As soon as I realized that the development of events might not be within the normal range at all, or even within the control of the superiors, I felt a chill on my back, and cold sweat condensed on my forehead one by one.

No, be calm

My hand twisted the corner of my shirt to calm myself down, and then I went back to the matter.

I began to hear the news of the assassination of the prince in the morning, but the source of the news is unknown, it was not transmitted back by the people who followed Nian Shen, nor was it transmitted back by the people sent by Pei Yuanhao to recall the prince;

At this time, Pei Yuanhao's voice sounded in his ears: "What are you thinking?"

I raised my head and looked at him, with a solemn expression: "What is Your Majesty thinking?"

He looked at me, the corners of his mouth hooked slightly.

Although it was a smile, the smile was so cold that even his eyes were there, and after a while, he gritted his teeth and said slowly: "Last time, the Jiangnan people changed so carefully. ”

“”

My throat stricken, and I didn't speak.

Indeed, these two techniques are too similar, everything the other party does looks like **, as long as it is dealt with, no one will pay attention to it, but on the contrary, these things seem to be unrelated, but in fact they are interlocking, pressing step by step, not only the event itself, but also the hearts of the people, which is almost defenseless.

Pei Yuanhao this time, could it be counted again

However, at this time, it was too late to think about it, I only felt that the only strength in my body was quickly lost with the passage of time, and I could only say softly when I was barely awake: "Your Majesty, there are three things right now, Your Majesty must pay attention." ”

He looked at me: "You say." ”

"First of all, the source of the message is suspicious, even if it is true, but the person who delivered the message, and the purpose of the message, have ill intentions. ”

He pursed his lips, and then said, "I also know, but it is impossible to close the news now, and if I close it again, I am afraid that it will cause even greater panic." ”

I nodded: "Yes, the second thing that the folk girl wants to say is also what it means." If the emperor deliberately blocks the news, it will arouse even greater suspicion; however, Henan is only one day's journey from the capital, and no matter how much it is delayed, tomorrow, when the messenger returns, they can enter Beijing with great fanfare, but do not say that the prince was assassinated, only that the prince supervised the construction of a river embankment in Henan, and entered Beijing to receive a decree of gratitude. ”

He said, "I know. ”

"And the most important thing," I said, propping myself up, cold sweat dripping down my forehead and gathering along my cheeks and chin, "whether it is good news or bad news, Your Majesty must plan ahead." ”

His dark eyes narrowed slightly.

This matter is probably the last thing that I, him, and Chang Qing are most unwilling to face, but at this time, we must take into account the worst-case scenario, in case it is really Nianshen who is hurt, or even, he is assassinated and falls into the Yellow River, so what does Pei Yuanhao have to do to pacify the chaos

Just then, footsteps sounded outside.

He and I both turned our heads to look, but it was Father-in-law Yu, who cautiously walked outside the bead curtain and said softly: "Your Majesty, Miss Yan, it's already the third watch, it's better to take a rest and don't get tired." ”

Pei Yuanhao was silent for a moment, and then said: "Yuquan, tomorrow let the officials above the fourth grade, as well as the prince's wife, enter the palace together." ”

Father-in-law Yu and I were both stunned.

He hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, this is what you want?"

"The prince went out of the palace for the first time, supervised the construction of the river embankment, and solved the flood of the Yellow River. I want them all to come to the palace to welcome the prince back to Beijing. ”

Father-in-law Yu's face changed: "Your Majesty, this"

"That's what I told you to do"

“”

Father-in-law Yu never dared to disobey him, although he hesitated at this time, he also glanced at me, and when he saw that I didn't speak, he could only lower his head: "Yes, the slave will go and pass the word." ”

After saying that, he turned around and walked out.

The door shut, and there was a room of silence left in the imperial study, only the beaded curtains were still swaying slightly, reflecting the candlelight and flickering a little light.

He also turned back to meet my eyes: "You are with me too." ”

“”

I understood what he meant.

The prince's accident has spread all over the palace and outside the palace, since covering up will disturb people's hearts and will be bad, it is better to make a big fanfare, if it is really bad news, he can immediately issue a holy decree, with a clear and clear will to eliminate the panic of the people and the suspicion of the ministers.

It's just that, in that case, the variable we have to worry about is not the ministers, not the people.

It's him.

As a father, as the supreme of the Ninth Five-Year Plan, he must respond correctly immediately, take into account the overall situation, stabilize the hearts of the people, and even, not make mistakes.

This is a huge test for him.

So, he needs someone by his side to support him.

I hesitated for a moment and said softly, "Queen Mother"

"I don't want to embarrass her," he whispered, "I know that as soon as the news reaches the palace, her whole person will collapse, and if the news comes back tomorrow is true, I'm afraid she will be the first to fall." She can fall, but I can't."

Thinking of Chang Qing's pale appearance just now, my heart was sour: "Then why does Your Majesty think that the folk girl will not?"

"You won't. He interrupted me.

My heart palpitated slightly, I looked up at him, and saw his dark eyes also looking at me intently, as if to completely imprint me in his eyes, after a long time, he gently stretched out his hand and stroked my cold, sweaty cheeks: "You and I are the same person." ”

“”

I opened my eyes a little vacantly, looked at him for a long time, and finally did not speak again.

The night, in such silence, passed little by little.

I fell into a whirlpool of dark and upside-down dreams, hearing a lot of noisy noises and seeing a lot of hideous faces, which swept me in like a flood, engulfing me so deeply that I could not even breathe.

This dream lasted until the morning.

The sun shone on my face through the window, bringing a faint itchy feeling, I heard a sound of water in the half-awake and half-chaotic, and then the jade father-in-law asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, are you going to wake up Miss Yan?"

"Don't wake her up just yet. She was weak and had a fever last night, so let her sleep a little longer. ”

"The emperor didn't sleep all night last night, just guarding Miss Yan like this, and getting up so early at this time"

"Okay, don't say it. ”

I struggled for a moment, and finally slowly opened my eyes.

The room is bright.

I was lying on the bed with a soft quilt on my body, and a chair next to the bed was empty.

I hurriedly propped myself up and looked out, through the bead curtain, Pei Yuanhao had just finished washing his hands and was wiping with a towel, as if he felt my gaze, looked back, and hurriedly dropped the towel and walked in: "Why did you wake up?"

"Hmm"

"Sleep a little longer. ”

"What time is it?"

"Three quarters a quarter. ”

“”

Can't sleep anymore.

My head was still a little heavy, but I immediately lifted the quilt on my body to get off the ground, and he hurriedly reached out to help me: "You can sleep for a while, it's still early." ”

I gritted my teeth and didn't speak, just shook my head.

He looked at me, and knew that I was absolutely disobedient, so he could only help me up, and Gonggong Yu asked a few palace maids to come in and serve me, change my clothes, and after washing, I brought breakfast.

Although I didn't have an appetite, I didn't have to be forced, and he and I forced ourselves to eat a little bit.

After all, later, there is still a tough battle to be fought.

After breakfast, he asked, "How is the Queen?"

Father-in-law Yu hurriedly said: "The queen mother is also up, and she is already preparing to go to the main hall." ”

He nodded, and after tidying up again, seeing that the hour was coming, Father-in-law Yu opened the door, stood at the door and said loudly: "Your Majesty Xià drives"

With his voice, and the heavy door opened, the early morning sun shone into the imperial study, shining his whole person as if gilded with a layer of golden light, and the guards, eunuchs, and palace maids outside the door all knelt on the ground, and the mountain shouted long live, and I followed behind him, waiting for him to get up.

At this time, he did not immediately walk out, but looked back at me.

"Lightness. ”

I was stunned and looked up at him.

"Be by my side. ”

I was silent for a moment, and then said softly, "Yes." ”

On the top of the main hall, he and Chang Qing sat in front.

But His Highness was empty.

All the civil and military officials, the princes and women, were all ordered to stand in the wide square outside the main hall, and the procession to receive the prince had already lined up at the palace gate.

So many people, such a big battle, but they were quiet, not even a cough or wheezing.

However, I could hear a pounding heartbeat.

I don't know if it's mine, or Pei Yuanhao's, or Chang Qing's.

I stood beside the two of them, looking out of the open hall, and the sun was rising little by little.

My heart hung high almost like the sun, and Chang Qing beside me, his face was so pale that he almost fainted, and he grabbed his sleeves with both hands.

Just then, a drum beat sounded outside.

A team has entered Beijing

I heard Chang Qing let out a breath like a dying animal, a pair of eyes opened wide, looking out eagerly, seeing that she couldn't help but stand up, Pei Yuanhao reached out and pressed the back of her hand on the side: "Don't worry. ”

Chang Qing looked back at him, her eyes were red, she couldn't say a word, she only clenched her teeth hard.

Pei Yuanhao's hand pressed the back of her hand for a while before slowly letting go, Chang Qing's hand was on the arm of the chair, and the green tendons on the back of her hand were bounced, but she didn't move again.

The emperor and queen were quiet again.

Little by little, time passed.

Obviously, it is still early spring, and the weather is still very cold, but I unexpectedly feel that the temperature around me is scorching, and the hot blood in my body corresponds to the hot and galloping blood in my body, and people seem to be about to boil dry.

I don't know how long later, a second drum beat suddenly sounded outside.

This time, Chang Qing didn't hold back, bounced up from his seat all of a sudden, and eagerly took a few steps forward.

The procession entered the palace gate.

I pinched my fingers, and every moment my fingernails pinched a knuckle, so that the speed of the procession was very fast, and it was not a carriage, but a horse, but after entering the palace gate, it could no longer ride a horse, and the speed should slow down.

However, seeing each other is right now

Chang Qing's breathing became heavier and heavier, and his thin shoulders seemed to be unable to bear the heavy pressure at the moment, at this time, Pei Yuanhao also stood up and walked out slowly.

I didn't say a word, just quietly followed them.

As soon as I walked out of the door of the main hall, I felt that the wind outside was cold, and I couldn't bear it at this moment after staying up for so many days, but I still gritted my teeth and persevered, and walked out step by step.

As on that day, we walked in front of His Majesty.

The steps on both sides of the Dan Majesty were already full of guards, and under the steps, on the wide square, the civil and military officials lined up neatly, one by one, silently, but they were all anxiously looking out, and at the end of the square, the palace gate was opened, and hundreds of ordinary people surrounded the outside.

It's almost the same scene as that day, when Zha Bixing sued the royal court.

The difference is the mood.

Although many people pointed to me, at least I knew where my bottom line was, and I knew how I could get through that level, but this time it was different, I couldn't predict where this thing would end up, and I couldn't even think about how we would get through the first hurdle today if the news came was bad

Cold sweat was oozing from my palms.

Chang Qing held on to the white marble railing, looked forward anxiously, and muttered, "Why haven't you arrived yet?"

I was about to go over and comfort her for a word or two, but before I could hear a rapid drum beat in front of me.

On the third drum, they entered the palace

At this moment, a gust of wind suddenly blew, and I only felt that my clothes were constantly fluttering in the wind, like a stormy wave surging in front of me, and seeing a team of people and horses rushing in from outside the palace gate, my heart almost reached my throat.

At this moment, a hand suddenly reached over and grabbed my hand.

When I raised my head, I saw Pei Yuanhao standing in front of me, his back was straight, like a javelin that would never bend, and his broad shoulders were like a mountain, covering his face, I couldn't see the expression on his face at the moment, I only felt that his hand was constantly straining, pinching me, and the cold sweat in the palm of my hand was almost blended.

The group had already reached the center of the square, and all the people behind them had stopped and bowed down, and only one person continued to walk forward until he reached the foot of His Majesty