In the autumn of the fourth year of Yuande, the weather in Liang was still not good.

The residual heat of the end of summer gradually receded, and every grass and tree in Fanguifang was wilted by the dripping autumn rain, and the rainwater dripping from the corners of the eaves fell into the soil, making the ruts of the carriage more and more indistinguishable. Liang Law stipulates that the prince of the feudal king must go to the fiefdom palace when he reaches adulthood, but there are obviously exceptions. Su Jin was crowned king very late, and stayed in the imperial capital all the time, and even the house outside this official ditch was bought by himself from a merchant.

The room was already secluded, and the slightest noise was very noticeable—as if it were the third carriage of the day.

Under the continuous autumn rain, the door was closed, and the courtyard was silent as if no one had ever lived here.

Warming up and hearing the sound of the rain hitting the plantain, it seemed to be embedded in people's hearts. She looked at her mother holding her forehead, her eyes were red, and she didn't know whether to pass the cup in her hand or not. The housekeeper took the small teacup she was holding and put it on the table: "Madame drink some water." ”

Zhenya bit her lip and trembled and squeezed out a sentence: "I want to enter the palace to see the Queen Mother." Her tearful eyes looked at the child, "Nuan Nuan will come with me." ”

"Mom......" Huihui had never seen her like this, and she was so frightened that she couldn't speak, "What's wrong with Daddy?"

Zhenya couldn't hold back any longer, hugged her little daughter and cried.

Just after the hour, another carriage stopped at the entrance of the alley.

The black-clothed samurai and the butler talked for a few words, nodded and said, "Please come with the villain." The Queen Mother has been waiting for a long time. ”

The second time he entered the palace, he was held by his mother. She remembered that two months ago she had told her father that her mother had always let her go by herself, and that he had said that she had gained weight. She felt more comfortable with her father's hug, but now she couldn't say anything, she couldn't think much about anything, as if her mother thought she was still too young.

The rain in Miyagi is also floating like ordinary people's homes. The Daiwa of Mingxin Palace is hidden among the sparse yellow paulownia leaves, and it seems to be shrouded in a faint layer of mist.

The maid ushered them into the palace, and the hem of the elegant skirt was wet with the rain, creating a long watermark on the smooth marble and carpet, soaking the epiphany on the carpet.

Empress Dowager Shen sat in the position she saw last time, but the person kneeling in front of her changed from her father to her mother.

Looking at it up close, she is really beautiful, especially a pair of eyes, which make people can't take it off when they see it. It's just that it's beautiful, as if it's always soaked in a light rain. Huihui has always liked beautiful things and people, and involuntarily gave birth to closeness.

Zhenya cried: "The queen mother must be rescued and recovered, the prince can't come back, although I am a foreigner, I also know what is going on...... I can go and stay with him, but our daughter needs to be fine, she can't be hurt in any way. ”

Empress Dowager Shen's eyes were full of pain, she slowly got down from the couch, put her hands around Zhenya's emaciated shoulders, and said with difficulty: "Nuan Nuan stays with me, and I will protect this child in the future...... We can only stand through this for a while, those chaotic ministers and thieves dare to calculate even a prince, what scruples do they have? You and your children must stay in Mingxin Palace, and the palace will never return. She exhaled a deep breath and said reluctantly: "The Turks turned to the Liang army at the critical juncture, and your uncle has taken the opportunity to return to China to succeed to the throne, do you know? Have you ever thought about bringing your children back to China? But I can only tell you that your choice now is not wrong, you can rest assured...... I'm sorry for him, I'm sorry for his father, I won't ...... anymore," she clutched to her chest, coughing violently.

Zhenya held the silver pendant under her head, her eyes lowered, "I understand." Even if I go back, the Western Night will be a mess, and we will not be able to fight back against the Turks. But I want to go to see the prince first, and I must go to see him before the prince returns to Beijing...... He's going to be homesick. She hugged the child tightly and curled up.

Empress Dowager Shen's sleeves were already completely wet, and the maid squatted down with a face towel and wanted to wipe it for her, but she was knocked over, and she immediately knelt aside in a panic.

Empress Dowager Shen said hoarsely: "You go." I asked Xuanying to bring someone with you, but you have to think about it, they don't care who you are, and I can't guarantee your safety. ”

"I've been thinking about him for a long time, and I've missed him so much. I don't want to be separated from my child, but now I can't turn down this opportunity......" she stared down at Huihui, "Nuan Nuan is obedient, remember not to talk to people you don't know." Mom will be back soon. ”

Warmly hugged her waist and finally whimpered and cried.

In mid-August, Zhenya dressed in black rushed to the border Xiangdong City day and night to welcome back the coffin of King Jingbei.

*

Looking out the window, the yellow leaves were paved like broken gold. The little guys are very diligent, and they will clean up and leave after a while.

There was also a man standing by the window.

Helan Jin took out a small bag from his sleeve, which contained two pieces of delicately made pink pastry. He stretched his hand forward, the corners of his mouth curled like a crescent moon, and his dark eyes fixed on his little face.

This little girl is not very likable, and he can't talk when he lives in the house, but he has no sister, and even few cousins and cousins, so he has to tolerate them one by one.

"Sister?"

He glanced at it and said perfunctorily, "Thank you, brother." "I don't take it.

Helanjin didn't know that it was so difficult to bring a child under the age of three, even though the little girl spoke sensibly early, she shouldn't be so difficult to deal with! He remembered that when he was a child, his second brother took him away, and there was no resistance.

He patiently broke the snack and put it in her hand, and then slowly stuffed it into his mouth, seeing that He Lanjin wanted to cry. Helan Jin squatted down and pinched her face, "Why is the little county lord so calm, aren't you worried about your aunt......"

Hui Hui said loudly: "Mom said she would come back soon!" A pair of big brown eyes were suddenly full of moisture, and in the blink of an eye, tears fell down.

The little young master of the Helan family panicked on the spot, and subconsciously followed the example of his mother to hold her in front of him, and gently patted her back: "Sister, don't cry...... It's my brother's fault, Madame will be back soon!"

Unexpectedly, the warmer he was out of control, the more he cried, the more he choked on his clothes, Helanjin only felt a splitting headache, and beckoned the maid outside the door to call his mother.

After a cup of tea, he had an extra bag on his head.

Mrs. Helan hugged one by one, walked to the dining room, and ordered to cook some of the children's favorite dishes. In fact, she didn't know what this little girl liked to eat, and when she arrived at the house, she never said a word, nor did she cry, as if her mother had gone out to buy something.

Su Huihui is such a sluggish child. She has the impression that what her parents tell her, she just does it, and never asks. But this time it was too long, she had been in Helan Mansion for four days, and she was afraid that her mother would not come to pick her up.

She told her wife, who fed her osmanthus porridge spoonful, and smiled at her, "How is it possible." "It's possible, maybe her father won't be able to pick her up.

Mrs. Helan was speechless for a while, stroked her soft hair, and was silent for a long time.

"The little county lord will live with his mother-in-law in the future, and his mother-in-law's affairs will be handled immediately, and he will take Nuan Nuan into the palace. ”

Hui Hui asked, "What did my mother do, does my aunt know? She said that my father can't come back?"

Helan Jin was shocked to realize that as soon as the child took the initiative to speak, he must have asked his mother about her parents. On the surface, it looks stable, but in fact it is normal.

He put down the spoon and pulled her left hand: "Sister, don't be afraid, there are still three brothers covering you...... Hmm, mother, don't knock me. ”

Hui Hui glanced down at his hand, and Helan Jin let go. She seems to have been born with a hidden sense of insecurity.

Mrs. Helan received her youngest son's somewhat blank gaze and sighed in her heart.

Helan Province Shen Shi returned home at the end of the year. At the beginning of the day after the rain, the bright sunshine will not stay in the sky for a long time, and the blue sky will be slightly exposed from the clouds, as if the fine porcelain has just been fired. But Helan Province's mood could not be relaxed anymore.

"I guess the queen mother's intentions, I'm afraid I'm going to go to Dingqi in person. "Helan Province rushed home after handling official business and discussed with his wife.

"The Shen family doesn't care?" Mrs. Helan was taken aback, then showed an indignant expression, and sneered: "No wonder Qinghe County didn't look down on that group of people back then, it's just a pity." ”

Helan Province took a deep breath: "Your son has given birth to a lot and has a lot to say. Who doesn't know that the queen mother's stepbrother is a gambler, but he inherited the knighthood, and he should be exhausted. After saying that, he knew that he was speechless, and he stared at his wife with wide eyes.

Mrs. Helan took a sip of tea and said, "You are a big official, and you are bold." ”

These words poked Helan on the heart, and he snorted heavily: "Can the official have a great master?

Mrs. Helan was speechless. After a long time, Helan Province knocked the porcelain cup on the edge of the table, and said in a deep voice: "The Queen Mother Yizhi, the county lord will enter the palace tomorrow, and there must be no mistakes." ”

"That kid is still so young...... I wanted to spend more time with her. Has her mother already arrived?"

"It's almost here, about six or seven. "Shuobei has already had the first snow in September, no matter how cold the weather is, people have been gone for half a month, and when the latter group goes again, it must not be what it was yesterday. Helan Province recalled his former comrades, when he was still a fifteen or sixteen boy, following him without saying a word, but in the peach blossom rain on the outskirts of the capital, he was contaminated with the infinite romance of late spring.

He closed his eyes, and Brother Xindao could only do this for you.

Early the next morning, Mrs. Helan and Helan Jin sent Hui Hui into the palace. Helanjin's two elder brothers live in the Guozi Prison all the year round, he is young and beautiful and clever, and he is often taken by the elders, singing and harmonizing with his mother, which saves him a lot of embarrassment.

It's not a long drive, and it's a bumpy ride to Miyagi.

The three of them got out of the car, knowing that they were used to walking by themselves, and Helanjin led her in front of them for a while.

She raised her face and asked, "Brother, what were you looking at in the car that day?"

Helan Jin stopped, the seven-year-old boy had already had the wind god for several years, and the evergreen willow tree brushed against his cheeks, as if it was about to bloom a midsummer flower.

"Look at whose child is so stupid, wouldn't it be okay to say hello to my brother? ”

"I'll say hello, but you're in the car." ”

Helan Jin snorted, "I haven't seen much politeness since I came down." ”

"But you were knocked by your aunt......"

Helanjin glared at her, and suddenly felt that it was naïve to answer, so he flicked his sleeves and continued to take her away. His blue back slowly walked between the bleak walls and buildings, like a shallow image in a psalm.

This autumn warmed up and did not live in the palace for long.

In a place where she couldn't see, Empress Dowager Shen ordered someone to remove the tablet of Emperor Cheng in the warm pavilion in the west. Liang Duzhi wanted to stop it, but seeing that the Queen Mother was very determined, she didn't want to talk much, so she just said: "Your Highness, don't be too sad, if Your Majesty knows, you will definitely be unwilling." "Liang Duzhi is Emperor Cheng's former close attendant, and he grew up together since childhood, and he has never changed his title.

Empress Dowager Shen fell in front of the sandalwood plaque with a tear, and she said: "You know, you have already said this twenty-four years ago. ”

The moonlight is like practice, sprinkled on the steps on the side of Mingxin Palace, like the dust of the year. The dust contains footprints and memories from many years ago, and they are like driftwood in the dead of night, rippling little by little on the icy water.

Empress Dowager Shen has watched these many years in a flash.

She whispered, "If it weren't for my concern, I would have followed him." He definitely won't wait for me, a year, two years, maybe he will, but after so many years, he doesn't even have to look back. It's been too long. If he sees Ah Jin, he is afraid that he will ...... I dreamed of him yesterday, and I looked at him for a while before I recognized him, how did he become like that?"

The wrinkles in the corners of Liang Duzhi's eyes trembled, and his voice was hoarse: "Does the Queen Mother have to go to Dingqi?" The old slave will take care of it, Your Highness can rest assured." ”

Empress Dowager Shen stood behind the curtain, Liang Duzhi saw her vaguely like yesterday's shadow, and heard her say, "I have no shame to go to see him again." ”

*

Su Huihui walked on the post road from south to north.

It was autumn, and the palm-sized leaves of the poplar trees beside the official road had completely withered, leaving only the bare trunks standing on the field, unable to block the howling wind.

She didn't know how difficult it had been. Empress Dowager Shen almost knelt in front of Su Jun, and His Majesty Emperor Su Jun hurriedly agreed to her to travel in micro-clothes, and it was rare that she did not listen to the queen's advice. Liang Duzhi, who usually accompanied her to eat and rest, did not follow, but changed to Song Duzhi.

Today I will go into the city overnight. The mother-in-law told her that her mother did not have time to come back to pick her up, and that she could not go to the house where she had lived for two months, and that they wanted to bring her to see her mother and father.

The high gates of Dingqi looked particularly tall in the dusk, and the reddish sky was low, and there was something white hanging on the gates, and a row of flags at the head of the city were rolled and stretched out in the wind.

Huihui suddenly struggled in the arms of the Empress Dowager Shen, and the Empress Dowager Shen only heard her cry: "I don't want to come to my mother, I want my mother and father to pick me up...... ...... going back."

Empress Dowager Shen held her down a little stiffly, her throat was tight, and the child who was so well-behaved that she was distressed on weekdays was unusual, kicking and kicking, crying hoarsely, Song Duzhi hurriedly hugged her away from the Queen Mother, and used all her strength to coax softly.

Empress Dowager Shen pressed her eyes and tried her best from under her sleeve to say, "Hurry up." ”

Zhenya had already arrived at the city gate, and she was wearing a white robe and a hat, so that it was impossible to see her face.

The warm tears fell one by one, and in the haze, I saw my mother get off the horse and take off her hat, and I was crying like a downpour. Zhenya took the child and put her haggard face on her daughter's shoulder.

The memories after that were very messy, and white shadows flashed in front of her eyes, as if she had passed through a long corridor, and her father was at the end. The rich incense almost makes people can't open their eyes, and the cold air of ice cubes permeates every corner.

The Empress Dowager Shen, who was dressed in plain clothes, cried in front of the spirit, and the everlasting lamp on the offering table was faintly lit, and the lamp glowed with a cold metallic luster. The tall candles and candles on both sides jumped, and the cold wind poured in through the cracks in the room, and the white silk and linen were suspended in the air.

She leaned on her mother's arm in a daze, the big box in the middle of the room and the sobbing room were obviously scared, but she suddenly ran over.

Everyone thought that the child had been silent since she entered the house because she was frightened, and she waited for her to run up before she reacted, and Lin Han was the first to step forward to pull her away. But as soon as he stood up, his movements stopped.

He saw the child knock on the dark coffin as if she were knocking on the door, and waited quietly at the side, as if waiting for her father to come out of it.

Lin Han walked to the center and squatted down and said to her: "Little county lord, the prince didn't joke with you, he can't wake up." The young lieutenant's face was full of guilt, and it was difficult to say every word.

Huihui pulled him and asked, "Uncle Lin, they didn't tell me, what do you say happened to Daddy?"

Lin Han sent her back to Zhenya, pursed the corners of her lips, knelt in front of the Queen Mother and said, "Humble position-"

Zhenya suddenly fainted.

The warm hand was still in her mother's cold hand, and she froze, only to cry out for a moment: "Mother-in-law!

Empress Dowager Shen's face turned pale, and the maid quickly rushed over to check.

Hui Hui pounced on Zhenya in fright, and bean-sized tears slid down her eyelashes, "Mom, Mom, Mother-in-law, Mom, don't Mom want to be warm?"

The light in the mourning hall dimmed, and fine snow began to fall outside, and the snow rustled on the window paper, making the room even more chaotic. Empress Dowager Shen reprimanded the guards sharply, the man in black opened the door, and a group of people came out in the wind and snow.

Zhenya didn't open her eyes when she woke up. She doesn't know how to face her daughter, she is not yet three years old, and she doesn't understand anything, at least she doesn't know what life and death are, and what is a disaster. In fact, she herself has only now gradually understood this.

She heard Empress Dowager Shen's deep voice in the dark, so she sat up from the bed with her hands propped up and saw a calm face.

"What are you going to do?" Empress Dowager Shen asked her softly.

Zhenya suddenly found that Su Jinsheng was too much like her, especially a pair of eyes, which were always hidden in the light and shadow of the palace lamp before, but now in this very close distance, the pupil color is pure black, like a night without stars.

She smiled faintly: "Nuan Nuan will leave it to you in the future." I still want to spend some time with her, I don't know how long, but I don't want to wait for the day when she grows up. She stared at the familiar eyes, as if she had returned to the tent outside Xiangdong City, which was also as smooth as jade, dark and slightly cool.

"I just said that I often cry and get in bad health, but I was too careless. Now that I think about it, the aroma is very familiar, and we use it to smoke the medicine in the western night, put it in the lamp oil, and the effect of the medicine will attack very quickly. I was always worried when I took poison in the Turks, but when I met the prince, I slowly faded away, but I still encountered it. I can go with him, but Nuan Nuan, I will miss her very much, I miss her very much. At the end, Zhenya covered her nose and cried bitterly, her black hair fluttering over her shoulders and sliding down to cover her bloodless cheeks.

Empress Dowager Shen said: "There is no endless road, after you go back, you will also live with me, the child always wants a mother, but the palace must not go back." ”

Zhenya's thin fingers grasped the quilt and nodded.

The Queen Mother said again: "You can keep it in peace, I want to let Yuxiao Mountain come over there." ”

The snow began to fall again, shimmering in the endless night, and the snow outside the walls had accumulated half an inch thick.