During the Jingzhe season, spring thunder scares away all the insects, and a spring rain brings all things to life.
In the early morning, it was still drizzling.
Zhao Rong strolled in the quiet corridors of the Duke's Mansion holding an oil-paper umbrella.
Rain hits the banana leaves, and swallows carry red mud.
He glanced sideways slightly, his thoughts wandering.
Concubine Zhao Ling left.
After the old lady’s birthday banquet yesterday.
In addition to Qian'er, she was also accompanied by two followers.
A tall old man and a man holding a sword.
Zhao Rong knew them all.
The former was originally the steward of the fourth room. Everyone in the mansion called him Uncle Kun. Later, he followed Concubine Zhao Ling and was responsible for handling miscellaneous matters.
The name of the man holding the sword at the back is very interesting. His surname is Li and his given name is Bai, Li Bai.
Zhao Rong used to like to call him Xiaobai. Like his mother, he was a servant of the fourth house. It was said that they had come to the Duke of Jingnan's mansion with Zhao Lingfei's mother.
Yesterday, Zhao Rong had just arrived at the main hall of the mansion when he was called over by the old lady. At that time, Concubine Zhao Ling was also beside her, but she was leaning sideways to listen to Qian'er's words and didn't look at him.
The old lady asked him if he was willing to take over some of the Duke's assets in Qianjing. After a pause, she smiled and said that if he was too busy, he could also be a leisurely teacher in the Zhao family's private school.
Zhao Rong declined apologetically on the grounds of filial piety, saying that he wanted to go back to his hometown to visit. He and his mother had been away for many years and he didn't know whether his father was well.
Since both parties already know the truth, it’s better to just be honest.
Two interesting things happened at the birthday party afterwards.
Halfway through the birthday banquet, a group of seven people arrived, all of them handsome men and beautiful women with outstanding demeanor.
The seven people were wearing the same clothes, except that the six at the back were wearing white clothes, while the leader was wearing purple clothes.
The man in purple looked particularly dazzling, with a handsome face and a heroic spirit. He wore a square scarf on his head, held a folding fan in his hand, and wore beautiful jade and a sachet on his waist.
The man explained his purpose to the old lady with a smile, saying that he came on behalf of Ziqi Pavilion to wish the old lady a happy birthday. At the same time, he also came to congratulate Junior Sister Lingfei on her birthday and brought two valuable gifts prepared by the Pavilion Master himself.
Zhao Rong was sitting and eating cakes at the time. He was a little surprised when he heard this. Isn't the Ziqi Pavilion the most powerful mountain fairy family in the surrounding countries? Why is the Duke of Jingnan's Mansion so prestigious?
Also, is it also Concubine Zhao Ling’s birthday today? After hearing this, he couldn’t help but look at Qian’er who was beside him getting snacks and food for him.
Did you three get together for one day?
The little girl blinked and coughed lightly. Suddenly, as if to change the subject, she raised her pointed chin and told Zhao Rong with pride on her face that the young lady and she were now students of the four prefectures of Taiqing. Especially the young lady, who entered Xiaoyao Prefecture at the age of sixteen. The head of Ziqi Pavilion had been looking forward to the young lady and her returning to Ziqi Pavilion after graduating from the four prefectures of Taiqing...
After exchanging greetings with the old lady for a while, the man in purple raised his eyes and looked around.
The man's eyes swept across Zhao Rong and the many guests without stopping, but only stopped on Zhao Lingfei and Qian'er. The smile on his handsome face gradually brightened, and he called them "Junior Sister Lingfei" and "Junior Sister Qian'er" in a gentle tone.
Zhao Lingfei replied in a flat voice, "Senior Brother Ye", but Qian'er turned her head away and ignored him, and even muttered "toad" with a curl of her lips.
The purple-clothed man still had a warm smile, but his handsome face showed a look that was about three parts helplessness and seven parts doting.
At that time, Zhao Rong was eating cakes while watching Brother Ye's performance with great interest. He felt that today was a real eye-opener.
Then, a voice suddenly came from outside the palace: "The imperial edict has arrived."
Soon after, a large group of outsiders came in one after another, but most of them stayed outside the hall. Only the eunuch in a dragon robe who was leading the group entered the longevity hall.
She read out the Emperor of Chu's imperial edict in a shrill voice, bestowing a large number of birthday gifts on the Zhao family.
Anyway, Zhao Rong didn't understand any of the long list of gift names at the time. The father-in-law's accent was too strange.
At that time, all the guests in the hall were busy kneeling down to receive the order, but not all of them.
Concubine Zhao Ling, dressed in blue, stood there without moving at all. She just bent down to support the slightly trembling old lady who wanted to express her gratitude.
The people in Ziqi Pavilion were even quieter, with their faces either indifferent or playful.
As for Zhao Rong, he had no concept of hierarchy at all, so how could he kneel down? Moreover, he was not the only one among so many people who did not kneel, so he just sat there calmly, with Qian'er standing next to him, who was also standing still.
Senior Brother Ye said slowly, "It seems that even after Junior Brother Xiang became the King of Chu, he still missed Junior Sister Lingfei."
As soon as he finished speaking, Senior Brother Ye suddenly turned around and looked at Zhao Rong from afar with a gentle smile.
Zhao Rong calmly put down the cake in his hand, raised his hand and pulled out a handkerchief from his arms, wiped his mouth, then raised the corners of his mouth and looked up at him.
You like pretending, right?
However, what was unexpected was that Qian'er suddenly snatched the white handkerchief from his hand, put it away in a hurry, and then looked at him with a slightly red face and a strange look in her eyes.
At the same time, Zhao Rong also felt... a murderous gaze. Following the feeling, he saw that Zhao Lingfei, who had always been cold and aloof and had not looked at him straight in the eye, was now staring at him with a blush on her face...
Thinking about what happened yesterday, Zhao Rong still feels a little embarrassed.
He stretched out a hand to catch some raindrops flowing down the eaves. The rain was slightly cool and woke him up from his early morning sleepiness.
Qian'er later told Zhao Rong in a whisper that it was a white wedding veil.
He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood.
Who knew handkerchiefs could be used like that? I was so naive...
When Zhao Rong saw it on the second day of the bridal chamber, he thought it was used to wipe sweat.
By the way, who would embroider two fat ducks on a white wedding veil? Um, should it be ducks?
However, when he thought about how Senior Brother Ye hadn't figured out what was going on between him and Zhao Lingfei until he left, and his smile began to become a little stiff, he was very happy.
Brother Ye, you can’t pretend anymore, right?
Zhao Rong walked out of the Duke of Jingnan's Mansion. The rain was sparse and gradually stopped.
He folded his paper umbrella, left Chang'an Avenue and walked towards the Confucius Temple.
Just a few days after arriving, he had two rivals in love, one was a purple-robed disciple of Ziqi Pavilion, and the other was the current Emperor of Chu.
Oh, being Concubine Zhao Ling's husband is so dangerous.
Zhao Rong laughed at himself.
He was going to visit the teachers at the Imperial College today, especially his own mentor, Mr. Fang.
Mr. Fang's real name is Fang Shiru. He is not from Da Chu. I heard from Mr. Fang that his hometown was a great dynasty that only respected Confucianism. He failed the imperial examination three times and later traveled far and wide and came to Da Chu.
Mr. Fang once taught at the Zhao family private school, and he was also Zhao Rong's childhood teacher.
Later, the former emperor of the Great Chu Dynasty designated Confucianism as the national study under the promotion of the current national teacher. The national teacher was a great Confucian scholar, and it was said that he came from one of the 72 Confucian academies. He founded the Imperial Academy, recruited Confucian scholars, and cultivated Confucian students.
So Mr. Fang went to the Imperial College and served as a doctor of the Imperial Academy.
Later, when Zhao Rong was fourteen years old, he was recommended by Mr. Fang to enter the Imperial College.
After the rain stopped, Confucius Temple began to become lively.
The streets began to become crowded with people.
Peddlers and hawkers walked hurriedly, merchants and brokers hawked their wares along the streets, and the common people went about their lives in all kinds of ways.
Zhao Rong looked at the bustling street scene with curiosity. This should be his first time going out since coming to this world.
Following the route he remembered, he soon saw the main gate of the Imperial College - Jixian Gate.
The Imperial College building faces south and is grand in scale, stretching for ten miles, with unprecedented grandeur.
Zhao Rong walked into the Jixian Gate and passed the glazed archway. On the way, he was stopped by an acquaintance who asked him about marrying into the wife's family, which was followed by a burst of ridicule.
I guess this matter has spread among my fellow students.
Zhao Rong remained calm and didn't take it seriously.
He bowed and said goodbye, then continued walking towards the Imperial College.