National Beauty

Guo Xiao took Song Jianing and set off overnight, first by the waterway and then changing the carriage, rushing in the daytime, and then changing the waterway at night, almost around the clock, and in just half a month, he was already thousands of miles away from Beijing. Guo Xiao expected that Zhao Heng would not say anything, and chased troops north to search for the Qidan aliens and could not find him, and there was no local government ordered to intercept him, so the farther away from Beijing, the more he felt at ease.

But Guo Xiao is very guilty, because in the past half month, she has been rushing around without thinking about eating and drinking, and she has lost weight. Her cheeks were originally plump and tender like tofu, but now she is so thin that she is only 19 years old and has skin. Although delicate, but without the agility and anger in the palace.

On the road, she caught a cold and caught a wind chill. Now she is cured, but she still seems to be sick. Whether on the boat or in the carriage, she is curled up in the corner, staring at the window blankly, motionless, occasionally teardrops. Rolling from the corner of the eye. She didn't talk to him, deliberately ignored him, Guo Xiao tried to persecute him, but when she raised her head, she just cried silently, and he was cruel.

She is depressed, Guo Xiao knows, but he is rushing to get rid of any hidden dangers of being intercepted by the chasing soldiers. He is running around every day, unable to make her happy, and there are no conditions, so he can only buy some notebooks and needles for her. Pass the time, and then try to hide outside during the day, so as not to obstruct her eyes.

When entering Fangzhou, you should take the waterway. At about noon, Guo Xiao took the food box and walked to the boat canopy. He knocked three times. There was no sound inside, which meant that he did not stop him from entering. Guo Xiao raised the heavy cotton curtain and bent over. And into. The inside of the boat canopy was slightly dim. She was wearing the lavender jacket he bought, sitting in front of the window and embroidering the sachet quietly, without lowering her eyelids from start to finish.

Guo Xiao slowly approached, moving his eyes from her pale and haggard face to the sachet in her hand. She has embroidered the white satin for several days. What she embroidered is pale pink lotus and green lotus leaves. There are a few red carps swimming in the water, from one to two, then three to four, two big and two small.

Such as she and Zhao Heng, such as Zhao Zhao and You brother.

When she embroidered the carp, the tenderness in her eyes overflowed like water, and she saw Guo Xiao's jealousy. He didn't give the children who were jealous of her, and he was not the man who was jealous of her embroidered on her purse. Guo Xiao wanted to grab the purse and throw it away in the river, but he didn't dare to cry for fear that she would continue to lose weight.

People are already by his side, as for her heart, she can't be anxious.

"Eat first, don't get tired of your eyes." Guo Xiao sat opposite her and said, looking at her.

Song Jianing's eyes moved slightly, and his gaze swept across his clothes, and then he put away the sachet that was about to be embroidered. Just after putting it in, a pair of chopsticks was handed over.

Song Jianing looked down and took it.

It is common to go to restaurants by land, and most of the food eaten by boat and river is fish, and today is no exception. In fact, Song Jianing has no appetite for fish, delicacies and seafood, but he is forced to eat some food every day to survive. If Guo Xiao forced her, Song Jianing would definitely commit suicide. Guo Xiao didn't need to force her, Song Jianing would want to live, and only when he was alive could he hope to see his children again.

I can't think about it. When I think about it, my eyes become sore. Song Jianing silently suppressed the soreness and bowed his head to eat.

Guo Xiao looked at her, a bowl of rice, she only ate a half bowl of carefully cooked braised fish, she also only used two or three bites, the fish was so small that there were no thorns.

Are you tired of eating?

"We will arrive in Bazhou in four or five days. Once we enter the land of Shu, we can slowly drive on, and you will be patient." Putting down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, Guo Xiao calmed down.

He regarded Shu land as his own territory, but Song Jianing regarded Shu land as a tiger's mouth. He only smiled bitterly when he heard that, he picked up the needle and thread and went to the bed to embroider. Guo Xiao stared at her for a while, shook his head, and continued to eat his own, quiet boat canopy, only a slight chewing could be heard, only the rushing water outside the window.

After eating, Guo Xiao looked at her again, and happened to see her tilting his head to bite the colored thread, and his expression was natural and peaceful.

Guo Xiao's eyebrows softened. He knows that her taste is light, and the food has been cooked according to her taste for the past half month. He likes spicy food, but as long as she sits where he can see, Guo Xiao eats deliciously. She has been married to the Shouwang Mansion since she was fourteen. , In the past half month, Guo Xiao slept the most peacefully and lived the most comfortably.

After the meal, Guo Xiao went out carrying the bowls and chopsticks.

Song Jianing finally raised his head. The wind was strong on the river and the boat canopy was covered with a curtain. Guo Xiao passed by step by step. The gap between the curtains was dark and light, and finally the heavy footsteps of the man stopped on the other boat canopy. Song Jianing's heart beat faster, and quickly took out a white cloth belt that was hidden next to him. On the cloth belt, a line and a half of small characters have been written, the color is dark red, Song Jianing pursed his lips, and without hesitation, pierced a finger again, and when the drops of blood came out, he inscribed with blood. Needlework can also embroider characters, but the speed is too slow, and there is not much time left for Song Jianing.

While watching out for movement outside the boat canopy, he wrote with trepidation. After finishing writing, Song Jianing was sweating all over his body.

After repacking the cloth belt, Song Jianing hung the newly embroidered sachet around his waist, then lay down, and fell asleep in the regular hull turbulence. Beware of the tension for several days, she is really tired, she has to relax and accumulate energy for the evening.

Light sleep is also sleep. When you fall asleep, your ears are not working well. She doesn't know anything about someone coming in.

Guo Xiao didn't want to do anything. He just came in and took a look. He went to the bed and saw her sleeping soundly. The frowning eyebrows deepened when she was not awake. Guo Xiao's heart was slightly relaxed, afraid that she would be cold, so he shakes away. Cover her slowly with a layer of quilt. Covering her waist and noticing the carp sachet on her body, Guo Xiao paused, but he didn't care.

After covering the quilt, she moved gently, as if she would wake up in the next moment, Guo Xiao panicked inexplicably, and left her quietly, leaving her to sleep alone.

Song Jianing had a heavy sleep this time, and the boat was about to dock at dusk, and she was still asleep. The bed was warm, and it was easy to catch cold when disembarking after waking up, so although Guo Xiao couldn't bear to wake her up, he entered the canopy a quarter of an hour in advance, sat on the side of the bed, and called her softly. When she was asleep, she finally covered her cheeks with a light blush, soft and charming, arousing love and affection.

"An An..." Guo Xiao leaned over to call her, with his unconscious smile at the corner of his mouth.

Song Jianing woke up all of a sudden, opened his eyes, the light was on in the boat canopy, and the dim yellow candlelight swayed. In front of him was a familiar and handsome face. For a while, Song Jianing couldn't tell whether this was a past life or this life, until Guo Xiao smiled at her. Black eyes stared at her tenderly. Song Jianing remembered that this was Guo Xiao, her step-brother Guo Xiao, Guo Xiao who would laugh at her, not the cold and majestic son of the previous life who only regarded her as forbidden.

"Get up, we will disembark in a while." She was dazed, Guo Xiao explained in a low voice.

Song Jianing nodded, just about to support herself, Guo Xiao suddenly held her shoulders and helped her sit upright. Song Jianing slept with his clothes. There were several layers of winter clothes inside and out. When he woke up, he didn't have to worry about revealing anything. Only one green silk was scattered. Guo Xiao helped her bring her comb, Song Jianing turned her back and combed it twice, feeling his persistent gaze, Song Jianing sighed and said, "Big brother, I just dreamed."

This was the first time she took the initiative to speak to Guo Xiao after being kidnapped, apart from begging Guo Xiao to let her go.

Guo Xiao squeezed his hands in excitement, looked at her side face that was flushed from sleep just now and asked, "What dream?"

Song Jianing combed her head gently, without hiding her nostalgia: "Dreaming that when we were young, we watched lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival. We siblings surrounded our grandmother and accompany our grandmother to guess lantern riddles. The second and third elders are the best at playing, so draw on paper first. Let us look at the answer to the painting and guess the answer again. I remember that there was a picture of Chang'e flying to the moon, and the second brother painted it very special..."

She bit her lower lip lightly, seeming to be thinking about how to describe it euphemistically, but Guo Xiao refused to give face to her cousin, turned to her, and tried to speak naturally: "The paintings he painted are particularly ugly, no one guessed right, and the mystery is revealed. , You little girls smiled so much that your grandmother wiped your tears.

Song Jianing couldn't help but nodded, holding long hair in one hand and comb in the other, tilting his head to snicker.

Guo Xiao looked at her greedily.

If Song Jianing felt it, he put away his smile in time, lowered his head, and said with a lonely voice: "Big brother, grandmother misses you very much, so let me go back, saying that you were taken away by the Liao soldiers and kept in prison all the time. Our brothers and sisters meet again. , You find a chance to take me to escape, and then I go back to the palace, you go back to the palace, let's continue to be brothers and sisters, don't make grandmother worry about them?"

Having said this, Song Jianing once again looked at Guo Xiao pleadingly.

Guo Xiao had no smile on his face for a long time, and his black eyes stared at her faintly, as if to see whether she had really had the dream, or made up a lie, just to find an excuse to convince him.

Song Jianing was seen by him as putting down his hand and comb, motionless, like a poor woman waiting to be punished.

Guo Xiao didn't say anything and left on his own.

Song Jianing looked back, and when Guo Xiao left the footsteps far away, she secretly took out the sachet of blood in her arms and stuffed it into her waist, tightened the mouth of the bag, combed her hair unhurriedly, and put on a thick cloak. After a while, the boat stopped and Guo Xiao came in to pick her up. Before Song Jianing went out, Guo Xiao helped her cover her hood.

Zhushan County is not far from the shore. Guo Xiao will stay in the county seat tonight, starting tomorrow morning, all by land.

In the carriage, Song Jianing sat by the window and entered the county town. It was very lively outside the car. Song Jianing kept his head still, and looked out secretly, like a curious girl, finally a little more angry. When Guo Xiao saw it, he couldn't help forgetting the unhappiness in the canopy, and reached out to help her open the curtains to make it easier for her to see.

It coincides with the Shangyuan Festival and there is no curfew in the county town. The people bring their families out to admire the lanterns, and the colorful lanterns reflect the bright moon in the sky. Song Jianing was dazzled and stared at the night view outside. How many opportunities do women who live in the courtyard of the deep house have for a night tour?

Since she liked it, Guo Xiao suggested in her ear: "After dinner, I will accompany you to the street to watch the lights."

Song Jianing immediately retracted his gaze upon hearing this, and refused with a calm face, "No, I'm tired."

It was obviously a lie, and Guo Xiao didn't believe it. The carriage drove into the yard he had arranged in advance. After dinner, Guo Xiao once again proposed a night tour. Song Jianing didn't listen, Guo Xiao grabbed her wrist to pull her away, Song Jianing reluctantly agreed to come down, and went out with him.

On the street, Song Jianing gradually showed interest in the lamp market. Guo Xiao observed her words and expressions. She took one more look at which lamp shop, and he took her there, trying his best to make her happy. But Song Jianing watched ten lantern shops in a row, and the street was almost finished, and finally he was firmly attracted by a carp lantern.

Guo Xiao was a little unhappy, because he knew that the carp in her eyes represented the brothers and sisters of Zhao Heng and Zhao Zhao.

But she rarely liked it, so Guo Xiao still paid for it and bought the lamp for her.

Enough shopping, the two walked back under the moonlight. Guo Xiao was also reticent and tried his best to lure her into speaking. She ignored him, and Guo Xiao shut up and looked at her quietly. The moonlight on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was very beautiful. She was carrying a lantern that she bought for twenty cents, her soft face was hidden by the edge of the furry hood, looming, like a fairy descending to the earth.

Suddenly, Song Jianing stopped.

"What's wrong?" Guo Xiao asked unexpectedly.

Song Jianing patted the cloak around his waist, his expression changed drastically, and when he opened the cloak, the carp sachet she was wearing was gone! Seeing Guo Xiao, Song Jianing turned around and walked back to find the missing sachet. Guo Xiao didn't like the sachet at first, and lost it just to his liking, so he grabbed her arm and frowned and explained, "The night market is rampant. It must be followed by someone. Where can I find it?"

Song Jianing looked at him coldly, like an enemy.

Guo Xiao smiled bitterly, and let go of his hand and said perfunctorily: "Go and go, go and find, I'll be waiting for you, but don't blame me for not reminding you, I can take you away, and others can do it, I promise not to touch you, others may not I will pity and cherish jade."

Song Jianing refused to listen, lost the carp lantern he bought, and turned back to find the sachet. However, she didn't move out of this alley. She stood alone in the narrow street, looking like she was scared by the endless darkness. Arrived. Guo Xiao knew that she didn't dare to go far, and deliberately left her for a while, then strode up to coax her back.

Sent her to the door of the upper room, and seeing her sullen and unhappy, Guo Xiao said meaningfully: "An'an, maybe, this is God's will."

God is destined to be separated from Zhao Heng, Zhao Zhao, and You, and God is destined to be his.

Song Jianing went in without looking back, closing the door with his backhand.

Guo Xiao continued to stand in the corridor for a while before going to the next room.

Song Jianing leaned against the door, closed his eyes and prayed.

The light market is still lively, the vendors chanting loudly to attract the passing pedestrians, and gradually fewer pedestrians, the vendors began to close their stalls. Deng Liuzi is one of the lamp vendors. He is twenty this year and has no father and no mother. He was adopted by a master who was a lamp since he was a child. Today, the master is lying in bed to recuperate and he comes out to sell lamps alone.

Almost all the lanterns were sold out. Deng Liuzi bent over to close the stall and put up the wooden planks. Suddenly he found a delicate sachet lying on the ground, which was used by a woman. Deng Liuzi has no daughter-in-law yet. For some reason, seeing the sachet, he dazzled the young lady who came to see the light today. Although her face was blocked by the hood, she was only turned around by the light. A profiled face that illuminates hooked away his soul.

But compared with Mei-Shen, Deng Liuzi hoped that there was silver in the sachet, excitedly unzipped the sachet, grabbed it inside, and pinched out a white cloth strap, which seemed to have something written on it. Deng Liuzi knew a few words, walked to his lantern, raised the cloth tape, and saw two lines of untidy red letters written on it:

Send the sachet to the Palace of Shou Palace immediately, and you will get a thousand liang of silver. If you don't send it, you will be punishable.