In the end, Qiu Che did not wait for the next birthday party .
After that day, the bird whistle next door never sounded again -
in order to prevent the bird whistle from being confused with the real bird call, Qiu Che specially added a little ingenuity of his own when making it, so that she was the only one who blew it. Can tell the difference.
But since the first blow, there has never been a second blow.
Qiu Che also asked Yu Ming and Yu Yan to go to the courtyard several times in turn, and the maid named Ying Chun opened the door. Each time, she replied calmly that her master was not feeling well recently and could not go out to meet guests.
Qiu Che didn't believe it.
For a moment, she even thought that Li Qingwu was deliberately delaying the "second meeting" with her in order to confess his identity later.
But since the other party can climb over the wall to find her just to go out, he shouldn't stay behind closed doors for such a trivial matter.
Qiu Che even believed that something happened to her... For example, her contact with Li Qingwu was discovered, which caused some people's dissatisfaction.
Thinking of this, Qiu Che dipped in ink and wrote the word "dissatisfied" on the rice paper in front of him.
Then he casually connected it with the "man behind the scenes" on the side.
When Yuming was changing the lamp for her, he glanced at it and asked in confusion: "What are you writing, Master?"
"What do you think," Qiu Che put down the pen holder, looked at the graffiti-like lines on the paper, and thought, " What kind of person is Miss Yue?"
Yu Ming didn't understand why she suddenly asked him this, but he still replied respectfully: "Her status is extraordinary and should not be underestimated."
"Be more specific," Qiu Che said, "Don't be nervous. , Just to test how well you have learned in investigation recently. "
Yes, she not only hired ordinary teachers, but also many strange people, and spent all the few taels of money she had left, and now she is empty-handed. .
But Yuming Yuyan didn't know this. After all, telling her would undermine her majesty as a master.
Yuming thought for a while after hearing this, and said softly: "Little monk Liaochan said that Miss Yue is a noble person from the palace. From the tone of her voice, she seems to have fallen out of favor. Everyone avoids her. She even came here. She also has to be guarded at all times, and she always wears a hat, so she doesn't show her true face... I think she looks more like a young concubine."
"But a concubine of such age in the palace cannot show her true face. "Yu Ming thought for a moment and shook his head cautiously, "I can't think of anything."
Qiu Che tapped his fingers on the table from time to time, his eyes far away, as if he was wandering, and he seemed to be remembering, and said softly: "... hibiscus noodles, willow. Waist, nothing can be more enchanting. *"
"Are you familiar with this term?"
Yuming looked puzzled: "I don't understand... I hope you will make it clear."
"A year ago, Princess Lehe's hairpin ceremony. , someone painted this poem and gave it to the princess, a picture of a beautiful woman holding a fan. The Holy Dragon was delighted. "
It was at that palace banquet that Princess Lehe was named the first-class eldest princess, and she was honored and favored for a time. Unparalleled in the limelight."
Also because of the widely circulated picture of a beautiful woman holding a fan, Princess Lehe became known as the most beautiful woman in the capital.
Qiu Che said, glancing at Yu Ming who was thinking hard beside him: "It seems that you are not familiar with the rumors in the capital... Let me test you again. Who is the one who gave the princess that picture of beauty?"
"Yang " Qiu."
Yuming responded quickly this time and said softly, "The third son of Wang Zhao, who has a different surname, is known to be talented. He came to Beijing to take the exam and won the position of the third flower."
She paused and added: "Speaking of which, I have seen him before. " Everyone of Mr. Yang praised him for his gentleness, elegance and grace. Recently he was forced to leave the capital, and because of the banquet in Qujiang, many scholars were dissatisfied... In addition to Mr. Wu, there are few people in the capital today. Mr. Yang is the most popular."
Qiu Che heard the slight anger in her tone, smiled slightly, waved his hand and said: "Let's not talk about this for now, let's continue with my question - do you know why I told you this?"
Shaking his head in shame: "I don't know."
"Don't you think," Qiu Che raised his eyebrows slightly, "Does Miss Yue look like Princess Lehe?"
Yuming was so shocked that he almost knocked over the candlestick with shaking hands: "Master!"
That was the eldest princess who was so favored as never before! How can you make any assumptions in a place like this!
"...I see you're nervous."
Qiu Che looked away calmly, straightened up, and said, "But it's just a casual comment, don't take it seriously."
Yu Ming thought to himself, how could this be a casual comment?
Who doesn't know that the current emperor treats the eldest princess as if she were an eyeball? She is famous for her knowledge and education.
What if others heard this?
What's more, how could the eldest princess come to such an inaccessible place? Still being guarded so tightly?
Her master is good at everything, but he talks and does things too freely.
Yuming shook his head in his heart and quickly left to study the lesson he was going to take today.
Qiu Che sat there and looked at the rice paper for a long time, then reached out and crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the wooden wastebasket next to it.
do not care.
See you next time we meet.
It was a pity that they had no chance to meet again in the next half month. Instead, Qiu Che and Mrs. Jun would meet each other from time to time and gradually became familiar with each other.
Qiu Che often chatted with her, and the conversation was very enjoyable. Mrs. Jun also became close to her. She looked at her as if she were a descendant of her family, very kind and happy.
Yu Ming was always by her side. One time when the two separated, she couldn't help but ask: "Master, don't you think it's strange?"
Qiu Che said without changing his expression: "You tell me."
"This old lady is not very old. , but he eats fast and prays to Buddha all day long; he wears plain clothes and linen, but he is very elegant, as if he comes from a wealthy family... but there is no one around to serve him."
Yu Ming said seriously and logically: "It shows that his identity is not simple - "Is it really possible for the young master to be so close to her?"
Qiu Che patted her shoulder gently and said happily: "It's a great progress."
Yu Ming: "..."
I don't know why, Huan Huan's mother looked at it. daughter.
When he came back to his senses, he saw Qiu Che waving his hands and saying, "But it's not big enough."
Yu Ming tilted his head, expressing confusion.
"What you said is all right, but think about it again - this Ganyu Temple is the permanent residence of royal patrons. Who has not seen the abbot? The thirty-strong internal bodyguard of Yue Girl's courtyard who has an unknown origin. ", she was guarded tightly by two maids, and the abbot was only polite to her."
"But he was respectful and obedient to this lady."
Seeing Yuming thinking deeply, Qiu Che mentioned. He raised his lips and pointedly said, "Sometimes, just because there is no one to take care of you, it doesn't mean you have no status."
"Do you think in this Ganyu Temple, who is more powerful when someone is taking care of you, or when there is no one to take care of you?"
...
Then After that day, Qiu Che still chatted with Mrs. Jun from time to time, and their relationship had improved so rapidly that Mrs. Jun called Qiu Che "Xiao Qiu".
However, Yu Ming never raised any objection and followed calmly behind him to listen.
Until one day, when the two of them were walking past the closed courtyard, Qiu Che suddenly asked: "I wonder how Madam Jun and Miss Yue met?"
"Most of the people who come and go in this temple to pray for blessings are only a few people, coming and going. , naturally we know each other."
Madam Jun said with a smile, "Why, Miss Yue hasn't mentioned it to you?"
Qiu Che shook his head: "Miss Yue has been feeling unwell recently, and I haven't seen her for a long time... Madam, does she know? What's her situation?"
Mrs. Jun teased, "Are you concerned about her?"
Qiu Che smiled and did not deny it.
Seeing that she didn't respond, Mrs. Jun also lost her interest in teasing and said: "I don't know about that, maybe I am really unwell..."
Then as if she just remembered, she asked: "Ah, by the way Xiaoqiu "Don't you need to be on duty?"
Qiu Che shook his head again and smiled bitterly: "To be honest, my father is very dissatisfied with me. He drove me here, but there is a law in Daxia. When there is no order from the emperor, I should follow my father's orders, and I don't dare to move around at will."
Mrs. Jun chuckled and fiddled with the Buddhist beads in her hand: "It's just the law of the old dynasty, why should you follow it so carefully?"
Qiu Che still said. He sighed and shook his head without saying anything, as if he was very helpless.
Not far away on the horizon, storms were rising.
...
"Mother, this is the new gardenia tea that was brought to the temple today."
"Put it there."
"Yes."
A fine mist filled the room with the fragrance of tea.
The abbot asked: "Amitabha...is the donor worried today?"
Mrs. Jun dropped a piece on the chessboard and did not deny it. She thought about it and said with a smile: "There is one thing, I don't know whether I should do it. Shanyu, you and me. My old friend, how about you make a decision for me?"
"Let me hear what the donor has to say," Shan Yu said. "I will never refuse if I can help."
"I met a very interesting kid," Jun. The lady said, "I think he might be the person I'm waiting for...but I don't know if he can give me the results I want."
"Do you think I should take a gamble?"
Shanyu said. : "Is there a better candidate?"
Mrs. Jun thought for a while, thinking of the memorial that had been sent to her in many places and was finally handed to her bedside. She raised her lips and shook her head: "For so many years, I have only waited for this one."
Shanyu Then she asked: "Does the donor still want to wait?"
Mrs. Jun thought for a while.
Finally, she dropped her last son, blocking Shanyu's last path.
"I don't want to."
She gave the answer decisively, and then said in a relaxed tone, "A kind gift is indeed a kind gift. I can figure it out in just two sentences."
"The donor had already planned it, and the poor monk just reminded me a few words." Shanyu lowered his eyebrows and looked at the chessboard in front of him. He clasped his hands together and said warmly, "Amitabha... the poor monk lost."
"Then let's stop here today." Mrs. Jun glanced at the tea beside her and raised her head again. Looking out the window at the clear sky, she smiled and said, "The sky in Beijing is about to change."
...
Near the end of the month, Qiu Che, who had been allowed to be free for nearly a month, suddenly received a letter from her father.
The letter said that it was the Queen Mother's birthday banquet in three days' time, and Qiu Che was asked to attend by name. She was asked to pack her things and return home as soon as possible.
In the past month, Yuming had developed a good habit of asking questions immediately, and quickly expressed his confusion: "Why did you specify that the master should attend the Queen Mother's birthday banquet?"
Qiu Che packed up one more thing for himself The wooden carving hand of the box said casually, "Maybe it's because you heard that I look good?"
Yuming Jade Inkstone: "..."
Qiu Che looked up and couldn't help but smile: "What expressions are you looking at? I'm not talking nonsense. "Didn't you hear that many young ladies from high-ranking families were invited to the Queen Mother's birthday?"
Yu Yan suddenly thought of something and widened his eyes: "Is it true?"
Yu Ming and Qiu Che both looked at her: " What is true?"
Yu Yan scratched his ears: "I went out to practice martial arts two days ago, and I heard at the city gate that His Majesty was already making plans for the marriage of His Royal Highness... I thought it was just gossip among the people. I didn't expect..."
I didn't expect that it would be the Queen Mother's birthday party at this time, and so many young ladies and young masters would be invited to attend.
Among the princesses, there was only one eldest princess who had not yet left the imperial palace and had just grown hair.
Don't blame her for wanting to go here.
Yuming looked surprised and glanced at Qiu Che subconsciously.
A question suddenly occurred to her.
It was because Yuyan went out to practice martial arts that he overheard other people chatting at the city gate.
In the past month, her young master has been staying at Ganyu Temple all day long. He should be even more secluded than the young ladies in other people's boudoirs.
How could I know as soon as I received the letter that many young ladies from other families were invited to this birthday banquet?
Unless...
unless she had expected it.
As expected, Qiu Che was not surprised. He picked up the baggage without changing his expression and said calmly: "Let's go."
Yuming: "...Where are you going?"
Qiu Che glanced at her and joked: "To attend the ceremony of the prince and princess. Concubine selection banquet.
"..."