Just by looking at the expressions of the people around, you can guess how shocked everyone is with their toes. The smile on Jiang Xuening's face was slightly cracked.
She wanted to make sense of it.
But when he thought of Xie Wei, and thought of the price of arguing, Jiang Xuening didn't dare to give away a half-kind smile, and very politely separated the relationship: "I don't know you well, please don't make jokes."
joke?
A woman can change her face faster than turning the pages of a book.
A while ago, he even said, "I'll cover you when you come to the capital".
Xiao Dingfei rolled his eyes, muttering in his heart, but he could figure out a reason for this after thinking about it, and Jiang Xuening was stupid to "collaborate" with him under the eyes of everyone, so he changed into the previous one that everyone was familiar with knowingly. With a shameless and rascal look, he muttered: "Pretty girls in the capital are arrogant and hard to tame!"
Someone behind him changed face.
Linzi King Shen Jie stood at the back, because he had Yan Lin's entrustment to take care of Jiang Xuening, and he didn't know the inside story, so he thought it was Xiao Dingfei who was obsessed with **** and took advantage of others with his words, so he frowned, showing a rare bit of majesty, The voice was cold and authentic: "Miss Jiang Er is the most favored companion of the imperial sister. The first lady in Jiang Shilang's house must be the eldest son. You ladies are going to pay your respects to the queen mother, so go as soon as possible."
Today Shen Jie wore an apricot-colored brocade robe, a golden crown and a jade belt, giving him a refined and handsome appearance.
Jiang Xuening looked past Xiao Dingfei to look at him, and met his gaze.
The other party was also startled, and then nodded slightly to her.
Jiang Xuening's heart skipped a beat.
It's not because there is any deep meaning in this gaze, but when this once familiar face appears in front of him, even though he knows that he has nothing to do with this person in this life, he will still be dragged back to the memory of his previous life by his gaze, giving birth to several Very sad sigh.
In the previous life, Wen Jieyu had a miscarriage and Shen Lang had no offspring, so the throne was finally passed on to Shen Jie, the younger brother of a compatriot from the same mother;
In this life, Wen Jieyu avoids misfortune, if she successfully gives birth to the prince, Shen Lang will have a queen, and it is afraid that Shen Jie will not be able to choose the crown prince.
Does His Royal Highness the King of Linzi in front of you know?
Unknowingly, his fate has been gently swayed by someone else's hand, breathed out, and turned around a big bend?
Jiang Xuening lowered her eyelids in time, did not show any abnormality, just bowed down to salute along with the crowd, passed by the gang of princes and nobles, and headed towards the Compassionate Palace again.
Shen Jie was startled.
He couldn't help looking back at Jiang Xuening, but saw that the second girl Jiang, who had only met a few times, had a graceful figure and a slender back, and she could still be distinguished at a glance even though she was walking among the crowd. Puzzled.
I always felt that there was a deep sadness in that look.
Probably because he was dazed for a moment, did he misread it?
Xiao Shu walked not far away, but her face was still full of anger, and she turned her head as if she wanted to say something to Jiang Xuening.
However, Jiang Xuening had expected it.
The moment Xiao Shu turned to face her, there was already a half-smile on her lips, and she took the lead in attacking Xiao Shu, and beat her up: "I heard that Ding Fei, the son of the Duke's Mansion, had a photographic memory when he was young. He's a child prodigy. I can't imagine that now he's a flirtatious **** when he returns to the capital, why doesn't the government properly discipline him?"
Everyone: "..."
Xiao Shu: "..."
No matter how many words were in my stomach, I was blocked back, and for a moment I even forgot what I wanted to say.
I haven't seen her for almost a month, and when I come back, Jiang Xuening is still the same Jiang Xuening who makes people helpless and gnashing his teeth with hatred!
Jiang Xuening originally thought that she would see Shen Zhiyi when she went to the Palace of Compassion, but when she followed everyone inside to pay her respects, she raised her eyes but found no one beside the Queen Mother.
The old hag had just recovered from a serious illness, and she looked a little sick.
After being greeted by them, he only asked Xiao Shu a few words, and abnormally didn't even say a word to Shen Zhiyi, let alone beat them so that they could read with the eldest princess, so he waved his hand and told them to leave.
After coming out of the Compassion Palace, Jiang Xuening frowned.
Apparently she wasn't the only one who was puzzled.
Zhou Baoying's little bun was even bulging, and she was also a little puzzled: "Why didn't I see Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess today?"
Xiao Shu didn't answer.
However, Chen Shuyi laughed meaningfully: "It's a great event in the palace. Your Highness will soon go to the Huns to get married. I have been making preparations these days. I haven't been out of the palace for almost half a month. Naturally, I didn't come like us. Greetings to the Empress Dowager.”
Zhou Baoying covered her mouth and said "ah".
Yao Rongrong blinked, she didn't know if she really didn't understand or if she didn't understand, she even whispered: "I'm going to get married, but I don't even come to invite the queen mother's mother, isn't it, isn't it a bit inappropriate..."
Jiang Xuening gave her a cold look.
You Yue looked at Jiang Xuening's complexion, and couldn't help gloating: "It is said that you are going to get married, but who doesn't know His Highness's temper? This is probably a petty temper with the Empress Dowager. It's just a matter of family and country, how can His Highness be capricious? well."
She gave a false sigh.
Jiang Xuening only felt itchy in the palm of her hand, and wanted to slap her cheap mouth twice to be happy.
But it is true that today is different from the past.
She suppressed her anger, sneered, and looked at Xiao Shu: "After all, I am His Highness's companion, and I have entered the palace in the new year, should I go to greet His Highness?"
If it was before, with Xiao Shu's all-round and exquisite temperament, she would definitely agree with Jiang Xuening's ambiguity.
However, the imperial decree for Shen Zhiyi to go to Tatar to marry him has been issued.
For the eldest princess who is about to leave the palace and has almost fallen out with the empress dowager and the emperor, even though she was acquainted with her in the past, she weighed heavily, she finally smiled and said lightly: "Now Your Highness is upset, even the Holy Majesty and the Empress Dowager are worried." No, why should I bother?"
This watertight style really disgusted Jiang Xuening, so she didn't even put on a face, and just said coldly: "What excuse are you looking for? Miss Xiao's ability to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages is top-notch. It's fine if you don't go. Who wants to join go?"
She turned her gaze to look at others.
Chen Shuyi always stood by Xiao Shu's side without making a sound; Yao Rongrong lowered her head in fear; Zhou Baoying frowned and looked at Xiao Shu and Chen Shuyi, seeming a little puzzled and embarrassed; You Yue snorted coldly and moved She didn't move, but Fang Miao quickly took out a copper coin from her sleeve, held it in her hand and shook it, closed her eyes and muttered.
Jiang Xuehui's figure moved, but she glanced at Jiang Xuening, thinking that the eldest princess made friends with her, she was afraid that she would not like her very much, so she gave up the idea of going out.
She considered for a moment and said: "I don't have a good relationship with His Highness, so I dare not go rashly. If Sister Ning sees His Highness, please greet His Highness for me."
Jiang Xuening glanced at her, but did not answer.
After waiting for a while, no one stood up or responded, so she sneered and walked away.
After going out for more than ten steps, there was an urgent shout from behind: "Ah, come out, the hexagram is going up in the east! Wait, Miss Jiang Er, noble lady, wait for me!"
She looked back, and it turned out to be Fang Miao.
This well-dressed but full of magic tricks girl held the hem of her skirt, hurriedly ran towards her, raised the copper plate to her, gasped slightly, but smiled mysteriously: " The hexagram told me that I should go with you."
Among Yangzhizhai's so many companions, only Fang Miao seems to be the most unreliable one. No matter what to do, one must ask God for divination before making a decision.
Jiang Xuening's perception of this person has always been quite subtle.
Is it true that people's fate and luck can be counted, or do they just use God to ask divination to find some seemingly irrelevant excuses for their decisions?
She looked at Fang Miao for a moment, finally smiled at her, without asking any further questions, went straight to Mingfeng Palace.
Jiang Xuening was really worried about Shen Zhiyi.
During this time in the palace, Shen Zhiyi took care of her and treated her well.
She is not a heartless person, how can she feel at ease?
It was getting dark.
When she and Fang Miao walked to Mingfeng Palace, the lamps were already lit outside.
In the shadow of the lamp, I saw that female official standing outside the palace quietly wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She hadn't seen her for nearly a month, and she seemed to be much haggard. Who else is it not that Su Shangyi who has always been close to Shen Zhiyi?
Jiang Xuening's heart sank, she stepped forward and bowed: "Su Shangyi, is Your Highness in the palace?"
The corners of Su Shangyi's eyes were still a little red, but when he looked up and saw her, he was a little surprised: "Miss Jiang Er, who are you?"
Jiang Xuening said: "Enter the palace today, come to greet His Highness."
Su Shangyi has always had a stern and expressionless face, but she almost burst into tears when she heard this, and she only led them to the palace, even choked up: "His Royal Highness still talked about girls during the Chinese New Year, can you come and see her?" Your Highness is really kind."
However, Mingfeng Palace seemed a bit dark, with only two or three lamps lit, walking in in winter even gave people an illusion of bleakness.
Jiang Xuening shivered.
A slender figure in front landed on the dark and smooth ground.
Shen Zhiyi stood in front of a screen wearing a light yellow palace dress with flying phoenix patterns. Although only a little bit of brilliance fell on the delicate embroidery thread of the palace dress, it also set off a bit of radiance. , Tianhuang nobles.
She was looking up at the screen, seemingly in a daze.
Su Shangyi entered the transmission.
She just looked back a little, and when she saw Jiang Xuening, whom she hadn't seen for a month, greeted her, she was not surprised, as if she had been normal all this time, and smiled naturally: "Ningning is here."
At this moment, Jiang Xuening felt great grief.
It was because Shen Zhiyi's turned face was so calm, without ripples. There is no longer the savage posture of being playful and even a little domineering and unreasonable in the past, as if he has no interest in anything and has nothing to do.
It was a feeling of burnout.
It's like peeling off the bright colors on the outside of a person, leaving only the miserable grayness inside.
Her guilt and guilt suddenly surged out like a tidal wave: Shen Zhiyi, who had been so kind to her in every possible way, was still trapped in the palace, how could she dare to take advantage of the battle to wipe out the Tianjiao in Tongzhou and escape to the ends of the world?
In her previous life, she had personally seen Shen Zhiyi go to Tatar to marry her.
The envoys and guards who sent off their relatives meandered from the palace to the outside of the city.
But when he came back, he was in a cold coffin!
Jiang Xuening's tears fell down unexpectedly.
However, Shen Zhiyi came over and took her hand. The scar under the corner of her eye was no longer covered with makeup. Under the bright and dark light, it was a scar on her cheek from the precarious society and the bleeding country.
She led her to the screen: "Look, soon I will go to the other side of Yanmen Pass."
It was actually a map, depicting in ink the territory outside Yanmen Pass that belonged to the Tatars.
Jiang Xuening could tell that the small characters on the side were used by foreigners.
Then I remembered that when the Tatars were married, they ordered the envoys to send a map of the Tatars to Shen Lang, and presented it to Shen Lang: the Central Plains has allusions since ancient times, and offering a map is equivalent to offering the territory and land drawn on the map!
Shen Lang is an ambitious monarch.
But let go of a mere royal princess, but in exchange for the submission of the Tatars, why not do it?
It's a pity that the marriage with the Tatars ended up seeking skin from the tiger. After a few years, the Tatars tore up the peace treaty and invaded with troops. The eldest princess Shen Zhiyi, who has the blood of the royal family, was naturally sacrificed under the sword of power...
Jiang Xuening wanted to speak, but couldn't.
Shen Zhiyi then smiled shallowly: "I thought you were coming to comfort me, but I didn't expect that I would shed tears when I saw you, instead I would bother to comfort you. I heard that today is your birthday, so crying like this is okay? Good things are all bad luck because of you crying, this princess will not obey."
She asked the palace servants to come in with wine and food.
Then she took Jiang Xuening's hand and took a look at Fang Miao, she didn't ask the others why they didn't come, she just said: "I'm here, I just have two cups tonight, just to celebrate your birthday."
Fang Miao and Shen Zhiyi didn't get along very well, after all, Yang Zhizhai's companions were much more powerful, and she couldn't get her turn no matter how they arranged, so although Shen Zhiyi didn't pay much attention to her , she didn't mind either.
The palace people set wine and dishes.
She sat down with Jiang Xuening and drank with Shen Zhiyi. He probably knew that the atmosphere was not good right now, so he tried to say some funny things to make the two of them happy, and occasionally they could laugh.
After drinking for three rounds, all troubles are thrown away.
All three were drunk.
Fang Miao had the worst capacity for alcohol, and was the first to lie down on the table.
Shen Zhiyi was also drunk, seeing Fang Miao collapsed, she laughed, and then pulled Jiang Xuening out of the palace gate to see the sixteenth moon, but her feet were fluttering, and she fell down on the steps outside.
The night was heavy with dew, and the steps were wet.
Jiang Xuening drank a lot of wine, passed out for a while, but became more sober after drinking, and sat in front of the steps, and accompanied her, looking up at the cold frosty moon in the middle of the sky.
Shen Zhiyi seemed to feel a little cold, and gently hugged her arm.
A vague voice overflowed: "Ningning..."
Jiang Xuening didn't dare to look back, for fear of meeting a pair of tearful eyes, she only said, "Your Highness, I'm here."
Shen Zhiyi murmured: "I'm afraid I won't be able to see you if I go."
Jiang Xuening looked at the pale moon, allowing it to make her alcohol-stained cheeks pale, and did not speak for a long time.
Tears wet her neck.
It was Shen Zhiyi who was sighing with a smile: "Sometimes I really hate being born in the emperor's house..."
Jiang Xuening trembled, but at this moment there was also great courage in her chest, which made the crazy idea in her heart come out again, tempting her to speak: "Your Highness, if you don't want to make a kiss, I will help you and escape far away." Far away, okay?"
Shen Zhiyi's face was next to her neck.
The man seemed to be drunk, and he let out a vague laugh from his throat: "Well, Ningning took me far away."
Heavy on the shoulders.
It was Shen Zhiyi who finally fell asleep like Fang Miao.
Jiang Xuening sat stiffly in front of the steps for a long time, waiting for the cold dew to wet her eyelashes, Su Shangyi at the side came over to help the drunk Shen Zhiyi, then she took the hand of the palace maid, stood up, and the awakened Together, Fang Miao drank half a bowl of hangover soup, and was sent back to Yangzhizhai by the servants of Mingfeng Palace with a lantern.
Fang Miao's one foot was deep and the other shallow. She didn't know where to go, where to go, and when she got back to her room, she fell asleep.
Jiang Xuening entered the room, but she was still very conscious.
She lit a lamp, washed her face with water, and stood in front of the copper basin where the water gradually calmed down, but stared at the reflection in the basin, lost in thought for a long time.
Until a soft knock on the door woke her up.
"Knock knock."
In the middle of the night, someone actually stood outside her door and asked in a low voice, "Did Miss Jiang fall asleep?"
It was a shrill voice, and one could tell it was an **** from the palace.
There were still drops of water on Jiang Xuening's face, and her pupils shrank suddenly: "Who?"
The **** outside said: "I brought you longevity noodles."
Jiang Xuening was taken aback for a moment.
Longevity noodles?
She was suspicious, she stepped forward and opened the door, and she saw that it was a young eunuch. The face is very raw, wearing the clothes from the imperial dining room, and carrying a food box in his hand, which is also the shape of the imperial dining room food box.
How many people are there who can still order the imperial dining room in the middle of the night?
And in this deep palace, who knows that today is her birthday?
She took the food box from the **** from the young eunuch, feeling dazed and hot in her eyes, she just lowered her eyes and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, Princess Xie is still thinking about it."
The little **** lowered his head in awe, but raised his eyes in surprise when he heard this sentence, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth tightly in the end.
He made no sound and quietly retreated.
Jiang Xuening didn't notice this detail at first, and she didn't think about it too much. She just closed the door, sat down at the table, and took off the lid of the food box.
A simple bowl of noodles, the noodle soup is boiled chicken broth, with a poached egg lying on the side, some tender green onions are sprinkled on the surface, finely chopped shredded pork is mixed in it.
Steaming hot, with a layer of fragrance.
Jiang Xuening picked up the pair of silver chopsticks in the food box, picked them up and ate a few mouthfuls, but couldn't taste what it was like. Only the teardrops fell into the bowl like a broken string, mixed into the noodle soup, and the more you ate, the saltier it became.
In the end, holding the empty bowl, I cried a lot.
Just crying silently.
Sitting in the cold and silent night, listening to the sound of the jade dripping outside, it is a new day.