Firecrackers sound on New Year's Eve .
Qiu Che buried his head in the memorial, came back to his senses from the memorials on the table, and looked out the window at the snowy scenery.
Red lanterns were hung high on the eaves, and plum blossoms stood on the branches in the courtyard. They were hung with many red ribbons, which looked very festive, hoping for good luck in the coming year.
There were servants walking around quietly in the yard, but they couldn't hide their joy. Most of them were wearing new red clothes.
This is Wang's New Year's gift to them.
Qiu Che gathered up his cloak, exhaled a white breath, and said in a daze: "It's the Chinese New Year."
Li Qingwu happened to come in from the outside, took off his cloak and gave it to Fuling, then stamped his feet in front of the threshold and sprinkled it all over his body. Fine pieces of snowflakes.
Hearing this, she laughed and went forward to hold the heater beside the table to warm her hands: "I think you are too busy to remember the New Year."
Qiu Che rubbed his temples and smiled helplessly: "Recently protecting the city The team is really busy."
She travels back and forth every day to train troops, and she also has to take care of the etiquette department affairs. It would be strange to be confused if she is not busy.
Fortunately, it wonât be long before the new law is promulgated.
"Didn't you say that no one is willing to accept female students now?" Li Qingwu was quiet and sat in front of her. "Although the laws have changed, most schools are unwilling to open their doors to women." The
old customs that have existed for hundreds of years cannot be solved . Easily changed by an order.
Perhaps because Qiu Che has indeed done a lot of good deeds praised by the people, and she has a record in the Northern Expedition, the people love her and identify with her.
But this does not mean that he will agree with the other women.
Qiu Che sighed: "That's exactly what I'm worried about. I haven't been able to think of a good solution for a few days."
"I have an idea."
Qiu Che looked at her and motioned to talk about it.
Li Qingwu opened his mouth and was about to say something when Fuling appeared in front of the door again and whispered softly: "Your Highness, Prince Consort, Eunuch Fu is here."
The two looked at each other. Li Qingwu stood up first and said, "Where is he?"
When Li Qingwu came back, his expression was a little strange, as if he was deep in thought.
Qiu Che was lazy and didn't go to see the person, but thinking that the other person didn't say he was carrying an imperial edict when he came, it wasn't a big deal.
She leaned back lazily on the chair and asked doubtfully: "What's wrong with this expression?"
Li Qingwu smiled slowly and sat down next to her again: "It's nothing. It's just strange... Zhu Yan managed it. For more than a year, this year, the palace has come to me for dividends, once every two months, and it has never stopped."
Qiu Che sat up slightly: "...I came to ask for dividends from you?"
Is this the case before? In order to stabilize Li Shi, Li Qingwu promised his interests.
Li Qingwu nodded: "Actually, we were invited to the palace's annual banquet, but didn't mother say that we would have dinner together tonight? I declined."
Qiu Che teased: "You are becoming more and more skilled in calling me mother now. "
After Qiu Che's identity as a woman was revealed, Wang did not really discuss the change of address with Li Qingwu.
She has been calling her mother like this until now, and Mrs. Wang almost really treats her as her own daughter.
Li Qingwu glared at her, then lowered his voice: "Don't be poor... I forgot to tell you that Eunuch Fu also came here more than three months ago after the man in the palace claimed to be seriously ill."
Qiu Che pondered: "Nothing abnormal?"
"No, everything is as usual."
Li Shi slowly recalled, "At that time, I also suspected that His Majesty was imprisoned... and tested his reaction, but he behaved very normally. . "
It's like Li Shi is really seriously ill and can't see anyone.
This is strange.
According to their previous speculation, the emperor must be under house arrest by the prince -
and from the last time the brothel was seized, Qiu Che tested the prince's reaction and knew that the prince knew the person behind the scenes and did not think that he was in the process. being exploited.
Hearing Qiu Che say that he was making wedding clothes for others, he was obviously a little angry, with a bit of disdain in his anger.
It can be seen that the mastermind behind the scenes may not have participated much in the matter of "putting the emperor under house arrest". Maybe he just made a few inadvertent comments, and the prince himself did the rest.
It can be further inferred that the status of the other party should be lower than that of the prince at present, and he has not shown any threat -
this range is too large. In the current court, except for the emperor and the queen mother, no one can have a higher status than the prince. .
But even if he still didn't believe it, Qiu Che's words must have planted a seed of doubt in his heart.
In the half month after this, Qiu Che did not receive any secret plot to make things difficult for him.
Only the prince would sometimes find fault with her during court, with his thoughts clearly written on his face, making Qiu Che too lazy to fight back.
Letâs digress further and return to the topic of the emperor being under house arrest.
If their guess is correct and the emperor does not move freely, then Fuzi is the most trusted eunuch around Li Shi. If there is a chance to ask for help from the outside world, he will definitely try his best to convey the message.
But he was silent and always acted as usual to the outside world.
Then there are only two possibilities.
The hair on Qiu Che's body stood up.
First, they all guessed wrong that the emperor was not imprisoned.
This is extremely unlikely.
Based on Qiu Che's understanding of Li Shi and her analysis of the current situation in the court, she still agrees more with the conjecture that the other party has been detained and freed.
That's the second one - Fuzi rebelled.
He was not really sincere towards the emperor.
But this is a little strange.
If Fuzi was really an unkind and unjust villain, how could he be so obedient and loyal to the emperor?
Is his acting skills so good and lasting?
Or it means that Fuzi's original sincerity is from someone else.
This is a bit creepy.
He was not the only person around Li Shi, but no one showed any abnormality as the emperor was imprisoned. Could it be that all the people around Li Shi were traitors who had been dormant for many years?
Their superior is the prince?
No...the prince doesn't seem like someone who can do this.
They are all more inclined to be the mastermind behind the scenes.
Li Qingwu suddenly said: "No... In addition to Eunuch Fu, there is another person who is the most trusted person."
Cui Wenshen.
The other party is the commander of the Jin Yiwei. He has only been loyal to the emperor for generations. He is elusive and rarely goes out to see people.
After the emperor became seriously ill, his existence seemed to have been wiped away, and there was no trace of him anymore.
Is he no longer alive, or was he also incited to rebel?
Or is it a traitor who is also dormant?
Qiu Che thought for a while, took out a piece of paper, picked up a pen and quickly wrote a concise letter.
The white pigeon that was used to deliver messages to them had not worked for a long time. He slept on the window sill of their dormitory every day, eating and drinking, and gained more than a pound of weight.
In fact, it was originally picked up by Qiu Che from an unknown street in Lingbei. It is very humane, but is very wary of humans, and basically only gets close to Qiu Che and the others.
Add another Yuming who feeds it regularly, no more.
Qiu Che snapped his fingers with a smile, and the white dove lazily shook its wings and flew over.
Li Qingwu glanced at the contents of her letter.
It was Qiu Che who asked Yang Qiu to look up Cui Wenshen.
The other party is now the Minister of Dali Temple, and it is easier for them to check many things. Although it stands to reason that Mr. Yang, who has always been law-abiding, will not use public power for private purposes, it is a special period now.
I believe Master Yang will understand.
Even if he doesn't understand, Qiu Che will intimidate...er, no, induce him to understand.
Li Qingwu's expression didn't change much, but he raised his eyes worriedly and looked at the white pigeon: "Feifei hasn't worked for so long, has he forgotten how to send messages?"
Yes, its name is Fei. fly.
The level of naming seems to be Qiu's handiwork.
The white dove immediately grabbed the letter angrily, flapped its wings and flew up.
Then disappeared out of the window.
Action proves that it works.
Li Qingwu pursed his lips and smiled, watching it fly away, and sighed: "Will this work?"
"I don't know," Qiu Che said frankly, "I'll check it out anyway, just in case it works."
She then thought again He stood up and said, "Let's continue talking. Just now, before Eunuch Fu came, did you say that there was a way to solve the school's problems...?"
"It has something to do with what we just talked about," Li Qingwu also said seriously,
"Now Zhu Yan's name is also It's started, and even though we have to pay a lot of dividends to the man in the palace... But the profit is still considerable."
"This is because the war has continued in the past year, and Zhu Yan only had business in places around the capital. From now on, there will be peace and prosperity. , if you expand your business, you will only earn more and more."
Qiu Che had already vaguely guessed what she was going to say, but still cooperated: "So?"
Li Qingwu's eyes were bright, and he couldn't help but stick out the tip of his tongue and lick some. Dry lips: "So, I want to make Zhu Yan's reputation better."
"In Zhu Yan's name, invest in a new school."
"Oh?" Qiu Che said, "Tell me about it. "
This school should be different and solve the current dilemma of not accepting female students - so we went in the opposite direction and only admitted female disciples. In addition to the Four Books and Five Classics, they can also learn many skills independently on weekdays, and even practice martial arts." â
âThe first batch of students, ranging from eighty-year-old women to five-year-old girls, are eligible for admission. If their families are really poor and have no source of income, they can be funded by the school.â
"Of course, this kind of funding is not permanent, nor is it free. Students need to return the stipend within three years after graduating from the school... By the way, Yaotai mentioned the word stipend to me, and I am also the one who mentioned it to me. So I came up with the idea, and I had thought about setting up a school a long time ago..."
As she talked, Qiu Che's expression became more and more surprised as she talked more and more.
"...So, how do you plan to name it?"
"Women's School."
Li Qingwu said firmly: "Named, Women's School."
There was silence in the room for a long time, only the fire crackling in the stove.
The lively sound of firecrackers outside the yard stopped at some point, and the movement inside the house could be heard.
Seeing Qiu Che staring at him, he seemed to be still thinking. Li Qingwu, who didn't hear her answer for a while, couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
She tightened her grip on the heater in her hand and spoke in a lower voice: "Perhaps this is a bit fanciful, but the assets and land deeds I currently have to open the shop are enough for me to run such a school. But the most difficult step is the government , and you still need to deal with it..."
"No, I think it's good," Qiu Che interrupted her and sighed, "I have had similar ideas, but they are not as specific as you think."
About doing business. Li Qingwu is better at new ideas.
This is a win-win situation for both the school and the business.
Li Qingwu breathed a sigh of relief.
Then she couldn't help complaining: "Then you still look at me like this."
She thought Qiu Che thought she was too naive.
But the current situation does not require new things to replace the old customs?
Qiu Che smiled softly.
She pushed the chair behind her and sat next to Li Qingwu before the other party could react.
She reached out to hold Li Qingwu's face, turned her blank gaze to her own, and then glanced across her red and gorgeous lips.
Qiu Che swallowed unnoticeably, but his voice remained calm, even with a bit of a smile: "I'm just stunned by you."
"Why are you so powerful, my Qingwu."
Li Qingwu pursed his lips, but couldn't He suppressed a proud smile on his lips.
Qiu Che suddenly looked at her intently, licked his lower lip and said, "I really want to kiss you."
Li Qingwu: "!"
"Can I kiss you?"
Li Qingwu: "..." Why do you have to ask her such a question? .
Her face turned red, she hesitated, and was speechless for a long time.
Qiu Che twisted her hot earlobe, put his long hand on her shoulder, and leaned forward to kiss her.
With their lips and teeth intertwined, she whispered: "Happy New Year."
Li Qingwu grabbed the skirt of her chest, panting similarly, and replied: "Happy New Year."
How lucky that they are still with each other this year around.
outside the house.
"Madam..." Poria stood behind Wang, listening to the small noises coming from the room, her ears were red, she didn't dare to look at Wang's expression, she wished she could disappear on the spot.
She screamed in her heart: Your Highness! Can't you guys get close to each other again at night?
Mrs. Wang stood quietly under the eaves for a while, in a daze, but she smiled.
In fact, I should have thought of it earlier.
The two children, who are always inseparable and close to each other, have not mentioned the divorce for more than a year.
What else could it be because of?
Because of falling in love.
That was a feeling she had fantasized about before she left the cabinet.
Now I no longer have the passion and energy to love someone again.
But there will always be people who are still young, and there will always be people who will fall in love.
That's none of her business.
When Fuling saw her smiling, she collapsed even more. She was restless and didn't know how to explain it.
Wang seemed very calm, and even looked down at the dozen flower cakes and the exquisite wooden box in her hand.
The flower cake is for Li Qingwu. The other party may not even realize that she actually likes to eat this kind of bean cake...
maybe it's because her mother has made it several times in her memory.
The small box is for Qiu Che.
She loves to carve some gadgets. As a mother, Wang didn't understand them before, but now she has learned to respect them.
It would be nice to give Qiu Che a box to keep by himself so that things won't be scattered everywhere.
Thinking of this, Wang sighed and looked up at the sky.
Then Youyou said: "It seems that I have to wait until tomorrow to give New Year's gifts."
After New Year's Eve, it will be the first day of the Lunar New Year.
This spring is not far away.