cpa300_4(); Shui Xiu stood beside me and watched me stay distracted, until finally even the food in the bowl was cold, she finally bent down and said softly, "Girl, what are you thinking so distracted?"

I glanced up at her, suddenly remembered something, and asked, "Shui Xiu, did the spirit talisman you asked for for me in Taimiao before, drawn by the Protector Master himself?"

Shui Xiu nodded: "They said yes, they said it was very effective." (See the latest chapter┲ ̅請丄_☆~ωǒ看書閣WWw.КAΝsΗUge.°COм)"

"So, have you ever met the Protector Mage?"

She immediately shook her head: "Of course not, where can we ordinary people see him, all those things are handled by his disciples." ”

"So, do you know if anyone has ever seen him?"

“……”

Shui Xiu was also very clever, she looked at me and said softly, "Girl, are you investigating the matter of the Protector Mage?"

I didn't hide it from her, and nodded, "Yes." ”

Shui Xiu said: "I haven't seen him, in fact, the people in the palace, except for the emperor, have never seen him, and even every time the people who go to the Taimiao with him, they will be transferred when the mage appears." ”

"Oh......"

"But—" She hesitated as if she remembered something, and as soon as I heard this, as if I had something to say, I hurriedly asked, "But what?"

She frowned and thought about it again, as if it had been a long time, so that she could not remember it clearly, and after a while, she raised her head and said to me: "Girl, in fact, I didn't even know the person of the protector before, but when I listened to Mama Wu and Mama Qian chatting, they talked about it, and I only knew it." ”

"Oh?"

I was immediately refreshed - Mama Wu and Mama Qian.

Speaking of which, these two are considered to be the old men in the palace, especially since they have served Empress Zhaolie, what they have seen, heard, and known are all incomparable to those of us who are later generations, maybe they will really know about the protector mage.

I asked, "What did they say?"

Shui Xiu thought intently for a while, and finally raised her eyes to look at me, and said a little apologetically: "Girl, it's been too long, I really can't remember, and besides, I didn't mean to listen, so I didn't remember much." ”

“……”

I'm a little sorry, but it's no wonder that she's going to do this kind of thing, after all, it's like this for anyone, people and things that have nothing to do with you are always unwilling to bother to remember.

So, I waved my hand gently: "It's okay, I'm just asking casually." ”

The things on the table were already cold, and I didn't have the appetite to eat anymore, Shui Xiu was about to clean up the dishes and chopsticks, just when she was cleaning up, she seemed to suddenly remember something, standing there stunned, after a while, she turned her head to look at me, and said: "However, girl, I seem to vaguely remember that when Mama Wu and Mama Qian talked about the protector of the country, it seems that they also talked about Concubine Li." ”

"What?!"

I was stunned for a moment, and looked at her a little stunned: "Concubine Li?"

Nangong Lizhu?

Does she have anything to do with the Protector?

I hurriedly asked, "What's going on?"

Shui Xiu said: "I don't remember what it is, but listening to what they mean, it seems that Concubine Li has met the Protector Mage." ”

"Oh......"

Although I asked some things from Shui Xiu's mouth that I didn't know before, I felt that the fog in front of me was thicker, making me more and more unable to distinguish what I should do at this moment.

Concubine Li, Nangong Lizhu...... She was originally Pei Yuanhao's most beloved woman, Pei Yuanhao didn't let other people contact the protector mage, but Nangong Lizhu can of course be an exception for everyone, but if I want to inquire about this mage and find out who is going up, I will never be able to inquire in front of Nangong Lizhu.

So, I didn't take it to heart.

Early the next morning, I sent Du Yan to go outside again to see if I could find a way to go out of the city to the western suburbs once, and when I was bored sitting at home, Yang Jinyao sent someone to greet me, and I had someone to inform her yesterday and told her that she was okay, I thought she should come over to talk to me today, but she didn't.

After the girl she sent to greet me, I was about to ask Cai Wei to lead her to tea and snacks, and asked casually, "Is your master at home today?"

"The lord is not at home today, and he has gone to the court. ”

"Then your lady didn't come over today, is there something wrong?"

"Not really," the maid shook her head, "but when the master went out, he instructed Madame not to go out recently, so Madame didn't come here today." ”

“……”

I was stunned for a moment.

To say that Yang Jinyao must have a lot of friends in this capital, but after getting married, she walked the most diligently on my side, Wu Yanqiu didn't let her go out casually, was she unwilling to let her come to me?

When I think about it, I feel like I'm thinking a little too much.

Probably not.

So, I didn't ask anything more, and waited for a long time, Du Yan finally came back, the wind and snow were very big, his face was pale when he came back, and a thin layer of snow accumulated on his shoulders, and the first thing he did when he came back was to return to me, I hurriedly poured hot tea for her husband, and then asked, "How is it?"

Du Yan said: "The road to the west has been blocked. ”

"What?!"

I was shocked, but he still said calmly: "I went out of the city to see, all the roads and roads leading to the western suburbs have been blocked, and pedestrians have to be checked. ”

"So, what about other places? such as the eastern suburbs, the southern suburbs. ”

"Those places are all unimpeded and have not been checked. ”

My brow furrowed.

What's going on?

If it is possible that the previous curfew is because the Chinese New Year is approaching recently, the imperial city will naturally step up management, but this time the blockade of the road to the western suburbs seems to be a bit Sima Zhao's heart, besides, the other roads have not been investigated, only the western suburbs-

Could it really be that Pei Yuanhao knew about it because I was investigating the matter of the Protector Mage?

Du Yan suddenly spoke: "Madam." ”

I looked up at him, "Huh?"

He said: "I'm afraid that on that day, Lord Wu had already noticed something. ”

“……”

I was stunned for a moment.

That day, I asked him to follow Wu Yanqiu to the western suburbs, and found the location of Chongyun Pavilion, and later was also touched by Wu Yanqiu, although I used the excuse of following him to mediate the relationship between the couple and barely mixed up the situation at that time, but now that I think about it, Wu Yanqiu is not an ordinary person, he has been up and down for many years, and he is not a person who is so easy to be fooled.

Even if he was full of satisfaction and thought about Yang Jinyao at that time, but afterwards, when his brain calmed down, he would be able to think a little more.

I'm afraid that he has already guessed my real purpose that day.

Therefore, the next day, the curfew began in the capital, and the inspection out of the city became stricter, which must not be what he could do, he was just a member of the household department, not a person from the military department, it must be he who reported to Pei Yuanhao, and Pei Yuanhao would give such an order.

And yesterday, I went to Jixian Palace, and today, the road to the western suburbs was blocked.

It seems that my every move in the capital is always in Pei Yuanhao's eyes......

Thinking of this, I can't help but feel a little depressed.

Although I knew in advance that returning to the capital would not be as free as in other places, the thought that I might be very close to some truth, but being rejected by someone who was neither soft nor hard, and that layer of window paper could not be pierced, made me feel more and more powerless.

However, things are not all for the better.

I stayed at home until the third day, and on this day, the snow that had been falling for half a month finally stopped, the sky was slightly cloudy, the sky was blue and snowy, and the whole land became clear and clear.

Not long after I had breakfast, Xiaoni came in to report that someone from the palace had picked me up.

When I went out, it was the father-in-law from before, standing next to the carriage in a regular manner, and when he saw me coming out, he said with a smile: "Madam." ”

"My father-in-law is here again. ”

"Yes, the last time things were done well, the little master was happy, and he rewarded the slave and maid with a lot of things, so today's errand, the slave and maid rushed to come again. ”

I couldn't help laughing: "Father-in-law, this is a capable person who works hard." ”

He also smiled, and then raised his hand: "Madam, please get in the car." ”

I thought about it, but I didn't refuse, and the living note that I kicked behind the door that day, I originally wanted to see it, so I took Cai Wei and Du Yan and got into the car again.

As on that day, I entered the palace gate.

When I arrived at the Jixian Palace, Nian Shen was already waiting for me at the gate, he stood on the high steps, I don't know how long he stood there, as soon as he saw us get off the carriage, he immediately walked down happily: "Aunt Qing!"

"Your Highness. ”

I also smiled and watched him pounce on me, hugged my arm, the ancients often said that a day is not seen as if every other three autumns, now he also has that meaning, compared to the day when he just saw me again when he was not angry and sad, now he is so happy as if he has returned to the past to take the carefree child, smiled and said: "I am still worried that Aunt Qing will not come." ”

I smiled and said, "Didn't I tell Your Highness last time? As long as there is a back and forth, of course I am willing to enter the palace to see Your Highness again." ”

His eyes narrowed with laughter.

This time he brought me in, in fact, it was nothing, it was purely that he wanted to see me, and when the weather was fine, only when the wind blew, he would blow some fine snow foam from the backlog of snow on the roof, so I wandered around this Jixian Hall with him, chatting casually.

I know that he has finished his college studies, and Fu Badai has also praised the articles he has done.

I smiled and said, "So, does your father like the articles you make?"

As soon as I asked this, I saw that Nian Shen's steps were stagnant for a moment, and his face was slightly gloomy under the clear sky.

I immediately chuckled inwardly, "Huh?"

He glanced up at me and said a little dullly, "My father doesn't like my articles very much. ”

"Oh......"

"My father always said that my articles were too soft. ”

“……”

"He didn't like it. ”

“……”

When I heard him say this, I couldn't help frowning.

Pei Yuanhao may not like this son, but for this "prince", he is indeed a little dissatisfied, I have felt it from the tone of talking to me in Yangzhou before, and now I listen to Nianshen himself, and I understand it better, a person's article is naturally an expression of this person's heart, ambition, the best proof, Pei Yuanhao said that his article is too "soft", just like he has always been dissatisfied with this child's gentle and supple temperament.

Nian Shen took two steps forward, stopped again, and looked back at me: "Father often says that I am a woman. ”

"Did His Majesty the Emperor say so?"

"Hmm. ”

"Why did he say that?"

"Just a while ago, my father issued an order to take back several businesses in Yang Wanyun's hands, and I wrote to advise my father. ”

My heart moved, but I didn't move: "Why does Your Highness advise the Emperor on this matter? It's just a few business. ”

Nian Shen's brows furrowed even deeper, and he looked back at me and said, "It's not that simple. ”

"Oh?"

"Aunt Qing, my father did this for money. ”

“……”

"A few years ago, the new policies promulgated by the imperial court have actually increased a lot in various places, and the silver in the treasury has more than doubled compared with when my father ascended the throne, but my father still has to take back those few businesses......"

I smiled tentatively, "What's wrong with that?"

"Aunt Qing," he looked at me with deep worry in his eyes, "the country, in one case, wants to spend a lot of money. ”

“……”

"My father is so busy now, there is only one possibility. ”

“……”

"It's just for—"

When he said this, he paused again, as if he didn't dare to say those two words, but he was afraid that if he said them, he would become a proverb and become irretrievable.

But, even if he doesn't say it, I know.

In fact, when Pei Yuanhao issued an edict at Yang Wanyun's birthday banquet and took back those few businesses, I already understood.

His current policy is tightening, "making money", and the state is hoarding so much wealth for only one thing -

Fight.

Although Fu Badai had mentioned to him before that he hoped that the country would not have a war within fifteen years, and he was trying his best to maintain this, there were always some people who would not act according to his wishes, such as Jiangnan, who made the biggest move.

Pei Yuanxiu wants to provoke a war, it is at any time, although Pei Yuanhao does not want to fight, but with his character, it is impossible to sit still and prepare so much money, just for this.

In other words, the current imperial court is slowly entering a state of preparedness.

Thinking of this, my heart is also a little heavier.

Perhaps, war will really break out in a day that we can't think of.

I thought about it, looked at Nian Shen's gloomy expression, and said, "Then, Your Highness wrote to advise, what did His Majesty the Emperor say?"

Nian Shen said: "That day, my father called me to the imperial garden, and after I just said hello, he asked Father-in-law Yu to take a wattle and throw it in front of me, asking me to pick it up. ”

“……”

"As soon as I took it, my hand was pricked with blood, and my father asked me coldly if it hurt. ”

“……”

I nodded, and my father picked up the thorn, removed all the thorns from it with his knife, and threw it before me. ”

“……”

"He said, I use the knife, just so that you can hold this thing well. ”