At the beginning of the new year, the emperor changed the reign title to Qingfeng.
At 3:33 pm on the 18th day of the first lunar month, except Rong Xi, all the masters and servants of the Rong family gathered in the kitchen. Under the command of Liu He, some were kneading dough, some were rolling noodles. It was a scene of bustling activity.
Qin Ke was not capable of such delicate work, so he could only add firewood and fuel to the stove.
When the noodles were put into the pot, several people's faces were covered with flour, which was quite funny.
At the hour of Mao, Rong Xi woke up, washed and dressed, and was about to go to the kitchen, but was stopped by Jin Jili on the way.
"My dear!"
Jin Jili showed his big white teeth. His golden hair had grown a little longer and now fell on his shoulders, emitting a dazzling glow in the morning light.
"Ji Li?" Rong Xi was puzzled.
Why didn’t I see anyone when I got up today?
"My dear, I have a question for you." Jin Jili scratched his ears and cheeks, trying to stop Rong Xi from leaving.
Rong Xi smiled and touched his head, "After breakfast, I will explain your doubts to you. How about that?"
"My dear!" Jin Jili remembered the instructions carefully, pulled his sleeve, and led him to the dining hall, "I want to know, why do you know those numbers?"
Rong Xi was stunned and was dragged to the dining hall by him.
"I heard the merchant mention it, so I wrote it down."
Jin Jili was very skillful and attentive in pouring tea and water for him.
"My dear, let me dance for you!"
After he finished speaking, he really started dancing, and his dancing moves were quite exotic and pleasing to the eye.
At this point, Rong Xi finally understood and couldn't help laughing.
When Jin Jili's dance ended, several people appeared outside the hall, led by Qin Ke, who walked steadily over with a lacquer tray in his hand and placed it on the food table in front of Rong Xi.
"Da Lang, please have your meal."
There was a smile in his eyes and his tone was teasing. After putting down the lacquer tray, he stood up and looked at Rong Xi.
Rong Xi was very surprised and lowered his head to see what was in the bowl.
"Longevity noodles?" he asked with a smile.
The noodles are garnished with chopped green onions, and the noodle soup is made from pork shank bones, which is extremely fresh and fragrant.
Picking up the noodles with chopsticks, Rong Xi raised his head and looked at the people in front of him, smiling gently and movingly, "I'm very happy."
For the first time, his birthday was so lively and full of sincerity and affection.
The warm noodle soup went into his stomach, quenching the winter chill. He ate it all in front of everyone, feeling warm inside.
After the meal, Rong Xi wanted to go to the kiln in the workshop, but was stopped by Qin Ke.
"Lanzhi, today is your birthday. Take a day off and stop working so hard."
After the Lantern Festival, Rong Xi started to make phosphate fertilizer and went to the workshop for two days. His face was not as rosy and energetic as before. Qin Ke felt sorry for him, so he persuaded him to stay at home on the pretext of his birthday.
Rong Xi felt it was strange.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
At this point, Qin Ke had no choice but to reveal a little, "You stay at home today, maybe there will be a surprise."
There were only two people in the study. Rong Xi was not afraid of being seen by others. He was quite bold. He stretched out his hand to pinch the prince's cheek, his eyebrows curved, and asked, "Birthday gift?"
Qin Ke nodded gently, "I guess so."
The two of them stayed together for a while, when they suddenly heard a commotion outside the house, as if something big had happened.
Qin Ke helped him tidy up his clothes and hair, and said with a smile, "Let's go to the front yard."
When the two men reached the front yard, they saw that the outside of the house was already full of villagers, all looking in with curiosity and envy.
There was a man standing proudly in the yard, and he looked quite familiar.
This is the imperial attendant who came to Mengshan to announce the imperial decree! Afterwards, lower-ranking imperial attendants followed, standing in two rows on the left and right. Further behind, there was a long object covered with red silk, so it was not clear.
When the imperial attendant saw Qin Ke and Rong Xi, his face instantly broke into smiles.
"Prince, Young Master Rong, I am here to escort the imperial plaque here on the order of His Majesty. Young Master Rong, thank you for your grace."
Although he was the emperor's attendant, it was understandable that he called himself a villain in front of Qin Ke.
Rong Xi was shocked in his heart, but his face remained calm. He knelt on his knees and bowed.
The imperial attendant smiled and asked someone to remove the red silk to reveal the true appearance of the plaque.
The four gold-plated characters on it read "loyalty, courage, benevolence and kindness", which made everyone exclaim in surprise.
This is high praise!
The emperor wrote these four words personally and presented them to Rong Dalang. This wonderful news spread throughout Mengshan in an instant.
Rong Xi's name once again resounded throughout Qingzhou.
After entertaining the royal attendant for a banquet, the royal attendant returned to the capital with satisfaction. Rong Xi was slightly tipsy and smiled foolishly at Qin Ke.
Rong Lian and others gathered around the plaque, which had four gold-plated characters on it, which made people feel excited just by looking at it!
"It is a blessing for the Rong family that you are valued by the saint!"
Liu He was filled with emotion and tears flowed down his face.
Qin Ke helped Rong Xi into the bedroom. Seeing his flushed cheeks and hazy eyes, he felt very soft in his heart and said, "Go to sleep first."
Rong Xi lay obediently on the couch, letting Qin Ke take off his shoes and socks for him, smiling to himself in a seductive way.
"Happy?"
Qin Ke leaned close to his ear and asked softly.
"I'm glad." Rong Xi stretched out his hand to hook the back of his neck, and suddenly looked serious and asked, "Did you ask for this for me?"
Qin Ke kissed his forehead and said, "I didn't ask for it, it was the will of the emperor."
"You lied to me. If you hadn't mentioned the refugees to His Majesty, how would His Majesty know?"
After Rong Xi finished speaking, he stared at Qin Ke for a moment. Just when Qin Ke thought he had something to say, he suddenly tilted his head and fell into a deep sleep.
"If I don't mention it, someone else will." Qin Ke chuckled and stayed by his side quietly.
The matter of bestowing the plaque by the emperor was carried out in secret and no one knew about it before.
When the news reached Shengjing, Rong Weijing was congratulated by his colleagues again. He was in high spirits and walked with a brisk pace.
After returning home, Rong Zhou poured tea for him. Seeing that he looked happy, she asked, "Is there any good news for Sanlang?"
Rong Weijing took a sip and nodded, "The emperor gave my son the four characters 'loyalty, bravery, kindness and generosity' with his imperial handwriting. How can I not be happy?"
It is indeed a happy event.
Rong Zhou's smile froze slightly, and she immediately covered her face with a scarf, and said with a smile: "Congratulations, Sanlang. Now Xi'er is favored by the emperor, and has brought honor to the family. She has established her career, but not her family. I am still worried."
Upon hearing this, Rong Weijing agreed very much.
"He is sixteen years old. It is time for him to get married."
Rong Zhou chuckled but did not remind her that Rong Xi had just celebrated his birthday and was already seventeen.
"I heard from Qian Zhong that Xi'er's appearance changed a lot after he went to the ancestral home. Now he is a handsome young man, and his appearance and character are also among the best in Shengjing. He is worthy of being a match for a noble lady."
Rong Weijing paused while stroking his beard. "Really?"
He was not even aware of the change in Rong Xi's appearance. His previous fat and stupid appearance was still in his mind. He had no idea how he could be handsome.
Rong Zhou smiled, "How could it be false? Xi'er is not young anymore. As the eldest brother, it's time for him to get married. Could it be that Sanlang doesn't want a grandson?"
Of course!
Rong Weijing waved his hand and said, "Xi'er's marriage will be left to Madam."
The Rong family asked a matchmaker to act as a matchmaker for Rong Dalang, and the people of Shengjing all heard about it.
A few days later, Bai Shuang flew to Rong's house with a letter tube tied to his foot.
After Qin Ke finished reading the letter, his face suddenly became extremely gloomy and anger surged in his heart.
Bai Shuang, who was eating meat, saw that his master's momentum suddenly changed. He no longer cared about the meat on the plate. He shouted, flew out of the window, landed on the eaves of the corridor, and overlooked the courtyard.
After the white paper was crumpled, Qin Ke calmed down and went to Rong Xi's study.
Rong Xi was writing at his desk. When he saw him approaching with a gloomy face, he stopped writing and asked with concern, "What's troubling you?"
He had never seen War God Qin look like this before, as if someone was trying to take his treasure away by force.
After Qin Ke moved the chair to the table, he sat down next to Rong Xi and handed him the letter.
"A letter from Shengjing, take a look."
Rong Xi read through it and suddenly became overjoyed. "Are you angry about this?"
"You're not angry?" Qin Ke pinched his wrist and asked in a cruel tone, "Do you really want to get married?"
Rong Xi asked with a sly smile, "Did you send someone to secretly spy on the Rong Mansion?"
Qin Ke choked and said uncomfortably: "I was afraid that someone might hurt you, so I sent someone to find out the news. If you find me offensive, I will withdraw the spy."
His expression actually looked a little aggrieved.
Rong Xi laughed secretly in his heart, but said seriously: "How do you know that someone wants to hurt me?"
"Chen Chuangu once said that you were fat before because you were weak and didn't receive nourishment when you were young," Qin Ke continued with cold eyes, "The doctor hired by Rong Mansion must not be a person who has gained fame for nothing. But after the doctor examined you, he actually prescribed such a harmful medicine. It must be someone's instruction."
He did not say who it was, but apart from Rong Zhou, who else had the right to control the upbringing of children in the inner house?
Those who know about this matter all know it clearly.
"Thank goodness Brother Chen helped me." Rong Xi said with a gentle smile.
Qin Ke nodded, "And the reason you were expelled from the ancestral home was all because of Rong Silang. Rong Silang is just an ignorant boy. If no one instigated him, how could he threaten you?"
Thinking about how Rong Dalang had been full of grievances and had left Shengjing in a hurry, Qin Ke felt quite bitter in his heart.
"Da Lang..." He suddenly turned around with a stern look, "Who's outside?"
Rong Xi was startled and quickly stood up.
Outside the house, Rong Lian stood in a daze.
He had just gone to look for his brother for something, and when he arrived at the door of the study, he heard Qin Ke's voice inside. He thought the two were discussing important matters, so he was about to leave, but he heard the words "Rong Mansion".
I stopped for a moment and listened to the rest of the conversation in its entirety.
The study door was opened. Rong Lian suddenly raised his head and saw Rong Xi's gentle expression. He couldn't help but stammer and asked, "Brother, did she really harm you?"
Rong Xi smiled calmly and said, "These are just some speculations, don't take them seriously. Don't think too much, brother, just concentrate on your studies."
Although he looked calm and composed, Rong Lian's heart was filled with raging storms and huge waves.
He has been reading books of sages since childhood, listening to the words of saints, and following the way of a gentleman, but he does not know the sufferings of the people and the disputes within the family. What is the use of him?
Now that all the dirty things were before his eyes, he felt ashamed, guilty, and self-doubting. He had no face to face Rong Xi.
In the Rong family, there are almost no fat people, except my brother who is different from ordinary people. Any abnormal thing must be caused by something wrong. This is so obvious, how can you not see it?
It's just that I never cared.
He didn't care, his father didn't care, and no one in the Rong Mansion cared.
He can't even see through the affairs of his family, and doesn't even care about the difficulties of his relatives. What's the point of him entering the officialdom in the future?
"Brother, even the prince is protecting you, how can I be calm when I am your brother?"
Rong Lian looked expressionless, "My brother has been wronged for many years, but I didn't hear anything. I learned to be a gentleman, but I acted indifferently. If what the prince said is true, I will report it to my father!"
Although these words are naive, the feelings are sincere.
Rong Xi shook his head and said, "It happened a long time ago when we were little. There is no trace of it now. If there is no evidence, don't easily accuse me of a crime."
Although everything points to Rong Zhou, there is insufficient evidence, so how can he be convicted?
Qin Ke suddenly smiled and said, "No problem. People with evil thoughts have become accustomed to doing evil things."
Although things that happened in childhood are not sufficient to serve as evidence, all other things have traces to follow.
Rong Lian's mind was a little confused, so Rong Xi called him to wash the inkstone and asked him to help Rong Lian back to his room and take good care of him.
"With your hearing ability, you must have known that my second brother was standing outside. Did you say this on purpose so that he could hear it?"
Rong Xi glanced at him sideways, then turned and went back to his room.
Qin Ke followed closely behind, closed the door, and hugged Rong Xi from behind. He sighed and said, "He has become stupid from reading too much. He is heartless. I just can't stand him."
There must be someone who understands the situation in the Rong Mansion, otherwise wouldn’t Lan’s injustice be in vain?
Knowing that he was worried about her, Rong Xi felt relieved, but pretended to be unhappy, "This is my Rong family's business, how can you, an outsider, interfere and judge?"
"I am an outsider?" Qin Ke pinched his waist lightly and asked fiercely, "Say it again?"
Rong Xi felt itchy from his tickling and was eager to escape, but was held in someone's arms and unable to move.
"I am going to marry a wife. You are not an outsider, so you must be a wife?" Rong Xi took advantage of the situation and said, "You want me to marry you?"
Seeing that he was so itchy that tears were sparkling and the corners of his eyes were red, Qin Ke felt sorry for him. However, what Rong Dalang said was really infuriating. If he didn't punish him, he would be ignorant of the immensity of the world.
He reached out and tapped Rong Xi's forehead. When Rong Xi covered his forehead with his hand, he immediately lowered his head and bit the boy's lips, tasting them carefully.
After a long time, the big bad wolf let go of the quiet and docile little white rabbit. Seeing the red eyes of the little white rabbit, he felt even more pity for it.
"Lanzhi, is it okay not to marry?"
He has no intention of fulfilling his lover's wish. Now that I have chosen to be with him, I can only belong to him.
Getting married is absolutely impossible.
Rong Xi reached out and touched his lips, feeling a slight pain and swelling, and thought to himself that someone was too strong.
But he just likes to be strong.
"Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and by matchmakers," Rong Xi frowned deliberately, "As a son, I dare not disobey."
Qin Ke raised his lips and smiled, "Leave this matter to me, and I will definitely not let you get married."
Rong Xi had no idea what happened next as he was busy making phosphate fertilizer.
The ore is transported to the kiln in piles, melted at high temperature and quickly cooled. It is then dried and ground into fine particles to become phosphate fertilizer.
The phosphate fertilizer was packed into sacks, and Rong Xi wanted to hire someone to transport it back to Rong's house.
"No need to hire anyone, I will send someone to transport it." Qin Ke then called someone over.
At that moment, Liu Zishi came on horseback. After seeing the two men saluting, he said, "My dear, someone from Shengjing has come again. You should go back home!"
"Who?" Rong Xi asked with a frown.
Could it be related to the marriage?
Qin Ke obviously guessed the same thing, and his face suddenly became gloomy.
"Xiyan said it was the third son of the second house." Liu Zishi replied.
Rong Xi was even more puzzled, "Xiyan said?"
Why don’t you introduce yourself?
"My lord, it seems that the third lord doesn't like to talk." Seeing the two men mount their horses, Liu Zishi also mounted his horse again.
The three of them returned home together.
Rong Lian and Rong Mo were waiting in the hall.
Seeing Rong Xi arriving, Rong Lian immediately stood up, as if he had seen a savior.
"Brother, my third brother came here suddenly but didn't say a word. I don't know what to do."
Rong Xi looked at Rong Mo.
He was thin, with his head lowered and his chest hunched, and he said nothing. He looked gloomy and unpleasant to the eyes.
Of course, Rong Xi was not displeased.
In the Rong family, Rong Sanlang has always been like an invisible man and is often ridiculed and cursed. Compared to him, Rong Xi was at least the eldest son of the Shangshu, and others did not dare to bully him easily.
"Mr. Liu, tidy up Mr. San's bedroom."
After he finished giving instructions, he asked Rong Lian and the others, "Where is the servant of my third brother?"
Rong Lian replied: "I don't know, I only saw him."
Seeing that Rong Mo had remained silent, Rong Xi did not ask any more questions and only instructed Liu Zishi and the others: "Don't neglect Sanlang Jun in the future."
Several people responded.
"Second brother, send a message back to Shengjing and find out the reason."
Rong Lian was about to respond when he saw Rong Mo suddenly raise his arm.
Everyone held their breath and watched intently.
Rong Mo still lowered his head, but took out a letter from his arms and placed it on the table. The meaning was quite obvious.
Rong Xi couldn't help but laugh. It was a relief to be able to listen to others.
He took a step forward, looking for evidence.
The letter was written by Rong Weiheng himself.
The letter mentioned that he sent Rong Mo to the ancestral home to seek the protection of his ancestors and begged Rong Xi to take care of him.
Rong Xi shook his head and laughed. He did not believe a word of what Rong Weiheng said.
If a father truly loves his son, he will not let him travel far away alone. However, the fatherly love between the lines of the letter overflows from the paper, which is indeed somewhat contradictory.
Unless, Rong Sanlang coming to Rong’s house was not what Rong Weiheng wanted.
He suddenly looked at Rong Mo and said with a smile, "Third brother, you are tired from the journey. Why don't you go back to your room and rest? I will call you for dinner."
Rong Sanlang remained silent, bowed slightly, and left the hall with his head lowered.
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Today's cookies are here! Meh meh~
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