Xu Lingru raised his wine glass to clink glasses with everyone one by one, and drank it down in one gulp, "Everyone, I have something to say to Brother Wen, I'm sorry."

His attitude is humble and his manners are polite. Most of the people around him don't feel slighted.

"Then don't bother Brother Xu." A student drank the wine in his glass and said with a wink.

The others looked at each other left and right, and left Xu Lingru's side in the same way.

"Brother Xu is not proud of his status. It is really admirable. He is indeed the son of Xu Ge."

Hearing what this person said, others nodded in agreement.

Wen Yu was chatting with a Jinshi who was also in Luoquan at the same time. The two talked about the delicacies in their hometown, especially the Baihua cake which was in season at this time, which aroused their lovesickness.

It's been a year and a half, and the teacher's last letter was still in February, and she can go home after the Ministry of Officials selects officials.The corners of Wen Yu's lips curled up involuntarily, and her eyes were full of nostalgia and smiles.

Overwhelmed with homesickness lingering in her heart, Wen Yu sketched the picture of returning home in her mind.

But at this moment, the breeze blowing on his cheeks disappeared.

There was a person standing in front of her.

"Brother Wen, I've admired you for a long time, and I'm Xu Lingru. I've admired Brother Wen for a long time, but I wonder if Brother Wen will give me a chance to make friends with you next time?"

Holding the wine glass, Xu Lingru said sincerely.He stood there, looking at Wen Yu from top to bottom, the sunlight pierced through the gaps in the trees, and scattered spots of light floated on his body, covering his undisguised arrogance.

Before anyone could say anything, the Luoquan fellow next to him gave Xu Lingru a flattering smile and left.

Wen Yu's eyes were slightly pensive, and his attitude on the day of the palace examination, compared with the obvious friendliness today, he was a little confused about the meaning of this person.

However, if he was satisfied here, it was almost showing everyone that she and Xu Lingru might not get along.The officialdom is no different. She doesn't have any right to speak at the moment, and she doesn't want to increase the possibility of being targeted in the future by those who want to curry favor with the Xu family.

These thoughts were only for a moment, Wen Yu stood up: "Brother Xu is too famous, you are the Dingyuan this time, why not talk about face, it is a pleasure to make friends with Brother Xu, naturally I am not happy enough. Please sit down."

Xu Lingru just sat down, raised his wine glass, and touched the glass in Wen Yu's hand, making a pleasant and crisp sound.

There was a little playfulness in his smile, which was instantly covered up.

The banquet of the Qionglin Banquet occupied most of the royal garden, and almost all the people who deserved the title sat near the two of them.Even if the people around are not looking at this place openly, most of them are paying attention to every move here.

The reason is Xu Lingru's family background that can be called cheating.

A few meters away from the two of them, sat Xu Weizhi and several of his fellow countrymen.

"I didn't expect Wen Yu to be so lucky. Not only did he push you out of the first rank, but he also got Xu Lingru's favor. Brother Xu, you are at a loss."

One person took a sip of wine, looked at that place, curled his lips with some disdain, leaned to Xu Weizhi's side and whispered to him: "Brother Xu, some of our fellow villagers know your knowledge and talent best.I will try Huiyuan. If this time, it's a pity, you said that Wen Yu is a yellow-haired kid, and his face is a little more handsome, how can he compare to you."

It sounded like he was trying to defend Xu Weizhi, but everyone at the table knew that this person was just using this to vent his inner dissatisfaction. After all, he would rank among the top ten in the exam, and the palace exam would become the back row of the top two., almost fell into the top three.

Xu Weizhi's hand holding the wine glass was getting stronger and stronger, the wine in the glass was shaking, and when it was about to be poured out, Xu Weizhi put the wine glass on the wine table without spilling a single drop.

His expression was calm, and his tone was calm and unwavering: "You are wrong."

The man opened his mouth in surprise at how decisive he was.

And Xu Weizhi looked over at Wen Yu, feeling an inexplicable sense of superiority that everyone was drunk but I was alone.

Wen Yu was not treated differently by Xu Lingru, on the contrary, Xu Lingru didn't like Wen Yu.On the day he rode his horse through the streets, he clearly saw Xu Lingru's contempt and disdain for Wen Yu.

Thirty years in the cold window, he is already forty-two, the provincial examination Jieyuan, the general examination Huiyuan, but the palace examination - three yuan in a row, three yuan in a row, through the ages, how many people can there be, he could have it at his fingertips, but now he misses it because of a yellow-haired child.

But Xu Weizhi subconsciously or intentionally forgot that even without Wen Zhen, he would not be the champion.But Xu Lingru's family background and the deterrence brought by Yu Xiuyue's stern face made him turn all his inner resentment to Wen Yu, who had the least threatening appearance.

Xu Weizhi's eyes on Wen Yu had become calm, and he glanced at Xu Lingru again, maybe he knew what to do.

Wen Yu drank a lot of wine, her eyes were sober, but her cheeks were light red, adding to her drunkenness.

Xu Lingru had always maintained a polite attitude during the conversation with him just now, and his admiration for her in words seemed to be the same as what he said, because he appreciated her talent, so he wanted to make friends.

But after just a cup of tea, the person left.Because Xu Lingru's task was completed.

Wen Yu leaned against the tree, looked around inadvertently, and saw the envious and jealous eyes of some people around him, his heart sank, and he sneered helplessly, but this guy's goal has been achieved.

It's strange, the content of Xu Lingru's conversation with her was empty and boring, and extremely perfunctory, but from outsiders, it seemed that he had an attitude of sympathy for him.What ability does she have to make Xu Ge's son, the number one scholar in the dynasty, think so much.

After Xu Lingru left, Wen Yu's surroundings became even more lively.

From the Imperial Garden to Shoukang Palace, you need to pass through three palaces.

The eunuch who sent the message was Zhao Xie, the chief executive of the palace, who was single-handedly picked up by Xie Yu.

Xie Yu's eyebrows were full of worry: "What is the urgent matter, doesn't the Queen Mother know that I am busy at this time?"

Zhao Xi followed behind him, hearing his hidden anger: "Your Majesty, please calm down, this servant still listens to the Queen Mother's meaning."

"The queen mother is really in a hurry!"

Xie Yu's footsteps became slower and slower, and his expression became more gloomy.

Zhao Xi's head lowered even lower, and his footsteps became lighter. Only those who served by his side knew that the emperor's temper was not as good as the rumors said, and naturally he was not so respectful and filial to the empress dowager.

Shoukang Palace.

Empress Dowager Xiao is called Xiao Jia, the concubine of the Xiao family, and her eldest sister is Xie Yu's biological mother, Xiao Jing, who passed away long ago.

The head of the Xiao family is Xiao Jing and Xiao Jia's elder brothers, relatives of the emperor, and both younger sisters have been queens, one of them is the empress dowager, the Xiao family's status is naturally extraordinary.

"Yu'er, you're here."

If they can keep themselves safe, there is nothing wrong with protecting them for the rest of their lives, but it is a pity that their minds have become more and more active these years—Xie Yu quickly walked to the side of Empress Dowager Xiao, concealed the expression on his face, and raised a smile.

"Queen Mother, what is your business looking for a baby? I immediately pushed aside the folder in my hand and rushed to you without stopping."

Xiao Jia is now forty-one years old, well-maintained, she looks like she is only in her early thirties, and she is full of dignity, she looks like a pampered person.

She once had a son with the first emperor, but died of a high fever before she was a year old.And because the birth of a child hurt the bones of the body, there is no possibility of having a child anymore.Therefore, when her first sister entrusted her to take care of her children before her death, she agreed without hesitation.

From an ordinary concubine to a noble concubine, to the current queen mother, every step she took was correct.

Xiao Jia looked at Xie Yu with kindness in his eyes.

"If my sister sees you today, she will be proud of you."

He was twelve years old when his mother died, and the palace was in great chaos. He was knocked unconscious and smuggled out of the palace. He didn't know what happened to the kidnapper, but he just put him in a sack and threw him into the field.He was rescued later, but when he woke up, his memory was confused and he couldn't remember the past clearly.

If it hadn't been for his aunt to reject the visitor in the name of being too sad for his mother's death and even seriously ill to recuperate, and find someone similar to her to deceive others and conceal the news that he was taken away.Otherwise, even if he was found, it would be impossible for him to ascend to the throne.

Therefore, he has always been very grateful to his aunt.

But now, the Xiao family stretched their hands too wide.

Xie Yu showed a little sadness at the right time, standing beside the Empress Dowager Xiao, with her hands hanging down, she was so tall, but she looked adorable.It is precisely because of Xie Yu's acting skills that are so pure and innocent, even though Xiao Jia knows that Xie Yu no longer admires and trusts her like she did when she was a child, she still does not think that Xie Yu has two hearts.

After all, she was the child who grew up watching, so some small mistakes were inevitable.She believed that she could still control Xie Yu, just like how he would listen to her before.

Xiao Jia waved to him and patted him lovingly.

"It's not that the Ai family misses you. Besides, Yu'er, if there is something important, just find someone to report it. You don't have to push things aside and rush over here. I won't blame you."

Even so, Xiao Jia was obviously very satisfied with Xie Yu's actions.

"Your father has passed away for more than a year. Now that you are an adult, it is time to start a family."

Xie Yu smiled and said: "Queen Mother, I have also said that I have just ascended the throne for a year and have not really controlled the government. Now the court is—"

Xiao Jia interrupted him: "You still don't know how to be a woman. What's more, the Ai family doesn't know how to be courteous and not courteous. If the Ai family didn't support you as much as before, it's not certain which of your elder brothers is in charge now."

She picked up a handkerchief and wiped the non-existent tears on her face a few times, pretending to be sad: "Now you are the emperor, but you don't know that the wish of the family and the wish of the elder sister is to hope that you will bloom, the late emperor's heirs were poor, you can't be like him."

In ancient times, filial piety was the first priority, so now he can't turn his back on Xiao Jia.

He was not the only candidate for the throne at the beginning, he was just the best candidate under Xiao Jia's balance.Even though Xiao Jia doesn't care about the affairs of the court, and has no intention of acting as a regency, it doesn't mean that the Xiao family doesn't have this idea, and it doesn't mean that other people don't have this idea.

"Could it be, Yu'er, do you have a sweetheart? The Ai family is not those ignorant mother-in-laws. If you met a woman you liked when you were in Luoquan, the Ai family would not object to you bringing her into the palace?"

Xie Yu's fists were clenched tightly, and the palms were covered with deep red blood marks from his nails. He is not an ungrateful person, but he hates being controlled by others.

"Queen, you also know that I can't remember what happened in Luoquan."

Empress Dowager Xiao took a sip of tea. It seemed that the person Xiao Dezi found was really skilled. She tried many times over the years, Xie Yu must have really forgotten.

She raised her eyebrows and glanced at him, her voice became more kind and unrejectable: "That's good, since that's the case, we won't beat around the bush. August is a good month, neither hot nor cold, when the time comes, show girlsComing to the palace, it’s also easy to raise. Yu’er, what do you think?”

"The Queen Mother said so."

Empress Dowager Xiao seemed to see his reluctance, and said calmly: "Throughout the ages, if the emperor wants to strengthen his own power, he will inevitably win over some ministers; and those ministers who want to be valued by the emperor must also please the emperor.A good way is to become relatives and share honor and disgrace. Yu'er, how do you say that you can satisfy the requirements of the emperor and ministers at the same time?"

Xie Yu gritted his teeth and did not answer.

The Qionglin Banquet is coming to an end, no feast without wine, no joy without wine.Drinking and singing, throwing pots to shoot down, flying flowers to pass orders.

Yu Xiuyue's eyes lit up, he was a little drunk, but obviously he did not forget his purpose, he gave a fan to Wen Yu and said: "A fan forms a good relationship, and a fan begins well and ends well. Brother Wen, I am Yu Xiuyue, named Shu Si, who lives inXidan Gunan, can I be your friend? A lifelong friend."

He tugged at the skirt of his clothes a little shyly: "My family is not rich, but fortunately, I made this fan with my own hands. I made friends to vote for points, and sharpened the rules. I thought I was congenial with Brother Wen, but I didn't know Brother Wen's opinion.How about next?"

Wen Yu hastily put down the wine glass in her hand, stood up immediately, and took the folding fan quite solemnly, the scarlet tassels on it were swaying in the wind.

She smiled at Yu Xiuyue: "It's important to know each other in life, why bother with gold and money. Brother Yu, why bother to be self-deprecating, we are already friends."

The author has something to say:

The first update is here, there will be another chapter tonight~