Madam, she always wants to run away

Chapter 9 The Decree
Hsinchu had already gone to inform the old man and his wife, so when Xiao Lian came in, he was a little surprised to see Li Huan dressed as a farmer.

Li Huan patted the mud on his trouser legs with some embarrassment: "I'm taking a bath today, and I'm cultivating vegetable fields in the backyard, which made the prince laugh."

"Where is Master Li, if every official in my Daling Dynasty can practice like you and know the hard work of the common people, there won't be so many corrupt people who break the law."

Li Huan smiled modestly: "My lord, please sit down, let the old man go change his clothes first."

So only Xiao Lian and Li Ying were left in the entire front hall.

Xiao Lian felt uncomfortable for a while, so he had nothing to say to a painting hanging on the wall: "This bamboo painting is elegant and pure, lifelike, quite like a famous artist..."

Li Ying was about to answer, when he heard Xiao Lian continue to say: "It's just that the pen is weak, it's a pity, it's a pity."

Li Ying's half-squeezed smile froze on his face: "My lord's comment is that my ministers must keep in mind and improve their painting skills."

Xiao Lian couldn't believe it and asked, "Did you draw this?"

"Yes."

Xiao Lian was at a loss for a moment, it was true, the horse's ass was slapped on the horse's leg.

That's all, it's better to cut to the point directly.

"Yesterday, it was my king who acted abruptly. I frightened you. I was rude. You...are not angry."

Li Ying didn't expect that Xiao Lian would make an apology to herself first. In her opinion, what happened yesterday was because she reacted too much. She always felt that Xiao Lian would hurt her family.

"Why, the courtier is not angry. Yesterday, the courtier was eager to protect her younger brother, and her tone was a bit harsh. Please forgive me."

"It was my fault."

"it's me."

When Li Huan came in, he saw the strange scene where the two of them bowed to each other and kept apologizing to each other.

"What are you doing?" Li Huan finally couldn't stand it anymore and asked.

Xiao Lian stopped in the middle of bowing, stood up in embarrassment, coughed a few times, and said: "By the way, Lord Li, this king almost forgot about the business."

"What's the matter?"

"Yesterday, I came in a hurry, and I couldn't come to visit. Today, I have prepared some precautions, and I hope Master Li will accept it."

Xiao Lian waved to Zhu Chong who was standing at the door, Zhu Chong immediately understood, and after a while, there was a row of people moving things into Li's residence in an endless stream.

Li Huan looked at these people, and the more he looked at them, the more they looked familiar. Aren't they the same strong men who helped them move?
Wait a minute, how come there are so many things?Li Huan didn't pay attention, and the front hall suddenly piled up box after box of heavy objects.

"My lord, what are these?"

"Oh, just some tea, cloth, spices."

Li Huan stopped a strong man who was about to put down the box: "My lord, how can we accept this?"

"Why can't you accept it? They are all small things." Xiao Lian ordered to the strong man, "Put it down quickly."

The strong man bypassed Li Huan and put down the heavy box.

"No, absolutely not. My lord, these are too precious. Where can we use them? Take them back quickly."

"It's a joke, can you take back the things that the king gave away? Wouldn't it be embarrassing for the royal family. If you don't need it, then throw it away."

After Xiao Lian left such a sentence, Li Huan had no choice but to shut up, and looked at the front hall full of piles.

Li Ying was stunned watching from the sidelines, how could he give a meeting gift like this?
Xiao Lian had achieved the purpose of this visit, exchanged pleasantries with Li Huan, and then left.It was still early, and Li Ying didn't intend to keep anyone for lunch, so she watched Xiao Lian step out of the house, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Lian hadn't raised his hind legs when there was a loud noise outside the door.

"The decree arrives—"

Li Ying and her father looked at each other, what a coincidence?

Eunuch Feng, who came from the palace to deliver the decree, saw Prince Zhong's carriage parked at the gate of the Li Mansion from a distance, and when he took a closer look, he was right at the gate.

"Oh, I've seen the prince!" Eunuch Feng ran towards Xiao Lian with small steps and saluted him.

"Exemption. Eunuch Feng is here to pass the decree?"

"Exactly." Eunuch Feng was beaming, "It happens that you are here, the old slave of the province will go to Prince Zhong's mansion again."

"Then let's announce it together."

"Yes."

You don't need to guess to know that it is the emperor's imperial decree to bestow marriage.

Rao Li Ying knew that this day would come, but when it really came, he still couldn't help feeling tight in his chest.

Almost, really almost, she was free.

Originally, she always felt that all this was absurd and unreal, but now that the imperial decree had been placed in front of her, she had to face the fact that she was going to marry Xiao Lian.

In Li's mansion, Xiao Lian knelt on the ground with more than a dozen members of Li's family, listening to Eunuch Feng's announcement.

"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor's Edict said: The loyal prince Xiao Lian is of great character, filial piety is good, both civil and military, and now he is the weakest crown. Now there is a daughter of Li Huan, the secretary of the Imperial College, who is at the age of [-]. She has made meritorious service, dignified appearance, beautiful appearance and wisdom, so I am here The decree has been designated as Xiao Lian's concubine, and we will choose an auspicious day for the wedding. Hereby!"

After Xiao Lian and Li Ying each received the imperial decree, Eunuch Feng congratulated and said: "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations girl! The Holy Majesty bestows a marriage, it is a great honor, the only one in the capital."

Xiao Lian stuffed some gold and silver for Eunuch Feng, and Eunuch Feng's eyes lit up, and he said a few more words happily: "The prince and the girl are really talented and beautiful, and they are a match made in heaven, no wonder the queen mother is in a hurry to get engaged."

"Engagement?" Xiao Lian hadn't been to Renshou Palace for only a day, but the Queen Mother had a new idea.

Eunuch Feng laughed and said: "The servant also heard a sentence from the Queen Mother, and I don't know if it is accurate. In short, the prince and the lady just wait for the good news."

Li Ying thought it was not good.Originally, this absurd marriage could be postponed only by an imperial decree from the emperor, but if it is an engagement, then the actual date of marriage must be fixed, which has become an urgent problem to be resolved.

Li Ying was worried, and tried her best to pull out a forced smile: "Thank you for letting me know, and my daughter will make preparations early."

After seeing off Eunuch Feng and his party, it was time for lunch, so even if he didn't want to keep Xiao Lian, he had to put on a show.

"My lord, it's getting late, why don't you stay for lunch."

Xiao Lian could tell whether he really wanted to stay or was being polite.He replied very consciously: "Don't bother."

It's best not to stay, Li Ying was about to see off the guests again, when out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a person chasing after him from the kitchen like a gust of wind.

"My lord, why don't you stay for lunch!"

Xiao Lian was taken aback for a moment, and almost didn't recognize the peasant woman wearing an apron in front of her as her future mother-in-law, Zhao Minyi.

He immediately reacted, and declined politely: "Madam Li accepts it, I just go back to the Yamen for dinner."

"Oh, what kind of heart is there, you have to taste it with your mouth! How can the food in the yamen be as delicious as I cook?" Zhao Minyi said and grabbed Xiao Lian's wrist, "Just eat here, and try it too my craft."

Xiao Lian declined several times, but couldn't hold back the enthusiastic Zhao Minyi, so he had to stay.

Li Ying was completely speechless.

Originally, the dining table in Li's family was not big, but now with the addition of Xiao Lian, who is tall and burly, it looks extremely crowded.

And the atmosphere of this lunch, if one word can be used to describe it--extremely weird.

Sitting opposite Xiao Lian, Zhao Minyi kept picking up dishes for him: "My lord, try this, sweet and sour pork ribs, Ying Er's favorite dish."

"My lord, you should try this too. The fried lotus root box is also Ying'er's favorite food."

Li Ying looked at the bowls stacked up into a hill in front of Xiao Lian, and couldn't stand it any longer, and said loudly, "Mother, can you let the prince pick it up himself, he doesn't necessarily like what I like to eat."

Zhao Minyi's face was awkward, and the half-stretched chopsticks were neither handed nor received.

Xiao Lian lifted the bowl under Zhao Minyi's chopsticks, put away the lotus root box, and said, "I used to be a man who marched and fought in wars, and I was never picky about food. What you made, Mrs. Li, is very suitable for my taste." .”

After talking, he ate up the food in the bowl in twos and threes.

Looking at her mother who was grinning from ear to ear, Li Ying thought to herself, well, she is talking too much.

As for Li Xuan on the other side, he was the one who talked the most at the dinner table, chattering, not saying that he had caught another cricket this morning, or showing off how powerful his new slingshot was. He had to keep his mouth shut when he was so talkative at meal time.

Today Li Xuan was surprisingly silent, and glanced at Xiao Lian next to him from time to time.

He didn't like this brother-in-law, very much.

Which brother-in-law would pick him up with one hand when meeting him for the first time? !This is a great shame for a man!Moreover, he is not allowed to hug his sister, hmph, he and his sister have been in love for 12 years, what kind of onion is he?

"I'm done." Li Xuan put down his chopsticks with a "snap", about to get up and leave the table.

"Sit down!" Li Huan was no longer as gentle and elegant as before, and stopped Li Xuan sharply, "You leave the table before the guests leave. Is this the rule my father taught you?"

Li Huan usually doesn't get angry, but when he gets angry, he is very scary.Li Xuan was overwhelmed, so he reluctantly sat back on the stool.

"It's okay, I've used it well." Xiao Lian said, "If my brother is bored, how about I discuss it with you?"

"Discussion?" Li Xuan, who was still sleepy just now, suddenly regained his energy.

"That's right, I see that you have strong muscles and bones, and your foundation is not bad. Have you ever practiced martial arts?"

Hearing this, Li Xuan's face turned red, and he replied falteringly: "Never..."

Li Huan explained: "Our Li family is a scholarly family, and there is no tradition of letting our children practice martial arts."

Xiao Lian nodded: "It's okay, then today is not called a sparring session, it's just to relax with my brother. How about Li Xuan, do you dare?"

"Okay, come on!" Li Xuan rushed to the front yard excitedly.

(End of this chapter)