Chapter 46 A good show Her smile gradually merged with the other person's face...
Shao Er received the invitation with mixed feelings. He was surprised, puzzled, and puzzled. Deep down, he felt a little uneasy. This was because the invitation was written by Shen Changfeng himself.
Although the Emperor dismissed Shen Changfeng from his position, he didn't appoint a new replacement. This was a crucial time for him, and with the Princess's favor, Shao Er knew Shen Changfeng would be reinstated soon. After his dismissal, Shen Changfeng was ordered to reflect on his mistakes. Normally, in such a turbulent time, most people would have kept their tails between their legs, but if Shen Changfeng had followed the rules, he wouldn't be Shen Changfeng anymore. Today's post mentioned that a distinguished monk had been invited to chant at the ancestral temple, inviting Shao Er and his wife to pray for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
Shao Er read the post over and over again, muttering, "This is really strange. I don't know when I became so close to him."
Lu Fei'er glanced at her husband in the bronze mirror and said unhappily, "They're treating you with such respect, don't be ungrateful." After a pause, she added, "Don't say anything when we get to the palace later."
He didn't want to spoil the fun, so he hid his inexplicable unease. Although Shen Changfeng could sometimes go mad, he figured it wouldn't be a big deal with the dog's owner around, and he wasn't sure if Lu Fei'er would go to the appointment alone.
Shao Erzhi snorted, "I've been in the officialdom for at least seven or eight years. How could I not have this much insight? Madam, you look down on me like this!"
Hearing his bad tone, Lu Fei'er turned her head to look at him, and was suddenly hugged and kissed firmly by him. Lu Fei'er reached out and pinched him: "I just put on my makeup!"
Shao Er reached out and wiped away the lip balm that had spread from her lips. He smiled, suppressing the pain, and said, "Don't be angry, don't be angry. I'll help you draw it again."
"Can you do it?"
"Don't move. I used to help your father and worked as a prison clerk. Don't you remember? I'm the best at drawing prisoner albums... Ouch, it's itchy. Don't pinch here, hahahaha..."
By the time the two were ready to go out, it was already much later than the original time. The road was crowded with people and it was difficult for vehicles to pass. It seemed that some high-ranking official was going to the capital with a large group of people and had blocked the road.
Mr. and Mrs. Shao arrived late and missed a big show.
In the warm room of Prince Dingbei's Palace.
Lin Qiwu and Shen Chali were sitting on the ground with their feet propped up, fighting over grass in the corner. The warmth was rising up, and both of their faces were flushed.
Although Chen Chali was two or three years older than Lin Qiwu, he was thin and weak. The two were equally strong. They pulled each other and fought for several rounds. With a "bang", Chen Chali fell on his back.
Lin Qiwu jumped up and clapped his hands: "You lose, you lose! The chain lock is mine!"
Chen Chali finally turned over and started to argue with him, "Tsk, look how happy you are with just this little thing. Today is my birthday, I don't know how many gifts I have received. Take my sister-in-law for example, she made me a clay doll, do you have one?"
How could children withstand such excitement? Lin Qiwu immediately added, "On my birthday, my eldest sister even made me a puppet!"
"This handkerchief of mine was made by my sister-in-law. Do you have one?"
"The little red robe I'm wearing was bought by my eldest sister. Do you have one?"
"My sister-in-law often makes me cakes! They're delicious!"
"I've even eaten my eldest sister's cooking! Your pastries are nothing!"
"Last time I was sick, my sister-in-law hummed a song to comfort me!" Shen Chali raised his chin arrogantly, "Do you have one?"
"My eldest sister used to hold me in her arms while she slept. Who doesn't have that?"
Shen Changfeng, who was sitting at the top drinking alone, wanted to tell them to shut up because he had nothing.
The argument had reached a point where it wasn't about winning or losing, but about who Lin Meizhu cared about more. Both of them were using all their strength. Chen Chali shouted, "My eldest brother sleeps with my eldest sister-in-law every day! What's so great about you?"
Lin Qiwu was so angry that he clenched his fists and shouted, "My eldest sister doesn't care about your eldest brother at all! She doesn't like the palace at all! She hates you all! She wants to fly back to Lingnan!"
Amidst the silence in the room, Shen Changfeng slowly tightened his grip on the wine glass, his gaze following Lin Meizhu as she stood up, hoping she could say something.
Shen Chali was stunned. When he realized what he had heard, he couldn't help but pout. He wiped his eyes fiercely and stamped his feet, saying, "You're not telling the truth, it's not true!"
Lin Meizhu wiped his tears and coaxed him, "The palace is the largest and most beautiful place I've ever seen. How many people want to come here but never get the chance? It's even more unreasonable to hate you. You're the first good friend I made in the palace. Lingnan is where I grew up, so of course I want to go back and take a look."
The guests were excited but also embarrassed, not knowing where to put their hands and feet: So it turns out that they really “don’t care”?
Shen Changfeng suddenly felt that the wine he drank was bitter.
Concubine Liu, fearing the two children might continue their outbursts, hurriedly led them away. The women from the second house followed suit. The warm room, suddenly filled with the dozen or so children who had been playing and chatting, became unusually quiet. The two people at the main table ignored each other, their attitude as cold as ice. The atmosphere was so oppressive it was practically unsettling.
At this moment, a cheerful female voice came from outside the warm room: "What a lively place! Second brother, come quickly!"
This statement was indeed incoherent, but many people still felt as if they had been pardoned and took the opportunity to resume the conversation.
When Lin Meizhu heard the voice, she didn't even want to eat anymore and turned to leave. Shen Changfeng half hugged her and pressed her back to her original position, whispering, "There's a reason why we let them come here. Watch them carefully."
The cold wind blew up a corner of the brocade curtain in the warm room, bringing in slightly fishy steam. Several people walked into the warm room amidst the muffled sound of thunder.
After not seeing each other for a few days, Qin Ting seemed to have grown taller. Today, he and Shen Changfeng were wearing the same black round-necked robe. He looked dashing, but Qin Ting was not as strong as Shen Changfeng. From a distance, they looked like brothers.
Following closely behind was Su Yuwan, who was wearing a light green satin cloak with a frosty white feather at the collar, like the first snow lightly covering the branches. She had put aside her arrogance and looked quiet and beautiful today. Walking beside Qin Ting, she had the demeanor of a little bird, relying on its mother.
Su Qinxue seemed a little absent-minded. Her eyes fell on Shen Changfeng's hand holding Lin Meizhu tightly. She tripped over the threshold, but fortunately someone next to her was quick to support her.
As soon as they sat down, they heard the faint sound of opera singing behind them. Following the sound, they saw a small stage behind the lake. Several actors seemed to be warming up their voices and rehearsing. The others also heard it, and for some reason their faces looked a little unnatural. When they looked at Su Qinxue again, their eyes were secretly red.
Su Yuwan hummed a few times and suddenly realized: This is the song "Jingchai Ji"!
This play was often performed in brothels and the market, and both noble ladies and commoners were moved to tears by it.
In the play, Wang Shipeng, a scholar from a poor family but brilliantly gifted, is betrothed to Qian Yulian with a thorny hairpin as a betrothal gift. However, Qian Yulian's stepmother, who despises the poor and favors the rich, forces her to marry a rich man instead. Yulian refuses and attempts suicide by jumping into the river. Fortunately, she is rescued, only to learn that her husband has died. After Wang Shipeng passes the imperial examination and becomes the top scholar, he mistakenly learns that Yulian is dead. Heartbroken, he vows never to remarry. After ten years of separation, Wang Shipeng mourns his deceased wife by the river when his wife, offering incense, mourns him. The two suspect they are in a dream, but they finally reunite, using the thorny hairpin as a token of their affection.
At this time, the performance had reached the third act. Qian Yulian did not want to remarry and wanted to commit suicide by jumping into the river.
The leading actress wore a plain blue pleated gown with a black cloak on the outside, and wore only a thorny hairpin in her hair, singing in a mournful and sorrowful voice: "I am Qian Yulian, alas, how miserable I am... I feel so bad for my son-in-law Wang Shipeng, who has been exiled... I feel so sad that I have no one to rely on, how can I cope with this?
Many guests in the warm room sighed silently, and the sound of cups being toasted to each other gradually became quieter.
Everyone in the Qin family looked unhappy. You know, not long after Qin Yan left, rumors spread that Shen Changfeng and Su Qinxue were having an affair, and a few days ago, the Prince of Changping fainted from anger because he failed to force a marriage. This play was about a loyal husband and a chaste wife, but now it seems ironic no matter how you listen to it.
Lin Meizhu frowned and looked at Shen Changfeng, who seemed tipsy, his eyes slightly drooping as he held her hand, tapping the beat intermittently. Qin Ting, considering Shen Changfeng his second brother, didn't want to suspect him of any ulterior motives, so he just thought it was a coincidence and clenched and unclenched his fist.
Su Qinxue felt that this must be Lin Meizhu's trick, just to make her angry and embarrassed at the banquet. If she showed any guilty look, wouldn't it play into their hands? Thinking of this, she pursed her lips tightly, pretended to be calm, and chatted with the people around her.
The youngest, Su Yuwan, couldn't stand it and jumped up from the stool. Just as she was about to curse, a huge thunder suddenly exploded in the sky, which scared her.
Dark clouds rolled across the horizon, pressing down in an instant, forming a long, distinct line. The stage was a blanket of darkness, as if the stage itself were bearing a heavy burden. Behind it was a grayish, dark green mist, eerie and ghostly. The curtains swished and squeaked in the strong wind, as if they would be torn upside down at any moment. The lake in front of the stage was swirling wildly in the sudden wind, waves rising and falling, and rotting wood drifting with them. From a distance, it looked a bit like the arms of a drowning man crying out for help.
Everyone thought of the same person at the same time, and sighed in their hearts. When they came to their senses again, they found that it was completely dark. At this moment, a strong wind suddenly blew, and the doors and windows were clanging. Several candles were blown out in an instant, and the pavilion was briefly plunged into darkness.
During this sudden change, someone heard a soft "click", and then a long, almost imperceptible tremor quietly emerged in the noise.
Someone shouted in fear: "There's an assassin!"
At the same time, dozens of figures rushed into the warm room at the same time, causing a burst of screams. The clanging of swords and knives was endless. It was difficult to distinguish between friend and foe in the darkness. The guests fled in fear, crying and shouting.
Shen Changfeng had already retreated to the inner room of the warm room with Lin Meizhu in his arms. Lin Meizhu was shielded so tightly by him that she could not even hear his voice clearly and had no idea what was happening outside.
The sound of swords and knives instantly shrank into a point, and with a "crack", the faint light was brightened, reflecting the panicked faces of the crowd, and also illuminating Su Yuwan's hand pulling Qin Ting's sleeve, and Su Qinxue who was held by Qin Ting, but Su Qinxue was looking in the direction of Shen Changfeng, while Shen Changfeng was hugging Lin Meiju tightly, leaving her with only a broad back.
The guests were shocked again and again. It was obvious that she loved him, but he loved her; she loved him, but he only loved her, and she didn't seem to love him!
The show on stage is not even one ten-thousandth as exciting as the one off stage!
Then the leading man in black slowly pulled off the black scarf covering his face, revealing a pale, dead face - Qin Yan, who should have been dead for almost half a year!
The warm room fell into deathly silence.
When Shao Er and his wife arrived at the palace, this dramatic drama had already ended.
Shao Er was invited to Lanxing Pavilion to wait. The servant poured him a cup of warm tea. Shao Er picked it up and smelled it. He couldn't tell what kind of tea it was, but he smelled a unique fragrance. Just as he was about to take a sip, he caught a glimpse of the clear sky after the rain and was surprised to find a colorful rainbow hanging under the setting sun. He thought to himself: This is good, my wife loves to see it.
He put down the teacup, completely unaware that he had been to the gates of hell. He walked quickly to the terrace and waved vigorously to the people by the waterside pavilion. When they came to look at him, he pointed to the sky and motioned her to look.
Listening to the laughter coming from below, Shao Er was in a good mood. He leaned out to take a breath of fresh air, looked at the pavilions and terraces of the palace, put his hands on his hips and sighed, "What beautiful mountains and rivers! I want to be reincarnated here in my next life."
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a chill on his back and his heart was filled with fear. For some reason, he didn't want to go back to the attic. He followed the path of the setting sun and moved his feet until the pillars blocked his figure. Only then did the feeling of being spied on disappear.
Shao Er has handled many cases and trusts his intuition very much: it is not advisable to stay here for long.
Before leaving, he looked at the boats on the lakeside and muttered, "How strange! I feel like I've seen this scene somewhere else before."
In the compartment, Shen Changfeng was planning to try a new method of torture to extract a confession from Shao Er when he heard this. He looked back at where Shao Er had been looking and saw Lin Meizhu standing on the pavilion. A few rays of afterglow cast a shadow on her, and a pair of amber beads gleamed beside her ears. She narrowed her eyelids slightly, raised her hand to form a small canopy on her forehead, her eyebrows curved, and judging by the shape of her mouth, she seemed to be talking and laughing.
Her smile gradually overlapped perfectly with the other person's face.
The fragmented memories in Shen Changfeng's memory gradually connected into a line.
Chen Changfeng thought of the scholars who had appeared at the gate of the Lin residence that day, of the distant gazes and echoes between the two of them amidst the flowers during the sutra recitation, of the same naturally upturned corners of their mouths, of their identical, soft, southern accents, and of the faint pine scent that had begun to appear on her body without him noticing...
Shen Changfeng felt as if he was struck by thunder. He was in a trance and didn't know where he was for a few moments.
He suddenly remembered the day they consummated their marriage, when Lin Meizhu had tearfully begged him why he'd only come now. That night... had she mistaken him for him?! On the Dragon Boat Festival, she'd asked herself, "Which old lover is coming?" It turned out she wasn't just spitting anger. And every time things got bad, she'd always insisted on blowing out the candles...
Thinking back on the past, Shen Changfeng was so angry that his eyes turned black and he almost vomited blood.
Lin Meizhu was listening to Chen Yue's reply when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist with a strong grip. She heard Shen Changfeng sternly ask, "Was it Chuqi who was with you on the day of the Qionglin Banquet?"
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