Chapter 27 (27) Box
His brother is quite knowledgeable.
Bai Kang picked up the brocade box and placed it on the table, saying proudly, "The Emperor's birthday is coming soon. Your brother spent a lot of money to find this, so it must be better than anyone else's in the Ministry of Rites. Alas, it's a pity that I won't get anything good out of it. When I have the chance, I'll find some better-looking ones for Shou'er and Xi'er..."
Bai Fu interrupted his brother who was talking endlessly and said coldly: "It doesn't look like something from the capital."
"How many times have you been to the capital, kid? You say it doesn't look like..." Bai Kang felt something was wrong halfway through his words.
He hadn't examined the box carefully before. A few days ago, he had issued a directive prohibiting anyone from entering his study, and that the lotus flowers, including the branches, be especially guarded. He had confirmed at that time that the box was fine.
But now, taking a closer look, the box was clearly not the one he had previously used to store the jade Buddha statue.
The floral patterns on the box were unfamiliar, certainly not the kind of designs the people of Beijing would use. They favored auspicious designs like dragons and phoenixes, auspicious clouds, and so on. The box itself was similar in color to the previous one, so at first glance, the difference was indistinguishable.
Coincidentally, Bai Kang had seen a similar pattern.
When Bai Kang first met Lian Zhi in Liangzhou, he bought her some clothes with similar designs. However, Lian Zhi thought the clothes were ordinary and not suitable for her, so she threw them away without even wearing them, wasting a lot of his money.
It was Lianzhi, or someone asked Lianzhi to replace the box.
Bai Kang opened it and examined the Buddha statue inside, but he didn't see anything wrong. But Lianzhi couldn't have just swapped the box, right? He put the Buddha statue away, told Bai Fu to go and rest, and took the box back to his room.
The candles in the room had long been extinguished. Lianzhi seemed to have fallen asleep, her breathing steady. Just as Bai Kang was debating whether to wake her up now or ask her tomorrow morning, the person on the bed opened his bright eyes and said, "Brother Kang."
...What is this for?
There was a rustling sound beside the bed. After a while, Lianzhi came over and climbed onto the couch: "Thank you for comforting me today, Brother Kang. I suddenly feel that having family is really good..."
Bai Kang listened quietly. As expected, Lianzhi continued, "I'm really bored when you're not at home. Can you give me a few hundred more coins in my monthly allowance? I won't run around."
The little thing wanted to cheat him and wanted money.
Bai Kang looked at him indifferently without saying a word. Lian Zhi waited for a long time and snorted softly, "Okay, if you don't want to, forget it. A few dozen more coins will do."
"What do you need the money for?" asked Bo Kang.
Lianzhi didn't notice the difference in his tone: "I want to buy some..."
Before he could finish his words, Bo Kang grabbed his wrists.
"I told you that you can trust me, Lian'er." Bai Kang's tone was a little disappointed.
Over the past two months, he felt that he had been indulgent and kind enough to Lianzhi, even though he knew that Lianzhi could not completely trust him, just as he would not completely trust Lianzhi.
But Lianzhi didn't tell him anything and secretly replaced the box.
Even if he said it, or even hinted at it, he wouldn't be so angry. He would feel that Lianzhi was thinking of him... Bo Kang's eyes were sharp, and he asked, "What do you want to say to me?"
Lianzhi swallowed her saliva.
"What?" He played dumb.
Her wrist was gripped even tighter. Lianzhi felt guilty and didn't dare to resist. Her tone was no longer as spoiled and unruly as usual. Seeing him like this, Bai Kang understood even more clearly.
"Will you tell me or not?" Bo Kang asked. As long as Lianzhi admitted it, he would pretend nothing happened. But Lianzhi just rolled her eyes and pursed her lips tightly.
He could no longer bear it and threw the box heavily under the bed. Moonlight shone on the box, and Lianzhi could clearly see the pattern on it.
"I did it." Lianzhi admitted immediately.
Bai Kang frowned. He didn't expect him to admit it just by seeing the box. Lian Zhi was very hesitant. He thought Bai Kang wouldn't find out the problem so quickly.
He had made plans. If Bai Kang hadn't discovered it before the Wanshou Festival, he would make plans. By then, they would have more time together, and he would be able to see Bai Kang more clearly, and he would have enough time to gain Arus's trust.
Being discovered so quickly, Lianzhi actually felt a sense of relief. After all, he didn't think he could hide it from Bo Kang.
It's just a matter of time.
Seeing Lianzhi's eyes lowered and she remained silent, Bai Kang negotiated with him: "Did someone force you to do this? Tell me, and I won't do anything to you."
Lianzhi can believe this.
After all, Bai Kang has always been a very upright person, otherwise he would not have insisted on transferring Bai Kang to be the imperial guard despite the Empress Dowager's strong objection.
But he knew that while Bai Kang might be loyal to him, he would never like him. Unlike his former confidants, Bai Kang was loyal to his king. But he was no longer the king to whom Bai Kang was now loyal.
It couldn't be that Bai Kang really liked him. Although he was indeed smart and handsome, he was worthy of being liked.
"Bai Kang." Lianzhi spoke with a complicated tone, "Are you stupid?"
Just as she finished her words, she was hit hard on the forehead. Lianzhi felt the pain and pouted, about to make a scene again. Bai Kang explained, "Did you see Xiaojian today? He's my second brother. He's going to be an adult next year."
What is this saying?
Lianzhi was suspicious. Bai Kang continued, "Since you call me Brother Kang, you're my brother too. If I really wanted to harm you, wouldn't it be more convenient to bring you back and just dump you outside the city?"
How stupid and yet so upright. Lianzhi had to admit that it was because of Bo Kang's character that he had the opportunity to return to the capital.
"Then do you also treat lotus seeds, lotus leaves and lotus flowers as your brothers?" Lianzhi said coldly.
Bo Kang was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "They don't care if I call them Big Brother."
Lianzhi uttered a "oh," got out of bed, and retrieved the box, as if finally appeased. He showed the pattern on the box to Bai Kang, "Someone asked me to replace this box. His Majesty already suspects you of colluding with the Prince of Longxi regarding the Imperial Academy case. The pattern on this box is a common pattern worn on the dresses of women from Liangzhou. The palace embroidery workshop has presented similar clothing to him. If His Majesty saw this, it would surely increase his suspicions of you. As for the ultimate impact, I don't know, and I don't understand."
Bo Kang raised an eyebrow: "Really?"
"Haven't you already guessed it, that's why you came to ask me?" Lianzhi spread her hands.
Bai Kang remained silent. Lianzhi's words weren't entirely believable, and more importantly...
"They said they would give me 1,000 taels of silver if I succeeded." Lianzhi wiped her eyes pitifully and held out her hand. "Brother, I've already told you something so important."
"The monthly allowance will increase by one tael each month." Bai Kang was somewhat helpless. Lianzhi's words might not even be true, and she even managed to cheat him out of one tael of silver.
well.
Lianzhi's face lit up with joy. His goal had been achieved, so he didn't argue any further and prepared to go back to bed. Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he asked, "Brother Kang, can I change the names of Lianye and the others?"
"How can you change a name bestowed by the Emperor?" Bo Kang asked. "Your real name isn't Lianzhi, is it? It's not a good name. Why not change it to something you like?"
Dare to say his name is not good? Lianzhi was a little angry and deliberately asked: "What's wrong with it? Come up with a good one and I'll listen."
Bai Kang really fell for it: "The word 'lotus' doesn't sound good. Let me... let me think, how about calling it 'pomegranate branch'? The pomegranate blossoms are bright in May, and the fruits are beginning to form on the branches. Not bad, not bad."
When he saw the lotus branch for the first time, he felt that the lotus branch was dressed in bright red, very much like a blooming pomegranate flower.
He thought he was complimenting someone, but Lianzhi suddenly got angry: "What's good about that? It's so unfashionable and sounds so ugly! What's wrong with the word Lian? I just like it! You don't know how to come up with names. I'm going to sleep!"
Why are you angry?
Bai Kang pondered, unable to sleep all night. How beautiful the pomegranate blossoms are, so red and festive.
The next morning, Bo Kang blinked his sore eyes. He hadn't slept all night, and he still hadn't come up with a good name. The purple curtains at the head of the bed hadn't been drawn yet; it looked like Lianzhi was still asleep.
Bai Kang wanted to wake her up and go to the west courtyard for breakfast, but when he got there, the bed was empty. He opened the door to look for her, but Bai Shou was standing outside, pointing a finger at him: "Hush! Big brother, your sister-in-law is sleeping in your room."
"When did he run over there?" Bo Kang frowned.
"Just now." Bai Shou whispered, "Sister-in-law said you made her angry, and she wants to sleep separately from you."
Hearing this, Bai Kang almost laughed out of anger.
It's really a case of turning the tables. Who made whom angry first?
"Brother, please be more tolerant of your sister-in-law." Bai Shou continued, "You finally got married, so it's better not to argue with her."
"Don't meddle in adults' affairs, little girl." Bo Kang waved his hand, "Forget about it, let's go eat."
After that, he said to Qinghe, "Ask the kitchen to leave some food for him... What did the kitchen prepare this morning?"
"My Lord, I'll give you one dish of apricot porridge, one dish of smoked rabbit, one dish of crystal duck feet, and a tray of lotus leaf cakes," Qing He said. Ever since Young Master Lianzhi's stomach upset, Master Bai had paid particular attention to his diet. He would also record his meals daily, reserving the lighter ones for Young Master Lianzhi.
"That's all." Bai Kang finished speaking and was about to take Bai Shou out, but then he remembered something and stepped back. "Then tell the other people in the mansion to ask Lian Ye... and the others to change their names."
Qing He was stunned: "Ah? But..."
After Bai Kang finished speaking, he didn't say anything else and hurriedly left with Bai Shou.
When Lianzhi woke up, it was almost noon.
He yawned and walked out slowly. He heard a teasing voice in his ear: "Your job is really easy as a lady. Bo Kang actually tolerates you sleeping until noon."
Lianzhi ignored him. Arus appeared out of nowhere and spoke in undisguised, dialect-tinged official language, "Are you happy? In two weeks, you will enter the palace with Bai Kang. Have you done what the master told you to do?"
Lianzhi was initially reluctant to pay attention to him, but upon hearing that sentence, her eyes lit up instantly: "What did you say? Enter the palace?"
"That's right." Arus's tone was filled with sourness, which he himself didn't realize. "Officials are required to bring their families into the palace. Haven't you heard, Madam Bai?"
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