Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 11

[Chapter 11 Shu Li]

It takes more than half a month to travel north from Xindu to Yuyang. Zhong Li was sent here by Mrs. Xu to prepare for the wedding. Now that the wedding is completed, the lady will go north, and she will naturally go back with her.

The person who escorted the lady to the north was also Wei Liang.

Wei Liang hated the Qiao family deeply. When Xiao Qiao’s father, Qiao Ping, came to Wei’s house to express condolences, he was the one who took the lead in drawing a knife and angered in the mourning hall. He naturally didn’t like the current Xiao Qiao either. When he saw her for the first time and saw that the lord was going to marry such a woman, he defined her as “disaster” in his heart. Now he is going to send him to Yuyang again, but he is reluctant, but this task was assigned to him by the military advisor Gongsun, and he can’t push it away, and he also understands in his heart that although this Qiao family girl is destined to be seen by no one in the future, But since the lord is married, it means that there is still a little use, so he can only reluctantly agree to this errand again.

Wei Liang prepared the carriage and horses, selected the entourage, and after someone carried Xiao Qiao’s burrow out and set it up, he waited outside the door of the Xin Mansion.

Xiao Qiao didn’t make anyone wait long. After cleaning up, the sun only rose to the height of the roof.

She took Chunniang and a few maids and walked out of the new room in Sheyang She.

Chun Niang really took a deep breath in the morning.

If it is said that at the wedding last night, Xiao Qiao’s makeup was to match her status as the wife of a prince, and she was more dignified and gorgeous than her actual age, so now, in addition to the necessary generosity, It is more about highlighting her original beauty and her natural gestures.

Xiao Qiao was raised by Chunniang. No one knows better than Chunniang how beautiful she can be.

Chunniang combed a fairy-looking bun for her, her long hair was all set high on the top, decorated with Xiao Qiao’s favorite emerald comb, and a Nanzhu the size of a fingernail was inserted on the side of the temple. Step by step, nothing more. Her face, in fact, does not need too much powder at all. The fat powder is thick, but it hides her original charm. Yesterday Chunniang put on heavy makeup for her, out of consideration for suppressing the wedding dress. This morning, she swiped her green eyebrows, her lips a little, and a layer of haze powder on her cheeks. A face is enough to be radiant and moving.

Chunniang knew for a long time that the tight and narrow Quju that swept down her knees to the ground best showed Xiao Qiao’s increasingly delicate and beautiful figure. She served Xiao Qiao bathing closely, and she knew the changes in her body best. Since she came to Guishui last year, I have seen her change day by day, and the jade room on her chest has quietly swelled like a flower. What you see is indescribable.

Her envoy’s daughter is just a little petite. Unlike the women here, most of them are tall and healthy, and they have just reached the age of 笄. It completely covered up her actual slender figure, and it was by no means as thin and scrawny as those who were sneering behind her back this morning would not please Wei Hou.

It’s your Weihou who missed the chance to know, okay?

Chunniang couldn’t help but slandered again. For Xiao Qiao, she chose a light, water-red Quju. After wrapping her body in three layers, she tied her waist with an embroidered belt, revealing a soft silver and Qingluo drape skirt. After tidying up her clothes, she gave it to her because of the strong wind and cold weather. A velvet-colored cape with a soft hat inlaid with fur is added. The cape has no other decorations, except that a stretched calyx plum is embroidered on one side of the hem. If the wind is strong, you can wear a hat to keep warm.

This outfit, which is mostly her true nature, is just right from head to toe, neither too simple, falling into the status of a newly married lady, nor too extravagant. When she walked out in the wind, she saw her blue silk and emeralds, her earrings with bright moon, her skirt swaying, her eyes were crystal clear, and her temples were shining brightly. Fangwu, even the Fangzheng courtyard, which was left with only a gray color due to winter, also added a dazzling beauty of early spring. All the way out, the servants I met all looked sideways, and some of them forgot to salute, until she walked away, still staring at the back and couldn’t take her eyes back.

Chunniang finally felt that the blocked breath in her heart was a little smoother.

Go past the door in front, and it leads to the door. There are several steps. It was cold last night, so Chunniang was afraid that there would be residual ice on the steps, so she stretched out her hand to support Xiao Qiao, Xiao Qiao lifted her skirt slightly, and when she lowered her head down the steps, she felt that Chunniang beside her suddenly stopped, and then her sleeves were lightened by her. Pulled lightly.

Xiao Qiao raised her eyes and saw Wei Shao standing by the road not far ahead. Beside him was a slightly thin, middle-aged man with three strands of beard. It felt like a civil servant beside Wei Shao.

Chunniang had already inquired about it before, and learned that Wei Shao had a counselor named Gongsun Yang by his side, who was quite relied upon by him, and was always there. Seeing this middle-aged man walking with him now, I guessed it was that person. Judging from their appearance, it seems that they have just passed by here, and they have encountered such a place with themselves.

When Xiao Qiao saw Wei Shao’s eyes swept towards him, his face was expressionless, his footsteps paused for a moment, and then he continued on as if nothing had happened. When he got closer, he smiled and called him “Husband”.

The middle-aged man beside him had already bowed to her. He claimed to be Gongsun again and his name was Yang. He was the marching Sima of the monarch.

Xiao Qiao also smiled and nodded slightly to Gongsun Yang. After greeting, she turned to Wei Shao and said, “The concubine will leave now, and I will not be able to serve her husband in the future. I hope my husband will take more care of himself.” Fu, without looking at him, turned around and left.

Wei Shao seemed to be startled, his brows wrinkled slightly, and his eyes were fixed on her back.

Although Chunniang was dissatisfied with Wei Shaoduo in her heart, she didn’t dare to neglect her when she met her like this. Seeing that Xiao Qiao had already left, she hurriedly bowed to Wei Shao, and then glanced at the man whose surname was Gongsun again, and turned around in a hurry. chased up.

“My lord, you really don’t want to send the lady out of the city?”

When Xiao Qiao’s figure gradually disappeared, Gongsun Yang persuaded again: “In my opinion, it is better to send the lord out of the city. The sun goes down, but the Lord’s marriage and concubinage are more popular with the people, and this is the principle of human ethics. Yesterday’s big wedding, today’s female monarch will go north, it can still be inferred that the war is tense, and it is only a few steps out of the city to see each other. No matter how complicated the lord’s affairs are, it is not easy to omit it. If the lord does not send it, it may make the people in the city suspicious.”

…

Xiao Qiao walked out of the gate, and Wei Liang and Zhong Ni came to greet him. She got into the carriage in front, and Wei Liang Zhongli and others also took their places. They were about to set off when they saw Wei Shao come out and rushed to meet them.

“Prepare a horse. I’ll take her out of the city.”

Xiao Qiao was already seated in the carriage, when she suddenly heard Wei Shao’s voice coming from behind. Out of curiosity, she couldn’t help but pulled up the curtain and glanced. When he saw him, he was standing at the door steps waiting for someone to bring the horse over. He turned his face to himself, as if he was thinking about something. Suddenly, he seemed to be aware of the peeping gaze coming from behind him. Joe’s carriage.

Xiao Qiao immediately shrank back and lowered the curtain with a slap.

…

the carriage and horses set off on the street.

At this point, the number of people on the street gradually increased. The passers-by saw a group of carriages and horses coming from the direction of Xingong. There was a large carriage in the middle. There were entourage guards in the front and back. Wei Shao also rode on the side, and slowly gathered around. , call him prince. After a street, there were more and more people. Gradually, the news spread for some unknown reason. It was said that in the middle of the big car was the newly-married Mrs. Junhou. Because of the tension in the war, Junhou was married the next day. I can only send her north, although I can’t bear to be separated, but in desperation, I can only send her out of the city in person. The people’s emotions gradually became agitated, and some people began to shout politely to the lady who did not show up in the carriage, and the rest followed suit.

Sitting in the carriage, Xiao Qiao heard passers-by outside the carriage offering tributes to her, and some of them wished her a smooth and safe journey.

In this era, although Confucian etiquettes such as men being superior to women and not advocating women’s remarriage have already been advocated by superiors, the world is still much more enlightened than later, and there are no strict restrictions that prohibit women and noble women from showing their faces. In Yanzhou, when Xiao Qiao’s mother was still alive, every March, she would bring Xiao Qiao and Xiao Qiao to the Flower Temple to attend the Shangsi Festival, which is regarded as one of the important festivals. Greetings from the people of the county, and joy with the people. Hearing that the noise on both sides was getting louder and louder, she called. Chunniang rolled up the curtains on both sides and smiled and nodded to the people on both sides of the road.

The people in the city naturally didn’t know about the Wei Qiao family. Because Wei Shao was very popular among the people, he naturally had the same affection for Junhou’s newlywed wife, feeling that the husband and wife would be separated the next day and sent them along the way. Seeing her finally showing her face in return, sitting upright in the center of the car, Shu Yun Pingting, immortal, with a smile like a gentle breeze over the peach and plum trails, approachable and approachable, when the eyes pass by, everyone has a feeling in their hearts She felt that Mrs. Junhou was paying her respects, and she immediately cheered and excited, regardless of gender, she chased the carriage all the way, and more and more people were crowding around the road on both sides of the carriage, just to see her more. at a glance.

Xiao Qiao smiled and greeted the people at first, but it was out of her duty as the wife of a prince. Unexpectedly, it attracted so many people to chase them all the way. Seeing that there are still people running in this direction from a distance, I am afraid that there will be more and more people. I am afraid that in case of trampling, I waved to the people nearby to indicate that there is no need to send them off. He lowered the curtain.

[End of This Chapter]