Little Cardamom

All the way back home, quietly. The crescent moon of Qixi Festival is shallow and round, as quiet as water. Ming Tan wore a veiled hat and followed Jiang Xu from a distance of Zhang.

At first, what Jiang Xu said was to send someone to take her back to the mansion, but somehow, after leaving the Bieyu Tower, it was him who sent her off in person.

Although it is a gift, it is more like a guide.

The two kept their etiquette and stayed far apart, and except halfway, Jiang Xu found that Ming Tan couldn't keep up, so he stopped for a while, and he didn't look back, let alone say a word.

Ming Tan endured all the way without making a sound, and when she walked to the back door of Jing'an Hou's Mansion, she felt that her legs were about to break, and the soles of her feet were burning and painful, so she couldn't help it, and cursed softly in her heart, "Reckless man! "

After all, no one would have guessed that His Royal Highness King Dingbei would give someone away by leaving.

Not to mention the carriage, she didn't even have a horse. It was quite a few miles to walk from Bieyulou back to Jing'an Hou's Mansion. Today, she walked the distance that usually takes several months.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for sending me off."

Standing at the door, Ming Tan endured the soreness in his legs and gave a blessing from a distance, thanking him softly.

Jiang Xu nodded slightly and was about to leave.

Ming Tan couldn't help shouting again: "Your Highness..."

"What's the matter?" Jiang Xu paused.

Ming Tan originally wanted to explain the misunderstanding tonight, but it was really hard to say, and the words turned into: "It's nothing, just... At the time of the Shangyuan, it was His Highness who rescued me and sent me to the Marquis Mansion The back door, Ah Tan thought of it, and was very grateful."

Because of this sentence, Jiang Xu raised his eyes, and asked a few more words: "How does miss know that I was the one to take action on the night of Shangyuan?"

Ming Tan: "...?"

Last time in the forest, she asked, "Husband, is it you?"

Didn't he hear?

Jiang Xu naturally heard it, but at the time he thought that the fourth lady was just surprised by his sudden appearance.

Ming Tan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: It's good not to have heard, good not to have heard. After all, the degree of embarrassment of the "husband" is no less than that of reading the Bihuo album today.

She hurriedly explained: "Because the prince used the same belt when he rescued people in the forest last time. Although the color is different, the material weaving method and the dark pattern on it are the same. If I guessed correctly In other words, I used the mist-woven brocade newly tributed in Suzhou in the past two years. As for the dark pattern, the one in Shangyuanye used black gold silk thread, and the one in the forest last time was black silk thread, and the embroidery method used was scattered. Needles, scale-engraving needles, ice-pattern needles... Weaving mist brocade is very rare, and the annual tribute is no more than a dozen pieces, which are usually royal tributes, and the palace rewarded father with one piece, so A-Tan has seen it."

Jiang Xu paused.

He didn't even know that a belt was so delicate.

Miss Ming Jia has researched deeply about this.

Ming Tan also realized that she had talked a little too much, and when it came to the belt, she even cheated her future husband.

Thinking of this, the bases of her ears burned even more. Today, this one has not been explained yet, but the last one has been pulled out. She is really ashamed to face her future husband again, and hurriedly said: "In short, thank you for your help, and thank you for your help. See you off tonight. A Tan will go in first, and His Highness should pay more attention when he returns home."

All the way back to the courtyard from the back door, the burning heat on Ming Tan's face did not subside, until Su Xin took a cold water handkerchief to cover her face before she calmed down a little.

After washing up and going to the bed, Ming Tan was tossed and turned in ice brocade wrapped in ice, and did not fall asleep all night.

To die is to die!

She is obviously a dignified and quiet lady, why would she repeatedly lose face in front of her future husband! With such an image, there is really no need to live! After marrying, he will be virtuous and virtuous to take a few concubines for him, please avoid the ones that hinder his eyes, it's better! And when he said "Miss is very good, this king doesn't think so", he definitely didn't want to embarrass her too much, but in his heart he already felt that she was a shameless and half-reserved girl!

She grabbed the corner of the quilt and covered her face, while annoyed at her stupidity, she still did not forget to lament why her future husband is so kind.

The little girl who was watching the night outside was a newcomer, Ming Tan was startled all night, and she didn't know what to do, so she bit the bullet and went to invite Su Xin in the middle of the night.

Su Xin came in cloaked clothes, just in time to hear Ming Tan humming twice, she knocked on the door lightly, and asked worriedly: "Miss? You are a slave, what's wrong with you?"

"It's nothing, you all go and rest."

Ming Tan emerged from the brocade quilt, and replied sullenly.

Ming Tan said "it's nothing", but since the Qixi Festival, the whole person has become sluggish, and he is not like before, tossing about something with high interest every day. It's useless to toss, anyway, she feels that this image has fallen again and again, and it seems that there is no way to get it back.

After Qixi Festival, there are Zhongyuan, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Winter Solstice, Longevity, and New Year's Eve. Big days came one after another, but Ming Tan didn't go out much, only during this period, Shen Hua and Ming Chu got married one after another, and she had to show her face as a younger sister.

Mingchu married to Hezhou, and couldn't return to Ning for three days, that is, if she married far away, she would be innocent if she couldn't see it.

Shen Hua was married in Jing'an Marquis Mansion since she was married, and she married in Jingzhong. Gui Ning naturally also returned to Jing'an Marquis Mansion. Seeing that Shen Hua returned to Ning with a good complexion, and her husband was very considerate, Ming Tan felt a little worried again.

Shen Hua could see that something was wrong with her, but when she asked, Ming Tan didn't know where to start, he couldn't say that he had already lost face in front of his fiancé before he got married, so he just stopped talking.

Autumn is passing and winter is coming, and the firecrackers sound again, saying goodbye to the old and ushering in the new. The wedding that Ming Tan had been looking forward to day and night is getting closer.

The closer the wedding date is, the more lively the Jing'an Hou Mansion will be.

In the beginning of spring, the Ministry of Rites hired Da Ding on behalf of Dingbei Wangfu. There were six servants who came to roll the name. They sang from morning to night, and their voices became hoarse. The people outside Nanque Street changed one after another, only to watch the betrothal gifts being carried into the Marquis of Jing’an like flowing water. government.

In recent years, it's not that there are no princes and concubines in Beijing, and the emperor's daughter is married, but I have never seen such a battle.

When the betrothal gift was finished at dusk, the head servant wiped his sweat and hoarse voice, handed over the gift list respectfully, and said with a smile: "Master Hou, madam, this dowry gift list is divided into two parts, one is for Prince Si Yi The order was made, and the other one was added by Dingbei Prince's Mansion, which is a total of one hundred and twenty-eight lifts, which shows that the prince attaches great importance to the princess and the Hou's mansion."

Ming Tingyuan stroked his short beard, his face was flushed, and Mrs. Pei also had a smile on his face, he hurriedly asked the servants to serve tea, and then personally stuffed the servants with the Xijin who had worked so hard to come this way: "Your Highness Thanks for your hard work."

This dowry list is indeed extremely thick, and it holds a lot of weight in their hands. They also thought before that the Dingbei Palace would add 48 or 68 levies to the prince and concubine ritual system, how could they expect such a silent If there is no sound, it is one hundred and twenty-eight lifts! It really gave Ming Tan enough face, and it also gave them Jing'an Houfu enough face.

When the princess of this dynasty comes down, the dowry is one hundred and eighty-eight lifts according to the regulations. They originally thought about preparing a one-hundred and twenty-eight dowry for Ming Tan, even if it is extremely beautiful, but the Dingbei Prince's Mansion is so sacrificing, so their Jing'an Hou Mansion will not increase the dowry to one hundred and sixty-eight I can't even justify it.

The people in the mansion were full of joy, and the betrothal gifts filled the back room of the main courtyard. Ming Tan went to see it, and he was also a little happy in his heart. It seems that her image in her future husband's mind is still saved!

It's just that after the joy, Ming Tan fell into worry again.

In the past two days, Bai Minmin came to look for her, and the two chatted about going to Bieyulou on Qixi Festival, and she suddenly remembered something that she hadn't even thought about before—

It was wrong for her to go to Bieyulou that day.

Then he decided to go down with His Royal Highness, right?

Why is he here? And that day when the door was closed to thank the guests, he was still in the building, so he must be one of the distinguished guests in the building. He was able to enter Shuiying's boudoir without even knocking on the door, presumably because he was very familiar with him! Thinking about it carefully, Shui Ying took the initiative to make a good relationship that day. Could it be that she knew that she was the future Dingbei Princess and wanted her to pass through the door and allow her to enter the mansion? The more Ming Tan thought about it, the more chilled he felt.

Her Ming family, Ah Tan's eyesight is so poor?

And see a good-looking man who looks for flowers and asks willows?

The divorce period is less than half a month, and the wedding dresses and tiaras of the prince and concubine have been delivered to the Jing'an Hou Mansion, but Ming Tan still looks depressed, no matter how happy Ming Tingyuan and the Pei family are, they feel that something is wrong up.

One day at lunch, seeing Ming Tan's little bird stomach was full with just a little bit of everything, Pei Shi and Ming Ting looked at each other, and thoughtfully asked about the half-night discussion between the two of them the night before. : "A Tan, why are you dissatisfied with this marriage?"

"My daughter is not dissatisfied."

Ming Tingyuan also put down his chopsticks, pondered for a long while and said: "A Tan, you can speak your mind, if you don't want to marry, now that you are hired, as a father, you will lose your position and rank..."

"...?"

"Daughter doesn't want to marry, and father doesn't need to lose his official title."

She was indeed extremely hesitant. She has a good impression of His Highness King Dingbei, but the doubts between him and Shui Ying are in her heart, and she can't get over it no matter what.

It's just that no matter how difficult it is, the Holy Majesty's gift of marriage doesn't mean that you don't marry if you don't marry, you are willing to lose your official title, but the Holy Majesty is afraid that your entire family will be killed.

Hearing what she said, Ming Tingyuan felt relieved, and didn't say anything further. He originally wanted to say, "Now that I've been hired, as a father, I can't solve this marriage even if I lose my official position and title." "Come on.

Ming Tan misunderstood, thinking that her father was going to disobey the holy will for her, and was quite moved in his heart. She thought that if she really misunderstood His Highness King Dingbei, for the sake of the Hou Mansion, if she married her wholeheartedly, it would be regarded as the complete family friendship.

She was so moved that she used half a bowl of rice extra, and kept adding more vegetables to Ming Tingyuan. Ming Tingyuan happily picked it up, but just touched his nose with a guilty conscience.

On the eighth day of March, it is suitable for marriage and good luck. It was the auspicious day chosen by Qin Tianjian and the Ministry of Rites for His Royal Highness King Dingbei. During this period of time, Jiang Xu went north again to handle military affairs, and did not return to Beijing from Qingzhou until the seventh day of March, the night before the wedding.

Under the care of Uncle Fu, Dingbei Palace has already been decorated with lanterns and festoons, and the mansion is full of red.

He got off his horse and entered the mansion, and Uncle Fu's hanging heart finally settled down. Uncle Fu had thought earlier that the prince of his family might really do something to miss his wedding because of military affairs.

Knowing that he was going back home tonight, Shu Jingran came here to wait for him and warmed a pot of wine. Jiang Xu pushed coldly: "No need, this king has to go to Dali Temple Prison."

"...?" Shu Jingran laughed, "You will get married tomorrow, and you are going to interrogate the prisoner tonight?"

"It's just marriage, it has nothing to do with interrogation." Jiang Xu said lightly.

Shu Jingran was very incomprehensible: "Since you are married, you should at least respect Mrs. Zu. Are you going to marry in the mansion tomorrow with blue eyes? Or, you also have to put on this cold face when you bridal chamber, or put the new bride Madam, lay aside and catch up on sleep first?"

Jiang Xu was indifferent.

Shu Jingran continued: "It was only two days ago that I learned that the Fourth Miss of the Ming family recently, because you appeared in Bieyulou that time, seemed to have misunderstood your affair with Miss Shuiying. Worrying. Didn’t you go to the fourth lady of the Ming family last time? You didn’t even explain why you appeared in Bieyulou? Since she is kind to you, if you want to marry her and treat her well, you have nothing to say about Bieyulou. Is it right? Besides, interrogating these trivial matters is more important than not being able to get married tomorrow, I see that it is better for you to rest tonight."

The last time Shu Jingran was in Bieyulou, he also ran into Bai Minmin by accident, and a few days ago when the Pingguo government held a Cuju banquet, he met Bai Minmin again.

Bai Minmin asked him side-by-side, the last time he went to Bieyulou with His Royal Highness King Dingbei, what was the matter, and he guessed three points of the reason.

After Jiang Xu heard this, he didn't know what he was thinking, and he didn't show any expression.

After a while, he walked out suddenly, and Shu Jingran called him from behind, but he ignored him.

Shu Jingran shook his head, thinking that this fellow was not allowed to enter, so he really went to Dali Temple to interrogate prisoners again.

At night, the Jing'an Hou Mansion was still glowing red, even the lanterns were slightly blush, showing the joy of a big wedding. Ming Tan stayed up late, laying down by the window, staring blankly at the moonlight.

She is getting married tomorrow.

Will that man be her lover?

She was a little certain before, but now, she is not so sure.

She felt a little tired and closed her eyes to rest for a while.

But the tip of the nose suddenly filled with a light sandalwood fragrance.

She opened her eyes slowly, first she saw a jade pendant, and then slowly raised her eyelashes—

"...?!"

Must be hallucinating.

She subconsciously rubbed her eyes.

"Miss is not mistaken, it is the king." The man stood in front of the window and looked down at her, "I took the liberty to come here because I wanted to tell the lady that Bieyulou is the secret sentry building of Dingbei Wangfu. This king and Shuiying are the same There is no personal relationship between subordinates. Tomorrow, the prince will come to the Jing'an Hou Mansion to greet his relatives, and the lady can rest well."

The man's voice was neither high nor low, and he was tall and tall. Standing in front of the window, he actually matched the moonlight like water.