Xu Yuanming, the assistant minister of the East Palace, felt that something might have happened that he didn't know about.

For two days in a row, he only saw Tan Zongzi, who had a handsome face and a calm face, and his few words were reduced by 30%.

Others may not be able to see it, but Xu Yuan can still notice it if he works with him tomorrow.

If it hadn't been for the smooth progress of the pacification work after those who caused the riots were caught, he would have doubted whether the eldest son of the Tan family was so silent, whether they were here to appease the candidates, or to scare them... ..But

Xu Yuanming tried to ask a few questions, but he didn't find out what happened. He asked the people around him and found that he didn't hear that there was anything going on in the court or the Tan family.

This confused Xu Yuanming.

However, it can be said that most of the credit for catching those lurking evil spirits belongs to Tan Zongzi. This will appease the candidates, and Xu Yuanming feels that he should say a few more words on his behalf.

Although their voices are a little hoarse...

compared to the days when they first arrived, the poor scholars waiting to go to Beijing to take the exams were obviously much quieter. Even He Guanfu and others felt that they seemed to be drinking three bowls of chicken every day in the past few days. Blood is normal, and some pros and cons are completely ignored. I just think that I can't stop and I have to make a fuss. But now that I have calmed down and thought about my previous actions, I feel cold sweat breaking out frequently.

Acquire literary and martial arts and sell them to the emperor's family.

These scholars all want to pass the Jinshi examination in the future and show their ambitions. They are really unwilling to accept that the only opportunity to move up from a humble family is cut off by a noble family.

Xu Yuanming knew their worries and repeatedly said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince cares about a poor family, so this situation will never happen."

In this way, all the scholars gradually felt relieved.

However, Xu Yuanming saw that the eldest son of the Tan family had not improved at all. When the two of them were eating in the evening, he kept wandering away after picking up two chopsticks.

Xu Yuanming was much older than Tan Ting. He knew that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince valued this Tan Zongzi very much and would definitely stay by his side in the East Palace when he returned to Beijing. At that moment, he thought about finding out what happened to this Tan Zongzi, so he personally paid tribute to him. A bowl of porridge was placed in front of him.

"If Yuan Zhi has a bad appetite, you can drink more porridge and water."

After the two became familiar with each other, they changed their names.

Tan Ting regained his composure and thanked him.

When Xu Yuanming saw this, he smiled and asked.

"Our errand went smoothly. We will be able to return to Beijing soon. Why does Yuan Zhi still look worried?"

After asking this, he did not mean to treat Tan Ting as an outsider. Tan Ting paused slightly, helpless. Shaked his head.

"Brother Xu, I'm worried about it. There's just something I haven't figured out yet."

Xu Yuanming also guessed that it was just a minor matter. There were no outsiders here. Xu Yuanming was crazy about how many years Tan Ting was, so he said, "Yuan Zhi doesn't Do you want to talk to me?"

He said this, and saw the young eldest son thinking about it very seriously, and then turned to ask him a question.

"Brother Xu wrote a letter to his family. Did everyone at home reply?"

What is this question?

Xu Yuanming said: "Of course we have to reply. Did Yuan Zhi send a letter home and there was no reply from home?"

No way, haven't you heard anything happened to the Tan family?

Seeing that he didn't understand what he meant, Tan Ting didn't know what to say anymore. He picked up the porridge and drank two sips of water before saying another sentence.

"I heard that Brother Xu, his wife and daughter are not in the capital?"

Xu Yuanming said yes, "My father and mother are in poor health, and my daughter is very young, so Zhuo Jing stayed in her hometown to take care of them... It is very hard to say."

After he said this, Tan Zongzi asked another question.

"I wonder if Brother Xu can write a letter to Ling Zheng alone?"

Xu Yuanming was stunned for a moment.

"This...that's not true, but family letters are for everyone in the family, why do you need to write a separate letter?"

Generally speaking, Xu Yuanming's behavior is what most people do. To put it bluntly, husbands and wives are also family members. , with the family letter, it seems that the things they want to talk about are covered.

Tan Ting thought silently at these words.

Although he wrote a letter home alone, maybe his wife thought so because of Xu Yuanming and felt there was no need to write more?

Tan Ting silently ate a spoonful of porridge water.

In fact, she still sent him a separate message, which can be regarded as a separate response besides the letter at home.

Thinking of this, Tan Ting felt relieved after being depressed for several days.

That must be it.

She wasn't used to letters alone, so she didn't write a reply.

Tan Ting tried to convince himself.

Tan Ting also served a spoonful of porridge to Xu Yuanming, "Brother Xu is right, you have worked hard these days."

These words touched Xu Yuanming's heart.

He continued, "It's not hard."

But his voice was a little hoarse...

At that moment, Xu Yuanming saw that his eyes were slightly brightened, and he was secretly surprised.

Could it be that Tan Zongzi was depressed because he wrote to his wife and her wife did not respond?

This...

Xu Yuanming scratched his head, not quite understanding.

Is this the only thing that made the eldest son of the Tan family mute for several days?

However, it was not easy to ask questions about the affairs of other people's couples. Instead, someone from the East Palace sent a letter. In a few days, after the emotions of the candidates stabilized, they would be able to return to Beijing.

Tan Ting also thought about returning to Beijing and went to the market after dinner.

After walking a few steps, I spotted a pair of white plum hairpins.

He asked someone to wrap it up carefully and hold it in the palm of his hand. Yu Yuqing had walked a lot in the past two days, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.

Well, I'm going back soon.

Beijing.

Xiang Yi saw the letter that had fallen into the water and dried on the desk. The handwriting was blurred.

She was silent for a moment.

After she finished writing the letter that day, she waited for Tan Jian to return a letter home to that person and have it delivered.

But the next day, when Yang Zhen took her out and went to the Silver Mansion to pick up the headgear for the Lin Mansion's Spring Banquet, he happened to meet a girl in the Silver Mansion.

The girl was tall and well-proportioned, with a bright and charming appearance. She was not as young as the ordinary girls who were waiting in the boudoir. She looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, but her actions and gestures were everyone's.

Xiang Yi didn't recognize her at that time, and just felt that she must be of unusual origin. However, Yang Zhen recognized her and introduced her to her while meeting the person.

"Sister-in-law, this is Miss Cheng."

Xiang Yi paused slightly.

It turned out to be Cheng Yunxian, the eldest daughter of the Cheng family who had just given birth to a filial mother three years ago.

Xiang Yi met with her.

Cheng Yunxian stayed behind closed doors for three years due to filial piety towards his mother. Recently, the period of filial piety ended and he came out.

Although Yang Zhen knew her, she was not familiar with her and had no more words to say.

However, Miss Cheng Cheng Yunxian heard Xiang Yi's identity and actually looked at her twice.

However, she didn't say much. The purpose of coming to the silver building was the same as that of Yang Zhen, which was to pick up the jewelry she would wear for the spring banquet in a few days.

The three of them didn't know each other well so they didn't say much. Soon Xiang Yi and Yang Zhen returned home.

On the way, Xiang Yi was always quiet, but Yang Zhen didn't know what she thought of and giggled twice.

Xiang Yi asked her why she was laughing, and she tilted her head.

"Sister-in-law, tell me, isn't it funny? No one in Beijing knew that my sister-in-law and eldest brother were engaged before, but they actually considered betrothing their daughter, who was waiting for marriage, to eldest brother.

"I remember my mother said that there were many people in Beijing at that time. Everyone thought that if the eldest brother, a young eldest son of the family, did not marry the third lady of the Li family, he would marry the eldest lady of the Cheng family... The eldest daughter of the Cheng family just now had a higher voice than Miss Li San. Woolen cloth! "

The more Yang Zhen said, the more funny she felt, and she held her stomach.

"They didn't even know if the eldest brother had a marriage contract, and he was going to marry his daughter. He was from a wealthy family. How could he be so stupid? It's so funny! "

Yang Zhen always felt that the big families in Beijing were old-fashioned and boring, so she laughed at them again.

Xiang Yi glanced at his younger siblings, and when he saw that his younger siblings disliked those big families for being stupid, he also smiled along with her.

However, it may not mean that the person is stupid...

"Okay, stop laughing, be careful of your stomach ache. "

Yang Zhen already had a stomachache. She held her stomach and lay on Xiang Yi's arm.

"Sister-in-law, I heard that the Lin family invited many girls to a banquet in spring, and Miss Cheng was also among them. I don't know what kind of family can marry Mrs. Cheng. Miss. Speaking of which, Miss Cheng is not young yet. I wonder who has a suitable husband who can marry a top-notch noble girl like her. "

Xiang Yi did not answer this question.

Only the sound of the carriage gurgling on the street kept ringing in the carriage.

The two returned home not long after.

When they got home, Tan Jiangang went to the house of old man Qi . , after visiting the old man,

Xiang Yi asked about the condition of the old man and the old lady.

Tan Jian smiled and said, "God bless me, the old man can speak now. The old lady said that the Lord of Hell disliked him and expelled him from the hell gate." out. "

As soon as these words came out, Xiang Yi couldn't help but recite Buddha silently in his heart.

Yang Zhen asked, "I don't know what's going on, brother. How long will it take for him to come back? "

Tan Jian said he didn't know, but called Xiang Yi.

"I've written the letter home, and my sister-in-law may have a letter as well. I'll have someone send it to my eldest brother as well." "

Xiang Yi had already written a reply, nodded, and went back to the room to get the letter with her seal.

But she had just picked up the reply to the old man, and the man she met in the silver building, Mr. Cheng, The young lady's bright appearance suddenly appeared in her mind.

Her hand holding the letter paused, and then the letter slipped from her fingers and fell straight into the basin,

getting soaked .

Xiang Yi looked at the letter whose ink had faded in the water, and stood in front of the basin in silence for a long time.

She didn't write another reply that day, she just sent a message and that was it

. .Now

, the letter was already dry.

Xiang Yi looked at the letter curled like a dead leaf, sighed secretly, and put it deep in the drawer in a

quiet and deserted courtyard, in a deep study.

The person sitting in front of the desk put the letter aside and laughed slowly.

Seeing him smiling, he became a little nervous

. It was settled neatly, but it's really troublesome..."

The person at the top did not comment on this, but the person at the bottom looked at the two letters that were set aside and asked again.

"They are what for? How are you doing? "

The person at the top directly handed the letter to the person at the bottom and motioned for him to read it himself.

The man looked at it and frowned.

"If we send someone again, I'm afraid that Tan and Xu are already on guard. It is impossible for those poor scholars to cause any trouble, but may expose even bigger flaws.

He said, "We can't send any more people. " "

However, the person at the top shook his head.

The people below were surprised, "This...you really want to send people to encourage scholars to cause trouble..."

"No. "

The man at the head spoke slowly, his eyes falling into the distance.

"There is no need to cause trouble anymore. Let's look for other opportunities in the future. But there is one person, I think, it is best not to keep him. "

He didn't say who it was, but as soon as he finished speaking, there was a dead silence in the deep study.

The man standing next lowered his brows.

"Are you going to attack again? "

The man at the top smiled again. He didn't know where he was looking, and he didn't know whether he was talking to the people below or to himself.

"The wild fire will not burn out, but the spring breeze will blow it again. I should have figured this out a long time ago..."

The person at the bottom was silent for a moment, but only for a moment, and nodded again.

"I understand. "

After saying that, she turned around and left the dark study, and quickly headed out.

The Tan family.

I don't know if she went back to the capital where Yang Zhen grew up. Her appetite increased a lot. She ate two bowls of rice at noon, and Xiang Yi He was afraid that she would have food, so he asked her to go for a walk in the garden in the afternoon.

Tan Ting was not at home, so Tan Jian had more things on his shoulders. Xiang Yi naturally had the responsibility to take care of his younger siblings.

But Yang Zhen felt that she had nothing to do, so she was gone for a few days. They felt it was too hot as soon as they walked, so they stopped under the pavilion by the pond. The maid brought

some millet for them to feed the fish. This time, some fish jumped out of the water, splashing all the water in the pond.

The handkerchief was used to wipe the water splashed on Yang Zhen's body, and she couldn't help but think of the scene that night.

At that time, the fish splashed out of the water and landed on her wrist. Before she could take out the handkerchief, the old man saw her. He held her wrist in his hand and wiped away the water droplets for her...

As soon as his mind wandered, Yang Zhen asked,

"What are you thinking, sister-in-law?" There are no drops of water on my wrists. Why does my sister-in-law only wipe my wrists? "

Xiang Yi: "..."

She coughed and put away the veil.

But Yang Zhen looked at her carefully and suddenly asked her a question.

"Brother hasn't been at home for several days, does sister-in-law want to Did he think about scratching his heart? "

Xiang Yi almost choked.

He was scratching his heart and lungs...

"My brothers and sisters are overthinking. "

After she finished speaking, she turned around and was about to sit at the small table in the pavilion, but Yang Zhen grabbed her hand.

"Did I really think too much? Why don't I believe it? "Yang Zhen blinked at Xiang Yi.

"Even if it's not heart-breaking, I will always miss my eldest brother." She thought, "It seems that my eldest brother has been away from home for a few days."

It has indeed been a few days.

However, I heard that he caught some people with ulterior motives who took the lead in making trouble in several prefectures and counties in Gyeonggi Province. After that, there were no more troubles.

He managed things beautifully and smoothly, and he should be back soon.

Maybe he'll be back before the fifth day of the Lunar New Year...

Xiang Yi's thoughts wandered again.

But with the same words, Yang Zhen thought of a different place.

"In a few days, it will be the spring banquet of the Lin Mansion. I really don't like the banquets given by those ladies and ladies. The etiquette is so weird and troublesome. If you don't say the right thing, you will offend someone."

She said, pulling on the item should.

"Sister-in-law, let's find a secluded place to relax when the time comes. I'm only nice to you and not to anyone else!"

Xiang Yi laughed.

Maybe it happened that Mrs. Lin also wanted her to find a quiet place and not get involved...

Xiang Yi smiled lightly, and then slowly put his smile back.

Yang Zhen went on to talk about a lot of intrigues and banquets in Beijing over the years. She said that she couldn't figure it out every time, and she had to tell her about it after she got home, so that she found out.

"Everyone has such evil intentions, and it's annoying to death."

Xiang Yi gave her a helpless look.

There are not many people who can be as simple and happy as she is.

After the two of them finished feeding the fish, they returned to the front yard.

As soon as he reached the door, Tan Jian walked over quickly.

Xiang Yi's eyelids twitched and he asked directly.

"Did something happen?"

Tan Jian was so anxious that his mouth was dry and his face was a little pale.

"Brother and the others encountered a strong group of bandits on their way back to Beijing! Currently, the whereabouts of eldest brother and Mr. Xu are unknown!"

As soon as these words came out, Xiang Yi's feet really shook.