Chapter 62: Temple Fair. You're starving... I know you're also...
He Zhiliao's feet, which were about to walk, suddenly stopped.
Concubine Rong is pregnant. Doesn't that mean her discomfort yesterday was most likely caused by pregnancy? If she is indeed pregnant, this difficulty will be easily solved!
【ah! 】
He held Yanhua's hand tightly, indicating that she should go and find out whether the news was true or not. He would go back and tell his mother the gossip, so that she could feel a little more at ease.
As soon as he left the restaurant, he was blasted with a gust of cold wind. Chun Jian quickly pulled the brim of his hat for him, helped him get into the carriage, and specifically told the coachman to go faster.
As soon as they returned home, rewards came from the palace.
The reward was personally delivered by Eunuch Lian Zhong. He Zhiliao and Qin Yurong personally stepped forward to greet it. Eunuch Lian Zhong smiled and said, "Madam, you are welcome. I am simply here to congratulate you. Concubine Rong has been pregnant for two months!"
Being pregnant is naturally a good thing, but I am still worried when I think about her being involved in that kind of thing.
Qin Yurong smiled and said, "Thank you for telling me, eunuch. I have to admit that I did hear a few rumors today. I wonder how Concubine Rong is doing?"
"Madam, you are talking about this matter. It has been investigated clearly and has nothing to do with Concubine Rong. You can rest assured." Lian Zhong did not elaborate on the details, but just told her to take it.
After all, it involves royal affairs, so Lian Zhong couldn't say too much. No one likes a talkative servant.
Hearing him say this, Qin Yurong finally felt relieved. With a slight wink, Zidai immediately stepped forward, stuffed the purse into Lian Zhong's sleeve, and said with a smile, "Sir, please come here. I hope you will accept this small gift."
Lian Zhong would naturally accept it with a smile. Don’t these people live on tips?
He put away the silver and left in a hurry without saying anything else after saying goodbye.
Qin Yurong looked at the rewards all over the ground, and finally a relieved smile appeared on her face, as if the huge rock pressing on her heart had finally been removed.
He Zhiliao didn't understand her emotions, but he didn't ask any more questions. He asked the servants to put all the things into the warehouse, then went forward and helped her back to the yard.
"You can pick out the ones you like from those items. The ginseng that Concubine Rong sent before is also in the warehouse. It's not good to keep it there. I'll ask the kitchen to stew them for you to nourish your body." Qin Yurong was not a stingy person. She usually kept all the good things for He Zhi.
I am just happy at this moment, so my words and actions are more straightforward.
He Zhiliao naturally would not refuse her kindness, so he nodded quickly to whatever she said.
"Okay, stop watching over me and go have fun by yourself." Qin Yurong smiled, "I need to rest for a while."
【Then I'll come back to accompany you for lunch. 】
The family didn't have any empty words. He Zhiluo just listened to what she said and left obediently.
Back in the yard, Yanhua also ran back in a hurry with a smile on her face, which showed that she had also found out the truth.
It was a foregone conclusion that Concubine Rong was pregnant, but even Eunuch Zhong was unwilling to reveal the secret, which was also discovered by Yanhua.
"When we left, Concubine Rong said she was not feeling well and went to bed. Later, the Empress also felt unwell. When Your Majesty arrived at Concubine Rong's palace, he happened to see the imperial physician there. Upon asking, he learned that Concubine Rong was pregnant."
There have been few children in the palace in recent years. When Emperor An learned that she was pregnant, he naturally didn't want to ask her any more questions. He just wanted her to take good care of herself. However, he asked a few questions in a roundabout way, which made Concubine Rong notice it. She immediately called the palace maid to go and get Cian Weizi.
Upon inquiry, it was discovered that the palace maid had long been bribed by Concubine Shu, and she was just resentful of the Pei family for not helping to plead for mercy!
His Majesty was furious, so naturally this matter could not be blamed on Concubine Rong. Instead, it was left to the Empress and Concubine Shu to fight each other.
Even after knowing the whole story, He Zhiliao still felt a little puzzled. Could it be that the Queen had already known that she would not be able to keep the baby?
He coughed lightly and suppressed the thought again.
This matter has already passed. There is no point in pursuing it any further. It is best to let it go. The Pei family has not been implicated anyway.
In the afternoon, an order was issued from the palace:
Concubine Shu's words and deeds were inappropriate, and she plotted to murder the royal heir. She was stripped of her title and demoted. The Fifth Prince was made the heir of Prince Xiaoyao, and was required to leave the capital for Prince Xiaoyao's fiefdom within three days.
At this point, the fifth prince, who had been active in the previous dynasty for less than half a year, completely withdrew from the court.
And those court officials who had nominally or secretly supported the Fifth Prince in the past also stopped to watch or looked for other options.
The former dynasty suddenly became completely quiet. For a moment, everyone was cautious and did not dare to cause any trouble. No one wanted to commit a crime against the wind at this time. If they were caught by Emperor An, they would definitely not end well.
The only way to avoid His Majesty's anger was to be extremely cautious and not provoke Pei Ji. The only way to avoid Pei Ji's displeasure was to avoid provoking the Pei family, not even sending gifts, as they didn't dare to attract the Pei family's attention.
After a few days of peace and tranquility, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month finally arrived.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a big day. All court officials can take a day off, and even Emperor An can take this opportunity to rest for a while.
On this day, there was a temple fair at Chengshan Temple. Noble ladies and ladies from the capital would go there to pray to the gods and worship Buddha. The temple fair stretched from the foot of the temple mountain to the front of the temple.
Gods and Buddhas save all living beings, so naturally they would not care if ordinary people set up stalls to make money in a quiet place.
If it was an ordinary Buddhist worship, Qin Yurong would naturally go, but today was just a temple fair and there were many people coming and going. She didn't like crowds, so she was even more reluctant to go.
He Zhiliao, who had never been to a temple fair before, had to go alone. Pei Ji was reluctant to let the weak boy go out alone, so he postponed his meeting with Song Yu and others and insisted on going with him.
"The second and third brothers should go too." Qin Yurong ordered immediately after learning about it.
Pei Ding choked on his tea for a moment, with confusion on his cold face, as if he didn't understand why he had to go.
Qin Yurong glanced at him, and although her tone was light, she did not allow any objection, "Today is the temple fair, there are many young ladies and gentlemen from noble families, you should also go and meet them. In the past, you have been so focused on the court that you are now thirty years old and have not even decided on a marriage!"
"This... Mother, marriage is not like a wild horse pairing. You have to like each other and be satisfied with each other--"
"If you haven't even taken a look, how can you tell if she's satisfied?" Qin Yurong interrupted Pei Su. "You must go to the temple fair today, and you must also go to the lantern festival tonight. If you two dare to come back before twilight, I'll find a famous matchmaker in the capital tomorrow!"
Pei Su didn't dare to say anything. Rather than asking a matchmaker to help him choose the right girl, it would be better for him to choose the right girl himself. If his mother was not satisfied and went to the palace to ask for a marriage, he would be doomed!
He didn't say anything, and Pei Ding knew that he couldn't resist this matter. He took a sip of tea silently and couldn't even raise his eyes.
Although I don't know why they are so resistant to getting married, it's just a temple fair, why should they treat it like a big enemy?
He Zhiliao didn't understand what they were thinking, but he would naturally be happy if he could go to the temple fair together.
Qin Yurong arranged everything for them, asked the housekeeper to pay them some money, and then sent them away.
He Zhiliao had accompanied Qin Yurong to Chengshan Temple before, but that was only to pray and burn incense, so he had never experienced how magnificent the temple fair was.
I never went out when I was in Jing'an Marquis Mansion before, so I must have fun today!
The carriage could not go up to the foot of the mountain. There were vendors setting up stalls on both sides of the street, all wanting to make some money today.
He Zhiliao tugged at Pei Ji's sleeve, signaling him to get off the carriage quickly. Pei Ji had no choice but to follow him closely, and the servants behind him were also squeezed in the crowd.
Pei Su and Pei Ding were originally wandering aimlessly, so naturally they followed them. It would be best if they could quickly finish visiting the temple fair and then return to the city, or spend time in a teahouse or restaurant.
Naturally, not all the people who come to the temple fair are wealthy, so the prices charged by the vendors are not high, and it is nothing to the men of the Pei family.
He Zhiliao now dares to spend money and buys good-quality clothes and jewelry. He must try the food that can be eaten for just a few copper coins.
Chun Jian knew his taste better than he did. Relying on Pei Si's company with He Zhiliao, he got off the carriage and went straight to the stalls, jumping and skipping to squeeze in.
"Master! Come and try these roasted meat skewers! They're so charred and tender!" Chun Jian carefully handed them to him, still wrapped in oil paper. "I asked those who sell candied haws, but they all said they were too sour, so they didn't buy any. I've also got some fried white sausages. I've asked the vendor to make them. I'll pick them up soon. Enjoy them first!"
He Zhiliao would take whatever Chunjian gave him, because whatever the other person gave him was his favorite food anyway.
He Zhiliao opened his mouth and was about to put the roasted meat skewers into his mouth, but suddenly remembered something and handed the skewers directly to Pei Ji's lips, wanting him to take the first bite.
Something hot suddenly touched his lips. Even Pei Ji didn't expect that he would let him eat it. Despite Xiao Zhiliao's nervous look, he took a bite without hesitation.
We often eat roasted meat at home, but the ones sold by vendors outside are naturally not as good as the ones at home. However, Pei Ji still nodded in cooperation.
"It tastes good, you eat it." Pei Ji was afraid that he would lose count of the food, so he followed up with a sentence, "Eat less, you will have other food later."
He Zhiliao looked at the temple fair that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see and nodded. There were still many delicious foods!
He was like a monkey released into the mountains. Chun Jian had secretly bought him many things in the past, and at first he only focused on eating those. It was Pei Ji who told him to try more other things so that the taste would be richer.
He Zhiliao walked forward, Pei Ji accompanied him, and Pei Su and Pei Ding followed behind him. Their outstanding appearance and figure, coupled with their rich and luxurious clothes, attracted the crowd to look back frequently.
It's like watching a monkey.
Pei Su thought helplessly.
He coughed lightly and said, "Yunzhou, Qingyan and I will go for a walk and see you at the foot of the mountain later."
"Brother, be careful." Pei Ji took the time to look back at them, thinking that his brother was protected by secret guards, so he should be fine.
The two responded and quickly left the crowd.
Pei Su and Pei Ding walked side by side, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. He raised his hand and patted Pei Ding's shoulder, "I just saw a tea stall, let's go over and rest."
"Um."
"It's been a long time since I last went to the temple fair. I used to come with my mother, but now I have to bring you with me." Pei Su smiled softly, and the mist dissipated from his face, making his handsome face look misty.
Pei Ding was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "Mother is still here."
Pei Su was choked by his words and knocked his head helplessly, "You dare to talk back to your brother, and you are becoming more and more disobedient. With your temper, good girls will have to avoid you when they see you!"
Pei Ding remained silent. Due to his personality, he did not like those noble ladies in the boudoir. He felt that all the ladies in the capital were like that and they were a bit boring.
Besides, he is just such a sullen person and can't say nice words to coax girls, so why should he let them sulk with him?
No matter how good your family background is, if your personality is not pleasing, it will be difficult to meet your true love. It is better not to care about these things and just go with the flow.
Pei Su was too lazy to say anything more to him. He was born with this kind of personality. If someone could change his personality one day, let alone a beggar on the street... forget it, let alone a man, he could be married home!
Pei Su noticed the tea stall with his sharp eyes. Not long after they passed by, it was surrounded by girls passing by. They were not there to drink tea, but there were crowds of people standing around, talking and playing, making it extremely lively.
"Bring me a pot of hot water." Pei Su said.
He decided not to drink the tea, fearing that it would hurt his precious tongue.
Hot water came faster than hot tea. Pei Ding had a joking smile on his face. After drinking the hot water, he felt a lot more relaxed.
It’s so cold, why do we have to go out to see the temple fair and the lantern festival at night... It gives me a headache just thinking about it.
"There's a thief!"
Along with a girl's shout, a pink figure chased out instantly, grabbed the thief in three or two steps, punched him on the head, pressed him to the ground, and snatched the purse from his hand nimbly.
The man slapped him in the face and said, "You've got no dignity left in you to steal a girl's things!"
He stood up, patted his sleeves, handed the exquisite purse to the girl who had chased him, and said with a smile: "Don't lose it again."
The girl quickly thanked him: "Thank you very much, sir. Your clothes are all dirty, but I have some clean ones in my carriage. How about borrowing them from you?"
"You're welcome. I can't fit into your clothes, so let's leave it like this." The man with a red mole on his forehead waved his hand and chuckled. He looked around and soon met Pei Ding's eyes.
He hurried over, gave him a clumsy greeting, and said with a smile: "Excuse me for interrupting your tea, sir. This pot of hot water, please!"
He accidentally bumped into the other person when he was chasing after her just now, so he should apologize.
Pei Ding blinked at him and said calmly, "No need."
Pei Su also stood up to smooth things over, "No need to be so polite. We're leaving anyway. Qingyan, let's go."
The man said nothing more and just stared at them as they left.
Not long after, his servant caught up with him and whispered anxiously, "Master! You're running around again! It will be terrible if someone finds you! Let's burn incense and return quickly!"
"What are you afraid of?" The man chuckled and straightened his messy sleeves. "I haven't even burned incense yet."
The servant's eyes widened instantly.
As a man, you wear a gentleman's skirt to enter Chengshan Temple. Aren't you afraid of being blamed by the Buddha?
"What are you thinking about?" Pei Su glanced at Pei Ding beside him, "Could it be that he really hurt you?"
Pei Ding shook his head slightly. He was so strong, how could he feel uncomfortable because of a small collision? He just thought that the man was a little strange.
Pei Su didn't ask any more questions and just strolled around casually.
The other side.
He Zhiliao stuffed the remaining sugar cake to Pei Ji and shook his head at him.
Pei Ji was helpless, "Are you really full now?"
The little mute nodded, he was full!
Pei Ji ate up the remaining sugar cakes while they were still hot, and gave the remaining food that they had bought but not eaten to Chun Jian and the others.
He naturally understood He Zhiliao. Now that he was full, he didn't want to even look at the food. This situation would last for several hours.
Neither food nor money should be wasted; it is best to give them to the servants.
They soon arrived at Chengshan Temple. Many people were going inside. He Zhiliao just glanced at the temple but had no intention of going in.
"Aren't you going in?" Pei Ji asked softly.
He Zhiliao shook his head. He came here to play today. If he wanted to go to worship Buddha, he should choose a more suitable day.
Pei Ji didn't ask any more questions, and the two of them went down the long stairs again.
There were many people coming and going on the long steps, and even though Pei Ji carefully protected him, he was inevitably bumped into by others.
【ah--】
He Zhiliao was pushed tightly into Pei Ji's arms. He frowned slightly and looked over, and saw that the man in front of him was tall, almost as tall as Pei Ji.
"I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry to go to the temple to burn incense. I'll apologize to you when I have the chance." The man in pink clothes walked away quickly, taking three steps at a time...
He Zhiliao didn't even care about the pain and just stared at his legs. It was really rare to see such a tall man.
He slowly withdrew his gaze and raised his head to talk to Pei Ji, only to see that his eyes were fixed on the man who was leaving, and even his brows were unconsciously wrinkled.
He Zhiliao looked at him anxiously. Sometimes he felt helpless, and at this moment, this feeling was even stronger.
Perhaps he should do as Concubine Rong said and have a child...
Pei Ji withdrew his gaze and escorted him down as usual. After walking for a while, he finally realized something was wrong. "What's wrong? You were fine all of a sudden, you're silent? Are you feeling unwell or tired? I'll carry you."
As he spoke, he squatted down, put his hands behind his back, and looked as if he was staring at him and lying on top of him.
He Zhiliao lay silently on his back. He had to understand that Pei Ji would not have only him as his righteous ruler in his life.
Her mood suddenly became a little depressed. She lay silently on Pei Ji's back, her forehead resting on his shoulder. What if he really wanted to take other concubines?
They have been married for almost a year and don't even have any children. If they want to marry again, I don't think their mother will have any objection, and she might even applaud and agree.
He was thinking in a daze, and his head felt like paste. He really wanted to take it all out and paste it on Pei Ji's face... It was a bit funny.
He laughed so hard that he shook, but no sound came out.
Pei Ji immediately slapped his buttocks and said, "Your husband is carrying you here with all his strength. Why are you grinning foolishly instead of taking a rest?"
He Zhiliao was so frightened that she clung to him, but she also felt strange and shook her legs hurriedly. Being frightened by him, all the worries she had just felt disappeared instantly, and she even bit his ear quietly in annoyance.
Pei Ji paused after being bitten, and the hand holding his butt tightened slightly. He said in a hoarse voice: "Don't provoke me outside. Are you really itching for trouble?"
He Zhiliao quickly hid.
Even if Pei Ji had a concubine, she would probably treat him well, he thought blankly.
The steps leading to Chengshan Temple were very high and long. Pei Ji carried him down steadily. The breathing of the person on his back gradually became steady, spraying on his neck, and even his whole body seemed to warm up.
Of course he knew what was going on in his little head, but most of the time, he was the one who started the conversation, so when would the other party dare to speak up?
Naturally, he would not give up and abandon He Zhi. The unspeakable love that had accumulated in his previous life finally had a place to be vented in this life. How could he still look at others?
"Falling asleep?" Pei Su asked softly.
"Well, I'm a little tired." Pei Ji said softly, "Then I'll take him back home first, and then we can go to the lantern festival later."
Pei Su and Pei Ding looked at each other. They couldn't go home during the day, so they could only go to a restaurant outside to rest and hope that it would get dark quickly so that they could finish visiting the lantern festival and go home.
The carriages split into two waves as soon as they entered the city and left quickly.
He Zhiliao knew that she was a little sleepy. When she opened her eyes again, she saw that Pei Ji had invited the man she had met before into the house. The man was still wearing a pink dress and had a tall body. He seemed as solid as a man.
He walked forward blankly, and Pei Ji, who noticed him getting up, turned his head and smiled at him, "She is the concubine I want to take in. You should wake up and make arrangements."
He Zhiliao suddenly opened his eyes, sweat soaked his clothes, and he felt dizzy. He quickly got downstairs and walked towards the outer hall, only to find that the room was empty.
There is no male monarch, and no Pei Ji.
I usually sleep with him during his days off, rarely absent—
"You're coming down without shoes and socks?"
He turned around suddenly and saw Pei Ji holding a tray in his hand, with a burst of fragrance wafting out.
Pei Ji put down his things, carried him directly to the bed, rubbed the soles of his feet against his body, and helped him put on his shoes and socks.
"I've been distracted today and sweating a lot. Is it because the fire in the house is too strong?" Pei Ji touched his cheeks and forehead, and felt a little relieved when he found no obvious burning sensation.
He Zhiliao shook his head slightly. The sweat he had just felt on his body had gradually subsided, but his heart was beating extremely fast at this moment. Whether he opened his eyes or closed them, he could hear what Pei Ji said to him in his dream.
Seeing his rosy face, Pei Ji thought he was particularly cute. He pushed him to sit at the table and said with a smile, "The ginseng soup cooked in the kitchen is very nourishing in winter. Try it."
He Zhiliao held the bowl and blew on it lightly, numbly, and scooped the chicken soup into his mouth. The exceptionally delicious chicken soup slightly dispelled the clouds in his heart, and he soon finished the bowl of chicken soup.
Pei Ji smiled and added another bowl for him. He lowered his eyes to look at him. Even the way he licked his lips was particularly cute.
[Are you going to take a concubine? ]
——Bullshit!
Why are we talking about this again?
Pei Ji was so anxious that he wanted to mess up his hair. He covered his eyes and asked patiently, "Why do you say that again?"
【dream……】
He Zhiliao felt a little unreasonable and not very confident.
"What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. You think about these things all day long, so naturally you dream about these things." Pei Ji sighed softly, complaining half-seriously, "How can a husband be so suspicious when he loves me so deeply? It really makes me sad. You have to make up for my wounded and fragile heart."
ah?
He Zhiliao stared at him blankly. After a moment, he put down his bowl and chopsticks and turned to run away, but Pei Ji pulled him into his arms.
He chuckled, "There are still two hours until the Lantern Festival. Counting the time for us to shower and change clothes and for you to rest, it should be enough time."
Um?
He Zhiliao stared at him blankly, still standing there like a hard rice cake, when Pei Ji picked him up and put him on the bed.
His eyes suddenly widened and he kept pointing at the bright window.
Pei Ji glanced sideways and chuckled, "Ah... after we have rested, we will take you out to play."
That’s not what I meant!
He Zhiliao opened and closed his mouth, wanting to tell him that it was not okay to have sex in broad daylight, but Pei Ji looked away and smiled happily.
"Hmm~ You look so hungry... I know you're anxious too..."
He Zhiliao: "..."
Bah bah bah!!!
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Author's words: Little Zhiliao: Oh! When will you be able to speak? [Please][Please][Please]
Pei Gouzi: What are you mumbling about? Come over here and give me a kiss! [kiss][kiss][kiss]
It’s the end of the month, it’s time to give away expired nutrient solution~ [hug][hug][hug]
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