that all her dietary taboos and likes and dislikes were kept secret, and only she and her mother knew about them. So how did Lin Yan'an know about them?

She looked at Lin Yan'an and asked, "Young Marquis, is there anything you shouldn't eat?"

When Lin Yanan heard this, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "I don't like the taste of almonds, but the rest doesn't matter."

Fu Huaiying raised her eyebrows. He was lying. It seemed that Lin Yan'an really knew her well, but she didn't know through whom he knew her. In this case, it would not hurt her conscience to use him.

She turned to look at the falling snow outside and casually asked, "I heard that the young marquis is going to join the army? It's been cold these days, and I wonder if the soldiers at the border will be freezing."

Lin Yan'an nodded. "Our ancestors have been on the battlefield for generations, and I am no exception. As for the border, His Majesty has already sent winter clothes, so it shouldn't be too cold."

Wen Chuyan looked up at him. There have been some movements at the border in recent years. If he wants to go there to gild himself, he will have to risk his life. Does he really dare?

Fu Huaiying picked up the tea, took a sip, and said nothing more. She only mentioned this.

Lin Yan'an naturally understood what she was talking about. In his previous life, there was also a snowfall like this. Although the snow was not thick, it was very cold. His Majesty was worried about the soldiers at the border, so he sent people to deliver winter clothes early, but many new soldiers still froze to death.

In his previous life, he was at the border and thought that the weather was too cold and the new recruits had poor physical fitness. Later he found out that the silk cotton that should have been put in the winter clothes had turned into reed fluff, but when he discovered it, it was almost spring.

After he reported it, His Majesty was furious and sent people to investigate thoroughly. Later, they found out that the case was brought to the attention of Zuo Ting, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Zuo Ting was Fu Liusong's junior fellow apprentice. Lin Yan'an knew that Huaiying reminded her today in order to put the blame on Fu Liusong.

But now this matter really has nothing to do with Fu Liusong, but if Huaiying wants, he will wait until Dongyi arrives at the border and reports it, and then mention the relationship between the two people in front of His Majesty. After all, it will not be a big deal. At most, he will let Fu Liusong stay at home for a few days, so that Huaiying can vent his anger first.

"Sister Huaiying, I heard that the Minister of Revenue, Zuo Ting, is the junior fellow apprentice of Censor Fu?"

Fu Huaiying turned around and met Lin Yan'an's gaze, smiling faintly. He was indeed a wise man. "Yes, we are from the same school. My father and Master Zuo have a very good relationship."

When she went to the palace to deliver an umbrella to Fu Liusong, she accidentally heard Zuo Ting and a man wearing a veiled hat talking about winter clothes and things that were not possible. She only listened to two sentences and wrote it down. Today, it seems that her guess was probably true.

However, she overheard it by chance and was just guessing. She didn't know why Lin Yan'an was able to continue her words. Could it be that he could understand people's hearts, or did he learn it from the old marquis?

They were chatting when the door was pushed open. Seeing someone coming to serve the dishes, Lin Yan'an stood up and helped them set the table.

Fu Huaiying looked at the bird's nest duck and milk cake in front of her, then glanced up at Lin Yan'an who was busy working. Could it be that he had some magical power that allowed him to know other people's preferences? Otherwise, how could he always get it just right?

She was lost in thought when a piece of goose breast suddenly appeared in her bowl. Fu Huaiying raised her eyes and saw Wen Chuyan looking at her. "What are you thinking about? Why are you so engrossed? Let's eat."

Fu Huaiying nodded and put the goose breast into her mouth. Fang Dinglou was indeed the best restaurant in Beijing, and its reputation was well-deserved. She didn't consider herself to have a big appetite, but after taking the goose breast into her mouth, her eyes lit up.

Lin Yanan picked up two pieces of bird's nest duck with his chopsticks for her. Wen Yuhe watched the two of them pick up food for Fu Huaiying with their chopsticks, and he also took the serving chopsticks to pick up some food for her.

The two people sitting next to her were looking at Fu Huaiying, but as if they had two pairs of eyes, they said in unison, "Don't take any more, her bowl is almost full."

"That's because you guys keep picking up the food. Sister Huaiying can hardly eat anymore." Wen Yuhe was helpless and muttered a few words to himself. He could only put the serving chopsticks back in their place.

Wen Chuyan frowned and glanced at Lin Yan'an. If he still didn't know what Lin Yan'an was planning, wouldn't he be a fool?