Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Seeking
Du Lingjing was nearly eaten yesterday, but luckily she was injured on her arm and he didn't dare to do anything rash, so she escaped.
But she was about to leave his Yuanxiu Pavilion in the outer courtyard and return to the main courtyard. Who would have thought that just as she was about to leave, Chongping came up to her.
"Madam, will you stay in Yuanxiu Pavilion to recuperate?"
Du Lingjing was slightly surprised, "Isn't it different if I go back to the main courtyard to recuperate?"
Chongping smiled at her and said, "It was the Marquis' order."
Du Lingjing understood.
She remembered that when he got angry yesterday and wanted to beat the master-disciple manager with a stick, she said that next time she came, she would directly ask the manager to inform her. He said it was not right, and did not tell her what was right at that time.
Now that she knew, she could just go in directly without notifying anyone.
And he was obviously still secretly angry with her because of it.
He refused to tell her directly, but insisted that she figure it out herself.
"... ..."
This was not the first time he had done this. Du Lingjing had nothing to say about his rock-hard temper and could only turn back.
But when he was not out, he was mostly in Yuanxiu Pavilion. She stayed in his territory. He would come back from the study from time to time to look at her, talk to her, and eat some cakes. She saw that his face was happy, and he said to her, "I think it's not good to have a mansion that is too big. Why don't Quanquan move to Yuanxiu Pavilion in the future."
But there were always staff and guests in Yuanxiu Pavilion. She was the marquis' wife after all, and it was inconvenient for her to live in the outer courtyard and meet these people every day.
He was just talking, and then said to her, "Come over more often if you have nothing to do."
The wind in the first month of the year had a faint scent of the return of spring. Du Lingjing nodded gently to him, and the man's eyes became softer.
The new manager of the outer hall came to report that several members of the anti-party group had come to ask for a meeting.
Since that day when he had a frank heart-to-heart talk with everyone in the forest and made it clear that everyone from the Fu party could come and go as they pleased, more and more people from the Fu party came to him one after another, expressing their willingness to submit to Prince Hui and the Yongding Marquis' Mansion, to gain a foothold in the court and to seek work for him.
A few days ago, Du Lingjing saw him meeting many members of the Fu Party in Yuanxiu Pavilion. Today, a few more people came. She looked at him, but he suddenly snorted at her, "Gone."
Making trouble again.
Du Lingjing asked him, "My Lord, why are you doing this? Are you afraid of gossip?"
He glanced at her and said, "Isn't it? There are more people coming to my door than before. I'm afraid people will suspect that I'm retreating to advance, or that I'm secretly plotting something step by step."
As he spoke, he looked as if he didn't want to see anyone, and he slowly picked up the tea leaves and drank the tea.
Du Lingjing had already apologized to him, but he was still secretly holding on to her and refused to let go.
He always said that he was bullied every day at her place. Who was being bullied?
Du Lingjing was not a clay figure without temper. She said, "Then the Marquis should not see him. It would be best if he really didn't see him."
Whenever a member of the Fu Party came to his house voluntarily, he would ask the steward to report it immediately. It was more important than meeting anyone else, so how could he really not meet them?
After Du Lingjing said this, she heard him laugh.
She also pursed her lips in laughter, but the next moment, he grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her into his arms.
She gasped in surprise, and the man lowered his head and spoke to her lips.
"Can't you say a few soft words to me?"
Just like she did to Jiang...
No.
Just speak to him in a tone as gentle as spring water.
He bit her lip lightly. Du Lingjing felt a little pain.
But what kind of soft words did he want? She didn't know.
Thinking that there was someone waiting for him outside and he was still biting people here, she could still call him softly.
"Only the stone..."
Her eyelashes trembled, and she called his courtesy name softly in his arms.
But the man was still not satisfied and hoped she would say a few more words.
But she didn't say anything, and Lu Shenru pursed her lips.
The next moment, she gently put her uninjured arm around his neck.
She had never taken the initiative to do this with him again, and her face turned slightly red.
Du Lingjing felt like she was about to sweat, especially when he was staring at her so closely.
But she really didn't know what kind of soft words he wanted, so she could only put her arms around his neck and speak in a voice as small as a mosquito.
"Can you please stop arguing with me?"
A whirlpool formed in his eyes, like an inky abyss, which almost sucked her into his eyes.
He spoke, his voice very hoarse, close to her ear.
He said yes, "Just let Mammy light some incense at night, okay?"
Du Lingjing was surprised, but under his gaze, she could only nod slowly.
... ...
I don’t know if someone specifically instructed her to do so, but Madam used heavy incense today.
The bedding in Yuanxiu Pavilion was made thicker because she moved in.
Du Ling lay quietly in the middle, his body as hot as if he had just been pulled out of the bath water.
He pressed her against the carved bed frame.
He was quite capable, able to keep her injured arm, which had not yet healed, undisturbed. But in other places, he did not leave her any chance to control.
It was not enough to completely wet her in the quilt, and he took advantage of the opportunity when the fragrance became stronger and sought it repeatedly in the hot and lush forest. The rain fell again and again, and he suddenly called her.
"Quanquan, talk to me nicely."
Another soft word? What on earth did he want from her?
Unfortunately, Du Lingjing was soaked in sweat, and she couldn't think clearly under his strong control.
She couldn't say anything, and he was unhappy, so he held her and sat her on him, facing him closely.
"That at least seems like morning."
How about the morning? Hug him by the neck?
Du Lingjing understood the situation, but she couldn't stand this attitude, so she quickly hugged his neck and even gently put her other injured arm over to him.
She just put her arm around his neck lightly, and the sweat on the man's forehead dripped down.
The next moment of the storm, he wanted everything from her.
... ...
I finally got some rest in the second half of the night.
She didn't know how long she had slept, but she vaguely felt someone get up and tuck the quilt for her. She opened her eyes in a daze and saw him getting out of bed, putting on clothes, and walking to the sword rack.
Du Lingjing was so tired that she closed her eyes and fell asleep again.
Lu Shenru stood silently in front of the sword rack.
The sky was turning pale, and faint morning light shone through the window. The man looked at the silver snow sword for a while, his eyes lowered, and he smiled hoarsely.
"You little bastard, it's been eight years and you're finally willing to come into your brother's dream today..."
He talked to him a lot in his dream, and he had forgotten what he talked about when he opened his eyes. He only remembered that he asked him with a smile.
"Brother, I said you can definitely marry her to our family, am I right?"
In front of the sword rack, the man looked back at his wife behind the layers of curtains and laughed again. He closed his eyes deeply and answered Hengru's words in the dream.
"Yes, everything is there."
*
Within two days, it was the Lantern Festival.
The emperor and the empress were not in good health. Although they did not tell anyone else, Du Lingjing heard from Lu Shenru that the emperor was in poor spirits and frequently summoned the imperial physician to the palace, so it was impossible to hold a palace banquet on the Lantern Festival.
This news obviously made the Marquis look a little gloomy, but although the Emperor did not plan to hold a palace banquet, he still invited his close ministers to the palace to enjoy the lanterns as in previous years.
He changed his clothes early in the morning and went to the palace. He told her that the lights in the capital were on all day, "I heard that Madam Hu Er has returned to the capital. I can't accompany you, so let Madam Hu Er come to enjoy the lanterns with you."
He assigned a team of people to her, fearing that the Lantern Festival in Beijing would be too chaotic.
However, Du Lingjing did intend to look for Hu Tingjun, so after lunch, she would go to the place where the Hu brothers and sisters were staying.
Brother Hu Tinglan said hello to Du Lingjing and returned to the study.
The incident involving Shao Boju dealt him a heavy blow. He might have to stay in his study for a long time before he could slowly come to terms with it.
Du Lingjing couldn't help but think of the year when Sanlang passed away. She didn't leave Mianlou for the entire winter. She once thought that after her father and Sanlang were gone, there was nothing left in the world for her to be nostalgic about, and she might as well let go in the wind and snow. However, Sanlang asked her to collect a hundred Song Dynasty editions for him.
That year, Tingjun rushed from Cangzhou to Mianlou and stayed by her side. She asked her, "If you leave, how can Jieyuan's long-cherished wish come true? You have to collect all these 100 Song editions for him..."
The old things were about to be blown away by the wind into the lanterns filling the streets, hidden by the lanterns flowing like water, and could not be found.
Du Lingjing did not try to persuade Hu Tinglan any further, but asked Qiulin to quietly hang the lantern that she had just bought at the market outside his study window.
As soon as she hung up the lantern, a tender little voice said, "What a beautiful lantern!"
Du Lingjing looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little girl of about three or four years old running out from the door. She had a round face and big eyes, and looked about 70% like Tingjun. She tilted her head to look at the lanterns, and then looked at Du Lingjing.
She suddenly smiled at Du Lingjing and called out, "Auntie!"
Du Lingjing was shocked. She had never seen the child before, but the child recognized her.
Du Lingjing was very curious, "Xiao Luo?"
The little girl pursed her lips and smiled at her.
Tingjun came out of the room and saw that the two recognized each other. He smiled and said to Qiulin, "That's good now. I don't even need to say anything."
Qiulin also fell in love with the little girl from Hu Er Niangzi's family at first sight, and took the lantern he had just bought to tease her. She giggled and ran with Qiulin, and Qiulin led the lantern to Du Lingjing, and she pounced directly on Du Lingjing's skirt.
Du Lingjing had just sat down on the chair to talk to Tingjun when she rushed over, tilting her little head to look at her. She was not at all unfamiliar and said directly, "Auntie, give me a hug."
Du Lingjing's heart melted, but the wound on her arm had not healed yet, so Qiulin helped to carry Xiao Luo and put her on her lap.
Children always look so cute from a distance, but they are different when you hold them in your arms.
She played with the lantern, climbing up and down, twisting and turning. Du Lingjing's arms were inconvenient to move, and she had no experience in taking care of children. She didn't know how to hold her or how to coax her. She was also afraid that she would fall off her lap, and she even broke out in sweat on the tip of her nose.
Tingjun laughed loudly, "Jingniang is really a scholar in the library. It's just a child, why are you so nervous? If you and the Marquis also had a child, would you be so at a loss?"
Du Lingjing was slightly stunned by these words. Her thoughts flashed through his request behind the curtains, and her ears began to heat up.
She didn't intend to respond to Tingjun's words. She just looked at the little cloth figure placed under the window behind Tingjun. It was a pair of fat dragon and phoenix dolls, delicate and cute.
She thought of the sixth aunt in Tingjun's family, who had excellent craftsmanship and had made clothes for them many times when she was in Beijing.
She changed the subject and asked, "Did Sixth Aunt make that for Xiao Luo?"
Tingjun laughed even more, his eyes turned strange, and he glanced at her.
"If Jingniang likes it, take it away, and remember to put it under the window."
As she said this, she really asked Qiulin to take it away. Du Lingjing saw that she was smiling strangely and couldn't help asking.
"If you don't make it clear, I don't want it."
"Then you have to accept it after I tell you clearly." Tingjun said to her with a smile, "I asked for it in the temple before. It is not made by Sixth Aunt. It is a doll for praying for children that was blessed by the master in the temple."
Du Lingjing was surprised. It turned out to be a puppet praying for a child.
She said no, but Ting Jun asked with a smile, "Why not? I think the Marquis must want it, right?"
She immediately asked Qiu Lin to take it and said, "Take it back to your wife and put it under the window."
Du Lingjing couldn't refuse, and seeing Qiu Lin really accepted it.
She said to the little girl in her arms, "Your mother is always playing tricks on people."
Xiao Luo was giggling, and when she heard the shouting outside, she jumped off her body and went to the street market to see the lanterns.
As the sky gradually darkened, it was indeed time to see the lights.
Du Lingjing didn't want to discuss this matter with anyone else, so she followed Xiao Luo and asked Tingjun to go to the street.
The Lantern Market to the north of Chengqingfang was the most lively place today, and they went straight to the Lantern Market as soon as they went out.
Xiao Luo was carried by Tingjun to buy a lantern and walked forward. Du Lingjing paused for two steps. Qiulin came over and suddenly asked her a question in a low voice.
"Madam, the pills I bought secretly earlier are running low. Do you want to buy more?"
The small jar full of pills was almost used up. Du Lingjing never expected that the medicine would be used up so quickly.
She was stunned for a moment, and her face became even hotter. "How much is left?"
Qiu Lin estimated that based on the frequency of the Marquis, "It can only be used for about a month."
She saw her wife's face getting even redder. The crowd pushed them forward, and her wife didn't reply for a while.
The street lights were gradually lit up, and as the sun shone, the streets seemed as bright as day.
Qiulin guessed that his daughter had a slow temper and would probably have to use the medicine for many more days.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the girl in front of her stopped and she heard her speak softly.
"After I finish this can, when spring comes, I won't have to buy any more."
As soon as she finished speaking, she caught up with Tingjun and her daughter, but Qiulin was completely behind them.
Qiulin's heart began to beat faster.
Miss, are you... No, no, Madam, are you going to have a little lady or a little master with the Marquis? !
Qiulin was overjoyed.
Inexplicably, she thought of the winter when the Third Master passed away. The girl was very quiet and she was watching from the side, fearing that the girl would be upset. But today...
Qiu Lin couldn't help but laugh out loud three times with joy, but the streets were full of people watching the lanterns, so she could only suppress her joy and quickly follow.
From Chaoyangmen Street to the Lantern Market and then to Chongwenmenli Street, the Lantern Festival lanterns are like a sea of flowers. Crowds of people from inside and outside Beijing all flock in, and the crowds are so crowded that they have to walk three times slower.
But there were people rushing towards the street, more than one person, a group of people.
Hu Tingjun quickly picked up his daughter for fear that she would be squeezed, and the guards of the marquis's mansion also stepped forward to protect them, but Du Lingjing heard one of the guards mutter something.
"What are the people from the Rongchang Marquis' Mansion in such a hurry for?"
The Yang family of the Rongchang Marquis's Mansion? Du Lingjing looked at the faces of those people who were rushing over, and they all seemed to be happy.
At this critical juncture, can the Yang family of Rongchang Earl's Mansion have any happy events?
She was puzzled, and so were others. Someone on the street asked her about it.
"I heard the news just came out from the palace. When the emperor was watching the lanterns, he suddenly mentioned Rongchang Bo who had been guarding the border for many years. Then he issued an order to let the Dali Temple handle the Yang family's case leniently. The two young masters of the Yang family will only be exiled, not beheaded!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
Some people said, "No wonder the Yang family was so happy, after all, there are two lives involved!"
Some people also said, "The Yang family saved two lives, but it's a pity that the lives they killed before can't be brought back."
There is no point in saying this now, but Du Lingjing heard someone sigh.
"Shao Tanhua is gone, and the Shao family is also implicated. Dou Ge Lao failed to get the Shao family out of trouble. It was Marquis Lu who was very capable. I don't know what method he used to save not only the title of the Rongchang Earl's Mansion, but also the lives of the two young masters."
Hu Tingjun looked back at Du Lingjing and asked, "Is the Marquis finally soft-hearted towards the Yang family?"
Du Lingjing had no idea.
Since then, she never heard him mention the Yang family's lawsuit again. It seemed that just as he said, whether the Yang family's lawsuit was good or bad had nothing to do with him.
Du Lingjing shook her head. She felt that it was not him. "Maybe it was just the emperor's kindness."
She responded to Tingjun in this way, and Tingjun believed her, but people on the street heard about it and started talking about it.
Everyone said that the Yang family's unexpected turn of events was "all thanks to the Marquis' mediation. After all, they are relatives, and Lord Rongchang is a general in the Yongding Army. How could the Marquis bear to let them go?"
"Now, the Marquis has recruited the people of the Fu Party and saved the Rongchang Marquis' Mansion. On the other hand, Dou Ge Lao lost the third place in the imperial examination and the Shao family also stopped fighting. In this round, can it be said that Dou Ge Lao lost to the Marquis?"
Everyone praised Lord Lu for his prowess.
Du Lingjing listened in a daze and actually found it a little funny.
This matter should have nothing to do with him. As for the fact that the result was all on his side, it was half the will of the emperor and half God. However, outsiders were completely unaware of it and thought it was all planned by him.
If it was really true that the whole thing was planned by him and he didn't reveal a single detail, then he would be incredibly powerful.
Du Lingjing smiled and shook her head, ignoring the matter. She asked about Tingjun's husband seeking an official position in Beijing, "I just hope you and Xiaoluo can stay in Beijing."
The marquis who won the battle that night did not return from the palace until late at night. He was drunk and stayed in the outer courtyard.
Du Lingjing originally wanted to ask him about the Yang family, but then she thought that if she asked him, he might think she suspected him.
This matter had nothing to do with Du Lingjing, so she didn't ask any more questions.
The first month of the year is almost over.
In Hongluo Temple.
Prince Yan was actually reluctant to leave.
Every day he could discuss literature and learning with Jiang Jia Liulang. Although Jiang Jia Liulang was about to take part in the February Spring Examination, he would still take time out every day to discuss with him for three quarters of an hour. When they talked about something interesting, they always got along well. King Yan even praised his wonderful writing and said that he would definitely be on the list of the Spring Examination.
That day Liu Lang also gave him an article to read. After King Yan read the article from beginning to end, he was speechless for a while.
"This one is slightly different from your previous ones, but it is just as good, and the writing is so ingenious that it seems to be natural."
Liu Lang stepped forward to take a look, but as soon as he saw it, he exclaimed, "Your Highness, please forgive me, Liu Lang got the wrong article. This is not my article."
Prince Yan was surprised. At first glance, he saw that the handwriting of the article was not much different from that of Jiang Fengchuan. But when he looked closely, he found that the handwriting of this article was calmer and steady, and also slightly lacking in strength.
"Whose writing is this?"
Jiang Fengchuan said quickly, "To be honest with you, Your Highness, this is an old piece of writing by my brother. I have been copying his handwriting, so the handwriting is very similar, and Your Highness didn't even recognize it."
Prince Yan suddenly understood, "This is actually Jiang Jieyuan's article."
This is an essay that Jiang Zhuxiu prepared for the imperial examination in the spring.
Prince Yan sighed, "It is worthy of being the first place in the imperial examination. His literary talent is so good, but it is a pity that he died young. It is a mistake for the court and your majesty that he could not come to Beijing to continue his studies."
His Royal Highness Prince Yan sighed endlessly, Jiang Fengchuan was silent for a moment, and said.
"My brother only wanted two things when he was alive. One of them was that I could win the first prize in the imperial examination for him."
"In my opinion, your wish will surely come true this time." Prince Yan looked at Jiang Fengchuan and nodded to him to show encouragement.
But the King of Yan asked again, "What is the other wish of the champion?"
As he spoke, he saw Jiang Liulang pause, "The other thing is my brother's personal matter..."
When King Yan heard him say this, he sighed and listened to him.
"My brother had a fiancée before he died. They were childhood sweethearts and loved each other. Unfortunately, my brother didn't live long enough to marry her. My brother only hopes that after he dies, she can remarry and live a happy life."
As soon as the King of Yan heard it, he knew who he was talking about.
Madam Lu.
He was in charge of the job of clan leader, and the most important thing every year was actually the palace's arranged marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Last year, the Emperor granted a marriage, and unfortunately it was to Marquis Lu and his wife.
Prince Yan didn't speak for a while.
But I heard Jiang Liulang say, "A few days ago, Third Brother came into my dream for some reason."
He said, "My elder brother asked me, sister-in-law, no, why did Lady Lu Hou suddenly come to the capital from Qingzhou to get married. I said in my dream that it was the will of the emperor that she marry Marquis Lu, and my third brother asked me why it was the will of the emperor that was so."
He said helplessly to the prince in front of him, "This is difficult for me. How could Liu Lang know why the emperor wanted to do this? But I didn't respond to what Third Brother said at that time, and I always felt uneasy in my heart."
He said with a helpless look on his face, sighing repeatedly, "I can't wait until I take the palace examination and ask the emperor about this. If the emperor sees me doing this, won't he drive me out of the capital?"
What he said was so funny that King Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Liu Lang, you don't have to ask the emperor. I will tell you."
"Will this be inconvenient?"
The prince smiled. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, he couldn’t say a word, but now nearly half a year has passed.
He said, "The marriage between Marquis Lu and his wife was not the will of the emperor, but was," he smiled and said, "the Marquis Yongding asked the emperor for it himself."
Jiang Fengchuan's heart sank, but his expression remained expressionless.
"When did you ask for it? During the Mid-Autumn Festival?"
He asked, but King Yan just smiled and waved his hand at him, then shook his head.
*
The outer city of Beijing.
When Ruan Gong passed by Mr. Zhang's bookstore, he went in to visit him on behalf of his wife.
Mr. Zhang asked someone to pour him some tea. Ruan Gong said, "Sir, you are welcome. My wife wanted to come and see you in person, but she was injured and could only go out on the Lantern Festival. When my wife is better, she will come to see you in person again."
Mr. Zhang said, "It's important for Jingniang to recover from her injuries. But I have some clues about the eight Song books she asked me to pay attention to."
He said that the appearance of eight Song Dynasty books at the same time led Du Lingjing to come all the way from Qingzhou to Beijing, which was indeed too coincidental.
"But after asking around, I found out that four of them are actually related to the Marquis' Mansion."
Ruan Gong listened attentively, "Sir, what did you say it was related to?"
Mr. Zhang repeated, "It is the Marquis' Mansion, that is, Marquis Lu's Yongding Marquis' Mansion."
Ruan Gong's heart skipped a beat when he heard Mr. Zhang say again.
"You should tell Jingniang first. I have also asked people to find out about a few more books. When all the information comes in a few days, we will understand what is going on."
Ruan Gong inexplicably broke out in a sweat. Following Mr. Zhang's instructions, he walked back to the Marquis' Mansion to find his wife.
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