Zhurou

Chapter 249 Drawings

Wei Chengyan felt dizzy. He felt as if this was the case, as he had expected. But he also felt as if this was the case, how could it be so unexpected.

He had already taken his seat, with seven or eight plates of snacks and fruits in front of him. They were sweet, sour, fragrant and spicy, with a full range of colors and aromas. They were completely different from the bland ones he had had at previous banquets. They were all prepared to suit his appetite, but for the first time since he was born, he had no appetite.

Wei Chengyan's mind was not on the food at all. He wanted to look up at Zhao Mingzhi, but felt that it was not appropriate. He wanted to lower his head again, but felt that it was not appropriate considering the way they had been together before. He was stunned for a while, and suddenly reacted. He turned around and whispered again: "Second brother, did you know this a long time ago?"

However, after he asked for a while, he saw that his second brother did not answer, but just stared at the opposite side.

Wei Chengyan couldn't help but call him "Second Brother" again.

Pei Yong had just come back to his senses, but he did not answer. He looked at him, then pointed at Wei Chengyan's feet. He did not speak to him, but only said to the person opposite him: "It rained a lot and the ground was wet. Wei San's feet got wet. Your Highness, please excuse me, but I wonder if there are any extra boots in the palace?"

Wei Chengyan widened his eyes, staring at the boots in confusion, thinking to himself: When did I become so valuable?

He wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. He saw Xiao Zhao opposite him calling a palace maid and told her something. Then several eunuchs came over.

Before Wei Chengyan could react, he was already being escorted to the east wing.

For a moment, the only idle people in the hall were a few eunuchs standing in the corner.

Zhao Mingzhi was originally standing, and when the person walked away, he subconsciously turned around and looked into Pei Yong's eyes.

The two of them were separated by two and a half tables, and by the space between two tables. They looked at each other for a long time without speaking.

When the palace maid brought tea, Zhao Mingzhi sat down first. Pei Yong, who was sitting opposite her, saw her move and sat down as well. He was speechless for a while. After the people left, he just looked at her and sighed softly, "How could you lose so much weight?"

His voice was lower than usual, but his eyes were very gentle.

Zhao Mingzhi didn't dare to look him in the eye again, subconsciously lowered his head slightly, and replied softly: "Actually, it's fine."

Pei Yong smiled, was silent for a moment, and then said: "If you don't recruit me, I may not be able to wait any longer."

This statement can be investigated in depth, or it can be ignored. However, when Zhao Mingzhi heard this, his hand was touching the table. He didn't know whether his palm was in contact with the wooden table, or his pulse and heartbeat were connected to the wooden table. He became more aware of his heartbeat being very fast after the illness.

Although she had been ill for a long time, they had been apart for even longer. In fact, he had plenty of time to think it over, but he just couldn't make up his mind.

Pei Yong did not need Zhao Mingzhi to reply, and continued: "You were seriously ill at the time, and I could not get any news from you. I did not know your condition, let alone your situation. We were separated by distance before the battle, which was a last resort. After returning, it should not have been necessary. I really don't want to do this again."

"I know you have many concerns in your heart, and I won't ask anything else now. You said before that if there were no other obstacles, you could just look at yourself. You have your own heart. As for my heart... you already know my heart."

He paused, looked into Zhao Mingzhi's eyes, and said, "You are sick and weak, and there are only palace maids to take care of you in the inner court. You have a younger brother, who is still young after all, and cannot be as cheap as me. It is better to settle the matter as soon as possible, so that you can be legitimate in the future. Even if you can't move out for a while, I can take care of you slowly."

Every word he said was limited to the two of them. Zhao Mingzhi had no ability to refuse, let alone the intention to refuse. He just whispered, "Second brother, there is no rush for this matter. We should consider it in the long run."

Seeing Pei Yong frowning slightly, she continued, "There are many old friends in Jingzhao Prefecture, and it is also where my second brother's family is. Should we just ignore them?"

Pei Yong smiled and said, "The world is so big. I have hands and feet. Where can I not go? Can I only stay in the northwest corner?"

He continued in a slow voice, "Officials in the court are transferred after serving for a long time. I have been in Jingzhao Prefecture for many years. The day before yesterday, Zhang Yi came to Xiying, and I had a meal with him. During the meal, he said that he was born, grew up, and served in different places. But if you ask him now, he would like to live in a large prefecture or county after he retires."

"If you ask me, I was born and raised in different places, and I have been to many places. This time I came to the capital, and I just feel that the capital is also very good. If there are other things in the future, I may go to other states. I am also eating the salary of the emperor and worrying about the emperor. Whether there is Your Highness or not, I am just following your orders..."

"But, if I can...I will naturally feel something different in my heart."

At this point, Pei Yong gently pushed the teacup in front of him aside, turned sideways, and leaned forward, one hand on the edge of the table, the other hand on the armrest of the chair, and asked: "Your Majesty summoned me to the palace last time and said that he would let me join the Privy Council - the emperor's golden words, there should be no falsehood, right?"

Zhao Mingzhi felt very uncomfortable after hearing what he said, so he could only say: "Second brother, don't talk nonsense. Why do you have to get involved here? If you step in, even if you climb out, you will be covered in dirt."

He added: "Besides, everyone in the two governments has their own plans. You and I are of such status. If we are used as bait, you..."

Pei Yong just shook his head and said, "I don't care what others think, and you don't care about me either. Just ask yourself - if someone from the two governments proposed it and took the initiative to run around for you and me, would you still have anything else to worry about?"

Zhao Mingzhi was stunned for a moment, really unable to figure it out. Although he felt that the person opposite him was joking, he felt that he would not joke about such a thing, so he could only say: "Second brother, this is just a current trouble. There is still a future..."

"That's you and me coming."

Pei Yong said softly.

Zhao Mingzhi was stunned for a moment.

"If you nod, then we will be together in the future. If you shake your head..."

When Pei Yong said this, he just turned the chair he was sitting on slightly to the right, leaned forward, looked at Zhao Mingzhi at eye level, and said, "I don't want you to shake your head."

Zhao Mingzhi said firmly without any hesitation, "I won't shake my head, nor will I let my second brother suffer alone - it's just that given the current situation, we still need to wait a few years until the situation becomes clear... Can my second brother wait?"

Pei Yong shook his head and said, "I don't want to wait."

He looked much more relaxed at this time, and said in a low voice: "Now there are enough soldiers in the palace, so I can't be a guard even if I want to. Since you won't shake your head, I won't wait any longer."

Zhao Mingzhi didn't know how not to wait. She naturally trusted Pei Yong very much, but the current situation in the court was completely different from the battlefield before. When she wanted to ask again, she heard the ceremonial officer at the door report that before the voice fell, someone had already walked in - it turned out to be Zhao Hong who had just finished the imperial lecture.

Since Zhao Hong had arrived, Zhao Mingzhi naturally could not say anything more and had to send someone to urge Wei Chengyan.

As for Wei Chengyan, he was led to a side hall by the eunuch and sat down. Several people came and went in front of him, and many pairs of shoes of different lengths and sizes were brought out from somewhere to help try them on one by one. He still felt a little nervous.

He changed his new shoes again and again, not knowing whether the new shoes were comfortable or fit his feet. His mind was in a mess.

Because he was frightened earlier, he was a little at a loss. When he came to his senses, he didn't think it was a big deal. He just couldn't help thinking: It turns out that my second brother already knew it, but why didn't he tell me!

As soon as I changed my mind, I thought again: Even if my second brother knew about this matter long ago, how could he tell me on my behalf? If he really told me, wouldn't Xiao Zhao be embarrassed?

Then I thought: No wonder she said that she was born with good looks. This was not an exaggeration. Looking back now, it was actually self-deprecation.

But he still thought about what he had seen in the court when he had returned to the capital for some time, and also about what she had said on the way to Jingzhao Prefecture. He felt very pitiful and respectful. For a long time, he just sat in the chair and sighed deeply.

He tried on several pairs of shoes and changed into a set of dry clothes. He thought that he had been delayed for so long and the two people outside had not been able to start the meal and must be very anxious. So he held his head high and walked out of the door quickly. However, he was stopped by two eunuchs who came in a hurry and were taken back to the hall.

When everyone gathered and sat down, Zhao Mingzhi said, "Today is just a private dinner. I went to Jingzhao Prefecture before, and I was grateful for the help of my third and second brothers. They said that we would have a dinner together, and we have been waiting for a long time. Now we are finally together. I will use tea instead of wine to toast you."

As she spoke, she stood up.

Seeing this, Zhao Hong, who was standing by, also took the teacup in front of him and stood up.

He never regarded himself as the so-called emperor. In fact, he had nothing to do with these four words along the way. At this time, he followed Zhao Mingzhi to thank Pei and Wei, and offered tea to Pei Yong, saying: "Thanks to..."

He hesitated for a moment, and without asking any questions, he took the initiative to follow Zhao Mingzhi's example and said, "Thanks to Brother Pei's pills and prescription, my sister recovered so quickly."

Pei Yong drank the tea in front of him and said, "I also want to thank His Highness for saving me. If the blueprint of the Divine Arm Bow fell into the hands of the thieves, the consequences would be disastrous and we might not have won today."

After that, he also paid tribute to Zhao Hong, saying: "It is only because of your majesty's trust that I can lead the troops and employ people."

The meal lasted for a long time. Zhao Mingzhi had prepared several kinds of good wine, but he only gave Wei Chengyan the light-flavored ones. By the time everyone was full, he was already a little tipsy. During the meal, he took advantage of his drunkenness to talk about the customs and people of various places he had seen over the years, the food and drinks, and many strange people and stories.

He talked eloquently and could talk about a dish, a glass of tea or a glass of wine for a quarter of an hour without stopping. Especially when he heard Zhao Hong and Zhao Mingzhi say that today was just a private banquet, he didn't know whether they were thinking about returning to Jingzhao Prefecture. In fact, he didn't quite agree with it in his heart. As expected, he sat at the same table with his good friend and his younger brother, and talked and acted without any restraint. He had a very enjoyable meal.

When the banquet was over, it was already dark outside, so Pei and Wei said goodbye together, leaving Zhao Mingzhi and his brother alone in the hall.

Zhao Hong didn't drink, just a small cup of wine, but he listened to Wei Chengyan talking for a long time, and he was a little excited. After the people left, his face was still flushed, and he asked Zhao Mingzhi: "Sister, the last time I summoned Brother Pei, he said that he would obey the court's orders. Do you think he would be unwilling if I kept him in the capital and put him in the Privy Council?"

Zhao Mingzhi hesitated for a moment, still not daring to reply easily, and only said: "My sister has old friendships with the two of them, so it's not easy for me to reply on their behalf. But if I were him, it would be unwise to stay in the capital."

Zhao Hong pursed his lips, his face showing disappointment, and sighed: "I also know that it is difficult to force someone to do something, but I really think that he has a very good character and is a very good person. If he can stay in the capital..."

He did not continue talking here. He just sat there quietly, sighed, and was lost in thought for a while before he said, "During the imperial lecture today, Prime Minister Zhang mentioned the matter of Second Brother Pei. He said that although he had received the house I gave him, he had not actually moved in, and was still staying temporarily in the government inn. I guess he did not want to stay any longer..."

"Mr. Yang Zhongcheng also said last time that it would be best to keep both of them in Beijing. In this way, the difficulties in the northwest can be solved. But although I am stupid, I know that this cannot be done. If we force them to anger, the northwest will be unstable."

Zhao Mingzhi said, "There is no need to act so hastily. Pei Yong has only been in the northwest for a dozen years. From what I heard, he was not opposed to sending someone from the court. It was just that the wrong person was sent and there were many conflicts, so it became ugly."

"Wait another year or so. When you are more familiar with the court and have new people you trust, you can select them and send them to Jingzhao Prefecture. Just like you said before, if one year doesn't work, then ten or eight years will do. You are still young, so what is there to worry about?"

Zhao Hong responded sullenly, but said: "But sister, I don't want to wait that long..."

The familiar words made Zhao Mingzhi's hands and feet feel numb.

Zhao Hong continued in a muffled voice: "I'm just trying, I'm just asking. If it really works, he doesn't need to stay in the capital for too long. If it doesn't work in a year, half a year is fine. There are many factions in the court, and everyone has their own plans. As long as someone can help suppress them and stop them from controlling me every day, leaving a little more room..."

Zhao Mingzhi didn't say anything.

She let out a long sigh, feeling sad in her heart. She wanted to stop thinking about it, but she couldn't help thinking about it.

The brother and sister were looking at each other in silence when Wang Shu, the eunuch who had escorted Pei and Wei out of the palace earlier, finally came back.

This person slowly came to the front to reply, and at the end, he said to Zhao Mingzhi: "Let your highness know that I escorted Pei Jiedu out of the palace, but his followers were guarding outside the palace gate and specially sent a scroll over. Pei Jiedu asked me to bring this scroll into the palace and present it to your highness."

Zhao Mingzhi looked down and saw that indeed, Director Wang was holding a long box in his hand.

She already had some feelings in her heart, and instead of asking anyone to put it away, she reached out to take it, took out one of the scrolls in front of Zhao Hong, and slowly spread it out on the table beside her.

There was more than one copy of the scroll, and each page had pavilions, towers, flowing water, trees, etc. painted on it, which was a lot of drawings.

Zhao Hong didn't know what was going on, but he was curious and leaned over to take a look. After thinking for a while, he couldn't help but point to the street name written on the lower left corner of the top picture and said, "This place looks familiar, I seem to have seen it somewhere before..."

Wang Shu was standing at the back, trying to speak several times but swallowing his words back.

——How could it not look familiar? Isn't this the house you just gave to the governor Pei Yong?